§. 93. Of Abrahams Names.
4. ABrahams name shewed him to be a man of great note. His first name was a 1.1 Abram. That is a name in Hebrew, compounded of two nou•…•…s: the first b 1.2 Ab signifieth in Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriak and Arabick, Father. The o∣ther Ham, signifieth high, excellent. Thence Abram an high or excel•…•…ent Father.* 1.3 This name was questionless given to him at first by some speciall instinct and fore∣sight of what he should be afterwards; or at least in desire or hope of some high ex∣cellency, whereunto he should be advanced.
The other name d 1.4 Abraham hath the letter He with a vowell in Hebrew ad∣ded to it, in the beginning of the last syllable; whereby it consisteth of a syllable more:* 1.5 the former name, Abram was of two syllables: this latter of three, Abraham.
The letter He, added to this latter name, is one of the letters of this sacred name, f 1.6 Iehovah, in which the letter He is twice expressed. Hence both Jewish and other expositors produce sundry mysteries, which I suppose to be over curious: and therefore pass over in this place.
Yet this we may affirm, that it was a great honour to Abraham to have any part of the Lords name added to his. Thus it was an honour for * 1.7 Oshea (which signifi∣eth a Saviour) to be called * 1.8 Iehoshua (Numb. 13. 16.) The first syllable being part of the foresaid proper name of the Lord Iehova. This name Iehoshua (or as it is commonly called Ioshua) as he was a Type of Iesus, signifieth, The Lord a Se∣viour.
In this name Abraham, there is not a title taken from the former name Abra•…•…, onely there is an addition of dignity and honour: which God himself who chang∣ed the name thus expresseth, For a Father of many Nations have I made •…•…ee, Gen. 17. 5. Ab signifieth a Father: the letter R is left in to reteine that excellency which was in the former name implied under this word Ram. H. is the first letter and H•…•… the first syllable in Hamon which signifieth a multitude. In Hebrew names, a let∣ter is oft put for a word, as in Ioshua, Num. 14. 6. and Samuel, 1 Sam. 1. 20.
The full meaning then of this name g 1.9 Abraham is, an excellent Father of a mul∣titude.
The Lord in rendering the reason of this name Abraham, addeth this word nati∣ons, (Gen. 17. 15.) to shew the extent of that multitude: that not only the Israeli•…•…es which came from Abraham after the flesh should be very numerous: nor yet that he should have other Nations also sprout from him after the flesh, as the Ishmaeli•…•…, (Gen. 17. 20.) and the other Nations that descended from him by Kaurah, (Gen. 25. 1. &c.) but that also all of all other Nations that should be of the true •…•…aith, should be accounted to come from him, Rom. 4. 11. Gal. 3. 7, 29. Thus was his seed as the dust of the earth, (Gen. 13. 15.) as the Stars of the heaven, and as the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which is upon the Sea shore, Gen. 22. 17. By this latter name was he ever called, after it was first given him. Indeed he is called Abram twice after this, 1 Chro. 1. •…•…7. Nehem. 9. 7. But in both those places, there is reference to the time before this name was given him: and withall in both those places, there is express mention of chang∣ing that name Abram into Abraham.
By this name Abraham, God would support his servants faith in that promise which he made unto him, when he bid him tell the Stars, if he were able to number them, and thereupon said, So shall thy seed be, Gen. 15. 5. Thus we see how care∣full God is to establish the faith of his Saints in the promises that he makes unto them. The like might be exemplified in sundry other names of Persons, Places, Rites, Types, and other like things.
This God did both by reason of the knowledge he had of our weakness; and also by reason of the great desire he had of our good, that we should not fail of the bene∣fit of his promise. This made him adde to his promise, his oath, as we shall after∣ward see v. 17.