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Title: The Bible Story
Author: Hall, Newton Marshall, 1865-1926, Wood, Irving Francis, 1861-1934
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.
*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Bible Story" ***
[Transcriber's notes]
Thanks to Jim and Carol Presher of Timeless Antiques in Valley
Alabama for providing access to the original texts.
This is the complete text of all six volumes of the set. "HOW TO USE
THE BIBLE STORY" (the first volume), organizes the use and access of
the other five volumes.
Page numbers in this book are indicated by numbers enclosed in curly
braces, e.g. {99}. They have been located where page breaks occurred
in the original book.
Each photograph is printed on the back of a separate page with the
description on the front side. In the following example the
description is on page 29 and the photograph on page 30.
{29}{30}
[Illustration]
THE DIVINE MOTHER AND THE CHILD
...
[End illustration]
Quotation marks are often unbalanced. This transcription copies
the original text.
Colons (:) are frequently used instead of commas or semicolons.
[End transcriber's notes]
{1}
HOW TO USE THE BIBLE STORY
THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
{2}
COPYRIGHT, 1917,
BY THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY,
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
{3}
FOREWORD
The five volumes of THE BIBLE STORY have served to beautify and
classify the Bible and are simple and complete in themselves. They do
not require explanation or enrichment. It is the desire, however, by
the addition of this volume to suggest definite ways of using the
work.
This book contains a series of suggestions to fit the occasion, the
temperament, and the time of the user. It may be picked up often and a
part of it used as opportunity offers. We believe there may be those
who will wish to use all the suggestions. We are sure that all who own
THE BIBLE STORY will wish to use some of them.
This volume has the following aims:--
In General:
To give a better knowledge of the Bible and thus to make reading it a
delight instead of a task.
Specifically:
To show how to use the work with children and how children may use
it.
To make the Bible as useful as possible in character building.
To bring out the connection of the Bible with its land.
To show the connection of the Bible with literature.
{4}
{5}
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
PAGE
Key. 10
Why Read the Bible? 11
Why are Bible Readers so Few? 12
PART I
THE CHILD AND THE BIBLE
The Mother's Part: How Can I Use THE BIBLE STORY with My Child? 15
1. What Do I Have to Know in Order to Make the Best Use
of THE BIBLE STORY with My Child? 15
2. How Can I Encourage My Child to Memorize Bible Verses? 15
3. How Can I Help My Child to Understand God's Relation
to the World? 16
4. How Can I Know the Best Bible Stories to Tell to Children? 17
5. How Can I Get My Child to Read the Bible? 19
6. How Can I Help My Child to Understand Life in Bible Times? 19
7. How Can I Get My Child to Use THE BIBLE STORY for Himself? 20
8. How Can I Interest My Child in the Great Works of Art
in THE BIBLE STORY? 21
Questions to Ask Little Children, for general review of all the
foregoing lessons. 26
{6}
PART II
CHARACTER AND LIVING
PAGE
Make the Bible Heroes your Friends. 31
Jesus' Character-Building Stories 32
Foundation Stones 33
Try Lincoln's Way 37
History and the Bible 38
1. The World in Bible Times 38
2. The Bible in History 39
Living with the Bible 42
Questions on the Text 45
PART III
THE LAND OF THE BIBLE
A Bird's-eye View of the Land 97
Understanding Geography by Pictures 100
Locating Bible Characters in the Land 105
PART IV
THE BIBLE IN LITERATURE
The Bible's Place in Literature 113
Questions bringing out the Bible's Literary Value 116
1. The Poetry of the Bible 116
2. The Oratory in the Bible 118
3. Other Literary Forms Found in the Bible 119
4. The Literary Value of the Books of Prophecy 120
5. The Bible--an Inspiration to Writers 121
The Bible's Gift to Our Language 125
{7}
PART V
THE BIBLE AND THE TEACHER
PAGE
How the Foregoing Suggestions for the Use of THE BIBLE
STORY may be Employed by the Bible School Teacher 161
1. In the Primary Department 161
2. In the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Departments 162
PART VI
PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY
{8}
{9}
INTRODUCTION
{10}
KEY
Throughout this volume initials are used to indicate titles of volumes
in which references are found, as follows:--
G.B. Golden Book.
H.T. Hero Tales.
T.J. Tales of Old Judea.
L.J. Life of Jesus.
S.A. Songs of the Ages.
{11}
INTRODUCTION
Why Read the Bible?
If Bible readers everywhere could return their answers what diverse
and interesting points of view the replies would bring!
For instance, one perceives in the Bible record the worst and the best
that men have always thought and felt; for him it is full of the
universal motives of humanity. He has noticed, too, that in sketching
often but the single act of a character, the Book brings the essential
man or woman vividly out of the darkness and into the light for all
time. As a student of men, we can imagine such a one replying that the
Bible is "The Book of Human Nature."
Another knows that it has been the inspiration of countless writers,
and that its sayings and teachings are woven by the hundreds and
thousands through and through the texture of our English masterpieces.
A student of books might well say that the Bible is the chief
"Source-Book of Our Literature."
Still another would say, "The Bible is the beginning of many of our
customs. Our common law is largely founded on its laws and many of our
institutions are based upon those it sanctions." So a business man, a
man of affairs, might very naturally call it, "The Foundation-Book of
Christian Civilization."
For many the Bible is "The Book of Salvation," pointing the way into
the presence of God.
Still others draw from it counsel and strength for those who depend
upon them for guidance. "God could not be everywhere, so he made
mothers." And in their hands the Bible becomes "The Book of
Character."
The marvel of it is that each of these viewpoints is true. And many
others are equally true. For the Bible, like the diamond, reflects its
light from many facets. Which one you see depends upon where you
stand, upon your point of view. How clear and strong the light for you
depends upon how far you have come within the circle of its radiance.
{12}
Why are Bible Readers so Few?
Truly the harvest of Bible enlightenment is plentiful beyond measure;
why then are those who reap it for themselves so few? It is because we
lack time to understand. Our Bible Schools might solve the problem if
only they had time, but one hour a week with the Bible is scarcely an
introduction to it, never a fellowship with it. The Book of books is
no shallow friend to give up all its treasures upon a superficial
acquaintance. Rather it is a friend to be lived with in the home.
This book of suggestions is an invitation to you to come farther
within the charmed circle of the Bible's light. Its aim is to save
your time by helping you to use it to the greatest advantage. However
much or little of the Bible light has been coming to you, may this
book help to increase, to clarify, to beautify it. If it shall help
you to bring more time, the most precious of modern possessions, to
the understanding of the Bible, the most precious wisdom of the ages,
its purpose will have been abundantly fulfilled.
{13}
PART I
THE CHILD AND THE BIBLE
_Answering Mothers' Questions_
{14}
"So great is my veneration for the Bible, that the earlier my children
begin to read it the more confident will be my hopes that they will
prove useful citizens to their country and respectable members of
society."
--_John Quincy Adams_.
{15}
THE CHILD AND THE BIBLE
THE MOTHER'S PART--HOW CAN I USE THE BIBLE STORY WITH MY CHILD?
This is the most important part of the work, because it helps you to
understand and use all the rest, and answers your questions in regard
to the religious life of your child. These suggestions are largely for
the use of "The Golden Book."
1. What Do I Have to Know in Order to Make the Best Use
of THE BIBLE STORY with My Child?
You must know three things:--
That a child will not appreciate and use this work at first unless you
appreciate and use it too.
That in order to appreciate and use it, you do not need to read all
five volumes through at once. You may begin with any one of the
suggestions here given, that pleases and interests you most, and use
only what little time you may have. Little by little interest will
grow and the child will be finding keen enjoyment in acquiring Bible
knowledge for himself.
That even though you had time for immediate and thorough reading, the
work is of such proportion that its worth cannot be grasped at once.
It is by constant daily use in the home that the beauty and
effectiveness of THE BIBLE STORY are revealed and the Bible made an
"open book" to many a child as well as adult.
2. How Can I Encourage My Child to Memorize Bible Verses?
This is not difficult. Childhood is the time when verbal memory is
most acute. The best way to encourage the memorizing of verses is
{16} to make a game out of it instead of a task. Do this by using the
Bible alphabet in "The Golden Book" (page 25) and thus linking up the
Bible with something familiar. Teach a verse each week and ask for
daily repetition of it. After several are learned, a drill on the
verses is suggested as a spur to memory. Ask what verse in the Bible
begins with A? B? C? etc. For the older children there are memory
verses given, one for each week in the year, in the back of each of
the first four volumes. Let the child himself, so far as he can,
arrange these in alphabetical order.
Memorizing is much quickened by making as many natural connections as
possible, the known with the unknown. Many hymns are readily recalled
by associating them with Psalms of which they are explanations.
Children like to learn poetry. Give them the poems suggested below as
well as the accompanying Bible passages to learn. Go over them first
and let the children understand the parallelism.
Psalm 23 ( 35 S.A.) Hymns (309, 291 G.B.)
Psalm 117 (139 S.A.) Hymn (494 S.A.)
Psalm 19 ( 30 S.A.) Hymn (434 G.B.)
The Birth of Jesus (37 L.J.) Hymns (405, 409 G.B.)
These hymns are well worth memorizing, for they are among the best in
our language and knowing them will be an added inducement to
memorizing the Bible verses that tell the same story.
3. How Can I Help My Child to Understand God's Relation to the World?
Begin with familiar things.--This is very easily done when the child's
thoughts of God are related to his knowledge of the things of home.
You will find a splendid treatment of these relationships in the
primer pages in "The Golden Book" (27-68). Give these lessons to a
child who is learning to read. He will like them because the pages
look just like his school book and he will be helped in his reading at
the same time that he is learning truths which explain the Bible verse
given at the bottom of each page. There is no better way of helping a
young child to understand love for God, faith in God, the presence of
God, and other great truths that are usually given in the abstract.
(The questions at the end of this chapter will be helpful in getting
the child to express himself.)
{17}
4. How Can I Know the Best Bible Stories to Tell to Children?
Remember two things: that, as children develop, different types of
stories appeal to them, and that everyone of these types is found in
THE BIBLE STORY. It is a fact that, while the Bible is a universal
story book, many of its best lessons cannot be put in story form and
are therefore left out of any collection of Bible stories.
Consequently the child is missing much that he might profitably have.
THE BIBLE STORY meets a great need of the times by bringing to
children all the lessons of the Bible, some by means of simple
treatments of interesting things and some by means of longer stories
of its heroes and heroines.
_Simple Good-Night Talks for Little Tots_
The following paragraphs in "The Golden Book" contain the sweetest,
most constructive lessons to be found in the whole Bible and are
beautiful good-night talks for very young children. The questions at
the end of this chapter are listed according to pages in "The Golden
Book" and will help in getting the child to repeat the story.
God Sees Me. 81 G.B.
What Does God Want Me to Do? 82 G.B.
What God Gives. 85 G.B.
Jesus and His Friends. 86 G.B.
Jesus Had no Home. 89 G.B.
The People Loved Jesus. 93 G.B.
The Boyhood of Jesus 97 G.B.
Jesus and Sick People. 98 G.B.
Talking with Our Father. 101 G.B.
God is Our Father. 105 G.B.
What Jesus Said about Birds and Flowers. 106 G.B.
What Jesus Said about Trees. 109 G.B.
It will be helpful to the mother who is constantly appealed to by her
children for special kinds of stories to know where to find them in
THE BIBLE STORY.
_Stories about Other Children_
Children are fond of listening to stories about other children like
themselves. THE BIBLE STORY contains many such.
Jesus and the Little Girl. 110 G.B.
The Baby Hid in a Basket. 117 G.B.
The Boy Who Came when He was Called. 132 G.B.
The Boy Who was Raised from the Dead. 193 G.B.
The Little Captive Maid. 205 G.B.
{18}
_Hero Stories_
The favorites of all children beyond the first year or two of school
are the stories of great heroes. A large part of "The Golden Book" is
given up to stories of Bible heroes, and the following volume is made
up of the lives of these same heroes in the words of the Bible text
and is consequently more difficult. The beauty of this arrangement is
that after reading the easy story in "The Golden Book" a child will
want to read more, and as soon as he is able will enjoy going further
with his great heroes in the volumes that contain the Bible text. He
will understand seemingly difficult passages in the succeeding volumes
of the set because of the substantial background formed by the simple
treatments in "The Golden Book." The list of simple hero stories is
here given together with the corresponding stories in the Bible text
in other volumes.
The Shepherd Boy Who Killed a Giant. 139 G.B.
David and Goliath. 386 H.T.
David and King Saul. 151 G.B.
David an Outlaw. 406 H.T.
David and Jonathan. 156 G.B.
The Jealousy of Saul. 396 H.T.
David and His Three Brave Soldiers. 163 G.B.
A Knightly Deed. 438 H.T.
David and His Son Absalom. 167 G.B.
The Rebellion of Absalom. 443 H.T.
The Story of a Good King. 170 G.B.
Solomon's Temple. 461 H.T.
Joseph and His Brethren. 177 G.B.
Joseph. 91 H.T.
In the same way you may read the Bedtime Stories, beginning on page
245 of "The Golden Book," and then go naturally to the same stories in
the Bible text itself as told in the volume "The Life of Jesus."
The Story of the First Christmas. 245 G.B.
Nativity. 37 L.J.
The Story of Palm Sunday. 251 G.B.
The Entry into Jerusalem. 233 L.J.
How Jesus Gave His Life for the World. 257 G.B.
The Crucifixion. 281 L.J.
The Story of the First Easter Sunday. 265 G.B.
The Resurrection. 297 L.J.
{19}
Who was the Neighbor? 279 G.B.
The Good Samaritan. 88 L.J.
The Good Shepherd. 282 G.B.
The Good Shepherd and the Sheep. 200 L.J.
5. How Can I Get My Child to Read the Bible?
In no better way than that suggested in the two foregoing paragraphs.
Begin at once with the simpler parts of "The Golden Book," proceed
gradually, awakening new interest, daily if possible, by means of the
Questions (page 26) and Things to Do (page 20). It will take a little
time and much thought, but it is the great privilege of the mother to
watch for the opportunity and lead the child by means of "The Golden
Book" into the treasure house of the Bible, which, despite its
wonderful interest and character-building values, has up to this time
presented almost a closed door to children. As soon as the child has
passed out of "The Golden Book" and found an interest in the other
volumes make use of the suggestions and questions in the next chapter
for the "Hero Age," and hold the interest once gained.
Very early in life little children begin to ask about Christmas, Palm
Sunday, and Easter. Why not seize this opportunity and give them
answers to their questions from the Bible?
6. How Can I Help My Child to Understand Life in Bible Times?
By "Seeing Palestine with THE BIBLE STORY."
Read these Stories:--
How the People Traveled in the Lands of the Bible 208 G.B.
Houses in the Lands of the Bible. 214 G.B.
Children in the Lands of the Bible. 217 G.B.
Jerusalem. 218 G.B.
The Jordan. 224 G.B.
The Dead Sea. 226 G.B.
Bethlehem. 229 G.B.
Palestine in the Days of the Lord Jesus. 17 L.J.
{20}
Answer these questions:--
(_Be sure to read the story on the back of each picture._)
What do you know about plowing in Palestine? 50, 84 G.B.
How do they thresh in the lands of the Bible? 128, 274 G.B.
440 H.T.
What is the town of Nazareth like to-day? 88, 100 G.B.
How do they draw water in old Philistia? 142 G.B.
What do you know about an Eastern shepherd
and his sheep? 146, 210,
284, 308 G.B.
Who said, "I am the good shepherd"? 288 G.B.
Tell about winnowing in Bible lands. 158, 162 G.B.
Look at the pictures on pages 294, 298,
302, 312, 368, 374 G.B., then tell what
Jesus said about animals. 304 G.B.
What were some of the streets like in
ancient Palestine? 356 T.J. 278 L.J.
300 S.A.
Name the lake on which Jesus so often sailed
with his disciples. 108 G.B. 462 T.J.
Why were the disciples so often to be
found on the lake? 146 L.J.
Tell two stories about Jesus and
the Lake of Galilee. 94, 307 L.J.
How did the people fish in Palestine? 487 L.J.
Why is it necessary in Palestine to separate
the tares from the wheat before harvest? 22 L.J.
What did the army of the Midianites look like
when they came to fight the children of Israel? 318, 322 H.T.
Read the story. 319 H.T.
How and by whom is meal ground in Palestine? 176 S.A.
The extent of Solomon's kingdom was from "Dan
to Beersheba"; find northern and southern points 14 T.J.
7. How Can I Get My Child to Use THE BIBLE STORY for Himself?
By giving him some _Things to Do_. It is a splendid plan to take
advantage of the child's natural eagerness to look at the pictures in
THE BIBLE STORY, so as to make that desire of real educational value.
The following are delightful for a child to do:--
Study closely the pictures on pages 176, 196, 204, and 254 of "The
Golden Book," read the interesting notes on the back of each picture,
and the story on page 208 of "The Golden Book." Then tell the
difference between traveling in Bible lands and in our land.
{21}
Look at the pictures of Bethlehem on pages 138 and 248 of "The Golden
Book" and page 28 L.J. and read the story on the back of each. Then
tell how David's home and life were different from yours. Read the
story on page 229 G.B. and see what wonderful things happened in this
little town.
Read the story on page 214 G.B. and look at the pictures on pages
88,92,188, of "The Golden Book" and 192 T.J., then compare a house in
the Holy Land with your house.
Read the story on page 217 of "The Golden Book" and look at the
pictures opposite and on page 172 of "The Golden Book." Then tell or
write what you think are the pleasant things about living in Bible
lands. Look at the picture on page 236 and tell why it was good to
live there in the year 33 A.D.
In your sand pile build a tiny city of Jerusalem. You will know just
how to make it after you have read the story on page 218 of "The
Golden Book." Put it on a hill with valleys on three sides of it. Use
stones to build the wall. (See page 216 T.J.) Put a large white stone
where you think the temple stood. The picture on page 480 in "Hero
Tales" will show you how the city really looked. After you have built
the city and neighboring hills and valleys as well as you can, show
them to your mother and father and explain all the interesting
features. Tell about the path on the wall and its use; tell why the
city was built on a hill; tell about the gates in the wall. (See page
215 T.J.) Explain who built the temple and tell anything else you may
know about the greatest city of the Bible lands.
In the back of the volume, "The Songs of the Ages," you will find an
index of illustrations and can easily turn to all the pictures of
Jerusalem in these volumes and learn some interesting things.
8. How Can I Interest My Child in the Great Works of Art in
THE BIBLE STORY?
The interest of children in works of art, if unguided, usually lasts
only for a moment. Let some one, however, begin to talk about the
picture and the child fixes eager eyes upon it and follows every word
with breathless attention. "Talking about a picture is simply letting
a picture talk," and many of these pictures are volumes in themselves
which one must read carefully to know all they are meant to tell. The
following paragraphs furnish questions and suggest lines of study
which will often open the door of the child's mind to artistic
appreciation.
{22}
_Talking about Pictures_
What painter of Madonnas was called the
"peasant painter of Spain"? 30 G.B.
There are four Madonnas by this artist in
"The Golden Book" 30, 348,
436, 450 G.B.
Which two most resemble each other?
How do even these two differ?
Which is thought to be the most beautiful of all?
Which is your favorite? Why?
Find the one painted without the child.
Did you notice two little seraphs that are in
almost the same position on pages 436 and 450 G.B.?
In which of the pictures do you think the painter
has shown the most loving mother?
Describe some other children's pictures painted
by this great man. 336, 480 G.B.
Who is generally considered the greatest
of all painters? 220 G.B.
Name the most famous Madonna in the world 220 G.B.
(Notice how lines drawn from the head of the Madonna to the heads of
the two supporting figures and across their base make a triangle. This
balance gives strength to the picture and makes it more pleasing to
look at. One reason why art critics say this picture is "without one
false note" is its perfect balance. Remember that this regularity and
balance of composition mean repose in a picture while a combination of
slanting lines and lessening figures suggests motion. (See 38 T.J.) If
slanting lines suggest motion, perpendicular ones show rest, as seen
in the figure of Ruth (44 T.J.). These perpendicular lines are very
much used by the great artists; for instance, look at pages 262, 372,
382, 390 S.A.)
Raphael painted many pictures besides Madonnas. One of his most famous
pictures is on page 366 L.J. There are two other Madonnas by this same
artist in "The Golden Book" (pages 356, 444). Describe them and learn
their names.
What do you think is interesting about the Madonna picture by Carlo
Dolci on page 340 G.B.?
Where does the light come from in the Madonna picture on page 396?
{23}
Note another very much like Dolci's (page 400): Can you explain this
light?
In the picture on page 414 G.B. notice how glad every one is that the
Christ Child has come: Why do you think the artist made them look so
happy?
Which of the Madonnas on pages 364, 392, 418, 432, 470 G.B. do you
like best, and why?
Find on page 42 G.B. one of the most popular modern Madonnas. This is
something like the Madonna on page 450 but it is not considered so
good. What do you think is the difference between the two?
What does the Bible call the three men represented as looking at the
baby in the Madonna picture on page 408 G.B.?
What is unusual about the picture by Bouguereau on page 332 G.B.?
Describe the picture by the same artist on page 426.
In what way is the picture on page 332 like the one by Murillo on page
450?
How is the picture on page 404 like the Adoration of the Angels on
page 426?
There are many pictures of the face of Jesus in "The Golden Book" that
are worth studying and comparing. Turn, one after another, to the
pictures on pages 74, 104, 288, 308; look at each of the faces, and
say which you like best, and why.
Name a very great French artist who was
a painter of landscapes. 38 G.B.
What sort of subject did Sir Joshua Reynolds
choose for many of his paintings?
In what country did he live? 46,374,382 G.B.
(A group of men in England called the Pre-Raphaelites were fond of
painting pictures that tell a story. One of the most famous of these,
an allegorical picture, is given on page 466 G.B. It is interesting to
trace out its meaning. See how many prominent features of this picture
you can pick out. Notice the three lights: the moonlight, symbol of
earth's dimness; the lantern light, symbol of the searching light of
conscience; the light around the Master's head, symbol of the light of
love. One of the Master's hands is bound by the light of conscience,
but the other is free to knock at the door of the heart of man. The
brambles and vines of neglect and sin have grown over the door and it
has no latch. It can be opened only from within.)
{24}
What woman is ranked among the most famous animal
painters of the world? 378 G.B.
Of what form of art was Thorwaldsen a master?
Notice how this form can tell a story 48 H.T.
Who painted the famous frieze of the Prophets
in the Boston Public Library? 89 H.T.
What prophets are represented in each of the
four sections? 262, 372,
382, 390 S.A.
Tell the history of the great statue of David by
Michael Angelo. 384 H. T.
Who was Michael Angelo?
Murillo, great painter of Madonnas, also painted other pictures. Can
you tell the story of the two pictures on 64, 246 H.T.?
An interesting picture is given on page 38 H.T. Can you tell where
this family is going and why?
You can tell a story of Jesus from the pictures in the volume, "The
Life of Jesus." Follow those in the order suggested and see how much
you can tell about Jesus' life from pages 16, 40, 48, 52, 56, 76, 114,
232, 236, 274, 312.
The pictures of Jesus that we see most often were painted by Hofmann.
This artist has painted a great many pictures of Jesus and several are
given in the volume, "The Life of Jesus," on pages 84, 164, 210, 266.
Would you know from looking at them that these pictures were all
painted by the same man? Why?
Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest of Italian
painters. What is his most famous picture? 252 L.J.
Can you explain who the men are, represented in this picture (252
L.J.), and what they are all talking about? Do you know why Jesus'
face is so sad? Look on page 256 L.J. for a larger picture of the face
of Jesus. This is a study made by Da Vinci for his great painting,
"The Last Supper," and is called "The Unfinished Christ." It is said
of this picture: "Never had such a vision of the face come to mortal
before. Never has it been approached in beauty or power by any painter
since."
The following is an interesting observation test as well as a help
in fixing the beautiful stories in mind. Turn to the picture on page
254 G.B. Ask the child to examine it closely for a few minutes and
then tell you in detail what he sees in the picture. Some children
will see many things, others will need suggestions to help them in
bringing out {25} the interesting points of characters and setting.
After the picture is well in mind turn to page 251 G.B. and read the
story of Palm Sunday, letting the child fit his observations to the
story.
Other pictures and stories that may be used in the same way are:--
Pictures. 16 L.J., 388 G.B.
Story. 245 G.B.
Picture. 458 G.B.
Story. 49 L.J.
Picture. 112 G.B.
Story. 110 G.B.
Picture. 236 G.B.
Story. 188 L.J.
Pictures. 290,300 L.J.
Story. 265 G.B.
Picture. 188 G.B.
Story. 214 G.B.
Picture. 366 L.J.
Story. 469 L.J.
Picture. Frontispiece H.T.
Story. 177 G.B.
{26}
QUESTIONS TO ASK LITTLE CHILDREN
If possible, set a regular time for reading "The Golden Book" with the
child, taking it page by page. Use these questions to recall the
previous lesson before going on to a new story.
_Making the Child Think_
Who gives you "every good gift"? 32 G.B.
Tell something about the beautiful grass
and flowers 35, 36 G.B.
To whom do you say your prayers? 40 G.B.
What shines in the sky when you sleep?
(See picture in front of G.B.) 43 G.B.
What do you know about one great star? 245 G.B.
What shines down on the flowers and the birds
and the little children when they waken? 44 G.B.
How do you thank the Father in heaven
for his goodness? 47 G.B.
Who is glad when the rain falls? 48 G.B.
How does God help the seeds to grow into flowers? 51 G.B.
What beautiful things does God bring to us
in the summer? 52 G.B.
Tell some good and beautiful things which you
thank God for in the autumn. 55 G.B.
Why do you like the cool winter days? How
does God keep the flowers warm? The animals? 59 G.B.
What can you do beside the big ocean? 63 G.B.
Why do the beautiful hills and mountains
make you think of God? 68 G.B.
Tell some things you can do to make the
Father in heaven glad. 81 G.B.
How many things can you do that God wants done? 82 G.B.
Why do you thank God every day? 85 G.B.
{27}
Why did Jesus' friends love him? 86 G.B.
Did Jesus have any home? 89 G.B.
To whose home did Jesus love to go? (Look at
picture, page 260 G.B., also page 218 L.J.) 90 G.B.
What did Jesus do when the people came to see him?
(Look at pictures on pages 114 and 132 L.J.) 93 G.B.
Tell a little story about the Sea of Galilee.
(Look at picture, page 108.) 94 G.B.
When Jesus was a boy, how many things did he do
that you do? (Read page 73 G.B. and look at
picture on page 56 L. J.) 97 G.B.
Do you know why Jesus was called the Great
Physician? (Look at pictures pages 104 and 200.) 98 G.B.
Why do you like to talk to your Father in heaven?
(Look at the picture on page 192 T.J. and see how
people in the East sometimes prayed.) 101 G.B.
Tell how a good father is like the Father in heaven. 105 G.B.
What did Jesus say about birds and flowers? 106 G.B.
Did you know that there are good trees and bad
trees? Tell what Jesus said about them. (Look at
pictures pages 460 and 102 H.T.) 109 G.B.
How was Jesus very kind to Jairus, whose little
girl was sick? 110 G.B.
What baby was hid in a basket and afterward grew
up to be a great man? (Look at page 140 H.T.,
for one of the wonders of the country where this
baby was born. Look on page 90 H. T. and see how
a great artist represents him as a man.) 117 G.B.
Tell how the churches in the Bible lands were
different from our churches. Where did they get
the songs they sang? 121 G.B.
Can you tell one of the stories that Jesus told? 126 G.B.
How many of the important things that Jesus
taught the people can you remember? 130 G.B.
What was the name of the little boy who came when
he was called? How was his mother unselfish? What
do you think made him a great man? (Look at
picture, page 45.) 132 G.B.
{28}
Tell about the shepherd life that made David a
strong, brave boy. How did he use his strength
and bravery when his country needed him? (Look
at pictures, pages 384 and 388 H.T.) 139 G.B.
What did David do for the great King Saul and
how did Saul treat David in return? (Look on
page 404 H.T. and see
the place where David hid from Saul.) 151 G.B.
How did Jonathan show his friendship for David? 156 G.B.
Tell what three brave soldiers did to show
their friendship for David. 163 G.B.
Tell the name of a wicked son of David and
what happened to him. 167 G.B.
Who was called the "wisest king," and what was
the greatest thing he ever did?
(Look at picture on page 454 H. T.) 170 G.B.
Tell the name and the story of the little boy
who was put in a pit by his brothers. (Look at
picture on page 94 H.T. to see how the little
boy traveled to Egypt.) 177 G.B.
How did this little slave boy become a great
ruler in Egypt? 181 G.B.
Tell how, as a great ruler, he did a kind thing
to the brothers who had been unkind to him.
(See picture in front of H.T.) 185 G.B.
Tell about the woman who did a good deed to the
prophet Elijah and how she was richly rewarded. 193 G.B.
When Jesus refused to be king in Palestine and
told the people that he was king over a greater
kingdom than they had, what did he mean? By what
stories did Jesus explain what he meant? 201 G.B.
Tell what the little captive girl did to bring
health to the great general Naaman.
(Look at picture, page 150 T.J.) 205 G.B.
Tell all you know about the Jordan river.
(Look at pictures, pages 284 and 340 H.T.) 224 G.B.
What is the strangest lake in the world? Why
would you dislike to live near it? (Look at
picture on page 228 G.B., also on page 34 H.T.) 226 G.B.
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PART II
CHARACTER AND LIVING
_For Growth in Knowledge and Character_
{30}
"Written in the East, these characters live forever in the West;
written in one province, they pervade the world; penned in rude times,
they are prized more and more as civilization advances; product of
antiquity, they come home to the bosoms of the folk of modern days."
--_Robert Louis Stevenson_.
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CHARACTER AND LIVING
MAKE THE BIBLE HEROES YOUR FRIENDS
We ever demand a person for an ideal instead of a principle. By living
a year with a masterful character one would gain more than from a
dozen years of moral precept. President King of Oberlin College says,
"Character is not taught, but caught."
Since character is contagious, mere teaching of the bare and unadorned
moral principle is almost always vain. But a hero personifies virtue,
commands admiration, becomes an ideal.
This explains the power of stories in creating character. The heroes
of the Bible fire us with enthusiasm we could never feel for
impersonal virtue. To make them our friends is to be influenced by the
noblest associates.
When Jesus wished to build up character in His disciples He told them
a story, or parable, to supply their lack.
The method meets the need of mankind to-day as well as in Jesus' time.
The Bible has a wonderful story for forming every single trait of
character. Its heroes illuminate virtue by their heroic deeds. We see
the man, admire his deeds, then his motives, and then his character.
Unconsciously, but none the less surely, we catch his spirit and share
the quality of his soul.
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JESUS' CHARACTER-BUILDING STORIES
Do you know which parable teaches:--
True neighborliness? 88 L.J.
Spreading of truth? 106 L.J.
Consistent and false profession? 117 L.J.
Hearers divided into classes? 133 L.J.
The spread of Christianity? 134 L.J.
The law of growth in religion? 134 L.J.
Gratitude for pardon? 170 L.J.
The duty of forgiveness? 186 L.J.
Joy over penitence? 202 L.J.
Fatherly love? 203 L.J.
Faithfulness to trust? 204 L.J.
That the Divine call is universal? 207 L.J.
Concerning worldly-mindedness? 212 L.J.
The rejection of Jesus by the Jews? 238 L.J.
The use of advantages? 244 L.J.
That love is the test of life? 246 L.J.
When Jesus told the parable of the Sower, he first told the story and
then because some of the people did not understand, he went back
over it, giving full explanation. Read the story of the Sower (133
L.J.), noting Jesus' method of explanation, and then read the parables
suggested below and follow the reading with your own explanation of
them.
The Story of the Faithful Servant. 244 L.J.
The Story of the Foolish Rich Man. 212 L.J.
The Story of the Lost Money. 202 L.J.
The House Built on the Rock. 117 L.J.
The House Built on the Sand. 118 L.J.
The Story of the Mustard Seed. 134 L.J.
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FOUNDATION STONES
To what chapter would you turn in your Bible to find how you can best
serve other people? Can you turn instantly to the Bible's finest
teachings of charity, of purity, or of faith?
The Bible is the mine for the Builder of Character, the storehouse of
Foundation Stones. And yet--can you always go to it and bring back
just the stone you are needing for the Building?
Few can. But many desire to do so. Above all, parents wish to make the
Bible a power in forming the characters of their children.
Building character consists of seizing opportunities. You cannot often
wait to search out these Bible teachings. They should be at hand for
the opportune time when they can be used to correct, or guide, or
inspire.
Suppose a child is disobedient; suppose he is given to falsehood, or
is selfish. "What part of the Bible," you ask, "will be of most help
in overcoming his fault?" And, "How can I be sure of finding the part
desired at just the time it should be used?"
To answer these and many other such practical questions, the teachings
of the Bible are here classified so that you may instantly choose the
one you need and apply it at the time the need arises.
Charity
L.J., 88, The Good Samaritan.
L.J., 110, It is a Sin to Think Evil of Others.
L.J., 169, Conflict about the Treatment of Sinful People.
L.J., 207, The Story of the Men Who Made Excuses.
L.J., 243, The Poor Widow.
L.J., 246, The Judgment of the King.
Courage
H.T., 386, David and Goliath.
H.T., 430, How a Brave Prophet Rebuked a King.
T.J., 183, Daniel.
L.J., 339, The First Martyr.
L.J., 396, The Macedonian Cry.
L.J., 469, The Shipwreck.
S.A., 447, The Christian Warrior.
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Courtesy and Kindness
H.T., 22, Abram and Lot.
H.T., 438, A Knightly Deed.
L.J., 169, Conflict about the Treatment of Sinful People.
L.J., 221, Zacchaeus, the Publican.
S.A., 428, An Unruly Tongue.
S.A., 429, The Peaceable Spirit.
Faith
H.T., 41, The Testing of Abraham.
L.J., 92, Jesus and the King's Officer.
L.J., 115, Trust God, and He will Take Care of You.
L.J., 121, The Roman Soldier's Faith.
L.J., 180, The Transfiguration.
L.J., 297, The Resurrection.
L.J., 301, On the Way to Emmaus.
L.J., 305, Doubting Thomas.
L.J., 310, The Ascension.
S.A., 20, A Morning Prayer.
S.A., 21, An Evening Prayer.
S.A., 68, God is Our Refuge.
S.A., 106, The Lord is Our Refuge.
S.A., 179, Job.
Faithfulness
H.T., 69, Jacob and Rachael.
T.J., 35, Ruth.
L.J., 133, The Story of the Sower.
L.J., 270, How Peter Denied His Lord.
S.A., 179, Job.
Forgiveness
H.T., 76, Jacob Fears the Wrath of Esau.
H.T., 91, Joseph.
H.T., 406, David an Outlaw.
H.T., 411, Saul's Pursuit of David.
L.J., 185, Teaching the Disciples.
L.J., 202, Stories of the Divine Forgiveness.
Honesty and Truthfulness
H.T., 201, The Giving of the Commandments.
L.J., 106, The New Way of Right Living.
L.J., 110, It is a Sin to Think Evil of Others.
L.J., 116, God Wants Deeds, not Words.
L.J., 335, Ananias and Sapphira.
S.A., 39, I have Walked in Thy Truth.
Hope
L.J., 79, At the Passover.
S.A., 61, A Song in Time of Trouble.
S.A., 63, In the Day of Adversity.
S.A., 79, The Rock that is Higher than I.
S.A., 91, Give Ear, O Shepherd of Israel.
S.A., 158, De Profundis.
S.A., 278, The Coming Messiah.
S.A., 284, Comfort Ye My People.
S.A., 288, The Triumph of the Man of Sorrows.
S.A., 293, Arise, Shine.
S.A., 449, The Hope of Immortality.
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Humility
T.J., 143, How a Great Soldier was Healed of Leprosy.
L.J., 105, The Beatitudes.
L.J., 110, It is a Sin to Think Evil of Others.
L.J., 111, The Right Way to Do Good Deeds and the Right Way to Pray.
L.J., 185, Teaching the Disciples.
L.J., 188, Jesus and Little Children.
L.J., 207, The Story of the Men Who Made Excuses.
Love
H.T., 396, The Jealousy of Saul.
T.J., 35, Ruth.
L.J., 74, The First Disciples.
L.J., 110, The Right Way to Love Your Enemies.
L.J., 149, Jesus and John the Baptist.
L.J., 200, The Good Shepherd and the Sheep.
L.J., 215, The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead.
L.J., 240, The Greatest of All Commandments.
L.J., 248, The Last Supper.
S.A., 159, Brotherhood.
S.A., 425, The Greatest Thing in the World.
S.A., 435, The Gospel of Love and Sonship.
Obedience
H.T., 338, Samuel.
H.T., 370, Saul.
T.J., 19, A Story of Disobedience.
Patience
L.J., 109, It is a Sin to Get Angry.
S.A., 55, Wait Patiently.
S.A., 179, Job.
Patriotism
H.T., 137, Moses.
H.T., 319, Gideon.
T.J., 60, Esther.
T.J., 212, Nehemiah.
Purity
H.T., 202, The Commandments.
L.J., 105, The Beatitudes.
S.A., 143, The Songs of the Pure in Heart.
S.A., 256, Praise of the Wise and Virtuous Woman.
S.A., 426, Temptation.
Reverence
H.T., 470, The Dedication of the Temple.
T.J., 15, The Story of Creation.
L.J., 41, The Wise Men.
L.J., 111, The Right Way to Pray.
L.J., 237, In the Temple.
S.A., 30, Song of the Earth and Sky.
S.A., 42, The Glory of the Lord.
S.A., 113, The Lord Reigneth.
S.A., 120, God the Creator.
S.A., 245, Remember also Thy Creator.
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Service
H.T., 91, Joseph.
T.J., 113, Elijah and Elisha.
L.J., 78, The First Miracle.
L.J., 92, Jesus and the King's Officer.
L.J., 121, The Roman Soldier's Faith.
L.J., 125, Days of Service.
L.J., 130, The Miracle at Nain.
L.J., 136, The Tempest.
L.J., 141, The Little Girl Who Died.
L.J., 143, Learning to Serve.
L.J., 144, The Feeding of the Multitude.
L.J., 167, The Enemies of Jesus.
L.J., 197, At the Feast of the Dedication.
L.J., 229, The Supper at Bethany.
L.J., 244, The Story of the Faithful Servant.
L.J., 376, The First Missionary Journeys.
L.J., 396, The Macedonian Cry.
Sympathy
L.J., 141, The Little Girl Who Died.
L.J., 144, The Feeding of the Multitude.
L.J., 215, The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead.
Thankfulness and Cheerfulness
S.A., 22, A Little Lower than God.
S.A., 26, A Song of Deliverance.
S.A., 35, The Good Shepherd.
S.A., 40, The Lord is My Salvation.
S.A., 45, Weeping may Endure for a Night, but Joy Cometh in the Morning.
S.A., 85, Let the Peoples Praise Thee.
S.A., 116, Thanksgiving and Praise.
S.A., 118, Our Father.
S.A., 170, Songs of Praise.
S.A., 277, God is My Salvation.
S.A., 286, Awake, O Zion.
S.A., 290, Beautiful Zion.
S.A., 291, Ho, Every One that Thirsteth.
Unselfishness
H.T., 91, Joseph.
T.J., 143, How a Great Soldier was Healed of Leprosy.
L.J., 70, The Temptation in the Wilderness.
L.J., 115, The Golden Rule and the Right Way to be Rich.
L.J., 211, The Rich Young Man;
L.J., 258, Jesus is the True Vine.
L.J., 261, Jesus Prays for His Disciples.
L.J., 346, Simon the Sorcerer.
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TRY LINCOLN'S WAY
Do you know Abraham Lincoln's plan of learning English? It was a very
simple and direct way of making the Bible English his own. The Bible,
we are told, was one of the four or five books which Lincoln read and
loved as a boy. He knew it well and to his study of it he owed the
simple, strong, and beautiful English which gave his speeches--his
address at Gettysburg, the Second Inaugural address, and many
others--their high place among the most perfect and enduring of all
writings.
This was his plan: He would read a story, or a part of one, very
slowly and thoughtfully, oftentimes aloud. When every detail of it was
clear in his mind, he would close the book, take pencil and paper and
write the story for himself, using as many of the Bible words as he
could remember, and trying always to tell the story as _well_ and as
_completely_, and yet in as _few words_ as the Bible.
He tells us his stories were never quite so clear, so brief, and yet
so perfect, as those of his model. But he did learn to command its
simplicity, its strength, its brevity, and its imagery.
Try Lincoln's way, using the following selections:--
A Cowardly Deed. 91, 92, 95, 96 H. T.
An Old Fable. 333, 334 H.T.
The Story of the Shepherd Boy Who Became King. 382,385,386 H.T.
The Passing of David. 451 H.T.
The Wise Men. 41, 42 L.J.
The First Miracle. 78 L.J.
The Good Samaritan. 88, 91 L.J.
The Man Let Down through the Roof. 127, 128 L.J.
The Miracle at Nain. 130 L.J.
The Story of the Sower. 133 L.J.
Learning to Serve. 143 L.J.
The Story of the Lost Sheep. 202 L.J.
The Story of the Prodigal Son. 203, 204 L.J.
{38}
HISTORY AND THE BIBLE
1. The World in Bible Times
The following great empires of the world held
first place during different periods of the
history of the Jews. Can you recall Israel's
relationship to each of these great powers? 488 T.J.
Babylon
During the time of what Hebrew captive was
Babylon in the ascendency? 183 T.J.
Assyria
During what king's reign did the hordes of
Assyria, under its greatest king, Sennacherib,
descend upon Jerusalem? 299 T.J.
Persia
What great Hebrew statesman was associated
with the splendor of the Persian court? 212 T.J.
Greece
In the time of what brave men was the attempt
made to force Grecian customs and worship
upon Palestine? 418, 496 T.J.
Rome
During what time did Rome rule over all the
lands of Western Asia, including Palestine? 19 L.J.
How did the capture of Babylon by Cyrus, in
538 B.C., affect the Jews? 397 S.A.
What was the effect of the captivity in Babylon
upon the Jewish people? 397 S.A.
By what name was the great king Xerxes known
in the Bible? What historical estimate of his
character is supported by THE BIBLE STORY, and how? 60,488 T.J.
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From your knowledge of general history, link up the stories of Daniel,
Esther, and Nehemiah in point of time, remembering that:--
(1) Daniel lived for a short time in the court
of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the
Persian Empire 206 T.J.
(2) Ahasuerus, who was king of Persia in
Esther's time, was the well-known Xerxes. 60 T.J.
(3) The incidents of Nehemiah's life began
"in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes,"
king of Persia 214 T.J.
What was the national standing of Egypt during
Old Testament times? 492 H.T.,
488 T.J.
What custom in the ancient world explains the question:
"Is not this the cup from which my lord
drinketh, and whereby he indeed divineth?" 118,492 H.T.
It is said that no Bible story more faithfully
describes the customs of the Ancient Orient than
the story of Esther. What do you learn of Eastern
court life and the manners and customs of the
people from a reading of this story? 60-79 T.J.
What Egyptian superstition led to the custom of
embalming? 493 H.T.
By whom was the embalming done and how long is
it said to have taken in the case of Jacob? 130 H.T.
From what name is the term "Palestine" derived? 493 H.T.
How did Phoenicia come to have a special influence
upon the Jews in the time of Jezebel? 113,490 T.J.
A short time before the birth of Jesus, Jerusalem
was captured by Pompey and the Jews made tributaries
to Rome. Herod the Great was appointed king of
Judea. What was the spirit of the Jews under the
rule of Herod? 485, 486 L.J.
What Caesar was in power in Rome when Jesus was born? 443 L.J.
Describe the Roman Provincial Government and Army in
the time of Paul. 494 L.J.
2. The Bible in History
Why do you consider "A Morning Prayer" (20 S.A.)
appropriate for the use made of it by the English? 497 S.A.
What romantic use was made of "A Morning Prayer"
(20 S.A.) by the Huguenots? 497 S.A.
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What men considered "An Evening Prayer" (21 S.A.)
a consolation for their last moments, and what can
you find in the psalm to justify their preference? 497 S.A.
What interesting uses have been made of
Psalm 8 (22 S.A.)? 497 S.A.
To what use were lines 18 and 19 of Psalm 17
(25 S.A.) put? 497 S.A.
What great university has chosen the first two
lines of Psalm 27 (40 S.A.) as a motto? 498 S.A.
Pick out the line in Psalm 31 (47 S.A.) which
was used by Jesus on the cross and has since
been used by many Christian martyrs 498, 499 S.A.
Name some martyrs who have died with these
words on their lips 498, 499 S.A.
What was the secret of Livingstone's great work
in Africa, judging from his constant use of lines
nine and ten of Psalm 37 (55 S.A.)? 499 S.A.
What great English ceremony is said to be founded
on Psalm 45 (66 S.A.)? 499 S.A.
What terms make this Psalm appropriate for such use? 66, 499 S.A.
By what great men and for what purposes has Psalm 46
(68 S.A.) been used? 499, 500 S.A.
On what occasions in English history has Psalm 51
(75 S.A.) been used? 500 S.A.
How was Psalm 68 (86 S.A.) used by the friends of
Savonarola at the crisis of his career? 500 S.A.
To what general use has Psalm 68 (86 S.A.) been put? 501 S.A.
What famous early English poem is full of allusions
to the Psalms? 502 S.A.
What lines in Psalm 90 (104 S.A.) make its place
in the burial service of the church of England
especially appropriate? 502 S.A.
Pick out the lines in Psalm 91 (106 S.A.) that
were, according to legend, repeated by Pope
Alexander as he set his foot on the neck of the
kneeling Emperor Barbarossa over whom he had
just triumphed. 502 S.A.
Find the line in Psalm 98 (108 S.A.) which was
used as a proof of the fixity of the earth by
the opposers of the Copernican theory. 502 S.A.
In what way was Psalm 117 (139 S.A.), the
shortest Psalm, used at the battle of Worcester? 504 S.A.
{41}
What did Luther say of Psalm 118 (140 S.A.)? 504 S.A.
Name some of the uses that have been made of
Psalm 118 (140 S.A.) in celebrating success
and triumph. 504, 505 S.A.
To what use did the missionary, James Harrington,
put Psalm 121 (155 S.A.) and what did he name it? 505 S.A.
Find the lines in Psalm 144 (166, 167 S.A.) that
have often been used in England and France as a
motto on the face of sundials. 506 S.A.
The moral awakening of the world in our day is,
it is said, due in no small degree to the
rediscovery of the prophets of Israel. Isaiah is
the specialist on the great social problem of the
city, its sins, its volatile and vibrant life, its
opulence, and its pride. The principles which Isaiah
applied to the evils of his day are the principles
of our age and of all times. From a study of the
messages of Isaiah what can you say of his stand on
this question? 264-296 S.A.
{42}
LIVING WITH THE BIBLE
The Bible is a mirror "in which each man sees the motions of his own
soul. Many of the Psalms express in exquisite words the kinship which
every thoughtful human heart craves to find with a supreme,
unchanging, loving God, who will be to him a protector, guardian, and
friend." Many of the Bible passages give utterance to the ordinary
experiences and the familiar thoughts of men.
Readers will get more help from the Bible if they know where to look
for just what they need. Following is an index to many of the great
passages in THE BIBLE STORY, arranged under names suggestive of their
purpose.
A Morning Song of Good Hope. 20 S.A.
Evening after Business. 21 S.A.
Verses about Home Safety. 24 S.A.
On Going Forth to Something Hard. 32 S.A.
At a Time of Despondency. 40, 61 S.A.
On Enduring Gossip. 47, 77 S.A.
A Song of Good Experience. 52 S.A.
A Song of Happy Service. 54 S.A.
Fret Not. 55 S.A.
A Cheerful Heart on a Dark Day. 57 S.A.
On the Wedding of a Kingly Son. 66 S.A.
God our Rock and our Brook. 68 S.A.
The Time when I Conquered. 69 S.A.
After Church. 70 S.A.
When I am Sorry. 75 S.A.
God is my Home. 79 S.A.
On a Bright Spring Day. 80 S.A.
When Trouble is Over. 82 S.A.
In Sudden Trouble. 87 S.A.
In a Storm at Sea. 90, 108 S.A.
Going to Church. 95 S.A.
Making Good Resolutions. 98 S.A.
In a Happy Old Age. 104 S.A.
The Young Eagle under his Father's Wings. 106 S.A.
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In His Beautiful World. 111, 112, 120 S.A.
The Doxology. 116 S.A.
Our Unchangeable God. 117 S.A.
Our Father. 118 S.A.
For Travelers, Toilers, the Sick Sailors, Strangers. 130 S.A.
After Illness. 37 S.A.
After a Great Victory. 140 S.A.
A Pilgrim Song. 156 S.A.
The Sower's Faith. 157 S.A.
Waiting in Darkness. 158 S.A.
The Loving Brothers. 159 S.A.
The Song of Cain. 164 S.A.
The Te Deum. 168 S.A.
The Nature Lover. 187, 222,
236, 238 S.A.
The Helpful Woman. 256 S.A.
A Trumpet Song of Good Cheer. 284 S.A.
The Best of Good News. 286 S.A.
The Man of Sorrows. 288 S.A.
Happy Days are Coming. 290, 291, 293 S.A.
Each of us May be Helpful. 415 S.A.
Forgiveness. 422 S.A.
Love Abides. 425, 436 S.A.
The Glory of Strength. 438, 443, 447 S.A.
The Hope of Immortality. 449, 490 S.A.
Heaven on Earth. 476 S.A.
Jesus Rewards Us. 487 S.A.
Not only from Israel's experience come many words of comfort and cheer
but also from the lives of early saints, from the Catholic Newman, the
reformer Luther, the non-conformist Watts, the American bishop Brooks,
and others. They are helpful because they are rich with life.
Scattered through these pages they will be to many, from their
associations, "like withered flowers that make the pages sweet."
Thankfulness. 75 G.B.
Alone with God. 78 G.B.
God is Our Light. 233, 238 G.B.
Jesus and Our Children. 235, 237 G.B.
The Value of a Single Day. 239 G.B.
What even Children can Do. 240 G.B.
God our Burden Bearer. 241 G.B.
God our Shepherd. 291, 310, 314 G.B.
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Do not be Anxious. 304 G.B.
Contentment. 383 G.B.
God is never Discouraged. 402 G.B.
The Best Christmas Giving. 412 G.B.
God Knows it All. 429 G.B.
God was in all my Past. 442 G.B.
More Stately Mansions. 477 G.B.
Jesus Calls Us. 101 L.J.
Buried with the Kiss of God. 274 H. T.
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QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT
Do not use these questions simply to "Mark Time." Let their message to
you be--"Forward March." Interrogation, not statement, stirs the mind.
The questions are framed to draw out the reader's knowledge and
provoke discussion that will bring to light interesting points without
consuming too much time.
Try the questions in this way: Select one of the following stories and
read it. After the reading, ask the questions that bear on the story.
By means of the subtitles and page numbers the desired questions may
be readily found in the pages that follow. The whole family may join
in this test and it will be doubly interesting if conducted as a game,
such as the old-fashioned "spell-down."
Other stories than those here suggested may be chosen and used in the
same way. Select from the titles any part of the Bible that you may
wish for any particular reason,--its bearing on the Bible School
lesson perhaps, its seasonal interest, or personal message,--you can
find the text by means of the page reference. So using these questions
you can make definite strides in knowledge of the Bible.
Joseph in Egypt. 96-108 H.T.
Gideon. 319-331 H.T.
David and Goliath. 386-394 H. T.
The Story of the Flood. 24-31 T.J.
Esther. 60-79 T.J.
Samson. 172-182 T.J.
Daniel. 183-190 T.J.
Boyhood of Jesus. 49-53 L.J.
The Feeding of the Multitude. 144-148 L.J.
The Rich Young Man. 211, 212 L.J.
The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead. 215-220 L.J.
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HERO TALES
Abraham
What leaders in Hebrew history held a place similar
to that of Sheik Ilderim in the story "Ben Hur"? 19 H.T.
Who tented with his flocks on the upland pastures of
Palestine, and became the father of a great nation? 21, 487 H.T.
Into what land, later known as Palestine,
did Abram come? 21 H.T.
After making the journey to the new land with
Abram, why did Lot not stay with him? 22 H.T.
In what way was Abram unselfish toward Lot? 22 H.T.
How did Lot show that he was not so kind and
generous as Abram? 22-25 H.T.
In what words did God promise Abram that he was
to be the father of a great nation? 25 H.T.
What part did Abram take in the battle of the
five kings against the four and why? 25-27 H.T.
What pay did Abram take for his service in
this campaign? 26 H.T.
How did God tell Abram that his own children
were to be heirs to the land of Canaan? 27 H. T.
Who was Ishmael? 28 H.T.
How was Abram's name changed to mean
"father of a multitude"? 29 H.T.
How did God answer Abraham's plea for Sodom? 31, 32 H.T.
What became of the "cities of the Plain"? 32-36 H. T.
Who was Isaac? 36 H.T.
Why was Hagar driven out? 36-39 H.T.
How was the life of Ishmael saved in the desert? 39 H.T.
What became of Ishmael? 39 H.T.
In what way was Abraham tested? 41, 42 H.T.
What two ideas of sacrifice did the Hebrews hold and
which idea was symbolized in the offering of Isaac? 41, 491 H.T.
What cave did Abraham buy for a family tomb? 45, 46, 491 H.T.
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Isaac
What kind of man was Isaac? 49 H.T.
By whom and in what way was a wife sought for Isaac? 49-50 H.T.
How was the servant received by Rebekah and Laban? 50-56 H. T.
What did she say as to going to Isaac? 56 H.T.
In receiving Rebekah, how did Isaac prove his
native courtesy? 59 H.T.
Jacob
What son of Isaac struggled much between right
and wrong, and suffered many things? 60 H.T.
Tell the difference in character between
Esau and Jacob. 60 H. T.
What is a birthright? 60, 491 H. T.
How did Esau sell his birthright? 60 H.T.
What is pottage? 60, 491 H.T.
What trick did Jacob play upon his father
and brother? 61-65 H.T.
What threat of Esau's forced Jacob to leave home? 67 H.T.
Describe Jacob's dream. 67-69 H.T.
What was the meaning of setting up stones for
a pillar and pouring oil upon them? 69, 492 H. T.
What vow did Jacob make at Bethel? 69 H.T.
Where did Jacob go to work? 69, 70 H.T.
For whom did he work? 70 H.T.
Why did Jacob say he left Laban's home? 72 H.T.
What covenant was made between Jacob and Laban? 75 H.T.
How can you explain the two names given to the
heap of stones, "Jegar-sahadutha" and "Galeed"? 75, 492 H. T.
What does the word "Mizpah" mean? 75 H.T.
In what ways did Jacob plan to appease Esau? 76-80 H.T.
In wrestling with the angel what did Jacob
ask of him? 80 H.T.
Describe the generous way in which Esau
treated Jacob. 83, 84 H.T.
How did Jacob keep his former vow made at Bethel? 69, 87 H.T.
What is the origin of the name "Israel"? 80, 87, 88 H.T.
Joseph
What shepherd boy was sold into bondage and
became ruler in a great nation? 91 H.T.
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Why did Joseph's brothers hate him? 91 H.T.
What gift did Jacob give Joseph? 91 H.T.
What did Joseph's dreams mean? 91, 92 H.T.
What conspiracy did Joseph's brothers
form against him? 95 H.T.
What did Reuben suggest, and why? 95 H.T.
State Judah's proposition and his two reasons. 95 H.T.
Where was Joseph taken as a slave? 96 H.T.
How did the brothers deceive Jacob as to Joseph? 96 H.T.
When Jacob saw the coat stained with blood,
what did he say and what three things did he do? 96 H.T.
Who bought Joseph as a slave? 96 H.T.
What is said of Joseph's business success? 99 H.T.
Why was Joseph put in prison? 99 H.T.
How did Joseph prosper in the prison? 99 H.T.
What was the baker's dream and
Joseph's interpretation? 103 H.T.
What four requests did Joseph make of the butler? 103 H.T.
Describe Pharaoh's dream of the fat and lean kine? 104 H.T.
Describe Pharaoh's second dream 104 H.T.
Who suggested Joseph as an interpreter? 104, 105 H. T.
What was Joseph's interpretation of the dreams? 106 H.T.
Tell how Joseph was made prime minister 107 H.T.
How did Joseph provide for the coming famine? 108 H.T.
What did Joseph name his two sons? 108 H.T.
Why did the sons of Jacob come to Egypt? 111 H.T.
Which one of the brothers was left at home and why? 111 H. T.
Did Joseph know his brothers? 111 H.T.
Did the brothers know him? 111 H.T.
What do you think was Joseph's object in his
treatment of his brothers? 112 H.T.
How did the brothers' consciences trouble them? 112 H.T.
What demand did Joseph make of his brothers? 112 H.T.
Tell the story of the brothers' return to Jacob
and what did Jacob say to them upon their arrival? 113, 114 H.T.
On their return to Egypt how did Joseph receive his
brothers? 114-117 H.T.
How did Joseph test the brothers? 117-120 H.T.
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What treatment did he finally give them? 120-123 H.T.
What command did God give to Jacob? 123 H.T.
How did Joseph receive his father? 124 H.T.
What did Pharaoh do for Joseph's father? 124, 125 H.T.
What did Joseph's brothers fear when
their father died? 131 H.T.
How did Joseph return good for evil? 132 H.T.
Moses
What is the meaning of the word "Captain" used in
its general sense? 133 H.T.
Who led a race of slaves out of bondage and became
the emancipator of a great nation? 137 H.T.
What name, formerly applied to the family of Jacob,
now signifies the race? 138 H.T.
Why was there a change in the treatment of the
Egyptians toward the Israelites? 137 H.T.
Under this treatment, what did the Israelites become? 137 H.T.
Tell the story of the escape of one of the Hebrew
children. 138 H. T.
Who was the nurse found for Moses? 138 H.T.
Why did Moses smite the Egyptian? 141 H.T.
Why did Moses flee and to what land did he go? 141 H.T.
What were the three leading occurrences that
marked Moses' sojourn in Midian? 141, 142 H. T.
What was the message from the burning bush? 142, 143 H.T.
How did Moses show weakness in his answer? 143 H. T.
What did God tell Moses to say to the
children of Israel? 144 H.T.
Who was Moses' brother and companion in the task of
saving his people? 146, 149 H.T.
What demand did Moses and Aaron make of Pharaoh and
what was his answer? 149 H.T.
What way did Pharaoh take of still further
oppressing the Israelites? 150, 151 H.T.
What was the first plague of Egypt? 155, 156 H.T.
What was the second plague of Egypt? 156, 158 H.T.
What was the third plague of Egypt? 158 H.T.
What was the fourth plague of Egypt? 158,159 H.T.
What was the fifth plague of Egypt? 160 H.T.
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What was the sixth plague of Egypt? 160, 161 H.T.
What was the seventh plague of Egypt? 166, 168 H.T.
What was the eighth plague of Egypt? 168-171 H.T.
What was the ninth plague of Egypt? 171-173 H.T.
What was the feast of the passover; when was
it celebrated and what was its meaning? 173-177 H.T.
What was the tenth and last plague of Egypt? 177 H.T.
What did the Egyptians tell the Hebrews to do? 178 H.T.
What two routes out of Egypt were possible
to the Hebrews? Which route was chosen and why? 179 H.T.
How did Pharaoh change his mind? 180 H.T.
Describe the escape of the Israelites? 183-187 H.T.
Why did the children of Israel murmur at Marah? 191 H.T.
Where did they find an oasis? 191 H.T.
How were the people fed in the wilderness? 192-197 H.T.
Describe the part played by Moses and the part
played by Joshua in the battle with the Amalekites 197 H.T.
What mountain did Moses climb to talk with God? 201 H.T.
Give the chief idea of the first commandment 202 H.T.
Give the chief idea of the second commandment. 202 H. T.
Give the chief idea of the third commandment. 202 H. T.
Give the chief idea of the fourth commandment. 202 H.T.
Give the chief idea of the fifth commandment. 203 H.T.
Give the chief idea of the sixth commandment. 203 H.T.
Give the chief idea of the seventh commandment. 203 H. T.
Give the chief idea of the eighth commandment. 203 H.T.
Give the chief idea of the ninth commandment. 203 H.T.
Give the chief idea of the tenth commandment. 203 H.T.
What did the people do while Moses was on
the mountain? 204 H.T.
What did Moses do when he came down? 207 H.T.
How did he punish them? 211 H.T.
How were the broken tables replaced? 212 H.T.
What was Moses commanded to build in the
wilderness as a dwelling place of God? 214-216 H.T.
What things did the people give of their own
free will for the furnishing of the tabernacle? 214-216 H.T.
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What were the qualifications for the workmen? 219 H.T.
Name some of the furnishings of the tabernacle. 220-225, 231,
232 H.T.
What went before and behind the marching host? 241, 242 H.T.
What did the spies report as to the land and
the people of Canaan? 243-244 H.T.
After hearing the report what did the people
think about going on into Canaan? 244, 245 H.T.
What was the courageous counsel of Caleb and Joshua? 247 H.T.
What did the people decide to do about going forward? 247, 248 H.T.
In what way did Moses disobey the Lord in
smiting the rock? 248, 249 H.T.
What was his punishment? 249 H.T.
What is told of the brazen serpent? 250, 253 H.T.
How did the princes of Moab try to bribe Balaam? 256 H.T.
How was he at first prevented from going with
the princes of Moab? 256, 259 H. T.
What people did Balaam bless? 265 H.T.
What was Moses' last advice to the people? 268, 271, 272 H.T.
On what mountain did Moses die? 268 H.T.
Joshua
Who was the great warrior who won the land of
Canaan for Israel? 277 H.T.
How did Joshua show his leadership in his
first command to the people? 278 H.T.
How did Rahab render service to the spies
sent by Joshua? 278-285 H.T.
Describe the passage of the Jordan. 285-287 H.T.
Tell the story of the siege and capture of Jericho. 287-292 H.T.
What was "devoted" spoil? 294,295 H.T.
What sin against the "devoted spoil" is given as
the reason for the defeat at Ai? 294-296 H.T.
Describe the final capture of the city. 297-300 H. T.
What was the trick played upon Joshua by
the people of Gibeon? 300, 301 H.T.
What was the fate of this people? 302 H.T.
Why did the five kings make war against Gibeon? 305 H.T.
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Tell how Joshua came to the help of the Gibeonites
and the result of the battle 306-308 H. T.
What was the main point in Joshua's last address
to the people? 308-312 H.T.
Ehud
What broader meaning did the term "Judge" have
in Bible times than at present? 313 H.T.
What position did Ehud hold in Israel? 315 H.T.
What was the "summer room"? 315, 493 H.T.
Gideon
Name the brave judge who freed his people
from oppression. 319 H. T.
Describe the oppression of the Midianites. 319 H.T.
Where was Gideon when the angel found him,
what was he doing and why, in such a place? 320, 493 H.T.
Why was Gideon faint-hearted at first and how
was he convinced of his place in Israel? 320, 323 H. T.
With what act did Gideon begin his campaign? 323, 324 H.T.
What is meant by the "altar of Baal"? 494 H.T.
By what sign was Gideon reassured? 324,325 H.T.
In what ways was the number of Gideon's army reduced? 325,326 H.T.
How many men remained? 326 H.T.
What dream did Gideon hear related in the
enemies' camp? 329 H.T.
What was his plan of attack? 329 H.T.
How did Gideon's strategy work out? 329-331 H.T.
Explain how the breaking of the pitchers would
cause a panic among the hosts of the enemy. 494 H.T.
Abimelech
With what evil act did Abimelech seize
the leadership? 332, 333 H.T.
What was the fate of Abimelech? 334, 387 H.T.
Samuel
Why can Samuel be called one of the finest
characters of the Old Testament? 338 H.T.
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What great sacrifice did Samuel's mother make
regarding him? 338 H.T.
Describe Samuel's call to be a prophet of the Lord 338-342 H. T.
What nation defeated Israel in a great battle? 342-346 H.T.
What did the Israelites lose in this battle? 346 H.T.
What was the cause of Eli's death? 346 H.T.
How did Samuel rule in Israel? 349 H. T.
Saul
Name the farmer who became king 349 H.T.
Give at least two reasons which the people gave
for demanding a king. 349-351 H.T.
Did Samuel approve the plan of having a king? 350 H.T.
What reasons did Samuel give against the plan? 350, 351 H.T.
What were Saul's physical qualifications
for being king? 352 H.T.
Tell the story of how Saul came to meet Samuel. 352, 353 H. T.
What honor was Saul shown in the prophet's house? 354 H.T.
Describe how he was publicly proclaimed king. 357, 358 H.T.
Was this choice unanimous? 358 H.T.
What people came up to attack Israel? 359 H.T.
How did Saul summon the people? 359 H.T.
What was the result of the battle? 360 H.T.
How did Saul disobey the commandment of God? 361, 362 H.T.
What was his punishment? 362 H.T.
What gallant deed was done by Jonathan and
his armor bearer? 365, 366 H.T.
What command did Saul give the people in
regard to food? 367 H.T.
Who disobeyed? 367 H.T.
How was he saved? 369 H.T.
How did Saul disobey God's commands in the
campaign against the Amalekites? 370, 373 H.T.
What excuse did he make? 374 H.T.
What did Samuel tell Saul as to obedience? 374 H.T.
What ancient foe of Israel troubled the
nation toward the close of Saul's reign? 376 H.T.
What happened at Endor? 376,379,380 H.T.
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Explain how the term "familiar spirit" came to
signify a medium. 376, 497 H.T.
Tell the story of the battle of Gilboa. 380, 381 H. T.
What gallant act was done by the men
of Jabesh-Gilead? 381 H.T.
David
Who was the shepherd boy that became king of Israel? 382 H.T.
Tell the story of the finding and anointing of
David by Samuel. 383, 385 H.T.
What people did Goliath represent? 386 H.T.
How tall was he in feet? 386, 499 H.T.
Describe his armor and fighting equipment. 386 H.T.
How did Goliath challenge the Israelites? 386 H.T.
What effect did Goliath have upon the army of Israel? 389 H.T.
How did David chance to come to the Israelites' camp? 389 H.T.
What reward was promised to the man who should kill
Goliath? 390 H.T.
On meeting Saul what did David propose that he do? 391 H.T.
What was Saul's reply and David's response? 391 H.T.
After agreeing that David might fight Goliath,
what help did Saul offer? 391 H. T.
What weapons did David finally choose? 391 H.T.
Tell what happened when David and Goliath met. 392, 393 H.T.
Who became David's best friend? 393, 394 H.T.
Why did Saul dislike David? 396 H.T.
How did he try to harm him? 396 H.T.
Tell a story to show how Jonathan showed his
deep friendship for David. 402-406 H.T.
What opportunity did David have to revenge
himself on Saul and what did he do? 406-411 H.T.
How did David a second time spare Saul's life? 411-417 H.T.
What sheep master refused to give tribute to David? 417 H.T.
What did his wife do? 419 H.T.
What became of the sheep master? 424 H.T.
How did David hear of Saul's death? 424, 425 H.T.
Read the Song of the Bow and tell its purpose. 426, 429 H.T.
What evil deed did David do? 430 H.T.
In what way did Nathan bring his sin home to David? 431-435 H.T.
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How did David receive the prophet's rebuke? 435 H.T.
In what spirit did David receive the report
of the child's death? 435, 436 H.T.
What knightly deed was done by three
captains of David? 438 H.T.
What did David do with the gift? 438 H.T.
For what purpose did David buy a threshing floor? 438-442 H. T.
What reason did David give for not receiving
the threshing floor as a gift? 442 H. T.
What event of David's reign brought him more
grief than anything else? 443 H.T.
What instructions did David give in regard
to Absalom? 443 H.T.
What happened to Absalom in the forest? 444-447 H.T.
Tell how the tidings were brought to David. 447-451 H.T.
How did David receive the news? 451 H. T.
What was David's charge to Solomon before he died? 451 H.T.
Solomon
Who was the wisest and greatest king Israel ever had? 452 H.T.
What does Solomon ask of God in his dream? 452-455 H.T.
What did God grant to Solomon in answer to
his request? 455 H.T.
Tell about the prosperity of Solomon. 455-457 H.T.
Why was it better for Solomon than for David
to build a temple to the Lord? 457 H.T.
In what way did Hiram, king of Tyre, help in
the building of the temple? 457-461 H.T.
What part did David have in choosing the site
for the temple? 461, 441, 442 H.T.
Tell some of the things that made Solomon's temple a
magnificent structure. 461-466 H. T.
Describe Solomon's palace. 469 H.T.
What was the first ceremony in the dedication of
the temple? 470, 471 H.T.
Name six supplications in Solomon's prayer at
the dedication of the temple. 471-477 H.T.
For what reason did the Queen of Sheba visit Solomon? 478 H.T.
What did she think of the kingdom? 481 H.T.
How did Solomon use the commodities brought
into his country by trade to improve the
buildings of the kingdom? 482, 483 H. T.
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TALES OF OLD JUDEA
Who created the heavens and the earth? 15 T.J.
What was the work of Creation on the first day? 15 T.J.
What was the work of Creation on the second day? 15, 16 T.J.
What was the work of Creation on the third day? 16 T.J.
What was the work of Creation on the fourth day? 16 T.J.
What was the work of Creation on the fifth day? 16, 17 T.J.
What was the work of Creation on the sixth day? 17 T.J.
What did God do on the seventh day? 18 T.J.
What was the temptation of Eve? 19 T.J.
What was the punishment? 20, 21 T.J.
Who were the first children? 22 T.J.
What was the business of each son when he grew up? 22 T.J.
What terrible crime did Cain commit? 22 T.J.
What was his punishment? 22, 23 T.J.
What was the name of the first ship? 24 T.J.
Why was it built? 24 T.J.
What did it carry? 25-29 T.J.
How long did it rain? 26 T.J.
Where did the ark land? 30 T.J.
What messengers did Noah send from the ark? 30 T.J.
What covenant did God make with Noah? 31 T.J.
What was the sign? 31 T.J.
What foolish plan was made in the land of Shinar? 32 T.J.
What was the result? 32 T.J.
Ruth
Of what nationality was Ruth? 35 T.J.
Of what nationality were Naomi and Elimelech? 35 T.J.
How did the Hebrew family come to meet
Ruth and Orpah? 35, 36 T.J.
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What losses came to Naomi in the land of Moab and
why did she decide to return? 36 T.J.
Give the story of the actions of each
daughter-in-law as Naomi begins her return journey 36-39 T.J.
What six pledges did Ruth make to show she was
determined to be one with Naomi? 39 T.J.
By what name did Naomi, upon her return, wish
her friends to call her and why? 39 T.J.
Into whose field did Ruth go and for what purpose? 39, 40 T.J.
What sacred duty was held by a kinsman in the East? 487 T.J.
For what reasons did Boaz treat Ruth kindly? 40, 41 T.J.
Name some things Boaz did to make it a pleasant
and profitable day for Ruth. 41 T.J.
Whom did Ruth marry? 47 T.J.
Give the line of descent from Ruth to David. 48 T.J.
Deborah
Describe the oppression of the children of Israel
in the time of Deborah. 51, 52 T.J.
What was Deborah's command to Barak? 52 T.J.
On what condition would Barak obey? 52 T.J.
Describe the battle with the enemy. 52, 53 T.J.
What happened to Sisera, the enemy's captain? 53 T.J.
Esther
What was the decree of king Ahasuerus
regarding Vashti? 60-62 T.J.
How did Esther happen to come to the throne? 63-64 T.J.
What nationality was Esther? 63 T.J.
What position did Haman hold and why was
he angered at Mordecai? 65 T.J.
Describe Haman's plot against the Jews 65-67 T.J.
How did Esther risk her life to plead for her people? 68, 69 T.J.
How was Mordecai exalted and for what reason? 71, 72 T.J.
What was Haman's fate? 73 T.J.
What did the feast of Purim commemorate and how long
was it celebrated? 78, 488 T.J.
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Judith
Who was Judith? 80 T.J.
Who was Holofernes? 80 T.J.
What king attacked Israel because it had not
aided him in war? 80-82 T.J.
What city in the hill country was besieged? 82-86 T.J.
How did Judith save the city and the nation? 86-105 T.J.
Elijah
Describe the hospitality of the widow of
Zarephath and how it was repaid by Elijah. 114-115 T.J.
Why did Elijah say he "troubled" Ahab? 116-119 T.J.
How did Elijah show that God could do greater
things than the heathen god, Baal? 120-122 T.J.
Why did Elijah flee and what happened on his journey? 123-127 T.J.
How did Ahab and Jezebel plot to get
Naboth's vineyard? 127-130 T.J.
Elisha
Upon whom did the spirit of Elijah rest? 130-134 T.J.
Tell the story of Elisha and the woman of Shunem. 138-143 T.J.
How did a little captive maid do a service to
the great general Naaman? 143 T.J.
What did Elisha tell Naaman to do? 144 T.J.
Tell how Naaman received Elisha's command. 144-147 T.J.
What was the result of Naaman's compliance? 144-147 T.J.
How did Elisha save an enemy from destruction? 148-152 T.J.
To what straits was the city of Samaria reduced
when besieged by Benhadad? 152 T.J.
How did deliverance come to the city? 152-157 T.J.
What was the fate of the wicked house of Ahab? 157-162 T.J.
What part had Jehu in this destruction? 157-162 T.J.
Jonah
What were the three commands given to Jonah? 165 T.J.
How did Jonah disobey? 165 T.J.
When the storm came what two things did
the sailors do? 165 T.J.
What happened to Jonah on this voyage? 166-169 T.J.
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When Jonah got to Nineveh, what did he do? 170 T.J.
Give the words of Jonah's message to the people. 170 T.J.
What was the threefold effect of Jonah's preaching? 170 T.J.
Samson
What man had strength of body above all other
men of his time? 172 T.J.
In what way was Samson weak? 172 T.J.
Describe Samson's first feat of strength. 172, 173 T.J.
Explain Samson's riddle and how the Philistines
were able to guess it. 173,174 T.J.
In what way did Samson burn the enemy's cornfield? 175 T.J.
How did Samson escape from Gaza? 176 T.J.
What offer did the lords of the Philistines
make to Delilah? 177 T.J.
What three falsehoods did Samson tell Delilah
as to how he could be bound? 177, 178 T.J.
How was Samson finally captured? 178-181 T.J.
In what way was Samson revenged upon his enemies? 181, 182 T.J.
Daniel
Name three qualifications of the youths who were
chosen to stand before king Nebuchadnezzar. 183 T.J.
What captive Hebrew boy refused to defile
himself by eating the king's food? 184 T.J.
What was the outcome of the food test proposed by
Daniel? 184, 185 T.J.
By what service was Daniel exalted in
Nebuchadnezzar's court? 185-190 T.J.
Through what trial did the three Hebrew boys pass? 190-196 T.J.
What four miraculous facts were noticed when
the three men were taken from the furnace? 195,196 T.J.
Why did Nebuchadnezzar believe that Daniel could
interpret his dream? 196-198 T.J.
What was Nebuchadnezzar's fate? 199, 200 T.J.
Name two impious actions at Belshazzar's feast. 201 T.J.
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What was promised to the interpreter of the
handwriting on the wall? 201 T.J.
Tell how Daniel was called to interpret the words. 201-205 T.J.
What was Daniel's interpretation? 206 T.J.
Why was Daniel cast into the lions' den? 206-208 T.J.
What facts indicate the kind of night spent by
the king while Daniel was in the lions' den. 208 T.J.
What effect did Daniel's deliverance have
on the king? 208, 209 T.J.
Nehemiah
What great man of the Hebrew people preferred
hardship in his native land to pleasure and
plenty in the Persian king's palace? 212 T.J.
What was Nehemiah's position in the foreign court? 212, 213 T.J.
What facts were the cause of Nehemiah's resolve
to return to Jerusalem? 212 T.J.
How did Nehemiah show his practical patriotism? 212-218 T.J.
What difficulties and perils from without did
Nehemiah encounter? 218, 219 T.J.
What precautions were taken against the enemy? 219-221 T.J.
What opposition did Nehemiah have to meet within? 221-225 T.J.
How did Nehemiah meet the proposals of the enemies? 225-227 T.J.
Describe the celebration of the people when the
walls were dedicated 227-232 T.J.
What oaths did the people enter into at this time? 231 T.J.
State Nehemiah's idea of national greatness. 232 T.J.
How did the people in the restored city of
Jerusalem profane the Sabbath? 233 T.J.
What four means did Nehemiah use to rid the
city of Sabbath breaking? 233, 234 T.J.
What were the characteristics of Nehemiah
that made him an all-round man? 212-234 T.J.
Divided Kingdom
Name the first three kings of the Hebrew people
in the order of their succession. 236 T.J.
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How did the splendor of Solomon's kingdom put a
burden on the people? 237 T.J.
Rehoboam
Give the reasons for the rebellion of the people
against Rehoboam, Solomon's son and successor. 237-239 T.J.
What two tribes remained loyal to Rehoboam? 239, 240 T.J.
Give the names of the two kingdoms after
the division. 236 T.J.
Who was the leader and first king of the
revolting Northern Kingdom? 237 T.J.
What happened to the kingdom of Judah under Rehoboam? 240, 241 T.J.
Abijah
What great victory was won by Abijah? 242-246 T.J.
Asa
What was the general condition of Judah under Asa? 247 T.J.
Tell the story of Asa's victory over the Ethiopians. 248 T.J.
What foreign alliance did Asa make? 250-254 T.J.
Jehoshaphat
What events, favorable to Jehoshaphat, came to
pass in his reign? 255-265 T.J.
What mistake did Jehoshaphat make? 256, 257 T.J.
Jehoram
With what evil deed did Jehoram begin his reign? 266 T.J.
What covenant formerly given saved the kingdom
from destruction? 266, 267 T.J.
Why was Jehoram smitten? 267, 268 T.J.
Athaliah
Tell the story of Athaliah's destruction of the
royal children and how Joash was saved 271, 272 T.J.
How did the priest Jehoiada plan to effect a reform? 272 T.J.
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How was the plot carried out? 272-275 T.J.
What was the fate of the wicked queen? 275 T.J.
What covenant was made at this time and how was it
followed up? 276 T.J.
Joash
How long did Joash do what was right? 277 T.J.
What ingenious method did Joash adopt for
raising money to repair the house of the Lord? 277-279 T.J.
For what guilt did wrath come upon the kingdom? 279 T.J.
What disasters overtook the people? 279, 280 T.J.
Amaziah
With what victory did Amaziah begin his reign? 281-285 T.J.
What foolish challenge did Amaziah send to the
king of Israel? 285 T.J.
With what story did the king of Israel reply? 285 T.J.
What was the result of the king's boasting? 285, 286 T.J.
Uzziah
What important work did Uzziah undertake
for the nation? 287-291 T.J.
What act of irreverence did he do? 291 T.J.
What was Uzziah's fate? 291 T.J.
Jotham
What good work did Jotham do? 292 T.J.
Why did he become mighty? 292 T.J.
Ahaz
Describe the character of Ahaz. 293 T.J.
What was the great guilt of Ahaz? 293 T.J.
To whom and in what way did Ahaz become a vassal? 295, 296 T.J.
Hezekiah
What made Hezekiah one of the greatest of
Judah's kings? 299 T.J.
What reforms did Hezekiah carry out? 299-302 T.J.
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What was done during this reign in regard to the
Passover feast? 302-307 T.J.
How did the people show their faithfulness? 307-311 T.J.
Describe the defense of Jerusalem against the
hordes of Sennacherib. 311-313 T.J.
What piece of engineering skill did
Hezekiah undertake? 314 T.J.
Manasseh
What were the evil deeds of Manasseh? 317-319 T.J.
Under what circumstances did Manasseh repent? 319 T.J.
Describe his later deeds. 319 T.J.
Amon
Tell the story of Amon's reign. 322 T.J.
Josiah
What work did Josiah order done as soon as he
was old enough to assert himself? 323, 324 T.J.
What discovery led to sweeping reforms
in the kingdom? 324-326 T.J.
Describe the reforms. 326-328 T.J.
What tragedy happened in the valley of Megiddo? 328, 329 T.J.
Jehoahaz
Tell the story of Jehoahaz's short reign. 332 T.J.
Jehoiakim
How did Jehoiakim come to the throne of Judah? 335 T.J.
What was the character of Jehoiakim, judging
from the words of Jeremiah? 335-344 T.J.
What disaster came to the kingdom in the time of
Jehoiakim? 344-345 T.J.
Jehoiachin
Into what country were the people of Judah carried
captive? 346, 347 T.J.
Describe the host which Nebuchadnezzar carried
off to Babylon. 346,347 T.J.
What besides captives did the enemy take
from Jerusalem? 346 T.J.
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Zedekiah
What was Zedekiah's position in Judah? 348 T.J.
Why did Nebuchadnezzar again besiege Jerusalem? 348 T.J.
What was Zedekiah's fate? 351 T.J.
Describe the destruction of Jerusalem. 351 T.J.
Jeroboam
In what way did Jeroboam seek to keep the loyalty
of the people? 353, 354 T.J.
Tell the story of the prophet from Judah. 354-362 T.J.
What was the prophecy of Ahijah, the prophet,
concerning Jeroboam's house? 362-364 T.J.
Nadab
Describe Nadab's brief reign. 367 T.J.
Baasha
How did the house of Jeroboam come to an end? 368 T.J.
How did Baasha become king in Israel? 368 T.J.
Why was the house of Baasha condemned? 368, 369 T.J.
Elah
How did Elah differ from Baasha, his father? 370 T.J.
In what way did Elah meet his death? 370 T.J.
Zimri
How long did Zimri reign? 373 T.J.
Who was Omri and how was he made king? 373 T.J.
How did Zimri die? 373 T.J.
Omri
What new capital of the northern kingdom did Omri
establish? 374 T.J.
What was the character of Omri's reign? 374 T.J.
Ahab
For what purpose did Ahab join the king of Judah? 377-381 T.J.
How did Ahab meet his death? 380, 381 T.J.
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Ahaziah
What were the evil deeds of Ahaziah? 382 T.J.
What dealings did Ahaziah have with the
prophet Elijah? 382-386 T.J.
Joram
How did Joram begin his reign? 387 T.J.
Describe the expedition against Moab and its result. 388-392 T.J.
Jehu
What did Jehu do to the royal family when he came
to the throne? 395-397 T.J.
Describe the destruction of the priests of Baal. 397, 398 T.J.
Jehoahaz
By what means was the kingdom of Israel almost
blotted out during this reign? 399 T.J.
What were the sins of the people at this time? 399 T.J.
Joash
How did Joash retrieve the kingdom's losses? 400 T.J.
Jeroboam II
What rank does Jeroboam II take among Israel's kings? 401 T.J.
How did the country prosper under him? 401 T.J.
What prophet was associated with Jeroboam II? 401 T.J.
Zechariah
After the reign of Jeroboam II, what largely
determined the succession to the throne? 402 T.J.
What word was fulfilled by Zechariah's short reign? 402, 398 T.J.
Shallum
What terminated Shallum's reign? 403 T.J.
Menahem
To what nation was Israel tributary in
Menahem's reign? 404 T.J.
Pekahiah
How did Pekahiah come to the throne? 407 T.J.
How did Pekahiah fall? 407 T.J.
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Pekah
What nation invaded and overran Israel in
Pekah's reign? 408 T.J.
How was Pekah's reign terminated? 408 T.J.
Hoshea
How did the capital city, Samaria, fall? 411 T.J.
What were the great sins of this people? 411-413 T.J.
Into what land were the people of Israel
carried captive? 413 T.J.
Tales of the Maccabees
Who were the Maccabees, and why were they so called? 418 T.J.
What great general conquered Palestine? 418-420 T.J.
How did Antiochus try to force Greek religion
and customs upon the people? 420-422 T.J.
Tell the story of the first revolt of the Maccabees 422, 423 T.J.
Tell the story of the disaster which befell
the Jewish army because it would not fight
on the Sabbath. 425 T.J.
What counsel did Mattathias give his sons before his
death? 426, 427 T.J.
What son of Mattathias took command after his death? 428 T.J.
How did Judas win his sword? 431 T.J.
On what famous battlefield did Judas
overcome his foes? 431, 432 T.J.
What stratagem did Judas use in his campaign
against the Syrians? 432 T.J.
How did Judas defeat the Syrians under Lysias? 437 T.J.
How did Judas purify the temple? 438 T.J.
Describe the great army which the king brought
against the Jews. 439 T.J.
How did Eleazar die for his country? 443 T.J.
How did Judas defeat Nicanor? 443, 444 T.J.
With what great empire did Judas make a treaty? 445-448 T.J.
Who took Judas' place as leader? 451 T.J.
How did Jonathan and his men escape from a
superior army? 451, 452 T.J.
What large city was taken by Jonathan? 452, 453 T.J.
How did Jonathan and his captains stand
against a host? 459 T.J.
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How was Jonathan caught at last by his foes? 460, 463 T.J.
Who took Jonathan's place as leader? 463 T.J.
How were the foes of Israel delayed by a snowstorm? 464-467 T.J.
How did Jonathan die? 467 T.J.
What memorial did Simon build for his valiant
father and brothers? 467, 468 T.J.
With what king did Simon make a treaty? 468, 471 T.J.
What great city did Simon capture and what
citadel did he take? 471, 472 T.J.
Tell the story of Israel's prosperity in the
days of Simon. 475, 476 T.J.
What great captain was defeated by the sons of Simon? 479,480 T.J.
How were Simon and his sons betrayed and murdered? 481, 482 T.J.
Name two things which the Maccabees' valor secured
to the spiritual life of the nation. 482 T.J.
Who was the last of the line of the Maccabees? 482 T.J.
Give the history of the collection of books
called the Apocrypha. 489 T.J.
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THE LIFE OF JESUS
The Nativity
Where was Jesus born? 37 L.J.
Tell three things about the shepherds. 37 L.J.
What two signs did the angel give regarding Jesus? 37 L.J.
What was the angels' song? 38 L.J.
After the angels departed, what did the shepherds do? 38 L.J.
How did Mary treat the words of the shepherds? 38 L.J.
The Wise Men
What question did the wise men ask on
reaching Jerusalem? 41 L.J.
What was the effect of the question
on Herod, the king? 41 L.J.
When they saw Jesus, what three things did
the wise men do? 42 L.J.
What popular stories has fancy woven about
the wise men? 485 L.J.
Flight into Egypt
What was the reason for the flight into Egypt? 45 L.J.
When and why was Jesus brought back to Palestine? 46 L.J.
To what city was he taken to live? 46 L.J.
Boyhood of Jesus
To what great feast at Jerusalem was Jesus taken
when he was twelve years of age? 49, 491 L.J.
What happened on the trip home? 49 L.J.
What was Jesus' answer to his mother when she
found him in the temple? 49 L.J.
What was the home life of little children
of Nazareth? 50 L.J.
Describe the school life of Nazareth. 50 L.J.
What glimpses of the outer world were possible
to the residents of Nazareth? 50 L.J.
Describe a journey to the great feast at Jerusalem. 53 L.J.
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Baptism of Jesus
What was the great message of John the Baptist? 65, 485 L.J.
How does John the Baptist speak of the
superiority of Jesus? 66 L.J.
What did John the Baptist say to the multitudes,
the publicans, the soldiers? 66 L.J.
Tell the story of the baptism. 66-69 L.J.
Temptation
Where did Jesus go after his baptism? 70 L.J.
What was the first temptation? Give Jesus' answer. 70 L.J.
What fact made this temptation exceedingly keen? 70 L.J.
What was the second temptation?
What did Jesus answer? 70 L.J.
What was the third temptation? 70, 73 L.J.
Give Jesus' answer. 73 L.J.
First Disciples
What reason did John the Baptist give for his coming? 74 L.J.
In what words did John the Baptist introduce Jesus? 74 L.J.
Who were the first disciples that followed Jesus? 74 L.J.
Whom did Andrew introduce to Jesus? 74, 77 L.J.
How did Philip become a disciple? 77 L.J.
Whom did Philip bring to Jesus? 77 L.J.
Find six names by which Jesus is addressed. 74-77 L.J.
How many disciples were found in two days? 74-77 L.J.
Name the great men in history who have had
disciples and give the meaning of the word.
What was the difference between Jesus'
disciples and other like groups? 487 L.J.
First Miracle
What were the occasion and place of Jesus'
first miracle? 78 L.J.
Describe the miracle. 78 L.J.
Name an important result of this miracle. 78 L.J.
At the Passover
What two classes of business men did Jesus find
in the temple? 79 L.J.
Why was this called "Herod's temple"? 491 L.J.
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From Nicodemus' first sentence,
what would you judge was his attitude
toward Jesus and his estimate of him? 79 L.J.
What was Jesus' statement to Nicodemus and
how did he explain it? 79, 80 L.J.
What does the gospel writer say of the nature
and object of Divine Love? 80, 81 L.J.
Jacob's Well
What brought Jesus to Jacob's well? 82 L.J.
Why was the Samaritan woman astonished at being
addressed by Jesus? 82 L.J.
What did Jesus say about living water? 82-85 L.J.
What did Jesus say about worshiping God? 85 L.J.
What were Jesus' words about himself? 86 L.J.
Describe the woman's work in the city. 86, 87 L.J.
The Good Samaritan
In the story of the Good Samaritan, what is
brought out about the law of right living? 88 L.J.
How does Jesus reply to the question, "Who is my
neighbor?" 88 L.J.
What three travelers met the unfortunate
man by the wayside? 88 L.J.
Describe the actions of each traveler upon
seeing the unfortunate man. 88-91 L.J.
Which man proved himself a neighbor? 91 L.J.
Jesus and the King's Officer
What event of Jesus' ministry had occurred
previous to this time in Cana? 92 L.J.
Where was Capernaum, in relation to Cana? 24 L.J.
What words of Jesus, in regard to his departure
into Galilee, bear out the proverb, "Familiarity
breeds contempt"? 92 L.J.
For what purpose did the king's officer
come to Jesus? 92 L.J.
By what words did Jesus test the king's officer? 92 L.J.
How was the officer's persistency and faith rewarded? 92, 93 L.J.
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Choosing the Disciples
From what occupations did Jesus choose the Apostles? 94 L.J.
For what purposes did Jesus say he
appointed the Twelve? 95 L.J.
Name the twelve apostles and note some
interesting facts of their lives 96, 97 L.J.
Sermon on the Mount
What are the eight characteristics of men
that Jesus pronounces blessed? 105, 106 L.J.
To whom does Jesus promise the exaltation
of the kingdom of heaven? 105 L.J.
To which class, the gay or the mourners,
does Jesus promise blessing? 105 L.J.
To whom does Jesus promise great inheritance? 105 L.J.
Whom does Jesus promise to fill, the satisfied
Pharisee, or those that are hungering after a
righteousness they have not attained? 105 L.J.
To whom does Jesus promise mercy, the
oppressor or the merciful? 105 L.J.
What does Jesus promise those who are pure? 105 L.J.
What is the reward for the peacemaker as opposed to
the warrior? 105 L.J.
How does Jesus explain that the persecutor
is far beneath his victim? 105, 106 L.J.
In what words does Jesus condemn a personal
righteousness that does not exert its
force upon others? 106 L.J.
What command does Jesus give concerning our light? 106 L.J.
What does Jesus say about the law? 106 L.J.
What four sins does Jesus condemn? 109, 110 L.J.
What does he command in regard to these things? 109, 110 L.J.
Why does Jesus say we should love our enemies? 110, 111 L.J.
Give Jesus' striking words about the right
way to do good deeds. 111 L.J.
Explain the Jewish custom in regard to the
poor that made almsgiving a virtue. 487 L.J.
How does Jesus explain the right way to pray? 111-115 L.J.
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Repeat the Golden Rule. 115 L.J.
What does Jesus say about earthly treasure? 115 L.J.
For what reasons does Jesus say we may trust God
to care for us? 115, 116 L.J.
How does Jesus explain the need for deeds, not words? 116, 117 L.J.
With what dramatic story does the Sermon on the Mount
close? 117, 118 L.J.
How did the multitude receive the teaching of
Jesus on the Mount? 118 L.J.
The Roman Soldier's Faith
Why did the Roman captain come to Jesus? 121 L.J.
What did the captain say of Jesus' power? 121 L.J.
What were Jesus' words in reply to
the captain's faith? 122 L.J.
Days of Service
Tell the story of a Sabbath day at Capernaum. 125, 126 L.J.
What did the healing of the leper lead to? 126, 127 L.J.
How did the man sick of the palsy come to
Jesus to be healed? 127 L.J.
What was the controversy between Jesus and certain
scribes in regard to the man sick with the palsy? 127, 128 L.J.
Tell the story of Jesus and the two blind men. 128 L.J.
From what regions did people come to Jesus
to be healed? 128, 129 L.J.
Miracle at Nain
How did Jesus help the widow at Nain? 130 L.J.
What report about Jesus was the result of
the miracle at Nain? 130 L.J.
The Great Teacher
Tell Jesus' story of the Sower and
explain the meaning 133, 134 L.J.
To what things does Jesus liken the kingdom of God? 134, 135 L.J.
The Tempest
What happened on the sea of Galilee one night
when Jesus was crossing? 136 L.J.
What did the disciples say? 136 L.J.
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What reply did Jesus make? 136 L.J.
What did Jesus say to still the storm? 136 L.J.
What happened when Jesus came to the
other side of the sea? 136-140 L.J.
Jairus' Daughter
Describe Jairus' work as ruler of the synagogue 141, 487 L.J.
Why did Jairus come to Jesus? 141 L.J.
What did Jesus do in response to Jairus' request? 141, 142 L.J.
Learning to Serve
What was Jesus' method of sending out the
disciples and what were his instructions to them? 143 L.J.
Feeding the Multitude
Why did Jesus call the disciples apart to rest? 144 L.J.
What two things did Jesus do for the multitude? 144, 147 L.J.
How did a little boy help? 147 L.J.
What other miraculous supplies of food
are mentioned in the Bible? 192 H.T.,
114, 123 T.J.,
175 L.J.
Why do you think Jesus was willing to satisfy the
hunger of the multitude by miracle when he would
not satisfy his own hunger by a miracle? 70, 144 L.J.
John the Baptist
What condition in the life of John the Baptist
made him doubt Jesus? 149 L.J.
What unselfish words did John the Baptist say
in regard to himself and Jesus? 150 L.J.
How did John the Baptist test Jesus? 150 L.J.
What was Jesus' reply? 153 L.J.
What great tribute did Jesus pay John the Baptist? 153 L.J.
What was the occasion of John the Baptist's murder? 154 L.J.
Bread of Life
What did Jesus say about "food that perisheth and
food that abideth"? 161 L.J.
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What remark of the people showed the high regard in
which the Jews held Moses? 162 L.J.
How many times in this speech did Jesus refer
to himself as the Bread of Life? 161-166 L.J.
What did Jesus say about the Father's will for him? 162 L.J.
Give the substance of Jesus' reply to the murmurers. 165, 166 L.J.
Conflicts
What led to the discussion about the Sabbath? 167, 168 L.J.
What was Jesus' reply concerning the Sabbath? 168 L.J.
What did the Pharisees plot, following this conflict? 169 L.J.
Describe the event at the Pharisee's house
which displeased Jesus' host? 169 L.J.
With what story did Jesus explain his treatment
of sinful people? 170 L.J.
Describe the conflict about Jesus' wonderful deeds 170, 171 L.J.
Miracles
Why did the Greek woman come to Jesus? 172 L.J.
Give Jesus' words to the woman and her reply. 172 L.J.
What miracle did Jesus perform on his return
from Tyre and Sidon? 175, 176 L.J.
Tell about the miracle at Bethsaida. 177 L.J.
At Caesarea Philippi
Who did various people say Jesus was? 178 L.J.
Give Peter's statement as to who Jesus was. 178 L.J.
State four prophecies Jesus made regarding himself. 178 L.J.
How did Peter show his weakness? 178 L.J.
What were the words of Jesus' rebuke to Peter? 178 L.J.
Name three conditions of discipleship given by Jesus. 178 L.J.
What further did Jesus tell the disciples
about his coming fate? 179 L.J.
Transfiguration
What disciples did Jesus take with him to the
summit of a high mountain? 180 L.J.
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What happened while they were there? 180 L.J.
Describe what happened when they reached
the foot of the mountain 181, 182 L.J.
What did Jesus tell the disciples was the
cause of their failure? 182 L.J.
Teaching the Disciples
What incident drew from Jesus
a lesson about humility? 185, 186 L.J.
Give Jesus' striking statement about forgiveness. 186 L.J.
Of what part of Jesus' prayer to the disciples
does the story of the Ungrateful Servant remind you? 112, 186 L.J.
What lesson did Jesus teach when he spoke of
little children? 188, 189 L.J.
Teaching of Light and Freedom
Why did Jesus stay in Galilee? 190 L.J.
What did he tell his disciples to do? 190 L.J.
How did Jesus go to the feast? 190, 191 L.J.
When Jesus taught in the temple, what surprised
the people? 191 L.J.
Describe the debate held by the authorities
on the character of Jesus. 192, 193 L.J.
How did Nicodemus defend him? 193 L.J.
From study of the context what do you think is
the meaning of Jesus' two statements:
"I am the light of the world" (193 L.J.) and
"Ye are the light of the world" (106 L.J.)?
What did Jesus say about the truth? 193 L.J.
When Jesus said, "The truth shall make you free,"
what kind of bondage did he refer to? 194 L.J.
What great trait in Abraham was lacking in those
who claimed to be his descendants? 194, 195 L.J.
How did this conflict between Jesus and the Jews end? 196 L.J.
Healing the Blind Man
From which commandment did the Jews get their belief
that a man suffers from the sins of his parents? 197 L.J., 202 H.T.
What connection did Job's friends think exists
between suffering and sin? 195 S.A.
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How did Jesus heal the blind man? 197 L.J.
In what way were the Pharisees divided in their
discussion following this healing? 198 L.J.
Upon what point did the man who was healed
refuse to express an opinion? 199 L.J.
How did this grateful man show that the
Pharisees' opinions were illogical? 199 L.J.
The Good Shepherd
Give the picture of a good shepherd that Jesus draws. 200 L.J.
In what words does Jesus promise safety,
liberty, and sustenance to his followers? 201 L.J.
Stories of Forgiveness
Tell the story of the Lost Sheep. 202 L.J.
Tell the story of the Lost Money. 202, 203 L.J.
Tell the story of the Lost Son. 203, 204 L.J.
What did Jesus teach by these three stories? 202 L.J.
What lesson did Jesus mean to teach by the
story of the Dishonest Steward? 204, 205 L.J.
What is the lesson in the story of the
Rich Man and the Poor Man? 206, 207 L.J.
What is the teaching in the story of the
Men who Made Excuses? 207, 208 L.J.
The Rich Young Man
What question did a rich young man ask Jesus? 211 L.J.
What claims of righteousness did the young man make? 211 L.J.
Give Jesus' words in reply. 211 L.J.
What was Jesus' statement regarding rich men? 211, 212 L.J.
What did the story of the Foolish Rich Man teach? 212 L.J.
Raising of Lazarus
For what purpose did Mary and Martha send for Jesus? 215 L.J.
When Jesus, after a delay, reached Bethany,
with what news was he met? 216 L.J.
With what words did both sisters greet Jesus? 216-219 L.J.
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What effect did the raising of Lazarus
have on the Jews? 220 L.J.
What two others had Jesus raised from the dead? 130, 141 L.J.
To what miracle did the Jews probably refer
when they asked their question? 219, 197 L.J.
For what does Jesus thank God in his prayer? 220 L.J.
At Jericho
Tell the story of blind Bartimaeus. 221 L.J.
How did Zacchaeus come to Jesus' notice? 222 L.J.
What did Zacchaeus do to show his repentance? 222 L.J.
Supper at Bethany
When the last Passover in Jesus' life came,
what inquiry did the people make one of another? 229 L.J.
Describe the scene at the supper at Bethany. 229 L.J.
What was Judas' argument? 229 L.J.
What prediction did Jesus make in regard
to the fame of Mary's deed? 230 L.J.
Entry into Jerusalem
How did Jesus ride into Jerusalem? 233 L.J.
What did the multitude say? 234 L.J.
How did Jesus reply to the Pharisees' objections? 234 L.J.
How did the sight of Jerusalem affect Jesus, and why? 234 L.J.
At what other time did Jesus weep? 219, 234 L.J.
A few days later what did the Jerusalem
multitude shout in regard to Jesus? 276 L.J.
Crucifixion Week
What did Jesus do on Monday of Crucifixion week? 237 L.J.
When did Jesus perform a similar work in the temple? 237, 79 L.J.
Besides cleansing the temple what other lines of
activity did Jesus engage in? 237 L.J.
On Tuesday of Crucifixion week what questions
were put to Jesus by his enemies? 238 L.J.
In what way did Jesus answer the questions? 238, 239 L.J.
Tell Jesus' story of the Wicked Husbandman. 238, 239 L.J.
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What question was raised about tribute money? 240 L.J.
What was Jesus' decision in regard to the
paying of tribute money? 240 L.J.
What did Jesus say was the greatest commandment? 240 L.J.
How large was the widow's mite according
to Jesus' estimate? Why? 243 L.J.
For what purpose did certain Greeks come
to the disciples? 243 L.J.
Give the substance of Jesus' words at this time. 243, 244 L.J.
Tell the story of the Faithful Servant. 244-246 L.J.
Tell the story of the Judgment of the King. 246, 247 L.J.
How probably did Jesus spend Wednesday and Thursday
of Crucifixion week? 248 L.J.
The Last Supper
Why did the enemies of Jesus not want to arrest
him during the Passover feast? 248 L.J.
Describe the preparation for the Last Supper. 248, 249 L.J.
Tell Jesus' words and actions during the supper. 249 L.J.
What act of lowly service did Jesus
do for his disciples? 249, 250 L.J.
What did Jesus say that troubled the disciples? 253 L.J.
What did Jesus do and say to Judas? 253 L.J.
Name four comforting promises that Jesus
made in this talk with the disciples. 254-258 L.J.
What was Jesus' legacy to his disciples? 258 L.J.
In what words did Jesus, speaking of the vine,
express the dependence of the disciples upon himself? 258 L.J.
To what extent did Jesus say true love
will show itself? 261 L.J.
When Jesus prayed for his disciples,
what two things did he say he had done? 261, 262 L.J.
For what persons did Jesus make requests? 262 L.J.
What particular petitions did Jesus make
for these persons? 262, 263 L.J.
Betrayal
Where did Jesus go alter the Last Supper and
for what purpose? 264 L.J.
What did Jesus say in his prayer in the
garden about God's will? 264 L.J.
How did Judas betray Jesus? 267 L.J.
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Trial
What occurred in the trial before Annas? 268 L.J.
What false witness was borne against Jesus
in the trial before Caiaphas? 269 L.J.
What utterance of Jesus at this trial
was said to be blasphemy? 269 L.J.
Describe Peter's denial. 270 L.J.
What were the questions and
answers at the Jewish court? 270, 271 L.J.
Judgment
Give the conversation of Jesus and Pilate. 272, 275 L.J.
What was Pilate's decision? 275 L.J.
Describe the trial before Herod. 275, 276 L.J.
What offer did Pilate make to the people? 276 L.J.
What was the cry of the people in regard to Jesus? 276 L.J.
In spite of finding no fault in Jesus,
Pilate delivered him to be crucified.
What reasons can you give for his action? 279, 280 L.J.
Crucifixion
Who went with Jesus to the place of crucifixion? 281 L.J.
Where was Jesus crucified? 281 L.J.
Who were crucified with Jesus? 281 L.J.
What was written above Jesus on the cross? 282 L.J.
How did his enemies taunt Jesus while on the cross? 282 L.J.
Give the conversation between Jesus and the thieves. 282,285 L.J.
What was Jesus' conversation with the disciple? 285 L.J.
What did the Roman centurion say when Jesus died? 285 L.J.
Burial
Describe the burial of Jesus. 286 L.J.
How and for what reason was the tomb guarded? 287 L.J.
Resurrection
Who came first on the Sabbath morning
to the tomb of Jesus? 297 L.J.
What did she find? 297 L.J.
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Who came next to the tomb? 297 L.J.
What further did the disciples discover? 297 L.J.
Tell the story of Mary at the tomb of Jesus. 298 L.J.
How did Jesus reveal himself to the
disciples on the way to Emmaus? 301, 302 L.J.
Why were the disciples meeting
in secret at Jerusalem? 305 L.J.
Tell about Jesus appearing among them. 305 L.J.
What did Thomas say in regard to Jesus appearing? 306 L.J.
How was Thomas finally brought to believe? 306 L.J.
How were the disciples engaged when Jesus
appeared to them again? 307 L.J.
What help did Jesus give the disciples? 307 L.J.
What commands did Jesus give Peter at this time? 308, 309 L.J.
What great command did Jesus give his disciples
at the Mount in Galilee? 310 L.J.
For what purpose did Jesus tell the disciples
to tarry in Jerusalem? 313 L.J.
Victories of the New Faith
What happened on the day of Pentecost? 325 L.J.
What did the people say of the disciples? 326 L.J.
What was the theme of Peter's sermon? 326-328 L.J.
Give the result of the preaching. 328, 329 L.J.
What miracle was performed by Peter
and John at the temple? 330 L.J.
Give Peter's message to the astonished people. 331, 332 L.J.
What action did the authorities take? 332 L.J.
What was the result? 332-334 L.J.
What custom in regard to property
prevailed at this time? 335 L.J.
What was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira? 335, 336 L.J.
For what reason was the first martyr,
Stephen, put to death? 339 L.J.
What was the nature of Stephen's defense? 340-344 L.J.
What was the result of the martyrdom? 344, 345 L.J.
What new city was entered by the apostles,
and what happened there? 346, 347 L.J.
Describe the meeting between
Philip and the Ethiopian. 348 L.J.
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What was the result of the meeting? 349 L.J.
Give the name and character of the woman
whom Peter restored to life at Lydda. 350 L.J.
What vision had a Roman captain at Caesarea? 353 L.J.
Describe Peter's vision at Joppa. 353, 354 L.J.
What was the result of Peter's visit to the captain? 355, 356 L.J.
For what act did the Jews at Jerusalem rebuke Peter? 357 L.J.
How did Peter justify his act? 357, 358 L.J.
Describe Peter's experience in prison. 359, 360 L.J.
Where did Peter go after his escape,
and how was he received? 360, 361 L.J.
Paul, the Apostle
Tell in brief the life of Paul, the Apostle. 367-370 L.J.
For what purpose did Paul make
the journey to Damascus? 371 L.J.
Describe what happened on the way. 371 L.J.
What part did Ananias have in Paul's conversion? 371, 372 L.J.
How did Paul show his changed purpose? 372 L.J.
Describe the plot against Paul and his escape. 375 L.J.
Where were the disciples first called Christians? 375 L.J.
First Missionary Journey
What was the general location of Paul's
first missionary journey? 376, 381 L.J.
Who were Paul's companions on the first journey? 376 L.J.
To what island did Paul and his companions go first? 379 L.J.
What official did they interest in their message? 379, 380 L.J.
Who opposed them? 379 L.J.
Where did they go after leaving Cyprus? 380 L.J.
Give the gist of Paul's sermon at Antioch. 380-384 L.J.
What was the result among the Jews? 384, 385 L.J.
What was the result among the Gentiles? 385 L.J.
For what reason did Paul and Barnabas leave Antioch? 385 L.J.
Where did they go? 385 L.J.
What happened at Iconium? 385, 386 L.J.
Why did the people at Lystra call
Paul and Barnabas gods? 386 L.J.
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How was Paul mistreated at Lystra? 387 L.J.
What was the main work of Paul and
Barnabas on the remainder of the journey? 387 L.J.
What disturbance and discussion
arose within the church? 388 L.J.
How was it settled? 388, 389 L.J.
What was the message sent to the Gentile
Christians from the disciples at Jerusalem? 390, 391 L.J.
Second Missionary Journey
Where was the main campaign of Paul's
second missionary journey located? 392 L.J.
For what reason did Paul and Barnabas
part, and who was the companion of each? 395 L.J.
Why did Paul go to Macedonia? 396 L.J.
Describe what happened first at Philippi. 396, 399 L.J.
For what cause were Paul and Silas cast into prison? 399 L.J.
What happened in the prison in the night? 399, 400 L.J.
How did the disciples leave the prison? 400 L.J.
Where did the disciples go after leaving Philippi? 403 L.J.
What happened in Thessalonica? 403 L.J.
Describe the visit to Beroea and the reason
for sudden departure from there. 403, 404 L.J.
To what famous city, the intellectual center
of the Gentile world, did Paul now go? 404 L.J.
What difficulties did Paul encounter at Athens? 404 L.J.
Give the substance of Paul's speech at Athens. 407, 408 L.J.
What was the result? 408 L.J.
To what leading commercial city did Paul now go? 408 L.J.
With whom did he live at Corinth? 408 L.J.
How long a campaign did Paul wage here
in the hope of evangelizing the city? 411 L.J.
What did the Jews in Corinth do to Paul? 411 L.J.
How was Paul released? 411, 412 L.J.
Where did Paul end this journey? 412 L.J.
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Third Missionary Journey
Give an outline of the third missionary journey,
mentioning the main places visited. 417 L.J.
In what city did Paul have great success in
evangelization? 418 L.J.
What great metropolis of the world
did Paul purpose to visit? 418 L.J.
What was the reason for the riot at Ephesus? 418, 421 L.J.
What was the cry of the people? 421 L.J.
How was the riot ended? 422 L.J.
Where did Paul go after leaving Ephesus? 422 L.J.
How do you account for the change in
the pronoun from "he" to "we"? 422, 425, 494 L.J.
Tell what happened at Troas. 425 L.J.
For what event was Paul hurrying back to Jerusalem? 425, 426 L.J.
What premonitions did Paul make known to the
Ephesians whom he met at Miletus? 426, 429 L.J.
At what points did Paul touch on his journey
to Jerusalem? 429, 430 L.J.
In the Hands of his Enemies
What objection to Paul did his enemies
in Jerusalem raise? 433 L.J.
What did they do? 433, 434 L.J.
Give the substance of Paul's defense 434-438 L.J.
What was the effect upon the mob? 438 L.J.
What conversation did Paul have with the
Roman commandant? 441 L.J.
What was the effect of this conversation? 441 L.J.
Before the Council
Describe Paul's hearing before the council. 442, 445 L.J.
What oath did about forty of the Jews
take at this time? 445 L.J.
Describe their plot. 445, 446 L.J.
How was the conspiracy defeated? 446, 447 L.J.
To whom was Paul sent? 447 L.J.
Give the contents of the letter sent to Felix. 447 L.J.
What decision did Felix make in regard to the case? 447 L.J.
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Before Felix
Who appeared as accusers at the hearing against Paul? 448 L.J.
What were the charges brought against Paul? 448 L.J.
What was Paul's defense? 448-451 L.J.
What was the result of the hearing? 451 L.J.
What was the effect of Paul's private
conversations with Felix? 452 L.J.
Before Festus
What was Paul's condition when
Festus became governor? 452 L.J.
How did Festus arrange a hearing for Paul? 452 L.J.
What appeal did Paul make during his trial? 455 L.J.
Why could this appeal not be denied? 498 L.J.
Before Agrippa
Give the story of Paul as told by
Festus to King Agrippa 455, 456 L.J.
What reason did Festus give for
bringing Paul before Agrippa? 457 L.J.
Give the substance of Paul's speech before Agrippa? 457-461 L.J.
What confession did the king make to Paul? 461 L.J.
What did Agrippa say about Paul's innocence? 461 L.J.
Voyage to Rome
Give a general description of Paul's voyage to Rome. 462-466 L.J.
Why was there doubt about proceeding
from Fair Havens? 469 L.J.
What was Paul's advice? 469 L.J.
For what reason was the advice not taken? 470 L.J.
Describe the weather when the ship sailed. 470 L.J.
What happened soon after? 470 L.J.
What did the sailors do after the storm struck? 470 L.J.
How did Paul try to encourage the hopeless sailors? 470, 473 L.J.
What happened on the fourteenth night? 473 L.J.
Tell what happened when it was day. 474 L.J.
What happened on the island of Malta? 474, 477 L.J.
Describe the remainder of the trip to Rome. 477 L.J.
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In Rome
What liberty was Paul permitted by the
authorities at Rome? 478 L.J.
How did he employ his time there? 478, 481 L.J.
Name some of the perils that Paul says
he has passed through in his life. 482 L.J.
What spirit did Paul show in his farewell words? 482 L.J.
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SONGS OF THE AGES
Most of the questions on this volume are of a literary nature and will
be found in Part IV, "The Bible in Literature."
The Prophets
What broader meaning does the word prophet
have than that of merely signifying a predicter
of future events? 263 S.A.
Name the four great prophets. 263 S.A.
Why were the Minor Prophets so called? 263 S.A.
What was the work of the prophets? 263 S.A.
Isaiah
Who was the greatest prophet of the Old Testament? 264 S.A.
What was the condition of the kingdom of Judah
when Isaiah came to prophesy? 264 S.A.
How did Isaiah respond to his vision? 264, 265 S.A.
What alliance did Ahaz form in
spite of Isaiah's advice? 266, 267 S.A.
What do you think of the effectiveness of
the words used by Isaiah where he threatens
Judah against invasion by the Assyrians? 283 S.A.
What prophecy did Isaiah make to Hezekiah
about the future of Judah? 268, 271 S.A.
For what purpose did Sennacherib invade Judah? 271 S.A.
Tell how Rabshakeh tried to turn the common people
away from their allegiance to King Hezekiah. 271-273 S.A.
How did Isaiah encourage King Hezekiah? 274 S.A.
What further word did Sennacherib send to Hezekiah? 274 S.A.
How was Judah saved from the Assyrians? 275, 276 S.A.
(Questions on the literary value of Isaiah's
poems may be found in Part IV.)
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Jeremiah
Give the condition of Judah in the time of Jeremiah. 297 S.A.
In what way does the life of Jeremiah compare
with that of Savonarola? 297 S.A.
What were the circumstances of Jeremiah's call? 298-301 S.A.
Sum up in a few words Jeremiah's
message to the people. 305 S.A.
What did the king do to the roll
of Jeremiah's prophecy? 305-308 S.A.
When Jeremiah continued to rebuke the people,
what happened to him? 309-312 S.A.
How did Jeremiah escape? 312, 313 S.A.
How was Jeremiah treated by the foreign conqueror? 314-318 S.A.
Who was appointed governor over the Jews who
remained in their land? 318 S.A.
Where did Jeremiah and the royal governor
make their headquarters? 318 S.A.
How did Gedaliah treat the Jews? 318-320 S.A.
What was Gedaliah's fate? 320 S.A.
What was Jeremiah's warning to the people
who wished to take refuge in Egypt? 322-325 S.A.
What did the people do? 325, 326 S.A.
What does Jeremiah say is to be the
punishment for the people who went into Egypt? 326-331 S.A.
Give the substance of Jeremiah's prophecy
concerning the doom of Babylon. 331-343 S.A.
Ezekiel
How does the book of Ezekiel differ from
every other book of prophecy? 344 S.A.
What was Ezekiel's great aim? 344 S.A.
The prophecy of Ezekiel falls into three divisions:
(1) Prophecies concerning the fall of the Jewish
nation; (2) Prophecies concerning the destruction
of foreign nations; (3) Prophecies of restoration
of the Jews. Pick out instances of the three and
note the effective symbolism used. 344-353 S.A.
From Ezekiel's "Doom of Tyre," describe the
commercial activity of a great city in ancient times. 346-351 S.A.
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Amos
In what kingdom did Amos prophesy? 354 S.A.
Tell something of Amos' early life and
call to be a prophet. 354 S.A.
Where did Amos make his first appearance and
what was his message? 354, 355 S.A.
How did Amos defy the priest? 355, 356 S.A.
What charges did Amos bring against the people? 356-361 S.A.
Against what abuse did Amos speak? 361, 362 S.A.
Hosea
What was Hosea's special message? 363 S.A.
What particular sins did Hosea ascribe to the people? 363-365 S.A.
What relation between God and his people
did Hosea point out? 365, 366 S.A.
Micah
In what respect did Micah's prophecy resemble
that of Isaiah? 367 S.A.
What social corruptions did Micah especially condemn? 367 S.A.
What did Micah mention as the enduring foundations
of the spiritual world? 369 S.A.
Obadiah
What was the main theme of the prophecy of Obadiah? 370-373 S.A.
Joel
What was the occasion of the prophecy of Joel? 374 S.A.
How did the people receive Joel's warning? 378 S.A.
What words of Joel were quoted by Peter on
the day of Pentecost? 379 S.A., 326 L.J.
Zephaniah
Of what does the prophecy of Zephaniah consist? 380 S.A.
Of his declarations of threats and promises pick
out strong examples. 380-384 S.A.
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Nahum
For what reasons was Nineveh so bitterly hated
by the Hebrew people? 385 S.A.
What was the theme of Nahum's prophecy? 385 S.A.
What striking picture does Nahum draw in the
"Doom of Nineveh"? 387-391 S.A.
Habakkuk
What new problem is dealt with in the prophecy of
Habakkuk? 392 S.A.
What national condition of the Jews brought up
this problem? 392 S.A.
What would you say is the great thought brought
out in "Warnings of the Watchman"? 392,393 S.A.
Haggai
What was the national condition of the Hebrews when
Haggai prophesied? 397 S.A.
What was Haggai's particular message to the people? 397-400 S.A.
Was Haggai successful? 397 S.A.
Zechariah
What was Zechariah's aim in his prophecies? 401 S.A.
Compare the beginning of Zechariah's prophecy
with that of Haggai in point of time. 398, 401 S.A.
Name some of the strange symbols that Zechariah
used in his prophecy. 401-407 S.A.
What encouragements did the prophet give to
Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple? 404 S.A.
What is the meaning of the vision of the flying book? 405 S.A.
What is the meaning of the vision of the
woman in the barrel? 405, 406 S.A.
What is the meaning of the vision of the
chariots of the four winds? 406, 407 S.A.
Malachi
What was the national condition of the Hebrews
in the time of Malachi? 408 S.A.
What was Malachi's message to the people? 408, 409 S.A.
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The Epistles
In what effective way did Paul follow up his visits
to the various churches which he founded? 413 S.A.
Name some of the occasions that called
forth Paul's letters. 413 S.A.
What influences other than Jewish are
found in Paul's letters? 414, 415 S.A.
Number the commands given in Paul's message
to the Romans 415-419 S.A.
Divide these exhortations into two classes,
those for personal righteousness and those for
social betterment. 415-419 S.A.
How many of these commands might be followed to-day? 415-419 S.A.
What did Paul say about obedience? 419 S.A.
What were Paul's words about contentment? 420 S.A.
What attitude did Paul say was worthy of
the calling of a Christian? 420 S.A.
What particular gifts did Paul say were given men
for the building up of Christ's kingdom? 421 S.A.
What did Paul say about being angry? 421 S.A.
What did Paul say about the fruits of the Spirit? 422, 423 S.A.
About what things did Paul say we should think? 424 S.A.
Of all the spiritual gifts to be desired
what did Paul say was the greatest? 425 S.A.
Give Paul's definition of true love. 425 S.A.
Why can a person be joyful when falling
into temptation? 426 S.A.
How does temptation begin? 427 S.A.
What did James lay down as the two elements of
pure religion? 427, 428 S.A.
What did James say of faith and works? 428 S.A.
How large a part does the control of the tongue
have in the making of character, according to James? 428, 429 S.A.
To what two things is the tongue compared? 428 S.A.
What three things did James declare the tongue to be? 428,429 S.A.
How did James say the peaceable spirit
could be obtained? 429, 430 S.A.
What did James say about the rich and the poor? 430, 433 S.A.
Give James' definition of sin and compare it
to John's definition on page 435 S.A.. 434 S.A.
Name the two definitions of God as given by John. 435, 436 S.A.
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How does John say we may prove our
fellowship with God? 435 S.A.
What does John say proves our love for God? 436 S.A.
Compare John's estimate of love with Paul's. 425, 436, 437 S.A.
Make a list of the rules laid down by Paul for
the spiritual athlete. How do these rules compare
with the requirements for the physical athlete? 438, 439 S.A.
What games do you think Paul may have referred
to in this letter? 414, 438 S.A.
What does Paul say about the foundation of
the Christian temple? 440 S.A.
What does Paul say dwells in the Christian temple? 443 S.A.
What does Paul say makes the Christian temple strong? 443 S.A.
What do you think may have suggested to Paul
the figure of the Christian as a warrior? 414, 447 S.A.
Describe the spiritual armor. 447, 448 S.A.
What does Paul say are the enemies against which
the Christian warrior must fight? 447 S.A.
What does Paul say of the immortality of the soul? 449-455 S.A.
What message did John write to the church in Ephesus? 460 S.A.
What promise for faithfulness was given the
church in Smyrna? 460, 461 S.A.
What was the charge against the church in Pergamum? 461 S.A.
What was the message to the church in Thyatira? 462 S.A.
For what was the church in Sardis rebuked? 462, 463 S.A.
What promise was given to the church in Philadelphia? 463,464 S.A.
What charge was brought against
the church in Laodicea? 464 S.A.
What beautiful promise was held
out to the Laodiceans? 464 S.A.
Name some of the symbols used in the successive
scenes of this revelation. 467-478 S.A.
What name was given, in John's vision,
to the Heavenly City? 476 S.A.
Name some of the characteristics
of the Heavenly City. 477, 478 S.A.
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PART III
THE LAND OF THE BIBLE
_Visiting Palestine with THE BIBLE STORY_
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"A land not of sailors, not of traders, not of foresters, but a land
of lonely highlanders who won their living from the soil, from grain
fields, from vineyards, from orchards, and from sheepfolds. A land of
paths, not of thoroughfares, with but one great city. A land, not far
from the highroad between Europe and the East, yet secluded on its
hilltops, where prophets and patriots dreamed in its safe caverns. A
land which, because it had little possible outreach, reached upward."
--_William Byron Forbush_.
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[Illustration: RADIAL KEY MAP ILLUSTRATING THE OLD TESTAMENT (With
approximate distances and directions from Jerusalem). Used by
permission of the American Baptist Publication Society.
_Copyrighted by Geo. May Powell, 1901_.]
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VISITING PALESTINE WITH THE BIBLE STORY
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE LAND
The land of Palestine would be one of the most interesting even if
sacred events had never occurred within its borders.
In the first place, it is part of the world's largest oasis. Have you
ever thought that it is the most isolated country on earth? Hemmed in
by the desert, on part of one end by high mountains and on the west by
the sea, it seems separated from an other lands as for some peculiar
purpose.
It is most astonishing in its physical contour. Though smaller than
New Hampshire and of about the same shape, its elevation varies from
the height of Mount Hermon, 9000 feet above the sea, to the lower
level of the Jordan, 1300 feet below it. In the short distance of
twenty miles from the Mount of Olives to the Dead Sea there is a drop
of over 4000 feet. Within these limits flourish the pine and the palm,
the wheat and the cane, the grackle and the skylark, the mountain wolf
and the gazelle. The mountain may be covered with snow when the plain
is green with verdure. From more than one hilltop the traveler can see
at once the glaciers of Hermon and the steaming cauldron of the Dead
Sea.
These diversities explain many interesting points of history, and we
may understand them more clearly through some of the rare and
attractive photographs in THE BIBLE STORY.
The Seacoast Plain
Palestine may be most easily described as consisting of four strips
widening from north to south, and broken across by Mount Carmel and
the Valley of Esdraelon. These strips are, from west to east: the
lowland plain, the highlands, the Jordan valley, and the tablelands
east of the Jordan.
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The lowland plain has several significant features. The coast line of
Palestine, as you may see by the map (14 T.J.), is broken by only one
indentation, that of the headland of Carmel, and has not a single
harbor. The general character of its shores is admirably illustrated
by the picture (110 S.A.), and their exposure by the picture of
ancient Ascalon (474 T.J.). Jaffa, anciently Joppa, was then as now
the common landing place for imports, but the small boats (168 T.J.)
indicate how limited must have been the foreign commerce that could be
carried among the rocks which fringe that shore. The plain farther
inland was known at the north as the Plain of Sharon and at the south
as the Plain of the Philistines. As the map (112 T.J.) shows, the main
highroad from Asia Minor to Egypt ran through it. That Jerusalem was a
spiritual rather than a commercial capital is seen in the fact that it
was not on this road. Aijalon (364 H.T.) was one of those easy
gateways at which Judea struggled with Philistia, and the valley of
Sorek (180 T.J.), deeper among the hills, was the home of the
individualistic patriot, Samson.
The Highlands
When Abraham came down over the backbone of Canaan and stood on the
summit of Mount Ebal, which crowns the highlands, he chose for himself
the hill country of Judah and Hebron. There may have been a stern
prescience in this, as well as generosity to his luxury-loving nephew.
Thenceforth the history of the Hebrews, like that of the Scotch, was
largely that of highlanders. How suited were those hills for defense
is suggested by photographs (304, 344, 356 H.T.). These highlands
slope up gradually from the lowland plain on the west, but on the east
they fall toward the Jordan with frightful rapidity, broken by kopjes,
small canyons, and almost inaccessible swift streams. What this
country is like is suggested by the picture (154 G.B.). It was a
fitting home for such lonely prophets as Elijah and John the Baptist.
Along these highlands rested the high towns of Hebron (44 H.T.),
Bethlehem (14 H.T.), Jerusalem (496 H.T.), Shechem (82 H.T.), Samaria
(156 T.J.), and, beyond Esdraelon, Nazareth (60 L.J.). Farther to the
north lived the brave prophets of the Northern Kingdom among the
mountain sanctuaries of the Lebanon (44 S.A., 460 H. T.) under the
shadow of the King of the Land, Mount Hermon (60 S.A.). On these
highlands this mere speck of a people intrenched themselves for ages
against the mightiest of world powers. Here lived all their great men.
Here were written their histories. Here were their two capitals. In
one of their hill towns lived the Master for thirty years; in another,
Jerusalem, he consummated his mission.
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The Jordan Valley
Jordan is more glorious in poetry than in history or in fact. As a
stream it begins nowhere and ends in a salt lake. Its lower banks are
a great hot muggy bowl (126, 394 T.J., 280, 290 H.T.). The stream has
never been anything but a boundary, since it is not navigable and is
too low for purposes of irrigation. Its fords have been the scene of
many wars of conquest and defense (284 H.T., 64 L.J.), but the people
living near it have always been weak and degenerate. It has been
called the pantry of Canaan, fertile for food but ever open for easy
attack. In literature, the stream has been often referred to as the
symbol of the transition of death, and the outlet, the Dead Sea, as
the emblem of judgment (34, 258 H.T.).
Esdraelon and the Lake of Galilee
Where the Kishon crosses northern Canaan is a long triangular valley,
bounded on the south by the low range of Carmel (118 T.J.). This is
Esdraelon, the fertile (328 H.T., 56 T.J.). It was Israel's natural
battleground, and recalls Deborah, Gideon, Sisera, Saul, Ahab, Elijah,
Jehu, Josiah, Pharaoh-necho, the Maccabees, the Romans, the Arabs, the
Crusaders, and Napoleon. The seer of Patmos foresaw other world
conflicts even more majestic in this valley of Armageddon.
A part of the Jordan valley, but upon the level of Esdraelon and
sharing its salubrity, is the Lake of Galilee, unmentioned in the Old
Testament, but in the time of Jesus a busy center of work and trade
and the scene of his longest ministry. It is a sapphire sea, set in a
golden frame (96, 108 G.B.).
The Eastern Tableland
The high levels east of the Jordan were the border of the desert (318
H.T.). They were always occupied, as now, by wandering tribes, and
they were decidedly foreign country. To the North there is more
irregularity, as in the valley of the Jabbok (78 H.T.) mentioned in
the story of Jacob. Down this tableland was another caravan road into
Egypt past Sinai (200, 206 H.T.), from Damascus (410 T.J.), the
treasure-house of the East.
{100}
UNDERSTANDING GEOGRAPHY BY PICTURES
The inscription on the back of each of the pictures referred to below
will answer the question and the text, referred to in brackets, will
tell the story more in detail.
Why is Hebron one of the most interesting spots
in the world? 166 G.B., 44, 74 H.T.
Of what interesting events was the Ancient Shechem,
now known as Nablous, the scene? 24, 82 H.T.
(82-87 L.J.)
Who is associated with the town of Ramah? 136, 349 H. T.
What kind of boats were used on the Nile
and what were they called? 154 H.T.
Of what value was the Nile to Egypt? 148 H.T.
Describe the wilderness where the children of
Israel wandered for forty years. 200, 206, 224,
240 H.T.
What important discovery was made in the monastery
of Saint Catherine near Mount Sinai? 210 H.T.
Why is Palestine called a "living Pompeii"? 234 H.T.
What is a Druse family? 134 G.B.
Why is Petra one of the strangest and most
marvelous cities in the world? 252 H.T.
Locate it on the map. 14 T.J.
What happens when the muddy waters of the
Jordan flow into the Dead Sea, and why? 258 H.T.
Tell the name of "the city of palm trees" and
two important facts about it. 280, 290 H.T.
(287-292 H.T.)
What is the modern condition of this once
important city? 390, 394 T.J.
How does Smith explain this condition? 279 H.T.
Give three important facts about
the Plain of Esdraelon. 328 H.T., 56 T.J.
Explain the meaning of the national saying,
"from Dan to Beersheba." 340 H.T.
{101}
What valley was called the
"Valley of the Smiths," and why? 364 H.T.
What do you know about Endor? 378 H.T.
(376-380 H.T.)
What were the two chief industries of Judea?
In illustrating his mission by referring to
these pursuits, what words did Jesus use? 410 H.T.
What do you know about the rock-hewn tombs
used in Bible lands? 176, 310, 450 H.T.
What do you know of the Cedars of Lebanon, and
what is the meaning of the word "Lebanon"? 454, 460 H.T.
What stands to-day on the old temple
area in Jerusalem? 464, 468 H.T.
What awful contest between rival faiths was fought
out for a full day on Mount Carmel? 118 T.J.
(116-122 T.J.)
What influence did the great wilderness of the
Brook Cherith have on the life and literature
of the Hebrew people? 126 T.J.
Between what two important cities of Palestine does
the road run that is made famous by the story of
the Good Samaritan? Why is it called the "Ascent
of Blood"? For what reasons have pilgrims, both in
Jesus' time and ours, traveled this road? 132 T.J., 90 L.J.
What two great prophets are associated with
the village of Shunem, and how? 136 T.J.
(138-143 T.J.)
In whose reign was Samaria made capital of the
Northern Kingdom? 384 T.J., 374 T.J.
How did the location of Samaria make it easy
for it to resist assault? Tell the story of
one dreadful siege there. 156 T.J.
(152-157 T.J.)
How was Samaria finally brought low? (411-413 T.J.)
How does the city to-day justify Isaiah's name
for it, "the crown of the pride of Ephraim"? 360 T.J.
What other ruins tell the story of the
once proud city? 350 T.J.
Explain the statement made in the time
of Jesus (82 L.J.) "For Jews have no
dealings with Samaritans" 237 T.J., 488 L.J.
What great seaport, the only inside harbor between
Egypt and Mount Carmel, was the scene of Jonah's
attempt to escape from the command of the Lord? 167,458 T.J.
(165-171 T.J.)
Through what valley does the modern railroad
from Jaffa to Jerusalem run? 180 T.J.
What great loss was suffered
there in the time of Eli? 180 T.J.
(342-346 H.T.)
{102}
Give the name of some of the gates in the ancient
wall of Jerusalem and explain their use 216 T.J.
322, 338 L.J.
What was the fate of the first wall
that surrounded the city? 224 T.J.
Does any of the wall still exist? 224, 230 T.J.
When and for what reason did the ancient
Jews gather at their wailing place in Jerusalem? 244 T.J.
What two important mounts are separated by
the valley of Jehosaphat, also known as Kidron? 252 T.J.
Name something that distinguishes each mount. (264 L.J., 461 H.T.)
What important roads run through the valley of
Jehosaphat? Tell some other interesting features
of the valley. 260, 264 T.J.
What little village at the base of the Mount of
Olives is remembered because of its pool,
which was the scene of one of Jesus' miracles? 274 T.J. (197 L.J.)
What interesting discovery has been made
in connection with this pool? 304 T.J.
What was the system of water supply
in ancient Jerusalem? 298 T.J.
What astonishing discovery has been made
by excavation concerning the mound that covers
the ancient city of Lachish in Palestine? 310 T.J.
What mount was made a rival of Jerusalem by
the erection of a temple which marked it as
the central shrine of the nation? 366 T.J.
What range is the great mountain barrier of
northern Palestine? 372 T.J., 60 S.A.
Locate this range on map. 213 L.J.
Tell the name and character of the famous
monument of Mesha, king of Moab. 376 T.J.
What can be said of the city of Damascus
both as to character and location? 406 T.J.
What great man of New Testament times is
associated with this city? (371 L.J.)
In the midst of Mohammedan occupancy to-day,
what portion of the old Christian city of Damascus
is left to preserve the prophecy, "Thy kingdom,
O Christ, is an everlasting kingdom"? 378 L.J.
What river at Damascus was once compared with
the Jordan river? 410 T.J.
{103}
By whom was it compared? (144 T.J.)
What two famous cities on the eastern coast
of the Mediterranean held the commercial
supremacy of the East? 436, 442 T.J.
How did a king of one of these cities come
into business relations with a king of Israel? (457 H.T.)
What Judean city possessed such fertile soil
that it was called the "House of Bread"? 478 T.J.
What beautiful character is associated with
these harvest fields? (35 T.J.)
What is the meaning of the name "Gethsemane,"
and why was the garden so called? 260 L.J.
How did the location of Lydda make
it a business center? 352 L.J.
Name and locate the Roman city in which Paul
the Apostle grew to manhood; and give two
sources of civic pride. 374 L.J.
What great prophet had his home in Anathoth,
a little city near Jerusalem? 316 S.A.
What scenes in the lives of two great men of
Judea were laid in the hill country of Judea
now marked by the Convent of Mar-Sarba? 358 S.A.
What were some of the distinguishing features
of the city of Corinth in the time of Paul? 418, 432 S.A.
How did her situation contribute
to Corinth's greatness? 402 L.J.
For what characteristics did Corinth became
proverbial in the ancient world? 410 L.J.
(408-412 L.J.)
Name and describe the most pronounced object
in Ancient Athens. 406 L.J.,442 S.A.
What Bible hero visited these scenes on his travels? 398 L.J.
(404-408 L.J.)
Tell how the situation of Antioch made it a place
of concourse for all classes and kinds of people. 446 S.A.
Locate Antioch on map. 381 L.J.
What historical ground did Paul's
route in Macedonia cover? 428 L.J.
What natural cause accounts for the decay of
the city of Miletus which was in Paul's day one
of the leading centers of Greek civilization? 420 L.J.
(425,426 L.J.)
Describe the aspect, as seen from the sea, of the
city of Assos, visited by Paul on his
third missionary journey. 424 L.J. (425 L.J.)
{104}
What is the appearance of the AEgean Sea
to-day, commercially speaking,
as compared with classic times? 432 L.J.
Of what historical events was the city of Salonica
the scene and by what name was it known in
the time of Paul? 436 L.J.
(403,404 L.J.)
What interesting points might have been
viewed by Paul from the deck of the
"Twin Brothers," as it lay in the port of Puteoli? 440 L.J.
Name and give the interesting events that centered
about the mount known as the "Mount of God". 94 S.A.
What stands on the island of Malta to-day
commemorating Paul's visit there? 480 L.J.
(474-477 L.J.)
Describe and give the name of the great Way
which has been called the "Queen of Roads". 476 L.J.
{105}
LOCATING BIBLE CHARACTERS IN THE LAND
(Use map at the beginning of this chapter except when referred
elsewhere. )
Abraham
Locate the place of Abram's birth, Ur in Chaldea. 21, 487 H.T.
Trace his migration, with his father and family,
to Haran in Mesopotamia, 21, 487 H.T.; and his
route from there to the land of Canaan, passing
through: Shechem (also known as Sichem), his first
stopping place, 22, 487 H.T.; Bethel, where he built
an altar, 22, 487 H.T.; Hebron, where he made his
permanent home and where later Sarah died, 25,45 H.T.
Sodom and Gomorrah were situated in the valley of
the Jordan where it broadens out in its southern
part into a plain. The present Dead Sea is said
to lie over the site of these two cities. Trace
out on the map the distance covered by Abram when
he pursued the five foreign kings "as far as Dan." 25, 26, 488 H.T.
How does the extent of land, "from the river of
Egypt unto the great river Euphrates," which was
promised to Abram and his family, correspond to
that territory ruled over by the great king Solomon? 28, 455, 488 H.T.
Locate the town of Beer-sheba,
one of the homes of Abram. 42, 488 H. T.
Solomon built the great temple on Mount Moriah
in Jerusalem. 461 H.T. What other event do some
think happened at this place? 41, 491 H.T.
Isaac
Locate and give the meaning of the name of the
far distant land where Isaac's wife was sought. 50,491 H.T.
Jacob
Locate Paddan-aram, where Jacob fled from his
home in Canaan to be with his uncle Laban. 68, 492 H.T.
Locate the ford of Jabbok near which Jacob
wrestled with the angel. 80, 492 H.T.
{106}
Joseph
Find the city of Dothan where Joseph's brothers
conspired against him. 95, 492 H.T.
What other great man was associated with Dothan? 151. T.J.,492 H.T.
In what part of Egypt was the fat land of Goshen,
which Pharaoh gave to Joseph's father and brothers
for a dwelling place? 125, 493 H.T.
(Note, in the story of the plagues, 158 H.T.,
that the Hebrews still dwelt in this particular
part of Egypt in the days of oppression.)
Moses
Trace out the general route taken by the children
of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, locating the Red
Sea, where the hosts of Pharaoh were drowned, 180
H.T.; Mount Sinai, where the Ten Commandments were
given, 201 H. T.; the wilderness, between the arms
of the Red Sea, where the people wandered so long,
242 H. T.; Hebron, to which the spies were sent,
243 H. T.; Kadesh, where the people abode for many
years and where Miriam died, 248 H.T.; Edom, the
hostile land through which the people wished to
pass, 249 H.T.; Mount Hor, where Aaron died, 250
H.T.; Moab, where the Israelites encamped for some
time, 255 H.T.; the Jordan river, at the head of
the Dead Sea, where the Israelites finally crossed
into the land of Canaan, 285 H.T.
Joshua
(See larger map of Palestine, 14 T.J., for
conquests of Canaan.)
When the children of Israel crossed the Jordan
into the land of Canaan, they found it full of
foes. Joshua, the courageous warrior, won the land
for the Israelites.
Locate the scene of many of his mighty
conquests--Jericho, 287 H.T.; Ai, also known as
Hai, 294 H.T.; Gibeon, 300 H.T.; Jerusalem, 305
H.T.
Where was Gilgal, the place of Joshua's camp? 300 H.T.
Ehud
From what section of the land did the Moabites
come who warred against the Israelites in the
time of the judge Ehud? 315 H.T.
This is the same Moab to which the family of Naomi
and Elimelech went to escape famine in their
native city of Bethlehem (35 T.J.), which was six
miles south of Jerusalem.
{107}
By what physical formation were the people of
Bethlehem able to see that there was food in
the land of Moab? 487 T.J.
Gideon
Locate the land of the Midianites, the Arab
wanderers who oppressed Israel in the time of Gideon. 319 H.T.
(This is said to be the same country whither Moses
fled when he killed the Egyptian, 141 H.T.)
Samuel
(Map, page 14 T.J.)
By noting the three great cities of Philistia,
Ashdod, Askelon, and Gath, give the general
location of the land of the Philistines, the
people so long at enmity with the Israelites
(342,360,375 H.T.) from whose hosts came the
giant Goliath (386 H.T.) 493 H.T.
Saul
Locate the country of Gilead where at Jabesh
Saul's first battle was fought. 359 H.T.
(Note how the people of Jabesh-gilead later
remembered Saul's help. 359,381,494 H.T.)
David
(Map, page 14 T.J.)
Where was the town of Gath, the home
of the giant Goliath? 386, 497 H.T.
(Note that later King Uzziah broke down the walls
of Gath. 287, 288 T.J.)
Locate the land belonging to the tribe of
Judah on whose hills David lived as a boy
and tended sheep. 382 H.T.
Solomon
Describe the location of the city of Jerusalem,
the capital of the kingdom of David and Solomon.
Give its position with respect to the Dead Sea,
the Mediterranean, Dan, and Beer-sheba. 461 H.T.
Did the Queen of Sheba come far to visit Solomon?
Trace what was probably her route. Note how far
Solomon's fame had spread. 487, 498 H.T.
{108}
Locate Ezion-geber, the town on the Red Sea from
which Solomon sent his ships to trade in
Egypt and Arabia. 482, 498 H. T.
(Note that the same people who were formerly in
bitter bondage in Egypt were trading on equal
terms with that nation. 498 H.T.).
Deborah
(Map, page 14 T.J.)
What general section of the Israelitish country was
concerned in the story of Deborah? 487 T.J.
Locate the principal places: the hill country of
Ephraim near the country belonging to the tribe of
Naphtali from which Barak came to seek Deborah's
help, 52, 53 T.J.; Bethel where Deborah lived, 52
T.J.
Elijah and Elisha
(Map, page 112 T.J.)
Trace out the journeys of Elijah from Samaria, the
capital of Ahab's kingdom (113 T.J.) to Zarephath,
where the widow served him, 114, 115 T.J.; Mount
Carmel near Jezreel where he met the prophets of
Baal, 116-122 T.J.; Beer-sheba, where he left his
servant, 123 T.J.; Mount Horeb, where he received
new courage, 123, 124 T.J.; Jezreel, the scene of
Naboth's vineyard, 127-130 T.J.; the Jordan, near
Jerusalem, where Elijah was taken in a chariot of
fire and where Elisha took up his work, 130-134 T.J.
Locate Syria and its capital, Damascus, the home of
Naaman, the leper who came to Elisha to be healed. 143-147 T.J.
Jonah
Locate Joppa, from which place Jonah sailed to
Tarshish.
Locate Nineveh to which he finally went. 165-171, 493 T.J.
Samson
(Map, page 14 T.J.)
Locate the city of Dan which was Samson's home, and
in general the scenes of his raids into Philistia. 172-182, 493 T.J.
Daniel
Locate Babylon, where Daniel lived in the court of
Nebuchadnezzar. 183 T.J.
{109}
Esther, Nehemiah
Locate Shushan, prominent in the stories of Esther
and Nehemiah. 60, 212, 488 T.J.
Life of Jesus
(Use map, page 24 L.J., in addition to map in this
volume.)
The scenes of Jesus' life were laid in many places throughout the land
of Palestine. These places are here tabulated and divided according to
the periods of His life. Three practical tests are proposed:--
(1) How many of the places given below suggest to you familiar
stories?
(2) How many of these scenes can you locate on the map?
(3) Make an outline of the life of Jesus from the sequence of events
here given by writing out in brief the incident connected with each
place.
The Boyhood
Bethlehem of Judea. 37 L.J.
Jerusalem. 49 L.J.
Egypt. 45 L.J.
Nazareth. 49 L.J.
Preparation for the Ministry
The Jordan River. 65 L.J.
The Wilderness near Jericho. 70 L.J.
The Ministry
Cana. 78 L.J.
Samaria. 82 L.J.
The Mount of Beatitudes. 105, 107, 108 L.J.
Capernaum. 125 L.J.
The City of Nain. 130 L.J.
The Lake of Gennesaret. 136, 489 L.J.
The Banquet Hall of Herod. 154 L.J.
The Pool of Bethesda. 167, 489 L.J.
Caesarea Philippi. 178 L.J.
Bethany. 215 L.J.
Jericho. 221 L.J.
{110}
Passion Week
An Upper Chamber. 249 L.J.
The Mount of Olives. 264 L.J.
Palace of the High Priest. 269 L.J.
Pilate's Palace. 272 L.J.
The Palace of Herod. 275 L.J.
Pilate's Judgment Hall. 276 L.J.
Golgotha (Calvary) 281 L.J.
Joseph's Garden. 286 L.J.
The Resurrection
The Village of Emmaus. 301 L.J.
The Sea of Galilee. 307 L.J.
The Mount of Ascension. 310 L.J.
Trace out on the map on page 381 the first
missionary journey of Paul. 376 L.J.
Trace out on the map on page 393 Paul's second
missionary journey. 392 L.J.
Trace out on the map on page 415 Paul's third
missionary journey. 417 L.J.
Follow the route on page 449 of Paul's
journey to Rome. 462 L.J.
{111}
PART IV
THE BIBLE IN LITERATURE
_For Lovers of Literature_
{112}
"It is surely good that our youth, during the formative period, should
have displayed to them, in a literary dress as brilliant as that of
Greek literature, in lyrics which Pindar cannot surpass, in rhetoric as
forcible as that of Demosthenes, or contemplative prose not inferior to
Plato's--a people dominated by an utter passion for righteousness."
--_Richard G. Moulton_.
{113}
THE BIBLE IN LITERATURE
THE BIBLE'S PLACE IN LITERATURE
It may well be said that, like our English speech, our literature has
drawn its material and its inspiration from many tongues and peoples.
Its sources are world-wide. Its stream flows from innumerable springs
and fountains. Some of them have been shallow and some have given up
only the waters of bitterness, but many there are which keep the
current broad and pure and deep. And of those fountains that ever pour
out living water the most abounding is our English Bible.
So abundantly has our literature drawn from the Bible that a study of
it is the very beginning of the knowledge of English writings. He
alone can be called educated who knows this Book; for its _style_, its
_substance_ and its _spirit_ are thoroughly woven into the thought and
language of English-speaking people.
In the age of Elizabeth, when the Bible was translated, our English
words were coming fresh coined to our language from the mint of life.
New words were being made out of men's experiences. Such words brought
the pictures and images of things and actions vividly to the mind as
our abstract speech of to-day can never do. It was this living,
concrete language which men like Tindale and Coverdale wrought into
what became the King James Version; and with such mastery that to this
day the Bible has no peer in the vigor, the directness, and the
simplicity of its style. Then, too, in those days religious belief was
often a matter of life and death. Many of the translators finally gave
up their lives rather than to renounce their convictions, and it could
only be that such men would give to the Bible a style that breathes
always the noble dignity and earnestness of martyrs.
Thus he who would appraise our English writings must weigh whatever
they possess of the earnestness, the simplicity, the vigor, the
directness of the Bible. He must himself have mastered well that great
source of English style.
{114}
Then who shall measure the treasures of the Bible substance that our
writers have poured into their books? The Bible has contributed their
language, their plots, their incidents, their characters, their moral
lessons, even their names. Words can no more than faintly suggest how
full to overflowing of the Bible is our literature. An allusion from
the Scriptures adorns almost every page of such writers as Browning
and Ruskin. Five hundred Biblical allusions appear in the Ring and the
Book alone. Thousands of them are scattered through Shakespeare and in
their use the poet climbs perhaps oftenest to the heights of his
genius. It has been said that no other passage in Shakespeare has the
sublimity of that one patterned by the lover of Jessica from the Book
of Job:--
[Footnote: Lorenzo thus addresses Jessica. (See page 157.)]
"Look how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold;
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st
But in his motion like an angel sings."
Our masters of poetry and prose have thus become the Bible's
messengers; but such also are the lesser writers and speakers of every
day. The Bible words find a response that is universal; for Truth
knows no chosen vessel but rather has chosen all. Story and lyric,
epic and drama, alike carry onward the Bible's messages and continue
to spread their truth among all people of the English tongue.
But perhaps most precious of all the Bible's contributions to our
literature is the gift of its spirit. The creators of the best in
English have shared that spirit in that their works have shared the
Bible's lofty purposes. Who so earnestly preaches the living of a life
as John Bunyan in Pilgrim's Progress? Who more resembles the Hebrew
seer warning his people of their danger, than Lincoln, when with
solemn prophecy he declares: "'A house divided against itself cannot
stand.' I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave
and half free"? Carlyle calling the world to repentance, Dickens and
Thackeray calling it to reform, Emerson pointing new heights for
reason and faith and love, Browning proclaiming "The best is yet to
be"--each in his own way seeks to bring in the Kingdom. And what is
the spirit of the Bible, unless it be the spirit of a people seeking
after God if haply they might find Him?
If we should study what has called out the best in men or letters in
order that we may understand that best, how much more ought we to know
the Bible for itself. The deep experiences of the soul are the {115}
stuff of which literature is made; and in language whose appeal is
alike to the wise and the simple this Book dramatizes the life of the
soul. Though struggling much between right and wrong and falling
often, the Old Testament heroes groped their way upward to better
things, and established their belief in one God upon a firm
foundation. Their story is the epic of the soul's struggle and
victory; but it is also the revelation of humanity's past, the mirror
of its present of progress and defeat, the prophecy of its triumphant
future. The Psalms, in the words of Heine, collect within themselves
"sunrise and sunset, birth and death, promise and fulfillment--the
whole drama of humanity." Excepting only those of the New Testament
literature, no authors of any land or time have seized upon truths so
unchanging and so everlasting as the writers of Job and the books of
the Prophets. Ignoring life's vanities, soaring far above the things
that are temporal, these writings ever summon the minds of men to
dwell upon things eternal.
Finally in the literature of the New Testament the victories of faith
replace the victories of war; the groping instinct of survival is
justified in the Demonstration of Immortality; the Cult of the Chosen
People gives way to the Gospel of Universal Brotherhood; the
Omnipotent Creator is revealed also the God of Love; the Deity of
Retribution and Justice becomes a Father; Man, the Child.
{116}
QUESTIONS BRINGING OUT THE BIBLE'S LITERARY VALUE
1. The Poetry of the Bible
What is the difference between the rhythm of Hebrew
poetry and that of English poetry? 11 S.A.
What three forms does this rhythm take? 12 S.A.
In the words quoted from Jesus are any
of these forms used? 13 S.A.
What is the richest part of Biblical poetry? 13 S.A.
Rhythm and Feeling
What form of rhythm illustrated on page 12 S.A.
is used in the psalms:
The Righteous Man. 19 S.A.
A Morning Prayer. 20 S.A.
A Song of Deliverance. 26 S.A.
A Song in Time of Trouble. 61 S.A.
The Cry of the Needy. 98 S.A.
Idols of Silver and Gold. 136 S.A.
Our Father. 118 S.A.
A Pilgrim Song. 156 S.A.
What two qualities, necessary to Hebrew poetry,
are found in Deborah's Song of Triumph? 54-59 T.J., 11 S.A.
What deep feeling prompted the Song of Judith? 105-107 T.J.
How can the "Song of Songs" be compared with the
lyrical poetry of the Elizabethan period in England? 234-239 S.A.
The Psalms a Collection of Lyric Poetry
For what purpose was the Book of Psalms written? 17 S.A.
What is the leading theme of the Psalms? 17 S.A.
Mention some of the other themes. 17 S.A.
Name the Psalm in which every verse, it is said,
contains a reference to the law of God. 505 S.A.
{117}
In what way is Psalm 119 (143 S.A.)
an alphabetic Psalm? 505 S.A.
Ruskin says that, among others, Psalms 1, 8, 15,
19, 23, 24, well studied and believed, are
sufficient for all personal guidance. What
principles of conduct are enjoined in:--
The Righteous Man. 19 S.A.
Little Lower than God. 22 S.A.
The Upright Man. 23 S.A.
Song of the Earth and Sky. 30 S.A.
The Good Shepherd. 35 S.A.
The Earth is the Lord's. 36 S.A.
Ruskin says that Psalm 72 contains many principles
of just government. State in modern terms some of
the principles of government enjoined in "The
Righteous King". 88 S.A.
Ruskin says that Psalm 104 anticipates the
triumphs of natural sciences. From the reading of
the Psalm can you suggest those anticipated? Read
note 503 S.A. 120 S.A.
Compare Manasseh's prayer, 320 T.J., with the
Prayer of Repentance. 75 S.A.
Can you suggest an act of David to which this
Psalm is probably related? 75 S.A.
Job a Dramatic Poem
What characteristic makes Job a dramatic poem? 180 S.A.
What is the distinction between Hebrew drama, as
illustrated in Job, and the Greek and English drama? 180 S.A.
What is the central theme of the book of Job? 179 S.A.
What are the characters of the book of Job? 178 S.A.
Trace the dramatic climax in the messages
brought to Job. 182 S.A.
Locate Job's two sublime statements of faith,
often quoted. 194, 200 S.A.
What description of man, noted in literature,
does Job give? 195 S.A.
What great question asked by Job is the theme
of many poems, such as Tennyson's "In Memoriam"? 195 S.A.
Give the summary of the thought contained
in the first cycle of speeches. 195 S.A.
Give the summary of the thought contained
in the second cycle. 204 S.A.
Give the summary of the thought contained in
the third cycle. 213 S.A.
{118}
What does Elihu add to the thought of the poem? 221 S.A.
What reply does the book of Job give to the
question, "Why do good people suffer?" 231 S.A.
The Apocalypse a Rhapsody
Dr. Richard G. Moulton calls the Apocalypse a
rhapsody, or a fusion of all other styles of
Hebrew writing. Can you discover evidences of the
dramatic lyric and narrative styles used? 456-478 S.A.
The proper preparation for appreciating the
Apocalypse, it is said, is the study of other
Hebrew rhapsodies, in particular Isaiah and
Zechariah. What similarity can you find in
"Visions of the Heavenly City" and Isaiah's
"Awake, O Zion"? 286 S.A.
What similarity can you find both of style and
content in the Apocalypse, 456-478 S.A., and
Zechariah's "Vision Rhapsody"? 401-407 S.A.
Hero Poems
What is the book of Jashar? 306, 426, 493 H. T.
2. The Oratory in the Bible
Compare the opening sentences of the speech on
Mars Hill with those of Paul's sermon at Antioch;
how, or in what characteristic, does the contrast
show that Paul was a great speaker? 380, 407 L.J.
Senator Albert J. Beveridge says Paul's speech on
Mars Hill has never been excelled in brevity of
statement and in force of thought, and that in
these regards it compares favorably with Lincoln's
speech at Gettysburg. How does Paul gain his
audience's attention? How does he compliment the
Greeks in the course of his speech? What is the
substance of his argument against paganism? What
thoughts form the principal message of this
speech? 407, 408 L.J.
It is said that Moses' speeches to the children of
Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness
are examples of fine oratory, sometimes producing
upon the people all the effect of drama. In his
speech on pages 271, 272 H.T., what do you think
of his methods of swaying his audience as compared
to the modern orator's?
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Daniel Webster's customary preparation for the
delivery of an oration was to read Isaiah's
magnificent address, "Comfort Ye My People." What
oratorical beauties can you discover from a
reading of this address? 284, 285 S.A.
3. Other Literary Forms Found in the Bible
What is the nature of the book of Ecclesiastes and
the author's view of life? 242-246 S.A.
What is the nature of the book of Proverbs? 248 S.A.
Give the gist of the teachings of the Proverbs. 248 S.A.
Give in modern terms three principles of conduct
taught in "Enter not into the Path of the Wicked" 255 S.A.
Wisdom Literature
Dr. Richard G. Moulton says there are three
characteristic methods employed in stating the
Proverbs: antithesis, comparison, and imagery. In
the selection, "Praise of the Wise and Virtuous
Woman," can you find examples of these three
methods? 256 S.A.
The literary forms of the Proverbs are fourfold:
the single couplet; clusters of couplets, where
several independent sayings are gathered about a
common theme; the epigram; and wisdom sonnets.
Note these four forms. 501 G.B.
249-257 S.A.
Letters
In what literary form are the writings of Paul? 413 S.A.
What can be said of the style of Paul's letters? 413 S.A.
How did Paul's wide experience contribute
to his writings? 414 S.A.
Varied Styles
What type of story common to-day is told by one of
the brothers of Abimelech? 333 H.T.
Do you think Nathan's method of bringing David to
repentance peculiarly effective? Give three
literary devices used by Nathan in support of your
opinion. 432 H.T.
What three stories in the Bible are recognized as
among the most charming love stories in the world?
49 H.T. 60 T.J., 35 T.J.
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What is the circumstance of the only riddle in the
Bible? 173 T.J.
What literary form did Jesus most often use in
speaking to the people? 133 L.J.
4. The Literary Value of the Books of Prophecy
Isaiah
In what literary form are many of Isaiah's
prophecies written? 277 S.A.
What qualities in Isaiah's poetry give it a high
place in literature? 277 S.A.
Dr. Richard G. Moulton says that in Isaiah's
poetry, men's thoughts are directed toward the
great idea of a universal spiritual dominion. In
"Comfort Ye My People," what passages do you think
have this purpose? 284, 285 S.A.
Isaiah is said to be a master of satire and
pathos, of proverb and parable, of simile and
metaphor. In his sublime words, "The Triumph of
the Man of Sorrows," can you find evidences of
these literary forms? 288, 289 S.A.
Jeremiah
What was the theme of Jeremiah's prophecy? 297 S.A.
What symbolic use did Jeremiah make of the potter
and his clay? 301 S.A.
Hosea
Through what personal experience was Hosea able to
interpret the love of God? Can you discover in
"The Longing of God for His Children" the strong
feeling due to this experience? 365, 366 S.A.
Amos
Because of the circumstances of his early life
Amos drew most of his figures from nature and
agricultural occupations. How many such
allusions can you find in the selections here
given? 354-362 S.A.
Micah
In the prophecy of Micah appear probably the most
striking words ever written predicting world
peace. Locate them. 367-369 S.A.
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Nahum
In what regards do you consider the description of
war in "The Doom of Nineveh" an adequate picture
of modern day warfare? 387-391 S.A.
Habakkuk
Compare the theme of the prophecy of Habakkuk with
the theme of the book of Job. 179, 392 S.A.
The prayer of Habakkuk is said to be a composition
unrivaled for boldness of conception, sublimity
of thought, and majesty of diction. After reading
can you pick out passages that confirm this
estimate of it? 393-396 S.A.
Haggai
What is said of the style of Haggai's writing? 397 S.A.
Zechariah
What is the meaning of the prophecy of Zechariah? 401 S.A.
5. The Bible-an Inspiration to Writers
Compare Victor Hugo's account of the Fall of
Jericho with the Bible account. 293, 287-292 H. T.
Show how the wilderness journey of the children of
Israel is traced out in the poem, "Lead Me On". 238 H.T.
How many of the twenty and more allusions to the
Bible in Whittier's poem, "Palestine," can you
pick out and explain? 15-17 H.T.
To what event of Israelitish history does the
"Song of the Manna Gatherers" refer? 198 H.T. (196 H.T.)
Poems Inspired by the Bible
The following well-known poems were inspired by
passages in the Old Testament. Bring out some of
the beauty and power which the poets saw in these
passages by comparing them with the poems.
The Finding of Moses. 134 H.T. (138 H.T.)
The Seventh Plague of Egypt. 162 H.T. (166 H.T.)
The Burial of Moses. 274 H.T.
(272,273 H.T.)
Saul and David 395 H.T. (396 H.T.)
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Cave of Adullam. 437 H.T. (438 H.T.)
Ruth. 49 T.J. (35 T.J.)
Belshazzar. 211 T.J.
(201-206 T.J.)
The Destruction of Sennacherib. 315 T.J.
(271-276 S.A.)
Hymn by the Euphrates. 316 T.J.
(346, 347 T.J.)
How does Dante, in his "Divine Comedy,"
use Psalm 114 (134, 135 S.A.)? 504 S.A.
What famous writer at the age of fifteen composed
a hymn founded on Psalm 136 (162, 163 S.A.)? 506 S.A.
What Psalm has been most often translated into
English verse? 35 S.A.
Name some poets who have translated the Shepherd
Psalm into verse. 498 S.A.
Consider the passages descriptive of the relation
of the Eastern shepherd to his sheep, on pages 200
and 201 L.J. and 285 S.A., and study the pictures,
noting the inscription on back, on pages 210 and
288 G.B. What qualities had this relationship
peculiar to the East? State the peculiar qualities
of this relationship that make the figure of the
shepherd used in the first three lines of Psalm 23
particularly appropriate as applied to God. 35 S.A.
Find the lines in Psalm 72 (88 S.A.) on which is
based the tradition, evidenced by many poems, that
the three Wise Men from the East were Kings. 501 S.A., 29, 41 L.J.
What lines of Psalm 80 (91 S.A.) underlie
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's, "The Measure,"
stanza 2? 501 S.A.
What lines in Psalm 86 (98 S.A.) are beautifully
used by Tennyson in the verse quoted from
"Rizpah"? 502 S.A.
What lines in Psalm 87 (100 S.A.) furnished the
motto for Augustine's great work, "The City of
God"? 502 S.A.
What well-known tune derived its name from the
number of the Psalm which was used with it? 116,503 S.A.
Story Suggested by the Bible
Can you name a popular modern story that has its
inspiration in "The Wise Men"? 41 L.J.
Read the following stories from the volume, "The
Life of Jesus," with your reading of Van Dyke's
beautiful story, "The Other Wise Man," and note
the interesting correspondence. Alternate Van
Dyke's story with THE BIBLE STORY and read as
follows:--
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_The Other Wise Man_
The Sign in the Sky
By the Waters of Babylon
THE BIBLE STORY The Wise Men, 41 L.J.
_The Other Wise Man_ For the Sake of a Little Child
THE BIBLE STORY A Journey to the Land of the Pharaohs, 45 L.J.
_The Other Wise Man_ In the Hidden Way of Sorrow
THE BIBLE STORY The Crucifixion, 281 L.J.
_The Other Wise Man_ A Pearl of Great Price
Book Titles Taken from the Bible
The fact that many books of every style and content bear names taken
from the Bible and develop themes suggested by the Bible is a tribute
to the beauty and picturesqueness of Bible diction and indicates the
extensive scope of its writings. What would you expect the theme of
each of the following books to be, judging by the thought which the
titles suggest?
"The Inside of the Cup" Winston Churchill
"The Fruit of the Tree" Edith Wharton
"All the Days of My Life" Margaret Sangster
"From My Youth Up" Amelia Barr
"Titus" Florence Morse Kingsley
"Following the Star" Florence Barclay
"Barabbas" Marie Corelli
"The Yoke" Elizabeth Miller
"The Wages of Sin" M. S. Harrison
"The Sins of the Father" Bertha M. Clay
"The Eternal City" Hall Caine
"A Voice in the Wilderness" Grace Livingston Hill Lutz
"The Thirteenth Commandment" Rupert Hughes
"The Hands of Esau" Margaret Deland
"A Certain Rich Man" William Allen White
"The Promised Land" Mary Antin
"Prince of the House of David" J. H. Ingraham
"The Far Country" Winston Churchill
"Unleavened Bread" Robert Grant
"Judas Iscariot" L. N. Andrew
"These Twain" Arnold Bennett
"The Good Shepherd" John Roland
"Prodigals and Sons" John Ayscough
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"The Lost Boy" Henry Van Dyke
"God's Remnants" Samuel Gordon
"The Foolish Virgin" Thomas Dixon
"The Heritage of Cain" Isabel Ostrander
"Behold the Woman" T. Everett Horre
"If Any Man Sin" H. A. Cody
"The Crown of Life" Gordon Arthur Smith
"The Clean Heart" A. S. M. Hutchinson
"The House of Bondage" Reginald Wright Kauffman
"The Mark of the Beast" Reginald Wright Kauffman
"The House of the Lord" J. E. Talmage
"Where the Laborers are Few" Margaret Deland
"The Old Adam" Arnold Bennett
(These are only a few of the many books that have drawn their
titles from the Bible.)
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THE BIBLE'S GIFT TO OUR LANGUAGE
How often in listening to a speaker or in reading our everyday
literature we find our imagination stirred by a forceful phrase taken
from the Bible. If we know the part of the Bible from which the phrase
comes it always throws a flood of light upon the message. But due to
ignorance of the Bible, too many of us grope for the phrase's
meaning.
Ignorance of the Bible a Handicap to the Student
In these days even high school and college graduates cannot explain
the simplest Bible allusions. Charles Dudley Warner, writing in
Harper's Magazine, says that a "boy or girl at college, in the
presence of the works set forth for either to master, without a fair
knowledge of the Bible, is an ignoramus, and is disadvantaged
accordingly. For example, in Shakespeare there are quotations from
fifty-four books of the Bible, thirty-one from Genesis alone; in
Tennyson there are two hundred and one quotations or allusions from
the Old Testament. Wholly apart from its religious or its ethical
value, the Bible is the one book of which no intelligent person, who
wishes to come into contact with the world of thought, and to share
the ideas of the great minds of the Christian era, can afford to be
ignorant."
Dramatic Terms Used by a Greek Scholar
The Bible indeed holds supremacy over all other sources of literary
allusion in the addresses and writings of public men. The
_Independent_ calls attention to a eulogy written by a prominent
university professor in which were found, in an article of less than
six pages, fourteen expressions from the Bible: "Every good word and
work," "Fountain sealed," "Discernment of spirits," "Hid treasure,"
"Sinned with their lips," "Faith in his high calling," "Seeing him who
is invisible," "Time would fail me," "Slept or slumbered," "Egyptian
taskmaster," "Bloweth where it listeth," "Make a plain path,"
"Recompense of reward," and one direct quotation, "This is the way;
walk ye in it." Against these fourteen cases is only one use of
classical {126} phrases and one allusion each to Milton and
Wordsworth. And Professor Gildersleeve is not known as a Bible
scholar; he is past master of all our Grecians, and master also of a
most delightful style. "He could have spattered his address over with
Greek and Latin references and expressions without winking, so easy
would it have been for him, but they could not have fitted into the
serious purpose of plain and tender address as do the words of the two
Testaments."
Superficial Knowledge of the Bible Prevalent
It makes no difference what a man's profession may be; whether he be a
literary man, a lawyer, a teacher, or a clergyman, Bible words will
unconsciously drop off his tongue, so familiar have the striking terms
and phrases of the Bible become. And yet a mere superficial knowledge
of the Book of books prevails to-day to such an extent that many
grotesque mistakes and misquotations occur. London's leading newspaper
solemnly affirmed one morning that if the Government of the day came
to grief it would "fall, like the walls of Jericho, before the noise
of empty pitchers." Can you discover the mistake in this simile? (287,
329 H.T.) A great lecturer on one occasion alluded to "Pharaoh and his
hosts being overwhelmed in the Jordan." What two events are confused
in this quotation? (184, 285 H.T.)
Whenever such an expression presents itself and is found to be vague
or confusing, turn to the following list of allusions, which are those
in most common use, and arranged alphabetically for easy reference.
[Footnote: Note there are two lists of allusions, both alphabetically
arranged.] Clear up the obscurity by reading the Bible passage that
explains the doubtful phrase.
Each of these allusions has been used many times in common speech or
in our great English writings, as illustrated by the many quotations
that follow. A knowledge of the meaning and derivation of such phrases
opens up a new world of interest and understanding and the ability to
use them correctly infuses speech and writing alike with a new power
of graphic expression.
How many of these allusions recall definitely a certain incident or
story to your mind?
As strong as a spider's web. 190 S.A.
Ananias. 335 L.J.
Apples of gold in baskets of silver. 504 G.B.
Appeal unto Caesar. 452 L.J.
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Add a cubit to his stature. 106 G.B.
At their wits' end. 132 S.A.
All things to all men. 438 S.A.
As a lamb to the slaughter. 289 S.A.
As locusts for multitude, 319 H. T.
As a hart panteth after the water brooks. 61 S.A.
As sheep having no shepherd. 144 L.J.
As high as Haman. 73 T.J.
Balaam's ass. 259 H.T.
The beauty of holiness. 505 T.J.
Cast to the dogs. 172 L.J.
Clearer than the noonday. 193 S.A.
Carpenter of Nazareth. 50 L.J.
Cattle upon a thousand hills. 73 S.A.
City set on a hill. 106 L.J.
Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? 77 L.J.
Clothed and in his right mind. 139 L.J.
Cake not turned. 364 S.A.
Driving of Jehu. 160 T.J.
Doubting Thomas. 306 L.J.
The day of small things. 404 S.A.
Darkness which may be felt. 171 H. T.
Dan to Beer-sheba. 339, 342 H.T.
Doorkeeper in the house of God. 96 S.A.
Delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 143, 357 H.T.
Draught of fishes. 307 L.J.
Earth thy footstool. 343 L.J.
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard. 502 T.J.
Ebenezer. 249 H.T.
Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 110 L.J.
Earn thy bread by the sweat of thy brow. 20 T.J.
The ewe lamb. 432 H.T.
Every good and perfect gift. 427 S.A.
Faith hath made thee whole. 140 L.J.
Fishers of men. 94 L.J.
Flight into Egypt. 45 L.J.
Faithful unto death 506 H.T. 461 S.A.
Flesh pots of Egypt. 192 H.T.
Friend of publicans and sinners. 154 L.J.
A far country. 203 L.J.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth. 284 S.A.
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Gathered unto his fathers. 59 H. T.
Gallows fifty cubits high. 70 T.J.
The hills melted like wax. 502 T.J.
High calling. 504 H.T.
Half hath not been told. 481 H.T.
He that trod the sea. 148 L.J.
He that ruleth his spirit
is better than he that taketh a city. 502 G.B.
His enemies shall lick the dust. 88 S.A.
Hearing of the ear. 231 S.A.
Ishmaelite. 395 H.T.
Job's comforters. 197 S.A.
Kill the fatted calf. 204 L.J.
Kick against the goad, kick against the pricks. 458 L.J.
Loaves and fishes. 147 L.J.
Love is strong as death. 239 S.A.
Leaven in the lump. 439 S.A.
Law of the Medes and Persians. 207 T.J.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates. 503 H.T.
Let another man praise thee. 504 G.B.
Let your speech be yea, yea; and nay, nay. 109 L.J.
Looking for a sign. 92 L.J.
Man of sorrows. 288 S.A.
Mighty in words and works. 341 L.J.
A merry heart is a good medicine. 503 G.B.
Mighty man of valor. 352 H.T.
More than conquerors. 508 H.T.
Man goeth to his long home. 245 S.A.
Macedonian cry. 396 L.J.
A mother in Israel. 54 T.J.
Man shall not live by bread alone. 70 L.J.
Manger lowly. 37 L.J.
Man wise in his own conceit. 504 G.B.
Man hasty in his words. 504 G.B.
My lines are fallen in pleasant places. 24 S.A.
Not slothful in business. 505 L.J.
Not by might, nor by power. 404 S.A.
Outer darkness. 246 L.J.
One having authority. 118 L.J.
Prophet without honor. 92 L.J.
Pride goeth before destruction. 502 G.B.
Philistines be upon thee. 177 T.J.
Passover. 173 H. T.
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Purple and fine linen. 257 S.A., 206 L.J.
Pitched his tent toward Sodom. 25 H.T.
Prince of demons. 171 L.J.
Pass by on the other side. 88 L.J.
Quit yourselves like men. 345, 505 H. T.
Rain on the just and the unjust. 110 L.J.
Rod of iron. 476 S.A.
Sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. 425 S.A.
Speak with the tongues of men and of angels. 425 S.A.
Salt of the earth. 106 L.J.
Stone which the builders rejected. 239 L.J., 141 S.A.
Sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. 31 S.A.
Sojourners in a strange land. 340 L.J.
Spirit descending as a dove. 69 L.J.
She hath done what she could. 230 L.J.
Sackcloth and ashes. 67 T.J.
A soft answer turneth away wrath. 502 G.B.
Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. 365 S.A.
Sharper than a two-edged sword. 504 T.J.
Seat of the scornful. 19 S.A.
Shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 255 S.A.
Seed that fell on stony ground. 133 L.J.
Smite the Egyptian. 341 L.J.
Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 264 L.J.
Son of perdition. 262 L.J.
The Sower. 133 L.J.
Take up thy bed and walk. 128, 167 L.J.
Tell it not in Gath. 426 H.T.
Tongues of fire. 325 L.J.
The twelve. 94 L.J.
Thirty pieces of silver. 248 L.J.
Tents of wickedness. 96 S.A.
The truth shall make you free. 194 L.J.
Turn the other cheek. 110 L.J.
Take up his cross. 504 H. T.
To thy tents, O Israel. 239 T.J.
They that go down to the sea in ships. 131 S.A.
Thine enemies thy footstool. 328 L.J.
To the ant, thou sluggard. 255 S.A.
The Lord will provide. 41 H.T.
Trees choosing a king. 333 H.T.
Unto the half of my kingdom. 154 L.J.
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The unjust steward. 204 L.J.
The upper room. 249 L.J.
Unprofitable servant. 246 L.J.
A very present help in trouble. 68 S.A.
Widow's mite. 243 L.J.
The wings of the wind. 26 S.A.
Wolf shall dwell with the lamb. 303 G.B.
Wiles of the devil. 506 H.T.
The way of all the earth. 451 H. T.
The wings of the morning. 164 S.A.
Without money and without price. 507 T.J.
Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, 502 T.J.
We shall reap, if we faint not. 506 L.J.
We piped unto you, and ye did not dance. 153 L.J.
Where moth and rust doth corrupt. 115 L.J.
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions. 379 S.A.
From reading these literary passages can you clearly explain the
incident or story each Bible phrase suggests?
Aaron's Serpent. 152 H.T.
"And hence one master passion in the breast,
Like Aaron's serpent, swallows up the rest."
--_Pope, Essay on Man_.
Abraham's Bosom. 206 L.J.
"Sweet peace, conduct his soul
to the bosom of good old Abraham."
--_Shakespeare, Richard II 4:1_.
The Alabaster Box. 169 L.J.
"Thou wilt not let her wash thy dainty feet
With such salt thing as tears or with rude hair
Dry them."
--_Lowell, A Legend of Brittany_.
The Angel's Song. 37 L.J.
"Blow, bugles of battle, the marches of peace,
East, west, north and south let the long quarrel cease:
Sing the song of great joy that the angels began,
Sing of glory to God and of good will to man!"
--_Whittier, A Christmas Carmen_.
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The Apple of His Eye. 25 S.A.
"Bestows on her too parsimonious lord,
An infant for the apple of his eye."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
As a Little Child. 188 L.J.
"Once said a Man--and wise was He--
Never shalt thou the heavens see,
Save as a little child thou be."
--_Sidney Lanier, The Symphony._
As Ye Sow, so shall Ye Reap. 423 S.A.
"Look before you ere you leap;
For as you sow y' are like to reap."
--_Butler, Hudibras_.
Babel. 32 T.J.
"In vain a fresher mould we seek,
Can all the varied phrases tell
What Babel's wandering children speak,
How thrushes sing or lilacs smell?"
--_Holmes, To My Readers_.
Barabbas. 276 L.J.
"Thou hand'st sweet Socrates his hemlock sour;
Thou sav'st Barabbas in that hideous hour,
And stabb'st the good."
--_Sidney Lanier, Remonstrance_.
The Best till the Last. 78 L.J.
"Perhaps like him of Cana in Holy Writ
Our Arthur kept his best until the last."
--_Tennyson, The Holy Grail_.
Betrayed with a Kiss. 267 L.J.
"So Judas kiss'd his master,
And cried, 'all hail!' whenas he meant, all harm."
--_Shakespeare, III Henry VI 5:7_.
Bitter Waters 191 H.T.
"The Gospel has the only branch that
sweetens waters of a bitter popular discontent."
--_Anonymous_.
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Blood on the Lintel. 177 H. T.
"I do not suppose that your troops are to be
beaten in actual conflict with the foe, or that
they will be driven into the sea; but I am certain
that many homes in England in which there now
exists a fond hope that the distant one may
return, many such homes may be rendered desolate
when the next mail shall arrive. There is no one
to sprinkle with blood the lintel and the two side
posts of our doors, that the Angel of Death may
spare and pass on."
--_John Bright_.
Book of Life. 463 S.A.
"The Power . . . .
May hear well pleased the language of the soul,
And in His Book of Life the inmates poor enroll."
--_Burns, The Cotter's Saturday Night_.
The Breastplate of Righteousness. 448 S.A.
"What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted!"
--_Shakespeare, II Henry VI 3:2_.
Bricks without Straw. 150 H.T.
"For long years," writes Teufelsdrockh, "had the
poor Hebrew, in this Egypt of an
Auscultatorship, painfully toiled, baking bricks
without stubble, before ever the question once
struck him with entire force: For What?"
--_Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, Book II, Chapter 5_.
The Broken Reed. 272 S.A.
"He (the genius) becomes obstinate in his
errors, no less than in his virtues, and the
arrows of his aims are blunted, as the reeds of
his trust are broken."
--_Ruskin, A Joy For Ever_.
The Burning Bush 142 H.T.
"In wonder-workings, or some bush aflame,
Men look for God, and fancy him concealed,
But in earth's common things he stands revealed,
While grass and flowers and stars spell out his name."
--_Minot J. Savage_.
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The Burning Fiery Furnace. 190 T.J.
"Be it floor or blood the path that's trod,
All the same it leads to God.
Be it furnace fire voluminous
One like God's Son will walk with us."
--_Christina G. Rossetti_.
By Their Fruits Ye shall Know Them. 109 G.B., 117 L.J.
"If the tree be known by the fruit
and fruit by the tree."
--_Shakespeare, I Henry IV 2:4_.
Carry Off the City's Gates. 176 T.J.
"Samson, master: . . . he carried the
town gates on his back like a porter."
--_Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost 1:2_.
Casting Lots for His Garments. 281 L.J.
"They are now casting lots,
Ay, with that gesture quaint and cry uncouth,
For the coat of One murdered an hour ago."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
Cast Out of Eden. 21 T.J.
"What of Adam cast out of Eden?
(Alas the hour)
Lo! with care like a shadow shaken
He tills the hard earth whence he was taken."
--_Rossetti, Eden Bower_.
Cedars of Lebanon. 457 H.T.
"Feasted the woman wisest then,
in halls of Lebanonian cedar."
--_Tennyson, The Princess_.
The Chariot of Fire. 134 T.J.
"As he, whose wrongs
The bears avenged, at its departure saw
Elijah's chariot, when the steeds erect
Raised their steep flight for heaven; his eyes, meanwhile,
Straining pursued them, till the flame alone,
Upsoaring like a misty speck, he kenned."
--_Dante, Divine Comedy_.
{134}
The Chosen People. 51 S.A.
"I shall be most happy indeed if I shall be an
humble instrument in the hands of the Almighty,
and of this, his almost chosen people, for
perpetuating the object of that great struggle."
--_Lincoln, Speech to the Senate of New Jersey_.
The Chosen Vessel. 372 L.J.
"He came who was the Holy Spirit's vessel;
Barefoot and lean."
--_Dante, Divine Comedy_.
A Cloud by Day and a Pillar of Fire by Night. 179 H.T.
"He is only a cloud and a smoke
who was once a pillar of fire."
--_Tennyson, Despair_.
A Cloud Like a Man's Hand. 122 T.J.
"And from that song-cloud shaped as a man's hand
There comes the sound as of abundant rain."
--_Rossetti, The House of Life_.
Cloud of Witnesses. 506 H. T.
"It is thus . . . that the Wise Man stands ever
encompassed, and spiritually embraced, by a
cloud of witnesses and brothers."
--_Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, Book III, Chapter 7_.
Coat of Many Colors. 91 H.T.
"Not without meaning was the love of Israel to
his chosen son expressed by the coat of many
colors."
--_Ruskin, The Stones of Venice_.
Confusion of Tongues. 325 L.J.
"There had been a confusion of tongues in the
narrow streets for many days."
--_Henry Van Dyke, The Other Wise Man_.
Consider the Lilies. 116 L.J.
"He who stills the raven's clam'rous nest
And decks the lily fair in flow'ry pride,
Would, in the way His wisdom sees the best,
For them and for their little ones provide."
--_Burns, The Cotter's Saturday Night_.
{135}
The Cool of the Day. 19 T.J.
"At cool of day with God I walk
My garden's grateful shade;
I hear his voice among the trees,
And I am not afraid."
--_C. A. Mason_.
The Covenant of the Rainbow. 31 T.J.
"And bright as Noah saw it, yet
For you the arching rainbow glows."
--_Lowell, Ode_.
The Cross. 281 L.J.
"The lies that serve great parties well,
While truths but give their Christ a cross."
--_Sidney Lanier, To Beethoven_.
Crown of Thorns. 279 L.J.
"How was I worthy so divine a loss,
Deepening my midnights, kindling all my morns?
Why waste such precious wood to make my cross,
Such far-sought roses for my crown of thorns?"
--_Lowell, Das Ewig Weibliche_.
The Curse of Cain. 22 T.J.
"The curse of Cain
Light on his head who pierced thy innocent breast,
And seared the angel soul that was its guest."
--_Shelley, Adonais_.
David's Harp 396 H.T., 152 G.B.
"Tune, to please a peasant's ear,
The harp a king had loved to hear."
--_Scott, The Lay of the Last Minstrel_.
Deep Calleth unto Deep. 61 S.A.
"Deep calling unto deep."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
{136}
Defrauded of His Birthright. 60 H.T.
"An American child who is allowed to grow up
without a knowledge of the Bible is defrauded of
his birthright."
--_Youth's Companion_.
Den of Thieves. 237 L.J.
"What makes a church a den of thieves?
A dean and chapter, and white sleeves."
--_Butler, Hudibras_.
Devils in Swine. 139 L.J.
"Bass. If it please you to dine with us!
Shy. Yes, to smell pork, to eat of the
habitation which your prophet,
the Nazarite, conjured the devil into."
--_Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice 1:3_.
Do Men Gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles? 109 G.B.
"Conceits himself as God that he can make
Figs out of thistles."
--_Tennyson, The Last Tournament_.
Dust Thou Art, and unto Dust shalt Thou Return. 21 T.J.
"Dust to dust! but the pure spirit shall flow
Back to the burning fountain whence it came."
--_Shelley, Adonais_.
Earthly House. 452 S.A.
"All the angels that inhabit this temple of the
body appear at the windows, and all the gnomes
and vices also."
--_Emerson, Essay on Love_.
Easier for a Camel to Go through the Eye of a Needle. 212 L.J.
"It is as hard to come as for a camel
To thread through the postern of a needle's eye."
--_Shakespeare, Richard II 5:5_.
Eat, Drink, and be Merry. 212 L.J.
"I built myself a lordly pleasure house,
Wherein at ease for aye to dwell;
I said, 'O soul, make merry and carouse,
Dear soul, for all is well.'"
--_Tennyson, The Palace of Art_.
{137}
Eden. 19 T.J.
"He who is wearied of his village plain
May roam the Edens of the world in vain."
--_Holmes, Poetry_.
Egyptian Taskmaster. 137 H.T.
"Not a hard 'taskmaster,' ever on the watch to
see that we are always at our brickmaking, but a
Deliverer, who can bring us forth out of the
'land of bondage' and lead us through the
wilderness of difficulty onward to the Promised
Land."
--_T. Campbell Finlayson_.
The Everlasting Hills. 394 S.A.
"Changeless march the stars above,
Changeless morn succeeds to even;
And the everlasting hills
Changeless watch the changeless heaven."
--_Kingsley, Saint's Tragedy_.
Faith and Works. 428 S.A.
"Wi' sappy unction, has he burkes
The hopes O' men that trust in works."
--_Stevenson, A Lowden Sabbath Morn_.
The Fall of Jericho. 287 H.T.
"Toppling down the walls of his own Jericho."
--_Charles Lamb, Essays of Elia_.
Fallen among Thieves. 88 L.J.
"Certain only that he has been, and is, a
Pilgrim and Traveler from a far Country; more or
less footsore and travel-soiled; has parted with
road companions; fallen among thieves," etc.
--_Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, Book I, Chapter II_.
Fed by Ravens. 114 T.J.
"One was the Tishbite
Whom the ravens fed."
--_Tennyson, The Palace of Art_.
{138}
Feet of Clay. 188 T.J.
"And judge all nature from her feet of clay."
--_Tennyson, Merlin and Vivien_.
Fight the Good Fight. 503 H.T.
"Well hast thou fought
The better fight, who single hast maintain'd
Against revolted multitudes the cause
Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms."
--_Milton, Paradise Lost_.
The Finger of God. 158 H. T.
"She went first to the best adviser, God--
Whose finger unmistakably was felt
In all this retribution of the past."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
The Firmament Showeth His Handiwork. 30 S.A.
"The spacious firmament on high
With all the blue ethereal sky
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their Great Original proclaim."
--_Joseph Addison_.
Gethsemane. 264 L.J.
"I am in the garden of Gethsemane now and my cup
of bitterness is full and overflowing."
--_Abraham Lincoln,
Conversation with Judge Gillespie_.
Get Thee Behind Me, Satan. 178 L.J.
"Get thee behind me, Satan. Oft unfurled,
Thy perilous wings can beat and break like lath
Much mightiness of men to win thee praise."
--_Rossetti, The House of Life_.
Gideon's Fleece. 324 H.T.
"His storms came near, but never touched us;
contrary to Gideon's miracle, while all around
were drenched, our fleece was dry."
--_Charles Lamb, Essays of Elia_.
{139}
God Save the King. 358 H.T.
"When, crowned with joy, the camps of England ring,
A thousand voices shout, 'God save the King.'"
--_Holmes, Poetry_.
The Golden Bowl. 246 S.A.
"Ah, broken is the golden bowl! the spirit flown forever!
Let the bell toll!--A saintly soul floats on the Stygian river."
--_Poe, Lenore_.
A Good Name Rather than Riches. 503 G.B.
"Who steals my purse, steals trash,
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed."
--_Shakespeare, Othello 3:3_.
Good Samaritan, Priest, and Levite. 88 L.J.
"Grim-hearted world, that look'st with Levite eyes
On those poor fallen by too much faith in man."
--_Lowell, A Legend of Brittany_.
The Golden Calf. 204 H. T.
"We too, who mock at Israel's golden calf
And scoff at Egypt's sacred scarabee,
Would have our amulets to clasp and kiss."
--_Holmes, Wind-Clouds and Star-Drifts_.
The Golden Rule. 115 L.J.
"The golden rule of Christ
will bring the golden age to man."
--_Frances Willard_.
Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. 42 L.J.
"'Tis not the weight of jewel or plate
Or the fondle of silk and fur;
'Tis the spirit in which the gift is rich
As the gifts of the wise men were;
And we are not told whose gift was gold
Or whose the gift of myrrh."
--_Edmund Vance Cooke_.
{140}
Golgotha. 281 L.J.
"Having seen thine evil doom
In Golgotha and Khartoum."
--_Stevenson, If This Were Faith_.
A Grain of Mustard Seed. 134 L.J., 201 G.B.
"World-renowned far-working Institution; like a
grain of right mustard-seed once cast into the
right soil, and now stretching out strong boughs
to the four winds, for the birds of the air to
lodge in."
--_Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, Book II, Chapter 10_.
Grapes of Canaan. 243 H.T.
"Tis not the grapes of Canaan that repay
But the high faith that failed not by the way."
--_James R. Lowell_.
The Greatest of These is Love. 425 S.A.
"In faith and hope the world will disagree
But all mankind's concern is charity:
All must be false that thwart this one great end;
And all of God, that bless mankind, or mend."
--_Pope, Essay on Man_.
Hands of Esau. 62 H.T.
"A heart as rough as Esau's hand."
--_Tennyson, Godiva_.
The Handwriting on the Wall 201, 211 T.J.
"Unhappy if we are but Half-men, in whom that
divine handwriting has never blazed forth,
all-subduing, in true sun-splendour."
--_Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, Book II, Chapter 9_.
The Healing of the Nations. 478 S.A.
"O books, ye monuments of mind, concrete wisdom of the wisest;
Sweet solaces of daily life, proofs and results of immortality;
Trees yielding all fruits, whose leaves are for the healing of the
nations."
--_Tupper, Proverbial Philosophy of Reading_.
{141}
Heap Coals of Fire upon His Head. 507 T.J., 504 G.B.
"The furnace-coals alike of public scorn,
Private remorse, heaped glowing on his head."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
Her Children Rise up and Call Her Blessed. 257 S.A.
"Her children shall rise up to bless her name,
And wish her harmless length of days,
The mighty mother of a mighty brood."
--_Lowell, An Ode for the Fourth of July_.
He Who Runs may Read. 392 S.A.
"Perchance more careful whoso runs may read,
Than erst when all, it seemed, could read who ran."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
Herod of Jewry. 45 L.J.
"Let me have a child to whom
Herod of Jewry may do homage."
--_Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, 1:2_.
High as Haman. 73 T.J.
"Will hang as high as Haman."
--_Tennyson, The Foresters, Act IV, Scene 1_.
A Hoary Head is a Crown of Glory. 502 G.B.
"Honoured and even fair,
Shines in the eye of the mind
the crown of the silver hair."
--_Stevenson, In Memoriam E. H_.
A House Divided Against Itself. 171 L.J.
"'A house divided against itself cannot stand.'
I believe this Government cannot endure
permanently, half slave and half free. I do not
expect the Union to be dissolved--I do not expect
the house to fall--but I do expect it will cease
to be divided."
--_Lincoln, Speech before the Illinois
State Convention, June 16, 1858_.
House not Made with Hands. 506 L.J.
"His holy places may not be of stone,
Nor made with hands, yet fairer far than aught
By artist feigned or pious ardor reared,
Fit altars for who guards inviolate
God's chosen seat, the sacred form of man."
--_Lowell, The Cathedral_.
{142}
The House on the Sand. 118 L.J.
"Sudden change is a house on sand;"
--_Tennyson, Becket, Act III, Scene 3_.
How are the Mighty Fallen. 426 H. T.
"How are the mighty fallen, Master Cranmer."
--_Tennyson, Queen Mary, Act IV, Scene 2_.
I Go Whence I shall not Return. 192 S.A.
"The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveler returns."
--_Shakespeare, Hamlet_.
In Him We Live, and Move, and Have Our Being. 407 L.J.
"Shall not the heart which has received so much,
trust the Power by which it lives?"
--_Emerson, New England Reformers_.
In the Image of God. 17 T.J.
"In native worth and honor clad,
With beauty, courage, strength adorned,
Erect with front serene he stands,
A man, the lord and king of nature all,--
The soul, the breath and image of his God."
--_Haydn's Creation_.
In the Twinkling of an Eye. 451 S.A.
"In a moment, in the twinkle of an eye."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
Jacob's Ladder. 68 H.T.
"A Jacob's ladder falls."
--_Tennyson, Early Spring_.
Jonah's Gourd. 171 T.J.
"That day whereof we keep record,
When near thy city-gates the Lord
Sheltered His Jonah with a gourd."
--_Rossetti, The Burden of Nineveh_.
{143}
Joshua's Moon. 306 H.T.
"Joshua's moon in Ajalon."
--_Tennyson, Locksley Hall_.
Joseph of Arimathea. 286 L.J.
"Arimathean Joseph."
--_Tennyson, The Holy Grail_.
Jot or Tittle. 106 L.J.
. . . "Turn and see
If, by one jot or tittle, I vary now!"
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
Joy Cometh in the Morning. 45 S.A.
"Wait for the morning:--it will come, indeed,
As surely as the night hath given need."
--_Riley_.
Judas. 253 L.J.
"There walks Judas, he who sold
Yesterday his Lord for gold,
Sold God's presence in his heart
For a proud step in the mart."
--_Lowell, The Ghost-Seer_.
King of Terrors. 199 S.A.
"Death gives us more than was in Eden lost,
This king of terrors is the prince of peace."
--_Young, Night Thoughts_.
A Lamp unto My Feet. 148 S.A.
"God shall be my hope,
My stay, my guide and lantern to my feet."
--_Shakespeare, II Henry VI 2:3_.
A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey. 144 H.T.
"A land of promise flowing with the milk
And honey of delicious memories."
--_Tennyson, The Lover's Tale_.
{144}
The Last Trump. 451 S.A.
"So when the last and dreadful hour
This crumbling pageant shall devour,
The trumpet shall be heard on high
The dead shall live, the living die,
And Music shall untune the sky."
--_Dryden, A Song for St. Cecilia's Day_.
Let not Thy Left Hand Know What Thy Right Hand Doeth. 111 L.J.
"Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand
doeth! Neither shalt thou prate even to thy own
heart of 'those secrets known to all.'"
--_Carlyle, Sartor Resartus. Book III, Chapter 3_.
A Light Hid under a Bushel. 106 L.J.
"How far that little candle throws his beams.
So shines a good deed in a naughty world."
--_Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice 5:1_.
Lips Touched with Coal from off the Altar. 265 S.A.
"Nor shall thy lips be touched with living fire,
Who blow'st old altar-coals with sole desire
To weld anew the spirit's broken chains."
--_Lowell, Bibliolaters_.
A Little Child shall Lead Them. 303 G.B.
"She might have served a painter to portray
That heavenly child which in the latter days
Shall walk between the lion and the lamb."
--_Rossetti, A Last Confession_.
The Little Foxes That Spoil the Vineyards. 236 S.A.
"O fox whose home is 'mid the tender grape--"
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
A Little Lower than the Angels. 22 S.A.
"What a piece of work is man! how noble in
reason, how infinite in faculty, in form and
moving how express and admirable, in action
how like an angel."
--_Shakespeare, Hamlet 2:2_.
{145}
Locusts and Wild Honey. 65 L.J.
"In our wild Seer, shaggy, unkempt, like a
Baptist living on locusts and wild honey, there
is an untutored energy, a silent, as it were,
unconscious strength, which, except in the
higher walks of literature, must be rare."
--_Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, Book I, Chapter 3_.
Lord, How Long. 470 S.A.
"O Lord, how long, how long be unavenged?"
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
The Lord is My Fortress. 106 S.A.
"God is our fortress."
--_Shakespeare, I Henry VI 2:-1_.
The Lord Watch between Me and Thee when
We are Absent One from Another. 75 H. T.
"Deal between thee and me."
--_Shakespeare, Macbeth 4:3_.
Lot's Wife. 36 H.T.
"Stiff as Lot's wife."
--_Tennyson, The Princess_.
Love, the Fulfilling of the Law. 416 S.A.
"Charity itself fulfills the law
And who can sever love from charity?"
--_Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost 4:3_.
Mammon of Unrighteousness. 205 L.J.
"Mammon is after him."
--_Abraham Lincoln_.
A Man after His Own Heart. 362 H. T.
"O Saul, it shall be
A Face like my face that receives thee; a Man like to me,
Thou shalt love and be loved by, forever: a Hand like this hand
Shall throw open the gates of new life to thee! See the Christ stand!"
--_Browning, Saul_.
{146}
Manna in the Wilderness 162 L.J., 192 H.T.
"As manna on my wilderness."
--_Tennyson, Supposed Confessions_.
The Mantle of Elijah. 134 T.J.
"Tennyson rising in a heavenly chariot out of
the temple of song, forgot to cast his mantle
upon some waiting Elisha, but carried the divine
garment into the realm beyond the clouds."
--_Newell Dwight Hillis, Great Books as Life Teachers_.
The Mark of Cain. 23 T.J.
"He answered not but with a sudden hand
Made bare his branded and ensanguined brow,
Which was like Cain's or Christ's--oh! that it should be so!"
--_Shelley, Adonais_.
Mess of Pottage. 60 H.T.
"A hungry imposter practising for a mess of pottage."
--_Carlyle_.
The Money-Changers in the Temple. 237 L.J.
"Once more
He may put forth his hand 'gainst such, as drive
Their traffic in that sanctuary, whose walls
With miracles and martyrdoms were built."
--_Dante, Divine Comedy_.
More Precious than Rubies. 252 S.A.
"The drawing . . . is . . . a thing which I
believe Gainsborough would have given one of
his own pictures for--old-fashioned as red-tipped
daisies are . . . and more precious than rubies."
--_Ruskin, Academy Notes_.
The Mote and Beam. 110 L.J.
"You found his mote; the king your mote did see.
But I a beam do find in each of three."
--_Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost 4:3_.
{147}
My Brother's Keeper. 22 T.J.
"If not in word only, but in face of truth, he
undoes the deed of Cain and becomes truly his
brother's keeper."
--_Ruskin, The Schools of Art in Florence_.
My Cup Runneth Over. 35 S.A.
"Through this concession my full cup runs o'er."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
My Name is Legion. 139 L.J.
"Does Legion still lurk in him, though
repressed; or has he exorcised that Devil's
Brood?"
--_Carlyle, Sartor Resartus, Book II, Chapter 8_.
Noah's Ark. 24 T.J.
"Nobler is a limited command
Given by the love of all your native land,
Than a successive title, long and dark,
Drawn from the mouldy rolls of Noah's ark."
--_Dryden, Absalom and Achitophel_.
The Nobleman's Son. 92 L.J.
"We do not need Christ's visible presence to
cope with the evils of our times any more than
the father needed it for the cure of his boy."
--_Wm. M. Taylor_.
Now through a Glass Darkly, then Face to Face. 425 S.A.
"I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar."
--_Tennyson, Crossing the Bar_.
O Generation of Vipers. 65 L.J.
"Is love a generation of vipers?"
--_Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 3:1_.
The Olive Leaf. 30 T.J.
"One final deluge to surprise the Ark
Cradled and sleeping on its mountain-top:
Their outbreak-signal--what but the dove's coo,
Back with the olive in her bill for news
Sorrow was over?"
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
{148}
Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings 22 S.A., 237 L.J.
"He that of greatest works is finisher
Oft does them by the weakest minister:
So holy writ in babes hath judgment shown."
--_Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well 2:1_.
The Pale Horse. 470 S.A.
"Behind her Death,
Close following pace for pace, not mounted yet
On his pale horse."
--_Milton, Paradise Lost_.
Parting of the Waters 184 H.T.
"All things are fitly cared for and the Lord
Will watch as kindly o'er the exodus
Of us his servants now, as in old time.
We have no cloud or fire, and haply we
May not pass dry-shod through the ocean stream;
But, saved or lost, all things are in his hand."
--_Lowell, A Glance Behind the Curtain_.
Peace, be Still. 136 L.J.
"There are prayers that will plead with the
storm when it raves, And whisper 'Be still!' to
the turbulent waves."
--_Holmes, Farewell_.
The Peacemakers. 105 L.J.
"I perceived
Near me as 'twere the waving of a wing,
That fanned my face, and whispered: 'Blessed they,
The peace-makers: they know not evil wrath."
--_Dante, Divine Comedy_.
Pentecost. 325 L.J.
"Hereafter thou, fulfilling Pentecost
Must learn to speak the tongues of all the world."
--_Tennyson, Sir John Oldcastle_.
{149}
Peter's Denial. 270 L.J.
"Treble denial of the tongue of flesh
Like Peter's when he fell."
--_Tennyson, Harold, Act III, Scene 1_.
Peter's Sheet. 354 L.J.
"White as the great white sheet that Peter saw in his vision,
By the four corners let down and descending out of the heavens."
--_Longfellow, Elizabeth_.
Pharaoh's Kine 104 H.T.
"If to be fat be to be hated then
Pharaoh's lean kine are to be loved."
--_Shakespeare, I Henry IV 2:3_.
Picking up the Fragments. 147 L.J.
"The immigrants that come to us ought to have
plenty of bread to eat and enough fragments left
over to be worth picking up, for while in the
bread is the living, in the fragments is the
life. To them America means economic fragments."
--_Edward A. Steiner_.
Pillar of Salt. 36 H. T.
"One looks close for the glance forward in the
eyes, which distinguishes such pillars from
the pillars, not of flesh, but of salt, whose
eyes are set backwards."
--_Ruskin, The Cestus of Aglaia_.
The Poor Ye Have Always with You. 230 L.J.
"Yet Thy poor endure,
And are with us yet."
--_Swinburne, Christmas Antiphones_.
Possess the Land 244, 278 H. T.
"There is a loud call for courageous idealists
and brave fighters to stand forth and summon
other men to go forward and possess the land of
a better social order. The giants of greed and
the walls of difficulty cannot be allowed to
shut us out nor to frighten us away."
--_Charles Reynolds Brown_.
{150}
The Potter's Clay 301 S.A.
"Enough to throw one's thoughts in heaps
Of doubt and horror,--what to say
Or think,--this awful secret sway,
The potter's power over the clay!
Of the same lump (it has been said).
For honour and dishonour made,
Two sister vessels."
--_Rossetti, Jenny_.
The Precious Ointment 230, 169 L.J.
"One Mary bathes the blessed feet
With ointment from her eyes,
With spikenard one, and both are sweet,
For both are sacrifice."
--_Lowell, Godminster Chimes_.
Prince of Peace. 278 S.A.
"No trumpet-blast profaned
The hour in which the Prince of Peace was born;
No bloody streamlet stained
Earth's silver rivers on that sacred morn."
--_Bryant, Christmas in 1875_.
The Print of the Nails. 306 L.J.
"Thou also hast had the world's buffets and scorns,
And to thy life were not denied
The wounds in the hands and feet and side."
--_Lowell, The Vision of Sir Launfal_.
The Prodigal's Portion. 203 L.J.
"What prodigal portion have I spent that I
should stand to such penury?"
--_Shakespeare, As You Like It 1:1_.
Prodigal Son. 203 L.J.
"Ready to meet the wanderer ere he reach
The door he seeks, forgetful of his sin,
Longing to clasp him in a father's arms,
And seal his pardon with a pitying tear."
--_Holmes, Wind-Clouds and Star-Drifts_.
{151}
The Promised Land 268 H.T.
"With foretaste of the Land of Promise."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
Put not Your Trust in Princes. 170 S.A.
"O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors."
--_Shakespeare, Henry VIII 3:2_.
Render unto Caesar the Things That are Caesar's. 240 L.J.
"A kindly rendering
Of 'Render unto Caesar.'"
--_Tennyson, Harold, Act III, Scene 2_.
Repent Ye. 65 L.J.
"Let us be diverted by none of those sophistical
contrivances, . . . reversing the divine rule,
and calling, not the sinners, but the righteous
to repentance."
--_Lincoln_.
Return Good for Evil. 416 S.A.
"With a piece of Scripture
Tell them that God bids do good for evil."
--_Shakespeare, Richard III 1:3_.
The Scarlet Thread in the Window 282 H.T.
"No Rahab thread,
For blushing token of the spy's success."
--_Browning, The Red Cotton Night-cap Country_.
A Serpent in Eden. 19 T.J.
"We are our own devils; we drive ourselves out
of our Edens."
--_Goethe_.
Shake Off the Dust That is under Your Feet. 143 L.J.
"So from my feet the dust
Of the proud World I shook."
--_Lowell, The Search_.
{152}
The Sheep and the Goats. 246 L.J.
"Some great cause, God's new Messiah,
offering each the bloom or blight,
Parts the goats upon the left hand,
and the sheep upon the right,
And the choice goes by forever
'twixt that darkness and that light."
--_Lowell, The Present Crisis_.
The Silver Cord. 246 S.A.
"And here's the silver cord which--what's our word?
Depends from the gold bowl, which loosed (not "lost")
Lets us from heaven to hell,--one chop we're loose!"
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
Slaughter of the Innocents. 45 L.J.
"Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused,
Do break the clouds, as did the wives of Jewry
At Herod's bloody-hunting slaughtermen."
--_Shakespeare, Henry V 3:3_.
Smite the Rock 247 H.T.
"That God would move
And strike the hard, hard rock, and thence
Sweet in their utmost bitterness,
Would issue tears of penitence."
--_Tennyson, Supposed Confessions_.
The Snare of the Fowler. 106 S.A.
