Westminster Annotations, Genesis · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Vers. 1. THence] That is, from the Plain of Mamre where he entertained the Angels, Chap. 18. 1. and where he had abode above foureteene yeares; he removed thence, haply, because the aire was lesse wholesome, being neere that noysome fulphurious Lake which was a memoriall of Gods vengeance on those wicked Cities destroyed by fire and brimstone. The distance betwixt the two places is measured to sixe leagues.
Kadesh and Shur] Two deserts.
Gerar] The name both of a Countrey and Citie of the Philistines, bordering upon the Southerne part of Canaan.
V. 2. said of Sarah] That is, to those that asked of him.
my sister] Abraham had now twice fallen into this fault; such is mans frailty that the best may fall into the same fault more then once. So Jehosaphat though reproved by Jehu for joyning in league with wicked Ahab, 2 Chron. 19. 2. did again doe the like in his confederacie with Ahaziah, and was again reproved by another Prophet, 2 Chron. 20. 37. See Annot. on Gen. Chap. 12. 13.
Abimelech] A name usuall among the Kings of Palestine, as Pharaoh with the Kings of Egypt; it is compounded of benignitie and authoritie, signifying a Father and a King, for Rulers (and among them Kings are the chiefe) are Fathers to such as are subordinate to them, as 2 King. 5. 18. Job 29. 16. and under that title are they to be honoured by the fifth Commandement; and hereby is implied that they must rule with indulgence, as Fathers; and their subjects obey with benevolence, as children.
V. 3. dreame] Dreames, for the most part, proceed of multitude of businesse, or thoughts of the day, Eccles. 5. 3. Or from the temperament of the body, or disposition of the mind; but sometimes they are sent of God, though very rarely; and when they are so, they are for the most part imparted to holy persons, and for holy and weighty reasons; and they bring their evidence and assurance with them, that they are no illusions of Satan, or of vain fancie, or siction, as those reproved by the Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. 23. vers. 25. 27. And hereby God hath a preeminence above all humane teachers, for they can teach onelyonly such as are awake, whereas he can instruct such as are asleepe, in their dreames, and thereby he can worke both the conviction, and conversion of a sinner. See Chap. 20. 3.
dead] This was said to him when Gods hand was upon him in the plagues he sent upon him and his houshold, which were not deadly; but now to prevent the accomplishment of his purpose, and the further punishment due unto it, God commeth upon him with this commination; which sheweth how greatly God doth detest the breach of marriage: This death was deserved by that he had done already, and purposed to doe; and had beene certainely inflicted, if he had perfected his sinne: See vers. 7. See also, Chap. 2. 17. & Joh. 3. vers. 18.
V. 4. not come neere] He was kept at a modest distance from her, by Gods restraining power, vers. 6.
righteous nation] Here he confesseth that God would not punish but upon just cause; therefore wheresoever he punisheth, the cause is just, he conceiveth that the plague which his family felt, was for his sake inflicted upon his other subjects, as well as on his owne family; for many times the subjects smart for the sinnes of the Rulers: whereof there is example not onelyonly in the Scripture, as here, and Chap. 34. 24. & 2 Sam. 24. 17. but in humane stories; and he accounts himselfe and his people righteous, because they knew not Sarah to be a wife.
V. 5. integritie of my heart] As one falling by ignorance, and not doing evill of purpose, nor thinking to any one any harme; or not meaning to enjoy her otherwise then as his lawfull wife, though he had one before, vers. 17. for Polygamy was not taken for a sinne in those dayes.
V. 6. I with-held thee] God maketh the restraint of sinne, Gen. 31. 7. & 1 Sam. 25. 26. and the hearts of Kings are in his hand, Prov. 21. 1. and he doth it sometimes by secret instinct, sometimes by open instruction, and sometimes by Divine correction, as in this place.
from sinning] If Abimelech had lien with Sarah, though he knew not that she had an husband, he had sinned; for ignorance though it be an excuse in part, doth not excuse from the whole, Luk. 12. 48.
against me] Though the sinne were immediately against Abrahams right, and Sarahs chastitie, yet God having forbidden all unlawfull actions, he cannot sinne against man but he must sinne against God. See Gen. 39 9.
V. 7. restore] Restitution of that which is unlawfully taken must be made before sinne be remitted or punishment removed. See Levit. 6. 4. 7.
a Prophet] That is, one to whom God revealeth himselfe familiarly; and by the Spirit of Prophecie he did foresee Christ many hundred yeares before he was borne, Joh. 8. 56. and no doubt as a true Prophet did foretell and instruct others concerning his coming in the flesh, therefore doe him no harme, Psal. 105. 15. He reproveth Kings for their sakes, saith the Psalmist, alluding to this of Abimelech and Abraham.
and thou shalt live] A godly mans prayer is a soveraigne cure of the Kings Evill, 1 King. 13. 6. whereby the poorest Christian may gratifie the greatest King.
all that are thine] One sinne of one man, especially of a publique person, may raise Gods wrath to the ruine of many, 2 Sam. 24. 17. wherein (though as from God they may justly suffer for their owne sinnes) their superiours are punished, in regard of their interest in them, and participation with them.
