And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
15. Gen 22:15-18 are probably taken from another version of the same story. They are inferior in literary excellence, and probably represent a later amplification.
a second time ] The renewal and ratification of the blessing to Abraham expresses the Divine recognition of the patriarch’s faith. The blessing, previously granted, is here renewed as a reward for obedience ( Gen 22:18).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time. The Angel having restrained him from slaying his son, and having provided another sacrifice, which he offered, calls to him again; having something more to say to him, which was to renew the covenant he had made with him, and confirm it by an oath.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
After Abraham had offered the ram, the angel of the Lord called to him a second time from heaven, and with a solemn oath renewed the former promises, as a reward for this proof of his obedience of faith (cf. Gen 12:2-3). To confirm their unchangeableness, Jehovah swore by Himself (cf. Heb 6:13.), a thing which never occurs again in His intercourse with the patriarchs; so that subsequently not only do we find repeated references to this oath (Gen 24:7; Gen 26:3; Gen 50:24; Exo 13:5, Exo 13:11; Exo 33:1, etc.), but, as Luther observes, all that is said in Psa 89:36; Psa 132:11; Psa 110:4 respecting the oath given to David, is founded upon this. Sicut enim promissio seminis Abrahae derivata est in semen Davidis, ita Scriptura S. jusjurandum Abrahae datum in personam Davidis transfert . For in the promise upon which these psalms are based nothing is said about an oath (cf. 2 Sam 7; 1Ch 17:1). The declaration on oath is still further confirmed by the addition of “ edict ( Ausspruch ) of Jehovah, ” which, frequently as it occurs in the prophets, is met with in the Pentateuch only in Num 14:28, and (without Jehovah) in the oracles of Balaam, Num 24:3, Num 24:15-16. As the promise was intensified in form, so was it also in substance. To express the innumerable multiplication of the seed in the strongest possible way, a comparison with the sand of the sea-shore is added to the previous simile of the stars. And this seed is also promised the possession of the gate of its enemies, i.e., the conquest of the enemy and the capture of his cities (cf. Gen 24:60).
This glorious result of the test so victoriously stood by Abraham, not only sustains the historical character of the event itself, but shows in the clearest manner that the trial was necessary to the patriarch’s life of faith, and of fundamental importance to his position in relation to the history of salvation. The question, whether the true God could demand a human sacrifice, was settled by the fact that God Himself prevented the completion of the sacrifice; and the difficulty, that at any rate God contradicted Himself, if He first of all demanded a sacrifice and then prevented it from being offered, is met by the significant interchange of the names of God, since God, who commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac, is called Ha-Elohim, whilst the actual completion of the sacrifice is prevented by “the angel of Jehovah,” who is identical with Jehovah Himself. The sacrifice of the heir, who had been both promised and bestowed, was demanded neither by Jehovah, the God of salvation or covenant God, who had given Abraham this only son as the heir of the promise, nor by Elohim, God as creator, who has the power to give life and take it away, but by He-Elohim, the true God, whom Abraham had acknowledged and adored as his personal God, and with whom he had entered into a personal relation. Coming from the true God whom Abraham served, the demand could have no other object than to purify and sanctify the feelings of the patriarch’s heart towards his son and towards his God, in accordance with the great purpose of his call. It was designed to purify his love to the son of his body from all the dross of carnal self-love and natural selfishness which might still adhere to it, and so to transform it into love to God, from whom he had received him, that he should no longer love the beloved son as his flesh and blood, but simply and solely as a gift of grace, as belonging to his God-a trust committed to him, which he should be ready at any moment to give back to God. As he had left his country, kindred, and father’s house at the call of God (Gen 12:1), so was he in his walk with God cheerfully to offer up even his only son, the object of all his longing, the hope of his life, the joy of his old age. And still more than this, not only did he possess and love in Isaac the heir of his possessions (Gen 15:2), but it was upon him that all the promises of God rested: in Isaac should his seed be called (Gen 21:12). By the demand that he should sacrifice to God this only son of his wife Sarah, in whom his seed was to grow into a multitude of nations (Gen 17:4, Gen 17:6, Gen 17:16), the divine promise itself seemed to be cancelled, and the fulfilment not only of the desires of his heart, but also of the repeated promises of his God, to be frustrated. And by this demand his faith was to be perfected into unconditional trust in God, into the firm assurance that