{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_36956/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_36956","id":"gutenberg_36956","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36956","summary":null,"tags":["Bible. Old Testament -- Textbooks","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Teaching & Education"],"text":"\n\n\n\nProduced by Heiko Evermann, Hazel Batey, and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net;\nscanned by Fox in the Stars from the collection of Brays\nAdvent Christian Church in Iberia, Missouri\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n CONSTRUCTIVE BIBLE STUDIES\n\n EDITED BY\n\n ERNEST D. BURTON\n\n\n\n\n HEROES OF ISRAEL\n\n\n\n\n THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS\n CHICAGO, ILLINOIS\n\n Agents\n THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY\n NEW YORK\n\n THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS\n LONDON AND EDINBURGH\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: THE SEMITIC WORLD]\n\n\n\n\n HEROES OF ISRAEL\n\n TEXT OF THE HERO STORIES WITH NOTES AND QUESTIONS FOR YOUNG STUDENTS\n\n _By_\n\n THEODORE GERALD SOARES\n _Professor of Homiletics and Religious Education in the_\n _University of Chicago_\n\n\n\n\n THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS\n\n\n\n\n COPYRIGHT 1908 BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO\n\n All Rights Reserved\n\n Published January 1909\n Second Impression September 1909\n Third Impression December 1909\n Second Edition October 1911\n\n\n\n\n\n Composed and Printed By The University of Chicago Press\n Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.\n\n\n\n\n TO MY FATHER MY FIRST HERO\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE\n\n\nIt is the purpose to present these Hero Studies in two books, one being\nthe present volume which is intended as a textbook for the students, the\nother being the teacher's manual with fuller explanations and\nsuggestions. The necessary prefatory statements will be found in the\nrespective books under the titles \"Foreword to the Student\" and\n\"Foreword to the Teacher\".\n\nThis volume contains the text of the stories, with explanatory notes and\nquestions intended to stimulate study. Each lesson consists of a\ncomplete story arranged in such a way as to impress the main features of\nthe narrative clearly upon the student's mind. The explanatory material\nis reduced to the minimum, since the main desire is to let the stories\nspeak for themselves and not to burden the student with wearisome\ndetails. The three reviews divide the course into the three natural\nparts, the first extending to Christmas, the second to the end of March,\nthe third, which is shorter, to the middle of June, when it is usually\nwise for the regular courses to end.\n\nThe text of the British Revisers is used in the reprint of the stories\nwith the consent and approval of the Oxford and Cambridge University\npresses. As the plan of simplifying the narratives involved certain\nverbal changes, it has seemed wise to go a step farther and to use the\nspellings which would be more familiar to American students.\n\nFor constant suggestions as to form and method I am greatly indebted to\nmy wife, who has taught the lessons from advance sheets to a class of\nboys. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the valuable counsel of Professor\nE. D. Burton, the editor of the series, and especially that of Professor\nJ. M. P. Smith, who at Professor Burton's request, and to my own great\nsatisfaction, assumed the editorial responsibility of reading the\nmanuscript, and gave me the benefit of his ripe scholarship and\njudgment.\n\n T. G. S.\n\n July 29, 1908\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n Page\n\n FOREWORD TO THE STUDENT xv\n\n CHAPTER\n\n I. ABRAHAM, THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL 1\n\n II. ABRAHAM, THE MAGNANIMOUS 9\n\n III. ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 16\n\n IV. JACOB, THE CLEVER 29\n\n V. ISRAEL, THE GODLY 41\n\n VI. JOSEPH, THE SLAVE 51\n\n VII. JOSEPH, THE RULER 60\n\n VIII. JOSEPH, THE GENEROUS 70\n\n IX. MOSES' EARLY LIFE 85\n\n X. MOSES' COMMISSION 94\n\n XI. MOSES, THE DELIVERER 104\n\n XII. MOSES, THE LAWGIVER 117\n\n XIII. REVIEW: THE HEROES OF ISRAEL'S WANDERINGS 129\n\n XIV. JOSHUA AND CALEB 135\n\n XV. GIDEON, THE WARRIOR 147\n\n XVI. SAMSON, THE STRONG MAN 158\n\n XVII. RUTH, THE FOREIGNER 171\n\n XVIII. SAMUEL AND ELI 187\n\n XIX. SAMUEL AND SAUL 200\n\n XX. JONATHAN'S VICTORY 211\n\n XXI. DAVID AND THE GIANT 223\n\n XXII. THE HERO FRIENDS, DAVID AND JONATHAN 237\n\n XXIII. DAVID, THE OUTLAW 247\n\n XXIV. DAVID, THE KING 260\n\n XXV. DAVID AND HIS REBEL SON 270\n\n XXVI. REVIEW: TEN HEROES OF ISRAEL 283\n\n XXVII. SOLOMON, THE WISE KING 289\n\n XXVIII. ELIJAH, THE CHAMPION OF PURE RELIGION 303\n\n XXIX. ELIJAH, THE CHAMPION OF JUSTICE 317\n\n XXX. ELISHA, THE HEALER AND COUNSELOR 328\n\n XXXI. NEHEMIAH, THE BUILDER 339\n\n XXXII. ESTHER, THE PATRIOT QUEEN 351\n\n XXXIII. JUDAS, THE HAMMERER 364\n\n XXXIV. DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS 373\n\n XXXV. REVIEW: SEVEN HEROIC NAMES 385\n\n\n\n\n\nMAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n Page\n\n MAP OF THE SEMITIC WORLD Frontispiece\n\n A CARAVAN IN PALESTINE 5\n\n MAP OF CANAAN opposite 47\n\n THE SEAL OF THE GRAND VIZIER OF RAMSES II 66\n\n PORTRAIT STATUES OF RAMSES II 88\n\n ORIENTAL SANDALS 95\n\n BRICK-MAKING IN EGYPT 102\n\n MOSES 118\n\n WINNOWING GRAIN 179\n\n A PHILISTINE 212\n\n DAVID 226\n\n CEDARS OF LEBANON 294\n\n ESTHER'S PALACE 357\n\n\n\n\nFOREWORD TO THE STUDENT\n\n\n1. We are to study the heroes of Israel. What is a hero? We use this\nword of the chief character in a book or of one who does a very noble\ndeed. It is also applied to the great men of the past, who have done\ndeeds that have made their names famous in story and who have been the\nmakers of nations. Call to mind some American heroes.\n\n2. Why should we study the heroes of Israel? For three reasons: (1) The\nstories are very interesting and full of adventure. (2) Israel played a\nmost important part in the world's history. The Jews, who now represent\nIsrael, are no longer a nation, and unhappily they are often very badly\ntreated, but they have many noble qualities. We owe some of the best\nthings in our modern civilization to the men of old Israel. We shall\nfind a great value in reading their story. (3) The questions of duty and\nreligion that often puzzle us are very old questions. They came to these\nmen thousands of years ago. We shall find them clearer to us as we read\nhow the old heroes struggled with their difficulties.\n\n3. How shall we study? The stories of the heroes are in the Old\nTestament, but in order to bring them together, and to separate them\nfrom other matter which is less profitable for young people to study\nthey have been reprinted in this book. Most of the more difficult names\nhave been omitted, together with everything that would take from the\ninterest in the story. Each chapter is divided into three parts: The\nStory, The Meaning of the Story, and the Written Review. In preparing\nthe lesson, the story should be read through first. It would be a very\ngood plan to read it aloud to someone. Then take up the suggestions in\nthe second part of the lesson, one at a time, and look up the sections\nof the story to find answers to the questions. When special Scripture\nreferences are given look them up, and use the maps whenever directions\nare given to that effect. When you have finished the study read the\nwhole story through again and be sure that you understand it.\n\nThe Written Review is very important. Have a notebook in which you will\nwrite the review stories every week. The best time to write the review\nstory is soon after the meeting of the class, while the lesson is still\nfresh in memory. Always read the story of the hero again before you\nwrite the review. Keep the notebook neat. It is a good plan to write the\nexercise in pencil first and then copy it into the book in ink. At the\nend of the year you will have a good-sized book full of your own hero\nstories.\n\nA careful study of these lessons will make you acquainted with a score\nof the mighty men of the past. Many of them you will wish to keep as\nlife-long friends.\n\n\n\n\nABRAHAM\n\n\n I. ABRAHAM, THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL\n\n II. ABRAHAM, THE MAGNANIMOUS\n\n III. ABRAHAM AND ISAAC\n\n\n\n\n\nABRAHAM, THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.1. The Old Home of Abraham= (Gen. 11:31)\n\nTerah took Abraham his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his son's son, and\nSarah his daughter-in-law, his son Abraham's wife; and they went forth\nwith them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and\nthey came unto Haran, and dwelt there, and Terah died in Haran.\n\n\n=Sec.2. The Journey Westward= (Gen. 12:1-5)\n\nNow the Lord said unto Abraham, \"Get thee out of thy country, and from\nthy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show\nthee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and\nmake thy name great; and be thou a blessing: and I will bless them that\nbless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall\nall the families of the earth be blessed.\"\n\nSo Abraham went, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him:\nand Abraham was seventy and five years old when he departed out of\nHaran. And Abraham took Sarah his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and\nall their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had\ngotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan:\nand into the land of Canaan they came.\n\n\n=Sec.3. Abraham's Altars= (Gen. 12:6-9)\n\nAnd Abraham passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the\noak of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.\n\nAnd the Lord appeared unto Abraham and said, \"Unto thy seed will I give\nthis land.\" And there built he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto\nhim.\n\nAnd he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and\npitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east: and\nthere he built an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the\nLord. And Abraham journeyed, going on still toward the South.\n\n\n=Sec.4. A Test of Courage= (Gen. 12:10-20)\n\nAnd there was a famine in the land: and Abraham went down into Egypt to\nsojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass,\nwhen he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarah his\nwife, \"Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: and\nit shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they\nshall say, 'This is his wife': and they will kill me, but they will save\nthee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well\nwith me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, that, when Abraham was come into Egypt, the\nEgyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. And the princes of\nPharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken\ninto Pharaoh's house. And he treated Abraham well for her sake: and he\nhad sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and menservants, and maidservants,\nand she-asses, and camels. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house\nwith great plagues because of Sarah Abraham's wife.\n\n[Illustration: A CARAVAN IN PALESTINE]\n\nAnd Pharaoh called Abraham, and said, \"What is this that thou hast done\nunto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst\nthou, She is my sister? so that I took her to be my wife: now therefore\nbehold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.\"\n\nAnd Pharaoh gave men charge concerning him: and they brought him on the\nway, and his wife, and all that he had.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n1 (Sec.1). We begin with the man to whom Israel looked back as their first\ngreat hero. What was his name? What was his father's name?\n\n2 (Sec.1). Where did he come from? Look at the map of the Semitic world.\nYou will see two great rivers which join and then flow into the Persian\nGulf. It is not always possible to know where ancient cities were\nlocated, but it is supposed that Ur may have been on the Euphrates near\nthe point where the rivers join. It is called Ur of the Chaldees,\nbecause people of that name lived there. Terah therefore came from the\nvery old country of Babylonia, which was rich and fertile because it was\nin the valley of the two rivers. What American river has a rich country\nin all its wide valley?\n\n3 (Sec.1). What route would be taken to go from Ur to Canaan? If you lay a\nruler on the map you will see that Jerusalem is almost directly west of\nUr. They lay about six hundred miles apart. But there was a very good\nreason why they could not travel right across that way. What kind of\ncountry would they have had to pass through? They had to follow the\nriver for nearly the same distance in a northwesterly direction. This\nwould bring them to a very rich country where it seems they stopped for\nsome time and where Terah died. What was its name?\n\n4 (Sec.2). Evidently most of Terah's tribe were satisfied to stay in Haran,\nbut Abraham felt a great stir in him to continue the journey to the West\nland. He believed that God wanted him to go there and to become the\nfounder of a great nation that should serve Jehovah. This feeling became\nso strong that at last it was clear to him that the Lord was calling\nhim. Learn the beautiful passage of the Call of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3)\nso that you can recite it.\n\n5(Sec.2). What route would Abraham take from Haran to Canaan? Let us look\nat the map again. There was a caravan road that ran from Haran west\nacross the river, then it turned south and came down through the country\nof Syria to a very ancient city. Abraham's chief servant came from this\ncity (Gen. 15:2). The road still runs south and then crosses the river\nJordan into Palestine.\n\n6(Sec.2). How long would such a journey take? There were no railroads and\nthere are still very few in that country. Travel was very slow. We have\nan account in Ezra 7:9 of how long it took a company to make the journey\nfrom Babylon long afterward. But Abraham's company would move more\nslowly, for we must think of him as traveling with a great many animals\nand servants and children. It was very much as the Arab tribes move\nabout to-day.\n\n7(Sec.2). Think of what Abraham left behind when he obeyed God's voice and\ncame into the strange land. What company of people in American history\nfelt that God called them to leave their own country and come into the\nnew land? Is it always safe to obey God? Look up Gal. 3:9 and Heb.\n11:8-10 and see why Abraham is called \"The Father of the Faithful.\"\n\n8(Sec.3). What promise did God give Abraham after he came to Canaan? What\nplaces did Abraham visit? Locate them on the map of Canaan. What\nreligious act did he perform wherever he went? What act is the same in\nour lives?\n\n9(Sec.4). Abraham's numerous sheep and cattle required him to journey from\nplace to place. Why was this? Why would dry weather cause him trouble?\nNotice on the map that when the famine came he was in the south of\nPalestine. It was only a short journey west to reach a very rich\ncountry, which lay in the valley of a great river. Name the country\nand its river and explain why there was no drought there.\n\n10 (Sec.4). We shall often notice that the old heroes did wrong. Tell the\nstory of Abraham's visit to Egypt. What do you think of his conduct? If\nwe knew only this part of Abraham's story we should not call him a hero.\nOught we then to judge anyone by a single act?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nThis story deals with several journeys. Let us get them all before our\neyes. Turn to the map of the Semitic world at the beginning of the book\nand make a very simple copy of it, according to the following\ndirections: Mark the two great rivers in the east. Make the coast line\nof the Mediterranean Sea. Draw the River Nile. Make the coast line of\nthe Red Sea. Locate Ur, Haran, Damascus, Canaan, Egypt. Make this map\nfirst in pencil and then ink it.\n\n\n\n\nII. ABRAHAM, THE MAGNANIMOUS\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.5. Abraham's Treatment of Lot= (Gen. 13)\n\nAnd Abraham went out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had,\nand Lot with him, into the South. And Abraham was very rich in cattle,\nin silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the South even\nto Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning,\nbetween Beth-el and Ai; unto the place of the altar, which he had made\nthere at the first: and there Abraham called on the name of the Lord.\n\nAnd Lot also, who went with Abraham, had flocks, and herds, and tents.\nAnd the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together:\nfor their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.\nAnd there was a strife between the herdmen of Abraham's cattle and the\nherdmen of Lot's cattle.\n\nAnd Abraham said unto Lot, \"Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between\nme and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we are\nbrethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray\nthee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the\nright; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left.\"\n\nAnd Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of Jordan, that it\nwas well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and\nGomorrah, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou\ngoest unto Zoar. So Lot chose him all the Plain of Jordan; and Lot\njourneyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.\nAbraham dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the\nPlain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were\nwicked and sinners against the Lord exceedingly.\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Abraham, after that Lot was separated from him,\n\"Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art,\nnorthward and southward and eastward and westward: for all the land\nwhich thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And\nI will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can\nnumber the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.\nArise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of\nit; for unto thee will I give it.\"\n\nAnd Abraham moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre,\nwhich are in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.\n\n\n=Sec.6. Abraham's Deliverance of Lot= (Gen. 14:10-24)\n\nAnd there came five kings from the East and made war against the kings\nof Sodom and Gomorrah. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and\nthey fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain. And they\ntook all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and\nwent their way. And they took Lot, Abraham's brother's son, who dwelt in\nSodom, and his goods, and departed.\n\nAnd there came one that had escaped, and told Abraham the Hebrew: now he\ndwelt by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother\nof Aner; and these were confederate with Abraham. And when Abraham heard\nthat his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born\nin his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan. And\nhe divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote\nthem, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of\nDamascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his\nbrother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.\n\nAnd the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the\nslaughter of the kings. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth\nbread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed him\nand said, \"Blessed be Abraham of God Most High, possessor of heaven and\nearth: and blessed be God Most High, which hath delivered thine enemies\ninto thy hand.\" And he gave him a tenth of all.\n\nAnd the king of Sodom said unto Abraham, \"Give me the persons, and take\nthe goods to thyself.\"\n\nAnd Abraham said to the king of Sodom, \"I have lifted up mine hand unto\nthe Lord, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not\ntake a thread nor a shoelatchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou\nshouldst say, I have made Abraham rich: save only that which the young\nmen have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me; Aner,\nEshcol, and Mamre, let them take their portion.\"\n\n\n=Sec.7. Abraham's Prayer for Sodom= (Gen. 18:17-32; 19:29)\n\nAnd the Lord said, \"Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do; seeing\nthat Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the\nnations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, to\nthe end that he may command his children and his household after him,\nthat they may keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice;\nto the end that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath\nspoken of him.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said, \"Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and\nbecause their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether\nthey have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto\nme; and if not, I will know.\"\n\nAnd Abraham drew near, and said, \"Wilt thou consume the righteous with\nthe wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city:\nwilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that\nare therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the\nrighteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the\nwicked; that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do\nright?\"\n\nAnd the Lord said, \"If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,\nthen I will spare all the place for their sake.\"\n\nAnd Abraham answered and said, \"Behold now, I have taken upon me to\nspeak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: peradventure there\nshall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city\nfor lack of five?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.\"\n\nAnd he spake unto him yet again, and said, \"Peradventure there shall be\nforty found there.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I will not do it for the forty's sake.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak:\nperadventure there shall thirty be found there.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I will not do it if I find thirty there.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord:\nperadventure there shall be twenty found there.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but\nthis once: peradventure ten shall be found there.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that\nGod remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow,\nwhen he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n11 (Sec.5). Follow Abraham's journey back from Egypt along the coast road.\nHe reached the district in Southern Canaan that was called \"the South.\"\nWhat wealth did he have? What would he need for his cattle? Notice how\nthis caused him to journey from place to place.\n\n12 (Sec.5). On the western plains of America there have been disputes\nbetween the cattle men over the rights of grazing. The big men have\ndriven the little men away. Tell the story of this old dispute in\nCanaan. What plan of settlement did Abraham suggest? How did Lot behave\nin the matter? What good result came to Abraham?\n\n13 (Sec.5). Look up the word \"magnanimous.\" Could it be applied to Abraham?\nHave you ever known an act that was magnanimous?\n\n14 (Sec.6). Kings in old times used to make war on their neighbors just for\nthe purpose of stealing their goods. This is the story of one of those\nplundering expeditions that was made against the country near the Dead\nSea. Who had chosen that country for his residence? What was the result\nof the invasion? How did Abraham hear of it? How many young men did he\nhave in his service? What does this show of the size of his camp? What\ndid Abraham do?\n\n15 (Sec.6). What did Abraham do with the spoil that he captured? Was this\nmagnanimous?\n\n16 (Sec.6). Compare Abraham's conduct with that of the United States in\nCuba.\n\n17 (Sec.6). Abraham gave back the property that he had rescued: what should\nwe do with property that we find?\n\n18 (Sec.7). Men of old loved to think of God appearing to them and talking\nto them. It is a beautiful picture of the silent message that comes to\nour hearts. What does Abraham learn is to happen to the wicked city of\nSodom?\n\n19 (Sec.7). Is Abraham magnanimous in pleading for Sodom? What do the\nLord's replies to Abraham's prayers teach us?\n\n20 (Sec.7). What happened to Sodom? Was Abraham's prayer answered?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nThink over and write out the three ways in which Abraham was\n_magnanimous_. If you watch carefully the conduct of the best people you\nknow you will be sure to see somebody do a magnanimous act before the\nnext lesson. When you see it write it down in your notebook as your\nreview work.\n\n\n\n\nIII. ABRAHAM AND ISAAC\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.8. Abraham's Devotion= (Gen. 21:2, 3; 22:1-19)\n\nA. THE SACRIFICE OF THE FIRSTBORN\n\nAnd Sarah bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which\nGod had spoken unto him. And Abraham called the name of his son Isaac.\nAnd the child grew. And it came to pass, that God did prove Abraham and\nsaid unto him, \"Abraham.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Here am I.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even\nIsaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a\nburnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.\"\n\nAnd Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two\nof his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he clave the wood for\nthe burnt offering, and rose up, and went into the place of which God\nhad told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the\nplace afar off.\n\nAnd Abraham said unto his young men, \"Abide ye here with the ass, and I\nand the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and come again to you.\"\n\nAnd Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac\nhis son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went\nboth of them together.\n\nAnd Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, \"My father.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Here am I, my son.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Behold, the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a\nburnt offering?\"\n\nAnd Abraham said, \"God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt\noffering, my son.\"\n\nSo they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God\nhad told him of; and Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in\norder, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the\nwood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay\nhis son.\n\n\nB. THE DIVINE INTERFERENCE\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said,\n\"Abraham.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Here am I.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything\nunto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not\nwithheld thy son, thine only son, from me.\"\n\nAnd Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram\ncaught in the thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram,\nand offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And\nAbraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to\nthis day, \"In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.\"\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham a second time out of\nheaven, and said, \"By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou\nhast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:\nthat in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply\nthy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the\nsea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in\nthy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou\nhast obeyed my voice.\"\n\nSo Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went\ntogether to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.\n\n\n=Sec.9. The Selection of Isaac's Wife= (Gen. 24)\n\nA. THE COMMISSION OF THE SERVANT\n\nAnd Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed\nAbraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of\nhis house, that ruled over all that he had, \"Swear by the Lord, the God\nof heaven and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife for\nmy son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: but thou\nshalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son\nIsaac.\"\n\nAnd the servant said unto him, \"Peradventure the woman will not be\nwilling to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again\nunto the land from whence thou camest?\"\n\nAnd Abraham said unto him, \"Beware thou that thou bring not my son\nthither again. The Lord, the God of heaven, that took me from my\nfather's house, and from the land of my nativity, and that spake unto me\nand that sware unto me, saying, 'Unto thy seed will I give this land,'\nhe shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my\nson from thence. And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, thou\nshalt be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not bring my son\nthither again.\"\n\nAnd the servant sware to Abraham his master concerning this matter.\n\n\nB. THE MEETING WITH REBEKAH\n\nAnd the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and\ndeparted; having all goodly things of his master's in his hand: and he\narose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made the\ncamels to kneel down without the city by the well of water at the time\nof evening, the time that women go out to draw water.\n\nAnd he said, \"O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray\nthee, good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.\nBehold, I stand by the fountain of water; and the daughters of the men\nof the city come out to draw water: and let it come to pass, that the\ndamsel to whom I shall say, 'Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I\nmay drink;' and she shall say, 'Drink, and I will give thy camels drink\nalso': let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant\nIsaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my\nmaster.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah\ncame out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor,\nAbraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel\nwas very fair to look upon; and she went down to the fountain, and\nfilled her pitcher, and came up.\n\nAnd the servant ran to meet her, and said, \"Give me to drink, I pray\nthee, a little water of thy pitcher.\"\n\nAnd she said, \"Drink, my lord\": and she hasted, and let down her pitcher\nupon her hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done giving him\ndrink, she said, \"I will draw for thy camels also, until they have done\ndrinking.\" And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and\nran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.\n\nAnd the man looked stedfastly on her; holding his peace, to know whether\nthe Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. And it came to pass, as\nthe camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a\nshekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of\ngold, and said, \"Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee. Is\nthere room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?\"\n\nAnd she said unto him, \"I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah,\nwhich she bare unto Nahor.\" She said moreover unto him, \"We have both\nstraw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.\"\n\nAnd the man bowed his head, and worshipped the Lord. And he said,\n\"Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who hath not\nforsaken his mercy and his truth toward my master: as for me, the Lord\nhath led me in the way to the house of my master's brethren.\"\n\n\nC. THE BETROTHAL OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH\n\nAnd the damsel ran, and told her mother's house according to these\nwords. And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran\nout unto the man, unto the fountain. And it came to pass, when he saw\nthe ring, and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard\nthe words of Rebekah his sister, saying, \"Thus spake the man unto me;\"\nthat he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the\nfountain.\n\nAnd he said, \"Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou\nwithout? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.\"\n\nAnd the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels; and he gave\nstraw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the\nmen's feet that were with him. And there was set meat before him to\neat.\n\nBut he said, \"I will not eat, until I have told mine errand.\"\n\nAnd Laban said, \"Speak on.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I am Abraham's servant. And the Lord hath blessed my\nmaster greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks and\nherds, and silver and gold, and menservants and maidservants, and\ncamels, and asses. And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master\nwhen she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. And my\nmaster made me swear, saying, 'Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of\nthe daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: but thou shalt\ngo unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my\nson.' And I said unto my master, 'Peradventure the woman will not follow\nme.' And he said unto me, 'The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his\nangel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my\nson of my kindred, and of my father's house: then shalt thou be clear\nfrom my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give her not\nto thee, thou shalt be clear from my oath.'\n\n\"And I came this day unto the fountain, and said, 'O Lord, the God of my\nmaster Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go: behold, I\nstand by the fountain of water; and let it come to pass, that the\nmaiden which cometh forth to draw, to whom I shall say, Give me, I pray\nthee a little water of thy pitcher to drink; and she shall say to me,\nBoth drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be\nthe woman whom the Lord hath appointed for my master's son.' And before\nI had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her\npitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the fountain, and drew:\nand I said unto her, 'Let me drink, I pray thee.' And she made haste,\nand let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will\ngive thy camels drink also.' So I drank, and she made the camels drink\nalso. And I asked her and said, 'Whose daughter art thou?' And she said,\n'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him.' And I\nput the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands. And I\nbowed my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of\nmy master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's\nbrother's daughter for his son. And now if ye will deal kindly and truly\nwith my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the\nright hand, or to the left.\"\n\nThen Laban and Bethuel answered and said, \"The thing proceedeth from the\nLord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before\nthee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the\nLord hath spoken.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he\nbowed himself down to the earth unto the Lord. And the servant brought\nforth jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to\nRebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.\nAnd they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and\ntarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, \"Send\nme away unto my master.\"\n\nAnd her brother and her mother said, \"Let the damsel abide with us a few\ndays, at the least ten; after that she shall go.\"\n\nAnd he said unto them, \"Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my\nway; send me away that I may go to my master.\"\n\nAnd they said, \"We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.\"\n\nAnd they called Rebekah, and said unto her, \"Wilt thou go with this\nman?\"\n\nAnd she said, \"I will go.\"\n\nAnd they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's\nservant, and his men. And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, \"Our\nsister, be thou the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let thy\nseed possess the gate of those which hate them.\"\n\nAnd Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and\nfollowed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.\n\n\nD. THE MARRIAGE\n\nAnd Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he\nlifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.\n\nAnd Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off\nthe camel. And she said unto the servant, \"What man is this that walketh\nin the field to meet us?\"\n\nAnd the servant said, \"It is my master.\" And she took her veil, and\ncovered herself.\n\nAnd the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. And Isaac\nbrought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she\nbecame his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his\nmother's death.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n21. What promise had been made repeatedly to Abraham? But he had grown\nold and was still without a son. Yet the Lord repeated the promise and\nAbraham believed. At last to his great joy the son was born. It makes a\nman's life strong to believe that God will fulfil his promise. Faith and\ngoodness are very near together (Gen. 15:6). A good boy believes his\nparents: surely he can believe God.\n\n22 (Sec.8A). In order to understand this story we must consider a strange\nand fearful custom of the old times. Read II Kings 3:26, 27, and note\nthe awful sacrifice that a king, who was seeking help, made to his\nheathen god. The ancients felt that God ought to have the best that man\nhas. They had not learned that he is loving and good, wishing our best\nto be given to him in loving service and not killed in sacrifice.\n\n23 (Sec.8A). Abraham knew that it was the custom of his neighbors to show\ntheir loyalty to their gods by killing their oldest sons. He was most\nanxious to do what God would wish, so what would he naturally think that\nhe ought to do? Is a man wicked if he does what he thinks is right? But\nif he is pure in his motive and is very anxious to know what is right,\nhe will often come to the truth. This story shows how God led Abraham to\nknow what he really wanted of him.\n\n24 (Sec.8). It is a very striking story. Picture the scenes: (1) The long\njourney: who went? (2) Abraham and Isaac alone: what did Isaac ask? What\nwas Abraham's confidence in God? (3) The preparation for the sacrifice.\n(4) The wonderful interference: what did this teach Abraham? What was\nthe promise that was repeated?\n\n25 (Sec.8). Men have often used wrong methods, thinking to please God. What\ndid the Puritans do to the witches? But the Puritans were good men,\nanxious to do right, and they soon learned that they had been wrong. It\nis not enough for us to be willing to do right. We must try hard to find\nout what is right.\n\n26 (Sec.9A). This section is a long one, but is full of interest and need\nnot detain us for special study. It is the charming story of an old-time\nwooing. Parents often arranged the marriages of their children in those\ndays as they do in many countries to-day. Abraham had a trusted servant\nwho managed his business for him. What did he ask the servant to\npromise?\n\n27 (Sec.9B). Mesopotamia means \"between the rivers.\" Locate it between the\ntwo rivers of Abraham's old country. Recall Abraham's journey (5, 6, Sec.2)\nand trace the servant's journey.\n\n28 (Sec.9B). Tell the story of the meeting with Rebekah.\n\n29 (Sec.9C). Tell the story of the betrothal. Notice that the betrothal\ntook place although Isaac was not there.\n\n30 (Sec.9D). Tell the story of the marriage.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nWe have finished the study of the \"Father of the Faithful.\" He was a man\nwho trusted God. Think over all that you have learned about him and\nwrite down in your notebook two or three ways in which you think that he\nshowed his trust in God. Think whether there is any way in which you\nwould be willing to trust God.\n\n\n\n\nJACOB-ISRAEL\n\n\n IV. JACOB, THE CLEVER\n\n V. ISRAEL, THE GODLY\n\n\n\n\nIV. JACOB, THE CLEVER\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.10. The Purchase of the Birthright= (Gen. 25:25-34)\n\nIsaac and Rebekah had two sons who were twins. The first was red, all\nover like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau, and the name\nof his brother was called Jacob.\n\nAnd the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field;\nand Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau,\nbecause he did eat of his venison: and Rebekah loved Jacob.\n\nAnd Jacob boiled pottage: and Esau came in from the field, and he was\nfaint: and Esau said to Jacob, \"Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red\npottage; for I am faint.\"\n\nAnd Jacob said, \"Sell me this day thy birthright.\"\n\nAnd Esau said, \"Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall\nthe birthright do to me?\"\n\nAnd Jacob said, \"Swear to me this day.\"\n\nAnd he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. And Jacob\ngave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and\nrose up, and went his way: so Esau despised his birthright.\n\n\n=Sec.11. The Deception of Isaac= (Gen. 27:1-45)\n\nA. ISAAC'S COMMISSION TO ESAU\n\nAnd it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so\nthat he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him,\n\"My son.\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"Here am I.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death. Now\ntherefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go\nout to the field, and take me venison; and make me savory meat, such as\nI love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee\nbefore I die.\"\n\nAnd Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the\nfield to hunt for venison, and to bring it.\n\n\nB. REBEKAH'S SCHEME\n\nAnd Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, \"Behold, I heard thy\nfather speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 'Bring me venison, and make\nme savory meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my\ndeath.' Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I\ncommand thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good\nkids of the goats; and I will make them savory meat for thy father, such\nas he loveth: and thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, so\nthat he may bless thee before his death.\"\n\nAnd Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, \"Behold, Esau my brother is a\nhairy man, and I am a smooth man. My father peradventure will feel me,\nand I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon\nme, and not a blessing.\"\n\nAnd his mother said unto him, \"Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey\nmy voice, and go fetch me them.\"\n\nAnd he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother\nmade savory meat, such as his father loved. And Rebekah took the goodly\ngarments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and\nput them upon Jacob her younger son: and she put the skins of the kids\nof the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: and she\ngave the savory meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the\nhand of her son Jacob.\n\n\nC. Jacob's Deception\n\nAnd he came unto his father, and said, \"My father.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Here am I; who art thou, my son?\"\n\nAnd Jacob said unto his father, \"I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done\naccording as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my\nvenison, that thy soul may bless me.\"\n\nAnd Isaac said unto his son, \"How is it that thou hast found it so\nquickly, my son?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Because the Lord thy God sent me good speed.\"\n\nAnd Isaac said unto Jacob, \"Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel\nthee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.\"\n\nAnd Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said,\n\"The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.\" And\nhe discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother\nEsau's hands: so he blessed him. And he said, \"Art thou my very son\nEsau?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I am.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison,\nthat my soul may bless thee.\"\n\nAnd he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine,\nand he drank. And his father Isaac said unto him, \"Come near now, and\nkiss me, my son.\" And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the\nsmell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said,\n\n See, the smell of my son\n Is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:\n And God give thee of the dew of heaven,\n And of the fatness of the earth,\n And plenty of corn and wine:\n Let peoples serve thee,\n And nations bow down to thee:\n Be lord over thy brethren,\n And let thy mother's sons bow down to thee:\n Cursed be every one that curseth thee.\n And blessed be every one that blesseth thee.\n\n\nD. ESAU'S DISAPPOINTMENT\n\nAnd it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob,\nand Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father,\nthat Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also made savory\nmeat, and brought it unto his father; and he said unto his father, \"Let\nmy father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless\nme.\"\n\nAnd Isaac his father said unto him, \"Who art thou?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau.\"\n\nAnd Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, \"Who then is he that hath\ntaken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou\ncamest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.\"\n\nWhen Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding\ngreat and bitter cry, and said unto his father, \"Bless me, even me also,\nO my father.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Thy brother came with guile, and hath taken away thy\nblessing.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me\nthese two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath\ntaken away my blessing. Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?\"\n\nAnd Isaac answered and said unto Esau, \"Behold, I have made him thy\nlord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with\ncorn and wine have I sustained him: and what then shall I do for thee,\nmy son?\"\n\nAnd Esau said unto his father, \"Hast thou but one blessing, my father?\nbless me, even me also, O my father.\"\n\nAnd Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his father answered\nand said unto him,\n\n Behold of the fatness of the earth shall be thy dwelling,\n And of the dew of heaven from above;\n And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother;\n And it shall come to pass when thou shalt break loose,\n That thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck.\n\n\nE. ESAU'S HATRED\n\nAnd Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father\nblessed him: and Esau said in his heart, \"The days of mourning for my\nfather are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.\"\n\nAnd the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent\nand called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, \"Behold, thy\nbrother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill\nthee. Now, therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to\nLaban my brother to Haran; and tarry with him a few days, until thy\nbrother's fury turn away; until thy brother's anger turn away from thee,\nand he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and\nfetch thee from thence: why should I be bereaved of you both in one\nday?\"\n\n\n=Sec.12. The Dream of the Heavenly Ladder= (Gen. 28:10-22)\n\nAnd Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he\nlighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the\nsun was set; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it\nunder his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and\nbehold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to\nheaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.\nAnd, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, \"I am the Lord, the God\nof Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou\nliest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as\nthe dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to\nthe east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy\nseed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am\nwith thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring\nthee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done\nthat which I have spoken to thee of.\"\n\nAnd Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, \"Surely the Lord is in\nthis place; and I knew it not.\" And he was afraid, and said, \"How\ndreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and\nthis is the gate of heaven.\"\n\nAnd Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had\nput under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the\ntop of it. And he called the name of that place Beth-el. And Jacob vowed\na vow, saying, \"If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way\nthat I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that\nI come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my\nGod, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's\nhouse: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth\nunto thee.\"\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n31. No man is altogether good and no one is wholly bad. Good and evil\nstruggle for the mastery in us. Jacob is a man in whom this is very\nclearly seen. He was the twin brother of Esau, but Esau had the right of\nthe oldest son. This was called the birthright. It was very important in\nthat day. It meant that after the father's death Esau would become the\nhead of the tribe, and would have twice as much of the property as his\nbrother. Jacob did not like this and began to scheme to get the better\nof his brother.\n\n32 (Sec.10). What was the difference between the two men?\n\n33 (Sec.10). Tell the story of the hunting day and how Jacob sold the food\nto his brother.\n\n34 (Sec.10). What do you think of Esau in this affair? He gave up a great\nfuture for a little satisfaction.\n\n35 (Sec.10). Jacob was \"smart\" or \"clever\" in his bargain. Was he\nbrotherly? Is it honest to charge all that you can get for something\nthat people must have?\n\n36 (Sec.11A). The last solemn blessing of the head of the tribe was\nconsidered very important. How did Isaac arrange that it should be given\nto Esau?\n\n37 (Sec.11B). There was a wretched favoritism in this family. What was\nRebekah's scheme to get the blessing for her favorite? Tell the story.\n\n38 (Sec.11C). Picture the blind old father and the crafty son coming to\nhim. How did he secure the blessing? Notice how one wrong leads to\nanother.\n\n39 (Sec.11D). Tell the story of Esau's bitter disappointment.\n\n40 (Sec.11E). What revenge did Esau plan? Rebekah was afraid: what advice\ndid she give to Jacob? When the man had to flee for his life, how much\nhad he gained by his deception? Do the \"smart\" men always win? If they\ndo is it worth while?\n\n41 (Sec.12). The Lord is wonderfully forgiving, and he still wanted to lead\nJacob to a noble life. Follow the journey on the map. What did Jacob do\nwhen night overtook him? There are great rocks at Beth-el that look\nsomething like a huge staircase. How did these form themselves in\nJacob's dream? This is a simple, beautiful story of the old time when\nmen thought they saw God in dreams. Tell the whole story in your own\nwords.\n\n42 (Sec.12). What promise did the Lord give him? What vow did Jacob make?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nCall to mind the meaning of _magnanimous_. Taking advantage of another's\nneed as Jacob took advantage of Esau is the opposite of magnanimous.\nWhen the earthquake occurred in San Francisco some stores that had bread\nput up the price so high that very few could buy it. Soldiers compelled\nthem to sell it for the regular price. How were those storekeepers like\nJacob? Why was their conduct wrong? Write the answers to these two\nquestions in your notebook.\n\n\n\n\nV. ISRAEL, THE GODLY\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.13. Jacob's Return after Twenty Years= (Gen. 29:1, 16, 23, 28; 30:43;\n31:17, 18)\n\nAnd Jacob came to the land of the children of the East. And he served\nLaban, his mother's brother. And Laban had two daughters: the name of\nthe elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. And Laban\ngave his two daughters to Jacob to be his wives.\n\nAnd Jacob increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, and maidservants\nand menservants, and camels and asses.\n\nAnd after twenty years Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives\nupon the camels; and he carried away all his cattle, and all his\nsubstance which he had gathered to go unto the land of Canaan.\n\n\n=Sec.14. Jacob's Fear of Esau= (Gen. 32:1-21)\n\nA. THE MESSAGE TO ESAU\n\nAnd Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land\nof Seir. And he commanded them, saying, \"Thus shall ye say unto my lord\nEsau, 'Thus saith thy servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and\nstayed until now: and I have oxen, and asses and flocks, and\nmenservants and maidservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I\nmay find grace in thy sight.'\"\n\nAnd the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, \"We came to thy brother\nEsau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with\nhim.\"\n\nThen Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the\npeople that was with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels,\ninto two companies; and he said, \"If Esau come to the one company, and\nsmite it, then the company which is left shall escape.\"\n\n\nB. JACOB'S PRAYER\n\nAnd Jacob said, \"O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac,\nO Lord, which saidst unto me, 'Return unto thy country, and to thy\nkindred, and I will do thee good': I am not worthy of the least of all\nthe mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy\nservant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am\nbecome two companies. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my\nbrother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and smite\nme, the mother with the children. And thou saidst, 'I will surely do\nthee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be\nnumbered for multitude.'\"\n\n\nC. THE PRESENT TO ESAU\n\nAnd he lodged there that night; and took of that which he had with him a\npresent for Esau his brother; two hundred she-goats and twenty\nhe-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milch camels and\ntheir colts, forty kine and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals.\nAnd he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by\nitself; and said unto his servants, \"Pass over before me, and put a\nspace betwixt drove and drove.\"\n\nAnd he commanded the foremost, saying, \"When Esau my brother meeteth\nthee, and asketh thee, saying, 'Whose art thou? and whither goest thou?\nand whose are these before thee?' then thou shalt say, 'They be thy\nservant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, he\nalso is behind us.'\"\n\nAnd he commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed\nthe droves, saying, \"On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye\nfind him; and ye shall say, 'Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is\nbehind us.'\" For he said, \"I will appease him with the present that\ngoeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will\naccept me.\"\n\nSo the present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night\nin the company.\n\n\n=Sec.15. The Wrestle and the New Name= (Gen. 32:22-31)\n\nAnd he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two\nhandmaids, and his eleven children, and passed over the ford of Jabbok.\nAnd he took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that he\nhad.\n\nAnd Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the\nbreaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him,\nhe touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was\nstrained, as he wrestled with him.\n\nAnd he said, \"Let me go, for the day breaketh.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"What is thy name?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Jacob.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for\nthou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.\"\n\nAnd Jacob asked him, and said, \"Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?\" And he\nblessed him there.\n\nAnd Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, said he, \"I have\nseen God face to face, and my life is preserved.\" And the sun rose upon\nhim as he passed over Peniel, and he halted upon his thigh.\n\n\n=Sec.16. The Meeting With Esau= (Gen. 33:1-16)\n\nAnd Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, Esau came, and\nwith him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and\nunto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and\ntheir children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and\nJoseph hindermost. And he himself passed over before them, and bowed\nhimself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.\nAnd Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and\nkissed him: and they wept. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women\nand the children; and said, \"Who are these with thee?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"The children which God has graciously given thy servant.\"\n\nThen the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed\nthemselves. And Leah also and her children came near, and bowed\nthemselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed\nthemselves.\n\nAnd he said, \"What meanest thou by all this company which I met?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"To find grace in the sight of my lord.\"\n\nAnd Esau said, \"I have enough; my brother, let that thou hast be thine.\"\n\nAnd Jacob said, \"Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy\nsight, then receive my present at my hand: forasmuch as I have seen thy\nface, as one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. Take,\nI pray thee, my gift that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt\ngraciously with me, and because I have enough.\" And he urged him, and\nhe took it.\n\nAnd he said, \"Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go\nbefore thee.