Commentary on Genesis, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
Ver. 1. AND the LORD viſited Sarah, &c.] Beſtowed upon her the Bleſſing he had promiſed her, i. e. made her conceive. For ſo the word viſit ſignifies; either in a bad Sence to inflict Puniſhment (Exod. XX. 5.) or, in a good Sence, to conferr Bleſſings; as here, and Exod. III. 16. and many other places.
And he did unto her as he had ſpoken.] Performed his Promiſe, by making her bring forth a Child: For ſo it is explained in the next Verſe, Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a Son.
Ver. 2. Sarah conceived, &c.] God not only made her Womb fruitful, but brought the Fruit of it to perfection; and then brought it into the World.
At the ſet time, of which God had ſpoken to him.] XVIII. 14. It is not ſaid, where Iſaac was born: For we are not told here, whether Abraham departed from Gerar into any other part of this Country, as Abimelech kindly offered and gave him liberty to do, XX. 15. But it appearing by the latter end of this Chapter, that he continued a long time in Abimelech's Country, though not at Gerar; it is probable Iſaac was born at Beerſheba, verſe 31.
Ver. 6. God hath made me to laugh.] i. e. To rejoyce exceedingly.
So that all that hear, will laugh with me.] All my Friends and Neighbours, will congratulate my Happineſs, and rejoyce with me.
Ver. 7. Give Children ſuck.] It is uſual to put the Plural Number for the Singular, as was obſerved before, XIX. 29. Or, ſhe hoped perhaps to have more Children after this. And her giving him ſuck, was a certain proof, that ſhe had brought him forth of her own Womb; and that he was not a ſuppoſititious Child, as Menochius well obſerves. Others note, That the greateſt Perſons in thoſe ancient Days, ſuckled their own Children: Which Favorinus, a Greek Philoſopher, preſſed as a Duty upon a Noble Woman by many ſtrong Arguments: Which are recorded by A. Gellius, who was preſent at his diſcourſe, L. XII. Noct. Attic. cap. 1.
Ver. 8. The Child grew, and was weaned.] At the Age of five Years old, as St. Hierom reports the Opinion of ſome of the Hebrews.
Made a great Feaſt the ſame Day.] Rather now, than at his Nativity; becauſe there was greater hope of life, when he was grown ſo ſtrong, as to be taken from his Mother's Breaſt.
Ver. 9. Sarah ſaw the Son of Hagar, &c. mocking.] He laugh'd and jeared, perhaps, at the great buſtle which was made at Iſaac's weaning: Looking upon himſelf as the Firſt-born, and by the right of that, to have the privilege of fulfilling the Promiſe of the Meſſiah. This gives a good account of Sarah's earneſtneſs for the expulſion, not only of him, but of his Mother alſo; who, it's likely, flattered and bare him up in thoſe Pretenſions. Many think he did more than mock him, becauſe St. Paul calls it perſecution, Gal. IV. 29. which St. Hierom takes for beating Iſaac: Who, perhaps, reſenting his Flouts, might ſay ſomething that provoked Iſhmael to ſtrike him. And it is very probable his Mother incouraged him to this, or maintained him in his Inſolence: Which was the reaſon Sarah preſſed to have them both turned out of doors.
Some think he jeſted upon his Name, and made it a matter of Merriment. For ſo the word is uſed, XIX. 14.
Ver. 10. Caſt out, &c.] Let them not dwell here any longer; nor continue a part of thy Family.
Shall not be Heir, &c.] She judged, by what ſhe had ſeen of his fierce and violent Spirit, that it would not be ſafe for her Son, to let Iſhmael have any ſhare in his Father's Inheritance: For ſhe was afraid he would make himſelf Maſter of all.
Ver. 11. Grievous, becauſe of his Son.] His Wife is not here mentioned; becauſe his principal Concern was for his Son: But it appears, by the next Verſe, he had ſome Conſideration of her alſo.
Ver. 12. God ſaid unto Abraham, &c.] By this he was ſatisfied that Sarah's Motion proceeded not merely from her Anger; but, from a Divine Incitation.
For in Iſaac ſhall thy Seed be called.] Here the Bleſſing promiſed to Abraham's Seed, XVII. 7, 8. is limited to the Poſterity of Iſaac: And the meaning of the Phraſe is; they that deſcend from Iſaac, and not they that deſcend from Iſhmael ſhall be owned by me for the Children of Abraham; particularly the Meſſiah ſhall be one of his Seed.
Ver. 13. Alſo of the Son of thy hand-maid, &c.] He renews the Promiſe he had made him before, XVII. 20. that Iſhmael ſhould have a numerous Poſterity: Becauſe he was deſcended from Abraham.
Ver. 14. Roſe up early in the morning.] Delayed not to fulfill the Divine Will.
