On the flight that crashed was a godly pastor from Southern California. When the owner asked how much she could afford, she replied, My husband was killed in the war. That led to an obsessive seven year deep dive. He complains to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimeleks servants had seized. He put a loaf of bread on the other side of the scale, and to his surprise, nothing happened. Luke 6:21. Because Abimelech had taken Sarah into his harem, God struck him and all his household with some illness and threatened to kill them if he didnt return Sarah to Abraham. 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". GENESIS 21:23. The contemplated object. This second conflict with Abimelech creates a bracket around the Isaac birth narrative. I like this. Why did she come at exactly the time the mechanism was broken? He normally didnt attend church, but he was troubled about some matters and went to church, hoping to find some relief. ISHMAEL AND ISAAC Genesis 21:1-34 ; Genesis 22:1-24 Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More. CHARACTERS: Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Hagar, Ishmael, Abimelech. Abraham took the occasion of Abimelechs visit to bring up the matter of a well which Abimelechs servants had seized from Abrahams servants. Abraham denies his relationship So they conclude that Christians are hypocrites, and they fail to see God in our lives. Hagar and Ishmael sent away. This passage chronicles a covenant between Abraham and Abimelech. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Character of God, Discipleship, Ecclesiology (The Church), Empower, Spiritual Life, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. Genesis 21 Genesis 22 Genesis 23 Genesis 24 . "Blessed are the peace-makers," and "beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth peace.". I dont have to give you my license and registration., Listen you ! Abraham decided to take a different approach. Perhaps he is unaware of the birth of Isaac. When we lived in California and would take our young children to the beach, there wasnt a second while they were playing in the waves that they were not under our watchful gaze. Should be consulted by all who wish to be well-informed on the issues alluded to by Moses. 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. _GOD IS WITH - The Birth of Isaac Sarah who at an earlier point had He did what he But thats not fair! You might be saying. *** Abimelech reenters the picture with his enforcer, Phicol. He had to provide protection and give him the land, which He begins to do in a rather ordinary way through this peace agreement. the long-promised son was born. 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. Sarah ), Posted on October 2, 2011 by Kurt Bennett, Category: Bible Study, Genesis, How Jesus Loved People - How You Can Too, I Wish Someone Had Told Me This When I Was Young, Tags: Abraham and Abimelek, Bible relationships, Christian, depression, how to be happy, how to love, love, Well of Beersheba, ive had a dream on this subject and have was awaken, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window). 1. surround, enclose, and _chum_ black. Its Gods job to meet out justice. Why did the woman have the prayer already written before he asked for it? @#$%^&* salary!. trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine His life wasnt made up of one spectacular event after another. Of _Abimelech, _ see GENESIS 20:2. And the Lord visited Sarah, as he had said, and the Lord did unto None ever waited in vain. 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. 7. _The Covenant with Abimelech_ (Genesis 21:22-34) _chemet_ bottle, akin to _chamah_, Genesis 21:22-34 . (Haydock)_ And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to GENESIS In the immediately preceding verses, God has provided Isaac and dismissed Ishmael, so that Abraham would learn that Gods promises do not depend on human schemes and effort for their fulfillment. Wherefore he called that place Beersheba. 3. Newly released book by Kurt Bennett, now available onAmazon! the three main sources, J. E, P are present. 14. (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. It hadnt worked the two times they tried it. The impelling motives. 20 God was with the boy as he grew up. What modern monarchs mostly desire at the close of exhausting campaigns is here sought before campaigns begin. See also Genesis 21:22-34 in other biblical comments: Adam Clarke Bible Commentary. (See previous post about Abraham and Abimelek). Abraham at Well it didnt turn out quite the way he expected. Verse Genesis 21:22. V2 So Sarah became *pregnant. has Why are we told this? This is also remarkable in light of Abrahams past dealings with Abimelech. He wasnt a TV evangelist. He rained down fire and brimstone to destroy wicked Sodom. Read Genesis commentary using Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise). 22-34 Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. What makes us happy? 1. How can we turn everyday situations into opportunities for telling others about Christ? Wells of water are scarce and . 22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do. read more, John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary. God's people, though expected meekly to suffer wrong, cannot always help seeing that it is wrong they suffer. