,a ,,class-,,book ,,of ,,old ,,testament ,,history4 ,illustration3 7 ,colophon7 ,transcriber's ,notes ,punctuation has been standardized4 ,characters in small caps have been replaced by all caps4 ,non-printable symbols have been presented in square brackets with a description ,leo astrological sign ,non-printable characteristics have been given the following ,italic text3 -- text emphasized text within italics -- text ,this book was written in a period when many words had not become standardized in their spelling4 ,words may have multiple spelling variations or inconsistent hyphenation in the text4 ,these have been left unchanged unless indicated with a ,transcriber's ,note4 ,the symbol #8' indicates the description in parenthesis has been added to an illustration4 ,this may be needed if there is no caption or if the caption does not describe the image adequately4 ,index references have not been checked for accuracy4 ,footnotes are identified in the text with a number in brackets #b and have been accumulated in a single section at the end of the text4 ,transcriber's ,notes are used when making corrections to the text or to provide additional information for the modern reader4 ,these notes are identified in the text by a symbol1 and are accumulated in a single section at the end of the book4 ,elementary ,theological ,class-,books4 ,a ,,class-,,book ,,of ,,old ,,testament ,,history ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,g4 ,f4 ,,maclear1 ,d4,d4 ,,warden ,,of ,,st ,,augustine',s ,,college1 ,,and ,,honorary ,,canon ,,of ,,canterbury4 ,,late ,,head ,,master ,,of ,,king',s ,,college ,,school1 ,,london4 ,,with ,,maps4 ,london3 ,,macmillan ,,and ,,co4 ,,and ,,new ,,york4 #ahid ,the ,right of ,translation is reserved4 ,first ,edition printed ,january #ahfe4 ,second ,edition printed ,november #ahfe4 ,reprinted with slight alterations #ahff1 with slight alterations #ahfh1 with slight alterations #ahfi1 #ahga1 #ahgb1 #ahgd1 #ahge1 #ahgf1 #ahgg1 #ahgh1 #ahgi1 #ahhj1 #ahha1 #ahhc1 #ahhd1 #ahhe1 #ahhg1 #ahhh1 #ahhi1 #ahij1 #ahib1 #ahid4 ,,notice4 ,,the present ,volume forms a ,class-,book of ,old ,testament ,history from the ,earliest ,times to those of ,ezra and ,nehemiah4 ,in its preparation the most recent ,authorities#a have been consulted1 and wherever it has appeared useful1 ,notes have been subjoined illustrative of the ,text1 and1 for the sake of more advanced students1 references added to larger ,works4 ,the ,index has been so arranged as to form a concise ,dictionary of the ,persons and ,places mentioned in the course of the ,narrative1 while the ,maps1 which have been prepared with considerable care at ,stanford's ,geographical ,establishment1 will1 it is hoped1 materially add to the value and usefulness of the ,book4 ,london1 ,christmas1 #ahfd4 ,,synopsis ,,of ,,contents4 ,,book ,i4 ,from the ,creation to the ,dispersion of ,mankind4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the ,creation ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,the ,fall ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,the ,flood ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,the ,confusion of ,tongues ,,chap4 ,v4 ,rise of ,idolatry4 ,the ,patriarch ,job4 ,,book ,,ii4 ,the ,patriarchal ,age4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the ,call of ,abraham ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,life of ,abraham continued ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,the ,history of ,isaac ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,life of ,jacob ,,chap4 ,v4 ,history of ,joseph ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,jacob's ,descent into ,egypt1 and ,death of ,joseph ,,note4 ,survey of the ,patriarchal ,age ,,book ,,iii4 ,from the ,settlement of the ,israelites in ,egypt to the ,giving of the ,law4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the ,birth and ,call of ,moses ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,signs and ,wonders in ,egypt ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,the ,last ,plague,the ,passover,the ,exodus ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,the ,journey from the ,red ,sea to ,rephidim ,,chap4 ,v4 ,sinai and the ,giving of the ,law ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,moses in the ,mount4 ,the ,construction of the ,golden ,calf ,,book ,,iv4 ,the ,mosaic ,worship and ,polity4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the ,tabernacle ,,note4 ,history of the ,tabernacle ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,the ,priests ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,the ,sacrifices and ,offerings ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,holy ,times and ,seasons ,,chap4 ,v4 ,the ,great ,festivals,the ,jewish ,calendar ,,note4 ,laws of ,purity1 c4 ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,civil and ,moral ,laws ,,book ,v4 ,from the ,departure from ,sinai to the ,death of ,moses4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,kadesh-,barnea and the ,mission of the ,spies ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,the ,wanderings,death of ,miriam and ,aaron ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,conquest of the ,east of ,jordan,balaam and ,balak ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,war with the ,midianites,death of ,moses ,,note4 ,his ,work and ,character ,,book ,,vi4 ,joshua and the ,conquest of ,western ,palestine4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the ,passage of the ,jordan1 and ,fall of ,jericho ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,conquest of the ,southern and ,central ,mountains ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,battle of ,merom1 and ,division of the ,land ,,book ,,vii4 ,period of the ,judges4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,events subsequent to the ,death of ,joshua ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,micah and the ,danites,the ,tribal ,war ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,othniel and ,ehud1 ,deborah and ,barak ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,invasion of the ,midianites,gideon ,,chap4 ,v4 ,abimelech and ,jephthah ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,invasion from the ,south-west1 ,samson ,,book ,,viii4 ,from the ,time of ,samuel to the ,accession of ,david4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,eli and ,samuel ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,samuel's ,judgeship ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,election of the ,first ,king ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,the ,battle of ,michmash ,,chap4 ,v4 ,saul and the ,amalekites,david and ,goliath ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,david's ,life as an ,outlaw ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,david at ,ziklag,battle of ,mount ,gilboa ,,book ,,ix4 ,the ,reigns of ,david and ,solomon4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,david's ,reign at ,hebron ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,david's ,reign at ,jerusalem ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,david's ,army1 his ,conquests1 his ,sin ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,the ,rebellion of ,absalom ,,chap4 ,v4 ,close of ,david's reign ,,footnote4 ,david's ,work and ,character ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,accession of ,solomon ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,the ,building of the ,temple ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,solomon's reign continued ,,book ,x4 ,kingdoms of ,judah and ,israel4 ,,part ,i4 ,period of ,mutual ,hostility4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the ,revolt of the ,ten ,tribes ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,rehoboam and ,abijah1 ,jeroboam and ,nadab ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,asa and ,baasha1 ,elah1 ,zimri1 ,omri ,,part ,,ii4 ,period of ,mutual ,alliance1 and ,hostility to ,syria4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,accession of ,ahab,era of ,elijah ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,wars of ,ahab and ,benhadad ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,murder of ,naboth,battle of ,ramoth ,gilead ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,wars of ,jehoshaphat4 ,translation of ,elijah ,,chap4 ,v4 ,jehoshaphat and ,jehoram,era of ,elisha ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,elisha and ,naaman,siege of ,samaria ,,part ,,iii4 ,renewal of ,hostilities2 ,decline of both ,kingdoms before the power of the ,assyrian ,empire4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,accession of ,jehu ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,athaliah and ,joash2 ,death of ,elisha ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,amaziah and ,jeroboam ,,ii42 ,era of ,jonah ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,decline and ,captivity of the ,kingdom of ,israel ,,chap4 ,v4 ,reign of ,hezekiah ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,reign of ,manasseh,reforms of ,josiah ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,death of ,josiah,captivity of ,judah ,,note4 ,duration1 ,relation1 ,contrasts of the ,two ,kingdoms#dda ,,book ,,xi4 ,from the ,captivity to the ,close of the ,canon4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,daniel and ,nebuchadnezzar ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,reigns of ,nebuchadnezzar1 ,belshazzar1 and ,darius ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,rebuilding of the ,temple,esther and ,ahasuerus ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,times of ,ezra and ,nehemiah,close of ,canon ,,appendix ,,and ,,chronological ,,tables ,,index ,,maps4 #a4 ,the ,dispersion of ,noah's ,descendants 7,genesis x47 #b4 ,a ,map of ,canaan1 ,egypt1 and ,sinai1 to illustrate the ,patriarchal ,history and the ,exodus4 ,with ,mount ,sinai enlarged #c4 ,the ,holy ,land divided among the ,twelve ,tribes #d4 ,solomon's ,dominions1 ,the ,kingdoms of ,judah and ,israel1 and the ,lands of the ,captivities ,,book ,i4 ,,from ,,the ,,creation ,,to ,,the ,,dispersion ,,of ,,mankind4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,creation4 ,,gen4 ,i4 ,,ii4 ,b4,c4 #djjd4 ,,in the beginning ,god created the heavens and the earth4 ,with these simple but sublime words commences the ,history contained in the ,scriptures of the ,old ,testament1 teaching us that the ,universe did not exist from all eternity1 but owed its origin to the creative act of ,god4 ,to us this truth appears so elementary and self-evident that we can hardly appreciate the dim and uncertain notions on this point1 which the best and wisest of the heathen possessed4 ,certain it is1 however1 they were very much in the dark respecting the origin of the world4 ,some philosophers held that it existed from all eternity3 others taught that there are two independent ,causes1 the one ,light1 and the other ,darkness1 and that out of the unending struggle between them the ,universe had its origin2 others imagined that all the marvellous order and harmony we see around us was the result of ,chance2 others1 again1 conceived that the world was an emanation from ,deity1 and a part of ,deity4 ,distinct from all these guesses and conceptions is the declaration of the ,scripture ,narrative4 ,it affirms that the world is not eternal2 that it had its origin with time and in time2 that it owed its beginning neither to ,chance1 nor ,necessity1 but the ,creative will of a ,personal ,god1 infinitely exalted above it1 the ,maker and ,sustainer of all things4 7,comp4 ,joh4 i4 #a-c1 ,rom4 xi4 #cf1 #a ,cor4 viii4 #f1 ,col4 i4 #ae1 #af1 ,heb4 i4 #b1 #c74 ,the creation1 however1 of the present order of things was not instantaneous1 but progressive1 and took place in six ,days1 or vast ,periods of time4 ,on the first day light was created1 and divided from the darkness2 on the second1 the firmament1 or atmosphere encircling the globe2 on the third1 a separation was made between the water and the land1 and the surface of the earth was covered with vegetation1 with the herb yielding seed1 and the tree yielding fruit after its kind4 ,on the fourth1 the sun1 moon and stars were bidden to give light upon the earth1 and to be for signs and for seasons1 and for days and years4 ,on the fifth1 animal life appeared in its lowest forms1 the waters brought forth the various marine tribes after their kind1 and this was succeeded by the creation of every winged fowl4 ,the sixth day was marked by the production of land animals1 cattle1 and creeping thing1 and beast of the earth1 which1 like all the preceding products of ,creative ,power1 received the ,divine approval1 and were pronounced to be very good4 ,but the work of ,creation was not yet complete4 ,a being higher than any yet created was to be called into existence4 ,accordingly ,god said1 ,let us make ,,man in our image1 after our likeness1 and let them have dominion over every living thing1 and over all the earth2 and the ,lord ,god formed ,man of the dust of the ground1 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life1 and ,man became a living soul4 ,then having seen that all things ,he had made were very good ,god ended ,his work1 and rested on the seventh day1 sanctifying it as a day of ,rest for man4 7,gen4 i4 #b-bf74 ,the language here employed in reference to the creation of man deserves attention4 ,it teaches us that man did not1 as some have taught1 slowly emerge by his own efforts from a brutish state4 ,unlike other created objects1 he was originally made in the image and after the likeness of ,god4 ,endowed not only with a body1 but also with an immortal soul1 he was to combine intellectual power with liberty of will1 and the faculty of conscience4 ,and as he was great himself1 so also was the work to which he was called4 ,his was to be universal dominion over the fish of the sea1 and over the fowl of the air1 and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth4 ,as ,god's vicegerent1 he was to exercise lordship over nature1 and guide it towards its destined perfection 7,gen4 i4 #bf74 ,but though the first man ,,adam1 was endued with those high prerogatives1 he was not destined to attain immediately to the end for which he was created4 ,his activity was to commence in a particular spot1 and thence to extend in all directions1 until all the earth was subdued and moulded to the will of its ,creator4 ,the ,almighty1 therefore1 planted a garden in a region of the ,east1 corresponding probably to the high table-land of the modern ,armenia1 and watered by four streams4 ,of two of these1 ,pison and ,gihon1 the situation is absolutely unknown1 the others were the ,tigris and ,euphrates4 ,here1 then1 in a spot endued with everything pleasant to the sight and good for food1 man's work was to commence4 ,action and not contemplation only was essential to his nature1 hence a charge was given to him to dress and keep the garden4 ,nor amidst everything to gratify his senses and supply material for his understanding and reflection was he left alone4 ,a responsible being1 bone of his bone1 and flesh of his flesh1 was created a help-meet for him4 ,the ,lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon ,adam1 and taking one of his ribs1 ,he made thereof a woman1 and brought her unto him1 and ,,eve1 the mother of all flesh1 one with himself in nature and in origin1 was united to him in holy bonds1 which ,,he1 ,who thus instituted them in ,paradise1 afterwards adorned and hallowed with ,his own presence and first miracle at ,cana of ,galilee 7,joh4 ii4 #a2 ,eph4 v4 #bc-cc74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,fall4 ,,gen4 ,,iii4 ,b4,c4 #djjd4 ,,of the life of the first human pair in ,paradise we are told but little4 ,we know1 however1 that it was not only a state of innocence1 and therefore of happiness1 but also1 like all human life since1 of probation4 ,besides the charge to dress and keep the fair enclosure in which they had been placed1 our first parents received but one additional command4 ,it was couched in negative terms1 and forbade in the most distinct and solemn manner possible the eating of the fruit of a mysterious tree growing in the midst of the ,garden1 and called the tree of knowledge of ,good and ,evil4 ,of the fruit of every other tree they might eat freely1 of the fruit of this tree the ,almighty said to them1 ,ye shall not eat1 for in the day ye eat thereof ye shall surely die4 ,in this single prohibition lay the test of their loyal obedience to their ,creator1 on it depended their innocence and their happiness temporal and eternal4 ,how long they were faithful and obedient we are not told4 ,but whether the period was long or short1 certain it is that it came to a close4 ,the ,tree of the ,knowledge of ,good and ,evil1 implies that ,evil was already present in ,god's world1 and therefore in part prepares us for the dark shadow that now gathers round the sacred page4 ,the creation of man had been watched by a supernatural ,being of infinite subtilty and malignity1 the ,enemy of ,god and of all goodness4 ,respecting this mysterious ,being1 though the ,sacred ,narrative does not gratify our curiosity with any lengthened details1 yet to his existence and his unceasing hostility to man1 it bears direct and explicit testimony4 ,the name under which the supernatural ,tempter appears in the earliest and latest portions of the ,bible is the same 7comp4 ,gen4 iii4 #a1 with #b ,cor4 xi4 #c2 ,rev4 xii4 #i1 xx4 #b71 and though but seldom mentioned in the ,old ,testament 7,job i41 ii42 #a ,chron4 xxi4 #a2 ,zech4 iii4 #a1 #b71 the same attributes are uniformly ascribed to him4 ,created originally good1 like all the works of ,god1 he abode not in the truth 7,jn4 viii4 #dd71 but rebelled against his ,maker and fell from his high estate 7#a ,tim4 iii4 #f71 and henceforth1 at the head of numerous other spirits 7,matt4 xxv4 #da71 whom he had dragged down with him in his fall 7#b ,pet4 ii4 #d2 ,jude #f71 he arrayed himself in conscious hostility to the ,supreme4 ,this ,being1 then1 here called the ,serpent1 in other places ,satan1 i4e4 the ,enemy1 and the ,devil1 i4e4 the ,slanderer1 approached the woman1 as being the weaker vessel1 for the purpose of seducing her1 and so her husband1 from their allegiance to their ,creator4 ,with affected solicitude he began by enquiring1 ,yea1 hath ,god said1 ,ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden8 ,to this the woman replied by repeating the ,divine prohibition respecting the fruit of one particular tree4 ,thereupon the ,tempter proceeded to declare that the penalty of death would not follow the eating of this fruit1 nay that the ,almighty knew that in the day they ate thereof1 her eyes and those of her husband would be opened1 and they would become as gods1 knowing good and evil4 ,a more subtle scheme for shaking her allegiance to the ,almighty1 and her confidence in ,his goodness and ,his love1 could not have been devised4 ,a prohibition hitherto regarded as a solemn but merciful warning was now invested with an arbitrary character1 and a selfish motive4 ,in mere envy1 so the ,tempter affirmed1 the ,almighty had denounced an impossible penalty2 what she had been taught to observe as the condition of innocence and happiness was nothing more than the expedient of ,one1 who grudged ,his creatures their rightful advancement1 lest they should approach too nearly to ,himself#b4 ,the idea of an envious ,god1 of a hard taskmaster1 was thus instilled into the mind of ,eve1 sapping the foundations of all real faith and trust1 and rendering the more irresistible the temptation to disobey the command of ,him1 who had thus enviously set these bounds to her freewill4 ,in an evil hour she believed the ,tempter's words1 and seeing that the tree was good for food1 that it was pleasant to the eyes1 and a tree to be desired to make one wise1 she took of the fruit1 and did eat1 and gave also unto her husband with her1 and he did eat4 ,thus the fell counsels of the ,tempter were accomplished4 ,through want of faith in ,god's word1 through a longing for independence1 through a vain desire to become gods unto themselves1 our first parents were beguiled into sin1 and when their eyes were opened1 instead of greater happiness they now experienced the strange and hitherto unknown consciousness of shame1 and degradation1 and unmeetness for ,god's presence 7,gen4 iii4 #a-g74 ,brief and summary as is the information here given us respecting the enigma of enigmas1 the origin of ,evil1 it is yet of unspeakable importance4 ,for it teaches us that ,sin is not a part of man's nature1 but the fault and corruption#c of it1 that it did not spring from his nature by any inevitable necessity1 but in consequence of his yielding to the seductions of a powerful and malignant ,foe4 ,he did not1 like his ,tempter1 choose sin for its own sake1 but was beguiled into it4 ,hence1 though he became liable to all the penal consequences of his disobedience1 though his being was poisoned with sin1 yet it was not converted into sin4 ,he did not lose all remembrance of his former state of purity and innocence2 the shame which overwhelmed him and made him hide himself from the presence of ,god1 testified to his consciousness of transgression1 and in this sense of guilt lay the possibility of his restoration#d4 ,for now the ,sacred ,narrative1 while it refuses to gratify our curiosity respecting a subject which doubtless passes our understanding1 proceeds to do what is for us of far greater practical importance1 namely1 to place the inroad of sin in immediate connection with the ,divine ,counsels of ,redemption4 ,we learn that ,god in infinite mercy now intervened between ,his creatures and their ,tempter4 ,for them1 indeed1 it remained to taste the bitter fruits of their disobedience and mistrust4 ,eve was informed that sorrow and pain must henceforth be the condition of her existence2 in sorrow should she bring forth children1 her desire should be to her husband1 and he should rule over her 7,gen4 iii4 #af74 ,adam learnt that with himself henceforth nature too must undergo a change2 thorns and thistles must grow upon the face of the earth1 toil must be the price of his existence1 and his end the silence of the grave1 for dust he was1 and unto dust he must return4 ,even thus1 however1 ,justice was tempered with sweet ,mercy1 and ,love mingled blessings with the bitterness of man's cup4 ,if pain and multiplied sorrow was to be woman's lot1 yet through pain she was to know a mysterious joy1 and her anguish should be no more remembered1 when she knew that a man was born into the world4 ,and if grievous toil and irksome labour were to be the conditions of man's existence1 yet in the provision of these effectual antidotes to idleness and many other sins was truest mercy4 ,but these gracious purposes extended only to man1 they tempered not the judgment denounced on his ,seducer4 ,utterly cursed was he above all cattle1 and above every beast of the field4 ,the very creature1 over whom he had seemed to triumph1 should prove his ultimate ,conqueror4 ,i will put enmity1 said the ,almighty to the ,tempter1 between thee and the woman1 and between thy seed and her seed2 it shall bruise thy head1 and thou shalt bruise his heel4 ,in these words we trace the first distinct ,promise of man's ultimate ,redemption4 ,the state of degradation1 into which he had suffered himself to be seduced1 was not to last for ever4 8,in conformity with the ,divine ,equity1 the deceiver was to be judged by the deceived1 the ,conqueror was to be overcome by the conquered#e40 ,man need not give himself up to despair2 there was still room for hope2 in infinite mercy the ,almighty had espoused his cause1 and ,he would ,himself provide a remedy for his fall4 ,we need not venture on any profitless speculations touching the precise amount of hope the early generations of the human family were likely to have derived from this first ,gospel1 this 8first ,promise0 of a ,saviour4 ,in terms it was undoubtedly indefinite4 ,neither the time1 nor the method1 nor the precise mediating cause of man's deliverance was made known4 ,it was not revealed whether the promised 8,seed0 should be one or many1 the collective ,race1 or a single ,deliverer4 ,on these points greater light was to be shed as time rolled on1 and many things were to be revealed1 which now man could not comprehend4 ,but of the final ,victory1 and of its certainty1 direct and explicit assurance was given4 8,since religion cannot so much as exist without hope1 the earliest intimation of ,prophecy was adapted to the support of that essential feeling in the heart of man4 ,it was clearly a promise of relief1 an antidote to perfect despair4 ,it contained the prediction that some one should be born of the ,seed of the ,woman1 who #8should bruise the head of the ,tempter1' by whom1 therefore1 the penal effect of man's transgression should be in some way reversed4 ,with all its uncertainty as to the mode in which this ,end should be effected1 the ,promise had within it a principle of ,hope and ,encouragement1 and the materials of a religious trust fitted to keep man still looking to his ,maker#f40 ,in the encouraging assurance thus given to ,adam1 in this first ,promise of a ,saviour1 ,sacred ,history finds its definite starting-point1 and the ,old ,testament becomes a true introduction to the ,new1 because it reveals the several steps whereby the ,divine ,wisdom provided for its fulfilment4 ,from first to last ,sacred ,history is 8instinct with life and hope20 it ever points onward to the future2 its key-note is ever preparation for the ,coming of ,,him1 who was to be the true 8,seed of the ,woman10 in whom the ,father counselled before the worlds to gather together in one all things1 both which are in heaven1 and which are on earth 7,eph4 i4 #aj2 ,phil4 ii4 #i1 #aj74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,flood4 ,,gen4 ,,iv4-,,ix4 ,b4,c4 #djjd-bcdh4 ,,though thus assured of ultimate restoration1 the first man1 as a fallen being1 could not be permitted to remain in the region1 which had been the scene of his trial and his failure4 ,he might take of the fruit of another ,tree1 that grew in the midst of the ,garden1 the ,tree of ,life1 and eat1 and live for ever1 and thus prevent the possibility of his recovery4 ,accordingly he was sent forth from the ,garden1 at the east of which were stationed ,cherubim1 a particular order1 in all probability1 of ,angels 7,comp4 ,ex4 xxv4 #ag-bb2 ,ezek4 i4 #e1 ,rev4 iv4 #f71 while a flaming ,sword which turned every way guarded the approach to the ,tree of ,life4 ,thus driven forth from ,eden1 and re-commencing under new and altered circumstances their course of probation1 ,adam and ,eve in due time became the parents of two sons1 ,,cain 7gotten1 or acquired71 and ,,abel 7breath1 transitoriness74 ,from their earliest years the most opposite tendencies distinguished the brothers4 ,the mysterious rite of sacrifice1 which meets us at the very threshold of ,sacred ,history1 and which1 it is supposed1 not without probability1 the ,almighty ,himself instituted1 when ,he made for the first pair coats of skins1 and clothed them 7,gen4 iii4 #ba71 became the occasion of a fatal quarrel between them4 ,cain brought of the fruit of the ground1 ,abel of the firstlings of his flock1 an offering unto the ,lord4 ,the offering of ,abel was accepted1 that of ,cain rejected4 ,the reason for this distinction cannot be pronounced with absolute certainty4 ,either the offering of ,abel was a free and bounteous presentation of the best that he had1 while that of ,cain was merely commonplace and perfunctory1 or ,abel brought his offering in a spirit of faith1 and trustful acquiescence in a divinely-instituted though mysterious command 7,heb4 xi4 #d71 a motive which the offering of his elder brother lacked4 ,whatever was the precise reason of the distinction1 it roused all ,cain's latent jealousy1 and he became his brother's murderer 7#a ,joh4 iii4 #ab74 ,for thus shedding righteous blood 7,matt4 xxiii4 #ce7 he was condemned by the ,almighty to perpetual banishment from the region of ,eden4 ,fearful of vengeance from the other children of ,adam1 whose family we may infer from the mention of ,cain's wife had largely increased1 he feared to depart before he received from the ,almighty a special sign or pledge of security in the land of his banishment#g4 ,this having been granted1 he removed into the region of ,nod 7exile71 and there became the ancestor of numerous descendants1 the heads of whom are enumerated to the sixth generation1 under the names of ,enoch1 ,irad1 ,mehu-jael1 ,methu-sael1 and ,lamech4 ,in this region1 too1 he built the earliest city of which we have any record1 and called it ,enoch1 after the name of his eldest son4 ,the ,cainite families were distinguished for their attention to the development of the arts and pleasures of life4 ,as ,cain built the first city1 so ,lamech instituted polygamy1 while of his three sons ,,jabal introduced the nomadic life1 ,,jubal the use of musical instruments1 and ,,tubal-,,cain the art of working in metals 7,gen4 iv4 #af-bd74 ,meanwhile with another son ,,seth 7substituted71 who had been given to ,adam in place of ,abel1 commenced a line distinct in its social and religious tendencies from that of ,cain4 ,the heads of this family are enumerated to the tenth generation under the names of ,seth1 ,enos1 ,cainan1 ,mahalaleel1 ,jared1 ,enoch1 ,methuselah1 ,lamech1 ,noah4 ,while the descendants of ,cain advanced indeed in civilization1 but were addicted to luxury and violence1 the descendants of ,seth were distinguished for pastoral simplicity4 ,they called upon the name of the ,lord 7,gen4 iv4 #bf72 they were the chosen repositories of the ,promise of ,redemption1 and the witnesses for a ,god of ,righteousness in the midst of a generation which already began to become corrupt1 and in the seen to forget the unseen4 ,an eminent type of the characteristic virtues of this line was ,,enoch1 the son of ,jared1 the seventh from ,adam 7,jude #ad74 ,all his life long he walked in closest communion with the ,most ,high and the spiritual world4 ,faith 7,heb4 xi4 #e71 implicit trust in a ,righteous ,ruler of the ,universe1 was the principle of his life1 and the secret spring of his holiness4 ,one day he vanished from the society of his fellowmen4 ,he was not1 for the ,god whom he served took him to ,himself1 and translated him to the unseen world1 without undergoing the penalty of death 7,gen4 v4 #ba-bd74 ,a peculiar feature of this period was the great length to which human life was prolonged4 ,adam attained to the age of #icj years1 ,methuselah to that of #ifi1 the others nearly as long4 ,from this accrued many advantages to the race4 ,it tended to promote its speedy increase1 it preserved uninterrupted such knowledge as men were able to acquire1 and pre-eminently the original revelation respecting the one true ,god1 the remembrance of ,paradise1 and the hope of ultimate ,redemption4 ,but the great longevity of the men of this period did not tend to hinder their increasing alienation from the paths of righteousness1 and obedience to the ,supreme4 ,amidst the extreme brevity of the sacred narrative it is clear that the wickedness of men reached a desperate pitch1 the earth was filled with violence1 and all men corrupted their way upon it4 ,at length this alienation from ,god reached its culminating point in a catastrophe1 to which the ,sacred ,record attaches a peculiar and mysterious importance4 ,when men began to multiply on the face of the earth1 and daughters were born unto them1 the sons of ,god saw the daughters of men that they were fair1 and they took them wives of all that they chose4 ,whatever be the true meaning of the expression sons of ,god1 whether it refers to the ,angels1 as some have thought1 or the descendants of ,seth1 certain it is that a superhuman spirit of wickedness broke out at this period4 ,from these mixed marriages sprang men remarkable for strength and power1 for violence and arrogant wickedness1 through whom both races speedily became hopelessly corrupt4 ,the salt even in the line of ,seth lost its savour1 and the wickedness of man was great on the earth1 and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually 7,gen4 vi4 #a-e74 ,in this awful crisis one man only found favour with ,god1 ,,noah1 the son of ,lamech1 in whom at his birth1 with prophetic glance his father beheld a pledge of that rest and comfort1 which the men of faith felt they so sorely needed from the burden of weary and irksome labour on the ground which ,jehovah had cursed 7,gen4 v4 #bi74 ,when ,noah was #ejj years old1 he became the father of three sons1 ,,shem1 ,,ham1 and ,,japheth4 ,like ,enoch he was a righteous and perfect man in his generation1 and in this age of universal apostasy maintained an unflinching trust in the ,righteous ,ruler of the ,universe1 and at length1 when the cup of man's iniquity was full1 he received intimation from the ,almighty of ,his intention to bring an awful judgment upon the world4 ,behold ,i1 even ,i1 said ,god1 do bring a flood of waters upon the earth1 to destroy all flesh1 wherein is the breath of life1 from under heaven2 and everything that is in the earth shall die4 ,from the general catastrophe ,noah and his family alone were to be preserved1 and he was directed to construct an ,ark1 a huge vessel of enormous dimensions1 into which1 when completed1 he was to repair with his wife1 his three sons and their wives1 and also two of every species of beasts and birds accounted 8unclean0 or unfit for sacrifice1 and seven of every species accounted 8clean40 ,the vessel thus ordered was to be constructed of gopher-wood1 probably cypress1 and was to be overlaid within and without with pitch or bitumen2 in length it was to be #cjj cubits1 in breadth #ej1 in depth #cj4 ,but though the impending ,judgment was thus announced1 and a visible pledge of it directed to be constructed1 the ,doom itself was not to be as yet4 ,he who afterwards waited #djj years till the cup of the iniquity of the ,amorites was full1 who gave the ,ninevites forty days for repentance1 now waited 7#a ,pet4 iii4 #bj71 with much long-suffering1 for a space of #abj years4 ,during this period according to all that ,god commanded ,noah1 so did he4 ,though the things1 of which he was warned1 were not yet seen 7,heb4 xi4 #g71 nay1 must have seemed to the men of his generation in the extremest degree improbable1 moved with fear he yet persevered in his awful task1 and by this act of faith1 as well as by his own works1 continued to warn his fellowmen of what was to come4 ,but his warnings fell on unheeding ears4 ,the men of his generation set at naught all his counsel and mocked at his reproofs3 they did eat1 they drank1 they married wives1 they were given in marriage 7,matt4 xxiv4 #ch2 ,lk4 xvii4 #bf1 #bg71 until the day of ,doom arrived4 ,on the seventeenth day of the second month of the #fjjth year of ,noah's life he and his family entered into the ,ark1 and the ,lord shut them in4 ,then1 after a solemn pause of seven days1 the elements of destruction were bidden to do their work4 ,the fountains of the great deep were broken up1 the windows of heaven were opened1 and the rain descended1 till the waters covered the highest hills1 and all flesh wherein was the breath of life died1 of fowl1 of cattle1 of wild beast1 and of every creeping thing which creepeth upon the earth1 and every man4 ,in these simple but impressive words the ,sacred ,narrative describes the appalling catastrophe4 ,written for a far higher purpose1 it paints no scenes as a human writer would have done4 8,we see nothing of the death-struggle2 we hear not the cry of despair2 we are not called upon to witness the frantic agony of husband and wife1 of parent and child1 as they fled in terror before the rising waters4 ,not a word is said of the sadness of the one righteous man who1 safe himself1 looked upon the destruction1 which he could not avert4 ,but one impression is left upon the mind with peculiar vividness1 from the very simplicity of the narrative1 and it is that of utter desolation#h40 ,all flesh died1 ,noah only was left1 and they that were with him in the ark4 ,for #aej days the waters prevailed1 till at length on the #agth day of the #gth month the ,ark rested on one of the peaks of ,ararat4 ,from this time the waters gradually decreased till the first day of the #ajth month1 when the tops of the mountains having begun to appear1 ,noah sent forth a raven1 which returned not to the ,ark4 ,a week afterwards he sent forth a dove1 to see if the waters were abated from the lower and more level country4 ,but the dove finding no rest for the sole of her foot returned unto the ,ark4 ,again he waited seven days1 and once more sent her forth1 when she returned with a fresh olive-leaf pluckt off in her mouth1 a sign that the waters had still further subsided4 ,yet again1 after a similar interval1 ,noah sent her forth4 ,this time1 however1 she did not return1 having found on the earth a rest for the sole of her foot1 and then he knew that the awful ,judgment had indeed come to a close1 and at the ,divine command left the ,ark1 and set foot on the dry land#i 7,gen4 viii4 #a-ai74 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,confusion ,,of ,,tongues4 ,,gen4 ,x4-,,xi4 ,b4,c4 #bcdg-bbcc4 ,,the first act of ,noah on leaving the ,ark was to build an altar1 and offer burnt-offerings unto the ,lord of every clean beast1 and of every clean fowl4 ,his sacrifice was accepted1 and now for the first time a solemn ,covenant was ratified between the ,almighty and the ,patriarch1 to which definite promises were annexed1 and 8an outward and visible sign40 ,from its baptism of water the ,earth had risen once more to be the habitation of man1 and ,noah and his sons were solemnly assured that all flesh should never again be cut off by the waters of a ,flood1 but that while the earth remained1 seed-time and harvest1 cold and heat1 summer and winter and day and night should not cease4 ,again too the blessing of ,paradise was bestowed1 sovereignty and dominion over the animal creation were assured1 and once more men were bidden to be fruitful1 and multiply1 and replenish the earth4 ,at the same time animal food was expressly allowed1 while the sanctity of human life was as solemnly enforced1 whoso shed man's blood1 by man should his blood be shed4 ,of this covenant the ,rainbow was the visible pledge1 assuring man that he might enter afresh on his course of probation1 nor dread its interruption by any catastrophe like that with which the earth had been so lately visited 7,gen4 ix4 #h-ag74 ,the elevation of the ,armenian plateau1 in the neighbourhood of which the ,ark had rested1 being equidistant between the ,black and ,caspian ,seas on the north1 the ,persian ,gulf and ,mediterranean ,sea on the south1 being also the region in which all the great rivers of ,western ,asia1 the ,tigris1 the ,euphrates1 the ,araxes1 and the ,halys take their rise1 formed a natural and convenient centre whence the descendants of ,noah might overspread the whole earth4 ,but on this migration they did not set out1 before an unseemly incident revealed the natural character of his sons1 prophetic of their future destinies4 ,noah began to practise agriculture1 and planted a vineyard1 and through ignorance1 as it has been supposed1 of its properties1 drank of the wine in excess1 and lay exposed in his tent4 ,ham1 his youngest son1 mocked him while he lay in this condition1 but ,shem and ,japheth1 with more filial feeling1 averting their eyes covered their father with a garment4 ,awaking from his slumbers ,noah became conscious of what his youngest son had done1 and justly angry at the irreverence he had displayed1 brake forth into prophetic utterances of blessing and cursing1 foreshadowing the diverse destinies of the descendants of his family4 ,upon ,,canaan1 the fourth son of ,ham1 and probably a partaker in his father's transgression1 he pronounced the doom of perpetual servitude to his brethren#aj4 ,shem he declared to be the chosen one of ,jehovah1 from whom the promised ,salvation should proceed1 while ,japheth1 multiplied and enlarged should dwell in his tents#aa1 and be received as a partaker in his spiritual privileges4 ,with their future destinies thus foretold1 the sons of ,noah went forth1 and took up their abode for some time on the rich alluvial plain of ,shinar between the ,tigris and ,euphrates4 ,here their descendants began to form a great fraternal community1 which it was the more easy to do1 seeing that they all proceeded from the same parental home1 and had all one language4 ,but here1 in defiance of the ,divine command1 which bade them disperse themselves abroad and replenish the whole earth1 they resolved to make a ,city and a huge ,tower whose top might reach unto heaven1 to serve as a central point of union1 and a great ,world-,metropolis4 ,but their design was counteracted4 ,the ,almighty interposed1 and by confounding their language1 so that they could not understand one another's speech1 rent the closest bond of human society4 ,unable to continue the erection of their ,city and ,tower1 which was henceforth called ,babel or ,confusion1 they were scattered abroad over the face of the earth1 and thus constrained to fulfil the eternal designs of ,him1 who has determined the times before appointed1 and the bounds of the habitations of the sons of men 7,acts xvii4 #bf7ab4 ,before1 however1 it leaves them to pursue their own ways1 the ,sacred ,narrative presents to us a ,genealogical ,table1 in which the names of the several nations descended from ,noah1 and their geographical distribution1 have been preserved4 ,with this ,table antiquity has handed down nothing that can be compared for accuracy or comprehensiveness4 8,it exposes the fallacies of the mythical genealogies of pagans1 contradicts their fables respecting gods1 heroes1 and periods of millions of years1 and also affords a firm foundation for investigations concerning the origin and the traditions of nations40 ,from this ,table1 then1 it appears that 7i7 ,the descendants of ,,japheth 7enlargement7 after leaving the original cradle of the human race1 occupied chiefly the isles of the ,gentiles1 or the coast-lands of the ,mediterranean ,sea in ,asia ,minor and ,europe1 and thence spread chiefly in a northerly direction over the entire ,european ,continent1 and a great portion of ,asia4 ,thus ,,gomer was the ancestor of the ,cymmerians or ,cimbri1 ,,magog of the ,scythians1 ,,madai of the ,medes1 ,,javan of the ,ionians and ,greek race1 ,,tubal and ,,mesech of the ,tibareni and ,moschi1 two ,colchian tribes1 and ,,tiras of the ,thracians4 7ii7 ,the descendants of ,,ham 78heat07 proceeded in a southerly direction1 and occupied the whole of ,africa1 and the ,southern peninsulas of ,asia1 ,india1 and ,arabia4 ,of his four sons ,,cush extended his settlements from ,babylonia to ,ethiopia1 ,,mizraim colonized ,egypt1 ,,phut ,libya1 and ,,canaan the land called by his name4 7iii7 ,the descendants of ,,shem established themselves in ,central ,asia1 and thence extended in an easterly and westerly direction1 ,,aram colonising the country afterwards known as ,syria1 ,,lud ,lydia1 ,,arphaxad ,chalda1 ,,asshur part of ,assyria1 ,,elam ,persia1 ,,joktan a portion of the ,arabian peninsula 7,gen4 x4 #a-bf74 ,thus ,he1 who hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth 7,acts xvii4 #bf71 directed the repeopling of the world by the descendants of ,noah4 ,like prodigal sons they were to go into far countries1 and learn by bitter experience that neither human strength nor human wisdom can work out the righteousness of ,god1 or win back for man his lost inheritance4 ,but the preservation of their names in this ,table of ,nations is a proof that no one of them was forgotten by a ,god of ,love2 that though they might forget ,him ,he yet guided their destinies1 and overruled their counsels only to the accomplishment of ,his gracious purposes of ,redemption4 ,the ,day of ,pentecost in the ,new ,testament corresponds to the ,confusion of ,tongues in the ,old4 ,then1 not till then1 did men hear1 each in their tongue wherein they were born1 the ,glad ,tidings of ,,one1 very ,god and very ,man1 in whom there is neither ,jew nor ,gentile1 neither bond nor free1 neither male nor female 7,gal4 iii4 #bh74 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,dispersion ,,of ,,noah',s ,,descendants ,,chapter ,v4 ,,rise ,,of ,,idolatry,,the ,,patriarch ,,job4 ,,gen4 ,x4 #f-ab4 ,,job4 ,,sacred ,history does not record many facts connected with the immediate descendants of ,noah4 ,the scene of the ,confusion of ,tongues continued to attract around it a large number of the early inhabitants of the world1 and here was established one of the earliest of the great empires of the earth by ,,nimrod1 a son of ,cush1 and grandson of ,ham4 ,of great powers and gigantic stature1 he first obtained wide-spread renown by his exploits as a mighty hunter1 and the services he rendered the surrounding populations by ridding them of the terror of noxious and terrible animals4 ,in process of time1 however1 he combined with his exploits as a hunter the conquest of men1 and founded a great empire on the plains of ,shinar1 the chief towns of which were ,babel1 ,erech 7,edessa71 ,accad 7,nisibis71 and ,calneh 7,ctesiphon74 ,thence 7for such seems to be the meaning of ,gen4 