V. 9. offended thee] To bring one to sinne is rather an act of grudge, then of respect and love. See Revel. 2. 14.
Kingdome] See Annot. on vers. 7.
V. 11. fear of God] He sheweth that no honestie can be hoped for where the fear of God is not. See Gen. 42. 18. & Prov. 16. 6.
V. 12. my sister] By sister he meaneth his neere kinswomans for so the Hebrewes use these words; see Gen. 13. 8. and she is thought to be the same with Iscah the daughter of Haran Abrahams brother, Gen. 11. 28. 29. Of such marriages see Annot. on Chap. 11. vers. 29. & on Levit. 18. 14.
the daughter of, &c.] That is, my fathers grand-child (for grand-children are reputed as sonnes and daughters, Chap. 31. vers. 28. Exod. 2. 18.) but not the grand-child of my mother, because it is like, his brother Haran and he had divers mothers, though the same father.
V. 16. a covering of the eyes] Most Commentators complaine of the difficultie of this place, which is covered or vailed over with ambiguitie of the pronoune Hu, and of the noune Cheseph; the former word is rendred as referring to the gift of the King, or to the person of Abraham; and the word Cheseph is translated (by the best Ebricians) pieces of silver; and those pieces some will have to be very little pieces of silver, some halfe a shekel, some a whole shekel; hence the sense may be, referring Hu to the gift, that with that money (if it were a small piece like the Spanish Marevedines (whereof fourtie make up the price of a Romane penny, Marian. de ponderibus & Mensuris, cap. 23. p. 119.) she might buy her a ve…le; if it were halfe a shekel, or a whole one, it might buy her many veiles from time to time, as she should have occasion to use variety or new supply; and it is probable it might be shekels, (or some coyne of value) both because he was a King that bestowed the gift, who was like to be more liberall then another man; and because the observation of some concerning the word Cheseph (which signifieth silver) is, that when it is named alone it stands for a shekel, as Numb. 7. 85. as where shekel is set down, and the metall not expressed, it is meant of silver, and not of any other metall, as Exod. 30. vers. 13. 15. compared with Chap. 28. 25, 26. and so this with the sheep, oxen, men-servants and maid-servants given to Abraham, with libertie to live where he liked in his Land, was as well a royall munificence as a reasonable recompence for the wrong done unto him. Of shekels, see Annot. on Chap. 23. vers. 15. And the use of the veile some conceive to be to con…cale her beautie, (that others might not be tempted by it;) others, that by wearing of a veile she should professe her selfe a married woman, (as Rebekah, Chap. 24. 65. See 1 Cor. 11. 10. and so might not be mistaken and solicited as a single woman, as now she was thought to be by Abimelech, vers. 5. and by Pharaoh before, Chap. 12. vers. 15.) others, shamefastly to cover her selfe, because her deceit was now detected; others, to make her so brave and glorious, as to cast a kinde of awfull feare on beholders, that they might not (at least any of the vulgar sort) presume to violate her chastitie. Of these the two first Expositions are worthy of the first place for probabilitie and appearance of truth and pertinency to the words of Abimelech; But if we referre the word Hu to the person, it importeth that by owning and acknowledging so worthy a man for her husband, the reverent regard of him should stand betwixt her and the eyes of wantons; so that shee should be thereby as veyled, or covered as with a veyle, that they could not see her, at least they would not lustfully look upon her, with any hope to enjoy her.
V. 16. unto all that are with thee and with all] There is no more in the Hebrew Text; therefore for supplement of the sense the word others or else-where is to be added; the meaning is, that she must make use of her veyle in their company with whom she commonly converseth, that they may not have such a full view of her beauty as may invite their concupiscence to desire it; and when she goeth abroad where she is not known, she must put on her veile, where she may not only be lustfully looked on, but others deceived, as Abimelech was.
reproved] God caused this heathen King to reprove her, because she dissembled, seeing God had given het an husband as a veyle and defence; and shee was reproved not only by words, but by deeds, for his integrity compared with her deceitfull and dangerous ensnaring of her selfe and him, makes her the worthier of rebuke; especially if he be considered as an heathen King, she as a professor of the right faith, and religion, and the wife of a Prophet.
V. 18. closed up] So that (as many observe) such as were not with child could not conceive, and they were with child could not bring forth; but there was somewhat more in this plague then this; for if that were all, it could not so soon be observed as a common chastisement; and this was so both to male and female, for it was upon Abimelech as well as upon his wife, or other women, vers. 17. It is like then those passages of hature which appertain to generation and conception, were so shut up, that men and women could not but with pain and without hope of issue company together. Thus is barrennesse sometimes the punishment of incontinency, whereof there is a memorable example in Solomon, whose 1000 female bed-fellowes left him but one son, Rehoboam, to reign in his stead, and him such a one as was nothing like his father, either in prudence or prosperity.