Jewish Texts and History • Northern Traditions of Abraham as a King

And Nicolaus of Damascus, in the fourth Book of his History says thus: “Abram reigned at Damascus; being a foreigner, who came with an army out of the land above Babylon, called the land of the Chaldeans. But after a long time he got him up, and removed from that country also, with his people, and went into the land then called the land of Canaan, but now the land of Judea: and this when his posterity were become a multitude; as to which posterity of his we relate their history in another work. Now the name of Abram is even still famous in the country of Damascus; and there is shewed a village named from him, The Habitation of Abram.”

Chap. II. 3 For the origin of the Jews was from Damascus; that most eminent city of Syria: whence also sprung the Assyrian Kings by Queen Semiramis. 4 Its name was taken from its King, Damascus: In honour of whom the Syrians worship at the sepulchre of Arathes his wife, as at a temple: and esteem of her as of a Goddess, that deserved the highest religious veneration. 5 After Damascus, Azel was King, and afterwards Ador, and Abraham, and Israhel. 6 But Israhel was made more famous than his ancestors by the good fortune of having ten sons. 7 He therefore parted his Kingdom into ten shares, and bequeathed it so parted among his sons; and named them all Jews, after the name of Judas, who died after the partition was made: and he ordered that they should all honour Judas’s memory. However, his share was added to all the others shares.

22. And in Nisan God revealed himself to Abraham and he spoke to him on the fourth (Wednesday), and he said unto him "I am a shield to thee," in the dream of the night.
23. And he took him outside and said "Look at the heaven and count the stars." Great was this event: there was none like it.
24. The principles of faith are fear, merit and repentance.
25. All this happened in one year: but up to the twenty-second God had not yet spoken to him.
26. When he was ninety nine years old he accepted (the covenant of) circumcision.
27. On the seventh his people accepted it.
28. On the sixth Sodom was burnt.
29. On the seventh Isaac was born.
[Chapter VIII]
1. And after the death of Abraham, Ishmael reigned twenty seven years
2. And all the children of Nebaot ruled for one year in the lifetime of Ishmael.