x4 #aa7 he extended his dominions along the course of the ,tigris into ,assyria1 amongst the descendants of ,shem1 where he founded a second group of cities1 ,nineveh1 ,rehoboth1 ,calah1 and ,resen4 ,at a period when men's lives were prolonged so far beyond the period now allotted them1 it is probable that this great conqueror may have carried on his successful invasions for nearly #bjj years1 and after death was worshipped under the title of ,belus1 or ,bel1 the ,lord4 ,certainly the vast ruins that overspread the site of the ancient ,babylonian empire seem to tell of the days when there were great heroes in the earth2 and to ,nimrod the modern ,arabs ascribe all the great works of ancient times1 the ,birs-,nimrd1 near ,babylon1 ,tel ,nimrd1 near ,baghdad1 and the ,mount of ,nimrd1 near ,mosul#ac4 ,whether the practice of idolatrous worship was introduced1 as some have supposed1 by this great hero of the ancient world1 or not1 certain it is that mankind became more and more addicted to idolatry4 ,though the knowledge of the one true ,god1 and the promise of salvation1 had been handed down by tradition1 and though ,his invisible attributes1 even ,his eternal power and ,godhead1 were clearly to be discerned in the works of creation 7,rom4 i4 #ai1 #bj71 yet mankind glorified ,him not as ,god1 neither were they thankful4 ,they began to worship and serve the creature rather than the ,creator4 ,the sun1 moon1 and stars1 the principle of fire1 even the inferior animals and departed heroes1 came to be regarded with veneration1 and usurped the worship due only to the ,supreme4 ,with idolatry came its usual consequences1 a deep moral degeneracy1 cruelty1 tyranny1 and licentiousness4 ,one of the earliest allusions to the worship of the heavenly bodies occurs in the ,book of ,job 7xxxi4 #bf-bh74 ,the age and writer of this book are alike unknown2 by some it is ascribed to ,job himself1 by others to ,moses1 by others to some writer who lived at a still later period4 ,as1 however1 the scenes therein described had with great probability been referred to a period very little removed from that at which we have now arrived1 it may be well to speak of them here4 ,,job was an eminent ,eastern chief1 dwelling in very early times in the land of ,uz 7,job i4 #a71 probably ,arabia ,deserta1 or1 as some suppose1 ,mesopotamia4 ,greatest among 8the sons of the ,east10 endowed with all the riches of his age1 he ruled piously and wisely over a happy and numerous household1 having seven sons and three daughters4 ,to considerable mental attainments he added a moral uprightness1 which preserved him blameless in all the relations of life1 and was declared by the ,lord ,himself to be without his like in all the earth1 a perfect and an upright man1 one that feared ,god1 and eschewed evil 7,job i4 #h74 ,with large and liberal hand he distributed to the necessities of the poor1 so that whenever the ear heard him then it blessed him1 when the eye saw him it gave witness to him2 the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon him1 and he caused the widow's heart to sing for joy4 ,but in the midst of this almost perfect temporal happiness he was suddenly overwhelmed with the heaviest misfortunes that can befall the sons of men4 ,he who slandered ,god to ,eve slandered ,job before ,god1 and affirmed that he did not fear ,him for naught2 that if he were stripped of all his possessions he would be as other men1 and curse the ,lord to ,his face 7i4 #aa74 ,to put1 therefore1 the patriarch's faith to the most certain test1 the ,accuser of mankind received mysterious permission to cast him down1 and try him with the most grievous afflictions4 ,blow after blow descended upon him4 ,from being the lord of a numerous and attached household he suddenly became childless1 for the storm of the desert swept over the house where his sons and daughters were assembled1 and crushed them all beneath its ruins4 ,from being the richest of the sons of the ,east he suddenly became a beggar1 for the thunderbolt1 8the fire of ,god10 fell and struck down all his sheep1 as they were grazing quietly with their shepherds1 while his camels were carried off by a band of ,chaldean robbers1 and his oxen and asses by a horde of ,sabeans4 ,and not only did he become a childless1 beggared1 ruined man1 but upon his own body the black leprosy of the ,east set its awful mark1 making him an object hateful and loathsome to look upon4 ,smitten with sores from the sole of his foot even unto his crown1 he sat apart1 forsaken by his friends and even by his wife4 ,but amidst these awful trials his faith was not prostrated4 ,when the terrible tidings reached him of the fate of his household he said1 in words of sublime resignation1 ,the ,lord gave1 and the ,lord hath taken away1 and blessed be the name of the ,lord2 when his wife1 utterly unable to bear up1 bade him curse his ,maker and die1 he replied1 ,what8 shall we receive good at the hand of ,god1 and shall we not receive evil8 7,job i4 #ba1 ii4 #aj74 ,before long the news of his terrible affliction was noised abroad1 and three of his old friends1 ,eliphaz from ,teman1 ,bildad from ,shuah1 and ,zophar of ,naamath1 came to mourn with him and to comfort him4 ,in their presence ,job at length brake forth into desperate words1 and cursed the day of his birth 7,job iii4 #a74 ,the storm of his soul was not calmed by the sympathy of his friends4 ,instead of pouring in the oil of comfort1 they only heightened his griefs by ascribing his calamities to some great sin1 some secret guilt1 if not committed by himself at least by his children1 for which he was now punished4 ,a distinct question was thus propounded1 ,is great suffering a proof of great guilt8 ,job's friends affirmed it was1 and exhorted him to repent and confess4 ,job denied1 and at great length laboured to refute this 7,job iv4 #e-xxxii74 ,at the close of their dialogue1 ,elihu1 another and younger friend of the patriarch1 intervened1 to moderate between the disputants4 ,unable to solve the problem of ,job's calamities1 he declared that afflictions1 even when not the direct consequences of sin1 were intended for good1 and he reproved his friend for justifying himself rather than the ,almighty1 and speaking unadvisedly of ,his works 7,job xxxii-xxxvii74 ,at length the ,lord ,himself condescended to interpose in the controversy4 ,from the midst of a whirlwind1 in words of incomparable grandeur and sublimity1 he silenced the murmurs of his servant1 bidding him reflect on the glory of creation1 and learn from the marvels of the animal kingdom the stupendous power and wisdom of ,him with whom it is useless for a created being to contend 7,job xxxviii-xli74 ,thereupon1 in deep contrition1 ,job acknowledged his error and supplicated the ,divine pardon for the bitterness and arrogance of his complaints4 ,this penitent acknowledgment was accepted1 and ,job's three friends were severely reproved for their uncharitable surmises respecting the origin of his misfortunes4 ,on the intercession1 however1 of the patriarch they were pardoned2 and ,he who had suffered him to be thus sorely tried1 when his trials had served the purpose for which they had been sent1 once more showered down upon him the riches of ,his goodness1 restoring him to still greater prosperity than he had even enjoyed before1 and made him the father of seven sons and three daughters#ad1 celebrated for their beauty above all the maidens of the ,east4 ,job survived his altered fortunes upwards of #adj years1 and then1 having seen his children to the fourth generation1 died in a good old age1 an instructive example of integrity 7,ezek4 xiv4 #ad1 #bj71 and of patience under the most trying calamities 7,jas4 v4 #aa74 ,,book ,,ii4 ,,the ,,patriarchal ,,age4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,call ,,of ,,abraham4 ,,gen4 ,,xi4 ,b4,c4 #aiba4 ,,there will always1 perhaps1 be a doubt as to the exact period after the ,flood when ,job lived1 but there can be no doubt that neither his constancy nor his faithfulness to the one true ,god1 were the characteristics of the age succeeding the ,flood4 ,within ten generations after that event mankind had again become forgetful of their ,maker1 and corrupted their way1 threatening a fresh outbreak of violence and irreligion4 ,now1 however1 it was not the purpose of the ,almighty to visit the earth with any universal judgment4 ,in the counsels of ,redemption it was ,his will to select a man1 and through him1 a nation1 to be ,his witness upon earth1 to withdraw this nation from contact with the surrounding world1 to place it under a special and peculiar constitution1 to entrust to it the guardianship of ancient truths and of future hopes1 and out of it to bring1 in the fulness of time 7,gal4 iv4 #d71 the promised ,saviour of the human race4 ,at this point1 then1 ,sacred ,history becomes more full1 and its stream hitherto slender widens into a broad river4 ,mighty empires and great nations seem for a while to be forgotten1 but only because we are now to be more especially concerned with the history of that particular nation1 in and through which all nations of the earth were to be blessed 7,gen4 xii4 #c74 ,the man selected by the ,almighty to be the ancestor of a people destined to exert so momentous an influence on the salvation of the world was ,,abraham1 or1 as he was first called1 ,abram1 the son of ,terah1 who lived in the eighth generation from ,shem1 in ,ur of the ,chaldees4 ,besides ,abram1 ,terah had two other sons1 ,nahor and ,haran1 but ,abram1 though mentioned first1 was in all probability the youngest of the three4 ,from ,ur1 which may perhaps be identified with the modern ,orfah#ae1 in upper ,mesopotamia1 where his family had become tainted with the generally prevailing idolatry 7,josh4 xxiv4 #b1 #ad71 ,terah removed1 and travelling in a southerly direction arrived at ,haran or ,charran#af1 where he stayed4 ,in this journey he was accompanied by his son ,abram1 his daughter-in-law ,sarai1 and his grandson ,lot1 and seems to have intended to go into the land of ,canaan 7,gen4 xi4 #ca71 but this was prevented by his death at ,haran1 when he had reached the age of #bje4 ,after this event1 a still more distinct intimation of the ,divine ,will was made to his son ,abram1 bidding him leave his country1 his kindred1 and his father's house1 and go to a land which ,god would shew him4 ,there1 said the ,almighty1 ,i will make of thee a great nation1 and make thy name great1 and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed4 ,severe as were the hardships which this call involved1 painful as it must have been to flesh and blood to sever the ties which bound him to his family and his people1 ,abram did not refuse to follow the ,hand which promised him guidance1 protection1 and a mighty future4 ,at the age of #ge1 with his wife ,sarai1 his nephew ,lot1 and all that he possessed1 he left ,haran1 crossed the ,euphrates1 and commenced his journey southward and westward towards the ,land of ,promise 7,acts vii4 #d1 #e74 ,this country1 the future home of the great nation destined to spring from his loins1 was in many respects eminently adapted for its special mission in the history of the ,world4 ,in extent1 indeed1 it was but a narrow strip of country1 but a little larger than the six northern counties of ,england1 being nearly #ahj miles in length#ag1 and #ge miles in breadth1 and having an area of about #ac1fjj ,english square miles4 ,bounded on the west by the ,mediterranean ,sea1 on the north by the mountains of ,lebanon1 on the east by the ,syrian desert1 on the south by the wilderness of ,arabia1 it was situated at the meeting-point of the two continents of ,asia and ,africa1 8on the very outpost1 on the extremest western edge of the ,east40 ,it was a secluded land4 ,a wilderness encompassed it on the east and south1 mountains shut it in on the north1 and the 8,great ,sea0 which washed its western shore was the terror rather than the thoroughfare of ancient nations4 8,unlike the coast of ,europe1 and especially of ,greece1 it had no indentations1 no winding creeks1 no deep havens#ah10 but one small portthat of ,joppawith which to tempt the mariner from the west4 ,but while thus eminently adapted to be the 8silent and retired nursery of the ,kingdom of ,god#ai10 it was in the very centre of the activity of the ancient world1 in the midst of the nations1 and the countries that were round about it 7,ezek4 v4 #e74 ,on the ,south was the great empire of ,egypt1 on the ,north-east the rising kingdom of ,assyria4 ,neither of these great nations could communicate with the other without passing through ,palestine1 and so learning something of its peculiar institutions and religion2 and when the fulness of time was come no country was better suited1 from its position at the extremest verge of the ,eastern ,world1 to be the starting-point whence the glad tidings of ,redemption might be proclaimed to all nations#bj4 ,moreover1 narrow as were its limits1 and secluded as was its position1 it yet presented a greater variety of surface1 scenery and temperature than is to be found in any other part of the world1 and needed not to depend on other countries for anything that either the luxuries or actual wants of its inhabitants required4 ,four broadly marked longitudinal regions divided its surface4 7i7 ,first1 there was the low plain of the western sea-coast1 broad towards the south1 and gradually narrowing towards the north1 famous for the ,shephelah 7the low country7 with its waving corn-fields1 and the vale of ,sharon 7level country71 the garden of ,palestine4 ,from this was an ascent to 7ii7 a strip of table-land1 every part of which was more or less undulating1 but increasing in elevation from north to south#ba1 and broken only by the plain of ,jezreel or ,esdraelon4 ,to this succeeded a rapid descent into 7iii7 a deep fissure or valley1 through which the ,jordan 7the descender71 the only river of importance in the country1 rushes from its source at the base of ,hermon into the ,dead ,sea1 the surface of which is no less than #acaf feet below that of the ,mediterranean#bb4 ,hence was a second ascent to 7iv7 a strip of table-land on the east similar to that on the west1 and seeming with its range of purple-tinted mountains to overhang ,jerusalem itself4 ,crowned by the forests and upland pastures of ,gilead and ,bashan1 this eastern table-land gradually melted into the desert which rolled between it and the valley of ,mesopotamia4 ,thus within a very small space were crowded the most diverse features of natural scenery1 and the most varied products4 ,it was a good land1 a land of brooks of water1 of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills1 a land flowing with milk and honey 7,deut4 viii4 #g-i2 xi4 #aj-ab74 ,the low plains yielded luxuriant crops of wheat and barley1 of rye and maize2 on the table-lands with their equable and moderate climate grew the vine1 the olive1 the fig1 the almond1 the pomegranate2 in the tropical neighbourhood of ,jericho flourished the palm-tree and the balsam2 while the noble cedar waved on the mountains of ,lebanon4 ,such was the ,land1 secluded and yet central1 narrow and yet wonderfully diversified alike in its natural features and its products1 whither the ,almighty now bade ,abram direct his steps4 ,striking across the great ,syrian desert1 the patriarch kept on his southward course1 and having crossed the ,jordan1 passed through the land1 till he came to ,shechem#bc1 situated between the mountains ,ebal and ,gerizim4 ,this spot1 destined afterwards to be so celebrated1 was then only marked by the majestic oak of ,moreh1 probably a ,canaanitish chief1 but its many fountains1 rills1 and water-courses#bd made it then1 as it ever has been since1 a natural pasture-ground for flocks and herds2 and here ,abram halted1 and learnt that he had reached the goal of his long journey4 ,this land1 said ,god1 ,i will give unto thy seed2 and at ,shechem the patriarch built his first altar to the ,lord in the 8,land of ,promise#be0 7,gen4 xii4 #f1 #g74 ,thence he afterwards removed southward a distance of about twenty miles1 to the strong mountain country east of ,bethel1 or as it was then called ,luz2 one of the finest tracts of the land for pasturage1 and here he erected his second altar unto the ,lord4 ,during his sojourn in this neighbourhood he learnt that1 though the heir of mighty promises1 he was not to be exempt from his share of trials and disappointments4 ,the first that befell him was a grievous famine1 caused probably by a failure of the usual rains2 in consequence of which1 finding himself unable to support his numerous dependents1 he resolved1 though without direct ,divine suggestion1 to go down into ,egypt1 then1 as always1 the fertile granary of the neighbouring nations4 ,as he drew near the land of the mighty ,pharaohs1 he reflected that the beauty of his wife might expose her to danger from the sensual1 voluptuous ,egyptians1 and under the influence of these apprehensions persuaded her to stoop to an unworthy equivocation1 and give herself out as his sister4 ,what he anticipated came to pass4 ,the princes of ,egypt beheld the woman that she was fair1 and recommended her to their monarch1 by whom she was taken into his palace1 while numerous presents of cattle and sheep were sent to her supposed brother4 ,but the monarch found that the coming of the stranger into his palace involved him in serious troubles1 the ,lord plagued ,pharaoh with great plagues1 till1 having ascertained the true relation between her and ,abram1 he sent her back to her husband1 with a strong rebuke to the latter for the deception he had practised4 ,how long after this ,abram stayed in ,egypt we are not told4 ,but at length his wealth in cattle1 and gold and silver1 having materially increased1 he quitted the country1 and once more took up his abode on his former camping-ground between ,bethel and ,ai4 ,hitherto his nephew ,lot had accompanied him in all his wanderings1 but now the increasing numbers of their flocks and herds generated a quarrel between their respective herdsmen1 and it was plainly necessary that they should separate4 ,with characteristic generosity ,abram bade his nephew take the first choice1 and select for himself1 whether on the left hand or the right1 a place for his new abode4 ,from the high mountain-range#bf to the east of ,bethel1 where they were then encamped1 ,lot lifted up his eyes and looked down upon the wide and well-watered plain south of the ,jordan1 then a very garden of the ,lord1 like the land of ,egypt 7,gen4 xiii4 #aj7 they had so lately left4 ,as yet no terrible convulsion had effaced the site of ,sodom and ,gomorrah and the other cities of the plain4 ,fair and fertile the coveted possession stretched onwards unto ,zoar1 and in spite of the notorious wickedness of the inhabitants ,lot chose it for his abode1 and the two separated themselves the one from the other4 ,though ,abram was thus left to wait alone for the fulfilment of the ,promise1 he was not forgotten by the ,god in whom he trusted4 ,a more full and more definite promise was now vouchsafed to him4 ,lift up thine eyes1 said the ,almighty1 and look from place to place where thou art1 northward1 and southward1 and eastward1 and westward2 all the land which thou seest to thee will ,i give it1 and to thy seed for ever2 and ,i will make thy seed as the dust of the earth1 so that if a man can number the dust of the earth1 then shall thy seed also be numbered 7,gen4 xiii4 #ad-ag74 ,thus encouraged1 the ,friend of ,god 7,jas4 ii4 #bc7 removed his tent1 and travelling southward took up his abode under the spreading terebinth#bg of ,mamre1 an ,amorite prince 7,gen4 xiv4 #ac1 #bd71 near ,hebron1 or as it was then called ,kirjath-,arba1 the ,city of ,arba the father of ,anak and the progenitor of the giant ,anakim 7,gen4 xxiii4 #b2 xxxv4 #bg2 ,josh4 xiv4 #ae74 ,while dwelling peacefully in this neighbourhood1 which like all other places he hallowed with an altar to ,jehovah1 he received one day unexpected tidings of his nephew ,lot4 ,the chiefs of the five cities in the tropical valley of the ,jordan1 ,,sodom1 ,,gomorrah1 ,,admah1 ,,zeboim1 and ,,belah1 had for twelve years been subject to ,,chedorlaomer1 a powerful king of ,elam or ,mesopotamia4 ,but they had lately united together to throw off his yoke4 ,thereupon the ,king of ,elam1 aided by three other confederate chiefs1 proceeded to make war against the southern kings4 ,sweeping down on a sudden foray1 he smote the countries on the eastern uplands of the ,jordan and the southern region of ,mount ,seir4 ,returning thence he ravaged all the country of the ,amalekites1 and with his allied chiefs met the kings of ,sodom and ,gomorrah in pitched battle in the ,vale of ,siddim1 probably at the north-west corner of the ,dead ,sea4 ,the five southern kings were utterly routed1 and with much spoil and many captives the ,assyrian invader commenced his return northwards4 ,it was the news of this sudden invasion which now reached the ears of ,abram4 ,without losing a moment he instantly armed his #cah trained servants1 and1 aided by the confederate chief ,mamre and his brothers ,eshcol and ,aner1 arose and pursued the ,assyrians by night4 ,the latter had in the meantime reached the neighbourhood of the ,sidonian ,laish1 far up in the northern mountains4 ,thither1 however1 ,abram pursued them1 and falling upon them suddenly1 while all unconscious of coming danger1 he smote them and chased them to ,hobah1 on the left of ,damascus4 ,thence1 with the recovered captives1 amongst whom was ,lot1 he returned1 and at the ,king's ,dale1 not far from ,hebron1 was met by the ,king of ,sodom1 accompanied by a mysterious personage1 who now meets us for the first and only time1 named ,,melchisedec1 a king of ,salem and priest of the ,most ,high ,god4 ,the sudden appearance of one thus uniting the kingly and priestly functions1 of whose origin and family we know nothing1 has led to much speculation4 ,putting aside more improbable conjectures1 we may perhaps conclude that he was an eminent ,canaanitish prince in the line of ,ham1 who had maintained the pure worship of the ,one true ,god1 and who1 according to a custom not uncommon in patriarchal times1 was at once king and priest#bh4 ,a sufficient proof of his high dignity is afforded by the fact that to him the patriarch ,abram reverently gave tithes of all that he had taken in his late successful expedition1 and received his solemn blessing 7,heb4 vii4 #b1 #f74 ,before they parted the ,king of ,sodom pressed ,abram to take a portion of the spoil as his reward4 ,this1 however1 the latter with his usual generosity firmly declined2 he would take nothing1 from a thread even to a shoelatchet 7,gen4 xiv4 #bc71 save only a portion for his allies1 the chiefs ,aner1 ,eshcol1 and ,mamre1 and then returned to the shade of the oak or terebinth near ,hebron4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,life ,,of ,,abraham ,,continued4 ,,gen4 ,,xv4-,,xxv4 ,b4,c4 #aiac-ahbb4 ,,we now enter on another and a different scene in the history of ,abram4 ,he had been victorious over the ,assyrian kings2 he had gotten him honour as the prompt avenger of injustice and oppression before the chiefs of the land in which he was a pilgrim and a sojourner2 he had been solemnly blessed by the ,king of ,righteousness2 but where was the fulfilment of the promise for which he had so long been waiting8 ,he had no son1 no single pledge of the mighty nation destined to spring from his loins4 ,when1 therefore1 his all-merciful ,guide appeared to him again in vision1 to assure him of safety and protection1 he could not restrain the deep sorrow of his heart1 and mournfully complained that in place of a son1 one born in his house1 probably ,eliezer of ,damascus1 would be his heir4 ,on this occasion the ,almighty not only solemnly assured ,his desponding servant that a son should be born to him1 an earnest of a seed as numerous as the stars of heaven1 and that the land on which he walked should undoubtedly be their inheritance1 but1 as in the case of ,noah after the ,flood1 he vouchsafed to him an outward and visible sign to strengthen and support his faith4 ,he bade the patriarch take a heifer1 a ram1 and a she-goat1 each three years old1 together with a turtle-dove and a young pigeon1 and after dividing them all1 except the birds1 to lay them piece by piece over against the other4 ,familiar1 doubtless1 with this ancient method of ratifying a covenant1 ,abram did as the ,lord had told him1 slew the victims1 and laid the divided portions in order4 ,then from morning until evening he watched them1 and from time to time drove away the birds of prey which hovered over them4 ,at length the sun went down1 and a deep sleep fell upon him1 and a horror of great darkness gathered around him4 ,amidst the deepening gloom there appeared to him a ,smoking ,furnace and a ,burning ,lamp passing along the space between the divided victims4 ,presently a ,voice came to him telling him that his seed should be a stranger in a land that was not theirs1 that there they should suffer affliction #djj years2 that afterwards1 in the fourth generation1 when the cup of the ,amorites was full1 they should come out with great substance1 return to the spot where the patriarch now was1 and enter on their promised inheritance4 ,thus1 amidst mingled light and gloom1 the ancestor of the elect nation was warned of the chequered fortunes which awaited his progeny1 while at the same time he was assured of the ultimate fulfilment of the ,promise1 and the actual boundaries of the lands of his inheritance were marked out from the river of ,egypt to the distant ,euphrates2 and in this confidence ,abram was content to possess his soul in patience 7,lk4 xxi4 #ai74 ,as yet1 it will be observed1 it had not been expressly said that his wife ,sarai was the destined mother of the long-promised son4 ,as the prospect1 therefore1 of her contributing to the fulfilment of the ,promise became more and more remote1 she seems to have concluded that this honour was not reserved for her1 and accordingly persuaded her husband to take her handmaid1 ,,hagar1 an ,egyptian1 as a secondary wife1 that by her he might obtain what was denied herself4 ,abram complied with her suggestion1 and ,hagar conceived2 but the consequences did not tend to increase the patriarch's happiness4 ,in a moment of elation ,hagar mocked her mistress1 and ,sarai dealt hardly with her1 till she fled from her into the southern wilderness1 on the way that led to her native land4 ,there1 as she halted near a fountain of water1 an angel of the ,lord met her1 and bade her return and submit herself to her mistress1 assuring her at the same time that she should give birth to a son1 whom she was to call ,,ishmael 7whom ,god hears74 ,though the son of a bondwoman 7,gal4 iv4 #bb1 #bc71 no mean future lay before him2 he should become the ancestor of a numerous seed1 who1 like himself1 would be true roving sons of the desert1 their hand against every man1 and every man's hand against them4 ,in remembrance of this incident ,hagar named the fountain ,beer-lahai-roi1 7the well of the ,god that appeareth71 and returned to the tents of ,sarah1 where1 in process of time she gave birth to ,ishmael1 when ,abram was #hf years old4 ,again thirteen years rolled away1 and still the ,promise was not fulfilled4 ,but when hope might almost have ceased to hope1 ,god appeared once more to ,abram1 recapitulated the main outline of the ,covenant-,promise1 changed his name from ,abram 7a high father71 to ,,abraham 7the father of a multitude71 and assured him that at length the long-expected time was well-nigh come4 ,but in prospect of the peculiar blessing about to be bestowed upon him1 he himself1 and all his seed after him1 must carry about with them a perpetual pledge of their covenant relation to ,jehovah4 ,the rite of ,circumcision must now be adopted by him1 and instead of being the badge of any favoured class amongst the nation destined to spring from his loins1 was1 on pain of excommunication1 to be open to the lowliest member of the ,hebrew commonwealth1 even to the bond-servant and the stranger4 ,at the same time it was intimated to the patriarch that his wife ,sarai1 whose name also was now changed to ,,sarah 7princess71 and no other1 was to be the mother of the promised child1 that it would be born during the next year1 and be called ,isaac 7,laughter72 while ,ishmael also1 for whom ,abraham had prayed1 would not be forgotten1 but be a partaker in the ,divine blessing1 and become the father of twelve princes1 the ancestors of a great nation4 ,thereupon ,abraham complied with the ,divine command1 and was circumcised1 together with ,ishmael1 now thirteen years of age1 and all the male members of his household4 ,shortly after this1 as the patriarch sat1 in the heat of the day1 under the oak of ,mamre1 he received a visit from three mysterious ,strangers1 whom he entertained with becoming hospitality4 ,the meal over which he had hastily prepared1 one of them inquired for his wife1 and formally announced that within the year she would be the mother of a son4 ,his words were overheard by ,sarah1 and she laughed incredulously at the possibility of such an event1 but was thereupon reproved by the ,speaker1 and assured in a still more confident manner of the fulfilment of ,his word4 ,then the ,three left the tent and turned their steps eastward towards ,sodom4 ,abraham accompanied them1 and on the way one of them1 in whom he recognised no other than the ,angel of the ,covenant1 informed him of the real purport of this visit to the cities where his nephew ,lot had taken up his abode4 ,the sin of these cities was very great1 and their cup was now full2 their inhabitants had wearied themselves with wickedness1 and their licentiousness and iniquity called to ,heaven for a visible revelation of ,divine wrath1 and judgment was now even at the door4 ,informed of the impending doom the ,friend of ,god drew near1 and with marvellous boldness blended with the deepest humility pleaded with the ,almighty for the guilty cities4 ,peradventure there might be found therein at least fifty1 or forty-five1 or forty1 or thirty1 or twenty1 or even ten righteous souls1 would the ,lord of all the earth spare them for ten's sake8 ,thereupon he was assured that if only ten righteous souls could be found the cities should be spared4 ,while he was thus pleading with ,god1 the two other angels entered ,sodom1 and were hospitably entertained by ,lot4 ,but their celestial beauty only served to excite the wickedness of the inhabitants1 who surrounded ,lot's house1 and1 in spite of his earnest expostulations1 would have offered them personal violence had they not been suddenly stricken with blindness4 ,as the night wore on1 his visitors assured ,lot of the certain destruction of the city1 and warned him to gather together with all speed every member of his family if he would save them from the impending judgment4 ,lot did as he was advised2 but his warning was lost upon his sons-in-law and his daughters-in-law1 and he seemed unto them as one that mocked4 ,when the day dawned1 the angels broke off any further delay by laying hold on him1 and his wife1 and his two daughters1 and having dragged them forth beyond the city1 bade them flee to the neighbouring mountain range if they would not be consumed4 ,but thither ,lot was afraid to flee1 and in compliance with his urgent entreaty was permitted to betake himself to the town of ,bela1 or ,zoar 7,little71 on the southern extremity of the ,dead ,sea4 ,the sun rose as he entered this city of refuge1 and then the ,lord rained upon ,sodom and ,gomorrah brimstone and fire out of heaven1 and utterly swept away by an awful convulsion every trace of the guilty cities and their inhabitants1 the site of which became henceforth a perpetual desolation4 ,few as were the remnants of this fearful overthrow1 yet one of these few failed to reach the little city of refuge4 ,in spite of the ,angel's reiterated warning1 ,lot's wife lingered1 looked back1 and1 caught by the advancing sulphurous tide1 was smothered as she stood1 and became a pillar of salt 7,gen4 xix4 #bf2 ,lk4 xvii4 #cb74 ,as for ,lot himself1 afraid to dwell even in ,zoar1 he fled with his two daughters to the eastern mountains1 and became the father of two sons1 ,moab and ,ben-,ammi1 the ancestors of two powerful nationsthe ,moabites and ,ammonites4 ,shortly after this terrible judgment1 ,abraham left the oak of ,mamre1 where he had so long encamped1 and journeyed in a southerly direction towards ,gerar1 between ,kadesh and ,shur1 at that time the principal seat of the ,philistines1 whose chief was known by the hereditary title of ,abimelech1 or ,father-,king#bi4 ,under the same apprehensions which he had felt when drawing nigh to ,egypt1 ,abraham wished that ,sarah should pass for his sister1 and again exposed her to imminent risk4 ,but1 as before1 the ,lord mercifully intervened1 and the ,philistine chief restored his wife to the patriarch1 together with ample presents 7,gen4 xx4 #ad-af74 ,at length the time had come for which ,abraham1 now upwards of #ajj years of age1 had so long waited4 ,either at ,gerar or ,beersheba1 ,sarah gave birth to the child of promise1 who was duly circumcised on the eighth day1 and named ,,isaac 7,laughter7 according to the ,divine command4 ,at the feast given on the occasion of his weaning1 ,ishmael mocked1 or in some way insulted the child4 ,this act1 observed by ,sarah1 roused all her animosity1 and she demanded the instant dismissal of the boy and his mother4 ,though sorely against his will1 ,abraham1 advised by ,god1 yielded to his wife1 and early on the following morning ,hagar and her son were sent away to wander in the wilderness of ,beersheba4 ,in a short time the water in her skin-bottle was spent1 and the boy tormented with thirst seemed at the point of death4 ,unable to endure the sight of his sufferings1 ,hagar laid him under the shade of the desert shrubs1 and sat down about a bowshot off4 ,but the boy was not thus to die2 ,god heard his cry1 and the angel of the ,lord called to ,hagar out of heaven1 and bade her not despair4 ,at the same time her eyes were opened to discern a well of water1 with which she filled her bottle and gave the lad drink4 ,thus his life was preserved1 and he grew and prospered1 and dwelt in the wild desert of ,paran1 near ,mount ,sinai1 and was renowned for his skill in the use of the bow4 ,marrying an ,egyptian he became the father of twelve sons and one daughter 7,gen4 xxv4 #ac-ae2 xxviii4 #i2 xxxvi4 #c71 the ancestors of the chief portion of the wild ,arab tribes1 living by warlike forays and plunder1 their hand against every man1 and every man's hand against them4 ,meanwhile ,abraham was living in peace and security1 feared and respected by his ,philistine neighbours in the south country1 near ,beersheba1 when a far keener trial befell him than any he had yet experienced4 ,the call from his own country1 the famine that drove him into ,egypt1 the desertion of ,lot1 the long deferring of the promised seed1 the separation from ,ishmael1 all these had been sore trials to flesh and blood4 ,but now1 when the hope of his life seemed at length to have been gained1 he was commanded to take his son1 his only son ,isaac a three days' journey into the land of ,moriah1 and offer him up as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that should be shown him4 ,utterly inexplicable as this command must have seemed1 and indescribably painful to his feelings1 the patriarch's trust in ,god did not falter4 ,assured that ,he who had called him into being could1 if it pleased ,him1 raise up his son even from the dead 7,heb4 xi4 #ai71 he rose up early in the morning1 clave the wood for the sacrifice1 saddled his ass1 and with two young men and ,isaac commenced his journey4 ,on the third day he lifted up his eyes1 and beheld the spot afar off2 thereupon leaving the young men behind1 he laid the wood upon his son1 and with the fire in his hand1 and a knife1 ascended the mountain to the spot#cj of which ,god had told him4 ,marvelling that no victim had been brought1 but assured that a lamb would be provided for a burnt-offering1 ,isaac accompanied his father to the summit1 and when the altar had been built and the wood laid thereon1 submitted without a murmur to be bound and placed upon it4 ,another moment and the father's hand was actually outstretched to slay his son1 when a voice from heaven arrested him1 and bade him forbear to proceed further1 seeing that the end for which this mysterious trial had been sent was now gained1 for ,abraham had not withheld his only son1 but given proof of his willingness to surrender even him to the ,divine call4 ,at the same moment the patriarch looked1 and beheld behind him a ram caught in a thicket by its horns1 which he took and offered as a burnt-offering instead of his son4 ,in memory of this eventful day he named the place ,jehovah-,jireh1 i4e4 ,jehovah will see or provide1 and again received the assurance of the ,divine blessing upon himself and his future descendants1 who should be multiplied as the stars of heaven1 and as the sand upon the seashore1 and become the channel of blessings to all the nations of the earth4 ,this is the culminating point in ,abraham's life4 ,implicit trust in the ,most ,high1 unfaltering obedience to ,his will1 had never been more signally displayed1 and his faith was counted to him for righteousness 7,rom4 iv4 #c1 #i74 ,from this time his course was calm and peaceful4 ,leaving ,beersheba he turned northwards1 and once more abode under the oak of ,mamre4 ,here he lost the partner of his long and eventful career4 ,at the age of #abg 7the only instance in which the age of a woman is recorded in ,scripture7 ,sarah died1 and was laid in the cave of the field of ,machpelah1 a spot now covered by the ,mosque of ,hebron1 which ,abraham bought for #djj shekels of silver1 for a possession of a burying-place1 of ,ephron the ,hittite4 ,so deep was the respect of the children of ,heth for the mighty prince who had so long lived among them1 that in spite of the usual ,oriental jealousy on this point they would willingly have permitted him to bury his dead in the choicest of their own sepulchres4 ,but this ,abraham declined1 and the ,cave of ,machpelah with the surrounding field was made over to him for a possession for ever#ca4 ,three years afterwards1 anxious to prevent an alliance between his son and any of the ,canaanitish nations1 he sent the eldest servant of his house1 probably ,eliezer of ,damascus1 into ,mesopotamia1 to the city of ,nahor his brother1 to procure from thence a wife for him4 ,his servant faithfully discharged his commission1 and the piety he displayed reflecting the goodness of the patriarch himself was rewarded4 ,at a well outside the city of ,haran he met ,,rebekah1 the daughter of ,bethuel#cb the son of ,nahor1 going forth with her pitcher on her shoulder to draw water4 ,in answer to his inquiries she told him who she was1 and conducted him to the house of her brother ,laban4 ,there he recounted all that had befallen his master in the land of his pilgrimage1 and made known the purpose of his errand4 ,rebekah1 when asked by her brother and mother1 announced her readiness to accompany the servant to the tents of ,abraham1 and in the course of time became ,isaac's wife 7,gen4 xxiv474 ,before long ,abraham himself also married again1 and by ,,keturah his second wife1 became the father of six children1 ,zimran1 ,jokshan1 ,medan1 ,midian1 ,ishbak1 and ,shuah 7,gen4 xxv4 #b71 the ancestors of ,arabian and ,midianitish tribes4 ,lest they should dispute the inheritance with ,isaac1 the prudent patriarch1 while he yet lived1 presented them with gifts1 and sent them away into the south-east country 7,gen4 xxv4 #f7 where their descendants settled along the borders of the ,elanitic ,gulf in considerable numbers4 ,and then the ,father of the ,faithful1 the ,friend of ,god1 being #age years old1 had reached the term of life allotted to him4 ,in a good old age1 and full of years1 he was gathered unto his people1 and was laid by ,isaac and ,ishmael also1 who had come up from the wild desert of ,paran to assist in these last sad offices1 by the side of his beloved ,sarah1 in the cave of ,machpelah#cc4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,isaac4 ,,gen4 ,,xxv4-,,xxvii4 ,b4,c4 #ahbb-agfj4 ,,for nineteen years after their marriage ,isaac and ,rebekah were childless4 ,but at length1 in answer to earnest prayer1 ,rebekah became the mother of twin sons1 ,,esau 7hairy1 rough7 and ,,jacob 7he that holds by the heel1 or supplanter74 ,the bitter enmity afterwards to exist between the brothers was foreshadowed even before their birth1 and as they grew the difference in their characters became still more prominent4 ,esau became a cunning hunter1 wild and daring1 even as his rough and robust frame betokened1 revelling like a true son of the desert in the excitement of the chase4 ,jacob1 on the other hand1 was a quiet domestic youth1 dwelling in tents1 the favourite of his mother1 while ,esau1 by a not uncommon caprice of affection1 was the favourite of the gentle retiring ,isaac1 whose keen relish for savoury food was gratified by his success in the hunting-field 7,gen4 xxv4 #bd-bh74 ,it is in connection with his favourite pursuit that ,esau first attracts our notice4 ,as the eldest son he had several important privileges4 ,he held superior rank in the family 7,gen4 xlix4 #c71 and would succeed to a double portion of his father's property 7,gen4 xlviii4 #bb2 ,deut4 xxi4 #ag72 his also was1 in all probability1 the priestly office 7,num4 viii4 #ag-ai71 and the ,covenant-,blessing 7,heb4 xii4 #af1 #ag2 ,gen4 xxvii4 #bh1 #bi1 #cf74 ,these were the privileges of his birthright1 and by an ,oriental patriarch were held as dear as life itself4 ,on one occasion ,esau returned faint and weary from the chase1 and saw his brother ,jacob preparing some dark red pottage of lentiles#cd4 ,famished and exhausted1 he longed for the fragrant mess1 and implored his brother to let him have it4 ,seeing his distress1 ,jacob determined to avail himself of it for his own ends1 and agreed to give his brother the pottage on condition that he sold him his birthright4 ,unable to control the pangs of hunger1 bent on the immediate gratification of his appetite1 ,esau was willing to barter all his privileges for a single meal4 ,but words were not sufficient for his artful brother4 ,he must have an oath solemnly attesting the exchange4 ,swear unto me1 said he1 and ,esau swore1 and sold his birthright for one morsel of meat 7,heb4 xii4 #af71 and ate and drank1 and rose up and went his way#ce4 ,at a subsequent period1 in consequence of a grievous famine1 ,isaac left ,lahai-roi1 and journeyed southward to ,gerar1 within the fertile coast-line of ,philistia4 ,while here he received a warning from the ,almighty against going down into ,egypt1 and was assured of the continuance of the same blessing which his father had enjoyed 7,gen4 xxvi4 #a-e74 ,thus encouraged he continued to dwell at ,gerar1 but1 like his father1 was not always proof against temptations to distrust his ,almighty ,protector4 ,he persuaded ,rebekah to represent herself as his sister1 and subjected himself to a cutting rebuke from ,abimelech for this unworthy equivocation4 ,at ,gerar his wealth increased exceedingly1 and he made the first advance beyond the purely pastoral life4 ,he sowed in that land1 and reaped within the year an hundred fold 7,gen4 xxvi4 #ab74 ,but his wealth and prosperity in time provoked the jealousy of the ,philistines1 and they stopped up the wells which his father had dug2 nor did the patriarch feel himself secure till he had moved still further southward to ,beersheba4 ,here1 like ,abraham before him1 he built an altar unto ,jehovah1 and called upon ,his ,name1 and was rewarded by a second confirmation of the covenant ,promise1 while his contentions with the ,philistines were brought to a close1 and a mutual compact ratified between them 7,gen4 xxvi4 #bf-ca74 ,but his domestic happiness was not equally secured4 ,to the great grief of both his parents1 ,esau1 now #dj years of age1 contracted an alliance with ,judith the daughter of ,beeri1 and ,bashemath1 the daughter of ,elon1 both of the race of the ,hittites1 to whom he afterwards added ,mahalath1 a daughter of ,ishmael 7,gen4 xxvi4 #cd2 xxviii4 #i74 ,of the greater portion of ,isaac's life at ,beersheba the ,scripture narrative tells nothing1 nor is any incident recorded till we hear that he waxed old and his eyes grew dim so that he could not see4 ,then reminded of the uncertain tenure of life1 he resolved by a solemn act to bestow the patriarchal blessing upon his eldest son4 ,summoning ,esau before him1 he bade him go forth to the hunt and bring him venison such as he loved1 promising the blessing as his reward4 ,his words did not escape the quick ears of ,rebekah4 ,eager to obtain this important privilege for her favourite ,jacob1 she bade him1 during the absence of his brother1 slay two kids1 with which she prepared savoury meat such as ,isaac loved4 ,then arraying him in garments belonging to his brother1 and placing the skins upon his hands and neck1 she directed him to go into the presence of his father1 and pass himself off as his wild1 rough brother ,esau4 ,after some hesitation1 ,jacob fell in with her plan1 and in the disguise she had prepared presented himself before his father4 ,but ,isaac1 though