after ravaging the country, and carrying off a number of captives, and a great booty, directed their march northward, intending to return home by the south-east of Syria. But, informed that Lot, his nephew, and family, were among the captives, Abram, with an handful of servants and a few Canaanitish allies, pursued the conquerors, overtook them at Dan, and routed them; then pursuing them to Hobah, a little to the north of Damascus, retook their captives and booty.

ARIOCH, king of Ellasar, an ally of Chedorlaomer, was one of the nine monarchs who engaged in the first battle of which we have any authentic account. See Gen. xiv.

BIRSHA, king of Gomorrah, one of the five kings who rebelled against Chedorlaomer; and, after being defeated, were relieved by Abraham, who refused to accept of any subsidy for his services. Gen. xiv.

ANER and Eschel were two Canaanites that joined their forces with Abraham in pursuit of the kings Chedorlaomer, Amraphel, and their allies, who had pillaged Sodom, and carried off Lot, Abraham's nephew. They did not imitate the disinterestedness of that patriarch, but retained their share of the spoil taken from the conquered kings. Gen. xiv. 24.

AMRAPHEL, the king of Shinar, or Babylonia, confederated with Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and two other kings, to make war against the kings of Pentapolis, that is, of Sodom, Gomorrah, and the three neighbouring cities. The kings who were in league with Amraphel beat those of Pentapolis, plundered their city, and carried off abundance of captives.

ISHMAEL, the son of Abraham by Hagar. He became a very expert archer, and his mother married him to an Egyptian woman. He had twelve sons, viz. Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadar, Jema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. He had also a daughter named Maha- · lath, or Bashemath, (Gen. xxxvi. 3.) who married Esau, (Gen. xxviii. 9.) From the twelve sons of Ishmael are derived the twelve tribes of the Arabians, which are still subsisting; and their descendants inhabited the country between Havilah and Shur.

MOAB, was the son of Lot, and of his eldest daughter, Gen. xix. 31, &c. He was born about the year of the world 2108. He was father of the Moabites, whose habitation was beyond Jordan and the Dead Sea, or both sides of the river Arnon.

AMMON, or BEN-AMMI, the son of Lot, and his youngest daughter. He was the father of the Ammonites, and dwelt to the east of the Dead Sea, in the mountains of Gilead.

ELIEZER, the Mahometans believe that Eliezer was a black slave given to Abraham. Abraham conceived such regard for him, that he gave him the superintendance of his whole

family, and before the birth of Isaac designed him for his heir. Eliezer behaved so well, that his master gave him liberty, and at length promoted him to the superintendance of all his property. A similar occurrence took place with regard to Joseph, Gen. xxxix.

When Abraham sent Eliezer into Mesopotamia, he said to him, put thy hand under my thigh, and promise with an oath that thou wilt not take a Canaanite for a wife unto my son; but go into the country where my relations live, and there take a wife unto my son Isaac. Eliezer departed with many camels and rich presents, and went to the city of Nahor, in Mesopotamia, whence he brought Rebekah for Isaac, Gen. xxiv. Whether Eliezer might live, so long as to be the person here mentioned is uncertain; but by his fidelity he seems likely to have been the same, and so he is usually understood. The passage is, and Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house that ruled over all that he had; in which he is not called the "son of the house," possibly because Isaac was now the natural heir of Abraham.

