Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

12:6, 7 GENESIS : : 8
profane places (ha. 2:2O). But, perhaps, Jacob had re.gard
to the feelings of his family, (,and prepared for the
images, which, indeed, were not images belonging to any
system of idolatry, an honorable burial. At the time of
Joshua the place had a sacred character, and Joshua,‘ therefore,
erected here the monumental stone, commemorating
the solemn renewal of the law (Josh,, ch, 24). Thus they
became the oaks of the pillar at which the Shechemites
made Abimelech king (Judg. 19 : 6) .” Leupold (EG,
419): “But all suppoaitions, such as that the words ought
to be rendered ‘oracle-terebinth,’ or that we have here
indications of an animistic religion on the part of the
patriarchs, are guesses. It is just as possible that in days
of old some worshiper of Yahweh had under this oak admonished
and instructed the people.” The sum and substance
of the whole matter is clear, namely, that Abram
encamped by an ancient landmark, and there received a
second communication from God, and there built his first
altar in the Land of Promise to the God who had called him
to undertake this pilgrimage of faith.
The Theophaizy aizd the Altar, V. 7.
The patriarch
had left Ur of the Chaldees to set out on a trek, the destina-
tion of which God had not specified. The divine injunc-
tion was simply “unto the land that I will show thee”
(12:1, cf. Heb. 11:8, “he went out, not knowing whither
he went”). Now God appears to him and identifies this
Land of Promise specifically: “unto thy seed will I give
this land.” Note that God did not declare He would give
it to Abrain himself: as a matter of fact, Abraham died
without owning a foot of it, except the small spot he
purchased for a burial-place (Gen. 23:17-20, 25:9-10,
49:28-33). Lange (CDHCG, 391, 392) : “Abram’s faith
had developed itself thus far since he had entered Canaan,
and now the promise is given to him of the land of
Canaan, as. the possession of the promised seed. , . . Abram’s
grateful acknowledgment: the erection of an altar, and
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