the family of Saul, in opposition to xix. 27. Isa. xxxvii. 28. John xiv. David but in the most of his skir- 23. : mishes he came off with loss. While ABOLISH, (1.) To do away; Ishbosheth and David's troops rested make void; annul the obligation of, near one another, hard by Gideon, 2 Cor. iii. 13. Eph. ii. 15. (2.) To Abner barbarously challenged Joab destroy; make to cease, Isa. ii. 18. to advance twelve of David's war-2 Tim. i. 10. riors, to fight with an equal number ABOMINABLE, ABOMINATION, of his. Joab consented the twenty- a thing very hateful and loathsome, four engaged; and taking each his as unclean flesh, and things offered to fellow by the beard, and thrusting his idols, Lev. vi 21, 28. Isa. Ixvi. 17. sword into his side, they together Sin is called abominable or abominafell down dead on the spot; a fierce tion: it is the reverse of the divine battle ensued; Abner and his troops perfections and law; it defiles persons were routed: Abner himself was hotly in God's sight; and ought to be hated, pursued by Asahel, and begged him detested, avoided, and opposed, by to stop his pursuit; but on a refusal, us, Jer. xliv. 4. Isa. lxvi. 3. False he killed him by a back-stroke of his doctrines, and indecent practices, are spear. He was, however, still pur-called abominations: they are hated sued by Joab and Abishai, till he, and loathed by God and his saints, who in the morning sported with Rev. xvii. 4. Idols and their wor murder, was obliged at even to beg ship are called abominations. Not that Joab would stop his troops from only is the worship of idols hateful their hostile pursuit, 2 Sam. ii. in itself, rendering men odious to Not long after, Abner was highly God; but is often attended with a offended at Ishbosheth's charging him variety of base and indecent ceremowith lewd behaviour towards Riz-nies. 1 Kings xi. 7. Deut. vii. 26. pah, Saul's concubine, and vowed he and xii. 31. Idols are called abomiwould quickly betray the whole king-nation of the eyes, because the eyes of dom into the hands of David: he had their worshippers are often amused scarcely threatened it when he com- with, and, in adoration, lifted up to menced a correspondence with Da- them, Ezek. xx. 7, 8. Idolaters and vid, and had an interview with him proud persons are an abomination at Hebron for that end. Abner had to God, and to all good men, Isa. xli. just left the splendid feast wherewith 24. Prov. xvi. 5. Incense is an David had entertained him, when abomination to God, and the solemn Joab, informed of the matter, warm- meeting is iniquity. The observance ly remonstrated to his uncle that Ab- of the Jewish ceremonies, without ner had come as a spy. By his own dependence on Christ by faith, and hand he sent a messenger to invite an universal endeavour after conhim back, to have some further com- formity to his moral law, was in munication with the king. Abner God's account highly detestable and was just come into Joab's presence, criminal, Isa. i. 13. and Ixvi. 3. when he, partly from jealousy that The sacrifices and prayers of the Abner might become his superior, wicked are an abomination, because and partly to revenge his brother their principles, manner, and ends, Asahel's death, mortally stabbed him, are sinful, Prov. xv. 8, and xxviii. 9. as he pretended to salute him. Da--Probably shepherds were an abovid, on being informed of it, heartily mination to the Egyptians, because a detested the fact, exclaimed against band of foreigners, called shepherds, Joab, and honoured Abner with a splendid funeral, and a mournful elegy, 2 Sam. iii. ABOARD, in the ship, Acts xxi. 2. had just before, from Ethiopia or Arabia, invaded and tyrannized over the country; or because the land was sorely plagued on the account of Abraham and Sarah his wife, Gen. xlvi. 34. The Hebrews, had they pel of our salvation, and thereby complied with Pharaoh's command, making men, naturally foolish and would have sacrificed the abomination | rebellious, wise, circumspect, and of the Egyptians, i. e. their sacred ani- prudent, Eph. i. 7, 8. Men abound mals, oxen, goats, lambs, and rams, in the work of the Lord, when, with which the Egyptians adored, and increasing pleasure and activity, they thought it utterly unlawful to offer, perform all good works, 1 Cor. xv. Exod. viii. 26. The abomination 58. Men abound in transgression, that maketh desolate, may denote, when, with increasing activity, they (1.) The image of a swine on the proceed from one evil way to anobrazen altar; and that of Jupiter ther, or from a bad way to a worse Olympius in the Jewish temple, one, Prov. xxix. 22. Sin abounds which Antiochus Epiphanes erected inwardly when it renders our rational to set aside the worship of God, Dan. powers more vigorous, active in, xi. 31. (2.) The Roman armies, and delighted with, evil: it abounds. composed of Heathenish idolaters, outwardly, when the number of sinwho had the images of idols and em-ners or of sinful acts, and the numperors painted on their banners; and ber and degrees of their aggravawho, highly detested by the Jews, tions, do increase: it abounds relaentered and burnt their temple, and tively, when its facts, criminal naspread desolation through their coun- ture, power, and pollution, are more try, Dan. ix. 27. Matt. xxiv. 15. fully and convincingly manifested, (3.) Antichrist, who horribly defiles Matt. xxiv. 12. Rom. v. 20. Grace and wastes the church of God, Dan. in God much more abounds in amply xii. 11. providing for the salvation of all ABOVE, (1.) High, overhead, men, and actually in saving the chief Gen. vi. 16. (2.) Upwards, Exod. of sinners, and forgiving, conquerxxx. 14. Lev. xxvii. 