_A.M. 2112. B.C. 1892._ In this chapter we have, (1,) _ Isaac, the child of promise, born into Abraham's family, Genesis 21:1._ (2,) _ Ishmael, the son of the bond-woman, cast out of it, Genesis 21:9._ (3,) _ Abraham's league with Abimelech, Genesis 21:22._ (4,) _ His devotion to God, Genesis 2... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord visited Sarah_ That is, was present with her in his mercy, power, and faithfulness, to perform his gracious promise of giving her a child.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sarah conceived By faith Sarah received strength_, (Hebrews 11:11,) to _conceive seed_, God, according to his promise, giving that strength. Abraham was old, and Sarah old, and both as good as dead, and then the promise took place.... [ Continue Reading ]
_He circumcised his son_ The covenant being established with him, the seal of the covenant, according to God's command, was administered to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sarah said, God has made me to laugh_ Not through diffidence and irreverence, as my own distrustful heart before made me to laugh; but through excess of holy joy. He hath given me both cause and a heart to rejoice. And it adds to the comfort of any mercy to have our friends rejoice with us in it, L... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sarah should have given children suck_ She says _children_, expecting, it seems, that, having received of God new strength, she would have more than one child. Here all mothers are taught their duty, which is to give their children suck if they be able. Not to do this is a sin against the God of na... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sarah saw the son of the Egyptian, mocking_ Mocking Isaac, no doubt, for it is said, with reference to this, Galatians 4:29, that “he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit.”... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cast out the bond-woman_ This was a type of the rejection of the unbelieving Jews, who, though they were the seed of Abraham, yet, because they submitted not to the gospel covenant, were _unchurched_ and _disfranchised._ And that which above any thing provoked God to cast them off, was, their _mock... [ Continue Reading ]
_The thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight_ Because of his affection to his son, and God's promise concerning him. He who, at God's command, which he was bound to obey, afterward so cheerfully gave up Isaac, was not so ready to part with Ishmael, to gratify the passion of an angry woman. And pr... [ Continue Reading ]
The casting out of Ishmael was not his ruin. He shall be _a nation because he is thy seed_ We are not sure that it was his eternal ruin. It is presumption to say, that all those who are left out of the external dispensation of God's covenant are excluded from his spiritual mercies. Those may be _sav... [ Continue Reading ]
_Abraham rose up early in the morning_ Immediately, it seems, after he had received orders in the night visions to do this: _and took bread and a bottle of water_ All necessary provision seems to be here included, of which it is probable they had sufficient to have served them till they had come to... [ Continue Reading ]
_God heard the voice of the lad_ We read not of a word that he said; but his sighs and groans, though not proceeding from true repentance, but extorted from him by his pressing calamity, cried aloud in the ears of the God of mercy. An angel was sent to comfort Hagar, and assure her that _God had hea... [ Continue Reading ]
_God was with the lad_ This accounts for his preservation and support in that wilderness, in which, had not God been with him in an extraordinary manner, in answer to Abraham's prayer, in all probability he must have perished.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beer-sheba_ That is, _the well of the oath_, or _the well of the seven_, (for the word equally signifies either,) alluding to the _seven ewe- lambs_ which Abraham set by themselves and gave to Abimelech. Probably when a covenant was solemnly made and confirmed by an oath, seven lambs or sheep were... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Abraham planted a grove_ For a shade to his tent, or perhaps an orchard of fruit-trees; and there, though we cannot say he settled, for God would have him while he lived to be a stranger and a pilgrim, yet he _sojourned many days. And called there on the name of the Lord_ Probably in the grove... [ Continue Reading ]