PART Gerar rative. city; and, with such data to guide the future explorer, the place will surely be found. It is, perhaps, scarcely proper to speak of this site as even now absolutely Mr. Row- unknown. The Rev. J. Rowlands believes that he not only found Gerar, but lands' nar- also the lost Kadesh-barnea. He thus writes to his friend Mr. Williams: "From Gaza our course was to Khalasa. On our way we discovered ancient Gerar. We had heard of it at Gaza under the name of Joorf el Gerar—the Rush or Rapid of Gerar, which we found to lie three hours south-south-east of Gaza. Within Wady Gaza, a deep and broad channel coming down from the south-east, and running a little higher up than this spot, is Wady es Sheriah, from the east-north-east. Near Joorf el Gerar are the traces of an ancient city called Khirbet el Gerar—the Ruins of Gerar. Our road beyond Khalasa lay along a plain slightly undulating. This plain must be the land of Gerar. Here we sojourned for two days (one of which was Sunday) with Abraham in Gerar." This is rather a meagre account of such a celebrated and unknown region and city, but it is the best we have at present. Mr. Rowlands then went southward to Suez, passing by Khalasa, or Khulasah as Dr. Robinson spells it, and identifies it with the Greek Elusa; but Mr. Rowlands thinks it marks the site of the Chesil of Joshua xv. 30, one of the cities in the south of Judah. Both may be correct. Mr. Rowlands does not seem to have been aware that Dr. Robinson not only visited the place, but gave an extensive description and history of it. Our fortunate traveller, passing in a direct line across the desert from Khalasa to Suez, came, in two hours and a half, to an old site called Sebâta, which he identifies with Zephath, called Hormah"destruction”—in Numbers xxi. 3, where the Israelites vowed a vow to utterly destroy the place, on account of the attack of king Arad; and subsequently, in Judges i. 17, after Judah and Simeon had utterly overthrown it, this name "Destruction" was attached to it a second time. Near this place is also a well, called Bir Rohebeh, and the ruins of a city with the same name, which Rehoboth. he has no doubt was the Rehoboth of Genesis xxvi. 22. The ruins are extensive, and in remarkably good preservation. Ten camel hours (twenty-five miles) further toward Suez, Mr. Rowlands found Moilâhi, which he believes, for half a dozen reasons, to be Beer-lahai-roi, where Hagar found water, and called it after the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Lahai-roi-“ Thou God, seest me.' Our traveller is now in the vast wilderness, plain, or desert of Paran, called also the wilderness of Kadesh, so famous in early Bible story, and he discovers more than one interesting locality. We shall only refer to Kadeshbarnea. He finds it twelve miles east-south-east of Moilâhi; and as he stood at the base of the rock that was smitten by Moses, and gazed upon the beautiful brook of delicious water still gushing forth from it, and leaping down into the desert over many a lovely cascade, he was quite wild with enthusiastic excitement, and well he might be, with his firm faith in the identification. Sebâta- BeerInhai-roi. Kadeshbarnea. "1 Gen. xvi. 13, 14. XXXVII. water. The history of Isaac's sojourn in Gerar is very curious and instructive. Com- CHAPTER bining both pastoral and agricultural industry, it is not strange that he grew very great. The vast grazing plains around and south of his position enabled Isaac in him to multiply his flocks indefinitely, while the "hundred-fold" harvests Gerar. furnished bread for his numerous servants; and, in addition to these advantages, the blessing of the Lord was on the labour of his hands in a manner altogether extraordinary. These things made the Philistines envy and fear him; and therefore Abimelech, king of Gerar, demanded and obtained a covenant of peace with him. Just so at this day the towns, and even cities, such as Hamath and Hums in the north, and Gaza and Hebron in this region, cultivate with great care friendly relations with the sheikhs of prosperous tribes on their borders. It appears that the country was deficient in water, Scarcity of and that wells, dug at great expense, were regarded as very valuable possessions. Isaac was a great well-digger, prompted thereto by the necessities of Wells his vast flocks; and in those days this was an operation of such expense and difficulty as to be mentioned among the acts which rendered illustrious even kings. The strife for possession of them was a fruitful source of annoyance to the peaceful patriarch, as it had been the cause of separation between Abraham and Lot before him; and such contests are now very common all over the country, but more especially in these southern deserts. It was the custom in former times to erect towers or castles to command and secure the possession of valuable watering-places; thus Uzziah built towers in connection with "his many wells."2 And to stop up wells was the most pernicious and destructive species of vengeance-the surest way to convert a flourishing country into a frightful wilderness. Israel was commanded thus to destroy the land of the Moabites, by stopping all the wells of water.3 It would be a curious inquiry for the explorer to seek out these wells, nor would it be surprising if they should be found still bearing the significant names which Isaac gave them. All travellers agree that water is so