A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Verſ. 2. ANd Sarai ſaid unto Abram, Behold now the Lord hath reſtrained me from bearing.]
This ſhews when Sarai began to think of procuring the promiſed ſeed by this courſe, namely, when it ceaſed to be with her after the manner of women, chap. 18. 11. for ſo much the words imply, as if ſhe had ſaid, As long as there was any hope I have waited, but now the Lord hath reſtrained me from bearing, that is, I perceive now there is no hope, the Lord hath locked up my wombe now for ever bearing; and therefore we muſt ſeek the promiſe ſome other vvay.
Verſ. 5. And Sarai ſaid unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee, &c.]
Though it be not expreſſed hovv Hagar diſcovered her contempt of her miſtreſſe, yet conſidering that Sarai vvas ſo grave a Matron, of a ſvveet and meek ſpirit, and for her obedience therefore propounded as a pattern to other vvives, 1. Pet. 3. 6. by the violence of her paſſion at preſent expreſſed in ſuch bitter language to her husband, we may probably gather that it was ſome notable inſolencie in Hagar that had ſo highly provoked Sarai: for if we note them well, every word ſhe ſpeaks is exceſſively ſharp; for in theſe words, my wrong be upon thee, either ſhe layes all the blame upon him, as if ſhe had ſaid, Thou art the cauſe o… all the wrong I have ſuffered, I blame not her ſo much as thee, thereby implying that either by ſhewing her too much reſpect, or by his connivance at her petulancy, he had emboldned her to carry her ſelf with that inſolence as ſhe did; or elſe ſhe wiſheth that her wrong, that is, the puniſhment of that injury, which ſhe had ſuſtained, might fall upon him, who had been the cauſe of it; yea and perhaps ſhe particularly deſired, that ſince Hagar had deſpiſed her, and he had ſuffered it, that ſhe might likewiſe at length carry her ſelf as inſolently toward him, and ſo her wrong might be upon him: And then again in the next words ſhe upbraids him for his unworthy requitall of that reſpect ſhe had ſhown to him in giving her handmaid into his boſome, that he might have children by her, and thereupon concludes with an imprecation, that God would judge and puniſh him for it, & ſo make it manifeſt what wrong he had done her: for that is the drift of thoſe laſt words, The Lord judge between me and thee: all which diſcovers how ſtrangely Sarai was at preſent overborn with paſſion: But thus in theſe bitter effects of Hagar being given to Abram, God was pleaſed to correct both Abram and Sarai for ſeeking to gain children to Abram by ſuch an unwarrantable way.
Verſ. 7. And the Angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water, &c.]
This Angel is expreſly called J…hovah, verſ. 13. And ſhe called the name of the Lord, or Jehovah, that ſpake to her, Thou God ſeeſt me; and he aſcribeth unto himſelf that which is the onelyonly proper work of God, verſ. 10. And the Angel of the Lord ſaid unto her, I will multiply thy ſeed exc…edingly, &c. both which are undeniable arguments, that this Angel was no other but Chriſt the ſonne of God, who is alſo called the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3. 1. Ne…ther is it without cauſe that the place where Hagar was found is here thus particularly deſcribed; for we may hence probably gather, 1. that ſhe was flying home to Egypt her native countrey, for Shur was a town in the wilderneſſe between Canaan and Egypt, Exod. 15. 22. So Moſes brought Iſrael from the red ſea, and they went out into the wilderneſſe of Shur. 2. That wandring in this deſert, where ſhe might beſt eſcape, though they ſent out after her, ſhe was wearied and afflicted with travel and thirſt, and thereby brought to reſt her ſelf at a fountain of waters; & hereby the bitterneſſe of her ſpirit is ſeen, in that ſhe was content to indure ſuch inconveniences rather then abide in her miſtris houſe.
Verſ. 11. Becauſe the Lord hath heard thy affliction.]
He intendeth both Sarai's rough uſage, and the miſery wherein at preſent ſhe was; this affliction the Lord is ſaid to have heard; her afflictions ſpake when ſhe held her peace, and God heard, that is, took pity of her in her trouble.
Verſ. 12. And he will be a wild man.]
