The  time  came  also  when  a  suitable  partner  was  to  be  pro
vided  for  Isaac,  and  in  consequence,  Abraham  ever  anxious
to  keep  his  seed  separate  from  the  idolatrous  Chanaanites,
sent  his  chief  servant  the  Damascene,  Eliezer,  to  Mesopota
mia,  where  Nachor  had  remained.  In  this  connection,  the
sacred  narrative  pictures  Eliezer's  departure,  meeting  with


ABRAHAM.  15

Rebecca,  petition  for  her  hand  in  behalf  of  his  young  mas
ter,  etc.,  with  a  faithfulness  to  Oriental  life  which  has  never
been  surpassed  (Gen.  xxiv).
The  mutual  attachment  of  Abraham  and  his  nephew  Lot
deserves  also  a  mention  here.  On  the  one  hand,  Lot  folio  s
willingly  his  uncle  whithersoever  he  goes  (to  Damascus,
Sichem,  Egypt,  etc.),  and  consents  to  depart  from  him  only
when  their  common  interest  requires  it  manifestly  (Gen.  xiii,
5,  sq.).  On  the  other  hand,  Abraham  willingly  gives  Lot  his
choice  of  the  best  land  before  him  (Gen.  xiii,  9,  sq.),  and
after  the  actual  departure  of  his  nephew,  shows  himself
ever  ready  to  come  to  his  help  as  is  exemplified  in  the  prompti
tude  with  which  Abraham  "the  Hebrew"  (/'.  <?.,  the  one  who
came  from  beyond  the  Euphrates)  started  to  rescue  him
when  made  captive  by  the  eastern  kings  who  had  invaded
Chanaan  (Gen.  xiv,  i-i6).1

Finally,  it  is  in  connection  with  another  wife  of  Abraham,
named  Cetura,  by  whom  he  had  several  children,  that  we
learn  the  prudent  measures  to  which  he  resorted  to  preclude
all  discussion  about  his  inheritance  between  his  lawful  heir
and  his  other  children.  To  the  latter  "he  gave  gifts,  and
separated  them  from  Isaac  his  son,  while  he  yet  lived,  to
the  east  country  "  (Gen.  xxv,  1-6).
