Bible Commentaries

Genesis overview — THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED GENESIS. Commentary by ROBERT JAMIESON

Genesis 22:4 — lifted up his eyes, c.—Leaving the servants at the foot [ :-], the father and son ascended the hill, the one bearing the knife, and the other the wood for consuming the sacrifice [ :-]. But there was no victim and to the question so naturally put by Isaac [Genesis 22:7], Abraham contented himself by replying, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." It has been supposed that the design of this extraordinary transaction was to show him, by action instead of words, the way in which

Genesis 46:1 — without that highest of earthly gratifications than leave it without the consciousness of carrying the divine blessing along with him. came to Beer-sheba—That place, which was in his direct route to Egypt, had been a favorite encampment of Abraham (Genesis 21:33) and Isaac (Genesis 26:25), and was memorable for their experience of the divine goodness; and Jacob seems to have deferred his public devotions till he had reached a spot so consecrated by covenant to his own God and the God of his fathers.

Genesis 46:2 — with unmingled joy. But, on calmer consideration, many difficulties appeared to lie in the way. He may have remembered the prophecy to Abraham that his posterity was to be afflicted in Egypt and also that his father had been expressly told not to go [Genesis 15:13; Genesis 26:2]; he may have feared the contamination of idolatry to his family and their forgetfulness of the land of promise. These doubts were removed by the answer of the oracle, and an assurance given him of great and increasing prosperity.

Exodus 1:1 — 1. Now these are the names—(See Genesis 46:8-26).

Job 5:26 — 26. in a full age—So "full of days" (Job 42:17; Genesis 35:29). Not mere length of years, but ripeness for death, one's inward and outward full development not being prematurely cut short, is denoted (Genesis 35:29- :). Thou shalt come—not literally, but expressing willingness to die. Eliphaz speaks

Psalms 105:17 — 17-21. Joseph was sent of God (Genesis 45:5).

Psalms 105:20 — 17-21. Joseph was sent of God (Genesis 45:5).

Psalms 147:17 — 17. morsels—used as to food (Genesis 18:5), perhaps here denotes hail.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 — 100:3). Therefore serve Him with thy "all" (Psalms 100:3- :), and with thy best days, not with the dregs of them (Proverbs 8:17; Proverbs 22:6; Jeremiah 3:4; Lamentations 3:27). The Hebrew is "Creators," plural, implying the plurality of persons, as in Genesis 1:26; so Hebrew, "Makers" (Genesis 1:26- :). while . . . not—that is, before that (Proverbs 8:26) the evil days come; namely, calamity and old age, when one can no longer serve God, as in youth (Ecclesiastes 11:2; Ecclesiastes 11:8). no pleasure—of

Song of Solomon 6:13 — militant, the other triumphant. Or Jesus Christ and His ministering angels are one army, the Church the other, both being one (John 17:21; John 17:22). Allusion is made to Mahanaim (meaning two hosts), the scene of Jacob's victorious conflict by prayer (Genesis 32:2; Genesis 32:9; Genesis 32:22-30). Though she is peace, yet she has warfare here, between flesh and spirit within and foes without; her strength, as Jacob's at Mahanaim, is Jesus Christ and His host enlisted on her side by prayer; whence she

Isaiah 11:6 — animal-like characters (Ezekiel 22:27; Ezekiel 38:13; Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 13:23; Matthew 7:15; Luke 10:3). Still a literal change in the relations of animals to man and each other, restoring the state in Eden, is a more likely interpretation. Compare Genesis 2:19; Genesis 2:20; Psalms 8:6-8, which describes the restoration to man, in the person of "the Son of man," of the lost dominion over the animal kingdom of which he had been designed to be the merciful vicegerent under God, for the good of his

Isaiah 14:9 — Version, "the dead") from a Hebrew root, "to resolve into first elements"; so "the deceased" (Matthew 25:33- :) "ghosts" (Matthew 25:33- :). These being magnified by the imagination of the living into gigantic stature, gave their name to giants in general (Genesis 6:4; Genesis 14:5; Ezekiel 32:18; Ezekiel 32:21). "Rephaim," translated in the Septuagint, "giants" (compare see on Ezekiel 32:21- :). Thence, as the giant Rephaim of Canaan were notorious even in that guilty land, enormous wickedness became connected

Isaiah 40:26 — host—image from a general reviewing his army: He is Lord of Sabaoth, the heavenly hosts (Job 38:32). calleth . . . by names—numerous as the stars are. God knows each in all its distinguishing characteristics—a sense which "name" often bears in Scripture; so in Genesis 2:19; Genesis 2:20, Adam, as God's vicegerent, called the beasts by name, that is, characterized them by their several qualities, which, indeed, He has imparted. by the greatness . . . faileth—rather, "by reason of abundance of (their inner essential)

Numbers 1:20 — 20-44. These are those that were numbered—In this registration the tribe of Judah appears the most numerous; and accordingly, as the pre-eminence had been assigned to it by Jacob [Genesis 49:8-12], it got the precedence in all the encampments of Israel. Of the two half-tribes of Joseph, who is seen to be "a fruitful bough" [Genesis 49:22], that of Ephraim was the larger, as had been predicted. The relative increase of all, as in

Deuteronomy 25:5 — 5-10. the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother . . . shall take her to him to wife—This usage existed before the age of Moses (Genesis 38:8). But the Mosaic law rendered the custom obligatory (Genesis 38:8- :) on younger brothers, or the nearest kinsman, to marry the widow (Ruth 4:4), by associating the natural desire of perpetuating a brother's name with the preservation of

Joshua 24:2 — with Abraham, as the Israelites were descended from him on the mother's side through Rebekah and her nieces, Leah and Rachel. served other gods—conjoining, like Laban, the traditional knowledge of the true God with the domestic use of material images (Genesis 31:19; Genesis 31:34).

Hebrews 2:7 — His Divinity (see on :-), was in His human nature "a little lower than the angels"; though this is not the primary reference here, but man in general. crownedst him with glory and honour—as the appointed kingly vicegerent of God over this earth (Genesis 1:1-2). and didst set him over the works of thy hands—omitted in some of the oldest manuscripts; but read by others and by oldest versions: so Genesis 1:1-1.1.2- :, "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands."

Hebrews 6:7 — for the dresser, by whom, but for God, the owner of the soil, for whom it is dressed. The plural is general, the owners whoever they may be; here God. receiveth—"partaketh of." blessing—fruitfulness. Contrast God's curse causing unfruitfulness (Genesis 3:17; Genesis 3:18); also spiritually (Genesis 3:18- :). from God—Man's use of means is vain unless God bless (1 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 3:7).

Ruth 1:2 — 2. Elimelech—signifies "My God is king." Naomi—"fair or pleasant"; and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, are supposed to be the same as Joash and Saraph ( :-). Ephrathites—The ancient name of Beth-lehem was Ephrath (Genesis 35:19; Genesis 48:7), which was continued after the occupation of the land by the Hebrews, even down to the time of the prophet Micah (Micah 5:2). Beth-lehem-judah—so called to distinguish it from a town of the same name in Zebulun. The family,