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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 16:7-9

Here is the first mention we have in scripture of an angel's appearance. Hagar was a type of the law, which was given by the disposition of angels; but the world to come is not put in subjection to them, Heb. 2:5. Observe, I. How the angel arrested her in her flight, Gen. 16:7. It should seem, she was making towards her own country; for she was in the way to Shur, which lay towards Egypt. It were well if our afflictions would make us think of our home, the better country. But Hagar was now out... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 16:10-14

We may suppose that the angel having given Hagar that good counsel (Gen. 16:9) to return to her mistress she immediately promised to do so, and was setting her face homeward; and then the angel went on to encourage her with an assurance of the mercy God had in store for her and her seed: for God will meet those with mercy that are returning to their duty. I said, I will confess, and thou forgavest, Ps. 32:5. Here is, I. A prediction concerning her posterity given her for her comfort in her... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:9

And the angel of the Lord said unto her ,.... The same angel; though Jarchi thinks that one angel after another was sent, and that at every speech there was a fresh angel; and because this phrase is repeated again and again, some of the Rabbins have fancied there were four angels F18 Bereshit Rabba, ut supra. (sect. 45. fol. 41. 1.) , and others five, but without any reason: return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands ; go back to her, humble thyself before her,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:10

And the angel of the Lord said unto her ,.... The same as before, who, by what follows, appears to be Jehovah himself: I will multiply thy seed exceedingly ; not that she should have many children herself, for that she had more than this one she now went with, is not certain; but that that seed she had conceived should be exceedingly multiplied, and he should have a numerous posterity, as he had twelve princes sprung from him, the heads of Arab nations: that it shall not be numbered... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:11

And the angel of the Lord said unto her ,.... Continued his discourse with her, informing her she should have a son, and what his name should be, and what his character, and the place of his habitation: behold, thou art with child ; this she knew, and it is said, not for her information, as to this respect, but to lead on to something else he had to acquaint her with, she did not know. Jarchi indeed would have the sense to be, "thou shall conceive" or "be with child", as was said to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:12

And he will be a wild man ,.... Living in a wilderness, delighting in hunting and killing wild beasts, and robbing and plundering all that pass by; and such an one Ishmael was, see Genesis 21:20 ; and such the Saracens, his posterity, were, and such the wild Arabs are to this day, who descended from him; or "the wild ass of a man" F20 פרא אדם "onager hominis", Cocceius, Schmidt. ; or "a wild ass among men", as Onkelos; or "like to a wild ass among men", as the Targum of Jonathan;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:13

And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her ,.... Either she called on the name of the Lord, and prayed unto him, that he would forgive her sin and give her some fresh tokens of his love; and also gave him thanks for his gracious regards unto her, that he should look upon, and look after so mean a creature, and such a backslider as she was, and return her, and make such gracious promises to her; so the Targum of Onkelos,"she prayed in the name of the Lord;'and the Targum of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 16:10

I will multiply thy seed exceedingly - Who says this? The person who is called the Angel of the Lord; and he certainly speaks with all the authority which is proper to God. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 16:11

And shalt call his name Ishmael - ישמאעל Yishmael , from שמע shama , he heard, and אל El , God; for, says the Angel, The Lord Hath Heard thy affliction. Thus the name of the child must ever keep the mother in remembrance of God's merciful interposition in her behalf, and remind the child and the man that he was an object of God's gracious and providential goodness. Afflictions and distresses have a voice in the ears of God, even when prayer is restrained; but how much more... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 16:12

He will be a wild man - אדם פרא pere adam . As the root of this word does not appear in the Hebrew Bible, it is probably found in the Arabic farra , to run away, to run wild; and hence the wild ass, from its fleetness and its untamable nature. What is said of the wild ass, Job 39:5-8 , affords the very best description that can be given of the Ishmaelites, (the Bedouins and wandering Arabs), the descendants of Ishmael: "Who hath sent out the wild ass ( פרא pere ) free? or who... read more

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