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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17162-h.zip b/17162-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..17aa43f --- /dev/null +++ b/17162-h.zip diff --git a/17162-h/17162-h.htm b/17162-h/17162-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4f84ce --- /dev/null +++ b/17162-h/17162-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3002 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Mother Stories From The Old Testament. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .5em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .5em; + text-indent: 1em; + } + H1 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + H5,H6 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + H2 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* centered and coloured */ + } + H3 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* centered and coloured */ + } + H4 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + HR { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + a {text-decoration: none} /* no lines under links */ + div.centered {text-align: center;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 1 */ + div.centered table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 2 */ + + .pagenum { /* comment the next line for visible page numbers */ + visibility: hidden; + position: absolute; right: 2%; font-size: 80%; text-align: right; } /* page numbers */ + + .cen {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} /* centering paragraphs */ + .sc {font-variant: small-caps;} /* small caps, normal size */ + .noin {text-indent: 0em;} /* no indenting */ + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .block {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%;} /* block indent */ + .right {text-align: right; padding-right: 2em;} /* right aligning paragraphs */ + .totoc {position: absolute; right: 2%; font-size: 75%; text-align: right;} /* Table of contents anchor */ + .img {text-align: center; padding: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} /* centering images */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + .tdr {text-align: right;} /* aligning cell content to the right */ + .tdc {text-align: center;} /* aligning cell content to the center */ + .tdl {text-align: left;} /* aligning cell content to the left */ + .tdlsc {text-align: left; font-variant: small-caps;} /* aligning cell content and small caps */ + .tdrsc {text-align: right; font-variant: small-caps;} /* aligning cell content and small caps */ + .tdcsc {text-align: center; font-variant: small-caps;} /* aligning cell content and small caps */ + .tr {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 1em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: dotted black 1px;} /* transcriber's notes */ + + + .poem {margin-left:20%; margin-right:20%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Mother Stories from the Old Testament, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Mother Stories from the Old Testament + A Book of the Best Stories from the Old Testament that + Mothers can tell their Children + +Author: Anonymous + +Release Date: November 26, 2005 [EBook #17162] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES: OLD TESTAMENT *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia, Jeannie Howse +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/cover-f.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/cover-f.jpg" width="600" height="783" alt="Front Cover." /></a><br /> +</div> + +<br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/frontis.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/frontis.jpg" width="600" height="794" alt="JOSEPH SOLD INTO CAPTIVITY." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">JOSEPH SOLD INTO CAPTIVITY.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<a name="Page_i" id="Page_i"></a> + +<h1>MOTHER +STORIES</h1> +<br /> +<h2>FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT</h2> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h4>A Book of the Best Stories from the<br /> +Old Testament That Mothers<br /> +Can Tell Their Children</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h4>With Forty-five Illustrations</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h5>PHILADELPHIA<br /> +HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY</h5> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii"></a> + +<h2>ALTEMUS'</h2> +<h1>MOTHER STORIES SERIES</h1> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<h4>A Book of the Best Stories that Mothers can tell their Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER NURSERY RHYMES AND TALES<br /> +A Book of the Best Nursery Rhymes and Tales that Mothers can tell +their Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER FAIRY TALES<br /> +A Book of the Best Fairy Tales that Mothers can tell their Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER NATURE STORIES<br /> +A Book of the Best Nature Stories that Mothers can tell their Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT<br /> +A Book of the Best Old Testament Stories that Mothers can tell their +Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER STORIES FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT<br /> +A Book of the Best New Testament Stories that Mothers can tell their +Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER BEDTIME STORIES<br /> +A Book of the Best Bedtime Stories that Mothers can tell their +Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER ANIMAL STORIES<br /> +A Book of the Best Animal Stories that Mothers can tell their Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER BIRD STORIES<br /> +A Book of the Best Bird Stories that Mothers can tell their Children</h4> + +<h4>MOTHER SANTA CLAUS STORIES<br /> +A Book of the Best Santa Claus Stories that Mothers can tell their +Children</h4> + +<br /> +<h4 style="font-weight: normal;">Profusely illustrated and handsomely bound in cloth, with +ornamentation in colors</h4> + +<h4>$1.00 PER VOLUME</h4> + +<h5 class="sc">Copyright 1908 BY Howard E. Altemus<br /> +Printed in the United States of America</h5> + +<br /> +<a name="toc" id="toc"></a><hr /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span> +<h3>CONTENTS.</h3> +<br /> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="80%" summary="Table of Contents"> + <tr> + <td width="80%"> </td> + <td class="tdrsc" width="20%"><span style="font-size: 90%;">Page</span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Adam and Eve</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#ADAM_AND_EVE">7</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Cain and Abel</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CAIN_AND_ABEL">8</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Flood</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_FLOOD">10</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Tower of Babel</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_TOWER_OF_BABEL">12</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Lot's Flight from Sodom</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#LOTS_FLIGHT_FROM_SODOM">14</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Abraham and Isaac</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#ABRAHAM_AND_ISAAC">16</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Story of Rebekah</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_STORY_OF_REBEKAH">18</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Joseph and his Brethren</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#JOSEPH_AND_HIS_BRETHREN">22</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Finding of Moses</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_FINDING_OF_MOSES">28</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Flight from Egypt</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_FLIGHT_FROM_EGYPT">30</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Moses Striking the Rock</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#MOSES_STRIKING_THE_ROCK">32</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Ten Commandments</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_TEN_COMMANDMENTS">34</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Bezaleel and Aholiab</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#BEZALEEL_AND_AHOLIAB">36</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Brazen Serpent</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_BRAZEN_SERPENT">38</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Passage of the Jordan</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_PASSAGE_OF_THE_JORDAN">40</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Captain of the Lord's Host</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_CAPTAIN_OF_THE_LORDS_HOST">42</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">How Jericho was Captured</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#HOW_JERICHO_WAS_CAPTURED">44</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Achan's Sin</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#ACHANS_SIN">46</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Altar on Mount Ebal</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_ALTAR_ON_MOUNT_EBAL">48</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Cities of Refuge</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_CITIES_OF_REFUGE">50</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Joshua's Exhortation</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#JOSHUAS_EXHORTATION">52</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Gideon and the Fleece</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#GIDEON_AND_THE_FLEECE">54</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Defeat of the Midianites</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_DEFEAT_OF_THE_MIDIANITES">56</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Death of Samson</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_DEATH_OF_SAMSON">58</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Ruth and Naomi</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#RUTH_AND_NAOMI">60</a><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Boaz and Ruth</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#BOAZ_AND_RUTH">62</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Hannah Praying before the Lord</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#HANNAH_PRAYING_BEFORE_THE_LORD">64</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Eli and Samuel</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#ELI_AND_SAMUEL">66</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Death of Eli and His Sons</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#DEATH_OF_ELI_AND_HIS_SONS">68</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Playing on the Harp before Saul</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#PLAYING_ON_THE_HARP_BEFORE_SAUL">70</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">David and Goliath</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#DAVID_AND_GOLIATH">72</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Nathan Reproving the King</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#NATHAN_REPROVING_THE_KING">74</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">David and Araunah</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#DAVID_AND_ARAUNAH">76</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Elijah Fed by Ravens</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#ELIJAH_FED_BY_RAVENS">78</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Ploughing in Canaan</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#PLOUGHING_IN_CANAAN">80</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Shunammite's Son</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_SHUNAMMITES_SON">82</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Little Captive Maid</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_LITTLE_CAPTIVE_MAID">84</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Jonah at Nineveh</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#JONAH_AT_NINEVEH">86</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Hezekiah and Sennacherib</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#HEZEKIAH_AND_SENNACHERIB">88</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">The Brave Hebrew Boys</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#THE_BRAVE_HEBREW_BOYS">90</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Daniel and the Lions</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#DANIEL_AND_THE_LIONS">92</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">Esther before the King</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#ESTHER_BEFORE_THE_KING">94</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc">David and Jonathan</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#DAVID_AND_JONATHAN">96</a></td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="ADAM_AND_EVE" id="ADAM_AND_EVE"></a><hr /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span><br /> +<h2>OLD TESTAMENT STORIES</h2> + +<h3>ADAM AND EVE.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + +<p>In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth He also made the +sun, moon, and stars; trees, flowers, and all vegetable life; and all +animals, birds, fishes, and insects. Then God made man. The name of +the first man was Adam, and the first woman was Eve. Both were placed +in a beautiful garden called the Garden of Eden, where they might have +been happy continually had they not sinned. But God forbade them to +eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan +tempted Eve to take the fruit of this tree. She ate, and gave to Adam, +and he ate also. Thus they sinned, and sin came into the world.</p> + +<p>Then God called to Adam and said, "Where art thou?" Before this, Adam +and Eve had been happy when God was near, now they were afraid. Why? +Because they knew they had done wrong. So sin makes us afraid of God.</p> + +<p>God rebuked them for the evil they had done; and then drove them out +of the Garden of Eden, placing an angel to keep watch over the gate so +that they could not return.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="CAIN_AND_ABEL" id="CAIN_AND_ABEL"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span><br /> +<h3>CAIN AND ABEL.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + +<p>What a sad story the Bible tells us in the fourth chapter of Genesis! +Cain and Abel were brothers, the sons of Adam and Eve. How they should +have loved each other! Yet we find that Cain killed Abel. Why did he +do this?</p> + +<p>Cain was a husbandman, who tilled the ground; Abel was a shepherd, who +kept sheep. One day each offered a sacrifice to God. Cain brought +fruit, and Abel brought a lamb. God accepted Abel's offering, but not +Cain's. Why? Well, I am not quite sure, but I think it was because +Abel offered his sacrifice according as God had commanded, and had +faith in a promised Saviour; but Cain simply acknowledged God's +goodness in giving him the fruits of the earth. God had probably told +them, too, that when they came to worship Him, they were to bring a +lamb or a kid as a sacrifice for their sins; this Abel had done, but +Cain had not. Cain was angry because God had accepted Abel's offering +and not his; and he hated his brother Abel.</p> + +<p>God knew the evil thought Cain had towards his brother, and asked him, +"Why art thou wroth?" and said, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be +accepted?" But Cain did still more wickedly. When out in the field he +killed his brother. Was it not a cruel deed? They were alone when this +murder was committed, yet one eye saw it all. God saw it, and said to +Cain: "Where is Abel, thy brother?" We cannot sin without God knowing +it! Cain told God a lie. He answered, "I know not." But he did know. +God was angry with Cain for his sin, and sent him as a fugitive and +vagabond to wander on the earth.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-01.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-01.jpg" width="500" height="644" alt="ABEL'S SACRIFICE." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">ABEL'S SACRIFICE.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_FLOOD" id="THE_FLOOD"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE FLOOD.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>About fifteen hundred years had passed since Cain slew Abel, during +which time man had become more and more wicked. At length God saw +"that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every +imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." +Then God said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face +of the earth."</p> + +<p>But one man was righteous and served God. His name was Noah. God told +him that the world would be drowned by a flood because of the +wickedness of the people, and commanded him to build a great ark to +float upon the waters. In this ark God promised to preserve alive Noah +and his family; and also two of each of every living thing on the +earth—animals, birds, and creeping things. All the rest were to die.</p> + +<p>Noah built the ark as God commanded. It took him a great many years, +during which time the people were warned to forsake their sins and +turn to God, but they did not do so. At last the ark was finished, and +Noah, with his wife, and his sons with their wives, and the animals, +birds, and creeping things, as God had commanded, all entered into it. +What a long procession it must have been! Then God shut them in, and +they dwelt in safety while the rain came down, and the waters rose up +and covered the earth. All were drowned except those in the ark.</p> + +<p>A year afterwards, when the waters were dried up, Noah, and all that +had been with him, left the ark. Then Noah built an altar, and offered +sacrifices to God, in thankfulness for God's goodness to him and his +family.</p> + +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-02.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-02.jpg" width="500" height="630" alt="ENTERING THE ARK." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">ENTERING THE ARK.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_TOWER_OF_BABEL" id="THE_TOWER_OF_BABEL"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE TOWER OF BABEL.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Babel means confusion. Was it not a strange name to give a tower? How +did it get this?</p> + +<p>After Noah left the ark, God made a promise to him that He would no +more destroy the earth by a flood, and blessed him and his sons. In +course of time many little children were born, baby boys and girls, +who grew up to be fathers and mothers having children also. In this +manner a great many people dwelt again on the earth. For more than one +hundred years they all spoke the same language, and as, in course of +time, they journeyed onward, they came to a large plain in the land of +Shinar, near to where Babylon was afterwards built. Here they said +they would remain and build a great city, with a high tower ascending +to heaven.</p> + +<p>Now God, when he blessed Noah, had said to him, "Be fruitful, and +multiply, and replenish the earth;" meaning that the people were to +scatter abroad, so that the world might become inhabited again. But +these men wanted to keep together, and found one great empire, the +centre of which should be the great city with the lofty tower. So they +made bricks and burnt them, and took a kind of pitch for mortar, and +began to build. Some learned men say they took three years in getting +the materials, and were twenty-two years building the tower. It was +very great and high, but it was never finished. The people did +wickedly in building it, and God, who saw all they were doing, +confounded their language, so that one could not understand another. +Thus they left off building the tower, and that is why it is called +Babel. Then God scattered them abroad to re-people the earth.</p> + +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-03.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-03.jpg" width="500" height="689" alt="BUILDING THE TOWER OF BABEL." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">BUILDING THE TOWER OF BABEL.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="LOTS_FLIGHT_FROM_SODOM" id="LOTS_FLIGHT_FROM_SODOM"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span><br /> +<h3>LOT'S FLIGHT FROM SODOM.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>In Palestine, the land in which Jesus dwelt when He was upon earth, +there is an inland sea, called the Dead Sea. Its waters are very salt, +and no trees grow upon its shores. Many long years before the birth of +Jesus Christ, two cities stood upon the plain which the waters of the +Dead Sea now cover. These cities were named Sodom and Gomorrah. Their +inhabitants were very wicked, so God destroyed their cities by raining +brimstone and fire upon them.</p> + +<p>Before God destroyed these cities, He sent two angels to Lot, +Abraham's nephew, who dwelt in Sodom, commanding him to flee from it, +taking his family with him. The angels hastened him, saying, "Arise, +take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be +consumed in the iniquity of the city." Then the angels took all four +by the hand and led them out, and said to Lot, "Escape for thy life; +look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to +the mountain, lest thou be consumed."</p> + +<p>Lot pleaded that he might take refuge in a little city, named Zoar, +not very far distant; and having obtained the angels' permission to do +so, he took his wife and daughters, and hastened away. In our picture +we see him and his daughters entering Zoar, and Sodom burning in the +distance—but what is that strange figure standing on the plain? Alas! +that is Lot's wife; the angel had commanded them that none were to +look back, but she did so, and was turned into a pillar of salt.</p> + +<p>Lot did wrong in dwelling in such a wicked city as Sodom, and lost all +his property when he escaped for his life.</p> + +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-04.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-04.jpg" width="500" height="652" alt="LOT ENTERING ZOAR." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">LOT ENTERING ZOAR.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="ABRAHAM_AND_ISAAC" id="ABRAHAM_AND_ISAAC"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span><br /> +<h3>ABRAHAM AND ISAAC.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Abraham feared God and obeyed His commandments; and God promised to +bless Abraham very greatly. He gave him riches in cattle, and silver, +and gold; and said that the land of Canaan should belong to him and +his descendants. God also gave him a son in his old age, whom he +loved, very dearly and named Isaac. But God intended to try Abraham, +to see if he loved Him above all else.</p> + +<p>One day God told Abraham to take his son Isaac, and to journey into +the land of Moriah; there to build an altar and offer Isaac as a +sacrifice upon it. It was a strange command, but Abraham knew that God +would not bid him do what was wrong, and believed that even if he slew +his son, God was able to raise him to life again. So he rose early in +the morning, saddled his ass, took two of his young men, and wood for +the fire; and then, accompanied by Isaac, started on his journey. On +the third day they came near the place God had pointed out, and +Abraham left the young men with the ass, while he and his son +journeyed up the mountain alone. As they went along, Isaac—who +carried the wood, while his father carried the knife and the fire, +said: "My father." And Abraham replied, "Here am I, my son." Then +Isaac said: "Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a +burnt offering?" Abraham answered: "My son, God will provide Himself a +lamb for a burnt offering."