Genesis 17

Genesis 17:1

ALmighty] The word is Shaddai signifying Almighty; for God can doe any thing, Job. 42. 2. The Geneva renders it alsufficient, and so must he needs be, who is Almighty; this is a good ground of Abrahams beliefe of all the promises of God, though in things above nature, or against it.

Before me (Genesis 4. 15. Psalms 116:9. 1 Kings 8:25.) That is, whither soever thou goest have me still in thy thought to believe what I tell thee, and to doe what I bid thee. See 1 Kings 2:4. and Chap. 3. 5: 6. 2 Kings 20:3.

Be perfect] or upright and sincere. The way to perfection is so to live with men, as to consider God a looker on for all a man doth, and so to converse with God, as if men were spectators of his most private actions. See Annot. in Chap. 6. 5: 9.

Genesis 17:2

Make my Covenant] That is, renew it, or establish it being made, as vers. 7. Lev. 9. 24. Ezekiel 3:23. Daniel 8:17.

Genesis 17:3

Fell] Prostrate adoration is not unsutable to gratulation, or rejoycing. See ver. 17.

Genesis 17:4

many nations] Hebr. a multitude of nations.

Genesis 17:5

thy name] Ab signifieth Father; ram, high; so that Abram signifyeth high Father, and the letter [he] inserted, maketh the name to end in ham, and Ham is the first syllable of Hamon signifying a multitude, and that multitude includeth many Nations, Romans 4:17. the Gentiles, as well as the Israelites, and those not onely his naturall issue, as the Ishmaelites, Midianites, and Idumeans, but all true beleevers of what Nation soever, who are Abrahams children, Rom. 4. 11, 12. So his name now signifieth a high Father of a multitude: yet is not this name so given him, that it should be altogether unlawfull to use the other, for we see the contrary, Nehem. 9. 7. but it rather noteth Gods especiall favour, then prescribeth a necessary rule for that appellation. Some take the giving of a new name to note a Sacramentall renovation in the new sense of Circumcision which now was first added to the Covenant, and thence hath it been the practise of such as professe Religion, to give names to their children at their Circumcision. See Luke 1:59. & Chap. 2. 5: 2.

Genesis 17:7

God unto thee] I will exercise my perfections with especiall respect to thy protection, and comfort; and for thy sake to thy seed after thee. See Hebrews 8:10. Revelation 21:3.

Genesis 17:8

unto thee] See Annot. in Chap. 35. vers. 12.

stranger] Heb. of thy sojourning.

everlasting possession] So Esa. 60. 21. yet this was but upon condition of the peoples part of the Covenant, which is faith, and obedience, which broken by them, they enjoyed the Land but a little while, Esa. 63. 18. but to the repentant beleever the promise is made good by an eternall inheritance, Hebrews 9:15. 1 Peter 1:4.

Genesis 17:10

Covenant] Circumcision is called the Covenant, because it is appointed by God as a Seale of the Covenant, and hath the promise of grace joyned unto it; which is common to all Sacraments. See Exodus 12:11. Matthew 26:18. Luke 22:20. Col. 2. 12. and as it is performed as a condition of the Covenant enjoyned by God, it is a Morall obedience; as exercised through faith in Gods promise, it is Sacramentall.

Genesis 17:11

foreskin] To wit, of the genitall part, which so soone as sinne appeared was for shame kept out of sight, and which is not onely corrupt in it selfe, but the means to conveigh corruption to another, which yet God can dignifie with an holy use, in a sacramentall sense, and hereby upon this dishonourable part he hath set so much honour, according to that of the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 12:23. that many nations have willingly taken up circumcision, as an honour to themselves; and the want of it hath been sometimes upbraided by way of contempt, as 1 Samuel 17:36. The uses of circumcision were partly to distinguish Gods people from other nations, and to separate them from them; so that without they would yeeld to that, they were to have little communion with them, Genesis 34:15. Partly to signifie the cutting off of concupiscence, and the extirpation of sinne, Deuteronomy 10:16. & Deuteronomy 30:6. Jeremiah 4:4. Romans 2:29. & Romans 4:11. Phil. 3. 3.

Col. 2. 11. which cometh by that part in propagation from man to man. And partly to betoken the puritie of the promised seed, who was to have mans nature, but without any corruption, which in ordinary generation is derived from it; and withall, not onely to be a signe of Gods Covenant with Abraham, and his seed, especially the godly, but to a Seale of the righteousnesse of faith, Romans 4:11. and remission of sinnes by the bloodshedding of the promised seed, Hebrews 9:22. Some adde, that it is a type of Baptisme.

Genesis 17:12

eight dayes old] Heb. a sonne of eight dayes. Yet if the child were too weake to beare circumcision, it might be forborne till it were stronger: see Josh. 5. vers. 5, 6. but sooner then the eighth day the child was not to be circumcised, lest it should be too weake to endure the paine; nor were young cattell to be offered untill they had beene nourished seven dayes with the damme, Leviticus 22:27. and it was better for the mother who by that time might be in better case to beare her part of the severity of that Sacrament (viz. her motherly compassion for the paine of her child.) Here is a ground for Baptisme of infants; for Baptisme succeedeth succeedeth in the place of Circumcision, as the Sacrament of admission, or entrance into the Church, Col. 2. 12.