\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and\nthat the flocks and herds with me have young: and if they overdrive them\none day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over\nbefore his servant: and I will lead on softly, according to the pace of\nthe cattle that is before me and according to the pace of the children,\nuntil I come unto my lord unto Seir.\"\n\nAnd Esau said, \"Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are\nwith me.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my\nlord.\"\n\nSo Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.\n\n\n=Sec.17. The Altar of Beth-el= (Gen. 35:1-7)\n\nAnd God said unto Jacob, \"Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and\nmake there an altar unto God, who appeared unto thee when thou fleddest\nfrom the face of Esau thy brother.\"\n\nThen Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with them, \"Put\naway the strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and\nchange your garments: and let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will\nmake there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my\ndistress, and was with me in the way which I went.\"\n\n[Illustration]\n\nAnd they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand,\nand the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak\nwhich was by Shechem. And they journeyed: and a great terror was upon\nthe cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the\nsons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Beth-el, he and all the people that were\nwith him. And he built there an altar, because there God was revealed\nunto him when he fled from the face of his brother.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n43 (Sec.13). There is a long and interesting story of Jacob's marriage and\nof his twenty years' service with Laban. It was a hard service, for\nLaban was a hard master and was very jealous of the prosperity of his\nson-in-law. But in spite of difficulty Jacob was successful, though in\nthe game of wits he was not always very scrupulous. At last he\ndetermined to return to his own land, but was obliged to go secretly for\nfear of Laban. Even so, Laban pursued him and there was a hot dispute.\nBut at last they made a covenant of peace, and parted. Jacob journeyed\nas far as the brook Jabbok, a stream which flows westward into the\nJordan, about twenty-five miles north of the Dead Sea. Locate it on the\nmap.\n\n44 (Sec.14A). As Jacob returned home, what might he have to fear? The old\nsin comes up after twenty years. Note Jacob's plan. He is very courteous\nto Esau and yet he wants him to know what a great man he has become.\nWhat would the reply of the messengers indicate about Esau's life for\nthe twenty years? How did Jacob feel when he heard of Esau, and what\ndid he do?\n\n45 (Sec.14B). Jacob was very shrewd, but there is a better defense than\ncunning. Read the beautiful prayer. How does he think of God? How does\nhe think of himself? What does he pray for? What promise does he plead?\n\n46 (Sec.14C). How many animals were there in each of the five droves? How\nmany were there altogether? What was Jacob's plan to pacify Esau? Do you\nthink this was a shrewd scheme?\n\n47 (Sec.15). In the old days the experiences and feelings of the heart were\noften told as if they were physical events. So we must understand the\nwonderful story of the wrestle. Jacob had been a clever man living by\nhis wits. God had in many ways been seeking to bring him to obedience to\nhis will. Now when the danger of Esau is upon him, Jacob has the fight\nof his life--but it is within his own heart.\n\n48 (Sec.15). Picture the loneliness of Jacob and describe how you think he\nfelt that night? Did you ever have a great heart struggle about some\nduty, or over some temptation?\n\n49 (Sec.15). Jacob was defeated and yet he was victorious. When we give in\nto God, we are really victors. What was his new name? How are all his\npeople called by it? The old name belongs to the clever man: the new\nname belongs to the godly man, who has received God's blessing.\n\n50 (Sec.16). This story may be passed rapidly, though it is full of\ninterest. Tell in your own words: (1) what happened when the brothers\nmet; (2) how Jacob wisely separated from Esau.\n\n51 (Sec.17). There was one place in Canaan that was very sacred to Jacob.\nWhat had happened at Beth-el? Why did God tell him to go there? How did\nhe prepare his people for the visit? What thoughts do you think came to\nhim when he returned to the spot where he had slept as a lonely young\nman twenty years before?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nTell your parents what you have learned about Jacob, and ask them if\nthey ever knew a person who had done wrong and was in danger from it\nyears afterward, and who was sorry for the wrong, and was helped by\nGod's goodness. Write what they tell you in your notebook.\n\n\n\n\nJOSEPH\n\n\n VI. JOSEPH, THE SLAVE\n\n VII. JOSEPH, THE RULER\n\n VIII. JOSEPH, THE GENEROUS\n\n\n\n\nVI. JOSEPH, THE SLAVE\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.18. Joseph and His Dreams= (Gen. 37:3-11)\n\nNow Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the\nson of his old age: and he made him a long garment with sleeves. And his\nbrethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and\nthey hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph\ndreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren: and they hated him yet\nthe more.\n\nAnd he said unto them, \"Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have\ndreamed: for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my\nsheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves came\nround about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.\"\n\nAnd his brethren said to him, \"Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt\nthou indeed have dominion over us?\" And they hated him yet the more for\nhis dreams, and for his words.\n\nAnd he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said,\n\"Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream; and, behold, the sun and the moon\nand eleven stars made obeisance to me.\"\n\nAnd he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father\nrebuked him, and said unto him, \"What is this dream that thou hast\ndreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down\nourselves to thee to the earth?\"\n\nAnd his brethren envied him; and his father kept the saying in mind.\n\n\n=Sec.19. Joseph Sold as a Slave= (Gen. 37:12-35)\n\nAnd his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. And\nIsrael said unto Joseph, \"Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem?\ncome, and I will send thee unto them.\"\n\nAnd he said to him, \"Here am I.\"\n\nAnd he said to him, \"Go now, see whether it be well with thy brethren,\nand well with the flock; and bring me word again.\"\n\nSo he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a\ncertain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and\nthe man asked him, saying, \"What seekest thou?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they are\nfeeding the flock.\"\n\nAnd the man said, \"They are departed hence: for I heard them say, 'Let\nus go to Dothan.'\"\n\nAnd Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. And they\nsaw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired\nagainst him to slay him. And they said one to another, \"Behold, this\ndreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him\ninto one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil beast hath devoured\nhim': and we shall see what will become of his dreams.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they\nstript Joseph of his coat, the long garment with sleeves that was on\nhim; and they took him, and cast him into the pit: and the pit was\nempty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread: and\nthey lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a traveling company\nof Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and\nbalm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his\nbrethren, \"What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his\nblood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our\nhand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh.\"\n\nAnd his brethren hearkened unto him. And they drew and lifted Joseph out\nof the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of\nsilver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. And they took Joseph's coat,\nand killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat in the blood; and they brought\nit to their father; and said, \"This have we found; know now whether it\nbe thy son's coat or not.\"\n\nAnd he knew it, and said, \"It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath\ndevoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.\" And Jacob rent\nhis garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son\nmany days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort\nhim; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, \"For I will go down to\nthe grave to my son mourning.\" And his father wept for him.\n\n\n=Sec.20. Joseph's Faithfulness= (Gen. 39:1-6)\n\nAnd Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of\nPharaoh's, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand\nof the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither.\n\nAnd the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in\nthe house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord\nwas with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his\nhand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he ministered unto him:\nand he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into\nhis hand. And it came to pass from the time that he made him overseer in\nhis house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the\nEgyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was\nupon all that he had, in the house and in the field. And he left all\nthat he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not aught that was with him\nsave the bread which he did eat.\n\n\n=Sec.21. Joseph in Prison= (Gen. 39:17-23)\n\nBut Potiphar's wife spoke false words concerning Joseph, and she said\nunto her husband, \"The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us,\ncame in unto me to mock me: and it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice\nand cried, that he fled out.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which\nshe spake unto him, saying, \"After this manner did thy servant to me,\"\nthat his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him, and put him\ninto the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he\nwas there in the prison.\n\nBut the Lord was with Joseph, and showed kindness unto him, and gave him\nfavor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the\nprison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the\nprison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper\nof the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand, because\nthe Lord was with him; and that which he did, the Lord made it to\nprosper.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n52. The story of Joseph is remarkably beautiful and interesting. It is\nmore fully told than many of the other stories, and we seem to know\nJoseph better than almost any of the older Bible characters. His life\nwas full of startling adventure and shows how a strong, noble young hero\ncan meet danger.\n\n53 (Sec.18). Joseph was the youngest but one of Jacob's sons. The others\nwere grown up, and many statements show that they were not very good\nmen. How did Jacob feel toward Joseph? He gave him a long garment with\nsleeves, which was a mark of distinction. The ordinary working garments\nwere short and had no sleeves. How did Joseph's brothers feel toward\nhim? What do you think of favoritism in families? Can a father feel the\nsame toward good sons and bad sons?\n\n54 (Sec.18). In old times they thought much of dreams and believed they had\nimportant meanings. Tell Joseph's two dreams. What were they supposed to\nmean? Do boys often dream of their future?\n\n55 (Sec.19). Why do men with large flocks need to move from place to place?\nLocate Hebron on the map. Then note how far the shepherds had wandered\nto Shechem, which is a very rich pasturage. Then notice Dothan, 15 miles\nfarther north, where the pasturage is still richer. About how far was\nDothan from Hebron? (Use the scale on the map to measure.) Tell how\nJoseph found his brothers.\n\n56 (Sec.19). Tell the story of the plot. What had prepared these men for\nthe crime they committed? (See I John 3:15.) It is a fearful thing to\nkeep hatred in the heart. Shut the book and think for a moment whether\nyou really hate anyone. Tell what they did with Joseph. How does one sin\nlead to another? What did they tell Jacob? Notice how sorry the old man\nwas and how they showed their sorrow in those days.\n\n57 (Sec.20). What happened to Joseph when he reached Egypt? What is the\nposition of a slave?\n\n58 (Sec.20). Notice how Joseph, although he was sold into slavery,\ndetermined to do his duty to his master. Some people will only do their\nbest when they are well paid. How was faithfulness rewarded in this\ncase?\n\n59 (Sec.21). This story is full of strange surprises. Just as Joseph was\nenjoying his place as overseer, a new enemy arose. His master's wife\nmade false charges against him. She was a wicked woman and wanted Joseph\nto be put out of the way. Her husband believed her. What did he do with\nJoseph?\n\n60 (Sec.21). Joseph might well be discouraged, but even in prison he was\ndetermined to do his best. Whose favor did he gain? In our prisons they\ncall the good prisoners \"trusties.\" The jailer soon found that Joseph\nwas a \"trusty,\" and gave him charge of all the other prisoners.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nBear in mind Joseph's trouble in slavery and in prison, and try to find\nout about someone who has had a very hard time, but who is patiently and\ncheerfully doing his work, trusting in God. Write the account of it.\n\n\n\n\nVII. JOSEPH, THE RULER\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.22. Joseph's Interpretation of the Dreams= (Gen. 40)\n\nA. JOSEPH AND THE STATE PRISONERS\n\nAnd it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of\nEgypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh\nwas wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers,\nand against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in the house of the\ncaptain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.\nAnd the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he ministered\nunto them: and they continued a season in prison.\n\nAnd they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream, in one night,\neach man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and\nthe baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.\n\nAnd Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and saw them, and, behold,\nthey were sad. And he asked them, saying, \"Wherefore look ye so sadly\nto-day?\"\n\nAnd they said unto him, \"We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that\ncan interpret it.\"\n\nAnd Joseph said unto them, \"Do not interpretations belong to God? tell\nit me, I pray you.\"\n\n\nB. THE CHIEF BUTLER'S DREAM\n\nAnd the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, \"In my\ndream, behold, a vine was before me; and in the vine were three\nbranches: and it was as though it budded, and its blossoms shot forth;\nand the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: and Pharaoh's cup\nwas in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's\ncup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.\"\n\nAnd Joseph said unto him, \"This is the interpretation of it: the three\nbranches are three days; within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up\nthine head, and restore thee unto thine office: and thou shalt give\nPharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his\nbutler. But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with thee,\nand show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto\nPharaoh, and bring me out of this house: for indeed I was stolen away\nout of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that\nthey should put me into the dungeon.\"\n\n\nC. THE CHIEF BAKER'S DREAM\n\nWhen the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto\nJoseph, \"I also was in my dream, and, behold, three baskets of white\nbread were on my head: and in the uppermost basket there was of all\nmanner of baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat it out of the\nbasket upon my head.\"\n\nAnd Joseph answered and said, \"This is the interpretation thereof: the\nthree baskets are three days; within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift\nup thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds\nshall eat thy flesh from off thee.\"\n\n\nD. THE INTERPRETATION COMES TRUE\n\nAnd it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he\nmade a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the\nchief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants. And he\nrestored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup\ninto Pharaoh's hand: but he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had\ninterpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but\nforgot him.\n\n\n=Sec.23. Joseph's Interpretation of Pharaoh's Dreams= (Gen. 41:1-16, 25-36)\n\nA. THE KING'S DREAM\n\nAnd it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed:\nand, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came up out of\nthe river seven kine, well favored and fatfleshed; and they fed in the\nreed-grass. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the\nriver, ill favored and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon\nthe brink of the river. And the ill favored and leanfleshed kine did\neat up the seven well favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. And he\nslept and dreamed a second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up\non one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven ears, thin and blasted\nwith the east wind, sprung up after them. And the thin ears swallowed up\nthe seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a\ndream. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled;\nand he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise\nmen thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream: but there was none that\ncould interpret them unto Pharaoh.\n\n\nB. THE BUTLER'S RECOMMENDATION OF JOSEPH\n\nThen spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, \"I do remember my\nfaults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in\nprison in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker:\nand we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man\naccording to the interpretation of his dream. And there was with us\nthere a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guards; and\nwe told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according\nto his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to\nus, so it was; I was restored unto mine office, and he was hanged.\"\n\n\nC. JOSEPH INTERPRETS PHARAOH'S DREAM\n\nThen Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of\nthe dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in\nunto Pharaoh.\n\nAnd Pharaoh said unto Joseph, \"I have dreamed a dream, and there is none\nthat can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that when thou\nhearest a dream thou canst interpret it.\"\n\nAnd Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, \"It is not in me: God shall give\nPharaoh an answer of peace.\"\n\nAnd Pharaoh told Joseph his dreams.\n\nAnd Joseph said unto Pharaoh, \"The dream of Pharaoh is one: what God is\nabout to do he hath declared unto Pharaoh. The seven good kine are seven\nyears; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. And\nthe seven lean and ill favored kine that came up after them are seven\nyears, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind; they\nshall be seven years of famine. That is the thing which I spake unto\nPharaoh: what God is about to do he hath showed unto Pharaoh. Behold,\nthere come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:\nand there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the\nplenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall\nconsume the land; and the plenty shall not be known in the land by\nreason of that famine which followeth; for it shall be very grievous.\nAnd for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the\nthing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now\ntherefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over\nthe land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers\nover the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the\nseven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of these good\nyears that come, and lay up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in\nthe cities, and let them keep it. And the food shall be for a store to\nthe land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land\nof Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.\"\n\n\n=Sec.24. Joseph Made Ruler of Egypt= (Gen. 41:37-45, 47-57)\n\nA. JOSEPH HONORED BY PHARAOH\n\nAnd the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all\nhis servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, \"Can we find such a\none as this, a man in whom the spirit of God is?\" And Pharaoh said unto\nJoseph, \"Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so\ndiscreet and wise as thou: thou shalt be over my house, and according\nunto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be\ngreater than thou.\" And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, \"See, I have set thee\nover all the land of Egypt.\"\n\nAnd Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon\nJoseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold\nchain about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot\nwhich he had; and they cried before him, \"Bow the knee,\" and he set him\nover all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, \"I am Pharaoh,\nand without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the\nland of Egypt.\"\n\n[Illustration: THE SEAL OF THE GRAND VIZIER OF RAMSES II]\n\nAnd he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On.\nAnd Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.\n\n\nB. JOSEPH'S PROSPERITY\n\nAnd in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.\nAnd he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the\nland of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the\nfield, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. And\nJoseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left\nnumbering; for it was without number.\n\nAnd unto Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came. And\nJoseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: \"For God hath made me\nforget all my toil, and all my father's house.\" And the name of the\nsecond called he Ephraim: \"For God hath made me fruitful in the land of\nmy affliction.\"\n\nAnd the seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt, came to an\nend. And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph\nhad said: and there was famine in all lands; but in all the land of\nEgypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the\npeople cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the\nEgyptians, \"Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.\"\n\nAnd the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all\nthe storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine was sore in\nthe land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy\ngrain; because the famine was sore in all the earth.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n61. Recall rapidly the story of Joseph as far as we have studied it.\nRead Sec.21 and consider the situation of the young prisoner.\n\n62 (Sec.22A). Who were these two great men that were sent to prison? It was\na high office to be cupbearer to the king. The butler's speech later\nshows that it was his duty to squeeze the grapes into a goblet of water,\nmaking the refreshing drink for his royal master. The officer who had\ncharge of the kitchen in a great palace would also be an important man.\nIn our time a French \"chef\" sometimes has a salary of $25,000. Why were\nthese men in prison? What did Joseph have to do with them?\n\n63 (Sec.22A). This was three days before the king's birthday and on that\nday it was customary to decide the fate of state prisoners. How would\nthe two men feel as the day drew near? Would they be likely to dream\nabout their former occupations? Tell the conversation that took place\nbetween them and Joseph in the morning.\n\n64 (Sec.22B). Tell the story. Note how natural it was for the butler to\ndream that he was again preparing the king's grape juice. What do you\nthink of Joseph's request? Was it a reasonable request?\n\n65 (Sec.22C, D). Tell the story of the baker's dream and the\ninterpretation. What happened on the king's birthday? How was it that\nthe chief butler was so ungrateful?\n\n66 (Sec.23A). Pharaoh was the title given to all the kings of Egypt, as\nCzar is given to the Russian emperors, Sultan to the rulers of Turkey,\nand President to our own chief executive. The most important thing in\nEgypt is its famous river. (What is its name?) It was natural for the\nking to dream of it. Tell the story of his dream.\n\n67 (Sec.23B). We have already noted how much significance was attached to\ndreams. A king would have a company of learned men who were supposed to\nbe able to interpret his dreams. How was it in this case? What did the\nchief butler do? How long had he forgotten Joseph?\n\n68 (Sec.23C). How did they get Joseph ready to appear before the king? If\nyou look at Egyptian pictures you will see that the great men never wore\nbeards. The Egyptians were also very cleanly and particular about white\ngarments. What did Pharaoh say to Joseph? Note Joseph's modesty.\n\n69 (Sec.23C). Tell Joseph's interpretation of the dreams. Of course we\nnaturally ask how Joseph could know these things. But we can only say\nthat it is part of the story, and our interest is in finding just what\nthese beautiful old tales of the heroes have to say to us. What advice\ndid Joseph give to the king? Famines were rare in Egypt, because the\ncountry is not dependent upon rainfall but upon the overflow of the\nNile. Occasionally, though very seldom, the water does not come from the\nupper river in sufficient quantity; then there is no inundation and the\ncrops fail.\n\n70 (Sec.24A). What did Pharaoh think of Joseph's interpretation? What did\nhe think of his advice? What did he decide to do with him. Note the six\ndistinctions he gave him and explain what they meant? In England one of\nthe highest officers is the Keeper of the Great Seal. And there the\naldermen wear gold chains round their necks. It was a notable honor to\nbe married to the daughter of the high priest, who was a great\ndignitary.\n\n71 (Sec.24B). What did Joseph do during the seven prosperous years? How\nmany sons were born to him? What did he do when the famine came?\n\n72. When Joseph was in the pit in slavery, and in the prison, whom did\nhe trust? Did he ever think the happy dreams of youth were hopeless?\nWhat is the best way to meet bad fortune? Now note how he meets good\nfortune. Read Rom. 8:28.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nLike Joseph, you doubtless have some tasks put upon you that are\nunpleasant. Note one of those tasks this week. Do it as Joseph would\nhave done. You will feel after you have done your best that it was worth\nwhile. Then think again how Joseph behaved. Write out in your notebook\nwhy Joseph always did his duty.\n\n\n\n\n\nVIII. JOSEPH, THE GENEROUS\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.25. Joseph and the Guilty Brothers= (Gen. 42)\n\nA. THE FIRST JOURNEY OF THE BROTHERS\n\nNow Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his\nsons, \"Why do ye look one upon another? Behold, I have heard that there\nis grain in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence;\nthat we may live, and not die.\"\n\nAnd Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy grain from Egypt. But\nBenjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he\nsaid, \"Lest peradventure mischief befall him.\"\n\n\nB. JOSEPH'S TREATMENT OF HIS BROTHERS\n\nAnd Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all\nthe people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down\nthemselves to him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his\nbrethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and\nspake roughly with them; and he said unto them, \"Whence come ye?\" And\nthey said, \"From the land of Canaan to buy food.\"\n\nAnd Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto\nthem, \"Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.\"\n\nAnd they said unto him, \"Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants\ncome. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no\nspies.\"\n\nAnd he said unto them, \"Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are\ncome.\"\n\nAnd they said, \"We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man\nin the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our\nfather, and one is not.\"\n\nAnd Joseph said unto them, \"Ye are spies.\" And he put them all together\ninto prison three days. And Joseph said unto them the third day, \"This\ndo, and live; for I fear God: if ye be true men, let one of your\nbrethren be bound in your prison house; but go ye, carry grain for the\nfamine of your houses: and bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall\nyour words be verified, and ye shall not die.\"\n\nAnd they said one to another, \"We are verily guilty concerning our\nbrother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us,\nand we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.\"\n\nAnd they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an\ninterpreter between them. And he turned himself about from them, and\nwept; and he returned to them, and spake to them, and took Simeon from\namong them, and bound him before their eyes.\n\n\nC. THE RETURN TO JACOB\n\nThen Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore\nevery man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way:\nand thus was it done unto them.\n\nAnd they laded their asses with their grain and departed thence. And as\none of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the lodging\nplace, he espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his\nsack. And he said unto his brethren, \"My money is restored; and, lo, it\nis even in my sack.\" And their heart failed them, and they turned\ntrembling one to another, saying, \"What is this that God hath done unto\nus?\"\n\nAnd they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told\nhim all that had befallen them. And it came to pass as they emptied\ntheir sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack;\nand when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were\nafraid.\n\nAnd Jacob their father said unto them, \"Me have ye bereaved of my\nchildren: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin\naway: all these things are against me.\"\n\nAnd Reuben spake unto his father, saying, \"Slay my two sons, if I bring\nhim not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee\nagain.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is\ndead, and he only is left: if mischief befall him by the way in the\nwhich ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the\ngrave.\"\n\n\n=Sec.26. Joseph and Benjamin= (Gen. 43)\n\nA. THE SECOND JOURNEY TO EGYPT\n\nAnd the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they had\neaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father\nsaid unto them, \"Go again, buy us a little food.\"\n\nAnd Judah spake unto him, saying, \"The man did solemnly protest unto us,\nsaying, 'Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.' If\nthou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:\nbut if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down.\"\n\nAnd Israel said, \"Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man\nwhether ye had yet a brother?\"\n\nAnd they said, \"The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and\nconcerning our kindred, saying, 'Is your father yet alive? have ye\nanother brother?' and we told him according to the tenor of these words:\ncould we in any wise know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?\"\nAnd Judah said unto Israel his father, \"Send the lad with me, and we\nwill arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and\nalso our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou\nrequire him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then\nlet me bear the blame for ever: for except we had lingered, surely we\nhad now returned a second time.\"\n\nAnd their father Israel said unto them, \"If it be so now, do this; take\nof the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man\na present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts,\nand almonds: and take double money in your hand; and the money that was\nreturned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand;\nperadventure it was an oversight: take also your brother, and arise, go\nagain unto the man: and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that\nhe may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be\nbereaved of my children, I am bereaved.\"\n\n\nB. THE KIND RECEPTION\n\nAnd the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand,\nand Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before\nJoseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward\nof his house, \"Bring the men into the house, and slay, and make ready;\nfor the men shall dine with me at noon.\"\n\nAnd the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into\nJoseph's house. And the men were afraid because they were brought into\nJoseph's house; and they said, \"Because of the money that was returned\nin our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek\noccasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our\nasses.\"\n\nAnd they came near to the steward of Joseph's house; and they spake unto\nhim at the door of the house, and said, \"Oh my lord, we came indeed down\nat the first time to buy food: and it came to pass, when we came to the\nlodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money\nwas in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have\nbrought it again in our hand. And other money have we brought down in\nour hand to buy food: we know not who put our money in our sacks.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your\nfather, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money.\"\n\nAnd he brought Simeon out unto them. And the man brought the men into\nJoseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he\ngave their asses provender. And they made ready the present against\nJoseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.\n\n\nC. THE FEAST\n\nAnd when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in\ntheir hand into the house, and bowed down themselves to him to the\nearth. And he asked them of their welfare, and said, \"Is your father\nwell, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?\" And they said,\n\"Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive.\" And they bowed the\nhead, and made obeisance.\n\nAnd he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's\nson, and said, \"Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto\nme?\" And he said, \"God be gracious unto thee, my son.\"\n\nAnd Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he\nsought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.\nAnd he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and\nsaid, \"Set on bread.\"\n\nAnd they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for\nthe Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the\nEgyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an\nabomination unto the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the firstborn\naccording to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth:\nand the men marvelled one with another. And he took and sent messes unto\nthem from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any\nof theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.\n\n\n=Sec.27. Joseph's Forgiveness= (Gen. 44; 45:1-15)\n\nA. THE HARD TEST\n\nAnd he commanded the steward of his house, saying, \"Fill the men's sacks\nwith food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his\nsack's mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of\nthe youngest, and his grain money.\"\n\nAnd he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. As soon as the\nmorning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. And\nwhen they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph\nsaid unto his steward, \"Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost\novertake them, say unto them, 'Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?\nIs not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby he indeed\ndivineth? ye have done evil in so doing.'\"\n\nAnd he overtook them, and he spake unto them these words. And they said\nunto him, \"Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? God forbid\nthat thy servants should do such a thing. Behold, the money, which we\nfound in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land\nof Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or\ngold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we\nalso will be my lord's bondmen.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom\nit is found shall be my bondman; and ye shall be blameless.\"\n\nThen they hasted, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and\nopened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and\nleft at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then\nthey rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to\nthe city. And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; and he was\nyet there: and they fell before him on the ground.\n\nAnd Joseph said unto them, \"What deed is this that ye have done? know ye\nnot that such a man as I can indeed divine?\"\n\nAnd Judah said, \"What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or\nhow shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy\nservants: behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he also in\nwhose hand the cup is found.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"God forbid that I should do so: the man in whose hand the\ncup is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up in\npeace unto your father.\"\n\n\nB. JUDAH'S NOBLE OFFER\n\nThen Judah came near unto him, and said, \"Oh my lord, let thy servant, I\npray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn\nagainst thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his\nservants, saying, 'Have ye a father, or a brother?' And we said unto my\nlord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a\nlittle one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother,\nand his father loveth him.' And thou saidst unto thy servants, 'Bring\nhim down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.' And we said unto\nmy lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his\nfather, his father would die.' And thou saidst unto thy servants,\n'Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face\nno more.' And it came to pass when we came up unto my father, we told\nhim the words of my lord. And our father said, 'Go again, buy us a\nlittle food.' And we said, 'We cannot go down: if our youngest brother\nbe with us, then will we go down; for we may not see the man's face,\nexcept our youngest brother be with us.' And my father said unto us, 'Ye\nknow that my wife bare me two sons: and the one went out from me, and I\nsaid, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since: and if\nye take this one also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring\ndown my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.' Now therefore when I come\nto my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound\nup in the lad's life; it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad\nis not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the\ngray hairs of our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant\nbecame surety for the lad unto my father, saying, 'If I bring him not\nunto thee, then shall I bear the blame to my father for ever.' Now\ntherefore, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the lad a\nbondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how\nshall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest I see the\nevil that shall come on my father.\"\n\n\nC. THE FORGIVENESS\n\nThen Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him;\nand he cried, \"Cause every man to go out from me.\" And there stood no\nman with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he\nwept aloud.\n\nAnd Joseph said unto his brethren, \"I am Joseph; doth my father yet\nlive?\" And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at\nhis presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, \"Come near to me, I\npray you.\" And they came near. And he said, \"I am Joseph your brother,\nwhom ye sold into Egypt. And now be not grieved, nor angry with\nyourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to\npreserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and\nthere are yet five years, in the which there shall be neither plowing\nnor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a remnant in the\nearth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance. So now it was not\nyou that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to\nPharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of\nEgypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, 'Thus saith\nthy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me,\ntarry not: and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt\nbe near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children,\nand thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: and there will I\nnourish thee; for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou come to\npoverty, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast.' And, behold,\nyour eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth\nthat speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in\nEgypt, and of all that ye have seen and ye shall haste and bring down my\nfather hither.\"\n\nAnd he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin\nwept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them:\nand after that his brethren talked with him.\n\n\n=Sec.28. Joseph and His Father= (Gen. 45:25-28; 46:28-30; 47:7-11)\n\nAnd they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto\nJacob their father. And they told him, saying, \"Joseph is yet alive, and\nhe is ruler over all the land of Egypt.\"\n\nAnd his heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all\nthe words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the\nwagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their\nfather revived: and Israel said, \"It is enough; Joseph my son is yet\nalive: I will go and see him before I die.\"\n\nAnd he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to show the way before him\nunto Goshen; and they came unto the land of Goshen. And Joseph made\nready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen. And\nhe presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his\nneck a good while.\n\nAnd Israel said unto Joseph, \"Now let me die, since I have seen thy\nface, that thou art yet alive.\"\n\nAnd Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and\nJacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, \"How many are the\ndays of the years of thy life?\"\n\nAnd Jacob said unto Pharaoh, \"The days of the years of my pilgrimage are\nan hundred and thirty years: few and evil have been the days of the\nyears of my life, and they have not attained unto the days of the years\nof the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.\"\n\nAnd Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.\nAnd Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a\npossession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n73. This a rather long chapter, but it is so full of interest that it\nwould not be well to divide it. Recall the last chapter and tell what\nwas the condition in Egypt and what was Joseph's position.\n\n74 (Sec.25A). We turn back in our story to what persons? What was happening\nto them? What was this journey, who went, why did they go, who remained\nbehind? Compare this with Abraham's journey (Sec.4).\n\n75 (Sec.25B). How did Joseph feel when he saw his brothers after so many\nyears? How did he recognize them, while they did not know him? Notice\nhow roughly he treats them. He is going to see whether they care for the\nyoungest brother Benjamin. How does he do this? We saw in the life of\nJacob how an old sin comes back. So it is here, as the brothers realize.\nHow does the interview end?\n\n76 (Sec.25C). What happened about the money? Describe the report that they\nmade to Jacob.\n\n77 (Sec.26A). Why did they need to go to Egypt again? What did Judah say to\nhis father? How did Jacob at last consent?\n\n78 (Sec.26B). Joseph is not yet ready to tell them of his forgiveness,\nbecause he wants them to be really repentant. He has a very good plan in\nhis mind. What took place between the brothers and the steward?\n\n79 (Sec.26C). This description is very beautiful. What were Joseph's\nfeelings when he saw Benjamin? How was the feast arranged? Notice that\nJoseph ate apart as the Egyptian custom required. How surprised they\nwere that they should be seated according to their ages!\n\n80 (Sec.27A). What was Joseph's plan about the cup? Tell the story of the\narrest. Notice the custom of expressing sorrow. The brothers find\nthemselves in a hard case. Once, when they were guilty, they had been\nable to escape detection; now, when they are innocent, they cannot\nescape. What was Joseph's harsh decision?\n\n81 (Sec.27B). The brothers had not cared that Joseph should be sold as a\nslave and Jacob should be heartbroken. But now when Benjamin is to be a\nslave they feel different. Why is this? Tell in your own words Judah's\nnoble speech. See how completely Joseph has brought his brothers to\nrepentance.\n\n82 (Sec.27C). Notice (1) Joseph's loving words, (2) his faith in God's\nprovidence, (3) his message to his father, (4) his affection for his\nbrothers. Have you ever known forgiveness to do any good?\n\n83 (Sec.28). How did Jacob receive the good news that Joseph was alive?\nGoshen was a fertile part of Egypt in which the Hebrews were to live.\nDescribe the meeting of the father and son. Notice the formal\npresentation of Jacob to the king, and how stately is the old patriarch\nas he blesses the king.\n\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nRemember how happy Joseph was in forgiving his brethren. Read Rom.\n12:20, 21. If anybody should annoy or anger you this week, try Joseph's\nplan. Instead of getting even with your enemy, be kind to him. See if\nyou do not feel happier about it. Write in your notebook your own idea\nof whether Joseph was right in his forgiveness.\n\n\n\n\nMOSES\n\n\n IX. MOSES' EARLY LIFE\n\n X. MOSES' COMMISSION\n\n XI. MOSES, THE DELIVERER\n\n XII. MOSES, THE LAWGIVER\n\n\n\n\n\nIX. MOSES' EARLY LIFE\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.29. The Oppression of the Hebrews= (Exod. 1:6-12, 22)\n\nAnd Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the\nchildren of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and\nmultiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with\nthem.\n\nNow there arose a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he\nsaid unto his people, \"Behold, the people of the children of Israel are\nmore and mightier than we: come, let us deal wisely with them; lest they\nmultiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war,\nthey also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and\nget them up out of the land.\"\n\nTherefore, they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their\nburdens. And they built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.\nBut the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more\nthey spread abroad. And they were grieved because of the children of\nIsrael.\n\nAnd Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, \"Every son that is born ye\nshall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.\"\n\n\n=Sec.30. The Birth and Adoption of Moses= (Exod. 2:1-10)\n\n[Illustration: _Copyright 1904 by Underwood and Underwood_\nTHE SIXTY-FIVE-FOOT PORTRAIT STATUES OF RAMSES II]\n\nAnd there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter\nof Levi. And the woman bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a\ngoodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer\nhide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime\nand with pitch: and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags\nby the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would\nbe done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the\nriver; and her maidens walked along by the river side; and she saw the\nark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it. And she opened\nit, and saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept.\n\nAnd she had compassion on him, and said, \"This is one of the Hebrews'\nchildren.\"\n\nThen said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, \"Shall I go and call thee a\nnurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?\"\n\nAnd Pharaoh's daughter said to her, \"Go.\"\n\nAnd the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter\nsaid unto her, \"Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will\ngive thee thy wages.\"\n\nAnd the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she\nbrought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she\ncalled his name Moses.\n\n\n=Sec.31. The Young Man's Unwise Methods= (Exod. 2:11-15)\n\nAnd it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went\nout unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he saw an\nEgyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way\nand that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the\nEgyptian, and hid him in the sand. And he went out the second day, and,\nbehold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that\ndid the wrong, \"Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?\" And he said, \"Who\nmade thee a prince and a judge over us? thinkest thou to kill me, as\nthou killedst the Egyptian?\" And Moses feared, and said, \"Surely the\nthing is known.\" Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay\nMoses.\n\n\n=Sec.32. Moses in Midian= (Exod. 2:16-22)\n\nMoses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian:\nand he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters:\nand they came and drew water, and filled the trough to water their\nfather's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses\nstood up and helped them, and watered their flock. And when they came to\nReuel their father, he said, \"How is it that ye are come so soon\nto-day?\" And they said, \"An Egyptian delivered us out of the hands of\nthe shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the\nflock.\" And he said unto his daughters, \"And where is he? why is it that\nye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.\" And Moses was\ncontent to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter,\nand she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, \"I have\nbeen a sojourner in a strange land.\"\n\n\n=Sec.33. The Unhappy Hebrews= (Exod. 2:23-25)\n\nAnd it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of\nEgypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage,\nand they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.\nAnd God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with\nAbraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God saw the children of Israel,\nand God took knowledge of them.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n84. In any nation one of the greatest heroes is the man who was the\nfounder of the national life. The Italians look to the great Garibaldi,\nwho delivered them from their enemies and brought about a united Italy.\nAmericans call Washington the father of his country, because he was the\nleader in the great struggle to make America a nation. The Hebrews\nalways looked back to Moses as their great deliverer, who brought them\nout of Egypt and made them a nation. The study of this hero takes us to\nthe second book of the Bible, which is called Exodus, meaning \"Going\nout,\" because it gives the story of the escape of the Hebrews from\nEgypt.\n\n85 (Sec.29). In the last chapter we were studying about a small tribe of\npeople. Now we find that a long time has passed and the people have\ngreatly increased in numbers. Consider how the negroes have increased in\nnumbers since the War. There were then four millions. How many are there\nnow?\n\n86 (Sec.29). There probably arose a new dynasty, or line of kings. What did\nthe king fear might happen if the Hebrews grew too numerous? These\nPharaohs were mighty builders. What great objects had some of the\nearlier Pharaohs built? They loved to have splendid palaces and temples\nand strong fortifications. As there was no machinery, this work\nrequired great numbers of men. In the wars of those days all prisoners\nwere made slaves and compelled to work. So the Egyptians treated the\nHebrews as if they were prisoners. What kind of labor were they\ncompelled to do?\n\n87 (Sec.29). We get a glimpse into the awful harshness of that old slavery.\nAs we see the pictures of the magnificent structures of those days we\nremember that they cost the lives of millions of human beings. We have\ndone away with slavery, but are not people still compelled to work in\nawful conditions? There are very many occupations where the health of\nthe laborers is broken down and their lives shortened. We have still a\ngreat deal to learn about how men ought to labor.\n\n88 (Sec.29). When the harsh slavery did not prevent the increase of the\nHebrews, it was brutally determined to murder them. What was the plan?\nThe girls were saved because they could not fight.\n\n89 (Sec.30). Doubtless many of the Hebrew children were drowned, but one\nmother was determined to save her boy. Tell the story of how he was\nhidden and found and saved.\n\n90 (Sec.30). By the happy plan of the mother and sister the boy could be\nbrought up safely in his own home. But he was also to have the\nopportunity of training in the royal palace. What did it mean that he\nwas adopted by the princess?\n\n91 (Sec.31). Which people would it have been most profitable for Moses to\nbelong to--the Egyptians or the Hebrews? Sometimes we see a boy who is\nclever and fortunate separating himself from his family. How did Moses\nfeel when he grew up and saw the sad condition of his people? What hasty\nthing did he do? Was Moses justified in that act? Let us see how it\nturned out.\n\n92 (Sec.31). The young man was not only anxious to save his people from\ntyranny but also from quarreling among themselves. What happened the\nnext day? People are not always willing to take good advice. What danger\nwas Moses in?\n\n93 (Sec.32). What was Moses obliged to do because he had killed the\nEgyptian overseer? Locate Midian. When Moses was off in the desert, a\nfugitive from justice, could he help his people? Was not his hasty act\nunwise? Do you remember someone attacking saloons with a hatchet? Can we\noften do good by violence? Sometimes we are very indignant because we\nsee injustice, but in the long run we shall gain all good ends by\npeaceful means. Lynching is a poor way to secure justice.\n\n94 (Sec.32). Notice that the girls were in charge of the flocks. What did\nthe rude shepherds do? Again Moses interferes to help the weak, but this\ntime he seems to have done it without fighting. Why did the girls think\nMoses was an Egyptian? How did it all turn out?\n\n95 (Sec.33). Meantime everything looked very dark for the Hebrews. But God\nwas preparing a man to save them. Would it have been a good thing for\nthe Hebrews to have been happy in Egypt and to have stayed there and\nbecome Egyptians? Would it have been well if the Pilgrims had been well\ntreated in England and had stayed there? Are our troubles ever good for\nus? Who is watching all the time?\n\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nMoses was obliged to be a shepherd instead of a wealthy Egyptian. So\nsometimes our plans are changed. But often it turns out for good. Ask\nyour parents, or your pastor, or some friend, to tell you if anything\never happened to them that seemed at the time to upset all their plans\nof life, but which turned out to be of great value in their training.\nWrite an account of it in your notebook.\n\n\n\n\nX. MOSES' COMMISSION\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.34. The Call in the Wilderness= (Exod. 3:1-11; 4:1-17)\n\nA. THE BURNING BUSH\n\nNow Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest\nof Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came\nto the mountain of God, unto Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared\nunto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked,\nand, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.\n\nAnd Moses said, \"I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why\nthe bush is not burnt.\"\n\nAnd when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him\nout of the midst of the bush, and said, \"Moses, Moses.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Here am I.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet,\nfor the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. I am the God of thy\nfather, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.\"\n\nAnd Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord\nsaid, \"I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in\nEgypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I\nknow their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand\nof the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land\nand a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. Come now\ntherefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring\nforth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.\"\n\n[Illustration: ORIENTAL SANDALS]\n\n\nB. MOSES' HESITATION\n\nAnd Moses said unto God, \"Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and\nthat I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? Behold,\nthey will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say,\n'The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.'\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto him, \"What is that in thine hand?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"A rod.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Cast it on the ground.\"\n\nAnd he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled\nfrom before it.\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Put forth thine hand and take it by the\ntail.