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diff --git a/36444-8.txt b/36444-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..98f88cb --- /dev/null +++ b/36444-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3840 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Studies in Old Testament History, by Jesse L. Hurlbut + +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: Studies in Old Testament History + +Author: Jesse L. Hurlbut + +Release Date: June 16, 2011 [EBook #36444] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STUDIES IN OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: Italic text is set apart by _underscores_ and bold +text by =equal signs=.] + + + + +STUDIES IN OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY + +By Rev. Jesse L. Hurlbut, D.D., + + AUTHOR OF + + "A MANUAL OF BIBLE GEOGRAPHY," "REVISED NORMAL LESSONS," + "SUPPLEMENTAL LESSONS FOR THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL," and + "STUDIES IN THE FOUR GOSPELS." + + + New York: HUNT & EATON. Cincinnati: CRANSTON & CURTS. + + + + +For All Sunday-School Workers. + + +[Sidenote: FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT.] + +=OUR SUPERINTENDENT.= By J. H. VINCENT. 10 cents. + +=THE MODERN SUNDAY-SCHOOL.= By J. H. VINCENT. 90 + +The first of these is an inspiring talk with the superintendent upon the +duties of his office and how to perform them. The second is a thorough +explanation of the best methods of conducting a Sunday-school. + +The Sunday-school experience of one hundred years has proved that +without well trained teachers success is only partial. Our list of +books, adapted both for private use and for normal teaching, is +unsurpassed: + + =SUNDAY-SCHOOL SCIENCE.= By R. S. HOLMES. 20 + cents. + + =REVISED NORMAL LESSONS.= By J. L. HURLBUT. 25 + cents. + + =STUDIES IN THE FOUR GOSPELS.= By J. L. HURLBUT. + 25 cents. + + =OPEN LETTERS TO PRIMARY TEACHERS.= By Mrs. W. F. + CRAFTS. 40 cents. + + +[Sidenote: FOR TEACHERS AND NORMAL CLASSES.] + +=NORMAL OUTLINE SERIES:= + + Bible History. By J. F. HURST. 40 cents. + Christian Evidences. By JOSEPH ALDEN. 35 cents. + Church History. By JOHN F. HURST. 40 cents. + On Teaching. By JOSEPH ALDEN. 35 cents. + English Bible. By J. M. FREEMAN. 40 cents. + +=CHAUTAUQUA TEXT-BOOKS.= Price, 10 cents each. + + No. 22. On Biblical Biology. + No. 28. Manners and Customs of Bible Times. + No. 36. Assembly Bible Outlines. + No. 37. Assembly Normal Outlines. + No. 39. The Normal Class. + No. 41. The Teacher Before his Class. + No. 42. Outlines of Methodism. + No. 49. Palestine. + +For the many earnest teachers who desire to give their scholars a more +comprehensive course than that of the International Lesson Series a +series of Supplemental Lessons has been prepared. These are not intended +to displace the regular lesson, but to fill out its deficiencies, to +supplement it with other studies with which young people should be +acquainted: + +=SUPPLEMENTAL LESSONS.= By J. L. HURLBUT. 25 cents. + +[Sidenote: FOR THE SCHOLARS.] + + =GRADED LESSONS FOR THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL.= By H. A. + STRONG. Seven numbers. Sample set, 40 cents. + + =PALESTINE CLASS.= By J. H. VINCENT. Four + leaflets. 2 cents each; 6 cents per set. + + =YOUNG TRAVELERS' CLASS.= By Mrs. M. G. KENNEDY. + Seven numbers. 2 cents each; 6 cents per set. + + =YOUNG FOLKS' WALKS AND TALKS WITH JESUS.= By Mrs. + M. G. KENNEDY. Eight numbers. 2 cents each; 10 + cents per set. + + + New York: HUNT & EATON. Cincinnati: CRANSTON & CURTS. + +[Illustration: THE EMPIRE OF DAVID AND SOLOMON.] + + + + + +STUDIES + +IN + +OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY + +BY + +REV. JESSE L. HURLBUT, D.D. + + AUTHOR OF + + "_A Manual of Bible Geography_," "_Outline Normal Lessons_," + "_Supplemental Lessons for the Sunday-School_," and "_Studies + in the Four Gospels_." + + + NEW YORK: HUNT & EATON + CINCINNATI: CRANSTON & CURTS + + + + + Copyright, 1890, by + HUNT & EATON, + NEW YORK. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + PREFACE 5 + CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 9 + HINTS TO STUDENTS 11 + HINTS TO TEACHERS 13 + THE COURSE DIVIDED INTO LESSONS 14 + FIRST STUDY.--The Beginnings of Bible History 17 + SECOND STUDY.--The Wandering in the Wilderness 25 + THIRD STUDY.--The Conquest of Canaan 34 + FOURTH STUDY.--The Age of the Heroes 41 + FIFTH STUDY.--The Rise of the Israelite Empire 49 + SIXTH STUDY.--The Golden Age of Israel 56 + SEVENTH STUDY.--The Rival Thrones--Israel 63 + EIGHTH STUDY.--The Rival Thrones--Judah 71 + NINTH STUDY.--The Captivity of Judah 77 + TENTH STUDY.--The Jewish Province 88 + + +FULL-PAGE MAPS. + + Empire of David and Solomon _Facing title-page._ + Canaan 16 + Old Testament World 19 + Modern Jerusalem 48 + The Divisions of Solomon's Empire 62 + Solomon's Dominions 76 + Alexander's Empire 90 + + + + +CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. + + +These dates are taken from the common chronology, and those earlier than +the Exodus are probably inaccurate. (See foot-note on page 22.) The +student will find that to commit this table to memory will give him +command of the most important facts of Bible history. + + 1. The Deluge B. C. 2348 + 2. The Dispersion of the Races " 2247 + 3. The Rise of the Empires " 2200 + 4. The Migration of Abraham " 1921 + 5. The Descent into Egypt " 1706 + 6. The Exodus from Egypt " 1491 + 7. The Battle of Beth-horon " 1451 + 8. The Death of Joshua " 1426 + 9. The Victory of Gideon " 1245 + 10. The Coronation of Saul " 1095 + 11. The Accession of David " 1055 + 12. The Division of the Kingdom " 975 + 13. The Fall of Samaria " 721 + 14. The Captivity at Babylon " 587 + 15. The Return from Captivity " 536 + 16. The Reforms of Ezra " 450 + 17. The Empire of Alexander " 330 + 18. The Maccabean Independence " 166 + 19. The Accession of Herod " 40 + 20. The Birth of Christ " 4 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +THE New Testament is the outgrowth and development of the Old. There is +no revelation in the gospels or the epistles which is not in its essence +contained in the elder Scripture; though to make it manifest required +the incarnation of God's Son and the descent of the Holy Spirit. +Therefore, to understand the New Testament it is necessary to study the +Old Testament. We cannot appreciate Matthew's point of view of Christ as +the Messiah until we have looked upon the throne of David, and Solomon +in all his glory; the theology of Paul is blind until read in the light +of Moses and Isaiah; and Hebrews will obtain a new meaning when placed +side by side with Leviticus. Every chapter in the New Testament has its +references to parallel passages in the Old Testament. + +When we open the Old Testament we find it, first of all, a book of +history. We are apt to look upon the Bible as a dictionary of doctrine, +wherein we are to search for sentences as proof-texts. But instead it +contains the story of redemption in the form of a history. We see how +God chose a family and pruned off its dead branches and caused it to +grow into a nation; then, how he trained and disciplined that nation +through fifteen centuries, until upon it blossomed the Divine Man. The +history of the Bible is the history of humanity, of literature, of +ethics, of religion, of doctrine; and no one who studies it carefully +will fail of an abundant reward for his endeavor. + +In most works upon Bible history the purpose of the author seems to be +merely to arrange in chronological order a series of events without much +regard to their importance or their relations to each other. The +successive reigns of kings, the chronicles of courts, the reports of +battles form the contents of most histories, whether sacred or secular. +Works like these have their value in the statement of those facts which +form the basis and working material of history. But mere facts +chronologically arranged do not constitute a history, any more than +words alphabetically arranged constitute a literature. True history +records processes, the relation of cause and effect, the formative +influences and their result in national life. The true history of +England shows not annals of kings and achievements of warriors, but the +development of a mighty people. The true history of Greece gives the +secret springs of that intense activity which in two centuries called +forth more great men in more departments of life than all the rest of +the world could produce in a thousand years. The true history of +Israel--which is the history of the Old Testament--shows how a little +people in their mountain-eyrie grew up to a destiny more glorious than +that of the proudest empire of all the earth, the honor of giving +religion to mankind. + +The aim of this little book is to present the outlines of that +remarkable history of the chosen people. What their mission was, how +they were trained for it, and how the world was prepared to receive it +together constitute the three threads woven together in this work. It is +a book of outlines to be studied, not of chapters to be read. The reader +will doubtless find the paragraphs somewhat disconnected, but we trust +that the student may receive from them suggestions for thought. + +In the preparation of this book many works have been read and examined; +but it is not my purpose to give a catalogue of them. I would name, +however, a very few books which will be of service to the student, and +will be almost a necessity for the teacher who expects to use these +outlines in the class, for one secret of successful teaching is for the +teacher to have at his command a fund of knowledge vastly greater than +that contained in the text-book. For this purpose the following works +are named, none of which are too abstruse or difficult for the average +reader: + +1. _Outline of Bible History._ Bishop J. F. Hurst. A small book, +containing merely the facts of the subject. + +2. _Old Testament History._ William Smith. A larger work and valuable, +but ending with the Old Testament canon. An additional chapter on the +interval between Old and New Testament history would greatly improve the +book. + +3. _Lectures on the History of the Jewish Church._ Dean A. P. Stanley. +Three large volumes, in a brilliant but diffuse style, advanced to the +knowledge of twenty years ago; not altogether sound in its critical +point of view, yet to be read by all who would understand the subject. + +4. _Hours with the Bible._ Cunningham Geikie. Six volumes, discussing +Bible history in all of its aspects, particularly in its relations with +secular history. Perhaps this is the best work on the subject for the +reader who is not a specialist. But it is prolix, and could be +compressed to advantage. + +There is need, in my opinion, of a good semi-popular Bible history, in +one volume or two, to present results rather than processes of thought, +and to embody all the latest knowledge from the study of the Scriptures +and the monuments of the ancient world. + +It is needless to urge upon the student that the best book for the +study of Bible history is the Bible itself. The historical books should +be read with great care, even to their details of genealogical tables. +The most valuable document in the study of the origin of races is the +tenth chapter of Genesis; and a catalogue of names in the opening of +Chronicles will give a clew to the chronology of the sojourn in Egypt. +The prophetical books will aid the student, and the Psalms will +irradiate certain dark periods. Whoever undertakes to use these outlines +should examine every text cited for its suggestion upon the subject. + +This book is commended to Bible students, to Sunday-school normal +classes, and to all who love the word, with a hope that it may be of +service in calling attention to the Old Testament, and that it may lead +some through the Old to enter into a better spiritual understanding of +the New. + + JESSE L. HURLBUT. + + + + +HINTS TO STUDENTS. + + +Those who desire merely to _read_ this book or to look it over will not +find it interesting. Those who already know how to study will not need +these hints, and can use the book in their own way. But there are many +who desire to study these subjects carefully, and yet do not know +precisely how to do the work. For these students, earnest but untrained, +the hints are given. + +1. These studies should be pursued with the Bible close at hand, so that +every Scripture reference may be at once searched out and read. + +2. Begin each lesson by a general view; reading it through carefully, +and memorizing the leading divisions of the outline, which are indicated +by the Roman numerals I, II, III, etc. This will give the general plan +of the lesson. + +3. Now take up Part I of the lesson in detail; notice and memorize its +subdivisions, indicated by 1, 2, 3, etc., and search out the Scripture +references cited in it. If practicable, write out on a sheet of paper +the reference (not the language of the text in full), and what each +reference shows. Thus, with the references in the First Study, page 17, +Part I: + +BEGINNINGS OF BIBLE HISTORY. Part I. =Deluge.= + + Gen. 7. Description of the flood. + Gen. 6. 5-7. God punished the world for wickedness. + Gen. 7. 23. Covered the inhabited earth. + +4. It would be a good plan to write out in full, as a connected +statement, all the facts in the section; thus: "The Bible says there was +a deluge and the traditions of other nations attest it. The date +commonly given is 2348 B. C. Its cause was God's anger with the +wickedness of the race, and it covered the inhabited globe. God's +purpose was to cleanse the world for a new epoch." + +5. In like manner study out and write out all the facts obtained by a +study of the lesson and the texts cited in it. This will greatly aid the +memory in holding fast to the information gained. + +6. Having done this, look at the blackboard outline at the end of the +study, and see if you can read the outline of the lesson by the aid of +the catch-words and indications which it affords. Study the lesson until +you can read it with the blackboard outline, and then recall it without +the outline. + +7. Now read over the questions for review, one by one, and see if you +can answer them. Do not cease your study until every question can be +answered without the aid of the text. + +8. Frequently review the lessons already learned. Before beginning the +third study review the first and the second; before the fourth, review +the first, second, and third, and at the completion of all the studies +review them all. The knowledge gained by this thorough study will more +than compensate for the time and trouble which it requires. + + + + +HINTS TO TEACHERS. + + +Classes may be organized on various plans and out of varied materials +for the study of these lessons. + +1. A teachers' class, composed of teachers, and also of senior scholars +in the Sunday-school, may be formed to study the life of Christ, which +is one of the most important subjects in the Bible. This may meet on an +evening or an afternoon, and devote all the sessions to the study of the +lesson, and to discussions upon it. + +2. In many places a teachers' meeting is held for the study of the +International Lesson, as a preparation for the Sunday-school class. A +part of the time might be taken at this meeting for the study of these +subjects. In that case it would be well to follow the division into +lessons, as given on page 14. + +3. A normal class may be organized among the brightest scholars in the +Sunday-school, who should be trained to become teachers. This normal +class may meet on an afternoon or an evening, or may take a +lesson-period in the Sunday-school session. + +4. These studies may be pursued by the young people's society of the +church, or by a class formed under its auspices, meeting at such time +and place as shall be found most convenient. + +There are two methods in which these lessons may be taught: One is the +_lecture method_, by which the instructor gives the lesson to the class +in the form of a lecture, placing the outline upon the blackboard as he +proceeds, calling upon the students to read the texts cited, and +frequently reviewing the outline in a concert-drill. By this method the +students may or may not have the books, as they and the instructor +prefer. While it is not necessary to supply the class with the +text-book, it will be a good plan to do so. + +The other method, simpler and easier, is to let each student have a copy +of the book, to expect the lesson to be prepared by the class, and to +have it recited, either individually or in concert. Let each student +gain all the information that he can upon the subject of the lesson; let +each contribute his knowledge; let all talk freely, and all will be the +gainers. + +It would be a good plan to have papers read from time to time upon +topics suggested by the course and parallel with it. A list of subjects +for such special papers is given at the close of each study. + + + + +THE COURSE DIVIDED INTO LESSONS. + + +IN many places it will be found impracticable to give an entire evening +to the study of these lessons. They may be taught at the close of the +prayer-meeting, or of the young people's meeting, in short sections; or +they may occupy a part of the hour at the weekly teachers' meeting for +the study of the Sunday-school lesson; or they may be taught to the +Normal class in the Sunday-school at the lesson hour. In the latter +case, the regular lesson should receive some attention; and the members +of the class should be expected to prepare it, and should be questioned +upon it. + +Often from twenty to thirty minutes is all that can be given in a class +to studies like these. We have, therefore, divided the studies into +short sections, each of which may be taught in about twenty minutes, if +properly prepared by both teacher and students. Thus arranged, the +course will be included in thirty-two lessons, as follows: + +=Lesson I.=--_The Beginnings of Bible History._ The deluge and the +dispersion. (First Study, I and II.) + +=Lesson II.=--_The Beginnings of Bible History._ Rise of the empires, +migration of Abraham, and journeys of the patriarchs. (First Study, III, +IV, and V.) + +=Lesson III.=--_The Beginnings of Bible History._ Sojourn in Egypt. +(First Study, VI.) Also review First Study. + +=Lesson IV.=--_The Wandering in the Wilderness._ Events leading to the +wandering in the wilderness. (Second Study, I and II.) + +=Lesson V.=--_The Wandering in the Wilderness._ Journeys of the +wandering. (Second Study, III.) + +=Lesson VI.=--_The Wandering in the Wilderness._ Results of the +wandering. (Second Study IV.) Also review Second Study. + +=Lesson VII.=--_The Conquest of Canaan._ Canaanites and campaigns of the +conquest. (Third Study, I and II.) + +=Lesson VIII.=--_The Conquest of Canaan._ Aspect of Israel after +conquest. (Third Study, IV.) Also review Third Study. + +=Lesson IX.=--_The Age of the Heroes._ Condition of Israel and the +judges of Israel. (Fourth Study, I and II.) + +=Lesson X.=--_The Age of the Heroes._ The oppressions and deliverers. +(Fourth Study, III.) + +=Lesson XI.=--_The Age of the Heroes._ General aspects of the period. +(Fourth Study, IV.) Also review Fourth Study. + +=Lesson XII.=--_The Rise of the Israelite Empire._ Causes leading to the +monarchy, and character of the Israelite kingdom. (Fifth Study, I and +II.) + +=Lesson XIII.=--_The Rise of the Israelite Empire._ The reign of Saul. +(Fifth Study, III.) + +=Lesson XIV.=--_The Rise of the Israelite Empire._ The reign of David. +(Fifth Study, IV.) Also review Fifth Study. + +=Lesson XV.=--_The Golden Age of Israel._ Reign of Solomon. (Sixth +Study, I.) + +=Lesson XVI.=--_The Golden Age of Israel._ General aspect of Israel and +dangers of the period. (Sixth Study, II and III.) + +=Lesson XVII.=--_The Empire of Israel._ Review the reigns of Saul, +David, and Solomon. (Fifth Study, III, IV, and Sixth Study, I, II, III.) + +=Lesson XVIII.