Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: [but] according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
23. here ] The reference is to the name of Beer-sheba and its popular etymology from the Hebrew word “to swear.” Abraham’s departure from Gerar is not recorded, but was doubtless included in the E narrative which is only fragmentarily preserved.
my son, &c.] R.V. marg. my offspring, nor with my posterity. The words which are not usual are found together in Job 18:19; Isa 14:22; LXX , Lat. posteris stirpique meae. The original phrase is alliterative, like our “neither kith nor kin.”
the kindness ] Referring to the gifts to Abraham in Gen 20:14, and the free welcome extended to Abraham in Gen 20:15. Abimelech is desirous to seal these friendly relations by a definite compact. There is an abrupt transition, in Gen 21:25-26, to occasions of friction.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 21:23-32
Swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me
Abraham the friend of man
I.
ABRAHAM YIELDS READILY TO THE REQUEST FOR HIS FRIENDSHIP. Abimelechs motives in seeking the friendship of Abraham were probably mixed, and included.
1. Expediency.
2. The worship of success.
3. The admiration of goodness.
II. ABRAHAM UNDERTAKES THE DUTIES OF FRIENDSHIP. He freely accepts Abimelechs conditions.
1. True and righteous dealing.
2. Gratitude for favours shown.
3. Faithfulness to the faults of a friend.
III. ABRAHAM RECOGNIZED THE SACREDNESS OF FRIENDSHIP (Gen 21:24). (T. H.Leale.)
Abraham and Abimelech
Observe–
(1) The motive that induces this friendly request; he saw that God was with him. Probably the news of the extraordinary birth of Isaac had reached the court of Abimelech, and became a topic of conversation. This, said he, is a great man, and a great family, and will become a great nation; the blessing of heaven attends him. It is our wisdom therefore, to take the earliest opportunity to be on good terms with him! Had Abimelechs successors always acted on this principle towards Israel, it had been better for them; for whether they knew it or not, God, in blessing Abraham, had promised to bless them that blessed him, and to curse them that cursed him.
(2) The solemnity with which he wished the friendship to be confirmed: swear unto me by God. . . . It is a dictate of prudence very common among magistrates to require men to swear by a name which the party holds sacred. In this view Abimelech certainly acted a wise part; for whoever made light of Gods name, the party here concerned would not. Abrahams cheerful and ready compliance. I hope he did not need to be sworn not to deal falsely; but as posterity was concerned the mere solemn the engagement the better. The friend of God has no desire but to be the friend of man. (A. Fuller.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 23. Now therefore swear unto me] The oath on such occasions probably meant no more than the mutual promise of both the parties, when they slew an animal, poured out the blood as a sacrifice to God, and then passed between the pieces. See this ceremony, Ge 15:18, and on Ge 15:9; Ge 15:10.
