from the environs of Bethel, and pitched his tent in the plain of Mam erected an altar to God; and contracted a friendship with Mamre, Aner, and Eshcol, the chief men of that place. Before he had long enjoyed this agreeable situation, news were brought him, that Chedorla lilean sea: he pitched his tent at Shechem, and there erected an altar to the Lord. "Here God again appear-re, which is in Hebron. There he ed to him, confirmed his former promises and assured him that Canaan should one day be the property of his seed. He had scarce received this promise when a famine obliged him to leave the country: without consulting his Maker, he went south-omer and his allies had ravaged the ward to Egypt. Sarai was now sixtyfive years of age, but retained beauty enough to endanger the man's life, who passed for her husband, especially in Egypt, where the women were none of the loveliest. Abram therefore and Sarai agreed, that both should pretend she was his sister, wherever they should come. They had not been long here, when her beauty charmed the Egyptians, and at last captivated Pharaoh himseif. Abram received vast numbers of sheep, oxen, camels, asses, menservants, and maid-servants, besides gold, silver, and other precious things, in compliment, for the sake of his pretended sister: and Sarai was in imminent danger of being taken into Pharaoh's bed. To prevent this, God inflicted on him and his family such plagues as clearly manifested the cause. Pharaoh sent for Abram; sharply rebuked him for his dan-nerosity and dependence on God, the gerous imposition; returned him his wife undefiled; and gave orders for their safe departure from his dominions, Gen. xii. Psal. cv. 14, 15. country of Sodom and Gomorrah, and carried Lot prisoner. Abram armed 318 of his own servants; and with these, and a few allies headed by his friends Mamre, Aner, and Eshcol, he pursued the conquering potentates; surprised them by night at the spring of Jordan; routed and pursued them as far as HOBAH, northward of Damascus; recovered Lot, with all his family and substance, with the rest of the captives, and the plunder of Sodom. In his return, MELCHIZEDEK met him at Salem, entertained him with provisions, blessed him, and received from his hand the tithes of his spoil. The young king of Sodom generously offered him all that he had recovered, except the men and women: Abram more generously refused the least share of it, Gen. xiii. and xiv. Graciously to reward Abram's ge Lord immediately after assured him that he was his shield, and his exceeding great reward; and repeated to him the promise of a numerous seed, The famine in Canaan being ceas- and of Canaan for their inheritance. ed, Abram returned thither, and on By an horrible darkness, and by a the altar which he had built near Be- fiery meteor passing between the thel and Hai, offered a sacrifice of pieces of the heifer, the she-goat, the thanksgiving for his safe return.- ram, turtle, and pigeon, he confirmed Contentions between his herdsmen the covenant, prefigured their afflicand those of his nephew Lot, obli- tion, and hinted, that at last their salged them to separate. Abram made vation should go forth as a lamp that the peaceful proposal, and gave his burneth. At the same time he asnephew the choice what place he sured him his seed should sojourn would turn to. Lot had scarce de-four hundred years in a land not their parted for the plain of Sodom, when God re-assured Abram that his seed should possess the whole country in view. Abram removed southward own, and part of that time be terribly oppressed: and that in the fourth generation, they should be brought with great wealth from the land of their bondage, and take possession of || their way to destroy Sodom and the Canaan from the Euphrates on the cities adjacent. Upon Abraham's north-east, to the border of Egypt on kind entreaty they entered his tent, the south-west, Gen. xv. and were entertained by him as travellers. The Angel JEHOVAH asking for Sarah, assured her and her husband, that after nine months she should bring forth a son, called ISAAC. Abraham accompanied his guests part of their way toward Sodom. To reward him for his religious education of his family, the Lord disclosed to him their intention to destroy these wicked cities. Moved with compassion, chiefly to Lot, Abraham interceded for their preser he asked. He offered to save them, if fifty, if forty, if twenty, or even ten gracious persons should be found therein: but as there was none save Lot, only he and