Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
1, God incourageth Abram. 2, Abram complaineth for want of an heyre. 4, God promiseth him a sonne, and seed as the starres of heaven. 6, Abram beleeveth God, and is justified. 7, Canaan is promised againe, to be his inheritance, and confirmed by a signe, 12, and by a vision. 13, The pilgrimage and affliction of Abrams seed, foretold, and limited. 18, Together with the covenant, the largenesse of the heritage is described.
AFter these things, was the word of Iehovah unto Abram, in a vision, saying: Feare not Abram, I am a shield to thee; thy reward shall be exceeding great. And Abram said; Lord Iehovih, what wilt thou give me, and I, goe childless: and the steward of my house, is this Eliezer of Damaskus. And Abram said, Behold to me, thou hast not given seed: and Ioe the sonne of my house, is mine heyre. And behold, the word of Iehovah came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heyre: but he that shall come out of thy bowels, hee shall be thy heyre. And he brought him forth abroad, and sayd, Looke now towards heavens, and number the starres, and if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be. And he beleeved, in Iehovah: and he imputed it to him, for justice. And he said unto him: I am Iehovah, that brought thee out, from Vr of the Chaldees, to give thee this land, to inherit it. And he said; Lord Iehovih, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, take unto me, a three-yeerling heiffer, and a three-yeerling she-goat, and a three-yeerling ram; and a turtle-dove, and a yong-pigeon. And he tooke unto him all these, and parted them in the midst, and gave every ones part, against his fellow: and the birds he parted not. And the sowles came downe, upon the carkeises: and Abram huffed them away. And the Sunne was going downe, and a deepe-sleepe fell upon Abram: and loe a terrour, a great darknesse, fell upon him. And he said to Abram; knowing know thou, that thy seed shall be a stranger, in a land not theirs; and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them: foure hundred yeeres. And also the nation, whom they shall serve, I will judge: and afterward they shall come out, with great substance. And thou shalt come unto thy fathers, in peace: thou shalt be buried, in a good hoary-age. And the fourth generation, they shall returne hither: for the iniquity of the Amorite, is not perfectly-full, as yet. And the Sunne was going-downe, and there was a darknesse: and behold, a smoking oven, and a lampe of fire, which passed betweene these peeces. In that day, Iehovah stroke a covenant with Abram, saying: to thy seed, give I this land, from the river of Aegypt, unto the great River, the river Euphrates. The Kenite, and the Kenizite, and the Kadmonite. And the Chethite, and the Pherezite, and the Rephaims. And the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgasite, and the Iebusite.
Annotations.
THese things] Hebr. these words: that is, these things spoken of: for a word, is generally used for any thing mentioned in speech or writing, or whereof speech may be: the like is in Gen. 19. 22. and 24. 40. So an uncleane word, that is, thing: Levit. 5. 2. an evill word, for, an evill thing: Deut. 17. 5. and many the like. in a vision] or a sight: the Chaldee saith, in prophesie: the Greeke, in a vision of the night: which the 5. verse confirmeth. Prophets of old, were called Seers, 2 Sam. 24. 11. 1 Sam. 9. 9. and a prophesie is named a vision, Esay 1. 1. for to his Prophets God spake by visions, Num. 12. 6. and Abram is of God himselfe named a Prophet, Gen. 20. 7. feare not] that is, be not dismayed, or overcome with feare: so feare not, Mat. 28. 5. is, bee not astonyed, Mark. 16. 6. The Prophets were sometime terrified with visions, as Dan. 10. 7. 8. 11. 12. though this may also imply other discomforts, which Abram had, as his answer sheweth. a shield] that is, a protection, as the name of a shield in the Hebrew signifieth: so the Greeke saith, I will protect thee: the Chaldee paraphraseth, my word shall be thy strength. A like promise is to all Gods people, in Psal. 115. 9. 10. 11. great] or, as the Greeke translateth, shall be very much. Abram had sowne righteousnesse, and therefore should reape a faithfull reward, Prov. 11. 18. though he were not enriched by the King of Sodom, Gen. 14. 22. 23.
Vers. 2. Lord] in Hebr. Adonai, which signifieth my stayes, or pillars: implying in it a mystery of the holy Trinity; and fitly spoken here to God (the Lord of heaven and earth, Mat. 11. 25.) who as a base, sustained Abram in all infirmities. It is written here with long A in the end, and so is proper to God, having the vowels of Iehovah: when it is written with a short a, it is applied to creatures. In in the forme singular Adón, Lord, or susteyner, it is also ascribed unto God, the Lord of all the earth, Psal. 97. 5. and in the forme plurall Adonim, as Mal. 1. 6. If I be (Adonim) a Lord, where is my feare?