scarce and valuable in that region, that the places where it is to be found are as well known by the Arabs as are the most flourishing towns in other parts of the country. Isaac's place of residence was the well Lahai-roi, as we read in Genesis xxv. 11, and xxiv. Labai-rol. 62-the same that was so named by Hagar. It may have been first discovered by her, or miraculously produced by "the God that saw her," for the salvation of the maternal ancestor of the Arab race and her unborn son, as the fountain of Kadesh afterward was for all Israel,5 and perhaps that of Lehi for Samson. It seems to have been the usual mode to designate the dwellingplace in patriarchal times, and indeed long after, by some circumstance or fact which made it memorable. Abraham dwelt under the oak at Mamre; Isaac at this well; Jacob hid the idols of his family under the oak at Shechem ;7 and long after, Joshua took a great stone and set it up under the same oak, as I 12 Chron. xxvi. 10. 5 Num. xx. 11. 2 2 Chron. xxvi. 9. 32 Kings iii. 19, 25. Gen. xvi. 14. PART III. Coinci patri suppose. Thus, also, Deborah dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah ;2 the angel of the Lord that was sent to Gideon came down and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah; king Saul is said to have tarried under a pomegranate-tree in Migron; and it is yet quite common to find a village better known by some remarkable tree or fountain near it than by its proper namie. The knowledge of these places and things is perpetuated from generation to generation; and I doubt not many of these wells in the south could be discovered, if one had time and liberty to explore. There are some curious coincidences in the patriarchal connections with dences in Gerar. Both Abraham and Isaac came from Beersheba to that city; both archal life. adopted the same prevarication in regard to their wives, for the same reason and with the same result. It would appear that these ladies must have been beautiful in comparison with the darker daughters of Philistia, and this even when they were far advanced in life. Both were taken into the harem of the king, and both rescued by similar divine interpositions. The king, in either case, was called Abimelech, and each had a chief commander called Phicol. Both Abraham and Isaac made covenants with these Abimelechs; the place of meeting in both cases was a well; and from the seven ewe lambs the well was called Beersheba-" the well of seven," or "well of the oath." wives. How do you account for these strange coincidences? It is fair to conclude that Abimelech was the royal title, just as Pharaoh was in Egypt, and Cæsar in Rome. Phicol may also have been a name of office, as mudîr or rushîr now is in this country. If one of these officers is spoken of, his name is rarely mentioned. I, indeed, never know any but the official Coveting title of these Turkish officers. I suppose it was the custom of these Abimelechs to augment their state and glory by introducing into their harems illustrious ladies, and that often without respect to their age. To enable them to do this, they sometimes killed their husbands; and such things are not unknown even in our day. I could point to more than one such transaction among the emeers and sheikhs of this country. This was the temptation which led both Abraham and Isaac to that culpable deception which is recorded of them. As to the other repetitions of similar acts, there is no difficulty in understanding them. After the lapse of many years it would be quite in accordance with Oriental usages for the successors of the first Abimelech to renew the covenant of peace with Isaac, who had grown so great as to he both envied and feared. The mode of contracting alliance was the same, because in both cases an established custom was followed; and that the well should have been twice named Beersheba, from this double transaction made at it, is not surprising. It may have been intended also, by that divine providence which guided all such proceedings of the patriots, to settle, by these remarkable acts, a well-known point to determine in future ages the extreme southern border of the Promised Land. 1 Josh. xxiv. 25-27. 2 Judges iv. 5. 3 Judges vi. 11, 41 Sam. xiv. 2. ISAAC, JACOB, AND ESAU. The character of Isaac is very marked and peculiar 501 He never travelled far CHAPTER from this spot during his long life of one hundred and eighty years -probably never removed from Wady Gerar and its neighbouring city. There are but character few acts of his life on record, and several of these are not much to his credit. of Isame. He seems to have been an industrious, quiet man, disposed to wander alone and meditate, at least when he had such an interesting theme to think about as the coming of the camels with his expected bride. He preferred peace to strife, even when the right was on his side, and he was "much mightier" than those who annoyed and injured him. This silent submission to injury was objected to by Abimelech in the question of the wells, and with much apparent justice. The king, when reproved about those which his servants had violently taken away, replied, in substance, Why did you lay up this grudge in your heart all this while? You should have had more confidence in my justice, and, instead of tacitly implying that I was a party to this violence, you ought to have reported the case to me. I do not feel flattered by this concealment, nor