\"\n\nAnd he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in\nhis hand.\n\nAnd the Lord said furthermore unto him, \"Put now thine hand into thy\nbosom.\"\n\nAnd he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his\nhand was leprous, as white as snow.\n\nAnd he said, \"Put thine hand into thy bosom again.\"\n\nAnd he put his hand into his bosom again; and when he took it out of his\nbosom, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.\n\nAnd the Lord said, \"It shall come to pass, if they will not believe\nthee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will\nbelieve the voice of the latter sign.\"\n\nAnd Moses said unto the Lord, \"Oh Lord, I am not eloquent, neither\nheretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: for I am slow\nof speech, and of a slow tongue.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto him, \"Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh a\nman dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I the Lord? Now\ntherefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou\nshalt speak.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Oh Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of another whom\nthou wilt choose.\"\n\nAnd the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, \"Is\nthere not Aaron thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also,\nbehold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be\nglad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in\nhis mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will\nteach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the\npeople. And thou shalt take in thine hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt\ndo the signs.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said to Aaron, \"Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.\"\n\nAnd he went, and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed him. And\nMoses told Aaron all the words of the Lord wherewith he had sent him,\nand all the signs wherewith he had charged him.\n\n\n=Sec.35. The Return to Egypt= (Exod. 4:18, 20, 27-31)\n\nAnd Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto\nhim, \"Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in\nEgypt, and see whether they be yet alive.\"\n\nAnd Jethro said to Moses, \"Go in peace.\"\n\nAnd Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he\nreturned to the land of Egypt.\n\nAnd Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the\nchildren of Israel: and Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had\nspoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the\npeople believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the\nchildren of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they\nbowed their heads and worshipped.\n\n\n=Sec.36. Pharaoh's Harshness= (Exod. 5:1-6:1)\n\nA. THE CHALLENGE\n\nAnd afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh, \"Thus saith\nthe Lord, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a\nfeast unto me in the wilderness.'\"\n\nAnd Pharaoh said, \"Who is the Lord, that I should hearken unto his voice\nto let Israel go? I know not the Lord, and moreover I will not let\nIsrael go.\"\n\nAnd they said, \"The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we\npray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto\nthe Lord our God.\"\n\nAnd the king of Egypt said unto them, \"Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron,\nloose the people from their work? get you unto your burdens. Behold,\nthe people of the land are now many, and ye make them rest from their\nburdens.\"\n\n\nB. THE BITTER BONDAGE\n\nAnd the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and\ntheir officers, saying, \"Ye shall no more give the people straw to make\nbrick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. And\nthe number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay\nupon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof: for they be idle;\ntherefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Let\nheavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let\nthem not regard lying words.\"\n\nAnd the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they\nspake to the people, saying, \"Thus saith Pharaoh, 'I will not give you\nstraw. Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it: for nought of\nyour work shall be diminished.'\"\n\nSo the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to\ngather stubble for straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying,\n\"Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.\" And the\nofficers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set\nover them, were beaten, and demanded, \"Wherefore have ye not fulfilled\nyour task both yesterday and to-day, in making brick as heretofore?\"\n\nThen the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh,\nsaying, \"Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? There is no\nstraw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, 'Make brick': and\nbehold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.\"\n\nBut he said, \"Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, 'Let us go and\nsacrifice to the Lord.' Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no\nstraw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks.\"\n\nAnd the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in\nevil case, and they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they\ncame forth from Pharaoh: and they said unto them, \"The Lord look upon\nyou, and judge; because ye have made us to be abhorred in the eyes of\nPharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand\nto slay us.\"\n\n\nC. THE PROMISE OF THE LORD\n\nAnd Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, \"Lord, wherefore hast thou\nevil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? For since\nI came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath evil entreated this\npeople; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Now shalt thou see what I will do to\nPharaoh: for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong\nhand shall he drive them out of his land.\"\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n96 (Sec.34A). We left Moses in Midian. Locate it again on the map. With\nwhom did he live? What was his occupation? Notice that he came to Mt.\nHoreb, which is also called Mt. Sinai. Locate it on the map.\n\n97 (Sec.34A). As Moses was alone in the wilderness, his thoughts would\nnaturally turn to his people. What would he wish for them? How greatly\nthey needed a leader! If ever the thought occurred to him that he ought\nto be their leader, how would he feel about it? At last God's message\ncame to him. It is one of the beautiful stories of God speaking to man.\nHow was Moses told to show his reverence? It is the custom in the East.\nHow could they take off their shoes so easily? (See illustration of the\nsandal.) What custom do we have to show reverence? How did Moses show a\nstill deeper reverence?\n\n98 (Sec.34A). What did God tell Moses? It might have seemed to the lonely\nexile that the Lord had forgotten all about the people in bondage. A\ncommission is a duty given to a man: what was Moses' commission? At last\nGod's plan for poor Israel was clear. The deliverer had been found.\n\n99 (Sec.34B). It was a startling commission for Moses. He remembered how\nthe people had treated him when he had tried to help them. (Recall Sec.31.)\nWhat was he now afraid of? Tell the story of the signs with which the\nLord gave him confidence. People were always anxious for something\nwonderful in those old days.\n\n100 (Sec.34B). Moses had another reason for hesitation. Is humility a good\npreparation for a great work or is confidence better? How does the Lord\nfit an earnest man for his work? Humility is not good when it is through\nlack of faith. \"The anger of the Lord\" means his displeasure at what\nis not right. Who was sent with Moses?\n\n101 (Sec.35). How did Moses act after receiving the commission. Did he tell\nhis father-in-law his plans? Describe the meeting, as you may imagine\nit, between the two brothers and the Hebrew people.\n\n[Illustration: _Copyright 1904 by Underwood and Underwood_\nBRICK-MAKING IN EGYPT]\n\n102 (Sec.36A). It was a bold thing to go to the king. What did Moses and\nAaron demand? What did the king say about the Lord? What did he say\nMoses and Aaron were doing?\n\n103 (Sec.36B). Brick was made from the black Nile mud mixed with sand and\nwith chopped straw. There are pictures in Egypt of captives making these\nbricks with overseers guarding them. The soft mud would be put into a\nwooden mold, which would then be lifted off and the brick left to dry in\nthe sun. Sometimes the captives had to gather waste material or stubble\ninstead of straw. Why was this such a hardship to the Hebrews?\n\n104 (Sec.36B). Note how the orders were carried out. There are two classes\nof officials mentioned: the Egyptian taskmasters and the Hebrew\nofficers. The latter were responsible for the full work being done by\ntheir countrymen. Tell the whole story of the bondage.\n\n105 (Sec.36B). Describe the interview of the officers with Pharaoh. How did\nthey feel toward Moses and Aaron?\n\n106 (Sec.36C). How did all this affect Moses? It is often darkest just\nbefore day. What did the Lord promise?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nThink over the story carefully and prepare for a debate, the students\ntaking different sides on the question: Resolved that Moses was wrong in\nsettling down in Midian and leaving his people so long without help.\n\n\n\n\nXI. MOSES, THE DELIVERER\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.37. The Plagues of Egypt= (Exod. 7:14-18, 25; 8:1-4, 6, 8, 13, 15-17,\n20-24, 28, 31, 32; 9:1-6, 8, 9, 22-28, 33, 34; 10:3-6, 14, 19-23, 28,\n29; 11:4-8; 12:29-36)\n\nA. THE NILE TURNED TO BLOOD\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, he refuseth\nto let the people go. Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth\nout unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink to meet\nhim; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine\nhand. And thou shalt say unto him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews,\nhath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me\nin the wilderness: and, behold hitherto thou hast not hearkened. Thus\nsaith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I\nwill smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are\nin the river and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in\nthe river shall die, and the river shall be polluted; and the Egyptians\nshall loathe to drink water from the river.'\"\n\n\nB. THE SWARMS OF FROGS\n\nAnd seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the\nriver. And the Lord spake unto Moses, \"Go in unto Pharaoh, and say unto\nhim, 'Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me. And\nif thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with\nfrogs: and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come\ninto thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into\nthe house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens,\nand into thy kneading-troughs: and the frogs shall come up both upon\nthee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.'\"\n\nAnd the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh\ncalled for Moses and Aaron, and said, \"Entreat the Lord, that he take\naway the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people\ngo, that they may sacrifice unto the Lord.\"\n\nAnd the frogs died, but when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he\nhardened his heart.\n\n\nC. THE STINGING GNATS AND SWARMS OF FLIES\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust\nof the earth, that it may become stinging gnats throughout all the land\nof Egypt.\" And there were gnats upon man, and upon beast; all the dust\nof the earth became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Rise up early in the morning, and stand\nbefore Pharaoh; and say unto him, 'Thus saith the Lord, Let my people\ngo, that they may serve me. Else, if thou wilt not let my people go,\nbehold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants,\nand upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the\nEgyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon\nthey are. And I will separate in that day the land of Goshen, in which\nmy people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou\nmayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.'\"\n\nAnd the Lord did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into all\nthe land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said, \"I will let you go, that ye may\nsacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness.\"\n\nAnd the Lord removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his\nservants, and from his people; there remained not one. And Pharaoh\nhardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.\n\n\nD. THE CATTLE PESTILENCE AND THE BOILS\n\nThen the Lord said unto Moses, \"Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, 'Thus\nsaith the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may\nserve me. For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,\nbehold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field,\nupon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the herds, and\nupon the flocks: there shall be a very grievous pestilence. And the\nLord shall separate between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of\nEgypt: and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to the children\nof Israel.'\"\n\nAnd on the morrow all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the\nchildren of Israel died not one.\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, \"Take handfuls of ashes,\nand let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And\nit shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a\nboil breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast, throughout all\nthe land of Egypt.\"\n\n\nE. THE HAIL, THE LOCUSTS, AND THE DARKNESS\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven,\nthat there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon\nbeast, and upon every herb of the field.\" So there was hail, and fire\nmingled with the hail, very grievous, such as had not been in all the\nland of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote all that was\nin the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the\nfield, and brake every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen,\nwhere the children of Israel were, was there no hail. And Pharaoh sent,\nand called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, \"I have sinned this\ntime. I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.\"\n\nAnd the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the\nearth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders\nwere ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his\nservants.\n\nAnd Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, \"Thus saith\nthe Lord, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long wilt thou refuse to humble\nthyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if\nthou refuse to let my people go, behold, to-morrow I will bring locusts\ninto thy border: and they shall cover the face of the earth, that one\nshall not be able to see the earth: and they shall eat that which\nremaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth\nfor you out of the field: and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses\nof all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy\nfathers nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were\nupon the earth unto this day.'\"\n\nAnd Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord\nbrought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and\nwhen it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And they did eat\nevery herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail\nhad left.\n\nThen Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, \"I have\nsinned against the Lord your God, and against you.\"\n\nAnd the Lord turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the\nlocusts, and drove them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust\nin all the border of Egypt. But Pharaoh did not let the children of\nIsrael go.\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Stretch out thine hand toward heaven,\nthat there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which\nmay be felt.\"\n\nAnd Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven, and there was a thick\ndarkness in all the land of Egypt three days; they saw not one another,\nneither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of\nIsrael had light in their dwellings.\n\n\nF. THE LAST PLAGUE\n\nAnd Pharaoh said unto Moses, \"Get thee from me, take heed to thyself,\nsee my face no more; for in the day thou seest my face thou shalt die.\"\n\nAnd Moses said, \"Thus saith the Lord, 'About midnight will I go out into\nthe midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall\ndie, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even\nunto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all\nthe firstborn of cattle. And there shall be a great cry throughout all\nthe land of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be\nlike it any more.' But against any of the children of Israel shall not a\ndog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that\nthe Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all\nthese thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto\nme, saying, 'Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee': and\nafter that I will go out.\" And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.\n\nAnd it came to pass at midnight, that the Lord smote all the firstborn\nin the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his\nthrone unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and\nall the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and\nall his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in\nEgypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he\ncalled for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, \"Rise up, get you forth\nfrom among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve\nthe Lord, as ye have said. Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye\nhave said, and be gone; and bless me also.\"\n\nAnd the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the\nland in haste; for they said, \"We be all dead men.\"\n\nAnd the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they\nasked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and\nraiment: and the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the\nEgyptians, so that they let them have what they asked.\n\n\n=Sec.38. The Great Deliverance= (Exod. 13:17, 18, 21, 22; 14:5-7, 10-14,\n19-27)\n\nA. THE FLIGHT AND PURSUIT\n\nAnd it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led\nthem not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was\nnear; for God said, \"Lest peradventure the people repent when they see\nwar, and they return to Egypt:\" but God led the people about, by the way\nof the wilderness by the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up\narmed out of the land of Egypt.\n\nAnd the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them\nthe way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they\nmight go by day and by night: the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar\nof fire by night, departed not from before the people.\n\nAnd it was told the king of Egypt that the people were fled: and the\nheart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and\nthey said, \"What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from\nserving us?\" And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with\nhim: and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of\nEgypt, and captains over all of them.\n\nAnd when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes,\nand, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore\nafraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. And they\nsaid unto Moses, \"Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken\nus away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with\nus, to bring us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we spake\nunto thee in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone, that we may serve the\nEgyptians'? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that\nwe should die in the wilderness.\"\n\nAnd Moses said unto the people, \"Fear ye not, stand still, and see the\nsalvation of the Lord, which he will work for you to-day: for the\nEgyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for\never. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.\"\n\n\nB. THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA\n\nAnd the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and\nwent behind them; and the pillar of cloud removed from before them, and\nstood behind them: and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of\nIsrael; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by\nnight: and the one came not near the other all the night. And Moses\nstretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go\nback by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land. And\nthe children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry\nground. And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the\nmidst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.\nAnd it came to pass in the morning watch, that the Lord looked forth\nupon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud,\nand discomfited the host of the Egyptians. And he took off their chariot\nwheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, \"Let\nus flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against\nthe Egyptians.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that\nthe waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and\nupon their horsemen.\" And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea,\nand the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the\nEgyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the\nmidst of the sea.\n\n\n=Sec.39. The Song of the Exodus= (Exod. 14:30, 31; 15:1, 2, 20, 21)\n\nThus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians;\nand Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. And Israel saw the\ngreat work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared\nthe Lord: and they believed in the Lord, and in his servant Moses.\n\nThen sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and\nspake, saying,\n\n I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously:\n The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.\n The Lord is my strength and song,\n And he is become my salvation:\n This is my God and I will praise him;\n My father's God, and I will exalt him.\n\nAnd Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her\nhand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with\ndances. And Miriam answered them,\n\n Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously;\n The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n107. The story of the deliverance from Egypt makes a long chapter, but\nit is full of exciting interest and shows the fearless character of the\ngreat leader who trusted in his God. It was a bold thing for Moses to\nreturn to Egypt and try to persuade the king to let Israel go. But when\nhe was sent to threaten Pharaoh it was indeed a task requiring courage.\nImagine a single man to-day demanding of the sultan of Turkey that he\nshould free his slaves.\n\n108 (Sec.37). Moses was sent to tell the king that terrible plagues would\ncome upon his people if he refused to let the Hebrews go. Ten plagues\nare mentioned. Nine of them were as follows: (1) the water of the Nile\nturned to blood-red color and made undrinkable; (2) enormous numbers of\nfrogs; (3) swarms of stinging insects, perhaps gnats or mosquitoes; (4)\nswarms of flies, which would be terrible in a hot country; (5) a cattle\npestilence; (6) fearful boils on men and cattle; (7) destructive hail;\n(8) locusts that ate vegetation; (9) the awful hot desert wind filling\nthe air with fine sand and causing darkness.\n\n109 (Sec.37). When Pharaoh was frightened by each of the plagues, what did\nhe promise? What made him break his promise? Did you ever know anyone\nwho was sorry for doing wrong when the punishment came, but forgot his\npromises afterward?\n\n110 (Sec.37F). What did Pharaoh threaten Moses after the ninth plague? What\ndid Moses say should be the last plague? Probably some sudden terrible\npestilence came upon Egypt. Tell the story of that night.\n\n111 (Sec.38A). Study the map and notice what a short journey it would be\nfrom Egypt along the coast to the Philistine country. But the borders of\nEgypt were strongly guarded, so that was a dangerous way to go. What\nmight have happened if the Hebrews had seen that they would have to\nfight?\n\n112 (Sec.38A). Moses was a wise leader. He knew he had a host of slaves,\nwho had not learned courage. So he led them southward toward the Red\nSea. There was a road leading to the wilderness near the Bitter Lakes.\nLocate this.\n\n113 (Sec.38A). What happened when the Egyptians found that the people had\nactually gone? What did the Hebrews say when they learned that Pharaoh\nwas following them? How did Moses encourage them?\n\n114 (Sec.38B). The Hebrews were in a very difficult situation. They had\ncome to a place where the water from the Red Sea ran far up the\nlow-lying sands. What great canal has since been dug there? The water\nwas too deep for the Hebrews to cross. Pharaoh's army was coming up\nbehind. The only thing that could save Israel would be a strong wind\nthat should drive the waters back and leave the sands clear. How often\nGod's great Providence helps his people in trouble! Moses bravely\nencouraged them.\n\n115 (Sec.38B). What separated the Israelites from the Egyptians? What made\nthe crossing possible? What trouble did the Egyptians experience? What\nwould naturally happen if the high wind stopped after the Israelites had\ncrossed? Tell the story of the deliverance.\n\n116 (Sec.39). What do you think were the feelings of Israel when they found\nthemselves safe? Recite the song in which they celebrated their escape?\nWhat does \"Exodus\" mean?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nLet us try to see just what happened to the Hebrews. Draw a map of Egypt\nand the Sinai peninsula on a larger scale than that in your book. Mark\nGoshen, the region where the Hebrews lived. Mark the bitter lakes coming\nnearly to the Gulf of Suez. Connect these with a wavy line showing the\nshallow waters which were driven back for the passage of the Hebrews.\nMark with a red line the road which the Hebrews might have taken along\nthe coast road straight to Canaan and the road which they actually took\nsouth of the bitter lakes. Continue this last line into the Sinai\npeninsula, noting that the people were led into the wilderness.\n\n\n\n\nXII. MOSES, THE LAWGIVER\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.40. The Law at Sinai= (Exod. 15:22-25, 27; 19:1)\n\nA. THE MARCH AND THE MURMURING\n\nAnd Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went three days\nin the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they\ncould not drink of the waters for they were bitter. And the people\nmurmured against Moses, saying, \"What shall we drink?\" And he cried unto\nthe Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree, and he cast it into the\nwaters, and the waters were made sweet.\n\nAnd they came to Elim, where were twelve springs of water, and\nthreescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.\nAnd they took their journey from Elim, and in the third month they came\nto the wilderness of Sinai; and there Israel encamped before the mount.\n\n[Illustration: MOSES]\n\nB. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS\n\nAnd Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the\nmountain, saying, \"Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell\nthe children of Israel;\n\n =I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out\n of the house of bondage.=\n\n =Thou shalt have none other gods before me.=\n\n =Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor the likeness of any\n form that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that\n is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself unto\n them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting\n the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon\n the fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto\n thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.=\n\n =Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord\n will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.=\n\n =Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor,\n and do all thy work: but the seventh day is a sabbath unto the Lord thy\n God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy\n daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy\n stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven\n and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:\n wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.=\n\n =Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the\n land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.=\n\n =Thou shalt do no murder.=\n\n =Thou shalt not commit adultery.=\n\n =Thou shalt not steal.=\n\n =Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.=\n\n =Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy\n neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox,\n nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.=\n\nAnd all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the\nvoice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw\nit, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, \"Speak\nthou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we\ndie.\"\n\nAnd Moses said unto the people, \"Fear not: for God is come to prove\nyou, and that his fear may be before you, that ye sin not.\"\n\nAnd the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick\ndarkness where God was.\n\n\n=Sec.41. The Great Rebellion= (Exod. 24:13, 18; 32:1-8, 15-20, 30-35)\n\nA. THE GOLDEN CALF\n\nAnd Moses and Joshua his minister went up into the mount of God. And\nMoses was in the mount forty days and forty nights. And when the people\nsaw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered\nthemselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, \"Up, make us gods,\nwhich shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us\nup out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.\"\n\nAnd Aaron said unto them, \"Break off the golden rings, which are in the\nears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them\nunto me.\"\n\nAnd all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears,\nand brought them unto Aaron. And he received it at their hand, and\nfashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they\nsaid, \"These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the\nland of Egypt.\"\n\nAnd when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made\nproclamation, and said, \"To-morrow shall be a feast to the Lord.\"\n\nAnd they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and\nbrought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink,\nand rose up to play.\n\nAnd the Lord spake unto Moses, \"Go, get thee down; for thy people, which\nthou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:\nthey have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them:\nthey have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have\nsacrificed unto it.\"\n\nAnd Moses turned and went down from the mount with the two tables in his\nhand. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he\nsaid unto Moses, \"There is a noise of war in the camp.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery,\nneither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the\nnoise of them that sing do I hear.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw\nthe calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the\ntables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. And he took\nthe calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to\npowder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel\ndrink of it.\n\n\nB. MOSES' PRAYER\n\nAnd it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, \"Ye\nhave sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord;\nperadventure I shall make atonement for your sin.\"\n\nAnd Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, \"Oh, this people have sinned\na great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt\nforgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book\nwhich thou hast written.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Moses, \"Whosoever hath sinned against me, him\nwill I blot out of my book. And now go, lead the people unto the place\nof which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine angel shall go before\nthee: nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon\nthem.\"\n\nAnd the Lord smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron\nmade.\n\n[The people were forgiven, but again and again they rebelled. Moses\nprayed for them, but the Lord said they must wander in the wilderness\nforty years. At last Moses led them to the plains of Moab and to the\nriver Jordan, where he made his farewell speech.]\n\n\n=Sec.42. The Last Days of Moses= (Deut. 31:1-3, 6-8; 34)\n\nA. THE FAREWELL SPEECH\n\nAnd Moses spake these words unto all Israel, \"I am a hundred and twenty\nyears old this day; I can no more go out and come in: and the Lord hath\nsaid unto me, 'Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.' The Lord thy God, he\nwill go over before thee; he will destroy these nations from before\nthee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before\nthee, as the Lord hath spoken. Be strong and of a good courage, fear\nnot, nor be affrighted at them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth\ngo with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.\"\n\nAnd Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all\nIsrael, \"Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt go with this\npeople into the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to\ngive them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it\nis that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail\nthee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.\"\n\n\nB. THE DEATH OF MOSES\n\nAnd Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, to the top of\nPisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the\nland.\n\nAnd the Lord said unto him, \"This is the land which I sware unto\nAbraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy\nseed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not\ngo over thither.\"\n\nSo Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab,\naccording to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in the valley in\nthe land of Moab, but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And\nMoses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not\ndim, nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel wept for\nMoses in the plains of Moab thirty days.\n\nAnd there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses,\nwhom the Lord knew face to face; in all the signs and the wonders, which\nthe Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his\nland; and in all the mighty hand, and in all the great terror, which\nMoses wrought in the sight of all Israel.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n117. After the Revolutionary War, the thirteen American states adopted a\nconstitution. Washington was the great leader. We all honor him now, but\nduring his life many were jealous of him and the people often found\nfault with him and lost confidence in him. He was greatly tried and\nwould have given up the presidency but for his sense of duty. So it was\nwith Moses. He brought deliverance to the people and gave them their\nfirst great laws, but they constantly murmured against him and against\nGod. The long story of his leadership of Israel during forty years in\nthe wilderness is told in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and\nDeuteronomy. We shall study a few of the main incidents.\n\n118 (Sec.40A). After the victory over the Egyptians, Moses led the people\ntoward Mt. Sinai. Notice on the map the mountain range in the Sinai\nPeninsula. What difficulty soon arose? How did the people meet it? This\nwas the beginning of a number of trials that Moses had in his\nleadership.\n\n119 (Sec.40A). How long did it take to reach Mt. Sinai? The gathering at\nthe mountain was a very solemn occasion. Israel was to receive a\nconstitution. Think of the solemn time when the constitution of the\nUnited States was adopted.\n\n120 (Sec.40B). What do we call these great words? Every student should know\nthem by heart. If they were learned in the Primary Department it would\nbe well to recall them.\n\n121 (Sec.40B). How were the people impressed by the holy law? Let us\nunderstand that when we speak of \"the fear of the Lord\" it does not mean\nthat we are afraid of him, but that we have a great reverence for him.\n\n122 (Sec.41A). How long had Moses remained in the mountain to which he had\ngone to receive the laws? The people could not understand a God whom\nthey could not see. They wanted an idol such as the Egyptians had. Tell\nthe story of the golden calf.\n\n123 (Sec.41A). How did Moses learn of what had happened? What did Moses\nbring down from the mountain? What did Joshua hear? What did Moses do\nwhen he found what had happened? Is it ever right to be angry?\n\n124 (Sec.41B). The people had greatly disappointed Moses, but he was very\nsorry for their sin. He went to pray for them. Read carefully his\nwonderful prayer. Moses well knew God's love, but he knew also that\nwickedness must be punished.\n\n125. We shall consider another great rebellion in connection with the\nnext two heroes whom we study. It resulted in the Hebrews being\nsentenced to travel about for forty years. Moses led them. He was their\nchief, ruling over them, and their general, enabling them to conquer\ntheir enemies.\n\n126 (Sec.42A). Moses had led the people for forty years. At last the grand\nold man brought them to the very border of the Promised Land. What river\nwas all that separated them from Canaan? Locate the place of the last\ncamp just opposite Jericho. The book of Deuteronomy gives the farewell\nspeeches of Moses. This section is a part of what he said to them. Tell\nit in your own words. What great American gave a Farewell Message to his\ncountrymen?\n\n127 (Sec.42B). It was a great disappointment to Moses that he could not\nlead the people into Canaan, but he cheerfully accepted God's will. It\nmust have been a wonderful sight that the old man saw from the mountain.\nImagine yourself on Mt. Nebo. Look over Canaan and tell what Moses saw.\nWhere did Moses die? How did Israel mourn for him? What did the writer\nof the last verses think of this great man? Learn Mrs. Alexander's\nbeautiful poem.\n\nTHE BURIAL OF MOSES\n\n By Nebo's lonely mountain,\n On this side Jordan's wave,\n In a vale in the land of Moab,\n There lies a lonely grave;\n But no man dug that sepulchre,\n And no man saw it e'er,\n For the angels of God upturned the sod,\n And laid the dead man there.\n\n That was the grandest funeral\n That ever passed on earth;\n But no man heard the tramping,\n Or saw the train go forth.\n Noiselessly as the daylight\n Comes when the night is done,\n And the crimson streak on ocean's cheek\n Grows into the great sun,\n\n Noiselessly as the springtime\n Her crown of verdure weaves,\n And all the trees on all the hills\n Open their thousand leaves,\n So, without sound of music,\n Or voice of them that wept,\n Silently down from the mountain crown\n The great procession swept.\n\n This was the bravest warrior\n That ever buckled sword;\n This the most gifted poet\n That ever breathed a word;\n And never earth's philosopher\n Traced, with his golden pen,\n On the deathless page, truths half so sage\n As he wrote down for men.\n\n And had he not high honor?\n The hillside for his pall;\n To lie in state while angels wait,\n With stars for tapers tall;\n And the dark rock-pines, like tossing plumes,\n Over his bier to wave;\n And God's own hand, in that lonely land,\n To lay him in the grave.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nDraw a picture of two large tables of stone. Write the first five\ncommandments on one, using just the first sentence of each commandment.\nWrite the last five commandments on the other in full, except that for\nthe tenth commandment use only its first four words. Do this very\nneatly.\n\n\n\n\nREVIEW\n\n XIII. THE HEROES OF ISRAEL'S WANDERINGS\n\n\n\n\nXIII. THE HEROES OF ISRAEL'S WANDERINGS\n\n128. Our studies have brought us to the time when the Hebrews were about\nto enter the land of Canaan. Up to that time they were a wandering\npeople going from place to place, seeking pasture for their flocks or\nrefuge from famine. After they settled down they used to tell the\nstories of the heroes of the old wandering days. We have studied five of\nthese. Who was called the Father of the Faithful? Who was his son? Who\nwas the man who gave his name to the nation? Which of his sons became\nthe ruler of Egypt? Who was the deliverer of the people from Egypt? Let\nus recall some of the stories of these five heroes.\n\n129 (5-7, Sec.2). Tell the story of Abraham's journey westward to the new\nland. Who did he believe called him and led him? What people in our own\nhistory did we compare with him?\n\n130 (12, 13, Sec.5). Abraham had a nephew with him: what was his name? What\ngreat wealth did these two men have? What trouble was caused by the\nincrease of their wealth? How did Abraham settle the matter? Why did we\ncall him \"magnanimous\"?\n\n131 (23, 24, Sec.8). Abraham was most anxious to do what he thought was\nright. Tell the wonderful story of how God showed him that he need not\nsacrifice his son.\n\n132. Read Sec.11A and see if you can recall the story of Jacob's deception\nof Isaac.\n\n133 (50, Sec.16). After many years and after Jacob had learned many hard\nlessons he turned back to his own land. Tell the story of his meeting\nwith the brother whom he had wronged.\n\n134 (Sec.19). How many sons had Jacob? Who was his favorite? Why did his\nbrothers hate him? Tell the story of how they sold him as a slave.\n\n135 (Sec.23C). Joseph prospered in Egypt, but through false accusation was\nthrown into prison. Here he interpreted the dreams of two men: who were\nthey? which of the men was pardoned by the king and forgot Joseph? The\nking dreamed: how did this lead to Joseph's promotion?\n\n136 (Sec.27C). There were seven years of good crops followed by seven years\nof famine. How did the famine bring Joseph's brothers to Egypt? Why did\nthey not recognize him when he knew them? What plan did he use to make\nthem sorry for their unkindness and to make one of them willing to be a\nslave to save his youngest brother? Tell the story of the forgiveness.\n\n137 (84, 89, 90, Sec.30). After the Hebrews had been a long time in Egypt\nthey became very numerous. Pharaoh was alarmed at their numbers. What\norder did he give so that there should be no more men? Tell the story of\nMoses' safety and adoption.\n\n138 (97, 98, Sec.34A). Moses had been obliged to flee from Egypt and had\nlived a long time in the wilderness thinking about how his people could\nbe saved. Perhaps sometimes he thought that he ought to deliver them,\nbut he hesitated. Tell the story of the Burning Bush and how God\nencouraged him to go back to Egypt and be the deliverer.\n\n139 (114, Sec.38B). Moses boldly went back and told the king he must let\nthe people go. After ten awful plagues Pharaoh let them go. But no\nsooner were they gone than he repented and followed after them. How did\nMoses lead them into safety by God's good providence?\n\n140 (127, Sec.42B). How many years did Moses lead his people in the\nwilderness? To what point did he bring them at last? There he made them\na noble farewell speech of encouragement. Tell the story of how he saw\nCanaan, and of his death. What did the writer of the Book of Deuteronomy\nthink of Moses?\n\n\n\n\nWAR HEROES\n\n XIV. JOSHUA AND CALEB\n\n XV. GIDEON, THE WARRIOR\n\n XVI. SAMSON, THE STRONG MAN\n\n\n\n\nXIV. JOSHUA AND CALEB\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.43. The Twelve Spies= (Num. 13:1, 2, 17-21, 25-28, 30-33; 14:1-10,\n26-33)\n\nA. THE MISSION OF THE SPIES\n\nThe Lord spake unto Moses, saying, \"Send thou men, that they may spy out\nthe land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every\ntribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a prince among\nthem.\"\n\nAnd Moses sent twelve men of the tribes of Israel, and of them Caleb was\nof the tribe of Judah and Joshua of the tribe of Ephraim. And Moses sent\nthem to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, \"Get you up this\nway by the South, and go up into the mountains: and see the land, what\nit is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or\nweak, whether they be few or many; and what the land is that they dwell\nin, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell\nin, whether in camps, or in strongholds; and what the land is, whether\nit be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of\ngood courage, and bring of the fruit of the land.\"\n\nNow the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes. So they went up, and\nspied out the land. And they came unto the valley of Eshcol, and cut\ndown from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it\nupon a staff between two; they brought also of the pomegranates, and of\nthe figs.\n\n\nB. THE REPORT OF THE COWARDS\n\nAnd they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. And\nthey went and came to Moses, and to the children of Israel, and showed\nthem the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, \"We came unto\nthe land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and\nhoney; and this is the fruit of it. Howbeit the people that dwell in the\nland are strong, and the cities are fenced, and very great: and moreover\nwe saw the giants, the children of Anak, there.\"\n\nAnd Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, \"Let us go up at\nonce, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.\"\n\nBut the men that went up with him said, \"We are not able to go up\nagainst the people; for they are stronger than we.\" And they brought up\nan evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of\nIsrael, saying, \"The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is\na land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that\nwe saw in it are men of great stature. And there we saw the giants, the\nsons of Anak: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we\nwere in their sight.\"\n\n\nC. THE DISCOURAGEMENT\n\nAnd all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the\npeople wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against\nMoses and against Aaron: and said unto them, \"Would God that we had died\nin the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And\nwherefore doth the Lord bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword?\nOur wives and our little ones shall be a prey: were it not better for us\nto return into Egypt?\"\n\nAnd they said one to another, \"Let us make a captain, and let us return\ninto Egypt.\"\n\nThen Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the\nchildren of Israel.\n\n\nD. THE ADVICE OF THE HEROES\n\nAnd Joshua and Caleb, which were of them that spied out the land, rent\ntheir clothes: and they spake unto all the children of Israel, saying,\n\"The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceeding good\nland. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land,\nand give it unto us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only\nrebel not against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for\nthey are bread for us: their defence is removed from over them, and the\nLord is with us: fear them not.\"\n\nBut all the people cried to stone them with stones.\n\n\nE. THE SENTENCE OF THE LORD\n\nAnd the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting unto all the\nchildren of Israel. And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,\nsaying, \"I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which\nthey murmur against me. Say unto them, 'As I live, saith the Lord,\nsurely as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: your\ncarcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of\nyou, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward,\nwhich have murmured against me, surely ye shall not come into the land,\nconcerning which I lifted up my hand that I would make you dwell\ntherein, save Caleb and Joshua. But your little ones, which ye said\nshould be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land\nwhich ye have rejected. But as for you, your carcases shall fall in this\nwilderness. And your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty\nyears.'\"\n\n\n=Sec.44. After the Forty Years= (Josh. 1:1-11; 11:16-18; 14:6-13)\n\nA. JOSHUA'S REWARD\n\nNow it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,\nthat the Lord spake unto Joshua, Moses' minister, saying, \"Moses my\nservant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all\nthis people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children\nof Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to\nyou have I given it, as I spake unto Moses. From the wilderness, and\nthis Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the\nland of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of\nthe sun, shall be your border. There shall not any man be able to stand\nbefore thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be\nwith thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a\ngood courage: for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which\nI sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very\ncourageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my\nservant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the\nleft, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. This\nbook of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt\nmeditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according\nto all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way\nprosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded\nthee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not affrighted, neither be\nthou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou\ngoest.\"\n\nThen Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, \"Pass through\nthe midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, 'Prepare you\nvictuals; for within three days ye are to pass over this Jordan, to go\nin to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess\nit.'\"\n\n\nB. JOSHUA'S CONQUESTS\n\nSo Joshua took all that land, the hill country, and all the South, and\nthe lowland, and the hill country of Israel, and the lowland of the\nsame; and all their kings he took, and smote them, and put them to\ndeath. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. So Joshua took\nthe whole land, according to all that the Lord spake unto Moses; and\nJoshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their\ndivisions by their tribes.\n\n\nC. CALEB'S REWARD\n\nThen the children of Judah drew nigh unto Joshua: and Caleb said unto\nhim, \"Thou knowest the thing that the Lord spake unto Moses the man of\nGod concerning me and concerning thee in Kadesh-barnea. Forty years old\nwas I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to\nspy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.\nNevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the\npeople melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses sware on\nthat day, saying, 'Surely the land whereon thy foot hath trodden shall\nbe an inheritance to thee and to thy children for ever, because thou\nhast wholly followed the Lord my God.' And now, behold, the Lord hath\nkept me alive, as he spake, these forty and five years, from the time\nthat the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while Israel walked in the\nwilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As\nyet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as\nmy strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, and to go out\nand to come in. Now, therefore, give me this mountain, whereof the Lord\nspake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the giants, the\nsons of Anak, were there, and cities great and fenced: it may be that\nthe Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as the Lord\nspake.\"\n\nAnd Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron unto Caleb for an\ninheritance. And the land had rest from war.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n141. We have followed the story of Moses to the time of his death. Now\nwe shall go back to notice the part that two other heroes played in the\nwilderness. It was at the time when Moses had led the people from Mount\nSinai toward the southern part of Canaan. Locate this journey on the\nmap.\n\n142 (Sec.43A). Notice that we take up the Book of Numbers, which is so\ncalled because it tells of the census of the people in the wilderness.\nTry to imagine the feelings of the people who had come from slavery in\nEgypt and had reached the borders of the strange new land. They would\nwish to know what was before them. What plan was to be used to find\nout?\n\n143 (Sec.43A). The southern part of Canaan was called \"the South.\" Locate\nit. They were to go through there and then to the higher country where\nthe vineyards were planted on the hills. What seven different things\nwere these men to find out? What were they to bring back with them? What\ntime of the year was it? We can imagine how the settlers in the early\nhistory of our country might have sent scouts to go through the Indian\nlands to find out what they were and what kind of people the Indian\ntribes were.\n\n144 (Sec.43A). These twelve men went all through the land. What did they\nget as a sample of the fruit? Why did two men have to carry it? What\ndoes this show of the character of the land?\n\n145 (Sec.43B). How long did it take them to find out about the country?\nWhat did they do when they came back. What report did they give? The\nchildren of Anak were very tall men. It seems that there must have been\na tribe of exceedingly big men in Canaan. These frightened the spies.\n\n146 (Sec.43B). There was one of the committee who spoke out a bold word.\nWho was he and what did he say? But what did the others reply? Notice\nthat at first they said they saw some tall men. Soon they began to think\nthat all the Canaanites were giants. So difficulties grow in our minds\nwhen we are cowardly.\n\n147 (Sec.43C). What happened when the people heard the discouraging report?\nIt shows how a few men can discourage a whole army. What rebellion did\nthey plan? Would it have been wise to go back to Egypt?\n\n148 (Sec.43D). Moses and Aaron were very much troubled. But the two heroes\nout of the twelve spies made a great speech. They were troubled so they\ntore their clothes. But what did they say about the land? Who did they\nsay would bless the people if they would be faithful and brave? How did\nthe people respond? Think of the two noble men standing against the\ngreat crowd.\n\n149 (Sec.43E). The message of the Lord tells of the punishment for the\nrebellion. What was to happen to all the grown men? What two men were to\nbe an exception? What was to happen to the children? Notice that the\npunishment is that they shall not go into the land. But they did not\nwant to go. Sometimes the worst punishment is to take a person at his\nword.\n\n150 (Sec.44A). Now imagine forty years to pass. All the old men are gone.\nThe great leader is gone. Let us see what became of the two brave men.\nWe turn to a new book, the sixth in our Bible, which is called after the\nname of the hero. Who was chosen to succeed Moses? Was not this an honor\nand reward? What was to be his duty for the people? What spirit was he\nto have? What was to be his guide? Who promised to be with him? What did\nhe immediately do as the first act of his leadership?\n\n151 (Sec.44B). The first eleven chapters of this book give the account of\nJoshua's wars to gain the land for his people. This passage tells how he\nsucceeded. Tell it in your own words.\n\n152 (Sec.44C). The old hero Caleb comes up to get his share of the new\nland. Tell what he says to Joshua. As he states that it is forty-five\nyears since Moses gave him the promise, there must have been five years\nspent in conquering the land. It was a long time to wait for his reward,\nbut at last the old man receives it. It is interesting to note that he\nchooses his own reward. He asks to be given the very highland country\nthat the spies were so much afraid of. He expects the Lord to help him\nto drive the giants out. One would think that an old man would ask for\nan easy place. Caleb asks for a hard one. What do you think of Caleb?\nWhat kind of a place do you want in the world--an easy place with\nplenty to get or a hard place with plenty of chance to do good? Think\nabout that question and then answer it to yourself.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nThis week you will undoubtedly have some difficult lessons assigned in\nschool. It will seem that they are too hard and you will feel inclined\nto give them up. Do not be afraid of the giants, be like Joshua and\nCaleb and you can conquer if you are brave enough. Make up your mind to\nconquer some hard task each day. When you are sure you have really\nconquered a difficulty think how those heroes must have felt about the\ngiants. Write in your notebook the reason why Caleb and Joshua wanted to\ndo the hard duty.\n\n\n\n\nXV. GIDEON, THE WARRIOR\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.45. The Call of Gideon= (Judg. 6:2-6, 11-24, 36-40)\n\nA. THE OPPRESSION OF THE MIDIANITES\n\nThe hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of Midian the\nchildren of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and\nthe caves, and the strongholds. And so it was, when Israel had sown,\nthat the Midianites came up and encamped against them, and destroyed the\nincrease of the earth, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep,\nnor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle and their tents,\nthey came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were\nwithout number: and they came into the land to destroy it. And Israel\nwas brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried\nunto the Lord.\n\n\nB. THE ANGEL'S VISIT TO GIDEON\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord came, and sat under the oak that belonged unto\nJoash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the\nwinepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord\nappeared unto him, and said unto him, \"The Lord is with thee, thou\nmighty man of valor.