God could even raise him up from the dead. – But this trial was not only one of significance to Abraham, by perfecting him, through the conquest of flesh and blood, to be the father of the faithful, the progenitor of the Church of God; Isaac also was to be prepared and sanctified by it for his vocation in connection with the history of salvation. In permitting himself to be bound and laid upon the altar without resistance, he gave up his natural life to death, to rise to a new life through the grace of God. On the altar he was sanctified to God, dedicated as the first beginning of the holy Church of God, and thus “the dedication of the first-born, which was afterwards enjoined in the law, was perfectly fulfilled in him.” If therefore the divine command exhibits in the most impressive way the earnestness of the demand of God upon His people to sacrifice all to Him, not excepting the dearest of their possessions (cf. Mat 10:37, and Luk 14:26); the issue of the trial teaches that the true God does not demand a literal human sacrifice from His worshippers, but the spiritual sacrifice of an unconditional denial of the natural life, even to submission to death itself. By the sacrifice of a ram as a burnt-offering in the place of his son, under divine direction, not only was animal sacrifice substituted for human, and sanctioned as an acceptable symbol of spiritual self-sacrifice, but the offering of human sacrifices by the heathen was condemned and rejected as an ungodly . And this was done by Jehovah, the God of salvation, who prevented the outward completion of the sacrifice. By this the event acquires prophetic importance for the Church of the Lord, to which the place of sacrifice points with peculiar clearness, viz., Mount Moriah, upon which under the legal economy all the typical sacrifices were offered to Jehovah; upon which also, in the fulness of time, God the Father gave up His only-begotten Son as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, that by this one true sacrifice the shadows of the typical sacrifices might be rendered both real and true. If therefore the appointment of Moriah as the scene of the sacrifice of Isaac, and the offering of a ram in his stead, were primarily only typical in relation to the significance and intent of the Old Testament institution of sacrifice; this type already pointed to the antitype to appear in the future, when the eternal love of the heavenly Father would perform what it had demanded of Abraham; that is to say, when God would not spare His only Son, but give Him up to the real death, which Isaac suffered only in spirit, that we also might die with Christ spiritually, and rise with Him to everlasting life (Rom 8:32; Rom 6:5, etc.).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Abraham’s Blessing Confirmed. | B. C. 1872. |
15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 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: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. 19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.
Abraham’s obedience was graciously accepted; but this was not all: here we have it recompensed, abundantly recompensed, before he stirred from the place; probably while the ram he had sacrificed was yet burning God sent him this gracious message, renewed and ratified his covenant with him. All covenants were made by sacrifice, so was this by the typical sacrifices of Isaac and the ram. Very high expressions of God’s favour to Abraham are employed in this confirmation of the covenant with him, expressions exceeding any he had yet been blessed with. Note, Extraordinary services shall be crowned with extraordinary honours and comforts; and favours in the promise, though not yet performed, ought to be accounted real and valuable recompences. Observe, 1. God is pleased to make mention of Abraham’s obedience as the consideration of the covenant; and he speaks of it with an encomium: Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, v. 16. He lays a strong emphasis on this, and (v. 18) praises it as an act of obedience: in it thou hast obeyed my voice, and to obey is better than sacrifice. Not that this was a proportionable consideration, but God graciously put this honour upon that by which Abraham had honoured him. 2. God now confirmed the promise with an oath. It was said and sealed before; but now it is sworn: By myself have I sworn; for he could swear by no greater, Heb. vi. 13. Thus he interposed himself by an oath, as the apostle expresses it, Heb. vi. 17. He did (to speak with reverence) even pawn his own life and being upon it (As I live,) that by all those immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, he and his might have strong consolation. Note, If we exercise faith, God will encourage it. Improve the promises, and God will ratify them. 3. The particular promise here renewed is that of a numerous offspring: Multiplying, I will multiply thee, v. 17. Note, Those that are willing to part with any thing for God shall have it made up to them with unspeakable advantage. Abraham has but one son, and is willing to part with that one, in obedience to God. “Well,” said God, “thou shalt be recompensed with thousands and millions.” What a figure does the seed of Abraham make in history! How numerous, how illustrious, were his known descendants, who, to this day, triumph in this, that they have Abraham to their father! Thus he received a thousand-fold in this life, Matt. xix. 29. 