</p> + +<p>The altar was built, Isaac was bound and laid upon it, and Abraham's +arm was uplifted to strike the blow that was to take his son's life +away. Then God called to Abraham, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, +neither do thou anything<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>unto him; for now I know that thou fearest +God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from +Me." Abraham looked up, and behind him saw a ram which was caught in a +thicket by its horns; this he took and offered as a sacrifice to God.</p> + +<p>So God tried Abraham; and also Himself provided the lamb for the burnt +offering, as Abraham had said.</p> + +<br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-05.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-05.jpg" width="500" height="664" alt="ABRAHAM AND ISAAC." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">ABRAHAM AND ISAAC.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_STORY_OF_REBEKAH" id="THE_STORY_OF_REBEKAH"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + + +<h3>THE STORY OF REBEKAH.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + +<p>When Abraham had grown old, he desired that his son, Isaac, should +take a wife. But he did not wish him to choose one from among the +women of Canaan, for they worshipped idols. So he called his oldest +servant, and commanded him to make a journey to Abraham's own country, +and there to choose a wife for Isaac. Then the man took ten camels, +together with food and other goods for the journey, and set out for +the city of Nahor. When he came to the walls of the city he spied a +well, and, as it was evening, the young women were coming out to draw +water. Then he asked God to help him to choose a wife for Isaac, +saying, "Let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, +'Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink,' and who shall +reply, 'Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also;' let her be the +one Thou hast chosen for Thy servant Isaac."</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-06.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-06.jpg" width="500" height="666" alt="REBEKAH GIVING DRINK TO ABRAHAM'S SERVANT." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">REBEKAH GIVING DRINK TO ABRAHAM'S SERVANT.</p> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>Before he had done speaking, there came out a beautiful young woman, +whose name was Rebekah. She was the grand-daughter of Nahor, Abraham's +brother. She carried a pitcher upon her shoulder, and went down to the +well and filled it. Then Abraham's servant ran to her and asked her +for a drink from her pitcher. She said, "Drink, my lord," and held the +pitcher for him, and afterwards drew water for his camels also. Then +he took a golden jewel and a pair of gold bracelets, and put them upon +her, and asked whose daughter she was, and if her father could lodge +him and his company. When she told him who she was, he was glad, and +worshipped God, for he was sure then that he had been led to the house +of Abraham's brother.</p> + +<p>Then Rebekah called out her friends, and they took the man in to lodge +him for the night, and set food before him. But he would not eat until +he had told them his errand, and how he believed God had chosen +Rebekah for Isaac's wife. He then asked the parents to say whether +they would give their daughter or not, but they said: "It has been +ordered by God; we cannot give or refuse her. Rebekah is before you. +Take her and go. Let her be Isaac's wife, as the Lord hath spoken."</p> + +<p>When the man heard these words, he again praised God, and then he +brought out rich clothing, and jewels of gold and silver, and gave +them to Rebekah. He also gave presents to her mother and brother. When +they asked Rebekah if she would go with the man, she said "Yes," and +took leave of her friends, who blessed her. Then, with her nurse and +her maids, she rode upon the camels, and followed the man, for she +believed that so God had ordered it.</p> + +<p>Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi, and one evening he walked into the +fields to meditate. As he lifted up his eyes <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>he saw the company of +camels coming towards him. At the same time, Rebekah lifted up her +eyes and saw Isaac. When the man told her it was his master Isaac, she +alighted from the camel, and covered her face with a veil, according +to the custom of the East. When the man told Isaac all he had done, +Isaac was pleased, and welcomed Rebekah, and gave her the tent that +had been his mother's. And she became his wife.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-07.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-07.jpg" width="500" height="663" alt="REBEKAH JOURNEYING TO ISAAC." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">REBEKAH JOURNEYING TO ISAAC.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="JOSEPH_AND_HIS_BRETHREN" id="JOSEPH_AND_HIS_BRETHREN"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h3>JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>How wonderful is the way in which God works for those who fear Him! +The history of Joseph teaches us this truth.</p> + +<p>Joseph had one younger and ten elder brothers. The name of the younger +brother was Benjamin. Jacob was the father of them all; and Rachel was +the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Jacob loved Joseph more than all +his other sons, and made him a coat of many colours; but his elder +brothers hated him, and one day, when far away from home, proposed to +kill him. They cast him into a pit instead, and afterwards sold him as +a slave to some merchants who were travelling from Gilead to Egypt. +When they returned to their father, they took Joseph's coat of many +colours, which they had dipped in blood, and brought it to Jacob, +saying: "This have we found: know now if it be thy son's coat or no." +Jacob knew the coat; and thought Joseph had been killed by some wild +beast, and mourned for him greatly.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-08.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-08.jpg" width="500" height="665" alt="THE MEETING OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE MEETING OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH.</p> +</div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>The merchants carried Joseph into Egypt, and sold him to one of the +king's officers, named Potiphar. But, though a slave, he was not +forsaken by God. No, God was with him, and made all that he did to +prosper. His master placed him over all his house, but his mistress +wanted him to commit a great sin. When he refused, she accused him +unjustly to his master, and Potiphar had him cast into prison.</p> + +<p>God was with Joseph in the prison, and gave him such favour with the +keeper that he set him over all the other prisoners. Among them were +two; one who had been the king's butler, and the other his baker. Both +had dreams which troubled them much, but Joseph was enabled by God to +interpret their dreams for them. By-and-by Pharaoh, the king, dreamed +a dream. He was standing on the banks of a river, and saw seven fat +cows come up out of the water and feed in a meadow; afterwards seven +very lean cows came up and devoured the fat ones. Then Pharaoh awoke; +but he dreamed again, and saw that seven very poor ears of corn +devoured seven that were full and good. In the morning he was greatly +troubled. What could the dreams mean? He called for the magicians and +the wise men, but they could not tell. At last it was told him how +Joseph had interpreted the dreams in the prison; so he sent for +Joseph, who came from the prison, and stood before the king.</p> + +<p>Pharaoh said, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can +interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand +a dream to interpret it." Joseph answered, "It is not in me: God shall +give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Then Joseph told Pharaoh that the +dreams had been sent by God, to show him that after seven years of +great plenty had passed there would come seven years of famine. He +also advised Pharaoh to lay up corn in cities <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>during the years of +plenty, so that the people might be fed during the years of famine. +Pharaoh saw what great wisdom God had given Joseph, and made him ruler +over all the land of Egypt. The corn was stored up; and after the +years of plenty the famine came.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-09.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-09.jpg" width="500" height="655" alt="JOSEPH BEFORE THE PHAROAH." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">JOSEPH BEFORE THE PHAROAH.</p> +</div> + +<br /> + +<p>During all this time Jacob and his sons had been dwelling in Canaan; +where, through the famine, they were now in want of food. So Jacob +sent his sons to Egypt to buy corn. The Bible tells us, in the book of +Genesis, how they came to Egypt, and all that befell them there; and +how at last Joseph, the ruler of the mighty kingdom, made himself +known to them as the brother they had cruelly sold for a slave. But he +forgave them, and sent to fetch his father Jacob, saying that all were +to come into Egypt, where he would provide for them.</p> + +<p>Jacob could not at first believe the good news his sons brought; but +when he saw the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him and the +little ones, he said, "It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I +will go and see him before I die." So he journeyed to Egypt, with his +sons, and all that he had; and as he drew near Joseph went to meet +him. When Joseph met his father, he fell on his neck, and wept there. +And Jacob said, "Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because +thou art yet alive." He was so full of joy that it seemed to him there +was nothing else worth living for. Afterwards Joseph presented his +father to Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh; who allowed him and his +family to dwell in the land of Goshen.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-10.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-10.jpg" width="500" height="669" alt="JACOB PRESENTED TO PHARAOH." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">JACOB PRESENTED TO PHARAOH.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_FINDING_OF_MOSES" id="THE_FINDING_OF_MOSES"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE FINDING OF MOSES.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Pharoah, becoming alarmed at the increasing power and numbers of the +Israelites in Egypt, ordered that every male child who might be born +to them should be cast into the river, and drowned. But the wife of a +man named Levi felt that she could not give up her babe, and for three +months she hid him. When she could hide him no longer, she prepared a +basket of rushes, and coated it with pitch, so that it would float +upon the river and keep out the water. In this ark she placed her +infant son, and hid the ark among the flags and bulrushes on the +river-bank, and set the child's sister to watch it.</p> + +<p>Now it happened that the daughter of Pharaoh came with her maidens to +bathe in the river; and when she saw the basket she sent one of her +maids to fetch it. And when she looked at the child he wept, and she +had compassion for him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' +children." Then the child's sister came forward and said to Pharaoh's +daughter, "Shall I call to thee a Hebrew woman that she may nurse the +child for thee?" And when the princess said, "Go!" she, the maid, went +and called her own mother, to whom Pharaoh's daughter said, "Take this +child and nurse him for me, and I will give thee thy wages." And the +woman took the child and nursed him. And when he had grown, his mother +took him to the princess, who adopted him as her son, and called his +name Moses, which means <i>drawn out</i>, because she took him from the +water. Afterwards he grew to be a great man: he was learned in all the +wisdom of the Egyptians; and we are told, "he was mighty in words and +deeds."</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-11.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-11.jpg" width="500" height="651" alt="THE FINDING OF MOSES." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE FINDING OF MOSES.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_FLIGHT_FROM_EGYPT" id="THE_FLIGHT_FROM_EGYPT"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE FLIGHT FROM EGYPT.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>When Moses was forty years old he had to flee from Egypt. He went to +Midian, where he dwelt for forty years; at the end of which time God +appeared to him, and instructed him to return to Egypt; where he was +appointed by God to lead the Israelites from bondage to the land of +Canaan. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and delivered +to him God's command to let the people of Israel go; telling him that +if he disobeyed terrible plagues would come upon his land. Pharaoh +hardened his heart against God, and refused to let the people go; so +ten dreadful plagues were sent, the last of which was that the +firstborn of every Egyptian should die, whether it were man or beast. +But not a single Israelite was to suffer harm. This plague God said +should come in the night; when an angel would pass through the land, +destroying the Egyptians but sparing the Israelites.</p> + +<p>Each family of the Israelites was commanded, on the evening that God +had appointed, to kill a lamb, and to dip a bunch of hyssop in its +blood, sprinkling this blood upon the top and side posts of the door. +All the houses thus marked God said would be spared when the +destroying angel passed through the land. In the night, while the +Israelites were, according to God's command, eating the lambs that had +been slain, all ready to depart, a great cry arose among the +Egyptians. In every house, from the palace downwards, the eldest child +lay dead.</p> + +<p>Then the Egyptians arose, and thrust the Israelites out; and they left +Egypt, and journeyed towards the Red Sea.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-12.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-12.jpg" width="500" height="654" alt="SPRINKLING THE BLOOD." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">SPRINKLING THE BLOOD.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="MOSES_STRIKING_THE_ROCK" id="MOSES_STRIKING_THE_ROCK"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span><br /> +<h3>MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>After the Israelites left Egypt they crossed the Red Sea, whose waters +divided so that they passed through on dry land. Then they travelled +through the wilderness toward Mount Sinai. Passing onward, they wanted +water and food; and forgetting the great things God had already done +for them, they began to murmur. At a place called Marah they found the +water too bitter to drink; so they grumbled, saying to Moses, "What +shall we drink?" He asked God; who showed him a tree, which, when cast +into the water, made it sweet.</p> + +<p>Next the people murmured for food, and God sent them manna, which they +gathered every day except the Sabbath; but with all God's care and +kindness the Israelites continued to grumble whenever any difficulty +arose. Journeying forward, they entered another wilderness, called the +Desert of Sin, and came to a place named Rephidim, where they found no +water. They were very thirsty, and came to Moses murmuring and saying, +"Give us water that we may drink." How could Moses do that? He was +grieved with them, and said, "Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye +tempt the Lord?" But the people grew so angry that they were ready to +stone him. Then Moses told God all the trouble, and God showed him +what to do. He was to go before the people, taking the elders of +Israel with him, and his rod, and God would stand before him on a rock +among the mountains of Horeb. This rock he was to strike, when water +would gush forth.</p> + +<p>Moses did as God commanded. He went forward with the elders, struck +the rock with his rod; and the pure, clear water gushed out, so that +all the people were able to drink.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-13.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-13.jpg" width="500" height="661" alt="STRIKING THE ROCK." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">STRIKING THE ROCK.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_TEN_COMMANDMENTS" id="THE_TEN_COMMANDMENTS"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>The Israelites journeyed onward and encamped before Mount Sinai. There +God talked with Moses, and instructed him to remind the people of the +great things He had done for them; and to say that if they obeyed Him, +and kept His covenant, they should be a peculiar treasure to Him above +all people, and a holy nation.</p> + +<p>When the people heard God's message, they answered, "All that the Lord +hath spoken we will do." How happy would they have been if they had +always kept this promise! But, alas! they did not do so; and great +punishments came upon them in consequence.</p> + +<p>God also said that on the third day He would descend upon Mount Sinai; +and commanded the people to prepare themselves for that great and +solemn event. None were to approach the mount, for if they did so they +would die. On the third day, according to the command, the people +gathered before Mount Sinai. A thick cloud covered the mountain, which +smoked and quaked, and there were thunders and lightnings; a trumpet +also sounded exceeding loud, so that all the people trembled. Then God +spake from the midst of the fire, and gave the people the Ten +Commandments. These you will find in the twentieth chapter of Exodus; +and little folks with sharp eyes can read them in our picture.</p> + +<p>We are told that "all the people saw the thunderings, and the +lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking;" +and when they saw it they were so much afraid that they stood afar +off. How holy is God's law, and how careful should we be to obey it!</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-14.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-14.jpg" width="500" height="661" alt="THE TEN COMMANDMENTS." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="BEZALEEL_AND_AHOLIAB" id="BEZALEEL_AND_AHOLIAB"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span><br /> +<h3>BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>After God had given the Ten Commandments, He called Moses up into the +mountain; where he remained forty days and forty nights. During that +time, God told him to speak to the Israelites, asking them to give +gold, silver, brass, blue, purple, fine linen, oil, precious stones, +and other things, to make a tabernacle or sanctuary, where God would +dwell among them. God showed Moses the pattern of this tabernacle, +with its coverings, its holy place and most holy place, its ark of the +covenant with the cherubims and mercy-seat, its table for the +shewbread, golden candlestick, and altar of incense, and the garments +for Aaron and his sons, etc.; everything was accurately described by +God. Then God instructed Moses as to who could do the work He had +commanded to be done, and named two to whom He had given special +wisdom and skill: these two were Bezaleel and Aholiab.</p> + +<p>When Moses came down from the mountain he called Aaron and all the +people of Israel, and told them what God had commanded. The people +willingly brought gifts, till more than enough was provided. Then +Bezaleel and Aholiab, and other wise-hearted men, worked diligently +until the tabernacle and all things belonging to it were made exactly +as God had instructed. Some worked in gold and silver, others in brass +and wood; wise women spun cloth of blue, purple and scarlet, and fine +linen; precious stones were set for the high priest's ephod and +breastplate; and, at last, all was finished. Then we are told "Moses +did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord +had commanded." Then Moses blessed them.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-15.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-15.jpg" width="500" height="652" alt="BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_BRAZEN_SERPENT" id="THE_BRAZEN_SERPENT"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE BRAZEN SERPENT.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Jesus Christ says that "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the +wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." What did Jesus +mean?</p> + +<p>Nearly forty years had passed since God gave His law from Mount Sinai; +and frequently the people had sinned during that time. Through their +disobedience they were compelled to wander in the wilderness for many +long years, instead of going straight to Canaan. While thus wandering +they passed round the land of Edom, and became grieved and impatient +because of the dreariness and difficulty of the way. They murmured +against God and against Moses, and said, "Wherefore have ye brought us +up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, +neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread." +They meant the manna which God gave them daily.</p> + +<p>God allowed fiery serpents to come among the people because of their +sin, which bit them, and many died. Then they came to Moses, saying, +"We have sinned ... pray unto the Lord that He take away the serpents +from us." Moses did so; and God told him to make a serpent of brass +and to put it on a pole; and said that all who looked to the serpent +should live. The serpent of brass could not heal them, but God healed +them as they obeyed his command to look to the serpent. It was <i>look</i> +and <i>live</i>.</p> + +<p>Now I think we see what Jesus means. God has said that all must die +because of sin; but those who look to Jesus and trust in Him will have +their sins pardoned, and will live with Him in glory forever.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-16.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-16.jpg" width="500" height="650" alt="THE BRAZEN SERPENT." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE BRAZEN SERPENT.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_PASSAGE_OF_THE_JORDAN" id="THE_PASSAGE_OF_THE_JORDAN"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Having wandered for forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites drew +near to the river Jordan, at a place opposite Jericho. Moses was dead, +and Joshua was now the leader of the host. God told him that the time +had come when the people of Israel were to enter Canaan; to which land +they had all this long time been travelling, but which previously they +had not been permitted to enter on account of their sin. A description +of this sin is given in the Bible, in the fourteenth chapter of +Numbers.