"Twice it may be, or thrice, the fowler's aim;
But in the sight of one whose plumes are full,
In vain the net is spread, the arrow winged."
--_Dante, Divine Comedy_.
Son of Man. 246 L.J.
"That claimest with a cunning face
Those rights the true, true Son of man doth own
By Love's authority."
--_Sidney Lanier, Remonstrance_.
Sparks Which Fly Upward. 186 S.A.
"But the troubles which he is born to are as
sparks which fly upward, not as flames burning
to the nethermost Hell."
--_Ruskin, Notes_.
{153}
Star of Bethlehem. 41 L.J.
"Some astronomers believe that they have found
the great star around which the whole universe
of stars revolves: whether that be true or not,
it is undoubtedly true that the Star of
Bethlehem is the center of this world's
spiritual astronomy."
--_Theodore L. Cuyler_.
The Stars Fought in Their Courses. 58 T.J.
"Promptings from heaven and hell, as if the stars
Fought in their courses for a fate to be."
--_Browning, The Ring and the Book_.
A Still Small Voice. 124 T.J.
"A still small voice spake unto me."
--_Tennyson, The Two Voices_.
The Stirring of the Waters. 167 L.J.
"To-day a golden pinion stirred
The world's Bethesda pool,
And I believed the song I heard
Nor put my heart to school;
And through the rainbows of the dream
I saw the gates of Eden gleam."
--_Alfred Noyes, The Hill Flower_.
The Stone Rolled Away. 297 L.J.
"Pitiless walls of gray,
Gathered around us, a growing tomb
From which it seemed not death or doom
Could roll the stone away."
--_Alfred Noyes, The Enchanted Island._
Tables of Stone 207,212 H.T.
"Heard the voice
Of him who met the Highest in the mount,
And brought them tables, graven with His hand."
--_Holmes, Wind-Clouds and Star-Drifts_.
{153}
The Talent Hid in the Earth. 245 L.J.
"When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He returning chide."
--_Milton, Sonnet to His Blindness_.
Temperate in All Things. 438 S.A.
"'Tis to thy rules, O Temperance, that we owe
All pleasures that from health and strength can flow;
Vigor of body, purity of mind,
Unclouded reason, sentiment refined."
--_Chandler_.
There the Wicked Cease from Troubling
and the Weary are at Rest. 184 S.A.
"To lie within the light of God,
as I lie upon your breast--
And the wicked cease from troubling
and the weary are at rest."
--_Tennyson, The May Queen_.
Threescore Years and Ten. 104 S.A.
"Worn to a thread by threescore years and ten."
--_Browning The Ring and the Book_.
To Eat Husks. 203 L.J.
"You would think that I had a hundred and fifty
tattered prodigals lately come from swine
keeping, from eating draft and husks."
--_Shakespeare, I Henry IV 4:2_.
To Everything There is a Season. 243 S.A.
"There is a time for all things."
--_Shakespeare. Comedy of Errors 2:2_.
To Touch His Garments. 140 L.J.
"The world sits at the feet of Christ,
Unknowing, blind and unconsoled.
It yet shall touch his garment's fold
And feel the heavenly alchemist
Transform its very dust to gold."
--_Anonymous_.
{155}
Treading the Winepress. 476 S.A.
"But ye that have seen how the ages have shrunk
from my rod, And how red is the winepress
wherein at my bidding they trod."
--_The Paradox_.
The Tree of Knowledge. 19 T.J.
"Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree, whose Mortal taste
Brought death into the World and all our woe
. . .
Sing Heavenly Muse."
--_Milton, Paradise Lost, Book I_.
Truth Endureth Forever. 139 S.A.
"It fortifies my soul to know
That, though I perish, Truth is so:
That, howsoe'er I stray and range,
Whate'er I do Thou dost not change.
I steadier step when I recall
That, if I slip, Thou dost not fall."
--_Arthur Hugh Clough, Ambarvalia_.
The Unknown God. 407 L.J.
"Greece, Egypt, Rome,--did any god
Before whose feet men knelt unshod
Deem that in this unblest abode
Another scarce more unknown god
Should house with him, from Nineveh?"
--_Rossetti, The Burden of Nineveh_.
Unto Seventy Times Seven. 186 L.J.
"We poor ill-tempered mortals--must forgive,
Though seven times sinning threescore times and ten."
--_Holmes, Manhood_.
The Valley of the Shadow. 35 S.A.
"Drew to the valley
Named of the shadow."
--_Tennyson, Merlin and the Gleam_.
{156}
Vine and Fig Tree 456 H.T., 369 S.A.
"You may see as thorough patriarchs as Abraham
was any day, and as carefully visited by angels,
sitting under their vine and fig tree."
--_Ruskin, Notes_.
Voice Crying in the Wilderness. 65 L.J.
"In this bleak wilderness I hear
A John the Baptist crying."
--_Lowell, An Interview with Miles Standish_.
Walking on the Waters. 148 L.J.
"So Lycidas sunk low, but mounted high
Through the dear might of Him that walked the waves."
--_Milton, Lycidas, line 172_.
The Water of Life. 508 L.J.
"The natural thirst ne'er quenched but from the well
Whereof the woman of Samaria craved."
--_Dante, Divine Comedy_.
Weaver's Beam. 386 H.T.
"Then for her spear she might have a weaver's beam."
--_Ruskin, Crown of Wild Olive_.
Weighed in the Balance. 206 T.J.
"Their errors have been weighed and found to
have been dust in the balance."
--_Shelley, A Defence of Poetry_.
We Spend Our Years as a Tale That is Told. 104 S.A.
"Ay! when life seems scattered apart,
Darkens, ends as a tale that is told,
One, we are one, O heart of my heart,
One, still one, while the world grows old."
--_Alfred Noyes, Unity_.
What is Man That Thou art Mindful of Him? 22 S.A.
"A man is but a little thing among the objects
of nature, yet, by the moral quality radiating
from his countenance, he may abolish all
considerations of magnitude, and in his manners
equal the majesty of the world."
--_Emerson, Essay on Manners_.
{157}
When the Morning Stars Sang Together. 222 S.A.
"Look how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold;
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st
But in his motion like an angel sings."
--_Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice 5:1_.
The Wind Fulfills His Word. 173 S.A.
"The snow, the vapour and the stormy wind
fulfill his word."
--_Ruskin, The Seven Lamps of Architecture_.
Wisdom, Crying in the Streets. 249 S.A.
"Wisdom cries out in the streets and no man regards it."
--_Shakespeare, I Henry IV 1:2_.
Wisdom shall Die with You. 194 S.A.
"A man of superior sagacity may be pardoned for
thinking with the friends of Job, that Wisdom
will die with him."
--_Ruskin_.
Wrestling Jacob. 80 H.T.
"Like that strange angel which of old,
Until the breaking of the light
Wrestled with wandering Israel."
--_Tennyson, To--_.
Ye Cannot Serve God and Mammon. 205 L.J.
"We mean by war all that war ever meant,
Destruction's ministers, Death's freemen, Lust's
Exponents, daily like a blood-red dawn
In flames and crimson seas we shall advance
Against the ancient immaterial reign
Of Spirit, and our watchword shall be still,
Get thee behind me, God,--I follow Mammon."
--_John Davidson, Mammon and His Message_.
Yoke of Bondage. 507 H. T.
"Judah was a captive by the waters of Babylon
and the sons of Jacob were in bondage to our
kings . . . from the remnant that dwells in Judea
under the yoke of Rome neither star nor sceptre
shall arise."
--_Henry Van Dyke, The Other Wise Man_.
{158}
Zeal That Consumes. 151 S.A.
"The zeal for truth and righteousness and
goodness anywhere, in politics, or in
literature, or in education, does not seize hold
of men with the vigor which may be described, in
the Bible phrase, as a zeal that eats one up."
--_Samuel Valentine Cole_.
Zion 470 H.T.
"Why should we fly? Nay, why not rather stay
And rear again our Zion's crumbled walls."
--_Lowell, A Glance behind the Curtain_.
{159}
PART V
THE BIBLE AND THE TEACHER
_For the Bible School Teacher_
{160}
"Talk about the questions of the time: There is but
one question:--How to bring the truths of God's Word
into vital contact with the minds and hearts of all
classes of the people."
--_William E. Gladstone_.
{161}
THE BIBLE AND THE TEACHER
FOR THE BIBLE SCHOOL TEACHER
The two greatest needs of the Bible School teacher are thorough
preparation of the lesson, and enthusiasm in presenting it. These
needs are effectively and abundantly met in THE BIBLE STORY. This
volume is so arranged that the teacher in any department may find what
is best adapted to a particular age. The following definite
suggestions as to how THE BIBLE STORY may be used in the Bible School
will be found interesting and helpful for teachers in the
accomplishment of their great aims of imparting knowledge, developing
character, and leading the pupil on to service.
1. In the Primary Department:--
Supplementary Work
Many primary teachers use a few minutes of the Bible School hour for
supplementary work, in which they follow any desired line of teaching
regardless of the prescribed lesson. For this supplementary work the
following suggestions in this volume may be used:--
Memorizing Bible Verses, page 15.
Teaching God's Relation to the World, page 16.
Understanding Life in Bible Times, page 19.
Story Telling
"Of all the things that a teacher should know how to do," says a great
educator, "the most important, without any exception, is telling a
story." The most beautiful Bible stories, especially suited to little
children, are listed on pages 17, 18, and 19 of this volume, and
teachers will find those referring to "The Golden Book" (G.B.) very
attractively told for children. The stories are graded from the very
simple to the more difficult and so may be adapted to the different
classes.
{162}
The Art of Questioning
Questioning is an art only when it stirs the imagination and leads to
thinking. The true teacher can always stimulate interest by his wise
questions. The questions at the end of Part I of this volume are
designed for use as a review of the lessons given from "The Golden
Book."
Memory Gems
"The Golden Book" is especially rich in children's poems, carrying
practical, helpful thoughts. Verses and couplets from these make
beautiful Memory Gems.
2. In the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Departments:--
Indirect Precept
The central teaching of a lesson, whether it be generosity, charity,
forgiveness, or some other virtue, is brought home most effectively by
illustration and example. As an educative force, emulation far
surpasses exhortation.
From Foundation Stones, page 33 of this volume, may be selected the
stories of all those men and women of the Bible who wrought out in
their lives whatever quality of character may be central in the
lesson. Here also such words of Jesus, of the prophets, or of the
Psalms as emphasize and enforce the teaching, are grouped and may
readily be found.
Historical Connections
A great deal of Bible School teaching touches only the mountain peaks
of history without traversing the connecting valleys. Study of lesson
after lesson with no attention to their connections leaves but a
series of detached thoughts.
Often lessons, which have become an old story to boys and girls,
become interesting and fascinating when linked up with the history of
the world in Bible times, or when the Bible events themselves are
joined in connected narrative.
THE BIBLE STORY presents an unusual opportunity to a teacher for
establishing these connections.
{163}
(A) The Table of Contents of "Hero Tales" suggests the chronology of
Hebrew history as far as the minor kings.
(B) The chart on page 236 T.J. links up the minor kings with the
prophets in point of time.
(C) The life of Jesus may be traced out chronologically from the
sequence of places given on pages 109 and 110 of this volume.
(D) The questions on The World in Bible Times beginning at page 38 of
this volume will increase interest in Hebrew history itself by showing
the relationship between the Jews and surrounding nations.
Geographical Setting
"Teaching, like pictures, must have background and foreground." The
central group of characters in the lesson must have prominence, but
their setting must be clearly defined, too, that the whole may be
appreciated. By many pupils the Bible is regarded as a Book entirely
apart from life. If asked to recall a well-known historical incident
connected with Egypt or Assyria or Rome, a pupil does not naturally
think of a Bible incident. A teacher may often open an entirely new
field of thought for pupils by bringing the Holy Land down out of the
skies and "placing it on the map."
In Part III of this volume are given a bird's-eye view of Palestine
for general reference; questions on the well-known places in Bible
lands and of especial interest because they refer to pictures which
may be used in class; and questions which locate the Bible characters
in the land. For the latter section it is well to use a blackboard or
sand map in class to make plain the setting of each lesson. All of
Part III furnishes helpful material for the teacher's study and
presents interesting sidelights to give what has seemed a commonplace
lesson new meaning and new interest.
The Question Method
To hold attention in class the question method is best. It is most
effective because in order to give the answers the pupil must think
for himself.
Questions are so important that a wise teacher will always prepare
them in advance. If put in order they will form an outline or plan to
be followed in presenting the lesson.
At the end of Part II of this volume are one thousand questions on the
Bible passages listed according to names and periods for easy {164}
reference. They are useful in many ways: As an outline for the
teacher, as suggested above; as review questions when two classes may
unite for a contest; and as an incentive to the pupils to study the
lesson. Give out a striking question on the coming lesson each week
instead of the general request to "study the lesson."
Use of Pictures
In teaching little children pictures have long been considered
invaluable, but their practical value in the more advanced departments
is not so generally conceded. The adult mind, however, has not
outgrown its love for the truths of life as expressed in pictorial
form and the teacher of adult classes who owns THE BIBLE STORY is
fortunate indeed in having right at hand impressive illustrations for
a great many Bible lessons.
There is a threefold advantage in using these pictures:--
To Save Time--Pictures suggest ideas more forcibly than words. For
example, much time would be wasted in trying to convey by words any
idea of such a ship as Paul used in traveling to Rome, but the picture
on page 464 L.J. is at once striking and accurate. The index of
illustrations in the back of the volume "Songs of the Ages" suggests
the wealth of illustrations in THE BIBLE STORY and indicates their
location.
To Give Correct Impressions--For understanding Oriental conditions no
agency is so helpful as pictures of Eastern customs and life. Many of
these customs are referred to in Part 1 on page 19 of this volume, and
much of the life of the Hebrews is brought out by the questions
beginning at page 100, which refer, for their answers, to pictures.
To Inspire Beautiful Ideals--THE BIBLE STORY reproduces many beautiful
pictures by artists who have thrown their religious conceptions into
their work and thus infused it with the highest devotional spirit.
Holding these pictures before a class will often create the atmosphere
most desired for teaching the story depicted. For example, a
conception of the spirit of the conversation between Jesus and the
woman at Jacob's well may be obtained from Hofmann's beautiful picture
(84 L.J.). Many others may be used to instill the greatest spiritual
ideas.
{165}
Illuminating Points
A careful study of Part IV of this volume will enable a teacher of
adults to give from Bible characters and books many striking points
appropriate to the lesson.
"Living with the Bible," beginning at page 42 of this volume, will
suggest to the adult teacher many passages to use in developing the
different lessons.
"Jesus' Character-Building Stories," on page 32 of this volume, will
give Jesus' teaching on the various subjects taken up in the lessons.
Part III of this volume will furnish the teacher of adults with the
lesson setting, both by picture and by map.
{166}
{167}
PART VI
PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY
{168}
"The knowledge of words is a gate to scholarship."
--_Wilson_.
{169}-{179}
KEY
Marked letters are pronounced as in the following words. Vowels found
in unaccented syllables are unmarked and are given the natural, or
long, sound.
[Illustration: Eleven pages of word pronunciation.]
[End of "HOW TO USE THE BIBLE STORY"]
-------------------------------------------------------
[Start of "VOLUME ONE: THE GOLDEN BOOK"]
{1}
{2}
{3}
THE BIBLE STORY
{6}
[Illustration: Magi following the Star of Bethlehem.]
{7}
THE BIBLE STORY
VOLUME ONE
THE GOLDEN BOOK
ARRANGED AND EDITED BY
REV. NEWTON MARSHALL HALL, D.D.
MINISTER OF THE NORTH CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
AND
REV. IRVING FRANCIS WOOD, PH.D.
PROFESSOR OF
BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND COMPARATIVE RELIGION
AT SMITH COLLEGE
Authors of
_"The Early Days of Israel"_
_"Advanced Bible Studies" Etc._
THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
CHICAGO, CLEVELAND
{8}
COPYRIGHT, 1906,
COPYRIGHT, 1917,
BY THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY,
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
{9}
INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES
The editors of this series believe that no task can be more important
than that of winning the interest of children to their precious
heritage, the Bible. The stories of the old Greek and Roman mythologies,
the folk and fairy tales, have been given the child in beautiful form,
suitably graded and arranged, with significant illustrations. The
editors of this series attempt to do the same thing for the Bible: to
take the matchless prose and poetry of the Bible and put it in the form
which will make it most attractive to the child, to give the Bible an
equal chance in the child's library with the "King Arthur Stories" and
the tales of mythology.
Every parent desires to have the children of the home gain an
acquaintance with the best that is in the Bible. Heretofore no text has
been prepared which exactly met this need, giving appropriate passages
for children of various ages. These volumes are especially designed to
make "Sunday afternoon" reading attractive to children, putting the
fascinating stories of the Bible in the same dress and on the same
footing with the secular classics which have {10} always charmed. With
such an arrangement it is believed that the child will read the Bible as
freely as any book.
The plan of the Readers gives unity to each story and selection. Each
story or episode is given in a complete form, and not merely as an
extract. Passages which are clearly not relevant to the story or which
involve unnecessary difficulties to a young reader are omitted. Obsolete
words are modernized. Many versions, both ancient and modern, together
with the original texts, have been compared in determining the
translation. In every case the graphic, pictorial word which would
appeal to the imagination of the child and enlarge its vocabulary has
been sought. At the same time the effort has been made not to impair the
literary strength and beauty of the older versions. Nothing has been
omitted which is suitable to the mind of the child, and everything has
been arranged with the end in view of meeting the needs of the child.
This series does not aim to supplant the ordinary texts of the Bible nor
to take the place of the common versions any more than literature
readers take the place of literature. The editors have endeavored to
select such passages of the Bible as are particularly suited to the
child's mind, to present them in a novel and attractive form, and thus
to arouse the interest of children, stimulating them to more careful
study in later years.
This series is not, however, intended simply for children's reading. The
editors believe that for general {11} reading for the older members of
the family no version of the Bible will be found more satisfactory.
There is no Book which so lends itself to illustration as the Bible.
Palestine in relation to the New Testament has been called a "Fifth
Gospel." For the child especially the actual locality is the best
commentary on the text and the best means of arousing interest in the
text.
The Bible makes contact with the great civilizations in a way which is
not fully appreciated. The attempt has been made to illustrate very
fully the contact with Egypt in the Old Testament and with Greece and
Rome in the New Testament.
The editors believe that the three hundred and fifty illustrations which
have been provided form a collection which has never been surpassed in
fullness and accuracy. Many friends have freely offered their fine
collections. A large number of pictures taken by friends are unique in
their individual interest, and have never before been published. We are
especially indebted to the following: Prof. David G. Lyon, D.D., of the
Department of Semitic Languages of Harvard University, Prof. H. G.
Mitchell, D.D., of the Department of Theology of Boston University, Rev.
Warren J. Moulton, Ph.D., of Athol, Mass., for the use of valuable
private collections; the Departments of Greek and Latin at Smith
College, the Public Library at Springfield and the Forbes Public Library
at Northampton, Mass., for {12} constant courtesy and the use of rare
books, photographs, and engravings; Miss Clara L. Bodman, Miss Julia W.
Snow, Mr. S. E. Bridgman of Northampton, and Prof. Louis F. Giroux of
the International College, Springfield, for the loan of photographs;
Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether of Sedalia, Missouri, for selections from a
remarkably fine collection of views personally taken while on a trip to
the East; Rev. Frank L. Goodspeed, Ph.D., and Mrs. Goodspeed for unique
and valuable views taken by themselves; W. J. Aitchison, Esq., of
Hamilton, Canada, for fine views; the officers of the Palestine
Exploration Fund, and the Detroit Photograph Company, for permission to
use pictures in their possession; Prof. Arthur S. Cooley, Ph.D., of
Auburndale, the well known lecturer, for permission to use unique views
illustrating the journeys of Paul; Miss Mary Medlicott of Longmeadow for
the use of a rare book.
We are also especially indebted to Prof. Henry D. Sleeper, head of the
Music Department of Smith College, for the charming airs to which he has
set some of the poems for children in the first volume.
On the literary side the editors wish to acknowledge their indebtedness
to Miss Esther M. Carver of Northampton for suggestions from her
experience as a teacher, to Miss Caroline M. Yale and Miss Frances W.
Gawith of the Clarke School for the Deaf, to Prof. Charles F.
Richardson, and Prof. Fred P. Emery of Dartmouth College, {13} Prof.
Clyde W. Votaw of Chicago University, Mr. William Orr, Principal of the
High School, Springfield, Mass. We are much indebted to President George
T. Angell for suggestions for the chapter, "Little Brothers of the Air
and Fields," in the first volume, also to a very wide circle of friends
for their interest and for valuable suggestions, many of which have been
incorporated in the work. The help of various versions of the Bible is
also acknowledged, as well as the version of the prophets by George Adam
Smith. Thanks are rendered to Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Messrs.
Charles Scribner's Sons, E. P. Dutton & Co., J. B. Lippincott, Biglow &
Main, Mr. Theodore E. Perkins, and Charles Ray Palmer, D.D., for
permission to use copyrighted material.
Without the co-operation of these and many other friends we feel that so
large a measure of excellence as we believe the volumes possess could
not have been attained.
{14}
{15}
PREFACE
The editors have endeavored to make this volume a treasure house of all
the good things, new and old, which would serve to assist in the moral
training of little children. The volume includes a Primer, arranged on
the plan of the ordinary school primer, designed to give the elemental
religious truths in the simplest form. Any child who is learning to read
at school can learn also to read these sentences. The texts at the
bottom of the pages are to be read by the parent to the child, and may
with profit be committed to memory by the child. The short Bible stories
which follow may also be easily read by children. The hymns and poems
and most of the pictures are "classic." They should be known by every
child for their own worth, and as an antidote for the rubbish which
constitutes so large a proportion of the reading of children. Parents
will be pleased to find the fine old hymns of Watts and Jane Taylor,
some of them set to delightful music by Prof. Sleeper of Smith College.
These poems should not be allowed by neglect to pass out of the
possession of modern children.
It is hoped that this volume will go far toward solving the problem of
Sunday afternoon occupation for children, and will meet the constant
demand for such a collection of religious literature.
{16}
{17}
CONTENTS
A BIBLE PRIMER 23
HYMNS FOR THE MORNING 69
When Morning Gilds the Skies. _From the German_ 71
A Song of Thanksgiving. _From the German_ 75
Heaven is Not Reached at a Single Bound. _J. G. Holland_ 77
Still, Still With Thee. _Harriet Beecher Stowe_ 78
SHORT BIBLE STORIES 79
God Sees Me. 81
What Does God Want Me To Do? 82
What God Gives. 85
Jesus and His Friends. 86
Jesus Had No Home. 89
The People Loved Jesus. 93
The Sea of Galilee. 94
The Boyhood of Jesus. 97
Jesus and Sick People. 98
Talking With Our Father. 101
God is Our Father. 105
What Jesus Said About Birds and Flowers. 106
What Jesus Said About Trees. 109
Jesus and the Little Girl. 110
The Baby Hid in a Basket. 117
An Old Book of Songs. 121
A Story Which Jesus Told. 126
Some Words Which Jesus Taught the People. 130
The Boy Who Came When He Was Called. 132
{18}
_Stories of David_:
The Shepherd Boy Who Killed a Giant. 139
David and King Saul. 151
David and Jonathan. 156
David and His Three Brave Soldiers. 163
David and His Son Absalom. 167
The Story of a Good King. 170
Joseph and His Brethren. 177
The Boy Who Was Raised from the Dead. 193
The Kingdom of Heaven. 201
The Little Captive Maid. 205
How the People Traveled in the Lands of the Bible. 208
Houses in the Lands of the Bible. 214
Children in the Lands of the Bible. 217
Jerusalem. 218
The Jordan. 224
The Dead Sea. 226
Beth-lehem. 229
HYMNS FOR THE DAY. 231
Lord of All Being, Throned Afar. _Oliver Wendell Holmes_ 233
On Our Way Rejoicing _John S. B. Monsell_ 234
Of Such is the Kingdom _Jemima Thompson Luke_ 237
Sun of My Soul. _John Keble_ 238
Day by Day. 239
What Can Little Hands Do? _Fabin_ 240
How Gentle God's Commands _Philip Doddridge_ 241
Above the Clear Blue Sky _John Chandler_ 242
BEDTIME STORIES 243
The Story of the First Christmas. 245
The Story of Palm Sunday. 251
How Jesus Gave His Life for the World. 257
{19}
The Story of the First Easter Day. 265
The Story of the First Thanksgiving. 270
Who Was the Neighbor? 279
The Good Shepherd. 282
Little Brothers of the Air and Fields. 292
SHEPHERD HYMNS. 305
Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us _Dorothy A. Thrupp_ 309
Was There Ever Kindest Shepherd? _Frederick William Faber_ 310
Gracious Saviour, Holy Shepherd
_Jane E. Leeson and J. Whittemore_ 313
In Heavenly Love Abiding _Anna L. Waring_ 314
The King of Love My Shepherd Is. _Sir H. W. Baker_ 315
PRAYERS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 317
OLD TIME VERSES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 325
Against Idleness and Mischief. _Isaac Watts_ 327
Against Pride in Clothes. _Isaac Watts_ 328
The Ant, or Emmet. _Isaac Watts_ 329
A Morning Song. _Isaac Watts_ 330
An Evening Song. _Isaac Watts_ 333
The Sluggard. _Isaac Watts_ 334
Praise for Mercies, Spiritual and Temporal. _Isaac Watts_ 337
The Rose. _Isaac Watts_ 338
Praise for Creation and Providence. _Isaac Watts_ 341
A General Song of Praise to God. _Isaac Watts_ 342
Innocent Play. _Isaac Watts_ 343
Against Quarreling and Fighting. _Isaac Watts_ 344
Love Between Brothers and Sisters. _Isaac Watts_ 345
A Summer Evening. _Isaac Watts_ 346
Summer. _Jane Taylor_ 349
{20}
The Star (with music). _Jane Taylor_ 350-351
The Flower and the Lady, About Getting Up. _Jane Taylor_ 352
The Field Daisy. _Jane Taylor_ 353
The Little Child. _Jane Taylor_ 354
Going to Bed. _Jane Taylor_ 357
Time to Get Up. _Jane Taylor_ 358
The Snowdrop. _Jane Taylor_ 359
Getting Up (with music). _Jane Taylor_ 360-361
A Fine Thing. _Jane Taylor_ 362
A Pretty Thing. _Ann Taylor_ 365
The Sheep. _Jane Taylor_ 366
The Cow. _Jane Taylor_ 369
Going to Bed (with music). _Jane Taylor_ 370-371
Baby and Mamma. _Jane Taylor_ 372
The Tempest. _Jane Taylor_ 375
The Violet. _Jane Taylor_ 376
May Day Song. _John Keble_ 379
The Lamb. _William Blake_ 380
Some Murmur When Their Sky is Clear. _Archbishop Trench_ 383
Little Drops of Water. _Ebenezer C. Brewer_ 384
CHRISTMAS HYMNS 385
Christmas Lullaby _John Addington Symonds_ 389
The Star 390
A Christmas Carol. 393
The Guiding Star _William C. Dix_ 394
A Christmas Carol. _Dinah Maria Mulock_ 397
Hail the Night! All Hail the Morn. _Old German Choral_ 398
The Christmas Tree. 401
A Christmas Carol. _Charles Kingsley_ 402
Song of the Angels _Ancient Christmas Songs_ 405
Carol, Sweetly Carol. 406
{21}
Cradle Hymn. _Martin Luther_ 409
Cradle Hymn. (with music) _Isaac Watts_ 410-411
Chorus. _Robert Herrick_ 412
Once in Royal David's City. _Mrs. C. F. Alexander_ 415
Calm on the Listening Ear of Night. _Edmund Hamilton Sears_ 419
HYMNS AND POEMS FOR THE TWILIGHT HOUR. 421
Ready for Bed. _Ida Fay_ 423
Baby's Boat. _George Cooper_ 424
Little Voices. 427
The Twilight Falls, the Night is Near. 429
Saviour, Breathe an Evening Blessing. _James Edmeston_ 430
Summer Rain. 433
The Glorious Heavens. _Addison_ 434
Twilight. _Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_ 437
The Pebble and the Acorn. _Gould_ 438
A Psalm of Life. _Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_ 440
While Thee I Seek, Protecting Power. _Helen Maria Williams_ 442
Oft in the Stilly Night. _Thomas Moore_ 445
The Bridge _Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_ 446
Kindness. _Colesworthy_ 448
Perseverance. 451
The Light of Stars. _Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_ 452
We Are Seven. _William Wordsworth_ 454
Children. _Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_ 459
One by One. _Adelaide Ann Procter_ 461
To-day and To-morrow. 463
Still with Thee. _James Drummond Burns_ 464
Lead, Kindly Light. _John Henry Newman_ 467
Now the Day is Over. _S. Baring-Gould_ 468
A Farewell. _Charles Kingsley_ 471
Good Night and Good Morning. _Lord Houghton_ 472
{22}
New Year's Eve. _Alfred Tennyson_ 473
All Things Beautiful. _John Keble_ 476
The Chambered Nautilus. _Oliver Wendell Holmes_ 477
The Day is Done. _Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_ 481
A Child's Thought of God. _Elizabeth Barrett Browning_ 483
Lullaby Song. _From the German_ 484
The Pilgrims of the Night. _Frederick William Faber_ 487
MEMORY VERSES AND PROVERBS. 489
{23}
A BIBLE PRIMER
{24}
{25}
A BIBLE ALPHABET
A Ask and ye shall receive.
B Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
C Create in me a clean heart, O God.
D Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you.
E Even Christ pleased not himself.
F Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
G Give us this day our daily bread.
H Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
I I am the bread of life.
J Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.
K Keep thy tongue from evil.
L Little children, love one another.
M My son, give me thine heart.
N Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
{26}
O Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness.
P Pray without ceasing.
Q Quit you like men, be strong.
R Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
S Suffer the little children to come unto me.
T Teach me thy way, O Lord.
U Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks.
V Verily, verily, I say unto you, he
that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
W What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
X Examine yourselves.
Y Ye are bought with a price.
Z Zealous of good works.
From an old alphabet belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman, and
used by her kind permission.
{27}
my father mother dear
My father.
My mother.
My dear father.
My dear mother.
"Honor thy father and thy mother."--_Exodus 20:12_.
"Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well
pleasing unto the Lord."--_Colossians 3:20_.
"My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not
the law of thy mother."--_Proverbs 1:8_.
{28}
I brother sister love
I love my father.
I love my mother.
I love my brother.
I love my sister.
"Have love one to another."--_John 13:35_.
"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."
--_I John 4:11_.
"Let us love one another: for love is of God."--_I John 4:7_.
{29} {30}
[Illustration]
THE DIVINE MOTHER AND THE CHILD
By Murillo (1618-1682)
Bartolome Esteban Murillo was born at Seville, Spain, January 1, 1618.
Very poor at first, he afterward gained wealth and fame by his
masterly work, which made him an artist of the first rank. "The
peasant-painter of Spain," as he has been called, was a man of deep
religious convictions. "He alone in the seventeenth century kept alive
the pure flame of religious fervor which burned within the devout
Italians of the early school." His Madonnas are all of an especially
sweet and gentle and motherly type.
[End illustration]
{31}
God me is
My father loves me.
My mother loves me.
God loves me.
God is my Father.
God loves me.
I love God.
"God is love."--_I John 4:8_.
"We love him because he first loved us."--_I John 4:19_.
"Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon
us that we should be called the sons of God."--_I John 3:1_.
{32}
a gives all have home
I have a home.
I have a father.
I have a mother.
God gives me my father.
God gives me my mother.
God gives me my home.
God gives me all I have.
"Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above and
cometh down from the Father."--_James 1:17_.
"Give us this day our daily bread."--_Matt. 6:11_.
{33}{34}
[Illustration]
A QUIET AFTERNOON IN THE UPLAND PASTURES
"Go out in the springtime among the meadows that slope from the shores
of the Swiss lakes to the roots of their lower mountains There,
mingled with the taller gentians and the white narcissus, the grass
grows deep and free; and as you follow the winding mountain paths,
beneath arching boughs, all veiled and dim with blossom--paths that
forever droop and rise over the green banks and mounds sweeping down
in scented undulation, steep to the blue water, studded here and there
with new mown heaps, filling all the air with fainter sweetness,--look
up toward the higher hills, where the waves of everlasting green roll
into their long inlets among the shadows of the pines: and we may
perhaps at last know the meaning of those quiet words of the 147th
Psalm, 'He maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.'"--_John Ruskin_
[End illustration]
{35}
see the grass
makes grow green
See the grass.
I see the grass.
The grass grows.
The grass is green.
I see the green grass.
God makes the grass.
God makes the grass grow.
God makes the green grass grow.
"He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass,
As showers that water the earth."--_Psalms 72:6_.
{36}
flower lily white
rose red you
I see a flower.
The flower is a lily.
The lily is white.
I see a rose.
The rose is red.
I have a lily and a rose.
I love the lily and the rose.
Have you a flower?
I have a white flower.
God loves the flowers and makes them grow.
"Consider the lilies, how they grow. They toil not neither do
they spin."--_Matthew 6:28_.
{37}{38}
[Illustration]
RESTING BENEATH THE TREES
By Corot (1796-1875)
Jean Baptiste Camille Corot was a famous painter of landscapes. He
was born at Paris, and while his work was not at first appreciated
he is now recognized as one of the greatest of the French school.
"The groves were God's first temples. Ere man learned
To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave,
And spread the roof above them--ere he framed
The lofty vault, to gather and roll back
The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood,
Amid the cool and silence, he knelt down,
And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks
And supplication. . . ."
--_William Cullen Bryant_
[End illustration]
{39}
bird sparrow nest flies in
sorry when it hurt
Do you see the bird?
It is a sparrow.
The sparrow flies.
The sparrow makes a nest.
It makes a nest in the green grass.
See the nest in the grass!
See the sparrow fly!
God loves the sparrow.
God is sorry when the sparrow is hurt.
Do not hurt the sparrow.
"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?
And not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God."
--_Luke 12:6_.
{40}
day done bed will go
hear say prayer to heaven
The day is done.
The sparrow will go to bed.
It will go to bed in its nest.
The lily and the rose will go to bed.
I will go to bed.
I go to bed in my dear home.
My mother will hear me say my prayer.
I say my prayer to my Father in heaven.
My Father in heaven loves to hear me say my prayer.
"I laid me down and slept;
I awaked, for the Lord sustained me."--_Psalms 3:5_.
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights."--_James 1:17_.
{41}{42}
[Illustration]
THE "MATER AMABILIS IN GLORIA"
By Bodenhausen
"The extremely popular 'Mater Amabilis in Gloria,' where a girlish
young mother, her long hair streaming about her, stands in upper
air, poised above the great ball of the earth, holding her sweet
babe to her heart. Pictures like these constantly reiterate the
story of a mother's love--an old, old story, which begins again with
every new birth."--_Hurll_
[End illustration]
{43}
star sky above trees
shines night twinkle them
It is night.
I see a star.
The star shines at night.
The star twinkles.
The star twinkles in the sky.
Do you see the star?
It shines above the trees.
I love to see the birds, and the flowers, and the stars.
God made them all.
God loves them all.
God loves you.
"He telleth the number of the stars;
He calleth them all by their names."
_Psalms 147:4_.
{44}
morning sun rises hills
glad here are awaken
The night is done.
The day is here.
I awaken when it is day.
The birds awaken when it is day.
The flowers awaken when it is day.
I see the sun in the sky.
The sun rises above the hills.
The sun rises above the trees.
The birds and the flowers are glad to see the sun.
Are you glad the night is done?
"Day unto day uttereth speech,
And night unto night showeth knowledge."--_Psalms 19:2_.
{45}{46}
[Illustration]
THE INFANT SAMUEL
By Reynolds (1723-1792)
Sir Joshua Reynolds is thought by many to have been the greatest of
English painters. He was a Devonshire lad, and was intended by his
father for the medical profession. He early showed such aptitude for
painting that he was permitted to have his way, and after studying
in Italy, returned to England, where an exhibition of his work
aroused great enthusiasm, and his popularity continued through his
life.
[End illustration]
{47}
this saying kneeling thanking
his beside goodness child
See this little child.
He is going to bed.
He is saying his prayer.
He is kneeling beside his bed.
He is thanking his Father in heaven for his goodness.
Do you say your prayer?
I say my prayer night and morning.
"Ask, and it shall be given you."--_Matthew 7:7_.
"For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their prayers."--_I Peter 3:12_.
{48}
sheep cows cover rain falls
eat for waters garden earth
Clouds cover the sky.
The rain falls.
The rain waters the earth.
The flowers in the garden are glad.
The red rose is glad.
The white lily is glad.
The green grass is glad.
The rain makes the grass grow.
The sheep and the cows eat the grass.
God gives the rain.
God makes the grass grow for the sheep and the cows.
"Praise ye the Lord;
Who covereth the heavens with clouds,
Who prepareth rain for the earth,
Who maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains."
_Psalms 147:8_.
{49}{50}
[Illustration]
PLOWING IN PALESTINE
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood
and used by special permission
Very little advance has been made in methods of agriculture in
Palestine since the early days of which the Bible tells. The plow is
often still the crooked stick, sometimes strengthened by iron, but
still very primitive. It is no wonder that crops are so poor and
life is so hard under these conditions
[End illustration]
{51}
spring-time snow ice gone
robin blue-bird seeds help
The Spring-time has come.
The birds have come.
The blue-birds are flying in the air.
I see a robin in my garden.
I will go to my garden.
I will plant seeds in my garden.
The seeds will grow to be flowers.
I love to see them grow.
Have you a garden?
Do you see the birds in your garden?
What seeds do you plant in your garden?
God makes the flowers grow.
He gives the rain and the sun.
The rain and the sun help to make the flowers grow.
"Thou makest it soft with showers; thou blessest the springing
thereof."--_Psalms 65:10_
{52}
summer warm cool woods who
brightly bees sing pick hum
Summer is here.
The birds sing in the trees.
I hear the robins sing.
The flowers have come.
I will go to my garden and pick the roses and the lilies.
The sun shines brightly.
I love the warm sun.
The bees hum in the garden.
The woods are cool.
I love the cool woods.
Who gives us the warm summer days?
God gives us the summer days.
"Thou hast made summer and winter."--_Psalms 74:17_.
{53}{54}
[Illustration: ]
THE AUTUMN WOODS
"The autumn-time has come;
On woods that dream of bloom,
And over purpling vines,
The low sun fainter shines.
The aster-flower is failing,
The hazel's gold is paling;
Yet overhead more near
The eternal stars appear!"
--_John Greenleaf Whittier_
[End illustration]
{55}
autumn frosty yellow large
peaches moon with nuts
gather crack fire before
This is autumn.
The summer has gone.
The nights are frosty.
The days are cool.
The trees are red and yellow.
The leaves are falling from the trees.
Soon the snow will come.
The moon is large in the sky.
It looks like a great yellow ball.
The stars shine brightly.
I love to see the moon and the stars.
{56}
I love the large red apples.
Have you apples in your garden?
I love the peaches and the pears.
I go with my father to the woods, and gather nuts.
I will crack the nuts on the frosty nights,
and eat them before the fire.
God made the apples, and nuts, and peaches, and pears.
I will thank God for his goodness.
"Thou crownest the year with thy goodness."--_Psalms 65:11_.
"The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."--_Psalms 33:5_.
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."--_Psalms 24:1_.
"The pastures are clothed with flocks: the valleys also are
covered over with grain."--_Psalms 65:18_.
{57}{58}
[Illustration]
WINTER
"Leafless are the trees; their purple branches
Spread themselves abroad, like reefs of coral,
Rising silent
In the Red Sea of the winter sunset."
--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_
"A chill no coat, however stout,
Of homespun stuff could quite shut out,
A hard, dull bitterness of cold,
That checked, mid-vein, the circling race
Of life blood in the sharpened face,
The coming of the snowstorm told."
--_John Greenleaf Whittier_
[End illustration]
{59}
winter play sleep
cold frozen covers
under lake fort
It is winter.
Summer and autumn have gone.
The air is cold.
The robins and the bluebirds have gone.
The snow falls from the sky.
The snow covers the hills and the woods and the fields.
The flowers sleep under the snow in my garden.
They will wake when it is spring.
{60}
The lake is frozen.
I see the white snow in my garden.
I love to play in the snow.
I will make a fort of the white snow in my garden.
I love the cold winter days.
God gives us the winter days as well as the summer days.
"He giveth snow like wool;
He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes."--_Psalms 147:16_.
{61}{62}
[Illustration]
THE SEA
"Unchangeable save to thy wild waves' play,
Time writes no wrinkles on thine azure brow--
Such as creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now."
--_Lord Byron_
[End illustration]
{63}
Harold beach man
sea-shore dug owns
went sand sailing
ships
Harold went to the sea-shore.
He went with his father and his mother.
It was summer when he went.
The days were long and bright.
He played all day on the beach.
He dug in the sand.
He made hills in the sand.
When he went to bed at night, he heard the sea.
{64}
He said his prayer beside his mother,
and the sea sang him to sleep with its song.
He saw the sea when the sun rose in the morning.
The sun rose above the sea, when the
night was gone, and the stars went to sleep.
In the bright morning, he saw the ships sailing on the sea.
No man owns the sea.
God made it, and it is his.
"The sea is his, and he made it."--_Psalms 95:5_.
{65}{66}
[Illustration]
THE MOUNTAINS
"You should have seen that long hill-range
With gaps of brightness riven,
How through each pass and hollow streamed
The purpling lights of heaven,--
"Rivers of gold-mist flowing down
From far celestial fountains,--
The great sun flaming through the rifts
Beyond the wall of mountains."
--_John Greenleaf Whittier_
[End illustration]
{67}
Margaret high brooks
flow down climb
look beautiful think
often near
The mountains are high.
They are often covered with trees.
Brooks flow down the mountains.
Margaret went to the mountains in summer.
She could not climb the mountains.
She played in the woods and fields near the mountains.
She picked the red and white and yellow flowers in the fields.
She saw the birds and the bees and the beautiful trees.
{68}
She loved the brook.
She loved to see the mountains.
They were beautiful when the sun set.
When she said her prayer at night,
she looked at the beautiful hills and mountains.
It made her think of God to see the mountains which he made.
"I will lift mine eyes unto the hills,
From whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord,
Which made heaven and earth."--_Psalms 121:1,2_.
{69}
HYMNS FOR THE MORNING
{70}
{71}
WHEN MORNING GILDS THE SKIES
When morning gilds the skies,
My heart awaking cries,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer,
To Jesus I repair;
May Jesus Christ be praised!
To Thee, O God above,
I cry with glowing love,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
This song of sacred joy,
It never seems to cloy,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Does sadness fill my mind?
A solace here I find,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss?
My comfort still is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When evil thoughts molest,
With this I shield my breast,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear,
When this sweet chant they hear,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When sleep her balm denies,
My silent spirit sighs,
May Jesus Christ be praised! {72}
The night becomes as day,
When from the heart we say,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this, while life is mine,
My canticle divine,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this the eternal song,
Through all the ages long,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
--_From the German_.
{73}{74}
[Illustration]
THE BOY JESUS
By Winterstein
"Whatever father or mother wanted done in the house, fetching water,
drink, bread, meat, looking after the house and other things of that
sort, whatever he was bidden, that did the dear little Jesus, like
any other child."
--_Martin Luther_
[End illustration]
{75}
A SONG OF THANKSGIVING
We plough the fields and scatter
The good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered
By God's almighty hand;
He sends the snow in winter,
The warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine,
And soft refreshing rain.
All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
For all His love!
He only is the Maker
Of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower,
He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey Him,
By Him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, His children,
He gives our daily bread.
All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
For all His love!
We thank Thee, then, O Father,
For all things bright and good,
The seedtime and the harvest,
Our life, our health, our food; {76}
Accept the gifts we offer
For all Thy love imparts,
And what Thou most desirest,
Our humble, thankful hearts.
All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
For all His love!
--_From the German of Mathias Claudius_.
{77}
HEAVEN IS NOT REACHED AT A SINGLE BOUND
Heaven is not reached at a single bound,
But we build the ladder on which we rise,
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies,
And we mount to the summit round by round.
I count this thing to be grandly true,
That a noble deed is a step toward God,--
Lifting a soul from the common clod,
To a purer air and a broader view.
--_J. G. Holland_.
By permission of Charles Scribner's Sons.
{78}
STILL, STILL WITH THEE
Still, still with Thee, when purple morning breaketh,
When the bird waketh, and the shadows flee:
Fairer than morning, lovelier than the daylight,
Dawns the sweet consciousness, I am with Thee.
Alone with Thee, amid the mystic shadows,
The solemn hush of Nature newly born;
Alone with Thee, in breathless adoration,
In the calm dew and freshness of the morn.
When sinks the soul, subdued by toil, to slumber,
Its closing eye looks up to Thee in prayer;
Sweet the repose, beneath Thy wings o'ershadowing,
But sweeter still to wake and find Thee there.
So shall it be at last in that bright morning
When the soul waketh, and life's shadows flee;
O in that hour, and fairer than day's dawning,
Shall rise the glorious thought, I am with Thee.
--_Harriet Beecher Stowe_.
{79}
SHORT BIBLE STORIES
{80}
{81}
GOD SEES ME
When does God see me?
God sees me when I am good, and it makes him glad.
God sees me when I am bad, and it makes him sorry.
God sees me when I play, and knows if I am kind.
God sees me when I am at school, and knows if I am faithful.
God sees me when I am at home, and knows
if I obey my father and my mother.
God sees me when I am cross, and knows how ugly I look and feel.
God sees me when I am happy, and knows how glad I am.
God sees me all day long, and wants me to love him.
God sees me all night long, and watches over me while I sleep.
"When I run about all day,
When I kneel at night to pray,
God sees.
Need I ever know a fear
Night and day, my Father near?
God sees."
"Thou God seest me."--_Genesis 16:13_.
{82}
WHAT DOES GOD WANT ME TO DO?
God wants me to be kind to other children.
God wants me to be gentle and loving.
God wants me to be kind to animals.
God wants me to obey my father and my mother.
God wants me to care more for others than for myself.
God wants me to keep the Sabbath day.
God wants me to pray to him every day.
God wants me to tell the truth.
God wants me to be happy all the day.
God wants me to be good, and then I shall be happy.
God wants me to do these things because he loves me.
I ought to want to do the things he wants me to do.
{83}{84}
[Illustration]
PLOWING IN THE LANDS OF THE BIBLE
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton,
and used by her kind permission.
How strange it looks to see a camel harnessed to a plow! If you look
closely you will see that the plow is strange, too. It is a crooked
branch with a plowshare fastened to it. It has only one handle. It
was a plow almost exactly like this that was used in the times of
the Bible. This picture was taken in the plains of old Philistia.
[End illustration]
{85}
WHAT GOD GIVES
God is always giving.
God gives to the trees their leaves and fruit.
God gives to the earth the rain in summer to make the grass grow,
and the snow in winter to cover the ground.
God gives to the beasts and to the birds their food.
God gives to us our homes and friends and all that makes us happy.
God gives us the Bible to tell us how he loves us.
God gives us sweet sleep at night.
God gives us health to enjoy all his gifts.
What has God given you to-day? Have you thanked him for it?
"Who giveth food to the hungry."--_Psalms 146:7_.
"Who giveth to the beast his food."--_Psalms 147:9_.
"So he giveth his beloved sleep."--_Psalms 127:2_.
"He giveth snow like wool."--_Psalms 147:16_.
"Give us this day our daily bread."--_Matthew 6:11_.
"My peace I give unto you."--_John 14:27_.
"Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all."--_I Timothy 2:6_.
{86}
JESUS AND HIS FRIENDS
Jesus had many friends.
Some of them were people whom he had healed.
Some of them had heard him talk, and had learned to love him.
Sometimes they stayed with him, day after day.
Jesus loved his friends.
Jesus told his friends about God.
Jesus was so kind and loving to his friends
that they could not help loving him.
The friends of Jesus were called disciples.
Disciple means learner.
The disciples learned what Jesus had taught.
Jesus picked out from his friends a few to be with him all the time.
They were sometimes called disciples, too.
Sometimes they were called apostles.
Apostle means one who is sent.
Jesus sent the apostles out to tell others about himself.
There were twelve of the apostles.
The names of three of them were Peter, James, and John.
{87}{88}
[Illustration]
BEAUTIFUL NAZARETH:
OUTLOOK FROM HILLS ABOVE TOWN TO HISTORIC ESDRAELON
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
After he began his active ministry Jesus had no home, but while he
was a boy his home was in the town of Nazareth, beautifully situated
among the hills of Galilee. A traveler there describes the town as
it now is;--
"Almost in the center of this chain of hills there is a singular
cleft in the limestone, forming the entrance to a little valley.
As a traveler leaves the plain he will ride up a steep and narrow
pathway, broidered with grass and flowers, through scenery which is
neither colossal nor overwhelming, but infinitely beautiful and
picturesque. Beneath him, on the right-hand side, the vale will
gradually widen, until it becomes about a quarter of a mile in
breadth. The basin of the valley is divided by hedges of cactus into
little fields and gardens, which, about the fall of the spring
rains, wear an aspect of indescribable calm, and glow with a tint of
the richest green. Beside the narrow pathway, at no great distance
apart from each other, are two wells, and the women who draw water
there are more beautiful, and the ruddy, bright-eyed shepherd boys
who sit or play by the well sides, in their gay-colored Oriental
costume, are a happier, bolder, brighter-looking race than the
traveler will have seen elsewhere. Gradually the valley opens into a
little natural amphitheater of hills, supposed by some to be the
crater of an extinct volcano; and there, clinging to the hollows of
a hill, which rises to the height of some five hundred feet above
it, lie, 'like a handful of pearls in a goblet of emerald,' the flat
roofs and narrow streets of a little Eastern town. There is a small
church; the massive buildings of a convent; the tall minaret of a
mosque; a clear, abundant fountain; houses built of white stone, and
gardens scattered among them, umbrageous with figs and olives, and
rich with the white and scarlet blossoms of orange and pomegranate.
In spring, at least, everything about the place looks indescribably
bright and soft; doves murmur in the trees; the hoopoe flits about
in ceaseless activity; the bright blue roller-bird, the commonest
and loveliest bird of Palestine, flashes like a living sapphire over
fields which are enameled with innumerable flowers."
[End illustration]
{89}
JESUS HAD NO HOME
Jesus had no home of his own after he grew up.
Once a man wanted to be his disciple.
Jesus wanted this man to know that he had no
fine house where he could entertain him.
He said that the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have
nests, but that he had not where to lay his head.
His friends asked him to visit them.
They were always glad when he came to see them.
Sometimes a rich man asked Jesus and his friends to dinner.
He made no difference between the rich and the poor among his friends.
One of the homes where he liked to be was the home of a fisherman.
The fisherman's name was Simon.
{90}
Sometimes he was called by another name, Peter.
He caught fish in the lake of Galilee.
His house stood near the lake.
His fishing boat was drawn up upon the shore.
Another home where Jesus liked to stay was the home of Lazarus.
Lazarus had two sisters. Their names were Mary and Martha.
The brother and the sisters lived in a little town called Bethany.
Jesus loved these people very much.
Why was Jesus so poor?
"Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,
that ye through his poverty might become rich."--_2 Corinthians 8:90_
{91}{92}
[Illustration]
BETHANY
From a picture taken by Mrs. Frank L. Goodspeed,
and used by her kind permission.
This is a picture of the village of Bethany, not far from Jerusalem.
It was here in the home of Mary and Martha that Jesus liked so much
to stay.
[End illustration]
{93}
THE PEOPLE LOVED JESUS
The people loved Jesus.
They crowded about him to hear him talk.
Sometimes Jesus and his friends did not have time to eat.
Sometimes the people came after sunset.
Sometimes they came early in the morning.
Sometimes so many people came that the house would not hold them.
Then they had to go out of doors.
Jesus loved to talk with the people out of doors.
He loved to look up and see the blue sky and the green hills.
He told the people many stories while out of doors.
Jesus never turned the people away without trying to help them.
"Many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for
them."--_Mark 2:2_.
"And he went forth again by the seaside, and many came unto him, and
he taught them."--_Mark 2:13_.
"And all the city was gathered together at the door where Jesus
was."--_Mark 1:33_.
"And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea . . . and a great
multitude, hearing what great things he did, came unto him."
--_Mark 3:7, 8_.
{94}
THE SEA OF GALILEE
Do you know what a lake is?
Did you ever see a lake?
There was a lake in the country where Jesus lived.
It was a pretty lake.
There were hills and mountains all about it.
There were towns and villages on its shores.
Jesus sometimes stayed in these villages.
The lake had a long name.
It was called Gennesaret.
It also had other names.
Sometimes it was called the Sea of Tiberias.
Sometimes it was called the Sea of Galilee.
There were many boats on the Lake of Gennesaret.
How swiftly they sailed along!
How the little waves danced on the waters!
How pretty the hills were on either side!
Some of the boats belonged to the friends of Jesus.
Sometimes these friends took Jesus in their boats.
One day he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
The people were crowding about him.
He could not talk because they crowded so.
He had the boat pushed out a little way from shore.
Then he sat down and taught the people.
The people all sat on the shore and listened.
{95}
[Illustration]
TIBERIAS, ON THE COAST OF THE SEA OF GALILEE
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
On this beautiful lake Jesus very often sailed with his fishermen
disciples.
At that time there were many towns and cities on its shores, but
now, except for a few small hamlets, the once populous shores are
desolate. But the lake is still as beautiful, its blue waters
sparkle in the sun, and the stars looking down from the brilliant
eastern sky are reflected in its bosom as when Jesus "walked in
Galilee".
[End illustration]
{97}
THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS
When Jesus was a boy, he lived at Nazareth.
Nazareth was a village among the hills.
It was itself on a hill.
All about it were green fields.
In the spring, the fields were filled with pretty flowers.
Jesus' father was a carpenter.
He made doors and chairs and tables.
Jesus helped about the shop.
He was a good boy and loved to help his father.
He helped his mother to draw water from the well.
He went to school and learned to read and write.
He went to church on the Sabbath.
The church to which he went was called a synagogue.
Do you suppose Jesus played with other boys and girls?
He played with them in the village streets.
He was always kind to them.
He never teased them or did things that were mean.
There is still a village of Nazareth.
The hills and the fields about it are the same as then.
{98}
JESUS AND SICK PEOPLE
Jesus was very sorry for people who were sick.
How pale and thin some of them looked!
How some of them suffered!
Jesus loved to heal them.
He was glad to see them get well again.
How happy they and their friends were when they were made well!
How glad the little children were to see their
fathers and mothers come home again, well!
As soon as people knew that Jesus could heal the sick,
they brought all their friends who were sick to Jesus.
Sometimes they brought sick children.
How glad Jesus was to make the children well!
"And at even when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that
were sick . . . And all the city was gathered together at the door.
And he healed many that were sick."--_Mark 1:32-34_.
"And when they were come out of the boat, straightway the people
knew him, and ran round about that whole region, and began to carry
about on their beds those that were sick, where they heard he
was."--_Mark 6:54-56_.
{99}{100}
[Illustration]
NAZARETH
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
This is a picture of the village of Nazareth, where Jesus lived when
he was a boy. When he climbed the hills about the town he had a most
beautiful view of the mountains and valleys of Palestine. Looking
westward, the waters of the Mediterranean were spread out before
him, and he could see the white sails of the passing ships.
[End illustration]
{101}
TALKING WITH OUR FATHER
Because God is our Father we want to talk with him.
We want to tell him about many things.
We want to tell him how happy we are.
If we have been naughty, we want to tell him how sorry we are.
Sometimes we want to tell him how much we love him.
Why do we do this?
When people give us gifts, it is polite to say, "thank you."
God gives us gifts, and we should say "thank you," to him.
When we love people we want to talk with them.
If we love God we will want to talk with him.
When we have been naughty to anyone, we are sorry,
and we want to say "please forgive me."
When we have been naughty, we ought also to ask God to forgive us.
{102}
It makes God sorry when we are naughty.
Would it be right to get up in the morning, and play all day when your
father was at home, without saying one word to him?
Would it make your father glad or sorry?
Is it right, then, to take gifts from your Father in heaven all day
long, and not say a word to him?
Does it make him glad or sorry?
Talking with our Father in heaven, we call praying.
It is telling him all the things we want to tell a loving father.
{103}{104}
[Illustration]
JESUS HEALING THE SICK
By Heinrich Hofmann
Jesus was rightly called the "Great Physician." In the picture are
shown some of the sufferers whom Jesus delighted to help--the poor
little child, white and still in its mother's arms, the lame, and
the blind.
[End illustration]
{105}
GOD IS OUR FATHER
We call God our Father.
The prayer which Jesus taught us to pray, begins, "Our Father."
Why do we call God our Father?
Because God does for us what a good father does for his children.
A good father loves his children.
God loves his children.
A good father gets food and clothing, and other
things which his children need.
God gets for his children what he sees they need.
A good father wants his children to be good.
God wants his children to be good.
A good father will not let his children have
what would be bad for them.
God will not let us have what will be bad for us.
When we call God our Father, it is a way of saying, "God loves me, God
will take care of me."
"Our Father who art in heaven."--_Matthew 6:9_.
"One is your father, even he who is in heaven."--_Matthew 23:9_.
"One God and Father of all."--_Ephesians 4:6_.
{106}
WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT BIRDS AND FLOWERS
"Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they
reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feedeth them.
Are not ye of much more value than they? And which of you by being
anxious can add one cubit unto his stature? And why are ye anxious
concerning raiment?
"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not,
neither do they spin; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore if God so clothe
the grass of the field, . . . shall he not much more clothe you,
O ye of little faith?"--_Matt. 6:26-30_.
{107}{108}
[Illustration]
THE LAKE OF GALILEE
Another picture of the beautiful lake on which Jesus so often sailed
with his disciples. The lake abounded in fish, and there was a great
fleet of fishing boats which sailed about the lake and brought the
fish to the many towns and cities on its shores. Some of Jesus'
disciples were fishermen.
"And walking by the lake of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who
is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the
lake; for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Come ye after
me, and I will make you fishers of men.
"And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
"And going on from thence he saw other two brethren, James the son
of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their
father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they straightway
left the boat and their father, and followed him."--_Matt. 4:18-22_
[End illustration]
{109}
WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT TREES
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns,
or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree
cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth
good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down
and cast into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits ye shall know
them."--_Matt. 7:16-20_.
"And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree and all the
trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves
that the summer is now nigh at hand."--_Luke 21:29-30_.
{110}
JESUS AND THE LITTLE GIRL
Beseech
Beg.
Suffered
Allowed.
Many weeping and wailing
In the Bible times, when a person died, women were hired to weep
and wail. This was supposed to honor the dead.
Once upon a time, there was a man named Jairus. He was a very important
man among the Jews. He was one of the rulers of the synagogue; that
means that he was one of those who had charge of the worship in the
synagogue or church of the town. This man had a dear little daughter.
This little girl was twelve years old, and her father and her mother
loved her very much. One day she was taken sick. Her parents were very
anxious about her, for each day she seemed to be growing worse. Then her
father remembered that Jesus could cure people who were sick. So he went
to find Jesus, and ask him if he would come and make his little girl
well. Jesus was very busy when Jairus found him. He was talking to a
great multitude of people. Jairus pushed through the crowd, and fell
down at Jesus' feet, and begged him to come and make his little girl
well. Jesus was very glad to come, but there were so many people about
him that he had to walk very slowly. He stopped to heal a poor sick
woman on the way. At last he drew near Jairus' house, but people came
out of the house and said it was too late, for the little girl was dead.
How badly the poor father felt then! But Jesus told him not to be
afraid, just to have faith in him. Here is the whole story, as it is
told in the Bible:--
{111}{112}
[Illustration]
JESUS AND THE LITTLE GIRL
By Gustav Richter (1823-1884)
"The healing of His seamless dress
Is by our beds of pain;
We touch Him in life's throng and press,
And we are whole again.
"Through Him the first fond prayers are said
Our lips of childhood frame,
The last low whispers of our dead
Are burdened with His name."
--_John Greenleaf Whittier_
[End illustration]
{113}
One day a great multitude was gathered about Jesus as he taught by the
sea. And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by
name; and seeing him, he falleth at his feet, and beseecheth him much,
saying:--
"My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray thee, that thou
come and lay hands on her, that she may be made whole, and live."
And he went with him; and a great multitude followed him.
As he approached the house, people came out, who said to Jairus:--
"Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any further?"
But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the
synagogue:--
"Fear not, only believe."
And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he
beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing greatly. And when he
had entered in, he saith unto them:-- {114}
"Why make ye a tumult, and weep? The child is not dead but sleepeth."
And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth,
taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with
him, and goeth in where the child was. And taking the child by the
hand, he saith unto her:--
"Talitha cumi," which means in the language of the country, "Little
girl, I say unto thee, Arise."
And straightway the little girl rose up, and walked.
{115}{116}
[Illustration]
EGYPTIAN TEMPLE ON THE ISLAND OF PHILAE
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
This is one of the beautiful temples of Egypt on an island in the
river Nile. This island has lately been covered by the waters of
the great artificial lake formed by the dam built by the English
government across the Nile to control the flow of the river. In the
foreground is seen a "dahabiyeh," one of the peculiar boats for
sailing upon the Nile.
[End illustration]
{117}
THE BABY HID IN A BASKET
Flags
Plants which grow in the water at the edges of ponds and rivers.
Bulrushes
Plants which were used for the weaving of baskets.
Ark
A woven basket.
Pitch
A sticky substance daubed on the basket to keep out the water.
Handmaid
A servant.
Once upon a time a little boy was born to some poor Hebrew people who
were slaves in Egypt. The pharaoh, or king of that country, did not
like the Hebrew people, and he said that all the little boy babies
born to them must be killed. But the mother of this little boy wanted
to save her pretty baby if she could. So she hid him three months. And
when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of
bulrushes, and daubed it with pitch; and she put the child therein,
and laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood
afar off, to know what would be done with him. And the daughter of
Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river; and her maidens walked {118}
along by the river side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent
her handmaid to fetch it. And she opened it, and saw the child: and,
behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, "This
is one of the Hebrews' children."
Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I call thee a nurse
of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?"
And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go."
And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's
daughter said unto her, "Take this child away, and nurse it for me,
and I will give thee thy wages."
And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and
she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And
she called his name Moses.
{119}{120}
[Illustration]
THE RIVER NILE
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
The great river Nile was the very life of the country of Egypt which
lies along its banks. A little way back from the river the desert
begins. On the little green strip of the banks lived the proud and
powerful people who enslaved the Israelites. A fleet of dahabiyehs
is being loaded by the shore.
[End illustration]
{121}
AN OLD BOOK OF SONGS
Gates and Courts
The gates and open spaces of the temple of God.
Endureth
Lasteth.
Faithfulness
God will keep his promises.
Unto all generations
Always.
In a city of the Bible land, called Jerusalem, there was a great
temple, a sort of big church. Every day people came to this temple to
worship in it. On the Sabbath, all the people came to worship in it.
They did not sit in seats as we do in church, but stood up and
listened. In front of where they stood were steps. Here, where all the
people could see, stood a great band of singers dressed in white
robes. Near by, were men with silver trumpets. When they blew the
trumpets, all the people bowed down to pray. Then the singers sang
praises to God, and the musicians played upon all the instruments of
music, and the great temple was filled with glad, joyous song. The
book of songs from which they sang is the book of Psalms in our Bible.
Many of the songs were calls to the people to praise God for his
goodness. Here is one of them:--
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness:
Come before his presence with singing. {122}
Know ye that the Lord he is God:
It is he that hath made us, and we are his;
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
And into his courts with praise:
Give thanks unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; and his mercy endureth for ever;
And his faithfulness unto all generations.
Here is another beautiful song of praise:--
O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
Let us make a joyful noise unto the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving,
Let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, and he made it;
And his hands formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker:
For he is our God,
And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
{123}{124}
[Illustration]
THE PYRAMIDS AND THE SPHINX
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
The great pyramids of Egypt are among the wonders of the world. They
are the tombs of some of the Pharaohs. They are great masses of stone,
and we can hardly imagine how in those days it was possible to build
them. The sphinx is a great stone figure of a beast with a human
face. The pyramids and the sphinx were built before Joseph came to
Egypt.
[End illustration]
{125}
Here is a song of trust in God, who watches over us day and night:--
I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains:
From whence shall my help come?
My help cometh from the Lord,
Which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved;
He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper:
The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall keep thee from all evil;
He shall keep thy soul.
The Lord shall keep thy going out and thy coming in,
From this time forth and for evermore.
The shortest song of all those in the book is a song of praise:--
O praise the Lord, all ye nations:
Praise him, all ye peoples.
For his merciful kindness is great toward us:
And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.
Praise ye the Lord.
{126}
A STORY WHICH JESUS TOLD
Straightway
At once.
Tribulation
Trouble.
Persecution
Injury done one by an enemy.
Jesus often told the people little stories when he was
teaching them to be good. These little stories he called
parables. Here is one of the parables:--
THE STORY OF THE SOWER
And Jesus said, "Behold the sower went forth to sow; and, as he sowed,
some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them:
and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth;
and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth,
and when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no
root, they withered away. And others fell among the thorns; and the
thorns grew up and choked them: and others fell upon the good ground,
and yielded fruit, some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty."
{127}{128}
[Illustration]
THRESHING IN THE LANDS OF THE BIBLE:
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton,
and used by her kind permission.
What a strange company of animals we have here! A camel, two oxen,
and a little white donkey! And is this not a hard way to thresh out
the grain? This field, with its beasts at work, does not much
resemble a great wheat field in the western states of America, with
its wonderful machinery. It shows how little progress has been made
in the East, to find the same methods employed now as in Bible times.
[End illustration]
{129}
Then Jesus explained the story to his disciples in this way. He said,
"When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not,
then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown
in his heart. This is he that was sown by the wayside. And he that was
sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and
straightway with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but
endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth
because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. And he that was sown
among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the cares of
this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he
becometh unfruitful. And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is
he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth
fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundred fold, some sixty, some
thirty."
{130}
SOME THINGS WHICH JESUS TAUGHT THE PEOPLE
At one time Jesus went up the slopes of a mountain, and many people
gathered about him and he taught them these words, which are called
THE BEATITUDES.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
"Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
{131}
Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say
all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be
exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted
they the prophets which were before you."
{132}
THE BOY WHO CAME WHEN HE WAS CALLED
Wax
To grow.
Ark of God
A box of wood which was kept in the temple, and which the Jews
thought was very precious and sacred.
There was once a woman who lived in the Bible land, and her name was
Hannah. She had a little boy named Samuel. When Samuel was a baby, his
mother made up her mind that she would give him to God, to serve in
the temple. So she took him to the temple, and as soon as he was old
enough he helped the good priest Eli about his work. Every year Hannah
made a little coat for her boy, and gave it to him, when she came to
see him at the temple. It was very hard for Hannah to have her dear
little boy away from home, but she was very happy when she came to
see him every year, and heard what a good boy he was. The old priest
Eli was very fond of him. His own sons were very bad men, and that
made him love Samuel all the more. Here is a story about Samuel and
Eli, which shows what a good and obedient boy he was. Samuel grew up
to be a very wise and a very great man, and served his country and God
faithfully all his life.
{133}{134}
[Illustration]
A DRUSE FAMILY
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton,
and used by her kind permission.
The Druses are a remarkable people living on the mountains of
Lebanon in the northern part of Palestine. For a thousand years they
have been a separate people, preserving many of the customs and
manners of living of Bible times. This makes them a very interesting
people to us. Most of them are well to do, but there is occasionally
a poor family like the one shown in our picture. You will notice the
cow shed at the front door, and the family dog, but can you see the
donkey? What looks like a great brush heap in the middle of the
picture is really a little donkey loaded with brush! If you look
sharply you may see his little feet. At the left of the picture, on
the hilltop, are the ruins of an old castle built by the Crusaders.
[End illustration]
{135}
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place,
and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; and ere the lamp
of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was,
and Samuel was laid down to sleep; that the Lord called Samuel; and he
answered:--
"Here am I."
And he ran unto Eli and said, "Here am I; for thou calledst me."
And he said, "I called not; lie down again."
And he went and lay down.
And the Lord called yet again, "Samuel."
And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here am I; for thou didst
call me."
And he answered, "I called not, my son; lie down again."
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord
yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time.
And he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here am I; for thou didst call
me." And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli
said unto Samuel:--
{136}
"Go, lie down: and it shall be if he call thee, that thou shalt say,
'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.'"
So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, "Samuel,
Samuel."
Then Samuel answered, "Speak, for thy servant heareth."
{137}{138}
[Illustration]
BETHLEHEM
This is a picture of the village as seen close at hand, the Church
of the Nativity in the foreground.
"Seated on the summit level of the hill country of Judah, with deep
gorges descending east to the Dead Sea, and west to the plains of
Philistia, the shepherds of Bethlehem had to contend not only with
bears and lions, but also with human enemies, the Philistines on the
west, and Arab robbers on the east. They would therefore from
childhood be accustomed to bear fatigue, hunger, heat and cold,
both by night and by day, and also to brave every kind of danger
and fight with every kind of antagonist. Thus the youthful David
learned to sling stones when he led his father's flocks over the
hills, and thus was he prepared to conquer Goliath; and so, too, by
defending his charge against lions and bears, he learned to face
lion-like men in war and conquer them."--"_The Land and the Book_"
[End illustration]
{139}
STORIES OF DAVID
THE SHEPHERD BOY WHO KILLED A GIANT
Cubit.
A measure used in Bible lands, thought to be about nineteen
inches. The span was another measure, about half a cubit.
According to this, the height of Goliath was about ten feet. A
very tall giant indeed!
Greaves
Armor for the legs.
Target
A round shield.
Weaver's Beam
The heavy round piece of wood used in old looms.
Once upon a time there lived in the little village of Bethlehem among
the hills of Judea, a shepherd lad whose name was David. Every day he
led his flock of sheep to the greenest pasture and then watered them
at the still pools of water.
This work was very pleasant when the weather was fair and warm, but
sometimes it grows very cold in the hill country of Judea. The wind
blows and the ground is covered with snow. Sometimes the shepherd is
forced to stay out all night with his flock. Sometimes a lamb {140}
is lost, and the shepherd has to search all night in the darkness,
along dangerous paths in the hills. Sometimes wild beasts attack the
flock and the shepherd must beat them off. Sometimes the wild people
of the East try to carry off the sheep, and the shepherd is in danger
of his life.
But this hard work and constant danger made David a strong, brave boy.
He grew very skillful with the sling, which was a weapon much used
in those days. With it even a boy could throw a stone very hard and
far. Once when he was keeping the flock, a bear came to steal a lamb,
and, at another time, a mountain lion, and David killed them both.
While David was still no more than a big boy, war broke out between
his country and the Philistines. These people lived in the lower
country to the west of Judea, and the two nations were very often at
war. This time the two armies camped on opposite sides of a narrow
valley.
The Philistines had a giant in their army, who used to come out every
day and challenge anyone in the army of the Israelites to fight. This
is how the giant is described:--
{141}{142}
[Illustration]
WATER WORKS IN OLD PHILISTIA
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton,
and used by her kind permission.
This unusual picture was taken at the village of Yebnah, between.
Jaffa and Ashdod, in the country of old Philistia. The camel is
harnessed to a pole, and, walking in a circle, turns the clumsy
machinery which lifts the water from the well.
[End illustration]
{143}
"And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines,
named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he
had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of
mail, and he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass
between his shoulders, and the staff of his spear was like a weaver's
beam, and a servant bearing a shield went before him."
Every day this great giant came out before the army and shouted out
his challenge. "Choose you a man for you," he cried, "and let him come
to me. If he be able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be
your servants: but if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall
ye be our servants and serve us."
What a terrible sight he must have been with the sun shining on his
bright brass armor, and his great roaring voice, which echoed among
the hills! It is no wonder that the whole army of the Israelites was
afraid, and that no champion was brave enough to come out to meet him.
All this time David was at home taking care of the sheep. He had three
older brothers who were away with the army, but David was thought too
young to be a soldier. It must have {144} been very hard for such a
brave boy to stay at home, but he was a good boy as well as a brave
one, and he patiently did his work.
One day David's mother had made some very nice bread, and some cheese,
and she remembered that the boys in camp would have very poor food. So
David's father said he might go up to camp and take some roasted corn
and the bread to his brothers, and he sent, too, ten cheeses to the
captain of the boys' company.
David was delighted to go. He came quickly to the camp, and, leaving
his bread, and corn, and cheese with a servant in the rear, went right
up to the front where the line of battle was intrenched. He was just
in time to see Goliath come out and shout his challenge. Just then
David's oldest brother caught sight of him, and thought he had run
away from home to see the battle.
"What are you doing here, David?" he shouted angrily. "Why have you
left that little flock of sheep to be eaten up by wild beasts in the
pastures? You are a naughty boy, and you have just come here to see
the battle."
David replied, "What have I done now? Isn't there a good reason why I
have come?"
{145}{146}
[Illustration]
AN EASTERN SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by
her kind permission.
This is an exceptionally fine picture of a flock of sheep and their
shepherd as they appear in the country of the Bible. This picture
was taken in the springtime on the beautiful plain of Sharon which
borders the seacoast from Joppa to Mt. Carmel. The prophet Isaiah
says, "Sharon shall be a pasturage for flocks." The picture shows
how the whole plain is carpeted with bright colored flowers.
[End illustration]
{147}
And there was good reason, when no one in all the army was brave
enough to fight Goliath.
David went to king Saul, who was the general of the army, and offered
to fight the giant. The king was very much surprised, and told him he
was only a boy, while the giant had been a soldier for many years.
But David told Saul how he had killed the lion and the bear, and said
that the God who helped him in his fight with these wild beasts would
help him in his fight with the giant.
Then Saul allowed him to try, and offered him a suit of armor. David
tried it on, but it was not what the shepherd boy had been used to
wear, so he would not take it.
He went down to the brook and picked out five smooth, round stones,
just right for his sling. Then, with his shepherd's staff and bag and
his sling, he went out of the lines of the army to meet the giant.
When the great giant saw the shepherd lad, he laughed, and then he
grew very angry.
"Am I a dog," he said, "that you come to fight me with a shepherd's
stick? Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air
and to the beasts of the field."
{148}
Then little David answered, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with
a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord
of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied."
Then Goliath marched forward in all his brass armor to kill David; and
David ran, too, straight toward the giant. When he was at the right
distance he put a stone into his sling and took good aim. Away went
the stone and struck the giant right in the middle of the forehead!
Down he fell on his face with a crash.
Then David marched up and drew the giant's great sword out of its
sheath and cut off his head.
What a shout arose from the army of Israel when they saw that the
great giant whom they so much feared, was dead! And this is the way a
brave boy killed a great boastful giant, with all his bragging words
and his brass armor.
{149}{150}
[Illustration]
THE "TOMB OF RACHEL" WITH BETHLEHEM IN THE DISTANCE
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether,
and used by her kind permission.
This picture is chiefly interesting for the beautiful view it gives
of Bethlehem, lying white against the hillside in the distance.
[End illustration]
{151}
DAVID AND KING SAUL
After David had killed the giant Goliath, King Saul would not let him
go back to his father's house at Bethlehem, but made him stay at the
court, and gave him a high command in the army. King Saul was not
well. He had a disease of the mind which made him at times almost, if
not quite, insane. At such times he was very sad and gloomy. David
could play very sweetly on the harp. When the king felt this trouble
in his mind, he would send for David, who would play on the harp and
the playing would soothe and calm the king so that he would be himself
again.
David was a poet; he not only played upon the harp but he wrote some
of the beautiful songs or psalms which he sang. In some of these songs
he told about the love of God, who cares for his children as the
shepherd cares for his flock.
The poet Browning wrote a beautiful poem about Saul and David and how
the skillful playing of the shepherd had helped the king. Here {152}
is a stanza of the poem. David is supposed to be telling someone about
his playing to the king.
"Then I tuned my harp,--took off the lilies
we twine round its chords
Lest they snap 'neath the stress of the noontide
--those sunbeams like swords!
And I first played the tune all our sheep know,
as, one after one,
So docile they come to the pen-door
till folding be done.
They are white and untorn by the bushes,
for lo, they have fed
Where the long grasses stifle the water
within the stream's bed;
And now one after one seeks its lodging,
as star follows star
Into eve and the blue far above us,
--so blue and so far!"
But in spite of David's playing the king's health grew worse. He
became very jealous of David. David was young and strong and handsome,
and a favorite with everyone. Saul at last came to hate him. Once he
threw his spear at David, but missed his aim and David escaped. David
was afraid that the king would kill him, so he gathered a few bold men
about him, and became an outlaw. Day after day Saul and his soldiers
pursued David but he always managed to escape, hiding in caves by day
and marching by night.
{153}{154}
[Illustration]
THE CONVENT OF MAR-SARBA IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDEA
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
It was in this wild and desolate country on the eastern edge of
Palestine that David hid in caves and ravines when pursued by his
enemy, King Saul.
[End illustration]
{155}
More than once David had Saul in his power and might have put him to
death, but he was too brave and generous to take advantage of his
weakness, and besides he felt that it was wrong to harm the nation's
king. One night Saul and his soldiers had encamped near the place
where David and his men were hiding. The night was dark. All the
sentries were asleep. Quietly, David and one of his men stole into the
camp, and came to the spot where Saul lay asleep with his spear stuck
in the ground beside his head. The soldier wanted David to kill his
enemy, but he would not do it. He took Saul's spear and the water skin
which was beside him and crept safely past the sentries and out of the
camp again.
When he had gone to a safe distance, he stood on a hill and shouted
and awakened the men in the camp, and told them to look for the spear
and the water skin. So they knew that David had truly been in the camp
and had spared the king's life.
{156}
DAVID AND JONATHAN
While David was living at the king's court his dearest friend was
Jonathan, Saul's son. These two young men loved each other as soon as
they met, which was after David had killed the giant. They went
everywhere together. They hunted and played their games together. They
were like two brothers. Jonathan was never jealous of David. He wanted
him to be liked by others. He gave him the best that he had himself.
He was a very kind hearted and generous young man. It made him very
sad because his father was so cruel to David. He could not believe
that his father really wished to kill his friend.
At last David did not dare to come to the king's court nor to take his
place at the king's table. Still Jonathan did not believe that his
father really meant to do harm to his friend. To test the king they
planned to leave David in a hiding place in the field while Jonathan
went home to see his father. When David did not take his place at the
table, the king grew very gloomy. "Where is David?" he said.
{157}{158}
[Illustration]
WINNOWING IN THE LANDS OF THE BIBLE
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton,
and used by her kind permission.
In the East, after the grain is threshed out by the trampling of
cattle or by driving over it with sledges, it is tossed up in the
air by a kind of fork. The wind blows the light chaff away, while
the heavier grain falls in a heap. This explains many of the
allusions in the Bible.
[End illustration]
{159}
"He asked permission to run home to Bethlehem to offer the sacrifice
with his family," replied Jonathan.
At that the king grew furious in his rage. He told his son that David
wanted to steal the kingdom away from him (for Jonathan was the oldest
son and would be king when Saul died).
Saul was so angry that he even threw his spear at his own son, and so
Jonathan knew that his father had determined to kill his friend.
David was hiding behind a great rock in the field, and, according to a
plan they had made beforehand, Jonathan came out the next day with his
bow and arrows and pretended to shoot at a mark. He had a little boy
with him to run for the arrows.
The plan was this: If Jonathan said to the boy, "The arrows are on
this side of you," David would know that all was safe. But if he said,
"The arrows are beyond you," he would know that he was in great
danger.
Jonathan came and shot his arrows, and cried, "The arrows are beyond
you."
So David knew that the king intended to kill him. They waited until
the boy had gone and then David came out, and Jonathan told {160} him
how sorry he was that the friend he loved so much must go away. In
many other ways Jonathan showed his great love for his friend.
At last both Saul and Jonathan were killed in a great battle with the
Philistines. Then David mourned deeply for Jonathan and he made a song
of mourning about their friendship. This is a part of it:--
"Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places!
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan:
Very pleasant hast thou been to me,
Thy love was wonderful,
Passing the love of women.
How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!"
{161}{162}
[Illustration]
WINNOWING OF GRAIN AFTER THRESHING IN EGYPT
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
After the grain was threshed it was winnowed. The mixture of grain,
chaff, and broken straw was turned over and shaken with a wooden
fork. It was thrown high in the air so that the wind might carry
away the chaff. This work was often carried on at night to take
advantage of the night wind, which was usually stronger than during
the day. After the first process another was carried on by the
"fan," a kind of shovel by which there was a still further
separation of impurities. The final cleansing was accomplished by a
sieve. The chaff was burned or blown away by the wind. In the
picture the blurred appearance is the chaff which has just been
tossed up and is being blown away.
[End illustration]
{163}
DAVID AND HIS THREE BRAVE SOLDIERS
Once when David was fighting against the Philistines the little town
of Beth-lehem was in the hands of the enemy. David had a great longing
for a drink of the cool water of the well which was near the gate of
the town. It seemed to him that he would be perfectly happy if he
could taste that water which he used to enjoy so much when he was a
boy. He wanted it so much that he spoke out loud and said, "Oh, that
one would give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem which
is near the gate!"
Some of his men overheard him as he said this to himself, and three of
his brave soldiers left the cave where they were hiding, and broke
through the enemy's lines and brought back a drink of the water to
David. But when David saw them all bleeding from the wounds which they
had received, he would not drink the water which they brought, because
it had cost so much in the blood of his men.
{164}
So he poured it out upon the ground as an offering to God of something
very sacred and precious, and as a way of showing his friends that he
prized their love more than the water for which he longed.
{165}{166}
[Illustration]
HEBRON
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
It was here that perhaps the oldest city in Palestine was built. The
picture shows the character of the country, the hills and valleys
with the towns showing white on the hillsides or nestling in the
valleys.
[End illustration]
{167}
DAVID AND HIS SON ABSALOM
After Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle David became king.
He did many brave and wise things and some foolish and evil things.
For the wrong deeds he was punished by great sorrows.
He had a favorite son named Absalom. Absalom grew up to be a very bad
boy. No doubt David was foolish in his affection and did not train the
boy as he should.
He grew so bad at last that he gathered an army and rebelled against
the king. At first he was successful and actually drove his father out
of Jerusalem.
But David's army rallied and defeated Absalom and his bad friends in a
great battle.
When Absalom knew that his army was defeated he tried to escape by
riding away on the back of a swift mule. But as he passed under a
great oak in the dark forest where the battle was fought, his long
hair was caught in the low hanging branches: Here he hung helplessly
until the soldiers of David came up and killed him.
{169}
David was very sorrowful while the battle was being fought, because he
loved the boy so much. He sat at the gate of the city and watched and
waited. Suddenly the watchman on the tower called out that he saw a
man running, and in a few moments he said that he saw another.
In the lands of the Bible, messengers, swift of foot and trained in
running, always brought the news to the city as quickly as they could
run.
When the first messenger came the king said quickly, "Is the young man
Absalom safe?"
"I saw a great tumult when I left the battle field," said the runner,
"but I knew not what it meant."
"Stand aside here," said the king.
Then came the second man and he called out, "Tidings, my lord the
king!"
"Is my boy Absalom safe?" again cried the king.
Then the messenger replied, "The enemies of my lord the king, and all
that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is."
{169}
The king knew that this meant that the boy he loved so much was dead.
And the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the
gate, and wept, and as he went there he said, "O my son Absalom, my
son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee. O Absalom, my son,
my son!"
{170}
THE STORY OF A GOOD KING
When King David died, Solomon his son became king. He was the wisest
and best king the people ever had. He is often called "the wise king."
One night soon after he became king he had a dream. In his dream he
seemed to see the Lord, who said, "Ask what I shall give thee."
Instead of asking for great riches or honor or power, Solomon asked
for wisdom.
He said, "I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come
in. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart."
And the Lord replied, "Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast
not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for
thyself, nor hast asked for the life of thine enemies, but hast asked
for thyself understanding, behold, I have done according to thy word;
I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, and I have given
thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that
there shall not be any among the kings like thee all thy days."
{171}{172}
[Illustration]
CHILDREN AT CANA
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether and used by her
kind permission.
[End illustration]
{173}
Then Solomon awoke and knew it was a dream, but in after years the
dream came true, and Solomon became the wisest and richest king in the
world.
Every year his ships sailed away and brought many rare and costly
things from the East. They brought gold, and silver, and precious
stones, and ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
At one time Solomon had a visit from the Queen of Sheba, who had heard
of his great wisdom and wished very much to see him. She came with a
great many servants riding upon camels, and she brought him as
presents, gold, and precious stones, and spices.
Many kings came also to see him and they brought as presents, gold,
and silver, and costly cloths, and spices, and horses, and mules with
their harnesses.
Solomon's greatest wish was to build a beautiful house in which to
worship God. So he sent to King Hiram, who lived in the north country
where the great cedars of Lebanon grew, and Hiram sent his woodcutters
into the forest and they cut down the great cedars {174} and squared
the logs into beams. Then the lumber was taken to the coast and
floated on rafts in the sea along the shore and then brought over the
land to Jerusalem.
There were also men working in the stone quarries hewing out the great
stones for the foundation, and skillful workmen making the golden
ornaments and the beautiful carving.
So carefully were the stones and timbers cut and marked that they were
all put together without the sound of hammer or axe. This beautiful
building was the first temple which the Israelites built and it has
always been called "Solomon's Temple."
{175}{176}
[Illustration]
CAMEL MERCHANTS
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by
her kind permission.
These men are on the way from Palestine to sell their camels in
Egypt. Every year great herds of camels are still brought from the
East to sell for the carrying of merchandise in caravans, just as
they were used in the days of the Bible.
[End illustration]
{177}
JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN
Vesture
Clothing.
Famine
A time when the crops fail and there is no food,
and people often starve.
Hostage
One who is held by an enemy to be sure that promises are kept.
Myrrh and balm
Precious gums very much used in the East.
There was once a boy whose father loved him very much indeed. The
boy's name was Joseph. His father's name was Jacob. The father gave
the boy a coat of many colors. It was a very fine coat and he was very
proud of it. He had eleven brothers, and they hated him because he was
his father's favorite. He had a dream in which he saw the sun and the
moon and eleven stars bowing down before him. This made the brothers
hate him still more, and even his father was none too well pleased.
One day the brothers were taking care of the sheep in a distant
pasture, and Jacob sent Joseph to see how the boys were getting along.
The shepherd boys saw him while he was still a long way off, and they
said, "Here comes {178} the dreamer. Let us kill him and put him into
some pit, and say to father, 'Some wild beast has killed him,' and
then see what will become of his dreams!" They were very bad boys
indeed.
They all agreed but Reuben, who was the only one who had any pity for
Joseph. He really wanted to save his brother, but in order to deceive
the others he said, "Do not kill him, but put him alive into some pit,
in an out-off the-way place." He said this hoping to come back and
rescue Joseph when the others had gone.
They finally consented; so, when Joseph came up, they took off his
coat of many colors and put him into a pit. Probably they did not
handle him at all gently!
Then Reuben went away and the others calmly sat down to eat their
dinner. While they were eating, they looked up and saw a long caravan
with camels loaded with spices and balm and myrrh going from the East
down to Egypt.
Then an idea came to Judah, one of the brothers. "Let us sell Joseph,"
he said, "so we shall get rid of him and no guilt of his blood will be
on our hands."
{179}{180}
[Illustration]
ONE OF THE PYRAMIDS
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
Another one of the great pyramids which rise above the level
country of Egypt, monuments to the departed greatness of her rulers.
Recent explorations show that the civilization of Egypt goes back
more than four thousand years before the time of Christ.
[End illustration]
{181}
They drew Joseph, who must have been well frightened by this time, out
of the pit, and sold him to the traders for twenty pieces of silver.
When Reuben came back he was very much distressed, but he did not dare
to tell his father the truth. They agreed to dip Joseph's coat of many
colors in blood and say that a wild beast had eaten him. Then they
went home and pretended to be very sorry and told their poor old
father this lie which they had made up. The father believed it because
they showed him the coat of many colors which they had dipped in
blood. Jacob was very sad and mourned a long time for his boy.
The traders carried Joseph to Egypt and sold him as a slave. He was
treated badly and at last put into prison. While he was there the
Pharaoh, the king of the country, had a dream. He dreamed that he saw
seven fat oxen come up out of a river and feed in a meadow. Then seven
lean and hungry oxen came out of the river and ate up the fat oxen.
Then he saw seven fine full ears of corn on one stalk, but there grew
also seven poor thin ears, which destroyed the good ears.
No one could tell the king what his dream {182} meant, until he heard
that Joseph, who was in prison, was able to tell the meaning of
dreams. So he called Joseph, who was very glad to come out of the dark
prison. Joseph told the king at once what his dream meant. He said
that there would be seven years of plenty in Egypt, when there would
be great crops of grain. Then would come seven years of famine, when
no crops would grow. Joseph advised the king to build great store
houses and to store up the grain during the years of plenty, so that
the people might not starve during the years of famine.
Pharaoh was much pleased because Joseph told him the meaning of the
dream, and at once appointed him as the man to gather the grain during
the years of plenty.
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set thee over all the land of
Egypt."
And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's
hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain
about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he
had, and they cried before him, "Bow the knee!" and he made him ruler
over all the land of Egypt.
{183}{184}
[Illustration]
TEMPLE AT THEBES
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
This is another of the great Egyptian temples, built thousands of
years ago, with the massive columns still standing.
[End illustration]
{185}
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without thy consent
no man shall lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." So
the shepherd boy, who had been sold as a slave in Egypt, became next
to Pharaoh the chief man in all the country!
During the next seven years, there never had been such harvests, and
Joseph went about gathering up the great loads of grain into all the
storehouses.
Then came the terrible famine. No grain grew in the fields. But Joseph
was ready. The people came to him and bought grain to keep them from
starving.
All this time Joseph's father thought he was dead and he never ceased
to mourn for his boy. By and by the famine reached the land where
Joseph's father lived and he sent his sons down to Egypt to buy food,
but of course they did not know that the ruler of Egypt was Joseph.
Ten of Jacob's sons, each with his donkey, went to Egypt, but the
youngest boy, Benjamin, Jacob kept at home.
When they came to the palace where Joseph lived, he knew at once that
they were his {186} brothers, but they did not know him. At first
Joseph treated them roughly. He said they were spies. But they told
him they were all brothers who lived in the land of Canaan and their
youngest brother and their father they had left at home. Joseph still
seemed to be very angry and put them in prison for three days.
Then he let them out and told them to go home, all but Simeon, whom he
would keep as a hostage, and bring back their youngest brother, and
then he would believe that they spoke the truth.
They started back, each with his donkey loaded with grain. When they
stopped at an inn they found that the money which they had paid for
the grain was in the top of each sack.
They reached home at last and told their father all that had happened.
The story made the old man very sad. He would not let them go back to
Egypt. He said that he had lost two sons, Joseph and Simeon, and he
could not let Benjamin, whom he loved next to Joseph, go with them.
{187}{188}
[Illustration]
AN EASTERN HOUSE
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by
her kind permission.
This house is made of mud--that is, sun-dried clay, with a roof of
thatch, and shows how houses were made and looked in Bible times.
The children of the village have come to have their eyes treated by
the doctor. Many of the children in the hot countries of the East
have trouble with their eyes, and blindness. The little village of
mud houses where this was taken is on the site of the ancient
Ashdod, one of the five powerful cities of the Philistines.
[End illustration]
{189}
But the famine kept on. They had nothing to eat and at last Jacob was
forced to let them go. They promised to take the best of care of
Benjamin and started on their journey.
When they reached Egypt Joseph was more kind. He asked them how they
were and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is
he yet alive?"
And they answered, "Thy servant, our father, is yet alive. He is in
good health."
Then he saw Benjamin and said, "Is this your younger brother of whom
ye spoke unto me?"
And he said, "God be gracious unto thee, my son."
He gave them a feast, and told them to go home, but as soon as they
were gone he sent an officer after them. The officer caught up with
them and opened the bags of grain, and there was Joseph's own golden
cup in the mouth of Benjamin's sack!
They were wild with fear. They said that their poor old father would
die if anything happened to Benjamin. But the stern officer took them
back to Joseph.
Then Joseph told them who he was, and forgave them for the evil they
had once done him.
{190}
He said to them, "Go home and say to Jacob, 'Thus saith thy son
Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry
not; and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be
near unto me, thou and thy children's children, and thy flocks and thy
herds, and all that thou hast.' And ye shall tell my father of all my
glory in Egypt and of all that ye have seen, and ye shall haste and
bring down my father hither."
The brothers went home and the old man Jacob and all his family came
to Egypt to live. So Jacob saw Joseph again before he died.
And Joseph ruled wisely and well over Egypt all the days of his life.
{191}{192}
[Illustration]
THE GREAT STATUES OF MEMNON
From a photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
These great statues, carved out of the solid rock, were erected to
the honor of two of the Pharaohs of Egypt. You may realize something
of the immense size of these monuments by noticing how small the
camel standing at the base seems in comparison.
[End illustration]
{193}
THE BOY WHO WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Once upon a time there was a widow who lived, with her only son, in a
city in the land of the Bible. She was very poor, and one year she
found herself still poorer. Everybody was poor that year, for there
was a famine in the land. How thin and hungry some of the children
became! How glad they were to get even poor food! How carefully the
poor widow watched her barrel of flour and her jar, or cruse, of oil,
with which the flour was mixed for baking! How hard she worked to get
more! At last she had only a little flour and a little oil left. She
was almost starving. There was just enough left to make one more cake
for herself and her boy, and after that was gone she did not know what
they would do. Perhaps they must die. She went out to gather some
sticks for a fire. While she was gathering them, a man came by. He was
a prophet, named Elijah, but she did not know him. He called to {194}
her, and said, "Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel,
that I may drink."
And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, "Bring
me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand."
And she said, "As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an
handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold,
I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my
son, that we may eat it, and die."
And Elijah said to her, "Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but
make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it to me, and after
make for thee and for thy son.
"For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, 'The barrel of meal shall not
waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the
Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.'"
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and
he, and her house, did eat many days.
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail,
according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Elijah.
{195}{196}
[Illustration]
ON THE ROAD NEAR TIBERIAS,
WITH THE LAKE OF GALILEE IN THE DISTANCE
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether, and used by her
kind permission.
This interesting picture, with laden camel and group of native
people, shows very well the nature of the country about the lake of
Galilee, the hill rising above the lake and the village nestling on
its shore. In the distance can be seen the waters of the lake and
the shadowy hills upon the farther shore. It is thus that the
country must have looked in the old days when it was the center of
so much active life.
[End illustration]
{197}
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the
mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that
there was no breath left in him.
And she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with thee, O thou man of
God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay
my son?"
And he said to her, "Give me thy son."
And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft,
where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
And he cried to the Lord; and said, "O Lord my God, hast thou also
brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?"
And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to the
Lord, and said, "O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul
come into him again."
And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came
into him again, and he revived.
And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber
into the house, and delivered him to his mother: and Elijah said,
"See, thy son liveth!"
{198}
And the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that thou art a man
of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth."
{199}{200}
[Illustration]
GOING TO THE DOCTOR
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by
her kind permission.
These poor women of the East have brought their poor little sick
children on the patient old donkey to the doctor. As the custom is
in the East, the faces of the women are covered by veils. This is
the way the Eastern mothers used to bring their sick little children
to Jesus in the old days.
[End illustration]
{201}
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
The people of the Bible land had lost their kingdom before the time of
Christ. They had no king of their own, but governors came from Rome, a
city hundreds of miles away, and ruled them. But the people hoped that
this would not last. They wanted a kingdom of their own. They believed
God would give it to them some day. They prayed that it might come.
When Jesus began to teach and hear people, they thought perhaps he
would be a king to bring this kingdom that God would give them. But
Jesus had something better than a great kingdom on earth. He tried to
make them understand what it was. He called it the kingdom of heaven.
By that he meant the rule of God in the world.
God's rule is not in a great palace, with soldiers and a throne and
great splendor. It is in the heart, and grows up very quietly, like
the plants in the field. Jesus once told a story to show this. It was
the story of
THE MUSTARD SEED
"The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man
took, and sowed in his field.
{202}
"Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is
the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of
the air come and lodge in the branches thereof."
So the kingdom of heaven grows very quietly. But it is very precious,
even if it is hidden away so closely. One might better let anything
else go than that.
Again, he told them, the kingdom of heaven is like to a net, that was
cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind.
Again, the kingdom is like to a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls.
How proud a man is to be a citizen of a great country! In this country
we are proud to be Americans. Do you suppose you could be a citizen of
the kingdom of God? Yes. Jesus said once that children and people who
were like children belong to this kingdom.
"Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for
of such is the kingdom of heaven."
{203}{204}
[Illustration]
LOADING CAMELS AT JERUSALEM
From a photograph taken by Prof. D. G. Lyon, and used by his kind
permission.
In the East much of the commerce is still carried on by means of
caravans of camels; sometimes there are several thousand camels in
one of these great caravans conveying all kinds of merchandise from
one point to another. The camel will carry a very heavy load, but
it utters piteous cries of complaint when it thinks the load is too
heavy.
[End illustration]
{205}
THE LITTLE CAPTIVE MAID
Leprosy.
A very dreaded disease.
Leper.
One who has leprosy.
Rent his clothes.
To show great sorrow or trouble.
Chariot.
A small wagon with two wheels, used in war.
Flesh shall come again.
In leprosy the flesh dries up, and the person becomes very thin.
In the old times war was very cruel. Houses were burned and men and
women killed, and very often the little children were taken far away
and sold for slaves. Sometimes they never came back to their homes or
friends again.
There had been war between the people in Israel and the people who
lived in a country called Syria, which lay to the north of Israel. In
this war a little girl had been taken away, and sold as a slave. She
was bought by a great general named Naaman, who took her home, and she
waited on Naaman's wife. Naaman and his wife must have been kind to
the little slave girl, for when he was sick she wished that he could
be made well.
{206}
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man
with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given
deliverance to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a
leper. And the little maid said to her mistress, "Would God my lord
were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would heal him of his
leprosy." And one went in, and told his lord, saying, "Thus and thus
said the maid that is of the land of Israel." And the king of Syria
said, "I will send a letter unto the king of Israel."
And he departed, and took with him a large present of money and fine
clothes.
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, "Now when
this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my
servant to thee, that thou mayest heal him of his leprosy."
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that
he rent his clothes, and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive,
that this man doth send unto me to heal a man of his leprosy?
wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel
against me."
And it was so, when Elisha the man of God {207} had heard that the
king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying,
"Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he
shall know that there is a prophet in Israel."
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the
door of the house of Elisha.
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, "Go and wash in Jordan
seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be
clean."
Then Naaman was angry, and turned to go away in a rage.
And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and said, "My father,
if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not
have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, 'Wash, and
be clean'?"
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according
to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto
the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
{208}
HOW THE PEOPLE TRAVELED IN THE LANDS OF THE BIBLE
Did they have railroads? Oh, no. Railroads were first built less than
a hundred years ago, and the Bible times were many hundreds of years
ago.
Then they must have traveled in wagons? Not often.
There were few roads, and wagons were not very common.
Then they went on horseback? Sometimes, but not often. In the earliest
Bible times horses were only used in war, and only the kings of great
countries kept a few, for their most honored soldiers to ride on.
How did they travel, then? Very often they rode on the backs of
donkeys and asses. These are smaller than horses, but can go almost as
fast. Do you remember how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on an ass, with
the children shouting and waving palm branches before him? For short
journeys, or in the land of Palestine itself, the ass was the animal
most used.
But on many sides of the land of Palestine the roads that go out pass
over country that is more and more bare, until finally the green grass
is seen no more and only here and there is a small tree, and there are
no flocks of white sheep, for there is nothing on which they can feed,
and it is a long way, sometimes a whole day's journey, from one spring
of water to another. Nothing but yellow sand and bare rocks!
{209}{210}
[Illustration]
SHEPHERD BOY ON THE HILLS NEAR BETHLEHEM
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
This attractive picture of the shepherd lad shows that the work of
the shepherd still goes on in Judea as it did in the days of the
shepherd boy, David. A writer gives this picture of the shepherd
life at the present day: "Sometimes we enjoyed our noonday rest
beside one of those Judean wells, to which two or three shepherds
come down with their flocks. The flocks mixed with each other, and
we wondered how each shepherd would get his own again. But after the
watering and the playing were over, the shepherds one by one went up
different sides of the valley, and each called out his peculiar
call; and the sheep of each drew out of the crowd, to their own
shepherd, and the flocks passed away as orderly as they came. 'The
Shepherd of the Sheep, . . . when he putteth forth his own sheep, he
goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his
voice. And a stranger will they not follow,' 'I am the Good
Shepherd, and know my sheep and am known of mine.' These words our
Lord spake in Judea."
[End illustration]
{211}
How the hot sun beats down in the summer! How dry all the ground
looks! That is a desert. The little donkeys find it hard to travel on
the long, stony desert roads. They must carry water to drink, or they
would die of thirst. But if they carry water, they cannot carry much
else.
Did you ever see a camel? They have long legs and broad feet, that can
walk over the sand without sinking in. What long necks and queer
humped backs they have! They are not beautiful animals. I am sorry to
say that they are not very good tempered either, but are often very
cross and stubborn. Sometimes they reach out that long neck and try to
bite. Sometimes they refuse to go if they think they are loaded too
heavily. But often they are very patient. They carry heavy loads and
travel long distances. They can go a long time without drinking, where
a horse or an ass would die of thirst. They are made for a desert
country. Men call them "the ship of the desert." They were often used
for long journeys in Bible times, as they are still in the same
countries. Here is a story which tells how a servant of Abraham made a
long journey on camels, and how the camels were given drink at the
close of the journey.
"And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and
departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he
arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of {212} Nahor. And he
made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at
the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw
water," and Rebekah, a niece of Abraham, "came out with her pitcher
upon her shoulder. And the maiden was very fair to look upon: and she
went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the
servant ran to meet her, and said, 'Let me, I pray thee, drink a
little water of thy pitcher.'
"And she said, 'Drink, my lord': and she hasted, and let down her
pitcher upon her hand, and gave him to drink.
"And when she had done giving him drink, she said, 'I will draw water
for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.'
"And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran
again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels."
Then she went home and told of him, and her brother ran and came out
to the servant and said, "'Come in, thou blessed of the Lord;
wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and
room for the camels.'
"And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave
straw and {213} provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet
and the men's feet that were with him. And there was set food before
him to eat."
A few days later Rebekah, with her servant, mounted the camels, too,
and went back with Abraham's servant, the long desert journey, to be
the wife of Abraham's son Isaac.
{214}
HOUSES IN THE LANDS OF THE BIBLE
The people in Bible lands did not have houses like those we live in
to-day. You would not like to live in their houses. They were low, and
small, and dark. Some were built of stone, but many were built of a
sun-dried brick. They had flat roofs, where the people often went and
where they slept in warm weather. A stair led up to the roof from the
outside. Those that were made of the sun-dried brick were not very
durable. Thieves could easily "break through and steal." The house
which the man "built upon the sand" crumbled into mud and was swept
away when "the winds blew and the floods came" and "great was the fall
of it."
Of course the king lived in a beautiful palace and rich people had
fine houses, but the houses of the poor people were only huts.
{215}{216}
[Illustration]
CHILDREN OF NAZARETH
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether.
and used by her kind permission.
[End illustration]
{217}
CHILDREN IN THE LANDS OF THE BIBLE
The children of Bible lands were very well cared for. They were sent
to school. They were taught the Bible very carefully and every Sabbath
they went to church. The children were very busy. They learned early
to watch over the sheep, to work in the fields, to card and spin the
wool and weave the cloth. Every child was taught some special trade or
business. Still they had time to play and enjoyed their games as much
as you do.
Jesus was taught to be a carpenter like Joseph. Nazareth, where he
lived when he was a boy, is a small town in Galilee. There are
beautiful fields and hills about. When he climbed the hills he could
see, far away, the sea. He must have loved to pick the lovely lilies
which grew in the fields. All the little boys and girls must have
liked to play with Jesus, for he must have been always gentle and
kind.
{218}
JERUSALEM
The city that the Bible tells most about is Jerusalem. It is on a high
ridge of hills in the middle of the land. On one side of it is a deep
valley, and across the valley a hill called the Mount of Olives. On
that hill there was a village, Bethany, where some of Jesus' friends
lived. Deep valleys were on two other sides of the city.
Why did they build cities on the hilltops, and not in the valleys?
Because, in the old days when wars often took place, a city on a
hilltop could not be so easily taken. It was a safe place to live. To
make it still safer, a wall was built around it, very thick and high.
On the top there was a path, with a low wall outside, so that in war
armed men could go up and shoot from the wall. In the walls there were
great gates, that were shut at night and when there was a war.
In the city of Jerusalem was the palace of the Jewish kings, and the
temple. King Solomon built the first temple. It stood for over three
hundred and fifty years, then it was destroyed in a war. The city was
burned and the walls thrown down, and many of the people were killed.
After more than fifty years, another temple was built on the same
spot. It was later added to and made more beautiful. It was built of
white stone. A man who saw it wrote that it looked, when the sun shone
on it, like a mountain of snow.
{219}{220}
[Illustration]
THE SISTINE MADONNA
By Raphael (1483-1520)
Raphael is generally considered the greatest of all painters, and
the Sistine Madonna is the most famous Madonna in the world.
"The Sistine Madonna is above all words of praise; all extravagance
of expression is silenced before her simplicity. Not one false
note, not one exaggerated emphasis, jars upon the harmony of body,
soul, and spirit. Confident, but entirely unassuming; serious, but
without sadness; joyous, but not to mirthfulness; eager, but without
haste; she moves steadily forward with steps timed to the rhythmic
music of the spheres."--_Estelle M. Hurll_
[End illustration]
{221}
This stood a long time, almost six hundred years, then in another war
it also was thrown down, and never has been built again. It was this
temple that was standing when Christ lived. He often taught in the
open spaces about it. When he was a boy of twelve he first visited it,
and the last days of his life he spent teaching in it. Jesus loved the
temple and Jerusalem very much. He was very sorry that it must be
destroyed. He said once, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the
prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I
have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood
under her wings, and ye would not!"
A Jewish poet wrote a little poem about Jerusalem, to show how he
loved it. Here it is:--
"I was glad when they said unto me,
Let us go into the house of the Lord.
"Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
"Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
"Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the
Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give
thanks unto the name of the Lord.
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
they shall prosper that love thee. {222}
"Peace be within thy walls,
and prosperity within thy palaces.
"For my brethren and companions' sakes,
I will now say, Peace be within thee.
"Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek thy good."
Another poet who was living in a foreign land, wrote
another poem:--
"By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat
down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
"We hung our harps upon the willows in
the midst thereof.
"For there they that carried us away captive
required of us a song; and they that
wasted us required of us mirth, saying,
Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
"How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget her cunning.
"If I do not remember thee, let my tongue
cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer
not Jerusalem above my chief joy."
{223}
When one Bible writer hoped for some great good in the future, and
wanted to make a very glorious picture, as splendid as he could, he
told of a city coming down from heaven, and called it the New
Jerusalem, because that city was dearer to him than any other place he
knew, and he said:--
"AND I JOHN SAW THE HOLY CITY,
NEW JERUSALEM,
COMING DOWN FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN."
{224}
THE JORDAN
Up among the mountains in the North of the land of the Bible a little
stream flows down from a rocky valley. After wandering through
beautiful hills with many trees and vines, it comes into a wide valley
and passes through a little lake. Then it goes tumbling and roaring
down a narrow gorge with high rocks on each side.
After that it widens out into the beautiful lake of Gennesaret, or Sea
of Galilee. In the time of Jesus there were many towns about this lake
and many boats sailing over it.
After leaving this lake, the river flows through a valley, winding
from one side of it to the other. The valley grows deeper and deeper,
until at last to get into it one must go down, down long, steep hills
by winding roads, down narrow valleys where the rocks are piled high
above one. At last the river flows through a wide, sandy plain into
the Dead Sea.
The Jordan is the largest river of the Bible {225} land. The Hebrews
used to tell their little children that in the ancient time, when they
first came into the land, the Jordan stopped flowing so that their
fathers, with all their little children, and cattle and sheep, crossed
it on dry ground. Later King David crossed it, once when he found that
all his country had gone over to his enemies. A few weeks later he
came back, and many people went down to the river to welcome him. The
great general who had leprosy was sent to wash in the river, and he
was healed.
Jesus was baptized in the river. He often crossed it, and he lived and
taught on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, through which it flows.
{226}
THE DEAD SEA
The strangest lake in the world is the lake that is called the Dead
Sea. It is east of Canaan. The Jordan runs into it, but no river runs
out of it. It lies deep down between mountains. On one side the hills
rise so steep that one cannot climb them. On the other, there is only
here and there a place where a man on horseback can scramble down the
rocks into the valley.
Why is it called the Dead Sea? Because the water is so salt that no
fish live in it. It looks very clear and beautiful as it lies in the
sunshine, but no one can drink it, it is so salt. Sometimes people
bathe in it. It is so heavy that no one can sink. No towns were ever
on its shore. Not a single person lives near it. Few people have ever
sailed on its waters. The valley in which it lies is so deep that it
is much lower than the ocean. All these things make it the strangest
lake in the world.
{227}{228}
[Illustration]
ON THE SHORES OF THE DEAD SEA
From a photograph in the possession of Rev. Louis F. Giroux of the
American International College, Springfield, Mass., and used by his
kind permission.
"The water is very nauseous to the taste and oily to the touch,
leaving on the skin when it dries a thick crust of salt. But it is
very brilliant. Seen from far away no lake on earth looks more blue
and beautiful. Swim out upon it, and at a depth of twenty feet you
can count the pebbles through the transparent water. It is difficult
to sink the limbs deep enough to swim; if you throw a stick on the
surface it seems to rest as on a mirror, so little of it actually
penetrates the water. No fish or any living thing can exist in its
waters."--_Smith_
[End illustration]
{229}
BETH-LEHEM
Moab
A country east of Palestine.
Glean
To follow after the reapers and pick up what they have left behind.
The "little town of Beth-lehem," as it lies among the hills of Judaea,
is one of the most famous places in all the world. But it is not
famous because of its wealth or its size, it is famous because of the
people who lived there. Beth-lehem means in the Hebrew language,
"House of Bread," and it was in the fields of Boaz about Beth-lehem
that the beautiful Ruth of Moab gleaned.
Then it was David's home. In the pastures beyond the town he used to
feed his father's flocks. Sometimes it has been called "the city of
David."
But what makes it more famous than all else is the fact that in
"Beth-lehem's manger" the little child Jesus was born, and over the
old town hung in the night the star of Beth-lehem. It was here that
the shepherds {230} who were keeping their flocks outside the town
came to see the newborn child, and it was here that the Wise Men came
to worship him and bring him gifts. It is true that Jesus did not stay
here long. The wicked King Herod wished to kill him, and Mary and
Joseph took him to Egypt. When they came back they lived in the town
of Nazareth. But all the world loves the little town of Beth-lehem
because it was Jesus' birthplace.
{231}
HYMNS FOR THE DAY
{232}
{233}
LORD OF ALL BEING
Lord of all being; throned afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Center and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!
Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray
Sheds on our path the glow of day;
Star of our hope, Thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.
Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch Thy mercy's sign;
All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine.
Lord of all life, below, above,
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before Thy ever-blazing throne
We ask no luster of our own.
Grant us Thy truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burn for Thee,
Till all Thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame.
--_Oliver Wendell Holmes_.
By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
{234}
ON OUR WAY REJOICING
On our way rejoicing,
As we homeward move,
Hearken to our praises,
O Thou God of love.
Is there grief or sadness?
Thine it cannot be.
Is our sky beclouded?
Clouds are not from Thee.
If with honest-hearted
Love for God and man,
Day by day Thou find us
Doing what we can,
Thou who giv'st the seedtime
Wilt give large increase,
Crown the head with blessings,
Fill the heart with peace.
On our way rejoicing
Gladly let us go;
Conquered hath our Leader;
Vanquished is our foe.
Christ without, our safety;
Christ within, our joy;
Who, if we be faithful,
Can our hope destroy?
--_John Samuel Bewley Monsell_.
{235}{236}
[Illustration]
JESUS BLESSING THE LITTLE CHILDREN
By Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )
GOING TO JESUS
"The Master has come over Jordan."
Said Hannah the mother one day;
He is healing the people who throng Him
With a touch of His finger, they say.
"And now I shall carry the children,
Little Rachel and Samuel and John;
I shall carry the baby Esther
For the Lord to look upon."
The father looked at her kindly,
But he shook his head and smiled.
"Now who but a doting mother
Would think of a thing so wild?
"If the children were tortured by demons,
Or dying of fever, 't were well;
Or had they the taint of the leper,
Like many in Israel."
"Nay, do not hinder me. Nathan,
I feel such a burden of care;
If I carry it to the Master,
Perhaps I shall leave it there.
"If He lay His hands on the children,
My heart will be lighter, I know;
For a blessing for ever and ever
Will follow them as they go."
So over the hills of Judah,
Along the vine-rows green.
With Esther asleep on her bosom,
And Rachel her brothers between,
'Mong the people who hung on His teaching,
Or waited His touch or His word,
Through the row of proud Pharisees listening
She passed to the feet of her Lord.
"Now why shouldst thou hinder the Master,"
Said Peter, "with children like these?
Seest not how from morning to evening
He teacheth, and healeth disease?"
Then Christ said, "Forbid not the children;
Permit them to come unto Me:"
And He took in His arms little Esther,
And Rachel He set on His knee.
And the heavy heart of the mother
Was lifted all earth-care above,
As He laid His hands on the brothers,
And blest them with tenderest love;
As He said of the babes in His bosom,
"Of such is the kingdom of heaven:"
And strength for all duty and trial
That hour to her spirit was given.
--_Julia Gill_
[End illustration]
{237}
OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
I think, when I read that sweet story of old,
When Jesus was here among men,
How He called little children as lambs to His fold,
I should like to have been with them then.
I wish that His hands had been placed on my head,
That His arm had been thrown around me,
And that I might have seen His kind look when He said,
"Let the little ones come unto Me."
Yet still to His footstool in prayer I may go,
And ask for a share in His love;
And if I thus earnestly seek Him below,
I shall see Him and hear Him above,
In that beautiful place He has gone to prepare
For all who are washed and forgiven;
And many dear children shall be with Him there,
For "of such is the kingdom of heaven."
But thousands and thousands who wander and fall
Never heard of that heavenly home;
I wish they could know there is room for them all,
And that Jesus has bid them to come.
I long for the joy of that glorious time,
The sweetest, the brightest, the best,
When the dear children of every clime
Shall crowd to His arms and be blest.
--_Jemima Thompson Luke_.
{238}
SUN OF MY SOUL
Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear,
It is not night if Thou be near;
Oh, may no earth-born cloud arise
To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes!
When soft the dews of kindly sleep
My weary eyelids gently steep,
Be my last thought--how sweet to rest
Forever on my Saviour's breast.
Abide with me from morn till eve,
For without Thee I cannot live;
Abide with me when night is nigh,
For without Thee I dare not die.
Be near to bless me when I wake,
Ere through the world my way I take;
Abide with me till in Thy love
I lose myself in heaven above.
--_John Keble_.
{239}
DAY BY DAY
Every day has its dawn,
Its soft and silent eve,
Its noontide hours of bliss or bale,--
Why should we grieve?
Why do we heap huge mounds of years
Before us and behind,
And scorn the little days that pass
Like angels on the wind?
Each turning round a small, sweet face,
As beautiful as near;
Because it has so small a face
We will not see it clear:
We will not clasp it as it flies,
And kiss its lips and brow:
We will not bathe our wearied souls
In its delicious Now.
And so it turns from us, and goes
A way in sad disdain:
Though we would give our lives for it,
It never comes again.
{240}
WHAT CAN LITTLE HANDS DO?
Oh, what can little hands do
To please the King of heaven?
The little hands some work may try
To help the poor in misery:
Such grace to mine be given.
Oh, what can little lips do,
To please the King of heaven?
The little lips can praise and pray,
And gentle words of kindness say:
Such grace to mine be given.
Oh, what can little eyes do,
To please the King of heaven?
The little eyes can upward look,
And learn to read God's holy Book:
Such grace to mine be given.
Oh, what can little hearts do,
To please the King of heaven?
Our hearts, if God His Spirit send,
Can love and trust their Saviour-Friend:
Such grace to mine be given.
When hearts, and hands, and lips unite
To please the King of heaven,
And serve the Saviour with delight,
They are most precious in His sight:
Such grace to mine be given.
--_Fabin_.
{241}
HOW GENTLE GOD'S COMMANDS
How gentle God's commands,
How kind His precepts are!
Come cast your burdens on the Lord,
And trust His constant care.
While Providence supports,
Let saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears all nature up
Shall guide His children well.
Why should this anxious load
Press down your weary mind?
Haste to your heavenly Father's throne,
And sweet refreshment find.
His goodness stands approved,
Down to the present day;
I'll drop my burden at His feet,
And bear a song away.
--_Philip Doddridge_.
{242}
ABOVE THE CLEAR BLUE SKY
Above the clear blue sky,
In heaven's bright abode,
The angel host on high
Sing praises to their God:
Alleluia!
They love to sing
To God their King
Alleluia!
But God from children's tongues
On earth receiveth praise;
We then our cheerful songs
In sweet accord will raise:
Alleluia!
We, too, will sing
To God our King
Alleluia!
O blessed Lord, Thy truth
To all Thy flock impart,
And teach us in our youth
To know Thee as Thou art.
Alleluia!
Then shall we sing
To God our King
Alleluia!
--_John Chandler_.
{243}
BEDTIME STORIES
{244}
{245}
THE STORY OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS
Once there were two little children who lived in a large, red brick
house, on a quiet street in the city. The names of these little
children were Margaret and Harold. Margaret was five years old, and
Harold was eight. Margaret and Harold used to have the best of times
together. They played with their dog Sport and their cat Spot. They
built houses of blocks. They colored pictures with their crayons. In
winter, Harold drew Margaret on his sled, and in summer they played in
the garden. But, better than all else, they loved to hear their mamma
tell stories. Every night, before they went to bed, she told them a
story.
"What shall it be to-night?" said mamma, as they sat before the fire
after a cold winter's day.
"A Bible story," said Margaret.
"Very well," replied mamma. "It shall be a Bible story to-night, and
since it is almost Christmas-time, I will tell you about the dear
little Christ-child who was born in Bethlehem, and the first
Christmas."
So Margaret cuddled up in her mamma's lap, and Harold sat at her feet,
and she began.
THE STORY OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.
"Once upon a time, there was a little town called Bethlehem of Judea,
and late one afternoon in winter, a man named Joseph, and his wife
named Mary, came to this {246} town. They were very glad to reach the
village, for they were cold and hungry. But they were disappointed. No
one would take them in. There is an old song which tells about it:--
"'O, dark was the night,
And cold blew the wind,
But Joseph and Mary
No shelter could find.
"'In all the fair city
Of Bethlehem,
In cottage or inn,
Was no room for them.'"
"Wouldn't anyone let them in?" said Margaret.
"No," said mamma. "They went to the inn, or hotel, of Bethlehem, and
the keeper of the inn said, 'No room for you here, go away.' They went
to each one of the houses, and the people who lived in them said
crossly, 'No room for you here, go away.'"
"I would have let them in if I had been there," said Harold,
earnestly.
"I would, too," said Margaret. "Were they very cold, dear mamma?"
"Yes, my dears," said mamma, smiling, "I know that you would have been
kind to them. But you see this was before Jesus had taught people to
be good and kind to others. Well, they were very cold and very sad,
but at last the keeper of the inn let them go into his stable, and
there were oxen there, and hay, and stalls for the cattle, and
mangers."
{247}{248}
[Illustration]
BETHLEHEM AT SUNSET
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Frank L. Goodspeed, and used by her
kind permission.
This beautiful picture of Bethlehem was taken just at sunset, with a
cloud effect unusual in Eastern skies. "So must the little town have
looked when Joseph and Mary, weary from their long journey,
approached it. The short winter's day was probably closing in as the
two travelers from Nazareth neared their journey's end. The way had
been long and weary. A sense of rest and peace must almost
unconsciously have crept over the travelers when at last they
reached the rich fields that surrounded the ancient 'House of
Bread,' and, passing through the valley, which, like an
amphitheater, sweeps up to the twain heights along which Bethlehem
stretches, ascended through the terraced vineyards and
gardens."--_Edersheim_
[End illustration]
{249}
"Like grandpapa's barn?" asked Harold.
"Yes," answered mamma, "only not so nice and comfortable, for this
stable was a cave, cut out of the rock. That night, in the stable, the
little baby Jesus was born, and his dear mother Mary wrapped him all
warmly up, and laid him in one of the cattle mangers for a cradle."
"Was he a little tiny, tiny baby, like Grace's little brother?" asked
Margaret.
"Yes, my dear," said mamma, "and the sweetest little tiny baby you
ever saw.
"And in the fields near by there were shepherds keeping watch over
their flocks by night, and while they watched they saw suddenly a
great light, and an angel stood before them and said, 'Be not afraid,
for I bring you good tidings of great joy for all the people. For
there is born in Bethlehem a little child Jesus, who is to be the
Saviour of the world.' And when the angel had finished speaking, they
heard voices, singing like a great chorus in the sky, and this was the
song they sang,--
"'Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.'
"Then the shepherds went to Bethlehem, and found the little child
Jesus lying in the manger, and loved him, and told everyone what they
had seen and heard.
"And later, wise men from the East came on their three white camels,
guided by the star of Bethlehem, which shone in the sky. And as they
came near to Bethlehem, they {250} said to everyone, 'Where is he
which is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the East,
and have come to worship him.'
"And the star led them at last to the stable where Jesus was, and they
brought beautiful gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh, and they
worshiped him."
"And that is how Christmas came!" said Margaret.
"I am very glad that the little child Jesus was born."
"You must love him very much," said mamma, "for he was born, and grew
up, and died at last, for our sakes. And now I want to read you a
sweet little poem, which a very good man, named Phillips Brooks, once
wrote about Bethlehem. I want you both to learn it to say to papa. Now
listen while I read."
"O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep.
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.
"O holy child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us we pray,
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
Oh, come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Immanuel."
[Footnote: By courtesy of E. P. Dutton & Co.]
{251}
THE STORY OF PALM SUNDAY
One Sunday Harold noticed that all the people who came from one of the
churches wore a little piece of palm, or evergreen.
"What does that mean?" said Harold.
"Oh, this is Palm Sunday," said mamma. "This was one of the glad days
in Jesus' life. To-night I will tell you all about it."
When it grew dark mamma called Margaret and Harold, and began
THE STORY OF PALM SUNDAY.
"You know that Jesus was poor and homeless, yet he was very rich in
the love of his friends. He was never honored but once as his friends
liked. That was on Palm Sunday, and the children helped to do it.
"It happened at the great city of Jerusalem. Jesus did not go to the
city very often. He liked to live in the villages and in the country
better. At this time there was a great feast in the city, and Jesus
was going to the feast with his friends."
"What sort of a feast was it, mamma?" asked Harold.
"It was not exactly what we call a feast," mamma replied. "It was more
like a great celebration. It recalled a great event in the nation's
history, the escape of the Jews from captivity. It was called the
'Feast of the Passover.' {252} The Jewish people from all over the
world came to Jerusalem to celebrate it."
"Why, it must have been the Fourth of July of the Jews," said Harold.
"Something like that," replied mamma, smiling. "Only the little Jewish
boys did not make as much noise as my small son makes on his country's
birthday.
"Well, the friends of Jesus who came with him to this feast wanted to
show how much they loved him. They often wanted to treat him as though
he were a king. Once they did treat him in this way, and Jesus did not
forbid it. It does people good to show their friends how much they
love them.
"Jesus stayed at night with his friends, in a village not far from the
city, and every morning he came into the city. One morning he came
over the hill, on the road which leads into the city, riding on an
ass. It was a beautiful morning, and all his friends who were with him
were filled with gladness. They shouted and sang as they marched
along. They shouted 'Hosanna!' just as you shout 'Hurrah!' when you
are marching in your processions. 'This man is going to be our king!'
they called. 'Praise God for our king!' People from the city saw them
coming and went out to meet them, so that there was a great multitude.
They broke off branches of the palm trees along the way, and waved
them in the air, just as the soldiers wave the royal banners of the
king. Some of the people took off their cloaks and laid them on the
ground for him to ride over, just as if he were a great king. They
placed their palm branches on the ground, too, so that they seemed
like a beautiful green carpet."
{253}{254}
[Illustration]
JESUS ENTERING JERUSALEM IN TRIUMPH
By Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )
"And as he went, they spread their garments in the way. And as he
was now drawing nigh, even at the descent of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise
God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen;
saying, Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord:
peace in heaven, and glory in the highest."--_Luke 19:36-38_
[End illustration]
{255}
"Oh," said Margaret, "how pleased Jesus must have been!"
"Yes," said mamma, "Jesus was pleased to know that the people loved
him. And he was a king, you know, though he never sat upon a throne.
The Bible sometimes calls him, 'King of kings, and Lord of lords.'
"When they reached the city, there were many little children in the
streets and about the temple. Now the children always loved Jesus, and
when they saw him coming in this procession they all ran to meet him.
They all joined in the procession, and sang songs, and shouted
'Hosanna!' and waved their hands for the children's king. Some of
those people who did not like Jesus tried to stop the children. But
Jesus would not tell them to stop."
"If I had been there, I would have shouted for Jesus," said Harold.
"That is my brave boy," said mamma. "But you must remember that there
is just as much chance to let people know that you stand up for Jesus
now, as then. You must never be afraid to let it be known that you are
Jesus' friend.
"Now we will sing that hymn that you like so much. It is a good hymn
for Palm Sunday."
So they sang,--
"Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before. {256}
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See, His banners go.
"Like a mighty army
Moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided,
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.
"Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus
Constant will remain;
Gates of hell can never
'Gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ's own promise,
And that cannot fail.
"Onward, then, ye people,
Join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song;
Glory, laud, and honor
Unto Christ the King;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing."
{257}
HOW JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE WORLD
One afternoon in the springtime, just before Easter, Margaret was
playing with her dolls. Her mamma came into the room and said:--
"I want my little girl to be good while I am gone; I am going to
church."
"Why, mamma," said Margaret, "this is not Sunday, this is Friday."
"Yes," said mamma, "and this evening I will tell you and Harold why I
am going to church on Friday."
At bedtime, mamma said, "Now I will tell you
HOW JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE WORLD.
"It is a very sad and yet a very sweet story. It is very sad to think
that Jesus had enemies who hated him so much that they could kill him,
and yet we love the story because it tells us how much Jesus loved us.
"If we love anyone very much, we are willing to give up things for
him."
"Yes," said Margaret, "Harold loves me, and he gave up his party when
I was sick, and noise troubled me."
"That was a very kind and unselfish thing for Harold to do," said
mamma, "but Jesus gave up very much more than that for our sakes.
"You would have to love anyone very much indeed to give up your home
for him. You would have to love {258} anyone better than you love
yourself to give up your life for him."
"Do you mean like Frank's papa," said Harold, "when he ran into the
fire when his house burned, to get Frank, and almost died?"
"Yes," said mamma, "Frank's papa loved his little boy better than he
loved his own life, and he was ready to give his own life that his
little boy might be saved."
"But why is the story sad, then?" said Margaret.
"It is sad," replied mamma, "because his death was such a cruel one,
and because he suffered so much.
"One night Jesus gathered his dearest friends about him, and they had
supper together, and he told them how much he loved them, and that
they must never forget him.
"After the supper was over he went out into the night, to a place
called the Garden of Gethsemane. Then his enemies came with torches,
and found him there, and seized hold upon him, and bound him with
ropes, and led him away.
"After they had treated him with great cruelty, they took him to a
hill called Calvary outside the city, and there, before a great
multitude of people, they nailed his hands and his feet to a cross of
wood, and after he had suffered very much, he died there upon the
cross. Then it grew dark upon the hill, and an earthquake shook the
ground, and the people ran away in terror, because they began to see
what a wicked thing they had done."
"Oh, what wicked people," said Margaret, "to kill dear Jesus!"
{259}{260}
[Illustration]
JESUS IN THE HOME OF MARY AND MARTHA
By Siemiradski (1843- )
"And fast beside the olive-bordered way
Stands the blessed home where Jesus deigned to stay;
The peaceful home, to zeal sincere
And heavenly contemplation dear,
Where Martha loved to wait with reverence meet,
And wiser Mary lingered at Thy sacred feet."
--_John Keble_
[End illustration]
{261}
"Jesus loved even them," said mamma, softly. "He was so good that he
loved them, even while they were killing him, and asked his Father in
heaven to forgive them, too.
"You must remember that when we do what is wrong, we hurt our Father
in heaven very much, but Jesus has taught us that he loves us still,
and is ready to forgive us when we ask him.
"So this is the reason why we love Jesus so much. 'We love him because
he first loved us.' This is the reason why mamma went to church
to-day, to thank God for sending to the world such a loving Jesus, and
to remember the day on which he died for us, and for all the world.
"Now mamma will sing you a beautiful hymn about the cross. The cross
was dreadful then, but we love it now because it makes us remember the
love of Jesus."
"In the cross of Christ I glory;
Towering o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
"When the woes of life o'ertake me,
Hopes deceive and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me;
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.
"When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds new luster to the day.
{262}
"Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
"In the cross of Christ I glory;
Towering o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime."
{263}{263}
[Illustration]
THE FIRST EASTER DAWN
By J. K. Thompson
"The day of resurrection,
Earth, tell it out abroad:
The Passover of gladness,
The Passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
From earth unto the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over
With hymns of victory."
--_John of Damascus_
[End illustration]
{265}
THE STORY OF THE FIRST EASTER DAY
It was Easter Day. Both Margaret and Harold went to church. It was a
beautiful day, warm and pleasant. The grass was green, and the tulips
and the crocuses were blossoming in the gardens. Everybody was glad
that the snow and the cold of winter had gone. When they were on their
way to church, they saw a robin on a branch of a tree. The children
laughed with pleasure to see Mr. Robin Redbreast back again. At church
there were beautiful flowers, and the choir sang Easter songs and
hymns. One of the hymns Harold liked very much indeed. He said it made
him feel that the world was so glad that it couldn't help singing its
gladness right out. This hymn began--
"Christ the Lord is risen to-day
Sons of men and angels say,
Raise your joys and triumphs high,
Sing, ye heavens, and, earth, reply."
In the evening they sat with their mamma, watching the beautiful
sunset.
"Mamma," said Harold, "I don't think that I just understand about that
long word the minister used so much this morning--resurrection; won't
you explain it, please?"
{266}
"Well," said mamma, "it is not very easy for little folks to
understand, but I will try. I will tell you the
STORY OF THE FIRST EASTER DAY.
"You know that the enemies of Jesus crucified him as I told you, and
he died upon the cross."
"Yes," said Margaret, soberly, "I know about that. My little kittie
died. She went to sleep, and couldn't wake up any more. Poor little
kittie!"
"Yes," said mamma, "and you know that dear Grand-mamma White went to
sleep and didn't wake up, and God took her dear, beautiful soul to be
with him.
"After Jesus had suffered on the cross, he went to sleep, that sound,
sound sleep that we call death. Then they took him from the cross, and
placed his body in a tomb dug out of the rock, and rolled a great
stone before the door. His disciples and all his friends were very,
very sad, because they thought they would never see him again."
"But they did, mamma," said Harold.
"Oh, yes," said Margaret, "he wasn't truly dead."
"Ah, yes, my dears," said mamma, "he was truly dead, but after he had
lain there quietly for three days, a wonderful thing happened. He came
to life again. He came out from the tomb. He went to see his friends
and his disciples. He made them very happy. He told them that soon he
must go back to his Father in heaven, and that they must go everywhere
in all the world, telling people about him.
"Now I will read you the beautiful story of the first Easter Day, as
it is told in the Bible:--
{267}
"'Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while
it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from
the tomb. She runneth, therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to
the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, "They have
taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have
laid him."
"'Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went
toward the tomb. And they both ran together: and the other disciple
outran Peter, and came first to the tomb; and stooping and looking in
he seeth the linen cloths lying, yet entered he not in. Simon Peter
therefore cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he
beholdeth the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, that was upon his
head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by
itself. Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, which came
first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not
the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. So the disciples
went away again unto their own home.
"'But Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept,
she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beholdeth two angels in
white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of
Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou?"
"'She said unto them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I
know not where they have laid him."
"'When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and beholdeth Jesus
standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
{268}
"'Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?"
"'She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, "Sir, if thou
hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will
take him away."
"'Jesus saith unto her, "Mary!"
"'She turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" which
is to say, "Master."
"'Jesus saith to her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto my
Father and your Father, and my God and your God."
"'Mary Magdalene cometh and telleth the disciples, "I have seen the
Lord"; and how that he had said these things unto her.'"
"That is a very beautiful story, is it not?" said mamma, when she had
finished reading. "And how glad Mary and all the friends of Jesus must
have been to see him again! Now the sunset has faded, and I will sing
you an Easter hymn."
[Footnote: Tune, "The Son of God goes forth to war."]
"The terror of the night has fled,
Its shadows fade away;
The tomb wherein our Lord lay dead
Is open to the day.
"That Easter morn when He came forth,
Who gave Him greeting there?
The flowers, the birds, the radiant earth,
And all the garden fair.
{269}
"Once more the glorious day is here,
The day that saw Him rise,
When Love was victor over fear,
And glory filled the skies.
"Who comes to greet our risen King?
Not birds and flowers alone,
Our loyal hearts to Him we bring,
And worship at His throne."
{270}
THE STORY OF THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
Harold and Margaret had been hoping for a snowy Thanksgiving, and they
were very happy when, two days before Thanksgiving, the snow began to
fall in great flakes. The sun shone again on Thanksgiving morning, and
at nine o'clock the sleigh with the two dapple gray horses was ready
to take all the family to Grandpa Emerson's over the river and away
four miles across the snowy fields in the country. How they enjoyed
the ride in the fresh cold air! What a merry tune was sung by the
jingling of the sleighbells! And how happy they were after they
reached the big old farmhouse! First, of course, they were kissed and
hugged by Grandpa Emerson and Grandma Emerson. Then they went out to
the barn to see the horses and cows. Then they went sliding down the
hill behind the barn. Then they made a beautiful snow man, and by that
time they were ready for Grandma Emerson's Thanksgiving dinner. They
were to stay at the farm for a few days, and toward evening as they
sat before the roaring fire in the big fireplace they asked mamma for
a story. "I will tell you," she said,
THE STORY OF THE FIRST THANKSGIVING.
"The first settlers of New England were the Pilgrims who came across
the sea from England in the ship Mayfower."
{271}
"Oh, yes," said Harold, "I remember when we went to Plymouth and saw
the Plymouth Rock and the old houses and the monument on the hill."
"Yes," said mamma, "that is where they landed and built their log
houses. I will recite a poem which I learned when I was a girl and
went to school like Margaret."
"The breaking waves dashed high
On a stern and rockbound coast,
And the woods against a stormy sky
Their giant branches tossed;
"And the heavy night hung dark
The hills and waters o'er,
When a band of exiles moored their bark
On the wild New England shore.
"Not as the conqueror comes,
They, the true-hearted, came,
Not with the roll of the stirring drums,
And the trumpet that sings of fame;
"Not as the flying come,
In silence and in fear,--
They shook the depths of the desert gloom
With their hymns of lofty cheer.
"Amidst the storm they sang,
And the stars heard and the sea!
And the sounding aisles of the dim wood rang
To the anthem of the free!
{272}
"The ocean eagle soared
From his nest by the white wave's foam,
And the rocking pines of the forest roared--
This was their welcome home!
"There were men with hoary hair
Amidst that pilgrim band--
Why had they come to wither there
Away from their childhood's land?
"There was woman's fearless eye,
Lit by her deep love's truth;
There was manhood's brow, serenely high,
And the fiery heart of youth.
"What sought they thus afar?
Bright jewels of the mine?
The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?--
They sought a faith's pure shrine.
"Ay, call it holy ground,
The soil where first they trod!
They have left unstain'd what there they found--
Freedom to worship God!"
"Did they have a very hard time at Plymouth?" said Margaret.
"Yes, my dear," replied mamma, "a very hard time. There were little
children, and they often had to go cold and hungry. After the
Mayflower brought them to Plymouth, it had to sail away again to
England and leave them in the wilderness alone."
"There were Indians, too," said Harold.
{273}{274}
[Illustration]
THRESHING
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by
her kind permission.
In the East the grain is threshed by the trampling of beasts, or
sometimes, as in this picture, by a rude kind of threshing wheel.
The wheels are carried in the framework on which the man is sitting.
Sometimes a sledge with iron or stone teeth driven into the bottom
is used.
[End illustration]
{275}
"Yes," said mamma, "but they had the brave Miles Standish to protect
them. At one time, so the story goes, they were almost starving. The
winter was coming on, and they did not know what to do. So they set
apart a certain day to fast and ask God's help in their distress. I am
not sure that it is true, but we will suppose that a little girl and
boy like you had climbed the hill to gather a few sticks of wood for
the fire. We will suppose that the little girl was looking out to sea,
and suddenly she cried, 'Oh, John, what can that be, is it a sail?'
"And we will suppose that John said, 'Oh, no, Priscilla, that is
nothing but a seagull; there is no ship coming.'
"But Priscilla insisted.
"'It is, John, it is a sail.' And John looked again and cried, 'Yes!
yes! it is, it is a sail!'
"Then how they ran to the village shouting, 'A sail! a sail!' and how
the people came crowding out of the little church where they had
gathered to pray, and how happy they all were!
"I do not know whether the children caught sight of the sail first,
but it is true that on the day appointed for fast and prayer, a ship
came from England, and the fast day was turned into a day of feasting
and thanksgiving to God for his mercies. And ever after in New
England, and now all over this country, the people keep this day; a
day for feasting and joy, but a day also of humble thankfulness to God
for all his goodness to his children.
"Now, we will draw the curtains and sing a Thanksgiving hymn."
{276}
"O God, beneath Thy guiding hand
Our exiled fathers crossed the sea,
And when they trod the wintry strand
With prayer and psalm they worshiped Thee.
"Thou heard'st well pleased the song, the prayer:
Thy blessing came; and still its power
Shall onward through all ages bear
The memory of that holy hour.
"Laws, freedom, truth, and faith in God,
Came with those exiles o'er the waves.
And where their pilgrim feet have trod,
The God they trusted guards their graves.
"And here Thy name, O God of love,
Their children's children shall adore
Till these eternal hills remove,
And spring adorns the earth no more."
{277}{278}
[Illustration]
SHEEP
By Jacque
"Little lambs, so white and fair,
Are the shepherd's constant care;
Now he leads their tender feet
Into pastures green and sweet.
"Now they listen and obey,
Following where he leads the way;
Heavenly Father, may we be
Thus obedient unto Thee."
--_Selected_
[End illustration]
{279}
WHO WAS THE NEIGHBOR?
"What is that long word?" asked Harold.
"That is 'neighbor,'" said mamma. "Can you tell me what it means?"
"Oh, yes," said Harold. "It means the people who live close by. Ralph
and Elizabeth are our neighbors, because they live in the house next
door."
"Yes," said mamma, "and in the old times when people did not travel as
much as they do now, they did not know much about any except their
neighbors. The Old Testament says that you should love your neighbor.
That meant the people you meet day by day. The people of Jesus' time
said that you should love your neighbor, but you might hate your
enemy. Jesus said that was not right. Do you remember what he said
about that, Harold?"
"I know," said Margaret, "we had it in our Sunday School class last
Sunday. 'Love your enemies.'"
"Yes," said mamma, "and he once told a story about neighbors. It is
called the story of
THE GOOD SAMARITAN.
"'And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying,
Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
"'He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou?
{280}
"'And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all
thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
"'And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou
shalt live.
"'But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my
neighbor?
"'And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his raiment, and
wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
"'And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he
saw him, he passed by on the other side.
"'And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on
him, and passed by on the other side.
"'But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and
when he saw him, he had compassion on him.
"'And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine,
and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care
of him.
"'And on the morrow when he departed, he took, out two pence, and gave
them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever
thou spendest more, when I come again I will repay thee.
"'Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that
fell among thieves?
"'And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him,
Go, and do thou likewise.'
"What do you think that story means?" asked mamma.
{281}
"I think," said Harold, "that it means that to be neighbor to anybody
is to help him."
Margaret thought a minute. "It seems to me," she said, "that neighbors
can live a long way off, then. Our teacher said she would tell us next
Sunday how we could help poor little children in a big city five
hundred miles away. That will make us neighbors to them, won't it,
mamma?"
"Why, yes," said mamma. "So it will." Then she smiled a little and
said, "I think we have some neighbors living in China and some others
living in India."
What do you suppose mamma meant?
{282}
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Harold and Margaret were looking at a picture of an Eastern shepherd
with his flocks.
"Mamma," said Harold, "is this our country? This man is not dressed as
men are here."
"No," said mamma, "it is a picture of a shepherd and his sheep in the
country of the Bible."
"What makes the shepherd go before the sheep, mamma?" asked Harold.
"In that country," said mamma, "the sheep are not driven, but led."
"Were sheep more plenty in the Bible land than in ours? I have never
seen many sheep," said Harold.
"Yes," answered mamma, "most of the children in the Bible land knew all
about sheep. Many of the hillsides had little white flocks of sheep on
them. They were not kept in fields with fences. They wandered about over
the open pasture lands; and so a man or a boy must be with them to watch
over them. He was called the shepherd. He took them to the best
pastures. At some seasons of the year he had to lead them a long way to
find water. He kept the bears and the wolves and the lions away. He kept
away the thieves who might come to steal the sheep. At night he drove
the sheep to a fold, or shed, or sometimes he slept with them all night
in the open air, beneath the stars.
{283}{284}
[Illustration]
AN EASTERN SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP
From a photograph taken by W. J. Aitchison, Esq., of Hamilton,
Canada, and used by his kind permission.
These sheep are feeding just outside Jerusalem. "All the plateaus
east of the Jordan, and the mountains of Palestine and Syria, are
pasture grounds for innumerable flocks and herds. In the spring
there is plenty of grass. Later, when the rain has ceased, the sheep
still nibble the dry herbage and stubble and flourish where, to a
western eye, all is barren desert. They require water but once a
day. The descendants of the same shepherds who tended the flocks in
Bible days still occupy the great sheep walks of Palestine"
[End illustration]
{285}
The shepherd named the sheep, and the sheep all knew him and loved
him. They would follow him, but they would not follow a stranger.
Because the people of the Bible land knew so much about the sheep and
the shepherds, the writers of the Bible said a good deal about them.
Now get the Bible and I will read you some of the things which it says
about sheep."
Margaret brought the Bible, and mamma read first what Jesus said about
himself as the good shepherd:--
"'Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door
into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same
is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear
his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the
sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger will they
not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of
strangers.'
"'Jesus said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the
door of the sheep. All that came before me are thieves and robbers:
but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter
in, he shall go in and out, and shall find pasture. The thief cometh
not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they
may have life, and may have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the
good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. He that is a
hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth
the wolf coming, {286} and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf
snatcheth them, and scattereth them: he fleeth because he is a
hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I
know mine own, and mine own know me, even as the Father knoweth me,
and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.'"
"This means, my dears," said mamma, "that Jesus cares for you and for
all his children, just as a good and faithful shepherd cares for his
sheep. The good shepherd brings his sheep safely home at night, and
the porter, or keeper of the fold, opens the door and lets them in.
The sheep hear his voice, and he calls each one by name and they
follow him, but they will not follow a stranger."
"What does 'hireling' mean?" said Margaret.
"It means, dear," replied mamma, "one who is hired to care for the
sheep, but who does not know them or love them as the good shepherd
does."
"I know," said Harold; "it means that Jesus can take care of us better
than anyone else."
"Yes," said mamma, "that is just what it means. And here is another
story from the Bible, which Jesus told to show how very tenderly he
loves and cares for his little ones":--
"'Jesus said, See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I
say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of
my Father which is in heaven. How think ye? If any man have a hundred
sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety
and nine, and go unto the mountains and seek that which goeth astray?
{287}{288}
[Illustration]
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
By W. C. T. Dobson
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for
the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them: he fleeth
because he is a hireling, and careth not for his sheep. I am the
good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me, even as
the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life
for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and they shall
become one flock, one shepherd."--_The Words of Jesus_
[End illustration]
{289}
And if so be that he find it, verily, I say unto you, he rejoiceth
over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray.
Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one
of these little ones shall perish.'"
"In the book of the Bible called the Psalms," continued mamma, "the
twenty-third is often called the Shepherd Psalm."
"Oh, we know that psalm," said Margaret.
"Suppose," said mamma, "that one of the sheep in our picture could talk
and think like you. Would he not wish to say something about his
shepherd, very much like this psalm? The sheep would tell you how the
shepherd led him to the green pastures, and let him rest by the brooks
that flow gently through the meadows, and kept him safe in the valleys
where no wild beasts were hiding to kill him, and put out his long staff
to guide him and to help him up the steep paths of the hills. Now let us
say the psalm together."
"'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for thou art with me:
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: {290}
Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the House of the Lord for ever.'"
"Mamma," said Harold, "sheep don't eat at tables, or have cups."
"No," said mamma, smiling, "that shows us that, after all, this psalm
is about a man, and not about a sheep. It means that when troubles and
dangers are all about us God still gives all that we need. Sometime
that will mean a great deal more to you than it does now."
"I don't understand," said Margaret, "about anointing the head with
oil, and dwelling in the house of the Lord."
"In the Bible land," said mamma, "when a man wished to honor a guest
whom he had invited to a feast, he poured out a little sweet-smelling
oil upon his head. The psalm means that God makes his people, even
when they are in the midst of danger, feel as happy as though they
were honored guests at a feast. To dwell in the house of the Lord
forever means that we are to feel always perfectly secure, as though
we were living in God's own house, where nothing could ever harm us."
Harold thought a moment, and then he said, "I think that I know what
all the stories about sheep in the Bible mean. They mean that people
are like sheep, and they can't take care of themselves, but that God
loves them very much, and that he will always take care of them."
"Yes, that is just it," said mamma, "and now! as it is {291} growing
dark, let us sing that song which is the twenty-third psalm put into
different words."
"The Lord is my shepherd; no want shall I know;
I feed in green pastures, safe-folded I rest;
He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow,
Restores me when wandering, redeems when oppressed.
"Through the valley and shadow of death though I stray,
Since Thou art my guardian, no evil I fear;
Thy rod shall defend me, Thy staff be my stay;
No harm can befall, with my Comforter near.
"In the midst of affliction my table is spread;
With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o'er;
With perfume and oil Thou anointest my head;
O what shall I ask of Thy providence more?
"Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God,
Still follow my steps till I meet Thee above;
I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod
Through the land of their sojourn, Thy kingdom of love."
{292}
LITTLE BROTHERS OF THE AIR AND FIELDS
Margaret and Harold had learned to be kind to animals. They belonged
to a "Band of Mercy," a company of boys and girls who were pledged
never to be unkind to any dumb creature, and to rescue any poor beast
who might be in distress or suffering cruel treatment. They had many
chances to help poor dogs and cats which were being persecuted by
cruel boys. One day they came home from school and told about a poor
little kitten which they had protected when it was almost dead from
fright. "That was very kind," said mamma, "and to-night I will read
you some stories and poems about kindness to animals which I have been
saving. Margaret and Harold played with their dog Sport and their big
cat Spot until supper time. After supper they were ready for the
stories and poems.
"Once upon a time," said mamma, "there lived a very good man who came
to be known as St. Francis of Assisi. He was very kind to all birds
and animals. He called the birds 'little brothers of the air' and the
animals 'little brothers of the field and woods.' These stories are
told about him:--
"'Once, full of joy, he was going on his way when, perceiving some
flocks of birds, he turned aside a little from the road to go to them.
Far from taking flight, they flocked around him as if to bid him
welcome.
{293}{294}
[Illustration]
HEAD OF DOG
[End illustration]
{295}
"Brother birds," he said to them, "you ought to praise and love your
Creator very much. He has given you feathers for clothing, wings for
flying, and all that is needful for you. He has made you the noblest
of his creatures; he permits you to live in the pure air; you have
neither to sow nor to reap, and yet he takes care of you, watches over
you and guides you." Then the birds began to arch their necks, to
spread out their wings, to open their beaks, to look at him, as if to
thank him, while he went up and down in their midst stroking them with
the border of his tunic, sending them away at last with his blessing.'
"'In this same tour, passing through Alviano, he began to preach to
the people, but the swallows so filled the air with their chirping
that he could not make himself heard. "It is my turn to speak," he
said to them; "little swallow sisters, hearken to the word of God;
keep silent and be very quiet until I have finished.'"
"'At Rieti a family of redbreasts were the guests of the monastery,
and the young birds made marauding expeditions on the very table where
the Brothers were eating. Not far from there, at Greccio, at another
time, they brought to Francis a little rabbit that had been taken
alive in a trap. "Come to me, Brother Rabbit," he said to it. And as
the poor creature, being set free, ran to him for refuge, he took it
up, caressed it, and finally put it on the ground that it might run
away; but it returned to him again and again, so that he was obliged
to send it to the neighboring forest before it would consent to return
to freedom.'
{296}
"'One day he was crossing the Lake of Rieti. The boatman in whose bark
he was making the passage offered him a fish of uncommon size. Francis
accepted it with joy, but, to the great amazement of the fisherman,
put it back into the water, bidding it bless God.'
"Here is a story which I once read about a very good and distinguished
man who tells how he learned when he was a boy not to kill even the
smallest animal needlessly.
"'I saw one day a little spotted turtle sunning itself in the shallow
water, and I lifted the stick in my hand to kill it, for, though I had
never killed any creature, I had seen other boys kill birds, squirrels,
and the like, and I had a disposition to follow their wicked example;
but all at once something checked my little arm, and a voice within me
said, clear and loud, "It is wrong," and so I held my uplifted stick
until the turtle vanished from my sight. Then I went home and told my
mother, and asked her what it was that told me it was wrong. She wiped a
tear from her eye, and took me in her arms, and said: "Some call it
conscience, but I call it the voice of God in the human soul. If you
listen to it and obey it, then it will speak clearer and clearer, and
always guide you right. But if you do not listen to it, or disobey it,
then it will fade out, little by little, and leave you in the dark
without a guide. Your life, my child, depends on heeding that little
voice."'
"And here are some poems which teach us to be gentle and kind to the
dumb animals who depend upon us for life and look to us for mercy. The
poet Cowper says:--
{297}{298}
[Illustration]
BOY AND DOG
By Blume
[End illustration]
{299}
"'I would not enter on my list of friends,
Though graced with polished manners and fine sense,
Yet wanting sensibility, the man
Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.'
"Coleridge in a great poem, 'The Ancient Mariner,'
which I will read to you when you are a little older, says:--
"'He prayeth well who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.
"'He prayeth best who loveth best
All things, both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.'
"And here are two verses whose author I do not know:--
"'Maker of earth, and sea, and sky,
Creation's Sovereign Lord and King;
Who hung the starry worlds on high
And formed alike the sparrow's wing:
Bless the dumb creatures of Thy care,
And listen to their voiceless prayer.
"'All-Father! who on Mercy's throne
Hear'st Thy dumb creatures' faintest moan,--
Thy love be ours, and ours shall be
Returned in deeds to these and Thee.'
"There is a poem by John Ruskin which speaks of that
good time coming when cruelty shall cease and terrible
wars shall be no more."
{300}
A SONG OF PEACE.
"'Put off, put off your mail, ye kings, and beat your brands to dust;
A surer grasp your hands must know, your hearts a better trust.
Nay, bend aback the lance's point, and break the helmet bar,
A noise is in the morning winds, but not the note of war!
"'Among the grassy mountain paths the glittering troops increase;
They come! they come! how fair their feet--they come that publish peace.
Yea, Victory, fair Victory, our enemies are ours,
And all the clouds are clasped in light, and all the earth with flowers.
"'Ah! still depressed and dim with dew, but wait a little while,
And radiant with the deathless rose the wilderness shall smile,
And every tender, living thing shall feed by streams of rest,
Nor lamb shall from the fold be lost, nor nursling from the nest.'"
"That reminds us of what the prophet said about the time when all the
beasts even shall lose their cruel traits and live at peace with each
other, and even play with little children."
"Could that ever be true, mamma?" interrupted Harold.
{301}{302}
[Illustration]
ON GUARD
[End illustration]
{303}
"Well, even now, my dear," replied mamma, "wild and fierce animals
have been wholly tamed by kindness. We cannot tell what beautiful
things might happen if all evil and unkindness should be driven from
the world and men should live as Christ taught us to live.
"Here are the prophet's words: 'And the wolf shall dwell with the
lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and
the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall
lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones
shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And
the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned
child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt nor
destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the
knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.'
"These verses are from the Psalms and the Proverbs:--
"'For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a
thousand hills.
"'I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the
field are mine.'
"'The merciful man doeth good to his own soul; but he that is cruel
troubleth his own flesh.'
"'A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; but the tender
mercies of the wicked are cruel.'
"And here are some of the words of Jesus about animals and birds
and about kindness:--
{304}
"'Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.'
"'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'
"'The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the
Son of man hath not where to lay his head.'
"'Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye
shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye
shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than
the raiment? Behold the birds of the heavens, that they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your Heavenly
Father feedeth them. Are ye not of much more value than they?'
"'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them
shall fall on the ground without your Father; but the very hairs of
your head are all numbered.'"
"And now it is late and my little lambs must go to their beds. I am
sure that you both will be kind in every way to your little brothers
of the air and the woods and fields, and your little dumb brothers
in the streets of the city."
{305}
SHEPHERD HYMNS
{306}
{307} {308}
[Illustration]
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
By Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door
into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same
is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear
his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them
out. When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and
the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will
they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice
of strangers."--_The Words of Jesus_
[End illustration]
{309}
SAVIOUR, LIKE A SHEPHERD LEAD US
Saviour, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tenderest care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare;
Blessed Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
We are Thine, do Thou befriend us,
Be the guardian of our way;
Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us,
Seek us when we go astray;
Blessed Jesus,
Hear the children when they pray.
Early let us seek Thy favor,
Early let us do Thy will;
Holy Lord, our only Saviour,
With Thy grace our bosoms fill;
Blessed Jesus,
Thou hast loved us, love us still.
--_Dorothy Ann Thrupp_.
{310}
WAS THERE EVER KINDEST SHEPHERD?
Was there ever kindest shepherd
Half so gentle, half so sweet
As the Saviour, who would have us
Come and gather round His feet?
There's a wideness in God's mercy,
Like the wideness of the sea;
There's a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty.
For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of man's mind;
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more simple,
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all sunshine
In the sweetness of our Lord.
--_Frederick William Faber_
{311}{312}
[Illustration]
THE LOST LAMB FOUND
By P. Giradet
Sometimes in winter the sheep suffer greatly from the cold and heavy
snowstorms. This is a description of sheep covered by the snow in
winter:--
"The flock was buried Beneath a great white billow as high as a barn
and as broad as a house. This great drift was rolling and curling
beneath the violent blast, tufting and combing with rustling swirls,
and carved as if patterns of cornice where the grooving-chisel of
the wind swept round. Ever and again the tempest snatched little
whiffs from the channeled edges, twirled them round and made them
dance over the chine of the monster pile, then let them lie like
herringbones or the seams of the sand where the tide has been. And
all the while, from the smothery sky, more and more fiercely at
every blast, came the pelting pitiless arrows winged with murky
white and pointed with the barbs of the frost."--_Blackmore_
[End illustration]
{313}
GRACIOUS SAVIOUR, HOLY SHEPHERD
Gracious Saviour, holy Shepherd,
Little ones are dear to Thee;
Gathered with Thine arms, and carried
In Thy bosom, may they be
Sweetly, fondly, safely tended,
From all want and danger free.
Let Thy holy words instruct them;
Fill their minds with heavenly light;
Let Thy love and grace constrain them
To approve whate'er is right;
Let them feel Thy yoke is easy,
Let them prove Thy burden light.
Taught to lisp Thy holy praises
Which on earth Thy children sing,
With both lips and hearts, unfeigned,
Glad thank-offering may they bring;
Then with all Thy saints in glory
Join to praise their Lord and King.
--_Jane E. Leeson and J. Whittemore_.
{314}
IN HEAVENLY LOVE ABIDING
In heavenly love abiding,
No change my heart shall fear,
And safe is such confiding,
For nothing changes here.
The storm may roar without me,
My heart may low be laid;
But God is round about me,
And can I be dismayed?
Wherever He may guide me,
No want shall turn me back;
My Shepherd is beside me,
And nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh,
His sight is never dim,
He knows the way He taketh,
And I will walk with Him.
Green pastures are before me,
Which yet I have not seen;
Bright skies will soon be o'er me,
Where darkest clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure,
My path to life is free;
My Saviour has my treasure,
And He will walk with me.
--_Anna L. Waring_.
{315}
THE KING OF LOVE
The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His,
And He is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death's dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.
And so, through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.
--_Sir H. W. Baker_.
{316}
{317}
PRAYERS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN
{318}
{319}
PRAYERS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
AMEN.
Jesus, take this heart of mine,
Make it pure, and only Thine.
I Thy little child would be,
Help me, Lord, to live for Thee. AMEN.
I thank Thee, Lord, for quiet rest,
And for Thy care of me;
Oh, let me through this day be blest,
And kept from harm by Thee.
Oh, let me thank Thee, kind Thou art
To children such as I,
Give me a gentle, loving heart;
Be Thou my friend on high. AMEN.
--_Beginner's Reading Book_.
Dear Lord, for these three things I pray:
To know Thee more clearly,
To love Thee more dearly,
To follow Thee more nearly.
Every day. AMEN.
{320}
Father in heaven, help Thy little children
To love and serve Thee throughout this day.
Help us to be truthful, help us to be kindly,
That we may please Thee in all we do or say.
Dear Lord, we pray Thee, keep Thy little children
From doing wrong throughout this happy day.
Hear our morning promises. Father, help us keep them,
That we may please Thee in all we do or say. AMEN.
For Jesus Christ, the children's friend,
We thank Thee, heavenly Father.
For Jesus Christ, who keeps us to the end,
We thank Thee, heavenly Father. AMEN.
Father, we thank Thee for the night,
And for the pleasant morning light;
For rest and food and loving care,
And all that makes the day so fair.
Help us to do the things we should,
To be to others kind and good;
In all we do in work or play,
To grow more loving every day. AMEN.
Dear Lord, we thank Thee for Thy care,
And all Thy mercy sends;
For food we eat, the clothes we wear,
Our health and home and friends. AMEN.
{321}{322}
[Illustration]
THE SOUL'S AWAKENING
By James Sant (1820- )
"Can a little child like me,
Thank the Father fittingly?
Yes, oh, yes,--be good and true,
Patient, kind in all you do,
Love the Lord and do your part,
Learn to say with all your heart,--
Father, we thank Thee;
Father in heaven, we thank Thee."
--_Mary Mapes Dodge_
[End illustration]
{323}
Loving Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child.
Make me gentle as Thou art,
Come and live within my heart.
Take my childish hand in Thine,
Guide these little feet of mine,
And the world shall ever see
Christ, the holy child, in me. AMEN.
Lord, though Thy home is in the sky,
Thou art not far away;
Thou lookest down with loving eye
When little children pray.
We thank Thee for Thy tender care,
And for Thy precious love,
For all the beauty Thou hast made
Of earth and heaven above. AMEN.
Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear me;
Bless Thy little lamb to-night.
Through the darkness be Thou near me;
Keep me safe till morning light.
All this day Thy hand has led me,
And I thank Thee for Thy care;
Thou hast warmed me, clothed and fed me,
Listen to my evening prayer.
Let my sins be all forgiven,
Bless the friends I love so well;
Take us all at last to heaven,
Happy there with Thee to dwell. AMEN.
{324}
My Father in heaven, I thank Thee for my many blessings. I love Thee
very much. Help me to love Thee more and to obey Thee better. Forgive
all my sins, I pray Thee. Give me good thoughts. Give me
understanding. Bless all my friends and keep them and me, both now and
forever. AMEN.
--_By courtesy of the Clarke School, Northampton, Mass_.
A CHILD'S GRACE
Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit. AMEN.
--_Robert Burns_.
GRACE FOR A CHILD
Here, a little child, I stand,
Heaving up my either hand;
Cold as paddocks though they be,
Here I lift them up to Thee,
For a benison to fall
On our meat and on us all. AMEN.
--_Robert Herrick_.
{325}
OLD TIME VERSES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN
{326}
{327}
AGAINST IDLENESS AND MISCHIEF
How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From every opening flower!
How skillfully she builds her cell!
How neat she spreads the wax!
And labors hard to store it well.
With the sweet food she makes.
In works of labor or of skill
I would be busy, too:
For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.
In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my first years be pass'd;
That I may give for every day
Some good account at last.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{328}
AGAINST PRIDE IN CLOTHES
How proud we are! how fond to show
Our clothes, and call them rich and new,
When the poor sheep and silkworm wore
That very clothing long before.
The tulip and the butterfly
Appear in gayer coats than I;
Let me be dress'd fine as I will,
Flies, worms, and flowers exceed me still.
Then will I set my heart to find
Inward adornings of the mind;
Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace!
These are the robes of richest dress.
No more shall worms with me compare,
This is the raiment angels wear;
The Son of God, when here below,
Put on this best apparel, too.
It never fades, it ne'er grows old,
Nor fears the rain, nor moth, nor mould;
It takes no spot, but still refines;
The more 't is worn the more it shines.
In this on earth would I appear,
Then go to heaven and wear it there;
God will approve it in His sight,
'Tis His own work and His delight.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{329}
THE ANT, OR EMMET
These emmets, how little they are in our eyes!
We tread them to dust, and a troop of them dies,
Without our regard or concern;
Yet, as wise as we are, if we went to their school,
There's many a sluggard and many a fool
Some lessons of wisdom might learn.
They wear not their time out in sleeping or play,
But gather up corn in a sunshiny day,
And for winter they lay up their stores;
They manage their work in such regular forms
One would think they foresaw all the frosts and the storms,
And so brought their food within doors.
But I have less sense than a poor creeping ant
If I take not due care for the things I shall want,
Nor provide against dangers in time;
When death or old age shall once stare in my face,
What a wretch shall I be in the end of my days
If I trifle a way all their prime!
Now, while my strength and my youth are in bloom,
Let me think what shall serve me when sickness shall come,
And pray that my sins be forgiven;
Let me read in good books, and believe, and obey,
That, when death turns me out of this cottage of clay,
I may dwell in a palace in heaven.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{330}
A MORNING SONG
My God, who makes the sun to know
His proper hour to rise,
And, to give light to all below,
Doth send him round the skies.
When from the chambers of the east
His morning race begins,
He never tires, nor stops to rest,
But round the world he shines.
So, like the sun, would I fulfill
The business of the day;
Begin my work betimes, and still
March on my heavenly way.
Give me, O Lord, Thine early grace,
Nor let my soul complain,
That the young morning of my days
Has all been spent in vain.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{331}{332}
[Illustration]
MADONNA OF THE ANGELS
By Adolph Bouguereau (1825-1905)
"The mother with the Child,
Whose tender winning arts
Have to His little arms beguiled
So many wounded hearts."
--_Matthew Arnold_
[End illustration]
{333}
AN EVENING SONG
And now another day is gone,
I'll sing my Maker's praise;
My comforts every hour make known
His providence and grace.
But how my childhood runs to waste!
My sins, how great their sum!
Lord, give me pardon for the past,
And strength for days to come.
I lay my body down to sleep,
Let angels guard my head;
And, through the hours of darkness, keep
Their watch around my bed.
With cheerful heart I close my eyes,
Since Thou wilt not remove;
And in the morning let me rise,
Rejoicing in Thy love.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{334}
THE SLUGGARD
'T is the voice of the Sluggard: I heard him complain,
"You have waked me too soon! I must slumber again!"
As a door on its hinges, so he on his bed
Turns his sides, and his shoulders, and his heavy head.
"A little more sleep and a little more slumber!"
Thus he wastes half his days and his hours without number;
And when he gets up he sits folding his hands,
Or walks about sauntering, or trifling he stands.
I pass'd by his garden and saw the wild brier,
The thorn and the thistle grow broader and higher;
The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags,
And his money still wastes, till he starves or he begs.
I made him a visit, still hoping to find
He had took better care for improving his mind:
He told me his dreams, talked of eating and drinking;
But he scarce reads his Bible, and never loves thinking.
Said I then to my heart, "Here's a lesson for me!
That man's but a picture of what I might be;
But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding,
Who have taught me betimes to love working and reading."
--_Isaac Watts_.
{335}{336}
[Illustration]
THE DIVINE SHEPHERD
By Murillo (1618-1682)
[End illustration]
{337}
PRAISE FOR MERCIES, SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL
Whene'er I take my walks abroad,
How many poor I see!
What shall I render to the Lord
For all His gifts to me!
Not more than others I deserve,
Yet God hath given me more;
For I have food, while others starve,
Or beg from door to door.
How many children in the street
Half naked I behold!
While I am clothed from head to feet
And cover'd from the cold.
While some poor wretches scarce can tell
Where they may lay their head,
I have a home wherein to dwell,
And rest upon my bed.
While others early learn to swear,
And curse, and lie, and steal;
Lord, I am taught Thy name to fear,
And do Thy holy will.
Are these Thy favors, day by day,
To me above the rest?
Then let me love Thee more than they,
And try to serve Thee best.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{338}
THE ROSE
How fair is the Rose! What a beautiful flower!
The glory of April and May;
But the leaves are beginning to fade in an hour,
And they wither and die in a day.
Yet the Rose has one powerful virtue to boast,
Above all the flowers of the field!
When its leaves are all dead and fine colors are lost,
Still how sweet a perfume it will yield!
So frail is the youth and the beauty of man,
Though they bloom and look gay like the Rose;
But all our fond care to preserve them is vain,
Time kills them as fast as he goes.
Then I'll not be proud of my youth and my beauty,
Since both of them wither and fade;
But gain a good name by well doing my duty:
This will scent like a rose when I'm dead.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{339}{340}
[Illustration]
MADONNA AND CHILD
By Carlo Dolci (1616-1686)
[End illustration]
{341}
PRAISE FOR CREATION AND PROVIDENCE
I sing th' Almighty power of God,
That made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad,
And built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordain'd
The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command,
And all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord,
That fill'd the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with His word,
And then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are display'd
Where'er I turn mine eye!
If I survey the ground I tread,
Or gaze upon the sky!
There's not a plant or flower below
But makes Thy glories known:
And clouds arise, and tempests blow,
By order from Thy throne.
Creatures (as numerous as they be)
Are subject to Thy care:
There's not a place where we can flee,
But God is present there.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{342}
A GENERAL SONG OF PRAISE TO GOD
How glorious is our heavenly King,
Who reigns above the sky!
How shall a child presume to sing
His dreadful majesty?
How great His power is none can tell,
Nor think how large His grace:
Not men below, nor saints that dwell
On high before His face.
Not angels, that stand round the Lord,
Can search His secret will;
But they perform His heavenly word,
And sing His praises still.
Then let me join this holy tram,
And my first offerings bring;
The eternal God will not disdain
To hear an infant sing.
My heart resolves, my tongue obeys,
And angels shall rejoice,
To hear their mighty Maker's praise
Sound from a feeble voice.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{343}
INNOCENT PLAY
Abroad in the meadows, to see the young lambs
Run sporting about by the side of their dams,
With fleeces so clean and so white;
Or a nest of young doves in a large open cage,
When they play all in love, without anger or rage,
How much we may learn from the sight!
If we had been ducks, we might dabble in mud;
Or dogs, we might play till it ended in blood:
So foul and so fierce are their natures;
But Thomas and William, and such pretty names,
Should be cleanly and harmless as doves or as lambs,
Those lovely, sweet innocent creatures.
Not a thing that we do, nor a word that we say,
Should injure another in jesting or play,
For he's still in earnest that's hurt:
How rude are the boys that throw pebbles and mire;
There's none but a madman will fling about fire,
And tell you, "'T is all but in sport!"
--_Isaac Watts_.
{344}
AGAINST QUARRELING AND FIGHTING
Let dogs delight to bark and bite,
For God hath made them so;
Let bears and lions growl and fight,
For 't is their nature, too:
But, children, you should never let
Such angry passions rise;
Your little hands were never made
To tear each other's eyes.
Let love through all your actions run,
And all your words be mild;
Live like the blessed Virgin's Son,
That sweet and lovely Child.
His soul was gentle as a lamb;
And as His stature grew,
He grew in favor both with man
And God, His Father, too.
Now, Lord of all, He reigns above,
And from His heavenly throne
He sees what children dwell in love,
And marks them for His own.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{345}
LOVE BETWEEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS
Whatever brawls disturb the street,
There should be peace at home;
Where sisters dwell and brothers meet,
Quarrels should never come.
Birds in their little nests agree,
And 't is a shameful sight,
When children of one family
Fall out, and chide, and fight.
Hard names at first, and threatening words
That are but noisy breath,
May grow to clubs and naked swords,
To murder and to death.
The devil tempts one mother's son
To rage against another;
So wicked Cain was hurried on
Till he had killed his brother.
The wise will make their anger cool,
At least before 't is night;
But in the bosom of a fool
It burns till morning light.
Pardon, O Lord, our childish rage,
Our little brawls remove;
That, as we grow to riper age,
Our hearts may all be love.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{346}
A SUMMER EVENING
How fine has the day been! How bright was the sun!
How lovely and joyful the course that he run;
Though he rose in a mist when his race he begun,
And there follow'd some droppings of rain:
But now the fair traveler's come to the West,
His rays are all gold, and his beauties are best;
He paints the skies gay as he sinks to his rest,
And foretells a bright rising again.
Just such is the Christian. His course he begins,
Like the sun in the mist, when he mourns for his sins,
And melts into tears; then he breaks out and shines,
And travels his heavenly way:
But when he comes nearer to finish his race
Like a fine setting sun, he looks richer in grace,
And gives a sure hope, at the end of his days,
Of rising in brighter array.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{347}{348}
[Illustration]
THE PITTI MADONNA
By Murillo (1618-1682)
"The Pitti Madonna is one of this sweet company, and perhaps the
loveliest of them all. Both she and her beautiful boy are full of
gentle earnestness, and if they are too simple-minded to realize
what is in store for them, they are none the less ready to do the
Father's will."--_Hurll_
[End illustration]
{349}
SUMMER
The heats of Summer come hastily on,
The fruits are transparent and clear;
The buds and the blossoms of April are gone,
And the deep colored cherries appear.
The blue sky above us is bright and serene,
No cloud on its bosom remains;
The woods and the fields and the hedges are green,
And the haycock smells sweet from the plains.
But, hark! from the woodlands what sound do I hear?
The voices of pleasure so gay;
The merry young haymakers cheerfully bear
The heat of the hot summer's day.
While some with bright scythe, singing shrill to the tone,
The tall grass and buttercups mow,
Some spread it with rakes, and by others 't is thrown
Into sweet smelling cocks in a row.
Then since joy and glee with activity join,
This moment to labor I'll rise;
While the idle love best in the shade to recline,
And waste precious time as it flies.
--_Jane Taylor_,
{350}
[Illustration]
Music for "The Star"
[End illustration]
{351}
THE STAR
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveler in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark.
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep;
For you never shut your eye
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveler in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{352}
THE FLOWER AND THE LADY,
ABOUT GETTING UP
Pretty flower, tell me why
All your leaves do open wide,
Every morning, when on high
The noble sun begins to ride.
This is why, my lady fair,
If you would the reason know,
For betimes the pleasant air
Very cheerfully doth blow.
And the birds on every tree
Sing a merry, merry tune,
And the busy honey bee
Comes to suck my sugar soon.
This is, then, the reason why
I my little leaves undo.
Little lady, wake and try
If I have not told you true.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{353}
THE FIELD DAISY
I'm a pretty little thing,
Always coming with the spring.
In the meadows green I'm found,
Peeping just above the ground;
And my stalk is covered flat
With a white and yellow hat.
Little Mary, when you pass
Lightly o'er the tender grass,
Skip about, but do not tread
On my bright but lowly head;
For I always seem to say,
"Surely winter's gone away."
--_Jane Taylor_.
{354}
THE LITTLE CHILD
I'm a very little child,
Only just have learned to speak;
So I should be very mild,
Very tractable and meek.
If my dear mamma were gone,
Oh, I think that I should die,
When she left me all alone,
Such a little thing as I.
Now what service can I do,
To repay her for her care?
For I cannot even sew,
Nor make anything I wear.
Well, then, I will always try
To be very good and mild;
Never now be cross or cry,
Like a fretful little child.
How unkind it is to fret,
And my dear mamma to tease,
When my lesson I should get,
Sitting still upon her knees!
Oh, how can I serve her so,
Such a good mamma as this?
Round her neck my arms I'll throw,
And her gentle cheek I'll kiss.
Then I'll tell her that I will
Try not any more to fret her,
And as I grow older still,
Try to show I love her better.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{355}{356}
[Illustration]
THE "GRANDUCA MADONNA"
By Raphael
"Around the mighty master came
The marvels which his pencil wrought,
Those miracles of power, whose fame
Is wide as human thought.
"There drooped thy more than mortal face,
O Mother, beautiful and mild!
Enfolding in one dear embrace
Thy Saviour and thy Child!"
--_John Greenleaf Whittier_
[End illustration]
{357}
GOING TO BED
The moon is up, the sun is gone,
Now nothing here he shines upon;
The pretty birds are in their nest,
The cows are lying down to rest,
Or wait, beneath the farmer's shed,
To hear the merry milkmaid's tread.
The pleasant flowers that opened wide,
And smelt so sweet at morning-tide,
Fold up their leaves, as if to say,
"Good-by, we'll come another day;
And now, dear little lady, you
Must sleep, as we shall seem to do."
Yes,--here's my pretty bed, and I
Will kiss mamma, and say "by, by!"
So nice and warm, so smooth and white,
So comfortable all the night!
And when my little prayer is said,
How could I cry to go to bed?
--_Jane Taylor_.
{358}
TIME TO GET UP
The cock, who soundly sleeps at night,
Rises with the morning light;
Very loud and shrill he crows;
Then the sleeping ploughman knows
He must rise and hasten, too,
All his morning work to do.
And the little lark does fly
To the middle of the sky.
You may hear his merry tune,
In the morning very soon;
For he does not like to rest
Idly in his downy nest.
While the cock is crowing shrill,
Leave my little bed I will,
And I'll rise to hear the lark,
Now it is no longer dark.
'T would be a pity there to stay,
When 't is bright and pleasant day.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{359}
THE SNOWDROP
Now the spring is coming on,
Now the snow and ice are gone,
Come, my little snowdrop root,
Will you not begin to shoot?
Ah! I see your pretty head
Peeping on the flower bed,
Looking all so green and gay
On this fine and pleasant day.
For the mild south wind doth blow,
And hath melted all the snow,
And the sun shines out so warm,
You need not fear another storm.
So come up, you pretty thing,
Just to tell us it is spring,
Hanging down your modest head
On my pleasant flower bed.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{360}
[Illustration]
Music for "Getting Up"
[End illustration]
{361}
GETTING UP
Now, my baby, ope your eye,
For the sun is in the sky,
And he's peeping once again
Through the frosty windowpane.
Little baby, do not keep
Any longer fast asleep.
There now, sit in mother's lap,
That she may untie your cap;
For the little strings have got
Twisted into such a knot.
Yes, you know you've been at play
With the bobbin as your lay.
There it comes, now let us see
Where your petticoats can be;
Oh, they're in the window seat,
Folded very smooth and neat;
When my baby older grows
She shall double up her clothes.
Now one pretty little kiss,
For dressing you so nice as this.
But before we go downstairs,
Don't forget to say your prayers,
For 't is God who loves to keep
Little babies fast asleep.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{362}
A FINE THING
Who am I with noble face,
Shining in a clear blue place?
If to look at me you try,
I shall blind your little eye.
When my noble face I show,
Over yonder mountain blue,
All the clouds away do ride,
And the dusky night beside.
Then the clear wet dews I dry
With the look of my bright eye;
And the little birds awake,
Many a merry tune to make.
Cowslips, then, and harebells blue,
And lily-cups their leaves undo;
For they shut themselves up tight,
All the dark and foggy night.
Then the busy people go,
Some to plow, and some to sow;
When I leave, their work is done,
Guess if I am not the Sun.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{363}{364}
[Illustration]
MADONNA AND CHILD
By Georg Papperitz
[End illustration]
{365}
A PRETTY THING
Who am I that shines so bright
With my pretty yellow light,
Peeping through your curtains gray?
Tell me, little girl, I pray.
When the sun is gone, I rise
In the very silent skies;
And a cloud or two doth skim
Round about my silver rim.
All the little stars do seem
Hidden by my brighter beam;
And among them I do ride,
Like a queen in all her pride.
Then the reaper goes along,
Singing forth a merry song,
While I light the shaking leaves
And the yellow harvest sheaves.
Little girl, consider well,
Who this simple tale doth tell;
And I think you'll guess it soon,
For I only am the Moon.
--_Ann Taylor_.
{366}
THE SHEEP
Lazy sheep, pray tell me why
In the pleasant fields you lie,
Eating grass or daisies white,
From the morning till the night?
Everything can something do,
But what kind of use are you?
Nay, my little master, nay,
Do not serve me so, I pray.
Don't you see the wool that grows
On my back to make your clothes?
Cold, and very cold you'd be,
If you had not wool from me.
True, it seems a pleasant thing
To nip the daisies in the spring;
But many chilly nights I pass
On the cold and dewy grass,
Or pick a scanty dinner where
All the common's brown and bare.
Then the farmer comes at last,
When the merry spring is past,
And cuts my woolly coat away,
To warm you in the winter's day.
Little master, this is why
In the pleasant fields I lie.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{367}{368}
[Illustration]
THE WOUNDED LAMB
By Von Bremen
"How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be
gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the
mountains, and seek that which goeth astray? And if so be that he
find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than over
the ninety and nine which have not gone astray. Even so it is not
the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little
ones should perish."--_The Words of Jesus_
[End illustration]
{369}
THE COW
Thank you, pretty cow, that made
Pleasant milk to soak my bread,
Every day, and every night,
Warm, and fresh, and sweet, and white.
Do not chew the hemlock rank,
Growing on the weedy bank;
But the yellow cowslips eat,
They perhaps will make it sweet.
Where the purple violet grows,
Where the bubbling water flows,
Where the grass is fresh and fine,
Pretty cow, go there and dine.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{370}
[Illustration]
Music for "Going to Bed".
[End illustration]
{371}
GOING TO BED
Little baby, lay your head
On your pretty cradle-bed;
Shut your eye-peeps, now the day
And the light are gone away.
All the clothes are tucked in tight;
Little baby dear, good night!
Yes, my darling, well I know
How the bitter wind doth blow;
And the winter's snow and rain
Patter on the window pane.
But they cannot come in here,
To my little baby dear;
For the window shutteth fast,
Till the stormy night is past;
Or the curtains we may spread
Round about her cradle-bed.
So, till morning shineth bright,
Little baby dear, good night!
--_Jane Taylor_.
{372}
BABY AND MAMMA
What a little thing am I!
Hardly higher than the table.
I can eat, and play, and cry,
But to work I am not able.
Nothing in the world I know,
But mamma will try and show me.
Sweet mamma, I love her so,
She's so very kind unto me.
And she sets me on her knee,
Very often, for some kisses.
Oh! how good I'll try to be,
For such a dear mamma as this is.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{373}{374}
[Illustration]
CHILD WITH DOG
Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792)
[End illustration]
{375}
THE TEMPEST
See the dark vapors cloud the sky,
The thunder rumbles round and round;
The lightning's flash begins to fly,
Big drops of rain bedew the ground:
The frightened birds with ruffled wing,
Fly through the air and cease to sing.
'T is God who on the tempest rides
And with a word directs the storm,
'T is at His nod the wind subsides,
Or heaps of heavy vapors form.
In fire and cloud He walks the sky,
And lets His stores of tempest fly.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{376}
THE VIOLET
Down in a green and shady bed
A modest violet grew;
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head,
As if to hide from view.
And yet it was a lovely flower,
Its colors bright and fair.
It might have graced a rosy bower,
Instead of hiding there.
Yet there it was content to bloom,
In modest tints arrayed;
And there diffused its sweet perfume,
Within the silent shade.
Then let me to the valley go,
This pretty flower to see,
That I may also learn to grow
In sweet humility.
--_Jane Taylor_.
{377}{378}
[Illustration]
SHEEP
By Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899)
One of the most famous artists of the world, born at Bordeaux,
France, March 22, 1822, died 1899. Her best known pictures are the
"Horse Fair" and "Tillage in Nivernais." During the siege of Paris
her studio was saved by the special order of the crown prince of
Prussia. She received the cross of the Legion of Honor in 1865
[End illustration]
{379}
MAY DAY SONG
April's gone, the king of showers;
May is come, the queen of flowers;
Give me something, gentles dear,
For a blessing on the year.
For my garland give, I pray,
Words and smiles of cheerful May:
Birds of spring, to you we come,
Let us pick a little crumb.
--_John Keble_.
{380}
THE LAMB
Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee,
Gave thee life and bade thee feed
By the stream and o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Little lamb, I'll tell thee;
Little lamb, I'll tell thee.
He is called by thy name,
For He calls Himself a Lamb.
He is meek and He is mild,
He became a little child.
I a child and thou a lamb,
We are called by His name.
Little lamb, God bless thee.
Little lamb, God bless thee.
--_William Blake_.
{381}{382}
[Illustration]
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE
Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792)
[End illustration]
{383}
SOME MURMUR WHEN THEIR SKY IS CLEAR
Some murmur when their sky is clear
And wholly bright to view,
If one small speck of dark appear
In their great heaven of blue.
And some with thankful love are filled,
If but one streak of light,
One ray of God's good mercy gild
The darkness of their night.
In palaces are hearts that ask,
In discontent and pride,
Why life is such a dreary task
And all good things denied.
And hearts in poorest huts admire
How love has in their aid,
Love that not ever seems to tire,
Such rich provision made.
--_Archbishop Trench_.
{384}
LITTLE DROPS OF WATER
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean,
And the pleasant land.
Then the little minutes,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of eternity.
--_Ebenezer Cobham Brewer_.
{385}
CHRISTMAS HYMNS
{386}
{387} {388}
[Illustration]
THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE SHEPHERDS
By Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )
"And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field,
and keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the
Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about
them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Be
not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which
shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the
city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this is the
sign unto you; Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
and lying in a manger.'
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying,--
'Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.'"
--_Luke 2:8-14_
{389}
CHRISTMAS LULLABY
Sleep, baby, sleep. The mother sings:
Heaven's angels kneel and fold their wings.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
With swaths of scented hay Thy bed
By Mary's hand at eve was spread.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
At midnight came the shepherds, they
Whom seraphs wakened by the way.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
And three kings from the East afar,
Ere dawn, came, guided by the star.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
They brought Thee gifts of gold and gems,
Pure orient pearls, rich diadems.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
But Thou who liest slumbering there,
Art King of kings, earth, ocean, air.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Sleep, baby, sleep. The shepherds sing:
Through heaven, through earth, hosannas ring.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
--_John Addington Symonds_.
{390}
THE STAR
They followed the star the whole night through;
As it moved with the midnight, they moved, too;
And cared not whither it led, nor knew,
Till Christmas day in the morning.
We have followed the star a whole long year,
And watched it beckon, now faint, now clear,
And now it stands still as we draw near
To Christmas day in the morning.
And just as the wise men did of old,
In the hush of the winter's dawning, cold,
We come to the stable, and we behold
The Child on the Christmas morning.
And just as the wise men deemed it meet
To offer Him gold and perfumes sweet,
We would lay our gifts at His holy feet,
Our gifts on Christmas morning.
O Babe, once laid in the oxen's bed,
With never a pillow for Thy head,
Now throned in the highest heaven instead,
O Lord of the Christmas morning!
Because we have known and have loved Thy star
And have followed it long and have followed it far
From the land where the shadows and darkness are
To find Thee on Christmas morning,--
Accept the gifts we dare to bring,
Though worthless and poor the offering,
And help our souls to rise and sing
On Christmas day in the morning.
{391}{392}
[Illustration]
MADONNA AND CHILD
By Sichel
"All my heart this night rejoices
As I hear, far and near,
Sweetest angel voices:
'Christ is born!' their choirs are singing,
Till the air everywhere
Now with joy is ringing."
--_Paul Gerhardt_
[End illustration]
{393}
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Awake the voice! A wake the string!
Heart, ear, and eye, and everything
Awake! the while the active finger
Runs divisions with the singer.
Dark and dull night, fly hence away,
And give the honor to this day,
That sees December turned to May.
If we may ask the reason, say
The why, and wherefore all things here
Seem like the springtime of the year?
Why does the chilling winter's morn
Smile like a field beset with corn?
Or smell like to a mead new shorn,
Thus on the sudden? Come and see
The cause why things thus fragrant be:
'Tis He is born, whose quickening birth
Gives light and luster, public mirth,
To heaven and the under earth.
{394}
THE GUIDING STAR
As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led by Thee.
As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before
Him whom heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek the mercy seat.
As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin's alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.
--_William C. Dix_.
{395}{396}
[Illustration]
THE HOLY NIGHT
By Correggio (1493-1534)
Antonio Allegri Correggio, named from the Italian town in which he
was born
"We sate among the stalls at Bethlehem;
The dumb kine from their fodder turning there,
Softened their horned faces
To almost human gazes
Toward the newly born.
The simple shepherds from the starlit brooks
Brought visionary looks,
As yet in their astonied hearing, rung
The strange, sweet angel tongue;
The Magi from the East in sandals worn
Knelt reverent, sweeping round
With long pale beards, their gifts upon the ground,
The incense, myrrh, and gold,
These baby hands are impotent to hold;
So let all earthlies and celestials wait
Upon thy royal state:
Sleep, O my kingly One!"
--_Elizabeth Barrett Browning_
[End illustration]
{397}
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
God rest ye, merry gentlemen; let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ, our Saviour, was born on Christmas day.
The dawn rose red o'er Bethlehem, the stars shone through the gray,
When Jesus Christ, our Saviour, was born on Christmas day.
God rest ye, little children; let nothing you affright,
For Jesus Christ, your Saviour, was born this happy night;
Along the hills of Galilee the white flocks sleeping lay,
When Christ, the child of Nazareth, was born on Christmas day.
God rest ye, all good Christians; upon this blessed morn,
The Lord of all good Christians was of a woman born:
Now all your sorrows He doth heal, your sins He takes away;
For Jesus Christ, our Saviour, was born on Christmas day.
--_Dinah Maria Mulock_.
{398}
HAIL THE NIGHT! ALL HAIL THE MORN!
Hail the night! All hail the morn!
When the Prince of Peace was born;
When, amid the watchful fold,
Tidings good the angel told.
Now our solemn chant we raise
Duly to the Saviour's praise;
Now with carol hymns we bless
Christ the Lord, our Righteousness.
While resounds the joyful cry,
"Glory be to God on high,
Peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Gladly we respond "amen!"
--_Old German Carol_.
{399}{400}
[Illustration]
THE NATIVITY
"Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes,
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
The bird of dawning singeth all night long;
And then, they say, no spirit can walk abroad;
The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike;
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm;
So hallowed and so gracious is the time."
--_Shakespeare_.
[End illustration]
{401}
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
There's a wonderful tree, a wonderful tree,
The happy children rejoice to see,
Spreading its branches year by year,
It comes from the forest to flourish here;
Oh! this beautiful tree, with its branches wide,
Is always blooming at Christmas-tide.
'T is not alone in the summer's sheen
Its boughs are broad and its leaves are green,
It blooms for us when the wild winds blow,
And earth is white with feathery snow:
And this wonderful tree with its branches wide,
Bears many a gift for the Christmas-tide.
'T is all alight with its tapers' glow,
That flash on the shining eyes below,
And the strange sweet fruit on each laden bough
Is all to be plucked by the gatherers now.
Oh! this wonderful tree, with its branches wide,
We hail it with joy at the Christmas-tide.
And a voice is telling, its boughs among,
Of the shepherds' watch and angels' song;
Of a holy babe in a manger low,
The beautiful story of long ago,
When a radiant star threw its beams so wide
To herald the earliest Christmas-tide.
Then spread thy branches, wonderful tree,
And bring some dainty gift to me,
And fill my heart with a burning love
To Him who came from His home above--
From His beautiful home with the glorified,
To give us the joys of the Christmas-tide.
{402}
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
It chanced upon the merry, merry Christmas eve
I went sighing past the church, across the moorland dreary,--
"Oh! never sin and want and woe this earth will leave,
And the bells but mock the wailing round, they sing so cheery.
How long, O Lord, how long, before Thou come again?
Still in cellar, and in garret, and on moorland dreary,
The orphans moan, and widows weep, and poor men toil in vain,
Till the earth is sick of hope deferred, though Christmas bells
be cheery."
Then arose a joyous clamor from the wild fowl on the mere,
Beneath the stars, across the snow, like clear bells ringing,
And a voice within cried, "Listen! Christmas carols even here!
Though thou be dumb, yet o'er their work the stars and snows
are singing.
Blind! I live, I love, I reign; and all the nations through
With the thunder of my judgments even now are ringing;
Do thou fulfill thy work, but as yon wild fowl do,
Thou wilt heed no less the wailing yet hear through it angels'
singing."
--_Charles Kingsley_.
{403}{404}
[Illustration]
THE HOLY FAMILY
By Carl Mueller
"Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,
Within my heart that it may be,
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.
"My heart for very joy doth leap,
My lips no more can silence keep;
I, too, must sing with joyful tongue
That sweetest ancient cradle song."
--_Martin Luther_
[End illustration]
{405}
SONG OF THE ANGELS
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down;
And glory shone around.
"Fear not," said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled minds;
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind.
"To you, in David's town, this day,
Is born of David's line,
The Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign:
"The heavenly babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapped in swathing bands
And in a manger laid."
Thus spoke the seraph, and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels, praising God, and thus
Addressed their joyful song:
"All glory be to God on high,
And to the earth be peace;
Good-will henceforth from heaven to men
Begin, and never cease."
--_Ancient Christmas Song_.
{406}
CAROL, SWEETLY CAROL
Carol, sweetly carol,
A Saviour born to-day;
Bear the joyful tidings,
Oh, bear them far away!
Carol, sweetly carol,
Till earth's remotest bound
Shall hear the mighty chorus,
And echo back the sound.
CHORUS.
Carol, sweetly carol,
Carol sweetly to-day;
Bear the joyful tidings,
Oh, bear them far away.
Carol, sweetly carol,
As when the angel throng,
O'er the vales of Judah,
Awoke the heavenly song:
Carol, sweetly carol,
Good will, and peace, and love,
Glory in the highest
To God who reigns above.
Carol, sweetly carol,
The happy Christmas time:
Hark! the bells are pealing
Their merry, merry chime:
Carol, sweetly carol,
Ye shining ones above,
Sing in loudest numbers,
Oh, sing redeeming love!
{407} {408}
[Illustration]
THE COMING OF THE MAGI
"'What means this glory round our feet,'
The Magi mused, 'more bright than morn?'
And voices chanted, clear and sweet,
'To-day the Prince of Peace is born.'"
--_James Russell Lowell_
"Lo! star-led chiefs Assyrian odors bring,
And bending Magi seek their Infant King."
--_Heber_
[End illustration]
{409}
CRADLE HYMN
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay--
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
--_Martin Luther_.
{410}
[Illustration]
Music for "Cradle Hymn".
[End illustration]
{411}
CRADLE HYMN
Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber;
Holy angels guard thy bed;
Heav'nly blessings without number
Gently falling on thy head.
Sleep, my babe, thy food and raiment,
House and home, thy friends provide;
All without thy care or payment,
All thy wants are well supplied.
How much better thou'rt attended
Than the Son of God could be,
When from heaven he descended,
And became a child like thee.
Soft and easy is thy cradle;
Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay,
When his birthplace was a stable,
And his softest bed was hay.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{412}
CHORUS
We see Him come, and know Him ours,
Who, with His sunshine and His showers,
Turns all the patient ground to flowers.
The Darling of the world is come,
And fit it is we find a room
To welcome Him. The nobler part
Of all the house here, is the heart,
Which we will give Him; and bequeath
This holly, and this ivy wreath,
To do Him honor, who's our King,
And Lord of all this reveling.
--_Robert Herrick_.
{413}{414}
[Illustration]
THE ADORATION OF THE CHILDREN
Gherado delle Notte
"O come, all ye faithful, joyfully triumphant,
To Bethlehem hasten now with glad accord,
Lo! in a manger lies the King of angels;
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord"
[End illustration]
{415}
ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID'S CITY
Once in royal David's city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother hid her baby
In a manger for his bed;
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall:
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.
And thro' all His wondrous childhood,
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden
In whose gentle arms He lay;
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.
For He is our childhood's pattern,
Day by day like us He grew,
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew:
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above: {416}
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high;
When like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.
--_Mrs. C. F. Alexander_.
{417}{418}
[Illustration]
MADONNA AND CHILD
"Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home there was found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee."
--_Emily Elizabeth Elliott_.
[End illustration]
{419}
CALM ON THE LISTENING EAR OF NIGHT
Calm on the listening ear of night
Come heaven's melodious strains,
Where wild Judea stretches far
Her silver-mantled plains;
Celestial choirs from courts above
Shed sacred glories there;
And angels with their sparkling lyres
Make music on the air.
The answering hills of Palestine
Send back the glad reply,
And greet from all their holy heights
The Dayspring from on high.
O'er the blue depths of Galilee
There comes a holier calm;
And Sharon waves in solemn praise,
Her silent groves of palm.
"Glory to God!" the lofty strain
The realm of ether fills;
How sweeps the song of solemn joy
O'er Judah's sacred hills.
"Glory to God!" the sounding skies
Loud with their anthems ring:
"Peace on the earth; good will to men,
From heaven's eternal King."
Light on thy hills, Jerusalem!
The Saviour now is born!
More bright on Bethlehem's joyous plains
Breaks the first Christmas morn; {420}
And brighter on Moriah's brow,
Crowned with her temple-spires,
Which first proclaim the newborn light,
Clothed with its orient fires.
This day shall Christian tongues be mute,
And Christian hearts be cold?
O catch the anthem that from heaven
O'er Judah's mountains rolled!
When nightly burst from seraph-harps
The high and solemn lay,--
"Glory to God; on earth be peace;
Salvation comes to-day!"
--_Edmund Hamilton Sears_.
{421}
HYMNS AND POEMS FOR THE TWILIGHT HOUR
{422}
{423}
READY FOR BED
Hark! the clock strikes from the steeple;
Now good-night to all good people;
Bed is ready to receive us;
Yet you say, "Oh, do not leave us!"
Thank you, friends, but we must hurry,
Else our dear old nurse will worry.
Good-bye, father; good-bye, mother;
Come now, baby; come now, brother:
By your sisters three attended,
All must go, for play is ended.--
Early go, if wise and wealthy
We would be, and also healthy.
So good-night to all good people!
Hark! from yet another steeple,
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven:
Now to bed, and bless you, Heaven.
Good advice comes from the steeple:
So good-night to all good people!
--_Ida Fay_.
{424}
BABY'S BOAT
Baby's in the boat,
Rocking to and fro;
Tautest craft afloat,--
Baby's watch below.
Snowy sails are set:
Little lullabies,
Hush the pretty pet,
Close the laughing eyes.
Storms can never harm;
Mother watches near:
Oh! her loving arm
Knows the way to steer.
Quiet now, at last,
Till the morning beams;
Baby's anchored fast
In the port of dreams.
--_George Cooper_.
{425}{426}
[Illustration]
THE ADORATION OF THE ANGELS
By William Adolph Bouguereau (1825-1905)
"Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth,
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth;
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King."
--_James Montgomery_
[End illustration]
{427}
LITTLE VOICES
What says the little brook?
"I am but a little brook;
Yet on me
The stars as brightly gleam
As on the mighty stream;
I sparkle on my way
To the sea."
What says the little ray?
"I am but a little ray,
Sent to earth
By the sun so great and bright,
Giving food and heat and light;
Yet I gladden every spot
The palace and the cot
Hail my birth."
What says the little flower?
"I am but a little flower
At your feet;
Yet on the path you tread,
Some joy and grace I shed;
So I am happy too
For the little I can do
When we meet."
What says the little lamb?
"I am but a little lamb
Soft and mild;
Yet in the meadows sweet
I ramble and I bleat; {428}
And soon my wool will grow,
To clothe you with, you know,
Darling child."
What says the little bird?
"I am but a little bird
With my song;
Come, hear me singing now,
As I hop from bough to bough;
For I cheer the old and sad
With my voice, and I am glad
All day long,"
What says the little child?
"I am but a little child
Fond of play;
Yet in my heart, I know
The grace of God will grow,
If I try to do His will,
And His law of love fulfill,
And obey."
{429}
THE TWILIGHT FALLS, THE NIGHT IS NEAR
The twilight falls, the night is near.
I fold my work away,
And kneel to One who bends to hear
The story of the day.
The old, old story; yet I kneel
To tell it at Thy call,
And cares grow lighter as I feel
That Jesus knows them all.
Thou knowest all: I lean my head;
My weary eyelids close;
Content and glad awhile to tread
This path, since Jesus knows.
And He has loved me: all my heart
With answering love is stirred,
And every anguished pain and smart
Finds healing in the word.
So here I lay me down to rest,
As nightly shadows fall,
And lean confiding on His breast
Who knows and pities all.
{430}
SAVIOUR, BREATHE AN EVENING BLESSING
Saviour, breathe an evening blessing
Ere repose our spirits seal;
Sin and want we come confessing,
Thou canst bless, and Thou canst heal.
Though destruction walk around us,
Though the arrow past us fly,
Angel-guards from Thee surround us,
We are safe if Thou art nigh.
Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from Thee;
Thou art He who, never weary,
Watchest where Thy people be.
--_James Edmeston_.
{431}{432}
[Illustration]
THE MADONNA OF THE HARPIES
By Andrea del Sarto (1487-1583)
One of the most famous painters of the Florentine school. He lived
and worked in his native city of Florence except for a sojourn at
Paris, where he was invited by Francis I. This picture is called the
"Madonna of the Harpies" because of the strange figures of harpies
in the border, not shown in this reproduction
[End illustration]
{433}
SUMMER RAIN
The mountain streams are silent,
Or whisper faint and low;
The earth is grateful to the dews
For moisture which the clouds refuse;
Blow, west wind, blow!
And fall, O gentle rain!
Awake the music of the bowers,
Unfold the beauty of the flowers;
The cornfields long to hear thy voice,
And woods and orchards will rejoice
To see thee, gentle rain!
It comes! The gushing wealth descends!
Hark! how it patters on the leaves!
Hark! how it drops from cottage eaves!
The pastures and the clouds are friends.
Drop gently, gentle rain!
The fainting cornstalk lifts its head,
The grass grows greener at thy tread,
The woods are musical again;
And from the hillside springing,
Down comes the torrent singing,
With grateful nature in accord,
A full-voiced anthem to the Lord,
To thank Him for the rain.
{434}
THE GLORIOUS HEAVENS
The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.
Th' unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator's power display,
And publishes to every land
The work of an almighty hand.
Soon as the evening shades prevail
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the listening earth
Repeats the story of her birth;
Whilst all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
What though in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball?
What though nor real voice nor sound
Amidst the radiant orbs be found?
In reason's ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice,
Forever singing as they shine,
"The hand that made us is divine."
--_Addison_.
_Adapted from the nineteenth Psalm_.
{435}{436}
[Illustration]
JESUS AND JOHN
By Murillo (1618-1682)
[End illustration]
{437}
TWILIGHT
The twilight is sad and cloudy,
The wind blows wild and free,
And like the wings of sea-birds
Flash the white caps of the sea.
But in the fisherman's cottage
There shines a sudden light;
And a little face at the window
Peers out into the night.
Close, close it is pressed to the window,
As if those childish eyes
Were looking into the darkness
To see some form arise.
And a woman's waving shadow
Is passing to and fro,
Now rising to the ceiling,
Now bowing and bending low.
What tale do the roaring ocean,
And the night wind, bleak and wild,
As they beat at the crazy casement,
Tell to that little child?
And why do the roaring ocean,
And the night wind, wild and bleak,
As they beat at the heart of the mother,
Drive the color from her cheek?
--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_.
By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
{438}
THE PEBBLE AND THE ACORN
"I am a Pebble and yield to none!"
Were the swelling words of a tiny stone;
"Nor change nor season can alter me:
I am abiding while ages flee.
The pelting hail and the drizzling rain
Have tried to soften me long in vain;
And the tender dew has sought to melt
Or to touch my heart,--but it was not felt.
"None can tell of the Pebble's birth;
For I am as old as the solid earth.
The children of men arise and pass
Out of the world like blades of grass;
And many a foot on me has trod
That's gone from sight and under the sod!
I am a Pebble! but who art thou,
Rattling along from the restless bough?"
The Acorn was shocked at this rude salute,
And lay for a moment abashed and mute;
And she felt for a while perplexed to know
How to answer a thing so low.
But to give reproof of nobler sort
Than the angry look or the keen retort,
At length she said, in a gentle tone,
"Since it has happened that I am thrown
"From the lighter element, where I grew,
Down to another so hard and new, {439}
And beside a personage so august,
Abashed I will cover my head with dust,
And quickly retire from the sight of one
Whom time nor season, nor storm nor sun,
Nor the gentler dew, nor the grinding wheel,
Has ever subdued or made to feel."
And soon in the earth she sunk away
From the comfortless spot where the Pebble lay;
But it was not long ere the soil was broke
By the peering head of an ancient oak;
And as it arose, and its branches spread,
The Pebble looked up, and, wondering, said,--
"A modest acorn never to tell
What was enclosed in her simple shell--
"That the pride of the forest was thus shut up
Within the space of her little cup!
And meekly to sink in the darksome earth
To prove that nothing could hide her worth.
And, O, how many will tread on me
To come and admire that beautiful tree,
Whose head is towering toward the sky,
Above such a worthless thing as I!
"Useless and vain, a cumberer here,
I have been idling from year to year;
But never from this shall a vaunting word
From the humble Pebble again be heard,
Till something without me, or within,
Can show the purpose for which I've been!"
The Pebble could not its vow forget
And it lies there wrapped in silence yet.
--_Gould_.
{440}
A PSALM OF LIFE
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
"Dust thou art, to dust returnest,"
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,--act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead! {441}
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;--
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_.
By permission of Houghton. Mifflin & Co.
{442}
WHILE THEE I SEEK, PROTECTING POWER
While Thee I seek, protecting Power,
Be my vain wishes stilled;
And may this consecrated hour
With better hopes be filled.
Thy love the power of thought bestowed,
To Thee my thoughts would soar,
Thy mercy o'er my life has flowed,
That mercy I adore.
In each event of life, how clear
Thy ruling hand I see;
Each blessing to my soul more dear,
Because conferred by Thee.
In every joy that crowns my days,
In every pain I bear,
My heart shall find delight in praise,
Or seek relief in prayer.
When gladness wings my favored hour,
Thy love my thoughts shall fill;
Resigned, when storms of sorrow lower,
My soul shall meet Thy will.
