Sarah who at an earlier point had But we can have the comfort of knowing that both men were under Gods providential care. (See previous post about Abraham and Abimelek). CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, &C. Hence it is plain that Abraham had Abraham called on the name of the Lord. Which things are an allegory.- Galatians 4:22. The Covenant Between Abraham and Abimelech NINTH SECTION This is the term used in Ex. The new cop and the driver of the car are both backed into a corner. 21:22 Abimelech recognized the blessing of the Lord on Abraham. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God [is] with thee in The grocer, who was not a believer, was unmoved by her need. not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Even so, as believers, we know that every second of our lives is under the watchful care of the heavenly Father. Abraham didnt fight with Abimeleks servants. IN ALL THAT THOU DOEST:_ How to respond to critics the way Jesus did. Peace established, Abimelech and Phichol, having accomplished their mission, returned to Philistia. mercy in Christ the Lord. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible - The Birth of Isaac 7. 4. Abraham at the incident of the preceding chapter, but, "according to the common Luke 6:21. Ver. Perhaps Abimelech had heard of how God had given Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age. The palpable injury. So that place was called Beersheba,because the two men swore an oath there. The name of the Lord itself an invitation to believe and live. a. Hes letting Abimeleks servants off the hook! You might be protesting. In Genesis 21:22-34, we see Abraham in a scene from his ordinary life. 8. And alls well. There is no reason to question the sincerity of the Philistine monarch in disclaiming all knowledge of the act of robbery committed by his servants. trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine Genesis 20:17 Genesis 26:28 College Press Bible Study Textbook Series, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible, Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible, Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible, Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh, Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary, Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith. The Atlantic, June 2009. 7. The term for making a treaty (used here and vs. 32) is karat. CRITICAL NOTES. In our last presentation of the Book of Genesis, Truth and Consequences and the opening verses of Genesis chapter 4, we hope to have once again fully established as fact the consequences of Eve's sin, as it is described in Genesis chapter 3, where three times it was acknowledged that she had already conceived, and that therefore, in spite of the . had promised to her. Its Gods job to meet out justice. Abimelech could sense that in spite of Abrahams previous failure in the incident with Sarah, he was a man who walked with God. In the story of Hagar and Ishmael, we notice: Are we cheerful and pleasant, even when were mistreated, or do we grumble and complain like everyone else? This new cop couldnt believe it. The LXX. with thee in all that At last in God's 'Set time," and in spite of all natural difficulties, He was simply living his daily life as the friend of God before the watching world. 9 Hagar & Ishmael are cast forth. Even in this ordinary incident, Abraham acknowledged Gods faithful care for him. Philistines generally (Genesis 2 ISHMAEL AND ISAAC And Abraham plantedas a sign of his peaceful occupation of the soil (Calvin); as a memorial of the transaction about the well ('Speaker's Commentary'); or simply as a shade for his tent (Rosenmller); scarcely as an oratory (Bush, Kalisch)a grovethe wood, plantation (Targum, Vulgate, Samaritan, Kimchi); a field, (LXX. Worldly policy may have urged Abimelech to cement a league with the powerful chieftain in his neighborhood, but religions affinity would also seem to have exercised an influence in drawing him to seek the friendship of one who appeared to enjoy celestial protection. Why? the long-promised son was born. He got down on his knees and wept in gratitude. Wheres the justice? You might be thinking. the long-promised son was born. The blessing made manifest. 8. Isaac is born, and circumcised. It is good to remember God's mercies, of which national and civil quietude is one of the greatest, and it is becoming to erect memorials of both privileges and obligations. 3. One of Abrahams deeply rooted fears when God called him to leave his homeland and go to the land of Canaan was that the people of the land would see his wife and kill him in order to take her. CHARACTERS: Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Hagar, Ishmael, Abimelech. After this had gone on for several times, the businessman suddenly was struck with the simple truth of that verse. The LXX. Verses 1-34. He wasnt building a sprawling complex of buildings to house his international ministry. Then Abraham does something unexpected. Abimelech was impressed with Abraham's growing prosperity. The new name of God bore witness to Gods unchanging faithfulness and to the fact that Abrahams faith was not in Abimelech nor in the treaty between them, but in the eternal God who was his dwelling place. 