Commentary on the Holy Bible

and Abraham have been accused of cruelty in tliis transaction, because every word reads harsh to us. Cast out, BHJ gnnisk sii^nifies not only to thrust out, drive avsuy and expet, but also to divorce, see Lev. xxi. 1. And it is in this ktter sense the word should be understood here. The child of Abraham by I lagar, might be considered as having a riglil at least to a part of tiie inheritance; and as it was sufficiently known to Sarah, that God had designed, that the succession should be established in the line of Isaac, she wished Abraham to divorce Hagar, or to perform some sort of legal act, by which Ishmael might be excluded from all claim on the inheritance.

Vtr«e 12. In Isaac shall thy seed be catted] Here God shews the propriety of attending to the counsel of Sarah. And lest Abraham, in whose eyes the thing was grievous, sliould feel rlistressed on the occasion, God renews his promises to Ishmael a[id his posterity.

Verse 1 4. Took In cad, and a bottle'] By the word bread, we are to understand, the food or provisions which were necessary for her and Ishmael, till they should come to the place of their destination; which, no doubt, Abraham particularly pointeff out. The botite, which was made of skin, ordinarily a gOtit's skin, contained water sufficient to last them till they should come to the next well; which, it is likely, Abraham particularly specified also. This well, it appears, Hagar missed, and therefore wandered about in the wilderness, seeking more water till all she had brought with her was expended. We may therefore safely presume that she and her sou were sufficiently provided for their journey, had they not missed their way. Travellers in those countries, take only, to the present day, provisions.sufficient to carry thtm to the next village or incampment; and water to supply them till they shall meet with the next well. What adds to the appearance of cruelty in this case is, that our translation seems to represent Ishmael as being a young child; and that Hagar was obliged to carry him, the bread, and ihe bottle of water on her back, or shoulder, at the same time. But that Ishmael could not be carried on his mother's shoulder, will be sufficiently evident when his oijt' is considered: Ishmael was born when Ahiaham was eighty-six years of age, chap. xvi. 16; Isaac was born when he wa.? one hundred years of age, chap. xxi. 5.: hence Ishmael was fourteen years old at the birth of Isaac. Add to this, the age of Isaac when he was weaned, which, from ver. 8th of this chapter, (see the note) was))rohably three, and we shall find that Ishmael was, at the time of his leaving Abraham, not less than seventeen years old; an age at which, in those primitive times, a young man was able to gain his livelihood, either by his bow in the wilderness, or by keeping flocks as Jacob did.

Verse 15, And she cast tlie child) iS'n HN "iWni Valishtec eth ha-yeted, and she sent the lad — under one of the shrubs — viz. to screen him from the intensity of the heat. Here Ishmael appears to be utterly helpless, and this circumstance seems farther to confirm tlie opinion, that he was now in a state of infancy — but the preceding observations do this supposition entirely away; and his present helplessness will be easily accounted for on this ground: — I. Young persons can bear much less fatigue than those who are arrived at mature age. 2. They require much more fluid from the greater quantum of heat in their bodies, strongly marked by the impetuosity of the blood; because from them a much larger quantity of the fluids is thrown ofl' by sweat and insensible pei"spiration, ■than from grown up or aged persons. 3. Their digestion is.. much more rapid, and hence they cannot bear hunger and. thirst as well as the others. On these grounds Ishmael must be much more exhausted with fatigue than his mother.

Verse 19. God opened her eyes] These words appear tome to mean no more, than, that God [directed her to a well,. whicli probably was at no great distance from the place ia which she then was; and therefore she is commanded, ver. 1 8.

A.M.cir?iio. 20 And God " was with the lad; B.c.cir.i894. ^j^^j j^g grew, and dwelt in the wil-

21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his niotlier "•' took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

A.M.cir.'UB 2S f" And it came to pass at that lu^nrj^ time, that ^ Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, " God is with thee in all that thou doest:

23 Now therefore ^ swear unto me here by God, ^ that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast "sojourned.

25 And Abraham reproved Abimel6ch because of a well of water which Abimelech's servants "had violently taken away.

26 And Abimelech said, I wot not' who hath

to support the lad, literally to make Iter Imnd strong in his behalf— namely, ttiat he might reach the well and quench his thirst.

Verse 20. Became an archer] And by his skill in his art, under the continual siiperiiitendancc of the Divine Providence, for Cod was uilh tlie lad, he was undoubtedly enabled to procure a sufficient supply for his own wants, and those of his parent.

Verse 21. He dwelt in the wilderness of Paran'] This is generally allowed to have been a part of the desart belonging to Arabia Petraea, in the vicinity of mount Sinai; and this seems to be its unitbrm meaning in the sacred writings.

Verse 22. At that lime] This may either refer to the transactions recorded m the preceding chapter, or to the time of Ishmael's marriage; but most probably to the former.

God IS with ihce] "1 SICIS jllei/mru dayai, the WORD of Jehovah, see before, chap. 15.1. I'hat the Chaldee Paraphrasts use this term not for a word spoken, but in the same sense in which St. John uses the hoyo; too Qeou, the WORD of God, chap. 1. must be evident to every unprejudiced reader. See on chap. XV. ver. 1.

Verse 23. Noxa therefore swear unio nu;] The oath on such occasions probably meant no more than the mutual promise of both the parties, when they slew an animal, poured out the blood as a sacrifice to God, and then passed between the pieces. See this ceremony, chap. v. 1 8. and on chap. sv.

Accordirtg to the kindness I hare done] The simple claims •f justice, were alone set up among virtuous people in those done this thing: neither didst thou A.M.cir.sustell me; neither yet heard I of it °^'""°^- but to day.

27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech j and both of them ' made a covenant.

28 And Abraham set seven ewe Iambs of the flock by themselves.

2^ And Abimelech said unto Abraham, " What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?,

30 And he said. For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that ' they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

31 Wlierefore he "called that place "Beersheha; because, there, they sware both of them.

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Phih.stines.

33 And Abraham planted a "grove in Bcer-

ancient times, which constitute the basis of the famous Lex taltonis, or law of like for like, kind office for kind office, and breach for breach.

Verse 25. Abraham reproved Abimelech] Wells were of great consequence in tho.se hot countries; and especially where the flocks w ere numerous, because the water was scarce, and digging to find it, was accompanied with much expense of time and labour.

Verse 26. / wot not who hath done this thing] The servants of Abimelech had committed these depredations oa Abraham, without any authority from their master; who appears to have been a very amiable man, possessing the fear of God, and ever regulating the whole of his conduct by the principles of righteousness and strict justice.

Verse 27. Took sheep and oxen] Some think that these were the'sacrifices which were oflercd on the occasion, and which Abraham furnished at his own cost; and in order todo Abimelech the greater honour, gave them to him to offer-

Vei-se 28. Seven ewe lambs] These were either, given as a present, or they were intended as the price of the well; and being accepted by Abimelech, they served as a ivitness that he had acknowledged Abraham's right to the well in question.'

Verse 31. He called the name of the place Beer-sheba] liQ- P3tr Beer-sheba, literally, the well of swearing, or of the oath, because they both sxvarc there, mutually confirmed the covenant.

sheba, and " called there on the name of the Lord, '' the everlasting

^ ^ erse 33. Abra/iam planted a grove] The original word, *U'N Eshcl, lias been varicfusly tran^lattd, a grove, a plantation, an orchard, a cuUhated field, and nn oni-. From tliis word, says Mr. I'arkiniriit, may be dcrivtd the name of the famou.^ Asylum, opened by Ronjuhis, bciv^cen two groves of oah, at Rome, {/M9:i{i:v h'uoiv (S^uhx-j. Dioiiys. Hal, hb. 2. c. IC.) And as Abraliani, Gcu. xxi. 33. agreeably, no doubt, to the institutes of the patriarchal religion, planted an oak in Rcer-shcba, and called on the name of Jehovah the everlasting- God, (compare Gen. xiii. 8. xviii. 1.) so we find that oaka were sacred among- the idolaters also. Ye shall be ashamed of the OAKS i/e have chosen, says Isaiah (chap. i. 'J9.) to tlie idolatrous Israelites. And \:i' Greece we meet, in very early times, with the oracle of Jupiter at the oaks of Dodona. Among the Greeks and Romans we have sacra Jovi quercus, the oak, sacred to Jupiter, even to a proverb. And in <iaul and Britain, we find the highest religious regard paid to the sairie tree, and to its misletoc, under tlie direction of the Druids, that is, the oak-prophets or priests, from the Celtic, deru, and Greek, dfi/j, an oak. I'ew are ignorant that the miilctoe is indeed a very extraordinary jilant, not to be cultivated in the earth, but always growing on some other tree. " The GJruids," says Plini/, Nat. Hist. 1. xvii. c. 44. " hold nothing more sacred than the misletoe, and the tree on which it is produced, provided it be the««A-. They make choice of^rorfs of oak on this account, nor do they perform any of tiieir sacred rites without the 'leaves of those trees, so that one may sujipose that they are, for this reason, called, by a Greek etymology, Druids. And whatever misletoe grows on the oak, they think is sent from heav( n, and is a sign that God himself has chosen that tree. This, however, is very rarely found; but, when discovered, is treated with great ceremony. They call it by a name which signifies, in their language, the curer of all ills; ajid, having duly prepared their feasts and sacrifices under the tree, they bring to it two white bulls, whose horns are then for tlie first time tied; the priest, dressed in a white robe, ascends the tree, and with a golden pruning-hook cuts off the misletoe, which is received in a white saguni or sheet. Then they sacrifice the victim>. praying that God would bless his own gift to those on whom he has bestowed it." It is impossible for a Christian to read this account, without thinking of HIM who was the desire of all nations, of the Man whose name was the KRANCU, wlio had indeed no father upon earth, but came down from heaven; was given to heal all our ills, and after being cut of through the di\ me counsel, was wrapped in /inc /aitn, and laid in the sepulchre, for our sakes. I cannot torbcar adding, that the viisletoc wa.^ a sacred emblem to other Cctic nations, as for instance, to (he ancient inhabitatite of /<a/?/. 'The golden branch, of which Virgil speaks so largely, in the sixth.book of the ^ncis, and without which, lie say.s, none could return from the infernal rci^ions, see line

Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

126, seems an allusion to the misletoe, as he himself plainly intimates, by comparing it to that plant, line 205, he. See Parkhurst, under the word VlPN eshcl.

