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"told thee that thou wast naked? hast "thou eaten of the tree, whereof I com"manded thee, that thou shouldest not "eat?" 12. And the man (y) said, "The "woman, whom thou gavest to be with * me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." 13. And the LORD God said anto the woman, "What is this that thou hast done?" and the woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." 4. And the LORD God said unto the erpent, "Because thou hast done this,

thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field: (z) upon

"thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt "thou eat all the days of thy life. 15. And "I will put enmity between thee and the

woman, and between thy seed and (a) her "seed: (b) it shall bruise (c) thy head, and "thou shalt bruise (c) his heel." 16. Unto the woman he said, "I will greatly multi"ply thy sorrow, and (d) thy conception; "in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children: "and thy desire shall be to thy husband, " and he shall rule over thee." 17. And unto Adam he said, "Because thou hast "hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, "and hast eaten of the tree of which I

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(z) v. 14. Upon thy belly, &c." i. e. guratively; ever in a wretched, despised, and egraded state; abject, as one who is forced

crawl upon the ground, and miserable, as ne who has no food but dust. In Ps. xliv. 25. where the people are described as in the lowest tate of misery, it is said, "our soul is brought low, even unto the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the ground." And Is. lxv. 25. where he prophet is looking forward to the success Christianity, he says, in allusion to this pas"and dust shall be the serpent's meat." (a) v. 15. "Her seed." So that she was fot to die immediately: they were relieved from he dread of instant death. It is observable, that the Jews, in their genealogies, regarded principally the males; and it would probably trike them as singular that in this passage the teference was made only to the woman's seed: but it would the better enable them to undertand and apply the prophecies, Is. vii. 14. a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, &c." and Jer. xxxi. 22. "the Lord hath created a "new thing in the earth; a woman shall compass a man." It would also prepare them the more readily to believe the miraculous conception.

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(b) v. 15. "It," or "he." The word in the original has both significations. The Sept. translates it "he." See 2 Hales, 19.

-"It," and "his." So that a single person only was referred to; and that person was Christ. It may be remarked, that the word here rendered" it," is used in some pasages to signify God:" and the sentence

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ye may understand that I am be: before me "there was no God formed, neither shall there "be after me." "Before the day was, I am "he." And Is. xlviii. 12. "Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel, my called; I am "be: I am the first, I also am the last."

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(c) v. 15. "Thy head," "his heel." The former a mortal part, the latter not. This was therefore an intimation, that however man might be annoyed and harassed by the consequences of sin, and the enmity and attacks of the devil, yet that at some time or other, in some way God might think fit, some seed of the woman should gain the victory over Satan (signified by bruising his head), and open a way to deliverance from that death which had been denounced for their transgression: that, according to Rom. v. 12. 18. 66 as by one man (viz. Adam) sin entered "into the world, and death by sin, even so by "the righteousness of one (viz. Christ), the "free gift of eternal life might be offered unto "all." Though Adam and Eve might not understand when or how this deliverance was to be accomplished (and perhaps it was intentionally concealed from them), this promise would naturally raise them from absolute despair, and would encourage them and their posterity, with a view to their redemption, to look up to God, and perform the duties of religion. See the 3d of Sherlock's Discourses upon Prophecy, and Horsley's Sermons, 289 to 310.

(d) v. 16." And thy conception," rather "in thy conception."

"(e) commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt "not eat of it: cursed is the ground for "thy (f)sake; (g) in sorrow shalt thou eat "of it all the days of thy life. 18. Thorns "also and thistles shall it bring forth to "thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the "field. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt "thou eat bread, till thou return unto the "ground; (b) for out of it wast thou "taken for dust thou art, and unto dust "shalt thou return." 20. And Adam called his wife's name (i) Eve, because she was (k) the mother of all (7) living. 21. Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did

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(e) v. 17. "Commanded thee." In his sentence upon the woman, God refers to no command immediately from him to her. In Gen. ii. 16. 17. Moses mentions the giving the command to the man before he gives an account of the creation of the woman. In verse 3. indeed, of this chapter, the woman admits, "God hath "said, Ye shall not eat of it," &c.; but it is not stated that that command was repeated after her creation, and came immediately from God to both; and it might be that she was only told of it by Adam. Upon this latter supposition her sin would be the less; only that of believing the tempter instead of believing her husband; her punishment" of being in subjection to her "husband," a proper memorial of the consequence in this instance of disregarding his word; and she would be the more proper object of that great mercy, of being the parent of the promised seed.

