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diff --git a/39014.txt b/39014.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..368e439 --- /dev/null +++ b/39014.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5177 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Outline Studies in the Old Testament for +Bible Teachers, by Jesse Lyman 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: Outline Studies in the Old Testament for Bible Teachers + +Author: Jesse Lyman Hurlbut + +Release Date: February 29, 2012 [EBook #39014] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUTLINE STUDIES IN OLD TESTAMENT *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Mark C. Orton and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic +text is surrounded by _underscores_. + + +OUTLINE STUDIES + +IN + +THE OLD TESTAMENT + +FOR + +BIBLE TEACHERS + +By + +JESSE L. HURLBUT, D.D. + +[Illustration] + + NEW YORK: EATON & MAINS + CINCINNATI: JENNINGS & GRAHAM + + + + + Copyright, 1905, by + EATON & MAINS + + + + +PREFATORY + + +THIS book has been prepared at the request of the New York State Sunday +School Association, through its Normal Committee. The desire was +expressed for a teacher-training course to include two years in the +Bible: one year upon subjects contained in the Old Testament, taking the +historical point of view, and presenting with the history the lands and +the Israelite people, their institutions of worship; and a second year +upon the New Testament, following the same plan. + +Those who have studied "Revised Normal Lessons" and "Studies in Old +Testament History" will find most of these "Outline Studies" familiar; +for it has not been my purpose, as it was not the desire of the +committee, to furnish a series of new lessons, but to have the subjects +of Old Testament study brought together in one volume. Each subject, +however, has been studied anew, and the results of recent knowledge, +especially in the chronology, have been incorporated in this revision. +At the request of the committee new lessons on "The Old Testament as +Literature" and "How We Got Our Bible" have been added. + +It is my earnest desire that through these studies the Bible may be +better understood and more thoroughly taught by the Sunday school +teachers of our land. + + JESSE L. HURLBUT. + + South Orange, New Jersey, + September, 1905. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + PREFATORY 3 + I. THE OLD TESTAMENT WORLD 7 + II. OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY 12 + III. THE BEGINNINGS OF BIBLE HISTORY 21 + IV. THE WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS 26 + V. INSTITUTIONS OF ISRAELITE WORSHIP 33 + VI. THE LAND OF PALESTINE 41 + VII. THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN 46 + VIII. THE AGE OF THE HEROES 51 + IX. THE RISE OF THE ISRAELITE EMPIRE 57 + X. THE REIGN OF SOLOMON 63 + XI. THE TEMPLE ON MOUNT MORIAH 69 + XII. THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL 75 + XIII. THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 81 + XIV. THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH 84 + XV. THE JEWISH PROVINCE 92 + XVI. THE OLD TESTAMENT AS LITERATURE 99 + XVII. HOW WE GOT OUR BIBLE 104 + + + + +Outline Studies in the Old Testament + + + + +FIRST STUDY + +The Old Testament World + + +The Bible is primarily a book of history, and without some knowledge of +its historical contents no one can rightly understand its revelation of +divine truth. But in order to know the history contained in the Old +Testament we must obtain a view of the lands in which that history was +wrought. We therefore study first of all the =Old Testament World=. + +I. =Location and Extent.= The history of the Old Testament was enacted +upon a field less than half the area of the United States. It extended +from the river Nile to the lands east of the Per'sian Gulf and from the +northern part of the Red Sea to the southern part of the Cas'pi-an. The +world of Old Testament history was thus 1,400 miles long from east to +west and 900 miles wide from north to south, and it aggregated 1,110,000 +square miles, exclusive of large bodies of water. + +II. Let us begin the construction of the map by drawing upon its borders +=Six Seas=, four of which are named in the Old Testament. + +1. The =Cas'pi-an Sea=, of which only the southern portion appears in +the northeastern corner of our map. + +2. The =Per'sian Gulf=, south of the Cas'pi-an, on the southeast. + +3. The =Red Sea=, on the southwest (Exod. 15. 4; Num. 33. 10; 1 Kings 9. +26). + +4. The =Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an Sea=, on the central west. Note its names in +Josh. 1. 4 and Deut. 34. 2. + +5. The =Dead Sea=, north of the eastern arm of the Red Sea (Gen. 14. 3; +Deut. 4. 49; Joel 2. 20; Ezek. 47. 18). + +6. =Lake Chin'ne-reth= (ch pronounced as k), the name in the Old +Testament for the Sea of Gal'i-lee (Num. 34. 11; Josh. 13. 27). + +III. Next we indicate the =Mountain Ranges=, most of which, though +important as boundaries, are not named in the Bible. + +1. We find the nucleus of the mountain system in =Mount Ar'a-rat=, a +range in the central north (Gen. 8. 4). From this great range three +great rivers rise and four mountain chains branch forth. + +2. The =Cas'pi-an Range= extends from Ar'a-rat eastward around the +southern shore of the Cas'pi-an Sea. + +[Illustration: MAP OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WORLD.] + +3. The =Za'gros Range= extends from Ar'a-rat southeasterly to the +Per'sian Gulf, which it follows on the eastern border. + +4. The =Leb'a-non Range= extends from Ar'a-rat in a southwesterly +direction toward the Red Sea. Mount Her'mon, the mountain region of +Pal'es-tine, Mount Se'ir, on the south of the Dead Sea, and even Mount +Si'nai, all belong to this chain (Deut. 3. 25; Josh. 13. 5; 1 Kings 5. +6). + +5. The =Tau'rus Range=, from Ar'a-rat westward, following the northern +shore of the Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an. + +IV. The =Rivers=, for the most part, follow the lines of the mountain +ranges. + +1. The =A-rax'es=, from Ar'a-rat eastward into the Cas'pi-an Sea, may be +taken as the northern boundary of the Old Testament world. + +2. The =Ti'gris=, called in the Bible _Hid'de-kel_, flows from Ar'a-rat, +on the southwestern slope of the Za'gros mountains, in a southeasterly +direction into the Per'sian Gulf (Gen. 2. 14; Dan. 10. 4). + +3. The =Eu-phra'tes=, the great river of the Bible world, rises on the +northern slope of Ar'a-rat, flows westward to the Tau'rus, then +southward, following Leb'a-non, then southeasterly through the great +plain, and finally unites with the Ti'gris (Gen. 2. 14; 15. 18; Josh. 1. +4; 24. 2). + +4. The =Jor'dan= flows between two parallel chains of the Leb'a-non +range southward into the Dead Sea (Gen. 13. 10; Num. 22. 1; Judg. 8. 4). + +5. The =Nile=, in Af'ri-ca, flows northward into the Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an +Sea (Gen. 41. 1; Exod. 2. 2). + +V. The Old Testament world has three =Natural Divisions=, somewhat +analogous to those of the United States. + +1. The =Eastern Slope=, from the Za'gros mountains eastward to the great +desert. + +2. The =Central Plain=, between the Za'gros and Leb'a-non mountains, the +larger portion a desert. + +3. The =Western Slope=, between Leb'a-non and the Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an +Sea. + +VI. We arrange the =Lands= according to the natural divisions, giving +locations, and not boundaries, as these changed in every age. + +1. On the eastern slope lie: + + 1.) =Ar-me'ni-a= (Rev. Ver., "Ar'a-rat"), between + Mount Ar'a-rat and the Cas'pi-an Sea (2 Kings 19. 37). + + 2.) =Me'di-a=, south of the Cas'pi-an Sea (2 Kings 17. + 6; Isa. 21. 2). + + 3.) =Per'sia=, south of Me'di-a and north of the + Per'sian Gulf (Ezra 1. 1; Dan. 5. 28). + +2. In the central plain we find: + + (_a_) Between Mount Za'gros and the river Ti'gris: + + 4.) =As-syr'i-a=, on the north (2 Kings 15. 19; 17. 3). + + 5.) =E'lam=, on the south (Gen. 10. 22; 14. 1). + + (_b_) Between the rivers Ti'gris and Eu-phra'tes: + + 6.) =Mes-o-po-ta'mi-a=, on the north (Gen. 24. 10; + Deut. 23. 4). + + 7.) =Chal-de'a=, on the south (Jer. 51. 24; Ezra 5. + 12). + + (_c_) Between the river Eu-phra'tes and the Leb'a-non + range: + + 8.) The great desert of =A-ra'bi-a= (2 Chron. 17. 11; + 26. 7). + +3. On the western slope we find: + + 9.) =Syr'i-a=, extending from the Eu-phra'tes to + Pal'es-tine (2 Sam. 8. 6; 1 Kings 22. 1). + + 10.) =Phoe-ni'cia=, a narrow strip between Mount + Leb'a-non and the sea, north of Pal'es-tine. + + 11.) =Pal'es-tine=, "the Holy Land," south of Syr'i-a + and north of the Si-na-it'ic wilderness. Note its + ancient name in Gen. 12. 5. + + 12.) The =Wilderness=, a desert south of Pal'es-tine, + between the two arms of the Red Sea (Exod. 13. 18; + Deut. 1. 19). + + 13.) =E'gypt=, on the northeast corner of Af'ri-ca + (Gen. 12. 10; 37. 28). + +VII. In these lands out of many =Places= we name and locate only the +most important. + + 1. =E'den=, the original home of the human race, + probably at the junction of the Ti'gris and + Eu-phra'tes (Gen. 2. 8). + + 2. =Shu'shan=, or Su'sa, the capital of the Per'sian + empire, in the province of E'lam (Esth. 1. 2). + + 3. =Bab'y-lon=, the capital of Chal-de'a, on the + Eu-phra'tes (Gen. 10. 10; 2 Kings 25. 1). + + 4. =Nin'e-veh=, the capital of As-syr'i-a, on the + Ti'gris (Gen. 10. 11; Jonah 3. 3). + + 5. =Ha'ran=, a home of A'bra-ham, in Mes-o-po-ta'mi-a + (Gen. 11. 31). + + 6. =Da-mas'cus=, the capital of Syr'i-a, in the + southern part of that province (Gen. 15. 2). + + 7. =Tyre=, the commercial metropolis of Phoe-ni'cia + (Ezek. 27. 3). + + 8. =Je-ru'sa-lem=, the capital of Pal'es-tine (Judg. + 1. 8). + + 9. =Mem'phis=, the early capital of E'gypt, on the + Nile (Hos. 9. 6). + +Other names of places might be given indefinitely, but it is desirable +not to require the student to burden his memory with lists of names, and +therefore the most important only are given. + + +Hints to the Teacher + + Have a good blackboard for the map drawing, and see + that each scholar is supplied with a tablet or pad of + paper. + + 1. Let the teacher first draw on the board in presence + of the class the boundaries of the _Seas_, and require + the class to draw them also on tablet or pad, holding + the pad so that its longest side will be from right to + left. Inspect each pupil's design, and see that it is + fairly correct, but do not seek for finished drawing. + A rough sketch is all that should be desired. + + 2. Next draw the lines representing _Mountain Ranges_, + and require the class to do the same. Review the names + of the Seas, and also of the Mountain Ranges. + + 3. Place on the board the lines representing the + _Rivers_, and let the pupils do the same, and review + Seas, Mountains, and Rivers. + + 4. Show the three Natural Divisions; indicate on the + map the _Lands_ in the order given, and let the pupils + do the same. See that the pupils know the name and + location of each Land, and review Seas, Mountains, + Rivers, and Lands. + + 5. Indicate on the blackboard the _Places_ named in + the lesson, and have the pupils also locate and name + them. Review Seas, Mountains, Rivers, Lands, and + Places. + + 6. Let the pupils redraw the map at home from copy, + and at the next session of the class call upon five + pupils to go in turn to the board--the first to draw + the Seas, and then receive criticism from the class, + the second the Mountains, the third the Rivers, the + fourth the Lands, and the fifth the Places. + + 7. If another review could be given it would be an + excellent plan to call for the reading of the Bible + references in the lesson, and require a student to + name and locate on the blackboard the Sea or Mountain + or River or Land or Place named in the reference. It + will abundantly reward the teacher to occupy three or + four sessions of the class on this map and its + reviews. + + 8. Let the pupils read all the facts of the lesson + from the hints given in the following Blackboard + Outline and answer all the Review Questions. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Loc. Ex.= N.--P. G. R. S.--Cas. 1,400. 900. 1,110,000. + II. =Se.= Cas. Per. G. R. S. Med. S. D. S. L. Ch. + III. =Mtn. Ran.= Ar. Cas. Zag. Leb. Tau. + IV. =Riv.= Ar. Tig. Eup. Jor. Ni. + V. =Nat. Div.= Ea. Sl. Cen. Pl. Wes. Sl. + VI. =La.= 1. Ar. Me. Per. 2. Ass. El. Mes. Chal. Ar. 3. Syr. + Phoe. Pal. Wil. Eg. + VII. =Pla.= Ed. Sh. Bab. Nin. Har. Dam. Ty. Jer. Mem. + + +Review Questions + + How large was the Old Testament world? Between what + bodies of water was it located? What were its + dimensions? Name its six important bodies of water. + Locate each of these bodies of water. Name and + describe its mountain ranges. Name and locate its five + important rivers. State and describe its three natural + divisions. Name and locate the lands of the eastern + slope. Name and locate the lands of the central plain. + Name and locate the lands of the western slope. Name + its nine important places. Locate each of the nine + places. + + + + +SECOND STUDY + +Old Testament History + + +The divine revelation which the Bible contains is given in the form of a +history. God revealed his plan of saving men not in a system of +doctrine, but in the record of his dealings with the world at large, and +especially with one people. To understand this revelation it is +necessary for us to view the great stream of history contained in the +Bible. Our study on this subject will include the principal events from +the creation of man, at a date unknown, to the birth of Christ.[1] + + +PART ONE + +We begin by dividing the entire field of time to the opening of the New +Testament into five periods. Each of these we write at the head of a +column. (See the Blackboard Outline.) + + I. The Period of the Human Race. + II. The Period of the Chosen Family. + III. The Period of the Is'ra-el-ite People. + IV. The Period of the Is'ra-el-ite Kingdom. + V. The Period of the Jew'ish Province. + +I. We find in the opening of the Bible that the =Human Race= is the +subject of the history. This theme extends through the first eleven +chapters of Genesis, which narrate the history of much more than half of +the time included in the Bible. During this long period no one tribe or +nation or family is selected; but the story of all mankind is related by +the historian. + +1. This period begins with the =Creation of Man= (not the creation of +the _world_), at some unknown time which scholars have not been able to +fix; and it ends with the =Call of A'bra-ham=, also at a date uncertain, +though given with some doubt at about B. C. 2280. With this event Bible +history properly begins. + +2. Through this period it would appear that God dealt with each person +_directly_, without mediation or organized institutions. We read of +neither priest nor ruler, but we find God speaking individually with +men. (See Gen. 3. 9; 4. 6; 5. 22; 6. 13; and let the class find other +instances.) We call this, therefore, the period of =Direct +Administration=. + +3. All the events of this period may be connected with three epochs: + + 1.) =The Fall= (Gen. 3. 6), which brought sin into the + world (Rom. 5. 12), and resulted in universal + wickedness (Gen. 6. 5). + + 2.) =The Deluge= (Gen. 7. 11, 12). By this destruction + the entire population of the world, probably confined + to the Eu-phra'tes valley, was swept away (Gen. 7. + 23), and opportunity was given for a new race under + better conditions (Gen. 9. 18, 19). + + 3.) =The Dispersion= (Gen. 10. 25). Hitherto the race + had massed itself in one region, and hence the + righteous families were overwhelmed by their evil + surroundings. But after the deluge an instinct of + migration took possession of families, and soon the + whole earth was overspread. + +4. In this period we call attention to three of its most important +=Persons=: + + 1.) =Ad'am=, the first man (Gen. 5. 1, 2). His + creation, fall, and history are briefly narrated. + + 2.) =E'noch=, who walked with God (Gen. 5. 24), and + was translated without dying. + + 3.) =No'ah=, the builder of the ark (Gen. 6. 9), and + the father of a new race. + + +Hints to the Teacher + + Let the teacher place the outline of the period on the + blackboard, point by point, as the lesson proceeds, + and let the class do the same on paper or in + notebooks. Let every Scripture text be read in the + class by a student, and let its bearing be shown. Call + upon members of the class to give more complete + account of the events and the persons named, and for + this purpose let the first eleven chapters of Genesis + be assigned in advance as a reading lesson. + + +Blackboard Outline + + +---------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+ + |I. Per. Hu. Ra.|II. Per. |III. Per. |IV. Per. |V. Per. | + | | Ch. Fam.| Is. Peo.| Is. Kin.| Je. Prov.| + +---------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+ + | C. M. | | | | | + | C. A. | | | | | + +---------------+ | | | | + | Dir. Adm. | | | | | + +---------------+ | | | | + | Fa. | | | | | + | Del. | | | | | + | Dis. | | | | | + +---------------+ | | | | + | A. E. N. | | | | | + +---------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+ + + +Review Questions + + What is the central theme of the Bible? How is this + theme presented in the Bible? Why should we study the + history in the Bible? What are the five periods of Old + Testament history? What is the subject of the history + during the first period? With what events does the + first period begin and end? What is said concerning + the dates of early events? What kind of divine + government in relation to men is shown in the first + period? Into what epochs is the first period + subdivided? What results followed the first man's + falling into sin? Where was the population of the + world confined up to the time of the flood? How did + the flood become a benefit to the world? What new + instinct came to the human family after the flood? + Name three important persons in the first period? + State a fact for which each of these three men is + celebrated. + + +PART TWO + +II. A new chapter in Bible history opens at Gen. 12. 1. Here we find one +family of the race is selected and made the subject of the divine +revelation. This was not because God loved one family more than others, +but because the world's salvation was to be wrought through that family +(Gen. 12. 2, 3). Hence we call this the =Period of the Chosen Family=. + +1. This period extends from the =Call of A'bra-ham= (Gen. 12. 1), B. C. +2280?, to the =Exodus from E'gypt=, B. C. 1270?. + +2. In this period we notice the recognition of _the family_. God deals +with each family or clan through its head, who is at once the priest and +the ruler (Gen. 17. 7; 18. 19; 35. 2). We call this period, therefore, +that of the =Patriarchal Administration=. + +3. We subdivide this period into three epochs: + + 1.) =The Journeyings of the Patriarchs= (Gen. 12. 5; + 13. 17, 18; 20. 1, etc.). As yet the chosen family + had no dwelling place, but lived in tents, moving + throughout the land of promise. + + 2.) =The Sojourn in E'gypt.= In the lifetime of the + patriarch Ja'cob, but at a date unknown, the + Is'ra-el-ite family went down to E'gypt, not for a + permanent home, but a "sojourn," which lasted, + however, many centuries (Gen. 46. 5-7; 50. 24). + + 3.) =The Oppression of the Is'ra-el-ites.= Toward the + close of the sojourn the Is'ra-el-ite family, now + grown into a multitude (Exod. 1. 7), endured cruel + bondage from the E-gyp'tians (Exod. 1.13, 14). This + was overruled to promote God's design, and led to + their departure from E'gypt, which is known as "the + exodus," or going out. + +4. From the names of men in this period we select the following: + + 1.) =A'bra-ham=, the friend of God (James 2. 23). + + 2.) =Ja'cob=, the prince of God (Gen. 32. 28). + + 3.) =Jo'seph=, the preserver of his people (Gen. 45. 5). + + +Blackboard Outline + + +------------+------------+-------------+------------+-------------+ + |I. Per. Hu. |II. Per. |III. Per. |IV. Per. |V. Per. | + | Ra. | Ch. Fam.| Is. Peo. | Is. Kin.| Je. Prov.| + +------------+------------+-------------+------------+-------------+ + | C. M. | C. A. | | | | + | C. A. | E. E. | | | | + +------------+------------+ | | | + | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | | | | + +------------+------------+ | | | + | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | | | | + | Del. | Soj. Eg. | | | | + | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | | | | + +------------+------------+ | | | + | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | | | | + +------------+------------+-------------+------------+-------------+ + + +Review Questions + + What is the name of the second period? Why is it so + named? With what events does the second period begin + and end? What kind of divine administration do we + notice in the second period? Into what three epochs is + the second period divided? What were the beneficial + results of the bondage in E'gypt upon the + Is'ra-el-ites? Name three persons of the second + period? For what fact or trait is each of these three + persons distinguished? + + +PART THREE + +III. When the Is'ra-el-ites went out of E'gypt a nation was born, and +the family became a state, with all the institutions of government. +Therefore we call this the =Period of the Is'ra-el-ite People=. + +1. It opens with the =Exodus from E'gypt=, B. C. 1270? (Exod. 12. +40-42), and closes with the =Coronation of Saul=, B. C. 1050?. + +2. During this period the government of the Is'ra-el-ites was peculiar. +The Lord was their only King (Judg. 8. 23), but there was a priestly +order for religious service (Exod. 28. 1), and from time to time men +were raised up by a divine appointment to rule, who were called judges +(Judg. 2. 16). This constituted the =Theocratic Administration=, or a +government by God. + +3. We subdivide this period as follows: + + 1.) =The Wandering in the Wilderness.= This was a part + of God's plan, and trained the Is'ra-el-ites for the + conquest of their land (Exod. 13. 17, 18). It lasted + for forty years (Deut. 8. 