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;
17. that in blessing, &c.] The language of this benediction combines the substance of previous blessings pronounced upon the patriarch, under three heads: (1) multiplication of seed; (2) victory over enemies; (3) universal happiness.
bless ] Cf. Gen 12:2.
as the stars of the heaven ] Cf. Gen 15:5.
as the sand ] Cf. Gen 13:16.
the gate of his enemies ] See note on Gen 24:60. The phrase denotes conquest. LXX reads , both here and in Gen 24:60.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. Shall possess the gate of his enemies] Instead of gate the Septuagint have , cities; but as there is a very near resemblance between , cities, and , gates, the latter might have been the original reading in the Septuagint, though none of the MSS. now acknowledge it. By the gates may be meant all the strength, whether troops, counsels, or fortified cities of their enemies. So Mt 16:18: On this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it-the counsels, stratagems, and powers of darkness shall not be able to prevail against or overthrow the true Church of Christ; and possibly our Lord had this promise to Abraham and his spiritual posterity in view, when he spoke these words.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. The city, by a usual synecdoche, as Deu 12:15; 18:6, all the cities, and consequently the country adjacent; gate for gates. The sense is, they shall subdue their enemies. For the gates of cities were the places both of jurisdiction or judicature, Deu 21:19; 22:15; Amo 5:12,15; Zec 8:16; and of fortification and chief strength in war, Jdg 5:8; Psa 147:13; Isa 22:7; Eze 21:22. And this promise was fulfilled both literally in Israels conquest of Canaan, in David, Solomon, &c., and spiritually in Christ, Psa 110:1-3.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
That in blessing I will bless thee,…. With temporal and spiritual blessings; with the Spirit and all his graces; with Christ and redemption, justification, and salvation by him; and with eternal life, as the gift of God, through him:
and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore: both his natural seed, descending from him in the line of Isaac, and his spiritual seed, both among Jews and Gentiles, that tread in his steps; see
Ge 13:15:
and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies: “gate” for “gates”, where courts of judicature were held, and which are the security of cities and put for them, and which also include the whole country round about: so that this phrase is expressive of an entire jurisdiction and dominion over them; and was literally fulfilled in the times of Joshua, David, and Solomon; and spiritually in Christ, Abraham’s principal seed, when he destroyed Satan and his principalities and powers; overcame the world; made an end of sin and abolished death; and delivered his people out the hands of all their enemies; and in all Abraham’s spiritual seed, who are made more than conquerors over them, through Christ that has loved them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. He means that the offspring of Abraham should be victorious over their enemies; for in the gates were their bulwarks, and in them they administered judgment. Now, although God often suffered the enemies of the Jews tyrannically to rule over them; yet he so moderated their revenge, that this promise always prevailed in the end. Moreover, we must remember what has before been stated from Paul, concerning the unity of the seed; for we hence infer, that the victory is promised, not to the sons of Abraham promiscuously, but to Christ, and to his members, so far as they adhere together under one Head. For unless we retain some mark which may distinguish between the legitimate and the degenerate sons of Abraham, this promise will indiscriminately comprehend, as well the Ishmaelites and Idumeans, as the people of Israel: but the unity of a people depends on its head. Therefore the prophets, whenever they wish to confirm this promise of God, assume the principle, that they who have hitherto been divided, shall be united, under David, in one body. What further pertains to this subject may be found in the twelfth chapter Gen 12:1
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
17. Bless multiply Compare the promises that had gone before . Gen 12:2; Gen 12:8; Gen 13:14-17; Gen 15:5; Gen 15:7; Gen 15:18; Gen 17:1-8; and Gen 18:18.
Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies Fulfilled primarily in the conquest of Canaan, (comp . Gen 15:18-21,) but pointing even now to Christ’s ultimate triumph over the gates of hell . Mat 16:18. In the rapturous hour of this revelation and promise, Abraham, doubtless, saw Messiah’s day, and was glad. Joh 8:5-6.
With this account of the attempted offering of Isaac it has been common to compare the Grecian legends of Phrixus, Idomeneus, and Iphigenia; and also the Phoenician tradition of Chronos, who in a time of war and impending perils took his only son Jehoud, clothed him in royal apparel, and offered him in sacrifice upon an altar which he had built. But these tales have no more connexion with Abraham and Isaac than have the narratives of Jephthah’s vow (Judges 11) or the sacrifice of the king of Moab’s son. 2Ki 3:27.
The bearing of this act of Abraham on human sacrifices is worthy of notice. We need not go to the extent of Kurtz, who imagines that Abraham might have descried, on all the heights around him, altars smoking with human sacrifices; but we may believe that the idea of human sacrifice sprung from deep religious promptings; the consciousness of guilt, and the felt necessity of offering up the dearest and most precious gift as an atonement. Abraham’s act, adapted to be monumental in the history of the chosen race, recognised at once the necessity of sacrifice, and that our life is not our own; but it also revealed the authority from heaven to substitute animal life instead. In this revelation human sacrifices stand condemned, and animal sacrifices sanctioned and established as meeting the divine requirement.