ISAAC, the son of Abraham and Sarah, was born at Gerar, in the land of the Philistines, B. C. 1896., when his father was an hundred, and his mother ninety years of age. His birth was previously announced to Abraham, as the son of covenant and promise, in whose seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. His name, according to its Hebrew etymology, which denotes "he has laughed, or shall laugh," expresses the pleasure with which his parents received the prediction of his birth, and augured the honour that awaited his posterity; a circumstance, however, occurred, which tended to abate their joy, and this was a divine command to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham prepared to obey, but was prevented by an angel. When Isaac was forty years of age, Abraham sent Eliezer, the steward of his house into Mesopotamia to procure a wife for him, from the family of Laban his brother-in-law. Eliezer succeeded in the object of his journey, and brought Rebekah to Isaac. Rebekah being unfruitful, Isaac prayed for her, and God granted her favour. She was delivered of twins, Esau and Jacob. Isaac had most inclination for Esau, and Rebekah for Jacob. Some years after, a famine obliged Isaac to return to Gerar, where Abimelech was king; he reported that Rebekah was his sister; and she was taken from him, by reason of her beauty, to be one of the king's wives. But Abimelech having observed, that Isaac behaved otherwise with Rebekah than he would have done with his sister, restored her to him. Isaac grew very rich, and his flocks multiplied every day; the Philistines of Gerar were so envious, that they filled up all the wells that were dug by Israel's servants. Abimelech himself desired him to depart; which he did, and pitched

his tent in the valley of Gerar, where he dug new wells, but was again put to some difficulties. At length he returned to Beersheba, where he fixed his habitation. The Lord appeared to him, and renewed the promise of blessing him. Abimelech king of Gerar came thither likewise to make an alliance with him. Isaac when grown very old, for he was an hundred and thirty seven years of age, and his sight was extremely weakened, called Esau his son, and directed him to hunt for him some venison. But while Esau was gone a hunting, Jacob stole the prime, the superior blessing of Isaac, so that afterwards Isaac could only give Esau an inferior blessing. Isaac lived many years after this. He sent Jacob into Mesopotamia to take a wife of his own family, When Jacob returned out of that country, after twenty years, Isaac was living, and continued so twenty-three years longer. He died aged an hundred fourscore and eight years, in the year of the world 2288, and was buried with his father Abraham, by his sons Esau and Jacob.

KETURAH, wife of Abraham. Abraham married Keturah when he was 140 years of age; and she bare him six sons, Zimram, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. His second marriage, at the age of 145 years, shows his faith in the divine promise, that he should be "a father of many nations;" for which purpose his constitution might be miraculously renewed, as Sarah's was. Besides, Abraham himself was born when his father Terah was 130 years of age. Abraham settled the sons of Keturah in the east country of Arabia, near the residence of Ishmael.

MIDIAN, son of Abraham and Keturah, Gen. xxv. 2. The Midianites, Num. xxii. 4, 7. xxv. 15. xxxi. 2. &c. whose daughters seduced Israel, even to the worshipping of Baal-peor, were descendants of Midian, the son of Abraham. The Midianites, who were overcome by Hadad son of Bedad, king of Edom, Gen. xxvi. 35, and those who oppressed Israel, and were defeated by Gideon, Judg. vi. 1, 2. &c. vii. 1, 2. &c. were also descended from Midian, son of Abraham, whose habitation was east of the Dead Sea, and south of the country of Moab. Their capital city was called Midian, and its remains were to be seen in the time of Jerome and Eusebius. It was situated on the Arnon, and south of the city of Ar, or Areopolis.

ABIMELECH, II. a king of Gerar, supposed to be the son and successor of Abimelech I. met with a similar disappointment to his father in the case of Rebekah; whom Isaac, imitating his father's weakness, passed for his sister, instead of owning her as his wife; which Abimelech accidentally discovering to be false, reproved him for it, and restored her to him. This monarch afterwards renewed the alliance with Isaac, that their fathers had made.

AHUZZATH, the friend of Abimelech II. king of Gerar,

and who, along with Phicol, accompanied him to witness the alliance made between him and the patriarch Isaac.

ANAH, the son of Zibeon the Horite, a ruler of mount Seir, and father to Aholibamah, the wife of Esau.

LABAN, son of Bethuel, and grandson of Nahor, was brother to Rebekah, and was father to Rachel and Leah. When Jacob came into Mesopotamia, B.C. 1759, he was well received by his uncle Laban, Gen. xxviii. &c. A month after his arrival, Laban said to him, must you, because you are my nephew, serve me without recompence? Jacob proposed to serve him seven years, for his youngest daughter Rachel, and Laban consented. Many are of opinion, that Jacob served him seven years, before he married Rachel; but others assert the contrary, and think that the words, " My time is accomplished," signify I am of age to marry, to support a family. Jacob was then seventy years of age. Jacob said to Laban, give me my wife, for my time is accomplished. Laban therefore made a wedding feast, but conveyed Leah into Jacob's chamber, so that Jacob did not perceive the fraud. The next morning he complained sharply of it. Laban replied, that it was unlawful to marry the younger daughter before the elder; but if he would serve him seven years more, he would give him Rachel. To this Jacob consented.

