And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
He entreated Abram well for her sake. Marriage negotiations in the East are a sort of purchase-certain amount of presents being always assigned to the relatives. The gifts which Pharaoh bestowed on Abram were just what one pastoral chief would give to another. Slavery existed in Egypt, both male and female slaves being employed in the household and in the fields. Sheep, oxen, and donkeys were as common in ancient Egypt as they are in that country still. Camels have not been discovered in the delineations of the monuments, and, being probably not numerous, are mentioned last. Horses do not find a place in the enumeration, because, though Egypt was famous for the breed, they were employed only in war chariots, and hence, were unsuitable to Abram, both as being a man of peace, and as living in a mountainous pasture land. Little or no use was made of the horse by the patriarchs or the descendants down to the time of Joshua and the Judges.