with the people of Sodom. And they took all the goods of the people of Sodom, and they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and went away.

One man, who had escaped, came and told Abram what had happened to Lot. As soon as Abram heard that Lot, his nephew, was made a prisoner, he armed his three hundred and eighteen servants, who had been born in his house, and followed after the four kings who had taken Lot. And Abram came up to them, and fought with them, and conquered them; and took from them Lot and his goods, and all the goods which they had taken from Sodom and Gomorrah.

And when Abram returned with Lot, and with the goods of the men of Sodom, the king of Sodom went forth to meet him. "And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God." And Melchizedek blessed Abram, and said, "Blessed be Abram of the most high God." And Abram gave to Melchizedek a tithe, or tenth part, of all

the goods which he had taken from the four kings.

Then Abram gave back to the people of Sodom all their goods, and he gave back to Lot his goods.

This trouble had fallen upon Lot because he had chosen to live among wicked people. Lot was not wicked, like the people among whom he lived; he was a good man, and served God'. But God punishes those whom He loves when they do wrong, that they may think of it, and leave it off. When this trouble came upon Lot, it should have made him think of what he had done wrong. should have been a warning to him not to live among the wicked people of Sodom any more. But Lot did not heed the warning, and did go back to Sodom.

It

God was pleased with Abram for what he had done. And after these things, the Lord came again to Abram in a vision, and told him that He

1 2 Pet. ii. 7.

would reward him, and take care of him; God said, "Fear not: for I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."

Abram was now old, and he had still no child. But God then told Abram that he should yet have a son, and that his seed should be as many as the stars in the sky, which we cannot count; God said, "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be."

And Abram believed in the Lord, and God loved Abram because he believed in Him.

To dwell in a place, means to live in it.

Chapter XVEEF.

ABRAM AND HIS SEED MARKED AND SIGNED AS GOD'S OWN PEOPLE.

WHEN Abram was ninety and nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be

thou perfect." And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him.

Then God said, that He would make Abram to be a father of many nations, and would give to him, and to his seed, the land of Canaan, to be their own land for ever; and that He would be the God of Abram, and of Abram's seed, and that they should be His people.

And God told Abram, that He would give him a sign of this promise. This sign was called circumcision. God said, that Abram, and all his house, and all the seed of Abram after him, should be circumcised, for a sign, or token, to remind them of God's promise to them.

Circumcision was a mark, that was put upon Abram, and all his seed after him, that they might remember always that they were God's own people.

Then God said, that Abram's name should be changed, that he should not any more be called Abram, but Abraham, because he should be the father of many nations.

And God said, that the name of Sarai, Abra

MARKED AND SIGNED AS GOD'S OWN PEOPLE. 43

ham's wife, should be also changed, that she should not be called Sarai, but that her name should be Sarah.

Abraham means "father of many;" and Sarah means "a princess, or queen."

And God again told Abraham, that though both he and Sarah his wife were old, he should surely have a son; God said, "Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac." And God said, that He would give to Isaac, and his seed after him, the promise that He had given to Abraham.

Sarah, Abraham's wife, was ninety years old at this time; and Abraham was ninety-nine years old.

And when a year had passed, the promise which God now made to Abraham was fulfilled, and Sarah had a son even in her old age. And Abraham called his name Isaac, as God had commanded him.