Genesis 13:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And the Lord, &c.— No sooner was Lot separated from Abram, than the Lord appears again to him, both to console him, to renew his promise with him, and to assure him that his posterity should certainly inherit this country: accordingly, he commands him to look every way, from the place where he was, that is, most probably from the mountain, where he pitched his tent before he went into AEgypt, ch. Genesis 12:8. and to which he returned from thence, see Genesis 12:3-4. and from which mountain he might command an extensive prospect of the country; all of which the Lord promises to give to him and to his seed for ever, Genesis 12:15. But how was it given to Abram; when, as St. Stephen informs us, Acts 7:5. He (God) gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on?—But St. Stephen adds, yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him. How then was this promise fulfilled? We reply, 1st, that this promise gave to Abram an authentic right to all the land of Canaan; 2nd, that God himself explains, how it should be literally fulfilled, namely, in the posterity of Abram, to thee and to thy seed; that is to say, to thee, even to thy seed. The copulative particle has often this signification in the Hebrew. And it is explained ch. Genesis 15:18. where it runs, Unto thy seed have I given, &c. But it is farther asked, how was it given to Abram and his seed for ever? To which we answer, 1st, that the phrase for ever עדאּעולם ad-oulam, is frequently used in the Old Testament only for a long duration, not for eternity strictly so called. 2nd, That the divine promise implies a tacit condition, that the posterity of Abram should continue to possess the land for ever, if they persevered in faith and obedience to God, Leviticus 26:28. Deuteronomy 4:25-26. Isaiah 48:18; Isaiah 19:3 rdly, While it is always to be remembered, that, under the temporal promises, the spiritual ones are immediately referred to: so that, when God promises Abram and his seed that they should possess that land for ever, the principal design is to make known, that all those children of his, who imitate his faith and holiness, shall, by the efficacy of the blessed Seed, even Christ, be introduced into the everlasting possession of the heavenly Canaan.