mand of God* went into Canaan, and therein he dwelt himself, and left it to his posterity. He was a person of great sagacity, both for understanding all things, and persuading his hearers: and not mistaken in his opinions, for which reason he began to have higher notions of virtue than others had; and he determined to reform and change the opinion all men happened then to have concerning God; for he was the first who ventured to publish this notion that there was but one God, the creator of the universe; and that as to other gods, if they contributed to the happiness of men, that each of them afforded it according to his appointment, and not by their own power. This opinion was derived from the irregular phenomena that were visible both at land and sea; as well as those that happen to the sun and moon, and all the heavenly bodies, thus: "If," said he, "these bodies had power of their own they would certainly take care of their own regular motions; but since they do not preserve such regularity, they make it plain that so far as they operate to our advantage, they do it of their own abilities but as they are subservient to him that commands them; to whom alone we ought justly to offer our honour and thanksgiving." For which doctrines when the Chaldeans and other people of Mesopotamia raised a tumult against him, he thought fit to leave that country; and at the command and by the assistance of God, he came and lived in the land of Canaan.† And when he was there settled, he built an altar, and performed a sacrifice to God.

Berosus mentions our father Abram without naming him, when he says, "In the tenth generation after the flood, there was among the Chaldeans a man, righteous and great, and skilful in the celestial science." But Hecateus does more than barely mention him; for he composed and left behind him a book concerning him. And Nicolaus of Damascus, in the fourth book of his history, says, "Abram reigned at Damascus; being a foreigner, who came with an army out of the land above Babylon, called the land of the Chaldeans. But after a long time he removed from that country also, with his people, and went into the land then called the land of Canaan, but now the land of Judea: and this when his posterity were become a mul

* Gen. xii. 1.

+ Gen. xii. 5.

titude; as to which posterity of his we relate their history in another work. Now the name of Abram is even still famous in the country of Damascus; and there is shewn a village named from him, The Habitation of Abram."

CHAP. VIII.

OF ABRAM'S DEPARTURE INTO EGYPT IN CONSEQUENCE of a FAMINE; AND of his SUBSEQUENT RETURN.

NOW after this, when a famine* had invaded the land of Canaan, and Abram had discovered that the Egyptians were in a flourishing condition, he was disposed to go down to them; both to partake of the plenty they enjoyed, and to learn what their priest asserted concerning the gods: designing either to follow them, if they had better notions than he; or to convert them into a better way, if his own notions proved the truest.— Now as he was to take Sarai with him, and was afraid of the madness of the Egyptians with regard to women, lest the king should kill him on occasion of his wife's great beauty, he contrived this device: He pretended to be her brother, and directed her in a dissembling way to pretend the same: for he said, it would be for their benefit. Now as soon as they came into Egypt, it happened to Abram as he supposed. For the fame of his wife's beauty was greatly talked of; for which reason Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, would not be satisfied with what was reported of her, but would needs see her himself. But God put a stop to his unjust inclinations, by sending upon him a distemper, and a sedition against his government. And when he inquired of his priests, how he might be freed from those calamities, they told him, that his miserable condition was derived from the wrath of God, upon account of his inclination to abuse the stranger's wife. He then, out of fear, asked Sarai, who she was, and who it was that she had brought along with her? And when he had discovered the truth, he excused himself to Abram, that supposing the woman to be his sister, and not his wife, he set his affections on her, as desiring an affinity with him by marrying her, but not as incited by lust to abuse her. He also made him a large present in money; and gave him leave to enter into conversation with the most learned among the Egyp

* Gen. xii. 10,

tians. From which conversation his virtue and reputation became more conspicuous than they had been before.

For whereas the Egyptians were formerly addicted to different customs, and despised each other's sacred and accustomed rites, and were angry one with another on that account: Abram conferred with each of them, and confuting the reasonings they made use of for their respective practices, he demonstrated that such reasonings were vain, and void of truth. Whereupon he was admired by them in those conferences as a very wise man, and one of great sagacity, when he discoursed on any subject he undertook; and this, not only in understanding it, but in persuading other men also to assent to him. He communicated to them arithmetic, and delivered to them the science of astronomy. For before Abram came into Egypt they were unacquainted with some parts of learning; for that science came from the Chaldeans into Egypt, and from thence to the Greeks also.

As soon as Abram returned into Canaan, he parted the land between him and Lot,upon account of the tumultuous behaviour of their shepherds,* concerning the pastures wherein they should feed their flocks. However, he gave Lot his option, or leave to choose which lands he would take; and he took, himself, what the other left; which were the lower grounds at the foot of the mountains: and he himself dwelt in Hebron, which is a city seven years ancienter than Tanis of Egypt.† But Lot possessed the land of the plain and the river Jordan, not far from the kingdom of Sodom: which was then a fine city, but is now destroyed, by the will and wrath of God; as will be shewn in its proper place hereafter.