2). + + 2.) =The Conquest of Ca'naan=, which immediately + followed the crossing of the Jordan (Josh. 3. 14-17). + The war was vigorously carried on for a few years, but + the land was only seemingly conquered, for the native + races remained upon the soil, and in some places were + dominant until the time of Da'vid. + + 3.) =The Rule of the Judges.= From the death of + Josh'u-a, B. C. 1200?, the people were directed by + fifteen judges, not always in direct succession. + +4. This period has been justly called "the Age of the Heroes"; and from +many great men we choose the following: + + 1.) =Mo'ses=, the founder of the nation (Deut. 34. + 10-12). + + 2.) =Josh'u-a=, the conqueror of Ca'naan (Josh. 11. + 23). + + 3.) =Gid'e-on=, the greatest of the judges (Judg. 8. + 28). + + 4.) =Sam'u-el=, the last of the judges (1 Sam. 12. 1, + 2). + + +Blackboard Outline + + +---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ + |I. Per. Hu. Ra.|II. Per. |III. Per. |IV. Per. |V. Per. | + | | Ch. Fam.| Is. Peo.| Is. Kin.| Je. Prov.| + +---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ + | C. M. | C. A. | E. E. | | | + | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | | | + +---------------+------------+------------+ | | + | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | The. Adm. | | | + +---------------+------------+------------+ | | + | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | Wan. Wil. | | | + | Del. | Soj. Eg. | Con. Can. | | | + | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | Ru. Jud. | | | + +---------------+------------+------------+ | | + | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | M. J. G. S.| | | + +---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ + + +Review Questions + + What is the third period of Bible history called? With + what events did it begin and end? How was Is'ra-el + governed during this period? What are its + subdivisions? How many judges governed the + Is'ra-el-ites after Josh'u-a? Name four important + persons of the third period. State for what each of + these persons was distinguished. + + +PART FOUR + +IV. With the reign of the first king a new period opens. We now study +the history of the =Is'ra-el-ite Kingdom=. The kingdom was divided after +the reign of three kings, but even after the division it was regarded as +one kingdom, though in two parts. + +1. This period extends from the =Coronation of Saul=, B. C. 1050? (1 +Sam. 11. 15), to the =Captivity of Bab'y-lon=, B. C. 587. + +2. During this period the chosen people were ruled by kings; hence this +is named the =Regal Administration=. The king of Is'ra-el was not a +despot, however, for his power was limited, and he was regarded as the +executive of a theocratic government (1 Sam. 10. 25). + +3. This period is divided into three epochs, as follows: + + 1.) =The Age of Unity=, under three kings, Saul, + Da'vid, and Sol'o-mon, each reigning about forty + years. In Da'vid's reign, about B. C. 1,000, the + kingdom became an empire, ruling all the lands from + E'gypt to the Eu-phra'tes. + + 2.) =The Age of Division.= The division of the kingdom + took place B. C. 934, when two rival principalities, + Is'ra-el and Ju'dah, succeeded the united empire, and + all the conquests of Da'vid were lost (1 Kings 12. 16, + 17). The kingdom of Is'ra-el was governed by nineteen + kings, and ended with the fall of Sa-ma'ria, B. C. + 721, when the Ten Tribes were carried into captivity + in As-syr'i-a (2 Kings 17. 6) and became extinct. + + 3.) =The Age of Decay.= After the fall of Is'ra-el, + Ju'dah remained as a kingdom for one hundred and + thirty-four years, though in a declining condition. It + was ruled by twenty kings, and was finally conquered + by the Chal-de'ans. The Jews were carried captive to + Bab'y-lon in B. C. 587 (2 Chron. 36. 16-20). + +4. The following may be regarded as the representative =Persons= of his +period, one from each epoch: + + 1.) =Da'vid=, the great king (2 Sam. 23. 1), and the + true founder of the kingdom. + + 2.) =E-li'jah=, the great prophet (1 Kings 18. 36). + + 3.) =Hez-e-ki'ah=, the good king (2 Kings 18. 1-6). + + +Blackboard Outline + + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+------------+ + |I. Per. Hu. |II. Per. Ch. |III. Per. Is. |IV. Per. Is. |V. Per. Je. | + | Ra. | Fam. | Peo. | Kin. | Prov. | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+------------+ + | C. M. | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | | + | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | C. B. | | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+ | + | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | The. Adm. | Reg. Adm. | | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+ | + | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | Wan. Wil. | Ag. Un. | | + | Del. | Soj. Eg. | Con. Can. | Ag. Div. | | + | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | Ru. Jud. | Ag. Dec. | | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+ | + | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | M. J. G. S. | D. E. H. | | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+------------+ + + +Review Questions + + What is the fourth period called? With what events did + it begin and end? What were the dates of these two + events? How were the people governed during this + period? What were the three subdivisions of this + period? Under whom did the kingdom become an empire? + What was the extent of its empire? When did the + division of the kingdom take place? What was the + result of the division? How many were the kings of the + Ten Tribes? With what event, and at what date, did the + kingdom of Is'ra-el end? How long did Ju'dah last + after the fall of Is'ra-el? How many kings reigned in + Ju'dah? By what people was Ju'dah conquered? To what + city were the Jews carried captive? Name three + representative persons of the period of the kingdom. + + +PART FIVE + +V. In the closing period of Old Testament history we find the tribe of +Ju'dah alone remaining, and during most of the time under foreign rule; +so we name this the =Period of the Jew'ish Province=. + +1. It extends from the beginning of the =Captivity at Bab'y-lon=, B. C. +587, to the =Birth of Christ=, B. C. 4.[2] + +2. During this period Ju-de'a was a subject land, except for a brief +epoch. This may be called, therefore, the =Foreign Administration=, as +the rule was through the great empires in succession. + +3. This period may be subdivided into five epochs. For the first and a +part of the second we have the Old Testament as our source of history; +all the rest fall in the four centuries of silence between the Old and +the New Testament. + + 1.) =The Chal-de'an Supremacy.= Fifty years from the + captivity, B. C. 587, to the conquest of Bab'y-lon by + Cy'rus, B. C. 536, by which the Chal-de'an empire was + ended, and the Jews were permitted to return to their + land (Ezra 1. 1-3). + + 2.) =The Per'sian Supremacy.= About two hundred years + from the fall of Bab'y-lon, B. C. 536, to the battle + of Ar-be'la, B. C. 330, by which Al-ex-an'der the + Great won the Per'sian empire. During this epoch the + Jews were permitted to govern themselves under the + general control of the Per'sian kings. + + 3.) =The Greek Supremacy.= Al-ex-an'der's empire + lasted only ten years, but was succeeded by Greek + kingdoms, under whose rule the Jews lived in + Pal'es-tine for about one hundred and sixty years. + + 4.) =The Mac-ca-be'an Independence.= About B. C. 168 + the tyranny of the Greek king of Syr'i-a drove the + Jews to revolt. Two years later they won their liberty + under Ju'das Mac-ca-be'us, and were ruled by a line of + princes called As-mo-ne'ans, or Mac-ca-be'ans, for one + hundred and twenty-six years. + + 5.) =The Ro'man Supremacy.= This came gradually, but + began officially in the year B. C. 40, when Her'od the + Great received the title of king from the Ro'man + senate. Thenceforth the Jew'ish province was reckoned + a part of the Ro'man empire. + +4. In each epoch of this period we select one important =Person=. + + 1.) In the Chal-de'an supremacy, =Dan'iel=, the + prophet and prince (Dan. 2. 48; 5. 12). + + 2.) In the Per'sian supremacy, =Ez'ra= the scribe, the + framer of the Scripture canon and the reformer of the + Jews (Ezra 7. 6, 10). + + 3.) In the Greek supremacy, =Si'mon the Just=, a + distinguished high priest and ruler. + + 4.) In the Mac-ca-be'an independence, =Ju'das + Mac-ca-be'us=, the liberator of his people. + + 5.) In the Ro'man supremacy, =Her'od the Great=, the + ablest but most unscrupulous statesman of his age. + This Ro'man supremacy lasted until A. D. 70, when + Je-ru'sa-lem was destroyed by Ti'tus, and the Jew'ish + state was extinguished by the emperor of Rome. + + +Blackboard Outline + + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ + |I. Per. Hu. |II. Per. Ch. |III. Per. Is. |IV. Per. Is. |V. Per. Je. | + | Ra. | Fam. | Peo. | Kin. | Prov. | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ + | C. M. | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | C. B. | + | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | C. B. | Bi. Ch. | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ + | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | The. Adm. | Reg. Adm. | For. Adm. | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ + | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | Wan. Wil. | Ag. Un. | Ch. Sup. | + | Del. | Soj. Eg. | Con. Can. | Ag. Div. | Per. Sup. | + | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | Ru. Jud. | Ag. Dec. | Gk. Sup. | + | | | | | Mac. Ind. | + | | | | | Rom. Sup. | + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ + | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | M. J. G. S. | D. E. H. |D. E. S. J. H.| + +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ + + +Review Questions + + What is the closing period of Old Testament history + called? With what events and dates did it begin and + end? How were the Jews governed during most of this + time? Name its five epochs. Under whom did the Jews + obtain independence? Name one person in each epoch of + the fifth period, and for what he is distinguished. + + + + +THIRD STUDY + +The Beginnings of Bible History + + +Having taken a general view of Bible history from the creation to the +coming of Christ, we now turn again to the record for a more careful +study of each epoch. The aim will be not to give a mere catalogue of +facts, but as far as possible to show the relation of cause and effect, +and to unfold the development of the divine purpose which is manifested +through all the history in the Bible. + +I. We begin with the =Deluge= as the starting point of history. Back of +that event there may be studied biography, but not history; for history +deals less with individuals than with nations, and we know of no nations +before the flood. With regard to the deluge we note: + +1. The _fact_ of a deluge is stated in Scripture (Gen. 7), and attested +by the traditions of nearly all nations. + +2. 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. + +3. 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 Eu-phra'tes +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. + +4. 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.= 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 may have been not sudden, but gradual (Gen. +11. 2, 7). + +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 Eng'lish, Greeks, Ro'mans, Medes, and Hin'dus--races +now widely dispersed--once slept under the same roof. At an early period +streams of migration poured forth from the highlands of A'sia in every +direction and to great distances. + +III. =The Rise of the Empires.= In the Bible world four 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 nations, the rise and fall, constitute the matter of ancient +Oriental history, which is closely connected with that of the Bible. +These four centers were: 1. _E'gypt_, in the Nile valley, founded not +far from B. C. 5000, and in the early Bible history having its capital +at Mem'phis. 2. _Bab-y-lo'ni-a_, called also Shi'nar and Chal-de'a, on +the plain between the Ti'gris and Eu-phra'tes Rivers, near the Per'sian +Gulf, where a kingdom arose about B. C. 4500; of which Ba'bel or +Bab'y-lon was the greatest, though not the earliest, capital. 3. +_As-syr'i-a_, of which the capital was Nin'e-veh (Gen. 10. 11). 4. +_Phoe-ni'cia_, on the Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an seacoast, north of Pal'es-tine, +having Si'don for its earlier and Tyre for its later capital, and +holding its empire not on the land, but on the sea, as its people were +sailors and merchants. + +IV. =The Migration of A'bra-ham=, B. C. 2280?. No other journey in +history has the _importance_ of that transfer of the little clan of +A'bra-ham from the plain of Bab-y-lo'ni-a to the mountains of +Pal'es-tine 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 Ac-ca'di-an dynasty that had become dominant in Chal-de'a. 3. But +the deepest _motive_ was _religious_, a purpose to escape from the +idolatrous influences of Chal-de'a, 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 A'bra-ham set forth on his journey (Gen. 12. +1-3). + +V. =The Journeys of the Patriarchs.= For two centuries the little clan +of A'bra-ham's family lived in Pal'es-tine 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 most of the time in the southern part of the country, west of +the Dead Sea; and their relations with the Am'o-rites, Ca'naan-ites, and +Phi-lis'tines on the soil were generally friendly. + +[Illustration] + +VI. =The Sojourn in E'gypt.= After three generations the branch of +A'bra-ham's family belonging to his grandson Ja'cob, or Is'ra-el, +removed to E'gypt (Deut. 26. 5), where they remained more than four +hundred years. This stay in E'gypt is always called "the sojourn." The +event which led directly to the descent into E'gypt was the selling of +Jo'seph (Gen. 37. 28). But we can trace a providential purpose in the +transfer. Its objects were: + +1. _Preservation._ The frequent famines in Pal'es-tine (Gen. 12. 10; 26. +1; 42. 1-3) showed that as shepherds the Is'ra-el-ites could not be +supported in the land. On the fertile soil of E'gypt, with three crops +each year, they would find food in abundance. + +2. _Growth._ At the end of the stay in Ca'naan the Is'ra-el-ites counted +only seventy souls (Gen. 46. 27); but at the close of the sojourn in +E'gypt they had increased to nearly two millions (Exod. 12. 37; Num. 1. +45, 46). The hot climate and cheap food of E'gypt have always caused an +abundant population. In E'gypt, Is'ra-el grew from a family to a nation. + +3. _Isolation._ There was great danger to the morals and religion of the +Is'ra-el-ites in the land of Ca'naan. A'bra-ham had sent to his own +relatives at Ha'ran for a wife for I'saac (Gen. 24. 3, 4) in order to +keep both the race and the faith pure. One of I'saac's sons married +Ca'naan-ite wives, and as a result his descendants, the E'dom-ites, lost +the faith and became idolaters (Gen. 26. 34, 35). Ja'cob sought his +wives among his own relatives (Gen. 28. 1, 2). We note a dangerous +tendency in Ja'cob's family to ally themselves with the Ca'naan-ites +(Gen. 34. 8-10; 38. 1, 2). If they had stayed in Ca'naan the chosen +family would have become lost among the heathen. But in E'gypt 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 Is'ra-el should dwell apart from other nations (Num. 23. 9). + +4. _Civilization._ The E-gyp'tians were in advance of other nations of +that age in intelligence, in the organization of society, and in +government. Though the Is'ra-el-ites 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 Is'ra-el-ites were +transformed from shepherds and herdsmen to tillers of the soil--a higher +manner of living. + + +Hints to the Teacher + + 1. Let the map of the Old Testament world be drawn by + a pupil on the blackboard, and let all the lands and + places referred to in this lesson be noted upon it. + Indicate on this map the regions of the deluge, the + four empires, the journey of A'bra-ham, and the route + of the Is'ra-el-ites to E'gypt. + + 2. Let the references be read and their connection + with the lesson be shown by the students. + + 3. Place on the board (and in the scholar's notebook) + the outline of the lesson, and let additional details + from the book of Genesis be given. + + 4. See that each pupil can read the Blackboard Outline + and answer the Review Questions given below. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Del.= 1. Fac. Scrip. trad. 2. Cau. wick. rac. 3. Ext. 4. Pur. + 1.) Des. ev. 2.) New ep. + II. =Disp. Rac.= 1. Inst. mig. 2. Evid. 1.) Bib. 2.) Trad. 3.) 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. + + +Review Questions + + At what point does history begin? Name the six great + events in early Bible history? How is the fact of a + deluge attested? 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 four great centers + of national life in the Oriental world? 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 A'bra-ham's descendants + remain in Pal'es-tine? In what part of the country did + they live? What were their relations with the native + peoples in Pal'es-tine? What is meant by "the + sojourn"? What was its immediate cause? What four + providential results came to Is'ra-el through this + sojourn? How long was the time of the sojourn? How + were the Is'ra-el-ites protected from corruption + through this sojourn? What was the effect of the + sojourn upon their civilization? + + + + +FOURTH STUDY + +The Wandering in the Wilderness + + +PART ONE + +I. =Preliminary Events.= As preparatory to the wilderness stage in the +history of Is'ra-el certain events and processes are to be noted. + +1. =The Oppression of the Is'ra-el-ites= (Exod. I. 8-13). If the +Is'ra-el-ites had been prosperous and happy in E'gypt they would have +remained there, and the destiny of the chosen people would have been +forgotten. Therefore, when E'gypt had given to Is'ra-el all that it +could the wrath of man was made to praise God; and by suffering the +Is'ra-el-ites 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). The Pha'raoh of the oppression +is generally identified with Ram'e-ses II, who was reigning about B. C. +1320. + +2. =The Training of Mo'ses.= Therein was another element of preparation. +No common man could have wrought the great work of liberation, of +legislation, and of training which Is'ra-el needed. + +3. =The Ten Plagues.= But if it was needful to make the Is'ra-el-ites +willing to depart it was also needful to make the E-gyp'tian king and +his people willing to let them depart; and this was accomplished by the +plagues which fell upon E'gypt, showing Is'ra-el as under God's peculiar +care and the gods of E'gypt powerless to protect their people. + +4. =The Passover= (Exod. 12. 21-28). This service represented three +ideas: 1.) It was the springtide festival. 2.) It commemorated the +sudden departure from E'gypt, 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). + +5. =The Exodus= (Exod. 12. 40, 41). The word means "going out." This was +the birthday of a nation, the hour when the Is'ra-el-ites rose from +being merely a mass of men to become a people. The date of the exodus +is uncertain, but the best scholars have concluded that it took place in +the reign of the King Me-neph'thah (or Me-re-neph'thah), who may have +reigned about B. C. 1270. + +[Illustration: JOURNEYS OF THE ISRAELITES] + +II. In order to follow the journeys of the Is'ra-el-ites we must draw a +map of the =Wilderness of the Wandering=. + +1. Draw the coast lines, and note =three Seas=. 1.) The "great sea," or +_Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an_ (Josh. 1. 4). 2.) The _Red Sea_ (Exod. 13. 18), +(Gulfs of Su-ez' and Ak'a-ba). 3.) The _Dead Sea_. + +2. Draw the mountain ranges, and note =five Deserts=. 1.) The _Desert of +Shur_ (Exod. 15. 22), between Go'shen and Ca'naan. 2.) The _Desert of +Pa'ran_, in the center of the Si-na-it'ic 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'tham_ (Num. 33. 8), on the shore of +the Gulf of Su-ez'. 4.) The _Desert of Sin_, near Mount Si'nai (Exod. +16. 1). 5.) The _Desert of Zin_, the desolate valley between the Gulf of +Ak'a-ba and the Dead Sea, now called the Ar'a-bah (Num. 13. 21). + +3. Locate also the =five Lands= of this region. 1.) _Go'shen_, the land +of the sojourn (Exod. 9. 26). 2.) _Mid'i-an_, the land of Mo'ses' +shepherd life (Exod. 2. 15), on both sides of the Gulf of Ak'a-ba. 3.) +_E'dom_, the land of E'sau's descendants, south of the Dead Sea (Num. +21. 4). 4.) _Mo'ab_, the land of Lot's descendants, east of the Dead Sea +(Num. 21. 13). 5.) _Ca'naan_, the land of promise (Gen. 12. 7). + +4. Fix also the location of =three Mountains=. 1.) _Mount Si'nai_, where +the law was given (Exod. 19. 20). 2.) _Mount Hor_,[3] where Aar'on died +(Num. 20. 23-28). 3.) _Mount Ne'bo_ (Pis'gah), where Mo'ses died (Deut. +34. 1). + +5. Notice also =seven Places=, some of which are clearly, others not so +definitely, identified. 1.) _Ram'e-ses_, the starting point of the +Is'ra-el-ites (Exod. 12. 37). 2.) _Ba'al-ze'phon_, the place of crossing +the Red Sea (Exod. 14. 2). 3.) _Ma'rah_, where the bitter waters were +sweetened (Exod. 15. 22-25). 4.) _E'lim_, the place of rest (Exod. 15. +27). 5.) _Reph'i-dim_, the place of the first battle, near Mount Si'nai +(Exod. 17. 8-16). 6.) _Ka'desh-bar'ne-a_, whence the spies were sent +forth (Num. 13. 26). 7.) _Ja'haz_, in the land of Mo'ab, south of the +brook Ar'non, where a victory was won over the Am'or-ites (Num. 21. 23, +24). + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Pre. Even.= 1. Opp. Isr. 2. Tra. Mos. 3. Ten Pla. 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. + + +Review Questions + + Name five events which were preparatory to the + wandering. What made the Is'ra-el-ites willing to + leave E'gypt? 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 E'gypt and Pal'es-tine? Name + and locate five lands of this region. Which land was + nearest to E'gypt? 