Gen 17:16-21, 21:1 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 16. I will bless her, &c. ] Sarah certainly stands at the head of all the women of the Old Testament, on account of her extraordinary privileges. I am quite of Calmet's opinion that Sarah was a type of the blessed Virgin . St. Paul considers her a type of the New Testament and heavenly Jerusalem; and as all true believers are considered as the children of Abraham , so all faithful holy women are considered the daughters of Sarah , . See also .

‏ Genesis 17:16-21

Verse 16. I will bless her, &c.] Sarah certainly stands at the head of all the women of the Old Testament, on account of her extraordinary privileges. I am quite of Calmet's opinion that Sarah was a type of the blessed Virgin. St. Paul considers her a type of the New Testament and heavenly Jerusalem; and as all true believers are considered as the children of Abraham, so all faithful holy women are considered the daughters of Sarah, Ga 4:22, 24, 26. See also 1Pe 3:6.

Verse 17. Then Abraham-laughed] I am astonished to find learned and pious men considering this as a token of Abraham's weakness of faith or unbelief, when they have the most positive assurance from the Spirit of God himself that Abraham was not weak but strong in the faith; that he staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but gave glory to God, Ro 4:19, 20. It is true the same word is used, Ge 18:12, concerning Sarah, in whom it was certainly a sign of doubtfulness, though mixed with pleasure at the thought of the possibility of her becoming a mother; but we know how possible it is to express both faith and unbelief in the same way, and even pleasure and disdain have been expressed by a smile or laugh. By laughing Abraham undoubtedly expressed his joy at the prospect of the fulfilment of so glorious a promise; and from this very circumstance Isaac had his name. yitschak, which we change into Isaac, signifies laughter; and it is the same word which is used in the verse before us: Abraham fell on his face, vaiyitschak, and he laughed; and to the joy which he felt on this occasion our Lord evidently alludes, Joh 8:56: Your father Abraham REJOICED to see my day; and he saw it, and was GLAD. And to commemorate this joy he called his son's name Isaac. See Clarke on Ge 21:6.

Verse 18. O that Ishmael might live before thee!] Abraham, finding that the covenant was to be established in another branch of his family, felt solicitous for his son Ishmael, whom he considered as necessarily excluded; on which God delivers that most remarkable prophecy which follows in Ge 17:20, and which contains an answer to the prayer and wish of Abraham: And as for Ishmael I have heard thee; so that the object of Abraham's prayer was, that his son Ishmael might be the head of a prosperous and potent people.

Verse 20. Twelve princes shall he beget, &c.] See the names of these twelve princes, Ge 25:12-16. From Ishmael proceeded the various tribes of the Arabs, called also Saracens by Christian writers. They were anciently, and still continue to be, a very numerous and powerful people. "It was somewhat wonderful, and not to be foreseen by human sagacity," says Bishop Newton, "that a man's whole posterity should so nearly resemble him, and retain the same inclinations, the same habits, and the same customs, throughout all ages! These are the only people besides the Jews who have subsisted as a distinct people from the beginning, and in some respects they very much resemble each other 1. The Arabs, as well as the Jews, are descended from Abraham, and both boast of their descent from the father of the faithful. 2. The Arabs, as well as the Jews, are circumcised, and both profess to have derived this ceremony from Abraham. 3. The Arabs, as well as the Jews, had originally twelve patriarchs, who were their princes or governors. 4. The Arabs, as well as the Jews, marry among themselves, and in their own tribes. 5. The Arabs, as well as the Jews, are singular in several of their customs, and are standing monuments to all ages of the exactness of the Divine predictions, and of the veracity of Scripture history. We may with more confidence believe the particulars related of Abraham and Ishmael when we see them verified in their posterity at this day. This is having, as it were, ocular demonstration for our faith." See Bp. Newton's Second Dissertation on the Prophecies, and See Clarke on Ge 16:12.

Verse 21. My covenant will I establish with Isaac] All temporal good things are promised to Ishmael and his posterity, but the establishment of the Lord's covenant is to be with Isaac. Hence it is fully evident that this covenant referred chiefly to spiritual things-to the Messiah, and the salvation which should be brought to both Jews and Gentiles by his incarnation, death, and glorification.

‏ Genesis 21:1

CHAPTER XXI

Isaac is born according to the promise, 1-3;

and is circumcised when eight days old, 4.

Abraham's age, and Sarah's exultation at the birth of their son, 5-7.

Isaac is weaned, 8.

Ishmael mocking on the occasion, Sarah requires that both he and his mother Hagar shall be dismissed, 9, 10.

Abraham, distressed on the account, is ordered by the Lord to comply, 11, 12.

The promise renewed to Ishmael, 13.

Abraham dismisses Hagar and her son, who go to the wilderness of Beer-sheba, 14.

They are greatly distressed for want of water, 15, 16.

An angel of God appears to and relieves them, 17-19.

Ishmael prospers and is married, 20, 21.

Abimelech, and Phichol his chief captain, make a covenant with Abraham, and surrender the well of Beersheba for seven ewe lambs, 22-32.

Abraham plants a grove, and invokes the name of the everlasting God, 33.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXI

Verse 1. The Lord visited Sarah] That is, God fulfilled his promise to Sarah by giving her, at the advanced age of ninety, power to conceive and bring forth a son.