Genesis 17:13

He that is borne] All the males of his family, whether natives or strangers, bond or free, must needs be circumcised, so are the words of this verse; which is to be understood of the children of strangers, for none of them, if of age to consent or dissent, was to be compelled to be circumcised; for Circumcision was to be used but as a token of the covenant, vers. 11. and he that was out of the covenant (as all those who were not of Abrahams seed by the free woman were, unlesse they were Proselytes, and willingly betook themselves to the profession of the Religion of Abraham, and then they were Abrahams spirituall, though not his carnall, posteritie) was kept out from Circumcision also; upon this ground it is probably conceived that neither Ishmael nor Esau, if they had beene out of the families of their fathers, had beene bound to receive Circumcision.

everlasting] The word Olam, or Ghnolam, in the Originall is sometimes referred to the time past, as remember the dayes of old, remove not the ancient land marke, Proverbs 22:28. The word rendred old, and ancient, is Olam, or Ghnolam in both places. Sometimes it is taken for the time to come, and that either for terme of life, as Deuteronomy 15:17. or for some long duration, determined by some notable change, or alteration of things; as the doores of the Temple are called everlasting doores, Psalms 24:9. by which the King of glory, that is, the Arke, with Gods especiall presence betweene the Cherubims, 1 Samuel 4:4. was to enter; yet those doores were destroyed with the Temple, and in the ruine of it after the coming of Christ, was Circumcision, and other ordinances of the old Priesthood at an end; see Hebrews 7:12. Chap. 8. vers. 9, 10. and the Covenant may be said to be everlasting, in respect of the spirituall part, for which Circumcision was ordained; and in respect of the long continuance of the outward ceremonie.

Genesis 17:14

cut off] Which cutting off may be conceived to be of three kinds; 1. By capitall punishment by the Magistrate on such as were bound unto it and did contemne it. 2. By excommunication of them as not appertaining to the people of God. 3. By Divine judgement where the former means were not or could not with conveniencie be used. But howsoever it fell out with offenders of full age, (for it is doubtfull how this cutting off should be understood) yet it cannot be meant of Infants; for though the Septuagint adde to child [eight dayes old] that is not in the Hebrew Text, nor can they be said to breake the Covenant, who can doe nothing that belongeth to the keeping of it; and the words from the originall may be read thus, The male that doth not circumcise the fore-skinne of his flesh: that is, who could doe it himselfe, or actually consent to the doing of it by another and would not: they then by whose default Circumcision is omitted here are threatned, and so we see that Moses, who should have circumcised his child, was in danger to be killed, not the child it selfe, Exod. 4. vers. 24, 25. Besides that the want of Circumcision (except in case of contempt or wilfull neglect) was not so perillous, and penall, (as to be punished with cutting off) may appeare by the omission of it for fourty yeares in the wildernesse, Joshua 5:7. which is not yet reproved in the Scripture; and the Passeover prescribed to be kept the fourteenth day of the first moneth upon the same termes, as an Ordinance for ever, Exodus 12:14. 16. and on the same penaltie, vers. 15. might yet upon extraordinary occasion be put off untill the fourteenth day of the second moneth, Num. 9. 10, 11. and was omitted for the most part during the Israelites journeying in the wildernesse; for it was celebrated but once in fourtie yeares, nor was to be eaten by any that was not circumcised.

There was then no such necessitie to salvation either of the one, or the other, as that damnation should be the punishment of a meere omission, especially in Infants not capable either of the command, or contempt; yet if any not circumcised in his childhood should when he were come to ripenesse of yeares refuse the Sacrament, he would become guiltie of the contempt of God in it, and so would deserve to be cut off either by the hand of the Magistrate, or by excommunication out of the Church, or by the Justice of God, as in the case of Moses before mentioned; and if he continued in that contumacie, he deserved to be cut off from all communion of the Saints both on earth, and in heaven: The like commination is made for the breach of other temporarie ordinances, as Exodus 12:15. & Chap. 31. 14. Leviticus 7:20. & Chap. 10. 6, 7. 9.

Genesis 17:15

but Sarah] That name Sarai (as some expound it) signifieth my Lady, or Princesse, or in the plurall Number, my Princesses: they that gave her that name wisht her much honour, and with her name at least in their affection prophecied of it; but that name having a terme of restriction my is not so honourable as that which is given her by God: For now as her husbands name was changed to note the multiplicitie of his seed, so is hers for the same reason, I changed into H, the first letter of Hamon signifying multitude, for she was to be a fruitfull mother of much people, by the spreading of Isaacs posteritie, her naturall sonne; and by m ultiplying spirituall daughters, 1 Per. 3. 6. so that though she was but a Lady of a particular family now, she was to have a female preeminence of much larger extent and compasse.