\"\n\nAnd Gideon said unto him, \"Oh my lord, if the Lord be with us, why then\nis all this befallen us? and where are all his wondrous works which our\nfathers told us of, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?'\nbut now the Lord hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of\nMidian.\"\n\nAnd the Lord looked upon him, and said, \"Go in this thy might, and save\nIsrael from the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee?\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"Oh Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold,\nmy family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's\nhouse.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto him, \"Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt\nsmite the Midianites as one man.\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"If now I have found grace in thy sight, then show\nme a sign that it is thou that talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray\nthee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and lay it\nbefore thee.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I will tarry until thou come again.\"\n\nAnd Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an\nephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a\npot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.\n\nAnd the angel of God said unto him, \"Take the flesh and the unleavened\ncakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth.\"\n\nAnd he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff\nthat was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes;\nand there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the\nunleavened cakes; and the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.\nAnd Gideon saw that he was the angel of the Lord; and Gideon said,\n\"Alas, O Lord God! forasmuch as I have seen the angel of the Lord face\nto face.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto him, \"Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt\nnot die.\"\n\nThen Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord.\n\nC. THE SIGN OF THE FLEECE\n\nAnd Gideon said unto God, \"If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as\nthou hast spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the\nthreshing-floor: if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon\nall the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine\nhand, as thou hast spoken.\"\n\nAnd it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the\nfleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of\nwater. And Gideon said unto God, \"Let not thine anger be kindled against\nme, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this\nonce with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon\nall the ground let there be dew.\"\n\nAnd God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and\nthere was dew on all the ground.\n\n\n=Sec.46. The Defeat of the Midianites= (Judg. 6:33-35; 7:2-24; 8:4,\n10-12, 21)\n\nA. THE GATHERING OF THE TRIBES\n\nThen all the Midianites assembled themselves together; and they passed\nover, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. But the spirit of the Lord\ncame upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered\ntogether after him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and\nthey also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers unto\nAsher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet\nthem.\n\n\nB. THE CHOICE OF THE WARRIORS\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Gideon, \"The people that are with thee are too\nmany for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt\nthemselves against me, saying, 'Mine own hand hath saved me.' Now\ntherefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whosoever\nis fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from mount Gilead.'\"\n\nAnd there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there\nremained ten thousand. And the Lord said unto Gideon, \"The people are\nyet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for\nthee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, 'This shall\ngo with thee,' the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto\nthee, 'This shall not go with thee,' the same shall not go.\"\n\nSo he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto\nGideon, \"Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog\nlappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth\ndown upon his knees to drink.\"\n\nAnd the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth,\nwas three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon\ntheir knees to drink water.\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Gideon, \"By the three hundred men that lapped\nwill I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all\nthe people go every man unto his place.\"\n\nSo the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he\nsent all the men of Israel every man unto his tent, but retained the\nthree hundred men: and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.\n\n\nC. THE DREAM OF THE ENEMY\n\nAnd it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, \"Arise,\nget thee down into the camp; for I have delivered it into thine hand.\nBut if thou fear to go down, go thou with Purah thy servant down to the\ncamp: and thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine\nhands be strengthened to go down into the camp.\"\n\nThen went he down with Purah his servant unto the outermost part of the\narmed men that were in the camp. And the Midianites lay along in the\nvalley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number,\nas the sand which is upon the sea shore for multitude.\n\nAnd when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto\nhis fellow, and said, \"Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of\nbarley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came unto the tent,\nand smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent\nlay flat.\"\n\nAnd his fellow answered and said, \"This is nothing else save the sword\nof Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: into his hand God hath\ndelivered Midian, and all the host.\"\n\nAnd it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the\ninterpretation thereof, that he worshipped; and he returned into the\ncamp of Israel, and said, \"Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your\nhand the host of Midian.\"\n\n\nD. THE PLAN OF THE BATTLE\n\nAnd he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put\ninto the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches\nwithin the pitchers. And he said unto them, \"Look on me, and do\nlikewise: and, behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it\nshall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow the trumpet, I and\nall that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of\nall the camp, and say, 'For the Lord and for Gideon.'\"\n\nSo Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the\noutermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when\nthey had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake\nin pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. And the three companies\nblew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the torches in their\nleft hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and\nthey cried, \"The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.\"\n\nAnd they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the\nhost ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight. And they blew the\nthree hundred trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his\nfellow, and against all the host: and the host fled and the men of\nIsrael pursued after Midian.\n\n\nE. THE PURSUIT AND THE VICTORY\n\nAnd Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim,\nsaying, \"Come down against Midian and take the Jordan before them.\" So\nthey came down.\n\nAnd Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three\nhundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing.\n\nNow the two kings of Midian had with them about fifteen thousand men,\nall that were left of the host. And Gideon smote the host. And the two\nkings of Midian fled. And Gideon pursued after them and took them. And\nhe slew them, and took the crescents that were on their camels' necks.\n\n\n=Sec.47. The Result of the Victory= (Judg. 8:22-27)\n\nThen the men of Israel said unto Gideon, \"Rule thou over us, both thou,\nand thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast saved us out of the\nhand of Midian.\"\n\nAnd Gideon said unto them, \"I will not rule over you, neither shall my\nson rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.\"\n\nAnd Gideon said unto them, \"I would desire and request of you, that ye\nwould give me every man the earrings of his spoil.\"\n\nAnd they answered, \"We will willingly give them.\"\n\nAnd they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings\nof his spoil. And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested\nwas a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside the crescents,\nand the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of\nMidian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks. And\nGideon made an idol thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and\nall Israel went after it there: and it became a snare unto Gideon, and\nto his house.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n153. After the death of Joshua, the Hebrews had a hard time from their\nmany enemies. Just as our forefathers were constantly in danger from the\nIndians, so the Hebrew settlers were often attacked and their goods\ntaken from them. But in their case it was worse, because their enemies\noften came against them in great armies and conquered them. Israel had\nno king or governor, but from time to time some hero rose up to deliver\nthem. These men were called \"judges,\" because in addition to leading the\npeople in war they decided matters of dispute. Their stories are told in\nthe Book of Judges. Gideon was one of these military heroes.\n\n154 (Sec.45A). The Midianites were a wandering people of the desert. They\nwandered on the borders of Edom and Moab. Find these places on the map,\nsoutheast of Canaan. As they raised no crops themselves they delighted\nto attack the agricultural people after the crops were harvested and\nsteal all the result of the year's work. That is the meaning of the fear\nof the Hebrews that is described. Where did the Hebrews hide? How many\nwere there of the enemy?\n\n155 (Sec.45B). Notice that Gideon was afraid to thresh his wheat in the\nopen place, so he was beating out a few sheaves in the hollow where they\npressed the grapes. What did the angel say to him when he saw his\npowerful frame and how vigorously he was beating his wheat? Tell the\nconversation, showing how the angel encouraged Gideon. He was a brave\nman, but like everyone else he had lost heart. What sign was given to\nGideon? It was such a solemn thing to be called by God to deliver the\npeople that Gideon was afraid, but God encouraged him. What did Gideon\nbuild there? What did that mean?\n\n156 (Sec.45C). What further sign was given to Gideon to make him sure that\nthe Lord was with him?\n\n157 (Sec.46A). There were twelve tribes in Israel and each tribe consisted\nof a number of clans. Gideon was of the clan of Abiezer, which was part\nof the tribe of Manasseh. Look at the map of Canaan and note the names\nof the Twelve Tribes. In the tribe of Issachar is the Plain of\nEsdraelon. That was the great plain where many of the battles of Israel\nwere fought. If you can look at a relief map you will see how this great\nplain lay. The enemy had crossed the Jordan and camped on this plain.\nWhen Gideon heard it, he was stirred to the heart. What did he do? First\nhis own clan followed him. Then he called his own tribe to follow him.\nThen he sent to three of the northern tribes. Find all these on the map.\nTry to imagine the Israelites all gathering together at the call of the\nhero.\n\n158 (Sec.46B). Here we have a strange story. It would seem as if the army\nought to be as large as possible, but the Lord told Gideon that he did\nnot want the people to boast of the victory. Who were told to go home?\nHow large was the army? How many went home? How many remained? But still\nthe numbers were too large: what was the second plan to reduce them? How\nmany at last were left?\n\n159 (Sec.46C). What did Gideon do in order to find out about the enemy?\nTell the dream that he heard explained.\n\n160 (Sec.46D). Read carefully and explain what Gideon told his men. He had\na stratagem in mind to frighten the enemy. It is to be noted that the\nmen who went home left their provisions and their trumpets, so Gideon\nhad as many trumpets in his little army as in the big army. What would\nthe Midianites think when they heard three hundred trumpets blowing? The\nnight was divided into three watches. The sentries had just been set\nfor the second watch when the attack was made. Describe the actions of\nthe Israelites. What did they shout? The Midianites killed one another\nin the confusion.\n\n161 (Sec.46E). Gideon wanted the great tribe of Ephraim to help in the\nfight, so he asked them to go down to the river Jordan to cut off the\nflying enemy. What did Gideon do himself? What happened to the kings of\nMidian and the host?\n\n162 (Sec.47). What did the grateful people offer Gideon? Why did he refuse?\nWhat great American refused to be a king? The story closes in\ndisappointment. Is it not strange that after the great victory Gideon\nshould forget God? Tell the story of making the idol.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nMake a search during the next week for an example of some brave person\nstanding up like Gideon for a good cause when others hold back. There is\nsure to be someone if you are keen enough to find him. It may be at\nschool or in the city, or you may hear of someone in the newspapers.\nTalk it over with your companions until you have found the best example.\nWrite about it in your notebook.\n\n\n\n\nXVI. SAMSON, THE STRONG MAN\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.48. The Birth of Samson= (Judg. 13:2-6, 24)\n\nThere was a certain man of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his\nwife bare no child. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman,\nand said unto her, \"Behold now, thou shalt bear a son. Now therefore\nbeware, I pray thee, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any\nunclean thing: for, lo, thou shalt bear a son; and no razor shall come\nupon his head: for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from his\nbirth: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the\nPhilistines.\"\n\nThen the woman came and told her husband.\n\nAnd the woman bare a son and called his name Samson: and the child grew\nand the Lord blessed him.\n\n\n=Sec.49. The Riddle at the Wedding Feast= (Judg. 14)\n\nAnd Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the\ndaughters of the Philistines. And he came up, and told his father and\nhis mother, and said, \"I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of\nthe Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.\"\n\nThen his father and his mother said unto him, \"Is there never a woman\namong the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou\ngoest to take a wife of the Philistines?\"\n\nAnd Samson said unto his father, \"Get her for me; for she pleaseth me\nwell.\"\n\nThen went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and\ncame to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared\nagainst him. And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he\nrent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand:\nbut he told not his father or his mother what he had done. And he went\ndown, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.\n\nAnd after a while he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see\nthe carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the\nbody of the lion, and honey. And he took it into his hands, and went on,\neating as he went, and he came to his father and mother, and gave unto\nthem, and they did eat: but he told them not that he had taken the honey\nout of the body of the lion. And his father went down unto the woman:\nand Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it\ncame to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to\nbe with him.\n\nAnd Samson said unto them, \"Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if\nye can declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it\nout, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of\nraiment: but if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty\nlinen garments and thirty changes of raiment.\"\n\nAnd they said unto him, \"Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.\"\n\nAnd he said unto them,\n\n \"Out of the eater came forth meat,\n And out of the strong came forth sweetness.\"\n\nAnd they could not in three days declare the riddle.\n\nAnd it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's\nwife, \"Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest\nwe burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to\nimpoverish us? is it not so?\"\n\nAnd Samson's wife wept before him, and said, \"Thou dost but hate me, and\nlovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my\npeople, and hast not told it me.\"\n\nAnd he said unto her, \"Behold, I have not told it my father nor my\nmother, and shall I tell thee?\"\n\nAnd she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it\ncame to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed\nhim sore: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. And the\nmen of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went\ndown, \"What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion?\"\n\nAnd he said unto them,\n\n \"If ye had not plowed with my heifer,\n Ye had not found out my riddle.\"\n\nAnd the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he went down to\nAshkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave\nthe changes of raiment unto them that declared the riddle. And his anger\nwas kindled, and he went up to his father's house. But Samson's wife was\ngiven to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.\n\n\n=Sec.50. Samson's Strength= (Judg. 15:1-17; 16:1-3)\n\nA. THE STORY OF THE FOXES\n\nBut it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that\nSamson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, \"I will go in to my\nwife into the chamber.\"\n\nBut her father would not suffer him to go in. And her father said, \"I\nverily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her\nto thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I\npray thee, instead of her.\"\n\nAnd Samson said unto them, \"This time shall I be blameless in regard to\nthe Philistines, when I do them a mischief.\"\n\nAnd Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and\nturned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between every two\ntails. And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the\nstanding grain of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks and the\nstanding grain, and also the oliveyards.\n\nThen the Philistines said, \"Who hath done this?\"\n\nAnd they said, \"Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he hath\ntaken his wife, and given her to his companion.\"\n\nAnd the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.\n\nAnd Samson said unto them, \"If ye do after this manner, surely I will be\navenged of you, and after that will I cease.\"\n\nAnd he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down\nand dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.\n\n\nB. THE STORY OF THE JAWBONE\n\nThen the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread\nthemselves in Lehi. And the men of Judah said, \"Why are ye come up\nagainst us?\"\n\nAnd they said, \"To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath\ndone to us.\"\n\nThen three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of\nEtam, and said to Samson, \"Knowest thou not that the Philistines are\nrulers over us? what then is this that thou hast done unto us?\"\n\nAnd he said unto them, \"As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.\"\n\nAnd they said unto him, \"We are come down to bind thee, that we may\ndeliver thee into the hand of the Philistines.\"\n\nAnd Samson said unto them, \"Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me\nyourselves.\"\n\nAnd they spake unto him, saying, \"No; but we will bind thee fast, and\ndeliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee.\"\n\nAnd they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.\nWhen he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him: and the\nspirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were upon\nhis arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands dropped\nfrom off his hands. And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth\nhis hand, and took it, and smote a thousand men therewith. And Samson\nsaid,\n\n \"With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps,\n With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast\naway the jawbone out of his hand.\n\n\nC. THE STORY OF THE GATES OF GAZA\n\nAnd Samson went to Gaza. And it was told the Gazites, saying, \"Samson is\ncome hither.\" And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all\nnight in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying,\n\"Let be till morning light, then we will kill him.\"\n\nAnd Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of\nthe doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked them\nup, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to\nthe top of the mountain that is before Hebron.\n\n\n=Sec.51. Samson's Weakness= (Judg. 16:4-22)\n\nAnd it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman, whose name was\nDelilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said\nunto her, \"Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by\nwhat means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict\nhim: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of\nsilver.\"\n\nAnd Delilah said to Samson, \"Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great\nstrength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.\"\n\nAnd Samson said unto her, \"If they bind me with seven new bowstrings\nthat were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.\"\n\nThen the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven new bowstrings\nwhich had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now she had liers\nin wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him, \"The\nPhilistines be upon thee, Samson.\"\n\nAnd he brake the bowstrings as a string of tow is broken when it touches\nthe fire. So his strength was not known.\n\nAnd Delilah said unto Samson, \"Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me\nlies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.\"\n\nAnd he said unto her, \"If they only bind me with new ropes wherewith no\nwork hath been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.\"\n\nSo Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him,\n\"The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.\"\n\nAnd the liers in wait were abiding in the inner chamber. And he brake\nthem from off his arms like a thread.\n\nAnd Delilah said unto Samson, \"Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me\nlies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound.\"\n\nAnd he said unto her, \"If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with\nthe web.\"\n\nAnd she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, \"The Philistines be\nupon thee, Samson.\"\n\nAnd he awaked out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam,\nand the web.\n\nAnd she said unto him, \"How canst thou say, 'I love thee,' when thine\nheart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast\nnot told me wherein thy great strength lieth.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and\nurged him, that his soul was vexed unto death. And he told her all his\nheart, and said unto her, \"There hath not come a razor upon mine head:\nfor I have been a Nazirite unto God from my birth: if I be shaven, then\nmy strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any\nother man.\"\n\nAnd when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and\ncalled for the lords of the Philistines, saying, \"Come up this once, for\nhe hath told me all his heart.\"\n\nThen the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought the\nmoney in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees: and she\ncalled for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she\nbegan to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, \"The\nPhilistines be upon thee, Samson.\"\n\nAnd he awoke out of his sleep, and said, \"I will go out as at other\ntimes, and shake myself.\"\n\nBut he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.\n\nAnd the Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they\nbrought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he\ndid grind in the prison house. Howbeit the hair of his head began to\ngrow again after he was shaven.\n\n\n=Sec.52. Samson's Vengeance= (Judg. 16:23-31)\n\nAnd the lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great\nsacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, \"Our god\nhath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.\" And when the people saw\nhim, they praised their god: for they said, \"Our god hath delivered into\nour hand our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which hath slain\nmany of us.\" And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that\nthey said, \"Call for Samson, that he may make us sport.\"\n\nAnd they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made sport\nbefore them: and they set him between the pillars. And Samson said unto\nthe lad that held him by the hand, \"Suffer me that I may feel the\npillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.\"\n\nNow the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the\nPhilistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three\nthousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.\n\nAnd Samson called unto the Lord, and said, \"O Lord God, remember me, I\npray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once. O God, that I\nmay be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.\"\n\nAnd Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house\nrested, and leaned upon them, the one with his right hand, and the other\nwith his left. And Samson said, \"Let me die with the Philistines.\" And\nhe bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords,\nand upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at\nhis death were more than they which he slew in his life.\n\nThen his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took\nhim, and brought him up, and buried him in the burying-place of Manoah\nhis father.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n163. All peoples have their old stories of heroes who had great\nstrength. The Greeks had their Hercules and the Hebrews had their\nSamson. In reading his story we must remember that it belongs to a rude\nage, when men's passions were strong and they had not learned the\ngentler ways of life. The story is full of adventure; it is very well\ntold; it shows us much of the old Hebrew life; and it helps us to see\nhow hard the lot of the people must have been under their oppressors. Of\ncourse they remembered any strong man of those days, and his story grew\nas it was told from generation to generation.\n\n164 (Sec.48). The first thing that we learn about the hero is that he was a\npromised child. He was set apart from his birth to the Lord. Such\npersons were called Nazirites. They had to abstain from wine, and their\nhair was not to be cut.\n\n165 (Sec.49). With whom did Samson fall in love? The Philistines were the\noppressors of his people. What did his parents think of it? It would\nseem that they all went down to make the betrothal feast. What great\nfeat of strength did Samson perform on the way? Then there was a second\nvisit for the marriage itself. What did Samson find this time on his\nway?\n\n166 (Sec.49). The story describes some of the old customs. What was Samson\nexpected to provide for the wedding? How many young men were there? What\nbet did he make with them? What was the riddle? Could you have guessed\nit?\n\n167 (Sec.49). How did the young men find out the riddle? How did Samson pay\nhis bet? Consider what rude times those must have been.\n\n168 (Sec.50A). We have a number of the old stories of Samson's strength.\nConsider what injury was done to Samson. What humorous and savage\nrevenge did Samson take upon his enemies? It was considered a great\ninsult to burn the standing grain. What horrible vengeance did the\nPhilistines take on the bride's family?\n\n169 (Sec.50B). Tell what Samson's own people did to him. Why did they do\nit? What was Samson's great feat? Notice how big they made the\nstories--one man killing a thousand.\n\n170 (Sec.50C). They loved the stories of Samson's clever escapes. How did\nthe men of Gaza think he was caught? How did Samson escape?\n\n171 (Sec.51). This strong man was not really a great man. After he had lost\nhis first Philistine wife he fell in love with another woman of the same\nrace. She proved as deceitful as the first. Note the enormous bribe that\nthe Philistine lords offered Delilah. What was the first trial of\nSamson's strength? The new bowstrings were probably cords made from the\nintestines of animals. If they were not dried they would be tougher.\n\n172 (Sec.51). Tell the story of the second trial. The story of the third\ntrial is not quite so plain. It means that his long hair was to be\nwoven in with a piece of stuff that was being woven in the loom. When he\nwoke up he walked off with the whole heavy loom.\n\n173 (Sec.51). Notice how he let the wicked woman tease him. Was he strong\nor weak? Is it the part of a strong man to go into temptation or to run\naway from it? What was done to Samson? He makes us think of many a big\nstrong man who was weak when it came to a question of goodness. Most of\nthe big prize fighters are so weak that they become drunkards. Think of\nthis hero doing the work of a slave.\n\n174 (Sec.52). Notice how delighted the Philistines were that they had\novercome their great enemy. Imagine the crowd gathered in a temple, the\nroof of which rested upon two central pillars. When they were very merry\nthey sent for the poor blind Samson to make fun of him. What happened?\n\n175. Do you think Samson was a great man?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nDiscuss the question whether Samson ought to have been put among the\nheroes of Israel. Read over the story carefully and see why the Hebrews\nwould have wished to class him with their heroes. Read it again to see\nwhat there is against giving him that distinction. Prepare for a debate\nupon the question.\n\n\n\n\nA HEROINE\n\n XVII. RUTH, THE FOREIGNER\n\n\n\n\nXVII. RUTH, THE FOREIGNER\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.53. The Three Widows= (Ruth 1:1-5)\n\nAnd it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a\nfamine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem went to sojourn in\nthe country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of\nthe man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of\nhis two sons Mahlon and Chilion. And they came into the country of Moab,\nand continued there.\n\nAnd Elimelech, Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.\nAnd they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was\nOrpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten\nyears. And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left\nof her two children and of her husband.\n\n\n=Sec.54. The Return to Bethlehem= (Ruth 1:6-22)\n\nA. THE TWO DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW\n\nThen she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the\ncountry of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the\nLord had visited his people in giving them bread. And she went forth out\nof the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and\nthey went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.\n\nAnd Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, \"Go, return each of you to\nher mother's house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with\nthe dead, and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of\nyou in the house of her husband.\" Then she kissed them, and they lifted\nup their voice, and wept.\n\nAnd they said unto her, \"Nay, but we will return with thee unto thy\npeople.\"\n\nAnd Naomi said, \"Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? have\nI yet sons that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go\nyour way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have\nhope, if I should even have a husband, and should also bear sons; would\nye therefore tarry till they were grown? would ye therefore stay from\nhaving husbands? nay, my daughters: for it grieveth me much for your\nsakes, for the hand of the Lord is gone forth against me.\" And they\nlifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her\nmother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.\n\nAnd she said, \"Behold thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people,\nand unto her god: return thou after thy sister-in-law.\"\n\nAnd Ruth said, \"Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from\nfollowing after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou\nlodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my\nGod; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord\ndo so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.\" And\nwhen she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off\nspeaking unto her.\n\n\nB. THE ARRIVAL IN BETHLEHEM\n\nSo they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when\nthey were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and\nthe women said, \"Is this Naomi?\"\n\nAnd she said unto them, \"Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the\nAlmighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord\nhath brought me home again empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord\nhath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?\"\n\nSo Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with\nher; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.\n\n\n=Sec.55. In the Barley Field= (Ruth 2)\n\nA. THE GLEANERS\n\nAnd Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth; and\nhis name was Boaz.\n\nAnd Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, \"Let me now go to the field, and\nglean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find\nfavor.\"\n\nAnd she said unto her, \"Go, my daughter.\"\n\nAnd she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and\nshe happened to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz.\n\nAnd, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, \"The\nLord be with you.\"\n\nAnd they answered him, \"The Lord bless thee.\"\n\nThen said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, \"Whose\ndamsel is this?\"\n\nAnd he answered, \"It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi\nout of the country of Moab: and she said, 'Let me glean, I pray you, and\ngather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came, and hath\ncontinued even from the morning until now, save that she tarried a\nlittle in the house.\"\n\nThen said Boaz unto Ruth, \"Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to\nglean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here fast by\nmy maidens. Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go\nthou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not\ntouch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of\nthat which the young men have drawn.\"\n\nThen she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said\nunto him, \"Why have I found favor in thy sight, that thou shouldst take\nknowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner?\"\n\nAnd Boaz answered and said unto her, \"It hath fully been showed me, all\nthat thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy\nhusband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land\nof thy nativity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not\nheretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given\nthee of the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to\ntake refuge.\"\n\nThen she said, \"Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; for that thou\nhast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly unto thy\nhandmaid, though I be not as one of thy handmaidens.\"\n\nAnd at meal-time Boaz said unto her, \"Come hither, and eat of the bread,\nand dip thy morsel in the vinegar.\"\n\nAnd she sat beside the reapers; and they reached her parched grain, and\nshe did eat, and was sufficed, and left thereof.\n\nAnd when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men,\nsaying, \"Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not. And\nalso pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her\nglean, and rebuke her not.\"\n\n\nB. THE HUMBLE AND HAPPY HOME\n\nSo she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out that which she\nhad gleaned, and it was about a bushel of barley. And she took it up,\nand went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned:\nand she brought forth and gave to her that which she had left after she\nwas sufficed.\n\nAnd her mother-in-law said unto her, \"Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and\nwhere hast thou wrought? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee.\"\n\nAnd she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said,\n\"The man's name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz.\"\n\nAnd Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, \"Blessed be he of the Lord, who\nhath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead.\" And Naomi\nsaid unto her, \"The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near\nkinsmen.\"\n\nAnd Ruth the Moabitess said, \"Yea, he said unto me, 'Thou shalt keep\nfast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.'\"\n\nAnd Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, \"It is good, my daughter,\nthat thou go out with his maidens, and that they meet thee not in any\nother field.\"\n\nSo she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean unto the end of barley\nharvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.\n\n\n=Sec.56. At the Threshing Floor= (Ruth 3)\n\nA. THE PLAN\n\nAnd Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, \"My daughter, shall I not\nseek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is not Boaz\nour kinsman, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley\nto-night in the threshing-floor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee,\nand put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the threshing-floor;\nbut make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating\nand drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt\nmark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his\nfeet, and lay thee down: and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.\" And\nshe said unto her, \"All that thou sayest I will do.\"\n\n[Illustration: _Copyright 1904 by Underwood and Underwood_\nWINNOWING GRAIN]\n\n\nB. THE DUTY OF THE KINSMAN\n\nAnd she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did according to all\nthat her mother-in-law bade her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and\nhis heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of\ngrain: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.\nAnd it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned\nhimself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.\n\nAnd he said, \"Who art thou?\"\n\nAnd she answered, \"I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt\nover thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: thou hast showed\nmore kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou\nfollowedst not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter,\nfear not; I will do to thee all that thou sayest; for all the city of my\npeople doth know that thou art a worthy woman. And now it is true that I\nam a near kinsman; howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. Tarry this\nnight, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto\nthee the part of a kinsman, well; but if he will not, then will I do the\npart of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth: lie down until the\nmorning.\"\n\nAnd she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one\ncould discern another. For he said, \"Let it not be known that the woman\ncame to the threshing-floor.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and hold it,\" and she\nheld it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and\nhe went into the city.\n\nAnd when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, \"How hast thou fared,\nmy daughter?\"\n\nAnd she told her all that the man had done to her. And she said, \"These\nsix measures of barley gave he me; for he said, 'Go not empty unto thy\nmother-in-law.'\"\n\nThen she said, \"Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter\nwill fall; for the man will not rest, until he have finished the thing\nthis day.\"\n\n\n=Sec.57. At the City Gate= (Ruth 4:1-17)\n\nA. THE PURCHASE\n\nNow Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the\nnear kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by: unto whom he said, \"Ho, such a\none! turn aside, sit down here.\" And he turned aside, and sat down.\n\nAnd he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, \"Sit ye down\nhere.\" And they sat down.\n\nAnd he said unto the near kinsman, \"Naomi, that is come again out of the\ncountry of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother\nElimelech's: and I thought to disclose it unto thee, saying, 'Buy it\nbefore them that sit here, and before the elders of my people.' If thou\nwilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me,\nthat I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am\nafter thee.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I will redeem it.\"\n\nThen said Boaz, \"What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi,\nthou must buy also Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up\nthe name of the dead upon his inheritance.\"\n\nAnd the near kinsman said, \"I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar\nmine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I\ncannot redeem it.\"\n\nNow this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming\nand concerning exchanging, to confirm all things; a man drew off his\nshoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the manner of witness in\nIsrael.\n\nSo the near kinsman said unto Boaz, \"Buy it for thyself.\" And he drew\noff his shoe.\n\nAnd Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, \"Ye are\nwitnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and\nall that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth\nthe Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to\nraise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the\ndead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his\nplace; ye are witnesses this day.\"\n\nAnd all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, \"We are\nwitnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thy house like\nRachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do\nthou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.\"\n\n\nB. THE HAPPY MARRIAGE\n\nSo Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and she bare a son.\n\nAnd the women said unto Naomi, \"Blessed be the Lord, who hath not left\nthee this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in\nIsrael. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of\nthine old age; for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, who is better\nto thee than seven sons, hath borne him.\"\n\nAnd Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse\nunto it.\n\nAnd the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, \"There is a son born\nto Naomi.\" And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse,\nthe father of David.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n176. We study one of the heroines of Israel. She was a foreigner of the\ncountry of Moab, but held a most important place in Israel's history as\nthe great-grandmother of King David. The story tells of her devotion and\nof its reward.\n\n177 (Sec.53). Notice the time in which the story is placed. The town which\nis mentioned is well known to us because of one who was born there long\nafterward: who was he? The farmer with his wife and two sons went over\nto the rich high country of Moab. Locate it on the map, east of the\nJordan. What happened in Moab?\n\n178 (Sec.54A). What did Naomi decide to do? These three women loved one\nanother very dearly, but Naomi thought that the young women ought to\nmarry again, so she told them to stay in their own land as they would\nnot be likely to find husbands among strangers.\n\n179 (Sec.54A). According to the Hebrew custom, if a man died his brother\nwould marry the widow, but Naomi had no sons who could marry these young\nwidows. Why did Orpah return? Why did Ruth refuse to leave her\nmother-in-law? Note how beautifully Ruth spoke. Love does not count the\ncost. What do we mean by Ruth's devotion?\n\n180 (Sec.54B). Why were the Bethlehem women so surprised at Naomi's\nappearance? Naomi means \"Pleasant.\" Perhaps the name had been given to\nher because of her beauty. Mara, the same as our name Mary, means\n\"Bitter.\" Explain what Naomi meant by her speech to the women. What time\nof year was it when they returned?\n\n181 (Sec.55A). The principal man of the story is introduced to us. The two\nwomen had nothing to live on, but the Hebrew law permitted the poor to\nfollow the reapers and to gather up the stalks that were dropped or\nleft. This was called gleaning. Where did Ruth go to glean? This young\nwoman did not leave her mother to do the work. Her love expressed itself\nin deeds.\n\n182 (Sec.55A). Tell the conversation between Boaz and the foreman. Note the\nkindness of this Bethlehem gentleman to the stranger. It is the mark of\na gentleman to be kind. It was not usual to invite the gleaners to share\nthe lunch with the farm hands, but Boaz was especially kind to Ruth.\nWhat directions did he give to the young men? How would this help her in\ngleaning?\n\n183 (Sec.55B). Notice that she beat out the ears of barley, so as not to\ncarry home the straw. How much did she have? This was a good day's\ngleaning. How surprised Naomi was that she had secured so much! Tell\ntheir conversation in your own words. They were poor, but they were\nhappy all that harvest time: why?\n\n184 (Sec.56A). Remember that it was the Hebrew custom for a man's widow to\nbe married by his brother. If he had no brother his nearest relative was\nexpected to marry her. So Naomi hoped that Boaz, who was related to her\ndead husband, would marry Ruth. She plans a little scheme to let him\nknow privately that he is a near relative who ought to do this honor for\nthose who were dead. There would be a great feast at the time the barley\nwas threshed, and then all the men would go to sleep in the open air on\nthe smooth floor where the threshing was done. Ruth was instructed to\nlet Boaz know the plan when the others were asleep.\n\n185 (Sec.56B). Tell the story in your own words. Notice especially that\nBoaz explains that there is a nearer relative who ought to marry Ruth.\nWhat did Boaz give to Ruth to take to her mother-in-law? Tell the\nconversation of the two women.\n\n186 (Sec.57A). The Gate was the place where all the business was done.\nNote how the business was begun, and how arrangements were made for the\nbargain to be witnessed. The conversation refers to the Hebrew laws of\nreal estate. It is enough for us to see that the kinsman was not willing\nto marry Ruth. What interesting old custom is shown? They were sitting\non the ground cross-legged, so one could easily pull off his shoe or\nsandal. What other story have we had in which the sandal was easily\ntaken off? (See 97 and illustration.) Note Boaz' solemn statement of the\nagreement. How did all the people congratulate Boaz?\n\n187 (Sec.57B). It is interesting to see that the people congratulated Naomi\nwhen Ruth's baby was born, because there was again a son for her family.\nThis grandson would take the place of the sons whom she had lost. What\ndid the women think of Ruth? What relation was Ruth to David?\n\n188. What do you think of Ruth? Look up I Cor. 13:13 in the Revised\nVersion and see what it says about the greatest thing in the world. Can\neverybody have this greatest thing? How much does it cost? Think whether\nyou are bringing that into your home.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nWe do not always see the heroism that is just about us. The only women\nwhom we think about as heroines are those who have done some great\npublic work, but there is many a heroine who is quietly giving up her\nambitions to make the home happy as Ruth gave up herself to go with\nNaomi. Ask your mother to tell you about some young woman who gave up\nopportunity of education, or ease, or pleasure, in order to help the\nfamily. Write about it in your notebook.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FOUNDERS OF THE KINGDOM\n\n\n XVIII. SAMUEL AND ELI\n\n XIX. SAMUEL AND SAUL\n\n XX. JONATHAN'S VICTORY\n\n\n\n\nXVIII. SAMUEL AND ELI\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.58. The Birth of Samuel= (I Sam. 1:1-4, 8-28; 2:11)\n\nA. HANNAH'S GRIEF\n\nNow there was a certain man of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name\nwas Elkanah. And the name of his wife was Hannah and she had no\nchildren. And this man went up out of his city from year to year to\nworship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two\nsons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto the Lord, were there. And\nwhen the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, Hannah wept, and did not eat.\n\nAnd Elkanah her husband said unto her, \"Hannah, why weepest thou? and\nwhy eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am I not better to\nthee than ten sons?\"\n\nSo Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had\ndrunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon his seat by the door post of the\ntemple of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto\nthe Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, \"O Lord of\nhosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and\nremember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine\nhandmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days\nof his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli\nmarked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips\nmoved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been\ndrunken. And Eli said unto her, \"How long wilt thou be drunken? put away\nthy wine from thee.\"\n\nAnd Hannah answered and said, \"No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful\nspirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my\nsoul before the Lord. Count not thine handmaid for a wicked woman: for\nout of the abundance of my complaint have I spoken.\"\n\nThen Eli answered and said, \"Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant\nthy petition that thou hast asked of him.\"\n\nAnd she said, \"Let thy servant find grace in thy sight.\"\n\nSo the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more\nsad. And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the\nLord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah.\n\n\nB. THE DEDICATION OF SAMUEL\n\nAnd it came to pass, that Hannah bare a son; and she called his name\nSamuel. And the man Elkanah went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly\nsacrifice, and his vow. But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her\nhusband, \"I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will\nbring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for\never.\"\n\nAnd Elkanah her husband said unto her, \"Do what seemeth thee good; tarry\nuntil thou hast weaned him; only the Lord establish his word.\"\n\nSo the woman tarried until she weaned him. And when she had weaned him,\nshe took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal,\nand a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in\nShiloh: and the child was young. And they slew the bullock, and brought\nthe child to Eli. And she said, \"Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my\nlord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For\nthis child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I\nasked of him: therefore I also have granted him to the Lord; as long as\nhe liveth he is granted to the Lord.\"\n\nAnd Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto\nthe Lord before Eli the priest.\n\n\n=Sec.59. The Wicked Priests= (I Sam. 2:12-17, 22-25, 18, 19, 26)\n\nNow the sons of Eli were wicked men; they knew not the Lord. And the\ncustom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man offered\nsacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was being boiled,\nwith a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; and he struck it into the\nkettle; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took. So they did\nin Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. Yea, before they\nburnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that\nsacrificed, \"Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have\nboiled flesh of thee, but raw.\" And if the man said unto him, \"They will\nsurely burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul\ndesireth;\" then he would say, \"Nay, but thou shalt give it to me now:\nand if not, I will take it by force.\" And the sin of the young men was\nvery great before the Lord; for they despised the offering of the Lord.\n\nNow Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all\nIsrael. And he said unto them, \"Why do ye such things? for I hear of\nyour evil dealings from all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good\nreport that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress. If one man\nsinned against another, God shall judge him: but if a man sin against\nthe Lord, who shall entreat for him?\"\n\nNotwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father.\n\nBut Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a\nlinen ephod. Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it\nto him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the\nyearly sacrifice. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife. And the child\nSamuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord, and also with men.\n\n\n=Sec.60. The Call of Samuel= (I Sam. 3:1-18)\n\nAnd the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And it came to\npass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, (now his eyes\nhad begun to wax dim, that he could not see,) and the lamp of God was\nnot yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of\nthe Lord, where the ark of God was; that the Lord called Samuel: and he\nsaid, \"Here am I.\" And he ran unto Eli, and said, \"Here am I; for thou\ncalledst me.\" And he said, \"I called not; lie down again.\"\n\nAnd he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again, \"Samuel.\"\n\nAnd Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, \"Here am I; for thou\ncalledst me.\"\n\nAnd he answered, \"I called not, my son; lie down again.\"\n\nNow Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord\nyet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time.\nAnd he arose and went to Eli, and said, \"Here am I; for thou calledst\nme.\"\n\nAnd Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said\nunto Samuel, \"Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou\nshalt say, 'Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.'\"\n\nSo Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and stood,\nand called as at other times, \"Samuel, Samuel.\"\n\nThen Samuel said, \"Speak; for thy servant heareth.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said to Samuel, \"Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at\nwhich both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that\nday I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his\nhouse, from the beginning even unto the end. For I have told him that I\nwill judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because\nhis sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he restrained them not.\"\n\nAnd Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of\nthe Lord. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.\n\nThen Eli called Samuel, and said, \"Samuel, my son.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Here am I.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"What is the thing that the Lord hath spoken unto thee? I\npray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou\nhide any thing from me of all the things that he spake unto thee.\"\n\nAnd Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said,\n\"It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.\"\n\n\n=Sec.61. The Punishment of the Wicked Priests= (I Sam. 4:1-18)\n\nA. ISRAEL'S DOUBLE DEFEAT\n\nNow Israel went out against the Philistines to battle. And the\nPhilistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined\nbattle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the\narmy in the field about four thousand men. And when the people were come\ninto the camp, the elders of Israel said, \"Wherefore hath the Lord\nsmitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the\ncovenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that it may come among us,\nand save us out of the hand of our enemies.\"\n\nSo the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from thence the ark of\nthe covenant of the Lord of hosts; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and\nPhinehas, were there with the ark. And when the ark of the covenant of\nthe Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so\nthat the earth rang again.\n\nAnd when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, \"What\nmeaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?\" And\nthey understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp. And the\nPhilistines were afraid, for they said, \"God is come into the camp.\" And\nthey said, \"Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing\nheretofore. Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these\nmighty gods? these are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner\nof plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O\nye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have\nbeen to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.\"\n\nAnd the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every\nman to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of\nIsrael thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken; and the\ntwo sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.