This is principally ſpoken concerning Iſhmael, but in a ſecond place concerning his poſteritie alſo. In the originall it is a man like a wild aſſe; the meaning of it is this, he ſhall be of a fierce, warlike, untamed diſpoſition, ſo that his hand ſhall be againſt every man, &c. that is, of ſuch power and invincible courage and ſtrength ſhall he be, that though all about him ſet themſelves againſt him, he alone ſhall match them all, they ſhall get no good by oppoſing him; and this muſt needs be a comfort to Hagar, to heare that her ſonne ſhould be of ſuch might: And this therefore I conceive is eſpecially meant by theſe words, though happely the vvild and ſavage condition of his life may alſo be implied. Gen. 21. 20. And God was with the lad, and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderneſſe, and became an Archer.
And he ſhall dwell in the preſence of his brethren.]
That is, He and his poſteritie ſhall dwell near unto his brethren, the other ſonnes of Abram and their poſteritie: As if he had ſaid, Though Abram ſhall have other children, yet ſhall Iſhmael thy ſonne be great amongſt them: for in theſe words is implyed▪ 1. that his ſeed as a ſeverall Nation ſhould dwell apart by themſelves; 2. that this their countrey ſhould border upon that of their brethren; 3. that he ſhould be of that power, that though his brethren ſhould envy his proſperity, he ſhould yet dwell i… their preſence, and they ſhould not be able to overbear him.
Verſ. 13. And ſhe called the name of the Lord that ſpake unto her, Thou God ſeeſt me.]
That is, under this name, and for this cauſe, ſhe magnified the Lord, that his eye of providence had watched over her, to comfort her in this her a…fliction, and to reduce her again into the right way: As if one ſhould ſay of David, in regard of that we reade, Pſal. 65. 2. O thou that heareſt prayer, &c. that he called the name of the Lord, Thou God that heareſt prayer.
For ſhe ſaid, Have I alſo here looked after him, that ſeeth me?]
This is rendred as a reaſon, why ſhe magnified God under that attribute, Thou God ſeeſt me, to wit, becauſe by this appearing of God to her ſhe now …ound by experience that the eye of God did watch over her for good; and this ſhe expreſſeth by way of an interrogation, the better to ſet forth the joy of her heart, Have I alſo here looked after him that ſeeth me? as if ſhe ſhould have ſaid, How can I enough wonder at this favour, that the Lord Jehovah, whoſe eye doth ever behold me, ſhould afford me the honour to behold him, even me that am a poore bondmaid, and that here in the wilderneſſe, when I was run away from my miſtris, yea and that I ſhould ſee him too without perill to my life, being ſtill alive after I have ſeen the Lord my God, and ſo able to look after him. And indeed this phraſe which ſhe uſeth, of looking after him, ſeemeth to have reference to her gazing after him when he aſcended up from her; and by this phraſe, it is likely ſhe expreſſeth her beholding God rather then by any other, becauſe at his departing he manifeſted his glory more then before, which made her gaze after him: as the angel did to Gedeon, and therefore it is ſaid that when the angel departed Gedeon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord: And Gedeon ſaid, Alas O Lord God: for becauſe I have ſeen an angel of the Lord face to face, Judges 6. 22. & Chriſt at his aſcenſion, which made the angels ſay, Ye men of Galilee, why ſtand ye gazing up into heaven? Acts 1. 11. This I conceive is the plain meaning of this place. Yet there is another expoſition which ſeems not improbable, namely, that Hagar doth in theſe words acknowledge the mercy of Gods preventing grace, in that he …ad taken care of her even when ſhe minded not him, and blames her own blockiſhneſſe and diſregard of Gods providence over her: Have I here, ſaith ſhe, looked after him that ſeeth me? as if ſhe had ſaid, God hath long watched over me for good, and I never regarded it; it is vvell that yet at length through Gods preventing grace, in appearing to me here in my diſtreſſe, I have been quickened to take notice of his fatherly care over me, and ſo to look after him that ſeeth me.
Verſ. 14. Wh…refore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi.]
That is, the well of him that liveth and ſeeth me; and thus Hagar makes the name of this well a memoriall to all poſterity, how the eye of the ever-living God did vvatch over her in the time of her affliction.