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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comVincent Word Studies - Galatians 4:25 - 4:25
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia (τὸ δὲ Ἅγαρ Σινὰ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἁραβίᾳ)
The sentence is not parenthetical. This covenant is the Hagar of that allegorical history which is explained by the resemblance of her name to the Arabic name of Sinai. The Greek order is not ὄρος Σινὰ, as Gal 4:24, but Σινὰ ὄρος, in order to bring into juxtaposition the two names which are declared to coincide. The evidence, however, for the actual identity of the names is deficient. The proper name Hagar signifies wanderer or fugitive (Arab. hadschar, comp. Hegira, the term for the flight of Mahomet). It has probably been confounded with the Arabic chadschar a stone or rock, which cannot be shown to be an Arabic designation of Sinai. The similarity of the first two gutturals might easily lead to the mistake.
Answereth to (συνστοιχεῖ)
N.T.o. The subject of the verb is Hagar, not Mount Sinai. Lit. stands in the same row or file with. Hence, belongs to the same category. See on elements, Gal 3:3.
Jerusalem which now is
As contrasted with “the Jerusalem above,” Gal 4:26. The city is taken to represent the whole Jewish race.