John Calvin

And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.

“Yet many fanatics repel rich men from the hope of salvation; as if poverty were the only gate of heaven; which yet, sometimes, involves men in more hindrances than riches.”

Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.

“It is also possible that the promise was repeated for the sake of Sarah. What shall we say, if in this manner, he chose to do honor to the greatness of his grace?”

And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the…

“And this was done designedly, in order that he, receiving them as men, might give proof of his charity. For angels do not need those services of ours, which are the true evidences of charity.”

Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city.

“For (as we have seen) one of the messengers held the principal place, as being superior to the others in dignity.”

and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.”

“Therefore the angels act, as if it were safe to sleep on the highway; and thus conceal their knowledge of the abandoned wickedness of the whole people.”

Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,

“It is, however, unknown what was his intention in removing, or what necessity impelled him to change his place: we ought, however, to be persuaded, that he had not transferred his abode to another place for any insufficient cause; especially since a son, whom he…”

Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

“And Abraham said of Sarah his wife. In this history, the Holy Spirit presents to us a remarkable instance, both of the infirmity of man, and of the grace of God. It is a common proverb, that even fools become wise by suffering evil.”

Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old.

“And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old It is remarkable that Moses, who relates the death of Sarah in a single word, uses so many in describing her burial: but we shall soon see that the latter record is not superfluous.”

She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.

“And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba. It appears from Joshua 15:54, that this was the more ancient name of the city, which afterwards began to be called Hebron. But there is a difference of opinion respecting the etymology.”

By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

“The old age of Abraham was indeed yet green, as we shall see hereafter; but when he reckoned up his own years he deemed it time to consult for the welfare of his son.”

So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,

“And Abraham said unto his eldest servant. Abraham here fulfils the common duty of parents, in laboring for and being solicitous about the choice of a wife for his son: but he looks somewhat further; for since God had separated him from the Canaanites by…”

The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Settle in the land where I tell you.

“Because, therefore, he knew that there was more infirmity in Isaac than there had been in Abraham, he was unwilling to expose him to danger; for he is faithful, and will not suffer his own people to be tempted beyond what they are able to…”

May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.

“And this truly was, in some measure, fulfilled when Moses distributed the people into thirteen divisions. Nevertheless, Isaac looked for a further result, namely, that many were at length to be gathered together out of various nations, to the family of his son, that, in…”

Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.

“Then Jacob went on his journey Moses now relates the arrival of Jacob in Mesopotamia, and the manner in which he was received by his uncle; and although the narration may seem superfluous, it yet contains nothing but what is useful to be known; for…”

When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.

“Here Moses begins to relate that Jacob was distracted with domestic strifes. But although the Lord was punishing him, because he had been guilty of no light sin in marrying two wives, and especially sisters; yet the chastisement was paternal; and God himself, seeing that…”

Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”

“The tenderness of Jacob's affection rendered him unwilling to offend his wife; yet her unworthy conduct compelled him to do so, when he saw her petulantly exalt herself, not only against her sister, who piously, homily, and thankfully was enjoying the gifts of God; but…”

This is the account of Esau (that is, Edom).

“As, therefore, it has been before said of other profane nations, so now Esau is exalted as on a lofty theater.”

Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had resided, the land of Canaan.

“Moses confirms what he had before declared, that, by the departure of Esau, the land was left to holy Jacob as its sole possessor.”

Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.

“But it was not surprising that the boy should be a great favorite with his aged father, for so it is wont to happen: and no just ground is here given for envy; seeing that sons of a more robust age, by the dictate of…”

About that time, Judah left his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah, an Adullamite.

“What is here related, so far from inflating the minds of the sons of Judah, ought rather to cover them with shame.”

There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her.

“For neither he nor his other brethren were ignorant that they sojourned in the land of Canaan, under the stipulation, that afterwards their enemies were to be cut off and destroyed, in order that they might possess the promised dominion over it.”

When his master saw that the LORD was with him and made him prosper in all he did,

“Here that which has been lately alluded to more clearly appears, that the grace of God shone forth in Joseph, in no common or usual manner; since it became thus manifest to a man who was a heathen, and, in this respect, blind.”

After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile,

“It was certainly a singular honor to be instructed concerning an event yet fourteen years future: for truly the will of God was manifested to Pharaoh, just as if he had been taught by the word, except that the interpretation of it was to be…”

Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people.

“Let it be, moreover, understood, that the corn was sold by Joseph, not as if he measured it out with his own hands, or himself received the money for it, seeing that it was set to sale in many parts of the kingdom, and he…”

But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’

“And since Joseph so ardently desired the sight of his brother Benjamin, it is not surprising that he should have labored, in every possible way, to obtain it.”