And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son]:
16. By myself have I sworn ] Cf. Exo 32:13; Isa 45:23; Heb 6:13-17.
The remembrance of this oath is frequently invoked, cf. Gen 24:7, Gen 26:3, Gen 50:24; Psa 105:9, “the covenant which he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac”; Luk 1:73, “the oath which he sware unto Abraham our father.”
saith the Lord ] Lit. “the Oracle” or “revelation of Jehovah”; a rare expression in narrative, cf. Num 14:28, 1Sa 2:30; but common in the Prophets, e.g. Jer 18:5. The Angel, speaking in the first person, identifies Himself with Jehovah (cf. Gen 16:10, Gen 21:18, Gen 31:13). The introduction of the prophetic formula, “Oracle of Jehovah,” into the words spoken by the Angel impersonating Jehovah, is peculiar.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 22:16
By Myself have I sworn
God Himself the foundation of our hopes
By Myself have I sworn.
By Himself God swears to us; by His power, His tenderness, His sympathy, He assures our hearts.
1. If we take up afresh any work for God, He is pledged–by Himself pledged to us–not to despise that work, to guide us in it, to accept it at our hands.
2. If we turn again to any cross–find the home darkened, or business difficult, or health still failing–if we find that holiday and rest do not sweep away the cloud: behind the cloud is God, strengthening for the cross is God, and by Himself He swears to us that, bearing that cross, it shall lead us to a crown.
3. If we are troubled by the dimness of the future, if perplexities thicken even as the years–and the responsibilities of the years–in-crease day by day, God is pledged–by Himself pledged–to guide every trustful follower. Only follow on to know the Lord. Why, beyond all that dim future there is heaven, our Fathers home and ours. And every step between the little now and that bright home is as sure as is that home and as is this now. (T. Gasqucine, B. A.)
The promise confirmed to Abraham by an oath
Often before had God promised, says Augustine, but never sworn. It was in recognition of the evidence which had just been afforded of His servants staunch loyalty to the covenant, that the Eternal was pleased in this unexampled manner to reduplicate securities for His own faithfulness, previous to this oath, Abraham had the word of God, and no more, on which to build his confidence. On that bare guarantee he had shown that he could build securely. Because he had judged it impossible for God to lie, therefore he had that day surrendered the one visible security which he possessed for the fulfilment of Gods word, by sacrificing the life on which its fulfilment turned. He trusted the All-truthful and Almighty to keep faith with His friend in His own way. For that very reason did a generous promiser vouchsafe to the man something more than a naked word. To him that hath shall be given. Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only one, from Me, therefore by Myself have I sworn that in blessing I will bless thee. Thenceforth, as the New Testament explains, the believer possessed, not one, but two immutable things on which to rest. Through Abrahams obedience have we all obtained this strong consolation. (J. O. Dykes, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 16. By myself have I sworn] So we find that the person who was called the angel of the Lord is here called Jehovah; See Clarke on Ge 22:2. An oath or an appeal to God is, among men, an end to strife; as God could swear by no greater, he sware by himself: being willing more abundantly, says the apostle, to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, he confirmed it by an oath, that two immutable things, (his PROMISE and his OATH,) in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us. See Heb 6:13-18.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By myself have I sworn: so the Lord swears by his name, Jer 44:26; by his soul, in the Hebrew text, Jer 51:14; by his holiness, Amo 4:2; which is the same with by himself here. Hence also it appears that the Angel who speaks here is Christ and God, because this is Gods prerogative to swear by himself, as appears from Heb 6:13.