My lifted eye, without a tear,
The lowering storm shall see;
My steadfast heart shall know no fear,
That heart will rest on Thee.
--_Helen Maria Williams_.
{443}{444}
[Illustration]
MADONNA DELLA TENDA
By Raphael (1483-1520)
"Think ye the notes of holy song
On Milton's tuneful ear have died?
Think ye that Raphael's angel throng
Has vanished from his side?
"Oh, no!--We live our life again;
Or warmly touched, or coldly dim,
The pictures of the Past remain,--
Man's works shall follow him!"
--_John Greenleaf Whittier_.
[End illustration]
{445}
OFT IN THE STILLY NIGHT
Oft in the stilly night,
Ere slumber's chain has bound me,
Fond memory brings the light
Of other days around me;
The smiles, the tears,
Of boyhood's years,
The words of love then spoken,
The eyes that shone,
Now dimmed and gone,
The cheerful hearts now broken!
Thus in the stilly night
Ere slumber's chain has bound me,
Sad memory brings the light
Of other days around me.
When I remember all
The friends, so link'd together,
I've seen around me fall,
Like leaves in wintry weather;
I feel like one
Who treads alone,
Some banquet hall deserted,
Whose lights are fled,
Whose garlands dead,
And all but he departed.
Thus in the stilly night,
Ere slumber's chain has bound me,
Sad memory brings the light
Of other days around me.
--_Thomas Moore_.
{446}
THE BRIDGE
I stood on the bridge at midnight,
As the clocks were striking the hour,
And the moon rose o'er the city,
Behind the dark church tower.
I saw her bright reflection
In the waters under me,
Like a golden goblet falling
And sinking into the sea.
And far in the hazy distance
Of that lovely night in June,
The blaze of the flaming furnace
Gleamed redder than the moon.
Among the long, black rafters
The wavering shadows lay,
And the current that came from the ocean
Seemed to lift and bear them away;
As, sweeping and eddying through them,
Rose the belated tide,
And, streaming into the moonlight,
The seaweed floated wide.
And like those waters rushing
Among the wooden piers,
A flood of thoughts came o'er me
That filled my eyes with tears.
How often, O how often,
In the days that had gone by,
I had stood on that bridge at midnight
And gazed on that wave and sky! {447}
How often, O how often,
I had wished that the ebbing tide
Would bear me away on its bosom
O'er the ocean wild and wide!
For my heart was hot and restless,
And my life was full of care,
And the burden laid upon me
Seemed greater than I could bear.
But now it has fallen from me,
It is buried in the sea;
And only the sorrow of others
Throws its shadow over me.
Yet whenever I cross the river
On its bridge with wooden piers,
Like the odor of brine from the ocean
Comes the thought of other years.
And I think how many thousands
Of care encumbered men,
Each bearing his burden of sorrow,
Have crossed the bridge since then.
I see the long procession
Still passing to and fro,
The young heart hot and restless,
And the old subdued and slow!
And forever and forever,
As long as the river flows,
As long as the heart has passions,
As long as life has woes;
The moon and its broken reflection
And its shadows shall appear
As the symbol of love in heaven,
And its wavering image here.
--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_.
By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
{448}
KINDNESS
A little word in kindness spoken,
A motion or a tear,
Has often healed the heart that's broken,
And made a friend sincere.
A word--a look--has crushed to earth
Full many a budding flower,
Which, had a smile but owned its birth,
Would bless life's darkest hour.
Then deem it not an idle thing
A pleasant word to speak;
The face you wear, the thoughts you bring,
A heart may heal or break.
--_Colesworthy_.
{449}{450}
[Illustration]
MADONNA
By Murillo (1618-1682)
"Bright angels are around thee,
They that have served thee from thy birth are there;
Their hands with stars have crowned thee;
Thou, peerless Queen of Air,
As sandals to thy feet the silver moon doth wear."
--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_.
[End illustration]
{451}
PERSEVERANCE
A swallow in the spring
Came to our granary, and 'neath the eaves
Essayed to make her nest, and there did bring
Wet earth, and straw, and leaves.
Day after day she toiled
With patient art; but ere her work was crowned
Some sad mishap the tiny fabric spoiled
And dashed it to the ground.
She found the ruin wrought;
Yet not cast down, forth from her place she flew
And with her mate fresh earth and grasses brought
And built her nest anew.
But scarcely had she placed
The last soft feather on its ample floor,
When wicked hands, or chance, again laid waste,
And wrought the ruin o'er.
But still her heart she kept
And toiled again; and, last night hearing calls,
I looked, and lo! three little swallows slept
Within the earth-made walls.
What trust is here, O man!
Hath Hope been smitten in its early dawn?
Have clouds o'ercast thy purpose, trust, or plan?
Have faith, and struggle on!
{452}
THE LIGHT OF STARS
The night is come, but not too soon;
And sinking silently,
All silently, the little moon
Drops down behind the sky.
There is no light in earth or heaven,
But the cold light of stars;
And the first watch of night is given
To the red planet Mars.
Is it the tender star of love?
The star of love and dreams?
O no! from that blue tent above
A hero's armor gleams.
And earnest thoughts within me rise,
When I behold afar,
Suspended in the evening skies
The shield of that red star.
O star of strength! I see thee stand
And smile upon my pain;
Thou beckonest with thy mailed hand,
And I am strong again.
Within my breast there is no light,
But the cold light of stars;
I give the first watch of the night
To the red planet Mars. {453}
The star of the unconquered will.
He rises in my breast
Serene, and resolute, and still.
And calm, and self-possessed.
And thou, too, whosoe'er thou art
That readest this brief psalm,
As one by one thy hopes depart,
Be resolute and calm.
O fear not in a world like this,
And thou shalt know ere long,
Know how sublime a thing it is
To suffer and be strong.
--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_.
By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & CD.
{454}
WE ARE SEVEN
I met a little cottage girl;
She was eight years old she said;
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That clustered round her head.
She had a rustic woodland air,
And she was wildly clad;
Her eyes were fair, and very fair,
--Her beauty made me glad.
"Sisters and brothers, little maid,
How many may you be?"
"How many? Seven in all," she said,
And wondering looked at me.
"And who are they? I pray you tell."
She answered, "Seven are we;
And two of us at Conway dwell
And two are gone to sea.
"Two of us in the churchyard lie,
My sister and my brother;
And in the churchyard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother."
"You say that two at Conway dwell
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven! I pray you tell,
Sweet maid, how this may be." {455}
Then did the little maid reply,
"Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the churchyard lie
Beneath the churchyard tree."
"You run about, my little maid,
Your limbs they are alive;
If two are in the churchyard laid,
Then ye are only five."
"Their graves are green, they may be seen,"
The little maid replied,
"Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,
And they are side by side.
"My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchiefs there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit
And sing a song to them.
"And often after sunset, sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer
And eat my supper there.
"The first that died was sister Jane;
In bed she moaning lay
Till God released her from her pain;
And then she went away.
"So in the churchyard she was laid;
And, when the grass was dry,
Together round her grave we played,
My brother John and 1.
"And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side." {456}
"How many are you then," said I,
"If there are two in heaven?"
Quick was the little maid's reply,
"O master! We are seven."
"But they are dead: those two are dead;
Their spirits are in heaven!"
'T was throwing words away; for still
The little maid would have her will,
And said, "Nay, we are seven!"
--_William Wordsworth_.
{457}{458}
[Illustration]
JESUS IN THE TEMPLE
By William Holman Hunt (1827-1910)
One of the famous English school of so called pre-Raphaelite
painters. This picture, "Jesus in the Temple," is one of his most
celebrated paintings
[End illustration]
{459}
CHILDREN
Come to me, O ye children!
For I hear you at your play,
And the questions that perplexed me
Have vanished quite away.
Ye open the eastern windows,
That look toward the sun,
Where thoughts are singing swallows
And the brooks of morning run.
In your hearts are the birds and the sunshine,
In your thoughts the brooklet's flow,
But in mine is the wind of autumn
And the first fall of the snow.
Ah! what would the world be to us
If the children were no more?
We should dread the desert behind us
Worse than the dark before.
What the leaves are to the forest,
With light and air for food,
Ere their sweet and tender juices
Have been hardened into wood,--
That to the world are children;
Through them it feels the glow
Of a brighter and sunnier climate
Than reaches the trunks below. {460}
Come to me, O ye children!
And whisper in my ear
What the birds and the winds are singing
In your sunny atmosphere.
For what are all our contrivings,
And the wisdom of our books,
When compared with your caresses,
And the gladness of your looks?
Ye are better than all the ballads
That ever were sung or said;
For ye are living poems,
And all the rest are dead.
--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_.
By permission of Houghton. Mifflin & Co.
{461}
ONE BY ONE
One by one the sands are flowing,
One by one the moments fall;
Some are coming, some are going;
Do not strive to grasp them all.
One by one thy duties wait thee,
Let thy whole strength go to each;
Let no future dreams elate thee,
Learn thou first what these can teach.
One by one (bright gifts from heaven)
Joys are sent thee here below;
Take them readily when given,--
Ready, too, to let them go.
One by one thy griefs shall meet thee,
Do not fear an armed band;
One will fade as others greet thee--
Shadows passing through the land.
Do not look at life's long sorrow;
See how small each moment's pain;
God will help thee for to-morrow;
So each day begin again.
Every hour, that fleets so slowly,
Has its task to do or bear;
Luminous the crown and holy,
When each gem is set with care. {462}
Do not linger with regretting,
Or for passing hours despond;
Nor, the daily toil forgetting,
Look too eagerly beyond.
Hours are golden links, God's token,
Reaching heaven; but one by one
Take them, lest the chain be broken,
Ere the pilgrimage be done.
--_Adelaide Ann Procter_.
{463}
TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW
If Fortune, with a smiling face,
Strew roses in our way,
When shall we stoop to pick them up?--
To-day, my friend, to-day.
But should she frown with face of care
And talk of coming sorrow,
When shall we grieve, if grieve we must?--
To-morrow, friend, to-morrow.
If those who've wronged us own their faults
And kindly pity pray,
When shall we listen and forgive?--
To-day, my friend, to-day.
But if stern Justice urge rebuke,
And warmth from memory borrow,
When shall we chide, if chide we dare?--
To-morrow, friend, to-morrow.
For virtuous acts and harmless joys
The minutes will not stay;
We've always time to welcome them
To-day, my friend, to-day.
But care, resentment, angry words,
And unavailing sorrow,
Come far too soon, if they appear
To-morrow, friend, to-morrow.
{464}
STILL WITH THEE
Still, still with Thee, my God,
I would desire to be,
By day, by night, at home, abroad,
I would be still with Thee.
With Thee when dawn comes in,
And calls me back to care,
Each day returning to begin
With Thee, my God, in prayer.
With Thee amid the crowd
That throngs the busy mart,
To hear Thy voice, 'mid clamor loud,
Speak softly to my heart.
With Thee when day is done,
And evening calms the mind;
The setting, as the rising, sun
With Thee my heart would find.
With Thee when darkness brings
The signal of repose,
Calm in the shadow of Thy wings
Mine eyelids I would close.
With Thee, in Thee, by faith
Abiding I would be;
By day, by night, in life, in death,
I would be still with Thee.
--_James Drummond Burns_.
{465}{466}
[Illustration]
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
By William Holman Hunt (1827-1910)
The original of this famous picture is owned by Keble College,
Oxford, and is hung in a small room adjoining the chapel.
"The legend beneath it is the beautiful verse--'Behold I stand at the
door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will
come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.' REV. iii.
26. On the left-hand side of the picture is seen this door of the
human soul. It is fast barred; its bars and nails are rusty; it is
knitted and bound to its stanchions by creeping tendrils of ivy,
shewing that it has never been opened. A bat hovers about it; its
threshold is overgrown with brambles, nettles, and fruitless
corn,--the wild grass, 'whereof the mower filleth not his hand, nor
he that bindeth the sheaves his bosom.' Christ approaches it in the
night-time,--Christ, in his everlasting offices, of Prophet, Priest,
and King. He wears the white robe, representing the power of the
Spirit upon him; the jeweled robe and breastplate, representing the
sacerdotal investiture; the rayed crown of gold, inwoven with the
crown of thorns; not dead thorns, but now bearing soft leaves, for
the healing of the nations.
"Now, when Christ enters any human heart, he bears with him a
twofold light: first, the light of conscience, which displays past
sin, and afterwards the light of peace, the hope of salvation. The
lantern, carried in Christ's left hand, is this light of conscience.
Its fire is red and fierce; it falls only on the closed door, on the
weeds which encumber it, and on an apple shaken from one of the
trees of the orchard, thus marking that the entire awakening of
the conscience is not merely to committed, but to hereditary guilt.
"The light is suspended by a chain wrapt about the wrist of the
figure, shewing that the light which reveals sin appears to the
sinner also to chain the hand of Christ. The light which proceeds
from the head of the figure, on the contrary, is that of the hope of
salvation; it springs from the crown of thorns, and, though itself
sad, subdued, and full of softness, is yet so powerful that it
entirely melts into the glow of it the forms of the leaves and
boughs, which it crosses, shewing that every earthly object must be
hidden by this light, where its sphere extends."--_Ruskin, "Arrows of
the Chace._"
[End illustration]
{467}
LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT
Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on;
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Should'st lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path, but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and spite of fears
Pride ruled my will; remember not past years.
So long Thy power has blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!
--_John Henry Newman_.
{469}
NOW THE DAY IS OVER
Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal along the sky.
Now the darkness gathers,
Stars begin to peep;
Birds and beasts and flowers
Soon will be asleep.
Jesus, give the weary
Calm and sweet repose:
With Thy tenderest blessing
May our eyelids close.
Grant to little children
Visions bright of Thee;
Guard the sailors tossing
On the deep blue sea.
Comfort every sufferer
Watching late in pain;
Those who plan some evil
From their sin restrain.
Through the long night watches
May Thine angels spread
Their white wings above me,
Watching round my bed.
When the morning wakens,
Then may I arise,
Pure, and fresh, and sinless
In Thy holy eyes.
--_S. Baring-Gould_.
{469}{470}
[Illustration]
THE LITTLE MOTHER
By Ferruzzi
[End illustration]
{471}
A FAREWELL
My fairest child, I have no song to give you,
No lark could pipe to skies so dull and gray,
Yet ere we part, one lesson I can leave you,
For every day.
Be good, sweet child, and let who will be clever;
Do noble things, not dream them all day long,
And make life, death, and that vast forever,
One grand, sweet song.
--_Charles Kingsley_.
{472}
GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD MORNING
A fair little girl sat under a tree
Sewing as long as her eyes could see;
Then smoothed her work and folded it right,
And said, "Dear work, good night, good night!"
Such a number of rooks came over her head
Crying "Caw, caw!" on their way to bed;
She said, as she watched their curious flight,
"Little black things, good night, good night!"
The horses neighed and the oxen lowed;
The sheep's "Bleat, bleat!" came over the road,
All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,
"Good little girl, good night, good night!"
She did not say to the sun "Good night!"
Though she saw him there like a ball of light;
For she knew that he had God's own time to keep
All over the world, and never could sleep.
The tall pink foxglove bowed his head,
The violets curtsied and went to bed;
And good little Lucy tied up her hair,
And said, on her knees, her favorite prayer.
And while on her pillow she softly lay,
She knew nothing more till again it was day,
And all things said to the beautiful sun,
"Good morning, good morning! our work is begun!"
--_Lord Houghton_.
{473}{474}
[Illustration]
CHRISTMAS BELLS
By Edwin Howland Blashfield (1848- )
"It is the calm and solemn night!
A thousand bells ring out, and throw
Their joyous peals abroad, and smite
The darkness, charmed and holy now!
The night that erst no name had worn,
To it a happy name is given;
For in that stable lay new born,
The peaceful Prince of Earth and Heaven,
In the solemn midnight
Centuries ago!"
--_Alfred Domett_
[End illustration]
{475}
NEW YEAR'S EVE
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new;
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
--_Alfred Tennyson_.
{476}
ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountains,
The river running by,
The morning and the sunset
That lighteth up the sky.
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them everyone.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who hath made all things well.
--_John Keble_.
{477}
THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS
This is the ship of pearl, which, poets feign,
Sails the unshadowed main,--
The venturous bark that flings
On the sweet summer wind its purpled wings
In gulfs enchanted, where the Siren sings,
And coral reefs lie bare,
Where the cold sea maids rise to sun their streaming hair.
Its webs of living gauze no more unfurl;
Wrecked is the ship of pearl!
And every chambered cell,
Where its dim dreaming life was wont to dwell,
Before thee lies revealed,--
Its irised ceiling rent, its sunless crypt unsealed!
Year after year beheld the silent toil
That spread his lustrous coil;
Still, as the spiral grew,
He left the past year's dwelling for the new,
Stole with soft step its shining archway through,
Built up its idle door,
Stretched in his last-found home, and knew the old no more.
Thanks for the heavenly message brought by thee,
Child of the wandering sea,
Cast from her lap forlorn!
From thy dead lips a clearer note is born
Than ever Triton blew from wreathed horn.
While on mine ear it rings,
Through the deep caves of thought I hear a voice that sings:--
{478}
Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul,
As the swift seasons roll!
Leave thy low-vaulted past!
Let each new temple, nobler than the last,
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast,
Till thou at length art free,
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!
--_Oliver Wendell Holmes_.
Used by the kind permission of Houghton, Mifflin and Company.
{479}{480}
[Illustration]
THE CHILDREN OF THE SHELL
By Murillo (1618-1682)
This is one of the famous pictures of the great artist Murillo. The
little child John is giving the little Jesus a drink from a shell.
"The child nature is charmingly portrayed, so innocent and
gentle--seeming to suggest a lovable nature in the artist himself.
His pictures always arouse the reverential feeling--which puts the
stamp of artistic greatness upon them."
[End illustration]
{481}
THE DAY IS DONE
The day is done, and the darkness
Falls from the wings of Night,
As a feather is wafted downward
From an eagle in his flight.
I see the lights of the village
Gleam through the rain and the mist,
And a feeling of sadness comes o'er me
That my soul cannot resist:
A feeling of sadness and longing,
That is not akin to pain,
And resembles sorrow only
As the mist resembles the rain.
Come, read to me some poem,
Some simple and heartfelt lay,
That shall soothe this restless feeling,
And banish the thoughts of day.
Not from the grand old masters,
Not from the bards sublime,
Whose distant footsteps echo
Through the corridors of Time.
For, like strains of martial music,
Their mighty thoughts suggest
Life's endless toil and endeavor;
And to-night I long for rest.
Read from some humbler poet,
Whose songs gushed from his heart,
As showers from the clouds of summer,
Or tears from the eyelids start; {482}
Who, through long days of labor,
And nights devoid of ease,
Still heard in his soul the music
Of wonderful melodies.
Such songs have power to quiet
The restless pulse of care,
And come like the benediction
That follows after prayer.
Then read from the treasured volume
The poem of thy choice,
And lend to the rhyme of the poet
The beauty of thy voice.
And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.
--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_.
Used by the kind permission of Houghton, Mifflin and Company.
{483}
A CHILD'S THOUGHT OF GOD
They say that God lives very high.
But if you look above the pines
You cannot see God. And why?
And if you dig down in the mines
You never see Him in the gold
Though from Him all that's glory shines.
God is so good, He wears a fold
Of heaven and earth across His face--
Like secrets kept, for love, untold.
But still I feel that His embrace
Slides down by thrills, through all things made,
Through sight and sound of every place:
As if my tender mother laid
On my shut lids her kisses' pressure,
Half waking me at night; and said,
"Who kissed through the dark, dear guesser?"
--_Elizabeth Barrett Browning_.
{484}
LULLABY SONG
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Thy father watches his sheep;
Thy mother is shaking the dreamland tree,
And down comes a little dream on thee.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Sleep, baby, sleep!
The large stars are the sheep;
The little stars are the lambs, I guess;
And the gentle moon is the shepherdess.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Our Saviour loves His sheep:
He is the Lamb of God on high,
Who for our sakes came down to die.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
--_From the German_.
{485}{486}
[Illustration]
HEAD OF ANGEL
"See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto
you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my
Father which is in heaven."--_The Words of Jesus_
[End illustration]
{487}
THE PILGRIMS OF THE NIGHT
Hark, hark, my soul, angelic songs are swelling
O'er earth's green fields and ocean's wave-beat shore.
How sweet the truth those blessed strains are telling
Of that new life, when sin shall be no more.
Angels of Jesus,
Angels of light,
Singing to welcome
The pilgrims of the night.
Onward we go, for still we hear them singing,
"Come, weary souls, for Jesus bids you come."
And through the dark, its echoes sweetly ringing,
The music of the gospel leads us home.
Angels of Jesus,
Angels of light,
Singing to welcome
The pilgrims of the night.
Far, far away, like bells at evening pealing,
The voice of Jesus sounds o'er land and sea;
And laden souls by thousands meekly stealing,
Kind Shepherd, turn their weary steps to Thee.
Angels of Jesus,
Angels of light,
Singing to welcome
The pilgrims of the night. {488}
Rest comes at last; though life be long and dreary,
The day must dawn, and darksome night be past;
All journeys end in welcomes to the weary,
And heaven, the heart's true home, will come at last.
Angels of Jesus,
Angels of light,
Singing to welcome
The pilgrims of the night.
Angels, sing on, your faithful watches keeping,
Sing us sweet fragments of the songs above,
While we toil on, and soothe ourselves with weeping,
Till life's long night shall break in endless love.
Angels of Jesus,
Angels of light,
Singing to welcome
The pilgrims of the night.
--_Frederick William Faber_.
{489}
MEMORY VERSES
{490}
{491}
MEMORY VERSES
_One for Each Week of the Year_.
I said, "Thou art my God."
My times are in thy hand. --_Psalms 31:14-15_.
Let the words of my mouth,
and the meditations of my
heart, be acceptable in thy sight,
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. --_Psalms 19:14_.
Let your speech be always with grace. --_Colossians 4:6_.
O Lord, thou hast searched me,
and known me. --_Psalms 139:1_.
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name. --_Psalms 103:1_.
Blessed are the peacemakers:
for they shall be called
the children of God. --_Matthew 5:9_.
Ye are of God, little children. --_I John 4:4_.
Mark the perfect man,
and behold the upright, for the
end of that man is peace. --_Psalms 37:37_.
{492}
Let not your heart be troubled:
ye believe in God,
believe also in me.
In my Father's house are many mansions. --_John 14:1_.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee. --_Isaiah 26:3_.
Ask, and it shall be given you. --_Matthew 7:7_.
Blessed are the pure in heart:
for they shall see God. --_Matthew 5:8_.
Be not overcome of evil,
but overcome evil with good. --_Romans 12:21_.
Let us therefore follow after
the things which make for peace. --_Romans 14:19_.
Keep yourselves in the love of God. --_Jude 21_.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. --_Psalms 103:8_.
Be not weary in well-doing. --_II Thessalonians 3:13_.
Bear ye one another's burdens,
and so fulfill the law of Christ. --_Galatians 6:2_.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path. --_Psalms 119:105_.
{493}
He that loveth not, knoweth not God;
for God is love. --_I John 4:8_.
Blessed is the nation
whose God is the Lord. --_Psalms 33:12_.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. --_Psalms 118:6_.
Abstain from every form of evil. --_I Thessalonians 5:22_.
If ye love me keep my commandments. --_John 14:15_.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul,
and with all thy might. --_Deuteronomy 6:5_.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament showeth his handiwork. --_Psalms 19:1_.
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,
call ye upon him while he is near. --_Isaiah 55:6_.
Hear instruction, and be wise,
and refuse it not. --_Proverbs 8:33_.
Suffer the little children
to come unto me; forbid them not:
for of such is the kingdom of God. --_Mark 10:14_.
Prove all things.
Hold fast that which is good. --_I Thessalonians 5:21_.
Blessed are the merciful:
for they shall obtain mercy. --_Matthew 5:7_.
{494}
For there is not a word in my
tongue, but, lo, O Lord,
thou knowest it altogether. --_Psalms 139:4_.
Like as a father pitieth his children,
so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. --_Psalms 103:13_.
Come unto me, all ye that
labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. --_Matthew 11:28_.
This is my commandment,
that ye love one another,
as I have loved you. --_John 15:12_.
Be strong in the Lord,
and in the strength of his might. --_Ephesians 6:10_.
Rejoice in the Lord always. --_Philippians 4:4_.
Honour thy father and thy mother;
that thy days may be long upon the land
which the Lord thy God giveth thee. --_Exodus 20:12_.
Bless them which persecute you;
bless, and curse not. --_Romans 12:14_.
Thou shalt not steal. --_Exodus 20:15_.
Give to him that asketh thee. --_Matthew 5:42_.
Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor. --_Exodus 20:16_.
{495}
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. --_Matthew 22:39_.
I will say of the Lord,
He is my refuge, and my fortress:
my God; in him will I trust. --_Psalms 91:2_.
In the day of my trouble
I will call upon thee:
for thou wilt answer me. --_Psalms 86:7_.
The eyes of the Lord
are upon the righteous,
and his ears are open unto their cry. --_Psalms 34:15_.
Show me thy ways,
O Lord, teach me thy paths. --_Psalms 25:4_.
Be ye therefore followers of God,
as dear children. --_Ephesians 5:1_.
I am the good shepherd,
and know my sheep, and am known of mine. --_John 10:14_
Ye are the light of the world.
A city that is set on a hill
cannot be hid. --_Matthew 5:14_
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble. --_Psalms 46:1_
My peace I give unto you:
not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. --_John 14:27_.
{496}
God tells us in the Bible.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God. --_Matthew 22:37_.
Love one another. --_I John 3:23_.
Be ye kind one to another. --_Ephesians 4:23_.
Pray to thy Father. --_Matthew 6:6_.
Lie not. --_Colossians 3:9_.
Speak the truth. --_Zechariah 8:16_.
Thou shalt not steal. --_Exodus 20:15_.
Thou shalt not kill. --_Exodus 20:13_.
Children, obey your parents. --_Ephesians 6:1_.
Give to the poor. --_Matthew 19:21_.
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. --_Exodus 20:8_.
Search the Scriptures (study the Bible). --_John 5:39_.
Do no wrong. --_Jeremiah 22:3_.
Do that which is right. --_Exodus 15:26_.
Sin not. --_John 5:14_.
[_By courtesy of the Clarke School, Northampton. Mass._]
{497}{498}
[Illustration]
JESUS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR
By Heinrich Hofmann (1824- )
[End illustration]
{499}
PROVERBS
{500}
{501}
PROVERBS
These wise and true sayings are taken from the book in the Bible
called "Proverbs." Some of them are said to have been written by
Solomon, the wise king of Israel.
My son, if sinners entice thee,
Consent thou not.
A wise son maketh a glad father:
But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand:
But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver:
The heart of the wicked is little worth.
The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich:
And he addeth no sorrow therewith.
A false balance is an abomination to the Lord:
But a just weight is His delight.
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast:
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
A wise son heareth his father's instruction:
But a scorner heareth not rebuke.
{502}
Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise:
But the companion of fools shall smart for it.
Righteousness exalteth a nation:
But sin is a reproach to any people.
A soft answer turneth away wrath:
But a grievous word stirreth up anger.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place:
Keeping watch upon the evil and the good.
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance:
But by sorrow of heart is the spirit broken.
Better is a little with the fear of the Lord:
Than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is:
Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
A wise son maketh a glad father:
But a foolish man despiseth his mother.
A wrathful man stirreth up contention:
But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
Pride goeth before destruction:
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
The hoary head is a crown of glory,
If it be found in the way of righteousness.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty;
And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
{503}
A merry heart is a good medicine:
But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
Wine is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler;
And whoso erreth thereby is not wise.
Even a child maketh himself known by his doings,
Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
He also shall cry, but shall not be heard.
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy
Findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
And loving favour rather than silver and gold.
The rich and the poor meet together:
The Lord is the maker of them all.
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
He that loveth pureness of heart,
For the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
Remove not the ancient landmark,
Which thy fathers have set.
Seest thou a man diligent in his business?
He shall stand before kings;
He shall not stand before mean men.
{504}
A word fitly spoken
Is like apples of gold
In baskets of silver.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head,
And the Lord shall reward thee.
Seest thou a man hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;
A stranger, and not thine own lips.
{505}
PROVERBS
The following proverbs are from various sources outside the Bible.
An idle youth becomes in age a beggar.
Idle people take the most pains.
Let honesty and industry be thy constant companions.
--_Franklin_.
Haste makes waste and waste makes want.
The more haste the less speed.
Ill habits gather by unseen degrees,
As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.
--_Dryden_.
Small habits well pursued betimes
May reach the dignity of crimes.
--_Hannah More_.
God is always at leisure to do good to those that ask it.
God helps those who help themselves.
What we gave we have,
what we spent we had,
what we left we lost.
--_Epitaph of Edward, Earl of Devon_.
You may know him by the company he keeps.
Better alone than in bad company.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser.
Content is more than a kingdom.
Deeds not words.
A goodly outside apple rotten at the heart,
O what a goodly outside falsehood hath.
--_Shakespeare_.
{506}
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
--_Wesley_.
They conquer who believe they can.
--_Virgil_.
Never make a mountain out of a mole hill.
Employ thy time well, and since thou art
not sure of a minute throw not away an hour.
Virtue is its own reward.
--_Prior_.
Early to bed and early to rise,
Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
--_Franklin_.
Count that day lost whose low descending sun
Views from thy hand no worthy action done.
Never leave that till to-morrow
which you can do to-day.
--_Franklin_.
Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the blossoms,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
--_New Education Reader_.
Do you know how many children,
Go to little beds at night,
And, without a care or trouble,
Wake up with the morning light?
God in heaven each name can tell;
Knows you, too, and knows you well.
--_New Education Reader_.
Be kind and be gentle,
To those who are old,
For kindness is dearer
And better than gold.
--_New Education Reader_.
{507}
Please is a very little word,
And thank-you is not long.
Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
I am weak, but He is strong.
Love God with all your soul and strength,
With all your heart and mind,
And love your neighbor as yourself,
Be faithful, just, and kind.
Deal with another as you'd have
Another deal with you:
What you're unwilling to receive,
Be sure you never do.
--_New England Primer_.
Politeness is to do or say
The kindest thing in the kindest way.
--_New Education Reader_.
Do all the good you can
In all the ways you can,
For all the people you can
Just as long as you can.
--_Lippincott's Beginner's Reading Book_.
Be to others kind and true,
As you'd have others be to you.
--_New Education Reader_.
[End of "VOLUME ONE: THE GOLDEN BOOK"]
------------------------------------------------
[Start of "VOLUME TWO: HERO TALES"]
{1}
{2}
{3}
THE BIBLE STORY
{6}
[Illustration]
Joseph, the Prime Minister, Greeting his family.
"And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went
up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he
presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck,
and wept on his neck a good while."
[End illustration]
{7}
THE BIBLE STORY
VOLUME TWO
HERO TALES
ARRANGED AND EDITED BY
REV. NEWTON MARSHALL HALL, D.D.
MINISTER OF THE NORTH CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
AND
REV. IRVING FRANCIS WOOD, PH.D.
PROFESSOR OF
BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND COMPARATIVE RELIGION
AT SMITH COLLEGE
_Authors of "The Early Days of Israel" "Advanced Bible Studies" Etc_.
THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
CHICAGO
CLEVELAND
{8}
COPYRIGHT, 1906,
COPYRIGHT, 1917,
BY THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY,
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
{9}
PREFACE
This volume contains those Old Testament stories of heroic lives, which
never lose their charm. No better nor more fascinating stories were ever
written than those of Abraham, and Joseph, and Gideon, and Moses. In the
ordinary volume, however, they are scattered over many chapters and even
books, and the reader has great difficulty in piecing them together.
Here they are told as continuous narratives, with illustrations of the
famous places, which enhance their charm. We believe that the old heroic
figures will come, in this way, before the children, and older people as
well, with a vividness and reality never before realized.
{10}
{11}
CONTENTS
PAGE
THE PATRIARCHS.
1 Abraham 21
2 Isaac 49
3 Jacob 60
4 Joseph 91
THE GREAT CAPTAINS.
1 Moses 137
2 Joshua 277
THE JUDGES.
1 Ehud 315
2 Gideon 319
3 Abimelech 332
4 Samuel 338
THE GREAT KINGS.
1 Saul 349
2 David 382
3 Solomon 452
NOTES 485
MEMORY VERSES 503
{12}
{13}{14}
[Illustration]
ON THE WEST OF JERUSALEM, LOOKING TOWARD BETHLEHEM
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton,
Mass., and used by special permission.
[Illustration]
{15}
PALESTINE
Blest land of Judea! thrice hallowed of song,
Where the holiest of memories pilgrim-like throng;
In the shade of thy palms, by the shores of thy sea,
On the hills of thy beauty, my heart is with thee.
With the eye of a spirit I look on that shore,
Where pilgrim and prophet have lingered before;
With the glide of a spirit I traverse the sod
Made bright by the steps of the angels of God.
Blue sea of the hills!--in my spirit I hear
Thy waters, Gennesaret, chime on my ear;
Where the Lowly and Just with the people sat down.
And thy spray on the dust of His sandals was thrown.
Beyond are Bethulia's mountains of green,
And the desolate hills of the wild Gadarene;
And I pause on the goat-crags of Tabor to see
The gleam of thy waters, O dark Galilee!
Hark, a sound in the valley! where, swollen and strong
Thy river, O Kishon, is sweeping along;
Where the Canaanite strove with Jehovah in vain,
And thy torrent grew dark with the blood of the slain.
There down from his mountains stern Zebulon came,
And Naphtali's stag, with his eyeballs of flame,
And the chariots of Jabin rolled harmlessly on,
For the arm of the Lord was Abinoam's son!
{16}
There sleep the still rocks and the caverns which rang
To the song which the beautiful prophetess sang,
When the princes of Issachar stood by her side,
And the shout of a host in its triumph replied.
Lo, Bethlehem's hill-site before me is seen,
With the mountains around, and the valleys between;
There rested the shepherds of Judah, and there
The song of the angels rose sweet on the air.
And Bethany's palm-trees in beauty still throw
Their shadows at noon on the ruins below;
But where are the sisters who hastened to greet
The lowly Redeemer, and sit at His feet?
I tread where the Twelve in their wayfaring trod,
I stand where they stood with the Chosen of God,--
Where His blessing was heard and His lessons were taught,
Where the blind were restored and the healing was wrought.
Oh, here with His flock the sad Wanderer came,--
These hills He toiled over in grief are the same,--
The founts where He drank by the wayside still flow,
And the same airs are blowing which breathed on His brow!
And throned on her hills sits Jerusalem yet,
But with dust on her forehead, and chains on her feet;
For the crown of her pride to the mocker hath gone,
And the holy Shechinah is dark where it shone.
But wherefore this dream of the earthly abode
Of Humanity clothed in the brightness of God?
Were my spirit but turned from the outward and dim,
It could gaze, even now, on the presence of Him!
Not in clouds and in terrors, but gentle as when,
In love and in meekness, He moved among men;
And the voice which breathed peace to the waves of the sea
In the hush of my spirit would whisper to me!
{17}
And what if my feet may not tread where He stood,
Nor my ears hear the dashing of Galilee's flood,
Nor my eyes see the cross which He bowed Him to bear,
Nor my knees press Gethsemane's garden of prayer?
Yet, Loved of the Father, Thy Spirit is near,
To the meek, and the lowly, and penitent here;
And the voice of Thy love is the same even now
As at Bethany's tomb on Olivet's brow.
Oh, the outward hath gone!--but, in glory and power,
The Spirit surviveth the things of an hour;
Unchanged, undecaying, its Pentecost flame
On the heart's secret altar is burning the same!
--_John Greenleaf Whittier_.
[By permission of Houghton. Mifflin & Co.]
{18}
{19}
The Patriarchs
The earliest years of Jewish history are called the Patriarchal Age, and
the men who were the leaders of the people were called Patriarchs. It
was a very simple age. The people were nomadic, wandering from place to
place to find pasturage for their great flocks and herds. They lived in
tents. The patriarchs were the sheiks of the tribes, like sheik Ilderim
in the story of "Ben-Hur." It must be remembered that they lived in a
rude and uncivilized time. They had none of the high moral teaching
which we have. They often did things which were evil, but they also
sought earnestly after God, and often in the silence of the desert,
under the stars of night, found him, and worshiped him as truly as we
do. Their story is the common human tale of struggle and defeat and
victory, which is repeated under different circumstances in every age.
{20}
{21}
ABRAHAM
_The Story of the First Great Hero of Israel's History. How He Tented
with His Flocks on the Upland Pastures of Palestine, and Became the
Father of a Great Nation._
THE MIGRATION.
_He Leaves His Father's Home and Journeys to a New Country_.
There was a man named Abram, who lived in the city of Ur of the
Chaldees.
Now the Lord said unto Abram, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show
thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and
make thy name great; and be thou a blessing: and I will bless them that
bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall
all the families of the earth he blessed."
So Abram went, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him:
and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their
substance that they had gathered, and all their families and servants;
and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of
Canaan they came.
And Abram passed through the land unto the place of {22} Shechem, unto
the oak of Moreh. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, "Unto thy
family will I give this land": and there builded he an altar unto the
Lord, who appeared unto him.
And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and
pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and
there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the
Lord. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
ABRAM AND LOT.
_The Division of the Land_.
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And Lot also,
who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was
not able to hold them, that they might dwell together: for their
substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there
was a strife between the herd men of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of
Lot's cattle.
And Abram said unto Lot, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between
me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we are
brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray
thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the
right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left."
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of Jordan, that it
was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and
Gomorrah, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.
{23}{24}
[Illustration]
THE TRADITIONAL OAK OF ABRAHAM, NEAR HEBRON
From a photograph belonging to Miss Julia W. Snow
and used by her kind permission.
"And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto
the Oak of Moreh."
[End illustration]
{25}
So Lot chose for himself all the Plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed
east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram
dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the
Plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were
wicked and sinners against the Lord exceedingly. And the Lord said
unto Abram, after Lot was separated from him, "Lift up now thine eyes,
and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and
eastward and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will
I give it, and to thy family for ever. And I will make thy family as
the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the
earth, then shall thy family also be numbered. Arise, walk through the
land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for unto thee will
I give it."
And Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre,
which are in Hebron, and built there an altar un to the Lord.
THE FIGHT OF THE FIVE KINGS AGAINST THE FOUR.
_The Capture of Lot, and His Rescue by Abram_.
And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and
the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the
same is Zoar); and they set the battle in array against them in the
vale of Siddim; against Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of
Goiim, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar; four
kings against the five.
Now the vale of Siddim was full of pitch pits; and the {26} kings of
Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and they that remained
fled to the mountain. And they took all the goods of Sodom and
Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took
Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and
departed. And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the
Hebrew.
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth
his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and
pursued as far as Dan. And he divided himself against them by night,
he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah,
which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the
goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the
women also, and the people.
And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the
slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him. And
Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine: and he was
priest of God Most High. And he blessed him, and said, "Blessed be
Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be
God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand." And he
gave him a tenth of all.
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, "Give me the persons and take
the goods to thyself." And Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have
lifted up my hand unto the Lord, God Most High, possessor of heaven
and earth, that I will not take a thread or a shoelatchet nor aught
that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, 'I have made Abram rich': {27}
save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the
men which went with me; let them take their portion."
GOD'S PROMISES.
_The Making of the Covenant_.
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision,
saying, "Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great
reward."
And Abram said, "O Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I am
childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is my servant,
Eliezer of Damascus?"
And Abram said, "Behold, to me thou hast given no child: and, lo, one
born in my house is mine heir." And, behold, the word of the Lord came
unto him, saying, "This man shall not be thine heir; but he that shall
be thine own son shall be thine heir."
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, "Look now toward heaven,
and number the stars, if thou be able to number them": and he said
unto him, "So shall thy family be."
And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for
righteousness. And he said unto him, "I am the Lord who brought thee
out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it." And
he said, "O Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?"
And he said unto him, "Take me an heifer of three years old, and a
she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a
turtle dove, and a young pigeon."
And he took him all these, and divided them in the {28} midst, and
laid each half over against the other: but the birds divided he not.
And the birds of prey came down upon the carcases, and Abram drove
them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon
Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said
unto Abram, "Know of a surety that thy family shall be a stranger in a
land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict
them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve,
will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a
good old age. And in the fourth generation they shall come hither
again: for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full."
And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark,
behold a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between
these pieces. In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying,
"Unto thy family have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto
the great river Euphrates."
THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL.
_Abram Receives a New Name. Visit of the Messengers_.
(Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had no children, and, as the custom
sometimes was in those days, she gave him her handmaid Hagar, to be
his wife. And Hagar had a child, and Abram called the name of the
child Ishmael.)
And when Abram was ninety and nine years old, the Lord appeared to
Abram, and said unto him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be
thou perfect. And I {29} will make my covenant between me and thee,
and will multiply thee exceedingly."
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, "As for
me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of
a multitude of nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called
Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of
nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and
I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I
will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy family after
thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a
God unto thee and to thy family after thee. And I will give unto thee,
and to thy family after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the
land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their
God."
And God said unto Abraham, "And as for thee, thou shalt keep my
covenant, thou, and thy family after thee throughout their
generations."
And God said unto Abraham, "As for Sarai, thy wife, thou shalt not
call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless
her, and moreover I will give thee a son of her: yea, I will bless
her, and she shall be a mother of nations; she shall bear thee a son;
and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant
with him for an everlasting covenant for his family after him."
And the Lord appeared unto him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the
tent door in the heat of the day; and he lifted up his eyes and
looked, and, lo, three men stood over against {30} him: and when he
saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to
the earth and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight,
pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: let now a little water
be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your heart; after
that ye shall pass on: forasmuch as ye are come to your servant."
And they said, "So do, as thou hast said."
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, "Make ready
quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."
And Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and
gave it to the servant; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter,
and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them;
and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham
went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said, "Shall I
hide from Abraham that which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely
become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, to the end that he may
command his children and his household after him, that they may keep
the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; to the end that the
Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."
And the Lord said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great,
and because their sin is very grievous; {31} I will go down now, and
see whether they have done altogether according to the report of it,
which is come unto me; and if not, I will know."
And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham
stood yet before the Lord. And Abraham drew near, and said, "Wilt thou
consume the righteous within the city: wilt thou consume and not spare
the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from
thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked,
that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from thee:
shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
And the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the
city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to
speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes: peradventure there
shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt thou destroy all the city
for lack of five?"
And he said, "I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five."
And he spake unto him yet again, and said, "Peradventure there shall
be forty found there."
And he said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake."
And he said, "Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak:
peradventure there shall be thirty found there."
And he said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." And he said,
"Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure
there shall be twenty found there."
{32}
And he said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake." And he
said, "Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but this once:
peradventure ten shall be found there."
And he said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake." And the Lord
went his way, as soon as he had done communing with Abraham: and
Abraham returned unto his place.
DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES OF THE PLAIN.
_The Fate of Sodom and Gomorrah_.
And the two angels came to Sodom at evening; and Lot sat in the gate
of Sodom: and Lot saw them and rose up to meet them; and he bowed
himself with his face to the earth; and he said, "Behold now, my
lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry
all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on
your way."
And they said, "Nay; but we will abide in the street all night."
And he urged them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered
into his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread,
and they ate.
And the men said unto Lot, "Hast thou here any besides? son in law,
and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whomsoever thou hast in the city;
bring them out of the place: for we will destroy this place, because
the cry of them has grown great before the Lord; and the Lord hath
sent us to destroy it."
{33}{34}
[Illustration]
THE DEAD SEA
The five "Cities of the Plain" are supposed to have been situated to
the north of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is 47 miles long, with an
extreme breadth of about 10 miles. It lies 1290 feet below the sea
level and is itself 1300 feet deep in the deepest part. (See note on
page 257)
[End illustration]
{35}
And Lot went out, and spoke to his sons in law, which married his
daughters, and said, "Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will
destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons in law as one who mocked.
And when the morning came, then the angels hastened Lot, saying,
"Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters who are here; lest thou
be consumed in the iniquity of the city."
But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the
hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord
being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him
without the city.
And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he
said, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in
all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed."
And Lot said to them, "Oh, not so, my lord: behold now, thy servant
hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy,
which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape
to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die: behold now, this
city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape
thither (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."
And he said unto him, "See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing
also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken.
Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come
thither." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar, that is,
"Little."
The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the Lord
rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah {36} brimstone and fire from the
Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain
and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the
ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a
pillar of salt.
And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had
stood before the Lord: and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and
toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of
the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.
And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that
God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the
overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
BIRTH OF ISAAC.
_Hagar and Ishmael Are Cast Out. Treaty with Abimelech_.
And a child was born to Sarah, according as the Lord had promised, and
Abraham called the name of his son, Isaac. And the child grew, and was
weaned: and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was
weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which she had
borne unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, "Cast
out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall
not be heir with my son, even with Isaac."
{37}{38}
[Illustration]
HAGAR AND ISHMAEL
By Cazin
[End illustration]
{39}
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight on account of his
son. And God said unto Abraham, "Let it not be grievous in thy sight
because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah
saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy family
be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a
nation, because he is thy son."
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle
of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the
child, and sent her away: and she departed and wandered in the
wilderness of Beer-sheba. And the water in the bottle was spent, and
she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her
down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she
said, "Let me not look upon the death of the child."
And she sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept. And
God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar
out of heaven, and said unto her, "What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not;
for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up
the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great
nation."
And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went,
and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was
with the lad, and he grew; and he dwelt in the wilderness, and became
an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother
took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol, the
captain of his host, spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with thee in
all that thou doest: now therefore swear {40} unto me here by God that
thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's
son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou
shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned."
And Abraham said, "I will swear."
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of the well of water, which
Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. And Abimelech said, "I
know not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither
yet heard I of it, but to-day."
And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and
they two made a covenant. And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock
by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, "What mean these seven
ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?"
And he said, "These seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that
it may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well."
Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware
both of them. So they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: and Abimelech
rose up, and Phicol, the captain of his host, and they returned into
the land of the Philistines. And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in
Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting
God. And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.
{41}
THE TESTING OF ABRAHAM.
_God Provides the Sacrifice_.
And it came to pass after these things, that God proved Abraham, and
said to him, "Abraham!"
And he said, "Here am I."
And he said, "Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even
Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a
burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."
And Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took
two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the
wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of
which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes,
and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, "Abide
ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will
worship, and come again to you."
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon
Isaac, his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and
they went both of them together. And Isaac spoke unto Abraham, his
father, and said, "My father": and he said, "Here am I, my son."
And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for
a burnt offering?"
And Abraham said, "God will himself provide the lamb for a burnt
offering, my son": so they went both of them together.
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham
built the altar there, and laid the wood in {42} order, and bound
Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham
stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the
angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, "Abraham,
Abraham."
And he said, "Here am I."
And he said, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou
anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou
hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me."
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a
ram caught in the thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the
ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh (that is,
Jehovah will provide): as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the
Lord it shall be provided." And the angel of the Lord called unto
Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, "By myself have I
sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not
withheld thy son, thine only son: that I will certainly bless thee,
and I will certainly multiply thy family as the stars of the heaven,
and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy family shall
possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy family shall all the
nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."
So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went
together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.
{43}{44}
[Illustration]
HEBRON
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
This is one of the most interesting spots in all the world; for here
is the cave of Machpelah, the one ancient burial place which has
been handed down from remote antiquity as the genuine site. The
spot, as the burial place of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah,
Jacob and Leah, has been venerated always by the adherents of the
three great religions--Jews, Moslems, and Christians. The space
containing the caves is inclosed by a great quadrangle of masonry
197 feet long and 111 feet wide called the Haram. Within this
inclosure, directly over the caves, is built a mosque. For six
hundred years no European except, in disguise was known to have
set foot in the sacred precincts. In 1862 the Prince of Wales
was given permission, with much reluctance, to visit the
inclosure. Since then a few visits have been made, but the cave
itself has never been explored. A few visitors have been
permitted to look down a shaft in the rock beneath the mosque,
but there is no positive information as to what exists below the
surface.
[End illustration]
{45}
DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH.
_Abraham Buys a Place to Lay His Dead_.
And the life of Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years: these
were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba
(the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn
for Sarah, and to weep for her. And Abraham rose up from before his
dead, and spoke unto the children of Heth, saying, "I am a stranger
and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying place with
you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, "Hear us,
my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our
sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his
sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead."
And Abraham rose up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even
to the children of Heth. And he communed with them, saying, "If it be
your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and
intreat for me to Ephron, the son of Zohar, that he may give me the
cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field;
for the full price let him give it to me in the midst of you for a
possession of a burying place."
Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the children of Heth: and
Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of
Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, "Nay,
my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein,
I give it {46} thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I
it thee: bury thy dead."
And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. And he
spoke unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying,
"But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me: I will give the price of the
field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there."
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, "My lord, hearken unto
me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that
betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead."
And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the
silver, which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth,
four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. So
the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre,
the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were
in the field, that were in all the border thereof round about, were
made sure unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the
children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of the city.
And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field
of Machpelah before Mamre (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto
Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.
{47}{48}
[Illustration]
REBEKAH AND ELIEZER
From the Sculpture by Therwaldsen.
"And she said, 'Drink, my Lord.' And she hasted and let down her
pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink."
[End illustration]
{49}
ISAAC
_The Story of a Man Who Was Quiet and Gentle in His
Nature, Who Lived in Peace with God and Man_.
ISAAC AND REBEKAH.
_How Abraham Sought a Fair Maiden of Nahor to be His Son's
Wife_.
And Abraham was old, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
And Abraham said to his servant, who ruled over all that he had, "Put,
I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: and I will make thee swear by
the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that thou shalt
not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among
whom I dwell: but thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred,
and take a wife for my son Isaac."
And the servant said unto him, "Peradventure the woman will not be
willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again
unto the land from whence thou camest?"
And Abraham said to him, "Beware thou that thou bring not my son
thither again. The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my
father's house, and from the land of my nativity, and that spoke unto
me, and that swore unto me, saying, 'Unto thy family will I give this
land'; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt {50} take a
wife for my son from thence. And if the woman be not willing to follow
thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not
bring my son thither again."
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master,
and swore to him concerning this matter. And the servant took ten
camels, of the camels of his master, and departed; having all goodly
things of his master's in his hand: and he arose, and went to
Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made the camels kneel down
outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time
that women go out to draw water.
And he said, "O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray
thee, good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
Behold, I stand by the fountain of water; and the daughters of the men
of the city come out to draw water: and let it come to pass, that the
maiden to whom I shall say, 'Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I
may drink'; and she shall say, 'Drink, and I will give thy camels
drink also': let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy
servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness
unto my master.'"
And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold,
Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife
of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And
the maiden was very fair to look upon, and she went down to the
fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to
meet her, and said, "Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water out
of thy pitcher."
{51}
And she said, "Drink, my lord": and she hasted, and let down her
pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
And when she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will draw for thy
camels also, until they have done drinking."
And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again
unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels. And the man looked
steadfastly on her; holding his peace, to know whether the Lord had
made his journey prosperous or not.
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man
took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her
hands of ten shekels weight of gold; and said, "Whose daughter art
thou? tell me, I pray thee. Is there room in thy father's house for us
to lodge in?"
And she said unto him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of
Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor." She said moreover unto him, "We
have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in."
And the man bowed his head, and worshiped the Lord. And he said,
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who hath not
forsaken his mercy and his truth toward my master: as for me, the Lord
hath led me in the way to the house of my master's brethren."
And the maiden ran, and told her mother's house according to these
words. And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban
ran out unto the man, unto the fountain. And it came to pass, when he
saw the {52} ring, and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when
he heard the words of Rebekah, his sister, saying, "Thus spoke the man
unto me"; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the
camels at the fountain.
And he said, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest
thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."
And the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels; and he
gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet
and the men's feet that were with him.
And there was set food before him to eat: but he said, "I will not
eat, until I have told mine errand."
And he said, "Speak on."
And he said, "I am Abraham's servant. And the Lord hath blessed my
master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks
and herds, and silver and gold, and menservants and maidservants, and
camels and asses. And Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master
when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. And my
master made me swear, saying, 'Thou shalt not take a wife for my son
of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: but thou
shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife
for my son.' And I said unto my master, 'Peradventure the woman will
not follow me.' And he said unto me, 'The Lord, before whom I walk,
will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt
take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house: then
shalt thou be clear from my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and
if they give her not to thee, thou shalt be clear from my oath.'
{53}{54}
[Illustration]
REBEKAH
By Goodall.
[End illustration]
{55}
"And I came this day unto the fountain, and said, 'O Lord, the God of
my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go: behold, I
stand by the fountain of water; and let it come to pass, that the
maiden which cometh forth to draw, to whom I shall say, "Give me, I
pray thee, a little water out of thy pitcher to drink"; and she shall
say to me, "Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels": let
the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed for my master's
son.' And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah
came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto
the fountain, and drew: and I said unto her, 'Let me drink, I pray
thee.' And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder,
and said, 'Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also': so I drank,
and she made the camels drink also. And I asked her, and said, 'Whose
daughter art thou?' And she said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's
son, whom Milcah bore unto him': and I put the ring upon her nose, and
the bracelets upon her hands. And I bowed my head and worshiped the
Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, which had
led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his
son. And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me:
and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the
left."
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The {56} thing proceedeth
from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah
is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's
wife, as the Lord hath spoken."
And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words,
he bowed himself down to the earth unto the Lord. And the servant
brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and
gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother
precious things.
And they ate and drank, he and the men that were with him, and tarried
all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away
unto my master."
And her brother and her mother said, "Let the maiden abide with us a
few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go."
And he said unto them, "Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered
my way; send me away that I may go to my master."
And they said, "We will call the maiden, and inquire of her."
And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, "Wilt thou go with this
man?"
And she said, "I will go." And they sent away Rebekah their sister,
and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, be thou the
mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let thy family possess the
gate of those who hate them."
{57}{58}
[Illustration]
A CAMEL RIDER
From a photograph belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman
and used by her kind permission.
[End illustration]
{59}
And Rebekah arose, and her maidservants, and they rode upon the
camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah and went
his way.
And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the
land of the South. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the
eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were
camels coming.
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted
from the camel. And she said unto the servant, "What man is this who
walketh in the field to meet us?"
And the servant said, "It is my master": and she took her veil and
covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had
done. And Isaac brought her to his mother Sarah's tent, and took
Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was
comforted after his mother's death.
THE DEATH OF ABRAHAM.
And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived,
an hundred threescore and fifteen years. And Abraham died in a good
old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his
people. And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of
Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which
is before Mamre; the field which Abraham purchased of the children of
Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah, his wife. And it came to
pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son.
{60}
JACOB
_The Story of the Man Who Struggled Much Between
Right and Wrong and Who Suffered Many Things_.
THE STRIFE BETWEEN THE BROTHERS.
_Esau Sells His Birthright. Jacob Deceives His Father and
Receives the Blessing Intended for Esau_.
(Isaac, the son of Abraham, and Rebekah, his wife, had twin sons,
named Jacob and Esau. Esau was a bold, rough, reckless boy, fond of
hunting and adventure. Jacob was more quiet, but also more cunning.
The recklessness of Esau and the cunning of Jacob many times cost them
dear in later life.)
And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field;
and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his venison: and Rebekah loved
Jacob. And Jacob boiled pottage: and Esau came in from the field, and
he was faint: and Esau said to Jacob, "Feed me, I pray thee, with that
same red pottage; for I am faint."
And Jacob said, "Sell me this day thy birthright."
And Esau said, "Behold, I am at the point of death: and what profit
shall the birthright be to me?"
And Jacob said, "Swear to me this day"; and he swore unto him: and he
sold his birthright to Jacob.
And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and {61} he ate and
drank, and rose up, and went his way: so Esau despised his birthright.
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim,
so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to
him, "My son": and he said to him, "Here am I."
And he said, "Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death.
Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow,
and go out to the field, and take me venison; and make me savoury
meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul
may bless thee before I die."
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to
the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. And Rebekah spoke to
Jacob her son, saying, "Behold, I heard thy father speak to Esau thy
brother, saying, 'Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I
may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.' Now
therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command
thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of
the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as
he loveth: and thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, so
that he may bless thee before his death."
And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother is a
hairy man, and I am a smooth man. My father peradventure will feel me,
and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon
me, and not a blessing."
{62}
And his mother said unto him, "Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey
my voice, and go fetch me them."
And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his
mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. And Rebekah took
the goodly garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the
house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: and she put the skins
of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his
neck: and she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came unto his father,
and said, "My father": and he said, "Here am I; who art thou, my son?"
And Jacob said unto his father, "I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done
according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my
venison, that thy soul may bless me."
And Isaac said unto his son, "How is it that thou hast found it so
quickly, my son?"
And he said, "Because the Lord thy God sent me good speed."
And Isaac said unto Jacob, "Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel
thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not."
And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said,
"The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
And he knew him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother
Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
And he said, "Art thou my very son Esau?"
{63}{64}
[Illustration]
JACOB'S DREAM
By Murillo
[End illustration]
{65}
And he said, "I am."
And he said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my
son's venison, that my soul may bless thee."
And he brought it near to him, and he ate: and he
brought him wine, and he drank. And his father Isaac
said unto him, "Come near now, and kiss me, my son."
And he came near, and kissed him.
And he smelled the smell of his garment, and blessed
him, and said,--
"See, the smell of my son
Is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:
And God give thee of the dew of heaven,
And of the fatness of the earth,
And plenty of corn and wine:
Let peoples serve thee,
And nations bow down to thee:
Be lord over thy brethren,
And let thy mother's sons bow down to thee:
Cursed be everyone that curseth thee,
And blessed be everyone that blesseth thee."
And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing
Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac
his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he
also made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father; and he said
unto his father, "Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison,
that thy soul may bless me."
And Isaac his father said unto him, "Who art thou?"
{66}
And he said, "I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau." And Isaac trembled
very exceedingly, and said, "Who then is he that hath taken venison
and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before thou earnest, and
have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed."
When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding
great and bitter cry, and said unto his father, "Bless me, even me
also, O my father."
And he said, "Thy brother came with guile, and hath taken away thy
blessing."
And he said, "Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me
these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath
taken away my blessing."
And he said, "Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?"
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, "Behold, I have made him thy
lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with
corn and wine have I sustained him: and what then shall I do for thee,
my son?"
And Esau said unto his father, "Hast thou but one blessing, my father?
bless me, even me also, O my father."
And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his father answered
and said unto him:--
"Behold, of the fatness of the earth shall be thy dwelling,
And of the dew of heaven from above;
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother;
{67}
And it shall come to pass when thou shalt break loose,
That thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck."
And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father
blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my
father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob."
And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent
and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, "Behold, thy
brother Esau comforts himself, purposing to kill thee. Now therefore,
my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to
Haran; and tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn
away; until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget
that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee
from thence: why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?"
JACOB GOES FORTH FROM HOME.
_He Dreams a Dream of of Ladder Reaching to Heaven_.
And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said
unto him, "Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father;
and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy
mother's brother. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful,
and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a company of peoples; and give
thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy family with thee;
that thou mayest {68} inherit the land of thy sojournings, which God
gave unto Abraham."
And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Paddan-aram to Laban, son of
Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to
Paddan-aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed
him he gave him a charge, saying, "Thou shalt not take a wife of the
daughters of Canaan"; and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother,
and was gone to Paddan-aram.
And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he came
upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was
set; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his
head, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold
a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and
behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold,
the Lord stood above it, and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham
thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee
will I give it, and to thy family; and thy family shall be as the dust
of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the
east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy
family shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I
am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will
bring thee again into this land; for {69} I will not leave thee, until
I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, "Surely the Lord is in
this place; and I knew it not."
And he was afraid, and said, "How dreadful is this place! this is none
other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had
put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon
the top of it. And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the
name of the city was Luz at the first.
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep
me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment
to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then
shall the Lord be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a
pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I
will surely give the tenth unto thee."
JACOB AND RACHEL.
_How Jacob Served Seven Years for the Woman He Loved_.
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children
of the east. And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo,
three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they
watered the flocks: and the stone upon the well's mouth was great. And
thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from
the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and {70} put the stone again
upon the well's mouth in its place. And Jacob said unto them, "My
brethren, whence are ye?" And they said, "Of Haran are we." And he
said unto them, "Know ye Laban the son of Nahor?"
And they said, "We know him."
And he said unto them, "Is it well with him?"
And they said, "It is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh
with the sheep."
And he said, "Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the
cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and
feed them."
And they said, "We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together,
and they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the
sheep."
While he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for
she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter
of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's
brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's
mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob
kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told
Rachel that he was her father's nephew, and that he was Rebekah's son:
and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard
the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and
embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he
told Laban all these things.
And Laban said to him, "Surely thou art my bone and my flesh."
{71}
And he abode with him the space of a month.. And Laban said unto
Jacob, "Because thou art my nephew, shouldest thou therefore serve me
for nought? tell me what shall thy wages be?"
And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the
name of the younger was Rachel. And Leah's eyes were tender; but
Rachel was beautiful and well favored. And Jacob loved Rachel; and he
said, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter."
And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to thee, than that I
should give her to another man: abide with me."
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but
a few days, for the love he had to her.
JACOB SETS OUT FOR HIS NATIVE LAND.
_He Is Pursued by Laban, but a Covenant of Peace Is Made Between Them_.
(Jacob also took Leah to be his wife. After many years of service, in
which time many sons and daughters were born to him, Jacob, who
increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, and maidservants and
menservants, and camels and asses, wished to depart from the household
of his father-in-law to his native land. So he went away secretly,
with his wives and all his possessions. )
Now Laban was angry, and pursued Jacob, and Laban came up with Jacob.
Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain: and Laban with his
brethren pitched in the mountain of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob,
"What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and
carried away my daughters as captives of the {72} sword? Wherefore
didst thou flee secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell
me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with
tabret and with harp; and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my
daughters? now hast thou done foolishly. It is in the power of my hand
to do you hurt: but the God of your father spoke unto me yesternight,
saying, 'Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good
or bad.'"
And Jacob was wroth with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban,
"What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast hotly pursued
after me? This twenty years have I been with thee. The sheep of the
flock which were torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bore the
loss of them; of my hand didst thou require them, whether stolen by
day or stolen by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed
me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes. These
twenty years have I been in thy house; I served thee fourteen years
for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock: and thou hast
changed my wages ten times. Except the God of my father, the God of
Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now hadst
thou sent me away empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labor
of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight."
{73}{74}
[Illustration]
HEBRON
Hebron, famous in Old Testament story, is to-day one of the four
sacred cities of the Moslems. It is in a little valley surrounded by
hills, which are still covered with vineyards.
[End illustration]
{75}
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, "The daughters are my
daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my
flocks and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day
unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have borne?
And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a
witness between me and thee."
And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said
unto his brethren, "Gather stones"; and they took stones, and made an
heap: and they ate there by the heap. And Laban called it
"Jegar-sahadutha": but Jacob called it Galeed.
And Laban said, "This heap is witness between me and thee this day."
Therefore was the name of it called Galeed: and "Mizpah" (that is,
watchtower), for he said,
"The Lord watch between me and thee,
When we are absent one from another."
"If thou shalt afflict my daughters, and if thou shalt take wives
beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness between me
and thee."
And Laban said to Jacob, "Behold this heap, and behold the pillar,
which I have set between me and thee. This heap be witness, and the
pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and
that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for
harm.
"The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father,
judge between us."
And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. And Jacob offered a
sacrifice in the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread: and
they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mountain. And early in
the morning {76} Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters,
and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And Jacob said
when he saw them, "This is God's host": and he called the name of that
place Mahanaim (that is, Two Hosts).
JACOB FEARS THE WRATH OF ESAU.
_He Wrestles with the Angel. The Brothers Meet and are Reconciled_.
And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land
of Seir, the field of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, "Thus shall
ye say unto my lord Esau; 'Thus saith thy servant Jacob, I have
sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now: and I have oxen, and asses
and flocks, and menservants and maidservants: and I have sent to tell
my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.'"
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to thy brother
Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with
him."
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the
people that was with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the
camels, into two companies; and he said, "If Esau come to the one
company, and smite it, then the company which is left shall escape."
{77}{78}
[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF THE JABBOK
From a photograph taken by Prof. H. G. Mitchell
and used by his kind permission.
Over this stream Jacob sent his family and his flock while he
remained to wrestle with the angel through the night.
[End illustration]
{79}
And Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father
Isaac, O Lord, who saidst unto me, 'Return unto thy country, and to
thy kindred, and I will do thee good': I am not worthy of the least of
all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy
servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am
become two companies. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my
brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and smite
me, the mother with the children. And thou saidst, 'I will surely do
thee good, and make thy family as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
numbered for multitude.'"
And he lodged there that night; and took of that which he had with him
a present for Esau his brother; two hundred she-goats and twenty
he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milch camels and
their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals.
And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by
itself; and said unto his servants, "Pass over before me, and put a
space between drove and drove."
And he commanded the foremost, saying, "When Esau my brother meeteth
thee, and asketh thee, saying, 'Whose art thou? and whither goest
thou? and whose are these before thee?' then thou shalt say, 'They are
thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and,
behold, he also is behind us.'"
And he commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed
the droves, saying, "On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye
find him; and ye shall say, 'Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is
behind us.'"
For he said, "I will appease him with the present that {80} goeth
before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will
accept me."
So the present passed over before him: and he himself
lodged that night in the company.
And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two
handmaids, and his eleven children, and passed over the ford of
Jabbok. And he took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over
that which he had. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man
with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he
prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the
hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him. And he
said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh."
And he said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."
And he said unto him, "What is thy name?"
And he said, "Jacob."
And he said, "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for
thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed."
And Jacob asked him and said, "Tell me, I pray thee, thy name."
And he said, "Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?"
And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place
Penuel: for, said he, "I have seen God face, to face, and my life is
preserved."
{81}{82}
[Illustration]
NABLOUS, THE ANCIENT SHECHEM, IN THE VALLEY BETWEEN
MOUNTS EBAL AND GERIZIM
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
The first camping place of Abraham. Jacob built an altar here, and
dug a well, and here Joseph was buried. Joshua set up a great stone
"as a witness" here at the end of his life. It was here at "Jacob's
well," about a mile and a half from the town, that Jesus met the
woman of Samaria.
[End illustration]
{83}
And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel, and he limped upon
his thigh.
And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and
with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and
unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and
their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel
and Joseph hindermost. And he himself passed over before them, and
bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his
brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his
neck, and kissed him: and they wept. And he lifted up his eyes, and
saw the women and the children; and said, "Who are these with thee?"
And he said, "The children which God hath graciously given thy
servant."
Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed
themselves. And Leah also and her children came near, and bowed
themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed
themselves. And he said, "What meanest thou by all this company which
I met?"
And he said, "To find grace in the sight of my lord." And Esau said,
"I have enough; my brother, let that which thou hast be thine."
And Jacob said, "Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy
sight, then receive my present at my hand: forasmuch as I have seen
thy face, as one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
Take, I {84} pray thee, my gift that is brought to thee; because God
hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough."
And he urged him, and he took it.
And he said, "Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go
before thee."
And he said unto him, "My lord knoweth that the children are tender,
and that the flocks and herds with me have their young: and if they
overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord, I pray
thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on gently,
according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according
to the pace of the children, until I come unto my lord unto Seir."
And Esau said, "Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are
with me."
And he said, "What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my
lord."
So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed to
Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle:
therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
And Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land
of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and encamped before the
city. And he bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent,
at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred
pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it "God,
the God of Israel."
{85}{86}
[Illustration]
BETHEL
Photograph taken by Mrs. Frank L. Goodspeed, of Springfield, Mass.,
and used by her kind permission.
One of Abraham's camping grounds and the place of Jacob's dream.
[End illustration]
{87}
JACOB ERECTS AN ALTAR AT BETH-EL.
_He Is Given a New Name. The Death of Rachel_.
And God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and
make there an altar unto God, who appeared unto thee when thou
fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother."
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him,
"Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves,
and change your garments: and let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and
I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my
distress, and was with me in the way which I went."
And they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hand,
and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the
oak which was by Shechem. And they journeyed: and a great terror was
upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue
after the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (the same is Beth-el),
he and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar,
and called the place, "The God of Beth-el": because there God was
revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother. And
Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried below Beth-el under
the oak: and the name of it was called "The Oak of Weeping."
And God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and
blessed him. And God said unto him, "Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall
not be called any {88} more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name:" and
he called his name Israel.
And God said unto him, "I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a
nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come
from thee; and the land which I gave unto Abraham and Isaac, to thee I
will give it, and to thy family after thee will I give the land."
And God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him. And
Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a pillar
of stone: and he poured out a drink offering thereon, and poured oil
thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with
him, "Beth-el."
And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath (the same is
Bethlehem). And Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave: the same is the
Pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
(In this place Jacob lived for many years; but the sorrow that came to
him, and the wonderful things that befell him in his old age, and how
he journeyed to Egypt, and died there, are told in the next story, the
story of Joseph, his son.)
{89}{90}
[Illustration]
MOSES
From the frieze of the Prophets, by Sargent, in the Boston Public
Library.
[End illustration]
{91}
JOSEPH
_The Story of the Shepherd Boy Who Was Sold into Bondage, and How He
Became Ruler in a Great Nation_.
A COWARDLY DEED.
_Joseph Arouses the Enmity of His Older Brethren, and They Sell Him into
Slavery_.
(Joseph and Benjamin were the sons of Rachel, Jacob's best loved wife.
Their mother died while Joseph was still a little boy and Benjamin was a
baby. Their father loved the two motherless boys very much.)
Joseph, when he was seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with
his brethren; and he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the
sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought an evil report
of them unto their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his
children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a
coat of many colors. And his brethren saw that their father loved him
more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak
peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his
brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them,
"Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: for, behold, we
were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and stood
upright; and, {92} behold, your sheaves came round about, and bowed
down to my sheaf."
And his brethren said to him, "Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or
shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?"
And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And
he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said,
"Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream; and, behold, the sun and the moon
and eleven stars bowed down to me."
And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father
rebuked him, and said unto him, "What is this dream that thou hast
dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow
down ourselves to thee to the earth?"
And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.
And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. And
Israel said unto Joseph, "Do not thy brethren feed the flock in
Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them."
And he said to him, "Here am I."
And he said to him, "Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren,
and well with the flock; and bring me word again."
So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And
a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field:
and the man asked him, saying, "What seekest thou?" And he said, "I
seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they are feeding the
flock."
{93}{94}
[Illustration]
A CARAVAN LOADING FOR A JOURNEY
From a photograph in the possession of Dr. W. J. Moulton
and used by his kind permission.
[End illustration]
{95}
And the man said, "They are departed hence: for I heard them say, 'Let
us go to Dothan.'"
And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. And they
saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired
against him to slay him. And they said one to another, "Behold, this
dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him
into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil beast hath devoured
him': and we shall see what will become of his dreams."
And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand; and said,
"Let us not take his life."
And Reuben said unto them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that
is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him": that he might deliver
him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they
stript Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him;
and they took him and cast him into the pit: and the pit was empty,
there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread: and they
lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites
came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and
myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his
brethren, "What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his
blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our
hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh," And his brethren
hearkened unto him.
{96}
And they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to
the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph
into Egypt. And Reuben returned un to the pit; and, behold, Joseph was
not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his
brethren, and said, "The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?"
And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat
in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought
it to their father; and said, "This have we found: know now whether it
be thy son's coat or not."
And he knew it, and said, "It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath
devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces."
And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and
mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters
rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said,
"For I will go down to the grave to my son mourning." And his father
wept for him.
JOSEPH IN EGYPT.
_Fortunate at First, He is Cast into Prison, but Even There He Finds
Favor_.
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of
Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand
of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither. And the Lord was
with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his
master the Egyptian.
{97}{98}
[Illustration]
A VIEW OF THE PYRAMIDS AND THE SPHINX
From a photograph belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman and used by her
kind permission.
Egypt is a land of wonder and romance, the seat of one of the oldest
civilizations on the face of the globe. Its ancient temples and
statues, though in ruins, are among the most beautiful and wonderful
in the world. Many of the tombs have been plundered, yet one has
only just been opened which contained untouched the priceless
memorial of that early time. This is the land over which the Hebrew
shepherd lad Joseph ruled and out of which the Hebrew people finally
marched to freedom.
[End illustration]
{99}
And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made
all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his
sight, and he ministered unto him: and he made him overseer over his
house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass
from the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all
that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's
sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had, in the
house and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand;
and he knew not aught that was with him, save the bread which he did
eat.
(But Joseph's mistress was a wicked woman, and, because Joseph would
not do wrong, told what was not true about him to his master, so that
Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where
the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.)
But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed kindness unto him, and gave
him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of
the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in
the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The
keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand,
because the Lord was with him; and that which he did, the Lord made it
to prosper.
JOSEPH INTERPRETS THE DREAMS OF PHARAOH'S OFFICERS.
_The Fate of the Chief Butler and of the Baker of the King_.
And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of
Egypt and his baker offended their lord the {100} king of Egypt. And
Pharaoh was wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the
butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them into the
prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard
charged Joseph with them, and he ministered unto them: and they
continued a season in prison.
And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream, in one
night, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound
in the prison. And Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw
them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh's officers that
were with him in prison, saying, "Wherefore look ye so sad to-day?"
And they said unto him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is none
that can interpret it."
And Joseph said unto them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell
it me, I pray you."
And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my
dream, behold, a vine was before me; and in the vine were three
branches: and it was as though it budded, and its blossoms shot forth;
and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: and Pharaoh's cup
was in my hand; and I took the grape: and pressed them into Pharaoh's
cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand."
{101}{102}
[Illustration]
A GROVE OF DATE PALMS IN EGYPT
From a photograph belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman
and used by her kind permission.
[End illustration]
{103}
And Joseph said unto him, "This is the interpretation of it: the three
branches are three days; within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up
thine head, and restore thee unto thine office: and thou shalt give
Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast
his butler. But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with
thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, to me, and make mention of me
unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: for indeed I was stolen
away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing
that they should put me into the dungeon."
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said
unto Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and, behold, three baskets of
white bread were on my head: and in the uppermost basket there was all
manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds ate them out of the
basket upon my head."
And Joseph answered and said, "This is the interpretation thereof: the
three baskets are three days; within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift
up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the
birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee."
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that
he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of
the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he
gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: but he hanged the chief baker: as
Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember
Joseph, but forgot him.
{104}
THE SEVEN FAT KINE AND THE SEVEN LEAN KINE
_Which Joseph Told the King Meant Seven Fat Years of Plenty and Seven
Lean Years of Want. The Hebrew Boy is Made Chief Ruler of Egypt. The
Famine Comes_.
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh
dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came
up out of the river seven kine, well favored and fatfleshed; and they
fed in the reed-grass. And, behold, seven other kine came up after
them out of the river, ill favored and leanfleshed; and stood by the
other kine upon the brink of the river. And the ill favored and
leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine. So
Pharaoh awoke.
And he slept and dreamed a second time: and, behold, seven ears of
corn came up upon one stalk, full and good. And, behold, seven ears,
thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. And the
thin ears swallowed up the seven full and good ears. And Pharaoh
awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass in the morning
that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the
magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told
them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto
Pharaoh.
Then spoke the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, "I do remember my
faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in
prison in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief
baker: and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each
man according to the interpretation of his dream. And {105} there was
with us there a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the
guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each
man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass as he
interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him
he hanged."
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out
of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and
came in to Pharaoh.
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is none
that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that when thou
hearest a dream thou canst interpret it."
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me: God shall give
Pharaoh an answer of peace."
And Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I stood upon the
brink of the river: and, behold, there came up out of the river seven
kine, fatfleshed and well favored; and they fed in the reed-grass:
and, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill
favored and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt
for badness: and the lean and ill favored kine ate up the first seven
fat kine: and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that
they had eaten them; but they were still ill favored as at the
beginning. So I awoke.
"And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up upon one
stalk, full and good: and, behold, seven ears, {106} withered, thin,
and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: and the thin
ears swallowed up the seven good ears: and I told it unto the
magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me."
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, "The dream of Pharaoh is one: what God
is about to do he hath declared unto Pharaoh. The seven good kine are
seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is
one. And the seven lean and ill favored kine that came up after them
are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east
wind; they shall be seven years of famine. That is the thing which I
spoke unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do he hath showed unto
Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all
the land of Egypt: and there shall arise after them seven years of
famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt;
and the famine shall consume the land; and the plenty shall not be
known in the land by reason of that famine which followeth; for it
shall be very grievous. And the reason that the dream was doubled to
Pharaoh is because the thing is established by God, and God will
shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man
discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do
this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the
fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let
them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up
corn under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them
keep it. And the food shall be for {107} a store to the land against
the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that
the land perish not through the famine."
And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all
his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a
one as this, a man in whom the spirit of God is?"
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all
this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou: thou shalt be over
my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled: only
in the throne will I be greater than thou." And Pharaoh said unto
Joseph, "See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt."
And Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon
Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a
gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second
chariot which he had; and they cried before him, "Bow the knee": and
he set him over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I
am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot
in all the land of Egypt."
And Pharaoh gave Joseph Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera the priest
of On to be his wife. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of
Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went
throughout all the land of {108} Egypt. And in the seven plenteous
years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the
food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up
the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about
every city, laid he up in the same. And Joseph laid up corn as the
sand of the sea, very much, until he left measuring; for it was
without measure. And to Joseph were born two sons before the year of
famine came, which his wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera priest
of On bore to him. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn
Manasseh: "For," said he, "God hath made me forget all my toil, and
all my father's house." And the name of the second called he Ephraim:
"For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."
And the seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt, came to
an end. And the seven years of famine began to come, according as
Joseph had said: and there was famine in all lands; but in all the
land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was
famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto
all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; what he saith to you, do."
And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened
all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine was
sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph
to buy corn; because the famine was sore in all the earth.
{109}{110}
[Illustration]
A VIEW OF THE PYRAMIDS, WITH A VILLAGE IN THE FOREGROUND
From a photograph belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman
and used by her kind permission.
The pyramids, which are seen in the distance in this picture, were
considered one of the "Seven Wonders of the World." There are
seventy of them in Egypt and they were built as tombs of the
Pharaohs. The "Great Pyramid" is four hundred and eighty feet and
nine inches high; it is supposed to have taken one hundred thousand
men fifty years to build it, and the date is given as from 3229 to
2123 B.C.
[End illustration]
{111}
THE SONS OF JACOB COME TO EGYPT TO BUY CORN.
_They Do Not Recognize, in the Ruler of the Land, the Brother Whom They
Sold. He Commands Them to Bring Their Youngest Brother to Egypt_.
Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said to his
sons, "Why do ye look one upon another?"
And he said, "Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get
you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and
not die."
And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn from Egypt. But
Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he
said, "Lest peradventure mischief befall him."
And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came: for the
famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the
land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's
brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to
the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made
himself strange to them, and spoke roughly with them; and he said unto
them, "Whence come ye?"
And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food." And Joseph knew
his brethren, but they knew not him.
And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said
unto them, "Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are
come."
And they said unto him, "Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy
servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy
servants are no spies."
{112}
And he said to them, "Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are
come."
And they said, "We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one
man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with
our father, and one is not."
And Joseph said unto them, "That is it that I spoke unto you, saying,
'Ye are spies': hereby ye shall be proved: 'by the life of Pharaoh ye
shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be
bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you:
or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies." And he put them
all together into prison three days.
And Joseph said unto them the third day, "This do, and live; for I
fear God: if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in your
prison house; but go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: and
bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified,
and ye shall not die."
And they did so. And they said one to another, "We are verily guilty
concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when
he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come
upon us."
And Reuben answered them, saying, "Spoke I not unto you, saying, 'Do
not sin against the child'; and ye would not hear? therefore also,
behold, his blood is required."
And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an
interpreter between them.
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; {113} and he returned
to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound
him before their eyes. Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels
with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give
them provisions for the way: and thus was it done unto them. And they
loaded their asses with their corn, and departed thence. And as one of
them opened his sack to feed his ass in the lodging place, he espied
his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. And he said
unto his brethren, "My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my
sack": and their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to
another, saying, "What is this that God hath done unto us?"
And they came to Jacob their father to the land of Canaan, and told
him all that had befallen them; saying, "The man, the lord of the
land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country. And
we said to him, 'We are true men; we are no spies: we are twelve
brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day
with our father in the land of Canaan.'
"And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us, 'Hereby shall I know
that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren with me, and take
corn for the famine of your houses, and go your way: and bring your
youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but
that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall
traffic in the land.'"
And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every
man's bundle of money was in his sack: and {114} when they and their
father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. And Jacob their
father said unto them, "Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is
not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these
things are against me."
And Reuben spoke unto his father, saying, "Slay my two sons, if I
bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him
to thee again." And he said, "My son shall not go down with you; for
his brother is dead, and he only is left: if mischief befall him by
the way in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with
sorrow to the grave."
JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS.
_Jacob at First Refuses, but at Length Consents, to Let Benjamin Go.
Joseph Places the Money in the Sacks. He Threatens the Brothers with
Punishment. He tells His Brothers Who He Is, Forgives Them, and Takes
Them Into His Favor_.
And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they
had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their
father said unto them, "Go again, buy us a little food."
And Judah spoke unto him, saying, "The man did solemnly protest unto
us, saying, 'Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with
you.' If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy
thee food: but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the
man said unto us, 'Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be
with you.'"
{115}
And Israel said, "Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the
man whether ye had yet a brother?"
And they said, "The man asked strictly concerning ourselves, and
concerning our kindred, saying, 'Is your father yet alive? have ye
another brother?' and we told him according to the nature of these
words: could we in any wise know that he would say, 'Bring your
brother down'?"
And Judah said unto Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we
will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou,
and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt
thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before
thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: for except we had lingered,
surely we had now returned a second time."
And their father Israel said unto them, "If it be so now, do this;
take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down
the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and
myrrh, nuts, and almonds: and take double money in your hand; and the
money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your
hand; peradventure it was an oversight: take also your brother, and
arise, go again unto the man: and God Almighty give you mercy before
the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin.
And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
And the men took that present, and they took double money in their
hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood
before Joseph. And when {116} Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said
to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slay,
and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon."
And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into
Joseph's house. And the men were afraid, because they were brought
into Joseph's house; and they said, "Because of the money that was
returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may
seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen,
and our asses."
And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke
unto him at the door of the house, and said, "Oh my lord, we came
indeed down at the first time to buy food: and it came to pass, when
we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold,
every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full
weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. And other money have
we brought down in our hand to buy food: we know not who put our money
in our sacks."
And he said, "Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your
father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money."
And he brought Simeon out to them. And the man brought the men into
Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and
he gave their asses provender. And they made ready the present for
Joseph's coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat there.
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in
their hand into the house, and bowed {117} down themselves to him to
the earth. And he asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your
father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?" and they
said, "Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive." And they
bowed the head, and made obeisance.
And he lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's
son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spoke unto
me?" And he said, "God be gracious unto thee, my son."
And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he
sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
And he washed his face and came out; and he refrained himself, and
said, "Set on food."
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and
for the Egyptians, who ate with him, by themselves: because the
Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination
to the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the firstborn according to
his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men
marveled one with another. And he took of the food and sent portions
to them from before him: but Benjamin's portion was five times as much
as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's
sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money
in his sack's mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's
mouth of the youngest, and his corn money."
{118}
And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. As soon as
the morning was light the men were sent away, they and their asses.
And when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off,
Joseph said to his steward, "Up, follow after the men; and when thou
dost overtake them, say to them, 'Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for
good? Is not this the cup from which my lord drinketh, and whereby he
indeed divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.'"
And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these words. And they
said unto him, "Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? God
forbid that thy servants should do such a thing. Behold, the money,
which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of
the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house
silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him
die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen."
And he said, "Now also let it be according unto your words: he with
whom it is found shall be my bondman; and ye shall be blameless."
Then they hasted, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and
opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest,
and left off at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's
sack. Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and
returned to the city. And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's
house; and he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
And Joseph said {119} unto them, "What deed is this that ye have done?
know ye not that such a man as I can indeed divine?"
And Judah said, "What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak?
or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of
thy servants: behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he also
in whose hand the cup is found."
And he said, "God forbid that I should do so: the man in whose hand
the cup is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up
in peace unto your father."
Then Judah came near unto him, and said, "Oh my lord, let thy servant,
I pray thee, speak a word to my lord, and let not thine anger burn
against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his
servants, saying, 'Have ye a father, or a brother?' And we said unto
my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a
little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his
mother, and his father loveth him.' And thou saidst unto thy servants,
'Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.' And we
said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should
leave his father, his father would die.' And thou saidst unto thy
servants, 'Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall
see my face no more.' And it came to pass when we came up to thy
servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father
said, 'Go again, buy us a little food.' And we said, 'We cannot go
down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will {120} we go down:
for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with
us.' And thy servant my father said to us, 'Ye know that my wife bore
me two sons: and the one went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is
torn in pieces"; and I have not seen him since: and if ye take this
one also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray
hairs in sorrow to the grave.' Now therefore when I come to thy
servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is
bound up in the lad's life; it shall come to pass, when he seeth that
the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring
down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the
grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father,
saying, 'If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I bear the blame to
my father for ever.' Now therefore, let thy servant, I pray thee,
abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up
with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be
not with me? lest I see the evil that shall come on my father."
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by
him; and he cried, "Cause every man to go out from me."
And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known to
his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians heard, and the
house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, "I am
Joseph; doth my father yet live?"
And his brethren could not answer him; for they were {121} troubled at
his presence. And Joseph said to his brethren, "Come near to me, I
pray you."
And they came near. And he said, "I am Joseph your brother, whom ye
sold into Egypt. And now be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves,
that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve
life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and there
are yet five years, in the which there shall be neither plowing nor
harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a remnant in the
earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance. So now it was not
you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to
Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of
Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, 'Thus saith
thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me,
tarry not: and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt
be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children,
and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: and there will
I nourish thee; for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou come
to poverty, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast. And,
behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is
my mouth that speaketh unto you.' And ye shall tell my father of all
my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste
and bring down my father hither."
And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept; and Benjamin
wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his {122} brethren, and wept
with them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
And the report thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, "Joseph's
brethren are come": and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And
Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "Say unto thy brethren, 'This do ye; load
your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; and take your
father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the
good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.' Now
thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of
Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father,
and come. Also regard not your possessions; for the good of all the
land of Egypt is yours."
And the sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according
to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the way.
To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he
gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. And
to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good
things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and
victual for his father by the way.
So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said to them,
"See that ye fall not out by the way."
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan to
Jacob their father. And they told him, saying, "Joseph is yet alive,
and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." And his heart fainted,
for he {123} believed them not. And they told him all the words of
Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which
Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father
revived: and Israel said, "It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I
will go and see him before I die."
JACOB IN EGYPT.
_The Famine Wastes the Land. Death of Jacob. Death of Joseph_.
And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to
Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And
God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, "Jacob,
Jacob."
And he said, "Here am I."
And he said, "I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down
into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go
down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again:
and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes."
And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried
Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the
wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle
and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came
into Egypt, Jacob, and all his family with him: his sons, and his
sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all
his family brought he with him into Egypt.
And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to show the way before him
unto Goshen; and they came into the {124} land of Goshen. And Joseph
made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to
Goshen; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and
wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, "Now let
me die, since I have seen thy face, and know that thou art yet alive."
And Joseph said to his brethren, and to his father's house, "I will go
up, and tell Pharaoh, and will say unto him, 'My brethren, and my
father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and
they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they
have.' And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and
shall say, 'What is your occupation?' that ye shall say, 'Thy servants
have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we,
and our fathers': that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every
shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians."
Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my
brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have,
are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land
of Goshen."
And from among his brethren he took five men, and presented them to
Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to his brethren, "What is your occupation?"
And they said to Pharaoh, "Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and
our fathers."
And they said to Pharaoh, "To sojourn in the land are we come; for
there is no pasture for thy servants' {125} flocks; for the famine is
sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy
servants dwell in the land of Goshen."
And Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph, saying, "Thy father and thy brethren
are come to thee: the land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the
land make thy father and thy brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen
let them dwell: and if thou knowest any able men among them, then make
them rulers over my cattle."
And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh:
and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, "How many are
the days of the years of thy life?"
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage
are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have been the days of
the years of my life, and they have not attained unto the days of the
years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage."
And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a
possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land
of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father,
and his brethren, and all his father's household, with food, according
to their families.
And there was no food in all the land; for the famine was very sore,
so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan fainted by reason of
the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the
land of {126} Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which
they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. And
when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of
Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, "Give us bread:
for why should we die in thy presence? for our money faileth."
And Joseph said, "Give your cattle; and I will give you for your
cattle if money fail."
And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them food
in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and
for the asses: and he fed them with food in exchange for all their
cattle for that year. And when that year was ended, they came to him
the second year, and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord, how
that our money is all spent; and the herds of cattle are my lord's;
there is nought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our
lands: wherefore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our
land? buy us and our land for food, and we and our land will be
servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not
die, and that the land be not desolate."
So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians
sold every man his field, because the famine was sore upon them: and
the land became Pharaoh's. And as for the people, he removed them to
the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end
thereof.
{127}{128}
[Illustration]
A VIEW IN LUXOR
From a photograph belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman
and used by her kind permission.
[End illustration]
{129}
Only the land of the priests bought he not: for the priests had a
portion from Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave
them; wherefore they sold not their land. Then Joseph said unto the
people, "Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh:
lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come
to pass at the ingatherings, that ye shall give a fifth to Pharaoh,
and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your
food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little
ones."
And they said, "Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the
sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants."
And Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt unto this
day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land of the priests
alone became not Pharaoh's. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in
the land of Goshen; and they got them possessions therein, and were
fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.
And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the days of
Jacob, the years of his life, were an hundred forty and seven years.
And the time drew near that Israel must die: and he called his son
Joseph, and said unto him, "If now I have found grace in thy sight,
put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly
with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: bury me with my fathers
in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave
that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land
of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite
for a possession of a buryingplace: there they {130} buried Abraham
and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and
there I buried Leah: the field and the cave that is therein, which was
purchased from the children of Heth."
And when Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he laid himself down
upon his bed and died. And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and
wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the
physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days
of embalming: and the Egyptians wept for him threescore and ten days.
And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke unto the
house of Pharaoh, saying, "If now I have found grace in your eyes,
speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 'My father made me
swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in
the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go
up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.'"
And Pharaoh said, "Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made
thee swear." And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went
up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the
elders of the land of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph, and his
brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their
flocks and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there
went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great
{131} company. And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is
beyond Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and sore
lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days. And
when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in
the floor of Atad, they said, "This is a grievous mourning to the
Egyptians": wherefore the name of it was called "The Mourning of
Egypt," which is beyond Jordan. And his sons did unto him according as
he commanded them: for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan,
and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham
bought with the field, for a possession of a buryingplace, of Ephron
the Hittite, before Mamre.
And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that
went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said,
"It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully requite us all the
evil which we did unto him." And they sent a message unto Joseph,
saying, "Thy father did command before he died, saying, 'So shall ye
say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy
brethren, and their sin, in that they did unto thee evil': and now, we
pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of thy
father."
And Joseph wept when they spoke unto him. And his brethren also went
and fell down before his face; and they said, "Behold, we are thy
servants." And Joseph {132} said unto them, "Fear not: for am I in the
place of God? And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant
it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people
alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little
ones." And he comforted them, and spoke kindly unto them.
And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph
lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of
the third generation. And Joseph said unto his brethren, "I die: but
God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land unto the
land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."
And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, "God will
surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence."
So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed
him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
{133}
The Great Captains
The word "captain" following the use in the Bible and all literature
down to the present day, is not the particular term, designating the
commander of a small company of soldiers, but a general term, standing
for leadership in the largest sense. Moses, according to this meaning
of the word, was one of the greatest of the worlds captains, for he
took a cowardly, unorganized mob of slaves and led them through the
most appalling difficulties and dangers, to freedom, and to a position
where national existence was possible. While there was little actual
fighting in the journey from Egypt to Palestine, yet there was
necessity, every step of the way, for the highest qualities of
leadership.
Joshua was a great captain in the more strictly military sense of the
word. He found the force organized and disciplined by the leadership
of Moses, and he used it as a skillful swordsman uses a keen and
tempered blade. In his campaigns he displayed the abilities of the
great military genius.
{134}
THE FINDING OF MOSES
Slow glides the Nile: amid the margin flags,
Closed in a bulrush ark, the babe is left,--
Left by a mother's hand. His sister waits
Far off; and pale, 'tween hope and fear, beholds
The royal maid, surrounded by her train,
Approach the river bank,--approach the spot
Where sleeps the innocent: she sees them stoop
With meeting plumes; the rushy lid is oped,
And wakes the infant, smiling in his tears,
As when along a little mountain lake
The summer south-wind breathes, with gentle sigh,
And parts the reeds, unveiling, as they bend,
A water-lily floating on the wave.
{135}{136}
[Illustration]
VIEW FROM RAMAH, THE TRADITIONAL HOME OF SAMUEL
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood
and used by special permission.
"We know not with certainty the situation of Ramah. Of Samuel as of
Moses it may be said, 'No man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this
day.' But the lofty peak above Gibeon, which has long borne his
name, has this feature (in common, to a certain extent, with any
high place which can have been the scene of his life and death),
that it overlooks the whole of that broad table-land, on which the
fortunes of the Jewish monarchy were afterwards unrolled. Its
towering eminence, from which the pilgrims first obtained their view
of Jerusalem, is no unfit likeness of the solitary grandeur of the
prophet Samuel, who lived and died in the very midst of the future
glory of his country"
[End illustration]
{137}
MOSES
_The Story of the Man Who Led a Race of Slaves Out of Bondage, and
Became the Emancipator of a Great Nation_.
THE ISRAELITES ARE ENSLAVED IN EGYPT.
_The Slave Who Was Brought Up in a King's Palace. Moses Kills
One of the Egyptian Taskmasters and Flees from the Country_.
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. And he
said to his people, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are
more and mightier than we: come, let us deal wisely with them; lest
they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any
war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us,
and get them up out of the land."
Therefore they set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their
burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the
more they spread abroad. And they were grieved because of the children
of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with
rigor: and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar
and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their
service, wherein they made them serve with rigor.
{138}
And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, "Every son that is born to
the Hebrews ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall
save alive."
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took for his wife a
daughter of Levi. And the woman had a son: and when she saw that he
was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not
longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it
with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by
the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would
be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the
river; and her maidens walked along by the river side; and she saw the
ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it. And she opened
it and saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had
compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call thee
a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?"
And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go."
And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's
daughter said to her, "Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and
I will give thee thy wages."
And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and
she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she
called his name Moses, and said, "Because I drew him out of the
water."
{139}{140}
[Illustration]
THE SPHINX
From a photograph in the possession of Mr. S. E. Bridgman
and used by his kind permission.
The Great Sphinx at Gizeh is a colossal figure carved out of the
solid rock. It perhaps represents the reigning monarch as a
conqueror. The age of the Great Sphinx is thought to be about the
same as that of the pyramids
[End illustration]
{141}
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he
went out to his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he saw an
Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this
way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the
Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And he went out the second day,
and, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to
him that did the wrong, "Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?"
And he said, "Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? thinkest
thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?"
And Moses feared, and said, "Surely the thing is known."
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses
fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he
sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and
they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their
father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses
stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. And when they came
to Reuel their father, he said, "How is it that ye are come so soon
to-day?"
And they said, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the
shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock."
And he said to his daughters, "And where is he? why is it that ye have
left the man? call him, that he may eat bread."
And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses
Zipporah his daughter. And she had a {142} son, and he called his name
Gershom: for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a strange land."
And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of
Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the
bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of
the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered them.
THE VOICE OF GOD FROM THE BURNING BUSH.
_The Lord Commissions Moses to Lead His People Out of Bondage_.
Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the
priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness,
and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he
looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not
consumed. And Moses said, "I will turn aside now, and see this great
sight, why the bush is not burnt."
And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him
out of the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses, Moses."
And he said, "Here am I."
And he said, "Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy
feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Moreover he
said, "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
{143}
And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. And the
Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are
in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for
I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the
hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good
land and a large, to a land flowing with milk and honey. And now,
behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come to me: moreover I
have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come
now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest
bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt."
And Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and
that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
And he said, "Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be the
token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth
the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain."
And Moses said unto God, "Behold, when I come unto the children of
Israel, and shall say unto them, 'The God of your fathers hath sent me
unto you'; and they shall say to me, 'What is his name?' what shall I
say unto them?" And God said unto Moses, "I am that I am": and he
said, "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, 'I am hath
sent me unto you.'"
[Footnote: These phrases are a reference to the name Jehovah, which
was thought to mean "He is."]
{144}
And God said moreover to Moses, "Thus shalt thou say to the children
of Israel, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me to you': this is my
name for ever, and this is my memorial to all generations. Go, and
gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, 'The Lord,
the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob,
hath appeared to me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that
which is done to you in Egypt: and I have said, I will bring you up
out of the affliction of Egypt, to a land flowing with milk and
honey.' And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou
and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and ye shall say to
him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us: and now let
us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we
may sacrifice to the Lord our God.' And I know that the king of Egypt
will not give you leave to go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will
put forth my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do
in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. And I will
give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall
come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: but every woman
shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house,
jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put
them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the
Egyptians."
And Moses answered and said, "But, behold, they will {145} not believe
me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, 'The Lord hath not
appeared to thee.'"
And the Lord said unto him, "What is that in thine hand?"
And he said, "A rod."
And he said, "Cast it on the ground."
And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled
from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, "Put forth thine hand,
and take it by the tail." And he put forth his hand, and laid hold of
it, and it became a rod in his hand.
And the Lord said furthermore to him, "Put now thine hand into thy
bosom."
And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold,
his hand was leprous, as white as snow. And he said, "Put thine hand
into thy bosom again." And he put his hand into his bosom again; and
when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his
other flesh.
The Lord said, "It shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee,
neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe
the voice of the latter sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will
not believe even these two signs, neither hearken to thy voice, that
thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry
land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become
blood upon the dry land."
And Moses said unto the Lord, "Oh Lord, I am not eloquent, neither
heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken {146} unto thy servant: for I
am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue."
And, the Lord said unto him, "Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh
a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I, the Lord? Now
therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou
shalt speak."
And he said, "Oh Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou
wilt send."
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, "Is
there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well.
And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth
thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak to him, and
put the words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his
mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy
spokesman unto the people: and it shall come to pass, that he shall be
to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God. And thou shalt take
in thine hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs."
And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-inn law, and said
unto him, "Let me go, I pray thee, and return to my brethren which are
in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive."
And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."
And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return into Egypt: for all
the men are dead which sought thy life."
{147}{148}
[Illustration]
THE BANKS OF THE NILE NEAR CAIRO
From a photograph owned by Mr. S. E. Bridgman
and used by his kind permission.
The Nile was the life and glory of Egypt. It afforded a magnificent
waterway for commerce, and the annual overflow gave the greatest
fertility to the soil.
[End illustration]
{149}
And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he
returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his
hand. And the Lord said to Moses, "When thou goest back into Egypt,
see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in
thine hand: but I will harden his heart, and he will not let the
people go. And thou shalt say to Pharaoh, 'Thus saith the Lord, Israel
is my son, my firstborn: and I have said to thee, Let my son go, that
he may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go: behold I will
slay thy son, thy firstborn.'"
And the Lord said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." And
he went, and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed him. And Moses
told Aaron all the words of the Lord wherewith he had sent him, and all
the signs wherewith he had charged him. And Moses and Aaron went and
gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: and Aaron
spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses, and did the
signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed.
"LET MY PEOPLE GO."
_Moses and Aaron Demand the Release of the Israelites_.
_Pharaoh Refuses_.
And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, "Thus saith
the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a
feast unto me in the wilderness.'"
And Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should hearken to his voice
to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, and moreover I will not let
Israel go."
{150}
And they said, "The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we
pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to
the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the
sword."
And the king of Egypt said to them, "Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron,
loose the people from their works? get you to your burdens." And
Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye
make them rest from their burdens."
And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and
their officers, saying, "Ye shall no more give the people straw to
make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for
themselves. And the number of the bricks, which they did make
heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught
thereof: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and
sacrifice to our God.' Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that
they may labor therein; and let them not regard lying words."
And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and
they spoke to the people, saying, "Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give
you straw. Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it: for
naught of your work shall be diminished."
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt
to gather stubble for straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying,
"Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw."
And the officers of the children of Israel, which {151} Pharaoh's
taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Wherefore
have ye not fulfilled your task both yesterday and to-day, in making
brick as heretofore?"
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh,
saying, "Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? There is no
straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, 'Make brick': and,
behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own
people."
But he said, "Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, 'Let us go
and sacrifice to the Lord.' Go therefore now, and work; for there
shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of
bricks."
And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in deep
trouble when it was said, "Ye shall not diminish aught from your
bricks, your daily tasks."
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth
from Pharaoh: and they said to them, "The Lord look upon you, and
judge; because ye have made us to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh,
and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay
us."
And the Lord said unto Moses, "Now shalt thou see what I will do to
Pharaoh: for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong
hand shall he drive them out of his land."
And it came to pass on the day when the Lord spoke unto Moses in the
land of Egypt, that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "I am the Lord:
speak thou to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to thee."
{152}
And Moses said before the Lord, "Behold, I am slow of speech and of a
slow tongue, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?"
And the Lord said unto Moses, "See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh:
and Aaron thy brother shall be thy spokesman. Thou shalt speak all
that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh,
that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. And I will
harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the
land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not hearken unto you, and I will lay
my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth my hosts, my people the children
of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the
Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine
hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among
them."
And Moses and Aaron did so; as the Lord commanded them, so did they.
And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, "When Pharaoh shall
speak to you, saying, 'Show a wonder for you:' then thou shalt say
unto Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it
become a serpent.'"
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so, as the Lord
had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before
his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called for
the wise men and the magicians: and they also did in like manner with
their enchantments.
{153}{154}
[Illustration]
THE RIVER NILE
From a photograph belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman
and used by her kind permission.
"And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood."
This picture shows the broad Nile with one of the boats now in use
called a "dahabiyeh." There has been built recently on the upper
Nile an immense dam which will be used to regulate the flow of water
and bring great agricultural prosperity to Egypt
[End illustration]
{155}
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but
Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened,
and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken.
THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.
1. THE PLAGUE OF BLOOD.
And the Lord said unto Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, he
refuseth to let the people go. Get thee to Pharaoh in the morning; lo,
he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink
to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take
in thine hand. And thou shalt say unto him, 'The Lord, the God of the
Hebrews, hath sent me to thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may
serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou hast not
hearkened. Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the
Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the
waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And
the fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall stink;
and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.'"
And the Lord said to Moses, "Say unto Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and
stretch out thine hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers,
over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of
water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout
all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of
stone.'"
{156}
And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up
the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of
Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that
were in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that were in the
river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink
water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of
Egypt.
And the magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments:
and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as
the Lord had spoken. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house,
neither did he lay even this to heart. And all the Egyptians digged
round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of
the water of the river. And seven days were fulfilled, after the Lord
had smitten the river.
2. THE PLAGUE OF FROGS.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, "Go in unto Pharaoh, and say unto him,
'Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me. And if
thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with
frogs: and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and
come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and
into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine
ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs: and the frogs shall come up
both upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.'"
And the Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch {157} forth thine
hand with thy rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the
pools, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.'"
And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the
frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did in
like manner with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the
land of Egypt.
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Intreat the Lord,
that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will
let the people go, that they may sacrifice unto the Lord."
And Moses said to Pharaoh, "For what time shall I intreat for thee,
and for thy servants, and for thy people, that the frogs be destroyed
from thee and thy houses, and remain in the river only?"
And he said, "For to-morrow."
And he said, "Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that
there is none like unto the Lord our God. And the frogs shall depart
from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy
people; they shall remain in the river only."
And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the
Lord concerning the frogs which he had brought upon Pharaoh. And the
Lord did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the
houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. And they gathered
them together in heaps: and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that
there was relief, he {158} hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto
them; as the Lord had spoken.
3. THE PLAGUE OF LICE.
And the Lord said unto Moses, "Say unto Aaron, 'Stretch out thy rod,
and smite the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout
all the land of Egypt.'"
And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and
smote the dust of the earth, and there were lice upon man, and upon
beast; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land
of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring
forth lice, but they could not: and there were lice upon man, and upon
beast.
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God": and
Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not to them; as the
Lord had spoken.
4. THE PLAGUE OF FLIES.
And the Lord said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand
before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say to him,
'Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Else,
if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies
upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy
houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of
flies, and also the ground whereon they are. And I will set apart in
that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms
of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the
{159} Lord in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division
between my people and thy people: by to-morrow shall this sign be.'"
And the Lord did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the
house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses: and in all the land
of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies. And
Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, "Go ye, sacrifice to
your God in the land."
And Moses said, "It is not right so to do; for we shall sacrifice the
holy things of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we
sacrifice the holy things of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will
they not stone us? We will go three days' journey into the wilderness,
and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us."
And Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the
Lord your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away:
intreat for me."
And Moses said, "Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the
Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his
servants, and from his people, to-morrow: only let not Pharaoh deal
deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the
Lord."
And Moses went out from Pharaoh and intreated the Lord. And the Lord
did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies
from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained
not one. And Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not
let the people go.
{160}
5. THE PLAGUE OF CATTLE DISEASE.
Then the Lord said unto Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, 'Thus
saith the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, Let my people go that they may
serve me. For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,
behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which are in the
field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the
herds, and upon the flocks: there shall be a very grievous distemper.
And the Lord shall distinguish between the cattle of Israel and the
cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to
the children of Israel.'"
And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, "To-morrow the Lord shall
do this thing in the land."
And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt
died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. And
Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle
of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he
did not let the people go.
6. THE PLAGUE OF BOILS.
And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, "Take to you handfuls of
ashes, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of
Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt,
and shall be a boil breaking forth upon man and upon beast, throughout
all the land of Egypt."
And they took ashes, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it
up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth upon man and
upon beast.
{161}
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for
the boils were upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. And the
Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not to them: as the
Lord had spoken to Moses.
And the Lord said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand
before Pharaoh, and say to him, 'Thus saith the Lord, the God of the
Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will this
time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and
upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in
all the earth. For now I had put forth my hand, and smitten thee and
thy people with pestilence, and thou hadst been cut off from the
earth: but for this very cause have I made thee to stand, in order to
show thee my power, that my name may be declared throughout all the
earth. Exaltest thou thyself still against my people, that thou wilt
not let them go? Behold, to-morrow about this time I will cause a very
grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was
founded even until now. Now therefore send, hasten in thy cattle and
all that thou hast in the field; for every man and beast which shall
be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall
come down upon them, and they shall die.'"
He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made
his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: and he that regarded
not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.
{162}
THE SEVENTH PLAGUE OF EGYPT
I.
'T was morn,--the rising splendor rolled
On marble towers and roofs of gold;
Hall, court, and gallery, below,
Were crowded with a living flow;
Egyptian, Arab, Nubian, there,--
The bearers of the bow and spear,
The hoary priest, the Chaldee sage,
The slave, the gemmed and glittering page,--
Helm, turban, and tiara, shone
A dazzling ring round Pharaoh's throne.
II.
There came a man:--the human tide
Shrank backward from his stately stride:
His cheek with storm and time was tanned;
A shepherd's staff was in his hand;
A shudder of instinctive fear
Told the dark king what step was near;
On through the host the stranger came,
It parted round his form like flame.
III.
He stooped not at the footstool stone,
He clasped not sandal, kissed not throne;
Erect he stood amid the ring,
His only words, "Be just, a king!"
On Pharaoh's cheek the blood flushed high,
A fire was in his sullen eye; {163}
Yet on the chief of Israel
No arrow of his thousands fell;
All mute and moveless as the grave
Stood chilled the satrap and the slave.
IV.
"Thou'rt come," at length the monarch spoke;
(Haughty and high the words outbroke;)
"Is Israel weary of its lair,
The forehead peeled, the shoulder bare?
Take back the answer to your band:
Go, reap the wind! go, plow the sand!
Go, vilest of the living vile,
To build the never-ending pile,
Till, darkest of the nameless dead,
The vulture on their flesh is fed!
What better asks the howling slave
Than the base life our bounty gave?"
V.
Shouted in pride the turbaned peers,
Upclashed to heaven the golden spears..
"King! thou and thine are doomed!--Behold!'
The prophet spoke,--the thunder rolled!
Along the pathway of the sun
Sailed vapory mountains, wild and dun.
"Yet there is time," the prophet said:
He raised his staff,--the storm was stayed:
"King! be the word of freedom given:
What art thou, man, to war with Heaven?"
VI.
There came no word.--The thunder broke!--
Like a huge city's final smoke,
Thick, lurid, stifling, mixed with flame,
Through court and hall the vapors came.
Loose as the stubble in the field, {164}
Wide flew the men of spear and shield;
Scattered like foam along the wave,
Flew the proud pageant, prince and slave;
Or in the chains of terror bound,
Lay, corpse-like, on the smouldering ground.
"Speak, king!--the wrath is but begun!--
Still dumb?--then, Heaven, thy will be done!"
VII.
Echoed from earth a hollow roar
Like ocean on the midnight shore!
A sheet of lightning o'er them wheeled,
The solid ground beneath them reeled;
In dust sank roof and battlement;
Like webs the giant walls were rent;
Red, broad, before his startled gaze
The monarch saw his Egypt blaze.
Still swelled the plague,--the flame grew pale,
Burst from the clouds the charge of hail:
With arrowy keenness, iron weight,
Down poured the ministers of fate;
Till man and cattle, crushed, congealed,
Covered with death the boundless field.
VIII.
Still swelled the plague,--uprose the blast,
The avenger, fit to be the last:
On ocean, river, forest, vale,
Thundered at once the mighty gale.
Before the whirlwind flew the tree,
Beneath the whirlwind roared the sea;
A thousand ships were on the wave--
Where are they?--ask that foaming grave!
Down go the hope, the pride of years,
Down go the myriad mariners;
The riches of earth's richest zone,
Gone! like a flash of lightning, gone!
{165}
IX.
And, lo! that first fierce triumph o'er,
Swells ocean on the shrinking shore;
Still onward, onward, dark and wide,
Engulfs the land the furious tide..
Then bowed thy spirit, stubborn king,
Thou serpent, reft of fang and sting;
Humbled before the prophet's knee,
He groaned, "Be injured Israel free!"
X.
To heaven the sage upraised his hand;
Back rolled the deluge from the land;
Back to its caverns sank the gale;
Fled from the moon the vapors pale;
Broad burned again the joyous sun:
The hour of wrath and death was done.
--_Croly_.
{166}
7. THE PLAGUE OF HAIL.
And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven,
that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon
beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of
Egypt."
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent
thunder and hail, and lightning; and the Lord sent hail upon the land
of Egypt. So there was hail, and lightning mingled with the hail, very
grievous, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it
became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt
all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote
every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field. Only in
the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no
hail. And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to
them, "I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my
people are wicked. Intreat the Lord; for there hath been enough of
these mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall
stay no longer."
And Moses said unto him, "As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will
spread abroad my hands to the Lord; the thunders shall cease, neither
shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know that the earth is
the Lord's. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not
yet fear the Lord God."
And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and {167} spread abroad
his hands unto the Lord: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the
rain was not poured upon the earth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain
and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and
hardened his heart, he and his servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was
hardened, and he did not let the children of Israel go; as the Lord
had spoken by Moses.
And the Lord said unto Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh: for I have hardened
his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my
signs in the midst of them: and that thou mayest tell to thy son, and
to thy son's son, what things I have wrought upon Egypt, and my signs
which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am the Lord."
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and said to him, "Thus saith
the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long wilt thou refuse to humble
thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if
thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to-morrow will I bring
locusts into thy border: and they shall cover the face of the earth,
that one shall not be able to see the earth: and they shall eat what
remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which
groweth for you out of the field: and thy houses shall be filled, and
the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians;
as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the
day that they were upon the earth to this day.'" And he turned, and
went out from Pharaoh.
And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, "How long {168} shall this man
be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their
God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?"
And Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh: and he said unto
them, "Go, serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go?"
And Moses said, "We will go with our young and with our old, with our
sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will
we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord."
And he said unto them, "No, I will not let you go with your little
ones. Not so. But go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord; for that
is what ye desire."
And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
8. THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS.
And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out thine hand over the land of
Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt,
and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left."
And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord
brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and
when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts
went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of
Egypt; very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts
as they, neither after them shall be such. For they covered the face of
the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb
of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and
there remained not any green thing, either tree or herb of the field,
through all the land of Egypt.
{169}{170}
[Illustration]
CLIFFS NEAR LUXOR. TEMPLE OF DAR EL BAHARI
From a photograph belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman
and used by her kind permission.
[End illustration]
{171}
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, "I have
sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now therefore
forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the Lord your
God, that he may take away from me this death only."
And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the Lord. And the Lord
turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and
drove them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust in all the
border of Egypt. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not
let the children of Israel go.
9. THE PLAGUE OF DARKNESS.
And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out thine hand toward heaven,
that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which
may be felt."
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a
thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; they saw not one
another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the
children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
And Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, "Go ye, serve the Lord; only
let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go
with you."
And Moses said, "Thou must also give into our hand sacrifices and
burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Our
cattle also shall go with us; there {172} shall not an hoof be left
behind; for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God; and we
know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither."
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
And Pharaoh said to him, "Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see
my face no more; for in the day thou seest my face thou shalt die."
And Moses said, "Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no
more."
And the Lord said to Moses, "Yet one plague more will I bring upon
Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he
shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.
Speak now to the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor,
and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of
gold."
And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.
Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the
sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.
And Moses said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'About midnight will I go out
into the midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt
shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne,
even to the firstborn of the maidservant who grinds at the mill; and
all the firstborn of cattle. And there shall be a great cry throughout
all the land of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall
be like it any more. But against {173} any of the children of Israel
shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may
know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and
Israel.' And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow
down themselves unto me, saying, 'Get thee out, and all the people
that follow thee: and after that I will go out.'" And he went out from
Pharaoh in hot anger.
And the Lord said unto Moses, "Pharaoh will not hearken unto you: that
my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt."
And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord
hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go
out of his land.
(After the ninth plague, the plague of darkness, came a tenth plague,
the very worst of all, the description of which is given in another
place.)
THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER.
_The Israelites Make Ready for the March_.
And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
"This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the
first month of the year to you. Speak ye to all the congregation of
Israel, saying, 'In the tenth day of this month they shall take to
them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for
an household: and if the household be too little for a lamb, then
shall he and his neighbor next unto his house take one according to
the number of the souls. {174} Your lamb shall be without blemish, a
male of the first year: ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the
goats: and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same
month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill
it at even. And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two
side posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat
it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire, and
unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it
raw, nor boiled with water, but roast with fire; its head with its
legs and with the inwards thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it
remain until the morning; but that which remaineth of it until the
morning ye shall burn with fire.
"'And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your
feet, and your staff in your hand: and ye shall eat it in haste: it is
the Lord's passover. For I will go through the land of Egypt in that
night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man
and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments:
I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the
houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you,
and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the
land of Egypt.'"
{175}{176}
[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF THE TOMBS OF THE KINGS, AT THEBES
Here the steep ramparts were divided by a tortuous cleft, which
wound back with many cross fissures deep into the desert. The ravine
was simply a chasm with perpendicular sides of naked rock. This was
the valley of the Tombs of the Kings.
--"The Yoke"
[End illustration]
{177}
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them,
"Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families, and kill the
passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood
that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts
with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of
the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass
through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the
lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door,
and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite
you. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to
thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the
land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that
ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your
children shall say unto you, 'What mean ye by this service?' that ye
shall say, 'It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed
over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the
Egyptians, and delivered our houses.'"
And the people bowed the head and worshiped. And the children of
Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so
did they.
10. THE PLAGUE OF THE DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN.
And it came to pass at midnight, that the Lord smote all the firstborn
in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his
throne to the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and
all the firstborn of cattle.
And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all
the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a
house where there was {178} not one dead. And he called for Moses and
Aaron by night, and said, "Rise up, get you forth from among my
people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as
ye have said. Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said,
and be gone; and bless me also."
And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the
land in haste; for they said, "We be all dead men."
And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading
troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. And the
children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked
of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:
and the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so
that they let them have what they asked. And they took the spoil of
the Egyptians.
OUT OF BONDAGE.
_On the Road to Freedom_.
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about
six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children. And a mixed
multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very
much cattle. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they
brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were
thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared
for themselves any food. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel,
which they sojourned {179} in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty
years. And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty
years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of
the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night to be much
observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt.
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led
them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was
near; for God said, "Lest peradventure the people repent when they see
war, and they return to Egypt."
But God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red
Sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of
Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had
strictly charged the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely
visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you."
And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in
the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a
pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of
fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night: the
pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night.
{180}
"THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER HATH HE THROWN INTO THE SEA."
_Pursuit of the Egyptians. The Host of Pharaoh Is Drowned in
the Red Sea_.
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, "Speak unto the children of
Israel, that they turn back and encamp by the sea. And Pharaoh will
say of the children of Israel, 'They are entangled in the land, the
wilderness hath shut them in.' And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and
he shall follow after them; and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and
upon all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord."
And they did so.
And it was told the king of Egypt that the people were fled: and the
heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people,
and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go
from serving us?"
And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: and he
took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and
captains over all of them. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh
king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: for the
children of Israel went out with an high hand.
And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of
Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping
by the sea. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted
up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they
were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
{181}{182}
[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF THE TOMBS OF THE KINGS AT THEBES
(A view nearer the entrance)
From a photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library and used by permission.
"There is nothing in the whole valley of the Nile which is more
grandly characteristic of old Egypt than the Tombs of the Kings at
Thebes. The entire course of the ravine presents a spectacle of
desolate grandeur which is to the highest degree impressive"
[End illustration]
{183}
And they said unto Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast
thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt
thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word
that we spoke unto thee in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone, that we may
serve the Egyptians?' For it were better for us to serve the
Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness."
And Moses said unto the people, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the
salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you to-day: for the
Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more
for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."
And the Lord said unto Moses, "Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak to
the children of Israel, that they go forward. And lift thou up thy
rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the
children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they
shall go in after them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon
all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the
Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honor
upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen."
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed
and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud removed from before
them, and stood behind them: and it came between the camp of Egypt and
the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the {184} darkness,
yet gave it light by night: and the one came not near the other all
the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord
caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and
made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children
of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the
waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of
the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it
came to pass in the morning watch, that the Lord looked forth upon the
host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and
discomfited the host of the Egyptians. And he took off their chariot
wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, "Let
us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them
against the Egyptians."
And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that
the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and
upon their horsemen."
And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned
to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled
against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the
sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the
horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after them into
the sea; there remained not so much as one of them.
But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the
sea; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on
their left.
{185}{186}
[Illustration]
LOOKING ACROSS THE RED SEA FROM SINAI TOWARD EGYPT
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood
and used by special permission.
"The Israelites were encamped on the western shore of the Red Sea,
when suddenly a cry of alarm ran through the vast multitude. Over
the ridges of the desert hills were seen the well-known horses, the
terrible chariots of the Egyptian host: Pharaoh pursued after the
children of Israel, and they were sore afraid
"They were sore afraid; and in that terror and perplexity the sun
went down behind the huge mountain range which rose on their rear,
and cut off their return to Egypt; and the dark night fell over the
waters of the sea which rolled before them, and cut off their
advance into the desert. So closed in upon them that evening; where
were they when the morning broke over the hills of Arabia? Where
were they, and where were their enemies?
"They stood in safety on the further shore; and the chariots, and
the horsemen, and the host of Pharaoh had vanished in the waters"
[End illustration]
{187}
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians;
and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. And Israel saw
the great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the people
feared the Lord: and they believed in the Lord, and in his servant
Moses.
For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his
horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the
sea upon them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the
midst of the sea. And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took
a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with
timbrels and with dances.
And Miriam sang:--
THE SONG OF VICTORY.
Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously;
The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Thy right hand, O Lord, dasheth in pieces the enemy.
And in the greatness of thine excellency thou
overthrowest them that rise up against thee:
Thou sendest forth thy wrath, it consumeth them as stubble.
And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were piled up,
The floods stood upright as an heap;
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy said,
"I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil: {188}
My desire shall be satisfied upon them;
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them."
Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them:
They sank as lead in the mighty waters.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
Thou in thy mercy hast led the people which thou hast redeemed:
Thou hast guided them in thy strength to thy holy habitation.
The peoples have heard, they tremble:
Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.
Then were the dukes of Edom amazed;
The mighty men of Moab, trembling taketh hold upon them:
All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away.
Terror and dread falleth upon them;
By the greatness of thine arm they are as still as a stone;
Till thy people pass over, O Lord,
Till the people pass over which thou hast purchased.
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the
mountain of thine inheritance,
The place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in,
The sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
{189}{190}
[Illustration]
SHEPHERD WITH HIS FLOCK NEAR TEKOA
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood
and used by special permission.
Two of the great prophets of Israel lived in this region, Amos at
Tekoa and Jeremiah at Anathoth. It is a wild and desolate region
"The wilderness of Judea played a great part in her history as the
refuge of political fugitives and religious solitaries--a part which
it still continues. The story of Saul's hunt after David and of
David's narrow escapes becomes very vivid among those tossed and
broken hills, where the valleys are all alike and large bodies of
men may camp near each other without knowing it. Ambushes are
everywhere possible and alarms pass rapidly across the bare and
silent hills. You may travel for hours and feel as solitary as at
sea without a sail in sight; but if you are in search of anyone,
your guide's signal will make men leap from slopes that did not seem
to shelter a rabbit, and if you are suspected, your passage may be
stopped by a dozen men as though they had sprung from the earth."
[End illustration]
{191}
THE WANDERINGS IN THE WILDERNESS
THE RED SEA IS LEFT BEHIND AND THE MARCH TO CANAAN IS BEGUN.
_The Bitter Water of Marah_.
And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into
the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness,
and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink
of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it
was called "Marah," that is, bitter.
And the people murmured against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"
And he cried to the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree, and he cast
it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made for
them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them; and he
said, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy
God, and wilt do that which is right in his eyes, and wilt give ear to
his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the
diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am the
Lord that healeth thee."
And they came to Elim, where were twelve springs of water, and
threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the {192} congregation
of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is
between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after
their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation
of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in
the wilderness: and the children of Israel said unto them, "Would that
we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat
by the flesh pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have
brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole multitude
with hunger."
_The Quails and the Manna_.
Then said the Lord unto Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven
for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every
day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.
And it shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare
that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather
daily."
And Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At even, then
ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of
Egypt: and in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord;
for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord: and what are we,
that ye murmur against us?"
And Moses said unto Aaron, "Say to all the congregation of the
children of Israel, 'Come near before the Lord: for he hath heard your
murmurings.'"
{193}{194}
[Illustration]
RESTING PLACE UNDER THE PALMS AT THE "SPRING OF MOSES"
IN THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood
and used by special permission.
This brackish pool of water with palms growing about it is supposed
to be the place of the "bitter waters of Marah" which Moses
sweetened for the weary Israelites in their flight, the first
stopping place after escaping from Egypt. This place is not far from
Suez.
[End illustration]
{195}
And it came to pass, as Aaron spoke unto the whole congregation of the
children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and,
behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord
spoke to Moses, saying, "I have heard the murmurings of the children
of Israel: speak unto them, saying, 'At even ye shall eat flesh, and
in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I
am the Lord your God.'"
And it came to pass at even, that the quails came up, and covered the
camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the camp. And when
the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness
a small round thing, small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when
the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, "What is it?"
for they knew not what it was.
And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the Lord hath given you
to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, 'Gather ye of
it every man according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the
number of your persons, shall ye take it, every man for them which are
in his tent.'"
And the children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less.
And Moses said unto them, "Let no man leave of it till the morning."
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left
of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was
wroth with them. And they gathered it morning by morning, every man
according to his eating: and when the sun grew hot, it melted. And it
came to pass, that on the sixth day they {196} gathered twice as much
bread, two omers for each one: and all the rulers of the congregation
came and told Moses. And he said to them, "This is that which the Lord
hath spoken, 'To-morrow is a solemn rest, a holy sabbath unto the
Lord: bake that which ye will bake, and boil that which ye will boil;
and all that remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the
morning.'"
And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not
stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, "Eat that
to-day; for to-day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to-day ye shall not
find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh
day is the sabbath, in it there shall be none."
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that there went out some of
the people to gather, and they found none.
And the Lord said unto Moses, "How long refuse ye to keep my
commandments and my laws? See, because the Lord hath given you the
sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two
days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place
on the seventh day."
So the people rested on the seventh day. And the house of Israel
called the name thereof "Manna": and it was like coriander seed,
white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
And Moses said, "This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, 'Let
an omerful of it be kept for your generations; that they may see the
bread wherewith I fed you {197} in the wilderness, when I brought you
forth from the land of Egypt.'"
And Moses said unto Aaron, "Take a pot, and put an omerful of manna
therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your
generations."
As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron did. And the children of Israel
ate the manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they
ate the manna, until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan.
_The Battle with Amalek at Rephidim_.
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said
to Joshua, "Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek:
to-morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in
mine hand."
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and
Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to
pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he
let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and
they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron
and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on
the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the
sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the
sword.
And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah my Banner:
and he said, "The Lord hath sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek
from generation to generation."
{198}
THE SONG OF THE MANNA GATHERERS
Comrades, haste! the tent's tall shading
Lies along the level sand,
Far and faint: the stars are fading
Over the gleaming western strand,
Airs of morning
Freshen the bleak burning land.
Haste, or e'er the third hour glowing
With its eager thirst prevail
O'er the moist pearls, now bestrowing
Thymy slope and rushy vale.
. . . . . . .
Comrades--what our sires have told us,
Watch and wait, for it will come.
. . . . . . .
Not by manna show'rs at morning
Shall our board be then supplied,
But a strange pale gold, adorning
Many a tufted mountain's side,
Yearly feed us,
Year by year our murmurings chide.
There, no prophet's touch awaiting,
From each cool deep cavern start
Rills, that since their first creating
Ne'er have ceased to sing their part;
Oft we hear them
In our dreams, with thirsty heart.
--_John Keble_.
{199}{200}
[Illustration]
IN THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library,
Northampton, Mass., and used by special permission.
[End illustration]
{201}
MOSES CLIMBS MOUNT SINAI TO TALK WITH GOD.
_The Giving of the Commandments_.
In the third month after the children of Israel had gone forth out of
the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of
Sinai. And when they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the
wilderness of Sinai, they camped in the wilderness; and there Israel
camped before the mount. And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called
to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus shalt thou say to the house
of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 'Ye have seen what I did
unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought
you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and
keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me from
among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be to me a
kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.' These are words which thou
shalt speak unto the children of Israel."
And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before
them all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people
answered together, and said, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will
do."
And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and
they stood at the foot of the mount. And all Mount Sinai smoked,
because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof
ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked
greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet grew louder and louder,
Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. And the {202} Lord came
down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mount: and the Lord called
Moses to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
And God spoke all these words, saying,--
THE COMMANDMENTS.
"I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
I.
"Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
II.
"Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor the likeness of any
form that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that
is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself unto
them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children upon the third
and upon the fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy
unto thousands, of them that love me and keep my commandments.
III.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the
Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
IV.
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor,
and do all thy work: but the seventh day is a sabbath unto the Lord
thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy
daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy
stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made
heaven and {203} earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested
the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and
hallowed it.
V.
"Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the
land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
VI.
"Thou shalt not kill.
VII.
"Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VIII.
"Thou shalt not steal.
IX.
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
X.
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor's wife, not his manservant, not his maidservant, nor his ox,
nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the
voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people
saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said to Moses,
"Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us,
lest we die."
And Moses said to the people, "Fear not: for God is come to prove you,
and that his fear may be before you, that ye sin not."
{204}
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near to the thick
darkness where God was.
THE GOLDEN CALF.
_Israel Sins Grievously and Is Severely Punished_.
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the
mount, the people gathered themselves together about Aaron, and said
to him, "Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this
Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know
not what is become of him."
And Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden rings, which are in the
ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring
them to me."
And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their
ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received the gold at their
hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf:
and they said, "These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up
out of the land of Egypt."
And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made
proclamation, and said, "To-morrow shall be a feast to the Lord."
And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and
brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink,
and rose up to play.
{205}{206}
[Illustration]
HILL OF THE GOLDEN CALF (JEBEL AARON) AND ITS MOSLEM
TOWER BELOW THE RIDGE OF SINAI
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
A traveler writes: "We started to descend by the gorge on the
northeast side of the mountain (Jethro's Path), by which possibly
Moses may have descended when he heard the sounds of the camp before
he could see what was taking place there. We were completely shut in
by the sides of the gorge until just as we emerged near the bottom.
There was no sound below for us to hear, but we could readily accept
Mr. Palmeston's statement that he had distinctly heard the sounds of
his own camp at the foot of the mountain which was entirely hidden
from view. If the worship of the golden calf be supposed to have
taken place anywhere in the neighborhood of the hill of Aaron this
circumstance would be in striking conformity with the several other
facts which singularly adapt this place to be the scene of the
lawgiving."
[End illustration]
{207}
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, "Go, get thee down; for thy people,
which thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted
themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I
commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshiped
it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said, 'These are thy gods, O
Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'"
And the Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and, behold, it
is a stiffnecked people: now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may
grow hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of
thee a great nation."
And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, "Lord, why doth thy
wrath grow hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out
of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'For evil did he bring
them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from
the face of the earth'? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this
evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy
servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto
them, 'I will multiply your family as the stars of heaven, and all
this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your family, and they
shall inherit it for ever.'"
And the Lord repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his
people.
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, with the two tables of
the testimony in his hand; tables that were written on both sides; on
the one side and on {208} the other were they written. And the tables
were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven
upon the tables.
And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said
to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp."
And he said, "It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery,
neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the
noise of them that sing do I hear."
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he
saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger grew hot, and he cast
the tables out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mount.
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and
ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the
children of Israel drink of it. And Moses said to Aaron, "What did
this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?"
And Aaron said, "Let not the anger of my lord grow hot: thou knowest
the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, 'Make us
gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that
brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of
him.' And I said to them, 'Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it
off'; so they gave it me: and I cast it into the fire, and there came
out this calf."
And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose; for Aaron had
let them loose for a derision among their enemies: then Moses stood in
the gate of the camp, and said, "Whoso is on the Lord's side, let him
come unto me."
{209}{210}
[Illustration]
FAMOUS MONASTERY OF SAINT CATHERINE IN THE SHADOW OF MOUNT SINAI
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
It was in this monastery that Prof. C. Tischendorf discovered one of
the oldest and most valuable manuscripts of the Bible in existence.
Tischendorf made three visits to the monastery, in 1844, 1853, and
1859. On the first visit he found forty-three leaves of the
manuscript in a wastebasket. Later he found the entire manuscript
with the exception of a few pages. It was published by Czar
Alexander II in celebration of the first millennium of the Russian
Empire. A traveler says, "When on a visit to Mount Sinai in March,
1877, I saw a copy of the magnificent four volume edition in the
convent library and mentioned the name of Tischendorf, the sub-prior
kindled up in indignation and called him a thief, who had stolen
their greatest treasure on the pretext of a temporary loan; and when
I reminded him of the large reward of the Emperor of Russia, who had
furnished a new silver shrine for the coffin of Saint Catherine, he
admitted it reluctantly, but remarked that they did not want the
silver, but the manuscript--the manuscript which their monks could
not read and were about to throw into the fire."
[End illustration]
{211}
And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he
said unto them, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Put ye every
man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate
throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his
companion, and every man his neighbor.'"
And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there
fell of the people that day about three thousand men. And Moses said,
"Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, yea, every man against his
son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing
this day."
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people,
"Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord;
peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin."
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, "Oh, this people have
sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou
wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy
book which thou hast written."
And the Lord said to Moses, "Whosover hath sinned against me, him will
I blot out of my book. And now go, lead the people unto the place of
which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine angel shall go before
thee: nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for
their sins."
{212}
And the Lord smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron
made.
THE NEW TABLES OF STONE.
_How the Tables Which Had Been Broken Were Replaced_.
And the Lord said unto Moses, "Hew thee two tables of stone like unto
the first: and I will write upon the tables the words that were on the
first tables, which thou brokest.
"And be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning unto Mount
Sinai, and present thyself there to me on the top of the mount.
"And no man shall come up with thee; neither let any man be seen
throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before
that mount."
And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose
up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai, as the Lord had
commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone.
And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and
proclaimed the name of the Lord.
And the Lord passed by before him, and a voice said, "The Lord, the
Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in
loving kindness and truth; keeping loving kindness for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; who will by no means
clear the guilty."
And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and
worshiped.
And he said, "If now I have found favor in thy sight, {213} O Lord,
let the Lord, I pray thee, go in the midst of us; and pardon our
iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance."
And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did
neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the
words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
And Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tables of the
testimony in his hand.
{214}
THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS
THE PEOPLE GIVE A FREE-WILL OFFERING TO THE LORD.
And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel,
and said unto them, "These are the words which the Lord hath
commanded, that ye should do them. 'Six days shall work be done, but
on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of
solemn rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be put
to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the
sabbath day.'"
And Moses spoke unto all the congregation of the children of Israel,
saying, "This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying, 'Take ye
from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing
heart, let him bring it, the Lord's offering; gold, and silver, and
brass; and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats'
hair; and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood; and
oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet
incense; and onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for
the breastplate.
"'And let every skilled workman among you come, and make all that the
Lord hath commanded; the tabernacle, its tent, and its covering, its
clasps, and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; the
ark, and the staves {215} thereof, the mercy-seat, and the veil of the
screen; the table, and its staves, and all its vessels, and the
shewbread; the candlestick also for the light, and its vessels, and
its lamps, and the oil for the light; and the altar of incense, and
its staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the
screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; the altar of burnt
offering, with its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels,
the laver and its base; the hangings of the court, the pillars
thereof, and their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court;
the pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their
cords; the finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy
place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of
his sons, to minister in the priest's office.'"
And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the
presence of Moses.
And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom
his spirit made willing, and brought the Lord's offering, for the work
of the tent of meeting, and for all the service thereof, and for the
holy garments.
And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted,
and brought brooches, and earrings, and signet-rings, and armlets, all
jewels of gold; even every man that offered an offering of gold unto
the Lord.
And every man, who had blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen,
and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, brought
them. Everyone that offered an offering of silver and brass brought
the Lord's offering: {216} and every man, who had acacia wood for any
work of the service, brought it.
And all the women that were skillful spun with their hands, and
brought that which they had spun, the blue, and the purple, the
scarlet, and the fine linen.
And all the women who were skillful spun the goats' hair.
And the rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for
the ephod, and for the breastplate; and the spice, and the oil; for
the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
The children of Israel brought a freewill offering unto the Lord;
every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all
the work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of
Moses.
And Moses said unto the children of Israel, "See, the Lord hath called
by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of
Judah; and he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; and
to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work
in all manner of cunning workmanship. And he hath put in his heart
that he may teach, both he, and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the
tribe of Dan. Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all
manner of workmanship, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman,
and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in
fine linen, and of the {217} weaver, even of them that do any
workmanship, and of those that devise cunning works."
THE TABERNACLE AND ITS FURNISHINGS.
_The Tent_.
And every skillful man among them that wrought the work made the
tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine linen, and blue, and purple, and
scarlet, with cherubim the work of the cunning workman made he them.
The length of each curtain was eight and twenty cubits, and the
breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains had one measure.
And he coupled five curtains one to another: and the other five
curtains he coupled one to another. And he made loops of blue upon the
edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he
made in the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the second
coupling. Fifty loops made he in the one curtain, and fifty loops made
he in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling: the
loops were opposite one to another. And he made fifty clasps of gold,
and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps: so the
tabernacle was one. And he made curtains of goats' hair for a tent
over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made. The length of each
curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits the breadth of each
curtain: the eleven curtains had one measure. And he coupled five
curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. And he made
fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the
coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which
{218} was outmost in the second coupling. And he made fifty clasps of
brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one. And he made a
covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of
sealskins above.
And he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up.
Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the
breadth of each board. Each board had two tenons, joined one to
another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle. And he
made the boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side
southward; and he made forty sockets of silver under the twenty
boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two
sockets under another board for its two tenons. And for the second
side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards, and
their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two
sockets under another board. And for the hinder part of the tabernacle
westward he made six boards. And two boards made he for the corners of
the tabernacle in the hinder part. And there were eight boards, and
their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; under every board two
sockets. And he made bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the
one side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the other
side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle
for the hinder part westward. And he made the middle bar to pass
through in the midst of the boards from the one end to the other. And
he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for
places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
{219}
And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined
linen: with cherubim the work of the cunning workman made he it. And
he made thereunto four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold:
their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.
And he made a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple,
and scarlet, and fine linen, the work of the embroiderer; and the five
pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their capitals and
their fillets with gold: and their five sockets were of brass.
_The Workmen Are Chosen_.
"And Bezalel and Oholiab shall work, and every skillful man, in whom
the Lord hath put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the
work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord
hath commanded."
And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skillful man, in whose
heart the Lord had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him
up to come unto the work to do it: and they received of Moses all the
offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the
service of the sanctuary, to make it. And they brought yet unto him
freewill offerings every morning. And all the wise men, that wrought
all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they
wrought; and they spoke unto Moses, saying, "The people bring much
more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded
to make."
{220}
And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed
throughout the camp, saying,--
"Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the
sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff
they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
_The Ark_.
And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood: two cubits and a half was the
length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit
and a half the height of it: and he overlaid it with pure gold within
and without, and made a rim of gold to it round about. And he cast for
it four rings of gold, in the four feet thereof; two rings on the one
side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. And he made staves
of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. And he put the staves
into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark. And he made a
mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof,
and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And he made two cherubim
of gold; of beaten work made he them, at the two ends of the mercy
seat; one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of
one piece with the mercy seat made he the cherubim at the two ends
thereof. And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the
mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward
the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.
{221}
_The Table_.
And he made the table of acacia wood: two cubits was the length
thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the
height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereto a
rim of gold round about. And he made for it a border of an handbreadth
round about, and made a golden rim to the border thereof round about.
And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four
corners that were on the four feet thereof. Close by the border were
the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table. And he made
the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the
table. And he made the vessels which were upon the table, the dishes
thereof, and the spoons thereof, and the bowls thereof, and the
flagons thereof, to pour out of, pure gold.
_The Candlestick_.
And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the
candlestick, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knobs, and
its flowers, were of one piece with it: and there were six branches
going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out
of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of
the other side thereof: three cups made like almond blossoms in one
branch, a knob and a flower; and three cups made like almond blossoms
in the other branch, a knob and a flower: so for the six branches
going out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick were four cups
made like almond blossoms, the knobs thereof, and the flowers {222}
thereof: and a knob under two branches of one piece with it, and a
knob under two branches of one piece with it, and a knob under two
branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it.
Their knobs and their branches were of one piece with it: the whole of
it was one beaten work of pure gold. And he made the lamps thereof,
seven, and the tongs thereof, and the snuff-dishes thereof, of pure
gold. Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels
thereof.
_The Altar of Incense_.
And he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit was the
length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, foursquare; and two
cubits was the height thereof; the horns thereof were of one piece
with it. And he overlaid it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the
sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: and he made unto it a
rim of gold round about. And he made for it two golden rings under the
rim thereof, upon the two ribs thereof, upon the two sides of it, for
places for staves to bear it withal. And he made the staves of acacia
wood, and overlaid them with gold. And he made the holy anointing oil,
and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.
_The Altar of Burnt Offering_.
And he made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood: five cubits was
the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, foursquare; and
three cubits the height thereof.
{223}{224}
[Illustration]
THE TRADITIONAL SPOT ON WHICH MOSES READ THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
The traditional Sinai is bounded on the north by the great plain
Er-Rahab out of which it rises precipitately. The northernmost peak
is called the "Head of the Willow," probably from a willow tree
growing in one of the gullies, and is commonly taken as the place of
the giving of the Law. The height of the peak is 6,937 feet. "Now
the whole prospect is before us. The vast plain of Er-Rahab, flecked
with a few camels and black Arab tents, and capable of holding
millions of people all in view of the Mount, gradually slopes away
from the eminences where we are."
[End illustration]
{225}
And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it; the horns
thereof were of one piece with it: and he overlaid it with brass. And
he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and
the basins, the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof
made he of brass. And he made for the altar a grating of network of
brass, under the ledge round it beneath, reaching halfway up. And he
cast four rings for the four ends of the grating of brass, to be
places for the staves. And he made the staves of acacia wood, and
overlaid them with brass. And he put the staves into the rings on the
sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made it hollow with planks.
And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the
mirrors of the serving women which served at the door of the tent of
meeting.
_The Court_.
And he made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of
the court were of fine linen, an hundred cubits: their pillars were
twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars
and their fillets were of silver. And for the north side an hundred
cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the
hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver. And for the west
side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their
sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver. And
for the east side eastward fifty cubits. The hangings for the one side
of the gate were {226} fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their
sockets three; and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand
by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their
pillars three, and their sockets three. All the hangings of the court
round about were of fine linen. And the sockets for the pillars were
of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and
the overlaying of their capitals of silver; and all the pillars of the
court were filleted with silver. And the screen for the gate of the
court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, and purple, and
scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and
the height in the breadth was five cubits, corresponding to the
hangings of the court. And their pillars were four, and their sockets
four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their
capitals and their fillets of silver. And all the pins of the
tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
_The Workmen and the Materials_.
This is the sum of the things for the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of
the testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of
Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son
of Aaron the priest. And Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the
tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses. And with him was
Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a
cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in
scarlet, and fine linen.
{227}
All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the
sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents,
and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the
sanctuary. And the silver of them that were numbered of the
congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and
threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary. And
the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the
sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; an hundred sockets for the
hundred talents, a talent for a socket. And of the thousand seven
hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and
overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them. And the brass of
the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred
shekels. And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tent of
meeting, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grating for it, and all
the vessels of the altar, and the sockets of the court round about,
and the sockets of the gate of the court, and all the pins of the
tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.
_The Garments of the Priests_.
And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made finely wrought
garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy
garments for Aaron; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
linen. And they beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires,
to work it in the blue, and {228} in the purple, and in the scarlet,
and in the fine linen, the work of the cunning workman. They made
shoulderpieces for it, joined together: at the two ends was it joined
together. And the cunningly woven band, that was upon it, to gird it
on withal, was of the same piece and like the work thereof; of gold,
of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the Lord
commanded Moses.
And they wrought the onyx stones, inclosed in clasps of gold, graven
with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the
children of Israel. And he put them on the shoulderpieces of the
ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel; as the
Lord commanded Moses.
And he made the breastplate, the work of the cunning workman, like the
work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
linen. It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was
the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being double. And
they set in it four rows of stones: a row of sardius, topaz, and
carbuncle was the first row. And the second row, an emerald, a
sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and
an amethyst. And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they
were inclosed in clasps of gold in their settings. And the stones were
according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to
their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to
his name, for the twelve tribes.
{229}{230}
[Illustration]
VIEW FROM MOUNT HOR
From an old engraving.
[End illustration]
{231}
And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue; and the
hole of the robe in the midst thereof, as the hole of a coat of mail,
with a binding round about the hole of it, that it should not be rent.
And they made upon the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, and
purple, and scarlet, and linen. And they made bells of pure gold, and
put the bells between the pomegranates upon the skirts of the robe
round about, between the pomegranates; a bell and a pomegranate, a
bell and a pomegranate, upon the skirts of the robe round about, to
minister in; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And they made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for
his sons, and the miter of fine linen, and the goodly turbans of fine
linen, and the linen breeches of fine linen, and the girdle of fine
twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the
embroiderer; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon
it a writing, like the engravings of a signet, "Holy to the Lord." And
they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it upon the miter above;
as the Lord commanded Moses.
Thus was finished all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of
meeting: and the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord
commanded Moses, so did they.
_The Work Is Approved_.
And they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the Tent, and all its
furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, and {232} its pillars,
and its sockets; and the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the
covering of sealskins, and the veil of the screen; the ark of the
testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat; the table, all
the vessels thereof, and the shewbread; the pure candlestick, the
lamps thereof, even the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels
thereof, and the oil for the light; and the golden altar, and the
anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door of
the Tent; the brazen altar, and its grating of brass, its staves, and
all its vessels, the laver and its base; the hangings of the court,
its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the
court, the cords thereof, and the pins thereof, and all the
instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting;
the finely wrought garments for ministering in the holy place, and the
holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to
minister in the priest's office. According to all that the Lord
commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. And Moses
saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it; as the Lord had
commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
_The Tabernacle Is Set Up_.
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, "On the first day of the first
month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And
thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen
the ark with the veil. And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in
order the things that are upon it; and thou shalt bring in the
candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
{233}{234}
[Illustration]
FOUR THOUSAND YEARS UNCHANGED PATRIARCHAL LIFE IN PALESTINE TO-DAY
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
The unchanged habits of the East render it in this respect a kind of
living Pompeii. The outward appearances, which in the case of the
Greeks and Romans we know only through art and writing, through
marble, fresco, and parchment, in the case of Jewish history we know
through the forms of actual men, living and moving before us,
wearing almost the same garb, speaking in almost the same language,
and certainly with the same general turns of speech and tone and
manners. Such as we see them now, starting on a pilgrimage, or a
journey, were Abraham and his brother's son, when they "went forth"
to go into the land of Canaan. All their substance that they had
"gathered" is heaped high on the backs of their kneeling camels. The
slaves that they "had bought in Haran" run along by their sides.
Round about them are their flocks of sheep and goats, and the asses
moving underneath the towering forms of the camels. The chief is
there, amidst the stir of movement, or resting at noon within his
black tent, marked out from the rest by his cloak of brilliant
scarlet, by the fillet of rope which binds the loose handkerchief
round his head, by the spear which he holds in his hand to guide the
march, and to fix the encampment. The chief's wife, the princess of
the tribe, is there in her own tent, to make the cakes and prepare
the usual meal of milk and butter; the slave or the child is ready
to bring in the red lentil soup for the weary hunter, or to kill the
calf for the unexpected guest
[End illustration]
{235}
And thou shalt set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the
testimony, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle. And thou
shalt set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the
tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And thou shalt set the laver
between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water
therein. And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the
screen of the gate of the court. And thou shalt take the anointing
oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt
hallow it, and all the furniture thereof: and it shall be holy. And
thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt offering, and all its vessels,
and sanctify the altar: and the altar shall be most holy. And thou
shalt anoint the laver and its base, and sanctify it. And thou shalt
bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tent of meeting, and
thou shalt wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the
holy garments; and thou shalt anoint him, and sanctify him, that he
may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt bring his
sons, and put coats upon them: and thou shalt anoint them, as thou
didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the
priest's office: and their anointing shall be to them for an
everlasting priesthood throughout their generations." Thus did Moses:
according to all that the Lord commanded him, so did he.
And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the
first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. And Moses
set up the tabernacle, and laid its {236} sockets, and set up the
boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and set up its pillars.
And he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of
the tent above upon it; as the Lord commanded Moses. And he put the
testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the
mercy seat above upon the ark: and he brought the ark into the
tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of
the testimony; as the Lord commanded Moses. And he put the table in
the tent of meeting, upon the side of the tabernacle northward,
without the veil. And he set the bread in order upon it before the
Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses. And he put the candlestick in the
tent of meeting, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle
southward. And he lighted the lamps before the Lord; as the Lord
commanded Moses. And he put the golden altar in the tent of meeting
before the veil: and he burnt therein incense of sweet spices; as the
Lord commanded Moses. And he put the screen of the door to the
tabernacle. And he set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the
tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the burnt
offering and the meal offering; as the Lord commanded Moses. And he
set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water
therein, to wash withal. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their
hands and their feet thereat; when they went into the tent of meeting,
and when they came near unto the altar, they washed: as the Lord
commanded Moses. And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle
{237} and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court.
So Moses finished the work.
_The Cloud of the Glory of God in the Tent_.
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord
filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent
of meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord
filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the
tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their
journeys: but if the cloud was not taken up, then they journeyed not
till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon
the tabernacle by day, and there was fire therein by night, in the
sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
{238}
LEAD ME ON
Traveling to the better land,
O'er the desert's scorching sand,
Father! let me grasp thy hand;
Lead me on, lead me on!
When at Marah, parched with heat,
I the sparkling fountain greet,
Make the bitter water sweet;
Lead me on!
When the wilderness is drear,
Show me Elim's palm-grove near,
And her wells, as crystal clear:
Lead me on!
Through the water, through the fire,
Never let me fall or tire,
Every step brings Canaan nigher:
Lead me on!
Bid me stand on Nebo's height,
Gaze upon the land of light,
Then, transported with the sight,
Lead me on!
When I stand on Jordan's brink,
Never let me fear or shrink;
Hold me, Father, lest I sink:
Lead me on!
When the victory is won,
And eternal life begun,
Up to glory lead me on!
Lead me on, lead me on!
{239}{240}
[Illustration]
MOUNT HOREB
From a photograph in the possession of the Forbes Library
and used by permission.
[End illustration]
{241}
THE MARCH TO THE PROMISED LAND
THE PILLAR OF FIRE AND THE CLOUD OF SMOKE.
And on the day that the tabernacle was set up the cloud covered the
tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony: and at even it was upon
the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning. So it
was always: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after
that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the
cloud abode, there the children of Israel encamped. At the commandment
of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment
of the Lord they encamped: as long as the cloud abode upon the
tabernacle they remained encamped. And when the cloud tarried upon the
tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of
the Lord, and journeyed not. And sometimes the cloud was a few days
upon the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of the Lord
they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the Lord
they journeyed. And sometimes the cloud was from evening until
morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they
journeyed: or if it continued by day and by night, when the cloud was
taken up, they journeyed.
Whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud
tarried upon the tabernacle, abiding thereon, the {242} children of
Israel remained encamped, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up,
they journeyed. At the commandment of the Lord they encamped, and at
the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of
the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
_The Long Journey from Sinai Begins_.
And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the
twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the
tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel set forward
according to their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the
cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran. And they first took their
journey according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
And they set forward from the mount of the Lord three days' journey;
and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days'
journey, to seek out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the
Lord was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp.
And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said,--
"Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered;
And let them that hate thee flee before thee."
And when it rested he said,--
"Return, O Lord,
Unto the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel."
{243}
THE SENDING OUT OF THE SPIES.
_They Report "a Land Flowing with Milk and Honey_."
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Send thou men, that they may spy
out the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of
every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, everyone a prince
among them."
And Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the
commandment of the Lord: all of them men who were heads of the
children of Israel.
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them,
"Get you up this way by the south, and go up into the mountains: and
see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein,
whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many; and
what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and
what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in
strong holds; and what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether
there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of
the fruit of the land."
Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes. So they went up,
and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, to the
entering in of Hamath. And they went up by the south, and came to
Hebron; and the children of Anak were there.
And they came unto the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a
branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it upon a staff
between two; they brought also of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
That place was called the valley of Eshcol (that is, "cluster"). And
they returned {244} from spying out the land at the end of forty days.
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the
congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to
Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and to all the congregation,
and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said,
"We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth
with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Howbeit the people
that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and
very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. Amalek
dwelleth in the land of the south: and the Hittite, and the Jebusite,
and the Amorite, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanite dwelleth by
the sea, and along by the side of Jordan."
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at
once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it."
But the men that went up with him said, "We are not able to go up
against the people; for they are stronger than we."
And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied
out unto the children of Israel, saying, "The land, through which we
have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants
thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great
stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak: and we were in
our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight."
{245}{246}
[Illustration]
MOSES SMITING THE ROCK
By Murillo
[End illustration]
{247}
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the
people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured
against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto
them, "Would God, that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God
we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore doth the Lord bring us
unto this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones
shall be a prey: were it not better for us to return into Egypt?"
And they said one to another, "Let us make a captain, and let us
return into Egypt."
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of
the congregation of the children of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun
and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that spied out the
land, rent their clothes: and they spoke unto all the congregation of
the children of Israel, saying, "The land, which we passed through to
spy it out, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then
he will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which
floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not against the Lord, neither
fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their
defense is removed from over them, and the Lord is with us: fear them
not."
WATER FROM THE ROCK.
_Passage Through Edom Refused_.
(The people refused to believe the report of the courageous spies, and
their wanderings continued.)
And the children of Israel, even the whole multitude, {248} came into
the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in
Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no
water for the multitude: and they assembled themselves together
against Moses and against Aaron.
And the people strove with Moses, and spoke, saying, "Would God that
we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! And why have ye
brought the people of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should
die there, we and our cattle? And wherefore have ye made us to come up
out of Egypt, to bring us unto this evil place? it is no place of
seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there
any water to drink."
And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the people to the door
of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces: and the glory of
the Lord appeared to them. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Take
the rod, and assemble the multitude, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and
speak ye to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water;
and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou
shalt give the multitude and their cattle drink."
And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. And
Moses and Aaron gathered the people together before the rock, and he
said unto them, "Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring you forth water
out of this rock?"
And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice:
and water came forth abundantly, and the {249} multitude drank, and
their cattle. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because ye
believed not in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of
Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this people into the land which I
have given them." These are the waters of Meribah (that is, strife);
because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was
sanctified in them.
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, "Thus saith
thy brother Israel, 'Thou knowest all the trouble that hath befallen
us: how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long
time: and the Egyptians oppressed us, and our fathers: and when we
cried to the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought
us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the
uttermost of thy border: let us pass, I pray thee, through thy land:
we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we
drink of the water of the wells: we will go along the king's highway,
we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we
have passed thy border.'"
And Edom said unto him, "Thou shalt not pass through my land, lest I
come out with the sword against thee."
And the children of Israel said unto him, "We will go up by the
highway: and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then will I
give the price thereof: let me only, without doing anything else, pass
through on my feet."
And he said, "Thou shalt not pass through."
And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong
hand. Thus Edom refused to give {250} Israel passage through his
border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
And they journeyed from Kadesh: and the children of Israel, even the
whole multitude, came unto Mount Hor. And the Lord spoke unto Moses
and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying,
"Aaron shall be gathered to his people: for he shall not enter into
the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because ye
rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. Take Aaron and
Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto Mount Hor: and strip Aaron of
his priestly garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron
shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there."
And Moses did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into Mount Hor
in the sight of all the multitude. And Moses stripped Aaron of his
priestly garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died
there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from
the mount. And when all the multitude saw that Aaron was dead, they
wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.
THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to go
around the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much
discouraged because of the difficulties. And the people spoke against
God, and against Moses, "Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt
to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no
water; and our soul loatheth this bread of manna."
{251}{252}
[Illustration]
ROCK TEMPLE IN PETRA, IN THE LAND OF EDOM
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton,
Mass., and used by special permission.
Hidden away in the rocky gorges of Edom, Petra is one of the
strangest and most marvelous cities of the world. Even yet it has
not been fully explored. Its temples and tombs are carved out of the
solid rock
[End illustration]
{253}
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the
people; and many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses,
and said, "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord,
and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents
from us."
And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, "Make
thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard: and it shall come to
pass, that everyone who is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live."
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon the standard: and
it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked
unto the serpent of brass, he lived.
_Battles by the Way_.
And from thence they journeyed to Beer: that is the well whereof the
Lord said unto Moses, "Gather the people together, and I will give
them water."
Then sang Israel this song:--
THE SONG OF THE WELL.
"Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:
The well, which the princes digged,
Which the nobles of the people delved,
With the scepter, and with their staves."
And from the wilderness they journeyed past many places, to the top of
Pisgah, which looketh down upon the desert.
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the {254} Amorites,
saying, "Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn aside into
field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells:
we will go by the king's highway, until we have passed thy border."
And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but
Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel
into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz: and he fought against Israel.
And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his
land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the
border of the children of Ammon was strong.
And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities
of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the towns thereof. For Heshbon
was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against
the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even
to Arnon. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say,--
"Come ye to Heshbon,
Let the city of Sihon be built and established:
For a fire is gone out of Heshbon,
A flame from the city of Sihon.
It hath devoured Ar of Moab,
The lords of the high places of Arnon.
Woe to thee, Moab!
Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh:
He hath given his sons as fugitives,
And his daughters into captivity,
Unto Sihon king of the Amorites. {255}
We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon,
And we have laid waste even unto Nophah,
Which reacheth unto Medeba."
Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. And Moses sent to spy
out Jazer, and they took the towns thereof, and drove out the Amorites
that were there.
And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of
Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at
Edrei. And the Lord said to Moses, "Fear him not: for I have delivered
him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do
to him as thou didst to Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at
Heshbon."
So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was
none left him remaining: and they possessed his land.
BALAAM AND BALAK.
_The Story of the Prophet Who Was Tempted by a Bribe and of the Ass
Which Knew More Than His Master_.
And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in the plains of
Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the
Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were
many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And
Moab said unto the elders of Midian, "Now shall this multitude lick
{256} up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of
the field."
And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. And he sent
messengers unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the
River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying,
"Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the
face of the earth, and they abide over against me: come now therefore,
I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me:
peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may
drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom thou blessest is
blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed."
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with bribes
in their hands; and they came unto Balaam, and spoke unto him the
words of Balak.
And he said unto them, "Lodge here this night, and I will bring you
word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me."
And the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. And God came unto Balaam,
and said, "What men are these with thee?"
And Balaam said unto God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath
sent unto me, saying, 'Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt,
it covereth the face of the earth: now, come curse me them;
peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive
them out.'"
And God said unto Balaam, "Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not
curse the people: for they are blessed."
{257}{258}
[Illustration]
VIEW OF THE DEAD SEA
From a photograph taken by Mr. Louis L. Tribus, Consulting Engineer
and Commissioner of Public Works of the Borough of Richmond, City of
New York.
An interesting fact in connection with this picture of the Dead Sea
concerns the boat which is floating upon it. The owner succeeded in
securing a concession from the Turkish Government to put a steamboat
upon the Dead Sea. When he started to run it he was advised that the
concession had not included the operation of the boat and a
considerable further sum of money was desired by the officials. This
being beyond the power of the man to raise, the boat has not been
operated and remains as the picture shows it.
The water of the Dead Sea contains about 25 per cent. of solid
substances. There are common salt, chloride of calcium, chloride of
magnesium, and other ingredients, and it is not to be wondered at
that the human body floats easily on the surface.
The area of the sea is 360 square miles. Its length is 47-1/2 miles;
its greatest width, 10 miles. The surface is about 1295 feet below
sea level.
Scientific observation justifies the estimate that a daily average
of 6,500,000 tons of water is received into the Dead Sea from the
Jordan and other sources during the year. During the rainy season
the amount is very much greater; during the dry season it is, of
course, very much less, but this average will be maintained year
after year.
There is no outlet, and the level is kept down by evaporation only,
which is very rapid because of the intense heat, the dry atmosphere
and the dry winds which are constantly blowing down the gorges
between the mountains.
The waters of the Jordan, when they reach the sea, are as brown as
the earth through which they flow--a thick solution of mud--but the
instant they mingle with the salt water of the lake the particles of
soil are precipitated and they become as clear as crystal, with an
intensely green tint.
[End illustration]
{259}
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak,
"Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go
with you."
And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said,
"Balaam refuseth to come with us."
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.
And they came to Balaam, and said to him, "Thus saith Balak the son of
Zippor, 'Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou
sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this
people.'"
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, "If Balak
would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond
the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray
you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will
speak unto me more."
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, "If the men be
come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I
speak unto thee, that shalt thou do."
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with
the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because he went: and
the angel of the Lord placed himself in the way for an adversary
against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were
with him. And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way,
with his sword drawn in his hand: {260} and the ass turned aside out
of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn
her into the way.
Then the angel of the Lord stood in a hollow place between the
vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side. And
the ass saw the angel of the Lord, and she thrust herself unto the
wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her
again.
And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place,
where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
And the ass saw the angel of the Lord, and she lay down under Balaam:
and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.
And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam,
"What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three
times?"
And Balaam said unto the ass, "Because thou hast mocked me: I would
there were a sword in mine hand, for now I had killed thee."
And the ass said unto Balaam, "Am not I thine ass, upon which thou
hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so
unto thee?"
And he said, "No."
Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the
Lord standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand: and he
bowed his head, and fell on his face.
And the angel of the Lord said unto him, "Wherefore {261} hast thou
smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an
adversary, because thy way is perverse before me: and the ass saw me,
and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned
aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive."
And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned; for I knew
not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it
displease thee, I will get me back again."
And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, "Go with the men: but only
the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak."
So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. And when Balak heard that
Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto the city of Moab, which
is on the border of Arnon.
And Balak said unto Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send unto thee to
call thee? wherefore earnest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to
promote thee to honor?"
And Balaam said unto Balak, "Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any
power at all to speak anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth,
that shall I speak."
And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-huzoth. And
Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the
princes that were with him. And it came to pass in the morning, that
Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of {262}
Baal, and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.
And Balaam said unto Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare
me here seven bullocks and seven rams."
And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on
every altar a bullock and a ram.
And Balaam said unto Balak, "Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will
go; peradventure the Lord will come to meet me: and whatsoever he
showeth me I will tell thee." And he went to a bare summit.
And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, "I have prepared the seven
altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar."
And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return unto
Balak, and thus thou shalt speak."
And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt offering, he,
and all the princes of Moab. And Balaam said,--
"From Aram hath Balak brought me,
The king of Moab from the mountains of the East:
'Come, curse me Jacob,
And come, defy Israel.'
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?
And how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?
For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him:
Lo, it is a people that dwell alone,
And shall not be reckoned among the nations. {263}
Who can count the dust of Jacob,
Or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,
And let my last end be like his!"
And Balak said unto Balaam, "What hast thou done unto me? I took thee
to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them
altogether."
And he answered and said, "Must I not take heed to speak that which
the Lord putteth in my mouth?"
And Balak said unto him, "Come, I pray thee, with me unto another
place, from whence thou mayest see them; thou shalt see but the utmost
part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from
thence."
And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and
built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.
And he said unto Balak, "Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I
meet the Lord yonder."
And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said,
"Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak."
And he came to him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt offering, and the
princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, "What hath the Lord
spoken?" And he said,--
"Rise up, Balak, and hear;
Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
God is not a man, that he should lie;
Neither the son of man, that he should repent: {264}
Hath he said, and shall he not do it?
Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Behold, I have received commandment to bless:
And he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob,
Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel:
The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a king is among them.
God bringeth them forth out of Egypt;
He hath as it were the strength of the wild ox.
Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob,
Neither is there any divination with Israel:
Now shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel,
'What hath God wrought!'
Behold, the people riseth up as a lioness,
And as a lion doth he lift himself up:
He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey,
And drink the blood of the slain."
And Balak said unto Balaam, "Neither curse them at all, nor bless them
at all." But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, "Told not I thee,
saying, 'All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do'?"
And Balak said unto Balaam, "Come now, I will take thee unto another
place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them
from thence."
And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the
desert.
And Balaam said unto Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare
me here seven bullocks and seven rams."
{265}
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram
on every altar.
And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he set
his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he
saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the spirit of God
came upon him. And he said,--
"Balaam the son of Beor saith,
And the man whose eye was closed saith:
He saith, who heareth the words of God,
Who seeth the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, and having his eyes open:
How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob,
Thy tabernacles, O Israel!
As valleys are they spread forth,
As gardens by the river side,
As aloes which the Lord hath planted,
As cedar trees beside the waters.
Water shall flow from his buckets,
And his family shall be in many waters,
And his king shall be higher than Agag,
And his kingdom shall be exalted.
God bringeth him forth out of Egypt;
He hath as it were the strength of the wild ox:
He shall eat up the nations his adversaries,
And shall break their bones in pieces,
And smite them through with his arrows.
He couched, he lay down as a lion,
And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?
Blessed be everyone that blesseth thee,
And cursed be everyone that curseth thee."
{266}
And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands
together: and Balak said unto Balaam, "I called thee to curse mine
enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three
times. Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee
unto great honor; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor."
And Balaam said unto Balak, "Spoke I not also to thy messengers which
thou sentest unto me, saying, 'If Balak would give me his house full
of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord, to do
either good or bad of mine own mind; what the Lord speaketh, that will
I speak'?
"And now, behold, I go unto my people: come, and I will announce to
thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days." And
he said,--
"Balaam the son of Beor saith,
And the man whose eye was closed saith:
He saith, who heareth the words of God,
And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High,
Who seeth the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, and having his eyes open:
I see him, but not now:
I behold him, but not nigh:
There shall come forth a star out of Jacob,
And a scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And shall smite through the corners of Moab,
And break down all the sons of tumult.
And Edom shall be a possession,
Seir also shall be a possession, which were his enemies; {267}
While Israel doeth valiantly.
And out of Jacob shall one have dominion,
And shall destroy the remnant from the city."
And he looked on Amalek, and said,--
"Amalek was the first of the nations;
But his latter end shall come to destruction."
And he looked on the Kenite, and said,--
"Strong is thy dwelling place,
And thy nest is set in the rock.
Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted,
Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive."
And he said,--
"Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?
But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim,
And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber,
And he also shall come to destruction."
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his
place: and Balak also went his way.
{268}
THE DEATH OF MOSES.
_He Sees but Cannot Enter the Promised Land_.
(After the Israelites had wandered for many years in the desert, they
approached at last the river Jordan, on the borders of the promised
land. Moses, their great hero and leader, was not permitted to cross
the river, but, after giving the people his last words of advice,
climbed the rugged slopes of Mount Nebo, and was never again seen by
the eye of man.)
And Moses went and spoke these words unto all Israel. And he said to
them, "I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go
out and come in: and the Lord hath said to me, 'Thou shalt not go over
this Jordan.' The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee; he will
destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them:
and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath spoken. And
the Lord shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of
the Amorites, and unto their land; whom he destroyed. And the Lord
shall deliver them up before you, and ye shall do to them according
unto all the commandment which I have commanded you. Be strong and of
a good courage, fear not, nor be affrighted at them: for the Lord thy
God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor
forsake thee."
And Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all
Israel, "Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt go with this
people into the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to
give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he
it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail
thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
{269}{270}
[Illustration]
MOSES ON MOUNT NEBO
Thomas Nast
This picture by the famous cartoonist Nast, represents Moses from
the summit of Nebo gazing into the land which he was never to enter
[End illustration]
{271}
"For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too
hard for thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou
shouldest say, 'Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto
us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?' Neither is it beyond
the sea, that thou shouldest say, 'Who shall go over the sea for us,
and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?' But
the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that
thou mayest do it.
"See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and
evil; in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to
walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and
his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply, and that the Lord
thy God may bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess
it. But if thine heart turn away, and thou wilt not hear, but shalt be
drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I announce to you
this day, that ye shall surely perish; ye shall not prolong your days
upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go in to possess
it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I
have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse:
therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy families:
to love the Lord thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him:
for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest {272}
dwell in the land which the Lord swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham,
to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel: and
he said to them, "Set your heart to all the words which I testify to
you this day; which ye shall command your children, to observe to do
all the words of this law. For it is no vain thing for you; because it
is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days upon
the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it."
And the Lord spoke to Moses that selfsame day, saying, "Get thee up
into this mountain of Abarim, unto Mount Nebo, which is in the land of
Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan,
which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: and die in
the mount whither thou goest up; as Aaron thy brother died in Mount
Hor: because ye trespassed against me in the midst of the children of
Israel at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin;
because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
For thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither
into the land which I give the children of Israel."
And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of
Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the
land of Gilead, as far as Dan; and all Naphtali, and the land of
Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, to the western sea;
and the South, and the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm
trees, as far as Zoar. And the Lord said to {273} him, "This is the
land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying,
'I will give it unto thy family': I have caused thee to see it with
thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither."
So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab,
according to the word of the Lord. And He buried him in the valley in
the land of Moab over against Beth-pear: but no man knoweth of his
sepulcher unto this day.
And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye
was not dim, nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel
wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of
weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended.
And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses,
whom the Lord knew face to face; in all the signs and the wonders,
which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to
all his servants, and to all his land; and in all the mighty hand, and
in all the great terror, which Moses wrought in the sight of all
Israel.
{274}
THE BURIAL OF MOSES
By Nebo's lonely mountain,
On this side Jordan's wave,
In a vale in the land of Moab,
There lies a lonely grave.
And no man knows that sepulcher,
And no man saw it e'er,
For the angels of God upturned the sod,
And laid the dead man there.
That was the grandest funeral
That ever passed on earth;
But no man heard the trampling,
Or saw the train go forth:
Noiselessly as the daylight
Comes back when night is done,
And the crimson streak on ocean's cheek
Grows into the great sun;
Noiselessly as the spring-time
Her crown of verdure weaves,
And all the trees on all the hills
Open their thousand leaves;
So without sound of music
Or voice of them that wept,
Silently down from the mountain's crown
The great procession swept.
Perchance that bald old eagle
On gray Beth-Peor's height,
Out of his lonely eyrie
Looked on the wondrous sight: {275}
Perchance the lion, stalking,
Stills shuns that hallowed spot,
For beast and bird have seen and heard
That which man knoweth not.
But when the warrior dieth,
His comrades in the war,
With arms reversed and muffled drum,
Follow his funeral car;
They show the banners taken,
They tell his battles won,
And after him lead his masterless steed,
While peals the minute-gun.
Amid the noblest of the land
We lay the sage to rest,
And give the bard an honored place.
With costly marble drest,
In the great minster transept
Where lights like glories fall,
And the organ rings and the sweet choir sings
Along the emblazoned wall.
This was the truest warrior
That ever buckled sword,
This the most gifted poet
That ever breathed a word;
And never earth's philosopher
Traced with his golden pen,
On the deathless page, truths half so sage
As he wrote down for men.
And had he not 'nigh honor,--
The hillside for a pall,
To lie in state while angels wait,
With stars for tapers tall, {276}
And the dark rock-pines like tossing plumes
Over his bier to wave,
And God's own hand, in that lonely land,
To lay him in the grave?
In that strange grave without a name,
Whence his uncoffined clay
Shall break again, O wondrous thought!
Before the judgment day,
And stand with glory wrapt around
On the hills he never trod,
And speak of the strife that won our life
With the Incarnate Son of God.
O, lonely grave in Moab's land!
O, dark Beth-Peor's hill!
Speak to these curious hearts of ours,
And teach them to be still.
God hath his mysteries of grace,
Ways that we cannot tell;
He hides them deep, like the hidden sleep
Of him he loved so well.
--_Cecil Frances Alexander_.
{277}
JOSHUA
_The Story of the Hero Whose Genius as a Warrior Won
the Land of Canaan for Israel_.
(The Israelites found the land of Canaan occupied by a fierce and
warlike people with whom they fought many battles and waged long
campaigns. The story of this warfare is filled with deeds of cruelty
and violence, yet it is no more terrible than war has always been. We
cannot understand why God has permitted so much suffering, but we know
that in some cases at least the world has advanced in freedom through
the loss and sacrifice of war. Even in war men have grown less cruel,
and we may hope for the time when all war shall cease and men shall
live together as brethren.)
JOSHUA IS MADE CAPTAIN OF THE HOST.
_Spies Are Sent to Jericho_.
Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,
that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, saying, "Moses my
servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and
all this people, to the land which I give to them, even to the
children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread
upon, to you have I given it, as I spoke to Moses. From the
wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river
Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea to the
going down of the sun, shall {278} be your border. There shall not any
man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was
with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake
thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt cause this
people to inherit the land which I swore unto their fathers to give
them. Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according
to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from
it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good
success whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not
depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and
night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written
therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou
shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a
good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for the
Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, "Pass
through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying,
'Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye are to pass over this
Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth
you to possess it.'"
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men as spies
secretly, saying, "Go view the land, and Jericho." And they went, and
came into the house of a woman whose name was Rahab, and lay there.
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, there came men
in hither to-night of the children of Israel to search out the land."
{279}{280}
[Illustration]
MOUNDS MARKING THE SITE OF OLD JERICHO
From the road from Jerusalem to Jericho
From a photograph taken by Prof. D. G. Lyon
and used by his kind permission.
Jericho, "the city of palm trees," was the only important place in
the Jordan valley. In Bible times it was a beautiful and prosperous
city, but now it is only a waste. Its palm trees are gone and the
site is desolate. It was often conquered by the armies which passed
through Palestine. After its walls fell down before Joshua's hosts,
"no great man was born in Jericho; no heroic deed was ever done in
her. She never stood a siege and her inhabitants were always running
away." --_Smith_
[End illustration]
{281}
And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring forth the men
that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they
are come to search out all the land."
And the woman took the two men, and hid them; and she said, "Yea, the
men came unto me, but I knew not whence they were: and it came to pass
about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the
men went out: whither the men went I know not: pursue after them
quickly; for ye shall overtake them."
But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks
of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. And the men
pursued after them along the way to Jordan to the fords: and as soon
as those who pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. And
before they were laid down, she came up to them upon the roof; and she
said to the men, "I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and
that the fear of you is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants
of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried
up the water of the Red Sea before you, when ye came out of Egypt; and
what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond
Jordan, unto Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon
as we had heard it, our hearts melted, neither did there remain any
more spirit in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is
God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. Now {282} therefore, I pray
you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you,
that ye also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a
true token: and that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and
my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver
our lives from death."
And the men said to her, "Our life for yours, if ye speak not of this
our business; and it shall be, when the Lord giveth us the land, that
we will deal kindly and truly with thee."
Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was
upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said to them,
"Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you; and hide
yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned: and
afterward may ye go your way."
And the men said unto her, "We will be guiltless of this thine oath
which thou hast made us to swear, unless, when we come into the land,
thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou
didst let us down by: and thou shalt gather into the house thy father,
and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household. And
it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house
into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be
guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood
shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. But if thou speak of
this our business, then we will be guiltless or thine oath which thou
hast made us to swear."
{283}{284}
[Illustration]
LOWER FORDS OF THE JORDAN
From a photograph in the possession of Rev. Louis F. Giroux
of the International College, Springfield, Mass.,
and used by his kind permission.
Jordan river is a narrow, winding stream flowing down on the eastern
border of the "Promised Land." When not in flood its width does not
average over two hundred feet and it is rarely over five feet deep
at such times; in flood it becomes in places a mile broad. It is so
winding that in sixty-five miles direct course it covers a distance
of two hundred miles. There are some fifty fords across the river,
and in Roman times it was spanned by bridges. This picture shows the
"lower fords." At this point, or near here, the Israelites crossed.
"There are hundreds of other streams more large, more useful, or
more beautiful; there is none which has been more spoken about by
mankind"
[End illustration]
{285}
And she said, "According to your words, so be it." And she sent them
away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
And they went, and came to the mountain, and hid there three days,
until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them
throughout all the way, but found them not. Then the two men returned,
and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua
the son of Nun; and they told him all that had befallen them. And they
said unto Joshua, "Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all
the land; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land do melt away
before us."
THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN.
_The Israelites Leave the Jordan Behind Them as They Left
the Red Sea_.
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and they marched from
Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel; and
they lodged there before they passed over. And it came to pass after
three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp; and
they commanded the people, saying, "When ye see the ark of the
covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it,
then ye shall advance from your place, and go after it. Yet there
shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by
measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye
must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore."
{286}
And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves: for to-morrow the
Lord will do wonders among you."
And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the
covenant, and pass over before the people." And they took up the ark
of the covenant, and went before the people.
And the Lord said to Joshua, "This day will I begin to magnify thee in
the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses,
so I will be with thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear
the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When ye are come to the brink of the
waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.'"
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, "Come hither, and hear
the words of the Lord your God."
And Joshua said, "Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among
you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the
Canaanite, and all the people of the land. Behold, the ark of the
covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into
Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel,
for every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, when the soles of
the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all
the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of
Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above;
and they shall stand in one heap."
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass
over Jordan, the priests that bore the ark of the covenant being
before the people; and when they {287} that bore the ark were come to
Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bore the ark were dipped in
the brink of the water (for Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the
time of harvest), that the waters which came down from above stood,
and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is
beside Zarethan: and those that went down toward the Salt Sea were
wholly cut off: and the people passed over right opposite Jericho.
And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood
firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all Israel passed over
on dry ground, until all the nation were passed wholly over Jordan.
SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF JERICHO.
_How the Walls of the City Fell Down_.
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his
eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with
his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went to him, and said to him,
"Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?"
And he said, "Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now
come."
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshiped, and said to
him, "What saith my Lord to his servant?" And the captain of the
Lord's host said to Joshua, "Put off thy shoe from off thy foot; for
the place whereon thou standest is holy."
And Joshua did so.
(Now Jericho was closely besieged by the children {288} of Israel:
none went out, and none came in.) And the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I
have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the
mighty men of valor. And ye shall march around the city, all the men
of war, going about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And
seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark:
and the seventh day ye shall march around the city seven times, and
the priests shall blow the trumpets. And it shall be, that when they
make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of
the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the
wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up
every man straight before him."
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them,
"Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven
trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord."
And they said unto the people, "Pass on, and march around the city,
and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord."
And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven
priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord
passed on, and blew the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the
Lord followed them. And the armed men went before the priests that
blew the trumpets, and the rear guard went after the ark, the priests
blowing the trumpets as they went.
{289}{290}
[Illustration]
THE PLAIN OF JERICHO, LOOKING TOWARD THE JORDAN
FROM THE HILLS TO THE WEST.
From a photograph taken by Prof. H. G. Mitchell
and used by his kind permission.
A view of the Jordan plain, showing the desolate
nature of the country.
[End illustration]
{291}
And Joshua commanded the people, saying, "Ye shall not shout, nor let
your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth,
until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout."
So he caused the ark of the Lord to pass around the city, going about
it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark
of the Lord. And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams'
horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew the
trumpets: and the armed men went before them; and the rear guard came
after the ark of the Lord, the priests blowing the trumpets as they
went.
And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned
into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to pass on the
seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and
marched around the city after the same manner seven times. And it came
to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets,
Joshua said to the people, "Shout! for the Lord hath given you the
city. And the city shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein,
to the Lord: only Rahab shall live, she and all that are with her in
the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, be
sure to keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when ye have
devoted it, ye take of the devoted thing; so should ye make the camp
of Israel accursed, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and
vessels of brass and iron, are holy {292} unto the Lord: they shall
come into the treasury of the Lord."
So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets: and it came
to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the
people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so
that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him,
and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the
city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep, and
ass, with the edge of the sword.
And Joshua said unto the two men that had spied out the land, "Go into
Rahab's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath,
as ye swore unto her." And the young men who were the spies went in,
and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her
brethren, and all that she had, all her kindred also they brought out;
and they set them without the camp of Israel.
And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the
silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put
into the treasury of the house of the Lord.
But Rahab and her father's household, and all that she had, did Joshua
save alive; and she dwelt in the midst of Israel, to this day; because
she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
{293}
THE FALL OF JERICHO
Sound, sound for ever, Clarions of Thought!
When Joshua 'gainst the high-walled city fought,
He marched around it with his banners high.
His troops in serried order following nigh.
But not a sword was drawn, no shaft outsprang,
Only the trumpets the shrill onset rang.
At the first blast, smiled scornfully the king,
And at the second sneered, half wonderingly:
"Hop'st thou with noise my stronghold to break down?"
At the third round, the ark of old renown
Swept forward, still the trumpets sounding loud,
And then the troops with ensigns waving proud.
Stepped out upon the old walls children dark
With horns to mock the notes and hoot the ark.
At the fourth turn, braving the Israelites,
Women appeared upon the crenelated heights--
Those battlements embrowned with age and rust--
And hurled upon the Hebrews stones and dust,
And spun and sang when weary of the game.
At the fifth circuit came the blind and lame,
And with wild uproar clamorous and high
Railed at the clarion ringing to the sky.
At the sixth time, upon a tower's tall crest,
So high that there the eagle built his nest,
So hard that on it lightning lit in vain,
Appeared in merriment the king again:
"These Hebrew Jews musicians are, me-seems!"
He scoffed, loud laughing, "but they live on dreams."
The princes laughed, submissive to the king,
Laughed all the courtiers in their glittering ring,
And thence the laughter spread through all the town.
At the seventh blast--the city walls fell down.
--_Victor Hugo_.
{294}
THE ATTACK UPON AI.
_The Story of a Rout and an Ambush. Defeat Turned to Victory_.
(The spoil of the city of Jericho was "devoted," that is offered
to the Lord, and could be the private property of no person.
How the greed of one soldier got the better of him, the evil
consequences, the execution of the guilty soldier for disobedience of
military orders, and the subsequent victory of the Israelites are
told in the following chapter.)
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted thing:
for Achan, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing: and the
anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on
the east side of Beth-el, and spoke unto them, saying, "Go up and spy
out the land." And the men went up and spied out Ai.
And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, "Let not all the
people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite
Ai; make not all the people to toil thither; for they are but few."
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and
they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about
thirty and six men: and they chased them from before the gate even
unto Shebarim, and smote them at the descent: and the hearts of the
people melted, and became as water. And Joshua rent his clothes, and
fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the
evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their
heads.
{295}
And Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought
this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites,
to cause us to perish? would that we had been content and dwelt beyond
Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, after Israel hath turned their backs
before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of
the land shall hear of it, and shall surround us round, and cut off
our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do for thy great name?"
And the Lord said unto Joshua, "Get thee up; wherefore art thou thus
fallen upon thy face? Israel hath sinned; yea, they have even
transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: yea, they have even
taken of the devoted thing; and have also stolen, and lied also, and
they have even put it among their own goods. Therefore the children of
Israel cannot stand before their enemies, they turn their backs before
their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with
you any more, except ye destroy the devoted thing from among you. Up,
sanctify the people, and say, 'Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow:
for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, There is a devoted thing
in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine
enemies, until ye take away the devoted thing from among you. In the
morning therefore ye shall be brought near by your tribes: and it
shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come near by
families; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come near by
households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come
near man by man. And it {296} shall be, that he that is taken with the
devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath:
because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he
hath wrought folly in Israel.'"
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by
their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: and he brought near
the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zerahites: and he
brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man; and Zabdi was
taken: and he brought near his household man by man; and Achan was
taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, "My son, give, I pray thee, glory
to the Lord, the God of Israel, and make confession to him; and tell
me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me."
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, "Of a truth I have sinned against
the Lord, the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: when I saw
among the spoil a goodly Babylonish mantle, and two hundred shekels of
silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted
them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the
midst of my tent, and the silver under it."
So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it
was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. And they took them from
the midst of the tent, and brought them to Joshua, and to all the
children of Israel; and they laid them down before the Lord. And
Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the
silver, and the mantle, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his
daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his {297} sheep, and his
tent, and all that he had: and they brought them up unto the valley of
Achor.
And Joshua said, "Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble
thee this day."
And all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire,
and stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of
stones, to this day; and the Lord turned from the fierceness of his
anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of
Achor (that is, troubling), unto this day.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, "Fear not, neither be thou dismayed:
take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I
have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city,
and his land: and thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto
Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof,
shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: set thee an ambush for the
city behind it."
So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai: and Joshua
chose out thirty thousand men, the mighty men of valor, and sent them
forth by night. And he commanded them, saying, "Behold, ye shall lie
in ambush against the city, behind the city: go not very far from the
city, but be ye all ready: and I, and all the people that are with me,
will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come
out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them; and
they will come out after us, till we have drawn them away from the
city; for they will say, 'They flee before us, as at the first'; so we
will {298} flee before them: and ye shall rise up from the ambush, and
take possession of the city: for the Lord your God will deliver it
into your hand. And it shall be, when ye have seized upon the city,
that ye shall set the city on fire; according to the word of the Lord
shall ye do: see, I have commanded you."
And Joshua sent them forth: and they went to the ambushment, and took
their place between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua
camped that night among the people.
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and mustered the people, and
went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. And all
the people, even the men of war that were with him, went up, and drew
nigh, and came before the city, to the north side of Ai: now there was
a valley between him and Ai. And he took about five thousand men, and
set them in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of the
city. So they set the people, even all the host that was on the north
of the city, and their liers in wait that were on the west of the
city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the vale. And it
came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up
early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he
and all his people, at the time appointed, before the valley; but he
knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
And Joshua and all Israel pretended that they were beaten before them,
and fled by the way of the {299} wilderness. And all the people that
were in the city were called together to pursue after them: and they
pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. And there was
not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and
they left the city open, and pursued after Israel. And the Lord said
unto Joshua, "Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai;
for I will give it into thine hand."
And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the
city. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as
soon as he had stretched out his hand, and entered into the city, and
took it; and they hasted and set the city on fire. And when the men of
Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city
ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that
way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the
pursuers. And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken
the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned
again and slew the men of Ai. And the others came forth out of the
city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this
side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let
none of them remain or escape.
And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua. And it
came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the
inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they pursued
them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they
were {300} consumed, that all Israel returned unto Ai, and smote it
with the edge of the sword. And all that fell that day, both of men
and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai. For Joshua
drew not back his hand, wherewith he stretched out the javelin, until
he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. Only the cattle
and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey to themselves,
according to the word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua. So Joshua
burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation, unto this
day.
THE SUBMISSION OF GIBEON.
_How a Timid People Used a Successful Trick_.
And it came to pass, when all the kings which were beyond Jordan, in
the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the
great sea in front of Lebanon, heard of this, they gathered themselves
together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto
Jericho and to Ai, they were very cunning, and they pretended to be
ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine skins, old
and rent and bound up; and shoes old and patched upon their feet, and
old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry
and was become mouldy. And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal,
and said to him, and to the men of Israel, "We are come from a far
country: now therefore make ye a covenant with us."
And the men of Israel said unto the Gibeonites, "Perhaps {301} ye
dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you?"
And they said to Joshua, "We are thy servants."
And Joshua said to them, "Who are ye? and from whence come ye?"
And they said unto him, "From a very far country thy servants are come
because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of
him, and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two
kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of
Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan. And our elders and all the
inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provision in
your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We
are your servants: and now make ye a covenant with us.' This bread we
took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth
to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and is become mouldy: and
these wine skins, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they are
rent: and these garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the
very long journey."
And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the
mouth of the Lord.
And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let
them live: and the princes of the congregation swore unto them. And it
came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant
with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that
they dwelt among them. And the children of Israel {302} journeyed, and
came to their cities on the third day. And the children of Israel
smote them not, because the princes of the host had sworn unto them by
the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the host murmured against the
princes. But all the princes said unto all the host, "We have sworn
unto them by the Lord, the God of Israel: now therefore we may not
touch them. This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be
upon us, because of the oath which we swore unto them." And the
princes said unto them, "Let them live: so they become hewers of wood
and drawers of water to all the people;" as the princes had spoken
unto them.
And Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, "Wherefore
have ye tricked us, saying, 'We are very far from you'; when ye dwell
among us? Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall never fail to
be of you bondmen, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the
house of my God."
And they answered Joshua, and said, "Because it was certainly told thy
servants how that the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give
you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from
before you; therefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of
you, and have done this thing. And now, behold, we are in thine hand:
as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do to us, do."
And so did he to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the
children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that
day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the people, and for the
altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place which he should choose.
{303}{304}
[Illustration]
A PORTION OF THE RIDGE BY WHICH THE ROAD RAN EASTWARD
FROM UPPER BETH-HORON
From a photograph taken by Prof. H. G. Mitchell
and used by his kind permission.
This road along the ridge was one of the important highways of the
East. Throughout history we see hosts swarming up this avenue or
swept down it in flight. Here Joshua fought his famous fight with
the five kings. Here Judas Maccabaeus won a great battle with the
Syrians (see Tales of the Maccabees, Vol. III.). Joshua in his battle
drove the Canaanites over the ridge and then cut them to pieces in
the ravine on the other side.
[End illustration]
{305}
THE BATTLE WITH THE FIVE KINGS.
_How Joshua Won a Great Fight_.
Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard how
Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to
Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the
inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of
the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men
thereof were mighty. Wherefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto
Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia
king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, "Come up to me,
and help me, and let us smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with
Joshua and with the children of Israel."
Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the
king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of
Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their
hosts, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it. And the
men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, "Desert
not thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for
all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country are
gathered together against us."
So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he, and all the people {306} of war
with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to
Joshua, "Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hands;
there shall not a man of them stand before thee."
Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly; for he went up from Gilgal,
marching all the night. And the Lord discomfited them before Israel,
and he slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by
the way of the ascent to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and
unto Makkedah. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel,
while they were in the descent of Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down
great hailstones from heaven upon them, and they died: they were more
who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel
slew with the sword.
Then spoke Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up
the Amorites before the children of Israel; and he said in the sight
of Israel,--
"Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;
And thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon."
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,
Until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies.
Is not this written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stayed in the
midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And
there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord
hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.
{307}
And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
And it was told Joshua, saying, "The five kings are found, hidden in
the cave at Makkedah." And Joshua said, "Roll great stones unto the
mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them: but stay not ye;
pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them
not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered
them into your hand."
And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made
an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were
consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the
fortified cities, that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua
at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the
children of Israel. Then said Joshua, "Open the mouth of the cave, and
bring forth those five kings to me out of the cave."
And they did so, and brought forth those five kings to him out of the
cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth,
the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon. And it came to pass, when they
brought forth those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the
men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war which went
with him, "Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings."
And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
And Joshua said unto them, "Fear not, nor be {308} dismayed; be
strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your
enemies against whom ye fight."
And afterward Joshua smote them and put them to death, and hung them
on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that
Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them
into the cave wherein they had hidden themselves, and laid great
stones on the mouth of the cave, to this very day.
THE LAST ADDRESSES OF JOSHUA TO THE PEOPLE.
_Words of Warning and Advice_.
And it came to pass after many days, when the Lord had given rest unto
Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old; that
Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads,
and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, "I am
old and well stricken in years: and we have seen all that the Lord
your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord
your God, he it is that hath fought for you.
"Therefore be ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is written
in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to
the right hand or to the left; that ye come not among these nations,
these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their
gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down
yourselves to them; but be loyal to the Lord your God, as ye have done
unto this day.
{309}{310}
[Illustration]
AN OLD TOMB AT TIMNEH, CALLED THE TOMB OF JOSHUA
From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund
and used by special permission.
This is a good example of the rock-hewn tombs of Palestine. It is
tradition only which calls it the resting place of the great captain.
[End illustration]
{311}
"For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations and
strong: but as for you, no man hath stood before you unto this day.
One man of you shall chase a thousand; for the Lord your God, he it is
that fighteth for you, as he spoke unto you. Take good heed therefore
unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God."
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called
for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges,
and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
And Joshua said unto all the people, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of
Israel, 'Fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and
put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in
Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.' And if it seem evil to you to serve the
Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which
your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will
serve the Lord."
And the people answered and said, "Far be it from us that we should
forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; for the Lord our God, he it is
that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the
house of bondage, and that did those great signs in our sight, and
preserved us in an the way wherein we went, and among all the peoples
through the midst of whom we passed; and the Lord drove out from
before us all the peoples, even the Amorites that dwelt in the land:
therefore we also will serve the Lord; for he is our God."
{312}
And Joshua said unto the people, "Ye are not able to serve the Lord;
for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your
transgression nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve foreign
gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after that
he hath done you good."
And the people said unto Joshua, "Nay; but we will serve the Lord."
And Joshua said unto the people, "Ye are witnesses against yourselves
that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him."
And they said, "We are witnesses."
THE DEATH OF JOSHUA.
_The Great Captain Is Laid at Rest_.
And after many years of fighting, and many victories, Joshua the son
of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years
old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in
Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north
of the mountain of Gaash. And Israel served the Lord all the days of
Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and had
known all the work of the Lord, that he had wrought for Israel.
{313}
The Judges
After the death of Joshua there followed a long period of unrest and
fighting. The land was by no means conquered. Many times the
Israelites were opposed by the neighboring people, and all but wiped
out of existence. But each time a hero arose who overthrew the
oppressor, and became the leader or judge, as the office was called,
of the people. These leaders were not all of the highest character,
but they served to hold the nation together, and to preserve it from
extinction, during this period of trouble and unrest.
{314}
{315}
EHUD
The Story of the Young Man Who Killed a King.
And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight
of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against
Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of the
Lord. And he gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he
went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees (that
is, Jericho). And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab
eighteen years. But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord,
the Lord raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the
Benjamite, a left-handed man: and the children of Israel sent a
present by him unto Eglon the king of Moab. And Ehud made him a sword
which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his
raiment upon his right thigh. And he offered the present unto Eglon
king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man. And when he had made an
end of offering the present, he sent away the people that bore the
present. But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by
Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret errand unto thee, O king."
And he said, "Keep silence." And all that stood by him went out from
him. And Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in his
summer room. {316} And Ehud said, "I have a message from God to thee."
And he arose out of his seat.
And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right
thigh, and thrust it into his body: and the haft also went in after
the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the
sword out of his body; and it came out behind. Then Ehud went forth
into the porch, and shut the doors of the room upon him, and locked
them. Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and,
behold, the doors of the room were locked.
And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not
the doors of the room; therefore they took the key, and opened them:
and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries,
and escaped to Seirah.
And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the
hill country of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him
from the hill country, and he before them. And he said unto them,
"Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the
Moabites into your hand."
And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan against the
Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they smote of Moab
at that time about ten thousand men, every strong man, and every man
of valor; and there escaped not a man. So Moab was subdued that day
under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
{317}{318}
[Illustration]
A CAMP IN THE DESERT
The black tents of the Arabs on the desert sands.
From a photograph belonging to Mr. S. E. Bridgman
and used by his kind permission.
"The Midianites came up with their cattle and their tents, they came
in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were
without number: and they came into the land to destroy it." This is
no doubt just the way in which the camps of the Midianites looked
in the old days when they raided the farms of the Israelites.
[End illustration]
{319}
GIDEON
_The Story of a Brave Man Who Freed His People from Oppression_.
(There was a time when every year one of the tribes of the desert
which lies south and east of Palestine raided the farms and pastures
of the Israelites, plundering and burning, and carrying off the crops
and herds.)
The Midianites came up with their cattle and their tents, they came in
as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without
number: and they came into the land to destroy it. And Israel was
brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried
unto the Lord.
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord
because of Midian, that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of
Israel: and he said unto them, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of
Israel, 'I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the
house of bondage; and I delivered you out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove
them out from before you, and gave you their land; and I said to you,
I am the Lord your God; ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in
whose land ye dwell: but ye have not hearkened unto my voice.'"
And the angel of the Lord came, and sat under the {320} oak which was
in Ophrah, which was on the land of Joash the Abiezrite: and his son
Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the
Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to
him, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor."
And Gideon said to him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then
is all this befallen us? and where are all his wondrous works of which
our fathers told us, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from
Egypt?' but now the Lord hath cast us off, and delivered us into the
hand of Midian."
And the Lord looked upon him, and said, "Go in thy might, and save
Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee?"
And he said to him, "O Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my
family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's
house."
And the Lord said unto him, "Surely I will be with thee, and thou
shalt smite the Midianites as one man."
And he said unto him, "If now I have found grace in thy sight, then
show me a sign that it is thou that talkest with me. Depart not hence,
I pray thee, until I come to thee, and bring forth my present, and lay
it before thee."
And he said, "I will tarry until thou come again."
And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an
ephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a
pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it. And
the angel of God said unto him, "Take the flesh and the unleavened
cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth."
{321}{322}
[Illustration]
DESERT WARRIORS
Riding thus on their camels the hosts of Midian came out of the
desert like locusts and swarmed over the fair fields of Palestine.
[End illustration]
{323}
And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the
staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened
cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh
and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the Lord departed out of
his sight. And Gideon saw that he was the angel of the Lord; and
Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord God! because I have seen the angel of the
Lord face to face."
And the Lord said unto him, "Peace be to thee; fear not: thou shalt
not die."
Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it "Jehovah
is Peace": to this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said to him, "Take
thy father's bullock, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father
hath, and cut down the pillar that is by it: and build an altar to the
Lord thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the proper manner,
and take a bullock, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the
pillar which thou shalt cut down." Then Gideon took ten men of his
servants, and did as the Lord had spoken to him: and it came to pass,
because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, so
that he dared not do it by day, that he did it by night. And when the
men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal
was broken down, and the pillar was cut down that was by it, and the
bullock was offered upon {324} the altar that was built. And they said
one to another, "Who hath done this thing?" And when they inquired and
asked, they said, "Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing."
Then the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out thy son, that he
may die: because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he
hath cut down the pillar that was by it."
And Joash said to all that stood against him, "Will ye plead for Baal?
or will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to
death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for
himself, because one hath broken down his altar."
Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, that is, "Let Baal
plead."
_How a Few Brave Men Saved the Nation_.
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the
east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and camped
in the valley of Jezreel. But the spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon;
and he blew a trumpet; and the men of Abiezer were gathered together
after him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they
also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to
Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
And Gideon said to God, "If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as
thou hast spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the
threshing-floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it {325} be
dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel
by mine hand, as thou hast spoken."
And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the
fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of
water.
And Gideon said to God, "Let not thine anger be kindled against me,
and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this
once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon
all the ground let there be dew."
And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and
there was dew on all the ground.
Then Jerubbaal (which is another name for Gideon), and all the people
that were with him, rose up early, and camped beside the spring of
Harod: and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them, by the
hill of Moreh, in the valley.
And the Lord said to Gideon, "The people that are with thee are too
many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast
themselves against me, saying, 'Mine own hand hath saved me.' Now
therefore, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whosoever is
fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.'"
And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there
remained ten thousand.
And the Lord said to Gideon, "The people are yet too many; bring them
down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall
be, that of whom I say {326} unto thee, 'These shall go with thee,'
the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, 'These
shall not go with thee,' the same shall not go."
So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto
Gideon, "Everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog
lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise everyone that boweth
down upon his knees to drink."
And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth,
was three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon
their knees to drink water.
And the Lord said unto Gideon, "By the three hundred men that lapped
will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let
all the people go every man to his place."
So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he
sent all the men of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the
three hundred men: and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the
valley.
And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said to him, "Arise,
get thee down into the camp; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Purah thy servant down to
the camp: and thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine
hands be strengthened to go down into the camp."
{327}{328}
[Illustration]
THE PLAIN OF ESDRAELON
From a photograph belonging to Prof. H. G. Mitchell
and used by his kind permission.
The plain of Esdraelon or Jezreel is one of the famous battle
fields of the world's history. Lying in the heart of Palestine, the
great highways of commerce come down through the hills and cross its
level fields. Through it runs the little river Kishon. On the banks
of this stream the hosts of Sisera were routed (see Tales of Brave
Women, Vol. III). Here Gideon and his three hundred men swept before
them the hordes of Midian in the panic of the night attack. Here
began the battle between Saul and the Philistines which ended in the
death of the king, whose force had been pushed back to the height of
Gilboa (see The Great Kings in this volume). Here King Josiah was
mortally wounded in his fatal fight with the armies of Egypt (see
The Story of a Divided Kingdom, Vol. III). Through its fertile
fields in all ages of history the armies of the great kingdoms of
the East have marched to battle and conquest
[End illustration]
{329}
Then went he down with Purah his servant to the outermost part of the
armed men that were in the camp. And the Midianites and the Amalekites
and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts
for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which
is upon the sea shore for multitude. And when Gideon was come, behold,
there was a man that told a dream to his fellow, and said, "Behold, I
dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp
of Midian, and came to the tent, and smote it that it fell, and turned
it upside down, that the tent lay flat."
And his fellow answered and said, "This is nothing else save the sword
of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: into his hand God hath
delivered Midian, and all the host."
And when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation
thereof, he worshiped; and returned into the camp of Israel, and said,
"Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of
Midian."
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put
into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with
torches within the pitchers. And he said to them, "Look on me, and do
likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp,
it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow the trumpet, I
and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side
of all the camp, and say,--
"'For the Lord and for Gideon.'"
So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the
outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when
they had but newly set {330} the watch: and they blew the trumpets,
and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. And the
three companies blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers, and held
the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands
to blow wherewith: and they cried, "The sword of the Lord and of
Gideon."
And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all
the host ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight. And they blew
the three hundred trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against
his fellow, and against all the host: and the host fled in confusion.
And the men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out
of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian. And
Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim,
saying, "Come down against Midian, and hold the fords as far as the
fords of Jordan." So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together,
and held the fords as far as the fords of Jordan. And they took the
two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb at the rock
of Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the wine press of Zeeb, and pursued
Midian: and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond
Jordan.
Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, "Rule thou over us, both
thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast saved us out
of the hand of Midian."
And Gideon said unto them, "I will not rule over you, neither shall my
son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you."
{331}
So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted
up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days
of Gideon.
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in
the sepulcher of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
{332}
ABIMELECH
_The Story of the Sons of Gideon, and the Evil Which Befell Them_.
ABIMELECH SEIZES THE LEADERSHIP.
(This is the first of the bloody conflicts for leadership in Hebrew
history, so common after the kingdom was established. Abimelech, the
son of Gideon, whose mother was a woman of Shechem and a servant,
killed all the other children but Jotham, and died himself in battle
after a brief period of supremacy.)
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's
brethren, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of
his mother's father, saying, "Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all
the men of Shechem, 'Which is better for you, that all the sons of
Jerubbaal, who are threescore and ten persons, rule over you, or that
one rule over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.'"
And his mother's brethren spoke of him in the ears of all the men of
Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech;
for they said, "He is our brother." And they gave him threescore and ten
pieces of silver, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who
followed him. And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew
his brethren the sons of {333} Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten
persons, upon one stone: but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was
left; for he hid himself.
AN OLD FABLE.
(This is one of the earliest of those stories called fables in which
animals or trees or other things not living are represented as
speaking and acting like living persons. Such stories were
usually told to teach some lesson.)
And all the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the
house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the
pillar that was in Shechem. And when they told it to Jotham, he went
and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and
cried, and said unto them, "Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that
God may hearken unto you. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a
king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, 'Reign thou over
us.' But the olive tree said unto them, 'Should I leave my fatness,
wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to wave to and fro over
the trees?' And the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come thou, and reign
over us.' But the fig tree said unto them, 'Should I leave my
sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the
trees?' And the trees said to the vine, 'Come thou, and reign over
us.' And the vine said unto them, 'Should I leave my wine, which
cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?' Then
said all the trees to the bramble, 'Come thou, and reign over us.' And
the bramble {334} said to the trees, 'If in truth ye anoint me king
over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let
fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'
"Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, in that ye have
made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his
house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands;
(for my father fought for you, and adventured his life, and delivered
you out of the hand of Midian: and ye are risen up against my father's
house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons,
upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant,
king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) if ye then
have dealt truly and uprightly with Jerubbaal and with his house this
day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of
Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of
Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech." And
Jotham ran away, and fled, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
THE FATE OF ABIMELECH.
_After Several Years of Uneasy Rule Abimelech Met His Fate
at the Hands of His Enemies_.
And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem
were gathered together. And Abimelech went up to mount Zalmon, he and
all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his
hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it
on his shoulder: and he said to the people that were with him, "What
ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done."