Iehovih] or God, in Greeke Lord: this name is usually thus written, when it is joyned with the former Adonai: and it hath the consonant letters of Iehovah, and the vowels of Aelohim, God: and where one Prophet writeth Adonai Iehovih, (as here) 2 Sam. 7. 18. a…ther writing the same, saith Iehovah Aelohim, 1 Chron. 17. 16. It is of the same signification that Iehovah: whereof see Gen. 2. 4. goe childlesse] by going, the Ierusalemy paraphrast understandeth, going out of the world, as fearing he should dye childlesse, and so the promise before given, should be frustrate, Gen. 12. 3. and 13. 15. 16. So also the Greeke translateth, I am let depart (as Simeon speaketh in Luke 2. 29.) childlesse. The Hebrew well beareth this sense; for, thou shalt goe with thy fathers, 1 Chron. 17. 11. is expounded, thou shalt sleepe (or lye downe) with thy fathers, 2 Sam. 7. 12. the steward] or administrator, dispenser; Hebr. ben meshek, the son of administration, or of running about; or sonne of leaving: that is, the man that runnes about, and administreth, or to whom I leave the affaires of mine house: such we call a Steward. So the Chaldee saith, bar parnesaah, that is, son of feeding, governing, or procuration, meaning the Steward, whose duty is to give the family their portion of meat in due season, Luke 12. 42. VnderUnder this name he may also intend one to whom hee should leave his house after his decease. But Abram had one principall old servant, ruler of all that he had, Gen. 24. 2. of whom this seemeth to bee meant. Eliezer of Damaskus] or, the Damaskean Eliezer, (as the Chaldee hath it:) Damaskus being put for a man of Damaskus; (as Israel, 1 King. 12. 18. is put for the sonnes of Israel, 2 Chron. 10. 18.) though some take Damaskus (in Hebr. Dammesek) to bee the name of a man here. Of Eliezer, (or Eliazar, as the name is written in Exod. 6. 25.) is formed Lazer, (by leaving out the first letter, as in other countries they used:) & in Greek Lazaros; whom Christ in the Parable maketh to sit in heaven in Abrahams bosome, Luke 16. 23. that is, to banquet with him, & next unto him, as Mat. 8. 11. Ioh. 13. 23
Vers. 3. seed] that is, a child, as the Chaldee expoundeth it. son of my house] that is, my houshold servant, or bondman borne: so in Eccl. 2. 7. I got men-servants and women-servants, and I had sonnes of the house: that is, home-borne-slaves: so called, to distinguish them from sonnes of the wombe, Prov. 31. 2. Iob 19. 17. See before, Gen. 14. 14. also Gen. 17. 12. Ier. 2. 14. is mine heyre] or inheriteth, that is, (as the Greeke translateth) shall inherit mee: shall possesse and enjoy all that I have. So to inherit Gad, Ier. 49. 1. which is there explained, to dwell in his cities.
Vers. 4. And behold] the Greeke turneth it, And straight way: it noteth Gods speedy helpe of Abrams infirmity. shall come out] that is, the sonne of thine owne body: opposed to the sonne of the house, or servant aforesaid. So the Chaldee translateth, a sonne whom thou shalt beget. A like promise was to David, 2 Sam 7. 12. thy seed after thee, which shall come out of thy bowels: for which in 1 Chron. 17. 11 is written, which shall be of thy sonnes.
Vers. 5. the starres] which cannot by man bee numbred, Ierem. 33. 22. onelyonly God counteth their number, and calleth them all by names, Psal. 147. 4. Before in Gen. 13. 16. God promised him seed like the dust of the earth: here, like the stars of heaven: that, might signifie his naturall seed; this, his spirituall and heavenly; as the Apostle teacheth us two sorts of Abrams children, Rom. 9. 7. 8. Gal. 4. 22. 24 &c. Hereupon the Israelites are in Iosephs dreame, and in Daniels vision, called starres, and the host of heaven, Gen. 37. 9. 10. Dan. 8. 10. In Gen. 22. 17. Abrams seed are compared with the starres of heaven, and sand of the sea. so shall thy seed be] and so it was fulfilled in Moses time, Deut. 1. 10. and 10. 22. and this promise was after renewed to Abram, Gen. 22. 17. and to Isaak, Gen. 26. 4. and in them to Israel, Exod. 32. 13.
