water, "The grc11t well hns nn internal (LXX.)-was probably the Tamarix Afn:- dinmoter nt the ruouth of twelve feet six ca'YUTJ (Gesenius, Fiirst, Delitzsch, Rosen- inchos, or 1L circumference of nearly forty mtiller, Kalisch), which, besides being com- feet. The she.ft is formed of oxcellcnt mon in Egypt and Petraia, is said to have been masonry to a great depth until it reaches the found growing near the ancient Beer-sheba- rock, nncl e.t this juncture a spring trickles in Beer-sheba, and called there (not beneath verpetually. Around the mouth of the well the tree or in the grove, but in the place) on 1s a circular course of masonry, topped by a the name of the Lord,-Jehovah (vide eh. circular p1Lra pet of about IL foot high ; and xii. 8; xiii. 4)-the everlasting God-liter- at a distance of ten or twelve feet are stone ally, the God of eternity (LXX., Vulgat~, troughs placed in a concentric circle with the Onkelos); not in contrast to heathen cleities, well, the sides of which have deep indentions who are born and die (Clericus), but "a.q the made by the wear of ropes on the upper everlasting Vindicator of the faith of treaties, edges. The second well, about 200 yards and as the infallible Source of the belicver'3 farther south, is not more than five feet in rest and peace" (lllurphy). diameter, but is formed of equally good Ver. 34.-And Abraham aojoumed in the masonry, and furnishes equally good water" Philistines' land many days. The apparent (vide 'Byeways in Palestine,' by James contradiction between the statement of this Finn·, M.R.A.S., p. 190). Because there verse and that of ver. 32 may be removed by they aware both of them. supposing either, (1) that as the land of the Ver. 33.-A.nd Abraham planted-as a Philistines ha,! no fixed boundary toward the 3ign of his peaceful occupation of the soil desert, Beer-sheba may at this time have been (Calvin) ; as a memorial of the transaction claimed for the kingdom of Gerar (Keil); or, about the well(' Speaker's Commentary'); or (2) that 118 Bcer-sheba was situated on the simply e.s a she.de for his tent (Rosenmiiller) ; confines of the Philistines territory, Abraham scarcely as an oratory (Bush, Kalisch)-a must frequently have sojourned in their grov&-the ~~~-wood, plantation (Targums, country while pasturing his flocks (Rosco- Vulgate, Samaritan, Kimchi); a field, cipo1•pa11 miiller).
IIO:\IILETICS. Vera. 22-34. - Abimelecli and Abraham, or ancient covenante,·s. I. THE P0I.ITICAL ALLIANCE, I. Tlte co-ntemplated object. Pence. Wh1Lt modern monarch~ mo~tly desire nt the close of exhausting campaigns is here sought before campaign~ begin. 2. Tlte covenanting parties. Two powerful princes, in their conduct exem- plifying the spirit o.f unity 1Lnd pence which should bind together private persons in their dnily intercourse, as well as kings and 111Ltions in their political alliance. 3. The impelling motives. Worldly policy may hnve urged Abime\ech to cement n league with the powerful chieftain in his neighbourhood, but religious affinity would also seem to have exercised an influence in drawing him to seek the friendship of one who o.ppoared to enjoy celestial protection. Good men mostly desire to have the ~11ints ns friends, and even the wicked can perceive an odvanto.ge in being allied to the righteous. Abraham's acquiescence in the king's proposal was no doubt dictated oy o. peaceable disposition, 11 sense of equity, o. spirit o.f contentment, o.nd o.n unwaver- ing confidence in God. 4. The public ceremonial. The alliance was contracted (1) by menns of amicable conference, and (2) with the so.nctions of religion. II. THE FRIENDLY REMONSTRANCE, I. The palpable inj1trJ.I, The herdsmen of the king had o.ppropriated Abraham's well. God's people, though expected meekly to suffer wrong, cannot always help seeing that it is wrong they suffer. Nor ard they called upon to bear what by lnw-ful means they nre nble to redress. A goo! mo.n is entitled to ha careful of his property, to preserve it from damo.ge, protect it from theft, and recover it when stolen or lost. 2. The mistaken charqe. Abraham, thinking the herdsmen had acted on their master's orders, reproved Ah1melech. This, however, was ILn error, which shows (1) that 11 person cannot always be held respon- sible for wlllLt his servants do, (2) that it is wrong to judge on insufficient evidence with reference to the cho.rnclers and conduct of otl:ers, and (3) that in making charges or preferring complaints it is well to avoiJ both heat of temper and severity of language. 3. 'l'he satisfactor,11 explanation. Abimelech declared himself per- fectly unacquainted with tfie wrong which had been done to Abraham, 11nd imme- d'ately returned the well, which discovers how easily mi•und(.'rstnnding8 mi11;ht be 282 fllE BOOR OF GENESIS. [cu. x:m. 1-19.
removed if, instead of harbouring enmity, men would resort to friendly conferenco. It is as much the duty of him who has a grievance to reveal it, as it is the duty of him who has caused tl,e grievance to remove it. 4. The prudent meas,.ere. Abra- ham gnve Abimelech. seven ~we lambs. as a witne~s that he h~d digged the well, and conscqucn1tly had _a right to its _possession. Se~rmngly betraying a secret suspicion of the prmce s veracity, the act aimed at preventmg any recurrence of the grievance nnd in this light it appears to have been regarded by Abimelech. Good men should not only rectify the wrongs they do to one another, but adopt all wiso precautions against their repetition. IIT. THE PLEASING RESULT. 1. Peace e,stablished, Abimelech and Phichol having accomplished their mission, returned to Philistia. "Blessed are the peace-~akers" and "beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publishcth peace." 2. Peace com111,emorated. .Abraham instituted two memorials of the important trans- actions, nnming the well Beersheba, and planting a tamarisk beside his tent. It is good to remember God's mercies, of which national and civil quietude is one of the grentest, and it is becoming to erect memorials of both privileges and obligations. 3. Peace enjoyed. .Abraham called on the name of the everlasting God. .As a planter of tamarisks, the patriarch has been styled the father of civilisation; it is more important to remark that he never neglected to worship God himself and publish his salvation to others. Happy they who can do both in peace I