5

and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided into their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. 6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city of Rehoboth, and Calah, 12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah; the same is a great city. 18 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. 15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, 16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite and afterwards were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. 23 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations. 21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. 22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. 23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. 24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. 25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his day was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. 26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar, a mount of the east. $1 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. 82 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by those were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

As all mankind are of one family, and nearly related in Adam and Noah,

how reasonable is it that we should love and do good to each other! When

ever we behold a human being, whatever be his language and garb, or wherever he was born, we should recognize a near relation, and behave to him

accordingly. In this view the prejudice and contempt which generally prevail with regard to foreigners is both very unnatural and absurd.-Scott.

CHAP. XI.

ND the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

Josephus, in his 'Antiquities,' tells us that the sons of Noah, for some years after the flood, dwelt on the tops of high mountains, not daring to take up their habitation in the lower ground, for fear of being drowned by another flood; yet, in process of time, seeing no flood come, they ventured down to the plain of Shinar, where we see their former fear ended in one of the boldest, proudest attempts against God that the sun was ever witness to. They who at first were so maidenly and fearful as not to venture down their hills for fear of

drowning, now have a design to secure themselves against all future attempts from the God of heaven Himself. Thus often we see God's judgments leave such an impression on men's spirits, that for a while they stand aloof from their sins, as they on their hills, afraid to come down to them; but when they see fair weather continue, and no clouds gather towards another storm, they then descend to their old wicked practices, and grow more bold and Heaven-daring than ever.-Gurnall.

And they said, Go to, 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.

These Babel- builders put themselves to a great deal of foolish expense to make them a name; but they could not gain their point, for we do not find in any history the name of so much as one of them. Philo Judæus says that they engraved every one his

name upon a brick, with a view of perpetuating their memory; yet neither did this serve their purpose. It is just with God to bury those names in the dust which are raised by sin.-M. Henry.

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which

the children of men builded.

God could easily have hindered the laying of the first stone, and might as easily have made a trench for the foundation the grave of the builders; but He loves to see what wicked men would do, and to let fools

What

run themselves out of breath. monument should they have had of their own madness, and His powerful interruption, if the walls had risen to no height?-Bp. Hall.

And the LORD said, Behold the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do,

We learn by reason what great things may be done in worldly achievement where unity is; and shall not reason (assisted by the motive of religion) teach us that unity among Christians may enable them to enterprise greater things for Christ? Would not this make Satan fall from heaven like lightning? For, as unity built literal Babel, it is unity that must pull down

mystical Babel. And, on the other hand, where divisions are there is confusion; by this means a Babel hath been built in every age. It has been observed by a learned man-and I wish I could not say truly observedthat there is most of Babel and confusion among those that cry out most against it!-Bunyan.

7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it 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.

How easy is it for God, in ten thousand ways, to correct and forestall the greatest projects of men! One calls for brick, the other looks him in the face, and wonders what he commands, and how and why he speaks such words as were never heard; and instead thereof brings him mortar, returning him an answer as little understood; each chides with the other, expressing his choler, so as he only can understand himself. From heat they fall to quiet entreaties, but still with the same success. At first every man

12

thinks his fellow mocks him; but now, perceiving this serious confusion, their only answer was silence and ceasing. They could not come together, for no man could call them to be understood; and if they had assembled, nothing could be determined, because one could never attain to the other's purpose. No, they could not have the honour of a general dismission, but each man leaves his trowel and station more like a fool than he undertook it. So commonly actions begun in glory end in shame.-Bp. Hall.

14

10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: 11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: 18 And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: 15 And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. 16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg 7 And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. 18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 19 And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. 20 And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: 21 And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. 22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and be

:

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gat sons and daughters. 24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: 25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. 26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 80 But Sarai was barren; she had no child. 81 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Since we find in this chapter that human life was shortened, it becomes us to work in haste. Shem lived 600 years; some of his immediate descendants only 200 years; and at

Now

length the term was reduced to 70 years. Therefore let us redeem the time, begin the great work of religion early, and whatever our hands find to do, do it with all our might.'-Orton.

CHAP. XII.

TOW the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 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:

Such things as are here recorded of Abram are easier to read concerning others than to practise ourselves; yet, he that hateth not father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, in comparison of Christ, cannot be His disciple. We may not be called upon to part with them; but our minds must be made up to do so if they stand between us and Christ. -A. Fuller.

The world esteems the Christian, for his singularity of life, the only fool; which, perhaps, gave the first occasion to that nickname whereby men commonly express a silly man or a fool. Such a one, say they, is a mere Abraham; that is, in the world's account, a fool. But why an Abraham? Be

cause Abraham did that which carnal reason, the world's idol, laughs at as mere folly; he left a present estate in his father's house to go he knew not whither, to receive an inheritance he knew not where.-Gurnall.

Abraham, it is said (v. 4), obeyed the Divine call, and went he knew not whither. Into what unknown country must I go?' he might say. It is no matter for that whether you know or not, but follow the Divine call;' and he abandons all and follows. He trusts, makes a venture in the dark. Thus do all believers. They shut their eyes and trust, wink and trust. So doth Abram in this: Go your way into a country you know not;' he goes by faith, he obeyed, and went he knew not whither. I can' (as if he had

cised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

neither male nor female in Christ, but all are one in Him. As we desire the blessings of this covenant, let us comply with the terms of it, which are faith and obedience. They who submitted to the circumcision were debtors to the whole law, to all the ceremonies and rites of the Jewish religion. So is every believer in Christ a debtor to the whole of what Christianity requires, viz., to baptism, the Lord's Supper, and all moral duties.-Orton.

There is much of the Gospel in this covenant. Let us seek our own part in the blessings of it. They that are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.' Consider their value and extent. Submit cheerfully to the terms of the covenant; and ever remember that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availethanything, but a new creature.' God hath now changed the seal of the covenant into a more gentle administration, of which both sexes partake; there is 15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Åbraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. 22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Abraham said unto God (v. 18), 'O that Ishmael might live before thee!' When God condescends to converse with us, when our souls are enlarged in devotion, then we have a good opportunity to put in a word for our friends and relations, to spread our own cases and theirs particularly be

fore Him. Let parents, especially, be concerned for the souls of their children; pray for them that they may live; that they may live before God, holily and religiously, to His honour and the credit of their profession.Orton.

23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. 24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ish