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 took place on + each of these mountains? Name two places between + E'gypt 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 Ca'naan and near it? What events + occurred at this place? What two places were + battlefields? + + +PART TWO + +III. On our map we indicate the =Journeys of the Is'ra-el-ites=, and at +the same time note the principal events of the wandering. + +1. _From Ram'e-ses to the Red Sea_ (Exod. 12. 37; 14. 9). With this +note: 1.) The crossing of the Red Sea. + +2. _From the Red Sea to Mount Si'nai._ Events: 2.) The waters of Ma'rah +(Exod. 15. 23-26). 3.) The repulse of the Am'a-lek-ites (Exod. 17. +8-16). 4.) The giving of the law at Mount Si'nai. Here the camp was kept +for a year, and the organization of the people was effected. + +3. _From Mount Si'nai to Ka'desh-bar'ne-a._ At the latter place +occurred: 5.) The sending out of the spies and their return (Num. 13. +1-26). 6.) The defeat at Hor'mah, north of Ka'desh-bar'ne-a (Num. 14. +40-45). It was the purpose of Mo'ses to lead the people at once from +Ka'desh up to Ca'naan. But their fear of the Ca'naan-ite and Am'or-ite +inhabitants made them weak; they were defeated and driven back into the +Desert of Pa'ran, where they wandered thirty-eight years, until the +generation of slavish souls should die off, and a new Is'ra-el, the +young people, trained in the spirit of Mo'ses and Josh'u-a and fitted +for conquest, should arise in their places. + +4. _From Ka'desh-bar'ne-a through the Desert of Pa'ran and Return._ This +was the long wandering of thirty-eight years. We trace the route from +Ka'desh, around the Desert of Pa'ran, to Mount Hor, to E'zi-on-ge'ber at +the head of the Gulf of Ak'a-ba, and at last to Ka'desh once more (Num. +20. 1). There occurred: 7.) The water from the rock at Ka'desh and +Mo'ses's disobedience (Num. 20. 10-12). 8.) The repulse by A'rad (Num. +21. 1). It would seem that the Is'ra-el-ites made a second attempt to +enter Ca'naan on the south, and were again defeated, though not so +severely as before. + +5. _From Ka'desh-bar'ne-a around E'dom to the River Jor'dan._ After this +second defeat Mo'ses desired to lead the people through the land of the +E'dom-ites, and to enter Ca'naan by crossing the Jor'dan (Num. 20. 14). +But the E'dom-ites refused to permit such an army to pass through their +land (Num. 20. 18-21). Hence the Is'ra-el-ites were compelled to go down +the Desert of Zin, past E'dom, as far as the Red Sea, then east of +E'dom--a very long and toilsome journey (Num. 21. 4). Note with this +journey: 9.) The brazen serpent (Num. 21. 6-9; John 3. 14, 15). 10.) The +victory over the Am'or-ites (Num. 21. 23,24). This victory gave to the +Is'ra-el-ites control of the country from Ar'non to Jab'bok, and was the +first campaign of the conquest. The long journey was now ended in the +encampment of the Is'ra-el-ites at the foot of Mount Ne'bo, on the +eastern bank of the Jor'dan, near the head of the Dead Sea. 11.) The +last event of the period was the death of Mo'ses, B. C. 1451 (Deut. 34. +5-8). + +IV. =The Results of the Wandering.= These forty years of wilderness life +made a deep impress upon the Is'ra-el-ite 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 Is'ra-el-ites left +E'gypt 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 +E'gypt the man was nothing; the state was everything. The Is'ra-el-ite +system was an absolute contrast to the E-gyp'tian. For centuries after +the exodus the Is'ra-el-ites 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 Ro'mans during their +republican epochs. Mo'ses 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, Mo'ses +did not wish to lead them by the direct route to Ca'naan lest they +should "see war" (Exod. 13. 17, 18). Attacked by the Am'a-lek-ites soon +after the exodus, the Is'ra-el-ites were almost helpless (Exod. 17. +8-16; Deut. 25. 17-19). A year later they were the easy prey of the +Ca'naan-ites at Hor'mah (Num. 14. 40-45). Forty years after they crossed +the Jor'dan, and entered Ca'naan a drilled and trained host, a +conquering army. This discipline and spirit of conquest they gained +under Mo'ses and Josh'u-a 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 +E'gypt 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 Je-ho'vah, 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 Is'ra-el of the heart that sought and obeyed God. + + +Blackboard Outline + + III. =Jour. and Even.= Jour. 1. Ram.--R. S. 1.) Cr. R. S. + Jour. 2. R. S.--Mt. Sin. 2.) Wat. Mar. 3.) Rep. Am. 4.) Giv. 1. + Jour. 3. Mt. Sin.--Kad.-bar. 5.) Sen. sp. 6.) Def. Hor. + Jour. 4. Kad.-bar.--Des. Par.--Ret. 7.) Wat. roc. Kad. 8.) Rep. Ar. + Jour. 5. Kad.-bar.--Ed.--Riv. Jor. 9.) Bra. ser. 10.) Vic. ov. Amo. + 11.) Dea. Mos. + IV. =Res. Wan.= 1. Ins. 2. Nat. Un. 3. Ind. Lib. 4. Mil. Tra. + 5. Rel. Ed. + + +Review Questions + + State the route of the first journey. What was the + great event of this journey? What was the second + journey? What 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 Is'ra-el-ites? 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? + + + + +FIFTH STUDY + +Institutions of Israelite Worship + + +PART ONE + +In the Old Testament we note certain forms and institutions for worship, +and as some of these received their shaping during the wilderness life +of the Is'ra-el-ites, we give a brief account of such institutions at +this place in the history. + +I. Earliest of all institutions for worship we find the =Altar=, and +throughout the Old Testament the altar worship stands prominent. + +1. =Its Principle=, the root idea underlying the altar, was of a meeting +between God and man. As the subject always came to his ruler with a gift +in his hands, so the worshiper brought his offering to his god, whether +Je-ho'vah, the God of Is'ra-el, or Ba'al, the divinity of the +Ca'naan-ites. + +2. =Its Origin= is unknown, but it was early sanctioned by a divine +approval of the worship connected with it (Gen. 4. 3, 4; 8. 20; 12. 8). + +3. =Its Universality.= There was scarcely a people in the ancient world +without an altar. We find that the worship of every land and every +religion was associated with altars. (See allusions in Isa. 65. 3; 2 +Kings 16. 10; Acts 17. 23, to altars outside of the Is'ra-el-ite faith.) + +4. =Its Material.= Among the Is'ra-el-ites it was of earth or unhewn +stone. Where metal or wood was used it was merely for a covering, the +true altar being of earth inside. The laws of Is'ra-el forbade any +carving of the stone which might lead to idol worship (Exod. 20. 24, +25). + +5. =Its Limitation.= In the patriarchal age the chief of the clan was +the priest, the altar stood before his tent, and there was but one altar +for the clan, which thus represented one family. When Is'ra-el became a +nation only one altar was allowed by the law, carrying out the idea that +all the Twelve Tribes were one family (Deut. 12. 13, 14; Josh. 22. 16). +Yet the law, if known to the Is'ra-el-ites, was constantly ignored by +the prophets (1 Sam. 7. 9; 1 Kings 18. 31, 32). + +6. =Its Prophetic Purpose=, as revealed in the New Testament, was to +prefigure the cross whereon Christ died (John 1. 29; Heb. 9. 22; 1 Pet. +3. 18). + +II. The =Offerings=, as fully developed and named in the law, were of +five kinds, as follows: + +1. =The Sin Offering.= 1.) This regarded the worshiper as a sinner, and +expressed the means of his reconciliation with God. 2.) The offering +consisted of an animal. 3.) The animal was slain and burned without the +camp. 4.) Its blood was sprinkled on the altar of incense in the Holy +Place (Lev. 4. 3-7). + +2. =The Burnt Offering.= 1.) This regarded the worshiper as already +reconciled, and expressed his consecration to God. 2.) It consisted of +an animal, varied according to the ability of the worshiper. 3.) The +animal was slain and burned on the altar. 4.) Its blood was poured out +on the altar, a token that the life of the worshiper was given to God +(Lev. 1. 2-9). + +3. =The Trespass Offering.=[4] 1.) This represented the divine +forgiveness of an actual transgression, whether against God or man, as +distinguished from the condition of a sinner represented in the sin +offering. 2.) The offering consisted of an animal, generally a ram, +though a poor person might bring some flour. 3.) The animal was slain +and burned on the altar. 4.) The blood was poured out at the base of the +altar (Lev. 5. 1-10). + +4. =The Meat Offering.=[5] 1.) This expressed the simple idea of +thanksgiving to God. 2.) It consisted of vegetable food. 3.) The +offering was divided between the altar and the priest; one part was +burned on the altar, the other presented to the priest to be eaten by +him as food (Lev. 2. 1-3). + +5. =The Peace Offering.= 1.) This expressed fellowship with God in the +form of a feast. 2.) It consisted of both animal and vegetable food. 3.) +The offering was divided into three parts, one part burned upon the +altar, a second eaten by the priest, a third part eaten by the worshiper +and his friends as a sacrificial supper. Thus God, the priest, and the +worshiper were all represented as taking a meal together. + + + +Blackboard Outline + + +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ + | I. =Alt.= 1. Prin. 2. Orig. 3. Univ. 4. Mat. 5. Lim. 6. Proph. Pur.| + |II. =Off.= | + | 1. Si. Off. |Sin. rec. G.|An. |Sl. bur. |Spr. alt. inc. | + | 2. Bu. Off. |Con. G. |An. |Sl. bur. |Pou. alt. | + | 3. Tre. Off.|For. trans. |An. |Sl. bur. |Pou. ba. alt. | + | 4. Me. Off. |Tha. Gd. |Veg. |Alt. pri. | | + | 5. Pea. Off.|Fel. G. |An. veg.|Alt. pri. wor.| | + +--------------+------------+--------+--------------+----------------+ + + +Review Questions + + What two institutions of the Old Testament are here + presented? What shows the universality of the altar in + connection with worship? What is said of the origin of + the altar? Of what material were the earliest altars + made? What was the religious idea in the altar? What + prophetic purpose did the altar have? Name the five + kinds of offerings. How did the sin offering regard + the worshiper? What did the sin offering express? Of + what did the sin offering consist? What was done with + the offering? What was done with the blood? What was + the design of the burnt offering? Of what did the + burnt offering consist? What was done with the animal? + What was done with the blood in the burnt offering? + Wherein did the trespass offering differ from the sin + offering? Of what did the trespass offering consist? + What was done with the sacrifice? What did the meat + offering express? Of what did it consist? How was the + meat offering used? What was expressed by the peace + offering? Of what did it consist? What was done with + the peace offering? + + +PART TWO + +The Tabernacle + +1. When the family of A'bra-ham grew into a people its unity was +maintained by regarding the altar--and but one altar for all the Twelve +Tribes--as the religious center of the nation. + +2. To the thought of the altar as the meeting place with God was added +the conception of God dwelling among his people in a sanctuary and +receiving homage as the King of Is'ra-el (Exod. 25. 8). + +3. Thus the altar grew into the Tabernacle, which was the sanctuary +where God was supposed to dwell in the midst of the camp. As was +necessary among a wandering people, it was constructed of such materials +as could be easily taken apart and carried on the march through the +wilderness. + +In considering the Tabernacle and its furniture we notice the following +particulars: + +I. =The Court=, an open square surrounded by curtains, 150 by 75 feet in +extent, and occupying the center of the camp of Is'ra-el (Exod. 27. +9-13). In this stood the Altar, the Laver, and the Tabernacle itself. + +II. =The Altar of Burnt Offerings= stood within the court, near its +entrance. It was made of wood plated with "brass" (which is supposed to +mean copper), was 71/2 feet square and 41/2 feet high. On this all the +burnt sacrifices were offered (Exod. 27. 1; 40. 29), except the sin +offering. + +III. =The Laver= contained water for the sacrificial purifyings. It +stood at the door of the tent, but its size and form are unknown (Exod. +30. 17-21). + +IV. =The Tabernacle= itself was a tent 45 feet long, 15 feet wide. Its +walls were of boards, plated with gold, standing upright; its roof of +three curtains, one laid above another. Whether there was a ridge-pole +or not is uncertain. It was divided, by a veil across the interior, into +two apartments, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies (Exod. 36. 8-38). + +V. =The Holy Place= was the larger of the two rooms into which the tent +was divided, being 30 feet long by 15 wide. Into this the priests +entered for the daily service. It contained the Candlestick, the Table, +and the Altar of Incense (Heb. 9. 2). + +[Illustration: DIAGRAM SHOWING LOCATION OF THE OBJECTS WITHIN THE +TABERNACLE COURT.] + +VI. =The Candlestick= (more correctly, "lampstand") stood on the left +side of one entering the Holy Place; made of gold, and bearing seven +branches, each branch holding a lamp (Exod. 25. 31-37). + +VII. =The Table= stood on the right of one entering the Holy Place; made +of wood, covered with gold; 3 feet long, 11/2 feet wide, 21/4 feet +high; contained 12 loaves of bread, called "the bread of the presence" +(Exod. 37. 10, 11). + +VIII. =The Altar of Incense= stood at the inner end of the Holy Place, +near the veil; made of wood, covered with gold; 11/2 feet square and 3 +feet high. On it the incense was lighted by fire from the Altar of Burnt +Offerings (Exod. 30. 1, 2). + +IX. =The Holy of Holies= was the innermost and holiest room in the +Tabernacle, into which the high priest alone entered on one day in each +year (the Day of Atonement); in form a cube of 15 feet. It contained +only the Ark of the Covenant (Heb. 9. 3). + +X. =The Ark of the Covenant= was a chest containing the stone tablets of +the Commandments; made of wood, covered on the outside and inside with +gold; 3 feet 9 inches long, 2 feet 3 inches wide and high. Through gold +rings on the sides were thrust the staves by which it was borne on the +march. Its lid, on which stood two figures of the cherubim, was called +"the mercy seat." On this the high priest sprinkled the blood on the Day +of Atonement (Exod. 25. 17, 18; Heb. 9. 7). + + +Blackboard Outline + + THE TABERNACLE + + I. =Cou.= sq. 150. 75. (Al. Lav. Tab.) + II. =Alt.= woo. br. 71/2. 41/2. + III. =Lav.= do. ten. + IV. =Tab.= 45. 15. bds. cur. (H.P. H.H.) + V. =Ho. Pl.= 30. 15. (Can. Tab. Alt. Inc.) + VI. =Can.= go. 7 bran. + VII. =Tab.= 3. 11/2. 21/4. 12 loa. + VIII. =Alt. Inc.= woo. gol. 11/2. 3. + IX. =Ho. Hol.= 15. 15. 15. (Ar. Cov.) + X. =Ar. Cov.= wo. go. 3,9. 2,3. "mer. se." + + +Review Questions + + How was the unity of the Is'ra-el-ite people + maintained? What was the conception or thought in the + Tabernacle? Why was it constructed of such material? + What was the court of the Tabernacle? What were the + dimensions of the court? What stood in the court? What + were the materials of the Altar of Burnt Offerings? + What was the size of this altar? What was the laver, + and where did it stand? What was the Tabernacle + itself? Into what rooms was it divided? How was it + covered? What were the dimensions of the Holy Place? + What did the Holy Place contain? What was the form of + the candlestick? Where did the candlestick stand? Of + what was the Altar of Incense made? What were its + dimensions? For what was this altar used? What were + the dimensions of the Holy of Holies? What did the + Holy of Holies contain? Who alone entered this room, + and how often? What was the Ark of the Covenant? What + was the "mercy seat"? + + +PART THREE + +The Sacred Year + +I. Among the Is'ra-el-ites certain institutions of worship were observed +at regular intervals of time which have been called the =Periodical +Institutions=. These were: + +1. =The Sabbath=, observed one day in seven; of which the root idea is +the giving to God a portion of our time. (See references in the Old +Testament: Gen. 2. 3; Exod. 20. 8-11; Isa. 56. 2; 58. 13.) In the New +Testament we find the first day of the week gradually taking its place +among the early Christians (Acts 20. 7; 1 Cor. 26. 2; Rev. 1. 10). + +2. =The New Moon=, which was the opening day of each month; regarded as +a sacred day, and celebrated with religious services (Num. 10. 10; 2 +Kings 4. 23). + +3. =The Seven Annual Solemnities=, the important occasions of the year, +six feasts and one fast day. + +4. =The Sabbatical Year.= One year in every seven was to be observed as +a year of rest, and the ground was not to be tilled (Lev. 25. 2-7). + +5. =The Year of Jubilee.= Once in fifty years the Is'ra-el-ites were +commanded to give liberty to slaves, freedom to debtors, and general +restitution of alienated inheritances (Lev. 25. 9, 10). How far the +"Sabbatical Year" and "the Year of Jubilee" were actually kept among the +Is'ra-el-ites we have no means of knowing; but the commands concerning +them were given in the law. + +II. We take for special notice among these periodical institutions the +=Seven Annual Solemnities= of the =Sacred Year=. Most of these were +instituted in the time of Mo'ses, but two of them arose later. We +consider them all, however, in this place, rather than at the closing of +the history, where two of the feasts properly belong. These may be +classified as: + +1. =The Three Great Feasts=: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles; all +observed at the capital, and requiring the people to make annual +pilgrimages to Je-ru'sa-lem. + +2. =The Annual Fast=: the Day of Atonement. + +3. =The Three Lesser Feasts=: Trumpets, Dedication, Purim. These were +observed throughout the land, as well as in Je-ru'sa-lem. + +With regard to each of these we will note: 1.) Its time. 2.) The event +which it commemorated. 3.) How it was observed. + +1. =The Feast of Passover= (Luke 22. 1). + + 1.) Was held in the spring, on the fourteenth of the + month Abib, or Nisan, corresponding to parts of March + and April (Exod. 12. 18). + + 2.) Commemorated the exodus from E'gypt (Exod. 12. + 42). + + 3.) Observed with the eating of unleavened bread and + the slain lamb (Exod. 12. 19-21). + +2. =The Feast of Pentecost= (Acts 2. 1). + + 1.) Was held early in the summer, on the fiftieth day + after Passover, in the month Sivan, corresponding to + May and June. + + 2.) Commemorated the giving of the law.[6] (See Exod. + 19. 1, 11.) + + 3.) Observed by "first fruits" laid on the altar, with + special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 15-21). + +3. =The Feast of Tabernacles= (John 7. 2, 10). + + 1.) Held in the fall, after the ingathering of crops, + from the 15th to the 21st of the seventh month, + Ethanim, corresponding to September and October (Lev. + 23. 34). + + 2.) Commemorated the outdoor life of the wilderness + (Lev. 23. 43). + + 3.) Observed by living in huts or booths, and by + special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 35-42). + +4. =The Day of Atonement=, the only fast required by the Jew'ish law. + + 1.) Held in the fall, on the tenth day of the month + Ethanim (Lev. 23. 27), five days before the Feast of + Tabernacles. + + 2.) Showing the sinner's reconciliation with God. + + 3.) On this day only in the year the high priest + entered the Holy of Holies (Exod. 30. 10). + +5. =The Feast of Trumpets.= + + 1.) Held on the first day of the seventh month, + Ethanim, corresponding to September or October (Lev. + 23. 24). + + 2.) This feast recognized the "New Year Day" of the + civil year.[7] + + 3.) It was observed with the blowing of trumpets all + through the land. + +6. =The Feast of Dedication=, not named in the Old Testament. (See John +10. 22.) + + 1.) This was held in the winter, on the 25th of the + month Chisleu (December), and for eight days + thereafter. + + 2.) It commemorated the reconsecration of the Temple + by Ju'das Mac'ca-be'us, B. C. 166, after its + defilement by the Syr'i-ans. + + 3.) It was observed by a general illumination of + Je-ru'sa-lem; hence often called "the feast of + lights." + +7. =The Feast of Purim=, not named in the New Testament, unless it be +referred to in John 5. 1. + + 1.) Held in the early spring, the 14th and 15th of the + month Adar (March) (Esth. 9. 21). + + 2.) Commemorating Queen Esther's deliverance of the + Jew'ish people (Esth. 9. 22-26). + + 3.) Observed with general feasting and rejoicing. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Per. Inst=. 1. Sab. 2. Ne. Mo. 3. Sev. Ann. Sol. 4. Sab. Ye. + 5. Ye. Jub. + + II. =Sac. Yea.= + + {1. Pass. spr. ex. Eg. sla. la. + 1. Gr. Fe. {2. Pen. sum. giv. la. fir. fru. + {3. Tab. fal. lif. wil. liv. huts. + + 2. Ann. Fa. 4. Day. At. fal. sin. rec. pr. H. Hol. + + {5. Trum. fal. N. Ye. bl. trum. + 3. Les. Fe. {6. Ded. win. rec. Tem. ill. Jer. + {7. Pur. spr. Esth. del. fea. rej. + + +Review Questions + + What is meant by "Periodical Institutions"? Name the + five general periodical institutions of the + Is'ra-el-ites. What did the Sabbath commemorate? What + were the new moons? How many times in the year were + observed by the Is'ra-el-ites? What was the Sabbatical + Year? What was the Year of Jubilee? Name the three + great feasts. When was each great feast observed? What + did each feast commemorate? How was each feast + observed? What took place on the Day of Atonement? + What did the Day of Atonement represent? What were the + three lesser feasts? When was each observed? What did + each lesser feast commemorate? How were these feasts + observed? + + + + +SIXTH STUDY + +The Land of Palestine + + +PART ONE + +We have followed the history of the Is'ra-el-ites to their encampment on +the border of their promised land. Before taking up the study of their +conquest of Ca'naan let us obtain some conception of the country with +which the greater part of Bible history is connected--the land of +Pal'es-tine. + +I. Let us notice its =Names= at different periods: + +1. The earliest name was =Ca'naan=, "lowland," referring only to the +section between the river Jor'dan and the Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an Sea, of +which the inhabitants most widely known were the Ca'naan-ites, dwelling +on the lowland plains (Gen. 12. 