Genesis 15:19

15:17-21 The smoking furnace and the burning lamp, probably represented the Israelites' severe trials and joyful deliverance, with their gracious supports in the mean time. It is probable that this furnace and lamp, which passed between the pieces, burned and consumed them, and so completed the sacrifice, and testified God's acceptance of it. So it intimates that God's covenants with man are made by sacrifice, Ps 50:5. And we may know that he accepts our sacrifices, if he kindles in our souls pious and devout affections. The bounds of the land granted are stated. Several nations, or tribes, are spoken of, that must be cast out to make room for the seed of Abram. In this chapter we perceive in Abram faith struggling against, and triumphing over, unbelief. Wonder not, believers, if you meet with seasons of darkness and distress. But it is not the will of God that you should be cast down: fear not; for all that he was to Abram he will be to you.

In this and the following verses ten nations are reckoned as occupying the land of Canaan at this time, whereas only seven are mentioned in the times of Moses and Joshua; and these three are not among them, and seem before those times to have been extinct, or were mixed with the other nations, and were no more distinct ones; though Aben Ezra thinks these people had two names, and Jarchi interprets them of the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites, who shall be the inheritance of the children of Israel in future times, according to Isaiah 11:14 ; and so the Jerusalem Talmud (t), from whence he seems to have taken it; and some are of opinion that the Midianites are meant by the Kenites, since Jethro, Moses's father in law, who was of Midian, is called the Kenite, as was also Heber, who was of the same race, Judges 1:16 ; there were Kenites near to the Amalekites in the times of Balaam, and who dwelt among them in the times of Saul, Numbers 24:20 ; as there were also some of this name that descended from the father of the house of Rechab, or the Rechabites, who were associates and proselytes to the people of Israel, 1 Chronicles 2:55 ; the Kenizzites are supposed by some to be the descendants of Kenaz, a grandson of Esau, Genesis 36:11 ; but then they must be so called here by anticipation, since Kenaz was not now born, and rather then would have had the name of Kenazites; besides, none of the land of the children of Esau, at least of those that dwelt about Mount Seir, was to be giv

(19) The Kenites. —An Arab race, found both among the Amalekites in the south ( 1Samuel 15:6 ) and among the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon in the north ( Judges 4:11 ), and even in Midian, as Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, is called a Kenite ( Judges 1:16 ). Balaam speaks of them as being a powerful nation ( Numbers 24:21 ), and this wide dispersion of them into feeble remnants seems to show that they were a race of early settlers in Canaan, who, like the Rephaim, had been overpowered and scattered by subsequent immigrants. They were uniformly friendly to Israel. The Kenizzites.—The chief fact of importance connected with this race is that Caleb was a Kenezite (Numbers 32:12). Apparently with his clan he joined the Israelites at the Exodus, and was numbered with the tribe of Judah. Kenizzite and Kenezite are two ways of spelling the same Hebrew word, the former being right. The Kadmonites.—This may mean either an eastern or an ancient people, of whom we know nothing. For the Perizzites see Genesis 13:7; for the Rephaims, Genesis 14:5; and for the rest, Genesis 10:15-18.

19 . the Kenite ] Dwellers in the S. of Canaan, connected with the Amalekites and noted for their subsequent friendly relations with Israel. Cf. Numbers 24:20-21 ; Jdg 4:17 ; 1 Samuel 15:6 . the Kenizzite ] Also a people on the Edomite border of Canaan; cf. Kenaz, Genesis 36:11 . Caleb, the head of the tribe of Judah, was a Kenizzite, Numbers 32:12 , Joshua 14:6 . Hence the Kenizzites were probably a south Palestinian clan absorbed into the tribe of Judah. the Kadmonite ] Probably dwellers on the eastern desert frontier of Canaan. Compare “the children of the east” ( b’nê ḳedem ) in Genesis 29:1 . 19–21 . The names of the ten peoples to be driven out by the Israelites. For other lists of these, cf. Exodus 3:8 ; Exodus 3:17 ; Exodus 13:5 ; Exodus 23:23 ; Exodus 34:11 ; Deuteronomy 7:1 ; Deuteronomy 20:17 . Here only, are ten names given; usually only five or six are mentioned. The Kenite, the Kenizzite, the Kadmonite, the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, seem here to be added to make up the full list. These verses and Genesis 15:18 are attributed by many scholars to a Deuteronomic editor. Genesis 15:19

