23. What did they wish Abraham to do? Unto whom was he to swear? By whom was he to swear? What was Abraham to swear? How was he not to deal? With whom was he not to deal falsely? Nor whose son? What was Abraham not to do to Abimelech, and his son, and his son's son? What was Abraham to do to Abimelech and his children? According to what? Who had done kindness to Abraham? To whom was Abraham to show kindness? To what was Abraham to show kindness? To what land? Who had sojourned in that land?

24. And Abraham said, I will (1) swear.

1. Make oath.

Who

24. What did Abraham say he would do? agreed to swear? To whom did Abraham agree to swear?

25. And Abraham (1) reproved Abimelech (2) because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had (3) violently taken (4) away. 1. Blamed.-2. On account.-3. Unjustly, and by force.-4. From him.

25. Whom did Abraham reprove? Because of what did Abraham reprove Abimelech? What kind of well? What had happened regarding this well? Who had taken it away? Whose servants? What had Abimelech's servants done? How had they taken the well away? What had they violently taken away?

26. And Abimelech said, I (1) wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it (2) but (3) to-day. 1. Know.-2. Till.-3. Now.

26. What did Abimelech say when he was reproved for the well? What did he not wot? Who hath done what? What had Abraham not done? Not told whom? Who had not told Abimelech ? Who had not heard of it? Of what had Abimelech not heard? Till when had he not heard it?

27, And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech : and both of them made (1) a covenant.

1. An agreement.

27. What did Abraham take? Who took the sheep and oxen? What did Abraham do with the sheep and

oxen

? What did he give to Abimelech? What did they both do? What did they make? Who made a covenant?

28. And Abraham (1) set seven ewe-lambs (2) of the (3) flock by themselves.

4. Put aside.-2. Belonging to.-3. Sheep.

28. What did Abraham set by themselves? Ewelambs of what? How many ewe-l mbs? What did Abraham do with the seven ewe-lambs? Who set

them by themselves?

29. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What (1) mean these seven ewe-lambs which thou hast set by themselves? 1. Is the meaning of.-2. Put aside.

29. What did Abimelech do? To whom did Abimelech speak? What did Abimelech ask? How many ewe-lambs were there? What had Abraham done with the ewe-lambs?

30. And (1) he said, (2) For these seven ewe-lambs (3) shalt thou (4) take of (5) my hand, that they may be a (6) witness (7) unto me that I have (8) digged this well.

1. Abraham.-2. My reason for doing it is this.-3. Must.-4. Take, for this special purpose, from.-5. Me.-6. Remembrancer to you and your people.-7. On my behalf.-8. Sunk, and now got quiet possession of.

30. What was Abimelech to take? Of what was Abimelech to take the ewe-lambs? Of whose hand? Why was Abimelech to take these ewe-lambs of Abraham's hand? What were they to be? What were to be a witness? Of what were they to be a witness? That he had done what? Digged what? That who had digged this well? What was to be the witness that Abraham had digged that well?

31. (1) Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they (2) sware both of them.

1. For that reason.-2. Made oath.

31. What was the place called? Who called the place Beer-sheba? Why did Abraham call the place Beer-sheba? What did they do? Who sware? Where did they swear? Which of them sware?

32. Thus they made (1) a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they (2) returned into the land of the Philistines.

1. An agreement.-2. Went back again.

made a covenant? Where did they

92. What did they make? Who How did they make a covenant? make a covenant ? Who rose up? Who rose up besides Abimelech? What was Phichol? Whose host? What did Abimelech and Phichol do after the covenant had been made? Who returned? To what did they return? To what land? When did they return?

33. And Abraham (1) planted a (2) grove in Beersheba, and (3) called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.

1. Made to grow.-2. A number of trees together.-3. There he worshipped, prayed to, and praised.

33. What did Abraham do? What did he plant? Who planted a grove? Where did he plant a grove? What did Abraham do when he had planted a grove? On what did he call? On whose name? Who is the Lord? What did Abraham do to the name of the Lord?

234. And Abraham (1) sojourned in the Philistines' land (2) many days.

1. Continued to live as a stranger.-2. For a long time.

34. Who sojourned?

Where did Abraham so

How long did Abraham so

journ? In whose land? journ in the Philistine's land?

LESSONS.

589. Abimelech and Phichol came to make a covenant with Abraham, ver. 22.-We should seek the acquaintance and friendship of all good men.

590. Abimelech and Phichol saw that God was with Abraham, ver. 22.-We should speak and act in the world in such a manner, as that all may perceive that 66 we have been with Jesus."

591. Abimelech and Phichol acknowledged to Abraham that God was with him, ver. 22.-We should be honest and candid in acknowledging the abilities, the merits, or the virtues of others.

592. God was with Abraham in all that he did, ver.

22.-We should do every thing as in the presence of God, and to his glory.

593. Abimelech wished Abraham to swear to a lasting friendship, ver. 23.-We should use every lawful means in our power to attain, to enjoy, and to secure the friendship and favour of good men.

594. Abraham was not to deal falsely with Abimelech, ver. 23.-We should beware of ever dealing falsely with any, lest it should afterwards weaken their confidence in us, in our religion, or in our God.

595. Abimelech sought a covenant for his son and his son's son, ver. 23.-We should endeavour to promote and maintain friendly intercourse between our children and the godly.

596. Abimelech wished kindness from Abraham as he had shown kindness to him, ver. 23.-We should be kind, and friendly, and hospitable to others, and especially to the good and holy.

597. Abraham agreed to swear, ver. 24.-We may lawfully, for the satisfaction of others, bind ourselves to do that which is good and lawful.

598. Abraham reproved the king, ver. 25.-We should, on suitable occasions, prudently point out, and never improperly acquiesce in, the sins of superiors.

599. Abimelech's servants had taken away the well, ver. 25.-We should watch against, and endeavour to prevent, injustice or oppression being done in our name, or for our behoof.

600. The servants had violently taken away the well, ver. 25.-We should never covet, nor unjustly take away, for the benefit of our masters or of ourselves, any thing that does not belong to us or them.

601. The king knew not of the well being taken away, ver. 26.-Masters should endeavour to insure honourable and bonest conduct in their servants.

602. Abraham complained, although he had not told the king of the injustice of his servants, ver. 26.—We

should be charitable in our judgments, and never blame without inquiry.

603. Abraham entered into a covenant with Abimelech, ver. 27.—It is lawful, and often expedient and proper to make agreements and bargains even with ungodly and unbelieving men.

604. Abraham set seven ewe-lambs by themselves, ver. 28. We should, when necessary and practicable, illustrate truth in such a manner as to make it well understood, and easily remembered.

605. The king inquired Abraham's meaning, ver. 29.-We should always seek for information regarding that which we do not understand.

606. Abraham gave the ewes as a witness of the well being his, ver. 30.-We should be liberal and bountiful in all our dealings with others.

607. The well got its name, to commemorate the oath, ver. 31.-Oaths on lawful and proper occasions, are not only lawful, but may be necessary.

608. Abimelech and Phichol returned as soon as they had settled their temporal matters, ver. 32.-We should prize the fellowship and company of good men, more for our spiritual, than for our temporal benefit.

609. Abraham called on God, ver. 33.-We should at all times, and in every place, be punctual and frequent in the worship of God.

610. Abraham only sojourned, though he abode in the land many days, ver. 34.-We should always feel, and think, and act, and calculate, as strangers and sojourners upon earth.

SECTION XXXIII.

The Offering up of Isaac.-Gen. xxii. 1—10.

1. And it (1) came to pass, after (2) these things, that God did (3) tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham. And (4) he said, Behold. bere I am.