THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED GENESIS. THE original Hebrew distinguishes this Book merely by the first word of it, viz. D'UND), or In the beginning: but the Greek translation, called the Septuagint, names it GENESIS, The Beginning, or Original; that is of the world.-The sacred historian first records the creation of the heaven and the earth, the formation of Adam and Eve after the image of God, and the institution of marriage. He then relates how "sin entered into the world, and death by sin;" and how the first promise of a Redeemer was given to our fallen progenitors. He next illustrates the effects of the fall; which were manifested in the conduct of Cain, who murdered righteous Abel his brother, and in the general and almost universal prevalence of wickedness; and he likewise illustrates the power of divine grace in the examples of Abel, Enoch, and Noah.-A few hints are dropt concerning some of Cain's descendants, and their inventions and actions; but a genealogy of the descendants of Seth to Noah, with the age to which each person lived who is mentioned in the genealogy, is carefully given.-At length, at the end of 1656 years, the Lord, provoked by man's wickedness, desolated the earth by a flood of waters, preserving his servant Noah and his wife, with his three sons and their wives, in the ark; of which extraordinary catastrophe all nations retain some traditions and vestiges. The repeopling of the earth by the descendants of Noah's sons is next recorded: and the genealogy is continued from Shem, in the line of Abraham, to Jacob and his sons. Indeed, this narrative, though very compendious, throws more light on the original of nations and on many coincident subjects, than can be obtained from all other records of antiquity taken together: and its agreement with such as have the greatest claim to authenticity, conclusively proves that it gives a true account of those ancient times, which the pagan historians had only heard of by obscure tradition, and which they mutilated, or blended with most absurd fables; while the interspersed prophecies, fulfilling through all succeeding generations even to the present day, fully attest its divine inspiration. (Notes, 12:1-3. 48: 49:) Many particulars indeed, in this part of the history, must be beyond the investigation of the unlearned: but the founding of Nineveh and Babylon, two of the greatest cities the world ever saw; the source of the vast variety of languages, which has in all ages interrupted the intercourse of mankind; and the original of the two most remarkable people which have ever appeared on earth, namely, the Jews and the Ishmaelites, are clearly and satisfactorily shewn. Important information is also given concerning the Moabites, Ammonites, Midianites, Edomites or Idumeans, all descended from Abraham. The most ancient war known to genuine history is here recorded; and the awful destruction of Sodom and the neighboring cities, as producing the Dead Sea, the peculiarities of which have always excited the attention of travellers.-The mass of interesting historical materials contained in this wonderful Book, concerning those remote ages of which we have no other even plausible records, must ever render it an invaluable treasure of ancient erudition to the sober scholar. But the copiousness with which the history of Abraham, "the father of the faithful," the repository of the promises, and the ancestor of Christ, is given, with that of Isaac and Jacob the heirs of the same promises, shews what is deemed most important by him, whose "judgment is according to truth:" and the story of Joseph exceeds applause, being inimitably written, and unparalleled in the annals of the world.-The impartiality also of the sacred historian, in recording the imperfections of the most approved characters, though his own ancestors; and the strong expressions of abhorrence, with which he marks the crime of his immediate progenitor Levi, are worthy of an inspired writer, and hitherto almost entirely peculiar to the Scriptures. The narrative is thus continued to the death of Joseph, about 713 years after the deluge, or 2369 from the creation. And the important religious instruction contained in this book, concerning God our Creator, our fallen condition, the promise of a Savior, and the redeemed sinner's walk with God, must more endear it to the pious Christian, than all its immense and invaluable literary treasures can possibly recommend it to the learned antiquary or historian. Without this history the world would be in total darkness, not knowing whence 'it came or whither it goeth. In the first page of this sacred book, a child may learn more in one 'hour, than all the philosophers in the world learned without it in thousands of years.' Fuller. B. C. 4004. CHAP. I. God creates heaven and earth, 1; forms the light, and the firmament, 2-8; separates the dry land from the waters, and produces the vegetable tribes, 9-13; forms the sun, moon, and stars, 14-19; causes the waters to produce fishes and fowls; and the earth to bring forth cattle, wild beasts, and creeping things, 20-25; creates man in his own image; blesses him; gives him dominion; grants the fruits of the earth for food; and pronounces the whole "very good," 26-31. с 2 And the earth was without form, || good: and God and void, and darkness was upon the face the darkness. of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved the face of the waters. upon 3 T And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was NOTES. 