The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 330

EXPOSITION. lapse of upwards of twenty years since that CHAPTER XX. former mistake may have deadened the im- Ver. 1.-And Abraham journeyed (vide pression of sinfulness which Pharaoh's rebukB eh. xii. 9) from thence. Mamre (eh. xviii. must have left upon his conscience ; whib l ). In search of pasture, as on a previous altogether the result of that experiment occo.sion (Keil) ; or in consequence of the mny, through a common misinterpretation hostility of his neighbours (Calvin) ; or be- of Divine providence, have encouraged him cause he longed to escape from the scene of· to think that God would watch over the so terribl~ n calamity as he had witnessed purity of his. house as he had done before. (Calvin, Willet, Murphy); or iu order to Thus, though in reality n tempting of God, benefit as many places and peoplits as possi- the patriurch's repetition of his early vcntmo ble by his residence among them (A Lapide); may have had a secret connection with his or perhaps being impelled by God, who de- deeply-grounded faith in the Divine promise signed thereby to remind him that Canaan (cf. Kalisch in loco). And Abimelech-i. e. was not intended for a permanent habita- Father-king, a. title of the Philistine kings tion, but for a constant pilgrimage (Poole, (eh. xxi. 22; xxvi. l ; Psalm xxxiv. 1), as Kalisch). Toward the south country. Ne- Phuraoh was of the Egyptian (eh. xii. 15), geb, the southern district of Palestine (eh. and Hamor of the Shechcmite (eh. x.uiv. 4) xii. 9 ; xiii. l) ; the central region of J udrea monarchs; cf. Padishah (fnthcr-king), a title lieing called Hah,o1·, or the Highlands; the of the Persiun kings, and Atahk {father, eastern, townrds tho Dend Sea, JV[idhbar ,· properly puternity), of the Khnns of Boklrnm and the western Shephelah, (Lange). And (Gesenius, p. 6)-king of Gerar sent, and dwelled between Xadesh and Shur (vide eh. took Sarah. I. e. into liis hnrcrn, as Phamoh xvi. 14 and xvi. 7), and sojourned in Gerar previously hud done {eh. xii. 15), either (vide eh. x. 19). hnving been fascin11ted by her beauty, which, Ver. 2.-And Abraham said of Sarah his although she was twenty years older tban wife, She is my sister. As formerly he hnd when sho entered Egypt, need not have been done on descending into Egypt (eh. xii. 13). much faded (vicle eh. xii. 11 ; Culvin), or That Abraham should a second time have may have been miraculously rejuvenntc,I resorted to this ignoble expedient ufter the when she received strength to conceive seed huznrdous experience of Egypt und the richly- (Kurtz) ; or, what is as probable, havin1; merited rebuke of Pharaoh, but more especi- sought through her au alliance with tho rich ally after the assurance he had lately received and powerful nomnde prince who had entered of his own accoptance before God (eh. xv. 6), his dominions (Delitzsch). and of Snnh's destiny to be the mother of Ver. 3.-llut God-Elohim; whenco the the promised seed (eh. xvii. 1G), is well nigh present chapter, with the exception of vcr. c.iaccountable, nnd ulmost irreconcilable 18, is ossigned to the F.lohist (Tnch, Do 11>ith any degree of faith aucl piety. Yet the Wettc, Bicek, Daviuson), nncl the inciuent  264 TlIE BOOit OF GENESIS. [err. xx. 1-18.