Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
1 Sarai being barren, giveth Hagar (her Egyptian maid) to Abram. 4 Hagar being with child, and afflicted for despising her mistresse, runneth away. 7 An Angel sendeth her backe to submit her selfe. 11 and telleth her of her childs name and conditions. 15 Hagar beareth Abram a son, whom he calleth Ismael.
ANd Sarai, Abrams wife; did not bearchildren, unto him: and shee had, an handmayd an Egytian, and her name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Iehovah hath restrained me from child-bearing; goe in I pray thee, unto my handmayd; it may be I shall be builded, by her: and Abram hearkned, to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abrams wife, tooke Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid: at the end of ten yeeres, of Abrams dwelling in the land of Canaan: and she gave her, to Abram her husband, to bee to him for a wife. And hee went-in unto Hagar, and shee conceived: and she saw, that shee had conceived; and her mistresse was despised, in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, my wrong is upon thee: I have given my handmaid, into thy bosome; and she seeth that she hath conceived; and I am depised in her eyes: Iehovah judge betweene me and thee. And Abram said unto Sarai, Behold thy handmaid, is in thy hand; doe to her, that which is good in thine eyes: And Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from her face. And the Angell of Iehovah found her, by a fountaine of waters, in the wildernesse: by the fountaine, in the way of Shur. And hee said, Hagar Sarais handmaid, from whence commest thou, and whether wilt thou goe? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistresse Sarai. And the Angell of Iehovah said vntounto her; Returne to thy mistresse, and humble thy selfe, under her hands. And the Angell of Iehovah, said unto her; multiplying I will multiply, thy seed: and it shall not bee numbred for multitude. And the Angell of Iehovah, said unto her; Behold thou art-withchilde, and shalt beare a sonne, and thou shalt call his name, Ismael; because Iehovah, hath heard thy affliction. And hee will be, a man like a wild asse; his hand willbe against all, and the hand of all, against him: and he shall dwell, before the faces of all his brethren. And she called the name of Iehovah, that spake unto her; Thou the God that seest me: for she said; hauehave I also here, seene, after him that seeth me? Therefore the well was called, Beer-lachai-roï: behold it is betweene Kadesh, and Bered. And Hagar bare unto Abram, a son: and Abram called, the name of his son, which Hagar bare, Ismael. And Abram, was fourescore yeeres and sixe yeeres old: when Hagar bare Ismael to Abram.
Annotations.
H…] or, bond-maid, seruant: opposed to a free woman, Ier. 34. 10, 11. Gal. 4. 22. The Holy Ghost translateth it in Greek, sometime Doulee, a woman seruant, Act. 2. 18. sometime Paidiskee, a bondmaid, Gal. 4. 22. This bond woman was of Egypt (or Mizraim) of the posteritie of Cham, Gen. 10. 6. which Egypt is after called the house of seruants. Exod. 10. 2. for holding Abrams seed in bondage. Hagar] in Greeke Agar: by interpretation a Fugitive, or repulsed stranger; in the Arabian tongue. And the Apostle saith, that this Agar (allegorically) is mount Sinai in Arabia, and is in bondage with her childre, Ga. 4. 24. 25. where he maketh her a figure of the old Testament, or covenant of the Law given on mount Sinai, and of the earthly Ierusalem: as Sarai the freewoman, figured the Ierusalem which is above, and the new Testament or covenant of the Gospell in Christ. Hagars posterity are called Hagarens (or Hagarites) in 1 Chro. 5. 10. where the Greeke translateth them Pariokous, strangers.
