19 And God H430 opened H6491 her eyes, H5869 and she saw H7200 a well H875 of water; H4325 and she went, H3212 and filled H4390 the bottle H2573 with water, H4325 and gave H8248 the lad H5288 drink. H8248
Then the LORD H3068 opened H1540 the eyes H5869 of Balaam, H1109 and he saw H7200 the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 standing H5324 in the way, H1870 and his sword H2719 drawn H8025 in his hand: H3027 and he bowed down H6915 his head, and fell flat H7812 on his face. H639
And Elisha H477 prayed, H6419 and said, H559 LORD, H3068 I pray thee, open H6491 his eyes, H5869 that he may see. H7200 And the LORD H3068 opened H6491 the eyes H5869 of the young man; H5288 and he saw: H7200 and, behold, the mountain H2022 was full H4390 of horses H5483 and chariots H7393 of fire H784 round about H5439 Elisha. H477 And when they came down H3381 to him, Elisha H477 prayed H6419 unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Smite H5221 this people, H1471 I pray thee, with blindness. H5575 And he smote H5221 them with blindness H5575 according to the word H1697 of Elisha. H477 And Elisha H477 said H559 unto them, This is not the way, H1870 neither is this H2090 the city: H5892 follow H3212 H310 me, and I will bring H3212 you to the man H376 whom ye seek. H1245 But he led H3212 them to Samaria. H8111 And it came to pass, when they were come H935 into Samaria, H8111 that Elisha H477 said, H559 LORD, H3068 open H6491 the eyes H5869 of these men, that they may see. H7200 And the LORD H3068 opened H6491 their eyes, H5869 and they saw; H7200 and, behold, they were in the midst H8432 of Samaria. H8111
Then the eyes H5869 of the blind H5787 shall be opened, H6491 and the ears H241 of the deaf H2795 shall be unstopped. H6605 Then shall the lame H6455 man leap H1801 as an hart, H354 and the tongue H3956 of the dumb H483 sing: H7442 for in the wilderness H4057 shall waters H4325 break out, H1234 and streams H5158 in the desert. H6160
But G1161 their G846 eyes G3788 were holden G2902 that they should G1921 not G3361 know G1921 him. G846 And G1161 he said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 What G5101 manner of communications G3056 are these G3778 that G3739 ye have G474 one to G4314 another, G240 as ye walk, G4043 and G2532 are G2075 sad? G4659 And G1161 the one of them, G1520 whose G3739 name G3686 was Cleopas, G2810 answering G611 said G2036 unto G4314 him, G846 Art thou G4771 only G3441 a stranger G3939 in G1722 Jerusalem, G2419 and G2532 hast G1097 not G3756 known G1097 the things which are come to pass G1096 there G1722 G846 in G1722 these G5025 days? G2250 And G2532 he said G2036 unto them, G846 What things? G4169 And G1161 they said G2036 unto him, G846 Concerning G4012 Jesus G2424 of Nazareth, G3480 which G3739 was G1096 a prophet G4396 mighty G1415 in G1722 G435 deed G2041 and G2532 word G3056 before G1726 God G2316 and G2532 all G3956 the people: G2992 And how G3704 G5037 the chief priests G749 and G2532 our G2257 rulers G758 delivered G3860 him G846 to G1519 be condemned G2917 to death, G2288 and G2532 have crucified G4717 him. G846 But G1161 we G2249 trusted G1679 that G3754 it had been G2076 he G846 which should G3195 have redeemed G3084 Israel: G2474 and G235 beside G1065 G4862 all G3956 this, G5125 to day G4594 is G71 the G5026 third G5154 day G2250 since G575 G3739 these things G5023 were done. G1096 Yea, G235 and certain G5100 women G1135 also G2532 of G1537 our company G2257 made G1839 us G2248 astonished, G1839 which were G1096 early G3721 at G1909 the sepulchre; G3419 And G2532 when they found G2147 not G3361 his G846 body, G4983 they came, G2064 saying, G3004 that they had G3708 also G2532 seen G3708 a vision G3701 of angels, G32 which G3739 said G3004 that he G846 was alive. G2198 And G2532 certain of them G5100 which were with G4862 us G2254 went G565 to G1909 the sepulchre, G3419 and G2532 found G2147 it even G2532 so G3779 as G2531 the women G1135 had said: G2036 but G1161 him G846 they saw G1492 not. G3756 Then G2532 he G846 said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 O G5599 fools, G453 and G2532 slow G1021 of heart G2588 to believe G4100 G1909 all G3956 that G3739 the prophets G4396 have spoken: G2980 Ought G1163 not G3780 Christ G5547 to have suffered G3958 these things, G5023 and G2532 to enter G1525 into G1519 his G846 glory? G1391 And G2532 beginning G756 at G575 Moses G3475 and G2532 G575 all G3956 the prophets, G4396 he expounded G1329 unto them G846 in G1722 all G3956 the scriptures G1124 the things concerning G4012 himself. G1438 And G2532 they drew nigh G1448 unto G1519 the village, G2968 whither G3757 they went: G4198 and G2532 he G846 made as though G4364 he would have gone G4198 further. G4208 But G2532 they constrained G3849 him, G846 saying, G3004 Abide G3306 with G3326 us: G2257 for G3754 it is G2076 toward G4314 evening, G2073 and G2532 the day G2250 is far spent. G2827 And G2532 he went in G1525 to tarry G3306 with G4862 them. G846 And G2532 it came to pass, G1096 as G1722 he G846 sat at meat G2625 with G3326 them, G846 he took G2983 bread, G740 and blessed G2127 it, and G2532 brake, G2806 and gave G1929 to them. G846 And G1161 their G846 eyes G3788 were opened, G1272 and G2532 they knew G1921 him; G846 and G2532 he G846 vanished G1096 G855 out of G575 their sight. G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 21
Commentary on Genesis 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Ge 21:1-13. Birth of Isaac.