old and dimsighted1 was not free from his suspicions4 ,to ,jacob's assurance that he had been to the chase and brought of the prey1 he replied by enquiring how he had found it so quickly4 ,nor did the ready but untruthful answer that the ,lord had brought it to him relieve his mind4 ,come near1 said he1 that ,i may feel thee1 whether thou be my very son ,esau or not4 ,and ,jacob went near1 and his father felt him4 ,another question1 and another falsehood followed2 and at length ,jacob was bidden to present the venison that he had taken1 and the old man ate and drank1 and then bestowed upon him in all its fulness the ,covenant ,blessing4 ,he prayed that ,god would give his son of the dew of heaven1 and the fatness of the earth1 and plenty of corn and wine2 that ,he would make people to serve him1 and nations to bow down to him1 so that he might be lord over his brethren1 and see his mother's sons bow down to him1 a blessing to all that blessed him1 a curse to all that cursed him 7,gen4 xxvii4 #bh1 #bi74 ,thus successful in his shameful artifice1 ,jacob had scarcely gone forth from his father's presence1 when the true ,esau returned from the chase4 ,with savoury meat he too presented himself before ,isaac1 and besought his blessing4 ,the old man trembled very exceedingly when he heard the voice of his eldest son1 but told him that he had come too late4 ,his brother1 the ,supplanter1 had been before him1 and the irrevocable words had been spoken4 ,with a great and exceeding bitter cry ,esau implored his father for one blessing which perchance might be left2 and at length ,isaac assured him that his dwelling would be of the fatness of the earth1 and of the dew of heaven from above2 but he must live by his sword and serve his brother1 till the day when he too should gain the dominion1 and should shake his brother's yoke from off his neck#cf 7,gen4 xxvii4 #ci1 #dj74 ,enraged at the deception which had been practised upon him1 ,esau did not conceal his design of revenging himself by putting ,jacob to death1 and only deferred it till the days of mourning for his father were ended1 whose death he deemed to be near at hand4 ,but his dark threat became known to ,rebekah4 ,anxious to save her favourite son1 she persuaded him to undertake a journey to his uncle ,laban at ,padan-,aram1 promising1 when a few days were over1 and his brother's wrath was appeased1 to send for him again4 ,without communicating her real motive in urging this journey1 she at the same time secured the acquiescence of ,isaac1 by pretending anxiety that ,jacob should marry one of the daughters of ,laban1 rather than follow his brother's example1 and contract an alliance among the ,hittites4 ,accordingly ,isaac sent for his son1 and bade him go to ,padan-,aram1 urging him to take thence a wife from amongst his own kindred1 and then consciously and purposely transferred to him and his seed after him the blessing of ,abraham 7,gen4 xxviii4 #a-e74 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,life ,,of ,,jacob4 ,,gen4 ,,xxviii4-,,xxxv4 ,b4,c4 #agfj-agaf4 ,,thus solemnly assured of the ,covenant ,blessing1 ,,jacob bade farewell to his mother1 whom he was never to see again1 and set out a solitary traveller for the ,eastern uplands of ,aram1 where in place of a few days he was destined to spend many weary years1 and amidst many trials and vicissitudes to find the same measure that he had measured to his brother measured also to himself4 ,as the sun went down on the first evening of his journey1 he reached the site of one of ,abraham's encampments1 the stony soil#cg near the ,canaanite town of ,luz4 ,taking of the stones that lay around1 he put them for his pillow1 and lay down to sleep4 ,as he slept1 there appeared to him a vision of the night4 ,a ladder seemed to rise up from the bare ground on which he lay1 and the top of it reached even unto heaven1 and on it he saw angels ascending and descending4 ,moreover from above there came the ,voice of ,god assuring the wanderer of ,his protection1 renewing to him the promise of ,abraham1 and encouraging him with the hope of return from exile4 ,jacob awoke trembling and afraid1 ,surely1 said he1 the ,lord is in this place1 and ,i knew it not2 how dreadful is this place6 ,this is none other but the house of ,god1 and this is the gate of heaven4 ,then rising early1 he took the stone that had formed his pillow1 poured oil upon it1 and set it up for a memorial1 calling the spot ,,bethel1 the ,house of ,god4 ,at the same time he made a solemn vow that1 if ,jehovah would indeed sustain him in all his ways1 and bring him back as ,he had promised1 he would not only dedicate the spot as ,his ,house1 but would give ,him the tenth of all that he possessed 7,gen4 xxviii4 #ah-bb74 ,then he continued his journey1 and striking in a north-easterly direction1 at length reached a well in ,padan-,aram1 round which were gathered three flocks with shepherds from ,haran4 ,as he was conversing with them1 ,,rachel1 the daughter of his uncle ,laban1 approached1 and with true courtesy ,jacob went near1 rolled the stone from the well's mouth1 and watered the flocks4 ,he then kissed the maiden1 and told her he was ,rebekah's son1 whereupon she ran and told her father1 who welcomed ,jacob to the tents of ,haran4 ,after a stay of one month1 ,laban proposed that the wanderer should serve him as a shepherd1 to which ,jacob assented1 and promised to serve him seven years on condition of receiving the hand of ,rachel4 ,the seven years passed away1 and he who had supplanted his brother twice1 now learnt what it was to be supplanted himself4 ,on the evening of his marriage ,laban substituted her sister ,,leah in place of ,rachel2 nor was the deceit discovered till the following morning1 when1 in answer to ,jacob's reproaches1 he informed him that it was not customary to give the younger before the elder daughter1 and that if he would have ,rachel he must serve seven more years for her4 ,to these hard conditions ,jacob assented1 and in the course of time became the father of a numerous family1 eleven sons and one daughter4 ,of these1 ,,reuben1 ,,simeon1 ,,levi1 ,,judah1 ,,issachar1 ,,zebulun1 and a daughter ,,dinah1 were born to ,leah2 ,,dan and ,,naphtali to ,bilhah ,rachel's maid1 whom the latter1 finding she had no children1 gave to ,jacob as a secondary wife2 ,,gad and ,,asher to ,zilpah1 ,leah's maid2 and ,,joseph to ,rachel4 ,shortly after the birth of this last son1 ,jacob having completed his time of service1 proposed to ,laban that he should return into his own country4 ,but the latter1 who had found by experience that his son-in-law had brought a blessing to his house1 prevailed upon him to continue in his service1 on condition of receiving a certain portion of the flocks as his hire4 ,six years longer1 therefore1 ,jacob staid with his father-in-law1 and prospered1 and became himself the owner of numerous herds4 ,but on ,laban's side the covenant was not strictly kept4 ,again and again he changed the wages of his faithful servant1 till at length finding any longer stay rendered impossible by the envy and jealousy of his father-in-law and his sons1 and encouraged by the ,word of ,jehovah1 ,jacob determined to set out for his native land4 ,accordingly1 availing himself of ,laban's absence at a sheep-shearing1 he gathered together all his goods1 and with his wives and family crossed the river1 the great river ,euphrates 7,gen4 xxxi4 #ba71 and set his face towards the uplands of ,gilead1 on the east of ,jordan4 ,three days after his departure1 news of his flight reached the ears of ,laban1 who forthwith pursued after him a seven days' journey1 and overtook him as he was encamped in the range of ,gilead4 ,warned by ,god in a dream against using any violence towards his son-in-law1 ,laban contented himself with reproaching him for his secret flight1 hypocritically complaining that he had not given him time to send him away with due formality1 and accusing him of stealing his household gods1 the teraphim or images1 which ,rachel had taken and concealed in the camel's furniture4 ,after some altercation it was resolved to come to terms4 ,stones were gathered together1 and set up as a ,pillar of ,witness1 in token of their agreement that neither party to injure the other would cross over what was henceforth to be the boundary between their respective territories2 after which ,laban returned to his home in the distant ,east 7,gen4 xxxi4 #dc-ee74 ,thus relieved from pressing danger1 ,jacob continued his journey westward4 ,the twenty years of exile was over1 and he was bound for his native land4 ,as if to welcome him thither1 and to remind him of the fulfilment of ,god's ,promise1 the angels1 whom he had seen twenty years before in vision at ,bethel1 now met him in two hosts1 to commemorate which event he named the spot ,mahanaim 7two hosts74 ,he was now on the brink of the river which divided him from his father's home1 and the remembrance of his brother ,esau and the uncertainty of the reception he might meet with from him caused the deepest anxiety4 ,sending messengers into the land of ,seir1 he informed his lord ,esau of his return from the land of exile1 and of the success that had attended him4 ,the messengers went1 and returned with the alarming intelligence that ,esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men4 ,jacob's distress was extreme1 and he poured forth his whole soul in fervent prayer to ,god for protection4 ,then selecting a valuable present from his flocks and herds1 he sent them to meet and propitiate his approaching brother1 and at midnight dispatched his wives and sons1 and all that he had1 across the ford ,jabbok1 but staid himself behind to renew his earnest supplications for the ,divine protection4 ,through the night1 even to the breaking of the day1 there wrestled with him ,one 7,hos4 xii4 #c1 #d71 whom he knew not1 and whose ,name he could not prevail upon ,him to reveal1 but who left upon him a palpable mark of their mysterious conflict1 for ,he touched the hollow of his thigh so that it was out of joint4 ,but in memory of this same crisis in his life another sign was given him4 ,his name was changed4 ,no more was he to be called ,jacob1 the ,supplanter4 ,during the long years of his weary exile old things had passed away1 and all things were becoming new4 ,henceforth he was to be known as ,,israel1 the ,prince of ,god1 for as a ,prince had he power with ,god and with man1 and had prevailed 7,gen4 xxxii4 #bh74 ,the site of this memorable conflict ,jacob named ,peniel 7the face of ,god74 ,when the day broke he looked up1 and saw ,esau approaching with his retinue4 ,thereupon in long procession he went forth to meet him2 first advanced the handmaids ,bilhah and ,zilpah with their children1 then followed ,leah and her children1 last of all ,rachel and ,joseph4 ,jacob himself led the way1 bowing to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother1 who ran to meet him1 and fell upon his neck and kissed him4 ,the reconciliation was complete4 ,after mutual converse1 ,esau agreed to leave to ,jacob the land of his inheritance1 and retired himself to the rugged mountains of ,seir#ch1 whence he and his descendants expelled the aboriginal tribes1 and dwelt in their stead in the land henceforth known as ,edom or ,iduma1 a race of hunters living by the sword4 ,meanwhile ,jacob continued his journey towards the valley of the ,jordan1 and for a while settled at ,succoth1 where he puts up booths 7,succoth7 for his cattle1 as well as a house for himself4 ,thence he moved westwards1 and crossing the ,jordan1 advanced into the very heart of ,palestine1 and pitched his tent before the city of ,shechem4 ,of ,hamor its chief he subsequently bought a portion of the rich plain1 east of the city1 and here he settled down1 and1 like ,abraham before him1 erected an altar to ,jehovah4 ,during his stay at this place1 which appears to have been somewhat protracted1 an unfortunate occurrence caused him for a time the greatest anxiety1 and eventually drove him from the neighbourhood4 ,one day1 on the occasion1 it is not improbable1 of some local festival1 ,dinah the daughter of ,leah1 at this time from thirteen to fifteen years of age1 went out to see the daughters of the land1 and was dishonoured by ,shechem1 the ,hivite chieftain1 in whose territory the patriarch had settled4 ,his father ,hamor thereupon proposed that his son should pay a certain sum1 by way of reparation1 to her father and mother for the injury he had done to the maiden and marry her1 and that this should be followed by a general intermarriage between the two peoples4 ,to this proposition the brothers of ,dinah assented1 but demanded1 as the single condition of the treaty1 that the people of ,shechem should consent to be circumcised4 ,these terms were unwittingly accepted by the ,shechemites1 and three days afterwards1 ,simeon and ,levi1 ,dinah's own brothers1 at the head of their households1 attacked the city1 slew the chiefs and all the males in the place1 spoiled it of every article of value it contained1 and took captive even the women and little children4 ,this bloody and treacherous act excited ,jacob's deepest indignation1 and shortly afterwards1 fearful lest the neighbouring tribes should gather together and slay him and all his house1 in accordance with a ,divine warning1 he determined to repair to ,bethel and dwell there and perform the vow1 which till now he seems almost to have forgotten4 ,the journey partook somewhat of a religious pilgrimage1 and was preceded by a general purification on the part of the patriarch's followers1 and a collection of the teraphim or strange gods1 which had been brought from ,mesopotamia1 and were now hidden under an oak at ,shechem4 ,arrived once more at the scene of his wondrous ,vision1 ,jacob erected an altar1 which he called ,el-,bethel1 and here he was again visited by the ,almighty1 who renewed to him his name of ,israel1 and assured him of his share in the blessings of the ,covenant 7,gen4 xxxv4 #i-ae74 ,during his stay at ,bethel his intimacy with his father ,isaac1 who was still alive1 appears to have been renewed2 for we are told that ,deborah ,rebekah's nurse died1 and was buried under an oak1 henceforth known as ,allon-,bachuth1 the ,oak of ,tears4 ,but his departure from the same place a day's journey southwards was saddened by a grievous trial4 ,as he drew near to ,ephrath1 the ,canaanitish name of ,bethlehem1 ,rachel his favourite wife died in giving birth to a son1 whom she called ,ben-oni1 the son of sorrow1 but whom his father named ,,benjamin1 the son of my right hand4 ,over her grave the sorrowing husband erected a pillar1 and moving southward pitched his tent beside ,edar1 or the watch-tower of the flocks1 and subsequently beneath the oak of ,mamre before ,hebron1 where ,isaac died1 in the #ahjth year of his age1 and was committed to the tomb by ,jacob and ,esau 7,gen4 xxxvi4 #bg-bi74 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,history ,,of ,,joseph4 ,,gen4 ,,xxxvii4-,,xlii4 ,b4,c4 #agbg-agjg4 ,,it was while he was sojourning in the neighbourhood of ,hebron1 where1 like his father1 he united agricultural with pastoral occupations 7,gen4 xxxvii4 #g7 that the saddest trial of his life befell ,jacob4 ,of all his sons none was dearer to him than ,joseph1 the child of his beloved ,rachel4 ,in token of his affection he bestowed upon him a coat of many colours1 probably a tunic furnished with sleeves and reaching down to the ankles1 worn by youths of the richer class#ci4 ,by some this is supposed to indicate his intention of transferring to him1 as being the eldest son of the favourite ,rachel1 the right of primogeniture4 ,whether this was so or not1 it roused much jealousy and ill-feeling amongst ,joseph's brothers1 already incensed by the circumstance of his bearing to his father1 when seventeen years of age1 an evil report of the sons of ,zilpah and ,bilhah1 with whom he kept the flocks4 ,another incident fanned the flame of ill-feeling4 ,joseph unwittingly told his brethren of two dreams he had dreamt1 in one of which he had seemed to see them binding sheaves in the field1 and lo6 his sheaf rose and stood upright1 while their sheaves stood round about and made obeisance to his sheaf2 in the other he beheld the sun1 moon1 and the eleven stars making obeisance to him4 ,even ,jacob rebuked his favourite son for his seeming self-exaltation1 though he observed the saying 7,gen4 xxxvii4 #aa74 ,after a time an opportunity was presented to the brothers of taking a cruel revenge4 ,though ,jacob was settled in the vale of ,hebron1 a portion of his numerous flocks and herds were kept by his sons on the rich pasture-grounds near ,shechem4 ,thither on one occasion ,jacob sent his favourite son to see how his brethren fared1 and bring him word again4 ,joseph set out1 and being directed by a man whom he met1 to ,dothan#dj1 or 8the ,two ,wells10 a place about twelve miles north of ,shechem1 famous for its pasturage1 he went thither in quest of them4 ,from the rising ground1 where they were keeping their flocks1 the brothers descried the ,dreamer approaching1 and straightway resolved to slay him and cast him into a pit1 and then report to his father that he had been devoured by wild beasts4 ,from actually putting him to death they were1 however1 dissuaded by ,reuben1 and contented themselves with stripping him of his coat of many colours1 and casting him into an empty cistern1 intending probably to let him die by hunger4 ,but when they had done this1 and had sat down to eat1 a company of ,ishmaelite or ,midianite merchants 7for the two names are used interchangeably7 approached1 mounted on camels1 and bearing spicery and balm1 going down the high road#da which passed near from ,gilead to ,egypt4 ,thereupon ,judah proposed that they should sell him to these traders1 and he was taken up from the pit1 and sold to the ,ishmaelites1 who paid for him twenty pieces of silver1 the usual price of a male slave from five to twenty years of age4 ,reuben was not present when the cruel bargain was struck1 and was greatly distressed when1 on his return1 he found that his brother was gone4 ,but the others killed a kid1 dipped ,joseph's coat of many colours in its blood1 and brought it to ,jacob1 with the hypocritical enquiry whether it was his son's coat or no1 and informing him that they had found it thus smeared with blood4 ,even ,reuben did not reveal the true state of the case1 and ,jacob1 supposing that his favourite son had been slain by wild beasts1 put sackcloth upon his loins1 and refusing every proffered consolation1 mourned for him many days 7,gen4 xxxvii4 #bi-ce74 ,meanwhile the ,midianitish caravan kept on its southward course1 and eventually reaching ,egypt1 sold ,joseph to ,,potiphar#db1 an officer of ,pharaoh1 and ,captain of the ,executioners 7,gen4 xxxviii4 #cf margin74 ,in his house1 ,joseph though a foreigner and a slave1 gradually won the confidence of his master1 who appears to have been a wealthy man1 and possessed of property in the field as well as in the house1 so that before long1 in the capacity of overseer1 he was entrusted with the entire possessions of the ,egyptian1 and the ,divine blessing rested upon his house for ,joseph's sake4 ,but this period of happiness and prosperity was destined to come to an abrupt termination4 ,with the profligacy for which the ,egyptian women were notorious1 the wife of ,potiphar on one occasion tempted ,joseph to commit adultery with her1 and when he resisted all her seductions1 charged him to her husband with the very crime she had ineffectually tempted him to commit4 ,thereupon ,potiphar1 fully believing her story1 without bringing his faithful steward before any public tribunal1 cast him into the prison in his own house4 ,but amidst this grievous trial ,joseph was not forsaken4 ,the ,lord was with him1 and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison1 who1 convinced of his fidelity and uprightness1 entrusted him with the care of all the prisoners there confined4 ,amongst these there soon appeared the ,chief of ,pharaoh's ,cupbearers1 and the ,chief of his ,bakers1 two high officers of the ,egyptian court1 on whom ,joseph was specially directed to wait4 ,during their imprisonment each of them dreamt a dream4 ,the ,chief of the ,cupbearers dreamt that a vine was before him1 on which were three branches2 that it was as though it budded1 and its blossoms shot forth1 and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes1 that of these he took and pressed them into ,pharaoh's cup which was in his hand1 and gave it to that monarch4 ,the ,chief of the ,bakers dreamt that he had three white baskets on his head1 the uppermost full of all manner of bakemeats for ,pharaoh1 which the birds ate out of the baskets on his head4 ,convinced that these dreams portended events of great importance in their lives1 and unable to interpret them1 these high officers were filled with sadness4 ,but ,joseph1 being informed of the cause1 by virtue of his prophetic gifts interpreted the dreams1 and announced to the ,chief of the ,butlers that within three days1 on the anniversary of ,pharaoh's birthday1 he should be restored to his office1 while1 within the same period1 his fellow-prisoner would be hanged upon a tree1 where the birds would eat his flesh from off him4 ,as he had predicted1 so it came to pass4 ,within the specified period1 the one of these grandees was executed1 and the other restored to his former high position4 ,but though the ,hebrew ,captive had told the ,chief of the ,butlers his own sad story1 in the hour of prosperity the restored grandee forgat his benefactor1 and his touching request that he would intercede with ,pharaoh on his behalf 7,gen4 xl4 #ab-bc74 ,two more years1 therefore1 of tedious imprisonment passed over ,joseph's head1 when one night ,pharaoh himself was troubled with two mysterious dreams4 ,in the first he seemed to stand by the banks of the ,nile1 and behold out of it there came seven well-favoured kine and fatfleshed1 and fed in the marsh grass that lined the banks4 ,and behold after them there came up seven poor1 ill-favoured1 leanfleshed kine1 and they ate up the seven well-favoured and fat kine1 and when they had done so1 it could not be known that they had eaten them1 for they were still as ill-favoured as at the beginning4 ,in his second dream1 the monarch beheld seven ears of corn growing upon one stalk1 full1 fat1 and good1 and after them seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind1 which devoured the seven full and fat ears4 ,troubled with these visions of the night he awoke1 and sent for all the magicians of ,egypt and all the wise men thereof1 and told them his dream1 but they were unable to give him any interpretation4 ,in this difficulty the ,chief of the ,butlers bethought him of his youthful benefactor in the prison1 and told ,pharaoh what had befallen him there1 and how a young man1 a ,hebrew1 servant to the ,captain of the ,executioners1 had interpreted his dream4 ,upon this the monarch sent for ,joseph1 who was brought into the royal presence1 and having been told the nature of the dreams1 informed ,pharaoh that they were sent by the great ,god to forewarn him of what ,he was about to do4 ,the seven good kine and the seven good ears denoted seven years of plenty2 the seven thin ill-favoured kine and the seven empty ears of corn denoted seven years of very grievous famine1 about to befall the entire land of ,egypt4 ,the doubling of the dreams denoted that the event was certain and imminent4 ,he advised1 therefore1 that without delay the monarch should set over the land a man discreet and wise1 with overseers under him1 to take up the fifth part of the land during the seven years of plenty1 and lay up corn and food in various cities against the seven years of famine1 which were assuredly to come 7,gen4 xli4 #ad-cf74 ,this advice found favour in the eyes of ,pharaoh1 and deeming no other so well fitted for the post as the interpreter of his dreams1 he appointed him to fill it1 and1 in token of his freedom1 placed on his hand his own signet ring and a gold collar about his neck1 and arraying him in vestures of fine linen1 he caused him to ride in the second chariot that he had1 preceded by heralds crying ,bow the knee4 ,joseph was thus invested with the dignity of an ,oriental ,vizier1 and could act in the name of the king4 ,besides these marks of honour1 ,pharaoh changed his name to ,zaphnath-paaneah#dc1 or the ,revealer of ,secrets1 and united him in marriage with ,,asenath#dd1 the daughter of ,poti-pherah 7devoted to ,ra1 or the ,sun71 priest or prince 7,gen4 xli4 #de margin7 of ,,on1 the later ,heliopolis1 and the religious capital of the country4 ,thus at the age of thirty1 after thirteen years of painful vicissitudes1 the son of ,jacob was elevated to the highest position next to the sovereign himself in the great kingdom of ,egypt4 ,in accordance with the plan he himself had indicated1 he straightway commenced a tour throughout the land1 and during the seven years of plenty bought up a fifth part of the corn in the country1 and laid it up in granaries in the various cities4 ,during the same period he became the father of two sons1 to whom1 though born of an ,egyptian wife1 he gave ,hebrew names1 calling the first-born ,,manasseh1 8a ,forgetter20 for ,god1 said he1 hath made me forget all my toil and all my father's house4 ,the second he named ,,ephraim1 8,fruitful20 for ,god hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction4 ,at the close of the seven years of plenty1 the seven years of dearth drew on1 and its effects were felt not only in ,egypt1 but in all the neighbouring lands4 ,during the first part of this period1 the wants of the people were relieved by the abundance which the foresight of the ,vizier had stored up4 ,he opened all his granaries and sold unto the ,egyptians1 delivering over the money into ,pharaoh's exchequer4 ,when money failed1 barter was resorted to1 and the ,egyptians obtained bread in exchange for their horses1 cattle1 and flocks4 ,when at length these means were exhausted1 they sold him their land1 except that of the priests1 who1 being provided from the royal treasury1 did not feel the horrors of the famine4 ,thus possessed of the entire country1 ,joseph improved the opportunity to place the relations between the ,egyptian monarch and his people on a settled and legal footing4 ,he made them1 indeed1 vassals of their sovereign1 but in place of allowing them to be taxed according to royal caprice1 he disposed of the land to them1 on the understanding that four parts were to be their own1 for seed of the field1 and for food for them and their families1 while a fifth part was to be paid annually to the king in place of ground-rent2 an arrangement by no means oppressive1 when it is considered that the soil sometimes yielded thirty-fold1 or even a greater increase 7,gen4 xli4 #df-eg74 ,at an early period during the seven years of famine1 ten of ,joseph's brethren went down into ,egypt at the suggestion of their father1 and presented themselves before him with the petition to be allowed to buy corn4 ,in the ,viceroy1 second only to the great ,pharaoh1 they did not for a moment recognize the boy whom twenty years before they had lowered into the dry pit at ,dothan4 ,but though ,joseph knew them1 and recognized the fulfilment of his early dreams1 he did not reveal himself to them4 ,through an interpreter he spake roughly unto them1 pronounced them to be spies who had come down to see the nakedness of the land1 and when they denied the charge1 declared they should be imprisoned till one of them had brought down their youngest brother4 ,for three days he actually kept them in ward1 and finally1 on condition that one remained behind as a hostage1 permitted them to return with corn for their families4 ,stricken with remorse1 and not imagining that the ,viceroy could understand their language1 they acknowledged that their sin had found them out1 and recalled the day when they saw the anguish of their brother1 and turned a deaf ear to his beseeching entreaties that they would not deal hardly with him4 ,then ,simeon was bound before their eyes1 and sad and sorrowful they commenced their return4 ,but on the road they had fresh cause for alarm and confusion4 ,on opening their sacks they discovered not only that corn had been supplied them1 but that their money had been restored to them4 ,marvelling at this strange circumstance1 they reached home1 and recounted to their father all that had befallen them1 and how he could not hope to see ,simeon again till they returned with their youngest brother ,benjamin into the presence of the ,viceroy of ,egypt4 ,on hearing this hard condition1 ,jacob burst forth into bitter complaints1 and though ,reuben offered the life of his two children as a pledge for ,benjamin's safe return1 absolutely refused to allow him to accompany them2 his brother1 said he1 is dead1 and he is left alone2 if mischief befall him by the way1 then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave 7,gen4 xlii4 #ch74 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,jacob',s ,,descent ,,into ,,egypt,,death ,,of ,,joseph4 ,,gen4 ,,xliii4-,l4 ,b4,c4 #agjg-afce4 ,,but as time went on1 and the corn the ,brothers had brought from ,egypt was consumed1 it became absolutely necessary to go thither a second time1 if they would live and not die4 ,without ,benjamin1 however1 they knew the journey would be useless1 and ,benjamin their father would not send4 ,at length ,judah stood forward as spokesman for the rest1 and offered to bear for ever in his own person the blame1 if any evil befell him1 till after a struggle ,jacob consented4 ,with a present of such things as the land afforded1 a little balm1 a little honey1 spices1 and myrrh1 nuts1 and almonds1 with double money also in their hand1 the brothers took ,benjamin from his sorrowing father1 and once more commenced their journey to ,egypt4 ,arrived there they were again presented to the ,viceroy1 who perceiving that ,benjamin was with them1 ordered the steward of his house to conduct them home1 and to slay and make ready1 that they might dine with him at noon4 ,full of fear1 the brothers followed the steward1 and on the way informed him of their surprise1 when on their return from their previous visit1 they found their money in their sacks4 ,the steward1 however1 answered them kindly1 restored ,simeon to them1 and brought them water to wash their feet4 ,at noon ,joseph returned1 and the brothers spread out the present their father had sent1 bowing themselves before him to the earth4 ,after some questions touching the welfare of the old man they had left in the land of ,canaan1 he lifted up his eyes1 and saw his brother ,benjamin1 his mother's son1 and his whole soul yearned towards him1 and he entered into his chamber and wept there4 ,thence having washed his face he returned1 commanded the attendants to set on bread1 and the brothers sat down ranged each according to his age4 ,joseph sat at a table by himself1 and the ,egyptians in his retinue by themselves2 for to eat bread with the ,hebrews was regarded by them as an abomination4 ,then from ,joseph's table portions were sent to his brethren1 but ,benjamin's portion was five times as great as any of theirs1 and they drank and were merry with him 7,gen4 xliii4 #cd74 ,the next morning1 as soon as it was light1 with sacks replenished1 and rejoicing at the successful termination of their journey1 the sons of ,jacob commenced their return to ,canaan4 ,but they had proceeded only a little way from the city1 when the ,steward of ,joseph overtook them1 and charged them with returning evil for all the good they had received1 and stealing the silver divining cup#de 7,gen4 xliv4 #e7 belonging to his master4 ,in the full assurance of their innocence1 the brothers not only denied the charge1 but declared their willingness that the guilty one should die1 and the rest become bondmen to the ,viceroy4 ,the sacks were1 therefore1 taken from the asses1 and lo6 in ,benjamin's sack1 where it had been purposely placed by ,joseph's command1 the cup was found4 ,horror-struck at the discovery1 the brothers returned to the house1 and flinging themselves on the ground before ,joseph1 expressed their resolution to become slaves with ,benjamin rather than return without him to his heart-broken father4 ,in the dialogue that ensued ,judah was again the chief speaker4 ,god1 he owned1 had found out their iniquity1 and they and he with whom the cup had been found would become ,joseph's bondmen4 ,to this1 however1 ,joseph would not consent2 he with whom the cup had been found1 he alone need remain behind in servitude1 the rest might return in peace to their father4 ,then ,judah went near to him1 who was even as ,pharaoh 7,gen4 xliv4 #ah71 and in words of utmost pathos related how in obedience to his command1 their father had with great difficulty been prevailed on to suffer the child of his old age to accompany them1 and how1 if he failed to return1 he would certainly die1 for his life was bound up in the life of his favourite son4 ,nay1 more1 he continued1 he himself had become surety for the lad1 and was now ready1 rather than bring down the old man's grey hairs with sorrow to the grave1 to remain alone in the land of ,egypt a bondman unto his lord1 if only ,benjamin and the rest might return into the land of ,canaan 7,gen4 xliv4 #ah-cd74 ,as ,judah proceeded with his moving tale1 ,joseph could restrain himself no longer4 ,he desired every man to leave the chamber1 and he and his brethren were left alone4 ,then1 amidst many tears1 he at length broke forth with the astounding words ,i am ,joseph1 coupling the revelation with the enquiry ,doth my father yet live8 ,but the brothers were too terrified to answer him a word4 ,thereupon he bade them come near unto him1 and again assured them that he was ,joseph1 their brother1 whom they had sold to the ,midianitish caravan4 ,let them not1 he said1 be grieved that they had sold him into ,egypt4 ,god1 who orders all things1 had sent him thither before them to preserve their lives1 and had made him a father unto ,pharaoh1 and ruler throughout all the land of ,egypt4 ,instead of repining for the past1 let them return to the old man1 their father1 and tell him of all his glory in ,egypt1 and bring him down1 and settle1 they and their children1 their flocks and their herds1 and all that they had1 in the goodly country of ,goshen1 frontier4 ,having thus at length poured forth his pent up feelings1 ,joseph fell upon ,benjamin's neck1 and wept1 and kissed him1 and likewise all his brethren4 ,tidings of what had occurred soon reached the ears of ,pharaoh1 who readily assented to ,joseph's wish that his father should be suffered to settle in the land4 ,waggons were then made ready to bring him and all that he had2 ample provisions were supplied for the journey1 and rich presents bestowed upon all the brothers1 but especially on ,benjamin4 ,then with a parting charge to see that they fell not out by the way 7,gen4 xlv4 #bd71 the sons of ,jacob returned to their father1 and recounted to him all the strange events that had befallen them4 ,the long lost ,joseph1 the son of the beloved ,rachel1 was alive1 nay1 he was governor over all the land of ,egypt4 ,at the first announcement ,jacob's heart failed him1 nor could he believe their words4 ,but when the waggons that ,joseph had provided came in sight1 then at length his spirit revived1 and he exclaimed1 ,it is enough1 ,joseph my son is yet alive1 ,i will go and see him before ,i die 7,gen4 xlv4 #bh74 ,to forsake1 however1 the familiar pasture grounds of ,hebron1 to leave the soil promised to him and to his seed for ever1 required of the patriarch no little resolution4 ,abraham had gone down to ,egypt1 but only to involve himself in great difficulties2 ,isaac had been on the point of going thither1 when he was restrained by the hand of ,god 7,gen4 xxvi4 #b74 ,did the ,divine ,blessing rest on that journey1 which an imperious necessity now induced him to essay8 ,jacob was not long left in doubt4 ,on reaching ,beersheba the ,almighty appeared to him in vision1 and bade him lay aside all apprehensions4 ,in ,egypt1 in the land of the mighty ,pharaohs1 ,he would not fail to protect him1 there ,he would make him a great nation1 and thence in the fulness of time ,he would bring his seed back to the ,land of ,promise4 ,thus encouraged ,jacob arose from ,beersheba1 and with his sons1 their wives1 and their little ones1 their herds1 their flocks1 and all the goods they had gotten in the land of ,canaan1 commenced his journey4 ,judah led the way1 and on the frontier of ,egypt the patriarch met his long lost son1 and fell upon his neck1 and wept on his neck a good while4 ,arrived in the land of the ,pharaohs1 five of ,joseph's brethren were introduced to the reigning monarch4 ,they told him that they were shepherds1 that they had come down into ,egypt in consequence of the severity of the famine1 and requested permission to settle as strangers and foreigners in ,goshen1 the most easterly frontier-land of ,egypt1 and offered to become guardians of the royal herds4 ,permission was granted1 and ,jacob himself was introduced to ,pharaoh1 and bestowed his blessing upon the monarch 7,gen4 xlvii4 #a-aj74 ,the period of ,jacob's own sojourning in the land of ,ham 7,ps4 cv4 #bc7 was limited to seventeen years1 at the close of which he had reached the age of #adg1 and perceived that his end was nigh4 ,informed that his father was sickening1 ,joseph brought his two sons ,ephraim and ,manasseh and placed them before his bedside4 ,guiding his hands wittingly1 the aged patriarch stretched out his right hand and laid it on ,ephraim's head1 though he was the younger1 and his left hand on ,manasseh's head1 though he was the firstborn4 ,at this ,joseph was displeased1 and would have altered the disposition of his father's hands4 ,but ,jacob refused1 and with his hands as they were1 bestowed upon the young men and their father his solemn and abiding blessing4 ,though born in ,egypt1 ,ephraim and ,manasseh were to be reckoned as his own sons1 and would both grow into great tribes4 ,but as it had been in ,jacob's own case1 so would it be with them2 the younger brother would be greater than the elder1 and his seed should become a multitude of nations4 ,then turning to ,joseph the ,patriarch bestowed on him a special mark of affection1 even one portion above his brethren1 a piece of land which with his sword and his bow he had conquered from the ,amorites1 probably outside the green vale of ,shechem 7,gen4 xlviii4 #bb1 ,josh4 xvii4 #ad1 c474 ,and now the day drew nigh when the ,patriarch's eventful life must close4 ,wishing by virtue of the gift of prophecy1 which gained greater power the nearer he approached the borders of the eternal world1 to tell them that which should befall them in the last days1 he desired that his sons might be summoned to his bedside4 ,obedient to his word1 they gathered round him1 and then in prophetic trance 8but having his eyes open10 he beheld the mighty vision of the future1 and predicted their several fortunes in the land1 through which he himself had wandered as a pilgrim for more than one hundred years4 ,first1 before him stood ,reuben1 over whom in the tents of ,laban he had rejoiced as his firstborn1 his might1 and the beginning of his strength4 ,to him by the law of primogeniture belonged the headship of the family1 and the double inheritance4 ,but he had proved unworthy of his vocation4 ,unstable as water1 he should not excel4 ,next in order of their birth came ,simeon and ,levi4 ,brethren of one mother1 they had been also brethren in cruelty and deceit4 ,in their conduct towards the ,shechemites they had proved the fierceness of their anger1 and the cruelty of their disposition4 ,unworthy were they to be the head of a nation which was to be a blessing and not a curse to all peoples of the earth1 therefore were they to be divided in ,jacob1 and scattered in ,israel4 ,next came ,judah1 and to him the patriarch could assign a portion at least of the blessing of the firstborn4 ,his should be the pre-eminence in power and dignity1 him should his brethren praise1 before him should his father's children bow down2 his should be the ,sceptre and the ,lawgiver1 nor from beneath his feet should they ever depart1 till ,,shiloh1 the ,peaceable or ,peace-maker came#df 7,gen4 xlix4 #a-aj74 ,having thus transferred the privileges of the firstborn to ,judah and predicted the fortunes of his other sons1 the dying ,patriarch once more solemnly adjured them1 as he had already adjured ,joseph1 not to leave his bones in ,egypt1 but to carry them into the land of ,hope and ,promise1 and lay them in the cave of ,machpelah1 in the family-grave of his fathers1 and then he gathered up his feet into the bed1 and yielded up the ghost4 ,obedient to such reiterated commands1 ,joseph caused his father's body to be embalmed in the ,egyptian fashion by the physicians1 and obtained permission from ,pharaoh to accompany his remains to the burial-place he had marked out for them4 ,then at the head of a numerous retinue1 composed not only of the members of his own family1 but also of the court-officers of ,pharaoh1 and the grandees of the empire1 and accompanied by chariots and horsemen1 he set out4 ,the nearest road would have been by ,gaza1 and through the territory of the ,philistines4 ,instead of this1 the funeral procession took a long circuitous route round ,mount ,seir#dg and the eastern side of the ,dead ,sea1 and halted at the threshing-floor of ,atad1 on the east side of the ,jordan1 opposite ,jericho4 ,here seven days were spent in solemn mourning1 and so grievous was the lamentation that the ,canaanites of the ,jordan valley called the spot ,abel-,mizraim1 the ,meadow1 or the ,mourning of the ,egyptians4 ,further than this point the ,egyptian retinue do not seem to have proceeded4 ,the sons of ,jacob alone crossed the ,jordan1 into the land of ,canaan1 and laid their father in the cave of ,machpelah1 by the side of ,abram1 ,isaac1 and ,sarah 7,gen4 l4 #a-ac74 ,the funeral over1 ,joseph and his brethren returned to ,egypt4 ,fearful now their father was dead that the ,viceroy would requite them for all the evil they had done towards him1 the sons of ,jacob sent a messenger to intercede in their behalf4 ,but ,joseph calmed their fears1 and assured them of safety and protection4 ,together1 then1 they dwelt in peace and security in the land of ,goshen2 and ,joseph saw ,ephraim's children of the third generation1 and the children of ,machir the son of ,manasseh brought up upon his knees4 ,at length1 when he had reached the age of #aaj1 perceiving that his end was near1 he sent for his brethren1 and having assured them that ,god would certainly visit them1 and bring them up out of ,egypt into the land which ,he had promised to their forefathers1 and taken an oath of them that they would remove his bones into the same ,good ,land1 he died1 and was embalmed1 and laid in a coffin in ,egypt 7,gen4 l4 #bf74 ,,note4 ,,survey ,,of ,,the ,,patriarchal ,,age4 ,,with the death of ,joseph the ,patriarchal ,age of ,israel's history may be said to close4 ,the ,family had now thrown out many branches1 and was on the point of merging into the ,nation4 ,at this juncture1 then1 it may be well to look back1 and review some of the chief features of ,patriarchal ,life4 i4 ,and the first of these that claims attention is its ,nomadic character4 ,unlike the founders of ,egypt1 of ,babylon1 of ,nineveh1 the ,patriarchs were not the builders of cities and towns1 but pilgrims and sojourners1 dwellers in tents 7,heb4 xi4 #i74 ,but they were very different from rude hordes1 like the ,amalekites and other 8sons of the desert10 abhorring any higher mode of life4 ,abraham was no stranger to the highest form of civilization that his age afforded4 ,he was acquainted with ,ur1 with ,nineveh1 with ,damascus1 with ,egypt2 he had left his home in one of the chief cities of ,mesopotamia1 not from choice1 but in consequence of a direct personal call from ,god4 ,moreover1 so far from regarding his present mode of life as an ultimate end1 he and ,isaac and ,jacob1 were ever looking forward to a time when it would close1 when their descendants should be settled in the ,land of ,promise1 and become a great nation1 when the portable tent should give way to the city that had foundations 7,heb4 xi4 #aj1 #ac-af2 comp4 ,gen4 xxiv4 #g2 xxviii4 #d2 xlix4 #a-bg2 l4 #bd74 ,hence1 from time to time1 as opportunity offered1 we see the wandering life freely and willingly laid aside4 ,lot settled in ,sodom 7,gen4 xiii4 #aj-ab72 ,abraham in ,egypt went direct to ,pharaoh's court 7,gen4 xii4 #ad72 at ,hebron he settled and became a 8prince of ,god0 in the midst of the ,hittites 7,gen4 xxiii4 #f72 ,isaac not only lived near the ,philistines1 but occupied a house opposite the palace 7,gen4 xxvi4 #h71 and practised agriculture 7,gen4 xxvi4 #ab72 and ,joseph's dream of the sheaves points out that this was also continued in the time of ,jacob 7,gen4 xxxvii4 #g7dh4 ii4 ,the ,family was the centre of the ,patriarchal commonwealth4 ,its head was the source of authority and jurisdiction2 he possessed the power of life and death 7,gen4 xxxviii4 #bd72 he united in himself the functions of chief and priest2 he offered the burnt-offering2 he had his armed retainers 7,gen4 xiv4 #ad2 xlviii4 #bb2 xxxiv4 #be2 xxxiii4 #bj72 his intercourse with his wives 7for polygamy was