=--_Israel._ Causes and results of division. (Seventh +Study, I and II.) + +=Lesson XIX.=--_Israel._ Kingdom of Israel. (Seventh Study, III.) + +=Lesson XX.=--_Israel._ Fate of ten tribes. (Seventh Study, IV.) Also +review Seventh Study. + +=Lesson XXI.=--_Judah._ General aspects and duration of the kingdom. +(Eighth Study, I and II.) + +=Lesson XXII.=--_Judah._ Periods in its history. (Eighth Study, III.) +Also review Seventh and Eighth Studies. + +=Lesson XXIII.=--_The Captivity of Judah._ Captivities of Judah and +Israel, and three captivities of Judah. (Ninth Study, I and II.) + +=Lesson XXIV.=--_The Captivity of Judah._ Causes of captivity. (Ninth +Study, III.) + +=Lesson XXV.=--_The Captivity of Judah._ Condition of the captives. +(Ninth Study, IV.) + +=Lesson XXVI.=--_The Captivity of Judah._ Results of the captivity. +(Ninth Study, V.) + +=Lesson XXVII.=--_The Captivity of Judah._ Review of Ninth Study. + +=Lesson XXVIII.=--_The Jewish Province._ Persian. (Tenth Study, I, II.) + +=Lesson XXIX.=--_The Jewish Province._ Greek periods. (Tenth Study, II.) + +=Lesson XXX.=--_The Jewish Province._ Maccabean and Roman periods. +(Tenth Study, III, IV.) + +=Lesson XXXI.=--_The Jewish Province._ Preparation for the temple. +(Tenth Study, V.) + +=Lesson XXXII.=--Review of Tenth Study. + +[Illustration: RADIAL KEY MAP OF CANAAN] + + + + +STUDIES IN OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY. + + + + +FIRST STUDY. + +THE BEGINNINGS OF BIBLE HISTORY. + + +It is our purpose in this series of studies to trace the progress of +events as related in the Bible from the dawn of history down to the +opening of the New Testament era. The aim will be not to give a mere +catalogue of facts, but rather to show the relation of cause and effect, +and to unfold the development of the divine purpose which extends +through all the history in the Bible. We recommend the student, first of +all, to read the preface to this book. + +Turning back to the beginnings of Bible history we notice =six events= +between the Deluge and the Exodus. We begin with the Deluge as the +starting-point of history. Back of that event is a land of shadows. We +have so little knowledge of the world before the flood that its history +cannot be written. But since that fact we tread upon firm ground, having +both the Bible and secular history to confirm each other. + +I. =THE DELUGE.= With regard to this event we note: + +1. The =fact= of a general deluge is stated in Scripture (Gen. 7.), and +attested by the traditions of nearly all nations. Compare the story of +Xisuthros in Berosus; the record in the Chaldean tablets; the Greek myth +of Deucalion; the Mexican tradition; and the legends of the North +American Indians.[A] + +2. The =date= is given in reference Bibles (following Archbishop Ussher) +as B. C. 2348. This is probably incorrect. It may have been a thousand +years earlier. But as archæologists are not yet agreed, we give Ussher's +chronology, here and elsewhere, merely as a convenience in the +arrangement, not as accurate. + +3. Its =cause= was the wickedness of the human race (Gen. 6. 5-7). +Before this event all the population of the world was massed together, +forming one vast family and speaking one language. Under these +conditions the good were overborne by evil surroundings, and general +corruption followed. + +4. Its =extent= was undoubtedly not the entire globe, but so much of it +as was occupied by the human race (Gen. 7. 23), probably the Euphrates +valley. Many Christian scholars, however, hold to the view that the Book +of Genesis relates the history of but one family of races, and not all +the race; consequently, that the flood may have been partial, as far as +mankind is concerned. + +5. Its =purpose= was: 1.) To destroy the evil in the world. 2.) To open +a new epoch under better conditions for social, national, and individual +life. + +II. =THE DISPERSION OF THE RACES.= (B.C. 2247?) 1. Very soon after the +deluge a new =instinct=, that =of migration=, took possession of the +human family. Hitherto all mankind had lived together; from this time +they began to scatter. As a result came tribes, nations, languages, and +varieties of civilization. "The confusion of tongues" was not the cause, +but the result of this spirit, and was not sudden, but gradual (Gen. 11. +2, 7). + +[Illustration: MAP OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WORLD.] + +2. =Evidences of this migration= are given: 1.) In the Bible (Gen. 9. +19; 11. 8). 2.) The records and traditions of nearly all nations point +to it. 3.) Language gives a certain proof; for example, showing that the +ancestors of the English, Greeks, Romans, Medes, and Hindus--races now +widely dispersed--once slept under the same roof. At an early period +streams of migration poured forth from the highlands of Asia in every +direction and to great distances. + +III. =THE RISE OF THE EMPIRES.= In the Bible world three centers of +national life arose, not far apart in time, each of which became a +powerful kingdom, and in turn ruled all the Oriental lands. The strifes +of these three nations, their rise and fall, constitute the matter of +ancient Oriental history, which is closely connected with that of the +Bible. These three centers were Egypt (called in the Bible Mizraim, Gen. +10. 6, 13), of which the capital was Memphis; Chaldea, of which the +capital was Babel or Babylon (Gen. 10. 10; 11. 2-9); and Assyria, of +which the capital was Nineveh (Gen. 10. 11). We might add to these the +Canaanite or Phenician city of Sidon (Gen. 10. 15, 19), and its daughter +Tyre, the great commercial centers of the ancient world, whose empire +was not the land, but the sea. Note that all of these early kingdoms +were established by the Hamitic race. + +IV. =THE MIGRATION OF ABRAHAM.= (B. C. 1921?) No other journey in +history has the _importance_ of that transfer of the little clan of +Abraham from the plain of Shinar to the mountains of Palestine in view +of its results to the world. Compare with it the voyage of the +_Mayflower_. Its causes were: 1. Probably the migratory instinct of the +age, for it was the epoch of tribal movements. 2. The political cause +may have been the desire for liberty from the rule of the Accadian +dynasty that had become dominant in Chaldea. 3. But the deepest motive +was religious, a purpose to escape from the idolatrous influences of +Chaldea, and to find a home for the worship of God in what was then "the +new West," where population was thin. It was by the call of God that +Abraham set forth on his journey (Gen. 12. 1-3). + +V. =THE JOURNEYS OF THE PATRIARCHS.= (B. C. 1921-1706?) For two +centuries the little clan of Abraham's family lived in Palestine as +strangers, pitching their tents in various localities, wherever +pasturage was abundant, for at this time they were shepherds and +herdsmen (Gen. 13. 2; 46. 34). Their home was generally in the southern +part of the country, west of the Dead Sea, and their relations with the +Amorites, Canaanites, and Philistines on the soil were generally +friendly (Gen. 20. 14; 26. 26-31). + +[Illustration: PALESTINE IN THE TIMES OF THE PATRIARCHS] + +[Illustration: Goshen] + +VI. =THE SOJOURN IN EGYPT.= (B. C. 1706-1491?) After three generations +the branch of Abraham's family belonging to his grandson Jacob or Israel +removed to Egypt (Deut. 26. 5), where they remained either two hundred +or four hundred years, according to different opinions.[B] This stay in +Egypt is always called "the sojourn." The event which led directly to +the descent into Egypt was the selling of Joseph (Gen. 37. 28). But we +can trace a providential purpose in the transfer. Its objects were: + +1. =Preservation.= The frequent famines in Palestine (Gen. 12. 10; 26. +1;42. 1-3) showed that as shepherds the Israelites could not be +supported in the land. On the fertile soil of Egypt, with three crops +each year, they would find food in abundance. + +2. =Growth.= At the end of the stay in Canaan the Israelites counted +only seventy souls (Gen. 46. 27); but at the close of the sojourn in +Egypt they had increased to nearly two millions (Exod. 12. 37; Num. 1. +45, 46). The hot climate and cheap food of Egypt has always caused an +abundant population. In Egypt Israel grew from a family to a nation. + +3. =Isolation.= There was great danger to the morals and religion of the +Israelites in the land of Canaan. Abraham had sent to his own relatives +at Haran for a wife for Isaac (Gen. 24. 3, 4) in order to keep both the +race and the faith pure. One of Isaac's sons married Canaanite wives, +and as a result his descendants, the Edomites, lost the faith and became +idolaters (Gen. 26. 34, 35). Jacob sought his wives among his own +relatives (Gen. 28. 1, 2). We note a dangerous tendency in Jacob's +family to ally themselves with the Canaanites (Gen. 34. 8-10; 38. 1, 2). +If they had stayed in Canaan the chosen family would have become lost +among the heathen. But in Egypt they lived apart, and were kept by the +caste system from union with the people (Gen. 46. 34; 43. 32). It was a +necessary element in the divine plan that Israel should dwell apart from +other nations (Num. 23. 9). + +4. =Civilization.= The Egyptians were far in advance of all other +nations of that age in intelligence, in the organization of society, and +in government. Though the Israelites lived apart from them, they were +among them, and learned much of their knowledge. Whatever may have been +their condition at the beginning of the sojourn, at the end of it they +had a written language (Exod. 24. 7), a system of worship (Exod. 19. 22; +33. 7), and a leader who had received the highest culture of his age +(Acts 7. 22). As one result of the sojourn the Israelites were +transformed from shepherds and herdsmen to tillers of the soil--a higher +manner of living. + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =Six Ev.= =I. Del.= 1. Fac. Scrip. Trad. 2. Dat. 2348? 3. Cau. Wick. + rac. 4. Ext. par. 5. Pur. 1.) Des. ev. 2.) New ep. + =II. Disp. Rac.= 1. Inst. mig. 2. Evid. Bib. Trad. Lang. + =III. Rise Emp.= 1. Eg. 2. Chal. 3. Ass. 4. Sid. and Tyr. + =IV. Mig. Abr.= Causes. 1. Mig. inst. 2. Pol. cau. 3. Rel. mot. + =V. Jour. Patr.= Str. in Pal. Shep. Hom. Relat. + =VI. Soj. in Eg.= Obj. 1. Pres. 2. Gro. 3. Isol. 4. Civ. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + + What is the purpose in this series of studies? + At what point does history begin? + Name the six great events in early Bible history. + How is the fact of a deluge attested? + What date is commonly given to this event? + What was the moral cause of the flood? + What was its extent? + What was its purpose in the plan of God? + What new spirit took possession of men soon after the flood? + To what results did this lead? + What was the relation of this fact to the confusion of tongues? + What evidences of these migrations are found? + What were the three great centers of national life in the Oriental + world? + What city became the center of commercial life? + To what race did the earliest empires belong? + What was the most important journey, in its results, in all history? + What three causes are given for this migration? + What was especially the religious motive of this journey? + How long did Abraham's descendants remain in Palestine? + In what part of the country did they live? + What were their relations with the native peoples in Palestine? + What is meant by "the sojourn?" + What was its immediate cause? + What four providential results came to Israel through this sojourn? + How long was the time of the sojourn? + How were the Israelites protected from corruption through this sojourn? + What was the effect of the sojourn upon their civilization? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + THE PYRAMIDS. + THE CITY OF BABYLON. + THE GREAT RACES. + TRADITIONS OF THE DELUGE. + THE CHARACTER OF ABRAHAM. + EGYPT IN THE TIME OF JOSEPH. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[A] See Geikie's _Hours with the Bible_, vol. 1, chap. xiii; _Bible +Commentary_, note at the end of Gen. 8. + +[B] From the fact that in several genealogies four generations are given +to the sojourn in Egypt, the shorter period, from 1706 to 1491, has been +generally assumed. But it is almost impossible that seventy people could +become two million in four generations by natural increase alone. +Moreover, the genealogy of Joshua (1 Chron. 7. 22-27) gives either ten +or eleven generations to this period. It is probable that the other +tables name only sufficient links to show the line, and omit many of the +generations. This was frequently the case with Jewish records. (See the +genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matt. 1, where several names are omitted.) +We conclude that the sojourn began about 1900 B. C., and the call of +Abraham was about 2100 B. C., or earlier; but we give in the text the +usual chronology. + + + + +SECOND STUDY. + +THE WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS. + + +I. Let us notice briefly the =EVENTS LEADING TO THE WANDERING.= + +1. =The Oppression of the Israelites.= (B. C. 1635.) (Exod. 1. 8-13.) +This was an important link in the chain of events. If the Israelites had +been prosperous and happy in Egypt they would have remained there, and +the destiny of the chosen people would have been forgotten. Therefore, +when Egypt had given to Israel all that it could, the wrath of man was +made to praise God; and by suffering the Israelites were made willing to +leave the land of their sojourn and seek the land of promise. The nest +was stirred up, and the young eaglet was compelled to fly (Deut. 32. 11, +12). + +2. =The Training of Moses.= (Born B. C. 1571.) There was another element +of preparation. No common man could have wrought the great work of +liberation, of legislation, and of training which Israel needed. Notice, +1.) Moses was an _Israelite in birth_, of the consecrated tribe of Levi +(Exod. 2. 1, 2). 2.) But he was _educated in the palace_, and in the +highest culture, as a prince in Egypt (Exod. 2. 10). If he had been +doomed to a slave's life he could never have accomplished his mission. +3.) At full age Moses made _choice of his people_, because they were the +people of God (Heb. 11. 24-26). 4.) Then came the _training of forty +years_ in the desert, giving him knowledge of the land, experience of +hardships, and maturity of thought. 5.) Lastly, there was the _call of +God_ (Exod. 3. 2), with its revelation of God's name and power, +imparting strength for his work. + +3. =The Ten Plagues.= There was a special significance in these plagues, +for each was a blow at some form of idol-worship among the Egyptians. +They were: 1.) The river turned to blood (Exod. 7. 20, 21). 2.) Frogs +(Exod. 8. 6). 3.) Lice (Exod. 8. 17). 4.) Flies, probably including +beetles and other winged pests (Exod. 8. 24). 5.) Murrain, or pestilence +among domestic animals (Exod. 9. 3, 4). 6.) Boils (Exod. 9. 10). 7.) +Hail (Exod. 9. 23). 8.) Locusts (Exod. 10. 14, 15). 9.) Darkness (Exod. +10. 22, 23). 10.) Death of the first-born (Exod. 12. 29). + +4. =The Passover.= (Exod. 12. 21-28.) This service represented three +ideas. 1.) It was the spring-tide festival. 2.) It commemorated the +sudden departure from Egypt, when there was not even time to "raise the +bread" before leaving (Exod. 12. 34-39). 3.) It was an impressive +prophecy of Christ, the slain Lamb of God (Exod. 12. 21, 22). + +[Illustration: JOURNEYS OF THE ISRAELITES] + +5. =The Exodus.= (B. C. 1491.) (Exod. 12. 40, 41.) The word means "going +out." This was the birthday of a nation, the hour when the Israelites +rose from being merely a mass of men to become a people. + +II. =THE WILDERNESS OF THE WANDERING.= Let the student note carefully +upon a good map the following locations, and then draw a map containing +them: + +1. Draw the coast-lines and note =three Seas=. 1.) The "great sea," or +_Mediterranean_ (Josh. 1. 4). 2.) The _Red Sea_ (Exod. 13. 18), (Gulfs +of Suez and Akaba). 3.) The _Dead Sea_. + +2. Draw the mountain ranges, and note =five Deserts=. 1.) The _Desert of +Shur_ (Exod. 15. 22), between Goshen and Canaan. 2.) The _Desert of +Paran_, in the center of the Sinaitic triangle (Num. 10. 12). This is +the wilderness in which thirty-eight of the forty years were passed +(Deut. 1. 19). 3.) The _Desert of E'ham_ (Num. 33. 8), on the shore of +the Gulf of Suez. 4.) The _Desert of Sin_, near Mount Sinai (Exod. 16. +1). 5.) The _Desert of Zin_, the desolate valley between the Gulf of +Akaba and the Dead Sea, now called the Arabah (Num. 13. 21). + +3. Locate also the =five Lands= of this region. 1.) _Goshen_, the land +of the sojourn (Exod. 9. 26). 2.) _Midian_, the land of Moses's shepherd +life (Exod. 2. 15), on both sides of the Gulf of Akaba. 3.) _Edom_, the +land of Esau's descendants, south of the Dead Sea (Num. 21. 4). 4.) +_Moab_, the land of Lot's descendants, east of the Dead Sea (Num. 21. +13). 5.) _Canaan_, the land of promise (Gen. 12. 7). + +4. Fix also the location of =three Mountains=. 1.) _Mount Sinai_, where +the law was given (Exod. 19. 20). 2.) _Mount Hor_, where Aaron died +(Num. 20. 23-28). 3.) _Mount Nebo_ (Pisgah), where Moses died (Deut. 34. +1). + +5. Notice also =seven Places=, some of which are clearly, others not so +definitely, identified. 1.) _Rameses_, the starting-point of the +Israelites (Exod. 12. 37). 2.) _Baal-zephon_, the place of crossing the +Red Sea (Exod. 14. 2). 3.) _Marah_, where the bitter waters were +sweetened (Exod. 15. 22-25). 4.) _Elim_, the place of rest (Exod. 15. +27). 5.) _Rephidim_, the place of the first battle, near Mount Sinai +(Exod. 17. 8-16). 6.) _Kadesh-barnea_,[C] whence the spies were sent +forth (Num. 13. 26). 7.) _Jahaz_, in the land of Moab, south of the +brook Arnon, the place of a victory over the Amorites (Num. 21. 23, 24). + +III. =THE JOURNEYS OF THE WANDERING.= These, with the =EVENTS= connected +with them, may be arranged in order as follows: + +1. From Rameses to the Red Sea (Exod. 12. 37; 14. 9). With this note: +1.) _The crossing of the Red Sea._ + +[Illustration: VICINITY OF MT. SINAI] + +2. From the Red Sea to Mount Sinai. Events: 2.) _The Waters of Marah._ +3.) _The repulse of the Amalekites._ 4.) _The giving of the law._ 5.) +_The worship of the golden calf._ At Mount Sinai the camp was kept for +nearly a year, and the organization of the people was effected. + +3. From Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea (B. C. 1490). At the latter place +occurred, 6.) _The sending out of the spies_ (Num. 13. 1-26). 7.) _The +defeat at Hormah_ (Num. 14. 40-45). It was the purpose of Moses to lead +the people at once from Kadesh up to Canaan. But their fear of the +Canaanite and Amorite inhabitants made them weak; they were defeated and +driven back into the desert of Paran, where they wandered thirty-eight +years, until the generation of slavish souls should die off, and a new +Israel, the young people, trained in the spirit of Moses and Aaron, and +fitted for conquest, should arise in their places. + +4. From Kadesh-barnea through the desert of Paran and return. This was +the long wandering of thirty-eight years. We trace the route from +Kadesh, around the desert of Paran, to Mount Hor, to Ezion-geber at the +head of the Gulf of Akaba, and at last to Kadesh once more (Num. 20. 1). +There occurred, 8.) _The water from the rock at Kadesh_, and Moses's +disobedience (Num. 20. 10-12). 9.) _The repulse of Arad_ (Num. 21. 1). +It would seem that the Israelites made a second attempt to enter Canaan +on the south, and were again defeated, though not so severely as before. + +5. From Kadesh-barnea around Edom to the river Jordan. After this second +defeat Moses desired to lead the people through the land of the +Edomites, and to enter Canaan by crossing the Jordan (Num. 20. 14). But +the Edomites refused to permit such an army to pass through their land +(Num. 20. 18-21). Hence the Israelites were compelled to go down the +desert of Zin, past Edom, as far as the Red Sea, then east of Edom, a +very long and toilsome journey (Num. 21. 