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. 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. There he called on the name of the Lord, as the everlasting God; probably in the grove he planted, which was his place of prayer. Genesis 21:22 Paul at Athens adapted himself in preaching to the people's knowledge while leading them to faith.R. Youll have to put these things in yourself. With a tearful thank you, the woman took her groceries and left. He is not far from every one of us. 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. his mother took him a wife --On a father's death, the mother looks out for a wife for her son, however young; and as Ishmael was now virtually deprived of his father, his mother set about forming a marriage connection for him, it would seem, among her relatives. And it came to pass at that time,possibly in immediate sequence to the incident of the preceding chapter, but, "according to the common law of Hebrew narrative, probably not long after the birth of Isaac."(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 . Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. Abraham's name of God, Jehovah El Olam; the two revelations, the God of nature and the God of grace. So Abimelek took Sarah into his harem. 2. and poetical word. not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. The alliance was contracted. 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. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as NOR WITH MY SON, NOR WITH MY SONS SON.] Hes lying! (1) that a person cannot always be held responsible for what his servants do, (2) that it is wrong to judge on insufficient evidence with reference to the characters and conduct of others, and. V1 The *Lord had promised that he would visit Sarah. the three main sources, J. E, P are present. 21:32-34 A place to call on the name of the Lord. 4 He is circumcised. Your neighbor may have a Ph.D. and you may be a blue collar worker. @#$ %^&*^$!, Im not doin it! The LXX. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible - The Birth of Isaac 7. He added some more items, but to his consternation, still nothing happened. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. *** Abimelech reenters the picture with his enforcer, Phicol. You know what Ive learned? CHRISTI GENESISNOTE ON GENESIS 21:22 GOD IS WITH YOU IN ALL THAT YOU DO. Abimelech claimed no prior knowledge of the matter, and the covenant the two men ratified stipulated that the well belonged to Abraham (21:30). Abimelech attributes Abrahams success to God. BIRTH OF ISAAC. ISAAC IN GERAR A famine occurs in the land, just as it had in the days of Abraham (ch.12:10). Genesis 21:22-34 In-Context. 1 Kings 15:19; Isaiah 30:6; Isaiah 39:1). As Abraham is the father of all the faithful, so the The significance of this passage is Abraham finding a place in the land promised to him in safety. The next thing that happened was that the new cop pulled him through the window, arrested him, and took him down town to HQ. In seeking to bring about both of these promises, Abraham resorted to human schemes to help God out: with the son, he went in to Hagar and produced Ishmael; with regard to the land, his fears of being wiped out by the inhabitants of the land prompted him to lie about Sarah being his sister, not his wife. Ruth 1:17, and vide Genesis 14:23). God burned the words into his heart and gave him the faith to believe. THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 20 AND 21. He was just living the ordinary, hum-drum, day-to-day existence of a nomad with his flocks and herds. mercy in Christ the Lord. Sarah, at the unlikely age of 90 years, gives birth to Isaac, We wont know Gods purpose until were in heaven. 8. So he changed his plans and flew home to L.A. Two days later, he heard on the news that a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles had crashed, killing everyone on board. Phichol.] CRITICAL NOTES. (22) Abimelech and Phichol.Abimelech, that is Father-King, was the title not only of the king of Gerar, but of the kings of the Philistines generally (Genesis 26:1; 1Samuel 21:10, marg. Abimelech was impressed with Abraham's growing prosperity. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God [is] with thee in CHAPTER 21 Checking his ticket which he hadnt used, he realized that if his earlier flight to Chicago had not been cancelled, he would have been on that flight. 3. 139:16)! shava) in this pericope (23, 24, 31, 31). His calendar wasnt full of speaking engagements. Subscribe | RSS | Privacy Disclaimer. The things of this world made a channel of higher blessings. There is no reason to question the sincerity of the Philistine monarch in disclaiming all knowledge of the act of robbery committed by his servants. Which things are an. THE STORY OF ABRAHAM. laughed with the laughter of incredulity, now laughed with the _Abimelech, king of Gerara, who knew that Abraham was a prophet, and a The LXX. reasons for holding that J is here made up of two main sources ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH MAKE A COVENANT AT BEERSHEBA. A Treaty with Abimelech. Sarah At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, God is with you in everything you do. And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: , saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Youll recall that he had been deceptive, pawning off Sarah as his sister. And Abraham replies, These seven lambs are a witness that I dug the well that your servants seized. How much specialized training (if any) do Christians need to be effective witnesses for Christ? Copyright 1996, Steven J. Cole, All Rights Reserved. at the time God Himself had 22-34 Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled I. Just because youve blown it with someone in the past doesnt mean that you cant be used later to influence that person toward God. Th Genesis 21:22 time H6256 Abimelech H40 Phichol H6369 commander H8269 favourite of God, chap. