Commentary on Genesis, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Ver. 1. AND the LORD appeared to him.] The Glory of the LORD, or the Divine Majeſty, which the Jews call the Schechinah, as it had done lately, XVII. 1. And as the LORD then appeared to eſtabliſh his Covenant with him, by Circumciſion: So ſome of the Jews imagine he again appeared to viſit, comfort, and heal him, now that he was very ſore of his Circumciſion. Or, rather, I ſhould think, to teſtifie by this illuſtrious Manifeſtation of his Glory, (Verſe 2.) his high Approbation of Abraham's ready Obedience to ſo harſh a Command. So the Jews themſelves eſteem it, and therefore think that by receiving it, Abraham fulfilled that Precept, which goes juſt before it, XVII. 1. be thou perfect. Which may have ſome Truth in it, if rightly underſtood: For his Faith and Obedience grew more perfect, by ſubmitting to this Command; and was compleated, when he ſacrificed his Son.
However this be, I think it is plain from Verſe 10. that this Appearance of the Divine Majeſty, was not long after the former.
In the Plain.] Or, the Oaks, of Mamre; mentioned before, XIII. 18. This Place continued famous till the time of Conſtantine; both Jews, Gentiles, and Chriſtians, meeting here once a Year, not only for Traffick, but for Religion: Chriſtians here calling upon God; and there being an Altar here alſo, on which the Gentiles ſacrificed, and invoked the Angels. Of which Superſtition Conſtantine being informed by his Mother, he cauſed that Altar to be demoliſhed, and a Church to be built in its place. See Sozomen, L. II. cap. 4. Euſeb. in vita Conſtant. L. III. cap. 53.
And he ſat in the Tent door.] To obſerve what Strangers paſſed that way.
In the heat of the Day.] In the Afternoon, when Travellers ſought for places of refreſhment.
Ver. 2. And he lift up his Eyes, and looked.] Having faln down on his Face, (I ſuppoſe) and worſhipped the Divine Majeſty, as he did, XVII. 17. he beheld, when he roſe up again.
And lo, there ſtood three Men by him.] Three Angels, in the ſhape of Men, (for ſo the Apoſtle to the Hebrews calls them, XIII. 2. And ſo Moſes himſelf calls two of them, XIX. 1.) who were part of the heavenly Retinue, as I may call it, waiting upon the Divine Majeſty, mentioned in the Verſe foregoing. There is a Maxim among the Jews that no Angel performs two Miniſtries, (is ſent, that is, on two Meſſages) nor are two Angels ſent upon one Embaſſie, (as Maimonides ſpeaks, More Nev. P. II. c. 6.) and therefore they think theſe three Angels were diſpatch'd for different Purpoſes; one of them, and the Principal, to bring a Confirmation of the Birth of Iſaac; another to bring Lot out of Sodom, and a third to overthrow the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha. And therefore when one of theſe Angels had delivered that Meſſage to Abraham, there were but two that went to Sodom, XIX. 1. and Lot ſpeaks to one of them, as taking a particular Care of him, verſe 19, &c. and then it is ſaid, The Lord rained Fire and Brimſtone from the Lord out of Heaven, verſe 24. That is, that Angel of the Lord, who was ſet by the LORD of Heaven and Earth over that Work. Some of them indeed aſſign another Work for one of them, (as we find in that Title of the Talmud called Bava-Metzia, c. 7.) but they agree in the main Notion, That they had different Offices with which they were intruſted. But ſome Chriſtians, and thoſe of great Authority, have made a Queſtion whether they were all created Angels; one of them at leaſt, ſeeming to be the LORD of all. Nay, St. Cyril in his firſt Book againſt Julian thinks there was a Repreſentation of the bleſſed, individed Trinity; for Abram ſpeaks to them, verſe 4. foreign, as if the three were but one. But St. Hilary's Opinion (and Euſebius's, L. V. Demonſtr. c. 9.) is more likely, That the Son of God only appear'd with two Angels attending on him: Which many think is evident from verſe 22, and 25. of this Chapter. Yet, I think, another Account may be given of thoſe Verſes; and if we ſhould make that an Argument that one of them was the increated LORD, another of them muſt be ſo alſo: For he is called likewiſe by the Name of Jehovah, Gen. XIX. 24. See St. Auſtin, L. II. de Trin. cap. 11. and L. III. cap. 11. where he confutes the fore-named Opinion.
And when he ſaw them, he ran to meet them.] Was forward to invite them to refreſh themſelves with him: For he took them to be conſiderable Perſons, as appears by what follows.
And bowed himſelf towards the Ground.] After the manner of the Eaſtern People; in Token of the Reſpect and Honour he had for them. For this was a Civil Action (not Religious) it is manifeſt by this: That he did not know them to be Angels; but only Perſons of Quality, (as we now ſpeak) their Aſpect and Habit, I ſuppoſe, being extraordinary.
