progenitor of the nations of Arabia; through the sons of Keturah, of the inhabitants of the Troglodytes or Africa; through Isaac, he possessed Canaan. And the whole testimony of history proves these nations colored.
THE TWO NATIONS OF ISAAC.
Isaac, the son of Abraham, was forty years old, when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian, Nahor's son, one of Abraham's brothers, (Gen. xi. 26, xxiv 47,) and the sister to Laban the Syrian, of Padanaram. The Syrians were blacks, with long, straight hair.—(Herodotus, Sec. Sec. Gen. xxv )
And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold there were twins in her womb; and the firstborn was red all over, like a hairy garment, and they called his name Esau.—(Gen. xxv. 23, 24, 25.) His brother's name was Jacob, who was afterwards called Israel. [The first clothing worn by the ancients, were hairy garments.—" The Lord God made coats of skins, and clothed them."—(Gen. iii. 21.) "And they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins," ram-skins and badger-skins, dyed red.—(Ex. xxv 5.) Ram-skins dyed red, were used in the construction of the tabernacle. Dr. Clarke has proved, from Homer, Pliny, and modern travellers, that there are rams whose natural color is red. From this fact, it may be deduced that Esau was red all over, like a hairy garment.] Esau became a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and was loved of Isaac. But he depsised his birthright, and sold it to Jacob for a mess of red pottage.—(Gen. xxv. 30.) Isaac, however, blessed Esau his son, and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; and by thy sword
