their enemies, that they were never to be in subjection to a foreign foe, which we learn from their history was not the fact; but that on the whole and in the final issue they should attain to a triumphant ascendancy over 'every adversary and evil occurrent' The true construction, however, embraces not only the temporal conquests of Israel under Joshua, David, Solomon, and others, but also the higher spiritual victories to be achieved by him who was preeminently the seed of the woman as well as the seed of Abraham; and of whom it is elsewhere predicted that he shall reign till all his enemies are put under his feet. Comp. Num. 24. 17-19. Josh. 1.-10. 2 Sam. 8. 10. Ps. 2. 8, 9; 72. 8, 9. Dan. 2. 44, 45. Luke 1. 68-75. Rev. 11.

15.

19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up, and went together to P Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.

P chap. 21. 31.

understood of one particular person, even that illustrious and divine individual, who formed the substance of all the exceeding great and precious promises made to or through the patriarchs or prophets of old; He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.' Yet it would perhaps be putting constraint upon the apostle's words to interpret them as absolutely excluding the collective sense which the expression usually bears. His remarks seem to be grounded rather upon the letter of the phrase, which he would give us to understand naturally and prominently refers to an individual, who, of course, can be no other than Christ; while at the same time this interpretation does not, we apprehend, necessitate the inference that that in

port of the term. Christ was, however, so far the leading and dominant object of the oracle, as to justify the apostle's application of it principally to him.

19. So Abraham returned unto his young men, &c. With what different feelings did Abraham now descend from Jehovah-jireh!

His Isaac lives, and

yet his sacrifice is offered. He came to yield his dearest earthly delight at the call of God, and he goes away, not only

18. In thy seed shall all the nations of dividual actually exhausts the full imthe earth be blessed. Or, Heb. 15 hithbareku, shall bless themselves, or count themselves blessed, according to the native force of the Hithpael conjugation. Comp. Is. 65. 16. The Gr. however has evevλoynonoovrai shall be blessed, which our translators have seen fit to follow. The expression is more emphatic than any which has hitherto occurred in reference to the same subject, and implies how highly they should value the promised seed, and the bless-accompanied by his son, whom he had ings of which he should be the procur- virtually resigned, but enriched with ing cause. The phrase 'in thy seed,' new blessings and fresh promises! So it can scarcely be doubted, has for the true is it that God is ever better to his most part a collective import, implying people than their fears, yea, than their that the posterity descending from Abra- hopes. No sacrifice was ever yet sincereham should ultimately and instrumen-ly made for him, but it finally redounded tally become a signal blessing to the a hundred-fold to the gain and the consowhole world. But from the Apostle's language, Gal. 3. 16, we are plainly taught that the words are to be taken in ■ more restricted application, and to be

lation of the offerer. 'Isaac had never been so precious to his father, if he had not been recovered from death; if he had not been as miraculously restored as

20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abrabraham, saying, Behold Milcah, she hath also borne children unto thy brother Nahor ;

21 Huz his first-born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father ⚫ of Aram,

ch. 11. 29. rJob. 1. 1. ⚫ Job. 32. 2.

given. Abraham had never been as blessed in his seed, if he had not neglected Isaac for God. The only way to find comfort in an earthly thing is, to surrender it in a believing carelessness into the hands of God.' Bp. Hall.

22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

23 And Bethuel begat" Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thabash, and Maachah.

1 ch.24. 15. Called, Rom. 9. 10, Rebecca. probably a correct rendering, as the names of individuals in the scriptures, who were the founders of nations, usually stand for the nations themselves. Aram' throughout the Bible is rendered by the Greek Syria' and 'Syrians,' as is' Mitzraim' by Egypt,' and 'Cush' by Ethiopia.' This usage of the Septuagint has for the most part governed that of all the later versions.

20. It came to pass after these things, &c. The genealogy here given, and occupying the remaining verses to the end of the chapter, is undoubtedly introduced in order to make way for the 22. Chesed. Heb. 2 Kesed, that following account of Isaac's marriage to is, the Kasdim or Chaldeans, respecting Rebekah, a daughter of the family of whom and their origin see Note on Gen. Nahor. It was contrary to the design 11. 28. Of the other four individuals of heaven that the family of Abraham whose names follow, with the excep should intermarry with the heathen tion of Bethuel, the sacred writers give races among whom he now dwelt, and us no information.

to add to the recent tokens of the divine 24. His concubine. Heb. 5 pillefavor, he is now cheered by the wel-gesh, from whence the Gr. Taλakis palcome tidings of the prosperity of his lakis and Lat. pellex. Our English word brother's house, in which he would not 'concubine' is derived from a Latin comfail to perceive how kindly God was pound con and cubo, implying simply mupreparing the way for the higher happi-tual cohabitation without a duly solemness of his son and the further fulfilment nized marriage. The Heb. term, how of his promises.

Heb.

