_SARAH IS TAKEN FROM ABRAHAM BY ABIMELECH, KING OF GERAR, WHOM GOD THREATENS WITH DEATH, UNLESS HE RESTORE HER. ABIMELECH RESTORES HER, EXCUSING HIMSELF TO GOD, BECAUSE HE BELIEVED HER TO BE THE SISTER, NOT THE WIFE OF ABRAHAM._... [ Continue Reading ]
JOURNEYED FROM THENCE TOWARD, &C.— Not able to endure the melancholy prospect, which the desolated cities afforded, whence too, probably, a noxious stench might arise, Abraham removed from his usual place of abode at _Mamre,_ towards those parts in the south of Palestine, which lie near to AEgypt; a... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM SAID OF SARAH HIS WIFE, SHE IS MY SISTER— It appears from Genesis 20:13 that it was mutually agreed between Abraham and Sarah to pass for brother and sister, in the strange places and courts whither they should happen to come; so that it is no wonder to find the same incident repeated. See c... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GOD CAME TO ABIMELECH, &C.— It is hence evident, as well as from other instances, that the Canaanites, in Abraham's time, were not all corrupted in religion. Abimelech and his servants appear to have been worshippers of the true God, see Genesis 20:8 as they were evidently regarded by God, who t... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, WILT THOU SLAY ALSO, &C.— Abimelech here deprecates the Divine wrath, and enters into a justification of his conduct; declaring that both Abraham and Sarah had united in attesting that Sarah was the sister of Abraham; and that he had not the least apprehension or design of committing so atroci... [ Continue Reading ]
I ALSO WITHHELD THEE— It is not from God that there is sin, but it is from him that there is not more sin, either by his influence on men's minds, checking their inclination to sin, or by his providence taking away the opportunity.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE IS A PROPHET, AND SHALL PRAY FOR THEE, &C.— This is the first place in Scripture where the word _prophet_ occurs; and Abraham is the first to whom that appellation is given. It is evident, as Houbigant remarks, that, as it is added, _he shall pray for thee,_ the word _prophet_ contains the id... [ Continue Reading ]
ABIMELECH ROSE EARLY, &C.— There is a strong appearance of piety in this conduct of Abimelech; who, as well as his servants, that is, his council and the people of his court, seems to have had a due reverence for the Almighty, and a becoming fear for his awful admonitions. He expostulates seriously... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIMELECH SAID UNTO ABRAHAM, &C.— Continuing his discourse to him, he desires to know what he had observed either in him or his people, which gave him any reason to conclude that they were given up to evil desires, and would stop at nothing to gratify them.... [ Continue Reading ]
I THOUGHT, SURELY THE FEAR OF GOD IS NOT IN THIS PLACE— And, consequently, there can be no regard to moral laws and righteousness; of which the _fear of God_ is the only sure foundation. Observe here, how different the reasoning of Abraham is from that of our deists and moralists, who put the fear o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YET INDEED SHE IS MY SISTER— It appears as plain as words can make it from this verse, that Sarah was indeed the sister of Abraham, born of a different mother, but of the same father: and one would wonder whence it comes to pass, that some expositors are so industrious to justify an opinion whic... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN GOD CAUSED, &C.— It is observable here, that the noun and verb are both in the plural, _When the Elohim they caused me to wander,_ another striking proof of the doctrine of the Sacred Trinity. REFLECTIONS.—We have here, 1. Abimelech's care and haste to get rid of Sarah: he warns his servants,... [ Continue Reading ]
GAVE THEM TO ABRAHAM, &C.— It is manifest, from this transaction, and the similar one recorded in ch. 12: that Abraham was desirous to pass for Sarah's brother, from the single motive of preserving his life; _they will slay me for my wife's sake:_ and to preserve my life, said he, _this is the kindn... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I HAVE GIVEN THY BROTHER, &C.— There is nothing in the Hebrew for _pieces,_ and therefore nothing certain can be determined as to the quantity of this silver. The opinions of expositors are various respecting this difficult passage. The authors of the Universal History appear to me to have g... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ABRAHAM PRAYED, &C.— See Genesis 20:7 and God accepted his prayer: and the punishment, which he had graciously inflicted on Abimelech to deter him from guilt, was removed. Hence we learn, that affliction from the hand of Heaven is often so far from an evil, that it is the greatest good. The disea... [ Continue Reading ]