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Sodom and Gomorrah

Before CHRIST 1898.

+ Heb. thy face.

+ Heb. gone forth.

CHAP. XIX.

flee unto, and it is a little one: oh,
let me escape thither, (is it not a
little one?) and my soul shall live.

21 And he said unto him, See, I
have accepted + thee concerning this
thing also, that I will not overthrow
this city, for the which thou hast
spoken.

22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

23 ¶ The sun was + risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

neither let thine affections stay upon the earth; escape to the holy mountain, lest thou be consumed with the world. Bp. Horne.

22. - I cannot do any thing &c.] Having made thee this promise, I must defer the vengeance till thou art safe there. Bp. Patrick.

Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.] Signifying "little" for the name of it was Bela before, chap. xiv. 2. Bp. Wilson.

In times of publick calamity, there is often some little Zoar provided for them that love God, where they are wonderfully preserved from the judgments that fall on their country and their kindred. The Roman armies, which surrounded Jerusalem, to execute on it the vengeance predicted, drew off in an unaccountable manner, as if their design had been to give the Christians contained within its walls an opportunity of withdrawing to a little adjoining city called Pella, which proved a Zoar to them: from whence they beheld the Roman eagles fly again to devour their destined prey. And what is the Church upon earth, but a Zoar, a little city, (is it not a little one?) spared at the intercession of its Lord? Here the penitent, not yet strong enough to escape to the heavenly mountain, findeth rest and refreshment, and is strengthened to pursue his journey. Hither let him escape, and his soul shall live. Bp. Horne.

are destroyed.

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it was afterwards overflowed by the waters of the Jordan, which diffused itself there, and formed "the Dead sea," or "Lake of Sodom," called also "the Lake Asphaltites," because of the asphaltus or bitumen with which it abounded; and "the Salt sea," because the Hebrews call nitre and bitumen salt. The Prophets speak often of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and say that these places shall be desert, dried up, and uninhabited; covered with briers and brambles; a land of salt and sulphur, where there can be neither planting nor sowing. Josephus says, that round about the Lake of Sodom, and about the cities heretofore destroyed by fire from heaven, the land is all burnt up, and there are still to be seen the dismal effects of this terrible burning, and the remains of those unfortunate cities. Heathen writers give accounts much to the same effect: especially Tacitus, who says that these cities were burnt by the stroke of thunderbolts from heaven; and that vestiges of that destruction remained, the earth itself being in appearance burnt up, and having lost its prolifick power: and the air being infected with the same noisome qualities. Modern travellers speak in like manner of the saltness of the water; of the unwholesomeness of the air; of the bitumen, gathered on the neighbouring mountains, and covering the stones on the side of the lake; and of a sort of black sulphureous stones, abounding on the shores of the lake and on the neighbouring hills, which being held in the flame of a candle soon burn, and yield a smoke of an intolerable stench. Calmet, Bps. Patrick and Pococke, Maundrell.

24. Then the Lord rained—from the Lord] In the account of the overthrow of Sodom, there is a distinction of persons in the Godhead: "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven." The former was the 26. But his wife looked back &c.] There are in Lot's visible LORD, "the image," or representative, "of the story two very notable memorials of God's judgment, invisible," whom "no man hath seen at any time, nor The Lake of Sodom, and Lot's wife's pillar. The one, can see; nor ever saw his shape, nor heard his voice;" the punishment of resolute sin; the other, of faint as we learn from the former; who only could expound virtue. For the Sodomites are an example of impenito mortals the nature and the will of the Father: for tent wilful sinners and Lot's wife, of unpersevering "no man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to and relapsing righteous persons. So that there are two whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Compare Col. sorts of men, to whom these particulars are fitted. To i. 15; John i. 18; v. 37; 1 Tim. vi. 16; Matt. xi. 27. those in a state of sin, the Lake of Sodom: to those in That the visible LORD was the Son of God, was the doc- a state of grace, Lot's wife's pillar. To the first, in a trine of the primitive Church: Tertullian says, "It is state of sin, Moses proposeth" the vine of Sodom," and the Son, who has executed judgment from the begin- the grapes of Gomorrah, which, if you but touch them, ning overthrowing the proud tower of Babel, and con- turn to ashes. To the others, in a state of grace, Christ founding men's languages; punishing the whole world proposeth the pillar of salt: "Remember Lot's wife." by the violence of waters; raining upon Sodom and Go-To the one Jeremiah crieth, that when they have morrah fire and brimstone, the LORD FROM THE LORD." Dr. Hales.

