The first dominion or rule appointed by God amongst men, was placed in the elder brother or first born, called the patriarch or head of the family.
The institution of the patriarchal rule, seems to be laid down, Gen. 4:7, in God's words to Cain concerning Abel, 'And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.' Therefore were the first born called the excellency of dignity and power, Gen. 49:3.
A catalogue of the patriarchs both before and after the flood, is recorded in Gen. 5 and 10. It was to the elders or patriarchs that Moses and Aaron addressed, when they came to conduct the Israelites out of Egypt, Exod. 6:29.
A catalogue of some of them are upon record, Exod. 6:14, which eldership, or birth-right, Esau sold his brother Jacob, Gen. 25:31, Heb. 12:16. And by virtue whereof the patriarch Judah gave judgment in the case of Thamar, Gen. 38:24.
Though in this time amongst the children of men in the nations, there was another government set up, of which and the author thereof we read, Gen. 10:8-10. 'And Nimrod, the son of Cush, the son of Ham, began to be a mighty one in the earth, he was a mighty hunter before the Lord; and the beginning of his kingdom was Babel:' who was the first that we read of that erected monarchical government, which was about 120 years after the flood, the foundation of the Assyrian monarchy.
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