Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 11 – Verses 13-14
VERSE 11.
PIſon] A fair branch of a River falling into Hiddekel or Tigris at Apamia, from whence they both joyn their names as well as their ſtreams, and are called Piſi-Tigris, or Paſi-Gigris, and fall at laſt in to the Sea of Perſia,
The Land of Havilah] So called from Havilah the ſon of Cuſh, and borders upon Chaldea; This is that Havilah, which by other Authors is called, Suſiana. There is alſo another Havilah ſo named from Havilah the Son of Jocktan, which lies in Eaſt India, far diſtant from this in another quarter of the world.
There is Gold] In Havilah, and in all probability, in former ages, in ſome good quantity, as if Moſes had ſaid, that Countrey is famous for Gold, or abounds in Gold, and the Gold there found is good.
There is Bdellium and the Onyxſtone] Whether this Bdellium (to which Mannah is compared in the colour thereof, Numb. 11.7.) be a gum, or a precious ſtone, or what elſe, it ſkils not much: this ſeemes to be the Holy Ghoſts Intention, to intimate by this deſcription the goodneſſe of the Countrey, that abounds in thoſe things which are of great price, and eſteem amongſt men. Whence we may,
1. Obſerve, Gold is a Creature of great Price and account with Men.
Obſerv. 1 IT is indeed in it ſelf the Pureſt of all mettals, for which Cauſe God was pleaſed to make choiſe of that eſpecially, for the adorning and ſetting out of His Tabernacle firſt, and his Temple afterwards; but the eſtimation that men have put upon it, beyond the true worth of it, hath occaſioned the inordinate love of it, which the Apoſtle calls the root of all Evill, 1 Tim. 6.10. And the Truth is, whatſoever account men put upon it, the things neceſſary for the ſupport of mans Life, muſt needs be eſteemed of more worth then it; ſeeing we not onelyonly paſſe it away in exchange for them (as Solomon tells us, Mony ſerves to all) but beſides deſire it onelyonly for that end, that by it we may purchaſe neceſſaries for the maintaining of our Lives, as Food, Cloathing, and the like.
Let not men then turn that which they eſteem at ſo high a rate to the baſeſt of all uſes, to make it fewel for our filthy luſts; yea and by it to defile our own hearts, in caſting our love upon it, and making it our confidence as moſt men do: Conſidering that the worth of it ſhould lead us to honour Him that gives it, and Conſiſts in the uſe of it, which muſt be in honouring God by it; and in making uſe of it to relieve his poor ſervants, that when we fail they may receive us into Heavenly places, and with theſe tranſitory things may purchaſe to our ſelves an heritage immortall that fadeth not away.
We find gold and Pretious Stones reckoned amongſt the riches of Havilah, but not amongſt the Treaſures or Delights of Paradiſe; it is moſt probable becauſe there was none there, or at leaſt becauſe the Holy Ghoſt, thought it not worth the naming or recounting amongſt the riches, which God beſtowed upon our firſt Parents. Whence,
2. Obſerve, Gold is none of the Creatures in which our happineſſe conſiſts.
Obſerv. 2 AS being, in the matter of it, no better then thick clay, Hab. 2.6; in the form of it, without life or ſoul; in the uſe of it, at the moſt not ſo profitable as many other Creatures, and little more then the meaſure or balance of the price, and worth of things of true value; unprofitable to keep us warm, or to fill our bellies, or to maintain our lives any way, much more to enrich our ſouls, and thereby to make us acceptable in Gods Sight, as the Apoſtle manifeſts in oppoſing the odorning of a meek Spirit, which God ſets much by, againſt the adorning with Gold, 1 Pet, 3.3, 4.
Let no man complain of the want of that, without which our firſt Parents were fully happie, which God many times beſtowes upon the wicked whom He hates, and that to their greater judgment and Condemnation; which brings a man neither Wiſdome nor Grace, nor any thing that truly advanceth one man above another: which our Saviour deſpiſed, the Apoſtles enjoyed not, the wiſeſt amongſt the Heathen eſteemed of no value; which ſhall not be named or known in Heaven hereafter, or at leaſt ſhall be of no accompt there.
VERSE 13, 14.
THe manner of the three other branches of this River, & of the Countries through which they paſſe, are ſet down as well for the greater Credit of the relation, as for the better underſtanding of the place where Paradiſe ſtood.
Gihon is ſaid to compaſſe Ethiopia, or rather Cuſh, under which name is included all that countrey which lies between Havilah, or Suſiana and Egypt called for the moſt part Aralia, inhabited at the firſt by the poſterity of Havilah, whoſe plantation might be in all likelihood upon the River Gihon, although his poſterity ſpred afterwards farther into the parts of Arabia neer Egypt.