his daughters were preserved, Genesis xviii. and xix.Scarce had Sarah conceived, when her own and her husband's dissimu Hearing that a child of Abram's own body should be heir of Canaan, Sarai imagining it impossible for one of her age and circumstances to be the joyful mother, advised her husband to make Hagar her maid his concubine, and proeure children by her. Without consulting his God, Abram too rashly complied. Hagar no sooner found herself pregnant, than she behaved to her mistress in a haughty and surly manner. This occasioned bitter but unjust re-vation. God granted him whatever proaches to Abram from his wife, as if he had encouraged his maid in her pride. Hard treatment from her mistress provoked Hagar to flee the family; but being advised by God she returned and submitted herself. She brought forth a son, whose name was ISHMAEL. For thirteen years after his folly with Hagar, God ap-lation at Gerar issued in her being pears to have denied Abram the more noted tokens of his favour and presence. A. M. 2107, he repeated the promise of a numerous seed, and of the land of Canaan for their possession. To confirm this covenant, to separate Abram and his family from the rest of the world, and seal to them the blessings of grace, he ordered himself, and all the males of his family and seed, to have their foreskin cut off. He changed his name to ABRAHAM, which signifies the father of a multitude. Sarai's he changed to SARAH, which signifies the lady or mistress. He assured him that Ishmael should live, and have a numerous issue; and Sarah now ninety years of age, should bear a son, in whose seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. Immediately after this vision, Abraham || and all his males were circumcised, Gen. xvi. and xvii. Not long after, the Son of God, attended by two angels in human shape, passed by Abraham's tent in forced from him by ABIMELECH the king. She was however quickly restored, without receiving any stain of disloyalty to her marriage-bed, Genesis xx. In A. M. 2108, Isaac was born, to the no small joy of Abraham and Sarah. The first circumcised, and the other suckled him. When Isaac was weaned, Abraham made a splendid feast for his household. On that occasion, Ishmael marked his contempt of Isaac. Sarah observing it, begged her husband to expel Hagar and her son from the family, as she would never allow him to inherit Canaan along with Isaac. This request was extremely disagreeable to Abraham; but, being admonished by God, he readily complied therewith. Abraham now dwelt at Beersheba: thither Abimelech king of Gerar came to make a covenant of friendship with him, moved perhaps with the report. of the promise of Canaan to his seed. Abraham reproved the king concerning a well which his servants had taken by force: that being restored, would take it in compliment; but Abraham insisted to give the full value, and paid for it 400 shekels, which amounted to about 205 dollars 32 cents, or, according to Prideaux, to 266 dollars 40 cents; and there he buried Sarah his wife. Isaac was now twenty-five, or perhaps thirty-three, years of age, when God ordered his father to offer him a burnt-sacrifice on a distant hill. All-provide a match for Isaac his son. Three years after, he resolved to obedient, he rose early next morning, He called Eliezer his principal serset off with Isaac and some servants, vant, and, after giving him his inand a knife, fire and wood, for the structions, and binding him by oath, offering. After travelling three days to take for his son a wife out of his he came to Moriah, the destined own kindred, and to avoid every step mount. The servants and asses be- calculated to make, Isaac return to ing left behind, Isaac bore the wood; Mesopotamia, he sent him away with and his father the knife and fire. By a suitable train, and a number of prethe way, Isaac asked where the sa- sents. Rebekah was obtained for crifice was? Abraham replied, God Isaac. Next year Abraham himself would provide it. They came to the espoused Keturah, and his body being appointed spot: an altar was reared: invigorated by the influence of God, Isaac was bound and stretched there- he had six sons by her. Their names on. Abraham had just stretched his were, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Mihand with the knife, to plunge it into dian, Ishbak, and Shuah. These Athe throat of his son; the Lord him-braham in his lifetime portioned, and self stopt the blow, and told Abrahamsent eastward into ARABIA the dehe had now