5 And God called the light and the darkness he called Night. + And the evening and the morning were the first day. 6 T And God said, Let there be a *Heb. Between the light and h Ps. 74:16. 104:20. Is 45:7. and the morning was. 8,13,19, 23,31. i 14,20. 7:11,12. Job 37:11 -18. 38:22-26. Jer. 10:13. the Christian system, on these intimations; yet CHAP. I. V. 1. It is natural and unavoidable this should not be rejected as a mere verbal for us, who are but of yesterday, to inquire about criticism.-God created the heaven and the those things which have been before us, and to earth, or the whole universe, visible and invisiform conjectures even about the original of all ble. The word heaven is sometimes used in things: but our reason is evidently incompetent || Scripture for that place, where the divine glory to inquiries of this kind; and uncertainty, con- is especially displayed, and where angels and trariety, and absurdity, always bewildered the happy spirits have their residence; at other wisest of the heathens on this subject. However times for the boundless expanse, in which the rational it is to conclude, that all things were sun, moon, and stars are placed; and at others at first created by the eternal, self-existent, for the circumambient air, even to the very and almighty God; yet man has in every age surface of the earth; it must therefore be interlamentably failed of drawing this conclusion: preted as the context requires.-This general and after all, it is "by faith we understand that account warrants no conclusions respecting the worlds were framed by the word of God; so the angels, or the inhabitants of other systems, that things, which are seen, were not made of except that they are all the creatures of God. things which do appear:" Heb. 11:3. Reason But this visible world was formed in six days.is indeed capable of approving, appropriating, The chaotic mass seems to have been first inand applying, the information conveyed to us stantaneously created out of nothing, and then by the word of God, but not of anticipating it. gradually reduced to order and beauty. The knowledge imparted by revelation is useful V. 2. The matter, from which this earth, and necessary: but nothing is mentioned about and the solar system connected with it, were 'eternity a parte ante,' (a past eternity,) that created, was at first a confused mass of comabyss which swallows up all our thought, and ponent elements, without form; and void, empty, involves all our reflections and discourse in in- or destitute of plants, trees, or animals; and it extricable perplexity; for this could only have was covered with thick darkness resting on the gratified curiosity, and increased our stock of abyss, or the unformed chaos, till dispersed by barren notions. The Scriptures, in perfect har- the agency of "the Spirit of God;" to which mony with the conclusions of our reason when the subsequent effects are ascribed, by a resoberly exercised, declare that God is "from markable word, taken from the manner in everlasting to everlasting." (M. R. Note, Ex. which the fowls brood on and hatch their eggs. 3:14.) All else had a beginning. With this Thus, at the very first opening of the Sacred the inspired historian opens his narration, and,|| Volume, we have an intimation of that divine in most sublime abruptness, breaks forth, "In Spirit, whose influence and operations form so the beginning:" as if he had said, 'This, O man, conspicuous and distinguishing a part of Reve'is enough for thee to know; here stop thy pre-lation: for, as the efficient cause of the creation, 'sumptuous inquiry; call back thy intruding "He moved upon the surface of the waters.". 'thoughts from things too high for thee, and Let the impartial reader here turn his atten learn to adore thy Creator.'-The Scriptures tion to those texts of the New Testament. which are especially intended to teach us "the knowl-expressly ascribe all creation to Jesus Christ, edge of God;" which is done, in the manner the Son and Word of God: and, comparing best suited to inform and affect us, by record- them with this account of the agency of the ing his works. From the creation of the world, Spirit in creation, and with those Scriptures we learn his eternal power and Godhead;" which declare that God created all things; he and discern, in the things which he hath made, must allow, that, from the beginning of the his infinite wisdom and goodness: while the Bible, there is a real foundation for the docsimplicity and harmony, subsisting in the midst trine of three divine Persons in the unity of of the richest variety, lead the mind in the the Godhead. easiest manner, to conceive of the Creator, as "the ONE LIVING and TRUE GOD."-It is well known that the original word, commonly translated Gon, is plural, in a language which has three numbers; and that when thus used it is joined to singular verbs. The Hebrew seems to have been at least a dialect of the original language; and it is evident that the Lord made choice of it, for the first written revelation of himself to man: so that this grammatical anomaly, at the very opening of the Scriptures, seems intended to give us some intimation concerning that mystery, which is afterwards more fully revealed; namely, the Plurality in the Unity of the Godhead. It would indeed be improper to rest a doctrine, which is of such importance in V. 3-5. The sublimity of the language, here used, has been universally admired by men of learning and taste; and indeed the simplicity of the whole narrative is unspeakably more majestic, than those studied ornaments which are generally employed and admired.