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Abimelech's Conduct Towards Abraham. (b. c. 1898.)
ABIMELECH'S CONDUCT TOWARDS ABRAHAM. (B. C. 1898.) Abimelech, being thus warned of God in a dream, takes the warning, and, as one truly afraid of sin and its consequences, he rises early to obey the directions given him…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:8
Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning,—an evidence of the terror into which' he had been cast by the Divine communication, and of his earnest desire to carry out the Divine instructions—and called all his servan…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 20:9-13
See here much to blame, even in the father of the faithful. Mark his distrust of God, his undue care about life, his intent to deceive. He also threw temptation in the way of others, caused affliction to them, exposed h…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him (in the presence of his people), What hast thou done unto us?—identifying himself once more with his people, as he had already done in responding to God (Genesis 20:4)—an…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:10
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou,—either, What hadst thou in view? (Knobel, Delitzsch, Keil, Murphy, et alii), or, What didst thou see? Didst thou see any of my people taking the wives of strangers and…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:11
And Abraham said (offering as his first apology for his sinful behavior the fear which he entertained of the depravity of the people), Because I thought,—literally, said (sc. in my heart)—Surely the fear of God is not i…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:12
And yet indeed she is my sister. This was the second of the patriarch's extenuating pleas, that he had not exactly lied, having uttered at least a half truth. She is the daughter of my father (Terah), But not the daught…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:13
And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander (or to go on pilgrimages) from my father's house,—Elohim, usually construed with a singular verb, is here joined with a verb in the plural, as an accommodation to the po…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 20:14-18
We often trouble ourselves, and even are led into temptation and sin, by groundless suspicions; and find the fear of God where we expected it not. Agreements to deceive generally end in shame and sorrow; and restraints…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 20:14-18
Here is, I. The kindness of a prince which Abimelech showed to Abraham. See how unjust Abraham's jealousies were. He fancied that if they knew that Sarah was his wife they would kill him; but, when they did know it, ins…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:14
And Abimelech—as Pharaoh did (Genesis 12:18), but with a different motive—took sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and women-servants. The LXX. and Samaritan insert "a thousand didrachmas" after "took," in order to inclu…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:15
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. Literally, in the good in thine eyes; the generous Philistine offering him a settlement within his borders, whereas the Egyptian monarch…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:16
And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy Brother a thousand pieces of silver. Literally, a thousand of silver, the exact weight of each piece being uncertain. If sacred shekels (Gesenius, Keil, Kalisch) their va…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:17
So Abraham prayed unto God. Literally, the Elohim, the personal and true God, and not Elohim, or Deity in general, to whom belonged the cure of Abimelech and his household (Keil), as the next clause shows. And God (Eloh…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 20:18
For the Lord (Jehovah; vide supra on Genesis 20:3) had fast closed up all the wombs—i.e. prevented conception, or produced barrenness (cf. Genesis 16:2; Isaiah 66:9; 1 Samuel 1:5, 1 Samuel 1:6; for the opposite, Genesis…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 21:1-8
Few under the Old Testament were brought into the world with such expectations as Isaac. He was in this a type of Christ, that Seed which the holy God so long promised, and holy men so long expected. He was born accordi…
The Birth of Isaac. (b. c. 1897.)
THE BIRTH OF ISAAC. (B. C. 1897.) Long-looked-for comes at last. The vision concerning the promised seed is for an appointed time, and now, at the end, it speaks, and does not lie; few under the Old Testament were broug…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 21:1-8
Birth, circumcision and weaning of Isaac. Here, is— I. THE FAITIIFULNESS OF JEHOVAH. "As he had spoken. At the set time." "God hath made me to laugh." II. THE FAITH OF HIS SERVANT, which was evidenced in waiting, hoping…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 21:1-8
EXPOSITION
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 21:1
And the Lord—Jehovah; not because the verse is Jehovistic (Knobel, Bleek, et alii), but because the promise naturally falls to be implemented by him who gave it (vide Genesis 18:10)—visited—remembered with love (Onkelos…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 21:1-8
The son of promise, or a young child's biography. I. THE BIRTH OF ISAAC 1. A surprising phenomenon. "Who would have said that Sarah should have suckled sons?" "Motherhood at ninety was certainly unusual, especially when…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 21:2
For Sarah conceived,—through faith receiving strength from God for that purpose (Hebrews 11:11); the fruit of the womb, in every instance God's handiwork (Isaiah 44:2), being in her case a special gift of grace and prod…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 21:3
And Abraham called the name of his son—the naming of a child by its father is, according to partitionists, a peculiarity of the Elohist as distinguished from the Jehovist, who assigns that function to the mother; but vi…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 21:4
And Abraham circumcised (vide on Genesis 17:11, and note at the end of that chapter) his son Isaac being eight days old (literally, a son of eight days), as (not only because, but in the manner in which) God had command…