4). Note with this journey: +10.) _The brazen serpent_ (Num. 21. 6-9; John 3. 14, 15). 11.) _The +victory over the Amorites_ (Num. 21. 23, 24). This victory gave to the +Israelites control of the country from Amon to Jabbok, and was the first +campaign of the conquest. The long journey was now ended in the +encampment of the Israelites at the foot of Mount Nebo, on the eastern +bank of the Jordan, near the head of the Dead Sea. 12.) The last event +of the period was _the death of Moses_ (Deut. 34. 5-8) (B. C. 1451). + +IV. =THE RESULTS OF THE WANDERING.= These forty years of wilderness life +made a deep impress upon the Israelite people, and wrought great changes +in their character. + +1. It gave them certain =Institutions=. From the wilderness they brought +their tabernacle and all its rites and services, out of which grew the +magnificent ritual of the temple. The Feast of Passover commemorated the +Exodus, the Feast of Pentecost, the giving of the law; the Feast of +Tabernacles (during which for a week the people lived in huts and +booths), the outdoor life in the desert. + +2. Another result was =National Unity=. When the Israelites left Egypt +they were twelve unorganized tribes, without a distinct national life. +Forty years in the wilderness, meeting adversities together, fighting +enemies, marching as one host, made them a nation. They emerged from the +wilderness a distinct people, with one hope and aim, with patriotic +self-respect, ready to take their place among the nations of the earth. + +3. =Individual Liberty.= They had just been set free from the tyranny of +the most complete governmental machine on the face of the earth. In +Egypt the man was nothing, the state was every thing. The Israelite +system was an absolute contrast to the Egyptian. For four centuries +after the Exodus the Israelites lived with almost no government, each +man doing what was right in his own eyes. They were the freest people on +earth, far more so than the Greeks or the Romans during their republican +epochs. Moses trained them not to look to the government for their care, +but to be a self-reliant people, able to take care of themselves. If +they had passed this initial stage of their history surrounded by +kingdoms they would have become a kingdom. But they learned their first +lessons of national life in the wilderness, untrammeled by environment +and under a wise leader, who sought to train up a nation of kings +instead of a kingdom. + +4. =Military Training.= We trace in the history of those forty years a +great advance in military discipline. After crossing the Red Sea Moses +did not care to lead them by the direct route to Canaan, lest they +should "see war" (Exod. 13. 17, 18). Attacked by the Amalekites soon +after the Exodus, the Israelites were almost helpless (Exod. 17. 8-16; +Deut. 25. 17-19). A year later they were the easy prey of the Canaanites +at Hormah (Num. 14. 40-45). Forty years after they crossed the Jordan +and entered Canaan, a drilled and trained host, a conquering army. This +discipline and spirit of conquest they gained under Moses and Joshua in +the wilderness. + +5. =Religious Education.= This was the greatest of all the benefits +gained in the wilderness. They were brought back from the idolatries of +Egypt to the faith of their fathers. They received God's law, the system +of worship, and the ritual which brought them by its services into a +knowledge of God. Moreover, their experience of God's care taught them +to trust in Jehovah, who had chosen them for his own people. Even though +the mass of the people might worship idols, there was always from this +time an Israel of the heart that sought and obeyed God. + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Eve. le. Wan.= 1. Opp. Isr. + 2. Tra. Mos. 1.) Bir. 2.) Edu. 3.) Cho. 4.) Tra. 5.) Cal. + 3. Ten Pla. 1.) Bl. 2.) Fr. 3.) Li. 4.) Fl. 5.) Mur. 6.) Boi. + 7.) Hai. 8.) Loc. 9.) Dar. 10.) Dea. fir. bo. + 4. Pass. + 5. Exod. + + =II. Wil. Wan.= 1. Seas. 1.) M. S. 2.) R. S. [G, S., G. A.] + 3.) D. S. + 2. Des. 1.) D. Sh. 2.) D. Par. 3.) D. Eth. 4.) D. Si. 5.) D. Zi. + 3. Lan. 1.) Gos. 2.) Mid. 3.) Ed. 4.) Mo. 5.) Can. + 4. Mts. 1.) Mt. Sin. 2.) Mt. H. 3.) Mt. Neb. + 5. Pla. 1.) Ram. 2.) B.-zep. 3.) Mar. 4.) El. 5.) Rep. 6.) Kad.-bar + 7.) Jah. + + =III. Jour. and Even.= Jour. 1. Ram.--R. S., Ev. 1.) Cr. R. S. + Jour. 2. R. S.--Mt. Sin. 2.) Wat. Mar. 3.) Rep. Am. 4.) Giv. L. 5.) + Wor. gol. cal. + Jour. 3. Mt. Sin.--Kad.-bar. 6.) Sen. Sp. 7.) Del. Hor. + Jour. 4. Kad.-bar.--Des. Par.--Ret. 8.) Wat. roc. Kad. 9.) Rep. Ar. + Jour. 5. Kad.-bar.--Ed.--Riv. Jor. 10.) Bra. Ser. 11.) Vic. ov. Amo. + 12.) Dea. Mos. + + =IV. Res. Wan.= 1. Ins. 2. Nat. Un. 3. Ind. Lib. 4. Mil. Tra. 5. Rel. + Ed. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + + Name five events which were preparatory to the wandering. + What made the Israelites willing to leave Egypt? + How was their leader trained for his mission? + What were the ten plagues upon the Egyptians? + What three ideas were connected with the Passover? + What is meant by the Exodus? + What are the three seas of the map illustrating the wandering? + Name five deserts of this region. + In which desert were the most years passed? + What were the two deserts on the shore of the Red Sea? + Where was the desert of Zin? + Which desert was between Egypt and Palestine? + Name and locate five lands of this region. + Which land was nearest to Egypt? + Which land was on the eastern arm of the Red Sea? + Which land lay east of the Dead Sea? + Which land was south of the Dead Sea? + Name three mountains in this region. + What event look place on each of these mountains? + Name two places between Egypt and the Red Sea. + Name three places on the route between the Red Sea, and an event at + each place. + What place was south of Canaan and near it? + What events occurred at this place? + What two places were battlefields? + State the route of the first journey. + What was the great event of this journey? + What was the second journey? + What four events are named with this journey? + What was the third journey? + What two events took place with this journey? + What was the longest journey? + Name four places of this journey. + Name two events near its close. + What was the last journey? + What events took place at this time? + Where was the last encampment of the Israelites? + What institutions originated during this period? + What was the political effect of this epoch upon the people? + How did it give them liberty? + What was the influence in military affairs? + What were its results upon the religion of the people? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + THE PHARAOH OF THE OPPRESSION. + MOUNT SINAI. + THE GREATNESS OF MOSES. + THE MOSAIC LEGISLATION. + THE SITE OF KADESH-BARNEA. + THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[C] The location of Kadesh-barnea is one of the great questions of the +Bible geography. Robinson places it at _ŽAin el-Weibeh_, north-west of +Petra. Rowlands, and lately Trumbull, locates it at _Ain Gadis_, +forty-five miles south of Beersheba. I think the latter is the true +place, though the authorities are not agreed. + + + + +THIRD STUDY. + +THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN. + + +I. Let us notice the =CANAANITES= before the conquest. + +1. They were a =varied people=. There were from seven to ten different +nations in Palestine when the Israelites entered it (Exod. 3. 17; Deut. +7. 1). Each tribe, often each city, had its own government. There was no +unity of government, no combined action to resist the invasion of +Israel. This made the conquest easy. If one king had ruled a united +people the result might have been different. + +2. These peoples were, however, of =one stock=. They belonged to the +Hamite race, and were all descended from the family of Canaan (Gen. 10. +15-19). There was no reason, except the tribal spirit, for their +separation into small clans and nationalities. + +3. They were =idolatrous= and, as a result, grossly =immoral=. Idolatry +is always associated with immorality; for the worship of idols is a +deification of sensuality. Baal and Asherah (plural Ashtoreth) were the +male and female divinities worshiped by most of these races (Judg. 2. +13). + +4. They had been =weakened= before the coming of the Israelites either +by war or by pestilence. The allusions in Exod. 23. 28; Deut. 7. 20; and +Josh. 7. 12, have been referred to an invasion before that of Israel, or +to some plague, which destroyed the native races. + +II. =THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONQUEST.= These may be divided as follows: + +1. =The campaigns east of the Jordan.= (B. C. 1451.) These were during +the life-time of Moses, and gained for Israel all the territory between +the brook Arnon and Mount Hermon. + +1.) The conquest of Gilead was made at the battle of Jahaz, near the +brook Arnon (Num. 21. 21-31). In one battle the Israelites gained the +land of Gilead from the Arnon to the Hieromax. + +2.) The conquest of Bashan was completed at the battle of Edrei, in the +mountainous region. + +3.) The conquest of Midian (Num. 31. 1-8) was led by the warrior-priest +Phinehas, and by smiting the tribes on the east protected the frontier +toward the desert. The land won by these three campaigns became the +territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh +(Deut. 32). + +[Illustration: JOURNEYS OF THE CONQUEST] + +2. =The campaigns west of the Jordan= (B. C. 1451) were led by Joshua, +and showed great tactical skill and resistless energy of action. Joshua +led his people across the Jordan and established a fortified camp, the +center of operations during all his campaigns, at Gilgal (Josh. 4. 19). + +1.) The first invasion was of _central Palestine_, beginning with +Jericho (Josh. 6), taking Ai on the way (Josh. 8), and ending with +Shechem, which apparently fell without resistance (Josh. 8. 30-33). This +campaign gave to Israel the center of the land and divided their enemies +into two sections. + +2.) Next came the campaign against _southern Palestine_. At this time +was fought the battle of Beth-horon (Josh. 10. 10), the most momentous +in its results in all history, and one over which, if ever, the sun and +moon might well stand still (Josh. 10. 12, 13).[D] After this great +victory Joshua pursued his enemies and took the towns as far south as +Hebron and Debir (Josh. 10. 29-39). + +[Illustration: JOSHUA'S VICTORY AT BETH-HORON.] + +3.) Lastly, Joshua conquered _northern Palestine_ (Josh. 11). The battle +in this campaign was near Lake Merom (Josh. 11. 7), and, as before, it +was followed by the capture of many cities in the north. Thus, in those +marches Joshua won all the mountain region of western Palestine. + +3. There were certain =supplementary campaigns=, partly in Joshua's +time, partly afterward. + +1.) Caleb's rapture of Hebron, which had been re-occupied by the +Amorites (Josh. 14; Judg. 1. 10-15). + +2.) The Judahites' capture of Bezek, an unknown place between Jerusalem +and the Philistine plain (Judg. 1. 1-8). + +3.) The Danites' capture of Laish, in the extreme north, which afterward +bore the name of Dan (Judg. 18). + +But, after all these campaigns, a large part of the land was still +unsubdued, and the war of the conquest did not end until the days of +David, by whom every foe was finally placed under foot. + +III. =GENERAL ASPECTS OF ISRAEL AT THE CLOSE OF THE CONQUEST.= + +1. With regard to =the native races=. They were not destroyed nor driven +away, as had been commanded.[E] They remained as subject people in some +places, as the ruling race on the sea-coast and in the Jordan valley. We +see their influence, always injurious, throughout all Israel's history +(Exod. 23. 31-33; Deut. 7. 1-5); and some think that the present +inhabitants of the country belong to the original Canaanite stock. + +2. =The Israelites= did not occupy all the country. They possessed most +of the mountain region, but none of the sea-coast plain on the Jordan +valley. They were like the Swiss in modern times, living among the +mountains. Even in the New Testament period the lowlands were occupied +mainly by Gentiles. + +3. =The landed system= was peculiar. Estates were inalienable. They +might be leased, but not sold; and on the year of Jubilee (every +fiftieth year) all land reverted to the family originally owning it. +Thus every family had its ancestral home, the poor were protected, and +riches were kept within bounds. + +4. =The government= was a republic of families without an executive +head, except when a judge was raised up to meet special needs. Each +tribe had its own rulers, but there was no central authority after +Joshua (Judg. 21. 25). This had its evils, for it led to national +weakness; but it had its benefits: 1.) It kept Israel from becoming a +great worldly kingdom like Egypt and Assyria, which would have thwarted +the divine purpose. 2.) It promoted individuality and personal energy of +character. There would have been no "age of heroes" if Israel had been a +kingdom like Egypt. + +5. The =religious system= was simple. There was but one altar at Shiloh +for all the land and for all the tribes, and the people were required to +visit it for the three great feasts (Deut. 12. 11, 14; Josh. 18. 1). +This was the religious bond which united the people. If it had been +maintained they would have needed no other constitution, and even its +partial observance kept the people one nation. + +6. The =character= of the people was diverse. Throughout the history we +trace the working of two distinct elements. There was the true +Israel--the earnest, religious, God-worshiping section, the Israel of +Joshua and Gideon and Samuel. Then there was the underlying mass of the +people--secular, ignorant, prone to idolatry, the Israel that worshiped +Baal and Ashtoreth, and sought alliance with the heathen. One element +was the hope of the nation, the other was its bane. + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Canaanites.= 1. Var. 2. Ham. rac. 3. Idol. 4. Weak. + + =II. Camp. Conq.= 1. Camp. Eas. Jor. 1.) Gil. Jah. 2) Bash. Ed. + 3.) Mid. + 2. Camp. Wes. Jor. 1.) Cent. Pal. Jer. Ai. She. 2) Sou. Pal. Beth-hor. + 3.) Nor. Pal. L. Mer. + 3. Supp. Camp. 1.) Cal. cap. Heb. 2.) Jud. cap. Bez. 3.) Dan. cap. + Lai. + + =III. Gen. Asp. Isr. at Clo. Conq.= 1. Nat. rac. sub. 2. Isr. in mtn. + reg. 3. Land. sys. 4. Gov. rep. fam. 5. Rel. sys. 6. Char. peo. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + + What was the political system of the Canaanites before the conquest? + How did this condition affect the result of the war? + To what race did the Canaanite tribes belong? + What was their religion? + What was the effect of their worship on their character? + What had taken place shortly before the coming of the Israelites? + What campaigns of conquest were made before the death of Moses? + What battles were fought in these campaigns? + What tribes took possession of this territory? + On which side of the Jordan were Joshua's campaigns? + What traits as a military leader did he show? + What places were captured on the first of Joshua's campaigns? + What was the effect of this campaign on the enemies? + Against what section was Joshua's second campaign? + Where was the great battle fought? + What is said to have taken place at this battle? + What cities were captured at this time? + Where was the third campaign of Joshua directed? + Where was the battle fought in this campaign? + What were the three supplementary campaigns? + What city was conquered by Caleb? + What city was occupied by the tribe of Dan? + What king, long after Joshua, completed the conquest of Canaan? + What was the condition of the native races after the conquest? + What was the result of their continuance in the land? + What portion of the country was occupied by the Israelites? + What modern analogy is given to them? + What was the system of land-tenure among the Israelites? + What were some of its benefits? + What was the form of government? + Wherein was this system defective? + What were its excellences? + What was the religious system of the Israelites? + What was the effect of this system? + What was the religious character of the people? + What was the condition of the mass of the Israelites? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + JOSHUA AS A GENERAL. + BETH-HORON AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST BATTLES. + THE MORAL ASPECTS OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAANITES. + THE RIVER JORDAN. + THE HISTORY OF JERICHO. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[D] The account of the sun and moon standing still is an extract from an +ancient poem, and is so printed in the Revised Version. The subject is +discussed in Geikie's _Hours With the Bible_, foot-note with chapter +xiii. + +[E] With regard to the destruction of the Canaanites: 1. Such +destruction was the almost universal custom of the ancient world. 2. It +was deserved by the Canaanites, who were among the most wicked of +ancient peoples. 3. It was necessary, if Israel was to be kept from the +corruption of their morals, and upon Israel's character depended the +world in after ages. 4. As a result of failing to extirpate the +Canaanites a vastly greater number of the Israelites were destroyed +during the succeeding centuries. + + + + +FOURTH STUDY. + +THE AGE OF THE HEROES. + + +From the death of Joshua (about B. C. 1426) to the coronation of Saul +(B. C. 1095) the twelve tribes of Israel were without a central +government, except as from time to time men of ability rose up among +them. It was not as some have supposed, "an age of anarchy," for anarchy +is confusion; and during most of the three hundred and thirty years +there were peace and order in Israel. It was rather an age of heroes, +for its rulers were neither hereditary nor elective, but men called +forth by the needs of the hour and their own qualities of leadership. + +I. =THE CONDITION OF ISRAEL DURING THIS PERIOD.= This was partly +favorable, and partly unfavorable. The favorable elements were: + +1. =The mountain location= of Israel. The tribes were perched like +Switzerland in the Alps. There was a desert on the south and on the +east, while on the west lay the plain by the sea, the great route of +travel between Egypt and the Euphrates. Great armies passed and repassed +over this plain, and great battles were fought by Egyptians, Hittites, +and Assyrians, while Israel on her mountain peaks was unmolested. This +mountain home left Israel generally unnoticed, and, when attacked, +almost inaccessible. + +2. =The racial unity= of Israel. The two finest races of the world, the +Greek and the Israelite, were both of pure blood. The Israelites were +one in origin, in language, in traditions, in aspirations. This national +unity often brought the tribes together in times of distress; though not +always when their union was needed. + +3. =The religious institutions.= In Greece every town had its own god +and its own religion; hence the many parties and petty nationalities. +But in Israel there was in theory but one altar, one house of God, one +system of worship, with its annual pilgrimage to the religious capital +(1 Sam. 1. 3). Just to the measure in which these institutions were +observed, Israel was strong against all foes, and as they were neglected +the land became the prey of oppressors (Judg. 2. 7-14; 1. Sam. 7. 3). + +But there were also unfavorable elements in the condition of Israel, +which threatened its very existence. These were: + +1. =The native races.= These were of two kinds: the subject peoples left +on the soil, more or less under the domination of the conquerors, and +the surrounding nations, Ammon, Moab, Syria, and the Philistines. There +was danger from their enmity, a rebellion of the subject tribes, allied +with the enemies around, for the destruction of Israel. And there was +far greater danger from their friendship, which would lead to +intermarriage, to idolatry, to corruption of morals, and to ruin (Judg. +3. 