5). + +[Illustration: PALESTINE] + +2. After the conquest by Josh'u-a it was called =Is'ra-el=, though in +later times of Old Testament history the name referred only to the +northern portion, the southern kingdom being called Ju'dah (Judg. 18. 1; +1 Kings 12. 20). + +3. In the New Testament period its political name was =Ju-de'a=, which +was also the name of its most important province (Mark 1. 5). + +4. Its modern name is =Pal'es-tine=, a form of the word "Phi-lis'tine," +the name of a heathen race which in early times occupied its +southwestern border (Isa. 14. 29). + +II. The following are the principal =Dimensions= of Pal'es-tine: + +1. =Ca'naan=, or western Pal'es-tine, has an area of about 6,600 square +miles, a little less than Massachusetts. + +2. =Pal'es-tine Proper=, the domain of the Twelve Tribes, embraces +12,000 square miles, about the area of Massachusetts and Connecticut. + +3. The =Coast Line=, from Ga'za, the southernmost town, to Tyre, on the +north, is not far from 140 miles long. + +4. The =Jor'dan= is distant from the coast at Tyre about 25 miles; and +the =Dead Sea=, in a line due east from Ga'za, about 60 miles. + +5. The =Jor'dan Line=, from Dan, one of the sources of the Jor'dan, to +the southern end of the Dead Sea, is 155 miles. + +III. The most important =Waters= of Pal'es-tine are: + +1. The =Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an Sea=, which bounds the land on the west +(Josh. 1. 4; Exod. 23. 31; Deut. 11. 24). + +2. The =River Jor'dan=, rising in three sources in Mount Her'mon, and +emptying into the Dead Sea in a direct line 105 miles long, but by its +windings over 200 miles (Deut. 9. 1; Josh. 4. 1; 2 Sam. 17. 22). + +3. =Lake Me'rom=, now called _Hu'leh_, a triangular sheet of water, 3 +miles across, in a swamp in northern Gal'i-lee (Josh. 11. 5). + +4. The =Sea of Gal'i-lee=,[8] a pear-shaped lake, 14 miles long by 9 +wide, and nearly 700 feet below the sea level. (Note other names in +Josh. 13. 27; 11. 2; Luke 5. 1; John 6. 1.) + +5. The =Dead Sea=, 47 miles long by 10 wide, and 1,300 feet below the +sea level (Gen. 14. 3; Deut. 4. 49; Joel 2. 20). + +IV. The land of Pal'es-tine lies in five =Natural Divisions=, nearly +parallel: + +1. The =Maritime Plain=, or sandy flat, extending along the +Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an Sea, from 8 to 20 miles wide. + +2. The =Sheph'e-lah=, or foothills, from 300 to 500 feet high and very +fertile. + +3. The =Mountain Region=, the backbone of the land, consisting of +mountains from 2,500 to 4,000 feet high. + +4. The =Jor'dan Valley=, a deep ravine, the bed of the river and its +three lakes, from 500 to 1,200 feet below the level of the sea, and from +2 to 14 miles wide. + +5. The =Eastern Table-land=, a region of lofty and precipitous +mountains, from whose summit a plain stretches away to the A-ra'bi-an +Desert on the east. + + +Hints to the Teacher + + 1. Let the map be drawn by the teacher in presence of + the class, and each part carefully taught, while the + class also draw the map in their notebooks. + + 2. Then erase the map from the board, and call upon + one scholar, in presence of the class, to draw the + lines representing natural divisions: another the + river and lakes, etc., etc. + + 3. If chalk of different colors can be used for the + different departments of the map, coast line and + Jordan line one color, mountain lines another, it will + add to the interest. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Na.= Ca. Isr. Jud. Pal. + II. =Dim.= Ca. 6,600. Pal. 12,000. C. L. 140. To =Jor.= 25. To D. S. + 60. Jor. L. 155. + III. =Wat.= Med. Jor. L. Me. S. Gal. D. S. + IV. =Nat. Div.= M. P. Sh. M. R. J. V. E. T.-L. + + +Review Questions + + Why is a knowledge of the land of Pal'es-tine + important? Give and explain the four different names + of this land. What is meant by "Ca'naan" proper? How + large is Ca'naan? How large was the domain of the + Twelve Tribes? How long is the coast line? How far is + the Jor'dan distant from the coast near its source? + How far is the Dead Sea from the coast? What is meant + by the Jor'dan line? How long is the Jor'dan line? + Name the most important waters of Pal'es-tine. + Describe the river Jor'dan, sources, elevations, + length, etc. Describe and locate Lake Me'rom. Describe + the Sea of Gal'i-lee. Describe the Dead Sea. What are + the five natural divisions of Pal'es-tine? + + +PART TWO + +V. Pal'es-tine is a land of =Mountains=, among which we notice only a +few of the most important, beginning in the north. + +1. =Mount Her'mon=, is near the source of the Jor'dan, on the east, and +is the highest mountain in Pal'es-tine. + +2. =Mount Leb'a-non=, west of Her'mon, was famous for its cedars (1 +Kings 5. 6; Psa. 29. 5). + +3. =Mount Ta'bor=, the place of Deb'o-rah's victory, is southwest of the +Sea of Gal'i-lee (Judg. 4. 6). + +4. =Mount Gil-bo'a=, where King Saul was slain, is south of Ta'bor (1 +Sam. 31. 1; 2 Sam. 1. 21). + +5. =Mount Car'mel=, the place of E-li'jah's sacrifice, is on the +Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an, due west of the Sea of Gal'i-lee (1 Kings 18. 20, +42; Isa. 35. 2). + +6. =Mount E'bal=, "the mount of cursing," lies in the center of the land +(Deut. 11. 26). + +7. =Mount Ger'i-zim=, "the mount of blessing," is south of E'bal (Josh. +8. 33; John 4. 20). + +8. =Mount Zi'on=, on which Je-ru'sa-lem stood and still stands, is due +west of the head of the Dead Sea. + +9. =Mount Ne'bo=, where Mo'ses died, is directly opposite Zi'on, on the +east of the Dead Sea (Deut. 34. 1). + +VI. We note a few of the most important places, selecting only those +connected with Old Testament history; and we arrange them according to +the natural divisions of the land. + +1. On the _Seacoast Plain_ were: + + 1.) =Ga'za=, on the south, the scene of Sam'son's + exploits and death (Judg. 16. 21). + + 2.) =Jop'pa=, principal seaport of Pal'es-tine (2 + Chron. 2. 16; Jonah 1. 3). + + 3.) =Tyre=, just beyond the northern boundary of + Pa'les-tine, a great commercial city of the + Phoe-ni'cians (Josh. 19. 29). + +2. In the _Mountain Region_ were: + + 1.) =Be'er-she'ba=, in the southern limit of the land + (Gen. 21. 31, 33; 1 Sam. 3. 20; 1 Kings 19. 3). + + 2.) =He'bron=, burial place of the patriarchs (Gen. + 23. 19; 49. 29-31). + + 3.) =Beth'le-hem=, the birthplace of Da'vid (1 Sam. + 17. 12). + + 4.) =Je-ru'sa-lem=, "the city of the great king," + which stands due west of the northern point of the + Dead Sea (2 Sam. 5. 6-9). + + 5.) =Beth'el=, nine miles north of Je-ru'sa-lem, the + place of Ja'cob's vision (Gen. 28. 19). + + 6.) =She'chem=, between the twin mountains Ger'i-zim + and E'bal, in the center of the land (1 Kings 12. 1). + + 7.) =Sa-ma'ri-a=, the capital of the Ten Tribes (1 + Kings 16. 24). + +3. In the _Jor'dan Valley_ were: + + 1.) =Jer'i-cho=, near the head of the Dead Sea (1 + Kings 16. 34). + + 2.) =Dan=, at one of the sources of the Jor'dan, the + northernmost place in the land (Judg. 18. 28; 20. 1). + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Na.= Ca. Isr. Jud. Pal. + II. =Dim.= Ca. 6,600. Pal. 12,000. C. L. 140. To Jor. 25. To D. S. + 60. Jor. L. 155. + III. =Wat.= Med. Jor. L. Me. S. Gal. D. S. + IV. =Nat. Div.= M. P. Sh. M. R. J. V. E. T.-L. + V. =Mtns.= Her. Leb. Tab. Gil. Car. Eb. Ger. Zi. Ne. + VI. =Pla.= 1. _Sea. Pl._ Ga. Jop. Ty. 2. _Mtn. Reg._ Beer. Heb. + Beth. Jer. Bet. She. Sam. 3. _Jor. Val._ Jer. Da. + + +Review Questions + + Name nine mountains on the map of Pal'es-tine. State + the location of each mountain. State a fact for which + each mountain is celebrated. Name and locate three + places on the Maritime Plain. Name and locate seven + places in the Mountain Region. Name and locate two + places in the Jor'dan Valley. + + + + +SEVENTH STUDY + +The Conquest of Canaan + + +I. Let us notice the =Ca'naan-ites=, the peoples who were dispossessed +by the Is'ra-el-ites. + +1. They were of =one stock=, according to the Scriptures, belonging to +the Ham'ite race, and all descended from the family of Ca'naan (Gen. 10. +15-19). + +2. They were divided into =various tribes=, from seven to ten nations, +arranged mainly as follows: 1.) On the seacoast plain, the Phi-lis'tines +on the south, the Ca'naan-ites in the middle, and the Phoe-ni'cians, or +Zi-do'ni-ans, on the north of Mount Car'mel. 2.) In the mountain region, +the Am'or-ites in the south, the Jeb'u-sites around Je-ru'sa-lem, the +Hi'vites in the center of the land, and the Hit'tites in the north. 3.) +The Jor'dan valley was held by the Ca'naan-ites. 4.) On the eastern +table-land, the Mo'ab-ites east of the Dead Sea, the Am'or-ites east of +the Jor'dan, and the Ba'shan-ites in the north. + +3. Their =government= was =local=. Not only was each tribe independent, +but each little locality, often each city, had its own "king," or chief. +There was no unity of government, and scarcely any combination to resist +the invasion of Is'ra-el, a fact which made the conquest far less +difficult. + +4. 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. Ba'al and Ash'e-rah (plural Ash'to-reth) were +the male and female divinities worshiped by most of these races (Judg. +2. 13). + +5. They had been =weakened= before the coming of the Is'ra-el-ites +either by war or by pestilence. The allusions in Exod. 23. 28; Deut. 7. +20; and Josh. 24. 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 Jor'dan. These were during the lifetime +of Mo'ses, and gained for Is'ra-el all the territory south of Mount +Her'mon. + +[Illustration: CAMPAIGNS OF THE =CONQUEST=] + +1.) The conquest of Gil'e-ad was made at the battle of Ja'haz, near the +brook Ar'non (Num. 21. 21-31). In one battle the Is'ra-el-ites gained +the land of Gil'e-ad east of the Jor'dan. + +2.) The conquest of Ba'shan was completed at the battle of Ed're-i, in +the mountainous region (Num. 21. 33-35). + +3.) The conquest of Mid'i-an (Num. 31. 1-8) was led by the +warrior-priest Phin'e-has, 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 Reu'ben, Gad, and the +half tribe of Ma-nas'seh (Deut. 32). + +2. =The Campaigns West of the Jor'dan= were led by Josh'u-a, and showed +great tactical skill and resistless energy of action. Josh'u-a led his +people across the Jor'dan and established a fortified camp, the center +of operations during all his campaigns, at Gil'gal (Josh. 4. 19). + +1.) The first invasion was of _Central Pal'es-tine_, beginning with +Jer'i-cho (Josh. 6), taking A'i on the way (Josh. 8), and ending with +She'chem, which apparently fell without resistance (Josh. 8. 30-33). +This campaign gave to Is'ra-el the center of the land and divided their +enemies into two sections. + +2.) Next came the campaign against _Southern Pal'es-tine_. At this time +was fought the battle of Beth-ho'ron (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).[9] After this great +victory Josh'u-a pursued his enemies and took the towns as far south as +He'bron and De'bir (Josh. 10. 29-39). + +3.) Lastly, Josh'u-a conquered _Northern Pal'es-tine_ (Josh. 11). The +battle in this campaign was near Lake Me'rom (Josh. 11. 7), and, as +before, it was followed by the capture of many cities in the north. Thus +in those marches Josh'u-a won all the mountain region of western +Pal'es-tine. + +3. There were certain =supplementary campaigns=, partly in Josh'u-a's +time, partly afterward. + +1.) Caleb's capture of He'bron, which had been reoccupied by the +Am'or-ites (Josh. 14; Judg. 1. 10-15). + +2.) The Ju'dah-ites' capture of Be'zek, an unknown place between +Je-ru'sa-lem and the Phi-lis'tine plain (Judg. 1. 1-8). + +3.) The Dan'ites' capture of La'ish, 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 +Da'vid by whom every foe was finally placed under foot. + +III. =General Aspects of Is'ra-el at the Close of the Conquest.= + +1. With regard to the =native races=. They were not destroyed nor driven +away, as had been commanded.[10] They remained as subject people in some +places, as the ruling race on the seacoast and in the Jor'dan valley. We +see their influence, always injurious, throughout all Is'ra-el's +history (Exod. 23. 31-33; Deut. 7. 1-5); and some think that the present +inhabitants of the country belong to the original Ca'naan-ite stock. + +2. The =Is'ra-el-ites= did not occupy all the country. They possessed +most of the mountain region, but none of the seacoast plain on the +Jor'dan 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 Gen'tiles. + +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 +Josh'u-a (Judg. 21. 25). This had its evils, for it led to national +weakness; but it had its benefits: 1.) It kept Is'ra-el from becoming a +great worldly kingdom like E'gypt and As-syr'i-a, 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 +Is'ra-el had been a kingdom like E'gypt. + +5. The =religious system= was simple. There was but one altar at Shi'loh +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 +Is'ra-el--the earnest, religious, God-worshiping section, the Is'ra-el +of Josh'u-a and Gid'e-on and Sam'u-el. Then there was the underlying +mass of the people--secular, ignorant, prone to idolatry, the Is'ra-el +that worshiped Ba'al and Ash'to-reth, and sought alliance with the +heathen. One element was the hope of the nation; the other was its bane. +We shall constantly see the evidences of these two elements in the story +of the Is'ra-el-ites. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Can.= 1. One st. 2. Var. tri. 1.) S. P. Phil. Can. Phoe. + 2.) M. R. Am. Je. Hiv. Hitt. 3.) J. V. Can. 4.) E. T.-L. Mo. + Am. Bash. 3. Gov. loc. 4. Idol. imm. 5. 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 + + To what race did the Ca'naan-ite tribes belong? What + were their tribes, and where located? What was their + government? What was their worship? What was the + effect of their worship on their character? What had + taken place shortly before the coming of the + Is'ra-el-ites? What campaigns of conquest were made + before the death of Mo'ses? What battles were fought + in these campaigns? What tribes took possession of + this territory? On which side of the Jor'dan were + Josh'u-a's campaigns? What traits as a military leader + did he show? What places were captured on the first of + Josh'u-a's campaigns? What was the effect of this + campaign on the enemies? Against what section was + Josh'u-a'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 Josh'u-a directed? Where was + the battle fought in this campaign? What were the + three supplementary campaigns? What city was conquered + by Ca'leb? What city was occupied by the tribe of Dan? + What king, long after Josh'u-a, completed the conquest + of Ca'naan? 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 Is'ra-el-ites? What modern analogy + is given to them? What was the system of land tenure + among the Is'ra-el-ites? What were some of its + benefits? What was the form of government? Wherein was + the system defective? What were its excellences? What + was the religious system of the Is'ra-el-ites? What + was the effect of this system? What was the religious + character of the people? What was the condition of the + mass of the Is'ra-el-ites? + + + + +EIGHTH STUDY + +The Age of the Heroes + + +From the death of Josh'u-a to the coronation of Saul the Twelve Tribes +of Is'ra-el 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 time there were peace and order in Is'ra-el. 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 Is'ra-el during This Period.= This was partly +favorable and partly unfavorable. The _favorable_ elements were: + +1. =The Mountain Location= of Is'ra-el. 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 E'gypt and the Eu-phra'tes. Great armies passed and +repassed over this plain, and great battles were fought by E-gyp'tians, +Hit'tites, and As-syr'i-ans, while Is'ra-el on her mountain peaks was +unmolested. This mountain home left Is'ra-el generally unnoticed, and, +when attacked, almost inaccessible. + +2. =The Racial Unity= of Is'ra-el. The two finest races of the world, +the Greek and the Is'ra-el-ite, were both of pure blood. The +Is'rael-ites 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 the 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 Is'ra-el 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 Is'ra-el 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 Is'ra-el, +which threatened its very existence. These were: + +1. =The Native Races.= These were of two kinds: the subject people left +on the soil, more or less under the domination of the conquerors; and +the surrounding nations, Am'mon, Mo'ab, Syr'i-a, and the Phi-lis'tines. +There was danger from their enmity, a rebellion of the subject tribes, +allied with the enemies around, for the destruction of Is'ra-el. 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.= Is'ra-el 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 Gid'e-on or +Sam'u-el 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 Ju'dah going to +their assistance; and in Ju'dah's wars with the Phi-lis'tines 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 Ro'mans 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 Is'ra-el +there was a constant struggle for the leadership between the two great +tribes of Ju'dah and E'phra-im. During the period of the judges +E'phra-im was constantly asserting its rights to rule the other tribes +(Judg. 8. 1-3; 12. 1-6). We trace this rivalry through all the reign of +Da'vid; and at last it led to the division of the empire under +Re-ho-bo'am. + +4. =Idolatrous Tendencies.= We note constantly "the two Is'ra-els"--a +spiritual minority and an irreligious, idolatrous mass. For many +centuries the greatest evil of Is'ra-el-ite 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, Ro'mish images +and the use of the crucifix. 2.) The association of Is'ra-el 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 Is'ra-el-ites +down to the captivity in Bab'y-lon. + +II. =The Judges of Is'ra-el.= 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. Deb'o-rah ruled in the north (Judg. 5. 14-18); Jeph'thah +governed only the east of the Jor'dan (Judg. 11. 29). Often more than +one judge was ruling at the same time; probably Sam'son and E'li were +contemporaneous. Gid'e-on and Sam'u-el alone ruled all the twelve +tribes. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Cond. Isr.= _Fav._ 1. Mtn. Loc. 2. Rac. Un. 3. Rel. Inst. + _Unfav._ 1. Nat. Rac. 2. Lac. Cent. Gov. 3. Tri. Jeal. + 4. Idol. Ten. + II. =Jud. Isr.= 1. Off. 2. App. 3. Auth. 4. Ex. Ru. + + +Review Questions + + Between what events was this period? What were its + traits? What were the conditions favorable to Is'ra-el + during this period? How did their location aid the + Is'ra-el-ites? Wherein were the Is'ra-el-ites one + people? How did their religious institutions keep them + together? What were the unfavorable and dangerous + elements in the condition of Is'ra-el? How were they + in danger from the native races? What was lacking in + the government of Is'ra-el? What two tribes were in + rivalry? What was the effect of this jealousy? What + analogy is found in ancient history? How was the same + principle illustrated in modern times? What evil + tendency was manifested in Is'ra-el through nearly all + its history? What causes are assigned for this + tendency? What was the office of a judge in Is'ra-el? + How were the judges appointed? What was their + authority? How widely did their rule extend? + +III. =The Oppressions and Deliverers.= During these centuries the +influences already named brought Is'ra-el 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 Mes-o-po-ta'mi-an 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 Oth'ni-el, the first judge, and the only judge +of the tribe of Ju'dah. + +2. =The Mo'ab-ite Oppression= (Judg. 3. 12-30). Over the eastern and +central section, including E'phra-im (verse 27); deliverer, E'hud, the +second judge; battle fought at the ford of the river Jor'dan (verse 28). + +3. =The Early Phi-lis'tine Oppression= (Judg. 3. 31). Over the +southwest, on the frontier of Ju'dah; deliverer, Sham'gar. + +4. =The Ca'naan-ite Oppression= (Judg. 4). Over the northern tribes; +deliverer, Deb'o-rah, the woman judge; battle at Mount Ta'bor. + +5. =The Mid'i-an-ite Oppression= (Judg. 6. 1-6). Over the northern +center, especially Ma-nas'seh, east; the most severe of all; deliverer, +Gid'e-on, the greatest of the judges (Judg. 6. 11, 12); battle, on Mount +Gil-bo'a (Judg. 7), followed by other victories (Judg. 8). + +6. THE AM'MON-ITE OPPRESSION (Judg. 10. 7-9). Note an alliance between +the Am'o-rites and Phi-lis'tines, which is suggestive; mainly over the +tribes on the east of Jor'dan; deliverer, Jeph'thah[11] (Judg. 11); +victory at A-ro'er (verse 33). + +7. THE PHI-LIS'TINE 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 +Car'mel and Gil-bo'a. The liberation was begun by Sam'son (Judg. 13. 5), +but he was led astray by sensual lusts and became a failure. Freedom was +later won by Sam'u-el at the battle of Eb-en-e'zer (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 Da'vid, in a +succession of victories, ending with the capture of Gath, the +Phi-lis'tine 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 Per'sia 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--Oth'ni-el, E'hud, Sham'gar, Gid'e-on, Jeph'thah, Sam'son, +Sam'u-el, 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 Mo'ses. Its regulations were ignored, +except so far as they belonged to the common law of conscience and +right. The laws of Mo'ses were not deliberately disobeyed, but were +ignorantly neglected. Even good men, as Gid'e-on and Sam'u-el, built +altars and offered sacrifices (Judg. 6. 24; 1 Sam. 7. 9) contrary to the +letter of the law of Mo'ses, 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). + + +Hints to the Teacher + + 1. See that the outline is thoroughly committed to + memory, and test the pupil's knowledge by calling upon + him to read at sight the Blackboard Outline below. + + 2. Draw on the board an outline map of Pal'es-tine, + and indicate upon it in succession the portions + occupied in each of the oppressions. + + +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. + + +Review Questions + + What resulted from these evil tendencies in Is'ra-el? + How many oppressors were there? Who were the first + oppressors? Over what part of the country was the + first oppression? Who delivered Is'ra-el 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 Is'ra-el? 