Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood,.... The river Euphrates, as before: or "your father, to wit, Abraham", as Noldius^F24Concord. Ebr. Part. p. 119. ; he took him not only in a providential way, and brought him from the other side of the Euphrates, out of an idolatrous country and family, but he apprehended him by his grace, and called and converted him by it, and brought him to a spiritual knowledge of himself, and of the Messiah that should spring from his seed, and of the Covenant of grace, and of the blessings of it, and of his interest therein; which was a peculiar and distinguishing favour:

and led him throughout all the land of Canaan; from the northern to the southern part of it; he led him as far as Shechem, where Israel was now assembled, and then to Bethel, and still onward to the south, Genesis 12:6; that he might have a view of the land his posterity was to inherit, and, by treading on it and walking through it, take as it were a kind of possession of it:

and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac; he multiplied his seed by Hagar, by whom he had Ishmael, who begat twelve princes; and by Keturah, from whose sons several nations sprung; see Genesis 17:20; and by Sarah, who bore him Isaac in old age, in whom his seed was called; and from whom, in the line of Jacob, sprung the twelve tribes of Israel, and which seed may be chiefly meant; and the sense is, that he multiplied his posterity after he had given him Isaac, and by him a numerous seed; so Vatablus: Ishmael is not mentioned, because, as Kimchi observes, he was born of an handmaid; but Abarbinel thinks only such are mentioned, who were born in a miraculous manner, when their parents were barren, as in this and also in the next instance.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan — It was an irresistible impulse of divine grace which led the patriarch to leave his country and relatives, to migrate to Canaan, and live a “stranger and pilgrim” in that land.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

I took — I snatched him out of that idolatrous place, and took him into acquaintance and covenant with myself, which was the highest honour and happiness he was capable of.

And led — That is I brought him after his father's death into Canaan, Genesis 12:1, and I conducted and preserved him in all his travels through the several parts of Canaan.

And multiplied — That is, gave him a numerous posterity, not only by Hagar and Keturah, but even by Sarah and by Isaac.

Gave Isaac — By my special power and grace to be heir of my covenant, and all my promises, and the seed in or by which all the nations were to be blessed.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Joshua 24:3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

Ver. 3. And gave him Isaac.] Effaetae fidei filium, the heir of the covenant, and therein more happy than his brother Ishmael, with all those twelve princes which he begot. [Genesis 17:20-21]

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

I took your father; I apprehended him by my grace, and snatched him out of that idolatrous and wicked place, and took him into acquaintance and covenant with myself, which was the highest honour and happiness he was capable of.

Led him throughout all the land of Canaan, i.e. I brought him after his father’s death into Canaan, Genesis 12:1, and I conducted and preserved him in safety in all his travels through the several parts of Canaan.

Multiplied his seed, i.e. gave him a numerous posterity, not only by Hagar and Keturah, but even by Sarah and by Isaac, as it follows.

Gave him Isaac, by my special power and grace, to be the heir of my covenant, and all my promises, and the seed in or by which all nations were to be blessed, Genesis 12:3 21:2.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

3. And I took your father Abraham — There was nothing coercive in this taking. Abraham’s experience was like that of modern Christians who follow the Holy Spirit: “He drew me, and I followed on.” With this understanding we may adopt Calvin’s comment: “It is not said that he sought God of his own accord, but that he was taken by him and led to another place.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 24:3. I took — I snatched him out of that idolatrous place, and took him into acquaintance and covenant with myself, which was the highest honour and happiness he was capable of. And led — That is, I brought him after his father’s death into Canaan, (Genesis 12:1,) and I conducted and preserved him in all his travels through the several parts of Canaan. And multiplied — That is, gave him a numerous posterity, not only by Hagar and Keturah, but even by Sarah and Isaac. Gave him Isaac — By my special power and grace, to be heir of my covenant, and all my promises, and the seed in or by which all the nations were to be blessed.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

From the. Hebrew and Septuagint, "other side of the flood or river," where Mesopotamia commences. (Haydock)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

I took., Genesis 11:31 - Joshua 12:1.

and gave. Genesis 21:1-3.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

Took your father Abraham. It was an irresistible impulse of divine grace which led the patriarch to leave his country and relatives, to migrate to Canaan, and live a "stranger and pilgrim" in that land.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) The flood—i.e., the river, as in Joshua 24:2; and so also in Joshua 24:15.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I took

Genesis 12:1-4; Nehemiah 9:7,8; Acts 7:2,3

gave

Genesis 21:2,3; Psalms 127:3

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

3.And I took your father Abraham, etc This expression gives additional confirmation to what I lately showed, that Abraham did not emerge from profound ignorance and the abyss of error by his own virtue, but was drawn out by the hand of God. For it is not said that he sought God of his own accord, but that he was taken by God and transported elsewhere. Joshua then enlarges on the divine kindness in miraculously preserving Abraham safe during his long pilgrimage. What follows, however, begets some doubt, namely, that God multiplied the seed of Abraham, and yet gave him only Isaac, because no mention is made of any but him. But this comparison illustrates the singular grace of God towards them in that, while the offspring of Abraham was otherwise numerous, their ancestor alone held the place of lawful heir. In the same sense it is immediately added, that while Esau and Jacob were brothers and twins, one of the two was retained and the other passed over. We see, therefore, why as well in the case of Ishmael and his brother as in that of Esau, he loudly extols the divine mercy and goodness towards Jacob, just as if he were saying, that his race did not excel others in any respect except in that of being specially selected by God.