4. The promise, doubtless, points at the Messiah, and the grace of the gospel. This is the oath sworn to our father Abraham, which Zacharias refers to, Luke i. 73, c. And so here is a promise, (1.) Of the great blessing of the Spirit: In blessing, I will bless thee, namely, with that best of blessings the gift of the Holy Ghost the promise of the Spirit was that blessing of Abraham which was to come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, Gal. iii. 14. (2.) Of the increase of the church, that believers, his spiritual seed, should be numerous as the stars of heaven. (3.) Of spiritual victories: Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. Believers, by their faith, overcome the world, and triumph over all the powers of darkness, and are more than conquerors. Probably Zacharias refers to this part of the oath (Luke i. 74), That we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear. But the crown of all is the last promise. (4.) Of the incarnation of Christ: In thy seed, one particular person that shall descend from thee (for he speaks not of many, but of one, as the apostle observes, Gal. iii. 16), shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, or shall bless themselves, as the phrase is, Isa. lxv. 16. In him all may be happy if they will, and all that belong to him shall be so, and shall think themselves so. Christ is the great blessing of the world. Abraham was ready to give up his son for a sacrifice to the honour of God, and, on that occasion, God promised to give his Son a sacrifice for the salvation of man.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 15-19:
Following the sacrifice of the ram, the Angel of the Lord (Maleach Jehovah) spoke the second time to Abraham. The first time was to arrest his hand as he was about to slay Isaac. This second time was to reaffirm the terms of the Covenant made many years earlier.
Following these events, Abraham and Isaac rejoined the two servants, and together they returned to Beer-sheba. There they continued to live, possibly until the death of Sarah.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham. What God had promised to Abraham before Isaac was born, he now again confirms and ratifies, after Isaac was restored to life, and arose from the altar, — as if it had been from the sepulcher, — to achieve a more complete triumph. The angel speaks in the person of God; in order that, as we have before said, the embassy of those who bear his name, may have the greater authority, by their being clothed with his majesty. These two things, however, are thought to be hardly consistent with each other; that what before was gratuitously promised, should here be deemed a reward. For we know that grace and reward are incompatible. Now, however, since the benediction which is promised in the seed, contains the hope of salvation, it may seem to follow that eternal life is given in return for good works. And the Papists boldly seize upon this, and similar passages, in order to prove that works are deserving of all the good things which God confers upon us. But I most readily retort this subtle argument upon those who bring it. For if that promise was before gratuitous, which is now ascribed to a reward; it appears that whatever God grants to good works, ought to be received as from grace. certainly, before Isaac was born, this same promise had been already given; and now it receives nothing more than confirmation. If Abraham deserved a compensation so great, on account of his own virtue, the grace of God, which anticipated him, will be of none effect. Therefore, in order that the truth of God, founded upon his gratuitous kindness, may stand firm, we must of necessity conclude, that what is freely given, is yet called the reward of works. Not that God would obscure the glory of his goodness, or in any way diminish it; but only that he may excite his own people to the love of well-doing, when they perceive that their acts of duty are so far pleasing to him, as to obtain a reward; while yet he pays nothing as a debt, but gives to his own benefits the title of a reward. And in this there is no inconsistency. For the Lord here shows himself doubly liberal; in that he, wishing to stimulate us to holy living, transfers to our works what properly belongs to his pure beneficence. The Papists, therefore, wrongfully distort those benignant invitations of God, by which he would correct our torpor, to a different purpose, in order that man may arrogate to his own merits, what is the mere gift of divine liberality.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
15. The Angel called second time Once more will Jehovah speak to Abraham before he leaves this memorable spot, and by an oath confirm unto him all his previous promises .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And the angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, “By myself have I sworn, the word of Yahweh, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the sea shore, and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice”.’