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 + Is'ra-el 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? + + + + +NINTH STUDY + +The Rise of the Israelite Empire + + +PART ONE + +The coronation of Saul marks an epoch in the history of Is'ra-el. 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. Notice the =tendency toward settled government=. In the time of +Gid'e-on 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); and 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 +Pa'les-tine. We read of "lords" and "elders," but no kings, among the +Phi-lis'tines, the Mo'ab-ites, the Am'mon-ites, and the Phoe-ni'cians +(Judg. 3. 3; 1 Sam. 5. 8; Num. 22. 7). But a wave of revolution swept +over all those lands, and very soon we find that every nation around +Is'ra-el had its king (1 Sam. 21. 10; 12. 12; 22. 3; 2 Sam. 5. 11). The +movement of Is'ra-el toward monarchy was in accordance with this spirit. + +3. There was a =danger of invasion=, which impelled the Is'ra-el-ites 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 Sam'u-el= led the Is'ra-el-ites to desire a +better organization of the government. For a generation 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 Sam'u-el, 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 Sam'u-el saw, which made him +unwilling to accede to the wish of the Is'ra-el-ites. But the very +things against which he warned them (1 Sam. 8. 11-18) were just what +they desired. + +II. =The Character of the Is'ra-el-ite Kingdom.= When men change their +plans God changes his. He desired Is'ra-el to remain a republic, and not +to enter into worldly relations and aims. When, however, the +Is'ra-el-ites were determined God gave them a king (1 Sam. 8. 22); but +his rule was not to be like that of the nations around Is'ra-el. 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 Da'vid (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 Is'ra-el was an exception to this rule. The +people could demand their rights from Re-ho-bo'am (1 Kings 12. 3, 4). +A'hab could not take away nor even buy Na'both'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 Is'ra-el-ite 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.= + +1. This may be divided into two parts: 1.) A _period of prosperity_, +during which Saul ruled well, and freed Is'ra-el 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 Da'vid. After Da'vid's exile the Phi-lis'tines +again overran Is'ra-el, 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 +Sam'u-el, and with him the order of prophets (1 Sam. 15. 35); he +alienated Da'vid, the ablest young man of his age and the rising hope of +Is'ra-el, 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 Is'ra-el_; at his death the yoke of the +Phi-lis'tines 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. + + [For Blackboard Outline and Review Questions see end of the lesson.] + + +PART TWO + +IV. =The Reign of Da'vid.= This was a brilliant period; for it was led +by a great man, in nearly every respect the greatest, after Mo'ses, in +Is'ra-el-ite history. + +1. Notice the =condition of Is'ra-el at his accession=. This will throw +into relief the greatness of his character and his achievements. + +1.) It was a _subject people_. Under Phi-lis'tine yoke; its warriors +slain, many of its cities deserted; Da'vid 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 He'bron, the other +at Ma-ha-na'-im (2 Sam. 2. 4-9). + +[Illustration: EMPIRE OF =DAVID=] + +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 Is'ra-el at a lower ebb than when Da'vid was +called to the throne. + +2. We ascertain =Da'vid's achievements=, the results of his reign. 1.) +_He united the tribes._ At first crowned king by Ju'dah 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 +E'phra-im and Ju'dah, though it was not dead, and destined yet to rend +the kingdom asunder. + +2.) _He subjugated the land._ The conquest of Pal'es-tine, left +incomplete by Josh'u-a, and delayed for nearly three hundred years, was +finished at last by Da'vid in the capture of Je'bus, or Je-ru'sa-lem (2 +Sam. 5. 6, 7), in the overthrow of the Phi-lis'tines (2 Sam. 5. 17-25), +and in the final capture of their capital city (1 Chron. 18. 1). At last +Is'ra-el was possessor of its own land. + +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 Is'ra-el-ites 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 Bed'ou-in sheik. + +4.) _He established an army._ There was a royal bodyguard, 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 Da'vid 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 Da'vid by the jealousy of the neighboring kingdoms. In turn +his armies conquered and annexed to his dominions the land of the +Phi-lis'tines (1 Chron. 18. 1), Mo'ab (2 Sam. 8. 2), Syr'i-a, even to +the great river Eu-phra'tes (2 Sam. 8. 3-6); E'dom (2 Sam. 8. 14), +Am'mon, and the country east of Pal'es-tine (2 Sam. 10. 1-14; 12. +26-31). The empire of Da'vid thus extended from the frontier of E'gypt +to the Eu-phra'tes 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.[12] + + +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 Is'ra-el-ite 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 Is'ra-el? From what source did external + danger lead the Is'ra-el-ites to desire a king? How + had Sam'u-el 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 + Is'ra-el? What is a theocratic kingdom? Wherein was + Is'ra-el an exception among Oriental kingdoms? By what + institutions 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 Is'ra-el when + Da'vid came to the throne? What were the achievements + of Da'vid? What great incomplete work did Da'vid + 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? + + + + + + +TENTH STUDY + +The Reign of Solomon + +PART ONE + + +The reign of Sol'o-mon may be regarded as the culminating period in the +history of Is'ra-el. But, strictly speaking, the latter part of Da'vid's +reign and only the former part of Sol'o-mon's constitute "the golden age +of Is'ra-el"; for Sol'o-mon's later years manifested a decline, which +after his death rapidly grew to a fall. + +I. =Sol'o-mon's Empire= embraced all the lands from the Red Sea to the +Eu-phra'tes, and from the Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an to the Syr'i-an desert, +except Phoe-ni'cia, which was isolated by the Leb'a-non mountains. 1. +Besides Pal'es-tine, he ruled over E'dom, Mo'ab, Am'mon, Syr'i-a (here +referring to the district having Da-mas'cus as its capital), Zo'bah, and +Ha'math. 2. On the Gulf of Ak'a-ba, E'zi-on-ge'ber was his southern port +(1 Kings 9. 26); on the Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an, Ga'za (Az'zah) was his +limit; in the extreme north, Tiph'sah, by the Eu-phra'tes (1 Kings 4. +24); in the desert, Tad'mor, afterward Pal-my'ra (1 Kings 9. 18). + +II. =His Foreign Relations= were extensive, for the first and only time +in the history of Is'ra-el. 1. His earliest treaty was _with Tyre_ +(Phoe-ni'cia), whose king had been his father's friend (1 Kings 5. 1). +(What this alliance brought to Sol'o-mon see 1 Kings 5. 6-10; 2 Chron. +2. 3-14.) 2. His relations _with E'gypt_: in commerce (1 Kings 10. 28, +29); in marriage, a bold departure from Is'ra-el-ite customs (1 Kings 3. +1). Perhaps Psalm 45 was written upon this event. 3. _With A-ra'bi-a_, +the land bordering on the southern end of the Red Sea (1 Kings 10. 1-10, +14. 15). 4. _With the Far East_, perhaps India, referred to in 1 Kings +9. 21-28. 5. _With the West_, perhaps as far as Spain, the Tar'shish of +1 Kings 10. 22. + +III. =His Buildings.= No king of Is'ra-el ever built so many and so +great public works as did Sol'o-mon. Among these are named: + +1. _The temple_, on Mount Mo-ri'ah, to be described later. + +[Illustration: PLAN OF SOLOMON'S PALACE. + +(According to Stade.) + +"Reprinted from Kent's History of the Hebrew People, from the Settlement +in Canaan to the Division of the Kingdom. Copyrighted, 1896, by Charles +Scribner's Sons."] + +2. _His own palace_, south of the temple precincts, on the slope of +O'phel and Mo-ri'ah. This consisted of several buildings, as follows: +1.) The House of the Forest of Leb'a-non, so called because of its many +columns of cedar; this was the forecourt, or entrance. 2.) The Porch to +the Palace. 3.) The Throne Hall. 4.) The King's Palace. 5.) The Queen's +Palace, or Harem. + +3. _His fortified cities_, forming a cordon around his kingdom. (See the +lists of these in 1 Kings 9. 17-19.) + +4. _His aqueducts_, some of which may still be seen (Eccl. 2. 4-6). + +IV. But all was not bright in the reign of Sol'o-mon. 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 his _foreign +marriages_ (1 Kings 11. 1-4). These were the natural and inevitable +results 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 overestimate the harm of Sol'o-mon'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.[13] 3. Another of Sol'o-mon's sins, not named in Scripture, but +referred to in many legends of the East, may have been a _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 Mo'ses (Lev. 19. 31; Deut. 18. 10, 11). + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Sol. Emp.= Pal. Ed. Mo. Amm. Syr. Zob. Ham. E.-G. G. T. T. + II. =For. Rel.= Ty. Eg. Ar. F. E. W. + III. =Buil.= 1. Tem. 2. Pal. 1.) H. F. L. 2.) P. 3.) T. H. 4.) K. P. + 5.) Q. P. + IV. =Sins.= 1. For. mar. 2. Tol. idol. 3. Mag. + + +Review Questions + + What is the reign of Sol'o-mon called? How far is that + a correct title? What lands were included in + Sol'o-mon's empire? What cities were on its + boundaries? With what countries did Sol'o-mon have + treaties and foreign relations? How was Sol'o-mon + connected with the court of E'gypt? What were some of + Sol'o-mon's buildings? Name the various parts of his + palace. What were the sins of Sol'o-mon? + +PART TWO + +V. =General Aspects of Is'ra-el in the Reign of Sol'o-mon.= + +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; every +department was organized. + +3. =It was a period of wide empire.= It was Is'ra-el's opportunity for +power in the East; for the old Chal-de'an empire had broken up, the new +As-syr'i-an empire had not arisen, and E'gypt was passing through a +change of rulers and was weak. For one generation Is'ra-el 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 Da'vid, +who had plundered many nations and left his accumulated riches to +Sol'o-mon (1 Chron. 22. 14-16). 2.) The _tribute_ of the subject +kingdoms, doubtless heavy (1 Kings 10. 25). 3.) _Commerce_ with foreign +countries (E'gypt, A-ra'bi-a, Tar'shish, and O'phir) in ancient times +was not carried on by private enterprise, but by the government. The +_trade_ of the East from E'gypt and Tyre passed through Sol'o-mon's +dominions, enriching the land. 4.) There were also _taxes_ laid upon the +people (1 Kings 4. 7-19; 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 Sam'u-el, Psalms (in part), Prov'erbs (in part), and perhaps +Ec-cle-si-as'tes and Sol'o-mon's Song. Not all the writings of Sol'o-mon +have been preserved (1 Kings 4. 32, 33). + +VI. =Dangers of the Period.= There was an A-ra'bi-an tradition that in +Sol'o-mon'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 Sol'o-mon's throne. + +1. =The absolute power of the king.= Da'vid had maintained the +theocratic constitution of the state; Sol'o-mon 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 Da'vid. The fervor of the Da-vid'ic +Psalms is wanting in the literature of Sol'o-mon'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 +of Prov. 2. 16-19; 5. 3-6, etc., to know what a flood of immorality +swept over Je-ru'sa-lem and Is'ra-el. + +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. +Jer-o-bo'am could not have established his new religion (1 Kings 12. 28) +if Sol'o-mon had not already patronized idol worship. + +6. Underlying all was the old =tribal jealousy= of E'phra-im and Ju'dah, +fostered by an able leader (1 Kings 12. 26), ready to break out in due +time and destroy the empire. + + +Blackboard Outline + + V. =Gen. Asp. Isr.= 1. Pea. 2. Str. gov. 3. Wi. emp. 4. Abun. weal. + 1.) Conq. 2.) Trib. 3.) Com. 4.) Tax. 5.) Pub. build. 5. Lit. + act. + VI. =Dan. Per.= 1. Abs. pow. 2. For. wor. 3. Lux. cor. mor. 4. Bur. + tax. 5. Hea. cus. 6. Tri. jeal. + + +Questions for Review + + Name five general aspects of Is'ra-el in Sol'o-mon's + reign? What were the benefits of the peace at that + time? What was the characteristic of Sol'o-mon's + administration? What opportunity did the age give to a + great empire for Is'ra-el? What were the sources of + the wealth in Sol'o-mon's age? How was it a period of + literary activity? What ancient legend illustrates the + dangers of Sol'o-mon's age? What were some of the + dangers? Wherein did Sol'o-mon set aside the + Is'ra-el-ite constitution? What was the defect in the + religion of Sol'o-mon'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? + +Hints to the Teacher and Class + +1. See that the outline of the lesson is learned, with all its divisions +and subdivisions. Let a scholar place each division of the outline on +the blackboard in the form given in the Blackboard Outline, and then let +another scholar read it to the class. + +2. Have a map of Sol'o-mon's empire drawn, with each of the subject +lands shown upon it. "Bound" the empire; that is, name the countries +surrounding it. + +3. Let the diagram of buildings on Mount Mo-ri'ah and O'phel be drawn by +one pupil, and explained by another. + +4. Let the Review Questions be studied until they can be answered +correctly. + + + + +ELEVENTH STUDY + +The Temple on Mount Moriah + + +The most famous of all the buildings erected by Sol'o-mon, though by no +means the largest, was the temple. It is so frequently mentioned in the +Bible, and was so closely connected with the religious and secular +history, both in the Old Testament and the New, that a detailed study of +it is needed. + +I. =The Three Temples.= All these stood in succession upon the same +site, and were arranged upon the same general plan. + +1. _Sol'o-mon's Temple._ Built about B. C. 970, and standing until B. C. +587, when it was destroyed by the Bab-y-lo'ni-ans (2 Kings 25. 8, 9). + +2. _Ze-rub'ba-bel's Temple._ After lying desolate more than fifty years +the second temple was begun about B. C. 534, under Ze-rub'ba-bel, the +ruler of the exiles returned from Bab'y-lon (Ezra 3. 8). This temple was +far inferior in splendor to the first, but soon became the object of +pilgrimage to Jews from all lands and the center of Jew'ish national and +religious life. + +3. _Her'od's Temple._ The second temple having become dilapidated, +Her'od the Great undertook its restoration on a magnificent scale. The +work was begun about B. C. 20 and was not completed until A. D. 64. In +the lifetime of Je'sus it was not yet finished (John 2. 20). This temple +was destroyed by the Ro'mans under Ti'tus, A. D. 70. Its site is now +occupied partially by the Dome of the Rock, miscalled the Mosque of +O'mar, in Je-ru'sa-lem. + +[Illustration] + +II. =The Situation.= The city of Je-ru'sa-lem stood upon hills separated +by three valleys radiating in a fanlike order, from a point at the +southeast. Northward runs the valley of the Kid'ron; northwest the +valley of the Ty-ro'poe-on, now almost obliterated; almost westward, +with a curve northward, the valley of Hin'nom. Between the valley of the +Kid'ron and the valley of the Ty-ro'poe-on were two hills--on the north +Mount Mo-ri'ah, and a little to the south a spur of lower elevation +known as O'phel. On Mount Mo-ri'ah stood the temple, on O'phel the +buildings of Sol'o-mon's palace. Later the temple area was enlarged to +include both these hills. West of Mo-ri'ah, across the Ty-ro'poe-on +valley, was Mount Zi'on, upon which the principal part of the city +stood. + +III. =The House of the Lord.= This was a building not large, but +magnificent and costly; made of stone and cedar, and decorated lavishly +with gold and precious stones. It consisted of four parts: + +1. _The Porch_, a lofty tower facing the east. Two pillars, either in +the tower at the entrance or standing apart before it, are named (1 +Kings 7. 21). The interior dimensions of the porch were about 30 feet +from north to south, and 15 feet east and west[14] (1 Kings 6. 3). + +2. _The Holy Place_ was west of the porch, and was a chamber 60 feet +long by 30 wide, and perhaps 30 feet high. In it stood, on the north, +the table for "the showbread"--that is, the twelve loaves shown before +the Lord; on the south, the golden candlestick, or lampstand[15]; and at +the western end the golden altar of incense. + +3. _The Holy of Holies_, or "the oracle" (1 Kings 6. 19, 20), was a +cube, each dimension being 30 feet. It had no windows, but received a +dim light through the veil which separated it from the adjoining room. +This place was entered by the high priest only, and on but one day in +the year, the day of atonement. The only article of furniture in the +room was the Ark of the Covenant, containing the two stone tables of the +law. The Ark doubtless was destroyed with the first temple, and in the +second and third temples its place was indicated by a marble block, upon +which the blood was sprinkled. + +[Illustration: THE TEMPLE] + +4. _The Chambers_ were rooms for the priests, situated around the house, +with entrance from without. They were in three stories, and were set +apart for the residence of the priests while employed in the services of +the temple. Each priest served two weeks in the year; not, however, two +weeks in succession, but six months apart, and lived at his home for the +rest of the time. In similar chambers around the old tabernacle E'li and +Sam'u-el slept (1 Sam. 3. 2, 3). + +IV. The =Court of the Priests= was an open, unroofed quadrangle +surrounding the House of the Lord, but mainly in front, toward the east. +It was about 200 feet wide, north and south, by 275 feet long, east and +west, a few feet lower in elevation than the floor of the temple proper. +Here stood the great _Altar of Burnt Offering_, upon which the daily +sacrifice was offered, its site now shown under the Dome of the Rock; +and near the door to the house _the Laver_ for washing the sacrifices. +Sol'o-mon built also a great "_Sea_," or reservoir of water, standing on +the backs of twelve oxen, all of "brass," probably copper (1 Kings 7. +23-26). This was broken up by the Bab-y-lo'ni-ans, B. C. 587 (2 Kings +25. 13), and was not replaced in the later temples. + +V. Around the Court of the Priests was another and larger corridor, the +=Court of Is'ra-el=, or "the men's court." In the later temples this was +320 by 240 feet in dimensions, 26 feet wide on the north and south, 24 +feet wide on the east and west. The size of this court in Sol'o-mon's +temple is not given, but was probably the same as in later times. This +was the standing place of the worshipers (exclusively men) as they +witnessed the service. + +VI. These were the only courts around the first temple, as the space to +the south of the last-named court was occupied by Sol'o-mon's palaces, +from which a magnificent flight of steps ascended to the temple area (1 +Kings 10. 5). After these buildings were destroyed the latest temple, +that of Her'od, included their site in additional courts and buildings +for the worship. East of the Court of Is'ra-el, and a little lower, +stood the =Court of the Women=, 200 feet square, having a lattice +gallery on the western side, from which the women could look on the +services of the altar. This court was also called "the Treasury" (John +8. 20) from the gift boxes fastened upon the wall (Mark 12. 41, 42). In +each corner of this court was a room said to be 60 feet square, with an +open roof. + +VII. Around all these buildings and courts, with Her'od's temple, but +not with Sol'o-mon's, was the =Court of the Gen'tiles=, an irregular +quadrangle of about 1,000 feet on each side (north 990, east 1,000, +south 960, west 1,060). The wall on the east was surmounted by a double +row of columns, and called Sol'o-mon's Porch (John 10. 23; Acts 3. 12). +The "Beautiful Gate" was from the Court of the Gen'tiles to the eastern +side of the Court of the Women (Acts 3. 1), through which the people +passed on their way to the public worship. The narrow corridor +extending entirely around the Court of the Women and the Court of +Is'ra-el was called "Chel"--that is, the sacred inclosure--and no one +except an Is'ra-el-ite was permitted to enter it. The Court of the +Gen'tiles was not regarded by the Jews as sacred, since foreigners were +allowed within it, and in its area had grown up a market for the sale of +animals for sacrifice and tables for the exchanging of foreign money. +Twice this court was purged of these desecrations by Je'sus (John 2. +13-17; Matt. 21. 12, 13). + +The principal access to the temple in the time of Christ was a bridge +over the Ty-ro'poe-on valley from Mount Zi'on. Of this bridge a fragment +of one arch still remains, known as "Rob'in-son's Arch." + +The immediate surroundings of the temple, in the New Testament period, +were the following: 1. On the north stood the Castle or Tower of +An-to'ni-a, erected by the Ro'mans for the control of the temple area. +2. On the east was the valley of the Kid'ron. 3. On the south and west +lay the curving valley of the Ty-ro'poe-on. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Thr. Tem.= 1. Sol. 970-587. 2. Zer. 534. 3. Her. B. C. 20. + A. D. 70. + II. =Situa.= Vall. Kid. Tyr. Hin. Mts. Mor. Oph. Zi. + III. =Hou. Lor.= 1. Por. 30x15. 2. H. P. 30x60. 3. H. H. 30x30. + 4. Chamb. + IV. =Cou. Pri.= 200x275. Alt. Lav. "Sea." + V. =Cou. Isr.= 240x320. + VI. =Cou. Wom.= 200x200. "Treas." Rooms. + VII. =Cou. Gen.