</p> + +<p>But the people were now to cross the Jordan and enter Canaan. They +were a very great multitude, and the river lay before them. How were +they to cross? God told them! He commanded Joshua that the priests +were to take the ark of the covenant and to go before the people; who +were to follow a short distance behind. Could the priests and the +people walk across the deep water? No. But as soon as the priests +reached the river, and their feet were dipped in the water, God +divided the Jordan into two, leaving dry ground for the Israelites to +cross upon.</p> + +<p>The priests carried the ark into the middle of the bed of the river +and then stood still, and all the people passed on before them. When +all were over, the priests carrying the ark moved forward also, and +the waters returned to their proper place again. But before they did +so, Joshua commanded twelve men, one from each tribe, each to take a +stone from the river's bed; and these stones were set up as a memorial +of the marvellous manner in which God had brought the Israelites +across the Jordan into Canaan.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-17.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-17.jpg" width="500" height="648" alt="CROSSING THE JORDAN." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">CROSSING THE JORDAN.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_CAPTAIN_OF_THE_LORDS_HOST" id="THE_CAPTAIN_OF_THE_LORDS_HOST"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>News of the miraculous way in which the Israelites had been brought +across the Jordan spread rapidly among the Canaanites, and when they +heard what God had done, they were very much afraid. We are told that +"their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, +because of the children of Israel."</p> + +<p>God had said to Joshua that the land of Canaan was to be taken +possession of by the Israelites; and had commanded him to "Be strong +and of a good courage," and had strengthened him by saying, "Be not +afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee +whithersoever thou goest." Joshua and the people were now in Canaan, +and before them lay a stronghold of the Canaanites, named Jericho, +having high walls and strong gates. This city the Israelites had to +capture; but the inhabitants closed the gates, and prepared to fight +fiercely to prevent Joshua and his warriors from getting in.</p> + +<p>As Joshua was alone at this time, near Jericho, he looked up, and saw +a man standing with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and +asked, "Art thou for us or for our adversaries?" The man answered, +"Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I come." Do you know +who it was? Was it an angel? I think it was more than an angel. It was +the Lord! Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, saying, +"What saith my Lord unto His servant?" Then the Lord told Joshua, as +before he had told Moses, to take his shoes from his feet, for the +place on which he stood was holy; and instructed him how Jericho was +to be captured.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-18.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-18.jpg" width="500" height="659" alt="THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="HOW_JERICHO_WAS_CAPTURED" id="HOW_JERICHO_WAS_CAPTURED"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span><br /> +<h3>HOW JERICHO WAS CAPTURED.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>When men in olden times attacked a city, they tried to batter down the +walls with heavy beams of wood, having heads of iron, called battering +rams; but God did not instruct the Israelites thus to capture Jericho. +They were to remember that it was not by their own power they could +conquer the Canaanites, but only as God gave them the victory over +their enemies. So God commanded Joshua to lay siege to Jericho in a +very strange way. He said that seven priests, each having a trumpet, +were to go before the ark. In front of them the armed men of Israel +were to march; and behind the ark the people were to follow. In this +way they were to go round the city once each day for six days, the +priests blowing their trumpets each time. The seventh day they were to +go in the same manner round the city seven times; and God said that +when the priests blew their trumpets the seventh time, the people were +to give a great shout, and the walls of the city would fall down.</p> + +<p>Joshua and the people did as God commanded. They marched round the +city carrying the ark, the priests blowing their trumpets; and on the +seventh day they marched round seven times. The last time, when the +priests blew their trumpets, the people shouted with a great shout, +and the walls of the city fell down flat. Then the Israelites went up +and took possession of it.</p> + +<p>Thus God delivered Jericho into the hands of His people. All the +inhabitants were killed except Rahab and her relatives. These were +spared because Rahab had been kind to the spies whom Joshua had sent.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-19.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-19.jpg" width="500" height="661" alt="THE FALL OF JERICHO." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE FALL OF JERICHO.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="ACHANS_SIN" id="ACHANS_SIN"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span><br /> +<h3>ACHAN'S SIN.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>God commanded the Israelites to destroy Jericho; and all the gold, +silver, and other riches found there were to be devoted to the Lord. +If any disobeyed this command then a curse was to rest upon all, and +they were not to prosper.</p> + +<p>The Israelites were to conquer the Canaanites, and drive them out of +the land. So Joshua prepared to attack a city named Ai. Three thousand +of his men went to capture it, but the inhabitants came out and drove +them back, killing some of them. Joshua was greatly grieved. He knew +that unless God made the Israelites victorious, the Canaanites would +be able to overcome them, and God had appeared to fail them this time. +Oh! he was sorry. But he told God the trouble, and God showed him the +cause of it.</p> + +<p>One of the Israelites, named Achan, saw among the spoil of Jericho, a +handsome garment, some silver, and a bar of gold, and coveted them. He +stole these things and hid them away in his tent, thinking that no one +saw him; but God knew it all. Achan's sin was the cause of Israel's +defeat! God showed Joshua how the man who had done the wickedness was +to be discovered. Each tribe was to be brought before God, then each +family of the tribe He chose, then each household of the family taken, +and lastly each man of the family chosen. Finally, Achan was pointed +out by God. Joshua bade him confess what he had done, and he said that +he had taken the Babylonish garment and the gold and silver.</p> + +<p>Messengers were sent to his tent, who brought what Achan had hidden; +and he, with his sons and daughters, his cattle, and all that he had, +and the garment, silver, and gold, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>were taken to a valley near by, +where the people stoned them, and burned them with fire; and then +raised over all a great heap of stones, which remained as a memorial +to warn others against sinning as Achan had done.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-20.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-20.jpg" width="500" height="660" alt="ACHAN CONFESSING HIS SIN." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">ACHAN CONFESSING HIS SIN.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_ALTAR_ON_MOUNT_EBAL" id="THE_ALTAR_ON_MOUNT_EBAL"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h3>THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Before Moses died he called the Israelites together, and urged them to +faithfully serve God; also directing that when they entered Canaan, +they were to build an altar of rough stones, covered with plaster, on +Mount Ebal, and to write the words of God's law upon this altar. Then +six of the tribes were to stand on Mount Gerizim, and six on Mount +Ebal, and, in the hearing of all the people, the blessings for +obedience and the cursings for disobedience were to be proclaimed.</p> + +<p>Mounts Ebal and Gerizim are two rugged mountains that face each other +in Samaria. When the Israelites advanced thus far, they remembered the +words of Moses. Joshua built the altar as directed, on which he +offered sacrifices to God, and wrote a copy of the law upon it. All +Israel stood, "half of them over against Mount Gerizim, and half of +them over against Mount Ebal," and Joshua read all the words of the +law, "the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in +the book of the law." Then the loud voices of the Levites were heard +from the mountain sides, declaring, in the hearing of all the people, +the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, as God +had commanded.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +<br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-21.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-21.jpg" width="500" height="657" alt="THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_CITIES_OF_REFUGE" id="THE_CITIES_OF_REFUGE"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE CITIES OF REFUGE.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Revenge is contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ, "If thine enemy +hunger, feed him," says the Saviour; but among the Israelites and +other eastern nations a different practice prevailed. If one slew +another, the kinsman of him that was slain felt bound to avenge his +relative, and to slay him that had done the deed. Sometimes people +were killed by accident, when it was clearly unjust that he who had +unwittingly killed another should be slain. To guard against the +innocent thus suffering, God commanded that "cities of refuge" should +be appointed, to which the slayer might flee, "which killeth any +person at unawares."</p> + +<p>These cities were six in number: Kedesh, Shechem, and Kirjath-arba, on +the west of Jordan; and Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan, on the east of that +river. They were so arranged that a few hours' rapid flight would +bring the slayer from any part of the land to one of the cities of +refuge. Jewish writers say that the roads leading to these cities were +always kept in good repair, and that guide-posts were placed at every +cross road with "Refuge! Refuge!" written upon them. But the man that +wilfully killed another was not sheltered. He was given up to the +avenger to be slain.</p> + +<p>In our picture we see the slayer running to the city gate; the avenger +close behind, shooting arrows at him. He has thus far escaped, and two +or three more steps will place him in safety. But, once within the +city, he must not quit its refuge until the death of the high priest. +If he do so and the avenger find him he may be slain. But upon the +death of the high priest he will be allowed to return home, to dwell +in peace again.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-22.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-22.jpg" width="500" height="658" alt="FLEEING TO THE CITY OF REFUGE." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">FLEEING TO THE CITY OF REFUGE.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="JOSHUAS_EXHORTATION" id="JOSHUAS_EXHORTATION"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span><br /> +<h3>JOSHUA'S EXHORTATION.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Exhortation seems a hard word, but it simply means to strongly urge to +good deeds, and this is what our artist shows Joshua to be doing.</p> + +<p>Joshua is now an old man, and the Israelites are settled peaceably in +Canaan. He has called them before him, with their elders, and heads, +and judges, and officers. He tells them that he is old and about to +die, and reminds them of the land that has already been conquered and +divided among them, and of that which still remains to be conquered; +urging them to be "very courageous to keep and to do all that is +written in the book of the law of Moses, that they turn not aside +therefrom to the right hand or to the left." He bids them take good +heed therefore unto themselves, that they love the Lord their God; and +warns them that if they go back and do wickedly, the anger of the Lord +will be kindled against them, and they will perish quickly from off +the good land which God has given them.</p> + +<p>In his address, Joshua said, "Ye know in all your hearts and in all +your souls, that not one good thing hath failed of all the good things +which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass +unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof." How faithful is God! +He never fails in His promises: and we are told He is unchangeable, so +that whatever He promises now He will fulfil, and whatever warnings He +gives will surely come to pass. How good is it to have this holy and +wise God for our Father, and to know that He promises abundantly to +bless all those that trust in the Saviour, Jesus Christ. But let us +take heed of the warnings against sin given in God's Holy Word.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-23.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-23.jpg" width="500" height="651" alt="JOSHUA EXHORTING THE PEOPLE." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">JOSHUA EXHORTING THE PEOPLE.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="GIDEON_AND_THE_FLEECE" id="GIDEON_AND_THE_FLEECE"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span><br /> +<h3>GIDEON AND THE FLEECE.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>After the death of Joshua, the Israelites turned away from God, and +served idols. Therefore the evils came upon them of which they had +been warned by Moses and Joshua. But at different times God, seeing +their distress, raised up "judges" to deliver them from their enemies, +and to judge over them. The first of these judges was named Othniel. +He was Caleb's nephew. The last was Samuel. One that lived about one +hundred years before Samuel was named Gideon.</p> + +<p>The Israelites were at this time in great trouble. They were hiding in +dens and caves because of the Midianites, who had conquered them and +overrun their country. When their corn was ripe these enemies came and +destroyed it, so altogether they were in sad plight. One day Gideon +was threshing wheat in a secluded place, so as to escape the notice of +the Midianites, when an angel from God appeared to him, bidding him to +go and save the Israelites from their foes. Gideon obeyed the command: +but before commencing the battle he much desired a sign from God +showing that He would give the Israelites the victory. The sign Gideon +asked for was, that when he laid a fleece of wool on the ground, if +the victory were to be his, then the fleece should be wet and the +ground dry. He placed the wool on the ground, and taking it up the +next morning found it wet, although the ground was dry. So he knew God +had answered him as he desired. But he was not quite satisfied. He +begged God for a second sign. This time the ground was to be wet and +the fleece of wool dry. God gave him this sign also: and then Gideon +felt sure that the Israelites would be victorious over the +Midianites.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-24.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-24.jpg" width="500" height="698" alt="EXAMINING THE FLEECE." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">EXAMINING THE FLEECE.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_DEFEAT_OF_THE_MIDIANITES" id="THE_DEFEAT_OF_THE_MIDIANITES"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE DEFEAT OF THE MIDIANITES.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Large numbers of the Israelites gathered around Gideon, prepared to +fight against the Midianites, who were encamped in a valley, "like +grasshoppers for multitude." How Gideon's host was reduced till only +three hundred men remained, and the wonderful dream he heard related, +when he and his servant went down as spies into the enemy's camp, are +recorded in the seventh chapter of Judges. It was not by their own +bravery or power that the Israelites were to overcome their enemies. +God was to give them the victory: and He chose Gideon and three +hundred men to overcome the great and mighty host of the Midianites.</p> + +<p>Gideon divided his three hundred men into three companies, and put a +trumpet in every man's hand, and gave to each a pitcher with a lamp +inside. Then he said, "Look on me, and do likewise: when I blow with a +trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on +every side of the camp, and say, 'The sword of the Lord and of +Gideon.'" Gideon and the hundred men of his company approached the +enemy's camp by night, and the other two companies drew nigh also, so +that the Midianites where surrounded. Then all blew their trumpets, +broke their pitchers, held up their lamps (torches), and cried out as +they had been commanded.</p> + +<p>The Midianites heard the trumpets' blast and the cry, and saw the +lights. They were thrown into confusion, and one fought against +another; then they fled, and were pursued by the Israelites, great +numbers of whom gathered together and followed after their flying +enemies. Thus the Midianites were overcome, and Israel had peace +during the lifetime of Gideon.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-25.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-25.jpg" width="500" height="661" alt="THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON" /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_DEATH_OF_SAMSON" id="THE_DEATH_OF_SAMSON"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE DEATH OF SAMSON.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Samson's birth was foretold by an angel. He was to grow up a Nazarite, +forbidden to drink strong drink, neither was his head to be shaved. +His strength was very great; but his marriage was sinful, and his +doings with the idolatrous Philistines terrible. Though an Israelite +and a judge, I fear much he sinned greatly against God. On one +occasion he went to Gaza, a city of the Philistines. The inhabitants +tried to take him, but he arose at midnight and carried away the gates +of their city. In our picture though he looks so strong, yet we see +chains on his legs, and he is blind! How came he to lose his sight and +be made a prisoner? I think it was owing to his sin and folly.</p> + +<p>He became acquainted with a wicked woman, who enticed him to tell her +in what his great strength lay. Three times he told her falsely, but +at last he said that if the flowing locks of his hair were removed his +strength would depart. While he slept these locks were cut off, then +the Philistines burst in upon him, and when he arose to resist them, +he found that his strength was gone. Then his eyes were cruelly put +out, and he was bound with fetters of brass.</p> + +<p>Our artist shows him blind, brought out to make sport at the +Philistines' feast. He is very sorrowful, and, I think, angry. He asks +the lad beside him to place his hands upon the pillars supporting the +house; then, his great strength returning, he bows himself with all +his might; the pillars break, the house falls, and Samson, with very +many of the Philistines, is crushed amid the ruins. Was not this a +terrible end to what might have been a noble life?</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-26.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-26.jpg" width="500" height="655" alt="SAMSON MAKING SPORT FOR THE PHILISTINES." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">SAMSON MAKING SPORT FOR THE PHILISTINES.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="RUTH_AND_NAOMI" id="RUTH_AND_NAOMI"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span><br /> +<h3>RUTH AND NAOMI.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Naomi was the wife of a Jew named Elimelech, who left his own city of +Bethlehem to go into the land of Moab, because there was a famine in +Canaan. Some time afterwards he died, leaving Naomi a widow with two +sons, all dwellers in a strange land. Her sons married two young women +belonging to Moab, whose names were Orpah and Ruth. After living there +about ten years Naomi's sons died also, leaving Orpah and Ruth widows, +along with their widowed mother-in-law. Then Naomi determined to +return to her own land. Orpah and Ruth accompanied Naomi some distance +on her journey; then she bade them to leave her, telling each to go +back to her mother's house in Moab, while she would pursue her way +alone to the land of Judah. They were unwilling to do so, saying they +would go with her to her land and people; but she urged them to +depart, assuring them that they would gain nothing by leaving their +own country to accompany her, and that they had better return to their +own homes. Then the story informs us—you will find it in the Bible, +in the Book of Ruth—that Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and departed; +but Ruth clave unto her, saying, "Whither thou goest, I will go; and +where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and +thy God my God; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be +buried: the Lord do so to me and more also, if ought but death part +thee and me."</p> + +<p>So Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law, and journeyed with her +until they reached Canaan. Then they both dwelt in the city of +Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, where we shall meet with them again.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-27.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-27.jpg" width="500" height="664" alt="RUTH AND NAOMI." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">RUTH AND NAOMI.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="BOAZ_AND_RUTH" id="BOAZ_AND_RUTH"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span><br /> +<h3>BOAZ AND RUTH.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>When Naomi returned to Bethlehem she was poor. The poor were allowed +at harvest time to follow the reapers; gleaning or gathering up the +stray ears of corn. One day, Ruth obtained permission from her +mother-in-law to go gleaning, and went to glean in the field of a rich +man named Boaz, who happened to be a kinsman, or relative of +Elimelech. But Ruth did not know of this relationship.</p> + +<p>Boaz saw Ruth gleaning, and asked one of his servants who she was. The +servant replied, "It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi +out of the country of Moab." Then Boaz spoke kindly to Ruth, telling +her not to go to any other field to glean, but to stay with his +maidens and glean in his field. She fell on her face before him and +bowed herself to the ground, and asked, "Why have I found grace in +thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a +stranger?" Boaz was pleased with her because of her kindness to Naomi, +so he replied, "It hath fully been showed me all that thou hast done +unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband." He also bade +her to eat and drink with his servants, and told his reapers to let +some handfuls of grain fall on purpose for her. So Ruth gleaned that +day quite a large quantity of barley, which she took home to Naomi. +Then she learned that Boaz was her kinsman.</p> + +<p>She continued gleaning until the end of harvest; and afterwards became +the wife of Boaz and grandmother of Jesse, the father of David. Jesus +Christ descended from David; so we see what high honour was bestowed +upon Ruth for her kindness to her mother-in-law.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-28.