Vers. 6. he beleeved] or, had faith. This is the first place where faith, or beleefe is expresly spoken of in Scripture; and is found in Abram, called the father of all beleevers, Rom. 4. 11. 12. 16. and hath imputation of justice added to it; because under this promise Abram saw and beleeved in Christ, and it was before either the law was given, or circumcision ordained, Gal. 3. 16. 17. Rom. 4. 10. Wherefore Abrams faith is highly commended; in that against hope he beleeved in hope, that he should become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weake in faith, he considered not his owne body now dead, being about an hundred yeeres old; or the deadnesse of Saraes wombe: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleefe; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully perswaded, that what hee had promised, he was able also to performe; and therefore it was imputed unto him for justice, Rom. 4. 18.—22. The Hebrew word for beleeved, meaneth that hee thought and trusted the words of God, as sure, certaine, stable and constant: so where one Prophet relateth Davids words, be it faithfull for ever, 1 Chron. 17. 23. another writeth, stablish thou for ever, 2 Sam. 7. 25. and againe, faithfull shall thy house be, 2 Sam. 7. 16. for which, in 1 Chron. 17. 14. is written, I will stablish him in my house. And as beleefe is with the hart, Rom. 10. 10. so it is said, Iaakobs heart fainted, for he beleeved them not, Gen. 45. 26. whereby it appeareth that beleefe is a lively motion of the heart and spirit, firmly resting in the things spoken. When Iaakob saw the Waggons which Ioseph had sent, whereby he was moved to beleeve, it is said that his spirit revived, Gen. 45. 27. And Paul saith, that faith is the ground (or confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seene▪ Heb. 11. 1. in Iehovah] the Greeke translateth, he beleeved God, and so the Apostles cite the words, Rom. 4. 3. Gal. 3. 6. Iam. 2. 23. be imputed it] that is, God imputed that beleefe. The Greeke, (which also the Apostle followeth) saith, it was imputed (or thought, counted, esteemed.) for justice] or, righteousnesse; the word for, is added in Greeke, and by the Apostle in Rom. 4. 3. and elsewhere in the Hebrew, Psal. 106. 31. which also in repeating things, expresseth such words wanting, as lebeith, in the house, Ier. 52. 17. which in 2 King. 25. 13. was written onelyonly, beith, the house. Now of this the Apostle inferreth, To him that worketh, the reward is not imputed (or reckned) of grace, but of debt: but to him that worketh not, but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is imputed for justice, Roman. 4. 4. 5. where he maketh Abram to be in himselfe ungodly, (or impious) as having beene an idolater, Ios. 24. 2. and still without glory of workes before God, Rom 4. 2. but counted just for his faith in the promises of God, (vers. 21. 22.) adding, that it is not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we beleeve on him, that raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead: Rom. 4. 23. 24.
Vers. 7. from Vr] This sheweth that Abram was particularly called at the first, though Moses expressed it nor, Gen. 11. 31. and Stephen rightly gathered it from this place, and from Ios. 24. 3. as from the words of Abrams second calling, Gen. 12. 1. hee gathereth what were the words of his first calling, Act. 7. 2. 3. 4. Of this Vr, see Gen. 11. 28.
Vers. 9. Take unto me] that is, Take and offer unto me: so the Chaldee translateth, Offer before me: & Gen. 48. 9. take them to me, is bring them: so in Exod. 25. 2. and often: and, thou hast taken gifts, Psal. 68. 19. is expounded by the Apostle, thou hast given gifts, Eph. 48. a three-yeerling] or, a trebled heiffer: but the Greeke translateth, a three yeerling heiffer. Howbeit the Chaldee paraphrast saith, three heiffers, &c. the Hebrew signifying trebled, or thirded, is indifferent to either; but the first seemeth fittest here. Some take it for dividing into 3 parts: but they were parted in the mids, vers. 10. a young pigeon] the Hebrew word is used in Deut. 32. 11. for yong eagles: but the Chaldee here hath barjonah, a yong dove; and the Greeke hath a dove: and thus also it accordeth with the law in Lev. 1. 14 where yong doves are expresly mentioned. And as there, all offrings were either of beeves, or sheepe, or of goats, of turtles, or yong doves, Lev. 1. 2. 10. 14. so here they all are commanded to Abram. And figured out his children that should bee slaine as sacrifices, and mortified by afflictions foure hundred yeeres, as God after expoundeth it, in vers. 13. for the sacrifices of beasts, signified our more reasonable service of God, Rom. 12. 1. Esay 66. 20. Roman. 15. 16.
