maelites inhabit Arabia Deserta, traversing east to the Euphrates, north to Syria, west to Palestine, and south into the peninsula of Arabia Proper. They roamed everywhere in the adjacent districts. And so he might be said to dwell in the

12. A wild man. Heb., A wild-ass man. Onk., A wild ass among men. Jew. Bib., A wild ass of a man. As the wild ass delights in the freedom of its native deserts, and brooks no restraint, so shall he be-" used to the wilderness, she snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure," (Jer. 2: 24,) and "in the desert they go forth to their work, rising betimes for a prey, the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children," (Job 24: 5.) See also Job 39: 5, 6. These are the wild roaming Bedouin Arab tribes of the desert, the descendants of Ishmael. THis hand (will be) against every man, etc. Their proverb is, "In the desert every one is every one's enemy." The tribes are known as given to plunder; and around the Dead Sea, travellers must bargain with their shiekhs at Jerusalem at so much per head, to guarantee them against their depredations. In such case a bevy of the men-a dozen or more-is detailed as a guard, who accompany the sheikhs to protect the travellers. Our company was attended by such a squad of these tawny, wiry creatures, who went skipping up the hill-sides, armed with their long muskets, and often firing at game which they might meet. The protection, purchased at five dollars per head for each traveller, is never violated. These Ish

Kurtz reads, To the east of all his brethren; but this is not the Hebrew sense. It is Al-penei. The term here for "dwelt" is tabernacle. He shall pitch his tent. And the meaning of the clause is he shall follow his nomadic, roaming life, independently of his brethren, and unsubdued by them. His brethren may mean the other branches of the Abrahamic household-the Midianites, Edomites, and Israelites; or it may include all people. And this is the history of this wonderful people, that they have seated themselves down where they have pleased, and have not been subjugated by their brethren. And their history is justly claimed as a clear confirmation of the truth of the Mosaic record. "Every addition to our knowledge of Arabia and its inhabitants," says Kalisch, "confirms more strongly the Biblical statements. These Ishmaelites became formidable in history under the name of Saracens. They marched out to curb the world to their dominion, and to force the nations to their faith; they inundated Persia, the districts east of the Caspian Sea and India; they carried their victorious arms into Syria and Egypt, and the interior of Africa; they occupied Spain and Portugal, Sicily and Sardinia, and have beyond their native tracts, ascended more than a hundred thrones. Although they sent presents of incense to Persia, and of cattle to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, they were never

a

lated to preserve the history, and hand it down, instead of books and records.

15, 16. Fourscore and six. Heb., The son of fourscore and six years. Hagar returned into the house of Abram, to whom she communicated the Divine vision. Here the prophecy of the angel was realized. She bore a son, who was called Ishmael. But the text states, with a marked distinctness, that she bare this son to Abram, and that Abram gave him the name Ishmael. The patriarch believed that this son of Hagar was the promised and long-desired off spring, through whom he was to be a blessing to later generations. He was, therefore, anxious to mark him as his son; and he did this by giving him the name appointed by the angel. See Kalisch. But the patriarch must wait yet fourteen years before the son of promise-the covenant son Isaac-shall be granted to him. Then also Ishmael is cast out with his mother at the stern demand of Sarai, but is met again and saved from a death in the wilderness by the same angel of the covenant, (ch. 21.)

vah last appeared to him, and his faith that was "counted to him for righteousness" has been undergoing a severe but silent test. It now appears that the natural defect which Sarai had planned to relieve by the substitution of Hagar in her stead, was to be met, not by that carnal expedient, but by the almighty power of God. That which could not be reached by nature was to be secured by promise, in the miraculous seed, thus pointing forward to Jesus of Nazareth. Therefore the time has come when, after having first allowed the unbelieving spirit to make proof of human expedients (1 Cor. 1: 20), God will show Himself again, and place the fulfilment on the basis of the promise alone, (Gal. 3: 18.) The covenant, therefore, must now be solemnly and formally SEALED. Abram can as yet see no prospect of the fulfilment, except in the person of Ishmael (vs. 18.) But God assures him that "in Isaac shall thy seed be called," vs. 19, 21; while Ishmael should not be overlooked. This may be regarded as the second stage of the covenant.