This is the covenant on which the whole narrative is centred. The text has stressed the cost to Abraham in being willing to give his son, his only son, whom he loves, and this is confirmed here. Isaac is his only full son as born of his true wife. Hagar is not seen as a primary wife (although she is a wife), but more as a surrogate mother. ‘Only son’ therefore seems to carry the connotation of ‘the heir’ on whom everything is centred.
“By myself have I sworn”. Heb 6:13 comments on this verse, ‘because He could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself ’. We must say it reverently. Yahweh swears on His own eternal existence. Nothing could confirm the covenant more emphatically than that. Only the greatness of what Abraham had done could even begin to merit such a privilege. It expresses a unique relationship.
“The word of Yahweh” (ne’um Yahweh). A typical prophetic phrase emphasising that Abraham is a prophet. It emphasis the truth and reality of that which it describes.
“Because you have done this thing –”. But the covenant had already been given and ratified. Thus we see that what Abraham has done here has been the result of his life of constant faithfulness. He has done this thing because he has been fashioned by a life of faithful obedience. He Who knows the end from the beginning had seen what Abraham would be and rewarded him accordingly.
“Have not withheld your son, your only son –”. The price he was willing to pay is again stressed, with a special emphasis on the only son.
The covenant is repeated and reconfirmed. Continual blessing, a multitude of descendants, his seed ‘possessing the gates of their enemies’. The gates were the common meeting place, the place where the rulers and elders would gather to rule the city. To possess the gates was to have rule over them. But above all, forcefully repeated, in him would all the nations of the world be blessed.
It may be that in these past hours Abraham had seen ahead the possible destruction of the covenant in the destruction of his son. But he had gone ahead, confident that if necessary God could bring Isaac back to life, and now he receives his son back again and the covenant confirmed more firmly than ever.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Blessing of the Lord Repeated
v. 15. And the Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, v. 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, v. 17. that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; v. 18. and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. v. 19. So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 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:
Heb 6:13-18 . Zacharias refers to this oath and promise, and applies both to Christ. Luk 1:73
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
Ver. 15. And the angel of the Lord. ] Who stood, as a spectator and applauder of Abraham’s heroical faith and transcendent obedience. Spectant Dii magnos viros, cum calamitate colluctantes. Ecce spectaculum, ad quod respiciat operi suo intentus Deus , saith Seneca of Cato, a and other gallant Roman spirits. Jehovahjireh, in the precedent verse, signifies, the Lord doth see; as if it had been a sight, that God and his angels came down to look upon.
a Lib. de Provid., cap. 2.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 22:15-19
15Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Gen 22:16 “By Myself I have sworn” This is the only time in the book of Genesis where God swears by Himself in relationship to the covenant. This becomes a major theological point for Heb 6:13-18. Notice that it is an unconditional promise based on God’s love, but it is in response to Abraham’s great act of faith (i.e., “because you obeyed My voice,” Gen 22:18). The unconditional/conditional nature of the covenants of the Bible seem to be related to God’s unconditional love, but human’s conditional response.
Gen 22:17 “indeed I will greatly bless you” There are two grammatical structures which denote emphasis in this verse.
1. The Piel INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and the Piel IMPERFECT VERB of the same root, “bless” (BDB 138, KB 159), therefore, translated “I will greatly bless you.”
2. The Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and the Hiphil IMPERFECT VERB of the same root, “multiply” or “make many” (BDB 915, KB 1176), therefore, translated “I will greatly multiply your seed.”