not forbidden7 was free and unrestrained2 the wife's consent was asked before wedlock 7,gen4 xxiv4 #eg1 #eh72 love hallowed the relations of ,abraham with ,sarah1 of ,isaac with ,rebekah1 of ,jacob with ,leah and ,rachel2 woman1 indeed1 did not occupy the position since conceded to her1 but her position was far from degraded1 and the sanctity of the marriage-bond was defended by severe laws1 which made death the punishment for adultery 7,gen4 xxxviii4 #bd74 ,slavery1 it is true1 existed1 but in the tents of ,abraham the slave was ever treated with consideration1 and not excluded from1 but made a partaker of religious privileges 7,gen4 xvii4 #ac74 ,the fidelity and attachment of ,eliezer the steward of ,abraham's house1 the mourning for ,deborah ,rebekah's nurse 7,gen4 xxxv4 #h71 are pleasing proofs of the peace that reigned in the ,patriarchal household4 iii4 ,civilization4 ,the life of the ,patriarchs was chiefly that of the shepherd1 and their wealth mainly consisted in their flocks and their herds4 ,but besides practising agriculture they were not unacquainted with money and the precious metals4 ,abraham paid for the field of ,machpelah with coin 7,gen4 xxiii4 #i-bj71 and the sons of ,jacob took money with them into ,egypt 7,gen4 xlii4 #be1 #ce72 while the gold ring and armlets presented to ,rebekah by ,eliezer 7,gen4 xxiv4 #bb71 the bracelet and signet ring of ,judah 7,gen4 xxxviii4 #ah71 the ear-rings of ,rachel 7,gen4 xxxv4 #d71 the many-coloured coat of ,joseph1 indicate an acquaintance with the luxuries of life4 iv4 ,religion4 ,while other nations were rapidly learning to deify the powers of nature1 the ,patriarchs believed not only in a ,god above and beyond nature1 but in a ,god ,personal1 ,omnipotent1 and ,holy4 ,the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob was no mere abstraction1 no mere law4 ,he could and did reveal ,himself by angelic appearances1 by visions1 by dreams2 ,he could console1 strengthen1 encourage2 ,he could punish1 rebuke1 and on repentance forgive4 ,abraham1 the ,friend of ,god 7,jas4 ii4 #bc71 intercedes with ,him in behalf of ,sodom and ,gomorrah 7,gen4 xviii4 #bc-cc72 ,isaac is warned by ,him against going down into ,egypt 7,gen4 xxvi4 #b72 ,jacob is consoled by ,him at ,bethel when setting out into the land of exile 7,gen4 xxviii4 #ac-ae71 and wrestles with ,him by the fords of ,jabbok till the break of day 7,gen4 xxxii4 #bd72 ,joseph believes in ,his invisible but ever-present help in prison and in a strange land1 and ascribes to ,him all his wisdom in the interpretation of dreams 7,gen4 xli4 #af74 ,the ,divine ,promise of a great future ,abraham believed under circumstances of greatest trial1 and his faith was counted to him for righteousness 7,rom4 iv4 #c74 ,moreover the ,god of the ,patriarchs was no mere 8national or household ,god40 ,his sphere of operation was not restricted to the ,patriarchs and their families2 ,he is the ,god of all the earth 7,gen4 xxiv4 #c71 the ,god of ,righteousness and ,holiness4 ,he punishes the people of ,sodom and ,gomorrah 7,gen4 xix4 #bd1 #be72 ,he plagues ,pharaoh's house 7,gen4 xii4 #ag72 ,he is the ,god of the priest-king ,melchizedek 7,gen4 xiv4 #ah71 and of the ,philistine ,abimelech 7,gen4 xx4 #c72 ,he protects not only ,isaac the 8child of promise10 but the outcast ,ishmael the 8child of the bondwoman0 7,gen4 xxi4 #ac72 ,he is with ,joseph in prison1 but ,he sends dreams to ,pharaoh1 and through ,joseph ,he saves ,egypt from famine 7,gen4 l4 #bj74 v4 ,the ,religious ,worship of the ,patriarchs was in keeping with the simplicity of their creed4 ,the head of the family was also the priest of the family4 ,whenever ,abraham1 ,isaac1 or ,jacob1 reached any new spot in their pilgrimage1 they invariably erected an altar1 generally of stone and on a high situation 7,gen4 xxii4 #i2 xxvi4 #be2 xxxv4 #g72 there they called on the name of ,jehovah1 there they presented their burnt sacrifice1 there they offered up their prayers4 ,their history also proves the existence of offering covenant-sacrifices1 and celebrating covenant-feasts 7,gen4 xv4 #i-ah2 xxi4 #cb72 the making and paying of vows 7,gen4 xxviii4 #bc72 the erection of memorial pillars1 and the consecration of them by pouring upon them oil and wine 7,gen4 xxviii4 #ah72 the rite of circumcision 7,gen4 xvii4 #aj-ad72 and the paying of tithes 7,gen4 xiv4 #bj7di4 vi4 ,the ,character of the ,patriarchs is never represented as perfect1 their faults are freely exposed1 theirs is no ideal history4 ,if we compare the four most eminent amongst them1 we seem to trace in 7i7 ,abraham1 8the faith that can remove mountains0 in its power and in its fulness1 revealing itself in unfaltering trust and unquestioning obedience under the most trying circumstances conceivable2 in 7ii7 ,isaac1 the faith that can possess itself in patience1 and discharge the ordinary duties of life in quietness and waiting2 in 7iii7 ,jacob1 the violent contest of faith with the flesh1 the higher with the lower nature1 till by hard discipline the latter is purified1 and the 8,supplanter0 becomes the 8,prince10 the 8,prevailer with ,god20 in 7iv7 ,joseph1 the fidelity and perseverance of faith1 revealed not only in the patient endurance of the most grievous trials1 but in energetic action1 and at length crowned with victory4 8,he unites in himself the noble trust and resolution of ,abraham1 with the quiet perseverance of ,isaac1 and the careful prudence of ,jacob40 ,he is moreover an eminent historic type of ,christ1 in 7#a7 his persecution and sale by his brethren1 7#b7 his resisting temptation1 7#c7 his humiliation and exaltation1 7#d7 his dispensing to a famine-stricken people the bread of life1 7#e7 in the fulness of his forgiving love#ej4 ,,book ,,iii4 ,,from ,,the ,,settlement ,,of ,,the ,,israelites ,,in ,,egypt ,,to ,,the ,,giving ,,of ,,the ,,law4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,map ,,of ,,canaan1 ,,egypt ,,sinai to illustrate the ,,patriarchal ,,history and ,,the ,,exodus4 ,stanford's ,geographical ,establishment ,london3 ,macmillan ,co4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,birth ,,and ,,calling ,,of ,,moses4 ,,exod4 ,i4-,,vi4 ,b4,c4 #agjf-adia4 ,,the district of ,,goshen 7frontier71 also called the ,land of ,rameses 7,gen4 xlvii4 #aa71 where the ,israelites were settled during the period of their sojourn in the land of the ,pharaohs1 was the most easterly border-land of ,egypt4 ,it was scarcely included within the boundaries of ,egypt proper1 and was inhabited by a mixed population of ,egyptians and foreigners 7,exod4 xii4 #ch74 ,eminently a pasture land and adapted to the rearing of flocks and herds1 it included also a considerable portion of fruit-bearing soil1 which owed its fertility to the overflowing of the ,nile1 called by the ,egyptians ,hapi-,mu1 the genius of the waters1 by the ,israelites ,sihor1 or ,shihor1 the black 7,is4 xxiii4 #c2 ,jer4 ii4 #ah74 ,touching on the west the green valley of this wondrous river1 and stretching onwards to the yellow sands of the ,arabian desert immediately south of ,palestine1 it was then1 as it has always been1 the most productive part of ,egypt1 yielding luxuriant crops of wheat and millet1 and abounding in cucumbers and melons1 gourds and beans1 and other vegetable growths 7,num4 xi4 #e74 ,sacred ,history does not reveal to us many particulars respecting the early portion of the period during which the sons of ,jacob sojourned in the land of ,ham4 ,we know that they were fruitful and multiplied and waxed exceeding mighty1 so that when the time came for them to go forth from ,egypt they could scarcely have numbered less than two million souls4 ,we need not1 however1 suppose that these were all the direct descendants of the seventy immediate relatives of ,jacob4 ,when that ,patriarch and his sons went down into ,egypt they would naturally take with them not only their flocks and herds1 but their menservants and maidservants 7,gen4 xlv4 #aj1 #aa74 ,of the number of these we can form some calculation by remembering the #cah trained servants1 who accompanied ,abraham at the rescue of ,lot#ea 7,gen4 xiv4 #ad72 the great store of servants possessed by ,isaac 7,gen4 xxvi4 #ac1 #ad71 two-thirds at least of whom passed into the possession of ,jacob1 and must be added to the two hosts which he brought from ,mesopotamia 7,gen4 xxxii4 #g1 #h74 ,but even thus their increase was marvellous1 and must be ascribed to the direct superintending ,hand of ,god4 ,the effect1 however1 of their stay was perceptible in other respects4 ,they not only increased in numbers1 but became acquainted with many arts and sciences1 and thus fitted for their future national existence4 ,one portion1 indeed1 of the nation seems to have retained its pastoral habits even to the end4 ,the descendants of ,reuben1 ,gad1 and ,manasseh 7,num4 xxxii4 #a7 probably tended their large flocks and herds on the eastern border of ,goshen1 but others settled in the cities and villages on the confines of the land of ,goshen1 and not only adopted more generally agricultural pursuits 7,deut4 xi4 #aj71 but became acquainted with many useful arts1 with writing1 the working of precious and common metals1 the grinding and engraving of precious stones1 with carpentry1 byssus-weaving1 and pottery 7#a ,chr4 iv4 #ad1 #ba1 #bc71 with fishing1 gardening 7,num4 xi4 #e71 and artificial irrigation 7,deut4 xi4 #aj7eb4 ,on the other hand1 they could not fail to become acquainted with forms of religious worship hitherto utterly unknown to them4 ,now1 for the first time1 could they witness the gorgeous and mysterious ceremonies that attended the worship of ,ra1 the 8,sun-,god10 or of ,isis and ,osiris4 ,now1 for the first time1 they might behold the incense burnt three times every day#ec1 and the solemn sacrifice offered once a month to the sacred black calf ,mnevis at ,on 7,heliopolis71 or to his rival the bull ,apis at ,memphis4 ,now they saw1 as they could scarcely have seen elsewhere1 the adoration of the creature rather than the ,creator carried to its furthest point1 and divine honours paid not only to the mighty ,pharaoh1 the ,child1 the representative of the ,sun-,god1 but to almost everything in the heaven above1 and the earth beneath1 and the waters under the earth1 to the crocodile and the hawk1 the cat and the dog1 the hippopotamus and the serpent4 ,that the simple patriarchal faith of the descendants of ,abraham and ,isaac and ,jacob would suffer from contact with such diverse forms of idolatry might naturally be expected4 ,the worship of the sacred calf exercised over them a peculiar fascination4 ,your fathers worshipped other gods in ,egypt1 says ,joshua afterwards 7,josh4 xxiv4 #ad71 they forsook not the idols of ,egypt1 is the accusation of ,ezekiel 7,ezek4 xx4 #g1 #h2 xxiii4 #c74 ,but an important event exercised a still greater influence on their social and religious condition4 ,a change took place in the reigning dynasty4 ,there arose a new king over ,egypt 7,ex4 i4 #h2 ,acts vii4 #ah7 that knew not ,joseph1 who regarded with no friendly feelings the strange community with alien rites and traditions1 settled on the eastern outskirts of his realm4 ,he viewed with alarm their rapid increase1 and dreaded lest1 in the event of a war1 instead of guarding his kingdom against1 they might join the enemies of ,egypt1 the roving tribes of the ,east1 8the terror of the inhabitants of the ,nile valley10 and fight against his own people1 and effect their escape from the land4 ,accordingly he determined to reduce them to the condition of public serfs or slaves2 and in order to crush their free and independent spirit1 set taskmasters over them1 and employed them in gigantic works1 making bricks for his treasure cities1 ,,pithom and ,,raamses4 ,day after day1 therefore1 their lives were made bitter with hard bondage1 while beneath a burning rainless sky1 naked and in gangs1 they toiled under the lash in the quarry or the brick-field4 ,but this expedient did not produce the effects the monarch desired4 ,the more they were afflicted1 the more this strange people grew and multiplied1 and waxed exceeding mighty4 ,thereupon instructions were given to the ,hebrew midwives to destroy in some secret way every ,hebrew man-child4 ,and when this too proved ineffectual1 from the unwillingness of the midwives to obey so cruel a decree1 an order was issued that every ,hebrew boy should be flung into the waters of the ,nile4 ,what ,abraham had seen in mystic vision was now fulfilled 7,gen4 xv4 #ab72 a horror of great darkness had settled upon his descendants2 strangers in a strange land1 they were suffering grievous affliction1 they sighed by reason of their bondage1 and their cry came up unto ,god 7,ex4 ii4 #bc74 ,but it was at this juncture1 when every thing seemed at the worst1 that the future ,deliverer of ,israel was born4 ,,amram1 a man of the house of ,levi1 married ,,jochebed1 a woman of the same tribe1 and became the father of a daughter ,,miriam1 a son ,,aaron1 and a boy remarkable from his childhood for peculiar beauty 7,ex4 ii4 #b2 ,acts vii4 #bj74 ,for three months his mother succeeded in eluding the vigilance of ,pharaoh's inquisitors1 and concealing her child4 ,but at the close of that period1 finding further concealment impossible1 she constructed an ark or boat of papyrus stalks1 and having protected it with pitch or bitumen1 placed the child therein among the reeds of the ,nile4 ,there the mother left it1 but ,miriam the sister stood afar off to watch her brother's fate4 ,as the ark floated with the stream1 the daughter of ,pharaoh1 attended by her maidens1 came down to bathe in the waters of the sacred river1 and as she walked by the bank1 her eye lit upon the basket1 and she sent one of her attendants to fetch it4 ,it was brought1 and when opened1 behold6 the babe wept4 ,struck with compassion the ,egyptian princess1 though she perceived it was one of the ,hebrews' children1 determined to rear it for her own4 ,at this moment ,miriam approached1 and asked permission to call a nurse for the child4 ,permission was given1 and ,jochebed once more saw her boy restored to her1 with the command to rear it for its preserver4 ,the child grew1 and after a while was brought to the ,princess1 and she1 in memory of its preservation1 named it ,,moses1 or in its ,egyptian form ,,mo-,,she1 from ,mo1 8water10 and ,ushe1 8saved0 7,ex4 ii4 #aj74 ,the ,foundling of the ,nile was now formally brought up as the adopted son of ,pharaoh's daughter1 and1 in conformity with his high position1 received a suitable education4 ,he became learned1 ,st ,stephen tells us 7,acts vii4 #bb71 in all the wisdom of the ,egyptians2 in all therefore1 we may believe1 that the science of that day could teach him of arithmetic1 writing1 astronomy1 medicine1 and sacred symbolism4 ,on the same authority we further learn that ,moses became mighty not only in words1 but also in deeds 7,acts vii4 #bb74 ,what these deeds were is not known#ed1 but it is certain that the ,hebrew youth was in a position to have achieved a splendid career4 ,he might have enjoyed to the full the pleasures of the ,egyptian court 7,heb4 xi4 #be71 and amassed much of its accumulated treasures4 ,but the traditions1 the hopes1 the creed of his own nation had not1 we may believe1 been concealed from him by his mother4 ,hence when he came to the age of forty1 chancing to go forth from ,on or ,memphis to the land of ,goshen1 he beheld one of his countrymen not only toiling amidst the shadeless brick-fields1 but suffering the bastinado from his ,egyptian taskmaster4 ,filled with indignation ,moses looked this way and that way1 and seeing no one by1 slew the ,egyptian1 and hid the corpse in the white sand of the desert4 ,the next day1 seeing two of the ,hebrews quarrelling1 he tried to act as arbiter between them4 ,his good offices1 however1 were not only rejected by the one he decided to be in the wrong1 but he discovered that the murder of the ,egyptian was no secret4 ,he imagined that his countrymen would have recognised in him a ,deliverer sent from the ,god of their fathers1 but they did not4 ,before long1 news of the murder reached the ears of ,pharaoh1 and ,moses perceiving that his life was no longer safe fled from ,goshen in a south-easterly direction to the land of ,midian1 or the peninsula of ,sinai in ,arabia1 peopled by the descendants of ,abraham by ,keturah 7,gen4 xxv4 #b74 ,he was sitting on a well in ,midian1 when he perceived the approach of the seven daughters of ,,jethro#ee1 the chief and priest of that country1 to draw water for their flocks4 ,they were in the act of filling the troughs1 when certain ,arabian shepherds rudely tried to drive them away4 ,thereupon1 with the same zeal he had shown in behalf of his own countrymen1 ,moses intervened1 and defended the maidens against the intruders4 ,their unusually early return prompted the enquiries of their father1 and led to his introduction to the chivalrous stranger4 ,moses was contented to dwell with the ,midianitish chief1 and kept his flocks1 and afterward married his daughter ,,zipporah1 by whom he became the father of two sons1 ,,gershom 7stranger7 and ,,eliezer 7,god is my help74 ,and here amidst 8the granite precipices and silent valleys of ,horeb10 in quiet and seclusion1 forty years of his life passed away 7,acts vii4 #cj74 ,here1 as nowhere else1 he could commune alone with ,god1 and know himself1 and learn the lessons of patience and self-control1 and dependence on the ,unseen1 while the daily duties of his shepherd life made him acquainted with every path and track and fountain in a region1 which he was afterwards to revisit under such different circumstances4 ,meanwhile1 though there was a change of ruler1 the lot of the ,israelites experienced no alteration4 ,still they toiled in cruel bondage1 still their cry went up to the ,god of their fathers4 ,at length the time drew near when the ,promise made to ,abraham was to be fulfilled1 the oppressing nation judged1 and the people delivered 7,gen4 xv4 #ad74 ,one day ,moses was leading the flocks of ,jethro some distance from the spots1 where he seems to have usually tended them1 to the back of the wilderness1 and came to the mountain of ,god1 even to ,horeb1 when a marvellous sight arrested his attention4 ,he looked1 and behold6 before him burning with fire was a bush of wild acacia#ef1 8the shaggy thorn-bush of the desert40 ,but though enveloped in flames1 it was not consumed6 ,it remained unsinged and uninjured by the fiery element which played around it6 ,astonished at the prodigy1 ,moses determined to draw near and ascertain the cause of this great sight1 and as he approached1 lo6 a ,voice1 the ,voice of ,god1 called unto him out of the midst of the bush1 saying1 ,moses1 ,moses6 ,the awe-struck shepherd answered the ,voice1 and then was directed to draw not nearer1 but take his shoes from off his feet1 for the place on which he stood was holy ground4 ,moses complied1 and hiding his face1 for he dared not look upon ,god1 listened1 while the ,lord spake again1 assuring him that ,he was the ,god of ,abraham1 the ,god of ,isaac1 the ,god of ,jacob2 ,he had not been unmindful of the sufferings of ,his people in ,egypt2 ,he had seen their affliction2 ,he had heard their cry2 ,he had come down to deliver them from their oppressors1 and to bring them up into a land flowing with milk and honey1 and ,he had appointed no other than ,moses himself to be their ,deliverer1 and bring them forth from the land of ,egypt4 ,filled with awe and misgiving1 ,moses at first sought in every way to excuse himself from the tremendous commission4 ,who am ,i1 said he1 that ,i should go unto ,pharaoh1 and that ,i should bring forth the children of ,israel out of ,egypt8 ,i will be with thee1 was the reply4 ,but who was this ,i8 ,when ,moses went to the children of ,israel1 and assured them of the commission he had received1 what was the ,name he was to announce to them as his authority8 ,thus shalt thou say unto the children of ,israel1 replied the ,almighty1 ,i ,,am,,jehovah1 the ,eternal1 the ,self-existenthath sent me unto you 7,ex4 iii4 #ad74 ,but this did not satisfy ,moses4 ,what outward and visible assurance could he give the people of his divine mission8 ,this difficulty was also met4 ,the ,lord invested him with a threefold miraculous power1 whereby to attest his authority1 alike before the people and before ,pharaoh4 ,first1 he should cast his staff1 his shepherd's crook1 upon the ground1 and it would become a serpent1 and on taking the creature by the tail it would resume its former state4 ,then he should put his hand into his bosom1 and it would become leprous1 but on returning it to his bosom would become as his other flesh4 ,thirdly1 if they believed neither the first nor the second sign1 he was to take of the water of the ,sacred ,nile1 and pour it upon the dry land1 and it should become blood4 ,but now ,moses pleaded another obstacle4 ,he was not eloquent1 he was of a slow speech1 and a slow tongue2 no words had he wherewith to bend the awful ,pharaoh on his throne4 ,who hath made man's mouth8 was the reply2 ,who maketh the dumb1 the deaf1 the blind8 ,have not ,i the ,lord8 ,go1 and ,i will be with thy mouth1 ,i will teach thee what thou shalt say4 ,still ,moses made another effort to roll off from himself the awful responsibility of the commission4 ,o my ,lord1 he cried1 send1 ,i pray ,thee1 by the hand ,thou shouldest send4 ,this last proof of distrust provoked even the ,lord to anger1 but it was the anger of ,love1 the ,love that remembers mercy and sustains the weak4 ,the ,lord had already provided a spokesman4 ,aaron his brother was at this moment on his way to meet him1 and he was known to be able to speak well4 ,together1 like the ,apostles afterwards1 the ,brothers should go in before ,pharaoh2 ,aaron should be instead of a mouth1 and ,moses should be to him instead of ,god1 and with his rod he should perform the prescribed signs4 ,then1 at last1 his timidity was removed2 he consented to go1 and the object of the ,vision of the ,burning ,bush was thus far attained 7,ex4 iv4 #a-ag74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,signs ,,and ,,wonders ,,in ,,egypt4 ,,exod4 ,,iv4-,,xi4 ,b4,c4 #adia4 ,,the first step ,moses took towards fulfilling the trust thus confided to him was to request of his father-in-law permission to revisit his brethren in ,egypt4 ,jethro gave his consent1 and then1 having received the ,divine assurance that all the men were dead which sought his life1 accompanied by ,zipporah and her two sons1 ,gershom and ,eliezer1 ,moses commenced his return to ,egypt#eg4 ,he had not proceeded far before he encountered his brother ,aaron coming forth to meet him1 to whom he explained their commission1 and the signs that were to attest it4 ,on arriving in the land of ,goshen the ,brothers gathered together all the clans of the nation4 ,aaron1 as spokesman1 rehearsed the words which the ,lord had spoken to ,moses1 and did the signs in the sight of the people4 ,his announcement had the desired effect4 ,the ,israelites believed that the ,lord ,god of their fathers had indeed interposed in their behalf1 and bowed their heads and worshipped4 ,the next step was to procure from ,pharaoh the necessary permission for the departure of the people4 ,but now1 even as the ,almighty had forewarned them1 the difficulties of the ,brothers commenced4 ,on presenting themselves before ,pharaoh1 and informing him of the will of ,jehovah1 the ,god of ,israel1 that ,his people should be permitted to go three days' journey into the wilderness1 there to offer sacrifice unto ,him 7,ex4 v4 #c71 the monarch haughtily asked1 ,who is ,jehovah1 that ,i should obey ,his ,voice to let ,israel go8 ,conceiving the ,god of ,israel to be merely a national god1 it seemed to him inexplicable that ,one who had suffered ,his worshippers to endure a lengthened and degrading bondage1 could demand of him1 the mightiest monarch of the earth1 to let ,his people depart4 ,concluding1 therefore1 that it was only an expedient to excite aspirations for freedom among the bondslaves1 in contemptuous mockery of them and their ,god1 he ordered that the severity of their toil should be doubled4 ,hitherto straw had been found them1 wherewith to make bricks for the treasure-cities and other gigantic works then in progress2 but now it was ordered that they must go and gather straw for themselves1 and yet the tale of bricks must not be diminished2 what it was before1 that it was to remain1 and to be completed also4 ,to comply with this tyrannical command was impossible1 and the ,israelitish officers1 who had been set over the people by the ,egyptians were beaten1 and their complaints to ,pharaoh were utterly disregarded4 ,this produced a great change of feeling towards ,moses and ,aaron1 at whose announcement of speedy deliverance the people had so lately bowed the head and worshipped4 ,they heaped reproaches upon them1 and openly charged them with being the cause of their now accumulated miseries1 of having made their savour to be abhorred in the eyes of ,pharaoh 7,ex4 v4 #a-ba74 ,thus the first attempt of ,moses to execute his commission ended in complete failure4 ,in deep dejection he laid before ,jehovah the ineffectual issue of his efforts1 and in reply not only received a second assurance of protection and ultimate triumph1 but was told that as ,pharaoh had rejected the word of ,god1 ,god would now speak to him in deeds1 and multiply ,his signs and wonders in the land of ,egypt1 till the ,egyptians knew that ,he was the ,lord4 ,but the contest1 in which ,moses was now to engage1 was not to be fought with carnal weapons4 ,as the accredited servant of ,jehovah1 he was to contend against the gods of ,egypt1 against those arts1 the very lifeblood of heathenism1 in which ,egypt deemed itself so strong1 its magic and necromancy1 its priests and conjurers4 ,accordingly the ,brothers went a second time into ,pharaoh's presence1 and renewed their request4 ,the monarch demanded a miracle in attestation of their claim4 ,thereupon ,aaron threw down his rod before the king and his courtiers1 and straightway it became a serpent4 ,but snake-charming was an art in which ,egypt bore off the palm from every other country of the world4 ,pharaoh1 therefore1 summoned his magicians#eh1 who cast down their rods1 and they likewise became serpents4 ,but though ,aaron's rod swallowed up their rods1 the monarch would not acknowledge that his servants had been defeated2 he hardened his heart1 and refused to recognise in this miracle an authoritative warning to let the people go4 ,the 8signs10 therefore1 were now to become ,plagues 7,ex4 vii4 #h-ad74 7i7 ,accordingly1 on the morrow1 at the command of ,god1 ,moses made his appearance before ,pharaoh1 just as he was going to offer sacrifice to1 or perform his religious ablutions in the sacred waters of the ,nile1 the 8,father of ,life10 the 8,father of the ,gods#ei10 as it was called by the ,egyptians4 ,in words few but decisive he announced the reason of his coming1 and then the word was given2 ,aaron lifted up his rod1 and in a moment1 before the very eyes of the monarch and all his servants1 the waters of the sacred1 fructifying river1 not only in the stream itself1 but in the 8canals and tanks1 in the vessels of wood and vessels of stone1 then1 as now1 used for the filtration of the water from the sediment of the river bed10 were turned into blood4 ,the fish1 though similarly objects of religious reverence1 died in incredible numbers1 and the 8,father of ,waters10 the source of health and blessing1 stank1 nor could the ,egyptians drink thereof1 for there was blood throughout all the land of ,egypt4 ,but again the magicians were summoned2 with their enchantments1 they caused other water1 probably obtained by digging about the river1 to assume the same blood-red appearance1 and ,pharaoh turned into his house1 and hardened his heart1 neither would he let the people go 7,ex4 vii4 #ad-be74 7ii7 ,after an interval1 therefore1 of seven days1 ,moses and ,aaron again presented themselves before him1 and when their request was again denied1 inflicted the second plague4 ,from the streams1 the rivers1 the ponds of ,egypt1 ,frogs#fj came up over the whole land1 penetrating into the royal palace1 the houses of the courtiers and of the people1 defiling bed-chamber and bed1 oven and kneading-trough1 with their loathsome touch4 ,again the magicians were summoned1 and though they were utterly unable to counteract1 they succeeded in imitating this plague also4 ,pharaoh was more deeply moved than before2 he not only condescended to beg of ,moses and ,aaron that they would intreat ,jehovah to remove this plague from his people1 but undertook to allow the ,israelites to depart and do sacrifice to the ,lord4 ,but no sooner had the desired deliverance been vouchsafed1 than he again hardened his heart and refused to fulfil his word 7,ex4 viii4 #a-ae74 7iii7 ,for the third time1 therefore1 ,aaron uplifted his rod1 and now1 not from the 8,father of ,waters10 but from the fertile soil of ,egypt itself1 came forth innumerable swarms either of ,lice or of ,gnats#fa1 which afflicted both man and beast with intolerable discomfort4 ,this plague all the spells and incantations of the court magicians were unable to imitate1 and they were fain to confess to ,pharaoh1 ,this is the finger of ,god1 but he hardened his heart1 and hearkened not unto them 7,ex4 viii4 #af-ai74 7iv7 ,on the morning after1 as he went forth to the waters of the river1 which he had lately seen so grievously dishonoured1 he was met by ,moses1 and refused for the fourth time to relieve the people of their bondage4 ,on this the servant of ,jehovah spake the word1 and there came innumerable ,flies of various kinds#fb1 usually a fearful torment in ,egypt1 but now attacking with unwonted fury both man and beast1 and swarming in every house of the ,egyptians1 while they touched neither house nor person of the ,israelites in ,goshen4 ,such was the intolerable severity of this plague that ,pharaoh so far relented as to permit the people to sacrifice to ,jehovah in the land itself1 but with the proviso that they should not leave it4 ,this ,moses would not concede4 ,therefore the monarch extended his concession to a journey some little way into the wilderness1 but on the removal of the judgment revoked it1 and retained the nation in bondage 7,ex4 viii4 #bj-cb74 7v7 ,the fifth ,plague was now inflicted4 ,a grievous ,murrain broke out amongst the horses1 the asses1 the camels1 the oxen1 the sheep of the ,egyptians1 so that all the cattle of ,egypt1 including not only the useful beasts1 but probably 8the sacred goat of ,mendes1 the ram of ,ammon1 the calf of ,heliopolis1 the bull ,apis#fc10 died1 while in the land of ,goshen1 as ,pharaoh himself ascertained1 there was not one of the cattle of the ,israelites dead4 ,but even this had no effect on his proud heart 7,ex4 ix4 #a-g74 7vi7 ,accordingly ,moses and ,aaron were commanded to take handfuls of ashes of the furnace1 and sprinkle them upwards towards heaven1 and on their so doing1 ,boils and ,blisters1 and other eruptive disorders1 broke forth upon man and upon beast4 ,even the royal magicians suffered so terribly from this the sixth plague1 that they could not stand before ,moses1 but the heart of their master was still hardened1 nor would he yield to the will of ,god 7,ex4 ix4 #h-ab74 7vii7 ,with still greater solemnity1 therefore1 the coming of the ,seventh ,plague was announced to him1 and he was warned to send his servants and gather together such of his cattle as were grazing in the fields1 if he would not have them utterly destroyed by a terrible ,storm of thunder1 lightning1 and hail#fd4 ,by some1 who heard the warning1 it was heeded in time1 by others it was utterly disregarded4 ,but it was too surely fulfilled4 ,moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven1 and on the fair garden of ,egypt1 with its green meadows and fields of corn and barley and maize1 the storm burst forth with unwonted fury4 ,the ,lord thundered out of heaven1 and the ,highest gave ,his thunder 7,ps4 xviii4 #ac74 ,the fire ran along upon the ground1 the hail rattled1 and smote the vines and fig-trees 7,ps4 cv4 #cc71 and every herb of the field1 and every tree of the field1 the barley then in the ear1 and the flax then bolled or risen in the stalk1 as also the cattle and herdmen that had not been removed to any place of shelter4 ,alarmed beyond measure at this unexampled tempest1 ,pharaoh begged ,moses to intercede for him1 owned this time that he had sinned1 that the ,lord was righteous1 that he and his people were wicked1 and promised to do all that was required of him4 ,but1 as before1 when the fury of the elements was hushed he refused to abide by his word 7,ex4 ix4 #ac-ce74 7viii7 ,and now for the eighth time the release of the people was demanded1 and the monarch was told that1 in the event of refusal1 the country1 already grievously devastated1 should be given up to the awful ravages of the ,locusts1 which1 in numbers1 such as neither his fathers nor his fathers' fathers had seen1 should swarm in the palace and the hut1 covering the face of the ground1 and eating up whatever herb or tree had escaped the fury of the late storm4 ,this announcement filled the ,egyptians1 already suffering severely1 with uttermost alarm4 ,let the people go1 they cried to their king1 that they may serve the ,lord their ,god3 knowest thou not yet that ,egypt is destroyed8 ,even ,pharaoh was fain to lend an ear to this remonstrance4 ,summoning ,moses and ,aaron1 he informed them that he was ready to allow such as were men amongst the ,israelites to depart and serve their ,god1 but their wives and children must remain as a guarantee for their return4 ,the servants1 however1 of ,jehovah1 were not empowered to make this concession1 and the plague began4 ,a strong east wind blew continuously and brought the locusts1 which in dense swarms covered the face of the land1 so that it was darkened and became a desolate wilderness1 without a leaf upon the trees or a blade of grass in the fields#fe4 ,the obduracy of the monarch now broke down1 and was followed by a brief repentance1 which lasted no longer than the west wind which swept away the locusts2 for once more1 in the face of an utterly devastated country and a murmuring people1 he refused to hearken to the word of the ,lord 7,ex4 x4 #a-bj74 7ix7 ,without the pre-announcements1 therefore1 which had preceded the infliction of the other plagues1 the ninth now appeared in the shape of ,darkness#ff so dense that it might be felt1 which for three days enveloped the entire land1 save only the favoured country of ,goshen4 ,during this period the light of the sun was obscured1 an awful and preternatural gloom shrouded the land1 so that the ,egyptians neither could see one another nor rise from their place4 ,at the end of the three days ,pharaoh once more capitulated2 all the ,israelites1 young and old1 might depart1 the flocks and herds alone must remain4 ,these conditions1 however1 were rejected by ,moses1 and he was dismissed from the palace with the warning to take heed that he saw the face of ,pharaoh no more1 for on the day that he saw his face1 he should surely die 7,ex4 x4 #ba-bi74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,last ,,plague,,the ,,passover,,the ,,exodus4 ,,exod4 ,,xi4-,,xv4 ,,hitherto the elements of nature had each in their turn been commissioned to fight against ,pharaoh4 ,in all the preceding plagues there had been human intervention4 ,the rod or the hand of ,moses had summoned from the sacred river1 or the fertile soil1 or the rainless air1 or the desert sands of ,arabia1 the ministers of punishment1 and wrought signs and wonders in the land of ,ham1 and had proved that the ,god he served was no mere national god1 but was ,lord over earth and air and water1 over cattle and man1 over tree and herb4 ,but none of the elements of nature were to bring on ,pharaoh ,god's last sore judgment4 ,at midnight1 said ,jehovah1 will ,i go out into the midst of ,egypt1 and all the firstborn in the land of ,egypt shall die1 from the firstborn of ,pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne1 even unto the firstborn of the maid-servant that is behind the mill1 and all the firstborn of beasts2 ,i will execute judgment against all the gods or princes 7,ex4 xiii4 #ab ,marg47 of ,egypt1 ,i am ,jehovah4 ,before1 however1 this last great blow was struck1 involving the firstborn of the highest and the lowest in one common fate1 certain important preliminaries were to be enacted4 ,it was now the ,hebrew month of ,nisan or ,abib1 the month of green ears4 ,on the fourteenth day of this month it was announced that the last sore judgment would be inflicted4 ,but on the tenth day of this month1 a month to be to the ,israelites henceforth the beginning of months1 the first month of their sacred year1 the father of every household was to select a lamb or kid1 without blemish1 a male of the first year4 ,it was to be kept till the fourteenth day1 and then slain just before the evening twilight 7,ex4 xii4 #a-f74 ,a portion of the blood was to be sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop on the two side-posts and the upper door-post of the houses of the ,israelites1 and on the selfsame night the lamb1 roast with fire1 whole1 not a bone being broken1 was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs4 ,of this meal each household was to partake1 with their loins girded1 their shoes on their feet1 their staves in their hands1 in haste like persons in a hurry to depart4 ,of the flesh of the lamb nothing was to be allowed to remain until the morning1 and all remnants were to be burnt with fire4 ,and at midnight1 while they were partaking of this mysterious meal1 the ,lord1 they were told1 would pass through the land of ,egypt1 and smite all the firstborn1 both of man and beast1 but when ,he saw the blood sprinkled on the houses of the ,israelites1 ,he would pass over them1 and the plague should not be upon them to their destruction 7,ex4 xii4 #g-ab74 ,such was the ordinance of the ,,passover1 a ,memorial-,feast to be celebrated1 not on that night only1 but throughout all future generations1 and to be kept for a period of seven days1 during which leavened bread was neither to be eaten nor found in any of the houses of the ,israelites4 ,on receiving from ,moses the ,lord's commands respecting this ,feast1 the elders of ,israel1 partakers with him of a like faith in the certainty of the events about to be enacted 7,heb4 xi4 #bh71 bowed their heads and worshipped4 ,on the tenth day of ,nisan1 the ,month of ,redemption1 each household selected a lamb or kid1 kept it till the fourteenth day1 slew it1 sprinkled the blood upon the side-posts and the upper door-post of their houses1 and at midnight were eating of it with the prescribed ceremonies1 when suddenly the last and most awful of all the ,ten ,plagues began4 ,the ,lord smote all the firstborn in the land of ,egypt1 from the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon unto the firstborn of the mighty ,pharaoh himself1 and all the firstborn of cattle4 ,in the darkness of that awful night the monarch rose up1 he and all his servants1 and all the ,egyptians1 and a loud frantic cry arose throughout the land1 for there was not a house where there was not one dead4 ,terrified and confounded the stubborn king could no longer resist the power of ,jehovah4 ,he implored ,moses and ,aaron1 as an act of kindness1 to depart with the utmost speed4 ,and not only he1 but all his people joined in the petition1 and pressed upon the ,israelites jewels of silver and jewels of gold1 earrings1 signet-rings1 necklaces1 and festal apparel4 ,thus furnished by the ,egyptians themselves with costly ornaments befitting the great day of their deliverance#fg1 the whole host of the ,israelites1 numbering #fjj1jjj men capable of bearing arms1 besides women and children and a mixed multitude from the lower orders of the ,egyptians1 went forth from ,,rameses1 and in the darkness and cool of the night pursued their way 7,ex4 xii4 #cg1 #ch74 ,the nearest route to ,canaan would have been the usual caravan route1 which runs in a north-easterly direction along the coast of the ,mediterranean1 and would not have occupied more than a few days4 ,but it would have brought the host into collision with the warlike and powerful nation of the ,philistines1 and for such an encounter they were as yet totally unfit4 ,from ,,rameses1 therefore1 which was probably on the eastern skirts of the ,delta in the ,wady ,tumeilat1 they proceeded in a southerly course1 and after a day's journey halted for the first time at ,,succoth 7,ex4 xii4 #cg71 the place of booths1 8formed by the luxuriant foliage of tamarisk1 sycamore1 and palm0 at the verge of the cultivated land of ,egypt4 ,the next day's halt was at ,etham in the edge of the wilderness 7,ex4 xiii4 #bj74 ,at this point the ,lord ,himself in an outward and visible form assumed the direction of their march1 appearing by day in a ,pillar of ,cloud1 and by night in a ,pillar of ,fire4 ,such a miraculous intervention was indeed needed to confirm the faith of the host1 for instead of being conducted round the northern extremity of the ,red ,sea1 so as to escape with all speed beyond reach of their ,egyptian oppressors1 they were commanded to turn and encamp before ,pihahiroth 7the place of sedge71 between ,migdol 7a frontier ,watchtower7 and the western side of the ,red ,sea over against ,baal-zephon4 ,here they had scarcely encamped1 when lifting up their eyes the ,israelites discerned the terrible horses and chariots of ,pharaoh pursuing after them4 ,astonished that the people had not made good their flight into ,asia1 and deeming them entangled in the land and shut in by the wilderness1 the monarch had directed all his forces to give chase to the fugitives4 ,in wild alarm the ,israelites cried out to ,moses1 and already complained of their deliverance from the bondage of ,egypt4 ,but the faith of their leader was not shaken4 ,he bade the trembling1 panic-stricken host stand still and see the salvation of the ,lord4 ,they had not long to wait4 ,for at this moment the ,angel of ,god1 who went before the host of ,israel in the ,pillar of ,cloud and ,fire1 stationed himself behind them so as to deepen the gloom in which the ,egyptians were advancing1 and afford light and encouragement to the ,israelites4 ,simultaneously1 ,moses advanced towards the ,red ,sea1 either at the present fords of ,suez1 or at some point higher up1 and stretched over it his rod4 ,thereupon a strong ,east wind began to blow1 the waters were divided1 the bottom of the sea was exposed1 and amidst walls of water standing up on either side of them on their right hand and on their left1 the caravan of the ,israelites defiled in long procession4 ,all night the wondrous passage continued1 and as the morning broke they had safely landed on the further shore4 ,meanwhile their foes1 determined to prevent the second escape of their prey1 had rushed on amidst the pitchy darkness that surrounded them into the same awful pass4 ,but1 at the morning watch1 when they had reached the midst of the sea1 the ,lord looked upon them from the ,pillar of ,fire and of the ,cloud1 and troubled their hosts1 and caused their heavy chariot-wheels to sink in the sand1 so that they drave them heavily4 ,in wild confusion they shouted to one another to turn back1 but it was too late4 ,again the hand of ,moses was uplifted1 and straightway the waters1 till now congealed from their lowest depths 7,ex4 xv4 #h71 began to break and give way1 and the sea to return to his strength4 ,all efforts to escape were fruitless1 fast and furious the sea swept on1 the engulphing waves closed over them1 horse and chariot and horseman sank like lead in the mighty waters4 ,then from the ,israelitish leader1 and the host which had stood still and seen the deliverance ,jehovah had wrought for them1 there burst forth a noble song of praise and thanksgiving1 while ,miriam his sister1 and her women1 accompanied them with timbrels and dances4 ,together they sang the praises of ,him who had triumphed gloriously1 who had cast ,pharaoh's chariots and his host into the sea1 and drowned his chosen captains in the waves1 whose right hand become glorious in power had dashed in pieces the enemy1 who had blown with ,his wind1 and gathered the waters with the blast of ,his nostrils1 and in ,his mercy led forth the people which ,he had redeemed4 7,ex4 xv4 #a-ai4 ,comp4 ,ps4 lxxvii4 #af-ai47 ,thus1 at length1 the word of the ,most ,high1 which ,he spake to the patriarch ,abraham at least #djj years before1 was fulfilled4 ,the seed of the ,patriarch had grown into a great nation2 they had been strangers in a land that was not theirs2 they had suffered cruel affliction and degradation2 but the oppressing nation had been judged1 and with much substance the oppressed had come forth4 ,the jewels of silver and gold and the festal apparel1 which their late tyrants had forced upon them1 well became this their national birthday4 ,once slaves1 they were now free2 once a degraded tribe1 they were now an independent people4 ,they had left behind them ,egypt with its grinding tyranny1 and its memories of years of suffering4 ,they had been baptized unto ,moses in the cloud and in the sea 7#a ,cor4 x4 #b71 their faces were set towards a ,promised ,land1 their hopes fastened on a glorious ,future4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,journey ,,from ,,the ,,red ,,sea ,,to ,,rephidim4 ,,exod4 ,,xv4-,,xix4 ,b4,c4 #adia4 ,,and now the ransomed people commenced their journey4 ,skirting the eastern shore of the ,red ,sea1 they 8entered0 the wilderness of ,shur 7or ,etham1 ,num4 xxxiii4 #h71 on the western base of the high table-land which forms the northern portion of the peninsula of ,sinai#fh4 ,a three days' march brought them to a well1 probably ,ain ,howra1 plentifully supplied1 indeed1 with water1 but so bitter that they could not drink of it1 whence they called it ,marah 78bitterness074 ,this was the first test of their faith in their ,invisible ,leader1 and they proved unequal to it4 ,they murmured against ,moses1 saying1 ,what shall we drink8 ,in his distress ,moses turned to the ,lord1 who bade him cast a tree into the waters1 and they were straightway sweetened4 ,leaving ,marah they reached ,,elim 7,wdy ,ghurundel1 or ,wdy ,useit71 where were twelve wells of refreshing water1 and three-score and ten palmtrees4 ,here they probably staid some days1 and then passing between vast cliffs1 probably at the mouth of the ,wdy ,tayibeh1 again came in sight of the deep blue waters of the ,red ,sea 7,num4 xxxiii4 #aj71 where they encamped1 and were able for the last time to discern the shadowy line of ,egypt1 the land of bondage4 ,leaving the sea-shore on the fifteenth day of the second month1 they entered the shadeless desert of ,sin 7,ex4 xvi4 #a74 ,by this time the supply of bread they had brought with them from ,egypt was consumed1 and the people burst forth into loud murmurings against ,moses and ,aaron4 ,would ,god1 they cried1 we had died by the hand of the ,lord in the land of ,egypt1 when we sat by the fleshpots1 and did eat bread to the full4 ,thereupon ,moses was commissioned to assure them of speedy relief1 and that very evening dense flocks of quails1 immense numbers of which are found in ,arabia ,petra and the adjoining countries1 covered the ground around their encampment 7,ex4 xvi4 #ac74 ,moreover the next morning1 when the dew had gone up1 behold6 there lay on the face of the wilderness a small round thing1 as small as the hoar frost1 white1 like coriander seed1 the taste of which was like wafers made with honey4 ,on seeing this curious substance1 and not knowing its origin or properties1 the ,israelites exclaimed ,man-hu1 8,what is it80 whence the substance hitherto unknown received the name of ,,manna 7,ex4 xvi4 #ad-cf74 ,two conditions were annexed to the enjoyment of this extraordinary and unlooked-for blessing4 ,the people were instructed to gather only a sufficient quantity for the wants of a single day1 an omer 7about five pints7 each man1 and they were to leave none of it until the morning4 ,some of them1 however1 infringed both these conditions1 and in both instances found cause to regret their conduct4 ,some took the trouble to gather more than the prescribed quantity1 and found that in spite of their exertions he that gathered much had nothing over1 and he that gathered little had no lack4 ,others did leave some of it until the morning1 but they too found themselves disappointed1 for it was in a state of decomposition and utterly unfit for food4 ,on the sixth day1 however1 each man was surprised to find himself able to gather twice the usual quantity4 ,this circumstance ,moses explained to them4 ,the seventh day was to be observed as a holy ,,sabbath 7rest7 unto the ,lord1 on that day no manna would be found lying on the ground1 but on the sixth day they were to gather twice the usual quantity to make provision for the deficiency on the ,sabbath4 ,this command1 however1 was not universally obeyed4 ,some went out to gather on the ,sabbath1 but returned empty-handed4 ,thus the institution of the ,day of ,rest was presented as one of peculiar significance1 and a preparation was made for the more precise legislation respecting it to be afterwards promulgated4 ,in memory of this miraculous supply of the people's needs1 ,moses directed that an omer of the ,manna should be put aside in a vessel as a memorial to all future generations 7,ex4 xvi4 #cb-cd2 ,john vi4 #ca1 #cb2 #a ,cor4 x4 #c2 ,heb4 ix4 #d74 ,after a halt of a week in the wilderness of ,sin1 and also at two intermediate stations1 ,,dophkah and ,,alush 7,num4 xxxiii4 #ab-ad71 the positions of which are unknown1 the ,israelites reached ,,rephidim 78places of ,rest071 most probably the ,wdy ,feirn1 and 8the finest valley in the whole peninsula40 ,two circumstances distinguished their encampment in this valley4 ,in consequence of a second failure of water the murmurings of the people against their leader reached such a pitch1 that they showed signs of a readiness even to stone him with stones4 ,again1 however1 the ,lord interposed1 and mercifully directed ,moses to strike a rock in ,horeb1 i4e4 one of the outer hills in the ,sinaitic group1 whereupon a copious stream flowed forth1 and refreshed the thirsty host4 ,in memory of the murmuring of the people1 ,moses named the spot ,,massah 78temptation071 and ,,meribah 78strife07 7,ex4 xvii4 #g74 ,the other circumstance which rendered memorable the encampment at this spot was of a different nature4 ,one of the main streams of population occupying at this time the ,sinaitic ,peninsula1 was the powerful tribe of ,,amalek4 ,their settlements extended from the northern part of the peninsula1 even to the borders of ,palestine4 ,they were descended from ,esau1 and were governed by a chief1 who bore the title1 by some deemed hereditary1 of ,,agag1 the 8,burner0 or 8,destroyer40 7,comp4 ,num4 xxiv4 #g2 #a ,sam4 xv4 #h1 #i47 ,regarding the encampment of the ,israelites in the rich and fertile valley of ,rephidim with no friendly feelings1 they mustered their forces1 and treacherously falling upon their exhausted rear1 smote the hindmost of them and the feeble amongst them1 when they were faint and weary 7,deut4 xxv4 #ag-ai74 ,to repel this attack ,moses directed a young man1 whose name is here for the first time mentioned1 ,,joshua1 or as he was now called ,,hoshea 7salvation71 the son of ,nun1 of the tribe of ,ephraim1 to select a body of men1 and go forth to meet ,amalek in the valley4 ,meanwhile he himself ascended the hill1 whence1 probably1 the refreshing streams had issued1 with the rod of ,god in his hand1 and accompanied by ,aaron and ,hur4 ,there within sight of the battle in the valley below1 he stood and stretched forth his hands in supplication to heaven4 ,so long as his hands remained thus uplifted1 the ,israelites made good their superiority over the foe1 but as often as from weariness his hands drooped ,amalek prevailed4 ,for a long time the contest seemed undecided4 ,at length ,aaron and ,hur1 seeing ,moses wearied with his exertions1 took a stone and placed it under him1 and stayed up his hands in the attitude of supplication1 till the sun went down1 by which time ,amalek had sustained a total defeat1 and been smitten with the edge of the sword4 ,this victory and the circumstances leading to it were too important to be forgotten4 ,on the summit of the hill1 where he had stood in the attitude of prayer1 ,moses erected an altar1 which he called ,,jehovah-,,nissi 7the ,lord is my ,banner71 and1 by the ,divine direction1 inscribed in a book the account of ,amalek's attack1 and rehearsed it in the ears of ,joshua4 ,their treacherous conduct had placed them under the same ban as the nations of ,canaan1 and the ,lord would utterly put out the remembrance of ,amalek from under heaven 7,ex4 xvii4 #ad2 #a ,sam4 xv4 #b1 #c2 #b ,sam4 viii4 #ab74 ,not long afterwards1 ,,jethro1 the father-in-law of ,moses1 having heard all that the ,lord had done for his kinsman1 and of the wonderful deliverance of the ,israelites from ,egypt1 left his tents among the ,midianites and came to meet him1 with his daughter ,zipporah1 and her two sons ,gershom and ,eliezer4 ,after mutual salutation1 the two passed into the tent1 and ,moses recounted to his father-in-law the marvels of the ,exodus1 the travail of the people by the way1 and their late deliverance from the sword of ,amalek4 ,jethro rejoiced at the recital1 bestowed upon the ,israelites his solemn blessing1 and offered sacrifices to ,jehovah1 to which and the thanksgiving-feast that followed1 ,aaron the future high-priest1 and all the elders of ,israel were invited4 ,on the morrow1 perceiving ,moses occupied from morning until evening with the administration of justice and the settlement of disputes among the people1 ,jethro ventured to remonstrate with him on the risk he incurred by undertaking unaided so heavy a burden4 ,he suggested that judges1 rulers1 and elders1 able men1 such as feared ,god1 and hated covetousness1 should be appointed1 who should at stated seasons see justice done between man and man1 and reserve only the weightier matters for the attention of ,moses himself4 ,his wise advice was adopted1 and men were duly appointed to preside over every ten1 every fifty1 every hundred1 and every thousand of the people1 and thus equalize the burden hitherto sustained by ,moses alone 7,ex4 xviii4 #a-bg74 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,sinai ,,and ,,the ,,giving ,,of ,,the ,,law4 ,,exod4 ,,xix4 ,,xx4 ,b4,c4 #adia4 ,,at length the halt at ,rephidim came to an end4 ,in the third month 7,ex4 xix4 #a71 the ,israelites once more set out in a southerly direction1 and after ascending winding valleys and rugged passes and staircases of lofty rocks rising one above the other in long succession1 reached a level plain 7probably ,er-,raheh7#fi1 in front of which 8towered the massive cliffs of ,sinai10 rising 8like a huge altar in front of the whole congregation40 ,here in a spot where they could find water and pasture for their flocks and herds1 they pitched their tents before the ,mount 7,ex4 xix4 #b74 ,the natural aspect of everything around them was of a character calculated to exert a most solemnising influence upon their feelings4 ,they had reached a kind of 8natural sanctuary1 not made with hands10 which for magnificence and grandeur far exceeded any of those massive ,egyptian temples1 on which their eyes had rested by the green valley of the ,nile4 ,far removed from the stir and confusion of earthly things#gj1 amidst a scene of desolate grandeur and a silence unbroken even by the sound of waters or the trickling of rills down the mountain gorges#ga1 they experienced everything that the natural influence of scenery and association could effect towards fitting their minds for the great and sublime transactions now about to be enacted between them and the ,almighty4 ,they were about to receive direct communication from the ,lord of all the earth1 and to learn why with an outstretched arm1 and signs and great wonders1 they had been delivered from the bondage of ,egypt1 and thus led forth into the wilderness4 ,by way of preparation for the great scene1 ,moses left the congregation encamped on the plain1 and proceeded up the winding steep ascent of ,sinai4 ,on reaching the summit1 the ,lord called unto him1 and made known ,his intention of renewing the patriarchal ,covenant1 which1 though it might seem to have been forgotten during the weary years of bondage in ,egypt1 had never been disannulled 7,gal4 iii4 #ag71 and was now to be solemnly republished4 ,like all ,covenants1 it contained a stipulation and a promise4 ,if ,israel would obey the ,voice of ,him1 who had delivered them from ,egypt1 and borne them on eagles' wings1 and brought them to ,himself 7,ex4 xix4 #d71 if they would submit themselves to ,his laws1 and keep ,his commandments1 then1 though all the earth was ,his1 yet should they be a peculiar treasure unto ,him above all people4 ,jehovah 8would enter into a special relation towards them1 ,he would undertake the duties and claim the privileges of sovereignty10 while they should be unto ,him a kingdom of priests1 and a holy nation4 ,it was not a single and peculiar order that was to be elevated to the high position of a member of the priest-kingdom1 as was the case in ,egypt4 ,every ,israelite was to sustain this relation1 and in the midst of a world given up to idolatry1 was called to preserve the knowledge of the one true ,god1 and exhibit to the nations the spectacle of a people walking in the ways of ,holiness1 ,righteousness1 and ,truth4 ,the conditions of this ,covenant ,moses made known to the ,elders and people of ,israel2 he laid before them all the words which the ,lord commanded ,him1 and when they had voluntarily agreed to obey them1 he returned with their reply to the ,lord1 and was told of the intention of ,jehovah to come unto him in a thick cloud1 that the people might hear him1 and believe him for ever 7,ex4 xix4 #i74 ,three days1 therefore1 were now devoted to preparatory and ceremonial ablutions1 during which the people were commanded to abstain from all sensual and worldly enjoyments4 ,then bounds were set round the mountain on which a ,god of ,holiness was about to appear1 lest any of the people should ascend or even touch it4 ,of any infringement of this prohibition death was denounced as the certain penalty1 and that not inflicted in the usual way1 lest the executioners should themselves be polluted1 but from a distance with stones and arrows 7,ex4 xix4 #ab1 #ac2 ,heb4 xii4 #bj74 ,at length the morning of the third day dawned1 and the awful silence of the mountain-sanctuary was broken by peals of thunder1 which echoed and re-echoed amidst the rocky gorges1 while flashes of lightning lit up the peaks of ,sinai1 and revealed by their contrast the pitchy darkness and the thick cloud which had settled upon the mountain-top4 ,presently the ,voice as of a ,trumpet 7comp4 ,rev4 i4 #aj1 iv4 #a71 sounded exceeding loud1 audible even above the crash of the thunder1 so that every soul in the camp trembled4 ,this was the signal ,god had made known to ,moses1 who straightway led forth the people out of the camp to meet with ,god1 and they stood at the nether part of the mount1 which appeared altogether on a smoke1 like the smoke of a furnace1 enshrouding a mysterious flame in which the ,lord descended 7,ex4 xix4 #ah74 ,again the ,trumpet pealed with a long-continued blast1 and waxed louder and louder1 and ,moses spake1 and ,god answered him by a voice1 summoning him to meet ,him on the top of ,sinai4 ,arrived there1 he was commanded again to warn the people1 and even the priests1 against drawing too near1 or breaking through the bounds that had been set about the mount for the purpose of indulging any profane gaze1 and so incurring the inevitable penalty of death 7,ex4 xix4 #ba74 ,moses therefore returned to the awestruck crowd on the plain below1 and renewed the solemn warning4 ,then from out of the midst of the fire1 and the cloud1 and the thick darkness1 with a great voice 7,deut4 v4 #bb71 ,,jehovah ,himself spake to the assembled host face to face1 and proclaimed the ,ten fundamental ,words of the law of the ,covenant4 ,not as the ,lord of the universe1 or the ,creator of all things1 did the ,most ,high now reveal ,himself to the people1 but as their ,redeemer1 who had brought them out of the land of ,egypt1 and from the house of bondage 7,ex4 xx4 #b74 7,i7 ,beside ,him1 therefore1 they were to have no other god2 7,,ii7 of ,him they were to make no representation1 or construct any graven image1 or any likeness in the form of anything either in the heaven above or the earth beneath1 or the waters under the earth2 7,,iii7 for ,his ,name they were to entertain the deepest reverence1 nor profane it by taking it in vain2 7,,iv7 ,his ,day1 the seventh ,day1 the ,day of rest1 they were ever to observe2 six days they might labour1 and do all their work1 but on the seventh day1 the ,sabbath of the ,lord their ,god1 no work might be done by the head of the family1 or his son1 or his daughter1 his manservant1 or his maidservant1 his cattle1 or the stranger sojourning within his gates4 ,such was the duty of the ,israelite towards ,god4 ,but now also the ,almighty proclaimed man's duty towards his neighbour4 ,he enjoined and connected with a special promise of temporal prosperity 7,v7 filial ,reverence for ,parents1 and forbade 7,,vi7 ,murder1 7,,vii7 ,adultery1 7,,viii7 ,theft1 7,,ix7 ,false ,witness1 and 7,x7 ,covetousness 7,ex4 xx4 #a-ag74 ,these were the ,ten ,words1 the fundamentals of the ,divine ,law1 under which the ,israelites were henceforth called to live1 and which they were to accept as the charter of their constitution4 ,but so great was their terror1 when they heard ,god thus speaking to them face to face1 that they fled1 and standing afar off implored ,moses to intercede with the ,almighty that they might no more hear ,his voice1 lest they should die4 ,go thou near1 said they1 and hear all that the ,lord our ,god shall say1 and speak thou unto us all that the ,lord our ,god shall speak unto thee1 and we will hear it and do it 7,deut4 v4 #bg74 ,their request found favour in the sight of ,jehovah1 and ,moses was now solemnly appointed as the ,mediator between the ,israelites and ,god4 ,at the same time1 the ,lord intimated that ,he would raise up a still greater ,,prophet than ,moses1 from the midst of the ,israelites1 yet like unto him1 that ,he would put ,his words in ,his mouth1 and ,he should speak unto them all that ,he commanded 7,deut4 xviii4 #ac-ai74 ,accordingly in his capacity of ,mediator1 ,moses now returned up the mountain1 and ascended into the thick darkness that still abode upon it for the purpose of receiving the further commands of ,jehovah4 ,after remaining there for some time1 he came back to the people4 ,they had on their part already agreed to enter into covenant with ,god4 ,but it was necessary that this ,covenant should now be solemnly ratified by them1 its provisions read in their hearing1 and formally accepted as the basis of their constitution4 ,accordingly ,moses first wrote all the words that ,jehovah had spoken in a book1 probably a papyrus-roll1 and then1 having built an altar at the foot of the mount and set up twelve pillars1 he caused calves and goats to be slain as burnt-offerings and peace-offerings by the hands of certain selected youths4 ,in the ears of the assembled people he next read every word of the ,law1 and when these conditions of the ,covenant had been formally accepted by them1 he took the blood of the victims already slain1 together with water1 scarlet wool1 and hyssop 7,heb4 ix4 #ai-ba71 sprinkled one half of the blood on the altar1 and the roll containing the ,covenant-conditions1 and the other half on the people1 saying as he did so1 ,behold the blood of the ,covenant which the ,lord hath made with you concerning all these words4 ,but one portion only of the ceremony was complete4 ,the victims had yielded up their life4 ,the blood1 the source of life1 had been sprinkled on the altar and accepted by ,jehovah4 ,it was now necessary that the sacrificers should join in the ,covenant-feast4 ,to celebrate this1 ,moses1 accompanied by ,aaron1 ,nadab and ,abihu1 and seventy elders1 as representatives of the people1 ascended to a level spot near the summit of ,sinai4 ,there they saw the glory of the ,god of ,israel1 under whose feet there was1 as it were1 a paved work of a sapphire-stone1 and the body of heaven in its clearness4 ,but instead of suffering any harm from such close proximity to the majesty of the ,supreme1 they ate and drank in ,his presence of the ,covenant-feast1 and thereby were assured of ,his mercy and loving-kindness 7,ex4 xxiv4 #i-aa74 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,moses ,,in ,,the ,,mount,,the ,,construction ,,of ,,the ,,calf4 ,,exod4 ,,xxiv4-,,xxxiv4 ,b4,c4 #adia4 ,,thus the ,covenant was formally ratified1 and the nation solemnly devoted itself to the service of the ,god of ,israel4 ,further revelations1 however1 awaited ,moses1 and after committing the charge of the people to ,aaron and ,hur 7,ex4 xxiv4 #ad71 he again went up into the mount accompanied only by ,joshua1 his minister and attendant4 ,after an interval of six days the voice of ,god summoned him to ascend alone yet higher into the midst of the cloud that still overhung the mount1 and for forty days and forty nights he there remained in mysterious converse with ,jehovah4 ,during this period the ,lord showed him in vision a representation of the sanctuary 7,heb4 viii4 #e71 which ,he required should be the solemn place of meeting between ,him and the people1 and gave him the necessary instructions for its erection 7,ex4 xxv4-xxviii471 together with full particulars respecting the order of its services and ritual 7,ex4 xxix4 xxx471 as also the names of the two men who were to be employed in building it1 viz4 ,,bezaleel of the tribe of ,judah1 and ,,aholiab of the tribe of ,dan 7,ex4 xxxi4 #a-aa74 ,at the same time ,moses received two tables of stone1 on which the ,ten ,commandments had been written by the finger of ,god4 ,while1 however1 the ,israelitish leader had been engaged in solemn converse with the ,supreme1 a far different scene had been going on in the plain below4 ,his prolonged absence had filled the ,israelites with doubt and perplexity4 ,when the glory of the ,lord descended upon ,sinai1 they had1 indeed1 felt the mountain quake1 they had heard the thunder roar1 they had seen the lightning flash1 but of ,,jehovah ,himself they had beheld no form or similitude4 ,now to believe in ,one who did not1 like the gods of every other nation round about1 reveal ,himself under any palpable figure1 was not easy for men who had so long lived amidst the fascinations of the idolatrous rites of ,pagan ,egypt4 ,as weeks therefore passed away1 and still no sign appeared of the return of their leader1 the people began to lose their trust in ,him whom they had promised to obey4 ,they wished to break up their long encampment2 but who would go before them1 and guide them in the way8 ,yearning therefore for some visible representative of ,jehovah1 and possibly yielding to the suggestions of some of the ,egyptians amongst the mixed multitude in the camp1 they gathered themselves together before ,aaron1 with the petition that he would make them gods to go before them1 for as for ,moses1 who had brought them up out of the land of ,egypt1 they knew not what was become of him4 ,unable to stem the popular clamour1 and taking refuge in an unworthy expediency1 ,aaron bade them bring him the golden earrings of their wives1 their sons1 and their daughters1 and of these he fashioned a calf1 probably according to the well-known form of the ,egyptian ,apis or ,mnevis1 whose worship the people must often have witnessed during their sojourn in the ,nile ,valley4 ,then building an altar he proclaimed a three days' festival to ,jehovah4 ,accordingly1 with the earliest dawn of the following day1 the people arose1 and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the image1 exclaiming1 ,these be thy gods1 ,o ,israel1 which brought thee out of the land of ,egypt1 and concluded the ceremony with one of those licentious orgies1 accompanied by song and dance1 which were so common amongst heathen nations 7,ex4 xxxii4 #d2 #a ,cor4 x4 #g74 ,it was while they were in the very act of celebrating this idolatrous festival that ,moses1 accompanied by ,joshua1 returned from the presence of the nation's invisible ,king4 ,he had already received ,divine intimation of the apostasy of the people1 and in his capacity of ,mediator had already interceded in their behalf4 ,now with the two tables of the ,law in his hands he descended the ,mount4 ,to the ear of his companion the noise of the host1 as it ascended upwards from the valley below1 sounded like the noise of war in the camp4 ,but ,moses knew otherwise4 ,it is not the noise of them that shout for the mastery1 he replied1 neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome1 but the noise of them that sing do ,i hear4 ,then as he drew near the camp1 and beheld with his own eyes the heathenish orgies that were going on1 his feelings overmastered him2 his anger waxed hot1 and he cast the ,tables out of his hands1 and brake them beneath the ,mount4 ,next advancing towards the senseless image1 he seized it1 burnt it with fire1 reduced it to powder#gb1 strewed the ashes on the neighbouring brook of ,horeb1 and compelled the people to drink thereof4 ,then after sternly rebuking his brother for conniving at so heinous a sin1 he stationed himself at the entrance of the camp1 and bade all1 who still remained faithful to ,jehovah1 gird on their swords1 and without regard to family tie or private friendship1 slay the offenders from gate to gate with the edge of the sword4 ,it was a severe but necessary test of the fidelity of the people1 and the sons of ,levi were found faithful4 ,with a zeal very dissimilar from that which had animated their forefather at ,shechem 7,gen4 xxxiv4 #be1 #bf71 instead of siding with ,aaron1 though their tribal leader1 they arose and slew about #cjjj of the offenders1 thus effacing the blot on the memory of their tribe1 and qualifying themselves for high functions in the sanctuary 7,ex4 xxxii4 #be-bi74 ,in order to make an atonement for the people's sin1 ,moses1 on the next day1 re-ascended the mount1 and solemnly interceded with the ,almighty on their behalf4 ,standing in the gap 7,ps4 cvi4 #bc7 between a justly offended ,god and an erring nation1 he offered1 if no other way of forgiveness was possible1 freely to surrender his own life1 and to suffer the blotting out of his own name from ,god's ,book4 ,eventually his intercession prevailed4 ,the ,almighty promised that the nation should not be cut off1 and that ,he would send ,his ,angel before them1 who should lead them into the land promised to their forefathers4 ,but further punishment certainly awaited them2 in the day of ,his visitation1 ,he would visit their sin upon them1 an earnest of which they speedily experienced in the shape of plagues 7,ex4 xxxii4 #ce71 with which the ,lord plagued the people1 because of their sin in turning ,his glory into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay 7,ps4 cvi4 #bj74 ,the announcement of ,moses that their journey into the ,promised ,land was not to be suspended1 but that ,jehovah would not go up in their midst1 was received by the people with much lamentation 7,ex4 xxxiii4 #d74 ,their sorrow was accepted as a sign of repentance1 and ,moses caused his own tent to be pitched at a long distance without the camp1 and named it the ,tent1 or ,tabernacle of ,meeting 7,ex4 xxxiii4 #g74 ,then1 accompanied only by ,joshua1 he passed through the long line of the people's tents1 at the doors of which they stood and watched him1 and1 as he entered his own1 the ,cloudy ,pillar1 which hitherto had rested on the top of ,sinai1 descended1 and stood before it1 and amidst the joyful reverence of the watching host1 the ,lord conversed with ,moses1 face to face1 as a man speaketh unto his friend 7,ex4 xxxiii4 #aa74 ,the descent of the ,cloudy ,pillar1 and its position at the entrance of the tent of ,israel's leader1 though at a distance from the people1 was a sign that his intercession had prevailed4 ,in spite of their recent sin1 ,jehovah had not forgotten to be gracious1 ,he would fulfil ,his promise1 and the nation should be led into the land assured to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 and every one1 who sought the ,lord1 might draw nigh1 and consult ,him through ,his servant ,moses in the appointed place of meeting4 ,emboldened by this measure of success1 ,moses expressed a desire1 since he was the ordained leader of the people1 and had found grace in the sight of ,god1 that he might be permitted to behold the essential ,glory of ,him1 with whom he was privileged to speak face to face 7,ex4 xxxiii4 #ac74 ,he asked for more than he1 or any other finite creature1 could endure4 ,the ,facethe essential ,majestyof ,jehovah no man could see and live4 ,but if he ascended the mount on the morrow1 and took precautions that no man or beast appeared in sight1 and brought with him two fresh tables of stone hewn out of the rock1 the ,lord promised that he should see so much of ,his ,glory as mortal eye could bear4 ,accordingly on the morrow with two fresh-hewn tables he ascended1 and awaited the mysterious revelation4 ,every precaution had been taken2 no man was allowed to be seen throughout all the mount1 no flock or herd was suffered to feed before it 7,ex4 xxxiv4 #c74 ,alone1 unattended even by the faithful ,joshua1 the accepted mediator between the people and their invisible ,king stood in a cleft of the rock4 ,and while he stood 8covered with ,jehovah's hand10 the ,lord passed by and proclaimed1 ,the ,lord1 the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth1 keeping mercy for thousands1 forgiving iniquity1 transgression1 and sin1 and that will by no means clear the guilty1 visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children1 and upon the children's children1 unto the third and fourth generation4 ,as ,moses listened to this proclamation of the incommunicable attributes of the ,most ,high8,justice and ,mercy1 ,truth and ,love0like ,elijah after him in a cleft of the same jagged rocks 7#a ,k4 xix4 #i-ac71 he bowed his head towards the earth and worshipped1 and interceded for a more complete renewal of the broken covenant between ,jehovah and ,his people4 ,his prayer was heard4 ,the ,covenant was once more renewed1 and for a second period of forty days and forty nights ,moses remained in the ,divine ,presence1 and received fresh instructions respecting the moral and ceremonial laws of the ,theocracy4 ,at the close of this period1 with the two fresh ,tables1 inscribed with the ,ten ,words1 he again returned to the people4 ,on this occasion1 he retained more permanent marks of the awful converse he had been permitted to hold4 ,aaron and the elders of the people were afraid to approach him1 for the skin of his face shone with a celestial radiance1 and the reflection of ,jehovah's glory gilded his brow4 ,the lawgiver himself1 not aware of the change that had come over his features1 called unto them1 and at length emboldened to approach1 they heard at his mouth all the commands of ,god4 ,but the unearthly splendour was not permanent4 ,lest1 therefore1 the people should behold the fading away of this visible credential of his interview with the ,supreme1 ,moses was in the habit of placing a veil upon his face whenever he departed from them 7,comp4 #b ,cor4 iii4 #ac7gc1 but removed it as often as he was permitted to behold the presence of the ,lord1 and receive fresh renewals of the celestial radiance4 ,,book ,,iv4 ,,the ,,mosaic ,,worship ,,and ,,polity4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,tabernacle4 ,,exod4 ,,xxxvi4-,,xl4 ,b4,c4 #adij4 ,,the encampment of the ,israelites before ,sinai continued for more than a year 7,num4 i4 #a74 ,at this point1 then1 it will be convenient to group together and consider the most important of those ordinances which they now received1 and the chief features of the constitution under which they were called to live4 ,the purpose for which the ,jewish nation was raised up was of the most momentous character4 ,in the midst of surrounding idolatry and moral degeneracy1 they were called to preserve intact the doctrine of the ,unity of ,god1 to be the guardians of ,his gracious promises of ,redemption1 and to exhibit to the world holiness 7,see ,rom4 ix4 #d1 #e74 ,the doctrine of the ,divine ,unity was the kernel of the ,mosaic law1 and as such was defended by the sternest and most rigorous enactments4 ,the ,israelites were forbidden even to mention the names of the gods of the ,canaanite nations 7,ex4 xxiii4 #ac72 they were commanded to burn or destroy their images1 their altars1 their sacred groves 7,ex4 xxiii4 #bd2 xxxiv4 #ac72 they were to deem accursed the precious metals of which their idols were composed 7,deut4 vii4 #be71 and on no pretence whatever were they to conclude any treaty or make any marriage with them 7,deut4 vii4 #b1 #c74 ,relapse into idolatry was to be regarded as the greatest crime1 and whether committed by a city or an individual was to be punished with unrelenting severity4 ,in the latter case1 death by stoning was the inevitable penalty2 in the former1 all the inhabitants were to be put to the sword1 the whole spoil was to be collected into a heap and burnt1 and a solemn curse was to be pronounced against any one who attempted to rebuild it 7,deut4 xiii4 #f-ah74 ,no less vigorous were the enactments against the construction of any representation of the true ,god under any form or similitude1 whether of man or animal1 of bird or fish or star4 ,but while all idolatrous forms of worship were thus rigorously forbidden1 the ,almighty condescended to make known to ,his people the way in which ,he was willing to receive their adoration4 ,stooping to the infirmities of a nation just delivered from degrading bondage1 ,he took them by the hand1 and provided for the wants of their religious nature in a way marvellously adapted to their native genius and character1 as also to their previous habits and modes of thought4 ,and first1 that the ,israelites might have a visible assurance of the ,divine presence in their midst1 a sanctuary was to be erected1 not according to any model suggested by the people themselves1 but according to a ,divine pattern shown to ,moses in the ,mount 7,ex4 xxv4 #i2 ,heb4 viii4 #e74 ,the ,patriarchs had their pillars of stone 7,gen4 xxviii4 #ah1 #ai71 or the shade of the consecrated grove 7,gen4 xxi4 #cc74 ,the ,egyptian had his huge colossal temples1 built of vast granite blocks1 or hewn out of the solid rock4 ,not such was to be the sanctuary of ,jehovah amongst a people journeying through a wilderness to a ,promised ,land4 ,as the nomad chief had his tent in the midst of his tribe1 so ,jehovah1 as the ,head of the ,hebrew pilgrim-nation1 ordained that a ,tent or ,tabernacle should be erected for ,him1 where ,he might meet and speak unto ,his people1 and they might draw nigh to ,him4 ,i will sanctify1 said ,god1 the ,tabernacle of meeting1 444 there will ,i meet with 444 and will dwell among the children of ,israel1 and will be their ,god1 and they shall know that ,i am the ,lord their ,god 7,ex4 xxix4 #db-df2 xxx4 #f1 #cf74 ,in the erection of this ,pavilion-,temple every member of the nation was invited to take a part1 and to contribute either the gold and jewels of which the ,egyptians had been spoiled1 or the arts which1 as we have seen1 many of the ,israelites had learnt from them4 ,while1 therefore1 the superintendence of the work was entrusted to two skilful artificers1 ,,bezaleel of the tribe of ,judah1 and ,,aholiab of the tribe of ,dan 7,ex4 xxxi4 #b1 #f2 xxxv4 #cd71 many of the congregation contributed offerings of gold and silver and brass1 of blue and red and crimson1 of fine linen1 and goat-skins1 and ram-skins dyed red4 ,others were despatched in different directions throughout the fertile valley where they were encamped1 to fell the ,shittah or ,acacia tree1 which grew abundantly in the neighbourhood of ,sinai1 and was exactly adapted by its durability and lightness for the construction of a moveable tent1 and while the workmen prepared it for its different purposes1 the women employed themselves diligently in weaving and spinning blue and crimson hangings1 thus consecrating the arts which they had learnt1 while serving as bondslaves in the houses of the princes of ,egypt 7,ex4 xxxv4 #bj-ce74 7,a7 ,the ,,area1 or ,court1 within which the ,tabernacle stood1 was an oblong square1 #ajj cubits#gd in length by #ej in breadth1 formed by curtains of fine linen #e cubits in height1 hanging from pillars of wood with capitals overlaid with silver and furnished with sockets of brass4 ,these pillars1 #bj on each longer side and #aj on each shorter1 were held together by means of silver rods attached by silver hooks1 and were fastened into the ground by means of pegs of brass4 ,the entrance#ge was from the east1 so as to catch the rays of the rising sun4 ,here the curtains extended only #ae cubits from each corner1 and the intervening space with its #d pillars formed the entrance1 and was overhung with curtains of fine twined linen1 of the richest and most brilliant colours1 blue and purple and scarlet4 ,in a line with the ,entrance and the ,tabernacle itself stood 7a7 ,,the ,,altar ,,of ,,burnt-,,sacrifice1 and 7b7 ,,the ,,great ,,laver ,,for ,,purification4 7a7 ,the ,altar of ,burnt-offering#gf 7called in ,malachi i4 #g1 #ab1 the table of the ,lord7 was in form a square1 #e cubits long1 #e broad1 and #c high1 and was constructed of hollow boards of acacia-wood overlaid with brass 7,ex4 xxvii4 #d1 #e74 ,so long as the ,tabernacle was stationed in any one place1 these were probably filled with earth1 which thus formed the upper side or surface1 on which the sacrifices were offered4 ,each corner of the altar was furnished with horns of acacia-wood overlaid with brass2 to these the victims were fastened1 and on them their blood was sprinkled at the consecration of the priests1 and the sacrifice of the sin-offering 7,ps4 cxviii4 #bg2 ,ex4 xxix4 #ab2 ,levit4 iv4 #g1 #ah1 #be74 ,from each side projected a horizontal ledge1 to the outer edge of which was attached a perpendicular grating of brass1 resting like the ,altar upon the ground1 for the purpose of catching any portions of the sacrifice or the fuel that might fall4 ,the ledge1 on which the priests officiated1 was approached by a slope of earth1 for the ,law forbade the construction of steps leading up to the altar 7,ex4 xx4 #bf74 ,the implements used in the sacrifices1 such as pans and shovels for collecting and removing the ashes1 basins for receiving the blood1 fleshhooks for turning the pieces of flesh1 were all of brass 7,ex4 xxvii4 #c2 see #a ,sam4 ii4 #ac1 #ad74 7b7 ,the great ,laver for purification stood between the ,altar of ,burnt-offering and the ,tabernacle4 ,it was made of the brass from the metal mirrors belonging to the women who served at the door of the ,tabernacle 7,ex4 xxxviii4 #h71 and was probably of a circular form standing on a basis or foot4 ,in it the flesh of the victims was washed1 as also the hands and feet of the priests1 before they performed any holy function 7,ex4 xxx4 #ah-ba74 7,b7 ,the ,,tabernacle itself was entered1 at its eastern side1 through a magnificent curtain1 #aj cubits in width1 supported on five pillars 7,ex4 xxvi474 ,its dimensions inside were #cj cubits in length1 #aj in breadth1 and #aj in height4 ,it was formed of planks of acacia-wood overlaid with gold1 fixed into the ground by means of two tenons1 each fitting into a socket of silver1 resembling the sharp end of a spear4 ,at the top they were united by bars of acacia-wood1 #e bars to each piece1 passing through golden rings4 ,the roof was formed of several sets of curtains2 the innermost1 #aj in number1 formed of fine twined linen of various colours1 and adorned with cherubic figures of curious workmanship2 next to these were #aa curtains of goats' hair2 then one of rams' skins with the wool on dyed red2 and lastly1 another of badgers'1 or1 more probably1 seals' skins#gg4 ,the ,tabernacle consisted of two portions1 7a7 ,,the ,,holy ,,place1 and 7b7 ,,the ,,holy ,,of ,,holies 7,ex4 xxvi4 #cc1 #cd3 and comp4 ,heb4 ix4 #b1 #c74 7a7 ,the ,holy ,place1 #bj cubits in length and #aj in height and width1 was divided from the ,holy of ,holies by a veil of the most costly materials and the most splendid colours4 ,without any opening to admit the light from above1 it was illumined only by a ,golden ,lamp or ,candlestick1 with seven lights1 fed with pure olive oil1 kept burning day and night1 and trimmed each morning by a priest with golden snuffers1 who carried away the snuff in golden dishes4 ,from the base1 on which the lamp rested1 rose a shaft dividing itself on either side into three branches1 so that it had seven arms1 each adorned with calyxes of almond flowers1 apples1 and buds of pomegranates or lilies 7,ex4 xxv4 #ca2 xxxvii4 #ag-be2 ,heb4 ix4 #b74 ,opposite the ,golden ,lamp was the ,table of ,shewbread 7,ex4 xxv4 #bc-bi71 made of acacia-wood1 overlaid with gold1 #b cubits in length1 #a in breadth1 and #a in height1 and standing on #d feet4 ,it had a border to prevent the loaves from falling off1 and was furnished with rings and staves for removal4 ,belonging to it were cups or spoons for incense1 bowls for wine1 dishes for bringing and removing the loaves1 all of gold4 ,these loaves1 called also bread of the face1 being set before the face of the ,lord 7,levit4 xxiv4 #e-i71 were twelve in number1 according to the number of the tribes4 ,baked of the finest meal1 flat and thin1 they were placed every ,sabbath on the ,table in #b rows1 #f in each1 and sprinkled with incense1 and accompanied with libations of wine in the golden bowls4 ,here they remained till the next ,sabbath1 when they were taken away and replaced by twelve fresh loaves1 and eaten by the priests#gh in the ,holy ,place1 out of which they might not be carried1 the frankincense having been burnt as an oblation on the ,altar of ,sacrifice4 ,between the ,table of ,shewbread and the ,golden ,lamp and immediately before#gi the veil separating the ,holy ,place from the ,holy of ,holies was the ,golden ,altar of ,incense 7,ex4 xxx4 #a-aa74 ,made of acacia-wood1 in shape a square1 #a cubit in length and breadth and #b in height1 and ornamented round the middle with a golden wreath1 it was furnished1 like the ,altar of ,burnt-offering1 with horns1 rings1 and staves2 but unlike it was wholly overlaid with gold4 ,on it incense1 carefully prepared of four different ingredients 7,ex4 xxx4 #cd-ch71 was placed by the officiating priest morning and evening1 with live coals taken from the ,altar of ,burnt-offering1 that the smoke of the incense might perpetually ascend before the ,lord4 ,once a year its horns were sprinkled with the blood of the sin-offering of the ,atonement1 and on no other occasion1 except when a sin-offering was presented for the ,high-priest or the congregation4 7b7 ,the ,holy of ,holies1 separated1 as we have just said1 from the ,holy ,place by a costly veil supported on a screen of #d pillars1 formed a perfect cube of #aj cubits in length1 breadth1 and height4 ,while the ,holy ,place1 though never penetrated by the daylight1 was illumined by the splendid ,golden ,lamp1 the ,holy of ,holies was left in utter darkness1 symbolical of ,him whom no man hath seen1 nor can see 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af74 ,within this most sacred enclosure neither priests nor people as a body1 but the ,high-,priest only1 and that but once a year1 ever entered4 ,here stood nothing but the ,,ark of the ,covenant 7,ex4 xxv4 #aj-af74 ,this was an oblong chest of acacia-wood overlaid with the purest gold within and without1 #b cubits in length1 #a in breadth1 #a in height4 ,it stood on #d small feet1 which were provided with #d golden rings1 through which staves of acacia-wood overlaid with gold were passed1 and which when once inserted were never to be removed4 ,within it were placed#hj the two stone tables1 on both sides of which the ,decalogue had been inscribed4 ,round the top ran a crown or wreath of pure gold1 and upon it was the ,mercy-,seat1 of the same dimensions as the ,ark1 made not of wood overlaid with gold1 but entirely of pure gold4 ,at either end of the ,mercy-,seat rose two golden ,cherubim1 with outspread wings and faces turned towards each other1 and eyes bent downwards1 as though desirous to look into its mysteries 7#a ,pet4 i4 #ab74 ,neither their size nor their form are distinctly described4 ,by some they are thought to have been handed down by patriarchal tradition from those which were placed in ,paradise 7,gen4 iii4 #bd72 by others to have resembled ,egyptian models2 while ,josephus 7,ant4 ,,iii4 vi4 #e7 declares that they resembled no figures known to men1 and that in his day their form was utterly lost4 ,in ,ezekiel 7i4 #e-ac7 we find them likened to compound figures with the head of a man1 an ox1 a lion1 and an eagle1 with four wings1 two serving for flight1 two to cover the body1 and straight feet inflexible at the knee4 ,it is not improbable that they represented the manifold powers of naturecreated life in its highest formtheir overshadowing wings meeting as in perfect harmony1 their eyes cast downwards towards the ,divine ,law1 over which seemingly so rigid and unbending was the compassion of ,,one forgiving iniquity1 transgression and sin#ha4 ,,note4 ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,tabernacle4 ,,such was the ,pavilion-,temple which ,moses constructed according to the pattern shown him in the ,mount4 ,the chief facts connected with its history are as follows4 i4 ,during the wanderings in the wilderness it was the one place1 where ,jehovah 8met ,his people10 and where from the ineffable glory above the mercy-seat ,he revealed ,his ,will4 ,there the ,spirit came upon the #gj elders and they prophesied 7,num4 xi4 #bd1 #be72 thither ,moses and ,aaron were summoned on all important occasions1 as on that of the rebellion of ,miriam 7,num4 xii4 #d71 of the unfaithfulness of the spies 7xiv4 #aj71 of the rebellion of ,korah 7xvi4 #ai71 of the sin of ,meribah 7xx4 #f72 there on the death of ,moses his successor was solemnly appointed 7,deut4 xxxi4 #ad74 ii4 ,during the conquest of ,canaan it was1 probably1 moved from place to place1 wherever the host of ,israel was encamped4 iii4 ,afterwards it was brought to ,shiloh 7,josh4 ix4 #bg2 xviii4 #a2 xix4 #ea71 on account1 doubtless1 of its secluded and central position1 and as being within the territory of the powerful