"fallen," they should "arise again:" to the others St. Paul saith, "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah] And the neigh-heed lest he fall:" Deut. xxxii. 32; Luke xvii. 32; Jer. bouring cities, Admah and Zeboim; as appears from viii. 4; 1 Cor. x. 12. Bp. Andrewes. Deut. xxix. 23. Bp. Patrick.

brimstone and fire] The plain where these cities stood, which had been pleasant and fruitful, like an earthly Paradise, was first inflamed by lightning, which set fire to the bitumen, with which it was replete; and

a pillar of salt.] It is probable that some of the dreadful shower, which destroyed the cities of the plain, overtook her and falling upon her, wrapped her body in a sheet of nitro-sulphureous matter; which congealed into a crust as hard as stone, and made her appear like

Lot dwelleth in a cave.

Before CHRIST

1898.

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28 And he looked toward Sodom | morrow, that the firstborn said unto
and Gomorrah, and toward all the the younger, Behold, I lay yester-
land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, night with my father: let us make
the smoke of the country went up as him drink wine this night also; and
the smoke of a furnace.
go thou in, and lie with him, that we
may preserve seed of our father.

29 ¶ And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

30 ¶ And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she laid down, nor when she arose.

36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi : the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

CHAP. XX.

1 Abraham sojourneth at Gerar, 2 denieth his wife, and loseth her. 3 Abimelech is reproved for her in a dream. 9 He rebuketh Abraham, 14 restoreth Sarah, 16 and reproveth her. 17 He is healed by Abraham's prayer.

Before CHRIST 1898.

1897.

34 And it came to pass on the AND Abraham journeyed from about 1898.

a pillar of salt, her body being, as it were, candied with it. Josephus says, that the pillar was remaining in his time. Bps. Patrick and Wilson.

28.

and, lo, the smoke of the country went up &c.] "As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man:" when that last morning shall dawn and the Sun of Righteousness shall arise in glorious majesty upon the earth. No sooner shall He make his appearance, than the heavens, being on fire at his presence, shall be dissolved, and pass away with a great noise: the earth also, with the works that are therein, shall be burned up. Then shall be fulfilled that which was spoken by the Psalmist in terms evidently borrowed from the history before us: "Upon the ungodly He shall rain fire and brimstone, storm and tempest this shall be their portion." What Sodom was, the world shall be: and at the last day, when we shall arise and look towards the place, where its pleasures and delights, its beauties and glories once existed, as "Abraham arose in the morning, and looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the cities of the plain," we shall behold a sight like that which presented itself to the Patriarch, "the smoke of the country going up, as the smoke of a furnace."

But the same all-gracious and merciful God, who, "when He destroyed the cities of the plain, remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow;" when He shall destroy this place wherein we dwell, will remember the true Abraham, the Father of us all, our dear Redeemer and Intercessor: and for his sake, if we now repent and believe in Him, will save us in that day from the ruins of a burning world, and from those fires which are never to be extinguished. Bp. Horne.

thence toward the south country,

33. And they made their father drink wine] We must be convinced of the frailty of nature, without the grace of God, when we read the account of Lot's intemperance after so great a deliverance; and if we have any concern for our salvation, we shall dread a vice, which will lead a man to the greatest crimes. Bp. Wilson.

