XVIII. VISIT OF ANGELS TO ABRAHAM AT MAMRE; AND OVERTHROW OF SODOM. (1) AND THE LORD (JEHOVAH) APPEARED UNTO HIM. — No new section could begin in this way, but evidently this is a continuation of the narrative of the circumcision. We thus find a Jehovistic section coupled in the closest way with one... [ Continue Reading ]
THREE MEN. — Jewish commentators explain the number by saying that, as no angel might execute more than one commission at a time, one of the three came to heal Abraham, the second to bear the message to Sarah, and the third to destroy Sodom. More correctly one was “the angel of Jehovah,” who came as... [ Continue Reading ]
MY LORD. — Heb. _‘donai,_ a term of simple respect, just as the bowing towards the earth is exactly what an Arab sheik would do now to a passing traveller. Abraham’s conduct is marked by all that stately courtesy usual among Orientals. He calls himself their slave: regards it as a favour that they s... [ Continue Reading ]
WASH YOUR FEET. — This is the first necessity of Oriental hospitality (Judges 19:21), not merely because the feet, protected only by sandals, are soiled by the dirt of the roads, but because it cools the whole body, and allays the feverishness caused by the heat of travelling. Thus refreshed they ar... [ Continue Reading ]
COMFORT YE YOUR HEARTS. — Heb., _strengthen ye,_ the original meaning of comfort, a word formed from the Latin _fortis_ = strong, brave. The heart in Hebrew is the sum total of all the powers, mental and bodily, of the whole man. AFTER THAT YE SHALL PASS ON. — Coming at noon, the travellers after r... [ Continue Reading ]
THREE MEASURES. — Heb. _three seahs,_ the seah being a little more than a peck. It is still usual on the arrival of a stranger to make this hasty preparation for his entertainment, the ordinary meal even of a wealthy sheik consisting of flour and some camels’ milk boiled together. Cakes such as thos... [ Continue Reading ]
BUTTER. — Heb. _curds,_ or curdled milk. Neither the Hebrews, Greeks, nor Romans knew how to make butter, and the word itself signifies cheese made of cows’ milk. This is less prized in the East than that made from the milk of sheep, or of goats, while camels’ milk is regarded by the Arabs as best f... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SAID. — But in Genesis 18:10 “he said,” and in Genesis 18:13; Genesis 18:17; Genesis 18:20, &c, “the Lord (Jehovah) said.” The messenger speaks as one with Jehovah, or as being His representative. WHERE IS SARAH THY WIFE? — This question is contrary to Oriental manners, as the women may be ref... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE TIME OF LIFE. — Heb., _according to the living time._ It is evident from Genesis 18:14, and 2 Kings 4:16, that these words denote some fixed period, but the exact rendering is in dispute. “When the season revives” = next spring, is entirely remote from Oriental thought, and the rend... [ Continue Reading ]
SARAH LAUGHED. — See Note on Genesis 17:17. The laughter of both husband and wife brings into prominence the inconceivable character of the fact. Sarah’s conduct has been very unjustly condemned. Though Abraham may have begun to guess that his visitors were more than men, she probably had no such su... [ Continue Reading ]
IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? — Heb., _Is anything too wonderful for Jehovah?_ At last it is made evident that the travellers are messengers from God; but until this declaration, there could have been, at most, only a dim feeling that the visitation was more than human. Though the angel does no... [ Continue Reading ]
SARAH DENIED. — With strange inconsistency Sarah knows that the speaker is Divine, and that He perceived the thoughts that passed “within herself” in the retirement of the tent, and yet denies; but it was the inconsistency of fright. Struck with terror at the thought that she had ridiculed the promi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MEN... LOOKED TOWARD SODOM. — This visitation of God combined mercy and love for Abraham, and through him for all mankind, with the punishment of men whose wickedness was so universal that there were none left among them to bear witness for God, and labour for a better state of things. There is... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I KNOW HIM, THAT HE WILL. — This translation has most of the Versions in its favour, and means that Abraham’s good conduct earns for him the Divine condescension. But the Hebrew is, _For I have known him in order that he may command his sons, &c._ It gives God foreknowledge of the purpose for wh... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL GO DOWN. — God examines before He punishes (see Note on Genesis 11:5) with the same care and personal inspection as the most conscientious earthly judge. ALTOGETHER. — Some take this word, not as an adverb, but as a noun (comp. Isaiah 10:23), and translate “I will see whether they have done... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM STOOD YET BEFORE THE LORD (BEFORE JEHOVAH). — The two angels went on their way in form as men, towards Sodom, but the one who was a manifestation of Jehovah (Genesis 18:13; Genesis 18:17) remained behind.... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM DREW NEAR. — As Jewish commentators remark, this word is especially used of prayer, and Abraham’s intercession is unspeakably noble. Nor must we suppose that he thought only of Lot. Doubtless he remembered the day when he had restored the persons and spoil to the king of Sodom. He had then s... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD (JEHOVAH) WENT HIS WAY. — Not to avoid further importunity, for Abraham had ended his entreaty, and obtained all that he had asked for; but because the purpose of the revelation was fulfilled. Besides the primary object of making known the perfect justice of God’s dealings with men, it furt... [ Continue Reading ]