7. (3.) Be-ing, and destroying, the greatest sins yond, 2 Cor. i. 8. (4.) More than, in them that believe; grace in us Gen. iii. 14. (5.) Higher than, much more abounds in resisting and Neh. viii. 5. It is used metaphori-mortifying the strongest corruptions, cally to denote the dignity or excel- and taking full possession of those lency of persons, or things, Psal. cxiii. inward powers where sin had been 4. Matt. x. 24. or rank, authority, superlatively strong and active, Rom. and rule, Numb. xvi. 3. Deut. xxviii. v. 20. The truth of God abounds 13. It also denotes what is spiritual when his revelations are clearly and and heavenly, Gal. iv. 26. Col. iii. 1. Also heaven, or God himself, who is above all in dignity and authority, James i. 17. widely displayed; when his promises are eminently fulfilled; and his word rendered effectual to the conversion of vast multitudes, and is boldly professed by them, Rom. iii. 7. To ABOUND, (1.) To grow great or numerous, 2 Pet. i. 8. Matt. xxiv. ABRAM, high father, or father of 12. (2.) To increase, and have clevation, the son of Terah. Although plenty of temporal or spiritual bene- mentioned before his brethren, Nafits, Prov. xxviii. 20. 2 Cor. ix. 8. hor and Haran, he appears to have God abounds in grace towards us, in been the youngest, born in the 130th all wisdom and prudence, in graciously year of his father's life, and A. M. choosing a fit person to be our Me- 2008. The first 70 years of his life he diator; in appointing him his proper resided in his father's family, in Ur of work; in ordering the circumstances the Chaldees; and probably concurwhich accompanied his incarnation, red with them in their idolatrous abasement, and glory; and all the worship. After the death of his bromercies, afflictions, and deliverances, ther Haran, God appeared to him; of his people, to the best advantage. and ordered him to leave his native In forming and publishing the gos- abode. He and his father's house hold removed to the north-west of sharply rebuked him for his dangerMesopotamia, and settled at Haran, ous imposition, returned him his wife or Charran, a place so called, per-undefiled, and gave orders for their haps, to commemorate his deceased safe departure from his dominions, brother. After about five years con- Gen. xii. Psal. cv. 14, 15. tinuance here, Terah died; and God The famine in Canaan having ceasappeared again to Abram: he assured, Abram returned thither, and on the ed him of a numerous seed, who altar which he had built near Bethel should be a blessing to the nations and Hai, offered a sacrifice of thanksaround; he ordered him to leave his giving for his safe return. Contenfather's family, and travel to a land tions between his herdsmen and those to which he would direct him. In of his nephew Lot, obliged them to obedience to the divine command, separate. Abram made the peaceful Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot, proposal, and gave his nephew the his brother Haran's son, and their choice what place he would turn to. substance, and went towards Ca- Lot had scarcely departed for the naan, neither knowing the country, plain of Sodom, when God reassured nor the way whither he went, Gen. Abram that his seed should possess xi. 26-32. and xii. 1—5. Deut. the whole country in view. Abram xxvi. 5. Josh. xxiv. 2, 3. Isa. xli. 2. removed southward from the environs Acts vii. 2-4. Heb. xi. 8. A. M. of Bethel, and pitched his tent in the 2083. He entered Canaan, crossing plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron. the Jordan, south of the Galilean sea: There he erected an altar to God; he pitched his tent at Shechem, and and contracted a friendship with there erected an altar to the Lord. Mamre, Aner, and Eshcol, the chief Here God again appeared unto him, men of that place. Before he had confirmed his former promises, and long enjoyed this agreeable situation, assured him that Canaan should one news was brought him that Chedorday be the property of his seed. He laomer and his allies had ravaged had scarcely received this promise, the country of Sodom and Gomorrah. when a famine obliged him to leave and carried Lot away prisoner. the country: without consulting Abram armed 318 of his own servants, God, he went southward to Egypt. and with these, and a few allies, headSarai was now sixty-five years of ed by his friends Mamre, Aner, and age, but retained beauty enough to Eshcol, he pursued the conquering endanger the man's life who passed potentates, surprised them by night, for her husband, especially in Egypt, at the springs of Jordan; routed and where the women were none of the pursued them as far as HoвAH, northloveliest. Abram, therefore, and Sarai ward of Damascus; recovered Lot agreed, that both should declare she and all his family and substance, was his sister, wherever they should with the rest of the captives, and the come. They had not been long here, plunder of Sodom. In his return when her beauty charmed the Egyp- MELCHIZEDEK met him at Salem, tians, and at last captivated Pharaoh entertained him with provisions, blesshimself. Abram received vast num-ed him, and received from his hand bers of sheep, oxen, camels, asses, the tithes of his spoil. The young men-servants, and maid-servants, be- king of Sodom generously offered sides gold, silver, and other precious him all that he had recovered, except things, in compliment, for the sake the men and women: Abram more of his supposed sister: and Sarai was generously refused the least share of in imminent danger of being taken it, Gen. xiii. and xiv. into Pharaoh's bed. To prevent this, Graciously to reward Abram's geneGod inflicted on him and his family rosity and dependence on God, the such plagues as clearly manifested Lord immediately after assured him the cause. Pharaoh sent for Abram, that he was his shield and his exceed |