God promiseth seed to Abram. His faith, sacrifice and vision.
Abram doubting and lamenting that he should haue no childe, God promiseth him much issue, 6. who beleuing is iustified, 9. offereth Sacrifice prescribed by God, 13. and is forwarned that his seede shal be in strange land 400. yeares. 14. shal be deliuered from seruitude 18. and possesse Chanaan.
1Now when these things were done, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: Fear not, Abram, I am thy protector, and thy reward exceeding great.Passate che furono queste cose, il Signore parlò in visione ad Abramo, dicendo: Non temere, o Abramo: io sono il tuo protettore, e tua ricompensa grande oltremodo.VVHEN these things therfore were done, the word of our Lord was made to Abram by a vision saying: Feare not Abram, I am thy protector, & thy reward exceding great.His itaque transactis, factus est sermo Domini ad Abram per visionem dicens: Noli timere, Abram: ego protector tuus sum, et merces tua magna nimis. 2And Abram said: Lord God, what wilt thou give me? I shall go without children: and the son of the steward of my house is this Damascus Eliezer.E Abramo disse: Signore Dio, che mi darai tu? io me n'andrò senza figliuoli: e il figliuolo del mio maestro di casa, questo Eliezer di Damasco.And Abram said: Lord God, what wilt thou geue me? I shal goe without children: and the sonne of the stuard of my house is this Damascus Eliezer.Dixitque Abram: Domine Deus, quid dabis mihi ? ego vadam absque liberis, et filius procuratoris domus meæ iste Damascus Eliezer. 3And Abram added: But to me thou hast not given seed: and lo my servant born in my house, shall be my heir.E soggiunse Abramo: Ma a me tu non hai dato figliuolo: ed ecco che questo schiavo nato in mia casa sarà mio erede.And Abram added: But to me thou hast not geuen seede: and loe my seruant borne in my house, shal be myn heire.Addiditque Abram: Mihi autem non dedisti semen, et ecce vernaculus meus, hæres meus erit. 4And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: He shall not be thy heir: but he that shall come out of thy bowels, him shalt thou have for thy heir.E tosto il Signore gli parlò, e disse: Questi non sarà tuo erede; ma quello che da' lombi tuoi uscirà, lui avrai tuo erede.And immediatly the word of our Lord came to him saying: He shal not be thy heyre: but he that shal come out of thy wombe, him shalt thou haue thin heire.Statimque sermo Domini factus est ad eum, dicens: Non erit hic hæres tuus, sed qui egredietur de utero tuo, ipsum habebis hæredem. 5And he brought him forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven and number the stars if thou canst. And he said to him: So shall thy seed be.E lo condusse fuora, e gli disse: Mira il cielo, e conta, se puoi, le stelle. E così (dissegli) sarà la tua discendenza.And he brought him forth abroad, and said to him: Looke vp to heauen, and number the starres, if thou canst. And he said to him: So shal thy seed be.Eduxitque eum foras, et ait illi: Suscipe cælum, et numera stellas, si potes. Et dixit ei: Sic erit semen tuum.
6Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.Abramo credette a Dio, e fugli imputato a giustizia.Abram beleued God, and it was reputed to him vnto iustice.Credidit Abram Deo, et reputatum est illi ad justitiam. 7And he said to him: I am the Lord who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land, and that thou mightest possess it.E il Signore gli disse: Io sono il Signore che ti trassi da Ur de' Chaldei, per dare a te questo paese, e perché tu lo possegga.And he said to him: I am the Lord that brought thee out from Vr of the Chaldees for to giue thee this land, and that thou mightest possesse it.Dixitque ad eum: Ego Dominus qui eduxi te de Ur Chaldæorum ut darem tibi terram istam, et possideres eam. 8But he said: Lord God, whereby may I know that I shall possess it?Ma quegli disse: Signore Dio, donde posso io conoscere, ch'io sia per possederlo?But he said: Lord God, how may I know that I shal possesse it?At ille ait: Domine Deus, unde scire possum quod possessurus sim eam ? 9And the Lord answered, and said: Take me a cow of three years old, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years, a turtle also, and a pigeon.E il Signore rispose: Prendimi una vacca di tre anni, e una capra di tre anni, e un ariete di tre anni, e una tortora, e una colomba.And our Lord answered, and said: Take me a cowe of three yeares old, and a shee goat of three yeares, and a ramme of three yeares, a turtle also, and a pigeon.Et respondens Dominus: Sume, inquit, mihi vaccam trienem, et capram trimam, et arietem annorum trium, turturem quoque et columbam. 10And he took all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid the two pieces of each one against the other: but the birds he divided not.Ed egli prese tutte queste cose, le divise per mezzo, e le parti pose l'una dirimpetto all'altra; ma non divise i volatili.Who taking al these, diuided them by the mydes, and laid ech two peeces arowe one against the other: but the birdes he diuided not.Qui tollens universa hæc, divisit ea per medium, et utrasque partes contra se altrinsecus posuit; aves autem non divisit. 11And the fowls came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.E calavano uccelli sopra le bestie morte, e Abramo li cacciava.And the foules lighted vpon the carcasses, and Abram droue them away.Descenderuntque volucres super cadavera, et abigebat eas Abram. 12And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great and darksome horror seized upon him.E sul tramontare del sole, Abramo fu preso da profondo sonno, e lo invase un orror grande, e oscurità.And when the sunne was setting, a deepe sleepe fel vpon Abram, and a great and darkesome horrour inuaded him.Cumque sol occumberet, sopor irruit super Abram, et horror magnus et tenebrosus invasit eum.
13And it was said unto him: Know thou beforehand that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not their own, and they shall bring them under bondage, and afflict them four hundred years.E fugli detto: Tu dèi fin d'adesso sapere, che la tua stirpe sarà pellegrina in una terra non sua, e li porranno in ischiavitù, e gli strazieranno per quattrocent'anni.And it was said vnto him: Know and foreknow know that a pilgrime shal thy seede be in a land not their owne (and they shal bring them vnder bondage, and afflict them) foure hundred yeares.Dictumque est ad eum: Scito prænoscens quod peregrinum futurum sit semen tuum in terra non sua, et subjicient eos servituti, et affligent quadringentis annis. 14But I will judge the nation which they shall serve, and after this they shall come out with great substance.Ma io farò giudizio della nazione, di cui saranno stati servi: e dipoi se ne partiranno con grandi ricchezze.But the nation, whom they shal serue, I wil iudge: and after this they shal goe forth with great substance.Verumtamen gentem, cui servituri sunt, ego judicabo: et post hæc egredientur cum magna substantia. 15And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age.Ma tu andrai a trovare i padri tuoi, sepolto in pace in prospera vecchiezza.And thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace, buried in a good old age.Tu autem ibis ad patres tuos in pace, sepultus in senectute bona. 16But in the fourth generation they shall return hither: for as yet the iniquities of the Amorrhites are not at the full until this present time.E alla quarta generazione (i tuoi) torneranno qua: imperocché fino al tempo presente non sono ancora compiute le iniquità degli Amorrhei.But in the fourth generation they shal returne hither: for as yet the iniquities of the Amorrheanes are not at the ful vntil this present time.Generatione autem quarta revertentur huc: necdum enim completæ sunt iniquitates Amorrhæorum usque ad præsens tempus. 17And when the sun was set, there arose a dark mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace, and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.Tramontato poi che fu il sole, si fece una caligine tenebrosa, e apparve una fornace fumante, e una lampana ardente, che passava per mezzo agli animali divisi.Therfore when the sunne was set, there arose a darke mist, and there appeared a fornace smoking, and a flake of fire passing betwene those diuisions.Cum ergo occubuisset sol, facta est caligo tenebrosa, et apparuit clibanus fumans, et lampas ignis transiens inter divisiones illas. 18That day God made a covenant with Abram, saying: To thy seed will I give this land, from the river to Egypt even to the great river Euphrates.In quel giorno il Signore fermò l'alleanza con Abramo, dicendo: Al tuo seme darò io questa terra dal fiume d'Egitto sino al gran fiume Eufrate.That day God made a couenant with Abram, saying: To thy seede wil I geue this land from the riuer of Aegypt euen to the great riuer Euphrates,In illo die pepigit Dominus fœdus cum Abram, dicens: Semini tuo dabo terram hanc a fluvio Ægypti usque ad fluvium magnum Euphraten,
19The Cineans, and Cenezites, the Cedmonites,I Cinei, e i Cenezei, e i Cedmonei,the Cineans, & Cenezites, the Cedmonites,Cinæos, et Cenezæos, Cedmonæos, 20And the Hethites, and the Pherezites, the Raphaim also,E gli Hethei, e i Pherezei, e anche i Raphaimi,and the Hethits, and the Pherezits, the Raphaims also,et Hethæos, et Pherezæos, Raphaim quoque, 21And the Amorrhites, and the Chanaanites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.E gli Amorrhei, e i Chananei e i Gergesei, e i Jebusei.and the Amorreans & the Cananites, and the Gargasites, and the Iebusites.et Amorrhæos, et Chananæos, et Gergesæos, et Jebusæos.
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Year of the World 2092, Year before Christ 1912.
Fear not. He might naturally be under some apprehensions, lest the four kings should attempt to be revenged upon him.
Haydock
Reward, since thou hast so generously despised earthly riches. (Haydock)
Abram was not asleep, but saw a vision of exterior objects, ver. 5.
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I shall go. To what purpose should I heap up riches, since I have no son to inherit them? Abram knew that God had promised him a numerous posterity; but he was not apprized how this was to be verified, and whether he was to adopt some other for his son and heir. Therefore, he asks modestly, how he ought to understand the promise.
Calmet
And the son, etc. Hebrew is differently rendered, "and the steward of my house, this Eliezer of Damascus." We know not whether Eliezer or Damascus be the proper name. The Septuagint have "the son of Mesech, my handmaid, this Eliezer of Damascus." Most people suppose, that Damascus was the son of Eliezer, the steward. The sentence is left unfinished, and must be supplied from the following verse, shall be my heir. The son of the steward, filius procurationis, may mean the steward himself, as the son of perdition denotes the person lost. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Reputed by God, who cannot judge wrong; so that Abram increased in justice by this act of faith, believing that his wife, now advanced in years, would have a child; from whom others should spring, more numerous than the stars of heaven. (Haydock)
Worthington
This faith was accompanied and followed by many other acts of virtue, St. James 2:22. (Worthington)
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Haydock
Whereby, etc. Thus the blessed Virgin Mary asked, how shall this be done? Luke 1:34, without the smallest degree of unbelief. Abram wished to know, by what signs he should be declared the lawful owner of the land. (Haydock)
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Three years, when these animals have obtained a perfect age.
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Haydock
A deep sleep, or ecstasy, like that of Adam, Genesis 2:21, wherein God revealed to him the oppression of his posterity in Egypt, which filled him with such horror (Menochius) as we experience when something frightful comes upon us suddenly in the dark. This darkness represented the dismal situation of Joseph, confined in a dungeon; and of the Hebrews condemned to hard labour, in making bricks, and obliged to hide their male children, for fear of their being discovered, and slain. Before these unhappy days commenced, the posterity of Abram were exposed to great oppression among the Chanaanites, nor could they in any sense be said to possess the land of promise, for above 400 years after this prophetic sleep. (Haydock)
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Strangers, and under bondage, etc. This prediction may be dated from the persecution of Isaac by Ismael, in the year of the world 2112, till the Jews left Egypt, 2513. In Exodus xii., and St. Paul, 430 years are mentioned; but they probably began when Abram went first into Egypt, 2084. Nicholas Abram and Tournemine say, the Hebrews remained in Egypt full 430 years, from the captivity of Joseph; and reject the addition of the Septuagint which adds, "they and their fathers dwelt in Egypt, and in Chanaan." On these points, we may expect to find chronologists at variance.
