Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/117

 71ic Tozver of

Abraham, and therefore

man

trrst

the

very

in

the

elite

of

direct

mankind.

99

were descended from the ver^ son, and were, therefore, This was a naive national conceit of

Israel line

Babel

also,

of the

eldest

ancient Israel.

For the ages of these patriarchs cf. note to VI, 3. V. 28. Ur was a very ancient city in the extreme south of the Mesopo'tamian valley. It was the seat of one of the oldest Babykingdoms and cultures. Numerous interesting and valuable Babylonian inscriptions have been unearthed there.

lonian

For the rabbinical cf.

p.

107.

V.

31.

tradition

accounting for the death of Haran

Haran was an important

city in northwestern Mesopoon the great highroad of antiquity which led from Egypt and the Mediterranean coast to Assyria and Babylon.

tamia,

situated