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would have been impiety to have delayed. If we desire to follow God fully, and do his will, we may hope that he will make the path of duty plain before our face, and lead us in the way in which we should go.

3. Let us accustom ourselves to ejaculatory prayer, and lifting up our hearts to God: Abraham's servant did so several times. It is a good thing to keep God always in our thoughts; and in every instance in which we receive mercy from his hand, to dart forth a grateful ascription of praise to him, who deals bountifully with us. This will prepare us to receive further mercy; and we may hope that God will make our journey through life prosperThus are we to pray without ceasing, and in every thing to give thanks,

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CHAP. XXIV. 29, to the end.

ND Rebekah had a brother, and his name [was] Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well. 30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the 31 camels at the well. And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD, whom God hath so eminently favoured and blessed : wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the $2 house, and room for the camels. And the man came into the house and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the men's feet that [were] with him; for in those hot countries 33 they went either barefoot, or with sandals only, And there was set [meat] before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on. 34 35 And he said, I [am] Abraham's servant, And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and 36 men servants, and maid servants, and camels, and asses. And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old, by a supernatural work of God: and therefore some.. thing extraordinary may be expected from him; and unto him 37 hath he given, by promise, all that he hath. And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: 38. But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, 39 and take a wife unto my son. And I said unto my master, 40 Peradventure the woman will not follow me. And he said

unto me, the LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel

with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife 41 for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house: Then shalt thou be clear from [this] my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee [one,] thou shalt be clear from my oath, and whatever might be the consequence 42 of the violation thereof. And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou 43 do prosper my way which I go: Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw [water,] and I say to her, Give me, I 44 pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink; And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: [let] the same [be] the woman whom the LORD hath ap45 pointed out for my master's son. And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew [water] and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray 46 thee. And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her [shoulder,] and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also. 47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter [art] thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him and I put the earring upon her face, and 48 the bracelets upon her hands. And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take 49 my master's brother's daughter unto his son. And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, show true kindness and real friendship in giving your daughter to his son, tell me : and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left, and seek a wife for him elsewhere.

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Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good, any thing which may hinder thy design; but do fully 51 acquiesce in this strange providence. Behold, Rebekah [is] before thee, take [her,] and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken, directed by his provi 52 dence, as we plainly perceive by the whole of this business. And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, [bowing himself] to the earth, and praising him for having thus inclined their hearts. 53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave [them] to Rebekah : he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things, as a proof of his master's wealth and generosity, and in return for 54 their civility to him. And they did eat and drink, he and the men that [were] with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my

55 master. And her brother and her mother said, Let the dam

sel abide with us [a few] days, at the least ten; after that she 56 shall go. And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the

LORD hath prospered my way: send me away that I may go 57 to my master. And they said, We will call the damsel, and 58 inquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And, having an high opinion of the piety of Abraham's family, from what she had seen 59 in his servant, she said, I will go. And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and 60 his men. And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou [art] our sister, be thou [the mother] of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them. Probably Eliezer had told them there was such a promise made to Abraham and his seed, and here they turn it into a 61 prayer and a blessing. And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he 63 dwelt in the south country. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even tide, to converse with God and himself by pious thoughts and ejaculations, and fervant prayer and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold the camels [were] 64 coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she 65 saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she [had] said unto the servant, What man [is] this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant [had] said, It [is] my master : 66 therefore she took a veil, and covered herself. And the ser 67 vant told Isaac all things that he had done. And Isaac

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brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and by the solemnity of marriage she became his wife; and he loved her and Isaac was comforted after his mother's [death] which was about three years before, and for which he still grieved. This was very suitable to Isaac's character, who seems to have been as blameless a person as any we read of.

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REFLECTIONS.

