SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:16
que hizo bien a Abram por causa de ella; y tuvo ovejas, y vacas, y asnos, y siervos, y criadas, y asnas y camellos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Genesis 12:16
Verse 16. He had sheep, and oxen, &c.] As some of these terms are liable to be confounded, and as they frequently occur, especially in the Pentateuch, it may be necessary to consider and fix their meaning in this place. SHEEP; ax tson, from tsaan, to be plentiful or abundant; a proper term for the eastern sheep, which almost constantly bring forth twins, Cant. iv. 2, and sometimes three and even four at a birth. Hence their great fruitfulness is often alluded to in the Scripture. See Psa. lxv. 13; cxliv. 13. But under this same term, which almost invariably means a flock, both sheep and goats are included. So the Rom. include sheep, goats, and small cattle in general, under the term PECUS pecoris; so likewise they do larger cattle under that of PECUS pecudis.
OXEN; rqb bakar, from the root, to examine, look out, because of the full, broad, steady, unmoved look of most animals of the beeve kind; and hence the morning is termed boker, because of the light springing out of the east, and looking out over the whole of the earth's surface.
HE-ASSES; µyrmj chamorim, from rmj chamar, to be disturbed, muddy; probably from the dull, stupid appearance of this animal, as if it were always affected with melancholy. Scheuchzer thinks the sandy-coloured domestic Asiatic ass is particularly intended. The word is applied to asses in general, though most frequently restrained to those of the male kind.
SHE-ASSES; tnta athonoth, from ta ethan, strength, probably the strong animal, as being superior in muscular force to every other animal of its size. Under this term both the male and female are sometimes understood.
CAMELS; µylmg gemallim, from lmg gamal, to recompense, return, repay; so called from its resentment of injuries, and revengeful temper, for which it is proverbial in the countries of which it is a native. On the animals and natural history in general, of the Scriptures, I must refer to the Hicrozoicon of BOCHART, and the Physica Sacra of SCHEUCHZER. The former is the most learned and accurate work. perhaps, ever produced by one man.
From this enumeration of the riches of Abram we may conclude that this patriarch led a pastoral and itinerant life; that his meat must have chiefly consisted in the flesh of clean animals, with a sufficiency of pulse for bread; that his chief drink was their milk; his clothing, their skins; and his beasts of burden, asses and camels; (for as yet we read of no horses;) and the ordinary employment of his servants, to take care of the flocks, and to serve their master. Where the patriarchs became resident for any considerable time, they undoubtedly cultivated the ground to produce grain.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-20 - There is no state on earth free from trials, nor any character fre from blemishes. There was famine in Canaan, the glory of all lands, an unbelief, with the evils it ever brings, in Abram the father of the faithful. Perfect happiness and perfect purity dwell only in heaven Abram, when he must for a time quit Canaan, goes to Egypt, that he might not seem to look back, and meaning to tarry there no longer tha needful. There Abram dissembled his relation to Sarai, equivocated, an taught his wife and his attendants to do so too. He concealed a truth so as in effect to deny it, and exposed thereby both his wife and the Egyptians to sin. The grace Abram was most noted for, was faith; yet he thus fell through unbelief and distrust of the Divine providence, eve after God had appeared to him twice. Alas, what will become of wea faith, when strong faith is thus shaken! If God did not deliver us many a time, out of straits and distresses which we bring ourselve into, by our own sin and folly, we should be ruined. He deals not with us according to our deserts. Those are happy chastisements that hinde us in a sinful way, and bring us to our duty, particularly to the duty of restoring what we have wrongfully taken or kept. Pharaoh's reproo of Abram was very just: What is this that thou hast done? Ho unbecoming a wise and good man! If those who profess religion, do tha which is unfair and deceptive, especially if they say that whic borders upon a lie, they must expect to hear of it; and they have reason to thank those who will tell them of it. The sending away wa kind. Pharaoh was so far from any design to kill Abram, as he feared that he took particular care of him. We often perplex ourselves with fears which are altogether groundless. Many a time we fear where n fear is. Pharaoh charged his men not to hurt Abram in any thing. It is not enough for those in authority, that they do not hurt themselves they must keep their servants and those about them from doing hurt __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ולאברם 87 היטיב 3190 בעבורה 5668 ויהי 1961 לו צאן 6629 ובקר 1241 וחמרים 2543 ועבדים 5650 ושׁפחת 8198 ואתנת 860 וגמלים׃ 1581