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Haydock
Judge and punish the Egyptians, overwhelming them in the Red sea, etc. (Haydock)
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Menochius
Fourth, etc. after the 400 years are finished; during which period of time, God was pleased to bear with those wicked nations; whose iniquity chiefly consisted in idolatry, oppression of the poor and strangers, forbidden marriages of kindred, and abominable lusts. (Leviticus 18.; Deuteronomy 6. and xii.) (Menochius)
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A lamp, or symbol of the Divinity, passing, as Abram also did, between the divided beasts, to ratify the covenant. See Jeremias 34:18.
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Of Egypt, a branch of the Nile, not far from Pelusium. This was to be the southern limit, and the Euphrates the northern; the two other boundaries are given, Numbers 34.
Menochius
Perhaps Solomon's empire extended so far. At least, the Jews would have enjoyed these territories, if they had been faithful. (Menochius)
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Cineans, in Arabia, of which nation was Jethro. They were permitted to dwell in the tribe of Juda, and served the Hebrews.
Cenezites, who probably inhabited the mountains of Juda.
Calmet
Cedmonites, or eastern people, as their name shews. Cadmus was of this nation, of the race of the Heveans, dwelling in the environs of mount Hermon, whence his wife was called Hermione. He was, perhaps, one of those who fled at the approach of Josue; and was said to have sowed dragons' teeth, to people his city of Thebes in Beotia, from an allusion to the name of the Hevites, which signifies serpents. (Calmet)
Menochius
The eleven nations here mentioned were not all subdued; on account of the sins of the Hebrews. (Menochius)
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6. Beleued God] S. Hilarie (li. 9. de Trin) and S. Ambrose (li. 1. de Abraham. c. 3) by this exāmple teach vs, what maner of faith is reputed to iustice. to wit, such a faith as without tergiuersation, or requiring of proofe or reason, doth simply beleue that which God once saith, because he is omnipotent, how farsoeuer the thing that is said surmounteth our vnderstanding. For so heroical was the act of Abrahams faith, promptly beleuing Gods word in a matter most hard to his former conceipt, that for the same he receiued singular prayse; and for the like afterwards was called The father of mamenation. (c. 17. v. 5) and by Not workes before faith but ioyned with faith are meritorious. S. Paul. The father of al that beleue (Ro. 4. v. 11) where the Apostle teacheth that Abraham had no iustice, nor estimation of iustice before God, vntil he beleued in Christ (v. 18. 19, 20) because al workes before that faith are insufficient. Neyther was this a sole faith but had other necessarie vertues of hope, and charitie, humilite, reuerence, obedience, & the like ioyned with it. wherfore S. Iames testifieth that Abraham was iustified by workes (that is by Onlie faith doth not iustifie. workes folowing faith not going before faith. For Faith (saith he) if it haue not workes, is dead in it self. (c. 2. v. 17) And by workes Abrahams faith was consummat. v 22. And concludeth thus: Do yee see, that by workes a man is iustified and not by faith only. v. 24.
Concordance Ro. 4. Gal. 3. Iac. 2.
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These three kindes of beastes and two of birdes signifie that the Israelites should be three generations in a strange land, the fourth in the desert, the fifth in possession of Chanaan, Theod. q. 65. in Gen.
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Concordance Act. 17.
Abraham and his seed werein strange land 400 and odde yeares, but in seruitude and affliction about 140.
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Concordance Exo. 12.
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God deferreth to punish, either that the wicked may amend, or the good be exercised by them. S Aug. Psal. 54. or because the iniquity is not come to that great measure which his wisdome for•eeth, and wil punish in the end, to his owne more glorie, and more good of others. S. Greg. ho. 11. in 3. Ezech. To beleue Gods word without staggering is an act of iustice.
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.29
… or wherefore should He fear death, who was Himself Life, and was rescuing others from death? or how, whereas He said, ‘Fear not him that kills the body ,’ should He Himself fear? And how should He who said to Abraham, ‘Fear not, for I am with thee,’ and encouraged Moses against Pharaoh, and said to the son of Nun, ‘Be strong, and of a good courage
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.32
… for we certainly are not his descendants in the flesh; but we are his seed in following his faith, by believing in Christ, whose flesh did spring from the flesh of Abraham. Then Abraham was told by the Lord "This shall not be thine heir; but he that cometh out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir."
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.24
… And after the victory was gained he refused his share of the spoil, which he himself had really won. Also, when a son was promised him, though he thought of the lost vigour of his body, now as good as dead, and the barrenness of his wife, and his own great age, he believed God, though it was against the law of nature.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 16.26
After these things Ishmael was born of Hagar; and Abraham might think that in him was fulfilled what God had promised him, saying, when he wished to adopt his home-born servant, “This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth of thee, he shall be thine heir.”
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Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 10
… so shall thy seed be. And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.9.1
… —it is incumbent on us to follow, if we are their disciples indeed, their testimonies to this effect. For Matthew the apostle— knowing, as one and the same God, Him who had given promise to Abraham, that He would make his seed as the stars of heaven,
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.7.2
… who also in the last times was made visible and passible, and spake with the human race, that He might from the stones raise up children unto Abraham, and fulfil the promise which God had given him, and that He might make his seed as the stars of heaven,
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 5.10
… and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be;”
St Alexander of Alexandria † AD 326 Epistles on the Arian Heresy and the Deposition of Arius 1.5
… For if the knowledge of many other things that are incomparably inferior to this, are hidden from human comprehension, such as in the apostle Paul, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” As also God said to Abraham, that “he could not number the stars;”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.95
… let us go forth in purpose as they in exile; but they esteemed that not to be exile which the fear of God caused, necessity did not enforce. They changed their land for another soil, let us change earth for heaven; they changed in earthly habitation, let us change in spirit. To them Wisdom showed the heaven illuminated with stars,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 23
… “As the stars,” He says. How then is it that He often numbers them, although He said, “As the stars of the heaven shall not be numbered, so neither shall your seed”? (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 38.22
… shall He find faith on the earth?” and by this denomination are signified all those who by transgression of the law imitate him to whom it was said,” Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return;” yet because of the abundance of the good also, and because of him to whom it was said, “Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the sea;”
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St Barnabas † AD 61 The Epistle of Barnabas 13
… If then, still further, the same thing was intimated through Abraham, we reach the perfection of our knowledge. What, then, says He to Abraham? “Because thou hast believed, it is imputed to thee for righteousness: behold, I have made thee the father of those nations who believe in the Lord while in [a state of] uncircumcision.”
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 92
… For Abraham was declared by God to be righteous, not on account of circumcision, but on account of faith. For before he was circumcised the following statement was made regarding him: ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.’
Tertullian † AD 220 On Patience 6
Accordingly it is patience which is both subsequent and antecedent to faith. In short, Abraham believed God, and was accredited by Him with righteousness;
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 1.6
… “For if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.” Moreover, that righteousness should subsist by faith, and that in it was life, was predicted in Habakkuk: “Now the just shall live by faith of me.” Hence Abraham, the father of the nations, believed; in Genesis: “Abraham believed in God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.43
In Genesis: “And Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 1.4.11
11. If it is said that Abraham, a long time afterward, was given the command of circumcision, we reply that nevertheless before this it was declared that he had received the testimony of righteousness through faith; as the divine word says, “Abraham believed in God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 9.64
… God knows now, but that now I know is a profession of previous ignorance: yet it is not true, that until now God did not know the faith of Abraham, for it is written, Abraham believed in God, and it was counted to him for righteousness
St Ephrem the Syrian † AD 373 Ephraim Syrus: The Pearl. Seven Hymns on the Faith 7.1
The sound form of our faith is from Abraham, and our repentance is from Nineveh and the house of Rahab, and ours are the expectations of the Prophets,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Answer to Eunomius' Second Book 1
… For leaving behind him the curiosity that arises from knowledge, Abraham, says the Apostle, “believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.25
117. Prudence held the first place in holy Abraham. For of him the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and that was counted to him for righteousness;”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.89
89. The reason, unless I am mistaken, is complete and just, but I do not require a reason from Christ. If I am convinced by reason I reject faith. Abraham believed God,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.96
… It was not learning but grace which spoke in him, and he believed better what he had not learnt than we who have learnt. No one had falsified the representation of the truth, and so he sees Three, but worships the Unity. He brings forth three measures of fine meal, and slays one victim,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.97
97. He believed that he when old could beget a son,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.12
… for this is implanted in the nature of our flesh, but where flesh is not, how can you expect to find the infirmity of flesh? No man calls in question one who is better than he is: to believe is enjoined upon you, without permission to question. For it is written, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 3
… and as I said, from these things even man would have learned the Patriarch’s fear of God, much more than God Who waiteth not for the acts to know the end. And how too justified he him, if He knew not? For it is written, “Abraham believed, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 34
… for this is sufficient for us. For Abraham also, when he had stretched forth his affections towards God and set before Him his fixed resolution, what else had he need of? Nothing: but “he believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 46
… by this grace of promise the wild olive might be grafted into the good olive, and believing Gentiles might be made children of Abraham, “in Abraham’s seed, which is Christ,” by following the faith of him who, without receiving the law written on tables, and not yet possessing even circumcision, “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 16.24
In the same vision, God in speaking to him also says, “I am God that brought thee out of the region of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.18
… but God only said, ‘Let it become,’ and he adds, ‘And it became;’ for what He thought good and counselled, that forthwith the Word began to do and to finish. For when God commands others, whether the Angels, or converses with Moses, or commands Abraham, then the hearer answers; and the one says, ‘Whereby shall I know
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St Methodius † AD 311 The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 5.2
… Now, he who watches over and restrains himself in part, and in part is distracted and wandering, is not wholly given up to God. Hence it is necessary that the perfect man offer up all, both the things of the soul and those of the flesh, so that he may be complete and not lacking. Therefore also God commands Abraham,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 16.24
… In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river Euphrates: the Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 1.17
… For hereunto belongs what is said in the sacrifice of Abraham: "But the birds divided he not."
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 19
… xxx. 12 , LXX.): that is, I may not alter, may not be changed. For as a man who is hushed to slumber in a state of pious fear would not easily be made to change his side; so too he that is slumbering in wickedness would not change with facility. For to be hushed
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.32
… Thus did he await patiently the promise of God, and was unwilling to appear to receive from men, what God had promised to give him, when He said again to him as follows: “I will give this land to thy seed, from the river of Egypt even unto the great river Euphrates.”
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 2
… For thus, after the above-mentioned patriarchs, was the Law given to Moses, at that (well-known) time after their exode from Egypt, after the interval and spaces of four hundred years. In fact, it was after Abraham’s “four hundred and thirty years”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… So also now, though He has promised a Kingdom, yet He suffers us to be exercised in temptations. If here the freedom was not to be till after four hundred years, what wonder, with regard to the Kingdom? Yet he performed it, and lapse of time availed not to falsify His word. Moreover, it was no ordinary bondage they underwent.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 1.32
32. Now, in the generations which Matthew enumerates, the predominant number is forty. For it is a custom of the Holy Scriptures, not to reckon what is over and above certain round numbers. For thus it is said to be four hundred years, after which the people of Israel went out of Egypt, whereas it is four hundred and thirty.
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 6.23
… As in this case where God declares that Israel shall serve the Egyptians for four hundred years, and says to Abraham: “Know thou that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not theirs, and they shall bring them under bondage and afflict them four hundred years.”
Pseudo-Clement The Clementine Homilies 3.43
… But the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, and after that they shall come out hither with much property; but thou shalt depart to thy fathers with peace, being nourished in a good old age; and in the fourth generation they shall return hither, for the sins of the Amorites are hitherto not filled up.’