= 1,000. "Chel." Market. Bridge. + + +Hints to the Teacher and the Class + +Let each pupil in turn draw on the blackboard one of the departments or +courts of the temple, state its dimensions, and explain its uses. + +Let a pupil recite the history of each temple. + +Let one pupil state in what parts of the temple Je'sus walked and +taught, and another events in the life of Saint Paul connected with the +temple. + + +Review Questions + + Who built the first temple, how long did it stand, and + by whom was it destroyed? Who built the second temple, + and at what time? Who built the third temple? When was + it begun, finished, and destroyed? What building now + stands on the site of the temple? Between what three + valleys was Je-ru'sa-lem situated? Give a description + of each valley. Where were Mo-ri'ah, O'phel, and Zi'on + located? Into what four parts was the "House of the + Lord," or temple proper, divided? What were the + dimensions and what was the location of the Porch? + Describe the Holy Place and its contents. Describe the + Holy of Holies. What took the place of the Ark in the + later temples? What were the Chambers, and where were + they situated? Where was the Court of the Priests? + What were its dimensions? What stood in this court? + Where was the Court of Is'ra-el? What were its + dimensions and uses? What stood outside the Court of + Is'ra-el adjoining Sol'o-mon's temple? Where was the + Court of the Women in the latest temple? Describe this + court and its uses? What was the exterior court to the + temple in the time of Christ? What were the dimensions + of this court? Where was the "Beautiful Gate"? Where + was the "Chel"? Where was Sol'o-mon's Porch? How was + this court used by the Jews? What did Je'sus do in + this court? What was the principal means of access to + the temple? What were the immediate surroundings of + the temple? + + + +TWELFTH STUDY + +The Kingdom of Israel + +PART ONE + + +The splendors of Sol'o-mon'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 +Is'ra-el. + +I. Let us ascertain the =Causes of the Division of Is'ra-el=. These +were: + +1. =The oppressive government of Sol'o-mon= (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 Sol'o-mon, with its courts, 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 Sol'o-mon and friendly +to Jer-o-bo'am. Their reason was a strong resentment to the foreign +alliances, foreign customs, and especially to the foreign idolatries +which Sol'o-mon introduced. + +3. =Foreign intrigues=, especially in E'gypt. The old kingdoms were not +friendly to this Is'ra-el-ite empire, which loomed up so suddenly, and +threatened to conquer all the East. Sol'o-mon's attempt to win the favor +of E'gypt by a royal marriage (1 Kings 3. 1) was a failure, for two +enemies of Sol'o-mon, driven out of his dominions, found refuge in +E'gypt, were admitted to the court, married relatives of the king, and +stirred up conspiracies against Sol'o-mon's throne (1 Kings 11. 14-22, +40). Another center of conspiracy was Da-mas'cus, where Re'zon kept up a +semi-independent relation to Sol'o-mon's empire (1 Kings 11. 23-25). + +4. =Tribal jealousy=; the old sore broken out again. Notice that +Jer-o-bo'am belonged to the haughty tribe of E'phra-im (1 Kings 11. 26), +always envious of Ju'dah, and restless under the throne of Da'vid. The +kingdom of the ten tribes was established mainly through the influence +of this tribe. + +5. =The ambition of Jer-o-bo'am= was another force in the disruption. It +was unfortunate for Sol'o-mon's kingdom that the ablest young man of +that time in Is'ra-el, a wily political leader and an unscrupulous +partisan, belonged to the tribe of E'phra-im, and from his environment +was an enemy of the then existing government. The fact that he was sent +for from E'gypt to the assembly at She'chem showed collusion and +preparation of the scheme (1 Kings 12. 2, 3). + +6. But all these causes might have been insufficient but for =the folly +of Re-ho-bo'am= (1 Kings 12. 13, 14). If Da'vid had been on the throne +that day an empire might have been saved. But Re-ho-bo'am, 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 +Sol'o-mon's empire. Five kingdoms took the place of one: Syr'i-a on the +north, Is'ra-el in the center, Ju'dah west of the Dead Sea, Mo'ab east +of the Dead Sea, and E'dom on the extreme south. Mo'ab was nominally +subject to Is'ra-el, and E'dom to Ju'dah; but only strong kings, like +A'hab in Is'ra-el and Je-hosh'a-phat in Ju'dah, 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 Is'ra-el and +Ju'dah were at war, and spent their strength in civil strife, while +Syr'i-a was growing powerful, and in the far northeast As-syr'i-a was +threatening. 3.) As a natural result came at last _foreign domination_. +Both Is'ra-el and Ju'dah fell under the power of other nations and were +swept into captivity, as the final result of the disruption wrought by +Jer-o-bo'am. + +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 Is'ra-el, 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 Is'ra-el and Ju'dah 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._ Is'ra-el on the north stood as a "buffer," warding +off the world from Ju'dah 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 Ju'dah; and in Ju'dah was the unconscious hope of the +world. 3.) _Concentration of the true religion._ The departure of +Is'ra-el from the true faith led to the gathering of the priests, +Le'vites, and worshiping element of the people in Ju'dah (2 Chron. 11. +13-16). Thus the Jew'ish kingdom was far more devoted to Je-ho'vah than +it might otherwise have been. + +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. + + +Review Questions + + What causes may be assigned for the division of + Is'ra-el? How far was Sol'o-mon'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? + + +Part Two + +III. =The Kingdom of Is'ra-el.= From the division the name _Is'ra-el_ +was applied to the northern kingdom and _Ju'dah_ to the southern. We +notice the general aspects of Is'ra-el during its history, from B. C. +934 to 721. + +1. =Its extent.= It embraced all the territory of the twelve tribes +except Ju'dah and a part of Ben'ja-min (1 Kings 12. 19-21), held a +nominal supremacy over Mo'ab east of the Dead Sea, and embraced about +9,375 square miles, while Ju'dah included only 3,435. Is'ra-el was about +equal in area to Massachusetts and Rhode Island together. + +2. =Its capital= was first at _She'chem_, in the center of the land (1 +Kings 12. 25); then, during several reigns, at _Tir'zah_ (1 Kings 15. +33; 16. 23); then at _Sa-ma'ri-a_ (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 Pal'es-tine (John 4. 3, 4). + +3. =Its religion.= 1.) Very soon after the institution of the new +kingdom Jer-o-bo'am 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 Is'ra-el ever since the exodus (Exod. 32. 1-4). In +character it was a modified idolatry, halfway between the pure religion +and the abominations of the heathen. 2.) A'hab and his house introduced +the Phoe-ni'cian _worship of Ba'al_, an idolatry of the most abominable +and immoral sort (1 Kings 16. 30-33), but it never gained control in +Is'ra-el, and was doubtless one cause of the revolution which placed +another family on the throne. 3.) Through the history of Is'ra-el there +remained a remnant of _worshipers of Je-ho'vah_, 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 Is'ra-el 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 Jer-o-bo'am_, with two kings, followed by a general +massacre of Jer-o-bo'am's family (1 Kings 15. 29, 30). + +2.) _The House of Ba'a-sha_, two kings, followed by a civil war (1 Kings +16. 16-22). + +3.) _The House of Om'ri_, four kings, of whom Om'ri and A'hab were the +most powerful. This was the age of the prophet E-li'jah and the great +struggle between the worship of Je-ho'vah and of Ba'al (1 Kings 18. +4-21). + +4.) _The House of Je'hu_, five kings, under whom were great changes of +fortune. The reign of Je-ho'a-haz saw Is'ra-el reduced to a mere +province of Syr'i-a (2 Kings 13. 1-9). His son Jo'ash threw off the +Syr'i-an yoke, and _his_ son, Jer-o-bo'am II, raised Is'ra-el almost to +its condition of empire in the days of Sol'o-mon (2 Kings 14. 23-29). +His reign is called "the Indian summer of Is'ra-el." + +5.) _The House of Men'a-hem_, two reigns. Is'ra-el had by this time +fallen under the power of As-syr'i-a, 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 Sa-ma'ri-a, B. C. 721. + +5. =Its foreign relations.= During the period of the Is'ra-el-ite +kingdom we see lands struggling for the dominion of the East. The +history of Is'ra-el is interwoven with that of Syr'i-a and As-syr'i-a, +which may now be read from the monuments. + +1.) There was a _Period of Division_. During the reign of the houses of +Jer-o-bo'am and Ba'a-sha there were constant wars between Is'ra-el, +Syr'i-a, and Ju'dah; and as a result all were kept weak, and "a balance +of power" was maintained. + +2.) Then followed a _Period of Alliance_--that is, between Is'ra-el and +Ju'dah, during the sway of the House of Om'ri. The two lands were in +friendly relations, and the two thrones were connected by marriages. As +a result both Is'ra-el and Ju'dah were strong, Mo'ab and E'dom were kept +under control, and Syr'i-a was held in check. + +3.) Next came the _Period of Syr'i-an Ascendency_. During the first two +reigns of the House of Je'hu, Syr'i-a rose to great power under +Haz'a-el, and overran both Is'ra-el and Ju'dah. At one time Is'ra-el was +in danger of utter destruction, but was preserved. Near the close of +these periods the dying prophecy of E-li'sha was uttered (2 Kings 13. +14-25). + +4.) _The Period of Is'ra-el-ite Ascendency._ Is'ra-el under Jer-o-bo'am +II took its turn of power, and for a brief period was again dominant to +the Eu-phra'tes, as in the days of Sol'o-mon. + +5.) _The Period of As-syr'i-an Ascendency._ But its glory soon faded +away before that of As-syr'i-a, which was now rapidly becoming the +empire of the East. Its rise meant the fall of Is'ra-el; and under the +unfortunate Ho-she'a, Sa-ma'ri-a was taken, what was left of the ten +tribes were carried captive, and the kingdom of Is'ra-el 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 Is'ra-el-ites, having lost +their national religion and having no bond of union, =mingled with the +Gen'tiles= 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 Pal'es-tine, others returned thither and formed the +=nucleus of the Sa-mar'i-tan 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 Jew'ish, and not +Is'ra-el-ite. + +4. A few =families united with the Jews=, returned with them to +Pal'es-tine after the exile, yet retained their tribal relationship; for +example, An'na (Luke 2. 36). + +Blackboard Outline + + 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. Ba. 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. + + +Review Questions + + How long did the new kingdom of Is'ra-el 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 Is'ra-el almost to its + ancient power? What is this period of prosperity + called? Who was the greatest king of Is'ra-el? With + what other history is that of Is'ra el interwoven? + What were the five periods in the foreign relations of + Is'ra-el? By what kingdom was Is'ra-el destroyed? Who + was its last king? What finally became of the ten + tribes? + + + + +THIRTEENTH STUDY + +The Kingdom of Judah + + +I. =General Aspects of the Kingdom of Ju'dah.= + +1. =Its territory.= It embraced the mountain portion of the tribe of +Ju'dah, from the Dead Sea to the Phi-lis'tine plain; a part of +Ben'ja-min, in which tribe the larger part of Je-ru'sa-lem stood; and +also a part of Dan (Chron. 11. 10). Sim'e-on was nominally within its +border, but was practically given up to the A-ra'bi-ans of the desert; +E'dom was tributary, though often in rebellion, and finally independent +(1 Kings 22. 47; 2 Kings 8. 20); Phi-lis'ti-a was outside of its +boundary. Its extent was about 3,435 square miles, about half the area +of Massachusetts. + +2. =Its government= was a monarchy, with but one family on the throne, +the line of Da'vid, in direct succession, with the exception of +Ath-a-li'ah'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 Je-ho'vah 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 +Je-ho'vah, 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 Je-hosh'a-phat, Hez-e-ki'ah, and Jo-si'ah, the general +tendency was downward. + +II. =The Duration of the Kingdom.= The kingdom lasted from B. C. 934 to +587--more than one hundred and thirty years longer than Is'ra-el. +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. Ju'dah had few foreign wars as compared +with Is'ra-el. + +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 Je-ru'sa-lem.= 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 Da'vid= 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. Ju'dah's strength +was in the measure of her service of God, and when she renounced +Je-ho'vah her doom came speedily. + +III. =Periods in the History.= Though Ju'dah 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.= 1.) The reigns of Re-ho-bo'am and +A-bi'jah marked a decline indicated by the E-gyp'tian invasion and the +growth of idolatry. 2.) The reign of A'sa and Je-hosh'a-phat showed a +revival in reformation, progress, and power. Under Je-hosh'a-phat, +Ju'dah was at the height of prosperity. This was the time of peace with +Is'ra-el and of strength at home and abroad (2 Chron. 17. 5; 20. 30). + +2. =The second decline and revival.= 1.) For nearly two hundred years +after the death of Je-hosh'a-phat the course of Ju'dah was downward. +E'dom was lost under Je-ho'ram (2 Chron. 21. 8); the Ba'al-ite idolatry +was introduced by the usurping queen, Ath-a-li'ah (2 Kings 11. 18); the +land was again and again invaded under Jo'ash and Am-a-zi'ah, and +Je-ru'sa-lem itself was taken and plundered. 2.) But a great reformation +was wrought under Hez-e-ki'ah, who was the best and wisest of the kings +of Ju'dah, and the kingdom again rose to power, even daring to throw off +the As-syr'i-an 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 +As-syr'i-an host (2 Kings 19. 35). + +3. =The third decline and revival.= 1.) The reforms of Hez-e-ki'ah were +short-lived, for his son Ma-nas'seh 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 Ma-nas'seh'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.) Jo-si'ah, 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.= 1.) The political cause of the +destruction of the kingdom was the rise of Bab'y-lon. The old +As-syr'i-an empire went down about B. C. 625, and a struggle followed +between Bab'y-lon and E'gypt for the supremacy. Ju'dah took the side of +E'gypt, which proved to be the losing side. 2.) After several +chastisements and repeated rebellions Je-ru'sa-lem was finally destroyed +by Neb-u-chad-nez'zar, king of Bab'y-lon, and the kingdom of Ju'dah 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. + + +Review Questions + + What was embraced in the kingdom of Ju'dah? What was + its area? How was it governed? What was its religion? + What was associated with the worship of Je-ho'vah? + What was the religious tendency of the people? How + long did the kingdom of Ju'dah 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 Ju'dah? 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 Ju'dah'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 Ju'dah? By what + nation and by what king was Je-ru'sa-lem finally + destroyed? + + + + +FOURTEENTH STUDY + +The Captivity of Judah + + +PART ONE + +I. We must distinguish between the =Captivity of Is'ra-el= and that of +=Ju'dah=. + +1. The captivity of Is'ra-el took place B. C. 721, that of Ju'dah B. C. +587. The southern kingdom lasted one hundred and thirty-four years +longer than the northern. + +2. Is'ra-el was taken captive by the As-syr'i-ans under Sar'gon; Ju'dah +by the Chal-de'ans under Neb-u-chad-nez'zar. + +3. Is'ra-el was taken to the lands south of the Cas'pi-an Sea (2 Kings +17. 6); Ju'dah to Chal-de'a, by the river Eu-phra'tes (Psa. 137. 1). + +4. Is'ra-el never returned from its captivity, which was the end of its +history; but Ju'dah 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 Ju'dah, all in one generation and +all under one Chal-de'an king, Neb-u-chad-nez'zar: + +1. =Je-hoi'a-kim's captivity=, B. C. 607. Je-hoi'a-kim was the son of +Jo-si'ah, placed upon the throne after the battle of Me-gid'do, in which +Jo-si'ah perished (2 Kings 23. 34). For three years Je-hoi'a-kim obeyed +Neb-u-chad-nez'zar; then he rebelled, but was speedily reduced to +subjection, and many of the leading people among the Jews were carried +captive to Bab'y-lon (2 Kings 24. 1, 2). Among these captives was +Dan'iel 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 +Ju'dah remained for twenty years longer. + +2. =Je-hoi'a-chin's captivity=, B. C. 598. Je-hoi'a-chin was the son of +Je-hoi'a-kim (called Jec-o-ni'ah, 1 Chron. 3. 16; Jer. 24. 1; and +Co-ni'ah, Jer. 22. 24). He reigned only three months, and then was +deposed by Neb-u-chad-nez'zar and carried to Bab'y-lon. 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 E-ze'ki-el, the prophet-priest (Ezek. 1. 1-13). + +3. =Zed-e-ki'ah's captivity=, B. C. 587. He was the uncle of +Je-hoi'a-chin and the son of the good Jo-si'ah (2 Kings 24. 17), and had +been made king by Neb-u-chad-nez'zar. But he too rebelled against his +master, to whom he had taken a solemn oath of fidelity (2 Chron. 36. +13). The Chal-de'ans were greatly incensed by these frequent +insurrections, and determined upon a final destruction of the rebellious +city. After a long siege Je-ru'sa-lem was taken, and the king was +captured while attempting flight. He was blinded and carried away to +Bab'y-lon, the city was destroyed, and nearly all the people left alive +were also taken to the land of Chal-de'a (2 Kings 25. 1-11). After this +captivity the city lay desolate for fifty years, until the conquest of +Bab'y-lon by Cy'rus, 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 As-syr'i-an 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 +Cas'pi-an Sea, and other people were brought to Sa-ma'ri-a in their +place (2 Kings 17. 6, 24). A similar plan regarding Ju'dah was proposed +by Sen-nach'e-rib (2 Kings 18. 31, 32), but was thwarted by the +destruction of the As-syr'i-an host. + +2. We have already noticed another cause of the captivity in the +frequent =rebellions of the kings of Ju'dah= against the authority of +Bab'y-lon. The old spirit of independence, which had made Ju'dah 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 Bab'y-lon; 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 Neb-u-chad-nez'zar was exhausted, and the +destruction of the rebellious city and the deportation of the population +were ordered. + +3. But underneath was another and a deeper cause--in =the rivalry of +E'gypt and Bab'y-lon=. Pal'es-tine stood on the border of the +As-syr'i-an empire toward E'gypt; and in Pal'es-tine there were two +parties, the As-syr'i-an and the E-gyp'tian: one counseling submission +to As-syr'i-a, the other seeking alliance with E'gypt against As-syr'i-a +(Isa. 31. 1-3; 37. 6). After Bab'y-lon took the place of Nin'e-veh the +Chal-de'an party took the place of the As-syr'i-an, as the Chal-de'an +empire was the successor of the As-syr'i-an empire. The prophets, led by +Jer-e-mi'ah, always counseled submission to Bab'y-lon, and warned +against trusting to E'gypt, which had never given anything more than +promises; but the nobles were of the E-gyp'tian party, and constantly +influenced the kings to renounce the yoke of Bab'y-lon and to strike for +independence by the aid of E'gypt. The necessity of making the frontier +of the Chal-de'an empire safe on the side toward E'gypt was the +political cause for the deportation of the tribe of Ju'dah. + +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 Is'ra-el and Ju'dah--the spiritual, God-fearing +few, and the worldly, idol-worshiping many. The worldly and irreligious +took part in the resistance to the king of Bab'y-lon, and the worshipers +of Je-ho'vah, 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 Chal-de'ans +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 Ju'dah, out of which in due time a new +nation should rise; and, as we shall see, the captivity in Bab'y-lon +proved to be the most benign experience in all the history of God's +chosen 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. + + +Review Questions + + From what earlier captivity must that of Ju'dah 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 Ju'dah? What were the events of the + first captivity of Ju'dah? Who were carried away at + this time? What date is connected with this captivity? + What were the events of the second captivity of + Ju'dah? Who were then taken away? What were the events + of the third captivity? How long was Je-ru'sa-lem 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 Ju'dah bring on the captivity? What + rivalry between nations was a cause of the captivity? + What were the two parties in the kingdom of Ju'dah? + How was the carrying away of the Jews a political + necessity? What was the moral cause of the captivity? + + +PART TWO + +IV. =The Condition of the Captives in Chal-de'a= 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 Ro'mans the +Jews were sold as slaves and dispersed throughout the empire. Such +wholesale enslavement was common after a conquest. For some reason the +Chal-de'ans 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 "Chal-de'an party" among the Jews, and hence were +treated in a measure as friends. The letter of Jer-e-mi'ah to the exiles +(Jer. 29. 1-7) shows that they were kindly dealt with in Chal-de'a. 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). There was a "prince of Ju'dah" at the +close of the captivity (Ezra 1. 8). This fact of 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 Gen'tiles, and would have lost +their identity as a people. But being maintained as a separate race, and +in Jew'ish 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 Je-ru'sa-lem 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 Gen'tiles, the earnest, the spiritual, and the +God-fearing would grow more intense in their devotion. + +4. =They were instructed by prophets and teachers.= Jer-e-mi'ah lived +for some time after the beginning of the captivity, made a visit to +Bab'y-lon, and wrote at least one letter to the exiles (Jer. 13. 