Genesis 15

Genesis 15:1

THese things] Or, words. Spoken by Abraham to the King of Sodom in the former Chapter: the Originall word signifieth first [words], then things, celebrated or spoken of by words; Scaindl. Pent. col. 358. as Leviticus 5:2. Deuteronomy 17:5. and in other places; for in good things, he that speaketh a word should make it good by his deed; and in evill, he that speaketh ill, hath a minde to doe as ill, as he speaketh.

a vision] Properly is a divine representation of things shewed to such as are awake; such were the visions of the Prophets in the Old, and of Zacharie, Peter, and Paul, and John in the New Testament, distinguished from revelation by dreames to men asleepe.

feare not] Visions at their first apprehension affect the partie to whom they are presented with feare: So Daniel 10:8. Luke 2:9. but before the vision, Abraham might haply feare a new assault of his enemies, or the envie of the wicked at his prosperitie, and in respect of such feare, God calles himselfe his Buckler. Psalms 18:30. Proverbs 30:5. 2 Samuel 22:31.

thy shield] To protect thee from hurt, Psalms 5:12. and thy reward to bestow on thee good; yea I will bestow my selfe upon thee, and be thy portion, Psalms 15:6.

reward] A reward above all pretence of merit, a reward to such especially as doe not respect the rewards of men, as Abraham did not when he refused the offer of the King of Sodome; and they may be cheerfull in their worke, since they shall be sure of a reward, Psalms 58:11. of an exceeding great reward, great beyond all measure, exceeding farre above mans merit; for God is their reward, and he is infinite, and therefore such a reward as nothing in man can purchase upon equall price..5 Looke now] The Starres though it were day might be represented in a vision, or the entercourse betwixt God and Abraham might be continued untill night, from the time when it began.

Genesis 15:2

I goe childlesse] Hebr. and I going: some render the words, since I goe on, or persevere, or am going away; that is, since my age goeth on towards mine end, and I am yet not come to the possession of thy promise and mine expectation.

childlesse] Abraham desired a sonne above any worldly thing, that God could give him: yet his feare was not onely lest he should not have children, but lest the promise of the blessed seed should not be accomplished in him; and he makes it his complaint to God, in whose power it was to make him a father, Psalms 127:3. as well as to promise him a plenteous posteritie, Chap. 13. vers. 16.

Damascus] Whose name is Damascus the sonne of Eliezer, or whose Ancestors were of Damascus, though he were borne in Abrahams house, who was the eldest servant of his family, Chap. 24. vers. 2. and from a servant (as some conceive) became so great a Lord, as to be the founder of the fairest Citie of Syria, called Damascus after his name.

Genesis 15:3

heire] If he had no child of his own, (his Nephew Lot having none but daughters) it was in his thoughts to make his chiefe, and most faithfull servant his heire; or if he were dead, having all under his charge, he might make himselfe heire of his Masters estate.

Genesis 15:5

Looke now] The Starres though it were day might be represented in a vision, or the entercourse betwixt God and Abraham might be continued untill night, from the time when it began.

number] Though some ancient Astronomers have taken upon them to number the Starres to 1022, and some later Writers have increased the number to 1322. Alsted. Uranoscop. part. 1. cap. 13. Tom. 1. Eucycl. col. 2020. Yet as there hath been a difference of the earth in regard of discovery, in which respect one part hath been a long time called the Southern unknown part of the world, so the wiser sort of Christian Astrologers, especially, have distinguished the Starres into numerable and innumerable, Magir. Phys. lib. 2. cap. 5. which will be a true distinction to the worlds end, not only betwixt the Starres, but betwixt God that made them and men that observe them; for while to men they are innumerable, to God they are exactly known both for their number and their names, Psalms 147:4.

so shall] The promise of multiplication of Abrahams seed is made by a comparison; sometimes to the dust of the earth, Chap. 13. 16. sometimes to the Starres of heaven, as here in prophecie, and we have it in history, Deuteronomy 1:10. where neither by dust is their humiliation, nor by the Starres is their exaltation intended, but their multiplication in both, and this is meant not onely of Abrahams children according to the flesh, but according also to the faith.

