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Antiquities of the Jews |
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I Containing The Interval Of
Three Thousand Eight Hundred And Thirty-Three Years. From The Creation To
The Death Of Isaac
Chapter How The nation Of Troglodytes Were Derived From Abraham By
Keturah. |
ABRAHAM after this married
Keturah, by whom six sons were born to him, men of courage, and of sagacious
minds: Zambran, and Jazar, and Madan, and Madian, and Josabak, and Sous. Now
the sons of Sous were Sabathan and Dadan. The sons of Dadan were Latusim, and
Assur, and Luom. The sons of Madiau were Ephas, and Ophren, and Anoch, and
Ebidas, and Eldas.
Now, for all these sons and
grandsons, Abraham contrived to settle them in colonies; and they took
possession of Troglodytis, and the country of Arabia the Happy, as far as it
reaches to the Red Sea. It is related of this Ophren, that he made war against
Libya, and took it, and that his grandchildren, when they inhabited it, called
it (from his name) Africa. And indeed Alexander Polyhistor gives his
attestation to what I here say; who speaks thus:
"Cleodemus the
prophet, who was also called Malchus, who wrote a History of the Jews, in
agreement with the History of Moses, their legislator, relates, that there were
many sons born to Abraham by Keturah: nay, he names three of them, Apher, and
Surim, and Japhran. That from Surim was the land of Assyria denominated; and
that from the other two (Apher and Japbran) the country of Africa took its
name, because these men were auxiliaries to Hercules, when he fought against
Libya and Antaeus; and that Hercules married Aphra's daughter, and of her he
begat a son, Diodorus; and that Sophon was his son, from whom that barbarous
people called Sophacians were denominated." |
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