Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 23
VERSE 23.
ANd Adam ſaid] Rejoycing in this fit help which God had prepared for him, both Approving Gods Work every way and Conſenting to the Tender that God made unto him, of taking the Woman for his Wife. Theſe are the firſt words of Adam which are recorded in Scripture, as it may ſeeme, not onelyonly to ſignifie Adams conſent to the match, without which it could have been no marriage; but beſides to ſet before us, both the regular Motions of his mind, in the ſtate of his Innocency conſenting to, and approving all the waies of God in all things, and yielding ready obedience to his Will, till Satan perverting his heart, drew him into a diſcontented humor, to murmur againſt that God, in whoſe Mercy and Goodneſſe, he here rejoyceth; And to complain particularly of the Woman, as a ſnare laid for him by God, which he here embraceth as an helper prepared for him, and beſtowed on him by God out of his favour and Love.
This is Now] Or, as the Hebrew hath it, At this once; So that Adam ſeems to rejoyce in two reſpects, the One that he had now met with that comfort, of a Mate fit for his Society, which he had ſought amongſt the reſt of the Creatures in vain, and then [Now] implyes as much as [At laſt] The other, that it was ſuddenly offered unto him beſides his expectation; or [At Once] as that word alſo ſignifies.
Bone of my Bone, and Fleſh of my Fleſh] This queſtionleſſe Adam knew by ſpecial revelation from God, who acquainted him with as much of this work of his (as he had likewiſe done with the reſt of his works) that it might be a means of working his heart to a chearful conſent, to that which God had tendered to him, and to a loving embracing of his Wife, which God had provided for him,
Theſe words of Adam, do not only point at the Womans Original, that ſhe was taken out of Adam's body; but farther manifeſt, how Adam eſteemed her, and, accounting her as part of himſelf, accordingly embraced her in his affection, which is the band of Matrimoniall conjunction, as is more fully expreſſed in the Law of Marriage, Ver. 24. So that the words imply a full conſent of Adam to the March tendered unto him by God.
She ſhall be called Iſhah] Of Iſh; which ſignifies a man, ſo that it is (if our Language would bear it) *Or, She-man.Manneſs. Some Obſerve, that ſince Adam derives not this name from [Adam] the name given by God to himſelf, from the red Earth, of which he was made, and is in common ſpeech, often uſed to ſignifie a man of low degree: But from [Iſh] which uſually ſignifies a man of Spirit or Courage (as having aſſinity with the word [Eſh] which ſignifies [Fire] or a Noble man; by this name ſeems to imply, that the Woman ſhould be a Noble and ſtrong Helper unto him, full of Life and Spirit: Or, that in giving this name he aymes at the difference of her Original, and his own. He was Adam, becauſe he was taken immediately out of the Earth; and ſhe was …, as not taken out of the Earth, but out of [Iſh] the body of ma… already framed.
Now in that Adam rejoy ceth in, and takes notice in a way of thankfulneſſe, of this favour of God towards him, in Creating ſuch an Helper, as long as his heart ſtood upright; we may take him for a precedent for Imitation; And may,
1. Obſerve, Gods Bleſsings ought to be Entertained and Embraced by us, with an holy Rejoycing, and Thankfulneſſe.
Obſerv. 1 GOd Himſelf requires this Duty of his people, Deut. 26.11. and David prayes for Bleſſings for that very End, Pſal. 14.7. that his people might rejoyce. This Sarah practiſeth; Gen. 21.6. Leah, Gen. 29.35. and Hannah, 1 Sam. 2.1. when God bleſſed them in giving them Children; but eſpecially the Bleſſ…d Virgin, when God honoured her ſo far, as to make her the Mother of Chriſt.
This Rejoycing muſt be, 1. In God, and not in our ſelves; not ſo much that it is well with us, as that Gods Honour, in his Mercy and Truth, is manifeſted, and advanced thereby.
2. And performed with fear and trembling, Pſal. 2.11. and infinite abaſement of our ſelves before him, upon the apprehenſion of our own unworthineſſe, of ſo great favours, after Davids example, 2 Sam. 7.18.
And, 3. may be publickly teſtified, when Gods favours are Eminent and Publique, and eſpecially when the Church is any way concerned in them: whence David, being a Publique perſon, promiſeth a publique thankſgiving in the Congregation, for thoſe Mercies, which though they lighted on him, yet redounded to the benefit of his people alſo.