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 11.17
… And consider whether it is not according to sound reason that there are also many fathers and many mothers corresponding to the fathers of Abraham to whom the patriarch went away,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 28
And from many other things too one might perceive, that it is not possible for a disembodied soul to remain here. For both Stephen saith, “Receive my spirit;” and Paul, “To depart and to be with Christ is far better;” and of the patriarch too the Scripture saith, that “he was gathered unto his fathers, being cherished in a good old age.”
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St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.68
… that is, the word of faith which we preach: because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart, that God hath raised Him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved . Faith perfects the righteous man: as it is written, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 16.5
… How is it that some receive at the Lord’s hand double for their sins, and the measure of their wickedness is doubly filled up, as in the correction of Israel, while the sins of others are done away by a sevenfold recompense into their bosom? What is the measure of the Amorites that is not yet full?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 4
Ver. 22 . “For it is written, ( Gen. xv. 16 .) that Abraham had two sons, one by the hand-maid and the other by the freewoman.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 35.3
3. How is Gen. xv. 16 , “in the fourth generation they shall come hither again,” to be reconciled with Ex. xiii. 18 , LXX, “in the fifth generation the children of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt”?
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 36
Exodus xiii. 18 , he proposes to reconcile with
15:17
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 10.8
… For who can but marvel that Abraham’s barren wife should have given birth to a son at an age when not even a prolific woman could bear children; or, again, that when Abraham sacrificed, a flame from heaven should have run between the divided parts;
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John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 5.22
When the Lord was speaking with Abraham about the future (a point which you did not ask about) we find that He did not enumerate seven nations, but ten, whose land He promised to give to his seed.
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.18.3
… In a word, whatever they find in the Scriptures capable of being referred to the number eight , they declare to fulfil the mystery of the Ogdoad. With respect, again, to the Decad, they maintain that it is indicated by those ten nations which God promised to Abraham for a possession.
15:15
These things therefore being accomplished, that is, the war in Sodom being finished and victory achieved, and thanks having been given to God through Melchizedech; since Abram feared lest the Babylonians might renew the war, or lest the Canaanites, enticed by envy or hope of plunder, might rush upon him as if laden with spoils: God, wishing to reward his piety, fortitude and virtue, appeared to Abram, and strengthened him, saying repeatedly that he had nothing to fear from the Assyrians or Canaanites: for he himself was his care and concern, he would be his protector, defender and rewarder. By a vision, not in sleep, but in a vision by which Abram, awake, saw an angel representing God in an assumed body: either with bodily eyes, or rather with the eyes of the mind, and with him made a covenant. Thus Tostatus, Pererius, Oleaster. I am thy protector. In Hebrew אנכי מגן לך anochi magen lach, I am thy shield, I am thy buckler, I shall protect thee as a shield, and shall receive all the darts of thy enemies. Whence the Septuagint translates, I am thy hyperaspist, who namely goes before thee, and protects thee with my shield, as captains in battle have a hyperaspist going before them. See here how God consoles and protects the just and his friends. Thus he protected David, Psalm v, 13: "O Lord, thou hast crowned us with the shield of thy good will." And Psalm cxvii, 6: "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do to me." It is well known among Alciatus the emblem of a soldier, who made a boat from the shield with which he had received all the darts of all his enemies, by which he crossed a river impassable on foot, and from thence kissed the buckler: "This," he says, "was my true and only friend, when I was pressed by land, when I was pressed by sea." Such a shield everywhere and in all things was and is God to Abraham and to other Saints. And thy reward is exceeding great, that is, Because thou hast acted so piously, holily and bravely, O Abram; and because thou hast rejected the vile reward of the king of Sodom, chapter xiv, verse 22, for this reason I shall repay to thy faith, patience, fortitude, charity, obedience a reward exceeding great, which shall far surpass thy labors. Thus the holy Chrysostom, Ambrose, Cajetan. Note here the name of reward, against heretics: for where there is reward, there is merit of good works, which deserves this reward. This reward is, first, temporal, namely multitude and amplitude of family and posterity, as is evident verse 5. Second, it is spiritual and eternal, that is, I myself who am God, the ocean of all goods, shall be thy reward, prize and objective beatitude, O Abram. The same sings David Psalm xv: "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup, thou art he that wilt restore my inheritance to me. The lines are fallen unto me in goodly places; for my inheritance is goodly to me." And Psalm lxxii: "What have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?" and St. Thomas Aquinas, when praying at Naples, heard from the crucified Christ: "Thou hast written well of me, Thomas, what therefore shall be thy reward?" answered: "No other than thou, O Lord," for thou art my hope, my reward, my love and all things. Therefore the impious lie, who say Malachi iii, 14: "It is vain to serve God." Thirdly, some add, by I am thy protector, the gift of perseverance is promised to Abraham: by and thy reward, the eternal election of Abraham is signified and revealed to him, and that efficacious unto glory. But this, as it is mystical, so it is uncertain.
What wilt thou give me, that is to say, I believe, O Lord, that thou wilt bestow upon me many good things and riches, but to whom shall they serve? For I am without children, I lack a son and heir. Abraham knew that God had promised him a son, chapter xii, verse 7, nor does he doubt of God's faith; but in so great and so desired a matter, he fears lest by his fault he may have turned aside or overturned God's promise. For desire and love fear all things safe; nor does it rest until it possesses the beloved, and the thing so desired. Son of the steward of my house. In Hebrew it is ben mesec, which first Gennadius and Diodorus interpret as son of Mesec, which is my handmaid born in Damascus. Second, Vatablus translates it, son of the leaving of my house, that is, he to whom I have left and committed all care of my household affairs, namely my steward and procurator. Third and properly, Oleaster and Forsterus translate it, son of the running about or going about of my house, that is, he who goes about through my house, as is the custom of a steward, in dispensing and administering things. For mesec is derived from the root שוק scuc, or שכך scacac, that is to run about, which is proper to stewards. Whence the Chaldean and Theodotion translate it, son of the stewardship or procuration of mine. Now by a Hebraism an abstract is put for a concrete, namely running about for one who runs about, procuration for procurator: for the name איש is, that is man, is understood, that is to say, is mesec, that is man of procuration, to whom namely procuration has been entrusted. Thus we commonly call justice itself the judge, who presides over justice. Whence Aquila translates it, son of one giving drink to my house, that is, as St. Jerome in Questions on Hebrew translates it, son of the steward of my house: for a steward provides and gives food and drink to the household. This Damascus Eliezer, supply, shall be my heir, because I lack a son. Now Gennadius and Diodorus think Eliezer is called Damascus, that is a Damascene, because he was born of a Damascene mother. Second, Tostatus, Delrio and Honcala think that this servant had the proper name Damascus, who was the son of Eliezer, that is Damascus of Eliezer, namely the son. Third and genuinely, as it seems, Damascus in Hebrew דמשק Dammesec, is descended from mesec, which preceded; so that the prefixed letter dalet is the article, which the Syrians use for the demonstrative he of the Hebrews. 'Damascus' therefore, or Dammesec, is the same as this mesec, namely this steward, which the Flemings commonly call den Procureur. And so from the office as it were perpetual and hereditary of stewardship, this servant is called Damascus, when his proper name was Eliezer. From this Damascus St. Jerome, Tostatus and others relate that the city Damascus was founded. Wherefore others think more ingeniously than truly that Damascus is said from דם dam and שק sac, as if you should say, a sack of blood, namely of red wine. Whence also the Greeks wished it to be called Damascus, as it were haima, of blood, that is wine, and saccus, a sack: and because there was great fertility and abundance of wine there, hence they feigned that Bacchus dwelt in a sack there. But this was a fiction of the Gentiles, who were ignorant of this Damascus, steward of Abraham; and therefore from the etymology of Damascus, they sought out his nomenclature.
My servant born in my house, my home-born servant, that is my servant born in my house, as the Hebrew has it.
And immediately. See how quickly God meets the anxieties and scruples of his own. Out of thy womb. Out of thy belly. It is a Hebraism.
Number the stars. It was therefore night at that time, not moonless, but cloudless, serene and starry. Hence it is evident that the stars, even those visible to us, are innumerable to us. For, as St. Augustine says, the more keenly anyone gazes upon the stars, the more he sees in the sky. Thus he himself, book XVI of the City of God, chapter XXIII, St. Basil, Eusebius, Aristotle, Plato, and Seneca according to Pererius. The Dioptra moreover shows far more stars, which cannot be perceived by the eyes alone. Since therefore some from Ptolemy and the Astrologers count only 1022 stars, they count only those remarkable by sight, illustrious and more notable. Note: God commands Abram to number the stars, both because he was an astronomer, and because he was accustomed often to look up at them, and to sigh and yearn toward heaven, as also did our holy Father Ignatius. Hence Orpheus in Clement, book V of the Stromata, calls Abraham an Astronomer, while he sings: 'One alone, except to whom the origin is derived from the Chaldean race; he knew the stars of heaven, and their paths, and in what way the Sphere moves in its orbit.' So shall thy seed be, that is to say, Like the stars shall thy posterity be, O Abram, both according to the letter, both the carnal seed of the Jews, as thou here dost earnestly desire; and allegorically, the spiritual seed of believers and Christians: for these are the children of Abraham; both because they imitate his faith and piety; and because Christ the son of Abraham according to the flesh, is the parent of all Christians; and this is what, as St. Ambrose and St. Augustine testify, Christ said in John VIII, 56: 'Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day; he saw, and was glad.' Note that the posterity of Abraham, both carnal and especially spiritual, are rightly compared to the stars of heaven, because this posterity, like the stars, first, is innumerable and very great (which is especially intended here according to the letter); second, is most sublime and heavenly; third, is constant, most orderly and eternal; fourth, is most powerful; fifth, is most famous; sixth, is most splendid and most glorious, and such especially it shall be after the resurrection: 'For they that are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all eternity,' Daniel chapter XII. Stars therefore signify illustrious faithful, such as are Doctors. And to this the Church alludes, when she sings: 'May thy standard-bearer St. Michael present them in the holy light, which thou didst once promise to Abraham (where? unless here, and verse 1) and to his seed.' Note secondly: The carnal sons of Abraham, namely the Jews, were an express figure of the spiritual sons of Abraham, namely Christians, first, in their most numerous multiplication; second, in their most severe vexation and affliction in Egypt; third, in so happy a passage of the Red Sea with 3000 Egyptians drowned; fourth, in food, namely heavenly manna, by which they were nourished in the desert for 40 years; fifth, in the brazen serpent; whosoever of those bitten by serpents looked upon it, was healed; sixth, in the pilgrimage of 40 years through the desert, under the guidance of a heavenly column, through so many perils and temptations; seventh, in their introduction into the promised land, under the leadership of Joshua, or Jesus son of Nave; eighth, in the abundance of wine, honey and oil in the land of Canaan. For all these things it is easy to adapt spiritually to Christians.
Abraham believed God, who promised something so difficult and by nature impossible, namely that from Sarah, an old and barren woman, he would beget a son, and through him innumerable descendants, like the stars of heaven. Note: This faith of Abraham was not bare and unformed, as the Novatians wish; but it was clothed and formed with the works of submission, obedience, reverence, charity, and other virtues, as is evident from the preceding and following passages, and from the Epistle of James, chapter II, verse 21. And it was reputed to him (by God, or by the judgment of God, which is sincere and cannot be deceived) unto justice. In Hebrew it is, vaiachschebeha lo tsedaka, 'and he reputed it,' namely faith, to him 'unto justice,' a greater justice namely (for Abraham was already justified before, as is evident from verse 1 and the preceding chapter), and so that he might appear more just before God, and truly be so. For God esteems things as they are in themselves; otherwise the judgment of God would be deceived. Therefore the Novatians wrongly attempt to prove from this place their imputed justice. For thus Moses would have said: God imputed to Abraham the justice of Christ; but now he says the contrary, namely that God imputed to Abraham himself not the justice of Christ, but his own faith unto justice, because namely on account of Abraham's faith and such heroic acts of faith, He held and deemed him just, indeed more just than usual. For through these intrinsic acts of faith, not denominatively, nor imputatively, but truly and intrinsically Abraham was justified, and grew in justice. Note: This statement, 'Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice,' is general, and pertains to all the preceding things. For Abraham through faith was made just from unjust, and through faith in the justice already obtained he grew. For Holy Scripture wishes to propose Abraham here as the father of faith and an exemplar of justification. Yet it places this statement here rather than elsewhere, because to believe such and so great a seed, both carnal and spiritual, to be born from aged, barren and infirm spouses, was a difficult act of faith, and a most ample one, tacitly embracing all other things to be believed. I have said more about this place in Romans IV, 3.