36. Thus were both the daughters of Lot &c.] One circumstance must be remembered by those, who would understand the scope and design of the sacred writer, in furnishing us with particular relations contained in this book; which is, that he always kept in mind the promise of the Messiah, and was desirous of shewing, that the expectation of this great object of the Jewish hopes was predominant in all times, and influenced the opinions and manners of every generation. The recollection of this will furnish the reason of many particulars mentioned in the book, which might otherwise appear extraordinary and exceptionable. It will perhaps serve to explain the conduct of Lot's daughters; the violent desire of Sarah for a son; the solicitude of Isaac to remove the barrenness of Rebekah; and the contention between the wives of Jacob. In conformity with this design also Moses relates the jealousies between Ishmael and Isaac; and between Esau and Jacob; and many other minute and singular particulars, which an historian of his dignity would not have condescended to describe, but with a view to illustrate the general persuasion of, and gradual preparation for, the coming of the Messiah. Dr. Gray.

Chap. XX. ver. 1. - journeyed from thence] That is, from Mamre, probably to avoid the stench of the vale of Siddim, and on occasion of the destruction of Sodom, of which he was an eye-witness. Stackhouse, Bp. Kidder.

Abraham denieth his wife.

Before

CHRIST

CHAP. XX.

and dwelled between Kadesh and about 1898. Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

+ Heb. married to an husband.

2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

4 But Abimelech had not come near her and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

toward the south country,] Towards Egypt. Bp.

Patrick. - Gerar.] Gerar was a regal city situated not far from the angle where the south and west sides of Palestine meet: and the country, to which it gave the name, extended itself pretty far into Arabia Petrea. Beer-sheba signifies the well of the oath, because here Abraham made a covenant with Abimelech, king of Gerar, concerning a well which he had digged hard by: here he likewise planted a grove, and instituted an oratory, or place of divine worship; and here in process of time was a city or considerable town built, taken notice of by heathen authors under the name of Berzimma, or Bersabe. Kadesh was a city, lying on the edge of the land of Canaan, to the south of Hebron. Shur was the name of that part of Arabia Petrea, which joins Egypt and the Red Sea; and somewhere between these two was the well, near which Abraham, when he left Mamre, fixed his habitation. Stackhouse.

2. And Abraham said of Sarah &c.] See the note on chap. xii. 13. It is still more extraordinary, that Abraham failed under the same trial twenty-three years after his former failure: when he again denied his wife to Abimelech, whose character and that of his people was the reverse of that of the Egyptian court; for he took her "in the integrity of his heart," and his nation was then "righteous." God therefore dealt more gently with him than with the Egyptians; and removed the plague of barrenness from him and his household, on Abraham's intercession. Dr. Hales.

- Abimelech] The name of all the kings of Palestine, as Pharaoh was of the kings of Egypt. Bp. Patrick.

3.-in a dream] God revealed Himself and his will frequently in old times, especially before the sealing of the Scripture-canon, in sundry manners: as by visions, prophecies, ecstasies, oracles, and other supernatural means; among the rest by dreams. By such supernatural revelations He imparted his will, not only to the godly and faithful, though more frequently and especially to them; but sometimes also to hypocrites within the church, as to Saul and others; and sometimes even to heathens out of the church, as to Pharaoh, Balaam, Nebuchadnezzar, &c. and here to Abimelech. But since the writings of the Prophets and Apostles were made up, the Scripture-canon sealed, and the Christian church by the preaching of the Gospel became universal; dreams, and other supernatural revelations, as also other things of like nature, as miracles, and all the more immediate and extraordinary manifestations of the will and power of God, have ceased to be of ordinary and familiar use: so that now, we ought rather to suspect delusion in them, than to expect direction from them. Bp. Sanderson.

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Abimelech is reproved for her.

Before

5 Said he not unto me, She is my CHRIST sister? and she, even she herself said, about 1898. He is my brother in the integrity || Or, of my heart and innocency of my simplicity.or, hands have I done this.