21. Huz his first-born. Ootz or Uz, the letter z in scripture proper names being almost invariably the representative of the Heb. tz. The land of Uz', the country of Job, was, it may be supposed, so called from this individual. He and his brother Buz seem to have emigrated and settled south, either in Edom or the northern regions of Arabia. Buz was probably the father or one of the ancestors of Elihu, who, in Job 32. 2, is called 'Elihu the Buzite.'. ¶ The father of Aram. Gr. Karepa Eupio Father of the Syrians;

ever, supposed to be derived from 35 palag, to divide, and 1 nagash, to approach, did not, as the word concubine does with us, imply any thing immoral or reproachful. Its true import is that of a half-wife, divided or secondary wife, from the implied division of the husband's affections and attentions between two objects. An accurate knowledge of oriental customs and notions is necessary to enable one to enter fully into the force of the term as distinguished from our sense of the word concubine. This, as it is well known, denotes a woman who, without being married to

never put forth by a human being. In addition to all the aggravating circumstances above detailed, it should be considered that Abraham's previous trials had been very severe. The same things, we well know, may be more or less trying according to the situation or state of mind in which they find us. If

a man, lives with him as his wife. In power of this principle was probably fact, in its usual acceptation it differs not from mistress, and of course conveys the idea of a connexion in the highest degree unlawful and abhorrent to the fundamental laws of Christianity. But with the sacred writers concubinage runs into polygamy, the word being used to designate a lawful wife, but one of secondary or subordinate rank. She the treatment of Job's friends had not differed from the proper wife in been preceded by the loss of his subnot being wedded with all the usual stance, the untimely death of his chilceremonies and solemnities; in not dren, the rash counsel of his wife, and bringing with her a dowry; and in hav- the heavy hand of God, it would have ing no share in the government of the been much more tolerable. So if Abrafamily. Wives of this description are ham's faith and patience had not been at present known in the East under the exercised in the manner they were antitle of odaliques, and it is generally un-terior to this temptation, he could doubtderstood that they are subject to the less more easily have borne it. But mistress of the family, or the principal it was after these things' that God apwife, whose nuptials have been celebrated according to the usual rites. They are at the same time treated with every respect as a secondary order of wives-very seldom, unless in cases of criminality, with the indignities inflicted on a slave. The children of the principal wife usually inherit the father's fortune to the highest pitch, yea, after it had in preference to the children of the odaliques. In the harem she takes the upper seat on the sofa, directs the economy of the women's apartments, and when her consort forgets her charms for those of another, her title to supremacy still remains unaltered. She sits too on the same sofa with her husband, although at its extreme edge; while the odaliques sit, their feet folded under them, upon cushions spread upon the carpet. When she first appears among the latter in the morning, it is the usage that they should kneel down and kiss the hem of her garment. See Quin's Life in the East.

REMARKS.-The transaction which we have now considered, taken in all its bearings, is rich in practical instruction. We learn from it,

(1) The nature and working of true faith. A more illustrious display of the

pointed this sore trial to his servantafter his being called away from his country and kindred-after his pilgrimage to Egypt-after his domestic troubles and his parting with Ishmael-after five and twenty years' waiting for the child of promise-after hope had been raised

been actually turned into enjoyment— and when the child had lived long enough to discover an amiable and pious spirit-yet after all this he is called to pass through another ordeal still more trying than any preceding one! And how plausible were the pleas which might have been urged against so fearful a command? Murder was an object both of human and divine abhorrence; and what would the surrounding heathen say when they should hear of this cruel massacre? What would they think of him and his religion when he could represent such a horrid deed of blood as an act of piety performed in obedience to a divine mandate? Would they not universally have exclaimed against him as a monster of cruelty, and said of him at every turn, 'There goes the man that cut the throat of his own son.' Again, with what face could he