tribe of ,ephraim1 to which ,joshua belonged1 and here it remained during the entire period of the ,judges 7comp4 ,josh4 xix4 #ea2 xxii4 #ab2 ,judg4 xxi4 #ba74 iv4 ,but in the time of ,eli1 the licentiousness of his sons stained the sanctity of ,shiloh1 and degraded the ,tabernacle almost to the level of a heathen temple 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #bb71 while the capture of the ark by the ,philistines 7#a ,sam4 iv4 #bb7 still further dimmed its glories1 and ,samuel himself sacrificed at other places1 ,mizpeh 7#a ,sam4 vii4 #i71 ,ramah 7ix4 #ab2 x4 #c71 ,gilgal 7x4 #h2 xi4 #ae74 v4 ,after this it was for some time settled at ,nob 7#a ,sam4 xx4 #a-f71 and thither also misfortune followed it3 ,saul murdered the priests 7#a ,sam4 xxii4 #aa-ai71 and ,abiathar fled with the sacred ephod to ,david 7xxiii4 #f74 vi4 ,in the time of ,david and ,solomon we find it at ,gibeon 7#a ,chron4 xvi4 #ci2 xxi4 #bi71 but the ark was now removed to ,kirjath-jearim1 and afterwards1 on the capture of ,jerusalem1 to that city1 where a new ,tabernacle was constructed to receive it 7#a ,sam4 vi4 #ag2 #a ,chron4 xv4 #a74 ,its glory now waned more and more1 it became connected with the worship of the high-places 7#a ,kings iii4 #d71 retained only the old altar of burnt-offering 7#a ,chron4 xxi4 #bi71 and eventually it seems to have been either taken down1 or left to be forgotten and 8vanish away#hb40 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,priests4 ,,ex4 ,,xxviii4 ,,xxix4 ,,lev4 ,,viii4 ,,ix4 ,,num4 ,,iii4 ,,iv4 ,,prior to the ,mosaic period1 as has been already noticed#hc1 the head of each family and the firstborn appear to have exercised all kinds of government1 ecclesiastical as well as civil1 being both kings and priests in their own houses4 ,at the departure1 however1 from ,egypt1 it was declared that all the firstborn were specially sanctified to ,god in token of the mercy shown to them there 7,ex4 xiii4 #b71 and when ,moses received the ,divine commands concerning the construction of the ,tabernacle1 it was ordered that from the children of ,israel ,aaron and his sons should be specially selected to minister in the priests' office 7,ex4 xxviii4 #a74 ,subsequently1 when the whole tribe of ,levi displayed such signal zeal on the occasion of the construction of the golden calf 7,ex4 xxxii4 #bf71 that tribe was separated for the service of the sanctuary1 and accepted in the place of the firstborn1 as the royal guard to wait on ,israel's ,king 7,num4 i4 #dg-ed2 iii4 #e-ac74 ,but though the whole tribe was set apart for these important purposes1 a strictly prescribed order regulated its particular functions to each branch1 of which there were three1 7a7 ,,the ,,levites1 7b7 ,,the ,,priests1 7c7 ,,the ,,high-,,priest4 7a7 ,the ,levites entered on their duties at the age of #cj 7,num4 iv4 #bc1 #cj1 #ce71 and were consecrated1 not as the priests1 by anointing and investiture1 but by a ceremony of washing accompanied by sacrifices1 after which the elders laid their hands upon them1 and ,aaron presented them as a wave-offering before the ,lord1 in token that they were offered to the ,lord by the congregation for the service of the sanctuary1 and handed over by ,him to the ,priests#hd4 ,thus occupying a middle place between the people1 who were all ideally a kingdom of priests1 and the higher sacerdotal orders1 they might approach nearer to the ,tabernacle than the other tribes1 but they might not offer sacrifice1 nor burn incense1 nor handle the holy vessels of the ,sanctuary1 till they were concealed from view 7,num4 iv4 #ae74 ,the ,levites1 then1 were the assistants of the priests1 and consisted of three families or sections1 the sons of ,,gershon1 ,,kohath1 and ,,merari4 i4 ,the ,kohathites held the first rank1 as being the family to which ,aaron belonged4 ,it was their duty1 on the removal of the ,tabernacle1 to bear all the sacred vessels1 including the ,ark itself1 but not before the priests had concealed them from the profane gaze with a dark blue pall 7,num4 iii4 #ca2 iv4 #f1 #i1 #ae2 ,deut4 xxxi4 #be74 ii4 ,the ,gershonites were charged with the removal of the curtains1 veils1 and tent-hangings 7,num4 iv4 #bb-bf74 iii4 ,to the ,merarites was entrusted the heavier portion of the ,tabernacle furniture1 such as the boards1 pillars1 and bars1 and therefore with the ,gershonites they were permitted to use the oxen and waggons contributed by the congregation1 while the ,kohathites were only suffered to remove the sacred vessels on their shoulders 7,num4 vii4 #a-i74 ,with this arrangement agreed their position in the encampment in the wilderness4 ,while the place of honour on the east was occupied by the sons of ,aaron1 the ,kohathites were on the south1 the ,gershonites on the west1 the ,merarites on the north4 ,in place of territorial possessions1 the ,levites received the tithe of the produce of land and cattle1 of which they again gave one-tenth to the priests 7,num4 xviii4 #bd-bf74 ,at the close of the wanderings they would need a more fixed abode1 and #dh cities with suburbs of pasture-land for their flocks and herds were assigned them4 ,of these the ,levites had #ce2 ,kohath #aj2 ,gershon #ac2 ,merari #ab2 while the remaining #ac1 including the six ,cities of ,refuge1 were assigned to the ,priests4 ,it was also designed that at the settlement of the nation in the ,land of ,promise their functions should be not only diffused as widely as possible1 but should include others besides those of merely assisting the priests4 ,they were to take the place of the old household priests1 to share in all festivals and rejoicings 7,deut4 xii4 #ai2 xiv4 #bf1 #bg2 xxvi4 #aa71 to preserve and transcribe the law 7,deut4 xvii4 #i-ab71 and to read it publicly at the ,feast of ,tabernacles every seventh year 7,deut4 xxxi4 #i-ac74 7b7 ,the ,priests were consecrated to their office with far more imposing ceremonies than the ,levites4 ,after laying aside their old garments1 they washed their bodies with pure water1 were anointed with the holy oil1 and then arrayed in their new vestments 7,ex4 xxix4 #d-g74 ,themselves compassed about with infirmity1 they needed to offer up sacrifice first for their own sins before they could intercede for others 7,heb4 v4 #b2 vii4 #bg74 ,on the head therefore of a bullock they solemnly laid their hands1 and thus symbolically transferred to it the guilt that clung to themselves2 then in token of their entire devotion to their solemn calling1 a ram was slain as a burnt-offering1 and its blood sprinkled on the altar 7,ex4 xxix4 #aj-ah2 ,lev4 viii4 #ah1 #ai74 ,another ram was next slain as a peace-offering1 and some of its blood was smeared on the tip of the right ear1 the thumb of the right hand1 the great toe of the right foot1 in token of their intention to devote every member to the service of ,jehovah2 and finally1 as they were not only to intercede for the guilt of the people1 but to offer their praises and thanksgiving1 sacrificial cakes of unleavened bread with portions of the sacrifice were placed in their hands1 and these they waved before the ,lord 7,ex4 xxix4 #ai-bd74 ,the vestments they wore during their ministrations consisted of fine linen drawers1 and over these a closely-fitting tunic or cassock1 white1 woven whole in one piece and broidered1 reaching to the feet4 ,this was confined round the waist by a girdle wrought with needle-work1 exhibiting the three sacred colours1 blue1 purple1 and scarlet1 intermingled with white4 ,upon their heads they wore a linen tiara in the form of the calyx of a flower4 ,in all their ministrations they seem to have been bare-footed4 ,certain qualifications were essential before they could enter on the discharge of their duties4 ,as the victim was required to be without blemish1 so also was the sacrificer1 and in ,levit4 xxi4 #ag-ba the defects are enumerated1 which excluded from the priestly office4 ,during their period of ministration they might drink neither wine nor strong drink 7,levit4 x4 #i72 except in the case of the nearest relatives they might make no mourning for the dead 7,levit4 xxi4 #a-e72 or shave their heads1 or1 like the priests of heathen nations1 8make cuttings in their flesh10 or otherwise mutilate themselves 7,levit4 xix4 #bh2 #a ,kings xviii4 #bh74 ,they were permitted to marry1 but might not ally themselves with one of an alien race1 or an unchaste woman1 or one who had been divorced1 or the widow of any one but a priest 7,lev4 xxi4 #g1 #ad74 ,their duties were to keep the fire ever burning on the altar of burnt-offering both day and night 7,levit4 vi4 #ab72 to trim and feed with oil the golden lamp 7,ex4 xxvii4 #bj1 #ba72 to offer morning and evening the regulated sacrifices at the door of the ,tabernacle 7,ex4 xxix4 #ch-dd72 to lay the fresh shewbread on the table every seventh day 7,lev4 xxiv4 #h72 to blow the silver trumpets and proclaim all solemn days 7,num4 x4 #a-aj72 to examine the lepers and pronounce whether they were clean or unclean 7,lev4 xiii472 to act as judges and expositors of the law1 and teach the people the statutes of the ,lord 7,lev4 x4 #aa2 ,deut4 xxxiii4 #aj74 ,a distinct provision was made for their support1 and consisted of 7i7 one-tenth of the tithes of the whole produce of the country paid to the ,levites 7,num4 xviii4 #ba1 #bf72 7ii7 the loaves of shewbread 7,levit4 xxiv4 #i72 7iii7 the firstfruits of oil1 wine1 and corn 7,num4 xviii4 #ab72 7iv7 the redemption-money for the firstborn of man or beast1 five shekels a head1 and also for everything devoted 7,num4 xviii4 #ad1 #ae72 7v7 the perquisites of the sacrifices1 the flesh of the burnt-offerings1 peace-offerings1 and trespass-offerings1 and especially the heave-shoulder and the wave-breast 7,num4 xviii4 #h-ad2 ,levit4 x4 #ab-ae72 7vi7 a fixed portion of the spoils taken in war 7,num4 xxxi4 #be-dg74 7c7 ,the office of ,high-priest was conferred first on ,aaron1 then on his son ,eleazar#he and his descendants4 ,at some period before the time of ,eli1 the succession passed to the line of ,ithamar1 and there continued till the time of ,solomon1 in whose reign it reverted to the line of ,eleazar 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #ce2 #a ,kings ii4 #ce74 ,the same ceremonies accompanied the consecration of the ,high-priest as that of the priests1 save that the anointing1 which in the latter appears to have been confined to the sprinkling of their garments with the sacred oil1 was more copious in his case1 and the oil was poured upon his head 7,lev4 viii4 #ab2 ,ps4 cxxxiii4 #b74 ,the vestments of the ,high-priest were far more rich and splendid than those of the priests4 ,like the latter he wore the linen drawers1 but in place of the closely-fitting tunic he wore the robe of the ,ephod1 which was all blue1 of woven work1 without sleeves1 reaching down to the feet1 and drawn over the head through an opening1 which was fringed with a border of woven work to prevent its rending4 ,the skirt of this robe was set with a trimming of pomegranates of the three sacred colours1 blue1 crimson1 and purple1 with a golden bell between each pomegranate1 designed to give forth a tinkling sound as he went in and out of the holy place4 ,immediately above this robe was the ,ephod itself1 a short cloak consisting of two parts1 one covering the back1 and the other the breast and upper part of the body1 wrought with colours and gold4 ,the two halves were united on the shoulder with two onyx stones1 on each of which were engraved the names of six of the tribes4 ,it was gathered round the waist by a curious girdle of fine twined linen1 adorned with gold1 blue1 purple1 and scarlet4 ,just above the girdle1 and attached to the ,ephod by rings and ribbons of blue1 was the ,breast-plate1 or the ,breast-plate of ,judgment4 ,this1 like the ,ephod1 was of cunning work1 a square of a span breadth1 formed double so as to make a bag1 set with #ab precious stones1 in #d rows1 each engraved with the name of one of the tribes4 ,within the ,breast-plate was the ,urim and the ,thummim 7,light and ,perfection1 ,ex4 xxviii4 #ae-cj74 ,not a word in ,scripture explains the meaning of these mysterious objects1 but they were certainly employed in some way now unknown for ascertaining the ,divine will 7comp4 #a ,sam4 xxviii4 #f2 ,judg4 i4 #a2 xx4 #ah2 #a ,sam4 xiv4 #c1 #ah2 xxiii4 #i2 #b ,sam4 xxi4 #a74 ,some identify them with the twelve stones inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes1 and suppose that 8the illumination1 simultaneous or successive1 of the letters0 guided the ,high-priest to the answer2 others think that within the ,breast-plate was a stone or a plate of gold inscribed with the name of ,jehovah1 and that by means of this he was enabled to discern the ,divine ,voice1 as it proceeded from the glories of the ,shechinah4 ,like the other members of the order1 the ,high-priest wore on his head a tiara1 but attached to this by a blue ribbon was a gold plate1 on which was engraved ,holiness to the ,lord 7,ex4 xxviii4 #cf-ci2 xxxix4 #cj74 ,some of the functions of the ,high-priest were peculiar4 7i7 ,to him alone it appertained to enter the ,holy of ,holies on one day in the year1 the day of ,atonement1 to sprinkle the blood of the sin-offering on the mercy-seat1 and burn incense within the veil 7,lev4 xvi474 ,on this occasion he did not wear his full pontifical dress1 but was arrayed entirely in fine white linen 7,lev4 xvi4 #d1 #cb71 a custom which afterwards seems to have undergone some change4 7ii7 ,to him alone it belonged to consult the ,divine ,oracle 7,num4 xxvii4 #ba71 and preside over the ,court of ,judgment 7,deut4 xvii4 #i74 7iii7 ,even greater purity and blamelessness was required of him than of the other priests2 he could marry none but a virgin in the first freshness of her youth 7,lev4 xxi4 #ac71 and as illegitimacy was an absolute bar to the office1 the importance attached to genealogies was great1 and in these the name of the mother as well as father was registered4 ,the office lasted for life1 but does not seem to have had any peculiar emoluments attached to it over and above those enjoyed by the ,priests4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,sacrifices ,,and ,,offerings4 ,,ex4 ,,xxix4 ,,xxx4 ,,lev4 ,i4-,,vi4 ,,num4 ,,xv4 ,,the rite of sacrifice so universal in the ancient world came down to the ,israelites from the earliest times1 from the days of their forefathers ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 and the generations that lived before the ,flood1 and was regulated by ,moses with the utmost precision4 ,one rule applied to all sacrifices4 ,they could only be offered on the ,great ,brazen ,altar of the ,tabernacle4 ,to offer them on high places1 or spots selected by the caprice of the worshipper was expressly forbidden 7,lev4 xvii4 #d2 ,deut4 xii4 #ac1 #ad71 though this rule appears to have been subsequently relaxed in the case of the prophets 7#a ,sam4 xiii4 #h-ad2 xvi4 #a-e2 #a ,kings xviii4 #ba-dj74 ,perhaps the simplest classification of sacrifices is that which arranges them under the heads of 7,i7 ,,those ,,offered ,,without1 and 7,,ii7 ,,those ,,offered ,,with ,,blood4 ,i4 ,unbloody sacrifices will include 7a7 ,first-fruits and ,tithes1 7b7 ,meat- and ,drink-offerings1 7c7 ,incense4 7a7 ,first-fruits and ,tithes were presented by every ,israelite to the priests in token of gratitude and humble thankfulness to ,jehovah1 and consisted of the produce of the land either in its natural state1 as grain1 fruit1 grapes1 wool1 or prepared for human use1 as meal1 oil1 new wine 7,ex4 xxiii4 #ai2 ,num4 xviii4 #ab2 ,deut4 xviii4 #d74 ,to the ,levites also was paid the tenth part of all produce of the land and of cattle 7,lev4 xxvii4 #cj-cc2 ,num4 xviii4 #ba-bd74 7b7 ,meat- and ,drink-offerings generally accompanied each other4 ,the ,meat-offering was composed of fine flour seasoned with salt1 and mingled with frankincense and oil1 but without leaven4 ,a portion of the flour and oil the priest placed upon the altar1 together with all the frankincense1 and there burnt them1 the rest of the flour and oil becoming his own perquisite4 ,sometimes cakes of fine flour were offered with oil and salt1 but without leaven or honey 7,lev4 ii4 and vi4 #ad-bc74 ,a ,drink-offering consisted of wine1 which was poured at the foot of the altar2 the quantity varying according to the victim1 being for a lamb or kid a quarter of a hin 7 #a gallon1 #b pints72 for a ram one-third1 for a bullock one-half 7,num4 xv4 #e1 #g1 #aj2 xxviii4 #ad74 ,by these offerings1 as by those of tithes and first-fruits1 the ,israelite acknowledged the undeserved bounty of ,jehovah1 and dedicated to ,him the best of ,his gifts1 flour the staff of life1 wine the symbol of strengthening and refreshing1 oil the symbol of richness4 7,comp4 ,ps4 civ4 #ae47 ,the ,meat-offering might be presented1 ,either 7#a7 by itself as a free-will offering1 as in the instance of 7i7 the twelve unleavened cakes on the ,table of ,shew-bread1 7ii7 the sheaf of the first-fruits of barley on the second day of the ,passover1 7iii7 the two wheaten loaves at ,pentecost1 ,or 7#b7 together with the ,burnt- and ,thank-offering1 but not with the ,sin- or ,trespass-offering2 as 7,i7 of public sacrifices1 with 7i7 the daily morning and evening sacrifice1 7ii7 the ,sabbath-offering1 7iii7 the offering at the new moon1 7iv7 on the great day of ,atonement2 7,,ii7 of private sacrifices1 at 7i7 the consecration of priests and ,levites1 7ii7 the cleansing of the leper1 7iii7 the termination of the ,nazarite vow4 7c7 ,incense1 the last example of an unbloody offering1 accompanied every proper meat-offering1 but was also offered daily on the golden altar in the ,holy ,place1 and on the great day of ,atonement was burnt in the ,holy of ,holies by the ,high-priest before the ,ark4 ,the greatest pains were taken in its preparation4 ,it was compounded by the 8art of the apothecary0 of four ingredients beaten small#hf1 stacte1 onycha1 galbanum1 and pure frankincense 7,ex4 xxx4 #cd-cf71 nor could any other kind be offered 7,ex4 xxx4 #i74 ,desecration of this incense by using it for common purposes was to be punished with death 7,ex4 xxx4 #ch74 ,,ii4 ,in reference to the second class of sacrifices1 in which the life of a victim was taken and its blood poured upon the ,altar1 it is to be observed that these were limited to the herd1 the flock1 and all clean birds4 ,all wild and unclean beasts were strictly excluded4 ,the ,israelite was to select only those animals which were most nearly connected with man1 and of these1 again1 such as were most meek1 innocent1 pure1 and valuable1 such as oxen1 sheep1 goats1 pigeons1 and turtle-doves#hg4 ,the selected victim was required to be perfect of its kind and without blemish1 not less than eight days old1 and usually a year4 ,if it was blind1 or broken1 or maimed1 or had any defect1 as a wen or scab1 it could not be offered 7,lev4 xxii4 #bj-bg2 ,deut4 xv4 #ba1 #bb2 xvii4 #a74 ,such being the conditions respecting the victim1 the offerer was required first to purify himself by ablutions1 and then to bring the victim to the door of the ,tabernacle1 i4e4 to the ,great ,brazen ,altar of ,burnt-offering in the court4 ,there1 whatever might be the precise kind of offering1 he was to lay his hand on its head in token of surrender1 dedication1 and substitution1 and then to slay it himself 7,lev4 i4 #e74 ,he had now performed his part1 all the rest devolved upon the priest4 ,he began by receiving the blood of the animal in a vessel1 and then sprinkled it in different ways upon the ,brazen ,altar 7,lev4 iv4 #f1 #g1 #be2 v4 #i71 or1 as we shall see1 in some cases1 on the ,golden ,altar of ,incense1 and1 on one day in the year1 on the ,mercy-seat in the ,holy of ,holies4 ,he then performed other ceremonies1 which varied according to the nature of the sacrifice4 ,but uniformly it was required 7a7 of the offerer1 7i7 to bring his victim to the altar1 7ii7 to lay his hand upon it1 and 7iii7 to slay it2 7b7 of the priest1 7i7 to receive the blood in a vessel1 and 7ii7 to sprinkle it upon the altar4 ,of the bloody sacrifices the chief were 7a7 ,,burnt-,,offerings1 7b7 ,,peace-,,offerings1 7c7 ,,sin- ,,and ,,trespass-,,offerings4 7a7 ,in the case of the ,burnt-offering1 any kind of animal fit for sacrifice might be offered1 but the victim was always required to be a male1 and to be accompanied by a meat-offering4 ,after presentation at the great altar1 imposition of the hands of the sacrificer1 and slaughtering1 the priest sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about 7,lev4 i4 #e1 #aa74 ,the victim was then flayed1 washed with water1 and cut in pieces1 and the parts thus divided were laid on the altar upon the wood1 and entirely consumed by fire4 ,the burning by fire was the chief point in this class of offering1 and 8marked it as an expression of perpetual obligation to complete1 sanctified1 self-surrender to ,jehovah#hh40 ,hence it was not presented1 like the sin- and trespass-offerings1 upon the commission of any particular sin1 nor like the peace-offerings upon the acceptance of any special ,divine mercies2 it embodied the general idea of sacrifice1 and in a sense represented the whole sacrificial institute4 ,every morning and evening1 therefore1 a lamb was sacrificed with its usual meat- and drink-offering as a burnt-offering on behalf of the whole covenant people1 and the evening victim was to be so slowly consumed that it might last till the morning1 an expressive symbol of that continual self-dedication to ,god which is the duty of man#hi 7,ex4 xxix4 #ch-dd2 ,lev4 vi4 #i-ac74 7b7 ,of ,peace-offerings there were three kinds1 representing various emotions of the offerer1 the thank-offering1 the freewill gift1 and the vow 7,lev4 iii4 #a-ag2 vii4 #aa-ba1 #bh-cf74 ,the nature of the offering was left to the sacrificer2 it might be taken from the herd or from the flock1 might be male or female1 but not birds 7,lev4 iii4 #a74 ,like the burnt-offering it was always accompanied by a meat-offering1 which consisted of unleavened cakes mingled with oil1 and leavened bread 7,lev4 vii4 #ab1 #ac74 ,the ritual of the ,peace-offering was up to a certain point the same as that of the ,burnt-offering4 ,the sacrificer brought his victim to the ,brazen ,altar1 laid his hands upon it and slew it1 while the priest sprinkled the blood upon the altar2 but after this there was a distinction4 ,the victim was divided1 and the priest laid upon the altar the fat of the kidneys1 and the 8lobe0 or flap of the liver1 and in the case of a sheep the fat tail1 and burnt them with fire4 ,he then separated the right shoulder and breast1 and waved them before the ,lord1 and they became his portion which he was to eat in a clean place with his family and friends4 ,the remaining portions of the victim were then restored to the sacrificer1 who the same day feasted thereon1 together with his whole family and his friends 7,lev4 vii4 #ae-ba2 xix4 #f2 xxii4 #cj74 ,this ,sacrificial ,feast was peculiar to the ,peace-offerings1 and indicated that the atonement was complete1 that the sin was covered and cancelled which had separated the offerer from ,jehovah1 who now welcomed him to ,his table1 and in this meal gave him a pledge of reconciliation4 8,to an ,oriental mind two ideas were inseparably united in the notion of a meal2 on the one hand1 that of fellowship and friendship existing among the participators themselves1 and also between them and the provider of the meal2 and on the other hand1 that of joy and gladness1 so that even the highest and purest joy1 viz4 blessedness in the kingdom of heaven is described under the figure of a meal#ij0 7,ps4 xxiii4 #e2 xxxvi4 #h2 ,matt4 viii4 #aa2 xxii4 #b-ac2 ,lk4 xiv4 #af74 ,as the total consumption by fire on the altar was the culminating point in the burnt-offering1 so this sacrificial feast was that of the peace-offering1 which1 therefore1 whenever presented with other offerings1 was invariably the last#ia4 7,comp4 ,ex4 xxiv4 #e1 #aa2 xxix4 #a-cb74 7c7 ,the ,sin- and ,trespass-offerings were peculiar to the ,mosaic ,law1 which was added on account of transgression 7,gal4 iii4 #ai71 and deepened the knowledge and conviction of sin 7,rom4 vii4 #g1 c474 7a7 ,the ,sin-offering consisted of one animal only1 and was not accompanied by a meat-offering4 ,the victim if offered for the whole covenant people was a kid of the goats 7,lev4 xvi4 #e1 #i1 #ae2 ,num4 xxviii4 #ae1 #bb1 #cj72 for the priests and ,levites at their consecration a young bullock 7,ex4 xxix4 #aa2 ,numb4 viii4 #h ff472 for the ,high-priest on the great day of ,atonement a young bullock 7,lev4 xvi4 #c1 #f1 #aa72 for the purification of women after childbirth a young pigeon or turtle-dove 7,lev4 xii4 #f1 #h2 comp4 ,lk4 ii4 #bb1 #bd72 for the cleansing of a leper or a leprous house a yearling ewe2 or1 in a case of poverty1 a bird for the leper and two for the house 7,lev4 xiv4 #ac1 #bb-di72 for an inadvertent transgression of some prohibition1 7a7 on the part of the whole congregation or the ,high-priest1 a young bullock1 7b7 a prince1 a he-goat1 7c7 a common man1 a yearling ewe or kid 7,lev4 iv4 #a-ce74 ,the ,ritual of the ,sin-offering deserves attention4 ,the offerer brought the victim to the great altar1 laid his hand upon it with a confession of the sin and a prayer for its expiation1 and then slew it4 ,the priest then dipped his finger in the blood1 and in the case of a prince or individual1 sprinkled it seven times on the horns of the ,brazen ,altar 7,lev4 iv4 #g1 #ah1 #cj1 #cd72 in that of the ,high-priest and congregation seven times on the veil before the ,ark1 and seven times on the horns of the ,golden ,altar of ,incense 7,lev4 iv4 #f1 #ag1 #be72 on the great day of ,atonement1 the ,high-priest himself sprinkled it seven times on and before the ,mercy-seat1 and then seven times streaked with it the horns of the ,altar of ,incense 7,lev4 xvi4 #ad1 #ae1 #ai72 the rest of the blood was poured on the ground before the ,brazen ,altar4 ,after the sprinkling1 the same portions were burnt on the altar1 as in the case of the peace-offerings1 and in ordinary cases the rest of the victim was eaten by the priest in the court of the ,tabernacle with only the males of his family2 but any vessels in which the flesh had been boiled were required1 if earthenware1 to be broken2 if metal1 to be carefully scoured 7,lev4 vi4 #bd-cj74 ,but in the case of the more important ,sin-offerings1 where the blood was sprinkled within the ,holy ,place1 or the ,holy of ,holies1 the entire carcase1 except the altar-pieces1 with the hide1 entrails1 c41 was conveyed to a clean place without the camp1 and there burnt with fire 7,lev4 iv4 #aa1 #ab1 #ba2 xvi4 #bg74 ,except when offered for the whole people1 or the priests and ,levites at their consecration1 ,sin-offerings were presented as an atonement for sins of culpable weakness and ignorance1 negligence and frailty1 repented of by the unpunished offender1 who was thus restored to his place in the commonwealth4 ,they could not be offered for presumptuous1 or deliberate and unrepented sins1 such as wilful murder or adultery1 for which the punishment of death was appointed 7,num4 xv4 #cj1 #ca2 ,deut4 xvii4 #ab2 and comp4 ,heb4 x4 #bf74 7b7 ,the ,trespass- or ,debt-offering1 on the other hand1 though closely connected with the ,sin-offering and sometimes offered with it1 as in the case of the leper 7,lev4 xiv4 #ab71 was always offered for some special act of sin1 and was regarded in the light of reparation to the ,lord for a wrong done to ,him4 ,hence it was presented for sins 8in which the offence given1 or the debt incurred by the misdeed1 admitted of some sort of recompence1 which could be actually estimated#ib40 ,the following cases will illustrate the occasions on which a trespass-offering could be presented4 ,a leper1 on the occasion of his cleansing1 owed a debt-offering to ,jehovah1 for the time of his exclusion from the camp2 the ,nazarite for a temporary suspension of his vow by touching a dead body 7,num4 vi4 #ab72 a man1 who had inadvertently appropriated or made away with anything consecrated to the ,lord 7,lev4 v4 #ae1 #af71 or unwittingly violated a ,divine prohibition 7,lev4 v4 #ag1 #ah71 or denied a trust or any damage sustained by the thing entrusted1 or denied having found some lost article of property1 or sworn falsely in such a matter 7,lev4 vi4 #b ff474 ,in these cases1 whether the wrong done was in a matter of property or to the ,lord1 the damage was made good with an overplus1 generally a fifth of the value1 while the trespass-offering itself was the substitute for the damages due to the ,lord1 and assessed by the priest4 ,the victim was1 as in the case of the sin-offering1 one animal only1 and always a ram4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,holy ,,times ,,and ,,seasons4 ,,exod4 ,,xx4 ,,levit4 ,,xxiii4 ,,xxv4 ,,deut4 ,,xv4 ,,xvi4 ,,the ,holy ,times and ,seasons of the ,israelites may be arranged under three heads4 ,i4 ,those that were connected with the ,seventh ,day of ,rest1 such as 7a7 the ,weekly ,sabbath1 7b7 the ,month-,sabbath or ,new ,moon1 7c7 the ,year-,sabbath1 7d7 the ,year of ,jubilee4 ,,ii4 ,the ,day of ,atonement4 ,,iii4 ,the ,great ,historical ,festivals2 7a7 ,the ,passover1 7b7 ,the ,feast of ,pentecost or ,weeks1 7c7 ,the ,feast of ,tabernacles4 ,i4 ,those connected with the seventh ,day of ,rest4 7a7 ,the observance of the weekly ,sabbath1 or day of ,rest1 is not improbably thought to have been known to the ,israelites before the giving of the ,law 7,ex4 xvi4 #bb1 #bc71 as1 indeed1 the words of the ,fourth ,commandment1 8,remember the ,sabbath-day to keep it holy10 seem to imply 7,ex4 xx4 #h-aa1 comp4 ,gen4 ii4 #a-c74 ,the observance of this day was appointed for a perpetual covenant1 as a sign between ,god and the children of ,israel for ever 7,ex4 xxxi4 #af1 #ag74 ,it was to be shared by the whole people with the stranger2 and1 to complete the picture of tranquillity1 with the animals4 ,bodily labour was strictly prohibited3 it was unlawful to kindle a fire for cooking food 7,ex4 xxxv4 #c2 ,num4 xv4 #cb71 or to go out of the camp to gather manna 7,ex4 xvi4 #bb-cj74 ,wilful desecration of the day was punished by stoning 7,ex4 xxxi4 #ad2 ,num4 xv4 #ce74 ,in the ,tabernacle-service the daily burnt-offering was doubled 7,num4 xxviii4 #i71 the shew-bread was renewed 7,lev4 xxiv4 #h71 and the priestly course for the week commenced their duties4 ,the ,sabbath was not regarded as a fast1 but a day for rest from worldly occupation and holy joy2 it was ordained by ,god for man and the furtherance of his truest and highest interests 7,mk4 ii4 #bg1 #bh74 8,the thought of ,,him1 who is raised above all change1 and who after the completion of the works of ,creation rejoiced that everything was very good2 this coupled with the cessation from work was to lead man up to the contemplation of his own origin from ,god4 ,as the bodily refreshment restored his physical energies1 so should the consciousness of union with the ,almighty and the ,eternal restore the true life to the soul#ic40 7b7 ,the ,month-,sabbath1 or ,new ,moon ,festival1 was ushered in by blowing with the silver trumpets1 and by the sacrifice of eleven victims in addition to the daily offering 7,num4 x4 #aj2 xxviii4 #aa1 c474 ,business and trade were in later times suspended 7,amos viii4 #e71 sacrificial feasts were held 7#a ,sam4 xx4 #e-bd71 and the people resorted to the prophets for religious instruction 7#b ,kings iv4 #bc74 ,the ,new ,moon of the seventh month 7,tisri1 ,october71 being the commencement of the civil year1 was observed with still greater solemnity4 ,it was one of the seven#id days of ,holy ,convocation4 ,not merely were the trumpets blown at the time of offering the sacrifices1 but it was a day for the blowing of trumpets 7,num4 xxix4 #a-f71 whence its name the ,feast of ,trumpets4 ,in addition to the daily sacrifices1 and the eleven victims offered on the first day of each month1 nine other victims were offered as burnt-offerings with a kid for a sin-offering#ie4 7c7 ,during the ,seventh or ,sabbatical year the land was to lie fallow1 and enjoy her ,sabbaths 7,ex4 xxiii4 #aj1 #aa2 ,lev4 xxv4 #b-g2 ,deut4 xv474 ,no tillage or cultivation of any sort was to be practised1 and the spontaneous produce of the fields1 instead of being reaped1 was to be freely gleaned by the poor1 the stranger1 and even the cattle4 ,by this rest the land1 like man1 was to do homage to its ,lord and ,creator1 and the poorest were to share without stint in those spontaneous blessings which by ,his will it brings forth1 and the ,israelite1 who every seventh day acknowledged ,god's claim on his time1 thus acknowledged also ,his claim upon his land4 ,in ,deut4 xv4 we find that the seventh year was also to be one of release for debtors4 ,in spite of the threatenings in ,lev4 xxvi4 the ,sabbatical year1 as appears from #b ,chron4 xxxvi4 #bj1 #ba1 was greatly neglected2 after the return from the ,captivity its observance revived 7see #a ,macc4 vi4 #di7if4 7d7 ,the ,year of ,jubilee4 ,at the end of seven times seven years1 that is1 forty-nine entire years1 the fiftieth was observed as the year of ,jubilee1 a word of uncertain meaning4 ,it was proclaimed by the sound of trumpets on the tenth day of the seventh month1 ,tisri1 the ,day of ,atonement4 ,during this year the soil was to lie fallow1 as in the ,sabbatical year1 but in addition to this1 all land that had been alienated was to return to those to whom it had been allotted at the original distribution1 and all bondmen of ,hebrew blood were to be liberated 7,lev4 xxv4 #h-af1 #bc-ce2 xxvii4 #af-be74 8,as the weekly ,sabbath and the ,sabbatical year was intended to restore thorough rest to man and to the land1 so the year of ,jubilee was designed to raise the whole people1 in respect to their rights and possessions1 from the changeableness of outward circumstances to the unchangeableness of the ,divine appointment2 to prevent the inordinate accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few2 to relieve those whom misfortune or fault had reduced to poverty2 to restore that equality in outward circumstances which was instituted on the first settlement of the land by ,joshua2 and to vindicate the right of each ,israelite to his part in the ,covenant1 which ,god had made with his fathers respecting the ,land of ,promise#ig40 ,,ii4 ,the ,day of ,atonement was observed on the tenth day of the seventh month1 ,tisri1 as the great day of national humiliation1 and for the expiation of the sins both of the priests and the people4 ,this was the highest1 the most perfect1 the most comprehensive of all the acts of expiation1 and not only took place but once in the entire year1 but was performed by the ,high-priest alone1 and that not in the ,holy ,place but the ,holy of ,holies4 ,its celebration is prescribed in ,lev4 xvi42 xxiii4 #bf-cb2 ,num4 xxix4 #g-aa4 ,the day was to be regarded as a high ,sabbath1 a day of holy ,convocation1 on which the ,israelites1 under pain of extirpation1 were expected to afflict their souls with fasting and mourning4 7,comp4 ,lev4 xvi4 #bi1 #ca with ,acts xxvii4 #i47 ,the ritual was as follows4 ,the ,high-priest having bathed1 arrayed himself not in his gorgeous robes1 but in the white linen garments common to himself and the rest of the priesthood4 ,as a sacrifice for himself and the priests he brought a bullock for a ,sin-offering1 and a ram for a ,burnt-offering1 which he had purchased at his own cost2 as a sacrifice for the people two he-goats for a ,sin-offering1 and a ram for a ,burnt-offering1 which were purchased out of the public treasury4 ,the two he-goats he then brought to the ,door of the ,tabernacle1 i4e4 to the ,brazen ,altar1 and there having presented them before the ,lord1 cast two lots upon them1 one inscribed for ,jehovah1 the other for ,azazel#ih4 ,this done1 as the head of a priesthood itself compassed with infirmity 7,heb4 v4 #b71 he first proceeded to make atonement for his own order4 ,accordingly he slew the bullock1 and taking a censer filled with live coals from the ,altar of ,burnt-offering and two handfuls of ,incense1 he passed with these through the ,holy ,place onwards behind the veil into the ,holy of ,holies1 and there threw the incense upon the coals so that the fragrant cloud might envelope the ,mercy-,seat4 ,then returning to the ,brazen ,altar and taking some of the blood of the bullock in a vessel he once more passed into the ,holy of ,holies1 and sprinkled it seven times before the ,mercy-,seat1 the seat of the glory of ,jehovah4 ,having thus made expiation for himself and his own order1 he slew the goat upon which the lot for ,jehovah had fallen as a ,sin-offering for the people1 and sprinkled its blood as he had done that of the bullock4 ,then on his return from the ,holy of ,holies he purified the ,holy ,place1 now solitary and deserted1 by sprinkling the blood of both victims seven times on the horns of the ,golden ,altar of ,incense1 and1 as some think1 on those of the ,altar of ,burnt-offering4 ,the purification of the ,tabernacle completed1 he came forth and laid both his hands upon the goat1 on which the lot for ,azazel had fallen1 solemnly confessed over it the sins of the people1 and then gave it to a man chosen for the purpose to be led away into the wilderness1 into a place not inhabited1 and there let loose4 ,this done1 he once more entered the ,tabernacle1 bathed1 and having arrayed himself in his gorgeous robes1 offered the two rams as a burnt-offering1 one for himself1 the other for the people1 and at the same time placed upon the altar the fat of the two sin-offerings#ii4 ,while these were consuming1 the remains of the victims were conveyed outside the camp1 nor could they who were deputed for this office1 or the man who had led away the scape-goat1 return into the camp till they had purified themselves and their clothes with water4 ,the distinction between this solemnity and others is very striking4 ,it took place but once a year1 five days before the joyous ,feast of ,tabernacles1 which testified to the nation's gratitude for the preservation of the seasonable fruits of the earth4 ,in it the ,high-priest alone officiated4 ,clad not in his gorgeous robes1 but in the simple1 pure white robes common to him and the rest of the priesthood1 he made expiation for himself1 his order1 and the people1an atonement for the sins of the whole year4 ,on this day1 and this day only1 he entered within the ,veil1 and sprinkled the blood before the ,mercy-,seat seven times4 ,on this day1 and this day only1 the idea of the remission of sin found its highest expression in the sacrifice of one goat as a sin-offering to ,jehovah1 and the solemn confession of the sins of the whole people over another1 and its dismissal laden with its awful typical burden into a far distant and separated land1 a land not inhabited1 lying1 as it were1 under the curse of ,jehovah4 ,this solemnity contained the exact antidote to the sombre and often cruel rites of heathenism4 ,the lots were cast over both the goats1 both were presented to ,jehovah at the ,door of the ,tabernacle1 at ,his command the ,scape-,goat carried away the burden of the people's sins into an unknown desert land1 ,he sanctified the people1 and accepted the atonement for the ,high-priest1 the priestly order1 and the entire nation1 and the purification of the ,place where ,he had condescended to meet the ,israelites4 ,in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews 7ix41 x47 we have the key to the expressive imagery of this ,great ,day in the ,jewish year4 ,the fact that once in the year the ,high-priest could enter within the ,veil1 intimated that under a system of provisional and typical ordinances the way into the ,holiest of all was not as yet made manifest4 ,but when the true ,high-priest1 even ,jesus ,christ1 offered ,himself unto death on the ,altar of ,his ,cross for the sins of the whole world1 the ,veil of the ,temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom 7,matt4 xxvii4 #ea2 ,mark xv4 #ch74 ,he died1 ,he rose again1 and1 clad not in the resplendent robes of that ,divine ,nature ,he had before the world1 but in the garb of our human nature1 ,he ascended into the ,heavenly ,sanctuary1 the antitype of the ,jewish ,sanctuary on earth1 and there pleads1 and will for ever plead1 the merits of ,his blood before the throne of ,god4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,great ,,festivals4 ,,exod4 ,,xxiii4 #ad-ag2 ,,lev4 ,,xxiii4 #a-bb2 ,,num4 ,,xxviii4 #af-ca2 ,,deut4 ,,xvi4 #a-af4 ,,the great ,historical ,festivals1 at which all males amongst the ,israelites were required to appear before the ,lord1 were1 as has been said already1 7i7 ,the ,passover2 7ii7 ,the ,feast of ,weeks or ,pentecost2 7iii7 ,the ,feast of ,tabernacles4 7i7 ,the ,passover4 ,the original institution of this ,festival has been already noticed4 ,the directions for its yearly celebration are given in ,ex4 xxiii4 #ad-ag2 ,lev4 xxiii4 #e-h2 ,num4 xxviii4 #af-be2 ,deut4 xvi4 #a-h4 ,as in ,egypt1 so now1 on the #ajth day of ,nisan or ,abib1 corresponding to the close of ,march or the beginning of ,april1 each ,paschal company1 which might not exceed twenty or be less than ten1 was to select a lamb or kid1 a male of the first year1 and keep it till the #adth day4 ,if pronounced by the priests to be free from blemish1 it was to be slain between the evenings1 in the ,court of the ,tabernacle1 and its blood poured round the ,altar of ,burnt-offering4 ,it was then1 after being flayed1 to be taken to the house where the ,paschal ,company intended to assemble1 to be roasted with fire1 whole and entire without the breaking of a single bone1 and to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs4 ,the ,festival lasted from the #adth to the #bast of ,nisan1 and during this period nothing but unleavened bread might be eaten1 and all leaven was to be carefully removed from the house before the #adth4 ,the daily sacrifices for the nation consisted of 7i7 a ,burnt-,offering of two bullocks1 one ram1 seven yearling lambs1 accompanied by the usual meat-offering1 and 7ii7 one goat for a ,sin-,offering4 ,thank-offerings1 called by the ,jews ,chagigah1 might also be offered by individuals during the ,festival1 especially on the #aeth1 the first day of ,holy ,convocation4 7,comp4 ,lev4 vii4 #bi-cd2 #b ,ch4 xxx4 #bb-dd2 xxxv4 #g47 ,on the #afth the first ripe sheaf of barley was to be brought into the sanctuary1 and there waved by the priest before the ,lord1 and at the same time a yearling lamb was offered with a meat- and drink-offering 7see ,lev4 xxiii4 #i-ad74 ,till this sheaf had thus been waved1 and this offering presented1 no produce of the now ripening harvest1 whether bread or parched corn1 or green ears1 might be eaten 7,josh4 v4 #aa1 #ab7ajj4 7ii7 ,at the end of seven complete weeks from the #afth of ,nisan1 the second day of unleavened bread1 commenced the ,,feast ,,of ,,weeks 7,ex4 xxxiv4 #bb2 ,deut4 xvi4 #aj71 or of ,harvest 7,ex4 xxiii4 #af71 or of ,first-fruits 7,numb4 xxviii4 #bf71 or of ,pentecost 7,acts ii4 #a71 from the ,greek word for the fiftieth day4 ,the passages bearing on it will be found in ,ex4 xxiii4 #af2 ,lev4 xxiii4 #ae-bb2 ,num4 xxviii4 #bf-ca2 ,deut4 xvi4 #i-ab4 ,the ,festival lasted but one day1 which was kept with a holy ,convocation4 ,its distinguishing feature was the offering of two leavened loaves1 made from the new corn of the now completed harvest1 which together with two lambs as a thank-offering were waved before the ,lord4 ,the especial sacrifices in addition to the daily offering were one young bullock1 two rams1 and seven yearling lambs as a ,burnt-offering with the usual meat- and drink-offering1 and a goat for a ,sin-offering2 but thank-offerings might1 as at the ,passover1 be made at pleasure by individuals4 ,the character of the ,festival was pre-eminently an expression of gratitude for the harvest1 which commenced with the offering of the first sheaf of ripe barley at the ,passover1 and ended with that of the two loaves now presented and made of the newly-ripened wheat4 ,in its festive joy the man-servant and maid-servant1 the stranger1 the fatherless and the widow were to share with the freeborn ,israelite1 who was to be reminded of the bondage in ,egypt1 and his obligation to keep the ,law#aja 7,deut4 xvi4 #ab74 7iii7 ,the ,feast of ,tabernacles or of ,ingathering 7,ex4 xxxiv4 #bb7 was so called as being 7i7 a feast of thanksgiving for the completion of the ingathering of fruits and of the vintage1 and 7ii7 as commemorating the dwelling of the ,israelites in tents during their wanderings in the wilderness 7,lev4 xxiii4 #dc74 ,the chief passages relating to it are ,ex4 xxiii4 #af2 ,lev4 xxiii4 #cd-dc2 ,num4 xxix4 #ac-ci2 ,deut4 xvi4 #ac-ae2 and compare with these ,neh4 viii4 ,it was celebrated in the autumn on the #aeth of the seventh month ,tisri1 and lasted seven days1 of which the first and last were days of ,holy ,convocation4 ,it was the most joyous of all the ,festivals4 ,during it the ,israelites were commanded to live in tents or booths of green boughs of the olive1 palm1 pine1 myrtle1 and other trees with thick foliage 7,neh4 viii4 #ae1 #af74 ,the burnt-offerings were more numerous at this ,feast than any other1 including1 besides the sacrifice on each day of #b rams1 #ad lambs1 and a kid for a sin-offering1 that of #gj bullocks1 #ac on the first day1 #ab on the second1 and so on to the seventh1 when #g bullocks only were offered4 ,if the ,festival fell in a ,sabbatical year1 portions of the ,law1 chiefly ,deuteronomy1 were read