Genesis 16
DOYLY— and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.] Shall tabernacle: for many of the Arabs dwell in tents, and are therefore called Scenites, from a Greek word, signifying a tent. They dwelt in tents in the wilderness as long ago as Isaiah’s and Jeremiah’s time, Is. xiii. 20; Jer. iii. 2; and they do the same at this day. This is very extraordinary, that “his hand should be against every man, and every man’s hand against him;” and yet that he should be able to “dwell in the presence of all his brethren:” but extraordinary as it was, this also hath been accomplished both in the person of Ishmael, and in his posterity. As for Ishmael himself, the sacred historian afterwards relates, chap. xxv. 17, 18, that “the years of the life of Ishmael were an hundred and thirty and seven years, and he died in the presence of all his brethren.” As for his posterity, they dwelt likewise in the presence of all their brethren; Abraham’s sons by Keturah; the Moabites and Ammonites, descendants of Lot; the Israelites, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and the Edomites, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau. They still subsist a distinct people, and inhabit the country of their progenitors: they have from first to last maintained their independency; and notwithstanding the most powerful efforts for their destruction, still dwell in the presence of all their brethren, and in the presence of all their enemies. Bp. Newton.
The region inhabited by the Arabs is not remote or insulated, separated from social life, and therefore exempt from the influence, which naturally results from intercourse with other countries. It is situated in that portion of the globe, in which society originated, and the first kingdoms were formed. The greatest empires of the world arose and fell around them. They have not been secluded from correspondence with foreign nations; and thus attached through ignorance and prejudice to simple and primitive manners. In the early periods of history they were united as allies to the most powerful monarchs of the East: under their victorious prophet they once carried their arms over the most considerable kingdoms of the earth: through many succeeding ages the caravans of the merchant, and the companies of Mahometan pilgrims, passed regularly over the deserts: even their religion has undergone a total change. Yet all these circumstances, which, it might be supposed, would have subdued the most stubborn prejudices, and altered the most inveterate habits, have produced no effect upon the Arabs: and they still preserve unim-
a Chap. 25. 18. Ishmael born. God reneweth the covenant. Before CHRIST 1911. b Chap. 24. 62. I That is, the well of him that loveth and seeth me. 1910. God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
Genesis 16:2
- — I will make my covenant] Establish, and confirm, and give a token of it: it was made before. See ch. xii. 2. Bp. Patrick.
Genesis 16:4
- — thou shalt be a father of many nations.] Not only of Jews, and Ishmaelites, and others; but in the spiritual sense, of all the Gentile world. Bp. Patrick.
Genesis 16:5
- Neither shall thy name &c.] Abram means, a high father; Abraham, a father of a great multitude. Bp. Patrick, Calmet.
Genesis 16:6
- — kings shall come out of thee.] Many kings sprang from Abraham; of the Jews, Ishmaelites, Idumeans, Midianites, and our great King the Messiah. Bp. Kidder.
Genesis 16:7
- — to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.] The family of Abraham was to be disciplined as a select people, and God in a peculiar sense engaged to be a God unto him and to his seed after him. Whilst other nations seemed to be neglected, and left to follow their own imaginations, He prescribed them a body of laws, as their proper head and governour; and, by a continued series of typical prefigurations, prepared them for the acknowledgment and reception of that great Deliverer, who had been promised from the beginning. Dr. Berriman. This is the first place in all the Scriptures, wherein God promises in express terms to be a God to any people. Afterwards indeed He often repeated the same thing by His prophets, saying, “I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” But these words were only as the transcripts of this covenant: this was the original copy; the first grant here made to Abraham and to his seed. Bp. Beveridge.
Genesis 16:8
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— Hagar, Sarai’s maid.] He addresses her as Sarai’s maid, to put Hagar in mind of her relation and duty. Bp. Wilson.
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— for an everlasting possession.] The word “everlasting” is to be understood according to the capacity of the subject; sometimes for a perpetual duration; sometimes for as long as the world shall last: according to God’s appointment or purpose. Bp. Wilson. Abraham’s seed were to “possess” the land, if they did not forfeit it by their disobedience to God. Bp. Patrick.
Genesis 16:10
- — I will multiply &c.] The angel delivers this message in the name of God who sent him. Bp. Patrick. He speaks in the person of God, and by Hagar is acknowledged as God, ver. 13, which seems to some to intimate, that it was the Son of God, who appeared. Bp. Kidder.
— multiply thy seed exceedingly.] In a few years the family of her son Ishmael was so increased, that in the 37th chapter we read of Ishmaelites trading into Egypt. Afterwards his seed was multiplied exceedingly in the Hagarenes, probably so called from his mother Hagar; and in the Nabatheans, who had their name from his son Nebaioth; and in the Itureans, so called from his son Jetur or Itur; and in the Arabs, especially the Scenites, and the Saracens, who overran a great part of the world: and his descendants, the Arabs, are a very numerous people at this day. Bp. Newton.
- This is my covenant.] That is, this which I am about to mention, is a sign or token of the covenant; as the Paschal Lamb is called “the Passover of the Lord,” Exod. xii. 11, that is, the memorial of the angel’s passing them by, when he smote the Egyptian children. But circumcision was such a sign, that they entered thereby into a covenant with God to be his people. For it was not a mere mark, whereby they should be known to be Abraham’s seed, and distinguished from other nations; but they were made by this the children of the covenant, and entitled to the blessings of it. This mark
Genesis 16:12
- And he will be a wild man.] Live in a rambling unsettled state. Dr. Wells. It is in the original a wild man; meaning as wild as a wild ass: so that that should be eminently true of him, which is affirmed of mankind in general, “Man is born like a wild ass’s colt,” Job xi. 12. The nature of the creature, to which Ishmael is compared, cannot be described better than in the same book, (chap. xxxix. 5, &c.:) according to which Ishmael and his posterity were to be wild, fierce, savage, ranging in the deserts, and not easily softened and tamed to society. And whoever hath read or known any thing of this people, knoweth this to be their true and genuine character. Bp. Newton.
— his hand will be against every man, &c.] The one is the natural and almost necessary consequence of the other. Ishmael lived by prey and rapine in the wilderness; and his posterity have all along infested Arabia and the neighbouring countries with their robberies and incursions. They live in a state of continual war with the rest of the world; and are both robbers by land, and pirates by sea. As they have been such enemies to mankind, it is no wonder that mankind have been enemies to them again: that several attempts have been made to extirpate them; and even now, as well as formerly, travellers are forced to go with arms and in caravans or large companies, and to march and keep watch and guard like a little army, to defend themselves from the assaults of these freebooters. Bp. Newton.
The Arabs are naturally thievish and treacherous: and it sometimes happens that those very persons are overtaken and pillaged in the morning, who were entertained the night before with all the instances of friendship and hospitality. Neither are they to be accused
Genesis 16:13
- — for she said, Have I also here &c.] That is, Have I not here also, even in the waste desert, and not only in the house of Abram, seen that good God of mine, which hath first graciously looked upon me and mine affliction? Bp. Hall. Chap. XVII. ver. 1. — I am the Almighty God.] Or All-sufficient. This is the first time we meet with this name. And God plainly uses it here, to confirm His covenant; that Abram might more firmly believe, that He was able to perform what He promised, seeing He was “God Almighty.” Bp. Beveridge. — perfect.] See note on chap. vi. 9.