— Before the formation of the sun, moon, and stars, there was, in some way which we cannot explain or understand, a regular succession of light and darkness on the chaotic mass, which thus measured out "the first day." "God saw the light that it was good;" good in itself, and admirably adapted to the benefit of his creatures.-How wonderful and inexplicable is light! How indispensably necessary to all the purposes of human life! * firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament, from the waters which were 1above the firmament: " and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven: And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9 T And God said, P Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry-land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry-land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. Heb. expansion. k Prov. 8:28,29. 1 Job 26:8. Ps. 104:10-13. 148: 4. Ec. 11:3. m 9,11,15,24. Matt. 8:27. 5,10. 5:2. 32:28. • 5,13. p Job 26:10. 38:8-11. Ps. 24:2. 33:7. 95:5. 104:3,5-9. 136:6. Prov. 8:28,29. Jer. 5:22. 2 Pet. 3:5. Rev. 10:6. q 4. Deut. 32:4. Ps. 104:31. r 2:5. Job 23:5. Ps. 104:14-17. $ 29. 2:9,16. Matt. 7:17. Luke t Is. 61:11. Mark 4:28. u Is. 55:10,11. Matt. 13:24,25. 2 and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day. 14 T And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. by brooks and rivers, enrich and beautify the adjacent countries, and confer manifold benefits upon mankind through the whole of their course. V. 10. It is observable that God himself gave names to those creatures, over which Adam could not exercise dominion; but left him to give names to the rest.-Without doubt, the original names were expressive of the nature of the creatures. V. 6-8. The word, translated firmament, and expansion, (Marg.) is used for the whole space which surrounds the earth, even to the fixed stars, which are "set in the firmament of heaven;" as "the fowls" are said "to fly in the open firmament of heaven;" and "he called the firmament, heaven."-It must therefore be understood according to the context: but it is generally in this place interpreted to mean the atmosphere, or air, in which the clouds are suspended, and from which they water the earth. V. 11, 12. Hitherto the whole was inert and V. 9. The waters, being separated from the lifeless: but the vegetable system was next prodry ground, which they had hitherto over-duced, in all its varied and numerous tribes, for spread, or been mixed with, were divided into the use of man and beast: and each was creatthose "under the firmament," which are de-ed with the surprising power of propagating, posited in the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, brooks, fountains, and subterraneous receptacles; and those "above the firmament," which are suspended in the air, form the clouds, and descend in rains and dews.-Instead of attempting a further explanation of the terms here used, I would rather call the reader's attention to the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, displayed in this part of creation. In the vast reservoir of the oceans and seas, the waters are treasured up, being preserved from putridity by their saltness and incessant motion. These facilitate commerce and friendly intercourse betwixt distant nations, supply immense quantities of wholesome provisions, and are in many ways serviceable to mankind. From them originally, by various modes of conveyance, the whole earth is supplied with water, which is rendered fresh and fit for use, and communicated in the gentlest method. With this all living creatures "quench their thirst;" by this the surface of the earth is thus rendered fertile, and all the purposes of cleanliness are answered: and the same waters, continually returning to the sea, and multiplying almost infinitely, its peculiar species, by seeds, often very minute, and scarcely discernible from each other; and yet never failing to produce plants of the same species as those from which they sprang, each after his kind! God has secured the seeds of all plants with singular care; some of them being de'fended by a double, nay, a triple inclosure.' Bp. Patrick. Thus creation is still carried on from year to year; and, in an incomprehensible manner, the earth is filled with the riches and liberality of the Lord! V. 14-19. By the word of the omnipotent Creator the light was, as it were, treasured up in the heavenly orbs, (as water is in the seas;) and with it warmth and fertility have ever since been conveyed to the different regions of the globe; while, by the regular circuits of the celestial bodies, time is measured out for our convenience in various respects. By times are meant the spring, summer, autumn, and winter; and by consequence, the seasons for plowing, sowing, planting, pruning, reaping, vintage, sailing; and by a swift motion round in twenty 20 T And God said, "Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created c great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 24 ¶ And God said, Let the earth 32:2. Jon. 1:17. 2:10. Matt. 12: b 22. 2:19. 8:17. Ps. 104:24,25. 148:10. Acts 17:25. *Or, creeping. 1 Kings 4:33. Heb. a living soul. 30 Ec. 3: 21. Heb. let fowl fly. Heb. face of the firmament of heaven. 7,14. e Job 7:12. 26.5. Ps. 104:26. Ez. 40. d 8:17. 9:7. Ex. 1:7. 8:3. f 28. 8:17. 9:1. 30:27,30. 35:11. g 6:20. 7:14. 8:19. Job 38:39,40. 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind: and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 26 And God said, Let us make man *in our image, after our likeness: and let them 'have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. m four hours, to make a day; and by a longer the nature of life itself, and its production, 'to make years, and the grateful variety of sea- continuance, and propagation, in every distinct 'sons.' Bp. Patrick.