{335}{336}
[Illustration]
SHECHEM
In the time of the Judges, Shechem was known as the City of
Abimelech. The people of the town first made him king and then
revolted against him. Afterward he captured the city and utterly
destroyed it
[End illustration]
{337}
And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed
Abimelech, and put them about the tower, and set the hold on fire upon
them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a
thousand men and women.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took
it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all
the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in,
and went up to the roof of the tower. And Abimelech came unto the
tower, and fought against it, and went close under the door of the
tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman cast an upper
millstone upon Abimelech's head, and broke his skull. Then he called
hastily unto the young man his armor-bearer, and said unto him, "Draw
thy sword, and kill me, that men say not of me, 'A woman slew him.'"
And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed
every man unto his place.
{338}
SAMUEL
_The Story of a Man Who Began to Do Right When He Was a Boy, and Who
Never Departed from the Way in Which He Began_.
(Samuel is one of the finest characters in the Old Testament. In the
midst of evil times, and in contact with evil men, he never departed
from the strict way of truth and righteousness and service to God.
Samuel was fortunate in having an excellent mother. She dedicated her
son to God, and gave him very early to the service of God. She loved
him very much, and no doubt missed him very much from the home. Every
year she went to see him, and brought him a little coat which she had
made.
"But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child. Moreover his
mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to
year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly
sacrifice.")
HOW SAMUEL LEARNED TO OBEY THE VOICE OF GOD.
And the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word
of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And
it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now
his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), and the
lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep,
in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was; that the Lord
called Samuel: and he said, "Here am I."
{339}{340}
[Illustration]
SOURCES OF THE JORDAN. THE ANCIENT DAN
Dan was a city on the northern boundary of Palestine, and Beer-sheba
was a city on the southern boundary, so there came to be a national
saying "from Dan to Beer-sheba," to indicate the whole kingdom. "And
all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was
established to be a prophet of the Lord." The picture is taken near
the supposed site of the ancient city at the point where a great
spring bursting forth forms the principal source of the Jordan river.
[End illustration]
{341}
And he ran to Eli, and said, "Here am I; for thou calledst me."
And he said, "I called not; lie down again."
And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again, "Samuel."
And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here am I; for thou
calledst me."
And he answered, "I called not, my son; lie down again."
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord
yet revealed to him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time.
And he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here am I; for thou calledst.
me."
And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.
Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he
call thee, that thou shalt say, 'Speak, Lord; for thy servant
heareth.'"
So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and
stood, and called as at other times, "Samuel, Samuel."
Then Samuel said, "Speak; for thy servant heareth." And the Lord said,
"Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of
everyone that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform
against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the
beginning even unto the end. For I have told him that I will judge
{342} his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his
sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he restrained them not.
And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of
Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever."
And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of
the Lord. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. Then Eli called
Samuel, and said, "Samuel, my son."
And he said, "Here am I."
And he said, "What is the thing that the Lord hath spoken unto thee? I
pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if
thou hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke unto thee."
And Samuel told him every word, and hid nothing from him. And he said,
"It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good."
And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and let none of his words
fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew
that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.
HOW THE WICKEDNESS OF THE LEADERS BROUGHT SORE DEFEAT UPON ISRAEL AND
HOW ELI DIED WHEN HE HEARD THE NEWS.
Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and camped
beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines camped in Aphek. And the
Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they
joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they
slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
{343}{344}
[Illustration]
THE RUINS OF SHILOH (SEILUN), FROM THE NORTHEAST
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
The mound is covered with foundations, heaps of stones, and walls.
"And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh
the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head."
Shiloh was one of the principal sanctuaries of Israel throughout the
time of the Judges. Here the ark was kept, and here Eli was living
when the man of Benjamin came out of the fatal fight to tell Eli
that his sons were slain and the Ark of God was taken by the
Philistines.
[End illustration]
{345}
And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel
said, "Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to-day before the
Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of
Shiloh unto us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand
of our enemies."
So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from thence the ark of
the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which sitteth upon the cherubim:
and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark
of the covenant of God. And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord
came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the
earth rang again. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the
shout, they said, "What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the
camp of the Hebrews?"
And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God is come into the
camp." And they said, "Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a
thing heretofore. Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of
these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote the Egyptians with
all manner of plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, and quit
yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto
the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and
fight."
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled
every man to his tent: and there was a very {346} great slaughter; for
there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was
taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. And
there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the
same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. And when
he came, lo, Eli sat upon his seat by the wayside watching: for his
heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the
city, and told it, all the city cried out. And when Eli heard the
noise of the crying, he said, "What meaneth the noise of this tumult?"
And the man hasted, and came and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety and
eight years old; and his eyes were set, that he could not see.
And the man said unto Eli, "I am he that came out of the army, and I
fled to-day out of the army."
And he said, "How went the matter, my son?"
And he that brought the tidings answered and said, "Israel is fled
before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter
among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are
dead, and the ark of God is taken."
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he
fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck
broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had
judged Israel forty years.
{347}
The Great Kings
After the judges came the kings. There were many kings in Israel's
history, but the first three were really the greatest. Saul was the
founder of the kingdom, a mighty king in spite of his faults. David made
the nation great because he was great himself. Solomon by his wisdom and
skill raised Israel to such wealth and splendor as it never had before
or after.
{348}
{349}
SAUL
_The Story of the Farmer Who Became King_.
(Samuel was the last and the best of the Judges of Israel. He
conquered the Philistines, and for many years the land had peace. He
was a "circuit judge," going from district to district. As he grew old
he attempted to put his sons in his place, but they were not like
their father. They took bribes and did that which was evil. Then the
people demanded a king. How Samuel at first resisted, but at last
yielded and anointed Saul as king, is told in the following story.)
THE PEOPLE DEMAND A KING TO RULE OVER THEM.
_Samuel Warns Them of the Dangers of a Kingdom_.
After a great victory over the Philistines, Samuel took a stone, and
set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer
(that is, the stone of help), saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped
us."
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the
border of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines
all the days of Samuel.
And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from
year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he
judged Israel in all those places. And his return was to Ramah, for
there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an
altar unto the Lord.
{350}
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges
over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of
his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons
walked not in his ways, but turned aside after money, and took bribes,
and perverted judgment.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came
to Samuel unto Ramah: and they said to him, "Behold, thou art old, and
thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all
the nations."
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to
judge us."
And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel,
"Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee:
for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I
should not be king over them. According to all the works which they
have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to
this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do
they also to thee. Now therefore hearken to their voice: howbeit thou
shalt protest solemnly to them, and shalt show them the manner of the
king that shall reign over them."
And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked
of him a king. And he said, "This will be the manner of the king that
shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto
him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run
before {351} his chariots: and he will appoint them for captains of
thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his
ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war,
and the instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters
to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will
take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the
best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the
tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers,
and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your
maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put
them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall
be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king
which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not answer you in
that day."
But the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel; and they
said, "Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like
all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us,
and fight our battles."
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in
the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, "Hearken to their
voice, and make them a king."
And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go ye every man unto his city."
{352}
THE TALL SON OF KISH IS CHOSEN.
_Saul Is Secretly Anointed by Samuel to Be King_.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, a Benjamite, a
mighty man of valor. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a young man
and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a
goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher
than any of the people. And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost.
And Kish said to Saul his son, "Take now one of the servants with
thee, and arise, go seek the asses."
And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, but they found them
not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found
them not. When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his
servant that was with him, "Come and let us return; lest my father
stop caring for the asses, and be anxious for us."
And he said to him, "Behold now, there is in this city a man of God,
and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he saith cometh surely
to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning
our journey whereon we go."
Then said Saul to his servant, "But, behold, if we go, what shall we
bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not
a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?" And the servant
answered Saul again, and said, "Behold, I have in my hand the fourth
part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to
tell us our way."
{353}
Then said Saul to his servant, "Well said; come, let us go."
So they went unto the city where the man of God was. As they went up
the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw
water, and said to them, "Is the seer here?"
And they answered them and said, "He is; behold, he is before thee:
make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people
have a sacrifice to-day in the high place: as soon as ye are come into
the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he goes up to the high
place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he
doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards those eat who are bidden. Now
therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him."
And they went up to the city; and as they came within the city,
behold, Samuel came out toward them to go up to the high place.
Now the Lord had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
"To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of
Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people
Israel, and he shall save my people out of the hand of the
Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is
come unto me."
And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, "Behold the man of
whom I spoke to thee! this same shall have authority over my people."
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said. "Tell me, I pray
thee, where the seer's house is."
{354}
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, "I am the seer; go up before me
unto the high place, for ye shall eat with me to-day: and in the
morning I will let thee go, and will tell all that is in thine heart.
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind
on them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in
Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house?"
And Saul answered and said, "Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of
the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of
the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this
manner?"
And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the guest
chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among those who were
bidden, who were about thirty persons. And Samuel said to the cook,
"Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said to thee, 'Set it
by thee.'"
And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set
it before Saul. And Samuel said, "Behold that which hath been
reserved! set it before thee and eat; because to the appointed time
hath it been kept for thee, for I said, 'I have invited the people.'"
So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. And when they were come down
from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the
housetop.
And they arose early: and it came to pass about the dawning of the
day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, "Up, that I
may send thee away."
{355}{356}
[Illustration]
THE ANCIENT MIZPAH, LOOKING FROM THE SOUTH.
It is situated on a high hill to the northwest of Jerusalem.
From a photograph taken by Prof. H. G. Mitchell,
and used by his kind permission.
There were many places in Palestine called Mizpah, "watch tower,"
but it seems probable that the location shown in the picture was the
site of Samuel's home.
[End illustration]
{357}
And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul,
"Bid the servant pass on before us" (and he passed on), "but stand
thou still that I may cause thee to hear the word of God."
Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and
kissed him, and said, "Is it not that the Lord hath anointed thee to
be prince over his inheritance?" And Saul departed from Samuel.
And when Saul reached home his uncle said to him and to his servant,
"Whither went ye?" And he said, "To seek the asses: and when we saw
that they were not found, we came to Samuel."
And Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said to
you." And Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the asses
were found." But concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel
spoke, he told him not.
SAUL IS PUBLICLY PROCLAIMED KING.
"_God Save the King!_"
And Samuel called the people together to the Lord to Mizpah; and he
said to the children of Israel, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of
Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of
the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms
that oppressed you: but ye have this day rejected your God, who
himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and
ye have said to him, 'Nay, but set a king over us.' Now {358}
therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by
your thousands."
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of
Benjamin was chosen. And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by
their families, and the family of the Matrites was chosen: and Saul
the son of Kish was chosen; but when they sought him, he could not be
found. Therefore they asked of the Lord further, "Is the man yet come
hither?"
And the Lord answered, "Behold, he hath hid himself in the camp."
And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the
people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and
upward. And Samuel said to all the people, "See ye him whom the Lord
hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?"
And all the people shouted, and said,--
"God save the king!"
Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in
a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people
away, every man to his house. And Saul also went to his house to
Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had
touched.
But certain worthless fellows said, "How shall this man save us?"
And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his
peace.
{359}
SAUL IS TRIED AND IS NOT FOUND WANTING.
_The First Battle of the New King_.
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead:
and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us,
and we will serve thee."
And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, "On this condition will I make
it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it
for a reproach upon all Israel."
And the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days' respite,
that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel: and then, if
there be none to save us, we will come out to thee."
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in
the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and
wept. And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and
Saul said, "What aileth the people that they weep?"
And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. And the spirit of
God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger
was kindled greatly. And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in
pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand
of messengers, saying, "Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and
after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen."
And the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out as one
man. And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were
three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. And they
said {360} to the messengers that came, "Thus shall ye say unto the
men of Jabesh-gilead, 'To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall
have deliverance.'"
And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were
glad. Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "To-morrow we will come out
unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you."
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three
companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning
watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of day: and it came to
pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them
were not left together.
And the people said to Samuel, "Who is he that said, 'Shall Saul reign
over us?' bring the men, that we may put them to death."
And Saul said, "There shall not a man be put to death this day: for
to-day the Lord hath wrought deliverance in Israel."
SAUL THE WARRIOR.
_Battles and Victories_.
Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two
years over Israel. And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel;
whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of
Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and
the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. And Jonathan
smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the
Philistines heard of it. And Saul {361} blew the trumpet throughout
all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear." And all Israel heard
that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel
also was held in abomination by the Philistines. And the people were
gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with
Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and
people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they
came up and pitched in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven. When the men
of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were
distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets,
and in rocks, and in holds, and in pits. Now some of the Hebrews had
gone over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he
was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had
appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were
scattered from him. And Saul said, "Bring hither the burnt offering to
me, and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering. And
it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the
burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him,
that he might salute him. And Samuel said, "What hast thou done?" And
Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and
that thou earnest not within the days appointed, and that the
Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; therefore said
I, 'Now will the Philistines come {362} down upon me to Gilgal, and I
have not intreated the favor of the Lord': I forced myself therefore
to do it, and offered the burnt offering."
And Samuel said to Saul, "Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept
the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now
would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. But now
thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his
own heart, and the Lord hath appointed him to be prince over his people,
because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee."
And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And
Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred
men. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present
with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in
Michmash. And bands of the Philistines came out and ravaged the
country all about.
Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel:
for the Philistines said, "There shall be no blacksmith, lest the
Hebrews make them swords or spears": but all the Israelites went down
to the Philistines, to sharpen their axes and ploughshares and other
tools.
So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword
nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul
and Jonathan; except in the hands of Saul and Jonathan his son. And
the garrison of the Philistines went out unto the pass of Michmash.
{363}{364}
[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF AIJALON
"Throughout history we see hosts swarming up this avenue or swept
down it in flight. Joshua drove the Canaanites down this valley.
Down Aijalon the early men of Ephraim and Benjamin raided the
Philistines. Up Aijalon the Philistines swarmed to the very heart of
Israel's territory at Michmash, disarmed the Israelites, and forced
them to come down the vale to get their tools sharpened, so that the
mouth of the vale was called the 'Valley of the Smiths,' even till
after the Exile. Down Aijalon Saul and Jonathan beat the Philistines
from Michmash." --_George Adam Smith_
David also fought in Aijalon, and in 66 A. D., a Roman army suffered
a terrible defeat in the valley.
[End illustration]
{365}
Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the
young man who bore his armor, "Come and let us go over to the
Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side."
But he told not his father. And Saul abode in the uttermost part of
Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people
that were with him were about six hundred men. And the people knew not
that Jonathan was gone. And between the passes, by which Jonathan
sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky
crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side. The one crag
rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south
in front of Geba. And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his
armor, "Come and let us go over unto the garrison of the Philistines:
it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no reason why
the Lord cannot save by many or by few."
And his armorbearer said to him, "Do all that is in thine heart: turn
thee, behold I am with thee according to thy wish." Then said
Jonathan, "Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will show
ourselves to them. If they say thus unto us, 'Tarry until we come to
you'; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to
them. But if they say thus, 'Come up to us'; then we will go up: for
the Lord hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign
to us."
And both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines:
and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the
holes where they had hid {366} themselves." And the men of the
garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, "Come up to
us, and we will show you something."
And Jonathan said to his armorbearer, "Come up after me: for the Lord
hath delivered them into the hand of Israel."
And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his
armorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his
armorbearer slew them after him. And that first slaughter, which
Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within an
acre of land. And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and
among all the people. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin
looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went hither
and thither.
Then said Saul to the people that were with him, "Number now, and see
who is gone from us."
And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were
not there. And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring hither the ark of God."
For the ark of God was there at that time with the children of Israel.
And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the
tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased:
and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw thine hand."
And Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered together,
and came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his
fellow, and there was a very great rout. Now the Hebrews that were
with the {367} Philistines as beforetime, which went up with them into
the camp from the country round about; even they also turned to be
with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the
men of Israel which had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim,
when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed
hard after them in the battle.
So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by
Beth-aven. And the men of Israel were distressed that day: but Saul
commanded the people, saying, "Cursed be the man that eateth any food
until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies." So none of the
people tasted food. And all the people came into the forest; and there
was honey upon the ground. And when the people were come unto the
forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man ate any; for the people
feared the oath. But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the
people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that
was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and ate it; and he
was strengthened. Then said one of the people, "Thy father straitly
charged the people with an oath, saying, "Cursed be the man that
eateth food this day."
And the people were faint. Then said Jonathan, "My father hath
troubled the land: see, I pray you, how I have been strengthened,
because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more, if the people
had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they
found? for now hath there been no great slaughter among the
Philistines."
{368}
And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon:
and the people were very faint. And the people flew upon the spoil,
and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and
the people did eat them with the blood. Then they told Saul, saying,
"Behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the
blood." And he said, "Ye have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone
to me this day."
And Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them,
'Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay
them here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord in eating with the
blood.'"
And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and
slew them there. And Saul built an altar unto the Lord: the same was
the first altar that he built to the Lord.
And Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and
fight them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of
them."
And they said, "Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee." Then said the
priest, "Let us draw near hither to God."
And Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines?
wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel?"
But he answered him not that day. And Saul said, "Draw nigh hither,
all ye chiefs of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath
been this day. For as the Lord liveth, who saveth Israel, though it be
in Jonathan {369} my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a
man among all the people that answered him.
Then said he unto all Israel, "Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan
my son will be on the other side."
And the people said to Saul, "Do what seemeth good to thee."
Therefore Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, "Show the right."
And Jonathan and Saul were chosen by lot: but the people escaped.
And Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." And
Jonathan was chosen.
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what thou hast done."
And Jonathan told him, and said, "I did certainly taste a little honey
with the end of the rod that was in mine hand; and, lo, I must die."
And Saul said, "God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die,
Jonathan."
And the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought
this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there
shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought
with God this day."
So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines
went to their own place.
Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all
his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of
Ammon, and against Edom, {370} and against the kings of Zobah, and
against the Philistines: and whithersoever he went he defeated them.
THE DISOBEDIENCE OF SAUL.
"_To Obey Is Better than Sacrifice._"
And Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king
over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou to the voice
of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, 'I have marked
that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the
way, when he came up out of Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and
utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both
man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.'"
And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred
thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to the
city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the
Kenites, "Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I
destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of
Israel, when they came up out of Egypt."
So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites, and Saul smote the
Amalekites and defeated them. And he took Agag the king of the
Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge
of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the
sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all
that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that
was useless and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. .
{371}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF A ROMAN BRIDGE AT BETH-SHAN, OVER WHICH THE
ROAD TO GADARA PASSED
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
After the battle of Gilboa the bodies of Saul and his sons were
found on the field by the Philistines and carried to the town of
Beth-shan and fastened to the wall. But the men of Jabesh-Gilead
heard of this indignity to the dead, and making a night march
removed the bodies.
[End illustration]
{373}
Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, "It repenteth me
that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from
following me, and hath not performed my commandments."
And Samuel was wroth; and he cried to the Lord all night. And Samuel
rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel,
saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a monument,
and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal." And Samuel
came to Saul: and Saul said to him, "Blessed be thou of the Lord: I
have performed the commandment of the Lord."
And Samuel said, "What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine
ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the
people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to
the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed."
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord
hath said to me this night."
And he said unto him, "Say on."
And Samuel said, "Though thou wast little in thine own sight, wast
thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed
thee king over Israel; and the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said,
'Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against
them until they be consumed.' Wherefore then didst thou not obey {374}
the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that
which was evil in the sight of the Lord?"
And Saul said unto Samuel, "Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord,
and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag
the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the
people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted
things, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal."
And Samuel said, "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings
and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold,--
"To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to harken than the fat of rams."
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
idolatry and image worship. Because thou hast rejected the word of the
Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king."
And Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned: for I have transgressed the
commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people,
and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and
turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord."
And Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with thee: for thou hast
rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from
being king over Israel."
And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of
his robe, and it rent. And Samuel said to him, "The Lord hath rent the
kingdom of Israel from {375} thee this day, and hath given it to a
neighbor of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of
Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should
repent."
Then he said, "I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before
the elders of my people, and before Israel; and turn again with me,
that I may worship the Lord thy God."
So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshiped the Lord.
Then said Samuel, "Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the
Amalekites." And Agag came unto him cheerfully. And Agag said, "Surely
the bitterness of death is past."
And Samuel said, "As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy
mother be childless among women."
And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of
Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death;
for Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made
Saul king over Israel.
THE DOWNFALL OF THE KING.
"_God is Departed from Me_."
(For some time after this Saul continued to be king over Israel, but
he had many troubles. These troubles made him sad {376} and
despondent, so that often the people thought him insane. At last war
broke out again with the fierce and powerful Philistines, who lived on
the plains to the west of the hill-country which was the home of the
Israelites. Saul was very much discouraged at the beginning of this
war. The story of what he did, and how he died at last like a hero on
the battle-field, is as follows.)
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him
in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had
familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. And the
Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and camped in
Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they camped in
Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid,
and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord,
the Lord answered him not.
Then said Saul to his servants, "Seek me a woman that hath a familiar
spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her."
And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman that hath a
familiar spirit at En-dor."
And Saul disguised himself and put on other raiment, and went, he and
two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said,
"Divine unto me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up
whomsoever I shall name unto thee."
And the woman said unto him, "Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath
done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the
wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my
life, to cause me to die?"
{377}{378}
[Illustration]
EN-DOR
This was where the great king came at night, in despair, to consult
the woman "with the familiar spirit."
[End illustration]
{379}
And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, "As the Lord liveth, there
shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing."
Then said the woman, "Whom shall I bring up unto thee?"
And he said, "Bring me up Samuel."
And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the
woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art
Saul."
And the king said to her, "Be not afraid: for what seest thou?"
And the woman said to Saul, "I see one like a god coming up out of the
earth."
And he said unto her, "What form is he of?"
And she said, "An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe."
And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to
the ground, and did obeisance. And Samuel said to Saul, "Why hast thou
disquieted me, to bring me up?"
And Saul answered, "I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war
against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more,
neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that
thou mayest make known to me what I shall do."
And Samuel said, "Wherefore dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is
departed from thee, and is become thine {380} adversary? And the Lord
hath done unto thee as he spoke by me: and the Lord hath rent the
kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to
David. Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, and didst not
execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done
this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the Lord will deliver Israel
also with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to-morrow shalt
thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord shall deliver the host of
Israel also into the hand of the Philistines."
Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth, and was
sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength
in him; for he had eaten no food all the day, nor all the night.
THE FATAL FIELD OF GILBOA.
_The Tide of Battle Rolls Over King Saul and His Sons_.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled
from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa. And
the Philistines followed hard upon Saul, and upon his sons; and the
Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of
Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook
him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
Then said Saul to his armorbearer, "Draw thy sword, and thrust me
through therewith; lest the Philistines come and thrust me through,
and maltreat me."
{381}
But his armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul
took his sword and fell upon it.
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon
his sword, and died with him. So Saul died, and his three sons, and
his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together. And when the
men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that
were beyond Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and
his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the
Philistines came and dwelt in them.
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip
the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in Mount
Gilboa. And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and
sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the
tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people. And they put
his armor in the house of the god Ashtaroth: and they fastened his
body to the wall of Beth-shan. And when the inhabitants of
Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the
valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and
the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to
Jabesh, and burnt them there. And they took their bones and buried
them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
{382}
DAVID
_The Story of the Shepherd Boy Who Became King_.
THE SHEPHERD LAD OF BETHLEHEM.
_Samuel Secretly Anoints David as the Future King of Israel_.
(After Samuel had said to Saul that God wanted no king who would not
do exactly as he said, he himself became very sad, because he loved
Saul.)
But the Lord said to Samuel, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul,
seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thine
horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite:
for I have provided me a king among his sons."
And Samuel said, "How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me."
And the Lord said, "Take an heifer with thee, and say, 'I am come to
sacrifice to the Lord.' And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will
show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint to me him whom I
name to thee."
And Samuel did that which the Lord spoke, and came
to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet
him trembling, and said, "earnest thou peaceably?"
And he said, "Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord: sanctify
yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified
Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
{383}{384}
[Illustration]
DAVID
This is the head of the great statue of David in Florence, carved by
the most famous of all sculptors, Michael Angelo. The story is that
the great sculptor took a piece of marble partly spoiled by another
man, and carved this wonderful statue out of it. The statue shows
the young shepherd with his sling, ready for the conflict with the
giant.
[End illustration]
{385}
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and
said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him."
But the Lord said unto Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or on the
height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord seeth
not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the
Lord looketh on the heart."
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he
said, "Neither hath the Lord chosen this."
Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, "Neither hath the
Lord chosen this."
And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel
said unto Jesse, "The Lord hath not chosen these."
And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Are here all thy children?"
And he said, "There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he
keepeth the sheep."
And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Send and fetch him: for we will not sit
down till he come hither."
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a
beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon. And the Lord said,
"Arise, anoint him; for this is he."
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him {386} in the midst
of his brethren: and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David
from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
DAVID AND GOLIATH.
_How a Giant Was Killed by a Stone from a Shepherd's Sling_.
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle. And Saul
and the men of Israel were gathered together, and camped in the vale
of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. And the
Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on
the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines,
named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he
had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clad with a coat of
mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.
And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a javelin of brass
between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's
beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and
his shieldbearer went before him. And he stood and cried to the armies
of Israel, and said to them, "Why are ye come out to set your battle
in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a
man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with
me, and kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail
against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve
us."
{387}{388}
[Illustration]
SCENE OF THE FIGHT BETWEEN DAVID AND GOLIATH IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
"It is the very battlefield for those ancient foes. Israel in one of
the gateways to her mountain land; the Philistines on the low hills
they so often overran; and between them the great valley. The
Philistines were probably on the hill of Sochoh.
"Sochoh is a strong position isolated from the rest of the ridge,
and it keeps open the line of retreat down the valley. Saul's army
was probably not immediately opposite, but a little way up on the
slopes of the incoming Wady el Jindy, and so placed that the
Philistines, in attacking it, must cross not only the level land and
the main stream, but one of the two other streams as well, and must
also climb the slopes for some distance. Both positions were thus
very strong, and this fact perhaps explains the long hesitation of
the armies in face of each other, even though the Philistines had
the advantage of Goliath. The Israelite position certainly looks the
stronger. It is interesting, too, that from its rear the narrow pass
goes right up to the interior of the land near Bethlehem; so that
the shepherd boy, whom the story represents as being sent by his
father for news of the battle, would have almost twelve miles to
cover between his father's house and the camp"
[End illustration]
{389}
And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give
me a man, that we may fight together."
And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they
were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose
name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in
the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after
Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the
battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the
third Shammah. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest
followed Saul.
And Jesse said to David his son, "Take now for thy brethren an ephah
of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to
the camp to thy brethren; and bring these ten cheeses unto the captain
of their thousand; and look how thy brethren fare, and bring back some
token of their welfare."
Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the vale of
Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David rose up early in the
morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took the presents and
went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the barricade of
wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight shouted for the
battle. And Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army
against army. And David left the presents he had brought in the hand
of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and
saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there {390}
came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of
the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke as before: and David heard
him. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him,
and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, "Have ye seen this
man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up, and it shall
be that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great
riches, and will give him his daughter in marriage, and make his
father's house free in Israel."
And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying, "What shall be
done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the
reproach from Israel? for who is this Philistine, that he should defy
the armies of the living God?"
And the people answered him after this manner, saying, "So shall it be
done to the man that killeth him."
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke unto the men; and
Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why art thou
come down? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the
wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for
thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle."
And David said, "What have I done now? I have only asked a question."
And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke after the same
manner: and the people answered him again in the same way. And when
the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before
Saul; and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, "Let no {391} man's
heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this
Philistine."
And Saul said to David, "Thou art not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man
of war from his youth."
And David said to Saul, "Thy servant kept his father's sheep; and when
there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, I went
out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and
when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him,
and slew him. Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear: and this
Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies
of the living God." And David said, "The Lord that delivered me out of
the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver
me out of the hand of this Philistine."
And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord shall be with thee."
And Saul clad David with his own garments, and he put an helmet of
brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. And David
girded on his sword. But David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these;
for I have not proved them."
And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and
chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the
shepherd's bag which he had, and his sling was in his hand: and he
drew near to the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near
to David; and the man that bore the shield went before him. And when
{392} the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he despised him: for
he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the
Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with
staves?"
And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said
to David, "Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the
air, and to the beasts of the field."
Then said David to the Philistine, "Thou comest to me with a sword,
and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name
of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast
defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will
smite thee, and take thine head from off thee; and I will give the
carcases of the host of the Philistines this day to the fowls of the
air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know
that there is a God in Israel: and that all this host may know that
the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the
Lord's, and he will give you into our hand."
And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh
to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet
the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a
stone, and slung it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the
stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone,
and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the
hand of David. Then {393} David ran, and stood over the Philistine,
and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and slew him, and
cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their
champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and of Judah
arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, to the gates of
Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way. And
the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines,
and they plundered their camp. And David took the head of the
Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his
tent.
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto
Abner, the captain of the host, "Abner, whose son is this youth?"
And Abner said, "As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell."
And the king said, "Inquire thou whose son the stripling is."
And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took
him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in
his hand. And Saul said to him, "Whose son art thou, young man?"
And David answered, "I am the son of thy servant Jesse the
Beth-lehemite."
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul,
that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and
Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his
father's house. Then Jonathan and {394} David made a covenant, because
he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the
robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to
his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. And David went out
whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set
him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the
people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
{395}
SAUL AND DAVID
Deep was the furrow in the royal brow,
When David's hand, lightly as vernal gales
Rippling the brook of Kedron, skimm'd the lyre:
He sung of Jacob's youngest born,--the child
Of his old age,--sold to the Ishmaelite;
His exaltation to the second power
In Pharaoh's realm; his brethren thither sent;
Suppliant they stood before his face, well known,
Unknowing,--till Joseph fell upon the neck
Of Benjamin, his mother's son, and wept.
Unconsciously the warlike shepherd paused;
But when he saw, down the yet quivering string,
The tear-drop trembling glide, abash'd, he check'd,
Indignant at himself, the bursting flood,
And, with a sweep impetuous, struck the chords:
From side to side his hands transversely glance,
Like lightning 'thwart a stormy sea; his voice
Arises 'mid the clang, and straightway calms
Th' harmonious tempest, to a solemn swell
Majestical, triumphant; for he sings
Of Arad's mighty host by Israel's arm
Subdued; of Israel through the desert led
He sings; of him who was their leader, call'd
By God himself, from keeping Jethro's flock,
To be a ruler o'er the chosen race.
Kindles the eye of Saul; his arm is poised,
Harmless the javelin quivers in the wall.
{396}
THE JEALOUSY OF SAUL.
_How Saul Was Jealous of David and Hated Him, and How
Jonathan Loved Him_.
And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the
slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities
of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels, with
joy, and with instruments of music. And the women sang one to another
in their play, and said,--
"Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands."
And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased him; and he said,
"They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have
ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?"
And Saul eyed David jealously from that day and forward.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came
mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house: and David
played upon his harp, as he did day by day: and Saul had his spear in
his hand. And Saul cast the spear; for he said, "I will smite David
even to the wall."
And David escaped from his presence twice. And Saul was afraid of
David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.
Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a
thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. And David
behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him.
{397}{398}
[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF THE KIDRON, IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDEA.
The building on the left is the convent of Mar Saba.
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund
The "Wilderness of Judaea" is a wonderful place. Much of it is not a
wilderness at all in our understanding of the term. It is, on its
western edge at least, just a wild pasture land. But it was a very
wild, desolate, and solitary place. The shepherd who kept his flocks
there was in danger from the wild beasts and from raids of fierce
robbers. Below the pasture land it is wilderness indeed. The land
breaks off abruptly and falls in crag and precipice down to the very
shores of the Dead Sea. "You cannot live in Judaea without being
daily aware of the presence of the awful deep which bounds it on the
east. From Beth-lehem and other points you look down into that deep,
and you feel Judaea rising from it about you almost as a sailor
feels his narrow deck."
[End illustration]
{399}
And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe
of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came
in before them.
And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they
should slay David. But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David.
And Jonathan told David, saying, "Saul my father seeketh to slay thee:
now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and
abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: and I will go out and stand
beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will talk with my
father of thee; and if I see aught, I will tell thee."
And Jonathan spoke good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto
him, "Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because
he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been very
good toward thee; for he put his life in his hand, and smote the
Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou
sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against
innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?"
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, "As the
Lord liveth, he shall not be put to death."
And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things.
And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as
before.
And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the
Philistines, and slew them with a great {400} slaughter; and they fled
before him. And an evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat
in his house with his spear in his hand; and David played upon his
harp. And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear;
but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he struck the spear
into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
And David came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? what is mine
iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my
life?"
And he said, "God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth
nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me: and
why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so."
And David swore moreover, and said, "Thy father knoweth well that I
have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, 'Let not Jonathan know
this, lest he be grieved': but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death."
Then said Jonathan to David, "Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will
even do it for thee."
And David said to Jonathan, "Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, and I
should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I
may hide myself in the field until the third day at even. If thy
father miss me at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me
that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for it is the yearly
sacrifice there for all the family.' If he say thus, 'It is well'; thy
servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know {401} that
evil is determined by him. Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for
thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee:
but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest
thou bring me to thy father?"
And Jonathan said, "Far be it from thee: for if I should at all know
that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would
not I tell it thee?"
Then said David to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me if perchance thy
father answer thee roughly?"
And Jonathan said to David, "Come and let us go out into the field."
And they went out both of them into the field.
And Jonathan said to David, "The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness;
when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third
day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto
thee, and disclose it unto thee? The Lord do so to Jonathan, and more
also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not
unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the
Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father. And thou shalt not
only while yet I live show me the kindness of the Lord, that I die
not: but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for
ever: no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David everyone
from the face of the earth."
So Jonathan made a covenant with David.
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to
him: for he loved him as he loved his {402} own soul. Then Jonathan
said to him, "To-morrow is the feast of the new moon: and thou shalt
be missed, because thy seat will be empty. And when thou hast stayed
three days, thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where
thou didst hide thyself before. And I will shoot three arrows, as
though I shot at a mark. And, behold, I will send the lad, saying,
'Go, find the arrows.' If I say to the lad, 'Behold, the arrows are on
this side of thee: take them,' then come; for there is peace to thee
and no hurt, as the Lord liveth. But if I say thus to the boy,
'Behold, the arrows are beyond thee': go thy way; for the Lord hath
sent thee away. And as touching the matter which thou and I have
spoken of, behold, the Lord is between thee and me for ever."
So David hid himself in the field: and when the feast of the new moon
was come, the king sat down to eat. And the king sat upon his seat, as
at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up,
and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty.
Nevertheless Saul spoke not anything that day: for he thought,
"Something hath befallen him." And it came to pass on the morrow after
the new moon, which was the second day, that David's place was empty:
and Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Wherefore cometh not the son of
Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to-day?"
And Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go
to Beth-lehem: and he said, 'Let me go, I pray thee; for our family
hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to
be there: and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get
away, I pray thee, and see my brethren.' Therefore he is not come unto
the king's table."
{403}{404}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF THE FORTRESS OF MASSADA, WILDERNESS OF JUDAEA
This is another picture of a portion of the "Wilderness of Judaea."
It is easy to see how David, who was thoroughly familiar with the
country, could hide himself and his men safely from pursuit during
the time in which he was an outlaw and a fugitive from the king.
This fortress was the scene of a terrible siege and massacre in 70
A. D., after the fall of Jerusalem. About a thousand men, women, and
children fled to this place. The Romans followed and in spite of
almost insurmountable difficulties besieged the place. Driven to the
last extremity, the defenders killed the women and children and then
themselves. Only two women and five children survived
[End illustration]
{405}
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said, "Do not I
know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame? For as
long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be
stablished, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me,
for he shall surely die."
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Wherefore
should he be put to death? what hath he done?"
And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew
that it was determined of his father to put David to death. So
Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the
second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his
father had done him shame.
And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the
field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And
he said to his lad, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot."
And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had
shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, "Is not the arrow beyond
thee?"
And Jonathan cried after the lad, "Make speed, haste, stay not."
And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came {406} to his
master. But the lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David knew
the matter. And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said unto
him, "Go, carry them to the city."
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of his hiding place,
and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and
they kissed one another, and wept one with another. And Jonathan said
to David, "Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the
name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord shall be between me and thee, and
between my family and thy family, for ever.'"
And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.
DAVID AN OUTLAW.
_How He Showed Mercy to His Enemy_.
(After this David became a fugitive from the king, who pursued him and
tried to kill him. David gathered a band of followers and for a time
lived as an outlaw, hiding in caves, plundering farms, living from
hand to mouth. Several times he had the king in his power, but each
time he allowed him to escape. This is the story of one of these
adventures.)
And the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doth not David hide
himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?"
Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three
thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the
wilderness of Ziph. And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which
is before the {407} desert. But David abode in the wilderness, and he
saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. David therefore sent
out spies, and understood that Saul was certainly come. And David
arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped: and David beheld
the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his
host: and Saul lay within the barricade of the wagons, and the people
were encamped round about him. Then said David, "Who will go down with
me to Saul to the camp?"
And Abishai said, "I will go down with thee."
So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul
lay sleeping within the barricade of the wagons, with his spear stuck
in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people lay round about
him. Then said Abishai to David, "God hath delivered up thine enemy
into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee,
with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not need to
smite him the second time."
And David said to Abishai, "Destroy him not: for who can put forth his
hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?"
And David said, "As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his
day shall come to die; or he shall go down into the battle, and
perish. The Lord forbid that I should put forth mine hand against the
Lord's anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his
head, and the jar of water, and let us go."
So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's {408} head;
and they went away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any
awake: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord
was fallen upon them. Then David went over to the other side, and
stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between
them: and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner,
saying, "Answerest thou not, Abner?"
Then Abner answered and said, "Who art thou that criest to the king?"
And David said to Abner, "Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like
to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy
lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king
thy lord. This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord
liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your
lord, the Lord's anointed. And now, see where the king's spear is, and
the jar of water that was at his head."
And Saul knew David's voice, and said, "Is this thy voice, my son
David?"
And David said, "It is my voice, my lord, O king." And he said,
"Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I
done? or what evil is in mine hand? Now therefore, I pray thee, let my
lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the Lord that
hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it
be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have
driven me out this day that I should not cleave to the inheritance of
the Lord, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'
{409}{410}
[Illustration]
A SHEPHERD NEAR DAVID'S HOUSE LEADING HIS FLOCK OVER THE JUDEAN
HILLS.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
[End illustration]
The principal business and the greatest interest of the people in
the hill country of Judea was connected with the flocks.
"If, as we have seen, the prevailing character of Judaea be
pastoral, with husbandry only incidental to her life, it is not
surprising that the forms which have impressed both her history and
her religion upon the world should be those of the pastoral habit.
Her origin; more than once her freedom and power of political
recuperation; more than once her prophecy; her images of God, and
her sweetest poetry of the spiritual life, have been derived from
this source. It is the stateliest shepherds of all time whom the
dawn of history reveals upon her fields--men not sprung from her own
remote conditions, nor confined to them, but moving across the world
in converse with great empires, and bringing down from heaven truths
sublime and universal to wed with the simple habits of her life.
These were the patriarchs of the nation. The founder of its one
dynasty, and the first of its literary prophets, were also taken
from following the flocks. The king and every true leader of men was
called a shepherd. Jehovah was the Shepherd of His people, and they
the sheep of His pasture. It was in Judaea that Christ called
Himself the Good Shepherd, as it was in Judaea also that, taking the
other great feature of her life, He said He was the True Vine."
[End illustration]
{411}
Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the
presence of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a
flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains."
Then said Saul, "I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no
more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this
day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly."
And David answered and said, "Behold the spear, O king! let then one
of the young men come over and fetch it. And the Lord shall render to
every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: because the Lord
delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth mine
hand against the Lord's anointed. And, behold, as thy life was very
precious this day in mine eyes, so let my life be precious in the eyes
of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation."
Then Saul said to David, "Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt
both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail."
So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
SAUL'S PURSUIT OF DAVID.
_How David a Second Time Spared the King's Life_.
(Day after day Saul pursued David. First, some one would
report David at a certain point, then he would be seen at another.
But every time, by forced marches, hiding in caves by day, and
stealing out by night, the bold outlaw escaped his foe. Once Saul
entered the very cave where David and his faithful men were {412}
hiding in the shadows. Again Saul was in David's power. Again
his men wished him to kill the king, but David refused, and spared
the king's life.)
And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in
the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every
day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was
in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. And Jonathan Saul's son arose,
and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And
he said unto him, "Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not
find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next
unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth."
And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the
wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doth not David
hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of
Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? Now therefore, O king,
come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and
our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand."
And Saul said, "Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have had compassion
on me. Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place
where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me
that he dealeth very subtilly. See therefore, and take knowledge of
all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to
me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it {413} shall come to
pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the
thousands of Judah."
And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men
were in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul and his men went to seek him.
And they told David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in
the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after
David in the wilderness of Maon.
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on
the other side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for
fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round
about to take them. But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, "Haste
thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land."
So Saul returned from pursuing after David.
And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the
Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Behold, David is in the
wilderness of En-gedi."
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went
to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul
went in.
Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.
And the men of David said unto him, "Behold, the day of which the Lord
said unto thee, 'Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand,
and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.'"
{414}
Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. And it
came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had
cut off Saul's skirt.
And he said unto his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing
unto my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put forth mine hand against him,
seeing he is the Lord's anointed."
So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to
rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his
way.
David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after
Saul, saying, "My lord the king!"
And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the
earth, and did obeisance.
And David said to Saul, "Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words,
saying, 'Behold, David seeketh thy hurt'? Behold, this day thine eyes
have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to-day into mine hand
in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and
I said, 'I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the
Lord's anointed.'
"Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand:
for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know
thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine
hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou huntest after my
soul to take it.
"The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee:
but mine hand shall not be upon thee."
{415}{416}
[Illustration]
STREET OF JERUSALEM
"The Joppa Gate" in the center.
This is a characteristic scene in Jerusalem, the bazaars in the area
outside, the camels and donkeys with their burdens, and the traffic
going in and out of the city. "In an aperture of the western wall of
Jerusalem hang the 'oaken valves' called the Beth-lehem or Joppa
Gate. The area outside is one of the notable places of the city.
Long before David coveted Zion there was a citadel there. When at
last the son or Jesse ousted the Jebusites, and began to build, the
site of the citadel became the northwest corner of the wall,
defended by a tower much more imposing than the old one. The
location of the gate, however, was not disturbed, for the reason,
most likely, that the roads which met and merged in front of it
could not well be transferred to another spot, while the area
outside had become a recognized market place. In Solomon's day there
was a great traffic at this locality, shared in by traders from
Egypt and the rich dealers from Tyre and Sidon."
--_Lew Wallace in "Ben-Hur_"
[End illustration]
{417}
And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these
words unto Saul, that Saul said, "Is this thy voice, my son David?"
And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
And he said to David, "Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast
rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
"And thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me:
forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou
killedst me not.
"For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore
the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
"And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that
the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
"Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off
my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my
father's house."
And David swore unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men
went up to the stronghold.
ONE OF DAVID'S ADVENTURES IN THE WILDERNESS.
_How the Sheep Master of Maon Refused to Pay Tribute_.
(While David was roaming about the country followed by a company of
men as young and gallant as himself, much as Robin Hood roamed about
the forests of England, he had many adventures, some of them
chivalrous and some of which he was perhaps afterward, when he became
king, just a little ashamed. This is the story of one of these
adventures.)
{418}
There was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man
was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats:
and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
Now the name of the man was Nabal (the Fool); and the name of his wife
Abigail: and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful
countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he
was of the house of Caleb.
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal sheared his sheep. And
David sent ten young men, and David said unto the young men, "Get you
up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: and thus
shall ye say, 'All hail! Peace be both unto thee, and peace be to
thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. And now I have
heard that thou hast shearers: thy shepherds have now been with us,
and we did them no hurt, neither was there aught missing unto them,
all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy young men, and they will
tell thee: wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes, for
we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine
hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David.'"
And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all
those words in the name of David, and ceased.
And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, "Who is David? and who
is the son of Jesse? there are many servants nowadays that break away
every man from his {419} master. Shall I then take my bread, and my
water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it
unto men of whom I know not whence they be?"
So David's young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and
told him according to all these words.
And David said unto his men, "Gird ye on every man his sword." And
they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his
sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two
hundred remained in the camp.
But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, "Behold,
David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and
he flew upon them. But the men were very good unto us, and we were not
hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we were with them, when
we were in the fields: they were a wall unto us both by night and by
day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. Now therefore
consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master,
and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow that one
cannot speak to him."
Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles
of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched
corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of
figs, and laid them on asses.
And she said unto her young men, "Go on before me; behold, I come
after you."
But she told not her husband Nabal. And it was so, {420} as she rode
on her ass, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that, behold,
David and his men came down against her; and she met them.
Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow
hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that
pertained unto him: and he hath returned me evil for good. God do so
unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that
pertain to him by the morning light so much as one man child."
And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off her ass, and
fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. And
she fell at his feet, and said, "Upon me, my lord, upon me be the
iniquity: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears,
and hear thou the words of thine handmaid.' Let not my lord, I pray
thee, regard this worthless fellow, even Nabal: for as his name is, so
is he; Nabal [the Fool] is his name, and folly is with him: but I
thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
"Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth,
seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from bloodguiltiness, and from
avenging thyself with thine own hand, now therefore let thine enemies,
and them that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. And now this present
which thy servant hath brought unto my lord, let it be given unto the
young men that follow my lord.
"Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord
will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the
battles of the Lord; and evil shall not be found in thee all thy days.
{421}{422}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, LOOKING UP THROUGH THE VALLEY OF HINNOM.
It is said that continual fires were kept burning in the valley of
Hinnom for the destruction of the refuse from the city. It was here,
too, that the human sacrifices to the god Molech took place, where
the victims were made "to pass through the fire."
[End illustration]
{423}
And though man be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet
the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord
thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as
from the hollow of a sling.
"And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord
according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and
shall have appointed thee prince over Israel; that this shall be no
grief unto thee, nor offense of heart unto my lord, either that thou
hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: and
when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine
handmaid."
And David said to Abigail, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
which sent thee this day to meet me: and blessed be thy wisdom, and
blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and
from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as the
Lord, the God of Israel, liveth, which hath withholden me from hurting
thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had
not been left unto Nabal by the morning light so much as one man
child."
So David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he
said unto her, "Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened
to thy voice, and have accepted thy person."
And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house,
like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for
he was very drunken: {424} wherefore she told him nothing, less or
more, until the morning light.
And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of
Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within
him, and he became as a stone.
And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal,
that he died.
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the
Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of
Nabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of
Nabal hath the Lord returned upon his own head."
And David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to him to
wife. And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel,
they spoke unto her, saying, "David hath sent us unto thee, to take
thee to him to wife."
And she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said,
"Behold, thine handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants
of my lord."
And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels
of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of David,
and became his wife.
DAVID BECOMES KING.
_The Lament for Saul and Jonathan. After Long Waiting the
Throne is Gained_.
(At last came that fatal battle with the Philistines in the hills and,
when the sun set, Saul and his three sons lay dead upon the field.)
And it came to pass after the death of Saul, on the {425} third day,
that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes
rent, and earth upon his head: and when he came to David, he fell to
the earth, and did obeisance. And David said to him, "From whence
comest thou?" And he said unto him, "Out of the camp of Israel am I
escaped."
And David said to him, "How went the day? I pray thee, tell me."
And he answered, "The people are fled from the battle, and many of the
people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are
dead also."
And David said to the young man that told him, "How knowest thou that
Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"
And the young man that told him said, "As I happened by chance upon
Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the
chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked
behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, 'Here am
I.'
"And he said unto me, 'Who art thou?'
"And I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.'
"And he said to me, 'Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me, for
anguish hath taken hold of me; because my life is yet whole in me.' So
I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not
live after he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head,
and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither
unto my lord."
Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them; {426} and likewise
all the men that were with him: and they mourned, and wept, and fasted
until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of
the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the
sword. And David said to the young man that told him, "Whence art
thou?"
And he answered, "I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite."
And David said to him, "Why wast thou not afraid to put forth thine
hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?"
And David called one of the young men and said, "Go near, and fall
upon him." And he smote him that he died.
And David said to him, "Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath
testified against thee, saying, 'I have slain the Lord's anointed.'"
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan
his son: and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the
bow.
_The Song of the Bow_.
Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of our enemies triumph.
Ye mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings:
For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away,
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan turned not back,
And the sword of Saul returned not empty.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided:
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,
Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan:
Very pleasant hast thou been unto me:
Thy love to me was wonderful,
Passing the love of women.
How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!
{427}{428}
[Illustration]
"DAVID STREET" IN JERUSALEM
From a picture taken by Prof. Lyon and used by his kind permission.
This narrow, busy street in Jerusalem still bears the name of the
great king who scaled the heights and took the citadel from the
Jebusites so long ago
[End illustration]
{429}
And they told David, saying, "The men of Jabesh-gilead were they that
buried Saul." And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead,
and said to them, "Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have showed this
kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him. And now the
Lord show kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you
this kindness, because ye have done this thing. Now therefore let your
hands be strong, and be ye valiant: for Saul your lord is dead, and
also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them."
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, {430} and
spoke, saying, "Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. In times past,
when Saul was king over us, it was thou that didst lead out and bring
in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, 'Thou shalt feed my people
Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel.'"
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and King David
made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed
David king over Israel.
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
forty years.
AN EVIL DEED.
_How a Brave Prophet Rebuked a King_.
(David once did a very evil deed. He wished to have as his wife the
wife of another man, named Uriah, a very brave soldier in the royal
army. David caused this soldier to be placed in a very dangerous place
in the battle, where he knew he would be killed. The prophet told the
king a story to show him how wicked he was. Then the eyes of the king
were opened to his sin, and he repented, but the child which had been
born to him died.)
And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab,
and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying,
"Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye
from him, that he may be smitten, and die."
And it came to pass, when Joab kept watch upon the city, that he
assigned Uriah unto the place where he knew that valiant men were. And
the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell
some of the people, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the {431}
Hittite died also. Then Joab sent and told David all the things
concerning the war; and he charged the messenger, saying, "When thou
hast made an end of telling all the things concerning the war to the
king, it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he say unto
thee, 'Wherefore went ye so nigh unto the city to fight? knew ye not
that they would shoot from the wall? why went ye so near the wall?'
then shalt thou say, 'Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"
So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had
sent him for. And the messenger said to David, "The men prevailed
against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them
even unto the entering of the gate. And the archers shot at thy
servants from off the wall; and some of the king's servants are dead,
and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."
Then David said to the messenger, "Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, 'Let
not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as
another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow
it': and encourage thou him."
And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she
made lamentation for her husband. And when the mourning was past,
David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife,
and a child was born to them. But the thing that David had done
displeased the Lord.
And the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came {432} to him, and said
to him, "There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other
poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: but the poor
man had nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and
nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children;
it did eat of his own morsel of food, and drank of his own cup, and
lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a
traveler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and
of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come to him,
but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come
to him."
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to
Nathan, "As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this is worthy to
die: and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this
thing, and because he had no pity."
And Nathan said to David,--
"Thou art the man!"
"Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over
Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and if that had
been too little, I would have added unto thee such and such things.
Wherefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do that which is
evil in his sight? thou hast smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword,
and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the
sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never
depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken
the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife."
{433}{434}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF RABBATH AMMON
An important city in Moab, taken by David.
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
It was during the long siege of this city that Uriah the Hittite,
whose wife David wished as his own, was killed. The army of Joab,
David's general, encamped about the city and finally by the capture
of the springs which supplied water to the people the strong walled
place fell. Joab sent for David, so that he was on the ground when
the last assault was made and the city was taken. Very rich spoil
fell into the hands of the victors
[End illustration]
{435}
And David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."
And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou
shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great
occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that
is born unto thee shall surely die."
And Nathan departed to his house.
And the child which had been born to David was very sick. David
therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in,
and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose,
and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would
not, neither did he eat with them. And it came to pass on the seventh
day, that the child died, And the servants of David feared to tell him
that the child was dead: for they said, "Behold, while the child was
yet alive, we spoke unto him, and he hearkened not to our voice: what
will he then do if we tell him that the child is dead?"
But when David saw that his servants whispered together, David
perceived that the child was dead: and David said to his servants, "Is
the child dead?"
And they said, "He is dead."
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and
changed his apparel; and he came into the house of the Lord, and
worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required they
set food {436} before him, and he ate. Then said his servants to him,
"What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for
the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst
rise and eat."
And he said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I
said 'Who knoweth whether the Lord will not be gracious to me, that
the child may live?' But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can
I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to
me."
{437}
CAVE OF ADULLAM
David and his three captains bold
Kept ambush once within a hold.
It was in Adullam's cave,
Nigh which no water they could have,
Nor spring nor running brook was near
To quench the thirst that parched them there.
Then David, King of Israel,
Straight bethought him of a well,
Which stood beside the city gate
At Bethlehem; where, before his state
Of kingly dignity, he had
Oft drunk his fill, a shepherd lad;
But now his fierce Philistine foe
Encamped before it he does know.
Yet ne'er the less, with heat opprest,
Those three bold captains he addrest;
And wished that one to him would bring
Some water from his native spring.
His valiant captains instantly
To execute his will did fly.
The mighty three the ranks broke through
Of armed foes, and water drew
For David, their beloved king,
At his own sweet native spring.
Back through their armed foes they haste,
With the hard-earned treasure graced.
But when the good king David found
What they had done, he on the ground
The water poured. "Because," said he,
"That it was at the jeopardy
Of your three lives this thing ye did,
That I should drink it, God forbid."
--_Charles Lamb_.
{438}
A KNIGHTLY DEED.
_David and His Three Brave Captains. How They Brought the
Water for Which He Longed and How He Would Not Drink It_.
There were three valiant captains in David's army. These three went
down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam;
and the troop of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of
Rephaim.
And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the
Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. And David longed, and said, "Oh
that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which
is by the gate!"
And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines,
and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and
took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink thereof, but
poured it out to the Lord.
And he said, "Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: shall
I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?"
therefore he would not drink it.
These things did the three mighty men.
HOW DAVID BOUGHT A THRESHING-FLOOR FOR AN ALTAR.
"_Neither Will I Offer Burnt Offerings Unto the Lord My God of
That Which Cost Me Nothing_."
And David said unto the Lord, "I have sinned greatly in that I have
done: but now, O Lord, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy
servant; for I have done very foolishly."
{439}{440}
[Illustration]
A PALESTINE THRESHING FLOOR, WITH CATTLE TREADING OUT THE GRAIN
From a photograph belonging to Dr. W. J. Moulton
and used by his kind permission.
This was the method, still in use, whereby during all the times of
the Bible the farmer in Palestine threshed out his grain. It was
then thrown up by forks and the wind blew away the chaff. A level
place for a threshing floor was much prized. It was such a floor
that David bought of Araunah as a suitable place to build an altar.
[End illustration]
{441}
And when David rose up in the morning, the word of the Lord came to
the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, "Go and speak to David, 'Thus
saith the Lord: I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them,
that I may do it unto thee.'"
So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, "Shall seven
years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three
months before thy foes while they pursue thee? or shall there be three
days' pestilence in thy land? now advise thee, and consider what
answer I shall return to him that sent me."
And David said unto Gad, "I am in a great strait: let us fall now into
the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall
into the hand of man."
So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the
time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to
Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy
it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that
destroyed the people, "It is enough; now stay thine hand."
And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the
Jebusite. And David spoke unto the Lord when he saw the angel that
smote the people, and said, "Lo, I have sinned, and I have done
perversely: but these sheep, my people, what have they done? let thine
hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house."
{442}
And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, "Go up, rear an
altar unto the Lord in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite."
And David went up according to the saying of Gad, as the Lord
commanded. And Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants
coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before
the king with his face to the ground.
And Araunah said, "Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant?"
And David said, "To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar
unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people."
And Araunah said unto David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up
what seemeth good unto him: behold, the oxen for the burnt offering,
and the threshing instruments and the furniture of the oxen for the
wood: all this, O king, doth Araunah give unto the king."
And Araunah said unto the king, "The Lord thy God accept thee."
And the king said unto Araunah, "Nay; but I will verily buy it of thee
at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God
which cost me nothing."
So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of
silver.
And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land,
and the plague was stayed from Israel.
{443}
THE REBELLION OF ABSALOM.
_How an Evil Son Met His Fate in the Branches of an Oak_.
(David had much trouble and many wars during his reign, but the
rebellion of his own son Absalom brought more grief to him than
anything else. For a time the rebellion was successful, and David was
driven from his own palace. Then the tide turned and Absalom was
defeated and slain in a great battle. The strange way in which Absalom
met his death, and how David mourned for his son, are told in the
following story.)
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of
thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David sent forth the
people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under
the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third
part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the
people, "I will surely go forth with you myself also."
But the people said, "Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away,
they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care
for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is
better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city."
And the king said to them, "What seemeth to you best I will do."
And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people went out by
hundreds and by thousands. And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and
Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with
Absalom."
{444}
And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge
concerning Absalom. So the people went out into the field against
Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of
Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was
a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. For the
battle was there spread over the face of all the country: and the
forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. And
Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon
his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and
his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the
heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went on. And a
certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, "Behold, I saw Absalom
hanging in an oak."
And Joab said to the man that told him, "And, behold, thou sawest it,
and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have
given thee ten pieces of silver and a girdle."
And the man said to Joab, "Though I should receive a thousand pieces
of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against
the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai
and Ittai, saying, 'Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.'
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no
matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have stood
aloof."
{445}{446}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, FROM THE WELL OF EN-ROGEL
"Leaving Jerusalem by St. Stephen's Gate and walking down the valley
of Jehoshaphat, by the dry bed of the Kidron, you meet at length the
deep rugged valley of Hinnom, skirting the city in a semi-circular
form on the southern and western sides. At the junction of these two
valleys stands a low, vaulted stone building--this is the well of
En-Rogel."
[End illustration]
{447}
Then said Joab, "I may not tarry thus with thee." And he took three
darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while
he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bore
Joab's armor came up and smote Absalom, and slew him. And Joab blew
the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for
Joab held back the people. And they took Absalom and cast him into the
great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of
stones: and all Israel fled everyone to his tent.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, "Let me now run, and bear the king
tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies."
And Joab said to him, "Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this
day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt
bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead."
Then said Joab to the Cushite, "Go tell the king what thou hast seen."
And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. Then said Ahimaaz
the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, "But come what may, let me, I pray
thee, also run after the Cushite."
And Joab said, "Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt
have no reward for the tidings?"
"But come what may," said he, "I will run."
And he said unto him, "Run."
Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
Now David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the
roof of the gate unto the wall, and {448} lifted up his eyes, and
looked, and, behold, a man running alone. And the watchman cried, and
told the king. And the king said, "If he be alone, there is tidings in
his mouth."
And he came apace, and drew near. And the watchman saw another man
running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, "Behold,
another man running alone."
And the king said, "He also bringeth tidings."
And the watchman said, "I think the running of the foremost is like
the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok."
And the king said, "He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings."
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, "All is well."
And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and
said, "Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath delivered up the men that
lifted up their hand against my lord the king."
And the king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?"
And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy
servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was."
And the king said, "Turn aside, and stand here."
And he turned aside, and stood still. And, behold, the Cushite came; and
the Cushite said, "Tidings for my lord the king: for the Lord hath
avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee."
{449}{450}
[Illustration]
ANCIENT TOMBS NEAR JERUSALEM.
From a photograph belonging to Dr. W. J. Moulton
and used by his kind permission.
Many of the kings of Judah were buried in these rock tombs. "Every
family who could afford it had their tomb hewn out of the rock, with
niches for the reception of many bodies."
[End illustration]
{451}
And the king said unto the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man
Absalom?"
And the Cushite answered, "The enemies of my lord the king, and all that
rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is."
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate,
and wept: and as he went, thus he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my
son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
THE PASSING OF DAVID.
"_I Go the Way of All the Earth_."
Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged
Solomon his son, saying, "I go the way of all the earth: be thou
strong therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the charge of the
Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his
commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, according to
that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in
all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: that the
Lord may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If
thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with
all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee a
man on the throne of Israel.'"
And David died, and his son Solomon reigned in his stead.
{452}
SOLOMON
_The Story of the Wisest and Greatest King Israel Ever Had_.
(After some opposition on the part of the other sons of David,
Solomon was established on the throne.)
THE DREAM OF SOLOMON.
_He Makes a Wise Choice_.
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great
high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that
altar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and
God said, "Ask what I shall give thee."
And Solomon said, "Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father
great kindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in
righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast
kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to
sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou
hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a
little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is
in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people,
that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give thy servant
therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may
discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great
people?"
{453}{454}
[Illustration]
A CEDAR OF LEBANON
From a photograph belonging to the Public Library of Springfield,
Mass., and used by special permission.
This is the largest of the "Cedars of Lebanon" now standing. It
measures forty feet in circumference near the roots. These great
trees grow in abundance upon the Lebanon range, and cedar wood was
very much used in Bible times. Solomon's temple had beams of cedar,
David's palace was built of it, and one of Solomon's palaces was
called the house of the forest of Lebanon.
[End illustration]
{455}
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
And God said unto him, "Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast
not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for
thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for
thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold, I have done
according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an
understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before
thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have
also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor,
so that there shall not be any among the kings like to thee, all thy
days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my
commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy
days."
And Solomon awoke, and, behold, it was a dream: and he came to
Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and
offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a
feast to all his servants.
LORD OF THE LANDS.
_The Prosperity and the Wisdom of Solomon_.
And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River Euphrates to
the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt: they brought
presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. And Solomon's
provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and
threescore {456} measures of meal; ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out
of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and gazelles, and
roebucks, and fatted fowl. For he had dominion over all the region on
this side the River Euphrates, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the
kings on this side the River Euphrates: and he had peace on all sides
round about him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under
his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the
days of Solomon. And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for
his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And those officers
provided victual for King Solomon, and for all that came unto King
Solomon's table, every man in his month: they let nothing be lacking.
Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they to
the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and
largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the
east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; and
his fame was in all the nations round about. And he spoke three
thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he
spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop
that springeth out of the wall: he spoke also of beasts, and of fowl,
and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all peoples
to hear the {457} wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth,
which had heard of his wisdom.
THE TREATY WITH KING HIRAM.
_Cedars of Lebanon and Stones from the Quarries for the Temple_.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard
that they had anointed him king instead of his father: for Hiram was
ever a lover of David. And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, "Thou
knowest how David my father could not build an house for the name of
the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side,
until the Lord put his enemies under his feet. But now the Lord my God
hath given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil
happening. And, behold, I purpose to build an house for the name of
the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, 'Thy
son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build the
house for my name.' Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar
trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and
I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou
shalt say: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that has
skill to hew timber like unto the Zidonians."
And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he
rejoiced greatly, and said, "Blessed be the Lord this day, who hath
given unto David a wise son over this great people."
{458}
And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, "I have heard the message which
thou hast sent to me: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of
cedar, and concerning timber of fir. My servants shall bring them down
from Lebanon to the sea: and I will make them into rafts to go by sea
to the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be
broken up there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt
accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household."
So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to
all his desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of
wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus
gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom,
as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and
they two made a league together.
And King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was
thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month
by turns: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and
Adoniram was over the levy. And Solomon had three score and ten
thousand that bore burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in
the mountains; besides Solomon's chief officers that were over the
work, three thousand and three hundred, which were overseers of the
people that wrought in the work. And the king commanded, and they
hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the
house with wrought stone. And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders
did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the
house.
{459}{460}
[Illustration]
THE LEBANON RANGE AND A GROVE OF CEDARS.
The grand mountain range called Lebanon, "white," from the snow
which lies for seven months on its summits, is very often mentioned
in the Old Testament. The highest summits are from five thousand
five hundred to seven thousand feet.
[End illustration]
{461}
SOLOMON'S TEMPLE.
_The House of the Lord Is Built_.
Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in
Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, which he
made ready in the place that David had appointed, in the
threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the
fourth year of his reign. Now these are the foundations which Solomon
laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after
the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty
cubits. And the porch that was before the house, the length of it,
according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the
height an hundred and twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure
gold.
And the greater house he ceiled with fir tree, which he overlaid with
fine gold, and wrought thereon palm trees and chains. And he adorned
the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of
Parvaim. He overlaid also the house, the beams, the thresholds, and
the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved
cherubim on the walls.
And he made the most holy house; the length thereof, according to the
breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof
twenty cubits: and he overlaid it {462} with fine gold, amounting to
six hundred talents. And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of
gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold. And in the most
holy house he made two cherubim of image work; and they overlaid them
with gold. And the wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the
wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the
house; and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the
wing of the other cherub. And the wing of the other cherub was five
cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was five
cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub. The wings of
these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood
on their feet, and their faces were toward the house.
And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen,
and wrought cherubim thereon. Also he made before the house two
pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the capital that was on
the top of each of them was five cubits. And he made chains in the
oracle, and put them on the tops of the pillars; and he made an
hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. And he set up the
pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the
left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the
name of that on the left Boaz.
Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof,
and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height
thereof. Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim,
round in compass, and the height thereof was five cubits; and a line
of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
{463}{464}
[Illustration]
THE MOSQUE OF OMAR AND THE ANCIENT TEMPLE AREA
In the background is the Mosque of El Akoa and beyond are the
Judaean hills, to the south and southeast
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
The Mohammedan Mosque of Omar now stands upon the old temple area.
It is a handsome octagonal building, standing on a platform near the
center of the area, from which it is elevated by several steps. It
is said to have been built in 636 by the Caliph Omar. In 1099, when
the Crusaders captured Jerusalem, ten thousand Arabs were massacred
in this enclosure. In 1187 the Moslems, under Saladin, again took
the city, and the mosque has been one of their most sacred places
ever since.
[End illustration]
{465}
And under it were the images of oxen, which did compass it round
about, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about. The oxen were
in two rows, cast when it was cast. It stood upon twelve oxen, three
looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three
looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the
sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.
And it was an handbreadth thick; and the brim thereof was wrought like
the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it received and held
three thousand baths.
He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on
the left, to wash in them; such things as belonged to the burnt
offering they washed in them: but the sea was for the priests to wash
in.
And he made the ten candlesticks of gold according to the ordinance
concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right
hand, and five on the left.
He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the
right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basins of
gold.
Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and
doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass. And he
set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.
And King Solomon made the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two
capitals which were on the top of the pillars; and the two networks to
cover the two bowls of the capitals {466} that were on the top of the
pillars; and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two
rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the
capitals that were upon the pillars. He made also the bases, and the
lavers made he upon the bases; one sea, and the twelve oxen under it.
The pots also, and the shovels, and the flesh-hooks, and all the
vessels thereof, did King Solomon make for the house of the Lord of
bright brass. In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the
clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. Thus Solomon made all these
vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be
found out.
And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God, the
golden altar also, and the tables whereon was the showbread; and the
candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn according to the
ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the
lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold; and the
snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the firepans, of pure
gold: and as for the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for
the most holy place, and the doors of the house, to wit, of the
temple, were of gold.
Thus all the work that Solomon wrought for the house of the Lord was
finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had
dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and all the vessels, and put
them in the treasuries of the house of God.
{467}{468}
[Illustration]
INTERIOR OF THE MOSQUE OF OMAR
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
The center of the mosque is occupied by the top of the natural rock,
shown in the foreground. It is possible that the great altar of
Solomon's temple was at this place.
[End illustration]
{469}
SOLOMON'S PALACE.
_Costly and Beautiful_.
And Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished
all his house. For he built the house of the forest of Lebanon; the
length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty
cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar
pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars. And it was covered with
cedar above over the forty and five beams, that were upon the pillars;
fifteen in a row. And there were three rows of latticed windows. And
he made the porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and
the breadth thereof thirty cubits; and a porch before them; and
pillars and thick beams before them. And he made the porch of the
throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was
covered with cedar from floor to floor. And his house where he was to
dwell, the other court within the porch, was of the like work.
He made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter (whom Solomon had taken
to wife), like unto this porch. All these were of costly stones, even
of hewn stone, according to measure, sawed with saws, within and
without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the
outside unto the great court. And the foundation was of costly stones,
even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
And above were costly stones, even hewn stone, according to measure,
and cedar wood. And the great court round about had three rows of hewn
stone, {470} and a row of cedar beams; like the inner court of the
house of the Lord, and the porch of the house.
THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.
_The Great Assembly and Sacrifice_.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the
tribes, the princes of the fathers' houses of the children of Israel,
unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of
the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. And they brought up
the ark of the Lord, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels
that were in the Tent.
And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were
assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep
and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the
priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto its place,
into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place. There was
nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there
at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel,
when they came out of the land of Egypt. And it came to pass, when the
priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the
house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister by
reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the
Lord.
Then spoke Solomon, "The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the
thick darkness. I have surely built thee an house of habitation, a
place for thee to dwell in for ever."
{471}
And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation
of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood. And he said,
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, which spoke with his mouth
unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
'Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I
chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that
my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people
Israel.' Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house
for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said unto
David my father, 'Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house for
my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart: nevertheless thou
shalt not build the house; but thy son, he shall build the house for
my name.' And the Lord hath established his word that he spoke; for I
am risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of
Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the name of
the Lord, the God of Israel. And there have I set a place for the ark,
wherein is the covenant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers,
when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."
_The Prayer of the King_.
And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all
the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
and he said, "O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in
heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keepest covenant and mercy
with {472} thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart:
who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst
promise him: yea, thou hast spoken with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled
it with thine hand, as it is this day.
"Now therefore, O Lord, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David
my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, 'There shall not
fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; if only
thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me as thou hast
walked before me.' Now therefore, O God of Israel, let thy word, I
pray thee, be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David
my father. But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? behold,
heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less
this house that I have builded!
"Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his
supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer
which thy servant prayeth before thee this day: that thine eyes may be
open toward this house night and day, even toward the place whereof
thou hast said, 'My name shall be there': to hearken unto the prayer
which thy servant shall pray toward this place. And hearken thou to
the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they
shall pray toward this place: yea, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling
place; and when thou hearest, forgive.
{473}{474}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library and used by kind permission.
The view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives in the days of the
city's glory, was one of splendor. Of this view in the time of
Christ a writer says, referring especially to the temple, "In the
setting even more than the rising sun, must the vast proportions,
the symmetry, and the sparkling sheen of this mass of snowy marble
and gold have stood out gloriously."
[End illustration]
{475}
"If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to
cause him to swear, and he come and swear before thine altar in this
house: then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants,
condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head; and
justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
"When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they
have sinned against thee; if they turn again to thee, and confess thy
name, and pray and make supplication unto thee in this house: then
hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and
bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned
against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name,
and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them: then hear thou
in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people
Israel, when thou teachest them the good way wherein they should walk;
and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for
an inheritance.
"If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be
blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them
in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness
there be; what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or
by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his
own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: then hear
thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and render
unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest
(for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of
men); {476} that they may fear thee all the days that they live in the
land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
"Moreover concerning the stranger, that is not of thy people Israel,
when he shall come out of a far country for thy name's sake (for they
shall hear of thy great name, and of thy mighty hand, and of thy
stretched out arm); when he shall come and pray toward this house:
hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that
the stranger calleth to thee for; that all the peoples of the earth
may know thy name, to fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and that
they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy
name.
"If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatsoever way
thou shalt send them, and they pray unto the Lord toward the city
which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for
thy name: then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their
supplication, and maintain their cause.
"If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and
thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they
carry them away captive unto the land of the enemy, far off or near;
yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are
carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication unto thee in
the land of them that carried them captive, saying, 'We have sinned,
and have done perversely, we have dealt wickedly'; if they return unto
thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their
enemies, which carried them captive, and pray unto thee toward their
land, which thou {477} gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou
hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name: then hear
thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place,
and maintain their cause; and forgive thy people which have sinned
against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have
transgressed against thee; and give them compassion before those who
carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them: for they
be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out
of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: that thine eyes may
be open to the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication
of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them whensoever they cry unto
thee. For thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of the
earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou hast spoken by Moses thy
servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God."
And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this
prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar
of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth
toward heaven. And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of
Israel with a loud voice, saying, "Blessed be the Lord, that hath
given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised:
there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he
promised by Moses his servant. The Lord our God be with us, as he was
with our fathers: let him not leave us nor forsake us: that he may
incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and keep his
{478} commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he
commanded our fathers. And let these my words, wherewith I have made
supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and
night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his
people Israel, as every day shall require: that all the peoples of the
earth may know that the Lord, he is God; there is none else. Let your
heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his
statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."
And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the
Lord. And Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which
he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred
and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel
dedicated the house of the Lord.
A ROYAL PILGRIMAGE.
_The Visit of the Queen of Sheba_.
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning
the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. And
she came to Jerusalem with a very great caravan, with camels that bore
spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come
to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And
Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from
the king which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen
all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the
meat of his table and the seating of his servants, and the attendance
of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his
ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no
more spirit in her.
{479}{480}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, FROM THE CITADEL, LOOKING TOWARD THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.
From a picture in the possession of the Forbes Library and used by
kind permission.
This view reverses the position of the spectator in the previous
picture Looking from the citadel, the slope of the Mount of Olives
rises in the east.
[End illustration]
{481}
And she said to the king, "It was a true report that I heard in mine
own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the
words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half
was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I
heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand
continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord
thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel:
because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king,
to do judgment and justice."
And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of
spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such
abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King
Solomon.
And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever
she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So
she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
THE GREATNESS OF SOLOMON'S EMPIRE.
_Gold and Ivory Brought by Ship and Caravan_.
(For forty years Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, and during nearly all
this time the land was peaceful and prosperous. The empire of Solomon
was greater in extent than the territory {482} ruled over by any king
which came after him. At last the great king died and was buried in
Jerusalem, the city which his father had made the capital.)
And King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside
Elath, at the head of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent
in the navy his servants, sailors that had knowledge of the sea, with
the servants of Solomon. And they came to Ophir, and fetched from
thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King
Solomon.
And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in
from Ophir great plenty of almug trees and precious stones. And the
king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and
for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there
came no such almug trees, nor were seen, unto this day.
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six
hundred threescore and six talents of gold, beside that which the
traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the
kings of the mingled people, and of the governors of the country. And
King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold: six hundred
shekels of gold went to one buckler. And he made three hundred shields
of beaten gold; three pounds of gold went to one shield: and the king
put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with
the finest gold. There were six steps to the throne, and the top of
the throne was round behind: {483} and there were arms on either side
of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms. And twelve lions
stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there
was not the like made in any kingdom. And all King Solomon's drinking
vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest
of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was nothing
accounted of in the days of Solomon.
For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram:
once every three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and
silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in
wisdom. And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his
wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his
present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and
armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a
thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen,
which he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at
Jerusalem. And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and
cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland,
for abundance.
{484}
{485}
NOTES
{486}
{487}
NOTES.
ABRAHAM. HIS JOURNEYS.
_Ur of the Chaldees_ was an ancient city on the great plain of
Babylon.
_Haran_. A city lying far to the north of Ur, northeast of Palestine,
on the road from the east to the Mediterranean coast.
_Canaan, Palestine, the Land of Israel_, are all names which have been
used at different times for the same country. Canaan is the oldest
Biblical name. It means "the lowlands" near the Mediterranean, but was
used for the whole country.
_Shechem_. A city in the middle of Canaan, in a valley between two
mountains, Ebal and Gerizim.
_Oak of Mamre_. The name suggests an oak that was connected with a
sacred place. Its exact site is not known, but it must be somewhere
near Hebron.
_Beth-el_ was a sacred place, in later times very important. It is on
the great road north and south, about twelve miles north of Jerusalem.
_Ai_ was about two miles east, in the head of a valley which falls
rapidly toward the Jordan.
_The South_ was used as the name of the country to the south of
Canaan, as we use "the South" and "the West" to mean sections of our
own country.
DIVISION OF THE LAND.
_Plain of the Jordan_. The river Jordan runs through a deep valley,
which broadens out in its southern part into a plain. It was warm, rich
and fertile. Here were situated the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
_Zoar_. One of the cities of the Plain of the Jordan, perhaps on higher
ground than the others.
{488}
_Hebron_, near which the oaks of Mamre were, lies about twenty miles
south of Jerusalem. It was from very early time regarded as a sacred
city. It is still a town of considerable size.
THE FIGHT OF THE FIVE KINGS.
_The five kings_ were from Babylonia and the mountain country of Elam
beyond Babylonia. As the story stands, the king of Elam had conquered
Babylonia and the land of Canaan. After a time, part of the land of
Canaan revolted, and he came, with his Babylonian allies, to punish
the rebellious Canaanites.
_Slime pits_. Pits of bitumen, a black, sometimes sticky mineral,
which is found in the valley of Jordan.
_Dan_. A town in the north of Palestine. The story makes Abraham's
chase of the kings extend all the length of the land afterwards held
by the Hebrews.
_Hobah_. A town north of Damascus, not mentioned elsewhere in the
Bible.
_Damascus_. A very old city, northeast of Palestine. It is situated in
a beautiful spot, watered by two rivers, and has been the starting
point of caravans for the east, west, and south since long before the
days of Abraham.
_Melchizedek_. King of Salem. Salem was probably Jerusalem.
Melchizedek was, like many other ancient kings, also the chief priest
of his city. As such, it was right that he should bless the returning
chief in war.
A COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND ABRAHAM.
_Euphrates_. The greatest river of western Asia. It rises in the
mountains of Armenia and flows to the Persian gulf. The Bible often
calls it simply "the Great River."
_Beer-sheba_. The farthest town to the south in Palestine. "From Dan
to Beer-sheba" was used to mean all the land from the north to the
south.
{489}{490}
[Illustration]
EN ROGEL, FROM THE SOUTH
From a photograph taken by Prof. H. G. Mitchell
and used by his kind permission.
A nearer view of the famous old well outside the walls of Jerusalem.
[End illustration]
{491}
_Wilderness of Paran_. The half desert country lying south
of Palestine.
TESTING OF ABRAHAM.
_Land of Moriah_. An unknown region. The Jews later supposed that
Isaac was sacrificed on the hill at Jerusalem on which Solomon built
the temple, but the Bible itself does not affirm it.
_Sacrifices_ were offered on bare rocks or on altars built of stone or
earth. At first they were a way of expressing fellowship with God. The
people ate part of an offering, and the rest of it was burnt, to
symbolize that it was God's share. Later the offering was something
given to God. This last is the idea in the story of the sacrifice of
Isaac.
DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH.
_Hittites_ and _children of Heth_ mean the Hittites, one of the tribes
of peoples in Palestine before the arrival of the Hebrews. There was a
great Hittite empire north of Palestine.
_Shekel_. An amount of money; in early times not a coin but a weight
of money. In this story Abraham "weighed" the silver.
ISAAC AND REBEKAH.
_Mesopotamia_ means "between the rivers," the wide land far east between
the Euphrates and the Tigris.
_Cave of Machpelah_. In early times caves were often used as burial
places. The present inhabitants of Hebron believe the cave of Machpelah
is under a building in their city.
JACOB.
_Pottage._ A sort of stew of lentils, a vegetable like beans.
_Birthright_. In many parts of the world, the oldest child has, by his
birth, the right of becoming the head of the family {492} at the death
of his father, with sometimes other rights and responsibilities.
_Paddan-aram_ or _Padan-aram_. "The country of Syria," lying northeast
of Palestine, between Damascus and the river Euphrates.
_Pillars of stone_. Standing stones and heaps of stones were often set
up at places held sacred. Oil was poured on such stones as an offering
to God, or to express the idea that the places were holy. Such sacred
places are found in almost all lands, and were very common in
Palestine. The stones are still sometimes found standing.
_Jegar-sahadutha_ and _Galeed_ both mean "heap of witness," one in the
language of Canaan, the other in that of Mesopotamia.
_Jabbok_. A stream flowing into the Jordan from the east.
_Peniel_. "Face of God." Sometimes spelled Penuel.
_Seir_. A section of country southeast of Palestine. It is high and
rocky, sometimes called Mt. Seir.
_Succoth_, "booths." Its site is not known.
_Allon-bacuth_, "the oak of weeping"
JOSEPH.
_Dothan_. About ten miles north of Samaria. A story about Elisha is
also located at Dothan. _Tales of Old Judea, 148_.
_Caravan_. A train of camels or horses. In the East people traveled
together in caravans for protection against robbers.
_Egypt_. A land where civilization is very ancient. All through the
Old Testament times it was a powerful kingdom. Its king was called, in
the early stories of the Bible, the Pharaoh.
_Divining cup_. The custom of divining, that is, discovering hidden
secrets by magic, was widespread in the ancient world. Sometimes cups
of sacred water were used, and a special cup might be thought to have
special value for divination.
{493}
_Goshen_. A section in the northeast of Egypt, next to the Isthmus of
Suez.
_Rameses_. A city in the land of Goshen. "The land of Rameses" is the
country about this city.
_Embalming_ was a custom in Egypt. These people thought that their
life in the next world depended on keeping the body from decay; so
they filled the body with certain chemicals which kept it from the
natural decay. The preserved body is called a mummy.
JOSHUA.
_Shittim_. A place on the east of the Jordan. The site is not known.
_Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon_ are all in the
southern part of Palestine, in what was later the kingdom of Judah.
_Book of Jashar_. A collection of poems of ancient heroes, from which
also the beautiful lament of David over Saul is taken. _Hero Tales,
426_.
THE JUDGES.
_Hill country of Ephraim_. The mountain ridge in the central part of
Palestine, which belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.
_Summer room_. A room built on the flat top of a house, to get the
cool breezes in the hot summer days.
_Philistines_. A people who, like the Hebrews, migrated into the land
of the Canaanites. They occupied the land along the coast of the
Mediterranean. For a long time they were stronger in war than the
Hebrews, and ruled over them. This name "Palestine" comes from
"Philistine."
_Beating out wheat in the wine press_. Ordinarily in the East, wheat
is threshed by being trodden out with oxen on a bare, hard piece of
ground. It is usually in a prominent place, to get the wind for
winnowing, and so could be easily seen by the {494} enemy. The wine
press furnished a small, flat place where the little wheat they had
could be threshed in secret.
_Angel of the Lord_. Any messenger from God, sometimes thought of in
early times as being God himself in the form of a man.
_Ophrah_. A place in northern central Palestine, site not known.
_Baal and Asherah_. The Baals were the gods of the Canaanites. Each
locality had its Baal (Lord), with an altar and a stone pillar, on
some prominent place (the "high places" of the Bible). The asherah was
a sacred tree or post standing near the stone pillar.
_Jezreel_. A beautifully situated town in northern central Palestine.
_Pitchers_. Jars in which were hidden torches. When the jars were
broken with a crash, the torches suddenly flamed out in the darkness,
and the noise and the unexpected light made a panic in the Midianite
army.
SAUL.
_Mizpah_. A town on the east of Jordan. Probably the same place that
is mentioned in the story of Jacob.
_Ramah_, "hill." A common name of places in Palestine.
_Vial_. A vessel in which was carried a sacred oil. A common way to
honor a guest was to pour a little oil on his head. Kings and priests
were set apart for their office by anointing with oil.
_Jabesh_. A city east of the Jordan. The people of the city did not
forget the good deed of Saul. Many years later, when Saul was defeated
and killed, brave men from this city traveled all night, took his body
from the battlefield, and gave it an honorable funeral at Jabesh.
{495}{496}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, FROM THE NORTHEAST
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
The view is taken from Mount Scopus, the northward extension of the
Mount of Olives. The valley between is the head of the Kidron.
This fine picture gives a distinct view of the modern city with its
walls and towers, and the valley which lies between.
[End illustration]
{497}
_Ammonites_. A people who lived on the east of the Jordan, with whom
the Hebrews had made war.
_Michmash_. A small town about seven miles north of Jerusalem, on the
edge of a deep ravine going down toward the Jordan.
_Eating with the blood_. The blood was not eaten by the Hebrews. They
thought of it as the seat of life, and, since life belonged to God,
man ought not to eat it.
_Familiar Spirit_. "Familiar" is here connected with "family,"
household. It means a spirit which is ready to serve one, like one of
his servants. The woman with a "familiar spirit" was a "medium," who
was supposed to be able to summon spirits.
DAVID.
_Cubit_. See Weights and Measures. Span. The half of a cubit, about
nine inches.
_Gath_. A Philistine city on the plain west of the hills of Judaea.
_Armor_. The helmet of brass was not uncommon. The "coat of mail" was
a close-fitting cloak, covered with brass scales, so as to allow free
movement. The greaves were coverings for the shins and the knees. The
armor of the Bible times was much simpler than that in Europe in the
middle ages.
SOLOMON.
_Tyre_. A city on the coast of the Mediterranean, north of Palestine,
for a long time the center of much commerce between Egypt, Asia,
Greece, and the lands farther west. Its inhabitants were Phoenicians.
_Zidon_, like Tyre, a Phoenician coast city, rich and commercial.
{498}
_Sheba_. A land in southern Arabia, which got wealth by trading
between Egypt and the countries on the Mediterranean, and the distant
south and east.
_Ophir_. A land about which there have been many opinions. Some have
thought it in East Africa, some in the far east--India or the Malay
Peninsula,--some in Southeast Arabia. Perhaps the last opinion is as
probable as any.
_Almug_. A wood evidently valued for its rarity and beauty. What the
wood was is not known, nor where it came from.
_Ezion-Geber_. A town at the head of the Eastern gulf, now called the
Gulf of Akabah, of the Red Sea. In ancient times it was a port of
commerce, but now there is no trade anywhere on this gulf.
_Red Sea_. Between Egypt and Arabia. In the time of Solomon there was
commerce on it with Southern Arabia, Eastern Africa, and perhaps with
'Countries still farther away. Part of Solomon's wealth came from his
share in this commerce.
{499}
TABLE OF MEASURES.
Palm Span Cubit Value in Inches
Palm. 1 3
Span. 3 1 9
Cubit 6 2 1 18
WEIGHTS.
_A shekel_. The English equivalent of this weight is not known. It
varied at different times in the history of Israel. According to our
estimate a shekel was about 0.3 of an avoirdupois ounce. Probably the
earliest standard of weight was a grain of wheat and the early
Babylonian shekel was equal to 180 grains of wheat. According to this
estimate the weight of Goliath's coat of brass was about 90 pounds and
the weight of his spearhead about 10 pounds.
_A mina_. A weight equal to 60 shekels.
_A talent_. A weight equal to 60 minas.
{500}
{501}
MEMORY VERSES
{502}
{503}
MEMORY VERSES.
_One for Each Week of the Year_.
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the
mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and
the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art
God.--_Psalms 90:1,2_.
If God be for us, who can be against us?--_Romans 8:31_.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.--_Ephesians
6:13_.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto
thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many
witnesses.--_I Timothy 6:12_.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting
doors; and the King of glory shall come in.--_Psalms 24:7_.
The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles
be glad thereof.--_Psalms 97:1_.
The Lord is my strength and my shield.--_Psalms 28:7_.
Only be thou strong and very courageous.--_Joshua 1:7_.
The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation; he is
my God, and I will prepare him an {504} habitation; my father's God,
and I will exalt him.--_Exodus 15:2_.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I
do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto
those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.--_Philippians 3:13,14_.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might.--_Ephesians 6:10_.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, "If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."--_Matthew
16:24_.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth
the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.--_I Corinthians 9:24_.
He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that loseth his life
for my sake, shall find it.--_Matthew 10:39_.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.--_Romans
8:18_.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off
the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.--_Romans
13:12_.
He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with
me scattereth.--_Luke 11:23_.
We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of God we will setup
our banners.--_Psalms 20:5_.
{505}
His banner over me was love.--_Song of Solomon 2:4_.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible.--_I Corinthians 9:25_.
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.--_I
Corinthians 16:13_.
Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.--_Matthew
20:27_.
For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
--_I Corinthians 4:20_.
Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord
glory and strength.--_I Chronicles 16:28_.
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.
--_II Samuel 22:2_.
I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in
him will I trust.--_Psalms 91:2_.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that
beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection.--_I Corinthians 9:26, 27_.
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed
valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
--_Hebrews 11:33,34_.
{506}
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus
Christ.--_II Timothy 2:3_.
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of
life.--_Revelations 2:10_.
Walk worthily of God, who calleth you unto his kingdom and glory.
--_I Thessalonians 2:12_.
Hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is
faithful that promised.--_Hebrews 10:23_.
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil.--_Ephesians 6:11_.
I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.
--_Philippians 4:13_.
Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find
watching.--_Luke 12:37_.
Take ye heed, watch and pray.--_Mark 13:33_.
He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of
me.--_Matthew 10:38_.
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous
things. And blessed be his glorious name forever: and let the whole
earth be filled with his glory.--_Psalms 72:18,19_.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth
his spirit than he that taketh a city.--_Proverbs 16:32_.
Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, {507} and the sin which doth
so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us.--_Hebrews 12:1_.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let men say
among the nations, the Lord reigneth.--_I Chronicles 16:31_.
Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the
earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles,
and the inhabitants thereof.--_Isaiah 42:10_.
Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift
them up for ever.--_Psalms 28:9_.
Give us help from trouble; for vain is the help of man.
--_Psalms 60:11_.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
--_John 8:32_.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us
free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.--_Galatians
5:1_.
But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their
strength in the time of trouble.--_Psalms 37:39_.
The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
--_Psalms 118:14_.
He giveth power to the faint: and to them that have no might he
increaseth strength.--_Isaiah 40:29_.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or {508} nakedness, or sword?
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.--_Romans 8:35,37_.
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good
pleasure to give you the kingdom.--_Luke 12:32_.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.--_II Timothy 4:7_.
[End of "VOLUME TWO: HERO TALES"]
----------------------------------------------------
[Start of "VOLUME THREE: TALES OF OLD JUDAEA"]
{1}
{2}
{3}
THE BIBLE STORY
{4}
{5}
{6}
[Illustration]
BUILDING THE ARK
"Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shall thou make in the ark
and shall cover it within and without with pitch. And this is how
thou shalt make it; the length of the ark three hundred cubits, the
breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits."
[End illustration]
{7}
THE BIBLE STORY
VOLUME THREE
TALES OF OLD JUDAEA
ARRANGED AND EDITED BY
REV. NEWTON MARSHALL HALL, D.D.
MINISTER OF THE NORTH CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
AND
REV. IRVING FRANCIS WOOD, PH.D.
PROFESSOR OF
BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND COMPARATIVE RELIGION
AT SMITH COLLEGE
_Authors of "The Early Days of Israel" "Advanced Bible Studies" Etc_.
THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
CHICAGO CLEVELAND
{8}
COPYRIGHT, 1906,
COPYRIGHT, 1917,
BY THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY,
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
{9}
PREFACE
This volume contains stories from the Old Testament, not included in
the previous volume of this series, "Hero Tales from the Old
Testament." It tells of brave women and strong men, of marvelous
adventures and escapes, of gallant struggles for liberty, of good and
bad kings, of national deliverance and captivity. Some of these
stories are given in the form of great symbolic poems and stories like
the "Pilgrim's Progress," conveying some great truth by means of
poetic imagery, others are the literal recital of historic facts. All
are full of the deepest interest and are of profound moral value.
{10}
{11}
CONTENTS
TALES OF THE FAR-OFF DAYS. 13
The Story of Creation. 15
A Story of Disobedience and Its Consequences. 19
The Story of the First Murder. 22
The Story of the Flood. 24
The Story of the Tower of Babel. 32
TALES OF BRAVE WOMEN. 33
Ruth. 35
Deborah. 51
Esther. 60
Judith. 80
TALES OF ELIJAH AND ELISHA. 109
TALES OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE. 163
Jonah. 165
Samson. 172
Daniel. 183
Nehemiah. 212
THE STORY OF A DIVIDED KINGDOM. 235
_The Kingdom of the South_. 237
1 Rehoboam. 237
2 Abijah. 242
3 Asa. 247
4 Jehoshaphat. 255
5 Jehoram. 266
6 Ahaziah. 269
7 Athaliah. 271
8 Joash. 277 {12}
9 Amaziah. 281
10 Uzziah. 287
11 Jotham. 292
12 Ahaz. 293
13 Hezekiah. 299
14 Manasseh. 317
15 Amon. 322
16 Josiah. 323
17 Jehoahaz. 332
18 Jehoiakim. 335
19 Jehoiachin. 346
20 Zedekiah. 348
The Kingdom of the North 353
1 Jeroboam. 353
2 Nadab. 367
3 Baasha. 368
4 Elah. 370
5 Zimri. 373
6 Omri. 374
7 Ahab. 377
8 Ahaziah. 382
9 Joram. 387
10 Jehu. 395
11 Jehoahaz. 399
12 Joash. 400
13 Jeroboam II. 401
14 Zechariah 402
15 Shallum. 403
16 Menahem. 404
17 Pekahiah. 407
18 Pekah. 408
19 Hoshea. 411
TALES OF THE MACCABEES. 415
NOTES. 485
MEMORY VERSES 499
{13}
TALES OF THE FAR-OFF DAYS
{14}
[Illustration]
Map of Palestine in Old Testament times.
[End illustration]
{15}
THE STORY OF THE CREATION.
"_In the Beginning God Created the Heaven and the Earth_."
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth
was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep:
and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said,
"Let there be light": and there was light. And God saw the light that
it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God
called the light "Day," and the darkness he called "Night." And there
was evening and there was morning, one day.
And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,
and let it divide the waters from the waters." And God made the
firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from
the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God
called the firmament "Heaven." And there was evening and there was
morning, a second day.
And God said, "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together
unto one place, and let the dry land appear": and it was so.
And God called the dry land "Earth"; and the gathering together of the
waters called he "Seas": and God saw that it was good. And God said,
"Let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree
bearing fruit after {16} its kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon
the earth": and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind,
and tree bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after its kind:
and God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was
morning, a third day.
And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to
divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for
seasons, and for days and years: and let them be for lights in the
firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth:" and it was so.
And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day,
and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And
God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the
earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the
light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And there was
evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
And God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures,
and let the birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of
heaven."
And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that
moveth, with which the waters swarmed, after their kinds, and every
winged bird after its kind: and God saw that it was good. And God
blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters
in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was
evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living {17} creatures after
their kind, cattle and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after
their kind": and it was so.
And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle
after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after
its kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, "Let us make man
in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle,
and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth."
And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them: and God
said unto them, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,
and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over
the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the
earth."
And God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed,
which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which
is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food: and
to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to
everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have
given every green herb for food:" and it was so.
And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very
good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
And on the seventh day God finished {18} his work which he had made;
and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it: because that in it
he rested from all his work which he had created and made.
{19}
A STORY OF DISOBEDIENCE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
_How Adam and Eve Lost Eden_.
Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the
Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Yea, hath God said, 'Ye
shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'"
And the woman said unto the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the
garden we may eat: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst
of the garden, God hath said, 'Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall
ye touch it, lest ye die.'"
And the serpent said to the woman, "Ye shall not surely die: for God
doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be
opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil."
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it
was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make
one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and ate; and she gave also
unto her husband with her, and he ate. And the eyes of them both were
opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves
together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the
Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and
his wife {20} hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst
the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called to the man, and said
unto him, "Where art thou?"
And he said, "I heard thy voice in the garden, and 1 was afraid,
because I was naked; and I hid myself."
And he said, "Who told thee that thou wast naked?
Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou
shouldest not eat?"
And the man said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave
me of the tree, and I did eat."
And the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this thou hast done?"
And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate."
And the Lord God said unto the serpent, "Because thou hast done this,
cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field;
upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of
thy life: and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou
shalt bruise his heel."
And to Adam he said, "Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy
wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying,
'Thou shalt not eat of it': cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil
shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and
thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of
the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou
return to the ground; for out of it wast thou {21} taken: for dust
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
Then the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the
ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he
placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame
of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of
life.
{22}
THE STORY OF THE FIRST MURDER.
"_Am I My Brother's Keeper?_"
(After Adam and Eve were driven from the garden of Eden, two sons were
born to them. They named these sons Cain and Abel.)
And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
And in time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the
ground an offering to the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the
firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had
respect to Abel and to his offering: but to Cain and to his offering
he had not respect. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
And the Lord said to Cain, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy
countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?
and if thou doest not well, sin croucheth at the door: and to thee
shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."
And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up
against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said to Cain,
"Where is Abel thy brother?"
And he said, "I know not: am I my brother's keeper?"
And he said, "What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood
crieth unto me from the ground. And now cursed art thou from the
ground, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood
from thy hand; {23} when thou tillest the ground, it shall not
henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a wanderer
shalt thou be in the earth."
And Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground;
and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a
wanderer in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that whosoever
findeth me will slay me."
And the Lord said to him, "Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance
shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the Lord appointed a sign for
Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.
{24}
THE STORY OF THE FLOOD.
_How the First Ship, "The Ark," Weathered the Storm_.
THE WICKEDNESS OF THE WORLD.
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and
that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. And the Lord repented that he had made man on the earth,
and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, "I will destroy
man whom I have created from the face of the ground; both man, and
beast, and creeping thing, and birds of the air; for I repent that I
have made them."
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
THE BUILDING OF "THE ARK."
Noah was a righteous man, and Noah walked with God. And Noah had three
sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And the earth was corrupt before God,
and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and,
behold, it was corrupt; for all life had corrupted itself upon the
earth.
And God said to Noah, "The end of all life is come before me; for the
earth is filled with violence; and, behold, I will destroy life on the
earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the
ark, and shalt {25} pitch it within and without with pitch. And this
is how thou shalt make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits,
the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A
roof shalt thou make to the ark; and the door of the ark shalt thou
set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt
thou make it. And I, behold, I do bring the flood of waters upon the
earth, to destroy all life from under heaven; everything that is in
the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with thee; and
thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and
thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two
of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with
thee; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind,
and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the
ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep
them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and
gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them."
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
THE GREAT FLOOD.
And the Lord said to Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark;
for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every
clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven, the male and his
female; and of the beasts that are not clean two, the male and his
female; of the birds also of the air, seven and seven, male {26} and
female: to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For yet
seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and
forty nights; and every living thing that I have made will I destroy
from off the face of the ground."
And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.
And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon
the earth. And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons'
wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. Of
clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of birds and of
everything that creepeth upon the ground, there went in two and two
unto Noah into the ark, male and female, as God commanded Noah. And it
came to pass after the seven days, that the waters of the flood were
upon the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the
second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day
were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of
heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and
forty nights.
In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the
sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with
them, into the ark; they, and every beast after its kind, and all the
cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind. And they went
in with Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh wherein is the
breath of life. And they that went in, went in male and female of all
flesh, as God commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.
{27}{28}
[Illustration]
THE END OF THE FLOOD.
By Moritz Oppenheim, born at Hanan 1801-died 1882.
"And the dove came in to him at eventide; and, lo, in her mouth an
olive leaf plucked off; so Noah knew that the waters were abated
from off the earth."
[End illustration]
{29}
And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased,
and bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. And the
waters prevailed, and increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark
went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly
upon the earth; and all the high mountains that were under the whole
heaven were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and
the mountains were covered. And all life died that moved upon the
earth, both bird, and cattle, and beast, and every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all in whose nostrils was the
breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every
living thing was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both
man, and cattle, and creeping thing, and bird of the heaven; and they
were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only was left, and they that
were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an
hundred and fifty days.
THE DOVE AND THE OLIVE LEAF.
And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle
that were with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the
earth, and the waters assuaged; the fountains also of the deep and the
windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was
restrained; and the waters returned from off the earth continually:
and after the end of an hundred and fifty {30} days the waters
decreased. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth
day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters
decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on
the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the
window of the ark which he had made: and he sent forth a raven, and it
went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the
earth. And he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were
abated from off the face of the ground; but the dove found no rest for
the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him to the ark, for the
waters were on the face of the whole earth: and he put forth his hand,
and took her, and brought her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed
yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;
and the dove came in to him at eventide; and, lo, in her mouth an
olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from
off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the
dove; and she returned not again unto him any more. And it came to
pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first
day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and
Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the
face of the ground was dried. And in the second month, on the seven
and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dry.
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives
with him: every beast, every creeping {31} thing, and every bird,
whatsoever moveth upon the earth, after their families, went forth out
of the ark.
THE RAINBOW IN THE SKY.
And God said, "I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall
all life be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall
there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. This is the token of
the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature
that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the
cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the
earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth,
that the bow shall be seen in the cloud, and I will remember my
covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all
flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all
life. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that
I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living
creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. This is the token of the
covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is
upon the earth."
{32}
THE STORY OF THE TOWER OF BABEL.
_A Foolish Plan and Its Failure_.
And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. And it came
to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land
of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, "Come,
let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly."
And they had brick for stone, and pitch had they for mortar. And they
said, "Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach
unto heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad
upon the face of the whole earth."
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the
children of men builded. And the Lord said, "Behold, they are one
people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to
do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose
to do. Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that
they may not understand one another's speech."
So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the
earth: and they left off building the city. Therefore was the name of
it called Babel (that is, confusion); because the Lord did there
confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord
scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
{33}
TALES OF BRAVE WOMEN
{34}
{35}
RUTH
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_Naomi, Elimelch_,
_Hebrews who went to live in Moab_.
_Mahlon, Chilion_,
_Sons of Naomi and Elimelech_.
_Ruth, Orpah_,
_Daughters-in-law of Naomi and Elimelech_.
Boaz,
_A wealthy farmer of Beth-lehem and kinsman of Naomi_.
_Reapers_.
_Gleaners_.
_A second kinsman of Naomi_.
PLACE OF THE STORY.
_Moab_.
_Beth-lehem of Judah_.
RUTH.
(One of the sweetest stories of the Bible is that of Ruth the
Moabitess. Many of the pages of the Old Testament are filled
with the noise and tumult of battle, but this tale breathes only of
peace and calm, of sunny harvest days when fair Ruth gleaned in,
the fields around the old town of Beth-lehem.)
And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was
a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to
sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
And the name {36} of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife
Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, men of
Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and
continued there.
And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two
sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the
one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there
about ten years.
And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was bereft of
her two children and of her husband. Then she arose with her
daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for
she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited his
people in giving them bread. And she went forth out of the place where
she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the
way to return unto the land of Judah.
And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to
her mother's house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt
with the dead, and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest,
each of you in the house of her husband."
Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And
they said to her, "Nay, but we will return with thee to thy people."
And Naomi said, "Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?
Turn again, my daughters, go your way."
{37}{38}
[Illustration]
THE FAMILY OF ELIMELECH GOING TO MOAB
By Bida
"And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the
country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."
[End illustration]
{39}
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her
mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.
And she said, "Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back to her people,
and to her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law."
And Ruth said, "Intreat me not to leave thee, and to return from
following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where
thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God
my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the
Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."
And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she
left off speaking to her. So they two went on to Beth-lehem.
And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the
city was moved about them, and the women said, "Is this Naomi?"
And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the
Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the
Lord hath brought me home again empty: why call ye me Naomi, seeing
the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted
me?"
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with
her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to
Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a man of great wealth, of
the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess
said to Naomi, "Let {40} me now go to the field, and glean among the
ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor."
And she said to her, "Go, my daughter."
And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and
she chanced to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who
was of the family of Elimelech.
And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said to the reapers, "The
Lord be with you."
And they answered him, "The Lord bless thee."
Then said Boaz to his servant that was set over the reapers, "What
young woman is this?"
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, "It
is the Moabitish maiden that came back with Naomi out of the country
of Moab: and she said, 'Let me glean, I pray you, and gather after the
reapers among the sheaves': so she came, and hath continued even from
the morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the house."
Then said Boaz to Ruth, "Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to
glean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here fast
by my maidens. Let thine eyes be on the field that they reap, and go
thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not
touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go to the vessels, and drink of
that which the young men have drawn."
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said
to him, "Why have I found favor in thy sight that thou shouldest take
knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?"
{41}
And Boaz answered and said to her, "It hath fully been showed me, all
that thou hast done to thy mother-in-law since the death of thine
husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the
land of thy nativity, and art come to a people which thou knewest not
heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given
thee of the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come
to take refuge."
Then she said, "Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; because thou
hast comforted me, and because thou hast spoken kindly unto thine
handmaid, though I am a stranger."
And at mealtime Boaz said unto her, "Come hither, and eat of the
bread, and dip thy morsel in the cup."
And she sat beside the reapers: and they passed her parched grain, and
she ate and was satisfied.
And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men,
saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not.
And also pull out some for her from, the bundles, and leave it, and
let her glean, and rebuke her not."
So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out what she had
gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. And she took it up, and
went into the city: and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned.
And she said unto her, "Where hast thou gleaned today? and where hast
thou worked? blessed be he that helped thee."
And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had {42} worked, and
said, "The man's name with whom I worked to-day is Boaz."
And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of the Lord, who
hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. The man
is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen."
And Ruth the Moabitess said, "Yea, he said unto me, 'Thou shalt keep
fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.'"
And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, "It is good, my daughter,
that thou go out with his maidens, and that they meet thee not in any
other field."
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean until the end of
barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her
mother-in-law.
And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, "My daughter, shall I not
seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is there
not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he
winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor. Wash thyself
therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go down
to the threshing-floor: but make not thyself known to the man, until
he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth
down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou
shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell
thee what thou shalt do."
And she said to her, "All that thou sayest I will do."
{43}{44}
[Illustration]
RUTH IN THE HARVEST FIELDS OF BOAZ
By Brück-Lajos. Born at Papa, Hungary, November 3, 1846-
"And she came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she
chanced to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz."
"Perhaps the selfsame song that found a path
Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,
She stood in tears amid the alien corn."
--_Keats--"Ode to a Nightingale"_
{45}
And she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did according to all
that her mother-in-law bade her.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to
lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and
uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned
himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, "Who art
thou?"
And she answered, "I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy robe
over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman."
And he said, "Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: thou hast
showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch
as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my
daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou sayest: for all
the city of my people doth know that thou art a worthy woman. And now
it is true that I am a near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer
than I. Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he
will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the
kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee,
then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth: lie
down until the morning."
And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one
could discern another.
For he said, "Let it not be known that a woman came to the
threshing-floor."
{46}
And he said, "Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and hold it."
And she held it: and he measured six measures of barley, and gave it
to her: and he went into the city.
And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How hast thou
fared, my daughter?"
And she told her all that the man had done to her. And she said,
"These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said, 'Go not empty
unto thy mother-in-law.'"
Then said she, "Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter
will fall: for the man will not rest, until he has finished the thing
this day."
Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there: and, behold, the
near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, "Ho,
kinsman! turn aside, sit down here."
And he turned aside, and sat down.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit ye down
here."
And they sat down.
And he said to the near kinsman, "Naomi, who has come again out of the
country of Moab, selleth the piece of land, which was our brother
Elimelech's: and I thought to inform thee, saying, 'Buy it before
them that sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt
redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me,
that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am
after thee.'"
And he said, "I will redeem it."
{47}
Then said Boaz, "The day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi,
thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to
raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance."
And the near kinsman said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar
mine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I
cannot redeem it."
(Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming
and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things; a man drew off his
shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was the manner of
attestation in Israel.)
So the near kinsman said unto Boaz, "Buy it for thyself." And he drew
off his shoe.
And Boaz said to the elders, and unto all the people, "Ye are
witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and
all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. Moreover
Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my
wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the
name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren: ye are
witnesses this day."
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, "We
are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house
like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel:
and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Beth-lehem."
So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife.
And a son was born to them.
{48}
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom,
and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbors
gave it a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi";
and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse,
the father of David.
{49}
RUTH
She stood breast high amid the corn,
Clasped by the golden light of morn,
Like the sweetheart of the sun,
Who many a glowing kiss had won.
On her cheek an autumn flush
Deeply ripened;--such a blush
In the midst of brown was born,
Like red poppies grown with corn.
Round her eyes her tresses fell,--
Which were blackest none could tell;
But long lashes veiled a light
That had else been all too bright.
And her hat, with shady brim,
Made her tressy forehead dim;--
Thus she stood amid the stooks,
Praising God with sweetest looks.
Sure, I said, Heaven did not mean
Where I reap thou shouldst but glean;
Lay thy sheaf adown and come,
Share my harvest and my home.
--_Thomas Hood_.
{50}
{51}
DEBORAH AND JAEL
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_Deborah, the Prophetess.
Jael, wife of Heber, the Kenite.
Jabin, King of Canaan.
Sisera, captain of Jabin's host.
Heber, the Kenite.
Barak, leader of the Israelites_.
PLACE OF THE STORY.
"The Palm Tree of Deborah."
The River Kishon.
The Tent of Heber, the Kenite.
DEBORAH AND JAEL.
THE STORY OF TWO WOMEN WHO HELPED TO OVERCOME
AND KILL A MIGHTY WARRIOR.
And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the
Lord. And the Lord gave them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan,
who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera. And the
children of Israel cried to the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots
of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of
Israel.
{52}
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel at
that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah
and Beth-el in the hill country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel
came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Barak the son of
Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Hath not the Lord,
the God of Israel: commanded, saying, 'Go to Mount Tabor, and take
with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the
children of Zebulun? And I will bring to thee to the river Kishon
Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his host;
and I will deliver him into thine hand.'"
And Barak said to her, "If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but
if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go."
And she said, "I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey
that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for the Lord will give
Sisera into the hand of a woman."
And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called the
tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up
ten thousand men with him: and Deborah went up with him. Now Heber the
Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, and had pitched his
tent by an oak near Kedesh. And they told Sisera that Barak the son of
Abinoam was gone up to Mount Tabor. And Sisera gathered together all
his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people
that were with him. And Deborah said unto Barak, "Up; for this {53} is
the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is
not the Lord gone out before thee?"
So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men with him.
And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his
host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera leaped down
from his chariot and fled away on foot. But Barak pursued after the
chariots, and after the host: and all the host of Sisera fell by the
edge of the sword; there was not a man left.
Howbeit Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber
the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and
the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and
said to him, "Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not."
And he turned in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.
And he said to her, "Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink;
for I am thirsty."
And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
And he said to her, "Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be,
when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, 'Is there any man
here?' that thou shalt say, 'No.'"
Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent-pin, and took an hammer in her
hand, and went softly to him, and smote the pin into his temples, and
it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep, and
weary; so he died. And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out
to meet him, and said to him, "Come, and I will show thee the man whom
thou seekest." And he came to her; {54} and, behold, Sisera lay dead
and the tent-pin was in his temple.
So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the
children of Israel. And the hand of the children of Israel prevailed
more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had
destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day,--
A SONG OF TRIUMPH.
"For that the leaders took the lead in Israel,
For that the people offered themselves willingly,
Bless ye the Lord.
"Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes;
I, even I, will sing unto the Lord;
I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.
Lord, when thou wentest forth out of Seir,
When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom,
The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped,
Yea, the clouds dropped water
The mountains quaked at the presence of the Lord,
Even yonder Sinai at the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel.
"In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,
In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,
And the travelers walked through byways.
The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased,
Until that I Deborah arose,
That I arose a mother in Israel.
{55}{56}
[Illustration]
RIVER KISHON AND MOUNT CARMEL
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
Esdraelon is usually regarded as one plain under one name from sea
to Jordan. In reality, however, it is not one but several plains,
more or less divided by the remains of ridges, which once upon a
time sustained across it the continuity of "the backbone of
Palestine." Thus, nine miles from the sea, near Tell el Kasis, the
traditional site of the slaughter of the priests of Baal, a
promontory of the Galilean hills shoots south to within a hundred
yards of Carmel, leaving only that space for the Kishon to break
through. Eight or nine miles farther east, at Lejjun, probably the
ancient Megiddo, low ridges run out from both north and south, as
if they had once met, and again leave Kishon but a narrow pass. And
once more, between Jezreel and a spot west of Shunem, about
twenty-four miles from the coast, there is a sudden fall of level
eastwards, which visibly separates Esdraelon proper from the
narrower valley sloping towards Jordan and is perhaps evidence of a
former connection between Gilboa and Moreh.
[End illustration]
{57}
They chose new gods;
Then was war in the gates:
Was there a shield or spear seen
Among forty thousand in Israel?
My heart is toward the governors of Israel,
That offered themselves willingly among the people:
Bless ye the Lord.
"Tell of it, ye that ride on white asses,
Ye that sit on rich carpets,
And ye that walk by the way.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,
There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord,
Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.
Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.
"Awake, awake, Deborah;
Awake, awake, sing a song:
Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
Then came down a remnant of the nobles and the people;
The Lord came down for me against the mighty.
Out of Ephraim came down they whose root is in Amalek;
After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples;
Out of Machir came down governors,
And out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal's staff.
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah;
As was Issachar, so was Barak;
Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet.
By the watercourses of Reuben
There were great resolves of heart.
Why satest thou among the sheepfolds, {58}
To hear the pipings for the flocks?
At the watercourses of Reuben
There were great searchings of heart.
Gilead abode beyond Jordan:
And Dan, why did he remain in ships?
Asher sat still at the haven of the sea,
And abode by his creeks.
Zebulun was a people that jeoparded their lives to the death,
And Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.
"The kings came and fought;
Then fought the kings of Canaan,
In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo:
They took no gain of money.
They fought from heaven,
The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
The river Kishon swept them away,
That ancient river, the river Kishon.
O my soul, march on with strength.
Then did the horse hoofs stamp
By reason of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.
"Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord,
Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof;
Because they came not to the help of the Lord,
To the help of the Lord against the mighty.
"Blessed above women shall Jael be,
The wife of Heber the Kenite,
Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
He asked water, and she gave him milk; {59}
She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
She put her hand to the nail,
And her right hand to the workmen's hammer;
And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through his head,
Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay:
At her feet he bowed, he fell:
Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
"Through the windows she looked forth, and cried,
The mother of Sisera cried through the lattice,
'Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?'
Her wise ladies answered her,
Yea, she returned answer to herself,
'Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil?
A damsel, two damsels to every man;
To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments,
A spoil of dyed garments embroidered,
Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?'
"So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord:
But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth
forth in his might."
{60}
ESTHER
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_Ahasuerus, King of Persia_.
_Vashti, Queen of Ahasuerus, deposed by him_.
_Esther, Queen of Ahasuerus_.
_Mordecai, an officer of the Court_.
_Courtiers, officers, women of the harem, messengers_.
PLACE OF THE STORY.
_The Palace of Ahasuerus_.
ESTHER.
THE STORY OF A BRAVE QUEEN WHO SAVED HER PEOPLE
IN A FOREIGN LAND.
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who
reigned, from India even to Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and
twenty provinces): that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on
the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, in the
third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his princes and his
servants; the mighty men of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes
of the provinces, being before him: when he showed the riches of his
glorious kingdom and the honor {61} of his excellent majesty many
days, even an hundred and eighty days.
And when these days were ended, the king made a
feast for all the people that were present in Shushan the
palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of
the garden of the king's palace; there were hangings of
white cloth, of green, and of blue, fastened with cords of
fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble:
the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of
red, and white, and yellow, and black marble. And they
gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being
different one from another,) and royal wine in abundance,
according to the bounty of the king.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in
the royal house who belonged to King Ahasuerus.
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he
commanded the seven chamberlains that ministered in the presence of
Ahasuerus the king, to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the
crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty: for she
was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the
king's commandment by the chamberlains: therefore was the king very
wroth, and his anger burned in him. Then the king said to the wise
men, "What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because
she hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the
chamberlains?"
And one of the wise men answered before the king and the princes,
"Vashti the queen hath not done wrong {62} to the king only, but also
to all the princes, and to all the peoples who are in all the
provinces of the king Ahasuerus. For this deed of the queen will come
abroad to all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their
eyes, when it shall be reported, 'The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti
the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.' And this day
will the princesses of Persia and Media which have heard of the deed
of the queen say the like unto all the king's princes. So shall there
arise much contempt and wrath. If it please the king, let there go
forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the
laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, that
Vashti come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her
royal estate to another who is better than she.
"And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published
throughout all his kingdom, all the wives shall give to their husbands
honor, both to great and small."
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did
according to the word of the wise men: for he sent letters into all
the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing
thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man
should bear rule in his own house, and should publish it according to
the language of his people.
After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he
remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what was decreed against
her. Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, "Let
there be fair young {63} maidens sought for the king: and let the king
appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may
gather together all the fair young maidens to Shushan the palace, to
the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's
chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let the maiden which pleaseth
the king be queen instead of Vashti." And the thing pleased the king;
and he did so.
There was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace, whose name was
Mordecai, a Benjamite; who had been carried away from Jerusalem with
the captives which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah,
whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And he
brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she
had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful;
and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his
own daughter. So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his
decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to
Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken
into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him. Esther
had not made known her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had
charged her that she should not make it known. And Mordecai walked
every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther
did, and what would become of her. Now when the turn of every maiden
was come to go in to King Ahasuerus, in this wise came the maiden to
the king, whatsoever she desired was given her to go {64} with her out
of the house of the women to the king's house. In the evening she
went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the
women: she came in to the king no more, except the king delighted in
her, and that she were called by name.
Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of
Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in to the
king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the
keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight
of all them that looked upon her. So Esther was taken to King
Ahasuerus in to his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month
Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther
above all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight
more than all the maidens, so that he set the royal crown upon her
head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants,
even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave
gifts, according to the bounty of the king. And when the maidens were
gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's
gate. Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as
Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai,
just as when she was brought up with him.
In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the
king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door,
were wroth, and sought to lay {65} hands on the king Ahasuerus. And
the thing was known to Mordecai, who showed it unto Esther the queen;
and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai's name. And when inquiry
was made into the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both
hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles
before the king.
After these things did King Ahasuerus promote Haman and advanced him,
and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And all the
king's servants, who were in the king's gate, bowed down, and did
reverence to Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But
Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence. Then the king's
servants, who were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, "Why
transgressest thou the king's commandment?"
Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he hearkened
not to them, that they told Haman, to see how Mordecai's case would
stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that
Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of
wrath. But he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they
had made known to him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought
to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of
Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. In the first month, which is
the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur,
that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to
month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
{66}
And Haman said unto King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people
scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces
of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people;
neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's
profit to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that
they be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into
the hands of those that have the charge of the king's business, to
bring it into the king's treasuries."
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman, the
Jew's enemy.
And the king said unto Haman, "The silver is given to thee, the people
also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee."
Then were the king's scribes called in the first month, on the
thirteenth day thereof, and there was written according to all that
Haman commanded unto the king's satraps, and to the governors that
were over every province, and to the princes of every people; to every
province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after
their language; in the name of King Ahasuerus was it written, and it
was sealed with the king's ring. And letters were sent by the king's
messengers into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to
cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and
women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,
which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. A
copy of the writing, that the decree should {67} be given out in every
province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready
at that day. The king's messenger went forth in haste by the king's
commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace: and
the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was
perplexed.
Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes,
and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the
city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry: and he came even before
the king's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed
with sackcloth.
And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his
decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and
weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. And
Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the
queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent raiment to clothe
Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from off him: but he received it
not.
Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom
he had appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to go to
Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was. So Hathach went forth
to Mordecai unto the public square of the city, which was before the
king's gate. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him,
and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the
king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. Also he gave him the
copy of the writing {68} of the decree that was given out in Shushan
to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her;
and to charge her that she should go in to the king, to make
supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.
And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Then Esther
spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message unto Mordecai, saying: "All
the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, know,
that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the
inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be
put to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden
scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto
the king these thirty days."
And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto Esther, "Think not that
thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if
thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall relief and
deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy
father's house shall perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come
to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai, "Go, gather
together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me,
and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my
maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in to the king,
which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."
{69}
So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had
commanded him.
Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal
apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over
against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in
the royal house, over against the entrance of the house. And when the
king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in
his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was
in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.
Then said the king to her, "What wilt thou, Queen Esther? and what is
thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom."
And Esther said, "If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman
come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
Then the king said, "Cause Haman to make haste, that it may be done as
Esther hath said."
So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, "What is thy
petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even
to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed."
Then answered Esther, and said, "My petition and my request is: if I
have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king
to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and
Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do
tomorrow as the king hath said."
{70}
Then went Haman forth that day joyful and glad of heart: but when
Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up nor moved
for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman
controlled himself, and went home; and he sent and brought his friends
and Zeresh his wife. And Haman recounted unto them the glory of his
riches, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how
he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman
said moreover, "Yea, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king
to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow also am
I invited by her together with the king. Yet all this availeth me
nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's
gate."
Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, "Let a gallows
be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak thou to the king
that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the
king to the banquet." And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the
gallows to be made.
On that night the king could not sleep; and he commanded to bring the
book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.
And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthan and
Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, of those that kept the door,
who had sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. And the king said,
"What honor and dignity hath been bestowed upon Mordecai for this?"
{71}
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, "There is
nothing done for him."
And the king said, "Who is in the court?"
Now Haman had come into the outward court of the king's house, to
speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared
for him.
And the king's servants said unto him, "Behold, Haman standeth in the
court."
And the king said, "Let him come in."
So Haman came in. And the king said to him, "What shall be done unto
the man whom the king delighteth to honor?"
Now Haman said in his heart, "To whom would the king delight to do
honor more than to myself?"
And Haman said to the king, "For the man whom the king delighteth to
honor, let royal apparel be brought which the king is accustomed to
wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal
which is set upon his head: and let the apparel and the horse be
delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that
they may array the man therewith whom the king delighteth to honor,
and cause him to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and
proclaim before him, 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king
delighteth to honor.'"
Then the king said to Haman, "Make haste, and take the apparel and the
horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that
sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast
spoken."
{72}
Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and
caused him to ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed
before him, 'Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king
delighteth to honor.'"
And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his
house, mourning and having his head covered. And Haman recounted unto
Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had befallen him.
Then said his wise men, and Zeresh his wife unto him, "If Mordecai,
before whom thou hast begun to fall, be of the race of the Jews, thou
shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him."
While they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains,
and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.
So the king and Haman came to the banquet with Esther the queen. And
the king said again to Esther on the second day at the banquet of
wine, "What is thy petition, Queen Esther? and it shall be granted
thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it
shall be performed."
Then Esther the queen answered and said, "If I have found favor in thy
sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my
petition, and my people at my request: for we are sold, I and my people,
to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for
bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, although the adversary could
not have compensated for the king's damage."
{73}
Then spoke the king Ahasuerus and said to Esther the queen, "Who is
he, and where is he, that dares presume in his heart to do so?"
And Esther said, "An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman."
Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into
the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to
Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against
him by the king. Then the king returned out of the palace garden into
the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the couch
whereon Esther was. Then said the king, "Will he even do harm to the
queen before me in the house?" As the word went out of the king's
mouth, they covered Haman's face.
Then said Harbonah, one of the chamberlains that were before the king,
"Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman hath made for
Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, standeth in the house of
Haman."
And the king said, "Hang him thereon."
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.
Then was the king's wrath pacified.
On that day the king Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman the Jew's enemy
to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had
told what he was to her. And the king took off his ring, which he had
taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai
over the house of Haman. And {74} Esther spoke yet again before the
king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put
away the mischief of Haman, and the device that he had devised against
the Jews. Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter.
So Esther arose, and stood before the king. And she said, "If it
please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing
seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be
written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, which he wrote to
destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: for how can I
endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I
endure to see the destruction of my kindred?"
Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the
Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they
have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
Write ye also to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king's name, and
seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the
king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse."
Then were the king's scribes called at that time, in the third month,
which is the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and
it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews,
and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces
which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred and twenty and seven
provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and
unto every people after {75} their language, and to the Jews according
to their writing, and according to their language.
And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the
king's ring, and sent letters by king's messengers on horseback,
riding on swift steeds that were used in the king's service: wherein
the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather
themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to
slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province
that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the
spoil of them for a prey, upon one day in all the provinces of King
Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which
is the month Adar. A copy of the writing, that the decree should be
given out in every province, was published unto all the peoples, and
that the Jews should be ready on that day to avenge themselves on
their enemies.
So the king's messengers that rode upon swift steeds that were used in
the king's service went out, being hastened and urged on by the king's
commandment; and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace. And
Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of
blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of
fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad.
The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor. And in every
province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and
his decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good
day. And many among the peoples of the land {76} became Jews; for the
fear or the Jews was fallen upon them.
Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth
day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near
to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped
to have rule over them; whereas it was turned to the contrary, that
the Jews had rule over them that hated them, the Jews gathered
themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of
the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no
man could withstand them; for the fear of them was fallen upon all the
peoples. And all the princes of the provinces, and the satraps, and
the governors, and they that did the king's business, helped the Jews;
because the fear of Mordecai was fallen upon them. For Mordecai was
great in the king's house, and his fame went forth throughout all the
provinces: for the man Mordecai grew greater and greater. And the Jews
smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword and with great
slaughter and destruction, and did what they would unto them that
hated them. And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five
hundred men. And the ten sons of Haman, the Jews' enemy, they slew;
but on the spoil they laid not their hand. On that day the number of
those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the
king. And the king said unto Esther the queen, "The Jews have slain
and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons
of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's {77}
provinces! Now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee; or
what is thy request further? and it shall be done."
Then said Esther, "If it please the king, let it be granted to the
Jews which are in Shushan to do to-morrow also according unto this
day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows."
And the king commanded it so to be done: and a decree was given out in
Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons. And the Jews that were in
Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the
month Adar, and slew three hundred men in Shushan; but on the spoil
they laid not their hand. And the other Jews that were in the king's
provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and
had rest from their enemies, and slew of them that hated them seventy
and five thousand; but on the spoil they laid not their hand. This was
done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth
day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and
gladness. But the Jews that were in Shushan assembled together on the
thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the
fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting
and gladness. Therefore do the Jews of the villages, that dwell in the
unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of
gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending gifts one to
another.
And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews
that were in all the provinces of the king {78} Ahasuerus, both far
and near, to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth day of
the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, as the days
wherein the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was
turned unto them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a
good day: that they should make them days of feasting and gladness,
and of sending presents one to another, and gifts to the poor. And the
Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written
unto them; because Haman, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted
against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot,
to consume them, and to destroy them; but when the matter came before
the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had
devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head; and that he
and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. Wherefore they called
these days Purim, after the name of Pur. Therefore because of all the
words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this
matter, and that which had come unto them, the Jews ordained, and took
upon them, and upon their race, and upon all such as joined themselves
unto them, so that it should not fail, that they would keep these two
days according to the writing thereof, and according to the appointed
time thereof, every year; and that these days should be remembered and
kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and
every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among
the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their race. Then Esther
{79} the queen, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority to
confirm this second letter of Purim.
And he sent letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven
provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, according as
Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they
had ordained for themselves and for their race. And the commandment of
Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the
book.
And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the
isles of the sea. And all the acts of his power and of his might, and
the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king
advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was next unto King
Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of
his brethren; seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to
all his race.
{80}
JUDITH
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_Judith, a widow of Bethulia_.
_Holofernes, captain of the hosts of Nebuchadnezzar_.
_Ozias, elder in Bethulia_.
_Maid of Judith's_.
_People of Bethulia, soldiers of Holofernes_.
PLACE OF THE STORY.
_Bethulia_.
_Camp of Holofernes_.
_Tent of Holofernes_.
JUDITH.
(The story of Judith, and how she delivered Israel by cutting off the
head of Holofernes, a great captain of the armies of King
Nebuchadnezzar, is told in the Apocrypha.
According to the story, King Nebuchadnezzar made war upon Arphaxad,
king of the Medes. He summoned all nations to aid him, and having been
victorious, he sent an army of 132,000 men to take vengeance upon
those nations which refused to come at his call. This great army swept
down from the North, destroying everything in its path.)
_The March of Holofernes_.
And Holofernes went forth from the presence of his lord, and called
all the governors and the captains and {81} officers of the host of
Asshur; and he numbered chosen men for the battle, as his lord had
commanded him, up to a hundred and twenty thousand, and twelve
thousand archers on horseback; and he ranged them, as a great army is
ordered for the war. And he took camels and asses and mules for their
baggage, an exceeding great multitude; and sheep and oxen and goats
without number for their provision; and great stores of food for every
man, and exceeding much gold and silver out of the king's house. And
he went forth, he and all his host, on their journey, to go before
King Nebuchadnezzar, and to cover all the face of the earth westward
with their chariots and horsemen and chosen footmen. And a great
company of many nations went forth with them like locusts, and like
the sand of the earth: for they could not be numbered by reason of
their multitude.
And they went out of Nineveh three days' journey toward the plain of
Bectileth, and encamped from Bectileth near the mountain which is at
the left hand of the upper Cilicia. And he took all his host, his
footmen and horsemen and chariots, and went away from thence into the
hill country, and destroyed many peoples.
And the fear and the dread of him fell upon them that dwelt on the sea
coast, from the north to the south. And they sent to him messengers
with words of peace, saying, "Behold, we the servants of
Nebuchadnezzar the great king lie before thee: use us as it is
pleasing in thy sight. Behold, our dwellings, and all our country, and
all our fields of wheat, and our flocks and herds, and all the
sheepcotes {82} of our tents, lie before thy face: use them as it may
please thee. Behold, even our cities and they that dwell in them are
thy servants: come and deal with them as it is good in thine eyes."
And the men came to Holofernes, and spoke to him according to these
words.
And he came down toward the sea coast, he and his host, and set
garrisons in the great cities, and took out of them chosen men for
allies. And they received him, they and all the country round about
them, with garlands and dances and timbrels. And he cast down all
their defenses, and cut down their sacred groves: and it had been
given to him to destroy all the gods of the land, that all the nations
should worship Nebuchadnezzar only, and that all their tongues and
their tribes should call upon him as god. And he came towards
Esdraelon near to Dotaea, which is over against the great ridge of
Judaea. And he encamped between Geba and Scythopolis, and he was there
a whole month, that he might gather together all the baggage of his
host.
_The Siege of Bethulia_.
(After ravaging the coast, Holofernes pushed up into the hill country
to attack the cities of Israel.)
But the next day Holofernes gave command to all his army and to all
his people which were come to be his allies, that they should remove
their camp toward Bethulia, and take aforehand the ascents of the hill
country, and make war against the children of Israel. And every mighty
man of them removed that day, and the host of their men of {83} war
was a hundred and seventy thousand footmen, and twelve thousand
horsemen, beside the baggage, and the men that were afoot among them,
an exceeding great multitude. And they encamped in the valley near
unto Bethulia, by the fountain, and they spread out over all the land.
But the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them, were
troubled exceedingly, and said every one to his neighbor, "Now shall
these men lick up the face of all the earth; and neither the high
mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills, shall be able to bear their
weight."
And every man took up his weapons of war, and when they had kindled
fires upon their towers, they remained and watched all that night.
But on the second day Holofernes led out all his horse in the sight
of the children of Israel which were in Bethulia, and viewed the
ascents to their city, and searched out the fountains of the waters,
and seized upon them, and set garrisons of men of war over them, and
himself departed to his people.
And there came to him all the rulers of the children of Esau, and all
the leaders of the people of Moab, and the captains of the sea coast,
and said,--
"Let our lord now hear a word, that thy host be not overthrown. For
this people of the children of Israel do not trust in their spears,
but in the height of the mountains wherein they dwell, for it is not
easy to come up to the tops of their mountains. And now, my lord,
fight not against them in battle array, and there shall not so much as
one man {84} of thy people perish. Remain in thy camp, and keep safe
every man of thy host, and let thy servants get possession of the
fountain of water, which issueth forth at the foot of the mountain:
because all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water hence; and
thirst shall kill them, and they shall give up their city: and we and
our people will go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and
will encamp upon them, to watch that not one man go out of the city.
And they shall be consumed with famine, they and their wives and their
children, and before the sword come against them they shall be laid
low in the streets where they dwell. And thou shalt render them an
evil reward; because they rebelled, and met thee not in peace."
And their words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and in the
sight of all his servants; and he commanded to do as they had spoken.
And the army of the children of Ammon removed, and with them five
thousand of the children of Asshur, and they encamped in the valley,
and seized upon the waters and the fountains of the waters of the
children of Israel. And the children of Esau went up with the children
of Ammon, and encamped in the hill country; and the rest of the army
of the Assyrians encamped in the plain, and covered all the face of
the land; and their tents and baggage were pitched upon it, and they
were an exceeding great multitude.
And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord their God, because
their heart failed, for all their enemies had compassed them round
about, and there was no way to escape from among them. And all the
army of Asshur {85} remained about them, their footmen and their
chariots and their horsemen, four and thirty days; and all their
vessels of water failed all the inhabitants of Bethulia. And the
cisterns were emptied, and they had not water to drink their fill for
one day: for they gave them drink by measure. And their young children
were dying, and the women and the young men fainted for thirst, and
they fell down in the streets of the city, and in the passages of the
gates, and there was no longer any strength in them. And all the
people were gathered together against Ozias, and against the rulers of
the city, the young men and the women and the children, and they cried
with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,--
"God be judge between you and us: because ye have done us great wrong,
in that ye have not spoken words of peace with the children of Asshur.
And now we have no helper: but God hath given us into their hands,
that we should be laid low before them with thirst and great
destruction. And now call them unto you, and deliver up the whole city
for a prey to the people of Holofernes, and to all his host. For it is
better for us to be made a spoil for them: for we shall be servants,
and our souls shall live, and we shall not see the death of our babes
before our eyes, and our wives and our children fainting in death. We
take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and
the Lord of our fathers, who punisheth us according to our sins and
the sins of our fathers, that he do not according as we have said this
day."
And there was great weeping of all with one consent {86} in the midst
of the assembly; and they cried unto the Lord God with a loud voice.
And Ozias said to them, "Brethren, be of good courage, let us yet
endure five days, in the which space the Lord our God may turn his
mercy toward us; for he will not forsake us utterly. But if these days
pass, and there come no help unto us, I will do according to your
words."
And he dispersed the people, every man to his own camp; and they went
away unto the walls and towers of their city; and he sent the women
and children into their houses: and they were brought very low in the
city.
_Then there arose a saviour for Israel in the person of
Judith_.
And in those days Judith heard thereof, whose husband was Manasses, of
her tribe and of her family, and he died in the days of barley
harvest. For he stood over them that bound sheaves in the field, and
the heat came upon his head, and he fell on his bed, and died in his
city Bethulia. And Judith was a widow in her house three years and
four months. And she made her a tent upon the top of her house, and
put on sackcloth; and the garments of her widowhood were upon her.
And she was of a goodly countenance, and exceeding beautiful to
behold: and her husband Manasses had left her gold, and silver, and
menservants, and maidservants, and cattle and lands. And there was
none that gave her an evil word; for she feared God exceedingly.
And she heard the evil words of the people against the governor,
because they fainted for lack of water; and {87} Judith heard all the
words that Ozias spoke unto them, how he swore to them that he would
deliver the city unto the Assyrians after five days. And she sent her
maid, who was over all things that she had, to call Ozias and the
elders of her city. And they came to her, and she said to them,--
"Hear me now, O ye rulers of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your
word that ye have spoken before the people this day is not right, and
ye have set the oath which ye have pronounced between God and you, and
have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless within these
days the Lord turn to help you. And now who are ye that have tempted
God this day, and stand instead of God among the children of men? And
now try the Lord Almighty and ye shall never know anything. For ye
cannot find the depth of the heart of man, and ye cannot perceive the
things that he thinketh: and how can ye search out God, which hath
made all these things, and know his mind, and comprehend his purpose?
Nay, my brethren, provoke not the Lord our God to anger. For if he be
not minded to help us within these five days, he hath power to defend
us when he will, or to destroy us before the face of our enemies. But
do not ye pledge the counsels of the Lord our God: for God is not as
man, that he should be threatened; neither as the son of man, that he
should be turned by intreaty. Wherefore let us wait for the salvation
that cometh from him, and call upon him to help us, and he will hear
our voice, if it please him. For there arose none in our age, neither
is there any of us to-day, {88} tribe, or kindred, or family, or city,
which worship gods made with hands, as it was in the former days; for
which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for a spoil, and
fell with a great fall before our enemies. But we know no other god
beside him, wherefore we hope that he will not despise us, nor any of
our race. For if we be taken so, all Judea shall lie waste, and our
sanctuary shall be spoiled; and of our blood shall he require the
profanation thereof. And the slaughter of our brethren, and the
captivity of the land, and the desolation of our inheritance, shall he
turn upon our heads among the Gentiles, wheresoever we shall be in
bondage; and we shall be an offense and a reproach before them that
take us for a possession. For our bondage shall bring favor: but the
Lord our God shall turn it to dishonor.
"And now, brethren, let us show an example to our brethren, because
their soul hangeth upon us, and the sanctuary and the house and the
altar rest upon us. Besides all this let us give thanks to the Lord
our God, which trieth us, even as he did our fathers also. Remember
all the things which he did to Abraham, and all the things in which he
tried Isaac, and all the things which happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia
of Syria, when he kept the sheep of Laban his mother's brother. For he
hath not tried us in the fire, as he did them, to search out their
hearts, neither hath he taken vengeance on us; but the Lord doth
scourge them that come near unto him, to admonish them."
And Ozias said to her, "All that thou hast spoken hast {89} thou
spoken with a good heart, and there is none that shall deny thy words.
For this is not the first day wherein thy wisdom is manifested; but
from the beginning of thy days all the people have known thine
understanding, because the disposition of thy heart is good. But the
people were exceeding thirsty, and compelled us to do as we spoke to
them, and to bring an oath upon ourselves, which we will not break.
And now pray thou for us, because thou art a godly woman, and the Lord
shall send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall faint no more."
And Judith said to them, "Hear me, and I will do a thing, which shall
go down to all generations among the children of our race. Ye shall
stand at the gate this night, and I will go forth with my maid: and,
within the days after which ye said ye would deliver the city to our
enemies, the Lord shall visit Israel by my hand. But ye shall not
inquire of mine act: for I will not declare it unto you, till the
things be finished that I do."
And Ozias and the rulers said unto her, "Go in peace, and the Lord God
be before thee, to take vengeance on our enemies." And they returned
from the tent and went to their stations.
But Judith fell upon her face, and put ashes upon her head, and
uncovered the sackcloth wherewith she was clothed; and the incense of
that evening was now being offered at Jerusalem in the house of God,
and Judith cried unto the Lord with a loud voice, and said:--
{90}
THE PRAYER OF JUDITH.
"O God, O my God, hear me! Behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in
their power; they are exalted with horse and rider; they have gloried
in the strength of their footmen; they have trusted in shield and
spear and bow and sling; and they know not that thou art the Lord that
breaketh the battles: the Lord is thy name. Dash thou down their
strength in thy power, and bring down their force in thy wrath: for
they have purposed to profane thy sanctuary, and to defile the
tabernacle where thy glorious name resteth, and to cast down with the
sword the horn of thine altar. Look upon their pride, and send thy
wrath upon their heads: give into my hand, who am a widow, the might
that I have conceived. Smite by the deceit of my lips the servant with
the prince, and the prince with his servant: break down their
stateliness by the hand of a woman. For thy power standeth not in
multitude, nor thy might in strong men: but thou art a God of the
afflicted, thou art a helper of the oppressed, an upholder of the
weak, a protector of the forlorn, a saviour of them that are without
hope. I pray thee, I pray thee, God of my father, and God of the
inheritance of Israel, Lord of the heavens and of the earth, Creator
of the waters, King of every creature, hear thou my prayer: and make
my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe, who have purposed
hard things against thy covenant, and thy hallowed house, and the top
of Sion, and the house of the possession of thy children. And make
every nation and tribe of thine to know that thou art God, the God of
all power and might, and that there is none other that protecteth the
race of Israel but thou."
{91}
_Judith Goes to the Camp of the Enemy_.
And it came to pass, when she had ceased to cry to the God of Israel,
and had made an end of all these words, that she rose up where she had
fallen down, and called her maid, and went down into the house, in the
which she was wont to abide on the Sabbath days and on her feast days,
and pulled off her sackcloth which she had put on, and put off the
garments of her widowhood, and washed with water, and anointed herself
with rich ointment, and braided the hair of her head, and put on her
garments of gladness, wherewith she was wont to be clad in the days of
the life of Manasses her husband. And she took sandals for her feet,
and put her chains about her, and her bracelets, and her rings, and
her earrings, and all her ornaments, and decked herself bravely, to
beguile the eyes of all men that should see her. And she gave her maid
a leathern bottle of wine, and a cruse of oil, and filled a bag with
parched corn and lumps of figs and fine bread; and she packed all her
vessels together, and laid them upon her.
And they went forth to the gate of the city of Bethulia, and found
standing thereby Ozias, and the elders of the city. But when they saw
her, that her countenance was altered, and her apparel was changed,
they wondered much at her beauty, and said to her, "The God of our
fathers give thee favor, and accomplish thy purposes to the glory of
the children of Israel, and to the exaltation of Jerusalem."
{92}
And she worshiped God, and said to them, "Command that they open to me
the gate of the city, and I will go forth to accomplish the things
whereof ye spoke with me." And they commanded the young men to open
unto her, as she had spoken: and they did so.
And Judith went out, she, and her handmaid with her; and the men of
the city looked after her, until she was gone down the mountain, until
she had passed the valley, and they could see her no more. And they
went straight onward in the valley: and the outpost of the Assyrians
met her; and they took her, and asked her, "Of what people art thou?
and whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?"
And she said, "I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I flee away from
their presence; because they are about to be given you to be consumed:
and I am coming into the presence of Holofernes the chief captain of
your host, to declare words of truth; and I will show him a way,
whereby he shall go, and win all the hill country, without losing one
of his men."
Now when the men heard her words, and beheld her countenance, they
wondered greatly at her beauty, and they said to her, "Thou hast saved
thy life, in that thou hast hasted to come down to the presence of our
lord: and now come to his tent, and some of us shall conduct thee,
until they shall deliver thee into his hands. But when thou standest
before him, be not afraid in thine heart, but declare unto him
according to thy words; and he will treat thee well." And they chose
out of them a hundred men, {93} and appointed them to accompany her
and her maid; and they brought them to the tent of Holofernes.
And there was a concourse throughout all the camp, for her coming was
noised among the tents; and they came and gathered about, as she stood
without the tent of Holofernes, until they told him of her. And they
marveled at her beauty, and marveled at the children of Israel because
of her, and each one said to his neighbor, "Who shall despise this
people, that have among them such women? for it is not good that one
man of them be left, seeing that, if they are let go, they shall be
able to deceive the whole earth."
And they that lay near Holofernes, and all his servants, went forth
and brought her into the tent. And Holofernes was resting upon his bed
under the canopy, which was woven with purple and gold and emeralds
and precious stones. And they told him of her; and he came forth into
the space before his tent, with silver lamps going before him. But
when Judith was come before him and his servants, they all marveled at
the beauty of her countenance; and she fell down upon her face, and
did reverence unto him: and his servants raised her up.
And Holofernes said to her, "Woman, be of good comfort, fear not in
thy heart: for I never hurt any that hath chosen to serve
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of all the earth. And now, if thy people that
dwelleth in the hill country had not set light by me, I would not have
lifted up my spear against them: but they have done these things to
themselves. And now tell me wherefore thou didst flee {94} from them
and earnest unto us: for thou art come to save thyself; be of good
comfort, thou shalt live this night, and hereafter: for there is none
that shall wrong thee, but all shall treat thee well, as is done unto
the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar my lord."
And Judith said to him, "Receive the words of thy servant, and let thy
handmaid speak in thy presence, and I will declare no lie to my lord
this night. And if thou shalt follow the words of thy handmaid, God
shall bring the thing to pass perfectly with thee; and my lord shall
not fail of his purposes. As Nebuchadnezzar king of all the earth
liveth, and as his power liveth, who hath sent thee for the
preservation of every living thing, not only do men serve him by thee,
but also the beasts of the field and the cattle and the birds of the
heaven shall live through thy strength, in the time of Nebuchadnezzar
and of all his house. For we have heard of thy wisdom and the subtle
devices of thy soul, and it hath been reported in all the earth, that
thou only art brave in all the kingdom, and mighty in knowledge, and
wonderful in feats of war.
"And now as concerning the matter: our race shall not be punished,
neither shall the sword prevail against them, except they sin against
their God. And now, that my lord be not defeated and his purpose
frustrated, and that death may fall upon them, their sin hath
overtaken them, wherewith they shall provoke their God to anger,
whensoever they shall do wickedness. Since their victuals failed them,
and all their water was scant, they took counsel to lay hands upon
their cattle, and determined to consume all {95} those things, which
God charged them by his laws that they should not eat: and they are
resolved to spend the first fruits of the corn, and the tenths of the
wine and the oil, which they had sanctified, and reserved for the
priests that stand before the face of our God in Jerusalem; the which
things it is not lawful for any of the people so much as to touch with
their hands.
"Wherefore I thy servant, knowing all this, fled away from their
presence; and God sent me to work things with thee, whereat all the
earth shall be astonished, even as many as shall hear it. For thy
servant is religious, and serveth the God of heaven day and night: and
now, my lord, I will abide with thee, and thy servant will go forth by
night into the valley, and I will pray to God, and he shall tell me
when they have committed their sins: and I will come and show it also
to thee; and thou shalt go forth with all thy host, and there shall be
none of them that shall resist thee. And I will lead thee through the
midst of Judaea, until thou comest over against Jerusalem; and I will
set thy seat in the midst thereof; and thou shalt drive them as sheep
that have no shepherd, and a dog shall not so much as open his mouth
before thee: for these things were told me according to my
foreknowledge, and were declared unto me, and I was sent to tell
thee."
And her words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and of all his
servants; and they marveled at her wisdom, and said, "There is not
such a woman from one end of the earth to the other, for beauty of
face, and wisdom of words."
{96}
And Holofernes said to her, "God did well to send thee before the
people, that might should be in our hands, and destruction among them
that lightly regarded my lord. And now thou art beautiful in thy
countenance, and wise in thy words: for if thou shalt do as thou hast
spoken, thy God shall be my God, and thou shalt dwell in the house of
King Nebuchadnezzar, and shalt be renowned through the whole earth."
And he commanded to bring her in where his silver vessels were set,
and bade that they should prepare for her of his own meats, and that
she should drink of his own wine. And Judith said, "I will not eat
thereof, lest there be an offense: but provision shall be made for me
of the things that are come with me."
And Holofernes said to her, "But if thy provisions should fail, whence
shall we be able to give thee the like? for there is none of thy race
with us."
And Judith said to him, "As thy soul liveth, my lord, thy servant
shall not spend those things that be with me, until the Lord work by
my hand the things that he hath determined."
And the servants of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she
slept till midnight, and she rose up toward the morning watch, and
sent to Holofernes, saying, "Let my lord now command that they suffer
thy servant to go forth to prayer."
And Holofernes commanded his guards that they should not stay her: and
she abode in the camp three days, and went out every night into the
valley of Bethulia. {97} and washed herself at the fountain of water
in the camp. And when she came up, she besought the Lord God of Israel
to direct her way to the raising up of the children of his people. And
she came in, and remained in the tent, until she took her food toward
evening.
_Holofernes Makes a Feast_.
And it came to pass on the fourth day, Holofernes made a feast to his
own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet. And
he said to his officer who had charge over all that he had, "Go now,
and persuade this Hebrew woman which is with thee, that she come to
us, and eat and drink with us."
And the officer went from the presence of Holofernes, and came in to
her, and said, "Let not this fair damsel fear to come to my lord, and
to be honored in his presence, and to drink wine and be merry with us,
and to be made this day as one of the daughters of the children of
Asshur, which serve in the house of Nebuchadnezzar."
And Judith said to him, "And who am I, that I should deny my lord? for
whatsoever shall be pleasing in his eyes I will do speedily, and this
shall be my joy unto the day of my death."
And she arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman's
attire; and her servant went and laid rugs of soft skins on the ground
for her over against Holofernes, which she had received of the officer
for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them. And {98}
Judith came in and sat down, and Holofernes' heart was ravished with
her, and his soul was moved, and he desired exceedingly her company.
And Holofernes said to her, "Drink now, and be merry with us."
And Judith said, "I will drink now, my lord, because my life is
magnified in me this day more than all the days since I was born."
And she ate and drank before him what her servant had prepared. And
Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank exceedingly much wine,
more than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born.
But when the evening was come, his servants made haste to depart, and
his officer shut the tent without, and dismissed them that waited from
the presence of his lord; and they went away to their beds: for they
were all weary, because the feast had been long. But Judith was left
alone in the tent, and Holofernes lying along upon his bed: for he was
drunk with wine. And Judith had commanded her servant to stand without
her bedchamber, and wait for her coming forth, as she did daily: for
she said she would go forth to her prayer; and she spoke to the
officer according to the same words.
_Judith Kills the Great Captain_.
And all went away from her presence, and none was left in the
bedchamber, neither small nor great. And Judith, standing by his bed,
said in her heart, "O Lord God of all power, look in this hour upon
the works of my {99} hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem. For now is
the time to help thine inheritance, and to do the thing that I have
purposed to the destruction of the enemies which are risen up against
us."
And she came to the rail of the bed, which was at Holofernes' head,
and took down his scimitar from thence; and she drew near unto the
bed, and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, "Strengthen me,
O Lord God of Israel, this day."
And she smote twice upon his neck with all her might, and took away
his head from him, and tumbled his body down from the bed, and took
down the canopy from the pillars; and after a little while she went
forth, and gave Holofernes' head to her maid; and she put it in her
bag of victuals: and they two went forth together unto prayer,
according to their custom: and they passed through the camp, and the
valley, and went up to the mountain of Bethulia, and came to the gates
thereof.
And Judith said afar off to the watchmen at the gates, "Open, open now
the gate: God is with us, even our God, to shew his power yet in
Israel, and his might against the enemy, as he hath done even this
day."
And it came to pass, when the men of her city heard her voice, they
made haste to go down to the gate of their city, and they called
together the elders of the city. And they ran all together, both small
and great, for it was strange to them that she was come: and they
opened the gate, and received them, making a fire to give light, and
gathered them round about. And she said to them {100} with a loud
voice, "Praise God, praise him: praise God, who hath not taken away
his mercy from the house of Israel, but hath destroyed our enemies by
my hand this night."
And she took forth the head out of the bag, and shewed it, and said to
them, "Behold, the head of Holofernes, the chief captain of the host
of Asshur, and behold, the canopy, wherein he did lie in his
drunkenness; and the Lord smote him by the hand of a woman. And as the
Lord liveth, who preserved me in my way that I went, my countenance
deceived him to his destruction."
And all the people were exceedingly amazed, and bowed themselves, and
worshiped God, and said with one accord, "Blessed art thou, O our God,
who hast this day brought to nought the enemies of thy people."
And Ozias said to her, "Blessed art thou, daughter, in the sight of
the Most High God, above all the women upon the earth; and blessed is
the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who directed thee
to the smiting of the head of the prince of our enemies. For thy hope
shall not depart from the heart of men that remember the strength of
God for ever. And God turn these things to thee for a perpetual
praise, to visit thee with good things, because thou didst not spare
thy life by reason of the affliction of our race, but didst avenge our
fall, walking a straight way before our God." And all the people said,
"Amen! Amen!"
{101}{102}
[Illustration]
PASS OF UPPER BETH-HORON FROM THE SOUTH, THE SCENE OF
MANY HEBRON VICTORIES
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission
Upper and lower Beth-horon are in the northernmost of the three
gorges which break through the steep wall of the western front of
the central ranges of Palestine. A path leads up the ravine to lower
Beth-horon, which stands on a ridge about 1,240 feet above the sea.
Mounting a long and steep ascent, rocky and rough, but with the rock
in places cut into steps, the traveler after an hour's climb reaches
upper Beth-horon, which stands 1,730 feet above the sea, on a
mountain spur with a deep valley both to north and south. The
village is small, but exhibits traces of ancient walls and
foundations, and to the east of it is a reservoir, apparently of
great antiquity.
So situated, the Beth-horons could not fail to be connected with the
march and retreat of armies and often hosts swarmed up this avenue
or swept down it in flight. More than one memorable battle takes its
name from Beth-horon. Thrice the two towns were fortified, by
Solomon, by the Syrian general Bacchides, and by the Jews against
Holofernes. It was by Beth-horon that Certius Gallus advanced in the
first onset of the Roman armies against Jerusalem, and down its
gorge he was driven in rout by the insurgent Jews. And Beth-horon
saw the first Crusaders march to Jerusalem; and saw Richard, the
third Crusader, in vain try to force a passage by the same route.
[End illustration]
{103}
And Judith said to them, "Hear me now, my brethren, and take this
head, and hang it upon the battlement of your wall. And it shall be,
so soon as the morning shall appear, and the sun shall come forth upon
the earth, ye shall take up everyone his weapons of war, and go forth
every valiant man of you out of the city, and ye shall set a captain
over them, as though ye would go down to the plain toward the outposts
of the children of Asshur; and ye shall not go down. And these shall
take up their armor, and shall go into their camp, and rouse up the
captains of the host of Asshur, and they shall run together to the
tent of Holofernes, and they shall not find him: and fear shall fall
upon them, and they shall flee before your face. And ye, and all that
inhabit every region of Israel, shall pursue them and overthrow them
as they go."
_Israel's Victory_.
And as soon as the morning arose, they hung the head of Holofernes
upon the wall, and every man took up his weapons, and they went forth
by companies unto the passes of the mountain. But when the children of
Asshur saw them, they sent hither and thither to their leaders. And
they came to Holofernes' tent, and said to him that was over all that
he had, "Waken now our lord: for the slaves have been bold to come
down against us to battle, that they may be utterly destroyed."
And the officer went in, and knocked at the outer door of the tent.
But when none answered, he opened it, and went into the bedchamber,
and found him thrown upon the threshold dead, and his head had been
taken from him. And he cried with a loud voice, with weeping and {104}
groaning and a mighty cry, and rent his garments. And he entered into
the tent where Judith lodged: and he found her not, and he leaped out
to the people, and cried aloud, "The slaves have dealt treacherously:
one woman of the Hebrews hath brought shame upon the house of King
Nebuchadnezzar; for, behold, Holofernes lieth upon the ground, and his
head is not on him."
But when the rulers of the host of Asshur heard the words, they rent
their robes, and their souls were troubled exceedingly, and there was
a cry and an exceeding great noise in the midst of the camp.
And when they that were in the tents heard, they were amazed at the
thing that was come to pass. And trembling and fear fell upon them,
and no man dared abide any more in the sight of his neighbor, but
rushing out with one accord, they fled into every way of the plain and
of the hill country. And they that had encamped in the hill country
round about Bethulia fled away. And then the children of Israel,
everyone that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them, and fell
upon the camp of Asshur, and spoiled them, and were enriched
exceedingly. But the children of Israel returned from the slaughter,
and took possession of that which remained; and the villages and the
cities, that were in the hill country and in the plain country, took
much spoil: for there was an exceeding great store.
And Joakim the high priest, and the elders of Jerusalem came to behold
the good things which the Lord had showed to Israel, and to see
Judith, and to salute her. {105} But when they came unto her, they all
blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, "Thou art the
exaltation of Jerusalem, thou art the great glory of Israel, thou art
the great rejoicing of our race: thou hast done all these things by
thy hand: thou hast done with Israel the things that are good, and God
is pleased therewith: blessed be thou with the Almighty Lord for
evermore." And all the people said, "Amen!"
And the people plundered the camp for the space of thirty days: and
they gave unto Judith Holofernes' tent, and all his silver cups, and
his beds, and his vessels, and all his furniture: and she took them,
and placed them on her mule, and made ready her wagons, and heaped
them thereon.
And all the women of Israel ran together to see her; and they blessed
her, and made a dance among them for her; and she took branches in her
hand, and gave to the women that were with her. And they made
themselves garlands of olive, she and they that were with her, and she
went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women: and
all the men of Israel followed in their armor with garlands, and with
songs in their mouths. And Judith began to sing this thanksgiving in
all Israel, and all the people sang with loud voices this song of
praise. And Judith sang--
THE SONG OF JUDITH.
"Begin unto my God with timbrels,
Sing unto my Lord with cymbals: {106}
Sing unto him psalm and praise:
Exalt him, and call upon his name.
For the Lord is the God that breaketh the battles:
For in his armies in the midst of the people
He delivered me out of the hand of them that persecuted me.
Asshur came out of the mountains from the north,
He came with ten thousands of his host,
The multitudes whereof stopped the torrents,
And their horsemen covered the hills.
He bragged that he would burn up my borders,
And kill my young men with the sword,
And throw my sucking children to the ground,
And give mine infants for a prey,
And make my virgins a spoil.
The Almighty Lord brought them to nought by the hand of a woman.
For their mighty one did not fall by young men,
Neither did sons of the Titans smite him,
Nor did great giants set upon him:
But Judith the daughter of Merari made him weak with
the beauty of her countenance.
For she put off the apparel of her widowhood
For the exaltation of those that were distressed in Israel,
She anointed her face with ointment,
And bound up her hair,
And took a linen garment to deceive him.
Her sandal ravished his eye,
And her beauty took his soul prisoner,
The scimitar passed through his neck.
The Persians quaked at her daring,
And the Medes were daunted at her boldness.
Then my lowly ones shouted aloud,
And my weak ones were terrified and crouched for fear: {107}
They lifted up their voice, and they were turned to flight.
The sons of damsels pierced them through,
And wounded them as fugitives' children;
They perished by the battle of my Lord.
"I will sing unto my God a new song:
O Lord, thou art great and glorious,
Marvelous in strength, invincible.
Let all thy creation serve thee:
For thou didst speak, and they were made,
Thou didst send forth thy spirit, and it builded them.
And there is none that shall resist thy voice.
For the mountains shall be moved from their foundations with the waters,
And the rocks shall melt as wax at thy presence:
But thou art yet merciful to them that fear thee.
For all sacrifice is little for a sweet savor,
And all the fat is very little for a whole burnt offering to thee:
But he that feareth the Lord is great continually.
Woe to the nations that rise up against my race:
The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgment,
To put fire and worms in their flesh;
And they shall weep and feel their pain for ever."
{108}
{109}
TALES OF ELIJAH AND ELISHA
{110}
{111}
ELIJAH AND ELISHA
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_Elijah, Elisha,. Prophets_.
_Ahab, King of Israel_.
_Jezebel, his wife_.
_Joram, son of Ahab_.
_A widow in Zarephath, her son_.
_Obadiah, an officer of the king_.
_Naboth, a Jezreelite_.
_A woman of Shunem, her husband and son_.
_Naaman, captain of the hosts of Syria_.
_A little Hebrew captive maiden_.
_Gehazi, servant of Elisha_.
_Ben-hadad, King of Syria_.
_A King of Israel_.
_An officer of the King_.
_Jehu, a captain of the Hebrew army, afterward king_.
_Priests of Baal, courtiers, soldiers, servants_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_Samaria, the brook Cherith, Zarephath, Mount Carmel, Mount Horeb,
the Jordan, Shunem, Damascus_.
{112}
[Illustration]
Map showing Elijah's Travels,
by E. R. Hooker.
[End illustration]
{113}
ELIJAH AND ELISHA.
STORIES OF THE WONDERFUL DEEDS PERFORMED BY TWO
MEN OF GOD WHO LIVED IN ISRAEL.
_How Elijah Pronounced the Doom of Drouth. How He Was Entertained by a
Poor Widow, and How He Paid for His Hospitality_.
(In the Northern kingdom of Israel, a very wicked king named Ahab came
to the throne. This very wicked king married a woman named Jezebel,
who was even more wicked than himself, and they both did continually
that which was evil in the sight of God. They worshiped idols, and
they cruelly put to death those who worshiped God. Then there arose a
prophet named Elijah, and one day he came to the court of the wicked
king and queen, and spoke these words):--
"As the Lord, the God of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there
shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."
This made the king very angry, and he would have killed Elijah, but he
escaped, for the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "Get thee
hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith,
that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the
brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there."
So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: {114} for he
went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the
ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh
in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a
while, that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
And the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "Arise, get thee to
Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have
commanded a widow there to sustain thee."
So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the
city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he called to
her, and said, "Bring me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel,
that I may drink."
And as she was going to bring it, he called to her, and said, "Bring
me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand."
And she said, "As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an
handful of meal in the barrel, and a little oil in the cruse: and,
behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for
me and my son, that we may eat it, and die."
And Elijah said unto her, "Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but
make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it forth unto me, and
afterward make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord, the
God of Israel, 'The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the
cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the
earth.'"
{115}
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and
he, and her house, did eat many days. The barrel of meal wasted not,
neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord,
which he spoke by Elijah.
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the
mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that
there was no breath left in him. And she said to Elijah, "What have I
to do with thee, O thou man of God? thou art come unto me to bring my
sin to remembrance, and to slay my son!"
And he said to her, "Give me thy son."
And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber,
where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried to the
Lord, and said, "O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the
widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?"
And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to the
Lord, and said, "O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul
come into him again."
And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the
child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child,
and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered
him to his mother: and Elijah said, "See, thy son liveth."
And the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that thou
art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy
mouth is truth."
{116}
_How the Prophets of Baal Were Tested, and Failed-- How the Lord
Answered Elijah in Fire--How the Great Drought Was at Last Broken_.
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to
Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I
will send rain upon the earth."
And Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. And the famine was sore in
Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now
Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: for, when Jezebel cut off the
prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them
by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab said
to Obadiah, "Go through the land, to all the fountains of water, and
to all the brooks: perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and
mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts."
So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went
one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. And as
Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and
fell on his face, and said, "Is it thou, my lord Elijah?"
And he answered him, "It is I: go, tell thy lord, 'Behold, Elijah is
here.'"
And he said, "Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy
servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? As the Lord thy God liveth,
there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek
thee: and when they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath of the
kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.
{117}{118}
[Illustration]
ROCK OF ELIJAH'S ALTAR ON MOUNT CARMEL AND OUTLOOK
NORTH OVER PLAIN OF ESDRAELON.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
But it is as sanctuary that the long hill of Carmel is best remembered
in history. In its separation from other hills, its position on the
sea, its visibleness from all quarters of the country; in its
uselessness for war or traffic; in its profusion of flowers, its high
platforms and groves with their glorious prospects of land and sea,
Carmel must have been a place of retreat and of worship from the
earliest times. It was claimed for Baal; but, even before Elijah's
day, an altar had stood upon it for Jehovah. About this altar--as on a
spot whose sanctity they equally felt--the rival faiths met in that
contest, in which for most of us all the history of Carmel consists.
It is not without interest to know that the awful debate, whether
Jehovah or Baal was supreme lord of the elements, was fought out for a
full day in face of one of the most sublime prospects of earth and sea
and heaven. Before him, who stands on Carmel, nature rises in a series
of great stages from sea to Alp: the Mediterranean, the long coast to
north and south, with its hot sands and palms; Esdraelon covered with
wheat, Tabor and the lower hills of Galilee with their oaks,--then,
over the barer peaks of Upper Galilee and the haze that is about them,
the clear snow of Hermon, hanging like an only cloud in the sky. It
was in face of that miniature universe that the Deity who was
Character was vindicated as Lord against the deity who was not. It was
over all that realm that the rain swept up at the call of the same God
who exposed the injustice of the tyrant and avenged the wrongs of
Naboth.
[End illustration]
{119}
"And now thou sayest, 'Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.' And
it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the spirit
of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come
and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy
servant fear the Lord from my youth. Was it not told my lord what I
did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred
men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread
and water? And now thou sayest, 'Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is
here': and he shall slay me."
And Elijah said, "As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I
will surely show myself to him to-day."
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet
Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to
him, "Is it thou, thou troubler of Israel?"
And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy
father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord,
and thou hast followed Baal. Now therefore send, and gather to me all
Israel to Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and
fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at
Jezebel's table."
So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets
together to Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people, and
said, "How long halt ye {120} between two opinions? if the Lord be
God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." And the people
answered him not a word.
Then said Elijah to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of
the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them
therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for
themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no
fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on the
wood, and put no fire under. And call ye on the name of your god, and
I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by
fire, let him be God."
And all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."
And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose you one bullock for
yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name
of your god, but put no fire under."
And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it
and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying,
"O Baal, hear us."
But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about
the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah
mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is
musing, or he is gone aside, or he is in a journey, or perhaps he
sleepeth, and must be awaked."
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with
knives and lances, till the blood gushed out {121} upon them. And when
midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the
evening sacrifice; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor
any that regarded.
And Elijah said unto all the people, "Come near unto me"; and all the
people came near unto him.
And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was thrown down. And Elijah
took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons
of Jacob. And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the
Lord; and he made a trench about the altar. And he put the wood in
order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he
said, "Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt
offering, and on the wood."
And he said, "Do it the second time"; and they did it the second time.
And he said, "Do it the third time"; and they did it the third time.
And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also
with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the
evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "O
Lord, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known
this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and
that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear
me, that this people may know that thou, Lord, art God, and that thou
hast turned their heart back again."
Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt {122} offering,
and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water
that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on
their faces: and they said, "The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is
God."
And Elijah said to them, "Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of
them escape." And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the
brook Kishon, and slew them there. And Elijah said unto Ahab, "Get
thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.';
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of
Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face
between his knees. And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward
the sea."
And he went up and looked; and said, "There is nothing."
And he said, "Go again seven times."
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, there
ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man's hand."
And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Make ready thy chariot, and get
thee down, that the rain stop thee not.'"
And it came to pass in a little while, that the heaven grew black with
clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went
to Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up
his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
{123}
_How Elijah, Threatened by Queen Jezebel, Lost Courage.
How He Made a Long Journey to Hear God Speak_.
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain
all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto
Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make
not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time."
And when he heard this, he arose, and fled for his life, and came to
Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But
he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat
down under a juniper tree: and he prayed that he might die; and said,
"It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better
than my fathers."
And he lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel
touched him, and said unto him, "Arise and eat."
And he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the
coals, and a cruse of water. And he ate and drank, and laid him down
again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and
touched him, and said, "Arise and eat; because the journey is too
great for thee."
And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food
forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. And he came
thither to a cave and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord
came to him, and he said to him, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"
{124}
And he said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts;
for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down
thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword: and I, even I
only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."
And he said, "Go forth; and stand upon the mount before the Lord."
And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord
was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord
was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the
Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And,
when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out,
and stood at the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice
unto him, and said, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"
And he said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts;
for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down
thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I
only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."
And the Lord said to him, "Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of
Damascus: and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king
over Syria: and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king
over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou
anoint to be prophet in thy stead.
{125}{126}
[Illustration]
THE WILDERNESS OF THE BROOK CHERITH
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
It was in this wild country that Elijah stayed while the drought was
wasting the land. The exact location of the "brook Cherith" is not
known.
Of this region the following description tells: "When you realize
that this howling waste came within reach of nearly every Jewish
child; when you climb the Mount of Olives, or any hill about
Bethlehem, or the hill of Tekoa, and, looking east, see those
fifteen miles of chaos, sinking to a stretch of the Dead Sea, you
begin to understand the influence of the desert on Jewish
imagination and literature. It gave the ancient natives of Judaea, as
it gives the mere visitor of to-day, the sense of living next door
to doom; the sense of how narrow is the border between life and
death; the awe of the power of God, who can make contiguous regions
so opposite in character. 'He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and
water springs into a thirsty ground.' The desert is always in the
face of the prophets, and its howling of beasts and its dry sand
blow mournfully across their pages the foreboding of judgment."
[End illustration]
{127}
"And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth from the sword of
Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu
shall Elisha slay. Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all
the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath
not kissed him."
So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was
plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth:
and Elijah passed over unto him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he
left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me, I pray thee,
kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee."
And he said unto him, "Go back again; for what have I done to thee?"
And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and
slew them, and made a feast of their flesh, and gave to the people,
and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered
unto him.
_How the Wicked King and Queen Did an Evil Deed, and
How They Were Rebuked by Elijah_.
And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a
vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of
Samaria. And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me thy vineyard, that I
may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near to my house; and I
will give thee for it a better vineyard than it: or, if it seem good to
thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money."
{128}
And Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid it, that I should give the
inheritance of my fathers to thee."
And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word
which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, "I
will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers."
And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would
eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, "Why
is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?"
And he said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and
said to him, 'Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please
thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it': and he answered, 'I
will not give thee my vineyard.'"
And Jezebel his wife said unto him, "Dost thou now govern the kingdom
of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will
give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal,
and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles that were in his
city, and that dwelt with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters,
saying, "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: and
set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them bear witness
against him, saying, 'Thou didst curse God and the king.' And then
carry him out, and stone him to death."
And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who dwelt in
his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, {129} according as it was
written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a
fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And the two base
fellows came in and sat before him: and bore witness against him, even
against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth cursed
God and the king."
Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him to death.
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth is stoned, and is dead."
And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and
was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for
money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead."
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab
rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take
possession of it.
And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, "Arise,
go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwelleth in Samaria: behold,
he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to take
possession of it. And thou shalt speak to him, saying, 'Thus saith the
Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?' and thou shalt
speak unto him, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs
licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.'"
And Ahab said to Elijah, "Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?"
And he answered, "I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to
do that which is evil in the sight of {130} the Lord. Behold, I will
bring evil upon thee, and will utterly sweep thee away: and I will
make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like
the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith
thou hast provoked me to anger, and hast made Israel to sin."
And of Jezebel also spoke the Lord, saying, "The dogs shall eat
Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. Him that dieth of Ahab in the city
the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the birds of
the air eat."
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his
clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in
sackcloth, and humbled himself. And the word of the Lord came to
Elijah the Tishbite, saying, "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself
before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the
evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his
house."
_How God Took Elijah in a Chariot of Fire_.
And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah by a whirlwind
into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said
to Elisha, "Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me as far
as Beth-el."
And Elisha said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will
not leave thee."
{131}{132}
[Illustration]
THE GREAT ROAD GOING DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO.
From a photograph taken by Prof. David G. Lyon of Harvard
University, and used by his kind permission.
This road is the shortest from Jericho to Jerusalem, and therefore
the usual pilgrim route in both directions. Pereans and Galileans
came up to the temple by it; it was the path of our Lord and his
disciples, "when he set his face steadfastly toward Jerusalem"; and
from then till now it has been trodden in the opposite direction by
pilgrims from all lands to the scene of his baptism. When taken
upwards a more hot and heavy way it is impossible to
conceive--between blistered limestone rocks, and in front the bare
hills piled high without shadow or verdure. There is no water from
Jericho till you reach the roots of the Mount of Olives.
[End illustration]
{133}
So they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets who were at
Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, "Knowest thou that
the Lord will take away thy master from thee to-day?"
And he said, "Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." And Elijah said to
him, "Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to
Jericho."
And he said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not
leave thee."
So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at
Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, "Knowest thou that the
Lord will take away thy master from thee to-day?"
And he answered, "Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." And Elijah said
unto him, "Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to
Jordan."
And he said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not
leave thee."
And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went,
and stood over against them afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the
waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two
went over on dry ground. And it came to pass, when they were gone
over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for thee,
before I be taken from thee."
And Elisha said, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be
upon me."
And he said, "Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see
me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee: but if not, it
shall not be so."
{134}
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold,
there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted
them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And
Elisha saw it, and he cried, "My father, my father, the chariots of
Israel and the horsemen thereof!"
And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent
them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell
from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan. And he took
the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and
said, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" and when he also had
smitten the waters, they were divided hither and thither: and Elisha
went over.
And when the sons of the prophets which were at Jericho over against
him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha."
And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before
him. And they said to him, "Behold now, there be with thy servants
fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest
perhaps the spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon
some mountain, or into some valley."
And he said, "Ye shall not send."
And when they urged him till he was wearied, he said, "Send." They
sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him
not.
And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho; and he said
unto them, "Did I not say unto you, 'Go not'?"
{135}{136}
[Illustration]
THE VILLAGE OF SHUNEM
The little village of Shunem nestled on the slopes of one of the
hills which surround the plain of Esdraelon, the scene of so much
stirring life and so many battles. Looking across the plain one sees
Mount Gilboa, where the great disaster befell the army of Israel
when King Saul and sons went down in the tide of defeat which rolled
over the host. It is supposed that the Philistine army was encamped
at Shunem before the battle. The town was very familiar to Elijah,
who often visited it on his travels
[End illustration]
{137}
_How Elisha Healed the Waters_.
And the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold, we pray thee, the
situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is
bad, and the land is unfruitful."
And he said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein." And they
brought it to him. And he went forth to the spring of the waters, and
cast salt therein, and said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'I have healed
these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or
unfruitfulness.'"
So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of
Elisha which he spoke.
_How Elisha Helped a Poor Woman to Pay a Debt_.
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the
prophets to Elisha, saying, "Thy servant my husband is dead: and thou
knowest that thy servant feared the Lord: and the creditor is come to
take my two children to be bondmen."
And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for thee? tell me; what hast
thou in the house?"
And she said, "Thine handmaid hath nothing in the house, save a jar of
oil."
Then he said, "Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors,
even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And thou shalt go in, and shut
the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and pour out into all those
vessels; and thou shalt set aside that which is full."
So she went from him, and shut the door upon her {138} and upon her
sons; they brought the vessels to her and she poured out. And it came
to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring
me yet a vessel."
And he said to her, "There is not a vessel more." And the oil stayed.
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil,
and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy sons upon the rest."
_How Elisha Brought to Life a Boy Who Had Died_.
And it happened one day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a
woman of wealth; and she persuaded him to eat bread. And so, as often
as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said to
her husband, "Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God,
who passeth by us continually. Let us make, I pray thee, a little
chamber on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table,
and a seat, and a candlestick: and, when he cometh to us, then will he
turn in thither."
And it happened one day, that he came thither, and he turned into the
chamber and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this
Shunammite."
And when he had called her, she stood before him.
And he said to him, "Say now to her, 'Behold, thou hast been careful
for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou
be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?'"
And she answered, "I dwell among mine own people."
And he said, "What then is to be done for her?"
{139}{140}
[Illustration]
ELISHA RAISES THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON.
One of the most touching stories of the Old Testament is that of the
rich woman of Shunem, who made a little chamber for the stern
prophet Elisha, with a "bed and a table and a seat and a
candlestick." Richly did the good man repay this hospitality, when
he gave the dear little lad, the mother's only child, who was
sunstruck in the hot sunshine of the harvest days, alive and well
again back to her arms.
[End illustration]
{141}
And Gehazi answered, "Verily she hath no son."
And he said, "Call her."
And when he had called her, she stood in the door. And he said, "At
this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son."
And she said, "Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie to thine
handmaid." But, as Elisha had said to her, a son was born.
And when the child was grown, it happened one day, that he went out to
his father to the reapers. And he said to his father, "My head! my
head!"
And he said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother." And when he had
taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till
noon, and then died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the
man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. And she called
to her husband, and said, "Send me, I pray thee, one of the servants,
and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come
again."
And he said, "Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day? it is neither new
moon nor Sabbath."
And she said, "It shall be well."
Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, "Drive, and go
forward; slacken not the riding, except I bid thee."
So she went, and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. And it came
to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi
his servant, "Behold, yonder is the Shunammite: run, I pray thee, now
to meet {142} her, and say to her, 'Is it well with thee? is it well
with thy husband? is it well with the child?'"
And she answered, "It is well."
And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of
his feet. And Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God
said, "Let her alone: for her soul is vexed within her; and the Lord
hath hid it from me, and hath not told me."
Then she said, "Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, 'Do not
deceive me'?"
Then he said to Gehazi, "Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine
hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any
salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of
the child."
And the mother of the child said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, I will not leave thee."
And he arose, and followed her. And Gehazi passed on before them, and
laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither
voice, nor hearing.
Wherefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, "The child is
not awaked."
And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead,
and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door, and
prayed to the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put
his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands
upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon him; and the flesh of
the child became warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house once
to and fro; and went up and {143} stretched himself upon him: and the
child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
And he called Gehazi, and said, "Call this Shunammite."
So he called her. And when she was come to him, he said, "Take up thy
son."
Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the
ground; and she took up her son, and went out.
_How a Great Soldier Was Healed of Leprosy_.
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man
with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given
victory to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a
leper. And the Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away
captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on
Naaman's wife.
And she said to her mistress, "Would God my lord were with the prophet
that is in Samaria! then would he heal him of his leprosy."
And one went in, and told his lord, saying, "Thus and thus said the
maid that is of the land of Israel."
And the king of Syria said, "Go now, go, and I will send a letter to
the king of Israel."
And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six
thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought
the letter to the king of Israel, saying, "And now when this letter is
come to thee, behold, {144} I have sent Naaman my servant to thee,
that thou mayest heal him of his leprosy."
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that
he rent his clothes, and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive,
that this man doth send to me to recover a man of his leprosy? but
consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me."
And, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent
his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Wherefore hast thou rent
thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a
prophet in Israel."
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the
door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger to him,
saying, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come
again to thee, and thou shalt be clean."
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, "Behold, I thought, 'He
will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the
Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.'
Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all
the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?" So he
turned and went away in a rage.
And his servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if
the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have
done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, 'Wash, and be
clean?'"
{145}{146}
[Illustration]
SHUNAMMITE BOY
Photograph taken by Mrs. Frank L. Goodspeed of Springfield, Mass.,
and used by her kind permission.
This is a charming picture of a modern Shunammite boy. Just so must
have looked the son of the wealthy Shunammite of Elisha's day as he
left her in the morning to follow his father in the harvest fields.
[End illustration]
{147}
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according
to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like the
flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man
of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he
said, "Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but
in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a present from thy
servant."
But he said, "As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive
none." And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
And Naaman said, "If not, yet I pray thee let there be given to thy
servant two mules' burden of earth; for thy servant will henceforth
offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but to the
Lord. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant; when my master goeth
into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand,
and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the
house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing."
And he said to him, "Go in peace." So he departed from him a little
way.
But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Behold, my
master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his
hands that which he brought: as the Lord liveth, I will run after him,
and take something from him."
So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after
him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, "Is all
well?"
And he said, "All is well. My master hath sent me, {148} saying,
'Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill country of Ephraim
two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a
talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.'"
And Naaman said, "Be pleased to take two talents."
And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two
changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they
bore them before him.
And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stowed
them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. But he went
in, and stood before his master.
And Elisha said to him, "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?"
And he said, "Thy servant went nowhere."
And he said to him, "Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned
again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and
to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen,
and menservants and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall
cleave to thee, and unto thy seed for ever."
And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
_How Elisha Returned Good for Evil_.
Now the king of Syria warred against Israel; and he took counsel with
his servants, saying, "In such and such a place shall be my camp."
And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying,
"Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are
coming down."
{149}{150}
[Illustration]
LEPERS AT THE LEPER HOSPITAL, JERUSALEM
From a picture by Prof. D. G. Lyon and used by his kind permission
Leprosy was one of the terrible diseases in the days of the Old
Testament. It was much more prevalent then than now, and it spared
neither king nor commoner. "To be a leper was to be treated as dead--to
be excluded from the city as a corpse: to be spoken to by the best
beloved and most loving only at a distance: to dwell with none but
lepers; to be utterly unprivileged: to be denied the rites of the
temple and the synagogue: to go about with rent garments and covered
mouth, except when crying 'Unclean! unclean!' to find home in the
wilderness or in abandoned tombs; afraid to die, yet without hope
except in death."--_Gen. Lew Wallace in "Ben Hur"_
[End illustration]
{151}
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him
and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice. And
the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he
called his servants, and said to them, "Will ye not show me which of us
is for the king of Israel?"
And one of his servants said, "Nay, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the
prophet who is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou
speakest in thy bedchamber."
And he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and fetch him."
And it was told him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan." Therefore sent
he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by
night, and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of
God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host with horses and
chariots was round about the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas,
my master! what shall we do?"
And he answered, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they
that be with them."
And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he
may see."
And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold,
the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said,
"Smite {152} this people, I pray thee, with blindness." And he smote
them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
And Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, neither is this the city:
follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek." And he led
them to Samaria.
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said,
"Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see."
And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in
the midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw
them, "My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?"
And he answered, "Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those
whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread
and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their
master."
And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and
drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands
of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
_How the City of Samaria Was Sorely Besieged, and How
It Was Wonderfully Delivered_.
And it came to pass that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host,
and went up, and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in
Samaria: and after they had besieged it for a long time, so that the
city was in desperate straits, Elisha said, "Hear ye the word of the
Lord: thus saith the Lord, 'To-morrow about this time shall a{153}
measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley
for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'"
Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God,
and said, "Behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might this
thing be?"
And he said, "Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not
eat thereof."
Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate: and they
said one to another, "Why sit we here until we die? If we say, 'We will
enter into the city,' then the famine is in the city, and we shall die
there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and
let us go over to the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we
shall live; but if they kill us, we shall but die."
And they rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians: and
when they were come to the outermost part of the camp of the Syrians,
behold, there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the
Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the
noise of a great host: and they said one to another, "Lo, the king of
Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of
the Egyptians, to come upon us."
Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and
their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for
their life. And when these lepers came to the outermost part of the
camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence
silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and they came back,
and entered into another tent, and {154} carried thence also, and went
and hid it. Then they said one to another, "We do not well: this day is
a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the
morning light, punishment will overtake us: now therefore come, let us
go and tell the king's household."
So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them,
saying, "We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no
man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and the asses
tied, and the tents as they were."
And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's household
within. And the king arose in the night, and said to his servants, "I
will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we
are hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves
in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we shall take
them alive, and get into the city.'"
And one of his servants answered and said, "Let some take, I pray thee,
five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, and let us
send and see."
They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king sent after
the host of the Syrians, saying, "Go and see."
And they went after them as far as Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full
of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste.
And the messengers returned, and told the king.
{155}{156}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF SAMARIA
Samaria was splendidly situated to resist assault. On a hill 300 to
400 feet above the broad fertile valley, its battlements were beyond
bowshot of archers who might be stationed on near-by hills, and on no
side could catapults or towers be advanced. But the best situated
fortress may be starved out, and Samaria was in terrible distress when
one of those blind, unreasoning panics fell upon Ben-hadad's army, and
it fled away in the night with the city almost in its power.
[End illustration]
{157}
And the people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a
measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley
for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord. And the king appointed
the captain on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and
the people trampled upon him in the gate, and he died as the man of God
had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. And it came to pass,
as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two measures of
barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be
to-morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria"; and that captain
answered the man of God, and said, "Now, behold, if the Lord should make
windows in heaven, might such a thing be?" and he said, "Behold, thou
shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof": it came to
pass even so upon him; for the people trampled upon him in the gate, and
he died.
_How Elisha Anointed a New King in Israel, and How a Terrible Fate
Overtook the Wicked House of Ahab_.
(Ahab the wicked king died, but his son Joram, who was just as wicked as
his father, reigned in his stead, and he was helped on in his wicked
deeds by the wicked old queen mother Jezebel. But no matter how
prosperous and powerful evil men may be, there always comes a time of
retribution. Vengeance was now following fast on the footsteps of the
wicked members of the house of Ahab. King Joram lay dying of a wound he
had received in battle. Elisha saw that the time had come. He anointed
privately as king, Jehu, a brave, headstrong young general of the army.
Jehu did not wait for Joram to die, but made a bold dash for the throne.
This story tells of the wild ride he took (we say, "he drives like
Jehu," to the present day), of the way in which he beat down all
obstacles in his path, and of the terrible fate which came to the house
of Ahab.)
{158}
And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said
unto him, "Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thine hand,
and go to Ramoth-gilead. And when thou comest thither, look out there
Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him
arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber.
Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, 'Thus saith
the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel.' Then open the door, and
flee, and tarry not."
So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.
And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he
said, "I have an errand to thee, O captain."
And Jehu said, "Unto which of us?"
And he said, "To thee, O captain."
And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his
head, and said to him, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I have
anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. And
thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the
blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of
the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall
perish. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. And the
dogs shall eat Jezebel in the rampart of Jezreel, and there shall be
none to bury her.'"
{159}
And he opened the door, and fled. Then Jehu came forth to the servants
of his lord: and one said unto him, "Is all well? wherefore came this
mad fellow to thee?"
And he said to them, "Ye know the man and what his talk was."
And they said, "It is false; tell us now."
And he said, "Thus and thus spoke he to me, saying, 'Thus saith the
Lord. I have anointed thee king over Israel.'"
Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him
on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, "Jehu is king."
So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against
Joram. ( Now Joram kept Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of
Hazael king of Syria: but King Joram was returned to be healed in
Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought
with Hazael king of Syria.)
And Jehu said, "If this be your mind, then let none escape and go forth
out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel."
So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And
Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram. Now the watchman stood
on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came,
and said, "I see a company."
And Joram said, "Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him
say, 'Is it peace?'"
So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, "Thus saith the
king, 'Is it peace?'"
{160}
And Jehu said, "What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me."
And the watchman told, saying, "The messenger came to them, but he
cometh not again."
Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said,
"Thus saith the king, 'Is it peace?'" And Jehu answered, "What hast thou
to do with peace? turn thee behind me."
And the watchman told, saying, "He came even up to them, and cometh not
again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi;
for he driveth furiously."
And Joram said, "Make ready." And they made ready his chariot.
And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his
chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the field
which had belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. And it came to pass, when
Joram saw Jehu, that he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?"
And he answered, "What peace, so long as the evil deeds of thy mother
Jezebel and her witch crafts are so many?"
And Joram turned his hands and fled, and said to Ahaziah, "There is
treachery, O Ahaziah."
And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between
his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his
chariot.
Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, "Take him up, and cast him into
the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for {161} remember how, when I and
thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon
him; 'Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of
his sons,' saith the Lord; 'and I will requite thee in this field,'
saith the Lord. Now therefore cast him into this piece of ground,
according to the word of the Lord."
But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the
garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, "Smite him also in
the chariot": and they smote him on the way. And he fled to Megiddo, and
died there. And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and
buried him in his sepulcher with his fathers in the city of David.
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted
her eyelids, and adorned her head, and looked out at the window. And as
Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, "Is it peace, thou Zimri, thy
master's murderer?"
And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, "Who is on my side?
who?" And there looked out to him two or three servants.
And he said, "Throw her down."
So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall,
and on the horses: and he trampled her under foot. And when he was come
in, he ate and drank; and he said, "See now to this cursed woman, and
bury her: for she is a king's daughter."
And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull,
and the feet, and the palms of her {162} hands. Wherefore they came
again and told him. And he said, "This is the word of the Lord, which he
spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'In the rampart of
Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel.'"
_How Elisha Had a Last Talk with the King_.
Now after many days Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he
died: and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over
him, and said, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the
horsemen thereof!"
And Elisha said to him, "Take bow and arrows": and he took unto him bow
and arrows.
And he said to the king of Israel, "Put thine hand upon the bow": and he
put his hand upon it.
And Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands. And he said, "Open the
window eastward": and he opened it.
Then Elisha said, "Shoot": and he shot.
And he said, "The Lord's arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory
over Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have
consumed them."
And he said, "Take the arrows": and he took them. And he said to the
king of Israel, "Smite upon the ground": and he smote thrice, and
stopped.
And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, "Thou shouldest have
smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst
consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice."
And Elisha died, and they buried him.
{163}
TALES OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE
{164}
{165}
THE STORY OF JONAH.
THE STORY OF A PROPHET TO WHOM GOD TAUGHT IN A WONDERFUL WAY THE LESSON
OF OBEDIENCE.
_How Jonah Reluctantly Brought a Message of Repentance and Salvation to
Nineveh_.
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their
wickedness is come up before me."
But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord; and
he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid
his fare and went aboard, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence
of the Lord.
But the Lord sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty
tempest on the sea, so that the ship was likely to be wrecked. Then the
sailors were afraid, and cried every man to his god; and they cast forth
the cargo of the ship into the sea, to lighten it. But Jonah was gone
below: and he lay, and was fast asleep. So the captain came to him, and
said to him, "What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if
so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not."
{166}
And they said, everyone to his fellow, "Come, and let us cast lots, that
we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us."
So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Then said they unto him,
"Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; what is
thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of
what people art thou?"
And he said unto them, "I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of
heaven, who hath made the sea and the dry land."
Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "What is this
that thou hast done?"
For the men knew that he had fled from the presence of the Lord, because
he had told them. Then said they to him, "What shall we do to thee, that
the sea may be calm?" for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
And he said to them, "Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so
shall the sea be calm; for I know that for my sake this great tempest is
upon you."
Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they
could not: for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.
Wherefore they cried to the Lord, and said, "We beseech thee, O Lord, we
beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us
innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee."
{167}{168}
[Illustration]
JAFFA, THE ANCIENT JOPPA, LOOKING FROM THE SEA.
From a photograph belonging to Dr. W. J. Moulton
and used by his kind permission.
The city did not look just like this when Jonah came down to its
wharfs to escape from the command of the Lord. But it was a great
seaport, bustling with commerce in the days when the prophet found a
"ship" (about as large probably as a good-sized modern fishing boat)
bound to Tarshish, and "paid his fare" and took passage. Jaffa has the
only inside harbor between Egypt and Mount Carmel. At best the space
for shipping is very small. The entrance is very narrow and in high
seas very dangerous to enter.
[End illustration]
{169}
So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea
ceased its raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly; and they
offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and made vows. And the Lord prepared a
great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish
three days and three nights.
Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly. And he
said,--
"I called by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord,
And he answered me;
Out of the belly of hell cried I,
And thou heardest my voice.
For thou didst cast me into the depth, in the heart of the seas,
And the flood was round about me;
All thy waves and thy billows passed over me.
And I said, I am cast out from before thine eyes;
Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul;
The deep was round about me;
The weeds were wrapped about my head.
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains;
The earth with her bars closed upon me for ever:
Yet hast thou brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.
When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord:
And my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
They that regard lying vanities
Forsake their own mercy.
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay that which I have vowed.
Salvation is of the Lord."
And the Lord spoke unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry
land.
{170}
And the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise,
go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I
bid thee."
So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.
Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city, of three days' journey. And
Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and
said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown."
And the people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and
put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
And the tidings reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his
throne, and laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth and
sat in ashes. And he made proclamation and published through Nineveh by
the decree of the king and his nobles.
A PROCLAMATION.
_Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything: let them
not feed nor drink water: but let them be covered with sackcloth, both
man and beast, and let them cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn
everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their
hands. Who knoweth whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away
from his fierce anger, that we perish not?_
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God
repented of the evil, which he said he would do unto them; and he did it
not.
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
And he prayed to the Lord, and said, "I pray thee, O Lord, {171} was not
this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee
to Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and full of
compassion, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy, and repentest thee of
the evil. Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live."
And the Lord said, "Doest thou well to be angry?" Then Jonah went out of
the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a
shelter, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would
become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to
come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head. So Jonah
was exceeding glad because of the gourd. But God prepared a worm when
the morning rose the next day, and it ate the gourd, that it withered.
And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east
wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and
requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is better for me
to die than to live."
And God said to Jonah, "Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?"
And he said, "I do well to be angry even unto death."
And the Lord said, "Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for which thou
hast not labored, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night,
and perished in a night: and should not I have pity on Nineveh, that
great city; wherein are more than sixty thousand persons that cannot
discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much
cattle?"
{172}
SAMSON.
THE STORY OF A MAN WITH A STRONG BODY, WHO OFTEN YIELDED TO TEMPTATION,
AND WHO FELL BECAUSE HE WAS NOT STRONG IN SPIRIT.
_How Samson Slew a Lion and Made a Riddle_.
(There was a man of the tribe of Dan, whose name was Manoah, and he and
his wife had a son whose name was Samson, and Samson had strength of
body above all other men of his time.)
And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the
daughters of the Philistines. And he came up and told his father and his
mother, and said, "I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the
Philistines: now therefore get her for me to be my wife."
Then his father and his mother said to him, "Is there not a woman among
the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest
to take a wife of the Philistines?"
And Samson said to his father, "Get her for me; for she pleaseth me
well."
But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord; for he
sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the
Philistines had rule over Israel.
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and
came to the vineyards of Timnah: {173} and, behold, a young lion roared
against him. And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he
tore him as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand:
but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. And he went
down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. And after a
while he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of
the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the
lion, and honey. And he took it into his hands, and went on, eating as
he went, and he came to his father and mother, and gave unto them, and
they did eat: but he told them not that he had taken the honey out of
the body of the lion.
And his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast;
for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him,
that they brought thirty companions to be with him. And Samson said to
them, "Let me now put forth a riddle for you: if ye can declare it unto
me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give
you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment: but if ye
cannot declare it to me, then shall ye give me thirty linen garments and
thirty changes of raiment."
And they said to him, "Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it." And
he said to them,--
"Out of the eater came forth food,
And out of the strong came forth sweetness."
And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
{174}
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's
wife, "Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest
we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to
impoverish us?"
And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, "Thou dost but hate me,
and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of
my people, and hast not told it me."
And he said to her, "Behold, I have not told it to my father nor my
mother, and shall I tell it to thee?"
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and
it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she
pressed him sore: and she told the riddle to the children of her
people.
And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun
went down, "What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a
lion?" And he said unto them,--
"If ye had not plowed with my heifer,
Ye had not found out my riddle."
And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he went down to
Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave
the changes of raiment unto them that declared the riddle. And his
anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
{175}
_How Samson Burned the Cornfield and Slew His Enemies_.
At another time, Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took
firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst
between every two tails. And when he had set the brands on fire, he
let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up
both the shocks and the standing corn, and also the oliveyards.
Then the Philistines went up, and camped in Judah, and spread
themselves in Lehi. And the men of Judah said, "Why are ye come up
against us?"
And they said, "To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath
done to us."
Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of
Etam, and said to Samson, "Knowest thou not that the Philistines are
rulers over us? what then is this that thou hast done to us?"
And he said to them, "As they did to me, so have I done to them."
And they said to him, "We are come down to bind thee, that we may
deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines."
And Samson said unto them, "Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon
me yourselves."
And they spoke unto him, saying, "No; but we will bind thee fast, and
deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee."
And they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the
rock. When he came unto Lehi, the {176} Philistines shouted as they
met him: and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the
ropes that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire,
and his bands dropped from off his hands.
And he found a fresh jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and
took it, and smote a thousand men therewith. And Samson said,--
"With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men."
_How Samson Carried Off the Gates of Gaza_.
And Samson went to Gaza. And it was told the Gazites, saying, "Samson
is come hither." And they surrounded him, and laid wait for him all
night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying,
"Let be till morning light, then we will kill him."
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of
the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked them
up, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up
to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
_How Samson Was Betrayed by His Own Weakness Into
the Hands of His Enemies_.
And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of
Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came
up to her, and said unto her, {177} "Entice him, and see wherein his
great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him,
that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee everyone of
us eleven hundred pieces of silver."
And Delilah said to Samson, "Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great
strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee."
And Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven green withes that
were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man."
Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes
which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now she had men
lying in wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him,
"The Philistines be upon thee, Samson."
And he broke the withes, as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth
the fire. So his strength was not known.
And Delilah said to Samson, "Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me
lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound."
And he said to her, "If they only bind me with new ropes wherewith no
work hath been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man."
So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him,
"The Philistines be upon thee, Samson."
And the men who were lying in wait were abiding in the inner chamber.
And he broke them from off his arms like a thread.
And Delilah said to Samson, "Hitherto thou hast {178} mocked me, and
told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound."
And he said to her, "If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with
the web in the loom." And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto
him, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson." And he awaked out of his
sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam, and the web.
And she said to him, "How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine
heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast
not told me wherein thy great strength lieth."
And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and
urged him, that his soul was sorely vexed.
And he told her all his heart, and said to her, "There hath not come a
razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my
birth: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall
become weak, and be like any other man."
And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and
called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, "Come up this once,
for he hath told me all his heart."
Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the
money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she
called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and his
strength went from him.
And she said, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson."
{179}{180}
[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF SOREK
From a photograph taken by Prof. D. G. Lyon
and used by his kind permission.
The valley of Sorek, a narrow gorge at its upper end, broadens out
into the lowlands of Judah at its lower end, and here in the
foothills overlooking the Philistine country was the home of Samson.
It was up this valley that the Philistines often made their
frequent raids against Jerusalem and the highlands of Judah. It was
here that the battle was fought when Israel was defeated under the
leadership of Eli's wicked sons, and "the ark of God was taken." The
modern railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem follows this valley.
[End illustration]
{181}
And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, "I will go out as at other
times, and shake myself free."
But he knew not that the Lord was departed from him. And the
Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought
him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and they made
him grind in the mill in the prison house. Howbeit the hair of his
head began to grow again after he was shaven.
_How Samson Had His Revenge_.
And the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great
sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, "Our
god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand."
And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said,
"Our god hath delivered into our hand our enemy, and the destroyer of
our country, which hath slain many of us."
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said,
"Call for Samson, that he may make us sport." And they called for
Samson out of the prison house; and he made sport before them: and
they set him between the pillars.
And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, "Suffer me
that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may
lean upon them."
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the
Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three
thousand men and women, that {182} beheld while Samson made sport. And
Samson called unto the Lord, and said, "O Lord God, remember me, I
pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that
I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes."
And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house
rested, and leaned upon them, the one with his right hand, and the
other with his left.
And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines." And he bowed
himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and
upon all the people that were therein.
So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he
slew in his life.
{183}
DANIEL.
STORIES OF THE MAN WHO WOULD RATHER DIE THAN DO WRONG.
Daniel is the great Jewish hero of that long period of exile
when the nation was captive in a strange land. This was the
gloomiest and most distressful time in the nation's history, and
afterward in other dark days these stories were told to cheer the
people and give them courage.
_How Daniel and His Three Friends Refused to Eat the Food of Princes_.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the
Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the
vessels of the house of God. And the king spoke to Ashpenaz, that he
should bring in certain of the children of Israel, even of the royal
family and of the nobles; youths in whom was no blemish, but well
favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and
such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should
teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's food,
and of the wine which he drank, and that {184} they should be
nourished three years; that at the end thereof they might stand before
the king. Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And the king's officer gave names unto
them: unto Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah,
of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with
the king's food, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he
requested of the king's officer that he might not defile himself. Now
God made Daniel to find favor and compassion in the sight of the
king's officer. And he said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who
hath appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your
faces worse looking than the youths which are of your own age? so
should ye endanger my head with the king."
Then said Daniel to the steward, whom the king's officer had appointed
over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: "Test thy servants, I
beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water
to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and
the countenances of the youths that eat of the king's food; and as
thou seest, deal with thy servants."
So he hearkened to them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And
at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they
were fatter in flesh, than all the youths which did eat of the king's
food. So the steward took away their food, and the wine that they
should drink, and gave them pulse. Now as for these four {185} youths,
God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and
Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. And at the end of
the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the king's
officer brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed
with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. And in
every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king
inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the
magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm.
_How Daniel Made Known and Interpreted the King's Dream_.
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar
dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep was broken.
Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and
the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they
came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, "I have
dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream."
Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king, "O king, live for ever: tell thy
servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "The thing is gone from
me: if ye make not known unto me the dream and the interpretation
thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a
dunghill. But if {186} ye show the dream and the interpretation
thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor:
therefore show me the dream and the interpretation thereof."
They answered the second time and said, "Let the king tell his
servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."
The king answered and said, "I know of a certainty that ye would gain
time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. But if ye make not
known unto me the dream, there is but one law for you: for ye have
prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be
changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can
show me the interpretation thereof."
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, "There is not a man
upon the earth that can show the king's matter: forasmuch as no king,
lord, nor ruler, hath asked such a thing of any magician, or
enchanter, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king
requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king,
except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to
destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went forth, and the
wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions
to slay them. Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to
Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who had gone forth to slay the
wise men of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the king's
captain, "Wherefore is the decree so urgent from the king?"
{187}
Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. And Daniel went in, and
desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show
the king the interpretation.
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: that they would desire mercies
of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his
companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision of the night.
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said,
"Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might
are his: and he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings,
and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to
them that know understanding: he revealeth the deep and secret things:
he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I
thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given
me wisdom and might, and hast now made known unto me what we desired
of thee: for thou hast made known unto us the king's matter."
Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had appointed to
destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him:
"Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and
I will show unto the king the interpretation."
Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus
unto him, "I have found a man of the {188} children of the captivity
of Judah, who will make known unto the king the interpretation."
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,
"Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and
the interpretation thereof?"
Daniel answered before the king, and said, "The secret which the king
hath demanded can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor
soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that
revealeth secrets, and he hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar
what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy
head upon thy bed, are these: as for thee, O king, thy thoughts came
into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he
that revealeth secrets hath made known to thee what shall come to
pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom
that I have more than any living, but to, the intent that the
interpretation may be made known to the king, and that thou mayest
know the thoughts of thy heart. Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a
great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was
excellent, stood before thee; and the appearance thereof was terrible.
As for this image, his head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms
of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his
feet part of iron, and part of clay.
"While thou wast looking a stone was cut out without hands, which
smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke
them in pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver,
and the gold, broken {189} in pieces together, and became like the
chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away,
that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image
became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
"This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof unto
the king. Thou, O king, art king of kings, unto whom the God of heaven
hath given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;
and wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and
the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made
thee to rule over them all: thou art the head of gold. And after thee
shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third
kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the
fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in
pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that crusheth all these,
shall it break in pieces and crush. And whereas thou sawest the feet
and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, it shall be a
divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron,
forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with clay. And as the toes of
the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be
partly strong, and partly weak. And in the days of those kings shall
the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed,
nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall
stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out
{190} of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the
iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God
hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the
dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshiped Daniel,
and commanded that they should offer sacrifice and sweet odors to him.
The king answered Daniel, and said, "Of a truth your God is the God of
gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou
hast been able to reveal this secret."
Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made
him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor
over all the wise men of Babylon. And Daniel requested of the king, and
he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the
province of Babylon: but Daniel was in the gate of the king.
_How Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego Refused to Bow Down and Worship
before the Image of the King, and How They Were Cast Into the Burning
Fiery Furnace_.
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was
threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in
the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the
king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, and the
governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs,
and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the
image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
{191}{192}
[Illustration]
MEN PRAYING ON A HOUSETOP
From a photograph taken by Prof. D. G. Lyon
and used by his kind permission
In the East the time and posture of prayers by the faithful are
strictly prescribed. In Daniel's day the form was a part of a duty
to be performed, and was as important as the words, but Jesus taught
us to regard the thought and attitude of the soul rather than the
posture of the body
[End illustration]
{193}
Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the
treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the
image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Then the herald cried aloud, "To you it is commanded, O peoples,
nations, and languages, that when ye hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye
fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king
hath set up: and whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same
hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all
the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped
the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Wherefore at
that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against
the Jews. They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king,
live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that
shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the
golden image: and whoso falleth not down and {194} worshipeth, shall
be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain
Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of
Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not
regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image
which thou hast set up."
Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said unto them, "Is it of purpose, O
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that ye serve not my god, nor
worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye are ready when
ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and
dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image
which I have made, well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the
same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that
god that shall deliver you out of my hands?"
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, "O
Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. If it
be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning
fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But
if he does not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve
thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and his face hardened against
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: {195} therefore he spoke, and
commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than was
usual to heat it. And he commanded certain mighty men that were in his
army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them in to
the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in all their
garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace
exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. And these three men, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning
fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose
up in haste: he spoke and said unto his counselors, "Did not we cast
three men bound into the midst of the fire?"
They answered and said unto the king, "True, O king." He answered and
said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and
they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the
gods."
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery
furnace: he spoke and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye
servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come hither."
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth out of the midst of
the fire. And the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and the
king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the
fire had no power upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head
{196} singed, neither were their garments burned, nor had the smell of
fire come on them.
Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his
servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and
have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any
god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree that every
people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and
their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other god
that is able to deliver in this way."
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the
province of Babylon.
