[Purification]
Abner
(father of light).
•Son of Ner, who was the brother of Kish, (1 Chronicles 9:36) the father of Saul. (B.C. 1063.)
Abner, therefore, was Saul’s first cousin, and was made by him commander-in-chief of his army.
(1 Samuel 14:51; 17:57; 26:5-14) After the death of Saul David was proclaimed king of Judah;
and some time subsequently Abner proclaimed Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, king of Israel. War soon
broke out between the two rival kings, and a “very sore battle” was fought at Gibeon between the
men of Israel under Abner and the men of Judah under Joab. (1 Chronicles 2:16) Abner had married
Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, and this, according to the views of Oriental courts, might be so interpreted
as to imply a design upon the throne. Rightly or wrongly, Ish-bosheth so understood it, and he
even ventured to reproach Abner with it. Abner, incensed at his ingratitude, opened negotiations
with David, by whom he was most favorably received at Hebron. He then undertook to procure
his recognition throughout Israel; but after leaving his presence for the purpose was enticed back
by Joab, and treacherously murdered by him and his brother Abishai, at the gate of the city, partly,
no doubt, from fear lest so distinguished a convert to their cause should gain too high a place in
David’s favor, but ostensibly in retaliation for the death of Asahel. David in sorrow and indignation,
poured forth a simple dirge over the slain hero. (2 Samuel 3:33,34)
•The father of Jaasiel, chief of the Benjamites in David’s reign, (1 Chronicles 27:21) probably the
same as the preceding.
Abomination Of Desolation
Mentioned by our Saviour, (Matthew 24:15) as a sign of the approaching destruction of
Jerusalem, with reference to (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) The prophecy referred ultimately to the
destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and consequently the “abomination” must describe some
occurrence connected with that event. It appears most probable that the profanities of the Zealots
constituted the abomination, which was the sign of the impending ruin; but most people refer it to
the standards or banners of the Roman army. They were abomination because there were idolatrous
images upon them.
Abraham
(father of a multitude) was the son of Terah, and founder of the great Hebrew nation. (B.C.
1996-1822.) His family, a branch of the descendants of Shem, was settled in Ur of the Chaldees,
beyond the Euphrates, where Abraham was born. Terah had two other sons, Nahor and Haran.
Haran died before his father in Ur of the Chaldees, leaving a son, Lot; and Terah, taking with him
Abram, with Sarai his wife and his grandson Lot, emigrated to Haran in Mesopotamia, where he
died. On the death of his father, Abram, then in the 75th year of his age, with Sarai and Lot, pursued
his course to the land of Canaan, whither he was directed by divine command, (Genesis 12:5) when
he received the general promise that he should become the founder of a great nation, and that all
the families of the earth should be blessed in him. He passed through the heart of the country by
the great highway to Shechem, and pitched his tent beneath the terebinth of Moreh. (Genesis 12:6)
Here he received in vision from Jehovah the further revelation that this was the land which his
descendants should inherit. (Genesis 12:7) The next halting-place of the wanderer was on a mountain
between Bethel and Ai, (Genesis 12:8) but the country was suffering from famine, and Abram
journeyed still southward to the rich cornlands of Egypt. There, fearing that the great beauty of
Sarai might tempt the powerful monarch of Egypt and expose his own life to peril, he arranged that
frankie
(Frankie)
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