Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Verſ. 1. Now Sarai Abrams wife bare him no children]
GOd had foretold him of his childrens affliction, and yet gave him no child, but holds him ſtill in ſuſpenſe. He knows how to commend his favours to us by withholding them, Citò data citò vileſcunt; we account it ſcarce worth taking, that is not twice worth asking. [A handmaid, an Egyptian] One of thoſe maids, belike, that were given her in Egypt, Gen. 12.16.
Verſ. 2. The Lord hath reſtrained me] She faults herſelf, not her husband, as many a crank dame would have done. [It may be that I may obtain children by her] Heb. Be builded by her, as God made the midwives houſes; that is, gave them children, for their mercy to the poor children, Exod. 1.21. and as he promiſed to make David an houſe, 2 Sam. 7.11, 12that is, to give him ſeed to ſit upon his Throne. Saraies ayme was good here, but the means ſhe uſed naught. She was too haſty, Abram too facile, both to blame for want of faith, and violation of wedlock. Albeit this might be a ſin of ignorance in them, as was alſo polygamy. God had promiſed a ſeed to Abram, but not expreſly as yet unto Sarai. Now, Ainſworth.by the Law, bond-ſervants children were their maſters, Exod. 21.4. And among the Heathens, Stratonice the wife of King Diotarus being barren, Plutarch.gave ſecretly her maid Electra unto her husband, by whom ſhe had an heir to the Crown.
Verſ. 3. After Abram had dwelt ten years] The Rabbines tell us of a tradition that the Hebrews grounded from hence; That if a woman had no child in the firſt ten years, ſhe might be held barren, and another wife taken. But this is like one of their ill gloſſes that marr'd ſo many good texts, Matth. 5. and refuted by our Saviour the Law-giver, who beſt underſtood his own meaning.
Verſ. 4. Her Miſtreſs was despiſed in her eyes] Heb. Allevata eſt, ſive elevata est, and ſo ſhe was beaten with her own rod, and yet complains. Neither is it any wonder; For, for three things the earth is diſquieted, ſaith Agur, and two of them are, Prov. 30.21, 23For an odious woman, when ſhe is married, and a… handmaid that is heir to her miſtreſs. Aſperius nihil eſt humili dum ſurgit in altum. Set a beggar on horſe-back, and there's no hoe with him.
Verſ. 5. My wrong be upon thee] The greateſt wrong-doers are the greateſt complainers commonly, as Exod. 2.13, 14. guiltineſs is ever exceptions, and clamorous. Here be verba ſtomachant is atque imprecantis. Or as ſome think rather, verba implorantis vindictam divinam ſeque conſolantis ſpe defenſionis divinae. Take it which way you will, as a paſſionate perſon ſhe powrs out fooliſhneſs, and (beſides the falſe charge ſhe layes upon her husband) takes Gods name in vain. Fret not thy ſelf to do evill. Prov. 15.2. Pſal. 37.[The Lord judge] He muſt be ſent for all in haſte, to decide the controverſie; who if he had come, you may ſoon ſee which of them would have had the worſt of it. The beſt, we ſee, have their domeſticall contentions; ſome houſhold words will now and then paſs betwixt them: we match not with Angels, but men and women. Two flints may aſſoon ſmite together, and not fire come forth, as two perſons meet in marriage, and not offences fall out: Pub. Rubius Celer was held a happy man among the Romans, that commanded it to be engraven upon his grave-ſtone, That he had lived three and forty years and eight months with G. Ennia his wife, ſine querela, without the leaſt quarrell. Another I have read of, that complained that his conjugium, was a continuall conjurgium; and when he dyed, Legitur id Roma citante Phil. Camerar. cen…. 1. …. 51.gave order it ſhould be written upon his tombe, He…, Vi…ter, miraculu…! hic vir & uxor non litigant, &c. This to prevent, Alphonſ… King of Arragon was wont to ſay, that to procure a quiet life, the husband muſt be deaf, and the wife blinde. But they ſay better that adviſe to a mutuall forbearance, leſt no offence be given on either ſide; or if given, yet not taken; the ſecond blow makes the fray, we ſay. Be not both incenſed together. If Abraham were to blame in conniving at Hagars contempt of her Miſtreſs, (as it may be he was ſomewhat) yet it was his wiſdome to bear with Sarah when ſhe was in her paſſion. Let two fires meet, and it will be hard quenching them. A cholerick couple being asked how they agreed ſo well? the husband made this anſwer, When my wives fit is on her, I bear with her (as Abraham did with Sarai) and when my fit is on me, Greenham.ſhe bears with me; and ſo we never chide together, but aſunder. Thoſe unkinde husbands had much to anſwer for, Malach. 2.13. that cauſed their wives to cover the Louds altar with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, ſo that he regarded not the offering any more. And thoſe wi…es can never anſwer it to God, that live cuſtomarily in the ſin of frowardneſs, or rebellion againſt their husbands. Amongſt all the infirmitie… noted in any godly woman in the Scriptures, there is no example of any that did ſo. This of Sarah is but of one onelyonly fact: And for that of Zipporah, the errour ſeems to be as much in her judgement, as in her affections. Thoſe couples that are even warbling, can neither be at peace within themſelves, 1 Cor. 7.15. nor pray as they ſhould do to God, 1 Pet. 3.7. which if they did often, as Iſaac and Rebecca did, they could not diſagree. For either praying together would make them leave jarring, or jarring, will make them leave praying; which the Apoſtle accounts no ſmall hindrance.