1-7). + +2. =Lack of a central government.= Israel was in the condition of the +United States at the close of the Revolution, from 1783 to 1789, a loose +confederation with no central authority. There were twelve tribes, but +each governed itself. Only under some great chieftain like Gideon or +Samuel were all the twelve tribes united. Most of the judges ruled only +over their own district of a few adjoining tribes. Often the northern +tribes were in peril, but we never read of Judah going to their +assistance; and in Judah's wars with the Philistines the northern tribes +stood aloof. + +3. =Tribal jealousy.= Until the establishment of the American republic +the world never saw, for any length of time, a league of states on an +equal footing. In Greece the strongest state claimed the _hegemony_, or +leadership, and oppressed its allies. In Italy the Romans reduced all +their neighbors to subjection. In Europe it now requires an army of more +than a million men to maintain the "balance of power." So in Israel +there was a constant struggle for the leadership between the two great +tribes of Judah and Ephraim. During the period of the judges Ephraim was +constantly asserting its right to rule the other tribes (Judg. 8. 1-3; +12. 1-6). We trace this rivalry through all the reign of David; and at +last it led to the division of the empire under Rehoboam. + +4. =Idolatrous tendencies.= We note constantly "the two Israels"--a +spiritual minority and an irreligious, idolatrous mass. For ten +centuries the greatest evil of Israelite history was the tendency to the +worship of idols. Causes which operated to promote it were: 1.) The +natural craving for a visible object of worship, not altogether +eradicated from even the Christian heart; for example, Romish images and +ritualistic bowing toward the altar. 2.) The association of Israel with +idolaters on the soil or as neighbors. 3.) The opportunity which +idol-worship gives to gratify lust under the guise of religion. As a +result of these forces we find idol-worship the crying sin of the +Israelites down to the captivity in Babylon. + +II. =THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL.= These were the heroes of that age, the men +who in turn led the tribes, freed them from their enemies, and restored +them to the service of God. + +1. =Their office.= It was not generally to try legal cases between man +and man, or between tribe and tribe. It might be regarded as a military +dictatorship blended with a religious authority. The judge was a union +of the warrior and the religious reformer. + +2. =Their appointment=; not by election, nor the votes of the people. +The Orientals have never chosen their rulers by suffrage. The judges +were men whom the people recognized as called of God to their office +(Judg. 2. 16; 3. 9; 6. 11-13). + +3. =Their authority= rested not on law, nor on armies, but on the +personal elements of integrity and leadership in the men, and on the +general belief in their inspiration. They spoke to the people with the +authority of a messenger from God. They arose in some hour of great +need, and after the immediate danger was over held their power until the +end of their lives. + +4. =The extent of their rule= was generally local, over a few tribes in +one section. Deborah ruled in the north (Judg. 5. 14-18); Jephthah +governed the east of the Jordan only (Judg. 11. 29). Often more than one +judge was ruling at the same time; probably Samson and Eli were +contemporaneous. Gideon and Samuel alone ruled all the twelve tribes. + +III. =THE OPPRESSIONS AND DELIVERERS.= During these three centuries the +influences already named brought Israel many times under the domination +of foreign power. The story was always the same, forsaking God, +following idols, subjection, reformation, victory, and temporary +prosperity. We notice the seven oppressions. Some of these were +undoubtedly contemporaneous. + +1. =The Mesopotamian Oppression.= (Judg. 3. 7-11.) Probably this was +over the southern portion, and the invaders came by the east and around +the Dead Sea, as earlier invaders from the same land had come (Gen. 14. +1-7). The deliverer was Othniel, the first judge, and the only judge of +the tribe of Judah. + +2. =The Moabite Oppression.= (Judg. 3. 12-30.) Over the eastern and +central section, including Ephraim (verse 27); deliverer, Ehud, the +second judge; battle fought at the ford of the river Jordan (verse 28). + +3. =The Early Philistine Oppression.= (Judg. 3. 31.) Over the +south-west, on the frontier of Judah; deliverer, Shamgar. + +4. =The Canaanite Oppression.= (Judg. 4.) Over the northern tribes; +deliverer, Deborah, the woman judge; battle at Mount Tabor. + +5. =The Midianite Oppression.= (Judg. 6. 1-6.) Over the northern center, +especially Manasseh-east; the most severe of all; deliverer, Gideon, the +greatest of the judges (Judg. 6. 11, 12); battle, on Mount Gilboa +(Judg. 7), followed by other victories (Judg. 8). + +6. =The Ammonite Oppression.= (Judg. 10. 7-9.) Note an alliance between +the Amorites and Philistines, which is suggestive; mainly over the +tribes on the east of Jordan; deliverer, Jephthah[F] (Judg. 11); victory +at Aroer (verse 33). + +7. =The Philistine Oppression.= (Judg. 13) This was the most protracted +of all, for it extended, with intervals of freedom, for a hundred years; +embraced all the land, but was most heavily felt south of Mounts Carmel +and Gilboa. The liberation was begun by Samson (Judg. 13. 5), but he was +led astray by sensual lusts and became a failure. Freedom was later won +by Samuel at the battle of Ebenezer (1 Sam. 7. 7-14); but the oppression +was renewed in the time of Saul, and became heavier than ever (1 Sam. +13. 17-20). Finally the yoke was broken by David, in a succession of +victories, ending with the capture of Gath, the Philistine capital (2 +Sam. 5. 17-25; 1 Chron. 18. 1). + +Note with each oppression: 1.) The oppressor. 2.) The section oppressed. +3.) The deliverer. 4.) The battlefield. + +IV. =THE GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE PERIOD.= + +1. It was an age of =individuality=. There was no strong government to +oppress the people, to concentrate all the life of the nation at the +court, and to repress individuality. Contrast Persia with Greece; Rome +under the emperors with Rome as a republic. As men were needed they were +raised up, for there was opportunity for character. Hence it was an age +of heroes--Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, Samuel, +etc. Free institutions bring strong men to the front. + +2. It was an age of =neglect of the law=. During all this period there +is no allusion to the law of Moses. Its regulations were ignored, except +so far as they belonged to the common law of conscience and right. The +laws of Moses were not deliberately disobeyed, but were ignorantly +neglected. Even good men, as Gideon and Samuel, built altars and offered +sacrifices (Judg. 6. 24; 1 Sam. 7. 9) contrary to the letter of the law +of Moses, but obeying its spirit. + +3. Nevertheless, it was an age of =progress=. There were alternate +advancements and retrogressions; yet we see a people with energy, rising +in spite of their hindrances. By degrees government became more settled +(1 Sam. 7. 15-17), foreign relations arose (1 Sam. 7. 14; Ruth 1. 1), +and the people began to look toward a more stable system (1 Sam. 8. +4-6). + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Cond. Isr.= _Fav._ 1. Mtn. Loc. 2. Rac. Un. 3. Rel. Ins. + _Unfav._ 1. Nat. Rac. 2. Lac. cent. gov. 3. Tri. + jeal. 4. Idol. ten. + + =II. Jud. Isr.= 1. Off. 2. App. 3. Auth. 4. Ext. ru. + + =III. Opp. and Deliv.= + _Opp._ _Sec._ _Deliv._ _Batt.-fie._ + 1. Mes. Sou. Oth. + 2. Moab. Ea. cen. Ehu. For. Jor. + 3. Ea. Phil. So.-wes. Sham. + 4. Can. Nor. Deb. Mt. Tab. + 5. Mid. Nor. cen. Gid. Mt. Gil. + 6. Amm. East. Jeph. Aro. + 7. Phil. All. Sams. Saml. Eben. + Dav. Gath. + + =IV. Gen. Asp. Per.= 1. Ind. 2. Neg. Law. 3. Prog. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + +How long was this period? What were its traits? What were the conditions +favorable to Israel during this period? How did their location aid the +Israelites? Wherein were the Israelites one people? How did their +religious institutions keep them together? + +What were the unfavorable and dangerous elements in the condition of +Israel? How were they in danger from the native races? What was lacking +in the government of Israel? What two tribes were in rivalry? What was +the effect of this jealousy? What analogy is found in ancient history? +How is the same principle illustrated in modern times? What evil +tendency was manifested in Israel through nearly all its history? What +causes are assigned for this tendency? + +What was the office of a judge in Israel? How were the judges appointed? +What was their authority? How widely did their rule extend? + +What resulted from these evil tendencies in Israel? How many oppressors +were there? Who were the first oppressors? Over what part of the country +was the first oppression? Who delivered Israel from it? What was the +second oppression? What part of the country suffered from it? Who was +the deliverer? Where was the battle fought? What was the third +oppression, and where? Who delivered Israel? What was the fourth +oppression? Where was it? Who was the deliverer? Where was the victory +won? What was the fifth oppression? Over what part of the country was +it? Who delivered Israel from it? What was the sixth oppression? Over +what part of the land was it? Who delivered from it? What was the last +oppression? How did it differ from the others? What three names are +associated in the deliverance from its power? + +What are the three general aspects of this period? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + THE ISRAELITE REPUBLIC. + THE CAREER OF GIDEON. + THE VOW OF JEPHTHAH. + THE FAILURE OF SAMSON. + SHILOH AND THE TABERNACLE. + FAMILY LIFE DURING THE AGE OF THE JUDGES. + +[Illustration: MODERN JERUSALEM.] + +FOOTNOTE: + +[F] With Jephthah is associated the only instance of human sacrifice +offered to Jehovah in all Bible history; and this was by an ignorant +freebooter, in a part of the land farthest from the instructions of the +tabernacle and the priesthood. When we consider that the practice of +human sacrifice was universal in the ancient world, and that not only +captives taken in war but also the children of the worshipers were +offered (2 Kings 3. 26, 27; Mic. 6. 7), this fact is a remarkable +evidence of the elevating power of the Israelite worship. + + + + +FIFTH STUDY. + +THE RISE OF THE ISRAELITE EMPIRE. + + +The coronation of Saul (B. C. 1095) marks an epoch in the history of +Israel. From that point, for five hundred years, the chosen people were +under the rule of kings. + +I. =THE CAUSES LEADING TO THE MONARCHY.= The kingdom was not an +accidental nor a sudden event. There had been a gradual preparation for +it through all the period of the judges. + +1. Note the =tendency toward settled government=. In the time of Gideon +the people desired him to become a king (Judg. 8. 22, 23). His son +attempted to make himself a king, but failed (Judg. 9). We find judges +setting up a semi-royal state, and making marriages for their children +outside of their tribe (Judg. 12. 9, 13, 14). Judges associating their +sons with themselves (Judg. 10. 4; 1 Sam. 8. 1, 2). All these show a +monarchical trend in the time. + +2. Another cause was the =consolidation of the surrounding nations=. In +the days of the conquest there were few kings in the lands neighboring +Palestine. We read of "lords" and "elders," but no kings, among the +Philistines, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Phenicians (Judg. 3. +3; 1 Sam. 5. 8; Num. 22. 7). But a wave of revolution swept over all +those lands, as about the same time over Greece; and very soon we find +that every nation around Israel had its king (1 Sam. 21. 10; 11. 1; 22. +3; 2 Sam. 5. 11). The movement of Israel toward monarchy was in +accordance with this spirit. + +3. There was a =danger of invasion=, which impelled the Israelites to +seek for a stronger government (1 Sam. 12. 12). They felt themselves +weak, while other nations were organized for conquest, and desired a +king for leader in war. + +4. Then, too, the =rule of Samuel= led the Israelites to desire a +better organization of the government. For twenty years they had enjoyed +the benefit of a wise, strong, and steady rule. They felt unwilling to +risk the dangers of tribal dissension after the death of Samuel, and +therefore they sought for a king. + +5. But underlying all was the =worldly ambition= of the people. They +were not willing to remain the people of God, and work out a peculiar +destiny. They wished to be like the nations around, to establish a +secular state, to conquer an empire for themselves (1 Sam. 8. 5-20). It +was this worldly spirit, whose results Samuel saw, which made him +unwilling to accede to the wish of the Israelites. But the very things +against which he warned them (1 Sam. 8. 11-18) were just what they +desired. + +II. =THE CHARACTER OF THE ISRAELITE KINGDOM.= When men change their +plans God changes his. He desired Israel to remain a republic, and not +to enter into worldly relations and aims. When, however, the Israelites +were determined, God gave them a king (1 Sam. 8. 22); but his rule was +not to be like that of the nations around Israel. We ascertain the +divine ideal of a kingdom for his chosen people: + +1. =It was a theocratic kingdom.= That is, it recognized God as the +supreme ruler, and the king as his representative, to rule in accordance +with his will, and not by his own right. Only as people and king +conformed to this principle could the true aims of the kingdom be +accomplished (1 Sam. 12. 13-15). And if the king should deviate from +this order, he should lose his throne. Disobedience to the divine will +caused the kingdom to pass from the family of Saul to that of David (1 +Sam. 13. 13, 14; 15. 26). + +2. =It was a constitutional kingdom.= The rights of the people were +carefully guaranteed, and there was a written constitution (1 Sam. 10. +25). Nearly all the Oriental countries have always been governed by +absolute monarchs; but Israel was an exception to this rule. The people +could demand their rights from Rehoboam (1 Kings 12. 3, 4). Ahab could +not take away nor even buy Naboth's vineyard against its owner's will (1 +Kings 21. 1-3). No doubt the rights of the people were often violated; +but the violation was contrary to the spirit of the monarchy. + +3. =It was regulated by the prophets.= The order of prophets had a +regular standing in the Israelite state. The prophet was a check upon +the power of the king, as a representative both of God's will and the +people's rights. He spoke not only of his own opinions, but by the +authority of God. Notice instances of the boldness of prophets in +rebuking kings (1 Sam. 15. 16-23; 2 Sam. 12. 1-7; 1 Kings 13. 1-6; 17. +1; 22. 7-17). The order of prophets was like the House of Commons, +between the king and the people. + +III. =THE REIGN OF SAUL.= (B. C. 1095-1055.) 1. This may be divided into +two parts: 1.) _a period of prosperity_, during which Saul ruled well, +and freed Israel from its oppressors on every side (1 Sam. 14. 47, 48); +2.) then a _period of decline_, in which Saul's kingdom seems to be +falling in pieces, and only preserved by the prowess and ability of +David. After David's exile the Philistines again overran Israel, and +Saul's reign ended in defeat and death. + +2. We observe that Saul's reign was =a failure=, and left the tribes in +worse condition than it found them. 1.) He failed _in uniting the +tribes_; for tribal jealousies continued (1 Sam. 10. 27), and at the +close of his reign broke out anew in the establishment of rival thrones +(2 Sam. 2. 4, 8, 9). 2.) He failed _in making friends_. He alienated +Samuel, and with him the order of prophets (1 Sam. 15. 35); he alienated +David, the ablest young man of his age, and the rising hope of Israel, +and drove him into exile (1 Sam. 21. 10); he alienated the entire order +of the priests, and caused many of them to be massacred (1 Sam. 22. 18). +3.) He failed _to advance religion_; left the tabernacle in ruins; left +the ark in seclusion; broke up the service; and drove the priests whom +he did not murder into exile (1 Sam. 22. 20-23). 4.) He failed _to +liberate Israel_; at his death the yoke of the Philistines was more +severe than ever before (1 Sam. 31. 1-7). The most charitable view of +Saul was that he was insane during the latter years of his life. The +cause of his failure was a desire to reign as an absolute monarch, and +an unwillingness to submit to the constitution of the realm. + +IV. =THE REIGN OF DAVID.= (B. C. 1055-1015.) This was a brilliant +period; for it was led by a great man, in nearly every respect the +greatest after Moses in Israelite history. + +1. Notice the =condition of Israel at his accession=. This will throw +into relief the greatness of his character and his achievements. + +1.) It was a _subject people_; under Philistine yoke; its warriors +slain; many of its cities deserted; David himself probably at first +tributary to the King of Gath. + +2.) It was a _disorganized people_. The tribes were divided; national +unity was lost; and two thrones were set up, one at Hebron, the other at +Mahanaim (2 Sam. 2. 4-9). + +3.) It was a _people without religion_. The tabernacle was gone; the ark +was in neglect; there was no altar and no sacrifice; the priests had +been slain. + +We can scarcely imagine Israel at a lower ebb than when David was called +to the throne. + +2. We ascertain =David's achievements=; the results of his reign. 1.) +_He united the tribes._ At first crowned king by Judah only, later he +was made king over all the tribes, by the desire of all (2 Sam. 5. 1-5). +During his reign we find but little trace of the old feud between +Ephraim and Judah, though it was not dead, and destined yet to rend the +kingdom asunder. + +2.) _He subjugated the land._ The conquest of Palestine, left +incomplete by Joshua, and delayed for three hundred years, was finished +at last by David in the capture of Jebus or Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5. 6, 7), +in the overthrow of the Philistines (2 Sam. 5. 17-25), and in the final +capture of their capital city (1 Chron. 18. 1). At last Israel was +possessor of its own land. + +[Illustration: EMPIRE OF DAVID] + +3.) _He organized the government._ He established a capital (2 Sam. 5. +9). He built a palace (2 Sam. 5. 11). Notice that the builders were from +Tyre, showing that the Israelites were not advanced in the arts. He +established a system of government, with officers in the court and +throughout the realm (1 Chron. 27. 25-34). Contrast all this with Saul, +who ruled from his tent, like a Bedouin sheik. + +4.) _He established an army._ There was a royal body-guard, probably of +foreigners, like that of many European kings in modern times (2 Sam. 8. +18; 15. 18). There was a band of heroes, like Arthur's Round Table (2 +Sam. 23. 8-39). There was "the host," the available military force, +divided into twelve divisions, one on duty each month (1 Chron. 27. +1-15). + +5.) _He established religion._ No sooner was David on the throne than he +brought the ark out of its hiding-place, and gave it a new home in his +capital (1 Chron. 16. 1). The priesthood was organized, and divided into +courses for the service of the tabernacle (1 Chron. 23. 27-32; 24. +1-19). He wrote many psalms, and caused others to be written, for the +worship of God. Two prophets stood by his throne (1 Chron. 29. 29), and +two high-priests stood by the altar (1 Chron. 24. 3). This organization +and uplifting of the public worship had a great effect upon the kingdom. + +6.) _He conquered all the surrounding nations._ These wars were largely +forced upon David by the jealousy of the neighboring kingdoms. In turn +his armies conquered and annexed to his dominions the land of the +Philistines (1 Chron. 