4-7; +29. 1-3). Dan'iel lived during the captivity, and, though in the court, +maintained a deep interest in his people, and comforted them by his +prophecies. E-ze'ki-el 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 +I-sa'iah, from the fortieth chapter to the end, was given by a "later +I-sa'iah" 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 teachings of +Dan'iel, E-ze'ki-el, Ha-bak'kuk, 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 many psalms we cite Psa. 124, 126, 129, 130, 137, as manifestly +written during the captivity. The exile was an age of life and vigor to +He'brew literature. + +V. =The Results of the Captivity.= In the year B. C. 536 the city of +Bab'y-lon was taken by Cy'rus, king of the combined Medes and Per'sians. +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 this 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 reestablished 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 He'brew to Ar-a-ma'ic, or +Chal-da'ic. The books of the Old Testament written after the restoration +are in a different dialect 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 +Chal'dee of Bab'y-lon and the He'brew 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 +except 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 Bab-y-lo'ni-an 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 Ju'dah, as well as of +Is'ra-el, was its tendency to idolatry. Every prophet had warned against +it and rebuked it, reformers had risen up, kings had endeavored to +extirpate it; 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 +Je-ho'vah. Among all the warnings of the later prophets, and the reforms +of Ez'ra and Ne-he-mi'ah, 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. + +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 +Pal'es-tine, and was established throughout the Jew'ish 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 Ez'ra, 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 Mes-si'ah.= From the time of the +captivity the Jew'ish people looked forward with eager expectation to +the coming of a Deliverer, the Consolation of Is'ra-el, the "Anointed +One" (the word Mes-si'ah means "anointed"), who should lift up his +people from the dust, exalt the throne of Da'vid, 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 Je'sus Christ, the King of Is'ra-el. + +6. From the captivity there =were two parts of the Jew'ish people=: the +Jews of Pal'es-tine, and the Jews of the dispersion, 1.) The Jews of +Pal'es-tine, sometimes called He'brews (Acts 6. 1), were the lesser in +number, who lived in their own land and maintained the Jew'ish state. +2.) The Jews of the dispersion were the descendants of those who did not +return after the decree of Cy'rus (Ezra 1. 1), but remained in foreign +lands and gradually formed Jew'ish "quarters" in all the cities of the +ancient world. They were the larger in number, and later were called +"Gre'cian 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. 6), were devoted +to the law, made constant pilgrimages to Je-ru'sa-lem, and were +recognized as having one hope with the Jews of Pal'es-tine. The traits +of the two bodies were different, but each contributed its own elements +toward the making of a great people. + + +Blackboard Outline + + 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. Ian. 2. Ch. hab. 3. Ch. char. 4. Ne. ins. + (syn. scr.) 5. Hop. Mess. 6. Two. par. peo. + + +Review Questions + + 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 + Jew'ish literature during the captivity? What events + followed the decree of Cy'rus? 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? + + + + +FIFTEENTH STUDY + +The Jewish Province + + +PART ONE + +From the return of the exiles, B. C. 536, to the final destruction of +the Jew'ish state by the Ro'mans, A. D. 70, the history of the chosen +people is closely interwoven with that of the East in general. During +most of this time Ju-de'a 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 Is'ra-el-ite +history. We therefore give more space than usual to the facts, selecting +only 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 Per'sian period=, B. C. 536 to 330, from Cy'rus to Al-ex-an'der, +while the Jew'ish province was a part of the Per'sian 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 Per'sian 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 Sol'o-mon, but was built upon the same plan. + +2.) _Ez'ra's reformation_, B. C. 450. The coming to Je-ru'sa-lem of +Ez'ra the scribe was a great event in Is'ra-el-ite history; for, aided +by Ne-he-mi'ah, 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 Mo-sa'ic law, aroused the patriotism of the people, +and renewed the ancient faith. His work gave him the title of "the +second founder of Is'ra-el." + +3.) _The separation of the Sa-mar'i-tans_, B. C. 409. (For the origin +of the Sa-mar'i-tans 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 Je-ru'sa-lem. After the return from Bab'y-lon +the Sa-mar'i-tans and the Jews grew farther and farther apart. The +Sa-mar'i-tans opposed the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4. 9-24), and +delayed it for many years; and a century later strove to prevent +Ne-he-mi'ah from building the wall of Je-ru'sa-lem (Neh. 4. 2). Finally +they established a rival temple on Mount Ger'i-zim, and thenceforth the +two races were in bitter enmity (John 4. 9). + +4.) _The completion of the Old Testament canon._ The prophets after the +restoration were Hag'ga-i, Zech-a-ri'ah, and Mal'a-chi; but the author +or editor of most of the latest books was Ez'ra, 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. + +2. =The Greek period=, B. C. 330-166. In the year B. C. 330 Al-ex-an'der +the Great won the empire of Per'sia in the great battle of Ar-be'la, by +which the sovereignty of the East was transferred from A'sia to Eu'rope, +and a new chapter in the history of the world was opened. Al-ex-an'der +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. Ju-de'a was on the border between Syr'i-a and +E'gypt, and belonged alternately to each kingdom. We divide this period +into three subdivisions: + +1.) _The reign of Al-ex-an'der_, B. C. 330-321. The Jews had been well +treated by the Per'sian kings and remained faithful to Da-ri'us, the +last king of Per'sia, in his useless struggle. Al-ex-an'der marched +against Je-ru'sa-lem, determined to visit upon it heavy punishment for +its opposition, but (according to tradition) was met by Jad-du'a, the +high priest, and turned from an enemy to a friend of the Jews. + +2.) _The E-gyp'tian supremacy_, B. C. 311-198. In the division of +Al-ex-an'der's conquests Ju-de'a was annexed to Syr'i-a, but it soon +fell into the hands of E'gypt, and was governed by the Ptol'e-mies +(Greek kings of E'gypt) until B. C. 198. The only important events of +this period were the rule of Si'mon the Just, an exceptionally able +high priest, about B. C. 300, and the translation of the Old Testament +into the Greek language for the use of the Jews of Al-ex-an'dri-a, who +had lost the use of He'brew or Chal'dee. This translation was made about +B. C. 286, according to Jew'ish tradition, and is known as the +Septuagint version. + +3.) _The Syr'i-an supremacy_, B. C. 198-166. About the year B. C. 198 +Ju-de'a fell into the hands of the Syr'i-an kingdom, also ruled by a +Greek dynasty, the Se-leu'ci-dae, or descendants of Se-leu'cus. 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 Syr'i-an 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 Je-ho'vah were tortured and slain, +in the vain endeavor to introduce the Greek and Syr'i-an forms of +idolatry among the Jews. Heb. 11. 33-40 is supposed to refer to this +persecution. When An-ti'o-chus, the Syr'i-an 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, Je-ru'sa-lem was +well-nigh destroyed, the temple was dedicated to Ju'pi-ter O-lym'pus, +and the orgies of the Bacchanalia were substituted for the Feast of +Tabernacles. The religion of Je-ho'vah and the race of the Jews seemed +on the verge of utter annihilation in their own land. + + +Blackboard Outline + + 1. =Four Per.= 1. Per. per. 1.) Sec. tem. 2.) Ez. ref. 3.) Sep. Sam. + 4.) Com. O. T. can. + + 2. Gk. per. 1.) Rei. Alex. 2.) Eg. sup. 3.) Syr. sup. + + +Review Questions + + 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 + Sa-mar'i-tans? Who were the prophets of the + restoration? By whom was the Old Testament canon + arranged? What brought on the Greek period? What + events of Jew'ish history were connected with + Al-ex-an'der the Great? Under what people did the Jews + fall afterward? What were the events of the E-gyp'tian + rule? What is the Septuagint? How was its translation + regarded by the Jews of Pal'es-tine? In what kingdom, + after E'gypt, did Ju-de'a fall? How was it governed by + its new masters? Who instituted a great persecution? + + +PART TWO + +3. =The Mac-ca-be'an period=, B. C. 166-40. But the darkest hour +precedes the day; the cruelties of the Syr'i-ans caused a new and +splendid epoch to rise upon Is'ra-el. + +1.) _The revolt of Mat-ta-thi'as._ In the year B. C. 170 an aged priest, +Mat-ta-thi'as, unfurled the banner of independence from the Syr'i-an +yoke. He did not at first aim for political freedom, but religious +liberty; but after winning a few victories over the Syr'i-an armies he +began to dream of a free Jew'ish state. He died in the beginning of the +war, but was succeeded by his greater son, Ju'das Mac-ca-be'us. + +2.) _Ju'das Mac-ca-be'us_ gained a greater success than had been dreamed +at the beginning of the revolt. Within four years the Jews recaptured +Je-ru'sa-lem and reconsecrated the temple. The anniversary of this event +was ever after celebrated in the Feast of Dedication (John 10. 22). +Ju'das ranks in history as one of the noblest of the Jew'ish heroes, and +deserves a place beside Josh'u-a, Gid'e-on, and Sam'u-el as a liberator +and reformer. + +3.) _The Mac-ca-be'an dynasty._ Ju'das 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 B. C. 143 Jew'ish +liberty was formally recognized, and the Mac-ca-be'an princes ruled for +a time over an independent state. Between B. C. 130 and 110 E'dom, +Sa-ma'ri-a, and Gal'i-lee were added to Ju-de'a. The latter province had +been known as "Gal'i-lee of the Gen'tiles" (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 Je-ru'sa-lem. + +4.) _The rise of the sects._ About B. C. 100 the two sects, or schools +of thought, the Phar'i-sees and Sad'du-cees, began to appear, though +their principles had long been working. The Phar'i-sees ("separatists") +sought for absolute separation from the Gen'tile world and a strict +construction of the law of Mo'ses, while the Sad'du-cees "moralists") +were liberal in their theories and in their lives. + +4. =The Ro'man period=, B. C. 40 to A. D. 70. It is not easy to name a +date for the beginning of the Ro'man supremacy in Pal'es-tine. It began +in B. C. 63, when Pom'pey the Great (afterward the antagonist of +Ju'li-us Cae'sar) was asked to intervene between two claimants for the +Jew'ish throne, Hyr-ca'nus and Ar-is-to-bu'lus. Pom'pey decided for +Hyr-ca'nus, and aided him by a Ro'man army. In his interest he besieged +and took Je-ru'sa-lem, and then placed Hyr-ca'nus in power, but without +the title of king. From this time the Ro'mans were practically, though +not nominally, in control of affairs. + +1.) _Her'od the Great._ We assign as the date of the Ro'man rule B. C. +40, when Her'od (son of An-tip'a-ter, an E'dom-ite, who had been the +general of Hyr-ca'nus) received the title of king from the Ro'man +Senate. From this time Pal'es-tine was regarded as a part of the Ro'man +empire. Her'od was the ablest man of his age and one of the most +unscrupulous. He ruled over all Pal'es-tine, I-du-me'a (ancient E'dom), +and the lands south of Da-mas'cus. + +2.) _Her'od's temple._ Her'od 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 Jer'i-cho about the time +when Je'sus Christ, the true King of the Jews, was born (Matt. 2. 1, 2). + +3.) _The tetrarchies._ By Her'od'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 Pal'es-tine: Ar-che-la'us receiving +Ju-de'a, I-du-me'a, and Sa-ma'ri-a; An'ti-pas (the Her'od of Luke 3. 1; +9. 7; 23. 7-11) receiving Gal'i-lee and Pe-re'a; and Phil'ip (Luke 3. 1) +having the district of Ba'shan. About A. D. 6 Ar-che-la'us was deposed, +and a Ro'man, Co-po'ni-us, was appointed the first procurator of +Ju-de'a, which was made a part of the prefecture of Syr'i-a. The rest of +Jew'ish 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 Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an 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 As-syr'i-an empire to +the orderly, assimilated, systematic condition of the Ro'man 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 Mes-o-po-ta'mi-a to +Spain and could sail the Med-i-ter-ra'ne-an Sea in perfect safety. + +2. =There was a preparation of language.= The conquests of Al-ex-an'der, +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 Al-ex-an'der, Greek +cities were founded everywhere in the East, Greek kingdoms were +established, the Greek literature and 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 Is'ra-el-ites from the migration of A'bra-ham 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 Ju'da-ism into two streams: one a little fountain in +Pal'es-tine, 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 Jew'ish +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. +Pal'es-tine gave the gospel, but the Jews of the dispersion carried it +to the Gen'tiles, and in many places synagogues in the foreign world +became the nucleus of a Christian church, where for the first time Jew +and Gen'tile 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 +being between A'bra-ham and Mo'ses, between Mo'ses and Da'vid, between +Da'vid and I-sa'iah, between I-sa'iah and John the Bap'tist. Phar'i-see +and Sad'du-cee each held a share of the truth which embraced the best +thoughts 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.= (Cont.) 3. Macc. per. 1.) Rev. Mat. 2.) Jud. Macc. + 3.) Macc. dyn. 4.) Ri. sec. 4. Rom. per. 1.) Her. Gr. + 2.) Her. tem. 3.) Tetr. + II. =Prep. Gosp.= 1. Pol. prep. 2. Prep. lan. 3. Prep. rac. 4. Prep. + rel. + + +Review Questions + + What was the effect of the Syr'i-an persecution? Who + led the Jews in revolt? What great hero arose at this + time? What line of rulers came from his family? What + was the growth of the Jew'ish state at that time? What + sects of the Jews arose? How did Ju-de'a fall under + the Ro'man power? Whom did the Ro'mans establish as + king? What were his dominions? What building did he + erect? How was his kingdom divided after his death? + What finally became of Ju-de'a? Name five ways in + which there was a preparation for the gospel during + this period. What was the political preparation? How + was a language prepared for preaching the gospel to + the world? What race was prepared, and how? What part + had each of the two divisions of the Jew'ish race in + the divine plan? What was the preparation of a + religion for the world? + + + + +SIXTEENTH STUDY + +The Old Testament as Literature[16] + + +PART ONE + +1. =Importance.= In order rightly to understand the Bible we must not +only study it as a book of history, as a book of morals or ethics, as a +book of doctrine, and as a book of devotion; we must also examine it as +_literature_, and ascertain the different types of forms of literature +shown in its pages. The literary study of the Bible is often of the +highest importance. For example, the incident narrated in Josh. 10. +12-14, printed as prose in most of our Bibles, is shown as poetry in the +Revised Version; and we all know that poetry is to be interpreted upon +principles different from prose. + +II. =Difficulties.= In the study of the Bible as literature two +difficulties arise and must be overcome: + +1. _The division into chapters and verses_, and the printing of the +Bible throughout in the form of prose, forms an obstacle to the student +of the Bible as literature. Suppose that every history of England, the +poetry of Milton, the dramas of Shakespeare, and the romances of Scott +were printed in the form of our Bibles--broken up into short +paragraphs--what a hindrance that would prove to the understanding and +the enjoyment of these works! Except in the Revised Version of England +and America, that is the condition in which we read our Bibles. Only in +the Revised Version can the Bible be read as literature. + +2. Another obstacle is in the fact that in the Bible all the different +_forms of literature are mingled together_. The prose has poetry here +and there; history, personal narrative, drama, and lyric are all united +in the same writings. We have Scott's prose and his poetry separate, +Matthew Arnold's poems and his essays in separate volumes; but in the +Old Testament all these forms of literature are found together, and +generally more than one form in the same book. There are few books in +the Old Testament that are either all prose or all poetry. + +III. =Classification.= We may arrange the different kinds of literature +found in the Old Testament under six classes, as follows: + +1. The larger portion of the Old Testament belongs to the department of +_History_. In its books we trace the early history of the world and the +history through two thousand years of the Is'ra-el-ite people. This +history may be classified as: + +1.) _Primitive_ history, in the book of Gen'e-sis. + +2.) _Constitutional_ history, or the record of laws and institutions, in +Ex'o-dus, Le-vit'i-cus, Num'bers. + +3.) _National_ history, or historical events, in Josh'u-a, Judg'es, +Sam'u-el, Kings, and Ez'ra. Although in some of these books are many +narratives more biographical than historical, yet nearly all these +stories have a bearing upon the national history. + +4.) _Ecclesiastical_ history, in the books of Chron'i-cles, which tell +the story of the kingdom of Ju'dah from a priestly point of view. + +2. Next to the history comes _Personal Narrative_ as a literary form in +the Bible; such stories as those of Jo'seph, Ba'laam, Ruth, Da'vid, +E-li'jah, E-li'sha, Jo'nah, and Es'ther; not historical, as the story of +the nations, but personal, as the record of individuals. These +narratives belong to the class called by scholars "prose epics," an epic +being a work of narration, generally in poetry, as the epics of Homer, +Dante, and Milton. The epics in the Bible are poetic in their thought, +but prose in their form. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Imp.= The Bible as Hist. Eth. Doc. Dev. Lit. [Illust.] + II. =Diff.= 1. Div. chap. ver. 2. Lit. ming. + III. =Class.= 1. Hist. 1.) Prim. 2.) Const. 3.) Nat. 4.) Eccl. + 2. Per. narr. J. B. R. D. E. E. J. E. + + +Review Questions + + With what various purposes may the Bible be studied? + What is meant by the study of the Bible as literature? + Give an instance showing that this study is important + for the right interpretation of the Bible. How does + the form in which our Bibles are printed hinder in + the study of it as literature? What other difficulty + is met in the literary study of the Bible? How many + classes of literature are found in the Bible? What is + the department of literature most prominent in the + Bible? Name four kinds of history in the Bible, define + each kind, and give an example of it. To what class of + literature do the stories of the Bible belong? What + are the subjects of some of these stories? What is an + epic? Name some great epics in literature? Wherein do + these differ from the epics in the Bible? + + +PART TWO + +Review I, II, and parts 1 and 2 of III. + +3. Far more of the Old Testament belongs to the department of _Poetry_ +than appears in the Authorized Version, the Bible in common use. The +He'brew mind was poetic rather than prosaic, and the thought of this +people naturally fell into the form of poetry. But there is a great +difference between our poetry or verse and that of the He'brews. With us +there is apt to be rhyme, never sought by the Bible poet; or else a +certain measure in length of line or emphasis on certain vowel sounds, +the "feet" or "meter," in the verse, equally unknown in the Bible. +He'brew verse consists in a peculiar symmetry and balance of clauses, +which is called "parallelism," for instance: + + "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: + He that keepeth thee will not slumber. + Behold, he that keepeth Is'ra-el + Shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psa. 121. 3, 4). + +Poetry is to be found in nearly all parts of the Old Testament. There +are: + +1.) _Odes_, as the song of Mir'i-am (Exod. 15), of Deb'o-rah (Judg. 5), +and the book of Lam-en-ta'tions. In the latter book there is an +acrostical arrangement, each stanza beginning in the original text with +a letter of the He'brew alphabet, and arranged in their order. + +2.) _Lyric poems_, songs of emotion or feeling, as most of the Psalms. + +3.) _Dramatic poems_, illustrative of action, as Job and the Song of +Sol'o-mon. + +4. _Oratory_ figures extensively in the Old Testament, as we should +expect to find in the literature of any Oriental people, among whom the +public speaker exercises a mighty influence. The orations or discourses +of the Bible are sometimes in prose, sometimes in poetry, sometimes in +both forms of expression. The speeches in the book of Job, Sol'o-mon's +dedicatory prayer (2 Chron. 6), almost the entire book of +Deu-ter-on'o-my, the opening chapters of Prov'erbs, and many of the +discourses of the prophets belong to this department. Note how readily +the passage in Deut. 8. 