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THE FIRST PERIOD.

CHAPTER I.

ABRAM CALLED TO CANAAN FROM UR IN CHALDEA.

THE history of the Israelites as a distinct people, commences with the life of their great ancestor, Abraham. Nine generations had succeeded each other since the flood; and the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japhet were widely dispersed over the world, where already the knowledge of the true God was nearly lost, and the people were gradually becoming idolatrous, and, in some countries, extremely wicked. At this time, it pleased God to reveal himself to one good man, and, after trying his faith and obedience, to make him the father of a people who should preserve the knowledge of himself in the world. This good man was Abram, the son of Terah, and the tenth in descent from Noah. Abram and his father Terah lived at Ur in Chaldea,* whence they

* Chaldea-A country to the north of Babylon, but by some commentators the Chaldea here mentioned is thought to have been another Chaldea situate considerably to the east of the Tigris, on the borders of India, and consequently farther removed from Haran, to which Terah and his family journeyed.

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departed in obedience to the command of God, in order to avoid the idolatry of the people there. They journeyed on to Haran, or Charan,* a city in Mesopotamia, and here Terah settled ; but Abram was commanded not to rest there, but to leave his family and kindred, and go a stranger into another land.

"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee; And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." Gen. xii. 1, 10. Acts vii. 2, 6.

"So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran."

Lot was Abram's nephew, being the son of his brother Haran, who was dead. Abram had another brother, whose name was Nahor, who remained at Haran with his father, and whose descendants are afterwards mentioned in the

The usual opinion in the East is that Ur is the same as the modern city of Orfah; (anciently Edessa) hither pilgrims resort, and the Mahometans have erected a handsome mosque in honour of the birth-place of Abraham. See Calmet.

* Charan-Called afterwards Charræ, celebrated for the defeat of the Roman general Crassus.

sacred history. Abram with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, set out for the country of Canaan, trusting in God, and relying upon His Almighty care for protection. His wealth consisted of numerous flocks and herds, a large household of servants, or more properly slaves, besides silver and gold, so that Abram's encampment resembled that of an Arab Sheik of the present day. He was rich, according to the estimation of riches in that age, and we shall find him regarded as "a mighty prince" by the inhabitants of Canaan, and able to lead out more than three hundred men, "born in his household," to go to the rescue of Lot.

With regard to the slaves, it is necessary to remark, that though free servants were unknown in that age, and those who are called servants in the Scriptures mean servants who were in fact the property of their masters, yet they were not an unhappy, degraded race, such as the slaves of the present day. Their servitude was extremely light, and they were treated with great kindness and affection: they formed an important part of their master's family; and the attachment on both sides was often so strong as to resemble that of parent and child, rather than master and servant. Attended by a numerous train of these faithful servants, with their families, and with large herds of cattle and sheep, Abram, in obedience to the Divine command, left his father's house, and commenced his journey towards Canaan. Here he first rested at Sichem,

a place between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, afterwards famous in the Jewish history as the scene of many remarkable events.*

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At Sichem the LORD again appeared unto Abram, and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land:" At this time Abram was a stranger in Canaan, and possessed not a single foot of ground in it yet he firmly believed in God, and knew that He would do according to His promise, however impossible it might seem to any human power to accomplish it. His faith was ' accounted unto him for righteousness,' and his obedience rewarded with the favor and blessing of the Almighty.

A famine in the land of Canaan obliged Abram to go down into Egypt, which was even then remarkable for its fertility, and the great quantity of corn it produced. Most of the nations round led a pastoral life, that is, they tended cattle, and only grew a small quantity of corn, sufficient for their own consumption; whereas the Egyptians devoted themselves more especially to the cultivation of the soil, and their land was the greatest corn country in the ancient world. Hither Abram went, and resided during the continuance of the famine; he then returned to

Sichem, Shechem, or Sychar-the modern name is Naplous, or Neapolis. Here was the tomb of Joseph, the remains of which are still to be seen; also the tomb of Joshua. After the destruction of Samaria, Shechem became the capital of the Samaritans, and at Jacob's well, in its immediate neighbourhood, Our Lord held his discourse with the woman of Samaria.

Romans iv. 3. Gal. iii. 6.

Canaan, and settled at Bethel, a place he had formerly visited, and in which he had erected an altar to the LORD; here he again offered a sacrifice, to express his gratitude to God, for his safe return.

CHAPTER II.

LOT GOES TO SODOM. SODOM AND GOMORRAH

DESTROYED.

Ar Bethel disputes arose between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. There was great difficulty in finding water and pasturage for their numerous herds, and Abram's conduct on this occasion affords a beautiful example of moderation and kindness, which we should do well to imitate. If differences were adjusted in this spirit, quarrels between kindred and friends would seldom occur.

"And Lot also which went with Abram had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle, and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle."

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