Possess it, through your descendants.
Whence can I know. Abraham does not doubt God's promise (otherwise his faith would not have been reputed to him unto justice), but only wishes to know the manner of it, and desires that some sign, symbol, and likeness of that which he had believed be exhibited to him. Thus Theodoret, St. Chrysostom and St. Augustine. That this is so is evident from God's response, who, assenting to Abraham's petition, gives such a sign, by which he sets before his eyes the manner and order of the future possession; secondly, Abraham here wishes God to confirm His promise, and not to render it void by any demerits of his descendants, as Rupert and Tostatus say; thirdly, Abraham seeks this sign not so much for himself as for his descendants, namely that through this sign his descendants might believe it more firmly. Thus Cajetan.
Take me a heifer of three years old, etc. First, for the use of the covenant, which I wish to make with you after your manner and rite, and to ratify by the slaying and division of these animals; secondly, that after the covenant made with me, you may sacrifice these to me; thirdly, that by these I may foreshadow and signify to you what things shall befall your posterity, partly joyful, partly sorrowful, before they enter into the possession of the land of Chanaan, promised to them by me. Thus Pererius. A heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years old, a turtle-dove also and a pigeon. All these are symbols of things to come after Abram in his posterity, namely the Hebrews. First therefore, this 'heifer' of 'three years old' untamed signifies the first generation of the Hebrews, and their freedom in Egypt in the time of Joseph: for then freely and abundantly, like a young heifer, they were fed with the riches of Egypt; secondly, the 'she-goat of three years' signifies the second generation of the Hebrews, whom after Joseph the Egyptians began to milk like a goat, enriching themselves by the work and servitude of the Hebrews; thirdly, the 'ram' hard and horned signifies the third generation of the Hebrews, most numerous and most strong, and therefore oppressed by the Egyptians with the hardest servitude, at the birth of Moses; fourthly, the 'two birds,' not divided like the rest, but offered whole in sacrifice, signify that after 400 years the Hebrews, free and whole, were about to fly forth out of Egypt, that they might worship God, both in the desert and in Chanaan. The 'turtle-dove' mourning signifies 40 years of sorrow in the wandering through the desert. Whence the turtle-dove in Hebrew is called תור, from תור tur, that is to think, to meditate, because the turtle-dove appears to speak within itself, like those who meditate and speak with themselves. The 'pigeon' social signifies the time of Josue, when the Hebrews dwelt happily and peacefully in the promised land. For the pigeon in Hebrew is גוזל gosal, that is the young of a pigeon, or squab, as the Chaldean translator rendered it. For the Hebrews, having recently entered Chanaan under Josue, were in it as squabs. The 'division of the quadrupeds' signifies the various afflictions of the Hebrews in Egypt; the end of these is signified by the whole birds. The 'flight of birds to the carcasses' signifies Og, Seon, Amalec and other enemies invading and harassing Israel wandering. 'Abram driving away the birds' signifies the providence of God, protecting and defending the Hebrews on account of the merits of Abraham. Thus Theodoret and Diodorus of Tarsus. Tropologically, concerning prayer and the various distractions in it like birds to be driven away, see in St. Gregory, book XVI of the Morals, chapter XX. You will ask, why did God will these terrestrial animals to be of three years old? I answer first, because animals of three years are perfect in stature, age and strength; secondly, symbolically, because the servitude of Egypt lasted through three generations, namely Coat, Amram and Moses. Tropologically, he who strives toward the promised land in the heavens, as a true son of Abraham the Hebrew, let him take first a heifer of three years, that is threefold humility, namely let him humble himself to superiors, equals and inferiors; secondly, a she-goat of three years, that is threefold penance, namely contrition, confession and satisfaction; thirdly, a ram of three years, that is threefold fortitude, so that namely he may bear strongly for faith and obedience to God the loss of wealth, honour and body, or life; fourthly, let him take a turtle-dove, that is chastity and prayer; and a pigeon, that is simplicity and meekness; fifthly, let him drive away the birds, that is the temptations of demons. Mystically, that is physically, St. Ambrose, book II On Abraham, chapter VIII: A heifer, he says, represents the earth, a goat water, a ram air, which strong as a ram, shakes the earth and water with winds and storms. For these things are to be offered to God. Morally, a heifer is flesh, a goat is sense, a ram is the word. 'Our flesh is a heifer: it labours that it may sow: it labours that it may gather: it labours that it may bring forth: it is wearied with innumerable labours. Whence also the Greeks δάμαλιν from δαμάσθαι very much, because it is tamed very much. But our senses like goats, as it were by a certain leap, spring forth. At every occasion they are ready, either by the meeting of feminine beauty, or by the odour of some sweetness; by hearing likewise and touch they are moved swiftly, by which also the constancy of the soul is bent. A ram is vehement, as also our word is efficacious in operation, leading in a certain order the flock of life and actions.' These three things therefore are to be sacrificed to God. Thus St. Ambrose. Allegorically, these animals signified Christ and the sacrifice of Christ, by which the new covenant of Christians with God was ratified. The ram therefore, or sheep, signifies the innocence of Christ: the goat signifies the likeness of the flesh of sin in Christ: the heifer, the strength and patience of Christ in enduring labours: the turtle-dove, the purity and chastity of Christ: the pigeon, which is without gall, the incomparable meekness of Christ, which he wished us especially to love and imitate, saying: 'Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart.' Thus Lyran.
He divided them in the midst. He split them by cutting from head to tail. God appears here to institute the rite of striking a covenant, namely that in the covenant they trust and divide animals, or covenant victims, and between the parts thus divided they pass, imprecating upon themselves a like death and splitting if they violate the covenant. Whence the Jews afterwards observed this rite, as appears in Jeremiah, chapter XXXIV, verse 18. The Chaldaeans also: for among the Chaldaeans, says Diodorus of Tarsus, an oath is held more secure when they sanction it by the section of animals, imprecating the same upon transgressors. Thus the Romans and Latins: 'They stood, and confirmed covenants with a slain pig.' I have said more on this matter in I Corinthians, chapter XI, verse 25, and shall say so in Exodus XXIV, 8. Parts against each other. He placed those parts responding to each other on either side with space left in the middle for passing through. Abraham did all these things by the instinct and command of God, although Moses does not express this. He did not divide the birds, because they did not serve symbolically for the covenant. St. Ambrose, book II On Abraham, chapter VIII: 'For the just are not divided,' he says, 'to whom it is said that they be simple as doves. For the mind directed to the grace of Christ saw this world to be full of iniquity: but chastity, faith, sincerity are subject to no passions; but avarice, the cares of the world, by which those who have the pleasures of riches are suffocated, are torn apart and divided. Whence riches are so called, because they divide the mind, and tear it in different directions, and draw it into parts, and do not allow it to be uncorrupted and whole.'
Drove away. Rightly: for this is what the Hebrew ישב iasscheb signifies, from the root נשב naschab, that is, he removed, he drove out. Thus the Chaldaeans, Vatablus and others, and this is the true and genuine version. For it is certain that Abram drove away the birds from his victims, otherwise they would have devoured them. But the Septuagint, reading ישב iescheb with different points, translate contrarily, 'Abram sat with them,' which however is also true; for Abram sat at a distance with the birds driven away by him: for these driven away sat at a distance longing for the victims, and desiring to return to them. In a similar way, when a Bishop celebrates a solemn Mass, deacons on either side hold fans to drive away flies and gnats, lest they fall into the chalice: just as Abram drove away the birds which descended to the victims, says Turrianus in the Constitutions of the Apostles of St. Clement, book VIII, chapter XII. St. Ambrose notes, book II On Abraham, that no commendation of augury, by which the Gentiles divined from the flight or chirping of birds, is to be taken from this, which however Valesius hints at in Sacred Philosophy, chapter XXX, where he seems to gentilize, and therefore incurred the censure of the Roman Index.
AND WHEN THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN, A DEEP SLEEP FELL UPON ABRAM. This sleep of Abraham was partly natural, from excessive daily labour, of killing, dividing, and sacrificing victims, and of driving birds away from them; partly it was sent upon Abraham by God, just as He sent sleep upon Adam in Genesis II, 21. For in both places the same word תרדמה tardema is in the Hebrew, which the Septuagint translates as ecstasy. Abram was therefore caught up in ecstasy, and saw the servitude of his posterity (as appears in the following verse) in Egypt, and seeing this was seized with horror and anguish. Thus Philo, Pererius and others. Symbolically, this sleep signified God, as it were sleeping and dissembling for a time the affliction of the Hebrews: whence it happened at the setting of the sun, that is, at the death of Joseph, who was their patron with Pharaoh; secondly, Pererius thinks this sleep of Abraham signifies that Abraham would die before, and would not see the calamity of his people. Allegorically, St. Augustine refers this to the perturbation that will be in the end of the world, book XVI On the City of God, chapter XXIV.
IN A LAND NOT HIS OWN. Namely partly in Egypt, partly in Canaan. AND THEY SHALL BRING THEM INTO BONDAGE, AND AFFLICT THEM FOUR HUNDRED YEARS. Note that these 400 years are to be referred partly to 'afflict,' partly to 'thy seed shall be a stranger,' which preceded. For the Hebrews did not serve in Egypt, indeed they did not dwell there 400 years, but only 215, as I shall show on Exodus XII, 40. The sense therefore is, as if to say: From this time, when I shall soon give to thee, O Abraham, the promised seed, and shall cause Isaac to be born to thee, until the departure of thy posterity from Egyptian bondage into Canaan, there shall flow 400 years, in which Isaac and thy posterity shall be partly strangers here in Canaan and in Egypt, partly shall serve in Egypt and shall be afflicted. Note that these 400 years are to begin from the birth of Isaac (for these concern the posterity of Isaac, not however of Ishmael), which occurred in the 100th year of Abraham, which was 25 years from his calling, Genesis XII, 4. From this 100th year of Abraham, until the departure of the Hebrews from Egypt there flowed 405 years. But Scripture is accustomed to pass over small numbers, and therefore here it omits five years. Thus from St. Augustine through Pererius. Or if thou requirest a precise calculation, begin these years from the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael from the house of Abraham; for then Isaac alone remained in the house of Abraham, the sole heir of his and of these his promises. Whence Genesis XXI, 12, where the expulsion of Ishmael is commanded, God says to Abraham: 'For in Isaac shall thy seed be called. But my covenant I will establish with him.' Thus Torniellus. For this expulsion of Ishmael occurred in the 103rd year of Abraham, when Isaac was five years old, as I shall say on chapter XXI.
I WILL JUDGE. I will punish most severely with the plagues of Egypt, Exodus VII and following. WITH GREAT SUBSTANCE,—with great riches, both their own and those of the Egyptians. For they shall spoil Egypt, Exodus chapter XII, verse 36.