very well pleased that it should be cast in my teeth on this particular occasion. The same injurious suspicion is more prominent in Isaac's conversation about his wife. He there distinctly states his apprehension that Abimelech was a lawless tyrant, who would not stick at murder in order to get Rebekah into his harem. Neither Isaac nor Rebekah appears to advantage in this discussion with Abimelech. I say appears, because it is by no means certain that the king was not capable of doing just what Isaac feared; while Isaac would sooner have lost his right hand, or even his life, than be guilty of such enormous wickedness. And it is often the case that a very bad man may be able to set his conduct in such a light as to seem more honourable and generous than those much better than himself. This should be remembered Jacob an♬ when we study the exhibitions of character made by Jacob and Esau at their Esau. meeting in Gilead. Esau carries off the whole credit of the interview, and his brother seems cold, suspicious, cunning, unbrotherly. And while I do not pretend to admire certain traits in Jacob's character, yet he was far more upright and religious than Esau. Jacob knew him and his four hundred men too well to venture into his society and power. Hence all the shuffling and backing out, and even deception, which he gave in return for his injured brother's forgiveness, warm-hearted welcome, and generous offers of assistance. Jacob dared not accept them, and yet to reject them under such circumstances could not but place him in great embarrassment. How could Isaac have been so grossly deceived by Jacob and his mother? He was not only blind, but old, so that he could not distinguish with Deception accuracy, either by the touch of his shrivelled hand or by the ear, now dull of of Isaac, hearing. It must be further remembered that Esau was from his birth a hairy person. He was now a man, full grown, and no doubt as rough and shaggy as any he-goat. Jacob was of the same age, and his whole history shows that he was eminently shrewd and cunning. He got that from his mother, who on this occasion plied all her arts to make the deception perfect. She fitted out Jacob PART III. History of Isaac. Retribu tion. with Esau's well-known clothes, strongly scented with such odours as he was accustomed to use. The ladies and dandies in ancient times delighted to make their "raiment smell like the smell of a field which the Lord had blessed;" and at this day they scent their gala garments with such rich and powerful spicery that the very street along which they walk is perfumed. It is highly probable that Jacob, a plain man, given to cattle and husbandry, utterly eschewed these odoriferous vanities, and this would greatly aid in the deception. Poor old Isaac felt the garments, and smelled the still more distinguishing perfumes of Esau, and though the voice was Jacob's, yet he could not doubt that the person before him was--what he solemnly protested that he was -his first-born. The extreme improbability of deception would make him less suspicious, and, so far as the hair and the perfume are concerned, I have seen many Arabs who might now play such a game with entire success. All this is easy and plain in comparison with the great fact that this treachery and perjury, under most aggravating accompaniments, should be in a sense ratified and prospered by the all-seeing God of justice. It is well to remember, however, that though the blessing, once solemnly bestowed, according to established custom in such cases, could not be recalled, yet, in the overruling providence of God, the guilty parties were made to eat the bitter fruit of their sin during their whole lives. In this matter they sowed to the wind and reaped the whirlwind. We set out on this line of remark by saying that in several of the known incidents of Isaac's history, few though they be, he does not appear to advantage. Even in this transaction, where he, now old, blind, and helpless, was so cruelly betrayed by his wife and deceived by his son, he is unfortunately at fault in the main question. He was wrong and Rebekah was right on the real point of issue; and, what is more, Isaac's judgment in regard to the person most proper to be invested with the great office of transmitting the true faith and the true line of descent for the promised Messiah was determined by a pitiful relish and longing for " savoury meat." Alas, for poor human nature! There is none of it without dross; and mountains of mud must be washed to get one diamond as large as a pea. We have taken no note of time during this long digression, nor have I even noticed the face of the country. Not much lost thereby, for our track has been the ordinary road to Beit Jibrîn. After emerging from the great olive-grove north of Gaza, we had Beit Hanûn on our left; then Demreh, on the same side, upon the bank of Wady Simsim, and Nejid on the south of our path. The village we have just passed is Simsim, and this one to which we are coming is Burîer. Time from Gaza three hours; direction, north-east; country, a rich, rolling, agricultural Um Lakis. plain. Our next village is Um Lakis, which, I have little doubt, derives its name from the Lachish so celebrated in Bible story and prophecy. The city itself seems to have been more to the south, and nearer Beit Jibrîn, according to the "Onomasticon" and other notices. Even that is not certain, however, and |