6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt

sincerity.

thou art but a dead man,] That is, thou shalt certainly die. But then there is a condition implied in this as in other threats; namely, "If he did not restore Abraham his wife." See Jonah iii. 4; Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 15. Besides, the words imply what punishment adultery deserves in God's account. Bp. Kidder.

5. Said he not unto me, She is my sister?] Abimelech, an heathen man, who had not the knowledge of the true God of heaven to direct him in the right way; and withal a King, who had therefore none upon earth above him, to controul him if he should transgress; would yet have abhorred to have defiled himself knowingly by adultery with another man's wife, although the man were but a stranger, and the woman exceeding beautiful. Certainly Abimelech shall one day rise up in judgment, and condemn thy filthiness and injustice, whosoever thou art, that committest, or causest another to commit, adultery: "who knowing the judgment of God, that they which do such things are worthy of death, either dost the same thyself, or hast pleasure in them that do them;" or being in place and office to punish incontinent persons, dost at once both criminate thy own conscience, and embolden the adulterer to commit that sin again without fear, from which he hath once escaped without shame. Bp. Sanderson.

in the integrity of my heart] Not with any intention to defile her, but to make her my wife: and innocency of my hands; I did not take her by violence from Abraham, but he and she consented to it. Bp.

Patrick.

6.- I also withheld thee from sinning] It was God's great mercy to all the three parties, that He did not suffer this evil to be done: for by this means He graciously preserved Abimelech from the sin, Abraham from the wrong, and Sarah from both. And it is to be acknowledged the great mercy of God, when at any time He doth (and He doth often more or less) by his gracious and powerful restraint withhold any man from running into those extremities of sin and mischief, whereinto his own corruption would carry him headlong, especially when it is inflamed by the cunning persuasions of Satan, and the manifold temptations that are in the world through lust. Bp. Sanderson.

7.- he is a prophet,] This is the first time we meet with the word Prophet; and Abraham is the first that is honoured with this name. It signifies one admitted to a nearer intercourse with God; so as to be allowed to consult Him, and to declare his mind and will to others; and also to prevail with Him by prayer to confer blessings upon them. Bp. Patrick. See note on Numb. xi. 25.

he shall pray for thee,] Though God can give his blessing without the intercession of any of his servants, yet it is plain that He has otherwise ordered it.

Abimelech rebuketh Abraham.

Before CHRIST

GENESIS.

Isaac is born. live and if thou restore her not, | women-servants, and gave them unto Before about 1898. know thou that thou shalt surely die, Abraham, and restored him Sarah his about 1898. thou, and all that are thine. wife.

a Chap. 12. 13.

8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears and the men were sore afraid.

9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my far, ther's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

a

14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and

He sends them to his "Prophets;" to those whom He has appointed to " bless in his name;" to "men of like passions with themselves;" that He may prove their faith and their obedience. Bp. Wilson.

66

11.-the fear of God is not in this place:] This fear of God being the great restraint upon men's lusts and passions. By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil," Prov. xvi. 6. It appears however that Abimelech and his court were not so corrupt as Abraham suspected. Bps. Kidder and Patrick.

16. And unto Sarah he said,] In this speech Abimelech tells Sarah, she was at liberty to return to her brother, as she called him; and might live with him without fear for that he was so far from designing any injury to him, or resenting what had passed, that he had made him a present of great value, as a token of esteem for a virtuous and good man. But by way of gentle reproof, he advised her not to use any more artifices by disowning Abraham for her husband; but to place herself under his care, which would be a protection to her; or (as the words may signify) wear her veil over her face, as she ought to do, that every body might know her to be a married woman to prevent such misfortunes for the future. Pyle.

18.-because of Sarah Abraham's wife.] God here restrained Abimelech, as elsewhere He did Laban, and Esau, and Balaam, and others; not so much for their own sakes, though sometimes perhaps that also; as for

CHRIST

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16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bare children.

18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

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66

is good in thine eyes.