(ƒ) v. 17. "Sake," or “sin,” “trans"gression.'

(g) v. 17. "In sorrow, &c." i. e. thou shalt be forced to use great pains and labour to procure from it thy necessary food.

or,

(h) v. 19. "For out of it wast thou taken,"

"from whence thou wast taken." Patr. (i) v. 20. "Eve," which signifies "restoring "life, or living." The Sept. renders it "life." So 1 Lightf. 2. This name was probably given her by Adam, in thankful remembrance of the great promise in verse 15. because that promise relieved them from the dread of immediate destruction, softened the original denunciation, "thou shalt surely die," and might give them still the prospect of life and immortality.

(k) v. 20." Was," i. e. " was to be." She had as yet no child.

(1) v. 20. "Of all living," i. e. either "of "all mankind," or "of all who were to be rescued from the curse of death, all who

"were to be partakers of eternal life;" a the rendering might be, " of all life," viz. that seed from whom all life was to con who was to" abolish death, and to bringi "and immortality to light through the go

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pel, 2 Tim. i. 10." For "as in Adam "die, even so in Christ (this promised seed 66 were all to be made alive. i Cor. xv. 22. And he only "that hath the Son hath life " and he that hath not the Son of God hath "not life. 2 John v. 12." Our Saviour says himself, John xi. 25. "I am the resurrection "the life." St. Paul says, Col. iii. "Christ, who is our life, shall appear." And St. John personifies the life, 1 John i. 2. "T life was manifested, and we have seen it, "bear witness, and shew unto you "eternal life, which was with the Faths, was manifested unto us."

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(m) v. 21. "Of skins." As it does not that man was as yet permitted to kill a for food (or to have any sustenance but hers and fruit, see Gen. i. 29.), it has been cons tured, that they had been instructed by God to offer them as an act of religious worship, and that atonement by the death and sacrifice of an was instituted from the time of the fall, to pre pare men's minds to understand the great atore ment by the death and sacrifice of Christ. It is difficult to suppose how the practice of sacr fice came to prevail so universally as it did, and that amongst nations of all religions, if it w not instituted by the express command of Go See 2 Lightf. 1327.-1 Lightf. 2.-2 Hales, 24 It is probable, too, from this passage, that t fall of man was not until some time after h creation; until the animals, whose skins the used, had had time to breed.

(n) v. 22. "One of us." Another plural, as if the speaker were not alone. See notes of Gen. i. 26.

CHAP. VI.

AND it (6) came to pass, when men

began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2. That the (p) sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they * chose. 3. And the LORD said, "My "spirit shall not always (q) strive with "6 man, (r) for that he also is flesh: (s) yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty "years." 4. There were (t) giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7. And the LORD said, "I will destroy man, whom I

❝ have created, from the face of the earth, "both man and beast, and the creeping "thing, and the fowls of the air for it re"penteth me that I have made them." 8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9. These are the (u) generations of Noah: Noah was a just man, and perfect in (x) his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11. (y) The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence. 12. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt: for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13. And God said unto Noah, (z) "The end of all flesh is comę "before (a) me; for the earth is filled "with violence through them: and behold, "I will destroy them (b) with the earth, "14. (c) Make thee an ark of (d) Gopher "wood: rooms shalt thou make in the "ark, and shalt pitch it within and with"out with pitch. 15. And this is the

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fashion which thou shalt make it of: the "length of the ark fhall be three hun

(o) v. I. "Came to pass." About 1536 years after the creation.