sufficiently discovered sart, where they became heads of his fixed faith in his promise, and tribes numerous and potent. A. M. regard to his precepts: mean while, 2183, Abraham died in the 175th the patriarch looking behind him ob-year of his age: his sons Isaac and served a ram caught by the horns in Ishmael, who now lived at a small a thick bush: him he caught, and distance one from another, buried offered instead of his son, and called him in the cave of Machpelah, bethe place JEHOVAH-JIREH; import-side Sarah his wife, Gen. xxiii. xxiv. ing that God chiefly manifested his and xxv. favours in perplexing straits, and would provide for his people whatever they needed. After God had renewed his promises, and confirmed them by oath, he rejoined his servants, and returned home to BeerSheba; and was there informed that his brother Nahor had a numerous issue, Gen. xxii. Abraham is famous in the stories of the ancient Heathens, and of the Mahometans, Indians, and Jews, as a king of Damascus; as a teacher of arithmetic and astronomy to the Egyptians, &c. It is probable human sacrifices took their rise among the Canaanites, from his intended oblation of Isaac. Severus, the Roman emperor, reckoned him one of his deities, along with Jesus Christ. The sacred volumes represent him as the friend of God; as the father and pattern of the faithful; as one who, with joy unspeakable, foresaw the coming of the promised Messiah; as a noted possessor of the heavenly glory; and hence a share of it is re presented as a lying in his bosom, || him of the injury done her. Absalom Romans iv. Heb. xi. John viii. 56.resolved on a thorough revenge.— Matth. viii. 11. Luke xvi. 20. Bent to execute it, he entirely concealed his resentment. After two years in exile when Joab, observing David's fondness of a reconciliation, prompted an artful widow of Tekoah by a feigned speech concerning the danger of her son, who, she pretended, had in a passion killed his bro Was Jesus Christ typified by this venerable patriarch? How astonish-years he invited his brethren to a ing was his meekness, his love and shearing-feast at Baalhazor. When kindness to men; his intimacy with,|| Amnon had drunk hard, Absalom orfear of, obedience to, and trust in his dered his servants to kill him; and God! He is the chosen favourite of then fled to his grandfather at Geshur Heaven; the Father and covenant-in Syria. He had continued three head of innumerable millions of saved men. To him were all the promises relative to the evangelic and eternal state of his church originally made. All-obedient, he, at his Father's call, in a manner, left the native abodes of bliss, and became a stranger and so-ther, to solicit it. Absalom was rejourner on earth, not having where to called; but lived two years at Jerulay his head. At his Father's call, he salem without entering his father's offered himself an acceptable sacrifice presence. Stung with grief and into God. By all prevalent interces- dignation he sent for Joab, with a sion and supernatural influence, he view to engage him to be his advodelivers his, ah! too ungrateful friends cate with the king. Joab at first refrom the hand of their focs. After fused to go; but Absalom, by burnlong patience he obtains a numerous ing his standing corn, obliged him to seed in the Jewish and gospel-church. it. On coming, Joab understood his In his visible family are many profes-intent, and went directly to king Dasors, children of the bond-woman, the vid and procured his admission to covenant of works; who, in the issue, court, Scarce was this reconciliation are like the modern Jews, rejected effected, when Absalom prepares to and cast out into a state of wicked-usurp his father's throne. He got ness and misery: others are children himself a number of horses and chaof the free-woman; like Isaac, are by riots, and fifty men to run before him. the powerful influence of the promise, By kind usage of those who came to begotten again unto God. his father for judgement, by indirect hints that their causes were good, but his father neglected to do them justice, and by wishes that it were in his power to do them right, he won the hearts of the people. : ABSALOM, the third son of king David his mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. He was one of the most comely men that ever breathed: every year he cut the hair of his head, and it weighed About Whitsuntide, A. M. 2980, 200 shekels, or about six pounds En-in the 40th year after David's unction glish weight; or perhaps, rather, was by Samuel, and the 4th after Absavalued at the rate of 200 shekels of lom's return from Syria, he, under silver; which at least is about 102 pretence of fulfilling a vow, solicited dollars 12 cents, or, according to his father's permission to repair to Prideaux, 133 dollars 20 cents. He Hebron, a city southward of Jerusahad three sons who all died in their lem. Two hundred persons of note childhood; and a beautiful daughter attended him thither, without suscalled TAMAR, 2 Sam. iii. 3. and xiv. pecting his designs. He immediately 25-27. and xviii. 