expression very like this in Num. xxvi. 10, they became a sign. Abraham not only bore [' received '] his son, as he had previously conducted him to the mountain, but he also himself became a parable \_figure~\, and so obtained a good report, ver. 2. For all posterity celebrates the faith of Abra ham, who offered his only-begotten son : so vapafSoXrj, Hab. ii. 6, and elsewhere often.
20-22. n/<rrs/, by faith) There are more specimens of faith in Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph ; but the apostle considers it enough to give a single instance, in the case of each of them, concern ing things mostly future. — e&Xoyjjosv, blessed) assigning to both his sons things future, as if they were present.
21. ' AwoOvqffxuv, when dying) near death; Gen. xlvii. 29. — ruv viuv 'luffytp, the sons of Joseph) He also blessed his own sons, Gen. xlix., and divided the land of Canaan among them, as if it had been already in their possession ; but the blessing of the sons of Joseph, on both of whom he laid his hands, had many things extraordinary ; for he knew his own sons long ago ; whereas he could not distinguish the sons of Joseph by sight, and yet he distinguished them by faith, Gen. xlviii. 10 ; and, from being grand-children, he declared them to be his sons, when he had transferred the right of primogeniture to Joseph, and had adopted his two children. — xai Kpotsxvvqfcv) and worshipped the Lord ; Gen. xlvii. 31. The apostle has respect to that very thing which Moses mentioned as having been done by Israel, when the oath of Joseph gave him the assurance that he would be buried in the Land of Promise ; comp. ver. 22 : whence the mind and body of the godly old man were raised. — lit] rl anpov rijs pdfidov auroD) So plainly the LXX., in the pas sage quoted above, on the top of his staff. They read ntssn for that which is read in the Hebrew HBDn, rJJs xX/vjj?, of the bed; as we find it also in the Chaldee Paraphrast, Aquila, and Sym- machus. Jacob's bed is also mentioned immediately after, Gen. xlviii. 2, and xlix. 33 ; and yet we may suppose that even then Jacob had a staff at his hand, for that is usual in the case of weak old men. ffombergkius compares Homer, who brings in his heroes speaking, and commonly uses the expression, ffxyvrpu spsi<fdfjLsvog, leaning on his staff or sceptre; but the same indi vidual afterwards translates the word KpoatKlvrtftv, bent himself,