(p) v. 2. "Sons of God," and "the daughters of men." The former, as many suppose, the descendants of Seth, who had hitherto adhered rightly to the worship of God; the latter, the descendants of Cain, who had turned to idolatry. 1 Shuckf. 13.-1 Lightf. 995.Van Mild. 40. Another rendering is, "that "the sons of the great men saw the daughters "of the poor that they were fair, and they took "them women of all which they chose," referring to an unlawful and forced concubinage. I Wall, 9 to 12. And this violence would naturally call forth the denunciation in verse 3.

(g) v. 3. "Strive with," i. e. (perhaps) "labour to correct." To the same effect as Is. i. 5. "Why should ye be stricken any more; "the whole head is sick," &c. See post. Or it may mean, "bear with," put up with their iniquities. See 2 Hales, 37. 38.

(r) v.3. "For that he also is flesh." Or "because he is wholly given up to sensual

"sins."

(s) v. 3. "Yet his days, &c." I will nevertheless still forbear 120 years; I will spare him for that time. St. Peter notices that "the "long-suffering of God waited in the days

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(b) v. 13. "With," or rather "from." (c) v. 14. "Make, &c." Berosus, in his History of the Chaldeans, gives a similar account of the flood, and of God's intimation to Noah (whom he calls Xisuthrus) to prepare a vessel for himself, his kindred and friends, and for fowls and beasts; and this tends to shew, that the Chaldean History places the creation at the same time as Moses. 1 Shuckf. 15. 16 -3 Hales, 18.

(d) v.14. "Gopher," i. e. Cypress. Hales, 327.

"dred (d) cubits, the breadth of it fifty "cubits, and the height of it thirty`cubits. "16. A window shalt thou make to the "ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it "above; and the door of the ark shalt "thou set in the side thereof; with lower, "second, and third stories shalt thou make "it. 17. And behold, I, even I do bring "C a flood of waters upon the earth, to de"stroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of

"take thou unto thee of all food that is "eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; "and it shall be for food for thee, and for "them." 22. (f) Thus did Noah; a cording to all that God commanded him so did he.

CHAP. IX.-to verse 20.

ND God blessed Noah and his so

"life, from under heaven; and every thing A and said unto them, & Be fruit

that is in the earth shall die. 18. But "with thee will I establish (e) my cove"nant and thou shalt come into the ark; "thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and "thy sons wives with thee. 19. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of "every sort shalt thou bring into the ark,

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to keep them alive with thee: they shall "be male and female. 20. Of fowls after "their kind, and of cattle after their kind, "of every creeping thing of the earth after "his kind: two of every sort shall come "unto thee, to keep them alive. 21. And

(d) v. 15. "Cubits." A cubit is a foot and half, or a foot and three quarters. So that at the lowest the length would be 150 yards, the breadth 25, and the height 15. These dimensions would be fully sufficient to hold all the living things to be preserved, with food for their subsistence, allowing the domestic animals hay, and the carnivorous ones, sheep. 1 Wells, 36 to 48.-1 Hales, 328.

(e) v. 18. "My covenant," i. e. (probably) the famous promise in Gen. iii. 15. that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head that this promise, though not yet fulfilled, should still be accomplished in some descendant from Noah.

(f) v. 22. "Thus did Noah." Noah is supposed to have lived in an inland situation. And this act of his, in building a vessel of such extraordinary dimensions and construction, equal in capacity or stowage to eighteen first rate men of war of the present day, I Hales, 328, would naturally attract the notice of all his neighbourhood, and operate as a warning to all who saw or heard of it. It was also a proof of his obedience and faith, and is accordingly noticed with approbation, Heb. xi. 7. "By faith Noah, be

ing warned of God of things not seen as yet, "moved with fear, prepared an ark to the "saving of his house."

