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A.M. 2107.

Circumcision.

About thirteen years from this period, it pleased God to renew B.C. 1897. his covenant with Abraham, and to promise him a child by Sarah, whose name should be Isaac, signifying laughter, in allusion to the way in which both the parents received the communication: they laughed; either through joy, or unbelief; or a mixture of both. The seal of circumcision was then given; possibly it was not then unknown. It is still practised in eastern countries, and seems necessary, from peculiar circumstances, conjointly with the heat of the climate; but it was here instituted as the seal of a covenant, and bears consequently a very different import from any Change of physical reasons which might be assigned. The names of the patriarch and his wife were then changed (although for the sake of convenience and uniformity we have called them throughout by their last appellation,) from Abram, signifying high or exalted father, to Abraham, implying, according to the extent of the promise, father of nations: and from Sarai, importing my princess, which is a term of endearment, to Sarah, A princess; which is a general title of honour and dominion. Abraham accordingly circumcised himself, being then nearly a hundred years of age; his son Ishmael, who was at that time thirteen; and his household, in one day.

names.

Three visitors.

In the same year, he was favoured with another celestial visit. Three personages approached him, as he sat at the door of his tent, wearing the appearance of men, two of whom proved to be angels; the third is a mysterious character, who remained after the others departed, who is addressed by the name Jehovah, who speaks as Deity, and who is supposed to be the Lord Jesus, under one of those manifestations, which are most reasonably ascribed to him in the earlier ages, and which comport well with his pre-existence and divinity. The promise of Isaac was renewed, and Sarah chided for unbelief and falsehood. On this occasion, the purposes of divine indignation against the infamous inhabitants of Sodom, and the cities of the plain, companions in iniquity, were declared; and Abraham's Abraham, induced at once by general compassion, and by the remembrance that Lot was an inhabitant of that odious city, pleaded, not merely that the righteous should not be destroyed with the wicked, but that the offenders might be spared for the sake of the holy persons who might be found therein. His language, at once submissive and forcible, is a pattern for devotional fervour, pathos, and humility; and he pleaded so successfully, that he obtained a promise, if but ten righteous persons should be found within the city, it should be spared for their sake.

plea for

Sodom.

Lot in
Sodom.

The two angels, who had left Abraham previous to this intercourse between him and Deity, went on towards Sodom. They found Lot at the gate of the city, waiting, according to the usages of ancient hospitality, to invite any strangers who might arrive to his house; the common duty gathering force in his mind from the horrible character of the people among whom he dwelt. The angels

arrived, still appearing as travellers; and after the most pressing A.M. 2107. importunity, consented to lodge with him. The brutal propensities B.C. 1897. of the inhabitants of the city soon began to disclose themselves; and the patriarch, alarmed at their violence, had recourse to a method of dissuading them from their purpose, which can be accounted for on no other ground than the terror he was in; and excused on no other principle than that, in the confusion of the moment, he seemed to himself to be proposing, where a certain evil was inevitable, the least of two:-he offered his daughters to prostitution, on condition that his guests should be left unmolested. The offer was rejected; they pressed upon him to use violence; when the angels smote his assailants with blindness, either producing a thick darkness, or depriving them of sight, or confusing the organ of vision; but at all events it was a miraculous interposition, sufficiently effectual to defeat their abominable purpose. The angels then declared their commission to destroy the city: and commanded him to bring forth his family from the sentenced spot. His sonsin-law refused to accompany him. But early in the morning the angels urged his lingering steps; hastened his departure; in a manner forced him from his dangerous situation; and led him beyond the precincts of destruction. He was suffered to retire to a little city named Zoar, in the neighbourhood; which was spared at his entreaty. In the meanwhile the sun had risen upon the earth: Destruction but when Lot entered into Zoar, a storm of fire and sulphur descended upon Sodom, and its vicinity; the bituminous nature of the soil easily enkindling by the lightning; and the whole of that once fruitful and beautiful country was turned into the fetid and melancholy lake called the Dead Sea. Lot's wife, lingering upon Lot's wife. the road, was overtaken by the terrible shower, encrusted with it, and turned into a nitro-sulphureous pillar. Abraham rising in the morning early, and looking towards the threatened country, beheld its aspect of desolation, as one great furnace smoking towards heaven. He soon understood, that the entire corruption of the city had rendered his prayers unavailing: but it is not to be imagined, that he was left long in suspense relative to the fate of Lot.