\n\n\nB. THE DEATH OF THE OLD PRIEST\n\nAnd there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the\nsame day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. And when\nhe came, lo, Eli sat upon his seat by the wayside watching: for his\nheart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city,\nand told it, all the city cried out.\n\nAnd when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, \"What meaneth the\nnoise of this tumult?\"\n\nAnd the man hasted, and came and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety and eight\nyears old; and his eyes were set, that he could not see. And the man\nsaid unto Eli, \"I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to-day out\nof the army.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"How went the matter, my son?\"\n\nAnd he that brought the tidings answered and said, \"Israel is fled\nbefore the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among\nthe people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and\nthe ark of God is taken.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he\nfell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck\nbrake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged\nIsrael forty years.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n189. We turn to the Books of Samuel, which take their name from one of\nthe great heroes of Israel. He did not write the books, for they contain\nthe story of what happened long after his death, but as he was the\nnoblest character in the books they were named after him.\n\n190 (Sec.58A). At the beginning of this story we learn that Elkanah the\nhusband and Hannah his wife had no children. They had gone up to Shiloh\nto the sacred building that was called the house of God, and had\ncelebrated a sacred feast. But Hannah was greatly troubled that she had\nno child. What did she do? What did she promise if she could have a son?\nWe remember from the story of Samson that leaving the hair uncut was a\nmark that the child was to serve God.\n\n191 (Sec.58A). When Hannah prayed, did she speak aloud? What did Eli, the\nold priest, think about her? Tell in your own words their conversation.\n\n192 (Sec.58B). The boy whom Hannah longed for was born. What was his name?\nIt was the custom to kill animals at the house of God as a sign of\nthanksgiving: what did Hannah take with her for this sacrifice? What\ndid she say to Eli? Note that she brings the boy to the old priest to\nlearn the duties of the house of God.\n\n193 (Sec.59). Perhaps the wrong-doing of the priests seems rather difficult\nto understand. Eli, the old priest, was assisted by his two sons. Their\nduty was to offer the sacrifices for the people, and they would be\nallowed part of the meat as their pay. That was one of the ways in which\na priest had his living. But these young priests would send their\nservants to stick a large fork into the pot where the meat was boiling\nand whatever came out they would take. Or they would take the meat\nfirst, before the offering to the Lord had been made, and this was\nconsidered a dishonor to the sacrifice. It often happens that public\nofficers are more anxious to get what they can than to do their duty.\n\n194 (Sec.59). How did the father feel about his sons? What did he say to\nthem? What ought he to have done to them? Why did he not do so?\n\n195 (Sec.59). What was happening to Samuel all this time? The linen ephod\nwas a white dress such as a priest would wear. Who made the boy's\ngarments? Think what those happy meetings of the parents and boy once a\nyear must have been.\n\n196 (Sec.60). Imagine how the little church, or temple, was at night. There\nwas a room in which the sacred box called the ark was kept. A lamp\nburned in this room all night. Samuel had a room near by, where he\nslept, and old Eli had another. What wonderful thing happened to Samuel\none night? Tell it in your own words. Nearly all men and women who have\nbecome great have heard calls in some manner in their youth. Joan of\nArc, the young girl who saved France from her enemies, thought that she\nheard God calling to her, though she was only thirteen years of age.\nThis was a vision that Samuel saw in the night. Do you remember the\ndreams of Joseph? It is often in conscience and in times of\nthoughtfulness that God speaks to us.\n\n197 (Sec.60). How did Samuel do as Eli had told him? Note that God tells\nthe boy that a great punishment will come upon Eli's family. How was Eli\nto blame for the wickedness of his sons?\n\n198 (Sec.60). What did Samuel do as soon as he got up in the morning? What\ndoes this show us regarding his duties? What did he think about the\nvision? But old Eli knew that there was something very important that\nhad happened. Tell in your own words the conversation between them. Note\nthat the poor old man can simply say that he must bear what comes upon\nhim. What do you think of Eli?\n\n199 (Sec.61A). With whom did Israel go to war? Locate the country of these\nenemies on the map. How did the battle come out? The people thought that\nif they could have the ark with them they could conquer. They thought\nthe Lord would fight for them. Where did they go to get the ark? Who\nwere with the ark?\n\n200 (Sec.61A). When the two priests brought the ark to the camp, what\nhappened? What effect did this have upon the Philistines? What was the\nresult? What happened to the two priests? What happened to the ark?\n\n201 (Sec.61B). When a Hebrew felt very sad he covered his head with dust\nand tore his dress. Tell the story of how the news of the defeat was\nbrought to Eli. How old was the priest? What was he doing? Why did he\ncare so much about the ark of God? What happened to him? Eli was a noble\nman himself, but could he not have done better for Israel than he did?\nRemember that young Samuel was growing up while these things were going\non.\n\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nThink of what paragraph 196 means to you. It is at Samuel's age that\nmost young people come into the full membership of the church. Write\nwhat you think that means.\n\n\n\n\nXIX. SAMUEL AND SAUL\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.62. The Meeting of Samuel and Saul= (I Sam. 9:1-25)\n\nA. SAUL SEEKING THE DONKEYS\n\nNow there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, a mighty man of\nvalor. And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly:\nand there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than\nhe: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.\nAnd the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul\nhis son, \"Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the\nasses.\"\n\nAnd he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and there they were\nnot: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found\nthem not. When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his\nservant that was with him, \"Come and let us return; lest my father cease\ncaring for the asses, and take thought for us.\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"Behold now, there is in this city a man of God,\nand he is a man that is held in honor; all that he saith cometh surely\nto pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning\nour journey whereon we go.\"\n\nThen said Saul to his servant, \"But, behold, if we go, what shall we\nbring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a\npresent to bring to the man of God: what have we?\"\n\nAnd the servant answered Saul again, and said, \"Behold, I have in my\nhand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man\nof God, to tell us our way.\"\n\nThen said Saul to his servant, \"Well said; come, let us go.\"\n\n\nB. SAUL ENTERTAINED BY SAMUEL\n\nSo they went unto the city where the man of God was. As they went up the\nascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water,\nand said unto them, \"Is the seer here?\"\n\nAnd they answered them, and said, \"He is; behold, he is before thee:\nmake haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people have\na sacrifice to-day in the high place: as soon as ye be come into the\ncity, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place\nto eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless\nthe sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get\nyou up; for at this time ye shall find him.\"\n\nAnd they went up to the city; and as they came within the city, behold,\nSamuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.\n\nNow the Lord had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,\n\"To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of\nBenjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel,\nand he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I\nhave looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.\"\n\nAnd when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, \"Behold the man of\nwhom I spake to thee! this same shall have authority over my people.\"\n\nThen Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, \"Tell me, I pray\nthee, where the seer's house is.\"\n\nAnd Samuel answered Saul, and said, \"I am the seer; go up before me unto\nthe high place, for ye shall eat with me to-day: and in the morning I\nwill let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. And as\nfor thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them;\nfor they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not\non thee, and for all thy father's house?\"\n\nAnd Saul answered and said, \"Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of\nthe tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the\ntribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this\nmanner?\"\n\nAnd Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the\nguest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that\nwere bidden, which were about thirty persons. And Samuel said unto the\ncook, \"Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee,\n'Set it by thee.'\"\n\nAnd the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it\nbefore Saul.\n\nAnd Samuel said, \"Behold that which hath been reserved! set it before\nthee and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it been kept for\nthee, for I said, 'I have invited the people.'\"\n\nSo Saul did eat with Samuel that day. And when they were come down from\nthe high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop.\n\n\n=Sec.63. Saul Anointed by Samuel= (I Sam. 9:26-10:7)\n\nA. THE PROMISE OF THE KINGDOM\n\nAnd they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day,\nthat Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, \"Up, that I may send\nthee away.\"\n\nAnd Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.\nAs they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul,\n\"Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou\nstill at this time, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.\" Then\nSamuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed\nhim, and said, \"Is it not that the Lord hath anointed thee to be prince\nover his inheritance? When thou art departed from me to-day, then thou\nshalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin;\nand they will say unto thee, 'The asses which thou wentest to seek are\nfound: and lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and taketh\nthought for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?' Then shalt thou go\non forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor, and\nthere shall meet thee there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one\ncarrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and\nanother carrying a bottle of wine: and they will salute thee, and give\nthee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hand. After\nthat thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the\nPhilistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to\nthe city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the\nhigh place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp,\nbefore them; and they shall be prophesying: and the spirit of the Lord\nwill come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and\nshalt be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs are\ncome unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee: for God is with\nthee.\"\n\n\nB. SAUL'S RETURN HOME\n\nAnd it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God\ngave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. And\nwhen they came thither to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him;\nand the spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among\nthem. And it came to pass, when all that knew him before-time saw that,\nbehold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to\nanother, \"What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also\namong the prophets?\"\n\nAnd when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.\nAnd Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, \"Whither went ye?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were not\nfound, we came to Samuel.\"\n\nAnd Saul's uncle said, \"Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto\nyou.\"\n\nAnd Saul said unto his uncle, \"He told us plainly that the asses were\nfound.\" But concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake,\nhe told him not.\n\n\n=Sec.64. Saul's Opportunity= (I Sam. 11:1-11, 15)\n\nThen Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead:\nand all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, \"Make a covenant with us,\nand we will serve thee.\"\n\nAnd Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, \"On this condition will I make\nit with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for\na reproach upon all Israel.\"\n\nAnd the elders of Jabesh said unto him, \"Give us seven days' respite,\nthat we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel: and then, if\nthere be none to save us, we will come out to thee.\"\n\nThen came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the\nears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.\nAnd, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul\nsaid, \"What aileth the people that they weep?\"\n\nAnd they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. And the spirit of God\ncame mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was\nkindled greatly. And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and\nsent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of\nmessengers, saying, \"Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after\nSamuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen.\"\n\nAnd the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out as one\nman. And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were\nthree hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. And they\nsaid unto the messengers that came, \"Thus shall ye say unto the men of\nJabesh-gilead, 'To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have\ndeliverance.'\"\n\nAnd the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.\nTherefore the men of Jabesh said, \"To-morrow we will come out unto you,\nand ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.\"\n\nAnd it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three\ncompanies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning\nwatch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to\npass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were\nnot left together.\n\nAnd all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before\nthe Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace\nofferings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel\nrejoiced greatly.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n202 (Sec.62A). Look at the map of Canaan and find the tribe of Benjamin. Is\nit a very large tribe? The tribes occupied separate districts, something\nlike our states. This story is going to tell us about how the first king\nwas chosen, so it is particular to tell us where he came from and how it\nhappened. What kind of man was Saul? Some animals that are used very\nmuch in Palestine had strayed: tell about them.\n\n203 (Sec.62A). Saul and the servant had wandered a long way looking for the\ndonkeys, probably spending several days in the hunt. At last Saul made\nup his mind to do something: what was it? But the servant thought of a\nplan to help them in their search. The man of God was one who could help\npeople in their troubles. They were supposed to bring him a present.\nWhat did Saul do about the present?\n\n204 (Sec.62B). Try to imagine the whole scene. Think what Saul and the\nservant were doing: whom did they meet and what did they ask? We must\nunderstand that a feast was to be held. The people were going to cook a\nwhole animal. They would pour out the blood and burn the fat, which was\ncalled a sacrifice and was part of their religion; then they would eat\nthe rest of the animal with great joy. It happened that the two men\nreached the city just as the feast was to be held. And Samuel would be\nthere to ask the blessing. The girls told the two men all this. What\nhappened just as they reached the city?\n\n205 (Sec.62B). The Philistines were enemies of Israel who greatly troubled\nthem. Samuel had been wondering how the people could be saved from their\nenemies. What had the Lord told him? What did Samuel feel just as soon\nas he saw Saul?\n\n206 (Sec.62B). Try to imagine the meeting. What did Saul say? What did\nSamuel answer? Notice the invitation, the information about the donkeys,\nand especially the hint of some great thing. Saul is surprised: what\ndoes he say to Samuel?\n\n207 (Sec.62B). What did Samuel do for Saul? What plan had Samuel made so\nthat a good piece of meat could be kept? Note the part of the animal\nthat they thought best is the same that we like: it is the leg of lamb\nor the second joint of the turkey. What did Samuel say to Saul?\n\n208 (Sec.62B). Evidently Samuel took Saul to his own house. What part of\nthe house did they use in those days for visiting? How could they do so?\nWhat do you think they talked about? Once during the Civil War Abraham\nLincoln went to visit Henry Ward Beecher: what do you think they talked\nof? Samuel had great hopes that Saul was the man to save Israel.\n\n209 (Sec.63A). After the conversation they went to bed. Then they talked\nagain early in the morning. Then Samuel walked with Saul out of the\ncity. What plan did Samuel use to be alone with Saul? Picture the scene\nto yourself: the old man with the flask of olive oil in his hand, the\ntall young man wondering about his future, the anointing, the solemn\nkiss, the promise.\n\n210 (Sec.63A). What signs was Saul to have? Samuel's last word meant that\nSaul was to wait until some great opportunity should arise and then to\ndo as God led him. We shall see how the opportunity came.\n\n211 (Sec.63B). Tell the story of what happened to Saul after he left\nSamuel. What was the conversation between Saul and his uncle? What did\nSaul keep silent about? Why do you think he did so? He was modest; he\ndid not want to boast. It seems that he went quietly to work on his\nfather's farm and waited for something to happen that should show him\nwhat to do.\n\n212 (Sec.64). The scene of the story changes. Locate Ammon on the map, east\nof the Jordan. The Ammonites were old enemies of Israel. Locate\nJabesh-Gilead, the town which they attacked. The people were afraid and\nbegged for mercy. What terms did the cruel king offer them? He was so\nsure that no one in Israel could save them that he let them send\nmessengers asking for help. The messengers came to the town where Saul\nlived. Locate Gibeah in Saul's tribe. How did the people feel when they\nheard the news? What had Saul been doing since his return from Samuel?\nTell the story of how he came home on the day the messengers arrived.\n\n213 (Sec.64). How did the news affect Saul? This was the opportunity that\nSamuel had told him to wait for. What striking thing did he do to gather\nan army? Tell the story of the successful march to relieve\nJabesh-Gilead.\n\n214 (Sec.64). What did the people think of the hero who had saved them?\nWhat did they do? Who was the first president of the United States? Why\nwas he elected? Who was the first king of Israel? Why was he chosen?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nConsider which man you would rather have been: A wise, good man who was\nmagnanimous enough to see that a king was needed and to choose him, or\nthe vigorous man who could conquer the enemies and win the kingship.\nThink carefully of the heroic qualities of each of them. Write down\nwhich you admire the most and why you would rather be that one.\n\n\n\n\nXX. JONATHAN'S VICTORY\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.65. The New King and the Old Foes= (I Sam. 13:2-7, 15-17; 14:1-23)\n\nA. THE OUTBREAK OF WAR\n\nWhen Saul had reigned two years over Israel, he chose him three thousand\nmen of Israel; whereof two thousand were with him in Michmash and in the\nmount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of\nBenjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. And\nJonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the\nPhilistines heard of it.\n\nAnd Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, \"Let the\nHebrews hear.\"\n\nAnd all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the\nPhilistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the\nPhilistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul.\n\nAnd the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel,\nthirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the\nsand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and\npitched in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw\nthat they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the\npeople did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and\nin holds, and in pits.\n\n[Illustration: A PHILISTINE]\n\nNow some of the Hebrews had gone over Jordan to the land of Gad and\nGilead. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about\nsix hundred men. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that\nwere present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines\nencamped in Michmash. And the spoilers came out of the camp of the\nPhilistines.\n\n\nB. JONATHAN'S BOLD ATTACK\n\nNow it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the\nyoung man that bare his armor, \"Come and let us go over to the\nPhilistines' garrison, that is on yonder side.\" But he told not his\nfather.\n\nAnd Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate\ntree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about\nsix hundred men. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. And\nbetween the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the\nPhilistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a\nrocky crag on the other side. The one crag rose up on the north in front\nof Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.\n\nAnd Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, \"Come and let us\ngo over unto the garrison: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for\nthere is not restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.\"\n\nAnd his armorbearer said unto him, \"Do all that is in thine heart: turn\nthee, behold I am with thee according to thy heart.\"\n\nThen said Jonathan, \"Behold, we will pass over unto the men, and we will\ndiscover ourselves unto them. If they say thus unto us, 'Tarry until we\ncome to you;' then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up\nunto them. But if they say thus, 'Come up unto us,' then we will go up:\nfor the Lord hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the\nsign unto us.\"\n\nAnd both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the\nPhilistines: and the Philistines said, \"Behold, the Hebrews come forth\nout of the holes where they had hid themselves.\" And the men of the\ngarrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, \"Come up to\nus, and we will show you a thing.\" And Jonathan said unto his\narmorbearer, \"Come up after me: for the Lord hath delivered them into\nthe hand of Israel.\"\n\nAnd Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his\narmorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his\narmorbearer slew them after him. And that first slaughter, which\nJonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it\nwere half an acre of land. And there was a trembling in the camp, in the\nfield, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they\nalso trembled: and the earth quaked; so there was an exceeding great\ntrembling.\n\n\nC. THE GENERAL BATTLE\n\nAnd the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the\nmultitude melted away, and they went hither and thither.\n\nThen said Saul unto the people that were with him, \"Number now, and see\nwho is gone from us.\"\n\nAnd when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were\nnot there. And Saul said unto Ahijah the priest, \"Bring hither the ark\nof God.\" For the ark of God was there at that time with the children of\nIsrael.\n\nAnd it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the tumult\nthat was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul\nsaid unto the priest, \"Withdraw thine hand.\"\n\nAnd Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered together,\nand came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his\nfellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. Now the Hebrews that\nwere with the Philistines as before-time, which went up with them into\nthe camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with\nthe Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of\nIsrael which had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when\nthey heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after\nthem in the battle. So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle\npassed over by Beth-aven.\n\n\n=Sec.66. Saul's Oath and Jonathan's Danger= (I Sam. 14:24-46)\n\nA. THE OATH OF ABSTINENCE\n\nAnd the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the\npeople, saying, \"Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be\nevening, and I be avenged on mine enemies.\"\n\nSo none of the people tasted food. And all the people came into the\nforest; and there was honey upon the ground. And when the people were\ncome unto the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand\nto his mouth; for the people feared the oath. But Jonathan heard not\nwhen his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth\nthe end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb,\nand put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.\n\nThen answered one of the people, and said, \"Thy father straitly charged\nthe people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed be the man that eateth food\nthis day.'\" And the people were faint.\n\nThen said Jonathan, \"My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you,\nhow mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this\nhoney. How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to-day of the\nspoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a\nmuch greater slaughter among the Philistines?\"\n\n\nB. THE HUNGRY WARRIORS\n\nAnd they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and\nthe people were very faint. And the people flew upon the spoil, and took\nsheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people\ndid eat them with the blood.\n\nThen they told Saul, saying, \"Behold, the people sin against the Lord,\nin that they eat with the blood.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Ye have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone unto me\nthis day.\" And Saul said, \"Disperse yourselves among the people, and say\nunto them, 'Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep,\nand slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord in eating with\nthe blood.'\"\n\nAnd all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and\nslew them there. And Saul built an altar unto the Lord: the same was the\nfirst altar that he built unto the Lord.\n\n\nC. JONATHAN'S DANGER AND RESCUE\n\nAnd Saul said, \"Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil\nthem until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them.\"\n\nAnd they said, \"Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee.\"\n\nThen said the priest, \"Let us draw near hither unto God.\" And Saul asked\ncounsel of God, \"Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou\ndeliver them into the hand of Israel?\" But he answered him not that day.\n\nAnd Saul said, \"Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the people: and know\nand see wherein this sin hath been this day. For, as the Lord liveth,\nwhich saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely\ndie.\" But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.\n\nThen said he unto all Israel, \"Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my\nson will be on the other side.\"\n\nAnd the people said unto Saul, \"Do what seemeth good unto thee.\"\n\nTherefore Saul said unto the Lord, the God of Israel, \"Show the right.\"\nAnd Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot: but the people escaped.\n\nAnd Saul said, \"Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.\" And Jonathan\nwas taken.\n\nThen Saul said to Jonathan, \"Tell me what thou hast done.\"\n\nAnd Jonathan told him, and said, \"I did certainly taste a little honey\nwith the end of the rod that was in mine hand; and, lo, I must die.\"\n\nAnd Saul said, \"God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die,\nJonathan.\"\n\nAnd the people said unto Saul, \"Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought\nthis great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there\nshall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought\nwith God this day.\"\n\nSo the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. Then Saul went up from\nfollowing the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n215 (Sec.65A). There was a strong enemy on the western coast that was the\nmost serious trouble to Israel. It was to save themselves from these\npeople that the Hebrews had longed for a king. Imagine how we should\nfeel if some foreign nation should capture New York and Chicago and St.\nLouis and San Francisco and should compel us to give up a large part of\nour crops every year. We should look for a great general to lead us to\nturn them out. What then did Saul feel was his first duty as king? He\nhad with him his noble son: what was his name? The first blow was struck\nat the town of Geba: what followed at once?\n\n216 (Sec.65A). Note the great force of the Philistines. What do you think\nthey expected to do with the Hebrews? How did the Hebrews behave? We\nhave seen before how the people would hide from their enemies. How many\nwarriors did Saul have left? Notice that the two forces were drawn up on\nopposite sides of a valley. Each was on a height which it was difficult\nto attack. The reference to \"the spoilers\" means that the Philistines\ndetermined to destroy all the Hebrew country. The little army of Saul\nwas unable to prevent the raids.\n\n217 (Sec.65B). Evidently some bold deed had to be done. We find that the\nking had a hero son. The knights in Europe used to have their squires:\nJonathan had his armorbearer. Why did he not tell his father of his\nplan? At the battle of Santiago in the Cuban war Lieutenant Hobson\nwanted to do a very bold deed, but it was so dangerous that he had\ndifficulty in getting permission. Jonathan was afraid his father would\nthink his plan foolhardy. Study the description of the place. There was\na narrow pass between two rocky crags. In order to reach the\nPhilistines, Jonathan would have to climb the steep rock. Note that\nJonathan hopes for the Lord to be with him. How does the armorbearer\nrespond?\n\n218 (Sec.65B). Jonathan proposes to go into the open at the bottom of the\nvalley and call to the Philistine sentinels, and then to decide whether\nto attack according to their reply. He thinks that they will make one of\ntwo replies: what were they? Tell what happened. How do you think the\nsudden attack of two men could have frightened the Philistines?\n\n219 (Sec.65C). The Hebrew sentinels on their crag suddenly saw a great\ndisturbance on the opposite height, which the Philistines held. What did\nSaul do? The king intended to consult God through the priest, but the\nconfusion in the enemy's camp grew so great that he decided to attack at\nonce. Three causes helped to put the Philistines to flight: what were\nthey?\n\n220 (Sec.66A). In the old time it was thought to be very religious to make\nsolemn vows to God. Saul felt that the Lord was saving Israel from the\noppression: what oath did he put upon the people? What did the hungry\npeople find in the forest? How did they act? How did Jonathan act? The\nlittle food was so refreshing that he seemed to see clearly again, so it\nis said \"his eyes were enlightened.\" Tell what conversation took place\nabout the honey.\n\n221 (Sec.66B). In order to understand this story, we must remember that it\nwas considered wrong to eat meat unless it had been properly killed so\nthat the blood could run off. The blood was thought to be an offering to\nGod. The Jews still keep up the same custom, and their meat is always\nspecially killed. When the Philistines fled, what property did they\nleave behind? How did the hungry Hebrews behave? How did Saul secure an\naltar where the animals could be properly killed? Saul was very careful\nto do everything that was considered right.\n\n222 (Sec.66C). The king thought that the victory should be followed up, so\nthat the Philistines could not return to trouble them. They had a custom\nof seeking to find out God's will about any matter through the priest,\njust as people do in the temples of Japan to-day. But there was some\ndifficulty in securing an answer, so Saul felt sure that someone had\nbroken the oath. It was a most solemn matter to him. What did he say to\nthe leaders of the people? Tell how they found out that Jonathan was\nguilty.\n\n223 (Sec.66C). When a man was found out by the lot, he was expected to\nconfess. What did Jonathan confess? Do you think that he had done wrong?\nEvidently Saul thought so, because at that time it seemed terrible to\nbreak a solemn oath. Picture the scene to yourself and see how nobly\nJonathan was ready to bear the punishment.\n\n224 (Sec.66C). It seems to us most strange that the king should think so\nmuch of the matter as to feel that his son must die, but we must\nremember that it was part of their religion. It makes us very glad that\nwe know God so much better, and that we can see that he must have been\npleased with the hero who had risked his life to save his people from\ntheir enemies. Indeed we find that Jonathan's noble conduct was so clear\nthat the people decided that the old custom must be broken. What did\nthey say? Why did they think the Lord would not wish Jonathan to die?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nImagine that you were Jonathan's armorbearer. Write a letter home, just\nas the young man might, telling what happened that day. Make it as full\nof description as possible.\n\n\n\n\nDAVID\n\n\n XXI. DAVID AND THE GIANT\n\n XXII. THE HERO FRIENDS, DAVID AND JONATHAN\n\n XXIII. DAVID, THE OUTLAW\n\n XXIV. DAVID, THE KING\n\n XXV. DAVID AND HIS REBEL SON\n\n\n\n\nXXI. DAVID AND THE GIANT\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.67. The Anointing of David= (I Sam. 16:1-13)\n\nAnd the Lord said unto Samuel, \"I have rejected Saul from being king\nover Israel. Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse\nthe Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.\"\n\nAnd Samuel said, \"How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said, \"Take an heifer with thee, and say, 'I am come to\nsacrifice to the Lord.' And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show\nthee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name\nunto thee.\"\n\nAnd Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the\nelders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, \"Comest thou\npeaceably?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify\nyourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.\" And he sanctified Jesse\nand his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass,\nwhen they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, \"Surely the\nLord's anointed is before him.\"\n\nBut the Lord said unto Samuel, \"Look not on his countenance, or on the\nheight of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord seeth\nnot as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the\nLord looketh on the heart.\"\n\n[Illustration: DAVID]\n\nThen Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he\nsaid, \"Neither hath the Lord chosen this.\"\n\nThen Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, \"Neither hath the Lord\nchosen this.\"\n\nAnd Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said\nunto Jesse, \"The Lord hath not chosen these.\" And Samuel said unto\nJesse, \"Are here all thy children?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth\nthe sheep.\"\n\nAnd Samuel said unto Jesse, \"Send and fetch him: for we will not sit\ndown till he come hither.\"\n\nAnd he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a\nbeautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon. And the Lord said,\n\"Arise, anoint him: for this is he.\"\n\nThen Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his\nbrethren: and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that\nday forward.\n\n\n=Sec.68. David and Goliath= (I Sam. 17:1-14, 16-52)\n\nA. GOLIATH'S CHALLENGE\n\nNow the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and they\nwere gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah. And Saul and\nthe men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched in the vale of\nElah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. And the\nPhilistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on\nthe mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.\n\nAnd there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named\nGoliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an\nhelmet of brass upon his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and\nthe weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had\ngreaves of brass upon his legs, and a javelin of brass between his\nshoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his\nspear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield-bearer\nwent before him. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and\nsaid unto them, \"Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not\nI a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and\nlet him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and kill me,\nthen will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill\nhim, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.\" And the Philistine\nsaid, \"I defy the armies of Israel this day, give me a man, that we may\nfight together.\"\n\nAnd when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they\nwere dismayed, and greatly afraid, and the Philistine drew near morning\nand evening, and presented himself forty days.\n\n\nB. DAVID'S VISIT TO THE ARMY\n\nNow Jesse had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of\nSaul, stricken in years among men. And the three eldest sons of Jesse\nhad gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that\nwent to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him\nAbinadab, and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest: and the\nthree eldest followed Saul.\n\nAnd Jesse said unto David his son, \"Take now for thy brethren an ephah\nof this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to\nthe camp to thy brethren; and bring these ten cheeses unto the captain\nof their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare.\"\n\nAnd David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a\nkeeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to\nthe place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight\nshouted for the battle. And Israel and the Philistines put the battle in\narray, army against army. And David left his baggage in the hand of the\nkeeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and saluted his\nbrethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the\nchampion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of\nthe Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard\nthem. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him,\nand were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, \"Have ye seen this man\nthat is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be,\nthat the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great\nriches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free\nin Israel.\"\n\nAnd David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, \"What shall be\ndone to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the\nreproach from Israel? for who is this Philistine, that he should defy\nthe armies of the living God?\"\n\nAnd the people answered him after this manner, saying, \"So shall it be\ndone to the man that killeth him.\"\n\nAnd Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and\nEliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, \"Why art thou come\ndown? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I\nknow thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come\ndown that thou mightest see the battle.\"\n\nAnd David said, \"What have I now done? Is there not a cause?\" And he\nturned away from him toward another, and spake after the same manner:\nand the people answered him again after the former manner.\n\n\nC. THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE CHALLENGE\n\nAnd when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them\nbefore Saul; and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, \"Let no man's\nheart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this\nPhilistine.\"\n\nAnd Saul said to David, \"Thou art not able to go against this Philistine\nto fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from\nhis youth.\"\n\nAnd David said unto Saul, \"Thy servant kept his father's sheep; and when\nthere came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, I went\nout after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and\nwhen he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and\nslew him. Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear: and this\nPhilistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of\nthe living God.\" And David said, \"The Lord that delivered me out of the\npaw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out\nof the hand of this Philistine.\"\n\nAnd Saul said unto David, \"Go, and the Lord shall be with thee.\" And\nSaul clad David with his apparel, and he put an helmet of brass upon his\nhead, and he clad him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword\nupon his apparel, and he essayed to go; for he had not proved it.\n\nAnd David said unto Saul, \"I cannot go with these; for I have not proved\nthem.\" And David put them off him.\n\n\nD. THE COMBAT\n\nAnd he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out\nof the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in\nhis scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the\nPhilistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the\nman that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked\nabout, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and\nruddy, and withal of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto\nDavid, \"Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?\" And the\nPhilistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David,\n\"Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to\nthe beasts of the field.\"\n\nThen said David to the Philistine, \"Thou comest to me with a sword, and\nwith a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of the\nLord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which thou hast defied.\nThis day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite\nthee, and take thine head from off thee; and I will give the carcases of\nthe host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to\nthe wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is\na God in Israel: and that all this assembly may know that the Lord\nsaveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he\nwill give you into our hand.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh\nto meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the\nPhilistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone,\nand slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone\nsank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David\nprevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote\nthe Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of\nDavid. Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his\nsword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off\nhis head therewith.\n\nAnd when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.\nAnd the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the\nPhilistines, until thou comest to Gath, and to the gates of Ekron.\n\n\n=Sec.69. David before Saul= (I Sam. 17:15-18:5)\n\nAnd when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto\nAbner, the captain of the host, \"Abner, whose son is this youth?\"\n\nAnd Abner said, \"As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.\"\n\nAnd the king said, \"Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.\"\n\nAnd as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took\nhim, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his\nhand. And Saul said to him, \"Whose son art thou, thou young man?\"\n\nAnd David answered, \"I am the son of thy servant Jesse the\nBethlehemite.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that\nthe soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved\nhim as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no\nmore home to his father's house. Then Jonathan and David made a\ncovenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped\nhimself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his\napparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.\n\nAnd David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself\nwisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the\nsight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n225 (Sec.67). It is a surprise to read that Saul who had begun his reign so\nwell had made a failure so early. But he was a headstrong man. He would\nnot take Samuel's advice, and the old prophet realized that a new king\nwould have to be chosen. We have now the interesting story of how David\nwas given his first knowledge of the great future that was before him.\n\n226 (Sec.67). Tell the story of the plan for a visit to Bethlehem. What did\nSamuel think when he saw Jesse's oldest son? What did the Lord tell him\nabout the way to judge of men? Saul was a man of noble appearance, but\nsometimes such men are disappointing. What occurred regarding the other\nsons? Tell the story of the anointing of David. Compare this with the\nanointing of Saul.\n\n227 (Sec.68A). We hear again of the same old enemies of Israel. Who were\nthey and where did they live? Who was their champion? Six cubits and a\nspan would be at least ten feet, so we may suppose that as this story\nwas told over and over again they came to exaggerate the height of the\ngiant. But he must have been a very big man. He had heavy bronze armor.\nHow many pieces? Five thousand shekels would be about 150 lbs.--a heavy\ncoat of mail. Who was with him? Tell the story of his challenge.\n\n228 (Sec.68B). How many of David's brothers were in the army? Why did Jesse\nsend David to the army and what presents did he send with him? Tell the\nstory of David's inquiry about the Philistine. What did his brother say\nto him? What did David think of the challenge?\n\n229 (Sec.68C). Tell the story of David's interview with Saul. What kind of\na young man was he? What had he been able to do in his shepherd life?\nHow did he get along with Saul's armor?\n\n230 (Sec.68D). There was one weapon with which David was very skilful. Some\nof the Israelites could do wonders with this simple weapon: read Judg.\n20:16. Try to imagine what the two men looked like when they met.\nDescribe the meeting.\n\n231 (Sec.68D). What did Goliath say to David? The young man knew that the\nsafety of his people depended upon this fight. What noble words did he\nsay? Did he boast of his own skill? Tell the story of the combat.\n\n232 (Sec.69). What conversation took place regarding David? What did Saul\ndo for the young victor?\n\n233 (Sec.69). Jonathan comes out nobly in the story. We might think that he\nwould be jealous of David's success, but instead of that, he was\ndelighted with his fine appearance and his courage. How did Jonathan\nshow his pleasure in David? There began that day a great friendship that\nlasted till death. There can be no jealousy between friends. It is one\nof the noblest feelings, when one friend can be glad of another's\nadvancement.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nWhen David was practicing with his sling and keeping his flocks he\nlittle thought that he would ever be king of Israel. We do not know how\nour common duties are getting us ready for a greater work. Make a list\nof the principal things that you will have to do this week. Write them\ndown in your notebook. Then write down what good you think they will do\nto prepare you for your work when you are grown up.\n\n\n\n\nXXII. THE HERO FRIENDS, DAVID AND JONATHAN\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.70. Saul's Jealousy of David= (I Sam. 18:6-9, 27-29; 19:1-18)\n\nA. THE BEGINNING OF THE JEALOUSY\n\nAnd it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter\nof the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel,\nsinging and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and\nwith instruments of music. And the women sang one to another as they\nplayed, and said,\n\n Saul hath slain his thousands,\n And David his ten thousands.\n\nAnd Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased him; and he said,\n\"They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have\nascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?\" And\nSaul eyed David from that day and forward.\n\nAnd Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. And Saul saw and knew\nthat the Lord was with David; and Michal Saul's daughter loved him. And\nSaul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy\ncontinually.\n\n\nB. JONATHAN THE PEACEMAKER\n\nAnd Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they\nshould slay David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.\n\nAnd Jonathan told David, saying, \"Saul my father seeketh to slay thee:\nnow therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and\nabide in a secret place, and hide thyself: and I will go out and stand\nbeside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my\nfather of thee; and if I see ought, I will tell thee.\"\n\nAnd Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto\nhim, \"Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because\nhe hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been very\ngood toward thee: for he put his life in his hand, and smote the\nPhilistine, and the Lord wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou\nsawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against\ninnocent blood, to slay David without a cause?\"\n\nAnd Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, \"As the\nLord liveth, he shall not be put to death.\"\n\nAnd Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And\nJonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as\nbefore-time.\n\n\nC. SAUL'S ATTEMPTS TO KILL DAVID\n\nAnd there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the\nPhilistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled before\nhim. And an evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his\nhouse with his spear in his hand; and David played with his hand. And\nSaul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear; but he\nslipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into the\nwall: and David fled, and escaped that night. And Saul sent messengers\nunto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and\nMichal David's wife told him, saying, \"If thou save not thy life\nto-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain.\" So Michal let David down\nthrough the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.\n\nAnd Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow\nof goats' hair at the head thereof, and covered it with the clothes. And\nwhen Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, \"He is sick.\"\n\nAnd Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, \"Bring him up to me\nin the bed, that I may slay him.\" And when the messengers came in,\nbehold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at\nthe head thereof. And Saul said unto Michal, \"Why hast thou deceived me\nthus, and let mine enemy go, that he is escaped?\"\n\nAnd Michal answered Saul, \"He said unto me, 'Let me go; why should I\nkill thee?'\"\n\nNow David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him\nall that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in\nNaioth.\n\n\n=Sec.71. The Two Friends= (I Sam. 20:1-39)\n\nA. THE COVENANT OF THE FRIENDS\n\nAnd David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan,\n\"What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy\nfather, that he seeketh my life?\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father\ndoeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me\nand why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.\"\n\nAnd David sware moreover, and said, \"Thy father knoweth well that I have\nfound grace in thine eyes; and he saith, 'Let not Jonathan know this,\nlest he be grieved': but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul\nliveth, there is but a step between me and death.\"\n\nThen said Jonathan unto David, \"Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will\neven do it for thee.\"\n\nAnd David said unto Jonathan, \"Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, and I\nshould not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may\nhide myself in the field unto the third day at even. If thy father miss\nme at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me that he might\nrun to Bethlehem his city: for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all\nthe family.' If he say thus, 'It is well;' thy servant shall have peace:\nbut if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him. Therefore\ndeal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a\ncovenant of the Lord with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me\nthyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?\"\n\nAnd Jonathan said, \"Far be it from thee: for if I should at all know\nthat evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not\nI tell it thee?\"\n\nThen said David to Jonathan, \"Who shall tell me if perchance thy father\nanswer thee roughly?\"\n\nAnd Jonathan said unto David, \"Come and let us go out into the field.\"\nAnd they went out both of them into the field.\n\nAnd Jonathan said unto David, \"The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness;\nwhen I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third\nday, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto\nthee, and disclose it unto thee? The Lord do so to Jonathan, and more\nalso, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not\nunto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the\nLord be with thee, as he hath been with my father. And thou shalt not\nonly while yet I live show me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not:\nbut also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever:\nno, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David every one from\nthe face of the earth.\"\n\nAnd Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to\nhim: for he loved him as he loved his own soul. Then Jonathan said unto\nhim, \"To-morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy\nseat will be empty. And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt go\ndown quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when\nthe business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. And I will\nshoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. And\nbehold, I will send the lad, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I say\nunto the lad, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee': take them,\nand come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as the Lord liveth.\nBut if I say thus unto the boy, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond thee'; go\nthy way; for the Lord hath sent thee away. And as touching the matter\nwhich thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord is between thee and me\nfor ever.\"\n\n\nB. SAUL'S DEADLY ANGER\n\nSo David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the\nking sat him down to eat meat. And the king sat upon his seat, as at\nother times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and\nAbner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty. Nevertheless\nSaul spake not any thing that day; for he thought, \"Something hath\nbefallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.\" And it came to\npass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day, that\nDavid's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, \"Wherefore\ncometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to-day?\"\n\nAnd Jonathan answered Saul, \"David earnestly asked leave of me to go to\nBethlehem: and he said 'Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a\nsacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there:\nand now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray\nthee, and see my brethren.' Therefore he is not come unto the king's\ntable.\"\n\nThen Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him,\n\"Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast\nchosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame? For as long as the son of\nJesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy\nkingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely\ndie.\"\n\nAnd Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, \"Wherefore\nshould he be put to death? what hath he done?\"\n\nAnd Saul cast his spear at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that\nit was determined of his father to put David to death. So Jonathan\narose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second\nday of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had\ndone him shame.\n\n\nC. THE PARTING OF THE FRIENDS\n\nAnd it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the\nfield at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And\nhe said unto his lad, \"Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.