THOU SHALT GO TO THY FATHERS IN PEACE,—thou shalt depart by a peaceful, tranquil and joyful death. Hear St. Ambrose, book II On Abraham, chapter IX: 'Some have thought the fathers to be the elements, from which our flesh is composed while we live, and into which we are resolved. But we who remember Jerusalem to be our mother, she who is above, assert those to be fathers who preceded us in merit of life and in order. There was Abel a pious victim, there was pious and holy Enoch, there was Noah: to them the passage of Abraham is promised.' IN A GOOD OLD AGE,—advanced, mature, of 175 years.
AND IN THE FOURTH GENERATION THEY SHALL RETURN HITHER. 'In the fourth generation,' that is, in the fourth century, or in the fourth hundred years, namely after 400 years. For a generation, or the span of human life, is circumscribed by 100 years, Ecclesiasticus XVII, 8. Secondly, it can be taken with Pererius that generation here is properly understood for that by which a father begets a son; for after the descent of Jacob into Egypt, there were four generations in the line of Judah, of those who were born from Judah in Egypt: Esron, who was the grandson of Judah, begat Ram (this is the first). Ram begat Aminadab (this is the second). Aminadab begat Naasson (this is the third). Naasson begat Salmon, who entered the land of Chanaan promised by God to the Jews (this is the fourth). You will say: The Septuagint, in Exodus XIII, 18, computes not four, but five generations here. I answer: The Septuagint counts from the sons of Jacob exclusively; for they count Phares himself, the son of Judah. For Phares begat Esron, but not in Egypt, but in Chanaan. For Esron with Phares his father, and Judah his grandfather, and Jacob his great-grandfather, entered Egypt from Chanaan, as is evident from Genesis XLVI, 12 and 26. And therefore this fifth generation is here omitted. NOR YET ARE THE INIQUITIES OF THE AMORRHEANS FILLED UP. Note: For 400 years God tolerated the sins of the Chanaaneans, until namely the measure of their sins, appointed by God for their vengeance and destruction, should be filled up by them: which being filled up, and the Chanaaneans expelled and destroyed, in their place and region He substituted the Hebrews. Note secondly: The iniquities of the Amorrheans and Chanaaneans (as is evident from Leviticus XVIII, and Deuteronomy IX and XII) were chiefly three. First, idolatry, by which they also burned their own sons in fire, sacrificing them to gods. Second, unjust oppressions of strangers and the poor. Third, promiscuous marriages with blood relatives and kinfolk. Again, accursed lust, not only of males with males, but also with beasts. These were so abominable that the land could not sustain them any longer, but was forced to vomit them out, as Scripture says. Note here thirdly: God in this life is especially accustomed to punish public and shameless sins, which are destructive to human society. But human society is held together chiefly by three things: first, by religion and piety toward God; second, by equity and justice; third, by right discipline of living, and good composition of morals. Against the first sin atheism and idolatry; against the second, rapines and oppressions of the innocent; against the third, promiscuous and accursed lust. Finally, St. Gregory, explaining in Ezekiel that passage, chapter III, 'If the just man turn away from his justice and do iniquity, I will set a stumbling block before him': 'This,' he says, 'must be considered by us with trembling, that the just and almighty God, when He is angry at preceding sins, permits that the blinded mind should slip into other evils.' Thus He permitted the Chanaaneans to slip into one and another crime, until their measure should be filled up. Great therefore is God's punishment the impunity of sinning, granted to the sinner for his heavier punishment and damnation. From this place therefore learn first, whatever we sin, it comes as it were into one heap before God, so that when the measure is filled up, certain destruction falls upon us. Let us not therefore think sins light, even small ones, because they add something to this heap. Learn secondly, that it is a grace where God quickly punishes sins: for by this the heap of sins decreases; on the contrary, great is God's wrath where God long delays and dissembles: then the heap of guilt is increased, and consequently also the punishment. Learn thirdly, that God tolerates the impious to a certain limit, which they cannot transgress without God's punishment. Learn fourthly, when in a republic or city, or in a prince, or in another man, sins have reached the highest point, then God's certain vengeance is imminent. Let us therefore avert it by swift penance.
AND DARKNESS CAME. All these things Abraham saw in ecstasy, as the Septuagint has it, verse 12. Thus St. Augustine, book II of the Retractations, chapter XLIII. A SMOKING FURNACE. A furnace burning, and bursting forth through smoky flame; this furnace is a symbol and image of a metaphorical furnace, namely Egyptian servitude in mud and brick, which the Hebrews baked in their furnaces: whence their servitude is called the iron furnace of Egypt, Deut. IV, 20. Symbolically St. Ambrose, book II On Abraham, IX: 'The furnace,' he says, 'seems to be expressed by a likeness: human life, which is entangled in the iniquities of this age and wrapped up, not having the brightness of true splendor and the radiance of sincere light, seethes within like a furnace with diverse desires, and pants with certain fires of longing; without it is covered as it were by some smoke, so that it does not see the face of truth, until the Lord Jesus directs heavenly lamps, that is, the radiance of His glory.' A LAMP OF FIRE. The Hebrews call a lamp of fire a torch, or a burning brand. This lamp was therefore a burning torch and a sign of God, who was accustomed to appear throughout the Old Testament in fire, as I said Hebr. XII, 29. Note: In making covenants, those making them were accustomed to pass between the divided victims, cursing upon themselves a like death and division if they should violate the covenant, as I said verse 10. Therefore by this passage of the lamp, or torch through the midst of the animals, God confirms His covenant with Abraham: for in place of God an angel passes in this torch represented and hidden. Abraham also, who entered into covenant with God, is to be understood as having passed in like manner, or rather as seeming to himself to have passed. For Abraham seemed to himself to see all these things in a vision. Secondly, this lamp or torch signified the pillar of fire and cloud, by which God divided the Hebrews from the Egyptians in the Red Sea, Exodus, cap. XIII, verse 21. And afterwards led them through the desert into the promised land. Again, the lamp is God, by His passage as it were inviting the Hebrews to the exodus from Egypt, according to that Ecclus. L, 31: 'The light of God is His footstep,' that is, the footsteps of the preceding light, namely God, are followed. For God in the pillar of fire and cloud, going before the camp of the Hebrews, led them out, and showed the way through the desert and went before them. Moreover Clement of Alexandria in the Exhortation to the Gentiles, in that very pillar of shining and burning fire introduces God thus speaking to the people: 'If you obey, light; if you do not obey, I will send fire upon you.' Finally, the smoking furnace is a judge troubling and tormenting the wicked on the day of judgment: but the passing lamp is a brief purgatory, by which the pious are refined, so that they may pass into eternal life. Allegorically, this passing torch signified the glory of God, faith and grace passing from the Jews to the Gentiles. Thus Rupert. Anagogically, this torch signifies the day of judgment and the fire of the conflagration of the world, which will separate the elect and the reprobate, those to be saved and those to be damned. Thus Augustine, book XVI On the City of God, cap. XXIV. Finally, this torch passing between the parts of the divided animals, consumed and burned them together with the dove and the turtledove; and this was so that in this way the sacrifice of Abraham might be completed, and so that by this sign God might testify that this sacrifice of Abraham was pleasing to Him. For thus God accepted the sacrifice of Abel, Gideon, Manoah, Solomon and others, as I said cap. IV, verse 4. Thus Chrysostom, homily 37.
FROM THE RIVER OF EGYPT. This river is the stream of the Nile, which enters the Mediterranean Sea between Rhinocolura and Pelusium; whence elsewhere it is called the torrent of Egypt, or of the desert: concerning which see Ribera on Amos cap. VI, num. 15.
CINEANS. Note: The Hebrews under Joshua possessed the land of only seven nations. You will say: How then are eleven nations' land promised to them here? For ten are named here, and if you add the Heveans, whom Scripture expresses elsewhere, you will have 11. Abulensis responds that this promise concerns not only the Hebrews, but all the posterity of Abraham, and thus here God includes also the portion of land which was to fall to Esau, grandson of Abraham, and the Edomites; again the portion which was to fall to the sons of Ammon and Moab, to whom God gave the region of two nations for the sake of Abraham their uncle. With these three removed, there remain eight; now from these eight the land of the Raphim, or giants, is elsewhere comprehended under the Amorites; with these therefore removed, there remain only 7 nations, which the Hebrews possessed according to God's promises. But it is more true that all these things concern not the Edomites, nor the Ammonites and Moabites, but only the Hebrews, the posterity of Isaac and Jacob; for these are the seed of Abraham, to whom God assigns His promises. Therefore St. Augustine responds better in Question 21 on Joshua, and from him Pererius, that in Scripture a twofold promised land is set forth: the first, which the Hebrews possessed under Joshua, which contained only seven nations; the second, which the same possessed under David and Solomon, when the kingdom of the Jews was most flourishing, and which embraces the eleven nations which are here promised to Abraham; not as if the Hebrews under Solomon inhabited all this land, but in that the whole was subject to them and tributary. Thirdly and most rightly St. Jerome and Andreas Masius respond in chapter 1 of Joshua, verse 4, that God did not give to the Hebrews the whole land here promised to them, because they themselves did not keep the conditions of the promise and covenant, namely the law and the worship of God. Whence throughout the book of Judges it is said that the Canaanite also dwelt in the land at that time, and that God left the Jebusite among them to exercise Israel. For this reason therefore, although these nations were universally eleven, yet they are named only seven in various places, as may be seen in Deuteronomy VII, 1; Joshua XXIV, 11. Again, sometimes only six are named: for the Gergesites are omitted, because they were fewer and more contemptible; whence Scripture comprehends them under others.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Arg. — Incipit iam narrationis pars omnino praecipua, quae illud factis illustrat 15,6 : « Credidit Abram Deo et reputatum est illi ad iustitiam ». Igitur hi versus in memoriam revocant provectam Abrae aetatem prole carentis, divinam iterant promissionem, viri celebrant fidem. | ! De cap. 15 origine et compositione cum recentiores (cf. De/., Dzlim., Welilh., Budde p. 416 sqq.) discordent, non est cur plura dicamus. Affirmant v. 2 et 3 idem edicere, ergo diversorum esse auctorum. Sed alteram v. 9 partem ostendemus probabilius non esse nisi corruptionem ipsius v. 3. Varios item inferunt auctores, quod v. 5 iam conspiciantur stellae, v. 19 sol tandem occumbat. At probabilius v. 1-6 et 7-91 fuere duae diversis diebus visiones atque, etiamsi verba v. 7 gratuito supponas eadem nocte atque verba v. 5 esse pronuntiata, sacrificio v. 10 instruendo sequens saltem dies adhibebatur, ut v. 12 non iam ad eandem atque v. 5 noctem referatur. : Cap. XV v..1 « His itaque. transactis » — determinatur tempus omnino generaliter. Erat illud inter aetatis Abrae annum septuagesimum quintum (12,4) et octogesimum quintum (16,3) : quo anno cum ingressus esset ad Agar spe prolis obtinendae, vix locutus esset verba 15,9 — « factus est sermo Domini ad Abram per visionem dicens : Noli tàimere, Abram, ego protector tuus sum, et merces tua magna nimis » erit. Non : Ego ero merces tua; secus Abram non potuisset
