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earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, 5 which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, 6 the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there con- 7 found their language, that they may not understand one another's

5. Came down, &c.] And I will go down now, and see whether "they" ("Sodom and Gomorrah"), have done altogether according to the cry of "it" ("Sodom"), which is come unto me. Gen. xviii. 21. The third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people, unto Mount Sinai (saith the Lord to Moses). Exod. xix. 11. The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven; his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. Ps. xi. 4. The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men: from the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. Ps. xxxiii. 13, 14. Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven. John iii. 13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Heb. iv. 13.

6 Behold, the people is one, &c.] Behold the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live for ever, therefore the Lord sent him forth from the garden of Eden. Gen. iii. 22, 23. Go, and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. Judges x. 14. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, cry aloud: for he is a God; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 1 Kings xviii. 27. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Eccles. xi. 9.

The people is one.] See verse 1. These are the three sons of Noah (Shem, Ham, Japheth), and of them was the whole earth overspread. Gen. ix. 19. And (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men. Acts xvii. 26.

Imagined, &c.] And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen. vi. 5. The imagination of man's heart is evil

from his youth. Gen. viii. 21. Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision. Ps. ii. 1. 4. He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Luke i. 51.

7 Let us go down.] See verse 5. Let us make man in our image. Gen. i. 26. And the Lord God said, behold the man is become as one of us. Gen. iii. 22. Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send, and who will go? Then said I, here am I, send me. Isa. vi. 8.

Confound their language.] He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise; he taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. Job v. 12, 13. The Lord shall have them in derision. Ps. ii. 4. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. Ps. xxxiii. 10. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak, in our tongues, the wonderful works of God. Acts ii. 4, 11.

May not understand, &c.] By "these" (“the descendants of Noah") were the Isles of the Gentiles divided, in their lands; every one after his tongue. These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, &c. Gen. x. 5. 20. And they (his brethren) knew not that Joseph understood them, for he spake unto them by an interpreter. Gen. xlii. 23. The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand. Deut. xxviii. 49. Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues. Ps. lv. 9. Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord; it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. Jer. v. 15. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God, for no man understandeth him: therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian. 1 Cor. xiv. 2. 11. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned or unbe

lievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 1 Cor. xiv. 23.

8 speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the 9 face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord 10 scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat 11 Arphaxad two years after the flood: And Shem lived, after he

begat Arphaxad, five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: 13 And Arphaxad lived, after he begat Salah, four hundred and three 14 years, and begat sons and daughters. And Salah lived thirty 15 years, and begat Eber: And Salah lived, after he begat Eber, four 16 hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. And 17 Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: And Eber lived,

after he begat Peleg, four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons 18 and daughters. And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 19 And Peleg lived, after he begat Reu, two hundred and nine years, 20 and begat sons and daughters. And Reu lived two and thirty 21 years, and begat Serug: And Reu lived, after he begat Serug, two 22 hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. And 23 Scrug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: And Serug lived, after

he begat Nahor, two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: 25 And Nahor lived, after he begat Terah, an hundred and nineteen 26 years, and begat sons and daughters. And Terah lived seventy

8 The Lord scattered, &c.] See verse 4. 9. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. Gen. xlix. 7. When the most high divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel. Deut. xxxii. 8. He hath scattered the proud. Luke i. 51. Upon the face of all the earth, &c.] In his (Peleg's) days, was the earth divided. These are the families of Noah's sons, and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood. Gen. x. 25, 32.

9 Babel.] See commentary on verse 9, on "May not understand."

The face of all the earth, &c.] See commentary on verse 8. And (God) hath made all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. Acts xvii. 26.

10 Shem, &c.] See verse 27. Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. The children of Shem; Elam, and Ashur, and Arpharxad, and Lud, and Aram. Gen. x. 21, 22. See 1 Chron. xvii. 27, for the sons of Shem, and Luke iii.

34. 36.

11 Begat sons and daughters, &c.] See Gen. i. 28; v. 4; ix. 7. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward; as arrows are in the hand of a

mighty man, so are children of the youth. Ps. cxxvii. 3, 4. Thy wife shall be as a fruit. ful vine by the sides of thine house, thy children like olive plants round about thy table; behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Ps. exxviii. 3, 4. That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth, that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace. Ps. cxliv. 12.