18. 1), Moab (2 Sam. 8. 2), Syria, even to the +great river Euphrates (2 Sam. 8. 3-6); Edom (2 Sam. 8. 14), Ammon, and +the country east of Palestine (2 Sam. 10. 1-14; 12. 26-31). The empire +of David thus extended from the frontier of Egypt to the Euphrates +River, fulfilling the promise of Josh 1. 4. It was at least six times +the area of the twelve tribes. + +7.) We may add that _he reigned as a theocratic king_. He realized more +than any other monarch the divine ideal of a ruler, and so was "the man +after God's own heart" (1 Sam. 13. 14); if not altogether in personal +character, yet in the principles of his government. He respected the +rights of his subjects, had a sympathy for all people, obeyed the voice +of the prophets, and sought the interests of God's cause.[G] + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Cau. lea. Mon.= 1. Ten. tow. set. gov. 2. Con. sur. nat. 3. Dan. + inv. 4. Ru. Sam. 5. Wor. am. peo. + + =II. Char. Isr. Kin.= 1. Theo. kin. 2. Cons. kin. 3. Reg. by pro. + + =III. Rei. Sau.= 1. Pros. and Dec. 2. Fai. 1.) Un. tri. 2.) Mak. + fri. 3.) Adv. rel. 4.) Lib. Isr. + + =IV. Rei. Dav.= 1. Con. Isr. acc. 1.) Sub. 2.) Dis. 3.) Wit. rel. + 2. Dav. Achiev. 1.) Uni. tri. 2.) Sub. la. 3.) Org. gov. + 4.) Est. ar. 5.) Est. rel. 6.) Conq. surr. nat. 7.) Rei. theo. + kin. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + +What event marks an epoch in Israelite history? What were the causes +leading to the monarchy? What events in the period of the judges show a +tendency toward settled government? What changes in government in the +surrounding nations helped to bring on the monarchy in Israel? From what +source did external danger lead the Israelites to desire a king? How had +Samuel unconsciously helped to prepare the way for a kingdom? What +worldly spirit promoted the same result? + +What kind of a kingdom did God intend for Israel? What is a theocratic +kingdom? Wherein was Israel an exception among Oriental kingdoms? By +what institution was the kingdom regulated? Name some instances of +prophets rebuking kings. + +Into what two parts may Saul's reign be divided? Wherein was Saul a +failure? How did he fail in gaining and holding friends? + +What was the condition of Israel when David came to the throne? What +were the achievements of David? What great incomplete work did David +finish? What did he do in the organization of his kingdom? What was the +arrangement of his army? What were his services to the cause of +religion? What nations did he conquer? What was the extent of his +empire? In what spirit did he rule? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + HOW THE REPUBLIC BECAME A MONARCHY. + THE EARLY LIFE OF DAVID. + DAVID AS HERO, STATESMAN, AND POET. + DAVID'S TRAINING FOR THE THRONE. + SAMUEL, THE FOUNDER OF THE PROPHETIC ORDER. + THE CAUSES AND RESULTS OF ABSALOM'S REBELLION. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[G] With regard to David's crimes against Uriah and his wife, note that +no other ancient monarch would have hesitated to commit such an act, or +would have cared for it afterward; while David submitted to the +prophet's rebuke, publicly confessed his sin, and showed every token of +a true repentance. + + + + +SIXTH STUDY. + +THE GOLDEN AGE OF ISRAEL. + + +The reign of Solomon (B. C. 1015-975) may be regarded as the culminating +period in the history of Israel. But, strictly speaking, the latter part +of David's reign and only the former part of Solomon's constitute "the +golden age of Israel;" for Solomon's later years manifested a decline, +which after his death rapidly grew to a fall. + +I. =THE REIGN OF SOLOMON.= + +1. =His claim to the throne.= He was one of the youngest of David's +sons, the second child of Bath-sheba, born during the culmination of +David's reign (1 Chron. 22. 7-9). He obtained the throne by the decree +of David, by the choice of God, as the one among David's children best +fitted to reign (1 Chron. 28. 5, 6). The principle of primogeniture, or +the special right of the eldest son, was not fixed in those times. + +2. =His accession= was marked by the execution of three men, Adonijah (1 +Kings 2. 24, 25), Joab (1 Kings 2. 28-34), and Shimei (1 Kings 2. +36-46). Two of these had conspired against him, and the third was the +last survivor of the house of Saul, and a possible rival for the throne. +Their death was dictated by policy, and probably by justice. His throne +would not be secure while these men lived. + +3. =His empire= embraced all the lands from the Red Sea to the +Euphrates, and from the Mediterranean to the Syrian desert, except +Phenicia, which was isolated by the Lebanon Mountains. 1.) Besides +Palestine he ruled over Edom, Moab, Ammon, Syria (here referring to the +district having Damascus as its capital), Zobah, and Hamath. 2.) On the +Gulf of Akaba, Ezion-geber was his southern port (1 Kings 9. 26); on the +Mediterranean, Gaza (Azzah) was his limit; in the extreme north, +Tiphsah, by the Euphrates (1 Kings 4. 24); in the desert, Tadmor, +afterward Palmyra (1 Kings 9. 18). + +4. =His foreign relations= were extensive, for the first and only time +in the history of Israel. 1.) His earliest treaty was _with Tyre_ +(Phenicia), whose king had been his father's friend (1 Kings 5. 1). What +this alliance brought to Solomon (1 Kings 5. 6-10; 2 Chron. 2. 3-14). +2.) His relations _with Egypt_; in commerce (1 Kings 10. 28, 29); in +marriage, a bold departure from Israelite customs (1 Kings 3. 1). +Probably Psalm 45 was written upon this event. 3.) _With Arabia_, the +land bordering on the southern end of the Red Sea (1 Kings 10. 1-10, 14, +15). 4.) _With India_, which is probably referred to in 1 Kings 9. +26-28. 5.) _With Spain_, probably meant in 1 Kings 10. 22. + +5. =His buildings.= 1.) Of these the greatest, the most costly, and the +most famous was _the temple_ (1 Kings 6. 1). With this building notice: +(_a_) The courts and open square, with an inner court inside for the +priests only (2 Chron 4. 9). (_b_) The porch (2 Chron 3. 4). (_c_) The +holy place (2 Chron. 3. 8; 1 Kings 6. 17). (_d_) The holy of holies (1 +Kings 6. 19, 20). (_e_) The chambers for the priests (1 Kings 6. 5, 6). +2.) _His own palace_, situated south of the temple precincts, in the +district called Ophel. Its name derived from its columned entrance (1 +Kings 7. 1, 2). 3.) _His fortified cities_ (1 Kings 9. 17-19). 4.) _His +aqueducts_, some of which may still be seen (Eccl. 2. 4-6). No King of +Israel ever built so many public works as did Solomon. + +6. But all was not bright in the reign of Solomon. We must notice also +=his sins=, for they wrought great results of evil in the after years. +1.) That which led to all his other sins was _foreign marriages_ (1 +Kings 11. 1-4). These were the natural and inevitable result of his +foreign relations, and were probably effected for political reasons as +well as to add to the splendor of his court. 2.) His _toleration of +idolatry_, perhaps actual participation in it (1 Kings 11. 5-8). We +cannot over-estimate the harm of Solomon's influence in this direction. +At once it allied him with the lower and evil elements in the nation, +and lost to him the sympathy of all the earnest souls.[H] 3.) Another of +Solomon's sins, not named in Scripture, but referred to in many legends +of the East, was his _devotion to magical arts_. He appears in Oriental +traditions as the great master of forces in the invisible world, +engaging in practices forbidden by the law of Moses (Lev. 19. 31; Deut. +18. 10, 11). + +II. =GENERAL ASPECTS OF ISRAEL IN THE REIGN OF SOLOMON.= + +1. =It was a period of peace.= For sixty years there were no wars. This +gave opportunity for development, for wealth, and for culture. + +2. =It was a period of strong government.= The age of individual and +tribal energy was ended, and now all the life of the nation was gathered +around the throne. All the tribes were held under one strong hand; +tribal lines were ignored in the government of the empire (1 Kings 4. +7-19); every department was organized. + +3. =It was a period of wide empire.= It was Israel's opportunity for +power in the East; for the old Chaldean empire had broken up, the new +Assyrian empire had not arisen, and Egypt was passing through a change +of rulers and was weak. For one generation Israel held the supremacy in +the Oriental world. + +4. =It was a period of abundant wealth.= (1 Kings 3. 12, 13; 4. 20; 10. +23, 27.) The sources of this wealth were: 1.) The _conquests_ of David, +who had plundered many nations and left his accumulated riches to +Solomon (1 Chron. 22. 14-16). 2.) The _tribute_ of the subject kingdoms, +doubtless heavy (1 Kings 10. 25). 3.) _Commerce_ with foreign countries, +Egypt, Arabia, Tarshish, and Ophir, in ancient times was not carried on +by private enterprise, but by the government. The _trade_ of the East +from Egypt and Tyre passed through Solomon's dominions, enriching the +land. 4.) There were also _taxes_ laid upon the people (1 Kings 4. 7; +12. 4). 5.) The erection of _public buildings_ must have enriched many +private citizens and made money plenty. + +5. =It was a period of literary activity.= The books written during this +epoch were Samuel, Psalms (in part), Proverbs (in part), and perhaps +Ecclesiastes and Solomon's Song. Not all the writings of Solomon have +been preserved (1 Kings 4. 32, 33). + +III. =DANGERS OF THE PERIOD.= There was an Arabian tradition that in +Solomon's staff, on which he leaned, there was a worm secretly gnawing +it asunder. So there were elements of destruction under all the splendor +of Solomon's throne. + +1. =The absolute power of the king.= David had maintained the theocratic +constitution of the state; Solomon set it aside and ruled with absolute +power in all departments. He assumed priestly functions (1 Kings 8. 22, +54, 64); he abolished tribal boundaries in his administration (1 Kings +4. 7-19); he ignored both priests and prophets, and concentrated all +rule in his own person. + +2. =The formal character of the worship.= There was a magnificent temple +and a gorgeous ritual, but none of the warmth and personal devotion +which characterized the worship of David. The fervor of the Davidic +psalms is wanting in the literature of Solomon's age. + +3. =Luxury and corruption of morals.= These are the inevitable results +of abundant riches and worldly association. We do not need the warnings +in Prov. 2. 16-19; 5. 3-6, etc., to know that a flood of immorality +swept over Jerusalem and Israel. + +4. =The burden of taxation.= With a splendid court, an immense harem, +and a wealthy nobility came high prices and high taxes; the rich growing +richer rapidly, the poor becoming poorer. The events of the next reign +show how heavy and unendurable these burdens grew. + +5. =Heathen customs.= With the foreign peoples came the toleration of +idolatry, its encouragement, and all the abominations connected with it. +Jeroboam could not have established his new religion (1 Kings 12. 28) if +Solomon had not already patronized idol-worship. + +6. Underlying all was the old =tribal jealousy= of Ephraim and Judah, +fostered by an able leader (1 Kings 11. 26), ready to break out in due +time, and to destroy the empire. + +After all, it is uncertain whether the reign of Solomon was a golden or +only a gilded age. + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Rei. Sol.= 1. Cl. thr. 2. Acc. 3. Emp. [Lands. Cities] 4. For. + rel. 1.) Ty. 2.) Eg. 3.) Ar. 4.) Ind. 5.) Sp. 5. Buil. 1.) + Tem. 2.) Pal. 3.) For. cit. 4.) Aque. 6. Sins 1.) For. mar. + 2.) Tol. idol. 3.) Mag. + + =II. Gen. Asp. Isr.= 1. Pea. 2. Str. gov. 3. Abun. weal. 1.) Conq. + 2.) Trib. 3.) Com. 4.) Tax. 5). Pub. build. 5. Lit. art. + + =III. Dan. Per.= 1. Abs. pow. 2. For. wor. 3. Lux. cor. mor. 4. + Bur. tax. 5. Hea. cus. 6. Tri. jeal. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + + What is meant by the Golden Age of Israel? + Who was Solomon? + How did Solomon obtain the throne? + What events marked his accession? + What lands were included in his empire? + What were the frontier cities of the empire? + With what foreign countries did Solomon have relations? + What resulted from his alliance with Tyre? + What innovation came from Egypt? + Who visited Solomon from Arabia? + What were the early names of Spain and India? + What four classes of buildings were erected by Solomon? + What were the different parts of his temple? + What was the name given to Solomon's palace? + Name some of the cities which he built and fortified. + What other public works did he build? + What three kinds of sin did Solomon commit? + What was his motive in seeking foreign marriages? + Name five general aspects of Israel in Solomon's reign. + What were the benefits of the peace at that time? + What was the characteristic of Solomon's administration? + What opportunity did the age give to a great empire for Israel? + What were the sources of the wealth in Solomon's age? + How was it a period of literary activity? + What ancient legend illustrates the dangers of Solomon's age? + What were some of these dangers? + Wherein did Solomon set aside the Israelite constitution? + What was the defect in the religion of Solomon's time? + What evils resulted from the wealth of that time? + What caused heavy taxation? + What heathen customs were introduced? + What showed that tribal jealousy was still existing? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + THE CHARACTER OF SOLOMON. + WAS AN EMPIRE FOR ISRAEL DESIRABLE? + THE WRITINGS OF SOLOMON. + TARSHISH AND OPHIR. + THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON. + SOLOMON IN ORIENTAL LEGENDS. + +[Illustration: THE DIVISION OF SOLOMON'S EMPIRE.] + +FOOTNOTE: + +[H] Notice that while the prophets had been friendly to David, they were +strongly opposed to Solomon, and gave aid to his enemy Jeroboam (1 Kings +11. 29-39). + + + + +SEVENTH STUDY. + +THE RIVAL THRONES.--ISRAEL. + + +The splendors of Solomon's reign passed away even more suddenly than +they arose. In less than a year after his death his empire was broken +up, and two quarreling principalities were all that was left of Israel. + +I. Let us ascertain the =CAUSES OF THE DIVISION OF ISRAEL=. These were: + +1. =The oppressive government of Solomon.= (1 Kings 12. 3, 4.) How far +the complaints of the people were just, and to what degree they were the +pretexts of an ambitious demagogue, we have no means of knowing. But it +is evident that the government of Solomon, with its court, its palaces, +its buildings, and its splendor, must have borne heavily upon the +people. Probably, also, the luxury of living among the upper classes, so +suddenly introduced, led to financial crises and stringency of money, +for which the government was held responsible by the discontented +people. + +2. =The opposition of the prophets.= (1 Kings 11. 11-13, 29-33.) It is a +suggestive fact that the prophets were opposed to Solomon and friendly +to Jeroboam. Their reason was a strong resentment to the foreign +alliances, foreign customs, and especially to the foreign idolatries +which Solomon introduced. + +3. =Foreign intrigues=, especially in Egypt. The old kingdoms were not +friendly to this Israelite empire, which loomed up so suddenly, and +threatened to conquer all the East. Solomon's attempt to win the favor +of Egypt by a royal marriage (1 Kings 3. 1) was a failure, for two +enemies of Solomon, driven out of his dominions, found refuge in Egypt, +were admitted to the court, married relatives of the king, and stirred +up conspiracies against Solomon's throne (1 Kings 11. 14-22, 40). +Another center of conspiracy was Damascus, where Rezon kept up a +semi-independent relation to Solomon's empire (1 Kings 11. 23-25). + +4. =Tribal jealousy=; the old sore broken out again. Notice that +Jeroboam belonged to the haughty tribe of Ephraim (1 Kings 11. 26), +always envious of Judah, and restless under the throne of David. The +kingdom of the ten tribes was established mainly through the influence +of this tribe. + +5. =The ambition of Jeroboam= was another force in the disruption. It +was unfortunate for Solomon's kingdom that the ablest young man of that +time in Israel, a wily political leader and an unscrupulous partisan, +belonged to the tribe of Ephraim, and from his environment was an enemy +of the then existing government. The fact that he was sent for from +Egypt to the assembly at Shechem showed collusion and preparation of the +scheme (1 Kings 12. 2, 3). + +6. But even all these causes might have been insufficient but for =the +folly of Rehoboam= (1 Kings 12. 13, 14). If David had been on the throne +that day an empire might have been saved. But Rehoboam, brought up in +the purple, was without sympathy with the people, tried to act the part +of a tyrant, and lost his ancestral realm (1 Kings 12. 16). + +II. =THE RESULTS OF THE DIVISION.= These were partly political, partly +religious, and were neither of unmixed good nor unmixed evil. + +1. The =political results= were: 1.) The entire _disruption_ of +Solomon's empire. Five kingdoms took the place of one; Syria on the +north, Israel in the center, Judah west of the Dead Sea, Moab east of +the Dead Sea, and Edom on the extreme south. Moab was nominally subject +to Israel, and Edom to Judah; but only strong kings, like Ahab in Israel +and Jehoshaphat in Judah, could exact the tribute (2 Kings 3. 4; 1 Kings +22. 47). 2.) With the loss of empire came _rivalry_, and consequent +_weakness_. For fifty years Israel and Judah were at war, and spent +their strength in civil strife, while Syria was growing powerful, and +afar in the north-east Assyria was threatening. 3.) As a natural result +came at last _foreign domination_. Both Israel and Judah fell under the +power of other nations, and were swept into captivity as the final +result of the disruption wrought by Jeroboam. + +2. =The religious results= of the division were more favorable. They +were: 1.) _Preservation of the true religion._ A great empire would +inevitably have been the spiritual ruin of Israel, for it must have been +worldly, secular, and, in the end, idolatrous. The disruption broke off +relation with the world, put an end to schemes of secular empire, and +placed Israel and Judah once more alone among their mountains. In this +sense the event was from the Lord, who had higher and more enduring +purposes than an earthly empire (1 Kings 12. 15-24). 2.) _Protection of +the true religion._ Israel on the north stood as a "buffer," warding off +the world from Judah on the south. It was neither wholly idolatrous nor +wholly religious, but was a debatable land for centuries. It fell at +last, but it saved Judah; and in Judah was the unconscious hope of the +world. 3.) _Concentration of the true religion._ The departure of Israel +from the true faith led to the gathering of the priests, Levites and +worshiping element of the people in Judah (2 Chron. 11. 13-16). Thus the +Jewish kingdom was far more devoted to Jehovah than it might otherwise +have been. + +III. =THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL.= From the division the name _Israel_ was +applied to the northern kingdom and _Judah_ to the southern. We notice +the general aspects of Israel during its history, from B. C. 975 to 721. + +1. =Its extent.= It embraced all the territory of the twelve tribes +except Judah and a part of Benjamin (1 Kings 12. 19-21), held a nominal +supremacy over Moab east of the Dead Sea, and embraced about 9,375 +square miles, while Judah included only 3,435. Israel was about equal in +area to Massachusetts and Rhode Island together. + +2. =Its capital= was at first _Shechem_, in the center of the land (1 +Kings 12. 25); then, during several reigns, at _Tirzah_ (1 Kings 15. 33; +16. 23); then at _Samaria_ (1 Kings 16. 24), where it remained until the +end of the kingdom. That city after a time gave its name to the kingdom +(1 Kings 21. 1), and after the fall of the kingdom to the province in +the center of Palestine (John 4. 3, 4). + +3. =Its religion.