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The Antiquities of the Jews

F >> Flavius Josephus >> The Antiquities of the Jews




CHAPTER 7.

How Abram Our Forefather Went Out Of The Land Of The Chaldeans,
And Lived In The Land Then Called Canaan But Now Judea.

1. Now Abram, having no son of his own, adopted Lot, his brother
Haran's son, and his wife Sarai's brother; and he left the land
of Chaldea when he was seventy-five years old, and at the command
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
renew and to change the opinion all men happened then to have
concerning God; for he was the first that 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 any
thing to the happiness of men, that each of them afforded it only
according to his appointment, and not by their own power. This
his 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 in so far as they
co-operate to our advantage, they do it not of their own
abilities, but as they are subservient to Him that commands them,
to whom alone we ought justly to offer our honor 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.

2. Berosus mentions our father Abram without naming him, when he
says thus: "In the tenth generation after the Flood, there was
among the Chaldeans a man righteous and great, and skillful in
the celestial science." But Hecatseus 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 thus: "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 got
him up, and 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
multitude; 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 shown a village named from
him, The Habitation of Abram."

CHAPTER 8.

That When There Was A Famine In Canaan, Abram Went Thence Into
Egypt; And After He Had Continued There A While He Returned Back
Again.

1. 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 become an auditor of their
priests, and to know what they said 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, seeing 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
he came into Egypt, it happened to Abram as he supposed it would;
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,
and was preparing to enjoy her; 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 the priests how
he might be freed from these calamities, they told him that this
his miserable condition was derived from the wrath of God, upon
account of his inclinations to abuse the stranger's wife. He
then, out of fear, asked Sarai who she was, and who it was that
she brought along with her. And when he had found out 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 Egyptians; from which conversation his virtue
and his reputation became more conspicuous than they had been
before.

2. For whereas the Egyptians were formerly addicted to different
customs, and despised one another's sacred and accustomed rites,
and were very angry one with another on that account, Abram
conferred with each of them, and, confuting the reasonings they
made use of, every one for their own practices, 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
those parts of learning; for that science came from the Chaldeans
into Egypt, and from thence to the Greeks also.

3. As soon as Abram was come back into Canaan, he parted the land
between him and Lot, upon account of the tumultuous behavior 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 more ancient than Tunis of Egypt. But Lot possessed the
land of the plain, and the river Jordan, not far from the city of
Sodom, which was then a fine city, but is now destroyed, by the
will and wrath of God, the cause of which I shall show in its
proper place hereafter.

CHAPTER 9.

The Destruction Of The Sodomites By The Assyrian Wall.

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 county: Ballas, Barsas, Senabar, and
Sumobor, with the king of Bela; and each king led on his own
troops: and the Assyrians made war upon them; and, dividing their
army into four parts, fought against them. Now every part of the
army had its own commander; and when the battle was joined, the
Assyrians were conquerors, and imposed a tribute on 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, Chodorlaomer, 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 Slime Pits,
for at that time there were pits in that place; but now, 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 was Lot, who had come to assist the Sodomites.

CHAPTER 10.

How Abram Fought With The Assyrians, And Overcame Them, And 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.
CHAPTER 11.

How God Overthrew The Nation Of The Sodomites, Out Of His Wrath
Against Them For Their Sins.

1. About this time the Sodomites grew proud, on account of their
riches and great wealth; they became unjust towards men, and
impious towards God, insomuch that they did not call to mind the
advantages they received from him: they hated strangers, and
abused themselves with Sodomitical practices. God was therefore
much displeased at them, and determined to punish them for their
pride, and to overthrow their city, and to lay waste their
country, until there should neither plant nor fruit grow out of
it.

2. When God had thus resolved concerning the Sodomites, Abraham,
as he sat by the oak of Mambre, at the door of his tent, saw
three angels; and thinking them to be strangers, he rose up, and
saluted them, and desired they would accept of an entertainment,
and abide with him; to which, when they agreed, he ordered cakes
of meal to be made presently; and when he had slain a calf, he
roasted it, and brought it to them, as they sat under the oak.
Now they made a show of eating; and besides, they asked him about
his wife Sarah, where she was; and when he said she was within,
they said they would come again hereafter, and find her become a
mother. Upon which the woman laughed, and said that it was
impossible she should bear children, since she was ninety years
of age, and her husband was a hundred. Then they concealed
themselves no longer, but declared that they were angels of God;
and that one of them was sent to inform them about the child, and
two of the overthrow of Sodom.