According to the kindness that I have done] The simple claims of justice were alone set up among virtuous people in those ancient times, which constitute the basis of the famous lex talionis, or law of like for like, kind office for kind office, and breach for breach.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That thou wilt not deal falsely with me; that thou wilt not do me any hurt or injury; Heb. That thou wilt not lie unto me; i.e. as thou hast formerly professed kindness and friendship to me, give me thy oath to assure me that thou wilt be true and constant to thy own professions.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Now therefore swear unto me here by God,…. By the true and living God, by whom only an oath is to be taken, who was Abraham’s God, and whom Abimelech seems to have known and to have been a worshipper of; and therefore moves for an oath to be taken by him, which he knew would be sacred and binding to Abraham, could he prevail upon him to swear:
that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son; perhaps he had heard that God had promised to give the whole land of Canaan to him and his posterity, and among the rest his kingdom, which was a part of it; and, seeing him grow great and powerful, he could not tell how soon it might be ere he was put in the possession of it, whether in his own time, or his son’s, or his grandson’s; and therefore desires Abraham that he would swear to do no hurt to them whenever it should be;
[but] according to the kindness I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned; that, as he had given him full liberty to sojourn in any part of his kingdom where he pleased, so, when the whole country should come into his possession, that he, or his son, or his grandson, in whatsoever time it should be, might quietly enjoy their own land, and all the inhabitants of it; at least that they might not be driven out of it, but sojourn in it as he had done.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
23. That thou wilt not deal falsely with me (441) Literally it is, ‘If thou shalt lie;’ for, among the Hebrews, a defective form of speech is common in taking oaths, which is to be thus explained: ‘If thou shouldst break the promise given to me, we call upon God to sit as Judge between us, and to show himself the avenger of perjury.’ But ‘to lie,’ some here take for dealing unjustly and fraudulently; others for failing in the conditions of the covenant. I simply understand it as if it were said, ‘Thou shalt do nothing perfidiously with me or with my descendants.’ Abimelech also enumerates his own acts of kindness, the lore effectually to exhort Abraham to exercise good faith; for, seeing he had been humanely treated, Abimelech declares it would be an act of base ingratitude if he did not, in return, endeavor to repay the benefits he had received. The Hebrew word חסד ( chesed) signifies to deal gently or kindly with any one. (442) For Abimelech did not come to implore compassion of Abraham, but rather to assert his own royal authority, as will appear from the context.
(441) “ Si mentitus fueris mihi.” — “If thou shalt have lied unto me.” In the margin Calvin gives, “ Si fefelleris, aut infideliter egeris.” — “If thou shalt have deceived, or have acted unfaithfully.” See margin of English version. — Ed
(442) “ Secundum misericordiam quam feci tecum facies mecum,” is Calvin’s version; and the comment is, “ Misericordiam facere cum aliquo Hebraeis significat clementer et benigne eum tractare.” — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(23) Nor with my son, nor with my sons son.The words are not those commonly used for son and grandson, but a Hebrew phrase signifying my kith and kin. They might be translated, nor with mine offshoot nor mine offspring. The words occur again in the same proverbial way in Job. 18:19; Isa. 14:22.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. Not deal falsely Perhaps Abraham’s duplicity in the matter of Sarah had somewhat to do with inciting Abimelech to seek this oath . He feared his overreaching cunning and sagacity .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 21:23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: [but] according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
Ver. 23. Swear unto me here by God, &c. ] This visit, we see, was more of fear than of love: there can be no hearty love, indeed, but between true Christians. Kings, then, have their cares, crowns their crosses: thistles in their arms, and thorns in their sides. This made one cry out of his diadem, O vilis pannus ,& c. And Canutus set his crown upon the crucifix. Frederick, the Elector of Saxony, is said to have been born with the sign of a cross upon his back. a And the next night after that Rodulphus Rufus was crowned emperor of Germany, anno Dom. 1273, over the temple, where the crown was set upon his head, a golden cross was seen to shine, like a star, to the admiration of all that beheld it. b These were the same emperor’s verses concerning his crown imperial: –
“ Nobilis es fateor, rutilisque onerata lapillis:
Innumeris curis sed comitata venis;
Quod bene si nossent omnes expendere, nemo
Nemo foret, qui te tollere vellet humo .”
a
b Dan. Pare., Hist. Profan. Medulla., 723, 728.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
kindness. Fig, Metonymy (of Cause). App-6. See Gen 20:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
swear: Gen 14:22, Gen 14:23, Gen 24:3, Gen 26:28, Gen 31:44, Gen 31:53, Deu 6:13, Jos 2:12, 1Sa 20:13, 1Sa 20:17, 1Sa 20:42, 1Sa 24:21, 1Sa 24:22, 1Sa 30:15, Jer 4:2, 2Co 1:23, Heb 6:16
that thou wilt not deal falsely with me: Heb. if thou shalt lie unto me
I have: Gen 20:14
Reciprocal: Gen 26:31 – sware Jdg 11:10 – The Lord