In the first ages of the w orld, the worship of God was exceedingly simple; there were no temples, norcovered edifices of any kind: an altar, sometimes a single stone, sometimes it consisted of several, and at other times merely of turf, was all that was necessary; on this the fire was lighted and the sacrifice offered. Any place was equally proper, as they knew that the object of their worship filled the heavens and the earth. In process of time, when families increased, and many sacrifices were to be oflured, groves or shady places were chosen, where theworshippers might enjoy the protection of the shade, as a considerable lime must be employed in ofl'ering many sacrifices. These gloves became afterwards abused to impure and idolatrous purposes, and were therefore strictly forbidden, See Exod. xxxiv. 13. Deut. xii. 3. xvi. 21.

And called there on the name of the Lord] On this important passage, Dr. Shuckford speaks thus: — " Our English translation very erroneously renders ihis place, he called upon the name of Jehovah; but the expression XW2 Nip kara beshein, never signifies, to call upon the name: ca? Nip kara shem, would signify, to invoke or call upon the name; or, Nip jyip 7j; kara el shem, would signify, to cry unto the name, but Dira sip, kara heshem, signifies to invoke IN the name, and seems to be used, where the true worshippers of God oflered their prayers, in the name of the true Mediator, or where the idolaters offered their prayers in the name of false ones, 1 Kings xviii. 26; fur as the true worshippers had but; one God and one Lord, so the false worshippers had gods many and lords many; 1 Cor. viii. 5. We have several in-, stances of Nip kara, and a noun after it, sometimes vjith, and sometimes without the particle hv el, and then it signifies to call upon the person there mentioned: thus niH' l!np kara Jehovah, is to call upon the Lord; Psal. xiv. 4. xvii. 0. xxxi. 7. liii. 4. cxviii. 5, &c.: and nilT hv Nip kara el Jehovah, imports the same; I Sam. 12. 17. Jon. i. 6, &c.: but Nip Dsya kara beshem, is either to name BY the name. Gen. ivj 17. Num. 32. 42. Psal. xlix. 11. Isai. xliii. 7. or, to ««-, voke IN the name, when it is used as an expression of religious worship." Connect, v. I. p. 293. I believe this to be a just view of the subject, and therefore, 1 admit it without scruple. The everlasting God] oSlJ? Sn n^n' Yehovah cl 61am, Je- HOVAH, the STltUNCi God, the T.llUiNAi. ONE. This is the first place in Scripture in which dSiJ7 oUan, occurs, as an attribute of God; and here it is evidently designed to point out his eternal duration: that it'can mean no limited time is selfevident, because nothing of this kind can be attributed to God. The Septuagint renders the words, ©so; aiwvio;, the everexisting God; and the Vulgate has, iuvocavit ibi nonten Domini, Dei ccterni. There he invoked the name of the Lord, the cttmal God. The Arabic is nearly the same.

From thi3 api>lication of both the Hebrew and Greek words, we learn llidt thv 51am, and amvaion, originallyaignifieil FTERNAL, or dura'ion rcilhout liiiI. thy c'dam, siijnifies he xin'! -trlen, concealed, or kept secict: and atuv, according 'o Aristotle, (De Cwlo, lib. i. cliap. 9. and a higher authority need not be sought) is compounded of a£i, always, and av, bting — aiav eiTTiv, asre tou ati Civai. liie same autho: iiiiiinns us that God was termed Aisau, becau>e he was vluiays existing, xxXtirat Aicrav, Ji aei cua-av. De 31undo, chdp. v\\. in Ji/:'. Hence we see that no word» can more forcibly exprc-i tlie p^rand cliaractcristics of eternity than these. It is tint duration which is conceulcd, IddJcn. or kept secret from all erf at''d beings: — which is al'^uys existing; still running ON, but never running OUT — an inurminable, incessant, and immeasurable duratioii: — it is TI1.\'J', in the fjliole qfuhich, God alone can be said to txist; and that, which the eternal mind can alone coinprelieiuL

In all languages words have, in process of time, deviated from their original acceptations, and have become accommodated to particular purposes, and limited to jjarticular meanings. Tliis has happened both to the llcbre\v 071? dlam, and the Greek atwv: they have been both used to express a limited time, but, in general, a time, the limits of which are unknoivn; and thus a pointed reference to the original, ideal meaning, is still kept up. Those who bring any of these terms in an accommodated sense, to favour a particular doctrine, &:c. must depend on the good graces of llieir opponents, for permission to use them in this way. For as the real grammatical meaning of both words is eternal, and all other meanings only accommodated ones, sound criticism in all matters of dispute concerning the import of a word or term, nuist have recourse to the grammatical meaning, and its use among the earliest and most conect writers in the language; and will determine all accommodated meanings by this alone. Now, the first and best writers in both these languages apply olain and aiojv to express eternal, in the projjer meaning of that word; and this is their proper meaning in the Old and New Testaments, when applied to God, bis attributes, his operations taken in connection with the ends for which he performs them, for ivhatsoever he doth, it shall be fur ever. — dSiJ?'? n'lT ycliiych lc-6lam, Eccl. iii. 14. it shall be for eterm/y; forms and appearances of created things may change, but the counsels and purposes of God, relatively to them, are permanent and eternal; and none of them can be frustrated — hence the words, when applied to things which, from their nature, must have a limited duration, arc properly to be understood in this sense; because those things, though temporal in themselves, shadoiu forth things that are eternal. '[ hus the Jewish dispensation, which in the whole, and in its parts, is frequently said to be dSu"? le-Slam, for ever; and which has terminated in the Christian dispensation, has the word properly applied to it, because it typified and introduced tliat dispensation which is to cominuf, not only ivhile time shall lact, but is to have its incessant, accumulating consummation throughout eternity. The ■word is, with the same strict propriety, applied to the duration of the rewards and pumshnients in a future state. -'\nd the argument that pretends to prove, and it is only pretension, that in the future punishment of the wicked, " the worm shall die," and " the fire slutll be quenched," will apply as forcibly to the state of happy spirits, and as fully ptovc, that a point in eternity fhall arrive, when the repose of the ri^hlcous shall be interrni)lrd. and the gloril'ic.it on of the children of CJod have an eternal end! See the notes on chap. xvii. 1, 8.

1. Faithfutnesi is one of the attributes of God, and none of his promi^e.s can fail. According to the promise to Abrah nu. Isaac is born; but according to the course of nature, it fully appears, that liolli Abraham and.'^arah had passed that term of life in which it was possible for them to have children. Isaac is the child of the promise, and the promise is siiprrnalural. Ishmael is bor^ according to the ordinary course of nature, and cannot inherit, because the inhentante is spiritual, and cannot come by natural birth: hence, we see that no man can expect to enter into the Kingdom of God by birth, education, profession of the true faith, &c. &c. Those alone who are born from above, and are made partakers of the divine nature, can l)e admitted into the family of God in heaven; and everlastingly enjoy that glorious inhevitance. Header, art 'liou born again? Hath God changed thy heart and thy life? If not; canst thou suppose that, in thy present state, thou canst possibly enter into the paradise of God? I leava thy conscience to answer.

2. The actions of good men may be misrepresented, and their motives suspected; because those motives are not known; and those who are prone to think evil, are the last to take any trouble to inform their minds, so that they may judge righteous judgment. Abraham, in the dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael, has been accused of cruelty. Though objections of this kind have been answered already, yet it may not be amiss farther to observe, that what be did, he did in conformity to a divine command; and a command so unequivocally given, that he could not doubt its divine origin; and this very command, was accompanieil widt a promise, that both the child and his mother should be taken under the divine protection. And it was so: rior docs it appear that they lacked any diing but v.ater, and diat only ibr a short time, after which, it was miraculously supplied. God will work a miracle when necessary; and never till then: and at such a time the divine interposition can be easily ascertained, and man is under no temptation to attribute to second causes, what has so evidently flowed from the frst. Thus, while he is promoting his creatures' good, he is securing his own glory; and he brings men into straits and difficulties, so that he may have the fuller opportunity to convince bis followers of his providential care,?.nd to prove how much he loves them.

3. Did we acknowledge Godin allourways, he would diree t. our steps. Abimelech, king of Gerar, and Phicbol, captain of his host, seeing Abraham a worshipper of the true God, made him swear by the object of his wor.ship, that there should be a lasting peace between them and him: for, as they saw that God was with Abraham, tliey well knew that be could not expect the divine blessing, any longer than lie walked in integrity belore God; they therelbre require him to swear by God, that he would not deal falsely with them, or their posterity. From this very circumstance we may see tb.e original purpose, design, and spirit of an oath, viz. Let Cod prosper or curse me in all that I do, as I prove true or false to my engagements! This is still the spirit of all caths, whsre God IS called to witnes*, wl»etLer tke form be by the water cf the Ganges, the sign of the cross, kissing the bible, or Ufiing up the hand to heaven. Hence we may learn, that he who falsifies an oath or promise made in the presence and name of God, thereby forfeits all right and title to the approbation and blessini; of his Maker.