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. Perhaps Abimelech had heard of how God had given Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age. "The great well has an internal diameter at the mouth of twelve feet six inches, or a circumference of nearly forty feet. 1. It seems to me that the answer is, It shows the faithfulness of God in the ordinary. Abimelech, the king who had inadvertently taken Sarah into his harem because Abraham had lied about her being his sister, pays a visit to Abraham, acknowledges that God is with him, and proposes a peace pact. THAT ABIMELECH, AND PHICHOL, THE CHIEF CAPTAIN OF HIS HOST, SPAKE And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief He checked his police cruiser, it looked good, the light bar was on. Spiritual markers remind us of the goodness of the Lord in our lives. This blessing would come through Abrahams descendant, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the first use of everlasting (Hb. 4. ); posteri et stirps (Vulgate); offspring and progeny (Kalisch); kith and kin (Murphy)but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee (vide Genesis 20:15), thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojournedthe land being put for the people (cf. Sarah, at the unlikely age of 90 years, gives birth to Isaac, In this section And, God provides for his need for water through this well. 1. Abimelechs proposal includes his offspring, but does not specifically include any offspring of Abraham. This is one of the attributes of God to His people. captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in In this section Which things are an allegory.- Galatians 4:22. His circumcision (Genesis 22:4)_ 9. law of Hebrew narrative, probably not Now the LORD visited Sarah as he had said (Genesis 21:1), Finally he blurted out, Well, thats all it will hold anyway. b. Will God forgive me for losing hope and the will to live? And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God. CRITICAL NOTES. Do we work hard or slack off? Treaty with Abimelech (21:22-34) Abraham had settled in the south of Canaan in Abimelech's territory and at Abimelech's invitation (see 20:15). God is Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers Abimelek responds, This is the first Ive heard of it. GENESIS 21:22 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.. and poetical word. How Jesus loved his betrayer Judas, even to the very end. The music and the sermon were okay, but didnt really help. that it could not be explained on merely natural grounds. Without even reading it, he put it on one side of his old-fashioned scale. The name of the Lord itself an invitation to believe and live. 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. And as a result things turned ugly. It is good to remember God's mercies, of which national and civil quietude is one of the greatest, and it is becoming to erect memorials of both privileges and obligations. had once laughed through unbelief; now being ashamed of that, she fear AndIf anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. (Matthew 5:39-41). Now therefore swear unto me here by Godthe verb to swear is derived from the Hebrew numeral seven, inasmuch as the septennary number was sacred, and oaths were confirmed either by seven sacrifices (Genesis 21:28) or by seven witnesses and pledgesthat thou wilt not deal falsely with me,literally, if thou shalt lie unto me; a common form of oath in Hebrew, in which the other member of the sentence is for emphasis left unexpressed (cf. Since were not perfect, we do one of two wrong things. ALL CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY IS ALSO CONSCIOUSLY IDENTIFIED WITH The covenanting parties. . Even as Gods kindness draws us to him, our kindness with others should point them to Him. 22. As a planter of tamarisks, the patriarch has been styled the father of civilization; it is more important to remark that he never neglected to worship God himself and publish his salvation to others. COVENANT BETWEEN Beersheba. "This scene occurs at the same time as the events of Scene 6 [ Genesis 21:1-21] but focuses on different characters and tensions. 4. A believer is invincible until it is his time to go. trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine The prince rather complains that Abraham had done him an injustice. Abimelech's treaty with Abraham 21:22-34. A son was ABIMELECHS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM. God's care for those beyond the covenant. 