Took Bread and a bottle of Water.] Which includes all ſort of Proviſion for their preſent neceſſity: Till they came to the place unto which, in all probability, he directed them to bend their Courſe. For it is not reaſonable to think, that he ſent them to ſeek their Fortune (as we ſpeak) without any care what became of them. It may ſeem ſtrange rather, that he did not ſend a Servant to attend them, but let Hagar carry the Proviſion her ſelf: Which I ſuppoſe was done to humble her; and to ſhow that her Son, was to have no Portion of Abraham's Inheritance, nor of his Goods; of which Servants were a part. Doctor Jackson, Book I. on the Creed, chap. 25. thinks that Abraham would ſcarce have ſuffered them to go into a Wilderneſs, ſo poorly provided, when he had ſtore of all things, unleſs he had been directed by ſome ſecret inſtinct; preſaging the rude and ſharking kind of life, unto which his Progeny was ordained. Yet, it is probable, he was as kind to him, as he was to the Sons he had by Keturah, and ſent him ſome Tokens of his Love afterwards. See XXV. 6.
Ver. 15. She caſt the Child under one of the Shrubs.] He being faint, and ready to die with thirſt. A Preſage (ſaith the great Man before-named) that his Poſterity ſhould be pinched with the like Penury: Scantneſs of Water (which was their beſt Drink) ſtreightning their Territories in Arabia, as Strabo obſerves, L. XVI. And after they had inlarged their Bounds, even in Meſopotamia it ſelf, they were ſtill confined to the dry and barren Places of it.
Ver. 16. And ſhe went and ſat her down, &c.] Her Strength carried her further than he could go: But her Affection ſtill kept her within ſight of the place where he was.
Ver. 17. And God heard the Voice of the Lad.] Who cried, it ſeems, as well as his Mother: And it moved the Divine Pity to ſend an Angel to their Relief.
Fear not.] Do not think I come to terrifie thee: Or, do not fear the death of thy Child.
Ver. 18. Lift up the Lad, &c.] It ſeems he was ſo faint, that he was not able to ſtand without ſupport.
Ver. 19. Opened her Eyes.] Made her ſee what ſhe did not obſerve before; by reaſon of her Tears, or the great diſturbance of her Mind.
Ver. 20. And God was with the Lad.] Preſerved and proſpered him: So that he grew to be a Man.
Became an Archer.] A skilful Hunter and Warriour alſo, with Bow and Arrows. Am. Marcellinus, L. XIV. tells us, that the Saracens, who were of the Poſterity of Iſhmael, never ſet their Hands to the Plough, but got their living for the moſt part, by their Bow. For ſuch as they were themſelves, ſuch was their Food, (Victus univerſis caro ferina, &c.) they all lived upon wild Fleſh, or Veniſon, and ſuch wild Fowl as the Wilderneſs afforded, with Herbs and Milk. Dr. Jackson obſerves that he compares them to Kites; ready to ſpy a Prey, but ſo wild withal that they would not ſtay by it, (as Crows or other ravenous Birds do by Carrion) but preſently fled with what they caught into their Neſts.
Ver. 21. He dwelt in the Wilderneſs of Paran.] Which was near to Arabia: In which Country all the Oriental Writers ſay the Poſterity of Iſhmael lived. Particularly Patricides, who ſays he went into the Land of Jathreb; which is that part of Arabia, in which is the City of Medina.
A Wife out of Egypt.] Out of her own Country, where ſhe was beſt acquainted. The Jewiſh Doctors ſay he had two Wives, whoſe Names they tell us were Aiſchah and Phatimah: The firſt of which received Abraham churliſhly when he went to viſit his Son; and therefore he put her away and took the other, who proved more civil, when he made a ſecond Journey thither. Which, though it look like a Fable, yet I think it not improbable that Abraham might go to ſee how his Son lived, and that Iſhmael might ſometimes wait upon him, (as the Author of Schalſcall. Hakab. and Pirke Elieſer affirm) for we cannot think they were ſo unnatural, as never to have any correſpondence: Eſpecially ſince we read that Iſhmael, as well as Iſaac, took care of Abraham's Funeral, XXV. 9. After which, it is not improbable Hagar might have another Husband; Which is the account Aben Ezra (upon Pſalm LXXXIII. 6.) gives of the People called Hagarenes, who are there mentioned as diſtinct from the Iſhmaelites: They were, ſaith he, deſcended from Hagar by another Husband, not by Abraham.
Ver. 22. Abimelech and Pichol, &c.] It is plain by this that Abraham ſtill lived, if not in the Country of Gerar, yet very near it.
God is with thee in all that thou doſt.] They ſaw him ſo thriving and proſperous, that they were afraid he might grow too ſtrong for them; if he ſhould have a mind to diſturb them.
Ver. 23. Swear that thou wilt not deal falſly, &c.] That as there hath been a long Friendſhip between me and thee, ſo thou wilt not violate it; but alway preſerve it, even when I am dead: According to thy frequent Profeſſions, and (perhaps) Promiſes.
