Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 7. He is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee] The word prophet, which we have from the Greek profhtev, and which is compounded of pro, before, and fhmi, I speak, means, in its general acceptation, one who speaks of things before they happen, i.e., one who foretells future events.But that this was not the original notion of the word, its use in this place sufficiently proves. Abraham certainly was not a prophet in the present general acceptation of the term, and for the Hebrew aybn nabi, we must seek some other meaning. I have, in a discourse entitled ""The Christian Prophet and his Work,"" proved that the proper ideal meaning of the original word is to pray, entreat, make supplication, &c., and this meaning of it I have justified at large both from its application in this place, and from its pointed use in the case of Saul, mentioned 1 Samuel 10, and from the case of the priests of Baal, 1 Kings 18., where prophesying most undoubtedly means making prayer and supplication. As those who were in habits of intimacy with God by prayer and faith were found the most proper persons to communicate his mind to man, both with respect to the present and the future, hence, aybn nabi, the intercessor, became in process of time the public instructer or preacher, and also the predicter of future events, because to such faithful praying men God revealed the secret of his will. Hence St. Paul, 1 Corinthians xiv. 3, seems to restrain the word wholly to the interpreting the mind of God to the people, and their instruction in Divine things, for, says he, he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort. See the discourse on this text referred to above. The title was also given to men eminent for eloquence and for literary abilities; hence Aaron, because he was the spokesman of Moses to the Egyptian king, was termed aybn nabi, prophet; Exod. iv. 16; vii. 1. And Epimenides, a heathen poet, is expressly styled profhthv, a prophet, by St. Paul, Tit. i. 12, just as poets in general were termed vates among the Romans, which properly signifies the persons who professed to interpret the will of the gods to their votaries, after prayers and sacrifices duly performed. In Arabic the word naba has nearly the same meaning as in Hebrew, but in the first conjugation it has a meaning which may cast light upon the subject in general. It signifies to itinerate, move from one place or country to another, compelled thereto either by persecution or the command of God; exivit de una regione in aliam. - migrans de loco in locum. - GOLIUS. Hence Mohammed was called an nabi, because of his sudden removeal from Mecca to Medina, when, pretending to a Divine commission, his townsmen sought to take away his life: e Mecca exiens Medinam, unde Muhammed suis Nabi Allah dictus fuit. - GOLIUS. If this meaning belonged originally to the Hebrew word, it will apply with great force to the case of Abraham, whose migratory, itinerant kind of life, generally under the immediate direction of God, might have given him the title nabi. However this may be, the term was a title of the highest respectability and honour, both among the He brews and Arabs, and continues so to this day. And from the Hebrews the word, in all the importance and dignity of its meaning, was introduced among the heathens in the profhthv and vates of the Greeks and Romans. See note on the word seer, ""chap. xv. 1"".
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Crooked policy will not prosper: it brings ourselves and others int danger. God gives Abimelech notice of his danger of sin, and his dange of death for his sin. Every wilful sinner is a dead man, but Abimelec pleads ignorance. If our consciences witness, that, however we may have been cheated into a snare, we have not knowingly sinned against God, it will be our rejoicing in the day of evil. It is matter of comfort to those who are honest, that God knows their honesty, and wil acknowledge it. It is a great mercy to be hindered from committing sin of this God must have the glory. But if we have ignorantly done wrong that will not excuse us, if we knowingly persist in it. He that doe wrong, whoever he is, prince or peasant, shall certainly receive for the wrong which he has done, unless he repent, and, if possible, make restitution.
Original Hebrew ועתה6258 השׁב7725 אשׁת802 האישׁ376 כי3588 נביא5030 הוא1931 ויתפלל6419 בעדך1157 וחיה2421 ואם518 אינך369 משׁיב7725 דע3045 כי3588 מות4191 תמות4191 אתה859 וכל3605 אשׁר׃834