= 1.) Very soon after the institution of the new +kingdom Jeroboam established a national religion, the _worship of the +calves_ (1 Kings 12. 26-33). This was not a new form of worship, but had +been maintained in Israel ever since the Exodus (Exod. 32. 1-4). In +character it was a modified idolatry, half-way between the pure religion +and the abominations of the heathen. 2.) Ahab and his house introduced +the Phenician _worship of Baal_, an idolatry of the most abominable and +immoral sort (1 Kings 16. 30-33), but it never gained control in Israel, +and was doubtless one cause of the revolution which placed another +family on the throne. 3.) Through the history of Israel there remained a +remnant of _worshipers of Jehovah_, who were watched over by a noble +array of prophets, and though often persecuted remained faithful (1 +Kings 19. 14, 18). + +4. =Its rulers.= During two hundred and fifty years Israel was governed +by nineteen kings, with intervals of anarchy. Five houses in turn held +sway, each established by a usurper, generally a soldier, and each +dynasty ending in a murder. + +1.) _The House of Jeroboam_ (B. C. 974 to 953), with two kings, followed +by a general massacre of Jeroboam's family (1 Kings 15. 29, 30). + +2.) _The House of Baasha_ (B. C. 953-929), two kings, followed by a +civil war (1 Kings 16. 16-22). + +3.) _The House of Omri_ (B. C. 929-884), four kings, of whom Omri and +Ahab were the most powerful. This was the age of the prophet Elijah and +the great struggle between the worship of Jehovah and of Baal (1 Kings +18. 4-21). + +4.) _The House of Jehu_ (B. C. 884-772), five kings, under whom were +great changes of fortune. The reign of Jehoahaz saw Israel reduced to a +mere province of Syria (2 Kings 13. 1-9). His son Joash threw off the +Syrian yoke, and _his_ son, Jeroboam II., raised Israel almost to its +condition of empire in the days of Solomon (2 Kings 14. 23-29). His +reign is called "the Indian summer of Israel." + +5.) _The House of Menahem_ (B. C. 772-759), two reigns. Israel had by +this time fallen under the power of Assyria, now dominant over the East, +and its history is the story of kings rising and falling in rapid +succession, with long intervals of anarchy. From the fall of this +dynasty there was only the semblance of a state until the final +destruction of Samaria, B. C. 721. + +5. =Its foreign relations.= During the period of the Israelite kingdom +we see lands struggling for the dominion of the East. The history of +Israel is interwoven with that of Syria and Assyria, which may now be +read from the monuments. + +1.) There was a _Period of Division_ (B. C. 975-929). During the reign +of the houses of Jeroboam and Baasha there were constant wars between +Israel, Syria, and Judah; and as a result all were kept weak, and "a +balance of power" was maintained. + +2.) Then followed a _Period of Alliance_ (B. C. 929-884)--that is, +between Israel and Judah, during the sway of the House of Omri. The two +lands were in friendly relations, and the two thrones were connected by +marriages. As a result both Israel and Judah were strong, Moab and Edom +were kept under control, and Syria was held in check. + +3.) Next came the _Period of Syrian Ascendency_ (B. C. 884-840). During +the first two reigns of the House of Jehu Syria rose to great power +tinder Hazael, and overran both Israel and Judah. At one time Israel was +in danger of utter destruction, but was preserved. Near the close of +these periods the dying prophecy of Elisha was uttered (2 Kings 13. +14-25). + +4.) _The Period of Israelite Ascendency_ (B. C. 840-772). Israel under +Jeroboam II. took its turn of power, and for a brief period was again +dominant to the Euphrates, as in the days of Solomon. + +5.) _The Period of Assyrian Ascendency_ (B. C. 772-721). But its glory +soon faded away before that of Assyria, which was now rapidly becoming +the empire of the East. Its rise meant the fall of Israel; and under the +unfortunate Hoshea Samaria was taken, what was left of the ten tribes +were carried captive, and the kingdom of Israel was extinguished (2 +Kings 17. 1-6). + +IV. =THE FATE OF THE TEN TRIBES.= There has been much idle discussion +over this subject and some absurd claims set up; for example, that the +Anglo-Saxon race are descended from the ten lost tribes--a statement +opposed to all history, to ethnology, and to every evidence of language. + +1. After their deposition nearly all the Israelites, having lost their +national religion and having no bond of union, =mingled with the +Gentiles= around them and lost their identity, just as hundreds of other +races have done. The only bond which will keep a nation long alive is +that of religion. + +2. Some remained in Palestine, others returned thither and formed the +=nucleus of the Samaritan people=, a race of mingled origin (2 Kings 17. +24-29). + +3. Some of those who remained in the East retained their religion, or +were revived in it, and later became a part of the =Jews of the +dispersion=; though "the dispersion" was mainly Jewish, and not +Israelite. + +4. A few =families united with the Jews= returned with them to Palestine +after the exile, yet retained their tribal relationship; for example, +Anna (Luke 2. 36). + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Cau. Div.= 1. Opp. gov. 2. Opp. pro. 3. For. int. 4. Tri. jeal. + 5. Am. Jer. 6. Fol. Re. + + =II. Res. Div.= 1. Pol. res. 1.) Dis. emp. 2.) Riv. and weak. + 3.) For. dom. + 2. Rel. res. 1.) Pres. rel. 2.) Pro. rel. 3.) Conc. rel. + + =III. Kin. Isr.= 1. Ext. 9,375. + 2. Cap. 1.) Sh. 2.) Tir. 3.) Sam. + 3. Rel. 1.) Wor. cal. 2.) Wor. Ba. 3.) Wor. Jeh. + 4. Rul. 1.) Hou. Jer. 2.) Hou. Ra. 3.) Hou. Om. 4.) Hou. Je. + 5.) Hou. Men. + 5. For. Rel. 1.) Per. Div. 2.) Per. All. 3.) Per. Syr. Asc. + 4.) Per. Isr. Asc. 5.) Per. Ass. Asc. + + =IV. Fat. Ten. Tri.= 1. Min. Gen. 2. Sam. peo. 3. Disp. + 4. Jews. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + +What causes may be assigned for the division of Israel? How far was +Solomon's government responsible? What was the relation of the prophets +to the revolution? What foreign intrigues contributed to break up the +kingdom? Who were connected with these intrigues? What ancient jealousy +aided, and how? What man led in the breaking up of the kingdom? Whose +folly enabled the plot to succeed? + +What were the political results of the division? What were its religious +results? How was this event from the Lord? + +How long did the new kingdom of Israel last? What was its extent? What +were its three successive capitals? What three forms of religion were +found in it? Who was the first king of the ten tribes? What family +introduced foreign idolatry? How many kings ruled over the ten tribes? +What were the five royal houses? Which house raised Israel almost to its +ancient power? What is this period of prosperity called? Who was the +greatest King of Israel? With what other history is that of Israel +interwoven? What were the five periods in the foreign relations of +Israel? By what kingdom was Israel destroyed? Who was its last king? +What finally became of the ten tribes? + + +CHART OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL, + +From the DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM TO THE CAPTIVITY Together with the +Contemporaneous PROPHETS AND KINGS OF JUDAH + + + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + THE HISTORY AND TRAITS OF THE TRIBE OF EPHRAIM. + SHECHEM, AND EVENTS CONNECTED WITH IT. + THE RELIGION OF THE TEN TRIBES. + QUEEN JEZEBEL AND HER INFLUENCE. + THE MISSION OF ELIJAH. + ELISHA AND HIS INFLUENCE. + + + +CHART OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL, + + From the DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM TO THE CAPTIVITY + Together wiht the Contemporaneous PROPHETS AND KINGS OF JUDAH + + Years B.C. 975 970 960 950 940 930 920 910 900 + + DIVISION + OF + KINGDOM _Dynasty of Jeroboam_ + --- ·······················> _Dynasty of Baasha_ + Jeroboam I.[1] <······················> _Dynasty of Omri_ + ------------+ Nadab[1] <···························· + KINGS } ++ Baasha[1] Elah Zimri + OF } +-------------------------------+ Tibni + ISRAEL } +----- + Omri[1] + --- ------------+ Ahab[1] + +------------------- + + KINGS } Rehoboam[1] + OF } -----------------+ Abijam[1] + JUDAH } +-+ Asa[2] + +------------------------------------------+ Jehoshaphat[2] + +------------- + --- + Iddo + ------------- + Ahijah Azariah Elijah + Prophets -------------------- ---- Jehu ----------- + -------- + Shemaiah Hanani Elisha + --------------- ---- ----- + + + 900 890 880 870 860 850 840 830 820 810 + + + + + _Dynasty of Omri_ + ····················> + + + _Dynasty of Jehu_ + <········································································· + Ahab[1] + ---+ Ahaziah II.[1] + +-+ Jehoram I.[1] + ISRAEL +----------+ Jehu[2][1] + +----------------------------+ Jehoahaz I.[2] + +---------------+ Jehoash II.[1] + Jehosaphat[2] [3]-+-------------+ Jeroboam II.[1] + -----------+ Jehoiam II.[1] [3]--------+--------------- + JUDAH -------+---+ Ahaziah II.[1] + ++ Athaliah[1] + +-----+ Jehoash I.[2] + Elijah +----------------------------------------+ Amaziah[2][1] + ----- +--------------------------- + Micaiah Zechariah + ----- Elisha ------ + -------------------------------------------------------------- + Jehaziel Jonah + -------- ------------------------------------- + + ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + 810 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730 720 + + + + + + + + + _Dynasty of Jehu_ + ········································> + + + + + + + Jeroboam II.[1] Zachariah[1] + --------------------------- _Anarchy_ + Shallum + Menakeu[1] + +---------+ Pekahiah[1] + ISRAEL +-+ Pekah[1] Hoshea[1] _Captivity_ + +--------------------- -------- + Azariah or Uzziah[2] + ---------------------------------------------------- Jotham[2] + JUDAH ---------------+ Ahaz[1] + +---------------+ Hez.[2] + Hosea +------ + Joel ----------------------------------------------------------- + PROPHETS -------------------------------------- Isaiah + Amos ----------------------------------------------------------- + ---------- Micah + ----------------------------- + Oded + ----- + _Fish and See, N.Y._ + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Did evil in the sight of the Lord + +[2] Did right in the sight of the Lord + +[3] Viceroy with his father + + + + +EIGHTH STUDY. + +THE RIVAL THRONES--JUDAH. + + +I. =GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH.= + +1. =Its territory.= It embraced the mountain portion of the tribe of +Judah, from the Dead Sea to the Philistine plain; a part of Benjamin, in +which tribe the larger part of Jerusalem stood; and also a part of Dan +(2 Chron. 11. 10). Simeon was nominally within its border, but was +practically given up to the Arabians of the desert; Edom was tributary, +though often in rebellion, and finally independent (1 Kings 22. 47; 2 +Kings 8. 20); Philistia was outside of its boundary. Its extent was +about 3,435 square miles, about half the area of Massachusetts. + +[Illustration: JUDAH.] + +2. =Its government= was a monarchy, with but one family on the throne, +the line of David, in direct succession, with the exception of +Athaliah's usurpation (2 Kings 11. 1-3), through nineteen reigns. + +3. =Its religion.= Through all the history we find two forms of worship +strongly opposed to each other, yet both rooted in the nation. 1.) The +worship of Jehovah through the temple, the priesthood, and the prophets. +2.) But side by side with this pure religion was the worship of idols +upon "high places," probably begun as a form of worshiping Jehovah, but +degenerating into gross and immoral idolatry. There was a struggle going +on constantly between these two elements in the state, the spiritual and +the material. Notwithstanding the efforts of reforming kings like +Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah, the general tendency was downward. + +II. =THE DURATION OF THE KINGDOM.= The kingdom lasted from B. C. 975 to +587--more than one hundred and thirty years longer than Israel. Reasons +for its endurance may have been: + +1. =Its retired situation=: hemmed in by mountains and deserts; at a +distance from the ordinary lines of travel; not in the direct path of +conquest from any other nation. Judah had few foreign wars as compared +with Israel. + +2. =The unity of its people.= They were not ten tribes loosely +connected, but one tribe, with a passionate love of their nation and a +pride in their blood. + +3. =Its concentration at Jerusalem.= Through all its history there was +but one capital, where the palace of the king and the temple of the Lord +were standing together. + +4. =The reverence for the House of David= also kept the people together. +There was no change in dynasty, and the loyalty of the people grew +stronger through the generations toward the family on the throne. There +being no usurpers, the throne was permanent until destroyed by foreign +power. + +5. =The purity of its religion= tended to keep the nation united, and to +keep it in existence. No bond of self-interest or of blood will hold a +people together as strongly as the tie of religion. Judah's strength was +in the measure of her service of God, and when she renounced Jehovah her +doom came speedily. + +III. =PERIODS IN THE HISTORY.= Though Judah was not without political +contact with other nations, yet its history is the record of internal +events rather than external relations. We may divide its history into +four epochs: + +1. =The first decline and revival.= (B. C. 975-889.) 1.) The reigns of +Rehoboam and Abijah marked a decline indicated by the Egyptian invasion +and the growth of idolatry. 2.) The reign of Asa and Jehoshaphat showed +a revival in reformation, progress, and power. Under Jehoshaphat Judah +was at the height of prosperity. This was the time of peace with Israel, +and of strength at home and abroad (2 Chron. 17. 5; 20. 30). + +2. =The second decline and revival.= (B. C. 889-682.) 1.) For nearly two +hundred years after the death of Jehoshaphat the course of Judah was +downward. Edom was lost under Jehoram (2 Chron. 21. 8); the Baalite +idolatry was introduced by the usurping queen, Athaliah (2 Kings 11. +18); the land was again and again invaded under Joash and Amaziah, and +Jerusalem itself was taken and plundered. 2.) But a great reformation +was wrought under Hezekiah, who was the best and wisest of the kings of +Judah, and the kingdom again rose to power, even daring to throw off the +Assyrian yoke and defy the anger of the mightiest king then on the +earth. At this time came the great event of the destruction of the +Assyrian host (2 Kings 19. 30). + +3. =The third decline and revival.= (B. C. 682-610.) 1.) The reforms of +Hezekiah were short lived, for his son Manasseh was both the longest in +reigning and the wickedest of the kings, and his late repentance did not +stay the tide of corruption which he had let loose (2 Kings 21. 10-17; 2 +Chron. 33. 1-18). The wickedness of Manasseh's reign was the great +moral cause of the kingdom's destruction, for from it no reform +afterward could lift the mass of the people. 2.) Josiah, the young +reformer, attempted the task, but his efforts, though earnest, were only +measurably successful, and after his untimely death the kingdom hastened +to its fall (2 Kings 23. 29). + +4. =The final decline and fall.= (B. C. 610-587.) 1.) The political +cause of the destruction of the kingdom was the rise of Babylon. The old +Assyrian empire went down about 625 B. C., and a struggle followed +between Babylon and Egypt for the supremacy. Judah took the side of +Egypt, which proved to be the losing side. 2.) After several +chastisements and repeated rebellions Jerusalem was finally destroyed by +Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, and the kingdom of Judah was +extinguished, B. C. 587. + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Gen. Asp. Kin. Jud.= 1. Terr. Tri. Jud. 3,435 m. 2. Gov. mon. + 3. Rel. 1.) Jeh. 2.) Idol. + + =II. Dur. Kin.= 1. Ret. sit. 2. Un. peo. 3. Conc. Jer. 4. Rev. Ho. + Dav. 5. Pur. rel. + + =III. Per. Hist.= 1. Fir. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. Reho. Abi. 2.) Rev. + As. Jehosh. + 2. Sec. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. 200 y. 2.) Rev. Hez. + 3. Thi. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. Man. 2.) Rev. Jos. + 4. Fin. dec. fal. 1.) Ris. Bab. 2.) Des. Jer. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + + What was embraced in the kingdom of Judah? + What was its area? + How was it governed? + What was its religion? + What was associated with the worship of Jehovah? + What was the religious tendency of the people? + How long did the kingdom of Judah last? + What were the causes of this duration? + What were the periods in its history? + Under what kings was the first decline? + Who led in a revival and reformation? + Who was the greatest of the kings of Judah? + What took place during the second decline? + Who was the usurping queen? + What did this queen try to do? + Who wrought the second great reformation? + What was the character of this king? + What great destruction of Judah's enemies took place at this time? + Which reign was both longest, wickedest, and most evil in its results? + Who attempted a third reformation? + What was the result of his endeavor? + What was the political cause of the fall of Judah? + By what nation and by what king was Jerusalem finally destroyed? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + HISTORY OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH. + THE HOUSE OF DAVID. + THE RELIGION OF JUDAH. + THE PROPHETS OF JUDAH. + ANCIENT JERUSALEM. + THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH IN RELATION TO EGYPT AND ASSYRIA. + +[Illustration: SOLOMON'S DOMINIONS, THE KINGDOMS OF JUDAH & ISRAEL AND +THE LANDS of the CAPTIVITIES] + + + + +NINTH STUDY. + +THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH. + + +I. We must distinguish between the =CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL=, or the ten +tribes, and =THAT OF JUDAH=. + +1. The captivity of Israel took place B. C. 721, that of Judah B. C. +587. The southern kingdom lasted one hundred and thirty-four years +longer than the northern. + +2. Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians under Sargon; Judah by the +Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. + +3. Israel was taken to the lands south of the Caspian Sea (2 Kings 17. +6); Judah to Chaldea, by the river Euphrates (Psa. 137. 1). + +4. Israel never returned from its captivity, which was the end of its +history; but Judah was brought back from its captivity and again became +a flourishing state, though subject to foreign nations during most of +its after history. + +II. There were =THREE CAPTIVITIES= of Judah, all in one generation and +all under one Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar: + +1. =Jehoiakim's captivity.= (B. C. 607.) Jehoiakim was the son of +Josiah, placed upon the throne after the battle of Megiddo, in which +Josiah perished (2 Kings 23. 34). In the war between Pharaoh-nechoh of +Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar (then joint king of Babylon with his father +Nabopolassar) Jehoiakim, as a vassal of Nechoh, aided the Egyptians. +After the defeat of Nechoh, Nebuchadnezzar marched to punish Jehoiakim. +He was called away from the siege of Jerusalem by the death of his +father and the necessity of hastening to Babylon to assume the +government. Jehoiakim was spared, but a number of the nobles of Judah +were taken to Babylon, perhaps as hostages for the king's good conduct. +For three years Jehoiakim obeyed Nebuchadnezzar; then he rebelled, but +was speedily reduced to subjection, and many of the leading people +among the Jews were carried captive to Babylon (2 Kings 24. 1, 2). Among +these captives was Daniel the prophet (Dan. 1. 1-6). From this event the +_seventy years_ of the captivity were dated (Jer. 27. 