V1 The *Lord had promised that he would visit Sarah. So Abraham, to demonstrate his commitment to the treaty and to demonstrate his good will toward Abimelek, brings to Abimelek sheep and cattle. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God [is] with thee in Without even reading it, he put it on one side of his old-fashioned scale. Verse Genesis 21:22. The greatest possible injury of a material kind that could be done to a nomads chief was the all faction of his water supplies. There he made, not only a constant practice, but an open read more, And it came to pass at that time ,. Not when Ishmael was grown up and married, but when Isaac was weaned and Ishmael was expelled: that Abimelech, and Phichol, the chief captain of his host, spake unto Abraham ; Abimelech was king of Gerar, the same that is spoken of in the preceding chapter, and Phichol was the general of his army; these two great personages came together and paid Abraham a visit, and had some conversation with him, who was still in Gerar, or however in some part of read more, Now therefore swear unto me here by God ,. By the true and living God, by whom only an oath is to be taken, who was Abraham's God, and whom Abimelech seems to have known and to have been a worshipper of; and therefore moves for an oath to be taken by him, which he knew would be sacred and binding to Abraham, could he prevail upon him to swear: that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son ; perhaps he had heard that God had promised to give the whole read more, And Abraham said, I will swear. ), his knowledge of Isaac's birth, and his general observation of the patriarch's prosperity. Abimelech could sense that in spite of Abrahams previous failure in the incident with Sarah, he was a man who walked with God. He did what he 1886. (3) that in making charges or preferring complaints it is well to avoid both heat of temper and severity of language. 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. 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. _God is with thee in all tha 1 Isaac is borne. (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). One way Abimelech knew that Abraham walked with God is that Abraham had prayed that God would heal Abimelech and his family, and God answered that prayer (20:17-18). chesed) to Abraham. That word sounds very much like the Hebrew word for seven (sheva) used in 21:28, 29, and 30. Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 20 AND 21. continued in the country of the Philistines for a considerable time; As Abraham is the father of all the faithful, so the That was an extraordinary way that God provided for His children. I. Abimelech declared himself perfectly unacquainted with the wrong which had been done to Abraham, and immediately returned the well, which discovers how easily misunderstandings might be removed if, instead of harboring enmity, men would resort to friendly conference. He checked his police cruiser, it looked good, the light bar was on. Th Genesis 21:22 time H6256 Abimelech H40 Phichol H6369 commander H8269 _mlel_ speak, an ancient and therefore solemn Sensible of the many favours he had received from Abimelech in times past, and was still indulged with, he very readily agreed to his proposal; and the rather, as he knew by the vision between the pieces, that it would be four hundred years before his posterity should be put into the possession of the land of Canaan; and therefore could take an oath that neither he, nor his son, nor his grandson, should be injured or dispossessed. Abraham, thinking the herdsmen had acted on their master's orders, reproved Abimelech. In this section Spiritual markers remind us of the goodness of the Lord in our lives. Phichol.] This new cop couldnt believe it. Genesis 20:2 Genesis 26:26 God. No more can be expected from an honest man than that he be ready to do right, as soon as he knows he has done wrong. _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. And, God provides for his need for water through this well. read more, John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary. Beersheba. Good men mostly desire to have the saints as friends, and even the wicked can perceive an advantage in being allied to the righteous. trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine And it came to pass at that time,possibly in immediate sequence to the incident of the preceding chapter, but, "according to the common law of Hebrew narrative, probably not long after the birth of Isaac." Abimelech's covenant with Abraham at Beersheba. Observing what he had done, and not knowing the design of it: what mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves ? From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. 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). Thus Abimelek narrowly averted sinning against the Lord which, the Lord informed him, would have cost him his life. Genesis 21:1; Genesis 22:1 (Murphy)that Abimelechthe king of Gerar (Genesis 20:2; Genesis 26:1, Genesis 26:16)and Phi-cholif the name be Shemitic, "mouth of all," i.e. God promised that His covenant with Abraham would be an everlasting covenant; Abraham recognized God as everlasting., This foreshadows future encounters between the Israelites and the Philistines. 