Genesis 15:6

beleeved] He beleeved the Lord, not onely for the multiplication of his seed, but in particular for the principall seed, the promised Messiah, in whom all the nations of the world should be blessed, Chap. 12. 3.

righteousnesse] Righteousnes by imputation, or justification by faith without works, is no new doctrin, but as old as Abraham. See Galatians 3:8. Romans 4:3. The faith of a Beleever in Christ is like that of Abraham touching the seed; for as this was not grounded on any thing in nature, (for so both Abraham, and Sarah were too old to be parents) so hath the faith of a true beleever nothing of nature, but meere grace to support it, Romans 4:17-18.

Genesis 15:8

whereby shall I know] This was a speciall motion of Gods Spirit therfore it is not lawfull for all to do the like in asking signes, but was permitted to some by a peculiar favour, as to Gedeon, and Hezekiah; which they did not so much out of incredulitie, as out of a desire to be fortified against humane infirmitie. See Judg. 6. 17. 37. 2 Kings 20:8. Luke 1:18. Or, he asked this question, not so much doubting of the thing promised, as desiring to know somewhat more particulay of the manner of performance.

Genesis 15:9

Take me an heifer] God entring into especiall Covenant with Abraham, will have it confirmed by sacrifice, as Psalms 50:5. in sacrifice and oblations what is here required, was afterward by the Leviticall Law established, Levit. 1. vers. 2. 10. 14.

Genesis 15:10

divided] The creatures were divided, and the parts so placed that the parties covenanting might passe betwixt them, Jeremiah 34:18. the meaning whereof was, that as part answered to part (for they were so to be laid that the parts might be answerable to each other) so the minds of the Covenanters should be set in a mutuall correspondence; and withall there was an implicite imprecation of the like dissection to the partie that brake the Covenant; but in this place was also prefigured the distresses, and distraction of Abrahams seed, and withall, their joyning together againe, to which purpose the parts were so orderly disposed. See Ezekiel 37:7.

the birds] were not divided because they appertained not to the confirmation of the Covenant, but were to serve for sacrifices, Levit. 1. 15, 17. Or, because they were little, and each laid whole against the other were answerable to the other parts, that were divided; and by these might be intimated the innocency, and simplicitie of Gods people, especially in their making, and keeping of Covenant. For Doves and Pigeons mentioned in the precedent verse, and meant in this, are noted for their innocence, Matthew 10:16. and the Turtle Dove is commended for an example of keeping the covenant of marriage.

Genesis 15:11

the fowles] Ravenous birds resemble wicked men, who are ready to make a prey of Gods holy portion, and to disturbe holy persons in their best actions. See Ezekiel 17:3.

Genesis 15:12

darknesse] The condition of Gods people in this life is very various, Abraham hath favourable visions, and frightfull dreames: promises of a numerous issue, and of them predictions of grievous distresses, like dismall darkenesse, which put him into a distemper of horrour, and this followed with presages of lightsome libertie to succeed it.

Genesis 15:13

serve them] That is, the owners or Lords of the land wherein they are strangers.

