Observations Upon the Old Testament, Genesis · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Ver. 1. AFter these things] Spoken by Abram to the King of Sodom.
in a vision] Of the night, v. 5. Numb. 22. 19. 20, There are nightly visions by dreams in sleep, ch. 31. 11. 46. 2. 1 Kings 3. 5. And so God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, Gen. 20. 3. and secret revelations came to Eliphaz, Joh 4. 12, 13. whereupon the false Prophets counterseited false dreams and visions in them, Deut. 13. 1. Jer. 23. 25, 28, 32. And there are also visions to men waking, as, Ezech. 1. 1. Dan. 8. 2. 10. 4, 7. 2 Cor. 12. 2. Acts 2. 17. Both wayes God made himselfe known to his Prophets, Numb. 12. 6. whence Prophets were called Seers, and Prophecie is named a vision, Esay 1. 1. Here is meant an open apparition, which Abram a Prophet, ch 20. 7. beheld waking with the eyes of his body. For v. 9, 10. shewes, he was waking, and a deep sleep is said to fall upon him after this vision, v. 12. In what manner, and how glorious this vision was is not set down particularly.
feare not] The Prophets were sometimes terrified with visions, at the visible appearance of the Majesty of God So, Dan. 10. 7, &c.
feare not] For the presence of my glory, for thine enemies, for any discomfort whatsoever.
I am thy shield] Against thine enemies, those vanquished Kings, and all else.
reward] Beyond all merit and measure.
I go] Am going on, going away, mine age going on towards mine end.
V. 2. Childlesse] Yet he rejects not the Promises of God concerning his seed, but as perplexed between feare and hope he bemoanes his sad state and condition, intimates and commends his desire to God, that he would at length remember his Promise made to him concerning his seed.
and the steward] He most likely mentioned, ch. 24. 2. He now is the guide and stay of my family. Here Abram complaines not of his steward, but commends him rather.
of Damascus] By his Ancestors, though he borne in Abrams house, v. 3.
V. 3. Is mine heire] Likeliest for the present, in my thoughts, if I go on and die childlesse, my Nephew Lot having no sonnes but daughters: and Eleezer having all under his charge.
V. 5. And tell the stars] This rherefore was in the night.
if thou be able to number them] Now at this view: though haply it were possible for Astronomers by much Art, to attain to the number of the visible stars. God speaks, as often, according to common account. Jer. 3…. 22.
so shall thy seed be] Innumerable, Deut. 1. 10. specially counting his spiritual seed, children by faith, according to the Promise, Rom. 4. 11, 12, 13. Rom. 9. 8 Gal. 3. 7, 29. innumerable as the dust of the earth, ch. 18. 16. as the sand on the sea-shore, ch. 22. 17.
V. 6. And he believed in the Lord] For the innumerablenesse of his seed, and principally for the promised seed, wherein all the Nations of the earth should be blessed.
Believed] Here is belief or faith first named in the Old Testament, whence Abram is called the Father of all Believers, Rom. 4. 11, 16, 17. And this before either Circumcision was ordained, or the Law given, Rom. 4. 9, 10 Gal. 3. 17. Now the word belief or faith signifies a lively motion of the heart and spirit, firmely resting in the things spoken. For which this belief or faith in Abram is much commended, Rom. 4. 18, to 22.
Counted] Imputed, thought, esteemed.
for righteousnesse] Ps. 106. 31. Rom. 4. 3, 9. Now of this the Apostle inferreth justification by faith without works, both to Abram, Rom. 4. 4, 5. as having been an idolater, Josh. 24. 2. and still without glory of works before God, Rom. 4. 2. and also to all believers, Rom. 4. 23, 24.
V. 8. Whereby shall I know?] This he asked to be strengthened against humane infirmity, and to know somewhat more particularly of the manner of performance: and likely it was by a special motion of Gods Spirit, as that also of Gideon, Judg. 6. 17, 37. and of Hezekiah, 2 Kings 20. 8. And others like by divine instinct, Gen. 24. 13, 14. 1 Sam. 14. 9, 10. without which such qaestions are not so lawful, Luke 1. 18.
