EXPOSITION. Ver. 7.-And the men of the place (i. e. Ver. 10.-And Abimelech said, What is the inhabitants of Gerar) asked him (liter- this thou hast done unto us t one of the ally, a.sked, or made inquiries; probably first people might lightly have lien with thy at each other, though nltimntely the interro- wife,-literally, within a little (cf. Ps. be xiii. gations might reach Isaac himself) of bis 2 ; cxix. 87) one of t!,e people might have wife (being in all likelihood fascinated by lain with t/1111 wife-and thou shouldest-i. e. her beauty); and he said,-falling into the (within a little) tho14 mi{lhtest-have brought same infirmity as Abraham (eh. xii 13 ; (or caused to come) guiltiness upon us (cf. xx. 2)-She is my sister:-which was cer- eh. xx. 9, where i1~~1J is used instead of tainly an equivocation, since, although some- C!c&r:-t). times used to designate a female relative - Ver. 11.-And Abimelech Jharged all his generally (V'ide eh. mv. 60), the term "sis- (literally, the) peopie, saying, He that tou~h- ter" was here designed to snggest that Re- eth-in the sense of injureth (ef. Josh. 1x. bekah was his own sister, born of the same 19 • Ps. cv. 15)-this man or his wife shall parents. In propagating this deception sur'ely be put to death. Th? similarity of Isaac appears to have been actuated by a this incident to that related m eh. xx. con- simile.r motive to that which impelled his cerning Abralrnm in Gerar may b~ cxpl3:ined father-for he feared to say, She is my wife; without resorting to the hypothesis of differ- lest, said he (sc. to himself, the words de- ent authors. The stereotyped character of scribing the good man's secret app:ehen- the manners of antiquity, especially in the sions), the men of the place should kill me East is sufficient to account for the c!lngcr for Rebekah ;-the historian adding, as the to which Sarah was exposed recurl'ing in the explanation of his fears-because she was case of Rebekah three qunrtc1·s of n century fair to look upon (vide eh. xxiv. 16). later. That Isaac should have resorted to Ver. 8. -And it came to pass, when he the miserable expedient of his fat)1e_r m_ay had been there a long time (literally, when have Leen duo simply to a lack of ongurnhty ~oere prolonged to him there the days), that on the part of Isaac ; or perhaps the recol- Abimelech king of the Philistines looked lection of the success which hod attended out at a window, and saw, and, behold, his father's adoption of this wretched subter- Isaac was sporting with Rebeka~ bis_ wif~- fuge may have blinded him to its true ~lin- i. e. caressing and using playful hbertrns with racter. Dut from whatever cause result(ng, her, which showed she was not a sister, but a the resemblance between the two nan·nbves wife-,rai.:ovra (LXX.), jocantem (Vulgate ). cannot be held ns destroying the credibility Ver. 9.-And Abimelech called Isaac, and of either1 nnd nll the mo1·e tha.t n. careful said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife : scrutiny will detect sufficient dissimil~1·\ty aJJ.d how saidst thou, She is my sister t And between them to establish the authent1c1ty Isaac said unto him, Because I said (ac. in of the incident11 which they relate. my heart, or to myself), Le■ t I die for her. CH. XXVI. 12-22.] '!'HE BOOK Ub GENESIS. 327
HOMILETICS. Vere. 7-11.-A good man's transgress-ion. I. A LIE TOLD. 1. An unmitigated lie. It was scarcely entitled to claim the apology of being whot Abraham's false- hood was, on equivocation, Rebekah not being faaac's half-sister, but cousin. 2. A deliberate lie. Asked about his relations to Rebekah, he coolly replies that they are sister ond brother. He had no right to suppose his interrogators had ulterior designe against Rebekah's honour. 3. A cowardly lie. All'falsehoods spring from craven feor-fear of the consequences that may flow from telling the honest truth. 4. A dangerous lie. By his wicked suppression of the truth he was guilty of imperilling the chastity of her whom he sought to protect. Almost all falsehoods are perilous, and most of them are mistakes. 5. An unneceJJsary lie. No lie ever can be necessary; but least of all could this have been, when God had already promised to be with him in the land of the Philistines. 6. An unbeliemng lie. Had Isaac's faith been active, he would hardly have deemed it needful to disown his wife. 7. A wholly wmkless lie. Isaac might have remembered that twice over his father had resorted to this miserable stratagem, and that in neither instance had it sufficed to avert the danger which he dreaded. But lies generally are wretched hiding-places for endangered bodies or anxious souls. II. A LIE DETECTED. 1. God by his providence assists in the detection of liars. By the merest accident, as it might seem, Abimelech discovered the true relationship of Isaac and Rebekah; but both the time, place, and manner of that discovery were arranged by God. So the face of God is set against them that do evil, e'l"en though they should be his own people. 2. Liars commonly nssist in their own detection. Truth alone is sure-footed, and never slips; error is liable to stumble at every step. It is difficult to maintain o disguise for any lengthened period. The best fitting mask is sure in time to fall off. Actions good in themselves often lead to the detection of crimes. III. A LIE REPROVED. The conduct of Isaac Abimelech rebukes-1. With prom_pti- tude. Sending for Isaac, he charges him with his sin. It is the part of a true friend to expose deception whenever it is practised, ond, provided it be done in a proper spirit, the sooner it is done the better. Sin that long eludes detection is apt to harden the sinning heart and sear the guilty conscience. 2. With.fidelity. Characterising it os (I) o surprising inconsistency on the part of o good m11n like Isaac; (2) a reckless exposure of his wife's person, which wos for from becoming in a kindly husband ; and (3) 11n unjnstifioble offence against the people of the lnnd, who, by his carelessness and cowardice, might hove been led into grievous wickedness. 3. With forgiveness. Thot Abimelech did not intend to exact punishment from Isanc, or even cherish resentment against him in consequence of his behaviour, he proved by charging his people to beware of injuring in any way eilher Isaac or Rebekah. It is good oncl beautiful when mercy se11sons judgment, nnd the reproofs of friendship nre accompanied by messages of love.