⚫ and I will bless thee, and make | they had gathered, and the souls A. M. 2083.
thy name great; and thou shalt that they had gotten in Haran;
and they went forth to go into the land of
Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they
came.

The Canaanite was then in the land.] This is Verse 3. In thee] In thy posterity, in the Messiah, thought to be an interpolation, because it is supposed who shall spring from thee, shall all families of the that these words must have been written after the Caearth be blessed; for as he shall take on him human na-naanites were expelled from the land by the Israelites ture from the posterity of Abraham, he shall taste death for every man, his Gospel shall be preached throughout the world, and innumerable blessings be derived on all mankind through his death and intercession.

His instruction to Sarai.

B. C. cir. 1920.

11 And it came to pass, when A. M. cir. 2084. he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art V a fair woman to look upon :

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the

W

9 And Abram journeyed, going on still Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, toward the south. This is his wife and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

A. M. cir. 2084. 10 And there was a famine B. C. cir. 1920. in the land; and Abram twent down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land.

The appearance, whatsoever it was, perfectly satisfied Abram, and proved itself to be supernatural and Divine. It is worthy of remark that Abram is the first man to whom God is said to have shown himself or appeared: 1. In Ur of the Chaldees, Acts vii. 2; and 2. At the oak of Moreh, as in this verse. As Moreh signifies a teacher, probably this was called the oak of Moreh or the teacher, because God manifested himself here, and instructed Abram concerning the future possession of that land by his posterity, and the dispensation of the mercy of God to all the families of the earth through the promised Messiah. See on chap. xv. 7.

Verse 8. Beth-el] The place which was afterwards called Beth-el by Jacob, for its first name was Luz. See chap. xxviii. 19. xa beith El literally signifies the house of God.

Verse 11. Thou art a fair woman to look upon] Widely differing in her complexion from the swarthy Egyptians, and consequently more likely to be coveted by them. It appears that Abram supposed they would not scruple to take away the life of the husband in order to have the undisturbed possession of the wife. The age of Sarai at this time is not well agreed on by commentators, some making her ninety, while others make her only sixty-five. From chap. xvii. 17, we learn that Sarai was ten years younger than Abram, for she was but ninety when he was one hundred. And from ver. 4 of chap. xii. we find that Abram was seventy-five when he was called to leave Haran and go to Canaan, at which time Sarai could be only sixtyfive; and if the transactions recorded in the preceding verses took place in the course of that year, which I think possible, consequently Sarai was but sixty-five; and as in those times people lived much longer, and disease seems to have had but a very contracted influence, women and men would necessarily arrive more

And pitched his tent-and-builded an altar unto the Lord] Where Abram has a tent, there God must have an ALTAR, as he well knows there is no safety but under the Divine protection. How few who build houses ever think on the propriety and necessity of building an altar to their Maker! The house in which the worship of God is not established cannot be considered as under the Divine protection. And called upon the name of the Lord.] Dr. Shuck-slowly at a state of perfection, and retain their vigour ford strongly contends that D kara beshem does not signify to call on the name, but to invoke IN the So Abram invoked Jehovah in or by the name of Jehovah, who had appeared to him. He was taught even in these early times to approach God through a Mediator; and that Mediator, since manifested in the flesh, was known by the name Jehovah. Does not our Lord allude to such a discovery as this when he says, Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad? John viii. 56. Hence it is evident that he was informed that the Christ should be born of his seed, that the nations of the world should be blessed through him; and is it then to be wondered at if he invoked God in the name of this great Mediator?

name.

Verse 10. There was a famine in the land] Of Canaan. This is the first famine on record, and it prevailed in the most fertile land then under the sun; and why? God made it desolate for the wickedness of those who dwelt in it.

and complexion much longer, than in later times. We may add to these considerations that strangers and foreigners are more coveted by the licentious than those who are natives. This has been amply illustrated in the West Indies and in America, where the jetty, monkey-faced African women are preferred to the elegant and beautiful Europeans! To this subject a learned British traveller elegantly applied those words of Virgil, Ecl. ii., ver. 18:—

DRYDEN.

Alba ligustra cadunt, vaccinia nigra leguntur. White lilies lie neglected on the plain, While dusky hyacinths for use remain. Verse 13. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister] Abram did not wish his wife to tell a falsehood, but he wished her to suppress a part of the truth. From chap. xx. 12, it is evident she was his step-sister, i. e., his sister by his father, but by a different mother. Some suppose Sarai was the daughter of Haran, and

Sarai taken by Pharaoh.