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v. 9 respondere : « Quid dabis mihi? » A quibus sibi timere supponitur Abram et quorum eidem merces promittitur? Suggerit Ca. timorem a regibus Mesopotamiae, qui facile possent redire, Amr. mercedem generositatis 14,93 exhibitae : « Quoniam sibi mercedem ab homine non quaesivit , a Deo accepit... Non est serus ad remunerandum Dominus ». Haec supponunt breve inter acta cap. 14 et 15 intervallum. Melius rem generalius concipias et e sequentibus maxime explices. Erat Abram peregrinus in regione aliena tantoque minus firmas in eadem radices fixerat, quod prole carebat : timebat igitur rebus suis. Simul nullum sibi experiebatur e relictis paternis in Mesopotamia sedibus emolumentum provenire, tot divinae promissiones vix quemquam tulerant fructum. tenebras v. 129. 17, clibanum igneum v. 417; item alia non per visionem solum, sed in rerum natura peracta esse, sc. quae v. 10 sq. de victimis et volucribus narrantur. Quod enim Deus concedere Abrahae signum (v. 8) decreverat, constabat foedere Deum inter et Abram secundum ritum Chaldaeorum feriendo, quo inter victimarum partes paciscens medius transiret. Oportuit igitur veras adesse victimas, non aliqua solum visione conspectas, et verum transitum ; transitus autem divini veritatem crediderim Abram post visionem consumptis igne victimis intellexisse. Neque ulla est ratio supponendi, Deum verba v. 1-7 alia ratione, ac alia secus verba (v. 9; 12,4 sqq. 7; 13, 14 sqq.), et ratione quidem magis visionaria pronuntiasse ; quin potius, uti locis laudatis, fortasse visibili aliqua se exhibuisse forma, certe audibili locutum esse voce, reliqua secundum naturae leges esse acta. Igitur, expressio per visionem (v. 1), si ea de stricti nominis visione intelligatur, dicenda erit illud quidem affirmare, in v. 2-21 narratis aliquid esse visionis, non vero omnia ad visionem spectare. Sed planius defendes, illud per visionem nihil tandem aliud edicere, quam 12, 7; 17, 1; 18, 4 vox apparuil, sc. Deum visibili fortasse specie et utique audibili voce cum Abram esse conversatum. Revelationis huius ratione definita, de temporibus, quo facta est, aliqua supersunt statuenda. Igitur primum Dei alloquium v. 1-5 factum est noctu, quo tempore stellae v. 5 conspiciebantur. Verba v. 7-9 dicta fuere aut immediate post, aut post aliquod tempus , noctu vel mane. Sequentem diem praeparandis victimis Abram insumpsit, postea sedebat (LXX v. 14) iuxta victimas « exspectans transitum Dei » (Cai.Y. Versus solis occasum v. 12 tandem secuta est visio. Ubi illud quaeri potest, exprimaturne unum idemque tempus verbis v. 12 « Cumque sol occumberet » et v. 17 « Cum ergo occubuisset sol », an diversum, imo fortasse duae distinctae vesperae. Praeplacet, duas illas expressiones de uno eodemque tempore interpretari, ut caligo v. 17 eadem atque v. 12 intelligatur; aut certe de temporibus fere iisdem, ut prior ad tempus occasum solis immediate praecedens, altera ad tempus immediate consequens referatur. Nulla autem est ratio cum Cai. ordinis invertendi, ut prius Abram viderit clibanum, postea audierit verba v. 13-46. v. 9 « Dixitque Abram : Domine Deus, quid dabis mihi? » Bene notat Per., eum de protectione divina non dubitare, sed de sola mercede ponere quaestionem : « Quid mihi haec dona sunt profutura, si, cum mortuus fuero, non habeam filium bonorum istorum haeredem? » (Bonfr.). Nihil magnum nimis his in terris videtur viro liberis carenti. « Ego vadam absque liberis et filius procuratoris domus meae, iste Damascus Eliezer ». v. 3 « Addiditque » — vel potius simpliciter dixitque — « Abram : Mihi autem non dedisti semen, et ecce vernaculus meus haeres meus erit ». v. 3 evidenter idem repetit, quod praecedente sententia dicebatur, cuius textum apud omnes constat misere esse corruptum. Crediderim tempore antiquissimo, quando textus sententiae v. 9 iam erat depravatus, eius vero sensus certa adhuc traditione sciebatur, auctorem aliquem, fortasse inspiratum, adiecisse v. 3 ad eum sensum indubie exprimendum. Neque tamen inferas, legitime expungi priorem sententiam, est enim in illa aliquid , quod sequens non habet, sc. nomen Eliezer, quod secundum textus omnes habetur v. 2 et non habetur v. 3. Restitutionem textus prioris interpretem tentare oportet, licet rem certo definire nequeat. Quam antiqua sit corruptio inde colligas, quod Hebr. et Sam. eundem textum corruptum legant : you pum xt mma py qmm. Quod verbotenus reddas : Et filius pv domus meae ipse Damascus Eliezer. Iamvero RD'ATS pv non potest verti Damascenus Eliezer (Chald. Syr.), quod erat scribendum pun yox. De significatione radicis DX'3 minime constat (cf. Soph. 2,9). Syr. et Targ. Hier. vocem omisere, LXX scripsit Macéx, Symm. 6 $3 avyyevíic, Vulg. procurator, cui consentiunt Chald., Ps. Ion., Vers. Sam., et etiam Theod. xoi xi zi; olzlag uou. At expressio, qua idem eiusdem viri officium 24,2 designatur, haec est: (5 "IUN 553 own ina "D *73y. Corrigas ergo in nostro textu pum in Dun. Dices pore non construi transitive, sed requirere sequentem praepositionem, v. g. *1'22. Respondeo, duorum 2 facillime alterutrum potuisse excidere et eius praepositionis aliquod fortasse vestigium discerni apud Aq. xo zot(tovtoc, ergo npwu, et apud LXX Maciz tij; olxoyevoüe u.ov, ubi genus fem. etiam aliquod 5 demonstrat quod potuit e corrupto 3 ortum esse. Habemus ergo priorem textus partem correctam sic : N"i *11*323 ow 123. Sed Syr., Ps. Ion. et Targ. Hier. nomen proprium initio sententiae ponunt : ov 12 yos NW "D"22, quae lectio suam probabilitatem habet et solam explicandam relinquit vocem p? *?. Quam quidem Syr. etiam initio collocat, simul tamen in extrema sententia, uti duo Targumim habet formam verbi wy"*, Potuit haec effingi ad instar v. 3, at potuit etiam esse genuina, ut tandem pw depravatum sit e forma aliqua nWN Un vel *3&8v. Quod eo etiam fit veri similius, quod post N11, quod omnes textus habent, desideretur omnino vox aliqua a pv diversa. Ergo totus textus erit hie : iN Uv Nn maa ovn 1 man
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v. & « Statimque sermo Domni factus est ad eum dicens : Non erit hic haeres tuus , sed qui egredietur de utero tuo », — LXX «2n de te, pro "yy:2n — « ipsum habebis haeredem ».
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v. 5 « Eduzitque eum foras et att illi : Suspice coelum et numera stellas, si potes. Et dixit ei : Sic erit semen tuum ». 13,16 comparabatur semen pulveri terrae. Perspexerat iam Aug., non huc introducendam esse quaestionem de numero stellarum, sintne eae numero plures necne particulis pulveris : sed utraque comparatio petitur inde, quod haec nequeant numerari ab homine. Aliunde comparatio a stellis petita est longe illustrior : semen Abram celsitudine etiam et splendore stellas aemulabitur. Inde a Lyr. multum agitabatur quaestio, intelligaturne imprimis semen carnale an spirituale. Proxime omnino intelligitur semen carnale, de hoc quippe Abram sollicitus fuerat: at semen in Christo unum est cum semine spirituali, et sic utrumque intelligitur, illud proxime, alierum remotius. Includi semen spirituale confirmatur verbis S. Pauli Rom. 4,18 affirmantis, hac promissione Abram factum esse « patrem multarum gentium ».
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v. 6 « Credidit Abram Deo et veputatum est illi ad tustitiam ». Cf. Rom. 4,3; Gal. 3,6; lac. 2,93. TON firmus esse , hiph. firmum se exhibere. Yob 39, 24 dicitur de equo, qui immotus perseverat; primarie vero de homine firmiter adhaerente Deo, et construitur vel absolute (Is. 7, 9; Iob 15, 22) vel cum p (Ex. 4,8 sq.) vel, uti h. 1., cum 3. Designat vero primarie adhaesionem Deo loquenti praestitam, i. e. fidem; simul tamen etiam Deo promittenti et protegenti praestitam, i. e. fiduciam. Hunc alterum sensum clare habes Deut. 28,66; neque idem aliis textibus excluditur (Ex. 14,31; 19, 9; Num. 14, 115 20, 12; Deut. 1, 32; 9, 23); nostro textu omnino includitur, Deus quippe Abrahae locutus fuerat imprimis promissionibus. Falso tamen reputabat Cai., meram fidem exprimi constructione cum 5, fiduciam constructione cum 3. Contra quem cf. Per. — Recte neutrum reputatum est vertit Vulg., ubi suffixum fem. habet Hebr.: ergo illa fides cum fiducia reputata est Abrahae ad iustitiam, vel proprie iustitia : tamen Ps. 105 (106), 31 sententiae verbotenus eidem inseritur 5b, ergo ad iustitiam. np"s quandoque designat id, quod iustum est et legi Dci conforme; ita in frequenti expressione « facere iudicium et iustitiam » (Gen. 18, 19; Deut. 33,21). Sed alias significat habitualem eius, qui id quod iustum est facit, conditionem. Ita Deut. 6, 29 : « et iustitia erit nobis coram Domino Deo nostro, quia custodivimus cuncta praecepta eius »; et ita h. l. vox interprete S. Paulo omnino intelligenda est. Ad sensum autem verbi reputare cf. 2 Reg. 19, 19 (20) : « Ne reputes mihi iniquitatem neque memineris iniuriarum servi tui ». Ergo in idem recidit non reputare ct non meminisse. Agitur de iniuria commissa, quae non memoretur ; de iniquitate admis- Sà, quae non reputetur ut talis. Sicut autem Deus non condonat tamquam peccata ea, quae vere peccata non sunt, ita neque reputat iustitiam ea, qua vere iuste facta non sunt. Ergo sententia nostra simul edicit, ea fide fuisse Abram iustum. — Iis de significatione vocum praemissis iam textum ipsum explanandum suscipimus, ea tamen, quae S. Pauli argumentationem et iustificationis naturam spectant, interpreti Epistolarum exponenda relinquentes. Quaeritur iam primum, quid h. 1l. Abram credidisse referatur. Ubi censet Dilim. « narrationem interrumpi », laudari ergo viri fidem universim. Ke// totum versum refert ad sequentia, ut fides Abrae prodatur iis, quae v. 10 ipse iubente Deo peregerit, reputatio ad mercedem foedere v. 18 Deum inter et Abram sancito. Verum prius illud utique gratuito adstruitur meliusque cum Paulo Burgensi, Per., Bonfr. fidem illam referri dicimus ad ea, quae v. 1. 4. 5 a Deo dicta fuere de mercede et semine obtinendis. Non igitur interrumpitur narratio, non prosilit ad sequentia, non ex individuis factis universale abstrahit axioma, sed aequo alveo fluit : prius referebatur Deus quaedam promisisse, dein narratur Abram promittenti credidisse fideique merceQuaeritur porro, cur hoc loco, sc. quoad v. 1. 4. 5 dicta, Abrahae fides laudetur, cum is iam ante egregia fuerit fide, maxime quando Deo vocante Chaldaea excessit. At excellentior certe h. 1l. eius fides, quatenus teste Apostolo Rom. 4,18 sq. « contra spem in spem credidit, ut fieret pater multarum gentium... Et non infirmatus est fide nec consideravit corpus suum emortuum, cum iam fere centum esset annorum, et emortuam vulvam Sarae ». Ceterum, quod h. 1. eius fides laudetur, nefas esset inferre ante non excelluisse fide. Ex dictis colliges, neque agi hoc textu de Abrahae ?ustificatione prima , sed de incremento iustitiae correspondente fidei verbis divinis v. 1.4.5 praestitae. Quomodo igitur Apostolus eum applicat toti Abrahae iustitiae et maxime primae eius iustificationi? Quia, licet 15,6 verba ad solam fidem uni cuidam divinae promissioni praestitam referantur, tamen ex universa narratione illud evidenter perspicitur, eadem fide etiam alia divina effata Abram esse amplexum et hinc correspondentem nactum esse iustitiam : ergo tota viri vita exprimebatur aptissime tessera 15,6, ut fuerit iustitia ex fide. Licet Apostolus e 15,6 vere argumentetur, fuisse Abram iustificatum ex fide e7 non ex operibus legis, 3Àmprimis circumcisione 17,10, famen hic alter sensus negativus non intenditur 15,6 directe, sed simpliciter celebratur Abrahae fides eiusque merces iustitia. Certe nulla est ratio supponendi, v. 6 serius fuisse sacrae narrationi insertum, quo sc. tempore tota iam lex mosaica apud Hebraeos floruerit : principium iustificationis per fidem, et non per opera sine fide patrata, valebat ante Moysen aeque ac post ipsum et post Christum. Arg. — Abrae signum petenti Deus se obstringit solemni foedere, quo simul fines terrae promissae adamussim describuntur, et posterorum in Aegypto servitus praenuntiatur. v.'1 « Dixitque ad eum : Ego Dominus, qui eduxt te de Ur Chaldaeorum , ut darem (ibi lerram istam et possideres eam ». Cf. 12,1. 7. Non novum beneficium his verbis enuntiatur, sed ante collata in meinoriam revocantur, quo certior dicendis fides adhibeatur.