The Kenites are supposed the same with the Midianites, by comparing Exodus 3:1 , with Judges 1:16 . See also Numbers 24:21 1 Samuel 15:6 . The Kenizzites, thought to be the Idumeans, who sprung from Kenaz of Esau’s race. But this seems not to agree with Deu 2:5 , where God expressly saith to the Israelites concerning the Idumeans, I will give you none of their lands, & c. The Kadmonites, i.e. the eastern people, as the word signifies, elsewhere called the Hivites, Joshua 9:1 , who lived near the Mount Hermon, Joshua 11:3 , which was in the east part of Canaan. See Psalm 89:12 .

9-21. Take me an heifer, &c.—On occasions of great importance, when two or more parties join in a compact, they either observe precisely the same rites as Abram did, or, where they do not, they invoke the lamp as their witness. According to these ideas, which have been from time immemorial engraven on the minds of Eastern people, the Lord Himself condescended to enter into covenant with Abram. The patriarch did not pass between the sacrifice and the reason was that in this transaction he was bound to nothing. He asked a sign, and God was pleased to give him a sign, by which, according to Eastern ideas, He bound Himself. In like manner God has entered into covenant with us; and in the glory of the only-begotten Son, who passed through between God and us, all who believe have, like Abram, a sign or pledge in the gift of the Spirit, whereby they may know that they shall inherit the heavenly Canaan.

The ten principal nations inhabiting this area are here enumerated. Of these five are Kenaanite, and the other five probably not. The first three are new to us, and seem to occupy the extremities of the region here defined. The Kenite dwelt in the country bordering on Egypt and south of Palestine, in which the Amalekites also are found Numbers 24:20-22 ; 1 Samuel 15:6 . They dwelt among the Midianites, as Hobab was both a Midianite and a Kenite Numbers 10:29 ; Judges 1:16 ; Judges 4:11 . They were friendly to the Israelites, and hence some of them followed their fortunes and settled in their land 1 Chronicles 2:55 . The Kenizzite dwelt apparently in the same region, having affinity with the Horites, and subsequently with Edom and Israel Genesis 36:11 , Genesis 36:20-23 ; Joshua 15:17 ; 1 Chronicles 2:50-52 . The Kadmonite seems to be the Eastern, and, therefore, to hold the other extreme boundary of the promised land, toward Tadmor and the Phrat. These three tribes were probably related to Abram, and, therefore, descendants of Shem. The other seven tribes have already come under our notice. - The Birth of Ishmael 1. הנר hāgār, Hagar, "flight." Hejrah, the flight of Muhammed. 7. מלאך mal'ak "messenger, angel." A deputy commissioned to discharge a certain duty for the principal whom he represents. As the most usual task is that of bearing messages, commands, or tidings, he is commonly called a "messenger" ἄγγελος angelos).

The word is therefore a term of office, and does not further distinguish the office-bearer than as an intelligent being. Hence, a מלאך mal'ak may be a man deputed by a man Genesis 32:3; Job 1:14, or by God Haggai 1:13; Malachi 3:1, or a superhuman being delegated in this case only by God. The English term "angel" is now especially appropriated to the latter class of messengers. 1st. The nature of angels is spiritual Hebrews 1:14. This characteristic ranges over the whole chain of spiritual being from man up to God himself. The extreme links, however, are excluded: man, because he is a special class of intelligent creatures; and God, because he is supreme. Other classes of spiritual beings may be excluded - as the cherubim, the seraphim - because they have not the same office, though the word "angelic" is sometimes used by us as synonymous with heavenly or spiritual. They were all of course originally good; but some of them have fallen from holiness, and become evil spirits or devils Matthew 25:31, Matthew 25:41; Jde 1:6; Revelation 12:7. The latter are circumscribed in their sphere of action, as if confined within the walls of their prison, in consequence of their fallen state and malignant disposition Genesis 3; Job 1:2; 1 Peter 2:4; Revelation 20:2. Being spiritual, they are not only moral, but intelligent. They also excel in strength Psalm 103:20. The holy angels have the full range of action for which their qualities are adapted.