the antiquities of the jews-1-第8章

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for　that　this　would　best　manifest　his　religious　disposition
towards　him；　if　he　preferred　what　was　pleasing　to　God；　before　the
preservation　of　his　own　son。

2。　Now　Abraham　thought　that　it　was　not　right　to　disobey　God　in
any　thing；　but　that　he　was　obliged　to　serve　him　in　every
circumstance　of　life；　since　all　creatures　that　live　enjoy　their
life　by　his　providence；　and　the　kindness　he　bestows　on　them。
Accordingly　he　concealed　this　command　of　God；　and　his　own
intentions　about　the　slaughter　of　his　son；　from　his　wife；　as　also
from　every　one　of　his　servants；　otherwise　he　should　have　been
hindered　from　his　obedience　to　God；　and　he　took　Isaac；　together
with　two　of　his　servants；　and　laying　what　things　were　necessary
for　a　sacrifice　upon　an　ass；　he　went　away　to　the　mountain。　Now
the　two　servants　went　along　with　him　two　days；　but　on　the　third
day；　as　soon　as　he　saw　the　mountain；　he　left　those　servants　that
were　with　him　till　then　in　the　plain；　and；　having　his　son　alone
with　him；　he　came　to　the　mountain。　It　was　that　mountain　upon
which　king　David　afterwards　built　the　temple。　（28）　Now　they　had
brought　with　them　every　thing　necessary　for　a　sacrifice；
excepting　the　animal　that　was　to　be　offered　only。　Now　Isaac　was
twenty…five　years　old。　And　as　he　was　building　the　altar；　he　asked
his　father　what　he　was　about　to　offer；　since　there　was　no　animal
there　for　an　oblation　：　…　to　which　it　was　answered；　〃That　God
would　provide　himself　an　oblation；　he　being　able　to　make　a
plentiful　provision　for　men　out　of　what　they　have　not；　and　to
deprive　others　of　what　they　already　have；　when　they　put　too　much
trust　therein；　that　therefore；　if　God　pleased　to　be　present　and
propitious　at　this　sacrifice；　he　would　provide　himself　an
oblation。〃

3。　As　soon　as　the　altar　was　prepared；　and　Abraham　had　laid　on　the
wood；　and　all　things　were　entirely　ready；　he　said　to　his　son；　〃O
son；　I　poured　out　a　vast　number　of　prayers　that　I　might　have　thee
for　my　son；　when　thou　wast　come　into　the　world；　there　was　nothing
that　could　contribute　to　thy　support　for　which　I　was　not　greatly
solicitous；　nor　any　thing　wherein　I　thought　myself　happier　than
to　see　thee　grown　up　to　man's　estate；　and　that　I　might　leave　thee
at　my　death　the　successor　to　my　dominion；　but　since　it　was　by
God's　will　that　I　became　thy　father；　and　it　is　now　his　will　that
I　relinquish　thee；　bear　this　consecration　to　God　with　a　generous
mind；　for　I　resign　thee　up　to　God　who　has　thought　fit　now　to
require　this　testimony　of　honor　to　himself；　on　account　of　the
favors　he　hath　conferred　on　me；　in　being　to　me　a　supporter　and
defender。　Accordingly　thou；　my　son；　wilt　now　die；　not　in　any
common　way　of　going　out　of　the　world；　but　sent　to　God；　the　Father
of　all　men；　beforehand；　by　thy　own　father；　in　the　nature　of　a
sacrifice。　I　suppose　he　thinks　thee　worthy　to　get　clear　of　this
world　neither　by　disease；　neither　by　war；　nor　by　any　other　severe
way；　by　which　death　usually　comes　upon　men；　but　so　that　he　will
receive　thy　soul　with　prayers　and　holy　offices　of　religion；　and
will　place　thee　near　to　himself；　and　thou　wilt　there　be　to　me　a
succorer　and　supporter　in　my　old　age；　on　which　account　I
principally　brought　thee　up；　and　thou　wilt　thereby　procure　me　God
for　my　Comforter　instead　of　thyself。〃