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v. 8 « A! ille ast : Domine Deus , unde scire possum , quod possessurus sim eam? » Inde ab Ephr. omnes concedunt, non haec interrogasse Abram ob fidei praemium mox v. 9 sqq. divinum accipiat foedus. Plures cum Aug. comparant Mariae dubitationem Luc. 1,3^; alii Iud. 6,17, sed ibi ostendimus de nullo agi signo, aut 4 Reg. 20,8. Porro Z'eodoret. censet, nostrae interrogationis sensum e divina responsione v. 13 sqq. esse eruendum ; quod igitur respondens Deus »odum obtinendae ab Abrahae posteris terrae promissae enucleatius proponat, statuit post CÀrys. id solum v. 8 exposcere Abram, ut modum implendae divinae promissionis edoceatur. Tamen his sensus textus minime exhauritur. Deus v. 13 sqq. non solum modum explicat, sed ipsam promissionem repetit : « Certissime scito ». Insuper quaestionis sensus non tantum neque maxime e responsione eruatur oportet; cum ipsa tandem quaestio sensum aliquem habeat non aliunde quam ex ipsa eruendum, et cum responsio quandoque latius pateat quaestione. Quare aliam enodandae difficultatis viam tentavit Ca?., quaesiisse Abram signum non pro se, sed pro posteris divinae fortasse promissioni haud credituris. Quae tamen est gratuita suppositio. Neque iuvat a S. Thoma (1I. II** q. 97 art. 2 ad 3) h. 1l. appellatus znstinctus divinus, commune illud difficultatum desperatarum effugium. Tenendum igitur est, Abram reapse signum expostulasse, et primarie quidem pro se ipso, idque fecisse salva in Deum fide, imo in hoc fidem et spem auxisse (Ca/m.). Igitur sicut sigillum appendere aut pacta iuramento firmare inter homines non est necessario diffidentiae argumentum, sed quae maioris momenti sunt pactis aequam tribuit solemnitatem : ita signum divinitus vel concessum vel etiam expetitum non est suapte natura diffidentiae argumentum. Decet imo solemniora Dei cum hominibus pacta miraculis ceu sigillis muniri ; decet item eum, qui plene in Deum confidat , ad eum finem miraculum aliquod seu signum expetere.
15:9
v. 9 « Et respondens Dominus : Sume, inquit, miht » — seu, ut explicat Ma/v. et similiter Ps. Ion. et Targ. Hier., « sumens offer mihi » — « vaccam triennem et capram trimam et arietem annorum trium, turturem quoque et columbam », vel exactius cum Syro et Targumim : pullum columbae, nam etiam Deut. 39,11 vox pullum aquilae denotat. De voce vow» vide, quae diximus ad 1 Reg. 1,2/; ea significationem habet /rzennzs, certe non tres (Chald.). dinem referre populi Israelitici ab Aegyptiis oppressi, duas aves non. discissas populi e captivitate avolantis, volucres rapaces v. 144 Aegyptiorum insequentium, ternarium numerum significare generationes tres (v. 416) in Aegypto mansuras. Sed haec audaciora.
15:10
v. 10 « Qui tollens unzversa haec » ei, « divisit ea per medzum », quod non necessario idem est atque « a capite ad usque crura » (Calm.); potuerunt quippe etiam summa ab imis separari; Cha/d. Syr. « aequaliter ». Sam. et Targ. Hier. legebant "n3 pro nz, utique mendose. « Et utrasque partes contra. se altrinsecus posuit ». Hebr. : Et posutl unumquodque , partem suam e regione compartis suae, ut inter illas transiri posset. « Aves autem non divisit », non quod hae solae sacrificio, reliqua soli foederi sanciendo reservarentur (Ca;.), sed probabilius quod essent ita parvae. Censet De/., duas quoque illas aves altrinsecus esse dispositas, ut inter illas posset transiri. Haec omnia Abram exsecutus est post verba Dei v. 9 : aut Deus ibi plura locutus est, quae non referuntur, aut paucis dictis intellexit Abram agi de foedere secundum ritum Chaldaeorum ineundo. Recte Ca?. monet, sequentia evenisse, dum Abram prope animalium cadavera Dei transitum exspectaret.
15:11
v. 11 « Descenderuntque volucres » rapaces « super cadavera, et abigebat eas Abram ». Has volucres iam Ps. Ion. et Targ. Hier. interpretabantur nationes idololatras : « illius enim merito », inquit Hier. , « saepe de angustiis liberatus est Israel ». nan oy Chald. et Targ. Hier. vertere, uti secundum etymon etiam verti potest, super divisiones; utramque versionem confudere LXX : ézi x oduata, àz1 rk Btyotowpaca aoxv, vel int tk odpata cà Otyotoprüfvra. — 293 secus tantum occurrit Is. 40, 7 et Ps. 147, 18 et flatum significat : vix autem credatur Abram flatu abegisse volucres. Reapse praeplacet punctatio LXX aum, et sedit prope illa Abram. Volucres circeumvolitantes sola sedentis praesentia coercuit, ipse autem sedebat exspectans transitum Domini. v. 19 « Cumque sol » iamiam « occumberet, sopor » — £xoxasi uli 9,91 — « ?rruit super Abram, et horror magnus et tenebrosus invas2t eum ». Hebr. : terror, obscuritas mulla; appositio explicat, quae eius terroris fuerit occasio, sc. praeternaturalis omnino obscuritas. Nune accipit Abram, quod petierat, signum (Chrys.).
15:13
v. 13 « Dictumque est ad eum » , qui loquentem videret neminem, quo augebatur horror : « Scito praenoscens, quod peregrinum futurum sit semen tuum in terra non sua » — Aegyptum non nominat — « et subictent eos servituti » Aegyptii, seu potiussecundum Heór. : etservient eisi. e. Aegyptiis (Vat.), « et affligent quadringentis annis ». Qui numerus cum sit rotundus (Awg.) et alibi (cf. Ex. 12,540) anni servitutis accuratius describantur (cf. Ex. 12,40), non est cur h. 1. quaestionem chronologicam discutiamus.
15:14
v. 1& « Verumtamen gentem , cui servtturt sunt, ego iudicabo », « à. e. puniam » (Sa); « et post haec egredientur cum magna substanlia ». « Discit patriarcha, gentem ex se progignendam per passiones perventuram ad gloriam » (De/.).
15:15
v. 15 « Tu autem » non cernes oculis oppressionem illam et egressum, non evenient te superstite, sed « zbzs ad patres tuos in pace ». « Non dixit morieris, sed ibis, peregrini instar atque migraturus de patria in patriam .» (Chrys.). Cum Abram corpore minime sit sepeliendus, ubi sepulta faerant patrum corpora, hinc textus supponit immortalitatem animarum : « discedes, ut in alteram vitam te conferas cum patribus tuis » (Calm.). In pace, i. e. « non exitu praematuro nec violento, sed tranquillo » (Caím.); cf. 2 Reg. 3,93; 15,9. 27. Sensus ergo sententiae non est hic tantum « morieris ut maiores tui » (Vat.), quod nihil haberet consolationis : vult autem Deusaliquam Abramo suggerere consolationem pro eo, quod liberationem posterorum terraeque sanctae possessionem non sit oculis visurus. « Sepultus ?n senectute bona ». « Vult exprimere, non solum longam fore Abrami senectutem sed placidam, cui mors laeta et pacata respondeat » (Vat.).
15:16
v. 16 « Generatione autem quarta revertentur huc ». Ut alias saepe, resumitur quod ante dicebatur v. 14, et distinctius proponitur. Antiquos auctores (cf. H?er. Ep. 36 ad Damas. ; M. 92,456 sqq.) multum torsit, quod habent LXX Ex. 13,18, egressos esse Israelitas « generatione quinta » : at hodie omnes concedunt , a'vizn ib. vertendum esse « armati », non vero « generatione quinta ». Porro generatio quarta nequit computari ab Abram vel Isaac vel Iacob secundum patriarcharum mitonda erit (Bonfr., Per.) ad generationes ?n Aegypto peractas, v. g. Esron, Áram, Aminadab, Nahasson. Praeplacet vero opinio Cailm. (cf. Menoch.) : « Quo remotior est antiquitas, eo diuturnior est generationibus constituta periodus. Non inviti credimus, quatuor generationes hic tempus idem designare ac v. 13 post quadringentos annos ». Id contextus reapse omnino suadet. « Necdum enim completae sunt iniquitates Amorrhaeorum », quorum nomen loco Chananaeorum omnium scribitur (Calm.), « usque ad praesens tempus ». Est haec ratio aliqua, cur terra s. possidenda differatur.
15:17
v. 17 « Cum ergo occubuissel sol, facta est caligo tenebrosa », seu accuratius secundum Hebr. : et cum facta esset caligo spissa, etiam magis spissa quam ea V. 12, « et » ecce « apparuit clibanus fumans et lampas ignis transiens inter divisiones illas » , a&que sic foedus secundum ritum Chaldaeorum feriens (Theodoret.). Forma rei describitur; erat fumi massa clibani seu furni formam imitata, eique coniunctus seu ex ea promicans ignis ad instar facis (lud. 7,16) seu facium. Discernebat iam Ca. in his columnae fumi et ignis figuram, quae in deserto postmodum antecedebat Israelitas, monetque Del. clibani comparationem videri h. 1. adhibitam imprimis ob clibani formam conicam seu cylindricam, quae eadem etiam columnae similitudinem habebat. Unde licet aliquod petere argumentum , hanc narrationis partem non esse ab auctore quodam Moyse recentiore primum confietam, sed ex ipsa traditione Abrahamica fluxisse; auctor sc. Moyse recentior cum idem portentum in mente habuisset, quod in deserto visum referebatur, eadem columnae comparatione adhibita illud expressisset. At hic habemus auctorem antiquiorem actorum in deserto plane ignarum, qui portentum explicat similitudine clibani. Fortasse ille auctor, qui acta in deserto descripsit, ne perspiciebat quidem idem Abramo, quod Israelitis, apparuisse portentum. nooy praeterea non habetur nisi Ez. 12, 6. 7. 12, unde neque plane certa significatio erui potest. Hic ab omnibus vertitur caligo, excepta LXX oA6t. Nota Syr. habere M3OYy, Vers. Sam. mUOWcY; estet alia vox syriaca wnTOwWOy, et chaldaica NIYO"DY, quae omnes caliginem sonant. Crediderim Hebr. primitus legisse '12y, aut eundem esse radicis hebr. 1o5y, atque apud alios radicis '!2Y sensum. Iam portenti significatio declaratur.