of Sodom.

relating to

The traditional testimonies to this awful event are numerous; Traditions though mixed with many fabulous circumstances. Such as, that the the Dead effluvia of the lake kills any birds which attempt to fly over it: that Sea. on its shores trees are found, whose fruit is fair to the eye, but, if tasted, are found to contain only ashes and bitterness: that the ruins of cities are discernible below its dark waves; and that the surface cannot be stirred by the winds. Let it be recollected, that the mingling of fable with fact, is no argument against the facts themselves: that this was to be expected in an age, when the imagination was accustomed to supply the deficiencies of information; and that it is the first duty of a historian to separate truth from fancy. Moses relates none of the fabulous circumstances.

The

A.M. 2107. traditions themselves, however encumbered with fables not mixed B.C. 1897. with the original narrative, are conclusive as to its truth in the main; and there is no tradition, that did not originate in some decided fact, however it might afterwards become altered and disguised. But when so many striking occurrences were real, we may easily account for the addition of other and unfounded circum

stances.

Something must also be conceded to the influence of time, and of natural causes. The Arabs are continually gathering bitumen from the lake, of which they make a considerable trade. The fresh waters of the river Jordan are continually pouring into it: these must gradually diminish its original saltness. That thickness which rendered it once scarcely moveable by the winds, must now have become diminished. Still barrenness spreads around its desolate site; and still the travellers who have ventured to bathe in its unnatural waters, have suffered in their health for their temerity. It appears to have worn the same frowning features from age to age; and it still carries the marks of unconquerable sterility and horror. In the meanwhile, the page of ancient history is full of references to this event; and teems with accounts, some true, others mingled with fable, corroborative of the Mosaic history. Tacitus, Philo, Pliny, Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Solinus, and others, support the leading features of this narrative; supplying some circumstances from their imagination: while Bisselius, Maundrell, Volney, Pococke, Shaw, and other modern writers, describe the face of the country as it appeared more recently.2 Alexander Trallianus mentions a form of exorcism, which took its rise from a principal circumstance in this history-"In the name of God, who turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt.

From the vicinity of Zoar to this scene of destruction, Lot considered himself as not in a state of safety, and fled to the mountains. While he was there, his daughters, deeming probably the destruction more general than it really was, and anxious to escape the reproach of barrenness, in those days deemed very great; in short, swayed by motives which, at this distance of time, and under other circumstances, we cannot precisely appreciate, but which, be they what they might, could never justify their conduct, resolved to intoxicate their father, so that he should not be able to distinguish their persons from that of any other female, and to obtain issue from him. Lot's incest. This nefarious design was carried into execution; they became both pregnant by him: and the two children, the offspring of this incestuous commerce, named Moab and Ammon, became the progenitors of two great people. As a just punishment of this crime, and

Moab and
Ammon.

2 Tacit. Hist. Lib. V. Philo, de Vitâ Mosis. Sic. Lib. II. et Lib. XIX. Strabo, Lib. XVI. masianæ.

3 See Doddr. Lect. Pt. VI. Prop. CXIX. 16. in not.

Plin. Hist. Lib. V. Cap. 15. Diod. Solinus, Cap. XXXVI. edit. SalDemons. 7. and Grot. de Verit. Sect.

duplicity

according with the principles laid down in our introductory remarks, a.m. 2107. Lot from this time disappears; and here we must close his history. B.C. 1897. Soon after these occurrences, Abraham journeyed further south, probably wishing to avoid the vicinity of Sodom, and the melancholy reflections inseparable from a destruction which took place almost before his face. He went to Gerar, and dwelt in the country of the Philistines. On this occasion, he resorted to the unworthy equivoca- Abraham's tion which caused him so much embarrassment in Egypt; for Sarah, with in her ninetieth year, had triumphed over the ravages of time, and Abimelech. was still beautiful. We have nothing to say to the sarcasms of infidelity, but that these things were so: and that it was just as easy to preserve the personal attractions of a female of ninety, as to make her a mother at that age: besides which, it ought not to be forgotten, that human life then extended beyond its present boundaries, and that Sarah lived 37 years after this period. Abimelech, in similar circumstances with those of Pharaoh, received similar intimations of divine displeasure. The conduct of Abraham is here inexcusable; it wants its original apology; he should have learned something by past experience, even independently of principle: and it appears to us, that the reproof of Abimelech, is the most delicate that can be imagined; by changing a single letter to another of a similar form (an easy mistake in transcription) it will import, "behold I have given thy brother" (the name which she gave to Abraham) thousand pieces of silver to purchase veils" (the modest covering of a married woman, which Sarah seems to have dispensed with, to favour the deceit practised) "for thee, and for all thy attendants; for every one that is married." The mild monarch added permission to his illustrious, although blameable, friend, to dwell wherever it pleased him, in his dominions.