12 See Luke iii. 36.

16 Eber.] See chap. x. 21. 25. And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Eber, &c. Numb. xxiv. 24. And unto Eber were born two sons; the name of the one was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother's name was Joktan. 1 Chron. i. 19.

18 See Luke iii. 35.

22 Nahor.] And Joshua said unto all the people, thus saith the Lord God of Israel, your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood, in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. Josh. xxiv. 2. 24 Terah, &c.] Which was the son of Nachor, which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragan, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala. Luke iii. 35.

years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Now these are the 27 generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah 28 in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. And Abram 29 and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren; 30

26 Abram.] So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother's son; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came. Gen. xii. 4, 5. It was told Abraham, saying, behold Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor. Gen. xxii. 20. And Jacob said unto them (the herdmen of Laban), my brethren, whence be ye? And they said, of Haran. And he said unto them, know ye Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, we know him. Gen. xxix. 4, 5. And Joshua said unto the people (of Israel), your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor. Josh. xxiv. 2. Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abram; the name is Abraham. 1 Chron. i. 26, 27.

27 Lot.] See verse 31. And Lot went with "him" (“Abram"). Gen. xii. 4. And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South (of Canaan). Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan. And Lot journeyed east and they separated themselves the one from the other. Gen. xiii. 1. 11. And "they" ("the four kings") took Lot, Abram's brother's son (who dwelt in Sodom), and his goods, and departed. Gen. xiv. 12. And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom; and Lot seeing them, rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. Gen. xix. 1. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow. Gen. xix. 29. And (God) delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. 2 Pet. ii. 7.

28 Ur.] And he said unto "him" ("Abram"), I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur, of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. Gen. xv. 7. Thou art the Lord, the God who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth, out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham. Nehem. ix. 7. The God of glory (said Stephen) appeared unto our father, Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran; and

from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. Acts vii. 2. 4.

29 Sarai.] And God said unto Abraham, as for Sarai, thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. Gen. xvii. 15. And yet, indeed, she (Sarah) is my sister (said Abraham to Abimelech, king of Gerar); she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. Gen. xx. 12.

Milcah.] Behold Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor. Gen. xxii. 20. And it came to pass, before "he" (“Abraham's servant") had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. Gen. xxiv. 15.

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Gen.

30 Barren.] And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless? Gen. xv. 2. Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children. And Sarai said unto Abram, behold now the Lord hath restrained me from bearing; I pray thee go in unto my maid” (“ Hagar"). Gen. xvi. 1, 2. And it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, after I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? xviii. 11, 12. And the Lord visited Sarah, for Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age. Gen. xxi. 1, 2. And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. Gen. xxv. 21. But Rachel was barren. Gen. xxix. 31. And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister (Leah, Jacob's other wife), and said unto Jacob, give me children, or else I die! And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Gen. xxx. 1, 2. And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah, and his wife was barren, and bare not. Judg. xiii. 2. Now Elkanah had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Pininnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 1 Sam. i. 2. maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Ps. cxiii. 9. And they had no child, because that Elizabeth was barren; and they both (Zacharias and Elizabeth) were now well

He

31 she had no child. And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto 32 Haran, and dwelt there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

CHAPTER XII.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, I and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and 2

stricken in years. Luke i. 7. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth (saith the angel Gabriel to Mary), she hath also (as well as Mary) conceived a son in her old age. Luke i. 36.

31 Took Abram, his son, &c.] See verse 26, 27. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's (Terah's) house, unto a land that I will shew thee. Gen. xii. 1.

They went forth, &c.] See verse 28. and Gen. xii. 1. preced. com. Your fathers dwelt (said God through Joshua) on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor; and I (the Lord) took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan. Josh. xxiv. 2, 3. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Heb. xi. 8.

The land of Canaan.] And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar unto Gaza. Gen. x. 19. And the servant (of Abraham) took ten camels; and he arose and went into Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. Gen. xxiv. 10.

Haran.] And Terah died in Haran. Gen. xi. 32. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran. Gen. xii. 4. See Gen. xxiv. 10. preced. com. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice (said Rebekah to Jacob), and arise, flee thee to Laban, my brother, to Haran. Gen. xxvii. 43. And Jacob said unto them" ("the shepherds"), my brethren, whence be ye? And they said, of Haran are we. And he said unto them, know ye Laban, the son of Nahor? Gen. xxix. 4, 5. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran. came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran. Acts vii. 2. 4.