According to the kindneſs, &c.] Abimelech thought he might claim this Oath from Abraham; by Virtue of the Obligations he had laid upon him.
Ver. 24. I will ſwear.] He was as forward to confirm his Promiſes, as to make them.
Ver. 25. And Abraham reproved Abimelech.] But before he ſware, he thought it neceſſary to ſettle a right Underſtanding between them: And therefore argued with Abimelech (as it may be rendred) about a Well of Water digged by Abraham's Servants, which Abimelech's had injuriouſly taken from him. This was Wiſdom to complain of Wrongs now, before they entred into a Covenant, that they being redreſſed, there might remain no occaſion of Quarrels afterward.
Ver. 26. Abimelech ſaid, I wot not, &c.] This is the firſt time I heard of it. If thou hadſt complained before, I would have done thee right.
Ver. 27. And Abraham took Sheep, &c.] Some think they were a Preſent he made to Abimelech; in gratitude for what he had beſtowed on him, (XX. 14.) or in token of Friendſhip with him. But others think they were deſigned for Sacrifice; by which they made a Covenant one with another. At leaſt, ſome of them ſerved for that uſe.
Ver. 28. And he ſet ſeven Ewe-lambs by themſelves.] The meaning of this is afterwards explained, verſe 30. That though they were part of the Preſent he made him; yet they ſhould be underſtood alſo (being ſet apart from the reſt) to be a purchaſe of a quiet poſſeſſion of that Well.
Ver. 30. A witneſs unto me that I have digged this Well.] By this Token it ſhall be remembred hereafter, that I digged this Well, and that thou didſt grant me quiet poſſeſſion of it.
Ver. 31. Called the place Beer-ſheba.] The Hebrew word Sheba ſignifies both an Oath, and alſo ſeven. Perhaps for both reaſons this Place had this Name. We are ſure for the firſt, which is here mentioned: Becauſe they ſware to each other.
Ver. 32. Thus they made a Covenant, &c.] By giving and accepting thoſe Sheep and Oxen, mentioned verſe 27. and perhaps by offering Sacrifices; or, at leaſt, by eating and drinking together: As Iſaac and Abimelech did in after-times, XXVI. 30.
Here ſome obſerve it was not unlawful, by the Law of Nature, to make Covenants with Infidels and Idolaters, for mutual Defence and Commerce, or ſuch like reaſons. But I ſee no proof that Abimelech was ſuch a Perſon. In future Ages the People of Canaan were ſo corrupted by this, as well as other Sins, that God commanded them to be exterminated, and made it unlawful to enter into a Covenant with them, Exod. XXXIV. 15. But as the Philiſtines were none of them: So it ſtill remained lawful to make Leagues with other Gentiles, who were not of the ſeven Nations of Canaan, as we ſee by the Examples of David, and Solomon, and others.
They returned into the Land of the Philiſtines.] Into that part of the Country, where they dwelt: For both Abimelech and Abraham were now in that Land, as appears from the laſt Verſe of this Chapter.
Ver. 33. Abraham planted a Grove.] For a ſolemn and retired Place wherein to worſhip God. For, as Servius ſays upon the IX. Aeneid. Nunquam eſt Lucus ſine Religione. There never was a Grove, in ancient times, without Religion. And therefore here, we may well ſuppoſe Abraham built an Altar: Which was fenced and bounded with an Incloſure, and ſhaded with Trees, as Mr. Mede (Diſcourſe XIX.) obſerves their Proſeucha's or Places of Prayer to have been in after-times. For that this was intended for a Place of Prayer appears by the following words, and called there on the Name of the Lord, &c.
From hence, ſome think, the Cuſtom of planting Groves was derived into all the Gentile World: Who ſo prophaned them by Images, and Filthineſs, and Sacrifices to Daemons, that God commanded them, by the Law of Moſes, to be cut down. But Abraham made uſe of a Grove before this, XII. 6, 8. where we find he built an Altar on a Mountain, which I queſtion not was compaſſed with Trees. See XIII. 18. Therefore I take this only to have been the firſt Grove that he planted himſelf.
Called upon the Name of the LORD, the everlaſting God.] I find that Maimonides in ſeveral places, of his More Nevochim, tranſlates the laſt words, The LORD God of the World, or the LORD the Almighty Creator of the World. For this was the great Article of Faith in thoſe Days, That God made the World. Par. II. cap. 30. & Par. III. c. 29.
Ver. 34. Sojourned many days, &c.] The word Days often ſignifies Years: And, it is likely, ſignifies ſo in this place. For here Iſaac was born, and here he was weaned: And after that Abraham found ſo much friendſhip from Abimelech, and ſo many conveniencies of Life, that they invited him to ſtay a long time in this Country.