22; 29. 10), +though the kingdom of Judah remained for twenty years longer. Jehoiakim, +the king, was not taken away, though bound in chains for that purpose (2 +Chron. 36. 6); he reigned several years after this event, but under +suspicion of the Chaldeans, and his end was ignoble (Jer. 22. 18, 19; +36. 30). + +2. =Jehoiachin's captivity.= (B. C. 598.) Jehoiachin was the son of +Jehoiakim (called Jeconiah, 1 Chron 3. 16; Jer. 24. 1; and Coniah, Jer. +22. 24). He reigned only three months, and was then deposed by +Nebuchadnezzar and carried to Babylon. With the young king and the royal +family were taken thousands of the people of the middle classes, whom +the land could ill spare (2 Kings 24. 8-16). Among these captives was +Ezekiel, the prophet-priest (Ezek. 1. 1-3). + +3. =Zedekiah's captivity.= (B. C. 587.) He was the uncle of Jehoiachin, +and the son of the good Josiah (2 Kings 24. 17), and had been made king +by Nebuchadnezzar. But he too rebelled against his master, to whom he +had taken a solemn oath of fidelity (2 Chron. 36. 13). The Chaldeans +were greatly incensed by these frequent insurrections, and determined +upon a final destruction of the rebellious city. After a long siege +Jerusalem was taken, and the king was captured while attempting flight. +He was blinded and carried away to Babylon, the city was destroyed, and +nearly all the people left alive were also taken to the land of Chaldea +(2 Kings 25. 1-11). After this captivity the city lay desolate for fifty +years, until the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus (B. C. 536). + +III. Let us ascertain the =CAUSES OF THE CAPTIVITY=; why the Jews were +taken up bodily from their own land and deported to a distant country. + +1. Such deportations were a frequent =policy of Oriental conquerors=. +The Orientals had three ways of dealing with a conquered people: that +of extermination or wholesale butchery, which is frequently described +upon the Assyrian monuments; that of leaving them in the land under +tribute, as subjects of the conqueror; and that of deporting them _en +masse_ to a distant land. Frequently, when the interests of the empire +would be served by changing the population of a province, this plan was +carried out. Thus the ten tribes were carried to a land near the Caspian +Sea, and other people were brought to Samaria in their place (2 Kings +17. 6, 24). A similar plan with respect to Judah was proposed by +Sennacherib (2 Kings 18. 31, 32), but was thwarted by the destruction of +the Assyrian host. + +2. We have already noticed another cause of the captivity in the +frequent =rebellions of the kings of Judah= against the authority of +Babylon. The old spirit of independence, which had made Judah the leader +of the twelve tribes, was still strong, and it was fostered by the hope +of universal rule, which had been predicted through centuries, even +while the kingdom was declining. The prophets, however, favored +submission to Babylon; but the nobles urged rebellion and independence. +Their policy was pursued, and the unequal strife was taken up more than +once. The rebellions always failed; but after several attempts the +patience of Nebuchadnezzar was exhausted, and the destruction of the +rebellious city and the deportation of the population was ordered. + +3. But underneath was another and a deeper cause--in =the rivalry of +Egypt and Babylon=. Whenever in history one nation has been dominant +there has been another nation, next in strength, as its rival to check +its supremacy. Thus Greece stood in the way of Persia, Carthage in the +way of republican Rome, and Parthia in the way of imperial Rome. In the +earlier days Assyria (and after Assyria Babylon) was the controlling +power in the East; but it was always opposed by Egypt, which, though +less powerful, was yet strong enough to be dangerous to Assyrian or +Chaldean supremacy. Palestine stood on the border of the Assyrian +Empire toward Egypt; and in Palestine there were two parties, the +Assyrian and the Egyptian; one counseling submission to Assyria, the +other seeking alliance with Egypt against Assyria (Isa. 31. 1-3; 37. 6). +After Babylon took the place of Nineveh the Chaldean party took the +place of the Assyrian, as the Chaldean Empire was the successor of the +Assyrian Empire. The prophets, led by Jeremiah, always counseled +submission to Babylon, and warned against trusting to Egypt, which had +never given any thing more than promises; but the nobles were of the +Egyptian party, and constantly influenced the kings to renounce the yoke +of Babylon, and to strike for independence by the aid of Egypt. Under +Egyptian influence the later kings of Judah made attempt after attempt +to rebel against the Chaldean Empire. But the expected help from Egypt +never came, and Judah was left again and again to suffer the wrath of +Babylon (Jer. 37. 5-9). The necessity of making the frontier of the +Chaldean Empire safe on the side toward Egypt was the political cause +for the deportation of the tribe of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar dared not to +leave a people on the soil who would constantly endanger the entrance to +his dominions by plotting with the Egyptians. He therefore took up the +Jews bodily, placed them in the center of his empire, and turned the +land of Judah into a desolation. + +4. There was underlying all these political reasons a moral cause in +=the divine purpose to discipline the nation=. The captivity was a +weeding-out process, to separate the precious from the vile, the false +from the true, the "remnant" from the mass. There had always been two +distinct elements in Israel and Judah--the spiritual, God-fearing few, +and the worldly, idol-worshiping many. The worldly and irreligious took +part in the resistance to the King of Babylon; and the worshipers of +Jehovah, led by the prophets, urged submission. As a result, the nobles +and the warriors, for the most part, perished; while the better part, +the strength and hope of the nation, were carried away captive. Notice +that the captives were mainly of the middle class, the working element +(2 Kings 24. 14-16). Those who had submitted to the Chaldeans were also +taken away (2 Kings 25. 11). The prophet expressed greater hope for +those taken away than for those left behind (Jer. 24. 1-10). The +captives were the root of Judah, out of which in due time a new nation +should rise. + +IV. =THE CONDITION OF THE CAPTIVES IN CHALDEA= was far better than we +are apt to suppose. + +1. They received =kind treatment=; were regarded not as slaves or +prisoners, but as colonists. At a later captivity by the Romans the Jews +were sold as slaves and dispersed throughout the empire. Such wholesale +enslavement was common after a conquest. For some reason the Chaldeans +did not enslave the Jews at the time of their conquest, but colonized +them as free people. This may have been because the captives as a class +were of the "Chaldean party" among the Jews, and hence were treated in a +measure as friends. The letter of Jeremiah to the exiles (Jer. 29. 1-7) +shows that they were kindly dealt with in Chaldea. Some of them were +received at the court and rose to high station in the realm (Dan. 1. +1-6). + +2. =Their organization was maintained.= The exiles were not merged into +the mass of the people where they were living, but retained their own +system, and were recognized as a separate colony. Their dethroned kings +had a semi-royal state, and at death an honorable burial (Jer. 52. +31-34; 34. 4, 5). The captives were governed by elders, rulers of their +own nation (Ezek. 8. 1; 14. 1; 20. 1). Such a system is still pursued in +the East, where the government is according to race as well as according +to locality; that is, the different races in one province will each have +separate rulers. There was a "prince of Judah" at the close of the +captivity (Ezra 1. 8). This fact of a national organization was a +fortunate one for the exiles. If they had been dispersed as slaves +throughout the empire, or even had been scattered as individuals, they +would soon have been merged among the Gentiles, and would have lost +their identity as a people. But maintaining as a separate race, and in +Jewish communities, they were readily gathered for a return to their own +land when the opportunity came. + +3. =Their law and worship were observed.= There were no sacrifices, for +these could be offered only at Jerusalem in the temple. But the people +gathered for worship and for the study of the law far more faithfully +than before the exile; for adversity is a school of religious character +far more than prosperity. The exile would naturally exert an influence +in the direction of religion. While the irreligious and idolatrous among +the captives would soon drop out of the nation and be lost among the +Gentiles, the earnest, the spiritual, and the God-fearing would grow +more intense in their devotion. The institutions which date from the +captivity (noticed below, under "Results of Captivity") are an evidence +of this fact. + +4. =They were instructed by prophets and teachers.= Jeremiah lived for +some time after the beginning of the captivity, made a visit to Babylon, +and wrote at least one letter to the exiles (Jer. 13. 4-7; 29. 1-3). +Daniel lived during the captivity, and, though in the court, maintained +a deep interest in his people, and comforted them by his prophecies. +Ezekiel was himself one of the captives, and all his teachings were +addressed to them (Ezek. 1. 1-3). Many evangelical and eminent Bible +scholars are of the opinion that the latter part of Isaiah, from the +fortieth chapter to the end, was given by a "later Isaiah" during the +exile; but whether written at that time or earlier, it must have +circulated among the captives and given them new hope and inspiration. +The radical change in the character of the Jews which took place during +this period shows that a great revival swept over the captive people and +brought them back to the earnest religion of their noblest ancestors. + +5. =Their literature was preserved and enlarged.= Internal evidence +shows that the Books of the Kings were finished and the Books of the +Chronicles written at this time or soon afterward; the Books of Daniel, +Ezekiel, Habakkuk, and other of the minor prophets were given; and a +number of the best psalms were composed during this epoch, as such poems +are likely to be written in periods of trial and sorrow. Out of the many +psalms we cite Psalms 124, 126, 129, 130, 137, as manifestly written +during the captivity. The exile was an age of life and vigor to Hebrew +literature. + +V. =THE RESULTS OF THE CAPTIVITY.= In the year 536 B. C. the city of +Babylon was taken by Cyrus, King of the combined Medes and Persians. One +of his first acts was to issue an edict permitting the exiled Jews to +return to their own country and rebuild their city. Not all the Jews +availed themselves of the privilege, for many were already rooted in +their new homes, where they had been for two generations. But a large +number returned (Ezra 2. 64), and re-established the city and state of +the Jews. The captivity, however, left its impress upon the people down +to the end of their national history, and even to the present time. + +1. =There was a change in language=, from Hebrew to Aramaic or Chaldaic. +The books of the Old Testament written after the restoration are in a +different language from the earlier writings. After the captivity the +Jews needed an interpreter in order to understand their own earlier +Scriptures. Allusion to this fact is given in Neh. 8. 7. The Chaldee of +Babylon and the Hebrew were sufficiently alike to cause the people +during two generations to glide imperceptibly from one to the other, +until the knowledge of their ancient tongue was lost to all but the +scholars. + +2. =There was a change in habits.= Before the captivity the Jews were a +secluded people, having scarcely any relation with the world. The +captivity brought them into contact with other nations, and greatly +modified their manner of living. Hitherto they had been mostly farmers, +living on their own fields; now they became merchants and traders, and +filled the world with their commerce. Rarely now do we find a Jew who +cultivates the ground for his support. They are in the cities, buying +and selling. This tendency began with the Babylonian captivity, and has +since been strengthened by the varied experiences, especially by the +persecutions of the Jews during the centuries. + +3. =There was a change in character.= This was the most radical of all. +Before the captivity the crying sin of Judah, as well as of Israel, was +its tendency to idolatry. Every prophet had warned against it and +rebuked it; reformers had risen up; kings had endeavored to extirpate, +but all in vain; the worshipers of God were the few, the worshipers of +idols were the many. After the captivity there was a wonderful +transformation. From that time we never read of a Jew bowing his knee +before an idol. The entire nation was a unit in the service of Jehovah. +Among all the warnings of the later prophets, and the reforms of Ezra +and Nehemiah, there is no allusion to idolatry. That crime was utterly +and forever eradicated; from the captivity until to-day the Jews have +been the people of the one, invisible God, and intense in their hatred +of idols. We may not know all the causes of this change, but some of +them were: 1.) The fact that the idolatrous element largely perished, +and the spiritual element formed the bulk of the captives. 2.) The +idol-worshipers among the captives would naturally be less loyal to the +national ideas, and would more readily assimilate with the heathen; +while the religious among the exiles would grow all the more devoted to +their religion as their only hope in trial. 3.) The most ardent lovers +of their country and their religion would be the most eager to return +after the exile; hence, the new state was founded by zealous Jews, who +gave it religious spirit. So in modern times the spirit of the Pilgrims +and the Puritans gave tone to New England, and through New England to +America. + +4. =There were new institutions= as the result of the captivity. Two +great institutions arose during the captivity: + +1.) The _synagogue_, which grew up among the exiles, was carried back to +Palestine, and was established throughout the Jewish world. This was a +meeting of Jews for worship, for reading the law, and for religious +instruction. It had far greater influence than the temple after the +captivity; for while there was but one temple in all the Jewish world, +there was a synagogue in every city and village where Jews lived; and +while the temple was the seat of a priestly and ritualistic service, the +synagogue promoted freedom of religious thought and utterance. Out of +the synagogue, far more than the temple, grew the Christian Church. + +2.) _The order of scribes_ was also a result of the captivity. The days +of direct inspiration through prophets were passing away, and those of +the written Scripture, with a class of men to study and interpret it, +came in their place. During the captivity the devout Jews studied the +books of their literature, the law, the psalms, the histories, and the +prophets. After the captivity arose a series of scholars who were the +expounders of the Scriptures. Their founder was Ezra, at once a priest, +a scribe, and a prophet (Ezra 7. 1-10), who arranged the books and in a +measure completed the canon of Old Testament Scripture. + +5. =There was a new hope, that of a Messiah.= From the time of the +captivity the Jewish people looked forward with eager expectation to the +coming of a Deliverer, the Consolation of Israel, the "Anointed One" +(the word Messiah means "anointed"), who should lift up his people from +the dust, exalt the throne of David, and establish an empire over all +the nations. This had been promised by prophets for centuries before the +exile, but only then did it begin to shine as the great hope of the +people. It grew brighter with each generation, and finally appeared in +the coming of Jesus Christ, the King of Israel. + +6. From the captivity there =were two parts of the Jewish people=; the +Jews of Palestine, and the Jews of the dispersion. 1.) The Jews of +Palestine, sometimes called Hebrews (Acts 6. 1), were the lesser in +number, who lived in their own land and maintained the Jewish state. 2.) +The Jews of the dispersion were the descendants of those who did not +return after the decree of Cyrus (Ezra 1. 1), but remained in foreign +lands and gradually formed Jewish "quarters" in all the cities of the +ancient world. They were the larger in number, and later were called +"Grecian Jews," or Hellenists, from the language which they used (Acts +6. 1). Between these two bodies there was a close relation. The Jews of +the dispersion had synagogues in every city (Acts 15. 1), were devoted +to the law, made constant pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and were recognized +as having one hope with the Jews of Palestine. The traits of the two +bodies were different, but each contributed its own element toward the +making of a great people. + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Cap. Isr. Jud.= 1. Isr. 721. Jud. 587. 2. Ass. Sar.--Chal. Neb. + 3. Cas. Sea.--Riv. Eup. 4. Nev. ret.--Bro. b. + + =II. Thr. Cap. Jud.= 1. Jeh. cap. 607. 2. Jehn. cap. 598. 3. Zed. + cap. 587. + + =III. Caus. Cap.= 1. Pol. Or. conq. 2. Reb. kgs. Jud. 3. Riv. Eg. + Bab. 4. Div. pur. dis. + + =IV. Con. Cap.= 1. Kin. tre. 2. Org. main. 3. La. wor. obs. 4. Ins. + pro. tea. 5. Lit. pre. enl. + + =V. Res. Cap.= 1. Ch. lan. 2. Ch. hab. 3. Ch. char. 4. Ne. ins. + (syn. scr.) 5. Hop. Mess. 6. Two. par. peo. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + + From what earlier captivity must that of Judah be distinguished? + What were the dates of these two captivities? + By whom was each nation taken captive? + Where was each nation carried captive? + What followed the captivity in each nation? + What were the three captivities of Judah? + What were the events of the first captivity of Judah? + Who were carried away at this time? + What date is connected with this captivity? + What were the events of the second captivity of Judah? + Who were then taken away? + What were the events of the third captivity? + How long was Jerusalem left in ruins? + By whom, and when, were the Jews permitted to return from captivity? + What causes may be assigned for the carrying away of the Jews? + What were the customs of ancient Oriental conquerors? + How did the conduct of the kings of Judah bring on the captivity? + What rivalry between nations was a cause of the captivity? + What were the two parties in the kingdom of Judah? + How was the carrying away of the Jews a political necessity? + What was the moral cause of the captivity? + How were the captive Jews treated? + What evidences show that their national organization was continued + during the captivity? + Why was this fact a fortunate one for the exiles? + What customs of the Jews were observed during the captivity? + What instructors did the Jews have during this period? + What was the condition of Jewish literature during the captivity? + What events followed the decree of Cyrus? + Did all the exiles of the Jews return? + What change in language was wrought by the captivity? + What change in habits followed the captivity? + What great change in religion came as the result of the captivity? + How can that change be accounted for? + What two institutions arose during the captivity? + What new hope arose at this time? + How were the Jews divided after the captivity? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + THE GREAT ORIENTAL EMPIRES. + THE CITY OF BABYLON. + THE PROPHETS OF THE CAPTIVITY. + THE PSALMS OF THE CAPTIVITY. + THE REIGN OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. + THE FALL OF BABYLON. + + + + +TENTH STUDY. + +The Jewish Province. + + +From the return of the exiles, B. C. 536, to the final destruction of +the Jewish state by the Romans, A. D. 70, the history of the chosen +people is closely interwoven with that of the East in general. During +most of this time Judea was a subject province, belonging to the great +empires which rose and fell in succession. For a brief but brilliant +period it was an independent state, with its own rulers. As most of this +period comes between the Old and New Testaments its events are less +familiar to Bible readers than the other portions of Israelite history. +We therefore give more space than usual to the facts, only selecting the +most important, and omitting all that have no direct relation with the +development of the divine plan in the Jewish people. + +I. The history divides itself into =FOUR PERIODS=, as follows: + +1. =The Persian period=, B. C. 536 to 330, from Cyrus to Alexander, +while the Jewish province was a part of the Persian Empire. Very few +events of these two centuries have been recorded, but it appears to have +been a period of quiet prosperity and growth. The Jews were governed by +their high-priests under the general control of the Persian government. +The principal events of this period were: + +1.) _The second temple._ (B. C. 535-515.) This was begun soon after the +return from exile (Ezra 3. 1, 2, 8), but was not completed until +twenty-one years afterward (Ezra 6. 15, 16). It was smaller and less +splendid than that of Solomon, but was built upon the same plan. + +2.) _Queen Esther's deliverance._ (B. C. 474.) This took place, not in +Judea, but in Shushan (Susa), the capital of the Persian Empire. The +king referred to as Ahasuerus was probably Xerxes, and the events of +Esther's elevation and intercession took place after the defeat of his +invasion of Greece. The whole story is in accord with both Persian +customs and the character of Xerxes. + +3.) _Ezra's reformation._ (B. C. 450.) The coming to Jerusalem of Ezra +the scribe was a great event in Israelite history; for, aided by +Nehemiah, he led in a great reformation of the people. He found them +neglecting their law and following foreign customs. He awakened an +enthusiasm for the Mosaic law, aroused the patriotism of the people, and +renewed the ancient faith. His work gave him the title of "the second +founder of Israel." + +4.) _The separation of the Samaritans._ (B. C. 409.) For the origin of +the Samaritans, see 2 Kings 17. 22-34. They were a mingled people, both +in race and religion; but until the captivity were permitted to worship +in the temple at Jerusalem. After the return from Babylon the Samaritans +and the Jews grew further and further apart. The Samaritans opposed the +rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4. 9-24), and delayed it for many years; +and a century later strove to prevent Nehemiah from building the wall of +Jerusalem (Neh. 4. 2). Finally they established a rival temple on Mount +Gerizim, and thenceforth the two races were in bitter enmity (John 4. +9). + +5.) _The completion of the Old Testament canon._ The prophets after the +restoration were Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi; but the author of most +of the latest books was Ezra, who also arranged the Old Testament +nearly, perhaps fully, in its present form. Thenceforward no more books +were added, and the scribe or interpreter took the place of the prophet. + +[Illustration: ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE.] + +2. =The Greek period.= (B. C. 330-166.) In the year 330 B. C. Alexander +the Great won the empire of Persia in the great battle of Arbela, by +which the sovereignty of the East was transferred from Asia to Europe, +and a new chapter in the history of the world was opened. Alexander died +at the hour when his conquests were completed, and before they could be +organized and assimilated; but the kingdoms into which his empire was +divided were all under Greek kings, and were all Greek in language and +civilization. Judea was on the border between Syria and Egypt, and +belonged alternately to each kingdom. We divide this period into three +subdivisions. + +1.) _The reign of Alexander._ (B. C. 330-321.) The Jews had been well +treated by the Persian kings and remained faithful to Darius, the last +King of Persia, in his useless struggle. Alexander marched against +Jerusalem, determined to visit upon it heavy punishment for its +opposition, but (according to tradition) was met by Jaddua, the +high-priest, and turned from an enemy to a friend of the Jews. + +2.) _The Egyptian supremacy._ (B. C. 311-198.) In the division of +Alexander's conquests Judea was annexed to Syria, but it soon fell into +the hands of Egypt, and was governed by the Ptolemies (Greek kings of +Egypt) until 198 B. C. The only important events of this period were the +rule of Simon the Just, an exceptionally able high-priest, about 300 B. +C., and the translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language for +the use of the Jews of Alexandria, who had lost the use of Hebrew or +Chaldee. This translation was made about 286 B. C., according to Jewish +tradition, and is known as the Septuagint version. It was regarded as an +act of sacrilege by the Palestinian Jews to translate their Holy +Scriptures into the language of heathens, and for centuries the +anniversary of the completion of the Septuagint was observed as a day of +humiliation and prayer. + +3.) _The Syrian supremacy._ (B. C. 198-166.) About the year 198 B. C. +Judea fell into the hands of the Syrian kingdom, also ruled by a Greek +dynasty, the Seleucidæ, or descendants of Seleucus. This change of +rulers brought to the Jews a change of treatment. Hitherto they had been +permitted to live undisturbed upon their mountains, and to enjoy a +measure of liberty, both in civil and ecclesiastical matters. But now +the Syrian kings not only robbed them of their freedom, but also +undertook to compel them to renounce their religion by one of the most +cruel persecutions in all history. The temple was desecrated and left to +ruin, and the worshipers of Jehovah were tortured and slain, in the vain +endeavor to introduce the Greek and Syrian forms of idolatry among the +Jews. Heb. 11, 33-40, is supposed to refer to this persecution. When +Antiochus, the Syrian king, found that the Jews could not be driven from +their faith, he deliberately determined to exterminate the whole nation. +Uncounted thousands of Jews were slaughtered, other thousands were sold +as slaves, Jerusalem was well nigh destroyed, the temple was dedicated +to Jupiter Olympius, and the orgies of the Bacchanalia were substituted +for the Feast of Tabernacles. The religion of Jehovah and the race of +the Jews seemed on the verge of utter annihilation in their own land. + +3. =The Maccabean period.= (B. C. 166-40.) But the darkest hour precedes +the day; the cruelties of the Syrians caused a new and splendid epoch to +rise upon Israel. + +1.) _The revolt of Mattathias._ In the year 170 B. C. an aged priest, +Mattathias, unfurled the banner of independence from the Syrian yoke. He +did not at first aim for political freedom, but religious liberty; but +after winning a few victories over the Syrian armies he began to dream +of a free Jewish state. He died in the beginning of the war, but was +succeeded by his greater son, Judas Maccabeus.[L] + +2.) _Judas Maccabeus_ gained a greater success than had been dreamed at +the beginning of the revolt. Within four years the Jews recaptured +Jerusalem and reconsecrated the temple. (The anniversary of this event +was ever after celebrated in the Feast of Dedication, John 10. 22.) +Judas ranks in history as one of the noblest of the Jewish heroes, and +deserves a place beside Joshua, Gideon, and Samuel as a liberator and +reformer. + +3.) _The Maccabean dynasty._ Judas refused the title of king, but his +family established a line of rulers who by degrees assumed a royal +state, and finally the royal title. In the year 143 B. C. Jewish liberty +was formally recognized, and the Maccabean princes ruled for a time over +an independent state. Between 130 and 110 B. C. Edom, Samaria, and +Galilee were added to Judea. The latter province had been known as +"Galilee of the Gentiles" (Isa. 9. 1); but by degrees the foreigners +withdrew, and the province was occupied by Jews who were as devoted and +loyal as those of Jerusalem. + +[Illustration: ROMAN EMPIRE] + +4.) _The rise of the sects._ About B. C. 100 the two sects, or schools +of thought, the Pharisees and Sadducees, began to appear, though their +principles had long been working. The Pharisees ("separatists") sought +for absolute separation from the Gentile world and a strict construction +of the law of Moses, while the Sadducees ("moralists") were liberal in +their their theories and in their lives. + +4. =The Roman period.= (B. C. 40-A. D. 70.) It is not easy to name a +date for the beginning of the Roman supremacy in Palestine. It began in +B. C. 63, when Pompey the Great (afterward the antagonist of Julius +Cæsar) was asked to intervene between two claimants for the Jewish +throne, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus. Pompey decided for Hyrcanus, and aided +him by a Roman army. In his interest he besieged and took Jerusalem, and +then placed Hyrcanus in power, but without the title of king. From this +time the Romans were practically, though not nominally, in control of +affairs. + +1.) _Herod the Great._ We assign as the date of the Roman rule 40 B. C., +when Herod (son of Antipater, an Edomite, who had been the general of +Hyrcanus) received the title of king from the Roman Senate. From this +time Palestine was regarded as a part of the Roman Empire. Herod was the +ablest man of his age, and one of the most unscrupulous. He ruled over +all Palestine, Idumea (ancient Edom), and the lands south of Damascus. + +[Illustration: PALESTINE IN THE TIME OF CHRIST] + +2.) _Herod's temple._ Herod was thoroughly hated by the Jews, less for +his character than for his foreign birth. To gain their favor he began +rebuilding the temple upon a magnificent scale. It was not completed +until long after his death, which took place at Jericho about the time +when Jesus Christ, the true King of the Jews, was born (Matt. 2. 1, 2). + +3.) _The tetrarchies._ By Herod's will his dominions were divided into +four tetrarchies ("quarter-rulings," a title for a fourth part of a +kingdom). Three of these were in Palestine--Archelaus receiving Judea, +Idumea, and Samaria; Antipas (the Herod of Luke 4. 19, 20; 23. 7-11) +receiving Galilee and Perea; and Philip (Luke 3. 1) having the district +of Bashan. About A. D. 6 Archelaus was deposed, and a Roman, Coponius, +was appointed the first Procurator of Judea, which was made a part of +the prefecture of Syria. The rest of Jewish annals belongs properly to +the New Testament history. + +II. Through these periods we notice the gradual =PREPARATION FOR THE +GOSPEL=, which was steadily advancing. + +1. =There was a political preparation.= Six centuries before Christ the +world around the Mediterranean was divided into states, whose normal +condition was war. At no time was peace prevalent over all the world at +once. If Christ had come at that time it would have been impossible to +establish the Gospel except through war and conquest. But kingdoms were +absorbed into empires, empires rose and fell by turns, each with a +larger conception of the nation than its predecessor. From the crude +combination of undigested states in the Assyrian Empire to the orderly, +assimilated, systematic condition of the Roman world was a great +advance. Christ appeared at the only point in the world's history when +the great nations of the world were under one government, with a system +of roads such that a traveler could pass from Mesopotamia to Spain and +could sail the Mediterranean Sea in perfect safety. + +2. =There was a preparation of language.= The conquests of Alexander, +though accomplished in ten years, left a deeper impress upon the world +than any other two centuries of history. They gave to the whole of that +world one language, the noblest tongue ever spoken by human lips, "a +language fit for the gods," as men said. Through Alexander Greek cities +were founded every-where in the East, Greek kingdoms were established, +the Greek literature and the Greek civilization covered all the lands. +That was the language in which Paul preached the Gospel, and in which +the New Testament was written--the only language of the ancient world in +which the thoughts of the Gospel could be readily expressed. While each +land had its own tongue, the Greek tongue was common in all lands. + +3. While these preparations were going on there was another in progress +at the same time, =the preparation of a race=. We might point to the +history of the Israelites from the migration of Abraham as a training; +but we refer now to their special preparation for their mission after +the restoration, B. C. 536. There was a divine purpose in the division +of Judaism into two streams; one a little fountain in Palestine, the +other a river dispersed over all the lands. Each branch had its part in +the divine plan. One was to concentrate its energies upon the divine +religion, to study the sacred books, to maintain a chosen people, whose +bigotry, narrowness, and intolerance kept them from destruction; the +other branch was out in the world, where every Jewish synagogue in a +heathen city kept alive the knowledge of God, and disseminated that +knowledge, drawing around it the thoughtful, spiritual minds who were +looking for something better than heathenism. Palestine gave the Gospel, +but the Jews of the dispersion carried it to the Gentiles, and each +synagogue in the foreign world became the nucleus of a Christian Church, +where for the first time Jew and Gentile met as equals. + +4. Finally, there was the =preparation of a religion=. The Gospel of +Christ was not a new religion; it was the new development of an old +religion. As we study the Old Testament we see that each epoch stands +upon a higher religious plane. There is an enlargement of spiritual +vision between Abraham and Moses; between Moses and David; between David +and Isaiah; between Isaiah and John the Baptist. Pharisee and Sadducee +each held a share of the truth which embraced the best thought of both +sects. The work of many scribes prepared the way for the coming of the +Lord, and just when revelation was brought up to the highest level, when +a race was trained to apprehend and proclaim it, when a language had +been created and diffused to express it, when the world was united in +one great brotherhood of states, ready to receive it--then, in the +fullness of times, the Christ was manifested, who is over all, God +blessed forever. + + +Blackboard Outline. + + =I. Four Per.= 1. Per. per. 1.) Sec. tem. 2.) Q. Es. del. 3.) Ez. + ref. 4.) Sep. Sam. 5.) Com. O. T. can. + 2. Gk. per. 1.) Rei. Alex. 2.) Eg. sup. 3.) Syr. sup. + 3. Macc. per. 1.) Rev. Mat. 2.) Jud. Macc. 3.) Macc. dyn. 4.) Ri. + sec. + 4. Rom. per. 1.) Her. Cr. 2.) Her. tem. 3.) Tetr. + + =II. Prep. Gosp.= 1. Pol. prep. 2. Prep. lan. 3. Prep. rac. 4. Prep. + rel. + + +QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW. + + With what history is that of the Jews interwoven during this period? + What was the political condition of the Jews at this time? + What are the four periods of this history? + Who were the rulers of the Jews during the first period? + What building was erected after the return from captivity? + What great deliverance was effected by a woman? + What great reforms were effected by a scribe? + What title has been given to him? + What were the events connected with the separation of the Samaritans? + Who were the prophets of the restoration? + By whom was the Old Testament canon arranged? + What brought on the Greek period? + What events of Jewish history were connected with Alexander the Great? + Under what people did the Jews fall afterward? + What were the events of the Egyptian rule? + What is the Septuagint? + How was its translation regarded by the Jews of Palestine? + In what kingdom, after Egypt, did Judea fall? + How was it governed by its new masters? + Who instituted a great persecution? + What was the effect of this persecution? + Who led the Jews in revolt? + What great hero arose at this time? + What line of rulers arose in his family? + What was the growth of the Jewish state at this time? + What sects of the Jews arose? + How did Judea fall under the Roman power? + Whom did the Romans establish as king? + What were his dominions? + What building did he erect? + How was his kingdom divided after his death? + What finally became of Judea? + + +Subjects for Special Papers. + + CYRUS THE EMANCIPATOR. + THE CONQUESTS OF ALEXANDER. + JUDAS MACCABEUS. + THE JEWISH SECTS. + HEROD THE GREAT. + THE JEWS OF THE DISPERSION. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[L] The origin of this title is obscure. Some regard it as meaning "the +hammer," like a similar name in the Middle Ages, Charles Martel. Others +say that it was a part of the Hebrew inscription on the banner of Judas, +"Micamo Ka Baalim Jehovah," "Who is like unto thee among the gods, O +Jehovah?" Still others that it was made up as a sort of charm from the +last letters of the words Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. The Maccabean princes +were also called Asmoneans. + + + + + THE + Ten Minute Series OF + Supplemental Lessons + --FOR-- + The Sunday School, + --BY-- + LORANUS E. HITCHCOCK. + +[Illustration: T]HE necessity of some instruction in the Bible, in order +to supply the deficiencies which are unavoidable to any system of +uniform lessons, is realized in every Sunday school. The International +Lessons can only give detached portions of Scripture, and a supplemental +lesson must be added to impart a general knowledge of the book as a +whole. + +The full course of study includes five series of lessons, adapted to be +used in any denomination. + +[Illustration] + + =I. The Life of Jesus.= + =II. Studies about the Bible.= + =III. Bible Geography.= + =IV. Bible History.= + =V. History of the Christian Church.= + +Two additional series of special interest to the Methodist Episcopal +Church have been prepared, namely: + + =VI. History of the Methodist Episcopal Church.= + =VII. 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Guided Through the Land. No. 5. In the City. No. 6. Young +Travelers by the Sea-side. No. 7. Footsteps in the Holy Land. + + _Each, 2 cents. The seven numbers for 10 cents._ + + +YOUNG FOLKS' WALKS AND TALKS WITH JESUS. + +BY MRS. M. G. KENNEDY. + +1. Introductory, the Bible. 2. The Child and the Man. 3. The Chosen +Twelve. 4. The Spreading Gospel Light. 5. Teaching by Parables. 6. A +Little Talk with Jesus. 7. The Last Week. 8. Resurrection and Ascension. + + _Each, 2 cents. The eight numbers for 10 cents._ + + + NEW YORK: HUNT & EATON. + CINCINNATI: CRANSTON & CURTS. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Obvious punctuation errors have been repaired. + +The table of contents did not exactly match the numeration of the pages. +It stated that the Preface began on page 5 when in actuality it began on +page 7. The Chronological Table was shown to be on page 9 but that is +the middle of the preface. It is actually located on page 6. In the HTML +version, the links will take the reader to the actual place indexed +instead of the page written. + +The rest of the table of contents appears accurate. + +The first four lessons have the questions for review in a list format. +Beginning with lesson five this changes to paragraphs. + +Text uses both post-paid and postpaid. + +Page 46, "hinderances" changed to "hindrances" (spite of their +hindrances) + +Page 51, repeated word "of" deleted. Original read (by the authority of +of God) + +Page 77, "seige" changed to "siege" (from the siege of Jerusalem) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Studies in Old Testament History, by +Jesse L. 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