_How Daniel Interpreted Another Dream of King Nebuchadnezzar_.
"Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth; peace be multiplied unto you. It hath
seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High
God hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs! and how mighty
are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his
dominion is from generation to generation.
"I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my
palace. I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my
bed and the visions of my head troubled me. Therefore made I a decree
to bring {197} in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they
might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in
the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and
I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the
interpretation thereof. But at the last Daniel came in before me,
whose name was Belteshazzar, and in whom is the spirit of the holy
gods: and I told the dream before him, saying, 'O Belteshazzar, master
of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is
in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream
that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. Thus were the
visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst
of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was
strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight
thereof to the end of all the earth. The leaves thereof were fair, and
the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the
field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heaven dwelt in the
branches thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of
my head upon my bed, and, behold, a holy messenger came down from
heaven. He cried aloud, and said thus. Hew down the tree, and cut off
its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the
beasts get away from under it, and the birds from its branches.
Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a
band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it
be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts
in the grass of the earth: let its {198} heart be changed from man's,
and let a beast's heart be given unto it; and let seven times pass
over it. The sentence is by the decree of the holy messenger: that the
living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and
giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of
men. This dream I King Nebuchadnezzar have seen: and thou, O
Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise
men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the
interpretation; but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is
in thee.'"
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was perplexed for a while,
and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said,
"Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble
thee."
Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, the dream be to them that
hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries. The
tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height
reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; whose
leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for
all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose
branches the birds of the heaven had their habitation: it is thou, O
king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown,
and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
And whereas the king saw a holy messenger coming down from heaven, and
saying, 'Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the
stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with {199} a band of
iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet
with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts of the
field, till seven times pass over it'; this is the interpretation, O
king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my
lord the king: that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling
shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat
grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven
times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth
in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And
whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy
kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that
the heavens do rule. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable
unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine
iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening
of thy tranquillity."
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve
months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke
and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal
dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my
majesty?"
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from
heaven, saying, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: the
kingdom is departed from thee. And thou shalt be driven from men, and
thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made
to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee; until
{200} thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and
giveth it to whomsoever he will."
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was
driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with
the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagle's feathers, and
his nails like birds' claws.
"And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto
heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the
Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his
dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation
to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as
nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and
among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say
unto him, 'What doest thou?' At the same time mine understanding
returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and
brightness returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought
unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness
was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the
King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways judgment:
and those that walk in pride he is able to abase."
{201}
_How Daniel Read the Writing on the Wall at Belshazzar's Feast_.
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and
drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine,
commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar
his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that
the king and his lords, and the women of his palace, might drink
therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of
the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king
and his lords, and the women of his palace, drank in them. They drank
wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron,
of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth the fingers of a
man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of
the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand
that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed in him, and his
thoughts troubled him; he trembled, and his knees smote together. The
king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the
soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon,
"Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation
thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about
his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."
Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the
writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. Then was King
Belshazzar greatly troubled, {202} and his countenance was changed,
and his lords were perplexed. Now the queen by reason of the words of
the king and his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spoke
and said, "O king, live for ever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee,
nor let thy countenance be changed: there is a man in thy kingdom, in
whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father
light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was
found in him: and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say,
thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans,
and soothsayers; forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and
understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences,
and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king
named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the
interpretation."
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to
Daniel, "Art thou that Daniel, who art of the children of the
captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? I
have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that
light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now
the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that
they should read this writing, and make known unto me the
interpretation thereof: but they could not show the interpretation of
the thing. But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give
interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the
writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt
be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and
shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom."
{203}{204}
[Illustration]
DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN
By Vernet
[End illustration]
{205}
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Keep thy gifts to
thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the
writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O
thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the
kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty: and because of the
greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages
trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew, and whom he
would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would
he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was
hardened that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne,
and they took his glory from him: and he was driven from the sons of
men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with
the wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet
with the dew of heaven: until he knew that the Most High God
ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he setteth up over
it whomsoever he will.
"And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though
thou knewest all this; but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of
heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee,
and thou and thy lords, and the women of thy palace, have drunk wine
in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass,
iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God
in whose hand thy breath is, and {206} whose are all thy ways, hast
thou not glorified: therefore the part of the hand was sent by God,
and this inscription was written. And this is the inscription which
was written:--
_Mene, Mene, Tekel, Apharsin_
"This is the interpretation of the thing:--
_Mene_, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end.
_Tekel_, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
_Peres_, Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and
put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning
him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night
Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. And Darius the Mede received
the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
_How Daniel Was Cast into the Lions' Den_.
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty
satraps, which should be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them
three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might
give account unto them, and that the king should have no loss. Then
this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps,
because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set
him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and {207} the satraps
sought to find occasion against Daniel in regard to the kingdom; but
they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful,
neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these
men, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we
find it against him concerning the law of his God."
Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and
said thus unto him: "King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of
the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the
governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and
to make a strong decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any
god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast
into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the
writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which altereth not."
Wherefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree. And when
Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now
his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem); and he kneeled
upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before
his God, as he did before. Then these men assembled together, and
found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. Then
they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's
decree; "Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall make
petition unto any god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O
king, shall be cast into the den of lions?"
{208}
The king answered and said, "The thing is true, according to the law
of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not."
Then answered they and said before the king, "That Daniel, which is of
the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king,
nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three
times a day."
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set
his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the going down
of the sun to rescue him. Then these men assembled together unto the
king, and said unto the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the
Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king
establisheth may be changed."
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into
the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel, "Thy God
whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee."
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the
king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords;
that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to
his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of
music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him. Then the king
arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of
lions. And when he came near unto the den to Daniel, he cried with a
lamentable voice: the king spoke and said to Daniel, "O Daniel,
servant of the living {209} God, is thy God, whom thou servest
continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?"
Then said Daniel unto the king, "O king, live for ever. My God hath
sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not
hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also
before thee, O king, have I done no harm."
Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take
Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and
no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his
God. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had
accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their
children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and
broke all their bones in pieces, before they came at the bottom of the
den.
Then King Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth; "Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a
decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear
before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast for
ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his
dominion shall be even unto the end: he delivereth and rescueth, and
he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth; who hath
delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of
Cyrus the Persian.
{210}
BABYLON
Pause in this desert! Here, men say, of old
Belshazzar reigned, and drank from cups of gold;
Here, to his hideous idols, bowed the slave,
And here--God struck him dead!
. . . . Where lies his grave?
'T is lost!--His brazen gates? his soaring towers,
From whose dark tops men watched the starry hours?
All to the dust gone down! The desert bare
Scarce yields an echo when we question "Where?"
The lonely herdsman seeks in vain the spot;
And the black wandering Arab knows it not.
No brick, no fragment, lingers now, to tell
Where Babylon (mighty city!) rose--and fell!
O City, vast and old!
Where, where is thy grandeur fled?
The stream that around thee rolled
Still rolls in its ancient bed!
But where, oh, where art thou gone?
O Babylon! O Babylon!
The giant, when he dies,
Still leaveth his bones behind,
To shrink in the winter skies,
And whiten beneath the wind!
But where, oh, where art thou gone?
O Babylon! O Babylon!
Thou liv'st!--for thy name still glows,
A light in the desert skies;
As the fame of the hero grows
Thrice trebled because he dies!
But where, oh, where art thou gone?
O Babylon! O Babylon!
{211}
BELSHAZZAR
Belshazzar is king! Belshazzar is lord!
And a thousand dark nobles all bend at his board:
Fruits glisten, flowers blossom, meats steam, and a flood
Of the wine that man loveth runs redder than blood:
Wild dancers are there, and a riot of mirth,
And the beauty that maddens the passions of earth;
And the crowds all shout,
Till the vast roofs ring,--
"All praise to Belshazzar, Belshazzar the king!"
"Bring forth," cries the monarch, "the vessels of gold,
Which my father tore down from the temples of old;--
Bring forth, and we'll drink, while the trumpets are blown,
To the gods of bright silver, of gold, and of stone;
Bring forth!"--and before him the vessels all shine,
And he bows unto Baal, and he drinks the dark wine;
Whilst the trumpets bray,
And the cymbals ring,--
"Praise, praise to Belshazzar, Belshazzar the king!"
Now what cometh--look, look!--without menace, or call?
Who writes, with the lightning's bright hand, on the wall?
What pierceth the king, like the point of a dart?
What drives the bold blood from his cheek to his heart?
"Chaldeans! Magicians! the letters expound!"
They are read,--and Belshazzar is dead on the ground!
Hark!--the Persian is come
On a conqueror's wing;
And a Mede's on the throne of Belshazzar the king!
--_Barry Cornwall_.
{212}
NEHEMIAH.
THE STORY OF THE BRAVE MAN WHO PREFERRED HARDSHIPS IN HIS NATIVE LAND,
TO PLEASURE AND PLENTY IN THE KING'S PALACE.
(Nehemiah is one of the finest characters of which we are told in the
Old Testament. He was a true patriot, brave, patient, persevering,
fearing God, and not man. He had an important and profitable position
in the royal court, but when he heard how his countrymen were
suffering, how the walls of the city of his fathers were in ruins, he
did not hesitate, but gaining the permission of the king, he set out
to serve his country in its sore distress. How he heard of the need of
the city, how he went to its relief, and how the people under his
splendid leadership took courage and rebuilt the walls, he himself has
told in these words:)--
_The Need and the Man_.
"Now it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I
was in Shushan the palace, that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he
and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews
that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning
Jerusalem. And they said unto me, 'The remnant that are left of the
captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach:
the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are
burned with fire.'
"And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that {213} I sat down
and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the
God of heaven, and said, 'I beseech thee, O Lord, the God of heaven,
the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy with them
that love him and keep his commandments: let thine ear now be
attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hearken unto the
prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee at this time, day and
night, for the children of Israel thy servants, while I confess the
sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee:
yea, I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly
against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes,
nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. Remember,
I beseech thee, the words that thou commandedst thy servant Moses,
saying, If ye trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples:
but if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments and do them, though
your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I
gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I
have chosen to cause my name to dwell there. Now these are thy
servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power,
and by thy strong hand. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be
attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy
servants, who delight to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy
servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.' (Now
I was cupbearer to the king.)
{214}
"And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of
Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the
wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in
his presence. And the king said to me, 'Why is thy countenance sad,
seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart.'
"Then I was very sore afraid. And I said to the king, 'Let the king
live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city,
the place of my fathers' sepulchers, lieth waste, and the gates
thereof are consumed with fire?'
"Then the king said unto me, 'For what dost thou make request?' So I
prayed to the God of heaven.
"And I said unto the king, 'If it please the king, and if thy servant
have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah,
unto the city of my fathers' sepulchers, that I may build it.'
"And the king said to me (the queen also sitting by him), 'For how
long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return?'
"So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. Moreover I
said to the king, 'If it please the king, let letters be given me to
the governors beyond the river, that they may let me pass through till
I come unto Judah; and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's
forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the
castle which appertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city,
and for the house that I shall enter into.'
"And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon
me. Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the
king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and
horsemen.
{215}{216}
[Illustration]
OUTSIDE EAST WALL OF JERUSALEM, GOLDEN GATE AT LEFT
This is on the east side of the city and overlooking it. There were
many gates in the wall of Jerusalem to allow the coming and going of
trade. Some were used for special branches of trade, which would
center there in booths for the merchants. Some of the gates in
ancient times were, "The Fish Gate," "The Horse Gate," "The Sheep
Gate," "The Gate of Potsherds," "The Gate of the Spring," "The Water
Gate," "The Gate of the Guard."
[End illustration]
{217}
"And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the
Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, because there was
come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. So I came to
Jerusalem, and was there three days."
_The Right Man in the Right Place_.
"And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I
any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem: neither was
there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went
out by night by the valley gate, even toward the dragon's well, and to
the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken
down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. Then I went on to
the fountain gate and to the king's pool: but there was no place for
the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by
the brook, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the
valley gate, and so returned. And the rulers knew not whither I went,
or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the
priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that
did the work. Then said I to them, 'Ye see the evil fortune that we
are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned
with fire: come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be
no more a reproach.'
{218}
"And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also
of the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, 'Let us
rise up and build.'
"So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when
Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and
Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised
us, and said, 'What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against
the king?'
"Then answered I them, and said unto them, 'The God of heaven, he will
prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye
have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.'"
_Enemies Threaten_.
"But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we builded the
wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
And he spoke, before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said,
'What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they
sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones
out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?'
"Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, 'Even that which
they build, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall.'
"Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach
upon their own head, and give them up to spoiling in a land of
captivity: and cover not their iniquity, {219} and let not their sin
be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger
before the builders.
"So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto
half the height thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
"But it came to pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the
Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the
repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the
breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth; and they
conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem,
and to cause confusion therein. But we made our prayer unto our God,
and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. And Judah
said, 'The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is
much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.'
"And our adversaries said, 'They shall not know, neither see, till we
come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to
cease.'
"And it came to pass that, when the Jews which dwell by them came,
they said unto us ten times from all places, 'Ye must return unto
us.'"
_Watchful and Ready_.
"Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in
the open places, I even set the people after their families with their
swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and
said to the nobles, {220} and to the rulers, and to the rest of the
people, 'Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and
terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters,
your wives and your houses.'
"And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto
us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all
of us to the wall, everyone unto his work. And it came to pass from
that time forth, that half of my servants wrought in the work, and
half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats
of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They that
builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves, everyone
with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his
weapon; and the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side,
and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
"And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the
people, 'The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the
wall, one far from another: in what place soever ye hear the sound of
the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us; our God shall fight for us.'
"So we wrought in the work: and half of them held the spears from the
rising of the morning till the stars appeared. Likewise at the same time
said I unto the people, 'Let everyone with his servant lodge within
Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in
the day.'
"So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the {221} men of
the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, everyone
went with his weapon to the water."
_Statesman as Well as Soldier_.
"Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against
their brethren the Jews. For there were that said, 'We, our sons and
our daughters, are many: let us get corn, that we may eat and live.'
Some also there were that said, 'We are mortgaging our fields, and our
vineyards, and our houses: let us get corn, because of the dearth.'
"There were also that said, 'We have borrowed money for the king's
tribute upon our fields and our vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the
flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we
bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some
of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in
our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our
vineyards.'
"And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. Then I
consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers,
and said unto them, 'Ye exact usury, everyone of his brother.'
"And I held a great assembly against them. And I said to them, 'We
after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold
unto the heathen; and would ye even sell your brethren, and should
they be sold unto us?'
{222}
"Then held they their peace, and found never a word. Also I said, 'The
thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our
God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? And I
likewise, my brethren and my servants, do lend them money and corn on
usury. I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you,
to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their
oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money,
and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.'
"Then said they, 'We will restore them, and will require nothing of
them; so will we do, even as thou sayest.'
"Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should
do according to this promise. Also I shook out my lap, and said, 'So
God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that
performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied.'
And all the congregation said, 'Amen,' and praised the Lord.
"And the people did according to this promise. Moreover from the time
that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from
the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes
the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the
bread of the governor. But the former governors that were before me
were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine,
beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bore rule
over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
{223}{224}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, A PART OF THE WALL AND THE MOSQUE OF OMAR.
Jerusalem, like all ancient cities, was protected by walls. The
first of these walls was built by David and Solomon and the later
kings. This wall was broken down and overthrown when the people of
the city were carried into captivity, and was rebuilt again by
Nehemiah. In the time of Josephus, three walls encircled the city,
the oldest being the ancient wall and the others additions
necessitated by the enlargement of the boundaries. Parts of these
walls have been traced, and some portions still exist. These
existing portions are in places 150 feet high, and the ancient
towers at the corners were probably 250 feet high. They were built
of immense stones very solidly put together to resist the attack of
battering rams in times of war.
[End illustration]
{225}
Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any
land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
Moreover there were at my table of the Jews and the rulers an hundred
and fifty men, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen
that were round about us. Now that which was prepared for one day was
one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once
in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I demanded
not the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this
people. Remember unto me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for
this people."
_In Spite of Foes, the Walls Are Built_.
"Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah,
and to Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our enemies, that I
had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein
(though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates);
that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, 'Come, let us meet
together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.'
"But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers to them,
saying, 'I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why
should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?'
"And they sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them
after the same manner. Then sent Sanballat his servant to me in like
manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; wherein was
written, 'It is {226} reported among the nations, and Gashmu saith it,
that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou buildest
the wall: and thou wouldest be their king, according to these words.
And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem,
saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the
king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take
counsel together.'
"Then I sent to him, saying, 'There are no such things done as thou
sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.'
"For they all would have made us afraid, saying, 'Their hands shall be
weakened from the work, that it be not done.' But now, O God,
strengthen thou my hands.
"And I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of
Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, 'Let us meet together in the
house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the
temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they
come to slay thee.'
"And I said, 'Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that,
being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not
go in.'
"And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him: but he pronounced
this prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For
this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin,
and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might
reproach me. Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat {227} according
to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of
the prophets that would have put me in fear.
"So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month
Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, when all our enemies
heard thereof, that all the heathen that were about us feared, and
were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this
work was wrought of our God."
_The People Celebrate the Great Event_.
"And when the seventh month was come, the children of Israel were in
their cities. And all the people gathered themselves together as one
man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they
spoke unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses,
which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought
the law before the congregation, both men and women, and all that
could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh
month. And he read therein before the broad place that was before the
water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men
and the women, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all
the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the
scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the
purpose.
"And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was
above all the people); and when he {228} opened it, all the people
stood up: and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people
answered, 'Amen, Amen,' with the lifting up of their hands: and they
bowed their heads, and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the
ground. And the Levites caused the people to understand the law: and
the people stood in their place. And they read in the book, in the law
of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood
the reading. And Nehemiah, which was the Tirshatha, and Ezra the
priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said to all
the people, 'This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor
weep.' For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
"Then he said unto them, 'Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the
sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared: for
this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of
the Lord is your strength.'
"So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, 'Hold your peace, for
the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.' "And all the people went
their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make
great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared
to them.
"And on the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers'
houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the
scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law. And they found
written in the law, how the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the
children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh
month: and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities,
and in Jerusalem, saying, 'Go forth to the mount, and fetch olive
branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm
branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is
written.'
{229}{230}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM
This view shows the city from the Mount of Olives. The present wall
surrounding the city can be plainly seen. Very differently it
looked when Nehemiah saw it, with broken walls and ruined houses,
swept by the fierce tides of war. The modern city of Jerusalem,
connected with the coast by a railroad, is growing very rapidly in
size and importance
[End illustration]
{231}
"So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves
booths, everyone upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and
in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water
gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. And all the
congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made
booths, and dwelt in the booths: for since the days of Joshua the son
of Nun until that day had not the children of Israel done so. And
there was very great gladness.
"Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the
book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the
eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the ordinance."
_The Vows of the People and the Dedication Ceremonies_.
"The people entered into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was
given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the
commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes.
"And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the
Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep
the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with
singing, with cymbals, psalteries, {232} and with harps. And the sons
of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain
round about Jerusalem, and from the villages. Then I brought up the
princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies that
gave thanks and went in procession; with the musical instruments of
David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them: and by the
fountain gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of
the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of
David, even unto the water gate eastward. And the other company of
them that gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the
half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces,
even unto the broad wall.
"So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of
God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me: and the priests with
trumpets. And the singers sang loud. And they offered great sacrifices
that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy;
and the women also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of
Jerusalem was heard even afar off."
_How Nehemiah Enforced the Law_.
(After the walls were built, and the city brought into a state of law
and order, Nehemiah went back to his post in the Persian court. After
he went away, trouble arose. The people began to disobey the laws.
Nehemiah knew that law abiding people are as necessary to national
greatness as stout walls and great armies, so he came back, and
enforced the laws with a strong {233} hand. How he made the people
keep the Sabbath, he tells as follows:)--
"In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the
Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses therewith; as also
wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought
into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the
day wherein they sold victuals.
"There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought in fish, and all
manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah and
in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to
them, 'What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath
day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this
evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel
by profaning the Sabbath.'
"And it came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be
dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut,
and commanded that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath:
and some of my servants set I over the gates, that there should no
burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers
of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
"Then I testified against them, and said to them, 'Why lodge ye about
the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you.'
"From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath. And I
commanded the Levites that they should {234} purify themselves, and
that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day.
"Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the
greatness of thy mercy."
(The story of Nehemiah's life, told by himself, breaks off abruptly,
but we know that he lived and died in high honor. Josephus, the Jewish
historian, says of him, "He was a man of good and righteous character,
and very ambitious to make his nation happy; and he hath left the
walls of Jerusalem as an eternal monument of himself.")
{235}
THE STORY OF A DIVIDED KINGDOM
{236}
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
SAUL, 1037 B. C. 20 years
DAVID, 40 years
SOLOMON, 40 years
JUDAH 937 B. C. ISRAEL
King Length of Reign King Length of Reign Prophet
REHOBOAM, 17 years JEROBOAM, 22 years
ABIJAH, 3 years
ASA, 41 years
NADAB, 2 years
BAASHA, 24 years
ELAH, 2 years
ZIMRI, 7 days
OMRI, 12 years
AHAB, 22 years ELIJAH
JEHOSHAPHAT, 25 years
AHAZIAH, 2 years
JORAM, 11 years
JEHORAM, 8 years
AHAZIAH, 1 year
ATHALIAH, 7 years JEHU, 28 years ELISHA
JOASH, 40 years
JEHOAHAZ, 17 years
JOASH, 16 years
AMAZIAH, 29 years
UZZIAH, 52 years JEROBOAM II., 41 years AMOS
ZECHARIAH, 6 months
SHALLUM, 1 month
MENAHEM, 10 years
JOTHAM, 16 years HOSEA
AHAZ, 16 years PEKAHIAH, 2 years
PEKAH, 20 years
HOSHEA, 9 years
HEZEKIAH, 29 years CAPTIVITY. 721 B. C. ISAIAH
MANASSEH, 55 years MICAH
AMON, 2 years
JOSIAH, 31 years
JEHOAHAZ, 3 months
JEHOIAKIM, 11 years
JEHOIACHIN, 3 months
FIRST CAPTIVITY. 597 B. C.
ZEDEKIAH (regent), 11 years
_Destruction of Jerusalem and_
SECOND CAPTIVITY. 586 B. C.
The dates given in this table are only approximate. It is impossible
to give the exact dates of many of the events in Bible history. In
many cases no date is given in the Bible itself, and many times the
date is in round numbers or is obscure. Accuracy in the matter of
dates was not thought to be so necessary in those days as it is now.
{237}
THE KINGDOM OF THE SOUTH.
REHOBOAM.
_How a Foolish Young King Lost the Best Part of His Kingdom_.
(Under the great King Solomon, the kingdom of Israel rose to the
zenith of its power and glory. Its territory stretched from sea to
sea, its commerce was world-wide. Jerusalem with its great temple and
its luxurious palaces became a magnificent city. But even during the
reign of Solomon there began to be mutterings of discontent. Solomon
was a great king, but his very magnificence laid heavy burdens upon
the people. Taxes must be raised, very burdensome taxes, and a great
number of servants and slaves must be kept. Solomon was strong enough
to prevent an open rebellion in his own day, but as soon as he died
the smoldering fire burst into flame. His son Rehoboam was an arrogant
and very foolish young man. The people petitioned for a redress of
their grievances and a lightening of their burdens. The elders whom
the king consulted advised him to listen to these reasonable requests.
But he gave heed instead to the advice of young men as willful and as
inexperienced as himself, and replied that he would lay heavier
burdens yet upon the people.
Then the old cry of protest, "To your tents, O Israel," was raised.
The people of the North seceded, and under the leadership of a man
named Jeroboam, set up a kingdom of their own. This division became
permanent, and was the source of endless war. Even in the time of
Christ, the Samaritans, who were the {238} descendants of the people
of the old Northern kingdom, and the people of the South hated each
other, and had no dealings with each other.)
After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel
were come to Shechem to make him king. And Jeroboam and all the
assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, "Thy father
made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service
of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and
we will serve thee." And he said unto them, "Go away for three days,
then come again to me." And the people departed.
And King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before
Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, "What counsel give ye
me to return answer to this people?" And they spoke to him, saying,
"If thou wilt be a servant to this people this day, and wilt serve
them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be
thy servants for ever."
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him,
and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that
stood before him. And he said unto them, "What counsel give ye, that
we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying,
'Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter'?"
And the young men that were grown up with him spoke to him, saying,
"Thus shalt thou say to this people that spoke to thee, saying, 'Thy
father made our yoke heavy, {239} but make thou it lighter unto us';
thus shalt thou speak unto them, 'My little finger is thicker than my
father's loins. And now whereas my father did load you with a heavy
yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but
I will chastise you with scorpions.'"
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the
king bade, saying, "Come to me again the third day." And the king
answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men
which they had given him; and spoke to them after the counsel of the
young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to
your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you
with scorpions."
So the king hearkened not unto the people. And when all Israel saw
that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king,
saying, "What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in
the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house,
David." So Israel departed unto their tents.
But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah,
Rehoboam reigned over them. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was
the taxgatherer; and all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam
made haste to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. So
Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto this day. And it came
to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they
sent and called him unto the assembly, and made him king over all
Israel: {240} there was none that followed the house of David, but the
tribe of Judah only.
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of
Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand
chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel,
to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. But the
word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, "Speak unto
Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of
Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, 'Thus saith
the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the
children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is
of me.'"
So they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and returned and went their
way, according to the word of the Lord.
And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty
and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen
years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the
tribes of Israel. And Judah did that which was evil in the sight of
the Lord; and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they
committed, above all that their fathers had done.
And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak
king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem: and he took away the
treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's
house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold
which Solomon {241} had made. And King Rehoboam made in their stead
shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of
the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. And it was so, that
as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard bore
them, and brought them back into the guard chamber. And there was war
between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. And Rehoboam died, and was
buried with his fathers in the city of David.
{242}
ABIJAH.
_How the Second King of Judah Won a Great Victory over Jeroboam_.
(For many years the two rival kings, Rehoboam and Jeroboam, fought
without either gaining a decided advantage, but Rehoboam died and his
favorite son, Abijah, came to the throne, who enlisted a great army
and fought a decisive battle with the older king, overwhelming him in
battle and taking away several cities.)
And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the
prince among his brethren: for he intended to make him king. And he
dealt wisely, and scattered all his sons throughout all the lands of
Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city.
In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over
Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Maacah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.
And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah joined
battle with an army of valiant men of war: and Jeroboam set the battle
in array against him with a great host of many thousands of those who
were mighty men of valor.
{243}{244}
[Illustration]
THE JEWS' WAILING PLACE, JERUSALEM.
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
The lower courses of great stones belonged to the ancient temple,
and the Jews gathered there every Friday afternoon to mourn over the
fall of their city. Some of these stones are 30 feet long, 8 feet
wide, and 3-1/2 feet high, weighing over 80 tons
[End illustration]
{245}
And Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country
of Ephraim, and said, "Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel; ought ye
not to know that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over
Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of
salt? Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of
David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord. And there were gathered
to him vain men, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son
of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not
withstand them. And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord
in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and
there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.
Have ye not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and
the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the peoples
of other lands? But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not
forsaken him; and we have priests ministering unto the Lord, the sons
of Aaron, and the Levites in their work: and they burn unto the Lord
every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense: the
showbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the
candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for
we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him. And,
behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets
of alarm to sound an alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye
not against the Lord, the God of your fathers; for ye shall not
prosper."
But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about {246} behind them: so
they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. And when
Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them: and
they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted,
it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah
and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God
delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them
with a great slaughter.
Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the
children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord, the
God of their fathers. And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took
cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the
towns thereof, and Ephron with the towns thereof.
{247}
ASA.
_A Good King of Judah. He Makes a League with Syria Against the
Northern Kingdom_.
(With the good king Asa came a time of prosperity to Judah. He
fortified the cities and destroyed the idols, and won a great victory
over the host of the Ethiopians. But he made one serious mistake. An
enterprising king named Baasha had come to the throne in the northern
kingdom, and he began to make advances against Judah. He built a fort
at Ramah in a position which commanded the roads to the south. Then
Asa in his fear made a league with the king of Syria. This was the
beginning of those entanglements and leagues with foreign nations
which finally brought disaster to both kingdoms.)
So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of
David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead: in his days the land was
quiet ten years.
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his
God: for he took away the strange altars, and the high places, and broke
down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim; and commanded Judah to
seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the
commandment. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high
places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. And he
built fenced cities in Judah: for the land was quiet, and he had no war
in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
{248}
For he said unto Judah, "Let us build these cities, and make about
them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us,
because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought him, and he
hath given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.
And Asa had an army of spearmen and bowmen many thousand, and all
these were mighty men of valor. And there came out against them Zerah
the Ethiopian with a mighty host; and he came unto Mareshah.
Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the
valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried unto the Lord his God,
and said, "Lord, there is none beside thee to help, between the mighty
and him that hath no strength: help us, O Lord our God; for we rely on
thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Lord, thou
art our God; let not man prevail against thee."
So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the
Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that were with him pursued
them unto Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they
could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord,
and before his host; and they carried away very much booty. And they
smote all the cities round about Gerar, for the fear of the Lord came
upon them: and they sacked all the cities; for there was much spoil in
them. They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep in
abundance and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
And the spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of {249} Oded: and he
went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, "Hear ye me, Asa, and all
Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if
ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will
forsake you. Now for long seasons Israel hath been without the true
God, and without a teaching priest, and without law: but when in their
distress they turned unto the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him,
he was found by them. And in those times there was no peace to him
that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon
all the inhabitants of the lands. And they were broken in pieces,
nation against nation, and city against city: for God did vex them
with all adversity. But be ye strong, and let not your hands be slack:
for your work shall be rewarded."
And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet,
he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of
Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the
hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed the altar of the Lord, that
was before the porch of the Lord. And he gathered all Judah and
Benjamin, and them that sojourned with them out of Ephraim and
Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they came to him out of Israel in
abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. So they
gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the
fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they sacrificed unto the Lord
in that day, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen
and seven {250} thousand sheep. And they entered into the covenant to
seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with
all their soul; and that whosoever would not seek the Lord, the God of
Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or
woman. And they swore unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with
shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their
heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found by
them: and the Lord gave them rest round about. And also Maacah the
mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she
had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her
image, and made dust of it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. But the
high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart
of Asa was perfect all his days. And he brought into the house of God
the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had
dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. And there was no more war
unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of
Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow
any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house
of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of
Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, "There is a league between me
and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I
have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king
of Israel, that he may depart from me."
{251}{252}
[Illustration]
LOOKING UP THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT, OR THE VALLEY
OF KIDRON, FROM THE SOUTH.
Jerusalem on the left, the foot of the Mount of Olives on the right.
The cultivated land immediately in front was perhaps the place of
"the king's gardens"
This valley, which separates the temple mount from the Mount of
Olives, was not known as the valley of Jehoshaphat in the Bible
(except in Joel 3:12, though probably another locality is there
intended), but it has always been so called in later days. Perhaps
it was given the name of the king because of the great victory he
won over the allied forces of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, in a
valley which is near the Kidron as it turns toward the Dead Sea.
[End illustration]
{253}
And Ben-hadad hearkened unto King Asa, and sent the captains of his
armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and
Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. And it came to pass,
when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and let
his work cease.
Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of
Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and he
built therewith Geba and Mizpah. And at that time Hanani the seer came
to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, "Because thou hast relied on
the king of Syria, and hast not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore
is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not
the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge host, with chariots and horsemen
exceeding many? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered
them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of
them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done
foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars."
Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in the prison house; for
he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed
some of the people the same time. And in the thirty and ninth year of
his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding
{254} great: yet in his disease he went not to the Lord, but to the
physicians.
And Asa died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. And they
buried him in his own sepulchers, which he had hewn out for himself in
the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet
odors and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art:
and they made a very great burning for him.
{255}
JEHOSHAPHAT.
_The Story of a Good King Who Feared God and Served the Nation Well_.
(Jehoshaphat was one of the wisest and best of the kings of Judah. He
increased the territory of the nation greatly. He conquered Edom so
that it was governed by a vassal king. By conquering this country he
gained a seaport, and it is interesting to note that he fitted out a
fleet of ships and attempted to revive the trade of Solomon for the
gold of Ophir. The ships, however, never reached their destination.
They were wrecked when starting on their first voyage, and he did not
have the courage to repeat the attempt. For the first time since the
reign of Solomon, there was peace between Judah and Israel. A treaty
was made between the two kings, and Jehoram, heir to the throne of
Judah, was married to Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab of Israel.
Through this alliance it was hoped no doubt to join the two kingdoms
and restore the lost glory of the past. The attempt ended in failure.
Athaliah was wicked, like all the race of Ahab and Jezebel, and
brought only disaster to Judah.)
And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa reigned in his stead, and strengthened
himself against Israel. And he placed forces in all the fenced cities
of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of
Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken; and Jehoshaphat made peace
with the king of Israel. And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he
walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not the idols
of Baal; but sought the God of {256} his father, and walked in his
commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. Therefore the Lord
established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to
Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honor in abundance.
Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even
Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to
teach in the cities of Judah; and with them the Levites; and with them
Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. And they taught in Judah, having
the book of the law of the Lord with them; and they went about
throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people. And
the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were
round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. And
some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for
tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and
seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats.
And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles
and cities of store. And he had many works in the cities of Judah; and
men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.
(Jehoshaphat made a league with Ahab king of Israel and they fought
together a battle in which Ahab was struck by an arrow from an
archer's bow and was killed.)
But Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to
Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him,
and said to King Jehoshaphat, "Shouldest thou help the wicked, and
love them that hate the {257} Lord? for this thing wrath is upon thee
from before the Lord. Nevertheless there are good things found in
thee, in that thou hast put away the Asheroth out of the land, and
hast set thine heart to seek God."
And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again among the
people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought
them back unto the Lord, the God of their fathers. And he set judges
in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,
and said to the judges, "Consider what ye do: for ye judge not for
man, but for the Lord; and he is with you in the judgment. Now
therefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it:
for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of
persons, nor taking of gifts."
Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set the Levites and the priests,
and the heads of the fathers' houses of Israel, for the judgment of
the Lord, and for controversies, And they returned to Jerusalem. And
he charged them, saying, "Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord,
faithfully, and with a perfect heart. And whensoever any controversy
shall come to you from your brethren that dwell in their cities,
between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and
judgments, ye shall warn them, that they be not guilty towards the
Lord, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren: this do, and
ye shall not be guilty.
"And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of
the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, {258} the ruler of the
house of Judah, in all the king's matters: also the Levites shall be
officers before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord be with the
good."
And it came to pass after this, that the men of Moab, and the men of
Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat
to battle. Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat saying, "There
cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea from Syria."
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto the Lord; and he
proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves
together, to seek help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of
Judah they came to seek the Lord. And Jehoshaphat stood in the
congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before
the new court; and he said, "O Lord, the God of our fathers, art not
thou God in heaven? and art not thou ruler over all the kingdoms of
the nations? and in thine hand is power and might, so that none is
able to withstand thee. Didst not thou, O our God, drive out the
inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to
the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt therein, and
have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 'If evil
come upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will
stand before this house, and before thee (for thy name is in this
house), and cry unto thee in our affliction, and thou wilt hear and
save.'
{259}{260}
[Illustration]
TOMBS IN THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT.
Mount of Olives in the background.
In the valley of Jehoshaphat there are many ancient tombs, and there
are thousands of modern graves here also. The devout Jew earnestly
desires to be buried here, as he believes that Messiah will descend
on the Mount of Olives at the last day and pass through the valley
on the way to his throne in the city.
[End illustration]
{261}
And now, behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom thou
wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of
Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and destroyed them not;
behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession,
which thou hast given us to inherit. O our God, wilt thou not judge
them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh
against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee."
And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their
wives, and their children. Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah
came the spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation; and he
said, "Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and
thou King Jehoshaphat: thus saith the Lord unto you, 'Fear not ye,
neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle
is not yours, but God's. To-morrow go ye down against them: behold,
they come up by the ascent of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end
of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to
fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the
salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor
be dismayed: to-morrow go out against them; for the Lord is with
you.'"
And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord,
worshiping the Lord.
And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness
of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear
me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; believe in the Lord your
God, {262} so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall
ye prosper."
And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that
should sing unto the Lord, and praise the beauty of holiness, as they
went out before the army, and say, "Give thanks unto the Lord; for his
mercy endureth for ever."
And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set liers in wait
against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were come against
Judah; and they were smitten. For the men of Ammon and Moab stood up
against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy
them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir,
everyone helped to destroy another. And when Judah came to the
watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the multitude; and,
behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none
that escaped.
And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them,
they found among them in abundance both riches, and garments, and
precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than
they could carry away: and they were three days in taking of the
spoil, it was so much. And on the fourth day they assembled themselves
in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed the Lord: therefore
the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah, unto this
day.
{263}{264}
[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT FROM THE NORTH.
Road to Bethany over the Mount of Olives in the center.
This is a view of the valley from a different point of view. The
road to Bethany is in the center, and the old Jerusalem-Jericho
road passes the head of the valley. It was in this direction that
David fled from the city at the time of the revolt of Absalom.
[End illustration]
{265}
Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat
in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the
Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. And they came to
Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the
Lord. And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries,
when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. So
the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round
about.
And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old
when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in
Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and turned not aside from
it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. Howbeit the
high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set
their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
And there was no king in Edom: a deputy of Jehoshaphat was king.
Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they
went not; for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go
with thy servants in the ships." But Jehoshaphat would not. And
Jehoshaphat died and was buried with his fathers in the city of David
his father; and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
[Footnote: The story of a disastrous battle which Jehoshaphat
fought in company with Ahab as ally is told in connection with the
Story of Ahab.]
{266}
JEHORAM.
_The Evil Son of a Good Father_.
(Jehoram began his reign by murdering all his brothers, a not uncommon
custom in those bloody days. He was completely under the influence of
his wife Athaliah, daughter of that evil house of Ahab and Jezebel,
from which no good ever came. He lost the kingdom of Edom which his
fathers had won, and died at last a miserable death, no one wishing
him to live any longer.)
Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat reigned in his stead. And he had
brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah,
and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of
Jehoshaphat king of Israel. And their father gave them great gifts, of
silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in
Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the
firstborn. Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his
father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brethren with
the sword, and others also of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was
thirty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight
years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel,
as did the house of Ahab: for his wife was the daughter of Ahab: and
he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, {267} because
of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to
give a lamp to him and to his children alway. In his days Edom
revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over
themselves. Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his
chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites
which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots. So Edom
revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day: then did Libnah
revolt at the same time from under his hand: because he had forsaken
the Lord, the God of his fathers. Moreover he made high places in the
mountains of Judah, and led Judah astray. And there came a writing to
him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of
David thy father, 'Because thou hast not walked in the ways of
Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah; but hast
walked in the way of the kings of Israel; and also hast slain thy
brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:
behold, the Lord will smite with a great plague thy people, and thy
children, and thy wives, and all thy substance: and thou shalt have
great sickness.'"
And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines,
and of the Arabians which are beside the Ethiopians: and they came up
against Judah, and raided, and carried away all the substance that was
found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that
there was never a son left him, save Ahaziah, the youngest of his
sons. And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an
incurable disease. And he died of sore {268} diseases. And his people
made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. Thirty and
two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in
Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being desired; and they
buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers of the
kings.
{269}
AHAZIAH.
(Ahaziah, the youngest son of Jehoram, next came to the throne, for it
seems that a marauding band of Arabians had actually raided Jerusalem
and had slain the older children of the king. Ahaziah was a poor weak
king who ruled weakly, and was killed, while on a visit to the king of
Israel, by Jehu, the usurper of the throne.)
And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in
his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp
had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah
reigned. Twenty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign;
and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Athaliah the daughter of Ahab.
He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was
his counselor to do wickedly. And he did that which was evil in the
sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab: for they were his
counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. He
walked also after their counsel, and went with Joram the son of Ahab
king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead:
and the Syrians wounded Joram. And he returned to be healed in Jezreel
of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought
against Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Joram king of
Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, {270} because
he was sick. Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he
went unto Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Joram against
Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the
house of Ahab. And the fate of Joram overtook him also, for he was
slain by the hand of Jehu.
And the house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom.
{271}
ATHALIAH.
_How a Queen Reigned in Judah and How Jehoiada the Priest Conspired
Against Her_.
(In addition to her share of downright wickedness, Athaliah possessed
the fierce tiger-like courage and ferocity of the race of Ahab. When
she heard that her son was dead she determined immediately to murder
all her unfortunate little grandchildren! She was a lovely
grandmother, indeed! She carried out her determination, and killed all
but one, whom she failed to find. Perhaps since she was so busy she
did not miss the little fellow! At any rate his good aunt Jehosheba
took little baby Joash and hid him and his nurse in a bedchamber. He
was kept concealed for six years, while the ugly old grandmother ruled
the nation with a rod of iron, and did all the bad and abominable
things she could think of. But by and by a priest named Jehoiada
thought a change would be most desirable. So he conspired against her.
He took the guard secretly into the palace and showed them little
Joash, who was now seven years old, and told them that he was their
true king, and they all swore allegiance to him. Then, next Sabbath
while the people were at worship, the guard surrounded the city with
the old weapons in their hands which had been King David's, and which
they had found hidden in the house of the Lord. And the priest brought
out little Joash and put a crown on his head, and all the people and
the soldiers clapped their hands and shouted, "God save the king!" And
the wicked old queen was there, angry enough, you may be sure, and she
tore her garments, and shouted shrilly, "Treason! Treason!" But the
soldiers only drove her to her palace, and there they killed her, and
that was the end of the evil woman, and nobody cared when she died.)
{272}
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she
arose and destroyed all the sons of the king.
But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took
Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's
sons that were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the
bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years: and
Athaliah reigned over the land.
And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over
hundreds, and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of
the Lord; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them
in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king's son.
And he commanded them, saying, "This is the thing that ye shall do: a
third part of you, that come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of
the watch of the king's house; and a third part shall be at the gate
Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep
the watch of the house, and be a barrier. And the two companies of
you, even all that go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of
the house of the Lord about the king. And ye shall compass the king
round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that
cometh within the ranks, let him be slain: and be ye with the king
when he goeth out, and when he cometh in."
{273}{274}
[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF THE KIDRON, LOOKING FROM JERUSALEM INTO THE WILDERNESS
OF JUDEA. ON THE LEFT IS THE VILLAGE OF SILOAM.
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
This is a very different view of the valley of the Kidron or the
valley of Jehoshaphat from those previously shown. The village of
Siloam, at the base of the Mount of Olives, is on the left and
Jerusalem is out of view on the right. There is now no water in the
ravine except in a very rainy season, but no doubt there was a
stream in ancient times. There is a spring which rises in the
valley, and which perhaps once flowed through it, but was diverted
to flow through the remarkable tunnel, built probably by Hezekiah,
through the ridge of the southern part of the temple hill. A very
ancient inscription found at the mouth of the tunnel in 1880
confirms this view.
[End illustration]
{275}
And the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the
priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to
come in on the Sabbath, with those that were to go out on the Sabbath,
and came to Jehoiada the priest. And the priest delivered to the
captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been King
David's, which were in the house of the Lord.
And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the
right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the
altar and the house, by the king round about.
Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and
gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and
they clapped their hands, and said, "God save the king!"
And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she
came to the people into the house of the Lord: and she looked, and,
behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the manner was, and the
captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land
rejoiced, and blew with trumpets.
Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, "Treason, treason!"
And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds that were
set over the host, and said unto them, "Take her forth between the
ranks; and him that followeth her slay with the sword" (for the priest
said, "Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord").
So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses' entry
to the king's house: and there was she slain.
{276}
And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the
people, that they should be the Lord's people; between the king also
and the people.
And all the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it
down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces thoroughly, and
slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest
appointed officers over the house of the Lord. And he took the
captains over hundreds, and the guard, and all the people of the land;
and they brought down the king from the house of the Lord, and came by
the way of the gate of the guard unto the king's house. And he sat on
the throne of the kings. So all the people of the land rejoiced, and
the city was quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword at the
king's house.
{277}
JOASH.
_A King Who Failed to Continue in Well-Doing_.
(For a while Joash was a very good king, but at last the wise priest
Jehoiada, who had made him king, died. As soon as this restraint was
removed Joash listened to the counsel of wild young princes, and so
far forgot the debt of gratitude he owed to Jehoiada that he killed
the son of the priest when he also reproved him for his evil deeds. In
the latter part of his reign, disasters came thick and fast. The
Syrians came down and swept Judah with fire and sword. They did not
kill Joash, but they left him at the end of his long reign of forty
years, a helpless sufferer from disease. Then the very servants of his
household conspired against him and murdered him in his bed.)
Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty
years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
And Joash did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the
days of Jehoiada the priest.
And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to restore the
house of the Lord. And he gathered together the priests and the
Levites, and said to them, "Go out unto the cities of Judah, and
gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year
to year, and see that ye hasten the matter." Howbeit the Levites
hastened it not.
And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said {278} unto him,
"Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah
and out of Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of
the congregation of Israel, for the tent of the testimony?" For the
sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God;
and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they
bestow upon the idols of Baal.
So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it without at
the gate of the house of the Lord. And they made a proclamation
through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for the Lord the tax that
Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness. And all
the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into
the chest, until they had made an end. And it was so, that at what
time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the
Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's
scribe and the chief priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and
took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day,
and gathered money in abundance.
And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the
service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters
to restore the house of the Lord, and also such as wrought iron and
brass to repair the house of the Lord. So the workmen wrought, and the
work was perfected by them, and they set up the house of God in its
state, and strengthened it. And when they had made an end, they
brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof
were made vessels for the {279} house of the Lord, even vessels to
minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and
silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord
continually all the days of Jehoiada.
But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; an hundred
and thirty years old was he when he died.
And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he
had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.
Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made
obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. And they
forsook the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served
the Asherim and the idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for
this their guiltiness. Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them
again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would
not give ear. And the spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of
Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said unto
them, "Thus saith God, 'Why transgress ye the commandments of the
Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he
hath also forsaken you.'"
And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the
commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord. Thus
Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father
had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, "The
Lord look upon it, and require it."
And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the {280} army of the
Syrians came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and
destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and
sent all the spoil of them to the king of Damascus. For the army of
the Syrians came with a small company of men; and the Lord delivered a
very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord,
the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment upon Joash.
And when they were departed from him (for they left him in great
diseases), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the
sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and
they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the
sepulchers of the kings. And these are they that conspired against
him; Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son
of Shimrith the Moabitess. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
{281}
AMAZIAH.
_A King of Judah Who Was Conquered by a King of Israel_.
(The reign of Amaziah began with victory. He defeated the old foes of
Judah, the Edomites, in a great battle. He was so filled with foolish
pride at this success that he challenged the king of Israel to fight.
The king of Israel sent his refusal to this challenge in a very clever
little story of the cedar of Lebanon and the thistle. But Amaziah did
not heed the warning. Jehoash of Israel came down with his fighting
men and not only defeated the overconfident king but actually captured
Jerusalem and tore down a part of its walls.)
Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the eyes of
the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.
Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established unto him, that
he slew his servants which had killed the king his father. But he put
not their children to death, but did according to that which is
written in the law in the book of Moses, as the Lord commanded,
saying, "The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the
children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own
sin."
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according
to their fathers' houses, under {282} captains of thousands and
captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered
them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred
thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear
and shield. He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valor,
mercenaries, out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.
But there came a man of God to him, saying, "O king, let not the army
of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel. But if thou
wilt go, do valiantly, be strong for the battle: God shall cast thee
down before the enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down."
And Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do for the
hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?"
And the man of God answered, "The Lord is able to give thee much more
than this."
Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out
of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly
kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.
And Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the
Valley of Salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand. And
other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and
brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top
of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces. But the men of
the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to
battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto
Beth-horon, and smote of them three thousand, and took much spoil.
{283}{284}
[Illustration]
TOMBS OF THE KINGS, NORTH OF JERUSALEM.
From a photograph in the possession of Rev. Louis F. Giroux of the
American International College, Springfield, Mass., and used by his
kind permission.
The Tombs of the Kings, so called, are hewn out of the solid rock.
[End illustration]
{285}
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of
the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and
set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and
burned incense unto them. Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled
against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him,
"Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which have not
delivered their own people out of thine hand?"
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto
him, "Have we made thee of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest
thou be smitten?"
Then the prophet forebore, and said, "I know that God hath determined
to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened
unto my counsel."
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of
Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us look
one another in the face in battle."
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The
thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon,
saying, 'Give thy daughter to my son to wife': and there passed by a
wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
"Thou sayest, 'Lo, I have smitten Edom'; and thine heart lifteth thee
up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt,
that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?"
{286}
But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that he might deliver
them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the
gods of Edom. So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king
of Judah looked one another in the face in battle at Beth-shemesh,
which belongeth to Judah.
And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man
to his tent.
And Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash
the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and
broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the
corner gate, four hundred cubits. And he took all the gold and silver,
and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with
Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also,
and returned to Samaria.
And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of
Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
Now from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the Lord
they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to
Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. And
they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the
city of Judah.
{287}
UZZIAH.
_A King Who Ruled Wisely and Vigorously, But Who Was
Punished Because of Irreverence_.
(After the vainglorious Amaziah came Uzziah, a strong and vigorous
king. He encouraged agriculture, he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and
fortified the city in a stronger way. He dug cisterns to water the
herds, and had many vineyards and orchards. He was successful in his
wars and extended his territory to the west, conquering several
Philistine towns. But the story goes on to say that he became so proud
of his success and his strength that he attempted to usurp the work of
the priests. While he was offering incense in the temple, which he had
no right to do, he suddenly became a leper. After that he was forced
to live in a house apart by himself while his son acted as regent for
him until he died.)
And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old,
and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. He built Elath, and
restored it to Judah, after the king died. Sixteen years old was
Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and two years in
Jerusalem: and his mother's name name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. And
he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all
that his father Amaziah had done.
And he set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had
understanding in the vision of God: and as long {288} as he sought the
Lord, God made him to prosper. And he went forth and warred against
the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of
Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of
Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians
that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Meunim. And the Ammonites gave gifts
to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to Egypt, for he grew
exceeding strong.
Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at
the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns,
for he had much cattle; in the lowland also, and in the plain: and he
had husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful
fields; for he loved husbandry.
Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, that went out to war by
bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the
scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of
the king's captains. The whole number of the heads of fathers' houses,
even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred. And
under their hand was a trained army, three hundred thousand and seven
thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help
the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all
the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and
bows, and stones for slinging. And he made in Jerusalem engines,
invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements,
to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for
he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.
{289}{290}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, FROM THE WEST, LOOKING OVER THE POOL IN THE HEAD OF THE
VALLEY OF HINNOM.
The Jaffa Gate is in the wall a little to the right of the center of
the picture. The road in the center is the highway from Jaffa to
Jerusalem. The pool in the center is surrounded by Mohammedan
graves. The beginning of the road to Bethlehem runs from the Jaffa
Gate toward the left, at the base of the wall. The high buildings
towering over this road are the Tower of David, on the site of a
very ancient fortress. A garrison of Turkish soldiers is still kept
there.
[End illustration]
{291}
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up so that he did
corruptly, and he trespassed against the Lord his God; for he went
into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore
priests of the Lord, that were valiant men: and they withstood Uzziah
the king, and said unto him, "It belongeth not unto thee, Uzziah, to
burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that
are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou
hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord
God."
Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn
incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke
forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord,
beside the altar of incense. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the
priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead,
and they thrust him out quickly from thence. He himself hastened also
to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.
And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt
in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house
of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, ruling the
people of the land. So Uzziah died; and they buried him with his
fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings; for they
said, "He is a leper": and Jotham his son reigned.
{292}
JOTHAM.
(Jotham reigned, it is said, sixteen years, but for all but two years
he was regent in place of his father who could not occupy the throne
because of his leprosy. On the whole his reign was good and he was
successful in his undertakings.)
Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jerushah
the daughter of Zadok. And he did that which was right in the eyes of
the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done: howbeit he
entered not into the temple of the Lord. And the people did yet
corruptly.
He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord, and on the wall of
Ophel he built much. Moreover he built cities in the hill country of
Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. He fought also
with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them.
And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of
silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of
barley. So much did the children of Ammon render unto him, in the
second year also, and in the third.
So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord
his God. He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And Jotham died, and they buried
him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
{293}
AHAZ.
(With Ahaz came a period of disaster for Judah. He was a thoroughly
depraved character; weak, vacillating, yet obstinate and perverse. He
accepted the old idol worship in all its hideous forms, even
sacrificing his own children, it is said, to the awful god of fire,
Moloch. During his reign the land was swept by waves of invasion, and
many people were killed or carried off captive to Damascus and
Samaria. He tried to make an alliance with Assyria, but this resulted
in his practically becoming a vassal king. He paid a great tribute and
stripped the temple bare of its ornamentation and its precious vessels
to satisfy the demand.)
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the
eyes of the Lord, like David his father: but he walked in the ways of
the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baal. Moreover he
burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his
children in the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen,
whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. And he
sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and
under every green tree.
Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of
Syria; and they smote him, and carried away of his a great multitude
of captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered
into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great
slaughter.
For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an {294} hundred and
twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had
forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. And Zichri, a mighty man
of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the ruler of the
house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two
hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much
spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded: and he went
out to meet the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them,
"Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was wroth with
Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them
in a rage which hath reached up unto heaven. And now ye purpose to
keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and
bondwomen unto you: but are there not even with you trespasses of your
own against the Lord your God? Now hear me therefore, and send back
the captives, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the
fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you."
Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son
of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son
of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that
came from the war, and said unto them, "Ye shall not bring in the
captives hither: for ye purpose that which will bring upon us a
trespass against the Lord, to add unto our sins and to our trespass:
for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel."
{295}
So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes
and all the congregation. And the men who have been named rose up, and
took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked
among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and
to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon
asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto their
brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
At that time did King Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away
captives. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland,
and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon,
and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns thereof, and Timnah with the
towns thereof, Gimzo also and the towns thereof: and they dwelt there.
For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he
had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed sore against the Lord. And
Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but
strengthened him not.
For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of
the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of
Assyria: but it helped him not. And in the time of his distress did he
trespass yet more against the Lord, this same King Ahaz. For he
sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus. And King Ahaz went to Damascus
to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at
Damascus: and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the
altar, and the {296} pattern of it, according to all the workmanship
thereof. And Urijah the priest built an altar: according to all that
King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so did Urijah the priest make it
against King Ahaz came from Damascus. And when the king was come from
Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king drew near unto the
altar, and offered thereon.
And he burnt his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured his
drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon
the altar. And the brazen altar, which was before the Lord, he brought
from the forefront of the house, from between his altar and the house
of the Lord, and put it on the north side of his altar.
And King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, "Upon the great
altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meal offering,
and the king's burnt offering, and his meal offering, with the burnt
offering of all the people of the land, and their meal offering, and
their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt
offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: but the brazen altar
shall be for me to inquire by."
Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that King Ahaz commanded.
And King Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver
from off them; and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that
were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stone. And the covered
way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's
entry without, turned he unto the house of the Lord, because of the
king of Assyria.
{297}{298}
[Illustration]
THE POOL OF HEZEKIAH IN JERUSALEM
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass.,
and used by special permission
In the East where the water supply is scanty, pools or reservoirs
are made with cement floors to retain water, supplied by surface
drainage, by springs, or by conduits conducting the water from a
considerable distance. The water supply for Jerusalem comes from
reservoirs near Bethlehem, called the "pools of Solomon." The
picture shows a pool, now surrounded by houses, in Jerusalem, which
is connected by tradition with the name of the great king Hezekiah.
This energetic and able ruler certainly built a number of reservoirs
so that the city might have water in case of siege. The underground
aqueduct, 1,708 feet long, a wonderful piece of ancient engineering
skill, leading from Gihon to the upper pool of Siloam, is thought by
many to have been his work
[End illustration]
{299}
HEZEKIAH.
(One of the best and most famous of all the kings of Judah was
Hezekiah. He instituted great reforms and overthrew idol worship of
all kinds. He even destroyed the brazen serpent made by Moses, which
had become an object of worship. He was successful in his campaigns
against the Philistines. He fortified Jerusalem as it had been done
before. He was a lover of music and literature, and is said to have
written many hymns. The greatest event of his reign was the successful
defense of Jerusalem against the hordes of Sennacherib.)
Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old; and he
reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was
Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. And he did that which was right in
the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his father had done.
He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the
doors of the house of Jehovah, and repaired them.
And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them
together into the broad place on the east, and said unto them, "Hear
me, ye Levites; now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of
Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out
of the holy place. For our fathers have trespassed, and done that
which was evil in the sight of Jehovah our God, and have forsaken him,
and have turned away their faces from {300} the habitation of Jehovah,
and turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors of the porch,
and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt
offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. Wherefore the
wrath of Jehovah was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered
them to be tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and an hissing,
as ye see with your eyes. For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the
sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity
for this. Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the
God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us. My sons,
be not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before
him, to minister unto him, and that ye should be his ministers, and
burn incense."
Then the Levites arose, and they gathered their brethren, and
sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of
the king by the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord.
And the priests went in unto the inner part of the house of the Lord,
to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in
the temple of the Lord into the court of the house of the Lord. And
the Levites took it, to carry it out to the brook Kidron. Now they
began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the
eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the Lord; and they
sanctified the house of the Lord in eight days: and on the sixteenth
day of the first month they made an end.
Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace, and said,
"We have cleansed all the house of the {301} Lord, and the altar of
burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the table of
showbread, with all the vessels thereof. Moreover all the vessels,
which King Ahaz in his reign did cast away when he trespassed, have we
prepared and sanctified; and, behold, they are before the altar of the
Lord."
Then Hezekiah the king arose early, and gathered the princes of the
city, and went up to the house of the Lord. And they brought seven
bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a
sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And
he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar
of the Lord. So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the
blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: and they killed the rams, and
sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and
sprinkled the blood upon the altar.
And they brought near the he-goats for the sin offering before the
king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: and
the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood
upon the altar, to make atonement for all Israel: for the king
commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made
for all Israel. And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with
cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment
of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for the
commandment was of the Lord by his prophets.
And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, {302} and the
priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt
offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song
of the Lord began also, and the trumpets, together with the
instruments of David king of Israel. And all the congregation
worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this
continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had
made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him
bowed themselves and worshiped. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the
princes commanded the Levites to sing praises unto the Lord with the
words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with
gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Then Hezekiah answered and said, "Now ye have consecrated yourselves
unto the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into
the house of the Lord."
And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as
many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.
So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order. And Hezekiah
rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared
for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to
Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord
at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord, the God of Israel.
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
{303}{304}
[Illustration]
THE POOL OF SILOAM.
In connection with the "Pool of Siloam" a most interesting discovery
has been made. A tunnel hewn in the rock carries the water down the
west side of the Kidron Valley to a pool in the Tyropoeon, so that
it might be used by the people in the lower part of the city. In
June, 1880, an inscription was discovered near the mouth of this
tunnel which says that the work was carried on from both ends, that
the workmen met in the middle, and that the length was 1,200 cubits.
It is generally supposed that the tunnel was made during the reign
of King Hezekiah.
[End illustration]
{305}
For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not
sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people
gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. And the thing was right in
the eyes of the king and of all the congregation.
So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all
Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the
passover unto the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had
not kept it in great numbers in the way it is written. So the
messengers went with the letters from the king and his princes
throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of
the king, saying, "Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord,
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the
remnant that are escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of
Assyria. And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren,
which trespassed against the Lord, the God of their fathers, so that
he gave them up to desolation, as ye see. Now be ye not stiff-necked,
as your fathers were; but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter
into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve the
Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. For if ye
turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find
compassion before them that led them captive, and shall come again
into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and
will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him."
So the messengers passed from city to city through {306} Ephraim and
Manasseh, even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and
mocked them. Nevertheless some of the people of Asher and Manasseh and
of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. Also in Judah was
the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the
king and of the princes by the word of the Lord. And there assembled
at Jerusalem many people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the
second month, a very great congregation. And they arose and took away
the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took
they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. Then they killed the
passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests
and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought
burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. And they stood in their
place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God:
the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of
the Levites. For there were many in the congregation that had not
sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites had the charge of killing
the passovers for everyone that was not clean, to sanctify them unto
the Lord. For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and
Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did
they eat the passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had
prayed for them, saying, "The good Lord pardon every one that setteth
his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, though he be
not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary."
{307}
And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. And the
children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of
unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and
the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments
unto the Lord. And Hezekiah spoke comfortably unto all the Levites
that were well skilled in the service of the Lord. So they did eat
throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace
offerings, and making confession to the Lord, the God of their
fathers. And the whole congregation took counsel to keep other seven
days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king
of Judah did give to the congregation for offerings a thousand
bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the
congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great
number of priests sanctified themselves. And all the congregation of
Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that
came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of
Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. So there was great joy in
Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of
Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. Then the priests the
Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and
their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even unto heaven.
Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out
to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and hewed
down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars out of
all Judah and {308} Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they
had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned,
every man to his possession, into their own cities. And Hezekiah
appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their
courses, every man according to his service, both the priests and the
Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and
to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord. He
appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt
offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and
the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for
the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the Lord.
Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the
portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give
themselves to the law of the Lord. And as soon as the commandment came
abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of
corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field;
and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. And the
children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they
also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of
dedicated things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and
laid them by heaps. In the third month they began to lay the
foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. And
when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the
Lord, and his people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests
and the Levites concerning the heaps.
{309}{310}
[Illustration]
DIGGING IN THE MOUND WHICH COVERS THE ANCIENT CITY OF LACHISH.
From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund and used by
special permission.
Lachish, a very ancient city, was captured by the Hebrews when they
first came into Palestine. It was an important military post,
guarding the passes into southern Judea. It was captured by
Sennacherib in the great raid when he took "all the fenced cities of
Judah." Assyrian sculpture has been found depicting this siege of
Lachish. About 120 years later, the city was again captured by
Nebuchadnezzar when he carried the people into captivity. When the
people returned it was again occupied. The pictures show the
excavation in the mound which covers the site of this very ancient
city. In this mound there are 14 layers of ruins one above the
other. Important tablets dating before the first occupation of the
Hebrews have been found.
[End illustration]
{311}
And Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and
said, "Since the people began to bring the oblations into the house of
the Lord, we have eaten and had enough, and have left plenty: for the
Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great
store." Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of
the Lord; and they prepared them.
After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria
came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities,
and thought to win them for himself. And when Hezekiah saw that
Sennacherib was come, and that he intended to fight against Jerusalem,
he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters
of the fountains which were without the city; and they helped him. So
there was gathered many people together, and they stopped all the
fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land,
saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?"
And he took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down,
and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall without, and
strengthened Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields
in abundance. And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered
them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and
spoke encouragingly to them, saying, "Be strong and of a good courage,
be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the
multitude that is with him: for there is a greater with us than with
him: with him is {312} an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our
God to help us, and to fight our battles." And the people rested
themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to
Jerusalem (now he was before Lachish, and all his army with him), unto
Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem,
saying, "Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust,
that ye abide the siege in Jerusalem? Doth not Hezekiah persuade you,
to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, 'The Lord our
God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria'? Hath not
the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and
commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, 'Ye shall worship before one
altar, and upon it shall ye burn incense'? Know ye not what I and my
fathers have done unto all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of
the nations of the lands any ways able to deliver their land out of my
hand? Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my
fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my
hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? Now
therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this
manner, neither believe ye him: for no god of any nation or kingdom
was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of
my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?"
And his servants spoke yet more against the Lord God, and against his
servant Hezekiah. He wrote also letters, {313} to ridicule the Lord,
the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, "As the gods of
the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of
my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of my
hand."
And they cried with a loud voice in the Hebrew language unto the
people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to
trouble them; that they might take the city.
And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples
of the earth, which are the work of men's hands. And Hezekiah the
king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this,
and cried to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the
mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the
king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land.
And when he was come into the house of his god, his own children slew
him there with the sword.
Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the
hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all
other, and guided them on every side. And many brought gifts unto the
Lord to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah: so
that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
In those days Hezekiah was sick even unto death: and he prayed unto
the Lord; and he spoke unto him, and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah
rendered not again {314} according to the benefit done unto him; for
his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon
Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the
pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that
the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and he provided him
treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for
spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels;
storehouses also for the increase of corn and wine and oil; and stalls
for all manner of beasts, and flocks in folds.
Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds
in abundance: for God had given him very much substance.
This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of
Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of
David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
And Hezekiah died and they buried him in the ascent of the sepulchers
of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
did him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
[Footnote: The story of the relations between Hezekiah the king and
Isaiah the prophet will be found in Vol. V. of this series.]
{315}
THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB
The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;
And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,
When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.
Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green,
That host with their banners at sunset were seen;
Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown,
That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.
For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,
And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;
And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,
And their hearts but once heaved, and forever grew still!
And there lay the steed with his nostrils all wide,
But through them there rolled not the breath of his pride,
And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,
And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.
And there lay the rider distorted and pale,
With the dew on his brow and the rust on his mail;
And the tents were all silent, the banners alone.
The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.
And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,
And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;
And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,
Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!
--_Lord Byron_.
{316}
HYMN BY THE EUPHRATES
O Thou that wilt not break the bruised reed,
Nor heap fresh ashes on the mourner's brow,
Nor rend anew the wounds that inly bleed,
The only balm of our afflictions Thou,
Teach us to bear Thy chastening wrath, O God!
To kiss with quivering lips--still humbly kiss Thy rod!
We bless Thee, Lord, though far from Judah's land;
Though our worn limbs are black with stripes and chains;
Though for stern foes we till the burning sand;
And reap, for others' joy, the summer plains;
We bless Thee, Lord, for Thou art gracious still,
Ev'n though this last black drop o'erflow our cup of ill!
Forgive, forgive,--even should our full hearts break;
The broken heart Thou wilt not, Lord, despise;
Ah! Thou art still too gracious to forsake,
Though Thy strong hand so heavily chastise.
Hear all our prayers, hear not our murmurs, Lord;
And, though our lips rebel, still make Thyself adored.
--_Henry Hart Milman_.
{317}
MANASSEH.
(Manasseh began his reign by doing every evil thing he could possibly
think of; he sacrificed to all the heathen idols and made his own
children "pass through the fire." In the book of Chronicles it is said
that he was taken captive and carried away to Babylon. Here he
repented of his many sins, and became a good and holy man.)
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in
the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the
Lord cast out before the children of Israel. For he built again the
high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared
up altars for the idols of Baal, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all
the host of heaven, and served them. And he built altars in the house
of the Lord, whereof the Lord said, "In Jerusalem shall my name be for
ever." And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two
courts of the house of the Lord. He also made his children to pass
through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: and he practiced
augury, and used enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with
them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil
in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
And he set the graven image of the idol, which he had made, in the
house of God, of which God said to David {318} and to Solomon his son,
"In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the
tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: neither will I any more
remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for
your fathers; if only they will observe to do all that I have
commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances
by the hand of Moses."
But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do that which is
evil more than did the nations, whom the Lord destroyed before the
children of Israel. And the Lord spoke by his servants the prophets,
saying, "Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations,
and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were
before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: therefore
thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I bring such evil
upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears
shall tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria,
and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a
man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. And I will
cast off the remnant of my inheritance, and deliver them into the hand
of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all
their enemies; because they have done that which is evil in my sight,
and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth
out of Egypt, even unto this day.'"
Moreover Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err,
so that they did evil more than did {319} the nations, whom the Lord
destroyed before the children of Israel. And the Lord spoke to
Manasseh, and to his people: but they gave no heed. Wherefore the Lord
brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who
took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him
to Babylon. And when he was in distress, he besought the Lord his God,
and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And he
prayed unto him; and he was intreated of him, and heard his
supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.
Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
(God forgave his sin, and he went back to his kingdom to serve him
all the rest of his life.)
Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the
west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish
gate; and he compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great
height: and he put valiant captains in all the fenced cities of Judah.
And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of
the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the
house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
And he built up the altar of the Lord, and offered thereon sacrifices
of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve
the Lord, the God of Israel. Nevertheless the people sacrificed still
in the high places, but only unto the Lord their God. So Manasseh died
and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his
stead.
{320}
THE PRAYER OF MANASSEH.
(In the Apocrypha is found a prayer which is said to have been the
prayer of Manasseh, king of Judah, while he was in captivity in
Babylon. It is certainly a very beautiful prayer for forgiveness and
pardon.)
[Footnote: Apocrypha--See note at the end of the volume.]
"O Lord Almighty, that art in heaven, thou God of our fathers, of
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous race; who hast
made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; who hast bound
the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and
sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; whom all things fear,
yea, tremble before thy power; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be
borne, and the anger of thy threatening toward sinners is
irresistible: thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable;
for thou art the Lord Most High, of great compassion, longsuffering
and abundant in mercy, and repentest of bringing evils upon men. Thou,
O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and
forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine
infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may
be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast
not appointed repentance to the just, to Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob, who have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed
repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the
number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions are multiplied, O
Lord: my {321} transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to
behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine
iniquities. I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift
up mine head by reason of my sins, neither have I any respite: for I
have provoked thy wrath, and done that which is evil before thee: I
did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set up
abominations, and have multiplied detestable things. Now therefore I
bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, O
Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: but, I humbly
beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me; and destroy me not with
mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for
me; neither condemn me into the lower parts of the earth. For thou, O
Lord, art the God of them that repent; and in me thou wilt show all
thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to
thy great mercy. And I will praise thee forever all the days of my
life: for all the host of heaven doth sing thy praise, and thine is
the glory for ever and ever. Amen."
{322}
AMON.
(Amon failed to profit by his father's experience, but turned again to
idolatry. After only two years on the throne, he was assassinated by
his own courtiers, who probably expected to make one of their own
number king. In this, however, they were disappointed, for the people
insisted upon making the son of Amon, Josiah, a little boy only eight
years old, the king.)
Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned two years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the
sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father: and Amon sacrificed
unto all the graven images which Manasseh his father had made, and
served them. And he humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh
his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and
more. And his servants conspired against him, and put him to death in
his own house. But the people of the land slew all them that had
conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah
his son king in his stead.
{323}
JOSIAH.
_The Story of the Little Boy Who Became a Good King_.
(The reign of Josiah was marked by one of the most sweeping and
important reforms in the history of Judah. For the first ten years of
his reign, until the king reached the age of eighteen, things went in
much the old idolatrous way. Then the young king began to assert
himself with spirit. First he ordered repairs made upon the temple,
which had fallen into decay and ruin. While these repairs were going
on, Hilkiah, the high priest, made a great discovery. He found an old
book of the law. He hastened to tell Shaphan the scribe, who in turn
told the king. When the king read this book, and discovered how the
nation had disobeyed the law he was in great distress. He called an
assembly of all the people and the law was read to them. Then he
ordered a great reform. The idols were all swept away, and the old law
was established everywhere. But after all, this good king met a sad
fate. A great army of the Egyptians advanced against the country. They
were not intending to destroy Judah, but Josiah, fearing that the
nation was in danger, went out to fight them. They met in the great
battle of Megiddo. The army of Judah was destroyed, and Josiah,
mortally wounded by the arrows of the Egyptian archers, was taken back
to Jerusalem to die.)
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in
the eyes of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father,
and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
{324}
And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the
king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the
scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying, "Go up to Hilkiah the high
priest, that he may make account of the money which is brought into
the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of
the people: and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen that
have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to
the workmen which are in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches
of the house; unto the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the
masons; and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house."
Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was
delivered in to their hand; for they dealt faithfully.
And Hilkiah the priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the
book of the law in the house of the Lord."
And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan
the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and
said, "Thy servants have emptied out the money that was found in the
house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen that have
the oversight of the house of the Lord."
And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest hath
given me a book."
And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the
king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his
clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and the king's
officers, saying, {325} "Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for
the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that
is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against
us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this
book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us."
So Hilkiah the priest, and the king's officers went to Huldah the
prophetess, who said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Behold, I will bring evil
upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words
of the book which the king of Judah hath read: because they have
forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might
provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands; therefore my
wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be
quenched.' But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the
Lord, thus shall ye say to him, 'Thus saith the Lord, the God of
Israel: As touching the words which thou hast heard, because thine
heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before the Lord, when
thou heardest what I spoke against this place, and against the
inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse,
and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee,
saith the Lord. Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers,
and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine
eyes see all the evil which I will bring upon this place.'"
And they brought the king word again. And the king sent, and they
gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. And the
king went up to the house {326} of the Lord, and all the men of Judah
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and
the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in
their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found
in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by the pillar, and made a
covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his
commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his
heart, and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that
were written in this book: and all the people consented to the
covenant. And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the
priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring
forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for
Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of heaven: and he
burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the
ashes of them unto Beth-el.
And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had
ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah,
and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense
unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all
the host of heaven. And he brought out the Asherah from the house of
the Lord, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at
the brook Kidron, and beat it to dust, and cast the dust thereof upon
the graves of the common people. And he brought all the priests out of
the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had
burned incense, from Geba to {327} Beer-sheba; and he broke down the
high places of the gates that were at the entering in of the gate of
Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at
the gate of the city. Nevertheless the priests of the high places came
not up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they did eat bread
among their brethren. And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley
of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his
daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. And he took away the
horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun; and he burned the
chariots of the sun with fire. And the altars that were on the roof of
the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the
altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the
Lord, did the king break down, and beat them down from thence, and
cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. And the high places that
were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of
corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for heathen
gods, did the king defile.
Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el, and the high place which
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, even that
altar and the high place he broke down; and he burned the high place
and beat it to dust, and burned the Asherah.
And the king commanded all the people, saying, "Keep the passover unto
the Lord your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant."
Surely there was not kept such a passover from the days of the judges
that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of
the kings of Judah.
{328}
But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah was this passover kept to
the Lord in Jerusalem. And like unto him was there no king before him,
that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and
with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after
him arose there any like him. Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from
the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled
against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had
provoked him. And the Lord said, "I will remove Judah also out of my
sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I
have chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, 'My name
shall be there.'"
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of
Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah
went out against him. But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, "What
have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee
this day, but against the house wherewith I have war; and God hath
commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who
is with me, that he destroy thee not."
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised
himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the
words of Neco, from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley
of Megiddo. And the archers shot at King Josiah; and the king said to
his servants, "Take me away; for I am sore wounded." So his servants
took him out of the chariot, and put him in {329} the second chariot
that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried
in the sepulchers of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned
for Josiah.
And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing
women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations, unto this day; and they
made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the
lamentations.
(Another account of the reformation of Josiah and his death
is taken from the Apocrypha.)
[Footnote: See note at the end of the volume.]
And Josiah held the passover in Jerusalem unto his Lord, and offered
the passover the fourteenth day of the first month; having set the
priests according to their daily courses, being arrayed in their
vestments, in the temple of the Lord. And he spoke unto the Levites,
the temple-servants of Israel, that they should hallow themselves unto
the Lord, to set the holy ark of the Lord in the house that King
Solomon the son of David had built: and said, "Ye shall no more have
need to bear it upon your shoulders: now therefore serve the Lord your
God, and minister unto his people Israel, and prepare you after your
fathers' houses and kindreds, according to the writing of David king
of Israel, and according to the magnificence of Solomon his son: and
standing in the holy place according to the several divisions of the
families of you the Levites, who minister in the presence of your
brethren the children of Israel, offer the passover in order, and make
ready the sacrifices {330} for your brethren, and keep the passover
according to the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto Moses."
Thus were the things that belonged to the sacrifices of the Lord
accomplished in that day, in holding the passover, and offering
sacrifices upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of
King Josiah. So the children of Israel which were present at that time
held the passover, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. And
such a passover was not held in Israel since the time of the prophet
Samuel. Yea, all the kings of Israel held not such a passover as
Josiah, and the priests, and the Levites, and the Jews, held with all
Israel that were present in their dwelling place at Jerusalem. In the
eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover held. And the
works of Josiah were upright before his Lord with a heart full of
godliness. Moreover the things that came to pass in his days have been
written in times past, concerning those that sinned, and did wickedly
against the Lord above every people and kingdom, and how they grieved
him exceedingly, so that the words of the Lord were confirmed against
Israel.
Now after all these acts of Josiah it came to pass, that Pharaoh the
king of Egypt came to raise war at Carchemish upon Euphrates: and
Josiah went out against him. But the king of Egypt sent to him,
saying, "What have I to do with thee, O king of Judah? I am not sent
out from the Lord God against thee; for my war is upon Euphrates: and
now the Lord is with me, yea, the Lord is with me hasting me forward:
depart from me, and be not against the Lord."
{331}
Howbeit Josiah did not turn back unto his chariot, but undertook to
fight with him, not regarding the words of the prophet Jeremiah spoken
by the mouth of the Lord: but joined battle with him in the plain of
Megiddo, and the princes came down against King Josiah. Then said the
king unto his servants, "Carry me away out of the battle; for I am
very weak." And immediately his servants carried him away out of the
host.
Then got he up upon his second chariot; and being brought back to
Jerusalem he died, and was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers. And
in all the land they mourned for Josiah; and Jeremiah the prophet
lamented for Josiah, and the chief men with the women made lamentation
for him, unto this day: and this was given out for an ordinance to be
done continually in all the nation of Israel.
{332}
JEHOAHAZ.
(Jehoahaz was the third son of Josiah, but was made king after the
death of his father over the heads of his brothers. His reign lasted
only three months. Neco the Egyptian, conqueror of Josiah at Megiddo,
sent a detachment to Jerusalem which deposed the king and took him
away captive to Egypt.)
Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made
him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem. Jehoahaz was twenty and
three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in
Jerusalem. And the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and took
tribute from the land, an hundred talents of silver and a talent of
gold. And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah
and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Neco took
Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
{333}{334}
[Illustration]
AN OLD STREET OF JERUSALEM
[End illustration]
{335}
JEHOIAKIM.
(The Egyptians who deposed Jehoahaz put Eliakim, whose name they
changed to Jehoiakim, on the throne and he became during his reign of
eleven years one of the worst and most idolatrous kings who ever sat
upon the throne. He persecuted the prophets of his time, and
especially Jeremiah. His hatred of this great prophet, and how he put
him in the foulest dungeon of Jerusalem, is told elsewhere. [Footnote:
In Volume V. of this series.] The following is one of the prophet's
fierce denunciations of this wicked king:)--
"Thus saith the Lord: Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and
speak there this word, and say, 'Hear the word of the Lord, O king of
Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants,
and thy people that enter in by these gates. Thus saith the Lord:
Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of
the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence, to the
stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood
in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter
in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David,
riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his
people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith
the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.' For thus saith
the Lord concerning the house of {336} the king of Judah: 'Thou art
Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a
wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. And I will prepare
destroyers against thee, everyone with his weapons: and they shall cut
down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. And many nations
shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor,
Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city? Then they
shall answer, Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord their God,
and worshiped other gods, and served them.'
"Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him
who goeth away; for he shall return no more, nor see his native
country. For thus saith the Lord touching Shallum the son of
Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, who
went forth out of this place: 'He shall not return thither any more;
but in the place whither they have led him captive, there shall he
die, and he shall see this land no more.'
[Footnote: Shallum was perhaps the original name of Jehoahaz, the
preceding king, who after his brief reign had been carried captive
to Egypt. ]
"Woe unto him who buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his
chambers by injustice; who useth his neighbor's service without wages,
and giveth him not his hire; who saith, 'I will build me a wide house
and spacious chambers,' and cutteth him out windows; and it is ceiled
with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
"Shalt thou reign, because thou strivest to excel in cedar? did not
thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice? then it was
well with him. He judged the {337} cause of the poor and needy; then
it was well. 'Was not this to know me?' saith the Lord.
"But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and
to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do
it. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of
Josiah, king of Judah: They shall not lament for him, saying 'Ah, my
brother!' or, 'Ah sister!' they shall not lament for him, saying, 'Ah
lord!' or, 'Ah his glory!'
'He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth
beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
"Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan: and cry
from Abarim; for all thy lovers are destroyed. I spake unto thee in
thy prosperity; but thou saidst, 'I will not hear.' This hath been thy
manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice. The wind shall
feed all thy shepherds, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely
then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness. O
inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how greatly
to be pitied shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee! 'As I live,'
saith the Lord, 'though Jehoiachin the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah
were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; and
I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into
the hand of them of whom thou art afraid, even into the hand of
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.
And I will cast thee out, and thy mother who bore thee, into another
country, where ye were not born; and there shall {338} ye die. But to
the land whereunto their soul longeth to return, thither shall they
not return.'
"Is this man Jehoiachin a despised broken vessel? is he a vessel
wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed,
and are cast into the land which they know not? O earth, earth, earth,
hear the word of the Lord.
"Thus saith the Lord, 'Write ye this man childless, a man that shall
not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting
upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.'
"'Woe unto the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my
pasture!' saith the Lord.
"Therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, against the
shepherds that feed my people: 'Ye have scattered my flock, and driven
them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you
the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. And I will gather the remnant
of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and
will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and
multiply. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them:
and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be
lacking,' saith the Lord.
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a
righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and
shall execute judgment and justice in the land. In his days Judah
shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name
whereby he shall be called, 'The Lord is our righteousness.'
{339}
"Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no
more say, 'As the Lord liveth, who brought up the children of Israel
out of the land of Egypt'; but, 'As the Lord liveth, who brought up
and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country,
and from all the countries whither I had driven them; and they shall
dwell in their own land.'
"Concerning the prophets. Mine heart within me is broken, all my bones
shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath
overcome; because of the Lord, and because of his holy words. For the
land is full of evil doers; for because of swearing the land mourneth;
the pastures of the wilderness are dried up; and their course is evil,
and their force is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane;
yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.
"Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the
darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring
evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. And
I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal,
and caused my people Israel to err. In the prophets of Jerusalem also
I have seen an horrible thing; they walk in lies, and they strengthen
the hands of evil doers, that none doth return from his wickedness:
they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants
thereof as Gomorrah.
"Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets:
'Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, {340} and make them drink the
water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone
forth into all the land.'
"Thus saith the Lord of hosts, 'Hearken not unto the words of the
prophets that prophesy unto you; they teach you vanity: they speak a
vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. They
say continually unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye
shall have peace; and unto everyone that walketh in the stubbornness
of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath
stood in the council of the Lord, that he should perceive and hear his
word? who hath marked my word, and heard it? Behold, the tempest of
the Lord, even his fury, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it
shall burst upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord shall
not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the
intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it
perfectly. I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spoke not unto
them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, then
had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from
their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand,
saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret
places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven
and earth? saith the Lord. I have heard what the prophets have said,
that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
{341}{342}
[Illustration]
VIEW LOOKING TOWARD JERUSALEM FROM THE WEST.
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
This view looks toward the city from the southwest. The winding road
enters at the Jaffa gate.
[End illustration]
{343}
"'How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy
lies; even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? which think
to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell
every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name for Baal.
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath
my word, let him speak my word faithfully.'
"'What is the straw to the wheat?' saith the Lord. 'Is not my word
like as fire?' saith the Lord; 'and like a hammer that breaketh the
rock in pieces?'
"'Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets,' saith the Lord, 'that
steal my words everyone from his neighbor.' 'Behold, I am against the
prophets,' saith the Lord, 'that use their tongues, and say, He
saith.' 'Behold, I am against them that prophesy lying dreams,' saith
the Lord, 'and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies,
and by their vain boasting: yet I sent them not, nor commanded them;
neither shall they profit this people at all,' saith the Lord.
"And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee,
saying, 'What is the burden of the Lord?' then shalt thou say unto
them, 'What burden! I will cast you off,' saith the Lord.
"And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall
say, 'The burden of the Lord,' I will even punish that man and his
house. Thus shall ye say everyone to his neighbor, and everyone to his
brother, 'What hath the Lord answered?' and 'What hath the Lord
spoken?' And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for
every man's own word shall be his burden; for ye have {344} perverted
the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.
"Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, 'What hath the Lord answered
thee?' and 'What hath the Lord spoken?'
"But if ye say, 'The burden of the Lord'; therefore thus saith the
Lord: 'Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have
sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;
therefore, behold, I will utterly forget you, and I will cast you off,
and the city that I gave unto you and to your fathers, away from my
presence: and I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a
perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten."
(This prophecy was already hastening on to fulfillment. The power of
Egypt had been broken by Nebuchadnezzar at the battle of Carchemish,
and now the great king of Babylon came sweeping down upon Judah to put
an end to its existence as a nation. Tradition says that the evil
king, Jehoiakim, was slain during a sally from the walls, and that his
dead body lay there dishonored and unburied.)
Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zebidah
the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. And he did that which was evil in
the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. In
his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became
his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. And
the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, and bands of the
{345} Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of
Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the
word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his servants the
prophets. Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah,
to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according
to all that he did; and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for
he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood: and the Lord would not
pardon. So Jehoiakim died.
{346}
JEHOIACHIN.
(Jehoiachin had hardly begun his reign before the city of Jerusalem
yielded to the assaults of the armies of Babylon, and the king, with
the flower of the nation, men, women, and children, artisans and
soldiers, were carried away into captivity. Tradition says that a
later king of Babylon, Evil-Merodach, released Jehoiachin, then
fifty-five years old, and treated him with distinguished respect.)
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned in Jerusalem three months. And he did that which was evil in
the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done. And
the army of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and
the city was besieged. And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came unto
the city, while his soldiers were besieging it; and Jehoiachin the
king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and
his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of
Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. And he carried out
thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures
of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which
Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord
had said. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and
all {347} the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all
the craftsmen and the smiths; none remained, save the poorest sort of
the people of the land. And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; and
the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the
chief men of the land, carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to
Babylon. And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and the
craftsmen and the smiths a thousand, all of them strong and apt for
war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. And the
king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead,
and changed his name to Zedekiah.
{348}
ZEDEKIAH.
(Over the remnant of Judah Nebuchadnezzar placed a vassal king who
swore the strongest oaths of allegiance to his superior. After
reigning some years, however, he rebelled. Then followed one of the
most desperate sieges of history. Jerusalem was ringed about by forts,
assailed by all the enginery of the times. Famine and pestilence
walked in her streets, and at last the city yielded. Zedekiah and his
family escaped in the confusion, but were quickly captured and brought
before Nebuchadnezzar. The cruel conqueror killed the children of the
captive king before his sight, and then put out his eyes.)
Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in
the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. For
through the anger of the Lord did it come to pass in Jerusalem and
Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence: and Zedekiah
rebelled against the king of Babylon.
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth
month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped
against it; and they built forts against it round about. So the city
was besieged unto the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
{349}{350}
[Illustration]
GREAT STAIRWAY APPROACHING HEROD'S TEMPLE AT SAMARIA.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
There are only a few ruins left to tell the story of the once proud
city of Samaria. The old temple of Baal is thus described:--
"It was of a size sufficient to contain all the worshipers of Baal
that the northern kingdom could furnish. Four hundred and fifty
prophets frequented it. In the interior was a kind of inner fastness
or adytum, in which were seated or raised on pillars the figures
carved in wood of the Phoenician deities as they were seen, in
vision, centuries later, by Jezebel's fellow-countryman, Hannibal,
in the sanctuary of Gades. In the center was Baal, the Sun-God;
around him were the inferior divinities. In front of the temple,
stood on a stone pillar the figure of Baal alone"
This city, completely destroyed by the Assyrians, was rebuilt by
Pompey. Herod, in pursuance of his commercial policy, which was
based on intercourse with the west, and of his plan of governing the
country with strongholds garrisoned by Gentile soldiers devoted to
his interests, made Samaria a strong fortress.
[End illustration]
{351}
On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was sore in the city,
so that there was no bread for the people of the land. Then a breach
was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way
of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden: and
the king escaped from the city.
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook him in
the plains of Jericho: and all his army was scattered from him. Then
they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to
Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. And they slew the sons of
Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound
him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the
nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, an officer of the king of
Babylon, unto Jerusalem: and he burnt the house of the Lord, and the
king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house,
burnt he with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with
the captain of the guard, broke down the walls of Jerusalem round
about. And the residue of the people that were left in the city, and
those that fled to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the
multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away
captive. But the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land
to be vinedressers and husbandmen. And the pillars of brass that were
in the house of the Lord, and the bases and the brazen sea that were
in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and
carried the {352} brass of them to Babylon. And the pots, and the
shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of
brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. And the firepans, and
the basins; that which was of gold, and that which was of silver, the
captain of the guard took away. The two pillars, the one sea, and the
bases, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord; the brass of
all these vessels was of great weight. So Judah was carried away
captive.
{353}
THE KINGDOM OF THE NORTH
JEROBOAM.
(The story of the revolt of the northern part of the kingdom from the
south has been told in the story of Rehoboam. Jeroboam, who became the
king of the northern territory, was little improvement over Rehoboam,
his rival in the south. He was not of royal birth, but, as a bright
young man in Solomon's court, came under the great king's notice. He
plotted, however, against his master, and, his treachery being
discovered, fled to Egypt. As soon as Solomon died, Jeroboam returned
from Egypt, and became the leader of the successful revolt against the
tyranny of the young king of the south.)
_The New Kingdom_.
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt
therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel. And Jeroboam
said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David:
if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at
Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again unto their
lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and
return to Rehoboam king of Judah." Whereupon the king took counsel,
and made two calves of gold; and he said unto them, "It is too much
for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which
brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." And he set the one {354} in
Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for
the people went to worship before, the one, even unto Dan. And he made
houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people,
which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in
the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the
feast that is in Judah, and he went up unto the altar; so did he in
Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he made: and he placed in
Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made. And he went
up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in
the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own
heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up
unto the altar, to burn incense.
_The Prophet from Judah and His Fate_.
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the
Lord unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn
incense. And he cried against the altar by the word of Jehovah, and
said, "O altar, altar, thus saith Jehovah: 'Behold, a son shall be
born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he
sacrifice the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee,
and men's bones shall they burn upon thee.'"
And he gave a sign the same day, saying, "This is the sign which
Jehovah hath spoken: 'Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes
that are upon it shall be poured out.'"
{355}{356}
[Illustration]
STREET OF AN ANCIENT EASTERN CITY.
From a photograph taken by Prof. Lewis Bayles Paton of Hartford
Theological Seminary, and used by his kind permission.
Notice the houses built over the street converting it almost into a
tunnel.
[End illustration]
{357}
And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God,
which he cried against the altar in Beth-el, that Jeroboam put forth
his hand from the altar, saying, "Lay hold on him."
And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he
could not draw it back again to him. The altar also was rent, and the
ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man
of God had given by the word of Jehovah. And the king answered and
said unto the man of God, "Entreat now the favor of Jehovah thy God,
and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again."
And the man of God entreated Jehovah, and the king's hand was restored
him again, and became as it was before.
And the king said unto the man of God, "Come home with me, and refresh
thyself, and I will give thee a reward."
And the man of God said unto the king, "If thou wilt give me half
thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor
drink water in this place: for so it was charged me by the word of the
Lord, saying, 'Thou shalt eat no bread, nor drink water, neither
return by the way that thou camest.'"
So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to
Beth-el.
Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el; and one of his sons came
and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in
Beth-el: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them also they
told unto their father.
{358}
And their father said unto them, "What way went he?" Now his sons had
seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
And he said unto his sons, "Saddle me the ass."
So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon. And he went after
the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto
him, "Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah?" And he said, "I
am."
Then he said unto him, "Come home with me, and eat bread."
And he said, "I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither
will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: for it was
said to me by the word of the Lord, 'Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink
water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.'"
And he said unto him, "I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel
spoke unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, 'Bring him back with
thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'"
But he lied unto him. So he went back with him, and did eat bread in
his house, and drank water. And it came to pass, as they sat at the
table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought
him back: and he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah,
saying, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Forasmuch as thou hast been disobedient
unto the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which,
the Lord thy God commanded thee, but camest back, and hast eaten bread
and drunk water in the place of the which he said to thee, Eat no
bread, and drink no water; thy body shall not come unto the sepulcher
of thy fathers.'"
{359}{360}
[Illustration]
THE RUINS OF SAMARIA
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton,
Mass., and used by special permission
"To-day amid the peaceful beauty of the scene--the secluded vale
covered with cornfields through which the winding streams flash and
glisten into the hazy distance, and the gentle hill rises to the
olives waving over its summit--it is possible to appreciate
Isaiah's name for Samaria, the crown of the pride of Ephraim, the
flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat
valley. There by the entrance of the gate Ahab drew his sentence of
death from the prophet of Jehovah; and there they washed his blood
from his chariot, when they had brought him back to his burial.
There Jezebel slew the prophets of Jehovah and Jehu the priests of
Baal."
[End illustration]
{361}
And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk,
that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had
brought back. And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and
slew him: and his body was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it;
the lion also stood by the body.
And, behold, men passed by, and saw the body cast in the way, and the
lion standing by the body: and they came and told it in the city where
the old prophet dwelt. And when the prophet that brought him back from
the way heard thereof, he said, "It is the man of God who was
disobedient unto the mouth of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath
delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him,
according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke unto him."
And he spoke to his sons, saying, "Saddle me the ass."
And they saddled it.
And he went, and found his body cast in the way, and the ass and the
lion standing by the body: the lion had not eaten the body, nor torn
the ass.
And the prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it upon
the ass, and brought it back: and he came to the city of the old
prophet, to mourn, and to bury him.
And he laid his body in his own grave; and they mourned over him,
saying, "Alas, my brother!"
And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his
sons, saying, "When I am dead, then bury {362} me in the sepulcher
wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. For
the saying which he cried by the word of the Lord against the altar in
Beth-el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in
the cities of Israel, shall surely come to pass."
After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made
again from among all the people priests of the high places: whosoever
would, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of the high
places. And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to
cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.
_How the King's Son Died_.
At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said
to his wife, "Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be
not known to be the wife of Jeroboam: and get thee to Shiloh; behold,
there is Ahijah the prophet, who spoke concerning me that I should be
king over this people. And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels,
and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall
become of the child."
And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to
the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were blind
by reason of his age.
And the Lord said unto Ahijah, "Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to
inquire of thee concerning her son; for he is sick: thus and thus
shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she
shall feign herself to be another woman."
{363}
And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she carne
in at the door, that he said, "Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why
feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy
tidings. Go, tell Jeroboam, 'Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel:
Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee
prince over my people Israel, and rent the kingdom away from the house
of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant
David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his
heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; but hast done
evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made thee
other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast
me behind thy back: therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the
house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male child,
and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweepeth
away dung, till it be all gone. Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city
shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the fields shall the fowls
of the air eat: for the Lord hath spoken it.'
"Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine house: and when thy feet
enter into the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn
for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the
grave: because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord,
the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. Moreover the Lord shall
raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of
Jeroboam that day. For the Lord shall smite Israel, as {364} a reed is
shaken in the water; and he shall root up Israel out of this good
land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond
the River; because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to
anger. And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam,
which he hath sinned, and wherewith he hath made Israel to sin."
And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and as
she came to the threshold of the house, the child died.
And all Israel buried him, and mourned for him: according to the word
of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the
prophet. And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty
years: and he died, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
{365}{366}
[Illustration]
MOUNT GERIZIM.
Mount Gerizim (2,849 feet) faces Mount Ebal, and in the narrow pass
between them is Shechem. The Samaritans erected a temple on the
mountain, making it the central shrine of the nation and a rival of
Jerusalem, about the year 432 B.C. The flat stone shown in the
picture is the place of sacrifice, which is still maintained by a
little community of Samaritans.
[End illustration]
{367}
NADAB.
(The dynasty of the house of Jeroboam was very brief after the death
of its founder. Nadab his son reigned only two years, when he was
murdered by a common soldier, probably while he was laying siege to
one of the towns of the Philistines.)
And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second
year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. And
he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the
way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. And
Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against
him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the
Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.
Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and
reigned in his stead.
{368}
BAASHA.
(Baasha, who assassinated Nadab and usurped the throne, seems not to
have been of royal blood. He was probably an adventurous soldier who
saw his opportunity and won his way to the crown by sheer force of
audacity and daring. He began his reign by killing all the possible
aspirants to the throne in the persons of the family of Jeroboam. His
reign was marked by a succession of wars with Judah.)
And it came to pass that, as soon as Baasha was king, he smote all the
house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he
had destroyed him; according unto the saying of the Lord, which he
spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the Shilonite: for the sins of
Jeroboam which he sinned, and wherewith he made Israel to sin; because
of his provocation wherewith he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel,
to anger. And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all
their days.
In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah
to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, and reigned twenty and four years.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in
the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
And the word of the Lord came to Jehu against Baasha, saying,
"Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the {369} dust, and made thee
prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of
Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to
anger with their sins; behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and
his house; and I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat. Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat;
and him that dieth of his in the field shall the fowls of the air
eat."
And Baasha died, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in
his stead. And moreover by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of
Hanani came the word of the Lord against Baasha, and against his
house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the
Lord, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being
like the house of Jeroboam, and because he smote him.
{370}
ELAH.
(The son of Baasha, the adventurer, seems to have been as weak and
incompetent as his father was ready and daring. While his army was off
to the wars, he stayed at home and indulged his appetites. He was
"drinking himself drunk" in the house of his steward Arza, when Zimri,
captain of his chariots, came in and murdered him in cold blood as he
lay like a beast in the slumber of drunkenness.)
In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son
of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and reigned two years. And
his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against
him: now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of
Arza, which was over the household in Tirzah: and Zimri went in and
smote him, and killed him, and reigned in his stead. And it came to
pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he
smote all the house of Baasha: he left him not a single man child,
neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends. Thus did Zimri destroy
all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he
spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, for all the sins of Baasha,
and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and wherewith they
made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger
with their vanities.
{371}{372}
[Illustration]
MOUNT HERMON.
Mount Hermon, the great mountain barrier of northern Palestine,
rises 9,200 feet above the sea. In the picture the range can be seen
dimly, the ravines being filled with snow.
[End illustration]
{373}
ZIMRI.
(There was wild work in Tirzah for a few days after Zimri killed the
king. He followed up his advantage by assassinating all the children
of Elah, so the house of Baasha, like the house of Jeroboam, was
speedily exterminated. But Zimri's triumph was very short-lived. For
just one week he wore the purple. Then the army returned and fell upon
him. He went into the palace to defend himself, but finding his cause
hopeless, he burned the palace over his own head, and perished in the
flames. His name became a synonym for treachery in Israel, so that
later, when Jezebel looked from her lattice and saw her foe Jehu
below, she called out to him with the taunt, "Is it peace, thou
'Zimri,' thou master's murderer?")
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign
seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon,
which belonged to the Philistines. And the people that were encamped
heard that Zimri had conspired, and had also murdered the king:
wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over
Israel that day in the camp. And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all
Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. And it came to pass, when
Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the castle of the
king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died,
for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight
of the Lord, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which
he did, to make Israel to sin.
{374}
OMRI.
(In the confusion which followed the death of Zimri, there were two
rival claimants to the throne, Omri and Tibni. Omri quickly prevailed,
however, and at once began to show his great genius as a ruler. He
established a dynasty so powerful that it lasted for four reigns. He
built the city of Samaria, and waged many successful wars against
neighboring peoples.)
Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the
people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half
followed Omri. But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the
people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri
reigned. In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri
to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years: six years reigned he
in Tirzah. And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of
silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city
which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill,
Samaria. And Omri did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,
and dealt wickedly above all that were before him. For he walked in
all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins wherewith he
made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger
with their vanities. So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in
Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
{375}{376}
[Illustration]
THE MOABITE STONE.
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
A monument of a Moabite king, Mesha, in which he describes wars with
Omri, king of Israel. This famous stone was discovered in 1868. The
translation of the inscription is as follows:--
"I, Mesha, am the son of Chemosh-Gad, king of Moab, the Dibonite. My
father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I reigned after my
father. And I erected this stone to Chemosh at Kirkha, a (stone of)
salvation, for he saved me from all despoilers, and made me see my
desire upon all my enemies, even upon Omri, king of Israel. Now
they afflicted Moab many days, for Chemosh was angry with his land.
His son succeeded him; and he also said, I will afflict Moab. In my
days (Chemosh) said, (Let us go) and I will see my desire on him and
his house, and I will destroy Israel with an everlasting
destruction. Now Omri took the land of Medeba, and (the enemy)
occupied it in (his days and in) the days of his son, forty years.
And Chemosh (had mercy) on it in my days; and I fortified Baal-Meon,
and made therein the tank, and I fortified Kiriathaim. For the men
of Gad dwelt in the land of (Atar)oth from of old, and the king (of)
Israel fortified for himself Ataroth, and I assaulted the wall and
captured it, and killed all the warriors of the wall for the
well-pleasing of Chemosh and Moab; and I removed from it all the
spoil, and I (offered) it before Chemosh in Kirjath; and I placed
therein the men of Siran and the men of Mochrath. And Chemosh said
to me, Go take Nebo against Israel. (And I) went in the night, and
I fought against it from the break of dawn till noon, and I took it
and slew in all seven thousand (men, but I did not kill) the women
(and) maidens, for (I) devoted them to Ashtar-Chemosh; and I took
from it the vessels of Yahveh, and offered them before Chemosh. And
the king of Israel fortified Jahaz and occupied it, when he made war
against me; and Chemosh drove him out before (me, and) I took from
Moab two hundred men, all its poor, and placed them in Jahaz, and
took it to annex it to Dibon. I built Kirkha, the wall of the
forest, and the wall of the city, and I built the gates thereof, and
I built the towers thereof, and I built the palace, and I made the
prisons for the criminals within the walls. And there was no cistern
in the wall at Kirkha, and I said to all the people, Make for
yourselves, every man, a cistern in his house. And I dug the ditch
for Kirkha by means of the (captive) men of Israel. I built Aroer,
and I made the road across the Arnon. I built Beth-Bamoth, for it
was destroyed; I built Bezer, for it was cut (down) by the armed men
of Dibon, for all Dibon was now loyal; and I reigned from Bikran,
which I added to my land, and I built (Beth-Gamul) and
Beth-Diblathaim and Beth-Baal-Meon, and I placed there the poor
(people) of the land. And as to Horonaim, (the men of Edom) dwelt
therein (from of old). And Chemosh said to me, Go down, make war
against Horonaim and take (it. And I assaulted it, and I took it,
and) Chemosh (restored it) in my days. Wherefore I made . . . . year
. . . . and I . . . ."
{377}
AHAB.
_How a Wicked King Met His Death_.
(One of the wickedest kings who ever sat upon a throne was Ahab. This
story tells how, while fighting in company with Jehoshaphat, he met his
death in battle, and how the terrible prophecy of Elijah was fulfilled.
With his customary trickiness, he tried to escape notice in the battle,
by making his ally, the king of Judah, conspicuous. An archer, however,
drawing his bow at a venture, struck the king between the joints of his
armor, and inflicted a mortal wound.)
[Footnote: The story of the houses of Ahab and Jehu are told more
fully in "Tales of Elijah and Elisha," to be found in this volume.]
And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of
Judah came down to the king of Israel. And the king of Israel said
unto his servants, "Know ye that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are
still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?"
And he said unto Jehoshaphat, "Wilt thou go with me to battle to
Ramoth-gilead?"
And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as thou art, my
people as thy people, my horses as thy horses."
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, "Inquire first, I pray
thee, for the word of the Lord."
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, {378} about
four hundred men, and said unto them, "Shall I go against
Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?"
And they said, "Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of
the king."
But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord
besides, that we may inquire of him?"
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by
whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate
him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."
And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so." Then the king of
Israel called an officer, and said, "Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of
Imlah."
Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on
his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance
of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said,
"Thus saith the Lord, 'With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until
they be consumed.'"
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead,
and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king."
And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying,
"Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with
one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them,
and speak thou good."
And Micaiah said, "As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me,
that will I speak."
{379}
And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, "Micaiah,
shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" And he
answered him, "Go up, and prosper; and the Lord shall deliver it into
the hand of the king."
And the king said unto him, "How many times shall I adjure thee that
thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?"
And he said, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep
that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, 'These have no master; let
them return every man to his house in peace.'"
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell thee that
he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
And he said, "Therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord
sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on
his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, 'Who shall entice
Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said on
this manner; and another on that manner. And there came forth a
spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, 'I will entice him.'
"And the Lord said unto him, 'Wherewith?'
"And he said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets.'
"And he said, 'Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go
forth, and do so.'
"Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying {380} spirit in the
mouth of all these thy prophets; and the Lord hath spoken evil
concerning thee."
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah on the
cheek, and said, "Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to
speak unto thee?"
And Micaiah said, "Behold, thou shalt see on that day, when thou shalt
go into an inner chamber to hide thyself."
And the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto
Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; and say,
'Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with
bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in
peace.'"
And Micaiah said, "If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not
spoken by me." And he said, "Hear, ye peoples, all of you."
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to
Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "I will
disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes."
And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty and two captains of his
chariots, saying, "Fight neither with small nor great, save only with
the king of Israel."
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw
Jehoshaphat, that they said, "Surely it is the king of Israel"; and
they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots {381} saw that
it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing
him. And a certain archer drew his bow at a venture, and smote the
king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said
unto the driver of his chariot, "Turn thine hand, and carry me out of
the host; for I am sore wounded."
And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his
chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out
of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. And there went a cry
throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, "Every
man to his city, and every man to his country."
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king
in Samaria. And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and
the dogs licked up his blood; according to the word of the Lord which
he spoke.
{382}
AHAZIAH.
_The Brief Reign of an Evil King_.
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the
seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two
years over Israel. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the
Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his
mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherein he made
Israel to sin. And he served Baal, and worshiped him, and provoked to
anger the Lord, the God of Israel, according to all that his father
had done.
And Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah
fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in
Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them,
"Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of
this sickness."
But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up
to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, 'Is
it because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of
Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou
shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt
surely die.'"
And Elijah departed. And the messengers returned unto him, and he said
unto them, "Why is it that ye are returned?"
{383}{384}
[Illustration]
SAMARIA FROM THE SOUTH.
From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund and used
by special permission.
The revolt of the people of the north made necessary a new capital.
It was first at Shechem, which was not, however, a strong situation
from the military standpoint; then at Tirzah, but Omri chose finally
a beautiful location at the head of a valley running down to the
sea. Here on a hill rising 360 feet above the surrounding country
was built one of the famous cities of the east--Samaria, meaning
"watch-tower." It was the sacred city of the north, the rival of
Jerusalem. The city was almost impregnable, and the sieges against
it were always very long. The broad vale is visible for eight miles,
then a low range of hills, and over them the sea.
"To-day amid the peaceful beauty of the scene--the secluded vale
covered with cornfields through which the winding streams flash and
glisten into the hazy distance, and the gentle hill rises to the
olives waving over its summit--it is possible to appreciate Isaiah's
name for Samaria, the crown of the pride of Ephraim, the flower of
his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley. There
by the entrance of the gate Ahab drew his sentence of death from the
prophet of Jehovah; and there they washed his blood from his chariot,
when they had brought him back to his burial. There Jezebel slew the
prophets of Jehovah and Jehu the priests of Baal."
[End illustration]
{385}
And they said unto him, "There came up a man to meet us, and said unto
us, 'Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him,
Thus saith the Lord, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that
thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou
shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt
surely die.'"
And he said unto them, "What manner of man was he which came up to
meet you? and told you these words?"
And they answered him, "He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of
leather about his loins."
And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."
Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he
went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of the hill. And he
spoke unto him, "O man of God, the king hath said, 'Come down.'"
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I be a man
of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy
fifty."
And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
And again he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty.
And he answered and said unto him, "O man of God, thus hath the king
said, 'Come down quickly.'"
And Elijah answered and said unto them, "If I be a man of God, let
fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty."
{386}
And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his
fifty.
And again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the
third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before
Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, "O man of God, I pray
thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be
precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and
consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties; but now
let my life be precious in thy sight."
And the angel of Jehovah said unto Elijah, "Go down with him: be not
afraid of him."
And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. And he said unto
him, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to
inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God
in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down
from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.'"
So he died according to the word of Jehovah which Elijah had spoken.
{387}
JORAM.
(Joram, or Jehoram as it is sometimes written, was another evil king
of the race of Ahab. Frightened by the fate of his brother he began
his reign by an attack upon idolatry. But the old wicked blood flamed
out, and his reign was marked by many excesses and much wrong-doing.
The account of other events of this reign not given here, and how the
king, already sick from arrow wounds received in battle, was killed by
an arrow from the strong bow of Jehu, will be found in the "Stories of
Elijah and Elisha" in this volume. Joram was a fighting king, but he
was not always successful. The battle in which he received his wounds
previous to his death was an attempt to take Ramoth-gilead in company
with Ahaziah of Judah, but the Syrian archers wounded him so severely
that he was forced to retire. The story given below is of an attack
made upon Mesha, "sheep-master" king of Moab, who, it seems, refused
two years previously the tribute of wool which he had paid to Israel.
Joram called the kings of Judah and Edom together, and the three made
an expedition to punish the Moabites. The armies would have perished
miserably had it not been for a miracle performed by Elisha. The
expedition, while momentarily successful, ended in the retreat of the
allies without having fully accomplished their purpose.)
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the
eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like
his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that
his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not
therefrom.
{388}
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered unto the
king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a hundred
thousand rams. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king
of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. And King Jehoram went out
of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel. And he went and sent
to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, "The king of Moab hath
rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle?"
And he said, "I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people,
my horses as thy horses."
And he said, "Which way shall we go up?"
And he answered, "The way of the wilderness of Edom."
So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of
Edom: and they made a circuit of seven days' journey: and there was no
water for the host, nor for the beasts that followed them.
And the king of Israel said, "Alas! for the Lord hath called these
three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab."
But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that
we may inquire of the Lord by him?"
And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Elisha
the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah."
And Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the Lord is with him."
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down
to him.
{389}{390}
[Illustration]
RUINS AT THE ANCIENT JERICHO.
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
The modern village of Jericho, near the ruins of ancient Jericho.
With its mud walls and thatched roofs, it is one of the poorest and
most miserable villages in all Palestine.
[End illustration]
{391}
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, "What have I to do with thee?
get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy
mother."
And the king of Israel said unto him, "Nay: for the Lord hath called
these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab."
And Elisha said, "As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand,
surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king
of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. But now bring me
a minstrel." And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the
hand of the Lord came upon him.
And he said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Make this valley full of
trenches.' For thus saith the Lord, 'Ye shall not see wind, neither
shall ye see rain, yet that valley shall be filled with water: and ye
shall drink, both ye and your cattle and your beasts.'
"And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will also
deliver the Moabites into your hand. And ye shall smite every fenced
city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop
all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones."
And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of offering the
oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the
country was filled with water.
Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight
against them, they gathered themselves together, all that were able to
put on armor, and upward, {392} and stood on the border. And they rose
up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the
Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood: and they
said, "This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have
smitten each man his fellow: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil."
And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and
smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: and they went
forward into the land smiting the Moabites. And they beat down the
cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone,
and filled it; and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled
all the good trees: until in Kir-hareseth only they left the stones
thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he
took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to break through unto
the king of Edom: but they could not. Then he took his eldest son that
should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering
upon the wall. And there was great wrath against Israel: and they
departed from him, and returned to their own land.
{393}{394}
[Illustration]
THE PLAINS OF JERICHO.
Now almost uninhabited, covered with wild growth. The mounds in the
middle distance cover the ancient city.
[End illustration]
{395}
JEHU.
[Footnote: How Jehu, a captain in the army, came to the throne of
Israel, is told in the "Stories of Elijah and Elisha" in this volume.]
_How Jehu Destroyed the Children of Ahab and the Children
of Ahaziah, and the Priests of Baal_.
Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent
to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and unto them
that brought up the sons of Ahab, saying, "And now as soon as this
letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and
there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armor;
look ye out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on
his father's throne, and fight for your master's house."
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Behold, the two kings
stood not before him: how then shall we stand?"
And he that was over the household, and he that was over the city, the
elders also, and they that brought up the children, sent to Jehu,
saying, "We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us;
we will not make any man king: do thou that which is good in thine
eyes."
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If ye be on
my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of
the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow
this time."
{396}
Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of
the city, which brought them up. And it came to pass, when the letter
came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew them, even
seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them unto
him to Jezreel.
And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, "They have brought
the heads of the king's sons."
And he said, "Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate
until the morning." And it came to pass in the morning, that he went
out, and stood, and said to all the people, "Ye be righteous: behold,
I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who smote all these?
Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of
the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab: for the
Lord hath done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah."
So Jehu smote all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and
all his great men, and his familiar friends, and his priests, until he
left him none remaining. And he arose and departed, and went to
Samaria.
And as he was at the shearing house of the shepherds in the way, Jehu
met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, "Who are
ye?" And they answered, "We are the brethren of Ahaziah: and we go
down to salute the children of the king and the children of the
queen."
And he said, "Take them alive."
And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing
house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
{397}
And when he was departed thence, he came upon Jehonadab the son of
Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, "Is
thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?"
And Jehonadab answered, "It is."
"If it be, give me thine hand." And he gave him his hand; and he took
him up to him into the chariot.
And he said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord,"
So they made him ride in his chariot. And when he came to Samaria, he
smote all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed
him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Elijah.
And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, "Ahab
served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. Now therefore
call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his
priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to
Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live." But Jehu did it
in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshipers of
Baal.
And Jehu said, "Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal." And they
proclaimed it.
And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshipers of Baal came,
so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the
house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to
another.
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the
burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard {398} and to the captains,
"Go in, and slay them; let none come forth." And they smote them with
the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out,
and went to the city of the house of Baal. And they brought forth the
pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them. And they
broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and
defiled it, unto this day. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made
Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden
calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan.
And the Lord said unto Jehu, "Because thou hast done well in executing
that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab
according to all that was in mine heart, thy sons of the fourth
generation shall sit on the throne of Israel."
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of
Israel, with all his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam,
wherewith he made Israel to sin.
In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote
them in all the coasts of Israel; from Jordan eastward, all the land
of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from
Aroer, which is by the valley of Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. And
Jehu died: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son
reigned in his stead. And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in
Samaria was twenty and eight years.
{399}
JEHOAHAZ.
(The kingdom of Israel was nearly blotted out by the raids of the
Syrians during the weak reign of Jehoahaz.)
In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of
Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria,
and reigned seventeen years. And he did that which was evil in the
sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. And the
anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them
into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad
the son of Hazael, continually.
And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him: for
he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed
them. And the Lord gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from
under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in
their tents, as beforetime. Nevertheless they departed not from the
sins of the house of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin, but
walked therein: and there remained the Asherah also in Samaria.
And there were left to Jehoahaz of the people only fifty horsemen, and
ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria
destroyed them, and made them like the dust in threshing. And Jehoahaz
died; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his
stead.
{400}
JOASH.
(The oppression of the Syrians continued into the reign of Joash, but
in the later days of the reign, Joash gained the ascendency over his
foes in three great battles, according to the prophecy of Elisha when
he was about to die, as is told in the "Stories of Elijah and Elisha"
in another chapter of this volume.)
And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
But the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and
had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his
presence as yet. And Hazael king of Syria died; and Ben-hadad his son
reigned in his stead. And Joash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of
the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken
out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash
smite him, and recovered the cities of Israel.
{401}
JEROBOAM II.
(Jeroboam II. was an evil king, but as a soldier he was one of the
greatest in the history of Israel. He extended the territory of the
people in every direction. The country was prosperous in a commercial
sense as it never had been before. The rich people lived in the most
luxurious houses and spent their time in idleness and dissipation. But
there was another side to the picture. The poor were terribly
oppressed, and there was no such thing as justice. The people
worshiped idols and indulged in all kinds of evil practices. We know
most about the reign through the prophet Amos, who sternly denounced
all this wickedness.)
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah
Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria,
and reigned forty and one years. And he did that which was evil in the
sight of the Lord: departing not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. He restored the border of
Israel from the entrance of Hamath unto the sea of the Arabah,
according to the word of Jehovah, the God of Israel, which he spoke by
his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of
Gath-hepher. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was
very bitter; for there was none shut up nor left at large, neither was
there any helper for Israel. And the Lord said not that he would blot
out the name of Israel from under heaven; but he saved them by the
hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
{402}
ZECHARIAH.
(After the splendid but utterly corrupt reign of Jeroboam II., came a
succession of little kings, ruling by virtue of the assassin's knife.
The first was Zechariah. He reigned only six months before a
conspirator, Shallum, slew him.)
In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zechariah
the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his
fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. And Shallum the son of Jabish
conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him,
and reigned in his stead.
This was the word of the Lord which he spoke unto Jehu, saying, "Thy
sons to the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel."
And so it came to pass.
{403}
SHALLUM.
(Shallum's reign was shorter still. He was on the throne only one
month before the swift fate overtook him, and he fell before a
successful rival, Menahem.)
Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth
year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned the space of a month in
Samaria. And Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to
Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him,
and reigned in his stead.
{404}
MENAHEM.
(Although Menahem was able to wrest the crown away from Shallum, he
did not prove to be much of a soldier. It was in his reign perhaps
that the Assyrians first came into the territory of Israel, though
they had been in Philistia before, while probably Ahab and certainly
Jehu had paid tribute. Instead of resisting them, the king taxed his
people heavily to pay the great tribute exacted by the Lords of the
North.)
In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem
the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in
Samaria. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he
departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
wherewith he made Israel to sin.
There came against the land Tiglath-pileser the king of Assyria; and
Menahem gave Tiglath-pileser a thousand talents of silver, that his
hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. And Menahem
exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of
each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So
the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land. And
Menahem died; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.
{405}{406}
[Illustration]
DAMASCUS
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass.,
and used by special permission.
"In the bazars of Damascus can be found all the color and richness
of the East. In the long dusk tunnels, shot by solid shafts of life,
all is beautiful--the old walnut wood, the brown tobacco bales, the
carpets, the spotted brown scones in the bakers' shops, the tawny
sweetmeats, the golden Hauran wheat, the piles of green melons, the
tables of snow from Hermon, the armor and the rich saddlebags, the
human dresses. But even the bazars of Damascus fail to exhaust the
significance of the city. To gather more of this you must come out
upon the three great roads which go forth from her--west, south, and
east. The western travels by Galilee to the Levant and the Nile. The
southern, which leaves the city by the 'Gates of God,' takes the
pilgrims to Mecca. The eastern is the road to Bagdad, Egypt, Arabia,
Persia,--the city of the khalifs lies in the midst of the three, and
the Mediterranean is behind her."--_G. A. Smith_
[End illustration]
{407}
PEKAHIAH.
(We come now to another series of dark and bloody reigns, before the
sun of Israel set forever in blood. After Pekahiah had reigned for two
years, Pekah, the captain of his body guard, overpowered him with a
company of fifty soldiers, and succeeded to the throne.)
In the fiftieth year of Uzziah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of
Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed
not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made
Israel to sin. And Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired
against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the castle of the king's
house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the
Gileadites: and he slew him, and reigned in his stead.
{408}
PEKAH.
(In Pekah's reign those irresistible invasions from the north
continued. The only possible safety lay in a confederacy of all the
southern states. In such a confederacy Israel and Syria and Philistia
joined. Judah would not come in and the northern states tried to force
her to do so. This attempt was successful in so far as the defeat of
Judah was concerned, but the effort instead of uniting only weakened
the two nations. The Assyrians overran the northern country, captured
many important towns and took many captives. At last Pekah fell a
victim to the assassin and Hoshea ruled over a broken and disorganized
state.)
In the two and fiftieth year of Uzziah king of Judah Pekah the son of
Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty
years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he
departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he
made Israel to sin.
In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of
Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh,
and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he
carried them captive to Assyria. And Hoshea the son of Elah made a
conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew
him, and reigned in his stead.
{409}{410}
[Illustration]
DAMASCUS--THE RIVER ABANA.
From a picture in the possession of the Detroit Photograph Company
and used by kind permission.
Damascus is one of the oldest cities of the world. It is on the edge
of the desert and is made possible by the river Abana, which "bursts
full born from the heart of Lebanon, runs a course of ten miles in a
narrow gorge, and from the mouth flings itself abroad in seven
streams and after watering the greater part of the plain it dies a
way in a large marsh. Damascus was easily conquered by Nineveh,
Babylon, and Memphis--she probably preceded them and she has
outlived them. She has been twice supplanted,--by Antioch, and she
has seen Antioch decay; by Bagdad, and Bagdad is forgotten. She has
been many times sacked and twice at least the effective classes of
her population have been swept into captivity, but this has not
broken the chain of her history."--_G. A. Smith_.
[End illustration]
{411}
HOSHEA.
(In spite of all the warnings of the prophets the people of Israel
continued to disobey God and to do the things which were evil in his
sight. The nation had its chance, and it threw that chance away. Then
a terrible fate overtook it. A great wave of invasion came sweeping
down from the North, and submerged the Northern kingdom. Samaria, the
capital city, was destroyed, and the people were carried away by
thousands into captivity.)
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah
to reign in Samaria over Israel, and reigned nine years. And he did
that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, yet not as the kings of
Israel that were before him. Against him came up Shalmaneser king of
Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him tribute. And
the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent
messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of
Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria
shut him up, and bound him in prison. Then the king of Assyria came up
throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three
years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria,
and carried Israel away unto Assyria, and placed them in the Assyrian
cities. And it was so, because the children of Israel had sinned
against the Lord their God, which brought them up out of the land of
{412} Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had
feared other gods, and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom the
Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of
Israel, which they made. And the children of Israel did secretly
things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built
them high places in all their cities. And they set them up pillars and
sacred symbols upon every high hill, and under every green tree: and
there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations
whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to
provoke the Lord to anger: and they served idols, whereof the Lord had
said unto them, "Ye shall not do this thing."
Yet the Lord testified unto Israel, and unto Judah, by every prophet,
and by every seer, saying, "Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my
commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I
commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the
prophets." Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their
hearts, like to the hearts of their fathers, who believed not in the
Lord their God. And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that
he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified
unto them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after
the nations that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had
charged them that they should not do like them. And they forsook all
the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images,
even two calves, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served
Baal. And they {413} burned their sons and their daughters as
sacrifice, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves
to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to
anger. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them
out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked
in the statutes of Israel which they made. And the Lord rejected all
the people of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the
hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. For he rent
Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of
Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord, and
made them sin a great sin. And the children of Israel walked in all
the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; until
the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he spoke by all his
servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own
land to Assyria, unto this day.
{414}
{415}
TALES OF THE MACCABEES
{416}
{417}
TALES OF THE MACCABEES
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_Mattathias, a Jewish priest_.
_Sons of Mattathias_.
_John_,
_Simon_,
_Judas_,
_Eleazar_,
_Jonathan_,
_Alexander the Great_.
_Antiochus, king of Syria_.
_Syrian generals under Antiochus_.
_Apollonius_,
_Seron_,
_Ptolemy_,
_Nicanor_,
_Gorgias_,
_Lysias, regent of Syria_.
_Philip, pretender to Syrian crown_.
_Demetrius I., king of Syria_.
_Syrian generals under Demetrius_.
_Bacchides_,
_Nicanor_,
_Alexander Bolas, A general who contested with Demetrius for the
Syrian crown_.
_Demetrius II., king of Syria_.
_Antiochus, son of Bolas, pretender to the crown_.
_Tryphon, a general who supported Antiochus, and who afterward
became king_.
_Antiochus VII., brother of Demetrius II., who defeated Tryphon_.
_Ptolemy, king of Egypt_.
PLACE OF THE STORY.
The action moves over nearly the whole of Palestine. Some of the
places mentioned are Modin, home of the Maccabees, Jerusalem,
Beth-Horon, Bethsura, Jaffa, Kedesh, Gazara.
{418}
THE MACCABEES.
_The Story of a Village Priest and His Five Sons Who Made a Gallant
Struggle for Liberty_.
(Palestine was one of the countries overrun and conquered by Alexander
the Great. One of his successors, Antiochus IV., attempted to force
Greek customs and worship upon the people. Many Jews yielded, but some
resisted. Because of this resistance the foreign soldiery massacred
many of the people, including helpless women and children. Jerusalem
was destroyed, and the altars of the Lord broken down and polluted.
Then, as in the brave days of old, arose a deliverer. A priest named
Mattathias lived with his five stalwart sons in the little village of
Modin. They slew the king's officer who attempted to impose foreign
religious rites upon the villagers, and, fleeing to the mountains, set
up the standard of revolt. The greatest of the sons of the priest was
called Maccabaeus, "the Hammer," because he smote his enemies so
fiercely. From this, his family and his followers came to be called
"Maccabees." These great warriors won many battles against great odds,
and set the nation free. There is no more heroic story in all the
history of Israel than theirs. The story is told in the "Books of the
Maccabees," which are contained in what is called the "Apocrypha.")
[Footnote: Apocrypha--See note at the end of the volume.]
{419}
I.
_How Alexander the Great, After He Had Conquered the World, Died, and
How the Evil Antiochus Reigned in His Stead in Palestine_.
And it came to pass, after Alexander the Macedonian, the son of
Philip, came and smote Darius king of the Persians and Medes, and
reigned in his stead, that he fought many battles, and won many
strongholds, and slew the kings of the earth, and went through to the
ends of the earth, and took spoils of a multitude of nations. And the
earth was quiet before him, and he was exalted, and his heart was
lifted up, and he gathered together an exceeding strong host, and
ruled over countries and nations and principalities, and they became
tributary unto him. And after these things he fell sick, and perceived
that he should die. And he called his generals, and he divided unto
them his kingdom, while he was yet alive. And Alexander reigned twelve
years, and he died. And his generals bore rule, each one in his place.
And they all put crowns upon themselves after he was dead, and so did
their sons after them many years: and they multiplied evils in the
earth.
In those days came there forth out of Israel transgressors of the law,
and persuaded many, saying, "Let us go and make a covenant with the
Gentiles that are round about us; for since we were parted from them
many evils have befallen us."
And the saying was good in their eyes. And certain of the people were
eager in this matter and went to the king, and he gave them license to
do after the ordinances {420} of the Gentiles. And they forsook the
holy covenant, and joined themselves to the Gentiles, and sold
themselves to do evil.
II.
_How Antiochus, After He Had Conquered Egypt, Returned to Bring Woeful
Persecution Upon the Jews_.
And a wicked ruler arose, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the
king, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred
and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
And the kingdom was well ordered in the sight of Antiochus, and he
thought to reign over Egypt, that he might reign over the two
kingdoms. And he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with
chariots, and with elephants, and with horsemen, and with a great
navy; and he made war against Ptolemy king of Egypt; and Ptolemy was
put to shame before him, and fled; and many fell wounded to death. And
they got possession of the strong cities in the land of Egypt; and he
took the spoils of Egypt.
And Antiochus, after he had smitten Egypt, returned in the hundred and
forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a
great multitude, and entered presumptuously into the sanctuary, and
took the golden altar, and the candlestick, and all that pertained
thereto, and the table of the showbread, and the cups, and the bowls,
and the golden censers, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden
ornaments which were before the temple, and he pulled them all off.
And he took {421} the silver and the gold and the precious vessels;
and he took the hidden treasures which he found. And when he had taken
all, he went away into his own land, having made a great massacre.
And after two full years the king sent a chief collector of tribute
unto the cities of Judah, and he came unto Jerusalem with a great
multitude. And he spoke peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit:
for when they believed him he fell upon the city suddenly, and smote
it very sore, and destroyed much people out of Israel. And he took the
spoils of the city, and set it on fire, and pulled down the houses
thereof and the walls thereof on every side. And they led captive the
women and the children, and the cattle they took in possession. And
they builded the city of David with a great and strong wall, with
strong towers, and it became unto them a citadel. And they put there a
garrison of cruel soldiers, transgressors of the law, and they
strengthened themselves therein. And they stored up arms and
provisions, and gathering together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid
them up there. And they shed innocent blood on every side of the
sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem
fled because of them; and she became a habitation of strangers, and
she became strange to them that were born in her, and her children
forsook her. Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her
feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, her
honor into contempt. According to her glory, so was her dishonor
multiplied, and her high estate was turned into mourning.
{422}
And King Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one
people, and that each should forsake his own laws. And all the nations
agreed according to the word of the king; and many of Israel consented
to his worship, and sacrificed to the idols and profaned the Sabbath.
And the king sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities
of Judah, that they should follow laws strange to the land, and should
forbid whole burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the
sanctuary; and should profane the Sabbaths and feasts, and pollute the
sanctuary and them that were holy; that they should build altars, and
temples, and shrines for idols, and should sacrifice swine's flesh and
unclean beasts. And whosoever shall not do according to the word of
the king, he shall die. According to all these words wrote he to his
whole kingdom; and he appointed overseers over all the people, and he
commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice, city by city. And from the
people were gathered together unto them many, everyone that had
forsaken the law; and they did evil things in the land; and they made
the Israelites to hide themselves in every place of refuge which they
had.
III.
_How Mattathias the Priest and His Five Sons Rebelled Against the
Authority of the King, and Fled to the Mountains_.
In those days rose up Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a
priest from Jerusalem; and he dwelt at Modin. And he had five sons,
John, who was surnamed {423} Gaddis; Simon, who was called Thassi;
Judas, who was called Maccabaeus; Eleazar, who was called Avaran;
Jonathan, who was called Apphus.
And he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Judah and in
Jerusalem, and he said,--
"Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see the destruction of my people,
and the destruction of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was
given into the hand of the enemy, the sanctuary into the hand of
aliens? Her temple is become as a man without glory: her vessels of
glory are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in her
streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy. What nation hath
not inherited her palaces, and gotten possession of her spoils? her
adorning is all taken away; instead of a free woman she is become a
bond woman: and, behold, our holy things and our beauty and our glory
are laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned them. Wherefore should
we live any longer?"
And Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth,
and mourned exceedingly.
And the king's officers, that were enforcing the evil laws, came into
the city Modin to sacrifice. And many of Israel came unto them, and
Mattathias and his sons were gathered together. And the king's
officers answered and spoke to Mattathias, saying, "Thou art a ruler
and an honorable and great man in this city, and strengthened with
sons and brethren: now therefore come thou first and do the
commandment of the king, as all the nations have done, and the men of
Judah, and they that remain in {424} Jerusalem: and thou and thy house
shall be in the number of the king's Friends, and thou and thy sons
shall be honored with silver and gold and many gifts."
And Mattathias answered and said with a loud voice, "If all the
nations that are under the king's dominion hearken unto him, to fall
away each one from the worship of his fathers, and have made choice to
follow his commandments, yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk
in the covenant of our fathers. Heaven forbid that we should forsake
the law and the ordinances. We will not hearken to the king's words,
to go aside from our worship, on the right hand, or on the left."
And when he had ceased speaking these words, there came a Jew in the
sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according
to the king's commandment. And Mattathias saw it, and his zeal was
kindled, and he was hot with indignation, and ran, and slew him upon
the altar. And the king's officer, who compelled men to sacrifice, he
killed at that time, and pulled down the altar. And Mattathias cried
out in the city with a loud voice, saying, "Whosoever is zealous for
the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him come forth after me."
And he and his sons fled into the mountains, and forsook all that they
had in the city.
{425}
IV.
_How a Thousand Jews Were Slaughtered Because They Would Not Fight on
the Sabbath Day_.
Then many that sought after justice and judgment, went out into the
wilderness, to dwell there, they, and their sons, and their wives, and
their cattle; because evils were multiplied upon them. And it was told
the king's officers, and the forces that were in Jerusalem, the city
of David, that certain men, who had broken the king's commandment,
were gone out into the secret places in the wilderness; and many
pursued after them, and having overtaken them, they encamped against
them, and set the battle in array against them on the Sabbath day.
And they said unto them, "Come forth, and do according to the word of
the king, and ye shall live."
And they said, "We will not come forth, neither will we do the word of
the king, to profane the Sabbath day."
And they hasted to give them battle. And they answered them not,
neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places,
saying, "Let us all die in our innocency: heaven and earth witness
over us, that ye put us to death without trial."
And they rose up against them in battle on the Sabbath, and they died,
they and their wives and their children, and their cattle, to the
number of a thousand souls.
{426}
V.
_How Mattathias Died, and Bequeathed the Task of Freeing Israel to His
Sons_.
And Mattathias and his friends knew it, and they mourned over them
exceedingly. And one said to another, "If we all do as our brethren
have done, and fight not against the Gentiles for our lives and our
ordinances, they will now quickly destroy us from off the earth." And
they took counsel on that day, saying, "Whosoever shall come against
us to battle on the Sabbath day, let us fight against him, and we
shall in no wise all die, as our brethren died in the secret places."
Then were gathered together unto them a company of mighty men of
Israel, every one that offered himself willingly for the law. And all
they that fled from the evils were added to them, and became a stay
unto them. And they mustered a host, and smote sinners in their anger,
and lawless men in their wrath: and the rest fled to the Gentiles for
safety. And Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled
down the altars. And they pursued after the sons of pride, and the
work prospered in their hand. And they rescued the law out of the hand
of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of the kings, neither suffered
they the sinner to triumph.
And the days of Mattathias drew near that he should die, and he said
unto his sons,--
"Now have pride and rebuke gotten strength, and a season of overthrow,
and wrath of indignation. And now, my children, be ye zealous for the
law, and give your lives {427} for the covenant of your fathers. And
call to remembrance the deeds of our fathers, which they did in their
generations; and receive great glory and an everlasting name. Was not
Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reckoned unto him for
righteousness? Joseph in the time of his distress kept the
commandment, and became lord of Egypt. Phinehas our father, because he
was zealous exceedingly, obtained the covenant of an everlasting
priesthood. Joshua for fulfilling the word became a judge in Israel.
Caleb for bearing witness among the people obtained a heritage in the
land. David for being merciful inherited the throne of a kingdom for
ever and ever. Elijah, because he was exceeding zealous for the law,
was taken up into heaven. Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, believed, and
were saved out of the flame. Daniel for his innocency was delivered
from the mouth of lions. And thus consider ye from generation to
generation, that none that put their trust in him shall want for
strength. And be not afraid of the words of a sinful man; for his
glory shall come to naught. To-day he shall be lifted up, and
to-morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned unto his dust,
and his thought is perished. And ye, my children, be strong, and show
yourselves men in behalf of the law; for therein shall ye obtain
glory. And, behold, Simon your brother, I know that he is a man of
counsel; give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you. And
Judas Maccabaeus, he hath been strong and mighty from his youth: he
shall be your captain, and shall fight the battle of the people. And
take ye unto you all the doers of {428} the law, and avenge the wrong
of your people. Render a recompense to the Gentiles, and take heed to
the commandments of the law."
And he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers. And he died in
the hundred and forty and sixth year, and his sons buried him in the
sepulchers of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great
lamentation for him.
VI.
_How "Judas the Hammer" Took Command of the Forces of Israel_.
And his son Judas, who was called Maccabaeus, rose up in his stead.
And all his brethren helped him, and so did all they that held with
his father, and they fought with gladness the battle of Israel. And he
got his people great glory, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and
girt his warlike harness about him, and set battles in array,
protecting the army with his sword. And he was like a lion in his
deeds, and as a lion's whelp roaring for prey. And he pursued the
lawless, seeking them out, and he burnt up those that troubled his
people. And the lawless shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of
lawlessness were sore troubled, and salvation prospered in his hand.
And he angered many kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts, and his
memorial is blessed for ever. And he went about among the cities of
Judah, and destroyed the ungodly out of the land, and turned away
wrath from Israel: and he was renowned unto the utmost part of the
earth, and he gathered together such as were ready to perish.
{429}{430}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF AN ANCIENT CITY.
This picture shows one of the ruined cities near the coast,
important during the period of the Maccabees, and later in the time
of the Crusaders.
[End illustration]
{431}
VII.
_How Judas Won His Sword from the Foe_.
And Apollonius gathered the Gentiles together, and a great host from
Samaria, to fight against Israel. And Judas perceived it, and he went
forth to meet him, and smote him, and slew him: and many fell wounded
to death, and the rest fled. And they took their spoils, and Judas
took the sword of Apollonius, and therewith he fought all his days.
VIII.
_How Judas, with a Small Force, Overcame the Syrians at Beth-horon_.
And Seron, the commander of the host of Syria, heard that Judas had
gathered a host of faithful men with him, and of such as went out to
war; and he said, "I will make myself a name and get me glory in the
kingdom; and I will fight against Judas and them that are with him,
that set at naught the word of the king."
And there went up with him also a mighty army of the ungodly to help
him, to take vengeance on the children of Israel.
And he came near to the pass of Beth-horan, and Judas went forth to
meet him with a small company. But when they saw the army coming to
meet them, they said unto Judas, "What? shall we be able, being a
small company, to fight against so great and strong a multitude? and
we for our part are faint, having tasted no food this day."
{432}
And Judas said, "It is an easy thing for many to be shut up in the
hands of a few; and with heaven it is all one, to save by many or by
few: for victory in battle standeth not in the multitude of a host;
but strength is from heaven. They come unto us in fullness of
insolence and lawlessness, to destroy us and our wives and our
children, for to spoil us: but we fight for our lives and our laws.
And he himself will discomfit them before our face: but as for you, be
ye not afraid of them."
Now when he had left off speaking, he leaped suddenly upon them, and
Seron and his army were discomfited before him. And they pursued them
in the pass of Beth-horon unto the plain, and there fell of them about
eight hundred men; but the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.
And the fear of Judas and his brethren, and the dread of them, began
to fall upon the nations round about them: and his name came even unto
the king, and every nation told of the battles of Judas.
IX.
_How Judas Deceived the Enemy by a Night March, How He Fell Upon the
Syrian Camp, and Scattered the Syrian Army, Winning Great Glory and
Gaining Much Spoil_.
And after this Judas appointed leaders of the people, captains of
thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and
captains of tens. And the army removed, and encamped upon the south
side of Emmaus.
{433}
And Judas said, "Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be in
readiness against the morning, that ye may fight with these Gentiles,
that are assembled together against us to destroy us, and our holy
place: for it is better for us to die in battle, than to look upon the
evils of our nation and the holy place. Nevertheless, as may be the
will in heaven, so shall he do."
And Gorgias took five thousand footmen, and a thousand chosen horse,
and the army marched by night, that it might fall upon the army of the
Jews and smite them suddenly: and the men of the citadel were his
guides. And Judas heard thereof, and he also marched by night, he and
the valiant men, that he might smite the king's host which was at
Emmaus, while as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp. And
Gorgias came into the camp of Judas by night, and found no man; and he
sought them in the mountains; for he said, "These men flee from us."
And as soon as it was day, Judas appeared in the plain with three
thousand men: howbeit they had neither suitable armor nor swords. And
they saw the camp of the Gentiles strong and fortified, and horsemen
compassing it round about; and these were expert in war.
And Judas said to the men that were with him, "Fear ye not their
multitude, neither be ye afraid of their onset. Remember how our
fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with a
host. And now let us cry unto heaven, if he will pity us, and will
remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this army before us
to-day: and all the Gentiles shall know that there is one who
redeemeth and saveth Israel."
{434}
And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming over
against them: and they went out of the camp to battle. And they that
were with Judas sounded their trumpets, and joined battle, and the
Gentiles were discomfited, and fled into the plain. But all the
hindmost fell by the sword: and they pursued them a long distance, and
there fell of them about three thousand men.
And Judas and his host returned from pursuing after them, and he said
unto the people, "Be not greedy of the spoils, inasmuch as there is a
battle before us; and Gorgias and his host are nigh unto us in the
mountain. But stand ye now against our enemies, and fight against
them, and afterwards take the spoils with boldness."
While Judas was yet speaking, there appeared a part of them looking
out from the mountain: and they saw that their host had been put to
flight, and that the Jews were burning the camp; for the smoke that
was seen declared what was done. But when they perceived these things,
they were sore afraid; and perceiving also the army of Judas in the
plain ready for battle, they fled all of them into the land of the
Philistines.
And Judas returned to spoil the camp, and they got much gold, and
silver, and blue, and sea purple, and great riches. And they returned
home, and sang a song of thanksgiving, and gave praise unto heaven;
because his mercy is good, because his mercy endureth forever. And
Israel had a great deliverance that day.
{435}{436}
[Illustration]
SIDON, ON THE ROAD FROM TYRE.
From a photograph taken by Dr. W. J. Moulton, and used by his kind
permission.
[End illustration]
{437}
X.
_How Judas Defeated Another Great Army of the Syrians_.
But the strangers, as many as had escaped, came and told Lysias all
the things that had happened: but when he heard thereof, he was
confounded and discouraged.
And in the next year he gathered together threescore thousand chosen
footmen, and five thousand horse, that he might subdue them. And they
came into Idumaea, and encamped at Bethsura; and Judas met them with
ten thousand men. And he saw that the army was strong, and he prayed
and said,--
"Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the onset of
the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver the
army of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul,
and of his armor-bearer: shut up this army in the hand of thy people
Israel, and let them be ashamed for their host and their horsemen:
give them faintness of heart, and cause the boldness of their strength
to melt away, and let them quake at their destruction: cast them down
with the sword of them that love thee, and let all that know thy name
praise thee with thanksgiving."
And they joined battle; and there fell of the army of Lysias about
five thousand men, and they fell down over against them. But when
Lysias saw that his array was put to flight, and the boldness that had
come upon them that were with Judas, and how they were ready either to
live or to die nobly, he removed to Antioch, and gathered together
hired soldiers, that he might come again into Judaea with even a
greater company.
{438}
XI.
_How the Temple Was Purified_.
But Judas and his brethren said, "Behold, our enemies are discomfited:
let us go up to cleanse the holy place, and to dedicate it afresh."
And all the army was gathered together, and they went up unto Mount
Sion. And they saw the sanctuary laid desolate, and the altar
profaned, and the gates burned, and shrubs growing in the courts as in
a forest or as on one of the mountains, and the priests' chambers
pulled down; and they rent their clothes, and made great lamentation,
and put ashes upon their heads, and fell on their faces to the ground,
and blew with the solemn trumpets, and cried toward heaven. Then Judas
appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the citadel,
until he should have cleansed the holy place.
And he chose blameless priests, such as had pleasure in the law: and
they cleansed the holy place, and bore out the stones of defilement
into an unclean place. And they took counsel concerning the altar of
burnt offerings, which had been profaned, what they should do with it:
and there came into their mind a good counsel, that they should pull
it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles
had defiled it: and they pulled down the altar, and laid up the stones
in a convenient place near the temple, until there should come a
prophet to show what should be done with them. And they took whole
stones according to the law, and built a new altar after the {439}
fashion of the former; and they built the holy place, and the inner
parts of the house; and they hallowed the courts. And they made the
holy vessels new, and they brought the candlestick, and the altar of
burnt offerings and of incense, and the table, into the temple. And
they burned incense upon the altar, and they lighted the lamps that
were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple. And they
set loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all
the works which they made.
XII.
_How the King Himself, with an Army of 100,000 Men and a Herd of
Thirty-two Fighting Elephants Came Against Judas, and How an
Indecisive Battle Was Fought. How Eleazar Did a Brave Deed and Died in
the Doing of It_.
And when the king heard this, he was angry, and gathered together all
his Friends, even the generals of his host, and the captains of the
horse. And there came unto him from other kingdoms, and from isles of
the sea, bands of hired soldiers. And the number of his forces was a
hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and
thirty elephants trained for war. And they went through Idumaea, and
encamped against Bethsura, and fought against it many days, and made
engines of war; and they of Bethsura came out, and burned them with
fire, and fought valiantly.
And Judas removed from the citadel, and encamped at Bethzacharias,
over against the king's camp. And the {440} king rose early in the
morning, and removed his army at full speed along the road to
Bethzacharias, and his forces made them ready to battle, and sounded
the trumpets. And they showed the elephants the blood of grapes and
mulberries, that they might prepare them for the battle. And they
divided the beasts among the phalanxes, and they set by each elephant
a thousand men armed with coats of mail, and helmets of brass on their
heads; and for each elephant were appointed five hundred chosen
horsemen. These were ready beforehand, wheresoever the elephant was;
and whithersoever the elephant went, they went with him; they departed
not from him. And towers of wood were upon them, strong and covered,
one upon each elephant, girt fast upon him with cunning contrivances;
and upon each elephant were two and thirty valiant men that fought
upon them, beside his driver (and the rest of the horsemen he set on
this side and that side at the two parts of the army), striking terror
into the enemy, and protected by the phalanxes. Now when the sun shone
upon the shields of gold and brass, the mountains shone therewith, and
blazed like torches of fire.
And a part of the king's army was spread upon the high mountains, and
some on the low ground, and they went on firmly and in order. And all
that heard the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the
multitude, and the rattling of the arms, trembled: for the army was
exceeding great and strong.
{441}{442}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF THE CASTLE AT SIDON.
From a photograph taken by Dr. W. J. Moulton, and used by his kind
permission.
The famous city on the coast which held, with its great rival, Tyre,
the commercial supremacy of the East. It was the scene of
innumerable battles and sieges.
[End illustration]
{443}
And Judas and his army drew near for battle, and there fell of the
king's army six hundred men. And Eleazar, who was called Avaran, saw
one of the elephants armed with royal breastplates, and he was higher
than all the elephants, and the king seemed to be upon him; and he
determined to deliver his people, and to get him an everlasting name;
and he ran upon him courageously into the midst of the phalanx, and
slew on the right hand and on the left, and they parted asunder from
him on this side and on that. And he crept under the elephant, and
thrust him from beneath, and slew him; and the elephant fell to the
earth upon him, and he died there. And they saw the strength of the
kingdom, and the fierce onset of the hosts, and they retreated.
XIII.
_How Judas Defeated Nicanor and Cut Off His Head_.
And the king sent Nicanor, one of his honorable princes, a man that
hated Israel and was their enemy, and commanded him to destroy the
people. And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great host; and he sent
unto Judas and his brethren deceitfully with words of peace, saying,
"Let there be no battle between me and you; I will come with a few
men, that I may see your faces in peace."
And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably. And the
enemies were ready to take away Judas by violence. And the thing was
known to Judas, that he came unto him with deceit, and he was sore
afraid of him, and would see his face no more. And Nicanor knew that
his counsel was discovered; and he went out {444} to meet Judas in
battle, and there fell of Nicanor's side about five hundred men, and
they fled into the city of David.
And after these things Nicanor went up to Mount Sion: and there came
some of the priests out of the sanctuary, and some of the elders of
the people, to salute him peaceably, and to show him the whole burnt
sacrifice that was being offered for the king. And he mocked them, and
laughed at them, and entreated them shamefully, and spoke haughtily,
and swore in a rage, saying, "Unless Judas and his army be now
delivered into my hands, it shall be that, if I come again in peace, I
will burn up this house": and he went out in a great rage. And the
priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple; and
they wept, and said, "Thou didst choose this house to be called by thy
name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people: take
vengeance on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword:
remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to live any longer."
And Nicanor went forth from Jerusalem, and encamped in Beth-horon, and
there joined him the host of Syria. And Judas encamped with three
thousand men: and Judas prayed and said, "When they that came from the
king blasphemed, thine angel went out, and smote among them a hundred
and fourscore and five thousand. Even so discomfit thou this army
before us to-day, and let all the rest know that he hath spoken
wickedly against thy sanctuary, and judge thou him according to his
wickedness."
And on the thirteenth day of the month Adar the armies {445} joined
battle: and Nicanor's army was discomfited, and he himself was the
first to fall in the battle. Now when his army saw that Nicanor was
fallen, they cast away their arms, and fled. And the Jews pursued
after them a day's journey, and they sounded an alarm after them with
the solemn trumpets. And they came forth out of all the villages of
Judaea round about, and hemmed them in on every side, so that they all
fell by the sword, and there was not one of them left. And they took
the spoils, and the booty, and they smote off Nicanor's head, and his
right hand, which he stretched out so haughtily, and brought them, and
hanged them up beside Jerusalem. And the people were exceeding glad,
and they kept that day as a day of great gladness. And they ordained
to keep this day year by year, the thirteenth day of Adar. And the
land of Judah had rest a little while.
XIV.
_How Judas Made a Treaty with Rome_.
And Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are valiant men,
and have pleasure in all that join themselves unto them, and make a
league with all such as come unto them. And they told him of their
wars and exploits which they do among the Gauls, and how that they
conquered them, and brought them under tribute; and what things they
did in the land of Spain, that they might become masters of the mines
of silver and gold which were {446} there; and how by their policy and
persistence they conquered all the place (and the place was exceeding
far from them), and the kings that came against them from the
uttermost part of the earth, until they had discomfited them, and
smitten them very sore; and how the rest give them tribute year by
year: Antiochus also, the great king of Asia, who came against them to
battle, having a hundred and twenty elephants, with horse, and
chariots, and an exceeding great host, and he was discomfited by them,
and they took him alive, and appointed that both he and such as
reigned after him should give them a great tribute, and should give
hostages, and the country of India, and Media, and Lydia, and of the
goodliest of their countries; and they took them from him, and gave
them to King Eumenes: and how they of Greece took counsel to come and
destroy them; and the thing was known to them, and they sent against
them a captain, and fought against them, and many of them fell down
wounded to death, and they made captive their wives and their
children, and spoiled them, and conquered their land, and pulled down
their strongholds, and spoiled them, and brought them into bondage
unto this day: and the rest of the kingdoms and of the isles, as many
as rose up against them at any time, they destroyed and made them to
be their servants; but with their friends and such as relied upon them
they kept peace; and they conquered the kingdoms that were near and
those that were far off, and all that heard of their fame were afraid
of them: moreover, whomsoever they will to succor and to make kings,
these {447} do they make kings; and whomsoever they will, do they
depose; and they are exalted exceedingly: and for all this none of
them did ever put on a crown, neither did they clothe themselves with
purple, to be magnified thereby: and how they had made for themselves
a senate house, and day by day three hundred and twenty men sat in
council, consulting alway for the people, to the end they might be
well ordered: and how they commit their government to one man year by
year, that he should rule over them, and be lord over all their
country, and all are obedient to that one, and there is neither envy
nor emulation among them.
And Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, and Jason, and sent them to
Rome, to make a league of peace and confederacy with them, and that
they should take the yoke from them; for they saw that the kingdom of
the Syrians did keep Israel in bondage. And they went to Rome (and the
way was exceeding long), and they entered into the senate house, and
said, "Judas, who is also called Maccabaeus, and his brethren, and the
people of the Jews, have sent us unto you, to make a confederacy and
peace with you, and that we might be registered your confederates and
friends."
And the thing was well-pleasing in their sight. And this is the copy
of the writing which they wrote back again on tables of brass, and
sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of
peace and confederacy:--
Good success be to the Romans, and to the nation of the Jews, by sea
and by land for ever: the sword also and the {448} enemy be far from
them. But if war arise for Rome first, or any of their confederates in
all their dominion, the nation of the Jews shall help them as
confederates, as the occasion shall prescribe to them, with all their
heart: and unto them that make war upon them they shall not give,
neither supply, food, arms, money, or ships, as it hath seemed good
unto Rome, and they shall keep their ordinances without taking
anything therefor. In the same manner moreover if war come first upon
the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them as confederates
with all their soul, as the occasion shall prescribe to them: and to
them that are confederates with their foes there shall not be given
food, arms, money, or ships, as it hath seemed good unto Rome; and
they shall keep these ordinances, and that without deceit. According
to these words have the Romans made a covenant thus with the people of
the Jews. But if hereafter the one party and the other shall take
counsel to add or diminish anything, they shall do it at their
pleasure, and whatsoever they shall add or take away shall be
established.
XV.
_How Judas, Fighting Desperately Against Fearful Odds, Died Upon the
Field of Battle_.
And Demetrius, the king who succeeded Antiochus, heard that Nicanor
was fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and
Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wing
of his army with them: and they went by the way that leadeth to
Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and {449}
got possession of it, and destroyed much people. And the first month
of the hundred and fifty and second year they encamped against
Jerusalem: and they removed, and went to Berea, with twenty thousand
footmen and two thousand horse. And Judas was encamped at Elasa, and
three thousand chosen men with him: and they saw the multitude of the
forces, that they were many, and they feared exceedingly: and many
slipped away out of the army; there were not left of them more than
eight hundred men.
And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and that the battle pressed
upon him, and he was sore troubled in heart, for he had no time to
gather them together, and he became discouraged. And he said to them
that were left, "Let us arise and go up against our adversaries, if
peradventure we may be able to fight with them."
And they would have dissuaded him, saying, "We shall in no wise be
able: but let us rather save our lives now: let us return again, we
and our brethren, and fight against them: but we are few."
And Judas said, "Let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee
from them: and if our time is come, let us die manfully for our
brethren's sake, and not stain our honor."
And the host removed from the camp, and stood to encounter them, and
the horse was parted into two companies, and the slingers and the
archers went before the host, and all the mighty men that fought in
the front of the battle.
But Bacchides was in the right wing; and the phalanx drew near on the
two parts, and they blew with their {450} trumpets. And the men of
Judas' side, even they sounded with their trumpets, and the earth
shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and
continued from morning until evening.
And Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the
right side, and there went with him all that were brave in heart, and
the right wing was discomfited by them, and he pursued after them unto
the mount Azotus. And they that were on the left wing saw that the
right wing was discomfited, and they turned and followed upon the
footsteps of Judas and of those that were with him: and the battle
waxed sore, and many on both sides fell wounded to death.
And Judas fell, and the rest fled. And Jonathan and Simon took Judas
their brother, and buried him in the sepulcher of his fathers at
Modin. And they bewailed him, and all Israel made great lamentation
for him, and mourned many days, and said, "How is the mighty fallen,
the saviour of Israel!"
(Judas' last battle, in which, with only 800 men, he almost overcame
22,000, has been called the "Thermopylae of the Jews." The following
is an estimate of the character and services of this great leader:--
"In the long roll of Israelitish worthies we meet with no more
striking personality than that of Judas Maccabaeus. His piety was
manifest to all; his motives were pure and unselfish; he fought for
God's glory and his country's good. His unselfish devotion was equaled
by his military genius. For seven years, with an enthusiasm that never
flagged, he led the Jews to victory, and died only when the noblest
heroism could not conquer.")
{451}
XVI.
_How Jonathan Became Leader in Place of Judas_.
And it came to pass after the death of Judas, that the lawless took
courage and became active in all the land of Israel, and all they that
wrought iniquity rose up (in those days was there an exceeding great
famine), and the country went over with them. And Bacchides chose out
the ungodly men and made them lords of the country. And they sought
out and searched for the friends of Judas, and brought them unto
Bacchides, and he took vengeance on them, and used them despitefully.
And there was great tribulation in Israel, such as was not since the
time of the prophets. And all the friends of Judas were gathered
together, and they said unto Jonathan, "Since thy brother Judas hath
died, we have no man like him to go forth against our enemies and
Bacchides, and among them of our nation that hate us. Now therefore we
have chosen thee this day to be our prince and leader in his stead,
that thou mayest fight our battles."
And Jonathan took the leadership upon him at that time, and rose up in
place of his brother Judas.
XVII.
_How Jonathan and His Men, After Fighting a Superior Force, Swam the
Jordan River and Escaped_.
When Bacchides heard that the Jews had chosen another leader, he came
on the Sabbath day unto the banks {452} of Jordan with a great host.
And Jonathan said to his company, "Let us stand up now and fight for
our lives, for it is not with us to-day, as yesterday and the day
before. For, behold, the battle is before us and behind us; moreover
the water of the Jordan is on this side and on that side, and marsh
and wood; and there is no place to turn aside. Now therefore cry unto
heaven, that ye may be delivered out of the hand of your enemies."
And the battle was joined, and Jonathan stretched forth his hand to
smite Bacchides, and he escaped from him. And Jonathan and they that
were with him leaped into the Jordan, and swam over to the other side:
and the Syrians did not pass over Jordan against them. And there fell
of Bacchides' company that day about a thousand men.
XVIII.
_How King Demetrius Made a Treaty and How Jonathan, in Despite of Him,
Took the City of Joppa_.
(Alexander slew Demetrius and succeeded him as king, but a son of
Demetrius, also named Demetrius, attempted to recover his father's
kingdom, and sent an army into Palestine. Jonathan remained on the
side of King Alexander, and conquered Apollonius, general of
Demetrius.)
And in the hundred and threescore and fifth year came Demetrius, son
of Demetrius, out of Crete into the land of his fathers: and King
Alexander heard thereof, and he was grieved exceedingly, and returned
unto Antioch. And Demetrius appointed Apollonius, who was over
Coelesyria, and he gathered together a great host, and encamped in
Jamnia, and sent unto Jonathan, the high priest, saying,--
{453}{454}
[Illustration]
SITE OF APHAMEA.
From a photograph in the possession of Rev. Louis F. Giroux of the
American International College, Springfield, Mass., and used by his
kind permission.
The capital of Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander's generals,
founder of the famous dynasty of the Seleucidae. These kings are
mentioned in the book of Daniel and in the books of the Maccabees.
This is the region from which the kings of the North used to come
down against Palestine
[End illustration]
{455}
"Thou alone liftest up thyself against us, but I am had in derision
and in reproach because of thee. And why dost thou vaunt thy power
against us in the mountains? Now therefore, if thou trustest in thy
forces, come down to us into the plain, and there let us try the
matter together; for with me is the power of the cities. Ask and learn
who I am, and the rest that help us; and they say, 'Your foot cannot
stand before our face; for thy fathers have been twice put to flight
in their own land.' And now thou shalt not be able to abide the horse
and such a host as this in the plain, where is neither stone nor
flint, nor place to flee unto."
Now when Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, he was moved in his
mind, and he chose out ten thousand men, and went forth from
Jerusalem, and Simon his brother met him to help him. And he encamped
against Joppa: and they of the city shut him out, because Apollonius
had a garrison in Joppa: and they fought against it. And they of the
city were afraid, and opened unto him: and Jonathan became master of
Joppa.
XIX.
_How Jonathan Put to Rout Apollonius and His Regiments of Cavalry_.
And Apollonius heard, and he gathered an army of three thousand horse,
and a great host, and went to Azotus as though he were on a journey,
and from thence drew {456} onward into the plain, because he had a
multitude of horse, and trusted therein. And Jonathan pursued after
him to Azotus, and the armies joined battle.
And Apollonius had left a thousand horse behind them in ambush. And
Jonathan knew that there was an ambush behind him. And they surrounded
his army, and cast their darts at the people, from morning until
evening: but the people stood still, as Jonathan commanded them: and
their horses were wearied. And Simon drew forth his host, and joined
battle with the phalanx (for the horsemen were tired), and they were
discomfited by him, and fled. And the horsemen were scattered in the
plain, and they fled to Azotus, and entered into Beth-dagon, their
idol's temple, to save themselves.
And Jonathan burned Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took
their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, and them that fled into it, he
burned with fire. And they that had fallen by the sword, with them
that were burned, were about eight thousand men. And from thence
Jonathan marched, and encamped against Ascalon, and they of the city
came forth to meet him with great pomp. And Jonathan, with them that
were on his side, returned unto Jerusalem, having many spoils.
And it came to pass, when King Alexander heard these things, he
honored Jonathan; and he sent unto him a buckle of gold, as the custom
is to give to such as are of the kindred of the kings: and he gave him
Ekron and all the coasts thereof for a possession.
{457}{458}
[Illustration]
JAFFA, THE ANCIENT JOPPA.
Joppa has a long and famous history of battle and siege. Many times
it has changed hands and has known many masters. Its Jewish
inhabitants were massacred early in the Maccabean struggle. It was
attacked at night by Judas Maccabeus, who burned the boats in the
harbor. It was captured by Jonathan and again by Simon. It was
several times captured in the Roman wars--by Gallus, when 8,400 Jews
were killed; by Vespasian, in 68 A.D., when 4,200 people perished.
It was the seat of conflict during the Crusades, and was taken by
Napoleon.
[End illustration]
{459}
XX.
_How Jonathan and Two Valiant Captains Stood Against a Host_.
And Jonathan heard that Demetrius' princes were come to Kedesh, which
is in Galilee, with a great host, purposing to remove him from his
office; and he went to meet them, but Simon his brother he left in the
country.
And Simon encamped against Bethsura, and fought against it many days,
and shut it up: and they desired to have peace, which he granted them,
and he put them out from thence, and took possession of the city, and
set a garrison over it.
And Jonathan and his army encamped at the water of Gennesaret, and
early in the morning they went to the plain of Hazor. And, behold, an
army of strangers met him in the plain, and they laid an ambush for
him in the mountains, but themselves met him face to face. But they
that lay in ambush rose out of their places, and joined battle; and
all they that were of Jonathan's side fled: not one of them was left,
except Mattathias the son of Absalom, and Judas the son of Chalphi,
captains of the forces.
And Jonathan rent his clothes, and put earth upon his head, and
prayed. And he turned again unto them in battle, and put them to the
rout, and they fled. And they of his side that fled saw it, and
returned unto him, and pursued with him unto Kedesh unto their camp,
and they encamped there. And there fell of the strangers on that day
about three thousand men: and Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.
{460}
XXI.
_How Jonathan Fell at Last Into the Hands of a Crafty Foe_.
And Tryphon sought to reign over Asia and to put on himself the crown,
and to stretch forth his hand against Antiochus the king. And he was
afraid lest Jonathan should not permit him, and lest he should fight
against him; and he sought a way how to take him, that he might
destroy him. And he removed, and came to Bethshan. And Jonathan came
forth to meet him with forty thousand men chosen for battle, and came
to Bethshan. And Tryphon saw that he came with a great host, and he
was afraid to stretch forth his hand against him: and he received him
honorably, and commended him unto all his Friends, and gave him gifts,
and commanded his forces to be obedient unto him, as unto himself. And
he said unto Jonathan, "Why hast thou put all this people to trouble,
seeing there is no war between us? And now send them away to their
homes, but choose for thyself a few men who shall be with thee, and
come thou with me to Ptolemais, and I will give it up to thee, and the
rest of the strongholds and the rest of the forces, and all the king's
officers: and I will return and depart; for this is the cause of my
coming."
And he put trust in him, and did even as he said, and sent away his
forces, and they departed into the land of Judah. But he reserved to
himself three thousand men, of whom he left two thousand in Galilee,
but one thousand went with him. Now as soon as Jonathan entered into
Ptolemais, they of Ptolemais shut the gates, and laid hands on him;
and all them that came in with him they slew with the sword.
{461}{462}
[Illustration]
THE LAKE OF GALILEE.
The Galilee country, so important in the life of Jesus, was the
scene of many of the operations of the military campaigns of the
Maccabees.
[End illustration]
{463}
And Tryphon sent forces and horsemen into Galilee, and into the great
plain, to destroy all Jonathan's men. And they perceived that he was
taken and had perished, and they that were with him; and they
encouraged one another, and went on their way close together, prepared
to fight. And they that followed upon them saw that they were ready to
fight for their lives, and turned back again.
And they all came in peace into the land of Judah, and they mourned
for Jonathan, and them that were with him, and they were sore afraid;
and all Israel mourned with a great mourning. And all the Gentiles
that were round about them sought to destroy them utterly: for they
said, "They have no captain, nor any to help them: now therefore let
us fight against them, and take away their memory from among men."
XXII.
_How Simon Became Captain in Place of Jonathan_.
And Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a mighty host to
come into the land of Judah, and destroy it utterly. And he saw that
the people trembled and were in great fear; and he went up to
Jerusalem, and gathered the people together; and he encouraged them,
and said unto them, "Ye yourselves know all the things that I, and my
brethren, and my father's house, have done for the laws and the
sanctuary, and the battles and the distresses which we have seen: by
reason hereof all my brethren have {454} perished for Israel's sake,
and I am left alone. And now be it far from me, that I should spare
mine own life in any time of affliction; for I am not better than my
brethren, Howbeit I will take vengeance for my nation, and for the
sanctuary, and for our wives and children; because all the Gentiles
are gathered to destroy us of very hatred."
And the spirit of the people revived, as soon as they heard these
words. And they answered with a loud voice, saying, "Thou art our
leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother. Fight thou, our
battles, and all that thou shalt say unto us, that will we do."
And he gathered together all the men of war, and made haste to finish
the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about. And he sent
Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a great host, to Joppa: and
he cast out those that were therein, and abode there in it.
XXIII.
_How the Enemy Was Hindered by a Great Fall of Snow, and How Jonathan
Met His Death_.
And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a mighty host to enter into
the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him in prison. But Simon
encamped at Adida, over against the plain. And Tryphon knew that Simon
was risen up instead of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle
with him, and he sent ambassadors unto him, saying, "It is for money
which Jonathan thy brother owed unto the king's treasure, by reason of
the offices which he had, that we hold him fast.
{465}{466}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
This view is taken from the city walls. The famous mosque of Omar is
in the center.
"Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
"Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
"Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord,
unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.
"For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
"Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces."
[End illustration]
{467}
And now send a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons for
hostages, that when he is set at liberty he may not revolt from us,
and we will set him at liberty."
And Simon knew that they spoke unto him deceitfully; and he sendeth
the money and the children, lest peradventure he should procure to
himself great hatred of the people, and they should say, "Because I
sent him not the money and the children, he perished."
And he sent the children and the hundred talents. And Tryphon dealt
falsely, and did not set Jonathan at liberty. And after this Tryphon
came to invade the land, and destroy it, and he went round about by
the way that leadeth unto Adora: and Simon and his army marched over
against him to every place, wheresoever he went. Now they of the
citadel sent unto Tryphon ambassadors, hastening him to come unto them
through the wilderness, and to send them provisions. And Tryphon made
ready all his horse to come: and on that night there fell a very great
snow, and he came not because of the snow.
And he removed, and came into the country of Gilead. But when he came
near to Bascama, he slew Jonathan, and he was buried there. And
Tryphon returned, and went away into his own land.
XXIV.
_How Simon Built a Great Monument in Honor of His Father, His Mother,
and His Valiant Brethren_.
And Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried
him at Modin, the city of his fathers. {468} And all Israel made great
lamentation over him, and mourned for him many days. And Simon built a
monument upon the sepulcher of his father and his brethren, and raised
it aloft to the sight, with polished stone behind and before. And he
set up seven pyramids, one over against another, for his father, and
his mother, and his four brethren. And for these he made cunning
devices, setting about them great pillars, and upon the pillars he
fashioned all manner of arms for a perpetual memory, and beside the
arms ships carved, that they should be seen of all that sail on the
sea. This is the sepulcher which he made at Modin, and it is there
unto this day.
XXV.
_How Simon Made a Treaty of Peace with King Demetrius_.
Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and slew
him, and reigned in his stead, and put on himself the crown of Asia,
and brought a great calamity upon the land. And Simon built the
strongholds of Judaea, and fortified them with high towers, and great
walls, and gates, and bars; and he laid up provisions in the
strongholds. And Simon chose men, and sent to King Demetrius, to give
the country help, because all that Tryphon did was to plunder. And
King Demetrius sent unto him according to these words, and answered
him, and wrote a letter unto him, after this manner:--
{469}{470}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM
From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public
Library, and used by kind permission.
This is a beautiful picture of a portion of that city which was so
greatly beloved by the people of Judah.
[End illustration]
{471}
"_King Demetrius unto Simon the high priest and Friend of kings, and
unto the elders and nation of the Jews, greeting:_--
"The golden crown, and the palm branch, which ye sent, we have
received: and we are ready to make a steadfast peace with you, yea,
and to write unto our officers, to grant immunities unto you. And
whatsoever things we confirmed unto you, they are confirmed; and the
strongholds, which ye have builded, let them be your own. As for any
oversights and faults committed unto this day, we forgive them, and
the crown tax which ye owed us: and if there were any other toll
exacted in Jerusalem, let it be exacted no longer. And if there be any
among you meet to be enrolled in our court, let them be enrolled, and
let there be peace betwixt us."
In the hundred and seventieth year was the yoke of the heathen taken
away from Israel. And the people began to write in their instruments
and contracts, "In the first year of Simon the great high priest and
captain and leader of the Jews."
XXVI.
_How the City of Gazara and the Citadel of Jerusalem Fell Into the
Hands of Simon_.
(Gazara is the city called in the Old Testament Gaza. It has recently
been excavated, and many ancient buildings have been dug up. One of
them is thought to be the palace which Simon built.)
In those days he encamped against Gazara, and compassed it round about
with armies; and he made an engine of siege, and brought it up to the
city, and smote a tower, and took it. And they that were in the engine
leaped forth into the city; and there was a great uproar in the {472}
city: and they of the city rent their clothes, and went up on the
walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice,
beseeching Simon to give them peace. And they said, "Deal not with us
according to our wickednesses, but according to thy mercy."
And Simon was reconciled unto them, and did not fight against them:
and he put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein the
idols were, and so entered into it with singing and giving praise. And
he put all uncleanness out of it, and placed in it such men as would
keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built
therein a dwelling place for himself.
But they of the citadel in Jerusalem were hindered from going forth,
and from going into the country, and from buying and selling; and they
hungered exceedingly, and a great number of them perished through
famine. And they cried out to Simon, that he should give them peace;
and he gave it to them: and he put them out from thence, and he
cleansed the citadel from its pollutions. And he entered into it on
the three and twentieth day of the second month, in the hundred and
seventy and first year, with praise and palm branches, and with harps,
and with cymbals, and with viols, and with hymns, and with songs:
because a great enemy was destroyed out of Israel.
And he ordained that they should keep that day every year with
gladness. And the hill of the temple that was by the citadel he made
stronger than before, and there he dwelt, himself and his men. And
Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man, and he made him leader
of all his forces: and he dwelt in Gazara.
{473}{474}
[Illustration]
ASCALON, ON THE SHORE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.
From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund, and used by
special permission.
Here was once an important city on the low sandy coast without a
harbor. It was captured by Jonathan in the Maccabean wars, and was
an important city during the time of the Crusades.
[End illustration]
{475}
XXVII.
_How There Was Prosperity in the Land in the Days of Simon_.
And the land had rest all the days of Simon: and he sought the good of
his nation; and his authority and his glory was well-pleasing to them
all his days. And amid all his glory he took Joppa for a haven, and
made it a port of entrance for the isles of the sea; and he enlarged
the borders of his nation, and got possession of the country; and he
gathered together a great number of captives, and got the dominion of
Gazara, and Bethsura, and the citadel, and he took away from it its
uncleannesses; and there was none that resisted him. And they tilled
their land in peace, and the land gave her increase, and the trees of
the plains their fruit. The ancient men sat in the streets, they
communed all of them together of good things, and the young men put on
glorious and warlike apparel. He provided victuals for the cities, and
furnished them with all manner of munition, until the name of his
glory was named unto the end of the earth. He made peace in the land,
and Israel rejoiced with great joy: and they sat each man under his
vine and his fig tree, and there was none to make them afraid: and
there ceased in the land any that fought against them: and the kings
were discomfited in those days. And he strengthened all those of his
people that were brought low: the law he searched out, and every
lawless and wicked person he took away. He glorified the sanctuary,
and the vessels of the temple he multiplied.
{476}
XXVIII.
_How Antiochus, the Brother of King Demetrius, Spurned the Friendship
of Simon_.
But Antiochus the king encamped against Dor the second day, bringing
his forces up to it continually, and making engines of war, and he
shut up Tryphon from going in or out. And Simon sent him two thousand
chosen men to fight on his side; and silver, and gold, and instruments
of war in abundance. And he would not receive them, but set at naught
all the covenants which he had made with him before, and was estranged
from him. And he sent unto him Athenobius, one of his Friends, to
commune with him, saying,--
"Ye hold possession of Joppa and Gazara, and the citadel that is in
Jerusalem, cities of my kingdom. The borders thereof ye have wasted,
and done great hurt in the land, and got the dominion of many places
in my kingdom. Now therefore deliver up the cities which ye have
taken, and the tributes of the places whereof ye have gotten dominion
without the borders of Judaea: or else give me for them five hundred
talents of silver; and for the harm that ye have done, and the
tributes of the cities, five hundred talents more: or else we will
come and subdue you."
And Athenobius the king's Friend came to Jerusalem; and he saw the
glory of Simon, and the cupboard of gold and silver vessels, and his
great attendance, and he was amazed; and he reported to him the king's
words. And Simon answered, and said unto him,--
{477}{478}
[Illustration]
BARLEY HARVEST NEAR BETHLEHEM.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
So Boaz and his harvesters must have looked in the time of Ruth.
Bethlehem is one of the most fertile spots in rugged Judaea. Though
the wilderness is not far away, here a spot of great fertility gave
rise to the name of the "House of Bread."
[End illustration]
{479}
"We have neither taken other men's land, nor have we possession of
that which appertaineth to others, but of the inheritance of our
fathers; howbeit, it was had in possession of our enemies wrongfully
for a certain time. But we, having opportunity, hold fast the
inheritance of our fathers. As touching Joppa and Gazara, which thou
demandest, they did great harm among the people throughout our
country, but we will give a hundred talents for them."
And he answered him not a word, but returned in a rage to the king,
and reported unto him these words, and the glory of Simon, and all
that he had seen: and the king was exceeding wroth. But Tryphon
embarked on board a ship, and fled to Orthosia.
XXIX.
_How the Chief Captain of Antiochus Invaded Israel, and How He Was
Defeated by the Sons of Simon in a Great Battle at Modin_.
And the king appointed Cendebaeus chief captain of the sea coast, and
gave him forces of foot and horse: and he commanded him to encamp
before Judaea, and he commanded him to build up Kidron, and to fortify
the gates, and that he should fight against the people: but the king
pursued Tryphon. And Cendebaeus came to Jamnia, and began to provoke
the people, and to invade Judaea, and to take the people captive, and
to slay them. And he built Kidron, and set horsemen there, and forces
of foot, so that issuing out they might make raids into Judaea,
according as the king commanded him.
{480}
And John went up from Gazara, and told Simon his father what
Cendebaeus was doing. And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and
John, and said unto them, "I and my brethren and my father's house
have fought the battles of Israel from our youth, even unto this day;
and things have prospered in our hands, that we should deliver Israel
oftentimes. But now I am old, and ye moreover, by his mercy, are of a
sufficient age: be ye instead of me and my brother, and go forth and
fight for our nation; but let the help which is from heaven be with
you."
And he chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war and
horsemen, and they went against Cendebaeus, and slept at Modin. And
rising up in the morning, they went into the plain, and, behold, a
great host came to meet them, of footmen and horsemen: and there was a
brook between them. And he encamped over against them, he and his
people: and he saw that the people were afraid to pass over the brook,
and he passed over first, and the men saw him and passed over after
him. And he divided the people, and set the horsemen in the midst of
the footmen: but the enemies' horsemen were exceeding many. And they
sounded the trumpets; and Cendebaeus and his army were put to the
rout, and there fell of them many wounded to death, but they that were
left fled to the stronghold: at that time was Judas John's brother
wounded: but John pursued after them, till he came unto Kidron, which
Cendebaeus had built; and they fled unto the towers that are in the
fields of Azotus; and he burned it with fire; and there fell of them
about two thousand men. And he returned into Judaea in peace.
{481}
XXX.
_How Simon and His Sons Were Betrayed and Murdered While
Sitting at a Banquet_.
And Ptolemy the son of Abubus had been appointed captain for the plain
of Jericho, and he had much silver and gold; for he was the high
priest's son in law. And his heart was lifted up, and he was minded to
make himself master of the country, and he took counsel deceitfully
against Simon and his sons, to make away with them.
Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and taking
care for the good ordering of them; and he went down to Jericho,
himself and Mattathias and Judas his sons, in the hundred and seventy
and seventh year, in the eleventh month: and the son of Abubus
received them deceitfully into the little stronghold that is called
Dok, which he had built, and made them a great banquet, and hid men
there. And when Simon and his sons had drunk freely, Ptolemy and his
men rose up, and took their arms, and came in upon Simon into the
banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and certain of his
servants. And he committed a great iniquity, and recompensed evil for
good. And Ptolemy wrote these things, and sent to the king, that he
should send him forces to aid him, and should deliver him their
country and the cities. And he sent others to Gazara to make away with
John: and unto the captains of thousands he sent letters to come unto
him, that he might give them silver and gold and gifts. And others he
sent to take possession of Jerusalem, and the mount of the temple.
{482}
And one ran before to Gazara, and told John that his father and
brethren were perished, "and he hath sent to slay thee also." And when
he heard, he was sore amazed; and he laid hands on the men that came
to destroy him, and slew them; for he perceived that they were seeking
to destroy him.
(This ends the story of a brave and successful attempt to win liberty
for a downtrodden nation. "More than thirty years had passed since
Mattathias openly resisted the religious persecution of his nation. In
the faithful and skillful hands of his sons the crusade inaugurated by
him had been singularly successful. One by one they had fallen in the
sacred cause which he had committed to them. But they had not shed
their blood in vain. The valor of the Maccabees had rehabilitated the
Jewish nation. Not only was the old spirit of independence thoroughly
aroused, but there was also developed a new consciousness of the worth
of their revealed religion. As the most thrilling epoch in Jewish
history, and that which shaped the last phase of Jewish belief prior
to the advent of our Lord, the age of the Maccabees has a peculiar
interest for the student of history."--_W. Fairweather in Hastings'
Dictionary of the Bible_.
The dynasty of the Maccabees continued until the time of our Lord, but
the noble blood of the heroes degenerated until the brilliant but
cruel and evil-minded Herod the Great, by the murder of his own sons,
ended the famous line of the Maccabees.)
{483}{484}
[Illustration]
JERUSALEM: LOOKING ALONG THE NORTHERN WALL.
The large building on the right is the new hospice for Russian
pilgrims. Modern Jerusalem is growing rapidly in this direction to
north and west on the high land. The road seen is a new one winding
around the city and over the Mount of Olives to Jericho.
[End illustration]
{485}
NOTES
{486}
{487}
NOTES
TALES OF THE FAR-OFF DAYS.
_Shinar_. A part of the great plain of Babylon (the Babel of the
story). On this plain great towers of bricks, once temples of the
gods, are found. This story seems to be told about one of these great
towers.
RUTH.
_Moab_ lies across the Dead Sea from Judah. One can see its hills from
the heights about Bethlehem, and to this day grain is brought across
from its fields and sold in Jerusalem.
_Kinsman_. In the East the duty of caring for the family was very
sacredly held. If a person was injured, he must be avenged by his
kinsman. If he became poor, his kinsman must aid him. If he was
obliged to sell land, his kinsman should buy it if he could, so that
it need not go out of the family. According to one set of Hebrew laws,
should a married man die without children, it was the duty of a
kinsman to marry his widow, as Boaz did Ruth.
DEBORAH.
All the story of Deborah falls in the northern part of Israel. Zebulon
and Naphtali were in the Northern hills, which in the New Testament
time were called Galilee, where Jesus lived. The river Kishon flowed
through a plain just to the south of the hills, in the {488} territory
of Asher. Dan and Asher also lay in the Northern hills, and Issachar
south of Naphtali and Zebulon. Gilead and Machir were across the
Jordan from Issachar. The people in the south of Palestine were not
concerned in this war. It brought out the heroism of a few of the
people of Israel, but the rest were either too cowardly or too far
away to take part in it.
_Shamgar_. One of the judges preceding Deborah.
ESTHER.
_Ahasuerus_, the king who is called Xerxes in Greek, and who invaded
Greece. The heroic little nation of the Greeks conquered his great
army, and he went back to his huge empire of Persia with no gain or
glory. He was luxurious and selfish. The picture of him in this story
is like that given everywhere else. He was only great because he ruled
a great kingdom, and he was not noble in any way.
_Shushan_, the capital of ancient Persia, then the center of the power
and commerce of the world, as the capital of the greatest nation
always was. During the Bible times the great empires were Babylon,
Assyria, then Babylon again, Persia, Greece, Rome. During much of the
time the second great power of the world was Egypt.
_Tebeth_, a month corresponding to parts of December and January. The
Jewish year began in the early spring, and Tebeth was the tenth month.
_Purim_, a feast kept before the New Testament time. Later, when the
Jews were hated and shamefully abused by Christians, Purim was a
favorite feast, because it gave great opportunity for the Jews to
express their contempt for their oppressors. It was always a noisy and
joyful feast. The book of Esther was read in the synagogues, and
whenever the name of Haman was pronounced in the reading, the boys
rapped on the floors and benches, making a great noise. It came, as
the story of Esther tells, in the middle of Adar, which is in February
and March.
{489}
JUDITH.
_Apocrypha_. The name given to a collection of books of various
kinds, long used as a part of the Old Testament, and still so regarded
by the Catholic church. They were not held to be sacred by the
Jews, but were by the early church. They contain histories, tales,
books of wisdom and good advice. Some of the histories, like that
of the Maccabees in this volume, are excellent and keep close to
truth, but some of the tales, while stories of great interest, do not
pretend to be exact statements of fact. Such is this story of Judith.
All of them, however, are written to show some character of
heroism or goodness. This story of Judith is a stirring tale of
bravery. Bravery is something that men and women, boys and
girls, all need to learn.
_Holofernes_, called a general of Nebuchadnezzar in the story. A king
named Orophernes was the friend of a later king who was an enemy of
the Jews. This may be the origin of the name.
_Asher_, a tribe of Israel living in Northern Palestine.
_Dotaea_, the Dothan of the Old Testament.
_Geba_, a common name of towns in Palestine. It means "hill." This
Geba was about three miles north of Samaria.
_Scythopolis_. The Bethshan of the Old Testament, about three miles
from the river Jordan.
_Bethulia_. A town near Dothan, the site not known. It may be that, in
an original form of the story, some other place was named, possibly
Samaria or Jerusalem.
_Children of Esau_. Edomites, who were long at sharp enmity with the
Jews.
{490}
STORIES OF ELIJAH AND ELISHA.
_Cherith_, thought by some to be the Wady Kelt, one of the deep narrow
valleys between Jerusalem and the Jordan, where the land is
uninhabited, all a mass of rock and steep mountain and desert.
_Zarephath_, a village on a promontory by the shore, about eight miles
south of Zidon.
_Zidon_. One of the great cities of commerce in the ancient world. It
traded with Egypt, Greece, Carthage, and even distant Spain. It is
still a town of some importance, with ruins of the ancient walls and
towers about the harbor.
_Baal and Asherah_. Symbols of the Canaanite and Phoenician gods. The
people had worshiped the Canaanite gods, or Baals, ever since they
came to Palestine, and the prophets had tried to get them to worship
only Jehovah, but without entire success. In the time of Elijah the
wicked Jezebel was queen. She had come from Phoenicia, the land of
Tyre and Zidon, and did all she could to increase the Baal worship.
How Elijah fought against it is told in one of these stories.
_Jezreel_. A beautiful town northeast of Samaria, for a time a royal
residence.
_Samaria_. The capital of Northern Israel during the latter part of
its history. It was situated on a hill at the head of a beautiful
valley, and was an important town for a long time.
_Gilgal_. The name of several places in Palestine. This Gilgal seems
to have been not far from Bethel.
_Shunem_. A village not far from Jezreel, near Mount Tabor.
_Mount Carmel_. The only mountain that runs out to the Mediterranean
in the land of Israel. From its top one can look in all directions
over the land and the sea, for it stands with the sea on the west and
a great plain on all other sides.
{491}{492}
[Illustration]
BETHLEHEM.
This picture shows the outer walls of the famous Church of the Nativity.
[End illustration]
{493}
_Syria_ was for a time a kingdom stronger than Israel. Its
capital was at the famous old city of Damascus.
_Abana and Pharpar_ are rivers which flow from the mountains past
Damascus, giving it water and fertility in the midst of a plain that
is almost a desert. So the people of Damascus are very proud of their
rivers.
_Rimmon_. The god that Naaman's king worshiped, and to whom Naaman had
to bow down when he attended the king in the temple.
TALES OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE.
JONAH.
_Nineveh_. The greatest, most hated city in the ancient world. It was
the center of more barbaric cruelty in both war and peace than any
other place. This story shows that God cares even for the people of a
wicked place like Nineveh.
_Tarshish_. Probably in Spain.
SAMSON.
_Timnah_. On the south side of the valley of Sorek, in the western
part of Palestine, northeast of Jerusalem. The whole story of Samson
is laid in this region, between Jerusalem and Joppa.
_Philistines_. A people which had taken the plains west of the hills
of Judaea, and for a long time were the rivals and enemies of Israel.
{494}
_Nazirite_. A man who had taken a vow not to cut his hair, not to eat
grapes or drink wine, and not to touch a dead body. It was one way of
expressing devotion to God.
_Dagon_. The god of the Philistines.
DANIEL.
_Pulse_. A sort of pea; good, healthy food, but not delicate or
luxurious.
_Chaldeans_. Usually the people of Babylon. In Daniel, however, it
means a class of people who practiced sorcery.
_Medes_. The Persians and Medes were combined into the Persian empire.
It was they who took Babylon, and put an end to the Babylonian empire,
though the city of Babylon was still for many hundred years a great
center of commerce and of learning.
NEHEMIAH.
_Shushan_. See notes on Esther.
_Chislev_. A month corresponding to parts of November and December.
Nisan corresponds to parts of March and April.
_Artaxerxes_. King of Persia, the son of the Xerxes of the story of
Esther.
_Tirshatha_. An officer of the empire, appointed for a special
service.
_Feast of Booths_. One of the three great feasts of the Hebrews. It
was a joyful feast, a thanksgiving time. During the feast the people
lived in booths, from which comes the name.
{495}
THE STORY OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM.
_Ethiopians_. Just at this time the people of the distant south ruled
Egypt, and they were known as Ethiopians.
_Asherim, Asheroth_. (See note on Elijah and Elisha.) The name
Asheroth is formed as though there were a goddess Asherah.
_Ships of Tarshish_. That is, ships like those which were built to go
to Tarshish in Spain; just as ships built like those that sailed to
East India used to be called Indiamen.
_Ophir_. A place from which gold and other things were brought. Where
it was is still unknown.
_Valley of Salt_. The valley of the Dead Sea. Its southern part is
full of places where salt is found.
_Assyria_. This great empire, with its capital at Nineveh on the
Tigris, was for a long time greatly feared by Israel. It kept all the
small nations about under tribute, and was very cruel in all its wars,
so that when, after several generations, it fell, there was great
rejoicing.
_Carchemish_. A town on the Euphrates, which was often the scene of
great battles.
_Bethel and Dan_ were the two extremes of the northern kingdom of
Israel. Both had perhaps been sacred places long before.
_Tirzah_. A town in a beautiful situation, the capital of North Israel
from the time of Jeroboam till the time of Omri, who built Samaria.
{496}
TALES OF THE MACCABEES.
_Kingdom of the Greeks_. Alexander the Great conquered all western
Asia as far as the borders of India. After his death the empire was
divided among his generals. One of the divisions became the kingdom of
Syria, and it was Syria that ruled over Judaea in the time of this
heroic story. Because the kingdom began with the Greek rule, and still
kept more or less of the Greek customs and religion, it was still
called the kingdom of the Greeks.
_Modin_. A town below the hills of Judaea, to the west, not
mentioned in either the Old or the New Testament.
_Beth-horon_. A valley leading west from the hills of Judaea,
somewhat north of Jerusalem. In the early wars of Joshua and the
Judges this was also the scene of many battles.
_Bethsura_. A town in the mountains not far from Hebron. It had long
been a fortress of Judaea.
_Azotus and Askelon_. Towns in the southwest of Judah.
{497}{498}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF BETH-EL.
Situated high up on the central range of Palestine, Bethel was from
the earliest times a "holy place." It reached the height of its
importance under the reign of Jeroboam II., who made it the
religious capital of the northern kingdom, and instituted there the
worship of the golden calves.
[End illustration]
{499}
MEMORY VERSES
{500}
{501}
MEMORY VERSES
_One for Each Week of the Year_.
The Lord reigneth; he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed
with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is
stablished, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old:
thou art from everlasting.--_Psalms 93:1,2_.
Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his
sanctuary.--_Psalms 96:6_.
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the
small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very
little thing.--_Isaiah 40:15_.
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth
shall go before thy face.--_Psalms 89:14_.
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment
are the habitation of his throne.--_Psalms 97:2_.
His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and {502}
trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at
the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.--_Psalms 97:4,5_.
The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of
great mercy.--_Psalms 145:8_.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is
the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?--_Psalms 27:1_.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
--_Psalms 46:1_.
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of
his correction.--_Proverbs 3:11_.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and
glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk
uprightly.--_Psalms 84:11_.
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy
name.--_Psalms 103:1_.
But, as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love him.--_I Corinthians 2:9_.
{503}
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise
wisdom and instruction.--_Proverbs 1:7_.
Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world
stand in awe of him.--_Psalms 33:8_.
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the
Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written
before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his
name.--_Malachi 3:16_.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I
make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him.--_Malachi 3:17_.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon
them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's
children.--_Psalms 103:17_.
The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his
people with peace.--_Psalms 29:11_.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the
Lord are true and righteous altogether.--_Psalms 19:9_.
{504}
Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord,
for ever.--_Psalms 93:5_.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.--_Hebrews 4:12_.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away.--_Luke 21:33_.
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy
word.--_Psalms 119:16_.
The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and
silver.--_Psalms 119:72_.
Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine
gold.--_Psalms 119:127_.
My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them
exceedingly.--_Psalms 119:167_.
My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
--_Psalms 119:81_.
{505}
He hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for his judgments, they
have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.--_Psalms 147:20_.
And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my
people.--_Leviticus 26:12_.
But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence
before him.--_Habakkuk 2:20_.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they
shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their
God.--_Revelation 21:3_.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear
before him, all the earth.--_Psalms 96:9_.
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is
infinite.--_Psalms 147:5_.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the
good.--_Proverbs 15:3_.
O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my
downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar
off.--_Psalms 139:1,2_.
{506}
With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and
understanding.--_Job 12:13_.
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye,
shall he not see?--_Psalms 94:9_.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be
feared above all gods.--_I Chronicles 16:25_.
For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of
men.--_Lamentations 3:33_.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his
sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will
deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the
cloudy and dark day.--_Ezekiel 34:12_.
And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God,
saith the Lord God.--_Ezekiel 34:31_.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth
good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of
good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God
reigneth!--_Isaiah 52:7_.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is
risen upon thee.--_Isaiah 60:1_.
{507}
Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my
footstool.--_Isaiah 66:1_.
Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath
no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without
money and without price.--_Isaiah 55:1_.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty,
give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his
head, and the Lord shall reward thee.--_Proverbs 25:21,22_.
When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at
peace with him.--_Proverbs 16:7_.
A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto
the wise.--_Proverbs 15:12_.
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.
For length of days, and long life and peace, shall they add unto
thee.--_Proverbs 3:1,2_.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write
them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favor and good
understanding in the sight of God and man.--_Proverbs 3:3,4_.
{508}
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy
paths.--_Proverbs 3:5,6_.
[End of "VOLUME THREE: TALES OF OLD JUDAEA"]
--------------------------------------------------
[Start of "VOLUME FOUR: LIFE OF JESUS"]
{1}
THE BIBLE STORY
{2}
{3}
{4}
{5}
THE BIBLE STORY
VOLUME FOUR
LIFE OF JESUS
ARRANGED AND EDITED BY
REV. NEWTON MARSHALL HALL, D.D.
MINISTER OF THE NORTH CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
AND
REV. IRVING FRANCIS WOOD, PH.D.
PROFESSOR OF
BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND COMPARATIVE RELIGION
AT SMITH COLLEGE
Authors of "_The Early Days of Israel" "Advanced Bible Studies" Etc._
THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
CHICAGO
CLEVELAND
{6}
COPYRIGHT, 1906,
COPYRIGHT, 1917,
BY THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY,
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
{7}
PREFACE.
In this volume is told the story of the life of Jesus as it moves on
steadily through the gospels. The story shows a life not simply
"good," but heroic. A life with a mighty purpose, nobly planned,
splendidly carried out. It is a life which appeals to the love of the
heroic in character that exists in every child's mind. The second part
is simply a continuation of the first. The heroic spirit, the love of
humanity which was in Jesus was communicated to his disciples. These
disciples went forth "into all the world," to teach men the gospel of
the "man of Nazareth." The adventures they had, the sufferings they
endured, the victories they won, are recorded here.
The book aims especially to show the development of the heroic life of
Jesus through its different stages. The text is a reproduction of the
New Testament accounts, being drawn from all the Gospels. Here and
there, as in the other volumes, a sentence or two of introduction and
connection has been prefixed to certain sections, to furnish needed
information. It is hoped that the book may in some measure help its
readers, whether young or old, to see more clearly the beauty and the
heroism which these stories portray.
{8}
{9}
CONTENTS.
THE LIFE OF THE LORD JESUS.
PALESTINE IN THE DAYS OF THE LORD JESUS 17
1 _How the Lord Jesus Spent His Boyhood_. 33
I The Nativity. 37
II The Wise Men. 41
III A Journey to the Land of the Pharaohs. 45
IV The Boyhood of Jesus. 49
2 _How the Lord Jesus began to win the love of many people_. 61
I The Baptism of Jesus. 65
II The Temptation in the Wilderness. 70
III The First Disciples. 74
IV The First Miracle. 78
V At the Passover. 79
VI Jesus at Jacob's Well. 82
VII The Good Samaritan. 88
VIII Jesus and the King's Officer. 92
IX The Choosing of the Twelve Disciples. 94
3 _How the Lord Jesus went about doing good, teaching and
healing, and how He grew in favor with the people_. 103
I The Sermon on the Mount 105
II The Roman Soldier's Faith. 121
III Days of Service. 125
IV The Miracle at Nain. 130
V The Great Teacher. 133
VI The Tempest. 136
VII The Little Girl Who Died. 141
VIII Learning to Serve. 143
IX The Feeding of the Multitude. 144
X Jesus and John the Baptist. 149 {10}
4 _How, while He was still teaching and healing, many began
to turn against Him, and how He, seeing that He must suffer
to save the people, took up the journey to the cross_. 159
I The Beginning of the End. 161
II The Enemies of Jesus. 167
III A Long Journey. 172
IV The Shadow of the Cross. 178
V The Transfiguration. 180
VI Teaching the Disciples. 185
VII Jesus and Little Children. 188
VIII Jesus at Jerusalem. 190
IX At the Feast of Dedication. 197
X Stories of the Divine Forgiveness. 202
XI The Rich Young Man. 211
XII The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead. 215
XIII Zacchaeus the Publican. 221
5 _How the Lord Jesus spent His last days in Jerusalem, how
He loved His friends unto the end, how He fell into the
hands of His enemies, and how He crowned a life of
service with an heroic death_. 227
I The Supper at Bethany. 229
II The Entry into Jerusalem. 233
III In the Temple. 237
IV Last Days at Jerusalem. 238
V The Last Supper. 248
VI The Betrayal. 264
VII The Trial. 268
VIII The Judgment. 272
IX The Crucifixion. 281
X The Burial. 286
6 _How the Lord Jesus rose again from the dead, how He
comforted His disciples, and how He sent them out, to
teach all men in His name_. 295
I The Resurrection. 297
II On the Way to Emmaus. 301 {11}
III Doubting Thomas. 305
IV "Feed My Sheep". 307
V The Ascension. 310
LEADERS AND VICTORIES OF THE NEW FAITH.
1 _How the new faith spread from Jerusalem_. 323
I The Day of Pentecost. 325
II A Miracle of the New Faith. 330
III Ananias and Sapphira. 335
IV The First Martyr. 339
V Simon the Sorcerer. 346
VI Philip and the Queen's Officer. 348
VII Peter and Dorcas. 350
VIII Peter and the Roman Captains. 353
IX The First Missionary Journeys. 357
X Peter in Prison. 359
MISSIONARY JOURNEYS AND ADVENTURES OF PAUL.
PAUL THE APOSTLE. 367
1 _How Paul the Persecutor laid aside the
old life and took up the new_. 371
2 _The First Missionary Journey_. 376
I Paul and Barnabas Sail for Cyprus. 376
II From Cyprus to Antioch. 380
III Through the Towns of Galatia. 385
IV A Disturbance in the Church. 388
3 _The Second Missionary Journey_. 392
I Revisiting the Scenes of Former Victories. 395
II "The Macedonian Cry". 396
III Preaching in the Macedonian Cities. 403 {12}
IV Paul at Athens. 404
V Tentmaking in Corinth. 408
4 _The Third Missionary Journey_. 417
I Far and Wide by Land and Sea. 418
II A Riot in Ephesus. 418
III Farewells to the Churches. 422
5 The Captain of the New Faith in the Hands of His Foes. 433
I The Jews Stir Up a Riot. 433
II On the Castle Stairs. 434
III A Citizen of the Empire. 441
IV Paul Before the Council. 442
V A Conspiracy Against Paul. 445
VI The Accusation of the Jews. 448
VII A New Examination Before Governor Festus. 452
VIII Paul Makes His Defense Before King Agrippa and
Queen Bernice. 455
6 _The Captain of the New Faith in the Capital of the Caesars_ 462
I Paul's Voyage to Rome. 462
II A Winter's Storm on the Mediterranean. 469
III At Malta. 474
IV Paul at the City on the Tiber. 478
NOTES. 483
MEMORY VERSES. 499
{13}
The Life of the Lord Jesus
{14}
{15}{16}
[Illustration]
THE NATIVITY.
By Lerolle.
"O blessed day which giv'st the eternal lie
To self, and sense, and all the brute within;
Oh! come to us amid the war of life;
To hall and hovel come! to all who toil
In senate, shop, or study! and to those
Ill-warmed and sorely tempted--
Come to them, blest and blessing, Christmas Day!
Tell them once more the tale of Bethlehem,
The kneeling shepherds and the babe divine;
And keep them men indeed, fair Christmas Day!"
--_Charles Kingsley_.
{17}
PALESTINE IN THE DAYS OF THE LORD JESUS
Palestine was a busy country in the days when the Lord Jesus lived in
it. Hundreds of little villages were scattered all over its hills,
with here and there a great town, where all day long crowds of people
passed in and out the gates of the gray stone walls. Greatest of all
the cities, loved by every Jew in the world, was Jerusalem, but more
trade flowed in and out of some other cities. All over the country
were roads running from city to city. He who traveled on a great road
saw much of the world. There were the country people going into the
city to sell fruit and firewood, merchants riding past on asses,
patient pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem, trains of mules and long
caravans of slow-moving camels loaded with the goods of distant
countries, crossing Palestine to the ports of the Mediterranean Sea,
and here and there a Roman officer hurrying past on some grave
business of the empire. All this made the roads, even to a boy shut in
by the hills of Galilee, a series of pictures that waked his
imagination of the great world beyond the mountains. This was even
more the case in Galilee, where Jesus lived when a boy, than it was in
the southern part of the land, in Judaea. In Judaea nearly all the
people were Jews, and very proud they {18} were of the fact. In
Galilee many belonged to other nations, and the Judaeans looked down
on Galilee and thought it was half heathen. But even in Galilee there
were many earnest Jews, and it may be doubted if, after all,
half-heathen Galilee was not a better place for a boy to grow up in
than was proud Jerusalem. It is better for a boy to be able to
sympathize with those who do not belong to his set, than to look down
on other people because they are somehow different from him.
And then the schools and the churches! Every village in Palestine had
them, and the school was in the church. The beginning of the training
was at home. There is little doubt, however, that in the time of
Jesus, Nazareth had a school, and that Jesus with the other boys was
taught to read the Old Testament in Hebrew. The people no longer spoke
the language in their homes, but it was always read in the services on
the Sabbath, and the teaching of the schools was in it, as in the
olden time the teaching of the schools in Europe was in Latin. On the
Sabbath all the people came to these places of worship, which were
called synagogues, and read the Old Testament and prayed to God and
sometimes heard a sermon from some wise man who had something he
wished to say to the people. Sometimes the man who preached was an old
rabbi, who had thought about the great things of his religion for many
years, until all the people had come to look with great respect on so
wise and venerable a man. Sometimes it was a younger man, but with the
fire of youth, and then when the people went home their hearts burned
with a great {19} longing that their God would show himself to them in
some wonderful deed of power. But the years passed on and the divine
deed of power never came. So some of the people became disheartened
and almost ceased to care what happened to their religion, except that
if anyone insulted it, their anger burned up very quickly, and their
hands reached for sticks and stones to throw at the man who dared to
say a word against their faith. But others studied their old books
with still more diligence, and strove so hard to keep all the laws
they found, that almost no time was left to do anything else. Very
much above the common people they felt themselves in their religious
pride, and religious pride is the very worst pride in all the world.
Such were the Pharisees, of whom the New Testament tells so much. But
all over the country, both among the Pharisees and among the other
people, were many patiently waiting and earnestly praying that God
would show himself to his people.
How did they want God to show himself? In some great act of relief for
the nation. During these years Rome ruled over all the lands of
western Asia. Now the rule of Rome was the wisest and best rule that
these lands had ever known. Sometimes a selfish or a cruel officer
appeared, who cared for nothing but the money he could get from the
people, or who turned his soldiers into the streets to kill and
plunder as they pleased, but generally the Romans made good and just
governors. But the Jews were not content. They remembered the time
when kings of their own nation had ruled over them, and they dreamed
{20} dreams of a glorious future when God would free them from all
foreign power, and Jerusalem should rule the world. They were very
sure that this would come sometime. God would not always let a heathen
army keep the castle which overlooked his own temple in Jerusalem.
They read in the prophets of the Old Testament about a Prince and a
Saviour whom God would send some day. This Prince was called the
Messiah, and the hope of his coming was the Messianic hope. Every
generation hoped that he would come in their day. Year by year they
said, "It must be before long. God cannot wait much longer." Some of
them thought that Israel itself was not pure enough, and that this
kept back the Messiah. "If Israel kept the law perfectly for one day,"
so they said, "the Messiah would come." Others thought that they ought
not to sit still and do nothing, but should be brave and strike a blow
for their own liberty. Such men were looking for a leader, but no
leader had yet been found. So all the people, with their various ways
of thinking, were looking and longing and waiting for the Messiah. Is
it any wonder that, when Jesus began to teach and do cures, the
people asked one another if this might not be the Messiah, and that
they sometimes tried to make him a leader to free them from the
Romans? To understand what the people thought of Jesus and how Jesus
talked to the people, one must know how this hope of the Messiah was
all the time in the people's minds. They were ever saying, "Is not
this the Messiah?" Jesus was ever answering, "Not the Messiah you
expect." They were ever asking him, "Will you now found the kingdom?"
{21}{22}
[Illustration]
GATHERING TARES IN THE STONY FIELDS NEAR BETHEL.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
This would look like a very scanty harvest to eyes accustomed to
fruitful fields. There are four species of tares in Palestine. The
seeds are poisonous to man and to beasts, producing serious sickness
and sometimes death. They are, however, harmless to fowls and are
sold as food for poultry. It is customary to gather out the tares
when the grain is nearly ready for harvest. Then the women and
children go into the fields and carefully remove not only the tares
but all the weeds as well.
[End illustration]
{23}
Jesus was ever replying, "The kingdom of God is not outward, with
courts and armies and a great parade. It is inward, and means obeying
the will of God." So Jesus lived in that busy world of his day, but
few understood him. At last, because he would not be the kind of a
Messiah they wanted, they crucified him. About forty years after this,
the busy, proud people attempted to fight the Romans. They were
defeated, and Jerusalem was taken. The temple was burned, the stone
walls were thrown down, and the Jews were killed or sent away. So the
story of Palestine and of its great hope ends very sadly for the Jews,
who so looked and longed for their freedom. But we shall always love
the land where the Lord Jesus lived and the people among whom he
worked, because he loved them so much himself.
{24}
[Illustration]
Map of Palestine at the time of the New Testament.