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the sake of those, whom they would have injured by their sins, if they had committed them. As here Abimelech for his chosen Abraham's sake; and Laban and Esau for his servant Jacob's sake; and Balaam for his people Israel's sake. As it is said in the 105th Psalm, and that with special reference, as I conceive, to this very story of Abraham, He suffered no man to do them wrong, but reproved even kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm:" He reproved "even kings," by restraining their power, as here Abimelech but it was "for their sakes" still; that so Sarah "his anointed might not be touched," nor "his prophet" Abraham sustain "any harm." Bp. Sanderson.

Chap. XXI. ver. 1.-the Lord visited Sarah &c.] Bestowed on her the promised blessing. The word "visit" signifies, either, in a bad sense, to inflict punishment, (Exod. xx. 5;) or, in a good sense, as here, to confer blessings, (Exod. iii. 16; Ps. viii. 4.) Bp. Patrick.

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Sarah's joy.

Before CHRIST

CHAP. XXI.

of his son that was born unto him, about 1897. whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

e Chap. 17. 12.

about 1892.

4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

6¶ And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

8 And the child grew, and was weaned and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

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10 Wherefore she said unto Abrad Gal. 4. 30. ham, Cast out this bond-woman and her son for the son of this bond-woman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.

12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because

will, though it was to cost him his life: Jesus Christ became obedient even to the death. Isaac carried the wood on which he was to be sacrificed: Jesus Christ carried the cross on which He was to be crucified. They both carried them to the very same place, Mount Moriah; being the place where the temple was afterwards built, though then a desert. So good was God: who, for the greater confirmation of our faith, would not let us want these surprising instances of the truth of both the Old and the New Testaments, confirming each other. But then how great is the sin, and how great must be the punishment of infidelity! Bp. Wilson. See note on ch. xxii. 19.

6. God hath made me to laugh,] That is, to rejoice exceedingly. She refers to her laughter on a former occasion; though from a different motive. Bp. Patrick. 8.—and was weaned:] Probably when he was two or three years old. Stackhouse.

9.-Sarah saw the son of Hagar-mocking.] He derided perhaps the festivity observed at Isaac's weaning, looking on himself as the first-born. Bp. Patrick.

10.she said] And God approved it, ver. 12. And the Apostle observes, that "the Scripture saith, Cast out the bondwoman, &c." Gal. iv. 30. Bp. Kidder. | Abraham was satisfied by what follows in ver. 12, that Sarah's motion proceeded not merely from her anger, but from a Divine suggestion. Bp. Patrick.

12.-in Isaac shall thy seed be called.] The promised Seed, the Messiah, shall not descend from Ishmael, but from Isaac. Bp. Kidder.

Hagar and Ishmael cast forth.

Before CHRIST

of thy bond-woman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto about 1892. her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

19 And God opened her eyes, and

14.-took bread, and a bottle of water,] Which includes all sort of provision for their present necessity, till they came to the place, to which in all probability he directed them. Their wandering about in the desert until their water was consumed, appears to have been the effect of their accidentally mistaking their way; and not to have been intended by Abraham. Bp. Patrick, Stackhouse.

and the child,] Ishmael, though called "a child," was not less than sixteen or seventeen years old; and was consequently a youth capable of being a support and assistance to his mother, as he soon after proved. Stackhouse. See the note on Jer. i. 6. An ambiguity in the text would be avoided, by placing the clause " putting it on her shoulder" within a parenthesis, as it is placed by Bishop Kidder, Stackhouse, and Pyle.

15.

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she cast the child &c.] The lad being faint and ready to perish, she laid him under the shade of a tree or shrub. Bp. Kidder. She left off supporting him, and let him gently drop on the ground, where he desired to lie. In a succeeding verse the Angel of the Lord bade her lift up Ishmael, and hold him in her hand, or support him under his extreme weakness: she had doubtless done this before; and her quitting her hold, upon his lying down, is the meaning of the word translated cast. Harman.

18. — I will make him a great nation.] Very properly denominated Ishmaelites and Hagarenes by others, they affectedly called themselves Saracens; thus rejecting

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