3. When Abraham heard this, he was grieved for the Sodomites; and
he rose up, and besought God for them, and entreated him that he
would not destroy the righteous with the wicked. And when God had
replied that there was no good man among the Sodomites; for if
there were but ten such man among them, he would not punish any
of them for their sins, Abraham held his peace. And the angels
came to the city of the Sodomites, and Lot entreated them to
accept of a lodging with him; for he was a very generous and
hospitable man, and one that had learned to imitate the goodness
of Abraham. Now when the Sodomites saw the young men to be of
beautiful countenances, and this to an extraordinary degree, and
that they took up their lodgings with Lot, they resolved
themselves to enjoy these beautiful boys by force and violence;
and when Lot exhorted them to sobriety, and not to offer any
thing immodest to the strangers, but to have regard to their
lodging in his house; and promised that if their inclinations
could not be governed, he would expose his daughters to their
lust, instead of these strangers; neither thus were they made
ashamed.

4. But God was much displeased at their impudent behavior, so
that he both smote those men with blindness, and condemned the
Sodomites to universal destruction. But Lot, upon God's informing
him of the future destruction of the Sodomites, went away, taking
with him his wife and daughters, who were two, and still virgins;
for those that were betrothed (21) to them were above the
thoughts of going, and deemed that Lot's words were trifling. God
then cast a thunderbolt upon the city, and set it on fire, with
its inhabitants; and laid waste the country with the like
burning, as I formerly said when I wrote the Jewish War. (22) But
Lot's wife continually turning back to view the city as she went
from it, and being too nicely inquisitive what would become of
it, although God had forbidden her so to do, was changed into a
pillar of salt;(23) for I have seen it, and it remains at this
day. Now he and his daughters fled to a certain small place,
encompassed with the fire, and settled in it: it is to this day
called Zoar, for that is the word which the Hebrews use for a
small thing. There it was that he lived a miserable life, on
account of his having no company, and his want of provisions.

5. But his daughters, thinking that all mankind were destroyed,
approached to their father, (24) though taking care not to be
perceived. This they did, that human kind might not utterly fail:
and they bare sons; the son of the elder was named Moab, Which
denotes one derived from his father; the younger bare Ammon,
which name denotes one derived from a kinsman. The former of whom
was the father of the Moabites, which is even still a great
nation; the latter was the father of the Ammonites; and both of
them are inhabitants of Celesyria. And such was the departure of
Lot from among the Sodomites.

CHAPTER 12.

Concerning Abimelech; And Concerning Ismael The Son Of Abraham;
And Concerning The Arabians, Who Were His Posterity.

1. Abraham now removed to Gerar of Palestine, leading Sarah along
with him, under the notion of his sister, using the like
dissimulation that he had used before, and this out of fear: for
he was afraid of Abimelech, the king of that country, who did
also himself fall in love with Sarah, and was disposed to corrupt
her; but he was restrained from satisfying his lust by a
dangerous distemper which befell him from God. Now when his
physicians despaired of curing him, he fell asleep, and saw a
dream, warning him not to abuse the stranger's wife; and when he
recovered, he told his friends that God had inflicted that
disease upon him, by way of punishment, for his injury to the
stranger; and in order to preserve the chastity of his wife, for
that she did not accompany him as his sister, but as his
legitimate wife; and that God had promised to be gracious to him
for the time to come, if this person be once secure of his wife's
chastity. When he had said this, by the advice of his friends, he
sent for Abraham, and bid him not to be concerned about his wife,
or fear the corruption of her chastity; for that God took care of
him, and that it was by his providence that he received his wife
again, without her suffering any abuse. And he appealed to God,
and to his wife's conscience; and said that he had not any
inclination at first to enjoy her, if he had known she was his
wife; but since, said he, thou leddest her about as thy sister, I
was guilty of no offense. He also entreated him to be at peace
with him, and to make God propitious to him; and that if he
thought fit to continue with him, he should have what he wanted
in abundance; but that if he designed to go away, he should be
honorably conducted, and have whatsoever supply he wanted when he
came thither. Upon his saying this, Abraham told him that his
pretense of kindred to his wife was no lie, because she was his
brother's daughter; and that he did not think himself safe in his
travels abroad, without this sort of dissimulation; and that he
was not the cause of his distemper, but was only solicitous for
his own safety: he said also, that he was ready to stay with him.
Whereupon Abimelech assigned him land and money; and they
coventanted to live together without guile, and took an oath at a
certain well called Beersheba, which may be interpreted, The Well
of the Oath: and so it is named by the people of the country unto
this day.