[End illustration]
{25}
IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold;
Peace on the earth, good-will to men.
From heaven's all-gracious King;
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lonely plains
They bend on hovering wing.
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.
O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow!
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing:
Oh, rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing.
For lo, the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years,
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
--_Edmund H. Sears_.
{26}
BRIGHTEST AND BEST
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid.
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are shining,
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all.
Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Edam, and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?
Vainly we offer each ample oblation;
Vainly with gifts would His favor secure:
Richer by far is the heart's adoration;
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid.
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
--_Reginald Heber_.
{27}{28}
[Illustration]
BETHLEHEM.
From a picture owned by the Detroit Photograph Company,
and used by its kind permission.
This picture shows the town, looking in
from the Church of the Nativity.
[End illustration]
{29}
THE THREE KINGS.
There came three kings, ere break of day,
All on Epiphanie;
Their gifts they bare all rich and rare,
All, all, Lord Christ, for Thee:
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh are there,
Where is the King? O where? O where?
The star shone brightly overhead,
The air was calm and still,
O'er Bethlehem fields its rays were shed,
The dew lay on the hill:
We see no throne, no palace fair,
Where is the King? O where? O where?
An old man knelt at a manger low,
A Babe lay in the stall;
The starlight played on the infant brow,
Deep silence lay o'er all.
A maiden bent o'er the Babe in prayer:--
There is the King! O there! O there!
--_Christmas Hymn of the 16th Century_.
{30}
JOY TO THE WORLD
Joy to the world, the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns:
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground:
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{31}{32}
[Illustration]
BETHLEHEM.
The large building to the left is the Church of the Nativity.
"See how far upon the Eastern road
The star-led wizards haste with odours sweet.
O run, present them with thy humle ode,
And lay it lowly at his blessed feet;
Have thou the honour first thy Lord to greet,
And join thy voices with the angel quire
From out his secret altar touched with hallow'd fire."
--_John Milton_
{33}
How the Lord Jesus Spent His Boyhood.
{34}
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_The CHILD JESUS_.
_Joseph_.
_Mary_.
_King Herod_.
_Angels, wise men, shepherds, soldiers, teachers in the temple_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_Bethlehem of Judaea_.
_Jerusalem_.
_Egypt_.
_The village of Nazareth in Galilee_.
{35}{36}
[Illustration]
THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY AT BETHLEHEM.
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
This marble star marks the place of Jesus' birth according to the
belief of many.
[End illustration]
{37}
I
THE NATIVITY
_How the Lord Jesus Was Born in a Stable_.
(In the days of the Roman Emperor Augustus, a census of all the people
of the empire was taken. Everyone went to his own city to be counted
in the census. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city
of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called
Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll
himself with Mary.)
And it came to pass while they were there that she brought forth her
firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him
in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and
keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord
stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and
they were much afraid.
And the angel said unto them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there
is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you; Ye shall find a babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying,--
{38}
"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased."
And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said one to another, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see what has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto
us."
And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe
lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they made public the saying
which was spoken to them about this child. And all that heard it
wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these sayings, and pondered them in her heart. And
the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things
that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.
{39}{40}
[Illustration]
THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.
By W. A. Bouguereau (1825-1905)
"Thou wayfaring Jesus, a pilgrim and stranger,
Exiled from heaven by love at thy birth,
Exiled again from thy rest in the manger,
A fugitive child 'mid the perils of earth.
"Cheer with thy fellowship all who are weary,
Wandering far from the land that they love;
Guide every heart that is homeless and dreary
Safe to thy home in thy presence above."
--_Van Dyke_
{41}
II
THE WISE MEN
_How They Came from Afar to See the Lord Jesus_.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod
the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is he who is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the
east, and have come to worship him."
And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem
with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of
the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.
And they said unto him, "In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is
written by the prophet,--
'And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah:
For out of thee shall come forth a governor,
Which shall be shepherd of my people Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and inquired of them
carefully what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem,
and said, "Go and search out carefully concerning the young child; and
when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and
worship him."
And they, having heard the king, went their way; and {42} lo, the
star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and
stood over where the young child was. And when they saw the star, they
rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And they came into the house and
saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and
worshiped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him
gifts; gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a
dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their
own country another way.
{43}{44}
[Illustration]
THE REPOSE IN EGYPT.
This picture shows the Holy Family resting on the long journey to Egypt.
They are within the borders of the land of the Pharaohs, and are
passing the night in the shadow of one of the great sphinxes
[End illustration]
{45}
III
A JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS.
_How the Lord Jesus Was Taken to Egypt, How He Was Brought Back, and
How He Lived in Nazareth_.
Now when the wise men had departed behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child
and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell
thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."
And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and
departed into Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod: that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet,
saying,--
"Out of Egypt did I call my son."
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was
exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that
were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old
and under, according to the time which he had carefully learned of the
wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the
prophet, saying,--
"A voice was heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
And she would not be comforted, because they are not."
{46}
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a
dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise and take the young child and
his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that
sought the young child's life."
And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into
the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over
Judaea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and
being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into Galilee, and came and
dwelt in a city called Nazareth.
And the child grew, and waxed strong, becoming full of wisdom: and the
grace of God was upon him.
{47}{48}
[Illustration]
THE BOY JESUS ON HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM.
By O. Mengelberg
"Oh! say not, dream not, heavenly notes
To childish ears are vain,
That the young mind at random floats
And cannot reach the strain.
"Was not our Lord a little child,
Taught by degrees to pray,
By father dear and mother mild
Instructed day by day?"
--_John Keble_
[End illustration]
{49}
IV
THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS
_How the Lord Jesus Went to a Feast at Jerusalem for the
First Time_.
And his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the
Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up after the
custom of the feast; and when the feast was over, as they were
returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents
knew it not; but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's
journey; and they sought for him among their kinsfolk and
acquaintance: and when they found him not, they returned to Jerusalem,
seeking for him.
And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking
them questions: and all that heard him were amazed at his
understanding and his answers.
And when they saw him, they were astonished: and his mother said unto
him, "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I
sought thee sorrowing."
And he said unto them, "How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that
I must be in my Father's house?"
And they understood not the saying which he spoke unto them. And he
went down with them, and came to {50} Nazareth; and he was subject
unto them: and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and
men.
The New Testament tells us very little about the boyhood of Jesus,
but fortunately we know from other sources much of the life of
children in Palestine in those days. Among the earliest memories of
the boy Jesus must have been the tender voice of his mother, as she
sang or repeated to him the beautiful songs which we call psalms,
and told him those wonderful stories of the heroism and faith of his
ancestors, of which we read in the Old Testament. When he was five
or six years old, he began to go to school. There he sat on the
floor with the other little children of the village, forming a
semicircle about their master. He was taught at school to read and
write, and to repeat from memory large portions of the Old
Testament. He no doubt had a boy's gladness in freedom and play when
school was out. It must have been very pleasant to sit in Joseph's
shop, and watch the shavings curl from the plane, to see the wood
fashioned into various shapes of usefulness. When he grew older he
learned the carpenter's trade in this shop. Every Jewish boy had to
learn a trade. The home life was very simple. The family was poor,
and it was not always easy to make both ends meet. Jesus no doubt
helped his mother about her work, especially in drawing water from
the village well. Every Sabbath he went to the village church, or
synagogue, as it was called, and listened attentively to the
service. In the village he often caught glimpses of the outside
world, for Nazareth was on one of the main caravan routes. Here he
would see merchants from the far East, strange, bearded, swarthy men
with trains of camels, laden with bundles of precious merchandise,
rugs, and gems, and sweet smelling sandal wood. Here he might see a
company of Roman soldiers, marching under command of a centurion,
short, stern men, helmeted, with shining armor, sword, and spear, in
perfect discipline, showing the pride of the race which had
conquered the world by force of arms. Here he saw, too, the poor and
the suffering, the beggar, the outcast.
{51}{52}
[Illustration]
FINDING OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE.
Holman Hunt (1821-1910)
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton,
Mass., and used by special permission.
[End illustration]
{53}
He began to see, no doubt, as a boy, how much the world needed a
saviour, and he began to form his resolution to be a hero, not a
hero like the Roman soldier, but a hero of peace, one who should
help and uplift humanity. So the days of his boyhood passed, in
study, and work, and play, as he steadily grew toward manhood.
Every year three great feasts were kept by the Jews. The greatest of
these was the Passover. People who could do so, left their homes,
and journeyed to Jerusalem, the great sacred city of the Jews, to
keep this feast; so that all the houses of the city were full of
guests, all the villages near by were crowded with people, and the
hills about were covered with the tents of those who could find no
shelter in the houses. Women and little children were not required
to take the hard journey, though they sometimes went. The journey
had to be made on foot, or on the backs of horses or mules, the men
carrying their food with them, and stopping at night where the dark
found them. When they could arrange it, groups of friends and
neighbors liked to go together, for company and safety. It was then
often a happy journey, though it was never easy, and much as the
boys looked forward to it, they often found that it was tiresome to
tramp all day over the hills, and that they did not sleep as well at
night on the open ground, with the cold stars looking down at them,
as they did in their own beds at home. Yet the boys liked to go.
Boys no doubt liked to "camp out" then, as they do now, and there
was always a touch of adventure; the possibility of meeting robbers,
or wild beasts. Besides, it was taking a part in man's work; for
they were sometimes allowed to go when they were twelve years old.
When they reached this age, they were to "keep the law," as their
fathers did, and that made them feel like men. So it must have been
a great day for Jesus, when he, now twelve years old, was allowed
for the first time to start by his father's side, while his mother
rode on an ass beside them, for the long walk of sixty miles in the
soft spring air, over the hills to the city and the temple of which
he had heard so much.
{54}
IMMORTAL LOVE
Immortal love, forever full,
Forever flowing free,
Forever shared, forever whole,
A never-ebbing sea.
Blow, winds of God, awake and blow
The mists of earth away!
Shine out, O Light Divine, and show
How wide and far we stray!
We may not climb the heavenly steeps
To bring the Lord Christ down:
In vain we search the lowest deeps,
For Him no depths can drown.
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet
A present help is He;
And faith has still its Olivet,
And love its Galilee.
The healing of His seamless dress
Is by our beds of pain;
We touch Him in life's throng and press,
And we are whole again.
Through Him the first fond prayers are said
Our lips of childhood frame,
The last low whispers of our dead
Are burdened with His name.
O Lord and Master of us all!
Whate'er our name or sign,
We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call,
We test our lives by Thine.
--_John Greenleaf Whittier_.
{55}{56}
[Illustration]
A CARPENTER SHOP.
From a photograph taken by Prof. Lewis Bayles Paton of Hartford
Theological Seminary, and used by his kind permission.
This is a most interesting picture of an Eastern carpenter's shop.
Some of the young workmen look very keen and intelligent. So the boy
Jesus must have looked in the little shop of Joseph at Nazareth.
[End illustration]
{57}
JESUS, I MY CROSS HAVE TAKEN
Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shalt be:
Perish every fond ambition,
All I've sought and hoped and known;
Yet how rich is my condition,
God and heaven are still my own.
Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Saviour, too;
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like man, untrue;
And while Thou shalt smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate, and friends may shun me,
Show Thy face, and all is bright.
Go, then, earthly fame and treasure;
Come, disaster, scorn, and pain!
In Thy service, pain is pleasure;
With Thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called Thee, Abba, Father;
I have stayed my heart on Thee:
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather,
All must work for good to me.
Man may trouble and distress me,
'Twill but drive me to Thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me,
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
O 'tis not in grief to harm me,
While Thy love is left to me;
O 'twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.
--_Henry Francis Lyte_.
{58}
AM I A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?
Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?
Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?
Sure I must fight, if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord;
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy word.
Thy saints, in all this glorious war,
Shall conquer, though they die;
They view the triumph from afar,
And seize it with their eye.
When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thine armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{59}{60}
[Illustration]
NAZARETH.
The village of Nazareth itself lies in a basin, but from the hills
all about it the most extended view can be obtained. The scenes of
many of the most thrilling episodes in the history of Israel are in
sight. In Jesus' time it was near the great caravan roads, and the
center of a busy civilization.
"It was not as a rustic preaching to rustics that our Lord went
about. He went forth in a part of the Roman empire full of Roman
civilization, busy and populous."--_Walter Besant_
[End illustration]
{61}
How the Lord Jesus Began to Win the Love of Many People.
{62}
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_The LORD JESUS_.
_John the Baptist_.
_The Disciples of Jesus_.
_Mary, the Mother of Jesus_.
_Nicodemus, a great teacher at Jerusalem_.
_A woman of Samaria_.
_A king's officer_.
_The Evil One_.
_Pharisees, Sadducees_.
_Soldiers, a wedding party, money changers, priests, Samaritans_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_The Jordan River. The Wilderness_.
_Cana in Galilee. Jerusalem. Samaria_.
_Galilee_.
{63}{64}
[Illustration]
THE LOWER FORDS OF THE JORDAN.
Photograph taken by Mrs. Frank L. Goodspeed of Springfield, Mass.,
and used by her kind permission.
This fine picture shows the traditional place of the baptism of
Jesus. The river has been at flood, as often happens in its
impetuous torrent, and quantities of driftwood are shown along
its banks.
[End illustration]
{65}
I
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
_How John Preached to the People, and How the Lord Jesus Was Baptized
by Him in the River Jordan_.
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of
Judaea, saying, "Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For
this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying,--
'The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make ye ready the way of the Lord,
Make his paths straight.'"
Now John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern
girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then
went out unto him the people of Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the
region round about Jordan; and they were baptized by him in the river
Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his
baptism, he said unto them, "Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to
flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of
repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham
to our father': for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones
to raise up children unto Abraham.
{66}
"And even now is the axe laid unto the root of the trees: every tree
therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast
into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he
who cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to
bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire: whose
fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his
threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the
chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."
And the multitudes asked him, saying, "What then must we do?"
And he answered and said unto them, "He that hath two coats, let him
impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do
likewise."
And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him,
"Master, what must we do?"
And he said unto them, "Extort no more than that which is appointed
you."
And soldiers also asked him, saying, "And we, what must we do?"
And he said unto them, "Do violence to no man, neither take anything
wrongfully; and be content with your wages."
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized
by him. But John would have hindered him, saying, "I have need to be
baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?"
But Jesus answering said unto him, "Permit it now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness."
{67}
[Illustration]
JESUS TAKING LEAVE OF HIS MOTHER.
By Bernard Plockhorst
This picture shows Jesus taking leave of Mary before beginning his
ministry.
[End illustration]
{69}
Then he permitted him. And Jesus, when he was
baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the
heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of
God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo,
a voice out of the heavens, saying,--
"This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased."
{70}
II
THE TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS.
_How the Lord Jesus Fought with a Great Foe_.
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was
led by the Spirit in the wilderness during forty days, being tempted
of the devil. And he ate nothing in those days: and when they were
completed, he hungered.
And the devil said unto him, "If thou art the Son of God, command this
stone that it become bread."
And Jesus answered unto him, "It is written. 'Man shall not live by
bread alone.'"
And he led him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a
moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, "To thee will I give all this authority,
and the glory of them: for it hath been delivered unto me; and to
whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship before me,
it shall all be thine."
And Jesus answered and said unto him, "It is written, 'Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.'"
{71}{72}
[Illustration]
THE WILDERNESS OF THE TEMPTATION.
This wild and desolate region accords very well with our ideas of
the place of the temptation of Jesus. The great cliff in the picture
faces a narrow ravine not far from Jericho
[End illustration]
{73}
And he led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the
temple, and said unto him, "If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself
down from hence: for it is written,--
'He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to guard thee:
and,
'On their hands they shall bear thee up,
Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.'"
And Jesus answering said unto him, "It is said, 'Thou shalt not tempt
the Lord thy God.'"
And he was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; and he was
with wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
{74}
III
THE FIRST DISCIPLES.
_How the Lord Jesus Began to Win the Love of His Friends_.
One day after Jesus had returned from the wilderness, where he had met
the temptation, John the Baptist saw him approaching, and said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This
is he of whom I said, 'After me cometh a man which is become before
me: for he was before me.' And I knew him not; but that he should be
made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing with water."
Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples; and
he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of
God!"
And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them,
"What seek ye?"
And they said unto him, "Rabbi (that is, Master), where abidest thou?"
He saith unto them, "Come, and ye shall see."
They came therefore and saw where he abode; and they abode with him
that day: it was about the tenth hoar.
One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother. He findeth first his own brother Simon, and
saith unto him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, Christ).
{75}{76}
[Illustration]
JESUS AND THE FISHERMEN.
By Zimmermann
[End illustration]
{77}
He brought him unto Jesus. Jesus looked upon him, and said, "Thou art
Simon the son of John: thou shalt be called Cephas" (that is, Peter).
On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth
Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from
Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, "We have found him, of
whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth,
the son of Joseph."
And Nathanael said unto him, "Can any good thing come out of
Nazareth?" Philip saith unto him, "Come and see."
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, "Behold, an
Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"
Nathanael saith unto him, "Whence knowest thou me?" Jesus answered and
said unto him, "Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the
fig tree, I saw thee."
Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King
of Israel."
Jesus answered and said unto him, "Because I said unto thee, I saw
thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater
things than these. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the
heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the
Son of man."
{78}
IV
THE FIRST MIRACLE.
_How the Lord Jesus Went to a Wedding_.
The third day after Jesus had started for Galilee with his new
friends, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of
Jesus was there: and Jesus also was bidden, with his disciples, to the
marriage.
And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said unto him, "They
have no wine."
And Jesus said unto her, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine
hour is not yet come."
His mother said unto the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do
it."
Now there were six waterpots of stone set there after the Jews' custom
of purifying, containing two or three firkins apiece.
Jesus said unto them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled
them up to the brim. And he said unto them, "Draw out now, and bear
unto the ruler of the feast."
And they bore it. And when the ruler of the feast tasted the water now
become wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants which had
drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom,
and said unto him, "Every man setteth on first the good wine; and when
men have drunk freely, then that which is worse: thou hast kept the
good wine until now."
This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and
manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
{79}
V
AT THE PASSOVER.
_How the Lord Jesus Went Again to Jerusalem, What He Did, and the
Friends He Made There_.
And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem. And he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep
and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and he made a scourge of
cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen;
and he poured out the changers' money and overthrew their tables; and
to them that sold the doves he said, "Take these things hence; make
not my Father's house a house of merchandise."
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many
believed on his name, beholding his signs which he did.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews: the same came unto him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these
signs that thou doest, except God be with him."
Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
{80}
Nicodemus said unto him, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he
enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"
Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That
which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, 'Ye must be born
anew.' The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice
thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is
everyone that is born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, "How can these things be?" Jesus
replied to him, "Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not
these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do
know, and bear witness of that we have seen; and ye receive not our
witness. If I told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall
ye believe, if I tell you heavenly things? And no man hath ascended
into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man,
which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever
believeth may in him have eternal life."
(This is the end of the story of the Lord Jesus and Nicodemus. What
follows is added by the writer of the gospel.)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God sent not the Son {81} into the world to judge the world; but
that the world should be saved through him. He that believeth on him
is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because
he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. And
this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men
loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
For every one that doeth ill hateth the light, and cometh not to the
light, lest his works should be reproved. But he that doeth the truth
cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they
have been wrought in God.
{82}
VI
JESUS AT JACOB'S WELL.
_How the Lord Jesus Made Much of Two Days in Samaria_.
Afterward Jesus left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. And he
must needs pass through Samaria. So he cometh to a city of Samaria,
called Sychar, near to the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son
Joseph: and Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied
with his journey, sat by the well.
It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw
water: Jesus saith unto her, "Give me to drink."
For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy food. The
Samaritan woman therefore saith unto him, "How is it that thou, being
a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have
no dealings with Samaritans.)
Jesus answered and said unto her, "If thou knewest the gift of God,
and who it is that saith to thee, 'Give me to drink'; thou wouldest
have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."
The woman saith unto him, "Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and
the well is deep. Whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou
greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank
thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle?"
{83}{84}
[Illustration]
JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.
By Heinrich Hofmann
"Sweet was the hour, O Lord! to thee
At Sychor's lonely well,
When a poor outcast heard thee there
Thy great salvation tell.
There Jacob's erring daughter found
Those streams unknown before,
The water brooks of life, that make
The weary thirst no more."
--_Sir Edward Demey_
{85}
Jesus answered and said unto her, "Everyone that drinketh of this
water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him
shall become in him a well of water, springing up unto eternal life."
The woman saith unto him, "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not,
neither come all the way hither to draw."
Jesus saith unto her, "Go, call thy husband, and come hither."
The woman answered and said unto him, "I have no husband."
Jesus saith unto her, "Thou saidst well, 'I have no husband': for thou
hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband:
this hast thou said truly."
The woman saith unto him, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem
is the place where men ought to worship."
Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when
neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the
Father. Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we
know: for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is,
when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth:
for such doth the Father seek to be his worshipers. God is a Spirit:
and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
{86}
The woman saith unto him, "I know that Messiah cometh (which is called
Christ): when he is come, he will declare unto us all things."
Jesus saith unto her, "I that speak unto thee am he." And upon this
came his disciples; and they marveled that he was speaking with a
woman; yet no man said, "What seekest thou?" or, "Why speakest thou
with her?"
So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith
to the men, "Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I did:
can this be the Christ?"
They went out of the city, and were coming to him. In the mean while
the disciples prayed him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But he said unto them,
"I have meat to eat that ye know not."
The disciples therefore said one to another, "Hath any man brought him
aught to eat?"
Jesus saith unto them, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me,
and to accomplish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and
then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes,
and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest. He
that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal;
that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. For
herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you
to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored, and ye
are entered into their labor."
And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of
the word of the woman, who testified, {87} "He told me all things that
ever I did." So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him
to abide with them: and he abode there two days. And many more
believed because of his word; and they said to the woman, "Now we
believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves,
and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world."
{88}
VII
THE GOOD SAMARITAN
(At another time, Jesus, who had been so kindly treated by the
Samaritans, told this story to show how everyone ought to treat others
kindly. This is how he happened to tell the story):--
A teacher asked Jesus, to test him, what he should do to inherit
eternal life. Jesus answered, "What does the law say?"
The teacher replied, "The law says, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength,
and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.'"
And he said unto him, "Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou
shalt live."
But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?"
Jesus made answer and said, "A certain man was going down from
Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and
beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance a certain
priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on
the other side. And in like manner a Levite also, when he came to the
place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he
was moved with compassion, and came to him, and bound up his wounds,
pouring on them oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and
brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
{89}{90}
[Illustration]
"INN OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN"
From a photograph taken by Louis L. Tribus, Consulting Engineer and
Commissioner of Public Works of the Borough of Richmond, City of New
York, and used by his kind permission.
This is the traditional site of the "Inn of the Good Samaritan," on
the pilgrim road the "Ascent of Blood," which leads from Jericho to
Jerusalem. When taken upwards, a more hot and heavy way it is
impossible to conceive--between blistered limestones and rocks, and
in front the bare hills piled high, without shadow or verdure. There
is no water from Jericho till you reach the roots of the Mount of
Olives. Curious red streaks appear from time to time on the stones,
and perhaps account for the sanguinary names which attach to the
road,--but the crimes committed here make these doubly deserved.
[End illustration]
{91}
And on the morrow he took out two pence, and gave them to the host,
and said, 'Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, I,
when I come back again, will repay thee.'
"Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor unto him that
fell among the robbers?"
And he said, "He that showed mercy on him."
And Jesus said unto him, "Go, and do thou likewise."
{92}
VIII
JESUS AND THE KING'S OFFICER
_How the Lord Jesus Went Back to Galilee, and How He Healed the Son of
a King's Officer_.
And after the two days in Samaria he went forth from thence into
Galilee. For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in
his own country. So when he came into Galilee, the Galilaeans received
him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast:
for they also went unto the feast.
He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water
wine. And there was a certain king's officer whose son was sick at
Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judaea into
Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down,
and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. Jesus therefore
said unto him, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise
believe."
The king's officer saith unto him, "Sir, come down ere my child die."
Jesus saith unto him, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." The man believed
the word that Jesus spoke unto him, and he went his way. And as he was
now going down, his servants met him, saying, that his son lived. So
he {93} inquired of them the hour when he began to recover. They said
therefore unto him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left
him."
So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto
him, "Thy son liveth": and himself believed, and his whole house.
{94}
IX
THE CHOOSING OF THE TWELVE DISCIPLES.
_How the Lord Jesus Gathered About Him the Men Who Were to Be His
Closest Friends_.
Passing along by the sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew the
brother of Simon casting a net in the sea: for they were fishers. And
he said unto them, "Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of
men."
And straightway they left the nets, and followed him.
And going on a little further, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and
John his brother, who also were in the boat mending the nets. And
straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the
boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude
resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw
Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith
unto him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him. And it came to
pass, that he was sitting at meat in his house, and many publicans and
sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many,
and they followed him. And the Pharisees, when they saw that he was
eating with the sinners and publicans, said unto his disciples, "He
eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners."
{95}
And when Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, "They that are whole have
no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners."
And he went up into the mountain, and called unto him whom he himself
would: and they went unto him. And he appointed twelve, that they
might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to
have authority to cast out demons: and Simon he surnamed Peter; and
James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and them he
surnamed Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder: and Andrew, and Philip,
and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of
Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who
also betrayed him.
{96}
The Glorious Company of the Apostles
Simon Peter.
Andrew.
James.
John.
Philip.
Bartholomew.
Thomas.
Matthew.
James "the less".
Thaddaeus
Simon the Zealot.
Judas Iscariot, the traitor.
{97}
_Simon Peter_. Brother of Andrew. Fisherman. Residence Bethsaida. One
of the leaders of the apostles. Said to have founded the church at
Rome and to have suffered martyrdom under Nero.
_Andrew_. Brother of Simon Peter. Fisherman. Residence Bethsaida.
Tradition says he was crucified at Patrae by the proconsul AEgeas.
_James_. Brother of John. Son of Zebedee. Fisherman. Home Bethsaida.
Beheaded by Herod Agrippa only fourteen years after the crucifixion.
The first of the "glorious company of the apostles" to join "the noble
army of martyrs."
_John_. "The beloved Disciple." Fisherman. Brother of James. Son of
Zebedee. Home Bethsaida. Reputed author of Gospel of St. John, the
Epistles of John and the Apocalypse. Said to have lived to an extreme
old age, dying a natural death at Ephesus.
_Philip_. Fellow townsman of Peter and Andrew, and probably, like
them, a fisherman. Said by tradition to have been crucified head
downwards in the reign of Domitian.
_Bartholomew_. Native of Cana of Galilee. Tradition says that he
suffered martyrdom in India.
_Thomas_. "The Doubter." Occupation unknown. Residence unknown.
Tradition says that he was sold as a slave to an Indian merchant; that
he preached the gospel there with great effect and died a natural
death at an advanced age.
_Matthew_. "The Publican." A customs officer near Capernaum. Author of
the Gospel of Matthew. Nothing is known of his subsequent life or of
his death.
_James_. The son of Alphaeus. Called "the less." No details of his
history are known.
_Thaddaeus_. Occupation not known. Thought to have lived at Jerusalem.
Tradition says he preached the gospel in Africa. Fate unknown.
_Simon, the Zealot_. No details are known of his life.
_Judas Iscariot_. The Traitor and Betrayer of Jesus. Iscariot means
"the man of Karioth." He was the only Judaean among the apostles. He
committed suicide by hanging after the crucifixion.
{98}
{99}
OH, WHERE IS HE THAT TROD THE SEA?
Oh, where is He that trod the sea?
Oh, where is He that spake?
And demons from their victims flee,
The dead their slumbers break;
The palsied rise in freedom strong,
The dumb men talk and sing,
And from blind eyes, benighted long,
Bright beams of morning spring.
Oh, where is He that trod the sea?
'T is only He can save;
To thousands hungering wearily,
A wondrous meal He gave:
Full soon, celestially fed,
Their mystic fare they take;
'T was springtide when He blest the bread,
'T was harvest when He brake.
Oh, where is He that trod the sea?
My soul, the Lord is here:
Let all thy fears be hushed in thee;
To leap, to look, to hear,
Be thine: thy needs He'll satisfy:
Art thou diseased, or dumb?
Or dost thou in thy hunger cry?
"I come," saith Christ, "I come."
--_Thomas T. Lynch_.
{100}
JESUS, SAVIOUR, PILOT ME
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me,
Over life's tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treacherous shoal;
Chart and compass came from Thee:
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.
As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boisterous waves obey Thy will
When Thou say'st to them "Be still!"
Wondrous Sovereign of the sea.
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.
When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
'Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
"Fear not, I will pilot thee!"
--_E. Hopper_.
{101}
JESUS CALLS US
Jesus calls us: o'er the tumult
Of our life's wild, restless sea,
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
Softly, clearly--"Follow Me."
Jesus calls us, from the evil
In a world we cannot flee,
From each idol that would keep us,
Softly, clearly--"Follow Me."
Still in joy and still in sadness
We discern our own decree;
Still He calls, in cares and pleasures,
Softly, clearly--"Follow Me."
Thou dost call us! may we ever
To Thy call attentive be;
Give our hearts to Thine obedience,
Rise, leave all, and follow Thee.
--_Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander._
{102}
HAIL TO THE LORD'S ANOINTED.
Hail to the Lord's Anointed,
Great David's greater Son;
Hail, in the time appointed,
His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free,
To take away transgression,
And rule in equity.
He comes with succor speedy
To those who suffer wrong;
To help the poor and needy,
And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing,
Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying,
Were precious in His sight.
For Him shall prayer unceasing
And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing,
A kingdom without end.
The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever;
That name to us is Love!
--_James Montgomery_.
{103}
How the Lord Jesus went about doing good, teaching and healing,
and how He grew in favor with the people.
{104}
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_The LORD JESUS_.
_A Roman Captain and his servant_.
_The Disciples of Jesus_.
_Peter's mother-in-law_.
_A widow of Nain and her son_.
_Jairus, his wife and little daughter_.
_John the Baptist_.
_Herod_.
_Herodias and her daughter_.
_A little lad with loaves and fishes_.
_Multitudes of people, lepers, palsied, and those having all
manner of diseases_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_The "Mount of Beatitudes_."
_Capernaum_.
_The region of Galilee_.
_The lake of Gennesaret_.
_Gadara_.
_The city of Nain_.
_The Jordan_.
_The prison in the "Black Fortress" of Machaerus_.
_The banquet hall of Herod_.
{105}
I
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
_How the Lord Jesus Taught the People the Way of Right Living_.
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he
had sat down, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth and
taught them, saying,--
THE BEATITUDES.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they
shall be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
"Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall
reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of {106} evil
against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:
for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the
prophets which were before you."
"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor,
wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but
to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the
world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a
lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth
unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which
is in heaven."
THE NEW WAY OF RIGHT LIVING.
_Be Right in the Heart, and Not in Outward Appearance Only_.
"Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not
to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and
earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from
the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall
break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall
be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and
teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I
say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter
into the kingdom of heaven."
{107}{108}
[Illustration]
LOOKING NORTHEAST FROM THE MOUNT OF BEATITUDES TO
CAPERNAUM AND THE SEA OF GALILEE.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
"Kurn Hattin," the "Horns of Hattin," a double-peaked hill four
miles back from the sea and about eight miles southwest from
Capernaum, is the traditional location of the mountain from which
Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
[End illustration]
{109}
_It is a Sin to Get Angry_.
"Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'Thou shalt not
kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment':
but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall
be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother,
'Worthless fellow,' shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever
shall say, 'Thou fool,' shall be in danger of the hell of fire. If
therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there
rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy
gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy
brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary
quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest the adversary
deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer,
and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no
means come out thence, till thou hast paid the last farthing."
_It is a Sin to Swear_.
"Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'Thou
shalt not perjure thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine
oaths': but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven,
for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool
of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair
white or black. But let your speech be, 'Yea, yea; Nay, nay': and
whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one."
{110}
_It is a Sin to Be Revengeful_.
"Ye have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a
tooth': but I say unto you, Resist not evil: but whosoever smiteth
thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man
would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy
cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with
him two. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow
of thee turn not thou away."
_It is a Sin to Think Evil of Others_.
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye
shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured
unto you. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's
eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how
wilt thou say to thy brother, 'Let me cast out the mote out of thine
eye'; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out
first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly
to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
_The Right Way is to Love Your Enemies_.
"Ye have heard that it was said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and
hate thine enemy': but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for
them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in
heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them {111}
that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the
same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than
others? do not even the Gentiles the same? Ye therefore shall be
perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
_The Right Way to Do Good Deeds_.
"Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of
them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
"When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as
the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may
have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their
reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy
right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who
seeth in secret shall recompense thee."
_The Right Way to Pray_.
"And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to
stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have
received their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine
inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in
secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee. And
in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they
think that they shall be heard {112} for their much speaking. Be not
therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have
need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye:"--
THE LORD'S PRAYER.
"Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
In earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever, Amen."
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive your trespasses.
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and
it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asketh receiveth; and
he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf,
will give him a stone; or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a
serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good
things to them that ask him?"
{113}{114}
[Illustration]
JESUS PREACHING THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
[End illustration]
{115}
THE GOLDEN RULE.
"All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you,
then so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets."
_The Right Way to Be Rich_.
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and
rust doth consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay
up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for
where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also."
_Trust God, and He Will Take Care of You_.
"The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be right, thy
whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole
body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee
be darkness, how great is the darkness!
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and
love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.
"Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall
eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for {116} your body, what ye
shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than
the raiment? Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? And which of
you by being anxious can add one cubit unto his stature? And why are
ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how
they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you,
that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and
to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O
ye of little faith?
"Be not therefore anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or, 'What
shall we drink?' or, 'Wherewithal shall we be clothed?' For after all
these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first his kingdom,
and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be
anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
_God Wants Deeds, Not Words_.
"Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is
the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many be they that enter in
thereby. For narrow is the gate, and strait the way, that leadeth unto
life, and few be they that find it.
{117}
"For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor
again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit. For each tree is
known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a
bramble bush gather they grapes. The good man out of the good treasure
of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out
of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the
abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
"Not everyone that saith unto me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven.
"Many will say unto me in that day, 'Lord, Lord,
Did we not prophesy in thy name,
And by thy name cast out demons,
And by thy name do many mighty works?'
And then I will profess unto them, 'I never knew you;
Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.'
"Everyone therefore who heareth these words of mine,
And doeth them,
Shall be likened unto a wise man,
Which built his house upon the rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came,
And the winds blew, and beat upon that house:
And it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock.
"And everyone who heareth these words of mine,
And doeth them not, {118}
Shall be likened unto a foolish man,
Which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came,
And the wind blew, and smote upon that house;
And it fell, and great was the fall thereof."
And it came to pass, when Jesus ended these words,
the multitudes were astonished at his teaching: for he
taught them as one having authority, and not as their
scribes.
{119}{120}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF THE SYNAGOGUE AT CAPERNAUM.
From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund,
and used by special permission.
[End illustration]
{121}
II
THE ROMAN SOLDIER'S FAITH
_How the Lord Jesus Healed the Captain's Servant_.
And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed
him, and he entered into Capernaum.
And a certain Roman captain's servant, who was dear to him, was sick
and at the point of death. And when he heard concerning Jesus, he sent
unto him elders of the Jews, asking him that he would come and save
his servant.
And they, when they came to Jesus, besought him earnestly, saying, "He
is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him: for he loveth our
nation, and himself built us our synagogue."
And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house,
the Roman captain sent friends to him, saying unto him, "Lord, trouble
not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my
roof: wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but
say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set
under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one,
'Go,' and he goeth; and to another, 'Come,' and he cometh; and to my
servant, 'Do this,' and he doeth it."
And when Jesus heard these things, he marveled at {122} him, and
turned and said unto the multitude that followed him, "I say unto you,
I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."
And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant
whole.
{123}
[Illustration]
Map of Palestine showing Christ's Journey to Jerusalem.
by E. R. Hooker
[End illustration]
{124}
{125}
III
DAYS OF SERVICE
_How the Lord Jesus Healed Many People_.
_A Sabbath Day at Capernaum_.
On the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they
were astonished at his teaching: for he taught them as having
authority, and not as the scribes.
And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he
cried out, saying, "What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of
Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the
Holy One of God."
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Hold thy peace, and come out of him."
And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came
out of him.
And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among
themselves, saying, "What is this? a new teaching! with authority he
commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."
And the news went out straightway everywhere into all the region of
Galilee round about.
And when they were come out of the synagogue, they came into the house
of Simon and Andrew, with James {126} and John. Now Simon's wife's
mother lay sick of a fever; and they told him of her: and he came and
took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her, and
she ministered unto them.
And at even, when the sun set, they brought unto him all that were
sick, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was
gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick with
divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not the
demons to speak, because they knew him.
And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out,
and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. And Simon and they
that were with him followed after him; and they found him, and said
unto him, "All are seeking thee."
And he saith unto them, "Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that
I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth."
And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching
and casting out demons.
_Healing a Leper_.
And there came to him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to
him, and saying unto him, "If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."
And being moved with compassion, he stretched forth his hand, and
touched him, and said unto him, "I will; be thou made clean."
And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and {127} he was made
clean. And he strictly charged him, and sent him out, and saith unto
him, "See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, show thyself to
the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses
commanded, for a testimony unto them."
But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad
the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a
city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from
every quarter.
_The Man Let Down Through the Roof_.
And when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was
noised that he was in the house. And many were gathered together, so
that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door:
and he spoke the word unto them. And they came, bringing unto him a
man sick of the palsy, borne by four. And when they could not come
nigh unto him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was: and
when they had broken through it, they let down the bed whereon the
sick of the palsy lay.
And Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, "Son,
thy sins are forgiven."
But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in
their hearts, "Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can
forgive sins but one, even God?"
And straightway Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned
within themselves, said unto them, "Why reason ye these things in your
hearts? Which is easier, {128} to say to the sick of the palsy, 'Thy
sins are forgiven'; or to say, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk'?
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to
forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy), I say unto thee,
Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thy house."
And he arose, and straightway took up the bed, and went forth before
them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God,
saying, "We never saw it in this fashion."
_The Two Blind Men_.
And as Jesus passed by from thence, two blind men followed him, crying
out, and saying, "Have mercy on us, thou son of David."
And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and
Jesus said unto them, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?"
They say unto him, "Yea, Lord."
Then touched he their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it
done unto you." And their eyes were opened.
And Jesus strictly charged them, saying, "See that no man know it."
But they went forth, and spread abroad his fame in all that land.
_The Throngs About the Master_.
And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea: and a great
multitude from Galilee followed: and from Judaea, and from Jerusalem,
and from Idumaea, and beyond Jordan, and about Tyre and Sidon, a great
multitude, {129} hearing what great things he did, came unto him. And
he spoke to his disciples, that a little boat should wait on him
because of the crowd, lest they should throng him: for he had healed
many; insomuch that as many as had plagues pressed upon him that they
might touch him. And the unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him,
fell down before him, and cried, saying, "Thou art the Son of God."
And he charged them much that they should not make him known.
{130}
IV
THE MIRACLE AT NAIN
_How the Lord Jesus Raised a Widow's Son from the Dead_.
And it came to pass soon afterwards, that he went to a city called
Nain; and his disciples went with him, and a great multitude. Now when
he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, there was carried out
one that was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow:
and many people of the city were with her.
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto
her, "Weep not."
And he came nigh and touched the bier: and the bearers stood still.
And he said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." And he that was dead
sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
And fear took hold on all: and they glorified God,
saying, "A great prophet is arisen among us": and, "God hath
visited his people." And this report went forth concerning
him in the whole of Judaea, and all the region round about.
{131}{132}
[Illustration]
JESUS PREACHING BY THE SEASIDE
[End illustration]
{133}
V
THE GREAT TEACHER
_How the Lord Jesus Told the People Stories by the Sea_.
And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there was gathered
unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, which
was on the sea, and sat in it; and all the multitude were by the sea
on the land. And he taught them many things in stories, and told them
in his teaching,--
_The Story of the Sower_.
"Behold, the sower went forth to sow: and, as he sowed, some seed fell
by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it. And other seed
fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and straightway
it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth: and when the sun
was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered
away. And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up,
and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other seed fell into the
good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought
forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold."
And he said, "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Afterward he
explained the parable to them thus):--
"The sower soweth the word. And these are they by {134} the wayside,
where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh
Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them. And
these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places,
who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;
and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then,
when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word,
straightway they stumble. And others are they that are sown among the
thorns; these are they that have heard the word, and the cares of the
world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things
entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And those are
they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and
accept it; and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a
hundredfold."
_The Story of the Growing Grain_.
And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed upon
the earth; and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed
should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how. The earth beareth fruit
of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the
ear. But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the
sickle, because the harvest is come."
_The Story of the Mustard Seed_.
And he said, "How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what story
shall we set it forth? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when
it is sown upon the earth, {135} though it he less than all the seeds
that are upon the earth, yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh
greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that
the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof."
{136}
VI
THE TEMPEST
_How the Lord Jesus Stilled the Storm, and Did Miracles by the Sea_.
And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto them, "Let us go
over unto the other side."
And leaving the multitude, they took him with them in the boat. And
other boats were with him. And there arose a great storm of wind, and
the waves beat into the boat, that the boat was now filling. And he
himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him,
and say unto him, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"
And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be
still." And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And he said unto them, "Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?"
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, "Who then is
this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the
Gerasenes. And when he was come out of the boat, straightway there met
him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his
dwelling in the tombs: and no man could bind him, no, not with a
chain; because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and
the chains had been rent asunder by him, and the fetters broken in
pieces: and no man had strength to tame him. And always, night and
day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting
himself with stones.
{137}{138}
[Illustration]
HOUSETOPS AT TIBERIAS, LOOKING OVER SEA OF GALILEE.
[End illustration]
{139}
And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him; and
crying out with a loud voice, he saith, "What have I to do with thee,
Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me
not."
For he said unto him, "Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the
man."
And he asked him, "What is thy name?"
And he saith unto him, "My name is Legion; for we are many."
And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the
country. Now there was there on the mountain side a great herd of
swine feeding. And they besought him, saying, "Send us into the swine,
that we may enter into them."
And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered
into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, in
number about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea.
And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city, and in the
country. And they came to see what it was that had come to pass. And
they came to Jesus, and beheld him who was possessed by demons
sitting, clothed and in his right mind, even him that had the legion:
and they were afraid. And they that saw it declared unto them what
{140} had happened to him that was possessed with demons, and
concerning the swine. And they began to beseech him to depart from
their borders. And as he was entering into the boat, he that had been
possessed with demons besought him that he might be with him. And he
suffered him not, but saith unto him, "Go to thy house unto thy
friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee,
and how he had mercy on thee."
And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great
things Jesus had done for him: and all men marveled.
And a woman who had been an invalid for twelve years, and had suffered
many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and
was no better, but rather grew worse, having heard the things
concerning Jesus, came in the crowd behind, and touched his garment.
For she said; "If I touch but his garments, I shall be made whole."
And straightway she felt in her body that she was healed of her
disease.
And straightway Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power proceeding
from him had gone forth, turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who
touched my garments?"
And his disciples said unto him, "Thou seest the multitude thronging
thee, and sayest thou, 'Who touched me?'"
And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the
woman fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came
and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
And he said unto her, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in
peace, and be whole of thy disease."
{141}
VII
THE LITTLE GIRL WHO DIED
_How the Lord Jesus Brought to Life Jairus' Little Daughter_.
And when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat unto the other side,
a great multitude was gathered unto him: and he was by the sea.
And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name;
and seeing him, he falleth at his feet, and beseecheth him much,
saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray thee,
come and lay thy hand on her, that she may be made whole, and live."
And he went with him; and a great multitude followed him, and they
thronged him.
While he was on the way, they come from the ruler of the synagogue's
house, saying, "Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master
any further?"
But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the
synagogue, "Fear not, only believe."
And he allowed no man to follow with him, save Peter, and James, and
John the brother of James. And they come to the house of the ruler of
the synagogue; and he beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing
greatly.
And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, "Why make ye a tumult,
and weep? the child is not dead, but sleepeth."
{142}
And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth,
taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with
him, and goeth in where the child was. And taking the child by the
hand, he said unto her, "Talitha cumi"; that is, "Little girl, I say
unto thee, Arise."
And straightway the little girl rose up, and walked; for she was
twelve years old. And they were greatly amazed. And he charged them
much that no man should know this: and he commanded that something
should be given her to eat.
{143}
VIII
LEARNING TO SERVE.
_How the Lord Jesus Sent His Disciples Out to Tell of Him_.
And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two
and two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits; and he
charged them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a
staff only; no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse; but to go
shod with sandals: and, said he, "Put not on two coats."
And he said unto them, "Wheresoever ye enter into a house, there abide
till ye depart thence. And whatsoever place shall not receive you, and
they hear you not, as ye go forth thence, shake off the dust that is
under your feet for a testimony unto them."
And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast
out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed
them.
{144}
IX
THE FEEDING OF THE MULTITUDE
_How the Lord Jesus Invited the Multitude to a Supper, and How, Having
Won Great Fame, the People Would Have Made Him King, but He Refused_.
And the apostles gathered about Jesus; and they told him all things,
whatsoever they had done, and whatsoever they had taught.
And he saith unto them, "Come ye apart into a desert place, and rest
awhile."
For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much
as to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desert place. And the
people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran there together
on foot from all the cities, and arrived before them.
And he came forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on
them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began
to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his
disciples came unto him, and said, "The place is desert, and the day
is now far spent: send them away, that they may go into the country
and villages round about, and buy themselves something to eat."
But he answered and said unto them, "Give ye them to eat."
{145}{146}
[Illustration]
FISHING BOAT ON THE SEA OF GALILEE.
"He who shall search for cities famed of yore,
Few wrecks will find on lone Tiberias' shore:
Where stood tower-crowned Chorazin, men forget;
A palm tree marks thy site, Gennesaret.
Tiberias, Herod's pride, still flaunteth fair,
But not the cross, the crescent triumphs there."
--_Nicolas Michell_
{147}
And they say unto him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of
bread, and give them to eat?"
And he saith unto them, "How many loaves have ye? go and see."
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said unto him,
"There is a lad here, who has five barley loaves, and two fishes: but
what are these among so many?"
And he commanded them that all should sit down by companies upon the
green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
And he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to
heaven, he blessed, and broke the loaves; and he gave to the disciples
to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And
they all ate, and were filled. And they took up broken pieces, twelve
basketfuls, and also of the fishes. And those who ate the loaves were
five thousand men.
And straightway he told his disciples to enter into the boat, and to
go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he himself sent
the multitude away. But when the people saw the sign which he did,
they said, "This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the
world."
Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him
by force, to make him king, withdrew into the mountain himself alone.
And when even was come, the boat in which his disciples had embarked
was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And seeing them
distressed in rowing, for the wind was against them, about the fourth
watch of the night {148} he came unto them, walking on the sea; and he
would have passed by them: but they, when they saw him walking on the
sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out: for they all saw
him, and were troubled.
But he straightway spoke with them, and said unto them, "Be of good
cheer: it is I; be not afraid."
And he went into the boat with them; and the wind ceased: and they
were sore amazed.
{149}
X
JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST.
_How the Heroic Friend of Jesus Was Basely Murdered,
and How the Two Men Had Loved Each Other_.
(Before Jesus began his preaching, a man named John had begun to tell
the people that God would soon send them a great prophet. He himself
seemed to the people to be like one of the old prophets. His dress and
his way of living were simple, and he spoke as though God were
speaking through him. How he preached, and how he baptized Jesus,
telling his disciples that this was the man of whose coming he had
been speaking, has all been told in a previous chapter. After the
baptism John watched the career of Jesus with great interest. Before
long John was seized and cast into prison. He became despondent, and
began to doubt if Jesus was indeed the one of whom he was sent to
tell. He sent messengers to Jesus, and Jesus sent back a comforting
and reassuring message to the prisoner. Jesus loved John and spoke in
the highest terms of his work and character. This chapter tells of the
relations between the two men after Jesus' baptism, and how John met
at last a shameful death.)
_John Acknowledges the Leadership of Jesus_.
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of
Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also
was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there:
and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into
prison.
{150}
There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples
with a Jew about purifying. And they came unto John, and said to him,
"Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou hast borne
witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him."
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing, except it have
been given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I
said, 'I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.' He that
hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom,
who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the
bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must
increase, but I must decrease."
_Imprisoned, John Begins to Lose Faith_.
For a time he continued to preach good tidings unto the people; but
Herod, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for
all the evil things which Herod had done, added yet this above all,
that he shut up John in prison.
And the disciples of John told him in prison of the works of Jesus.
And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to the Lord,
saying, "Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?"
And when the men were come unto him, they said, "John the Baptist hath
sent us unto thee, saying, 'Art thou he that cometh, or look we for
another?'"
In that hour, he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits;
and on many that were blind he bestowed sight.
{151}{152}
[Illustration]
CHRIST AND JOHN THE BAPTIST.
By Guido Reni (1575-1642)
[End illustration]
{153}
And he answered and said unto them, "Go, and tell John what things ye
have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the
lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the
poor have good tidings preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever
shall find no occasion of stumbling in me."
_Jesus Speaks of the Greatness of John_.
And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to say unto
the multitudes concerning John, "What went ye out into the wilderness
to behold? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out to see? a
man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who are gorgeously
appareled, and live luxuriously, are in kings' houses. But what went
ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a
prophet. This is he of whom it is written,--
'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
Who shall prepare thy way before thee.'
"I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there is none
greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is
greater than he."
"Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation, and to what
are they like? They are like unto children who sit in the marketplace,
and call one to another; who say, 'We piped unto you, and ye did not
dance; we wailed, and ye did not weep.' For John the Baptist is come
eating no bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, 'He hath a demon.' The
Son of man is come eating and {154} drinking; and ye say, 'Behold, a
gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and
sinners!' And wisdom is justified of all her children."
_The Cruel Murder of John_.
When a convenient day was come, Herod on his birthday made a supper to
his lords, and the high captains, and the chief men of Galilee; and
when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased
Herod and those who sat at meat with him; and the king said unto the
maiden, "Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee."
And he swore unto her, "Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give
it thee, unto the half of my kingdom."
And she went out, and said unto her mother, "What shall I ask?"
And she said, "The head of John the Baptist."
And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked,
saying, "I wish that thou forthwith give me in a platter the head of
John the Baptist."
And the king was exceeding sorry; but for the sake of his promises,
and of those who sat and feasted with him, he would not reject her.
And straightway the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and
commanded to bring the head of John: and he went and beheaded him in
the prison, and brought his head in a platter, and gave it to the
maiden; and the maiden gave it to her mother. And when his disciples
heard thereof, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a
tomb.
{155}
O LOVE DIVINE
O Love Divine, that stooped to share
Our sharpest pang, our bitterest tear,
On Thee we cast each earth-born care:
We smile at pain while Thou art near.
Though long the weary way we tread,
And sorrow crown each lingering year;
No path we shun, no darkness dread,
Our hearts still whispering, Thou art near!
When drooping pleasure turns to grief,
And trembling faith is changed to fear;
The murmuring wind, the quivering leaf,
Shall softly tell us, Thou art near!
On Thee we fling our burdening woe,
O Love Divine, for ever dear;
Content to suffer, while we know,
Living and dying, Thou art near!
--_Oliver Wendell Holmes_.
{156}
O MASTER, LET ME WALK WITH THEE
O Master, let me walk with Thee
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me Thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil, the fret of care.
Help me the slow of heart to move
By some clear winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay,
And guide them in the homeward way.
Teach me Thy patience! still with Thee
In closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong;
In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future's broadening way;
In peace that only Thou canst give,
With Thee, O Master, let me live!
--_Washington Gladden_.
(Used by the kind permission of the author.)
{157}
THE ELIXIR
Teach me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see,
And what I do in anything
To do it as for Thee.
Not rudely, as a beast,
To runne into an action,
But still to make Thee prepossest
And give it His perfection.
A man that looks on glasse,
On it may stay his eye,
Or if he pleaseth, through it passe,
And then the leav'n espie.
All may of Thee partake,
Nothing can be so mean
Which, with his tincture (for Thy sake),
Will not grow bright and clean.
A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine;
Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.
This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold,
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for lesse be told.
--_George Herbert_.
{158}
I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
The living water: thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's Light;
Look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I'll walk
Till traveling days are done.
--_Horatius Bonar_.
{159}
How, while He was still teaching and healing, many
began to turn against Him, and He, seeing
that He must suffer to save the
people, took up the
journey to the
cross.
{160}
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_The LORD JESUS_.
_The Disciples_.
_A man born blind_.
_A woman who was a sinner_.
_A Syro-Phoenician woman and her daughter_.
_Lazarus_.
_Mary_.
_Martha_.
_Zaccheus_.
_Bartimeus_.
_Scribes, Pharisees, lawyers_.
_Afflicted people, little children, priests, officers_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_The Sea of Galilee_.
_A rich man's feast_.
_The country to the north of Galilee_.
_Caesarea Philippi_.
_The "Mount of Transfiguration."_
_Bethany_.
{161}
I
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
_How the Lord Jesus Tried to Turn the Minds of the People to Things
Higher Than Crowns and Kingdoms, and How They Could Not Understand_.
When the Lord Jesus disappeared from the multitude, after he had fed
them by the sea, they sought for him, and not finding him, they
themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto
him, "Rabbi, when earnest thou hither?"
Jesus answered them and said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek
me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and
were filled. Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food
which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto
you."
They said therefore unto him, "What must we do, that we may work the
works of God?"
Jesus answered and said unto them, "This is the work of God, that ye
believe on him whom he hath sent."
They said therefore unto him, "What then doest thou {162} for a sign,
that we may see, and believe thee? what workest thou? Our fathers ate
the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out
of heaven to eat.'"
Jesus therefore said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, It
was not Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father
giveth you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is he
who cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world."
They said therefore unto him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread."
Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me
shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But
I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe not. All that
which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to
me I will in no wise cast out. For I am come down from heaven, not to
do mine own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the
will of him who sent me, that of all those whom he hath given me I
should lose none, but should raise them up at the last day. For this
is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholdeth the Son, and
believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at
the last day."
The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, "I am the
bread which came down out of heaven."
And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and
mother we know? how doth he now say, 'I am come down out of heaven'?"
{163}{164}
[Illustration]
THE LORD JESUS
By Heinrich Hofmann (1824-
[End illustration]
{165}
Jesus answered and said unto them, "Murmur not among yourselves. No
man can come to me, except the Father who sent me draw him: and I will
raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they
shall all be taught of God.' Everyone that hath heard from the Father,
and hath learned, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the
Father, save he which is from God, he hath seen the Father. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life. I am the
bread of life. Your fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and
they died. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a
man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came
down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live
forever: yea, and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the
life of the world."
Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is
a hard saying; who can hear it?"
But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said
unto them, "Doth this cause you to stumble? What then if ye should
behold the Son of man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit
that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have
spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. But there are some of you
who believe not."
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and
who it was who should betray him.
And he said, "For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can
come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father."
{166}
Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with
him. Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, "Would ye also go away?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the
words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the
Holy One of God."
{167}
II
THE ENEMIES OF JESUS
_How the Leaders of the People Had Already Begun to Turn Against the
Lord Jesus and to Dispute His Teaching_.
_Conflict About the Sabbath_.
There was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in
Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a multitude of
those who were sick, blind, lame, withered. And a certain man was
there, who had been thirty-eight years in his infirmity. When Jesus
saw him lying, and knew that he had been ill a long time, he saith
unto him, "Wouldest thou be made whole?" The sick man answered him,
"Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the
pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me."
Jesus saith unto him, "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk." And
straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked.
Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews said unto him who was
cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up
thy bed."
But he answered them, "He that made me whole, the same said unto me,
'Take up thy bed, and walk.'"
{168}
They asked him, "Who is the man that said unto thee, 'Take up thy bed,
and walk'?"
But he that was healed knew not who it was: for Jesus had gone away, a
multitude being in the place.
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, "Behold,
thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee."
The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made
him whole. And for this cause did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he
did these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father
worketh even until now, and I work."
For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because
he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father,
making himself equal with God.
At another time he was going on the Sabbath day through the
cornfields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears
of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, "Behold, why do they on the
Sabbath day that which is not lawful?"
And he said unto them, "Did ye never read what David did, when he had
need, and was hungry, he, and those who were with him? How he entered
into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the
showbread, which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests, and
gave also to those who were with him?"
And he said unto them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for
the Sabbath: so that the Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath."
{169}
And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there who
had his hand withered. And they watched him, whether he would heal him
on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the
man who had his hand withered, "Stand forth."
And he saith unto them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good,
or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill?"
But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them
with anger, being grieved at their hard-heartedness, he said to the
man, "Stretch forth thy hand." And he stretched it forth: and his hand
was restored.
And the Pharisees went out, and straightway with the Herodians took
counsel against him, how they might destroy him.
_Conflict About the Treatment of Sinful People_.
And one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him. And he entered
into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.
And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that
he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster cruse of
ointment, and standing behind at his feet, weeping, began to wet his
feet with her tears, and wipe them with the hair of her head, and
kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the
Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he spoke within himself, saying,
"This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what
manner of woman this is who toucheth him, that she is a sinner."
{170}
And Jesus answering said unto him, "Simon, I have something to say
unto thee."
And he saith, "Master, say on."
Jesus said, "A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five
hundred pence, and the other fifty. When they had nothing with which
to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him
most?"
Simon answered and said, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most."
And he said unto him, "Thou hast rightly judged." And turning to the
woman, he said unto Simon, "Seest thou this woman? I entered into
thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath wet my
feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. Thou gavest me no
kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my
feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my
feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are
many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is
forgiven, the same loveth little."
And he said unto her, "Thy sins are forgiven."
And they that were at the feast with him began to say within
themselves, "Who is this who even forgiveth sins?"
And he said unto the woman, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."
_Conflict About the Wonderful Deeds of Jesus_.
There was brought unto him one possessed with a demon, blind and dumb:
and he healed him, insomuch that {171} the dumb man spoke and saw. And
all the multitude were amazed, and said, "Is this the son of David?"
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man doth not cast
out demons but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons."
And knowing their thoughts he said unto them, "Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house
divided against itself shall not stand: and if Satan casteth out
Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom
stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons
cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I by the
Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon
you."
{172}
III
A LONG JOURNEY
_How the Lord Jesus Traveled to the North to be Alone with His
Disciples, and How the People Still Thronged Him_.
And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and
Sidon.
And he entered into a house, and would have no one know it: but he
could not be hid. Soon a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean
spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. Now the
woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. And she besought him that
he would cast forth the demon out of her daughter.
And he said unto her, "Let the children first be filled: for it is not
fitting to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs."
But she answered and saith unto him, "Yea, Lord: even the little dogs
under the table eat of the children's crumbs."
And he said unto her, "For this saying go thy way; the demon is gone
out of thy daughter."
And she went away unto her house, and found the child laid upon the
bed, and the demon gone out.
And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon
to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis.
And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in
his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him.
{173}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF THE CASTLE AT CAESAREA-PHILIPPI.
A magnificent fortress at the head of the Jordan.
From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund, and used by
special permission.
[End illustration]
{175}
And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his
fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue; and
looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, "Ephphatha," that
is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue
was loosed, and he spoke plainly.
And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he
charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it. And
they were beyond measure astonished, saying, "He hath done all things
well: he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."
In those days, when there was again a great multitude, and they had
nothing to eat, he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them,
"I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now
three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I send them away fasting
to their home, they will faint in the way; and some of them are come
from far."
And his disciples answered him, "Whence shall one be able to fill
these men with bread here in a desert place?"
And he asked them, "How many loaves have ye?"
And they said, "Seven."
And he commandeth the multitude to sit down on the ground: and he took
the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke the bread, and
gave to his disciples, to set before them; and they set them before
the multitude.
And they had a few small fishes: and having blessed {176} them, he
commanded to set these also before them. And they ate, and were
filled: and they took up, of broken pieces that remained over, seven
baskets. And they were about four thousand: and he sent them away. And
straightway he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into
the parts of Dalmanutha.
And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking
of him a sign from heaven, trying him. And he sighed deeply in his
spirit, and saith, "Why doth this generation seek a sign? verily I say
unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation." And he
left them, and again entering into the boat departed to the other
side.
And they forgot to take bread; and they had not in the boat with them
more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."
And they reasoned one with another, saying, "It is because we have no
bread." And Jesus perceiving it saith unto them, "Why reason ye,
because ye have no bread? do ye not yet perceive, neither understand?
have ye your heart hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears,
hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I broke the five loaves
among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces took
ye up?"
They say unto him, "Twelve."
"And when the seven among the four thousand, how many baskets full of
broken pieces took ye up?"
And they say unto him, "Seven."
{177}
And he said unto them, "Do ye not yet understand?" Then understood
they that he bade them not to beware of the leaven of bread, but of
the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
And they come unto Bethsaida. And they bring to him a blind man, and
beseech him to touch him. And he took hold of the blind man by the
hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his
eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, "Seest thou aught?"
And he looked up, and said, "I see men; but I behold them as trees,
walking."
Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked steadfastly,
and was restored, and saw all things clearly. And he sent him away to
his home, saying, "Do not even enter into the village."
{178}
IV
THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS
_How the Lord Jesus Spoke Sad News to His Disciples_.
And Jesus went forth with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea
Philippi: and on the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them,
"Who do men say that I am?"
And they told him, saying, "John the Baptist: and others, Elijah; but
others, One of the prophets."
And he asked them, "But who say ye that I am?" Peter answereth and
saith unto him, "Thou art the Christ."
And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. And he began
to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be
rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be
killed, and after three days rise again. And he spoke the saying
openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But he turning
about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, "Get thee
behind me, Satan: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the
things of men."
And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto
them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever would save his life shall
lose it; and {179} whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the
gospel's shall save it. For what doth it profit a man, to gain the
whole world, and lose his life? For what should a man give in exchange
for his life? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in
this sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him,
when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And
he said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, There are some here of them
that stand by, who shall in no wise taste death, till they see the
kingdom of God come with power."
And they went forth from thence, and passed through Galilee; and he
would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples,
and said unto them, "The Son of man is delivered up into the hands of
men, and they shall kill him; and when he is killed, after three days
he shall rise again."
But they understood not the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Sometime later Jesus again tried to make them understand. Then they
were going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going before them: and they
were amazed; and they that followed were afraid. And he took again the
twelve, and began to tell them the things that were to happen unto
him, saying, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall
be delivered unto the chief priests and the scribes; and they shall
condemn him to death, and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles: and
they shall mock him, and shall spit upon him, and shall scourge him,
and shall kill him; and after three days he shall rise again."
{180}
V
THE TRANSFIGURATION
_How the Disciples Caught a Vision of the Lord Jesus' Glory and How
They Were Afterward Taught a Lesson in Faith and Service_.
Soon after he spoke of what he must suffer Jesus took with him Peter,
and James, and John, and brought them up into a high mountain apart by
themselves: and he was transfigured before them: and his garments
became shining, exceeding white; so as no fuller on earth can whiten
them. And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses: and they were
talking with Jesus.
And Peter saith to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and
let us make three lodging places; one for thee, and one for Moses, and
one for Elijah." For he knew not what to answer; for they became
greatly afraid.
And there came a cloud overshadowing them: and there came a voice out
of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son: hear ye him." And suddenly
looking round about, they saw no one any more, save Jesus only with
themselves.
And as they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them that
they should tell no man what things they had seen, until the Son of
man should have risen again from the dead. And they kept the saying,
questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead might
mean.
{181}
And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great multitude about
them, and scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the
multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him
saluted him. And he asked them, "What question ye with them?" And one
of the multitude answered him, "Master, I brought unto thee my son,
who hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever it taketh him, it dasheth him
down: and he foameth, and grindeth his teeth and pineth away: and I
spoke to thy disciples that they should cast it out; and they were not
able."
And he answereth them and saith, "O faithless generation, how long
shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him unto
me."
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, at once the spirit
tore him grievously; and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming.
And he asked his father, "How long is it since this hath come unto
him?"
And he said, "From a child. And oft-times it hath cast him both into
the fire and into the water, to destroy him: but if thou canst do
anything, have compassion on us, and help us."
And Jesus said unto him, "If thou canst! All things are possible to
him that believeth."
Straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, "I believe;
help thou mine unbelief."
And when Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked
the unclean spirit, saying unto him, "Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I
command thee, come out {182} of him, and enter no more into him." And
having cried out, and torn him much, the demon came out: and the child
became as one dead; insomuch that most said, "He is dead." But Jesus
took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose.
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him
privately, saying, "How is it that we could not cast it out?"
And he said unto them, "This kind can come out by nothing, save by
prayer."
{183}{184}
[Illustration]
"LO! I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK"
By Carl Schönherr
[End illustration]
{185}
VI
TEACHING THE DISCIPLES
_How the Lord Jesus Spoke of Humility and of Forgiveness_.
And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
saying unto him, "Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us
whatsoever we shall ask of thee."
And he said unto them, "What would ye that I should do for you?" And
they said unto him, "Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right
hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory."
But Jesus said unto them, "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to
drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with the baptism that I
am baptized with?"
And they said unto him, "We are able."
And Jesus said unto them, "The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and
with the baptism with which I am baptized shall ye be baptized: but to
sit on my right hand or on my left hand is not mine to give: but it is
for those for whom it hath been prepared."
And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation
concerning James and John.
And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, "Ye know that they
who rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones
exercise authority over them. {186} But it is not so among you: but
whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister: and
whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all. For
verily the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom for many."
_The Story of the Ungrateful Servant_.
At another time came Peter, and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?"
Jesus saith unto him, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but,
Until seventy times seven.
"Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who
would make an accounting with his servants. And when he had begun to
reckon, one was brought unto him, who owed him ten thousand talents.
But because he had nothing with which to pay, his lord commanded him
to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and
payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down before him,
saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.' And
the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him,
and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out, and found one of
his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hold of
him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay what thou owest.'
"So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, 'Have
patience with me, and I will pay thee.' And he would not: but went and
cast him into prison, till he {187} should pay that which was due. So
when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry,
and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord
called him unto him, and saith to him, 'Thou wicked servant, I forgave
thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: shouldest not thou
also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on
thee?' And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the torturers,
till he should pay all that was due. So shall also my heavenly Father
do unto you, if ye forgive not everyone his brother from your hearts."
{188}
VII
JESUS AND LITTLE CHILDREN
_How the Lord Jesus Spoke of Little Children, and How He Gave Them His
Blessing_.
The disciples came unto Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the
kingdom of heaven?"
And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them,
and said, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little
children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the
same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive
one such little child in my name receiveth me: but whoso shall cause
one of these little ones who believe on me to stumble, it would be
better for him if a great millstone should be hanged about his neck,
and he were sunk in the depth of the sea.
"See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you,
that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who
is in heaven. How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one
of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go
unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray? And if so be
that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth {189} over it
more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray. Even so
it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these
little ones should perish."
And they brought unto him little children, that he should touch them:
and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was moved
with indignation, and said unto them,--
"Suffer the little children to come unto me:
forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
"Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God
as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein." And he took
them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.
{190}
VIII
JESUS AT JERUSALEM
_How the Lord Jesus Visited Jerusalem at the Feast of
Tabernacles, and How He Taught of Light and Freedom_.
And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk
in Judaea, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the feast of the
Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. His brethren therefore
said unto him, "Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples
also may behold thy works which thou doest. For no man doeth anything
in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these
things, manifest thyself to the world." For even his brethren did not
believe on him.
Jesus therefore saith unto them, "My hour is not yet come; but your
time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth,
because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up to the
feast: I go not up yet to this feast; because my time is not yet
fulfilled."
And having said these things to them, he remained still in Galilee.
_Jesus Goes Secretly to Jerusalem_.
But when his brethren were gone up to the feast, then went he also up,
not publicly, but in secret. The Jews {191} therefore sought him at
the feast, and said, "Where is he?" And there was much discussion
among the multitudes concerning him: some said, "He is a good man";
others said, "Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray." Howbeit no
man spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews.
But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the
temple, and taught. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How knoweth
this man letters, having never learned?" Jesus therefore answered
them, and said, "My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me. If any
man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it
be of God, or whether I speak from myself. He that speaketh from
himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him
that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him."
Some therefore of them of Jerusalem said, "Is not this he whom they
seek to kill? And lo, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing unto
him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ?
Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when the Christ cometh, no
one knoweth whence he is."
Jesus therefore spoke in the temple, teaching and saying, "Ye both
know me, and know whence I am; and I am not come of myself, but he
that sent me is true, whom ye know not. I know him; because I am from
him, and he sent me."
They sought therefore to take him: but no man laid his hand on him,
because his hour was not yet come. But of the multitude many believed
on him; and they said, {192} "When the Christ shall come, will he do
more signs than those which this man hath done?"
The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning
him; and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to take
him. Jesus therefore said, "Yet a little while am I with you, and I go
unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and
where I am, ye cannot come."
"_Is this the Christ?_"
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He
that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him
shall flow rivers of living water."
Some of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said,
"This is of a truth the prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ."
But some said. "What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not
the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the line of David, and
from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" So there arose a
division in the multitude because of him. And some of them would have
taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and
they said unto them, "Why did ye not bring him?" The officers
answered, "Never man so spoke."
The Pharisees therefore answered them, "Are ye also led astray? Hath
any of the rulers believed on him, or of the Pharisees? But this
multitude which knoweth not the law are accursed."
{193}
Nicodemus saith unto them, "Doth our law judge a man, except it first
hear from himself and know what he doeth?"
They answered and said unto him, "Art thou also of Galilee? Search,
and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet."
Again therefore Jesus spoke unto them, saying, "I am the light of the
world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life."
The Pharisees therefore said unto him, "Thou bearest witness of
thyself; thy witness is not true."
Jesus answered and said unto them, "Even if I bear witness of myself,
my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye
know not whence I come, or whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I
judge no man. Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not
alone, but I and the Father that sent me. Yea and in your law it is
written, that the witness of two men is true. I am he that beareth
witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me."
They said therefore unto him, "Where is thy Father?"
Jesus answered, "Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye
would know my Father also." These words spoke he in the treasury, as
he taught in the temple: and no man took him; because his hour was not
yet come.
_"The Truth Shall Make You Free."_
Jesus therefore said to those Jews which had believed him, "If ye
abide in my word, then are ye truly my {194} disciples; and ye shall
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
They answered unto him, "We are Abraham's children, and have never yet
been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, 'Ye shall be made free'?"
Jesus answered them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Everyone that
committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. And the bondservant abideth
not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. If therefore the
Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are
Abraham's children; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not
free course in you. I speak the things which I have seen with my
Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father."
They answered and said unto him, "Our father is Abraham."
Jesus saith unto them, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the
works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you
the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the
works of your father."
They said unto him, "We have one Father, even God." Jesus said unto
them, "If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and
am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.
Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my
word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the evil desires of your
father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and stood not in the truth, {195} because there is no truth in him.
When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and
the father thereof. But because I say the truth, ye believe me not.
Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not
believe me? He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause
ye hear them not, because ye are not of God."
The Jews answered and said unto him, "Say we not well that thou art a
Samaritan, and hast a demon?"
Jesus answered, "I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye
dishonor me. But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh
and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word he
shall never see death."
The Jews said unto him, "Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham
is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, 'If a man keep my word, he
shall never taste of death.' Art thou greater than our father Abraham,
who is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?"
Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my
Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God; and ye
have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him
not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his
word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and
was glad."
The Jews therefore said unto him, "Thou art not yet fifty years old,
and hast thou seen Abraham?"
{196}
Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
was, I am."
They took up stones therefore to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself,
and went out of the temple.
{197}
IX
AT THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION
_How the Lord Jesus Visited Jerusalem Yet Again, How He Restored Sight
to the Blind, and How He Taught of the Good Shepherd_.
At the feast of the dedication in the winter season, Jesus came again
to Jerusalem. And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or
his parents, that he should be born blind?"
Jesus answered, "Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but this
happened that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must
work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh,
when no man can work. When I am in the world, I am the light of the
world."
When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the
spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, and said unto him, "Go,
wash in the pool of Siloam."
He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbors
therefore, and they which saw him before, and knew him as a beggar,
said, "Is not this he that sat and begged?"
Some said, "It is he": others said, "No, but he is like him."
{198}
He said, "I am he,"
They said therefore unto him, "How then were thine eyes opened?"
He answered, "The man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed
mine eyes, and said unto me, 'Go to Siloam, and wash': so I went away
and washed, and I received sight."
And they said unto him, "Where is he?"
He saith, "I know not."
They brought to the Pharisees him that before was blind.
Now it was the Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay, and opened
his eyes. Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received
his sight. And he said unto them, "He put clay upon mine eyes, and I
washed, and see."
Some therefore of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God,
because he keepeth not the Sabbath."
But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"
And there was a division among them. They said therefore unto the
blind man again, "What sayest thou of him, now that he has opened
thine eyes?"
And he said, "He is a prophet."
The Jews did not believe that he had been blind, and had received his
sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his
sight, and asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who ye say was born
blind? how then doth he now see?"
His parents answered and said, "We know that this is {199} our son,
and that he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who
opened his eyes, we know not; ask him; he is of age; he shall speak
for himself."
These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the
Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess Jesus to be
Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his
parents, "He is of age; ask him." So they called a second time the man
that was blind, and said unto him, "Give glory to God: we know that
this man is a sinner."
He therefore answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I know not: one thing
I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."
They said therefore unto him, "What did he to thee? how opened he
thine eyes?"
He answered them, "I told you even now, and ye did not hear: wherefore
would ye hear it again? would ye also become his disciples?"
And they reviled him, and said, "Thou art his disciple; but we are
disciples of Moses. We know that God hath spoken unto Moses: but as
for this man, we know not whence he is."
The man answered and said unto them, "Why, herein
is the marvel, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he
opened mine eyes. We know that God heareth not sinners:
but if any man be a worshiper of God, and do his will, him
he heareth. Since the world began it was never heard that
anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man
were not from God, he could do nothing."
{200}
They answered and said unto him, "Thou wast altogether born in sins,
and dost thou teach us?" And they cast him out.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and finding him, he said,
"Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"
He answered and said, "And who is he, Lord, that I may believe on
him?"
Jesus said unto him, "Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that
speaketh with thee."
And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him. And Jesus said,
"For judgment came I into this world, that they which see not may see;
and that they which see may become blind."
Those of the Pharisees which were with him heard these things, and
said unto him, "Are we also blind?"
Jesus said unto them, "If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now
ye say, 'We see': your sin remaineth." Jesus then told them of--
_The Good Shepherd and the Sheep_.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into
the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a
thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear
his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the
sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they
not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of
strangers.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the {201} sheep. All
that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not
hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. The thief
cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that
they may have life, and may have it abundantly. I am the good
shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. He
that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not,
beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the
wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them: he fleeth because he is a
hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I
know mine own, and mine own know me, even as the Father knoweth me,
and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other
sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and
they shall hear my voice; and they shall become one flock, one
shepherd. Therefore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my
life, that I may take it again. No one taketh it away from me, but I
lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power
to take it again. This commandment received I from my Father."
After these and other sayings, the Jews being angry with him, sought
again to take him, but he escaped from them.
And he went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John was at
the first baptizing; and there he abode. And many came unto him; and
they said, "John indeed did no sign: but all things whatsoever John
spoke of this man were true." And many believed on him there.
{202}
X
STORIES OF THE DIVINE FORGIVENESS
_How the Lord Jesus Spoke of the Love of God for Poor Sinners_.
Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear
him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This
man receiveth sinners? and eateth with them."
And he told them--
_The Story of the Lost Sheep_.
He said, "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one
of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go
after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it,
he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he
calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them,
'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' I say
unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner
that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons,
which need no repentance."
_The Story of the Lost Money_.
"What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth
not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and {203} seek diligently until
she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth together her
friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the
piece which I had lost.' Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."
_The Story of the Prodigal Son_.
"A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his
father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.' And
he divided unto them his property. And not many days after the younger
son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country;
and there he wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had
spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began
to be in want. And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens
of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
"And he would fain have been filled with the husks that the swine did
eat: and no man gave unto him. But when he came to himself he said,
'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to
spare, and I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my
father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as
one of thy hired servants.'
"And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet a great
way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran,
and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him,
'Father, I have sinned against {204} heaven, and in thy sight: I am no
more worthy to be called thy son.' But the father said to his
servants, 'Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and
put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring the fatted
calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry: for this my son was
dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began
to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and
drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called to
him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be.
"And he said unto him, 'Thy brother is come; and thy father hath
killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.'
But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and
intreated him. But he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many
years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of
thine: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry
with my friends: but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy
living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf.'
"And he said unto him, 'Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is
mine is thine. But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy
brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.'"
_The Story of the Dishonest Steward_.
"There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was
accused unto him that he was wasting {205} his goods. And he called
him, and said unto him, 'What is this that I hear of thee? render the
account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward.' And
the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do, seeing that my lord
taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to
beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of
the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' And calling
to him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, 'How much
owest thou unto my lord?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'
And he said unto him, 'Take thy account and sit down quickly and write
fifty.' Then said he to another, 'And how much owest thou?' And he
said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He saith unto him, 'Take thy
account, and write fourscore.' And his lord commended the unrighteous
steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for
their own generation wiser than the sons of the light. And I say unto
you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of
unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into
the eternal habitations. He that is faithful in a very little is
faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is
unrighteous also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in
the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will
give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold
to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
{206}
And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things;
and they scoffed at him. And he said unto them, "Ye are they that
justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts:
for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of
God."
_The Story of the Rich Man and the Poor Man_.
"Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and
fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: and a certain beggar named
Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed
with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs
came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died,
and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom: and
the rich man also died, and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his
eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in
his bosom. And he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me,
and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and
cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.'
"But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime
receivedest thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things:
but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish. And beside all
this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they who
would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross
over from thence to us.'
"And he said, 'I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send
him to my father's house; for I have five {207} brethren; that he may
testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'
"But Abraham saith, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear
them.'
"And he said, 'Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the
dead, they will repent.'
"And he said unto him, 'If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.'"
_The Story of the Men Who Made Excuses_.
And it came to pass, at another time, when he went into the house of
one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, that
they were watching him.
And he said unto those which were bidden, when he marked how they
chose out the chief seats, "When thou art bidden of any man to a
marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more
honorable man than thou be bidden of him, and he that bade thee and
him shall come and say to thee, 'Give this man place'; and then thou
shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art
bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath
bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, 'Friend, go up higher': then
shalt thou have glory in the presence of all who are at the feast with
thee. For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted."
And he said to him also that had bidden him, "When thou makest a
dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor {208} thy brethren, nor
thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a
recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor,
the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; because
they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be
recompensed in the resurrection of the just."
And when one of those who sat at the feast with him heard these
things, he said unto him, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the
kingdom of God." But he said unto him, "A certain man made a great
supper; and he bade many: and he sent forth his servant at supper time
to say to them that were bidden, 'Come; for all things are now ready.'
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said
unto him, 'I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it:
I pray thee have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five
yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.'
And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot
come.'
"And the servant came and told his lord these things. Then the master
of the house being angry said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the
streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed
and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Lord, what thou didst
command is done, and yet there is room.' And the lord said unto the
servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come
in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of
those men who were bidden shall taste of my supper.'"
{209}{210}
[Illustration]
CHRIST AND THE RICH RULER
By Heinrich Hofmann (1824- )
[End illustration]
{211}
XI
THE RICH YOUNG MAN.
_How the Lord Jesus Spoke of the Evil of Pride, and of the Dangers of
the Love of Riches_.
And as he was going forth, there ran one to him, and kneeled to him,
and asked him, "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit
eternal life?"
And Jesus said unto him, "Why callest thou me good? none is good save
one, even God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not kill, Do not
commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not
defraud, Honor thy father and mother."
And he said unto him, "Master, all these things have I observed from
my youth." And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said unto him,
"One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to
the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow
me." But his countenance fell at the saying, and he went away
sorrowful: for he was one that had great possessions.
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, "With what
difficulty shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"
And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answereth again,
and saith unto them, "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in
riches to enter into the {212} kingdom of God! It is easier for a
camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into
the kingdom of God."
And they were astonished exceedingly, saying unto him, "Then who can
be saved?" Jesus looking upon them saith, "With men it is impossible,
but not with God: for all things are possible with God."
And one of the multitude said unto him, "Master, bid my brother divide
the inheritance with me."
But he said unto him, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over
you?" And he said unto them, "Take heed, and keep yourselves from all
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth."
_The Story of the Foolish Rich Man_.
Jesus said, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth
plentifully: and he reasoned within himself, saying, 'What shall I do,
because I have not where to bestow my harvests?' And he said, 'This
will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there
will I bestow all my corn and my goods. And I will say to my soul,
Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease,
eat, drink, be merry.' But God said unto him, 'Thou fool, this night
is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared,
whose shall they be?'
"So is he that layeth up treasures for himself, and is
not rich toward God."
{213}
[Illustration]
Map of Palestine showing Jesus' last Journey.
by E. R. Hooker
[End illustration]
{214}
{215}
XII
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD.
_How the Lord Jesus Showed His Love for His Friends_.
Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary
and her sister Martha. The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying,
"Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick."
But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This sickness is not unto death,
but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified
thereby."
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When therefore he
heard that he was sick, he abode yet two days in the place where he
was. Then after this he saith to the disciples, "Let us go into Judaea
again."
The disciples saith unto him, "Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to
stone thee; and goest thou thither again?"
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk
in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this
world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light
is not in him."
These things spake he: and after this he saith unto them, "Our friend
Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of
sleep."
{216}
The disciples therefore said unto him, "Lord, if he is fallen asleep,
he will recover."
Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spoke of
taking rest in sleep.
Then Jesus therefore said unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I
am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that ye may believe;
nevertheless let us go unto him."
Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said unto his
fellow-disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
So when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb four
days already. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs
off; and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them
concerning their brother. Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus
was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house. Martha
therefore said unto Jesus, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother
had not died. And even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of
God, God will give thee."
Jesus saith unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha saith
unto him, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the
last day."
Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live: and whosoever
liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
She saith unto him, "Yea, Lord: I have believed that thou art the
Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world."
{217}{218}
[Illustration]
BETHANY.
The ruins to the right are the traditional house of Mary and Martha
From a photograph belonging to Miss Julia W. Snow, and used by her
kind permission.
The little town of Bethany, nestling among the hills, was one of the
favorite resting places of Jesus. Here he would come when weary of
the world and his incessant struggle against evil, and seek the
peace and quiet of the home of his friends.
[End illustration]
{219}
And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister
secretly, saying, "The Master is here, and calleth thee."
And she, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him.
(Now Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still in the
place where Martha met him.)
The Jews then which were with her in the house, and were comforting
her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out,
followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down
at his feet, saying unto him, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my
brother had not died."
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which
came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said,
"Where have ye laid him?" They say unto him, "Lord, come and see."
Jesus wept. The Jews therefore said, "Behold how he loved him!"
But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him
that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die?"
Jesus therefore again groaning cometh to the tomb. Now it was a cave,
and a stone lay against it. Jesus saith, "Take ye away the stone."
Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, "Lord, by
this time it will be offensive: for he hath been dead four days."
{220}
Jesus saith unto her, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst,
thou shouldest see the glory of God?"
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said,
"Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. And I knew that thou
hearest me always: but because of the multitude which standeth around
I said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me."
And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus,
come forth."
He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes;
and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them,
"Loose him, and let him go."
Many therefore of the Jews, which came to Mary and beheld that which
he did, believed on him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees,
and told them the things which Jesus had done.
The rulers of the Jews then began to plot to kill Jesus. Jesus
therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence
into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim;
and there he tarried with the disciples.
{221}
XIII
ZACCHAEUS THE PUBLICAN.
_How the Lord Jesus, Still Doing Loving Deeds, Began the
Journey Which Was to Lead to the Cross_.
After some weeks of retirement, Jesus again went to Jerusalem. On the
way, he and his disciples came to Jericho: and as he went out from
Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus,
Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the wayside. And when he
heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say,
"Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me."
And many rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out
the more a great deal, "Thou son of David, have mercy on me."
And Jesus stood still, and said, "Call ye him."
And they called the blind man, saying unto him, "Be of good cheer:
rise, he calleth thee."
And he sprang up, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered him, and said,
"What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" And the blind man said
unto him, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."
And Jesus said unto him, "Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole."
And straightway he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
{222}
And he entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold, a man
called by name Zacchaeus; who was a chief publican, and rich. And he
sought to see who Jesus was; and could not for the crowd, because he
was little of stature. And he ran on before, and climbed up into a
sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus
came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, "Zacchaeus, make
haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house."
And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when
they saw it, they all murmured, saying, "He is gone in to lodge with a
man that is a sinner."
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half
of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught
of any man, I restore fourfold."
And Jesus said unto him, "To-day is salvation come to this house,
forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to
seek and to save that which was lost."
(This is the close of Jesus' ministry outside Jerusalem. After this he
and his disciples continued their journey to the city. The enemies of
Jesus were plotting against him, and the storm of their hatred was
about to break. Nevertheless, fully conscious of what his fate must
be, the hero of humanity took up the journey to the cross.)
{223}
GETHSEMANE
'Tis midnight,--and on Olive's brow,
The star is dimmed that lately shone;
'Tis midnight--In the garden now
The suffering Saviour prays alone.
'Tis midnight,--and, from all removed,
Immanuel wrestles, lone with fears;
E'en the disciple that He loved
Heeds not his Master's grief and tears.
'Tis midnight,--and for others' guilt
The Man of sorrows weeps in blood;
Yet He, who hath in anguish knelt,
Is not forsaken by his God.
'Tis midnight,--and, from ether-plains,
Is borne the song that angels know;
Unheard by mortals are the strains
That sweetly soothe the Saviour's woe.
--_W. B. Tappan_.
{224}
RIDE ON IN MAJESTY
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die.
O Christ, Thy triumphs now begin
O'er captive death and conquered sin.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
The winged squadrons of the sky
Look down with sad and wondering eyes
To see the approaching sacrifice.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
The last and fiercest strife is nigh:
The Father on His sapphire throne
Expects His own anointed Son.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
Bow Thy meek head to mortal pain;
Then take, O God, Thy power, and reign.
--_H. H. Milman_.
{225}
CALVARY
There is a green hill far away,
Without a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified
Who died to save us all.
We may not know, we cannot tell
What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.
He died that we might be forgiven,
He died to make us good,
That we might go at last to Heaven,
Saved by His precious blood.
There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
Of Heaven, and let us in.
O, dearly, dearly has He loved,
And we must love Him, too,
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.
--_Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander_.
{226}
THE VICTOR
Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious,
See the "Man of Sorrows" now;
From the fight returned victorious,
Every knee to Him shall bow:
Crown Him, crown Him;
Crowns become the Victor's brow.
Crown the Saviour, angels, crown Him:
Rich the trophies Jesus brings:
In the seat of power enthrone Him,
While the vault of Heaven rings:
Crown Him, crown Him;
Crown the Saviour "King of kings."
Sinners in derision crowned Him,
Mocking thus the Saviour's claim;
Saints and angels crowd around Him,
Own His title, praise His Name:
Crown Him, crown Him;
Spread abroad the Victor's fame.
Hark, those bursts of acclamation!
Hark, those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station:
O what joy the sight affords!
Crown Him, crown Him;
"King of kings, and Lord of lords."
--_Thomas Kelly_.
{227}
How the Lord Jesus spent His last days in Jerusalem,
how He loved His friends unto the end, how He
fell into the hands of His enemies,
and how he crowned a life
of service with a
heroic death.
{228}
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_The LORD JESUS_.
_The Disciples_.
_Lazarus_.
_Mary_.
_Martha_.
_Judas_.
_Annas_.
_Caiaphas_.
_Herod_.
_Pilate, the Roman Governor_.
_Joseph of Arimathaea_.
_The people of Jerusalem, Pharisees, priests, soldiers, the two thieves_.
_Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary Magdalene and other women_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_Jerusalem_.
_Bethany_.
_An upper chamber in the city_.
_Gethsemane_.
_Palace of the high priest_.
_The Hall of Judgment_.
_Pilate's palace_.
_The palace of Herod_.
_Pilate's Judgment Hall_.
_Calvary_.
{229}
I
THE SUPPER AT BETHANY
_How the Lord Jesus Was Bid to a Feast of Loving Tribute_.
The passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem
out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves. They
sought therefore for Jesus, and spoke one with another, as they stood
in the temple, "What think ye? That he will not come to the feast?"
Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment, that,
if any man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might take
him.
Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where
Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So they made him a
supper there: and Martha served; and Lazarus was one of them that sat
at meat with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of
spikenard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped
his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the
ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who was about to
betray him, saith, "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred
pence, and given to the poor?"
{230}
But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a
good work on me. For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever
ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done
what she could: she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached
throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall
be spoken of for a memorial of her."
{231}{232}
[Illustration]
THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY OF JESUS INTO JERUSALEM.
[End illustration]
{233}
II
THE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.
_How the Lord Jesus Rode for Once in Triumph_.
(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--SUNDAY.)
The next morning he went to Jerusalem, and when he drew near Bethphage
and Bethany, at the mount that is called the Mount of Olives, he sent
two of the disciples, saying, "Go your way into the village over
against you; in which as ye enter ye shall find a colt tied, whereon
no man ever yet sat: loose him, and bring him. And if any one ask you,
'Why do ye loose him?' thus shall ye say, 'The Lord hath need of him.'"
And they that were sent went away, and found even as he had said unto
them. And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto
them, "Why loose ye the colt?"
And they said, "The Lord hath need of him."
And they brought him to Jesus: and they threw their garments upon the
colt, and set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their
garments in the way. And as he was now drawing nigh, at the descent of
the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to
rejoice {234} and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty
works which they had seen; saying,--
"Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord:
peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!"
And some of the Pharisees from the multitude said unto him, "Master,
rebuke thy disciples."
And he answered and said, "I tell you that, if these shall hold their
peace, the stones will cry out."
And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If
thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto
peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come
upon thee, when thine enemies shall besiege thee, and keep thee in on
every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within
thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because
thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."
And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and when he had looked
round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto
Bethany with the twelve.
And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went
out, and lodged in the Mount of Olives. And all the people came early
in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.
But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the
people sought to destroy him: and they could not find what they might
do; for the people all hung upon him, listening.
{235}{236}
[Illustration]
JESUS AND THE MONEY-CHANGERS.
By Heinrich Hofmann
[End illustration]
{237}
III
IN THE TEMPLE.
_How the Lord Jesus Drove the Money Changers from the House of God_.
(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--MONDAY.)
On Monday, Jesus came into the city, and taught, but we know
little of what he said on this day. Perhaps it was on this day that
the following incident occurred, by which he taught that God's
house should be pure:--
And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all them that
sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the
money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves; and he
saith unto them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of
prayer: but ye make it a den of robbers.'"
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple: and he healed
them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful
things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple
and saying, "Hosanna to the son of David"; they were moved with
indignation, and said unto him, "Hearest thou what these are saying?"
And Jesus saith unto them, "Yea: did ye never read, 'Out of the mouth
of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise'?"
And he left them, and went forth out of the city to Bethany, and
lodged there.
{238}
IV
LAST DAYS IN JERUSALEM
_How the Lord Jesus Spoke with Those that Hated Him_.
(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--TUESDAY.)
And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people
in the temple, and preaching the gospel, there came upon him the chief
priests and the scribes with the elders; and they spoke, saying unto
him, "Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who is he
that gave thee this authority?"
And he answered and said unto them, "I also will ask you a question;
and tell me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?"
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we shall say, 'From
heaven'; he will say, 'Why did ye not believe him?' But if we shall
say, 'From men'; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded
that John was a prophet."
And they answered that they knew not whence it was.
And Jesus said unto them, "Neither tell I you by what authority I do
these things." And he told them--
_The Story of the Wicked Husbandmen_.
Jesus said, "A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen,
and went into another country for a long {239} time. And at the season
he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of
the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him
away empty. And he sent yet another servant: and him also they beat,
and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And he sent yet a
third: and him also they wounded, and cast him forth. And the lord of
the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it
may be they will reverence him.'
"But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another,
saying, 'This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may
be ours.' And they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What
therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He will come and
destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others."
And when they heard it they said, "God forbid." But he looked upon
them, and said, "What then is this that is written,--
'The stone which the builders rejected,
The same was made the head of the corner'?
"Everyone that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust."
And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in
that very hour; and they feared the people: for they saw that he spoke
this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies,
which pretended to be righteous, that they might take hold of his
{240} speech, so as to deliver him up to the authority of the
governor.
_The Question About Tribute_.
And they asked him, saying, "Master, we know that thou sayest and
teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person of any, but of a truth
teachest the way of God: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto
Caesar, or not?"
But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, "Show me a
penny. Whose image and superscription hath it?"
And they said, "Caesar's."
And he said unto them, "Then render unto Caesar the things that are
Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
And they were not able to take hold of the saying before the people:
and they marveled at his answer, and held their peace.
_The Greatest of All Commandments_.
And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and
knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "What commandment
is the first of all?"
Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the
Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength.' The second is this, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself.' There is none other commandment greater than these."
{241}{242}
[Illustration]
ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether, and used by her
kind permission
This view is near the top of the mountain on the road which winds
over it towards Bethany.
[End illustration]
{243}
And the scribe said unto him, "Of a truth, Master, thou hast well said
that he is one; and there is none other but he: and to love him with
all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the
strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all
whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him,
"Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."
And no man after that durst ask him any question.
_How the Lord Jesus Spoke with Those that Loved Him_.
_The Poor Widow_.
And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the
multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast
in much. And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which
make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto
them, "Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all
they which are casting into the treasury: for they all did cast in of
their abundance; but she of her want cast in all that she had, even
all her living."
"_We Would See Jesus_."
Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at
the feast: these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of
Galilee, and said, "Sir, we would see Jesus."
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they
tell Jesus. And Jesus answereth them, saying, "The hour is come, that
the Son of man should {244} be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth
by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. He that loveth
his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world
shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow
me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve
me, him will the Father honor. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall
I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto
this hour. Father, glorify thy name." There came therefore a voice out
of heaven saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it
again."
The multitude therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it had
thundered: others said, "An angel hath spoken to him."
Jesus answered and said, "This voice hath not come for my sake, but
for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the
prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men unto myself."
_The Story of the Faithful Servant_.
Jesus said, "A certain man going into another country, called his own
servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And to one he gave five
talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his
several ability; and he went on his journey. Straightway he who
received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other
five talents. In like manner he also who received the two {245} gained
other two. But he who received the one went away and digged in the
earth, and hid his lord's money.
"Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a
reckoning with them. And he who received the five talents came and
brought other five talents, saying, 'Lord, thou deliveredst unto me
five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents.'
"His Lord said unto him, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant:
thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many
things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.'
"And he also who received the two talents came and said, 'Lord, thou
deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents.'
"His lord said unto him, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant;
thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many
things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.'
"And he also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I
knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow,
and gathering where thou didst not scatter: and I was afraid, and went
away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own.'
"But his lord answered and said unto him, 'Thou wicked and slothful
servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where
I did not scatter; thou oughtest therefore to have given my money to
the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own
with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent from him, {246} and
give it unto him that hath the ten talents. For unto everyone that
hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that
hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. And cast ye out
the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"
_The Judgment of the King_.
Then said Jesus, "But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and
all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory:
and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall
separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep
from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the
goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right
hand, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and ye gave me
meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye
took me in; naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I
was in prison, and ye came unto me.'
"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, 'Lord, when saw we thee
hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? And when saw we
thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? And
when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?'
"And the King shall answer and say unto them, 'Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye
did it unto me.'
{247}
"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, 'Depart from me,
ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and
his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in;
naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me
not.'
"Then shall they also answer, saying, 'Lord, when saw we thee hungry,
or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did
not minister unto thee?'
"Then shall he answer them, saying, 'Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch
as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not unto
me. And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous
into eternal life.'"
{248}
V
THE LAST SUPPER
_How the Lord Jesus Showed His Love for His Friends on the Last Night
of Their Fellowship_.
(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--WEDNESDAY--THURSDAY.)
(We do not know how Jesus spent Wednesday. Perhaps he did not go to
the city, but remained in loving talk with his disciples and friends
at Bethany. We do not know what he did on Thursday, until night. Then
comes the story of the Last Supper, and the long talk between Jesus
and his disciples.)
_Judas Plans to Betray Jesus_.
Now after two days was the feast of the passover and the unleavened
bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might
take him by treachery, and kill him: but they said, "Not during the
feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult of the people."
And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the
chief priests, that he might deliver him unto them. And they, when
they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he
sought how he might conveniently deliver him unto them.
_The Preparation for the Supper_.
And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the
passover, his disciples say unto him, "Where {249} wilt thou that we
go and make ready that thou mayest eat the passover?"
And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, "Go into the
city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water:
follow him; and wheresoever he shall enter in, say to the goodman of
the house, 'The Master saith, Where is my guest-chamber, where I shall
eat the passover with my disciples?' And he will himself show you a
large upper room furnished and ready: and there make ready for us."
And the disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he
had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
_The Last Supper_.
And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the apostles with him.
And he said unto them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover
with you before I suffer."
And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, "Take
this, and divide it among yourselves: for I say unto you, I will not
drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of
God shall come."
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave
to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you: this do in
remembrance of me."
And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, "This cup is the new
covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you."
And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of
Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, {250} Jesus, knowing that
the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth
from God, and goeth unto God, riseth from supper, and layeth aside his
garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself. Then he poureth
water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to
wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. So he cometh to
Simon Peter. He saith unto him, "Lord, dost thou wash my feet?"
Jesus answered and said unto him, "What I do thou knowest not now; but
thou shalt understand hereafter."
Peter saith unto him, "Thou shalt never wash my feet."
Jesus answered him, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."
Simon Peter saith unto him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands
and my head."
Jesus saith to him, "He that is bathed needeth only to wash his feet,
and is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all."
For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, "Ye are not
all clean."
So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down
again, he said unto them, "Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me
'Master,' and, 'Lord': and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, the
Lord and the Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one
another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye also should
do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, A servant is
not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he
that sent him. If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them."
{251}{252}
[Illustration]
THE LAST SUPPER.
By Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
This was painted on the wall of a monastery in Milan. It has been
damaged and mutilated, and now is almost faded out.
This is one of the greatest pictures ever painted. The following is
an explanation of the picture: "Judas half turns to discover of whom
St. Peter is speaking so passionately, and is preparing himself to
deny everything. But he is already discovered. St. James the Less,
passing his arm over the shoulder of St. Andrew, touches St. Peter
to tell him that the traitor is at his side. St. Andrew looks at
Judas with horror, and St. Bartholomew, at the end of the table, has
started up from his seat to regard him more intently. At the left of
Christ, St. James protests his innocence by a natural gesture. St.
Thomas, pressing near to Christ, seems to ask 'One of us?' St.
Philip, the youngest of the apostles, places his hand over his heart
and rises to protest his fidelity. St. Matthew repeats the terrible
words to the indignant St. Simon, who refuses to believe them. St.
Thaddeus, who has first told them to him, points to Matthew to
confirm them. The dying rays of evening light add deeper somberness
to the sad face of the Christ."
--_Stendhal, "History of Italian Painters"_
[End illustration]
{253}
When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and said,
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, one of you shall betray me."
The disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spoke. There
was at the table reclining in Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom
Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoneth to him, and saith unto
him, "Tell us who it is of whom he speaketh."
He leaning back, as he was, on Jesus' breast, said unto him, "Lord,
who is it?"
Jesus therefore answereth, "He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop,
and give it him."
So when he had dipped the sop, he took and gave it to Judas, the son
of Simon Iscariot. And after the sop, then entered Satan into him.
Jesus therefore saith unto him, "What thou doest, do quickly."
Now no man at the table knew why he spoke this to him. For some
thought, because Judas had the bag, Jesus said unto him, "Buy what
things we have need of for the feast"; or, that he should give
something to the poor. He then having received the sop went out
straightway: and it was night.
When therefore he was gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man
glorified, and God is glorified in him. Little children, yet a little
while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews,
'Whither I go, ye cannot come'; so now I say unto you. A new
commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all {254} men
know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another."
Simon Peter saith unto him, "Lord, whither goest thou?"
Jesus answered, "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou
shalt follow afterwards."
Peter saith unto him, "Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay
down my life for thee."
Jesus answereth, "Wilt thou lay down thy life for me? Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, before thou hast denied me
thrice."
"_Let Not Your Heart be Troubled_."
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in
me. In my father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would
have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to
prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go, ye
know the way."
Thomas saith unto him, "Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know
we the way?"
Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no
one cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye would
have known my Father also: from henceforth ye know him, and have seen
him."
Philip saith unto him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth
us."
Jesus saith unto him, "Have I been so long time with you, and dost
thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;
how sayest thou, 'Show us the Father?'
{255}{256}
[Illustration]
HEAD OF CHRIST.
By Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
This was a study made by the great master for his picture, "The Last
Supper."
[End illustration]
{257}
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The
words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father
abiding in me doeth his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and
the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do
shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I
go unto the Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will
I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask me
anything in my name, that will I do. If ye love me, ye will keep my
commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you
another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit
of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not,
neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall
be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I come unto you. Yet a
little while, and the world beholdeth me no more; but ye behold me:
because I live, ye shall live also. In that day ye shall know that I
am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my
commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that
loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will
manifest myself unto him."
Judas (not Iscariot) said unto him, "Lord, why is it that thou wilt
manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?"
Jesus answered and said unto him, "If a man love me, he will keep my
word: and my Father will love him, and {258} we will come unto him,
and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my
words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who
sent me.
"These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you. But
the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all
that I said unto you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto
you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye heard how I said to you, 'I go
away, and I come unto you.' If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced,
because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I. And
now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to
pass, ye may believe. I will no more speak much with you, for the
prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me; but that the
world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me
commandment, even so I do."
_Jesus is the True Vine_.
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in
me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he cleanseth, that it may bear more fruit. Already ye
are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in
me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the
vine, ye are the branches:
{259}{260}
[Illustration]
MOUNT OF OLIVES--GETHSEMANE.
The Mount of Olives, the traditional site of Gethsemane, on the
right--the space inclosed by a wall.
"It was a garden or orchard marked probably by some slight
inclosure. The name Gethsemane means 'the oil press,' and doubtless
it was so called from a press to crush the olives yielded by the
countless trees from which the hill derives its designation."
[End illustration]
{261}
He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for
apart from me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast
forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them and cast them
into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words
abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall
ye be my disciples. Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have
loved you: abide ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall
abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and
abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy
may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment,
that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love hath
no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are
my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. No longer do I
call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth:
but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my
Father I have made known unto you. Ye did not choose me, but I chose
you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that
your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in
my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye may
love one another."
_Jesus Prays for His Disciples_.
These things spoke Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said,
"Father, the hour is come; glorify thy {262} Son, that the Son may
glorify thee: even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that
to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life. And this
is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and
Jesus Christ whom thou didst send. I have glorified thee on the earth,
I have accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do. And now,
O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I
had with thee before the world was. I manifested thy name unto the men
whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest
them to me; and they have kept thy word. Now they know that all things
whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee: for the words which thou
gavest me I have given unto them; and they received them, and knew of
a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst
send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom
thou hast given me; for they are thine: and all things that are mine
are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them. And I am no
more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.
Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou hast given me, that they
may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept in thy
name those whom thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of
them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be
fulfilled. But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the
world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves. I have given
them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the
{263} world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou
shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them
from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the
world. Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. As thou didst
send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world. And for
their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be
sanctified in truth. Neither for these only do I pray, but for them
also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one;
even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be
in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. And the
glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may
be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may
be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send
me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me. Father, I desire that
those whom thou hast given me should be with me to behold the glory,
which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of
the world. O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew
thee; and these knew that thou didst send me; and I made known unto
them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou
lovedst me may be in them, and I in them."
{264}
VI
THE BETRAYAL
_How the Lord Jesus Fell into the Hands of His Enemies_.
(FRIDAY, THE DAY OF THE CRUCIFIXION.)
And he came out, and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives;
and the disciples also followed him.
And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith unto
his disciples, "Sit ye here, while I pray."
And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be
heavy-hearted, and deeply troubled. And he saith unto them, "My soul
is exceeding sorrowful even unto death: abide ye here, and watch."
And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that,
if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him.
And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; remove
this cup from me: howbeit not what I will, but what thou wilt."
And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter,
"Simon, sleepest thou? couldest thou not watch one hour? Watch and
pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak."
{265}{266}
[Illustration]
CHRIST IN GETHSEMANE.
By Heinrich Hofmann (1824-
[End illustration]
{267}
And again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words. And again
he came, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and
they knew not what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and
saith unto them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest: It is enough; the
hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of
sinners. Arise, let us be going: behold, he that betrayeth me is at
hand.".
And straightway, while he yet spoke, came Judas, one of the twelve,
and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests
and the scribes and the elders. Now he that betrayed him had given
them a token, saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; take him,
and lead him away safely."
And when he was come, straightway he came to him, and saith, "Rabbi";
and kissed him.
Simon Peter therefore having a sword drew it, and struck the high
priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servant's name
was Malchus. Jesus therefore said unto Peter, "Put up the sword into
the sheath: the cup which the Father hath given me, shall I not drink
it?"
Then Jesus said. "Suffer ye thus far." And he touched his ear, and
healed him.
And Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and
elders, which were come against him, "Are ye come out, as against a
robber, with swords and clubs? When I was daily with you in the
temple, ye stretched not forth your hands against me: but this is your
hour, and the power of darkness."
{268}
VII
THE TRIAL
_How the Lord Jesus Was Falsely Charged with Crime_.
_The Trial Before Annas._
So the soldiers and the chief captain, and the officers of the Jews,
seized Jesus and bound him, and led him to Annas first; for he was
father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
Annas therefore asked Jesus about his disciples, and his teaching.
Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught
in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together;
and in secret spoke I nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them that have
heard me, what I spoke unto them: behold, these know the things which
I said."
And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck
Jesus with his hand, saying, "Answerest thou the high priest so?"
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil:
but if well, why smitest thou me?"
Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
{269}
_The Trial Before Caiaphas, the High Priest_.
And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and there came together
with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.
And Peter had followed him afar off, even within, into the court of
the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers, and warming
himself in the light of the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole
council sought witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found it
not. For many bore false witness against him, and their witness agreed
not together. And there stood up certain men, and bore false witness
against him, saying, "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple
that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made
without hands.'"
And not even so did their witness agree together. And the high priest
stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, "Answerest thou
nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?"
But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest
asked him, and saith unto him, "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed?"
And Jesus said, "I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the
right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."
And the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, "What further need
have we of witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye?"
And they all condemned him to be worthy of death.
And some began to spit on him, and to cover his eyes, and {270} to
buffet him, and to say unto him, "Prophesy who is it that smote thee,"
and the officers received him with blows of their hands.
_How Peter Denied His Lord_.
But Peter had followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in
the midst of the court, and had sat down together, Peter sat in the
midst of them. And a certain maid seeing him as he sat in the light of
the fire, and looking steadfastly upon him, said, "This man also was
with him."
But he denied, saying, "Woman, I know him not."
And after a little while another saw him, and said, "Thou also art one
of them."
But Peter said, "Man, I am not."
And after the space of about one hour another confidently affirmed,
saying, "Of a truth this man also was with him: for he is a
Galilaean."
But Peter said, "Man, I know not what thou sayest." And immediately,
while he yet spoke, the cock crew.
And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the
word of the Lord, how that he said unto him, "Before the cock crow
this day, thou shalt deny me thrice."
And he went out, and wept bitterly.
_The Trial Before the Jewish Court_.
As soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people was
gathered together, both chief priests and {271} scribes; and they led
him away into their council, saying, "If thou art the Christ, tell
us."
But he said unto them, "If I tell you, ye will not believe: and if I
ask you, ye will not answer. But from henceforth shall the Son of man
be seated at the right hand of the power of God."
And they all said, "Art thou then the Son of God?"
And he said unto them, "Ye say that I am."
And they said. "What further need have we of witness? for we ourselves
have heard from his own mouth."
{272}
VIII
THE JUDGMENT
_How the Lord Jesus Was Unjustly Condemned to Die_.
_The Hearing Before Pilate_.
They led Jesus therefore into the palace: and it was early; and they
themselves entered not into the palace, that they might not be
defiled, but might eat the passover. Pilate therefore went out unto
them, and saith, "What accusation bring ye against this man?"
They answered and said unto him, "If this man were not an evil-doer,
we should not have delivered him up unto thee."
Pilate therefore said unto them, "Take him yourselves, and judge him
according to your law."
The Jews said unto him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to
death."
Pilate therefore entered again into the palace, and called Jesus, and
said unto him, "Art thou the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it
thee concerning me?"
Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests
delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?"
{273}{274}
[Illustration]
CHRIST BEFORE PILATE.
By Munkacsy
[End illustration]
{275}
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were
of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."
Pilate therefore said unto him, "Art thou a king then?"
Jesus answered, "Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been
born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear
witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my
voice."
Pilate saith unto him, "What is truth?"
And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith
unto them, "I find no fault in this man."
But they were the more urgent, saying, "He stirreth up the people,
teaching throughout all Judaea, and beginning from Galilee even unto
this place."
But when Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.
And when he knew that he was of Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him unto
Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem in these days.
_The Trial Before Herod_.
Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he had been for a
long time desirous of seeing him, because he had heard concerning him;
and he hoped to see some miracle done by him. And he questioned him in
many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the
scribes stood, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers
treated him as one of no account, and mocked him, and arraying him in
gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became
{276} friends with each other that very day: for before they were at
enmity between themselves.
_The Sentence of Death_.
Now at the feast it was Pilate's custom to release unto them one
prisoner, whom they asked of him. And there was one called Barabbas,
lying bound with them that had made insurrection, men who in the
insurrection had committed murder. And the multitude went up and began
to ask him to do as he was wont to do unto them. And Pilate answered
them, saying, "Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?"
For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up.
And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him,
saying, "Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man: for I have
been much disturbed to-day in a dream because of him." But the chief
priests stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release
Barabbas unto them. And Pilate again answered and said unto them,
"What then shall I do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?"
Then they shouted, saying, "Crucify him, crucify him." And he said
unto them the third time, "Why, what evil hath this man done? I have
found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and
release him."
But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be
crucified. And their voices prevailed. And he released him that for
insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked
for.
{277}{278}
[Illustration]
A STREET IN JERUSALEM, LEADING TO THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER
From a photograph belonging to Miss Julia W. Snow, and used by her
kind permission
This picture shows the street leading to the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher, one of those streets which have steps and are therefore
accessible only to foot passengers.
[End illustration]
{279}
But Jesus he scourged. And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and
put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple garment; and they came
unto him, and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and they struck him with
their hands.
And Pilate went out again, and saith unto them, "Behold, I bring him
out to you, that ye may know that I find no crime in him."
Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple
garment. And Pilate saith unto them, "Behold, the man!"
When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried
out, saying, "Crucify him, crucify him."
Pilate saith unto them, "Take him yourselves, and crucify him: for I
find no crime in him."
The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to
die, because he made himself the Son of God."
When Pilate therefore heard this saying, he was the more afraid; and
he entered into the palace again, and saith unto Jesus, "Whence art
thou?"
But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore saith unto him,
"Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to
release thee, and have power to crucify thee?"
Jesus answered him, "Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it
were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee
hath greater sin."
Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out,
saying, "If thou release this man, thou art not {280} Caesar's friend:
everyone that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar."
When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat
down on the judgment-seat at a place called The Pavement, but in
Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation of the passover: it was
about the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, "Behold, your King!"
They therefore cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him."
Pilate saith unto them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests
answered, "We have no king but Caesar."
Then therefore he delivered him unto them to be crucified.
{281}
IX
THE CRUCIFIXION
_How the Lord Jesus Died on the Cross_.
They took Jesus then: and he went out, bearing the cross for himself,
unto the place called The place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew
Golgotha.
And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women
who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and
for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in which they
shall say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover
us.' For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done
in the dry?"
And they compelled one passing by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the
country, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.
And there were two thieves led with him to be put to death.
And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
And they crucified him, and parted his garments among them, casting
lots upon them, what each should take. And it was the third hour, when
they crucified him, and they crucified the thieves, one on the right
hand and the other on the left.
{282}
And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they
do."
And the superscription of his accusation was written over him,--
"Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
This title therefore read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus
was crucified was nigh to the city; and it was written in Hebrew, and
in Latin, and in Greek. The chief priests of the Jews therefore said
to Pilate, "Write not, 'The King of the Jews'; but, that he said, 'I
am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have
written."
And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and
saying, "Ha! thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three
days, save thyself, and come down from the cross."
In like manner also the chief priests mocking him among themselves
with the scribes said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let
the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we
may see and believe."
And they that were crucified with him reproached him. And one of the
thieves railed on him, saying, "Art not thou the Christ? save thyself
and us."
But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Dost thou not even
fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed
justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath
done nothing amiss."
{283}{284}
[Illustration]
THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER, JERUSALEM.
Over the traditional site of Calvary and the tomb of Jesus.
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
[End illustration]
{285}
And he said, "Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom."
And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be
with me in Paradise."
But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. When
Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he
loved, he saith unto his mother, "Woman, behold, thy son!"
Then saith he to the disciple, "Behold, thy mother!" And from that
hour the disciple took her unto his own home.
And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole
land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a
loud voice, "_Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?_" that is, "My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, "Behold, he
calleth Elijah."
And one ran, and filling a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed,
and gave him to drink. But others said, "Let him alone; let us see
whether Elijah cometh to take him down."
When Jesus therefore had received the wine, he said, "It is finished":
and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.
And when the centurion, which stood by over against him, saw that he
so gave up his spirit, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God."
{286}
X
THE BURIAL
_How the Body of the Lord Jesus Was Buried in a Rich Man's Tomb_.
The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation (that is, the day
before the Sabbath), and because bodies should not remain on the cross
upon the Sabbath, asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and
that they might be taken away. The soldiers therefore came, and broke
the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him:
but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they
broke not his legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his
side, and straightway there came out blood and water.
And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councilor, a good man and a
righteous (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), a man of
Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was looking for the kingdom of
God: this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And he
took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb
that was hewn in stone, where never man had yet lain. And he rolled a
great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene
and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. And they
returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
{287}
Now on the morrow, which is the day after the Preparation, the chief
priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate, saying,
"Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive,
'After three days I rise again.' Command therefore that the sepulcher
be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and
steal him away, and say unto the people, 'He is risen from the dead':
and the last error will be worse than the first."
Pilate said unto them, "Ye have a guard: go your way, make it as sure
as ye can."
So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, the
guard being with them.
{288}
{289}{290}
[Illustration]
THE WOMEN AT THE TOMB.
By Bouguereau (1825-1905)
[End illustration]
{291}
CHRIST, THE LORD, IS RISEN TO-DAY
"Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day,"
Sons of men and angels say.
Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply.
Love's redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won.
Lo, our Sun's eclipse is o'er;
Lo, He sets in blood no more.
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal;
Christ has burst the gates of hell;
Death in vain forbids His rise:
Christ has opened Paradise.
Lives again our glorious King:
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Once He died our souls to save:
Where thy victory, O grave?
Soar we now where Christ has led,
Following our exalted Head:
Made like Him, like Him we rise;
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven!
Praise to Thee by both be given:
Thee we greet triumphant now;
Hail, the Resurrection Thou!
--_Rev. Charles Wesley_.
{292}
THE NEAREST FRIEND
Dear Jesus, ever at my side,
How loving Thou must be,
To leave Thy home in heaven to guard
A little child like me.
Thy beautiful and shining face
I see not, though so near;
The sweetness of Thy soft voice
I am too deaf to hear.
I cannot feel Thee touch my hand,
With pressure light and mild,
To check me, as my mother did
When I was but a child.
But I have felt Thee in my thoughts,
Fighting with sin for me;
And when my heart loves God, I know
The sweetness is from Thee.
Yes, when I pray, Thou prayest, too,
The prayer is all for me;
But when I sleep Thou sleepest not,
But watchest patiently.
--_F. W. Faber_.
{293}
STILL, STILL WITH THEE
Still, still with Thee, my God.
I would desire to be;
By day, by night, at home, abroad,
I would be still with Thee.
With Thee when dawn comes in,
And calls me back to care,
Each day returning to begin
With Thee, my God, in prayer.
With Thee when day is done,
And evening calms the mind;
The setting, as the rising, sun
With Thee my heart would find.
With Thee, in Thee, by faith
Abiding I would be;
By day, by night, in life, in death,
I would be still with Thee.
--_James D. Burns_.
{294}
OH, WORSHIP THE KING
Oh, worship the King, all-glorious above,
And gratefully sing his wonderful love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girdled with praise.
Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light,
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender! how firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.
--_R. Grant_.
{295}
How the Lord Jesus rose again from the dead,
how He comforted His disciples, and
how He sent them out to
teach all men in
His name.
{296}
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
The LORD JESUS.
Mary Magdalene.
Peter.
"The Other Disciple."
Cleopas.
Thomas.
Disciples, Angels.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_The Garden of the Tomb_.
_The Village of Emmaus_.
_Jerusalem_.
_The Sea of Galilee_.
_The Mountain of the Ascension_.
{297}
I
THE RESURRECTION
_How the Lord Jesus Rose from the Dead, and Appeared to Mary of
Magdala_.
Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it
was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the
tomb. She runneth therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the
other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, "They have
taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have
laid him."
Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went
toward the tomb. And they ran both together: and the other disciple
outran Peter, and came first to the tomb; and stooping and looking in,
he seeth the linen cloths lying; yet entered he not in. Simon Peter
therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and
he beholdeth the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, that was about
his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by
itself. Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, which came
first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not
the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. So the disciples
went away again unto their own home.
{298}
But Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping: so, as she wept,
she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beholdeth two angels in
white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of
Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She
saith unto them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not
where they have laid him."
When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and beholdeth Jesus
standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?"
She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, "Sir, if thou
hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will
take him away."
Jesus saith unto her, "Mary."
She turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, "Rabboni"; which is
to say, "Master."
Jesus saith to her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto the
Father: but go unto my brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend unto my
Father and your Father, and my God and your God.'"
Mary Magdalene cometh and telleth the disciples, "I have seen the
Lord"; and that he had said these things unto her.
{299}{300}
[Illustration]
THE WOMEN AT THE TOMB.
[End illustration]
{301}
II
ON THE WAY TO EMMAUS
_How on the Same Day He Joined Two of His Disciples, as They Walked into
the Country_.
And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named
Emmaus, which was three-score furlongs from Jerusalem. And they communed
with each other of all these things which had happened. And it came to
pass, while they communed and questioned together, that Jesus himself
drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they
should not know him. And he said unto them, "What communications are
these that ye have one with another, as ye walk?"
And they stood still, looking sad. And one of them, named Cleopas,
answering said unto him, "Dost thou alone sojourn in Jerusalem and not
know the things which are come to pass there in these days?"
And he said unto them, "What things?"
And they said unto him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who
was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: and
how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to
death, and crucified him. But we hoped that it was he who should redeem
Israel. Yea and beside all this, it is now the third day since these
things came to pass. Moreover {302} certain women of our company amazed
us, having been early at the tomb; and when they found not his body,
they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which
said that he was alive. And certain of them that were with us went to
the tomb, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw
not."
And he said unto them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in
all the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to suffer these
things, and to enter into his glory?"
And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to
them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew
near unto the village, whither they were going: and he made as though he
would go further. And they constrained him, saying, "Abide with us: for
it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent."
And he went in to abide with them. And it came to pass, when he had sat
down with them to meat, he took the bread, and blessed it, and broke,
and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he
vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, "Was not our
heart burning within us, while he spoke to us on the way, while he
opened to us the scriptures?"
{303}{304}
[Illustration]
CHRIST AND HIS DISCIPLES ON THE WAY TO EMMAUS.
By Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )
"He blessed the bread, but vanished at the word
And left them both exclaiming, "T was the Lord!
Did not our hearts feel all he deign'd to say?
Did they not burn within us by the way?'
--_Cowper_.
{305}
III
DOUBTING THOMAS
_How the Lord Jesus Appeared to His Disciples Twice at Jerusalem_.
Those disciples with whom Jesus had eaten at Emmaus rose up that very
hour, and returned to Jerusalem, in the evening, and found the eleven
gathered together, and them that were with them. The eleven told them in
secret, the doors being shut for fear of the Jews, "The Lord is risen
indeed, and hath appeared to Simon." And the two disciples told the
others the things that happened on the way, and how he was known of them
in the breaking of the bread.
And as they spoke these things, he himself stood in the midst of them,
and said unto them, "Peace be unto you."
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they beheld a
spirit. And he said unto them, "Why are ye troubled? and wherefore do
questionings arise in your heart? See my hands and my feet, that it is I
myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye
behold me having."
And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And
while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said unto them,
"Have ye here anything to eat?" And they gave him a piece of a broiled
fish.
{306}
And he took it and did eat before them.
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when
Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, "We have seen
the Lord." But he said unto them, "Except I shall see in his hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and
put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with
them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and
said, "Peace be unto you."
Then said he to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and
reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless,
but believing."
Thomas answered and said unto him, "My Lord and my God."
Jesus said unto him, "Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed:
blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed."
{307}
IV
"FEED MY SHEEP."
_How the Lord Jesus Appeared to His Disciples as They Fished at the Sea
of Galilee_.
After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at
the sea of Galilee in this way. There were together Simon Peter, and
Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of
Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter said unto them, "I
go a fishing."
They say unto him, "We also come with thee."
They went forth, and entered into the boat; and that night they took
nothing. But when day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach: but
the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus therefore said unto
them, "Children, have ye ought to eat?"
They answered him, "No."
And he said unto them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and
ye shall find."
They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the
multitude of fishes. That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved saith unto
Peter, "It is the Lord."
So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his coat about
him (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea. But the other
disciples came in the little {308} boat (for they were not far from the
land, but about two hundred cubits off), dragging the net full of
fishes. So when they got out upon the land, they saw a fire of coals
there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus said unto them, "Bring of
the fish which ye have now taken."
Simon Peter therefore went up, and drew the net to land, full of great
fishes, a hundred and fifty-three: and for all there were so many, the
net was not rent. Jesus said unto them, "Come and break your fast."
And none of the disciples dared inquire of him, "Who art thou?" knowing
that it was the Lord.
Jesus came, and took the bread, and gave them, and the fish likewise.
So when they had broken their fast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon,
son of John, lovest thou me more than these?"
He said unto him, "Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee."
He said unto him, "Feed my lambs."
He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, lovest thou
me?"
He said unto him, "Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee."
He said unto him, "Tend my sheep."
He said unto him the third time, "Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?"
Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, "Lovest thou
me?" And he said unto him, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest
that I love thee."
{309}
Jesus said unto him, "Feed my sheep."
And when he had spoken this, he said unto him, "Follow me."
Peter, turning about, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following; and
said to Jesus, "Lord, and what shall this man do?"
Jesus said unto him, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that
to thee? Follow thou me."
{310}
V
THE ASCENSION
_How the Lord Jesus Appeared Again in Galilee, and How He at Last Went
Away from Earth to Heaven_.
But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus
had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him: but some
doubted. And Jesus came to them and spoke unto them, saying,--
"All authority hath ben given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye
therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am
with you always, even unto the end of the world."
Then they all went again to Jerusalem, where Jesus appeared once more to
them, and spoke with them about the kingdom of God. They, still thinking
that he meant an earthly kingdom of which he would be king at Jerusalem,
and wondering when it would come, asked him, saying, "Lord, dost thou at
this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
And he said unto them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons,
which the Father hath set within his own authority. But ye shall receive
power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my
witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth."
{311}{312}
[Illustration]
THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST.
By G. Biermann
[End illustration]
{313}
And he said unto them, "These are my words which I spoke unto you, while
I was yet with you, how that all things must needs be fulfilled, which
are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms,
concerning me."
Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures;
and he said unto them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should
suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the
nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Ye are witnesses of these things. And
behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in
the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high."
And he led them out until they were over against Bethany: and he lifted
up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass while he blessed
them, he departed from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they
worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were
continually in the temple, blessing God.
{314}
{315}
Leaders and victories of the New Faith.
{316}
{317}
JESUS SHALL REIGN
Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And endless praises crown His head;
His name, like sweet perfume, shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love, with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.
Blessings abound where'er He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to loose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.
Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud Amen!
--_Isaac Watts_.
{318}
FROM GREENLAND'S ICY MOUNTAINS
From Greenland's icy mountains,
From India's coral strand,
Where Afric's sunny fountains
Roll down their golden sand,--
From many an ancient river,
From many a palmy plain,
They call us to deliver
Their land from error's chain.
What though the spicy breezes
Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle;
Though every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile;
In vain with lavish kindness
The gifts of God are strown;
The heathen, in his blindness,
Bows down to wood and stone!
Shall we, whose souls are lighted
With wisdom from on high,--
Shall we, to men benighted,
The lamp of life deny?
Salvation, oh, salvation!
The joyful sound proclaim,
Till earth's remotest nation
Has learned Messiah's name.
Waft, waft, ye winds, His story,
And you, ye waters, roll,
Till, like a sea of glory,
It spreads from pole to pole;
Till o'er our ransomed nature
The Lamb for sinners slain,
Redeemer, King, Creator,
In bliss returns to reign!
--_Reginald Heber_.
{319}
GLORIOUS ZION
Glorious things of Thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Formed Thee for his own abode:
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake Thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
Thou may'st smile at all Thy foes.
See! the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply Thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint, while such a river
Ever flows their thirst to assuage?--
Grace, which, like the Lord, the Giver,
Never fails from age to age.
Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear
For a glory and a covering,
Showing that the Lord is near!
Thus deriving from their banner,
Light by night, and shade by day,
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which He gives them when they pray.
--_J. Newton_.
{320}
THE MORNING LIGHT IS BREAKING
The morning light is breaking;
The darkness disappears!
The sons of earth are waking
To penitential tears;
Each breeze that sweeps the ocean
Brings tidings from afar,
Of nations in commotion,
Prepared for Zion's war.
See heathen nations bending
Before the God we love,
And thousand hearts ascending
In gratitude above;
While sinners, now confessing,
The gospel call obey,
And seek the Saviour's blessing--
A nation in a day.
Blest river of salvation!
Pursue thine onward way;
Flow thou to every nation,
Nor in thy richness stay:
Stay not till all the lowly
Triumphant reach their home:
Stay not till all the holy
Proclaim--"The Lord is come!"
--_Samuel F. Smith_.
{321}{322}
[Illustration]
THE GOLDEN GATE, EAST OF THE TEMPLE AREA.
JERUSALEM LOOKING TOWARD THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
[End illustration]
{323}
How the New Faith Spread from Jerusalem.
{324}
PERSONS OF THE STORY,
_The Disciples, especially Peter_.
_A lame man_.
_Ananias_.
_Sapphira_.
_Stephen_.
_Simon, the Sorcerer_.
_A Queen's Officer_.
_Dorcas_.
_A Roman Captain_.
_Annas, Caiaphas, Priests, Officers, Messengers_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_Jerusalem_.
_The country of Palestine and surrounding regions_.
_Joppa_.
_Caesarea_.
_Lydda_.
{325}
I
THE DAY OF PENTECOST
_The First Meeting of the Disciples in Jerusalem_.
(After Jesus had left the company of the apostles, and was seen no more
by them, they remained quietly in Jerusalem. They chose a man named
Matthias to take the place of Judas, but they had no definite plan of
action, not yet quite realizing the importance of the work which they
were to do. Suddenly, on the day of Pentecost, there came the great
inspiration from God to go forward and take up the work of redeeming the
world where Jesus laid it down. They began to preach about Jesus, of his
beautiful life, and his death for men upon the cross. And everywhere the
people listened eagerly and gladly to this wonderful story, and
believing, were baptized, becoming the disciples of the new faith. This
is the story of the simple beginning of the great movement called
Christianity, as the experience made its impression upon the disciples
themselves.)
And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in
one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing
of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like fire; and it
sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.
Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation
under heaven. And when this {326} sound was heard, the multitude came
together, and were amazed, because every man heard them speaking in his
own language. And they marveled, saying, "Behold, are not all these
which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we, every man in our own language,
wherein we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers
in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, in Phrygia
and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and
sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we
do hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God."
And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another,
"What meaneth this?"
But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke
forth unto them, saying, "Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at
Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. For these
are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the
day; but this is that which hath been spoken by the prophet Joel:--
'And it shall be in the last days, saith God,
I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh:
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams:
Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days {327}
Will I pour forth my spirit; and they shall prophesy.
And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name
of the Lord shall be saved.'
"Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs, which God did by
him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; him, being
delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by
the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: whom God raised up, having
loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be
holden by it. For David said concerning him,--
'I beheld the Lord always before my face;
For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope:
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades,
Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption.
Thou madest known unto me the ways of life;
Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance.'
"Brethren, I may speak unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he
both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Being
therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him,
that he would set one of his family upon his throne; he foreseeing this
spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left in
Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus did God raise up,
whereof we all are {328} witnesses. Being therefore by the right hand
of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the
Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. For
David ascended not into the heavens: but he said himself,--
'The Lord said unto my Lord,
Sit thou on my right hand,
Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.'
"Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath
made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified."
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said
unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"
And Peter said unto them, "Repent ye, and be baptized everyone of you in
the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, and to
your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord
our God shall call unto him." And with many other words he testified,
and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked
generation."
They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added
unto them in that day about three thousand souls. And they continued
steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of
bread and the prayers.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders {329} and signs were
done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all
things common; and they sold their possessions and goods, and divided
them among all, according as any man had need. And day by day,
continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread
at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added
to them day by day those that were being saved.
{330}
II
A MIRACLE OF THE NEW FAITH.
_How a Lame Man Was Healed, and What Came of it_.
Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer,
being the ninth hour. And a certain man that was lame from his birth was
carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called
Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple. This man
seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an
alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, "Look on
us."
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something from them.
But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give
I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and immediately
his feet and his ankle bones received strength. And leaping up, he
stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple,
walking, and leaping, and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and knowing that it
was he who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, they were
filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
{331}
And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in
the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And when Peter
saw it, he answered unto the people, "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at
this man? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power
or godliness we had made him to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac,
and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Servant Jesus;
whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had
determined to release him. But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and
asked for a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of
life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. By faith
in his name hath his name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know:
yea, the faith which is through him hath given him this perfect
soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I know that in
ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But the things which God
foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should
suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that
your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of
refreshing from the presence of the Lord; that he may send the Christ
who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus: whom the heaven must
receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spoke
by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began.
Moses indeed said, 'A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from
among your brethren, like unto me; to him shall ye hearken in all things
whatsoever {332} he shall speak unto you. And it shall be, that every
soul, which shall not hearken to that prophet, shall be utterly
destroyed from among the people.'
"Yea and all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as
many as have spoken, they also told of these days. Ye are the sons of
the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers,
saying unto Abraham, 'And in thy race shall all the families of the
earth be blessed.' Unto you first, God, having raised up his Servant,
sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your
iniquities."
And as they spoke unto the people, the priests and the captain of the
temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly troubled because
they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from
the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in prison unto the
morrow: for it was now eventide. But many of them that heard the word
believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers and elders and
scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; and Annas the high priest
was there, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of
the kindred of the high priest. And when they had set them in the midst,
they inquired, "By what power, or in what name, have ye done this?"
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, "Ye rulers of
the people, and elders, if we this day are examined concerning a good
deed done to a lame man, by {333} what means this man is made whole; be
it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the
dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole. He is the
stone which was set at naught of you the builders, which was made the
head of the corner. And in none other is there salvation: for neither is
there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, whereby we
must be saved."
Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived
that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took
knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man
which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they
conferred among themselves, saying, "What shall we do to these men? that
a notable miracle hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all
that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no
further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak
henceforth to no man in this name."
And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in
the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them,
"Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than
unto God, judge ye: for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and
heard."
And they, when they had further threatened them, let them go, not
finding how they might punish them, because {334} of the people; for all
men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was more than
forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was wrought.
And being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that
the chief priests and the elders had said unto them. And they, when they
heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, "O
Lord, thou that didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all
that in them is: who by the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father
David thy servant, didst say,--
'Why did the Gentiles rage,
And the peoples imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth set themselves in array,
And the rulers were gathered together,
Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:'
for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou
didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the
peoples of Israel, were gathered together, to do whatsoever thy hand and
thy counsel foreordained to come to pass. And now, Lord, look upon their
threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all
boldness, while thou stretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs
and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus."
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were
gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and
they spoke the word of God with boldness.
{335}
III
ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA
_A Lie and its Consequences_.
(The people began to have such an enthusiasm for the new faith, that
many of them sold their property, gave the money to the apostles, and
all lived together, like one great family. This custom was not
altogether wise, and it did not prevail long. While it lasted, disaster
came to two people. Ananias and Sapphira had become disciples of the new
faith, and, like others, sold their property, but they kept back part,
and tried to make the apostles believe that they had given all. The sin
lay, not in keeping their property, for no one was required to give it
up, but in the deceit.)
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and
not one of them said that anything of the things which he possessed was
his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the
apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great
grace was upon them all. For neither was there among them any that
lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and
brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them at the
apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as anyone
had need.
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a
possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also knowing about
it, and brought a certain part, {336} and laid it at the apostles' feet.
But Peter said, "Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the
Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it
remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not
in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy
heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."
And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up his spirit: and
great fear came upon all that heard it. And the young men arose and
wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not
knowing what was done, came in. And Peter said unto her, "Tell me
whether ye sold the land for so much."
And she said, "Yea, for so much."
But Peter said unto her, "How is it that ye have agreed together to
tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried
thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out."
And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up her spirit: and
the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and
buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church,
and upon all that heard these things.
{337}{338}
[Illustration]
ST. STEPHEN'S GATE, JERUSALEM.
LOOKING IN TOWARD THE CITY.
From a photograph belonging to Prof. H. G. Mitchell, and used by his
kind permission
[End illustration]
{339}
IV
THE FIRST MARTYR
_How Stephen Died Heroically for the New Faith.
The Beginning of Persecution.
The Sermon of Stephen. The Martyr's Crown_.
(The new faith was not destined to win its victories in peace. As the
rulers hated Jesus, so they hated the new faith which was now proclaimed
in his name; as they crucified the Master, so they persecuted and killed
the disciples. Stephen was the first of "the noble army of martyrs,"
thousands of men, women, and children, who gave their lives gladly for
the new faith. It was an army without weapons. The command of Jesus,
"resist not evil," was, in the first centuries, obeyed literally. It is
worthy of note that the new faith never spread more rapidly nor won
greater victories than during these years, when it never lifted sword
against its enemies, but conquered them by the power of service and
sacrifice.)
And Stephen, who had become prominent among the disciples, was full of
grace and power, and wrought great wonders and signs among the people.
But certain of the Jews disputed with Stephen. And they were not able to
withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they bribed
men, who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses,
and against God."
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and
came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council, and set
up false witnesses, who said, {340} "This man ceaseth not to speak words
against this holy place; and the law: for we have heard him say, that
this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the
customs which Moses delivered unto us."
And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his
face as it had been the face of an angel.
_The Defense of Stephen_.
And the high priest said, "Are these things so?"
And he said, "Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared
unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in
Haran, and said unto him, 'Get thee out of thy land, and from thy
kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.' Then came he
out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence,
when his father was dead, God removed him into this land, wherein ye now
dwell: and he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set
his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession,
and to his family after him, when as yet he had no child. And God spoke
in this wise, that his family should sojourn in a strange land, and that
the people of that land should bring them into bondage, and ill treat
them four hundred years. 'And the nation to which they shall be in
bondage will I judge,' said God: 'and after that shall they come forth,
and serve me in this place.' And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy
against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him, and delivered
him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before
{341} Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and
all his house. Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and
great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob
heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first
time. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and
Joseph's family became known unto Pharaoh. And Joseph sent, and called
to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen
souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself, and our
fathers; and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb
that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of Hamor in
Shechem.
"But as the time of the promise drew nigh, which God promised to
Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, till there arose
another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. The same dealt craftily
with our race, and compelled our fathers to cast out their babes to the
end they might not live. At this season Moses was born, and was
exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father's house:
and when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished
him for her own son.
"And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was
mighty in his words and works. But when he was well-nigh forty years
old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of
Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and
avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian: {342} and he
supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving
them deliverance; but they understood not. And the day following he
appeared unto them as they strove, and would have made peace, saying,
'Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?' But he that did
his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, 'Who made thee a ruler and a
judge over us? Wouldest thou kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian
yesterday?'
"And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of
Midian, where he had two sons. And when forty years were passed, an
angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of
fire in a bush. And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as
he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord, 'I am the God of
thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob.'
"And Moses trembled, and dared not behold. And the Lord said unto him,
'Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is
holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people which is in
Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver
them: and now come, I will send thee into Egypt.'
"This Moses whom they refused, saying, 'Who made thee a ruler and a
judge?' him hath God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand
of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. This man led them forth,
having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in
the wilderness forty years.
"This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, {343} 'A
prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto
me.' This is he that was in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to
him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living
oracles to give unto us: to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but
thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt, saying
unto Aaron, 'Make us gods which shall go before us: for as for this
Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has
become of him.' And they made a calf in those days, and brought a
sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands. But
God turned, and gave them up to serve idols.
"Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness,
even as he appointed who spoke unto Moses, that he should make it
according to the figure that he had seen. Which also our fathers, in
their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered on the possession
of the nations, which God thrust out before the face of our fathers,
unto the days of David; who found favor in the sight of God, and asked
to find a habitation for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built him a
house. Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands; as
saith the prophet,--
'The heaven is my throne,
And the earth the footstool of my feet:
What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord:
Or what is the place of my rest?
Did not my hand make all these things?'
"Ye stiffnecked and unregenerate in heart and ears, ye {344}
do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so
do ye. Which one of the prophets did not your fathers
persecute? and they killed them which showed before of
the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now
become betrayers and murderers; ye who received the law
as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not."
_Martyrdom_.
Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they
raged against him. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up
steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on
the right hand of God, and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and
the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."
But they cried out with aloud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed
upon him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city, and stoned
him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young
man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and
saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this
sin to their charge." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And
Saul was consenting unto his death.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which
was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the
regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men
buried {345} Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. But Saul laid
waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging out men and
women committed them to prison.
(The martyrdom of Stephen gave a fresh impulse to the new faith. The
disciples had been content to stay in Jerusalem, and preach to their own
people. But persecution drove them out of the city, so that the gospel
came to a wider circle of hearers. We shall see, as the story goes on,
how Philip was directed to the officer of Queen Candace, and how Peter,
against his will, at first, was sent to the Roman captain. So the new
faith broadened, not as the apostles planned, but as God willed.)
{346}
V
SIMON THE SORCERER
_The New Faith Spreads. The Story of the Man of Samaria
Who Wished to Use It for His Own Selfish Advantage_.
They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word.
And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them
the Christ. And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things
that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he
did. For from many of those who had unclean spirits, those spirits came
out, crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were
lame, were healed. And there was much joy in that city.
But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who before this in the city
used sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming that he himself
was some great one: to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the
greatest, saying, "This man is that power of God which is called Great."
And they gave heed to him, because for a long time he had amazed them
with his sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings
concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptized, both men and women. And Simon also himself {347} believed: and
being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great
miracles wrought, he was amazed.
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when
they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy
Spirit: for as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they had been
baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on
them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that through
the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he
offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power, that on whomsoever
I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit."
But Peter said unto him, "Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast
thought to obtain the gift of God with money. Thou hast neither part nor
lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God. Repent
therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the
thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee. For I see that thou art in
the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."
And Simon answered and said, "Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of
the things which ye have spoken come upon me."
{348}
VI
PHILIP AND THE QUEEN'S OFFICER
_How the New Faith Came to a Servant of a Queen_.
An angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward
the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: into
the desert."
And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, an officer of
great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all
her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship; and he was returning
and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the
Spirit said unto Philip, "Go near, and join thyself to this chariot."
And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and
said, "Understandest thou what thou readest?"
And he said, "How can I, except some one shall guide me?" And he
besought Philip to come up and sit with him.
Now the place of the scripture which he was reading was this,--
"He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb,
So he openeth not his mouth."
{349}
And the officer said to Philip, "I pray thee, of whom speaketh the
prophet this? of himself, or of some other?"
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this passage of
scripture, preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on the way, they
came unto a certain water; and the officer saith, "Behold, here is
water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down
into the water, both Philip and the officer, and he baptized him. And
when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away
Philip; and the officer saw him no more, for he went on his way
rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he
preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
{350}
VII
PETER AND DORCAS
_How Peter Restored a Good Woman to Life_.
And it came to pass, as Peter went throughout all parts, he came down
also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, that is,
Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and deeds of charity which she
did. And it came to pass in those days, that she fell sick, and died:
and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. And as
Lydda was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men unto him, intreating him, "Delay not to come on unto us."
And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought
him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and
showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with
them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and
turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, arise."
And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave
her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the disciples and widows,
he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa: and
many believed on the Lord. And it came to pass, that he abode many days
in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
{351}{352}
[Illustration]
GENERAL VIEW OF LYDDA
From a photograph belonging to Miss Julia W. Snow, and used by her
kind permission.
Lydda, the ancient Lod, is a village in the plain of Sharon, ten miles
southeast of Joppa. It was an important town in early days, being on the
caravan route between the East and Egypt, and a place where the
caravans rested and refitted. It was thus the center of a considerable
business. It was here that Peter healed Aeneas, and from this place he
was summoned to Joppa by the death of Dorcas.
[End illustration]
{353}
VIII
PETER AND THE ROMAN CAPTAIN.
_Peter's Vision. How a Valuable Recruit Was Enlisted for the New Faith_.
Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion
of the company called the Italian company, a devout man, and one that
feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and
prayed to God always. He saw in a vision about the ninth hour of the
day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, "Cornelius."
And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being afraid, said, "What is
it, Lord?"
And he said unto him, "Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a
memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and bring one Simon, who
is surnamed Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by
the sea side."
And when the angel that spoke unto him was departed, he called two of
his household servants, and a devout soldier of his body guard, and
having told all things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the
city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:
and he became hungry, {354} and desired to eat: but while they made
ready, he fell into a trance; and he beheld the heaven opened, and a
certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four
corners upon the earth: wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts
and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven. And there came
a voice to him, saying, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."
But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is
common and unclean."
And a voice came unto him again the second time, "What God hath
cleansed, make not thou common."
And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up
into heaven.
Now while Peter was much perplexed as to what the vision which he had
seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having
made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate, and called and
asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, were lodging there. And
while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, "Behold,
three men seek thee. But arise, and get thee down, and go with them,
nothing doubting: for I have sent them."
And Peter went down to the men, and said, "Behold, I am he whom ye seek:
why are ye come?"
And they said, "Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that
feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was
warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee to come to his house, and
to hear words from thee." So he called them in and lodged them.
{355}
And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the
brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And on the morrow they entered into
Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his
kinsmen and his near friends. And when Peter entered, Cornelius met him,
and fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up,
saying, "Stand up; I myself also am a man."
And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many come together: and
he said unto them, "Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a
man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation;
and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or
unclean: wherefore also I came without doubting, when I was sent for. I
ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me."
And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the
ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in
bright apparel, and said, 'Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine
alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. Send therefore to
Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in
the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side.' Forthwith therefore I
sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore
we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that
have been commanded thee of the Lord."
And Peter opened his mouth, and said, "Of a truth I perceive that God is
no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and
worketh righteousness, is {356} acceptable to him. The word which he
sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by
Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)--that saying ye yourselves know, which
was published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the
baptism which John preached; about Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed
him with the Holy Spirit and with power: how he went about doing good,
and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
And we are witnesses of all things which be did both in the country of
the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree.
Him God raised up the third day, and showed him, not to all the people,
but unto witnesses that were chosen before of God, even to us, who did
eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he charged us to
preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he who is ordained
of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him bear all the prophets
witness, that through his name everyone that believeth on him shall
receive remission of sins."
While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them
which heard the word. And the Jews who believed were amazed, as many as
came with Peter, because on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of
the Holy Spirit. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify
God.
Then answered Peter, "Can any man forbid the water, that these should
not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?"
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
{357}
IX
THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEYS
_How the Disciples at Last Began to Understand the Meaning of the
Command of Jesus, "Go Ye into All the World_."
Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judaea heard that the
Gentiles also had received the word of God. And when Peter was come up
to Jerusalem, the Jews contended with him, saying, "Thou wentest in to
the Gentiles, and didst eat with them."
But Peter began, and expounded the matter unto them in order, saying, "I
was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a
certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven
by four corners; and it came even unto me: upon which when I had
fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the fourfooted beasts of the
earth and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the heaven. And I
heard also a voice saying unto me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' But I
said, 'Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered
into my mouth.' But a voice answered the second time out of heaven,
'What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.' And this was done
thrice: and all were drawn up again into heaven. And behold, forthwith
three men stood before the house in which we were, having been sent
{358} from Caesarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with them, making
no distinction. And these six brethren also accompanied me; and we
entered into the man's house: and he told us how he had seen the angel
standing in his house, and saying, 'Send to Joppa, and bring Simon,
whose surname is Peter; who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou
shalt be saved, thou and all thy house.' And as I began to speak, the
Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. And I
remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John indeed baptized with
water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then God gave
unto them the same gift that he gave unto us, when we believed on the
Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?"
And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified
God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance
unto life."
They therefore that were scattered abroad after the trouble that arose
about Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch,
speaking the word to none save only to Jews. But there were some of
them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to Antioch,
spoke unto the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of
the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto
the Lord.
{359}
X
PETER IN PRISON
_How Peter Was Cast into Prison, and How He Escaped the Hatred of
Herod_.
Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict
certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the
sword. And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize
Peter also. And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and
delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him; intending after
the Passover to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept
in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly by the church unto God for
him. And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter
was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards
before the door kept the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood
by him, and a light shone in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side,
and awoke him, saying, "Rise up quickly."
And his chains fell from his hands. And the angel said unto him, "Gird
thyself, and bind on thy sandals." And he did so.
And he said unto him, "Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me."
{360}
And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which
was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision.
And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto
the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its
own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and
straightway the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to
himself, he said, "Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth
his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the
expectation of the people of the Jews."
And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the
mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together
and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid
come to answer, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened
not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the
gate. And they said unto her, "Thou art mad." But she confidently
affirmed that it was even so. And they said, "It is his angel."
But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him,
and were amazed. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their
peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the
prison. And he said, "Tell these things unto James, and to the
brethren."
And he departed, and went to another place. Now as soon as it was day,
there was no small stir among the {361} soldiers, what was become of
Peter. And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined
the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And Peter
went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and tarried there.
{362}
{363}
Missionary Journeys and Adventures of Paul.
{364}
PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_PAUL_.
_Ananias, a disciple_.
_Sergius Paulus, a Roman governor_.
_Elymas, a sorcerer_.
_Barnabas_.
_Mark_.
_Timothy_.
_Silas_.
_Gallio, a Roman governor_.
_Priscilla and Aquila_.
_Demetrius, a silversmith_.
_Claudius Lysias, a Roman officer_.
_Felix, a Roman governor_.
_Drusilla, wife of Felix_.
_Festus, a Roman governor_.
_King Agrippa_.
_Queen Bernice_.
_Publius, a Roman officer_.
_The people of many towns and cities, Roman officials,
soldiers, sailors, Christian disciples_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_The places which Paul visited are given elsewhere_.
{365}{366}
[Illustration]
ST. PAUL
By Raphael (1483-1520)
[End illustration]
[Illustration]
THE SHIPWRECK--PAUL AND THE ROMAN CENTURION
"And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there
shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship."
And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship,
when they had let the boat into the sea . . . Paul said
to the centurion and to the soldiers,
"Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved."
[End illustration]
{367}
PAUL THE APOSTLE
Now there enters into our story one whose life by any standard of
measurement, in its boldness and audacity of plan, in its brilliancy of
achievement, in its personal courage and daring, compares favorably with
that of any of the heroes of history,--Paul the Apostle. In many
respects he resembled the modern successful man of business, the captain
of industry, except that his work was done with a purely unselfish
motive, loyalty to Jesus Christ and love for his fellowmen.
Paul was born in the Roman city of Tarsus, which is beautifully situated
at the mouth of the river Cydnus. It was a city full of delight for an
adventurous boy. There was the river sweeping down cold and clear from
its mountain snows, the harbor with its great basins and stone quays and
the shipping from every land. How Paul must have loved to linger on
those wharves, watching the ships and the merchandise and hearing the
songs of the sailors. In later days he always loved the city and the
sea. He was never far away from them; never far distant from the smell
of the sea breeze and the blue waters of the Mediterranean; very often
he sailed on those waters, and more than once suffered shipwreck. He was
a freeborn Roman, that is, he was so {368} fortunate as to have been
born in a free city. A free Roman city had all the political rights and
privileges of the city of Rome itself. This distinction was eagerly
sought after, and was often bought with a large price by men who did not
possess it by birth. When Paul was a lad he was sent away to Jerusalem
to school, where he was taught by one of the most famous teachers. But
Paul was always more Roman than Jewish in the actual experiences of his
life. When the first persecutions of the Christians began, Saul, for
that was his name then, was chosen by the high priest for this work.
Everything he did, he did with his might. He gave the Christians no
rest, he hunted them from village to village, from house to house,
because he thought this was his duty. He was on one of these
expeditions, riding hard to Damascus, when he had a vision of Jesus, who
called to him and demanded the reason for the persecutions. Blinded by
the vision he fell from his horse, and when he came to himself he was a
changed man. Some time he spent in solitude, thinking the matter out and
preparing for the new life. Then he came out ready to do anything and go
anywhere for the Master. The time was ripe for a man of his ability, his
boldnesss, and his knowledge of the world. A man was needed with those
qualities which make a great general, to plan and execute the work. All
the apostles were Jews, born in Palestine, men who had never traveled
outside the narrow boundaries of their native land. They were naturally
timid, and failed to realize at first the importance of the new faith as
a {369} world power. Paul was the man for the crisis,--the hero who was
destined to carry the new faith to the farther bounds of the empire. His
great missionary journeys by land and sea are really campaigns. He had
adventures without number, he was beaten and stoned, sometimes he was
left on the ground for dead by those who thought they had at last put
him out of the way. Often he went on his journey scarred and sore and
bruised. The country over which he traveled is the most interesting and
romantic in the world, the scene of the stories of mythology, the battle
ground of armies. He sailed the seas which were furrowed by the keel of
Homer's hero Ulysses. He visited the famous capitals of antiquity. He
spoke in cultured Athens, the city of Socrates and Plato. He founded
churches in Philippi, where Caesar won his great battle, and in Corinth,
one of the richest and wickedest cities of all the Roman empire. He went
to Rome, and there, even while in prison, he won for the new faith
members of the royal household and officers of the imperial guard. We do
not know certainly, but there are traditions to the effect that he
visited Spain, and even found his way far beyond the "Pillars of
Hercules" out upon the stormy Atlantic to Great Britain. It must not be
supposed that he met with no opposition. Even among the members of the
Christian church at Jerusalem he was bitterly opposed. There were many
Jewish Christians who did not wish the new faith to spread beyond their
own race, or if any so-called Gentiles became Christians they thought
they should also become Jews. Paul believed that Jesus and his message
{370} were for all alike, that it was a gospel of freedom, a new faith
in truth, and his way prevailed. Paul at last, an old man, was beheaded,
so it is believed, by the wicked Roman emperor Nero. Thus lived and died
one of the greatest and most important characters in all history.
{371}
HOW PAUL THE PERSECUTOR LAID ASIDE THE
OLD LIFE AND TOOK UP THE NEW.
_The Vision on the Road to Damascus. The Beginnings of Faith. Service
for the New Master_.
But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and asked of him letters to
Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of "the
Way," whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And
as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and
suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: and he fell
upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, "Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me?"
And he said, "Who art thou, Lord?"
And he said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: but rise, and enter into
the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."
And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice,
but beholding no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes
were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought
him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate
nor drank.
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the
Lord said unto him in a vision, "Ananias."
{372}
And he said, "Behold, I am here, Lord."
And the Lord said unto him, "Arise, and go to Straight street, and
inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for
behold, he prayeth; and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and
laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight."
But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how
much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: and here he hath authority
from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name."
But the Lord said unto him, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto
me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of
Israel: for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's
sake."
And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands
on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee
in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy
sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
And at once there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received
his sight; and he arose and was baptized; and he took food and was
strengthened.
And he was certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And
at once in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of
God. And all that heard him were amazed, and said, "Is not this that man
who in Jerusalem made havoc of them who called on the name of Jesus? and
he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound
before the chief priests." But Saul increased the more in strength, and
confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the
Christ.
{373}{374}
[Illustration]
THE CITY OF TARSUS, LOOKING NORTHEAST TOWARD THE TAURUS MOUNTAINS. THE
AMERICAN COLLEGE IS IN THE FOREGROUND.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
Tarsus was a Roman metropolis with all the distinctions and privileges
which the name implied. It was beautifully situated. The broad river
Cydnus, breaking through a cleft in the Taurus Mountains, fell in a
wide cascade to the plain, and flowed clear and cold from its mountain
snows through the city. At evening the people used to gather in their
roof gardens on the housetops to watch the setting sun as it turned
the snowy summit of the mountain chain into rose and filled the valley
with golden mist. But beauty of situation was not the only source of
civic pride. Tarsus was a rich and influential center of trade, and it
maintained its importance by the most lavish municipal expenditure, by
what we moderns call enterprise and push.
When Paul as a boy wandered down to the wharves to see the sights, to
listen to the sounds of the sailors and the ships, and to breathe that
indefinable atmosphere of the sea which is so fascinating to the growing
lad, he could not fail to admire those great stone basins and quays
which made Tarsus a seaport in spite of the treacherous sands of the
rapid river.
[End illustration]
{375}
And after many days, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: but
their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and
night that they might kill him: but his friends took him by night, and
let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
And when he was come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the
disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a
disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and
declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had
spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of
Jesus. And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem,
preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spoke and disputed
against the Grecian Jews; but they went about to kill him. And when the
brethren knew it they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth
to Tarsus.
So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace,
being built up; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort
of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.
And some time after, Barnabas went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul: and
when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass,
that for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and
taught much people; and that the disciples were called Christians first
in Antioch.
{376}
THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY OF PAUL.
On his first journey Paul went by sea from _Seleucia_, the port of
Antioch, to the _Island of Cyprus_. He crossed the island from east to
west. He landed at _Salamis_ and set sail from _Paphos_. He arrived at
_Perga_ in Southern Asia Minor, and then set out for a campaign of about
two years in the great Roman province of Galatia. It is for the most
part a wild and desolate country. There were snowy mountain ranges with
perilous passes infested by robbers, rushing torrents, and precipitous
roads, before he could come to the cities which lay behind the
mountains. He was often in great danger, and many times suffered
persecution. The places mentioned are _Antioch, Iconium, Lystra_, and
_Derbe_. Then he and his companions came down to Perga, setting sail
from the port of Attalia for _Antioch_ in Cilicia.
Companions: Barnabas and John Mark.
I
PAUL AND BARNABAS SAIL FOR CYPRUS.
_At Paphos a Roman Nobleman is Won to the New Faith_.
(There having been a time of famine, Paul and Barnabas had been sent by
the Christians at Antioch to Jerusalem with relief to the Christians in
that city. When they returned they found new work awaiting them.)
{377}{378}
[Illustration]
A CORNER OF OLD WALL AT DAMASCUS.
Where, tradition says, Paul was let down by a basket. The square
building is a modern structure
From a photograph belonging to Mr. S. E. Bridgman, and used by his
kind permission
"When the Moslems took Damascus in 634, the great cathedral was
divided between Mohammedans and Christians. Seventy years later it was
absorbed by the conquerors, and was rebuilt to become one of the
greatest, if not the richest, of the mosques of Islam. The rebuilding
destroyed all the Christian features, except that which, still above
the south portal, preserves this prayer and prophecy: 'Thy kingdom, O
Christ, is an everlasting kingdom, and Thy dominion endureth for all
generations.'"--_G. A. Smith_
[End illustration]
{379}
Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and
teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of
Cyrene, and Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said,
"Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called
them." Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on
them, they sent them away.
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and
from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they
proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had
also John as their attendant.
And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found
a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus;
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The
same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of
God. But Elymas the sorcerer withstood them, seeking to turn aside the
proconsul from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled
with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, and said, "O full of all
guile and all villainy, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all
righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the
Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt
be blind, not seeing the sun for a season."
{380}
And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went
about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being
astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
II
FROM CYPRUS TO ANTIOCH.
_Paul's Sermon at Antioch_.
Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in
Pamphylia: and John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. But
they, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia; and they
went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the
reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent
unto them, saying, "Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the
people, say on." And Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said,--
"Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken. The God of this people
Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourned in
the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forth out of it. And
for about the time of forty years he bore with them in the wilderness.
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave
them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty
years: and after these things he gave them judges until Samuel the
prophet.
{381}
[Illustration]
Map of land around the Mediterranean Sea showing Paul's journey.
[End illustration]
{382}
{383}
And afterward they asked for a king: and God gave unto
them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for the space
of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be
their king; to whom also he bore witness, and said, 'I have found David
the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who shall do all my will.'
"Of this man's family hath God according to promise brought unto Israel
a Saviour, Jesus; when John had first preached before his coming the
baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was
finishing his work, he said, 'What suppose ye that I am? I am not he.
But behold, there cometh one after me, the shoes of whose feet I am not
worthy to unloose.' Brethren, children of the race of Abraham, and those
among you that fear God, to us is the word of this salvation sent forth.
For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew
him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath,
fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found no cause of
death in him, yet asked they of Pilate that he should be slain. And when
they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, they took him
down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.
"But God raised him from the dead: and he was seen for many days by them
that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his
witnesses unto the people. And we bring you good tidings of the promise
made unto the fathers, how that God hath fulfilled the same unto our
children, in that he raised up Jesus; as also it is written in the
second psalm, 'Thou art my Son, this day have I {384} begotten thee.'
And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to
return to corruption, he hath spoken on this wise, 'I will give you the
holy and sure blessings of David.' Because he saith also in another
psalm, 'Thou wilt not give thy Holy One to see corruption.' For David,
after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, he fell
asleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: but he whom
God raised up saw no corruption.
"Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is
proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by him everyone that
believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be
justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon
you, which is spoken in the prophets;--
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish;
For I work a work in your days,
A work which ye shall in no wise believe,
if one declare it unto you.'"
And as they went out, they besought that these words might be spoken to
them the next Sabbath. Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews
and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking
to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
And the next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear
the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled
with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul,
and blasphemed. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and {385} said,
"It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you.
Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal
life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us,
saying,--
'I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles,
That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the
uttermost part of the earth.'"
And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word
of God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the
word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region. But the
Jews urged on the devout women of honorable estate, and the chief men of
the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and
cast them out of their borders. But they shook off the dust of their
feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled
with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
III
THROUGH THE TOWNS OF GALATIA.
_Paul is Stoned by the Mob. His Escape and Return_.
And it came to pass in Iconium, that they entered together into the
synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, that a great multitude both of Jews
and of Greeks believed. But the Jews that were disobedient stirred up
the Gentiles, and made them hostile to the brethren. Long time therefore
they tarried there speaking boldly in the Lord, who {386} bore witness
unto the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by
their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided; and part held
with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when there was made an
attempt, both of the Gentiles and of the Jews with their rulers, to
treat them shamefully, and to stone them, they became aware of it, and
fled unto the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region round
about: and there they preached the gospel.
And at Lystra there sat a certain man, impotent in his feet, a cripple
from his birth, who never had walked. This man heard Paul speaking: who,
fastening his eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made
whole, said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on thy feet." And he
leaped up and walked.
And when the multitudes saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their
voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, "The gods are come down to us
in the likeness of men." And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul,
Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Jupiter
whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the
gates, and would have done sacrifice with the multitudes. But when the
apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and
sprang forth among the multitude, crying out and saying, "Sirs, why do
ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring
you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto the
living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that
in them is: {387} who in the generations gone by suffered all the
nations to walk in their own ways. And yet he left not himself without
witness, in that he did good, and gave you from heaven rains and
fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."
And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing
sacrifice unto them.
But there came Jews thither from Antioch and Iconium: and having
persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the
city, supposing that he was dead. But as the disciples stood round about
him, he rose up, and entered into the city: and on the morrow he went
forth with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to
that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to
Iconium, and to Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples,
exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that "through many
tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God." And when they had
appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting,
they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed. And they
passed through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken
the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; and thence they sailed to
Antioch, from whence they had been committed to the grace of God for the
work which they had fulfilled. And when they had come, and had gathered
the church together, they told all things that God had done with them,
and how he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles. And they
tarried no little time with the disciples.
{388}
IV
A DISTURBANCE IN THE CHURCH
_How a Serious Dispute Was Settled by Mutual Conference_.
(Trouble arose in the church very early over the question of admitting
people of the outside world, or Gentiles, into the fellowship of the
faith. There was a party in the church who insisted very strongly that
the Gentiles, if they came in, must conform to all the rites and
ceremonies of the Jews. Another party, headed by Paul, said that it was
not necessary for the Gentiles to become Jews; that they could be
Christians without following all the religious ceremonies of the Jews.
After Paul and Barnabas returned from their missionary journey, and
reported the conversion of many Gentiles to the new faith, a great
meeting of the leaders was called at Jerusalem, and the matter, after
warm discussion, was decided in favor of the broader view of Paul.)
And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren, saying,
"Except ye keep the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved." And when Paul
and Barnabas had no little disagreement and questioning with them, the
brethren decided that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them,
should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this
question. They therefore, being brought on their way by the church,
passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of
the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when
they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the
apostles and the elders, and they repeated all the things that God had
done with them.
{389}
And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of
this matter. And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up and
said unto them, "Brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made
choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of
the gospel, and believe. And God, who knoweth the heart, bore them
witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; and he
made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by
faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, that ye should put a yoke upon
the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to
bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the
Lord Jesus, in like manner as they."
And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and
Paul as they told what signs and wonders God had wrought among the
Gentiles by them. And after they had ceased speaking, James answered,
saying,--
"Brethren, hearken unto me: Symeon hath rehearsed how first God did
visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to
this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,--
'After these things I will return,
And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen;
And I will build again the ruins thereof,
And I will set it up:
That the residue of men may seek after the Lord,
And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from
the beginning of the world.'
{390}
"Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not those who from among the
Gentiles turn to God; but that we write unto them, that they abstain
from the pollutions of idols, and from uncleanness, and from what is
strangled, and from blood. For Moses from generations of old hath in
every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every
Sabbath."
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole
church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch
with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief
men among the brethren: and they wrote thus by them,--
"_The apostles and the elder brethren unto the brethren who are of the
Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:_--
"Forasmuch as we have heard that certain men who went out from us have
troubled you with words, vexing your souls; to whom we gave no
commandment; it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to
choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and
Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also
shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to
the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these
necessary things; that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and
from blood, and from things strangled, and from uncleanness; from which
if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. _Fare ye well_."
{391}
So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having
gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle. And when
they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation it afforded. And
Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren
with many words, and confirmed them. And after they had spent some time
there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren to those that had
sent them forth. But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and
preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
{392}
THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY
Paul started on his second missionary journey by the land route, passing
through his native city of Tarsus, over the Taurus mountains and into
Galatia, where he revisited the cities of Derbe and Lystra. He attempted
to visit other places, but was prevented from doing so, and pressed on
through many miles of wild and desolate country of northern Asia Minor
until the welcome waters of the Aegean again greeted his eyes at Troas.
Here he faced Europe and the great crisis of his life. In the night he
saw the vision of the man and heard the cry, "Come over into Macedonia
and help us." Then Paul determined upon the great step which meant so
much to the world. He went on board a coaster at Troas, made "a straight
run" to the island of _Samothracia_, and the next day came to the harbor
of Neapolis, which is only a few miles from Philippi. The important
Macedonian campaign included the cities of _Philippi_, _Thessalonica_,
and _Beroea_. Here his work in Macedonia abruptly ended. In danger of
his life from evil persons who followed him from Thessalonica, he was
hurried out of the country by his friends and journeyed by land and sea
to _Athens_. Then he went to _Corinth_, where he stayed for some time
preaching and working at his trade of tentmaker. Embarking on a pilgrim
ship carrying Jews to Passover, Paul sailed to Caesarea and then
journeyed to Jerusalem, stopping briefly on the way at Ephesus. Thus
ended the second great journey.
Companions: Silas and Timothy.
{393}
[Illustration]
Map of land around the Mediterranean Sea showing Paul's journey.
[End illustration]
{394}
{395}
I
REVISITING THE SCENES OF FORMER VICTORIES IN PHRYGIA AND GALATIA
_Paul and Barnabas Again Take the Field_.
And after some time, Paul said unto Barnabas, "Let us return now and
visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the
Lord, and see how they fare."
And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called
Mark. But Paul thought it not good to take with them him who withdrew
from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And there
arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the
other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus; but
Paul chose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the
grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the
churches.
And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple
was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed in the new
faith, but his father was a Greek. The same was well reported of by the
brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. And Paul took him with him.
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been
forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and when they
were come over against Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia; and
the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; and passing by Mysia, they came
down to Troas.
{396}
II
"THE MACEDONIAN CRY"
_The New Faith Enters Europe. The Midnight Rescue from the Jail at
Philippi_.
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia
standing, beseeching him, and saying, "Come over into Macedonia, and
help us."
And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into
Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel unto
them.
Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to
Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; and from thence to
Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a
Roman colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days. And on
the Sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where
we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spoke to
the women who were come together. And a certain woman named Lydia, a
seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God,
heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, to give heed to the things
which were spoken by Paul. And when she was baptized, and her
household, she besought us, saying, "If ye have judged me to be
faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there." And she
persuaded us.
And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a
certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her
masters much gain by soothsaying.
{397}{398}
[Illustration]
ATHENS--HARBOR OF PIRAEUS--SALAMIS IN THE DISTANCE.
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library,
Northampton, Mass., and used by special permission.
Into this harbor came the ship of Paul on his voyage from the North.
In the distance is the immortal battle place of Salamis, where the
Persian fleet was destroyed. Of the voyage of Paul from Thessaly to
Athens it is said, "All the land and water in sight became more
eloquent as he advanced: the lights and shadows, both of poetry and
history, were on every hand: every rock was a monument, every current
was animated by some memory of the past."
[End illustration]
{399}
The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, "These men are
servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the way of
salvation."
And this she did for many days. But Paul, being greatly troubled, turned
and said to the spirit, "I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to
come out of her."
And it came out that very hour.
But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid
hold of Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the
rulers, and when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said,
"These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and set forth
customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being
Romans."
And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates
tore their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods. And
when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison,
charging the jailor to keep them safely: who, having received such a
charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the
stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns
unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there
was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were
shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened; and everyone's bands
were loosed. And the jailor being roused out of sleep, and seeing the
prison doors open, drew his sword, and was about to kill himself,
supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
{400}
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, "Do thyself no harm: for we
are all here."
And he called for lights, and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell
down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what
must I do to be saved?"
And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou
and thy house."
And they spoke the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his
house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their
stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. And he brought
them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly,
with all his house, having believed in God.
But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, "Let those
men go." And the jailor reported the words to Paul, saying, "The
magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in
peace." But Paul said unto them, "They have beaten us publicly,
uncondemned, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do
they now cast us out secretly? nay verily; let them come themselves and
bring us out."
And the police reported these words unto the magistrates: and they
feared, when they heard that they were Romans; and they came and
besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go
away from the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into
the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted
them, and departed.
{401}{402}
[Illustration]
THE TEMPLE OF APOLLO AT CORINTH, WITH THE ACROPOLIS IN THE BACKGROUND.
From a photograph belonging to Smith College, and used by special
permission.
"It was its conspicuous position on the narrow neck of land between
the Aegean and Ionian seas which was the main cause of Corinth's
greatness. The construction of the famous ship Argo, on which Jason
sailed in search of the Golden Fleece, is assigned by mythology to
Corinth. The first Greek triremes were certainly built here. Neptune
was her god. Her colonies were spread over distant coasts in the East
and West. Ships came to her harbor from every sea."
[End illustration]
{403}
III
PREACHING IN THE MACEDONIAN CITIES.
_Riot in Thessalonica. Success in Beroea_.
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to
Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: and Paul, as his custom
was, went in unto them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them
from the scriptures, arguing that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and
to rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, "whom," said he, "I
proclaim unto you, is the Christ."
And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; and of the
devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But
the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows
of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar; and
assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the
people. And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain
brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, "These men who have
turned the world upside down are come hither also; whom Jason hath
received: and these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying
that there is another king, one Jesus."
And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, when they
heard these things. And when they had taken bail from Jason and the
rest, they let them go.
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto
Beroea: who when they were come {404} thither went into the synagogue of
the Jews. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that
they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the
scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so. Many of them
therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of
men, not a few.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was
proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring
up and troubling the multitudes. And then immediately the brethren sent
forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there
still. But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and
receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to
him with all speed, they departed.
IV
PAUL AT ATHENS.
_The Leader of the New Faith Speaks on Classic Ground_.
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, he was aroused, as he beheld
the city full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews
and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that
met with him. And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers
encountered him. And some said, "What would this babbler say?" others,
"He seemeth to be a teacher of strange gods": because he preached Jesus
and the resurrection.
{405}{406}
[Illustration]
THE PARTHENON, ONE OF THE TEMPLES ON THE ACROPOLIS AT ATHENS
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass.,
and used by special permission
"Crowning the Acropolis was the Parthenon, the glorious temple which
rose in the proudest period of Athenian history to the honor of
Minerva, and which ages of war and decay have only partially defaced.
The sculptures on one side of the pediments represented the birth of
the goddess; those on the other depicted her contest with Neptune.
Under the outer cornices were groups exhibiting the victories achieved
by her champions. Round the inner frieze was the long series of the
Panathenaic procession." The Acropolis, with its splendid temples, was
on Paul's right and in full view as he preached on the Areopagus.
[End illustration]
{407}
And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying,
"May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee? For
thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know
therefore what these things mean." (Now all the Athenians and the
strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either
to tell or to hear some new thing.) And Paul stood in the midst of the
Areopagus, and said,--
"Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are very religious.
For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found
also an altar with this inscription,
TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.
What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this set I forth unto you. The
God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven
and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is he served
by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth
to all life, and breath, and all things; and he made of one people every
nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined
their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; that they
should seek God, if haply they might feel after him, and find him,
though he is not far from each one of us: for in him we live, and move,
and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said,--
'For we are also his offspring.'
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead
is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by {408} art and device
of man. The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he
commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: inasmuch as he
hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness
by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto
all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but
others said, "We will hear thee concerning this yet again."
Thus Paul went out from among them. But certain men were drawn to him,
and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman
named Damaris, and others with them.
V
TENTMAKING IN CORINTH.
_A Roman Officer Champions the New Faith_.
After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. There
he found a certain Jew named Aquila, lately come from Italy, with his
wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart
from Rome. He became acquainted with them; and because he was of the
same trade, he abode with them, and they worked together; for by their
trade they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every
Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
{409}{410}
[Illustration]
RUINS AT CORINTH.
Photograph taken by Rev. Frank L. Goodspeed, Ph.D., of Springfield,
Mass., and used by his kind permission.
"By virtue of her situation on 'the bridge of the seas,' Corinth
became the common resort and the universal market of the Greeks. Her
population and wealth were further augmented by the manufactures in
metallurgy, dyeing, and porcelain, which grew up in connection with
her commerce. The wealth, luxury, and profligacy of Corinth were
proverbial in the ancient world."
[End illustration]
{411}
But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul gave attention
to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. And when
they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook out his raiment, and
said unto them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from
henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles."
And he departed thence, and went into the house of a certain man named
Titus Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was close to the
synagogue. And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord
with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and
were baptized. And the Lord said unto Paul in the night by a vision, "Be
not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and
no man shall set on thee to harm thee: for I have much people in this
city."
And he dwelt there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among
them.
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose
up against Paul, and brought him before the judgment seat, saying, "This
man persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law."
But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews,
"If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked villainy, O ye Jews,
it would be reasonable that I should bear with you: but if they are
questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves;
I am not minded to be a judge of these matters."
And he drove them from the judgment seat. And they all laid hold of
Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and {412} beat him before the
judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things.
And Paul, having tarried after this yet many days, took his leave of the
brethren, and sailed thence for Syria, and with him Priscilla and
Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchreae: for he had a vow. And they
came to Ephesus, and he left them there: but he himself entered into the
synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. And when they asked him to abide
a longer time, he consented not; but taking his leave of them, and
saying, "I will return again unto you, if God will," he set sail from
Ephesus.
And when he had landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and saluted
the church, and went down to Antioch.
{413}{414}
[Illustration]
THE VALE OF TEMPE.
On the slopes of Olympus.
From a photograph belonging to Smith College,
and used by special permission.
"The shepherds on the heights above the vale of Tempe may have watched
the sails of Paul's ship as it moved like a speck over the waters of
the Thermaic Gulf."--_Howson_
[End illustration]
{415}
[Illustration]
Map of land around the Mediterranean Sea showing Paul's journey.
[End illustration]
{416}
{417}
THE THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY.
After brief visits at _Jerusalem_ and _Antioch_, Paul started by the
land route for Galatia. After revisiting the churches there he came
through central Asia Minor to _Ephesus_. For two years Paul made this
great city the center of missionary effort. After the great riot in
_Ephesus_, which interrupted his plans, Paul set sail on a coasting
vessel for _Macedonia_, changing ship at _Troas_. Thence he sailed for
_Philippi_ and remained three months with the Macedonian churches. Then
he went to _Corinth_, where he stayed three months more. At the opening
of navigation in the spring he sailed again for _Macedonia_, visiting
_Philippi_. From Philippi he started on a long and tedious voyage by
coasting vessel, bound for Jerusalem. He touched on the voyage at
_Troas, Assos, Mitylene, Samos, Trogyllium, Miletus, Cos, Rhodes,
Patara_. These are towns on the islands and along the coast of Asia
Minor. The ship made slow progress, doing a coasting trade no doubt, and
waiting for favorable winds. At Patara they found a big merchantman
bound directly for Tyre, calling only at Myra. Before the strong west
wind the ship made a good run out of sight of land from coast to coast
except when the southern shores of Cyprus were passed. After a few days'
stop at Tyre, the ship went on to _Caesarea_, stopping at _Ptolemais_.
Then Paul went up to Jerusalem, and the great third missionary campaign
was over.
Companions: Various disciples.
{418}
I
FAR AND WIDE BY LAND AND SEA.
"_I Must Also See Rome_."
After having spent some time at Antioch, he departed, and went through
the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, stablishing all the
disciples.
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having
passed through the upper country came to Ephesus. His preaching here had
great effect. And not a few of them that practiced curious arts brought
their books together, and burned them in the sight of all: and they
counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.
Now after these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he
had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying,
"After I have been there, I must also see Rome."
And having sent into Macedonia two of his companions who ministered unto
him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
II
A RIOT IN EPHESUS
"_Great is Diana of the Ephesians!_"
And about that time there arose no small stir concerning the new faith.
For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver
shrines of Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen;
{419}{420}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF GREAT GREEK THEATER AT MILETUS.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
Miletus once was one of the leading centers of Greek civilization,
which began to decay in Paul's day.
"Even in Homer, the 'Carian Miletus' appears as a place of renown.
Eighty colonies went forth from the banks of the Maeander, and some of
them were spread even to the eastern shores of the Black Sea and
beyond the Pillars of Hercules to the west. It received its first blow
in the Persian war, when its inhabitants, like the Jews, had
experience of a Babylonian captivity. It suffered once more in
Alexander's great campaign; and after his time it gradually began to
sink towards its present condition of ruin and decay, from the
influence, as it would seem, of mere natural causes,--the increase of
alluvial soil in the delta having the effect of removing the city
gradually farther and farther from the sea. Even in the Apostle's
time, there was between the city and the shore a considerable space of
level ground, through which the ancient river meandered in new windings,
like the Forth at Stirling. Few events connect the history of Miletus
with the transactions of the Roman Empire. When St. Paul was there, it
was simply one of the second-rate seaports on this populous coast,
ranking, perhaps, with Adramyttium or Patara, but hardly with Ephesus
or Smyrna."
[End illustration]
{421}
whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and
said, "Sirs, ye know that by this business we have our wealth. And ye
see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia,
this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they
are no gods, which are made with hands: and not only is there danger
that this our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the
great goddess Diana be made of no account, and that she should even be
deposed from her magnificence, whom all Asia and the world worshipeth."
And when they heard this, they were filled with wrath, and cried out,
saying,
"GREAT IS DIANA OF THE EPHESIANS!"
And the city was filled with the confusion: and they rushed with one
accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of
Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel. And when Paul was minded to
enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain
also of the chief officers of Asia, being his friends, sent unto him,
and besought him not to venture into the theater. Some therefore cried
one thing, and some another: for the assembly was in confusion; and the
larger part knew not wherefore they were come together.
And they brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him
forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a
defense unto the people. But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all
with one voice about the space of two hours cried out,--
"GREAT IS DIANA OF THE EPHESIANS!"
{422}
And when the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he saith, "Ye men of
Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not that the city of the
Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which
fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied,
ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash. For ye have brought hither
these men, which are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our
goddess. If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen that are with him,
have a matter against any man, the courts are open, and here are judges:
let them accuse one another. But if ye seek anything about other
matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For indeed we are
in danger of being accused concerning this day's riot, there being no
cause for it: and we shall not be able to give account of this
concourse."
And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
III
FAREWELLS TO THE CHURCHES.
_Paul Starts on a Fateful Journey_.
And after the uproar was ceased, Paul having sent for the disciples and
exhorted them, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.
And when he had gone through those parts, and had given them much
exhortation, he came into Greece. And when he had spent three months
there, and a plot was laid against him by the Jews, as he was about to
set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.
{423}{424}
[Illustration]
HARBOR OF ASSOS
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
"Of the city of Assos itself, we must conclude, if we compare the
description of the ancients with present appearances, that its aspect
as seen from the sea was sumptuous and grand. A terrace with a long
portico was raised by a wall of rock above the water line. Above this
was a magnificent gate, approached by a flight of steps. Higher still
was the theater, which commanded a glorious view of Lesbos and the
sea, and those various buildings which are now a wilderness of broken
columns, triglyphs, and friezes. The whole was crowned by a citadel of
Greek masonry on a cliff of granite. Such was the view which gradually
faded into indistinctness as the vessel retired from the shore, and
the summits of Ida rose in the evening sky."
[End illustration]
{425}
And there accompanied him as far as Asia a company of men from the
various churches. But these had gone before, and were waiting for us at
Troas. And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened
bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we tarried seven
days.
And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to
break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the
morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight. And there were many
lights in the upper chamber, where we were gathered together. And there
sat in the window a certain young man named Eutychus, overpowered with
deep sleep; and as Paul discoursed yet longer, he fell down from the
third story, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him,
and embracing him said, "Make ye no ado; for his life is in him."
And when he was gone up, and had broken the bread, and eaten, and had
talked with them a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted.
But we, going before to the ship, set sail for Assos, there intending to
take in Paul: for so had he appointed, intending himself to go by land.
And when he met us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene. And
sailing from thence, we came the following day over against Chios; and
the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after we came to Miletus.
For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to
spend time in Asia; for {426} he was hastening, if it were possible for
him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the
church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, "Ye
yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what
manner I was with you all the time, serving the Lord with all lowliness
of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of
the Jews: how I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was
profitable, and teaching you publicly, from house to house, testifying
both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto
Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that
the Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and
afflictions await me. But I hold not my life of any account, as dear
unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which
I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of
God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about
preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I testify
unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I
shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.
{427}{428}
[Illustration]
DISTANT VIEWS OF OLYMPUS
Photographs taken by Prof. George Norlin. Owned by Arthur S. Cooley,
Ph.D., and used by his kind permission
It was near the foot of Olympus, the most famous mountain in Greece,
"the home of the gods," that Paul embarked on his voyage to Athens,
and it was often in sight as he sailed from point to point in the
Aegean Sea. The whole of Paul's route in Macedonia was over historical
ground. He traveled over the route taken by Xerxes' army when it swept
down to overwhelm Greece. He passed near the Pass of Thermopylae,
where one of the most famous defenses of history was made; at Philippi
he was close to the confines of Thracian barbarism, and on the spot
where the last battle was fought in defense of the republic; at Berea
he was near the famous battleground of Pydna, which reduced Macedonia
to a Roman province.
[End illustration]
{429}
"Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in the which the Holy
Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of God, which he
purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departing grievous
wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among
your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
the disciples after them. Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the
space of three years I ceased not to admonish everyone night and day
with tears. And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance among all
them that are sanctified. I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or
apparel. Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my
necessities, and to them that were with me. In all things I gave you an
example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the
words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to
give than to receive.'"
And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and
prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on
Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the
word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face
no more. And they brought him on his way unto the ship.
And when it came to pass that we were parted from them, and had set
sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day unto
Rhodes, and from thence to Patara: and having found a ship crossing over
unto Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. And when we had come in
sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and
landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unload her cargo. And having
found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these said to Paul
through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem. And when
it came to pass that we had accomplished the days, {430} we departed and
went on our journey; and they all, with wives and children, accompanied
us on our way, till we were out of the city: and kneeling down on the
beach, we prayed, and bade each other farewell; and we went on board the
ship, but they returned home again.
And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais;
and we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. And on the
morrow we departed, and came to Caesarea: and entering into the house of
Philip the evangelist, we abode with him. Now this man had four
daughters, who prophesied. And as we tarried there many days, there came
down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And coming to us, and
taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus
saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that
owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the
Gentiles." And when we heard these things, both we and they of that
place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
Then Paul answered, "What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am
ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of
the Lord Jesus." And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying,
"The will of the Lord be done."
And after these days we went up to Jerusalem. And there went with us
also certain of the disciples from Caesarea, bringing with them one
Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
{431}{432}
[Illustration]
CAPE SUNION.
Photograph taken by Dr. C. W. Bill. Owned by Arthur S. Cooley, Ph.D.,
and used by his kind permission.
The ship on which Paul sailed rounded this point on her way to Athens.
The white columns of the famous temple of Minerva, always a landmark to
Greek sailors, are still seen upon the headland.
[End illustration]
[Illustration]
THE ISLAND OF NAXOS.
Photograph taken by Dr. C. W. Bill. Owned by Arthur S. Cooley, Ph.D.,
and used by his kind permission.
The mountains of the island of Naxos must often have been seen by Paul
on his voyages. The Aegean Sea is almost deserted now, but in classic
times it was crowded with the commerce of the East.
[End illustration]
{433}
THE CAPTAIN OF THE NEW FAITH IN THE HANDS OF HIS FOES
I
THE JEWS STIR UP A RIOT.
_Paul, in Great Peril, is Saved by a Roman Officer_.
(When Paul reached Jerusalem he worshiped, as was his custom, in the
temple. But he had many enemies who said that he was a traitor to the
Jewish faith because he was friendly with people who were not Jews.)
Paul's enemies stirred up all the multitude, and laid hands on him,
crying out, "Men of Israel, help: This is the man, who teacheth all men
everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place: and moreover
he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled this holy
place."
For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian,
whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple. And all the
city was moved, and the people ran together: and they laid hold on Paul,
and dragged him out of the temple: and straightway the doors were shut.
And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief
captain of the garrison, that all Jerusalem was in confusion. And
forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them: and
they, when {434} they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off
beating Paul. Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on Paul,
and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was,
and what he had done. And some shouted one thing, some another, among
the crowd: and when the captain could not know the truth for the uproar,
he commanded him to be brought into the castle. And when he came upon
the stairs, he was borne by the soldiers on account of the violence of
the crowd; for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out,
"Away with him."
And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the
chief captain, "May I say something unto thee?"
And he said, "Dost thou know Greek? Art thou not then the Egyptian,
which before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the
wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?"
But Paul said, "I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean
city: and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people."
II
ON THE CASTLE STAIRS
_Paul Defends Himself Before the People_.
When the officer gave him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned
with the hand unto the people; and when they were all silent, he spoke
unto them in the Hebrew language, saying, "Brethren and fathers, hear ye
the defense which I now make unto you."
{435}{436}
[Illustration]
CITY OF SALONICA
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
This is the city known in Paul's time as Thessalonica, which has come
into such prominence during the great European war (1916).
The apostolic city at which we are now arrived was known in the
earliest periods of its history under various names. Under that of
Therma it is associated with some interesting recollections. It was
the resting place of Xerxes on his march; it is not unmentioned in the
Peloponnesian war; and it was a frequent subject of debate in the last
independent assemblies of Athens. When the Macedonian power began to
overshadow all the countries where Greek was spoken, this city
received its new name, and began a new and more distinguished period
of its history. A sister of Alexander the Great was called
Thessalonica, and her name was given to the city of Therma, when
rebuilt and embellished by her husband, Cassander, the son of
Antipater. This name, under a form slightly modified, has continued to
the present day. The "Salneck" of the early German poets has become the
Saloniki of the modern Levant. Its history can be followed as
continuously as its name. When Macedonia was partitioned into four
provincial divisions by Paulus Emilius, Thessalonica was the capital
of that which lay between the Axius and the Strymon. When the four
regions were united into one Roman province, this city was chosen as
the metropolis of the whole. Its name appears more than once in the
annals of the Civil wars. It was the scene of the exile of Cicero, and
one of the stages of his journey between Rome and his province in the
East. Antony and Octavius were here after the battle of Philippi; and
coins are still extant which allude to the "freedom" granted by the
victorious leaders to the city of the Thermaic gulf. Strabo, in the
first century, speaks of Thessalonica as the most populous town in
Macedonia. Lucian, in the second century, uses similar language.
Before the founding of Constantinople, it was virtually the capital of
Greece and Illyricum, as well as of Macedonia, and shared the trade of
the Aegean with Ephesus and Corinth. Even after Constantinople was
built and reigned over the Levant we find both pagan and Christian
writers speaking of Thessalonica as the metropolis of Macedonia and a
place of great magnitude.
[End illustration]
{437}
And when they heard that he spoke unto them in the Hebrew language, they
were the more quiet: and he saith,--
"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at
the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the
law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:
and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into
prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me
witness, and all the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the
brethren, and journeyed to Damascus, to bring them also who were there
unto Jerusalem in bonds, to be punished. And it came to pass, that, as I
made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there
shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell to the
ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me?' And I answered, 'Who art thou, Lord?' And he said unto me, 'I
am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.' And those who were with me
beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke
to me. And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said unto me,
'Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all
things which are appointed for thee to do.' And when I could not see for
the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with
me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the
law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, came unto me,
{438} and standing by me said unto me, 'Brother Saul, receive thy
sight.' And in that very hour I looked up and saw him. And he said, 'The
God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the
Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. For thou shalt be a
witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now
why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling on his name.' And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to
Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, and
saw him saying unto me, 'Make haste, and get thee quickly out of
Jerusalem: because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning
me.'
"And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in
every synagogue them that believed on thee: and when the blood of
Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting,
and keeping the garments of them that slew him.' And he said unto me,
'Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.'"
And they gave him audience unto this word: and they lifted up their
voice, and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not
fit that he should live." And they cried out, and threw off their
garments, and cast dust into the air.
{439}{440}
[Illustration]
SYRACUSE.
Photograph taken by Arthur S. Cooley, Ph.D., and used by his kind
permission.
Paul's ship touched here on her way to Rome, remaining in the harbor
three days.
[End illustration]
[Illustration]
PUTEOLI.
Photograph taken by Arthur S. Cooley, Ph.D., and used by his kind
permission.
This was one of the ports of Rome, where the great corn ship on which
Paul sailed discharged her cargo. This city was on the northern shores
of the famous Bay of Naples. Across the bay was the naval station of
Rome, where the imperial fleet lay at anchor. "The angry neighbor of
Naples was not then an unsleeping volcano, but a green and sunny
background to the bay. No one could have suspected that the time was
so near when the admiral of the fleet at Misenum would be lost in its
fiery eruption; and little did the apostle dream, as he looked from
the 'Twin Brothers'' deck across the bay, that a ruin like that of
Sodom and Gomorrah hung over the fair cities of Herculaneum and
Pompeii at the base of the mountain, and that the Jewish princess, who
had so lately conversed with him in his prison at Caesarea, would find
her tomb in the ruins."
[End illustration]
{441}
III
A CITIZEN OF THE EMPIRE
_The Roman Officer Discovers that Paul is a Fellow-Citizen, and Offers
an Apology_.
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, bidding
that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what
cause, they so shouted against him. And when they had tied him up with
the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, "Is it lawful
for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?"
And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain, and told
him, saying, "What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman."
And the chief captain came, and said unto him, "Tell me, art thou a
Roman?"
And he said, "Yea."
And the chief captain answered, "With a great sum obtained I this
citizenship."
And Paul said, "But I am a Roman born."
They then which were about to examine him straightway departed from him:
and the chief captain also was afraid, when he knew that he was a Roman,
and because he had bound him.
{442}
IV
PAUL BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
_A Division Among the Members_.
But on the morrow, desiring to know why he was accused of the Jews, he
loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come
together, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
And Paul, looking steadfastly on the council, said, "Brethren, I have
lived before God in all good conscience until this day."
And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite
him on the mouth. Then said Paul unto him, "God shall smite thee, thou
whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and
commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?"
And they that stood by said, "Revilest thou God's high priest?"
And Paul said, "I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is
written, 'Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.'"
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other
Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a
son of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am
called in question."
{443}{444}
[Illustration]
CAESAR AUGUSTUS.
The first, and one of the greatest, of the rulers of the Roman empire
to be called "Caesar." He was in power when Christ was born. The
Caesar to whom Paul appealed was Nero, one of the worst of the
Caesars.
[End illustration]
{445}
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees
and Sadducees: and the assembly was divided. (For the Sadducees say that
there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees
believe both.) And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes
of the Pharisees stood up, and strove, saying, "We find no evil in this
man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?"
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest
Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down
and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, "Be of good
cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must
thou bear witness also at Rome."
V
A CONSPIRACY AGAINST PAUL.
Certain Fanatical Jews Make a Vow to Kill Paul, and He is Sent to
Governor Felix, Under Escort of a Strong Body of Roman Cavalry.
And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves by
an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had
killed Paul. And they were more than forty which made this conspiracy.
And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have
bound ourselves by a great oath, to taste nothing until we have killed
Paul. Now therefore do ye with the council {446} request the chief
captain to bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case
more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him."
But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and
entered into the castle, and told Paul. And Paul called unto him one of
the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man unto the chief captain:
for he hath something to tell him."
So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, "Paul
the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man
unto thee, who hath something to say to thee."
And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him
privately, "What hast thou to tell me?"
And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul
to-morrow unto the council, as though thou wouldest inquire somewhat
more exactly concerning him. Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for
there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound
themselves by an oath, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain
him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee."
So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, "Tell no man
that thou hast informed me of this."
And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, "Make ready two
hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and
ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night."
And he bade them provide a beast for Paul to ride on, {447} and bring
him safe unto Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter after this
form:--
"_Claudius Lysias unto the Most Excellent Governor Felix, greeting_:--
"_This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain by them,
when I came upon them with the soldiers, and rescued him, having
learned that he was a Roman. And desiring to know why they accused
him, I brought him down unto their council: whom I found to be accused
about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge
worthy of death or of bonds. And when it was shown to me that there
would be a plot against the man, I sent him to thee forthwith,
charging his accusers also to speak against him before thee_."
So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by
night to Antipatris. But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with
him, and returned to the castle: and they, when they came to Caesarea,
and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before
him. And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was; and when
he understood that he was of Cilicia, "I will hear thy cause," said he,
"when thine accusers also are come": and he commanded him to be kept in
Herod's palace.
{448}
VI
THE ACCUSATION OF THE JEWS
_Paul's Defense Before the Governor. Felix Dares Not Offend the Jews,
and an Innocent Man Suffers Two Years' Imprisonment_.
And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with certain
elders, and a lawyer to plead their case, one Tertullus; and they
informed the governor against Paul. And when he was called, Tertullus
began to accuse him, saying,--
"Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that by thy care evils are
corrected for this nation, we accept it in all ways and in all places,
most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. But, that I be not further
tedious unto thee, I intreat thee to hear us of thy clemency a few
words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of
insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader
of the sect of the Nazarenes: who moreover attempted to profane the
temple: on whom also we laid hold: from whom thou wilt be able, by
examining him thyself, to take knowledge of all these things, whereof we
accuse him."
And the Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that these things were
so.
And when the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, Paul answered:--
{449}{450}
[Illustration]
Map of land around the Mediterranean Sea showing Paul's journey.
[End illustration]
{451}
"Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this
nation, I cheerfully make my defense: seeing that thou canst take
knowledge, that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to
worship at Jerusalem: and neither in the temple did they find me
disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues,
nor in the city. Neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they
now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which
they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all
things which are according to the law, and which are written in the
prophets: having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for,
that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust. Herein I
also strive to have a conscience void of offense toward God and men
always. Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and
offerings: amidst which they found me purified in the temple, with no
crowd, nor yet with tumult: but there were certain Jews from Asia--who
ought to have been here before thee, and to make accusation, if they had
aught against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrong-doing
they found, when I stood before the council, except it be for this one
utterance, that I cried standing among them, 'Touching the resurrection
of the dead I am called in question before you this day.'"
But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred
them, saying, "When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will
determine your matter."
And he gave order to the centurion that Paul should be kept in charge,
and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his friends to
minister unto him.
{452}
But after certain days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a
Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ
Jesus. And as he reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the
judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, "Go thy way for
this time; and when I have a convenient season, I will call thee unto
me."
He hoped moreover that money would be given him by Paul: wherefore also
he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. But when two years
were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to
gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.
VII
A NEW EXAMINATION BEFORE GOVERNOR FESTUS
"_I Appeal unto Caesar_."
Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went
up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the principal
men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they besought him, asking
as a favor that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to
kill him on the way. Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in
charge at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart thither
shortly. "Let them therefore," said he, "who are influential among you,
go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them
accuse him."
{453}{454}
[Illustration]
"FAIR HAVENS," ISLAND OF CRETE.
From an old print in the possession of the Springfield Public Library,
and used by kind permission.
It was in the small harbor that Paul's ship anchored, and where he
wished the captain to remain all winter. It was in the island of Crete
that the famous labyrinth of King Minos, with its minotaur, was fabled
to exist.
[End illustration]
{455}
And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he
went down unto Caesarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment seat,
and commanded Paul to be brought. And when he was come, the Jews which
had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him
many and grievous charges, which they could not prove; while Paul said
in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the
temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."
But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul, and
said, "Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things
before me?"
But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I
ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very
well knowest. If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything
worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if none of those things is
true, whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up unto them.
"I Appeal Unto Caesar."
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council,
answered, "Thou hast appealed unto Caesar: unto Caesar
shalt thou go."
VIII
PAUL MAKES HIS DEFENSE BEFORE KING AGRIPPA AND QUEEN BERNICE.
"_This Man Doeth Nothing Worthy of Death or of Bonds_."
Now when certain days were passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived
at Caesarea, and saluted Festus. And {456} as they tarried there many
days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a
certain man left a prisoner by Felix: about whom, when I was at
Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me,
asking for sentence against him. To whom I answered, 'that it is not the
custom of the Romans to give up any man, before the accused have the
accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defense
concerning the matter laid against him.' When therefore they were come
together here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat down on the
judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought. Concerning whom,
when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil things
as I supposed; but had certain questions against him of their own
religion, and of one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be
alive. And I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things,
asked whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these
matters. But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the
emperor, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Caesar."
And Agrippa said unto Festus, "I also could wish to hear the man
myself." "To-morrow," saith he, "thou shalt hear him."
So on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp,
and they were entered into the audience room, with the chief captains,
and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was
brought in. And Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all men who are here.
present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the {457} multitude
of the Jews made suit to me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he
ought not to live any longer. But I found that he had committed nothing
worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined
to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord.
Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before
thee, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to
write. For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to
signify the charges against him."
And Agrippa said to Paul, "Thou art permitted to speak for thyself."
Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defense:--
"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before
thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:
especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which
are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My
manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among
mine own nation, and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; having knowledge
of me from the first, if they are willing to testify, how that after the
straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand here
to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;
unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and
day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews,
O king! Why is it judged incredible with you, if {458} God doth raise
the dead? I verily thought myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this I also did in
Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having
received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to
death, I gave my vote against them. And punishing them oftentimes in all
the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly
mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
"Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission
of the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from
heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them
that journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I
heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.' And
I said, 'Who art thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest. But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I
appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the
things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will
appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the
Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn
from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they
may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in me.' Wherefore, O King Agrippa, I was not
disobedient unto the heavenly vision: but declared both to them of
Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of
Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to
God, doing works worthy of repentance.
{459}{460}
[Illustration]
THE SHIP OF PAUL WHEN CAUGHT IN THE EUROCLYDON.
From an old print in the possession of the Springfield Public Library,
and used by kind permission.
This picture attempts to show the ship of Paul just as the wind has
changed and threatened disaster. The crew is furling the heavy
mainsail, and the boat, which was afterward taken aboard with great
difficulty, is still being towed behind. Mt. Ida is shown at the left
of the picture. It was soon after this that the ship, being unable to
make the harbor of Phenice, got under the lea of the small island of
Clauda, and the crew was able for a short time to make some
preparations for the terrible experience before them.
[End illustration]
{461}
For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.
Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this
day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the
prophets and Moses have said should come; how that the Christ must
suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should
proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles."
And as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul,
thou art mad; thy much learning hath made thee mad."
But Paul said, "I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth
words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, unto
whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things
is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner. King
Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest."
And Agrippa said unto Paul, "With but little persuasion thou wouldest
make me a Christian."
And Paul said, "I would to God, that whether with little or with much,
not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as
I am, except these bonds."
And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat
with them: and when they had withdrawn, they spoke one to another,
saying, "This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds." And
Agrippa said unto Festus, "This man might have been set at liberty, if
he had not appealed unto Caesar."
{462}
THE CAPTAIN OF THE NEW FAITH IN THE CAPITAL OF THE CAESARS.
I
PAUL'S VOYAGE TO ROME.
When Paul appealed to Caesar it became necessary to send him to Rome.
It happened that a convoy of prisoners under the charge of a captain
of the Augustan cohort and a detachment of soldiers was being
despatched to the capital, and Paul was sent under the captain's
charge. No ship was found sailing directly from _Caesarea_ to _Rome_,
so a coaster was taken which went as far as _Myra_, touching at
_Sidon_. At Myra was found one of the great imperial grain ships bound
for Italy.
The winds were contrary and the ship was constantly driven off her
course, and at last put into the roadstead of _Fair Havens_ on the
south coast of the island of _Crete_. So much time had been consumed
that the season was now late and navigation dangerous. A council was
held at which Paul, an experienced sailor, advised wintering where
they were. But the demand for grain was always urgent in Rome, and the
grain ships were always rushed on as fast as possible. The centurion
decided to take the chances and proceed, at least as far as _Phoenix_,
which was nearer Italy and a better harbor. On a bright day with a
fair south wind they weighed anchor and sailed west, going close
inshore and barely weathering _Cape Matala_.
{463}{464}
[Illustration]
THE SHIP ON WHICH PAUL SAILED FOR ROME JUST BEFORE THE WRECK.
This very interesting picture is taken from an old book, now long out
of print, "The Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul," by James Smith.
Owned by Miss Mary Medlicott, reference librarian of the Springfield
Public Library, and used by her kind permission.
The picture was carefully drawn to show the exact position of the
ship, and is without doubt very accurate. The ship itself was drawn
from ancient models. Four anchors are out at the stern, the two huge
rudders are raised to escape the smashing of the heavy seas, and the
ropes which undergirded the vessel to prevent leaking are shown. The
sailors have just raised the small foresail preparatory to beaching
the ship. A heavy sea is running and the clouds are dark with rain.
The rocky coast is shown near by.
[End illustration]
{465}
Half way across the _Gulf of Mesura_, the wind suddenly shifted to the
north, and, sweeping down from the snowy summits of the Cretan mountains
which towered seven thousand feet above them, struck the ship with the
force of a typhoon. Instantly it grew dark and the sea was a smother of
foam. The terrified crew had not time to furl the heavy mainsail, and
simply let the ship run with the wind. Very fortunately they had a
little better weather under the lee of the small island of _Clauda_, where
they were able to pull in the small boat, which was dragging behind half
full of water, and get control of the ship. Recovering somewhat from the
panic, the crew began to make the best of a perilous situation. It was
impossible to make any near-by port, and the great danger was that the
northerly gale would blow them upon the deadly _Syrtis_ or quicksands of
the African coast. They shortened sail, and got the ship up into the
wind so that, drifting broadside, she made progress west instead of
south. She was leaking, and they passed strong cables underneath her to
hold the timbers together. The next day she was still leaking badly, so
they lightened her by throwing out some of the cargo. The next day after
that, they cast overboard even the ship's furniture. So they drifted
with little or no food, day after day and night after night, seeing
neither sun nor star, despair growing upon their haggard faces. But Paul
stood up and gave them good cheer, practically assuming command, and
assuring them that every soul should be saved. At last, after drifting
helplessly for fourteen days, at midnight they heard the sound of
breakers on some unknown shore. The {466} sailors sounded and found
twenty fathoms, then again and found fifteen. Then, fearing to be cast
on a rocky shore, they put out four anchors from the stern and waited
for the day. Their situation was still desperate, the rain was falling
in sheets, and in the pauses of the storm they could hear the roar of
the surf. Some of the sailors now attempted to desert the ship. On the
pretense of getting out another anchor by the bow, they let down the
small boat into the sea. Paul discovered the move and warned the
centurion, saying that they must not leave the ship. The centurion
promptly cut the rope which held the boat and it drifted away in the
darkness. Toward morning Paul moved about among the men inspiring them
with courage. He insisted that all hands should take some food, and with
better spirit they further lightened the almost foundering ship by
throwing out some of the grain. When day broke they found themselves at
the entrance of a bay with a sandy shore. They decided then to beach the
ship at once. They cast off the anchors, hoisted the sail, and let her
drive to the shore, where the bow stuck fast in the sand, but the stern
began to break up. The soldiers wished to kill the prisoners, but the
centurion forbade, commanding every man to save himself. Some swam
ashore, some came in on pieces of wreckage, and the whole ship's company
was saved.
They found that they had drifted upon the island of
Malta, a little speck in the Mediterranean, missing which
they must have perished. Here they stayed three months.
Then they sailed on the ship "The Twin Brothers," and,
touching at _Syracuse_ and _Rhegium_, they reached _Puteoli_,
the harbor of entry for _Rome_.