When Jacob had spent fourteen years in the service of Laban, he was desirous of returning to Canaan. Laban, however, wished to continue him in his service, and bid him ask what recompence he pleased. Jacob demanded all the young which his flocks should produce that were of a brown colour, spotted and speckled, that is, such as seemed least desirable for their wool and their fleece. Laban agreed, but used much art against Jacob. Jacob, however, by his superior skill and cunning accomplished his purpose.

After remaining twenty years with Laban, Jacob perceived that Laban did not regard him with the same kindness as formerly, and resolved to depart without the knowledge of Laban, who set out in pursuit of him, and overtook him in Mount Gilead. God appeared to Laban by night, and forbade him to say any thing harsh to Jacob. When, therefore, Laban saw Jacob, he only complained of his sudden retreat, of his not giving him the comfort of embracing his daughters and grandchildren, and of conducting them on their journey with cheerful music. On the subject, however, of stealing from him his gods, or Teraphim, he made great complaints. Jacob in his turn remonstrated with Laban, respecting his conduct towards him, and his having changed the rewards due to him. Laban answered, Behold my daughters and my grand-children. All that is your's is as dear to me as what belongs to myself. Let us make a covenant together, and set up a monument of it.

They swore, therefore, reciprocal friendship and alliance. Having offered sacrifices, they eat and drank together; and the next morning, Laban took leave of his daughters and grand-children, and returned to Haran.-See Jacob.

ESAU, was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and was born before Christ, 1836. When the time of Rebekah's delivery came, she had twins, Gen. xxv. 24-26. the first of which was hairy, and therefore called Esau, that is, a man full grown, or of perfect age. Some derive Esau from the Arabic gescha, gescheva, which signifies a hair-cloth. Esau delighted in hunting, and his father Isaac had a particular affection for him. One day Esau returned out of the fields greatly fatigued, and desired Jacob to give him some of his red pottage; to this Jacob agreed, provided he would sell him his birth-right. Esau, thinking himself weakened almost to death, sold it, and by oath resigned it to him. After this, he eat his mess, and went away, little concerned at what he had done.

At the age of 40, Esau married two Canaanitish women, Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon. These marriages were very displeasing to Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac being old, and his sight decayed, directed Esau to procure him by hunting some venison, that at his return he might give him his last blessing. Gen. xxvii. 1-3. Esau went to hunt; but during his absence, Jacob, assisted and disguised by his mother Rebekah, procured from Isaac his blessing. When Esau returned to Isaac, and understood what had passed, he wept, and asked whether his father had not reserved one blessing for him? This he with some difficulty obtained. The conduct of Jacob caused him to be hated by Esau, who determined to murder him; but Rebekah sent Jacob to his uncle Laban, in Mesopotamia, without Esau's knowledge. Esau married several other wives, who were Canaanites, and also the daughter of Ishmael, sister of Nebajoth, who brought children. He settled in the mountains east of Jordan, and became very powerful.

When Jacob returned from Mesopotamia, he feared the resentment of Esau, and sent messengers to him with presents. The messengers were kindly received by Esau, who came himself with 400 men to meet his brother. Jacob feared that he came with anger; but the intentions of Esau were peaceable, and the two brothers tenderly embraced each other. Esau received the presents of Jacob, and offered to accompany him, and to guard over Jordan. Jacob, however, thanked him; and Esau returned to Seir. The names of three of Esau's wives were, Adah, Aholibamah, and Bashemath.

It has been observed, that Esau, all things considered, was not that very wicked person that some think him to have been. His generous and open temper appear in his affectionate de