4。　Now　Isaac　was　of　such　a　generous　disposition　as　became　the　son
of　such　a　father；　and　was　pleased　with　this　discourse；　and　said；
〃That　he　was　not　worthy　to　be　born　at　first；　if　he　should　reject
the　determination　of　God　and　of　his　father；　and　should　not　resign
himself　up　readily　to　both　their　pleasures；　since　it　would　have
been　unjust　if　he　had　not　obeyed；　even　if　his　father　alone　had　so
resolved。〃　So　he　went　immediately　to　the　altar　to　be　sacrificed。
And　the　deed　had　been　done　if　God　had　not　opposed　it；　for　he
called　loudly　to　Abraham　by　his　name；　and　forbade　him　to　slay　his
son；　and　said；　〃It　was　not　out　of　a　desire　of　human　blood　that　he
was　commanded　to　slay　his　son；　nor　was　he　willing　that　he　should
be　taken　away　from　him　whom　he　had　made　his　father；　but　to　try
the　temper　of　his　mind；　whether　he　would　be　obedient　to　such　a
command。　Since　therefore　he　now　was　satisfied　as　to　that　his
alacrity；　and　the　surprising　readiness　he　showed　in　this　his
piety；　he　was　delighted　in　having　bestowed　such　blessings　upon
him；　and　that　he　would　not　be　wanting　in　all　sort　of　concern
about　him；　and　in　bestowing　other　children　upon　him；　and　that　his
son　should　live　to　a　very　great　age；　that　he　should　live　a　happy
life；　and　bequeath　a　large　principality　to　his　children；　who
should　be　good　and　legitimate。〃　He　foretold　also；　that　his　family
should　increase　into　many　nations　（29）　and　that　those　patriarchs
should　leave　behind　them　an　everlasting　name；　that　they　should
obtain　the　possession　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　and　be　envied　by　all
men。　When　God　had　said　this；　he　produced　to　them　a　ram；　which　did
not　appear　before；　for　the　sacrifice。　So　Abraham　and　Isaac
receiving　each　other　unexpectedly；　and　having　obtained　the
promises　of　such　great　blessings；　embraced　one　another；　and　when
they　had　sacrificed；　they　returned　to　Sarah；　and　lived　happily
together；　God　affording　them　his　assistance　in　all　things　they
desired。
CHAPTER　14。

Concerning　Sarah　Abraham's　Wife；　And　How　She
Ended　Her　Days。

Now　Sarah　died　a　little　while　after；　having　lived　one　hundred　and
twenty…seven　years。　They　buried　her　in　Hebron；　the　Canaanites
publicly　allowing　them　a　burying…place；　which　piece　of　ground
Abraham　bought　for　four　hundred　shekels；　of　Ephron；　an　inhabitant
of　Hebron。　And　both　Abraham　and　his　descendants　built　themselves
sepulchers　in　that　place。

CHAPTER　15。

How　The　Nation　Of　The　Troglodytes　Were　Derived　From　Abraham　By
Keturah。

Abraham　after　this　married　Keturah；　by　whom　six　sons　were　born　to
him；　men　of　courage；　and　of　sagacious　minds：　Zambran；　and　Jazar；
and　Madan；　and　Madian；　and　Josabak；　and　Sous。　Now　the　sons　of
Sous　were　Sabathan　and　Dadan。　The　sons　of　Dadan　were　Latusim；　and
Assur；　and　Luom。　The　sons　of　Madiau　were　Ephas；　and　Ophren；　and
Anoch；　and　Ebidas；　and　Eldas。　Now；　for　all　these　sons　and
grandsons；　Abraham　contrived　to　settle　them　in　colonies；　and　they
took　possession　of　Troglodytis；　and　the　country　of　Arabia　the
Happy；　as　far　as　it　reaches　to　the　Red　Sea。　It　is　related　of　this
Ophren；　that　he　made　war　against　Libya；　and　took　it；　and　that　his
grandchildren；　when　they　inhabited　it；　called　it　（from　his　name）
Africa。　And　indeed　Alexander　Polyhistor　gives　his　attestation　to
what　I　here　say；　who　speaks　thus：　〃Cleodemus　the　prophet；　who　was
also　called　Malchus；　who　wrote　a　History　of　the　Jews；　in
agreement　with　the　History　of　Moses；　their　legislator；　relates；
that　there　were　many　sons　born　to　Abraham　by　Keturah：　nay；　he
names　three　of　them；　Apher；　and　Surim；　and　Japhran。　That　from
Surim　was　the　land　of　Assyria　denominated；　and　that　from　the
other　two　（Apher　and　Japbran）　the　country　of　Africa　took　its
name；　because　these　men　were　auxiliaries　to　Hercules；　when　he
fought　against　Libya　and　Antaeus；　and　that　Hercules　married
Aphra's　daughter；　and　of　her　he　begat　a　son；　Diodorus；　and　that
Sophon　was　his　son；　from　whom　that　barbarous　people　called
Sophacians　were　denominated。〃