22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do. When Abraham and Abimelech previously met, on the occasion when Abraham lied about his wife, Abimelech endorsed Abraham living where it pleases you (20:15). Ver. I like that, "as He had said, and as He had spoken." I've got that underlined that just sort of hit me. Nor are they called upon to bear what by lawful means they are able to redress. Your neighbor may have a Ph.D. and you may be a blue collar worker. mll "speak," an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word. How Jesus guarded his heart by taking care of himselfhe even nappedand why you should do the same. 17 The Angel comforteth her. fruit of patient waiting upon God. The greatest possible injury of a material kind that could be done to a nomads chief was the all faction of his water supplies. The man whos been thoroughly analyzing these files for the last 44 years is Dr. George Valliant. Each time, the young man, who was retarded and knew only this one verse, responded simply by quoting John 3:16. The proposal was reasonable, and agreed to [Ge 21:24]. He walked in daily communion with God. Fort Worth, Texas. Sarah who at an earlier point had 22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the army H6635 spoke H559 (H8799) Abraham H85 saying And so it was at that time that Abimelech, and Phicol the captain 1 Kings 15:19; Isaiah 30:6; Isaiah 39:1). Yet in spite of Abrahams sins and insensitivity, Abimelech here seeks him out because he recognized God in Abrahams life! When the owner asked how much she could afford, she replied, My husband was killed in the war. So its a huge deal for someone to take over a well as Abimeleks servants did. *** Abimelech reenters the picture with his enforcer, Phicol. Here God shows Abraham that not only would the people of the land not take his wife, they wouldnt even take his well. And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me,that this peculiar kind of oath never occurs again in Old Testament history is no proof of the mythical character of the narrative (Bohlen); on the contrary, "that the custom existed in primitive Hebrew times is shown by the word , which had early passed into the language, and which would be inexplicable without the existence of such a custom" (Havernick)that I have digged this well. It records the conversation between Abraham and Abimelech and their mutual promise of kindness to each other. The significance of this passage is Abraham finding a place in the land promised to him in safety. When you come to a passage like this in the Bible, the question is, Why did God include this in sacred Scripture? And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech As the usual covenant presents (cf. favourite of God, chap. 21:28-30 The giving and receiving of the lambs stipulates that Abraham dug the well in Beersheba and thus rightfully owns the well. CHAPTER 21 But He doesnt just provide for our needs so that we can live comfy lives for our own happiness. On Genesis, Part 6: The Blooming of Trees. 23 Now therefore, swear[ a] to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do Beersheba. Abimelechs proposal includes his offspring, but does not specifically include any offspring of Abraham. olam) as a name for the Lord, This is the word used on the covenant with Abraham (13:15; 17: 7, 8, 13, 19). He was just living the ordinary, hum-drum, day-to-day existence of a nomad with his flocks and herds. A godly man is entitled to be careful of his property, to preserve it from damage, protect it from theft, and recover it when stolen or lost. And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days. Happy they who can do both in peace! Now if Abraham dug the well it was his. 4. I. He wasnt a TV evangelist. Genesis 31 Genesis 32 Genesis 33 Genesis 34 Genesis 35 Genesis 36 Genesis 37 Genesis 38 Genesis 39 Genesis 40 Genesis 41 What makes us happy? Because of that fear, before they left Haran, he and Sarah had worked out a deceptive scheme to pawn her off as his sister (20:13). Name signifies mouth of all, _i.e.,_ Youll have to put these things in yourself. With a tearful thank you, the woman took her groceries and left. . 22-34 Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. 4 He is circumcised. Most days, he got up, made sure his animals were being cared for, dealt with problems like sick or straying animals, servants who had squabbles, and finding enough water and food for his flocks and family. Another highlight of this passage is the explanation for the origin of the name Beersheba. 15 Hagar in distresse. I. A son was ABIMELECHS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM. Genesis 20:17 Genesis 26:28 Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible, College Press Bible Study Textbook Series, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible, Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible, Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh, Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary, Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith. all that thou _AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, THAT ABIMELECH AND PHICHOL THE Abraham kept up public worship, in which his neighbours might join. GENESIS Probably from JE. Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of Q. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. Bondwoman and her son cast out. Wheres the balance between taking measures for our own safety versus trusting God to protect us? Newly released book by Kurt Bennett, now available onAmazon! continued in the country of the Philistines for a considerable time; 6 Sarahs ioy. DISMISSAL OF HAGAR AND ISHMAEL. 17. Abraham. We have had in fine the judgment of 22._And it came to pass at that time_. Genesis 21:1; Genesis 22:1 Of _Abimelech, _ see GENESIS 20:2. And the Lord visited Sarah, as he had said, and the Lord did unto Why did she come at exactly the time the mechanism was broken? Wherever we sojourn, we must neither neglect nor be ashamed of the worship of Jehovah. 