Ver. 3. My Lord, if now I have found, &c.] One of them appeared more Honourable and Superior to the other two; and therefore he makes his addreſs to him, as the chief: Praying him, if he thought him worthy of ſuch a Favour, to honour him with their Company.
Ver. 4. And waſh your Feet.] i. e. To waſh your Feet. For this was performed by Servants, and not by the Gueſts themſelves.
And reſt your ſelves under the Tree.] In an Arbour under a great Tree: Where they were wont to eat, for coolneſs ſake. See Dr. Hammond upon Pſalm CXXVIII. 3. St. Hierom ſometimes calls this Tree, an Oak; ſometimes a Turpentine-Tree, (as J. Fileſacus obſerves, L. I. Select. c. 13.) Unleſs we will ſay, that he thought Abraham dwelt under the one, and entertained them under the other. And ſo Euſebius, L. V. Demonſt. Evang. c. 9. expreſly relates it, That God appeared to him under the Oak, where he dwelt: And that he entertained the Angels under a Turpentine-Tree; which was had in great Honour in his time.
Ver. 5. I will fetch a morſel of Bread.] Or, rather, a Loaf of Bread; as de Dieu ſhows the word imports: Under which is comprehended, all neceſſary Proviſion at a Meal.
And comfort ye your Hearts.] Refreſh your ſelves.
For therefore are ye come to your Servant.] Divine Providence hath directed you to come this way, at this time a day; that I may have an opportunity to entertain you Hoſpitably.
Ver. 6. Make Cakes upon the Hearth.] Many interpret it upon the Coals, or hot Embers; according to what we read, 1 Kings XIX. 6. But Bochartus thinks the word there, ſignifies as it doth here, upon hot Stones. Others will have it, that they were laid upon the Hearth and covered with hot Embers, (P. I. Hierozoic. L. II. c. 34.) and ſo they prepare them at this Day, as Leon. Rawwolff tells us in his Travels, P. II. c. 9. where he ſaith, That as he went through a Country, that lies between Meſopotamia and Media, a Woman preſently made them Cakes, about a Finger thick, and of the bigneſs of a Trencher: Which ſhe firſt laid upon hot Stones, and turned them often; and then threw Aſhes and Embers over them: Which he ſays were very ſavoury.
Ver. 7. A Calf tender and good.] Which was a noble Entertainment in thoſe Countries.
Ver. 8. And he took Butter.] Though we read of Cheeſe in Homer, Euripides, Theocritus, and others; yet they never mention Butter: Nor hath Ariſtotle a word of it, (as Bochart obſerves, Hierozoic. P. I. c. 2. c. 41.) though he hath ſundry Obſervations about Cheeſe: For Butter was not a thing then known among the Greeks; though we ſee by this and many other places, it was an ancient Food among the Eaſtern People.
And he ſtood by them.] Waited upon them and miniſtred to them. For he did not ſtand unmovable; but as Servants do that attend upon the Table; who, as there is occaſion, bring or take away, &c. See P. Fagius on Deut. I. 38.
Ver. 9. And they ſaid unto him, Where is thy Wife?] One of them (the reſt ſignifying ſome way their Conſent) ask'd him for his Wife; not being ignorant, but to introduce the following diſcourſe.
In the Tent.] In her Apartment: For Women had their Apartments by themſelves.
Ver. 10. And he ſaid.] The Principal of the three Angels; or, rather, the LORD himſelf, as it is explained, verſe 13. For, as Theodorick Hackspan judiciouſly obſerves, this appearance of the Divine Majeſty was different from the foregoing: Not being immediate by himſelf alone, like that XVII. 1. nor merely mediate by an Angel, like that XVI. 7, 10, 11, 12, &c. But mixed, the LORD himſelf (ver. 1.) being conjunct with the Angels, whom he imployed in this Embaſſie.
I will certainly return to thee.] To fulfil the Promiſe which I made thee, XVII. 19.
According to the time of life.] Nine Months hence; which is the time of perfecting the Life of a Child in the Womb. This appears to be the Sence from verſe 14. where he calls it the time appointed, or a ſet time.
In the Tent door, which was behind him.] The Angels ſat with their Backs to Sarah's Tent: Unto the Door of which ſhe was come to liſten, having heard that they ask'd for her.