{467}{468}
[Illustration]
MALTA
The island of Malta, on which Paul was shipwrecked, played, in later
days, a most important part in the history of the Mediterranean. It
was occupied by the famous knights of Malta who, for many years, kept
it as a Christian stronghold against the Turks. In 1568 the famous
siege began, which lasted for 20 years, conducted by the great sultan
Solyman in person. He was finally obliged to retreat, defeated with
terrible loss. The island is held at present by England, and has very
extensive fortifications.
[End illustration]
{469}
II
A WINTER'S STORM ON THE MEDITERRANEAN.
_The Shipwreck_.
And when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered
Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the
Augustan company. And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was
about to sail to ports on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus,
a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. And the next day we touched
at Sidon: and Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go to
his friends and refresh himself. And putting to sea from thence, we
sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And
when we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we
came to Myra, a city of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of
Alexandria sailing for Italy; and he put us therein. And when we had
sailed slowly many days, and were come with difficulty over against
Cnidus, the wind not further suffering us, we sailed under the lee of
Crete, over against Salmone; and with difficulty coasting along it we
came to a certain place called Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city
of Lasea.
And when much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because
the winter was near, Paul admonished them, and said unto them, "Sirs, I
perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of
the lading and the ship, but also of our lives." But the centurion gave
more heed to the master and to the owner of {470} the ship, than to
those things which were spoken by Paul. And because the haven was not
commodious to winter in, the larger part advised to put to sea from
thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there;
which is a haven of Crete, looking northeast and southeast. And when the
south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose,
they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close inshore. But after no
long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called
Euraquilo: and when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we
gave way to it, and were driven.
And running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able,
with difficulty, to secure the boat: and when they had hoisted it up,
they used ropes, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should be
cast upon the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven. And as
we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw
the freight overboard; and the third day they cast out with their own
hands the tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars shone
upon us for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we
should be saved was now taken away.
And when they had been long without food, then Paul stood forth in the
midst of them, and said, "Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and
not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss. And
now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of life
among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an
angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve, saying, 'Fear not, Paul;
thou must stand before Caesar: and lo, God hath granted thee all them
that sail with thee.' Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe
God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me. Howbeit we
must be cast upon a certain island."
{471}{472}
[Illustration]
I. THE APPIAN WAY, OVER WHICH PAUL TRAVELED TO ROME.
The ruins are those of ancient tombs. In the foreground are stones of
the old Roman pavement.
Owned by Prof. E. J. Brady, Department of Latin, Smith College, and
used by his kind permission.
The "Via Appia," the oldest and most celebrated of Roman roads, was
constructed as far as Capua A. U. C. 442 by the censor, Appius
Claudius. Procopius, writing 800 years later, describes it as broad
enough for two chariots to pass. It was paved with stones brought from
distant quarries and so fitted together as to seem formed by nature.
He says that the road was then in perfect condition.
[End illustration]
{473}
But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in
the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were
drawing near to land; and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms: and
after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms. And
fearing lest we should be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four
anchors from the stern, and wished for the day. And as the sailors were
seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea,
pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow, Paul said to
the centurion and to the soldiers, "Except these abide in the ship, ye
cannot be saved."
Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some
food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue
fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I beseech you to take some
food: for this is for your safety: for there shall not a hair perish
from the head of any of you."
And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in
the presence of all: and he broke it, and began to eat. Then were they
all of good cheer, and themselves also took food. And we were in all in
the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. And when they had
eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing {474} out the wheat into
the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they perceived
a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could
drive the ship upon it. And casting off the anchors, they left them in
the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting
up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. But lighting upon
a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the bow
struck and remained unmovable, but the stern began to break up by the
violence of the waves. And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the
prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. But the
centurion, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and
commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves overboard,
and get first to the land: and the rest, some on planks, and some on
other things from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all
escaped safe to the land.
III
AT MALTA
_Paul Sails Again for Rome on the Ship "Twin Brothers._"
And when we were escaped, then we knew that the island was called Malta.
And the barbarians showed us uncommon kindness: for they kindled a fire,
and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the
cold. But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on
the fire, a viper came out by reason of the heat, and fastened on his
hand.
{475}{476}
[Illustration]
II. ALONG THE APPIAN WAY, THE GREAT ROMAN AQUEDUCT.
Owned by Prof. E. J. Brady, Department of Latin, Smith College,
and used by his kind permission.
The Appian Way has been called the "Queen of Roads." It was in Paul's
time the crowded approach to the metropolis of the world. Near the city the
road passed under the aqueduct, which was continually dripping water, hence
called by Juvenal "the moist gate".
"Praetors, proconsuls to their provinces
Hasting, or on return in robes of state;
Lictors and rods, the ensigns of their power,
Legions and cohorts, turms of horse and wings;
Or embassies from regions far remote,
In various habits on the Appian Way."
--_Milton's "Paradise Regained"_
[End illustration]
{477}
And when the barbarians saw the reptile hanging from his hand, they said
one to another, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath
escaped from the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live."
Howbeit he shook off the reptile into the fire, and took no harm. But
they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly:
but when they were long in expectation, and beheld nothing amiss come to
him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief
man of the island, named Publius; who received us, and entertained us
three days courteously. And it was so, that the father of Publius lay
sick of fever and dysentery: unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and
laying his hands on him healed him. And when this was done, the rest
also which had diseases in the island came, and were cured: who also
honored us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put on board such
things as we needed.
And after three months we set sail in a ship of Alexandria, which had
wintered in the island, whose sign was "The Twin Brothers." And touching
at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. And from thence we made a
circuit, and arrived at Rhegium: and after one day a south wind sprang
up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli: where we found brethren,
and were intreated to tarry with them seven days: and so we came to
Rome. And from thence the brethren, when they heard of us, came to meet
us as far as The Market of Appius, and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul
saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
{478}
IV
PAUL AT THE CITY ON THE TIBER.
_He Preaches the Gospel in the Capital of the World_.
And when we entered into Rome, Paul was permitted to abide by himself
with the soldier that guarded him.
And it came to pass, that after three days he called together those that
were the chief of the Jews: and when they were come together, he said
unto them, "I, brethren, though I had done nothing against the people,
or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem
into the hands of the Romans: who, when they had examined me, desired to
set me at liberty, because there was no cause of death in me. But when
the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not
that I had anything to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore did
I intreat you to see and to speak with me: for because of the hope of
Israel I am bound with this chain."
And they said unto him, "We neither received letters from Judaea
concerning thee, nor did any of the brethren come hither and report or
speak any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou
thinkest: for as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere
it is spoken against."
{479}{480}
[Illustration]
STATUE OF PAUL ON THE ISLAND OF MALTA.
[End illustration]
{481}
And when they had appointed him a day, they came to him into his lodging
in great number; to whom he expounded the matter, testifying the kingdom
of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses
and from the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the
things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. And when they agreed not
among themselves, they departed, after Paul had spoken one word, "Well
spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers, saying,--
'Go thou unto this people, and say,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand;
And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:
For this people's heart is waxed gross,
And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed;
Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And shall turn again,
And I should heal them.'
Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent unto
the Gentiles: they will also hear."
And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and received
all that went in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching
the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none
forbidding him.
{482}
This is the close of the story of Paul as it is given in the Acts, but
half his service for the world, and half the adventures which attended
that service are not told here. We have a glimpse of what the complete
story must have been, in these words of his which might be inscribed
to his honor in the world's temple of fame:--
"Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep:
in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers,
in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in
perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the
sea, in perils among false brethern; in labor and travail, in
watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold
and nakedness.
To this should be added the great hero's farewell. In prison, aged,
infirm, about to die, he wrote these words, yet they are filled with the
same dauntless spirit of courage and faith which always animated Paul,
the Apostle.
"For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept
the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me
at that day; and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved
his appearing."
{483}
Notes
{484}
{485}
NOTES
The wise men were perhaps Jews, though it is generally thought that they
belonged to some other people, who looked and longed for a great king
who should free them from the Romans. Many Jews lived in the East, and
had become wise in the arts of astrology. They studied the stars and
thought that in them could be read the signs of things about to happen
on the earth. Indeed, it is not many centuries since, all over Europe,
men thought that a comet foreboded much evil of some sort. So to those
pious men God sent at last the sign for which they had so long waited.
The Bible tells nothing about the men themselves, but the church was so
fond of thinking of them and the honor they paid to the little baby who
should be the Master, that many stories were told of them. Their number
was sometimes given as twelve, but more often as three, until now
perhaps some people almost think that the Bible story says three; but it
does not. The popular stories made them also kings and gave them names,
and told how they represented three great races of the world, European,
Asiatic, and African. But in the Bible they are only wise men with
costly gifts, and they go out into history all unknown.
_John_ tried to get the people to see how they ought to repent and lead
good lives, that God might send the long-expected Messiah. A saying of
the rabbis was, "If Israel should keep the law for one day, the Messiah
would come." The custom of baptism was in use before he took it up. It
signified the desire that God should make the life pure and wash away
the sins of the past.
_The family of the Herods_ were the descendants of a courtier of Idumea,
in the northern part of Arabia. Herod the Great married a princess of
the heroic family of the Maccabees, so that most of the Herods of the
New Testament are partly Jewish in blood. The {486} family of Herod were
very able, but very cruel and selfish, and the people heartily hated
them. It is said that Herod the Great gave orders that when he died a
large number of the chief men should be killed at Jericho that the
people might mourn at his death. Perhaps the poor king was half insane
when he ordered this. Anyway, it was not done.
The following is a table of the Herodian family, but only giving those
mentioned in the New Testament:--
| AGRIPPA II.
| Acts 25,26
|
| AGRIPPA I. --| BERNICE
| Acts 12 | Acts 25:13; 26:30
| |
| ARISTOBULUS --| | DRUSILLA
| | | Acts 24:24
| |
| | HERODIAS
| | Matt. 14:3
| | Mark 6:17
| | Luke 3:39
|
|
|
| HEROD (PHILIP) | SALOME
| Matt. 14:3 --| Matt. 14:6
| Mark 6:17 | Mark 6:22
| Luke 3:19
Herod the Great |
Matt. 2:1-22 --|
Luke 1:5 |
| ANTIPAS
| Matt. 14:1-6
| Mark 6:14
| Luke 3:1, 19; 9:7; 13:31; 23:7, 15
| Acts 13: 1
|
|
| ARCHELAUS
| Matt. 2:22
|
|
| PHILIP
| Luke 3:1
{487}
While dried _fish_ were brought from abroad, the great source of supply
in Palestine was the Lake of Galilee. Its waters abounded in fish. Two
methods were used by fishermen: the small hand-net and the great
drag-net. The best time for fishing was after sunset or before sunrise,
but sometimes men worked all night. In the daytime fishermen took the
fish to market, mended their nets, and rested. The fish were eaten fresh
by the people in the many villages about the lake, or, dried in the sun
and salted, were carried far and wide, and used as a relish with bread.
The custom of a body of _disciples_ was not new to Jesus. John had
disciples, and so did the rabbis, who were considered great teachers. It
was a sort of primitive university by which a teacher attracted to his
personal following a group of loyal, loving pupils who would carry his
teaching to others. Socrates and Plato in Greece, Buddha in India, and
many another man in other countries, had done the same thing. The
difference between Jesus' disciples and other like groups was not in the
custom of discipleship but in the kind of a teacher they had; for never
was there a teacher like Jesus.
_Almsgiving and prayers_ were two of the most important acts of worship
in the Jewish religion. Their books praise giving alms to the poor very
highly. It was, indeed, one of the great ways open to them to show an
unselfish and brotherly spirit, and in the ancient world, most
unfortunate people--the lame, the blind, those unable to work--were
supported only by charity, and were expected to beg in the streets for
their living.
_Decapolis_ (ten cities). A region lying east of the Jordan, except the
city of Scythopolis (the old Bethshean). Its population was much mixed,
and many Gentiles lived in it, so that the stricter Jews looked down
upon the inhabitants, but Jesus did not hesitate to go among the towns
and teach the people.
_Ruler of the Synagogue_. An officer who was responsible for the proper
conduct of the service and the order of the congregation. He did not
conduct the service himself, but decided who should take part in it. The
position was one of honor, but did not require particular learning like
that of the scribes.
{488}
_Pharisees and Sadducees_. Two of the religious divisions of the Jews.
The Pharisees were earnest students of the law, and tried hard to do
right. But they were proud, and thought their way of seeing God was the
only true way. The Sadducees were not so religious. They were richer,
cared less about the law, and did not try so hard to keep it as did the
Pharisees. But they also were proud and haughty, and between the
Pharisees and the Sadducees, the common people found few friends, and
many more were willing to tell them how bad they were than to show them
the way to become good. That was one reason why, when Jesus came with
kindness, "the common people heard him gladly."
_Threshing floor_. A flat piece of ground, trodden hard, where the oxen
threshed out the grain by being driven back and forth over it. The "fan"
was a sort of shovel with which the grain was tossed in the air for
winnowing.
_Weddings_ in the East were times of elaborate ceremonials. The weddings
were in the night, and the friends of the groom went with him, bearing
torches, to the house of the bride, then, with the bride and her
friends, all returned to the house of the groom. Here a feast of several
days was held, with singing of songs and much merriment.
_Samaria_ had been partly settled by foreigners, more than seven hundred
years before, but the Jews of Jesus' time still looked down upon the
Samaritans, as not being pure Jews. They would not let them worship in
the temple, and despised them greatly. To be obliged to say that a
Samaritan had done a good deed was not pleasant for a Jew.
_Raca_. "Fool."
_Jot_, jod. The smallest Hebrew letter. _Tittle_. The little points on
the letters like the projections from the top of our d.
_Publican_. A tax-gatherer for the Roman government. No patriotic Jew
would take the office, and so the publicans were much despised; and
indeed they were mostly not the best sort of men.
{489}
_Leprosy_. A loathsome and lingering disease, for which no remedy was
known.
_Sea of Galilee, Luke of Gennesaret, Sea of Tiberias_. Different names
for the beautiful lake east of Galilee. It is pear shaped, about
thirteen miles long and a little less than seven wide.
_Kingdom of God_. Used by the Jews for the great kingdom which they
expected the Prince who should come, the Messiah, to set up; used by
Jesus to mean the rule of God in the hearts of men, which he came to
establish.
_Pennyworth_. About the equivalent of the wages for a day's work.
_Bethesda_. A pool in Jerusalem, fed by an intermittent spring, so that
sometimes the water suddenly rose in it. This made the people think that
it was powerful to heal diseases.
_Sabbath_ was very strictly kept by the Jews. They were very careful
about doing any work. No fire was lighted, no meals cooked, no medicine
prepared. They had made the needs of man subordinate to the Sabbath law,
rather than the law subordinate to the needs of man.
_Show-bread_. Loaves kept in the temple and renewed every week. The
point of Jesus is that the sacredness of the bread yielded to the needs
of David and his men.
_Dipped a sop_. It is customary in the East for the host to honor a
guest by dipping a piece of bread in the dish of meat or the cup of
drink and giving it with his own hand.
_Greek woman, Syro-Phoenician_. A Syrian, resident in Phoenicia, who
perhaps spoke Greek.
_Caesarea Philippi_. A town in the far north of Palestine, at the head
of the River Jordan.
{490}
_Fuller_. One whose business was to bleach cotton or linen cloth.
_Tormentors_. Those whose duty it was to obtain confessions, or to
punish, by scourging and other tortures.
_Hospitality_ is a much-prized virtue in the East. There were not so
many accommodations for travelers as there are among us. On the caravan
routes there were khans, or inns, and places where one could buy food,
but off the frequented routes of travel, among the villages, the
traveler had to depend on the kindness of the people for food and
shelter. So when the seventy went out, they must depend on the
hospitality of their hosts. Jesus advises them not to go about to many
houses in the same village, for that would waste much time in the
necessary ceremonies of politeness.
_Purifying_. The Old Testament has many laws of ceremonial purification,
but the tradition of Judaism had greatly expanded them. There were long
directions about the washing of dishes of all sorts, and of the
hands--not for the sake of getting them clean merely, but of doing it in
a certain way. For example, the hands must be held up so that the water
should run from the fingers as far down as the wrists. Jesus taught that
the good life came, not from such things as these but from a pure heart.
_Dogs_ abound in all Eastern towns. They lie in large numbers about the
streets. Each gang has its own quarters, and woe to the dog which
intrudes on the ground of another gang! These street dogs are much
despised, and indeed they are wretched curs; but they are necessary to
the health of a city where they are the only scavengers. They were
sometimes even allowed in the courts of the houses, where they ate the
leavings from the table.
_Tombs_ were often cut in the face of the rock, after it had been cut
back to a perpendicular surface. The tombs were of all sizes, from mere
places in which the body was put, to large rooms with rock-cut shelves
on the sides. Many tombs of various grades of elaborateness are found in
the rocks about Jerusalem.
{491}
_The Temple_ of the New Testament period is called Herod's temple
because it was greatly enlarged and beautified by Herod the Great. He
began the work about 20 B.C., and most of it was done before the days of
Jesus, but Herod's successors continued to build and beautify for long
years after. The temple was now much larger than it was in the Old
Testament days, though it still stood in the same place. It was in the
eastern part of the city, and looked straight over the city wall and the
Valley of Jehoshaphat to the Mount of Olives on the east. South of it
was a slope that led down to the Valley of Hinnom, and north was the
castle of the city, occupied by the governor and the Roman soldiers. The
spot where it stood is still an open walled space, and in the center of
it is the so-called mosque of Omar, while to the north a garrison of
Turkish soldiers still occupies part of the site of the old castle.
_The Passover_ was the great family feast of the Jews. Many customs had
grown up about it as the ages had gone on. Those who could were glad to
celebrate the feast in Jerusalem, but of course only a few could do
that. The great event of the feast, which lasted seven days, was the
supper, when each family procured a lamb and ate it with certain
vegetables and with wine. It was a glad feast, and yet a solemn one. In
its course one of the children would ask why it was celebrated, and then
the father would tell the old, old story of how their fathers, long ago,
went out of Egypt in haste one night, and how this feast was in memory
of that great deliverance. Then he would tell how the nation still had
faith that their God could deliver from all trouble. At the end they
sang Psalms 115-118, Psalms 113, 114 having been sung at an earlier part
of the meal. These were called Hallel, which means praise, and if you
will read the psalms you will see why. Jesus and his disciples made a
sort of family, eating the feast thus together.
_Pilate_ was a Roman who was governor of Judea for ten years, from A.D.
26 to 36. The Herodian government of Judea, under which Jesus was born,
had been changed for a direct Roman rule in 6 A.D., but the change had
worked little good to the people. Pilate was not, as Roman governors
went, a bad man. He desired {492} justice and had many good intentions,
but he was weak, vacillating, and liable to be violent. He had made
himself much hated by the people, and feared they would complain of him
to the emperor. So it happened that when he had the great opportunity of
his life, and himself much desired to save Jesus from an unjust death,
he dared not do what he knew was right because his past crimes had made
him fear the Jews. He was at last sent to Rome in disgrace by his
superiors in office, but what became of him afterwards is not known. A
legend in the early church says that he committed suicide, but there is
no good evidence that this is so.
_Caiaphas_, the high priest from 18-36 A.D., was son-in-law of Annas,
the former high priest. He seems, from John 2:45-50, to be the one who
first suggested the plan to put Jesus to death. He did it because he was
afraid, if the people thought Jesus was the Messiah, they would follow
him in a revolt against the Romans, which would only bring trouble and
massacre to the people. How he misunderstood the purpose of the peaceful
Jesus!
_Annas_ was high priest A.D. 6 to 18. He was then deposed by the Roman
legate, but, through his own influence and that of his family, long held
great power in the nation. The family had booths for the sale of
offerings in the temple, and gained great wealth thereby. When Jesus
cleansed the temple, he was interfering with their unjust trade, and
that may have had a good deal to do with their enmity toward him. Annas
and his family were hated by the people, who thought them hypocrites,
making gain out of the service of God.
_The trial of Jesus_ divides into the following parts: (1) An appearance
before Annas, which was an informal, preliminary inquiry, seemingly to
try to get evidence to present at the formal trial. The inquiry was
fruitless. (2) The trial before the Sanhedrin, with Caiaphas as the
leader. This was the formal Jewish trial. (3) The first appearance
before Pilate, to whom the Sanhedrin sent him on the ground of treason
to Rome in claiming to be king of the Jews. (4) The appearance before
Herod, tetrarch of Galilee, to whom Pilate had sent him, learning that
Jesus was a Galilean. Herod accepted the compliment Pilate paid him, but
{493} refused to judge in a matter which belonged to a Roman officer,
and sent him back to Pilate. (5) The final trial before Pilate, when,
finding that he could in no way escape the responsibility, Pilate
reluctantly condemned Jesus to crucifixion; so, as he himself admitted,
sending an innocent man to death. The Jewish court condemned Jesus for
blasphemy; the Roman, ostensibly, for treason.
_Crucifixion_. This cruel custom came to the west from the Phoenicians,
and was used by Greeks and Romans. Under the Roman emperors it became
common. First it was only used for slaves and persons much despised.
Later it was used more widely, but it was always considered a mark of
deep disgrace.
_Emmaus_. The locality is unknown; possibly at Kolonieh, on the road
from Jerusalem to Joppa.
PART II.
_Pentecost_. The great feast fifty days after the Passover. It was the
Old Testament feast of the first fruits, when the first of the wheat
harvest was presented in thanksgiving to God. The Jews of Christ's time
regarded it as the memorial of the giving of the law at Sinai, but the
Old Testament does not authorize that. Much was made of the feast at the
temple, and crowds came to Jerusalem for its celebration.
_"Had all things in common."_ This was not communism, in which all
property was put into a common stock. Each believer regarded his
property as sacred to the uses of his brethren, did they need it; but
the story of Ananias and Sapphira shows that it was still in his
possession to do what he chose with it.
_Sorcery_. The age of the early church was full of belief in the reality
of possession by evil spirits. Sorcery was the casting out of such evil
spirits by means of magic. This belief continued for hundreds of years
after, both among Christians and others. The belief in magical means of
protection against witches, among our own ancestors, was of the same
sort.
{494}
_Ethiopia_. The region of the Upper Nile, the territory of the modern
Nubia and Abyssinia. Candace seems to have been a title of the dowager
queens of Ethiopia, as Caesar was of the emperors of Rome.
_Eating with Gentiles_. In order to avoid ceremonial defilement, it was
the custom of the Jews never to eat with Gentiles. The early Christians
kept their Jewish customs in this respect as in others. Before the close
of the first Christian century, however, the custom had been dropped by
Christians, along with most other parts of the Jewish ceremonial. By
that time the church itself was mostly Gentile.
_"We" portions_. There are certain passages in the Book of Acts where
the word "we" is used. It is believed that Luke himself, the author of
the book, was present when this pronoun is used.
_The Roman Provincial Government and Army_. The whole New Testament
history takes place within the Roman Empire. There was a petty king in
Judea, subject to Rome, but the real governor was the proconsul or
procurator. These officials were in charge of the various districts of
the Empire and Paul frequently came in contact with them. Paul also came
in contact very frequently with the Roman army, and some of his
strongest illustrations are drawn from that organization. Three legions
were garrisoned in Palestine--the 5th, the 10th, and the 15th. These
legions corresponded to our brigade, mustering about 6,000 infantry and
a detachment of cavalry. The legion was divided into ten companies of
600 men called cohorts. These also had names, and reference is made to
the Italian and the Augustan cohorts. The captain of a cohort was called
a centurion. It is probable that the troops under whose escort Paul went
to Rome were a part of the Praetorian Guard, the emperor's special
soldiers stationed at Rome and rarely sent to the provinces.
{495}
_Prison_. The Roman prison had usually three parts: the outer part,
where the prisoners had light and air; the inner part, shut off by iron
gates and bars, more secure than the outer part; and a dungeon, probably
a place of execution. The sufferings and barbarities of all ancient
prisons were such as would not be allowed to-day.
_Cyprus_. The greatest island of the Eastern Mediterranean. The seat of
government was Paphos, though Salamis, the seaport, was the largest and
most important town. Many Jews were in the island. Copper, which word
comes from Cyprus, was mined there from early time, and in all ancient
history the island was an important place.
_Galatia_ was the name both of an ancient kingdom, and, in the time of
Paul, of a Roman province. There is a difference of opinion as to which
is its meaning in the New Testament. If it is used for the old kingdom
only, the cities of Galatia are in the north central part of Asia Minor;
Ancyra and Tavium are cities not mentioned in the New Testament. If it
is used for the new Roman province, as seems probable to many, the
cities are in the southern part of Asia Minor, Derbe, Lystra, Iconium,
and Antioch, towns often mentioned in Acts.
_Troas_. An important shipping port, the nearest to Europe of the
important Asiatic towns. The Troy of Homer was in this region.
_Macedonia_, the ancient kingdom of Alexander the Great, was at this
time under the Romans. At Philippi great battles in the Roman empire had
been fought, and later a group of Romans settled, making the place a
colony, with certain important privileges for its citizens. Thessalonica
was an important seaport, the outlet for the products of a large section
of country. It had a large Jewish population. The modern town, under the
name Salonica, is still a port of some importance. Berea, about fifty
miles southwest of Thessalonica, was the center of a large, fertile
district, and had an important local trade.
{496}
_Asia_ is used in Acts to mean only the Roman province of Asia, which
was in the western part of Asia Minor. Its capital and largest city was
Ephesus. In this city was a temple, so great and beautiful that it was
one of the wonders of the ancient world. The image in the temple,
however, was not splendid or beautiful. It was a rude, ugly wooden
figure, but so highly regarded that the people believed it had actually
fallen down from heaven, as the town clerk said in his speech to the
people in the theater. The great city is gone now, but ruins of the
temple and the large theater are still to be seen.
_Aegean Sea_. Paul sailed back and forth over this sea several times, so
that its coasts in many parts must have become very familiar to him.
There is more story connected with its waters than with those of any
other sea in the world. Across it the Greeks sailed, in the stories of
Homer, to the siege of Troy. The Phoenicians traded in its coasts and
islands when Greek civilization was beginning to grow. The famous
stories of Greek poetry were all laid on or near its shores. Every
famous man of Greece had sailed its waters. Later came the Roman navies,
carrying the armies which conquered the world; and now, in the New
Testament period, came little groups of men, hiring their passage as
best they could in the ships that were continually passing to and fro.
The busy merchants and soldiers never stopped to look at them, and if
they had, would have cared nothing for them, but these obscure travelers
were bearing with them the future religion of Europe and America and the
ends of the earth. It is not always the greatest thing that attracts the
most attention.
_Tentmaking_. The Jews taught all their children some trade. No matter
how much they desired them to become learned in the law, they saw to it
first that they could earn their bread by the skill of their hands. Paul
was a tentmaker, and very glad he, the learned rabbi, must have been,
more than once, that he could earn his own living by manual work, and be
free to use his learning as God gave him opportunity.
_Paul's routes of travel_ were usually along the established lines of
commerce. In his last journey to Jerusalem he followed the {497}
coasting route from Macedonia to Rhodes, then a route to Phoenicia
common for many hundreds of years. Other routes on the Aegean were from
Ephesus to Athens; from Troas to Italy, from Ephesus to Italy; from
Thessalonica to Athens, and thence to Italy; from Athens to Troas and
the Euxine (Black Sea).
_Ancient ships_. The ship on which Paul sailed, and which was wrecked on
the island of Malta, carried 276 persons besides her cargo of grain. She
was perhaps 180 feet long and 1,000 tons burden, not large compared with
the modern steamship, but still of good size even by our standards. She
was about equal perhaps in general dimensions and tonnage to the
merchantmen which made the voyage to India in the "fifties." She had no
oars like the ancient ships of war, but depended upon one mast and a
huge sail. Possibly more than one sail was raised in light wind, on the
mast, and perhaps another small sail, something like the modern jib, was
raised at the bow. She was steered by two paddle-like rudders which were
thrust through openings in the stern. The single heavy mast and huge
sail brought a great strain on the ship's timbers, which were not so
well put together as now, and great danger arose from leaking in a heavy
blow. The cables which were passed around the vessel were intended to
draw the planks together and lessen the leak.
_Felix_. A Roman of perhaps somewhat humble origin, governor of Judea.
His wife Drusilla was of Herod's family (see the Table of the Family of
Herod). He was not a man of any great ability or character, and his
violence against the Jews aroused yet further troubles, until the whole
nation was in commotion. Nothing is known of his history after his
governorship.
_Festus_. A Roman, perhaps of better character and more ability than
Felix. He died after being governor for some years.
_Agrippa II_. (See Table of the Family of Herod.) He was tetrarch of the
regions in the north of Palestine, with his capital at Caesarea
Philippi. He was interested, as Paul suggests, in {498} Jewish matters,
finished building the temple, and tried in vain to keep peace between
the Jews and Romans. He died about 100 A.D., the last important member
of the family of Herod.
_"I appeal to Caesar."_ This was one of the most important privileges of
a Roman citizen. It took the case at once out of the jurisdiction of the
local authorities and transferred it to Rome. Unless the appeal was made
by a bandit or pirate it could not be denied.
_Crete_. A fertile, densely populated island, famous in Greek legend and
story, and, as is now known, one of the great sources of ancient Greek
civilizations. It is very mountainous, and the cold wind from its
mountains often made sudden changes in the conditions of sailing, as it
did with the ship in which Paul sailed.
_Malta_. The traditional place where Paul was shipwrecked is on the east
coast of the island, northwest of the present city of Valetta, and is
known as St. Paul's Bay. Very possibly the tradition is correct.
_Jews in Rome_. Rome was a great center of all the peoples of the
empire, and it is not surprising that Jews, who had already wandered all
over the East, had arrived here also. One emperor, Claudius, had
banished them from the city, but they had later been allowed to return.
When Paul was in Rome there must have been many Jews there, though there
is no means of knowing how many.
{499}
MEMORY VERSES
{500}
{501}
MEMORY VERSES
_One for Each Week of the Year_.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.--_Isaiah 53:5_.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own
way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.--_Isaiah 53:6_.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of
Peace.--_Isaiah 9:6_
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands
of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be
ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from
everlasting. --_Micah 5:2_.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.--_John 3:16_.
{502}
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not,
because it knew him not. --_1 John 3:1_.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.--_I John 3:9_.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for
they shall be filled.--_Matthew 5:6_.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.--_Matthew 6:33_.
And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew,
sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And
he arose, and followed him.--_Matthew 9:9_.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light. --_Matthew 12:29,30_.
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant
as his lord.--_Matthew 10:25_.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
--_Luke 12:34_.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me
shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never
thirst.--_John 6:35_.
{503}
Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:
he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life.--_John 8:12_.
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in
my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free.--_John 8:31,32_.
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall
go in and out, and find pasture.--_John 10:9_.
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should
not abide in darkness.--_John 12:46_.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another. --_John 13:34_.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.--_John 14:6_.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it
be afraid.--_John 14:27_.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done unto you.--_John 15:7_.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.--_John 15:14_.
{504}
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the
same is my brother, and sister, and mother. --_Matthew 12:50_.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away.--_Mark 13:31_.
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that
had authority, and not as the scribes.--_Mark 1:22_.
And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air
have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.--_Matthew
8:20_.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven.--_Matthew 5:16_.
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many
sparrows.--_Matthew 10:31_.
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when
the time is.--_Mark 13:33_.
Blessed are those servants whom the lord, when he
cometh, shall find watching: verily, I say unto you, that
he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat,
and will come forth and serve them.--_Luke 12:37_.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give
unto them eternal life; and they {505} shall never perish, neither shall
any man pluck them out of my hand.--_John 10:27,28_.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as
I have done to you.--_John 13:15_.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In
the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world.--_John 16:33_.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honor preferring one another; not slothful in business;
fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope;
patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
--_Romans 12:10,11,12_.
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For
whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die
unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the
Lord's.--_Romans 14:7,8_.
But by the grace of God I am what I am.--_I Corinthians 15:10_.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things
which are not seen are eternal. --_II Corinthians 4:18_.
For the love of Christ constraineth us.--_II Corinthians 5:14_.
{506}
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season
we shall reap, if we faint not.--_Galatians 6:9_.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the
earth.--_Colossians 3:2_.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the
time.--_Colossians 4:5_.
For we know that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens.--_II Corinthians 5:1_.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is
raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory:
it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural
body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there
is a spiritual body.--_I Corinthians 15:42,43,44_.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this
mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass
the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
--_I Corinthians 15:54_.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of
death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.--_I Corinthians
15:55,56_.
{507}
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I, John,
saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice
out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he
will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself
shall be with them, and be their God.--_Revelation 21:1-3_.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away.--_Revelation 21:4_.
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are
the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the
moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb
is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk
in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and
honour into it.--_Revelation 21:22-24_.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the
street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of
life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every
month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
--_Revelation 22:1,2_.
{508}
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his
face: and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no
night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the
Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and
ever.--_Revelation 22:3-5_.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him
that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
--_Revelation 22:17_.
[End of "VOLUME FOUR: LIFE OF JESUS"]
------------------------------------------------
[Start of "VOLUME FIVE: SONGS OF THE AGES"]
{1}
THE BIBLE STORY
{2}
{3}
{4}
[Illustration]
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of
God dwelleth in you?"
Then Paul said, "Ye men of Athens, I perceive in all things ye are
very religious."
Then Paul said, . . . "Whom ye ignorantly worship, him I declare
unto you."
"God that made the world and all things therin, seeing he is Lord of
heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands."
[End illustration]
{5}
THE BIBLE STORY
VOLUME FIVE
SONGS OF THE AGES
ARRANGED AND EDITED BY
REV. NEWTON MARSHALL HALL, D.D.
MINISTER OF THE NORTH CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
AND
REV. IRVING FRANCIS WOOD, PH.D.
PROFESSOR OF
BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND COMPARATIVE RELIGION
AT SMITH COLLEGE
_Authors of "The Early Days of Israel" "Advanced Bible Studies" Etc._
THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
CHICAGO
CLEVELAND
{6}
COPYRIGHT, 1906,
COPYRIGHT, 1917,
BY THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY,
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
{7}
PREFACE
In this volume are gathered up selections of the most inspiring
literature which the Bible contains. The Psalms are given nearly entire,
but with fresh titles and a new typographical arrangement. The book of
Job is presented in a way to interest the modern reader. The material
found in the "Prophets," usually entirely unintelligible to young
readers, is given in a form which should prove interesting and
inspiring. In addition to the sublime poetry of the Old Testament
inspiring passages from the New Testament not elsewhere used are given
here. These are not in poetic form, but the sublimity of thought and
lofty style of utterance entitle them to a place beside the splendid
poetry of the Old Testament. The contents of this volume ought to become
perfectly familiar to older children by frequent reading and study.
We hope that it may be found extremely useful also for devotional
reading; for family and public devotions and for private reading. Here,
in one volume, are those portions of the Holy Scriptures which, in a
peculiar sense, grew out of a deep spiritual feeling. To these portions
particularly, the best minds of the ages have turned for spiritual
uplift, for inspiration and consolation. The editors can hope for no
higher reward than that this book should contribute to the growth of
personal spiritual life.
{8}
{9}
CONTENTS.
THE POETRY OF THE BIBLE. 11
SELECTIONS FROM THE PSALMS. 15
SELECTIONS FROM JOB. 177
SELECTIONS FROM THE SONG OF SONGS. 233
SELECTIONS FROM ECCLESIASTES. 241
SELECTIONS FROM THE PROVERBS. 247
SELECTIONS FROM THE PROPHETS. 259
1 Isaiah. 264
2 Jeremiah. 297
3 Ezekiel. 344
4 Amos. 354
5 Hosea. 363
6 Micah. 367
7 Obadiah. 370
8 Joel. 374
9 Zephaniah. 380
10 Nahum. 385
11 Habakkuk. 392
12 Haggai. 397
13 Zechariah. 401
14 Malachi. 408
{10}
SELECTIONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT. 411
1 The Christian Life and Service. 413
2 The Greatest Thing in the World 425
3 Following in the Footsteps of
Jesus (from the book of James) 426
4 The Gospel of Love and Sonship. 435
5 The Christian Athlete. 438
6 The Christian Temple. 440
7 The Christian Warrior. 447
8 The Hope of Immortality. 449
9 Selections from the Apocalypse. 456
HYMNS OF THE AGES 479
NOTES 495
{11}
THE POETRY OF THE BIBLE
The first poetry was made to be sung. It almost made itself. It had two
qualities--the expression of strong feeling of some kind, and some sort
of rhythm that could be put into song. Ever since the days when all men
were savages, and told simple stories and sang rude songs as they
gathered about the campfires, those two things have marked the
difference between poetry and prose. Poetry must have feeling and
rhythm. In most languages the rhythm is one of sound. The words flow
along so easily that they run themselves into a sort of tune. That is
what is called measure. Measure cannot be easily translated from one
language to another. Even if it could, it would not always be so
beautiful as it is in the language in which it is first written. So it
comes about that we do not often try to get the rhythm of the words in
the poetry of the Bible. Indeed, scholars have puzzled themselves
greatly over just what sort of rhythm the words of Hebrew poetry have.
The Hebrews who wrote the poetry did not think it worth while to say
anything about that, and later men forgot that there was any rhythm at
all; so now it has to be all discovered over again. But Hebrew poetry
has also another kind of rhythm beside that of words--a kind which
English poetry does not have. It is the rhythm of thought. In Hebrew
poetry a thought is expressed in the first line, {12} then either
repeated with some slight change, its opposite expressed, or something
added to it, in the second. The following are illustrations:--
The thought repeated:--
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
The opposite expressed:--
A wise son maketh a glad father,
But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Additions made to the thought:--
All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth
Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
This rhythm of thought is called parallelism; and parallelism is the one
thing that makes Hebrew poetry differ from prose.
In most Eastern languages the line between poetry and prose is not so
sharply drawn as in our Western languages. When a man made a speech, it
often fell quite naturally into poetry. So a good deal of the talk of
Jesus, even, seems to have been in the form of Hebrew poetry; as when he
said:--
{13}
Be not anxious for your life,
what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink,
Nor yet for your body,
what ye shall put on.
Is not the life more than the food
And the body than the raiment?
In the same way the New Testament writers also, being mostly Hebrews in
thought, although they wrote in Greek, often fell into poetry, when some
strong feeling moved them.
The study of the form of the poetry of the Bible is very fascinating,
the form is so rich in variety and often so remarkably well fitted to
express the thought of the poetry.
Yet after all the richest part of the Biblical poetry is the strong
feeling that it shows. For example, in that little song of the shepherd,
the twenty-third Psalm, the form is very beautiful with its rhythm of
thought, but much more beautiful is the strong feeling of perfect trust
in the loving care of the Good Shepherd.
{14}
{15}
SELECTIONS FROM THE PSALMS
{16}
{17}
THE BOOK OF PSALMS
The Book of Psalms is the Hebrew hymn book. The Psalms were gathered to
sing at the services in the temple at Jerusalem. Here there was no
sermon, as there is in our churches, and as there often was in the
synagogues which were scattered all over the land, but there was a large
choir which sung these Psalms of praise, while the people stood below
and listened. Some of the Psalms were written for this choir. Others,
written for other purposes, were put into this hymn book, sometimes with
more or less change from their first form, as is the case with many
hymns in our own hymn books. Praise to God is the most common thought of
these poems, but many other thoughts are found in them--sorrow for sin
and trust in God's goodness and hope for the future and thanksgiving for
God's care in the past. Hardly a thought about God's relation to man but
finds its expression in these songs. They were the work of many men
through many years. They express the joy and the sorrow of many minds in
many different situations. That is why they still fit so many different
lives in all parts of the world. They are very simple and very
beautiful, and they have always been, and doubtless always will be, dear
to the hearts of all those who try to find God. Mr. Gilmour, the
missionary to the Mongols, once wrote: "When I find I cannot make
headway in {18} devotion, I open in the Psalms, and push out in my
canoe, and let myself be carried along in the stream of devotion which
flows through the whole book. The current always sets toward God, and in
most places is strong and deep." So many men have found that the broad
river of the Psalms bore them toward God.
{19}
SELECTIONS FROM THE PSALMS
THE RIGHTEOUS MAN
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor standeth in the way of sinners,
Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water,
That bringeth forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also doth not wither;
And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The wicked are not so;
But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous:
But the way of the wicked shall perish.
--_Psalm 1_.
{20}
A MORNING PRAYER
Lord, how are mine adversaries increased!
Many are they that rise up against me.
Many there be which say of my soul,
There is no help for him in God.
But thou, O Lord, art a shield about me;
My glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
I cry unto the Lord with my voice,
And he answereth me out of his holy hill.
I laid me down and slept;
I awaked; for the Lord sustaineth me.
--_Psalm 3:1-5_.
{21}
AN EVENING PRAYER
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness;
Thou hast set me at large when I was in distress:
Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonour?
How long will ye love vanity, and seek after falsehood?
But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself:
The Lord will hear when I call unto him.
Stand in awe, and sin not:
Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in the Lord.
Many there be that say, Who will shew us any good?
Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart,
More than they have when their corn and their wine are increased.
In peace will I both lay me down and sleep:
For thou, Lord, alone makest me dwell in safety.
--_Psalm 4_.
{22}
A LITTLE LOWER THAN GOD
O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Who hast set thy glory upon the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou established strength,
Because of thine adversaries,
That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers,
The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him?
And the son of man, that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him but little lower than God,
And crownest him with glory and honour.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands;
Thou hast put all things under his feet:
All sheep and oxen,
Yea, and the beasts of the field;
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea,
Whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is thy name in all the earth!
--_Psalm 8_.
{23}
THE UPRIGHT MAN.
Lord, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle?
Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness,
And speaketh truth in his heart.
He that slandereth not with his tongue,
Nor doeth evil to his friend,
Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised;
But he honoureth them that fear the Lord.
He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
He that putteth not out his money to usury,
Nor taketh reward against the innocent.
He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
--_Psalm 15_.
{24}
TRUST IN THE LORD
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
I have said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord:
I have no good beyond thee.
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:
Thou maintainest my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;
Yea, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel:
Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me:
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth;
My flesh also shall dwell in safety.
For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol;
Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
In thy presence is fulness of joy;
In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
--_Psalm 16_.
{25}
A PLEA FOR HELP.
Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry;
Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
Let my sentence come forth from thy presence;
Let thine eyes look upon equity.
Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night;
Thou hast tried me, and findest nothing;
I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress,
As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips
I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
My steps have held fast to thy paths,
My feet have not slipped.
I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God:
Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest
them which put their trust in thee
From those that rise up against them, by thy right hand.
Keep me as the apple of the eye,
Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness:
I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
--_Psalm 17_.
{26}
A SONG OF DELIVERANCE.
In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried unto my God:
He heard my voice out of his temple,
And my cry before him came into his ears.
Then the earth shook and trembled,
The foundations also of the mountains moved
And were shaken, because he was wroth.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,
And fire out of his mouth devoured:
Coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down;
And thick darkness was under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly:
Yea, he flew swiftly upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion round about him;
Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High uttered his voice;
Hailstones and coals of fire.
And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
Yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them. {27}
Then the channels of waters appeared,
And the foundations of the world were laid bare,
At thy rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
He sent from on high, he took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
And from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
I love thee, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
My God, my strong rock, in him will I trust;
My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised:
So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
The cords of death compassed me,
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
The cords of Sheol were round about me:
The snares of death came upon me.
They came upon me in the day of my calamity:
But the Lord was my stay.
He brought me forth also into a large place;
He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his judgments were before me, {28}
And I put not away his statutes from me.
I was also perfect with him,
And I kept myself from mine iniquity.
Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful;
With the perfect man thou wilt shew thyself perfect;
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure;
And with the perverse thou wilt shew thyself froward.
For thou wilt save the afflicted people;
But the haughty eyes thou wilt bring down.
For thou wilt light my lamp:
The Lord my God will lighten my darkness.
For by thee I run upon a troop;
And by my God do I leap over a wall.
As for God, his way is perfect:
The word of the Lord is tried;
He is a shield unto all them that trust in him.
For who is God, save the Lord?
And who is a rock, beside our God?
The God that girdeth me with strength,
And maketh my way perfect.
He maketh my feet like hinds' feet:
And setteth me upon my high places.
The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be the God of my salvation:
Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, {29}
And subdueth peoples under me.
He rescueth me from mine enemies:
Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me;
Thou deliverest me from the violent man.
Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the nations,
And will sing praises unto thy name.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king,
And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed,
To David and to his seed, for evermore.
--_Psalm 18:1-33,46-50_.
{30}
SONG OF THE EARTH AND SKY.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament sheweth his handiwork.
Day unto day uttereth speech,
And night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language;
Their voice cannot be heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven,
And his circuit unto the ends of it:
And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul:
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:
The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: {31}
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
In keeping of them there is great reward.
Who can understand his errors?
Clear thou me from hidden faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be perfect,
And I shall be clear from great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in thy sight,
O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
--_Psalm 19_.
{32}
OUR TRUST IS IN GOD
The Lord answer thee in the day of trouble:
The name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high;
Send thee help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen thee out of Zion;
Remember all thy offerings,
And accept thy burnt sacrifice;
Grant thee thy heart's desire,
And fulfil all thy counsel.
We will triumph in thy salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners:
The Lord fulfil all thy petitions.
Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed;
He will answer him from his holy heaven
With the saving strength of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses:
But we will make mention of the name of the Lord our God.
They are bowed down and fallen:
But we are risen, and stand upright.
--_Psalm 20:1-8_.
{33}{34}
[Illustration]
"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,
He leadeth me beside the still waters"
[End illustration]
{35}
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for thou art with me:
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
--_Psalm 23_.
{36}
THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;
The world, and they that dwell therein.
For he hath founded it upon the seas.
And established it upon the floods.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity.
And hath not sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is the generation of them that seek after him,
That seek thy face, O God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
And be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors:
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors:
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory.
--_Psalm 24_.
{37}
SHOW ME THY WAYS, TEACH ME THY PATHS
Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
O my God, in thee have I trusted,
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not mine enemies triumph over me.
Yea, none that wait on thee shall be ashamed:
They shall be ashamed that deal treacherously without cause.
Shew me thy ways, O Lord;
Teach me thy paths.
Guide me in thy truth, and teach me;
For thou art the God of my salvation;
On thee do I wait all the day.
Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses;
For they have been ever of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions:
According to thy lovingkindness remember thou me,
For thy goodness' sake, O Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord:
Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way.
The meek will he guide in judgment:
And the meek will he teach his way.
All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth {38}
Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For thy name's sake, O Lord,
Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great.
What man is he that feareth the Lord?
Him shall he instruct in the way that he shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease;
And his seed shall inherit the land.
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him;
And he will shew them his covenant.
Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord;
For he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me;
For I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged:
O bring thou me out of my distresses.
Consider mine affliction and my travail;
And forgive all my sins.
Consider mine enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
O keep my soul, and deliver me:
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in thee.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait on thee.
Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all his troubles.
--_Psalm 25_.
{39}
I HAVE WALKED IN THY TRUTH
Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity:
I have trusted also in the Lord without wavering.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me;
Try my heart and my mind.
For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes;
And I have walked in thy truth.
I have not sat with men of falsehood;
Neither will I go in with dissemblers.
I hate the assembly of evil-doers,
And will not sit with the wicked.
I will wash my hands in innocency:
So will I compass thine altar, O Lord;
That I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard,
And tell of all thy wondrous works.
Lord, I love the habitation of thy house,
And the place where thy glory dwelleth.
Gather not my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with men of blood;
In whose hands is wickedness,
And their right hand is full of bribes.
But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity:
Redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
My foot standeth in an even place:
In the congregations will I bless the Lord.
--_Psalm 26_.
{40}
THE LORD IS MY SALVATION
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Though an host should encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear:
Though war should rise against me,
Even then will I be confident.
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after;
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he shall keep me secretly in his pavilion:
In the covert of his tabernacle shall he hide me;
He shall lift me up upon a rock.
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me;
And I will offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy;
I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice:
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, {41}
Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
Hide not thy face from me;
Put not thy servant away in anger:
Thou hast been my help;
Cast me not off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
But the Lord will take me up.
Teach me thy way, O Lord;
And lead me in a plain path,
Because of mine enemies.
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries:
For false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as
breathe out cruelty.
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord:
In the land of the living.
Wait on the Lord:
Be strong, and let thine heart take courage;
Yea, wait thou on the Lord.
--_Psalm 27_.
{42}
THE GLORY OF THE LORD.
Give unto the Lord, O ye sons of the mighty,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters:
The God of glory thundereth,
Even the Lord upon many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars;
Yea, the Lord breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He maketh them also to skip like a calf;
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild-ox.
The voice of the Lord cleaveth the flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness;
The Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve,
And strippeth the forests bare:
And in his temple everything saith, Glory!
The Lord sat as king at the Flood;
Yea, the Lord sitteth as king for ever.
The Lord will give strength unto his people;
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
--_Psalm 29_.
{43}{44}
[Illustration]
A VILLAGE IN THE LEBANON.
From an old engraving.
"The voice of the Lord is full of majesty,
The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars,
Yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon"
[End illustration]
{45}
WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT,
BUT JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING.
I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast raised me up,
And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
O Lord my God,
I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol;
Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing praise unto the Lord, O ye saints of his,
And give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment;
His favor is for a lifetime:
Weeping may tarry for the night,
But joy cometh in the morning.
As for me, I said in my prosperity,
I shall never be moved.
Thou, Lord, of thy favor hadst made my mountain to stand strong:
Thou didst hide thy face; I was troubled.
I cried to thee, O Lord;
And unto the Lord I made supplication:
What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? {46}
Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me:
Lord, be thou my helper.
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing;
Thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
--_Psalm 30_.
{47}
MY TIMES ARE IN THY HANDS
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed:
Deliver me in thy righteousness.
Bow down thine ear unto me; deliver me speedily:
Be thou to me a strong rock, an house of defence to save me.
For thou art my rock and my fortress;
Therefore for thy name's sake lead me and guide me.
Pluck me out of the net that they have laid privily for me;
For thou art my strong hold.
Into thine hand I commend my spirit:
Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.
I hate them that regard lying vanities:
But I trust in the Lord.
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy:
For thou hast seen my affliction;
Thou hast known my soul in adversities:
And thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
Thou hast set my feet in a large place.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in distress:
Mine eye wasteth away with grief, yea, my soul and my body.
For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing: {48}
My strength faileth because of mine iniquity,
and my bones are wasted away.
Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach,
Yea, unto my neighbours exceedingly, and a fear to mine acquaintance:
They that did see me without fled from me.
I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind:
I am like a broken vessel.
For I have heard the defaming of many,
Terror on every side:
While they took counsel together against me,
They devised to take away my life.
But I trusted in thee, O Lord:
I said, Thou art my God.
My times are in thy hand:
Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies,
and from them that persecute me.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant:
Save me in thy lovingkindness.
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee:
Let the wicked be ashamed, let them be silent in Sheol.
Let the lying lips be dumb;
Which speak against the righteous insolently,
With pride and contempt.
Oh how great is thy goodness,
Which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee,
Which thou hast wrought for them that take refuge in thee,
Before the sons of men! {49}
In the covert of thy presence wilt thou hide them
from the plottings of man:
Thou wilt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Blessed be the Lord;
For he hath showed me his marvellous lovingkindness in a strong city.
As for me, I said in my haste,
I am cut off from before thine eyes:
Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications
When I cried unto thee.
O love the Lord, all ye his saints:
The Lord preserveth the faithful,
And plentifully rewardeth him that dealeth proudly.
Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
All ye that hope in the Lord.
--_Psalm 31_.
{50}
REJOICE
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous:
Praise is comely for the upright.
Give thanks unto the Lord with harp:
Sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings.
Sing unto him a new song;
Play skilfully with a loud noise.
For the word of the Lord is right;
And all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loveth righteousness and judgment:
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made;
And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap:
He layeth up the deeps in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord:
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
For he spake, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
The Lord bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought:
He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of none effect.
The counsel of the Lord standeth fast for ever,
The thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; {51}
The people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
The Lord looketh from heaven;
He beholdeth all the sons of men;
From the place of his habitation he looketh forth
Upon all the inhabitants of the earth;
He that fashioneth the hearts of them all,
That considereth all their works.
There is no king saved by the multitude of an host:
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
An horse is a vain thing for safety:
Neither shall he deliver any by his great power.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him,
Upon them that hope in his mercy;
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul hath waited for the Lord:
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in him,
Because we have trusted in his holy name.
Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in thee.
--_Psalm 33_.
{52}
I WILL BLESS THE LORD
I will bless the Lord at all times:
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord:
The meek shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked unto him, and were lightened:
And their faces shall never be confounded.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him,
And delivereth them.
O taste and see that the Lord is good:
Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
O fear the Lord, ye his saints:
For there is no want to them that fear him.
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger:
But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me:
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. {53}
What man is he that desireth life,
And loveth many days, that he may see good?
Keep thy tongue from evil,
And thy lips from speaking guile.
Depart from evil, and do good;
Seek peace, and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And his ears are open unto their cry.
The face of the Lord is against them that do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cried, and the Lord heard,
And delivered them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.
And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
But the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
He keepeth all his bones:
Not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked:
And they that hate the righteous shall be condemned.
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants:
And none of them that trust in him shall be condemned.
--_Psalm 34_.
{54}
UNDER THE SHADOW OF THY WINGS
Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, is in the heavens;
Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the skies.
Thy righteousness is like the great mountains,
Thy judgments are a great deep:
O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings.
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;
And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
For with thee is the fountain of life:
In thy light shall we see light.
O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee;
And thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
--_Psalm 36:5-10_.
{55}
WAIT PATIENTLY
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers,
Neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and follow after faithfulness.
Delight thyself also in the Lord;
And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the Lord;
Trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall make thy righteousness to go forth as the light,
And thy judgment as the noonday.
A man's goings are established of the Lord;
And he delighteth in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:
For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
I have been young, and now am old;
Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his seed begging their bread.
All the day long he dealeth graciously, and lendeth;
And his seed is blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell for evermore. {56}
I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.
But one passed by, and, lo, he was not:
Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright:
For the latter end of that man is peace.
As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together:
The latter end of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord:
He is their strong hold in the time of trouble.
And the Lord helpeth them, and rescueth them:
He rescueth them from the wicked, and saveth them,
Because they have taken refuge in him.
--_Psalm 37:1-6,23-27,35-40_.
{57}
A NEW SONG
I waited patiently for the Lord;
And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay;
And he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:
Many shall see it, and fear,
And shall trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust,
And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done,
And thy thoughts which are to us-ward:
They cannot be set in order unto thee;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.
Sacrifice and offering thou hast no delight in;
Mine ears hast thou opened:
Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Then said I, "Lo, I am come;
In the roll of the book it is written of me:
I delight to do thy will, O my God;
Yea, thy law is within my heart." {58}
I have published righteousness in the great congregation;
Lo, I will not refrain my lips,
O Lord, thou knowest.
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart;
I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation:
I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from
the great congregation.
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord:
Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
--_Psalm 40:1-11_.
{59}{60}
[Illustration]
MOUNT HERMON
From a photograph belonging to the Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass.,
and used by special permission.
"Therefore do I remember thee from the land of Jordan,
And the Hermons, from the hill Mizar."
[End illustration]
{61}
A SONG IN TIME OF TROUBLE
As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
So panteth my soul after thee, O God.
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my meat day and night,
While they continually say unto me, "Where is thy God?"
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me,
How I went with the throng, and led them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holy-day.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
And why art thou disquieted within me?
Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him
For the health of his countenance.
O my God, my soul is cast down within me:
Therefore do I remember thee from the land of Jordan,
And the Hermons, from the hill Mizar.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts:
All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night his song shall be with me,
Even a prayer unto the God of my life. {62}
I will say unto God my rock, "Why hast thou forgotten me?"
Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
As with a sword in my bones, mine adversaries reproach me;
While they continually say unto me, "Where is thy God?"
Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
And why art thou disquieted within me?
Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him,
Who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation:
O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou cast me off?
Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
O send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me:
Let them bring me unto thy holy hill,
And to thy tabernacles.
Then will I go unto the altar of God,
Unto God my exceeding joy:
And upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
And why art thou disquieted within me?
Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him,
Who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
--_Psalms 42, 43_.
{63}
IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY
We have heard with our ears, O God,
Our fathers have told us,
What work thou didst in their days,
In the days of old.
Thou didst drive out the nations with thy hand;
But them thou didst plant:
Thou didst afflict the peoples;
But them thou didst spread abroad.
For they got not the land in possession by their own sword,
Neither did their own arm save them;
But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance,
Because thou wast favorable unto them.
Thou art my King, O God:
Command deliverance for Jacob.
Through thee will we push down our adversaries:
Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
For I will not trust in my bow,
Neither shall my sword save me.
But thou hast saved us from our adversaries,
And hast put them to shame that hate us.
In God have we made our boast all the day long,
And we will give thanks unto thy name for ever. {64}
But now thou hast cast us off, and brought us to dishonour;
And goest not forth with our hosts.
Thou makest us to turn back from the adversary:
And they which hate us spoil for themselves.
Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat;
And hast scattered us among the nations.
Thou sellest thy people for nought,
And hast not increased thy wealth by their price.
Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours,
A scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
Thou makest us a byword among the nations,
A shaking of the head among the peoples.
All the day long is my dishonour before me,
And the shame of my face hath covered me,
For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth;
By reason of the enemy and the avenger.
All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee,
Neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
Our heart is not turned back,
Neither have our steps declined from thy way;
That thou hast sore broken us in the place of jackals,
And covered us with the shadow of death.
If we have forgotten the name of our God,
Or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
Shall not God search this out?
For he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long;
We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. {65}
Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord?
Arise, cast us not off for ever.
Wherefore hidest thou thy face,
And forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
For our soul is bowed down to the dust:
Our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
Rise up for our help,
And redeem us for thy lovingkindness' sake.
--_Psalm 44_.
{66}
A MARRIAGE SONG FOR THE WEDDING OF A KING
My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter:
I speak the things which I have made touching the king:
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
Thou art fairer than the children of men;
Grace is poured into thy lips:
Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh,
O mighty one,
Thy glory and thy majesty.
And in thy majesty ride on prosperously,
Because of truth and meekness and righteousness:
And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
Thine arrows are sharp;
The peoples fall under thee;
They are in the heart of the king's enemies.
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:
A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness:
Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee
With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia;
Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made thee glad. {67}
Kings' daughters are among thy honourable women:
Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear;
Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house:
So will the king desire thy beauty;
For he is thy lord; and reverence thou him.
And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift;
The rich among the people shall entreat thy favor.
The king's daughter within the palace is all glorious:
Her clothing is inwrought with gold.
She shall be led unto the king in broidered work:
The virgins her companions that follow her
Shall be brought unto thee.
With gladness and rejoicing shall they be led:
They shall enter into the king's palace.
Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children,
Whom thou shalt make princes in all the earth.
I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations:
Therefore shall the peoples give thee thanks for ever and ever.
--_Psalm 45_.
{68}
GOD IS OUR REFUGE
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change,
And though the mountains be moved in the heart of the seas;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:
God shall help her, and that right early.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved:
He uttered his voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the Lord,
What desolations he hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth;
He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;
He burneth the chariots in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
--_Psalm 46_.
{69}
A SONG OF VICTORY
O clap your hands, all ye peoples;
Shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
For the Lord Most High is terrible;
He is a great King over all the earth.
He shall subdue the peoples under us,
And the nations under our feet.
He shall choose our inheritance for us,
The excellency of Jacob whom he loved.
God is gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises.
Sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth:
Sing ye praises with understanding.
God reigneth over the nations:
God sitteth upon his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples are gathered together
To be the people of the God of Abraham:
For the shields of the earth belong unto God;
He is greatly exalted.
--_Psalm 47_.
{70}
A SONG OF MOUNT ZION
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
In the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
Is mount Zion, on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
We have thought on thy lovingkindness, O God,
In the midst of thy temple.
As is thy name, O God,
So is thy praise unto the ends of the earth:
Thy right hand is full of righteousness.
Let mount Zion be glad,
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice,
Because of thy judgments.
Walk about Zion, and go round about her:
Tell the towers thereof.
Mark ye well her bulwarks,
Consider her palaces;
That ye may tell it to the generation following.
For this God is our God for ever and ever:
He will be our guide even unto death.
--_Psalm 48:1, 2, 9-14_.
{71}{72}
[Illustration]
SHEPHERD WITH HIS FLOCK.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
This beautiful picture is typical of the Oriental country. The view is
the Scamander made famous by Homer, and the country is in the vicinity
of old Troy, mentioned in the New Testament and again brought to
notice by the conflicts of the great European war (1916).
[End illustration]
{73}
THE CATTLE UPON A THOUSAND HILLS ARE HIS
God, even God, the Lord, hath spoken,
And called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the
going down thereof.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God hath shined forth.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence:
A fire shall devour before him,
And it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
He shall call to the heavens above,
And to the earth, that he may judge his people:
Gather my saints together unto me;
Those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
And the heavens shall declare his righteousness;
For God is judge himself.
Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
O Israel, and I will testify unto thee:
I am God, even thy God.
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices;
And thy burnt offerings are continually before me.
I will take no bullock out of thy house,
Nor he-goats out of thy folds.
For every beast of the forest is mine,
And the cattle upon a thousand hills. {74}
I know all the fowls of the mountains:
And the wild beasts of the field are mine.
If I were hungry, I would not tell thee:
For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats?
Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving;
And pay thy vows unto the Most High:
And call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
--_Psalm 50:1-15_.
{75}
A PRAYER OF REPENTANCE
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:
According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out
my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions:
And my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
And done that which is evil in thy sight:
That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest,
And be clear when thou judgest.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Hide thy face from my sins,
And blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God;
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence;
And take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation:
And uphold me with a free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;
And sinners shall be converted unto thee. {76}
O Lord, open thou my lips;
And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it:
Thou hast no pleasure in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
--_Psalm 51:1-17_.
{77}
BE THOU EXALTED, O GOD, ABOVE THE HEAVENS
Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me;
For my soul taketh refuge in thee:
Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge,
Until these calamities be overpast.
I will cry unto God Most High;
Unto God that performeth all things for me.
He shall send from heaven, and save me,
When he that would swallow me up reproacheth;
God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
My soul is among lions;
I lie among them that are set on fire,
Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
And their tongue a sharp sword.
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let thy glory be above all the earth.
They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down:
They have digged a pit before me;
They are fallen into the midst thereof themselves.
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed:
I will sing, yea, I will sing praises.
Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp:
I myself will awake right early. {78}
I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the peoples:
I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
For thy mercy is great unto the heavens,
And thy truth unto the skies.
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let thy glory be above all the earth.
--_Psalm 57_.
{79}
THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN I
Hear my cry, O God;
Attend unto my prayer.
From the end of the earth will I call unto thee, when my
heart is overwhelmed:
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For thou hast been a refuge for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever:
I will take refuge in the covert of thy wings.
My soul waiteth only upon God:
From him cometh my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation:
He is my high tower; I shall not be greatly moved.
My soul, wait thou only upon God;
For my expectation is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation:
He is my high tower; I shall not be moved.
With God is my salvation and my glory:
The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
--_Psalms 61:1-4; 62:1, 2, 5-7_.
{80}
A SONG OF THANKSGIVING
Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion:
And unto thee shall the vow be performed.
O thou that hearest prayer,
Unto thee shall all flesh come.
Iniquities prevail against me:
As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest,
and causest to approach unto thee,
That he may dwell in thy courts:
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house,
The holy place of thy temple.
By terrible things thou wilt answer us in righteousness,
O God of our salvation;
Thou that art the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of them that are afar off upon the sea:
Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains;
Being girded about with might:
Which stilleth the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves,
And the tumult of the peoples.
They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens:
Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. {81}
Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it,
Thou greatly enrichest it;
The river of God is full of water:
Thou providest them corn, when thou hast so prepared the earth.
Thou waterest her furrows abundantly;
Thou settlest the ridges thereof:
Thou makest it soft with showers;
Thou blessest the springing thereof.
Thou crownest the year with thy goodness;
And thy paths drop fatness.
They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness:
And the hills are girded with joy.
The pastures are clothed with flocks;
The valleys also are covered over with corn;
They shout for joy, they also sing.
--_Psalm 65_.
{82}
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO THE LORD
Make a joyful noise unto God, all the earth:
Sing forth the glory of his name:
Make his praise glorious.
All the earth shall worship thee,
And shall sing unto thee;
They shall sing to thy name.
O bless our God, ye peoples,
And make the voice of his praise to be heard:
Which holdeth our soul in life,
And suffereth not our feet to be moved.
For thou, O God, hast proved us:
Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Come, and hear, all ye that fear God,
And I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
I cried unto him with my mouth,
And he was extolled with my tongue.
If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear:
But verily God hath heard;
He hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
Which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
--_Psalm 66:1, 2, 4, 8-10, 16-20_.
{83}{84}
[Illustration]
"The river of God is full of water."
[End illustration]
{85}
LET THE PEOPLES PRAISE THEE
God be merciful unto us, and bless us,
And cause his face to shine upon us;
That thy way may be known upon earth,
Thy saving health among all nations.
Let the peoples praise thee, O God;
Let all the peoples praise thee.
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy:
For thou shalt judge the peoples righteously,
And govern the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise thee, O God;
Let all the peoples praise thee.
The earth hath yielded her increase:
God, even our own God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
And all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
--_Psalm 67_.
{86}
A BATTLE HYMN FOR THE HOSTS OF THE LORD
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered;
Let them also that hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away:
As wax melteth before the fire,
So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God:
Yea, let them rejoice with gladness.
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name:
Cast up a highway for him that rideth through the deserts;
His name is the Lord; and exult ye before him.
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows,
Is God in his holy habitation.
God setteth the solitary in families:
He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity;
But the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people,
When thou didst march through the wilderness;
The earth trembled,
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God:
Yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain,
Thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
Thy congregation dwelt therein:
Thou, O God, didst prepare of thy goodness for the poor.
The Lord giveth the word:
The women that publish the tidings are a great host.
Kings of armies flee, they flee;
And she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.
--_Psalm 68:1-12_.
{87}
O LORD, MAKE NO TARRYING!
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
Make haste to help me, O Lord.
Let them be ashamed and confounded
That seek after my soul:
Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonour
That delight in my hurt.
Let them be turned back by reason of their shame
That say, "Aha! Aha!"
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee;
And let such as love thy salvation say continually,
"Let God be magnified."
But I am poor and needy;
Make haste unto me, O God:
Thou art my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, make no tarrying!
--_Psalm 70_.
{88}
THE RIGHTEOUS KING
He shall judge thy people with righteousness,
And thy poor with judgment.
The mountains shall bring peace to the people,
And the hills, in righteousness.
He shall judge the poor of the people,
He shall save the children of the needy,
And shall break in pieces the oppressor.
They shall fear thee while the sun endureth,
And so long as the moon, throughout all generations.
He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass:
As showers that water the earth.
In his days shall the righteous flourish;
And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more.
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River unto the ends of the earth.
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him;
And his enemies shall lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents:
The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
Yea, all kings shall fall down before him:
All nations shall serve him.
For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth;
And the poor, that hath no helper.
He shall have pity on the poor and needy, {89}
And the souls of the needy he shall save.
He shall redeem their soul from oppression and violence;
And precious shall their blood be in his sight:
And they shall live; and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba:
And men shall pray for him continually;
They shall bless him all the day long.
There shall be abundance of corn in the earth
upon the top of the mountains;
The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon:
And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
His name shall endure for ever;
His name shall be continued as long as the sun:
And men shall be blessed in him;
All nations shall call him blessed.
Give the king thy judgments, O God,
And thy righteousness unto the king's son.
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who only doeth wondrous things:
And blessed be his glorious name for ever;
And let the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen, and Amen.
--_Psalm 72:2-19_.
{90}
THY WAY WAS IN THE SEA
I will make mention of the deeds of the Lord;
For I will remember thy wonders of old.
I will meditate also upon all thy work,
And muse on thy doings.
Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary:
Who is a great god like unto God?
Thou art the God that doest wonders:
Thou hast made known thy strength among the peoples.
Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph.
The waters saw thee, O God;
The waters saw thee, they were afraid:
The depths also trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
The skies sent out a sound:
Thine arrows also went abroad.
The voice of thy thunder was in the whirlwind;
The lightnings lightened the world:
The earth trembled and shook.
Thy way was in the sea,
And thy paths in the great waters,
And thy footsteps were not known.
Thou leddest thy people like a flock,
By the hand of Moses and Aaron.
--_Psalm 77:11-20_.
{91}
GIVE EAR, O SHEPHERD OF ISRAEL
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock;
Thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up thy might,
And come to save us.
Turn us again, O God;
And cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.
O Lord God of hosts,
How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears,
And given them tears to drink in large measure.
Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours:
And our enemies laugh among themselves.
Turn us again, O God of hosts;
And cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.
Thou broughtest a vine out of Egypt:
Thou didst drive out the nations, and plantedst it.
Thou preparedst room before it,
And it took deep root, and filled the land.
The mountains were covered with the shadow of it, {92}
And the boughs thereof were like cedars of God.
She sent out her branches unto the sea,
And her shoots unto the River.
Why hast thou broken down her fences,
So that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
The boar out of the wood doth ravage it,
And the wild beasts of the field feed on it.
Turn again, we beseech thee, O God of hosts:
Look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine,
And the stock which thy right hand hath planted,
And the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
It is burned with fire, it is cut down:
They perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand,
Upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
So shall we not go back from thee:
Quicken thou us, and we will call upon thy name.
Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts;
Cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.
--_Psalm 80_.
{93}{94}
[Illustration]
BEDOUINS WITH CAMELS IN THE PLAIN NEAR MOUNT SINAI.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
"We arrived at a certain place where the mountains betwixt which we
were traveling opened out into a huge, wide, and very fair valley,
and beyond this valley appeared the Mount of God, Sinai. This is a
very extensive valley, lying under the side of the Mount of God.
This is the huge and wide valley in which the children of Israel
sojourned in those days, when Saint Moses ascended into the Mount of
God and was there forty days and forty nights. This is the valley in
which the calf was made; the place is shown to this day, for a great
stone stands fixed to the very spot. As you go round about the
mountain it appears to be one, though when you get within it there
are many; but the whole is called the Mount of God, especially the
one on whose summit is the place where the glory of God descended,
as it is written; and it is in the middle of them all; and while all
these mountains that are in the group are more glorious than I had
ever expected to see, yet this one in the middle is so much higher
than all the others, that when we approached it, straightway all
these mountains which had appeared to us so glorious seemed but as
little hills."--From the very interesting Diary of Saint Sylvia of
Aquitaine, who about the year 385 made a pilgrimage to the East.
This diary, which is one of the earliest "travel books" ever
written, has only recently been discovered.
{95}
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out unto the living God.
Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
Even thine altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King, and my God.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house:
They will be still praising thee.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee;
In whose heart are the high ways to Zion.
Passing through the valley of Weeping they make it a place of springs;
Yea, the early rain covereth it with blessings.
They go from strength to strength,
Everyone of them appeareth before God in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer:
Give ear, O God of Jacob.
Behold, O God our shield,
And look upon the face of thine anointed.
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. {96}
I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God,
Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and a shield:
The Lord will give grace and glory:
No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
--_Psalm 84_.
{97}
A PLEA FOR MERCY
Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land:
Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people,
Thou hast covered all their sin.
Thou hast taken away all thy wrath:
Thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
Turn us, O God of our salvation,
And cause thine indignation toward us to cease.
Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?
Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
Wilt thou not quicken us again:
That thy people may rejoice in thee?
Shew us thy mercy, O Lord,
And grant us thy salvation.
I will hear what God the Lord will speak:
For he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints:
But let them not turn again to folly.
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him;
That glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth are met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth springeth out of the earth;
And righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good;
And our land shall yield her increase.
Righteousness shall go before him;
And shall make his footsteps a way to walk in.
--_Psalm 85_.
{98}
THE CRY OF THE NEEDY
Bow down thine ear, O Lord, and answer me;
For I am poor and needy.
Preserve my soul; for I am godly:
O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
Be merciful unto me, O Lord;
For unto thee do I cry all the day long.
Rejoice the soul of thy servant;
For unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive,
And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer;
And hearken unto the voice of my supplications.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee;
For thou wilt answer me.
There is none like unto thee among the gods, O Lord;
Neither are there any works like unto thy works.
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord;
And they shall glorify thy name.
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things:
Thou art God alone.
Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth:
Unite my heart to fear thy name.
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart; {99}
And I will glorify thy name for evermore.
For great is thy mercy toward me;
And thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest pit.
O God, the proud are risen up against me,
And the congregation of violent men have sought after my soul,
And have not set thee before them.
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion and gracious,
Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me;
Give thy strength unto thy servant,
And save the son of thine handmaid.
Shew me a token for good;
That they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed,
Because thou, Lord, hast helped me, and comforted me.
--_Psalm 86_.
{100}
THE PRAISE OF ZION
His foundation is in the holy mountains.
The Lord loveth the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of thee,
O city of God.
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon as among them that know me:
Behold, Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
This one was born there.
Yea, of Zion it shall be said,
This one and that one was born in her;
And the Most High himself will establish her.
The Lord will count, when he writeth up the peoples,
This one was born there.
They that sing as well as they that dance shall say,
All my fountains are in thee.
--_Psalm 87_.
{101}{102}
[Illustration]
MOUNT TABOR
From a photograph in the possession of Rev. Louis F. Giroux of the
American International College, Springfield, Mass., and used by his
kind permission.
"Esdraelon's plain still boasts its myrtle bowers,
Golden with corn, or carpeted with flowers:
How like a sainted mind that seeks the skies,
Crowned with a glory, Tabor's tops arise.
Jasmine's white bells and henna's yellow bloom,
Breathe out their sweets till rocks e'en drink perfume;
In viewless clouds those odors mount the air,
And Tabor stands like some rich altar there."
--_Nicolas Michell_
{103}
THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH ARE THINE
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever:
With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever;
Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord;
Thy faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can be compared unto the Lord?
Who among the sons of the mighty is like unto the Lord?
Thou rulest the pride of the sea:
When the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine:
The world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
The north and the south, thou hast created them:
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in thy name.
Thou hast a mighty arm:
Strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of thy throne:
Mercy and truth go before thy face.
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:
They walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
In thy name do they rejoice all the day:
And in thy righteousness are they exalted.
For thou art the glory of their strength:
And in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
For our shield belongeth unto the Lord;
And our king to the Holy One of Israel.
--_Psalm 89:1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 11-18_.
{104}
AS A WATCH IN THE NIGHT
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place
In all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Thou turnest man to destruction;
And sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight
Are but as yesterday when it is past,
And as a watch in the night.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep:
In the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up;
In the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
For we are consumed in thine anger,
And in thy wrath are we troubled.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee,
Our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
For all our days are passed away in thy wrath:
We bring our years to an end as a tale that is told.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten,
Or even by reason of strength fourscore years;
Yet is their pride but labour and sorrow; {105}
For it is soon gone, and we fly away.
Who knoweth the power of thine anger,
And thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee?
So teach us to number our days,
That we may get us an heart of wisdom.
Return, O Lord; how long?
And let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
O satisfy us in the morning with thy mercy;
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us,
And the years wherein we have seen evil.
Let thy work appear unto thy servants,
And thy glory upon their children.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us:
And establish thou the work of our hands upon us;
Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
--_Psalm 90_.
{106}
THE LORD IS OUR REFUGE
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in whom I trust.
For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,
And from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his pinions,
And under his wings shalt thou take refuge:
His truth is a shield and a buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night,
Nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
For the pestilence that walketh in darkness,
Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side,
And ten thousand at thy right hand;
But it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold,
And see the reward of the wicked.
For thou, O Lord, art my refuge!
Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee,
Neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee,
To keep thee in all thy ways. {107}
They shall bear thee up in their hands,
Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder:
The young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under feet.
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him:
I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble:
I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him,
And shew him my salvation.
--_Psalm 91_.
{108}
THE SONG OF THE FLOODS
The Lord reigneth; he is clothed with majesty;
The Lord is clothed with strength wherewith he hath girded himself:
The world also is established, that it cannot be moved.
Thy throne is established of old:
Thou art from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
The floods have lifted up their voice;
The floods lift up their waves.
Above the voices of many waters,
The mighty breakers of the sea,
The Lord on high is mighty.
Thy testimonies are very sure:
Holiness becometh thine house,
O Lord, for evermore.
--_Psalm 93_.
{109}{110}
[Illustration]
ON THE COAST OF PALESTINE AT SUNSET.
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether,
and used by her kind permission.
"The sea is his and he made it,
And his hands formed the dry land."
[End illustration]
{111}
THE SEA AND THE LAND ARE HIS
O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,
Let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God,
And a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, and he made it;
And his hands formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker:
For he is our God,
And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
--_Psalm 95:1-7_.
{112}
O SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG
O sing unto the Lord a new song:
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless his name;
Shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
His marvellous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised:
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols:
But the Lord made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before him:
Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the peoples,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name:
Bring an offering, and come into his courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness:
Tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, The Lord reigneth:
The world also is established that it cannot be moved:
He shall judge the peoples with equity.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
Let the field exult, and all that is therein;
Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy
Before the Lord, for he cometh;
For he cometh to judge the earth:
He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with his truth.
--_Psalm 96_.
{113}
THE LORD REIGNETH
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice;
Let the multitude of isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him:
Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
A fire goeth before him,
And burneth up his adversaries round about.
His lightnings lightened the world:
The earth saw, and trembled.
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare his righteousness,
And all the peoples have seen his glory.
Ashamed be all they that serve graven images,
That boast themselves of idols:
Worship him, all ye gods.
Zion heard and was glad,
And the daughters of Judah rejoiced;
Because of thy judgments, O Lord.
For thou, Lord, art most high above all the earth:
Thou art exalted far above all gods.
O ye that love the Lord, hate evil:
He preserveth the souls of his saints;
He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Be glad in the Lord, ye righteous;
And give thanks to his holy name.
--_Psalm 97_.
{114}
LET THE SEA ROAR
O sing unto the Lord a new song;
For he hath done marvellous things:
His right hand, and his holy arm, hath wrought salvation for him.
The Lord hath made known his salvation:
His righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the nations.
He hath remembered his mercy and his faithfulness toward
the house of Israel:
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth:
Break forth and sing for joy, yea, sing praises.
Sing praises unto the Lord with the harp;
With the harp and the voice of melody.
With trumpets and sound of cornet
Make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
The world, and they that dwell therein;
Let the floods clap their hands;
Let the hills sing for joy together
Before the Lord, for he cometh to judge the earth:
He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with equity.
--_Psalm 98_.
{115}
HOLY IS THE LORD
The Lord reigneth; let the peoples tremble:
He sitteth above the cherubim; let the earth be moved.
The Lord is great in Zion;
And he is high above all the peoples.
Let them praise thy great and terrible name:
Holy is he.
The king's strength also loveth justice;
Thou dost establish equity;
Thou executest justice and righteousness in Jacob.
Exalt ye the Lord our God,
And worship at his footstool:
Holy is he.
Moses and Aaron among his priests,
And Samuel among them that call upon his name;
They called upon the Lord, and he answereth them.
He spake unto them in the pillar of cloud:
They kept his testimonies,
And the statute that he gave them.
Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God:
Thou wast a God that forgavest them,
Though thou tookest vengeance of their doings.
Exalt ye the Lord our God,
And worship at his holy hill;
For the Lord our God is holy.
--_Psalm 99_.
{116}
THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness:
Come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God:
It is he that hath made us, and we are his;
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
And into his courts with praise:
Give thanks unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy endureth for ever;
And his faithfulness unto all generations.
--_Psalm 100_.
{117}
GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE
I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days:
Thy years are throughout all generations.
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth;
And the heavens are the work of thy hands.
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure:
Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment;
As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
But thou art the same,
And thy years shall have no end.
--_Psalm 102:24-27_.
{118}
OUR FATHER
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities:
Who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies:
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle.
The Lord executeth righteous acts,
And judgments for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses,
His doings unto the children of Israel.
The Lord is full of compassion and gracious,
Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide;
Neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
Nor rewarded us after our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth,
So great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, {119}
So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children,
So the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame;
He remembereth that we are dust.
As for man, his days are as grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone;
And the place thereof shall know it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting
to everlasting upon them that fear him,
And his righteousness unto children's children;
To such as keep his covenant,
And to those that remember his precepts to do them.
The Lord hath established his throne in the heavens;
And his kingdom ruleth over all.
Bless the Lord, ye angels of his:
Ye mighty in strength, that fulfil his word,
Hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts;
Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all ye his works,
In all places of his dominion:
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
--_Psalm 108_.
{120}
GOD THE CREATOR
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, thou art very great;
Thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment;
Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters;
Who maketh the clouds his chariot;
Who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
Who maketh winds his messengers;
His ministers a flaming fire:
Who laid the foundations of the earth,
That it should not be moved for ever.
Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a vesture;
The waters stood above the mountains.
At thy rebuke they fled;
At the voice of thy thunder they hasted away;
They went up by the mountains, they went down by the valleys,
Unto the place which thou hadst founded for them.
Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over;
That they turn not again to cover the earth.
He sendeth forth springs into the valleys;
They run among the mountains:
They give drink to every beast of the field; {121}
The wild asses quench their thirst.
By them the birds of the heaven have their habitation,
They sing among the branches.
He watereth the mountains from his chambers:
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,
And herb for the service of man;
That he may bring forth food out of the earth:
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man,
And oil to make his face to shine,
And bread that strengtheneth man's heart.
The trees of the Lord are satisfied;
The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
Where the birds make their nests:
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The rocks are a refuge for the conies.
He appointed the moon for seasons:
The sun knoweth his going down.
Thou makest darkness, and it is night;
Wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
The young lions roar after their prey,
And seek their meat from God.
The sun ariseth, they get them away,
And lay them down in their dens.
Man goeth forth unto his work
And to his labour until the evening.
O Lord, how manifold are thy works!
In wisdom hast thou made them all: {122}
The earth is full of thy riches.
Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
Wherein are things creeping innumerable,
Both small and great beasts.
There go the ships;
There is leviathan, whom thou hast formed to take his pastime therein.
These wait all upon thee,
That thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
That thou givest unto them they gather;
Thou openest thine hand, they are satisfied with good.
Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled;
Thou takest away their breath, they die,
And return to their dust.
Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created;
And thou renewest the face of the ground.
Let the glory of the Lord endure for ever;
Let the Lord rejoice in his works:
Who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth;
He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke.
I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live:
I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
Let my meditation be sweet unto him:
I will rejoice in the Lord.
Let sinners be consumed out of the earth,
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise ye the Lord.
--_Psalm 104_.
{123}
HE HATH NOT DEALT SO WITH ANY NATION
Oh give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name;
Make known among the peoples his doings.
Sing unto him, sing praises unto him;
Talk ye of all his marvellous works.
Glory ye in his holy name:
Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
Seek ye the Lord and his strength;
Seek his face evermore.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done,
His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
O ye children of Abraham his servant,
Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the Lord our God:
His judgments are in all the earth.
He hath remembered his covenant for ever,
The word which he commanded to a thousand generations,
The covenant which he made with Abraham,
And his oath unto Isaac,
And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a statute,
To Israel for an everlasting covenant,
Saying, "Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan,
The lot of your inheritance,"
When they were but a few men in number,
Yea, very few, and sojourners in it. {124}
And they went about from nation to nation,
From one kingdom to another people.
He suffered no man to do them wrong;
Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
Saying, "Touch not mine anointed ones,
And do my prophets no harm."
And he called for a famine upon the land;
He brake the whole staff of bread.
He sent a man before them;
Joseph was sold for a servant:
His feet they hurt with fetters;
He was laid in chains of iron,
Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the Lord tried him.
The king sent and loosed him;
Even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free.
He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his substance;
To bind his princes at his pleasure,
And teach his elders wisdom.
Israel also came into Egypt;
And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
And he increased his people greatly,
And made them stronger than their adversaries.
He turned their heart to hate his people,
To deal subtilly with his servants.
He sent Moses his servant,
And Aaron whom he had chosen.
They set among them his signs, {125}
And wonders in the land of Ham.
He sent darkness, and made it dark;
And they rebelled not against his words.
He turned their waters into blood,
And slew their fish.
Their land swarmed with frogs,
In the chambers of their kings.
He spake, and there came swarms of flies,
And lice in all their borders.
He gave them hail for rain,
And flaming fire in their land.
He smote their vines also and their fig trees;
And brake the trees of their borders.
He spake, and the locust came,
And the cankerworm, and that without number,
And did eat up every herb in their land,
And did eat up the fruit of their ground.
He smote also all the firstborn in their land,
The chief of all their strength.
And he brought them forth with silver and gold:
And there was not one feeble person among his tribes,
Egypt was glad when they departed;
For the fear of them had fallen upon them.
He spread a cloud for a covering;
And fire to give light in the night.
They asked, and he brought quails,
And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
He opened the rock, and waters gushed out;
They ran in the dry places like a river.
For he remembered his holy word. {126}
And Abraham his servant.
And he brought forth his people with joy,
And his chosen with singing.
And he gave them the lands of the nations;
And they took the labour of the peoples in possession:
That they might keep his statutes,
And observe his laws.
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord,
Or shew forth all his praise?
Blessed are they that keep judgment,
And he that doeth righteousness at all times.
Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people;
O visit me with thy salvation:
That I may see the prosperity of thy chosen,
That I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation,
That I may glory with thine inheritance.
We have sinned with our fathers,
We have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt;
They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies;
But were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake,
That he might make his mighty power to be known.
He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up: {127}
So he led them through the depths, as through a wilderness.
And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
And the waters covered their adversaries:
There was not one of them left.
Then believed they his words;
They sang his praise.
They soon forgot his works;
They waited not for his counsel:
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tempted God in the desert.
And he gave them their request;
But sent leanness into their soul.
They envied Moses also in the camp,
And Aaron the saint of the Lord.
The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
And covered the company of Abiram.
And a fire was kindled in their company;
The flame burned up the wicked.
They made a calf in Horeb,
And worshipped a molten image.
Thus they changed their glory
For the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.
They forgot God their saviour,
Which had done great things in Egypt;
Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
And terrible things by the Red Sea.
Therefore he said that he would destroy them,
Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach,
To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. {128}
Yea, they despised the pleasant land,
They believed not his word;
But murmured in their tents,
And hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.
Therefore he lifted up his hand unto them,
That he would overthrow them in the wilderness:
And that he would overthrow them among the nations,
And scatter them in the lands.
They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor,
And ate the sacrifices of the dead.
Thus they provoked him to anger with their doings;
And the plague broke in upon them.
Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment:
And so the plague was stayed.
And that was counted unto him for righteousness,
Unto all generations for evermore.
They angered him also at the waters of Meribah,
So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
Because they were rebellious against his spirit,
And he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
They did not destroy the peoples,
As the Lord commanded them;
But mingled themselves with the nations,
And learned their works:
And they served their idols;
Which became a snare unto them:
Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons,
And shed innocent blood, even the blood of
their sons and of their daughters, {129}
Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with blood.
Thus were they defiled with their works,
And did very evil in their doings.
Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against this people,
And he abhorred his inheritance.
And he gave them into the hand of the nations;
And they that hated them ruled over them.
Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were brought into subjection under their hand.
Many times did he deliver them;
But they were rebellious in their counsel,
And were brought low in their iniquity.
Nevertheless he regarded their distress,
When he heard their cry:
And he remembered for them his covenant,
And repented according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
He made them also to be pitied
Of all those that carried them captive.
Save us, O Lord our God,
And gather us from among the nations,
To give thanks unto thy holy name,
And to triumph in thy praise.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting even to everlasting.
And let all the people say, Amen.
Praise ye the Lord.
--_Psalms 105, 106_.
{130}
HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary;
And gathered them out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.
They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way;
They found no city of habitation.
Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,
And he delivered them out of their distresses.
He led them also by a straight way,
That they might go to a city of habitation.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
For he satisfieth the longing soul,
And the hungry soul he filleth with good.
Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Being bound in affliction and iron;
Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And contemned the counsel of the Most High:
Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; {131}
They fell down, and there was none to help.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,
And he saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And brake their bands in sunder.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
For he hath broken the gates of brass,
And cut the bars of iron in sunder.
Fools because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat;
And they draw near unto the gates of death.
Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble,
And he saveth them out of their distresses.
He sendeth his word, and healeth them,
And delivereth them from their destructions.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare his works with singing.
They that go down to the sea in ships,
That do business in great waters;
These see the works of the Lord,
And his wonders in the deep.
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind,
Which lifteth up the waves thereof.
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: {132}
Their soul melteth away because of trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits' end.
Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble,
And he bringeth them out of their distresses.
He maketh the storm a calm,
So that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet;
So he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise him in the seat of the elders.
He turneth rivers into a wilderness,
And watersprings into a thirsty ground;
A fruitful land into a salt desert,
For the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water,
And a dry land into watersprings.
And there he maketh the hungry to dwell,
That they may prepare a city of habitation;
And sow fields, and plant vineyards,
And get them fruits of increase.
He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly;
And he suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
Again, they are diminished and bowed down
Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
He poureth contempt upon princes, {133}
And causeth them to wander in the waste, where there is no way.
Yet setteth he the needy on high from affliction,
And maketh him families like a flock.
The upright shall see it, and be glad;
And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Whoso is wise shall give heed to these things,
And they shall consider the mercies of the Lord.
--_Psalm 107_.
{134}
HIS GLORY IS ABOVE THE HEAVENS
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise, O ye servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and for evermore.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same
The Lord's name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,
And his glory above the heavens.
Who is like unto the Lord our God,
Who hath his seat on high,
Who humbleth himself to behold
The things that are in heaven and in the earth?
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,
And lifteth up the needy from the dunghill;
That he may set him with princes,
Even with the princes of his people.
When Israel went forth out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.
The sea saw it, and fled; {135}
Jordan was driven back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
The little hills like young sheep.
What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleest?
Thou Jordan, that thou turnest back?
Ye mountains, that ye skip like rams;
Ye little hills, like young sheep?
Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob;
Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of waters.
--_Psalms 113:1-8; 114_.
{136}
IDOLS OF SILVER AND GOLD
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But unto thy name give glory,
For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
Wherefore should the nations say,
Where is now their God?
But our God is in the heavens:
He hath done whatsoever he pleased.
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men's hands.
They have mouths, but they speak not;
Eyes have they, but they see not;
They have ears, but they hear not;
Noses have they, but they smell not;
They have hands, but they handle not;
Feet have they, but they walk not;
Neither speak they through their throat.
They that make them shall be like unto them;
Yea, everyone that trusteth in them.
--_Psalm 115:1-8_.
{137}
I WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD
I love the Lord, because he hath heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me,
Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
The sorrows of death compassed me,
And the pains of Sheol seized me:
I found trouble and sorrow.
Then called I upon the name of the Lord;
O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yea, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserveth the simple:
I was brought low, and he saved me.
Return unto thy rest, O my soul;
For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
Mine eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
I will walk before the Lord
In the land of the living.
I believe, for I will speak:
I was greatly afflicted: {138}
I said in my haste,
All men are a lie.
What shall I render unto the Lord
For all his benefits toward me?
I will take the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows unto the Lord,
Yea, in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of his saints.
O Lord, truly I am thy servant:
I am thy servant, the son of thine handmaid;
Thou hast loosed my bonds.
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows unto the Lord.
--_Psalm 116:1-18_.
{139}
PRAISE THE LORD, YE NATIONS
O praise the Lord, all ye nations;
Laud him, all ye peoples.
For his mercy is great toward us;
And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.
Praise ye the Lord.
--_Psalm 117_.
{140}
THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND SONG
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
Let Israel now say,
That his mercy endureth for ever.
Let the house of Aaron now say,
That his mercy endureth for ever.
Let them now that fear the Lord say,
That his mercy endureth for ever.
Out of my distress I called upon the Lord:
The Lord answered me and set me in a large place.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear:
What can man do unto me?
The Lord is on my side among them that help me:
Therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.
All nations compassed me about:
In the name of the Lord I will cut them off.
They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about:
In the name of the Lord I will cut them off.
They compassed me about like bees;
they are quenched as the fire of thorns: {141}
In the name of the Lord I will cut them off.
Thou didst thrust sore at me that I might fall:
But the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and song;
And he is become my salvation.
The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous:
The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
The right hand of the Lord is exalted:
The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.
I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord hath chastened me sore:
But he hath not given me over unto death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness:
I will enter into them, I will give thanks unto the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
The righteous shall enter into it.
I will give thanks unto thee, for thou hast answered me,
And art become my salvation.
The stone which the builders rejected
Is become the head of the corner.
This is the Lord's doing;
It is marvellous in our eyes.
This is the day which the Lord hath made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Save now, we beseech thee, O Lord:
O Lord, we beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: {142}
We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God, and he hath given us light:
Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee:
Thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good;
For his mercy endureth for ever.
--_Psalm 118_.
{143}
THE SONGS OF THE PURE IN HEART
Blessed are they that are perfect in the way,
Who walk in the law of the Lord.
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
That seek him with the whole heart.
Yea, they do no unrighteousness;
They walk in his ways.
Thou hast commanded us thy precepts,
That we should observe them diligently.
Oh that my ways were established
To observe thy statutes!
Then shall I not be ashamed,
When I have respect unto all thy commandments.
I will give thanks unto thee with uprightness of heart,
When I learn thy righteous judgments.
I will observe thy statutes:
O forsake me not utterly.
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
With my whole heart have I sought thee:
O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Thy word have I laid up in mine heart,
That I might not sin against thee.
Blessed art thou, O Lord:
Teach me thy statutes. {144}
With my lips have I declared
All the judgments of thy mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
I will meditate in thy precepts,
And have respect unto thy ways.
I will delight myself in thy statutes:
I will not forget thy word.
Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live;
So will I observe thy word.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold
Wondrous things out of thy law.
I am a sojourner in the earth:
Hide not thy commandments from me.
My soul breaketh for the longing
That it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed,
Who wander from thy commandments.
Take away from me reproach and contempt;
For I have kept thy testimonies.
Princes also sat and talked against me:
But thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
Thy testimonies also are my delight
And my counsellors.
My soul cleaveth unto the dust:
Quicken thou me according to thy word.
I declared my ways, and thou answeredst me:
Teach me thy statutes. {145}
Make me to understand the way of thy precepts:
So shall I meditate of thy wondrous works.
My soul melteth for heaviness:
Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.
Remove from me the way of falsehood:
And grant me thy law graciously.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness:
Thy judgments have I set before me.
I cleave unto thy testimonies:
O Lord, put me not to shame.
I will run the way of thy commandments,
When thou shalt enlarge my heart.
Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes;
And I shall keep it unto the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep the law;
Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me to go in the path of thy commandments;
For therein do I delight.
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity,
And quicken me in thy ways.
Confirm thy word unto thy servant,
Which belongeth unto the fear of thee.
Turn away my reproach whereof I am afraid;
For thy judgments are good.
Behold, I have longed after thy precepts:
Quicken me in thy righteousness.
Let thy mercies also come unto me, O Lord, {146}
Even thy salvation, according to thy word.
So shall I have an answer for him that reproacheth me;
For I trust in thy word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth;
For I have hoped in thy judgments.
So shall I observe thy law continually
For ever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty;
For I have sought thy precepts.
I will also speak of thy testimonies before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
And I will delight myself in thy commandments,
Which I have loved.
I will lift up my hands also unto thy commandments, which I have loved;
And I will meditate in thy statutes.
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me:
Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
They that fear thee shall see me and be glad;
Because I have hoped in thy word.
I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are righteous,
And that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me.
Let, I pray thee, thy lovingkindness be for my comfort,
According to thy word unto thy servant.
Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live:
For thy law is my delight.
Let the proud be ashamed; for they have overthrown me wrongfully: {147}
But I will meditate in thy precepts.
Let those that fear thee turn unto me,
And they shall know thy testimonies.
Let my heart be perfect in thy statutes;
That I be not ashamed.
My soul fainteth for thy salvation:
But I hope in thy word.
Mine eyes fail for thy word,
While I say, "When wilt thou comfort me?"
For I am become like a bottle in the smoke;
Yet do I not forget thy statutes.
How many are the days of thy servant?
When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
The proud have digged pits for me,
Who are not after thy law.
All thy commandments are faithful:
They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
They had almost consumed me upon earth;
But I forsook not thy precepts.
Quicken me after thy lovingkindness;
So shall I observe the testimony of thy mouth.
For ever, O Lord,
Thy word is settled in heaven.
Thy faithfulness is unto all generations:
Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
They abide this day according to thine ordinances;
For all things are thy servants. {148}
Unless thy law had been my delight,
I should then have perished in mine affliction.
I will never forget thy precepts;
For with them thou hast quickened me.
I am thine, save me;
For I have sought thy precepts.
The wicked have waited for me to destroy me;
But I will consider thy testimonies.
I have seen an end of all perfection;
But thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Oh how love I thy law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies;
For they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers;
For thy testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
Because I have kept thy precepts.
I have refrained my feet from every evil way,
That I might observe thy word.
I have not turned aside from thy judgments;
For thou hast taught me.
How sweet are thy words unto my taste!
Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through thy precepts I get understanding:
Therefore I hate every false way.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
I have sworn, and have confirmed it,
That I will observe thy righteous judgments. {149}
I am afflicted very much:
Quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.
Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me thy judgments.
My soul is continually in my hand;
Yet do I not forget thy law.
The wicked have laid a snare for me;
Yet went I not astray from thy precepts.
Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever;
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes,
For ever, even unto the end.
I hate them that are of a double mind;
But thy law do I love.
Thou art my hiding place and my shield:
I hope in thy word.
Depart from me, ye evil-doers;
That I may keep the commandments of my God.
Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live;
And let me not be ashamed of my hope.
Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe,
And shall have respect unto thy statutes continually.
Thou hast set at nought all them that err from thy statutes;
For their deceit is falsehood.
Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross:
Therefore I love thy commandments.
My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; {150}
And I am afraid of thy judgments.
I have done judgment and justice:
Leave me not to mine oppressors.
Be surety for thy servant for good:
Let not the proud oppress me.
Mine eyes fail for thy salvation,
And for thy righteous word.
Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy,
And teach me thy statutes.
I am thy servant, give me understanding;
That I may know thy testimonies.
It is time for the Lord to work;
For they have made void thy law.
Therefore I love thy commandments
Above gold, yea, above fine gold.
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right;
And I hate every false way.
Thy testimonies are wonderful:
Therefore doth my soul keep them.
The opening of thy words giveth light;
It giveth understanding unto the simple.
I opened wide my mouth, and panted;
For I longed for thy commandments.
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me,
As thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.
Order my footsteps in thy word;
And let not any iniquity have dominion over me. {151}
Redeem me from the oppression of man:
So will I observe thy precepts.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant;
And teach me thy statutes.
Mine eyes run down with rivers of water,
Because they observe not thy law.
Righteous art thou, O Lord,
And upright are thy judgments.
Thou hast commanded thy testimonies in righteousness
and very faithfulness.
My zeal hath consumed me,
Because mine adversaries have forgotten thy words.
Thy word is very pure;
Therefore thy servant loveth it.
I am small and despised:
Yet do not I forget thy precepts.
Thy righteousness is everlasting righteousness,
And thy law is truth.
Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me:
Yet thy commandments are my delight.
Thy testimonies are righteous for ever:
Give me understanding, and I shall live.
I have called with my whole heart; answer me, O Lord:
I will keep thy statutes.
I have called unto thee; save me,
And I shall observe thy testimonies.
I rose before the dawning of the morning, and cried:
I hoped in thy words. {152}
Mine eyes outwatched the night watches,
That I might meditate in thy word.
Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness:
Quicken me, O Lord, according to thy judgments.
They draw nigh that follow after wickedness;
They are far from thy law.
Thou art nigh, O Lord,
And all thy commandments are truth.
Of old have I known from thy testimonies,
That thou hast founded them for ever.
Consider mine affliction, and deliver me;
For I do not forget thy law.
Plead thou my cause, and redeem me:
Quicken me according to thy word.
Salvation is far from the wicked;
For they seek not thy statutes.
Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord:
Quicken me according to thy judgments.
Many are my persecutors and mine adversaries;
Yet have I not swerved from thy testimonies.
I beheld the treacherous dealers, and was grieved;
Because they observe not thy word.
Consider how I love thy precepts:
Quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness.
The sum of thy word is truth;
And everyone of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
--_Psalm 119:1-48, 73-160_.
{153}{154}
[Illustration]
MOUNT CARMEL
"I will lift my eyes unto the mountains."
[End illustration]
{155}
I WILL LIFT MINE EYES UNTO THE MOUNTAINS
I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains:
From whence shall my help come?
My help cometh from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper:
The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall keep thee from all evil;
He shall keep thy soul.
The Lord shall keep thy going out and thy coming in,
From this time forth and for evermore.
--_Psalm 121_.
{156}
A PILGRIM SONG
I was glad when they said unto me,
"Let us go unto the house of the Lord."
Our feet are standing
Within thy gates, O Jerusalem;
Jerusalem, that art builded
As a city that is compact together:
Whither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord,
For a testimony unto Israel,
To give thanks unto the name of the Lord.
For there are set thrones for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
They shall prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls,
And prosperity within thy palaces.
For my brethren and companions' sakes,
I will now say, "Peace be within thee."
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek thy good.
--_Psalm 122_.
{157}
A SONG OF THE EXILES
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion,
We were like unto them that dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing:
Then said they among the nations,
The Lord hath done great things for them.
The Lord hath done great things for us;
Whereof we are glad.
Turn again our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Though he goeth on his way weeping, bearing forth the seed;
He shall come again with joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
--_Psalm 126_.
{158}
"DE PROFUNDIS."
Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice:
Let thine ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities,
O Lord, who shall stand?
But there is forgiveness with thee,
That thou mayest be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait,
And in his word do I hope.
My soul looketh for the Lord,
More than watchmen look for the morning;
Yea, more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is mercy,
And with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.
--_Psalm 130_.
{159}
BROTHERHOOD
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head,
That ran down upon the beard,
Even Aaron's beard;
That came down upon the skirt of his garments;
Like the dew of Hermon,
That cometh down upon the mountains of Zion:
For there the Lord commanded the blessing,
Even life for evermore.
--_Psalm 133_.
{160}
BLESS YE THE LORD
Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands to the sanctuary,
And bless ye the Lord.
The Lord bless thee out of Zion;
Even he that made heaven and earth.
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise ye the name of the Lord;
Praise him, O ye servants of the Lord:
Ye that stand in the house of the Lord,
In the courts of the house of our God.
Praise ye the Lord; for the Lord is good:
Sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.
For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself,
And Israel for his peculiar treasure.
For I know that the Lord is great,
And that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that hath he done,
In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He maketh lightnings for the rain;
He bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries. {161}
Who smote the firstborn of Egypt,
Both of man and beast.
He sent signs and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt,
Upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.
Who smote many nations,
And slew mighty kings;
Sihon king of the Amorites,
And Og king of Bashan,
And all the kingdoms of Canaan:
And gave their land for an heritage,
An heritage unto Israel his people.
Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever;
Thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations.
For the Lord shall judge his people,
And repent himself concerning his servants.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men's hands.
They have mouths, but they speak not;
Eyes have they, but they see not;
They have ears, but they hear not;
Neither is there any breath in their mouths.
They that make them shall be like unto them;
Yea, everyone that trusteth in them.
O house of Israel, bless ye the Lord:
O house of Aaron, bless ye the Lord:
O house of Levi, bless ye the Lord:
Ye that fear the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, {162}
Who dwelleth at Jerusalem.
Praise ye the Lord.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the Lord of lords:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who by understanding made the heavens:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who spread forth the earth above the waters:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who made great lights:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who smote Egypt in their firstborn:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
And brought out Israel from among them:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who divided the Red Sea in sunder:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: {163}
For his mercy endureth for ever:
But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who led his people through the wilderness:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who smote great kings:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
And slew famous kings:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
Sihon king of the Amorites:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
And Og king of Bashan:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
And gave their land for an heritage:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
Even an heritage unto Israel his servant:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
Who remembered us in our low estate:
For his mercy endureth for ever:
And hath delivered us from our adversaries:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
He giveth food to all flesh:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven:
For his mercy endureth for ever.
--_Psalms 134-136_.
{164}
THE EYE OF THE LORD
O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising,
Thou understandest my thought afar off.
Thou searchest out my path and my lying down,
And art acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word in my tongue,
But, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
Thou hast beset me behind and before,
And laid thine hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Whither shall I go from thy spirit?
Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall thy hand lead me,
And thy right hand shall hold me.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me,
And the light about me shall be night;
Even the darkness hideth not from thee,
But the night shineth as the day:
The darkness and the light are both alike to thee. {165}
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:
When I awake, I am still with thee.
Search me, O God, and know my heart:
Try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any way of wickedness in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
--_Psalm 139:1-12, 17, 18, 23, 24_.
{166}
HAPPY IS THE PEOPLE WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD
Blessed be the Lord my rock,
Who teacheth my hands to war,
And my fingers to fight:
My lovingkindness, and my fortress,
My high tower, and my deliverer;
My shield, and he in whom I trust;
Who subdueth my people under me.
Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?
Man is like to vanity:
His days are as a shadow that passeth away.
Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down:
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Cast forth lightning, and scatter them;
Send out thine arrows, and discomfit them.
Stretch forth thy hand from above;
Rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters,
Out of the hand of aliens;
Whose mouth speaketh deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood,
I will sing a new song unto thee, O God:
Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. {167}
Thou art he that giveth salvation unto kings;
Who rescueth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,
Whose mouth speaketh deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
When our sons shall be as plants grown up in their youth,
And our daughters as corner stones hewn after the fashion of a palace;
When our garners are full, affording all manner of store,
And our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
When our oxen are well laden;
When there is no breaking in, and no going forth,
And no outcry in our streets:
Happy is the people that is in such a case;
Yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord.
--_Psalm 144_
{168}
SLOW TO ANGER AND PLENTEOUS IN MERCY
I will extol thee, my God, O King;
And I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless thee;
And I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall laud thy works to another,
And shall declare thy mighty acts.
Of the glorious majesty of thine honour,
And of thy wondrous works, will I meditate.
And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts;
And I will declare thy greatness.
They shall utter the memory of thy great goodness,
And shall sing of thy righteousness
The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion;
Slow to anger, and of great mercy.
The Lord is good to all;
And his tender mercies are over all his works.
All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Lord;
And thy saints shall bless thee.
They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom,
And talk of thy power;
To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts,
And the glory of the majesty of his kingdom. {169}
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
The Lord upholdeth all that fall,
And raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
The eyes of all wait upon thee;
And thou givest them their food in due season.
Thou openest thine hand,
And satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways,
And gracious in all his works.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him,
To all that call upon him in truth.
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him;
He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
The Lord preserveth all them that love him;
But all the wicked will he destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord;
And let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
--_Psalm 145_.
{170}
SONGS OF PRAISE
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
While I live will I praise the Lord:
I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
Put not your trust in princes,
Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth;
In that very day his thoughts perish.
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God:
Which made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that in them is;
Which keepeth truth for ever:
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed;
Which giveth food to the hungry:
The Lord looseth the prisoners;
The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind;
The Lord raiseth up them that are bowed down;
The Lord loveth the righteous;
The Lord preserveth the strangers;
He upholdeth the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
The Lord shall reign for ever, {171}
Thy God, O Zion, unto all generations.
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord;
For it is good to sing praises unto our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is comely.
The Lord doth build up Jerusalem;
He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
He healeth the broken in heart,
And bindeth up their wounds.
He telleth the number of the stars;
He giveth them all their names.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
The Lord upholdeth the meek:
He bringeth the wicked down to the ground.
Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises upon the harp unto our God:
Who covereth the heaven with clouds,
Who prepareth rain for the earth,
Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
He giveth to the beast his food,
And to the young ravens which cry.
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse:
He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man.
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him,
In those that hope in his mercy.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem;
Praise thy God, O Zion. {172}
For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates;
He hath blessed thy children within thee.
He maketh peace in thy borders;
He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.
He sendeth out his commandment upon earth;
His word runneth very swiftly.
He giveth snow like wool;
He scattereth the hoar frost like ashes.
He casteth forth his ice like morsels:
Who can stand before his cold?
He sendeth out his word, and melteth them:
He causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
He sheweth his word unto Jacob,
His statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
He hath not dealt so with any nation:
And as for his judgments, they have not known them.
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord from the heavens:
Praise him in the heights.
Praise ye him, all his angels:
Praise ye him, all his host.
Praise ye him, sun and moon:
Praise him, all ye stars of light.
Praise him, ye heavens of heavens,
And ye waters that be above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord:
For he commanded, and they were created. {173}
He hath also established them for ever and ever:
He hath made a decree which shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth.
Ye dragons, and all deeps:
Fire and hail, snow and vapour;
Stormy wind, fulfilling his word:
Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars:
Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl:
Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth:
Both young men and maidens;
Old men and children:
Let them praise the name of the Lord;
For his name alone is exalted:
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
And he hath lifted up the horn of his people,
The praise of all his saints;
Even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him.
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary:
Praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts:
Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet:
Praise him with the psaltery and harp. {174}
Praise him with the timbrel and dance:
Praise him with stringed instruments and the pipe.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals:
Praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord.
--_Psalms 146-148, 150_.
{175}{176}
[Illustration]
TWO WOMEN GRINDING AT THE MILL
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
The hand mill for grinding grain shown in the picture is exactly the
same as those in use in Palestine from the earliest times. It
consists of two circular stones, one of which is placed on top of
the other, the upper and lower surfaces being flat. The underside of
the upper stone is slightly concave, fitting into the convex surface
of the lower stone. From the center of the lower stone a strong pin of
wood passes through a funnel-shaped hole in the upper stone. Into
this hole the grain is thrown, and as it is ground escapes as meal
to a smooth sheepskin placed beneath. On the surface of the upper
stone near the circumference, a handle is fixed by which the stone
is turned. The meal is ground every day. The work, which is very
laborious, is performed by the women of the household. In the
picture this mill is rather more elaborate than usual, the lower
stone being elongated and used as a trough for the meal as it falls
over the edges of the mill. There are two baskets of grain and one
of meal. One of the women is about to put a handful of grain in the
mill. Both are helping to turn the upper stone by the handle
[End illustration]
{177}
SELECTIONS FROM JOB
{178}
PERSONS REPRESENTED.
_Friends of Job_.
_Job, a rich man of the East_.
_Eliphaz, the Temanite_.
_Bildad, the Shuhite_.
_Zophar, the Naamathite_.
_Elihu, son of Barachel, the Buzite_.
_The Wife of Job_.
_The LORD_.
_Satan_.
_Sons of God, Messengers, Friends, Spectators_.
PLACES.
_The Land of Uz, a country east of Palestine_.
_The Court of Heaven_.
TIME.
The Patriarchal Age.
{179}
JOB
There is one question over which men have puzzled for many, many
hundreds of years. It is the question, "Why do good people suffer?"
When wicked people suffered, the reason seemed to be plain. It was
because they had done wrong; and people who do wrong ought to suffer.
But good people as well as wicked people suffer, and it has always
been very hard for many to see how God can be good and this still be
true.
This is the question that a Hebrew poet tried to answer in the book of
Job. He pictured a man named Job who had lived a good life and feared
God, and yet who suffered. He lost the flocks and herds which had made
him rich. A whirlwind swept away the house in which his sons and
daughters were feasting, and killed them all. At last a disease for
which there was no known cure came upon him. Poor and alone, he faced
a certain death of great suffering.
Then three friends came to see him. Finding him suffering so, they
believed that he must have been a great sinner, and that the suffering
was God's punishment for his sin. They tried to make him see that he
had sinned. At first they only hint it, very gently and tenderly, but
when he still insists that he has not sinned in any way which should
bring such suffering, they become more harsh and {180} plainly charge
him with being greedy of gain and cruel to the poor. He says that he
has not been guilty of these things. And so, the poet means to say,
when men suffer, it does not always mean that they have sinned. Then,
in the poem, God speaks out of a storm. He says that Job cannot
understand the sea or the sky or the storm or the winter's cold or the
instincts of the animals. Does he think, then, that he will be able to
understand how God deals with men? He trusts God in the things that
are good. Can he not trust him in the things that seem evil also? Job
is willing to trust God, and the book ends with a picture of a happy,
prosperous old age for this man who has suffered so much.
What is the writer's answer, then, to the question why good men
suffer? His answer is that we cannot tell why such men suffer. But we
know that God is wise and good, and we may trust him, even if we find
it impossible, as we always shall, to answer all the questions of
life.
The book of Job is a great dramatic poem. It is dramatic not because
it was meant to be acted as the Greek and English drama; the Hebrews
knew nothing about drama of this kind. But it consists of dialogue
between various speakers, and has the true dramatic spirit and
intensity of personal feeling. It is the nearest approach to the drama
in the Bible. It is printed here in dramatic form because it was felt
that this would be suggestive and helpful to the reader. It has a
prologue and an epilogue which are in prose, while the speeches are in
poetic form, and are printed like the blank verse of the Greek or
English drama.
{181}
PROLOGUE
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man
was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and shunned evil.
And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His
substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels,
and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very
great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children
of the east. And his sons went and held a feast in the house of each
one upon his day; and they sent and called for their three sisters to
eat and to drink with them. And whenever the feast days came round Job
sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and
offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job
said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their
hearts." Thus did Job continually.
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves
before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
And thus they spoke:--
THE LORD--"Whence comest thou?"
SATAN--"From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and
down in it."
THE LORD--"Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like
him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God,
and shunneth evil."
SATAN--"Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge
about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every
side? thou hast blessed the {182} work of his hands, and his substance
is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all
that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face."
THE LORD--"Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself
put not forth thine hand."
Then Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. After this on a
certain day messengers came with tidings to Job.
FIRST MESSENGER--"The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside
them: and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they
have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am
escaped alone to tell thee."
SECOND MESSENGER--"The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath
burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only
am escaped alone to tell thee."
THIRD MESSENGER--"The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the
camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the
edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee."
FOURTH MESSENGER--"Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking
wine in their eldest brother's house: and, behold, there came a great
wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and
it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped
alone to tell thee."
JOB--(He arose, rent his mantle, shaved his head, and fell on the
ground and worshipped.)
{183}
"Naked came I into the world, and naked I must return out of it. The
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the
Lord."
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves
before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself
before the Lord.
And thus they spoke:--
THE LORD--"From whence comest thou?"
SATAN--"From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and
down in it."
THE LORD--"Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like
him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God,
and shunneth evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although
thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."
SATAN--"Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his
life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh,
and he will renounce thee to thy face."
THE LORD--"Behold, he is in thy hands; only spare his life."
Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with
sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a
potsherd to scrape himself, and he sat among the ashes.
THE WIFE OF JOB--"Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce
God, and die."
JOB--"Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall
we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?"
{184}
Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon
him, they came everyone from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and
Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: and they made an
appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. And
when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted
up their voice, and wept; and they rent everyone his mantle, and
sprinkled dust upon their heads. So they sat down with him upon the
ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him:
for they saw that his grief was very great.
(The action of the dramatic poem itself now begins.)
I
JOB.
Why died I not at birth?
Why did life receive me?
For now should I have lain down and been quiet;
I should have slept; then had I been at rest:
With kings and counsellors of the earth,
Which built up waste places for themselves;
Or with princes that had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver:
There the wicked cease from troubling;
And there the weary be at rest.
There the prisoners are at ease together;
They hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
The small and great are there; {185}
And the servant is free from his master.
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery,
And life unto the bitter in soul;
Which long for death, but it cometh not;
And dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Which rejoice exceedingly,
And are glad, when they can find the grave?
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid,
And whom God hath hedged in?
For my sighing cometh before I eat,
And my groans are poured out like water.
For the thing which I fear cometh upon me,
And that which I am afraid of cometh unto me.
I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest;
But trouble cometh.
ELIPHAZ.
If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
Behold, thou hast instructed many,
And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
Thy words have upholden him that was falling,
And thou hast confirmed the feeble knees.
But now it is come unto thee, and thou faintest;
It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
Is not thy fear of God thy confidence,
And thy hope the integrity of thy ways?
Now a thing was secretly brought to me,
And mine ear received a whisper thereof. {186}
In thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falleth on men,
Fear came upon me, and trembling,
Which made all my bones to shake.
Then a spirit glided before my face;
The hair of my flesh stood up.
It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof;
A form was before mine eyes:
There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
Shall mortal man be more just than God?
Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants;
And his angels he chargeth with folly:
How much more them that dwell in houses of clay.
But man is born unto trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.
But as for me, I would seek unto God,
And unto God would I commit my cause:
Who doeth great things and unsearchable;
Marvellous things without number:
Who giveth rain upon the earth,
And sendeth waters upon the fields:
So that he setteth up on high those that be low;
And those which mourn are exalted to safety.
He frustrateth the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: {187}
And the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noonday as in the night.
But he saveth from the sword of their mouth,
Even the needy from the hand of the mighty.
So the poor hath hope,
And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth:
Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
For he maketh sore, and bindeth up;
He woundeth, and his hands make whole.
In famine he shall redeem thee from death;
And in war from the power of the sword.
Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue;
Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
At destruction and dearth thou shalt laugh;
Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field;
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age,
Like as a shock of corn cometh in in its season.
Lo this, we have searched it, so it is;
Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.
JOB.
Oh that my vexation were but weighed,
And my calamity laid in the balances together!
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas:
Therefore have my words been rash. {188}
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,
The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up:
The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
Oh that I might have my request;
And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
Even that it would please God to crush me;
That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
Then should I yet have comfort;
Yea, I would exult in pain that spareth not:
For I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is mine end, that I should be patient?
Is my strength the strength of stones?
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook,
As the channel of brooks that pass away;
Which are black by reason of the ice,
And wherein the snow hideth itself:
When they grow warm, they vanish:
When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
The caravans that travel by the way of them turn aside;
They go up into the waste, and perish.
The caravans of Tema looked,
The companies of Sheba waited for them.
They were ashamed because they had hoped;
They came thither, and were confounded.
See now,--ye are just like that,
Ye see a terror, and are afraid.
Did I say, Give unto me?
Or, Offer a present for me of your substance? {189}
Or, Deliver me from the adversary's hand?
Or, Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?
Teach me, and I will hold my peace:
And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
JOB.
(He speaks now to the Lord.)
What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him,
And that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him,
And that thou shouldest visit him every morning,
And try him every moment?
If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men?
Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee,
So that I am a burden to myself?
And why dost thou not pardon my transgression,
and take away mine iniquity?
For now shall I lie down in the dust;
And thou shalt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.
BILDAD.
How long wilt thou speak these things?
And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?
Doth God pervert judgment?
Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
If thy children have sinned against him,
And he have delivered them into the hand of their transgression: {190}
If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God,
And make thy supplication to the Almighty;
If thou wert pure and upright;
Surely now he would awake for thee,
And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age,
And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing,
Because our days upon earth are a shadow:)
Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee,
And utter words out of their heart?
"Can the rush grow up without mire?
Can the flag grow without water?"
Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down,
It withereth before any other herb.
So are the paths of all that forget God;
And the hope of the godless man shall perish:
Whose confidence shall break in sunder,
And whose trust is a spider's web.
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand:
He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.
He is green before the sun,
And his shoots go forth over his garden.
His roots are wrapped about the heap,
He beholdeth the place of stones.
If he be destroyed from his place,
Then it shall deny him, saying, "I have not seen thee." {191}
Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man,
Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.
He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter,
And thy lips with shouting.
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame;
And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
JOB.
Of a truth I know that it is so:
But how can man be just with God?
Should he desire to contend with him,
He cannot answer him one of a thousand.
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength:
Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not.
When he overturneth them in his anger.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place,
And the pillars thereof tremble.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not;
And sealeth up the stars.
Who alone stretcheth out the heavens,
And treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south.
Who doeth great things past finding out;
Yea, marvellous things without number.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not:
He passeth on also, but I perceive him not. {192}
If we speak of the strength of the mighty, lo, he is there!
And if of judgment, who will appoint me a time?
Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me:
Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
I am perfect; I regard not myself;
I despise my life.
It is all one; therefore I say,
He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
Now my days are swifter than a courier:
They flee away, they see no good.
They are passed away as the swift ships:
As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
My soul is weary of my life;
I will give free course to my complaint;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
I will say unto God, "Do not condemn me;
Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.
Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress,
That thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands?
Are not my days few? cease then,
And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
Before I go whence I shall not return,
Even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself;
A land of the shadow of death, without any order,
And where the light is as darkness."
{193}
ZOPHAR.
Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should a man full of talk be justified?
Should thy boastings make men hold their peace?
And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
For thou sayest, "My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in thine eyes."
But Oh that God would speak,
And open his lips against thee;
And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom,
That it is manifold in effectual working!
Know therefore that God exacteth of thee
less than thine iniquity deserveth.
Canst thou by searching find out God?
Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
It is high as heaven; what canst thou do?
Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?
The measure thereof is longer than the earth,
And broader than the sea.
For he knoweth vain men:
He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.
If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away,
And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents;
Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot;
Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
For thou shalt forget thy misery;
Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away:
And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday;
Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.
{194}
JOB.
No doubt but ye are the people,
And wisdom shall die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you:
Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
Lo, mine eye hath seen all this,
Mine ear hath heard and understood it.
What ye know, the same do I know also:
I am not inferior unto you.
Surely I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
But ye are forgers of lies,
Ye are all physicians of no value.
Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace!
And it should be your wisdom.
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes.
Though he slay me, yet will I wait for him:
Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.
This also shall be my salvation;
For a godless man shall not come before him.
Hear diligently my speech,
And let my declaration be in your ears.
Behold now, I have ordered my cause;
I know that I am righteous.
Who is he that will contend with me?
How many are mine iniquities and sins?
Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, {195}
And holdest me for thine enemy?
Wilt thou harass a driven leaf?
And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
Man that is born of a woman
Is of few days, and full of trouble.
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down:
He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one,
And bringest me into judgment with thee?
For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Though the root thereof grow old in the earth,
And the stock thereof die in the ground;
Yet through the scent of water it will bud,
And put forth boughs like a plant.
But man dieth, and wasteth away:
Yea, man giveth up his spirit, and where is he?
If a man die, shall he live again?
All the days of my warfare would I wait,
Till my release should come.
Thou shouldest call, and I would answer thee:
Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thine hands.
THE FIRST CYCLE OF SPEECHES IS ENDED.
The three friends center their thought about God. The question is, why
has Job suffered? Their answer is, because he has sinned. God is just,
and would never make a man suffer unless he had sinned. _Eliphaz_ says
that all men are imperfect, and so {196} suffer. Let Job acknowledge
that he has sinned, and this suffering will be only discipline, and
God will again bless him. _Bildad_ says that the fathers have always
understood that God was just. The man who does not believe as they did
must be wicked. _Zophar_ says that God knows Job has sinned, even if
Job himself is too blind to see it; else he would not make Job suffer.
_Job_ is perplexed. Has he sinned so as to merit this suffering? No.
If they say that God is just--yes, but what does God mean, then, by
dealing thus with him? He had expected sympathy from his friends. Why
do they not give it? He can only turn helplessly to God himself. Would
that he could meet God as one might a man, and plead his cause! But,
no! Even that chance for justice is cut off. And yet they can talk of
God as being just!
II
ELIPHAZ.
Should a wise man make answer with vain knowledge,
And fill his belly with the east wind?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk,
Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
Yea, thou doest away with fear,
And restrainest devotion before God.
For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth,
And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I;
Yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Art thou the first man that was born?
Or wast thou brought forth before the hills?
Hast thou heard the secret counsel of God?
And dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
What knowest thou, that we know not? {197}
What understandest thou, which is not in us?
With us are both the grayheaded and the very aged men,
Much older than thy father.
Are the consolations of God too small for thee,
And the word that dealeth gently with thee?
Why doth thine heart carry thee away?
And why do thine eyes wink?
That thou turnest thy spirit against God,
And lettest such words go out of thy mouth.
JOB.
I have heard many such things:
Miserable comforters are ye all.
Shall vain words have an end?
Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
I also could speak as ye do;
If your soul were in my soul's stead,
I could join words together against you,
And shake mine head at you.
But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the solace of my lips should assuage your grief.
God delivereth me to the ungodly,
And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
I was at ease, and he brake me asunder;
Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces:
He hath also set me up for his mark.
His archers compass me round about, {198}
My face is red with weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
Although there is no violence in mine hands,
And my prayer is pure.
O earth, cover not thou my blood,
And let my cry have no resting place.
Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
And he that voucheth for me is on high.
My friends scorn me:
But mine eye poureth out tears unto God;
That he would maintain the right of a man with God,
And of a son of man with his neighbour!
For when a few years are come,
I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct,
The grave is ready for me.
Surely there are mockers with me,
And mine eye abideth in their provocation.
But return ye, all of you, and come now:
And I shall not find a wise man among you.
My days are past, my purposes are broken off,
Even the thoughts of my heart.
They change the night into day:
The light, say they, is near unto the darkness.
If I look for Sheol as mine house:
If I have spread my couch, in the darkness;
If I have said to corruption, "Thou art my father";
To the worm, "Thou art my mother, and my sister"; {199}
Where then is my hope?
And as for my hope, who shall see it?
It shall go down to the bars of Sheol,
When once there is rest in the dust.
BILDAD.
How long will ye lay snares for words?
Consider, and afterwards we will speak.
Wherefore are we counted as beasts,
And are become unclean in your sight?
Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger,
Shall the earth be forsaken for thee?
Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?
Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out,
And the spark of his fire shall not shine.
The light shall be dark in his tent,
And his lamp above him shall be put out.
The steps of his strength shall be straitened,
And his own counsel shall cast him down.
He shall be rooted out of his tent wherein he trusteth;
And he shall be brought to the king of terrors.
He shall be driven from light into darkness,
And chased out of the world.
He shall have neither son nor son's son among his people,
Nor any remaining where he sojourned.
They that come after shall be astonished at his day,
As they that went before were frightened.
Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous,
And this is the place of him that knoweth not God.
{200}
JOB.
How long will ye vex my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?
These ten times have ye reproached me:
Ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.
And if indeed I have erred,
Mine error remaineth with myself.
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me,
And plead against me my reproach:
Know now that God hath wronged me in my cause,
And hath compassed me with his net.
Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard:
I cry for help, but there is no judgment.
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass,
And hath set darkness in my paths.
He hath put my brethren far from me,
And mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
My kinsfolk have failed,
And my familiar friends have forgotten me.
Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends;
For the hand of God hath touched me.
Why do ye persecute me as God,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?
Oh that my words were now written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
That with an iron pen and lead
They were graven in the rock for ever!
But I know that my redeemer liveth, {201}
And that he shall stand up at the last upon the earth:
And after my skin hath been thus destroyed,
Yet from my flesh shall I see God:
Whom I shall see for myself,
And mine eyes shall behold, and not another.
ZOPHAR.
Knowest thou not this of old time,
Since man was placed upon earth,
That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless but for a moment?
Though his excellency mount up to the heavens,
And his head reach unto the clouds;
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found:
Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
The eye which saw him shall see him no more;
Neither shall his place any more behold him.
For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor;
He hath violently taken away an house, and he shall not build it up.
Because he knew no quietness within him,
He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.
There was nothing left that he devoured not;
Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits:
The hand of everyone that is in misery shall come upon him.
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity,
And the earth shall rise up against him. {202}
The increase of his house shall depart,
His goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God,
And the heritage appointed unto him by God.
JOB.
Hear diligently my speech;
And let this be your consolations.
Suffer me, and I also will speak;
And after that I have spoken, mock on.
As for me, is my complaint to man?
And why should I not be impatient?
Wherefore do the wicked live,
Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
Their seed is established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear,
Neither is the rod of God upon them.
They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
They sing to the timbrel and harp,
And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity,
And in a moment they go down to Sheol.
Yet they said unto God, "Depart from us;
For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? {203}
And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?"
Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand:
The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out?
That their calamity cometh upon them?
That God distributeth sorrows in his anger?
That they are as stubble before the wind,
And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?
Ye say, God layeth up his iniquity for his children.
Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it.
Let his own eyes see his destruction,
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
For what pleasure hath he in his house after him,
When the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
Shall any teach God knowledge?
Seeing he judgeth those that are high.
One dieth in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and quiet:
And another dieth in bitterness of soul,
And never tasteth of good.
They lie down alike in the dust,
And the worm covereth them.
Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
For ye say, Where is the house of the tyrant?
And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt? {204}
Have ye not asked them that go by the way?
And do ye not know their tokens?
That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity?
That they are led forth to the day of wrath?
Who shall declare his way to his face?
And who shall repay him what he hath done?
Yet shall he be borne to the grave,
And shall keep watch over the tomb.
The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him,
And all men shall draw after him,
As there were innumerable before him.
How then comfort ye me in vain,
Seeing in your answers there remaineth only falsehood?
THE SECOND CYCLE OF SPEECHES IS ENDED.
In the first cycle, the three friends had tried to bring Job to their
idea of God, and had failed. Now they center their thought about the
wicked man,--how his wickedness brings suffering. _Eliphaz_ says that
all men know that the wicked suffer. _Bildad_ says that the very order
of nature is such that the wicked suffer. _Zophar_ says that, even if
the wicked have any prosperity, it is short, and the end is suffering.
All this is to rouse the conscience of Job to believe that he is
suffering for his sins. Job, overwhelmed by their lack of sympathy, at
first does not try to meet their arguments, but continues his
complaint and prayer to God. Zophar's speech arouses him to answer,
and he says Zophar does not speak the truth. The wicked live and die
as happily as the righteous.
The real argument is ended. The friends have tried to show that Job
suffers because he has sinned. They have come to the question from the
side of God and from the side of man; and in each case Job has denied
their position. Nothing is left but to charge Job directly with sin.
{205}
III
ELIPHAZ.
Can a man be profitable unto God?
Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou are righteous?
Or, is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Is it for thy fear of him that he reproveth thee,
That he entereth with thee into judgment?
Is not thy wickedness great?
Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink,
And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Thou hast sent widows away empty,
And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Therefore snares are round about thee,
And sudden fear troubleth thee,
Or darkness, that thou canst not see,
And abundance of waters cover thee.
Is not God in the height of heaven?
And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
And thou sayest, "What doth God know?
Can he judge through the thick darkness?
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not;
And he walketh in the circuit of heaven."
Wilt thou keep the old way
Which wicked men have trodden? {206}
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up;
If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
And lay thou thy treasure in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
And the Almighty shall be thy treasure,
And precious silver unto thee.
For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty,
And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee;
And thou shalt pay thy vows.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee;
And light shall shine upon thy ways.
JOB.
Even to-day is my complaint rebellious:
My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
Oh that I knew where I might find him,
That I might come even to his dwelling place!
I would order my cause before him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know the words which he would answer me,
And understand what he would say unto me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
Nay; but he would give heed unto me.
There the upright might reason with him;
So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; {207}
And backward, but I cannot perceive him:
On the left hand, when he doth work, but I cannot behold him:
He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.
But he knoweth the way: that I take;
When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot hath held fast to his steps;
His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
But he is in one mind, and who can turn him?
And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
For he performeth that which is appointed for me:
And many such things are with him.
Therefore am I troubled at his presence;
When I consider, I am afraid of him.
For God hath made my heart faint,
And the Almighty hath troubled me:
Because I was not cut off before the darkness,
Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.
BILDAD.
Dominion and fear are with him;
He maketh peace in his high places.
Is there any number of his armies?
And upon whom doth not his light arise?
How then can man be just with God? {208}
Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
Behold, even the moon hath no brightness,
And the stars are not pure in his sight:
How much less man, that is a worm!
And the son of man, which is a worm!
JOB.
How hast thou helped him that is without power!
How hast thou saved the arm that hath no strength!
How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom,
And plentifully declared sound knowledge!
To whom hast thou uttered words?
And whose spirit came forth from thee?
They that are deceased tremble
Beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof.
Sheol is naked before him,
And Abaddon hath no covering.
He stretcheth out the north over empty space,
And hangeth the earth upon nothing.
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds;
And the cloud is not rent under them.
He closeth in the face of his throne,
And spreadeth his cloud upon it.
He hath described a boundary upon the face of the waters
Unto the confines of light and darkness.
The pillars of heaven tremble
And are astonished at his rebuke.
He stirreth up the sea with his power,
And by his understanding he smiteth through Rahab. {209}
By his spirit the heavens are garnished;
His hand hath pierced the swift serpent.
Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways:
And how small a whisper do we hear of him!
But the thunder of his power who can understand?
As God liveth, who hath taken away my right;
And the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
(For my life is yet whole in me,
And the spirit of God is in my nostrils;)
Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness,
Neither shall my tongue utter deceit.
God forbid that I should justify you:
Till I die I will not put away mine integrity from me.
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go:
My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
ZOPHAR.
This is the portion of a wicked man with God,
And the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.
Though he heap up silver as the dust,
And prepare raiment as the clay;
He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on,
And the innocent shall divide the silver.
He openeth his eyes, and he is not.
Terrors overtake him like waters;
A tempest stealeth him away in the night.
The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth;
And it sweepeth him out of his place.
{210}
JOB.
Oh that I were as in the months of old,
As in the days when God watched over me;
When his lamp shined upon my head,
And by his light I walked through darkness;
As I was in the ripeness of my days,
When the secret of God was upon my tent;
When the Almighty was yet with me,
And my children were about me;
When I went forth to the gate unto the city,
When I prepared my seat in the street,
The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the aged rose up and stood;
The princes refrained talking,
And laid their hand on their mouth;
The voice of the nobles was hushed,
And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me;
And when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me:
Because I delivered the poor that cried,
The fatherless also, that had none to help him.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me:
And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me:
My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
I was eyes to the blind,
And feet was I to the lame.
I was a father to the needy:
And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out. {211}
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision,
Upon my right hand rise the rabble;
They thrust aside my feet,
And they cast up against me their ways of destruction.
And now my soul is poured out within me;
Days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
In the night season my bones are pierced in me,
And the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
He hath cast me into the mire,
And I am become like dust and ashes.
I cry unto thee, and thou dost not answer me:
I stand up, and thou lookest at me.
Thou liftest me up to the wind, thou causest me to ride upon it;
And thou dissolvest me in the storm.
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant,
When they contended with me:
What then shall I do when God riseth up?
And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
If I have withheld the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Or have eaten my morsel alone,
And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
If I have seen any perish for want of clothing,
Or that the needy had no covering;
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,
Because I saw my help in the gate: {212}
Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade,
And mine arm be broken from the bone.
If I have made gold my hope,
And have said to the fine gold,
Thou art my confidence;
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because mine hand had gotten much;
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me,
Or lifted up myself when evil found him;
If the men of my tent said not,
Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his food?
The stranger did not lodge in the street;
But I opened my doors to the traveller.
Oh that I had one to hear me!
(Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me;)
And that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!
Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder;
I would bind it unto me as a crown.
I would declare unto him the number of my steps;
As a prince would I go near unto him.
If my land cry out against me,
And the furrows thereof weep together;
If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money,
Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: {213}
Let thistles grow instead of wheat,
And cockle instead of barley.
IN THE THIRD CYCLE OF SPEECHES
The three friends still try to show Job that he must have sinned.
_Eliphaz_ charges him directly with the sins that a rich man in his
position could most easily commit. _Bildad_ only repeats in feebler
phrase former statements about man's impurity in the pure sight of
God. _Zophar_ either does not appear at all, or maintains his former
position with no new argument. _Job_ still wishes he might find God to
plead his cause, and, at the end, affirms formally his innocence of
the sins with which Eliphaz had charged him.
The argument has ended. Neither side has moved the other a single step
from the position taken at the beginning. The question of why Job
suffers is still unanswered. If it is ever to be answered, some other
solution than that of the three friends must be offered.
IV
So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in
his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel
the Buzite, of the family of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled,
because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three
friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and
yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited to speak unto Job, because
they were older than he. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer
in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled.
ELIHU.
(He speaks to the friends.)
I am young, and ye are very old; {214}
Wherefore I held back, and durst not shew you mine opinion.
I said, "Days should speak,
And multitude of years should teach wisdom."
But there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
It is not the great alone that are wise,
Nor the aged that understand judgment.
Therefore I said, "Hearken to me;
I also will shew mine opinion."
Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened for your reasons,
Whilst ye searched out what to say.
Yea, I attended unto you,
And, behold, there was none that convinced Job,
Or that answered his words, among you.
(He speaks to Job.)
Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech
And hearken to all my words.
Behold now, I have opened my mouth,
My tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart:
And that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
The spirit of God hath made me,
And the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
If thou canst, answer thou me;
Set thy words in order before me, stand forth. {215}
Behold, I am toward God even as thou art:
I also am formed out of the clay.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid,
Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.
Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing,
And I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
"I am clean, without transgression;
I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:
Behold, he findeth occasions against me,
He counteth me for his enemy;
He putteth my feet in the stocks,
He marketh all my paths."
Behold, I will answer thee, in this thou art not just;
For God is greater than man.
Why dost thou strive against him?
For he giveth not account of any of his matters.
For God speaketh once,
Yea twice, though man regardeth it not.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falleth upon men,
In slumberings upon the bed;
Then he openeth the ears of men,
And sealeth their instruction,
That he may withdraw man from his purpose,
And hide pride from man;
He keepeth back his soul from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the sword.
To shew unto man what is right for him;
Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, {216}
"Deliver him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom."
His flesh shall be fresher than a child's;
He returneth to the days of his youth:
He prayeth unto God, and he is favourable unto him;
So that he seeth his face with joy:
And he restoreth unto man his righteousness.
He singeth before men, and saith,
"I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
And it profited me not:
He hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit,
And my life shall behold the light."
Lo, all these things doth God work,
Twice, yea thrice, with a man,
To bring back his soul from the pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me:
Hold thy peace, and I will speak.
If thou hast any thing to say, answer me:
Speak, for I desire to justify thee.
If not, hearken thou unto me:
Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
(He speaks again to the friends.)
Hear my words, ye wise men;
And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
For the ear trieth words,
As the palate tasteth meat.
Let us choose for us that which is right: {217}
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
For Job hath said, "I am righteous,
And God hath taken away my right."
Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding:
Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness;
And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
For the work of a man shall he render unto him,
And cause every man to find according to his ways.
Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly,
Neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
Is it fit to say to a king, "Thou art vile?"
Or to nobles, "Ye are wicked?"
How much less to him that respecteth not the persons of princes,
Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor?
For they all are the work of his hands.
In a moment they die, even at midnight;
For his eyes are upon the ways of a man,
And he seeth all his goings.
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death,
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
Therefore speak what thou knowest.
Men of understanding will say unto me,
Yea, every wise man that heareth me:
"Job speaketh without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom.
Would that Job were tried unto the end,
Because of his answering like wicked men. {218}
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin,
He clappeth his hands among us,
And multiplieth his words against God."
(He speaks again to Job.)
Thinkest thou this to be thy right,
Or sayest thou, "My righteousness is more than God's,"
That thou sayest, "What advantage will it be unto thee?"
And, "What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?"
I will answer thee,
And thy companions with thee.
Look unto the heavens, and see;
And behold the skies, which are higher than thou.
If thou hast sinned, what doest thou against him?
And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
If thou be righteous, what givest thou him?
Or what receiveth he of thine hand?
There they cry, but none giveth answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
Surely God will not hear vanity,
Neither will the Almighty regard it.
How much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not,
The cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!
But now, because he hath not visited in his anger,
Neither doth he greatly regard arrogance;
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity;
He multiplieth words without knowledge. {219}
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any:
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
He preserveth not the life of the wicked:
But giveth to the afflicted their right.
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous:
But with kings upon the throne
He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
And if they be bound in fetters,
And be taken in the cords of affliction;
Then he sheweth them their work,
And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
He openeth also their ear to instruction.
Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
The number of his years is unsearchable.
For he draweth up the drops of water,
Which distil in rain from his vapour:
Which the skies pour down
And drop upon man abundantly.
Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds,
The thunderings of his pavilion?
Behold, he spreadeth his light around him;
And he covereth the bottom of the sea.
For by these he judgeth the peoples;
He giveth meat in abundance.
He covereth his hands with the lightning;
And giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
The noise thereof telleth concerning him,
The cattle also concerning the storm that cometh up.
At this also my heart trembleth, {220}
And is moved out of its place.
Hearken ye unto the noise of his voice,
And the sound that goeth out of his mouth.
He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven,
And his lightning unto the ends of the earth.
After it a voice roareth;
He thundereth with the voice of his majesty:
And he stayeth them not when his voice is heard.
God thundereth marvellously with his voice;
Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
For he saith to the snow, "Fall thou on the earth";
Likewise to the shower of rain,
And to the showers of his mighty rain.
He sealeth up the hand of every man;
That all men whom he hath made may know it.
Then the beasts go into coverts,
And remain in their dens.
Out of the chamber of the south cometh the storm:
And cold out of the north.
By the breath of God ice is given:
And the breadth of the waters is straitened.
Yea, he ladeth the thick cloud with moisture;
He spreadeth abroad the cloud of his lightning:
And it is turned round about by his guidance,
That they may do whatsoever he commandeth them
Upon the face of the habitable world:
Whether it be for correction, or for his land,
Or for mercy, that he cause it to come.
Hearken unto this, O Job: {221}
Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
Dost thou know how God layeth his charge upon them,
And causeth the lightning of his cloud to shine?
Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds,
The wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
How thy garments are warm,
When the earth is still by reason of the south wind?
Canst thou with him spread out the sky,
Which is strong as a molten mirror?
Teach us what we shall say unto him;
For we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.
Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?
And now men see not the light which is bright in the skies:
But the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.
Out of the north cometh golden splendour:
God hath upon him terrible majesty.
Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out; he is excellent in power:
And in judgment and plenteous justice he will not afflict.
Men do therefore fear him:
He regardeth not any that are wise of heart.
(_Elihu_ offers his solution to the question, Why does Job suffer? He
is young, conceited, and wordy, but sincere in his belief that he has
wisdom which his elders and betters have not found. It is difficult to
see what that wisdom is. Most of what he says has been better said
before. If he adds anything, it is the thought that God sometimes
sends suffering, not only to punish for past sin, but to keep man from
future sin.)
{222}
V
THE LORD.
(He speaks to Job out of the whirlwind.)
Who is this that darkeneth counsel
By words without knowledge?
Gird up now thy loins like a man;
For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Declare, if thou hast understanding.
Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest?
Or who stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened?
Or who laid the corner stone thereof;
When the morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Or who shut up the sea with doors,
When it brake forth,
When I made the cloud the garment thereof,
And thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
And prescribed for it my decree,
And set bars and doors,
And said, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;
And here shall thy proud waves be stayed"?
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began,
And caused the dayspring to know its place; {223}
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And the wicked be shaken out of it?
It is changed as clay under the seal;
And all things stand forth as a garment:
And from the wicked their light is withholden,
And the high arm is broken.
Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?
Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee?
Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Hast thou comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Declare, if thou knowest it all.
Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
And as for darkness, where is the place thereof;
That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof,
And that thou shouldest discern the paths to the house thereof?
Doubtless, thou knowest, for thou wast then born,
And the number of thy days is great!
Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow,
Or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble,
Against the day of battle and war?
By what way is the light parted,
Or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood,
Or a way for the lightning of the thunder;
To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; {224}
On the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
To satisfy the waste and desolate ground;
And to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades,
Or loose the bands of Orion?
Canst thou lead forth the signs of the Zodiac in their season?
Or canst thou guide the Bear with her train?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens?
Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,
That abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go,
And say unto thee, "Here we are"?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts?
Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
When the dust runneth into a mass,
And the clods cleave fast together?
Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lioness?
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
When they couch in their dens,
And abide in the covert to lie in wait?
Who provideth for the raven his food,
When his young ones cry unto God,
And wander for lack of meat? {225}
Who hath sent out the wild ass free?
Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
Whose house I have made the wilderness,
And the salt land his dwelling place ..
He scorneth the tumult of the city,
Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver.
The range of the mountains is his pasture,
And he searcheth after every green thing.
Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee?
Or will he abide by thy crib?
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow?
Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great?
Or wilt thou leave to him thy labour?
Wilt thou confide in him, that he will bring home thy seed,
And gather the corn of thy threshing-floor?
The wing of the ostrich rejoiceth;
But are her pinions and feathers kindly?
For she leaveth her eggs on the earth,
And warmeth them in the dust,
And forgetteth that the foot may crush them,
Or that the wild beast may trample them.
She is hardened against her young ones, as if they were not hers:
Though her labour be in vain, she is without fear;
Because God hath deprived her of wisdom,
Neither hath he imparted to her understanding. {226}
What time she lifteth up herself on high,
She scorneth the horse and his rider.
Hast thou given the horse his might?
Hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?
Hast thou made him to leap as a locust?
The glory of his snorting is terrible.
He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength:
He goeth out to meet the armed men.
He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed;
Neither turneth he back from the sword.
The quiver rattleth against him,
The flashing spear and the javelin.
He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage;
Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet
As oft as the trumpet soundeth he saith, "Aha!"
And he smelleth the battle afar off,
The thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
Doth the hawk soar by thy wisdom,
And stretch her wings toward the south?
Doth the eagle mount up at thy command,
And make her nest on high?
She dwelleth on the rock, and hath her lodging there,
Upon the crag of the rock, and the strong hold.
From thence she spieth out the prey;
Her eyes behold it afar off.
Her young ones also suck up blood:
And where the slain are, there is she.
{227}
JOB.
Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee?
I lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Once have I spoken, and I will not answer;
Yea twice, but I will proceed no further.
THE LORD.
(Out of the whirlwind.)
Gird up thy loins now like a man:
I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Wilt thou even disannul my judgment?
Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?
Or hast thou an arm like God?
And canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity;
And array thyself with honour and majesty.
Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger:
And look upon everyone that is proud, and abase him.
Look on everyone that is proud, and bring him low;
And tread down the wicked where they stand.
Hide them in the dust together;
Bind their faces in the hidden place.
Then will I also confess of thee
That thine own right hand can save thee.
Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee;
He eateth grass as an ox.
Lo now, his strength is in his loins,
And his force is in the muscles of his belly. {228}
He moveth his tail like a cedar:
The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
His bones are as tubes of brass;
His limbs are like bars of iron.
He is the chief of the ways of God:
He only that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
Surely the mountains bring him forth food;
Where all the beasts of the field do play.
He lieth under the lotus trees,
In the covert of the reed, and the fen.
The lotus trees cover him with their shadow;
The willows of the brook compass him about.
Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not:
He is confident, though Jordan swell even to his mouth.
Shall any take him when he is on the watch,
Or pierce through his nose with a snare?
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fish hook?
Or press down his tongue with a cord?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose?
Or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
Will he make many supplications unto thee?
Or will he speak soft words unto thee?
Will he make covenant with thee,
That thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?
Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? {229}
Shall the bands of fishermen make traffic of him?
Shall they part him among the merchants?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons,
Or his head with fish spears?
Lay thine hand upon him;
Remember the battle, and do so no more.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain:
Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up:
Who then is he that can stand before me?
Who hath first given unto me, that I should repay him?
Whatsoever is under the whole heaven in mine.
I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
Nor his mighty strength, nor his comely proportion.
Who can strip off his outer garment?
Who shall come within his double bridle?
Who can open the doors of his face?
Round about his teeth is terror.
His strong scales are his pride,
Shut up together as with a close seal.
One is so near to another,
That no air can come between them.
They are joined one to another;
They stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
His nostrils flash forth light,
And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
Out of his mouth go burning torches,
And sparks of fire leap forth.
Out of his nostrils a smoke goeth, {230}
As of a boiling pot and burning rushes.
His breath kindleth coals,
And a flame goeth forth from his mouth.
In his neck abideth strength,
And terror danceth before him.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together:
They are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.
His heart is as firm as a stone;
Yea, firm as the nether millstone.
When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid;
By reason of consternation they are beside themselves.
If one lay at him with the sword, it cannot avail;
Nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
He counteth iron as straw,
And brass as rotten wood.
The arrow cannot make him flee:
Slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
Clubs are counted as stubble:
He laugheth at the rushing of the javelin.
His underparts are like sharp potsherds:
He spreadeth as it were a threshing wain upon the mire.
He maketh the deep to boil like a pot:
He maketh the sea like ointment.
He maketh a path to shine after him;
One would think the deep to be hoary.
Upon earth there is not his like,
That is made without fear.
He beholdeth every thing that is high:
He is king over all the sons of pride.
{231}
JOB.
(He replies to the Lord.)
I know that thou canst do all things,
And that no purpose of thine can be restrained.
Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge?
Therefore have I uttered that which I understood not,
Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak;
I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear;
But now mine eye seeth thee,
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent
In dust and ashes.
(Jehovah speaks from the storm. Job has questioned why he suffered.
Can he expect the question to be answered? Let him look to nature
about him. Does he understand the daily doings of nature? Does he know
how the world was created, or how the rain and the snow come? Can he
guide the stars? Does he understand the strange instincts of the
animals? Can he control even one of the great works of God? How then
will he think to comprehend the dealings of God in his own life?
God does not try to answer the question of why Job suffers. He tries
to raise Job to such a position of trust in him that he will not ask
the question. The solution of the question lies, not in the knowledge
of their answers, but in a trust of God which does not demand an
answer, for it sums up all answers in one--that God is wise and good.
This is not unreasoning; for God reasons from his works that Job can
see to the deep things of life that he cannot see. If Job sees God's
wisdom in the one, he may trust his wisdom in the other.
So the problem of why Job suffers is at last solved; only the solution
is not one of knowledge, but of trust, and Job finds more than a
solution; he finds God. "Now mine eye seeth Thee.")
{232}
EPILOGUE.
And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job,
the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against
thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the
thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Now therefore, take unto
you seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer
up for yourself a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for
you; for him will I accept, that I deal not with you after your folly;
for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant
Job hath." So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar
the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: and
the Lord accepted Job. And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when
he prayed for his friends: and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he
had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his
sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and
did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and
comforted him concerning all the evil that the Lord had brought upon
him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of
gold. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his
beginning: and he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand
camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses. He had
also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the
first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of
the third, Keren-happuch. And in all the land were no women found so
fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance
among their brethren. And after this Job lived an hundred and forty
years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So
Job died, being old and full of days.
{233}
SELECTIONS FROM THE SONG OF SONGS
{234}
The "Song of Songs," sometimes called "Solomon's Song," and
"Canticles," is a collection of Hebrew wedding songs. These songs in
form and spirit approach nearer to what we call lyric poetry than
anything else in the literature of the Bible. In their exquisite
freshness and grace they may well be compared with the lyrical poetry
of the Elizabethan period in England.
{235}
HIS BANNER OVER ME WAS LOVE
As a lily among thorns,
So is my love among the daughters.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood,
So is my beloved among the sons.
I sat down under his shadow with great delight,
And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house,
And his banner over me was love.
{236}
THE WINTER IS PAST, THE RAIN IS OVER AND GONE
My beloved spake, and said unto me,
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land;
The fig tree ripeneth her green figs,
And the vines are in blossom,
They give forth their fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock,
in the covert of the steep place,
Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice;
For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards;
For our vineyards are in blossom.
My beloved is mine, and I am his:
He feedeth his flock among the lilies.
Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away,
Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart
Upon the mountains of Bether.
{237}
IN THE GARDEN OF LOVE
Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,
With me from Lebanon:
Look from the top of Amana,
From the top of Senir and Hermon,
From the lions' dens,
From the mountains of the leopards.
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my bride;
Thou hast ravished my heart with a glance of thine eyes,
With one chain of thy neck.
How fair is thy love, my sister, my bride!
How much better is thy love than wine!
And the smell of thine ointments than all manner of spices!
Thy lips, O my bride, drop as the honeycomb:
Honey and milk are under thy tongue;
And the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
A garden shut up is my sister, my bride;
A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
Thy shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits;
Henna with spikenard plants,
Spikenard and saffron,
Calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense;
Myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.
Thou art a fountain of gardens,
A well of living waters,
And flowing streams from Lebanon.
Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south;
Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.
Let my beloved come in to his garden,
And eat his precious fruits.
{238}
WHITHER IS THY BELOVED GONE?
Whither is thy beloved gone,
O thou fairest among women?
Whither hath thy beloved turned him,
That we may seek him with thee?
My beloved is gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices,
To feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine:
He feedeth his flock among the lilies.
I am my beloved's,
And his desire is toward me.
Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field;
Let us lodge in the villages.
Let us get up early to the vineyards;
Let us see whether the vine hath budded, and its blossom be open,
And the pomegranates be in flower:
There will I give thee my love.
The mandrakes give forth fragrance,
And at our doors are all manner of precious fruits, new and old,
Which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.
{239}
LOVE IS STRONG AS DEATH
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm:
For love is strong as death;
Jealousy is cruel as the grave:
The flashes thereof are flashes of fire,
A very flame of the Lord.
Many waters cannot quench love,
Neither can the floods drown it:
If a man would give all the substance of his house for love,
He would utterly be contemned.
{240}
{241}
SELECTIONS FROM ECCLESIASTES
{242}
ECCLESIASTES
This is, in some respects, the most curious book in the Bible. It has
puzzled many people. Like Proverbs, it is put together without very
much order, but that does not make the greatest puzzle of the book.
The question has been, "What does the author intend to teach?" The
book seems to take a very dark view of life. It almost seems as though
the author thought nothing was worth living for. Over and over he says
that all is vanity; that is, emptiness, nothingness. He questions
whether there is a life after death. It seems to the careless reader
that this book is only gloomy, dark, and hopeless. But that is a
superficial view. If one reads with more care, one finds another
strain in the book. It is good for a man to enjoy his labor. This is
the gift of God. Let a man eat and drink and enjoy his labor. This is
his portion, or wages, from God. Such thoughts as these occur again
and again in the book. One begins to see that all is not darkness. On
the contrary, there is, so far as it goes, a very excellent way of
living put forward in the book. The author's question is, What are the
wages of life? What ought one to think of as making life worth living?
His answer is, The work of life itself, with the ordinary pleasures
that come with it, are the wages. It is these things that make life
worth living. Now this author does not see all the truth. He does not
even sum up the whole of life. It is a great lack that in his
pictures, in the first few chapters, of the things that may be
expected to yield pleasure, he says nothing about the unselfish life.
The life he describes is all getting, getting, getting, and never
giving. Now the life that simply spends itself in trying to get things
and never tries to help others is sure not to be a very happy life.
"Vanity of vanities" is its very proper conclusion. This picture of
life is too narrow. It needs to be enlarged by the rich and beautiful
New Testament ideal of the life of unselfish love.
{243}
TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON
To everything there is a season,
And a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to cast away;
A time to rend,
And a time to sew; {244}
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time for war,
And a time for peace.
{245}
REMEMBER ALSO THY CREATOR
Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth:
Or ever the evil days come,
And the years draw nigh,
When thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
Or ever the sun, and the light,
And the moon and the stars,
Be darkened
And the clouds return after the rain.
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble,
And the strong men shall bow themselves,
And the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look out of the windows be darkened,
And the doors be shut in the street.
When the sound of the grinding is low,
And one shall rise up at the voice of a bird,
And all the daughters of music shall be brought low:
Yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high,
And terror shall be in the way;
And the almond tree shall blossom,
And the grasshopper shall be a burden,
And desire shall fail:
Because man goeth to his long home.
And the mourners go about the streets: {246}
Or ever the silver cord be loosed,
Or the golden bowl broken,
Or the pitcher broken at the fountain
Or the wheel broken at the cistern:
And the dust return to the earth, as it was;
And the spirit return unto God who gave it.
{247}
SELECTIONS FROM THE PROVERBS
{248}
PROVERBS
Proverbs is a collection of sayings of wise men, coming from many
sources and gathered by many men. It is a little library of smaller
books. The poetry is more uniform than any other in the Bible. The
subjects, on the contrary, are the most various. All sides of life are
represented. But chiefly the proverbs are concerned with showing the
wisdom of living a good, honest, industrious life, and the foolishness
of being lazy, immoral, greedy for money, and evil in thought and
conduct. A great deal is said about the fool. He is the one who is
shortsighted and careless of consequences; who talks slander and so
hurts his friends; who forgets that the laws of God punish evil doing,
and so hurts himself. The idea is that the wicked man acts as though
he had not common sense.
{249}
THE PRAISES OF WISDOM
WISDOM CRIETH ALOUD IN THE STREET
Wisdom crieth aloud in the street;
She uttereth her voice in the broad places;
She crieth in the chief place of meeting;
At the entering in of the gates,
In the city, she uttereth her words:
"How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?
And scorners delight in scorning,
And fools hate knowledge?
Turn you at my reproof:
Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you.
Because I have called, and ye refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
And would none of my reproof:
I also will laugh in the day of your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
When your fear cometh as a storm,
And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind;
When distress and anguish come upon you.
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; {250}
They shall seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:
For that they hated knowledge,
And did not choose the fear of the Lord:
They would not have my counsel;
They despised all my reproof:
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
And be filled with their own devices.
For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them,
And the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely,
And shall be quiet without fear of evil."
WISDOM IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN RUBIES
My son, forget not my law;
But let thine heart keep my commandments:
For length of days, and years of life,
And peace, shall they add to thee.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:
Bind them about thy neck;
Write them upon the table of thine heart:
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart,
And lean not upon thine own understanding:
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
And he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes;
Fear the Lord, and depart from evil;
It shall be health to thy navel, {251}
And marrow to thy bones.
Honour the Lord with thy substance,
And with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty
And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord;
Neither be weary of his reproof:
For whom the Lord loveth he reproveth;
Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver,
And the gain thereof than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies:
And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:
And happy is everyone that retaineth her.
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding he established the heavens.
By his knowledge the depths were broken up,
And the skies drop down the dew.
{252}
THE GLORY OF WISDOM
Doth not wisdom cry,
And understanding put forth her voice?
In the top of high places by the way,
Where the paths meet, she standeth;
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of men.
O ye simple, understand subtilty;
And, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Hear, for I will speak excellent things;
And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
For my mouth shall utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
They are all plain to him that understandeth,
And right to them that find knowledge.
Receive my instruction, and not silver;
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies;
And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto her.
I, Wisdom, have made subtilty my dwelling,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil:
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, {253}
And the froward mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge:
I am understanding; I have might.
By me kings reign,
And princes decree justice.
By me princes rule,
And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
I love them that love me;
And those that seek me diligently shall find me.
Riches and honour are with me;
Yea, durable riches and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
And my revenue than choice silver.
I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of judgment:
That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,
And that I may fill their treasuries.
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way,
Before his works of old.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
Or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth;
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth:
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there:
When he set a circle upon the face of the deep: {254}
When he made firm the skies above:
When the fountains of the deep became strong:
When he gave to the sea its bound,
That the waters should not transgress his commandment:
When he marked out the foundations of the earth;
Then I was by him, as a master workman:
And I was daily his delight,
Rejoicing always before him;
Rejoicing in his habitable earth;
And my delight was with the sons of men.
Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me:
For blessed are they that keep my ways.
Hear instruction, and be wise,
And refuse it not.
Blessed is the man that heareth me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoso findeth me findeth life,
And shall obtain favour of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death.
{255}
ENTER NOT INTO THE PATH OF THE WICKED
Enter not into the path of the wicked,
And walk not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, pass not by it;
Turn from it, and pass on.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go:
Keep her; for she is thy life.
The way of the wicked is as darkness:
They know not at what they stumble.
But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn,
That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard,
Consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
{256}
PRAISE OF THE WISE AND VIRTUOUS WOMAN
A virtuous woman who can find?
For her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband trusteth in her,
And he shall have no lack of gain.
She doeth him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She seeketh wool and flax,
And worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchant-ships;
She bringeth her food from afar.
She riseth also while it is yet night,
And giveth meat to her household,
And their task to her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it:
With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is profitable:
Her lamp goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the distaff,
And her hands hold the spindle.
She spreadeth out her hand to the poor;
Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household;
For all her household are clothed with scarlet. {257}
She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh linen garments and selleth them;
And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing;
And she laugheth at the time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom;
And the law of kindness is on her tongue.
She looketh well to the ways of her household,
And eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up, and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praiseth her, saying:
"Many daughters have done virtuously,
But thou excellest them all."
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain:
But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands;
And let her works praise her in the gates.
{258}
{259}
SELECTIONS FROM THE PROPHETS
{260}
The Roll of the Prophets
Isaiah.
Jeremiah.
Daniel.
Ezekiel.
Amos.
Hosea.
Micah.
Obadiah.
Joel.
Jonah.
Zephaniah.
Nahum.
Habakkuk.
Haggai.
Zechariah.
Malachi.
{261}{262}
[Illustration]
"THE PROPHETS"
From the frieze of "The Prophets," by Sargent, in the Public Library
at Boston.
The prophets here represented are Jeremiah, Jonah, Isaiah, Habakkuk.
[End illustration]
{263}
THE PROPHETS
There are two groups of prophetic books in the Old Testament: the
longer books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel, in one group,
and what are known as the books of the "Twelve Minor Prophets," in
another group. These books, especially those of the "Minor Prophets."
are often neglected by readers of the Bible. "Minor Prophets" is a
very unfortunate name for that group of great souls whose messages
have come down to us from the ages. The word came into use because
these books; smaller in size than some others, were grouped together
in the Bible. The writers themselves were not minor or inferior in any
sense of the word. The word "prophet" is also, in itself, somewhat
misleading. The men who are called prophets did not simply predict
future events. They were really what we would call reformers. They
cried out against the evils of the times in which they lived, and
tried to turn the nation back to God when it had sinned.
It must be admitted that it is not very easy, especially for young
people, to read these books, and yet they are intensely interesting if
one can only realize that these words were spoken by living men, each
blazing with indignation against wrong, men of heroic character, who
were ready, if necessary, to look in the face of death, in their
speaking of the truth.
Little or nothing can be told of the personal history of many of these
men. Striking passages have been chosen from each of the prophets to
show the character of the message which they spoke.
{264}
ISAIAH
THE GREATEST PROPHET OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
(David and Solomon had long been dead. The kingdom of Judah was not so
strong as the old kingdom over which they had ruled. It was constantly
quarreling with the kingdom at the North, which had been separated by
rebellion. It was often in danger of being overcome by the greater
kingdoms about it. The kings were not always wise rulers. Many of the
people did not care to serve Jehovah alone. They wanted to serve other
gods as well. The rich were often cruel to the poor. Good men saw
these things with sorrow. They knew that God must punish such a
nation. One of these good men was Isaiah the Prophet, a citizen of
Jerusalem, and a friend of the kings of Judah. When he was a young man
he had a vision of the holiness of God and the sin of the people. This
vision made him a prophet, for it called him to the task of showing to
the people the holiness of God, which he himself had seen, and to the
necessity of turning away from sin.
This is how he tells of the vision which he saw:)--
I
THE CALL OF ISAIAH
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled {265} the temple.
Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he
covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain
he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said,--
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts:
the whole earth is full of his Glory."
And the foundations of the thresholds were moved at the voice of him
who cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, "Woe is
me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell
in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the
King, the Lord of hosts."
Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand,
which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he touched
my mouth with it, and said, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine
iniquity is taken away, and thy sin forgiven."
And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who
will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I; send me."
And he said, "Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand
not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this
people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they
see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with
their heart, and turn again, and be healed."
Then said I, "Lord, how long?"
{266}
And he answered, "Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses
without man, and the land become utterly waste, and the Lord have
removed men far away, and the forsaken places be many in the midst of
the land."
II
ISAIAH'S FIRST PUBLIC SERVICE
(Soon after, two kings from the North threatened to make war against
Judah. The king of Judah was frightened. Isaiah tried to encourage
him, and persuade him to trust God, but in vain. The king was a
coward, and dared neither fight nor trust God, but instead he sent to
the far-away land of Assyria for help.
This is the way in which Isaiah tried to encourage the timid king:)--
And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of
Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son
of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it;
but could not prevail against it. And it was told the house of David,
saying, "Syria is confederate with Ephraim."
And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of
the forest are moved with the wind.
Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, "Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and
Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in
the high way of the fuller's field; and say unto him, Take heed, and
be quiet; fear not, neither let thine heart be faint, because of these
two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and
Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. Because Syria hath {267} counselled
evil against thee, Ephraim also, and the son of Remaliah, saying, Let
us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein
for us, and set up a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeel:
thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to
pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is
Rezin: and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is
Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be
established."
(But the effort of the prophet was wholly without effect.)
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I
am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of
the king of Syria and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which
rise up against me."
And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the
Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a
present to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto
him: and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it,
and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
(Many years passed away. The prophet tried to make his people better,
but often without success. He tried to get the rulers to trust in
Jehovah rather than in armies and the aid of foreign kings. Sometimes
he succeeded, but more often he failed. The land was still subject to
Assyria, and had paid heavy tribute ever since Ahaz had hired the king
of Assyria to help him against the Northern kings. Other lands were
also under the yoke of Assyria, and all of them wanted to win their
freedom. At last the king of Babylon sent messengers to these other
countries to see if he could not get {268} their kings to join in
revolt against Assyria. But Isaiah did not favor this alliance, for
this also was trusting, not to Jehovah, but to armies and foreign
kings.)
At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon,
sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he heard that he had been
sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed
them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and
the spices, and the precious oil, and all the house of his armour, and
all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house,
nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not. Then came
Isaiah the prophet unto King Hezekiah, and said unto him, "What said
these men? and from whence came they unto thee?"
And Hezekiah said, "They are come from a far country unto me, even
from Babylon."
Then said he, "What have they seen in thine house?"
And Hezekiah answered, "All that is in mine house have they seen:
there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them."
Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the Lord of hosts.
Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which
thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to
Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And thy sons shall
they take away; they shall be servants in the palace of the king of
Babylon."
Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, "Good is the word of the Lord which
thou hast spoken."
{269}{270}
[Illustration]
ON THE ROAD FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO.
From a photograph in the possession of Rev. Louis F. Giroux of the
American International College, Springfield, Mass., and used by his
kind permission.
[End illustration]
{271}
He said moreover, "For there shall be peace and truth in my days."
(This king of Babylon was soon after defeated by the king of Assyria
and driven out of Babylon. For some time he hid himself among the
swamps in the southern part of his kingdom, but later was captured and
killed.)
III
DELIVERANCE FROM THE ASSYRIANS
(About ten years after the king of Babylon had sent his messengers to
Hezekiah there was a revolt against Assyria in Palestine. Hezekiah, in
spite of the opposition of Isaiah, was deep in the plot. When
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, heard of the revolt, he sent his
armies to Palestine to punish the kings who had dared to defy him.
Judah and the other small kingdoms were not able to meet the Assyrian
armies. The whole land was in terror, and Hezekiah, the king, who had
been so eager for war, was glad enough, now that it had actually come,
to seek the wise counsel of the prophet.)
Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, that
Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities
of Judah and took them. And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from
Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood
by the conduit of the upper pool in the high way of the fuller's
field. Then came forth to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over
the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the
recorder. And Rabshakeh said unto them, "Say ye now to Hezekiah, 'Thus
saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this
wherein thou trustest? I say, thy counsel and {272} strength for the
war are but vain words: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast
rebelled against me? Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this
bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into
his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust
on him. But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord our God: is not
that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away,
and hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this
altar? Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my master the king
of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able
on thy part to set riders upon them. How then canst thou turn away the
face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy
trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? And am I now come up
without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said unto
me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.'"
Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, "Speak, I pray
thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it:
and speak not to us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people
that are on the wall."
But Rabshakeh said, "Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to
thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit
upon the wall?"
Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews'
language, and said, "Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of
Assyria. Thus saith the king, 'Let {273} not Hezekiah deceive you; for
he shall not be able to deliver you: neither let Hezekiah make you
trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us; this city
shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.' Hearken not
to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, 'Make your peace with
me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and everyone
of his fig tree, and drink ye everyone the waters of his own cistern:
until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of
corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. Beware lest Hezekiah
persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods
of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of
Assyria? Who are they among all the gods of these countries, that have
delivered their country out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver
Jerusalem out of my hand?'"
But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's
commandment was, "Answer him not."
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and
Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah
with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
And it came to pass, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his
clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house
of the Lord. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and
Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with
sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. And they said unto
him, "Thus saith Hezekiah, 'This day is a day of trouble, {274} and of
rebuke, and of confusion. It may be the Lord thy God will hear the
words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to
defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord thy God
hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is
left.'"
So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. And Isaiah said unto
them, "Thus shall ye say to your master, 'Thus saith the Lord, Be not
afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of
the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will put a spirit in
him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return unto his own land;
and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.'"
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against
Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. And he
heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, "He is come out to fight
against thee." And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah,
saying, "Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, 'Let
not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem
shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, thou
hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by
destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?'"
And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and
read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread
it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, "O Lord
of hosts, the God of Israel, that sittest upon the cherubim, thou art
{275} the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou
hast made heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open
thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib,
which hath sent to defy the living God. Of a truth, Lord, the kings of
Assyria have laid waste all the countries and their land, and have
cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of
men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. Now
therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the
kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou
only."
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, "Thus saith
the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Whereas thou hast prayed to me against
Sennacherib king of Assyria, this is the word which the Lord hath
spoken concerning him: The daughter of Zion hath despised thee and
laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head
at thee. Whom hast thou defied and blasphemed? and against whom hast
thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against
the Holy One of Israel. By thy servants hast thou defied the Lord, and
hast said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the
height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will
cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof:
and I will enter into his farthest height, the forest of his fruitful
field. Hast thou not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it
of ancient times? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest
lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps. Therefore their {276}
inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded;
they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, and as a
field of corn before it be grown up. But I know thy sitting down, and
thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy raging against me. Because
of thy raging against me, and because thine arrogancy is come up into
mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in
thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.'"
"Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, 'He
shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall
he come before it with shield, nor cast up siege works against it. By
the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and he shall not
come unto this city, saith the Lord. For I will defend this city to
save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.'"
And the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the
Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when men
arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead. So
Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went back and dwelt at
Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of
Nisroch his god, two of his sons smote him with the sword: and they
escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his
stead.
[Footnote: Other stories of the reigns of Hezekiah and the kings of
Judah and Israel may be found in Volume III. ]
{277}
[Footnote: The following are selections from the great poems of
Isaiah. For majesty of utterance, for lofty and inspired thought,
these are unmatched in literature.]
GOD IS MY SALVATION
I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord,
For though thou wast angry with me,
Thine anger is turned away,
And thou comfortest me.
Behold God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid:
For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and song;
And he is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water
Out of the wells of salvation.
Give thanks unto the Lord,
Call upon his name,
Declare his doings among the peoples,
Make mention that his name is exalted.
Sing unto the Lord for he hath done excellent things:
Let this be known in all the earth.
Cry aloud, and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion:
For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
{278}
THE COMING MESSIAH
For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given;
And the government shall be upon his shoulder;
And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government
And of peace there shall be no end
Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom;
To establish it with judgment,
And with righteousness, from henceforward even for ever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.
{279}
A SONG OF TRIUMPH
Sing unto the Lord a new song,
And his praise from the end of the earth;
Ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein,
The isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice,
The villages that Kedar doth inhabit;
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing,
Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Let them give glory unto the Lord,
And declare his praise in the islands.
The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man;
He shall stir up zeal like a man of war:
He shall cry, yea, he shall shout aloud;
He shall do mightily against his enemies.
{280}
PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD
Let me sing of my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard.
My wellbeloved had a vineyard
In a very fruitful hill:
And he made a trench about it,
And gathered out the stones thereof,
And planted it with the choicest vine,
And built a tower in the midst of it,
And also hewed out a winepress therein:
And he looked that it should bring forth grapes--
And it brought forth wild grapes.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray
you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in
it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes,
brought it forth wild grapes? And now come, I will tell you what I
will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it
shall be eaten up; I will break down the fence thereof, and it shall
be trodden down: and I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor
hoed; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command
the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the
Lord of hosts is the {281} house of Israel, and the men of Judah his
pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for
righteousness, but behold a cry.
THE CONDEMNATION UPON UNFRUITFULNESS
Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till
there be no room, and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the
land! In mine ears saith the Lord of hosts, "Of a truth many houses
shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. For ten
acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall
yield but an ephah."
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow
strong drink; that tarry late into the night, till wine inflame them!
And the harp and the lute, the tabret and the pipe, and wine are in
their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither have
they considered the operation of his hands. Therefore my people are
gone into captivity, for lack of knowledge: and their honourable men
are famished, and their multitude are parched with thirst. Therefore
hell hath enlarged her desire, and opened her mouth without measure:
and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that
rejoiceth among them, descend into it. And the mean man is bowed down
and the great man is humbled, and the eyes of the lofty are humbled:
but the Lord of hosts is exalted in judgment, and God the Holy One is
sanctified in righteousness. {282} Then shall the lambs feed as in
their pasture, and the waste places of the fat ones shall wanderers
eat.
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it
were with a cart rope: that say, "Let him make speed, let him hasten
his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of
Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!"
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness
for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and
sweet for bitter!
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their
own sight!
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to
mingle strong drink: which justify the wicked for a reward, and take
away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the
tongue of fire devoureth the stubble, and as the dry grass sinketh
down in the flame, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their
blossom shall go up as dust: because they have rejected the law of the
Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
{283}
[Footnote: The prophet threatens Judah with invasion by the dreaded
Assyrian army.]
THE DOOM OF THE UNFRUITFUL NATION
For all this his anger is not turned away,
But his hand is stretched forth still.
And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from afar,
And he will hiss for them from the end of the earth:
And, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly;
None shall be weary nor stumble among them;
None shall slumber nor sleep;
Neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed,
Nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
Whose arrows are sharp,
And all their bows bent;
Their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint,
And their wheels like a whirlwind:
Their roaring shall be like a lion,
They shall roar like young lions:
Yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey,
And carry it away safe, and there shall be none to deliver.
And they shall roar against them in that day like the roaring of the sea;
And if one look unto the land, behold, darkness and distress,
And the light is darkened in the clouds thereof.
{284}
COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,
Saith your God.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
And cry unto her,
That her warfare is accomplished,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
That she hath received of the Lord's hand
Double for all her sin.
Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord,
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted,
And every mountain and hill shall be made low:
And the crooked shall be made straight,
And the rough places plain:
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together:
For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
The voice of one saying, "Cry."
And one said, "What shall I cry?"
All flesh is grass,
And all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
The grass withereth,
The flower fadeth, {285}
Because the breath of the Lord bloweth upon it:
Surely the people is grass.
The grass withereth,
The flower fadeth:
But the word of our God shall stand forever.
O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion,
Get thee up into the high mountain;
O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem,
Lift up thy voice with strength;
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say unto the cities of Judah, "Behold your God."
Behold, the Lord God will come as a mighty one,
And his arm shall rule for him:
Behold his reward is with him,
And his recompense before him.
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd,
He shall gather the lambs in his arms,
And carry them in his bosom,
And shall gently lead those that give suck.
{286}
AWAKE, O ZION!
Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion;
Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city;
For henceforth there shall no more come into thee
the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Shake thyself from the dust;
Arise, sit thee down, O Jerusalem:
Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him
That bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace,
That bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation;
That saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth.
The voice of the watchmen! they lift up the voice,
Together do they sing,
For they shall see, eye to eye,
When the Lord returneth to Zion.
Break forth into joy, sing together,
Ye waste places of Jerusalem:
For the Lord hath comforted his people,
He hath redeemed Jerusalem. {287}
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm
In the eyes of the nations;
And all the ends of the earth
Shall see the salvation of our God.
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence,
Touch no unclean thing:
Go ye out of the midst of her;
Be ye clean ye that bear the vessels of the Lord.
For ye shall not go out in haste,
Neither shall ye go by flight;
For the Lord will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rearguard.
{288}
THE TRIUMPH OF THE MAN OF SORROWS
Who hath believed that which we have heard?
And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of a dry ground:
He hath no form nor comeliness, that we should look upon him;
Nor beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected of men;
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief:
And as one from whom men hide their face he was despised,
And we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs,
And carried our sorrows:
Yet we did esteem him stricken,
Smitten of God and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities:
The chastisement of our peace was upon him,
And with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned everyone to his own way;
And the Lord hath laid on him
The iniquity of us all. {289}
He was oppressed,
Yet he humbled himself,
And opened not his mouth;
As a lamb is led to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb;
Yea, he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
And his life who shall recount?
For he was cut off out of the land of the living;
For the transgressions of my people was he stricken.
And they made his grave with the wicked,
And with the rich in his death;
Although he had done no violence,
Neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him;
He hath put him to grief:
When his soul shall make an offering for sin,
He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand:
He shall see, and be satisfied with the travail of his soul.
By his knowledge shall my righteous servant make many righteous:
And he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide with him a portion of the great,
And he shall divide the spoil with the strong:
Because he poured out his soul unto death,
And was numbered with the transgressors:
Yet he bare the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
{290}
BEAUTIFUL ZION
O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
Behold, I will set thy stones in fair colors,
And lay thy foundations with sapphires.
And I will make thy pinnacles of rubies,
And thy gates of carbuncles,
And all thy borders of precious stones.
And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord;
And great shall be the peace of thy children:
In righteousness shalt thou be established.
Thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come nigh thee.
Behold I have created the smith
That bloweth the fire of coals,
And bringeth forth a weapon for its work;
And I have created the waster to destroy.
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;
And every tongue that shall rise against thee
in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness which is of me, saith the Lord.
{291}
HO, EVERY ONE THAT THIRSTETH
Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,
And he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat;
Yea, come, buy wine and milk,
Without money and without price.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?
And your labor for that which satisfieth not?
Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good,
And let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Incline your ear and come unto me;
Hear, and your soul shall live:
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
Even the sure mercies of David.
Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples,
And a leader and commander to the peoples.
Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not,
And a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee,
Because of the Lord thy God,
And for the Holy One of Israel;
For he hath glorified thee.
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,
Call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts: {292}
And let him return unto the Lord,
And he will have mercy upon him;
And to our God,
For he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways my ways,
Saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are my ways higher than your ways,
And my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven,
And returneth not thither, but watereth the earth,
And maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the
sower and bread to the eater;
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
It shall not return unto me void,
But it shall accomplish that which I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
For ye shall go out with joy,
And be led forth with peace:
The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing,
And all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree:
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
{293}
ARISE, SHINE
Arise, shine; for thy light is come,
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
And gross darkness the peoples:
But the Lord shall arise upon thee,
And his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And nations shall come to thy light,
And kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Lift up thine eyes round about, and see:
They all gather themselves together, they come to thee:
Thy sons shall come from far,
And thy daughters shall be carried in the arms.
Then thou shalt see and be lightened,
And thine heart shall tremble and be enlarged;
Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto thee,
The wealth of the nations shall come unto thee.
The multitude of camels shall cover thee,
The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
They all shall come from Sheba, they shall bring gold and frankincense,
And shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. {294}
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered unto thee,
The rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee;
They shall come up with acceptance on mine altar,
And I will beautify the house of my glory.
Who are these that fly as a cloud,
And as doves to their windows?
Surely the isles shall wait for me,
And the ships of Tarshish first,
To bring thy sons from far,
Their silver and their gold with them,
For the name of the Lord thy God,
And for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
And strangers shall build up thy walls,
And their kings shall minister unto thee:
For in my wrath I smote thee,
But in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
Thy gates shall be open continually,
They shall not be shut day nor night;
That men may bring unto thee the wealth of the nations,
And their kings led with them:
For that nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish;
Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee,
The fir tree, the pine, and the box tree together;
To beautify the place of my sanctuary,
And I will make the place of my feet glorious. {295}
And the sons of them that afflict thee
Shall come bending unto thee;
And all they that despised thee
Shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet.
And they shall call thee the City of the Lord,
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated,
So that no man passed through thee,
I will make thee an eternal excellency,
A joy of many generations.
For brass I will bring gold,
And for iron I will bring silver,
And for wood brass,
And for stones iron.
I will also make thy officers peace,
And thine exactors righteousness;
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land,
Desolation nor destruction within thy borders;
And thou shalt call thy walls Salvation,
And thy gates Praise.
The sun shall be no more thy light by day,
Neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee:
But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light,
And thy God thy glory. {296}
Thy sun shall no more go down,
Neither shall thy moon withdraw itself:
For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light,
And the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
Thy people also shall be all righteous,
They shall inherit the land for ever;
The branch of my planting,
The work of my hands,
That I may be glorified.
The little one shall become a thousand,
And the small one a strong nation:
I the Lord will hasten it in its time.
{297}
JEREMIAH
(The life of Jeremiah was a very sad one. He lived in those days just
before the captivity when the nation with its splendid history was
drifting to certain doom, as a ship drifts upon the rocks. The people
were sunk in corruption; they had no ambition and no hope. Jeremiah
could not save the nation from the fate which the selfishness and
wickedness of the people had brought upon it, but he could cry out
with all the strength of his strong soul against the evil. Politically
he saw that submission to Egypt or to Babylon was inevitable, and he
favored Babylon, because the northern kingdom was much stronger than
the southern. The time of the activity of Jeremiah as a prophet was
about forty years, from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah
until after the beginning of the captivity. When the people of Judah
were carried into captivity Jeremiah was allowed to remain behind. He
hoped that the little remnant of people which was left in the land by
the conquerors might be the seed of a new and better nation, but in
this he was bitterly disappointed. The governor of the colony was
assassinated, and Jeremiah was dragged off to Egypt by the frightened
people. It is said that the prophet met his death by stoning, at the
hands of his own countrymen. Jeremiah has been compared to Milton and
to Savonarola. His life was one of those which seem to fail in their
immediate purpose, but which have very great influence upon the
progress of humanity.)
{298}
I
THE CALL OF JEREMIAH
(Jeremiah was not as eager as was Isaiah when God's call first came to
him. He was reluctant and slow to obey.)
The word of God came to him saying, "I have appointed thee a prophet
unto the nations."
Then said I, "Ah, Lord God, behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child."
But the Lord said unto me, "Say not, I am a child: for to whomsoever I
shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee
thou shalt speak. Be not afraid because of them: for I am with thee to
deliver thee."
Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth; and the Lord
said unto me, "Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth: see, I have
this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up
and to break down, and to destroy and to overthrow; to build, and to
plant."
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, "Jeremiah, what
seest thou?"
And I said, "I see a rod of an almond tree."
Then said the Lord unto me, "Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my
word to perform it."
And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, "What
seest thou?"
And I said, "I see a boiling caldron; and the face thereof is from the
north."
{299}{300}
[Illustration]
A STREET IN JERUSALEM, WITH THE HOUSES BUILT OVER THE STREET.
[End illustration]
{301}
Then the Lord said unto me, "Out of the north evil shall break forth
upon all the inhabitants of the land. For, lo, I will call all the
families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall
come, and they shall set everyone his throne at the entering of the
gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and
against all the cities of Judah. And I will utter my judgments against
them touching all their wickedness; because they have forsaken me, and
have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their
own hands. Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto
them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at them, lest I dismay
thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a fortified
city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls, against the whole land,
against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the
priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall
fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am
with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee."
II
THE POTTER AND HIS CLAY
(The people of the East, where the prophets lived and spoke,
understood teaching which was put before them in the form of pictures
and images and symbols better than any other way. So the prophets
would often use figures of speech and do striking things to attract
the attention of the people. One day Jeremiah went to the workshop of
the potter, and found him at work with {302} his wheel. This is the
way in which he used what he saw to teach the people of God's power
over them):--
The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, "Arise, and go
down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my
words."
Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought his
work on the wheels. And when the vessel that he made of the clay was
marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as
seemed good to the potter to make it.
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "O house of Israel,
cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the
clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a
kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; if that
nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will
repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant
I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build
and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice,
then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
Now therefore go, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord: 'Behold, I frame evil against
you, and devise a device against you: return ye now everyone from his
evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.'"
But they say, "There is no hope: for we will walk after {303} our own
devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil
heart."
Therefore thus saith the Lord, "Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from
the rock of the field? or shall the cold waters that flow down from
afar be dried up? For my people hath forgotten me, they have burned
incense to false gods; and they have caused them to stumble in their
ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up;
to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone
that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head. I will
scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will look upon
their back, and not their face, in the day of their calamity."
(At another time he took an earthen vessel which the potter had made
and broke it in the sight of the people.)
Thus said the Lord, "Go, and buy a potter's earthen vessel, and take
of the elders of the people, and of the elders of the priests; and go
forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of
the gate Harsith, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee:
and say, 'Hear ye the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah, and
inhabitants of Jerusalem; thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of
Israel, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, at which whosoever
heareth, his ears shall tingle. Because they have forsaken me, and
have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other
gods, whom they knew not, they and their fathers and the kings of
Judah; and have filled his place with the blood of innocents; and have
{304} built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons in the fire
for burnt offerings unto Baal; which I commanded not, nor spake it,
neither came it into my mind: therefore, behold, the days come, saith
the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Topheth, nor The
valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter. And I will
make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will
cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand
of them that seek their life: and their carcases will I give to be
food for the birds of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. And
I will make this city an astonishment, and an hissing; everyone that
passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the
plagues thereof. And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons
and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat everyone the
flesh of his friend, in the siege and in the distress, wherewith their
enemies, and they that seek their life, shall distress them.'
"Then shalt thou break the vessel in the sight of the men that go with
thee, and shalt say unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Even so
will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's
vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury in
Topheth, till there lie no place to bury. Thus will I do unto this
place, saith the Lord, and to the inhabitants thereof, even making this
city as Topheth: and the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the
kings of Judah, which are defiled, shall be as the place of Topheth,
even all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all
the host of {305} heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto
other gods.'"
Then came Jeremiah from Topheth, whither the Lord had sent him to
prophesy; and he stood in the court of the Lord's house, and said to
all the people: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,
'Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the
evil that I have pronounced against it; because they have made their
heart hard, that they might not hear my words.'"
III
THE KING'S ANGER
(Jeremiah had his prophecies written down by his clerk. But when the
king read from the scroll on which they were written, he was so angry
that he cut up the scroll, and burned it. This did not prevent the
prophecies from being known, for Jeremiah had them written upon a new
scroll.)
And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah,
king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord,
saying, "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words
that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and
against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days
of Josiah, even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will
hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may
return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity
and their sin."
Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and {306} Baruch wrote
from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord, which he had
spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.
And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, "I cannot go into the house of
the Lord: therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast
written from my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the people
in the Lord's house upon the fast day: and also thou shalt read them
in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities. It may be they
will present their supplication before the Lord, and will return
everyone from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that
the Lord hath pronounced against this people."
And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the
prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the Lord in
the Lord's house.
Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah,
king of Judah, in the ninth month, that all the people in Jerusalem,
and all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem,
proclaimed a fast before the Lord. Then read Baruch in the book the
words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the ears of all the
people. And when Micaiah had heard out of the book all the words of
the Lord, he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's
chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there. Then Micaiah declared
unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book
in the ears of the people.
Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi unto Baruch, {307} saying, "Take
in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the
people, and come."
So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto
them. And they said unto him, "Sit down now, and read it to us." So
Baruch read it to them.
Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they turned in
fear one toward another, and said unto Baruch, "We will surely tell
the king of all these words."
And they asked Baruch, saying, "Tell us now, How didst thou write all
these words at his mouth?"
Then Baruch answered them, "He pronounced all these words unto me with
his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book."
Then said the princes unto Baruch, "Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah;
and let no man know where ye are."
And they went in to the king into the court; but they had laid up the
roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe; and they told all the
words in the ears of the king. So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the
roll: and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And
Jehudi read it to the king, and to all the princes which stood beside
the king. Now the king sat in the winter house in the ninth month: and
there was a fire in the brasier burning before him. And it came to
pass, when Jehudi had read three or four sections, that the king cut
it with his penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the
brasier, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was in the
brasier. And they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither
the king, {308} nor any of his servants that heard all these words.
Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to
the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.
And the king commanded his officers to take Baruch the scribe and
Jeremiah the prophet: but the Lord hid them.
Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after the king had burned
the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah,
saying, "Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former
words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah
hath burned.
"And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah thou shalt say, 'Thus saith
the Lord: Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written
therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy
this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?
"'Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He
shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body
shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the
frost. And I will punish him and his family and his servants for their
iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have
pronounced against them, and they hearkened not.'"
Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the
son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the
words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the
fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.
{309}
IV
JEREMIAH IN PRISON
(Jeremiah continued to rebuke the people for the evil of their lives,
and especially to insist that they could find no hope in an alliance
with the faithless nation of Egypt. This so enraged some of the
princes that the prophet was put into prison, and then into the
foulest dungeon of the prison. How he suffered for truth-telling, and
how he escaped, is told in the following story):--
And Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah the
son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the
land of Judah. But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the
land, hearkened unto the words of the Lord, which he spake by the
prophet Jeremiah.
And Zedekiah the king sent his officer to the prophet Jeremiah,
saying, "Pray now unto the Lord our God for us."
Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not
yet put him into prison. And Pharaoh's army was come forth out of
Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of
them, they went away from Jerusalem.
Then came the word of the Lord unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
"Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: 'Thus shall ye say to the
king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold,
Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt
into their own land. And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight
{310} against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with
fire.' Thus saith the Lord: 'Deceive not yourselves, saying, The
Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart. For
though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight
against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should
they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.'"
And it came to pass that when the army of the Chaldeans went away from
Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army, then Jeremiah went forth out of
Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to look after his property.
And when he was in the gate of the city, a captain of the guard was
there; and he laid hold of Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "Thou art
deserting to the Chaldeans."
Then said Jeremiah, "It is false; I am not deserting to the
Chaldeans;" but he hearkened not to him: so the officer laid hold of
Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
And the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him
in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that
the prison.
When Jeremiah was come into the dungeon house, and into the cells, and
Jeremiah had remained there many days; then Zedekiah the king sent,
and brought him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and
said, "Is there any word from the Lord?"
And Jeremiah said, "There is. Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of
the king of Babylon."
Moreover Jeremiah said unto King Zedekiah, "Wherein have I sinned
against thee, or against thy servants, or {311} against this people,
that ye have put me in prison? Where now are your prophets which
prophesied unto you, saying, 'The king of Babylon shall not come
against you, nor against this land'? And now hear, I pray thee, O my
lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before
thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the
scribe, lest I die there."
Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the
court of the guard, and they gave him daily a loaf of bread from the
bakers, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah
remained in the court of the guard.
And the king's officers heard the words that Jeremiah spake unto all
the people, saying, "Thus saith the Lord, 'He that abideth in this
city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but
he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live.' Thus saith the Lord,
'This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king
of Babylon, and he shall take it.'"
Then the princes said unto the king, "Let this man, we pray thee, be
put to death; forasmuch as he weakeneth the hands of the men of war
that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking
such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this
people, but their hurt."
And Zedekiah the king said, "Behold, he is in your hand: for the king
cannot do anything against you."
Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon that was in the
court of the guard: and they let down {312} Jeremiah with cords. And
in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: and Jeremiah sank in the
mire.
Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, which was in the king's house,
heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon, he went forth out of
the king's house, and spake to the king, saying, "My lord the king,
these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the
prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is likely to die
in the place where he is, because of the famine: for there is no more
bread in the city."
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, "Take from
hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of
the dungeon, before he die."
So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the
king under the storehouse, and took thence old clothes and old rags,
and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, "Put now these old
clothes and rags under thine arms under the cords." And Jeremiah did
so. So they drew up Jeremiah with the cords, and took him up out of
the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him
into the third entry that is in the house of the Lord: and the king
said unto Jeremiah, "I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me."
Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, "If I declare it unto thee wilt thou
not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, thou wilt not
hearken unto me."
{313}
So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, "As the
Lord liveth, that made us, I will not put thee to death, neither will
I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life."
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of
hosts, the God of Israel: 'If thou wilt go forth unto the king of
Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not
be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house: but if thou
wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this
city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it
with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.'"
And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews
that deserted to the Chaldeans, lest the Chaldeans deliver me into
their hand, and they mock me."
But Jeremiah said, "They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee,
the voice of the Lord, in that which I speak unto thee: so it shall be
well with thee, and thy soul shall live. But if thou refuse to go
forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me: Behold, all the
women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought
forth to the king of Babylon's princes: and thou shalt cause this city
to be burned with fire."
Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, "Let no man know of these words, and
thou shalt not die."
So Jeremiah abode in the court of the guard until the day that
Jerusalem was taken.
{314}
V
CONFUSION IN THE LAND
(Jerusalem is taken and Jeremiah is kindly treated by the victors. The
people who remain in the land, now a royal colony, take courage, but
the assassination of the governor throws everything into confusion.)
And it came to pass when Jerusalem was taken, in the ninth year of
Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and besieged it; in the
eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the
month, a breach was made in the walls of the city. Then all the
princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate.
And it came to pass that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the
men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by
night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate between the two
walls. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and overtook
Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they
brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land
of Hamath, and he gave judgment upon him.
Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before
his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.
Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him in fetters, to
carry him to Babylon.
{315}{316}
[Illustration]
ANATHOTH, THE HOME OF JEREMIAH.
From a photograph taken by Prof. D. G. Lyon, and used by his kind
permission.
[End illustration]
{317}
And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the
people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into
Babylon the remainder of the people that stayed in the city, the
deserters also, that came to him, and the remainder of the people that
stayed.
But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the
people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them
vineyards and fields at the same time.
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, "Take him, and look well
to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto
thee."
So the king's princes sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the
guard, and committed him to Gedaliah the royal governor, commanding
that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.
Now the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in
the court of the guard, saying, "Go, and speak to Ebed-melech the
Ethiopian, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for
good; and they shall be accomplished before thee in that day. But I
will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord: and thou shalt not be
given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. For I will
surely save thee, and thou {318} shalt not fall by the sword, but thy
life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in
me, saith the Lord.'"
The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after Nebuzaradan the
captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him
bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, which
were carried away captive unto Babylon. And the captain of the guard
took Jeremiah, and said unto him, "The Lord thy God pronounced this
evil upon this place: and the Lord hath brought it, and done according
as he spake; because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not
obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you. And now,
behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which are upon thine
hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come,
and I will look well unto thee; but if it seem ill unto thee to come
to Babylon, forbear. All the land is before thee; whither it seemeth
good and convenient for thee to go, thither go."
Again he said: "Go back to Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon has made
governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the
people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go."
So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a present, and let
him go. Then went Jeremiah to Gedaliah the royal governor to Mizpah,
and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.
Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even
they and their men, heard that the {319} king of Babylon had made
Gedaliah governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and
women, and children, and of the poorest of the land, of them that were
not carried away captive to Babylon; then they came to Gedaliah to
Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan
the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of
Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they
and their men.
And Gedaliah spoke earnestly unto them and to their men, saying, "Fear
not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of
Babylon, and it shall be well with you. As for me, behold, I will
dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans, which shall come unto
us: but ye, gather ye wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in
your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken."
Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the children
of Ammon, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that
the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set
over them Gedaliah, they returned out of all places whither they were
driven and came to the land of Judah and gathered much wine and summer
fruits.
Then Jonathan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces
that were in the fields came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and said to him,
"Dost thou know that Baalis of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah to take thy life?"
{320}
But Gedaliah the royal governor believed them not. Then Johanan the
son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, "Let me
go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no
man shall know it: wherefore should he take thy life, that all the
Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant
of Judah perish?"
But Gedaliah the royal governor said to Johanan the son of Kareah,
"Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael."
Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael, one of the
chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah the
royal governor at Mizpah; and there they ate bread together in Mizpah.
Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were
with him, and smote Gedaliah the royal governor, and slew him, whom
the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah,
at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, even the men of
war. And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah,
and no man knew it, that there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh,
and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven and
their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with oblations and
frankincense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the Lord.
And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah weeping as he
went and it came to pass as he met them he said to them, "Come to
Gedaliah."
{321}
When they came into the city Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them,
and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were
with him.
But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, "Slay us
not: for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley,
and of oil, and of honey." So he forbare, and slew them not among
their brethren.
Now the pit wherein Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom
he had slain, by the side of Gedaliah, (the same was that which Asa
the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel,) Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah filled with them that were slain.
Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that
were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people that
remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had
committed to Gedaliah the royal governor: Ishmael carried them away
captive, and departed to go over to the children of Ammon.
But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces
that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael had done, they
took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael, and found him by the
great waters that are in Gibeon.
Now it came to pass that when all the people which were with Ishmael
saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that
were with him, then they were glad. So all the people that Ishmael had
carried away captive from Mizpah deserted and returned, and went to
Johanan the son of Kareah.
{322}
But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men,
and went to the children of Ammon.
Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had
recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after he had
slain Gedaliah the royal governor, even the men of war, and the women,
and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from
Gibeon: and they departed, and dwelt in Geruth Chimham, which is by
Beth-lehem, to go to enter into Egypt, because of the Chaldeans: for
they were afraid of them, because Ishmael had slain Gedaliah the royal
governor, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.
VI
THE FLIGHT TO EGYPT
(The remnant of the people wish to take refuge in Egypt. They consult
Jeremiah, who tells them that they must not desert the land.)
Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah,
and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least
even unto the greatest, came near, and said unto Jeremiah the prophet,
"Let, we pray thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray
for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant; for we are
left but a few of many, as thine eyes do {323} behold us: that the
Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we should walk, and the thing
that we should do."
Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, "I have heard you; behold, I
will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall
come to pass that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will
declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you."
Then they said to Jeremiah, "The Lord be a true and faithful witness
amongst us, if we do not even according to all the word wherewith the
Lord thy God shall send thee to us. Whether it be good, or whether it
be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send
thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord
our God."
And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the Lord came
unto Jeremiah. Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the
captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from
the least even to the greatest, and said unto them, "Thus saith the
Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your
supplication before him: 'If ye will still abide in this land, then
will I build you up, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and
not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto
you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be
not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and
to deliver you from his hand. And I will grant you mercy, that he may
have mercy {324} upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.'
But if ye say, 'We will not dwell in this land'; so that ye obey not
the voice of the Lord your God; saying, 'No; but we will go into the
land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the
trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:' now
therefore hear ye the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah: thus saith
the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'If ye wholly set your faces to
enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; then it shall come to pass,
that the sword, which ye fear, shall overtake you there in the land of
Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye are afraid, shall follow hard after
you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
"'So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into
Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine,
and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from
the evil that I will bring upon them.'
"For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; 'As mine anger
and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into
Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a
curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.'
"The Lord hath spoken concerning you, O remnant of Judah, 'Go ye not
into Egypt': know certainly that I have testified unto you this day.
"For ye have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; {325} for ye
sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, 'Pray for us unto the Lord our
God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so
declare unto us, and we will do it:' and I have this day declared it
to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God in any
thing for the which he hath sent me unto you. Now therefore know
certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the
pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn there."
(The people refuse to heed the warning of Jeremiah. They all journey
to Egypt, taking the prophet with them.)
And it came to pass that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking
unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God, wherewith the
Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words, then spoke
Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all
the proud men, saying to Jeremiah, "Thou speakest falsely: the Lord
our God hath not sent thee to say, 'Ye shall not go into Egypt to
sojourn there': but Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against
us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us
to death, and carry us away captives to Babylon."
So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and
all the people, obeyed not the voice of the Lord, to dwell in the land
of Judah. But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all the
nations whither they had been driven to sojourn in {326} the land of
Judah; the men, and the women, and the children, and the king's
daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard
had left with Gedaliah the royal governor, and Jeremiah the prophet,
and Baruch the son of Neriah; and they came into the land of Egypt;
for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: and they came even to
Tahpanhes.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
"Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in mortar in the
brickwork, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in
the sight of the men of Judah; and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will send and take
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his
throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his
royal pavilion over them. And he shall come, and shall smite the land
of Egypt; such as are for death shall be given to death, and such as
are for captivity to captivity, and such as are for the sword to the
sword.
"'And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he
shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array
himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment;
and he shall go forth from thence in peace. He shall also break the
pillars of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses
of the gods of Egypt shall he burn with fire.'"
The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the {327} Jews which
dwelt in the land of Egypt, which dwelt at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes,
and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying, "Thus saith the
Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Ye have seen all the evil that I
have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and,
behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein;
because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to
anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods,
whom they knew not, neither they, nor ye, nor your fathers.'
"Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early
and sending them, saying, 'Oh, do not this abominable thing that I
hate.' But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from
their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods. Wherefore my
fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of
Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and
desolate, as it is this day.
"Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of
Israel: 'Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your own souls,
to cut off from you man and woman, infant and suckling, out of the
midst of Judah, to leave you none remaining; in that ye provoke me
unto anger with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other
gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to sojourn; that ye may
be cut off, and that ye may be a curse and a reproach among all the
nations of the earth? Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your
fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness
{328} of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of
your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah, and in the
streets of Jerusalem?
"They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared,
nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and
before your fathers.
"Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I
will set my face against you for evil, even to cut off all Judah. And
I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into
the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed; in
the land of Egypt shall they fall; they shall be consumed by the sword
and by the famine; they shall die, from the least even unto the
greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an
execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.
"'For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have
punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the
pestilence: so that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into
the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they
should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire
to return to dwell there: for none shall return save such as shall
escape.'"
Then all the men which knew that their wives burned incense unto other
gods, and all the women that stood by, a great assembly, even all the
people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah,
saying, "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of
the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But {329} we will certainly
perform every word that is gone forth out of our mouth, to burn
incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto
her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes,
in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had
we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we
left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink
offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed
by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the
queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make
her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her,
without our husbands?"
Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women,
even to all the people which had given him that answer, saying, "The
incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem, ye and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the
people of the land, did not the Lord remember them, and came it not
into his mind? so that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the
evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have
committed; therefore is your land become a desolation, and an
astonishment, and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is this day.
Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the
Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, nor walked in his
law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil
is happened unto you, as it is this day."
{330}
Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women,
"Bear the word of the Lord, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:
thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: 'Ye and your
wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have
fulfilled it, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have
vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink
offerings unto her: establish then your vows, and perform your vows.'
"Therefore hear ye the word of the Lord, all Judah that dwell in the
land of Egypt: 'Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the Lord,
that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah
in all the land of Egypt, saying, As the Lord God liveth. Behold, I
watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah
that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by
the famine, until there be an end of them. And they that escape the
sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah,
few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the
land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose word shall stand,
mine, or theirs.
"'And this shall be the sign unto you, saith the Lord, that I will
punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely
stand against you for evil': thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will give
Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into
the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah
into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that
sought his life.'"
{331}
The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke unto Baruch the son of
Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah,
in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah,
saying, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch:
'Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the Lord hath added sorrow to my
pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest. Thus shalt thou
say unto him, Thus saith the Lord: Behold, that which I have built
will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up; and
this in the whole land.
"'And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for,
behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life
will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.'"
VII
THE LAST PROPHECIES OF JEREMIAH
(The last prophecies of Jeremiah in which he predicts the doom of
Babylon.)
The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the
nations.
_The Doom of Babylon_
The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land
of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet.
{332}
"Declare ye among the nations and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not: say, 'Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame,
Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are
dismayed.'
"'For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which
shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they are
fled, they are gone, both man and beast. In those days, and in that
time,' saith the Lord, 'the children of Israel shall come, they and
the children of Judah together; they shall go on their way weeping,
and shall seek the Lord their God. They shall inquire concerning Zion
with their faces thitherward, saying, Come ye, and join yourselves to
the Lord in an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten.
