rmy
of 318 servants "_born in his house_" (_Gen._, xiv. 14). It is not
unreasonable to suppose that, according to the custom of those times, he
had other servants not born in his house, but "bought with money".[13]
At all events the number was considerably increased by a present from
Abimeleck, who "took sheep, and oxen, and _men-servants_, and
_women-servants_, and gave them unto Abraham" (_Gen._, xx. 14). Upon his
death this immense household passed into the possession of his Son
Isaac; for "Abraham gave _all that he had_ to Isaac" (_Gen._, xxv. 5).
Isaac, too, we are told, "increased, and went on increasing, until he
became very great; and he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of
herds, and a _numerous household_; and the Philistines envied him"
(_Gen._, xxvi. 13, 14). As to Jacob himself, he was sent by Isaac to
Padan-Aram, where he served his father-in-law Laban for twenty years.
While there, it is said, he "increased exceedingly, and had many flocks,
and _women-servants_, and _men-servants_, and camels, and asses"
(_Gen._, xxx. 43). All these he took with him when he set out from
Padan-Aram to return to Canaan (_Gen._, xxxi. 18; xxiii. 5, 7). In
addition to this large retinue, Jacob must also have inherited, in
virtue of his birthright, a double portion (_Deut._, xxi. 17) of the
household which his father had accumulated. Thus, it seems clear that,
within ten years[14] of the Descent into Egypt, the number of servants
who looked up to Jacob as their head and master, must have been very
large indeed.

Now we maintain that, according to the narrative before us, these
servants were _a part of the chosen people of God_, and _sharers in His
Covenant_ with Abraham. This assertion is easily proved. They had all
received the rite of circumcision, and circumcision was the mark of the
chosen people; it was the _sign_ of God's Covenant. "This is my covenant
which you shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; every
male child among you shall be circumcised. And you shall circumcise the
flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a _sign_ of the Covenant between
me and you. And the son of eight days shall be circumcised among you,
every male child in your generations, _he that is born in the house or
bought with money of any stranger, that is not of thy seed_. _He that is
born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money_ must needs be
circumcised" (_Gen._, xvii. 10-13). It is clear, therefore, that Abra