2. Now in a little time Abraham had a son by Sarah, as God had
foretold to him, whom he named Isaac, which signifies Laughter.
And indeed they so called him, because Sarah laughed when God
(25) said that she should bear a son, she not expecting such a
thing, as being past the age of child-bearing, for she was ninety
years old, and Abraham a hundred; so that this son was born to
them both in the last year of each of those decimal numbers. And
they circumcised him upon the eighth day and from that time the
Jews continue the custom of circumcising their sons within that
number of days. But as for the Arabians, they circumcise after
the thirteenth year, because Ismael, the founder of their nation,
who was born to Abraham of the concubine, was circumcised at that
age; concerning whom I will presently give a particular account,
with great exactness.

3. As for Sarah, she at first loved Ismael, who was born of her
own handmaid Hagar, with an affection not inferior to that of her
own son, for he was brought up in order to succeed in the
government; but when she herself had borne Isaac, she was not
willing that Ismael should be brought up with him, as being too
old for him, and able to do him injuries when their father should
be dead; she therefore persuaded Abraham to send him and his
mother to some distant country. Now, at the first, he did not
agree to what Sarah was so zealous for, and thought it an
instance of the greatest barbarity, to send away a young child
(26) and a woman unprovided of necessaries; but at length he
agreed to it, because God was pleased with what Sarah had
determined: so he delivered Ismael to his mother, as not yet able
to go by himself; and commanded her to take a bottle of water,
and a loaf of bread, and so to depart, and to take Necessity for
her guide. But as soon as her necessary provisions failed, she
found herself in an evil case; and when the water was almost
spent, she laid the young child, who was ready to expire, under a
fig-tree, and went on further, that so he might die while she was
absent. But a Divine Angel came to her, and told her of a
fountain hard by, and bid her take care, and bring up the child,
because she should be very happy by the preservation of Ismael.
She then took courage, upon the prospect of what was promised
her, and, meeting with some shepherds, by their care she got
clear of the distresses she had been in.

4. When the lad was grown up, he married a wife, by birth an
Egyptian, from whence the mother was herself derived originally.
Of this wife were born to Ismael twelve sons; Nabaioth, Kedar,
Abdeel, Mabsam, Idumas, Masmaos, Masaos, Chodad, Theman, Jetur,
Naphesus, Cadmas. These inhabited all the country from Euphrates
to the Red Sea, and called it Nabatene. They are an Arabian
nation, and name their tribes from these, both because of their
own virtue, and because of the dignity of Abraham their father.

CHAPTER 13.

Concerning Isaac The Legitimate Son Of Abraham.

1. Now Abraham greatly loved Isaac, as being his only begotten
(27) and given to him at the borders of old age, by the favor of
God. The child also endeared himself to his parents still more,
by the exercise of every virtue, and adhering to his duty to his
parents, and being zealous in the worship of God. Abraham also
placed his own happiness in this prospect, that, when he should
die, he should leave this his son in a safe and secure condition;
which accordingly he obtained by the will of God: who being
desirous to make an experiment of Abraham's religious disposition
towards himself, appeared to him, and enumerated all the
blessings he had bestowed on him; how he had made him superior to
his enemies; and that his son Isaac, who was the principal part
of his present happiness, was derived from him; and he said that
he required this son of his as a sacrifice and holy oblation.
Accordingly he commanded him to carry him to the mountain Moriah,
and to build an altar, and offer him for a burnt-offering upon it
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.

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