And Abram was very rich
He was rich in spiritual things, in faith, and in all other
graces, and was an heir of the kingdom of heaven; and in temporal
things, as it sometimes is the lot of good men to be, though but
rarely, at least to be exceeding rich, as Abram was; or "very
heavy" F18, as the word signifies, he was
loaded with wealth and riches, and sometimes an abundance of
riches are a burden to a man, and, instead of making him more
easy, create him more trouble; and, as we may observe presently,
were the occasion of much trouble to Abram and Lot. Abram's
riches lay
in cattle, in silver, and in gold;
cattle are mentioned first, as being the principal part of the
riches of men in those days, such as sheep and oxen, he and she
asses and camels, see ( Genesis
12:16 ) and besides these he had great quantities of silver
and gold: the Jews say
F19 he coined money in his own name, and that his coin had on one side an old man and an old woman, and on the other side a young man and a young woman. His riches no doubt were greatly increased by the gifts and presents he received from the king of Egypt during his stay there.
F18 (dam
dbk) "gravis valde", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius,
Schmidt.
F19 Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 2. 1.