But it is highly criminal to make such appeals to God upon trivial occasions. Only (he?HOst solaim matters should be thus determined. Legislators who regard the morals of the people,.should take heed not to multiply oaths in matters of commerce and revenue.

The faith and obedience of Abraham put to a most extraordinary test, 1; he is commanded to offer his beloved son Isaac, for a burnt-offering, 2: he prepares, with the utmost promptitude, to accomplish the tcill of God, 3 — 6.- Jffcding speech of Isaac, 7, and Abraham's anszcer, 8. Having arrived at Mount Moriah, he prepares to sacri~ fee his son, 9, 10; and is prevented by an angel of the Lord, 1 1, 12. A ram is offered in the stead of Isaac, 13; and the place is named Jehovah jireh, 13, 14. The angel of the Lord calls to Abraham a second time, 15; and, in the most solemn manner, he is assured of innumerable blessiiigs in the multiplication and prospeiity of his

' seed, 16—18. Abraham returns and duvlls at Beer-sheba, 19; hears that his brother Nahor has eight children by his- wife Milcah, 20; their names, 21—23; and four by his concubine Reumah, 24.

AND it came to pass after these things, that ^ God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abra-

Verse 1. God did tempt Ahrahani] The original here is Tery emphatic, Dn"i3N' HiC HDJ D'nbNm Vc-ha-Elohim nissah eth Abiahavi, and the Elohim lie tried this Abraham: God brouglit him into such circumstances, as exercised and discovered his faith, love, and obedience. Though the word tempt, from tento, signifies no more than to prove or try; yet as it is now generally used to imply a solicitation to tvil, in uhich way God never tempts any man, it would be well to avoid it here. The Septuagint used the word ETreipaas, which signifies to tiy, pierce through: and Synmiachus translates the Hebrew nCJ nissah, by eJolaffv, God glorified Abraham, or rendered him illustrious, sujjposing the word to be the same ■with 03 nas, which signifies to glister with light, whence Di m-s, an ensign or lianner displayed. Thus, thtn, according to him, ' the words shonlil be understood, " God put great honour on Abraham, by giving him this opportunity of shewing to all successive ages, the nature and eflicacy of an unshaken faith \ in the powtr, goodness, and truth of (jud." The Targum of j Jonathan ben L'zziel paraphrases th; place thus: |

" Ai.d it happened that Isaac and Ishmael contended, and Ishniacl said, I ought to be my lather's heir because I am his j first-born: but Isaac said, it is more proper that I should be my father's heir, because 1 am the son of fSarah his wife; and thou art only the son of Hagar, my mother's slave. Then Ishma«l answered, I am more righteous than thou, because 1 1 was circumcised when 1 was thirteen years of age, and i( I had chosen, I could have prevented my circumii>ion; but thou wcrt circumci-ed «lien thou wert but eight days old, and if tliou hadst bad knowledge, ihoii wouldst (probably) not have suflercd t

only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee " into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burntofiering, upon one of the mountains wliich I will tell thee of.

thj'self to be circumcised. Then Isaac answered and said. Behold, I am now thirty-six years < Id, and if the holy and blessed God should require all my members, I would freely surrender them. These words were immediately heard before the Lord of the universe, and i>"l N"i0'0 mcymrii dayai, the WORD of the LORD, did try Abraham." 1 wish once for all to remark, though the subject has been referred to before, that the Chaldee term NID'O meymra, which we translate word, is taken personally in some hundreds of places in the Turgums. \Vhen the author, Jonathan, speaks of the Divine Being as doing or saying any thing, he generally represents him as performing the whole by his nieynira, which he appears to consider not as a spcecli. or word spoken, hut as a person, ([uite distinct from tlie Most High. S;. John uses the wurd ^oyof, in precisely the same sense with the Targumists, chap. i.). see the notes there, and see before ver. 22. and on thap. xv. 1.

Verse 2. Take now thy son^ Bishop Warburton's observations on this passage are weighty and iuipurtant. "The order in which the words are placed in the (jrigiual, gradually Increase the.'ense, and raise the passions hi^ilier and higher. Take now thy son (rather, lake I beseech thee, N3 na) thine only son, whom thou lovest, ei-en Isaac. Jarchi iiiiagmes this minuteness was to preclude any doubt in Abraham. Abrahaia desired earnestly to be let into the mystery of redemption; and God, to instruct him in the infinite extent of the divine goodness to mankind, who spared not his own son, but delivered him lip for us all, let Abraham led by experience, what it was to lose a beloved.son, the son born miraculously, when Sarah was past (.Uild-bcarmg, as Jesus was miraculously born of a

A.M.cir.'.'i 11. 3 ^ ^4ii(| Abraham rose up * early l' B^nr^iijfi^ in the morning, and saddled his ass, l[ and took t\vo of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood I'or the burntoftering, and rose up, and went unto the place \ of which God had tohl him. ~ |

4 Then, on the third chiy, Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place alar off.

5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the hid

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burntoffering, and "laid it upon Isaac his son; and lie took tlic fire in liis hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his fatlier, and said. My fiither: and he said, ' Here am I, my son. And he said, Beliold the fire and the wood: but where is the ''lamb for a burnt-offering?

virgin. Tiie duration, too, of the action, ver. 4. was the j | same as that between Christ's tlcatli and resurrection, bothjl Mhich were tlcsigneil to be represented in it; and still farther, h not only the final archety|)ical sacriliec of the Son of God, j was fii^ured in tin- coiiniiatid to oder I.^aac, but the intcrme—; diutc ti/p/ail sacrifice in the Mo.saic aeoiiomy «as repre.sented, by tUe peniiillcd sacrifice of tlic ram, ollered up, vcr. 13. instead of Isaac." See Dodd.

The land of Moviali] This is supposed to mean all the itiountaius of Jenisalem; eonijirchending- mount Gilion or Calvary, the momit of Si<in, and of Aera. As mount Calvary is the higliei-t ground lo the west, and the mount of the temple is the lowest of the mounts, Mr. Mann conjectures that it was upon this mount Abraham odered up Isaac; which is well known to be the same 'mount on which our blessed Lord was crucllied. Reer-sheba, where Aliraham dwelt, is about forty-two miles distant from.Jerusalem; and it is not to be wondered at, that AbraUam, Isaac, the two servants, and the ass laden with wood for the burnl-oirering, did not reach this place till the ildid day; see ver. 4.

Clave the \i:ood'\ Small wood, jig and ]mlm, proper for a burnt-on(?ring. Tar;^uin. \

Ver.se 4. The third day] " As the number SEVEN," says! Mr. Ainsworth, " is of especial use in Scripture, because of the sabbath day. Gen. ii. 2. so THKEE is a mystical number, because of Christ's rising from the dead the tliird day, Matt, xvii. 23. 1 Cor. xv. 4. as he was crucified the third, hour after ngon, Mark xv. 25.: and Isaac, as he was a figure of Christ, in being ihe only.son of his father, and not spared, | but odered for a sacrifice, Kom. viii. 32..so in sundry par- i ticulars ho resembled our Lord; the third day Isaac was to be oft'ercd up; so it was t]w third day in which Christ also i was to be perfected, Luke xiii. 32.: Isaac carried the wood [ for the burni-ort'cring, vcr. ti. as Christ carried the tree whereon he died, John xix. IT.: the binding of Isaac, ver. 9. was also typical; so Christ was bound, Matt, xxvii. 2.

In till following remarkable cases this number also occurs. Moses desired to go three days' journey in the wilderness to sacrifice, Lxod. v. 3.; ami they travelled three days in it before they found water, Isxod. xv. 22.; and three days' jour-, ney the ark of the covenant went before them, to search out a resting-place. Num. x. 33.; hy the third day the people were to be ready to receive God's law, Exod. xix. 11.; and after tliree.days to pass over Jordan into Canaan, Josh. i. 11.; the third day Ksther jHit on the apparel of the kingdom, Esth. V. 1.; on the tliird day Hezckiah, being recovered from his illness, went up to the bouse of the Lord, 2 Kings xx. 5.; on the third day the Pro|)hct said, God will rai.se us up and we shall live before him, Hos. vi. 2.; and on the third day, as well as on the seventh, the unclean person was to purify himself. Num. xix. 12.: with many other memorable things which the Scripture speaks concerning the third day, and not without mystery; see Gen. xl. 12, 13. xlii. 17, 18. Jon. i. 17. Josh. ii. 16.; unto which we may add a Jew's testimony in Beresheth Rabba,']n a comment on this jdace, — There are many 'rilUEE D.WS mentioned in the holy Scripture, of which one is, the resurrection of the Messiah." Ainsworth.

Saw the place afar of.] The Targum says, he knew the place, by seeing the cloud of glory smoking on the top of the mountain.

Verse 5. / and the lad tcill i^o — and come ai;ain] How could Abraham consistently with truth say thi.s, when be knew he was going to make his son a burnt-offering? The Apostle answers for hirn: By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac — accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from whence also he received him in a figure, Heb. xi. 17, 19. He knew that, previously to the birth of Isaac, both he and his wife were dead to all the purposes of procrealit.n — that his birth was a kind of life from the dead — that the promise of God was most positive. In Isaac shall thy seed he called, chap. xxi. 12. — that this promise could not fail — that it was his duty to obey the command of his Maker; and that it was as easy for God to restore him to life after he had been a burnt-offering, as it was for him to give him life in the beginning. Therefore he went I'ully purposed to oiler his son, and yet confidently expecting to have him restored to life again. We will go yonder, and worship, perform a solemn act of devotion which God requires, and come again to you.

Verse 6. Took the wood — and laid it upon Isaac] Probably the mountain top, to which they were going, was too difficult to be asc( nd( d by the ass; thenfore either the father or the son must carry the wood; and it was most becoming in the latter.

