DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6359#0151
ABRAHAM.
135
ABRAHAM.
It is with this individual that the history of the HebreAVs
begins, and it is his Scripture biography that first brings us
into contact with Egyptian usages. For our present purpose
it is not necessary that we should follow out his life in all its
details. Certain acts of it only, bring Egypt into view, and it
*s with these alone that we are now concerned. Leaving Ur
°f the Chaldees, (now Urfah, as it is supposed.) the place of
his nativity, we find him at length in the land of Canaan, a
pastoral chief, leading his flocks and herds to fresh pasture
grounds, as necessity might require. At length a famine arises
to Canaan, and Abraham, who was then in the southern part
°f that country, heard that there was corn in Egypt, and
determined to proceed thither with his family. Beside his wife
Sarai, his household consisted then of his servants only, for at
that time, he was childless. When he reached the borders of
■^gypt, he had an opportunity of comparing the personal ap-
pearance of his wife with that of the females of Egypt, and
found the complexion of the one much fairer than that of the
others. Abraham was apprehensive that the personal appear-
ance of his wife might render her an object of attraction to the
Monarch of Egypt, (who was known by the general term,
Pharaoh;) and was thereby induced to represent her as his
sister; and it appears that his fears were not unfounded.
The princes of Pharaoh " saw the handsome stranger, and
their reports of her beauty soon reached the ears of the king.
^e took the woman into his house, and made valuable presents
her husband; they are particularly enumerated; " sheep
ar>d oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants,
aild she-asses and camels." Pharaoh presently discovered that
135
ABRAHAM.
It is with this individual that the history of the HebreAVs
begins, and it is his Scripture biography that first brings us
into contact with Egyptian usages. For our present purpose
it is not necessary that we should follow out his life in all its
details. Certain acts of it only, bring Egypt into view, and it
*s with these alone that we are now concerned. Leaving Ur
°f the Chaldees, (now Urfah, as it is supposed.) the place of
his nativity, we find him at length in the land of Canaan, a
pastoral chief, leading his flocks and herds to fresh pasture
grounds, as necessity might require. At length a famine arises
to Canaan, and Abraham, who was then in the southern part
°f that country, heard that there was corn in Egypt, and
determined to proceed thither with his family. Beside his wife
Sarai, his household consisted then of his servants only, for at
that time, he was childless. When he reached the borders of
■^gypt, he had an opportunity of comparing the personal ap-
pearance of his wife with that of the females of Egypt, and
found the complexion of the one much fairer than that of the
others. Abraham was apprehensive that the personal appear-
ance of his wife might render her an object of attraction to the
Monarch of Egypt, (who was known by the general term,
Pharaoh;) and was thereby induced to represent her as his
sister; and it appears that his fears were not unfounded.
The princes of Pharaoh " saw the handsome stranger, and
their reports of her beauty soon reached the ears of the king.
^e took the woman into his house, and made valuable presents
her husband; they are particularly enumerated; " sheep
ar>d oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants,
aild she-asses and camels." Pharaoh presently discovered that