-The moon is undoubtedly species, forms a very proper subject for our specan opaque body, much smaller than the primary ulations; if we would be convinced how incomplanets; and it is with great probability sup- prehensible the works of God are, and how posed, that the fixed stars are lights themselves, ignorant man is.-The great Creator had no immensely large: yet the moon is here called occasion minutely to enumerate his works, in a great light in distinction from the stars; which order to display his glory; though we may propproves that the sacred writers were not inspired erly descend to the minute investigation of to speak of natural things with philosophical them. There is therefore no particular menexactness; but were left to use popular lan- tion here made of many things, which are to us guage, and to discourse of them according to of the greatest importance. The air, which their appearance. As a light to us, with refer- modern experiments have evinced to be of abence to whom the sacred writer speaks, the solute necessity to animal and vegetable life, moon is greater than the stars: and indeed a and in which surprising traces of divine wisdom modern Astronomer, when not purposely ex- and goodness are discovered, is not particularly pressing himself scientifically, would use simi- mentioned; though doubtless it is implied in the lar language. Ignorance or error in these general term expansion. (6. Marg.) While the respects is not fatal, and the most exact knowl-surface of the earth is constantly replenished edge is comparatively of small value: "Unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, is understanding." Job 28:28. V. 20-25. The earth, reduced to order and beauty, replenished with vegetable treasures, and lighted up with unspeakable splendor, had yet remained destitute of inhabitants: but in these verses we have a concise account of the formation of the various species of animals, which inhabit the waters, the air, and the dry land. The similarity between fishes and birds, in the general manner of producing their young, and moving in their respective elements, is supposed to mark the common original of both from the waters. (2:19.) The word rendered whales may include all the large inhabitants of seas and rivers.-A very superficial acquaintance with the numerous tribes of animals, of different sizes, immensely large, or invisibly minute; their distinct modes of existence, in different elements and on different sustenance; the surprising exactness and kind contrivance, with which the organized body in every species is formed; and the various ways in which they subserve the use and pleasure of man; may suffice to shew us that we have abundant reason to admire and adore the great Creator: while with vegetable riches, and inhabited by useful animals; underneath it most valuable treasures are stored up, placed thus out of our way, but not out of our reach. "O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." V. 26, 27. The language, here used, is that of consultation, and not of deliberation only; and it intimates far more than the superior excellency and dignity of the creature about to be formed. It is not to be conceived, that the infinite God, by speaking in the plural number, should employ a language assumed by many princes; which is indeed, as thus used, more ostentatious than dignified. But it is still more intolerable to suppose, that the eternal God addressed any of his own creatures, as fellowworkers with him in the creation of man. Yet these seem the only expedients for interpreting this language, which can be adopted, by those who allow the divine inspiration of the whole Scripture, and still refuse their assent to the doctrine of the Trinity: whereas, admit this doctrine to be scriptural, and the expressions are suitable, natural, and need little explana tion. The three Persons in the sacred Trinity at first concurred, in counsel and operation, in the creation of man, as afterwards in his re 28 And "God blessed them, and God || and replenish the earth, and subdue it: said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and have dominion over the fish of the n 22. 9:1,7. 17:16,20. 22:17,18. 24:60. 26:3,4,24. 33:5, 49:25. Lev 26:9. 1 Chr. 26:5. Ps. 127:3-5. 128:3,4. 1 Tim. 4:3. the Christian's character, which, being "renewed in knowledge," "righteousness, and true holiness," exemplifies, the image of God. And the expression renewed, implies that it is the same image which sin had defaced. (M. R.) From these sources of information satisfactory conclusions may be deduced. God alone can have perfect, infallible, immutable knowledge: but Adam was created after the divine image, both in the capacity of receiving, and in the disposition of heart to entertain, true knowledge; and he actually possessed, from the gift of God, a right understanding and a competent knowledge of his Creator, of himself, of his own situation, his duty, his interests, his obligations to obedience, and the odious nature and evil consequences of disobedience.