A. M. cir. 2084.
B. C. cir. 1920.

14 And it came to pass that, his house with great plagues, A. M. cir. 2084. when Abram was come into because of Sarai, Abram's wife. Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh; and the woman was z taken into Pharaoh's house.

16 And he a entreated Abram well for her sake and he had sheep, and oxen, and heasses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels.

b

B. C. cir. 1920. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, • What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife ?

19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.

20 d And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him and they sent him away, and

17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his wife, and all that he had.

y Chap. xxxix. 7; Matt. v. 28.

La

b

chamar, to

- Chap. xx. 2.- Chap. Chap. xx. 18; 1 Chron. xvi. 21; Psa. cv. 14; Heb. xiii. xx. 14. Chap. xx. 9; xxvi. 10. d Prov. xxi. 1. HE-ASSES; ' chamorim, from be disturbed, muddy; probably from the dull, stupid appearance of this animal, as if it were always affected with melancholy. Scheuchzer thinks the sandy-coloured domestic Asiatic ass is particularly intended. The word is applied to asses in general, though most frequently restrained to those of the male kind.

consequently the grand-daughter of Terah: this opinion seems to be founded on chap. xi. 29, where Iscal is thought to be the same with Sarai, but the supposition has not a sufficiency of probability to support it.

Verse 15. The woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.] Pharaoh appears to have been the common appellative of the Cuthite shepherd kings of Egypt, SHE-ASSES; s athonoth, from N ethan, strength, who had conquered this land, as is conjectured, about probably the strong animal, as being superior in musseventy-two years before this time. The word is sup-cular force to every other animal of its size. Under posed to signify king in the ancient Egyptian language. this term both the male and female are sometimes unIf the meaning be sought in the Hebrew, the root yderstood. para signifies to be free or disengaged, a name which CAMELS; D' gemallim, from a gamal, to resuch freebooters as the Cuthite shepherds might natu- compense, return, repay; so called from its resentment rally assume. All the kings of Egypt bore this name of injuries, and revengeful temper, for which it is protill the commencement of the Grecian monarchy, after verbial in the countries of which it is a native. which they were called Ptolemies. the animals and natural history in general, of the Scriptures, I must refer to the Hierozoicon of BOCHART, and the Physica Sacra of SCHEUCHZER. The former is the most learned and accurate work, perhaps, ever produced by one man.

When a woman was brought into the seraglio or haram of the eastern princes, she underwent for a considerable time certain purifications before she was brought into the king's presence. It was in this interim that God plagued Pharaoh and his house with plagues, so that Sarai was restored before she could have been taken to the bed of the Egyptian king.

Verse 16. He had sheep, and oxen, &c.] As some of these terms are liable to be confounded, and as they frequently occur, especially in the Pentateuch, it may be necessary to consider and fix their meaning in this place.

SHEEP ; tson, from tsaan, to be plentiful or abundant; a proper term for the eastern sheep, which almost constantly bring forth twins, Cant. iv. 2, and sometimes three and even four at a birth. Hence their great fruitfulness is often alluded to in the Scripture. See Psa. lxv. 13; cxliv. 13. But under this same term, which almost invariably means a flock, both sheep and goats are included. So the Romans include sheep, goats, and small cattle in general, under the term PECUS pecoris; so likewise they do larger cattle under that of PECUS pecudis.

OXEN; p bakar, from the root, to examine, look out, because of the full, broad, steady, unmoved look of most animals of the beeve kind; and hence the morning is termed boker, because of the light springing out of the east, and looking out over the whole of the earth's surface.

On

From this enumeration of the riches of Abrain we may conclude that this patriarch led a pastoral and itinerant life; that his meat must have chiefly consisted in the flesh of clean animals, with a sufficiency of pulse for bread; that his chief drink was their milk; his clothing, their skins; and his beasts of burden, asses and camels; (for as yet we read of no horses ;) and the ordinary employment of his servants, to take care of the flocks, and to serve their master. Where the patriarchs became resident for any considerable time, they undoubtedly cultivated the ground to produce grain.

Verse 17. The Lord plagued Pharaoh] What these plagues were we know not. In the parallel case, chap. xx. 18, all the females in the family of Abimelech, who had taken Sarah in nearly the same way, were made barren; possibly this might have been the case here; yet much more seems to be signified by the expression great plagues. Whatever these plagues were, it is evident they were understood by Pharaoh as proofs of the disapprobation of God; and, consequently, even at this time in Egypt there was some knowledge of the primitive and true religion.

Verse 20. Commanded his men concerning him] Gave particular and strict orders to afford Abram and his family every accommodation for their journey; for,

Abram and his family

CHAP. XIII.