foure hundred yeares] Or, foure hundred and five, for in a great summe so small a number cometh under no particular accompt, as the Interpreters of the Old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke were seventie two, but they are commonly called the seventie, not seventie two Interpreters; and this accompt is to begin at the birth of Isaac; but from the giving of the promise to Abram to the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt, and the giving of the Law were foure hundred and thirtie yeares, Exodus 12:40. Galatians 3:13. of which neither foure hundred and five, nor foure hundred, much lesse the whole of foure hundred and thirtie was spent under Egyptian persecution; for though the accompt end with their parting thence, it did not begin with their coming thither, as it is said of Terah that his dayes in Charran were two hundred and five yeares, Genesis 11:32. where he spent not all that time (and it may be also not the most part of it) but ended it; but so much of the time was run up before Jacobs coming thither, and so much after that peaceably passed on untill the death of Joseph, that some rate the time of their rigid servitude but to one hundred and fourtie yeares, and some but to one hundred twentie one at the most, which may appeare from this computation following. The summe of foure hundred and thirtie yeares equally divided, the one halfe of them was spent before their going into Egypt, the other halfe in their abiding there. Two hundred and fifteene yeares passed before their passage into Egypt, which may be reckoned thus; from the promise given to Abram to the birth of Isaac twentie five yeares, compare, Genesis 12:4. with Genesis 21:5. from the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob threescore yeares, Genesis 25:26. from thence to their coming into Egypt an hundred and thirtie yeares, Genesis 47. vers. 9. which made up into one totall summe amount to two hundred and fifteene yeares, the other two hundred and fifteene were taken up in their sojourning in Egypt, namely, ninetie foure before the death of Levi, who survived all the eleven Patriarches his brethren, and an hundred twentie one betwixt his death and their deliverance out of Egypt: For Levi and Joseph were both born in the seven yeares of Jacobs second service under his Uncle Laban, Genesis 29:30. Levi in the fourth, and Joseph in the seventh, so that there were about three yeares between them: Now Joseph when his father and brethren came down into Egypt was thirtie nine yeares old, compare Genesis 41:46; Genesis 41:51. & Genesis 45:6. and then was Levi fourtie three or thereabout; and Levi lived one hundred thirtie and seven yeares, Exodus 6:16. out of which those fourtie three being deducted which he had spent before their coming into Egypt, it appeareth they were in Egypt ninetie foure yeares before his death, and those ninetie foure (in which they were well intreated for Josephs sake) being deducted out of the two hundred and fifteene (which they spent in that land) it remaineth that there were one hundred twentie one yeares from his death to their redemption out of bondage; the most of which time after there arose another Pharaoh that knew not Joseph, Exodus 1:8. was spent in heavy servitude, which moved the Lord by a mightie and miraculous power to wrest his own people out of the hands of the proud and persecuting Tyrant. But that the words of the Text may not be thought to contradict this limitation of time for the afflicted state of the posteritie of Jacob, they are to be read with a parenthesis, thus, Thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs (and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them) foure hundred yeares, so that their affliction shall fall out within those foure hundred yeares, not hold out all the time of their sojourning.

Genesis 15:15

to thy fathers] Not meaning the particular place where the soules of Terah and Nahor were, but to the generall condition of the dead whereto his forefathers led him the way.

Genesis 15:16

fourth generation] That is, in the foure hundreth yeare, or somewhat above, which for evennesse of number is not reckoned, as of the Jewish Interpreters of the Bible hath been observed on the thirteenth verse: Or by generation is meant betwixt the geniture, or birth of the father, and the sonne, so the fourth generation is to be reckoned from the descent of the sonnes of Jacob into Egypt to their entrance into Canaan, as in the Tribe of Judah, from Judah to Phares, from Phares to Hesron, from Hesron to Caleb.

hither] That is, into Canaan, where Abraham was when God made his Covenant with him.

iniquitie of the Amorites] And of the Canaanites, as appears by Levit. 18. Deuteronomy 6:12. and their iniquities were chiefly of three kinds, all very heinous; one was Idolatry of a most execrable sort, sacrificing their sonnes and daughters unto Devils; another was grievous oppression of the poore and stranger; the third was prodigious lust, not onely by incestuous uncleannesse with their neerest kindred, but even by Sodomie and beastialitie.

yet full] There is a fulnesse of sinne, which groweth by degrees to a just measure of merit of extraordinary vengeance from above: See Jeremiah 51:13. Daniel 8:23. Matthew 23:32. Daniel 11:36. Which may be a preservative of patience, at the prosperitie of the wicked, since the reward of their wickednesse i sure, though it be slow.