-In these and similar concerns, we may be assured, that he knew and judged according to the covery from the fall. And let it not be said, that, in avoiding one difficulty, we run ourselves into another and a greater; for it can never be shewn impossible, that the same infinite Being should be Three in one respect, and One in another. We know, and it is absurd to deny it, that the soul and body are distinct substances; yet they form one man, who is two in one respect, and one in another: but who can comprehend the bond of union betwixt his own soul and body, or explain how they mutually operate on each other? And if we are incomprehensible to ourselves, how should it be possible for us to comprehend our great Creator? This indeed seems the limitation of human knowledge: by experiments the natural philosopher discovers, that things are so, and have such and such properties and powers; but how and why they are so and operate as they do, remains still an impenetrable secret. The pro-knowledge and judgment of his Maker; though cess of nature in vegetation, from a grain of not infallibly or immutably.-Resulting from corn being cast in the earth until the gathering this state of his understanding and judgment, of harvest, is no more comprehensible by us he doubtless possessed a disposition to value or than the doctrine of the Trinity; and he who contemn, to approve or disapprove, to love or will believe no more than he can comprehend, detest, every object which presented itself must, to be consistent, question his own exis- to his mind, according to its real excellency, tence. The authenticated testimony of God is worthlessness, or hatefulness.-In such a state surely as sufficient to establish the doctrine, as of the heart, that is, of the judgment, will, and to its truth and certainty, in matters of revela-affections, the divine image evidently must contion; as experiments are to establish the fact insist: and we may thence certainly infer, that philosophy: and the manner how is no more in these things Adam resembled his Maker. matter of faith in the one case, than of science Knowledge in a creature must be limited; error in the other; nor are the difficulties greater, may follow, and thence a change of judgment except as infinity exceeds the grasp of our and heart may be induced; that is, a holy creafinite capacities. ture may fall, and become unholy: but imperinfection in the original disposition of the heart, supposes the creature to be formed unholy, and is inconsistent with its being created after the image of God.-We determine then, that the image of God, in which Adam was created, consisted in an understanding prepared to imbibe true knowledge, a judgment free from corrupt bias, a will disposed to obedience, and affections regulated according to reason and truth: nor can we conceive that it could consist in any thing else. From such a state of mind, godliness, in all its internal exercises and external expressions, righteousness, truth, benevolence, purity, and an exact regulation and government of every appetite and passion, must necessarily result, and every duty to God and man be constantly and delightfully performed. The same disposition would ensure belief of every truth which God should afterwards reveal, obedience to every precept which he should enjoin, a cordial acceptance of every proposal which he should make, and admiration of every discovery of the divine glory at any time vouchsafed: and could it have been possible for man to sin, without losing the divine image, it would have disposed him to repent; and, with faith, love, and joy, to receive the Mediator in whom believers trust; and to exercise all those graces, and practise all those duties, which spring from the character of a redeemed sinner.-Man, thus created in the divine image, was constituted ruler over the other creatures. This dominion has been frequently termed a part of the divine image: but it seems more natural, to consider the capaci ty for exercising dominion as the result of that image; and that the actual grant of dominion was made to man, in consequence of that ca pacity, and as shadowing forth the sovereignty The great Creator said, “Let us make man, our image, after our likeness." The expression is doubled and varied, that it may the more engage our attention, and ensure our belief. This image and likeness of God cannot be in the body; for God is a Spirit, which no bodily shape can in any respect resemble. We must therefore look for it in the rational soul. Even in the present state of human nature, the soul of man bears some faint resemblance to its Maker: the understanding, memory, and imagination, in their several operations, exhibit a faint shadow of the divine wisdom and knowledge; the will, as exciting and directing our activity in all respects, bears a similitude to the almighty effects of the divine volitions, and shews that mind can act on matter in some inexplicable manner; nay, conscience, in the exercise of her dictatorial and judicial functions, gives a feeble reflection of the justice and holiness of the Judge of all: whilst the derived and dependent immortality of the human soul reminds us of Him who is self-existent and eternal. But fallen angels, who possess these powers in a higher degree, are never said to bear the image of God; and few places in Scripture can be fairly interpreted of fallen man's being like his Maker, till renewed by divine grace. There must then be a nobler sense, in which Adam was formed in the image and likeness of God.-No adequate conception indeed can be formed of man's primæval state and powers, from the brief account given of him in Scripture. But we may also avail ourselves of the revelation given us, concerning the moral attributes of God; we may contemplate the character of Jesus Christ, who in human nature displayed the divine image in full perfection; we may examine the moral law which describes, and |