Observations Upon the Old Testament, Genesis · Chapter 17 – Chapter 18
CHAP. XVII.
Verse 1. APpeared] In a visible forme, v. 22.
before me] As alwayes in my presence, Gen. 5. 22. 48. 15. 1 King. 2. 4. 3. 6. 2 Kings 26. 3.
V. 2. Make] Renew or stablish, it being made, as, v. 7. multiply] ch. 12▪ 2,
V. 3. Fell on his face] v. 17. In way of feare and reverence of gratulation and rejoycing.
and God talked with him] After he had lifted him up, as may appear out of the seventeenth verse, where he is said to fall upon his face again.
V. 4. My Covenant is with thee] Ch. 12. 2.
a father of many Nations] Rom. 4. 16, 17. even all believing Christians, Gal. 3. 28, 29. following Abrahams doctrine and example.
V. 5. Abraham] i. e. a high father of a multitude, Nehem. 9. 7. so Jacobs name changed to Israel, ch. 32. 28. Esay 6…. 2. Rev. 2. 17.
a father] Rom. 4. 17. Gen. 17. 6.
have I] Ch. 15. 8.
V. 6. Kings] As Saul, David, Solomon, &c. of the Ishmaelites, Midianites, and Idumeans. Also the faithful Kings of the Gentiles, Rev 21. 24.
V. 7. And thy seed] Specially Isaac, v. 19. ch. 21. 12, 22. 7. 18. Rom. 9. 8.
everlasting] In respect of the long continuance of the outward ceremony of Circumcision; but for the spiritual part literally everlasting in Christ, Heb. 13. 20. 9. 15. Luke. 1. 71, 73. 1 Pet, 1. 4.
a God unto thee] Herein consisteth the summe and substance of all; God himself wholly being applied to man for blessing and salvation. Ps. 144. 15. exercising his perfections for mans happinesse.
V. 8. Wherein thou art a stranger] Acts 7. 5. Hebr. 11. 9.
everlasting] So, Esay 60. 21. which for the earthly Canaan is to be understood conditionally, if his seed keep the Covenant, which they brake, and so kept it but for a time; Though the outward signe is changeable, yet the Covenant it self remaineth one in substance for ever, Esay 63. 18. Lev. 18. 28. 20. 22.
V. 10. My Covenant] Token of it, v. 11. so Covenant of Circumcision, Acts 7. 8. so the Lamb is the Lords Passeover, Exod. 12. 11▪ the bread the Lords body. It is called the seale of the righteousnesse of faith, Rom 4. 11. sealing on Gods part, that he would give them that promised seed the Messiah, and in him accept them, pardon and cleanse them; and on their part, that they would believe in the Messiah, and as Gods peculiar people, mortifie their …usts, and be new creatures.
Everyman-childe] The man is the head of the woman, from him the generation proceedeth, 1 Cor. 11. 3, 8. women are baptized, Act. 8. 12.
Circumcised] With shedding of blood, with shame and much paine, Exod. 4. 25, 26. Gen. 34. 25. It figured mortification, Deut. 10. 16. 30. 6. Rom. 2. 25, 29. 4. 11. Phil. 3. 3. Col. 2. 11, 13. See, Lev. 26. 4I. Esay 6. 10. Jer. 4. 4. 6. 10. Lev. 19. 23. Heb. 9. 22.
Circumcised] By whom it is not specified. Abraham did it, v. 23. And likely the Parents, Masters or Magistrates did in case of neglect Zipporah did it, Exod 4. 25.
V. 12. Eight dayes old] Though it fell on the Sabbathday, Josh. 7. 22. Creatures till eight dayes old were unclean, not fit for sacrifice, Lev. 22. 27. And so in mankinde, Lev. 12. 2. The same number of dayes in many other Levitical rites, Lev 8. 33, 35. 9. 1. 14. 8, 9, 10. 15. 13, 14. Numb. 6. 9, 10. Ezech. 43. 26, 27. And yet we reade, Josh 5. 2. &c. the day and Sacrament it self neglected; and the Lord commanding Joshuah, to circumcise all the males borne in the wildernesse, in that space of fourty yeares wandring, at Gilgal. And haply sicknesse might put off circumcision till time of health, Hos. 6. 6.
V. 13. Bought with thy money] Heathen Proselytes and their Infants, were hereby made capable and partakers of Gods Covenant.
in your flesh] Genital part. To teach regeneration of nature, Psal. 517. to make an holy seed, Ezra 9. 2. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Thus honouring that uncomely part, to beare the mark of the heavenly Covenant. Thus the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men, 1 Cor 12. 23. 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24.
