"And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,"
Commentary
Gill's Exposition
And Abram fell on his face,.... At the sight of so glorious a Person that appeared to him, and in reverence of his majesty, and as sensible of his unworthiness of such a visit, and of having such favours
bestowed upon him; and not because he was not as yet circumcised, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it; and so other Jewish (f) writers observe, that before he was circumcised he fell, when God spoke to him, but afterwards he sat and stood, Gen 18:1 ; but it may be observed, that not only uncircumcised persons, as Balaam, Num 22:31 , in whom Jarchi instances, but circumcised ones, as Ezekiel, Eze 1:28 , Joshua, Jos 5:14 , and others, have fallen on their faces at a divine appearance: and God talked with him; after he was raised up, and was strengthened and encouraged to stand up before God, and hear what he had to say to him; for after this we read of his falling on his face again, Gen 17:17 ; which shows that he had been erect, after he first fell on his face: saying; as follows. (f) Jarchi in loc. Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 29.)
Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)
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Commentary
Gill's Exposition
And Abram fell on his face,.... At the sight of so glorious a Person that appeared to him, and in reverence of his majesty, and as sensible of his unworthiness of such a visit, and of having such favours
bestowed upon him; and not because he was not as yet circumcised, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it; and so other Jewish (f) writers observe, that before he was circumcised he fell, when God spoke to him, but afterwards he sat and stood, Gen 18:1 ; but it may be observed, that not only uncircumcised persons, as Balaam, Num 22:31 , in whom Jarchi instances, but circumcised ones, as Ezekiel, Eze 1:28 , Joshua, Jos 5:14 , and others, have fallen on their faces at a divine appearance: and God talked with him; after he was raised up, and was strengthened and encouraged to stand up before God, and hear what he had to say to him; for after this we read of his falling on his face again, Gen 17:17 ; which shows that he had been erect, after he first fell on his face: saying; as follows. (f) Jarchi in loc. Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 29.)