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-28.jpg" width="500" height="659" alt="BOAZ SHOWING KINDNESS TO RUTH." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">BOAZ SHOWING KINDNESS TO RUTH.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="HANNAH_PRAYING_BEFORE_THE_LORD" id="HANNAH_PRAYING_BEFORE_THE_LORD"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span><br /> +<h3>HANNAH PRAYING BEFORE THE LORD.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>The Tabernacle, which had been set up by the Israelites in the +wilderness, was after the conquest of Canaan erected at Shiloh, a city +about ten miles south of Shechem. There it remained for more than +three hundred years. No Temple was at Jerusalem in those days, so the +Jewish priests offered sacrifices to God in the Tabernacle at Shiloh.</p> + +<p>One day, Hannah, the wife of a priest named Elkanah, came to the +Tabernacle to worship. She was grieved because she had no children; +and especially sad because she had no son. So she knelt down and +prayed to God, and asked God to remember her sorrow and to give her a +son; promising that if God granted her request, she would give that +son to Him all the days of his life.</p> + +<p>As Hannah prayed, Eli, the high priest, saw her. She did not speak +aloud, but prayed in her heart; her lips moved, but no voice was +heard; so Eli thought that a drunken woman had come before the Lord. +He reproved her saying, "How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy +wine from thee." But Hannah had not drunk wine. She answered Eli, "No, +my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine +nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord." Then +Eli bade her "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy +petition that thou hast asked of Him."</p> + +<p>Hannah left the Tabernacle. Her face was no longer sad. She believed +God had heard her prayer; and He had done so. In due time a son was +given her, whom she named Samuel. Samuel means <i>Heard of God</i>, which +name Hannah gave him in remembrance of God's goodness in hearing her +prayer.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-29.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-29.jpg" width="500" height="667" alt="HANNAH PRAYING BEFORE THE LORD." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">HANNAH PRAYING BEFORE THE LORD.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="ELI_AND_SAMUEL" id="ELI_AND_SAMUEL"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span><br /> +<h3>ELI AND SAMUEL.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Elkanah went up to Shiloh yearly to offer sacrifice: and when Samuel +was old enough, Hannah went with her husband and took her little boy +with her. They came to Eli the high priest, and Hannah said: "Oh, my +Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here praying. For this child I +prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition. Therefore also have I +given him to the Lord." Then she left Samuel with Eli.</p> + +<p>Samuel assisted Eli in the Tabernacle service, and wore a linen ephod +like a priest. His mother came yearly to see him, when she accompanied +Elkanah to the sacrifice at Shiloh, and each time brought with her a +little coat, which she had made for her son. Eli was an old man, who +had two wicked sons. These he had not restrained as he should have +done. So God was displeased with him and them on account of their +sins.</p> + +<p>One night, while the lamp in the Tabernacle was burning, and Eli was +resting, Samuel was sleeping. A voice came to him calling, "Samuel!" +He rose, and ran to Eli saying, "Here am I." But Eli had not called, +so Samuel lay down again. A second time the same voice called, +"Samuel!" He went to Eli and said, "Here am I; for thou didst call +me." But Eli replied, "I called not, my son; lie down again." The call +was repeated a third time; then Eli told Samuel it was the Lord who +called him; and bade him answer if the voice came again, "Speak, Lord, +for thy servant heareth." Again God called, and Samuel answered as Eli +had commanded him. Then God told Samuel what terrible things should +befall Eli and his sons through their wickedness.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-30.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-30.jpg" width="500" height="650" alt="SAMUEL COMING TO ELI." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">SAMUEL COMING TO ELI.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="DEATH_OF_ELI_AND_HIS_SONS" id="DEATH_OF_ELI_AND_HIS_SONS"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span><br /> +<h3>DEATH OF ELI AND HIS SONS.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>In the morning Samuel feared to tell Eli what the Lord had shown him; +but Eli bade him do so, saying to Samuel, "God do so to thee, and more +also, if thou hide any thing from me of all that He said unto thee." +So Samuel told Eli all God had said, keeping nothing back, and Eli +answered, "It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good."</p> + +<p>Afterwards there was war between the Israelites and the Philistines, +and both sides prepared for battle. They fought; the Israelites were +defeated, and many of them slain. Then they sent to Shiloh and fetched +the ark of the covenant out of the Tabernacle, carrying it to the +camp, and thinking that if the ark were with them they would overcome +their enemies. But the ark only signified God's presence in their +midst; it was not God Himself, to give them victory. It was very +sinful of them thus to use what God had made so holy; and God suffered +them again to be defeated. The ark was taken by the Philistines, and +many of the Israelites were slain.</p> + +<p>Eli, who was then ninety-eight years old, and nearly blind, sat by the +wayside, trembling for the safety of the ark, and waiting for +messengers to bring news of the battle. Presently a messenger came who +told him the Israelites had fled before the Philistines, that his two +sons Hophni and Phinehas were slain, and that the ark of God had been +taken. When he heard that the ark had been taken, he fell backward +from off his seat and died. Thus God's judgment upon Eli and his sons +came to pass. In our picture we see the messenger, who has just come +from the field of battle, telling Eli the sad tidings that caused his +death.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-31.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-31.jpg" width="500" height="649" alt="ELI RECEIVING THE EVIL TIDINGS." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">ELI RECEIVING THE EVIL TIDINGS.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="PLAYING_ON_THE_HARP_BEFORE_SAUL" id="PLAYING_ON_THE_HARP_BEFORE_SAUL"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span><br /> +<h3>PLAYING ON THE HARP BEFORE SAUL.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>We are not told much in the Bible concerning the early life of David. +He was born in Bethlehem. We have seen who his father was, but I do +not find that his mother's name is given. His own name means +"beloved." What a happy name! He must have been much loved by his +parents, and we know he was loved by God.</p> + +<p>Like many other youths in Canaan, he acted as a shepherd to his +father's flocks. He was a fair, open-faced boy; "ruddy, and of a +beautiful countenance, and goodly to look at," so the Scriptures say. +He was a good musician, knew how to sling stones at a mark, and was so +brave that when a lion and a bear came to attack the lambs of his +flock he went after them and killed them both. One day a strange and +most important event happened. Samuel, the prophet, came from Ramah, +and pouring some very precious oil upon the head of David, anointed +him to be the future King of Israel. Saul was then King, but on +account of his wickedness God had rejected him, saying that another +should reign in his stead.</p> + +<p>Soon after this event Saul became very wretched. An evil spirit +troubled him, we are told. His servants advised him to get a man that +could play skilfully upon the harp, so that music might drive away his +misery. Some one suggested David; and David was sent for. He brought +sweet strains from his harp, and Saul was soothed. Saul was pleased +with David. We are told that "he loved him greatly," and that David +became his armour-bearer. But he soon grew jealous, and twice threw a +javelin at David, seeking to smite him to the wall and kill him. This, +however, he was not able to do.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-32.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-32.jpg" width="500" height="657" alt="DAVID PLAYING ON THE HARP BEFORE SAUL." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">DAVID PLAYING ON THE HARP BEFORE SAUL.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="DAVID_AND_GOLIATH" id="DAVID_AND_GOLIATH"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span><br /> +<h3>DAVID AND GOLIATH.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>How attentively David looks at the stones in his hand. His sling is on +his arm, and his bag by his side. What is he about to do with those +stones? And who is that tall man in armour, strutting about with such +a long spear in his hand?</p> + +<p>Two armies were drawn up in battle array. They were the armies of the +Israelites and Philistines. The camp of the Israelites was on one +hill, and that of the Philistines was upon another; a valley lying +between. For forty days these armies had been facing each other, but +yet the battle had been delayed. The Philistines had on their side a +giant of great height and strength, encased in armour, who daily came +out, challenging the Israelites to send a man from their camp to fight +with him. But no man among them dared to go against Goliath, the +Philistines' champion.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Jesse had sent David to the Israelites' camp to see after +his brethren. He heard what the giant said, and offered to go out +against him. Saul was informed of David's offer, and sent for him. +Saul told David he was not able to fight the giant, but he boldly +replied, "The Lord which delivered me out of the paw of the lion and +out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this +Philistine." David trusted not in his own power, but in God! Then Saul +said, "Go, and the Lord be with thee."</p> + +<p>He went, slung one of the smooth stones he had chosen out of the +brook, smote the Philistine in the forehead so that he fell to the +earth, and then ran and cut off his head. Thus God enabled this ruddy +youth to overcome the giant Philistine, and to slay him with a sling +and a stone.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-33.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-33.jpg" width="500" height="661" alt="CHOOSING SMOOTH STONES OUT OF THE BROOK." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">CHOOSING SMOOTH STONES OUT OF THE BROOK.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="NATHAN_REPROVING_THE_KING" id="NATHAN_REPROVING_THE_KING"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span><br /> +<h3>NATHAN REPROVING THE KING.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>David was now King. He had great riches and honour, and a palace had +been built for him. He had brought the ark from Kirjath-jearim, and +placed it in the tabernacle prepared for it at Jerusalem, and he now +reigned over all the people of Israel and Judah. But David did a very +wicked thing. He took the wife of Uriah the Hittite for his wife, and +caused Uriah to be slain. God was displeased at what he had done, and +sent Nathan the prophet to reprove him.</p> + +<p>Nathan's reproof was given by a parable. It was a story of a poor man +who had one dear little lamb. It grew up in his house, played with his +children, and was very precious to him. But one day a traveller came +to a rich neighbour, who possessed great flocks and herds, and this +neighbour, instead of killing one of his own lambs and setting it +before his guest, sent and took the poor man's lamb and killed it.</p> + +<p>David heard the story, and was very angry. He said the rich man should +die, and the lamb taken away should be restored fourfold. Then Nathan, +looking at the King, said: "Thou art the man!" He showed David how +greatly he had sinned, and told him that trouble and sorrow would come +upon him for what he had done. God had given him riches and honour, +and all that he could wish for; yet he had taken the one precious +thing of Uriah's, even his wife, and had caused him to be slain. David +was sorely grieved when he saw how wickedly he had acted. He confessed +his sin to God, and God forgave it; but great trouble came upon the +King afterwards through this crime.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-34.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-34.jpg" width="500" height="659" alt=""THOU ART THE MAN."" /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">"THOU ART THE MAN."</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="DAVID_AND_ARAUNAH" id="DAVID_AND_ARAUNAH"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span><br /> +<h3>DAVID AND ARAUNAH.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>After David had reigned may years, he numbered the people of Israel. +This was wrong; and God sent a pestilence which destroyed seventy +thousand men. David was grieved, and prayed that God would punish him +and spare the people. God stayed the hand of the destroying angel; who +stood by the threshing-floor of Araunah, whither David was told to go +and offer sacrifice. David went. He purchased the threshing-floor of +Araunah, also oxen and wood and offered a burnt sacrifice to God. The +following verses describe the scene:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Beside Araunah's threshing-place<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The awful angel took his stand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When from high heaven came words of grace—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"It is enough; stay now thine hand."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">For David's penitential prayer<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Had enter'd God's compassionate ear;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And where the angel stood, even there<br /></span> +<span class="i0">God bade the King and altar rear.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Araunah offered ground, and wood,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And oxen for the sacrifice:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">David stood noble wish withstood,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And bought them all at full price.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">His answer has a royal ring;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Its lesson high shall not be lost:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"Burnt offerings I will never bring<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Unto Jehovah without cost."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The altar rose, the victims died,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The plague was stayed, and lo, there fell—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Token that Heaven was satisfied—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A fire from God, and all was well.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Twas like a finger from the skies—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That falling fire—to show God's will,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That here the Temple should arise<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And crown Moriah's sacred hill.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And still God marks the faithful prayer,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The careful work, the costly pains;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The Spirit's fire descendeth there,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And there, as in a shrine, remains.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0 sc">Richard Wilton, M.A.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-35.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-35.jpg" width="500" height="649" alt="DAVID AND ARAUNAH." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">DAVID AND ARAUNAH.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="ELIJAH_FED_BY_RAVENS" id="ELIJAH_FED_BY_RAVENS"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span><br /> +<h3>ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>God was displeased with King Ahab, and sent His prophet, Elijah the +Tishbite, to say unto him, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth there +shall not be dew nor rain for years in all Israel." God knew that +these words would make Ahab angry with Elijah, so He commanded Elijah +to get out of Ahab's way. "Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and +hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall +be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the +ravens to feed thee there."</p> + +<p>Elijah went, and the ravens brought him bread and meat, morning and +evening, and he drank of the brook. But after many days the brook +dried up, and God told him to go to Zarephath, where a widow would +sustain him. So he arose and went to Zarephath. When he came to the +gate of the city he saw the widow gathering sticks; and called to her, +saying, "Bring me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may +drink, and a morsel of bread in thy hand, that I may eat."</p> + +<p>The widow turned and said, "As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a +cake, but only a handful of meal, and a little oil in a cruse; and, +behold, I am gathering a few sticks, that I may go in and bake it for +me and my son, that we may eat it before we starve to death." Elijah +told her not to fear, but to make a cake for him, and, afterwards, one +for her son and herself, for God had said that neither her handful of +meal nor her cruse of oil should fail until He again sent rain upon +the earth. So she did as Elijah told her, and there was always enough +oil and meal for their daily food, according to the word of the Lord +which He spake by Elijah.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-36.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-36.jpg" width="500" height="656" alt="ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="PLOUGHING_IN_CANAAN" id="PLOUGHING_IN_CANAAN"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span><br /> +<h3>PLOUGHING IN CANAAN.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>In Scripture frequent mention is made of the husbandman and his work. +Ploughing the land, sowing the seed, reaping the harvest, and +winnowing the grain are often referred to. Our picture shows an +Eastern husbandman ploughing. How different it is to ploughing in our +own land! There is no <i>coulter</i>; and instead of the broad steel +<i>plough-share</i> we see a pointed piece of wood. And the long handles +with which our labourers guide their ploughs—where are they? The +strong horses, too, harnessed one behind the other, are missing. Yes! +none of these were used in Canaan. Small oxen drew the plough; and the +husbandman guided it by means of a single handle, as we see him doing +in the picture. Thus their method of ploughing was a slow one, and +unless the land had been very good their harvests would have been +poor.</p> + +<p>Often these husbandmen had to wait until the rain made the ground soft +enough for their ploughs to enter it, consequently many had to toil in +cold, stormy, winter weather. To this the proverb alludes which says: +"The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall +he beg in harvest, and have nothing." (Prov. xx. 4.)</p> + +<p>Perhaps it was just such a plough, drawn by just such oxen as we see +in our picture, that Elisha was using when Elijah passed by and cast +his mantle upon him; thereby calling Elisha to be his servant and +successor. We are told that Elisha "took a yoke of oxen, and slew +them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and +gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after +Elijah, and ministered unto him."</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-37.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-37.jpg" width="500" height="666" alt="PLOUGHING IN CANAAN." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">PLOUGHING IN CANAAN.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_SHUNAMMITES_SON" id="THE_SHUNAMMITES_SON"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Many interesting stories are told in the Bible, few of which are more +touching than that of Elisha the prophet, and the Shunammite woman. +This story we find in the fourth chapter of the Second Book of Kings.</p> + +<p>We read of the prophet journeying to and fro, and resting in the +little chamber that the kind Shunammite had built for him on the wall +of her house. We see its bed, table, stool, and candlestick; and the +joy beaming upon the good woman's face when a tiny infant son was +given her. How she loved him! And as he grew up how carefully she +watched over him. But a sad time was coming.</p> + +<p>The golden corn was in the field ready for reaping, for the harvest +time had come. The hot sun shone overhead, and the little lad was out +with his father in the field, probably running about among the corn. +Suddenly he felt a violent pain, and cried out, "My head, my head!" +Then joy was changed to sorrow. The father saw his son was ill, and +bade a lad carry the little boy to his mother, on whose knees he sat +till noon, and then he died.</p> + +<p>Next we see the mother leaving her dead son, and journeying to find +the prophet. Elisha sees her coming, and sends Gehazi to inquire if +all is well. Then she falls down before the prophet and tells him her +trouble; and he sends his servant with his staff to lay it upon the +dead child. The story closes by stating how Elisha follows Gehazi, +goes to the chamber where the dead boy lay, prays to God that the life +may be restored, and finally has the joy of giving the lad, alive and +well again, into the arms of his mother.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-38.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-38.jpg" width="500" height="660" alt="THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON RESTORED." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON RESTORED.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_LITTLE_CAPTIVE_MAID" id="THE_LITTLE_CAPTIVE_MAID"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE LITTLE CAPTIVE MAID.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Naaman was a great general in the army of the King of Syria, who +esteemed him highly, because it was Naaman that led the Syrians when +God gave them victory over the Israelites. But in spite of his bravery +and his high position, he was miserable, because he suffered from a +terrible disease called leprosy. Now, among the captives whom the +Syrians had brought back from war was a little Israelitish maiden, who +was appointed to wait upon Naaman's wife. She had heard of the +wonderful things which Elisha did in the name of God; and she told her +mistress that if Naaman could only see this prophet, who was in +Samaria, he could be cured. And the King was told what the maid had +said, and he sent a letter to the King of Israel commanding him to +cure Naaman of his leprosy. But the King of Israel was afraid, and +thought the King of Syria sought this way to quarrel with him. When +Elisha heard of the King's fear, he sent and desired that Naaman +should be brought to him. So Naaman came in his chariot, and stood at +Elisha's door. But the prophet instead of coming to him, sent a +message directing Naaman to wash in Jordan seven times, when his +leprous flesh would be restored to health. Naaman had thought that +Elisha would have received him with much ceremony and touched him, +bidding the leprosy to depart; so he was angry and said, "Are not the +rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? May I not +wash in them and be clean?" Therefore he went away in a rage. But his +servants persuaded him to carry out the prophet's injunction, and he +went and dipped seven times in Jordan, and was made whole.