each day in public 7,deut4 xxxi4 #aj-ab2 ,neh4 viii4 #ah74 ,the most remarkable celebrations of this ,feast were 7i7 at the dedication of ,solomon's ,temple 7#a ,kings viii4 #b1 #fe72 7ii7 after the ,captivity 7,ezra iii4 #d2 ,neh4 viii4 #ag7ajb4 ,later festivals were 7i7 the ,feast of ,,purim1 or ,lots1 instituted by ,mordecai to commemorate the defeat of ,haman's machinations against the ,jews 7,esth4 iii4 #g-ae2 ix4 #bd-bf74 ,it began on the #adth day of the #abth month ,adar1 and lasted two days4 7ii7 ,the ,feast of ,,dedication1 to commemorate the cleansing of the ,temple after its defilement by ,antiochus ,epiphanes 7,dan4 xi4 #ca74 ,established by ,judas ,maccabus1 it was kept on the #beth of the winter month ,chisleu1 ,december 7,jn4 x4 #bb71 and lasted eight days1 being distinguished by the offering of many sacrifices1 a general illumination 7hence its name the ,feast of ,lights71 and other rejoicings4 ,in ,scripture1 dates are often fixed by a reference to the seasons or productions 7,num4 xiii4 #bj2 #b ,sam4 xxi4 #i74 ,the following ,table1 therefore1 is here given1 in which the civil and sacred months1 their approximate ,english equivalents1 the various annual feasts1 and the chief features of the seasons are combined4 ,it is assumed that ,abib or ,nisan answers to ,april4 7,see ,article ,month in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 and ,angus's ,bible ,handbook1 p4 #bgj47 ,,calendar ,year ,english ,seasons ,sacred ,month and ,civil ,month 7nearly7 ,festivals ,productions i4 #g ,,abib or ,april#ad4 ,the ,,passover ,fall of the latter ,,nisan or spring rain4 7green 7,deut4 xi4 #ad47 ears7 ,floods ,days #cj 7,josh4 iii4 #ad74 ,exod4 xii4 #b #af4 ,first-fruits,,harvest of ,barley ripe at ,jericho4 barley-harvest presented ,wheat partly in the ear4 ii4 #h ,,zif ,may #ad4 ,second ,barley harvest general 7blossom7 ,passover for 7,ruth i4 #bb74 ,days #bi those who #a ,kings could not keep ,wheat ripens4 vi4 #a the first4 ,num4 ix4 #aj1 #aa iii4 #i ,,sivan ,june #f4 ,,pentecost ,wheat harvest4 ,summer ,days #cj or ,,feast ,,of begins4 ,esth4 ,,weeks ,no rain from ,april viii4 #i4 to ,sept4 7#a ,sam4 xii4 #ag74 iv4#aj ,,thammuz ,july ,,hot ,,season4 ,days #bi ,heat increases4 ,zec4 viii4 #ai v4#aa ,,ab ,aug4 ,the streams dry up4 ,days #cj ,heat intense4 ,esth4 vii4 #i ,vintage 7,lev4 xxvi4 #e74 vi4#ab ,,elul ,sept4 ,heat still intense ,days #bi 7#b ,kin4 iv4 #ah-bj74 ,neh4 vi4 #ae ,grape harvest general 7,num4 xiii4 #bc74 vii4 #a ,,tisri or ,oct4#a4 ,feast of ,,seed ,,time ,,ethanim ,trumpets ,days #cj #aj4 ,day of ,former or early rains #a ,kin4 ,,atonement begin 7,joel ii4 #bc74 viii4 #b #ae4 ,feast of ,ploughing and sowing #b ,chr4 v4 #c ,,tabernacles begin4 ,first-fruits of wine and oil 7,lev4 xxiii4 #ci7 viii4 #b ,,bul ,nov4 ,rain continues4 7rain7 ,days #bi ,wheat and barley #a ,kin4 sown4 ,vintage in vi4 #ch ,n4 ,palestine4 ix4 #c ,,chisleu ,dec4 ,,winter ,days #cj #be4 ,feast of ,winter begins4 ,snow on ,neh4 i4 #a ,dedication the mountains4 7#a ,macc4 iv4 #eb-ei7 x4 #d ,,thebeth ,jan4 ,coldest month4 ,hail1 ,days #bi snow 7,josh4 x4 #aa74 ,est4 ii4 #af xi4 #e ,,shebat ,feb4 ,weather gradually ,days #cj becomes warmer4 ,zech4 i4 #g xii4 #f ,,adar ,march ,,cold ,,season ,days #bi #ad1 #ae4 ,feast of ,thunder and hail ,esth4 iii4 #g ,purim frequent4 ,esth4 ix4 #bg ,almond-tree blossoms4 ,,note4 ,laws of ,purity4 ,not altogether unconnected with these regulations respecting ,holy ,times and ,seasons were other enactments of the ,mosaic code1 having for their object the enforcement of ideas of purity and holiness4 ,ye shall be holy unto ,me1 was the ,divine command2 for ,i the ,lord thy ,god am holy1 and have severed you from other people that ye should be ,mine 7,lev4 xix4 #b2 xx4 #g74 ,many of these regulations were1 doubtless1 laws of health1 tending to regulate diet1 enforce cleanliness1 and guard against many prevalent disorders4 ,but over and above this1 they had a higher object1 and formed part of the moral discipline of the elect nation4 ,they regard 7i7 things unclean to eat2 7ii7 things unclean to touch2 7iii7 unclean matters or conditions#ajc4 i4 ,things unclean to eat4 ,the prohibitions respecting food follow directly the laws concerning sacrifice4 ,portions of many sacrifices1 as we have seen1 might be eaten4 ,from this eating the ,law passes on to food generally1 the nature of which has 8commonly no little influence on the refinement and manners of a people40 ,concerning vegetable eating1 no rules are laid down4 ,in respect to animal food1 the laws are clear and precise4 7i7 ,of quadrupeds1 the clean were such as both parted the hoof and chewed the cud1 all others were unclean4 ,all animals1 therefore1 used in sacrifice might be eaten1 as also the numerous species of deer and gazelles 7,deut4 xiv4 #e71 but none of the carnivora1 or such animals as the camel1 coney1 hare1 or pig4 7ii7 ,of birds also1 all that were offered in sacrifice might be eaten1 such as doves1 pigeons1 and also quails1 but all birds of prey1 and nearly all the water-fowl1 were unclean4 7iii7 ,of ,fish1 those only were clean that had both fins and scales4 7iv7 ,all ,reptiles and ,insects were unclean1 except locusts1 and such as had four legs for walking and two for springing 7,lev4 xi4 #ba1 #bb2 comp4 ,matt4 iii4 #d74 ,but the ,israelite was also strictly forbidden to eat anything that died of itself 7,ex4 xxii4 #ca71 or was torn by beasts1 emphatically the blood of any animal 7,gen4 ix4 #d2 ,lev4 iii4 #ag2 xvii4 #aj1 #ab2 ,comp4 #a ,sam4 xiv4 #cb1 #cc74 7ii7 ,things unclean to touch4 ,an ,israelite incurred defilement who touched or handled 7i7 the dead body of any animal1 whether clean or unclean 7,lev4 xi4 #bd-bh71 7ii7 the body1 bones1 or grave of a dead man 7,num4 xix4 #aa1 #ac1 #af74 ,the latter was deemed a defilement calling for special purification4 ,the person was unclean seven days4 ,for his cleansing a young red heifer was slain outside the camp or town1 in the presence of one of the priests4 ,some of the blood the priest was then to sprinkle seven times in the direction of the ,sanctuary1 to burn the entire carcase1 and cast into the fire cedar-wood1 scarlet wool1 and hyssop4 ,the ashes were then collected1 and laid up in a clean place1 and a portion mixed with water was to be sprinkled on whatever had been defiled1 man1 or place1 or vessel4 ,this ceremony was to be repeated twice1 on the third and on the seventh day4 ,on the latter day the person defiled washed his clothes1 bathed1 and was clean at even4 ,but still stricter regulations were enforced when a priest or a ,nazarite had become defiled 7,num4 xix4 #a-bb74 7iii7 ,unclean matters or conditions4 ,many are enumerated1 but we need speak of only one1 the disease of ,,leprosy4 ,this fearful malady1 indigenous in ,egypt and ,asia ,minor1 disfiguring the whole person1 and making it horrible to the beholder1 was called by the ,jews the ,stroke1 and even by the ,greeks the first-born son of ,death#ajd4 ,it made itself apparent by a white swelling on the skin1 especially on the face1 turning the skin white 7,ex4 iv4 #f71 and the hair white or yellow 7,lev4 xiii4 #c1 #aj1 #cj71 and producing other disfigurements4 ,the person affected with it was instantly to repair to the priests 7,lev4 xiii4 #b1 #i71 whose duty it was to make a minute examination1 and pronounce whether it was a case of 8true leprosy40 ,if so1 the sufferer was pronounced utterly unclean1 and forthwith assumed the awful badges of his sad condition4 ,he rent his clothes1 bared his head1 put a covering on his upper lip 7,lev4 xiii4 #de71 as though he was mourning for the dead 7,ezek4 xxiv4 #ag1 #bb71 and wherever he went cried out1 ,unclean6 unclean6 ,an exile from his home1 his family1 his friends 7,num4 v4 #b71 he was bound to reside without the camp or city in a separate house by himself1 or in the society of others similarly afflicted 7,lev4 xiii4 #df2 #b ,kings xv4 #e2 #b ,kings vii4 #c2 ,lk4 xvii4 #ab74 ,no ,israelite ever pretended to effect a cure of this awful malady4 ,the priest could pronounce upon the symptoms1 shut out the sufferer from the congregation1 but he had no power to heal4 ,if1 however1 the symptoms abated1 and there were any signs of a cure1 the sufferer again went to the priest1 who carefully ascertained whether this was the case4 ,if so1 a peculiar ceremony celebrated the healing4 ,it consisted of two stages1 7i7 ,two birds were taken1 one killed by the priest over running water1 the other dipped1 together with cedar-wood1 scarlet wool1 and hyssop1 in its blood1 and suffered to fly away into the open air4 ,the priest then sprinkled the leper with the blood seven times1 and pronounced him clean4 7ii7 ,but before he could return to the society of his fellowmen1 he must wash his clothes1 shave off all his hair1 bathe1 and then present himself at the ,sanctuary with a he-lamb as a ,trespass-offering1 an ewe lamb as a ,sin-offering1 and a he-lamb as a ,burnt-offering with its usual meat-offering4 ,in cases of poverty two doves or pigeons might be presented in place of the two latter offerings1 but the he-lamb as a ,trespass-offering was indispensable4 ,this was first slain1 and its blood smeared by the priest on the leper's right ear1 the thumb of his right hand1 and the great toe of his right foot4 ,consecrated oil was then similarly applied1 and poured on his head1 and the other sacrifices offered1 at the conclusion of which atonement was deemed to have been made1 and the ,leper was clean 7,lev4 xiv4 #di-ec74 ,the regulations respecting this fearful malady were no mere sanitary regulations1 for it was not catching from one person to another 7comp4 #b ,kings v4 #a2 viii4 #d71 and the ordinances respecting it did not apply to the stranger and the sojourner4 8,from the whole host of maladies and diseases which had broken in upon man's body1 ,god selected this1 the sickness of sicknesses1 that ,he might thereby testify against that out of which it and all other sicknesses grew1 against ,,sin1 as not from ,him1 and as grievous in ,his sight#aje40 ,it was the outward and visible sign of the innermost spiritual corruption1 a meet emblem in its small beginnings1 its gradual spread1 its internal disfigurement1 its dissolution little by little of the whole body1 of that which corrupts1 degrades1 and defiles man's inner nature1 and renders him unmeet to enter the ,presence of a ,pure and ,holy ,god4 7iv7 ,among the ,vows known before the time of ,moses 7and which1 as a general rule1 were discouraged by him1 comp4 ,deut4 xxiii4 #ba-bc7 was that of the ,nazarite4 ,the person making this vow was bound1 usually for a certain term1 to abstain from wine or strong drink1 from grapes or anything made from the vine1 from cutting the hair of his head1 or approaching a corpse1 even that of his nearest relative 7,num4 vi4 #b-g74 ,if he accidentally touched a corpse1 he was obliged on the seventh day to cut off his hair1 and begin his vow afresh on the next day1 after presenting to the priest two turtle-doves1 or two young pigeons1 one for a sin1 and the other for a burnt-offering1 and a lamb as a trespass-offering4 ,at the expiration of his vow1 he brought to the ,tabernacle a burnt-1 sin-1 and thank-offering 7,lev4 vii4 #ab1 #ac7 with a meat- and drink-offering 7,num4 vi4 #ae71 had the left shoulder of the thank-offering waved upon his hands by the priest 7,num4 vi4 #ai1 #bj71 and cutting off his hair burnt it in the fire on the altar4 ,of ,nazarites for life three are mentioned in ,scripture1 ,samson 7the only one actually called a ,nazarite1 ,judg4 xiii4 #e71 ,samuel 7#a ,sam4 i4 #aa71 ,john the ,baptist 7,lk4 i4 #ae74 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,civil ,,and ,,moral ,,laws4 ,,exod4 ,,xxi4-,,xxiii4 ,,deut4 ,,xix4-,,xxiv4 ,,hitherto we have been concerned with those portions of the ,mosaic ,law1 which instructed the ,israelite in his duty towards ,god1 and the mode in which ,he was to be worshipped4 ,we will now turn to the chief of those which instructed him in his duty as 7i7 a member of a family1 and 7ii7 of a nation4 7i7 ,the ,,family ,,relations include 7#a7 ,the mutual duties of ,parents and ,children1 7#b7 of ,husband and ,wife1 7#c7 of ,master and ,servant4 7#a7 ,the duties of ,parents and ,children4 ,reverence for parents is enjoined in the ,decalogue as the first duty next after those appertaining to ,god ,himself4 ,honour thy father and mother is the first and the only commandment to which a promise of long life and continuance in the ,promised ,land is definitely attached 7,ex4 xx4 #ab2 ,eph4 vi4 #b71 and to smite or revile father or mother is made a capital offence 7,ex4 xxi4 #ae1 #ag2 ,lev4 xix4 #c2 xx4 #i74 ,in the ,patriarchal times1 as we have already seen#ajf1 the authority of the father over his children was very great4 ,his blessing conferred special benefits1 his curse special injury 7,gen4 ix4 #be1 #bg2 xxvii4 #bg-dj2 xlviii4 #ae1 #bj2 xlix474 ,his authority was of great moment1 not only in the marriage of sons 7,gen4 xxiv4 #c71 but of daughters1 though in the latter case the consent of the brothers1 or at least of the elder brother1 was deemed important 7,gen4 xxiv4 #ej1 #ea2 xxxiv4 #aa74 ,but the ,mosaic ,law did not invest the father with the same boundless power as the ,greek or ,roman ,law#ajg4 ,he could not inflict death irresponsibly4 ,the incorrigible son1 whom he could not restrain from flagrant crimes1 he might bring before the elders of the city1 who1 having obtained the concurrence of both parents1 might sentence him to be stoned to death4 ,but in the execution of the judgment the whole congregation were required to take part1 in order to promote a more general abhorrence of the sin 7,deut4 xxi4 #ah-ba74 ,the father could not disinherit his sons2 to the firstborn he must give two portions1 and equal shares to the rest2 but in case of extreme indigence he might sell his children1 especially his daughters1 into servitude1 or surrender them to creditors as a pledge 7,ex4 xxi4 #g74 7#b7 ,the ,relations of ,husband and ,wife4 ,the institution of marriage was jealously guarded by the ,mosaic ,law4 ,adultery ranked next to murder1 and the punishment for both parties was death by stoning 7,lev4 xviii4 #bj2 xx4 #aj2 ,deut4 xxii4 #bb74 ,in deference to the universal custom of ,oriental nations1 and the example of the ,patriarchs1 polygamy was allowed1 though by no means encouraged1 and though frequently practised by the kings of ,israel1 was rare in private life 7#a ,sam4 i4 #b74 ,the right of divorce was conceded 7,deut4 xxiv4 #a-d7 on account of the hardness of the hearts of the people 7,matt4 xix4 #h71 but a woman once divorced and marrying again might not return to her first husband1 either on the death of1 or when put away by1 the second4 ,the ,mosaic ,law sanctioned a custom of the ,patriarchal age 7,gen4 xxxviii4 #h71 which made it necessary that if a man died childless1 his wife should be taken in marriage by his surviving brother1 and it was further ordained that the firstborn son by such a marriage should succeed in the name of his brother1 that it be not put out in ,israel 7,deut4 xxv4 #e1 c474 ,the rigour1 however1 of the old custom was relaxed4 ,if the brother had children of his own alive1 he was exempt2 and if he declared in open court his unwillingness to enter into the marriage1 the duty devolved on the next relation of the deceased husband4 7,see ,ruth iv4 #e-aa47 7#c7 ,the ,relation of ,master and ,servant4 ,slavery existed amongst the ,israelites as amongst all other ,eastern nations4 ,slaves could be acquired in four ways4 7#a7 ,they might be taken in war 7,num4 xxxi4 #aa1 #ce2 ,deut4 xx4 #ad72 7#b7 they might be purchased of parents or former owners or merchants in time of peace 7,gen4 xvii4 #bc2 ,lev4 xxv4 #dd1 #de72 7#c7 they might have sold themselves in satisfaction for a debt 7,lev4 xxv4 #ci-dc2 #b ,kings iv4 #a72 7#d7 they might be the children of slaves born in their master's house4 ,but while slavery was thus recognised as an institution1 it was the aim of the ,mosaic ,law to mitigate its evils as much as possible4 ,thus1 not only does it open with a number of precepts relating to slaves 7,ex4 xxi4 #b-f71 but it ever pronounced them to be equal before ,god as regarded their spiritual relation1 and freely admitted them to all religious privileges1 circumcision 7,gen4 xvii4 #aj-ad2 ,ex4 xii4 #dd71 the rest of the ,sabbath 7,ex4 xx4 #aj71 the festivals 7,ex4 xii4 #dd71 and gave them an interest in all the sacrifices offered by the family 7,deut4 xvi4 #aa1 #ad74 ,in regard1 again1 to civil rights1 the ,hebrew slave was never looked upon as a mere thing or chattel4 ,a master could not chastise a slave to death without being punished 7,ex4 xxi4 #bj1 #ba71 and if he inflicted bodily mutilation1 the slave1 whether male or female1 might claim to be free 7,ex4 xxi4 #bf1 #bg74 ,in the seventh year of his service the ,hebrew slave might take up his freedom1 leaving1 however1 his wife given him by his master during service and her children 7,ex4 xxi4 #c1 #d72 if he declined to avail himself of this privilege1 his master might take him before the elders1 bore his ear with an awl to the door1 and then he was his servant for ever1 i4e4 till the year of ,jubilee 7,ex4 xxi4 #e1 #f2 ,deut4 xv4 #af1 #ag74 ,moreover1 as the ,israelites when delivered from ,egyptian bondage had not gone forth empty1 so the ,hebrew bondslave at his release 7which took effect in the ,jubilee year1 even though he had not served his full time7 was to be furnished liberally out of the flock1 the floor1 and the winepress 7,deut4 xv4 #ac1 #ad74 ,besides bondslaves we also find hired servants among the ,hebrews4 ,they were to be treated kindly1 and their wages duly paid 7,lev4 xix4 #ac2 ,deut4 xxiv4 #ad1 #ae74 ,strangers also within the gates1 whether runaway slaves or exiles from their own land1 who would naturally be in extreme want1 were to be treated with great kindness1 for the ,israelite himself was a stranger in the land of ,egypt 7,ex4 xxii4 #ba2 xxiii4 #i74 ,together with the poor generally1 whether ,hebrews or heathens1 they were to have the free enjoyment of the gleaning of the field and the garden 7,lev4 xix4 #i1 #aj2 xxiii4 #bb2 ,deut4 xxiv4 #ai-ba71 of the spontaneous produce of the ,sabbatical year 7,lev4 xxv4 #e1 #f71 of the sacrificial and tithe-feasts 7,deut4 xiv4 #bh1 #bi71 and their share at joyous family festivals1 such as marriages1 circumcision1 the weaning of children4 7ii7 ,the ,laws affecting the ,israelite in his civil capacity may be arranged in three groups1 according as they regarded the sanctity of 7#a7 ,life1 7#b7 ,character1 and 7#c7 ,property4 7#a7 ,life4 ,the ,laws protecting the life and person include those against 7a7 premeditated murder1 and 7b7 unintentional manslaughter4 7a7 ,premeditated murder4 ,the wilful shedder of man's blood met with no compassion from the ,mosaic ,code4 ,the original law at ,sinai 7,ex4 xxi4 #ab-ad7 and the subsequent repetition of it 7,deut4 xix4 #aa-ac7 made death the inevitable penalty of murder1 even as it had been in the days of ,noah 7,gen4 ix4 #f74 ,the murderer was regarded as accursed2 for him the horns of the altar were to be no refuge2 he was to be dragged from them by force to suffer his doom1 nor could rank or wealth exempt him from it1 for it was expressly provided that on no pretext whatever should any ransom be taken 7,num4 xxxv4 #ca1 #cb74 ,nor was his person only regarded as accursed1 but so long as he remained undiscovered1 even the land was looked upon as polluted4 ,if no efforts could detect the murderer1 the elders of the nearest town were to take a heifer1 and bring it down to a rough valley1 neither eared nor sown1 and there strike off its head4 ,they were then to wash their hands over it1 and in the presence of the ,levites pronounce the following words2 ,our hands have not shed this blood1 neither have our eyes seen it4 ,be merciful1 ,o ,lord1 unto ,thy people1 whom ,thou hast redeemed1 and lay not innocent blood to ,thy people of ,israel's charge4 ,thus atonement was to be made 7,deut4 xxi4 #a-i74 7b7 ,unintentional homicide4 ,prior to the ,mosaic age1 the duty of avenging blood devolved upon the next of kin1 who was called the ,goel or ,avenger1 and together with his office inherited the property of the deceased4 ,sometimes a whole family took upon them this duty 7#b ,sam4 xiv4 #g74 ,amongst the other nations1 as the ,arab tribes of the present day1 8any bloodshed whatever1 whether wilful or accidental1 laid the homicide open to the duteous revenge of the relatives and family of the slain person1 who again in their turn were then similarly watched and hunted by the opposite party1 until a family war of extermination had legally settled itself from generation to generation1 without the least prospect of a peaceful termination40 ,it was the aim of the ,mosaic ,law1 without abolishing this long established custom1 to mitigate its evils as far as possible4 ,accordingly it was directed that1 on the arrival of the people in the ,promised ,land1 six ,cities of ,refuge should be set apart1 to which the homicide might fly1 if not overtaken by the ,avenger4 ,of these1 three were to be on either side of the ,jordan1 almost equally remote from each other1 and the roads leading to them were to be kept in a state of perfect repair 7,ex4 xxi4 #ac2 ,num4 xxxv4 #aa2 ,deut4 xix4 #c74 ,they were to be chosen out of the priestly and ,levitical cities1 as likely to be inhabited by the most intelligent portion of the community4 ,on reaching one of them1 the case of the homicide was to be examined by the elders2 if they pronounced him guilty he was to be delivered up to the ,avenger2 if innocent1 an abode was to be provided him in the city1 where he was to remain till the death of the high-priest1 but if found at any time by the ,avenger beyond the limit of protection1 #bjjj cubits1 he was liable to be put to death4 ,on the demise of the high-priest he might return to the city of his possession 7,num4 xxxv4 #be1 #bh7ajh4 7#b7 ,the sacredness of a man's character was enforced by the commandment in the ,decalogue forbidding false witness1 and by laws prohibiting calumny1 hatred1 partiality in judgment for rich or poor 7,ex4 xxiii4 #a-c2 ,lev4 xix4 #af-ah74 ,no exact penalty was enforced1 but it was enjoined that in case of false witness the parties should be brought before the priests and judges1 and if after diligent inquisition the charge was established1 then should be done unto the slanderer as he had thought to have done unto his brother1 that so the evil might be put away 7,deut4 xix4 #ai-ba74 7#c7 ,property was carefully guarded in the ,mosaic ,law1 which forbade not only stealing1 the act1 but coveting1 the intention4 7a7 ,direct theft was punished by restitution4 ,if the stolen goods were found in the hands of the thief1 he was to restore twofold2 if before his detection he had applied them to his own use1 he was to restore five oxen for an ox1 four sheep for a sheep 7,comp4 #b ,sam4 xii4 #f72 but a still heavier fine was exacted if he had not only sold1 but killed and injured4 ,if unable to pay the fine1 he was to be sold into slavery to a ,hebrew master1 and serve him till he could pay 7,ex4 xxii4 #a-d74 ,a night-thief might be resisted even to death 7,ex4 xxii4 #b74 ,man-stealing or kidnapping was a capital offence 7,ex4 xxi4 #af74 ,the crime of removing a neighbour's landmark was severely reprobated 7,deut4 xix4 #ad2 xxvii4 #ag74 7b7 ,indirect injury through carelessness or other causes4 ,this included injury done to property entrusted to another for safe keeping4 ,if it was stolen and the thief detected1 he was to repay double2 if he could not be found1 the trustee1 on being declared guilty of negligence by the judges1 was to restore twofold4 ,compensation was also exacted1 where property was injured through a pit being left open1 through cattle straying amongst other cattle or trespassing on another's land1 or through fire spreading to standing corn 7,ex4 xxi4 #cc-cf2 xxii4 #e1 #f74 ,straying or suffering beasts1 even if the property of an enemy1 were to be brought back or relieved 7,ex4 xxiii4 #d1 #e74 ,land4 ,all land was to be regarded as belonging to ,god1 and the holders as ,his tenants4 ,at the conquest of ,palestine each tribe was to have its allotment1 and each family its portion1 and these were to remain for ever inalienable 7,num4 xxvii4 #a-aa2 xxxvi42 comp4 #a ,kings xxi4 #c2 #b ,kings ix4 #be1 #bf74 ,all sold land1 therefore1 was to return to its original owners at the ,jubilee1 but might be redeemed by the owner or his representative at any period before then 7,lev4 xxv4 #ac-af1 #bc-bh74 ,laws of debt4 ,an ,israelite who had fallen into debt from any cause1 might 7i7 sell himself as a slave to one of his own nation1 with the right of resuming his freedom after six years1 and at the ,jubilee recovering his inheritance1 7ii7 claim a timely loan 7,deut4 xv4 #a-aa71 but no usury might be taken from an ,israelite 7,ex4 xxii4 #be-bg2 ,deut4 xxiii4 #ai1 #bj74 ,thus pledges would become frequent1 but they might not be cruelly or ruinously exacted4 ,the handmill1 a necessity in every family1 might not be pledged 7,deut4 xxiv4 #f72 the cloak must be restored before nightfall when it became essential 7,ex4 xxii4 #bf1 #bg2 ,deut4 xxiv4 #ab1 #ac72 the lender was not to go into the house of his debtor to claim his pledge1 or seize any article he chose2 he was to stand abroad1 and the pledge was to be brought out to him 7,deut4 xxiv4 #aj1 #aa74 ,,book ,v4 ,,from ,,the ,,departure ,,from ,,sinai ,,to ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,moses4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,kadesh-,,barnea ,,and ,,the ,,mission ,,of ,,the ,,spies4 ,,numb4 ,x4-,,xiv4 ,b4,c4 #adij4 ,,the period of the encampment of the ,israelites at ,sinai had now occupied upwards of a year4 ,the ,covenant had been concluded1 the ,law had been given1 the ,tabernacle had been erected1 the priests had been consecrated1 and ,jehovah dwelt in the midst of ,his chosen people4 ,it was now time to think of marching onwards towards ,canaan4 ,as1 however1 the occupation of that country must of necessity be preceded by its conquest1 an organization of the ,israelitish forces was the first duty4 ,accordingly1 a census was taken of all who were fit for war1 or about twenty years old1 and the result gave a total of #fjc1eej fighting men 7,num4 i4 #df71 to whom if we add the ,levites1 the women1 and the children1 we may conclude that the host numbered altogether between two and three millions4 ,the first anniversary of the ,passover was then duly celebrated1 and on the twentieth day of the second month in the second year1 the ,pillar of ,cloud moved from off the ,tabernacle1 and this signal for departure having been given1 the order of the march was marshalled4 ,first1 borne by the ,kohathites1 went the ,ark of the ,covenant1 the lid of which was the throne of ,jehovah1 and was overspread by the ,cloudy ,pillar 7,num4 x4 #cc74 ,then followed the tribe of ,judah1 the most numerous and the strongest of all the tribes1 supported by ,issachar and ,zebulun1 under the standard of a 8,lion10 the ensign of ,judah4 ,then followed the sons of ,gershon and ,merari1 bearing the external portions of the ,tabernacle1 the coverings and hangings1 the boards1 the pillars1 and the sockets4 ,they were succeeded by the tribe of ,reuben1 flanked by ,gad and ,simeon1 marching under the common standard of ,reuben1 a 8,man's ,head40 ,next came the rest of the ,kohathites1 bearing the sacred vessels of the ,sanctuary4 ,then the tribe of ,ephraim1 flanked by ,benjamin and ,manasseh1 under the standard of ,ephraim1 the figure of an 8,ox20 and the long procession closed with the tribe of ,dan1 between ,naphtali and ,asher1 with the standard of ,dan1 an 8,eagle with a ,serpent in its talons40 ,these arrangements having been made1 the ,silver ,trumpets sounded1 the silence of the desert was broken by the shout1 ,rise up1 ,lord1 and let ,thine enemies be scattered1 and let them that hate ,thee flee before ,thee 7,num4 x4 #ce2 comp4 ,ps4 lxviii4 #a1 #b71 and the march began4 ,at this time there was present in the camp ,,hobab1 by some supposed to have been the father-in-law1 by others the brother-in-law of ,moses4 ,the ,israelitish leader knew how invaluable would be the experience of one so well acquainted with every track and pass in the terrible wilderness they were now about to traverse1 and he earnestly entreated him to continue with them1 and share the goodness which the ,lord would show to ,israel 7,num4 x4 #bi74 ,there seems little doubt that ,hobab consented to accompany the people1 and to be to them instead of eyes amidst the dangers of the inhospitable desert#aji4 ,in the course of three days the host entered on the sandy plain which parts the mountain-mass of ,sinai from the table-land of the ,th#aaj4 ,having for more than a year enjoyed the pleasant encampment before the ,mount of ,god1 they no sooner entered on this arid tract1 than they gave vent to their feelings of discontent4 ,during the journey from the ,red ,sea to ,sinai ,god had borne with similar manifestations of their weakness4 ,but now that they had been brought into nearer and more visible relations with ,him1 having the ,sanctuary in their midst1 the ,ark preceding them1 and the ,manna dropping upon them from day to day1 their murmurings could not be thus passed over1 but brought down instant rebuke and punishment4 ,on this occasion the ,divine displeasure was marked by the outbreak of a fire on the extreme outskirts of the encampment1 which inflicted considerable damage1 and was only removed by the intercession of ,moses1 who called the spot ,,taberah1 or the burning 7,num4 xi4 #a-c74 ,but this judgment had scarcely been removed when the same spirit of discontent broke out afresh4 ,the mixed multitude1 which had accompanied them from ,egypt1 and soon afterwards the ,israelites themselves1 began to complain of the ,manna1 this light food1 as they called it1 and lamented the loss of the fish1 the cucumbers1 the melons1 the leeks1 and other vegetables1 they had enjoyed in the fertile valley of the ,nile4 ,so loud and general were their complainings1 that ,moses despaired of accomplishing the purport of his mission1 and poured out his soul in prayer to ,god1 begging for some relief from the burden of daily anxiety which weighed him down4 ,in mercy towards ,his despairing servant1 the ,lord bade him select seventy elders1 and bring them to the door of the ,tabernacle1 and promised to take of the spirit that was upon him and bestow a portion on them1 that they might share with him the weight of responsibility4 ,he also promised that on the morrow flesh1 such as the people had pined after1 should be given them1 and that not for one day only but for a whole month1 until it became even more loathsome to them than the celestial food they had so lately despised4 ,in obedience to this command1 the seventy elders were brought before the ,tabernacle1 and the ,lord bestowed upon them a portion of the spirit that was upon the ,israelitish leader1 and they prophesied1 and did not cease4 ,two of their number1 ,,eldad and ,,medad1 though selected for this high office1 either from accident or some other cause1 did not accompany the rest to the appointed place1 and though they remained in the camp1 and at a distance from the ,cloudy ,pillar1 became inspired with the same spirit4 ,this striking incident was announced to ,moses by ,joshua1 who1 jealous for his master's honour1 thought that such prophesying ought to be prohibited4 ,but ,moses thought otherwise4 ,enviest thou for my sake8 he replied2 would ,god that all the ,lord's people were prophets1 and that the ,lord would put ,his ,spirit upon them 7,num4 xi4 #bd-cj4 ,comp4 ,mk4 ix4 #ch2 ,lk4 ix4 #di74 ,shortly afterwards the second promise of the ,lord was also fulfilled4 ,a strong wind brought up a prodigious number of quails from the sea in the proximity of the ,gulf of ,akaba1 which covered the ground to the extent of a day's journey on either side of the camp4 ,for two days and a night the people were busily occupied in collecting1 and spreading the birds abroad1 probably for the purpose of drying them4 ,so they did eat and were filled2 for ,god gave them of their own desire1 they were not estranged from their lust 7,ps4 lxxviii4 #bi1 #cj74 ,but while the meat was still between their teeth1 ,his wrath fell upon them1 and ,he smote them with a severe plague1 and slew the mightiest of them1 even the chosen ones of ,israel 7,ps4 lxxviii4 #ca71 and the spot where they were buried was named ,,kibroth ,,hattaavah1 the graves of lust4 ,from this ill-omened encampment the host proceeded in a north-easterly direction to ,hazeroth1 which is thought to have been the modern ,ain-el-,huderah1 and to have consisted of the unenclosed semi-permanent villages1 in which the ,bedouins are found to congregate#aaa4 ,here a still severer trial awaited ,moses4 ,there arrived in the camp a ,cushite or ,ethiopian woman 7,num4 xii4 #a7 whom he had married1 and who is identified by some with ,zipporah1 while others believe her to have been an ,egyptian whom he had espoused previous to his flight from that country4 ,hitherto the position of ,miriam had been one of great influence in the camp1 and second only to that of ,moses and ,aaron 7,comp4 ,micah vi4 #d74 ,to her the arrival of the stranger was most unwelcome1 and she feared she would now be deposed from her high position as a 8mother in ,israel40 ,having1 therefore1 induced ,aaron to share her views1 she openly turned against ,moses and maintained that he was not the sole expositor of ,jehovah's will1 that she and ,aaron were of equal authority with him 7,num4 xii4 #a-d74 ,with his wonted self-control ,moses was content to endure these reproaches in silence4 ,but the ,lord interposed to defend the honour of ,his servant4 ,the ,pillar of ,cloud suddenly appeared before the ,tabernacle1 and thither ,aaron and ,miriam were summoned together with ,moses himself4 ,there in words of stern rebuke the ,lord denounced their hard speeches against ,his chosen servant4 ,very different was his position from that of an ordinary prophet1 to whom the ,divine will might be made known by vision or dream4 ,my servant ,moses1 said ,jehovah1 is faithful in all my house4 ,with him will ,i speak mouth to mouth1 even apparently and not in dark speeches1 and the similitude of the ,lord shall he behold2 wherefore1 then1 were ye not afraid to speak against my servant ,moses8 ,with this vindication of the true position of the ,hebrew leader the ,cloud removed1 and ,aaron looked on ,miriam1 and behold6 she had become leprous1 as white as snow4 ,thereupon ,moses interceded for her1 and the ,lord promised that the judgment should not be permanent1 but as unclean she must remain without the camp for seven days1 during which period the host remained at ,hazeroth 7,num4 xii4 #d-af74 ,the days of her purification being ended1 the ,israelites resumed their march1 and striking northwards across the plateau of the ,th1 probably after several intermediate encampments1 reached ,,kadesh or ,,kadesh-,,barnea 7,num4 xxxiii4 #cf74 ,this spot1 whether identified with the spring of ,ain-,kdes1 or with ,ain-esh-,shehabeh south of ,jebel-el-,mkhrah1 or with ,ain-el-,weibeh in the ,arabah#aab1 was at the very gates of the ,promised ,land4 ,it required but a strenuous and persevering effort to reach the final goal of their long journey4 ,this effort ,moses exhorted them to make 7,deut4 i4 #bj1 #ba71 bidding them not be afraid1 but go up boldly and possess the land1 which the ,lord ,god of their fathers had given them4 ,on this the people proposed 7,deut4 i4 #bb7 that spies should first be sent to ascertain the best route1 and what cities ought first to be attacked4 ,moses consented to this proposal1 and with the ,divine concurrence selected twelve princes1 one from each tribe1 whom he exhorted to make a thorough search throughout the length and breadth of the land1 and ascertain its character1 its products1 and its inhabitants 7,deut4 i4 #bc2 ,num4 xiii4 #a-bj74 ,one of the select twelve was ,,hoshea1 the valiant attendant of ,moses1 whose name was now changed to ,,jehoshua or ,,joshua 7,god the ,saviour71 a title which well became the future leader of the ,israelitish hosts4 ,it was now the time of the first ripe grapes 7,num4 xiii4 #bj71 or the month of ,september#aac4 ,setting out from the wilderness of ,paran1 the spies traversed the land as far north as ,rehob on the way to ,hamath1 in the valley of the ,orontes1 which divides the ranges of ,lebanon and ,anti-,lebanon4 ,then they ascended by the south#aad1 and came to ,hebron1 where dwelt ,ahiman1 ,sheshai1 and ,talmai1 the gigantic sons of ,anak4 ,in a valley opening on this city1 celebrated even now for its vineyards1 they plucked pomegranates1 and figs1 and a bunch with one cluster of grapes of such enormous size that it required to be carried on a staff between two men1 whence the valley was named ,,eshcol1 or the ,valley of the ,cluster4 ,with these proofs of the fertility of the land1 after an absence of forty days1 the spies returned and presented themselves in the camp at ,kadesh before the host assembled to hear their report4 ,the productiveness of the promised land1 they said1 was sufficiently attested by the fruits they had brought back4 ,it was1 indeed1 a good land1 and flowed with milk and honey4 ,but the people1 it could not be denied1 were strong1 and of great stature1 and among them were the sons of ,anak1 before whom they themselves appeared as grasshoppers 7,num4 xiii4 #cc74 ,they were proceeding to enumerate the chief tribes whom they had encountered1 when ,caleb1 the ,kenezite1 of the tribe of ,judah1 one of their number1 anxious to dispel the feelings of despondency with which their report was received1 broke in with the advice that the people should make an immediate attack1 and promised them speedy and certain success4 ,but1 save the valiant ,joshua1 he found no other to support his brave counsels2 the rest of the spies dwelt only on the dangers of the expedition1 and their despondency found but too faithful an echo in the hearts of the people1 who burst forth into lamentation1 openly murmured against ,moses and ,aaron for having brought them thither1 and even proposed to appoint a captain to lead them back into ,egypt4 ,in vain ,joshua and ,caleb tried to calm the tumult1 and to check the mutiny4 ,the host would listen to nothing1 and even threatened to stone them to death4 ,but at this moment the ,glory of ,jehovah appeared before the ,tabernacle in the sight of the whole people4 ,terrible though most just was ,his wrath at this signal proof of faithlessness1 in spite of all the signs and wonders ,he had wrought in their midst4 ,he threatened to destroy them utterly with pestilence1 and make of ,moses a nation greater and mightier than they4 ,but1 as before on ,sinai1 so now that unselfish leader stood heroically in the gap4 ,he pleaded earnestly with the justly offended ,jehovah2 he represented the joy the rejection of the people would cause to the ,egyptians and the nations of ,canaan1 who had all heard of the mighty ,hand and the stretched out ,arm1 which had guided them through the wilderness4 ,finally1 he appealed to the ,,name which the ,lord ,himself had proclaimed on the top of ,sinai#aae1 the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 longsuffering1 and abundant in goodness and truth1 and implored the forgiveness of the people 7,num4 xiv4 #aa-ai74 ,his prayer was heard4 ,the ,almighty assured him that the nation1 as a nation1 should be preserved1 their name should not be utterly blotted out4 ,but1 save ,joshua and ,caleb1 not one of that generation1 which in spite of the wonders they had seen in ,egypt and in the wilderness had refused to trust in ,god1 should enter into the promised ,land4 ,for them1 all hope of entry was cut off2 every one1 from twenty years old and upwards1 should die2 their carcases should lie bleaching in the wilderness 7#a ,cor4 x4 #e71 while their children1 whom they had deemed a certain prey to the ,canaanites1 should atone for their faithlessness by wandering forty years1 a year for each day the spies had been engaged in searching out the land 7,num4 xiv4 #cc1 #cd74 ,as an earnest of this judgment1 the ten spies1 who by their faithless despondency had been the primary cause of the mutiny1 were struck with instant death1 and the command was given to the rest of the host to return into the wilderness by the way of the ,red ,sea4 ,this announcement was received by the people with universal lamentation1 and on the morrow they rose up1 and in spite of the earnest exhortations of ,moses 7,deut4 i4 #db1 #dc71 and the ominous circumstance that the ,cloud had not removed from the ,tabernacle1 made a wild rush up the steep and difficult pass1 probably es-,sufah1 leading into the uplands of ,southern ,palestine1 where they encountered the ,amorites 7,deut4 i4 #dd71 the highlanders of the mountains1 and their old enemies the ,amalekites 7,num4 xiv4 #de71 by whom they were driven back1 routed and discomfited as far as ,hormah 7,num4 xiv4 #bj-de74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,wanderings4 ,,death ,,of ,,miriam ,,and ,,aaron4 ,,numb4 ,,xv4-,,xxi4 ,b4,c4 #adij-adea4 ,,after this signal defeat it was clear that the sentence pronounced upon the existing generation was irrevocable1 and the host remained for a considerable time at ,kadesh 7,deut4 i4 #df74 ,during this period a formidable conspiracy broke out against the authority of ,moses and ,aaron4 ,in their natural state of mortification at recent events1 the people were now more than ever likely to lend a ready ear to those who whispered that under the auspices of any other than their present leaders1 they might escape from their humiliating doom1 and reach the goal of their hopes4 ,such fatal advisers soon appeared in the persons of ,,korah1 a ,kohathite1 of the tribe of ,levi1 and ,,dathan1 ,,abiram1 and ,,on1 of the tribe of ,reuben4 ,the former1 jealous probably of the sacerdotal pre-eminence of the line of ,amram1 and the latter loth to see their tribe deprived of their ancestor's right of primogeniture1 conspired1 it is thought1 8to place ,korah at the head of a priesthood chosen by popular election1 and possibly to restore the tribe of ,reuben to the rights of the firstborn1 of which it had been deprived#aaf40 ,successful in gaining over to their views #bej princes of the people1 they rose up against ,moses and ,aaron1 and publicly charged them with taking too much upon themselves1 and usurping functions which ought to have been shared by the congregation at large1 who were all1 every one of them1 holy unto the ,lord4 ,on hearing these charges ,moses resolved to refer the matter to the ,divine decision1 and bade ,korah and his company assemble on the morrow with lighted censers before the ,tabernacle4 ,a similar summons was addressed to the ,reubenite leaders1 but they flatly refused to attend at the place of meeting1 and charged ,moses with having disappointed the hopes of the people1 and being anxious only to make himself a prince over them4 ,curiosity1 however1 induced them to stand at the doors of their tents in full view of the ,tabernacle1 where ,korah and his associates stood with lighted censers awaiting the ,divine decision 7,num4 xvi4 #a-af74 ,before long the ,glory of the ,lord appeared1 and ,moses was instructed to command that a clear space should be kept round the tents of ,korah1 ,dathan1 and ,abiram1 and that the people should be careful to touch nothing belonging to them1 lest they should be consumed in their sin4 ,then the servant of ,jehovah offered to submit his claims to an awful and infallible test4 ,if the ringleaders in this rebellion died the common death of all men1 or were visited after the visitation of all men1 then the ,lord had not sent him2 but if a new and terrible fate befell them1 and the earth opened her mouth1 and swallowed them up1 then it would be known that they had provoked the ,lord4 ,his words had hardly been uttered1 when this awful catastrophe took place4 ,the earth clave asunder1 and swallowed up ,korah1 ,dathan1 and ,abiram1 with everything belonging to them1 and at the same time a fire burst forth and consumed the #bej men1 who had presumed to offer incense at the ,sanctuary4 ,thus this great conspiracy was signally punished1 and as a memorial of the occurrence1 ,eleazar the son of ,aaron was directed to take the brazen censers of the offenders1 and therewith to make plates for the altar of burnt-sacrifice4 ,in spite1 however1 of this terrible proof of the ,divine displeasure1 the very next day saw the people again murmuring against ,moses and ,aaron1 complaining that they had slain the people of ,jehovah1 and threatening to break out into a fresh and general mutiny4 ,thereupon the ,glory of ,jehovah once more overshadowed the ,tabernacle1 and a plague broke out amongst the host4 ,but at the exhortation of ,moses1 ,aaron took a lighted censer from off the altar1 and standing between the living and the dead1 made an atonement for the people1 but not before #ad1gjj men had by their deaths paid the penalty for their murmuring and insubordination4 ,thus the divinely-ordained priesthood of ,aaron averted1 while that assumed by ,korah only brought destruction upon the host4 ,but in order that the ,aaronic priesthood might be still further attested1 and that for all future generations1 another sign was vouchsafed4 ,moses was directed to receive