are called and chosen of Christ out of this world, and from worldly corruption, Iohn 15. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 4. and are by him delivered from the wrath to come: 1 Thes. 1. 10. thy kinred] to weet, Nachor and the rest, excepting Lot. For although there is no expresse mention of Nachor, among others that went with Thara from Vr, in Gen. 11. 31. yet it ap∣peareth by the history following, that Nachor went so farre as Padan Aram, in Mesopotamia, and there setled: so that it was after called, Nachors City, Gen. 25. 20. and 24. 10. 15. and the same was Charran, Gen. 28. 2. 10. and there was Abrams kin∣red, and country here spoken of, Gen. 24. 4. fa∣thers house] for the father Thararah being dead, his houshold (as it seemeth) would goe no further, but stayed there with Nachor: and onely Lot and his house went with Abram, as the fourth verse, and history following doth confirme. So Tharahs house and Nachor, left following of God, and tur∣ned againe to idolatry; as appeareth by Gen. 31. 30. 53. Ios. 24. 2. From such Christ also calleth all, to follow him, Luke 14. 26. 27. and so the Spirit saith to the Church, forget thy people and thy fathers house, Psal. 45. 11. will shew thee] that is, the land of Canaan, verse 5. but God here nameth it not, for more proofe of Abrams faith and obedience. For as he raised up this man of justice from the east; so cal∣led he him to his foot, that is, to follow him and his direction, Esay 41. 2. Exod. 11. 8. But under this earthly inheritance, was typed an heavenly, which Abram looked for, Heb. 11. 9. 10. And in Salem a city of Canaan, Melchisedek raigned, and was Priest of the most high God, and blessed Abram, Gen. 14. 18. 19.
Vers. 2. a great] or, to a great nation, that is, to be∣come the father of a great nation: see Gen. 2. 7. and [unspec 2] 17. 4. Of this promise, there was no visible hope, because Sarai his wife (being 65 yeere old) was bar∣ren, Gen. 11. 30. for which Abram complained, Gen. 15. 2. 3. But under this promised Nation, was implyed also a spirituall seed, of faithfull people, Rom. 4. 11. 12. Gal. 3. 7. blesse thee] in all things: both earthly, Gen. 24. 1. 35. and heaven∣ly, Gal. 3. 14. Ephes. 1. 3. Gods blessing is his fa∣vour, and thereupon an abundant multiplication of all good things: on the contrary, his curse, is both the depriving of good, and heaping of evill things upon them whom he hateth and punisheth, Lament. 3. 65. 66. thy name] which is better then a good ointment, then great riches, Eccl. 7. 3. Prov. 22. 1. So God made David a great name, 2 Sam. 7. 9. be thou] that is, thou shalt be, (as the Greeke translateth it:) but this mannner of speech is more vehement, as whereby God commandeth the blessing, Psal. 13. 33. So Psal. 128. 5. 6. See thou.
Vers. 3. that speaketh thee-evill] or curseth thee: but here are two words used, and this first, signi∣fieth [unspec 3] evill speaking with light esteeme, or vile con∣tempt, and dishonour. Cursing also signifieth evil∣speaking by men, as Paul sheweth, Act. 23. 5. from Exod. 22. 28. The like blessing, Isaak pronounced unto Iaakob, Gen. 27. 29. and Balaam to Israel, Num. 24. 9. in thee] that is, in thy seed (Christ, who shall come of thee according to the flesh,) Gen. 22. 18. For Christ was sent of God to blesse us, in turning every one of us from our iniquities, Act. 3. 25. 26. and that wee may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, Gal. 3. 14. Wherefore this was a preaching of the gospell to Abram, Gal. 3. 8. And this covenant confirmed before of God in Christ, is ob∣served to bee foure hundred thirty yeeres before the Law, and could not by the Law be disanulled, be∣cause God gave it him by promise, Gal. 3. 17. 18.
Vers. 4. went] By faith, Abraham being called did [unspec 4] obey, to goe out unto a place which hee should after re∣ceive for an inheritance: and he went-out, not knowing whither he should come, Heb. 11. 8. old] Hebr. sonne of five yeeres, and seventy yeeres, that is, going in his 75 yeere: See Gen. 5. 32. And his father Tha∣rah being two hundred and five yeeres old when he dyed, it appeareth that he begat Abram at 130 yeeres, and so not hee but Haran was begotten at Tharahs 70 yeere, Gen. 11. 26. Abram after an 100 yeeres pilgrimage more, died, Gen. 25. 7. and Isaak his son, then 75 y. old, is left heire of Canaan.
Vers. 5. substance] or, gathered-goods: for of get∣ting [unspec 5] and gathering it hath the name: and is a gene∣rall word for cattell, money, or other like goods. the soules] Hebr. the soule: put for soules, that is, persons of men and women, as Gen. 14. 21. and 46. 26. Rom. 13. 1. and often in the Scripture. So in the Hebrew text, man, 1 Chron. 10. 1. is put for men, 1 Sam. 31. 1. wizard, 2 Chron. 33. 6. for wi∣zards, 2 King 21. 6. See before, Gen. 3. 4. and 4. 20. and 10. 16. The Greeke translateth, every soule, As here soules, so elsewhere flesh and spirit, (Act. 2. 17. 1. Iohn 4. 1.) are put for the whole persons. had made] that is, had gotten, to weet, into their possession, as the Greeke manifesteth. But this may be meant, not onely of getting them to their service, (as 1 Sam. 8. 16) but also of winning them to the faith of God; as the Chaldee paraphrast saith, had subdued unto the law: which is very pro∣bable by that example of his houshold souldiers, Gen. 14. 14. and his commendation for teaching his house, Gen. 18. 19. and their receiving the wound of circumcision, Gen. 17. 23. So Thargum Ierusalemy also calleth these, soules of proselytes, (or converts) land of Canaan] a country in Asia the lesse; possessed by Canaan (the son of Cham, the son of Noe) and his sonnes; but for their wic∣kednesse the land was to spue them out, Levit. 18. 25 and it is now promised to be given to Abrams seed, vers. 7. and was thereupon called the land of promise, Heb. 11. 9. a goodly country it was, having water-brooks, fountaines, and springing depths, moun∣taines and vallies, and mines; corne, and wine, and oyle, & honey, & other fruits; it lacked not any thing; it was watered with the raine of heavē, cared for of God, whose eyes were alwayes on it, Deut. 8. 7. 8. 9. & 11. 11. 12. so that it was the pleasantest of all lands, & flowed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 milk and honey, Ezek. 20. 6. In it God had prepared a place where he would dwell among his people the sons of Abram, the land being his, and they strangers and sojourners in it with him, Exod. 15. 17. Leviticus 25. 23. called therefore Iehovahs land, Hos. 9. 3. and the holy land, Zach. 2. 12. the land of Immanuel, that is, of Christ, Esay 8. 8. a figure of an heavenly