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-39.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-39.jpg" width="500" height="663" alt="THE LITTLE CAPTIVE MAID." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE LITTLE CAPTIVE MAID.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="JONAH_AT_NINEVEH" id="JONAH_AT_NINEVEH"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span><br /> +<h3>JONAH AT NINEVEH.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Jonah was commanded to go to Nineveh, and cry out that the city should +be destroyed on account of the wickedness of its inhabitants. But +instead of obeying God's command he fled in a ship that was bound for +Tarshish. Then a great storm arose, and the shipmen cast Jonah into +the sea, believing that the storm had been sent through his +disobedience. God saved Jonah by means of a large fish, and brought +him safely to land again.</p> + +<p>A second time God said to Jonah, "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great +city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." So Jonah +arose and went as God had directed him. Now Nineveh was a very large +city, about sixty miles in circumference, and Jonah went some distance +inside and then cried out, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be +overthrown!" It was a strange and terrible cry which sounded +throughout the city, and as the Ninevites heard it they feared God, +proclaimed a fast, covered themselves with sackcloth, and every man +was commanded to forsake evil. So they hoped God would forgive them +and spare their city.</p> + +<p>God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, +therefore He spared their city. When Jonah saw that Nineveh was spared +he was very angry, and prayed God to take away his life. He made a +booth and sat under it to see what would become of the city. Then God +sheltered him from the sun by a gourd, and afterwards taught him by it +how wrong he was in being displeased because Nineveh had been spared. +Nineveh was afterwards overthrown, and has remained since then but a +heap of ruins.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-40.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-40.jpg" width="500" height="658" alt="JONAH AT NINEVEH." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">JONAH AT NINEVEH.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="HEZEKIAH_AND_SENNACHERIB" id="HEZEKIAH_AND_SENNACHERIB"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span><br /> +<h3>HEZEKIAH AND SENNACHERIB.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, invaded the land of Judah, and +threatened to lay siege to Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah took counsel with +his princes and mighty men, and repaired the broken walls, and made +them higher. He made many other preparations for the defence of the +city, and went among his people, exhorting them to trust in God, and +be of good courage. But Sennacherib sent messengers to induce those +that guarded the walls of the city to revolt against Hezekiah, saying, +"Do not believe this Hezekiah when he tells you that your God will +deliver you; hath any of the nations against which I have made war +been delivered by their gods?"</p> + +<p>When Hezekiah heard these words he went into the house of the Lord, +and sent messengers to Isaiah, asking for his prayers. Isaiah said to +them, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Be not afraid of the words with which the +King of Assyria hath blasphemed Me. I will send a blast upon him, and +he shall return and shall fall by the sword in his own land.'" +Afterwards the King of Assyria sent a letter to Hezekiah, in which he +repeated his sneers at the power of God. When Hezekiah read it, he +went into the house of the Lord, and spreading the letter before the +Lord, prayed for His help. God answered, by the mouth of Isaiah, that +the King of Assyria should not enter Jerusalem, nor shoot over it, but +be turned back the way he came. And the same night the angel of the +Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians, and smote one hundred and +eighty-five thousand. Then Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, and as he +was worshipping in the house of his god, there came to him two of his +sons, who killed him.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-41.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-41.jpg" width="500" height="665" alt="HEZEKIAH LAYING THE LETTER BEFORE GOD." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">HEZEKIAH LAYING THE LETTER BEFORE GOD.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="THE_BRAVE_HEBREW_BOYS" id="THE_BRAVE_HEBREW_BOYS"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span><br /> +<h3>THE BRAVE HEBREW BOYS.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Brave boys and girls! We all wish to be brave, do we not? Then we must +learn to say "No," when tempted to do wrong.</p> + +<p>These Hebrew boys were young nobles who had been carried captive from +Jerusalem to Babylon; but though in a strange land, subject to the +mighty king Nebuchadnezzar, they feared not to refuse his food and +wine when they knew that the taking of it would cause them to sin +against God. They were well educated Hebrew youths, and the Babylonish +king had commanded that they should be taught the learning of the +Chaldeans; also, to keep them in health and with beautiful +countenances, he had ordered that the meat and wine from his table +should be given them. Their names were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and +Azariah. Daniel seems to have been their leader. We find "he purposed +in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the +king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank." So he begged the +king's servant the feed him and his three companions on plain food and +pure water; but the servant feared to do so, lest the king should find +them worse looking than those who ate his meat and drank his wine, and +the servant should lose his head in consequence. A trial was made, +however, for ten days, at the end of which time they were found to be +better looking than the boys fed on rich food and wine. Therefore, the +servant let them live plainly according to their request; and at the +end of three years, when they stood before the king, we are told that +for wisdom and understanding none were found like Daniel, Hananiah, +Mishael, and Azariah.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-42.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-42.jpg" width="500" height="660" alt="THE BRAVE HEBREW BOYS." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">THE BRAVE HEBREW BOYS.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="DANIEL_AND_THE_LIONS" id="DANIEL_AND_THE_LIONS"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span><br /> +<h3>DANIEL AND THE LIONS.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>When Darius came to the throne, upon the death of Belshazzar, he set +over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes. Over these he appointed +three presidents, of whom Daniel was first. Now the princes and other +presidents were jealous of Daniel, and sought to find some fault +against him; but could not, as he was a faithful servant of the King. +Then they tried to injure him because of his praying to God. So they +came to the King, and said, "King Darius live for ever: all the great +officers of thy kingdom have consulted together to establish a royal +law, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty +days, save of thee, O King, he shall be cast into a den of lions." The +King signed the writing and established the law. But Daniel still +knelt and prayed three times a day as before.</p> + +<p>His enemies saw him praying, and told the King, urging him to carry +out the law. But the King was angry with himself that he had agreed to +such a law, and tried to think of some way to save Daniel. Then these +men urged that the law could not be altered. So Daniel was cast into +the den of lions, and a stone was put over the mouth of the den, which +was sealed by the King and the lords. But the King had said to Daniel, +"Thy God whom thou servest will deliver thee."</p> + +<p>The King passed the night fasting, and could not sleep. In the +morning, very early, he arose and went to the den of lions, and cried +with a lamentable voice, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy +God able to deliver thee from the lions?" Then Daniel said, "O King, +live for ever. My God hath sent His angel and shut the lions' +mouths."</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-43.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-43.jpg" width="500" height="661" alt="DANIEL AND THE LIONS." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">DANIEL AND THE LIONS.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="ESTHER_BEFORE_THE_KING" id="ESTHER_BEFORE_THE_KING"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span><br /> +<h3>ESTHER BEFORE THE KING.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Ahasuerus reigned over the vast empire of Persia, and Esther, the +adopted daughter of a Jew named Mordecai, was Queen. None in the +palace knew she was a Jewess, for Mordecai had charged her not to make +it known. He abode in the king's palace, and was one of the king's +servants.</p> + +<p>Ahasuerus promoted Haman, one of his courtiers, a cruel and wicked +man, to be over all his princes and officers; and all bowed down to +Haman and did him reverence except Mordecai, the Jew. Then was Haman +filled with wrath against Mordecai and his people, and obtained from +the king a decree ordering that all the Jews throughout his dominions +should be slain. Mordecai informed Queen Esther of this decree, and +bade her go to the king and plead for her people. Now it was one of +the laws of the palace that no one should approach the king in the +inner court unless he had been previously called; the penalty for not +obeying this law being death, unless the king should hold out the +golden sceptre to the offender so that he might live. Esther knew the +danger of approaching the king uncalled for, but she bade Mordecai to +gather the Jews so that they might spend three days in fasting and +prayer, while she and her maidens did the same, and, said she, "So +will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law, and if +I perish, I perish."</p> + +<p>Esther went in. The king graciously held out the golden sceptre to +her, accepted her invitation to a banquet, and finally ordered the +wicked Haman to be hanged, and measures to be taken to preserve the +lives of the Jews.</p> + +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span><br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/illus-44.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/illus-44.jpg" width="500" height="664" alt="ESTHER BEFORE THE KING." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">ESTHER BEFORE THE KING.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<a name="DAVID_AND_JONATHAN" id="DAVID_AND_JONATHAN"></a><hr /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span><br /> +<h3>DAVID AND JONATHAN.<span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">ToC</a></span></h3> +<br /> + + +<p>Jonathan was the son of Saul, the king. He loved David greatly, and +regretted that his father, through jealousy, sought David's life. +David, after the last attempt of Saul to smite him to the wall by a +javelin, fled away, and meeting with Jonathan said: "What have I done? +What is mine iniquity, and what is my sin before thy father that he +seeketh my life?"</p> + +<p>Jonathan sympathised deeply with his friend, and tried to save him. He +promised to ascertain whether Saul fully intended to kill David, and, +if so, to inform him, that he might escape. Meantime David was to +remain in hiding, but on the third day Jonathan was to return with the +required information. Before they parted they entered into a solemn +covenant, one with the other, to remain firm friends during life; and +David promised to show kindness to Jonathan and his children, after +God should make him king.</p> + +<p>At the time appointed, after ascertaining that Saul still sought +David's life, Jonathan went to the field where David lay concealed. +Jonathan took with him his bow and arrows and a little lad. Shooting +an arrow beyond the lad, he cried, "Make speed, haste, stay not!" +These words were intended as a warning to David to flee quickly. When +the lad had gone, David arose from his hiding place and came to +Jonathan, bowing three times before him. Then they kissed each other, +wept, and again pledged themselves to be faithful; after which David +fled, and Jonathan returned to the city.</p> + + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Mother Stories from the Old Testament, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES: OLD TESTAMENT *** + +***** This file should be named 17162-h.htm or 17162-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/1/6/17162/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia, Jeannie Howse +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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/dev/null +++ b/17162.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2183 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Mother Stories from the Old Testament, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Mother Stories from the Old Testament + A Book of the Best Stories from the Old Testament that + Mothers can tell their Children + +Author: Anonymous + +Release Date: November 26, 2005 [EBook #17162] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES: OLD TESTAMENT *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia, Jeannie Howse +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Front Cover] + +[Illustration: Frontispiece: JOSEPH SOLD INTO CAPTIVITY.] + + + + +MOTHER + +STORIES + +FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT + + +A Book of the Best Stories from the +Old Testament That Mothers +Can Tell Their Children + + +With Forty-five Illustrations + + +PHILADELPHIA +HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY + + + +ALTEMUS' MOTHER STORIES SERIES + + +MOTHER STORIES +A Book of the Best Stories that Mothers can tell their Children + +MOTHER NURSERY RHYMES AND TALES +A Book of the Best Nursery Rhymes and Tales that Mothers can tell +their Children + +MOTHER FAIRY TALES +A Book of the Best Fairy Tales that Mothers can tell their Children + +MOTHER NATURE STORIES +A Book of the Best Nature Stories that Mothers can tell their Children + +MOTHER STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT +A Book of the Best Old Testament Stories that Mothers can tell their +Children + +MOTHER STORIES FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT +A Book of the Best New Testament Stories that Mothers can tell their +Children + +MOTHER BEDTIME STORIES +A Book of the Best Bedtime Stories that Mothers can tell their +Children + +MOTHER ANIMAL STORIES +A Book of the Best Animal Stories that Mothers can tell their Children + +MOTHER BIRD STORIES +A Book of the Best Bird Stories that Mothers can tell their Children + +MOTHER SANTA CLAUS STORIES +A Book of the Best Santa Claus Stories that Mothers can tell their +Children + +Profusely illustrated and handsomely bound in cloth, with +ornamentation in colors + +$1.00 PER VOLUME + + COPYRIGHT 1908 BY HOWARD E. ALTEMUS + PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE +ADAM AND EVE 7 + +CAIN AND ABEL 8 + +THE FLOOD 10 + +THE TOWER OF BABEL 12 + +LOT'S FLIGHT FROM SODOM 14 + +ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 16 + +THE STORY OF REBEKAH 18 + +JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 22 + +THE FINDING OF MOSES 28 + +THE FLIGHT FROM EGYPT 30 + +MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK 32 + +THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 34 + +BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB 36 + +THE BRAZEN SERPENT 38 + +PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN 40 + +THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST 42 + +HOW JERICHO WAS CAPTURED 44 + +ACHAN'S SIN 46 + +THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL 48 + +THE CITIES OF REFUGE 50 + +JOSHUA'S EXHORTATION 52 + +GIDEON AND THE FLEECE 54 + +THE DEFEAT OF THE MIDIANITES 56 + +THE DEATH OF SAMSON 58 + +RUTH AND NAOMI 60 + +BOAZ AND RUTH 62 + +HANNAH PRAYING BEFORE THE LORD 64 + +ELI AND SAMUEL 66 + +DEATH OF ELI AND HIS SONS 68 + +PLAYING ON THE HARP BEFORE SAUL 70 + +DAVID AND GOLIATH 72 + +NATHAN REPROVING THE KING 74 + +DAVID AND ARAUNAH 76 + +ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS 78 + +PLOUGHING IN CANAAN 80 + +THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON 82 + +THE LITTLE CAPTIVE MAID 84 + +JONAH AT NINEVEH 86 + +HEZEKIAH AND SENNACHERIB 88 + +THE BRAVE HEBREW BOYS 90 + +DANIEL AND THE LIONS 92 + +ESTHER BEFORE THE KING 94 + +DAVID AND JONATHAN 96 + + + + + +OLD TESTAMENT STORIES + +ADAM AND EVE. + + +In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth He also made the +sun, moon, and stars; trees, flowers, and all vegetable life; and all +animals, birds, fishes, and insects. Then God made man. The name of +the first man was Adam, and the first woman was Eve. Both were placed +in a beautiful garden called the Garden of Eden, where they might have +been happy continually had they not sinned. But God forbade them to +eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan +tempted Eve to take the fruit of this tree. She ate, and gave to Adam, +and he ate also. Thus they sinned, and sin came into the world. + +Then God called to Adam and said, "Where art thou?" Before this, Adam +and Eve had been happy when God was near, now they were afraid. Why? +Because they knew they had done wrong. So sin makes us afraid of God. + +God rebuked them for the evil they had done; and then drove them out +of the Garden of Eden, placing an angel to keep watch over the gate so +that they could not return. + + + + +CAIN AND ABEL. + + +What a sad story the Bible tells us in the fourth chapter of Genesis! +Cain and Abel were brothers, the sons of Adam and Eve. How they should +have loved each other! Yet we find that Cain killed Abel. Why did he +do this? + +Cain was a husbandman, who tilled the ground; Abel was a shepherd, who +kept sheep. One day each offered a sacrifice to God. Cain brought +fruit, and Abel brought a lamb. God accepted Abel's offering, but not +Cain's. Why? Well, I am not quite sure, but I think it was because +Abel offered his sacrifice according as God had commanded, and had +faith in a promised Saviour; but Cain simply acknowledged God's +goodness in giving him the fruits of the earth. God had probably told +them, too, that when they came to worship Him, they were to bring a +lamb or a kid as a sacrifice for their sins; this Abel had done, but +Cain had not. Cain was angry because God had accepted Abel's offering +and not his; and he hated his brother Abel. + +God knew the evil thought Cain had towards his brother, and asked him, +"Why art thou wroth?" and said, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be +accepted?" But Cain did still more wickedly. When out in the field he +killed his brother. Was it not a cruel deed? They were alone when this +murder was committed, yet one eye saw it all. God saw it, and said to +Cain: "Where is Abel, thy brother?" We cannot sin without God knowing +it! Cain told God a lie. He answered, "I know not." But he did know. +God was angry with Cain for his sin, and sent him as a fugitive and +vagabond to wander on the earth. + +[Illustration: ABEL'S SACRIFICE.] + + + + +THE FLOOD. + + +About fifteen hundred years had passed since Cain slew Abel, during +which time man had become more and more wicked. At length God saw +"that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every +imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." +Then God said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face +of the earth." + +But one man was righteous and served God. His name was Noah. God told +him that the world would be drowned by a flood because of the +wickedness of the people, and commanded him to build a great ark to +float upon the waters. In this ark God promised to preserve alive Noah +and his family; and also two of each of every living thing on the +earth--animals, birds, and creeping things. All the rest were to die. + +Noah built the ark as God commanded. It took him a great many years, +during which time the people were warned to forsake their sins and +turn to God, but they did not do so. At last the ark was finished, and +Noah, with his wife, and his sons with their wives, and the animals, +birds, and creeping things, as God had commanded, all entered into it. +What a long procession it must have been! Then God shut them in, and +they dwelt in safety while the rain came down, and the waters rose up +and covered the earth. All were drowned except those in the ark. + +A year afterwards, when the waters were dried up, Noah, and all that +had been with him, left the ark. Then Noah built an altar, and offered +sacrifices to God, in thankfulness for God's goodness to him and his +family. + +[Illustration: ENTERING THE ARK.] + + + + +THE TOWER OF BABEL. + + +Babel means confusion. Was it not a strange name to give a tower? How +did it get this? + +After Noah left the ark, God made a promise to him that He would no +more destroy the earth by a flood, and blessed him and his sons. In +course of time many little children were born, baby boys and girls, +who grew up to be fathers and mothers having children also. In this +manner a great many people dwelt again on the earth. For more than one +hundred years they all spoke the same language, and as, in course of +time, they journeyed onward, they came to a large plain in the land of +Shinar, near to where Babylon was afterwards built. Here they said +they would remain and build a great city, with a high tower ascending +to heaven. + +Now God, when he blessed Noah, had said to him, "Be fruitful, and +multiply, and replenish the earth;" meaning that the people were to +scatter abroad, so that the world might become inhabited again. But +these men wanted to keep together, and found one great empire, the +centre of which should be the great city with the lofty tower. So they +made bricks and burnt them, and took a kind of pitch for mortar, and +began to build. Some learned men say they took three years in getting +the materials, and were twenty-two years building the tower. It was +very great and high, but it was never finished. The people did +wickedly in building it, and God, who saw all they were doing, +confounded their language, so that one could not understand another. +Thus they left off building the tower, and that is why it is called +Babel. Then God scattered them abroad to re-people the earth. + +[Illustration: BUILDING THE TOWER OF BABEL.] + + + + +LOT'S FLIGHT FROM SODOM. + + +In Palestine, the land in which Jesus dwelt when He was upon earth, +there is an inland sea, called the Dead Sea. Its waters are very salt, +and no trees grow upon its shores. Many long years before the birth of +Jesus Christ, two cities stood upon the plain which the waters of the +Dead Sea now cover. These cities were named Sodom and Gomorrah. Their +inhabitants were very wicked, so God destroyed their cities by raining +brimstone and fire upon them. + +Before God destroyed these cities, He sent two angels to Lot, +Abraham's nephew, who dwelt in Sodom, commanding him to flee from it, +taking his family with him. The angels hastened him, saying, "Arise, +take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be +consumed in the iniquity of the city." Then the angels took all four +by the hand and led them out, and said to Lot, "Escape for thy life; +look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to +the mountain, lest thou be consumed." + +Lot pleaded that he might take refuge in a little city, named Zoar, +not very far distant; and having obtained the angels' permission to do +so, he took his wife and daughters, and hastened away. In our picture +we see him and his daughters entering Zoar, and Sodom burning in the +distance--but what is that strange figure standing on the plain? Alas! +that is Lot's wife; the angel had commanded them that none were to +look back, but she did so, and was turned into a pillar of salt. + +Lot did wrong in dwelling in such a wicked city as Sodom, and lost all +his property when he escaped for his life. + +[Illustration: LOT ENTERING ZOAR.] + + + + +ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. + + +Abraham feared God and obeyed His commandments; and God promised to +bless Abraham very greatly. He gave him riches in cattle, and silver, +and gold; and said that the land of Canaan should belong to him and +his descendants. God also gave him a son in his old age, whom he +loved, very dearly and named Isaac. But God intended to try Abraham, +to see if he loved Him above all else. + +One day God told Abraham to take his son Isaac, and to journey into +the land of Moriah; there to build an altar and offer Isaac as a +sacrifice upon it. It was a strange command, but Abraham knew that God +would not bid him do what was wrong, and believed that even if he slew +his son, God was able to raise him to life again. So he rose early in +the morning, saddled his ass, took two of his young men, and wood for +the fire; and then, accompanied by Isaac, started on his journey. On +the third day they came near the place God had pointed out, and +Abraham left the young men with the ass, while he and his son +journeyed up the mountain alone. As they went along, Isaac--who +carried the wood, while his father carried the knife and the fire, +said: "My father." And Abraham replied, "Here am I, my son." Then +Isaac said: "Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a +burnt offering?" Abraham answered: "My son, God will provide Himself a +lamb for a burnt offering." + +The altar was built, Isaac was bound and laid upon it, and Abraham's +arm was uplifted to strike the blow that was to take his son's life +away. Then God called to Abraham, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, +neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou fearest +God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from +Me." Abraham looked up, and behind him saw a ram which was caught in a +thicket by its horns; this he took and offered as a sacrifice to God. + +So God tried Abraham; and also Himself provided the lamb for the burnt +offering, as Abraham had said. + +[Illustration: ABRAHAM AND ISAAC.] + + + + +THE STORY OF REBEKAH. + + +When Abraham had grown old, he desired that his son, Isaac, should +take a wife. But he did not wish him to choose one from among the +women of Canaan, for they worshipped idols. So he called his oldest +servant, and commanded him to make a journey to Abraham's own country, +and there to choose a wife for Isaac. Then the man took ten camels, +together with food and other goods for the journey, and set out for +the city of Nahor. When he came to the walls of the city he spied a +well, and, as it was evening, the young women were coming out to draw +water. Then he asked God to help him to choose a wife for Isaac, +saying, "Let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, +'Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink,' and who shall +reply, 'Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also;' let her be the +one Thou hast chosen for Thy servant Isaac." + +[Illustration: REBEKAH GIVING DRINK TO ABRAHAM'S SERVANT.] + +Before he had done speaking, there came out a beautiful young woman, +whose name was Rebekah. She was the grand-daughter of Nahor, Abraham's +brother. She carried a pitcher upon her shoulder, and went down to the +well and filled it. Then Abraham's servant ran to her and asked her +for a drink from her pitcher. She said, "Drink, my lord," and held the +pitcher for him, and afterwards drew water for his camels also. Then +he took a golden jewel and a pair of gold bracelets, and put them upon +her, and asked whose daughter she was, and if her father could lodge +him and his company. When she told him who she was, he was glad, and +worshipped God, for he was sure then that he had been led to the house +of Abraham's brother. + +Then Rebekah called out her friends, and they took the man in to lodge +him for the night, and set food before him. But he would not eat until +he had told them his errand, and how he believed God had chosen +Rebekah for Isaac's wife. He then asked the parents to say whether +they would give their daughter or not, but they said: "It has been +ordered by God; we cannot give or refuse her. Rebekah is before you. +Take her and go. Let her be Isaac's wife, as the Lord hath spoken." + +When the man heard these words, he again praised God, and then he +brought out rich clothing, and jewels of gold and silver, and gave +them to Rebekah. He also gave presents to her mother and brother. When +they asked Rebekah if she would go with the man, she said "Yes," and +took leave of her friends, who blessed her. Then, with her nurse and +her maids, she rode upon the camels, and followed the man, for she +believed that so God had ordered it. + +Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi, and one evening he walked into the +fields to meditate. As he lifted up his eyes he saw the company of +camels coming towards him. At the same time, Rebekah lifted up her +eyes and saw Isaac. When the man told her it was his master Isaac, she +alighted from the camel, and covered her face with a veil, according +to the custom of the East. When the man told Isaac all he had done, +Isaac was pleased, and welcomed Rebekah, and gave her the tent that +had been his mother's. And she became his wife. + +[Illustration: REBEKAH JOURNEYING TO ISAAC.] + + * * * * * + + + + +JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN. + + +How wonderful is the way in which God works for those who fear Him! +The history of Joseph teaches us this truth. + +Joseph had one younger and ten elder brothers. The name of the younger +brother was Benjamin. Jacob was the father of them all; and Rachel was +the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Jacob loved Joseph more than all +his other sons, and made him a coat of many colours; but his elder +brothers hated him, and one day, when far away from home, proposed to +kill him. They cast him into a pit instead, and afterwards sold him as +a slave to some merchants who were travelling from Gilead to Egypt. +When they returned to their father, they took Joseph's coat of many +colours, which they had dipped in blood, and brought it to Jacob, +saying: "This have we found: know now if it be thy son's coat or no." +Jacob knew the coat; and thought Joseph had been killed by some wild +beast, and mourned for him greatly. + +[Illustration: THE MEETING OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH.] + +The merchants carried Joseph into Egypt, and sold him to one of the +king's officers, named Potiphar. But, though a slave, he was not +forsaken by God. No, God was with him, and made all that he did to +prosper. His master placed him over all his house, but his mistress +wanted him to commit a great sin. When he refused, she accused him +unjustly to his master, and Potiphar had him cast into prison. + +God was with Joseph in the prison, and gave him such favour with the +keeper that he set him over all the other prisoners. Among them were +two; one who had been the king's butler, and the other his baker. Both +had dreams which troubled them much, but Joseph was enabled by God to +interpret their dreams for them. By-and-by Pharaoh, the king, dreamed +a dream. He was standing on the banks of a river, and saw seven fat +cows come up out of the water and feed in a meadow; afterwards seven +very lean cows came up and devoured the fat ones. Then Pharaoh awoke; +but he dreamed again, and saw that seven very poor ears of corn +devoured seven that were full and good. In the morning he was greatly +troubled. What could the dreams mean? He called for the magicians and +the wise men, but they could not tell. At last it was told him how +Joseph had interpreted the dreams in the prison; so he sent for +Joseph, who came from the prison, and stood before the king. + +Pharaoh said, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can +interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand +a dream to interpret it." Joseph answered, "It is not in me: God shall +give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Then Joseph told Pharaoh that the +dreams had been sent by God, to show him that after seven years of +great plenty had passed there would come seven years of famine. He +also advised Pharaoh to lay up corn in cities during the years of +plenty, so that the people might be fed during the years of famine. +Pharaoh saw what great wisdom God had given Joseph, and made him ruler +over all the land of Egypt. The corn was stored up; and after the +years of plenty the famine came. + +[Illustration: JOSEPH BEFORE THE PHARAOH.] + +During all this time Jacob and his sons had been dwelling in Canaan; +where, through the famine, they were now in want of food. So Jacob +sent his sons to Egypt to buy corn. The Bible tells us, in the book of +Genesis, how they came to Egypt, and all that befell them there; and +how at last Joseph, the ruler of the mighty kingdom, made himself +known to them as the brother they had cruelly sold for a slave. But he +forgave them, and sent to fetch his father Jacob, saying that all were +to come into Egypt, where he would provide for them. + +Jacob could not at first believe the good news his sons brought; but +when he saw the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him and the +little ones, he said, "It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I +will go and see him before I die." So he journeyed to Egypt, with his +sons, and all that he had; and as he drew near Joseph went to meet +him. When Joseph met his father, he fell on his neck, and wept there. +And Jacob said, "Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because +thou art yet alive." He was so full of joy that it seemed to him there +was nothing else worth living for. Afterwards Joseph presented his +father to Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh; who allowed him and his +family to dwell in the land of Goshen. + +[Illustration: JACOB PRESENTED TO PHARAOH.] + + + + +THE FINDING OF MOSES. + + +Pharoah, becoming alarmed at the increasing power and numbers of the +Israelites in Egypt, ordered that every male child who might be born +to them should be cast into the river, and drowned. But the wife of a +man named Levi felt that she could not give up her babe, and for three +months she hid him. When she could hide him no longer, she prepared a +basket of rushes, and coated it with pitch, so that it would float +upon the river and keep out the water. In this ark she placed her +infant son, and hid the ark among the flags and bulrushes on the +river-bank, and set the child's sister to watch it. + +Now it happened that the daughter of Pharaoh came with her maidens to +bathe in the river; and when she saw the basket she sent one of her +maids to fetch it. And when she looked at the child he wept, and she +had compassion for him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' +children." Then the child's sister came forward and said to Pharaoh's +daughter, "Shall I call to thee a Hebrew woman that she may nurse the +child for thee?" And when the princess said, "Go!" she, the maid, went +and called her own mother, to whom Pharaoh's daughter said, "Take this +child and nurse him for me, and I will give thee thy wages." And the +woman took the child and nursed him. And when he had grown, his mother +took him to the princess, who adopted him as her son, and called his +name Moses, which means _drawn out_, because she took him from the +water. Afterwards he grew to be a great man: he was learned in all the +wisdom of the Egyptians; and we are told, "he was mighty in words and +deeds." + +[Illustration: THE FINDING OF MOSES.] + + + + +THE FLIGHT FROM EGYPT. + + +When Moses was forty years old he had to flee from Egypt. He went to +Midian, where he dwelt for forty years; at the end of which time God +appeared to him, and instructed him to return to Egypt; where he was +appointed by God to lead the Israelites from bondage to the land of +Canaan. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and delivered +to him God's command to let the people of Israel go; telling him that +if he disobeyed terrible plagues would come upon his land. Pharaoh +hardened his heart against God, and refused to let the people go; so +ten dreadful plagues were sent, the last of which was that the +firstborn of every Egyptian should die, whether it were man or beast. +But not a single Israelite was to suffer harm. This plague God said +should come in the night; when an angel would pass through the land, +destroying the Egyptians but sparing the Israelites. + +Each family of the Israelites was commanded, on the evening that God +had appointed, to kill a lamb, and to dip a bunch of hyssop in its +blood, sprinkling this blood upon the top and side posts of the door. +All the houses thus marked God said would be spared when the +destroying angel passed through the land. In the night, while the +Israelites were, according to God's command, eating the lambs that had +been slain, all ready to depart, a great cry arose among the +Egyptians. In every house, from the palace downwards, the eldest child +lay dead. + +Then the Egyptians arose, and thrust the Israelites out; and they left +Egypt, and journeyed towards the Red Sea. + +[Illustration: SPRINKLING THE BLOOD.] + + + + +MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK. + + +After the Israelites left Egypt they crossed the Red Sea, whose waters +divided so that they passed through on dry land. Then they travelled +through the wilderness toward Mount Sinai. Passing onward, they wanted +water and food; and forgetting the great things God had already done +for them, they began to murmur. At a place called Marah they found the +water too bitter to drink; so they grumbled, saying to Moses, "What +shall we drink?" He asked God; who showed him a tree, which, when cast +into the water, made it sweet. + +Next the people murmured for food, and God sent them manna, which they +gathered every day except the Sabbath; but with all God's care and +kindness the Israelites continued to grumble whenever any difficulty +arose. Journeying forward, they entered another wilderness, called the +Desert of Sin, and came to a place named Rephidim, where they found no +water. They were very thirsty, and came to Moses murmuring and saying, +"Give us water that we may drink." How could Moses do that? He was +grieved with them, and said, "Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye +tempt the Lord?" But the people grew so angry that they were ready to +stone him. Then Moses told God all the trouble, and God showed him +what to do. He was to go before the people, taking the elders of +Israel with him, and his rod, and God would stand before him on a rock +among the mountains of Horeb. This rock he was to strike, when water +would gush forth. + +Moses did as God commanded. He went forward with the elders, struck +the rock with his rod; and the pure, clear water gushed out, so that +all the people were able to drink. + +[Illustration: STRIKING THE ROCK.] + + + + +THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. + + +The Israelites journeyed onward and encamped before Mount Sinai. There +God talked with Moses, and instructed him to remind the people of the +great things He had done for them; and to say that if they obeyed Him, +and kept His covenant, they should be a peculiar treasure to Him above +all people, and a holy nation. + +When the people heard God's message, they answered, "All that the Lord +hath spoken we will do." How happy would they have been if they had +always kept this promise! But, alas! they did not do so; and great +punishments came upon them in consequence. + +God also said that on the third day He would descend upon Mount Sinai; +and commanded the people to prepare themselves for that great and +solemn event. None were to approach the mount, for if they did so they +would die. On the third day, according to the command, the people +gathered before Mount Sinai. A thick cloud covered the mountain, which +smoked and quaked, and there were thunders and lightnings; a trumpet +also sounded exceeding loud, so that all the people trembled. Then God +spake from the midst of the fire, and gave the people the Ten +Commandments. These you will find in the twentieth chapter of Exodus; +and little folks with sharp eyes can read them in our picture. + +We are told that "all the people saw the thunderings, and the +lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking;" +and when they saw it they were so much afraid that they stood afar +off. How holy is God's law, and how careful should we be to obey it! + +[Illustration: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.] + + + + +BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB. + + +After God had given the Ten Commandments, He called Moses up into the +mountain; where he remained forty days and forty nights. During that +time, God told him to speak to the Israelites, asking them to give +gold, silver, brass, blue, purple, fine linen, oil, precious stones, +and other things, to make a tabernacle or sanctuary, where God would +dwell among them. God showed Moses the pattern of this tabernacle, +with its coverings, its holy place and most holy place, its ark of the +covenant with the cherubims and mercy-seat, its table for the +shewbread, golden candlestick, and altar of incense, and the garments +for Aaron and his sons, etc.; everything was accurately described by +God. Then God instructed Moses as to who could do the work He had +commanded to be done, and named two to whom He had given special +wisdom and skill: these two were Bezaleel and Aholiab. + +When Moses came down from the mountain he called Aaron and all the +people of Israel, and told them what God had commanded. The people +willingly brought gifts, till more than enough was provided. Then +Bezaleel and Aholiab, and other wise-hearted men, worked diligently +until the tabernacle and all things belonging to it were made exactly +as God had instructed. Some worked in gold and silver, others in brass +and wood; wise women spun cloth of blue, purple and scarlet, and fine +linen; precious stones were set for the high priest's ephod and +breastplate; and, at last, all was finished. Then we are told "Moses +did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord +had commanded." Then Moses blessed them. + +[Illustration: BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB.] + + + + +THE BRAZEN SERPENT. + + +Jesus Christ says that "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the +wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." What did Jesus +mean? + +Nearly forty years had passed since God gave His law from Mount Sinai; +and frequently the people had sinned during that time. Through their +disobedience they were compelled to wander in the wilderness for many +long years, instead of going straight to Canaan. While thus wandering +they passed round the land of Edom, and became grieved and impatient +because of the dreariness and difficulty of the way. They murmured +against God and against Moses, and said, "Wherefore have ye brought us +up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, +neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread." +They meant the manna which God gave them daily. + +God allowed fiery serpents to come among the people because of their +sin, which bit them, and many died. Then they came to Moses, saying, +"We have sinned ... pray unto the Lord that He take away the serpents +from us." Moses did so; and God told him to make a serpent of brass +and to put it on a pole; and said that all who looked to the serpent +should live. The serpent of brass could not heal them, but God healed +them as they obeyed his command to look to the serpent. It was _look_ +and _live_. + +Now I think we see what Jesus means. God has said that all must die +because of sin; but those who look to Jesus and trust in Him will have +their sins pardoned, and will live with Him in glory forever. + +[Illustration: THE BRAZEN SERPENT.] + + + + +THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN. + + +Having wandered for forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites drew +near to the river Jordan, at a place opposite Jericho. Moses was dead, +and Joshua was now the leader of the host. God told him that the time +had come when the people of Israel were to enter Canaan; to which land +they had all this long time been travelling, but which previously they +had not been permitted to enter on account of their sin. A description +of this sin is given in the Bible, in the fourteenth chapter of +Numbers. + +But the people were now to cross the Jordan and enter Canaan. They +were a very great multitude, and the river lay before them. How were +they to cross? God told them! He commanded Joshua that the priests +were to take the ark of the covenant and to go before the people; who +were to follow a short distance behind. Could the priests and the +people walk across the deep water? No. But as soon as the priests +reached the river, and their feet were dipped in the water, God +divided the Jordan into two, leaving dry ground for the Israelites to +cross upon. + +The priests carried the ark into the middle of the bed of the river +and then stood still, and all the people passed on before them. When +all were over, the priests carrying the ark moved forward also, and +the waters returned to their proper place again. But before they did +so, Joshua commanded twelve men, one from each tribe, each to take a +stone from the river's bed; and these stones were set up as a memorial +of the marvellous manner in which God had brought the Israelites +across the Jordan into Canaan. + +[Illustration: CROSSING THE JORDAN.] + + + + +THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST. + + +News of the miraculous way in which the Israelites had been brought +across the Jordan spread rapidly among the Canaanites, and when they +heard what God had done, they were very much afraid. We are told that +"their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, +because of the children of Israel." + +God had said to Joshua that the land of Canaan was to be taken +possession of by the Israelites; and had commanded him to "Be strong +and of a good courage," and had strengthened him by saying, "Be not +afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee +whithersoever thou goest." Joshua and the people were now in Canaan, +and before them lay a stronghold of the Canaanites, named Jericho, +having high walls and strong gates. This city the Israelites had to +capture; but the inhabitants closed the gates, and prepared to fight +fiercely to prevent Joshua and his warriors from getting in. + +As Joshua was alone at this time, near Jericho, he looked up, and saw +a man standing with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and +asked, "Art thou for us or for our adversaries?" The man answered, +"Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I come." Do you know +who it was? Was it an angel? I think it was more than an angel. It was +the Lord! Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, saying, +"What saith my Lord unto His servant?" Then the Lord told Joshua, as +before he had told Moses, to take his shoes from his feet, for the +place on which he stood was holy; and instructed him how Jericho was +to be captured. + +[Illustration: THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST.] + + + + +HOW JERICHO WAS CAPTURED. + + +When men in olden times attacked a city, they tried to batter down the +walls with heavy beams of wood, having heads of iron, called battering +rams; but God did not instruct the Israelites thus to capture Jericho. +They were to remember that it was not by their own power they could +conquer the Canaanites, but only as God gave them the victory over +their enemies. So God commanded Joshua to lay siege to Jericho in a +very strange way. He said that seven priests, each having a trumpet, +were to go before the ark. In front of them the armed men of Israel +were to march; and behind the ark the people were to follow. In this +way they were to go round the city once each day for six days, the +priests blowing their trumpets each time. The seventh day they were to +go in the same manner round the city seven times; and God said that +when the priests blew their trumpets the seventh time, the people were +to give a great shout, and the walls of the city would fall down. + +Joshua and the people did as God commanded. They marched round the +city carrying the ark, the priests blowing their trumpets; and on the +seventh day they marched round seven times. The last time, when the +priests blew their trumpets, the people shouted with a great shout, +and the walls of the city fell down flat. Then the Israelites went up +and took possession of it. + +Thus God delivered Jericho into the hands of His people. All the +inhabitants were killed except Rahab and her relatives. These were +spared because Rahab had been kind to the spies whom Joshua had sent. + +[Illustration: THE FALL OF JERICHO.] + + + + +ACHAN'S SIN. + + +God commanded the Israelites to destroy Jericho; and all the gold, +silver, and other riches found there were to be devoted to the Lord. +If any disobeyed this command then a curse was to rest upon all, and +they were not to prosper. + +The Israelites were to conquer the Canaanites, and drive them out of +the land. So Joshua prepared to attack a city named Ai. Three thousand +of his men went to capture it, but the inhabitants came out and drove +them back, killing some of them. Joshua was greatly grieved. He knew +that unless God made the Israelites victorious, the Canaanites would +be able to overcome them, and God had appeared to fail them this time. +Oh! he was sorry. But he told God the trouble, and God showed him the +cause of it. + +One of the Israelites, named Achan, saw among the spoil of Jericho, a +handsome garment, some silver, and a bar of gold, and coveted them. He +stole these things and hid them away in his tent, thinking that no one +saw him; but God knew it all. Achan's sin was the cause of Israel's +defeat! God showed Joshua how the man who had done the wickedness was +to be discovered. Each tribe was to be brought before God, then each +family of the tribe He chose, then each household of the family taken, +and lastly each man of the family chosen. Finally, Achan was pointed +out by God. Joshua bade him confess what he had done, and he said that +he had taken the Babylonish garment and the gold and silver. + +Messengers were sent to his tent, who brought what Achan had hidden; +and he, with his sons and daughters, his cattle, and all that he had, +and the garment, silver, and gold, were taken to a valley near by, +where the people stoned them, and burned them with fire; and then +raised over all a great heap of stones, which remained as a memorial +to warn others against sinning as Achan had done. + +[Illustration: ACHAN CONFESSING HIS SIN.] + + * * * * * + + + + +THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL. + + +Before Moses died he called the Israelites together, and urged them to +faithfully serve God; also directing that when they entered Canaan, +they were to build an altar of rough stones, covered with plaster, on +Mount Ebal, and to write the words of God's law upon this altar. Then +six of the tribes were to stand on Mount Gerizim, and six on Mount +Ebal, and, in the hearing of all the people, the blessings for +obedience and the cursings for disobedience were to be proclaimed. + +Mounts Ebal and Gerizim are two rugged mountains that face each other +in Samaria. When the Israelites advanced thus far, they remembered the +words of Moses. Joshua built the altar as directed, on which he +offered sacrifices to God, and wrote a copy of the law upon it. All +Israel stood, "half of them over against Mount Gerizim, and half of +them over against Mount Ebal," and Joshua read all the words of the +law, "the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in +the book of the law." Then the loud voices of the Levites were heard +from the mountain sides, declaring, in the hearing of all the people, +the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, as God +had commanded. + +[Illustration: THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL.] + + + + +THE CITIES OF REFUGE. + + +Revenge is contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ, "If thine enemy +hunger, feed him," says the Saviour; but among the Israelites and +other eastern nations a different practice prevailed. If one slew +another, the kinsman of him that was slain felt bound to avenge his +relative, and to slay him that had done the deed. Sometimes people +were killed by accident, when it was clearly unjust that he who had +unwittingly killed another should be slain. To guard against the +innocent thus suffering, God commanded that "cities of refuge" should +be appointed, to which the slayer might flee, "which killeth any +person at unawares." + +These cities were six in number: Kedesh, Shechem, and Kirjath-arba, on +the west of Jordan; and Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan, on the east of that +river. They were so arranged that a few hours' rapid flight would +bring the slayer from any part of the land to one of the cities of +refuge. Jewish writers say that the roads leading to these cities were +always kept in good repair, and that guide-posts were placed at every +cross road with "Refuge! Refuge!" written upon them. But the man that +wilfully killed another was not sheltered. He was given up to the +avenger to be slain. + +In our picture we see the slayer running to the city gate; the avenger +close behind, shooting arrows at him. He has thus far escaped, and two +or three more steps will place him in safety. But, once within the +city, he must not quit its refuge until the death of the high priest. +If he do so and the avenger find him he may be slain. But upon the +death of the high priest he will be allowed to return home, to dwell +in peace again. + +[Illustration: FLEEING TO THE CITY OF REFUGE.] + + + + +JOSHUA'S EXHORTATION. + + +Exhortation seems a hard word, but it simply means to strongly urge to +good deeds, and this is what our artist shows Joshua to be doing. + +Joshua is now an old man, and the Israelites are settled peaceably in +Canaan. He has called them before him, with their elders, and heads, +and judges, and officers. He tells them that he is old and about to +die, and reminds them of the land that has already been conquered and +divided among them, and of that which still remains to be conquered; +urging them to be "very courageous to keep and to do all that is +written in the book of the law of Moses, that they turn not aside +therefrom to the right hand or to the left." He bids them take good +heed therefore unto themselves, that they love the Lord their God; and +warns them that if they go back and do wickedly, the anger of the Lord +will be kindled against them, and they will perish quickly from off +the good land which God has given them. + +In his address, Joshua said, "Ye know in all your hearts and in all +your souls, that not one good thing hath failed of all the good things +which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass +unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof." How faithful is God! +He never fails in His promises: and we are told He is unchangeable, so +that whatever He promises now He will fulfil, and whatever warnings He +gives will surely come to pass. How good is it to have this holy and +wise God for our Father, and to know that He promises abundantly to +bless all those that trust in the Saviour, Jesus Christ. But let us +take heed of the warnings against sin given in God's Holy Word. + +[Illustration: JOSHUA EXHORTING THE PEOPLE.] + + + + +GIDEON AND THE FLEECE. + + +After the death of Joshua, the Israelites turned away from God, and +served idols. Therefore the evils came upon them of which they had +been warned by Moses and Joshua. But at different times God, seeing +their distress, raised up "judges" to deliver them from their enemies, +and to judge over them. The first of these judges was named Othniel. +He was Caleb's nephew. The last was Samuel. One that lived about one +hundred years before Samuel was named Gideon. + +The Israelites were at this time in great trouble. They were hiding in +dens and caves because of the Midianites, who had conquered them and +overrun their country. When their corn was ripe these enemies came and +destroyed it, so altogether they were in sad plight. One day Gideon +was threshing wheat in a secluded place, so as to escape the notice of +the Midianites, when an angel from God appeared to him, bidding him to +go and save the Israelites from their foes. Gideon obeyed the command: +but before commencing the battle he much desired a sign from God +showing that He would give the Israelites the victory. The sign Gideon +asked for was, that when he laid a fleece of wool on the ground, if +the victory were to be his, then the fleece should be wet and the +ground dry. He placed the wool on the ground, and taking it up the +next morning found it wet, although the ground was dry. So he knew God +had answered him as he desired. But he was not quite satisfied. He +begged God for a second sign. This time the ground was to be wet and +the fleece of wool dry. God gave him this sign also: and then Gideon +felt sure that the Israelites would be victorious over the +Midianites. + +[Illustration: EXAMINING THE FLEECE.] + + + + +THE DEFEAT OF THE MIDIANITES. + + +Large numbers of the Israelites gathered around Gideon, prepared to +fight against the Midianites, who were encamped in a valley, "like +grasshoppers for multitude." How Gideon's host was reduced till only +three hundred men remained, and the wonderful dream he heard related, +when he and his servant went down as spies into the enemy's camp, are +recorded in the seventh chapter of Judges. It was not by their own +bravery or power that the Israelites were to overcome their enemies. +God was to give them the victory: and He chose Gideon and three +hundred men to overcome the great and mighty host of the Midianites. + +Gideon divided his three hundred men into three companies, and put a +trumpet in every man's hand, and gave to each a pitcher with a lamp +inside. Then he said, "Look on me, and do likewise: when I blow with a +trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on +every side of the camp, and say, 'The sword of the Lord and of +Gideon.'" Gideon and the hundred men of his company approached the +enemy's camp by night, and the other two companies drew nigh also, so +that the Midianites where surrounded. Then all blew their trumpets, +broke their pitchers, held up their lamps (torches), and cried out as +they had been commanded. + +The Midianites heard the trumpets' blast and the cry, and saw the +lights. They were thrown into confusion, and one fought against +another; then they fled, and were pursued by the Israelites, great +numbers of whom gathered together and followed after their flying +enemies. Thus the Midianites were overcome, and Israel had peace +during the lifetime of Gideon. + +[Illustration: "THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON."] + + + + +THE DEATH OF SAMSON. + + +Samson's birth was foretold by an angel. He was to grow up a Nazarite, +forbidden to drink strong drink, neither was his head to be shaved. +His strength was very great; but his marriage was sinful, and his +doings with the idolatrous Philistines terrible. Though an Israelite +and a judge, I fear much he sinned greatly against God. On one +occasion he went to Gaza, a city of the Philistines. The inhabitants +tried to take him, but he arose at midnight and carried away the gates +of their city. In our picture though he looks so strong, yet we see +chains on his legs, and he is blind! How came he to lose his sight and +be made a prisoner? I think it was owing to his sin and folly. + +He became acquainted with a wicked woman, who enticed him to tell her +in what his great strength lay. Three times he told her falsely, but +at last he said that if the flowing locks of his hair were removed his +strength would depart. While he slept these locks were cut off, then +the Philistines burst in upon him, and when he arose to resist them, +he found that his strength was gone. Then his eyes were cruelly put +out, and he was bound with fetters of brass. + +Our artist shows him blind, brought out to make sport at the +Philistines' feast. He is very sorrowful, and, I think, angry. He asks +the lad beside him to place his hands upon the pillars supporting the +house; then, his great strength returning, he bows himself with all +his might; the pillars break, the house falls, and Samson, with very +many of the Philistines, is crushed amid the ruins. Was not this a +terrible end to what might have been a noble life? + +[Illustration: SAMSON MAKING SPORT FOR THE PHILISTINES.] + + + + +RUTH AND NAOMI. + + +Naomi was the wife of a Jew named Elimelech, who left his own city of +Bethlehem to go into the land of Moab, because there was a famine in +Canaan. Some time afterwards he died, leaving Naomi a widow with two +sons, all dwellers in a strange land. Her sons married two young women +belonging to Moab, whose names were Orpah and Ruth. After living there +about ten years Naomi's sons died also, leaving Orpah and Ruth widows, +along with their widowed mother-in-law. Then Naomi determined to +return to her own land. Orpah and Ruth accompanied Naomi some distance +on her journey; then she bade them to leave her, telling each to go +back to her mother's house in Moab, while she would pursue her way +alone to the land of Judah. They were unwilling to do so, saying they +would go with her to her land and people; but she urged them to +depart, assuring them that they would gain nothing by leaving their +own country to accompany her, and that they had better return to their +own homes. Then the story informs us--you will find it in the Bible, +in the Book of Ruth--that Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and departed; +but Ruth clave unto her, saying, "Whither thou goest, I will go; and +where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and +thy God my God; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be +buried: the Lord do so to me and more also, if ought but death part +thee and me." + +So Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law, and journeyed with her +until they reached Canaan. Then they both dwelt in the city of +Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, where we shall meet with them again. + +[Illustration: RUTH AND NAOMI.] + + + + +BOAZ AND RUTH. + + +When Naomi returned to Bethlehem she was poor. The poor were allowed +at harvest time to follow the reapers; gleaning or gathering up the +stray ears of corn. One day, Ruth obtained permission from her +mother-in-law to go gleaning, and went to glean in the field of a rich +man named Boaz, who happened to be a kinsman, or relative of +Elimelech. But Ruth did not know of this relationship. + +Boaz saw Ruth gleaning, and asked one of his servants who she was. The +servant replied, "It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi +out of the country of Moab." Then Boaz spoke kindly to Ruth, telling +her not to go to any other field to glean, but to stay with his +maidens and glean in his field. She fell on her face before him and +bowed herself to the ground, and asked, "Why have I found grace in +thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a +stranger?" Boaz was pleased with her because of her kindness to Naomi, +so he replied, "It hath fully been showed me all that thou hast done +unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband." He also bade +her to eat and drink with his servants, and told his reapers to let +some handfuls of grain fall on purpose for her. So Ruth gleaned that +day quite a large quantity of barley, which she took home to Naomi. +Then she learned that Boaz was her kinsman. + +She continued gleaning until the end of harvest; and afterwards became +the wife of Boaz and grandmother of Jesse, the father of David. Jesus +Christ descended from David; so we see what high honour was bestowed +upon Ruth for her kindness to her mother-in-law. + +[Illustration: BOAZ SHOWING KINDNESS TO RUTH.] + + + + +HANNAH PRAYING BEFORE THE LORD. + + +The Tabernacle, which had been set up by the Israelites in the +wilderness, was after the conquest of Canaan erected at Shiloh, a city +about ten miles south of Shechem. There it remained for more than +three hundred years. No Temple was at Jerusalem in those days, so the +Jewish priests offered sacrifices to God in the Tabernacle at Shiloh. + +One day, Hannah, the wife of a priest named Elkanah, came to the +Tabernacle to worship. She was grieved because she had no children; +and especially sad because she had no son. So she knelt down and +prayed to God, and asked God to remember her sorrow and to give her a +son; promising that if God granted her request, she would give that +son to Him all the days of his life. + +As Hannah prayed, Eli, the high priest, saw her. She did not speak +aloud, but prayed in her heart; her lips moved, but no voice was +heard; so Eli thought that a drunken woman had come before the Lord. +He reproved her saying, "How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy +wine from thee." But Hannah had not drunk wine. She answered Eli, "No, +my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine +nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord." Then +Eli bade her "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy +petition that thou hast asked of Him." + +Hannah left the Tabernacle. Her face was no longer sad. She believed +God had heard her prayer; and He had done so. In due time a son was +given her, whom she named Samuel. Samuel means _Heard of God_, which +name Hannah gave him in remembrance of God's goodness in hearing her +prayer. + +[Illustration: HANNAH PRAYING BEFORE THE LORD.] + + + + +ELI AND SAMUEL. + + +Elkanah went up to Shiloh yearly to offer sacrifice: and when Samuel +was old enough, Hannah went with her husband and took her little boy +with her. They came to Eli the high priest, and Hannah said: "Oh, my +Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here praying. For this child I +prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition. Therefore also have I +given him to the Lord." Then she left Samuel with Eli. + +Samuel assisted Eli in the Tabernacle service, and wore a linen ephod +like a priest. His mother came yearly to see him, when she accompanied +Elkanah to the sacrifice at Shiloh, and each time brought with her a +little coat, which she had made for her son. Eli was an old man, who +had two wicked sons. These he had not restrained as he should have +done. So God was displeased with him and them on account of their +sins. + +One night, while the lamp in the Tabernacle was burning, and Eli was +resting, Samuel was sleeping. A voice came to him calling, "Samuel!" +He rose, and ran to Eli saying, "Here am I." But Eli had not called, +so Samuel lay down again. A second time the same voice called, +"Samuel!" He went to Eli and said, "Here am I; for thou didst call +me." But Eli replied, "I called not, my son; lie down again." The call +was repeated a third time; then Eli told Samuel it was the Lord who +called him; and bade him answer if the voice came again, "Speak, Lord, +for thy servant heareth." Again God called, and Samuel answered as Eli +had commanded him. Then God told Samuel what terrible things should +befall Eli and his sons through their wickedness. + +[Illustration: SAMUEL COMING TO ELI.] + + + + +DEATH OF ELI AND HIS SONS. + + +In the morning Samuel feared to tell Eli what the Lord had shown him; +but Eli bade him do so, saying to Samuel, "God do so to thee, and more +also, if thou hide any thing from me of all that He said unto thee." +So Samuel told Eli all God had said, keeping nothing back, and Eli +answered, "It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good." + +Afterwards there was war between the Israelites and the Philistines, +and both sides prepared for battle. They fought; the Israelites were +defeated, and many of them slain. Then they sent to Shiloh and fetched +the ark of the covenant out of the Tabernacle, carrying it to the +camp, and thinking that if the ark were with them they would overcome +their enemies. But the ark only signified God's presence in their +midst; it was not God Himself, to give them victory. It was very +sinful of them thus to use what God had made so holy; and God suffered +them again to be defeated. The ark was taken by the Philistines, and +many of the Israelites were slain. + +Eli, who was then ninety-eight years old, and nearly blind, sat by the +wayside, trembling for the safety of the ark, and waiting for +messengers to bring news of the battle. Presently a messenger came who +told him the Israelites had fled before the Philistines, that his two +sons Hophni and Phinehas were slain, and that the ark of God had been +taken. When he heard that the ark had been taken, he fell backward +from off his seat and died. Thus God's judgment upon Eli and his sons +came to pass. In our picture we see the messenger, who has just come +from the field of battle, telling Eli the sad tidings that caused his +death. + +[Illustration: ELI RECEIVING THE EVIL TIDINGS.] + + + + +PLAYING ON THE HARP BEFORE SAUL. + + +We are not told much in the Bible concerning the early life of David. +He was born in Bethlehem. We have seen who his father was, but I do +not find that his mother's name is given. His own name means +"beloved." What a happy name! He must have been much loved by his +parents, and we know he was loved by God. + +Like many other youths in Canaan, he