Because thou hast done this thing; not that Abraham by this act did properly merit or purchase the following promises, as plainly appears, because the same things for substance had been freely promised to Abraham long before this time and action, Gen 12:2; 13:16, only what before was promised is now confirmed by an oath, as a testimony of that singular respect which God had to Abraham, and to this heroical instance of faith and obedience.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And said, by myself have I sworn, saith the Lord,…. Which Aben Ezra observes is a great oath, and abides for ever; for because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, his own nature, perfections, and life, Heb 6:13; hence it appears, that the Angel that called to Abraham was a divine Person, the true Jehovah:
for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son,
thine only [son]; that is, from the Lord, as in Ge 22:12; and is here repeated as being a most marvellous thing, a wonderful instance of faith in God, and fear of him, and of love and obedience to him; for, with respect to the will of Abraham, and as far as he was suffered to go, it was as much done as it was possible for him to do, and was looked upon as if actually done: yet this is not observed as meritorious of what follows; the promise of which had been made before, but is now repeated to show what notice God took of, and how well pleased he was with what had been done; and therefore renews the promise, which of his own grace and good will he had made, for the strengthening of Abraham’s faith, and to encourage others to obey the Lord in whatsoever he commands them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord (Jehovah).This solemn interposition of an oath (Heb. 6:17), of which the present is the sole instance in Holy Scripture, plainly indicates that this trial of Abrahams faith was of no common kind, and that its typical teaching is of no ordinary value. Abraham might have appealed to Gods own attributes, and said, Far be it from thee, Lord, to command a human sacrifice, and bid a father slay his son. He might have pleaded the promises bound up with Isaacs life. But no, as soon as he is convinced that the command comes from God. he obeys, and, against hope, still believes that the promises will all be fulfilled in the sacrificed Isaac. He is thus the highest and most perfect example of faith, and by his offering of his son the Church received the assurance that the Son of God incarnate in the flesh would upon that very mountain offer the sacrifice Divinely necessary for the pardon of mans sins.
The blessing now given to Abraham differs from those that precede it in three particulars. First, it is no longer a promise, but a solemn compact ratified by an oath. Next, it assures Abrahams seed of victory, whereby the spiritual Israel is certified of the ultimate triumph of the Gospel. Lastly, it transfers to Abrahams offspring the promise of being the means of blessedness to all mankind.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. By myself have I sworn “When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself . ” Heb 6:13. Hanna observes, that this oath “was the last utterance that fell from the lips of God upon the ear of Abraham. He lived for fifty years and more thereafter, but that voice was never heard again. These late years rolled over him in peaceful, undisturbed repose.”
Because thou hast done this thing This last act of faith was the crowning point in Abraham’s spiritual life, and in view of this especially as summing up and representing in itself all other evidences of his faith Jehovah repeats his promise.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 22:16. By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord This passage clearly proves what we have before observed, that this Angel, or Messenger, was the Jehovah, or the second Divine Person, who appeared to the patriarch, &c. See Heb 6:13. Though the word and promise of God is immutable, and needs no sanction, yet he is willing to condescend to the capacity of weak minds, and therefore an oath being to men for confirmation of an end to all strife, He swears by himself, as he can swear by NO GREATER.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son]:
Ver. 16. By myself have I sworn. ] God swears for the further confirmation of our faith. For here he swore, not more for Abraham’s sake, than ours, as the apostle shows. Heb 6:13-14 ; Heb 6:17-18 As when he spake with Jacob at Penuel, “there he spake with us “; Hos 12:4 and what he said to Joshua, he said to all, “I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee”. Heb 13:5
And hast not withheld thy son, thine only son.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sworn. This oath is the foundation of Israel’s blessings (Gen 24:7; Gen 26:3; Gen 50:24. Exo 13:5, Exo 13:11; Exo 33:1). David’s “sure mercies” all grounded on it (Psa 89:35; Psa 132:11. Compare Luk 1:73).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Gen 12:2, Psa 105:9, Isa 45:23, Jer 49:13, Jer 51:14, Amo 6:8, Luk 1:73, Rom 4:13, Rom 4:14, Heb 6:13, Heb 6:14
Reciprocal: Gen 18:10 – he said Gen 22:11 – angel Gen 24:7 – which spake Gen 26:3 – oath Gen 26:5 – General Exo 3:2 – angel Exo 6:8 – to give Exo 13:5 – sware Exo 32:13 – to whom Exo 33:1 – the land Num 11:12 – the land Num 22:12 – for they Deu 1:8 – which Deu 7:8 – oath Deu 13:17 – as he hath Jdg 2:1 – have brought Neh 9:8 – madest Isa 49:18 – As I live Jer 11:5 – perform Jer 22:5 – I Jer 44:26 – I have sworn Mic 7:20 – General Hab 3:9 – according Zec 3:6 – the Mal 3:6 – I am Heb 11:17 – only Jam 2:21 – when Rev 10:5 – lifted
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
22:16 And said, By {h} myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son]:
(h) Signifying, that there is none greater then he.