He who before doubted and lingered to do it when Sarah's passion suggested it, when once he understands it to be God's will, he makes haste to execute it. An excellent example of prudence and piety. Bread, by which may be here understood all necessaries, as Zechariah 1:7,12 Mt 6:11 14:15, compared with Mark 6:36 Luke 14:1. Quest. How is it likely that so rich and liberal a person as Abraham would send away such near and dear relations with so mean accommodations? Answ.
1. This might be done by particular command from God to Abraham, though it be not here expressed, as many things were said by God, and done by men, which are not mentioned in Scripture, as is evident from 1 Thessalonians 20:30,31 1 Thessalonians 21:25, and many other places. And God might order it thus, partly, to chastise Abraham's irregular marriage with Hagar; partly, to correct and tame the haughty and rugged temper of the bond-woman and her son, and to prepare them for the receiving of God's help and mercy; and partly, that he might more eminently show his care and kindness to Abraham, in providing for such forlorn and neglected creatures, because they belonged to him.
2. It cannot be reasonably doubted that Abraham gave her these provisions only for the present, and intended to send further and better afterward to a place appointed by him, which also he did. But she missed her way, as well she might, in the wilderness, and thereby came into these straits designed by God for the signification of greater mysteries, as may be gathered from Galatians 4:1-31. Beer-sheba, a place near Gerar, so called here by a prolepsis. See Genesis 21:31.