Genesis 21

Genesis 21:1

God visited Sarah, (i. e.) granted the mercy he had promised; ch. 1. 24, 25. Exod. iv

Genesis 21:31

Ruth i. 6. I Sam. ii. 21. Job x. 12. Luke i. 68. Ver. 3. i. e. Laughter, so called because of his father’s believing, and his mother’s unbelieving, laughter at the promise of his birth, and because of their great joy at the fulfilment of it; ch. xvii. 17. and xviii. 12. ver. 6. Is. liv. 1. Ver. 12. Isaac, as thine heir, shall bear and propagate thy name; and the promised seed and land, and the spiritual prerogatives, shall be entailed upon him; Rom. ix. 7, 8. Heb. xi. 8. Ver. 14. Bread and water include all necessary provision; of which, it is probable, they had sufficient to have served them till they had gotten to Hagar’s friends in Egypt, had they not lost their way. Ver. 25—30.—In these hot countries a well was of great value; ch. xxvi. 18, 20, 21. Abimelech’s acceptance of the seven owe lambs imported his renunciation of all claim to this well. G Ver

Genesis 21:33

The planting of groves, for the opportunity of greater retirement when worshipping God, being afterwards abused to promote idolatry and superstition, was forbidden; Exod. xxxiv. 13. Dent. xvi. 21

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XXI.—What a pleasure God sometimes takes to delay the fulfilment of promises, till it becomes, humanly speaking, improbable, if not impossible, for the trial of our faith and patience; but he never defers it a moment beyond the due time; and the joys which attend the seasonable fulfilment thereof are great and certain; and yet even then our attempts to anticipate it often mingle our joys with wormwood and gall! How proper, in all our straits, to consult the Lord; and to request and hope for his watchful care over our relations, particularly such as are exposed to dangers! Let my care be to honour God in all my conduct, and he will take care to honour me before the world, as is good in his sight.—And, while Sarah and her family rejoice over her son, let me, let all the redeemed, rejoice that to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, whose name is Wonderful; and that God in him hath made us, like Isaac, children of the promise! Let us Gentiles rejoice that, while the Hebrews are, like Ishmael, cast out to be wandering, wild, and lated, we are called to the fellowship of the sons of God! Here, likewise, let us observe how sharply God corrects those who have been insolent despisers of others; and how near the most seasonable mercies may be, whilst we perceive them not!