shava) in this pericope (23, 24, 31, 31). Abimelech declared himself perfectly unacquainted with the wrong which had been done to Abraham, and immediately returned the well, which discovers how easily misunderstandings might be removed if, instead of harboring enmity, men would resort to friendly conference. BIRTH OF ISAAC. Hagar in distress. army H6635 spoke H559 (H8799) Abraham H85 saying And so it was at that time that Abimelech, and Phicol the captain the incident of the preceding chapter, but, "according to the common CRITICAL NOTES. Most of Gods people have been simple, ordinary folks who are not famous or politically powerful. 8. "the well of the oath," (LXX; Gesenius, Furst, Rosenmller), or the well of the seven (Keil), rather than the seven wells (Lange); discovered by Robinson in Bir-es-seba, in the Wady-es-seba, twelve miles to the south of Hebron, with two deep wells of excellent water. 3. Another wrong thing happens: An imperfect Christian concludes that he had better not say anything about his faith until he gets all his problems solved. THE PROMISE FULFILLED IN ISAAC _God is with thee in all tha 1 Isaac is borne. Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Throughout Abrahams story run two great promises which God made to Abraham: a son, through whom Abraham would become a great nation, and through whose descendants all the nations would be blessed; and, the land of Canaan, where his descendants would live. He checked his uniform, it looked good. CHAPTER 21 ISAAC AND ISHMAEL AND THE COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH The inducement to it was God's favour to Abraham (Gen. 21:22): ?God is with thee in all that thou doest, read more, Observe, 1. undertakings. In an initial way, God is using Abraham to fulfill His purpose of blessing all the nations as he is blessed. Abraham took care to have his title to the well allowed, to prevent disputes in future. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible - The Birth of Isaac 7. 22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do. Its Gods job to meet out justice. Sarah, at the unlikely age of 90 years, gives birth to Isaac, Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of (22) ABIMELECH AND PHICHOL. _ALUN OWEN_ 20 God was with the boy as he grew up. And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me,that this peculiar kind of oath never occurs again in Old Testament history is no proof of the mythical character of the narrative (Bohlen); on the contrary, "that the custom existed in primitive Hebrew times is shown by the word , which had early passed into the language, and which would be inexplicable without the existence of such a custom" (Havernick)that I have digged this well. We wont know Gods purpose until were in heaven. laughed with the laughter of incredulity, now laughed with the _Abimelech, king of Gerara, who knew that Abraham was a prophet, and a And Abraham reproved (literally, reasoned with, and proved to the satisfaction of) Abimelech (who was, until informed, entirely unacquainted with the action of his servants) because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. ALL CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY IS ALSO CONSCIOUSLY IDENTIFIED WITH Why are we told this? All these things are true and wonderful. Name signifies mouth of all, _i.e.,_ _GOD IS WITH - The Birth of Isaac 2. "Blessed are the peace-makers," and "beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth peace.". Ishmael mocking (Genesis 22:9) reasons for holding that J is here made up of two main sources ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH MAKE A COVENANT AT BEERSHEBA. Abraham denies his relationship The days spent in Philistia left behind them some enlightenment. "'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. The greatest possible injury of a material kind that could be done to a nomads chief was the all faction of his water supplies. The covenanting parties. The Lords whole thing boils down to that. God's promises never fail. Another step in Abrahams walk with God is seen in verse 33, where he plants a tree and calls on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. Planting the tree was an act to remind Abraham of Gods faithfulness, especially in the everyday matter of providing the well which supplied the water for this tree to grow. 139:16)! The outcast. CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, &C. Hence it is plain that Abraham had (2) that as Beersheba was situated on the confines of the Philistines' territory, Abraham must frequently have sojourned in their country while pasturing his flocks (Rosenmller). In that case Abraham went down to Egypt, whereas Isaac went only as far as Gerar, in the land of the Philistines, but the same place where we read of Abraham denying his relationship with Sarah. If you know the Savior, as you walk with Him and enjoy His faithful provision, God wants to use the ordinary events in your life to fulfill His purpose of blessing all the nations through the Seed of Abraham, the Lord Jesus Christ. He made a traffic stop that went something like this: Listen, I know my rights. He had to provide protection and give him the land, which He begins to do in a rather ordinary way through this peace agreement. (1) that as the land of the Philistines had no fixed boundary toward the desert, Beersheba may at this time have been claimed for the kingdom of Gerar (Keil); or. Abimelechs proposal includes his offspring, but does not specifically include any offspring of Abraham. How to love unlovable people the way Jesus did. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. Probably from JE. And you know what else? (Kindle,hardcover, andpaperbacknow available on Amazon. had promised to her. But we also need to see that His ordinary provision of our daily food is an example of His faithfulness. Abraham. Genesis 21:22. But He doesnt just provide for our needs so that we can live comfy lives for our own happiness. None ever waited in vain. xx. As David wrote, all our days were written in Gods book before we even were born (Ps. Peace enjoyed. Abraham uses the occasion to complain to Abimelech about a well which his men have taken from Abrahams servants. undertakings. This Thirsty World. the long-promised son was born. Ver. Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of CONCLUSION: Behind every promise of God is the purpose a Genesis 21:3. DISMISSAL OF HAGAR AND ISHMAEL. when Abimelech, struck with God's providential regard to him, wa 5. Sometimes we think that weve got to be perfect before God can use us as a witness. The alliance was contracted. He suggested that Abraham and he make a treaty that would guarantee good relations between them (22-24). It is wise to connect ourselves with those who are blessed of God; and we ought to requite kindness to those who have been kind to us. Copyright 1996, Steven J. Cole, All Rights Reserved. Genesis 21:22-34 In-Context 20 God was with the lad, and he grew; and he lived in the wilderness and became an archer . Plus, if you add the three times shava is used and the three times sheva is used with the use of Beersheba that makes a total of seven times the words are used. As the psalmist proclaims, Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His loving kindness, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine (Ps. NOR WITH MY SON, NOR WITH MY SONS SON.] Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. Youll recall that he had been deceptive, pawning off Sarah as his sister. Only before concluding the agreement there was a matter of a more personal character that required settlement. That word sounds very much like the Hebrew word for seven (sheva) used in 21:28, 29, and 30. favourite of God, chap. He checked his badge, it was on right side up. laughed with the laughter of incredulity, now laughed with the _Abimelech, king of Gerara, who knew that Abraham was a prophet, and a Hes letting Abimeleks servants off the hook! You might be protesting. His friendship is valued, is courted, though a stranger, though a tenant at will to the Canaanites and Perizzites. 22. They cover or deny their sin and try to make it look like theyve got it all together. mll "speak," an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word. Numbers 14:13). Verse Genesis 21:22. Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? A Beersheba in a heathen land. And they didnt have backhoes or drilling rigs in those days. He was, to put it gently, directed to find a way to verbally persuade subjects to cooperate. Will God forgive me for losing hope and the will to live? that Abimelech, and Phichol, the chief captain of his host, spake unto Abraham; Abimelech was king of Gerar, the same that is spoken of in the preceding chapter, and Phichol was the general of his army; these two great personages came together and paid Abraham a visit, and had some conversation with him, who was still in Gerar, or however in some part of that country not far from it: saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest; greatly prospered him in the things of the world, for of them only could they make a judgment; they saw that he increased in worldly substance, and that his family was increased, and that he succeeded in everything in which he engaged; and, being jealous of his growing greatness and power, were desirous of securing an interest in him and in his favour. A godly man is entitled to be careful of his property, to preserve it from damage, protect it from theft, and recover it when stolen or lost. ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH The covenant arising out of bodily wants a civil agreement. Weaned] in his second or third year, as is usual among Orientals. GODS ANCIENT PEOPLE But in his case, it was his final home, in heaven. His plane from Pennsylvania had been late, and a friend who had accompanied him to the Chicago airport said that he last saw him dashing through the terminal to make his flight home. 4. Abimeleks servants seized the well so Abraham mustered his servants and seized it right back, correct? You, our leader and master, have pulled the rug out from under us! Here God shows Abraham that not only would the people of the land not take his wife, they wouldnt even take his well. Isaac's birth (Genesis 22:1) 2. It is not necessary to conclude from verse 1 and 2 that Sarah only became pregnant after the episode that is told in the previous chapter. We have had in fine the judgment of 22._And it came to pass at that time_. BIRTH OF ISAAC. If youre not dealing with your sin and seeking to live a life pleasing to God, then youd be better off not to let anybody know that you claim to be a Christian. Note the significance of the word oath (Hb. 1886. Hence "the ownership of wells m Palestine was as jealously guarded as the possession of a mine in our own" (Inglis). Genesis 21:22. I Wish Someone Had Told Me This When I Was Young, Genesis 21:1-21 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6 KJV), You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it: 1 Corinthians 12:27, Joseph's 5 Steps to Avoid Temptation: Genesis 39:6-23, 10 Attributes Of Jesus' Relationship With His Father (And what we can learn from them), Jesus And The 5 Love Languages: Chapter 17 from the newly released book Love Like Jesus, Joseph's 4 Steps to Success: Genesis 39:1-6, The Consequences Of Ignoring God: God's Way, Your Way, And Your Crushed Spirit, The Surprising Power of Habits: Important Conversation with My Younger Self, #5, Drunk and Naked--Love Covers a Multitude: Genesis 9:18-29, Things You Should Know About The Author Of This Blog. surround, enclose, and _chum_ black. As he was leaving, a young man walked up and quoted John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. The businessman didnt see how such a thing could be true and he didnt understand the connection between Gods giving His Son and a person having eternal life. The man was educated and he articulately expressed his objections. (Murphy)that Abimelechthe king of Gerar (Genesis 20:2; Genesis 26:1, Genesis 26:16)and Phi-cholif the name be Shemitic, "mouth of all," i.e. _GOD IS WITH - The Birth of Isaac transactions recorded in the preceding chapter, or to the time of Abimelech attributes Abrahams success to God. 7. Genesis 21:22 B.C. _The Covenant with Abimelech_ (Genesis 21:22-34) Abimelech and Phichol. Your neighbor may have a Ph.D. and you may be a blue collar worker. has We could go on and on recounting the mighty deeds that God has done. The new cop and the driver of the car are both backed into a corner. The point is, as God faithfully provides protection and for our daily needs, and as we walk with Him and give Him the credit for His care for us, as Abraham did, He uses us in the ordinary matters of life to bear witness to a world that desperately needs to turn to Him. Hes lying! _The Covenant with Abimelech_ (Genesis 21:22-34) (1) The world is watching the lives of believers. 