V. 14. Cut off from his people] The Infant here can be in no fault, as not capable either of the command or contempt; He cannot be said to break the Covenant, in the end of this verse) that can do nothing that belongeth to the keeping of it. Neither was Moses childe in danger of it, but the father, Exod. 4. 24. neither was the want of Circumcision so p…rillous, except in case of contempt or wilful neglect, Josh. 5. 7. As likewise it was with the Passeover, enjoyned upon the same danger and penalty, Exod. 12. 14, 15. And yet omitted in the wildernesse, and put off upon occasions to the second monethmonth, Numb. 9. v 10, 11. 2 Chron. 30. 2, 3. The penalty here then is laid upon that man, who not being circumcised in his Infancy, should afterwards also wilfully and contemptuously neglect it; and upon those by whose default Circumcision of the Infant is omitted, as Ezech. 18. 20 Now the penalty of cutting off from his people here; is elsewhere in Scripture expressed in other cases, with this variety; shall be cut off, Lev. 17. 4. utterly cut off, Numb 15. 31. cut off from Israel, Exod. 12. 15. cut off from my presence, Lev. 22. 3. from the Congregation of Israel, Exod. 12. 19 from among the Congregation, Numb. 19. v. 20. from the midst of my people, Ezech. 14. 8. in the sight of their people, Lev. 20. 18 as in the case of Moses before mentioned, cut off from the earth. And it is used as a threatening and penalty against divers sorts of sins and sinners, against such as eate leavened bread in the feast of the Passeover, Exod. 12. 15, 19. or forbear to keep that feast, Numb. 9. 13. or that eate fat, Lev. 7. 25. or blood, Lev 7. 27. 17. 10, 14. or that eate of the flesh of the peace-offering on the third day, Lev. 19. 8. or that eat of the flesh of sacrifice, having their uncleannesse on them, or being uncleane, do not purifie themselves, Numb. 19. 13, 20. or having touched any unclean thing, Lev 7. 20, 21. 22. 3. or that bring not their sacrifice to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to be killed there, and not elsewhere, Lev 17. 4, 9. or that shall not afflict his soule on the fast-day, the tenth day of the seventh monethmonth, Lev. 23. 29. or doth any work in that same day, or that defileth the Sabbath to do any work therein, Exod. 31. 14. or that lieth with a woman in her sicknesse, Lev. 20. 18. or with a sister, Lev. 20. 17. or an idolater, Ezech. 4. 8. or that gives of his seed to Molech, Lev. 20. 2, 3, 4 or that turneth after wizards and such as have familiar spirits, …ev. 20. 6. or that doth ought presumptuously, Numb. 15. 30, 31. All these are expressely threatened with, and sentenced to this punishment. And the meaning of the phrase is most usually taken to signifie a cutting off by death, and it is so expressed, Exod. 31. 14. Lev 17. 4 20. 2, 3, 4. 5. And must needs be so understood when it is used against grievous sins and crimes, as against idolatry, witchcraft, incest, and sins done presumptuously, despising the Word of the Lord, and reproaching him. This penalty is to be inflicted by the Magistrates power no doubt: And in case of his faile, God himself threatens and undertakes to do it, Lev. 17. 10, 20. 2, 3, 4. 5, 6. 23. 30. And for the lesser offences mentioned, they being wittingly and wilfully done in Gods Worship and service, and against his plaine and peremptory command; I see not how they come short of sins of presumption, Numb. 15. 30. which are doomed to death in the judgement of the learned upon that place. I conceive therefore that they fall short, that by this penalty here, will understand no more, but that such an offender is to be cast off, and held for no Jew, but as an Heathen man. And they also that would apply this phrase here, and in other places of the Old Testament, for the maintenance of Ecclesiastical Excommunication among the Jewes. The doubtfulnesse of the meaning of the phrase hath made me the more inquisitive into it, I confesse, if not too tedious in it. However I leave all to better judgements. And for my part like not in things dubious to be too definitive.
V. 15. Sarah] Yet in the New Testament it is written Sara, without the [h] the Greek tongue having no [h] at the end of words.
V. 16. Nations] 1 Pet. 3. 6. Jerusalem, which is above her answerable type, is the mother of us all, Gal. 4. 26.
V. 17. Laughed] For joy and wonder, Rom. 4. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. as over-joyed and amazed at the promise which he believed, Heb. 11. 12. rejoycing even at the promised seed, Joh. 8. 56.
an hundred yeares old] Rom. 4. 19, 20. he did hope against hope. If Abraham married Keturah thirty seven years after this time, and had six children by her, then surely God shewed his power in renewing Abrahams vigour and strength of body as the Eagles, Psal. 103. 5. or it may rather seem that Abraham took Keturah in Sarabs life-time, within those thirty seven yeares between the birth of Isaac and her death, seeing Keturah is called his Concubine, 1 Chron. 1. 32.