18. opened his mind to them; and caused it to be proclaimed in all the cities of Israel that he, reigned in Hebron.Ď When Tamar his sister was ravished by Amnon, she complained to VOL. I. honour to be buried therein. His corpse was cast into a pit, as the carcase of an ass, and a great heap of stones thrown over him. Whether his father, who so lamented his death, removed it to a more honourable sepulchre we know not, 2 Sam. xiii. xiv. xv. xvi. and xvii. Ahithophel, David's principal counsellor, upon invitation, revolted to him with the first: the body of the Israelites followed his example. David with a handful of such friends as he could depend on, fled from Jerusalem. Ahithophel, after making him publicly defile ten of his father's concubines, advised Absalom, with- ABSENT, out of one's sight or out delay, to give him the command presence, Gen. xxxi. 49. Col. ii. 5. of 12,000 chosen troops, and he would The saints on earth are absent from directly pursue his father, and appre-the Lord; they enjoy not the immehend him before he had time to re-diate vision and fellowship of Jesus cover from his fright. This advice Christ, and of God in him, as those was extremely proper to answer his in heaven do, 2 Cor. v. 6. end. But Hushai was also consulted: ABSTAIN, to forbear using. ABhe pretended Ahithophel's counsel STINENCE is strictly a forbearing of was not seasonable, as David and his the use of food, Acts xxvii. 22. Ďurfriends were brave and desperate fel-ing their sacred ministrations, the lows, and would readily spring forth || Jewish priests were to abstain from from pits, or like hiding-places, and wine and grapes, or any thing produall of a sudden cut off some of Absa-ced by the vine, Lev. x. 9. So were lom's forces; and so dispirit the whole the Nazarites during the term of their party before it was firmly established. vow, Numb. vi. 3. The whole HeTo flatter Absalom's vanity, and give brew nation was to abstain from the David time to put himself in a pos- flesh of animals declared unclean by ture of defence, he advised to assem- the law; and from the fat of such as ble every man of Israel capable to were sacrificed to the Lord; and from bear arms; and that Absalom should || the blood of all, Lev. xi. and iii. 17. command them in person: he pre-and vii. 23. To commemorate the tended, that with this huge host they should, without fail, ruin David and his party, whether they found him in city or field. shrinking of the sinew of Jacob's hough, when touched by the wrestling Angel, they voluntarily forbore eating of the correspondent sinew in Hushai's advice was approven and animals, Gen. xxxii. 25. To avoid followed. Absalom collected his giving offence to Jewish or weak troops; marched over Jordan to at- Christians, the appostles enjoined the tack his father; a battle was fought Gentile converts to refrain eating of in the wood of Ephraim: his raw blood, and things sacrificed to idols, undisciplined host was easily defeat- || Acts xv. 28. 1 Cor. viii. 7—10; but ed by the providence of God, and his || Paul declares it the doctrine of devils father's veteran troops. The wood to abstain from any wholesome food, tore vast numbers of them to pieces, under pretence of intrinsic holiness or otherwise occasioned their ruin. and devotion, 1 Tim. iv. 3, 4. David had ordered his warriors to spare the life of his rebellious son; but riding through the wood, an oak branch caught hold of his high valued hair, and hung him by it instead of an halter, while his mule went away. Informed hereof, Joab hasted to the place, and put an end to his life. He had erected a proud monument to perpetuate his fame but had not the || ABUNDANCE; a great deal of any thing, 2 Chro. ix. 9. Rom. v. 17. 2 Cor. xii. 7. Great plenty and wealth, Deut. xxviii. 47. The abundance of the seas, is plenty of fishes, and of profits arising from sea-trade, Deut. xxxiii. 19. See ABOUND. ABUNDANT: very large, as an overflowing stream, I Pet. i. 3. |