Vers. 10. and gave] that is, layd, or put. every one… part] or, halfe: Hebr. man his part: but Ish, man, is every one, and is so expounded by Paul, in Heb. 8. 11. from Ier. 31. 34. and is applied to all other things as well as to men: here to beasts and birds: and in Esay 36. 18. to the Gods of the Heathens. The parts were laid asunder one against another, as shoulder against shoulder, leg against leg; with a space to goe betweene, Vers. 17. God hereby signifying, that the affliction of Abrams seed should be ordered so by his providence, that after the time limited, they should be restored one part to another; as the bones of that people scattered in Babylon, came againe together, bone to his bone, Ezek. 37. 7. 11. 14. parted not] according to the law after given, which bade it should bee cleaved with the wings thereof, but not divided asunder, Lev. 1. 17.
Vers. 11. the fowles] ravenous birds, as Eagles, Kites, &c. which prey upon dead bodies. Figuring the Aegyptians and enemies of Abram seed, which should seeke to devoure them. So the Kings of Babel and Aegypt, are likened to Eagles, Ezek. 17. 3. 7. 12. and the fowles are called to eat of sacrifices, Ezek. 39. 10. Rev. 19. 17. 18. And the Ierusalemy paraphrast expoundeth the fowles to be the monarchies that afflicted Israel. buffed them] drove them away with a wind or blowing, as the Hebrew importeth. So Moses and Aaron saved Israel, from being devoured by the Aegyptians, Exod. 7. &c.
Vers. 12. going] or, to goe downe: that is, about or ready to set: Hebr. to goe in. a deep-sleepe] The Greeke calleth it an extasie, (or trance,) so Gen. 2. 21. The Hebrew Doctors observe, concerning visions shewed to the Prophets, that they saw no propheticall vision, but by dream, or by night vision; (Num. 12. 6. and 22. 19. 20.) or by day, after that a deepe-sleepe was falne upon them: (Dan. 10. 9.) And all that prophesied, their joynts trembled, there remained no strength in them; and their thoughts were troubled, and the mind was left changed, to understand that which was seene: as is said of Abram, and loe a terrour, a great darknesse fell upon him: and of Daniel, my vigour was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength, Dan. 10. 8. Maimony in Iesudei hatorah, chap. 7. S. 2. But they except Moses, as the Scripture also doth, Num. 12. 7. 8. a terrour] this and the darknesse following, shadowed out also the great discomforts that Abrams children should have, by the vexation of their enemies: as David and others, complayne of the like in their afflictions, Psal. 55. 4. 5. 6. and 88. 7. 17. So the Ierusalemy paraphrast applyeth this vision to the Kingdomes of Babel, Madai, Iavan, and Edom (that is Rome) which should bring Abrams children into bondage.
Vers. 13. knowing know] that is, know assuredly: see Gen. 2. 17. not theirs] meaning Aegypt, Mesopotamia, and Canaan it selfe; wherein they were but strangers, Gen. 17. 8. Psal. 105. 11. 12. and therein afflicted: Gen. 21. 9. and 26. 7. 14. 15. &c. but chiefly in Aegypt. 400 yeere] which beganne when Ismael sonne of Agar the Aegyptian mocked and persecuted Isaak, Gen. 21. 9. Gal. 4. 29. which fell out thirty yeeres after the promise, Gen. 12. 3. which promise was 430 yeeres before the Law, Gal. 3. 17. and 430 yeeres after that promise, came Israel out of bondage, Exod. 12. 41.
Vers. 14. will judge,] that is, punish as their sinnes deserve: the judgements that God brought on the Egyptians, are summed up in Psal. 105. 27.—36. and 78. 43.—51. handled at large in Exodus. great substance] or riches, both of their owne and of the Egyptians, whose jewels of silver & gold, and garments they caried away, Exod. 12. 35, 36.
Vers. 15. unto thy fathers] that is, shalt die: the body returning to the earth, the spirit to God that gave it, Eccles. 12. 7. with whom are the spirits of just and perfect men: Heb. 12. 23. See this promise fulfilled in Gen. 25. 8.