acted as a shepherd to his +father's flocks. He was a fair, open-faced boy; "ruddy, and of a +beautiful countenance, and goodly to look at," so the Scriptures say. +He was a good musician, knew how to sling stones at a mark, and was so +brave that when a lion and a bear came to attack the lambs of his +flock he went after them and killed them both. One day a strange and +most important event happened. Samuel, the prophet, came from Ramah, +and pouring some very precious oil upon the head of David, anointed +him to be the future King of Israel. Saul was then King, but on +account of his wickedness God had rejected him, saying that another +should reign in his stead. + +Soon after this event Saul became very wretched. An evil spirit +troubled him, we are told. His servants advised him to get a man that +could play skilfully upon the harp, so that music might drive away his +misery. Some one suggested David; and David was sent for. He brought +sweet strains from his harp, and Saul was soothed. Saul was pleased +with David. We are told that "he loved him greatly," and that David +became his armour-bearer. But he soon grew jealous, and twice threw a +javelin at David, seeking to smite him to the wall and kill him. This, +however, he was not able to do. + +[Illustration: DAVID PLAYING ON THE HARP BEFORE SAUL.] + + + + +DAVID AND GOLIATH. + + +How attentively David looks at the stones in his hand. His sling is on +his arm, and his bag by his side. What is he about to do with those +stones? And who is that tall man in armour, strutting about with such +a long spear in his hand? + +Two armies were drawn up in battle array. They were the armies of the +Israelites and Philistines. The camp of the Israelites was on one +hill, and that of the Philistines was upon another; a valley lying +between. For forty days these armies had been facing each other, but +yet the battle had been delayed. The Philistines had on their side a +giant of great height and strength, encased in armour, who daily came +out, challenging the Israelites to send a man from their camp to fight +with him. But no man among them dared to go against Goliath, the +Philistines' champion. + +Meanwhile Jesse had sent David to the Israelites' camp to see after +his brethren. He heard what the giant said, and offered to go out +against him. Saul was informed of David's offer, and sent for him. +Saul told David he was not able to fight the giant, but he boldly +replied, "The Lord which delivered me out of the paw of the lion and +out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this +Philistine." David trusted not in his own power, but in God! Then Saul +said, "Go, and the Lord be with thee." + +He went, slung one of the smooth stones he had chosen out of the +brook, smote the Philistine in the forehead so that he fell to the +earth, and then ran and cut off his head. Thus God enabled this ruddy +youth to overcome the giant Philistine, and to slay him with a sling +and a stone. + +[Illustration: CHOOSING SMOOTH STONES OUT OF THE BROOK.] + + + + +NATHAN REPROVING THE KING. + + +David was now King. He had great riches and honour, and a palace had +been built for him. He had brought the ark from Kirjath-jearim, and +placed it in the tabernacle prepared for it at Jerusalem, and he now +reigned over all the people of Israel and Judah. But David did a very +wicked thing. He took the wife of Uriah the Hittite for his wife, and +caused Uriah to be slain. God was displeased at what he had done, and +sent Nathan the prophet to reprove him. + +Nathan's reproof was given by a parable. It was a story of a poor man +who had one dear little lamb. It grew up in his house, played with his +children, and was very precious to him. But one day a traveller came +to a rich neighbour, who possessed great flocks and herds, and this +neighbour, instead of killing one of his own lambs and setting it +before his guest, sent and took the poor man's lamb and killed it. + +David heard the story, and was very angry. He said the rich man should +die, and the lamb taken away should be restored fourfold. Then Nathan, +looking at the King, said: "Thou art the man!" He showed David how +greatly he had sinned, and told him that trouble and sorrow would come +upon him for what he had done. God had given him riches and honour, +and all that he could wish for; yet he had taken the one precious +thing of Uriah's, even his wife, and had caused him to be slain. David +was sorely grieved when he saw how wickedly he had acted. He confessed +his sin to God, and God forgave it; but great trouble came upon the +King afterwards through this crime. + +[Illustration: "THOU ART THE MAN."] + + + + +DAVID AND ARAUNAH. + + +After David had reigned may years, he numbered the people of Israel. +This was wrong; and God sent a pestilence which destroyed seventy +thousand men. David was grieved, and prayed that God would punish him +and spare the people. God stayed the hand of the destroying angel; who +stood by the threshing-floor of Araunah, whither David was told to go +and offer sacrifice. David went. He purchased the threshing-floor of +Araunah, also oxen and wood and offered a burnt sacrifice to God. The +following verses describe the scene:-- + + Beside Araunah's threshing-place + The awful angel took his stand, + When from high heaven came words of grace-- + "It is enough; stay now thine hand." + + For David's penitential prayer + Had enter'd God's compassionate ear; + And where the angel stood, even there + God bade the King and altar rear. + + Araunah offered ground, and wood, + And oxen for the sacrifice: + David stood noble wish withstood, + And bought them all at full price. + + His answer has a royal ring; + Its lesson high shall not be lost: + "Burnt offerings I will never bring + Unto Jehovah without cost." + + The altar rose, the victims died, + The plague was stayed, and lo, there fell-- + Token that Heaven was satisfied-- + A fire from God, and all was well. + + 'Twas like a finger from the skies-- + That falling fire--to show God's will, + That here the Temple should arise + And crown Moriah's sacred hill. + + And still God marks the faithful prayer, + The careful work, the costly pains; + The Spirit's fire descendeth there, + And there, as in a shrine, remains. + + RICHARD WILTON, M.A. + +[Illustration: DAVID AND ARAUNAH.] + + + + +ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS. + + +God was displeased with King Ahab, and sent His prophet, Elijah the +Tishbite, to say unto him, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth there +shall not be dew nor rain for years in all Israel." God knew that +these words would make Ahab angry with Elijah, so He commanded Elijah +to get out of Ahab's way. "Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and +hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall +be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the +ravens to feed thee there." + +Elijah went, and the ravens brought him bread and meat, morning and +evening, and he drank of the brook. But after many days the brook +dried up, and God told him to go to Zarephath, where a widow would +sustain him. So he arose and went to Zarephath. When he came to the +gate of the city he saw the widow gathering sticks; and called to her, +saying, "Bring me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may +drink, and a morsel of bread in thy hand, that I may eat." + +The widow turned and said, "As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a +cake, but only a handful of meal, and a little oil in a cruse; and, +behold, I am gathering a few sticks, that I may go in and bake it for +me and my son, that we may eat it before we starve to death." Elijah +told her not to fear, but to make a cake for him, and, afterwards, one +for her son and herself, for God had said that neither her handful of +meal nor her cruse of oil should fail until He again sent rain upon +the earth. So she did as Elijah told her, and there was always enough +oil and meal for their daily food, according to the word of the Lord +which He spake by Elijah. + +[Illustration: ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS.] + + + + +PLOUGHING IN CANAAN. + + +In Scripture frequent mention is made of the husbandman and his work. +Ploughing the land, sowing the seed, reaping the harvest, and +winnowing the grain are often referred to. Our picture shows an +Eastern husbandman ploughing. How different it is to ploughing in our +own land! There is no _coulter_; and instead of the broad steel +_plough-share_ we see a pointed piece of wood. And the long handles +with which our labourers guide their ploughs--where are they? The +strong horses, too, harnessed one behind the other, are missing. Yes! +none of these were used in Canaan. Small oxen drew the plough; and the +husbandman guided it by means of a single handle, as we see him doing +in the picture. Thus their method of ploughing was a slow one, and +unless the land had been very good their harvests would have been +poor. + +Often these husbandmen had to wait until the rain made the ground soft +enough for their ploughs to enter it, consequently many had to toil in +cold, stormy, winter weather. To this the proverb alludes which says: +"The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall +he beg in harvest, and have nothing." (Prov. xx. 4.) + +Perhaps it was just such a plough, drawn by just such oxen as we see +in our picture, that Elisha was using when Elijah passed by and cast +his mantle upon him; thereby calling Elisha to be his servant and +successor. We are told that Elisha "took a yoke of oxen, and slew +them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and +gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after +Elijah, and ministered unto him." + +[Illustration: PLOUGHING IN CANAAN.] + + + + +THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON. + + +Many interesting stories are told in the Bible, few of which are more +touching than that of Elisha the prophet, and the Shunammite woman. +This story we find in the fourth chapter of the Second Book of Kings. + +We read of the prophet journeying to and fro, and resting in the +little chamber that the kind Shunammite had built for him on the wall +of her house. We see its bed, table, stool, and candlestick; and the +joy beaming upon the good woman's face when a tiny infant son was +given her. How she loved him! And as he grew up how carefully she +watched over him. But a sad time was coming. + +The golden corn was in the field ready for reaping, for the harvest +time had come. The hot sun shone overhead, and the little lad was out +with his father in the field, probably running about among the corn. +Suddenly he felt a violent pain, and cried out, "My head, my head!" +Then joy was changed to sorrow. The father saw his son was ill, and +bade a lad carry the little boy to his mother, on whose knees he sat +till noon, and then he died. + +Next we see the mother leaving her dead son, and journeying to find +the prophet. Elisha sees her coming, and sends Gehazi to inquire if +all is well. Then she falls down before the prophet and tells him her +trouble; and he sends his servant with his staff to lay it upon the +dead child. The story closes by stating how Elisha follows Gehazi, +goes to the chamber where the dead boy lay, prays to God that the life +may be restored, and finally has the joy of giving the lad, alive and +well again, into the arms of his mother. + +[Illustration: THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON RESTORED.] + + + + +THE LITTLE CAPTIVE MAID. + + +Naaman was a great general in the army of the King of Syria, who +esteemed him highly, because it was Naaman that led the Syrians when +God gave them victory over the Israelites. But in spite of his bravery +and his high position, he was miserable, because he suffered from a +terrible disease called leprosy. Now, among the captives whom the +Syrians had brought back from war was a little Israelitish maiden, who +was appointed to wait upon Naaman's wife. She had heard of the +wonderful things which Elisha did in the name of God; and she told her +mistress that if Naaman could only see this prophet, who was in +Samaria, he could be cured. And the King was told what the maid had +said, and he sent a letter to the King of Israel commanding him to +cure Naaman of his leprosy. But the King of Israel was afraid, and +thought the King of Syria sought this way to quarrel with him. When +Elisha heard of the King's fear, he sent and desired that Naaman +should be brought to him. So Naaman came in his chariot, and stood at +Elisha's door. But the prophet instead of coming to him, sent a +message directing Naaman to wash in Jordan seven times, when his +leprous flesh would be restored to health. Naaman had thought that +Elisha would have received him with much ceremony and touched him, +bidding the leprosy to depart; so he was angry and said, "Are not the +rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? May I not +wash in them and be clean?" Therefore he went away in a rage. But his +servants persuaded him to carry out the prophet's injunction, and he +went and dipped seven times in Jordan, and was made whole. + +[Illustration: THE LITTLE CAPTIVE MAID.] + + + + +JONAH AT NINEVEH. + + +Jonah was commanded to go to Nineveh, and cry out that the city should +be destroyed on account of the wickedness of its inhabitants. But +instead of obeying God's command he fled in a ship that was bound for +Tarshish. Then a great storm arose, and the shipmen cast Jonah into +the sea, believing that the storm had been sent through his +disobedience. God saved Jonah by means of a large fish, and brought +him safely to land again. + +A second time God said to Jonah, "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great +city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." So Jonah +arose and went as God had directed him. Now Nineveh was a very large +city, about sixty miles in circumference, and Jonah went some distance +inside and then cried out, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be +overthrown!" It was a strange and terrible cry which sounded +throughout the city, and as the Ninevites heard it they feared God, +proclaimed a fast, covered themselves with sackcloth, and every man +was commanded to forsake evil. So they hoped God would forgive them +and spare their city. + +God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, +therefore He spared their city. When Jonah saw that Nineveh was spared +he was very angry, and prayed God to take away his life. He made a +booth and sat under it to see what would become of the city. Then God +sheltered him from the sun by a gourd, and afterwards taught him by it +how wrong he was in being displeased because Nineveh had been spared. +Nineveh was afterwards overthrown, and has remained since then but a +heap of ruins. + +[Illustration: JONAH AT NINEVEH.] + + + + +HEZEKIAH AND SENNACHERIB. + + +Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, invaded the land of Judah, and +threatened to lay siege to Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah took counsel with +his princes and mighty men, and repaired the broken walls, and made +them higher. He made many other preparations for the defence of the +city, and went among his people, exhorting them to trust in God, and +be of good courage. But Sennacherib sent messengers to induce those +that guarded the walls of the city to revolt against Hezekiah, saying, +"Do not believe this Hezekiah when he tells you that your God will +deliver you; hath any of the nations against which I have made war +been delivered by their gods?" + +When Hezekiah heard these words he went into the house of the Lord, +and sent messengers to Isaiah, asking for his prayers. Isaiah said to +them, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Be not afraid of the words with which the +King of Assyria hath blasphemed Me. I will send a blast upon him, and +he shall return and shall fall by the sword in his own land.'" +Afterwards the King of Assyria sent a letter to Hezekiah, in which he +repeated his sneers at the power of God. When Hezekiah read it, he +went into the house of the Lord, and spreading the letter before the +Lord, prayed for His help. God answered, by the mouth of Isaiah, that +the King of Assyria should not enter Jerusalem, nor shoot over it, but +be turned back the way he came. And the same night the angel of the +Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians, and smote one hundred and +eighty-five thousand. Then Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, and as he +was worshipping in the house of his god, there came to him two of his +sons, who killed him. + +[Illustration: HEZEKIAH LAYING THE LETTER BEFORE GOD.] + + + + +THE BRAVE HEBREW BOYS. + + +Brave boys and girls! We all wish to be brave, do we not? Then we must +learn to say "No," when tempted to do wrong. + +These Hebrew boys were young nobles who had been carried captive from +Jerusalem to Babylon; but though in a strange land, subject to the +mighty king Nebuchadnezzar, they feared not to refuse his food and +wine when they knew that the taking of it would cause them to sin +against God. They were well educated Hebrew youths, and the Babylonish +king had commanded that they should be taught the learning of the +Chaldeans; also, to keep them in health and with beautiful +countenances, he had ordered that the meat and wine from his table +should be given them. Their names were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and +Azariah. Daniel seems to have been their leader. We find "he purposed +in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the +king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank." So he begged the +king's servant the feed him and his three companions on plain food and +pure water; but the servant feared to do so, lest the king should find +them worse looking than those who ate his meat and drank his wine, and +the servant should lose his head in consequence. A trial was made, +however, for ten days, at the end of which time they were found to be +better looking than the boys fed on rich food and wine. Therefore, the +servant let them live plainly according to their request; and at the +end of three years, when they stood before the king, we are told that +for wisdom and understanding none were found like Daniel, Hananiah, +Mishael, and Azariah. + +[Illustration: THE BRAVE HEBREW BOYS.] + + + + +DANIEL AND THE LIONS. + + +When Darius came to the throne, upon the death of Belshazzar, he set +over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes. Over these he appointed +three presidents, of whom Daniel was first. Now the princes and other +presidents were jealous of Daniel, and sought to find some fault +against him; but could not, as he was a faithful servant of the King. +Then they tried to injure him because of his praying to God. So they +came to the King, and said, "King Darius live for ever: all the great +officers of thy kingdom have consulted together to establish a royal +law, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty +days, save of thee, O King, he shall be cast into a den of lions." The +King signed the writing and established the law. But Daniel still +knelt and prayed three times a day as before. + +His enemies saw him praying, and told the King, urging him to carry +out the law. But the King was angry with himself that he had agreed to +such a law, and tried to think of some way to save Daniel. Then these +men urged that the law could not be altered. So Daniel was cast into +the den of lions, and a stone was put over the mouth of the den, which +was sealed by the King and the lords. But the King had said to Daniel, +"Thy God whom thou servest will deliver thee." + +The King passed the night fasting, and could not sleep. In the +morning, very early, he arose and went to the den of lions, and cried +with a lamentable voice, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy +God able to deliver thee from the lions?" Then Daniel said, "O King, +live for ever. My God hath sent His angel and shut the lions' +mouths." + +[Illustration: DANIEL AND THE LIONS.] + + + + +ESTHER BEFORE THE KING. + + +Ahasuerus reigned over the vast empire of Persia, and Esther, the +adopted daughter of a Jew named Mordecai, was Queen. None in the +palace knew she was a Jewess, for Mordecai had charged her not to make +it known. He abode in the king's palace, and was one of the king's +servants. + +Ahasuerus promoted Haman, one of his courtiers, a cruel and wicked +man, to be over all his princes and officers; and all bowed down to +Haman and did him reverence except Mordecai, the Jew. Then was Haman +filled with wrath against Mordecai and his people, and obtained from +the king a decree ordering that all the Jews throughout his dominions +should be slain. Mordecai informed Queen Esther of this decree, and +bade her go to the king and plead for her people. Now it was one of +the laws of the palace that no one should approach the king in the +inner court unless he had been previously called; the penalty for not +obeying this law being death, unless the king should hold out the +golden sceptre to the offender so that he might live. Esther knew the +danger of approaching the king uncalled for, but she bade Mordecai to +gather the Jews so that they might spend three days in fasting and +prayer, while she and her maidens did the same, and, said she, "So +will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law, and if +I perish, I perish." + +Esther went in. The king graciously held out the golden sceptre to +her, accepted her invitation to a banquet, and finally ordered the +wicked Haman to be hanged, and measures to be taken to preserve the +lives of the Jews. + +[Illustration: ESTHER BEFORE THE KING.] + + + + +DAVID AND JONATHAN. + + +Jonathan was the son of Saul, the king. He loved David greatly, and +regretted that his father, through jealousy, sought David's life. +David, after the last attempt of Saul to smite him to the wall by a +javelin, fled away, and meeting with Jonathan said: "What have I done? +What is mine iniquity, and what is my sin before thy father that he +seeketh my life?" + +Jonathan sympathised deeply with his friend, and tried to save him. He +promised to ascertain whether Saul fully intended to kill David, and, +if so, to inform him, that he might escape. Meantime David was to +remain in hiding, but on the third day Jonathan was to return with the +required information. Before they parted they entered into a solemn +covenant, one with the other, to remain firm friends during life; and +David promised to show kindness to Jonathan and his children, after +God should make him king. + +At the time appointed, after ascertaining that Saul still sought +David's life, Jonathan went to the field where David lay concealed. +Jonathan took with him his bow and arrows and a little lad. Shooting +an arrow beyond the lad, he cried, "Make speed, haste, stay not!" +These words were intended as a warning to David to flee quickly. When +the lad had gone, David arose from his hiding place and came to +Jonathan, bowing three times before him. Then they kissed each other, +wept, and again pledged themselves to be faithful; after which David +fled, and Jonathan returned to the city. + + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Mother Stories from the Old Testament, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES: OLD TESTAMENT *** + +***** This file should be named 17162.txt or 17162.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/1/6/17162/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia, Jeannie Howse +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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