Vers. 2. restrained] the Greeke interpreteth closed me up, according to that phrase of closing up the wombe, Gen. 20. 18. contrary to which is the opening of the wombe, Gen. 30. 22. God had promised a seed unto Abram, Gen. 15. 4. but not expresly as yet unto Sarai: wherefore doubting whether she should be the mother, she motioneth another course, which was not according to God (for it violated the law of mariage, Gen. 2. 24.) but after the flesh, Gal. 4. 23. goe in] that is, accompany with: see Gen. 6. 4. it may be] or, peraduenture: a speech not of faith, but of uncertaine hope, and likelihood after the flesh, but Sarai her selfe, had afterward a son by promise, Gal. 4. 23. and the word of promise was, In this same time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son, Rom. 9. 9. wherefore shee had a son by Agar, but hee was no heyre, Gen. 21. 10. so the Church hath had children by the Law, but they were not heires of the Kingdome of God: for the Law is not of faith; neither are the heires or inheritance, otherwise then by promise of grace in Christ: Gal. 3. 12, 14, 18, 22, 29. bee builded] that is, shall have a son. So the Greeke explaineth it; and Moses in Deut. 25. 9. And in Hebrew, ben, a sonne, is named of banah, he builded. So Rachel and Leah, are said to build the house of Israel (by bearing children) Ruth 4. 11. and God promised a seed to David, under the similitude of building him an house, 2 Sam. 7. 11, 12, 27. Sarai reckoneth her maids children, as her owne: so by the Law, bond servants children were their masters, Exod. 21. 4. Rachel likewise counted her maids children, as given to her selfe, Gen. 30. 3, 6, 8. And among the heathens, Plutarch sheweth, how Stratonice the wife of King Deiotarus being barren, gave secretly her mayd Electra unto her husband, by whom shee had an heyre to the Crowne.
Vers. 3. end of ten yeres] that is, after hee had dwelt there ten yeres. So Abram was now 85. yeres old and Sarai 75. Gen. 12. 4. and 17. 17. In the yeere of the world, 2093. a wife] to weet, a secondary and not a full wife, but a concubine, Gen. 25. 6. So Ketura called a wife, Gen. 25. 1. was but a concubine, 1 Chron. 1. 32. what they differ, is noted on Gen. 22. 23. despised] or, lightly set by: the Greeke saith dishonoured. This pride of Agar, figured the like affection in the heart of those that put confidence in the works of the Law, (as was in the Pharisee Luk. 18. 10. 11.) Rom. 10. 3. And it greatly disquieted Sarai, for it is one of the foure things which the earth cannot beare, that an handmaid should be heire to her mistresse, Prou. 30. 21, 23.
Vers. 5. my wrong] or, my injurie, (which I suffer) is upon thee; that is, thou art the cause of it. So the Greeke expounds it, I am injured of thee: and the Chaldee, I have a plea against thee: as if Abraham faulted, in suffring such misdemeanor: Or, my wrong be upon thee, that is, either right thou my wrong, or beare the punishment thereof from God. Thus it accordeth with the words following: and so Thargum Ierusalemy explaineth it: my judgment and my abuse, are delivered into thy hand. judge] or, will judge, if thou looke not to redresse it. But the Greeke translates it prayer-wise, the Lord judge. The speech argueth her great passion, as the like in Exod. 5. 21. Iudg. 11. 27. 1 Sam. 24. 13, 16.
Vers. 6. is in] or, be in thy hand, that is, in thy own power to correct her. good] that is, pleasing: as the Greeke translateth, use her as pleaseth thee. So in Gen. 45. 16. and often: on the contrary, evill in thy eyes, is displeasing, Gen. 28. 8. afflicted] to humble her, and abate her pride. This seemeth to be by rough handling, or stripes; for a seruant will not be corrected by words, Prov. 29. 19. shee fled] as impatient of correction, whereby she added sinne unto sinne, for she should not have left her place, Eccles. 10. 4. nor bereaved Abram of his child in her body: therefore the Angell sendeth her home againe; vers. 9. But hereby the difference betweene the two mothers, (the Law and the Gospel) was also figured.