\" And as\nthe lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. And when the lad was come to\nthe place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the\nlad, and said, \"Is not the arrow beyond thee?\" And Jonathan cried after\nthe lad, \"Make speed, haste, stay not.\" And Jonathan's lad gathered up\nthe arrows, and came to his master. But the lad knew not any thing: only\nJonathan and David knew the matter.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n234. When David returned victorious from the fight with Goliath,\nJonathan, the king's son, made a fast friendship with him. Read Sec.69.\nWhat do you think each of these young men would admire in the other?\nThere was the beginning that day of a life-long friendship.\n\n235 (Sec.70A). It is still the custom among the Arabs for the women to go\ndancing and singing to meet the warriors returning from a fight. The\nwomen of Israel had the simplest musical instrument, the tambourine,\nsuch as the Salvation Army women use. They composed a little verse to\nsing: what was it? How did Saul feel when he heard it? Was it natural\nfor him to have this feeling? It was a very sad thing connected with\nthe Spanish War, that after the battle of Santiago there was a bitter\njealousy between the two American admirals. It is a most pitiful thing\nwhen great men are jealous. Recall why we called Abraham \"magnanimous.\"\nWhat would have been magnanimous conduct in Saul? Was Jonathan jealous?\n\n236 (Sec.70B). There are a number of stories of Saul's enmity against\nDavid. We shall study a few of them. How did Jonathan try to be the\npeacemaker? How did he praise David to the king? What effect did it\nhave? Evidently Saul had a better nature, to which Jonathan could\nappeal, but there was always danger that the fit of jealousy would\nreturn.\n\n237 (Sec.70C). David had been appointed to a high command in the army. He\nseems always to have been successful against the Philistines. But it\nmade Saul jealous. Saul had been subject to fits of melancholy, which\nwas explained in those days as caused by an evil spirit. David, who was\na skilful player on the harp, had often been able to soothe the king.\nSo, when the jealousy made him moody, David tried to cheer him with\nmusic. But a sudden fit of rage came upon Saul. What happened?\n\n238 (Sec.70C). David had married Michal, the daughter of the king. What\nplan of Saul's did she discover? How did she help her husband to escape?\nThe teraphim was an idol about the size of a man: how did Michal use it\nto deceive Saul's messengers? But when Saul was determined to have David\nbrought to him even if he were sick in bed, how was the deceit\ndiscovered? What did Saul say to his daughter? Notice that she told her\nfather a falsehood, saying that David had threatened to kill her. Where\ndid David flee?\n\n239 (Sec.71A). This is another story of how Jonathan helped David when he\nfirst found out his father's jealousy. Note that Jonathan feels sure\nthat Saul will not do evil to David, but David is certain of his danger.\nA plan is thought of to find out whether the king is really David's\nenemy. There was to be the regular monthly religious feast at the time\nof the new moon and it was David's duty to be present. What was the plan\nthat he suggested to test the king? What appeal does David make to\nJonathan? The two friends go out into the field where they can talk\nunobserved.\n\n240 (Sec.71A). This is the story of the covenant or agreement. If Jonathan\nfinds that Saul is well disposed to David, what does he promise to do?\nIf Saul is evil disposed, what does he agree to do? He is sure that\nDavid will succeed to the throne; what therefore does he ask of him in\nthe future? We are glad to know that David remembered this promise long\nafter and took care of Jonathan's lame son.\n\n241 (Sec.71A). Jonathan knows that it will be dangerous for him to tell\nDavid the result of his observation of the king as he would probably be\nwatched, so he arranges to tell him by signal. Read the story carefully,\nand then tell in your own words how David was to know if he could return\nsafely, and how he was to know if he must escape.\n\n242 (Sec.71B). Tell the story of the Feast of the New Moon. Notice that\nSaul did not object to David's absence the first day, thinking that\nthere might be some religious cleansing that was necessary. What excuse\ndid Jonathan make? The king thought that Jonathan could not understand\nthat David would get the throne, and he was angry with him for being so\nfoolish as to be friends with him. Do you think Jonathan knew that David\nwas to be king? What was the end of the discussion between the king and\nhis son?\n\n243 (Sec.71C). How did Jonathan inform David that the king was his enemy?\nWhy did he say to the boy, \"Make speed, haste, stay not\"? So these two\nfriends parted, each trusting the other.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nHave you known a friend who was magnanimous when he might have been\njealous? Write about it in your notebook.\n\n\n\n\nXXIII. DAVID, THE OUTLAW\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.72. The Band of Outlaws= (I Sam. 22:1, 2; 23:1-8, 13, 14; 25:2-42)\n\nA. THE GATHERING OF THE BAND\n\nDavid arose and fled for fear of Saul, and escaped to the cave of\nAdullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they\nwent down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every\none that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered\nthemselves unto him; and he became captain over them: and there were\nwith him about four hundred men.\n\nAnd they told David, saying, \"Behold, the Philistines are fighting\nagainst Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.\"\n\nTherefore David enquired of the Lord, saying, \"Shall I go and smite\nthese Philistines?\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto David, \"Go, and smite the Philistines, and save\nKeilah.\"\n\nAnd David's men said unto him, \"Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how\nmuch more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the\nPhilistines?\"\n\nThen David enquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and\nsaid, \"Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines\ninto thine hand.\"\n\nAnd David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines,\nand brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So\nDavid saved the inhabitants of Keilah.\n\nAnd it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul summoned\nall the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his\nmen. Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and\ndeparted out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was\ntold Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go\nforth.\n\nAnd David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in\nthe hill country.\n\n\nB. DAVID'S REQUEST OF NABAL\n\nAnd there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the\nman was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand\ngoats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man\nwas Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and the woman was of good\nunderstanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish\nand evil in his doings.\n\nAnd David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. And\nDavid sent ten young men, and David said unto the young men, \"Get you\nup to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: and thus\nshall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, 'Peace be both unto thee,\nand peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. And\nnow I have heard that thou hast shearers: thy shepherds have now been\nwith us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there aught missing unto\nthem, all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy young men, and they\nwill tell thee: wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes;\nfor we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine\nhand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David.'\"\n\nAnd when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all\nthose words in the name of David. And Nabal answered David's servants,\nand said, \"Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many\nservants now-a-days that break away every man from his master. Shall I\nthen take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my\nshearers, and give it unto men of whom I know not whence they be?\"\n\nSo David's young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and\ntold him according to all these words. And David said unto his men,\n\"Gird ye on every man his sword.\" And they girded on every man his\nsword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David\nabout four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.\n\n\nC. ABIGAIL'S PEACEMAKING\n\nBut one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, \"Behold,\nDavid sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he\nflew upon them. But the men were very good unto us, and we were not\nhurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we were with them, when we\nwere in the fields: they were a wall unto us both by night and by day,\nall the while we were with them keeping the sheep. Now therefore know\nand consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our\nmaster, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow,\nthat one cannot speak to him.\"\n\nThen Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of\nwine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn,\nand a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and\nlaid them on asses. And she said unto her young men, \"Go on before me;\nbehold, I come after you.\" But she told not her husband Nabal. And it\nwas so, as she rode on her ass, and came down by the covert of the\nmountain, that, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she\nmet them. Now David had said, \"Surely in vain have I kept all that this\nfellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that\nbelonged unto him: and he hath returned me evil for good. God do so unto\nDavid, and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the\nmorning light so much as one man child.\"\n\nAnd when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off her ass, and\nfell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. And she\nfell at his feet, and said, \"Upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity:\nand let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear thou\nthe words of thine handmaid. Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this\nworthless fellow, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal, fool,\nis his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the\nyoung men of my lord, whom thou didst send. Now therefore, this present\nwhich thy servant hath brought unto my lord, let it be given unto the\nyoung men that follow my lord. Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of\nthine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house,\nbecause my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord; and evil shall not be\nfound in thee all thy days. And though man be risen up to pursue thee,\nand to seek thy life, yet the life of my lord shall be bound in the\nbundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the lives of thine enemies,\nthem shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling. And it shall\ncome to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all\nthe good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed\nthee prince over Israel; that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor\noffence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood\ncauseless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: and when the Lord shall\nhave dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.\"\n\nAnd David said to Abigail, \"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,\nwhich sent thee this day to meet me: and blessed be thy wisdom, and\nblessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and\nfrom avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as the Lord,\nthe God of Israel, liveth, which hath withholden me from hurting thee,\nexcept thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been\nleft unto Nabal by the morning light so much as one man child.\"\n\nSo David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he\nsaid unto her, \"Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to\nthy voice, and have accepted thy person.\"\n\n\nD. THE END OF NABAL\n\nAnd Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house,\nlike the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he\nwas very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until\nthe morning light. And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was\ngone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart\ndied within him, and he became as a stone. And it came to pass about\nten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died.\n\nAnd when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, \"Blessed be the Lord,\nthat hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and\nhath kept back his servant from evil; and the evil-doing of Nabal hath\nthe Lord returned upon his own head.\"\n\nAnd David sent and spake concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife.\nAnd when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they\nspake unto her, saying, \"David hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to\nhim to wife.\"\n\nAnd she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said,\n\"Behold, thine handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of\nmy lord.\" And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five\ndamsels of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of\nDavid, and became his wife.\n\n\n=Sec.73. David's Generosity to Saul= (I Sam. 26:2-25; 27:1-4)\n\nA. THE SLEEPING ENEMY\n\nAnd Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness, having three thousand\nchosen men of Israel with him, to seek David. David therefore sent out\nspies and knew where Saul was come. And David arose, and came to the\nplace where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul\nlay, and Abner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within the place\nof the wagons, and the people pitched round about him. Then answered\nDavid and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai, \"Who will go\ndown with me to Saul to the camp?\"\n\nAnd Abishai said, \"I will go down with thee.\"\n\nSo David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay\nsleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the\nground at his head: and Abner and the people lay round about him.\n\nThen said Abishai to David, \"God hath delivered up thine enemy into\nthine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with\nthe spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the\nsecond time.\"\n\nAnd David said to Abishai, \"Destroy him not: for who can put forth his\nhand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?\" And David said, \"As\nthe Lord liveth, either the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come\nto die; or he shall go down into battle, and perish. The Lord forbid\nthat I should put forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed: but now\ntake, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of\nwater, and let us go.\"\n\nSo David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and\nthey gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any\nawake: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was\nfallen upon them.\n\n\nB. SAUL'S REPENTANCE\n\nThen David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the\nmountain afar off; a great space being between them: and David cried to\nthe people, and to Abner, saying, \"Answerest thou not, Abner?\"\n\nThen Abner answered and said, \"Who art thou that criest to the king?\"\n\nAnd David said to Abner, \"Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to\nthee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord\nthe king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy\nlord. This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye\nare worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, the\nLord's anointed. And now, see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse\nof water that was at his head.\"\n\nAnd Saul knew David's voice, and said, \"Is this thy voice, my son\nDavid?\"\n\nAnd David said, \"It is my voice, my lord, O king. Wherefore doth my lord\npursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine\nhand? for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one\ndoth hunt a partridge in the mountains.\"\n\nThen said Saul, \"I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more\ndo thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day:\nbehold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.\"\n\nAnd David answered and said, \"Behold the spear, O king! let then one of\nthe young men come over and fetch it. And the Lord shall render to every\nman his righteousness and his faithfulness: forasmuch as the Lord\ndelivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth mine hand\nagainst the Lord's anointed. And, behold, as thy life was much set by\nthis day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the\nLord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.\"\n\nThen Saul said to David, \"Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both\ndo mightily, and shalt surely prevail.\" So David went his way, and Saul\nreturned to his place.\n\n\nC. DAVID'S FLIGHT FROM ISRAEL\n\nAnd David said in his heart, \"I shall now perish one day by the hand of\nSaul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the\nland of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any\nmore in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.\"\n\nAnd David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were\nwith him, unto Achish the king of Gath. And David dwelt with Achish at\nGath, he and his men. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath:\nand he sought no more again for him.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n244. It was clear to David that Saul had determined to kill him. He\ntherefore decided to flee to his own tribe of Judah and to dwell in the\nmountains where it would be hard for Saul to reach him. The caves in the\nJudean hills have been the refuge all through the centuries for those\nwho were in danger from the government. In thus fleeing from the king,\nDavid became an outlaw, that is, one who refuses to be under the law. Of\ncourse he was obliged to do so by the king's tyranny.\n\n245 (Sec.72A). Adullam was probably about twelve miles from Bethlehem.\nDavid would have friends near his own town. He gathered to him all his\nown relatives, who otherwise might have been killed by the king. Three\nclasses of people are mentioned as joining him: who are they? The first\nwould be those who were oppressed, the second those who were likely to\nbe sold as slaves for debt, the third those who had some grievance. It\nhas often happened in countries where there was no free government that\nmen have banded together in sufficient strength to defy the rulers. In\nEnglish history we read of Robin Hood and his outlaws, who made the rich\npay tribute, when they caught them in the forest. Of course in our\nmodern free states there is no excuse for any such life, and we rightly\nput down all bandits as criminals. How many men did David have at the\nfirst?\n\n246 (Sec.72A). News soon came to David that the people of Keilah, a few\nmiles south of Adullam, were being robbed by the old enemies, the\nPhilistines. They had come when the people were threshing the grain, and\nintended to steal it. How did David use his band of adventurers against\nthe Philistines? What food supply did he secure?\n\n247 (Sec.72A). How was David's expedition brought to an end? How large had\nhis band grown to be? He must have been an able chieftain to attract\nthese men to him. The next story shows how he provided for them.\n\n248 (Sec.72B). Find Maon and Carmel on the map, just south of Hebron. Who\nwas the rich sheep owner? What kind of man was he and what kind of wife\nhad he? It is evident that David's men had protected the shepherds. What\nrequest did he make at the time of the shearing feast? Was this a\nreasonable request? There were so many bands of robbers abroad that it\nwas a great advantage to the Judean shepherds to have David's\nprotection. Of course he in turn needed supplies for his men.\n\n249 (Sec.72B). What answer did Nabal send back? How did he sneer at David's\nband? What did David decide to do? How did he divide his men?\n\n250 (Sec.72C). What report was brought to Abigail? What did the shepherds\nthink of David? What did Abigail immediately do? David was in a great\nrage with Nabal, though of course he really had no right to any pay from\nthe man. What vengeance had he decided to take? What do you think of\nthat? How thankful it makes us feel that we live in times when we have\nstrong laws, and no man is permitted to take the law in his own hands.\n\n251 (Sec.72C). Notice how beautifully Abigail speaks to David, telling him\nthat she knows he will never be sorry that he was merciful. How does\nDavid respond? What do you think of a man who gives up his purpose so\nsuddenly?\n\n252 (Sec.72D). Note the character of the drunken fellow and his cowardice\nwhen he learned of his escape. Probably his drunkenness and the shock of\nhis terror seriously affected him. How long afterward did he die? When\nDavid heard the news, what message did he send to the beautiful Abigail?\nHow did she reply?\n\n253 (Sec.73A). Saul had not given up his determination to kill David. He\nhad made several unsuccessful attempts to capture him. At last he heard\nof David's hiding-place. How many men did he take with him? But David\nwas ever on the watch. How did he discover that Saul was coming?\n\n254 (Sec.73A). Tell the story of the sleeping camp, of David's stealthy\napproach with a single companion, of the proposal of Abishai, of David's\nreply, of the spear and the jug of water. What did we mean when we said\nAbraham was \"magnanimous\"? Would you say that David was magnanimous?\nRead Rom. 12:19-21. Where does David appear best--when he threatens\nNabal or when he spares Saul?\n\n255 (Sec.73B). Tell the story of the conversation with Saul: David's\nsummons to the sleepers, his reproach of the captain, Saul's\nrecognition, David's appeal, Saul's repentance, the peaceful separation.\n\n256 (Sec.73C). David knew that he could not trust Saul. There was constant\ndanger from the jealous king, so he decided to leave the country. We are\nsurprised to find that he found refuge with Israel's enemies. Where did\nhe go? Locate the city on the map. How was he received? What did Saul\ndecide? But David could afford to wait. In a little while everything was\ngoing to turn to his advantage.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nImagine that you were Abishai. Write the story as though you were\ntelling your brother Joab about that night when you crept with David to\nthe sleeping camp. Describe all that happened and tell what you thought\nof David.\n\n\n\n\nXXIV. DAVID, THE KING\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.74. The Way to the Throne= (I Sam. 31:1-6; II Sam. 1:1-4, 17, 19, 20,\n23, 24, 26, 27; 2:1-4, 8-11; 3:1; 5:1-3)\n\nA. THE BATTLE OF GILBOA\n\nNow the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled\nfrom before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And\nthe Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the\nPhilistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of\nSaul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook\nhim; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers. Then said\nSaul to his armorbearer, \"Draw thy sword, and thrust me through\ntherewith; lest these Philistines come and thrust me through, and abuse\nme.\"\n\nBut his armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul\ntook his sword, and fell upon it. And when his armorbearer saw that Saul\nwas dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him. So Saul\ndied, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, and all his men, that\nsame day together.\n\n\nB. DAVID'S DIRGE OVER SAUL AND JONATHAN\n\nAnd it came to pass after the death of Saul, that a man came out of the\ncamp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it\nwas, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did\nobeisance. And David said unto him, \"From whence comest thou?\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.\"\n\nAnd David said unto him, \"How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me.\"\n\nAnd he answered, \"The people are fled from the battle, and many of the\npeople also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead\nalso.\"\n\nAnd David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his\nson:\n\n Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!\n How are the mighty fallen!\n\n Tell it not in Gath,\n Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;\n Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,\n Lest the daughters of the enemy triumph.\n\n Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives,\n And in their death they were not divided;\n They were swifter than eagles,\n They were stronger than lions.\n\n Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,\n Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,\n Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.\n\n I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan:\n Very pleasant hast thou been unto me:\n Thy love to me was wonderful,\n Passing the love of women.\n\n How are the mighty fallen,\n And the weapons of war perished!\n\n\nC. DAVID MADE KING\n\nAnd it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the Lord, saying,\n\"Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto him, \"Go up.\"\n\nAnd David said, \"Whither shall I go up?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Unto Hebron.\"\n\nSo David went up thither, and his men that were with him did David bring\nup: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. And the men of Judah came,\nand there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.\n\nNow Abner, the captain of Saul's host, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of\nSaul, and made him king over Israel. But the house of Judah followed\nDavid. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of\nJudah was seven years and six months.\n\nNow there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of\nDavid: and David waxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul\nwaxed weaker and weaker, and when Ish-bosheth was dead, then came all\nthe tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, \"Behold,\nwe are thy bone and thy flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over\nus, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord\nsaid to thee, 'Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be\nprince over Israel.'\"\n\nSo all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David\nmade a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed\nDavid king over Israel.\n\n\n=Sec.75. David's Great Reign= (I Chron. 11:4-9; II Sam. 5:17-25; 8:2-6, 13,\n14; 10:6, 17-19; 11:1; 12:29-31; 5:11, 12; 23:14-17)\n\nA. THE NEW CAPITAL\n\nAnd David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, where the Jebusites were,\nthe inhabitants of the land. And the inhabitants said to David, \"Thou\nshalt not come hither.\"\n\nNevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. And David said,\n\"Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain.\"\n\nSo Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was chief. And David dwelt\nin the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David. And he\nbuilt the city round about, from Millo, even round about: and Joab\nrepaired the rest of the city. So David waxed greater and greater: for\nthe Lord of hosts was with him.\n\n\nB. DAVID'S WARS OF DEFENSE\n\nAnd when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over\nIsrael, they went up and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.\n\nAnd David enquired of the Lord, saying, \"Shall I go up against the\nPhilistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand?\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto David, \"Go up; for I will certainly deliver the\nPhilistines into thy hand.\"\n\nAnd David went up and smote them; and he said, \"The Lord hath broken\ndown mine enemies before me like the breaking of waters.\"\n\nAnd the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the\nvalley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, \"Thou\nshalt not go up. Go about to their rear and come upon them opposite the\nmulberry trees. And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching\nin the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself;\nfor then is the Lord gone out before thee to smite the host of the\nPhilistines.\"\n\nAnd David did so as the Lord commanded him, and smote the Philistines,\nand subdued them.\n\nAnd he smote Moab. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought\ntribute.\n\nAnd David put garrisons in Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to\nDavid, and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David\nwhithersoever he went.\n\nAnd David got him a name when he returned from smiting Edom in the\nvalley of salt, even eighteen thousand men. And he put garrisons in\nEdom; and all the Edomites became servants to David.\n\nAnd the children of Ammon hired the Syrians. And it was told David; and\nhe gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan. And the\nSyrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him. And\nthe Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred\nchariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote the\ncaptain of their host.\n\nAnd when all the kings saw that they were smitten before Israel, they\nmade peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help\nthe children of Ammon any more.\n\nAnd it came to pass, at the return of the year, that David sent Joab,\nand his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the\nchildren of Ammon. And David went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and\ntook it. And he brought forth the spoil of the city exceeding much. And\nthus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon.\n\nAnd Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and\ncarpenters, and masons: and they built David a house. And David\nperceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that\nhe had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.\n\n\nC. DAVID'S KNIGHTS\n\nAnd at one time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the\nPhilistines was then in Bethlehem. And David longed, and said, \"Oh that\none would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is\nby the gate!\"\n\nAnd the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and\ndrew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took\nit, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof,\nbut poured it out unto the Lord. And he said, \"Be it far from me, O\nLord, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men that\nwent in jeopardy of their lives?\" therefore he would not drink it.\n\nThese things did these three mighty men.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n257. David spent many years as captain of his outlaw band, first in the\nmountains of Judah and then in Philistia. The Philistines thought he had\ngiven up his own people and become one of them. Fortunately, however,\nthey did not wish him to fight against Saul, so he was not obliged to\nmeet that difficulty. He had simply to wait till the end of Saul's\nreign. It came very tragically.\n\n258 (Sec.74A). The battles of Israel were generally fought on the broad\nplain of Esdraelon. Find it on the map southeast of Mt. Carmel. In this\ncase, however, Saul had entrenched his army on the high ground to the\nsouth of the plain. But the terrible enemies who had troubled Israel so\nlong were too strong for him. How did the battle result? Who were\nkilled? How did Saul die?\n\n259 (Sec.74B). David was still in the Philistine town of Ziklag. He had\nbeen fighting the Amalekites who had attacked him. How was the news of\nthe battle of Gilboa brought to him? How would you expect him to feel\nabout Saul's death? how about Jonathan's? As a matter of fact he forgot\nall his wrongs, and remembered only how he had loved Saul and honored\nhim in the early days, and of course he remembered his great friendship\nwith Jonathan. Was this \"magnanimous\"?\n\n260 (Sec.74B). A dirge means a song for the dead. David was a fine poet and\nhe sang this beautiful song of lamentation over the king and the prince.\nNotice the six stanzas. The first and the last are a refrain. The second\nis a hope that the Philistines will not know the sad news. The third is\na praise of Saul and Jonathan. The fourth is a special praise of Saul,\nwhose victories had brought spoil to Israel. The fifth is the tender\nlament of the singer for his friend. This would be a noble poem to learn\nby heart.\n\n261 (Sec.74C). After Saul's death, it was a question whether David should\nreturn home. Tell what happened. Find Hebron on the map in the south.\nBut Saul's general had another policy. What did he do? So there was war\nbetween the north and south. At last Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was\nmurdered by two men who thought they would get reward from David. He\npunished them of course, but the way was open for David to be king of\nthe whole land. Tell how David was elected king.\n\n262 (Sec.75A). When the thirteen American colonies adopted the Constitution\nand became the United States, it was necessary to have a capital that\nshould not be in any one state. So two of the states gave a piece of\nland, which was called a District: what is its full name? What is the\nname of the city that was built to be the capital of our country? Does\nit belong to any one of the states in particular? Saul had not had a\ndefinite capital, except his own town. David had his headquarters at the\nold town of Hebron. But it would not do to have a town of Judah as\ncapital of all Israel. There was a strong town that had never been\nconquered and occupied by the Israelites, but was still inhabited by the\nold Jebusites. David decided to capture this city and make it his\ncapital. What is the name of the city that is still after 3,000 years\nthe chief city in Palestine? Find it on the map. The fortress was so\nstrong that there was a proverb that it could be defended even by the\nblind and the lame. Tell the story of the capture.\n\n263 (Sec.75B). The first necessity was to prevent the enemies all around\nIsrael from interfering with the new kingdom. Who was the first enemy\nsubdued? Locate their territory. In several campaigns these old enemies\nwere prevented from giving any more trouble. The next enemy was in the\nsoutheast: who were they? Locate their territory. The next was an old\ncity in the north, then a people in the south, then a nation to the east\nwho hired northern allies. Locate all these, and note that David subdued\nall his troublesome neighbors. One people was left on the northwest\ncoast, but they were a commercial and not a military people. What\nalliance did David make with them?\n\n264 (Sec.75C). David was able to conquer all these enemies because he had a\nnoble company of knights about him. They were brave and loyal to their\nking. We study one fine passage that tells of a heroic deed during one\nof the Philistine campaigns. What do you think of the bravery of the\nheroes and the conduct of the king?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nDraw an outline map of Canaan. Mark Jerusalem which David made his\ncapital. Mark the territory of each of the enemies whom David conquered.\nYou will find that you will have to go all around the map showing that\nDavid had to defend his people on every side.\n\n\n\n\nXXV. DAVID AND HIS REBEL SON\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.76. The Treacherous Son and the Loyal Friends= (II Sam. 14:25, 26;\n15:1-15, 18-37)\n\nA. ABSALOM'S BEAUTY AND TREACHERY\n\nNow in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for\nhis beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head\nthere was no blemish in him. And when he cut the hair of his head, (now\nit was at every year's end that he cut it: because the hair was heavy on\nhim, therefore he cut it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two\nhundred shekels, after the king's weight.\n\nAnd Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run\nbefore him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the\ngate: and it was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to\nthe king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, \"Of what\ncity art thou?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.\"\n\nAnd Absalom said unto him, \"See, thy matters are good and right; but\nthere is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.\" Absalom said\nmoreover, \"Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which\nhath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!\"\n\nAnd it was so, that when any man came nigh to do him obeisance, he put\nforth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him. And on this manner\ndid Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom\nstole the hearts of the men of Israel.\n\nAnd it came to pass at the end of four years, that Absalom said unto the\nking, \"I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto\nthe Lord, in Hebron.\"\n\nAnd the king said unto him, \"Go in peace.\"\n\nSo he arose, and went to Hebron. But Absalom sent spies throughout all\nthe tribes of Israel, saying, \"As soon as ye hear the sound of the\ntrumpet, then ye shall say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'\"\n\nAnd with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were\ninvited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not any thing. And\nAbsalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his\ncity, even from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the\nconspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with\nAbsalom.\n\n\nB. DAVID'S FLIGHT\n\nAnd there came a messenger to David, saying, \"The hearts of the men of\nIsrael are after Absalom.\"\n\nAnd David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem,\n\"Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom:\nmake speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil\nupon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.\"\n\nAnd the king's servants said unto the king, \"Behold, thy servants are\nready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose.\"\n\nAnd the king went forth, and all his household after him. And all his\nservants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the\nPelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him\nfrom Gath, passed on before the king.\n\nThen said the king to Ittai the Gittite, \"Wherefore goest thou also with\nus? return, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also\nan exile; return to thine own place. Whereas thou camest but yesterday,\nshould I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither\nI may? return thou, and take back thy brethren; mercy and truth be with\nthee.\"\n\nAnd Ittai answered the king, and said, \"As the Lord liveth, surely in\nwhat place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life,\neven there also will thy servant be.\"\n\nAnd David said to Ittai, \"Go and pass over.\"\n\nAnd Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little\nones that were with him. And all the country wept with a loud voice,\nand all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the\nbrook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the\nwilderness.\n\nAnd, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark\nof the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God, until all the\npeople had done passing out of the city.\n\nAnd the king said unto Zadok, \"Carry back the ark of God into the city:\nif I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again,\nand show me both it, and his habitation: but if he say thus, 'I have no\ndelight in thee;' behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good\nunto him.\"\n\n\nC. DAVID'S PLAN\n\nThe king said unto Zadok the priest, \"Return into the city in peace.\nSee, I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness, until there come word\nfrom you.\" Zadok therefore carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem:\nand they abode there.\n\nAnd David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he\nwent up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the\npeople that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up,\nweeping as they went up.\n\nAnd one told David, saying, \"Ahithophel is among the conspirators with\nAbsalom.\"\n\nAnd David said, \"O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel\ninto foolishness.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the ascent,\nbehold, Hushai came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his\nhead: and David said unto him, \"If thou passest on with me, then thou\nshalt be a burden unto me: but if thou return to the city, and say unto\nAbsalom, 'I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's\nservant in time past, so will I now be thy servant': then shalt thou\ndefeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. And hast thou not there with\nthee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what\nthing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it\nto Zadok and Abiathar the priests. Behold, they have there with them\ntheir two sons; and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye\nshall hear.\"\n\nSo Hushai, David's friend, came into the city.\n\n\n=Sec.77. The Folly and Fate of Absalom= (II Sam. 16:15, 16, 20; 17:1-16,\n22, 24; 18:1-17, 21, 24, 25, 31-33)\n\nA. ABSALOM'S COUNCIL OF WAR\n\nAnd Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem,\nand Ahithophel with him. And it came to pass, when Hushai, David's\nfriend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, \"God save\nthe king, God save the king.\"\n\nThen said Absalom to Ahithophel, \"Give your counsel what we shall do.\"\n\nAnd Ahithophel said unto Absalom, \"Let me now choose out twelve thousand\nmen, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: and I will come\nupon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid:\nand all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the\nking only: and I will bring back all the people unto thee: so all the\npeople shall be in peace.\"\n\nAnd the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.\n\nThen said Absalom unto Hushai, \"Ahithophel hath spoken after this\nmanner: shall we do after his saying? if not, speak thou.\"\n\nAnd Hushai said unto Absalom, \"The counsel that Ahithophel hath given\nthis time is not good. Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be\nmighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her\nwhelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge\nwith the people. Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other\nplace: and it will come to pass, when some of them be fallen at the\nfirst, that whosoever heareth it will say, 'There is a slaughter among\nthe people that follow Absalom.' And even he that is valiant, whose\nheart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel\nknoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are\nvaliant men. But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto\nthee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for\nmultitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. So shall we\ncome upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light\nupon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men\nthat are with him we will not leave so much as one. Moreover, if he be\ngotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and\nwe will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found\nthere.\"\n\nAnd Absalom and all the men of Israel said, \"The counsel of Hushai is\nbetter than the counsel of Ahithophel.\"\n\nThen said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, \"Thus and thus\ndid Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and\nthus have I counselled. Now therefore send quickly, and tell David,\nsaying, 'Lodge not this night at the fords of the wilderness, but in any\nwise pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that\nare with him.'\"\n\nThen David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed\nover Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was\nnot gone over Jordan. And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not\nfollowed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home, unto his\ncity, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and\nwas buried in the sepulchre of his father.\n\n\nB. THE BATTLE AND THE DEATH OF ABSALOM\n\nAnd David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of\nthousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David sent forth the\npeople, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the\nhand of Abishai, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of\nIttai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, \"I will surely go\nforth with you myself also.\"\n\nBut the people said, \"Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they\nwill not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us:\nbut thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that\nthou be ready to succor us out of the city.\"\n\nAnd the king said unto them, \"What seemeth you best I will do.\"\n\nAnd the king stood by the gate side, and all the people went out by\nhundreds and by thousands. And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and\nIttai, saying, \"Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with\nAbsalom.\"\n\nAnd all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge\nconcerning Absalom. So the people went out into the field against\nIsrael: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of\nIsrael were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a\ngreat slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. For the battle\nwas there spread over the face of all the country: and the forest\ndevoured more people that day than the sword devoured. And Absalom\nchanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon his mule,\nand the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head\ncaught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the\nearth; and the mule that was under him went on.\n\nAnd a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, \"Behold, I saw\nAbsalom hanging in an oak.\"\n\nAnd Joab said unto the man that told him, \"And, behold, thou sawest it,\nand why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have\ngiven thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.\"\n\nAnd the man said unto Joab, \"Though I should receive a thousand pieces\nof silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the\nking's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and\nIttai, saying, 'Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.' Otherwise\nif I had dealt falsely against his life, (and there is no matter hid\nfrom the king,) then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.\"\n\nThen said Joab, \"I may not tarry thus with thee.\" And he took three\ndarts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while\nhe was yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bare\nJoab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. And Joab\nblew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel:\nfor Joab held back the people. And they took Absalom, and cast him into\nthe great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of\nstones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.\n\n\nC. DAVID'S GRIEF\n\nThen said Joab to the Cushite, \"Go tell the king what thou hast seen.\"\nAnd the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.\n\nNow David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the\nroof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and,\nbehold, a man running alone. And the watchman cried, and told the king.\nAnd the king said, \"If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth.\" And,\nbehold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, \"Tidings for my lord the\nking: for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up\nagainst thee.\"\n\nAnd the king said unto the Cushite, \"Is it well with the young man\nAbsalom?\"\n\nAnd the Cushite answered, \"The enemies of my lord the king, and all that\nrise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.\"\n\nAnd the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate,\nand wept: and as he went, thus he said, \"O my son Absalom, my son, my\nson Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!\"\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n265. David did not bring up his sons well and there were very bad family\nquarrels. At last Absalom murdered one of his brothers and was obliged\nto flee. The king allowed him to return, but the wicked young man\nplanned to rebel against his father.\n\n266 (Sec.76A). What are we told of this handsome young man? Beauty of face\nand figure is very desirable, but it frequently makes a person vain and\nselfish. Probably Absalom had been admired and spoiled, and had come to\nthink only of himself.\n\n267 (Sec.76A). How did the young prince make a fine appearance? We see that\npeople were accustomed to come to the king to have their matters of law\ndecided. He was the supreme court. Of course it was not always possible\nto hear all the cases at once. How did Absalom persuade the people that\nhe would make a better king than his father? Note how the prince\npretended to be democratic. What do you think of all this conduct?\n\n268 (Sec.76A). This deceitful conduct continued for four years until\nAbsalom thought he was ready to strike the blow. He decided to make\nHebron the headquarters of his rebellion. Locate Hebron. It was where\nDavid had his capital when he was king of Judah. Can you think of any\nreason why that city might have been dissatisfied? What excuse did\nAbsalom give for a journey to Hebron? How did he plan to gather an army?\nHow many innocent men went with him? What wise man did Absalom get on\nhis side?\n\n269 (Sec.76B). What did David decide upon as soon as he heard the news?\nNotice that he had a body guard of 600 Philistine soldiers. The old\nenemies were good warriors and he had taken them into his service.\nDavid had a wonderful way of gaining friends. Tell the story of Ittai.\nHow did the people feel about the flight of the old king?\n\n270 (Sec.76B). It was customary for the ark to be taken when the army went\nto battle (Sec.61A). So the priest thought he ought to carry it with David.\nBut the king sent it back again, saying that he would trust in the Lord.\nMoreover he was glad to have a friend in the city. How did he arrange\nwith Zadok to have news sent to him? Describe the sad journey up the\nMount of Olives. What signs of grief did they show?\n\n271 (Sec.76C). Whom did David hear had joined Absalom? How did he plan that\nbad advice might be given to Absalom? How did he arrange for news to be\nbrought to him? Let us get the movement of the story before us. Absalom\nis marching from Hebron with his counselor and his army; David is in\nflight with his 600 guards and some faithful friends, but he has left\nsome friends in the city to send him news; presently Absalom marches\ninto the city.\n\n272 (Sec.77A). The first act of the new king is to decide what to do.\nAhithophel advised immediate pursuit of David. Tell what he said.\nAbsalom decided to ask the wise old Hushai his advice also. Whose side\nwas Hushai really on? What advice did he give? How did he frighten\nAbsalom and how did he flatter him? Why was this advice good for David?\nWhat was decided?\n\n273 (Sec.77A). How was David informed of the council? He decided to cross\nthe river at once, so as to have the swift stream between himself and\nhis pursuers. Locate the Jordan. Did he succeed in getting his whole\ncompany over? What became of Ahithophel? Meantime Absalom was gathering\na considerable army. After a lapse of a little time he followed his\nfather, who had been gathering all the people that were loyal to him.\nThe matter could only be settled by battle.\n\n274 (Sec.77B). How many divisions were there of David's army? Why did he\nnot go himself to battle? Notice how he reviewed the troops as they went\nforth. What special command did he give to the captains? Why did he do\nthis? Give an account of the battle.\n\n275 (Sec.77B). In the battle, which was going against him, Absalom met\nDavid's guards. What accident happened to him as he was trying to\nescape? What dispute took place between the soldier and Joab? What did\nJoab do? There was no need for further pursuit, so Joab called back his\ntroops. What was done with Absalom? We see that with the death of the\nleader the rebels fled to their homes. Joab called a Cushite, that is a\nnegro slave: what command did he give him?\n\n276 (Sec.77C). Where was David during the battle? What conversation took\nplace between the king and the Cushite? How was David affected? What do\nyou think of David in all this matter?\n\n\nA REVIEW OF DAVID\n\nDavid was one of those men who loved others and could make them love\nhim. It will be interesting to make a list of all those of whom we have\nstudied who felt the influence of his winning disposition. Read I Sam.\n16:12, 21; 18:1, 20; 24:16; 25:42; II Sam. 1:26; 2:4; 5:3; 15:21, 32;\n18:3; 23:15, 16. Write a little paper telling of all the people who\nloved David.\n\n\n\n\nREVIEW\n\n XXVI. TEN HEROES OF ISRAEL\n\n\n\n\nXXVI. TEN HEROES OF ISRAEL\n\nAfter we had studied the heroes of Israel's wanderings we looked back\nover the stories and tried to remember the great characters we had\nlearned to know. Now we have added ten more heroes to our acquaintance\nsince Moses. Let us look back over the stories of these ten, and see if\nwe can remember about them.\n\n277. Moses brought the people near to Canaan and then sent twelve spies\ninto the land to find out about it. Ten of the men were afraid, and said\nthat the Hebrews could not conquer it, but two men were brave, and told\ntheir countrymen to trust in the Lord and go up. Tell the story of these\ntwo and what happened to them later. (Sec.44; Josh. 1:1, 2; 14:13.[1])\n\n[1: Very short Scripture references are given--just enough to\nrecall the story. Read these and glance over the section in the textbook\nto refresh the memory.]\n\n278. After the Hebrews had settled in Canaan they were greatly troubled\nby enemies. Many heroes arose who delivered them. One, who was called by\nthe Lord, gathered a large army, then sent home all who were not fit and\nreduced his army to 300 men. He then devised a strange plan to frighten\nthe enemy. Tell the story. (Sec.46; Judg. 7:19, 20.) What reward did this\nhero refuse? (Sec.47; Judg. 8:22, 23.)\n\n279. One of the heroes of Israel was a man of enormous strength. What\nwere some of the stories told about him? How did he foolishly sin and\nlose his strength? (Sec.51; Judg. 15:14, 15; 16:18, 19.)\n\n280. Who was the heroine of whom we studied? Tell what you remember of\nher. (Sec.54.)\n\n281. Do you remember the story of the good old priest who had two wicked\nsons, and of the little boy who came to live with him? Tell the story of\nhow the boy came, and what happened one special night, and how the old\npriest died. (Sec.Sec.60, 61; I Sam. 3:10, 11; 4:18.)\n\n282. The little boy grew up to be a great prophet. He saw that the\npeople could never be saved from their enemies without a strong king.\nOne day a young man who was seeking some straying animals came to see\nhim. Tell the story of what happened. What great blow for liberty did\nthis young man strike and so become king? (Sec.64; I Sam. 11:6-11.)\n\n283. The new king had a brave son. This young man determined to help\nfree his people from their oppressors. Tell the story of his bold attack\nupon the Philistines. (Sec.65; I Sam. 14:13.) How did Saul follow up the\nattack?\n\n284. The young man who was to be the great king of Israel performed a\nwonderful feat of arms. One of the Philistine heroes challenged the\nHebrews to send a single man against him. Who accepted the challenge\nand how did the combat turn out? (Sec.68; I Sam. 17:48,49.)\n\n285. Who were the two hero friends? Tell the story of their parting.\n(Sec.71; I Sam. 20:35-39.)\n\n286. Why was David an outlaw? Tell the story of his sparing the king's\nlife. (Sec.73; I Sam. 26:9-12.)\n\n287. David had a company of heroes about him. Tell the story of the\nknights who brought him the drink of water. (Sec.75C; II Sam. 23:14-17.)\n\n288. David had a bitter trial in his wicked son who rebelled against\nhim. But many loyal friends stood by him: who were these, and how did\nthey show their loyalty? (Sec.76; II Sam. 15:19-34.)\n\n289. Write down the names of the ten heroes in a column. How many were\ngreat patriots? How many trusted God? How many showed fine leadership?\nHow many showed weakness of character? Who showed a great love? How many\nwere unselfish? Which of them do you think the greatest?\n\n\n\n\nSOLOMON\n\n XXVII. SOLOMON, THE WISE KING\n\n\n\n\nXXVII. SOLOMON, THE WISE KING\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.78. Solomon's Wise Choice= (I Kings 2:12; 3:3-15)\n\nSolomon sat upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was\nestablished greatly. And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes\nof David his father.\n\nAnd the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great\nhigh place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that\naltar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and\nGod said, \"Ask what I shall give thee.\"\n\nAnd Solomon said, \"Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father\ngreat kindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in\nrighteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept\nfor him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on\nhis throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made\nthy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little\nchild; I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the\nmidst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot\nbe numbered nor counted for multitude. Give thy servant therefore an\nunderstanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between\ngood and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?\"\n\nAnd the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And\nGod said unto him, \"Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not\nasked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor\nhast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself\nunderstanding to discern justice; behold, I have done according to thy\nword: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that\nthere hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any\narise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast\nnot asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among\nthe kings like unto thee, all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my\nways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did\nwalk, then I will lengthen thy days.