A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
NOw the Lord had ſaid unto Abram, &c.]
Novv Moſes returns to ſhevv the cauſe both of Terahs removall vvith his family from Ur of the Chaldees, and of Abrams removall, after his father vvas dead, from Haran, vvhere for ſome years they had ſtayed: for vvhy did he not abide in Haran? Moſes telleth us, becauſe vvhen God appeared to him in Ur of the Chaldees he had (as is here related) appointed him to go unto a land that he would ſhew him, namely, unto Canaan; vvhichwhich though God did not at firſt reveal unto him, yet aftervvard he told him.
Verſ. 2. And thou ſhalt be a bleſsing.]
That is, He ſhall not onelyonly be bleſſed, but a bleſſing it ſelf, namely, to his poſterity, to vvhom it ſhould be a bleſſing that Abram vvas their father; yea ſo bleſſed ſhould he be, that he ſhould be a form of bleſſing, men ſaying ordinarily, The God of Abraham bleſſe thee, &c. and ſo making Abram an example of one ſingularly happy and bleſſed.
Verſ. 6. And Abram paſſed through the land unto the place of Sichem.]
Moſes calls theſe places whither Abram removed by the names whereby they were afterward known, as ſitting his ſpeech to the men of that age werein himſelf lived.
Verſ. 11. Behold now I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.]
It is eviden… that Sarah was at this time above threeſcore years old: for Abram was ſeventy five years old when he came firſt into the land of Canaan, verſ. 4. and Sarah was but ten years younger then Abram, Gen. 17. 17. yet no wonder it is though Sarah was at theſe years fair, yea, (verſ. 14.) very fair, not in the eye of her huſband onelyonly, but of the Egyptians alſo; even her barrenneſſe was doubtleſſe ſome help to the continuance of her beauty. But beſides in thoſe times when they lived ſo long the ſtrength and beauty of women we may well think continued longer freſh and without any great decay then in theſe dayes; whereto if we adde, that it is moſt likely that God did alſo by his Providence in a more ſpeciall and extraordinary manner bleſſe Sarah in this regard, even in her otherwi…e declining years, it will not ſeem any way improbable, that Sarah ſhould at this time be ſo wondrous beautifull.
Verſ. 13. Say, I pray thee, thou art my ſiſter.]
That the Egyptians, knowing her to be his wife, might not kill him that then they might marry her, Abram adviſeth Sarah not to deny but to conceal this truth, that ſhe was his wife, and to ſay onelyonly that ſhe was his ſiſter. Now though this were in a ſenſe true, as Abram afterwards told Abimilech, Gen. 20. 12. becauſe ſhe was his near kinſwoman, his brothers daughter, and ſuch in thoſe times were uſually called brothers and ſiſters; yet becauſe by ſaying ſhe was his ſiſter, Abram intended that the Egyptians ſhould conceive that ſhe was not his wife, but free to be married to any other, and ſo did expoſe her to great danger in this regard, the courſe he took could not be warrantable, but proceeded from weakneſſe of faith and humane frailty, though withall he might have ſome hope that God would prevent that miſchief.
Verſ. 15. The Princes alſo of Pharaoh ſaw her.]
Pharaoh was the common name of all the Kings of Egypt, as Ceſar was of all the Romane Emperours.
And the woman was taken into Pharaohs houſe.]
I take it for granted, 1. That ſhe was not abuſed by Pharaoh, becauſe the Lord did ſo tenderly preſerve her ch…ſtity upon a ſecond expoſing her to this danger, chap. 20. 4. But Abimelech had not come near her; 2. That notwithſtanding, ſhe was ſome time in Pharaohs houſe: the particulars afterward mentioned of Pharaohs enriching Abram, and God plaguing Pharaohs Court, cannot be conceived to be all upon a ſudden done. It is likely therefore that this taking her into the houſe was, both that the king might make known his pleaſure of taking her to be his wife, and that ſhe might be prepared for the match (as we ſee the like, Eſther 2.) and that ſhe might be entertained as beſeemed her that was ſo beloved of Pharaoh.
Verſ. 17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh, &c. with great plagues.]
What …heſe plagues were, the Scripture being ſilent, it is but a fooliſh curioſitie to inquire.
Verſ. 18. And Pharaoh called Abram and ſaid, &c.]
Pharaoh underſtanding either by revelation, as Abimelech, chap. 20. 3. God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and ſaid, &c. or by the conf…ſſion of Sarai her ſelf, or by ſome other means that Abram was Sarais husband, he preſently apprehends that for this it was that he and his houſe vvere ſo plagued; and therefore makes haſte to reſtore her.
Verſ. 20. And Pharaoh commanded his men, &c.]
The reaſons of this diſmiſſing Abram and Sarah out of Egypt may be probably theſe: 1. Becauſe he deſired to have Sarah gone out of his ſight; 2. Becauſe of his preſent diſpleaſure, vvho no doubt vvas offended that by their means he vvas thus puniſhed; 3. Leſt his houſhold-ſervants or people ſtung vvith the ſenſe of vvhat they had ſuffered, or envying the riches vvhichwhich Abram had there gathered, ſhould offer them violence, and ſo the land ſhould be again plagued for them. And therefore vve ſee he doth not onelyonly diſmiſſe them, but alſo gives his ſervants charge to ſee them ſafely conducted out of his Dominions.