Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Psalms 105:23
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Israel also came into Egypt, etc.] That is, Jacob, as afterwards expressed, who had the name of Israel, from his wrestling with God and prevailing. He came into Egypt, being invited by Pharaoh, and having heard of his son Joseph being alive, and of his exaltation. And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham: the same with Egypt; Mizraim, from whence Egypt has its name, being the son of Ham, (<011006>Genesis 10:6). Hence Egypt is called by Plutarch f1493 Chemia; and Diodorus Siculus f1494 speaks of a city in Thebais, or Upper Egypt, which was called by the inhabitants Chemmis, interpreted by them the city of Pan; and Plutarch f1495 mentions a place called Chennis, inhabited by Pans and Satyrs. The same is mentioned by Herodotus f1496, which he calls a large city of the Thebaic nome; a city of the same name is observed by Heliodorus f1497; and both Herodotus f1498 and Mela f1499 speak of an island called Chemmis, which the Egyptians represent as floating. In all which there are plain traces of the name of Ham, the same with Jupiter Ammon; or Amun, as Plutarch; worshipped in Egypt; and from whom all Africa was sometimes called Ammonia f1500, the country of Ammon or Ham. And Herodotus f1501 speaks of a people called Ammonii, about ten days’ journey from Thebes in Upper Egypt; who, according to him f1502, had their name from Jupiter Ammon, or Ham. And Pliny f1503 makes mention of the oracle of Hammon, as twelve days’ journey from Memphis, and of the Hammoniac nome; and the Egyptian priests are called Ammmonean f1504. Here Jacob was a sojourner, as all the Lord’s people are in this world; they are sojourners, as all their fathers were; and their time here is a time of sojourning, (<132915>1 Chronicles 29:15 <600117>1 Peter 1:17). They are not natives of the place where they are; they are indeed so by their first birth, but not by their new birth; being born from above, they belong to another place, are citizens of another city; their house, estate, and inheritance, are in heaven: neither their settlement nor satisfaction are here; they do not reckon themselves at home while they are in this world; they are indeed in an enemy’s country, in a cursed land; or that is nigh unto cursing, and its end to be burned. Such the land of Ham was, where Jacob sojourned.
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