\"\n\nAnd Solomon awoke, and, behold, it was a dream: and he came to\nJerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and\noffered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a\nfeast to all his servants.\n\n\n=Sec.79. Solomon and the Temple= (I Kings 5:1-12; 6:1, 2, 7, 15, 16, 19,\n21, 22, 38; 8:1, 6, 10, 11, 22, 23, 26, 27, 30, 54-58, 62)\n\nA. PREPARATIONS FOR THE TEMPLE\n\nAnd Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard\nthat they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram\nwas ever a lover of David.\n\nAnd Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, \"Thou knowest how that David my\nfather could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God for the\nwars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under\nthe soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on\nevery side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence. And,\nbehold, I purpose to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as\nthe Lord spake unto David my father, saying, 'Thy son, whom I will set\nupon thy throne in thy room, he shall build a house for my name.' Now\ntherefore command thou that they cut me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and\nmy servants shall be with thy servants: and I will give thee hire for\nthy servants according to all that thou shalt say: for thou knowest that\nthere is not among us any that knoweth how to cut timber like unto the\nSidonians.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he\nrejoiced greatly, and said, \"Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath\ngiven unto David a wise son over this great people.\"\n\nAnd Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, \"I have heard the message which thou\nhast sent unto me: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar,\nand concerning timber of fir. My servants shall bring them down from\nLebanon unto the sea: and I will make them into rafts to go by sea unto\nthe place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken\nup there, and thou shalt receive them, and thou shalt accomplish my\ndesire, in giving food for my household.\"\n\n[Illustration: CEDARS OF LEBANON]\n\nSo Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all\nhis desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat\nfor food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave\nSolomon to Hiram year by year.\n\nAnd the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was\npeace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.\n\n\nB. THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE\n\nAnd it came to pass in the fourth year of Solomon's reign, in the second\nmonth, that he began to build the house of the Lord. And the house was\nsixty cubits in length, twenty cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in\nheight. And the house was built of stone made ready at the quarry; and\nthere was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the\nhouse, while it was in building.\n\nAnd he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: and he\ncovered the floor of the house with boards of fir.\n\nAnd he built an oracle, even the most holy place, in the midst of the\nhouse within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Solomon\noverlaid the house within with pure gold: and he drew chains of gold\nacross before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold. Also the whole\naltar that belonged to the oracle he overlaid with gold.\n\nAnd in the eleventh year, in the eighth month, was the house finished\nthroughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of\nit. So was he seven years in building it.\n\n\nC. THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE\n\nThen Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the\ntribes, the princes of the children of Israel, to bring up the ark of\nthe covenant of the Lord. And the priests brought in the ark of the\ncovenant of the Lord unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to\nthe most holy place. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out\nof the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord so that\nthe priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the\nglory of the Lord filled the house.\n\nThen Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all\nthe assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven; and he\nsaid, \"O Lord, the God of Israel, who keepest covenant and\nlovingkindness with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their\nheart, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto\nthy servant David my father. But will God in very deed dwell on the\nearth? behold heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how\nmuch less this house that I have builded! Yet hearken thou to the\nsupplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall\npray toward this place: yea, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place; and\nwhen thou hearest, forgive.\"\n\n\nD. THE BENEDICTION\n\nAnd it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this\nprayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of\nthe Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward\nheaven. And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a\nloud voice, saying, \"Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his\npeople Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed\none word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses his\nservant. The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let\nhim not leave us, nor forsake us: that he may incline our hearts unto\nhim, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his\nstatutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers.\"\n\nAnd the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the\nLord.\n\n\n=Sec.80. The Greatness of Solomon= (I Kings 10:1-10, 13, 23-25)\n\nA. THE VISIT OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA\n\nAnd when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the\nname of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.\n\nAnd she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare\nspices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come\nto Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And\nSolomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the\nking, which he told her not.\n\nAnd when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house\nthat he had built, and the food of his table, and the sitting of his\nservants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and\nhis cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the\nLord; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, \"It was\na true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy\nwisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes\nhad seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and\nprosperity exceed the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are\nthese thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear\nthy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set\nthee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever,\ntherefore he made thee king, to do justice and righteousness.\"\n\nAnd she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of\nspices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such\nabundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king\nSolomon.\n\nAnd king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire,\nwhatsoever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal\nbounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.\n\n\nB. HIS WEALTH AND WISDOM\n\nSo king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and\nwisdom. And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his\nwisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his\ntribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armor\nand spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n290. We are to study the story of the man whom the Hebrews loved to\nthink of as one of their heroes, because of his great wisdom and wealth.\nHe was the most splendid of all their kings. To be sure he laid very\nheavy taxes upon the people to raise money for his magnificence, but the\nlater ages forgot all that in admiration of his glory.\n\n291 (Sec.78). When David died he left a throne to his son that was secure\nfrom all enemies. The young king had a great opportunity to be a noble\nruler. Read carefully the story of the young man's dream. What offer did\nGod make to him in the dream? In what spirit did Solomon reply? When he\nsays he is a little child he means that he is young and inexperienced.\nRemember that one of the important duties of an eastern king was to hear\ncases, as a kind of chief justice. What quality did Solomon ask for? Why\nwas the Lord pleased? What did he give Solomon?\n\n292 (Sec.78). It is often true that the young man who desires above all\nthings to fit himself to do his duty, without thinking of honor or\nwealth, actually obtains those also. Washington never sought greatness,\nbut what do we think of him? Tennyson wrote of the great Duke of\nWellington,\n\n Not once or twice in our fair island story\n The path of duty was the way to glory.\n\nLearn these lines.\n\n293 (Sec.79A). One of David's great hopes was that he could build a noble\nhouse of worship. He had been unable to do so, partly because of his\nmany wars. Solomon therefore decided to carry out his father's plan. But\nthe Hebrews were not skilful as artists or mechanics. They were at that\ntime mostly farmers and shepherds. Solomon therefore decided to secure\nthe help of the people of Phoenicia, called the Sidonians, who lived on\nhis northwest border. Locate the country. What are its two chief cities?\nWho was the king who sent to congratulate Solomon on his succession to\nthe throne?\n\n294 (Sec.79A). Read carefully Solomon's message to Hiram. What proof does\nhe give that he is able to build the temple? What trees does he ask for?\nThese were the noble trees that grew in the mountains of Lebanon. Locate\nthis region to the north of Israel. What reason does Solomon give why\nthe Sidonians (that is, the people of Sidon) should cut the trees?\n\n295 (Sec.79A). Read Hiram's reply. Notice the plan of getting the timber to\nJerusalem. The lumbermen from Tyre and Sidon would cut it in the\nmountains. It would be hauled by the nearest route to the sea. Note on\nthe map where that would be. Then how was it to be taken by sea to the\nport nearest to Jerusalem? This port was probably Joppa. Locate it. What\nthen was to be done with it before it was hauled up the steep roads to\nJerusalem? It was a hard job in those days when they had no railways.\nHow different from the way our lumber trains carry the great timbers!\nWhat was Solomon to give Hiram in exchange? This is a very old story of\ntrade between nations.\n\n296 (Sec.79B). When did Solomon begin to build? The building itself was not\nvery large. A cubit is rather less than two feet, so the structure was\nabout 100 feet long, 35 feet wide, and 50 feet high. Do you know any\nbuilding about that size? Inside, one-third of the space was partitioned\noff for the ark. How was this room ornamented? How long did it take to\nfinish the work?\n\n297 (Sec.79C). What solemn procession was held? How was the glory of the\nLord shown? Read carefully the prayer of Solomon and see that it is\nreverent and trustful. What is his great hope that God will do for the\npeople when they pray? We are quite sure that God will do that. Read I\nJohn 1:9.\n\n298 (Sec.79D). Who pronounced the benediction upon the people? What does he\nfeel that God has done for them? What does he hope that God will do for\nthem?\n\n299 (Sec.80A). This is one of the stories showing the fame of Solomon.\nSheba was in Arabia. Note how much information the story gives us of the\nproducts of those times. Tell the story of the visit.\n\n300 (Sec.80B). What does the story tell us finally of Solomon's wealth and\nwisdom?\n\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nRecall the lines about the Duke of Wellington and write them in your\nnotebook. Find out if there is any man in your own state of whom that\nwould be true. Find someone in politics or business or in one of the\nprofessions who has been more anxious to do his duty than for anything\nelse and to whom reward has come. Write an account of it.\n\n\n\n\nTWO PROPHETS\n\n\n XXVIII. ELIJAH, THE CHAMPION OF PURE RELIGION\n\n XXIX. ELIJAH, THE CHAMPION OF JUSTICE\n\n XXX. ELISHA, THE HEALER AND COUNSELOR\n\n\n\n\n\nXXVIII. ELIJAH, THE CHAMPION OF PURE RELIGION\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.81. Elijah and the Drought= (I Kings 16:30-17:24)\n\nA. THE STARTLING PROPHECY\n\nAhab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord\nabove all that were before him. And it came to pass, that he took to\nwife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and\nserved Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in\nthe house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab did yet more\nto provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of\nIsrael that were before him.\n\nAnd Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of Gilead, said unto\nAhab, \"As the Lord, the God of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand,\nthere shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.\"\n\n\nB. ELIJAH AT THE BROOK\n\nAnd the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, \"Get thee hence, and\nturn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is\nbefore Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and\nI have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.\"\n\nSo he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and\ndwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens\nbrought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the\nevening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a while,\nthat the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.\n\n\nC. THE WIDOW'S CAKE\n\nAnd the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, \"Arise, get thee to\nZarephath, which belongeth to Sidon, and dwell there: behold, I have\ncommanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.\"\n\nSo he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the\ncity, behold, a widow woman was there gathering sticks: and he called to\nher, and said, \"Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that\nI may drink.\"\n\nAnd as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, \"Bring me,\nI pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.\"\n\nAnd she said, \"As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an\nhandful of meal in the barrel, and a little oil in the cruse: and,\nbehold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me\nand my son, that we may eat it, and die.\"\n\nAnd Elijah said unto her, \"Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but\nmake me thereof a little cake first, and bring it forth unto me, and\nafterward make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord, the\nGod of Israel, 'The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the\ncruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the\nearth.'\"\n\nAnd she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he,\nand her house, did eat many days. The barrel of meal wasted not, neither\ndid the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he\nspake by Elijah.\n\n\nD. THE WIDOW'S SON\n\nAnd it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the\nmistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that\nthere was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, \"O thou man\nof God? thou art come unto me to bring my sin to my remembrance, and to\nslay my son!\"\n\nAnd he said unto her, \"Give me thy son.\"\n\nAnd he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber,\nwhere he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the\nLord, and said. \"O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the\nwidow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?\" And he stretched himself\nupon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, \"O Lord\nmy God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.\"\n\nAnd the Lord hearkened unto the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the\nchild came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child,\nand brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered\nhim unto his mother: and Elijah said, \"See, thy son liveth.\"\n\nAnd the woman said to Elijah, \"Now I know that thou art a man of God,\nand that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.\"\n\n\n=Sec.82. Elijah's Victory= (I Kings 18:1-46)\n\nA. THE SEARCH FOR PASTURAGE\n\nAnd it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to\nElijah, in the third year, saying, \"Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I\nwill send rain upon the earth.\" And Elijah went to show himself unto\nAhab.\n\nAnd the famine was sore in Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, who was\nover the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: for it was so,\nwhen Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took a\nhundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with\nbread and water.) And Ahab said unto Obadiah, \"Go through the land, unto\nall the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks: peradventure we may\nfind grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the\nbeasts.\"\n\nSo they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went\none way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.\n\n\nB. ELIJAH'S CHALLENGE TO THE KING\n\nAnd as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him,\nand fell on his face, and said, \"Is it thou, my lord Elijah?\"\n\nAnd he answered him, \"It is I: go, tell thy lord, 'Behold, Elijah is\nhere.'\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy\nservant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? As the Lord thy God liveth,\nthere is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek\nthee: and when they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath of the\nkingdom and nation, that they found thee not. And now thou sayest, 'Go,\ntell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.' And it shall come to pass, as\nsoon as I am gone from thee, that the spirit of the Lord shall carry\nthee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot\nfind thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my\nyouth. Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets\nof the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in\na cave, and fed them with bread and water? And now thou sayest, 'Go,\ntell thy lord, Behold Elijah is here': and he shall slay me.\"\n\nAnd Elijah said, \"As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I\nwill surely show myself unto him to-day.\"\n\nSo Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet\nElijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto\nhim, \"Is it thou, thou troubler of Israel?\"\n\nAnd he answered, \"I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's\nhouse, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou\nhast followed the Baalim. Now therefore send, and gather to me all\nIsrael unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and\nfifty, which eat at Jezebel's table.\"\n\n\nC. THE TEST AT CARMEL\n\nSo Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets\ntogether unto mount Carmel.\n\nAnd Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, \"How long halt ye\nbetween two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then\nfollow him.\" And the people answered him not a word.\n\nThen said Elijah unto the people, \"I, even I only, am left a prophet of\nthe Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them\ntherefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for\nthemselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no\nfire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on the wood,\nand put no fire under. And call ye on the name of your god, and I will\ncall on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let\nhim be God.\"\n\nAnd all the people answered and said, \"It is well spoken.\"\n\nAnd Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, \"Choose you one bullock for\nyourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of\nyour god, but put no fire under.\"\n\nAnd they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and\ncalled on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, \"O\nBaal, hear us.\" But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they\nleaped about the altar which was made.\n\nAnd it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, \"Cry\naloud: for he is a god; either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he\nis on a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.\"\n\nAnd they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives\nand lances, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it was so, when\nmidday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of\nthe evening sacrifice; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer,\nnor any that regarded.\n\nAnd Elijah said unto all the people, \"Come near unto me.\" And all the\npeople came near unto him.\n\nAnd he repaired the altar of the Lord that was thrown down. And Elijah\ntook twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of\nJacob. And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord;\nand he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two\nmeasures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in\npieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, \"Fill four barrels with\nwater, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood.\" And he said,\n\"Do it the second time.\" And they did it the second time. And he said,\n\"Do it the third time.\" And they did it the third time. And the water\nran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.\n\nAnd it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening\nsacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, \"O Lord, the God\nof Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou\nart God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all\nthese things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may\nknow that thou, Lord, art God, and that thou hast turned their heart\nback again.\"\n\nThen the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the\nwood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in\nthe trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces:\nand they said, \"The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.\"\n\nAnd Elijah said unto them, \"Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of\nthem escape.\"\n\nAnd they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon,\nand slew them there.\n\n\nD. THE COMING OF THE RAIN\n\nAnd Elijah said unto Ahab, \"Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the\nsound of abundance of rain.\" So Ahab went up to eat and to drink.\n\nAnd Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon\nthe earth, and put his face between his knees. And he said to his\nservant, \"Go up now, look toward the sea.\"\n\nAnd he went up, and looked, and said, \"There is nothing.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Go again,\" seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh\ntime, that he said, \"Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as\nsmall as a man's hand.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Go up, say unto Ahab, 'Make ready thy chariot, and get\nthee down, that the rain stop thee not.'\"\n\nAnd it came to pass in a little while, that the heaven grew black with\nclouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to\nJezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his\nloins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n301. In the beautiful city of Florence in Italy there was once a great\nprince named Lorenzo, whose reign was very splendid, but who oppressed\nthe people and lived an evil life. The people followed his bad example\nand there was great immorality in Florence. But a fearless preacher came\nto the city who told the prince and the people plainly of their sins.\nGreat crowds went to hear him and he became the most influential man in\nFlorence. By his stirring words he compelled the government to give back\nthe liberties to the people, and he led the citizens to promise to serve\nGod with good lives. His enemies finally proved too strong for him and\nkilled him, but this noble Italian preacher, Savonarola, left an\ninfluence that has lasted to this day.\n\nAmong the heroes of Israel were some bold preachers, called prophets,\nwho did not hesitate to denounce the sins of kings and people. One of\nthe greatest of these was Elijah.\n\n302 (Sec.81A). Ahab was a very wicked king who married a princess from\nSidon. Locate the city on the coast of Palestine. The Sidonians\nworshipped a god called Baal, and so the king built a temple for this\nidol in his capital. He thought he could go on serving the Lord and\nserve Baal also. Suddenly a man appeared in the court. He was roughly\nclad, not a man of the city. What startling message did he bring?\n\n303 (Sec.81B). While the drought came upon Israel the prophet was taken\ncare of. Tell the story of Elijah at the brook. What happened to the\nbrook at last?\n\n304 (Sec.81C). Elijah was east of the Jordan. He was sent to Zarephath near\nSidon. Locate it. Tell the story of his conversation with the widow. The\n\"cruse\" was a flask or small jug for holding liquids.\n\n305 (Sec.81D). Many wonderful stories were told of this great prophet. Tell\nthe story of the widow's son. Think of the prophet waiting all this\ntime till he should be sent back to the king.\n\n306 (Sec.82A). At last Elijah's message came. How long had he waited?\nMeantime what was the condition in Israel, and Samaria the capital? Who\nwas Obadiah? What had he done? What did the king and Obadiah undertake?\n\n307 (Sec.82B). Tell the story of Elijah's conversation with the timid\nObadiah. This man was good, but he was having a hard time as the servant\nof a bad king. What bold answer did Elijah make to the king? What is a\nchallenge? What challenge did Elijah make?\n\n308 (Sec.82C). This is the important part of the story. Find Mt. Carmel on\nthe coast. Imagine the scene: the king, the prophets of Baal, and\nElijah, as the actors, and the great crowd as an audience. What was\nElijah's first question to the people? We have a saying that no one can\nbe on the fence: everyone must be on one side or the other. Whenever\nthere is a right and wrong, people must take sides.\n\n309 (Sec.82C). What test did Elijah propose? Who prepared the bullock for\nthe sacrifice first? How did they try to gain the attention of their\ngod? Could Baal hear them? How did Elijah mock them? What was the result\nof all the excitement?\n\n310 (Sec.82C). Notice how serious Elijah was. How did he prepare for the\nsacrifice? How did he arrange so that nobody could say there was a\ntrick? What prayer did Elijah offer? Learn this noble prayer so that you\ncan recite it. What happened? How did it affect the people?\n\n311 (Sec.82C). Those were days when men were very stern. What awful\npunishment did Elijah inflict on the false prophets?\n\n312 (Sec.82D). Elijah was sure that the drought would now be over. What did\nhe say to Ahab? They had eaten nothing all day, so everyone went eagerly\nto the food. But Elijah went back to the mountain. Who went with him?\nWhat happened? What message did the prophet send to Ahab? Notice how\nquickly the storm came up. Elijah was a man of the desert, hardy and\nstrong; he was also under great excitement from the events of the day.\nIt was sixteen miles from Carmel to Jezreel. Locate these places on the\nmap. The king drove his horses hard in the storm. What did Elijah do?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nImagine yourself present at the scene on Mt. Carmel and that your\nparents were unable to go. How would you tell them the story of all that\nhappened that day? Write it out just as you would have told it, if you\nwere a young Israelite on that great occasion.\n\n\n\n\nXXIX. ELIJAH, THE CHAMPION OF JUSTICE\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.83. Elijah's Discouragement= (I Kings 19:1-21)\n\nA. THE BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT\n\nAnd Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all\nthe prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah,\nsaying, \"So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life\nas the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time.\"\n\nAnd when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to\nBeer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he\nhimself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down\nunder a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die;\nand said, \"It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not\nbetter than my fathers.\"\n\nAnd he lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and, behold, an angel\ntouched him, and said unto him, \"Arise and eat.\"\n\nAnd he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the\ncoals, and a bottle of water. And he did eat and drink, and laid himself\ndown again.\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him,\nand said, \"Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.\"\n\nAnd he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that\nfood forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.\n\n\nB. ELIJAH COMFORTED AND INSTRUCTED\n\nAnd he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word\nof the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, \"What does thou here,\nElijah?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts;\nfor the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine\naltars, and slain thy prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am\nleft; and they seek my life, to take it away.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.\"\n\nAnd, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the\nmountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord\nwas not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was\nnot in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was\nnot in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so,\nwhen Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went\nout, and stood in the entering of the cave. And, behold, there came a\nvoice unto him, and said, \"What doest thou here, Elijah?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts;\nfor the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine\naltars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am\nleft; and they seek my life, to take it away.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said unto him, \"Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of\nDamascus: and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over\nSyria: and Jehu shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the\nson of Shaphat shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall\ncome to pass, that him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu\nslay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.\nYet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have\nnot bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.\"\n\n\nC. THE CALL OF ELISHA\n\nSo he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was\nplowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth:\nand Elijah passed over unto him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he\nleft the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, \"Let me, I pray thee,\nkiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"Go back again; for what have I done to thee?\"\n\nAnd he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew\nthem, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave\nunto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah,\nand ministered unto him.\n\n\n=Sec.84. Elijah and the Tyrant= (I Kings 21:1-24)\n\nA. AHAB COVETS NABOTH'S VINEYARD\n\nAnd it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a\nvineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of\nSamaria. And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, \"Give me thy vineyard, that\nI may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house;\nand I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it: or, if it seem\ngood to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.\"\n\nAnd Naboth said to Ahab, \"The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the\ninheritance of my fathers unto thee.\"\n\nAnd Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word\nwhich Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, \"I will\nnot give thee the inheritance of my fathers.\" And he laid him down upon\nhis bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.\n\nBut Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, \"Why is thy spirit\nso sad, that thou eatest no bread?\"\n\nAnd he said unto her, \"Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and\nsaid unto him, 'Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please\nthee, I will give thee another vineyard for it': and he answered, 'I\nwill not give thee my vineyard.'\"\n\nAnd Jezebel his wife said unto him, \"Dost thou now govern the kingdom of\nIsrael? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give\nthee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.\"\n\n\nB. JEZEBEL'S PLOT\n\nSo she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and\nsent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in the\ncity, and that dwelt with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying,\n\"Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: and set two\nwicked men before him, and let them bear witness against him, saying,\n'Thou didst curse God and the king.' And then carry him out, and stone\nhim, that he die.\"\n\nAnd the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his\ncity, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, according as it was written in\nthe letters which she had sent unto them. They proclaimed a fast, and\nset Naboth on high among the people. And the two wicked men came in and\nsat before him: and the men bare witness against him, even against\nNaboth, in the presence of the people, saying, \"Naboth did curse God and\nthe king.\" Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him\nwith stones, that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, \"Naboth is\nstoned, and is dead.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was\ndead, that she said to Ahab, \"Arise, take possession of the vineyard of\nNaboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for\nNaboth is not alive, but dead.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that he rose\nup to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take\npossession of it.\n\n\nC. ELIJAH'S STARTLING SENTENCE\n\nAnd the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, \"Arise, go\ndown to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwelleth in Samaria: behold, he is\nin the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to take possession of\nit. And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord, Hast\nthou killed, and also taken possession?' and thou shalt speak unto him,\nsaying, 'Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood\nof Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.'\"\n\nAnd Ahab said to Elijah, \"Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?\"\n\nAnd he answered, \"I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to\ndo that which is evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring\nevil upon thee, and will utterly sweep thee away, and will cut off from\nAhab every man child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at\nlarge in Israel, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to\nanger, and hast made Israel to sin. And of Jezebel also spake the Lord,\nsaying, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.' Him that\ndieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the\nfield shall the fowls of the air eat.\"\n\n\n=Sec.85. The Old Prophet and the New Prophet= (II Kings 2:1-15)\n\nA. THE FAREWELL OF THE OLD PROPHET\n\nAnd it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah by a whirlwind\ninto heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said\nunto Elisha, \"Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me as far\nas Beth-el.\"\n\nAnd Elisha said, \"As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not\nleave thee.\"\n\nSo they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets that were at\nBeth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, \"Knowest thou that the\nLord will take away thy master from thy head to-day?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.\"\n\nAnd Elijah said unto him, \"Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord\nhath sent me to Jericho.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not\nleave thee.\"\n\nSo they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at\nJericho came near to Elisha, and said unto him, \"Knowest thou that the\nLord will take away thy master from thy head to-day?\"\n\nAnd he answered, \"Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.\"\n\nAnd Elijah said unto him, \"Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath\nsent me to Jordan.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not\nleave thee.\"\n\nAnd they two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went,\nand stood over against them afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. And\nElijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters,\nand they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on\ndry ground. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah\nsaid unto Elisha, \"Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken from\nthee.\"\n\nAnd Elisha said, \"I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be\nupon me.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me\nwhen I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it\nshall not be so.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold,\nthere appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them\nboth asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha\nsaw it, and he cried, \"My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and\nthe horsemen thereof!\"\n\n\nB. THE NEW PROPHET\n\nAnd he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent\nthem in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from\nhim, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan. And he took the\nmantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said,\n\"Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?\" and when he also had smitten the\nwaters, they were divided hither and thither: and Elisha went over.\n\nAnd when the sons of the prophets which were at Jericho over against him\nsaw him, they said, \"The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha.\" And they\ncame to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n313. How did the great day close after Elijah had defeated the prophets\nof Baal? How do you think Ahab felt about it? Elijah probably hoped to\nsee a complete return of the people to the Lord and he expected the\nwicked queen Jezebel to be prevented from interfering with the prophets\nof the Lord.\n\n314 (Sec.83A). What did Ahab do when he returned home? What did Jezebel\ndecide? Was she willing to give up her power? Elijah saw that nothing\nhad been gained, for the wicked queen was still in control. Where did he\ngo? Follow his journey on the map. Mention all the circumstances that\nwould make Elijah tired out. His discouragement was largely due to his\nexhaustion from hunger and travel. What kind thing did the Lord do for\nthe tired prophet?\n\n315 (Sec.83B). Where did Elijah go? Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai.\nDo you remember what great hero led the people to Sinai? (Sec.40A.) Elijah\nwanted to go back to the mountain where his people had heard of the\nLord. Tell the story of what happened at the cave. The Lord would show\nElijah that the people could not be saved by great contests, but by\ngentle means. He also told him that it would take time to get rid of the\nidolatry. He told him three important persons would all have a part in\nthe work, even after he was dead: who were these?\n\n316 (Sec.83B). Elijah was mistaken in thinking that he was the only\nfaithful man left. How many were there? There are often more good people\nthan we think.\n\n317 (Sec.83C). Tell the story of the call of Elisha.\n\n318 (Sec.84A). Locate Jezreel on the map. We found it before, near Mt.\nCarmel. King Ahab had a fine palace there, though his capital was in\nSamaria. But the king needed some more land to make a garden. How did he\ntry to get it? Why would not the man sell it? We must remember that in\nthose times a farm would sometimes remain in one family for centuries.\nHow did Ahab behave? What did Jezebel say that she would do?\n\n319 (Sec.84B). A king of Israel could not do as he pleased. He was bound to\nrespect the rights of his people. Jezebel therefore thought out a plan\nto have Naboth killed. What was the plan and how did it work?\n\n320 (Sec.84B). When Jezebel heard of the success of her plot she told the\nking. What did he do? What ought he to have done?\n\n321 (Sec.84C). The king and queen had forgotten all about Elijah. How did\nhe suddenly appear? Imagine how frightened the king must have been when\nhe saw the stern prophet coming to meet him in the garden. So conscience\nsuddenly speaks when we have forgotten it. What did Elijah say?\n\n322 (Sec.84C). We have seen Elijah the champion of pure religion, now we\nsee him the champion of justice. There was no one else who dare speak\nagainst the king's tyranny. Do you think he was brave? Why did not Ahab\nkill him?\n\n323 (Sec.85A). Tell the story of the last journey of Elijah and Elisha.\nFollow the journey on the map. Imagine the fearful mountain storm on the\neast of Jordan in the midst of which Elijah was carried away. Is it not\na grand story of the end of such a stormy life?\n\n324 (Sec.85B). How did the new prophet begin his work?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nAhab, although in many respects an able king, showed himself in this\nincident a bully. A bully is one who does wrong to a person who is too\nweak to resist. There is generally a bully in every school. Is there\nalso a hero? Write what you think a hero ought to do with a bully.\n\n\n\n\nXXX. ELISHA, THE HEALER AND COUNSELOR\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.86. The Payment of the Widow's Debt= (II Kings 4:1-7)\n\nNow there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets\nunto Elisha, saying, \"Thy servant my husband is dead: and thou knowest\nthat thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take\nunto him my two children to be slaves.\"\n\nAnd Elisha said unto her, \"What shall I do for thee? tell me; what hast\nthou in the house?\"\n\nAnd she said, \"Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a\npot of oil.\"\n\nThen he said, \"Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even\nempty vessels; borrow not a few. And thou shalt go in, and shut the door\nupon thee and upon thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels; and\nthou shalt set aside that which is full.\"\n\nSo she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons; they\nbrought the vessels to her, and she poured out. And it came to pass,\nwhen the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, \"Bring me yet a\nvessel.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"There is not another vessel.\"\n\nAnd the oil stopped. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said,\n\"Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy sons on the\nrest.\"\n\n\n=Sec.87. The Healing of the Leper= (II Kings 5)\n\nA. NAAMAN'S VISIT TO ISRAEL\n\nNow Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man\nwith his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given\nvictory unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a\nleper. And the Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away a\ncaptive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on\nNaaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, \"Would God my lord were\nwith the prophet that is in Samaria! then would he recover him of his\nleprosy.\"\n\nAnd one went in, and told his lord, saying, \"Thus and thus said the maid\nthat is of the land of Israel.\"\n\nAnd the king of Syria said, \"Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto\nthe king of Israel.\"\n\nAnd he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six\nthousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought the\nletter to the king of Israel, saying, \"And now when this letter is come\nunto thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou\nmayest recover him of his leprosy.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that\nhe rent his clothes, and said, \"Am I God, to kill and to make alive,\nthat this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? but\nconsider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.\"\n\n\nB. NAAMAN HEALED\n\nAnd it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel\nhad rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, \"Wherefore hast\nthou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that\nthere is a prophet in Israel.\"\n\nSo Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the\ndoor of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him,\nsaying, \"Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come\nagain to thee, and thou shalt be clean.\"\n\nBut Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, \"Behold, I thought, He\nwill surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord\nhis God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are\nnot Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the\nwaters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?\"\n\nSo he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and\nspake unto him, and said, \"My father, if the prophet had bid thee do\nsome great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then,\nwhen he saith to thee, 'Wash, and be clean'?\"\n\nThen went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according\nto the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the\nflesh of a little child, and he was clean.\n\n\nC. NAAMAN'S GRATITUDE\n\nAnd he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and\nstood before him: and he said, \"Behold now, I know that there is no God\nin all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a\npresent of thy servant.\"\n\nBut he said, \"As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive\nnone.\"\n\nAnd he urged him to take it; but he refused. And Naaman said, \"If not,\nyet I pray thee let there be given to thy servant two mules' burden of\nearth; for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor\nsacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"Go in peace.\"\n\nSo he departed from him a little way.\n\n\nD. PUNISHMENT OF GREED AND DECEIT\n\nBut Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, \"Behold, my\nmaster hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands\nthat which he brought: as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and\ntake somewhat of him.\"\n\nSo Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after\nhim, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, \"Is all\nwell?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, 'Behold, even\nnow there be come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men\nof the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver,\nand two changes of raiment.'\"\n\nAnd Naaman said, \"Be content, take two talents.\"\n\nAnd he urged him and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two\nchanges of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they\nbare them before him. And when he came to the hill, he took them from\ntheir hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and\nthey departed. But he went in, and stood before his master.\n\nAnd Elisha said unto him, \"Whence comest thou, Gehazi?\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Thy servant went no whither.\"\n\nAnd he said unto him, \"Went not mine heart with thee, when the man\nturned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive\nmoney, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep\nand oxen, and menservants and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of\nNaaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever.\"\n\nAnd he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.\n\n\n=Sec.88. Mysterious Capture of the Syrian Soldiers= (II Kings 6:8-23)\n\nA. THE SYRIANS' FEAR OF ELISHA\n\nNow the king of Syria warred against Israel; and he took counsel with\nhis servants, saying, \"In such and such a place shall be my camp.\"\n\nAnd the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, \"Beware that\nthou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are coming down.\"\n\nAnd the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him\nand warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice.\n\nAnd the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and\nhe called his servants, and said unto them, \"Will ye not show me which\nof us is for the king of Israel?\"\n\nAnd one of his servants said, \"Nay, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the\nprophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that\nthou speakest in thy bedchamber.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Go and see where he is, that I may send and fetch him.\"\n\nAnd it was told him, saying, \"Behold, he is in Dothan.\"\n\n\nB. THE UNSEEN ARMY OF THE LORD\n\nTherefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and\nthey came by night, and compassed the city about. And when the servant\nof the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host with\nhorses and chariots was round about the city. And his servant said unto\nhim, \"Alas, my master! how shall we do?\"\n\nAnd he answered, \"Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they\nthat be with them.\" And Elisha prayed, and said, \"Lord, I pray thee,\nopen his eyes, that he may see.\"\n\nAnd the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold,\nthe mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.\nAnd when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said,\n\"Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness.\" And he smote them with\nblindness according to the word of Elisha.\n\nAnd Elisha said unto them, \"This is not the way, neither is this the\ncity: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek.\" And he\nled them to Samaria.\n\n\nC. THE RELEASE OF THE PRISONERS\n\nAnd it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said,\n\"Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.\" And the Lord\nopened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of\nSamaria.\n\nAnd the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, \"My father,\nshall I smite them? shall I smite them?\"\n\nAnd he answered, \"Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those\nwhom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread\nand water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their\nmaster.\"\n\nAnd he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and\ndrunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands\nof Syria came no more into the land of Israel.\n\n\n=Sec.89. Elisha's Last Counsel= (II Kings 13:14-19)\n\nNow Elisha was fallen sick of the sickness of which he died: and Joash\nthe king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over him, and said, \"My\nfather, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!\"\n\nAnd Elisha said unto him, \"Take bow and arrows.\" And he took unto him\nbow and arrows.\n\nAnd he said to the king of Israel, \"Put thine hand upon the bow.\" And he\nput his hand upon it. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands.\n\nAnd he said, \"Open the window eastward.\" And he opened it.\n\nThen Elisha said, \"Shoot.\" And he shot.\n\nAnd he said, \"The Lord's arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory\nover Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have\nconsumed them.\"\n\nAnd he said, \"Take the arrows.\" And he took them.\n\nAnd he said unto the king of Israel. \"Smite upon the ground.\" And he\nsmote thrice, and stayed.\n\nAnd the man of God was wroth with him, and said, \"Thou shouldest have\nsmitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst\nconsumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.\"\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n325. Different kinds of men are needed for different times. Severe\ncontests require vigorous men: times of trouble require patient men.\nWhen the king and all Israel were going into heathen worship, the\nstrong, stern Elijah was the man to force them back to right conduct.\nBut when the kingdom of Israel fell into great weakness and was beaten\nagain and again by the Syrians, there was need of a prophet who could\ncomfort and encourage the nation. The young man who had been trained by\nElijah was fitted for this work. What was his name? He must have been a\nmost kindly and helpful man as there are more wonderful stories gathered\nabout his name than about any of the other heroes of Israel. We shall\nstudy four of these stories.\n\n326 (Sec.86). This story shows us how harsh the old law of debt was. Why\nwere the widow's two sons to be sold as slaves? She came to Elisha in\nher trouble, and he said that they would use whatever she had. What did\nshe have? How was the debt paid?\n\n327 (Sec.87A). Locate Syria on the map to the north of Israel. What is the\ncapital? These people had been fighting against Israel and had taken\nmany prisoners and made slaves of them. What was the name of the Syrian\ngeneral? He was a great man, but he had the terrible disease of leprosy.\nIt is a most frightful malady, slowly eating away the body. The\ngeneral's wife had a little Hebrew slave. How did she get her? What did\nthe little slave say to her mistress? Tell the story of Naaman's visit\nto Israel.\n\n328 (Sec.87B). How was the king of Israel troubled, and what did Elisha say\nto him? Describe the grand visit of the general with all his servants to\nthe simple home of the prophet. What message did Elisha send? Why was\nNaaman angry? What did his servants say to him? How did it all turn out?\n\n329 (Sec.87C). What great change of feeling came over Naaman? What did he\nwish to give Elisha? The prophet did not want any present, because he\nwished Naaman to know that the Lord's prophet would help anyone in need\nwithout money.\n\n330 (Sec.87D). What did Elisha's servant think of this conduct of his\nmaster? Tell the story of his greed and deceit. Notice how one sin leads\nto another and one lie leads to another. But the prophet understood the\nwicked servant. What terrible punishment came upon him?\n\n331 (Sec.88A). How did Elisha help his people against the plans of the\nSyrians? What did the Syrian king think of it? It seems evident that\nElisha was the counselor of Israel. Locate Dothan on the map.\n\n332 (Sec.88B). Tell the story of the two armies, one of them visible and\nthe other invisible. This is a beautiful way of telling of God's power\nand care that are always over us. How did Elisha lead the army to\nSamaria?\n\n333 (Sec.88C). How did the Syrians find that they were in the capital of\ntheir enemies? What did the king want to do to them? How did Elisha say\nthey should be treated? Do you remember that several times we have\ncalled the heroes \"magnanimous\"? Elisha has this character. After all,\nforgiveness is the best revenge.\n\n334 (Sec.89). At last the old prophet who had been the counselor of several\nkings was about to die. Who visited him? Notice he used the same words\nof him that Elisha had used of Elijah. What did it mean? Tell the story\nof the bow and arrows. The king was not a strong character and he showed\nit in this little bit of play. Elisha meant to tell him that great\nthings in the world can only be done by determination. In the Civil War\nour great generals did not give up after three endeavors. Grant said \"I\npropose to fight it out on this line, if ...\" (finish the quotation),\nand Lee held together his gallant army to the last limit of endurance.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nTell your parents, or some friend, what you have learned about Elisha,\nand explain that you are to write a short story in your notebook on \"A\nHero of Helpfulness.\" Ask them if they can tell you about some good\ndoctor who was unselfish and kindly and gave himself for the good of\nothers. Or perhaps they know some pastor who was always seeking to help\nhis people and cared very little what good things he got himself. Or\nthey may be able to tell you of a good woman who spent her life in doing\ngood to people. She would be \"A Heroine of Helpfulness.\" Find out some\nstrong character who did good unselfishly like Elisha, and write the\nstory for the next class.\n\n\n\n\nPATRIOTS IN TROUBLOUS TIMES\n\n XXXI. NEHEMIAH, THE BUILDER\n\n XXXII. ESTHER, THE PATRIOT QUEEN\n\n XXXIII. JUDAS, THE HAMMERER\n\n XXXIV. DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS\n\n\n\n\n\nXXXI. NEHEMIAH, THE BUILDER\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.90. Nehemiah's Plans= (Neh. 1:1-4, 11. 2:1-9, 11-13, 16-18)\n\nA. NEHEMIAH'S SORROW FOR JERUSALEM\n\nNow it came to pass as I was in Shushan the palace, that Hanani, one of\nmy brethren, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them\nconcerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity,\nand concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, \"The remnant that are\nleft of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and\nreproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates\nthereof are burned with fire.\"\n\nAnd it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept,\nand mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of\nheaven, and said, \"O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be\nattentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy\nservants, who delight to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy\nservant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.\" (Now I\nwas cupbearer to the king.)\n\n\nB. THE KING'S PERMISSION TO REBUILD\n\nAnd it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of\nArtaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine,\nand gave it unto the king. Now I had not been before-time sad in his\npresence. And the king said unto me, \"Why is thy countenance sad, seeing\nthou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart.\"\n\nThen I was very sore afraid. And I said unto the king, \"Let the king\nlive for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the\nplace of my father's sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are\nconsumed with fire?