Vers. 7. Angel] so named of the Greeke Aggelos: in Hebrew Maleac, by interpretation a Messenger, or Legate, one sent and imployed in any worke, whether of God or men. And those sent of God, were sometimes men, as Haggai is called the Lords Angel (or Messenger) Hag. 1. 13. and Iohn the Baptist, Mal. 3. 1. Mat. 11. 10. and generally the Lords Priests under the law, Mal. 2. 7. and ministers under the gospel, Rev. 1. 20. But in speciall, Angels are those heauenly spirits, and fierie flames, that are wise, 2 Sam. 14. 20. and excell in strength, Psal. 103. 20. which are all ministring spirits, sent forth in ministerie, for them who shall bee heires of saluation Heb. 1. 7. 14. And here this Angel was sent, for the good of Abrams family. The Hebrew Doctors opinion of Angels is, that they are (essentiall) formes created, without any materiall sustance or body. And whereas the Prophets say, they saw an Angel like fire, and with wings, &c. it is all spoken of propheticall vision, and by way of darke-parable. Also, that the Angels are lower and higher one than another: not in highnesse of place, as when one man sits above another, but as we speake of two wise men, which excell one another in wisedome, that that man is higher then this. Likewise that there are tenne names that Angels are called by, and accordingly ten degrees of them: and the tenth called Men, are the Angels which spake with the Prophets, & appeared unto them in propheticall visions, for which cause they are called men, as Maimony sheweth in Misneh, in Iesudei hatorah chap 2. That there are even ten degrees of Angels, the holy Scriptures shew not: but degrees there are, as the Apostle mentioneth Angels, Principalities, Powers, Thrones, Dominions, Rom. 8. 38. Col. 1. 16. Howbeit we are warned, not to intrude into those things which we have not seene, Colos 2. 18. Sometime this name Angel is giuen to Christ himselfe, who is the Angel of the Couenant, Mat. 3. 1. and of Gods face, Esay 63. 1. in whom Gods name is, Exod. 23. 20. And this Angel which here found Hagar, speaketh as God, I will multiply, vers. 10. and shee calleth him Iehovah, verse 13. of Shur,] that is, leading towards Shur, which was a City in the wildernesse betweene Canaan and Egypt, called the desert of Shur, Exod. 15. 22. wherein was scant of waters. So that Agar was fleeing into her native Countrey: and in this wildernesse, her posteritie after dwelt, Gen. 25. 18.
Vers. 9. humble] or submit thy selfe. This word is also used for humbling our selves before God, with prayer, fasting, and suffering afflictions, as Hest. 8. 21. Dan. 10. 12. 1 King. 2. 26. Iam. 4. 10. 1 Pet. 5. 6. And as it is the duty of all seruants to bee submisse, Tit. 2. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 18. so the Law (which is Agar mystically) is as a seruant to the Covenant of Grace in Christ; under which all ought to submit themselves to the justice of God, Rom. 10. 3. Gal. 3. 24.
Vers. 10. multiplying I will multiply] that is, I will surely much multiply, see this phrase noted on Gen. 2. 17. Here the Angel speaketh in the person of God: and propresieth of the many, that should be Agars seed both in the flesh and in the allegorie, that should seeke for justice by the works of the Law: as did the Israelites, Rom. 9. 31, 32. and 10. 2. 3. 21.
Vers. 11. shalt beare,] or, shalt very shortly bring forth. The originall word implyeth both the time present and to come; noting the soone accomplishment. So in Iudg. 13. 7. Ismael,] that is, God hath heard, to weet, thy affliction. This sheweth the effect of the law, which was added because of transgressions, Gal. 3. 19. and giveth knowledge of sinne, Rom. 3. 20. and so causeth wrath, Rom. 4. 15. whereby the conscience being afflicted, calleth upon God for grace, and is heard, Rom. 7. 7. 8-24. 25. Gal. 3. 24. heard:] or hearkened unto, meaning the praiers made in her affliction: as the Chaldee translateth it, hath receiued thy prayer.
Vers. 12. a man like a wild asse,] or, as the Chaldee expoundeth it, a wild-asse among men: the Greeke saith onelyonly, a wild man. This was first accomplished in Ismaels person, who dwelt in the wildernesse, as a salvage, and was a warlike man, Gen. 21. 20. and the Ismaelites mentioned in Gen. 37. 25. are there by Thargum Ierusalemy called [Sarkain] Saracens, that is by interpretation Theeves or Robbers. Spiritually this signified the wilde and fierce nature of man, which by the law cannot bee tamed, but is made more rebellious; for when the commandement commeth: sinne reviveth, and worketh death in us, by that which is good, that sinne, by the Commandement, might become exceeding sinfull, Rom. 7. 9. 13. The wild asse, liveth in the wildernesse and mountaines, is a beast of an untamed nature, and unserviceable to man, Iob 39. 8, 9, 10, 11. therefore the Prophet likeneth rebellious Israel, to a wild asse, Ier. 2. 24. and the nature of the wilde asse, is opposed (as signifying our unregenerate estate,) to the nature of a man, in Iob 11. 12. And as here Ismael and his off-spring are called of the Angel, Phere Adam, a Wild-asse Man: so Israel on the contrary are named by the Prophet Tson Adam, Sheep for men; or Men like a Flocke, Ezek 36. 37. 38. to signifie our renewed nature in Christ, whose Sheep weare by faith, and obedient to his voyce, Ioh. 10. 3.—16. Mahomet the false Prophet of the Turkes, and curse of the world, he had his generation from this wild-asse, Ismael, against all] or, against every man: it meaneth, warres and fighting. before] that is, neere unto, and in the sight of his brethren: see Gen. 25. 18.