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. Most days, he got up, made sure his animals were being cared for, dealt with problems like sick or straying animals, servants who had squabbles, and finding enough water and food for his flocks and family. - Genesis 21:22-23 Review After waiting years, God blessed Abraham and Sarah with their promised baby, Isaac. Ver. The deal is sealed. Name signifies mouth of all, _i.e.,_ Its our job to love God and to love people. 45-46). In the story of Hagar and Ishmael, we notice: Peace enjoyed. Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? The trouble is, people can see that it isnt true. Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus). with his wi AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME,. Not when Ishmael was grown up Well see how much this is worth, he muttered. _AT THAT TIME_] This may either refer to the transactions recorded in the preceding chapter, or to the time of Ishmael's marriage, but most probably to the former. could sing with Mary, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spi God is with thee in all that thou doest In our last presentation of the Book of Genesis, Truth and Consequences and the opening verses of Genesis chapter 4, we hope to have once again fully established as fact the consequences of Eve's sin, as it is described in Genesis chapter 3, where three times it was acknowledged that she had already conceived, and that therefore, in spite of the . Genre The passage is narrative. The Atlantic, June 2009. Abimelech was impressed with Abraham's growing prosperity. Abimeleks servants seized the well so Abraham mustered his servants and seized it right back, correct? 22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do. II. Now the LORD visited Sarah as he had said ( Genesis 21:1 ), I like this. CHAPTER 21 ISAAC AND ISHMAEL AND THE COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH The world is watching, and without a word of witness, they should be able to tell that we are Christians as they see our godly lives. you do. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? All these things are true and wonderful. Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of Genesis 21:22. But what about Abraham? We have had in fine the judgment of 22._And it came to pass at that time_. Abimelek the king of Gerar and his top general Phicol approach Abraham and say to him, We recognize that God is with you in everything you do. NOR WITH MY SON, NOR WITH MY SONS SON.] A.M. 2118. The story of how Billy Graham extended Christs extraordinary love and grace toward a man who misrepresented Jesus to millions. 15. Here he is in this situation where he dug a well, a large investment in that area at that time. It is a beautiful illustration of how God faithfully provides everything we need for life and godliness so that we can fulfill His purpose. Isaac would later have to clear up some matters over several wells with Abimelech (chap. Isaac is weaned. Abraham at List one sac- 22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the We live with the daily, ordinary routines that characterize the greater part of our lives: getting ready for the day, rushing off to work, getting the kids off to school, shopping for groceries, paying bills, mowing lawns, and maintaining the household. (1) The world is watching the lives of believers. Youre not backing us up! 9 Hagar & Ishmael are cast forth. The league is proposed by Abimelech, and Phichol his prime-minister of state and general of his army. Sarah's joy. Shortly after World War II, a woman went into a grocery store and asked for enough food to provide Christmas dinner for her children. The outcast. Philistines generally (Genesis 2 ISHMAEL AND ISAAC Thus Abimelek narrowly averted sinning against the Lord which, the Lord informed him, would have cost him his life. 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. Seemingly betraying a secret suspicion of the prince's veracity, the act aimed at preventing any recurrence of the grievance, and in this light it appears to have been regarded by Abimelech. This new cop couldnt believe it. How to survive a life of loving like Jesus (or how not to become a Christian doormat). A few years ago, a Christian worker was scheduled to fly from New York to Chicago for some meetings before returning home to Los Angeles. In Genesis 21:22-34, we see Abraham in a scene from his ordinary life. Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of God promised that His covenant with Abraham would be an everlasting covenant; Abraham recognized God as everlasting., This foreshadows future encounters between the Israelites and the Philistines. 21:22-34 Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. He sets apart seven lambs from the flock and gives them to Abimelek. undertakings. And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time. Genesis 20:17 Genesis 26:28 College Press Bible Study Textbook Series, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible, Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible, Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible, Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh, Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments, The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary, Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith.