The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 333

01"\linary somc'ehat less. :Behold, he-i. e. preceding words ',:i·n~,. that, with regaru thy brotl1er; or it, i. e. the present (LXX., to all, right had been obtained (Fiirst), Yulgate, Targums, Syrinc)-is to thee a or that all had been done that she might covering of the eyes. Cl~?V. n~c~ (from a bo righted (Murphy) ; but if a second person root signifying to cover over) has been under- singular niph. (LXX., Vul&ate, Delitzsch, ~toocl as (I) n propitiatory gift= r,µ,) (LXX.), Keil, Lange, Murphy, Kaliscn), then it is B or (2) a veil for the protection of the face; continuation of Abimclech's o.ddress, mean- nn<l, according as the subject of the sentence ing neither 1:al ,ravra a:>.,j0waov (LXX.), has been regarded as Abraham or the sum nor memento te deprehensam (Vulgate), but of money, the sense of the clause has been either, "and thou nrt reproved" (Words- gfreu as either (I) he, i. e. thy brother, will worth), or, "and thou wilt be recognised" he to tb ?e a protection, hi<l ing thee like a (Kalisch), or, again connecting with tha wil, from the voluptuous desires of others preceding words, "and with nil, so thou ( Ahen Ezra, Cajetan, Calvin, Kalisch) ; or art justified or set right" (Delitzsch, Keil, (:2: it, i. e. this present of mine, will be to Lange), or, "and all this that thou mayest thee n propitiatory offering to make thee be righted" (Murphy) or "reproved" (Ains- oYerlook my offence (Chrysostom, Gesenius, worth). Fiirst, Knobel, Delitzsch, Keil, Murphy) ; Ver. 17.-So Abraham prayed unto God. or (3) a declaration of thy purity, and so a Literally, the Elohim, the personal and defence to thee against any calumnious true God, anJ. not Elohim, or Deity in aspersions (Castalio) ; or (4) the purchase- general, to whom belonged the cure of money of a veil to hide thy beauty, lest Abimelech and his household (Keil), as tha others be ensnared (Vnlgnte, Arnbic, Kitto, next clause shows. And God (Elohim, with- Clark); or (5) the means of procuring that out the art.) healed Abimelech, and bis wife, Lri<la 1 veil which married females should and bis maid-servants ;-i. e. his concubines, 11ever lay aside (cf. eh. xxiv. 65; Dathe, as distinguished from the women servants Yitringa, :Michaelis, Baumgarten, Rosen- (ver. 14) - and they bare children. Tha mi.iller). The exact sense of this difficult verb may apply to both sexes, and the passage can scarcely be said to have been malady under which they suffered may be determined, though of the above interpreta- here described as one which prevented pro- tions the choice seems to lie between the creation, as the next verse explains. first and second. Unto all that are with Ver. 18.-For the Lord (Jehoval~; vide thee, and with all other. I. e. in presence supra on ver. 3) had fast closed up all the of thy domestics and of all with whom thou wombs-i. e. prevented conception, or pro- mayest yet mingle, either A~raha.m will be duced barrenness (cf. eh. xvi. 2 ; Isa. lxvi. thy best defence, or let my gift be an atone- 9 ; I Sam. i 5, 6; for the opposite, eh. xxix. ment, or a veil, &c. Thus she was reproved. 31 ; :x:xx. 22) ; "pcena convenientissima ; T'llj~~,. If a third person singular niph. of quid enim convenientius esse poternt, quam n~~ (Onkelos, Arabic, Kimchi, Gesenius, ut amittat, qui ad se rapit aliena" (Mus- Rosenmi.iller, Ftir.lt), then it is the histori- culus). Vide Hiivernick, § 19-of the house an's statement signifying that Sarah had of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's been convicted, admoni.ehed, and left de- wife-the motive obviously being to protect fenceless (Gesenins); or, connecting th11 the purity of the promised seed.