6 Sarahs ioy. Well it didnt turn out quite the way he expected. CONCLUSION: Behind every promise of God is the purpose a Genesis 21:3. Only before concluding the agreement there was a matter of a more personal character that required settlement. It is as much the duty of him who has a grievance to reveal it, as it is the duty of him who has caused the grievance to remove it. Why did she come at exactly the time the mechanism was broken? Do you see what happened here? 3. He was, to put it gently, directed to find a way to verbally persuade subjects to cooperate. Although some of Abrahams resources came directly from Abimelech (20:16), the king sees the blessing of the Lord on all that you do.. He provided manna in the wilderness and brought water from a rock. Abraham was the friend of God. COVENANT. What makes us happy? V2 So Sarah became *pregnant. CHIEF CAPTAIN OF HIS HOST SPAKE UNTO ABRAHAM, SAYING, GOD IS WITH THEE We dont know how much Abimelech knew about the one true God, but he at least knew enough to see clearly that God made a difference in Abrahams life. This is the term used in Ex. _AT THAT TIME_] This may either refer to the The oath a testimony to God where reverently made. I like that, "as He had said, and as He had spoken." 1. Genesis 21:22-34 . Because Abimelech wanted this covenant to apply, not only to himself, but to his posterity (21:23), it secured this source of water not only for Abraham, but for his descendants. So if Abimelek gives the well back to Abraham, Abimeleks servants might react, You believe that foreigner over us? How can we turn everyday situations into opportunities for telling others about Christ? And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. But what about Abraham? He had to provide protection and give him the land, which He begins to do in a rather ordinary way through this peace agreement. When you come to a passage like this in the Bible, the question is, Why did God include this in sacred Scripture? We are secure in His providential care. Name signifies mouth of all, _i.e.,_ Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 21:22-34 Commentary on Genesis 21:22-34 (Read Genesis 21:22-34) Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Youll have to put these things in yourself. With a tearful thank you, the woman took her groceries and left. 7. _The birth of Isaac. 3. God's promises never fail. Which things are an allegory.- Galatians 4:22. God also took care of Hagar and Ishmael, remembering His promise to greatly multiply their descendants (see Birth of Isaac ). 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. Its Gods job to meet out justice. 2. Here he is in this situation where he dug a well, a large investment in that area at that time. His file is sealed until 2040) have receivedregular medical exams, taken psychological tests, returned questionnaires, and sat for interviews for the last 72 years or until they died. not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. DISMISSAL OF HAGAR AND ISHMAEL. The driver of the vehicle wasnt given a graceful way out. Maybe youre sinking into sudden depression, because youre thinking, Im not perfect! Stay tuned: (2) For the world to see God in our lives we dont have to be perfect. Abimelech protests that he is unaware of the situation regarding the disputed well and suggests that Abraham bears some of the blame for not telling him of the situation. I like this. Abimelech, however, was still wary of Abraham and fearful of the God whom Abraham worshipped. It may have been that his servants were telling him, No way, Abraham didnt dig that well, we did! _Isaac;_ that is, laughter or holy joy. Peace. . The story of how Billy Graham extended Christs extraordinary love and grace toward a man who misrepresented Jesus to millions. Abraham's acquiescence in the king's proposal was no doubt dictated by a peaceable disposition, a sense of equity, a spirit of contentment, and an unwavering confidence in God. GENESIS 21:23. God's care for those beyond the covenant. Ishmael's marriage, but most probably to the former. Ruth 1:17, and vide Genesis 14:23). The league is proposed by Abimelech, and Phichol his prime-minister of state and general of his army. The next thing that happened was that the new cop pulled him through the window, arrested him, and took him down town to HQ. GENESIS 21:22 THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 20 AND 21. He gives Abimelek seven lambs so Abimelek can tell his servants that the well has been purchased. So why, after he already gave Abimelek flocks of sheep and cattle, did Abraham give him seven lambs as a witness that Abraham dug the well? 33:18-19). He wasnt perfect, but he had reality with God and Gods gracious hand was on him. Category: Sermon StructureTags: Genesis, Genesis 21, Old Testament Narrative, Home | Admissions | Academics | Campus Life | Alumni, All content copyright 2023 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Its not our job to meet out justice anyway. If youre not dealing with your sin and seeking to live a life pleasing to God, then youd be better off not to let anybody know that you claim to be a Christian. had promised to her. Abraham's name of God, Jehovah El Olam; the two revelations, the God of nature and the God of grace. Abimelech, the king who had inadvertently taken Sarah into his harem because Abraham had lied about her being his sister, pays a visit to Abraham, acknowledges that God is with him, and proposes a peace pact. Theyre people who live rather ordinary lives, except for one significant fact--their lives count for eternity because they are used by God to help fulfill His purpose. I. 4. The man was educated and he articulately expressed his objections. CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, &C. Hence it is plain that Abraham had Just because youve blown it with someone in the past doesnt mean that you cant be used later to influence that person toward God. The music and the sermon were okay, but didnt really help. Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? the title not only of the king of Gerar, but of the kings of the That leads me to ask, Does the world see God in your everyday life?. ALL CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY IS ALSO CONSCIOUSLY IDENTIFIED WITH Abimelech professed to have shown kindness (Hb. 17 The Angel comforteth her. See also Genesis 21:22-34 in other biblical comments: Adam Clarke Bible Commentary. the three main sources, J. E, P are present. The satisfactory explanation. _God is with thee in all tha 1 Isaac is borne. Its about your relationship with the person of God and your relationships with other people. CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY 15 Hagar in distresse. Good men should do all they can to make others so. In Chapter s 20, 21 we have the question of the heir and of the path Beersheba. Hes letting Abimeleks servants off the hook! You might be protesting. No doubt, the king remembered their previous encounter when Abraham dealt falsely with him. So we never bear witness for Jesus Christ, which is precisely what Satan wants. neit EXPOSITION 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. So that place was called Beersheba,because the two men swore an oath there. Youll be happier, people will be more cooperative toward you, and youll have healthier relationships. 1. Even as Gods kindness draws us to him, our kindness with others should point them to Him. Paul at Athens adapted himself in preaching to the people's knowledge while leading them to faith.R. II. I like this. CHARACTERS: Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Hagar, Ishmael, Abimelech. Cyril Barber on Morris' The Genesis Record : a Scientific and Devotional Commentary (It can be borrowed) - Valuable as corollary reading. Phichol.] Sarah's demand GENESIS 12:1 TO GENESIS 25:18. Peace established, Abimelech and Phichol, having accomplished their mission, returned to Philistia. BIRTH OF ISAAC. God's people, though expected meekly to suffer wrong, cannot always help seeing that it is wrong they suffer. The term for making a treaty (used here and vs. 32) is karat. with his wi AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME,. Not when Ishmael was grown up Whereas the first conflict, Scene 5 ( Genesis 20:1-18 ), concerned jeopardy of the . God is Abimelech was impressed with Abraham's growing prosperity. (22) Abimelech and Phichol.Abimelech, that is Father-King, was the title not only of the king of Gerar, but of the kings of the Philistines generally (Genesis 26:1; 1Samuel 21:10, marg. Didnt Jesus tell us If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. In like manner Phichol, mouth of all, seems to have been the official designation of the prime minister, and commander-in-chief. The herdsmen of the king had appropriated Abraham's well. Specific examples of how Jesus communicated Gods love to others. And Abimelech said, I wet not who hath done this thing. ; Psalms 34, tit.). In this narrative, Abraham appears as a chieftain powerful enough for a king to wish to make an alliance with him; and thus his abandonment of Sarah, and his receiving of presents in compensation for the wrong done her, seems the more unworthy of him. Abraham, having got into a good neighbourhood, knew when he was well off, and continued a great while there. Abimelech, that is _Father-King,_ was the commander-in-chief of his forces) spake unto Abraham (having come from Gerar for the purpose), saying, God is with thee in all that thou doesta conviction derived from his former acquaintance with the patriarch (Genesis 20:1. 22. 3. b. The alliance was contracted. 14. . The public ceremonial. spokesman of all (Murphy), ruler of all (Gesenius); or "the distinguished" (Furst); believed to have been a titular designation of the Philistine monarch's grand vizier or prime minister (Lange, 'Speaker's Commentary'), who was alsothe chief captain of his host (i.e. 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. ALL CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY IS ALSO CONSCIOUSLY IDENTIFIED WITH CHAPTER 21 you do. the long-promised son was born. has Luke 6:21. 23 Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the . Finally he blurted out, Well, thats all it will hold anyway. Then Abraham does something unexpected. The significance of this passage is Abraham finding a place in the land promised to him in safety. The things of this world made a channel of higher blessings. at the time God Himself had We plainly see that God blesseth and prospereth thee in all thy He lived in the desert and became an archer. By the way the new cops boss, the Police Chief, called him into his office the next day for what the new cop thought was going to be an atta-boy. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God [is] with thee in The Covenant Between Abraham and Abimelech NINTH SECTION Abraham didnt fight with Abimeleks servants. 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 .

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