CHAP. IX.

OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SODOMITES BY THE ASSYRIAN WAR.

AT this time, when the Assyrians had the dominion over Asia, the people of Sodom were in a flourishing condition; both as to riches and the number of their youth. There were five kings that managed the affairs of this country; Ballas, Barsas, Senabir, and Sumobor, with the king of Bela; and each king led on his own troops. And the Assyrians made war upon

Gen. xiii. 7. + Numbers xii', 22.

*

them, and dividing their army into four parts, fought against them. Now every part of the army had its commander, and when the battle was joined, the Assyrians were conquerors, and imposed a tribute upon the kings of the Sodomites, who submitted to this slavery twelve years; and so long they continued to pay their tribute; but on the thirteenth year they rebelled; and then the army of the Assyrians came upon them, under their commanders Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, and Tidal. These kings had laid waste all Syria, and overthrown the offspring of the giants. And when they were come over against Sodom, they pitched their camp at the vale, called the Slimepits; for at that time there were many pits in that place; but upon the destruction of the city of Sodom, that vale became the lake Asphaltites, as it is called: however, concerning this lake, we shall speak more presently. Now when the Sodomites joined battle with the Assyrians, and the fight was very obstinate, many of them were killed, and the rest were carried captive; among which captives were Lot, who had come to assist the Sodomites.

CHAP. X.

OF ABRAM'S SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ASSYRIANS, AND HIS RESCUE OF THE SODOMITE PRISONERS.

WHEN Abram heard of their calamity, he was at once afraid for Lot, his kinsman, and pitied the Sodomites, his friends and neighbours; and thinking it proper to afford them assistance, he did not delay it, but marched hastily, and the fifth night fell upon the Assyrians near Dan; for that is the name of the other

We no where in profane history meet with the name of Chedorlaomer, nor with any of those names of the kings who were confederate with him. The reason hereof is, that Ctesias X. from whom the profane historians take the names of these kings, did not use their original Assyrian names in his history, but rather such as he found in the Persian records. However, since the date of this transaction falls four years before the death of Ninyas, there are good grounds to infer, that Ninyas, who then lived in Persia, was the Chedorlaomer of Moses, at that time the head of the Assyrian monarchy: that Amraphel was his deputy at Babylon in Shinar: and Arioch and Tidal his deputies over some other adjacent countries. For it is remarkable, that Ninyas, was the first who appointed under him such deputies: nor is there any absurdity in Moses to call them kings, since it is observable, from what Isaiah hinted afterwards, chap. x. 8. that the Assyrian boasted his deputy princes to be equal to royal governors. Are not my princes altogether kings? Shackford's Connection, Vol II. 1. 6. B.

↑ Gen. xiv. 1. Vol. I.

F

spring of Jordan; and before they could arm themselves he slew them as it were in their beds; and others, who were not yet gone to sleep, but were so intoxicated they could not fight, ran away. Abram pursued after them till, on the second day, he drove them in a body unto Hoba,* a place belonging to Damascus; and thereby demonstrated that victory does not depend on multitude, and the number of hands, but that the alacrity and courage of soldiers overcome the most numerous bodies of men: while he got the victory over so great an army with no more than three hundred and eighteen of his servants, and three of his friends. But all those that fled returned home ingloriously. So Abram, when he had saved the captive Sodomites, who had been taken by the Assyrians, and Lot, also, his kinsman, returned home in peace.

Now the king of Sodom met him at a certain place, which they called the King's Dale, where Melchisedec, king of the city of Salem, received him. That name signifies, the righteous king: and such he was without dispute, insomuch, that on his account, he was made the priest of God. However, they afterwards called Salem, Jerusalem. Now this Melchisedec supplied Abram's army in a hospitable manner, and gave them provisions in abundance: and as they were feasting, he began to praise him, and to bless God for subduing his enemies under bim. But when Abram gave him the tenth part of his prey, he accepted of the gift. But the King of Sodom desired Abram to take the prey; but intreated that he might have those men restored to him whom Abram had saved from the Assyrians because they belonged to him. But Abram would not do so; nor would make any other advantage of that prey, than what his servants had eaten; but still insisted that he should afford a part to his friends who had assisted him in the battle. The The first of them was called Eschol, and the others Enner and Mambre.

God commended his virtue and said, "Thou shalt not, however lose the rewards thou hast deserved to receive by such glorious actions." He answered, “And what advantage will it be to me to have such rewards, when I have none to enjoy them after me?" for he was hitherto childless. And God promised that, he should have a son, and that his posterity should be very

Gen. xiv. 15.