Vers. 16. the fourth generation] This promise was verified, when Eleazar the son of Aaron, the sonne of Amran, the sonne of Kohath, came out of Egypt and parted the land of Canaan to Israel, Ios. 14. 1. Kohath being one that went into Egypt with Iaakob, Gen 46. 11, 26. 1 Chron. 6. 2, 3. of the Amorite] that is, the Amorites, and other sinfull nations, mentioned after, verse 19, 29, 21. towards whom Gods patience should bee shewed till the measure of their sinnes were filled vp. A like phrase is used, Mat. 23. 32.
Vers. 17. going downe] the going downe of the sun, and darknesse, usually noteth calamities comming upon people: Amos 8. 9, 10. Esa. 5. 30. and 8. 22. and 9. 1, 2. a smoking oven] Heb. an oven of smoke, but as a crowne of thornes, Mat. 27. 29. is resolved, a thornie crowne, Mar. 15. 17. so this here as the Greeke translateth it a smoking oven, or fornace. And this word oven, is used to note our great afflictions, Mal. 4. 1. Psal. 21. 10. Lam. 5. 10. Luke 12. 28. So this smoking oven, may represent Egypt, the place of Israels affliction, called by another like name, an …ron fornace, Deut. 4. 20. Ier. 11. 4. The Ierusalemy Thargum applyeth this vision to Gehenna (or hell) Fyre, prepared for the wicked. a lampe:] or torch of fire, that is, a burning lampe: the Greeke turneth it, lampes of fire: and the Hebrew often useth one for many; see Gen. 3. 2. and 4. 20. This representeth the covenant betweene God and Abrams seed, for deliverance out of that smoking oven of Egypt. For at the Law-giving, lightnings called lamps, appeared on mount Sinai, Exod. 20. 18. and Christ was seene of Daniel and Iohn, with his eyes like lamps, and flames of fire, Dan. 10. 6. Rev. 1. 14. and the salvation of Gods people is likened to a burning lampe, Esay 52. 1. Also the livingcreatures, appeared to Ezekiel like lamps, Ezek. 1. 13. and Gods people are compared to virgins with lamps, Mat. 25. 1. which passed:] by this passage of the lampe, or lampes to which onelyonly the Greeke referreth it, the Lord would signify the making of the covenant betweene him and his people, as the next verse sheweth; So, from a like action, in Ierm. 34. 18, 19, 20. the Lord blameth them that performed not the covenant which they made before him, when they cut the bullock in twaine, & passed betweene the parts thereof, threatning for it, that their carkasses should be for meat to the foule of the heavens: though here, Abram drove the foules away. p…s,] the Greeke calleth them dichotomies, that is, divisions into two parts.
Vers. 18. stroke] Hebrew, cut a covenant, that is, made or stroke, and (as the Greeke translateth it) disposed a covenant, or Testament: called usually cutting, because of the slaying and cutting of beasts at the making of it, as this place and Ier. 34. 18. doe shew. The holy Ghost in Greeke expresseth this word carath cut, sundry wayes; as by poieo, make, Heb. 8. 9. sunteleo make perfect, Heb. 8. 8. diatithemi, dispose, Heb. 8. 10. all from Ier. 31. 31, 32, 33. and entellomai, command, Heb. 9. 10. from Exod. 24. 8. Of a covenant, see, Gen. 6. 18. give I,] or I have given. The time past is often used, in actions present, and to come. So the Greeke here translateth I will give. Of this gift, see Gen. 13. 15. But the Hebrew Doctors scan the word thus, Hee saith not, I will give, but I have giuen: and yet Abraham had now begotten no children. But because the word of the holy blessed (God) is a deed, therefore he so speaketh: Midras tillim, in Psal. 107. 2. the river,] called Sichor, Ios. 13. 3. Euphrates:] Hebrew Phrath: see Gen. 2. 14. This promise was accomplished in Davids dayes, 2 Sam. 8. 3. &c. and in Salomons, 2 Chron. 9. 26.
Vers. 19. The Kenite,] that is, Kenites, or Keneans: and so the rest, see Gen. 10. 16. The Chaldee calleth these Salameans; and so in Numb. 24. 21. Here are tenne peoples reckoned, whose lands Abrams seed should possesse. Afterward they are usually counted seven, Deut. 7. 1. Acts 13. 19. it seemeth some were wasted, or mixed confusedly with the rest, before the Israelites came into their possession. So in Psal. 83. 7, 8, 9. there are ten nations reckned, all confederates against Gods people.