\"\n\nThen the king said unto me, \"For what dost thou make request?\"\n\nSo I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, \"If it\nplease the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that\nthou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers'\nsepulchres, that I may build it.\"\n\nAnd the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) \"For how\nlong shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return?\"\n\nSo it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. Moreover I said\nunto the king, \"If it please the king, let letters be given me to the\ngovernors beyond the river, that they may let me pass through till I\ncome unto Judah; and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's\nforest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the\ncastle, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall\nenter into.\"\n\nAnd the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.\n\n\nC. NEHEMIAH'S ARRIVAL IN JERUSALEM\n\nThen I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's\nletters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and\nhorsemen. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.\n\nAnd I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any\nman what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem: neither was there\nany beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by\nnight by the valley gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were\nbroken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. And the\nrulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told\nit to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the\nrulers, nor to the rest that did the work.\n\n\nD. THE BEGINNING OF THE WORK\n\nThen said I unto them, \"Ye see the evil case that we are in, how\nJerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come\nand let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a\nreproach.\" And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me;\nas also of the king's words that he had spoken unto me.\n\nAnd they said, \"Let us rise up and build.\" So they strengthened their\nhands for the good work.\n\n\n=Sec.91. Nehemiah's Difficulties= (Neh. 4:1-4, 6-9, 16-20; 6:1-9)\n\nA. SCORNFUL JEALOUSY OF THE ENEMIES\n\nBut it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall,\nhe was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he\nspake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, \"What do\nthese feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice?\nwill they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the\nheaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?\"\n\nNow Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, \"Even that which they\nbuild, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall.\"\n\n\"Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach upon\ntheir own head; for they have provoked thee to anger before the\nbuilders.\"\n\nSo we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half the\nheight thereof: for the people had a mind to work.\n\n\nB. CONSPIRACY OF THE ENEMIES\n\nBut it came to pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians,\nand the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the\nwalls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be\nstopped, that they were very wroth; and they conspired all of them\ntogether to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion\ntherein. But we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against\nthem day and night, because of them. And it came to pass from that time\nforth, that half of my servants wrought in the work, and half of them\nheld the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and\nthe rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They that builded the\nwall and they that bore burdens laded themselves, every one with one of\nhis hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon; and\nthe builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so\nbuilded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. And I said unto the\nnobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, \"The work is\ngreat and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from\nanother: in what place soever ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort\nye thither unto us; our God shall fight for us.\"\n\n\nC. PLOTS OF THE ENEMIES\n\nNow it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and\nto Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our enemies, that I had\nbuilded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein (though even\nunto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates); that Sanballat\nand Geshem sent unto me, saying, \"Come, let us meet together in one of\nthe villages in the plain of Ono.\"\n\nBut they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them,\nsaying, \"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should\nthe work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?\"\n\nAnd they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them\nafter the same manner. Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like\nmanner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; wherein was\nwritten, \"It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu saith it, that\nthou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou buildest the\nwall: and thou wouldest be their king, according to these words. And\nthou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem,\nsaying, 'There is a king in Judah': and now shall it be reported to the\nking according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take\ncounsel together.\"\n\nThen I sent unto him, saying, \"There are no such things done as thou\nsayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.\" For they all\nwould have made us afraid, saying, \"Their hands shall be weakened from\nthe work, that it be not done.\" But now, O God, strengthen thou my\nhands.\n\n\n=Sec.92. Nehemiah's Success= (Neh. 6:15, 16; 7:1-3; 12:27, 31, 38, 40, 43;\nPs. 122:2,3)\n\nA. THE COMPLETION OF THE WALL\n\nSo the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul,\nin fifty and two days. And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard\nthereof, that all the heathen that were about us feared, and were much\ncast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was\nwrought of our God.\n\nNow it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the\ndoors, that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the\ncastle, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God\nabove many. And I said unto them, \"Let not the gates of Jerusalem be\nopened until the sun be hot; and while they stand on guard, let them\nshut the doors, and bar ye them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants\nof Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against\nhis house.\"\n\n\nB. THE DEDICATION OF THE WALL\n\nAnd at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites\nout of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the\ndedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing,\nwith cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. Then I brought up the princes\nof Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave\nthanks and went in procession; whereof one went on the right hand upon\nthe wall eastward. And the other company of them that gave thanks went\nto meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, upon the\nwall. And the two companies of them that gave thanks met in the house of\nGod, and stood still, and the singers sang loud:\n\n Our feet are standing\n Within thy gates, O Jerusalem,\n Jerusalem, that art builded\n As a city that is compact together.\n\nAnd they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had\nmade them rejoice with great joy; and the women also and the children\nrejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n335. When a man has been prominent in a great undertaking it is very\ninteresting to have his own account of it. General Grant was persuaded\nby friends to write a story of his own campaigns. It was called\n\"Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant,\" the word \"memoirs\" meaning his\nown recollections of the events. Perhaps the first man who ever wrote\nsuch a personal story was the Governor of Judah, 2,300 years ago. The\nstory we study here might be called \"Personal Memoirs of Nehemiah.\"\n\n336. Nehemiah was a great patriot. It is easy to be a patriot when it\nsimply means shouting for a great, prosperous country. But this man had\nnever seen his own land. His great-grandparents had been taken away as\nprisoners, and the family had been one hundred and fifty years in the\nforeign land. But they had never forgotten their own beloved country.\nNehemiah was rich, and in a high office in Persia, but he loved\nJerusalem and longed to be able to serve her. Read (and learn) Ps.\n137:5, 6, and you will see how the patriotic Jews in the East felt about\ntheir fatherland. Let us read this personal story of the patriot and see\nwhat he did.\n\n337 (Sec.90A). Look at the map of the Semitic world and find Persia in the\nEast. Find Susa, which is the same as Shushan. It is a long way from\nJerusalem. But one day some of the Jews came from Jerusalem to the\npalace of the Persian king to tell the story of the sad condition of\ntheir city. What did they tell Nehemiah? How did the story affect him?\nWhat office did he hold? Look up the description of this office that we\nhad some time ago (62).\n\n338 (Sec.90B). Oriental kings are very arbitrary and the courtiers have to\nbe most careful not to offend them. Note how cleverly Nehemiah managed,\nso that he obtained all that he wanted from the king. What did he\nobtain?\n\n339 (Sec.90C). Look again at the map. What is the river that Nehemiah\nmentions? Recall the first journey that we followed from the East to\nPalestine (Sec.Sec.3, 5). Note that the Governor traveled with a body guard.\nWhat did he do first in Jerusalem?\n\n340 (Sec.90D). The people who had lived so long in the ruined city were\ndiscouraged. How did Nehemiah cheer them? How did they respond?\n\n341 (Sec.91A). There were jealous enemies all around Judah, so Nehemiah\nsoon found himself in difficulties. First they despised his efforts. How\ndid he meet this ridicule?\n\n342 (Sec.91B). When the enemies could not stop him by laughing at him, what\ndid they try? How did Nehemiah plan his work so as not to be surprised?\n\n343 (Sec.91C). What plots did the enemies devise? How did Nehemiah meet the\nplots?\n\n344 (Sec.92A). In the old times, cities had to have walls all around them\nto prevent attacks. How long did it take this vigorous governor to\nrepair the fortifications? How did he plan to guard the city?\n\n345 (Sec.92B). What help did Nehemiah feel that he had in all his work?\n\"Dedication\" means an offering to God. They gave the city to God. Tell\nthe story of this joyful patriotic service. Learn the song that they\nsang.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nYou will probably find that people to-day are opposed in their\ndetermination to do what is right in just the same three ways that\nNehemiah suffered. Keep a good lookout during the week and see if you\ncan find anyone, young or old, trying to do some right thing while\nsomebody else laughs, or while somebody tries to stop it by force, or\nwhile somebody tells falsehoods about it. If you find any hero who goes\nstraight on in right-doing in spite of these oppositions, give a short\naccount of it in your notebook.\n\n\n\n\nXXXII. ESTHER, THE PATRIOT QUEEN\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.93. Esther Made Queen= (Esther 1:1, 5, 7, 9, 11-13, 15, 16, 19, 21;\n2:1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 15-18, 20)\n\nA. QUEEN VASHTI DEPOSED\n\nKing Ahasuerus made a feast unto all the people that were present in\nShushan the palace, both great and small, seven days in the court of the\ngarden of the king's palace. And they gave them in vessels of gold royal\nwine in abundance, according to every man's pleasure.\n\nAlso Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house. On\nthe seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he\ncommanded to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown\nroyal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty: for she was fair\nto look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's\ncommandment by the chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and\nhis anger burned in him.\n\nThen the king said to the wise men, \"What shall we do unto the queen\nVashti according to law, because she hath not done the bidding of the\nking?\"\n\nAnd Memucan answered before the king and the princes, \"If it please the\nking, let there go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be\nwritten among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not\naltered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the\nking give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.\"\n\nAnd the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did\naccording to the word of Memucan.\n\n\nB. THE SELECTION OF ESTHER\n\nAfter these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was pacified, he\nremembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against\nher. Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, \"Let there\nbe fair young maidens sought for the king in all his kingdom; and let\nthe maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.\" And the\nthing pleased the king; and he did so.\n\nThere was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, who had brought up\nEsther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and\nthe maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were\ndead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter. So it came to pass, when\nthe king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens\nwere gathered together unto Shushan the palace, that Esther was taken\ninto the king's house.\n\nNow when the turn of Esther was come to go in unto the king, she\nrequired nothing but what the keeper of the women appointed. And Esther\nobtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her. So Esther\nwas taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month,\nin the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther above all\nthe women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all\nthe virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her\nqueen instead of Vashti.\n\nThen the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants,\neven Esther's feast; and he gave gifts, according to the bounty of the\nking.\n\nEsther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had\ncharged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when\nshe was brought up with him.\n\n\n=Sec.94. The Plot against the Jews= (Esther 3:1, 2, 5, 6, 8-13; 4:1, 2, 4,\n5, 8, 11-17)\n\nA. THE ENMITY OF HAMAN\n\nAfter these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman, and advanced him,\nand set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And all the\nking's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed down, and did\nreverence to Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But\nMordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence.\n\nAnd when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence,\nthen was Haman full of wrath. But he thought scorn to lay hands on\nMordecai alone; for they had showed him the people of Mordecai:\nwherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the\nwhole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.\n\nAnd Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, \"There is a certain people scattered\nabroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy\nkingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people; neither\nkeep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to\nsuffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they be\ndestroyed.\"\n\nAnd the king took his ring from his hand and gave it unto Haman, and\nsaid, \"The people is given to thee to do with them as it seemeth good to\nthee.\"\n\nThen were the king's scribes called, and letters were sent by posts into\nall the king's provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish,\nall Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day,\neven upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month\nAdar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.\n\n\nB. MORDECAI'S APPEAL TO ESTHER\n\nNow when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and\nput on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city,\nand cried with a loud and a bitter cry: and he came even before the\nking's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with\nsackcloth. And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment\nand his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and\nfasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.\n\nAnd Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the\nqueen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent her chamberlain to Mordecai\nto know what this was, and why it was.\n\nAnd Mordecai gave him a copy of the writing of the decree that was given\nout in Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare\nit unto her; and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to\nmake supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her\npeople.\n\nAnd he came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Then Esther gave him\na message unto Mordecai, saying: \"All the king's servants, and the\npeople of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or\nwoman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called,\nthere is one law for him, that he be put to death, except such to whom\nthe king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have\nnot been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.\"\n\nAnd they told to Mordecai Esther's words. Then Mordecai bade them return\nanswer unto Esther, \"Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in\nthe king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether\nholdest thy peace at this time, then shall relief and deliverance arise\nto the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house shall\nperish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for\nsuch a time as this?\"\n\nThen Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai, \"Go, gather together\nall the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and\nneither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens\nwill fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is\nnot according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.\"\n\nSo Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had\ncommanded him.\n\n\n=Sec.95. Esther's Brave Intercession= (Esther 5:1-5; 7:2-6, 9, 10; 8:1-8,\n9, 11, 15-17; 9:1, 2, 5, 20-23, 32)\n\nA. THE DANGEROUS INTERVIEW\n\nNow it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal\napparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against\nthe king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal\nhouse, over against the entrance of the house. And it was so, when the\nking saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor\nin his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that\nwas in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the\nsceptre. Then said the king unto her, \"What wilt thou, queen Esther?\nand what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the\nkingdom.\"\n\n[Illustration: _From Price, \"The Monuments and the Old Testament\"_\nESTHER'S PALACE]\n\nAnd Esther said, \"If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman\ncome this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.\"\n\nThen the king said, \"Cause Haman to make haste, that it may be done as\nEsther hath said.\"\n\nSo the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. And\nthe king said unto Esther, \"What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it\nshall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the\nkingdom it shall be performed.\"\n\nThen Esther the queen answered and said, \"If I have found favor in thy\nsight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my\npetition, and my people at my request: for we are sold, I and my people,\nto be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish.\"\n\nThen spake the king Ahasuerus and said unto Esther the queen, \"Who is\nhe, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?\"\n\nAnd Esther said, \"An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman.\"\n\nThen Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. Then said one of\nthe chamberlains that were before the king, \"Behold also, the gallows\nfifty cubits high, which Haman hath made for Mordecai standeth in the\nhouse of Haman.\"\n\nAnd the king said, \"Hang him thereon.\"\n\nSo they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.\nThen was the king's wrath pacified.\n\n\nB. THE DELIVERANCE OF THE JEWS\n\nOn that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews'\nenemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for\nEsther had told what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring,\nwhich he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set\nMordecai over the house of Haman.\n\nAnd Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet,\nand besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman and his\ndevice that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held out to\nEsther the golden sceptre. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.\nAnd she said, \"If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his\nsight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in\nhis eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman\nwhich he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's\nprovinces: for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my\npeople? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?\"\n\nThen the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the\nJew, \"Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have\nhanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write\nye also to the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it\nwith the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's\nname, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.\"\n\nThen were the king's scribes called at that time, and it was written\naccording to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the\nsatraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces, that the king\ngranted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together,\nand to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to\nperish, all the power of the people and province that would assault\nthem, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a\nprey.\n\nAnd Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel\nof blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of\nfine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad. The\nJews had light and gladness, and joy and honor. And in every province,\nand in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree\ncame, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. And many\nfrom among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews\nwas fallen upon them.\n\n\nC. THE FEAST OF THE DELIVERANCE\n\nNow in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day\nof the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be\nput in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have\nrule over them; whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had\nrule over them that hated them; the Jews gathered themselves together in\ntheir cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay\nhand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for\nthe fear of them was fallen upon all the peoples. And the Jews smote all\ntheir enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and\ndestruction, and did what they would unto them that hated them.\n\nAnd Mordecai wrote letters unto all the Jews that were in all the\nprovinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, to enjoin them that\nthey should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth\nday of the same, yearly, as the days wherein the Jews had rest from\ntheir enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to\ngladness, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them\ndays of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another,\nand gifts to the poor. And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun,\nand as Mordecai had written unto them.\n\nAnd the commandment of Esther confirmed these matters of the feast of\nPurim; and it was written in the book.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n346. Among the stories of their heroes the Jews preserved several\nstories of heroines, and none is more striking than that of the patriot\nqueen, whose extraordinary bravery saved her people. There are many\nkinds of bravery, some in doing, some in suffering. Let us try to get a\ncorrect judgment of Esther.\n\n347 (Sec.93A). The first part of the story shows how Esther became the\nqueen of Persia. What kind of feast did the king give? What command did\nhe give to Vashti? Let us remember that ladies in the East do not often\nappear in public before men. How did it happen that Vashti was deposed?\n\n348 (Sec.93B). What plan was proposed to secure a most beautiful wife for\nthe king? Who was Mordecai? How did he get Esther introduced to the\nking? How did she become queen? Note that her cousin had advised her not\nto let it be known that she was a Jewess, because there was a prejudice\nagainst her nation.\n\n349 (Sec.94A). The villain of the story is Haman. What high place did he\nhold? How did Mordecai offend him? What revenge did he plan?\n\n350 (Sec.94B). Mordecai knew that when a royal decree had been issued it\ncould not be changed. How did he behave? What did he request Esther to\ndo?\n\n351 (Sec.94B). Notice the strict rule of the Persian court. No one could\nsee the king unless summoned by him. How different from our democratic\ngovernment, where any citizen may at least ask permission to see the\npresident! But Mordecai urged Esther to risk her life to save her\npeople. Now see how brave she was. She might have said, \"No one knows\nthat I am a Jewess. I am quite safe as the king's wife. I will keep\nsilent. It would be folly to risk my life by offending the king.\" But\nshe decided to risk her great place with its wealth and luxury, and also\nher life, because her duty to her people required it. What answer did\nshe send to Mordecai?\n\n352 (Sec.95A). Describe Esther's approach to the king. The tyrant happened\nto be in a good humor, so she was safe. What invitation did she extend?\n\n353 (Sec.95A). Haman was delighted with the great honor the queen did him.\nHe had no idea that his enemy, whom he had planned to hang on a high\ngallows, was the queen's cousin. How did it all turn out?\n\n354 (Sec.95B). How was Mordecai promoted? We must remember that although\nHaman was dead, the king's decree for the slaughter of the Jews could\nnot be changed. But permission could be given to the Jews to defend\nthemselves on the day of the massacre. How was this arranged?\n\n355 (Sec.95C). Of course this is an old story of times when people took\nfierce revenge, so we learn that the Jews slaughtered their enemies. But\nit was a great deliverance, and Mordecai and Esther planned that a great\nfeast should be kept to celebrate it. What kind of feast was it?\n\n356 (Sec.95C). The Jews still keep the Feast of Purim. It is one of the\nmerriest times they have. They have all kinds of fun and give presents,\nas we do at Christmas. And they still honor the beautiful queen, who\nstood with her own people in their peril, and saved them by her wit and\ncourage.\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nRecall Mordecai's suggestion to Esther (p. 356). In the days of chivalry\nknights had a motto: _Noblesse oblige_ meaning that those of noble rank\nhad an obligation to serve those in need. Any strength or good we have\nis not for our own use, but to help others with. Take this as your\nmotto. Draw a banner and inscribe in colors: _Noblesse oblige_.\n\n\n\n\nXXXIII. JUDAS, THE HAMMERER\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.96. The Tyrant and the Heroes= (I Macc. 1:41-50, 54-57; 2:1-7, 14, 15,\n17-25, 27, 28, 44, 45, 48-50, 64-66, 70)\n\nA. THE TYRANNY OF ANTIOCHUS\n\nAntiochus, king of Syria, who had rule over many peoples and over the\nJews, wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, and\nthat each should forsake his own laws. And all the nations agreed\naccording to the word of the king, and many of Israel consented to his\nworship, and sacrificed to the idols, and profaned the sabbath. And the\nking sent letters by the hand of messengers unto Jerusalem and the\ncities of Judah, that they should follow laws strange to the land, and\nshould profane the sabbaths and feasts, and pollute the sanctuary; that\nthey should build altars, and temples for idols, and should sacrifice\nswine's flesh and unclean beasts. And whosoever shall not do according\nto the word of the king, he shall die.\n\nAnd they built an abomination of desolation upon the altar, and in the\ncities of Judah they built idol altars. And they rent in pieces the\nbooks of the law which they found, and set them on fire. And wheresoever\nwas found with any a book of the covenant, and if any consented to the\nlaw, the king's sentence delivered him to death.\n\n\nB. THE OLD HERO AND HIS FIVE SONS\n\nIn those days rose up Mattathias the priest, who dwelt at Modin. And he\nhad five sons, John, Simon, Judas who was called Maccabaeus (the\nHammerer), Eleazar, Jonathan. And he saw the blasphemies that were\ncommitted in Judah and in Jerusalem, and he said. \"Woe is me! wherefore\nwas I born to see the destruction of my people and of the holy city?\nWherefore should we live any longer?\"\n\nAnd Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth,\nand mourned exceedingly.\n\nAnd the king's officers came into the city Modin to sacrifice. And they\nspake to Mattathias saying, \"Thou art a ruler and an honorable and great\nman in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren; now therefore\ncome thou first and do the commandment of the king, as all the nations\nhave done, and the men of Judah, and they that remain in Jerusalem: and\nthou and thy house shall be in the number of the king's Friends, and\nthou and thy sons shall be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.\"\n\nAnd Mattathias answered and said with a loud voice, \"If all the nations\nthat are in the king's dominion hearken unto him, to fall away each one\nfrom the worship of his fathers, and have made choice to follow his\ncommandments, yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the\ncovenant of our fathers. We will not hearken to the king's words, to go\naside from our worship, on the right hand, or on the left.\"\n\nAnd when he had left speaking these words, there came a Jew in the sight\nof all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the\nking's commandment. And Mattathias saw it, and his zeal was kindled, and\nhe showed forth his wrath, and ran and slew him upon the altar. And the\nking's officer, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time,\nand pulled down the altar. And he cried with a loud voice, \"Whosoever is\nzealous for the law, let him come forth after me.\"\n\nAnd Mattathias and his sons fled into the mountains, and they mustered a\nhost and smote sinners in their anger, and they went round about, and\npulled down the altars, and they rescued the law out of the hand of the\nGentiles.\n\nAnd the days of Mattathias drew near that he should die, and he said\nunto his sons, \"My children, be ye zealous for the law, and give your\nlives for the covenant of your fathers. Be strong and show yourselves\nmen in behalf of the law; for therein shall ye obtain glory. And,\nbehold, Simon your brother, I know that he is a man of counsel; give ear\nunto him alway: he shall be a father unto you. And Judas Maccabaeus, he\nhath been strong and mighty from his youth: he shall be your captain,\nand shall fight the battle of the people.\"\n\nAnd he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers. And all Israel\nmade great lamentation for him.\n\n\n=Sec.97. The Great Deliverance= (I Macc. 3:1, 2, 13, 15-23, 25, 34, 35;\n4:14, 25, 28, 34, 36-40, 42, 43, 47, 48, 53-56, 58; 9:20-22)\n\nA. THE VICTORIES OF JUDAS\n\nAnd his son Judas, who was called Maccabaeus, rose up in his stead. And\nall his brethren helped him, and so did all they that clave unto his\nfather. And they fought with gladness the battle of Israel.\n\nAnd Seron, the commander of the host of Syria, heard that Judas had\ngathered a congregation of faithful men with him, and of such as went\nout to war. And he went up with a mighty army of the ungodly to take\nvengeance on the children of Israel.\n\nAnd Judas went forth to meet him with a small company. But when they saw\nthe army coming to meet them they said unto Judas, \"What? shall we be\nable, being a small company, to fight against so great and strong a\nmultitude? And we for our part are faint, having tasted no food this\nday.\"\n\nAnd Judas said, \"It is an easy thing for many to be shut up in the hands\nof a few; and with heaven it is all one to save by many or by few: for\nvictory in battle standeth not in the multitude of a host; but strength\nis from heaven. They come to destroy us and our wives and our children:\nbut we fight for our lives and our laws. Be ye not afraid of them.\"\n\nNow when he had left off speaking, he leapt suddenly upon them, and\nSeron and his army were discomfited before him.\n\nAnd the fear of Judas and his brethren, and the dread of them, began to\nfall upon the nations round about them. And king Antiochus gave Lysias\nhalf of his forces, and the elephants, and gave him charge to destroy\nthe strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem. And Lysias chose\nthree mighty men; and with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and\nseven thousand horse, to go into the land of Judah, and to destroy it.\nAnd Judas joined battle, and the Gentiles were discomfited. And Israel\nhad a great deliverance that day.\n\nAnd the next year Lysias gathered together sixty thousand chosen\nfootmen, and five thousand horse. And Judas met them with ten thousand\nmen. And they joined battle; and there fell of the army of Lysias about\nfive thousand men.\n\n\nB. THE TEMPLE CLEANSED\n\nJudas and his brethren said, \"Behold, our enemies are discomfited; let\nus go up to cleanse the holy place and to dedicate it afresh.\"\n\nAnd all the army was gathered together, and they went up unto mount\nZion. And they saw the sanctuary laid desolate, and the altar profaned\nand the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the court as in a forest,\nand the priests' chambers pulled down. And they rent their clothes, and\nmade great lamentation, and put ashes upon their heads, and fell on\ntheir faces to the ground, and cried toward heaven.\n\nThen Judas chose blameless priests, and they cleansed the holy place.\nAnd they built a new altar after the fashion of the former; and they\nbuilt the holy place, and the inner parts of the house; and they\nhallowed the courts.\n\n\nC. THE OLD WORSHIP RESTORED\n\nAnd they offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of\nburnt offerings which they had made. At what time and on what day the\nGentiles had profaned it, even on that day was it dedicated afresh, with\nsongs and harps and lutes, and with cymbals. And all the people fell\nupon their faces, and worshipped, and gave praise unto heaven, which had\ngiven them good success. And they kept the dedication of the altar eight\ndays, and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed a\nsacrifice of deliverance and praise. And there was exceeding great\ngladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned\naway.\n\n\nD. THE DEATH OF JUDAS\n\nAnd when Judas died all Israel made great lamentation for him, and\nmourned many days, and said, \"How is the mighty fallen, the Savior of\nIsrael!\"\n\nAnd the rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars, and the valiant deeds\nwhich he did, and his greatness, they are not written; for they were\nexceeding many.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n357. Three hundred years ago King Philip II of Spain was the most\npowerful king in Europe. He was a bitter tyrant, determined to rule his\npeople according to his own will. He was a Roman Catholic and hated all\nProtestants. The little country of Holland was part of his territory and\nhe ordered the people to become Roman Catholics. They refused, for they\nwere loyal to their own religion. He sent against them a great army\nunder the command of a brutal general, Alva, and all Europe thought that\nthe little people would be crushed. But they fought for their faith and\ntheir homes so valiantly that the tyrant was compelled to withdraw. It\nis almost impossible to destroy patriots.\n\n358. We always admire the heroism of those who resist tyrants. The Jews\nwere often bitterly persecuted and they had many a hero who defended\nthem. One of the greatest of all their heroes was Judas, who was called\nthe Maccabee, or the Hammerer. With a great faith in God and a wonderful\ncourage he defeated large armies. His story is not found in the Old\nTestament, but in another collection of Hebrew books called \"The\nApocrypha.\" The book is I Maccabees.\n\n359 (Sec.96A). At the time of this story the Jews were under the rule of\nAntiochus, the king of Syria. What was the wish of this tyrant? What\ninsults were offered to the religion of the Jews?\n\n360 (Sec.96B). An old priest was living in one of the villages of Judah\nwith his five noble sons. They were very much distressed about the sad\nstate of their people: but what could they do against the strong king?\nAt last the king's officers came to this village to order the heathen\nsacrifices. What did they demand of Mattathias, and what did they\npromise him? How did the old priest answer? What followed?\n\n361 (Sec.96B). The priest and his sons went to the hills, where they could\nfind refuge in the caves. Who joined them? What did they do? The fierce\ncontest was too severe for the old man, and he soon fell ill. What were\nhis last words to his sons?\n\n362 (Sec.97A). Who took the lead after the death of the old priest? Note\nthat there was no jealousy among those noble brothers. Tell the story of\nthe first victory over the Syrians.\n\n363 (Sec.97A). The king was astonished that his forces should be defeated\nby the little army of patriots. Great preparations to crush the Jews\nwere made. Note that elephants with armed men were employed. What was\nthe result of the campaigns?\n\n364 (Sec.97B). At last the victories were so conclusive that they thought\nit safe to go to Jerusalem and clean out the abominations from the\ntemple. In what condition did they find the temple? How did it affect\nthem? How did Judas purify it?\n\n365 (Sec.97C). Note how happy they were when they could worship once more\nin the house of God. Describe the celebration.\n\n366 (Sec.97D). One can imagine how greatly the Jews would honor such a\ndeliverer as Judas. How did they mourn for him at his death?\n\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nImagine yourself a boy (or girl) about thirteen years old, living in the\nvillage of Modin a little over two thousand years ago. Imagine that you\nwere present on the day when the officers came to command the heathen\nsacrifice. Then imagine yourself writing a letter describing everything\nthat took place that day. Write it in the first person to some friend\nwho was absent. Describe the whole scene just as it lies in your mind,\nand tell what you think of the heroes.\n\n\n\n\nXXXIV. DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS\n\nTHE STORY\n\n\n=Sec.98. The Training of the Young Men= (Daniel 1:1-19)\n\nWhen Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came against Jerusalem and\ncaptured it, certain of the youths of the nobility were taken and given\ninto the charge of the master of the king's servants that he should\nteach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king\nappointed for them a daily portion of the king's meat, and of the wine\nwhich he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at\nthe end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were,\nof the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And\nthe master gave names unto them: unto Daniel he gave the name of\nBelteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach;\nand to Azariah, of Abed-nego.\n\nBut Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with\nthe king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he\nrequested of the master that he might not defile himself. Now God made\nDaniel to find favor and compassion in the sight of the master. And he\nsaid unto Daniel, \"I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat\nand your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the\nyouths which are of your own age? so should ye endanger my head with the\nking.\"\n\nThen said Daniel to the steward, whom the master had appointed over\nthem, \"Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give\nus vegetables to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be\nlooked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of\nthe king's meat; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.\"\n\nSo he hearkened unto them in this matter, and proved them ten days. And\nat the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were\nfatter in flesh, than all the youths which did eat of the king's meat.\nSo the steward took away their meat, and the wine that they should\ndrink, and gave them vegetables. Now as for these four youths, God gave\nthem knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had\nunderstanding in all visions and dreams. And at the end of the days\nwhich the king had appointed for bringing them in, the master brought\nthem in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed with them; and\namong them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and\nAzariah: therefore stood they before the king.\n\n\n=Sec.99. The Golden Image and the Fiery Furnace= (Dan. 3:1, 2, 4-30)\n\nA. THE WORSHIP OF THE GOLDEN IMAGE\n\nNebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty\ncubits, and its breadth six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura in\nthe province of Babylon. Then the king sent to gather together all the\nrulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image.\n\nThen the herald cried aloud, \"To you it is commanded, O peoples,\nnations, and languages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the\ncornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of\nmusic, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the\nking hath set up: and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the\nsame hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.\"\n\nTherefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the music, they fell\ndown and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had\nset up.\n\n\nB. THE THREE JEWS DEFY THE KING\n\nWherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought\naccusation against the Jews, and said to Nebuchadnezzar, \"O king, live\nfor ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall\nhear the sound of the music, shall fall down and worship the golden\nimage: and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, shall be cast into\nthe midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou\nhast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach,\nMeshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they\nserve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set\nup.\"\n\nThen Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach,\nMeshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.\nNebuchadnezzar said unto them, \"Is it of purpose, O Shadrach, Meshach,\nand Abed-nego, that ye serve not my god, nor worship the golden image\nwhich I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the\nsound of the music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have\nmade, well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into\nthe midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall\ndeliver you out of my hands?\"\n\nShadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, \"O\nNebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. If it be\nso, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery\nfurnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not,\nbe it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor\nworship the golden image which thou hast set up.\"\n\n\nC. DELIVERANCE FROM THE FIERY FURNACE\n\nThen was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was\nchanged against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake,\nand commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it\nwas wont to be heated. And he commanded certain mighty men that were in\nhis army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into\nthe burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their hose,\ntheir tunics, and their mantles, and their other garments, and were cast\ninto the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the\nking's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame\nof the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and\nAbed-nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell\ndown bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.\n\nThen Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste: he\nspake and said unto his counselors, \"Did not we cast three men bound\ninto the midst of the fire?\"\n\nThey answered and said unto the king, \"True, O king.\"\n\nHe answered and said, \"Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of\nthe fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a\nson of the gods.\"\n\nThen Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace:\nhe spake and said, \"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the\nMost High God, come forth, and come hither.\"\n\nThen Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth out of the midst of\nthe fire. And the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and the\nking's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire\nhad no power upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed,\nneither were their hose changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on\nthem.\n\nNebuchadnezzar spake and said, \"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach,\nand Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that\ntrusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and have yielded their\nbodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own\nGod. Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language,\nwhich speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and\nAbed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a\nruin: because there is no other god that is able to deliver after this\nsort.\"\n\nThen the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province\nof Babylon.\n\n\n=Sec.100. Daniel and the Lions= (Dan. 6:1-28)\n\nA. THE DECREE OF KING DARIUS\n\nIt pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps,\nwhich should be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three\npresidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give\naccount unto them, and that the king should have no damage. Then this\nDaniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because\nan excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the\nwhole realm.\n\nThen the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against\nDaniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor\nfault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or\nfault found in him. Then said these men, \"We shall not find any occasion\nagainst this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of\nhis God.\"\n\nThen these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and\nsaid thus unto him, \"King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of\nthe kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the\ngovernors, have consulted together, to establish a royal statute, and to\nmake a strong decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or\nman for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den\nof lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that\nit be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which\naltereth not.\"\n\nWherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.\n\n\nB. DANIEL AT HIS PRAYERS\n\nAnd when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house\n(now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem); and he\nkneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks\nbefore his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled together,\nand found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.\n\nThen they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's\ndecree; \"Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall make\npetition unto any god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O king,\nshall be cast into the den of lions?\"\n\nThe king answered and said, \"The thing is true, according to the law of\nthe Medes and Persians, which altereth not.\"\n\nThen answered they and said before the king, \"That Daniel, which is of\nthe children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor\nthe decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a\nday.\"\n\nThen the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set\nhis heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the going down\nof the sun to rescue him.\n\nThen these men assembled together unto the king and said unto the king,\n\"Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no\ndecree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.\"\n\n\nC. DANIEL DELIVERED FROM THE LIONS\n\nThen the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the\nden of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, \"Thy God whom\nthou servest continually, he will deliver thee.\"\n\nAnd a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the\nking sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords;\nthat nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.\n\nThen the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither\nwere instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from\nhim. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste\nunto the den of lions. And when he came near unto the den to Daniel, he\ncried with a lamentable voice: the king spake and said to Daniel, \"O\nDaniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest\ncontinually, able to deliver thee from the lions?\"\n\nThen said Daniel unto the king, \"O king, live for ever. My God hath sent\nhis angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me:\nforasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee,\nO king, have I done no hurt.\"\n\nThen was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take\nDaniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no\nmanner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God.\n\nAnd the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused\nDaniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children,\nand their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and break all\ntheir bones in pieces, or ever they came at the bottom of the den.\n\n\nD. THE PROSPERITY OF DANIEL\n\nThen king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and languages,\nthat dwell in all the earth; \"Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a\ndecree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear\nbefore the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for\never, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his\ndominion shall be even unto the end: he delivereth and rescueth, and he\nworked signs and wonders in heaven and in earth; who hath delivered\nDaniel from the power of the lions.\"\n\nSo this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of\nCyrus the Persian.\n\n\nTHE MEANING OF THE STORY\n\n367. In the last chapter we studied the bitter persecution of the Jews\nin the time of Antiochus. God sent them a great deliverer in Judas the\nHammerer. He also sent them a helper who told them heroic stories of\nthe olden time to encourage them to believe that God would surely\ndeliver them. These stories were of Daniel and his three friends who\nwere taken to Babylon in the captivity. They were under great temptation\nto be untrue to their religion. We can see how these stories would help\nthe people to be faithful.\n\n368 (Sec.98). In the old times the food and wine for the king's table would\nfirst be offered to the heathen gods, so Daniel felt that he would\nreally be an idolator if he took them. What request did he make? How did\nthe master think it would be discovered that he had not fed them on rich\nfood? What test did Daniel propose? How did it turn out? Of course it\nwas really much more healthy for the young men to live simply. It took\nsome courage to stand out against the officer, but it was a matter of\nconscience with Daniel and his friends.\n\n369 (Sec.99A). Imagine the great golden image 100 feet high. What was the\nking's command to the people? What was to be the penalty if they refused\nto obey? How would a faithful servant of the Lord feel about it?\n\n370 (Sec.99B). We do not know where Daniel was at this time, but what did\nhis three friends do? What did the king say to them? What did they\nanswer him? Notice carefully that they said they were sure God could\nsave them, but whether he did or not they would be faithful. God does\nnot always save people from death. The noble army of martyrs have been\nfaithful unto death. But God has always brought good out of their\nsufferings.\n\n371 (Sec.99C). Describe the scene when these men were thrown into the\nfurnace? What did the king think he saw? What did he do to the three?\nWhat impression did it make on the king? We can understand how the Jews\nwould have told such a wonderful story as this to cheer those who were\nunder great temptation to give up their faith.\n\n372 (Sec.100A). Long after, when Daniel was an old man, another great\ndanger arose. He had meantime been promoted to the highest station.\nGreat men always have many enemies who are jealous of them. All our\ngreat Americans have had those who envied them. What foolish thing did\nDaniel's enemies persuade the king to do? There seems to have been a\nrule that if the king gave an order it could not be changed.\n\n373 (Sec.100B). What had been Daniel's custom regarding prayer? How did he\nchange it when he heard of the decree? Would he have been wiser to pray\nsecretly? Some of our soldier boys that went to the war were ashamed to\nkneel down and pray at night, but some of them were not afraid even when\ntheir companions jeered them. Do you remember a story like that in _Tom\nBrown at Rugby_? How did the king feel when he found that Daniel had\nrefused to obey the decree? Why could not the king pardon him? Notice\nhow bitterly his enemies insisted on the penalty.\n\n374 (Sec.100C). What did the king say to Daniel? How did the king pass the\nnight? What happened in the morning? What was done to his enemies?\n\n375 (Sec.100D). What message did the king send to his people? Daniel's\nbravery made the king respect his religion. What was the result of all\nthis to Daniel? Suppose Daniel had been killed by the lions, what would\nyou think of him?\n\n\nWRITTEN REVIEW\n\nThink about Daniel's refusal to do wrong. You have probably\nknown one of your companions who refused to do some wrong when\nit was hard to refuse. Young people can be heroes in standing\nup for duty. Write about anybody whom you have known who did\nthis. Or perhaps you will find somebody actually doing such a\nthing now. Make a good story of it for your notebook.\n\n\n\n\nREVIEW\n\n XXXV. SEVEN HEROIC NAMES\n\n\n\n\nXXXV. SEVEN HEROIC NAMES\n\n376. The Hebrews always looked back to their magnificent king, whom they\nthought of as the wisest of men. What was his name? Tell the story of\nhis great building. (Sec.79; I Kings 5:2-6.[2])\n\n[2: Very short Scripture references are given, just enough to\nrecall the story. It might be well to read these as well as to look at\nthe section in the textbook.]\n\n377. What great prophet was the champion of pure religion? Tell the\nstory of the test at Mount Carmel. (Sec.82; I Kings 18:20-24.)\n\n378. King Ahab had a fine palace in Jezreel and Naboth had a vineyard\nnear by. Tell the story of the king's covetousness. Why did Elijah\ninterfere? (Sec.84; I Kings 21:17-23.)\n\n379. Who was the prophet that followed Elijah? Why did we call him the\nhealer and counselor? We read a number of stories of his kindly deeds to\nthe people. Tell one of them.\n\n380. One of Israel's heroes was a man who had always lived far away from\nJerusalem. He had a high office, and would have found it more profitable\nnot to trouble himself about his countrymen. But he heard of their sad\ncondition and persuaded the king to let him help them. Tell the story of\nNehemiah building the wall of Jerusalem. (Sec.91; Neh. 6:15, 16.)\n\n381. Two books in the Old Testament are named after women. One was a\nforeigner who came into Israel, the other was the beautiful Jewess who\nmarried the Persian king. Who was the wicked man that wanted to kill all\nthe Jews? How did the queen risk her life to save her people? (Sec.95;\nEsther 4:13-17.)\n\n382. We studied about one hero, whose story is not in the Old Testament.\nWhat did his surname Maccabaeus mean? How did he deliver his people?\n(Sec.97.)\n\n383. Sometimes the noblest heroism is just to refuse to be frightened\naway from doing right. Who was the man who prayed three times a day when\nthe king had commanded that no prayers should be offered except to\nhimself. Tell the story of the den of lions. (Sec.100.)\n\n384. Write down these seven heroic names. Which of them was honored as\nthe kindly helper of the needy and the wise adviser of his nation in\ndays of trouble? Which was the gallant soldier who defeated the tyrant?\nWho risked life and fortune to save the people? Who started out in his\nyouth to be a good judge and ruler of the people? Who was loyal to his\nconscience at the risk of his life? 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CHAMBERLIN. 50 cents net; postpaid 54 cents.\n\n\n =Published by\n THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS\n CHICAGO, ILLINOIS=\n\n\n\n Transcribers Note: skekels changed to shekels Sect. 68 A\n thuo changed to thou Sect. 68 C\n Eljiah changed to Elijah Sect. 82 B\n Scripture references have been standardised as\n this example (Gen. 21:2, 3; 22:1-19)\n Punctuation moved inside end quote on the following\n lines:--\n \"Drink, my lord:\" Sect. 9 B\n \"Lest peradventure the people repent when they\n see war, and they return to Egypt:\" Sect. 38 A\n Word hyphenation has been standardised.","title":"Heroes of Israel: Text of the Hero Stories with Notes and Questions for Young Students","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":89243}