1. the Lord visited Sarah—The language of the historian seems designedly chosen to magnify the power of God as well as His faithfulness to His promise. It was God's grace that brought about that event, as well as the raising of spiritual children to Abraham, of which the birth of this son was typical [Calvin].
3, 4. Abraham called the name of his son … Isaac … and circumcised—God was acknowledged in the name which, by divine command, was given for a memorial (compare Ge 17:19), and also in the dedication of the child by administering the seal of the covenant (compare Ge 17:10-12).
8. the child grew, and was weaned—children are suckled longer in the East than in the Occident—boys usually for two or three years.
Abraham made a great feast, &c.—In Eastern countries this is always a season of domestic festivity, and the newly weaned child is formally brought, in presence of the assembled relatives and friends, to partake of some simple viands. Isaac, attired in the symbolic robe, the badge of birthright, was then admitted heir of the tribe [Rosenmuller].
9. Sarah saw the son of Hagar … mocking—Ishmael was aware of the great change in his prospects, and under the impulse of irritated or resentful feelings, in which he was probably joined by his mother, treated the young heir with derision and probably some violence (Ga 4:29).
10. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman—Nothing but the expulsion of both could now preserve harmony in the household. Abraham's perplexity was relieved by an announcement of the divine will, which in everything, however painful to flesh and blood, all who fear God and are walking in His ways will, like him, promptly obey. This story, as the apostle tells us, in "an allegory" [Ga 4:24], and the "persecution" by the son of the Egyptian was the commencement of the four hundred years' affliction of Abraham's seed by the Egyptians.
12. in all that Sarah hath said—it is called the Scripture (Ga 4:30).
13. also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation—Thus Providence overruled a family brawl to give rise to two great and extraordinary peoples.
Ge 21:14-21. Expulsion of Ishmael.
14. Abraham rose up early, &c.—early, that the wanderers might reach an asylum before noon. Bread includes all sorts of victuals—bottle, a leathern vessel, formed of the entire skin of a lamb or kid sewed up, with the legs for handles, usually carried over the shoulder. Ishmael was a lad of seventeen years, and it is quite customary for Arab chiefs to send out their sons at such an age to do for themselves: often with nothing but a few days' provisions in a bag.
wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba—in the southern border of Palestine, but out of the common direction, a wide extending desert, where they lost their way.
15. the water was spent, &c.—Ishmael sank exhausted from fatigue and thirst—his mother laid his head under one of the bushes to smell the damp while she herself, unable to witness his distress, sat down at a little distance in hopeless sorrow.
19. God opened her eyes—Had she forgotten the promise (Ge 16:11)? Whether she looked to God or not, He regarded her and directed her to a fountain close beside her, but probably hid amid brushwood, by the waters of which her almost expiring son was revived.
20, 21. God was with the lad, &c.—Paran (that is, Arabia), where his posterity has ever dwelt (compare Ge 16:12; also Isa 48:19; 1Pe 1:25).
his mother took him a wife—On a father's death, the mother looks out for a wife for her son, however young; and as Ishmael was now virtually deprived of his father, his mother set about forming a marriage connection for him, it would seem, among her relatives.
Ge 21:22-34. Covenant.
22. Abimelech and Phichol—Here a proof of the promise (Ge 12:2) being fulfilled, in a native prince wishing to form a solemn league with Abraham. The proposal was reasonable, and agreed to [Ge 21:24].
25-31. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well—Wells were of great importance to a pastoral chief and on the successful operation of sinking a new one, the owner was solemnly informed in person. If, however, they were allowed to get out of repair, the restorer acquired a right to them. In unoccupied lands the possession of wells gave a right of property in the land, and dread of this had caused the offense for which Abraham reproved Abimelech. Some describe four, others five, wells in Beer-sheba.
33. Abraham planted a grove—Hebrew, "of tamarisks," in which sacrificial worship was offered, as in a roofless temple.
34. Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land—a picture of pastoral and an emblem of Christian life.