E see what great blessings good servants are to a family; and servants may here see what they ought to Abraham was so well convinced of Eliezer's piety and fidelity, that he trusted him with this most important concern, for he was old, and could not go on the business himself. Here is a good example to servants. This man was eminent for piety; he abounded in prayer and devotion, called upon God in every step he took, and praised him for every mercy he received. was much acquainted with the methods of Providence; joined with pleasure, undoubtedly, in the religious exercises of Abra

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ham's family, and carried his religion with him wherever he went. He delivered his master's orders with all fidelity and diligence, and with a great deal of prudence and caution: he did his business with dispatch; he minded it more than his meat or drink; he would not eat till he had told his errand. He regarded his master's profit and comfort, more than his own pleasure. He knew his master would be anxious to know what success he met with, and that affairs wanted him at home; he was therefore in haste to return. Let servants learn from this example, first, to serve their master in heaven, by prayer and devotion; and to show all good fidelity to their masters on earth, by being diligent in their business, and not trifling over their work, or staying unnecessarily on their errands. Let them all remember that they have a master in heaven, to whom they are accountable for that part of their behaviour which their earthly masters cannot Thus they will adorn the religion they profess, and be a credit and comfort to the families where they live. If we desire to have such servants, we should do as Abraham did; command our children and household to keep the way of the Lord, and to do justice and judgment.

see.

2. Let us be excited, by the example of Isaac, to give ourselves to prayer and meditation. Isaac did not go into the field to amuse himself, but to converse with God and his own heart. Like him, let us often retire from the world, and leave its company and cares behind us. Let us examine our hearts; set God before us; and remember in our private walks and chambers, that we are not alone, for God is with us. Let our walks in the fields be improved to such purposes; there we see the beauties of creation, and the goodness of God. After the business of the day, it is delightful to refresh ourselves with pious meditations, and to take a review of God's goodness and dealings with us. Thus we shall be likely to meet with mercies and comforts in our walks, as Isaac did; and shall be training up for that world, where they neither marry nor are given in marriage.

VOL. 1.

CHAP. XXV. 1-18.

Alterations in families of distinction are much taken notice of, and the common topic of conversation. Here are several particulars relating to Abraham's family worthy of our attention; namely, his second marriage; the distribution of his goods; his death and burial; and some account of the descendants of Ishmael,

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HEN again, after Sarah's death, and Isaac's marriage, Abraham, wanting a companion in his old age, took a wife, called a concubine, and her name [was] Keturah. was born in his house, and perhaps the chief of his maid servants. 2 And she bare him six sons, namely, Zimran, and Jokshan, 3 and Medan, and Midian,* and Ishbak, and Shuah.† And

Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan 4 were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian were five; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these [were] the children of Keturah.‡

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And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac, as being his 6 only heir, and the child of promise. But unto the sons of Hagar and Keturah,|| the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, money and goods, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country, that they might not interfere with him or claim the

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And these [are] the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years; his 8 latter days were spent in silence and peace. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, yielded his spirit calmly and cheerfully to God, and died in a good old age, that is, in an holy old age, free from the calamities and infirmities which often attend that period, an old man and full [of years ;†] and was gathered to 9 his people, to his pious ancestors in the other world. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zoar the Hittite, which [is] 10 before Mamre ; The field which Abraham purchased of the

* The father of the Midianites, of whom we read chap. xxxvi. 35. Isa. x. 26. These children settled in Arabia and Syria, and became the heads of families or tribes. Job probably descended from some of them, as Bildad seems to have done from Shuah.

We read afterward of the five kings of Midian; so that probably a small kingdom rose from each of these.

Though Sarah was dead when he married Keturah, yet it seems she was but a half wife, because her children did not inherit.

That is, Arabia, which lay east of Canaan. Hence they are sometimes called chil dren of the east. All the rest was given to Isaac, agreeable to the marriage settlement with Rebekah.

Full of days. Samar. Pent.

Ishmael seems to have had a great respect for his father, and perhaps often saw Kim ; and now at least, if mot before, Isaac and he were reconciled,

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