Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/121

Rh her, and go thy way. 20. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

Here is,

I. The danger Sarai was in of having her chastity violated by the king of Egypt. And, without doubt, the peril of sin is the greatest peril we can be in. Pharaoh's princes (his pimps rather) saw her, and observing what a comely woman she was, they commended her before Pharaoh; not for that which was really her praise—her virtue and modesty, her faith and piety, (those were no excellencies in their eyes,) but for her beauty, which they thought too good for the embraces of a subject, and worthy the admiration of the king; and she was presently taken into Pharaoh's house, as Esther into the seraglio of Ahasuerus, (Esth. 2. 8.) in order to her being taken into his bed. Now we must not look upon Sarai as standing fair for preferment, but as entering into temptation; and the occasions of it were, her own beauty, which is a snare to many, and Abram's equivocation, which is a sin that commonly is an inlet to much sin. While Sarai was in this danger, Abram fared the better for her sake; Pharaoh gave him sheep, and oxen, &c. (v. 16.) to gain his consent with her whom they supposed his sister. We cannot think that Abram expected this when he came down into Egypt, much less that he had an eye to it when he denied his wife; but God brought good out of evil. And thus the wealth of the sinner proves, some way or other, laid up for the just.

II. The deliverance of Sarai from this danger. For if God did not deliver us, many a time, by prerogative, out of those straits and distresses which we bring ourselves into by our own sin and folly, and which therefore we could not expect any deliverance from by promise, we should soon be ruined, nay, we had been ruined long before this. He deals not with us according to our deserts.

1. God chastised Pharaoh, and so prevented the progress of his sin. Note, Those are happy chastisements, that hinder us in a sinful way, and effectually bring us to our duty, and particularly to the duty of restoring that which we have wrongfully taken and detained. Observe, Not Pharaoh only, but his house, was plagued ; probably, those princes especially that had commended Sarai to Pharaoh. Note, Partners in sin are justly made partakers in the punishment. Those that serve others' lusts, must expect to share in their plagues. We are not told particularly what these plagues were; but, doubtless, there was something in the plagues themselves, or some explication added to them, sufficient to convince them that it was for Sarai's sake that they were thus plagued.

2. Pharaoh reproved Abram, and then dismissed him with respect.

(1.) The reproof was calm, but very just; What is this that thou hast done? What an improper thing! How unbecoming a wise and good man! Note, If those that profess religion, do that which is unfair and disingenuous, especially if they say that which borders upon a lie, they must expect to hear of it, and have reason to thank those that will tell them of it. We find a prophet of the Lord justly reproved and upbraided by a heathen ship-master, Jon. 1. 6. Pharaoh reasons with him, Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Intimating, that if he had known that, he would not have taken her into his house. Note, It is a fault too common among good people, to entertain suspicions of others beyond what there is cause for. We have often found more of virtue, honour, and conscience, in some people, than we thought they possessed; and it ought to be a pleasure to us to be thus disappointed, as Abram was here, who found Pharaoh to be a better man than he expected. Charity teaches us to hope the best.

(2.) The dismission was kind, and very generous. He returned him his wife without offering any injury to her honour, v. 19, Behold thy wife, take her. Note, Those that would prevent sin, must remove the temptation, or get out of the way of it. He also sent him away in peace, and was so far from any design to kill him, as he apprehended, that he took particular care of him. Note, We often perplex and insnare ourselves with fears which soon appear to have been altogether groundless. We often fear, where no fear is. We fear the fury of the oppressor, as though he were ready to destroy, when really there is no danger, Isa. 51. 13. It had been more for Abram's credit and comfort, to have told the truth at first; for, after all, honesty is the best policy. Nay, it is said, v. 20, Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; that is, [1.] He charged them not to injure him in any thing. Note, It is not enough for those in authority, that they do not hurt themselves, but they must restrain their servants, and those about them, from doing hurt. Or, [2.] He appointed them, when Abram was disposed to return home, after the famine, to conduct him safe out of the country, as his convoy. Probably, he was alarmed by the plagues, v. 17, and inferred from them, that Abram was a particular favourite of Heaven, and therefore, through fear of their return, took special care he should receive no injury in his country.

Note, God has often raised up friends for his people, by making men know that it is at their peril if they hurt them. It is a dangerous thing to offend Christ's little ones, Matth. 18. 6. To this passage, among others, the Psalmist refers, Ps. 105. 13..15. He reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not mine anointed. Perhaps, if Pharaoh had not sent him away, he would have been tempted to stay in Egypt, and to forget the land of promise. Note, Sometimes God makes use of the enemies of his people, to convince them, and remind them, that this world is not their rest, but that they must think of departing. Lastly, Observe a resemblance between this deliverance of Abram out of Egypt, and the deliverance of his seed thence: 430 years after Abram went into Egypt on occasion of a famine, they went thither, on occasion of a famine also; he was fetched out with great plagues on Pharaoh, so were they; as Abram was dismissed by Pharaoh, and enriched with the spoil of the Egyptians, so were they. For God's care of his people is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. CHAP. XIII. In this chapter, we have a further account concerning Abram. I. In general, of his condition and behaviour in the land of promise, which was now the land of his pilgrimage. 1. His removes, v. 1, 3, 4, 18. 2. His riches, v. 2, 3. His devotion, v. 4, 18. II. A particular account of a quarrel that happened between him and Lot. 1. The unhappy occasion of their strife, v. 5, 6. 2. The parties concerned in the strife, with the aggravation of it, v. 7. III. The making up of the quarrel, by the prudence of Abram, v. 8, 9. IV. Lot's departure from Abram to the plain of Sodom, v. 10..12. V. God's appearance to Abram, to confirm the promise of the land of Canaan to him, v. 14..17.

ND Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3. And he went on his journies from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the