"'My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to
go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone
from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place. All
that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We
offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation
of justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.
"'Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of
the Chaldeans, and be as the he-goats before the flocks. For, lo, I
will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great
nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array
against her; from thence she shall be taken: {333} their arrows shall
be as of an expert mighty man; none shall return in vain. And Chaldea
shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied,' saith the
Lord.
"'Because ye are glad, because ye rejoice, O ye that plunder mine
heritage, because ye are wanton as an heifer that treadeth out the
corn, and neigh as strong horses; your mother shall be sore ashamed;
she that bare you shall be confounded: behold, she shall be the
hindermost of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
Because of the wrath of the Lord it shall not be inhabited, but it
shall be wholly desolate: everyone that goeth by Babylon shall be
astonished, and hiss at all her plagues. Set yourselves in array
against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow; shoot at her,
spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the Lord. Shout against
her round about; she hath submitted herself; her bulwarks are fallen,
her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the Lord; take
vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her. Cut off the sower
from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest:
for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn everyone to his
people, and they shall flee everyone to his own land.'
"Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first
the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith the Lord
of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will punish the king of
Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. {334}
And I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on
Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon the hills of
Ephraim and in Gilead. In those days, and in that time,' saith the
Lord, 'the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be
none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will
pardon them whom I leave as a remnant.
"'Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against
the inhabitants of Pekod: slay and utterly destroy after them,' saith
the Lord, 'and do according to all that I have commanded thee. A sound
of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. How is the hammer
of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a
desolation among the nations! I have laid a snare for thee, and thou
art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found,
and also caught, because thou hast striven against the Lord.'
"The Lord hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons
of his indignation: for the Lord, the Lord of hosts, hath a work to do
in the land of the Chaldeans. Come against her from the utmost border,
open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly:
let nothing of her be left. Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to
the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their
visitation. The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of
Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, the
vengeance of his temple.
"Call together the archers against Babylon, all them {335} that bend
the bow; camp against her round about; let none thereof escape:
recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath
done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the Lord, against
the Holy One of Israel. 'Therefore shall her young men fall in her
streets, and all her men of war shall be brought to silence in that
day,' saith he Lord. "Behold, I am against thee, O thou proud one,'
saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts: 'for thy day is come, the time that
I will visit thee. And the proud one shall stumble and fall, and none
shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it
shall devour all that are round about him.'
"Thus saith the Lord of hosts: 'The children of Israel and the
children of Judah are oppressed together: and all that took them
captives hold them fast; they refuse to let them go. Their redeemer is
strong; the Lord of hosts is his name: he shall thoroughly plead their
cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the
inhabitants of Babylon. A sword is upon the Chaldeans,' saith the
Lord, 'and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and
upon her wise men. A sword is upon the boasters, and they shall dote:
a sword is upon her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed.
"'A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all
the mingled people that are in the midst of her, and they shall become
as women: a sword is upon her treasures, and they shall be robbed.
"'A drought is upon her waters, and they shall be {336} dried up: for
it is a land of graven images, and they are mad upon idols. Therefore
the wild beasts of the desert with the wolves shall dwell there, and
the ostriches shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited
for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.'
"'As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities
thereof,' saith the Lord; 'so shall no man dwell there, neither shall
any son of man sojourn therein. Behold, a people cometh from the
north; and a great nation, and many kings shall be stirred up from the
uttermost parts of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; they are
cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they
ride upon horses; every one set in array, as a man to the battle,
against thee, O daughter of Babylon. The king of Babylon hath heard
the fame of them, and his hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of
him, and pangs as of a woman in travail. Behold, he shall come up like
a lion from the pride of Jordan against the strong habitation: but I
will suddenly make them run away from her; and whoso is chosen, him
will I appoint over her: for who is like me? and who will appoint me a
time? and who is the shepherd that will stand before me?'
"Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, that he hath taken against
Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of
the Chaldeans: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones
of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate {337}
with them. At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth trembleth,
and the cry is heard among the nations.
"Thus saith the Lord: 'Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and
against them that dwell in Leb-kamai, a destroying wind. And I will
send unto Babylon strangers, that shall fan her; and they shall empty
her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round
about. Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not lift himself
up in his coat of mail: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye
utterly all her host. And they shall fall down slain in the land of
the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.'
"For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, of his God, of the Lord of
hosts; though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of
Israel. Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life;
be not cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of the Lord's
vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense. Babylon hath been a
golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the
nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Babylon
is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her
pain, if so be she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but
she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own
country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even
to the skies.
"The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us
declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. Make sharp the arrows;
hold firm the shields: {338} the Lord hath stirred up the spirit of
the kings of the Medes; because his device is against Babylon, to
destroy it: for it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his
temple. Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch
strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both
devised and done that which he spake concerning the inhabitants of
Babylon. O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures,
thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness. The Lord of hosts
hath sworn by himself, saying, 'Surely I will fill thee with men, as
with the cankerworm; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.'
"He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by
his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the
heavens: when he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in
the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the
earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind
out of his treasuries. Every man is become brutish and is without
knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image: for
his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They
are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they
shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the
former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: the
Lord of hosts is his name.
"'Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: and with thee will I
break in pieces the nations; and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
and with thee will I break {339} in pieces the horse and his rider;
and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and him that rideth
therein; and with thee will I break in pieces man and woman; and with
thee will I break in pieces the old man and the youth; and with thee
will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; and with thee will
I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I
break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee
will I break in pieces governors and deputies. And I will render unto
Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they
have done in Zion in your sight,' saith the Lord.
"'Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain,' saith the Lord,
'which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon
thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt
mountain. And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a
stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever,' saith the
Lord.
"'Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the
nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her
the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz: appoint a marshal against
her; cause the horses to come up as the rough cankerworm. Prepare
against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, the governors
thereof, and all the deputies thereof, and all the land of his
dominion. And the land trembleth and is in pain: for the purposes of
the Lord against Babylon do stand, to make the land of Babylon a
desolation, {340} without inhabitant. The mighty men of Babylon have
forborne to fight, they remain in their strong holds; their might hath
failed; they are become as women: her dwelling places are set on fire;
her bars are broken. One post shall run to meet another, and one
messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city
is taken on every quarter: and the passages are surprised, and the
reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.
"For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'The daughter of
Babylon is like a threshing-floor at the time when it is trodden; yet
a little while, and the time of harvest shall come for her.
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed
me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a
dragon, he hath filled his maw with my delicates; he hath cast me
out.'
"The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the
inhabitant of Zion say; and, My blood be upon the inhabitants of
Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
"Therefore thus saith the Lord: 'Behold, I will plead thy cause, and
take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her
fountain dry. And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for
jackals, an astonishment, and an hissing, without inhabitant. They
shall roar together like young lions; they shall growl as lions'
whelps. When they are heated, I will make their feast, and I will make
them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and
not wake,' saith the Lord.
{341}
"'I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with
he-goats. How is Sheshach taken! and the praise of the whole earth
surprised! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! The
sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the
waves thereof. Her cities are become a desolation, a dry land, and a
desert, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man
pass thereby. And I will do judgment upon Bel in Babylon, and I will
bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up; and the
nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of
Babylon shall fall.'
"My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and save yourselves every
man from the fierce anger of the Lord. And let not your heart faint,
neither fear ye for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; for a
rumour shall come one year, and after that in another year shall come
a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
"'Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the
graven images of Babylon, and her whole land shall be ashamed; and all
her slain shall fall in the midst of her. Then the heaven and the
earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for joy over Babylon; for
the spoilers shall come unto her from the north,' saith the Lord.
"As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon
shall fall the slain of all the land. Ye that have escaped the sword,
go ye, stand not still; {342} remember the Lord from afar, and let
Jerusalem come into your mind. We are ashamed, because we have heard
reproach; confusion hath covered our faces: for strangers are come
into the sanctuaries of the Lord's house.
"'Wherefore, behold, the days come,' saith the Lord, 'that I will do
judgment upon her graven images; and through all her land the wounded
shall groan. Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she
should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers
come unto her,' saith the Lord.
"The sound of a cry from Babylon, and of great destruction from the
land of the Chaldeans! for the Lord spoileth Babylon, and destroyeth
out of her the great voice; and their waves roar like many waters, the
noise of their voice is uttered: for the spoiler is come upon her,
even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, their bows are broken
in pieces: for the Lord is a God of recompenses, he shall surely
requite. 'And I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her
governors and her deputies, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a
perpetual sleep, and not wake,' saith the King, whose name is the Lord
of hosts. Thus saith the Lord of hosts: 'The broad walls of Babylon
shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with
fire; and the peoples shall labour for vanity, and the nations for the
fire; and they shall be weary.'"
The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of
Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when {343} he went with Zedekiah the king
of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was
chief chamberlain. And Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that
should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written
concerning Babylon. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, "When thou comest to
Babylon, then see that thou read all these words, and say, 'O Lord,
thou hast spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that none shall
dwell therein, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate
for ever.' And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this
book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst
of Euphrates: and thou shalt say, 'Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall
not rise again because of the evil that I will bring upon her: and
they shall be weary.'"
{344}
EZEKIEL
(The book of Ezekiel differs from every other book of prophecy in the
fact that none of it was written in Palestine. It was written in
Babylonia, whither Ezekiel had been taken captive while still a youth.
The captives knew what was going on in Jerusalem. When the city was
first taken, at the occasion when Ezekiel was made captive, the
Babylonians were content to carry off ten thousand of the best of the
people, with great treasure. The writer of Kings says that "none
remained, save the poorest of the people of the land." Over this poor
remnant of a wrecked state the Babylonian government set up a king.
For nine years he remained loyal to Babylon. Then, with the foolish
hope that Egypt would help him when war came, he revolted against the
power of Babylon. Soon Babylonian armies appeared before Jerusalem,
and, two years after, the city fell. More captives were deported, the
city was burned, the walls broken down, no king set up, but only a
governor, and the kingdom of Israel, over which only one family had
ruled since the time of David, nearly five hundred years before, was
forever at an end. The fall of Jerusalem was in 586 B. C.
With every device of vision and picture and pleading Ezekiel tried to
keep the captives true to their country and their God. It is good to
know that he succeeded in his attempt. The Jews in Babylonia kept
their faith, and, in later years, it was from them that these
prophetic books went, together with a strong influence for religious
reform, back to Palestine.)
I
A LAMENTATION FOR THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL
Moreover, take thou up a lamentation for the princes
of Israel, and say, "What was thy mother?
"A lioness: she couched among lions, in the midst of the {345} young
lions she nourished her whelps. And she brought up one of her whelps;
he became a young lion: and he learned to catch the prey, he devoured
men. The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit: and
they brought him with hooks unto the land of Egypt. Now when she saw
that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of
her whelps, and made him a young lion. And he went up and down among
the lions, he became a young lion: and he learned to catch the prey,
he devoured men. And he knew their palaces, and laid waste their
cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, because of
the noise of his roaring. Then the nations set against him on every
side from the provinces: and they spread their net over him; he was
taken in their pit. And they put him in a cage with hooks, and brought
him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into strong holds, that
his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.
"Thy mother was like a vine, in thy blood, planted by the waters: she
was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters. And she
had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and their
stature was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in
their height with the multitude of their branches. But she was plucked
up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried
up her fruit: her strong rods were broken off and withered; the fire
consumed them. And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and
thirsty land. And fire is gone out of the rods of her branches, it
hath {346} devoured her fruit, so that there is in her no strong rod
to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a
lamentation."
II
THE DOOM OF TYRE
(The description of Tyre is particularly valuable, because it gives
such a vivid picture of the commercial activity of a great city in
ancient times.)
And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the
month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, "Son of man,
because that Tyre hath said against Jerusalem, 'Aha, she is broken
that was the gate of the peoples; she is turned unto me: I shall be
replenished, now that she is laid waste:' therefore thus saith the
Lord God: Behold, I am against thee, O Tyre, and will cause many
nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come
up. And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre, and break down her
towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her a bare
rock. She shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of
the sea; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God: and she shall
become a spoil to the nations. And her daughters which are in the
field shall be slain with the sword: and they shall know that I am the
Lord." For thus saith the Lord God: "Behold, I will bring upon Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, from the north, with
horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and a company, and much
people. He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the {347} field:
and he shall make forts against thee, and cast up a mount against
thee, and raise up the buckler against thee. And he shall set his
battering engines against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break
down thy towers. By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust
shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen,
and of the wagons, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy
gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach. With the
hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay
thy people with the sword, and the pillars of thy strength shall go
down to the ground. And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and
make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls,
and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy
timber and thy dust in the midst of the waters. And I will cause the
noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no
more heard. And I will make thee a bare rock: thou shalt be a place
for the spreading of nets; thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord
have spoken it, saith the Lord God."
Thus saith the Lord God to Tyre: "Shall not the isles shake at the
sound of thy fall, when the wounded groan, when the slaughter is made
in the midst of thee? Then all the princes of the sea shall come down
from their thrones, and lay aside their robes, and strip off their
broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they
shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble every moment, and be
astonished at thee. And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and
say to thee, 'How art thou {348} destroyed, that wast inhabited of
seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she
and her inhabitants, which caused their terror to be on all that haunt
it!' Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the
isles that are in the sea shall be dismayed at thy departure."
For thus saith the Lord God: "When I shall make thee a desolate city,
like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep
upon thee, and the great waters shall cover thee; then will I bring
thee down with them that descend into the pit, to the people of old
time, and will make thee to dwell in the nether parts of the earth, in
the places that are desolate of old, with them that go down to the
pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of
the living: I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more:
though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again," saith
the Lord God.
(The prophet here draws a striking picture of Eastern commerce. He
pictures Tyre as a ship, trading in the commodities of all the nations
of the world, but wrecked at last and destroyed by the storm.)
The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, And thou, son of man,
take up a lamentation for Tyre; and say unto Tyre, O thou that
dwellest at the entry of the sea, which art the merchant of the
peoples unto many isles, thus saith the Lord God: Thou, O Tyre, hast
said, "I am perfect in beauty."
Thy borders are in the heart of the seas, thy builders have perfected
thy beauty. They have made all thy planks of fir trees from Senir:
they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make a mast for thee.
{349}
Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; they have made thy
benches of ivory inlaid in boxwood, from the isles of Kittim.
Of fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy sail, that it
might be to thee for an ensign; blue and purple from the isles of
Elishah was thine awning.
The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy rowers: thy wise men, O
Tyre, were in thee, they were thy pilots.
The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy
calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to
occupy thy merchandise.
Persia and Lud and Put were in thine army, thy men of war: they hung
the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness.
The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and
the Gammadim were in thy towers: they hung their shields upon thy
walls round about; they have perfected thy beauty.
Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of
riches; with silver, iron, tin and lead, they traded for thy wares.
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy traffickers: they traded the
persons of men and vessels of brass for thy merchandise.
They of the house of Togarmah traded for thy wares with horses and
war-horses and mules.
The men of Dedan were thy traffickers: many isles were the mart of
thine hand: they brought thee in exchange horns of ivory and ebony.
{350}
Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of thy handiworks:
they traded for thy wares with emeralds, purple, and broidered work,
and fine linen, and coral, and rubies.
Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy traffickers: they traded
for thy merchandise wheat of Minnith, and pannag, and honey, and oil,
and balm.
[Footnote: Pannag--Perhaps a kind of confection.]
Damascus was thy merchant for the multitude of thy handiworks, by
reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches; with the wine of
Helbon, and white wool.
Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for thy wares: bright iron, cassia,
and calamus, were among thy merchandise.
Dedan was thy trafficker in precious cloths for riding. Arabia, and
all the princes of Kedar, they were the merchants of thy hand; in
lambs, and rams, and goats, in these were they thy merchants.
The traffickers of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy traffickers: they
traded for thy wares with chief of all spices, and with all precious
stones, and gold.
Haran and Canneh and Eden, the traffickers of Sheba, Asshur and
Chilmad, were thy traffickers. These were thy traffickers in choice
wares, in wrappings of blue and broidered work, and in chests of rich
apparel, bound with cords and made of cedar, among thy merchandise.
The ships of Tarshish were thy caravans for thy merchandise: and thou
wast replenished, and made very glorious in the heart of the seas.
{351}
Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind hath
broken thee in the heart of the seas.
Thy riches, and thy wares, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy
pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy
men of war, that are in thee, with all thy company which is in the
midst of thee, shall fall into the heart of the seas in the day of thy
ruin.
At the sound of the cry of thy pilots the suburbs shall shake. And all
that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea,
shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land, and
shall cause their voice to be heard over thee, and shall cry bitterly,
and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves
in the ashes: and they shall make themselves bald for thee, and gird
them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee in bitterness of
soul with bitter mourning.
And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and
lament over thee, saying, "Who is there like Tyre, like her that is
brought to silence in the midst of the sea?" When thy wares went forth
out of the seas, thou filledst many peoples; thou didst enrich the
kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy
merchandise.
In the time that thou wast broken by the seas in the depths of the
waters, thy merchandise and all thy company did fall in the midst of
thee.
All the inhabitants of the isles are astonished at thee, and their
kings are horribly afraid, they are troubled in their countenance.
{352}
The merchants among the peoples hiss at thee; thou art become a
terror, and thou shalt never be any more.
III
THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES
(This is a strong picture of the reviving power of God's
spirit in a repentant nation.)
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he carried me out in the spirit
of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was
full of bones; and he caused me to pass by them round about: and
behold, there were very many in the open valley; and lo, they were
very dry.
And he said unto me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I
answered, "O Lord God, thou knowest."
Again he said unto me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say unto them,
'O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.'"
Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones: "Behold, I will cause breath
to enter into you, and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you,
and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put
breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the
Lord."
So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a
noise, and behold an earthquake, and the bones came together, bone to
his bone. And I beheld, and lo, there were sinews upon them, and flesh
came up, and skin covered them above: but there was no breath in {353}
them. Then said he unto me, "Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of
man, and say to the wind, 'Thus saith the Lord God: Come from the four
winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.'"
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and
they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
Then he said unto me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of
Israel: behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is
lost; we are clean cut off.'
"Therefore prophesy, and say unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord God:
Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your
graves, O my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. And
ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, and
caused you to come up out of your graves, O my people. And I will put
my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I will place you in your own
land: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed
it, saith the Lord.'"
{354}
AMOS
(Amos, one of the earliest of the prophets, was a poor herdsman of the
village of Tekoa, which was about twelve miles southeast of Jerusalem,
on the edge of the great wilderness or pasture land, which stretches
from the crest of the hills to the Dead Sea. The call of God came to
him to leave his herds and speak against the immorality, the
oppression of the poor, the injustice of the people in the northern
kingdom of Israel. He appeared at one of the great feasts and spoke
his message boldly. The priest of Bethel, where the feast was held,
was very angry with him, and tried to frighten him by sending to the
king the report that he was a traitor. This is)
I
THE MESSAGE OF AMOS AT THE FEAST
This the Lord Jehovah caused me to see: behold, he formed locusts at
the beginning of the coming up of the spring crops, and behold, it was
after the king's mowings. It came to pass when they had made an end of
devouring the verdure of the earth, that I said,
"O Lord Jehovah, pardon, I pray Thee! How shall Jacob rise again? He
is so small!"
Jehovah repented for this. "It shall not be," saith Jehovah.
This the Lord Jehovah caused me to see: and behold, the Lord Jehovah
was calling fire into the contest; and it devoured the Great Deep,
yea, it was about to devour the land.
{355}
"O Lord Jehovah, pardon, I pray thee! How shall Jacob rise again? He
is so small!"
Jehovah repented for this. "It also shall not come to pass," saith the
Lord Jehovah.
This he showed me, and behold the Lord has taken his station upon a
city wall, a wall built with a plumbline.
And Jehovah said to me, "What art thou seeing?" And I said, "A
plumbline." And the Lord said, "Behold, I am setting a plumbline in
the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass them over. The
high places of Israel shall be desolate and the sanctuaries of Isaac
laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the
sword."
II
AMOS DEFIES THE PRIEST
("As Savonarola at the Duomo in Florence, as Luther at the Diet of
Worms, as our Lord Himself at the feast in Jerusalem, so was Amos at
the feast in Bethel."--_Smith_.)
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel,
saying, "Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of
Israel. The land is not able to hold his words." For thus hath Amos
said, "By the sword shall Jeroboam die, and Israel going shall go into
captivity from off his own land."
And Amaziah Said unto Amos, "Visionary, be gone! Get thee off to the
land of Judah; and eat thy bread there, and there play the prophet.
But at Bethel thou shalt not {356} again prophesy. The king's
sanctuary it is, and the house of the kingdom."
But Amos answered and said unto Amaziah, "No prophet I, nor prophet's
son. But a herdsman I, and a dresser of sycamores; and Jehovah took me
from behind the flock and Jehovah said unto me, 'Go, prophesy unto my
people Israel.'
"Now therefore hearken to the word of Jehovah, thou that sayest,
prophesy not against Israel, nor let drop thy words against the house
of Israel; therefore thus saith Jehovah. Thy wife in the city shall
become an outcast; and thy sons and thy daughters by the sword--shall
fall; and thy land--by the measuring rope shall be divided; and thou
in an unclean land shalt die. And Israel shall be driven from his land
into captivity."
III
THE DOOM OF A CORRUPT CIVILIZATION
Hear this word which Jehovah hath spoken against you, O children of
Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of
Egypt. "You only have I known of all the families of the earth,
therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities." Can two walk
together except they have an appointment? Doth a lion roar in the
jungle and have no prey? Doth a young lion let forth his voice from
his den if he hath taken nothing?
Doth a little bird fall on the snare earthwards and there be no noose
about her? Doth the snare itself rise up from the ground, except it be
capturing something?
{357}{358}
[Illustration]
CONVENT OF MAR-SARBA IN THE HILL COUNTRY OF JUDEA.
It is on the edge of this "wilderness of Judea" that the towns of
Bethlehem, and Tekoa, the home of Amos, are situated, and in this
region both David and Amos pastured their sheep.
[End illustration]
{359}
Is the alarm trumpet blown in a city and do the people not tremble?
Shall calamity happen in a city and Jehovah not have done it? Yea, the
Lord Jehovah doeth nothing but he has revealed his purpose to his
servants the prophets. The lion has roared, who shall not fear?
Jehovah hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
Make proclamation over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in
the land of Egypt, and say, "Gather upon the Mount of Samaria and see!
Confusions manifold in the midst of her; violence to her very core!"
Yea they know not how to do uprightness, saith Jehovah, who store up
wrong and violence in their palaces. Therefore saith the Lord, "Siege
and investment of the land! And they shall bring down thy fortresses
and plundered shall be thy palaces." Thus saith Jehovah: "As the
shepherd saveth from the mouth of the lion, a pair of shin bones or a
bit of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be saved--they who sit
in Samaria in the corner of the divan and on a Damascus couch."
"Hear ye, and testify against the house of Jacob"--saith the Lord God
of Hosts. "For on the days when I visit the crimes of Israel upon him,
I shall there make visitation upon the altars of Bethel, and the horns
of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground. And I will smite
the winter house, and the summer house, and the ivory houses shall
perish, yea, swept away shall be houses many"-- oracle of Jehovah.
Hear this word, women of Israel, kine of Bashan that are in the mount
of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say to
their lords, "Bring, and let us {360} drink." Sworn hath the Lord
Jehovah by his holiness, lo! days are coming when there shall be a
taking away of you with hooks, and of the last of you with fish-hooks.
Yea, by the breaches (in the wall of the stormed city) shall ye go
out, everyone headlong, and ye shall fling yourselves out on the
mountains as a refuge.
IV
FALSE WORSHIP. THE CHASTISEMENT OF THE LORD
Come away to Bethel and transgress!
At Gilgal exaggerate your transgressions!
And bring every morning your sacrifices.
Every three days your tithes!
And send up the savour of leavened bread as a thank-offering.
And call out your charities--make them to be heard!
For so ye loved to do, a children of Israel--saith the Lord.
But I on my side withheld from you the winter rain, while it was still
three months to the harvest, and I let it rain repeatedly on one city,
and upon one city I did not let it rain: one piece was rained upon,
and the piece that was not rained upon withered: and two or three
cities kept struggling to one city for water, and were not
satisfied--yet ye did not return to me--saith the Lord.
I smote you with blasting and with mildew: many of your gardens and
your vineyards and your figs and your olives the locust devoured--yet
ye did not return to me--saith the Lord.
{361}
I overturned among you, like God's own overturning of Sodom and
Gomorrah, till ye became as a brand plucked from the burning--yet ye
did not return to me--saith the Lord.
Therefore, thus shall I do to thee, O Israel: because I am going to do
this to thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. For, lo, he that
formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth to man
what his thought is, that maketh the morning, darkness, and marcheth
on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of Hosts his name.
V
THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR
Seek ye Jehovah and live, lest he break forth like fire, O house of
Joseph, and it consume and there be none to quench at Bethel. He that
made the Pleiades and Orion, that turneth the deep shadow into
morning, and day he darkeneth to night, that calleth for the waters of
the sea and poureth them out on the face of the earth--Jehovah, his
name. He it is that flasheth out ruin on strength, and bringeth down
destruction on the fortified.
They that turn justice to wormwood, and abase righteousness to the
earth! They hate him that reproveth in the gate and him that speaketh
sincerely they abhor. Wherefore, because ye trample on the weak, and
take from him a present of corn, ye shall have houses built of hewn
stone, but ye shall not dwell in them: vineyards for pleasure have ye
planted, but ye shall not drink of their wine. For I know how many are
your crimes and how forceful your sins--ye that browbeat the
righteous, take bribes and {362} turn aside the poor in the gate.
Therefore the prudent in such a time is dumb, for an evil time it is.
Seek good and not evil, that ye may live, and Jehovah God of Hosts be
with you as ye say he is. Hate evil and love good: and in the gate set
justice on her feet again --it may be that Jehovah God of Hosts may
have pity on the remnant of Joseph.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, God of Hosts, Lord: On all the open
ways, lamentation, and in all streets they shall be saying, "Ah woe!
Ah woe!" And in all vineyards, lamentation, and they shall call the
ploughman to wailing, and to lamentation them that are skilful in
dirges, for I shall pass through their midst, saith Jehovah.
Woe unto you that long for the day of the Lord!
Wherefore would ye have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not
light. As when a man fleeth from the face of a lion and a bear falls
upon him: and he comes unto the house and leans his hand upon the wall
and a serpent bites him. Is it not darkness, the day of Jehovah, and
not light? storm-darkness, and not a ray of light upon it?
I hate, I loathe your feasts, and I will not smell the savour of your
gatherings to sacrifice. Though ye bring to me your burnt-offering,
and your meal-offerings, I will not be pleased, or your
thank-offerings of fatted calves, I will not look at them. Let cease
from me the noise of thy songs: to the playing of thy viols I will not
listen. But let justice roll on like water, and righteousness like an
unfailing stream.
[Footnote: This translation is in the main that of George Adam Smith
in the "Expositor's Bible."]
{363}
HOSEA
(Hosea belonged to the same generation as Amos, and meets the same
social sins and oppressions of the poor by the rich. He emphasizes the
religious side of the difficulties. Sin is treachery against God, and
peculiarly mean treachery; for God loves his people. Hosea's emphasis
on the love of God is almost the beginning of the greatest idea about
God that man ever conceived. It grew out of a very sad part of his own
life. His wife had left him, and yet he could not forget her. He still
loved her, and could not cease loving her. This experience showed him
what God must be like. God loved Israel. When Israel sinned, God was
hurt and saddened. Could God cease to love Israel? Never! If he, a
man, still loved his wife, could Jehovah, being God, love less? Must
not his love be greater than man's? So it comes about that Hosea gives
a very vivid and wonderful picture of the sad and terrible results of
sin, and of the tender, compassionate love of God. The book is more
disconnected than many of the prophecies. It is a series of
independent sections, nearly all of which express, in different
language, much the same ideas of Israel's sin and God's love.)
I
SOWING THE WIND; REAPING THE WHIRLWIND
When I would heal Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim discovered,
and the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood: and the
thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without. And they
consider not {364} in their hearts that I remember all their
wickedness: now have their own doings beset them about; they are
before my face. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the
princes with their lies. They are all hot as an oven, and devour their
judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that
calleth unto me. Ephraim, he mixeth himself among the peoples; Ephraim
is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he
knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he
knoweth it not. And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: yet
they have not returned unto the Lord their God, nor sought him for all
this. And Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding: they
call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria. When they shall go, I will spread
my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the heaven: I
will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard. Woe unto them!
for they have wandered from me; destruction unto them! for they have
trespassed against me: though I would redeem them, yet they have
spoken lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their
heart, but they howl upon their beds: they assemble themselves for
corn and wine, they rebel against me. Though I have taught and
strengthened their arms, yet do they devise mischief against me. They
return, but not to him that is on high; they are like a deceitful bow:
their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue:
this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Set the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle he cometh {365} against the
house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and
trespassed against my law. They shall cry unto me, "My God, we,
Israel, know thee." Israel hath cast off that which is good: the enemy
shall pursue him. They have set up kings, but not by me; they have
made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have
they made them idols, that they may be cut off. He hath cast off thy
calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it
be ere they attain to innocency? For from Israel is even this; the
workman made it, and it is no God: yea, the calf of Samaria shall be
broken in pieces. For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the
whirlwind.
II
THE LONGING OF GOD FOR HIS CHILDREN
Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will
heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will
he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live
before him. And let us follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is
sure as the morning: and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the
latter rain that watereth the earth.
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of
Egypt. The more the prophet called them, the more they went from them:
they sacrificed unto the Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Yet I {366} taught Ephraim to walk; I took them on my arms; but they
knew not that I healed them. I drew them with cords of a man, with
bands of love. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver
thee, Israel? mine heart is turned within me, my compassions are
kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I
will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the
Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not come in wrath. They
shall walk after the Lord, who shall roar like a lion: for he shall
roar, and the children shall come trembling from the west. They shall
come trembling as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land
of Assyria: and I will make them to dwell in their houses, saith the
Lord. I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem
them from death: O death, where are thy plagues? O grave, where is thy
destruction? I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely:
for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto
Israel: he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as
Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the
olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
{367}
MICAH
(It is supposed that Micah lived in the time of Isaiah, the prophet.
His message resembles that of Amos in its stern denunciation of the
wrong-doing of the rich. He himself belonged to the poorer classes and
speaks from a full heart when he describes the misery of the poor and
the oppression of the rich. Like Isaiah, Amos, and Hosea, he is a
social reformer.)
Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! when
the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of
their hand. And they covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and
take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and
his heritage. The voice of the Lord crieth unto the city, and the man
of wisdom will see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed
it. "Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the
wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? Shall I be pure with
wicked balances, and with deceitful weights? For the rich men thereof
are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies,
and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Therefore I also have
smitten thee with a grievous wound; I have made thee desolate because
of thy sins. Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy humiliation
shall be in the midst of thee: and thou shalt store up, but shalt not
keep it; and that which thou carriest away will I give up to the
sword. Thou shalt sow, but shalt not {368} reap: thou shalt tread the
olives, but shalt not anoint thee with oil; and the vintage, but shalt
not drink the wine."
Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as
the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat; my
soul desireth the firstripe fig. The godly man is perished out of the
earth, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for
blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. Their hands are
upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and
the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the
mischief of his soul: thus they weave it together. The best of them is
as a brier: the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge: the day of
thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their
perplexity. Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a
guide. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up
against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a
man's enemies are the men of his own house. But as for me, I will look
unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will
hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall
arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.
Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high
God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a
year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten
thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my
transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
{369}
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with thy God?
But in the latter days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the
Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it
shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it. And
many nations shall go and say, "Come ye, and let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he
will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
And he shall judge between many peoples, and shall reprove strong
nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall
sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall
make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.
For all the peoples will walk everyone in the name of his god, and we
will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the
thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is
to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from
everlasting.
{370}
OBADIAH
(This is the shortest of the books of prophecy in the Old Testament.
It denounces the evil of the people of Edom, who, when Jerusalem was
taken by the Babylonians, took delight in its distresses and, pursuing
the fugitives in the mountains, captured them and returned them to the
Babylonian army. Nothing definite is known of the prophet.)
The vision of Obadiah.
Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom: "We have heard tidings from
the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, Arise
ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. Behold, I have made thee
small among the nations: thou art greatly despised. The pride of thine
heart hath deceived thee, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the
rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, 'Who shall
bring me down to the ground?' Though thou mount on high as the eagle,
and though thy nest be set among the stars, I will bring thee down
from thence, saith the Lord. If thieves came to thee, if robbers by
night, would they not steal till they had enough? if grapegatherers
came to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes?
How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden treasures
sought up! All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee on thy
way, even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have
deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread lay
a snare under thee: there is none understanding in him.
{371}{372}
[Illustration]
"THE PROPHETS"
From the frieze of "The Prophets," by Sargent, in the Boston Public
Library.
The prophets here represented are Micah, Haggai, Malachi, and
Zechariah.
[End illustration]
{373}
Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, destroy the wise men out of
Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? And thy mighty men,
O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that everyone may be cut off
from the mount of Esau by slaughter. For the violence done to thy
brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for
ever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that
strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his
gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
But look not thou on the day of thy brother in the day of his
disaster, and rejoice not over the children of Judah in the day of
their destruction; neither speak proudly in the day of distress. Enter
not into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, look
not thou on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither lay
ye hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. And stand
thou not in the mountain passes, to cut off those of his that escape;
and deliver not up those of his that remain in the day of distress.
For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations: as thou hast
done, it shall be done unto thee; thy dealing shall return upon thine
own head. But in mount Zion there shall be those that escape, and it
shall be holy; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a
flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall burn among
them, and devour them, and there shall not be any remaining to the
house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it.
{374}
JOEL
(At some time, we are not told just when, a terrible plague of locusts
came upon the land. A prophet, whose name was Joel, took this occasion
to tell the people of their sins, and of the judgments which God would
bring upon them.)
I
THE PROPHET LAMENTS FOR HIS LAND
Hear this, ye old men,
And give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.
Hath this been in your days,
Or in the days of your fathers?
Tell ye your children of it,
And let your children tell their children,
And their children another generation.
That which the palmerworm hath left
Hath the cankerworm eaten;
And that which the cankerworm hath left
Hath the caterpillar eaten.
Be ashamed, O ye husbandmen,
Howl, O ye vinedressers,
For the wheat, and for the barley;
For the harvest of the field is perished.
The vine is withered, {375}
And the fig tree languisheth;
The pomegranate tree,
The palm tree also, and the apple tree,
Even all the trees of the field are withered:
For joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly,
Gather the old men
And all the inhabitants of the land
Unto the house of the Lord your God,
And cry unto the Lord.
Alas for the day!
For the day of the Lord is at hand.
And as the destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Is not the food cut off before our eyes,
Yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
The seeds rot under their clods:
The garners are laid desolate,
The barns are broken down;
For the corn is withered.
How do the beasts groan.
The herds of cattle are perplexed,
Because they have no pasture;
Yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
O Lord, to thee do I cry:
For the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness
And the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
Yea, the beasts of the field pant unto thee: {376}
For the water brooks are dried up,
And the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
II
THE WARNING TO THE PEOPLE
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm in my holy mountain;
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble.
For the Day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
A day of darkness and gloom,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
As the dawn spread upon the mountains;
A great people and a strong.
There hath not ever been the like,
Neither shall there be any more after them,
Even to the years of many generations.
A fire devoureth before them;
And behind them a flame burneth:
The land is as the garden of Eden before them,
And behind them a desolate wilderness;
Yea, and none hath escaped them.
The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses;
And as horsemen, so do they run.
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap,
Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble;
As a strong people set in battle array.
At their presence the peoples are in anguish;
All faces are waxed pale; {377}
They run like mighty men;
They climb upon the wall like men of war;
And they march everyone on his ways.
And they break not their ranks;
They march everyone in his path;
They burst through the weapons of the enemy;
And turn not from their course.
They leap upon the city;
They run upon the walls;
They climb upon the houses;
They enter in at the windows like a thief.
The earth quaketh before them;
The heavens tremble:
The sun and the moon are darkened,
And the stars withdraw their shining.
And the Lord uttereth his voice before his army;
For his camp is very great;
For he is strong and executeth his word:
For the Day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
And who can abide it?
III
THE LORD WILL PARDON
(If the people turn from evil and repent, and worship him in the true
spirit, the Lord will not send this terrible army of vengeance upon
them.)
Yet even now, saith the Lord,
Turn ye unto me with all your heart,
And with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: {378}
Rend your heart and not your garments,
And turn unto the Lord your God:
For he is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy,
And repenteth him of the evil.
IV
A PROPHECY OF PLENTY
(The plea of the prophet was effective. The people repented, and their
prophet promised that the Lord would not only forgive his people, but
would bless them with abundance.)
Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil,
And ye shall be satisfied therewith:
And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations:
But I will remove far off from you the northern army,
And will drive him into a land barren and desolate,
His vanguard into the eastern sea,
And his rearguard into the western sea.
Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice.
For the Lord hath done great things.
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field:
For the pastures of the wilderness do spring,
For the tree beareth her fruit,
the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God:
For he giveth you the former rain in just measure, {379}
And he causeth to come down for you the rain,
The former rain and the latter rain, in the first month.
And the floors shall be full of wheat,
And the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,
The cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm,
My great army which I sent among you.
And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And ye shall praise the name of the Lord your God,
That hath dealt wondrously with you:
And my people shall never be ashamed.
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the Lord your God, and there is none else:
And my people shall never be ashamed.
And it shall come to pass afterward,
That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
And your sons and daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days
Will I pour out my spirit.
{380}
ZEPHANIAH
(Zephaniah is another of the prophets who tell of the destruction
which will come upon the people in the terrible "day of the Lord."
Then his prophecy, like the others, breaks into joyous strains at the
close, as he tells of the blessings which will be showered upon the
nation when it repents.)
I
THE DAY OF WRATH
The Day of the Lord is near:
It is near and hasteth greatly.
Even the voice of the Day of the Lord;
The mighty man crieth there bitterly.
That Day is a day of wrath,
A day of trouble and distress,
A day of waste and desolation,
A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
A day of trumpet and alarm
Against the fortified cities,
And against the high battlements.
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together,
O nation that hath no shame;
Before the decree bring forth,
Before the day pass as the chaff,
Before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you.
Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth,
{381}{382}
[Illustration]
"THE PROPHETS"
From the frieze of "The Prophets," by Sargent, in the Boston Public
Library.
The prophets here represented are Zephaniah, Joel, Obadiah, and
Hosea.
[End illustration]
{383}
Which have wrought his judgment;
Seek righteousness,
Seek meekness:
It may be ye shall be hid
In the Day of the Lord's anger.
This is the joyous city,
That dwelt carelessly,
That said in her heart, "I am,
And there is none else beside me:"
How is she become a desolation,
A place for beasts to lie down in!
Everyone that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his head,
Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted,
To the oppressing city.
She obeyed not the voice;
She received not correction;
She trusted not in the Lord;
She drew not near to her God.
Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions;
Her judges are evening wolves;
They leave nothing till the morrow.
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons:
Her priests have profaned the sanctuary,
They have done violence to the law.
The Lord in the midst of her is righteous;
He will not do iniquity;
Every morning doth he bring his judgment to light,
He faileth not;
But the unjust knoweth no shame.
{384}
IV
SING, O DAUGHTER OF ZION
Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel;
Be glad and rejoice with the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
The Lord hath taken away thy judgments,
He hath cast out thine enemy:
The king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee:
Thou shalt not fear evil any more.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, "Fear thou not:
O Zion, let not thine hands be slack.
The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee,
A mighty one who will save:
He will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love,
He will joy over thee with singing."
{385}
NAHUM
(Nineveh was the capital city of the great empire of Assyria. It was,
to the Hebrews, the expression of all the power and cruelty and
bloodthirstiness of that mighty and oppressive empire. The story of
the barbaric savagery of this empire almost passes belief. The
monuments of Assyria are its own strongest accusing witnesses. They
show pictures of captives of war whose eyes are being put out, who are
being skinned alive, who are suffering all the tortures that a savage
imagination can invent. Any such torture might come to any Hebrew
taken in war. Is it any wonder that the people not only dreaded, but
bitterly hated this city? Is it strange that they thought Jehovah
would certainly overthrow it? Nahum, in a poetic prophecy of great
vigor and vividness, pictures the overthrow, and exults in the fall of
the great, rich, cruel city. That fall came, at the hands of the Medes
and Babylonians, in about 608 B. C. Since that time, Nineveh has
remained in ruins, and is to-day buried under the sand hills of the
desert.)
I
THE GOODNESS AND THE GREATNESS OF THE LORD
The Lord is a jealous God and avengeth; the Lord avengeth and is full
of wrath; the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he
reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger, and great
in power, and will by no means clear the guilty: the Lord hath his way
in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of
{386} his feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up
all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of
Lebanon languisheth. The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt;
and the earth is upheaved at his presence, yea, the world, and all
that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? and who can
abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like
fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by him. The Lord is good, a
strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that put their
trust in him. But with an overrunning flood he will make a full end of
the place thereof, and will pursue his enemies into darkness. What do
ye imagine against the Lord? he will make a full end: affliction shall
not rise up the second time. For though they be like tangled thorns,
and be drenched as it were in their drink, they shall be devoured
utterly as dry stubble. There is one gone forth out of thee, that
imagineth evil against the Lord, that counselleth wickedness.
Thus saith the Lord: Though they be in full strength, and likewise
many, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away.
Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
And now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds
in sunder.
And the Lord hath given commandment concerning thee, that no more of
thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the
graven image and the molten image; I will make thy grave; for thou art
vile.
{387}
Behold, upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,
That publisheth peace!
II
THE DOOM OF NINEVEH
(In describing the doom of Nineveh, the writer draws one of the most
vivid pictures of war that was ever written.)
The Hammer is come up to thy face!
Hold the rampart! Keep watch on the way!
Brace the loins! Pull thyself firmly together!
The shields of the heroes are red,
The warriors are in scarlet;
Like fire is the shining of his chariots in the day of his muster,
And the horsemen are prancing.
Through the markets rage chariots,
They tear across the squares;
The look of them is like torches,
Like lightnings they dart to and fro.
And now they flee. "Stand, stand!" but there is none to rally.
Plunder silver, plunder gold!
Infinite treasures, mass of all precious things!
Void and devoid and desolate is she.
Melting hearts and shaking knees,
And anguish in all loins,
And nothing but faces full of black fear. {388}
Where is the Lion's den,
And the young lion's feeding ground?
Whither has the Lion retreated,
The whelps of the Lion with none to make afraid:
The Lion who tore enough for his whelps,
And strangled for his lionesses.
And he filled his pits with prey,
And his dens with rapine.
Lo, I am at thee,
I will put up thy lair in flames,
The sword shall devour thy young lions;
I will cut off the earth from thy rapine,
And the noise of thine envoys shall no more be heard.
Woe to the City of Blood,
All of her guile, robbery full, ceaseless rapine!
Hark the whip,
And the rumbling of the wheel,
And horses galloping,
And the rattling dance of the chariot!
Cavalry at the charge, and flash of sabres,
And lightning of lances,
Mass of slain and weight of corpses,
They stumble on their dead!
All thy fortresses are fig trees with figs early ripe:
Be they shaken they fall on the mouth of the eater.
Lo, thy folk are but women in thy midst:
To thy foes the gates of thy land fly open;
Fire has devoured thy bars.
{389}{390}
[Illustration]
"THE PROPHETS"
From the frieze of "The Prophets," by Sargent, in the Boston Public
Library.
The prophets here represented are Amos, Nahum, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
[End illustration]
{391}
Draw water for the siege, strengthen thy forts!
Get thee down to the mud, and tramp in the clay!
Grip fast the brick mould!
There fire consumes thee, the sword cuts thee off!
Asleep are thy shepherds, O king of Assyria,
Thy nobles do slumber;
Thy people are strewn on the mountains,
Without any to gather.
There is no healing of thy wreck,
Fatal thy wound.
All who hear of thy fall shall clap their hands at thee,
For upon whom hath not thy cruelty passed without ceasing?
[Footnote: This translation is, in part, that of George Adam Smith.]
{392}
HABAKKUK
(The little book of Habakkuk was written just before the fall of
Jerusalem. This prophet is dealing with a problem new to Israel. It
was, Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper? It came from
the rapid rise of the great, cruel empire of Babylon. Assyria had
fallen, but instead of Israel being free as the people had expected
they would be when Assyria was out of the way, it found itself under
the power of the New Babylonian government. Why did God allow this?
the people asked, in sad despair at the hopeless political situation.
The prophet Habakkuk attempted to answer the question. He called
himself a watchman, set to see if God would not answer this question.
And the answer comes. It is in a sort of enigma: "Behold, his soul is
puffed up, it is not upright within him; but the just shall live by
his faith." Then the rest of the book is the expansion of the thought
of this enigma. And what is its meaning? It could be expressed
somewhat in this way: "Be patient; hold faith in God. In faith in him
is the promise of life. Wickedness contains the germs of its own
destruction, and will inevitably fall, Wait and you will see that this
is so.")
I
WARNINGS OF THE WATCHMAN
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look
forth to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer
concerning my complaint.
And the Lord answered me, and said, "Write the vision, and make it
plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is
yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall
not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it
will not {393} delay. Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright
in him: but the just shall live by his faith."
Woe to him that getteth an evil gain for his house, that he may set
his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil! Thou
hast consulted shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and
hast sinned against thy soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall,
and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by
iniquity! Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the peoples
labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity? For
the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
as the waters cover the sea.
Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink.
What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven
it; the molten image, and the teacher of lies, that the maker of his
work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to
the wood, "Awake;" to the dumb stone, "Arise!" Shall this teach?
Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath
at all in the midst of it. But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all
the earth keep silence before him.
II
A PRAYER OF THE PROPHET
O Lord, I have heard the report of thee, and am afraid:
O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, {394}
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy.
God came from Teman,
And the Holy One from mount Paran
His glory covered the heavens,
And the earth was full of his praise.
And his brightness was as the light;
He had rays coming forth from his hand:
And there was the hiding of his power.
Before him went the pestilence,
And fiery bolts went forth at his feet.
He stood, and measured the earth;
He beheld, and drove asunder the nations:
And the eternal mountains were scattered,
The everlasting hills did bow;
His goings were as of old.
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction:
The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
Was the Lord displeased against the rivers?
Was thine anger against the rivers,
Or thy wrath against the sea,
That thou didst ride upon thine horses,
Upon thy chariots of salvation?
Thy bow was made quite bare;
The oaths to the tribes were a sure word.
Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
The mountains saw thee, and were afraid;
The tempest of waters passed by: {395}
The deep uttered his voice,
And lifted up his hands on high.
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation;
At the light of thine arrows as they went,
At the shining of thy glittering spear.
Thou didst march through the land in indignation,
Thou didst thresh the nations in anger.
Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people,
For the salvation of thine anointed;
Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked,
Laying bare the foundation even unto the neck.
Thou didst pierce with his own staves the head of his warriors:
They came as a whirlwind to scatter me:
Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
Thou didst tread the sea with thine horses,
The heap of mighty waters.
I heard, and my belly trembled,
My lips quivered at the voice;
Rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in my place:
That I should rest in the day of trouble,
When it cometh up against the people which invadeth him in troops.
For though the fig tree shall not blossom,
Neither shall fruit be in the vines;
The labour of the olive shall fail,
And the fields shall yield no meat; {396}
The flock shall be cut off from the fold,
And there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Jehovah, the Lord, is my strength,
And he maketh my feet like hinds' feet,
And will make me to walk upon mine high places.
{397}
HAGGAI
(In 538 B.C., while Israel was still captive in Babylon, the mighty
Babylonian empire was overthrown by Cyrus the Great. What a
rejoicing there was among the Israelites and all the other enforced
colonists of Babylonia! Cyrus was a statesman. He saw how Babylon
was made weak by the large number of discontented inhabitants who
had been imported as captives of war. He wisely decided to allow all
who wished, to go home again. Many Israelites, who now were often
called Jews, accepted his offer and returned to Palestine, with high
hopes of a brilliant future for the nation. But they found Jerusalem
in ruins and their brother Jews discouraged. Then followed a long
series of famine years. Most of the people who came back had been
reared on the rich plains of Babylonia, and were not able easily to
make a living on the barren, rocky ridges of Judea. They became poor
and discouraged. Their plan had been to build the temple, and they had
set up an altar soon after they came, but fifteen years had passed,
and the temple was not yet built. Part of the time the government
had interfered with the building. The enemies of the Jews had
persuaded the imperial officers that a temple would be only a
fortress in disguise, and that the record of the Jews for
insurrection and revolt was such that fortresses were not safe in
their hands. But now a new king had come to the throne, and Haggai,
who seems to have been a priest, came forward on a feast day with a
proposal to build the temple. His little book has no grace of style,
no great prophetic thought, no poetry or oratory, but is a plain
proposition to get the temple built, with a promise that if they do,
God will give them his blessing. It is good to know that the people
responded to his appeal and the temple was built. This prophet with
his plain style was more successful than almost any other prophet.)
{398}
I
THE PROPHET URGES THE PEOPLE TO BUILD THE TEMPLE
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the
first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the
prophet unto Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the high
priest, saying, "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, 'This people
say, It is not the time for us to come, the time for the Lord's house
to be built.'" Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai, the prophet,
saying, "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled
houses, while this house lieth waste? Now therefore thus saith the
Lord of hosts: 'Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in
little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not
filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that
earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.'"
Thus saith the Lord of hosts: "Consider your ways. Go up to the
mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take
pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. Ye looked for
much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did
blow upon it. 'Why?' saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house
that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house. Therefore
for your sake the heaven withholdeth the dew, and the earth
withholdeth her fruit. And I called for a {399} drought upon the land,
and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the wine, and upon
the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men,
and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands."
Then Zerubbabel and Joshua, the high priest, with all the remnant of
the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of
Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people
did fear before the Lord. Then spake Haggai the Lord's messenger in
the Lord's message unto the people, saying, "'I am with you,' saith
the Lord."
And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, governor of Judah,
and the spirit of Joshua, the high priest, and the spirit of all the
remnant of the people; and they came and worked in the house of the
Lord of hosts, their God.
A month later came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,
"Speak now to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the high
priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 'Who is left among
you that saw this house in its former glory? and how do ye see it now?
is it not in your eyes as nothing?' 'Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel,'
saith the Lord; 'and be strong, O Joshua, the high priest; and be
strong, all ye people of the land,' saith the Lord, 'and work: for I
am with you, saith the Lord of hosts, according to the word that I
covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, and my spirit abode
among you: fear ye not.' For thus saith the Lord of hosts: 'Yet once,
it is a little while, and I will shake the {400} heavens, and the
earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations,
and the treasures of all nations shall come, and I will fill this
house with glory,' saith the Lord of hosts. 'The silver is mine, and
the gold is mine,' saith the Lord of hosts. 'The latter glory of this
house shall be greater than the former,' saith the Lord of hosts; and
in this place will I give peace,' saith the Lord of hosts."
{401}
ZECHARIAH
(Zechariah aided Haggai in his attempt to get the temple built.
Nothing is known of his personality or history. Most of his prophecy
is in the form of a series of visions, whose meaning as a whole is
that God is guiding in the history of the world, and will make Israel
glorious by and by, in spite of its present low estate.)
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of
the Lord unto Zechariah the prophet, saying, "The Lord hath been sore
displeased with your fathers. Therefore say thou unto them, 'Thus
saith the Lord of hosts: Return unto me saith the Lord of hosts, and I
will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. Be ye not as your
fathers, unto whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus saith the
Lord of hosts, Return ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil
doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord.
Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the
prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and they turned and
said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to
our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.'"
{402}
I
THE VISION OF THE HORSEMEN IN THE GLEN
I saw in the night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he
stood among the myrtle trees that were in the glen; and behind him
there were horses, red, sorrel, and white. Then said I, "O my lord,
what are these?" And the angel that talked with me said unto me, "I
will shew thee what these are." And the man that stood among the
myrtle trees answered and said, "These are they whom the Lord hath
sent to walk to and fro through the earth." And they answered the
angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, "We
have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth
sitteth still, and is at rest." Then the angel of the Lord answered
and said, "O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on
Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had
indignation these threescore and ten years?" And the Lord answered the
angel that talked with me kind words and comforting. So the angel that
talked with me said unto me, "Cry thou, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord
of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great
jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at
ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the
affliction. Therefore thus saith the Lord: I am returned to Jerusalem
with mercies; my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts,
{403} and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem. Cry yet
again, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord of hosts: My cities shall yet
overflow with prosperity and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and
shall yet choose Jerusalem.'"
II
THE VISION OF THE CITY OF PEACE
And I lifted up mine eyes and saw, and behold a man with a measuring
line in his hand. Then said I, "Whither goest thou?" And he said unto
me, "To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and
what is the length thereof." And, behold, the angel that talked with
me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto
him, "Run, speak to this young man, saying, 'Jerusalem shall be
inhabited as villages without walls, by reason of the multitude of men
and cattle therein. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of
fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her.'
"'Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will
dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall
join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I
will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of
hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the Lord shall inherit Judah as his
portion in the holy land, and shall yet choose Jerusalem. Be silent,
all flesh, before the Lord: for he is waked up out of his holy
habitation.'"
{404}
III
THE VISION OF THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK
And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man
that is wakened out of his sleep. And he said unto me, "What seest
thou?" And I said, "I have seen, and behold, a candlestick all of
gold, with its bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon;
there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are upon the top
thereof: and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the
bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof."
And I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying,
"What are these, my lord?" Then the angel that talked with me answered
and said unto me, "Knowest thou not what these are?" And I said, "No,
my Lord." Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, "This is the
word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, 'Not by might, nor by power,
but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great
mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall
bring forth the top stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it.'"
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, "The hands of
Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall
also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent
me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? for they
shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel."
{405}
IV
THE VISION OF THE FLYING BOOK
(The flying book or roll is the vengeance of God, which flies into the
house of the evil-doer like a great bird, and roosts there and
destroys it.)
Then again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold, a book flying.
And he said unto me, "What seest thou?" And I answered, "I see a book
flying; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof
ten cubits."
Then said he unto me, "This is the curse that goeth forth over the
face of the whole land: for every thief shall be purged away from
hence; and every perjurer is hereby purged from hence. I will cause it
to go forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the
house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by
my name: and it shall roost in the midst of his house, and shall
consume it with its beams and its stones."
V
THE VISION OF THE WOMAN IN THE BARREL
(The prophet sees Wickedness as a woman who is in a barrel measure.
She is pushed down into it, the leaden cover is put on, and she is
carried away out of the land.)
And the angel of Jehovah who spake with me came forward and spake to
me and said to me, "Lift now thine eyes and see what this is that
comes forth." {406}
And I said, "What is it?"
And he said, "This is a barrel coming forth."
And he said, "This is their transgression in all the land."
And behold, the round leaden top was lifted off, and lo, a woman
sitting inside the barrel.
And he said, "This is Wickedness," and he thrust her back into the
barrel, and thrust the leaden cover upon the mouth of it. And I lifted
up mine eyes and looked, and lo, two women came forth with the wind in
their wings, and they bore the barrel betwixt earth and heaven.
And I said to the angel that talked with me, "Whither do they carry
the barrel?"
And he said to me, "To build it a house in the land of Shinar, that it
may be fixed and brought to rest there in a place of its own."
VI
THE VISION OF THE CHARIOTS OF THE FOUR WINDS
(The four chariots of the four winds go forth to guard the boundaries
of the land from all threatening foes.)
And again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold, there came four
chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were
mountains of brass. In the first chariot were red horses; and in the
second chariot black horses; and in the third chariot white horses;
and in the fourth chariot dappled bay horses. {407}
Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, "What are
these, my lord?"
And the angel answered and said unto me, "These are the four winds of
heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the
earth." The chariot wherein are the black horses goeth forth toward
the north country; and the white went forth after them; and the
dappled went forth toward the south country. And the bay went forth,
and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth:
and he said, "Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth." So
they walked to and fro through the earth.
{408}
MALACHI
(Malachi wrote after the Exile. The temple, whose building Haggai had
urged, was erected; but the people were already tired of its service.
"What a weariness it is!" they said. They brought worthless animals
for sacrifice, and would do nothing in the temple except for pay.
Malachi denounced their selfishness, but said that if they would turn
to God, he would still be ready to bless them. Malachi's writing is
less poetical in its style than most of the prophets, but he speaks in
a very plain, straightforward fashion.)
"Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me:
and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple; and the
messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in, behold, he cometh,"
saith the Lord of hosts. "But who may abide the day of his coming? and
who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire,
and like fullers' soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold
and silver; and they shall offer unto the Lord offerings in
righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be
pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in ancient
years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift
witness against the sorcerers, and against perjurers, and against
those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the
fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear
not me," saith the Lord of hosts. "For I the Lord change not;
therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
"From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside {409} from mine
ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return
unto you," saith the Lord of hosts. "But ye say 'How then shall we
return?' Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye say, 'Wherein have
we robbed thee?' In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with the
curse; for ye rob me, even this whole nation. Bring ye the whole tithe
into the storehouse, that there may be food in mine house, and prove
me now herewith," saith the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open you the
windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not
be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your
sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither
shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field," saith
the Lord of hosts.
"And all nations shall call you happy: for ye shall be a delightsome
land," saith the Lord of hosts.
"Your words have been stout against me," saith the Lord. "Yet ye say,
'Wherein have we spoken against thee?' Ye have said, 'It is vain to
serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and
that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? And now we
call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up;
yea, they tempt God, and are delivered.'"
Then they that feared the Lord spake one with another: and the Lord
hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before
him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day that I
make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him.
{410}
{411}
SELECTIONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
{412}
These selections from the Epistles are not in poetic form, but they
are given here because they are, in a way, the culmination of the
lofty and inspiring thought of the Bible. Not only do they treat of
the great themes of life and death, but they treat of them in the most
solemn and impressive manner. They are like organ music, not pleasing
the ear by the delicacy of rhythm, not having the rhyme and melody of
lyric verse, but moving with grandeur and sublimity of thought in the
higher ranges of being. Thus they form the fitting climax for all the
wealth of song and story which precedes them.
{413}
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND SERVICE
PAUL'S EPISTLES
The letters of a man tell us more about him than any books he could
write. Now Paul never wrote any books; but he wrote many letters. Some
were to the churches he had founded; some to his fellow workers. Some
of these letters were preserved and are in the Bible under the name of
Epistles. Even in these letters others are mentioned which are not
preserved. We have two letters to the Corinthian Church, but in them
Paul mentions other letters which he wrote to that church. In the
letter to the Colossian Church, he mentions a letter to the church at
Laodicea, a city near to Colosse. It is fair to suppose that many
other letters have also been lost. Probably the best and most
important of his letters were preserved. These letters are the outcome
of long thought. They were on subjects that Paul had considered for
many years. The writing of the letters, however, was often the work of
a short time, and their expression is not smooth and polished and
carefully wrought. Sometimes, as in the case of Galatians, the letter
was written because of a situation which he felt demanded immediate
attention. Sometimes, as in the case of I Corinthians, he replied to
letters of questions that had been sent to him from the churches.
Sometimes, as in the case of Philippians, the letter was called out in
thanks for the kindness of the church. The most important letter,
Romans, was written to prepare the church, which he had never visited,
for his expected coming to them. In every case--it is always true of
letters--the occasion of the letter largely determines its style and
tone, but in all cases the spontaneity of the letter-writer is seen.
Paul dictated or wrote his letters hurriedly. He cared less for style
than for thought. Vigor and force mark his writing. He did not try to
imitate the graces of the rhetorician. He did not {414} always follow
out a topic to the end. He sometimes began a sentence in one way and
finished it in another. He sometimes began a sentence, and, going off
to another topic, never finished it at all. He is not always easy
reading. But these evidences of a free, spontaneous writing are only
occasional. The greater part of the letters of Paul are very clear,
simple, forceful statements of what he wishes to say.
Paul was not merely a Jew. He was a citizen of the great world of the
Roman empire. He had been brought up in a city where Greek culture and
civilization were very flourishing. His travels brought him into
contact with all the varying forms of Greek life. He visited Athens.
He made long stays in Corinth, where the commerce of the world crowded
the docks, and sailors and merchants from all parts of the great
empire were to be met in the streets. He lived for nearly three years
in the great city of Ephesus, where the courtiers of the governor of
the province, fresh from all the latest fashions of Rome, jostled the
priests of the great temple of Diana, one of the seven wonders of the
ancient world. Before the end of his life he was a prisoner in Rome
itself, the one city into which all the world poured its
representatives, where the fair-haired men from distant Britain in the
North met the dusky Ethiopian from Africa, and the Spaniard from the
Atlantic coast walked the street with the Scythian from the distant
East. Paul the prisoner lived for two whole years in his own hired
house, and had permission to receive all who came to him. During this
time, and for two years of previous imprisonment, he was in daily
contact with the Roman soldiery. This cosmopolitan man, with his wide
experience of many phases of Roman and Greek life, has dropped here
and there in his writings many pictures from the civilization with
which he was in touch. He used it to illustrate the Christian life.
The athlete in the theater gave him a picture of the earnest, eager
strife of the Christian. The soldier with his clanging armor suggested
to him the armor by which a Christian might meet his foes. The temples
that studded every great town taught him how the Christian was himself
the temple of the living God. Thus it happens that the most lasting
memorial, the most widely read allusions, to the great civilization of
Greece and Rome come from this wandering preacher of an obscure faith
who at last {415} was a despised prisoner at Rome. How it would have
astonished the crowds at Ephesus who shouted, "Great is Diana of the
Ephesians!" to be told that their great temple and their goddess
herself would be known to most people in the world only because of
their connection with the life of this man Paul whom they wanted to
put out of the way! It was a wonderful civilization in the midst of
which Paul lived, and a very bustling, active, self-important world
through which he moved, but the most permanent things in it were by no
means the things that seemed to most people of the time to be the
greatest.
- - -
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what
is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is
among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;
but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to
each man a measure of faith. For even as we have many members in one
body, and all the members have not the same office: so we, who are
many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.
And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to
us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
our faith; or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he
that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his
exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that
ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let
love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that {416} which is evil; cleave to
that which is good. In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned
one to another; in honour preferring one another; in diligence not
slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope;
patient in tribulation; continuing steadfastly in prayer; communicating
to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality. Bless them
that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that
rejoice; weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward
another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things
that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. Render to no man
evil for evil. Take thought for things honourable in the sight of all
men. If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all
men. Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto wrath: for it
is written, "Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense," saith
the Lord. But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him
to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
--_Romans 12_.
Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his
neighbour hath fulfilled the law. For this, "Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not
covet," and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this
word, namely, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Love worketh
no ill to his neighbour: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.
{417}{418}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF THE TEMPLE OF JUPITER AT CORINTH.
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether,
and used by her kind permission
[End illustration]
{419}
And this, knowing the season, that now it is high time for you to
awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we
first believed. The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us
therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour
of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in revelling and
drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and
jealousy. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision
for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
--_Romans 13:8-14_.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy
father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), that
it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
--_Ephesians 6:1-3_.
For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself. For
whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto
the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to
this end Christ died, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both
the dead and the living. But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or
thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all
stand before the judgment-seat of God. For it is written,
As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow,
And every tongue shall confess to God.
So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God. {420}
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this
rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother's way, or an
occasion of falling. I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that
nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything
to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For if because of meat thy
brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with
thy meat him for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil
spoken of: for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
--_Romans 14:7-.17_.
I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content. I
know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in everything
and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to
be hungry, both to abound and to be in want. I can do all things in
him that strengtheneth me.
--_Philippians 4:11,12_.
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of
the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness,
with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one
body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your
calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,
who is over all, and through all, and in all. But unto each one of us
was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Wherefore he saith, {421}
When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive,
And gave gifts unto men.
And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the
saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body
of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we may be no longer
children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of
error; but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him,
which is the head, even Christ; from whom all the body fitly framed
and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according
to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the
increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.
--_Ephesians 4:1-16_.
Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his
neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin
not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to
the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him
labour, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may
have whereof to give to him that hath need. Let no corrupt speech
proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the
need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear. And grieve not
the Holy Spirit of God, {422} in whom ye were sealed unto the day of
redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and
railing, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in
Christ forgave you.
--_Ephesians 4:25-32_.
Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and
not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbour for
that which is good, unto edifying. For Christ also pleased not
himself; but, as it is written, "The reproaches of them that
reproached thee fell upon me."
--_Romans 15:1-3_.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law. And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the
flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.
If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk. Let us not
be vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.
Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye which are
spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness; looking to
thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and
so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man thinketh himself to be
something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let each man
prove his own work, and then shall he have his {423} glorying in
regard of himself alone, and not of his neighbour. For each man shall
bear his own burden.
But let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that
teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth
unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life. And let
us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we
faint not. So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is
good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the
household of the faith.
--_Galatians 5:22-6:10_.
But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labour among you, and
are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them
exceeding highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among
yourselves. And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly,
encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward
all. See that none render unto anyone evil for evil; but alway follow
after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all. Rejoice
alway; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks: for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward. Quench not the Spirit;
despise not prophesyings; prove all things; hold fast that which is
good; abstain from every form of evil.
--_I Thessalonians 5:12-22_.
{424}
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honourable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.
--_Philippians 4:8_.
{425}
THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I
am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift
of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have
all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor; and if I give my body
to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love
suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not
itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not
its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in
unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love
never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done
away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be
knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy
in part: but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part
shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as
a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put
away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then
face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I
have been known. But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and
the greatest of these is love.
--_I Corinthians 13_.
{426}
FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS.
[From the Epistle of James.]
TEMPTATION.
Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;
knowing that the proof of your faith worketh patience. And let
patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire,
lacking in nothing.
But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to
all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let
him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the
surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man
think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; a doubleminded man,
unstable in all his ways.
But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate: and the
rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he
shall pass away. For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and
withereth the grass; and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of
the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in
his goings.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he hath been
approved, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord promised
to them that love him. Let no {427} man say when he is tempted, "I am
tempted of God": for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself
tempteth no man: but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his
own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth
sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death. Be not
deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect boon
is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be
no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. Of his own will
he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures.
PURE RELIGION
Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the
wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore putting
away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with
meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be
ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto
a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholdeth
himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man
he was. But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty,
and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth, but a doer that
worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing. If any man thinketh
himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but
deceiveth his heart, this man's religion {428} is vain. Pure religion
and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.
FAITH AND WORKS
What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have
not works? can that faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked,
and in lack of daily food, and one of you say unto them, "Go in peace,
be ye warmed and filled"; and yet ye give them not the things needful
to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it have not works,
is dead in itself. Yea, a man will say, "Thou hast faith, and I have
works: shew me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will
shew thee my faith."
AN UNRULY TONGUE
Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive
heavier judgment. For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth
not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body
also. Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths, that they
may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. Behold, the ships
also, though they are so great, and are driven by rough winds, are yet
turned about by a very small rudder, whither the steersman willeth. So
the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold,
how great a forest is kindled by how small a fire! And the {429}
tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the
tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course
of nature, and is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beasts and
birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath
been tamed by mankind: but the tongue can no man tame; it is a
restless evil, it is full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we the
Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the
likeness of God: out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and
cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth the
fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter? can
a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither can
salt water yield sweet.
THE PEACEABLE SPIRIT
Who is wise and understanding among you? let him shew by his good life
his works in meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter jealousy and
faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. This
wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly,
sensual, devilish. For where jealousy and faction are, there is
confusion and every vile deed. But the wisdom that is from above is
first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. And the
fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.
Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not
hence, even of your pleasures that war {430} in your members? Ye lust,
and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war;
ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye
ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures. Whosoever therefore
would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. Or
think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he
made to dwell in us long unto envying? But he giveth more grace.
Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth
grace to the humble. Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the
devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw
nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts,
ye doubleminded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter
be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in
the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.
Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a
brother or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth
the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law,
but a judge. One only is the lawgiver and judge, even he who is able
to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbour?
RICH AND POOR
My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of
glory, with respect of persons.
{431}{432}
[Illustration]
RUINS OF THE TEMPLE OF JUPITER AT CORINTH.
Corinth was one of the richest cities of the Mediterranean in the
time of Paul. It was called by the poets "the city of the two seas."
The "Acrocorinthus," or Citadel of Corinth, crowned with
fortifications and temples rose abruptly two thousand feet above the
level of the sea.
[End illustration]
{433}
For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine
clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing; and ye
have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, "Sit thou
here in a good place"; and ye say to the poor man, "Stand thou there,
or sit under my footstool"; are ye not divided in your own mind, and
become judges with evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren; did
not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith,
and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? But
ye have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and
themselves 'drag you before the judgment-seats? Do not they blaspheme
the honourable name by the which ye are called? Howbeit if ye fulfil
the royal law, according to the scripture, "Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself," ye do well: but if ye have respect of persons,
ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. For
whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he
is become guilty of all. For he that said, "Do not commit adultery,"
said also, "Do not kill." Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but
killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and
so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty. For judgment
is without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy; mercy glorieth
against judgment.
Go to now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming
upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a
testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid
up your treasure in the last days. Behold, the hire of the {434}
labourers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud,
crieth out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the
ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived delicately on the earth,
and taken your pleasure; ye have nourished your hearts in a day of
slaughter. Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one; he
doth not resist you.
Go to now, ye that say, "To-day or to-morrow we will go into this
city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain:" whereas ye
know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a
vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For
ye ought to say, "If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or
that." But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil.
To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it
is sin.
Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold,
the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being
patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain. Be ye
also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at
hand.
Is any among you suffering? let him pray. Is any cheerful? let him
sing praise.
The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.
My brethren, if any among you do err from the truth, and one convert
him; let him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of
his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of
sins.
{435}
THE GOSPEL OF LOVE AND OF SONSHIP
Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called children of God: and such we are. For this cause the
world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we
children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We
know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we
shall see him even as he is. And everyone that hath this hope set on
him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Everyone that doeth sin
doeth also lawlessness: and sin is lawlessness. And ye know that he
was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever
abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him,
neither knoweth him.
And this is the message which we have heard from him, and announce
unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we
say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in the darkness, we
lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light; as he is in
the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. {436} If we say that we have not sinned, we
make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment
which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which
ye heard. Again, a new commandment write I unto you, which thing is
true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the
true light already shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and
hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now. He that loveth
his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of
stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness,
and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because
the darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one
that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not
knoweth not God; for God is love. Herein was the love of God
manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the
world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we
loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the
propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought
to love one another. No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love
one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:
hereby know we that we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath
given us of his Spirit. And we have beheld and bear witness that the
Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever
shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in {437} him,
and he in God. And we know and have believed the love which God hath
in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and
God abideth in him. Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may
have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we
in this world. There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out
fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made
perfect in love. We love, because he first loved us. If a man say, I
love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not
his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.
And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his
brother also.
Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. We know that we have
passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that
loveth not abideth in death.
Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and
do his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
--_From the Epistles of John_.
{438}
THE CHRISTIAN ATHLETE
What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the
gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the
gospel. For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under
bondage to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became
as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as
under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them
that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law,
not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might
gain them that are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I
might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by
all means save some. And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I
may be a joint partaker thereof. Know ye not that they which run in a
race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run, that ye may
attain. And every man that striveth in the games is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible. I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as
not beating the air: but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage:
lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself
should be a castaway.
--_I Corinthians 9:24-27_.
{439}
Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us, looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising
shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
--_Hebrews 12:1, 2_.
With freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not
entangled again in a yoke of bondage. Ye were running well; who did
hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion came not
of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
--_Galatians 5:1, 7-9_.
{440}
THE CHRISTIAN TEMPLE
According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But
let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundation
can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if
any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood,
hay, stubble; each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day
shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself
shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work
shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any
man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall
be saved; yet so as through fire.
--_I Corinthians 3:10-15_.
So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are
fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus
himself being the chief corner stone; in whom each several building,
fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom
ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
--_Ephesians 2:19-22_.
{441}{442}
[Illustration]
A GENERAL VIEW OF THE ACROPOLIS, ATHENS.
From a picture belonging to Smith College and used by the kind
permission of the Department of Greek Literature.
This hill, covered with a fortress and temple, was the most
pronounced object in ancient as in modern Athens. This is one of the
beautiful temples which Paul saw, from which he drew many
illustrations.
[End illustration]
{443}
For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry, God's building.
--_I Corinthians 3:9_.
Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you? If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall
God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
--_I Corinthians 3:16, 17_.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named, that he would grant you, according to
the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power
through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your
hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in
love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the
breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of
Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the
fulness of God.
--_Ephesians 3:14-19_.
Now to him that is able to stablish you according to my gospel and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery
which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is
manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the
commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations
unto obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ,
to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.
--_Romans 16:25-27_.
{444}
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! For
who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counsellor?
or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him
again? For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To
him be the glory for ever. Amen.
--_Romans 11:33-36_.
Now unto the King eternal, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, be
honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
--_I Timothy 1:17_.
{445}{446}
[Illustration]
VIEW OF ANTIOCH, WHERE THE DISCIPLES WERE FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
There was everything in the situation and circumstances of this city
to make it a place of concourse for all classes and kinds of people.
By its harbor of Seleucia it was in communication with all the trade
of the Mediterranean; and, through the open country behind the
Lebanon, it was conveniently approached by the caravans from
Mesopotamia and Arabia. It united the inland advantages of Aleppo
with the maritime opportunities of Smyrna. It was almost an Oriental
Rome, in which all the forms of the civilized life of the Empire
found some representative.
At the rugged bases of the mountain, the ground was leveled for a
glorious street, which extended for four miles across the length of
the city, and where sheltered crowds could walk through continuous
colonnades from the eastern to the western suburb. The whole was
surrounded by a wall, which, ascending to the heights and returning
to the river, does not deviate very widely in its course from the
wall of the Middle Ages, which can still be traced by the fragments
of ruined towers. This wall is assigned by a Byzantine writer to
Tiberius, but it seems more probable that the Emperor only repaired
what Antiochus Epiphanes had built.
[End illustration]
{447}
THE CHRISTIAN WARRIOR
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake
you as a thief: for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we
are not of the night, nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep, as do
the rest, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in
the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let
us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of
faith and love: and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God
appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake
or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore exhort one
another, and build each other up, even as also ye do.
--_I Thessalonians 5:4-11_.
Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put
on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood,
but against the principalities, against the powers, against the
world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. Wherefore take up the whole armour
of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having
done all, to stand. Stand therefore, {448} having girded your loins
with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and
having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
also taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
--_Ephesians 6:10-17_.
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let
all that ye do be done in love.
--_I Corinthians 16:13_.
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier
on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may
please him who enrolled him as a soldier.
--_II Timothy 2:3, 4_.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the
good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou
wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of
many witnesses.
--_Timothy 6:11,12_.
{449}
THE HOPE OF IMMORTALITY
Now if Christ is preached that he hath been raised from the dead, how
say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if
there is no resurrection of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised:
and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your
faith also is vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God;
because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised
not up, if so be that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not
raised, neither hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been
raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also
which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only
we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable.
But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them
that are asleep. For since by man came death, by man came also the
resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ
shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. Then cometh
the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father;
when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For
he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. The
last enemy that shall be abolished is death. For, "He put all things
in {450} subjection under his feet." But when he saith, "All things
are put in subjection," it is evident that he is excepted who did
subject all things unto him. And when all things have been subjected
unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did
subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all.
But some one will say, "How are the dead raised? and with what manner
of body do they come?" Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself
sowest is not quickened, except it die: and that which thou sowest,
thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may
chance of wheat, or of some other kind; but God giveth it a body even
as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. All flesh is
not the same flesh: but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh
of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. There
are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of
the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star
in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in
corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour; it
is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it
is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a
natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written,
"The first man Adam became a living soul." The last Adam became a
life-giving spirit. Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but
that which is natural; then {451} that which is spiritual. The first
man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven. As is the
earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly,
such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image
of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold,
I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:
for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is
written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy
victory? O death, where is thy sting?" The sting of death is sin; and
the power of sin is the law: but thanks be to God, which giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not vain in the Lord.
--_I Corinthians 15:12-58_.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding
greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves; we are
pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto
despair; pursued, yet {452} not forsaken; smitten down, yet not
destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that
the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. For we which
live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life
also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death
worketh in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith,
according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore did I
speak"; we also believe, and therefore also we speak; knowing that he
which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and
shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the
grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving
to abound unto the glory of God.
Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet
our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which
is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal
weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but
at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved,
we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in
the heavens.
--_II Corinthians 4:7-5:1_.
If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are
above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind
on the things that are above, {453} not on the things that are upon
the earth. For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When
Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with
him be manifested in glory.
--_Colossians 3:1-4_.
For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we wait for a
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our
humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,
according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things
unto himself.
--_Philippians 3:20, 21_.
Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for
Christ. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I
may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of
mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through
faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I
may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of
his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; if by any means I
may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have
already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be
that I may apprehend that for which also I was apprehended by Christ
Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself yet to have apprehended: but one
thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching
forward to the {454} things which are before, I press on toward the
goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us
therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything
ye are otherwise minded, even this shall God reveal unto you: only,
whereunto we have already attained, by that same rule let us walk.
--_Philippians 3:7-16_.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. For
the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of
the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its
own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope that the
creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that
the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only so, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For by hope were we
saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that
which he seeth? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we
with patience wait for it.
--_Romans 8:18-25_.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is
against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for
us all, how shall he not also with {455} him freely give us all
things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God
that justifieth; who is he that shall condemn? It is Christ Jesus that
died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it
is written,
"For thy sake we are killed all the day long;
We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
--_Romans 8:31-39_.
{456}
SELECTIONS FROM THE APOCALYPSE OF JOHN
(This book is also called the Revelation.)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to shew unto his
servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent
and signified it by his angel unto his servant John; who bare witness
of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all
things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the
words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written therein:
for the time is at hand.
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace,
from him which is and which was and which is to come; and from the
seven Spirits which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, who
is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of
the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from
our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests
unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever
and ever. Amen.
Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and
they which pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn
over him. Even so, Amen.
{457}{458}
[Illustration]
EPHESUS. VIEW OP THE RUINS OF THE AQUEDUCT.
CASTLE IN THE BACKGROUND.
From a photograph belonging to Miss Julia W. Snow and used by her
kind permission.
[End illustration]
{459}
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," saith the Lord God, "which is and
which was and which is to come, the Almighty."
I John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and
kingdom and patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that is
called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was
in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice,
as of a trumpet saying, "What thou seest, write in a book, and send it
to the seven churches; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto
Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia,
and unto Laodicea."
And I turned to see the voice which spake with me. And having turned I
saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the candlesticks
one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot,
and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle. And his head and
his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as
a flame of fire; and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had
been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth
proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun
shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one
dead.
And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, "Fear not; I am the first
and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am
alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Write
{460} therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which
are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter; the mystery of
the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven
golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven
churches: and the seven candlesticks are seven churches.
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write;
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS
"These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars
in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the
seven golden candlesticks:
"I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not
bear evil men, and didst try them which call themselves apostles, and
they are not, and didst find them false; and thou hast patience and
didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary. But I have
this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. Remember
therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first
works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of
its place, except thou repent. He that hath an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will
I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write;
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA
"These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and lived
again: I know thy tribulation, and thy {461} poverty (but thou art
rich), and the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and they are
not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Fear not the things which thou art
about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into
prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days.
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the
churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
"And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write;
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM
"These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword: I know
where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is: and thou holdest
fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas
my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan
dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast
there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast
a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed to idols. Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly,
and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. He that
hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To
him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I
will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written,
which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it.
{462}
"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write;
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA
"These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of
fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass: I know thy works,
and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last
works are more than the first. But I have this against thee, that thou
sufferest the woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess; and
she teacheth and seduceth my servants.
"But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have
not this teaching, which know not the deep things of Satan, as they
say; I cast upon you none other burden. Howbeit that which ye have,
hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my
works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: and
he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter
are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father: and I
will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit saith to the churches.
"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write;
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIS
"These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the
seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest,
and thou art dead. Be thou watchful, and stablish the things that
remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine
{463} fulfilled before my God. Remember therefore how thou hast
received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent. If therefore thou
shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what
hour I will come upon thee. But thou hast a few names in Sardis which
did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white;
for they are worthy. He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white
garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life,
and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the
churches.
"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write;
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA
"These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the
key of David, he that openeth, and none shall shut, and that shutteth,
and none openeth: I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a
door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and
didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. Behold, I give of the
synagogue of Satan, of them which say they are Jews, and they are not,
but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy
feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou didst keep the
word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial,
that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that
dwell upon the earth. I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast,
that no one take thy crown. He that overcometh, I will {464} make him
a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more:
and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city
of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my
God, and mine own new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith to the churches.
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write;
THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA
"These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art
neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So because thou
art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my
mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and
have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one
and miserable and poor and blind and naked: I counsel thee to buy of
me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white
garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy
nakedness be not made manifest; and eye-salve to anoint thine eyes,
that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be
zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock:
if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me. He that overcometh, I will give to
him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down
with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit saith to the churches."
{465}{466}
[Illustration]
EPHESUS. THE TRADITIONAL TOMB OF ST. LUKE.
From a photograph belonging to Miss Julia W. Snow and used by her
kind permission.
[End illustration]
{467}
After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the
first voice which I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me,
one saying, "Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which
must come to pass hereafter."
Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in
heaven, and one sitting upon the throne; and he that sat was to look
upon like a jasper stone and a sardius: and there was a rainbow round
about the throne, like an emerald to look upon. And round about the
throne were four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four
and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments; and on their
heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceed lightnings and
voices and thunders. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before
the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne,
as it were a glassy sea like unto crystal; and in the midst of the
throne, and round about the throne, four living creatures full of eyes
before and behind. And the first creature was like a lion, and the
second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a
man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.
And the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are
full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and
night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, which
was and which is and which is to come."
And when the living creatures shall give glory and {468} honour and
thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever
and ever, the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that
sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and
ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy
art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honour
and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy
will they were, and were created."
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book
written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals. And I
saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, "Who is worthy to
open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?"
And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was
able to open the book, or to look thereon.
And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or
to look thereon: and one of the elders saith unto me, "Weep not:
behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,
hath overcome, to open the book and the seven seals thereof."
And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures,
and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been
slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits
of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came, and he taketh it
out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. And when he had
taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty
elders fell down {469} before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and
golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sing a new song, saying, "Worthy art thou to take the book,
and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase
unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people,
and nation, and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests;
and they reign upon the earth."
And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne
and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was
ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying
with a great voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to
receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and
glory, and blessing." And every created thing which is in the heaven,
and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things
that are in them, heard I saying, "Unto him that sitteth on the
throne, and unto the Lamb, be the blessing, and the honour, and the
glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever."
And the four living creatures said, "Amen." And the elders fell down
and worshipped.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one
of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder,
"Come."
And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a
bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth
conquering, and to conquer.
{470}
And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature
saying, "Come."
And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon
it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay
one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature
saying, "Come."
And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a
balance in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of
the four living creatures saying, "A measure of wheat for a penny, and
three measures of barley for a penny; and the oil and the wine hurt
thou not."
And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth
living creature saying, "Come."
And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his
name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto
them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,
and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the
souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held: and they cried with a great voice, saying,
"How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge
our blood on them that dwell on the earth?"
{471}{472}
[Illustration]
SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST
By Dolci
[End illustration]
{473}
And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said
unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their
fellow-servants also and their brethren, which should be killed even
as they were, should be fulfilled.
And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great
earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the
whole moon became as blood; and the stars of the heaven fell unto the
earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs, when she is shaken of a
great wind. And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled
up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains,
and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid
themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they
say to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from
the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb: for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to
stand?"
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the
earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow
on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree. And I saw another angel
ascend from the sun rising, having the seal of the living God: and he
cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to
hurt the earth and the sea, saying, "Hurt not the earth, neither the
sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God
on their foreheads."
{474}
And I heard the number of them which were sealed, a hundred and forty
and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of
Israel.
After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man
could number, out of every nation, and of all tribes and peoples and
tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in
white robes, and palms in their hands; and they cry with a great
voice, saying, "Salvation unto our God which sitteth on the throne,
and unto the Lamb."
And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the
elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne
on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, "Amen: Blessing, and
glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might,
be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen."
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, "These which are
arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and whence come they?"
And I say unto him, "My lord, thou knowest."
And he said to me, "These are they which come out of the great
tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God; and
they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the
throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no
more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them,
nor any heat: for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall
be their {475} shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters
of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes."
And I saw as it were a glassy sea mingled with fire; and them that
come victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the
number of his name, standing by the glassy sea, having harps of God.
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of
the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God, the
Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages. Who
shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy;
for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy
righteous acts have been made manifest."
And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the
testimony in heaven was opened: and there came out from the temple the
seven angels that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone,
pure and bright, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. And
one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven
golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from
his power; and none was able to enter into the temple, till the seven
plagues of the seven angels should be finished.
And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that
sat thereon, called "Faithful and True"; and in righteousness he doth
judge and make war.
{476}
And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems;
and he hath a name written, which no one knoweth but he himself. And
he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is
called "The Word of God."
And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and pure. And out of his mouth proceedeth
a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall
rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the
fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his garment
and on his thigh a name written,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
VISIONS OF THE HEAVENLY CITY
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the
first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. And I saw the
holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made
ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice
out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God
himself shall be with them, and be their God: and he shall wipe away
every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall
there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things
are passed away.
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain {477} great and
high, and shewed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God, having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone
most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal: having a
wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve
angels; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve
tribes of the children of Israel: on the east were three gates; and on
the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west
three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on
them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that
spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and
the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth
foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he
measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length
and the breadth and the height thereof are equal. And he measured the
wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the
measure of a man, that is, of an angel. And the building of the wall
thereof was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto pure glass.
The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner
of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second,
sapphire; the third chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth,
sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth,
beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh,
jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve
pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street
of {478} the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I
saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb are
the temple thereof. And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of
the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and
the lamp thereof is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk amidst the
light thereof: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory into
it. And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there
shall be no night there): and they shall bring the glory and the
honour of the nations into it: and there shall in no wise enter into
it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but
only they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. And he shewed
me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the
throne of God and of the Lamb, in the midst of the street thereof. And
on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing
twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there
shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be therein: and his servants shall do him service; and they
shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads. And
there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither
light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall
reign for ever and ever.
--_Revelations 21:1-4, 10-27; 22:1-5_.
{479}
HYMNS OF THE AGES
{480}
Many of the great hymns are given elsewhere in the series.
A few of the choicest of the centuries are given here.
{481}
NEARER, MY GOD, TO THEE
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me!
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Though, like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
There let the way appear,
Steps unto heaven;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
{482}
Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
--_Sarah Flower Adams_.
{483}
JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly
While the billows near me roll,
While the tempest still is high!
Hide me, O my Saviour! hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
Oh, receive my soul at last!
Other refuge have I none;
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed;
All my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.
Thou, O Christ! art all I want;
More than all in Thee I find:
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
Vile and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace.
{484}
Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to pardon all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound,
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.
--_Charles Wesley_.
{485}
MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire;
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!
While life's dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow's tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.
{486}
When ends life's transient dream,
When death's cold, sullen stream
Shall o'er me roll,
Blest Saviour! then, in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above.
A ransomed soul!
--_Ray Palmer_
{487}
FOLLOWING THE MASTER
Art thou weary, art thou languid,
Art thou sore distressed?
"Come to Me," saith One, "and coming,
Be at rest."
Hath He marks to lead me to Him,
If He be my Guide?--
"In His feet and hands are wound-prints,
And His side."
Is there diadem, as Monarch,
That His brow adorns?--
"Yea, a crown, in very surety;
But of thorns."
If I find Him, if I follow,
What His guerdon here?--
"Many a sorrow, many a labor,
Many a tear."
If I still hold closely to Him,
What hath He at last?--
"Sorrow vanquished, labor ended,
Jordan passed."
{488}
If I ask Him to receive me,
Will He say me nay?--
"Not till earth, and not till heaven
Pass away."
Finding, following, keeping, struggling,
Is He sure to bless?--
"Saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs,
Answer, Yes."
--_Translated by John Mason Neale from the Greek_.
{489}
ROCK OF AGES
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill the law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
--_Augustus Montague Toplady_.
{490}
CROSSING THE BAR
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
--_Alfred, Lord Tennyson_.
{491}
LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT
Lead, kindly Light! amid the encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on;
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on:
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years.
So long Thy power has blessed me, sure it still
Will lead me on
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone;
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!
--_John H. Newman_.
{492}
MY COUNTRY! 'T IS OF THEE
My country! 't is of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrims' pride!
From every mountain side
Let freedom ring!
My native country, thee--
Land of the noble, free--
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song:
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,--
The sound prolong.
{493}
Our fathers' God! to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing:
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King!
--_Samuel F. Smith_.
{494}
FROM ALL THAT DWELL BELOW THE SKIES
From all that dwell below the skies
Let the Creator's praise arise;
Let the Redeemer's name be sung
Through every land, by every tongue.
Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord;
Eternal truth attends Thy word;
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Till suns shall rise and set no more.
--_Isaac Watts_.
{495}
NOTES
{496}
{497}
NOTES
THE PSALMS.
_Psalm 1_. Ruskin, in "Our Fathers Have Told Us," declares that among
others Psalms 1, 8, 15, 19, 23, 24, well studied and believed, are
sufficient for all personal guidance; that Psalm 72 contains many of
the principles of just government; and that Psalm 104 anticipates the
triumphs of natural sciences.
Jerome, a great scholar in the early church, was drawn to study while
still young. One of his favorite texts was from Psalm 1: "But his
delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day
and night."
_Psalm 3_ was used as a prayer by the English when they learned that
the great Spanish Armada had sailed against England in 1588. A still
more romantic use was by the Huguenots of France, in whose armies it
is said sentries were posted and relieved to the chant of Psalms, and
Psalm 3 was used as the signal of danger.
_Psalm 4_ was an evening prayer, in the early church as well as in the
Jewish nation. Many have turned to it in the evening of life. Luther
said that he wished to hear it sung in his last moments; and the
martyr Ridley, who died in England for conscience's sake in 1555,
spent the last night of his life in quiet sleep, having repeated the
last verse of this Psalm.
_Psalm 8_. Not only Protestants, but, at other times, Catholics
suffered in England for conscience's sake. One of these, the Earl of
Arundel, imprisoned in the tower of London, carved the words of Psalm
8, lines 11, 12, on the wall, where they still remain. This is one of
the nature Psalms, and men who loved nature have often had it on their
lips, as did frequently Palissy, the Huguenot inventor of porcelain
ware. The guild of butchers in Mediaeval England took their motto from
Psalm 8, lines 13-16.
{498}
_Psalm 16_. One of the last days of Henry Martyn's life was spent in
"writing notes on Psalms 15 and 16." Hugh M'Kail, a young Scottish
insurgent, repeated the first line of Psalm 16 on the evening before
his execution.
_Psalm 17_. The funeral text of John Howard, the great prison
reformer, was taken from Psalm 17, lines 18, 19.
_Psalm 19_. Another great nature Psalm. Joseph Addison (1672-1719)
paraphrased it in the hymn--
"The spacious firmament on high."
_Psalm 23_. No Psalm has been translated in verse so often. George
Herbert, an English poet (1593-1632), is the author of one version--
"The God of love my Shepherd is."
Joseph Addison, of another--
"The Lord my pasture shall prepare."
_Psalm 25_. In the Indian Mutiny an English collector, Mr. Edwards,
was for weeks among natives of doubtful loyalty, hidden with a few
other English in a cowhouse, almost stifled with the heat. He derived,
according to his letters, unspeakable comfort from the 25th Psalm,
especially lines 28-34.
_Psalm 27_. The motto of the University of Oxford, "Dominus
illuminatio mea," is taken from the first two lines of Psalm 27.
_Psalm 29_. Another nature Psalm. From lines 15 and 16 is taken the
motto of George Herbert's "Sacred Poems."
_Psalm 31_. Few Psalms have been more widely used in Christian history
than this. The last work which Savonarola did was to write a
commentary on it, which was left unfinished by his death. So highly
did Luther consider this commentary that he had it published. The
words, "Into thy hand I commend my spirit," were consecrated by the
use of Christ on the cross, and have been the words with which many of
his followers have met death. The list of those who thus used them
begins with the first martyr Stephen, and includes kings, like
Charlemagne and Charles V.; martyrs, like Huss, Bishop Ridley and Lady
Jane Grey; reformers, like Luther, Melancthon, and {499} John Knox;
poets, like Tasso and George Herbert; missionaries, like Henry Martyn.
Mary Queen of Scots on the scaffold and Columbus in a wretched lodging
at Valladolid, both passed out of life with these words on their lips.
_Psalm 34_. Columba, the great missionary to North Britain in the
sixth century, sat on the last day of his life transcribing the 34th
Psalm. He had written lines 19 and 20 when he laid down his pen,
saying, "Here I make an end"; and he never took up his pen more.
_Psalm 37_. Livingstone says of lines 9 and 10 that they sustained him
at every turn of his course in Africa, and even in England.
_Psalm 42_. The hart was the symbol in the early church for those
souls who thirsted for the love of God. Cardinal Manning, one of the
ablest of Catholic statesmen of the last century, wrote, "'Why art
thou cast down, O my soul,' always seemed a voice to me." Scott was
true to the love of the Scottish people for the Psalms when he makes
Jeanie Deans repeat the above words in an hour of peril during her
journey to save her sister's life.
_Psalm 45_. It is said that the coronation ceremonies of English
monarchs are founded on this Psalm--the oil of gladness, the sword,
the crown, the sceptre, the throne.
_Psalm 46_. The best known paraphrase is Luther's vigorous version--
"A mighty fortress is our God."
In times of discouragement he would often say to his friend
Melancthon, "Come, let us sing the 46th Psalm." Cromwell also often
turned to it, and his speech at the opening of his second Parliament
was in part an exposition of this Psalm. At the beginning of the
Indian Mutiny, on the Sunday after the troops of Havelock first
learned of their danger, he chose, instead of the Psalm of the day,
this Psalm for their encouragement. "On the foundation of sure
confidence, gained from a reading of many Psalms, John Wesley built
up, by means of his intense energy, his organizing genius, and his
{500} administrative capacity, the mighty movement that still bears
his name. It was with the words of the Psalms that he met the approach
of death. Gathering his remaining strength into the cry, 'The best of
all, God is with us,' he lay for some time exhausted. One of the
bystanders wetted his parched lips. 'It will not do,' he said, 'we
must take the consequence, never mind the poor carcase.' Pausing a
little, he cried, 'Thy clouds drop fatness,' and soon after, 'The Lord
of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.' Throughout the
night he was heard attempting to repeat these beautiful words from
Psalm 46. The next morning he was dead."
_Psalm 51_ was the favorite prayer of Sir Thomas More, the English
Catholic, who was as much a martyr for religion and liberty as ever
any man of English blood. It was his last prayer, repeated kneeling on
the scaffold where he was beheaded. Lady Jane Grey also repeated it on
the scaffold, as soon after did her father, the Duke of Suffolk, who
also suffered death for his Protestant faith. So did Egmont, executed
in Brussels at the command of the infamous Duke of Alva. Carey, the
first English missionary to India, desired the first four lines to be
the text of his funeral sermon. Shakespeare uses lines 11 and 12 in
the King's speech in Hamlet--
"Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow?"
Lines 19 and 20 were repeated by the great English teacher, Thomas
Arnold, on his deathbed, while Teresa, the Spanish Catholic saint,
died repeating lines 15 and 16. Lines 21 and 22 serve as the motto of
Michael Angelo's picture of Savonarola. Few Psalms have been more on
the lips of holy men of all ages than the 51st.
_Psalm 68_ was the favorite Psalm of the Emperor Charlemagne. It was
used by the friends of Savonarola at the crisis of his career. A
Franciscan friar, whom he had angered by his preaching, challenged
him, after the custom of the Middle Ages, to prove his preaching by
the test of fire. One of his friends accepted the challenge for him,
and on the appointed day headed a procession which marched through the
streets of Florence, singing Psalm 68. The challenger did not appear;
and the crowd, with the usual bad logic of crowds, {501} turned
against Savonarola. Two days later he was thrown into prison, and
torture and death ended the scene. This Psalm was the battle hymn of
the Huguenots, in the form of a verse translation into French by Beza,
a great scholar of the Reformation. Battle after battle was entered to
the sound of this splendid song. At one battle, that of Courtras, a
young courtier in the opposing army saw the Huguenots kneel as they
sang. "See," he said, "the cowards are afraid. They are confessing."
"When the Huguenots behave thus, they are ready to fight to the
death," replied a veteran from the ranks. Cromwell opened his
Parliament with a speech expounding this Psalm. Lines 1 and 2 were the
text of the sermon at the service held by the Russians of Moscow in
1812 to give thanks for the retreat of the French from Moscow.
Cromwell's "Ironsides" sang this Psalm at the decisive battle at
Dunbar, when, the mists arising from the valley, they charged and
broke the enemy's ranks.
_Psalm 72_ was the favorite Psalm of Athanasius, the greatest figure
at the Nicene Council in 325 A. D. "Against all assaults upon thy
body," he says, "thine estate, thy soul, thy reputation, against all
temptations, tribulations, plots and slanderous reports, say this
Psalm." The familiar representation, in picture, song and story, of
the three Wise Men from the East at the Cradle of Christ as three
kings, is based on the kings mentioned in lines 18 and 19.
_Psalm 77_. Bishop Hooper, a prisoner for conscience's sake in England
in 1553, wrote to his wife to read Psalm 77, because of the great
consolation which it contained for those who are in anguish of mind.
Catholics as well as Protestants found comfort in it.
_Psalm 80_ was the first of nine Psalms, translated by Milton into
English verse in 1648. Lines 10 and 11 underlie Elizabeth Barrett
Browning's "The Measure," stanza 2.
_Psalm 84_. Lines 21 and 22 were the words that called Thomas Aquinas
from his life in the world to a monastic career. They came to him as
the voice of God. Paula, a holy woman of the early church, died with
the words of this Psalm on her lips. Carlyle, in one of his writings,
strikes a note of courage and demand for work, with the joyful
confidence of the last two lines.
{502}
_Psalm 85_ Lines 15-17 are the keynote of Book III. of the Imitation
of Christ. Langland's _Vision of Piers Ploughman_ is full of allusions
to the Psalms, as when Righteousness kisses Peace (Psalm 85, line 21).
_Psalm 86_. In "Rizpah," Tennyson has a beautiful use of lines 30 and 31.
"And read me a Bible verse of the Lord's goodwill toward men--
'Full of compassion and mercy, the Lord,' --let me hear it again;
'Full of compassion and mercy--long suffering.'"
_Psalm 87_. The motto of the University of Durham in England is taken
from line 1. Lines 2 and 3 are the motto of Augustine's great work,
"The City of God."
_Psalm 90_ was the favorite Psalm of the Emperor Charles V., of the
Reformation period. It has had its place in the burial service of the
Church of England since 1662. Newman's _Dream of Gerontius_ uses a
part of this Psalm as a chant of the souls in purgatory. Its solemn
strains have very often been used in the church to recall men to the
thought of the permanence of God and the fleeting life of man.
_Psalm 91_ is said to be the Psalm that was sung at the first
attendance of Beza upon a Protestant service, and to have made a great
impression upon him. In 1177, as a long and bitter conflict between
the Emperor and the Pope ended in the triumphs of the latter, and
Barbarossa bowed before the Pope Alexander, legend says that the Pope
set his foot on the neck of the kneeling Emperor, repeating lines 27
and 28.
_Psalm 93_. In the days of the Scottish Covenanters it was believed
that Psalm 93 was heard sweetly chanted by spiritual visitants. In the
belief of such visions the Covenanters became strong to suffer and
endure. Quite another use of the Psalm was as a proof of the fixity of
the earth, as against the Copernican theory that the earth, not the
sun, moved.
_Psalm 95_ was the battle cry of the Templars during the Crusades,
sung as they marched to fight the Saracens. It was used in the more
{503} peaceful campaign of missions. Schwartz, the greatest Danish
missionary to India, inscribed lines 11 and 12 on the front of a
church which he built in South India before the end of the eighteenth
century.
_Psalms 96, 103, 146, 147_, are recommended by William Law as setting
forth wonderfully "the glory of God," so that they may always be
profitably used for devotion.
_Psalm 100_ gives the name to the familiar tune of "Old Hundred,"
which was the tune to which the Scottish version of Psalm 100 was
sung. Edward Fitzgerald chose lines 2 and 3 to be put on his tomb.
_Psalm 103_ was chanted by the Protestants of Scotland at the
communion. It is one of the most beautiful of Psalms.
_Psalm 104_ is one of the fine nature Psalms, the most elaborate of
the group, which includes Psalms 8,19,29. It has had some curious
uses, as when, in the Middle Ages, men opposed the theory of the
motion of the sun with lines 11 and 12 and explained earthquakes from
lines 57 and 58; when the tail of Leviathan is scorched by the sun, he
seeks to seize it, and his movements shake the earth. But a great
scientist, Humboldt, wrote, "The 104th Psalm may be said to present a
picture of the entire cosmos . . . We are astonished to see, within
the compass of a poem of such small dimension, the universe, the
heavens and the earth, thus drawn with a few grand strokes."
_Psalm 105_. Lines 1 and 2 of this Psalm are inscribed on the pulpit
in which Baxter, the great Puritan divine, preached. "He was one of
the greatest of preachers, patient alike under the lifelong pains of
disease and thirty years of almost incessant persecution. He so
transformed his parish of Kidderminster that on the Lord's day there
was no disorder to be seen in the streets; but you might hear a
hundred families singing psalms, and repeating sermons as you passed
through them."
_Psalm 107_. One of the earliest Scottish reformers, Wishart, was a
preacher of remarkable power. At one time, hearing that {504} the
plague had appeared in Dundee, he hastened there, and preached his
first sermon in one of the gates of the city. Its text was from Psalm
107: "He sent his word, and healed them." Alexander Duff was the first
Scotch missionary to India. On his way out, in 1830, the ship in which
he sailed was wrecked at the Cape of Good Hope. The passengers and
crew escaped to a small island, but all their possessions were lost.
Duff's Bible and Book of Psalms were among the few things that drifted
ashore; and, while passengers and crew kneeled on the sand, Duff read
Psalm 107. It is said that the loss of all things except the Word of
God made a profound impression on Duff, who was for many years a most
devoted and valuable worker in India.
_Psalm 114_ is used in Dante's Divine Comedy, where he gives a picture
of a boat, on which are seen a hundred spirits, singing together Psalm
114. (_Purgatorio_, Canto II. 11 40ff.) Milton translated this Psalm
into verse when a student at Cambridge, at the age of 15.
_Psalm 116_. At the famous relief of Lucknow in the Indian Mutiny, a
soldier known as "Quaker Wallace" went into the fight quoting the
Scotch version of this Psalm. Lines 27 and 28 were chosen as one of
the texts from which Bernard preached the Crusade.
_Psalm 117_. The shortest Psalm. This is the Psalm which Cromwell sung
on the battlefield after his victory at the battle of Worcester.
_Psalm 118_. Luther said of it, "This is my Psalm, my chosen Psalm. I
love them all; I love all Scripture; . . . But this Psalm is nearest
my heart, and I have a familiar right to call it mine. It has saved me
from many a passing danger, from which not emperor nor kings nor sages
nor saints could have saved me. It is my friend; dearer to me than all
the honors and power of the earth." Curiously enough, it was also the
favorite Psalm of the emperor of the time, Charles V. This Psalm was
sung by the soldiers of the Prince of Orange, King William, when he
landed in England. It was sung as they stood upon the beach, and thus
the landing was made a religious service. In the words of lines 45 and
46 Queen Elizabeth expressed her relief from the feeling of danger, at
the news of the death of Queen {505} Mary, her bitter enemy. When
Charlemagne entered Rome he was hailed by the people with lines 51 and
52. So all through Christian history the Psalm has lent itself to use
as celebrating triumph and success.
_Psalm 119_ is an alphabetic Psalm, in sections consisting of eight
couplets, and each couplet of the same section beginning with the same
letter. The sections follow in the order of the Hebrew alphabet. It is
the most elaborate alphabetic Psalm, there being several others where
each verse begins with a successive letter. It is also the longest
Psalm in the book. Still another peculiarity is that every verse
contains a reference to the law of God. It is a Psalm greatly loved by
many people. William Wilberforce, the great opponent of slavery, said
at one specially busy time that he found great comfort in repeating
the 119th Psalm. Ruskin, who learned it in his boyhood, later writing
of it, notes how the sense of delight in the law of God runs through
it all. Henry Martyn committed it to memory. David Livingstone learned
it in Sunday school at the age of nine. The names of those who have
found delight in this Psalm would make a very long list and be
representative of many different vocations.
_Psalm 121_. This Psalm was read by David Livingstone with his family
on the morning when he started for his first mission tour to Africa. A
later missionary, James Harrington, on his journey into Africa,
repeated this, which he called his "Traveling" Psalm, every morning.
_Psalm 122_. James Hogg, the Scottish poet, is said to have learned
this Psalm before he knew his letters. The Bible was his only book in
boyhood. This Psalm was used in the Huguenot wars as the Huguenot's
chant of victory after battle.
_Psalm 126_. Robert Estienne, a French printer of the Reformation
time, who was very influential in giving the Bible to the people, says
that often in his controversies he found strength in this Psalm.
_Psalm 130_. One of Luther's best known German hymns is founded on
this Psalm--
"Aus tiefer Noth schrel Ich zu dir."
{506}
Beza died repeating lines 5 and 6, and it was one of the sustaining
influences of Bunyan in his spiritual struggles with himself.
_Psalm 136_. Milton's hymn, written when a student at Cambridge, at
the age of 15, is founded on Psalm 136--
"Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord for he is kind,
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure."
_Psalm 144_ was used by Bernard as a text from which to preach a
crusade to win Jerusalem from the Saracens. Lines 10 and 11 have been
used, both in England and in France, as a motto on the face of
sundials. "Man is like to vanity. His days are as a shadow that
passeth away."
_Psalm 145_ is the base of Gerhardt's hymn--
"I who so oft in deep distress."
Milton has paraphrased it in _Paradise Lost_, Book XII, 11, 561-6,
beginning--
"Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best."
Augustine's _Confessions_ begins with lines 5 and 6 of Psalm 145. Carey,
who was not only a great missionary, but a great linguist and a great
botanist, prefixed Psalm 145, lines 19 and 20, to his edition of
Roxburgh's _Flora Indica_. Lines 25 and 26 are inscribed in Greek over
the portal of the Mohammedan mosque at Damascus; a relic of the time,
thirteen hundred years ago, when it was a Christian church. William
Law chose this Psalm for a morning hymn.
_Psalm 147_. "Afflavit Deus," the motto on the coins struck in England
to commemorate the victory over the Spanish Armada was taken from the
lines: "He sendeth out his word and melteth them: He causeth his wind
to blow, and the waters flow."
{507}
_Psalm 148_. St. Francis' famous Canticle of the Sun is founded on
this Psalm.
_Psalm 150_. This final Psalm was a sort of doxology, written to close
the book of Psalms. It expresses what is the central thought of the
book--praise to God. The Benedictine Monks in the Middle Ages were
accustomed to sing this Psalm during the casting of their bells, while
the metal was cooling. Two missionaries to the Slavs in Eastern Europe
wished to construct an alphabet and translate the Bible into the
Slavic language. It was referred to Pope John in 879 A.D. He
sanctioned it on the basis of the last two lines of the Psalms. The
alphabet was made, and is the basis of that used by the Russian,
Bulgarian, Roumanian and other Slavonic languages to this day; while
the translation is the basis of that used by the Russian church.
{508}
{509}
GENERAL INDEX
The letter "f" annexed to page number signifies and _following page_:
"ff," and _following pages_.
Aaron, II.146ff
Abanah, III.144, 493
Abed-nego, III.184f, 190ff
Abel, III.22f
Abel-beth-maacah, III.408
Abel-main, III.253
Abel-meholah, III.124
Abigail, I.418ff
Abihail, III.64
Abijah, daughter of Zechariah, III.299
Abijah, king of Judah, III.242ff
Abijah, son of Jeroboam, III.362ff
Abijah, son of Samuel, II.350
Abimelech, II.39f
Abimelech, son of Gideon, II.332ff
Abinadab, II.385, 389
Abinoam, III.52, 54
Abishai, II.407, 443
Abner, II.393, 402, 407
Abraham, story of, I.211ff; II.21-49
-- sends for a wife for Isaac, I.211; II.49f
-- at Haran, II.21
-- the migration, II.21f
-- and Lot, II.21, 22f
-- and Sarai, II.21
-- at Shechem, II.22
-- the capture of Lot and rescue by, II.25ff
-- God's covenant with, II.27f
-- receives a new name, II.28f
-- birth of Isaac, II.36
-- the testing of, II.41ff
-- death of Sarah, his wife, II.45f
-- death of, II.59
Absalom, I.167ff; II.443ff
Achaia, IV.411, 418
Achan, II.294, 296f
Achor, valley of, II.297
Acts, IV.482
Adam, III.19ff, 22
-- and Eve, story of, 19ff
Adida, III.464
Adoniram, II.458
Adoni-zedek, II.305
Adora, III.467
Adoram, III.239
Adramyttium, IV.469
Adriatic Sea, IV.466, 473
Adullam, cave of, II.437f
Aegean Sea, IV.496
Aenon, IV.149
Agabus, IV.430
Agag, II.370, 375
Agrippa, IV.455ff, 497
Ahab, III.111, 113, 116ff, 123, 127ff, 157, 377ff, 395ff
Ahasuerus, king of Persia, III.60ff, 487
Ahaz, III.292, 293ff; V.266
Ahaziah, king of Israel, III.265, 382ff
Ahaziah, king of Judah, III.159ff, 269ff, 272, 396
Ahijah, father of Baasha, III.130, 367
Ahijah, the prophet, III.362ff, 368
Ahimaaz, II.447f
Ai, attack upon, II.294ff, 487
Aijalon, III.295
Alcimus, III.448
Alexander, IV.421
Alexander the Great, III.418f, 452
Alexandria, IV.469
Almug, II.482, 498
Alphabet, a Bible, I.25
Amalek, II.197ff, 315, 370ff
Amalekites, II.324, 370f, 425f
Amariah, the chief priest, III.257
Amasa, III.294
Amaziah, king of Judah, III.281ff, 401
Amaziah, priest of Bethel, V.355f
Amittai, III.165
Ammon, II.254,315; III.84, 258f, 292
Ammonites, III.219 {510}
Amon, king of Judah, III.319, 322
Amon, governor of the city, III.380
Amorites, II.254, 295, 301, 306, 319
Amos, prophecies of, V.354ff
Amoz, III.313
Amphipolis, IV.403
Anak, children of, II.243f
Ananias, the high priest, IV.448
Ananias and Sapphira, IV.335f
Ananias of Damascus, IV.371f
Ancient Mariner, I.299
Andrew, IV.74f, 94ff, 125, 147, 243
Angel of the Lord, II.319ff, 494
Animals, Bible sayings about, I.303f
Annas, IV.268, 332, 492
Antioch, III.437,452; IV.375f, 391, 412
Antioch of Pisidia, IV.380, 387
Antiochus IV, III.418ff, 460
Antiochus V, III.468, 476
Antipatris, IV.447
Aphek, III.162
Apocalypse, V.456ff
Apocrypha, III.80, 320, 329, 418, 489
Apollonia, IV.403
Apollonius, III.431, 452ff
Apollos, IV.418
Aquila, IV,408ff
Arabah, sea of, III.401
Arabia, V.350
Arabians, III.256, 267
Araunah, the Jebusite, II.441f, 461
Arbela, III.448
Archelaus, IV.46
Areopagus, IV.407
Argob, III.407
Arieh, III.407
Arioch, III.186ff
Aristarchus, IV.421,469
Ark, building of, III.24f
Ark of bulrushes, Moses in, II.138
Ark of covenant, II.285ff, 288f, 455
Armor, II.497
Arphaxad, III.80
Artaxerxes, the king, III.214, 222, 494
Arvad, V.349
Arza, III.370
Asa, III.247ff, 367; V.321
Asaph, the seer, III.302
Ascension of Jesus, IV.310f
Asenath, II.107f
Ashdod, III.288; V.359
Ashdodites, III.219
Asherah, II.494; III.119, 250, 399, 490
Asherim, III.247, 279, 307,364, 495
Asheroth, III.257, 317, 495
Ashkelon, III.174, 496
Ashpenaz, III.183
Ass, Baalam and the, II.259ff
Asshur, III.81, 84f, 103; V.350
Assos, IV.425
Assyria, III.293, 495; V.273,364ff
Assyrians, III.84, 90, 92, 404, 408
Atad, II.131
Athaliah, III.255, 266, 269, 271ff, 278
Athenobius, III.476
Athens, IV.404
Attalia, IV.387
Augustus, Roman emperor, IV.37
Autumn, I.55
Azaliah, III.324
Azariah, priest of the house of Zadok, III.311
Azariah, priest in the reign of Uzziah, III.291
Azariah, son of Hoshaiah, V.325
Azariah, son of Johanan, III.294
Azariah, son of Oded, III.248
Azariah (Abed-nego), III.184f,427
Azotus, III.450, 455f, 480, 496
Azrikan, III.294
Azubah, III.265
Baal, II.323, 494;
III.276, 293, 326, 382, 387, 397f, 490; V.304
-- prophets of, III.111, 116ff
Baalim, V.365
Baalis, V.319
Baal-zebub, god of Ekron, III.382ff
Baasha, III.130, 158, 247, 250f, 368f, 373; V.321
Babel, tower of, III.32
Baby hid in a basket, I.117
Babylon, III.63, 186ff, 210, 319
Bacchides, III.448ff
Balaam, II.255ff
{511}
Balak, son of Zippor, II.255ff
Band of Mercy, I.292
Baptism of Jesus, IV.65ff
Barabbas, IV.276
Barak, III.51ff
Bar-Jesus, IV.379
Barnabas, IV.375f, 384f, 395ff
Bartholomew, IV.95
Bartimaeus, the blind, IV.221
Baruch, V.305ff, 326, 331
Bascama, III.467
Bashan, II.255; V.349, 359, 386
Basket, baby hid in, I.117
Battle with the Five Kings, II.305ff
Bear, V.191
Beating out wheat in the wine press, II.493
Beatitudes, I.130; IV.105f
Bectileth, III.81
Bedtime Stories, I.245-304
Beelzebub, IV.l71
Beer-sheba, II.40, 42, 123, 456, 488;
III.123, 257, 305, 326
Belshazzar, III.201ff, 211
Belteshazzar, III.184, 188, 197f
Ben-hadad, king of Syria, III.111, 152, 250f, 399, 400
Ben-hail, III.256
Benjamin, I.185; II.91, 111, 114
Beracah, III.262
Berea, III.449
Berechiah, III.294
Bernice, IV.455ff
Beroea, IV.403f
Bethany, I.218; IV.215, 229, 233, 237, 313
Beth-aven, II.361, 367
Beth-dagon, III.456
Bethel, II.22, 67f, 87f, 298f, 349, 487;
III.52, 130, 246, 326f, 354, 495; V.355, 360f
Bethesda, pool of, IV.167,489
Beth-horon, II.306; III.285, 431f, 444, 496
Bethlehem, I.139, 151, 163, 229, 245;
II.382, 400, 402, 438; III.35; IV.37f, 41, 45
Bethlehem-judah, III.35
Beth-peor, II.273f
Bethphage, IV.233
Bethsaida, IV.77
Beth-shan, II.381; III.460
Beth-shemesh, III.286, 295
Bethsura, III.437, 439, 459, 475, 496
Bethuel, II.50ff
Bethulia, III.80ff, 489
Bethzacharias, III.439f
Betrayal of Jesus, IV.267
Bible Primer, I.25
Bidkar, III.160
Bigthan, III.64, 70
Bildad, the Shuhite, V.184, 189, 196, 199, 204; 207, 213, 232
Bilhah, II.91
Birth of Ishmael, II.28
Birthright, II.60ff, 491
Bithynia, IV.395
Boaz, II.462; III.35ff
Boy who came when he was called, I.132
Boy who was raised from the dead, I.193
Brave Women, Tales of, III.33ff
Brazen serpent, II.250f; III.299
Brothers of the air and fields, I.292ff
Browning, I.151
Burning bush, II.142
Caesar, IV.455, 462
Caesarea, IV.430, 447,452, 455
Caesarea Philippi, IV.178, 489
Caiaphas, IV.269, 332, 492
Cain, III.22f
Caleb, II.244, 247, 418; III.427
Calf, golden, II.204ff
Cana of Galilee, IV.78,92
Canaan, land of, II.25, 243, 277, 487
Candace, queen, IV.345,348
Canneh, V.350
Capernaum, IV.92, 121, 125ff
Caravan, II.492
Carmel, III.111, 119, 122, 141, 490; V.386
Carmel in Judah, II.418f
Cenchreae, IV.412
Cendebaeus, III.479f
Cephas, IV.77
Chaldeans, III.183ff, 351, 494; V.309ff, 322, 331f
Cherith, brook, III.111, 114, 490
{512}
Cherubim, III.21
Children in the lands of the Bible, I.217
Chilion, III.35f
Chilmad, V.350
Chios, IV.425
Christians, first called so at Antioch, IV.375
Christmas, story of the first, I.245
Cilicia, II1.81; IV.390, 395
Clauda, IV.470
Claudius, IV.408
Cleopas, IV.301
Cnidus, IV.469
Coelesyria, III.452
Coleridge, I.299
Colossians, epistle to, V.452f
Commandments, the ten, II.202f
- the greatest, IV.240f
Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, V.309
Corinth, IV.408, 418
Corinthians, first epistle to, V.425, 438, 440, 443, 448, 449ff
-- second epistle to, V.451f
Cornelius, IV.353ff
Cos, IV.429
Council at Jerusalem, IV.388ff
Covenant, making of, II.27
Cowper, I.296f
Creation, story of the, III.15ff
Crete, III.452; IV.462, 470, 498
Crispus, IV.411
Crucifixion of Jesus, IV.281ff, 493
Cubit, II.499
Cushite, II.447ff
Cydnus, river, IV.367
Cyprus, IV.379, 395, 429f, 495
Cyrus, the Persian, III.209
Dagon, III.181, 494
Dalmanutha, IV.176
Damaris, IV.408
Damascus, II.26, 488; III.l11, 124, 144, 250, 293, 295; IV.371f; V.350
Dan, place, II.26, 488; III.253, 305, 495
Dan, tribe of, III.172
Daniel, III.427
Daniel, story of:
-- early life, III.183f
-- interprets king's dreams, III.185ff, 196ff
Daniel and his three friends in the fiery furnace, II1.190ff
-- reads the handwriting on the wall, III.20lff
-- in lions' den, III.206ff
Darius, the Mede, III.206ff, 419
David, I.225, 229; III.48, 427
David, city of, III.421
David, story of:
-- secretly anointed by Samuel, II.382ff
-- and Goliath, II.386ff
-- and Jonathan, II.399ff
-- an outlaw, II.406ff
-- pursued by Saul, II.411ff
-- adventure in the wilderness, II.417ff
-- becomes king, II.424ff
-- rebuked by Nathan, II.430ff
-- and his three brave soldiers, II.438
-- buys threshing floor, II.438ff
-- and his son Absalom, II.443ff
-- death of, II.451
David, stories of:
-- the shepherd boy who killed a giant, I.139ff
-- and King Saul, I.151
-- an outlaw, I.155
-- and Jonathan, I.156
-- and his three brave soldiers, I.163ff
-- and his son Absalom, I.167
Dead Sea, I.226
Death of firstborn in Egypt, II.177f
Deborah, II.87
Deborah and Jael, II1.51ff
Decapolis, IV.140, 487
Dedan, V.349f
Dedication, feast of, IV.197ff
Delaiah, III.226; V.308
Delilah, III.176ff
Demetrius, king, II1.448, 452, 468f
Demetrius, silversmith, IV.418f
Derbe, IV.386, 395
Destruction of the cities of the plain, II.32
Diana, IV.418ff
Dionysius, IV.408
Disciples, choosing of, IV.94f
-- first, IV.74f
-- list of, IV.96f
{513}
Disobedience and consequences, story of, III.19ff
Divining cups, II.117ff, 492
Dok, III.481
Dor, III.476
Dorcas, IV.350
Dotaea, III.82
Dothan, II.95, 492; III.151
Dove and the olive leaf, III.29ff
Drusilla, IV.452
Dura, III.190
Easter day, the story of the first, I.265ff
Eating with blood, II.368, 497
Ebed-melech, Ethiopian, V.312, 317
Eben-ezer, II.349
Ecclesiastes, selections from, V.241-246
Eden, II.19ff; V.350
Edom, II.249, 482; III.255, 265, 267; V.370f
Eglon, II.307, 315f, 493
Egypt, II.96ff, 492; IV.45f; V.303, 322ff, 349, 359, 364ff
Ehud, II.315ff
Ekron, III.382, 456
Elah, king, III.370
Elah, vale of, II.389
Elasa, III.449
Elath, II.482; III.287
Eleazer, son of Aaron, II.250
Eleazer, who was called Avaran, III.423
Elephants, fighting, III.439ff
Eli, I.132ff; II.338ff
Eliab, II.389f
Eliakim, III.332, V.271ff
Eliezer, II.27, 49f
Elihu, V.213ff
Elijah, III.1ll, 382ff, 396ff, 427; IV.180
Elijah, stories of:
-- lodges with the widow at Zarephath, III.114
-- restores the widow's son to life, I.193ff; III.115
-- and the prophets of Baal, III.ll9ff
-- flees from Jezebel, III.123ff
-- rebukes king and queen for evil deed, III.127ff
-- translated in chariot of fire, III.130ff
Elim, II.191
Elimelech, III.35f
Eliphaz, the Temanite, V.184f, 195f, 204f, 213, 232
Elisha, III.111, 124f, 388f
Elisha, stories of:
-- takes up work of Elijah, III.130ff
-- heals the waters, III.137
-- helps a poor woman to pay a debt, III.137f
-- restores Shunammite's son, III.138ff
-- heals Naaman, the Syrian, I.206ff; III.143ff
-- returns good for evil, III.148f
-- at siege of Samaria, III.152ff
-- anoints Jehu as king, III.157ff
-- death of, III.162
Elishama, the scribe, V.307
Elkanah, III.294
Elnathan, V.308
Elymas, the sorcerer, IV.379
Embalming, II.493
Emmaus, III.432f; IV.301, 305, 493
En-dor, witch of, II.376ff
En-gedi, wilderness of, II.413
Ephesians, epistle to, V.419ff, 443, 447f
Ephesus, IV.412, 418ff, 425f
Ephesus, church in, message to, V.460
Ephraim, II.444; III.302; V.369ff
-- hill country of, II.316, 493; III.52, 148, 245, 249, 257
Ephrath, II.88
Ephrathah, III.47
Ephron, II.45f; III.246
Epistles of Paul, introduction, V.413ff
Erastus, IV.418
Esarhaddon, V.276
Esau, II.60ff, 76ff, V.370f
Esdraelon, III.82
Eshcol, II.243
Esther, story of, III.60ff
Etam, rock of, III.175
Etham, II.179
Ethiopia, III.60, 74
Ethiopians, III.247ff, 267
Euphrates, II.28, 455f, 488; III.328, 330
Eupolemus, son of John, III.447
{514}
Euraquilo, IV.470
Eutychus, IV.425
Eve, III.19ff, 22
Evil-Merodach, III.346
Ezekiel, prophecies of, V.344ff
Ezion-geber, II.482, 498; III.265
Ezra, the scribe, III.227ff
Fair Havens, IV.462, 469
Familiar spirit, II.376ff, 497
Father, God is our, I.105
Father, talking with our, I.101
Felix, IV.445, 447ff, 497
Festus, IV.452f, 455ff, 497
Fight of the Five Kings against the Four, II.25
Fish, IV.487
Flood, story of the, III.24ff
Forgiveness, stories of divine, IV.202ff
Four thousand, feeding of the, IV.175f
Gad, II.441f
Gaius, IV.421
Galatia, IV.395, 418, 495
Galatians, epistle to, V.422f, 439
Galeed, II.75, 492
Galilee, III.408, 459, 460; IV.17f, 37, 46, 66, 78, 82, 190, 310
-- sea of, I.94; IV.94, 307
Gallio, IV.411
Gamaliel, IV.437
Gashmu, III.226
Gath, II.386, 497; III.288
Gauls, III.445
Gaza (or Gazara), II.456; III.176, 181, 471f, 475f, 481f
Geba, II.360, 365; III.82, 253, 489
Gedaliah, V.318ff
Gederoth, III.295
Gehazi, III.111, 138ff
Gemariah, V.308
Gennesaret, water of, III.459
Gentiles, III.419f, 431, 438, 464
Gerar, III.248
Gerasenes, country of, IV.136
Gershom, II.142
Geruth Chimham, V.322
Geshem, III.218, 225
Gethsemane, I.258; IV.264
Gibbethon, III.367, 373
Gibeah, II.359, 362, 375, 406, 412; III.242
Gibeon, II.300, 305, 452; V.321f
Gideon, II.319ff
Gihon, III.319
Gilboa, II.376, 425
-- battle of, II.380f
Glead, III.408
-- land of, II.71, 272; III.467
Gilgal, II.305f, 349, 361, 375; III.130, 448, 490; V.360
Gimzo, III.295
God is our Father, I.105
God sees me, I.81
God, what he gives, I.85
God, what he wants me to do, I.82
God's promises, II.27
Golden calf, II.204ff
Golden rule, IV.115
Golgotha, IV.281
Goliath, I.143ff, 151; II.386ff
Gomorrah, the fate of Sodom and, II.32ff
Gorgias, III.433
Goshen, land of, II.123ff, 158, 493
Gourd, Jonah and the, III.l71
Growing grain, story of the, IV.134
Gur-baal, III.288
Habakkuk, prophecies of, V.392ff
Hachilah, II.406, 412
Hadassah, III.63
Hagar, II.28, 36ff
Haggai, prophecies of, V.398ff
Ham, III.24, 26
Haman, III.65ff
Hamath, III.401
Hanani, the seer, III.253, 256
Hananiah, III.184f, 288, 427
Handwriting on the wall, III.201ff
Hannah, mother of Samuel, I.132
Haran, II.21, 68, 487; V.350
Harod, II.325
Hathach, III.67f
Hazael, III.124, 127, 159, 269, 398, 399f
Hazor, III.51, 408, 459
Heaven, the Kingdom of, I.201
Heber, the Kenite, III.51ff
{515}
Hebrews, epistle to, V.439
Hebron, II, 25, 45f, 92, 243, 429f, 488, 493; III.176
Hegai, III.63f
Herod, IV.275f, 485f
Herod Antipas, IV.150
Herod the Great, IV.41f, 45f
Herodias, IV.150f
-- daughter of, IV.154
Heshbon, II.254f
Heth, II.45, 491
Hezekiah, III.299ff; V.268rf
Hilkiah, the high priest, III.323ff
Hinnom, III.293, 317, 327
Hiram, I.173; II.457ff,482f
Hittites, II.45, 430
Hobah, II.26, 488
Holofernes, III.80ff, 92ff, 489
Hophni, II.345f
Hor, mount, II.250
Horeb, II.470; III.111, 123
Hosea, prophecies of, V.363ff
Hoshea, son of Elah, III.408, 411ff
Houses in the lands of the Bible, I.214
Huldah, prophetess, III.325
Hur, II.197
Iconium, IV.385, 387, 395
Idumaea, III.437, 439
Ijon, III.253, 408
Immortality, Paul on, V.449
India, III.60, 74
Isaac, III.88
Isaac, story of:
-- birth of, II.36
-- attempted sacrifice by Abraham, II.4lf
-- and Rebekah, II.49ff
Isaiah, the prophet, III.313; IV.65,481
-- call of, V.264ff
-- prophecies of, V.266ff
Ishmael, birth of, II.28, 36ff
Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, V.319ff
Ishmaelites, II.95f
Israel, Jacob's name changed to, II.80
Israel, kingdom of, III.353ff
Issachar, III.57
Ittai, the Gittite, II.443f
Jabbok, II.80, 492
Jabesh, II.381, 494
Jabesh-gilead, II.359f, 381, 429
Jabin, king of Canaanites, III. 51ff
Jabneh, III.288
Jachin, II.462
Jacob, III.88; V.370f
Jacob, story of:
-- and Esau, II.60ff
-- goes from home, II.67ff
-- and Rachel, II.69ff
-- sets out for his native land, II.7Iff
-- wrestles with angel, II.76ff
-- reconciled with Esau, II.83ff
-- erects an altar at Bethel, II.87ff
-- sends his sons to Egypt to buy corn, II.111ff
-- in Egypt, I.190; II.123ff
-- death and burial, I.190; II.129f
Jacob and Joseph, I.177ff
Jacob's well, Jesus at, IV.82ff
Jael, III.51 ff
Jahaziel, III.261
Jairus, I.110; IV.141
James, epistle of, V.426ff
James, son of Alphaeus, IV.95ff
James, son of Zebedee, IV.94ff, 125, 141, 185, 264, 307, 330ff, 359
Jamnia, III.455, 479
Janoah, III.408
Japheth, III.24, 26
Jarmuth, II.307, 493
Jason, III.447; IV.403
Javan, V.349f
Jechiliah, III.287
Jeconiah, king of Judah, III.63
Jehiel, III.266
Jehizkiah, III.294
Jehoaddan, III.281
Jehoahaz, king of Israel, III.285, 399
Jehoahaz, king of Judah, III.332
Jehoiachin, king of Judah, III.346f
Jehoiada, III.271ff, 277ff
Jehoiakim, king of Judah, III.183, 332, 335ff, 348; V.305, 309
Jehonadab, III.397
Jehoram, king of Judah, III.255, 266ff
Jehoshaphat, III.158, 255ff, 266, 377ff, 388
{516}
Jehosheba, III.27lf
Jehovah-jireh, II.42
Jehozabad, III.280
Jehu, III.111, 124f, 157ff, 256, 270, 285, 395ff
Jehu, the prophet, III.368f, 370
Jehudi, V.306f
Jeiel, the scribe, III.288
Jemimah, V.232
Jeremiah, III.329f, 335ff; IV.45
Jeremiah, call of, V.298ff
-- imprisonment, V.309ff
-- prophecies of, V.30lff
Jericho, II.287ff, 300, 305, 315; III.133, 134; IV.88, 221
Jeroboam, king, III.130, 153, 237ff, 242ff, 327, 353ff,
368, 374, 413; V.355
Jeroboam II, king, III.401
Jerubbaal, II.324f, 332
Jerusalem, I.218, 251;
II.455, 461, 470, 478, 483, 493;
III.161, 183, 201, 212, 217f, 231, 237, 240, 249, 257,
262f, 269f, 277, 281, 286f, 311, 33lf, 348ff, 418ff, 443,
449,459, 463, 472, 481;
IV.17, 20, 41, 49, 65, 70, 79, 88, 179, 190, 233f, 310,
326, 344, 388;
V.344
Jerusalem, New, I.223
Jerushah, daughter of Zadok, III.292
Jeshanah, III.246
Jesse, II.385, 389; III.48
Jesus and his friends, I.86
-- had no home, I.89
-- the people loved, I.93
-- boyhood of, I.97
-- and sick people, I.98
-- what he said about birds and flowers, I.106
-- what he said about trees, I.109
-- and the little girl, I.110
-- some things which he taught, I.130
-- boyhood of, I.217
-- infancy, I.245ff
-- triumphant entry into Jerusalem, I.25lff
-- how he gave his life for the world, I.257
-- crucifixion of, I.258
-- resurrection of, I.266ff
Jesus, life of the Lord:
-- nativity, IV.37f
Jesus, wise man's visit, IV.41f
-- in Egypt, IV.45f
-- boyhood of, IV.49ff
-- baptism of, IV.65ff
-- temptation of, IV.70f
-- first disciples of, IV.74f
-- first miracle of, IV.78
-- at the passover, IV.79ff
-- at Jacob's well, IV.82ff
-- choosing of twelve disciples, IV.94f
-- sermon on the mount, IV.105ff
-- heals Roman captain's servant, IV.12lf
-- at Capernaum, IV.125ff
-- raises widow's son from the dead, IV.130
-- stills the storm, IV.136ff
-- Jairus' daughter brought to life, IV.14lff
-- feeding of the multitude, IV.144ff
-- John the Baptist and, IV, 149ff
-- Sunday controversy, IV.167ff
-- woman anoints his feet, IV.169f
-- traveled in the north, IV,172ff
-- feeds the four thousand, IV.175f
-- transfiguration, IV.180
-- and little children, IV.188f
-- teaches truth and freedom, IV.190ff
-- feast of dedication, IV.197ff
-- and the rich young man, IV.21lf
-- raises Lazarus from the dead, IV.215ff
-- Zacchaeus the publican, IV.22lf
-- Bethany, supper at, IV.229f
-- Jerusalem, triumphant entry into, IV.233f
-- drives the money changers from the temple, IV.237
-- the last supper, IV.248ff
-- Gethsemane, agony in, IV.264
-- the betrayal, IV.267
-- trial before Annas, IV.268
-- before Caiaphas, IV, 269f
-- before Jewish court, IV.270f
-- before Pilate, IV.272f
-- before Herod, IV.275f
-- Pilate and, IV.276ff
-- the crucifixion of, IV.28lff
-- burial of, IV.286f
-- resurrection of, IV.297f
- on the way to Emmaus, IV.30lf
{517}
Jesus, ascension of, IV.310f
Jethro, II.142
Jezaniah, son of Hoshaiah, V.322
Jezebel, III.111, 113, 119, 123ff, 128ff, l58, 161f, 373
Jezreel, II.324, 494; III.122, 127, 158f, 396, 490
Joah, V.271ff
Joakim, III.104
Joash, king of Israel, III.162, 281, 285, 400
Joash, king of Judah, III.271, 277ff, 380
Joash, the Abiezrite, II.320, 329, 331
Job, selections from, V.177-232
Joel, II.350
Joel, prophecies of, V.374ff
Johanan, son of Kareah, V.319ff
John, the Baptist, IV.65ff, 74, 149ff, 485
John, the disciple, IV.74f, 95ff, 123, 141, 185, 259, 264
-- epistles of, V.435ff
John, son of Simon, III.472, 480
John Gaddis, III.422f
Jonah, story of, III.165ff, 401
Jonathan, II.360, 362f, 380, 393, 399ff, 412, 426
Jonathan, Apphus, III.423, 450ff
Jonathan, son of Absalom, III.464ff
Jonathan, son of Kareah, V.319
Jonathan and David, I.156ff; II.393f, 399ff
Joppa, III.165, 455, 464, 475ff; IV.350, 353
Joram, king of Israel, III.111, 157f, 387ff
Jordan, I.224f; II.285ff, III.133 , 134, 144, 154, 452; IV.66
-- plain of, II.22, 466, 487
Joseph, III.427
Joseph, story of:
-- favorite of his father, I.177; II.91
-- dreams of supremacy in family; is hated
by brethren and sold into slavery, I.181; II.95f
-- in Egypt, II.96f
-- interprets dreams of Pharaoh's officers, II.99ff
-- interprets the dream of Pharaoh, I.18If; II.104ff
-- made prime minister, I.185; II.107
-- and his brethren, I.185; II.ll1ff
-- death and burial, II.132
Joseph, father of Jesus, I.217; IV.37f, 45f, 50
Joseph of Arimathaea, IV.286
Josephus, III.234
Joshua, II.208, 247, 268; III.231, 427
Joshua, story of:
-- spies are sent to Jericho, II.277ff
-- crosses the Jordan, II.285ff
-- capture of Jericho, II.287ff
-- attack upon Ai, II.294ff
-- submission of Gibeon, II.300ff
-- battle with the five kings, II.305ff
-- last addresses, II.308ff
-- death, II.312
Joshua, high priest, V.398f
Josiah, king of Judah, III.322, 323ff
Jotham, II.333; III.292
Judah, II.115; III.237ff, 421f; V.350
Judas, called Barsabbas, IV.390
Judas, son of Simon, III.480
Judas Isacariot, IV.95ff, 229, 248ff, 267
Judas Maccabaeus, III.423, 427, 428ff
Judges, the, II.315-337
Judith, story of, III.80ff
Julius, IV.469
Juniper tree, Elijah and, III.123
Jupiter, IV.386
Kadesh, II.248f
Kedar, V.350
Kedesh, III.52, 408, 459
Kedesh-naphtali, III.52
Kenites, III.52
Keren-happuch, V.232
Keziah, V.232
Kidron, brook, III.250, 300, 306, 326f
-- city, III.479, 480
"King of the Jews," IV.276f, 282
Kingdom of God, IV.23, 79f, 134, 489
Kingdom of the North, III.353ff
Kingdom of the South, III.237ff
Kings, the five, II.488
Kings, table of, III.236
Kinsman, III.487
Kir-hareseth, III.392
Kiriath-huzoth, II.261
Kish, II.352
{518}
Kishon, brook, III.122
Kishon, the river, III.51f
Laban, II.51ff, 68, 70ff; III.88
Lachish, II.307, 493; III.286, 312; V.274
Lands of the Bible, how people travel in, I.208ff
Laodicea, church in, message to, V.464ff
Lappidoth, III.52
Lasea, IV.469
Lazarus, IV.215ff, 229
Leah, II.71; III.47
Lebanon, II.458, 482
-- cedars of, II.334, 456; III.281
Legion, IV.139
Lehi, III.175
Leprosy, I.206; III.153, 287, 291; IV.126, 489
-- Naaman's, III.143f
Levi, II.138
Levi, son of Alphaeus, IV.94
Levites, II.285; III.228f, 231f, 256f, 277f, 299f, 307, 329
Libnah, III.267; V.274
Little brothers of the air and field, I.292ff
Lord and Job, V.181ff, 222ff
Lot, II.21, 26, 32f
Lot's wife, II.36
Lud, V.349
Luz, II.87
Lycaonia, IV.386
Lydda, IV.350
Lydia, IV.396
Lysias, III.437
Lystra, IV.386f, 392, 395
Maacah, III.242, 250
Maaseiah, III.288
Maaseiah, son of Ahaz, III.294
Maccabaeus, III.418, 423, 427ff
Maccabees, tales of, III.417ff
Macedonia, IV.396, 422f, 495
"Macedonian cry," IV.396
Machpelah, cave of, II.45f, 59, 129f, 491
Mahanaim, II.76
Mahlon, III.35f
Maid, little captive, I.205ff
Makkedah, II.306f
Malachi, prophecies of, V.408f
Malchus, IV.267
Malta, IV.474f
Mamre, oak of, II.25, 29, 487
Manasseh, III.249, 302, 306, 308
Manasseh, king of Judah, III.314, 317ff, 322, 327
Manasseh, son of Joseph, II.108
Manasses, husband of Judith, III.86, 91
Manna and quails, II.192ff
Maon, wilderness of, II.413, 418
Mara, III.39
Marah, II.l91
Mareshah, III.248
Mark, John, IV.360, 380, 395
Market of Appius, IV.477
Martha, IV.215ff, 229
Martyr, the first, IV.339ff
Mary, mother of Jesus, IV.37f, 42
Mary, mother of Joses, IV.286
Mary, sister of Martha, IV.215ff, 229
Mary, wife of Cleopas, IV.285
Mary Magdalene, I.267; IV.285, 286, 297f
Mattan, priest of Baal, III.276.
Mattaniah, III.347
Mattathias, son of Absalom, III.459
Mattathias, son of John, III.418, 422ff
Mattathias, son of Simon, III.481
Matthew, IV.95
Matthias, IV.325
Medes, III.80, 494
Medes and Persians, laws of, III.62, 207f
Media, III.60, 62
Mediterranean Sea, IV.17
Megiddo, III.161, 323, 328, 331f
Mehetabel, III.226
Melchizedek, king of Salem, II.26, 488
Memory verses, I.491ff; II.503ff; III.501ff; IV.50lff
Menahem, son of Jabesh, III.403f
Mercury, IV.386
Meribah, II.249
Merodach-baladan, V.268
Mesaloth, III.448
Mesha, king of Moab, III.387f
Meshach, III.184, 190ff
Meshech, V.349
Meshullam, III.324
Mesopotamia, II.50, 491
{519}
Messenger, visit of, II.29ff
Messiah, IV.20, 86
Meunim, III.288
Micah, prophecies of, V.367ff
Micaiah, V.306
Micaiah, son of Imlah, III.256, 378f
Michael, III.266
Michmash, II.361, 365, 497
Midian, II.255ff, 319, 330
Midianites, II.319f, 324
Migdol, V.327
Migration, II.21
Milcah, II.50f, 55
Miletus, IV.425f
Millo, III.311
Miracles, New Testament:
-- water changed to wine, IV.78
-- king's officer's son healed, IV.92f
-- Roman captain's servant healed, IV.121f
-- Simon's wife's mother healed, IV.126
-- leper at Capernaum healed, IV.126f
-- man sick of palsy healed, IV.127f
-- two blind men healed, IV.128
-- widow's son raised from dead, IV.130
-- storm stilled, IV.136
-- man of Gadara with unclean spirit healed, IV. 139f
-- woman long time invalid healed, IV.140
-- daughter of Jairus raised from dead, IV.141f
-- multitude, feeding of, IV.144ff
-- man at pool of Bethesda healed, IV.167f
-- man with withered hand healed, IV.169
-- the demoniac blind and dumb healed, IV.170f
-- daughter of Syrophoenician woman healed, IV.172
-- deaf man healed, IV.175
-- four thousand fed, IV.175f
-- blind man at Bethsaida, IV.177
-- boy with dumb spirit healed, IV.181f
-- blind man at pool of Siloam, IV.197f
-- raising of Lazarus, IV.215ff
-- blind Bartimaeus given sight, IV.221
-- lame and blind in the temple healed, VI.237
-- Malchus healed, IV.267
-- draught of fishes, IV.307f
-- lame man healed, IV.330
-- raising of Dorcas, IV.350
Miracles, Old Testament:
-- water from the rock, II.247ff
-- the cruse of oil, III.114f
-- widow's son restored to life, III.115
-- waters healed by Elisha, III.137
-- increase of oil for widow, III.137f
-- the Shunammite boy brought to life, III.l38ff
-- Naaman healed of leprosy, III.143ff
-- Jonah saved from drowning, III.169
-- children of Israel in the fiery furnace, III.190ff
-- deliverance of Daniel, III.206ff
Miriam, II.187, 248
Mishael, III.185f, 427
Mitylene, IV.425
Mizpah, II.75, 349, 357, 494; III.253; V.319ff
Mnason, IV.430
Moab, II.255ff; III.35ff, 83, 258f, 487
Moabites, II.316
Modin, III.418, 422, 428, 450, 467f, 480, 496
Molech, or Moloch, III.293, 327
Money changers driven from the temple, IV.237
Mordecai, III.60ff
Moreh, II.325
Moriah, mount, II.461
Moses, IV.180
Moses, story of:
-- birth, I.117; II.137f
-- in Midian, II.141f
-- the call of God, II.142ff
-- conflict with Pharaoh, II.149ff
-- leads Israelites out of bondage, II.178f
-- pursued by Egyptians, II.180ff
-- wanderings in the wilderness, II.191ff
-- at Sinai, II.201f
-- in the wilderness, II.214ff
-- march to the Promised Land, II.241ff
-- death of, II.268ff
Mount of Olives, I.218; IV.233, 264
Multitude, feeding of, IV.144ff, 175f
{520}
Murder, story of first, III.22f
Mustard seed, story of, I.201f; IV.134f
Myra, IV.462, 469
Mysia, IV.395
Naaman, I.205f; III.111, 143ff
Nabal, II.418ff
Naboth, III.111, 160f
-- his vineyard, III.127ff
Nadab, king, III.364, 367
Nahash, II.359
Nahor, II.50f
Nahum, prophecies of, V.385ff
Nain, IV.130
Naomi, III.35ff
Naphtali, III.52, 253
Nathan, II.431ff; III.301
Nathanael, IV.77
Nativity of Jesus, IV.37f
Nazareth, I.217; IV.18, 37, 45f, 49f
Nazirite, III.178
Neapolis, IV.392, 396
Nebo, mount, II.268, 272
Nebuchadnezzar, III.63, 80f, 93f, 183ff, 344, 346ff;
V.309, 314f, 330, 333, 346
Nebuzaradan, III.351; V.317f, 321, 326
Neco, king of Egypt, III.328, 332
Nehemiah, royal cupbearer:
-- asks to return to Jerusalem, III.212ff
-- arrives at Jerusalem, III.217
-- builds walls, III.217ff
-- dedication of walls, III.231f
Neighbor, who was the, I.279
Nethanel, III.256
New Testament, selections from, V.411ff
Nicanor, III.443ff
Nicodemus, IV.79
Nimshi, III.124, 158, 159
Nineveh, III.81, 165f, 493; V.385, 387f
Noadiah, prophetess, III.227
Noah, III.24ff
Noph, V.327
Obadiah, prince, III.111, 116ff, 256
Obadiah, prophecies of, V.370f
Obed, III.48
Obed-edom, III.286
Oded, III.249, 294
Og, II.255, 268, 281, 301
Oholiab, II.216, 219ff
Olive leaf, the dove and, III.29ff
Olives, mount of, I.218; IV.233, 264
Omri, III.373f
Ono, plain of, III.225
Ophel, III.292, 319
Ophir, II.482, 498; III.255, 265, 495
Ophrah, II.323, 331f, 494
Oreb, II.330
Orion, V.191, 361
Orpah, III.35ff
Orthosia, III.479
Ozias, III.80, 85ff
Paddan-aram, II.67f, 84, 87, 492
Palestine, III.418, 452
-- in the days of Jesus, IV.17
Palm Sunday, story of, I.251ff
"Palm Tree of Deborah," III.51f
Pamphylia, IV.380, 387, 395
Paphos, IV.379f
Parables:
-- the good Samaritan, I.279ff; IV.88
-- story of the sower, I.126; IV.133f
-- growing grain, IV.134
-- mustard seed, I.201f; IV.134f
-- ungrateful servant, IV.186f
-- good shepherd and the sheep, IV.200
-- lost sheep, IV.202
-- lost money, IV.202f
-- prodigal son, IV.203f
-- dishonest steward, IV.204f
-- Dives and Lazarus, IV.206f
-- poor man and the rich man, IV.206f
-- man who made excuses, IV.207f
-- foolish rich man, IV.212
-- wicked husbandmen, IV.238f
-- faithful servant, IV.244ff
-- judgment of the King, IV.246ff
Paran, wilderness of, II.242, 491
Passover, feast of, I.251; III.302f, 329f;
IV.49f, 79ff, 229, 248f, 491
-- institution of, II.173ff
Patara, IV.429
Pathros, V.327f
{521}
Patriarchs, the, II.19-132
Paul, the Apostle:
-- summary of life, IV.367ff
-- conversion, IV.37lff
-- first missionary journey, IV.376ff
-- second missionary journey, IV.392ff
-- third missionary journey, IV.417ff
-- at Jerusalem, IV.433ff
-- examination before King Agrippa and Queen Bernice, IV.455ff
-- voyage to Rome, IV.462ff
-- shipwreck, IV.469ff
-- at Malta, IV.474f
-- at Rome, IV.478f
-- appeals to Caesar, IV.452f
-- riot at Ephesus, IV.418ff
-- at Corinth, IV.408ff
-- at Athens, IV.404ff
-- in Macedonia, IV.403f
-- in Galatia, IV.385
-- in Cyprus, IV.376f
-- at Antioch, IV.380ff
Pekah, III.293, 407, 408; V.266
Pekahiah, III.407
Pentecost, day of, IV.325, 493
Penuel, II.80, 492; III.353
Perga, IV.380, 387
Pergamum, church in, message to, V.461
Persia, V.349
Persians and Medes, laws of, III.62, 207f
Peter, I.267; IV.74, 94, 95ff, 125, 141, 166, 178, 186, 250ff,
264f, 270, 297f, 307f, 326ff, 336, 347f, 350, 353ff, 359f
-- denies Christ, IV.270
Pharaoh, I.181
-- and Joseph, II.99ff, 104ff, 123ff
-- and Moses, II.149ff
Pharaoh Hophra, V.330
Pharisees, IV.19, 65, 94, 176, 192f, 198ff, 234, 287, 442, 488
Pharpar, III.144, 493
Phicol, II.39f
Philadelphia, church in, message to, V.463f
Philip, III.419
Philip, the disciple, IV.77, 95ff, 243, 254, 345f,348f
Philip, the evangelist, IV.430
Philippi, IV.396, 425
Philistia, III.404, 408
Philistines, I.140, 143; II.342ff, 36Of, 376, 380, 386ff, 399, 413,
438, 455, 493; III.172, 175ff, 256, 267, 288, 295,
299, 432f, 493
Philippians, epistle to, V.420, 424, 453f
Phinehas, II.345f; III.427
Phoenicia, IV.388
Phoenix, IV.462, 470
Phrygia, IV.395, 418
Pilate, IV.272ff, 491
Pilgrims, I.270
Pillar of fire, II.179
Pillars of stone, II.69, 75, 492
Pisgah, II.253, 263, 272
Pitchers, II.329f, 494
Plagues of Egypt:
-- blood, II.155f
-- frogs, II.156ff
-- lice, 11.158
-- flies, II.158f
-- cattle disease, II.160
-- boils, II.160f
-- hail, II.166ff
-- locusts, II.168f
-- blackness, II.17lff
-- death of firstborn, II.177f
Pleiades, V.191, 361
Poetry of the Bible, V.11ff
Potiphar, II.96f
Poti-phera, II.107f
Pottage, II.60, 491
"Potter and his clay," V.30lff
Prayer, Lord's, IV.112
Prayers for little children, I.319
Priests, garments of, II.227ff
Priscilla, IV.408ff
Prophets, roll of, V.260
-- selections from, V.263-409
Proverbs, selections from, V.248-257
Psalms, introduction to, V.17
-- selections from, I.12lff; V.19-174
-- Shepherd, I.289
Ptolemais, III.460, 464; IV.430
Ptolemy, king of Egypt, III.420
Ptolemy, son of Abulus, III.481
{522}
Publius, IV.477
Purah, II.326f
Purim, III.78f, 488
Put, V.349
Puteoli, IV.477
Quails and manna, II.192ff
Raamah, V.350
Rabshakeh, V.271ff
Rachel, II.69ff, 88; III.47
Rahab, II.278ff, 292
Rainbow in the sky, III.31
Ramah, II.386, 494; III.52, 247, 250
Rameses, II.137,493
Ramoth-gilead, III.158f, 269, 377ff, 387
Rebekah, II.50ff
Red Sea, II.178f, 482, 498
Rehoboam, III.237ff
Remaliah, III.293, 407, 408; V.266f
Rephaim, II.438
Rephidim, II.197, 201
Resurrection of Jesus, IV.297f
Reuben, I.178; II.95, 112f
Reuel, II.141
Rezin, V.266
Rhegium, IV.477
Rhoda, IV.360
Rhodes, IV.429
Riblah, III.351; V.314
Rich young man, story of, IV.211f
Riddle, III.173f
Rimmon, Il1.147, 493
Rock, water from, II.247ff
Romans, III.445
Romans, epistle to, V.415ff, 419f, 422, 443, 444, 454f
Rome, I.201; III.420, 447; IV.19, 462, 477f
Ruskin, John, I.299f
Ruth, I.229; III.35ff
Sacrifices, II.491
Sadducees, IV.65, 488
Saint Francis of Assisi, I.292
Salamis, IV.376, 379
Salmone, IV.469
Salt, valley of, III.282, 495
Samaria, III.111, 116, 127, 152, 285, 293, 374, 380f, 382, 388f,
395, 399, 402, 411, 431, 490; IV.82, 346f, 388, 488;
V.320, 359
Samaritan, good, I.279ff; IV.88
-- woman, IV.82ff
Samos, IV.425
Samothrace, IV.396
Samson, story of:
-- slays a lion and makes a riddle, III.172ff
-- burns a cornfield and slays his enemies, III.175f
-- carries off gates of Gaza, III.176
-- betrayed by Delilah, III.176ff
-- his revenge and death, III.181ff
Samuel, story of:
-- and Eli, I.132ff; II.338ff
-- the call of God, I.132ff; II.341f
-- anoints Saul king, II.352ff
-- and Saul, II.373ff, 379
-- and David, II.382ff
-- death of, II.376
Sanballat, III.217f, 225
Sapphira, IV.335f
Sarai or Sarah, II.29, 36f, 45f
Sardis, church in, message to, V.462f
Satan, IV.72f
-- and Job, V.181ff
Saul, story of:
-- anointed by Samuel, II.352ff
-- proclaimed king, II.357f
-- first battle, II.359f
-- and Jonathan, II.362ff
-- disobedience, II.370ff
-- with witch of En-dor, II.376ff
-- death at Gilboa, I.160; II.380f, 424
-- and David, I.147ff; II.386ff
-- jealous of David, II.396ff
-- pursues David, II.411ff
Scythopolis, III.82, 489
Sea-shore, I.63
Seir, children of, III.282
-- mount, II.84, 492; III.258f
Seleucia, IV.376, 379
Sennacherib, III.299, 311ff, 315; V.271
Sergius Paulus, IV.379
Sermon on the mount, IV.105ff
Seron, III.431f
{523}
Serpent, brazen, II.25Of; III.299
-- in the garden of Eden, III.19f
Shadrach, III.184, 190ff
Shallum, III.402f
Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, III.411
Shamgar, III.54, 488
Shammah, II.385, 389
Shaphan, the scribe, III.323f
Shaphat, III.124, 125
Sheba, II.498; V.350
-- queen of, I.173; II.478f
Shebna, V.27lff
Shechem, II.22, 84, 92f, 332f, 487; III.238, 353; V.320
Shekel, II.46, 491
Shem, III.24, 26
Shemaiah, III.226, 240
Shemer, III.374
Shephatiah, III.266
Shepherd, the good, I.282; IV.200
-- psalm, I.289
Shilhi, III.265
Shiloh, II.345f; III.362; V.320
Shimeath, the Ammonitess, III.280
Shimrith, the Moabitess, III.280
Shinar, land of, III.32, 487
Shishak, III.240
Shittim, II.278, 285, 493
Shunammite, III.138, 141, 143
Shunem, III.111, 138, 490
Shur, wilderness of, II.191
Shushan, III.60ff, 212, 488, 494
Sidon, IV.172, 462, 469
Sihon, 11.253f, 268, 281, 301
Silas, IV.390, 395, 399, 403f
Siloam, pool of, IV.197f
Simeon, I.186; II.113
Simon, the sorcerer, IV.346f
Simon, a tanner, IV.350
Simon, Thassi, III.423, 427, 450, 455, 463ff
Simon, the Zealot, IV.95ff
Simon of Cyrene, IV.281
Simon Peter, see Peter.
Sin, wilderness of, II.192
Sinai, wilderness of, II.201ff, 212, 242
Sion, mount, III.438, 444
Sisera, III.51ff
Slime pits, II.25, 488
Smyrna, church in, message to, V.46Of
So, king of Egypt, III.411
Soco, III.295
Sodom, II.22, 23; 32ff
Solomon, III.237f, 255
Solomon, story of:
-- dream of, I.170f; II.452f
-- prosperity of, II.455ff
-- treaty with Hiram, I.173f, II.457ff
-- his temple, I.173; II.461ff
-- his palace, II.469f
-- dedication of the temple, II.470ff
-- and queen of Sheba, I.173; II.478f
-- greatness of his empire, II.48lff
Solomon's temple, I.174
Song of the Bow, II.426f
Song of songs, selections from, V.235-239
Song of the Well, II.253
Songs, an old book of, I.121
Sorek, III.176
Sosthenes, IV.411
South, the, II.22, 487
Sower, story of, I.126; IV.133f
Spain, III.445
Spies, sending out of, by Moses, II.243ff
Spring, I.51
Stephen, IV.339ff
Story of a good king, I.170
Story of Palm Sunday, I.251ff
Succoth, II.84, 466, 492
Summer, I.52
Summer room, II.315, 493
Supper, the last, IV.248ff
Sur, III.272
Sycamore tree, IV.222
Sychar, IV.82
Symeon, called Niger, IV.379
Syracuse, IV.477
Syria, I.205; III.124, 143, 148f, 493; IV.390, 395, 425, 429; V.350
Syrophoenician woman, IV.172, 489
Syrtis, IV.465
Tabernacle in the wilderness, II.217ff
-- and furnishings, II.217ff
-- tent, II.217ff
{524}
Tabernacle, ark, II.220
-- table, II.221
-- candlestick, II.221
-- altar of incense, II.222
-- -- burnt offering, II.222
-- court, II.225
Tabernacles, feast of, IV.190
Tabitha, IV.350
Tabor, mount, III.52f
Tahpanhes, V.326f
Talking with our Father, I.101
Tarshish, II.483; III.165, 171, 265, 493, 495; V.349f
Tarsus, IV.367, 375
Tebeth, III.64, 488
Tekoa, III.261; V.354
Temple, Solomon's, I.174
Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, IV.70f
Teresh, III.64, 70
Tertullus, IV.448
Thaddaeus, IV.95ff
Thanksgiving, the first, I.270
Thebez, II.337
Thessalonians, epistle to, V.423, 447
Thessalonica, IV.403f
Thomas, IV.95ff, 216, 254, 306f
"Three Taverns," IV.477
Thyatira, IV.396
-- church in, message to, V.462
Tiglath-pileser, III.295, 404, 408; V.267
Timnah, III.172, 295, 493
Timnath-serah, II.312
Timothy, IV.395, 404, 411, 418
-- first epistle to, V.444
-- second epistle to, V.448
Tiphsah, II.456
Tirhakah, V.274
Tirshatha, III.228
Tirzah, III.364, 368ff, 403, 495
Titus Justus, IV.411
Tobiah, III.217f, 225
Togarmah, V.349
Topheth, III.327; V.304f
Transfiguration of Jesus, IV.180
Trees, what Jesus said about, I.109
Tribute, question about, IV.240
Triumph, song of, III.54ff
Troas, IV.395f, 425, 495
Trophimus, IV.433
Tryphon, III.46Off
Tubal, V.349
"Twin Brothers," IV.477
Tyre, II.457, 497; III.233; IV.172, 429, 430; V.346ff
Ur of Chaldees, II.21, 27, 487
Uriah, II.430ff
Uriel, III.242
Urijah, priest, III.295f
Uz, V.181
Uzziah, III.287ff; V.264
"Valley of dry bones," V.352f
Vashti, III.60If
Vedan, V.350
Vial, II.357, 494
Vine, Jesus, the, IV.258f
Vineyard, Naboth's, III.127ff
-- parable of, Isaiah, V.280ff
Vision of Peter, IV.353f, 357
Visions, horsemen in the glen, V.402f
-- City of Peace, V.403f
-- golden candlestick, V.404
-- flying book, V.405
-- woman in the barrel, V.405f
-- chariot of the four winds, V.406f
-- of Heavenly City, V.476ff
Water from the rock, II.247ff
Widow, the poor, I.193
Widow's mite, IV.243
Winter, I.59
Wise Men, I.249ff; IV.41f,485
Zabad, III.280
Zacchaeus, the publican, IV.221f
Zadok, II.447f
Zalmon, II.334f
Zarephath, III.111, 114, 490
Zebadiah, III.257
Zebedee, IV.94
Zebidah, III.344
Zebulun, III.52, 306
Zechariah, prince, III.256, 261, 266
{525}
Zechariah, prophecies of, V.401
Zedekiah, king of Judah, III.348ff; V.309ff, 330
Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, III.378, 380
Zeeb, II.330
Zemaraim, mount, III.242
Zerah, III.248
Zeresh, III.70ff
Zeredah, II.466
Zerubbabel, V.398f
Zeruiah, II.443
Zibiah, III.277
Zichri, III.294
Zidon, II.457, 497; III.114, 490; V.349
Zimri, III.16l, 370, 373f
Zion, II.470; V.373
Ziph, wilderness of, II.406, 412
Ziphites, II.406, 412
Zipporah, II.141f
Zoar, II.25,487
Zophar, the Naamathite, V.184, 193, 196, 201, 204, 209, 213, 232
INDEX TO BIBLICAL PASSAGES
This index gives the pages of The Bible Story on which the
corresponding passages in the Bible may be found.
THE OLD TESTAMENT
Genesis
1-4, III.15-23
6-9, III.24-31
11:1-9, III.32
12-15, II.21-28
17-19, II.28-36
21-23, II.36-46
24, II.49-59
24:10ff, I.211ff
25:27-34, II.60
27-29, II.61-71
31:22-33:20, II.71-84
35, II.87f
37-50, II.91-132
Exodus
1:8-15:21, II.137-188
2, I.117f
15:22-17:16, II.191-197
19-20, II.201-204
32, II.204-212
34, II.212
35-40, II.214-237
Numbers
9:15-23, II.241f
10:11-13; 33-36, II.242
13:1-14:9, II.243-247
20, II.247-250
21, II.250-255
22-24, II.255-267
Deuteronomy
30:11-20, II.271f
31:1-8, II.268f
32:45-52, II.272
34, II.272f
Joshua
1-4, II.277-287
6, II.287-292
7, 8, II.294-300
9, 10, II.300-308
23, 24, II.308-312
Judges
3:12-30, II.315f
4, 5, III.51-59
6-8, II.319-331
9, II.332-337
14-16, III.172-182
Ruth, III.35-48
I Samuel
3:2-10, I.135f
3-4, II.338-346
8-11, II.349-360
13-15, II.360-375
16, I.139ff
16-20, II.382-406
23:14-24:22, II.412-417
25, II.417-424
26, II.406-411
28, II.375-380
31, II.380f
II Samuel
1, II.424-429
1:23-27, I.160
2:4-7, II.429
5:1-4, II.430
{526}
II Samuel
11:14-12:23, II.430-436
18, I.167ff; II.443-451
23:13-17, I.163f; II.438
24, II.438-442
I Kings
2:1-4, II.451
3:4ff, I.170ff
3:4-15, II.452f
4:21-34, II.455f
5, I.205ff
5-8, II.457-478
10, II.478-483
12, III.238-240
12:25-14:20, III.353-364
14:21-31, III.240f
15:1-8, III.242f
15:25-16:28, III.367-374
17:10ff, I.193ff
17-19, III.113-127
21, III.127-130
22, III.377-381
II Kings
1, III.382-386
2, III.130-137
3, III.387-392
4, 5, III.137-148
6:8-7:20, III.148-157
9, III.158-162
10, III.395-398
13, III.399f
13:14-20, III.162
14:23-29, III.40lf
15:8-31, III.402-408
16:7-10, V.267
17, III.411ff
24:18-25:21, III.348ff
II Chronicles
13:4-19, III.242ff
14-16, III.247-254
17, III.255f
19, 20, III.256-265
21, III.266ff
22:1-9, III.269f
22:10-23:21, III.272-276
24-36, III.277-329
Nehemiah
1, 2, III.212-218
4-6, III.218-227
8, III.227-231
12:27-43, III.23lf
13:15-31, III.233f
Esther, III.60-79
Job,
Selections from, V.181-232
Psalms
1, V.19
3, V.20
4, V.21
8, V.22
15, V.23
16, V.24
17, V.25
18:1-33; 46-50, V.26ff
19, V.30f
20, V.32
23, I.289f; V.35
24, V.36
25, V.37f
26, V.39
27, V.40f
29, V.42
30, V.45f
31, V.47ff
33, V.50f
34, V.52f
36:5-10, V.54
37:1-6, 23-27,
35-40, V.55f
40:1-11, V.57f
42, 43, V.61f
44, V.63ff
45, V.66f
46, V.68
47, V.69
48:1, 2, 9-14, V.70
50:1-15, V.73f
51:1-17, V.75f
57, V.77
61:1-4;
62:1,2,5-7, V.79
65, V.81f
66:1,2,4,8-10,
16-20, V.80
67, V.85
68:1-12, V.86
70, V.87
72:2-19, V.88f
77:11-20, V.90
80, V.91f
84, V.95f
85, V.97
86, V.98f
{527}
Psalms
87, V.100
89:1,2,5,
6,9,11-18, V.103
90, V.104f
91, V.106f
93, V.108
95, I.122
95:1-7, V.111
96, V.112
97, V.113
98, V.114
99, V.115
100, I.121f; V.116
102:24-27, V.117
103, V.118f
104, V.120ff
105, 106, V.123ff
107:1-43, V.130ff
113:1-8; 114, V.134f
115:1-8, V.136
116:1-18, V.137f
117, I.125; V.139
118, V.140ff
119:1-48,73-160, V.143ff
121, I.125; V.155
122, I.221f; V.156
126, V.157
130, V.158
133, V.159
134-136, V.160ff
137, I.222
139:1-12, 17,
18, 23, 24, V.164f
144, V.166f
145, V.168f
146-148; 150, V.170ff
Proverbs,
Selections from, I.501-504
Proverbs
1:20-33, V.249f
3:1-20, V.250f
4:14-19; 6:6-8, V.255
8, V.252ff
31:10-31, V.256f
Ecclesiastes
3:1-8, V.243f
12:1-7, V.245f
The Song of Solomon
2:2-4, V.235
2:10-17, V.236
4:8-16, V.237
6:1-3; 7:10-13, V.238
8:6-7, V.239
Isaiah
5, V.280-283
6:1-7:9, V.264-267
9:6,7, V.278
11:6-9, I.303
36,37, V.271-276
39, V.268
40:1-11, V.284f
42:10-13, V.279
52, V.286f
53, V.288f
54:11-17, V.290
55, V.291f
60, V.293-296
Jeremiah
1, V.298f
18, 19, V.302-305
22, 23, III.335-344
36, V.305-308
37-44, V.309-331
50, 51, V.331-343
Ezekiel
19, V.344-346
26, 27, V.346-352
37:1-14, V.352f
Daniel
1-6, III.183-209
Hosea
7, 8, V.363-365
11, V.365f
Joel,
Selections from, V.374-379
Amos
3-5, Selections from, V.356-362
7, V.354f
Obadiah, V.370-373
Jonah, III.165-171
Micah,
Selections from, V.367-369
Nahum,
Selections from, V.385-391
Habakkuk
2, 3, V.392-396
Zephaniah
1:14-3:17, V.380-384
Haggai
1:1-2:9, V.389-400
Zechariah 1-6,
Selections from, V.401-407
Malachi
3, 4, V.408f
THE APOCRYPHA
I Esdras
1:1-32, III.329-331
Judith, III.80-107
The Prayer of
Manasseh, III.320f
I Maccabees, III.418-482
{528}
THE NEW TESTAMENT
Matthew
2, IV.41-46
3, IV.65ff
5:1-12, I.130f
5-7, IV.105-118
6:26-30, I.106
7:16-20, I.109
9:27-31, IV.128
12:22-28, IV.170f
13:31ff, I.201f
18:1-5, IV.188
18:10-14, I.286f
18:21-35, IV.186
21:12-17, IV.237
25:14-46, IV.244-247
28:16-20, IV.310
Mark
1:16-20, IV.94
1:21-2:12, IV.125-128
2:13-17, IV.94f
4:3ff, I.126ff
4,5, IV.133-142
5:21ff, I.110ff
6:21-29, IV.154
6:30-50, IV.144-148
7:24-9:29, IV.172-182
10:17-27, IV.211f
10:35-45, IV.185-187
10:46-52, IV.221f
11:1-11, IV.233f
14:1-16, IV.248f
15:6-15, IV.276f
Luke
2:21; 29-30, I.109
2, IV.37-50
4:1-13, IV.70f
7:2-10, IV.121f
7:11-17, IV.130
7:18-35, IV.150-154
7:36-50, IV.169f
10:25-37, I.279f; IV.88f
12:16-21, IV.212
14, IV.207f
15, 16, IV.202-207
19:1-10, IV.222
20,21, IV.238-243
22:14-18, IV.249f
22:39-46, IV.264f
23:8-12, IV.275
24:13-35, IV.301f
John
1:29-4:42, IV.74-87
3:22-36, IV.149f
4:43-53, IV.92f
5, IV.167-171
6:22-71, IV.161-166
7-10, IV.190-201
10:1-15, I.285f
11, IV.215-220
11:55-12:5, IV.229f
12:20-30, IV.243f
13-17, IV.249-263
18:10-38, IV.267-275
19, IV.279-287
20:1-18, I.267f
20,21, IV.297-309
Acts
1:6-11, IV.31Of
2:1-5:11, IV.325-336
6-8, IV.339-349
9:1-31, IV.371-375
9:32-43, IV.350
10-12, IV.353-361
13-15, IV.376-391
15:36-18:22, IV.395-412
18:23-21:16, IV.418-430
21:17-28:31, IV.433-481
Romans
8:18-25, V.454
8:31-39, V.454f
11:33-36, V.444
12, V.415f
13:8-14, V.416f
14:7-17, V.419f
15:1-3, V.422
16:25-27, V.443
I Corinthians
3:9, V.443
3:10-15, V.440
3:16, 17, V.443
9:24-27, V.438
13, V.425
15:12-58, V.449ff
16:13, V.448
II Corinthians
4:7-5:1, V.451f
11:24-27, IV.482
Galatians
5:1, 7-9, V.439 {529}
5:22-6:10, V.422f
Ephesians
2:19-22, V.440
3:14-19, V.443
4:1-16, V.420f
4:25-32, V.421f
6:1-3, V.419
6:10-17, V.447f
Philippians
3:7-16, V.453f
3:20,21, V.453
4:8, V.424
4:11,12, V.420
Colossians
3:1-4, V.453
I Thessalonians
5:4-11, V.447
5:12-22, V.423
I Timothy
1:17, V.444
4:6-8, IV.482
6:11, 12, V.448
II Timothy
2:3,4, V.448
Hebrews
12:1, 2, V.439
Epistle of James,
Selections from, V.426-434
I John
3, 4, V.435-437
Revelation,
Selections from, V.456-478
INDEX TO POEMS
* Indicates titles of poems.
A fair little girl sat under a tree, I.472
A little word in kindness spoken, I.448
A swallow in the spring, I.451
Above the clear blue sky, I.242
Abroad in the meadows, to see the young lambs, I.343
All things bright and beautiful, I.476
Am I a soldier of the cross, IV.58
And now another day is gone, I.333
*Ant, The, I.329
April's gone, the king of showers, I.379
Art thou weary, art thou languid, V.487
As with gladness men of old, I.394
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, I.409
*Baby and Mamma, I.372
*Babylon, III.210
Baby's in the boat, I.424
*Belshazzar, III.211
Belshazzar is king! Belshazzar is lord, III.211
Blest land of Judea! thrice hallowed of song, II.15
*Bridge, The, I.446
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, IV.26
*Burial of Moses, The, II.274
By Nebo's lonely mountain, II.274
Calm on the listening ear of night, I.419
*Calvary, IV.225
Carol, sweetly carol, I.406
*Cave of Adullam, II.437
*Chambered Nautilus, The, I.477
*Children, I.459
*Child's Thought of God, I.483
Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day, IV.291
*Christmas Carol, A, I.393, 397, 402
*Christmas Hymns, I.389-420
*Christmas Tree, The, I.401
Come to me, O ye children, I.459
Comrades, haste! the tent's tall shading, II.198
*Cow, The, I.369
*Cradle Hymn, I.409
*Crossing the Bar, V.490
David and his three captains bold, II.437
*Day by Day, I.239
Dear Jesus, ever at my side, IV.292
Deep was the furrow in the royal brow, II.395
*Destruction of Sennacherib, The, III.315
Down in a green and shady bed, I.376
*Elixir, The, IV.157
*Evening Song, An, I.333
Every day has its dawn, I.239
*Fall of Jericho, The, II.293
*Farewell, I.471
*Field Daisy, The, I.353
*Finding of Moses, The, II.134
*Flower and the Lady, The, I.352
*Following the Master, V.487
From all that dwell below the skies, V.494
From Greenland's icy mountains, IV.318
{530}
*Gethsemane, IV.223
*Getting up, I.361
*Glorious Heavens, The, I.434
Glorious things of Thee are spoken, IV.319
*Glorious Zion, IV.319
God rest ye, merry gentlemen; let nothing you dismay, I.397
*Going to Bed, I.357, 371
*Going to Jesus, I.235
*Good Night and Good Morning, I.472
Gracious Saviour, holy Shepherd, I.313
*Guiding Star, The, I.394
Hail the night! All hail the morn, I.398
Hail to the Lord's Anointed, IV.102
Hark, hark, my soul, angelic songs are
swelling, I.487
Hark! the clock strikes from the steeple, I.423
Heaven is not reached at a single bound, I.77
How doth the little busy bee, I.327
How fair is the rose! What a beautiful flower, I.338
How fine has the day been! How bright
was the sun, I.346
How gentle God's commands, I.241
How glorious is our heavenly King, I.342
How proud we are! how fond to show, I.328
Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber, I.411
*Hymn by the Euphrates, III.316
I am a pebble and yield to none, I.438
I heard the voice of Jesus say, IV.158
I met a little cottage girl, I.454
I sing th' Almighty power of God, I.341
I stood on the bridge at midnight, I.446
I think, when I read that sweet story of old, I.237
If Fortune, with a smiling face, I.463
I'm a pretty little thing, I.353
I'm a very little child, I.354
Immortal love, forever full, IV.54
In heavenly love abiding, I.314
*Innocent Play, I.343
In the cross of Christ I glory, I.261
It came upon the midnight clear, IV.25
It chanced upon the merry, merry Christmas eve, I.402
Jesus calls us: o'er the tumult, IV.l01
Jesus, I my cross have taken, IV.57
Jesus, lover of my soul, V.483
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me, IV.100
Jesus shall reign where'er the sun, IV.317
Joy to the world, the Lord is come, IV.30
*Kindness, I.448
*Lamb, The, I.380
Lazy sheep, pray tell me why, I.366
Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom I.467; V.491
*Lead me on, II.238
Let dogs delight to bark and bite, I.344
*Light of Stars, The, I.452
Little baby, lay your head, I.371
*Little Child, The, I.354
Little drops of water, I.384
Little lamb, who made thee? I.380
*Little Voices, I.427
Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious, IV.226
Lord of all being; throned afar, I.233
*Lullaby, I.389, 484
*May Day Song, I.379
*Morning Hymns, I.71-78
"Morning Song, I.330
My country! 'tis of thee, V.492
My fairest child, I have no song to give you, I.471
My faith looks up to Thee, V.485
My God, who makes the sun to know, I.330
*Nearest Friend, The, IV.292
Nearer, my God, to Thee, V.481
*New Year's Eve, I.475
Now, my baby, ope your eye, I.361
Now the day is over, I.468
Now the spring is coming on, I.359
O God, beneath thy guiding hand, I.276
O little town of Bethlehem, I.250
O Love Divine, that stooped to share, IV.155
O Master, let me walk with Thee, IV.156
O Thou that wilt not break the bruised reed, III.316
Oft in the stilly night, I.445
{531}
Oh, what can little hands do, I.240
Oh, where is He that trod the sea? IV.99
Oh, worship the King, all-glorious above! IV.294
On our way rejoicing, I.234
Once in royal David's city, I.415
*One by one, I.461
One by one the sands are flowing, I.461
Onward, Christian soldiers, I.255
*Palestine, II.15
Pause in this desert! Here, men say, of old, III.210
*Pebble and the Acorn, The, I.438
*Perseverance, I.451
*Pilgrims of the Night, The, I.487
*Praise for Creation and Providence, I.341
*Praise to God, I.342
*Prayers for Little Children, I.319-324
Pretty flower, tell me why, I.352
*Psalm of Life, I.440
Put off, put off your mail, ye kings, and
beat your brands to dust, I.300
*Ready for Bed, I.423
Ride on! ride on in majesty, IV.224
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, I.475
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, V.489
*Rose, The, I.338
*Ruth, III.49
*Saul and David, II.395
Saviour, breathe an evening blessing, I.430
Saviour, like a shepherd lead us, I.309
See the dark vapors cloud the sky, I.375
*Seventh Plague of Egypt, The, II.162
She stood breast high amid the corn, III.49
*Sheep, The, I.366
*Shepherd Hymns, I.309-315
Sleep, baby, sleep, I.484
Sleep, baby, sleep. The mother sings, I.389
Slow glides the Nile: amid the margin flags, II.134
*Sluggard, The, I.334
*Snowdrop, The, I.359
Some murmur when their sky is clear, I.383
*Song of Peace, I.300
*Song of the Manna Gatherers, II.198
Sound, sound for ever, Clarions of Thought, II.293
*Star, The, I.350, 390
Still, still with Thee, my God, I.464; IV.293
Still, still with Thee when purple morning breaketh, I.78
*Summer, I.349
*Summer Evening, A, I.346
*Summer Rain, I.433
Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear, I.238
Sunset and evening star, V.490
Teach me, my God and King, IV.157
Tell me not, in mournful numbers, I.440
*Tempest, The, I.375
*Thanksgiving, Song of, I.75
Thank you, pretty cow, that made, I.369
The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, III.315
The breaking waves dashed high, I.271
The cock, who soundly sleeps at night, I.358
The day is done, and the darkness, I.481
The heats of Summer come hastily on, I.349
The King of love my Shepherd is, I.315
The Lord is my shepherd; no want shall I know, I.291
The Master has come over Jordan, I.235
The moon is up, the sun is gone, I.357
The morning light is breaking, IV.320
The mountain streams are silent, I.433
The night is come, but not too soon, I.452
The spacious firmament on high, I.434
The terror of the night has fled, I.268
The twilight falls, the night is near, I.429
The twilight is sad and cloudy, I.437
There came three kings, ere break of day, IV.29
There is a green hill far away, IV.225
There's a wonderful tree, a wonderful tree, I.401
These emmets, how little they are in our eyes, I.329
They followed the star the whole night through, I.390
They say that God lives very high, I.483
This is the ship of pearl, which, poets feign, I.477
*Three Kings, The, IV.29
{532}
*Time to Get Up, I.358
'Tis midnight,--and on Olive's brow, IV.223
'Tis the voice of the sluggard: I heard him complain, I.334
*To-day and To-morrow, I.463
Traveling to the better land, II.238
'Twas morn,--the rising splendor rolled, II.162
*Twilight, I.437
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, I.351
*Victor, The, IV.226
*Violet, The, I.376
Was there ever kindest shepherd, I.310
*We Are Seven, I.454
We plough the fields and scatter, I.75
We see Him come, and know Him ours, I.412
What a little thing am I, I.372
*What can Little Hands Do, I.240
What says the little brook, I.427
What sweeter music can we bring, I.393
Whatever brawls disturb the street, I.345
When morning gilds the skies, I.71
Whene'er I take my walks abroad, I.337
While shepherds watched their flocks by night, I.405
While Thee I seek, protecting Power, I.442
Who am I that shines so bright, I.365
Who am I with noble face, I.362
INDEX TO AUTHORS OF POEMS
Adams, Sarah Flower, V.481
Addison, I.434
Alexander, Mrs. Cecil Frances, I.415; II.274; IV.101, 225
Baker, Sir H. W., I.315
Baring-Gould, S., I.468
Blake, William, I.380
Bonar, Horatius, IV.158
Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham, I.384
Brooks, Phillips, I.250
Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, I.483
Burns, James Drummond, I.464; IV.293
Burns, Robert, I.324
Byron, Lord, III.315
Chandler, John, I.242
Claudius, Mathias, I.75
Colesworthy, I.448
Cooper, George, I.424
Cornwall, Barry, III.211
Croly, II.162
Dix, William C., I.394
Doddridge, Philip, I.241
Edmeston, James, I.430
Faber, Frederick William, I.310, 487; IV.292
Fabin, I.240
Fay, Ida, I.423
Gill, Julia, I.235
Gladden, Washington, IV.156
Gould, I.438
Grant, R., IV.294
Heber, Reginald, IV.26, 318
Herbert, George, IV.157
Herrick, Robert, I.324, 412
Holland, J. G., I.77
Holmes, Oliver Wendell, I.233, 477; IV.155
Hood, Thomas, III.49
Hopper, E., IV.100
Houghton, Lord, I.472
Hugo, Victor, II.293
Keble, John, I.238, 379, 476; II.198
Kelly, Thomas, IV.226
Kingsley, Charles, I.402, 471
Lamb, Charles, II.437
Leeson, Jane E., I.313
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, I.437, 440, 446, 452, 459, 481
Luke, Jemima Thompson, I.237
Luther, Martin, I.409
Lynch, Thomas T., IV.99
Lyte, Henry Francis, IV.57
Milman, Henry Hart, III.316; IV.224
Monsell, James Samuel Bewley, I.234
Montgomery, James, IV.102
{533}
Moore, Thomas, I.445
Mulock, Dinah Maria, I.397
Newman, John Henry, I.467; V.491
Newton, J., IV.319
Palmer, Ray, V.485
Procter, Adelaide Ann, I.461
Ruskin, John, I.299
Sears, Edmund Hamilton, I.419; IV.25
Smith, Samuel F., IV.320; V.492
Stowe, Harriet Beecher, I.78
Symonds, John Addington, I.389
Tappan, W. B., IV.223
Taylor, Ann, I.365
Taylor, Jane, I.349-362, 366-376
Tennyson, Alfred, I.475; V.490
Thrupp, Dorothy Ann, I.309
Toplady, Augustus Montague, V.489
Trench, Archbishop, I.383
Waring, Anna L., I.314
Watts, Isaac, I.327-346, 411; IV.31, 58, 317; V.494
Wesley, Rev. Charles, IV.291; V.483
Whittemore, J., I.313
Whittier, John Greenleaf, II.15; IV.54
Williams, Helen Maria, I.442
Wordsworth, William, I.454
INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS
Abraham, Traditional Oak of, II.24
Acropolis at Athens, V.442
Adoration of the Angels, _Adolph Bouguereau_, I.426
Adoration of the Children, _Gherado delle Notte_, I.414
Age of Innocence, _Sir Joshua Reynolds_, I.382
Aijalon, Valley of, II.364
Along the Appian Way, the Great Roman Aqueduct, IV.476
Anathoth, the Home of Jeremiah, V.316
Angel, Head of, I.486
Announcement to the Shepherds, _Bernard Plockhorst_, I.388
Antioch, V.446
Aphamea, Site of, III.454
Appian Way, IV.472
Appian Way, The Great Roman Aqueduct, IV.476
Ark, Building The, _W. Scott_, III.Frontispiece
Ascalon, III.474
Ascension of Christ, _G. Biermann_, IV.312
Assos, Harbor of, IV.424
Athens, Acropolis at, V.442
Athens, Harbor of Piraeus, IV.398
Athens, Parthenon, IV.406
Autumn Woods, I.54
Barley Harvest near Bethlehem, III.478
Beautiful Nazareth: Outlook from Hills above
Town to Historic Esdraelon, I.88
Bedouins with Camels in the Plain near Mount Sinai, V.94
Bethany, I.92; IV.218
Bethel, II.86
Bethel, Ruins of, III.498
Bethlehem, I.138; IV.28, 32
Bethlehem, Church of the Nativity, III.492; IV.36
Bethlehem, at Sunset, I.248
Beth-Shan, Ruins of Roman Bridge, II.372
Boy and Dog, _Blume_, I.298
Building the Ark, W. Scott, III.Frontispiece
Caesar Augustus, IV.444
Caesarea-Philippi, IV.174
Camel Merchants, I.176
Camel Rider, II.58
Camels, Loading at Jerusalem, I.204
Camp in the Desert, II.318
Cana, Children at, I.172
Capernaum, Ruins of the Synagogue, IV.120
Cape Sunion, IV.432
Caravan Loading for Journey, II.94
Carpenter Shop, IV.56
Carmel, Mount, V.154
Child with Dog, _Sir Joshua Reynolds_, I.374
Children at Cana, I.172
Children of Nazareth, I.216
{534}
Children of The Shell, Murillo, I.480
Christ and his Disciples on the Way to
Emmaus, _Bernard Plockhorst_, IV.304
Christ and John the Baptist, _Guido Reni_, IV.152
Christ and the Rich Ruler, _Heinrich Hofmann_, IV.210
Christ: Ascension of Christ, _G. Biermann_, IV.312
Christ before Pilate, _Munkacsy_, IV.274
Christ, Head of, _Leonardo da Vinci_, IV.256
Christ in Gethsemane, _Heinrich Hofmann_, IV.266
Christ in the Temple, Finding of, _Holman Hunt_, IV.52
Christmas Bells, _Edwin Howland Blashfield_, I.474
Coming of the Magi, I.408
Corinth, Ruins at, IV.410
Corinth, Ruins of the Temple of Jupiter, V.418, 432
Corinth, Temple of Apollo, IV.402
Corner of Old Wall at Damascus, IV.378
Crete, Island of, "Fair Havens," IV.454
Damascus, III.406; IV.378
Damascus, Corner of Old Wall at, IV.378
Damascus, River Abana, III.410
Dan, Site of Ancient, II.340
Daniel in the Lions' Den, _Vernet_, III.204
Dar el Bahari, Temple of, II.170
David, _Michael Angelo_, II.384
Dead Sea, I.228; II.34, 258
Desert Warriors, II.322
Divine Mother and the Child, _Murillo_, I.30
Divine Shepherd, The, _Murillo_, I.336
Dog, Head of, I.294
Druse Family, I.134
Easter Dawn, The First, _J. K. Thompson_, I.264
Egypt, Date Palms, II.102, 148
Egypt, Great Statues of Memnon, I.192
Egypt, Luxor, II.128, 170
Egypt, Nile, The, I.120; II.148, 154
Egypt, Pyramids, I.124, 180;
II.98, 110, 140
Egypt, Pyramids and the Sphinx, I.124
Egypt, Temple on the Island of Philae, I.116
Egypt, Thebes, II.176, 182
Elimelech, Family of, Going to Moab, _Bida_, III.38
Elisha Raises the Shunammite's Son, III.140
En-dor, II.378
En-Rogel, from the South, II.490
Ephesus, Ruins of the Aqueduct, V.458
Ephesus, The Traditional Tomb of St. Luke at, V.466
Esdraelon, Plain of, II.328
Famous Monastery of Saint Catherine in
the Shadow of Mount Sinai, II.210
Finding of Christ in the Temple, _Holman Hunt_, IV.52
Flight into Egypt, _W. A. Bouguereau_, IV.40
Flood, End of the, _Moritz Oppenheim_, III.28
Following the Star, _Sidney H. Riesenberg_, I.Frontispiece
Four Thousand Years unchanged Patriarchal
Life in Palestine To-day, II.234
Galilee, Lake of, I.108; III.462; IV.146
Gathering Tares in Stony Fields near Bethel, IV.22
Gerizim, Mount, III.366
Going to the Doctor, I.200
Golden Gate, III.216; IV.322
Good Samaritan, Inn of the, IV.90
Good Shepherd, The, _W. C. T. Dobson_, I.288
Good Shepherd, The, _Bernard Plockhorst_, I.308
Great Stairway approaching Herod's Temple
at Samaria, III.350
Greek Temple, The, _C. A. Widmarsky_, V.Frontispiece.
Greek Theater at Miletus, Ruins of, IV.420
Hagar and Ishmael, _Cazin_, II.38
Head of Christ, _Leonardo da Vinci_, IV.256
Hebron, I.166; 11.44, 74
Hebron, Traditional Oak of Abraham, III.24
Hermon, Mount, III.372; V.60
Hezekiah, Pool of, III.298
Hill of the Golden Calf (Jebel Aaron) and
its Moslem Tower below the Ridge of Sinai, II.206
Holy Family, _Carl Mueller_, I.404
Holy Family, Flight into Egypt, _W. A. Bouguereau_, IV.40
Holy Family, Repose in Egypt, IV.44
Holy Night, Correggio, I.396
{535}
Hor, View from Mount, II.230
Horeb, Mount, II.240
House, An Eastern, I.188
Housetop, Praying on, III.192
Inn of the Good Samaritan, IV.90
Island of Naxos, IV.432
Jabbok, Valley of, II.78
Jacob's Dream, _Murillo_, II.64
Jaffa, the Ancient Joppa, III.168, 458
Jehoshaphat, Valley of, from North, III.264
Jehoshaphat, Valley of, from South, III.252
Jehoshaphat, Valley of, Tombs in, III.260
Jericho, Fountain of Elijah, III.126
--Mounds marking site, II.280
--Plain of, II.290; III.394
--Ruins at, III.390
Jerusalem, III.230, 466, 470
--Church of the Holy Sepulcher, IV.284
--"David Street," II.428
--from Citadel, II.480
--from Mount of Olives, II.474
--from Northeast, II.496
--from West, III.290, 342
--from the Well of En-Rogel, II.446
--Golden Gate, III.216; IV.322
--Jews' Wailing Place, III.244
--looking along the Northern Wall, III.484
--looking toward Bethlehem, II.14
--looking up through Valley of Hinnom, II.422
--Mosque of Omar, II.468; III.224
--Mosque of Omar and the Ancient Temple Area, II.464
--Old Street of, III.334
--outside East Wall, Golden Gate at left, III.216
--Pool of Hezekiah, III.298
--Saint Stephen's Gate, IV.338
--Street in, II.416; V.300
--Street Leading to the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, IV.278
Jesus, Adoration of the Angels, _Adolph Bouguereau_, I.426
--Adoration of the Children, _Gherado delle Notte_, I.414
--and John, _Murillo_, I.436
--and the Fishermen, _Zimmermann_, IV.76
--and the Little Girl, _Gustav Richter_, I.112
--and the Money Changers, _Heinrich Hofmann_, IV.236
--and the Woman of Samaria, _Heinrich Hofmann_, IV.84
--Announcement to the Shepherds,
_Bernard Plockhorst_, I.388
--at the Door, _Carl Schönherr_, IV.184
--Blessing the Little Children,
_Bernard Plockhorst_, I.236
--Boy, The, _Winterstein_, I.74
--Boy, on his Way to Jerusalem, _O. Mengelberg_, IV.48
--Coming of the Magi, I.408
--Divine Mother and the Child, _Murillo_, I.30
--Entering Jerusalem in Triumph,
_Bernard Plockhorst_, I.254
--Healing the Sick, _Heinrich Hofmann_, I.104
--in the Home of Mary and Martha, _Siemiradski_, I.260
--in the Temple, _Holman Hunt_, I.458
--Knocking at the Door, _Heinrich Hofmann_, I.498
--Lord, The, _Heinrich Hofmann_, IV.164
--Preaching by the Seaside, IV.132
--Preaching the Sermon on the Mount, IV.114
--Shepherd, The Divine, _Murillo_, I.336
--Shepherd, The Good, _W. C. T. Dobson_, I.288
--Shepherd, The Good, _Bernard Plockhorst_, I.308
--Taking Leave of his Mother, _Bernard Plockhorst_, IV.68
--Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, IV.232
--Women at the Tomb of, IV.300
--Women at the Tomb of, _Bouguereau_, IV.290
John, Saint, The Evangelist, _Dolci_, V.472
Joppa, III.458
--looking from the Sea, III.168
Jordan, Lower Fords of the, II.284; IV.64
--Plain of the, III.126
--Sources of the, the Ancient Dan, II.340
Joseph the Prime Minister Greeting his Family,
_E. Martin Hennings_, II.Frontispiece
{536}
Joshua, Tomb of, at Timneh, II.31O
Judaea, Wilderness of, II.404
Kidron, Valley of, II.398; III.252, 274
Lachish, Digging in the mound at, III.310
Last Supper, The, _Leonardo da Vinci_, IV.252
Lebanon, Cedar of, II.454
--Range and a Grove of Cedars, II.460
--Village in, V.44
Lepers at the Leper Hospital, Jerusalem, III.150
Light of the World, The, _Holman Hunt_, I.466
"Lo, I Stand at the Door and Knock,"
_Carl Schönherr_, IV.184
Looking across the Red Sea from Sinai toward Egypt, II.186
Lost Lamb Found, _P. Giradet_, I.312
Luxor, Cliffs near Temple of Dar el Bahari, II.170
--View in, II.128
Lydda, IV.352
Madonna, _Murillo_, I.450
--and Child, I.418
--and Child, _Carlo Dolci_, I.340
--and Child, _Georg Papperitz_, I.364
--and Child, _Sichel_, I.392
--della Tenda, _Raphael_, I.444
--Granduca, _Raphael_, I.356
--of the Angels, _Adolph Bouguereau_, I.332
--of the Harpies, _Andrea del Sarto_, I.432
--The Pitti, _Murillo_, I.348
--The Sistine, _Raphael_, I.220
Magi, Coming of the, I.408
Malta, IV.468
Mar-sarba, Convent of, I.154; V.358
Massada, Ruins of Fortress at, II.404
"Mater Amabilis in Gloria," _Bodenhausen_, I.42
Memnon, Great Statues of, I.192
Merchants, Camel, I.176
Miletus, Ruins of Greek Theater, IV.420
Mizpah, The Ancient, II.356
Moabite Stone, The, III.376
Moses, _Sargent_, II.90
--on Mount Nebo, _Thomas Nast_, II.270
--Smiting the Rock, _Murillo_, II.246
Mother, The Little, _Ferruzzi_, I.470
Mountains, The, I.66
Mount of Beatitudes, looking Northeast from, IV. 108
--of Olives, IV.242, 260
Nablous, Ancient Shechem, II.82
Naxos, Island of, IV.432
Nativity, The, I.400
--_Lerolle_, IV.16
Nazareth, I.88, 100; IV.60
--Children of, I.216
Nebo, Moses on Mount, _Thomas Nast_, II.270
Nile, Banks near Cairo, II.148
--The River, I.120; II.154
Olympus, Distant Views of, IV.428
Omar, Mosque of, II.464; III.224
--Interior, II.468
On Guard, I.302
Palestine, On the Coast of, at Sunset, V.110
Palms, Date, in Egypt, II.102
Parthenon, IV.406
Pass of Upper Beth-Horon from the South,
the Scene of Many Hebron Victories, III.102
Paul and the Roman Centurion, Shipwreck,
_E. Martin Hennings_, IV.366
--Appian Way traveled by, IV.472
--Saint, _Raphael_, IV.366
--Ship of, when Caught in the Euroclydon, IV.460
--Ship on which he Sailed for Rome just
before the Wreck, IV.464
--Statue of, on the Island of Malta, IV.480
Petra, Rock Temple in, II.252
Philae, Temple on, I.116
Philistia, Water Works in, I.142
Plowing in the Lands of the Bible, I.84
--in Palestine, I.50
Praying on a housetop, III.192
"Prophets, The," _Sargent_, V.262, 372, 382, 390
Puteoli, where Paul Disembarked, IV.440
Pyramids and the Sphinx, I.124; II.98
--One of the, I.180
--with Village in the Foreground, II.11O
Quiet Afternoon in the Upland Pastures, I.34
{537}
Rabbath Ammon, Ruins of, II.434
Rebekah, _Goodall_, II.54
--and Eliezer, _Thorwaldsen_, II.48
Repose in Egypt, IV.44
Resting beneath the Trees, _Corot_, I.38
Resting Place under the Palms at the
"Spring of Moses" in the Wilderness of Sinai, II.l94
River, The, V.84
River Kishon and Mount Carmel, III.56
Road from Jerusalem to Jericho, III.132; V.270
Road near Tiberias, I.196
Road Running Eastward from Upper Beth-Horon, II.304
Rock of Elijah's Altar on Mount Carmel, and
Outlook North over the Plain of Esdraelon, III.118
Ruins of an Ancient City, III.430
Ruth in the Harvest Fields of Boaz, _Brück-Lajos_, III.44
Salonica, IV.436
Samaria, from the South, III.384
--Ruins of, III.156, 360
Samuel, The Infant, _Reynolds_, I.46
Scene of the Fight between David and
Goliath in the Valley of Elah, II.388
Sea, The, I.62
Shechem, II.82, 336
Sheep, V.34
Sheep, _Jacque_, I.278
--_Rosa Bonheur_, I.378
Shepherd and Sheep, I.146, 210, 284;
II.190, 410; V.72
Shepherd, The Divine, _Murillo_, I.336
Shepherd, The Good, _W. C. T. Dobson_, I.288
Shepherd, The Good, _Bernard Plockhorst_, I.308
Shiloh, Ruins of, II.344
Ship of Paul when Caught in the Euroclydon, IV.460
Ship on which Paul Sailed for Rome just
before the Wreck, IV.464
Shipwreck--Paul and the Roman Centurion,
_E. Martin Hennings_, IV.366
Shunammite Boy, III.146
Shunem Village, III.136
Sidon, on Road from Tyre, III.436
--Ruins of the Castle at, III.442
Siloam, Pool of, III.304
Siloam, Village of, III.274
Sinai, Wilderness of, II.200
Sorek, Valley of, III.180
Soul's Awakening, The, _James Sant_, I.322
Sphinx, II.140
Star, Following the, _Sidney H, Riesenberg_, I.Frontispiece
Star, The Wise Men and the, _B. A. Devine_, IV.Frontispiece
Street of an Ancient Eastern City, III.356
Sunion, Cape, IV.432
Syracuse, IV.440
Tabor, Mount, V.102
Tarsus, looking Northeast toward Taurus Mountains, IV.374
Tempe, Vale of, IV.414
Thebes, Temple at, I.184
--Valley of Tombs of Kings, II.176, 182
Threshing, I.128, 274
--Floor, II.440
Tiberias, I.96; IV.138
Tomb at Timneh, called the Tomb of Joshua, II.310
Tombs in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, III.260
--near Jerusalem, II.450
--of the Kings, north of Jerusalem, III.284
--of the Kings, Valley of the, at Thebes, II.176, 182
Tomb of Rachel, I.150
Traditional Spot on which Moses read the
Ten Commandments, II.224
View from Ramah, the Traditional Home of Samuel, II.136
View of the Dead Sea, II.258
Warriors, Desert, II.322
Water Works in Old Philistia, I.142
Wilderness of the Brook Cherith, III.126
--of Sinai, II.200
--of the Temptation, IV.72
--on the Road from Jerusalem to Jericho, V.270
Winnowing, I.158
Winnowing of Grain after Threshing in Egypt, I.162
Winter, I.58
Wise Men and the Star, _B. A. Devine_, IV.Frontispiece
Women Grinding at the Mill, V.176
Women at the Tomb, _Bouguereau_, IV.290
Women at the Tomb, IV.300
Wounded Lamb, The, _Von Bremen_, I.368
{538}
INDEX TO ARTISTS
Bida, Alexandre,
The Family of Elimelech Going to Moab, III.38
Biermann, G.,
Ascension of Christ, IV.312
Blashfield, Edwin Howland,
Christmas Bells, I.474
Blume,
Boy and Dog, I.298
Bodenhausen,
"Mater Amabilis in Gloria," I.42
Bonheur, Rosa,
Sheep, I.378
Bouguereau, Adolph,
Flight into Egypt, IV.40
Madonna of the Angels, I.332
The Adoration of the Angels, I.426
Women at the Tomb, IV.290
Brück-Lajos,
Ruth in the Harvest Fields of Boaz, III.44
Cazin,
Hagar and Ishmael, II.38
Corot,
Resting Beneath the Trees, I.38
Correggio,
The Holy Night, I.396
Devine, B. A.,
Wise Men and the Star, IV.Frontispiece
Dobson, W. C. T.,
The Good Shepherd, I.288
Dolci, Carlo,
Madonna and Child, I.340
Saint John the Evangelist, V.472
Ferruzzi,
The Little Mother, I.470
Giradet, P.,
The Lost Lamb Found, I.312
Goodall,
Rebekah, II.54
Hennings, E. Martin,
Joseph the Prime Minister Greeting his Family, II.Frontispiece
The Shipwreck-Paul and the Roman Centurion, IV.366
Hofmann, Heinrich,
Christ and the Rich Ruler, IV.21O
Christ in Gethsemane, IV.266
Jesus and the Money Changers, IV.236
Jesus and the Woman of Samaria, IV.84
Jesus Healing the Sick, I.104
Jesus Knocking at the Door, I.498
The Lord Jesus, IV.164
Hunt, Holman,
Finding of Christ in the Temple, IV.52
Jesus in the Temple, I.458
The Light of the World, I.466
Jacque,
Sheep, I.278
Lerolle,
The Nativity, IV.16
Mengelberg, O.,
The Boy Jesus on his Way to Jerusalem, IV.48
Michael Angelo,
David, II.384
Mueller, Carl,
The Holy Family, I.404
Munkacsy,
Christ before Pilate, IV.274
Murillo,
Divine Mother and the Child, I.30
Divine Shepherd, The, I.336
Jacob's Dream, II.64
Jesus and John, I.436
Madonna, I.450
Moses Smiting the Rock, II.246
The Children of the Shell, I.480
The Pitti Madonna, I.348
Nast, Thomas,
Moses on Mount Nebo, II.270
Notte, Gherado delle,
The Adoration of the Children I.414
Oppenheim, Moritz,
The End of the Flood, III.28
Papperitz, Georg,
Madonna and Child, I.364
Plockhorst, Bernard,
Christ and his Disciples on the Way to Emmaus, IV.304
Jesus Blessing the Little Children I.236
Jesus Entering Jerusalem in Triumph, I.254
Jesus Taking Leave of his Mother, IV.68
The Announcement to the Shepherds, I.388
The Good Shepherd, I.308
Raphael,
Madonna della Tenda, I.444
Saint Paul, IV.364 {539}
The Granduca Madonna, I.356
The Sistine Madonna, I.220
Reni Guido,
Christ and John the Baptist, IV.152
Reynolds, Joshua,
Child with Dog, I.374
The Age of Innocence, I.382
The Infant Samuel, I.46
Richter, Gustav,
Jesus and the Little Girl, I.112
Riesenberg, Sidney H.,
Following the Star, I.Frontispiece
Sant, James,
The Soul's Awakening, I.322
Sargent,
The Prophets, V.262, 372, 382, 390
Moses, II.90
Sarto, Andrea del,
The Madonna of the Harpies, I.432
Schönherr, Carl,
"Lo! I Stand at the Door and Knock," IV.184
Scott, W.,
Building the Ark, III.Frontispiece
Sichel,
Madonna and Child, I.392
Siemiradski,
Jesus in the Home of Mary and Martha, I.260
Thompson, J. K.,
The First Easter Dawn, I.264
Thorwaldsen,
Rebekah and Eliezer, II.48
Vernet,
Daniel in the Lions' Den, III.204
Vinci, Leonardo da,
Head of Christ, IV.256
The Last Supper, IV.252
Von Bremen,
The Wounded Lamb, I.368
Widmarsky, C. A.,
The Greek Temple, V.Frontispiece
Winterstein,
The Boy Jesus, I.74
Zimmermann,
Jesus and the Fishermen, IV.76
INDEX TO MAPS
Christ's Journey to Jerusalem, IV.123
Christ's Last Journey, IV.213
Elijah's Travels, III.112
Palestine, Time of The New Testament, IV.24
Palestine, Time of the Old Testament, III.14
Paul's First Journey, IV.381
Paul's Second Journey, IV.393
Paul's Third Journey, IV.415
Paul's Journey to Rome, IV.449
[End of "VOLUME FIVE: SONGS OF THE AGES"]
[End of volume set.]
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