8 And Abraham said, God -will provide himself a lamb they

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altaj there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and ''laid him on the altar upon the wood.

lamb?'\ Nolhing can be conceived more tender, affectionate, and atlecting: than tlie question of tlic son and the reply of tiie father on tiiis occasion. A paraphrase would spoil it — nothing can he added, without injuring those expressions of atlL-ctionate submission on the one hand, and dignified tenderness and simplicity on the other.

Verse 8. My son, God will provide himself a lamb] Here we find tile same obedient unshaken faith, for which, this pattern of practical piety was ever remarkable. But we must not suppose that this was the langnap;e merely of faith and obedience; the Patriarch spoke prophetically, and referred to that Lamb of God which H 10 had provided for himself who, in the fulness of time, should take away the sin of the world; and of whom I.saac was a most expressive type. AH the other lambs which had been offered fioni the foundation of the world, had been such as MEN chose, and ME^l offered; but THIS was the Lamb which GOD had provided — emphatically The Lamb of God.

Verse 9. And bound Isaac his son] If the Patriarch had not been upheld by the conviction that he was doings the %vill of God, and had he not felt the most perfect confidence that his son siiould be restored, even frunt the dead; what agony must his licart have felt at every step of the journey, and throuijh all the circumstances of this extraordinary business! ^V'ha^ must his affectionate heart have felt at the questions asked by his innocent and amiable son! What must he have sutti?rcd while building the altar — laying on the wood — binding his lovely son — placing him on the wood — taking the knife, amd stretching out his hand to slay the child of his hop(s.? Every view we take of the subject interests the heart, and exalts the character of this father of the faithful. But ha.s the character of Isaac been duly considered? Is not the consideration of his excellence lost, in the supposition that he was too young to enter particularly into a sense of his danger; and too feeble to have made any resistance, had he been unwilling to submit' Josephus supposes that Isaac was now ltuenli/-five; see the Chronology on ver. 1. some Rabbins, that he was ihirli/six; hut it is more probable that he was now about thiriy-threc, the age at which his great Antitype was offered up: and on this medium I have ventured to construct the Chronology, of which I think it necessary to give this notice to the reader. Allowing him to be only fiLenti/-/ive he might have easily resisted; for can it be supposed that an old man, of at least one hundred and tnenty-five years of age, could have bound, without his consent, a young

his hand, and took the knite to slay his son.

11^ And the angel of the Lord called imto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham! and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, "Lay not- thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for ''now I know that thou fearest God, seeing

man in the very prime and vigour of life } In this case we cannot say that the superior strength of the father prevailed; but the pieti/, filial affection, and obedience of the son yielded. All this was most illustriously typical of Christ. In both cases the father himself olfers up his only begotten son: and the father himself binds him on the wood or to the cross: in neither case is the son forced to yield, but yields of his own accord — in neither case is the life taken away by the hand of violence — Isaac yields himself to the knife; Jesus lays doivn his life for the sheep.

Verse 11. The angel of the Lord] The very person who was represented by this offering; the Lord Jesus, who calls himself Jehovah, ver. 17. and, on his own authority, renews the promises of the covenant: He was ever the great Mediator between God and Man. See this point proved, chap.

Verse 12. Lay not thine hand upon the lad] As Isaac^was to be the representative of Jesus Christ's real sacrifice, it was sufficient for this purpose, that in his oicn ivill, and the xvill of his/«//(fr, the purpose of the immolation was complete. Isaac was now fiilly offered both by his father and by himself. The father yields tip the son — the son gives up his life: on both sides, as far as will and purpose could go, the sacrifice was complete. God simply spares the father the torture of putting the knife to his son's throat. Now was the time when it might properly' be said, " Sacrifice and offering, and burntoffering and sacrifice for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure in them: then said the Angel of the Covenant, Lol I come to do thy will, O God." Lay not thy hand upoa the lad: an irrational cveawK will serve for the purpose of a representative sacrifice, from this till the fulness of time. But without this most expressive representation of the fath^ offering his beloved, only begotten son, what reference can such sacrifices be considered to have, to the giealevent of the incarnation and crucifixion of Christ? Abraham, the most dignified, the most immaculate of all the Patriarchs; Isaac, the true pati' tern of piety to God, and filial obedience; may well represent Gad, the Father, so loving the world as to give his only begotten son, Jesus CllIilST, to die for the sin of man. But the grand circumstances necessary to prefigure these important points, could not be exhibited through the means of any or of the u hole' brute creation. The whole sacrificial system of the Mosaic a'conomy had ^ retrospective anA prospective s'kvi; referring I'ltOM tlLC sacrifice of Isaac, TO the sacrifice of Christ:. in the first, the dauning of the sun of righteousness was

A.Mcir'.'iii. tiioii hast not withheld thy son, B.c.cir.i8(;i. ^|,i„g only gQyi fi-o,,,,„e_

13 And Abraham Hfled up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him, a ram eauglit in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place ^ Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, lu the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

15 % And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

16 And said, '' By myself lia\e 1 sworn, saith ' the Loun, for because thou hast done this | thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine ' only «o«, j

j 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in i

fern; in the latter, his meridian splendor and glory. Taken in this light, an<l this is the only liuht in which it should l)e viewed, Abraham offering his.son Isaac, is one of the most important facts, and most in.structive histories in the whole Old Testament. See further on this subject, chap. xxiii. 2.

Verse 1 4. Jeliovah-jirelt] nST niiT Yehovah-yireh, literally interpreted, in the margin, Tlie Lord irill see; that is, God will take care that every thing sliall be done that is necessary, for the comlbrt and support of them who trust in him: hence the words are usually tianslateil. The Lord will provide: so our translators, ver. 8. nXT DTiVn clohim-yirch, God will provide; because his ei/e ever atf'ects his lieart; and the wants he sees, his hand is ever ready to supply. But all this sctins to have been done under a divine impulse, and the words to have been..spoken proplielically: hence Houbigant and.some others, render the words thus, Dominiis videbitur, the Lord shall be seen; and this translation, the following clause seems to require, as it is said to this dtiy, niri' in3 njn» bchar, Yeliovah yireli: ON 'I'lllS MOUNT, THE LOKD SHALL BE sn.KX. From this it appears, that the sacrifice oflercd by Abraham was understood to be a representittive one; and a tradition was kept up, that Jehovah should be seen in a sacrificial way, on ihjs niuunt. And this renders the ojjinion slated on ver. 1. more than probable, viz. that Abiiiham ofliitd Isaac on that icry mountain, on which, in the fulness of lime, Jesus sutfi red. See Bishop VV'arbiirton.

Verse Ui. Jiy myself have I sivorii] So we find that the person who was called the uitgcl of the Lord, is here called Jehovah, see on ver.' 2. An oath, or an appeal to God, is among men, an end to strife; as God could siveur by no greater, he sxeorc by himself: being uilling more abundantly, says the Apostle, to shciv unto the heirs of promise the immutulilily of his counsel, he cunjirmed it by an Oath, that by two im-

multiplving I will multiply thy seed A.M.eir.2Hi. " as the stars of the heaven, " and as "■^'- "' "^"^- the sand which is upon the sea '.shore; and '^tliy seed shall possess ^the gate of his enemies;

18 "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; 'because thou hast obeyed my voice.

19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up, and went together to " Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Eeersheba.

20 ^ And it came to pass after a M.cir2i42. these things, that it was told Abra- ^fi^'ff^ ham, saying. Behold, ' Milcah, she hath also borne children unto thy brother Nahor;

21 "IIuz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the ftither " of Aram,

mutable things, (his PROMISE and his O.ATH) in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us. — See Heb. vi. 13 — 18.

Verse 17. Shall possess the gate of his enemies.'\ Instead of gales, the Septuagiiit has tto^ei; cities; but as thtre is a very near resemblance between tto^eij cities, ami TruXa^ gates, the latter might have been the original reading in the Scpiuagint, though none of theMSS. now acknowledge it. Hv the gates may be meant all the strength, whether troops, counsels, or fortified cities, of their cnennts. So Matt. xvi. IS. On this rock will I build my church, and the gtites of hell shall not prevail against it — the connscl.s, stratagems, and powers of darkness shall not be able to prevail against or overthrow the true church of Christ — and possibly our Lord had this promise to Abraham and his sjiiritual posterity m view, when he spoke these words.

Verse 1 8. And in thy seed, Sfc] We have the authority of St. Paul, Gal. iii. 8, 16, IS, to re.'tram this to our blessed Lord, who was THK SEED through whom alone, all God's blessings of providence, mercy, grace, and glory should be conveyed to the nations of the earth.

Verse 20. Behold, Milcah, she hath also borne children unto thy brother] This short hi>tory seems introduced solely for the purpo.se of preparing the readi:-r for the trau.sactions related, chap. xxiv. and to shew, that the providence of God was preparing, in one of the branches of the family of Abraham, a suitable spouse for his son Isaac.

Verse 2 1. IIuz] He is supposed to have peopled the land of Uz or Ausitis, in Arabia Deserta, the country of Job.

Huz his brother] From this pi.isoii Elihu the Buzite, out of the friends of Job, is thought to have descended.

Kimnel the father of Aram] Kamouel, ware^a 1.u^a¥, the \ father of the Syrians, according to the Septua^jint. Probably

22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlapli, and Bethu

23 And ^Beduicl begat "Rebckah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

the Kamiktes a Syrian tribe, to the ivestward of the Euphrates, are meant: they are mentioned by Simho.