CHAPTER　16。

How　Isaac　Took　Rebeka　To　Wife。

1。　Now　when　Abraham；　the　father　of　Isaac；　had　resolved　to　take
Rebeka；　who　was　grand…daughter　to　his　brother　Nahor；　for　a　wife
to　his　son　Isaac；　who　was　then　about　forty　years　old；　he　sent　the
ancientest　of　his　servants　to　betroth　her；　after　he　had　obliged
him　to　give　him　the　strongest　assurances　of　his　fidelity；　which
assurances　were　given　after　the　manner　following　：　…　They　put
each　other's　hands　under　each　other's　thighs；　then　they　called
upon　God　as　the　witness　of　what　was　to　be　done。　He　also　sent　such
presents　to　those　that　were　there　as　were　in　esteem；　on　account
that　that　they　either　rarely　or　never　were　seen　in　that　country；
The　servant　got　thither　not　under　a　considerable　time；　for　it
requires　much　time　to　pass　through　Meopotamia；　in　which　it　is
tedious　traveling；　both　in　the　winter　for　the　depth　of　the　clay；
and　in　summer　for　want　of　water；　and；　besides　this；　for　the
robberies　there　committed；　which　are　not　to　be　avoided　by
travelers　but　by　caution　beforehand。　However；　the　servant　came　to
Haran；　and　when　he　was　in　the　suburbs；　he　met　a　considerable
number　of　maidens　going　to　the　water；　he　therefore　prayed　to　God
that　Rebeka　might　be　found　among　them；　or　her　whom　Abraham　sent
him　as　his　servant　to　espouse　to　his　son；　in　case　his　will　were
that　this　marriage　should　be　consummated；　and　that　she　might　be
made　known　to　him　by　the　sign；　That　while　others　denied　him　water
to　drink；　she　might　give　it　him。

2。　With　this　intention　he　went　to　the　well；　and　desired　the
maidens　to　give　him　some　water　to　drink：　but　while　the　others
refused；　on　pretense　that　they　wanted　it　all　at　home；　and　could
spare　none　for　him；　one　only　of　the　company　rebuked　them　for
their　peevish　behavior　towards　the　stranger；　and　said；　What　is
there　that　you　will　ever　communicate　to　anybody；　who　have　not　so
much　as　given　the　man　some　water？　She　then　offered　him　water　in
an　obliging　manner。　And　now　he　began　to　hope　that　his　grand
affair　would　succeed；　but　desiring　still　to　know　the　truth；　he
commended　her　for　her　generosity　and　good　nature；　that　she　did
not　scruple　to　afford　a　sufficiency　of　water　to　those　that　wanted
it；　though　it　cost　her　some　pains　to　draw　it；　and　asked　who　were
her　parents；　and　wished　them　joy　of　such　a　daughter。　〃And　mayst
thou　be　espoused；〃　said　he；　〃to　their　satisfaction；　into　the
family　of　an　agreeable　husband；　and　bring　him　legitimate
children。〃　Nor　did　she　disdain　to　satisfy　his　inquiries；　but　told
him　her　family。　〃They；〃　says　she；　〃call　me　Rebeka；　my　father　was
Bethuel；　but　he　is　dead；　and　Laban　is　my　brother；　and；　together
with　my　mother；　takes　care　of　all　our　family　affairs；　and　is　the
guardian　of　my　virginity。〃　When　the　servant　heard　this；　he　was
very　glad　at　what　had　happened；　and　at　what　was　told　him；　as
perceiving　that　God　had　thus　plainly　directed　his　journey；　and
producing　his　bracelets；　and　some　other　ornaments　which　it　was
esteemed　decent　for　virgins　to　wear；　he　gave　them　to　the　damsel；
by　way　of　acknowledgment；　and　as　a　reward　for　her　kindness　in
giving　him　water　to　drink；　saying；　it　was　but　just　that　she
should　have　them；　because　she　was　so　much　more　obliging　than　any
of　the　rest。　She　desired　also　that　he　would　come　and　lodge　with
them；　since　the　approach　of　the　night　gave　him　not　time　to
proceed　farther。　And　producing　his　precious　ornaments　for　women；
he　said　he　desired　to　trust　them　to　none　more　safely　than　to　such
as　she　had　shown　herself　to　be；　and　that　he　believed　he　might
guess　at　the　humanity　of　her　mother　and　brother；　that　they　would
not　be　displeased；　from　the　virtue　he　found　in　her；　for　he　would
not　be　burdensome；　but　would　pay　the　hire　for　his　entertainment；
and　spend　his　own　money。　To　which　she　replied；　that　he　guessed
right　as　to　the　humanity　of　her　parents；　but　complained　that　he
should　think　them　so　parsimonious　as　to　take　money；　for　that　he
should　have　all　on　free　cost。　But　she　said　she　would　first　inform
her　brother　Laban；　and；　if　he　gave　her　leave；　she　would　conduct
him　in。