1. Ninety and nine years old. Heb., Son of ninety and nine years. This was thirteen years after Ishmael's birth, when the record is careful to fix his age at eighty-six years, ch. 16:16, thus keeping in view the several stages of the patriarch's history under the special treatment of his covenant God. ¶ The Lord appeared. Heb., Jehovah. Already Jehovah, the covenant God, had appeared thrice to Abram: first,

to simply assure him that he should be blessed, and become a blessing (ch. 12:7); second, to promise to him a numerous progeny, as the dust of the earth (ch. 13: 16); third, to repeat this assurance, and to liken the number of his seed to the stars of heaven (ch. 15: 5.) The third vision was confirmed by a solemn ceremony of sacrifice, in which. God appeared as the sole contracting party, granting to Abram unconditionally the covenant blessings, with out requiring anything on his part. Now, however, Abram is to enter into the solemn covenant stipulations, and to receive "the sign and seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised," (Rom. 4:11.) In the previous form or stage of the covenant, the blessing was chiefly that of the land; in this stage it is of the seed. And this may be regarded as a first step taken in the fulfilment. Accordingly, new names are now to be given to Abram and Sarai, which is significant of a new state of things, and a new character and career. T The Almighty God. Heb., El Shaddai. This is the name which expresses God's almightiness, and by which He says He was known to the patriarchs, rather than by the covenant name "Jehovah," (Exod. 6: 3.) This name is found six times in Genesis, and thirty-one times in the book of Job. EL means strong, unshaken, absolute; SHADDAI, the Unchangeable, Invincible. This compound name, in both parts, expresses the Divine majesty and all-sufficiency, and impresses us with His sovereign ability to perform all that He had promised. ¶ Walk before At the former stage the address was, Fear not, as an encour

me.

agement to the timid. Here it is something further-a direction for the conduct. The one is rather negative, the other positive. "Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." Enoch and Noah walked with God, and were perfect in their generations. To walk before God, is to "set the Lord always before one's face," to walk, "as seeing Him who is invisible," to "walk in the light of the Lord." ¶ And be thou perfect. Not merely honest and sincere, but holy, for God is holy; and holy as God is holy. God can require nothing less than a perfect obedience, else His law would be imperfect, and would allow of sin. See ch. 5: 24; 6: 9, notes. There is a hint here that Abram should aim at a steadfast devotedness to God, relying fully on His word, and not trusting in carnal expedients. "The foundation of the Divine calling is a gratuitous promise. But it follows immediately after, that they whom He has chosen as a peculiar people to Himself should devote themselves to the righteousness of God," (Rom. 6: 13.)-Calvin.

2. I will make my covenant. This is not the term for making a covenant at the outset, which is in the Heb., to cut a covenant, (see ch. 15:18.) But the verb means, I will grant, or fix-establish my covenant-already formally expressed. Here it was to be sealed, and thus far executed as an instrument already signed by God in the former transaction, but now to receive His confirmatory SEAL. Multiply thee exceedingly. Here the covenant blessing is the seed, which is a higher and further stipulation than that of the land. 3. Fell on his face. This shows

how profoundly impressed the patriarch had now become with God's sovereign majesty. This oriental prostration is still the attitude in religious worship-to fall on the hands and knees, and almost touch the ground with the forehead. And God talked with him. Heb., Spake with him.

4. God here repeats the great, high covenant grant. As for me. This is on His part. From vs. 9 He passes to Abram's part. God first engages Himself to us, and then calls on us to engage ourselves to Him. A covenant supposes two parties. But this is a covenant of grace, and therefore not a bargain as between men, but a stipulation and a Gospel command on the basis of all that God has already promised to us. Heb., I, lo my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt become a father of many nations. God here lays stress upon the Gospel fact that His covenant of grace is the foundation of all his hopes. Were it not that God's covenant is with Abram, he would have nothing to expect. Many nations. This is, first of all, to be literally granted, that from Abram, so long waiting for family issue, many people and nations should spring forth. And it is also, and in a higher sense, to be spiritually realized-in a vast accession of believing children to the household of faith. In him all families of the earth should yet be blessed. See Gal. 3:8. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel

unto Abram, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

5. Here follows the significant change of name. Abram means high father, or father of exaltation. In the new name the letter R is inserted from a word meaning multitude, and so it comes to mean father of multitude, (Rev. 2: 17.) The new name was understood to indicate a new stadium in his history, and a new era in his career, comporting with the name itself. So the name Jacob was changed to that of "Israel," meaning Prevailer, in memory of the triumphant wrestling with the angel of the covenant, and as a gracious intimation of his future successes in prayer. So also the name Cephas was changed to Peter, and the sons of Zebedee were called Boanerges, all significant of what they were to be and do. I have made thee. Heb., I have given thee, given thee to be, or appointed, constituted thee.

6. Kings shall come out of thee. Literally, the twelve chiefs of the tribes-the kings of Judah and Israel-the dukes of Edom-the Saracen kings in Asia and Africa. And especially is this to be fulfilled in the church-that all kings shall bow down before the Messiah-the seed of Abraham-and that all the faithful seed of Abraham shall be made priests and kings unto God, (Rev. 1: 6.)

7. And thy seed after thee. The Abrahamic covenant includes the seed of the parent along with himself. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made." The