Verse 24-. His concubine] 'We borrow tills word from the Latin compound, concubina, from con, together, and cubo, to lie, and apply it solely to a woman cohabiting with a man without being- legally married, llie Hebrew word is vhSi pilgasli, which is also a compound term, contracted, accordinsi to Parkhursl, from jSs palag, to divide or share, and C'JJ nngash, to approach; because the husband, in the delicate jjhraseofthe Hebrew tongue, n/)/>roac/if.s the concubine, and xltures the bed, &c. of the real wife with her. The pi 1 gash or concubine, (from which comes the Greek wa.h?^aKyj, pallake, and also the Lalinyx^Wc-rJ in Scripture, is a kind ni secondary wife, not unlawful in the patriarchal times; though the -progeny of such could not inherit. The word is not used in the Scriptures in that disagreeable sense in which we commonly understand it. Hagar was properly the concubine, or pils;ti.ih, of Abraham; and this, unnuenle Deo, and with liis wife's consent. Ketnrah, his second wife, is called a concubine, chap. xxvi. 15. 1 Cliron. i. 32. and Bilha and Zilplia were concubines to Jacob, chap. xxxv. 22. After the patriarchal times, many eminent men had concubines, viz. Caleb, 1 Chron. ii. 46, 4S. Munasses, 1 Chron. vii. It. Gideon, Judg. viii. 31. Stiul, 2 Sam. iii. 7. David, 2 Sam. V. 13. Solomon, 2 Kings xi. 3. and Re lioboam, 2 Chron. xi. 21. The pilgash therefore diftlred widely from a prostitute; and however unlawful, under die New Testament, was not so under tiie Old.

From this chapter a pious mind may collect much useful instruction. From the trial of Abraham, we again see, 1. That God may bring his followers into severe straits and difficulties, that they may have the belter opportunity of both knowing and shewing their own faith and obedience: and that he may seize on those occa.sions to.shew them the abundance of his mercy; and thus confirm them in righteousness all their days. There is a foolish saying among some religious people, which cannot be too severely reprobated; untried grace, is no grace. On the contrary, there may be much grace, though God, for good reasons, does not think proper for a time, to put it to any severe trial or proof Kut grace is certainly not fully knou'n, but in being called to trials of severe and painful obedience. But as all the gifts of God should be Jised, and they aie increased and strengthened by exercise, it would be unjust to deny trials and exercises to grace, as this would be. to preclude it from the opportunities of being strengthened and increased. 2. The oft'eriiig up of Isaac is used by several religious people in a sort of metaphorical way, to signily their easily bescllin:; sins, beloved idols, &c. But this is a most reprehensible abuse of the scripture. It is both insolent and wicked to compare some abominable lust, or unholy affection to tlie amiable and pious youth, who for his purity and excellence was deemed worthy to.prefigure the sacrifice of the Son of God. To call our vile passions and unlawful attachments by the name of our Isaacs, is unpardonable: and to talk of sacrificing such to God, is downright blasphemy. Such sayings as these appear to be legitimated by long u-^e; but we should be deeply and scrupulously careful not to use any of the words of God in any sense in which he has not spoken them. If in the course of God's providence, a parent is called to give up to death, an amiable, only son, then there is a, parallel in the case; and it may be justly said, if pious resignation fill the parent's mind, such a person, like Abraham, has been called lo give his Isaac back to ijod.

Independanth' of the typical reference in this transaction, there are two points which seem to be recommended particularly lo our notice. I. The astonishing faith, and prompt obedience of the father. 2. The innocence, filial respect, and passive submission of the son. Such a father and such a son, were alone worthy of each other.

The ace and deal h of Sarult, 1, C. Abraham tiwitms for her, and requests a burial-place from the sons of Heth, 2 — 4. Thei/ freeli) offer h'utt the choice of all their sepulchres, 5, 6. jlbraham refuses to receive any as a free gift, and reque.^ts to buy the cave of Machpelahfrom Epiiron, 7 — 9- Epliron proffers the cave and the field in uhich it Ti as situated, as ajree gift unto Abraham, 10, 11. Abraham insists on giving its value in moneif, 12, 13. Ephron at last consents, and names the sum of four hundred shekels, 14, 15. Abraham weighs him the monet/ in the presence of the people; in consequence of lohich, the cave, the whole field, trees, Sfc. are made sure tohimandhisfaniili/ for a possession, 16—18. The transaction being completed, Harah is buried in ihe cave, 19» The sons of Heth ratify tlie bargain, 20.

2 And Sarah died in Mviijath-arba; the same I.? '' Hebron in the knid of Canaan: and Abraliain eame to mourn lor Saraii, and to weep for her.

3 1[ And Abraham stood np from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Iletli, saying,

NOTES ON CHAP. XXlll. Verse 1, And Siirali was nn hundred and seven and tiecnti/ years old] h is worlhy of remark, that Sarah is the only woman in the sacred writinirs, whose ai^e, death, and Imrial, are distinctly noted. And she has heen deemed worthy of /i/:^/av honour; for St. I'aul, Gal. iv. -'2, 2.3. makes her a type of the church nf Christ; and her faith in the accomplishment of God's promise, that she should have a son, when all natural prohahihties were against it, is particularly celebrated in the Kpistle to the Hebrcw.s, chap..\i. ver. 1 I. Sarah was about ninety-one years old \^'hen Isaac was born, and she lived thirty-six years after, and saw him groun up to man's estate. With SaK.ah the jiromisc of the incarnation of Christ commenced, though a comparatively obscure prt)phecy of it, had been delivered to Eve, chap. iii. 15. and with MarY it terminated, havin;;' had its exaci <'o;npletion Thus Grid put more honour upon those two women ' than u])on all the daughters of Eve besides. Her conception of Isaac was supernatural, she had passed the age and circumstances in which it was possible, naturally speaking, to have a child; therefore she laughed when the promise was given, knowing that th.e thing was impossible, because it had ceased to be with her after the manner of women, (iod allows this natural imp(is.sil)ility, and.grants that the thing must be the effect of divine uitcrposilion; and therefore ask.s. Is any thing too hard for God? The physical impossibility was increased in the case of 3Iajy, she having no connexion with man. Hut the same power interposed as in the rase of Sarah; and we find, that when all aptitude for natural procreation was gone, Sarah received streif^ih to conceive seed, and bore a son, fmm whom, in a direct line, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, was to descend: and through this same power, we find a Virgin conceiving and bearing a son, against all natural impossibilities. Kvery llnng is supernatural in the births, both of the \^;\^e and antitype; can it be wondered at then, if the spiritual offspring of the Messiah must have a supernatural birth likewise.' h nee the propriety of that saying, unless a man be born again — born from above — horn, not only of'.^-ater, but of the Holt/ Uhost, he cannot see the kingdom of God. These may appear bard sayings, and those who are little in the habit of considering spiritual things, may exclaim, " It is enthusiasm I Who can bear it? J^uch things cannot possibly be." 'Jo such persons I have only to say, God hath s]iokrn. This is sufficient for those who credit his Being and his Bible; nor is there any thing too j 4 "^I atn a stranger and a sojourner with you: ''give nic a possession of a biuying-phice with }ou, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

j 6 Hear us, my lord: thou art "a miglity prince in the choice of our sepulchres bury

hard for him. He, by who.se almighty power, Sarah had strength to conceive and bear a son in her old age; and by whose miraculous interference a virgin conceived, and the man Christ Jesus was born of her, can, by the same))6wer, transform the sinful soul, and cause it to bear the image of the heavenly, as it has borne the image of the earthly.

Verse 2. Sarah died in Kiijath-arba] Literally, in the city of the four. Sonic; suppose this place was called the city of the four, because it was the burial-plase of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; others, because, according to the opinion of the Rabbins, Eve was buried there, with Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah. But it seems tv dently to have had its name from a Canaanite, one of the Anakim, probably called rl)6«, for the text, Jos. xiv. 1.5. does not actually say, this was his name; who was the chief of the /ojn- brothers who dwelt there; the names of the others being Sltcshai, Aldman, and 'I'almai, see Judges i. 10. I'hese three were destroyed by the tribe of Jud-ah; probably the other had been previoii.-ily dead.

Abraham came to mourn for Sarah] From ver. 19. of the preceding chapter, it appears that Abraham had settled at Beersheba; and here we finil, that Sarah died at Hebron, which was about twenty-four miles distant from Beer-»heba. For the convenience of lireding his numerous flock.s, Abraham had probably several places of temporary residence, and particularly one at Beer-sheba, and another at Hebron: and it is likely that while he sojourned at Beer-sheba, Sarah died at Hebron; and his coming to mourn and weep for her, siij^nifies his coming from the former to the latter place on the news ol her death.

Ver. 3. Abraham stood up from before his dead]. He had probably sat on the ground some days in token of sorrow, as the custom then was; see Tobit ii. 12,, 13. l>a. xlvii. I. and Gen. xxxvii. 35. and when this time was finished, he arose and began to treat about a burying-place.

Verse 4. / am a stranger and a sojourner] It appears from- Hell. xi. 13 — 16. 1 l^ct. ii. 11, that these words retir more to the state of his mind than of Ills body. He felt iliat he had 110 certain dwellmg-place, and w;is seeking by faith a. city that had fouiulations.

Give me a posses'^ion (if a burying-place] It has been remarked, that in diflerent nations it was deemed ignominidus to be buriid in another's ground; probably this prevailed in early times in the Fast: and it may be m reference to a senti iicnt of this kind, that Abraham refu.>es to accejit the otler of the children of Heth to bury in any of tlieir sepulchres^.

his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed hhnself to tlie people of the huid, even to tlie children of Heth.

8 And he communed with th.em, saying, if it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar.

9 That he may give' me the cave of Machpclah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for ^ as much money as it is worth, he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.

10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the '' audience of the children of Heth, even of all that ' went in at the gate of his city,

11 "^ iS'ay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and tlie cave that is therein, I give it tliee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.

