PERIOD II.] DESCENDANTS OF NOAH. The descendants of Shem dwelt in Armenia and the East. The descendants of Ham peopled Canaan, Arabia, Egypt, and Africa. The descendants of Japheth inhabited western Asia and Europe. Nimrod, a descendant of Ham, built several cities in Babylonia. He was the first king. Asshur was a descendant of Shem; he built Nineveh, and other cities. A son of Ham, named Canaan, had eleven sons; they lived in different parts of the land of Canaan, and their descendants were called Canaanites; the eldest, Sidon, was the father of the Sidonians; the other sons of Canaan were the fathers of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgasites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Aradites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. settled-had fixed their residence. plain an open level tract of country. name-make ourselves, renowned by the confederacy we have formed, and the work we have undertaken. one language--the original language which God gave to Adam. confound confuse, so as to break up all possibility of working in harmony. in various parts-that God's design in creating man-to replenish or fill the earth--might be carried out. separated parted from each other; spread abroad. Nimrod-rebel;' the first who assumed dominion over his fellow-men. Asshur-from whom the country called Assyria received its name. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES. THE EAST-the portions of the world thus spoken of in the scriptures are generally those which lie east of Judea, particularly Mesopotamia, Armenia, and Persia. BABEL-'confusion;' the seat of the great confederacy of man to thwart the design of God. CANAAN the country inhabited by the descendants of Canaan, a son of Ham. It was a land of great fertility, flowing with milk and honey. God promised Abraham that his posterity should this land. Less. 6. possess ARABIA a large country south and east of Canaan and to the east of Egypt. EGYPT an ancient and a celebrated country and kingdom of Africa. AFRICA-one of the five great divisions of the earth; known in Scripture as the land of Ham. ASIA-the largest of the five divisions of the earth; the principal countries mentioned in the Old Testament, except Egypt, were in Asia. EUROPE the smallest of the five divisions of the earth; its inhabitants are intelligent and enterprising. SHINAR-an extensive & very fertile NINEVEH-the metropolis of Assyria, plain, and the proper name of Baby-it was founded by Asshur, and situated lonia; it comprehended much of the on the river Tigris; its remains have countries between the rivers Euphrates been recently discovered, and some of and Tigris. its sculptures brought into England. Deep be the building laid, [2347-1635 B.C. The tower shall reach to heaven;" The proud command was given, With labour vast they toiled, M. A. STODART. 6. FAMILY OF TERAH. THE CALL OF ABRAM. Genesis ix. 28,29; xi. 23-xii. 9. Terah, a descendant of Shem, had three sons, named Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot. Terah lived at Ur in Chaldea. Noah was alive when Terah lived in Chaldea. Noah lived to be nine-hundred-and-fifty years old. He probably lived in Armenia after the flood, and died there. Soon after the death of Noah, Abram was born. Haran, the eldest son of Terah, died before his father in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees, leaving one son named Lot, PERIOD II.] THE CALL OF ABRAM. and two daughters named Milcah and Sarai. The two remaining sons of Terah married the daughters of Haran; Milcah became the wife of Nahor; and Sarai was married to Abram. God called Abram to leave Chaldea, and he, together with the whole house of Terah, came to Haran, at which place they remained some years. Terah died at Haran. Abram was then seventy-five years of age; the divine command was renewed. God said to him, "Get thee out of thy, country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land which I will shew thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." Abram separated himself from the household of Nahor, and obeyed the call of God, for he came into Canaan with Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother's son. And when they came to the plain of Moreh, the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land." Here Abram builded an altar unto the Lord, and he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east, and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord. "WALKING BY FAITH." [2347-1635 B.C. this land-Abram's faith being proved, and the Chaldeans and Babylonians God now names his inheritance. are mentioned as the same people. altar-a low building of stone or other materials on which sacrifices were placed. name of the Lord-the known character of God; proofs had been given of his terrible power, his goodness, and his faithfulness; as well as of his forbearance towards sinners notwithstanding his hatred of sin. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES. Uz-'fire' or light;' probably a sacred city, specially devoted to the worship of the celestial bodies. CHALDEA or BABYLONIA; the original name of this region was Shinar. Chaldea is often used for Babylonia, HARAN this name was given to the city by Haran, the father of Lot; it was situated in the north-western part of Mesopotamia. Terah died there after a residence of about sixty years. MOREH-this place was in the vale of Shechem; near it grew a remarkable oak-tree. Gen. xxxv. 3; and Josh. xxiv. 26. BETHEL house of God;' at this time the place was called Luz, but Moses calls it Bethel by anticipation. It was first called Bethel by Jacob after his dream of angels ascending and descending. HAI or AI-a city about nine miles distant from the place where Jericho afterwards stood. Lesson 31. WALKING BY FAITH. "FAITH IS..THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN." 'Tis by the faith of joys to come We walk through deserts dark as night; Till we arrive at heaven our home, The want of sight she well supplies, So Abram by divine command Left his own house to walk with God; And fire'd his zeal along the road. WATTS. PERIOD II.] THE WAR AGAINST SODOM. OF HAGAR. 7. HISTORY OF ABRAM & LOT. ISHMAEL BORN. Genesis xxii. 9-xvi. Abram went into Egypt, because there was a famine in Canaan. He told Sarai his wife to say to the king of Egypt, that she was his sister. The king took Sarai to his house, but God sent plagues upon ·Pharaoh, who soon after sent Sarai and Abram away. Abram was very rich in cattle, and silver, and gold. Lot had also many flocks, and herds, and tents. They journeyed together to Bethel. Their herdsmen quarrelled because there was not food enough for all their cattle. Abram wished that there should be no strife between them. He told Lot to choose Plain of Jor- a part of the land for himself, and he chose the dan, near Sodom, because it was well watered. in Canaan. The men of Sodom were very wicked. God renewed his promises to Abram, who removed to the plain of Mamre. Four kings made war against the cities of the plain of Sodom. They conquered the kings of the plain, and they took Lot prisoner. Abram armed his servants, and pursued the four kings. He defeated them, and brought back Lot and all his goods. Melchizedek, king of Salem, and priest of the most High God, met Abram and blessed him. God afterwards renewed his promises to Abram, and said his seed should be as numerous as the stars of heaven. Abram then had a vision, and God made known to him the future bondage of his descendants in Egypt. Hagar was Sarai's handmaid whom she gave to Abram. Hagar despised her mistress, and fled from her. The angel of the Lord found Hagar in the wilderness. He told her to return, and submit to her mistress. He said she should have a son, and call his name Ishmael. He said Ishmael should be a wild man; that his hand should be against every man, and every man's hand against him. Hagar called the name of the Lord that spake unto her "Thou God seest me." The well was called Beer-la-hai-roi. Soon after this Ishmael was born; at which time Abram was eighty-six years old. |