15:18
v. 18 « In ?/lo die pepigit Dominus foedus cum Abram dicens : Semzni tuo dabo terram hanc a fluvio Aegypti usque ad fluvium magnum Euphraten ». 19,1 fines nondum describebantur. Euphrates etiam alias ut limes indicatur (Ex. 23,31; Deut. 1,7 ; 11,24; Ios. 1,4), sub Davide reapse limes exstitit. ao alii cum Caz. idem esse censent, quod alias (Num. 35,5; Ios. 15,5; Is. 27,12) any 5m audit, i. e. Wadi el Arisch, ubi postea Hhinocolura; alii cum Calm. Nilum praeferunt. Neque dicas, fines Hebraeorum nunquam ad Nilum usque pertigisse, cum fines hic describantur ge- . neralissimo conspectu.
15:19
v. 19 « Cznaeos et Cenezaeos et Cedmonaeos »,
15:20
v. 20 « et Hethaeos » (cf. 10,15) « et Pherezaeos » (cf. 13,1), « Raphaim quoque » (ef. 14,5)
15:21
v. 91 « et Amorrhaeos et Chananaeos et Gergesaeos. et Iebusaeos » (cf. 10,16 sq.). 11; 1 Par. 4, 13, e quorum nnmero fuit Caleb. — Cedmonaei quoque h. 1. solum leguntur; sed nomen habent monumenta aegyptiaca ( M. Mueller p. 46. 144), quo fortasse hi ipsi Cedmonaei designantur. — Ex Iud. 1, 4 colligas, Pherezaeos incoluisse eum tractum, qui postea tribui Iuda est assignatus, et quidem Ios. 11, 3 montana. — Chananaei, quatenus nomen non totam Chanaan posteritatem sed unam designat tribum, secundum Num. 13, 30 (29) morabantur « iuxta mare et circa fluenta Iordanis », 14, 25 « in vallibus », fere ubi Amalecitae. Arg. — Sara suam sterilitatem maritique provectam perpendens aetatem, ad prolem obtinendam humanae prudentiae remedium suggerit, ut Abram Agar ancillae iungatur. Quae parit Ismaelem. Verum triennio post Deus promissionem et foedus renovat, addito foederis signo circumcisione. Simul filium e Sara promittit, mutato uxoris uti antea mariti nomine. Ismaeli etiam ob patris gratiam numerosae posteritatis conceditur benedictio. Abraham vero Deo credens circumcisionis ritum subit. | 23. 26, uti 7, 13, scribitur Q3V; quibus solis locis illud edicere in animo erat, rem ipsa die actam esse. Cap. XVI
15:1
… The 1st part (chaps. 1-8) contains the story of Abraham and of his father T'are, in accordance with the Jewish legend (cf. B. Beer, Leben Abrahams nach Auffassung der jüdischen Sage, Leipzig 1859). The 2nd part (chaps. 9-32) is an amplification of Gen. 15, 1 ff.
… formidable task that God, in extraordinary circumstances, entrusts, with the assurance of his help and the implicit prophecy of a happy outcome (cf. Is. 8:10 and Rom. 8:31), to a person chosen by him, as to the Patriarchs and the leaders of Israel (cf. Gen. 15:1; 26:24; Ex. 3:12; Deut. 31:23; Judg. 6:12, 16; 1 Sam. 10:7), denotes the singular mission of the Virgin in the order of divine redemption: she is the one chosen by God to bring to …
1. Scripture. — A few of the more characteristic testimonies of Scripture suffice: in the Old Testament: the call and the promises made to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-22), the revelation of the burning bush and of Sinai (Ex. 3:1-17; 19:1 ff.; 24:1), the call and the teaching of the prophets (1 Kings 3:1-21; Is. 1:2; 2:1; Jer. 1:4-19). In the …
15:2
… Iud., I, 6, 4). It was conquered in the 16th century B.C. by Tuthmosis III. Abraham pursued Amraphel and his allies as far as the north of D.; his steward Eliezer was from D. (Gen. 14, 15; 15, 2).
1. Damascene servant of Abraham (Gen. 15, 2). He is held to be E. "the eldest servant of the house of Abraham, the steward of all his substance" (Gen. 24, 2), faithful to him, whom Abraham sent into Mesopotamia to take a wife …
15:7
… lot. Innocent and guiltless by necessity, like children — since open or hidden violence is the prerogative of the masters of the world — these men, who can hope for nothing except from God, "will enter into possession of the land" promised to Abraham (Gen. 15:7-8, 18; Deut. 4:38) and to the people of Israel (Ex. 3:8, 17). This "land" full of delights ("milk and honey": Ex. 13:5; 33:3) represents the messianic Kingdom.
UR. - A very ancient Mesopotamian city (Sumerian URIM⁴⁰, later URI⁴¹, Akkadian URG⁴²), named in the Bible in Gen. 11:28-31; 15:7; Neh. 9:7 (Hebrew 'Ur Kaidim, "Ur of the Chaldees"). …
15:8
… tents of Shem" (Gen. 9:25 ff.; cf. Rom. 1:16; 11:13-27). Among the Semites he chooses the line of Abraham, who will be "a source of blessing for all peoples" (Gen. 12:1-3; cf. 13:14-17; 17:1-9; 18:18 f.; 22:16 ff.) and makes with him a solemn covenant (ibid. 15:8-21; 17), for whose fulfillment he pledges his omnipotence. …
15:9
Jewish tradition — perhaps also presupposed in Jn. 8:56 — spoke of a revelation to Abraham during his sacrifice (Gen. 15:9 ff.). …
15:13
… The sojourn in Egypt was, according to Ex. 12:40 (cf. Gen. 15:13; Acts 7:6: 400 years), 430 years; it therefore lasts, in the first theory, from the year 1878 to 1448, in the second, approximately from 1655 to 1225. Anyone who establishes an intermediate …
15:15
In the Old Testament 'ab (plural 'abbôth, in the el-Amarna texts abûti) takes on many derived meanings, based on the notions of origin, nurture and authority, semantically connected with fatherhood: 1) Grandfather (Gen. 28, 13), ancestor (I Reg. 15, 11, 24; in the plural it is frequent: Gen. 15, 15; Num. 14, 18; etc.), whence 'abbôthêm' "our fathers" (Eccli. 44, 1), frequent in the prayers of the Jews (cf. Berachoth, IX, 1), is equivalent to "Israel." 2) Progenitor of a people …
… a going out from the body: the body returns to the earth, whence it had come (Gen. 3:19; Ps. 145:4; Eccles. 12:7); the soul, before the Redemption, was gathered to those who had previously departed this life in Sheol, as is said in the Old Testament (Gen. 15:15; 25:8; 49:29; v. LIMBO. …
… even down there (Ps. 139, 7 ff.; Iob 26, 6). The Bible, moreover, formally affirms such survival in the well-known, most ancient phrases for indicating death: "to descend into šē'ōl"; "to be gathered to one's people"; "to return to one's fathers" (Gen. 15, 15; 25, 8, 17; 35, 29; 49, 29, 32; Num. 20, 24, 26; 27, 13; 31, 2; Deut. 31, 16; 32, 50; etc.); they evidently presuppose that something remains and survives the dissolution of the body (v. SOUL).
15:16
… Deut. 7:1; 20:17; Josh. 3:10; 5:1; 9:1; 11:3; 12:8; 24:11; etc.), sometimes as the chief nucleus of the ethnic group alongside the Hittites (Num. 13:30), so that it also represents the whole complex of the pre-Israelite Palestinian populations (Gen. 15:16; Josh. 24:15; Am. 2:9 ff.) and therefore sometimes corresponds to "Canaanites" (Josh. 24:15, 18; Judg. 6:10; 1 Sam. 7:14; 1 Kings 21:26; Ex. 16:3, 45; etc.).
… 7.19.20.44: people dwelling in the south of Palestine; Ios. 10, 5 ff.), while to the Canaanites are attributed the plain and the valley of the Jordan (Num. 13, 29; Ios. 11, 3). Not rarely the Bible calls the whole pre-Israelite population Amorites (cf. Gen. 15, 16; Ios. 24, 15.18; Iudc. 6, 10); but in later times the Amorites, either exterminated or assimilated by the Israelites who had occupied the mountain, no longer existed, while the "Canaanites" …
15:17
… There were many small city-states, often at war with one another, among them: Ur (v.), birthplace of Abraham (Gen. 15:17); Lagash (Telloh); Kish (el-Ohejmir); Umma (Gōbah); Adab (Bismajjah); Isin; Mari; Uruk (Warka); the Erech of Gen. 10:10), Larsa (Senkereh), the Ellasar of Gen. 10:10). Only at intervals …
common in theophanies in various forms (already with Abraham: Gen. 15, 17); conceived as immaterial, it appeared particularly suited to the symbolic purpose.
15:18
… According to the promise made to Abraham (Gen. 15, 18; cf. Ex. 23, 31; Deut. 1, 7; 11, 24; Josh. 1, 4 etc.) the northern limit of the Hebrew domain would be marked by that river. …
… In the covenant made with Abraham (Gen. 15:18-21), and in the numerous texts where the inhabitants of the Promised Land are mentioned, the H. are mentioned alongside the Amorites and other peoples, immigrant or native, in Canaan. …
15:19
The name of "Canaanites" thus came gradually to be used to designate all the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Palestine, all the more so since the small peoples of the Perizzites, Rephaim, Girgashites, Jebusites, etc. (cf. Gen. 15, 19 ff.) were no longer of any importance. …
… A tribe mentioned for the first time in Gen. 15:19, along with nine others settled in the territory of Canaan at the time of Abraham. …
15:20
Perizei (Heb. Pērizai; Septuagint ΦΕΡΕΙ͂ΑΊΟΙ)
… Pērizai; Septuagint ΦΕΡΕΙ͂ΑΊΟΙ). - One of the ethnic groups that inhabited Palestine before the Hebrew occupation (Gen. 13:7; 15:20; Ex. 3:8, 17; etc.).
Zuzim (Heb. Zāzīm; Gr. Ἕδνη Ὄργυρα)
… 'Aglûn, east of the Jordan, defeated by King Chedorlaomer (Gen. 14:5) and belonging to the gigantic race of the Rephaim, who in the pre-Semitic era populated Transjordan (ibid. 14:5; Deut. 2:11, 20; Josh. 12:4; 13:12) and certain areas of Palestine (Gen. 15:20).
15:21
… It is always included by the Bible in the enumeration of the pre-Israelite peoples (Gen. 15:21; Ex. 3:8; 13:5; 23:23; 32:2; 34:11; Deut. 7:1; 20:17; Josh. 3:10; 5:1; 9:1; 11:3; 12:8; 24:11; etc.), sometimes as the chief nucleus of the ethnic group alongside the Hittites …
Girgashites (Hebrew Girgāshī; Septuagint Germachai, Latinized as Gergesites)
… In the Bible the G. are mentioned very few times (Gen. 10:19; 15:21; Deut. 7:1; Ios. 3:10; 24:11; Neh. 9:8) and always with a stereotyped phraseology, which lists the various clans or tribes of pre-Israelite Palestine. …
… 5:8; I Chron. 11:6; Zech. 9:7, and in the singular; Septuagint: ὁ Ἰεβουσαῖς), settled in Canaan (Gen. 10:16; I Chron. 1:14), always included, as a secondary group, in the northern list of the peoples that Israel was to conquer (Deut. 7:1; 20:17; cf. Gen. 15:21; Ex. 3:8, 17, etc.). …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.