12 And Abraliam bowed down himself before the people of the land,

13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying. But if thou

\'wilt give it, I pray thee, heai- me, I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is tvorth tour hundred 'shekels of silver: what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

1 6 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham ' weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current' 7)10/161/ with the merchant.

17 And ^ the field of Ephron, which teas in Machpelah, which ti^as before Mamre, the field, and the cave which teas therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders roimd about, were made sure

18 Unto Abraham for a possession, in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the C'ate of his citv.

19 % And after this Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.

and earnestly requests tliem to sell him one, tliat lie might bury his wife in a place that he could claim as liis own.

Verse 0. T/iou nrl a i)iiij;l(ly prince] DTiVk N'K?J Nasi Elo- ■him, a prince of (ind; a person whom we know to be divinely favourefl; and wliom, in consequence, we deeply respect and reverenre.

Verse 8 Intrentfnr me to Ephron] Abraham had already -seen the cave and fiohl, and findinp; to whom they l)elon;_;ed, and that they would answer his purpose, came to ihe gate of Hebron, where the elders of the people sat to administer justice, &c. and where bargains and sales were made and witnessed; and having addressed himself to the elders, among whom Ephron was, though it appears he was not personally Icnown to Abraham, lie begged them to use tlieir influence with the owner of the cave utkI field to sell it to bim, that it might serve hivn and his fannly for a place of.sepulture.

Verse 10. Jnd Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth] And i'.phron 32y j/oihcb, was sitting "among the children of Heth, but, as was before conjectured, was personally unknown to Abraiiam; he therefore answered ibr himself, making a.■free tender of tlie field, &c. to Abraham in the presence of all the people, which amounted to a le^ul comei/uiice of tlie whole property to the Pairiarclu

Ver.se 1 3. Instead of, if thou wilt give it, we should read. But if thou xudt sell it, I ivill giz'e thee monei/ for the field] r^DS keseph silver, not coined money, for it is not probable that any such was then in use.

Verse 15. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver] Though tlie words is worth, are not in the text, yet they are neces.sarily expressed here to adapt llie -Hebrew to the idioin of our tongue. A shekel, according to the general f>pinion, was equal to two shillings and sixpence; but according to Dr. Prideaux, whose estimate I.-.hall I'oUow, three shillings English, (bur hundred of which are equal to sixty pounds sterling; but it is evident that a certain weight is intended, and not. a coin; for in ver."'l6. it is said, and Abraham weighed "?piyi ya yishckal, the silver, and hence it appears that this weight itself, passed afterwards as a cunent coin; for the word VpiZ? shekel is not only used to express a coin, or piece of silver, but also to weigh; see the nolf on chap. xx. 16.

Verse 16. Current — with the merchant.] TTlOb ^3;^ Ober lasocher, passing to, or with ihe traveller, such as \(as commonly used by those who travelled about with merchandize of any sort. The word signifies the same as hau:ker or pedlar among us.

Ver.se 17. All the trees that were in the field] It is possible that all these were specified in the agreement,, _

20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, * were made sure unto

Verse 20. And the field — were made surel DP'I V/ii/aknm, were established, caused to stand; the whole transaction liaving been regulated according- to all the forms of Jaw then in use.

1. In this transaction between Abraham and the sons of Hetli, concerning the cave and field of Machpelah, we have the earlie.'it account ou record, of the purchase of land. The simplicity, openness, and candour on both sides, cannot be too much admired.

2. Sarah being dead, and Abraham being only a sojourner in that land, shifting from place to place, for the mere purpose of pasturino his flocks, and having no right to any part

I of the land, wished to purchase a place in which he might have the continual right of se|)u!ture. For this purpose, 1.

'He goes to the gate of the city, the place where, in all ancient times, justice was adminis-tered, and bargains and.'ales concluded; and where, for these purposes, the elders oj" the people sat. 2. He there proposes to buy the cave, known by the name of the Cave of Machpelah, the cave of the turning, or the double ca-ee, for a liiirying-place for his family. 3. To prevent him from going to any unnecessary txpence; the people, witii one voice, oU'er him the privilege of burying his wile in any of their sepulchres: this appearing to them to be no more than the common rights of hospitality and humanity required. 4. Abraham, intent on making a purchase, Ephron, the owner of the field and cave, values them at four hundred shekels; but at the same time wishes Abraham to receive the whole as a gift. 5. Abraham refuses the gift, and weighs down the silver specified. 6. The people who enter in at Ihe gate, i. e. the inhabitants coming from or going to their ordinary occupations in the country, witness the transaction, and thus the conveyance to Abraham is made sure, without the intervention of those puzzlers of civil affairs, by whnse tricks and chicanery property often becomes insecure, and right and succession precarious and uncertain. But this cen»ure does not fall on lawj/ers properly so called, who are men of honour, and whose ofl'ice, in every well regulated state, is as useful as it is respectable. But the accumulation and complex nature of almost all modern systems of law, puzzles even justice herself, and often induces decisions, by which truth (alls in the streets, and equity goes backwards.

In the first ages of mankind, suspicion, deceit, and guile, seem to have had a very hmited influence. Happy days of primitive simplicity! When shall they return.'

3. We often hear of the rudeness and barhai ity of ihe primitive ages; but on what evidence.'' Every rule of politeness that could be acted upon in such a case as that mentioned here,. is brought into full practice. Is it possible to read the simple narration in this place without admiring the amiable, decent and polite conduct displayed on both sides? Had even Lord Chesterfield read this account, his good-sense would have led him to propose it as a model in all transactions between man and his fellows. There is neither awkward stiff formality on the one hand, nor frippery alFectation on the other. Decent respect, good-sense, good nature, and good breeding, are all prominently displayed. And how highly laudable and useful is alt this! A pedant or a boor on either side, might have destroyed the simplicity of the whole transaction; the one bv engendering caution and suspicion, and the other by tfxciting disgust. In all such transactions, the beau and the boor are equally to be avoided. From the first, no sincerity can be expected; and the manners of the latter, render him intolerable. The religion of the Bible leconunends and inculcates orderly behaviour, as well as purity of heart and life. They, who Under the sanction of religion, trample under foot the decent forms of civil respect, supposing, that because they are religious, they have a right to be rude, totally mistake the spirit of Christianity, for love or charily (the soul and essence of ttiat religion) behavelli not itself unseemly. Every attentive reader of the thirteenth chapter of St. Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, will clearly discern that the description of true religion, given in that place, applies as forcibly to good-breeding, as to inward and outward holiness. What lessons of honesty, decent respect, and good manners, could a sensible man derive from Abraham treating with the sons of Heth for the cave of Machpelah; and William Penn, treating with the American Indians for the tract of land now called Pennsylvania! I leave others to draw the [)arallel, and to shew, how exactly the conduct and s[)irit of Patriarcii \\\c first y were exemplified in the conduct and spirit of Patriarch Ihe second. Let the righteous be had in everlasting remembrance!

Abraham being solicitous to get his son Isaac proper/i/ married, calls Itis confide ittial servant, probab/i/ Etiezar, and makes him szcear that he zii/l not take a zcife for Isaac from among the Canaanites, 1 — 3. but from among ki» own kindred, 4. The servant proposes certain difficulties,. 5. zchich Abraham removes hi/ gi'^>"g Idm the strongest assurances of God's direction in the business, 6, 7. and then specifies the conditions of the oath, 8. The form of the oath, itself, p. The servant makes preparations for hisjournet/, and sets out for Mesopotamia, the residence of

Abraham instructs his servant GENESIS, concerning the marriage of his son Isaac.

Conversation betneen her (ind Jbrahams servant, in tchich eveiy thing took place according to his praj/er to God, 17 — 21. He?«fl/.('s her prcsciilf, and learnx ichose daughter she is, 22 — 24. 'S7/f invites him to herfalher's house, 2j. lie returns tlianks to God for having thus far given him a prosperous jonrnci/, 0,6, 27. Rcbekak runs home <ind informs her famili/, 28. on uhich her brother Laban comes out, and invites the serva)tt home, 29 — " 1. His reception,.'52, 33. Tells his errand, 34; and how he had proceeded in executing the trust reposed in him, 33 — 48. lieqitests an anstvcr, 49. The family of Rebckah consent that she should become the zcife of Isaac, 50, 51. The servant icorsliips God, o'l; and gives presents to Milcah, Laban, and Rebekuh, 33. He requests to be dismissed, j4 — 50. Rebckah being consulted consents io go, 57, 53. She is accompanied by her nurse, 59,- and having received the blessing of her parents and lelatives, fiO. she departs -with the servant of Abraham, (il. Thei/ are met bif Isaac Tvho zcas on an evening icalk, for the purpose of meditation, 62^05. The servant relates to Isaac all that he had done, 66. Isaac and Rebckah are married, 67.

2 And Abraham said "^ unto his eldest servant of his house, that ^ ruled over all that he had, ^ Put, I pray tliee, thy hand under my thigh,

3 And I will make thee ^ swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that " thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom 1 dwell:

4 ' But thou shalt go "^ unto my country and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

.5 And the servant said unto him, Perad venture the woman will not be willing to follow mc unto this land: must I needs bring thy son

Verse 1. And Abraham u-as old] He was now about one hundred and forty years of age, and constquently Isaac was forty, being born when his father was one hundred years old. See chap. xxi. S. & xxv. 20.

Verse 2. Eldest saTtintl As tliis ehlest servant is stated to Lave been the ruler over all that he hud, it is very hkely that Eliezar is meant. See chap. xv. 2, 3.

Of the Canaaiii/cs] Because tiiese had already been devoted to slavery, &c. and il would li.ivo been utterly inronsisteiit, as ■well with prudence as with the design of God, to have unit(<l the child and heir of tlie promise with one who was under a curse, thoiifrli that curse might be con.-idercd to be only of a political nature. See the curse of Canaan, chap. ix. 25.