look upon his wife whose son he had the greatest darkness and distress. He murdered? How could she entertain the may not come to our help at the moexecutioner of Isaac, or believe that such ment that our impatient minds may dean order emanated from God? In all these sire. On the contrary, he may tarry respects it is easy to see with what a long till we are ready to cry, The Lord strength of reason his faith had to wres- hath forsaken us, and our God hath fortle, to say nothing of the still sorer con- gotten us.' But he has wise and graflict with affection. But faith had taught cious purposes to answer by such de Abraham not to argue, but to obey. lays. He makes use of them to stir us u He knew that what God commanded to more earnest importunity; to render was good, and what he promised, infal- us more simple and humble in our delible; and therefore went forward with-pendence, to display more gloriously the out wavering in absolute submission to riches of his power and goodness when the will of the Most High. Such was he does appear; and to teach both us the triumph of Abraham's faith. And and others the wisdom of waiting his now, do we desire to form an estimate time. Whatever, then, our unbelieving of the reality and strength of our own fears may say, let us be assured that faith? Let us place ourselves for a mo- God is no inattentive observer of our ment in a situation similar to that of the condition, and that at the critical mopatriarch. Let us think of that person, ment, when his succour shall be most of that object, which is the dearest to welcome, it shall come. And where is us of any on earth; and let us imagine the christian heart that hath not had the breath of the destroying angel wither- engraven upon it many precious rememing it, like Jonah's gourd, at our feet, brances of the fulfilment of this proits beauty fled. and the grave about to mise? In temporal and in spiritual difshut it for ever from our view; and let ficulties; in the day of sorrow, and on us ask ourselves whether we could re- the bed of sickness; in the hour of danceive such a visitation without a mur-ger to ourselves or to those we have mur from the hands of our heavenly loved, the Lord has most unexpectedly Father? Could we say with the Shu- appeared in our behalf, and enabled us namite, in answer to the prophet's message, Is it well with the child?' that child which had just expired in her arms -could we say with her, 'It is well.' This is the office of faith, and one of its most difficult works. Yet it has been achieved by thousands, and must be achieved by us ere patience shall have had her perfect work. The most valuable of the gifts of heaven, the dearest of our earthly delights, must all be held as Isaac in his father's arms, ready at the slightest bidding to be laid and to be sacrificed on the altar of God.

(2) The certainty that God will interpose for his people in the hour of their necessity. This is the plain import of the proverb, 'In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.' We may therefore confidently trust in him in seasons of

to exclaim Jehovah-jireh' in view of the joyful deliverance. What then ought to be the effect of these repeated interferences of divine mercy in our behalf? Surely to teach us never to doubt, never to despair, never to despond. If called to give up our dearest possession, the wife of our bosom, the children of our love, let us bow even amidst our keenest sufferings, to kiss the rod and him who hath appointed it. He that hath been with us in six troubles will not leave us in seven; and it will only be adding ingratitude to unbelief, to rob ourselves of the comfort of this delightful assurance. Nor is it in life only that we are to sustain ourselves by cleaving to this confidence. In nature's final conflict, when our faith may be expected to meet its severest

CHAPTER XXIII.

2 And Sarah died in a Kirjath

AND Sarah was an hundred arba; the same is Hebron in the and seven and twenty years land of Canaan: and Abraham old: these were the years of the life came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

of Sarah.

shock, then shall these cheering words stand out in letters of light, which even the closing eye can read and the fainting heart can dwell upon.

CHAPTER XXIII.

1. And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old. Heb. 7

a Josh. 14. 15. Judg. 1. 10. ch. 13. 18. ver. 19.

then the more to the select circle in which they move, and which alone can duly appreciate their unobtrusive amiableness and worth, is adverse to their gaining eclat. The traits of character which best entitle them to celebrity, are the very ones which prevent their attaining it.

Although there is always something in the breaking of this tie more affecting, perhaps, than in the disruption of any other which unites us to our kind, yet the bitterness of the bereavement was enhanced to Abraham by peculiar circumstances. Sarah had been his companion in tribulation.' They had shared together in a series of trying

yihyu haye Sarah, the lives 2. Sarah died in Kirjath-arba. The of Sarah were, &c. according to the patriarch, after having enjoyed the tenHeb. idiom which always employs the derest of all relationships during a longer plur. for life; a usage designed, ac- period than that of which a whole life, cording to Calvin, to intimate the va- at the present day usually consists, is rious events of life, its numerous and at length called to feel the pang of sepaoften rapid vicissitudes, which seeming-ration. Sarah pays the debt of nature, ly divide it into several different lives. and is removed to that world where they Another solution, however, of a physio- neither 'marry nor are given in marlogical character, is given Gen. 2. 7. It riage is somewhat remarkable that Sarah is the only female mentioned in the scriptures, whose age, death, and burial are distinctly noted. She was 65 at the period of Abraham's departure from Haran, lived with him in his pilgrim state 62 years, and died 38 years before him. She is always spoken of in the sacred writings as the pattern of conjugal fi-dispensations through a long course of delity and love, and her example is held forth by the apostle, 1 Pet. 3. 6, as the highest model for christian women, and the title of her daughters' as their most honorable distinction. The very fact that so few of the incidents of her history are recorded speaks strongly in her favor; for there is little in the even tenor of female life, when that life is Kirjath-arba. passed in the retired and noiseless path lit. the city of the four; so called, if we of devotedness to God, and in the peace- may believe the Jewish tradition, from ful round of domestic duties, which can the circumstance of the four illustrious or ought to form the subject of the his- men, viz. Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and torian's pen. The very privacy of the Jacob, being buried there, as also the christian graces, manifested in such a four distinguished women, Eve, Sarah, walk and conversation, while it endears | Rebekah, and Leah. All these persons

years, and their union had at length been cemented by a pledge, such as had never before, and but in one instance since, gladdened the heart of a parent. The stroke therefore could not but be one of deep affliction to the survivor, and the sequel clearly informs us that he felt it as such.

קרית ארבע .Heb