Vers. 13. Iehovah] the Angell is so called, which seemeth to intimate this to bee no creature, but Christ himselfe, who is called an Angel, as is noted on vers. 7. The Chaldee translateth it, she called on the name of the Lord: and Thargum Ierusalemy saith, shee prayed in the name of the word of the Lord, that was revealed to her, and said, Blessed art thou ô God, &c. God that seest me] or, God of sight, (of vision:) which is more generall, as the Chaldee paraphraseth, the God that seest all: Gods seeing is often mentioned in respect of afflictions; as Exod. 3. 7. Psal. 25. 18. and 9. 14. and this Agar seemeth here to intend, from the Angels speech, in vers. 11. here seene] The Greeke translateth, for I have openly seene him that appeared unto me. In this sense she magnifieth Gods mercy, for letting her have so cleare a sight of him, which is more then the hearing of him, Iob 42. 5. and so here, in the desert, is opposed to her master Abrams house, where visions were more usuall. Or by seeing, may be meant the discerning of her evill plight, and her reviving after affliction, as in 1 Sam. 14. 29. so the Chaldee translateth, Loe I doe beginne to see, after that hee appeared unto me. Or, seeing, may meane living, after the sight of God, whereat men were afraid they should die, Iudg. 13. 32. and 6. 22. Gen. 32. 30. So the seeing of the light and Sunne, elsewhere seemeth to signifie living, Eccles. 11. 7. 8. and 7. 13. Psal. 35 10. after him that seeth me] or, after the vision.
Vers. 14. was called] Hebr. he called: that is, everie one; not restraining it to any one person. This the Scriptures elsewhere manifest; as, hee called, 2 Sam. 5. 20. is by another Prophet written, they called, 1 Chron. 14. 11. and, they had anointed David, 2 Sam. 15. 17. that is, David was anointed, 1 Chron. 14. 8. they buried him, 2 Chron. 9. 31. that is, he was buried, 1 King. 11. 43. they brought children, Mark 10. 13. that is, children were brought, Mar. 19. 13. and many the like. See Gen. 2. 20. Exod. 15. 23. Beer-lachai roi] that is. The well of him that liveth, that seeth me. The Chaldee expounds it, The well whereat the Angell of life appeared. This name was given it, for a memoriall of Gods mercy, to all posterity with whom is the well of life; and in whose light, we see light, Psal. 36. 10. Kadesh] called also Kadesh-barnea, Numb. 32. 8. and 13. 27. Bered] in Greeke Barad: wee find it not elsewhere. The Chaldee calleth it Chagra.
Vers. 15. Abram called] by this it appeareth that Hagar beleeved and obeyed the Angels word, and returned to Abrams house: who (in likelihood) upon her relation gave his sonne the name, appointed by the Angell. So Ismael is the first man in the world, whose name was given him of God before he was borne.
Vers. 16. old] Hebr. sonne of 86 yeeres: see Gen. 5. 32. Thus long Abram had lived altogether childlesse: and yet he waited 14 yeeres moe, before the child of promise was borne, Gen. 21. 5. and for the space of thirteene yeeres after this, God keepeth silence, and the Scripture mentioneth no speech at all of God unto Abram; so exercised hee the faith and patience of his servant; and taught him that the fleshly generation commeth in time before the spirituall: for that is first which is naturall, and afterward that which is spirituall, 1 Cor. 15. 46. And this servants sonne was serviceable to Abram and Sarai, till the promised seed was come, and then Ismael was put away with his mother, Gen. 21. 10. 14. even so the service of the Law is needful for the Church, till Christ be come, and formed in us, and we by him, doe bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. 7. 4. Gal. 4. 1.—5. 19. 31.