Verse 4. My country] Mesopotamia; called here, Abraham's country, because it was the place where the family of

lim. Beware thou, that thou bring not my son thither again.

7 The Loitu God of heaven, wliich ' took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and wliich spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, '" Unto thy seed will I give this land; " he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife luito my son from thence.

8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then "thou shalt be clear from this my oath:, only bring not my son thither again.

9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

Haran, his brother, bad settled; and where, himself had remained a considerable time with his father Terah. In this family, as well as in that of Nahor, the true religion had been in some.sort preserved, tliough afterwards considerably corrupted. See chap. xxxi. 19.

Verse 5. Peradventure the women xoill not be ivillin'^] We may see, says ("almet, by this and other passages of scripture, Josh. ix. 18. what the sentiments of the ancients were relative to an oath. Thi y believed they were bound precisely by ivhat was.spoken, and had no liberiy to interpret tlie intentions of those to \i bom the oath ^vas made.

Verse T. The Lord God,..Sc] He expresses the strongest confidtiiee in (Jod, that the great designs for which he bad brought him from his own kindred, to propagate the true religion in the earth, would be acconi|)lisln'(l; and that therefore, vhen earthly instruments failed, heavenly ones should be employed. He shall send hts angel, probably meaning the angel of the covenant, of \i hom see chap. xv. 1,

'. and departed; ("for'' all the goods of his master

•were in his hand:) and he arose, and went to. Mesopotamia, unto " the city of Nahor. I 1 1 And he made his camels to kneel down

without the city by a well of water, at the time

Verse 9. Put Ins hand under the thigh of Abrnhavi] Tlii.s •fovm of swearing iias greatly puzzled the coniinentators; bul 'it is useless to detail opinions which I neither believe nij'self", ] nor would wi^ll my readers to credit. I believe the true sense I'm given in the Targum of Jonathan ben UzzicI, and that called "the Jcnisriltm Twruin. In t'.ie former it is said. Put noxu thy \ hand, 'nSlilO nTIJ3 bigizirrith ma/ioleli — in seclione civcumcisionis mccc; in tlie latter, 'O'p T^' mnn tccholh yerec Ic^yami — sidi fcinore fadciis mei. When we put the circumstances mentioned in this and the third verse to<jether, we shall find that they lully express Xhe ancient method of binding by oath, in such transactions as had a religious tendency. 1. The rite or ceremony used on the occasion: The person binding- hinisrlf, put his hand under the thigh of the person to whom he was to be bound; i. e. he put his hand on the part that bore the mark of circumcision, tlie sign of God's covenant; « Inch is tantamount to our kissing the book, or layuig the hand upon the Nnv Testament, or covenant, of o-ir Lord Jesus C'hri-t. 2. Tlie form of the oath itself: The person s\^ore by Jehovah, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth. Three essential attributes of God are here mentioned: 1. His self-existence and eternity in the name Jehovah. 2. His dominion of glory, and blessedness in the kingdom of heaven. 3. His providence and bounty in the earth. The meaning of the oath seems to be this: " As God is unchangeable in his nature and purposes,.so shall I be in this cngageinent, under the penalty of forfeiting all expectation of tcui|ioral jirosperity, the benefits oflhe mystical covenant, and future glory." An oath of this kind, taken at such a time, and on such an occasion, can never be deemed irreligious or profane. 'J'hoii. shalt sivear by hii name — shall acknowledge and bind thyself unto the true God, as the just Judge of thy motives and aitions, is a command of the Most High; anil such an oath as the above, is at once (on such an occasion) both propL-r and rational. The person binding himself, proposes for a Jiattcrn the unchangeable and Jiixt (jod; and as He is the avenger of wrong, and the punisher of falsehood, and has all power in the heavens and in the earth, so lie can punish perjury by privation of.spiritual and tern-! poral blessings; by the loss of life, and by inflicting the per- '• diliou due to ungodly men, among whom liars and (lerjured; persons occupy the most dislinguislied rank. Our ideas of |

speed this day and shew kindness unto my master A[)raham.

13 Behold, "I stand //ere by the well of water; and ' the daugliters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say. Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say. Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: kt the same be she that thou hast appointed ibr thy servant Isaac j and " tliereby shall I know

delicacy may rexolt from the rite used on this occasion; but when the nature of the covenant is considered, of which circumcision was the sign, we.shall at once perceive, that this rite could not be used without producing sentiments of reverence and godly fear; as the contracting party must know that the God of this covenant was a consuming fire.

Verse 10. Took ten camels] It appears that Abraham had left the whole management of this business to the discretion of his servant, to take witli him what retinue and what dowry lie pleased; for it is added — All the goods of Itis master were in his hand; and m those times, it was customary to give a dowry /or a wife, and not to receive one with her.

Verse 1 1. He made his camels to kneel doicnj To rest themselves, or lie down, as the Septuagint has very properly expressed it — Kai sxoi/ji,i<rs ra; KX/anXou;.

Verse 12. And he said, O Lord God, ftr] "The conduct of this servant," says Dr. Dodd, " appears no less pious tlian rational. By supplicating for a sign, he acknowledges God to be the great Superinteiulant and Director of the universe, and of that event in particular; and at the same time, by a.sking a natural sign, such as betokened humanity, condescension, and other qualities, which promised a discreet and virtuous wife, he puts his prayer upon such a discreet rational footing, as to be a proper example for all to imitate, who would not tempt the providence of Ci>od by expecting extraordinary signs to be given them for the detcrminalion of cases, •which they are capable of deciding by a proper use of their rational faculties." This is all very good; but certainly the case referred to here, is such an one as required especial direction from God; a case which no use of the rational faculties, without divine influence, could be snificient to delirinine. It is easy to run into extremes, and it is very natural so to do. In all things, the assistance and blessingof (jod are necessary, even where human strength and wisdom have the fullest and freest sphere of action: but there are nuinberlcss cases of infinite consequence to man, where his.strength and prudence can be of little or no avail; and where the God of all grace must work all things according to the counsel of his own will. To expect the accomplishment of any good end, without a proper use of the means, is the most reprehensible enthusiasm; and to suppose, that any good can be don,e or procured wilhoat the blessing and.

. 15 iT And 'it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, (who was born to Bethuel, son of * Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother,) with her pitcher upon her shoidder.

IG And the damsel "was S-ery fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well,, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

17 And the servant ran tameet her, and said. Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18 "And she said. Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw xvafer for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher

into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

21 And the man wondering at her, held his peace, to wit whether Hhe Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

22 % And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ' earring^ of halfa shekel weight, and two bracelets former hands, often shekels weight of gold;

23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?

24 And slie said unto him, " I am the daughter, of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whicii she bare unto Nahor.

23 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room tolodge in.

26 And tiie man 'bowed down his head, and. worshipped the Lord.

mercv of Cod, merely because proper means are used, is not le<s reprehensible. When we plan, stheme, and labour like Eliezar, then, by earnest faith and firayer, we may wilh the utmost confidence commit the whole to the direction and blessing of God.

Verse 15. Behold. Rebekah cafwe oai] How adrairably had the providence of God adapted every circumstance to the necessity of the case; and so, as in the most punctual manner, to answer the prayer which liis servant had oliered up!

Verse 19. I '.viH drauj water for thy camels also'] Mad Rebekah done no more than Eliezar had prayed for, «e might have supposed, that she acted not as a free agent, but was vnpelted to it by tiie absolutely controuling power of God: but as she exceeds all that was requested, we see that it sprang from her native benevolence, and sets her conduct in the most amiable point of view.

Verse 2 1. The man wendtrin'^ at lur] And he was so lost in wonder and a<;toni.sliment at her simplicity, innocence, and benevolence, that he permitted this dehcate female to draw water for teji caiitels, without ever altemptmg to aflbrd her any kind of assistance! I know not which to admire most, tl.e b< nevolence and condescension of Rebekah, or the cold and apparently stupid indillerence of the servant of Abraham, t'urelv tlicy are both of an uncommon cast.

Verse 23. The men took a golden ear-rinu:] 3ni DU r,ezem ztthnb. That tliis could not be an ear-ring is very probable, froui lis being in the singular number. The margin calls it fi Jev:et for the forehead; but it most likely means ajeiielfor the nose, or riosc-rin^, which is in universal use through all parts of x\rabia and Pcisia, particularly among young women. They are generally worn in the left nostril. The word is very properly ti'anslated iTn^^mov, an ornai/itnt for the nose, by Symmachus.

And ti^o bracelets] D'TOS VSn ustieney tsemidim. Astscmidim conies fi'om nCS tsamad, to join or couple together, it may very properly mean bracelets, or whatever may clasp round the arms or legs; foe rings and ornaments are worn round both, by females in India and Persia. The small part of the leg is generally decorated in this way; and so is, the whole arm from the slioulder to the wrist. As these tsemidim were given to Rebekah /or Iter hands, it sufficiently, distinguishes them from a similar ornament used for the ankles^

In ihflerent parts of the sacred writings, there are allusions to ornaments of ';arious kinds, still in use in different Asiatic, countries. They are of seven ditVercnt sorts: 1. for ihefore~ htud; 2. for the nose; 3. for the ears; '!•. for l\\e arms; 5* for ihc fingers; 6. the neck and breast; 1. (he arddes. — See above, ver. 22. and see ver. 47. also Ezek. xvi. 12. Prov. xi.. L'2. Isai. iii. 21. Gen. xxxv. 4. Exod. xxxii. 2. 3. Job xlii.. 1 1. Judg. vjii. 2-i. The principal female ornaments are enumerated in the third chapter of Isaiah, which are very nearly the same that are in use in Persia and India to the present time.

