A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
ANd Abram went, &c. into the South.]
Meaning the Southern parts of Canaan, vvhichwhich lay next to Egypt, Gen. 12. 9. And Abram journeyed going on ſtill towards the South: for othervviſe, vvhen he vvent out of Egypt tovvard theſe parts, he vvent Northvvard.
Verſ. 5. And Lot alſo that went with Abram had flocks, and herds, and tents.]
Which implies alſo many ſervants that dvvelt in thoſe tents. This Moſes vvould imply, that although Lot had hitherto gone along ſtill vvith Abram, yet he had an eſtate, a ſtock apart by himſelf; they had their ſeverall tents, flocks, herds, and ſervants, &c.
Verſ. 6. And the land was not able to bear them.]
There vvas not paſture and vvatering places enough for ſuch a multitude of cattel; and thence it ſeems the ſtrife aroſe betvvixt their herdſmen.
Verſ. 7. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite, dwelled then in the land.]
This is added to ſhevv, that by reaſon the Canaanites and the Perizzites (vvhichwhich ſeem to be a family or colony of the Canaanites, Gen. 10. 18. Afterward were the families of the Canaanites ſpread abroad) had ſettled themſelves long before in that part of Canaan, and taken up the greateſt and beſt part of the paſture, therefore Abram and Lot vvere ſtraitned for their cattel; and beſides there may be a reaſon implied in theſe vvords, vvhy Abram vvas ſo carefull to ſtop all diſſention betvvixt them, leſt it might have been an offence to the Heathen.
Verſ. 10. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, &c. like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.]
This clauſe, as thou comeſt unto Zoar, muſt in the ſenſe of it be joyned to the firſt part of the ſentence, and beheld all the plain of Jordan: for the meaning is this, That all the plain of Jordan even unto Zoar vvas exceeding fruitfull and pleaſant like to Paradiſe and Egypt, vvhichwhich by the overflovving of Nilus vvas ever eſteemed a moſt fruitfull countrey.
Verſ. 15. For all the land which thou ſeest.]
That is, the whole land of Canaan: for he ſaith not, ſo much of the land as thou ſeeſt; but, all the land which thou ſeeſt.
To thee will I give it, and to thy ſeed for ever.]
To clear this place fully, we muſt knovv that in this promiſe of the land of Canaan, as under the ſacramentall ſigne, the true and heavenly Canaan was alſo included. Heb. 11. 10. For he looked for a City which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God. Again, we muſt know that by the ſeed of Abram may well be meant, 1. the people of Iſrael, as uſually; 2. Chriſt, as Gal. 3. 16. And to thy ſeed which is Chriſt; and 3. all the faithfull members of Chriſt, both Jews and Gentiles, who in Chriſt are made the ſeed of Abram, children by promiſe. Rom. 9. 6, 7, 8. In Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called. That is, they which are the children of the fleſh, theſe are not the children of God: but the children of the Promiſe are counted for the ſeed. Now as the heavenly Canaan is here implied, this clauſe, for ever, we may extend to eternitie: for it is conferred upon Chriſt, and thoſe that believe in him, the true ſeed of Abram for ever and ever. But the Promiſe hath primarily reſpect unto Canaan, that land which Abram now beheld with his eyes: and ſo conceiving the words, we muſt know that it is promiſed to Chriſt abſolutely, who is the true Lord and owner not onelyonly of the land of Canaan, but of the whole earth, and ſo ſhall be for ever. Pſal. 2. 6, 7, 8. Ask of me, and I ſhall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion; and then to the Iſraclites it is promiſed for ever; but conditionally, if they ſhould ever walk in obedience before God. But there is no ſuch condition expreſſed. I anſwer, 1. that the condition of temporall promiſes and threatnings is not alwayes expreſſed: as Jonah 3. 4. Yet fourty dayes and Nineveh ſhall be overthrown; 2. that this condition is expreſſed elſewhere, Deut. 4. 25, 26. When thou ſhalt beget children, and childrens children, and ſhalt have remained long in the land, and ſhall corrupt your ſelves, and make a graven Image, or the likeneſſe of any thing, and ſhall do evil in the ſight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witneſſe againſt you this day, that ye ſhall ſoon utterly periſh from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to poſſeſſe it; and then 3. that it is implyed here though not expreſſed: I will give it (ſaith the Lord) to thy ſeed for ever: implying that if once they began to degenerate, and proved not a right faithfull ſeed, John 8. 39. then he vvould be no longer tied to this promiſe.