V. 18. Oh that Ishmael] Ch. 16. 10.
V. 19. Isaac] Laughter, Chap. 21. 6.
V. 21. My Covenant] Thirteen times named in this chapter, Luke 1. 72, 73, 74.
with Isaac] Ch. 21. 12. Rom. 9. 7, 8. Gal. 3. 29.
at this set time] Ch, 18. 10. This was just a yeare before Isaacs birth.
V. 22. Went up] Ascending, vanished out of his sight; so from Jacob, ch. 35. 13. so from Manoah and his wife, Judg. 13. 20.
V. 23. In the self-same day] Of the command, not eight dayes after.
V. 24. When he was circumcised] By whom Abraham was circumcised is not set down. But he is said to circumcise the rest, v. 23. some say that now the Jewes use Chirurgions in this service.
CHAP. XVIII.
Verse 1. PLaines] O. Oak-grove.
of Mamre,] Ch. 13. 18. 14. 13. 23. 19.
V. 2. Three men] So▪ in his thought, and in appearance. But thus he entertained Angels at unawares, Heb. 13. 2. But one of them is called Jehova, 13, 14, 17, 20, 22. And after Abraham so acknowledgeth him, v. 25, 27. The other two were created Angels, Ch 19. 1.
V. 3. Lord] Speakes to one of them, in shew, the chief.
V. 6. Three measures] Jewes write that their measure, which they call Seah, the Greeks Saton, containes as much as one hundred fourty foure Hens egges, about two gallons and 1/2 of our measure, three of these measures make an Ephah, containing about seven gallons, and 1/2
V. 8. And they did eate] Ch. 19. 3. They had true bodies for the time, and did truly eate. Though a Spirit hath not flesh and bones. Luke 24. 39. yet Spirits may, and by Gods dispensation sometimes do assume humane bodies.
V. 9. Where is Sarah thy wife] Thus they begin to manifest themselves to be more then men.
V. 10. He said] Jehova, v. 13.
returne] Not by apparition again, but by performance of promise, ch. 21. 1.
according to the time of life] From this time, according as the time of life is between conception and birth; so many moneths as a woman goes with childe, Rom. 9. 9. This Promise argued more then men.
V. 11. After the manner of women] Rom 4. 19. Heb. 11. 11.
V. 12. Laughed] Not as Abraham, ch. 17. 17. but through weaknesse of saith, and therefore it is reproved, v. 13. yet commended, Heb. 11. 11. after sure she did better recollect her self, Luk. 1 45. after she laughed for joy, ch. 21. 6.
within her self] Not outwardly and openly, which haply made her the more readily deny it.
V. 13. And the Lord said] Jehova said, Christ, so, v. 17. He knew her thoughts themselves.
f…ying, shall I, &c] She used, if not the very same words, yet to the same sense.
V. 15. Denied, for she was afraid] Weaknesses and failings in Saints.
V. 16. Toward Sodom] As going thither, the two Angels did so, ch. 19. 1.
V. 17. Shall I hide] Amos 3. 7. Joh. 15. 15. Abraham a Prophet, ch. 20 7. and a friend, 2 Chron. 20. 7.
V. 19. He will command] Duty of Parents, and Masters of families, and example to them, Gen. 28. 1. Deut 6. 7. 11. 10. 32. 46. Job 1. 5. Prov. 6. 20.
V. 20. Sodom and Gomorrah] Admah and Zeboim, Deut. 29. 23. Hos. 11. 8.
V. 21. I will go down and see] God speaks after the manner of men, as, ch. 11. 5, 7.
V. 22. And the men] Two of the three, ch. 19. 1.
stood yet before the Lord] Jehovah. This Abraham now knew.
V. 23. Drew near] A signe and fruit of saith in prayer, Heb. 7. 19. 10. 22.
V. 24. Within the City] Implying the like for the other three Cities.
V. 25. That be far from thee] That the righteous should be as the wicked, taken away in justice, wrath and vengeance, as the wicked Sodomites here were; though in publick calamities they are sometimes taken away, as the wheat is thrashed with the chaffe, yet it is in mercy to them.
V. 32. Ten] Jer. 5. 1. God offers mercy if there were but one, Esay 65. 8. sometimes again he forbids his Prophets to pray for such, Jer 15. 1. Ezech. 14. 14.