Verse 26;. Boxved down his head, and worshipped] Twoacts of adoration are mentioned here: 1. bowing the head,, ip' yikkod — and, 2. prostration upon the earth, UTTiB^'l vayishtachu. The bovjing of the head was to Rebekah, to return, her thanks for her kmd invitation. The prostration was to

A.M.2H8. 27 And he said, * Blessed be the "• ^- ^^■'^- Lord God of my master Aljiaham, Avho hath not left destitute my master of ''his mercy and his truth: I being in the May, tlie LoHD "led me to the house of my master's brethren.

29 if And Rebekah had a brother, and his name -sas ""Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earv'nvx, and bracelets upon his sister's nands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah liis sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at tlie well.

; 31 And he said. Come in, "thou blessed of r the Lord; wherefore staudest thou without? 1 for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and '^gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that tvere with him.

33 And there was set 7neat before him to eat: but he said, *I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said. Speak on.

Jehovah, in gratitude for the success with wliich he had favoured him. See on Kxod. iv..31.

Verse 27. / being in the way, the Lord led me] By desire of his master, he went out on this journey; and as he acknowledged God in all his ways, the Lord directed all his steps.

Verse 28. Her inother's house] Some have conjectured from this, that her father Bcthuel was dead; and the person called Belhuel, ver. 50. was a younger brother. This is possible; but the mother's house might be mentioned, were even the father alive: for in Asiatic countries, the women have apartments entirely separate from those of llie men, in wliich their little children and grown up daughteVs reside with them. This was probably the case here, tliough it is very likely that Bethuel was dead, as the whole business appears to be conducted by Uebekah's brothers.

Verse 31. Thou blessed of the Lord] Probably a usual mode of expressing kindness, and wishmg prosperity; as he that is blessed of the Lord is worthy of all respect, for, enjoying the divine favour, he is in possession of the sum of L2j)piue9s.

35 And the Lord "hath blessed my master. greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and camels, and asses.

36 And Sarah my master's wife 'bare a son to my master when she was old, and ''unto him hath he given all thut he hath.

37 And my master 'made me swear, saying. Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of. the Canaanitcs, in whose land I dwell:

38 ""But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wiit; unto my sou.

39 "And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.

40 "And he said tnito me. The Lord, ''before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:

41 ''Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

Verse 32. Provender for the cimiels] These were the first objects of his care; for a good man is merciful to his beast.

Water to -xash hisfeet, Ifc] Thus it appears, that he had servants with him; and as the fatigues of the journey must have fallen as heavily upon them as upon himself, so we find no distinction made, but water is provided to wasli their feet as well as his.

Verse 33. I will itot eat, until I have told] Here is a servant who had his master's interest more at heart than W^ o«n. He refuses to take e\'en necessary refreshment, till he knows whether he is likely to accomplish the object of his journey. Did not our blessed Lord allude to the conduct of yVhraham's servant, John iv. 34. — I\Ii/ meat is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his xuork?

Verse 36. Unto him hath he given all that he hath.] Me has made Isaac his sole heir. These things appear to be spoken to shew the relatives of Rebekah, that his master's son was a proper match for her; for, even in those primitive times, there was regard had to the suitability of station and rank in life, as well as of education, in order to render a match comfortable. Persons of dissimilar habits, as wtll as of di«-

42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, 'O Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go;

43 "Behold, I stand by tlie well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin Cometh forth to draw 'water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;

44 And she say to me. Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels; let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my master's son.

4.5 "And before I had done "speaking in mine heart, behold, llebekah came forth, with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew xcater: and I said unto her. Let me drink, I pray thee.

46 And slie made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoidder, and said. Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.

47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said. The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare un-

to him: and I ''put the ear-ring ujx)n her face, and the bracelets upon her hands;

48 *^And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord; and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way, to take ^my master's brother's daughter unto his son.

49 And now if ye will "deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may tiuai to the right hand, or to the left.

50 ^ Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, 'The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot ''speak unto thee bad or good.

51 Behold, Rebekah ' is before thee, take /ler, and go, and let her be thy master's son'swife, as the Lord hath spoken.

52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he "worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.

53 And the servant brought forth "jewels of silver", and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave thejn to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother ''precious things.

similar religious principles, arc never likely to be very happy in a married life.?2ven the poor and the rich may better meet together in matrimonial alliances, than the religious and the profiin", the uell-bred and the rulgar. A person may be ( unequally yoked in a great variety of ways: — Bear ye one unolhers burthens, is the command of God; but where tliere is unsuitablencss in the dispositions, education, mental capacity, &c. of the persons, then one side is obliged to bear the whole burthen, and endless dissatisfaction is the result. See at the end.

Verse 42. 0 Lord God of nny master\ As Abraham was the friend of God, I'.litzar makes use of this, to give weight and consequence to his petition.^.

Verse 43. When the virgin^ rrsVyn ha-aluiah, from ti7V Cihtm. to hide, cover, or conceal — a pure virgin, a woniati uncovered, and in this respect still concealed from man. The taine its nSiro AiV/i«/rt/(, ver. 1(5. which from the explanation there given, incontcslibly means a virgin in the proper sense of the word — a young woman, not that is covered, or kepi at home, the common gloss; but who was not uncovered, m the delicate sense in which the Scripture uses this word. — See this interpretation vindicated on Isai. vii. 14.

Verse 45. Bifore I had dimt speaking in mine heari^ So we find llial the whole of this prayer, so circumstantially related, \KX. \'i — 14. and again 42 — 44. was mental, and heard only by that God to whom it Avas directed. It would have been iin- 1 proper to have used public prayer on the occasion; aa his servants could have felt no particular interest in the accomplishment of his petitions, because they were aot concerned in them, having none of the responsibility of this mission.

Verse 41*. 'I'liat I may turn to tiie right hand, or to the left.^ That is, that I may go elsewhere, and seek a proper match for the son of my master. Some have imagined, that Eliezar intimated by the.se expressions, that if he did not succeed in obtaining Kebtkah, he would go and seek for a wife either among tlie descendants of Ishmael, or the descendants of Lot. This interpretation is fanciful.

Verse 50. Laban and Bethuel] These seem both to be brothers, of whom Laban was the eldest and chief; for the opinion of Josephus appears to be very correct, viz. that Bethuel the father had been some time dead. See ver. 28.

Bad or good.] We can neither speak for, nor against: — it seems to be entirely the work of God; and we cordially submit — consult Rebekah; if she be willing, take her and go. — See ver. 58.

Verse 53. Jctrf/s of silver, and jen'els of gold] The word •hs keley, which we here translatejetoc/.?, signifies properly i'(?.ssels, oT in.strumenls; and those presented by Eliezar might have been of various kinds. What he had given before, ver. 22. was in token of respect — what he gave now, appears to have been m the way of duii-ry.

54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that ivere with liim, and tarried all night; and they arose up in the morning, and he said, " Send me away unto my master.

55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us ^ a Jew days, at the least ten; aflter that she shall go.

5Q And he said unto them. Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

57 And they said. We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.

58 And they called Reliekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

59 And they sent away Rebekah, their sister, and ""her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.

Prccious tlnii!^.s.] nilJO migdonol/i. This word is used to express exquisite fruits, or dcliciwies,.Deut. xxxiii. 13, 14, 15, 16. precious plants, or floiuas, Cant. iv. 16. vii. 13. But it may mean gifts in general, though rather of an inferior kind to those mentioned above.

Verse 54. And they did eat and drink'] ^V^len Eliezar had got a favourable an.swer, then he and his servants sat down to Hieat: this he had refused to do till lie had told his message,

Verse 55. Lvt the duinsel abide with ns a few diii/s, at the leas: ten] The original is very abrupt and obscure, because we are not acquainted with the precise meaning of the form of speech which is here used — niliT? IN D'0» yamim au esor, U.\YS OK TEN, probably meaning a year, or ten vionths, as the margin reads it, or a ii'eek, or ttn days. This latter is the most likely sense, as there would be no propriety, after having sjiven their consent that she should go, in detaining her for a year, or ten months. In matters of simple phraseology, or in those wiiich concern peculiar customs, the Septuagint translation, especially in the Pcntatcr.ch, where it is most accurate and pure, may be considered a legitimate judge: this translation renders tlic words Hjuspaf ua-ci hxa, about ten days. Houhiijant contends strongly, that instead of the words niUT IX D'O' j/rtniim au bar, days or ten,.we should read D'C CIH chodes/i yandm, a month of days, i. e. a full month; without which emendation, he asserts, locus erplicuri non posait — " the passage cannot be explained." This emendation is supported by the Syriac version, wliich reads here yerach yomin, a month of days, or a full month. The reader may adopt the Syriac, or the Septuagint, as he judges best.

60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou '' (lie mollier of tliousands of millions, and 'let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

62 ^ And Isaac came from the way of the Svell Lahai-roi: for he dwelt in the south country.

63 And Isaac w'ent out ^ to meditate in the field at the " eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and s-aw, and, behold, the camels xcere coming.

64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, ' she lighted off the camel.

65 For she had said luito the servant, What

was left ultimately to the choice of Rebekah, whether she would accept tlie proposals now made to her, unless we su]> pose that tlie question meant — Hilt thou go immediately, or stay with us a month longer?

She said, I will go.] It fully appears to be the will of God that it should be so, and I consent. Tliis at once determined the whole business.

Verse 59. And her nurse] Whose name, we learn from ch. XXXV. &. was Deborah, and who, as a second mother, was deemed proper to accomi)any Rebekah. This was a measure dictated by good-sense and prudence. Kehekah had other female attendants. — See ver. 61.

Verse 60. Be thou the mother of thousands of millions] n33"i '37S7 le-alphey rebahah, " for thousands ten thousand," or for myriads of thousands — a large family being ever considered in ancient times, as a ])roof of the pccuhai- blessing and favour of God.