Genesis 15:17

a smoaking furnace] The smoaking furnace, and burning lampe, or lampe of fire passing betwixt the parts, signified Gods assent to the covenant after the manner noted vers. 10. for God is compared to fire, Heb. 12. vers. last, and makes apparitions by fire, Exodus 3:2. & Exodus 20:18. And Christ, who is God, appeared to Daniel, and John with eyes like a flame, Daniel 10:6. Revelation 1:14. and the smoaking furnace, whose fire is not seen, may note that God himself is invisible, though he shew a burning lampe as a glimpse of his glory. Besides, the smoaking furnace may note the great affliction of the Israelites in Egypt, Exod. 1. vers. 11. 18. see Psalms 21:9. Lamentations 5:10. Malachi 4:1. but especially, Deuteronomy 4:20. Jeremiah 11:4. and the burning lampe deliverance from it, or salvation out of it; as Isaiah 62:1. and that in this order, first the furnate of affliction, and then the lampe of salvation.

Genesis 15:18

have I given] Gods promises for the future, are oft times set downe, as already performed, by reason of his faithfulnesse, and infallibility.

from the river] Which some expound to be from the fountaine of Euphrates to the fall; most take it for the River Nilus, or for a branch of it running betwixt Pelusium and Rhinocotura, or Rhinocolura, so named from the severity of an Egyptian King, cutting off the noses of notorious theeves and malefactors, and banishing them to that place, Diodor. Sic. lib. 2. cap. 1. Some derive this River from the mountaines of Kedar, and some affirme it hath not its Originall and supply from the earth, Page [unnumbered] <>but from heaven by raine, and therefore it is called by such a name in Latine as signifieth a Brooke, which sometimes may be dry; howsoever, it bordereth on the South part of Palestine, or the Land of Canaan. The usuall limits of the Land of Canaan are noted for the Longitude to be from Dan, a (Northerne Citie situate at the foot of Mount Lebanon) to Bersheba (a Southern citie in the Tribe of Simeon) that is, about an hundred and sixty miles in length, and the latitude or breadth from Jordan in the East to the great Sea Westward which is about eighteene miles, Adrichom. Delph. Epist.

Prefixt. Theatr. terr. Sanct. and in the 34. of Numbers where the parts of the Land of Canaan were most exactly described, it is confined farre short of the extent here set downe; but we are to conceive that this promise was not made personally to Abram, but for his posterity, and to be made good by degrees, for all that the Israelites possessed they had not at once; Exodus 23:29. nor in the same manner and tenure, for they had the Land of Canaan in possession, afterwards the seed of Abram had the dominion of other Countreys, according to the amplitude of the promise in this place; as we see, 1 Kings 4:21. or if they had not, the cause was in their breach of covenant with God, not in Gods with them.

great river] (John 1:4.) The River Euphrates was called the great river, not that of it selfe it was greater then any other, but for that by the falling of Tygris into it it swelled beyond the breadth of other rivers.

Genesis 15:19

The Kenites] Are thought to be the same with the Midianites, Judg. 1. 16. compared with Exodus 3:1. Here are reckoned tnne sorts of people in Canaan, which by mixture, or diminution of some of them, afterwards were reduced to seven, as they are distinctly named, and definitely numbred, Deuteronomy 7:1.

the Kenezites] These are thought to be the off-spring of Kenaz a Duke of Esaus race, Genesis 36:15; Genesis 36:42. and more usually styled Iumeans: and though those that dwelt in Mount Sei might not be medled with, (God having made an expresse prohibition even to a foot of ground, Deuteronomy 2:4-5.) yet this seemeth not to be generall in regard of persons, nor of times, for the Edomites that descended from sau and bare his name (for one of his names was Edom) were all of them subdued by David, and brought under servitude, 2 Samuel 8:14.

Genesis 15:21

Canaanites] That name is sometime taken generally for any one of the Land of Canaan, and sometime specially, as here, and Deuteronomy 7:1. for a particular sort of Canaanites, who for something notable above the rest retained the name of the whole Nation. See Annot. on Chap. 13. vers. 7.