Abraham p e h a d remained above fourteen years at that city1 before he accompanied . l . . . _ _ _ .
by a numerous departed thence to perform the higher duties which had been
commanded.2 Taking, therefore, Sarai his wife,3 and Lot his
brother’s son, with all their substance, and the souls they had
gotten in Haran, Abraham now went forth to go into the land
of Canaan.4 This portion of sacred history mentions the fact
very briefly; but from later circumstances it is evident that, in
quitting Haran, Abraham was accompanied by a considerable
body of people, such as would form a large tribe in the present
day, which is an important circumstance in connexion with the
increase of the Hebrew people.
He is said to It is expressly stated that Abraham came with an army from
Damascus, the region situated above Babylon, that of the Chaldees, and
reigned as a stranger or foreigner in Damascus, where, even
now, his name is celebrated, and a part of the town shown
which is called the dwelling of Abraham. It is added, that not
long afterwards he removed with his people to the region then
called Khananea, but now Judea.5 From this city, which is
said to have been founded by a sovereign called Marsuphus, or
El Murephus, about twenty years before the patriarch was
born,6 Abraham took as his steward an inhabitant named
Eleazer;7 but shortly after his arrival, in consequence of a
grievous famine, the party proceeded from Judea into Egypt.
b . c. 2014. Being highly esteemed for his wisdom, Abraham, as we are
informed, greatly ingratiated himself with the people, by com-
Arithmetic municating to them a knowledge of the arts, particularly of
S p a ^ d T 7 arithmetic and astronomy, which were thus brought from the
the Egyptians. Chaldeans into Egypt, and from thence carried into Greece.8
1 ’Abu-l-Faraj, Hist. Dynast., p. 13, compared with Philo Judaeus, 16,
Migrath. Abrah. p. 415.
8 “ Now Jehovah had said to Abraham, go forth from thy land, also from
thy kindred, and from the household of thy fathers, to the land which I will
show thee.” This consequently refers to a time anterior to his removal
from U ’r.—Gen., chap. X I I ., v. 4, Bellamy’s translation.
8 Gen., chap. X I I . 4 Ibid., v. 5.
5 Nicolaus Damascenus, lib. IV ., Historiarum.
8 ’Abu-l-Faraj, Hist. Dynast., p. 13. 1 Gen., chap.'XV., v. 2.
8 Annales, Johannis Zonares, tome I ., p. 22, Paris, 1686, compared with
Jos., Ant., lib. I., cap. v iii.; Euseb., Prsep., lib. IX ., cap x v i,; St. Augustin,
lib. X V I I I ., cap. xxxvii., de Civit. Dei.
From this incidental circumstance it is evident, that the state of
knowledge on the banks of the Nile was at this time inferior to
that of the Chaldeans ; or, in other words, that the Babylonians
had made considerable progress during the interval between the
departure of the first settlers towards Egypt and that of
Abraham.
After continuing about five years imparting this knowledge
to the Egyptians, Abraham and Lot, taking all their substance,
retraced their steps into Judea ; where an amicable separation b. c. 2009.
speedily took place. Finding their flocks much too great for
the country, Lot chose in consequence the fertile pasture-ground
lying eastward of the river Jordan, and Abraham settled more separation
i to the westward, in the promised land ; namely in the plains of °m ° ’
Mamre, near Hebron. Shortly after the establishment of the
former patriarch amongst the descendants of Ham, a circumstance
occurred which has a particular historical interest, since
it not only shows that a constant intercourse was maintained
between this part of the country and Babylonia, but also that
1 the Assyrian dominion, founded by Nimrud, extended to the
borders of Syria and Palestine, and most likely included those
countries also.
Previous to the settlement of Lot, and whilst Abraham, then
in his seventy-first year, was still at Haran, the war of Chedor-
laomer commenced,1 and the Assyrians having made a hostile
inroad, imposed a tribute on this part of the country, as well as
the adjoining territory of Syria. This appears to have been
regularly paid during the succeeding twelve years; 2 but a
rebellion in the thirteenth year caused a fresh invasion, and g]^ction of
Tidal or Thadel, bearing the high-sounding Assyrian title of
King of Nations, marched at the head of the chief princes o fH- c- 2008,
his territories—namely, Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites;
Amraphael, king of Shinar; and Arioch,3 king of Ellasar, in
Assyria; and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and
the Zuzims in Ham, the Emims in the valley of Kiriathaim,
1 the people of Jebel Jelad, and the Horeeans or Horites of
1 ’Abu-l-Faraj, Hist. Dynast., p. 11. 8 Jos., Antiq,, lib. I. cap. ix.
8 Major Eawlinson, vol. IX ., p.’ 47, of Royal Geographical Journal, and
Judith, chap. I., v. 6.
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