Behind him.] This ſhows the Truth of what Hackſpan notes, That this was a mixt Apparition: For this word him plainly relates to the Angel, whoſe words were in truth the LORD's, who was there preſent. For as he obſerves in another place, (Diſput. II. de Nominibus Divinis, n. 15.) the Scripture relates theſe Matters ſo, that ſometimes it mentions the principal Cauſe, whoſe words are related; ſometimes only the ſecondary Cauſe: In which latter Caſe, it muſt be underſtood, That when the words exceed the Dignity of the Miniſter, the LORD himſelf ſpake them. For the Sacred Writers mind more by whoſe Authority any thing is ſpoken, than by whoſe Miniſtry: So that it is not much material, from whoſe Mouth any Meſſage comes; but what is ſaid, muſt be attended. This will be made plainer, when I come to Gen. XXII. 11, 12, &c.
Ver. 11. It ceaſed to be with Sarah after the manner of Women.] She was no longer capable of Conception; according to the ordinary courſe of Nature.
Ver. 12. Laughed within her ſelf.] Not as Abraham for Joy; but out of Incredulity: Not thinking it poſſible for an old Woman, to Conceive by an old Man. And her ſmiling at this, was the more excuſable, becauſe ſhe did not know them to be Angels of the LORD, but took them only for ſome great Men.
Ver. 13. And the LORD ſaid.] The Divine Majeſty (mentioned Verſe 1.) ſaid, Why doth ſhe not believe my Meſſenger? The Angel ſpake theſe words, but the words were the LORD's, (not his) who was now preſent with the Angels, and in a little time appeared without them, verſe 17, &c.
Ver. 14. At the time appointed will I return to thee.] Take it from my ſelf, that what hath been told thee by them, ſhall be effected.
Ver. 15. Sarah denied.] Fear (as it follows) put her into a confuſion: So that ſhe did not mind what ſhe ſaid. Otherwiſe ſhe would not have denied, what ſhe might well think they knew. Therefore ſhe is only made ſenſible of her Fault, by a ſimple Affirmation, of what ſhe denied; without any further Reproof.
Nay, but thou didſt laugh.] The Perſon that ſpeaks, ſeems to have turned to her, and ſaid, Do not deny, what I know to be true.
Ver. 16. Looked toward Sodom.] As if they intended to travel that way.
And Abraham went with them, to bring them on the way.] A piece of Civility like the former: Having entertained them, he accompanied them ſo far as to direct them in the Road to Sodom.
Ver. 17. And the LORD ſaid.] The Divine Majeſty, mentioned Verſe 1. began now to diſcourſe plainly and openly with him; not by the miniſtry of Angels, but by himſelf. For, I take it, the three Angels, had now left Abraham alone: Who returning towards his Tent, ſaw the Glory of the LORD, and heard him ſpeak what follows.
Shall I hide from Abraham, &c.] Theſe words ſeem to have been ſpoken to Abraham: Otherwiſe, how came he to expoſtulate with the LORD, as he doth, verſe 23, &c. unleſs we will conceive, (as we may) Verſe 20, 21. to be the declaration of God's Intention to deſtroy Sodom: And theſe words and the next, to be his reſolution within himſelf, to acquaint Abraham with that Intention.
Ver. 18. Seeing that Abraham ſhall ſurely, &c.] This is one reaſon why the Divine Majeſty reſolves to acquaint Abraham with his intended Proceedings: Becauſe he had already revealed to him greater things, and made him moſt gracious Promiſes.
Ver. 19. For I know, &c.] This Verſe contains another reaſon; becauſe he knew Abraham would approve himſelf ſo faithful to him: That he would not fail to enjoy all that he had promiſed.
To keep the way of the LORD.] Is to perſiſt in the True Religion and Worſhip of God.
To do Juſtice and Judgment.] Includes in them all thoſe Vertues which were oppoſite to the Sins of Sodom.
Ver. 20. Becauſe the cry.] Of their Sins: Which are ſaid to cry firſt, to ſhow the enormous greatneſs and impudency of them: For grandis abſque dubio clamor eſt, qui a terra aſcendit ad coelum: As Salvian ſpeaks. And, Secondly, to ſhow that the Goodneſs of God could no longer bear with them; their Sins compelling him, as one may ſay, to puniſh them. For Deus eos noluerit perdere, ſed ipſi extorſerint, ut perirent. They not only called, but cried to him for Vengeance, as he alſo ſpeaks, L. I. de Gubern. Dei, p. 19, 20. Edit. Baluzii; and L. IV. p. 75. L. V. p. 113.
Of Sodom and Gomorrha.] As they were the principal and greateſt Cities, ſo they were the moſt wicked; and led the reſt into all manner of Impiety: Who therefore alſo periſhed with them.
Very grievous.] Not to be tolerated any longer. There are prodigious Stories related of the wickedneſs both of their Judges and of the People, in the Gemara Sanhedrim, cap. XI. which are there alledged as an explication of this Verſe.
Ver. 21. I will go down now, &c.] He uſes the Language of a good Judge, (Verſe 25.) who never paſſes Sentence, much leſs executes it, till he hath examined the Cauſe.