THE weighty and important contents of this chapter demand our most attentive consideration. Abram is a second time called to leave his country, kindred, and father's house, and go to a place he knew not. Every thing was apparently against him but the voice of God. This to Abram was sufficient; he could trust his Maker, and knew he could not do wrong in following his command. He is therefore proposed to us in the Scriptures as a pattern of faith, patience, and loving obedience. When he received the call of God, he spent no time in useless reasonings about the call itself, his family circumstances, the difficulties in the way, &c., He was called, and he departed, and this is all we hear on the subject. Implicit faith in the promise of God, and prompt obedience to his commands, become us, not only as HIS creatures, but as sinners called to separate from evil workers and wicked ways, and travel, by that faith which worketh by love, in the way that leads to the paradise of God.

return from Egypt to Canaan. having received a great increase of cattle and ser- | be able to resist. If he appear to be her husband, his vants, it was necessary that he should have the favour death he supposes to be certain; if she pass for his of the king, and his permission to remove from Egypt sister, he may be well used on her account; he will with so large a property; hence, a particular charge not tell a lie, but he is tempted to prevaricate by supis given to the officers of Pharaoh to treat him with pressing a part of the truth. Here is a weakness respect, and to assist him in his intended departure. which, however we may be inclined to pity and excuse it, we should never imitate. It is recorded with its own condemnation. He should have risked all rather than have prevaricated. But how could he think of lightly giving up such a wife? Surely he who would not risk his life for the protection and safety of a good wife, is not worthy of one. Here his faith was deficient. He still credited the general promise, and acted on that faith in reference to it; but he did not use his faith in reference to intervening circumstances, to which it was equally applicable. Many trust God for their souls and eternity, who do not trust in him for their bodies and for time. To him who follows God fully in simplicity of heart, every thing must ultimately succeed. Had Abram and Sarai simply passed for what they were, they had incurred no danger; for God, who had obliged them to go to Egypt, had prepared the way before them. Neither Pharaoh nor his courtiers would have noticed the woman, had she appeared to be the wife of the stranger that came to sojourn in their land. The issue sufficiently proves this. Every ray of the light of truth is an emanation from the holiness of God, and awfully sacred in his eyes. Considering the subject thus, a pious ancient spoke the following words, which refiners in prevarication have deemed by much too strong: "I would not," said he, "tell a lie to save the souls of the whole world." Reader, be on thy guard; thou mayest fall by comparatively small matters, while resolutely and successfully resisting those which require a giant's strength to counteract them. In every concern God is necessary; seek him for the body and for the soul; and do not think that any thing is too small or insignificant to interest him that concerns thy present or eternal peace.

How greatly must the faith of this blessed man have been tried, when, coming to the very land in which he is promised so much blessedness, he finds instead of plenty a grievous famine! Who in his circumstances would not have gone back to his own country, and kindred ? Still he is not stumbled; prudence directs him to turn aside and go to Egypt, till God shall choose to remove this famine. Is it to be wondered at that, in this tried state, he should have serious apprehensions for the safety of his life! Sarai, his affectionate wife and faithful companion, he supposes he shall lose; her beauty, he suspects, will cause her to be desired by men of power, whose will he shall not

CHAPTER XIII.

Abram and his family return out of Egypt to Canaan, 1, 2. He revisits Beth-el, and there invokes the Lord, 3, 4. In consequence of the great increase in the flocks of Abram and Lot, their herdmen disagree; which obliges the patriarch and his nephew to separate, 5-9. Lot being permitted to make his choice of the land. chooses the plains of Jordan, 10, 11, and pitches his tent near to Sodom, while Abram abides in Canaan, 12 Bad character of the people of Sodom, 13. The Lord renews his promise to Abram, 14-17. Abram removes to the plains of Mamre, near Hebron, and builds an altar to the Lord, 18. 2 b And Abram was very Egypt, he, and his wife, and rich in cattle, in silver, and in all that he had, and Lot with him, a into the south.

A. M. cir. 2086. AND Abram went up out of

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII. Verse 1. Abram went up out of Egypt-into the south.] Probably the south of Canaan, as in leaving Egypt he is said to come from the south, ver. 3, for the southern part of the promised land lay north-east of Egypt.

gold.

A. M. cir. 2086.
B. C. cir. 1918.

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, A. M. cir. 2087. 5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, and beheld all the plain of had flocks, and herds, and tents.

Verse 9. Is not the whole land before thee?] the patriarch or head of the family, Abram, by prescriptive right, might have chosen his own portion first, and appointed Lot his; but intent upon peace, and feel-raim, from y