Observations Upon the Old Testament, Genesis · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Verse 1. THence] From the Plaines of Mamre, ch. 18. 1. There it is likely he had now lived about fourteen yeares, ch. 13. 18. 14. 13.
between Kadesh and Shur] Ch. 16. 14, 7.
Gerar] Ch. 10. 19. Hither Isaac came to sojourne, ch. 26. 1, 6. and after went from Gerar to the valley of Gerar, v. 17.
V. 2. She is my sister] Abraham falls into the same sinne the second time, ch. 12. 13. And so Jehoshaphat in joyning with Ahab, and after with Ahaziah, reproved both times, 2 Chron …9. 2. 20. 37.
Abimelech] The common or usual name of the Kings of the Philistines, ch. 26. 1. Psal. 34. title. See, Anno…. on ch. 12. 15.
V. 3. God came] Psal. 105. 14.
in a dream by night] Dreams natural are not much to be heeded, as being full of vanities and deceits, Eccles. 5. 3, 7. Esay 29. 7, 8. Job 20 8. Dreames are sometimes by the illusions of Satan, as to the false Prophets, Deut. 13. 1, 3, 5. Jer. 23. 25, 27. 27. 9. 29. 8. Zach. 10. 2. Jude v. 8. Dreames are sometimes supernatural, sent of God, and bring their evidence and assurance with them: God thereby signifying what he would, or what men should do. And thus God sends dreames sometimes upon extraordinary occasions to wicked men, as here duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page to Abimelech; and so to Laban, Phara…h, and his butler, and baker, to the Midianite, Judg. 7. 13. to Nebuchadnezzar, to Pilates wife, Mat. 27. 19. And all these, for the good of his own servants and people. And chiefly God sends them to his choice servants themselves, as to Jacob, to Solomon, to Daniel, to Joseph the sonne of Jacob, to Joseph the husband of the blessed Virgin. And this was one of the ordinary meanes whereby God revealed his Will unto his Prophets. Numb. 12. 6. Joel 2. 28 Acts 2. 17. Under which colour Saul complaines of the want of them, 1 Sam. 28. 15.
a dead man] A condition and exception is implied, v. 7. So, Jonah 3. v. 4. John 3. 18. The Lord had now struck him and his, v. 17, 18. And here tells him the cause.
V. 4 Near her] Nor touch her, v. 6. being hindred by Gods plague and sicknesse, v. 17, 18.
a righteous Nation] Seeing it on his family, v. 17, 18. and fearing it on all his people and subjects. As they sometimes smart for the Princes sinne; so ch. 34. 24. 2 Sam. 24. 17. so threatened here, 27.
V. 5. Even she her self said] It was even Sarahs sinne also.
integrity] Yet he had a wife, v. 17 but haply he thought Polygamy no sin.
V. 6. Withheld thee] Gods restraining grace in the wicked, giving meanes to stay from evil, Gen. 31. 7. 1 Sam. 25. 26. Gen. 35. 5 Exod. 34. 24. And again sending delusions when it pleaseth him, for the punishment of sin, 2 Thes. 2. 7.
against me] Though wronging in it both Abraham and Sarah, Psal. 51. 4.
V. 7. A Prophet] Psal. 105. 15. To whom God familiarly revealed himself and his Will, and who foresaw Christs day, ch. 18. 17, 18, 19. John 8. 56. Some Prophets foretel this to come; some only interpret Scripture, as, 1 Cor. 14. 3, 29. 31, 32. Rom. 12. 6. Aaron is called Moses Prophet, i. e. Interpreter, Exod. 7. 1.
and he shall pray for thee] Prayer for others is the work of a Prophet, Jer 14. 11. 15. 1. 27. 18.
V. 12. Indeed she is my sister] See, Annotat. on chap. 11. 19.
V. 13. When God caused me] In the Hebrew it is, when they, even God, or the gods caused errare facerent Deus, So, 2 Sam …. 23. Here Elohim is coupled with a word plural, expounded singularly, Josh. 24. 19.
V. 16. Thy brother] As thou callest him. This summe is 62. li. 16. sh.
a thousand pieces of silver] i. e. shekels usually where silver is set down, and not the kinde, shekels are understood, as, Numb. 7. 13. where in the end shekels are named. And where shekels are set down, and the mettal not expresed, there silver is understood; so, Exod. 30. 13, 15. compared with Exod. 38. 25, 26. The common shekel is 1. sh. 3. d. The shekel of the Sanctuary 2. sh. 6. d. i. e. ½ ounce. In gold 15. sh. ½ shekel is a Bekah, Exod. 38. 26. ¼ is mentioned, 1 Sam 98. which is the Romane penny, and Grecian drachma, our 7. d. ob. (still counting upon the sacred shekel) A common shekel is ten Gerahs, our 1. sh. 3. d. The Kings shekel 1. sh. 10. d. ob. The sacred shekel is 2. sh. 6. d. Shekel comes of Shakal, weigheth; whence haply come our skole, or skase to weigh; they used of old to weigh money. A sacred shekel is twenty Gerahs, Exod. 30. 13. A Gerah weighed sixteen barley cornes, and is our 1. d. ob. Of shekel or the Chaldee Selang, our shilling seemes to come. The Greeks translate shekels didrachmaes, or double drams
a covering of the eyes] Covering of the eyes and face with a vaile, is a signe of the wives subjection, and of the husbands power, Gen. 24. 65. 1 Cor. 11. 3, 6▪ 7, 10. He is the Guardian of thy chastity to cover thee from the eyes and lusts of all others.
Thus she was reproved] These are rather Moses words, then Abimelech; here a Heathen King schooles her, to her greater shame.
V. 17. Healed Abimelech] Therefore there was some further punishment, then the closing up of the womens wombes by barrennesse, which was a thing that could not in so short a time, either be perceived as a judgement, or discerned as a cure upon Abrahams prayer.