Whether they have done altogether, &c.] Whether they are come to the higheſt pitch of Wickedneſs: Or, (as de Dieu) whether they are ſo reſolved to go on in Sin, that there is no hope of them.
If not, I will know.] That ſo I may uſe means for their Reformation.
Ver. 22. And the Men.] The three Men mentioned Verſe 2. It is commonly ſaid that only two of them went away from Abraham, and that the third remain'd and held diſcourſe with him. But I ſee no reaſon for this: They that came in and eat with him, and roſe up from the Table, (Verſe 16.) who no doubt were all three, being the Perſons that are here ſaid now, to have turned their Faces from thence, i. e. From the place where they had been entertained by Abraham: Or, where he parted with them.
And went towards Sodom.] As they intended, Verſe 16.
But Abraham ſtood yet before the LORD.] Not before any of thoſe three, but before the Divine Majeſty: Who appeared to him, verſe 1. and had ſpoken to him, verſe 13. and diſcourſed with him, verſe 17, 20. in whoſe Preſence he ſtill continued. Some by ſtood underſtand, he prayed: But that follows in the next Verſe.
Ver. 23. Abraham drew near.] Approached towards the Divine Majeſty, to make his Addreſſes by Prayer and Supplication to him. Perhaps the Divine Majeſty remained in the place where it firſt appeared, verſe 1. and Abraham by conducting the three Men ſome part of their way, being gone further from it, now came nearer to it. Though the Phraſe doth not neceſſarily import it, to draw nigh to God, in the Holy Language, ſignifying no more but to worſhip him.
Wilt thou deſtroy the righteous with the wicked?] As much as to ſay, I know thou wilt not. For ſuch Queſtions ſtrongly deny; as in verſe 17.
Ver. 24. Fifty righteous within the City.] Of Sodom, which was the Chief, and comprehended the reſt of the Country of Pentapolis: Which one would gueſs, by Gen. XIV. 17. depended upon Sodom as the Metropolis. So what is ſaid here of it, I take to referr to the whole Region.
Wilt thou not ſpare the place for the fifty, &c.] He deſires two things of God. Firſt, That he would not deſtroy the Righteous with the Wicked. Secondly, That he would ſpare the Wicked for the ſake of the Righteous; if any conſiderable Number of them were found among the Wicked.
Ver. 25. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right?] This referrs (as we tranſlate it) only to the firſt part of his Requeſt, not to deſtroy the Righteous with the Wicked. Which was contrary to common Juſtice, much more to that exact Juſtice, which is adminiſtred by the Supreme Lord of the World: From whom there lies no Appeal. But, according to the Vulgar Tranſlation, which is this, [Thou who judgeſt all the Earth, wilt by no means execute this Judgment,] it referrs to the other part alſo: That God would not be ſo ſevere as to deſtroy a whole Country; whilſt there were many good Men ſtill remaining in it: And ſo the word Right, includes in it Clemency. And indeed this Paſſage ſeems to relate to both parts of his Requeſt: And is to be interpreted thus; Shall not the Supreme Judge ſhow Mercy, as well as do Juſtice?
Ver. 26. And the LORD ſaid, If I find fifty, &c. then will I ſpare, &c.] This ſhows the foregoing Interpretation to be right: God promiſing moſt graciouſly to be merciful to all, for the ſake of a few, in compariſon with the Multitude of Offenders.
Ver. 27. Who am but Duſt and Aſhes.] Very mean and vile.
Ver. 28. Lack five of the fifty righteous.] A great Argument of Abraham's Modeſty; who durſt not preſume to ask too much at once; but by degrees proceeds, in the following Verſes, to petition for greater abatements: And that with fear and trembling, leſt the LORD ſhould be angry with his importunity.
Ver. 32. I will not deſtroy it for tens ſake.] A wonderful repreſentation of the tender Mercy of the moſt High; who condeſcended ſo low as to grant a Reprieve to the whole Country, for the ſake of ſo ſmall a Number, if they could have been found in it. And his Mercy was ſtill greater, even beyond Abraham's deſire; for he ſpared one of the five Cities: For the ſake of three or four Perſons, as we read XIX. 20, 21.
We do not find, that Abraham makes expreſs mention of Lot in any of the foregoing Petitions: But it is plain from XIX. 29. that he was in his Thoughts, which God knew; and he is comprehended in thoſe words, Verſe 23. of this Chapter; Wilt thou deſtroy the Righteous with the Wicked?
Ver. 33. And the LORD went his way.] The Divine Majeſty, or the Glory of the Lord, diſappeared (and aſcended perhaps towards Heaven) after this Communication with Abraham was finiſhed.
And Abraham returned to his place.] In the Plain of Mamre, verſe 1.