Saved The Sodomite Prisoners, And Took From The Assyrians The Prey They
Had Gotten.
1. When, Abram heard of their calamity, he was at once afraid for Lot
his kinsman, and pitied the Sodomites, his friends and neighbors; 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 spring of Jordan; and before they
could arm themselves, he slew some as they were in their beds, before
they could suspect any harm; and others, who were not yet gone to sleep,
but were so drunk 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 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.
2. 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 Salem, received him.
That name signifies, the righteous king: and such he was, without
dispute, insomuch that, on this account, he was made the priest of God:
however, they afterward called Salem Jerusalem. Now this Melchisedec
supplied Abram's army in an 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 him. And 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 entreated 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 that had
assisted him in the battle. The first of them was called Eschol, and
then Enner, and Mambre.
3. And God commended his virtue, and said, Thou shalt not however lose
the rewards thou hast deserved to receive by such thy 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 numerous; insomuch that their number should be like the
stars. When he heard that, he offered a sacrifice to God, as he
commanded him. The manner of the sacrifice was this:—He took an heifer
of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram in like
manner of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a pigeon 19 and as he
was enjoined, he divided the three former, but the birds he did not
divide. After which, before he built his altar, where the birds of prey
flew about, as desirous of blood, a Divine voice came to him, declaring
that their neighbors would be grievous to his posterity, when they
should be in Egypt, for four hundred years; 20 during which time they
should be afflicted, but afterwards should overcome their enemies,
should conquer the Canaanites in war, and possess themselves of their
land, and of their cities.
4. Now Abram dwelt near the oak called Ogyges,—the place belongs to
Canaan, not far from the city of Hebron. But being uneasy at his wife's
barrenness, he entreated God to grant that he might have male issue; and
God required of him to be of good courage, and said that he would add to
all the rest of the benefits that he had bestowed upon him, ever since
he led him out of Mesopotamia, the gift of children. Accordingly Sarai,
at God's command, brought to his bed one of her handmaidens, a woman of
Egyptian descent, in order to obtain children by her; and when this
handmaid was with child, she triumphed, and ventured to affront Sarai,
as if the dominion were to come to a son to be born of her. But when
Abram resigned her into the hand of Sarai, to punish her, she contrived
to fly away, as not able to bear the instances of Sarai's severity to
her; and she entreated God to have compassion on her. Now a Divine Angel
met her, as she was going forward in the wilderness, and bid her return
to her master and mistress, for if she would submit to that wise advice,
she would live better hereafter; for that the reason of her being in
such a miserable case was this, that she had been ungrateful and
arrogant towards her mistress. He also told her, that if she disobeyed
God, and went on still in her way, she should perish; but if she would
return back, she should become the mother of a son who should reign over
that country. These admonitions she obeyed, and returned to her master
and mistress, and obtained forgiveness. A little while afterwards, she
bare Ismael; which may be interpreted Heard of God, because God had
heard his mother's prayer.
5. The forementioned son was born to Abram when he was eighty-six years
old: but when he was ninety-nine, God appeared to him, and promised him
that he Should have a son by Sarai, and commanded that his name should
be Isaac; and showed him, that from this son should spring great nations
and kings, and that they should obtain all the land of Canaan by war,
from Sidon to Egypt. But he charged him, in order to keep his posterity
unmixed with others, that they should be circumcised in the flesh of
their foreskin, and that this should be done on the eighth day after
they were born: the reason of which circumcision I will explain in
another place. And Abram inquiring also concerning Ismael, whether he
should live or not, God signified to him that he should live to be very
old, and should be the father of great nations. Abram therefore gave
thanks to God for these blessings; and then he, and all his family, and
his son Ismael, were circumcised immediately; the son being that day
thirteen years of age, and he ninety-nine.