(g) v. 3. "Meat." This is the first licence for eating animal food; and it is followed with

"and multiply, and replenish the ea

2. And the fear of you, and the dre "of you, shall be upon every beast of t "earth, and upon every fowl of the "upon all that moveth upon the ear... "and upon all the fishes of the "into your hand are they deliver

3. Every moving thing that liveth, sh "be (g) meat for you; even as the "herb have I given you all things: 4. "flesh (b) with the life thereof, whic "the blood thereof, shall you not 66 5. And surely (i) your blood of

injunctions calculated to prevent savage and dispositions, to shew that the blood, of animals, was still precious in God's s and that God had still as great an abhorren murder, the wilful killing of man, as before

that

(b) v. 4. "With the life thereof, wh "the blood thereof, &c." The meaning this command was, as some suppose, should not take off a part from the animal, which would be most cruel, or they should not eat it immediately after death, before the blood had properly dra from it, or before it had been properly dress but the more general understanding is, th was intended altogether to prohibit the of blood that the blood might be de sacred, and dedicated to God. It was a sp injunction afterwards to the Israelites not "eat blood, but to pour it upon the earth "water," Lev. xvii. 13.-Deut. xii. 23. this reason is given for it, Lev. xvii. 11. "the life of the flesh is in the blood: and "have given it to you upon the altar, to ma an atonement for your souls: for it is t "blood that maketh an atonement for "souls." The object probably was, to pare their minds for the great atonement by blood of the Messiah.

(i) v. 5. “Your blood of your lives, & They were not to suppose, from the licence kill animals, that the life of man was to be less

lives will I (k) require: (1) at the hand of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man, at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for (m) in the image of God made he man. 7. And you, be ye fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein." 8. And d spake unto Noah, and to his sons th him, saying, 9. "And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10. And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you, from de all that go out of the ark, to every beast

of the earth. II. And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood: neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth." And God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13. I do set (7) my bow in the cloud,

red than before, and this injunction is inoduced to put them most particularly upon eir guard against this high offence.

od 66 as

(k) 0.5. Require." Ps. ix. 12. speaks of making inquisition for blood," as if were particularly his care to bring murder to ght.

v. 5. The reading should perhaps be, at the hand of every living creature will I require it; verily at the hand of the man (himself); at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of the man ;" so $ to include suicide, as well as other murders. This seems the literal translation of the original. (m) v. 6. “ For in the image, &c." A strikng reason, to point out the enormity of the offence, and the presumption in committing it. And by whom given?! If God set so high a value

upon man as to stamp upon him his own image, to make him so far above every other work of the creation as to bear some resemblance to himself, who shall dare to efface and destroy this greatest work of God's all-powerful

hand?

(a) v.13. "My bow," called, Ps. lxxxix. 36. "the faithful witness in heaven." See Il. 2.28. (0) v. 19. "Of them, &c." All the histories

" and it shall be for a token of a covenant "between me and the earth. 14. And it "shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud "over the earth, that the bow shall be "seen in the cloud: 15. And I will "remember my covenant, which is be"tween me, and you, and every living "creature of all flesh; and the waters "shall no more become a flood to destroy "all flesh. 16. And the bow shall be in "the cloud, and I will look upon it, that "I may remember the everlasting cove"nant between God and every living "creature of all flesh that is upon the "earth." 17. And God said unto Noah, "This is the token of the covenant which "I have established between me and all "flesh, that is upon the earth." 18. And the sons of Noah that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. 19. These are the three sons of Noah: and (0) of them was the whole earth overspread.

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of ancient nations are consistent with this account. Noah is the Saturn of many nations, Pole; 3 Hales, 15; the Xisuthrus of the Chaldeans, I Shuckf. 101; the Fohi of the Chinese, 1 Shuckf. 102; and the Bacchus of the Indians, 2 Shuckf. 50.

(p) v. 1. "Had said," or "said." There is nothing in the original to insinuate that the narrative refers to an antecedent command. Terah, Abraham's father, had before this taken Abraham and Sarah and Lot from Ur of the Chaldees, in Mesopotamia, in order to go into the land of Canaan; but when they reached Haran, which was also in Mesopotamia, 300 miles from the land of Canaan, they stopped and dwelt there. See Gen. xi. 31. Abulfaragi says, they sojourned there 14 years. 2 Hales, 123. This, therefore, was a command to Abraham to advance from Haran. In Acts vii. 2. 3. St. Stephen says, "the God of glory ap"peared unto our father Abraham, when he

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was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in "Charran (i. e. Haran), and said unto him, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy "kindred, and come into the land which I shall "shew thee. Then came he out of the land "of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran :

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