Genesis 17:17

fell upon his face] See Annot. on vers. 3.

laughed] (Psalms 126:2.) This laughing is of admiration at Gods favour, not of distrust in his power, Romans 4:19-20. though he had hitherto found an indisposition in his body to beget a child, and having beene so long without, he could not but entertaine the promise by way of wonder and rejoycing; and in this rejoycing his faith might reach as farre as the joy of the Messiah, Luke 2:10. for our Saviour saith, he saw his day and rejoyced in it, John 8:56. and it might be strange to him, that Sarah whose present condition was past hope of conception, should now bring forth; and that himselfe having so long been onely an husband, should now and not before begin to be a father, and that they both should be fruitfull in age, who in youth had beene barren.

an hundred yeares old] His yeares at that age of the world seeme not in themselves to be any great impediment to procreation of children; and we read long after this, that Cato the famous Censor was father of a child at eighty yeares of age; and King Massinissa at eighty sixe yeares. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 14. But there was somewhat more in Abrahams case then mere age to make the promise more admired, and that was, that he found an indisposition of body to beget, as if (as to that purpose) it were dead, as the Apostle speaketh, Romans 4:19. If it be said, that thirty seven yeares after this, when Sarah was dead and buried his body was not so dead, but that he married againe and had sixe children by Keturah, Genesis 25:1-2. It is true, and therein God might shew his power in rening his vigour as the youth of an Eagle Psalms 103:5.

And shall Sarah] The matter was more strange that Sarah now should be a mother, then that Abraham should be a father, (though the same reason be rendred for it, that is, the barrennesse of both, Romans 4:19) for as females are marriageable sooner then males, and so may be mothers younger then the male kinde are fathers, so the vertue and power of conception ceaseth sooner then in men, as when they are about fifty yeares old. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 14. whereas it is usuall with men after that age to be fathers of children.

Genesis 17:18

O that Ishmael] His affection to Ishmael whom he knew, makes him lesse glad of Isaac, whom yet he knew not. Ignorance of better makes many take up their content with the worse; so many embrace the present world with little longing after the future, though much more worthy both of desire and endevour, because they have none acquaintance with it: yet Abraham sheweth h imselfe a pious and an indulgent father, wishing he might live in Gods sight; that is, in his favour, as in the light of his countenance, Psalms 4:6. for favour is signified by sight, as displeasure by hiding of the eyes, Isaiah 59:2.

Genesis 17:19

call his name Isaac] Which signifieth Laughter, from his laughing, not from hers, for yet she had not laughed at the promise: Or, he might have his name of laughter for the joy that both of them might have by the birth of so hopefull a onne.

everlasting] See Annot. on vers. 13.

Genesis 17:20

Twelve Princes] Genesis 25:16.

Genesis 17:21

But my covenant] He promiseth to Ishmael a numerous and noble progenie of twelve Princes, vers. 20. but his principall blessing which is spirituall, he will settle upon Isaac by solemne covenant.

Genesis 17:22

went up] He withdrew the demonstrations of his especiall presence, as Genesis 35:13. Judg. 13. 20.

Genesis 17:23

the selfe same day] They were well instructed which so readily obeyed to be circumcised without resistance; Which thing declareth that masters in their houses, ought to be as Preachers to their families, that from the highest to the lowest they may obey the will of God. And it declareth likewise that this Sacrament was at first esStablished by undoubted assurance of Divine Revelation; for if by any authoritie inferiour to that it had beene proposed, it would have beene rejected with indignation, and disdaine, as a thing both shamefull, and painefull, and, in respect of tender infants, sinfull: no wise father, nor tender hearred mother, would ever have given consent to shed the bloud of their little infant but of eight dayes old; but the Majestie of the Lord so appeared with the appointment, that Abraham and his family were soone perswaded to it.

Genesis 17:24

ninetie yeares old and nine] The age of Abraham is five severall times exactly noted in the Scripture, Genesis 12:4. & Genesis 16:16. and in this place, and 25. 7. with the variations of increase; which sheweth Gods vigilant providence over the persons, and passages of the faithfull, and the estimation he hath of them in preserving their memory, Psal. 1 12. 6. whereas the name of the wicked shall rot, Proverbs 10:7.

Genesis 17:25

thirteene yeares old] Hence the Arabians as the posteritie of Ishmael going rather by example then by rule, use Circumcision not the eighth day but at the thirteenth yeare, Josephus Antiq. lib. 1. at the end of Chap. 12. in some Editions, and at the beginning of the 13. in others.

Genesis 17:26

was Abraham] The circumcision of Abraham, and Ishmael is especially noted, as the chiefe of that great family; to shew, that those, who are first in honour and preminence, should be most forward in obedience to Gods Ordinance, how difficult, or distastfull soever it be.

Genesis 17:27

circumcised with him] It is not said by whom, it is not like that Abraham alone did circumcise them all in one day, though (no doubt) he bore the principall part in that performance, both for the Sacrament it self, & the religious instruction, and prayer belonging to it. The moderne Jewes use Chirurgions in that service, and some are especially imployed therein, as Midwives for child-birth, who are knowne by the long and sharpened nayles of their thumbs. Of the whole manner of Circumcision, see Bux. Synag. Judaeor. 100: 2. p. 71, &c.