7-9 falls into verse: + + "For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, + A land of brooks of water, + Of fountains and depths, + Springing forth in valleys and hills; + A land of wheat and barley, + And vines and fig trees and pomegranates; + A land of oil olives and honey," etc. (Rev. Ver.) + +5. _Philosophy_, or "wisdom-literature," is also found in the Old +Testament. The book of Prov'erbs is a collection of the "sayings of the +sages" among the Is'ra-el-ites; while Ec-cle-si-as'tes is a series of +connected essays on human life. + +6. _Prophecy_ is a distinct form of literature in the Bible. The word +"prophecy" in the Scriptures means not "foretelling," or "prediction," +but "_forth_telling," speaking under a divine power, whether of past, +present, or future. It is not to be forgotten that the books of +Josh'u-a, Judg'es, Sam'u-el, and Kings were called by the Jews "the +former prophets," and were all regarded as prophetic, although they +contained history. The prophets used freely either the prose form or +verse form in their messages. Their writings may be classified under: + +1.) _Prophetic Discourse_, the message of the Lord concerning nations, +often called "the burden," the counterpart of the modern sermon, as in +Isa. 1. 1-31; Ezek. 34. + +2.) _Lyric prophecy_, in the form of song, as in Zeph-a-ni'ah, Isa. 9. 8 +to 10. 4, and many other instances. + +3.) _Symbolic prophecy_, or the use of emblems, as Jer-e-mi'ah's girdle +(Jer. 13), the potter's wheel (Jer. 18), or E-ze'ki-el's tile (Ezek. 4). + +4.) _The prophecy of Vision_, of which instances are: I-sa'iah's call +(Isa. 6); Jer-e-mi'ah's vision (Jer. 1. 11-16); E-ze'ki-el's vision of +the cherubim (Ezek. 1); "the valley of dry bones" (Ezek. 37); and +Zech-a-ri'ah's vision of the candlestick (Zech. 4). + +5.) _The prophecy of Parable_, as "the vineyard" (Isa. 5), also in Ezek. +15; "the eagle" (Ezek. 17). There are many parables in the Old +Testament, but the master in this form of teaching was the Prophet of +Gal'i-lee in the gospels. + +6.) _The prophecy of Dialogue_, either between the prophet and Je-ho'vah +or more frequently between the prophet and the people, as in the book of +Mal'a-chi. + +7.) _Dramatic prophecy_, in which Je-ho'vah himself is represented as +speaking, generally introduced by the words "Thus saith Je-ho'vah." + +A close analysis will perhaps show other forms of prophetic teaching, as +"The Doom Song" and "The Prophetic Rhapsody"; but in our judgment these +also may be included in the classification given above. (See footnote +with the opening of this lesson.) + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Imp.= The Bible as Hist. Eth. Doc. Dev. Lit. [Illust.] + II. =Diff.= 1. Div. chap. ver. 2. Lit. ming. + III. =Class.= 1. Hist, 1.) Prim. 2.) Const. 3.) Nat. 4.) Eccl. + 2. Per. Narr. J. B. R. D. E. E. J. E. + 3. Poet. Heb. ver. 1.) Od. 2.) Lyr. 3.) Dram. + 4. Orat. Sol. Deut. Prov. Proph. + 5. Phil. "Wis.-Lit." Prov. Eccl. + 6. Proph. "Forthtell." "For. proph." 1.) Pro. Disc. + 2.) Lyr. pro. 3.) Sym. pro. 4.) Pro. Vis. 5.) Pro. + Par. 6.) Pro. Dia. 7.) Dram. pro. + + +Review Questions + + Review the questions with PART ONE of this lesson. + What are the first and second classes of literature in + the Bible? What is the third class? Wherein does + He'brew poetry differ from Eng'lish verse? What three + kinds of poetry are found in the Old Testament? Give + examples under each kind. What is the fourth class of + literature in the Bible? Name some instances under + this class. Are the discourses of the Bible in prose + or in poetry? What is the fifth class of biblical + literature? By what other name is this class known? + Give two examples of this class, and state the + differences between them. What is the sixth literary + department in the Bible? What is the meaning of the + word "prophecy"? In what form, prose or poetry, did + the prophets speak? What are the seven kinds of + prophecy found in the Bible? Define each kind. Give + illustrations of each class. + + + + +SEVENTEENTH STUDY + +How We Got Our Bible + + +PART ONE + +I. =Name.= Here is a volume which we call "The Holy Bible." The word +"bible" means "books"--_biblia_, plural of Greek _biblion_, "book." So +the Bible is "The Sacred Book," and by its very name calls attention to +the fact that it is not one book, but many: 39 books in the Old +Testament, 27 in the New--66 books in the Bible. Its composite nature is +not less important for us to keep in mind than its unity. Especially is +this true of the Old Testament, of which we speak mainly in this lesson. + +II. =Origin.= How came these books into being? This is a question of the +"higher criticism"--that is, the study of subjects back of and above +those belonging to the meaning of the text; not higher because more +important, but higher because pertaining to an earlier period. Certain +conclusions, however, may be accepted. + +1. Much of the contents of the Bible, especially of the Old Testament, +was given _orally_, through stories, songs, and poems recited, through +prophetic discourses, and through traditions handed down from generation +to generation--a method of instruction universal before books were +printed. + +2. These oral teachings were _written_, some at the time when they were +given, others later, sometimes after generations of oral repetition. The +writing of different portions of the Bible was carried on at various +times, in various places, and by various writers; perhaps through 1,600 +years, and by more than 40 writers, most of whom have remained unknown. +In the writing and rewriting He'brew scholars of Old Testament times did +not hesitate to modify the older works as they saw reasons for so doing. +We respect the "works of authors," and would not alter the language of +Chaucer or Milton or Macaulay; but He'brew prophets and scribes in early +times cared more for the contents than for the authorship of their +sacred books. + +3. As long as there were prophets in Is'ra-el and Ju'dah to declare the +will of the Lord the need of a written and authoritative Scripture was +scarcely recognized. But prophecy ceased about B. C. 450, and then +began the _work of the great scribes_, of whom Ez'ra was the chief, in +bringing together, editing, and copying the sacred books. Perhaps about +B. C. 400 the Old Testament was practically complete. But it is evident +that the precise text was not fixed for centuries afterward, as the +earliest translation (the Septuagint; see below) shows that a text was +followed different from that now read. The text of the He'brew Bible was +not finally adopted until later than A. D 200. + +III. =Language.= 1. Nearly all the Old Testament was written in He'brew, +the language of the Is'ra-el-ites, called by the As-syr'i-ans on their +monuments "the tongue of the west country," in the Bible "the lip of +Ca'naan" (Isa. 19. 18) or "the Jews' language" (2 Kings 18. 26). + +2. Certain parts of Dan'iel and Ez'ra and one verse of Jer-e-mi'ah (Jer. +10. 11) were written in Ar-a-ma'ic (2 Kings 18. 26, "Syr'i-an +language"), often, though inaccurately, called Chal'dee. + +IV. =Form.= 1. The books of the Old Testament were _written upon +parchment_, the prepared skins of animals. The letters were large, and a +manuscript roll embraced generally only one book; and several rolls were +needed for the longer books. + +2. Their use was almost entirely _limited to the synagogue_, and few +copies were ever owned by private persons. After touching the roll of an +inspired book one must wash his hands in running water before touching +anything else. + +3. When the synagogue rolls were well worn they were cut up into smaller +pieces for _use in the schools_, where the Bible was the only text-book. +When worn out they were burned or buried. The Jews did not preserve +ancient writings, which is one reason why all the manuscripts of the +Bible are of comparatively modern date. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Name.= "H. B." _Biblia._ 39. 27. 66. + II. =Orig.= "Hi. Crit." 1. _Ora._ St. so. po. pro. trad. + 2. _Writ._ 1,600 y. 40 wri. "Works of authors." + 3. _Work of scr._ B.C. 400. Text not uniform. + III. =Lang.= 1. Heb. 2. Aram. + IV. =Form.= 1. Writ. parch. 2. Use in syn. 3. Use in sch. + + +Review Questions + + What is the origin and meaning of the word "Bible"? + What does this word suggest as to the books of the + Bible? How many books does the Bible contain? What is + meant by "the higher criticism"? How was much of the + Bible given? How and when were the books written? How + long was the writing in progress? Did the writers of + the Bible change the documents as they wrote them? How + long was there little need of a written revelation? + When were the writings of the Old Testament brought + together? Name the leader in this work. At what time + was the Old Testament completed? Was the precise text + of the Bible fixed at that time? What evidence is + there of more than one accepted text? In what language + was most of the Old Testament written? What other + language was also used? What parts of the Old + Testament were in this other language? In what form + were the books of the Old Testament preserved? What + was their principal use? What hindered the private + ownership of the books? What use was made of the old + rolls of the Scriptures? How were they finally + disposed of? + + +PART TWO + +V. =Early Versions.= The captivity of the Jews in Bab-y-lo'ni-a led to a +change in their spoken language, so that they could no longer understand +the ancient Hebrew of the Bible, and translations, or "versions," became +necessary. Note that in Ez'ra's Bible class (Neh. 8. 7) translators were +employed, and their names are given. + +1. _The Targums_. These translations from the Hebrew to the vernacular, +or common speech, of the Jews were called _Targums_. Men were trained to +give them, as the sacred text was read, sentence by sentence, in the +synagogue. This translator was called a "meturgeman." For centuries +these translations, or Targums, remained unwritten, were handed down +orally, and were jealously guarded. Not until after A. D. 200 was the +writing of the Targums authorized by Jewish custom. + +2. _The Septuagint._ The conquests of Al-ex-an'der, B. C. 330, made the +Greek language dominant in all the lands of the east, and the Jews +dispersed among these countries needed their writings in the _Greek +tongue_, which was used almost everywhere in the synagogues outside of +Ju-de'a. To meet this need the _Septuagint_ version arose in +Al-ex-an'dri-a, beginning about B. C. 285. The name Septuagint, meaning +"seventy," arose from a legend that the version was made by seventy men, +each in a separate room, translating all the books; and the result +showed the rendering alike, word for word! The Septuagint became the +current Bible of the Jews in all lands except, perhaps, Pal'es-tine. + +3. _The Vulgate._ After Rome became the world's capital, and the Latin +language came into general use, especially west of Al-ex-an'dri-a, in +the Christian churches came a demand for the Bible in Latin. Many +versions of certain books were made, but the one that at last superseded +all the earlier translations was that prepared by Jerome, about A. D. +400. This was called "the Vulgate," from the Latin _vulgus_, "the common +people." This was the Bible in general use until the Reformation. But as +the Latin language in its turn ceased to be spoken the Bible was lost to +the common people throughout Europe, and was known only to scholars, +mostly in the monasteries. + +VI. =Modern Versions.= Of these multitudes have been made; but we will +notice only a few of the most important in the line of succession +leading to our English Bible. + +1. _Wyclif's Bible._ John Wyclif was "The Morning Star of the +Reformation," preaching in England one hundred and fifty years before +Luther in Germany. Finding the Latin Bible inaccessible to the common +people, he prepared a version in the English of his time, aided by other +scholars. The New Testament was first translated, beginning with the +book of Revelation, in 1357, and nearly all the Old Testament was +translated by 1382, two years before Wyclif died. This translation was +made from the Vulgate, not from the original Hebrew and Greek. As +printing had not yet been invented it was circulated in manuscript only, +yet was read widely. + +2. _Tyndale's Bible._ After the invention of printing and the great +Reformation there was an awakened interest in the Bible. William +Tyndale, a scholar in Hebrew and Greek, gave his life to the translation +of the Scriptures, was exiled, and was martyred in 1536 on account of +it. His New Testament in 1525 was the first printed in English, and it +was followed by the Pentateuch in 1530. No one man ever made a better +translation than Tyndale, which has been followed in many renderings by +nearly all the later versions. + +3. _The Great Bible._ Omitting the versions of Coverdale, Matthew, and +Taverner, we come to the first authorized version, made under the +direction of the English prime minister, Thomas Cromwell, edited by +Miles Coverdale, and published in 1539. It received its name from its +size, and from the fact that a copy of it was required to be placed in +every church in England. + +4. _The Geneva Bible_ was translated by a company of English exiles in +Switzerland, and appeared in 1560. It was more convenient in form than +the earlier editions, was divided into verses, and printed in Roman +letters--traits which made it popular, especially among the +nonconformists in England. + +5. _The Bishops' Bible_ was prepared under the direction of Matthew +Parker, archbishop under Queen Elizabeth, by eight bishops of the Church +of England, and appeared in 1572. It had a limited circulation, because +it was really not quite as good as the Geneva Bible; but it was the +official version in England from 1572 to 1611. + +6. _The Douai Bible._ All the above-named versions, and many others, +were the work of Protestants. The Roman Catholics of England found a +version of their own a necessity; and, as they were not allowed to +prepare and publish one in England, the task was undertaken by exiled +Roman Catholics on the Continent. The New Testament was published at +Rheims, in France, in 1582; the Old Testament at Douai, in Belgium, in +1610. This translation was made from the Latin Bible of Jerome, and its +marginal notes set forth the Roman Catholic views. It is still the +English Bible of the Roman Catholic Church. + +7. _The King James Version._ In the reign of James I of England many +versions were in circulation, and for the sake of uniformity a new +translation was ordered by the king. This was made by forty-seven +scholars, occupying about three years, and was issued in 1611. It became +by degrees the standard English Bible, "The Authorized Version," as it +is called. It is the Bible which is still circulated by the million +every year, the Bible familiar to every reader. + +8. _The Revised Version._ The advance in scholarship, the increasing +knowledge of the ancient world, and the discovery of old manuscripts +unknown to earlier translators, caused a demand, not for a new Bible, +but for a revision of the text and of the translation in common use. The +Church of England led in the movement, but invited the cooperation of +scholars in every denomination of Great Britain and America. In 1881 the +New Testament appeared, and in 1885 the entire Bible. Students +everywhere recognized the Revised Version as a great improvement upon +the Authorized Version, but it comes very slowly into use by the people. + +9. _The American Revised Version._ In the preparation of the Revised +Version of 1885 the American scholars proposed more radical changes than +the English revisers would admit. It was arranged that the Americans +should have their list of proposed changes published at the end of the +version, but they should not publish any Bible containing them in the +text until 1900. The American revisers continued their organization, +and, aided by experience, made a new revision throughout, which was +published both in England and America as "The American Revised Version," +in 1901. This work is by most students regarded as, upon the whole, +better than the Revised Version of 1885 and the best translation of the +Bible that has yet appeared. + + +Blackboard Outline + + I. =Name.= "H. B." _Biblia._ 39. 27. 66. + II. =Orig.= "Hi. Crit." 1. _Ora._ St. so. po. pro. trad. + 2. _Writ._ 1,600 y. 40 wri. "Works of authors." + 3. _Work of scr._ B. C. 400. Text not uniform. + III. =Lang.= 1. Heb. 2. Aram. + IV. =Form.= 1. Writ. parch. 2. Use in syn. 3. Use in sch. + V. =Ear. Ver.= 1. Tar. 2. Sept. 3. Vul. + VI. =Mod. Ver.= 1. Wyc. 1382. 2. Tyn. 1525, 1530. 3. Gr. + Bib. 1539. 4. Gen. Bib. 1560. 5. Bish. Bib. 1572. + 6. Dou. Bib. 1582, 1610. 7. K. Jam. Ver. 1611. 8. Rev. + Ver. 1881, 1885. 9. Am. Rev. Ver. 1901. + + +Review Questions + + Review and answer again the questions on Sections I, + II, III, IV of this lesson. What is meant by + "versions"? How did versions of the Old Testament + become necessary to the Jews? What were these versions + called, and how did they arise? How were they + preserved? What called forth the Septuagint Version? + In what language was it? When was it prepared? What + was the Jewish legend concerning it? How did the + Vulgate arise? Who made it? Why did it receive that + name? What did the Vulgate become? Repeat the names of + the three most important early versions. Name the nine + most important modern versions. Who was Wyclif? When + did he live? When did his translation of the Bible + appear? How was it circulated? What two events in + modern times increased the desire for the Bible in the + language of the people? What is said of Tyndale's + version? What was the Great Bible? Who directed its + preparation? Who edited it? When was it published? + What was the Geneva Bible? Wherein did it differ from + earlier Bibles? Give the facts concerning the Bishops' + Bible--originator, translators, date, characteristics. + What was the history of the Douai Bible? Where is that + Bible used? Tell the facts about the Authorized + Version. How did the Revised Version arise? How was it + prepared? What new version has recently appeared, and + how is it regarded? + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] The chronology of the Bible is not a matter of the divine +revelation, and scholars are not agreed with respect to the dates of +early Scripture history. The system of chronology commonly found in +reference Bibles is that of Archbishop Usher, who lived 1580-1656, long +before the modern period of investigation in Bible lands. According to +this chronology A'dam was created B. C. 4004, the flood took place B. C. +2348, and the call of A'bra-ham was B. C. 1928. But it is now an +attested and recognized fact that kingdoms were established in the +Eu-phra'tes valley and beside the Nile more than 4000 years before +Christ. All of Usher's dates earlier than the captivity of the Jews in +Bab'y-lon are now discarded by scholars. We give in these lessons no +dates earlier than the call of A'bra-ham, which is doubtfully placed at +B. C. 2280, and regard none as certain before B. C. 1000. + +[2] When the birth of Christ was adopted as an era of chronology, about +A. D. 400 a mistake of four years was made by the historian who first +fixed it. Hence the year in which Christ was born was in reality B. C. +4. + +[3] We give Mount Hor the traditional location, east of the Desert of +Zin; but there is strong reason for finding it west of the Desert of +Zin, near Ka'desh-bar'ne-a. + +[4] Called in the Revised Version "guilt offering." + +[5] This is called in the Revised Version "the meal offering"; that is, +the offering to God of a meal to be eaten. It might be called "food +offering." + +[6] According to Josephus; the fact is not stated in the Bible. + +[7] The ecclesiastical year began with the month Abib, or Nisan, in the +spring: the civil year with the month Ethanim in the fall. + +[8] The Old Testament name for the Sea of Gal'i-lee is Chin'ne-reth (ch +as k), a word meaning "harp-shaped." + +[9] 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, footnote with chapter 13. + +[10] With regard to the destruction of the Ca'naan-ites: 1. Such +destruction was the almost universal custom of the ancient world. 2. It +was observed by the Ca'naan-ites, who were among the most wicked of +ancient peoples. 3. It was necessary if Is'ra-el was to be kept from the +corruption of their morals, and upon Is'ra-el's character depended the +world in after ages. 4. As a result of failing to extirpate the +Ca'naan-ites a vastly greater number of the Is'ra-el-ites were destroyed +during the succeeding centuries. + +[11] With Jeph'thah is associated the only instance of human sacrifice +offered to Je-ho'vah 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 Is'ra-el-ite worship. + +[12] With regard to Da'vid's crimes against U-ri'ah 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 Da'vid submitted to the +prophet's rebuke, publicly confessed his sin, and showed every token of +a true repentance. + +[13] Notice that while the prophets had been friendly to Da'vid, they +were strongly opposed to Sol'o-mon, and gave aid to his enemy +Jer-o-bo'am (1 Kings 11. 29-39). + +[14] The dimensions as given in the Bible are all in cubits, a measure +of uncertain length, which I have estimated at eighteen inches; +consequently all the figures given in this study are to be regarded as +approximate, not exact. + +[15] There is no mention of either the table or the candlestick in +Sol'o-mon's temple, but instead ten tables and ten candlesticks in the +Holy Place (2 Chron. 4. 7, 8). The table and candlestick were in the +tabernacle, and were also in the second and third temples; but it is +uncertain whether they actually stood in the temple of Sol'o-mon. + +[16] Nearly all the material in this lesson is drawn in an abbreviated +form from The Literary Study of the Bible, by Richard G. Moulton (Boston +D. C. Heath & Co.), a masterpiece on this subject, strongly recommended +to the student. I have, however, ventured to vary from Dr. Moulton's +classification on some minor points--J. L. H. + + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Outline Studies in the Old Testament +for Bible Teachers, by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUTLINE STUDIES IN OLD TESTAMENT *** + +***** This file should be named 39014.txt or 39014.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/0/1/39014/ + +Produced by Emmy, Mark C. 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