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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry on Genesis 11:5-9
We have here the quashing of the project of the Babel-builders, and the turning of the counsel of those froward men headlong, that God's counsel might stand in spite of them. Here is, I. The cognizance God took of the d…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 11:10-26
We have here a genealogy, not an endless genealogy, for here it ends in Abram, the friend of God, and leads further to Christ, the promised seed, who was the son of Abram, and from Abram the genealogy of Christ is recko…
The Generations of Terah. (b. c. 1921.)
THE GENERATIONS OF TERAH. (B. C. 1921.) Here begins the story of Abram, whose name is famous, henceforward, in both Testaments. We have here, I. His country: Ur of the Chaldees. This was the land of his nativity, an ido…
The Call of Abram. (b. c. 1921.)
THE CALL OF ABRAM. (B. C. 1921.) We have here the call by which Abram was removed out of the land of his nativity into the land of promise, which was designed both to try his faith and obedience and also to separate him…
Arrival of Abram in Canaan. (b. c. 1920.)
ARRIVAL OF ABRAM IN CANAAN. (B. C. 1920.) Here is, I. Abraham's removal out of his country, out of Ur first and afterwards out of Haran, in compliance with the call of God: So Abram departed; he was not disobedient to t…
Abram's Devotion. (b. c. 1921.)
ABRAM'S DEVOTION. (B. C. 1921.) One would have expected that Abram having had such an extraordinary call to Canaan some great event should have followed upon his arrival there, that he should have been introduced with a…
Abram's Removal into Egypt. (b. c. 1920.)
ABRAM'S REMOVAL INTO EGYPT. (B. C. 1920.) Here is, I. A famine in the land of Canaan, a grievous famine. That fruitful land was turned into barrenness, not only to punish the iniquity of the Canaanites who dwelt therein…
Abram's Denial of His Wife. (b. c. 1920.)
ABRAM'S DENIAL OF HIS WIFE. (B. C. 1920.) Here is, I. The danger Sarai was in of having her chastity violated by the king of Egypt: and without doubt the peril of sin is the greatest peril we can be in. Pharaoh's prince…
Abram's Removal to Canaan. (b. c. 1918.)
ABRAM'S REMOVAL TO CANAAN. (B. C. 1918.) I. Here is Abram's return out of Egypt, Genesis 13:1. He came himself and brought all his with him back again to Canaan. Note, Though there may be occasion to go sometimes into p…
Lot's Separation from Abram. (b. c. 1917.)
LOT'S SEPARATION FROM ABRAM. (B. C. 1917.) We have here an unhappy falling out between Abram and Lot, who had hitherto been inseparable companions (see Genesis 13:1, and Genesis 12:4), but now parted. I. The occasion of…
Lot's Removal to Sodom. (b. c. 1917.)
LOT'S REMOVAL TO SODOM. (B. C. 1917.) We have here the choice that Lot made when he parted from Abram. Upon this occasion, one would have expected, 1. That he should have expressed an unwillingness to part from Abram, a…
God Confirms His Promise to Abram. (b. c. 1917.)
GOD CONFIRMS HIS PROMISE TO ABRAM. (B. C. 1917.) We have here an account of a gracious visit which God paid to Abram, to confirm the promise to him and his. Observe, I. When it was that God renewed and ratified the prom…
Lot Taken Captive. (b. c. 1913.)
LOT TAKEN CAPTIVE. (B. C. 1913.) We have here an account of the first war that ever we read of in scripture, which (though the wars of the nations make the greatest figure in history) we should not have had the history…
Lot Taken Captive, and Rescued. (b. c. 1913.)
LOT TAKEN CAPTIVE, AND RESCUED. (B. C. 1913.) We have here an account of the only military action we ever find Abram engaged in, and this he was prompted to, not by his avarice or ambition, but purely by a principle of…
Abram's Interview with Melchizedek. (b. c. 1913.)
ABRAM'S INTERVIEW WITH MELCHIZEDEK. (B. C. 1913.) This paragraph begins with the mention of the respect which the king of Sodom paid to Abram at his return from the slaughter of the kings; but, before a particular accou…
Abram's Disinterestedness. (b. c. 1913.)
ABRAM'S DISINTERESTEDNESS. (B. C. 1913.) We have here an account of what passed between Abram and the king of Sodom, who succeeded him that fell in the battle (Genesis 14:10), and thought himself obliged to do this hono…
God's Covenant with Abram. (b. c. 1913.)
GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM. (B. C. 1913.) Observe here, I. The time when God made this treaty with Abram: After these things. 1. After that famous act of generous charity which Abram had done, in rescuing his friends and…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 15:2-6
We have here the assurance given to Abram of a numerous offspring which should descend from him, in which observe, I. Abram's repeated complaint, Genesis 15:2-3. This was that which gave occasion to this promise. The gr…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 15:7-11
We have here the assurance given to Abram of the land of Canaan for an inheritance. I. God declares his purpose concerning it, Genesis 15:7. Observe here, Abram made no complaint in this matter, as he had done for the w…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 15:12-16
We have here a full and particular discovery made to Abram of God's purposes concerning his seed. Observe, I. The time when God came to him with this discovery: When the sun was going down, or declining, about the time…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 15:17-21
Here is, I. The covenant ratified (Genesis 15:17); the sign which Abram desired was given, at length, when the sun had gone down, so that it was dark; for that was a dark dispensation. 1. The smoking furnace signified t…
Abram, Sarai, and Hagar. (b. c. 1911.)
ABRAM, SARAI, AND HAGAR. (B. C. 1911.) We have here the marriage of Abram to Hagar, who was his secondary wife. Herein, though some excuse may be made for him, he cannot be justified, for from the beginning it was not s…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 16:4-6
We have here the immediate bad consequences of Abram's unhappy marriage to Hagar. A great deal of mischief it made quickly. When we do not well both sin and trouble lie at the door; and we may thank ourselves for the gu…
Matthew Henry on Genesis 16:7-9
Here is the first mention we have in scripture of an angel's appearance. Hagar was a type of the law, which was given by the disposition of angels; but the world to come is not put in subjection to them, Hebrews 2:5. Ob…