Then

CHAP. XII.—1 The Lord had said, &c.] See chap. xi. 31, 32. I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee

this land to inherit it. Gen. xv. 7. Thou art the Lord, the God who didst choose Abraham, and broughtest him forth out of Ur. Nehem. ix. 7. Thou (Israel) whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, thou art my servant, I have chosen thee, fear thou not. Isa. xli. 9. Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, that bare you, for I called him alone. Isa. li. 2. Abraham was one (say those that inhabit the wastes of the land of Israel), and he inherited the land. Ezek. xxxiii. 24.

Get thee out of thy country.] See com. Gen. xi. 31. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house: so shall the king greatly desire "thy beauty" (" beauty of Christ's kingdom"), for he is the Lord. Ps. xlv. 10, 11. If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Luke xiv. 26. 33. Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing. 2 Cor. vi. 17. By faith Abraham, when he was called, went out, not knowing whither he went. Heb. xi. 8. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Rev. xviii. 4.

2 I will make of thee, &c.] And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Gen. xiii. 16. Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou (Abraham) be able to number them. And he said unto him, so

shall thy seed be. Gen. xv. 5. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee,

I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him 3 that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be

Gen. xvii. 5, 6. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. Gen. xviii. 18. In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore: and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice. Gen. xxii. 17, 18. And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly (said Abraham's servant), and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men-servants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. Gen. xxiv. 35. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham, thy father (said the Lord to Isaac). Gen. xxvi. 4. Let people serve thee, and nations bow down unto thee (said Isaac unto his son Jacob); be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down unto thee. Gen. xxvii. 29. God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth; and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Gen. xxviii. 3. 14. And God said unto "him" (“ Jacob”), I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply: a nation, and a company of nations, shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins. Gen. xxxv. 11. Fear not to go down into Egypt (said the Lord to Israel), for I will there make of thee a great nation. Gen. xlvi. 3. The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Exod. i. 7. I will make of thee a great nation. Exod. xxxii. 10. I will make of thee (Moses) a greater nation, and mightier than they (the Israelites). Numb. xiv. 12. He (Israel) couched as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Thou (Balaam, said Balak) hast altogether blessed them these three times. Numb. xxiv. 9, 10. A Syrian ready to perish was my father (shall the Jew say, offering the first fruits), and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. Deut. xxvi. 5. I have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth (said God to David). 2 Sam. vii. 9. Thy servant is in the midst of thy people, which thou hast

chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Who is able (said Solomon) to judge this thy so great a people? 1 Kings iii. 8, 9. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. Micah vii. 20. And he (Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. Rom. iv. 11. Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Gal. iii. 7.

Thou shalt be a blessing, &c.] And when Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive (by the five kings), he armed his trained servants. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. Gen. xiv. 14. 16. All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. Gen. xviii. 18. When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham. Gen. xix. 29. (God Almighty) give thee the blessing of Abraham (said Isaac to his son Jacob). Gen. xxviii. 4. And moreover, the king's servants came to bless our lord, king David (said Jonathan to Adonijah). 1 Kings i. 47. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ. Gal. iii. 13, 14.

3 I will bless them, &c.] Cursed be every one that curseth thee (said Isaac to Jacob), and blessed be he that blesseth thee. Gen. xxvii. 29. But if thou (Israel) shalt indeed obey "his" ("the Lord's") voice, and do all that "I" ("Moses") speak, then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. Exod. xxiii. 22. Blessed is he that blesseth thee (said Balaam of Jacob), and cursed is he that curseth thee. Numb. xxiv. 9. And "the King" ("the Son of man") shall answer and say unto "them" (" the righteous"), verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have "done it" (" shewn mercy") unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And the righteous shall go into life eternal. Matt. xxv. 40. 45.

In thee shall all the families, &c.] All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in "him" ("Abraham"). Gen. xviii. 18. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Gen. xxvi. 4. In thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Gen. xxviii. 14. I have learned by experience (said Laban) that the Lord hath blessed me

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