Verſ. 6. But Abram ſaid to Sarai, Behold, &c.] Here that of Solomonis verified, A ſoft anſwer pacifieth wrath. Hard to ſoft doth no hurt, as a bullet againſt a wooll-ſack. Ʋxoris vitium aut tollendum, aut tollerandum, ſaid Varro, foreign The woman is the wants, ….and hath many provocations among children and ſervants, that the man me…t… not with. This muſt be conſidered, and all bitterneſs abandoned. …. pracep▪ ….The Heathens when they ſacrificed at their marriage feaſts, uſed to caſt the gall of the beaſt ſacrificed out of doors. …. 7.Viper… virus, ob venerationem nuptiarum, …v…mit (ſaith St. Baſil): & in d…ritiem animi, in feritat…m, tu crudelitatem ob unionis rever…utiam non deponis? What kin art thou to him whoſe name is Wormwood? Rev. 8.11. [And when Sarai dealt hardly with her] Beat her, belike: For a ſervant will not be corrected by words, Prov. 29.19. and then he muſt have blows, and be buffeted, 1 Pet. 2.20. Not ſo a wi…e. M. Aurelius the Emperour, though a Heathen, could ſay to the ſhame of many Bedlams amongſt us: Ʋxor admonenda perſapt, reprehendendararo, violentis manibus tructanda nunquam. [She fled] This was her fault, Eccleſ. 10.4. But our natures are refractory, and will ſooner break then bend, till God ſubdue them.
Verſ. 7. In the way to Shur] Which lay between Canaan and Egypt. So ſhe was hying homewards to her own country. Oh that our afflictions might drive us heaven-ward!
Verſ. 8. Hagar Sarai's maid] This was a good item to her, that ſhe was out of her way, becauſe out of her place. [Whence cameſt thou? and whither wilt t…] Such is the ſweet and ſecret voyce of Gods Spirit (that Angelus Tutelaris, as I may ſay) in our hearts, when extravagant; So that we cannot do the evill we would, Gal. 5.17. [I flee from the face of my miſtreſs Sarai] Who haply had over-done, as we are all apt to do, when we are judges in our own cauſes, and concernments. She ſhould have thought of that of Job, chap. 31.15. Did not he that made me in the womb▪ make her? and that of Paul, Have not I alſo a maſter in Heaven? Coloſ. 4.1. But paſſion is head-long, and like heavy bodies, down ſteep hills, once in motion, reſt not till they come to the bottome. Look to it therefore, in corrections eſpecially.
Verſ. 9. Return to thy Miſtreſs] When now ſhe had ſmarted, ſhe is in caſe to be counſelled. There's great skill in the choice of a fit time for admonition. It is not to give a man a purge in a fever-fit. [Submit thy ſelf] Heb. Afflict thy ſelf, or ſuffer thy ſelf to be afflicted or humbled under her hands. Jam. 4.9.The like counſell is given us all by St. James, Be afflicted, and weep, and mourn, &c. Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God, and he will lift you up.
Verſ. 10. I will multiply thy ſeed] Thus God contemneth not poor ſervants: nay, if they be faithfull, Coloſſ. 3.24.he will give them the reward of inheritance, even a childs part, as Hagar, and her child had. We read not that ſhe cryed to God; but her affliction ſpake for her; and he is oft (ont of his meer Philanthropie) found of them that ſought him not. He heareth the young Ravens that cry to him onelyonly by way of implication. P…al. 147.9.The Lord hath heard thy affliction, ſaith the Angel in the next verſe.
Verſ. 12. And he will be a wild-man] Heb. A wild-aſſe, which is fierce, untractable, and untameable. And ſuch by nature is every mothers childe of us, Job 11.12. A wild-aſſe-colt. An Aſſe is none of the wiſeſt creatures, much leſs an Aſſes-colt; leaſt of all, Vigimus, inque vicem praebemus tela ſagit…is.a wild-aſſe-colt. Lo ſuch is man. [His hand will be againſt every man] This was firſt accompliſhed in his perſon, and th…n in his poſterity. For himſelf, he was ferus & pugnax, ever quarrelling and contending. Now a quarrelſome man is like a Cock of the game, that is ſtill blood, with the blood of others, and of himſelf. As for his poſterity, the Saracens, Mahomet, the miſchiefe of mankinde, had his generation from this wild-aſſe. And Sarai was utterly diſappointed; for theſe Agarens were ever enemies, and ſo continue to be to her ſeed.
Verſ. 13. Thou God ſeeſt me] This ſhews ſhe had been well trained and tutored in her Maſter Abrams houſe. Before, ſhe told the Angell the plain truth, and lyed not, verſ. 8▪ And here ſhe thankfully acknowledgeth Gods goodneſs in looking upon her forlorn ſolitarineſs, ſetting up a memoriall of that mercy to all poſterity. The greater was her ſin again, that being ſo well principled, ſhe ſhould have any thoughts of returning to Egypt, there to forſake her faith learn'd in Abrams family. [Have I alſo here looked, Gen. 32.30. Exod. 24.11. Ju…g. 1….23.&c.] q. d. Have I found God here alſo in the wilderneſs, as I had done oft before in my Maſters houſe? Or, am I yet alive, though I have ſeen God?