The typical significance of the offering of Isaac has been recognised by nearly all Christian divines, but the pressing of all analogies and correspondencies as types may well be condemned. We have noted above (on Gen 22:12) how Isaac is no proper type of Christ; but as the apostle speaks of Abraham’s receiving his son from the dead “in a figure,” (Heb 11:19,) we may, by a legitimate accommodation, speak of the points in the narrative which in any way prefigure or suggest great Gospel facts . Thus 1) Abraham’s not withholding his only son suggests that greater act of Him “who spared not his own Son, but freely gave him up for us all . ” Rom 8:32. 2) Isaac bearing the wood for the sacrifice suggests Christ bearing his own cross . 3) The ram caught in the thicket of thorns reminds us of Jesus with the thorn-wreath on his brow. 4) Isaac and the ram together have been taken as a double type, Isaac representing the divinity of our Lord, and the ram the humanity which Christ assumed (“a body hast thou prepared me,” Heb 10:5,) that he might taste death for Man 1:5 ) The three days from the command to sacrifice his son to the time of the deliverance of Isaac, his son was as one already dead to Abraham; and so, “in a figure,” his release was a resurrection from the dead. Heb 11:19. All these analogies may be truthfully presented as parabolic, ( ,) but not as proper types .
Other lessons of this chapter are abundant. 1) Here is the notable instance in which to see how faith wrought with works and was thus made perfect. Jas 2:22. 2) The moral sublimity of ready obedience and submission when God demands our beloved . 3) The moral value of temptation and stern discipline . 4) The word of God the highest law . 5) Two immutable things, the oath and promise of God, a permanent source of consolation to the Christian believer . Heb 6:17-18. NAHOR’S CHILDREN, 20-24.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 22:17. Possess the gate, &c. He who is possessed of the gates is possessed of the cities, and, these surrendered, becomes master of all the country; so to possess the gates is to possess the cities and countries of his enemies.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
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; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;
The pedigree of Rebekah is here introduced, because she afterwards becomes a subject of much note in the church of God.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 22:17 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;
Ver. 17. Shall possess the gate, ] i.e., Both their strength and government.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
blessing I will bless = I will surely bless; or, I will richly bless. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6), for emphasis.
stars . . . sand, &c. Figure of speech Parozmia. See note on Gen 13:16.
the gate. Figure of speech Synecdoche (ofthe Part), App-6. “Gate” put for the cities.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
in blessing: Gen 12:2, Gen 27:28, Gen 27:29, Gen 28:3, Gen 28:14-22, Gen 49:25, Gen 49:26, Deu 28:2-13, Eph 1:3
I will multiply: Gen 13:16, Gen 15:5, Gen 17:6, Gen 26:4, Deu 1:10, Jer 33:22
shore: Heb. lip, 1Ki 9:26
thy seed: Gen 24:60, Num 24:17-19, Deu 21:19, Jos 1:1 – Jos 10:43, 2Sa 8:1-18, 2Sa 10:1-19, Psa 2:8, Psa 2:9, Psa 72:8, Psa 72:9, Jer 32:22, Dan 2:44, Dan 2:45, Mic 1:9, Luk 1:68-75, 1Co 15:57, Rev 11:15
Reciprocal: Gen 1:28 – General Gen 9:9 – General Gen 17:2 – multiply Gen 17:4 – a father Gen 18:18 – become Gen 25:11 – after Gen 26:29 – the blessed Gen 28:4 – the blessing Gen 34:20 – the gate Gen 35:11 – a nation Gen 36:1 – General Gen 41:49 – General Gen 46:3 – I will Gen 48:4 – Behold I Exo 1:7 – fruitful Exo 6:8 – to give Num 1:46 – General Num 11:12 – the land Num 23:10 – can count Num 23:20 – he hath Deu 1:11 – and bless you Deu 6:3 – that ye may Deu 13:17 – as he hath Deu 28:4 – General Jos 11:4 – as the sand Jdg 2:1 – have brought 1Sa 13:5 – as the sand 2Sa 17:11 – as the sand 2Sa 22:36 – made me great 1Ki 3:8 – cannot 1Ki 4:20 – as the sand 2Ch 1:9 – like the dust Neh 9:23 – multipliedst Psa 105:9 – General Psa 112:2 – General Isa 48:19 – seed Isa 51:2 – for Eze 16:7 – caused Nah 3:16 – above Mat 16:18 – and the Mar 4:31 – is less than Luk 1:73 – General Rom 4:13 – For the Gal 3:16 – to Heb 7:6 – had Heb 11:12 – as the stars