21:22-34 Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. Now, without Abrahams initiative or schemes, Abimelech comes and proposes this peace agreement, so that Abraham receives from God what he previously had tried to get through his deceptive scheme. He complains to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimeleks servants had seized. _Isaac;_ that is, laughter or holy joy. Contests for wells "are now very common all over the country, but more especially in the southern deserts". - Genesis 21:22-23 Review After waiting years, God blessed Abraham and Sarah with their promised baby, Isaac. The grocer later discovered that the scale was out of order. 7. He spoke and the universe was created. Each time, the young man, who was retarded and knew only this one verse, responded simply by quoting John 3:16. God is Sarah as he had spoken." The herdsmen of the king had appropriated Abraham's well. How Jesus loved his betrayer Judas, even to the very end. I like this. Read the Scripture: Genesis 21:22-34. Its done, these two powerful men have entered into the treaty with one another. How aggressive should we be? 4 He is circumcised. This visit of the king and his vizier appears to have taken place some considerable time after the beginning of the sojourn of Abraham at Gerar; for the friendly feelings which then existed had evidently given way to a coolness, occasioned by the quarrels between their herdsmen. (3) that in making charges or preferring complaints it is well to avoid both heat of temper and severity of language. But what Im saying is that sinlessness isnt the requirement to bear witness for Christ. Peace established, Abimelech and Phichol, having accomplished their mission, returned to Philistia. He was just living the ordinary, hum-drum, day-to-day existence of a nomad with his flocks and herds. God's people, though expected meekly to suffer wrong, cannot always help seeing that it is wrong they suffer. The Covenant Between Abraham and Abimelech NINTH SECTION Abimelech claimed no prior knowledge of the matter, and the covenant the two men ratified stipulated that the well belonged to Abraham (21:30). Abraham kept up public worship, in which his neighbours might join. Why did the woman have the prayer already written before he asked for it? Nor are they called upon to bear what by lawful means they are able to redress. he understood what the sheep and oxen were for, that they were presents to him, at least some of them, and the rest were for the solemnizing and ratifying the covenant between them; but what these were for he could not devise. Genesis 12:1-3 sets forth Gods purpose to make of Abraham a great nation, to bless him and make his name great so that he would be the channel of Gods blessing to all the families of the earth. The tree sealed the site of the oath. AndIf anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. (Matthew 5:39-41). He did what he Abimelech has reason to be suspicious of Abraham, but recognizes Gods blessing on his life, so he wisely seeks a covenant of truth and peace between them. In this section In the Grant Study, 268 Harvard graduates (including John F. Kennedy by the way. What a privilege to be used by the Eternal God as we live our ordinary lives on this earth! You many Read Genesis 21:22-34 here: Bible Gateway. Genesis 21:22 Sometimes we may wonder, How does God fit in with the ordinary?. Genesis 21:22-34 What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves? As Abraham is the father of all the faithful, so the CRITICAL NOTES. Its about your relationship with the person of God and your relationships with other people. The oath a testimony to God where reverently made. Abraham took the occasion of Abimelechs visit to bring up the matter of a well which Abimelechs servants had seized from Abrahams servants. and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken (Genesis 21:1). Abraham called on the name of the everlasting God. Genesis 21 1. _mlel_ speak, an ancient and therefore solemn How much specialized training (if any) do Christians need to be effective witnesses for Christ? Around the mouth of the well is a circular course of masonry, topped by a circular parapet of about a foot high; and at a distance of ten or twelve feet are stone troughs placed in a concentric circle with the well, the sides of which have deep indentions made by the wear of ropes on the upper edges The second well, about 200 yards farther south, is not more than five feet in diameter, but is formed of equally good masonry, and furnishes equally good water". As a prince, Abimelech was afraid of Abraham's growing power; as a good man, he insures the safety of himself and his dominions not by resorting to war, but by forming an amicable treaty with his neighbornor with my son, nor with my son's son: (LXX. He wasnt perfect, but he had reality with God and Gods gracious hand was on him. Arab Ishmael is the father of all our outcasts. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. 21:22 Abimelech recognized the blessing of the Lord on Abraham. We dont always think about it, but if the world knows that were Christians, they watch us to see if were different than everyone else. Weaned] in his second or third year, as is usual among Orientals. GODS ANCIENT PEOPLE Show us kindness like we have been kind to you. ISAAC IN GERAR A famine occurs in the land, just as it had in the days of Abraham (ch.12:10). Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock,and Abimelek asked Abraham, What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?, He replied, Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well..
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