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The time was now come for Sarah's delivery; and Isaac was born. Birth of He was circumcised the 8th day, and his mother suckled him herself. Isaac.

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Ishmael

At the usual time, he was weaned. When young, he was exposed A.M. 2106. to some marks of contempt, if not of violence, on the part of Ishmael; B.c. 1898. which, whatever it was, is called by St. Paul, persecution; and was so resented by Sarah, that she insisted upon Ishmael's leaving the house, with his mother. Abraham dismissed them with " bread and Hagar and a bottle of water, says the narrative: a hebraism frequently used dismissed. to signify all necessary things, although nothing superfluous; and thus it became a promise, "thy bread shall be given thee, and thy A.M. 2110. water shall be sure. Hagar was, we may infer, furnished with all B.C. 1894. things needful for her departure. These supplies were, however, exhausted; and in the wilderness of Beersheba she was overtaken with lack of water, the most terrible of all wants. Exhausted herself, Ishmael seems to have suffered still more; and supposing him actually dying, she retired from the spot where she had laid him,

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4 Changing the vau into a he, which in the ancient character closely resembled it. See Geddes's translation and crit. rem. in loc.

A.M. 2110. that she might not witness his last agonies. At this moment of B.C. 1894. extremity, an angel was sent to succour the mother and her expiring

Covenant with

child: he conducted her to a fountain of water: the boy recovered, and grew, inhabiting, with his mother, the wilderness of Paran; and gradually acquiring from his habits of life, that fierce and independent character, which it was predicted he should possess, and which still distinguishes his posterity. He married an Egyptian.

The harmony between Abraham and Abimelech continued uninAbimelech. terrupted; and to cement the bonds of amity between them, they entered into a mutual and solemn covenant: a dispute which had arisen respecting a well of water was adjusted, and the parties withdrew from each other with sentiments of perfect esteem and friendship. The patriarch seems to have intended to rest here: "for he planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there upon the name of the Lord, the everlasting God."

Offering of
Isaac.

Upon this calm, an unexpected storm arose. To make trial of his faith and obedience, Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his A.M. 2132. only child, Isaac, as a burnt-offering, upon a mountain which should B.C. 1872. be pointed out to him. Without delay, he conquered the emotions of nature, and set forward upon this melancholy journey; assuredly deeming that his son must be slain, and by his own hand; but not doubting that God's promise should be fulfilled, either by his resurrection, or by the grant of another child to fill his place. To harrow up all his parental feelings, as they ascended the mountain fixed upon, (and the patriarch had left his servants at its foot, that they might not witness or interrupt the sacrifice,) Isaac, upon whom the wood had been laid, inquired where was the victim? His father merely observed, that " 'God would provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering. When they reached the summit, it was necessary that the fatal secret should be imparted to the victim, (for Isaac was now a young man ;) and he appears to have mildly acquiesced in the divine decision. He was bound, laid upon the wood of the altar, and on the point of yielding his life; when a voice from heaven commanded the patriarch to forbear, and to release his child; approving his faith, confirming former promises, and renewing the covenant with himself and his posterity. Abraham observed a ram, caught in a neighbouring thicket, and taking him, offered him in place of his child; thus accomplishing the prediction of his own faith, but little understood when he pronounced it-God provided himself a victim. He returned to Beersheba, with far other feelings than he left it, and received soon after the pleasing tidings of the increase and prosperity of his brother Nahor's family.

Death of
Sarah.

The tranquillity which succeeded, was at length interrupted by the death of Sarah, the faithful and endeared companion of AbraA.M. 2145. ham's long pilgrimage. She expired in the 127th year of her age. B.C. 1859. The patriarch wept over her with unfeigned sorrow; and his first

possession in the promised land was a burying-place, which he

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