God indeed was pleaſed to hide from Adams eyes, the manner of the Womans Creation; but when the work is ended, lets him underſtand as much as might inform him of his Duties, both of Thankſgiving unto God, and of Love unto his Wife, and giving due reſpects unto her. Whence,
2. Obſerve, We may, and ſhall know as much of Gods Wayes and Works, at concerns us, for the directing, and quickening of us unto our Duties.
Obſerv. 2 AS, 1. That they are the works of his own hand, Pſal. 64.9. 2. And thoſe wrought in Righteouſneſſe, Mercy, and Truth. 3. And for his own glory, Prov. 16.4. and for our good, unto which all things work together, Rom. 8.28. that men may Fear, and Truſt in him, Pſal. 64.10. Thus far will God make his wayes known unto us; As he acquaints Abraham with that fearful Judgment, which he intended to bring upon Sodom, becauſe he would make good uſe of it to his family, Gen. 18.18, 19. and thus far it is our duty to enquire and to ſearch into them, Pſal. 111.2. ſo it be done within the bounds of Sobriety, and with a deſire and endeavour to advance Gods Honour the more, by that knowledge of them, which he ſhall reveal unto us.
When Adam embraceth the woman as Bone of his Bone, &c. he doth not only point backwards at her Original, but withal expreſſeth his acceptance of her, as God offered her, to be one fleſh with him in Marriage, by which conſent of his the Marriage was concluded. Whence,
3. Obſerve, It is Conſent that muſt make the Marriage between Man and Wife.
Obſerv. 3 ANd Conſent, 1. Of thoſe in whoſe power the perſons to be contracted are, and do remain, Eſpecially if they be parents: Now that may be either General, as Jacob was permitted to marry whom he pleaſed, ſo it were of his Mothers kindred: Or more Particular, to marry ſuch a perſon, which were ſit rather to be a direction by way of adviſe, then a peremptory command. Thus Hagar took a wife for Iſmael, Gen. 21.21. Judah for Er, Gen. 38.6. and Naomi adviſeth Ruth in her Match, Ruth 3.1, 2. And this is moſt ſeaſonably performed, before the parties affections are engaged, leſt afterwards they be forced either to conſent to the match already made, or to ſuffer a worſe inconvenience. 2. The Conſent muſt be ſpecially between the perſons to be contracted, as in Rebeccahs caſe, whoſe Parents would not force her beyond her own liking, Gen. 24.57. This Conſent muſt be every way free, neither ſtollen by fraud, and falſe informations; nor purchaſed by rewards, and expectations of outward advancements, or other carnal allurement; not forced by Terrour, or Importunity; but grounded upon an Evident manifeſtation of the Piety, and Fitneſſe of the perſons approved, by thoſe whoſe counſels they ought to embrace. And upon the obſervation of Gods providence directing the Choyce, which was the main Argument that ſwayed in the match of Iſaac with Rebeccah. Upon both theſe Allams Conſent ſeems to be grounded, in this place, that the Woman was provided for him by God, and was the only fit Match that was to be found for him, amongſt the Creatures.
The Impoſition of the Womans name muſt be eſpecially obſerved; where we may conceive Two things are pointed at: Firſt, her Original, that ſhe was taken out of Man, which is expreſly mentioned. Secondly, what ſhe was in Nature, even Man every way, diſtinguiſhed only in Sex, which may be probably implyed in that name Iſhah. God when he had Created Adam, gave him a name, to put him in mind of his buſe Original; here Adam gives his Wife a name, to mind her both Whence ſhe was, and Whatſhe was. Whence,
4. Obſerve, Even the beſt amongſt men need to be minded both of their Duty, and Condition every way.
Obſerv. 4 BEſides the Impoſition of names uſed for that purpoſe, both by God and Man, we may eaſily obſerve, that God hath left within us lively monuments, in our bodies, by the weakneſſe and daily decay of them, to ſhew us our Mortality. In our Soules, the remainder of thoſe Corruptions that dwell in us to make us know our pollutions by nature; Without, we carry the name of Chriſtians to remember us of our calling; we have the Sacraments to mind us of our union with Chriſt, and of the benefits which we receive by him; we have his Word, to be read in our houſes, and heard and opened unto us publickly, to inform us both of Gods Will, and of our own Duty; VVhichWhich the Jews are Commanded to write upon the poſts of their houſes, and to remember by beholding the fringes of their garments: Such helps the Pride, Rebellion, and Infirmity of our nature neceſſarily requires; which, when all means are uſed, is hardly brought to a Conſtant remembrance, and feeling obſervation, both of our own Condition and Duty. See Ver. 21. of this Chap. Obſerv. 10.