the antiquities of the jews-1-第9节

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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。

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