the antiquities of the jews-1-第7章

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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。