This seems to go back to the beginning promise to Abraham in chapter 12 (as it was in the initial creation), the promise of a seed and of a land. The NT emphasizes the promise of the seed and de- emphasizes the promise of the land.
“I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore” These are two of several metaphors used to describe the multitudinous nature of Abraham’s descendants (cf. dust, Gen 13:16; Gen 28:14; Num 23:10; stars, Gen 15:5; Gen 26:4; and sand, Gen 32:12).
“and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies” The gate symbolized the security of the ancient, walled cities. To secure someone’s gate meant to capture their city. Therefore, this is a metaphor for the military victory of the descendants of Abraham against all those who would be against them. This same metaphor is used in the NT in Matthew 16 for “the gates of hell shall not overcome the church.”
From the Prophets we know that even these promises are conditional on Israel’s obedience, as they were on Abraham’s obedience (cf. Gen 15:6; Gen 22:16; Gen 22:18). YHWH’s promises have been abrogated by Israel’s continual disobedience and idolatry. We must remember that the primary focus in Scripture is God’s character and faithfulness. However, it must also be said that His desire is that His people reflect His character to an unbelieving world (i.e., the nations) so that they also can respond to Him!
Gen 22:18 “in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” The grammatical and theological issue involved is how to translate the Niphal and Hithpael PERFECTS of the VERB “bless” (BDB 138, KB 159) that seem to be parallel in
1. Gen 12:3, Niphal PERFECT
2. Gen 18:18, Niphal PERFECT
3. Gen 22:18, Hithpael PERFECT
4. Gen 26:4, Hithpael PERFECT
5. Gen 28:14, Niphal PERFECT
The Niphal stem is usually PASSIVE (this VERB appears only in Genesis texts translated as PASSIVES), but can function as REFLEXIVE or RECIPROCAL. The Hithpael stem is REFLEXIVE or RECIPROCAL (cf. Deu 29:19; Psa 72:17; Isa 65:16 [twice]; Jer 4:2).
The NT quotes of this crucial promise are PASSIVES. See Act 3:25 and Gal 3:8. The question relates to the missionary mandate of Israel to be a “kingdom of priests” for the nations (cf. Exo 19:5-6). Although this is not stated unambiguously until the eighth century prophets, it is assumed and alluded to in these Genesis texts.
In one sense Israel was to provide the information about God (through their obedient lifestyle observance of the Mosaic law). Ultimately the nations had to respond and trust the trustworthiness of YHWH (as Abraham did, cf. Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6; Jas 2:23). They must recognize and respond to the revelation provided by YHWH to and through Israel. If Israel was disobedient, instead of the witness of abundance as well as a stable society, all the nations saw only the judgment side of YHWH. Israel has failed in her missionary mandate and it has passed to the church (i.e., “the Great Commission,” Mat 28:19-20; Luk 24:47; Act 1:8)!
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
the second time. Hebrew a second time; the first time was for substitution; the second was for revelation.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Gen 22:15. And the angel of the lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 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: that in blessing I will bless thee,
Whenever I am engaged in blessing, I will bless thee. I win not pronounce a benediction in the which thou shalt not share: In blessing I will bless thee,
Gen 22:17-18. And in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
See the result of one mans grand act of obedience, and note how God can make that man to be the channel of blessing to all coming ages. Oh, that you and I might possess the Abrahamic faith which thus practically obeys the Lord, and brings a blessing to all the nations of the earth!
This exposition consisted of readings from Gen 12:1-7; Gen 14:17-24; and Gen 22:15-18.
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
angel
(See Scofield “Heb 1:4”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Gen 22:11
Reciprocal: Gen 16:10 – the angel Gen 18:10 – he said Exo 3:2 – angel Isa 45:23 – sworn Zec 3:6 – the Zec 12:8 – as the Act 7:30 – an Heb 6:13 – he sware Rev 10:5 – lifted