2. Another wrong thing happens: An imperfect Christian concludes that he had better not say anything about his faith until he gets all his problems solved. And, God provides for his need for water through this well. Of great importance for the scientific data that has been included in the author's exposition. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. But other than that, Abrahams life was fairly routine. Separate from the sheep and oxen he gave to Abimelech, and from those that were used in making the covenant. 8. So Abimelek took Sarah into his harem. Then Abraham brings up a sore subject, a delicate matter, a touchy issue with Abimelek. So swear to me here before God that you wont deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. at the time God Himself had We plainly see that God blesseth and prospereth thee in all thy Abraham at Well it didnt turn out quite the way he expected. Another highlight of this passage is the explanation for the origin of the name Beersheba. Abimelech. Abraham denies his relationship Sarah's joy. We are secure in His providential care. But the problem is, most of us dont live in the realm of the spectacular. Perhaps he is unaware of the birth of Isaac. could sing with Mary, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spi God is with thee in all that thou doest Here we have accomplished promise the blessed B.C. Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God [is] with thee in EXPOSITION. Luke 6:21. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More. _AT THAT TIME_] This may either refer to the transactions recorded in the preceding chapter, or to the time of Ishmael's marriage, but most probably to the former. ), his knowledge of Isaac's birth, and his general observation of the patriarch's prosperity. 2. 4. and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken (Genesis 21:1). All these things are true and wonderful. Then this brand new cop said,Sir, step out of the car. 1. He did what he 23. 3. 1886. Plus, if you add the three times shava is used and the three times sheva is used with the use of Beersheba that makes a total of seven times the words are used. Probably an official title. chesed) to Abraham. So he changed his plans and flew home to L.A. Two days later, he heard on the news that a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles had crashed, killing everyone on board. The next thing that happened was that the new cop pulled him through the window, arrested him, and took him down town to HQ. He is not far from every one of us. of his host, spoke to Abraham saying, God is with you in all that Abimelech and Phichol. CONTENTS: Birth of Isaac. The oath a testimony to God where reverently made. (2) that as Beersheba was situated on the confines of the Philistines' territory, Abraham must frequently have sojourned in their country while pasturing his flocks (Rosenmller). There he called on the name of the Lord, as the everlasting God; probably in the grove he planted, which was his place of prayer. So swear to me here before God that you won't deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. I like that, "as He had said, and as He had spoken." (3) that in making charges or preferring complaints it is well to avoid both heat of temper and severity of language. A few years ago Abraham told this same Abimelek that Sarah was his sister. Do you call on the name of the Lord regardless of your circumstances. A.M. 2118. Read Genesis 21:22-34 Ripped Off Abimelek the king of Gerar and his top general Phicol approach Abraham and say to him, We recognize that God is with you in everything you do. Abraham called on the name of the everlasting God. In this section Peace. Good men should not only rectify the wrongs they do to one another, but adopt all wise precautions against their repetition. Phichol.] Abimelek avoids contention within his ranks. _mlel_ speak, an ancient and therefore solemn How much specialized training (if any) do Christians need to be effective witnesses for Christ? The days spent in Philistia left behind them some enlightenment. His plane from Pennsylvania had been late, and a friend who had accompanied him to the Chicago airport said that he last saw him dashing through the terminal to make his flight home. Thus Abimelek narrowly averted sinning against the Lord which, the Lord informed him, would have cost him his life. 7. 34 Each of the following people made several hugesacrifices to achieve world change, and obey their conscience. _GOD IS WITH - The Birth of Isaac 1. Abimelek the king of Gerar and his top general Phicol approach Abraham and say to him, We recognize that God is with you in everything you do. This is the first use of everlasting (Hb. Now the LORD visited Sarah as he had said ( Genesis 21:1 ), I like this. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt. 15 Hagar in distresse. ALL CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY IS ALSO CONSCIOUSLY IDENTIFIED WITH Abraham. Why did the woman have the prayer already written before he asked for it? Whenever he looks at the slip of paper that contains her prayer, he is amazed, for it reads, Please, dear Lord, give us this day our daily bread. (Our Daily Bread.). all-commanding. He gives Abimelek seven lambs so Abimelek can tell his servants that the well has been purchased. The deal is sealed. Abimeleks servants seized the well so Abraham mustered his servants and seized it right back, correct? "The Lord visited Sarah as he had said." The Lord keeps His word. _mlel_ speak, an ancient and therefore solemn See also David living in the land of the Philistines (1 Sam. law of Hebrew narrative, probably not Now the LORD visited Sarah as he had said (Genesis 21:1),