PERIOD II.

FROM THE DELUGE TO THE DEATH OF JOSEPH.

B.C. 2347-B.C. 1635. 712 years.

LESSON 4.

GENESIS viii; ix and xi. 14.

History of Noah after the Flood.

God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged. The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. The waters then continued to abate onehundred-and-fifty days, when the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. Noah sent forth a raven and a dove; the raven did not return, but the dove returned. Seven days after, he sent forth the dove again and she returned with an olive leaf in her mouth. Noah sent forth the dove again seven days after, and she returned no

more.

God commanded Noah to leave the ark. Noah did so, and offered a sacrifice to God which he graciously accepted. God then promised that seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night should not cease. God promised never more to destroy the earth by a flood; and as a token of his promise he set his bow in the cloud. He said, "And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh."

PERIOD II.]

NOAH. THE BUILDING OF BABEL.

After the flood, Noah planted a vineyard. He made wine of the grapes, of which he drank and was drunken. His son Ham mocked him. When Noah arose from his wine, he foretold that the descendants of Ham should be servants to the descendants of Shem and Japheth, whom he blessed because they were dutiful. One of Shem's descendants was Eber, or Heber, from whom the Hebrews were probably named. Shem is called the father of all the children of Heber; so that it would appear the Hebrews descended through Shem, the son of Noah.

Ararat 'cursed;' a mountainous district lying near the centre of the kingdom of Armenia; in the north-east portion of the mountain range there are two peaks, the highest of which is said to be 17,000 feet above the level of the sea. It was probably on one of the lower slopes of this mountain where Noah, his family, and the living creatures which had been preserved during the deluge, quitted the ark.

LESSON 5.

GENESIS ix. 1-9; x and xi. 10-23.

The Building of Babel. The Peopling of the Earth. About one-hundred-and-thirteen years after the flood, many people having journeyed from The East, settled in the plain of Shinar. And they said one to another, "Let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."

They all spoke one language; but God said he would there confound their language, that they might not understand one another's speech. It was because God wished them to be settled in various parts of the world, that he made them speak different languages. They left off building the city and the tower, and separated from each other. Therefore the name of the place was called Babel, because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth; and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

THE PEOPLING OF THE EARTH. [2347-1635 B.C.

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, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites.

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.

Shinar-an extensive and a very fertile plain, and the proper name of Babylonia; it comprehended much of the country between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris.

Babel 'confusion' the seat of the great confederacy of man, in the land of Shinar to thwart the design of God-that mankind should fill the earth. 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 possess this land.

Arabia-a large country south and east of Canaan and to the east of Egypt. It was afterwards inhabited by the descendants of Ishmael, its present occupiers.

Egypt-an ancient and a celebrated country, and kingdom of Africa. It is traversed by the river Nile from south to north.

Africa-one of the five great divisions of the earth; known in Scripture as the land of Ham.

Asia-the largest of the five great divisions of the earth; the principal countries mentioned in the Old Testament, except Egypt, were in Asia. Western Asia is the portion known as Asia Minor.

Europe-the smallest of the five divisions of the earth; its inhabitants are intelligent and enterprising.

Nineveh the metropolis of Assyria; it was founded by Asshur, and situated on the river Tigris.

PERIOD II.] OF TERAH. THE CALL OF ABRAM.

LESSON 6.

GEN. xi. 23-25; ix. 28, 29, and xi. 26-xii. 9.

Family of Terah. The Call of Abram.

He

Terah, a descendant of Shem, had three sons, Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot. Terah lived at Ur, in Chaldea. Noah was alive when Terah lived in Chaldea. lived to be nine-hundred-and-fifty years old. in Armenia after the flood, and died there. of Noah, Abram was born. Abram lived seventy-five years with his kindred in Chaldea.

He probably dwelt Soon after the death

God called Abram to leave Chaldea, and come into Canaan. He said, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that 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 families of the earth be blessed."

Terah and his family first removed to Haran, where Terah died. Abram 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. Here also he builded an altar,

and called upon the name of the Lord.

Ur-fire,' or 'light.'

Chaldea-or Babylonia; the original name of this region was Shinar. Chaldea is often used for Babylonia, and the Chaldeans and Babylonians are mentioned as the same people.

Haran-this name was given to the city by Haran, the father of Lot; it was situated in the north-western part of Mesopotamia.

OF ABRAM AND LOT.

MELCHIZEDEK.

[2347-1635 B.C.

Moreh-this place was in the vale of Shechem; upon, or near it, grew a remarkable oak tree which is mentioned in Gen. xxxv. 4; and Josh. xxiv. 26. Bethel-house of God;' it was called Bethel by Jacob after his dream of angels ascending and descending; it was at first called Luz.

Hai or Ai-a city about nine miles distant from the place where Jericho afterwards stood.

LESSON 7.

GENESIS xii. 9-xvi.

History of Abram and Lot. Ishmael born.

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 into 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 their cattle. Abram wished that there should be no strife between them. He told Lot to choose a part of the land for himself, and he chose the Plain of Jordan, near Sodom, because it was well watered. Abram dwelt 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 took Lot prisoner. Abram armed his servants, and pursued the four kings. He defeated them, and brought Lot back 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.