V. 9. Take me an heifer] Not for sacrifice, though all sorts here commanded to be used were fit for sacrifice; But for confirmation of this Promise and Covenant, as, Jer. 34. 18.
V. 12. And when the Sun was going down] By comparing this with the fifth verse, it seemes the day was spent by Abram in preparing and doing according to that command, v. 9.
a deep sleep] As, ch. 2. 21. extasie or trance.
an horrour] See, Dan. 10. 8, 9. Here shadowing out the great distresses Abrams children should have through vexation of their enemies.
V. 13. In a land that is not theirs] In Canaan and Egypt.
and they shall afflict them] Not all that time, nor the greater part, but upward of the last hundred years.
Foure hundred yeares] Acts 7. 6. From the birth of Isaac to their going out of Egypt: Thus, From the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob sixty yeares, Gen. 25. v. 26. Thence to the birth of Joseph ninety yeares: Jacob being so old at Josephs birth, which is collected thus; Jacob was one hundred and thirty when. Joseph was fourty, viz. thirty when Pharaoh advanced him, ch. 41. 46. after which passed seven yeares of plenty, and three of famine, when Jacob came down, ch. 47. 9. Now Jacob was fourteen yeares with Laban before Joseph was borne, ch. 30. 25. deducting then those fourteen yeares before Joseph was born, and fourty yeares of his age out of Jacobs one hundred and thirty, and so will remain seventy five or seventy six, for the age of Jacob when he came to Laban, and so ninety yeares old he was when he had Joseph. Now Joseph lived in Egypt after his father came thither seventy yeares, Gen. 50. 26. Between the death of Joseph and birth of Moses were sixty yeares, as the undoubted beginning, and undoubted end of the foure hundred yeares, do clearly and necessarily evince and enforce. Thence to the Israelites going out of Egypt, in the eightieth yeare of Moses age, eighty yeares, Acts. 7. 23, 24, 30 Now these several summes cast up come to foure hundred
60
90
110
60
80
400.
In Exod. 12. 40, 41. and Gal. 3. 17. are foure hundred and thirty years reckoned. But that is from the first giving the Promise and Covenant to Abram, which was in Ur of the Chaldees, to the foresaid time of their coming out of Egypt, which thirty yeares are thus made up; viz, five yeares in Haran, at the end whereof Abram was seventy five, ch. 12. 4. Thence ten yeares to the taking of Hagar, ch. 16. 3. Thence fifteen to the birth of Isaac when Abram was one hundred yeares old, ch. 21. 5. And thus from the first Promise to their coming into Egypt were two hundred and twenty yeares. And their time in Egypt two hundred and ten yeares. And this I take to be the true and clear Account of these times. The particulars wherein I differ from the great Annotations and others, in this Account I do willingly submit to the judgement of the learned.
V. 14. Will I judge] Exod. 7. 8, 9, 10, 12, 14. chapters, and Psal. 78. 43, to 52. and 105. 27, to 37.
with great substance] Exod. 3. 21, 22. 12. 35, 36. 38.
V. 16. In the fourth generation] Caleh the sonne of Hezron was the fourth generation from Judah, 1 Chron. 2. and Aaron and Moses were the fourth from Levi, Exod 6. 16, 18, 20.
V. 17. A smoking furnace, and a burning lamp] By which God did passe between those pieces, Jer. 34. 18, 19. haply shadowing hereby their afflictions in the furnace of Egypt, Deut. 4. 20. and the burning bush, Exod. 3. 2.
V. 18. Have I given] By Promise already, or this shewes the certainty of the Promise.
from the river of Egypt] Sichor, Josh. 13. 3. Jer. 2. 18.
Euphrates] The Lands so far became Tributary in Davids and Solomons dayes, 2 Sam. 8. 3, &c. 1 Kings 4. 21. 2 Chron. 9. 26. If they possessed not all that was promised, the cause was in their breach of Covenant with God, not in Gods with them.
V. 19. The Kenites, &c.] Here are ten Nations reckoned. After usually reduced to seven, Deut. 7. 1. Acts 13. 19.