from the ,prince of each tribe an almond rod with the name of the tribe inscribed thereon1 and to lay these rods before the ,ark in the ,holy of ,holies1 that on the morrow it might be proved incontestably which tribe had been selected to perform the priestly functions4 ,moses obeyed1 and on the morrow1 when the rods were removed1 behold6 that of ,levi1 on which the name of ,aaron had been inscribed1 instead of being dry like the rest1 had brought forth buds1 and bloomed blossoms1 and yielded almonds4 ,thus to the confusion of all other pretenders1 the claims of this branch of the tribe of ,levi were confirmed in a way that could not be gainsaid1 and the ,mystic ,rod was directed to be laid up before the ,ark1 as a testimony against all future pretenders1 and a pledge of the ,divine choice 7,num4 xvii4 #a-aa2 ,heb4 ix4 #d74 ,from ,kadesh the host now took their journey into the wilderness by the way of the ,red ,sea 7,deut4 ii4 #a71 and for thirty-eight years continued to wander in the deserts of ,paran4 ,this long period of punishment and humiliation is shrouded by the sacred historian in profound obscurity4 ,it is probable that ,kadesh was for some time a sort of head-quarters1 whence the great mass of the people were scattered far and wide in smaller or larger groups over the peninsula1 while afterwards encampments were made at different spots1 wherever ,moses and the ,tabernacle were settled 7,num4 xxxiii4 #ai-cf74 ,from a comparison of the four passages#aag of ,holy ,scripture which alone throw any light upon this dark period of ,israel's history1 ,deut4 viii4 #b-f2 ,josh4 v4 #d-i2 ,ezek4 xx4 #aj-bf2 ,amos v4 #be1 #bf1 we infer that it was a period of 8training and temptation1 of humiliation and blessing1 of natural wants and supernatural existence20 that the rite of circumcision was neglected1 and the annual celebration of the ,passover not kept up1 while the ,sabbath also was not strictly observed#aah 7,josh4 v4 #e2 ,ezek4 xx4 #ac74 ,meanwhile1 according to the sentence pronounced upon them1 all the men of that generation from twenty years old and upwards died1 save ,moses and his brother1 and the two faithful spies ,joshua and ,caleb4 ,at the close1 however1 of this period1 the host once more assembled at ,kadesh4 ,moses was now far advanced in years1 and his second approach to the very threshold of the ,promised ,land was saddened by two events of a peculiarly mournful character4 ,first1 ,miriam his sister1 and companion of his childhood1 died1 and was buried at ,kadesh 7,num4 xx4 #a74 ,but1 however afflicted he may have been at her loss1 the conduct of the people1 whom he led1 must have grieved him still more4 ,for1 again1 on a failure of water1 the new generation proved faithless1 and brake forth into murmurings and complainings as violent as their forefathers at ,rephidim4 ,for the second time the ill-omened words of disaffection sounded in his ears1 and roused in him and his brother feelings of greater irritation than they had ever displayed before4 ,on appealing to the ,lord1 they were commanded to assemble the people before the ,rock facing the encampment1 and it was promised that it should bring forth water in obedience to their word4 ,thereupon the ,brothers gathered the people together before the ,rock1 but instead of appealing to it1 ,moses began to speak unadvisedly 7,ps4 cvi4 #cb1 #cc7 to them1 saying1 ,hear now1 ye rebels6 must we fetch you water out of this rock8 ,then1 instead of doing as he had been instructed1 he lifted up his hand1 and with the rod struck the ,rock1 not once1 but twice1 on which the refreshing streams indeed flowed forth abundantly1 and supplied the wants of the people and their cattle1 but the fidelity and self-control of the ,brothers1 of the ,prophet and the ,priest1 had alike failed1 neither had they sanctified ,jehovah in the eyes of the host4 7,comp4 ,num4 xxvii4 #ad2 ,deut4 xxxiii4 #ea47 ,for this sin1 whatever may have been its precise heinousness1 the ,almighty pronounced on both the ,brothers the sentence of exclusion from the ,promised ,land4 ,into it they were never to enter1 or realise with the people they had led the hopes and anticipations of so many long and weary years4 ,but though thus excluded from the goal of his long pilgrimage1 there was on the part of ,moses no diminution of the zeal he had ever displayed in behalf of the people4 ,always preferring their welfare to his own1 he was ready to lead them towards1 if he was not to lead them into the ,promised ,land1 and as a preliminary he sent ambassadors to the ,edomites and ,moabites1 requesting a free passage through their territory4 ,but though his messengers recounted the various proofs of ,divine protection which had accompanied the journeyings of the people1 and promised to keep to the highway1 and injure neither the fields1 the vineyards1 nor the wells1 but pay for any water they might use1 they met with a direct refusal4 ,edom not only forbad them a passage through his territory1 but posted a strong force to guard all the approaches into it4 ,thereupon1 in obedience to the ,divine command1 the ,israelites abstained from any retaliation against the descendants of ,esau1 and the latter did not openly venture to attack them4 ,but an ,amorite tribe inhabiting the southern highlands of ,palestine1 under the command of their chief ,arad1 fell upon them1 and took some of them prisoners4 ,this roused the spirit of the people2 they attacked their foes1 and utterly destroyed them and their cities1 naming the spot in memory of the incident ,hormah1 or utter ,destruction 7,num4 xxi4 #a-d74 ,thus debarred from what would have been the natural route towards the country east of the ,jordan1 nothing remained but to march southward down the ,arabah towards the eastern arm of the ,red ,sea1 and then take a long and wearisome circuit round the territory of the ,edomites4 ,accordingly they set out1 and reached ,mount ,hor#aai1 at the edge of the land of ,edom 7,num4 xxxiii4 #cg71 and the highest and most conspicuous of the whole range of its sandstone mountains1 overshadowing the mysterious city of ,sela1 or ,petra1 the ,rock4 ,here it was intimated to ,moses that another of the few remaining links which connected him with the generation that had come forth from ,egypt must be taken from him4 ,he had already laid ,miriam in her desert-grave at ,kadesh2 now he was told that on the craggy top of ,hor he must leave his brother1 the high-priest ,aaron1 who in accordance with his recent sentence must die for his sin at the ,waters of ,strife4 ,for the last time1 therefore1 the ,brothers repaired to the ,tabernacle1 where ,aaron was arrayed in his priestly robes1 and then1 accompanied by ,eleazar his son1 the three ascended the toilsome height in the sight of the mournful and watching host4 ,arrived at the summit ,moses stripped his brother of his priestly garments1 and put them on ,eleazar1 and there1 in full view of the desert1 the scene of his long pilgrimage1 and just in sight of the utmost borders of the ,land of ,promise1 on the first day of the fifth month1 in the #abcrd year of his age1 the great ,high-priest was gathered to his fathers4 ,then ,moses and ,eleazar reverently interred him in his rocky tomb1 and descended from the mount1 and ,eleazar ministered 8that evening in the familiar garments of him1 whom the people would see no more0 7,num4 xx4 #bb-bi7abj4 ,thirty days were spent in mourning for ,aaron1 and then the host continued their march down the ,arabah1 and after encamping at ,ezion-geber at the eastern head of the ,red ,sea1 entered on the sandy1 shadeless waste1 which stretched eastward from the mountains of ,edom far on to the ,persian ,gulf1 and was even more terrible than the desert they had left4 ,this and the thought of the long circuit that awaited them so wrought upon the spirit of the people1 that they again broke out into bitterest complaints against their leader1 their tedious march1 and their food4 ,the region they were now traversing abounded in fiery or deadly serpents#aba1 of which the ,lord sent many among the people1 and much people of ,israel died4 ,but on the manifestation of a spirit of repentance1 ,moses1 by the ,divine command1 made a ,brazen ,serpent1 and fixed it upon a pole in the sight of the congregation1 and all who looked thereon were healed4 ,the symbol of this wonderful deliverance was long preserved1 and was regarded with veneration as late as the days of ,hezekiah 7#b ,kings xviii4 #d71 by whom it was destroyed4 ,the occurrence is also memorable as having suggested one of the most sacred similitudes of the ,new ,testament1 for in ,his well-known conversation with ,nicodemus1 the ,saviour likened to the uplifting of this serpent by ,moses ,his own uplifting upon the ,cross1 that whosoever believeth on ,him should not perish1 but have eternal life 7,john iii4 #ad1 #ae74 ,after this incident the ,israelites resumed their march1 and pressing forward in a northerly direction1 skirted the eastern frontier of ,edom1 and eventually encamped near the willow-shaded brook or valley of ,zered#abb1 which ran into the ,dead ,sea near its south-east corner1 and formed the southern boundary of ,moab4 ,hence they advanced towards the rushing stream of the ,arnon 7swift1 noisy71 8dashing through a deep defile of sandstone rocks10 the first river they had seen since they left the ,nile4 ,crossing one of its fords1 an incident commemorated in an ancient song 7,num4 xxi4 #ad1 #ae2 ,deut4 ii4 #bd71 they reached a spot which they called by a name sufficient of itself to indicate that their weary wanderings were at an end1 and that they were approaching a cultivated land4 ,needing water1 the princes and nobles1 at the command of ,moses1 dug in the ground with their staves till they reached a cool refreshing spring4 ,in memory of this grateful discovery they called the spot ,,beer-,,elim#abc1 the well of the ,heroes1 and celebrated their thanksgiving in a burst of sacred poetry 7,num4 xxi4 #ag1 #ah74 ,they were now encamped on 8the vast range of forest and pasture on the east of the ,jordan40 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,conquest ,,of ,,the ,,east ,,of ,,jordan,,balaam ,,and ,,balak4 ,,num4 ,,xxi4-,,xxiv4 ,b4,c4 #adea4 ,,the country north of the present encampment of the ,israelites from the ,arnon to the ,jabbok was at this time possessed by the ,amorites4 ,we have already met with this tribe on the western side of the ,jordan 7,gen4 xiv4 #g1 #ac2 xiii4 #ah2 ,num4 xiii4 #biabd74 ,tempted by the rich pasture lands east of this river a colony of them appears to have crossed1 and having driven the ,moabites with great slaughter and the loss of many captives from the country south of the ,jabbok 7,num4 xxi4 #bf-bi71 to have made the wide chasm of the ,arnon henceforth the boundary between them4 ,the ,amorite king at this time was ,,sihon1 and his capital was ,heshbon1 twenty miles east of the ,jordan1 on the parallel of the northern end of the ,dead ,sea4 ,thither the ,israelitish leader sent messengers requesting a peaceful passage through his territory1 and promising the same respect for his land and possessions1 which had already been proposed to the ,edomites4 ,but their request was rudely rejected4 ,sihon would not allow them even to pass through his borders1 but assembled his forces1 and prepared for battle4 ,the ,israelites did not decline the engagement1 which took place at ,jahaz1 probably a short distance south of ,heshbon1 and resulted in the total defeat of the ,amorites2 ,sihon himself1 his sons1 and all his people were smitten with the sword1 his walled towns ,ar and ,heshbon1 ,nophah and ,medeba were captured1 and his numerous flocks and herds fell into the hands of the victors1 who thus became masters of the entire country between the ,arnon and the ,jabbok 7,num4 xxi4 #bg-cj74 ,apparently about the same time that ,sihon had expelled the ,moabites from the rich territory south of the ,jabbok1 another ,amorite chief seized the country extending from that river to the foot of ,hermon1 and known as the land of ,bashan4 ,his name was ,,og1 one of the last of the giant-race of ,rephaim4 ,he ruled over sixty cities1 and his stronghold was a remarkable oval district1 about #bb miles from north to south by #ad from west to east1 called by the ,hebrews ,argob1 or the stony1 afterwards by the ,greeks ,trachonitis1 and now ,lejah4 ,this extraordinary region has been described as 8an ocean of basaltic rocks and boulders1 tossed about in the wildest confusion1 and intermingled with fissures and crevices in every direction1 and yet in spite of its ungainly and forbidding features thickly studded even now with deserted cities and villages1 in all of which the dwellings are solidly built and of remote antiquity#abe40 ,on a rocky promontory south-west of this marvellous region1 8without water1 without access1 save over rocks and through defiles almost impracticable#abf10 was the city of ,edrei 7strength74 ,here1 8as if in the ,thermopyl of his kingdom10 the giant king of ,bashan and all his people resolved to encounter the advancing hosts of the ,israelites1 led1 it seems probable1 by two eminent chiefs of the tribe of ,manasseh1 ,jair and ,nobah4 7,comp4 ,num4 xxxii4 #da1 #db2 ,deut4 iii4 #ad47 ,like the ,amorite chief of ,heshbon1 ,og could not withstand the valour of the ,israelites4 ,he was utterly routed1 and his threescore cities fenced with high walls1 gates and bars1 besides unwalled towns a great many1 fell into their hands4 ,a trophy of this victory1 long preserved by the children of ,ammon in the city of ,rabbah1 was the huge iron bedstead#abg of the ,amorite king1 nine cubits long1 by four wide2 and long afterwards the subjugation of ,sihon king of the ,amorites1 and ,og the king of ,bashan1 great kings1 famous kings1 mighty kings1 was deemed worthy of being ranked with the tokens and wonders wrought in the land of ,egypt1 and the overthrow of ,pharaoh in the ,red ,sea 7,ps4 cxxxv4 #aj-ab2 cxxxvi4 #ae-ba74 ,after these two decisive engagements1 which made them masters of the entire country east of the ,jordan1 from the wide chasm of the ,arnon to the foot of the snow-capped ,hermon1 the ,israelites encamped in the plains of ,shittim1 or the ,meadow of the ,acacias1 amidst 8the long belt of acacia-groves1 which1 on its eastern as well as its western side1 line the upper terraces of the ,jordan over against ,jericho#abh40 ,south of the ,arnon was the little corner of territory occupied by ,moab1 who viewed with no little alarm the successes of the ,israelites against such mighty kings as ,sihon and ,og4 ,this people1 said ,,balak the king of ,moab to the elders of ,midian1 lick up all that are round about us1 as the ox licketh up the grass of the field4 ,sensible of the uselessness of attacking a nation so manifestly under the protection of an ,invisible ,power1 the two confederate tribes resolved before falling upon them to place them under an awful curse1 which might have the effect of paralysing their arms#abi4 ,at this time no man was supposed to have greater power in this way than a famous ,prophet named ,,balaam1 the son of ,beor4 ,he lived far away from the present encampment of the ,israelites at ,pethor1 beyond the ,euphrates1 in ,aram among the mountains of the ,east1 but his fame had spread across the ,assyrian desert even to the shores of the ,dead ,sea4 ,his gifts he exercised as a ,prophet of the same ,god1 who had wrought so many miracles in behalf of the ,israelites4 ,if1 therefore1 he could be persuaded to lay upon them his powerful ban1 their further success the ,moabites thought might be checked1 and the children of ,lot might not only recover the land of which they had been deprived by the ,amorites1 but possibly add to them the fertile territory the ,israelites had so lately won from ,sihon and ,og4 ,accordingly1 elders both of ,moab and ,midian1 with the rewards of divination in their hands1 were despatched eastward across the ,assyrian desert to intreat the aid of the powerful ,prophet4 ,on reaching their destination and announcing the purport of their errand1 ,balaam1 uncertain of the lawfulness of complying with it1 requested them to lodge there that night1 while he ascertained the will of ,jehovah4 ,the answer he obtained was unfavourable4 ,thou shalt not go with them2 said ,god1 thou shalt not curse the people3 for they are blessed4 ,on the morrow1 therefore1 he sent the messengers away1 bidding them announce to their master that ,jehovah forbade his accompanying them4 ,undeterred by this failure1 and possibly informed by his messengers that the ,prophet himself did not seem unwilling to come1 the king of ,moab sent a second embassy consisting of princes more and more honourable than the last1 to inform him that he would advance him to very great honour1 and do whatever he commanded1 if only he would come4 ,again1 therefore1 the toilsome ,syrian desert was traversed1 and the messengers preferred their request4 ,but again they seemed to have come in vain4 ,if ,balak would give me his house full of silver and gold1 said the ,prophet1 ,i cannot go beyond the word of the ,lord to do less or more4 ,but instead of at once sending the messengers away1 he bade them lodge with him that night1 while he consulted the ,lord a second time4 ,on this occasion the word of the ,lord came to him1 and bade him go1 but authorized him to speak nothing more and nothing less than the very words that should be put into his mouth4 ,balaam accordingly set out on his journey1 but he was not to accomplish it without receiving another and a more terrible warning against it and its object4 ,as he rode upon his ass1 the ,angel of the ,lord stood in the way1 with his sword drawn in his hand4 ,as if in derision of his claims to be a powerful ,seer1 the beast alone discerned the celestial ,adversary1 and started aside out of the way into a field4 ,on this1 ,balaam smote it1 and turned it into a path running through some vineyards4 ,but again the ,angel confronted the wilful ,prophet1 and the frightened ass in its efforts to avoid him crushed his foot against the wall4 ,therefore ,balaam struck it a second time1 and now1 as if in still deeper derision of one1 who claimed to be able to reveal to kings and princes the will of the ,invisible1 the dumb beast1 in the accents of a man forbad the madness of the ,prophet 7#b ,pet4 ii4 #af74 ,on this1 ,balaam's eyes were at length opened1 and as he bowed himself down before the ,angel1 he was sternly rebuked for his wilfulness1 and proposed to turn back rather than displease the ,lord4 ,but since his mind was wholly bent on that course1 he was a second time bidden to proceed1 but a second time also warned against uttering any other words than those which a ,divine ,power should put into his mouth4 ,the journey was now resumed1 and at length the watchmen of ,balak announced to their master that the mighty ,prophet was approaching4 ,therefore ,balak went forth to meet him1 and after a brief rebuke of his delay1 conducted his visitor to ,kirjath-,huzoth1 the ,town of ,streets1 a place in the furthest borders of his kingdom1 and possibly of sacred or oracular reputation#acj1 where he entertained him at a great feast4 ,on the next day he conducted him to the high places dedicated to ,baal 7,num4 xxii4 #da7 that rose above the encampment of the ,israelites1 whence he might gain a view of the utmost part of the people he had desired him to curse4 ,there by the ,prophet's direction the king erected seven altars1 and on each they offered together a bullock and a ram1 and while ,balak with his attendant princes stood by his burnt-offering1 ,balaam went forth to a high place 7,num4 xxiii4 #c7 to learn the ,divine will4 ,and ,god met ,balaam1 and put a word in his mouth1 and returning to the expectant king1 he declared that it was impossible for him to curse ,jacob and defy ,israel1 that he could not curse him whom ,god had not cursed1 or defy him whom ,jehovah had not defied4 ,on hearing this response so entirely opposite to what he had expected1 ,balak was highly incensed1 but thinking a change of view might have a different influence on the ,prophet's spirit1 he brought him to ,zophim#aca1 a cultivated field of the ,watchmen high up on the range of ,pisgah4 ,again the altars were built1 and the victims slain2 again the king stood by his burnt-sacrifice1 and again ,balaam went forth to meet the ,lord4 ,but still the answer was unfavourable4 ,the steam of sacrifice could not bend the will of ,jehovah2 ,he was not a man that ,he should lie1 or repent of ,his fixed purpose2 what ,he had said ,he would do1 what ,he had spoken ,he would perform2 in ,jacob ,he had not beheld iniquity1 neither had ,he seen perverseness in ,israel2 ,he had brought them out of ,egypt1 and neither augury nor divination could prevail against them4 ,more incensed than before1 the king of ,moab burst forth into bitter complaints against the ,prophet1 and though the latter reminded him that he could speak nothing but the word of ,jehovah1 yet he determined from one more point to show him the people1 that peradventure he might thence effect the potent curse4 ,he led him up1 therefore1 to a peak1 where stood the sanctuary of ,peor 7,num4 xxiii4 #bh71 looking toward ,jeshimon or the waste1 8probably the dreary barren waste of the hills lying immediately on the east of the ,dead ,sea40 ,there the seven altars were for the third time built1 and the victims for the third time slain4 ,but ,balaam was now convinced that ,jehovah was pleased only to bless the people4 ,without resorting1 therefore1 any more to useless divinations1 he lifted up his eyes1 and looked down upon the tribes encamped in the acacia groves below him1 with their goodly tents spread out like the valleys1 or watercourses of the mountains1 like the hanging gardens beside his own great river ,euphrates1 as lign-aloes which the ,lord had planted1 as cedar trees beside the waters 7,num4 xxiv4 #f74 ,and as he stood1 8with tranced yet open gaze0 he saw the ,vision of the ,almighty1 and 8in outline dim and vast0 beheld the future of the 8desert-wearied tribes0 that lay encamped before him 8in sight of ,canaan#acb40 ,he beheld them pouring water from their buckets1 their seed in many waters1 their king higher than any ,amalekite ,agag ruling in the ,arabian wilderness south of where he stood4 ,he knew that ,god had brought them forth out of ,egypt1 and that their strength was like that of the unicorn4 ,he foresaw them couched as a lion1 and lying down as a great lion1 eating up the nations their enemies1 breaking their bones1 and piercing them through with the arrows of their archers4 ,blessed was he that blessed them1 and cursed was he that cursed them 7,num4 xxiv4 #a-i74 ,balak's vexation was now increased tenfold4 ,smiting his hands together he upbraided the ,prophet for his deceit1 and in place of advancing him1 as he had intended1 to high honour1 bade him flee for his life to his native land4 ,nor was the other loath to go4 ,but before he went1 for he felt himself still moved by the prophetic spirit1 he would advertise the king of what this mysterious people would do to his people in the latter days 7,num4 xxiv4 #ad74 ,again1 therefore1 he took up his parable1 and saw1 but not now1he beheld but not nigh1 a ,star1 bright as any that spangled the ,eastern sky1 coming out of ,jacob1 and a sceptre rising out of ,israel1 smiting through the princes of ,moab#acc1 and destroying all their wild warriors the sons of tumult#acd4 ,one by one he saw 8the giant forms of empires on their way to ruin20 ,edom and ,seir becoming a possession for their enemies2 ,amalek1 then the first of the nations1 in his latter end perishing for ever2 the ,kenites1 then strong in their dwelling-place1 and putting their nest in the neighbouring rocks of ,en-gedi wasted and made a prey2 nay even ,israel carried away captive by ,asshur4 ,and yet once more he saw woe in store even for ,asshur1 even for his own native land4 ,far in the distant future he saw ships coming from ,chittim1 the island of ,cyprus1 to afflict ,asshur and to afflict ,eber1 till the proud kingdoms of the ,eastern world1 and he who should afflict them perished for ever#ace4 ,and then the ,vision closed4 ,the 8true ,prophetic light died away10 and the king of ,moab1 baffled and disappointed1 returned to his people4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,war ,,with ,,the ,,midianites,,death ,,of ,,moses4 ,,numb4 ,,xxv4-,,xxxii4 ,,deut4 ,,xxxii4 ,b4,c4 #adea4 ,,but though his tongue had pronounced eloquent blessings upon the people he found he could not curse1 ,balaam's heart was filled with malice against them4 ,dismissed by the king of ,moab without the promised honours and rewards1 he lingered amongst the neighbouring ,midianites1 and with the keen hatred of his now hardened heart counselled them to join the children of ,moab in seducing the ,israelites from their allegiance to ,jehovah4 ,the festival of ,baal-,peor was at hand1 and was celebrated with all the unbridled licentiousness of a heathen orgy4 ,if the ,israelites could be persuaded to join in it1 they might1 he suggested1 become 8as other men10 and the ,invisible protection now vouchsafed would be withdrawn 7,num4 xxxi4 #af74 ,his artful suggestion was adopted4 ,the festival was celebrated1 and the ,israelites fell into the snare4 ,they joined themselves to ,baal-,peor1 took part in the hideous rites1 and defiled themselves before the ,lord4 ,thus they brought upon themselves a curse far more real than any that the divinations of ,balaam could have effected4 ,had such apostasy gone unpunished1 the ,strength of ,israel would indeed have ceased1 and the counsels of the wily ,prophet would have been successful4 ,the crisis required severe and exemplary visitation4 ,a plague broke out which swept off upwards of #bd1jjj1 and the princes of the tribes1 at the command of ,moses1 slew the guilty with unsparing vigour1 and hanged them up before the ,lord4 ,on this occasion ,,phinehas1 the son of ,eleazar1 and grandson of ,aaron1 particularly distinguished himself by his righteous zeal1 which was accepted as an atonement for the people1 and rewarded not only by the cessation of the pestilence1 but with a promise that the priesthood should remain in his family for ever4 ,but a terrible vengeance was denounced against the crafty ,midianites1 and after a second numbering of the people by ,moses and ,eleazar1 a ,sacred ,war was proclaimed4 ,a thousand warriors from each tribe1 led not by ,joshua1 but by ,phinehas1 and accompanied by the ,ark1 went forth to execute the task of righteous retribution4 ,the silver trumpets sounded the signal for the onset1 and the ,midianites were utterly routed4 ,five of their chiefs1 ,evi and ,rekem1 ,zur and ,hur and ,reba1 as also all their males1 were put to death2 their cities were burnt2 their goodly castles fired2 their women and children taken captive2 nor did the crafty prophet escape2 he received the wages of his unrighteousness1 and perished by the sword 7,num4 xxxi4 #h2 #b ,pet4 ii4 #ae74 ,the country east of the ,jordan1 which the ,israelites had now wrested from ,sihon and ,og1 was to a great extent a long table-land of undulating downs famed for its rich pasturage#acf1 and clothed with luxuriant vegetation4 ,it was the forest-land1 the pasture-land of ,palestine1 a place for cattle 7,num4 xxxii4 #a74 ,of the tribes of ,israel1 as we have already noticed#acg1 ,reuben and ,gad were eminently pastoral1 they had a very great multitude of cattle 7,num4 xxxii4 #a74 ,on the conclusion1 therefore1 of the ,sacred ,war against the ,midianites1 they approached ,moses and the elders of ,israel with the petition that they might be allowed to settle down in a region so peculiarly suited to their requirements4 ,this request seemed to the ,israelitish leader to savour of a desire to shrink from the arduous work which lay before the nation1 and as likely to discourage the people from crossing over and attempting the conquest of the rugged western country1 and he reproached them for their apparent selfishness and indifference to the welfare of their brethren4 ,but the two tribes protested their perfect sympathy with the great national cause2 they were ready to send the flower of their troops across the river1 and only wished for the present to build sheepfolds for their cattle1 and cities for their little ones1 whither they might return on the conquest of the western country4 ,this promise was deemed sufficient1 and ,moses distributed between them the lately conquered territory1 assigning to ,reuben and ,gad the kingdom of ,sihon from the ,arnon to the ,jabbok#ach1 and intrusting to the half of the warlike tribe of ,manasseh1 whose warriors had taken so prominent a part in the conquest of the east of ,jordan 7,num4 xxxii4 #ci2 ,deut4 iii4 #ac-ae71 the inaccessible heights and impassible ravines of ,bashan1 and the almost impregnable tract of ,argob#aci1 the chief stronghold of the giant ,og4 ,meanwhile it had been once and again intimated to the ,israelitish leader that the day drew near1 when he must be gathered unto his fathers4 ,under the special direction1 therefore1 of ,jehovah1 he now occupied himself with giving final and specific instructions respecting the future government of the nation4 ,joshua 8his minister0 was solemnly appointed to be his successor2 the boundaries of the ,promised ,land were definitely marked out 7,num4 xxxiv472 its cities with their suburbs1 including six 8cities of refuge0 for the unwitting manslayer1 were assigned to the tribe of ,levi 7,num4 xxxv471 and other necessary regulations were made4 ,for an ordinary leader this would have been enough4 ,but the recent sad occurrences in the matter of ,baal-,peor had only too surely reminded ,moses of the fickle tendencies of the nation1 and none knew better than himself the awful consequences of national apostasy4 ,for the last time1 therefore1 he assembled the people together and delivered to them his final counsels4 ,commencing with a retrospect of the past forty years1 he reminded them of the goodness and faithfulness which had always followed them1 in spite of their murmurings and discontent1 and the victories they had been enabled to achieve 7,deut4 i-iv4 #dc74 ,he recapitulated the ,law given on ,mount ,sinai1 with such additions or modifications as his own enlarged experience suggested 7,deut4 v4 #a-xxvi4 #ai71 and appointed a day1 on which1 at the conclusion of the conquest1 its blessings and curses were to be ratified by the nation with the most imposing and solemn ceremonies 7,deut4 xxvii474 ,he then1 for the last time1 enlarged on the exalted vocation of the nation1 and the blessings which would assuredly accompany obedience to the ,divine laws1 in the city and the field1 in their basket and their store1 in their going out and their coming in1 and dwelt with no less earnestness on the terrible punishments which would follow apostasy and transgression1 8in furnishing images for which the whole realm of nature was exhausted1 and which nothing excepting the real horrors of the ,jewish history1 the misery of their sieges1 the cruelty1 the contempt1 the oppressions1 which for ages this scattered1 despised1 and detested nation have endured1 can approach#adj0 7,deut4 xxviii4-xxx474 ,but oral delivery was not deemed sufficient4 ,he1 therefore1 wrote out the ,law1 with its blessings and its curses1 and gave it to the priests1 charging them to place it beside the ,ark in the ,holy of ,holies1 and to read it1 in the hearing of all the people1 once every seven years1 at the ,feast of ,tabernacles 7,deut4 xxxi4 #i1 #bf74 ,then turning to ,joshua1 whom he had already nominated as his successor1 he bade him ,be strong and of a good courage1 assuring him that ,jehovah would be with him1 and would make all he did to prosper4 ,but as if to deepen the gloomy forebodings past experience must have suggested1 the ,lord ,himself not only announced in the clearest terms the future apostasy of the people 7,deut4 xxxi4 #af-ah71 but directed ,moses to compose a ,song1 which the people were to learn and teach their children1 as a testimony against themselves in the days to come1 when they should have turned unto other gods1 and served them1 and provoked the ,lord1 and broken ,his covenant 7,deut4 xxxi4 #ah1 #ba2 xxxii4 #a-dc74 ,having composed this ,song of ,witness#ada1 and pronounced his last solemn blessing1 not like ,jacob upon twelve men gathered round his deathbed1 but on a mighty nation1 on the ten thousands of ,ephraim1 and the thousands of ,manasseh1 the aged ,prophet1 whose eye was not dim nor his natural force abated1 was warned that his hour was come4 ,from the plains of ,moab he went up the mountain of ,nebo1 to the highest point in the long eastern range over against ,jericho1 and there ,he who called him to his high mission at the ,burning ,bush showed him that land1 which had been so long sworn to the sons of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,eastward and westward1 southward and northward1 he surveyed that goodly ,land2 he saw it all with his eyes though he was not to set his foot thereon4 8,beneath him lay the tents of ,israel ready for the march2 and #8over against' them1 distinctly visible in its grove of palm-trees1 the stately ,jericho1 key of the ,land of ,promise4 ,beyond was spread out the whole range of the mountains of ,palestine1 in its fourfold masses2 #8all ,gilead' with ,hermon and ,lebanon in the east and north2 the hills of ,galilee1 overhanging the lake of ,gennesareth2 the wide opening where lay the plain of ,esdraelon1 the future battle-field of the nations2 the rounded summits of ,ebal and ,gerizim2 immediately in front of him the hills of ,juda1 and1 amidst them1 seen distinctly through the rents in their rocky walls1 ,bethlehem on its narrow ridge1 and the invincible fortress of ,jebus#adb40 ,such was his ,pisgah-view1 and then all was over4 ,the great ,prophet had served his day and his generation1 he had reached his #abjth year1 and his work was ended4 ,there1 in the land of ,moab1 he died1 and ,he whom he had served faithfully in all ,his house1 buried him in a valley or ravine in the land of ,moab1 over against the idol-sanctuary of ,beth-,peor 7,deut4 xxxiv4 #f71 but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day4 ,,note4 ,three points in reference to ,moses deserve attention3 7i7 ,his work1 7ii7 ,his character1 7iii7 ,his office4 7i7 ,his work4 8,the ,hebrew lawgiver was a man who1 considered merely in an historical light1 without any reference to his ,divine inspiration1 has exercised a more extensive and permanent influence over the destinies of his own nation and mankind at large1 than any other individual recorded in the annals of the world4444 ,to his own nation he was chieftain1 historian1 poet1 lawgiver4 ,he was more than all these1 he was the founder of their civil existence4 ,other founders of republics and distinguished legislators have been1 like ,numa1 already at the head of a settled and organized community2 or have been voluntarily invested with authority1 like ,lycurgus and ,solon1 by a people suffering the inconvenience of anarchy4 ,moses had first to form his own people1 to lead them out of captivity1 to train them for forty years in the desert1 and bestow on them a country of their own1 before he could create his commonwealth40 7ii7 ,his character4 8,the word meekness 7,num4 xii4 #c7 which is used in ,scripture in reference to his personal character #8represents what we should now designate by the word disinterested4' ,all that is told of him indicates a withdrawal of himself1 a preference of the cause of his own nation to his own interests1 which makes him the most complete example of ,jewish patriotism40 ,he joins his countrymen in their degrading servitude 7,ex4 ii4 #aa2 v4 #d72 he forgets himself to avenge their wrongs 7,ex4 iv4 #ac74 ,he wishes that not he only1 but all the nation were gifted alike3 ,enviest thou for my sake8 7,num4 xi4 #bi47 ,when the offer is made that the people should be destroyed1 and that he should be made a great nation 7,ex4 xxxii4 #aj71 he prays that they may be forgivenif not1 blot me1 ,i pray thee1 out of ,thy book which ,thou hast written 7,ex4 xxxii4 #cb74 ,even when excluded from realizing the hopes of a lifetime1 his zeal for his people suffers no diminution4 7iii7 ,his office4 ,while other prophets saw ,jehovah only in visions and dreams1 ,moses spake with ,him mouth to mouth1 and was entrusted with the whole household of ,god 7,heb4 iii4 #b1 #e74 ,he was at once ,deliverer1 ,lawgiver1 ,priest1 ,teacher1 ,leader1 and ,judge4 ,his prophetic gift controlled1 pervaded1 inspired1 and regulated all these functions1 and he was thus an eminent type of a still greater ,,prophet 7,deut4 xviii4 #ae1 #ah7 to be raised up to ,israel from among their brethren1 7i7 as a ,redeemer of his people2 7ii7 as a ,mediator between them and ,god2 7iii7 as a ,teacher and ,lawgiver2 7iv7 as receiving the fullest communications from ,god2 7v7 as the ,revealer of a new name of ,god2 7vi7 as the founder of a new religious society4 ,see ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #bad2 ,article ,moses1 in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,kurtz's ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 ,,iii4 #dgh2 ,davison ,on ,prophecy1 pp4 #aaj-aab4 ,,book ,,vi4 ,,joshua ,,and ,,the ,,conquest ,,of ,,western ,,palestine4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,passage ,,of ,,the ,,jordan ,,and ,,fall ,,of ,,jericho4 ,,josh4 ,i4-,,vi4 ,b4,c4 #adea4 ,,joshua1 the son of ,nun1 of the powerful tribe of ,ephraim1 had1 as we have seen1 been already selected as the successor of ,moses1 and the leader of the ,israelitish forces4 ,when1 therefore1 the thirty days of mourning for that eminent servant of ,god were ended 7,deut4 xxxiv4 #h71 he was encouraged by the ,lord to undertake the task of conquest1 which now devolved upon him1 and was assured of complete success1 if careful to observe the commandments of the ,law4 ,accordingly preparations were made for the enterprise without delay2 provisions for three days were issued to the host1 and the tribes of ,reuben1 ,gad1 and ,manasseh1 already located on the eastern side of the ,jordan1 were reminded of their promise to accompany their brethren1 and share the perils and hardships of the campaign4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,holy ,,land divided among ,,the ,,twelve ,,tribes ,stanford's ,geographical ,establishment ,london ,cambridge ,macmillan ,co4 ,the general distribution of the nations now inhabiting western ,palestine has been already described#adc4 ,along the valley of the ,jordan1 and a large portion of the plain of ,esdraelon1 as also the sea-coast1 dwelt the ,,canaanites proper or ,lowlanders2 the ,,jebusites held the strong fortress of ,jebus 7,jerusalem72 the ,,hittites ,hebron and its vicinity2 between the ,,hittites and the ,dead ,sea were the powerful and warlike ,,amorites or ,highlanders2 the ,,hivites occupied the country about ,gibeon and under ,mount ,hermon2 the ,,perizzites the high plains under the range of ,carmel2 while in the extreme north dwelt a powerful chief1 who bore the hereditary name of ,,jabin1 or the wise4 ,his fortress was at ,hazor1 somewhere on the high ground overlooking the waters of ,merom1 a strong and fortified position1 and the principal city of that portion of the land4 ,the first step to any complete subjugation of the country was the capture of the important city of ,jericho1 situated immediately opposite the camp of ,joshua in a vast grove of noble palm-trees1 nearly three miles broad1 and eight miles long1 which 8must have recalled to the few survivors of the old generation of the ,israelites the magnificent palm-groves of ,egypt1 such as may now be seen stretching along the shores of the ,nile at ,memphis#add40 ,it was a fenced city1 enclosed by walls of considerable breadth1 was the residence of a king1 and not only contained sheep and oxen1 but abounded in silver and gold1 and vessels of brass and iron 7,josh4 vi4 #bd74 ,from its position it was the key of ,western ,palestine1 and 8commanded the two main passes into the ,central ,mountains40 ,the first act of ,joshua1 therefore1 was to send two spies to reconnoitre this important place4 ,setting out from ,shittim1 or the meadows of ,acacia1 and crossing the ,jordan1 they effected their entrance into the house of a woman named ,rahab on the city wall4 ,their arrival was not unobserved1 and was reported to the king of ,jericho4 ,he sent to ,rahab's house1 and demanded their surrender1 but she had already concealed her visitors among the flax-stalks spread out to dry on the flat roof of her house1 and when the king's messengers arrived1 she informed them that the two men had departed1 and advised a speedy pursuit4 ,misled by this information1 the officers of the king went after them in all haste1 while she came up to the spies upon the roof1 and related what had occurred4 ,the townsfolk1 she said1 had heard of the marvellous passage of the ,red ,sea1 and of the defeat of the great ,amorite chiefs on the east of ,jordan1 and despaired of offering any effectual resistance to a nation thus visibly protected by a ,god powerful in heaven above1 and in earth beneath 7,josh4 ii4 #aa74 ,these fears she herself shared1 and now offered to assist them 7,heb4 xi4 #ca1 ,jas4 ii4 #be7 in escaping1 by letting them down by a cord from her window1 that they might fly to the 8jagged range of the white limestone mountains#ade0 behind the city1 and conceal themselves for three days till their pursuers were returned4 ,as a requital for this kindness she implored them at the capture of the city1 which she regarded as certain1 to spare her life1 and the lives of her father and mother1 and all her relatives4 ,to this the spies assented1 and having agreed that the scarlet cord should be bound in the window whence they effected their escape1 to mark out the house to their comrades1 and be a pledge of its security1 suffered themselves to be lowered down1 and in the course of three days1 after hiding in the mountains1 once more crossed the ,jordan1 and announced to ,joshua the despondency of the people of ,jericho4 ,early therefore the next morning the ,hebrew leader broke up the encampment on the upper terraces of ,shittim1 and descended to the lower banks of the ,jordan1 where three days were spent in ceremonial purifications1 and in preparing for the passage of the river4 ,the ,ark was to lead the way borne by the priests1 and the people were to follow at a distance of #bjjj cubits1 or nearly a mile1 and were assured that the feet of the priests should no sooner rest in the river1 than the waters from the south would be cut off from the waters that came down from above1 and would stand on a heap1 thus at once affording a passage1 and a pledge of future and complete victory over all the nations of ,canaan 7,josh4 iii4 #a-ac74 ,it was now the time of harvest1 which ripens three weeks earlier in the plain of ,jericho than in other parts of ,palestine2 and the ,jordan1 at this point three quarters of a mile wide1 had overflowed all its banks#adf4 ,on the #ajth of ,nisan1 the sacred month1 and therefore four days before the ,feast of the ,passover1 the signal for the passage was given4 ,the priests advanced bearing the ,ark1 and presently reached the brim or 8broken edge0 of ,jordan 7,josh4 iii4 #ae74 ,but no sooner were their feet dipped in the water1 than far up the river1 in ,adam1 the city which is beside ,zaretan1 that is1 about thirty miles from the place where the ,israelites were encamped1 the waters which rushed down from above stood and rose up upon a heap1 while those that came down towards the ,salt ,sea failed1 and were cut off 7,josh4 iii4 #af74 ,thus from north to south the waters were driven backwards 7,ps4 cxiv4 #c71 and the dry river-bed was exposed to view4 ,into it the priests descended bearing the ,ark1 and there they stood firm and motionless1 as if on dry ground4 ,meanwhile1 below the spot where they stood1 the host1 probably at various points1 hasted and passed over 7,josh4 iv4 #aj71 led by the tribes of ,reuben and ,gad1 and the half-tribe of ,manasseh1 whose vanguard amounted to #dj1jjj men 7 ,josh4 iv4 #ab74 ,when at length from the deep bed of the river all had ascended to the desert plains on the further side1 ,joshua gave the signal to the priests to come out of the river4 ,preceded by twelve chiefs of the tribes with twelve huge stones taken from the bed of the ,jordan1 which were set up as a memorial on the upper bank of the ,jordan valley1 they moved from the spot where they had stood so long1 and no sooner had they reached the other side than the waters rushed back to their accustomed channel1 and the river overflowed its banks as before 7,josh4 iv4 #ah74 ,intelligence of this marvellous event reached the ears not only of the ,amorite mountain-chiefs1 but also of the ,canaanite lowlanders on the sea-coast1 and filled them with the utmost alarm1 their heart melted1 neither was there spirit in them any more4 ,no attack1 therefore1 was made upon the ,israelites1 who were left in quiet possession of their advanced post on the western side of ,jordan4 ,here the rite of circumcision1 so long neglected during their desert wanderings1 was performed1 and in memory of this removal of the reproach of their uncircumcised state1 the rising ground of their encampment was called ,gilgal1 rolling away 7,josh4 v4 #i74 ,they were now also in a condition to keep the ,passover1 which was duly celebrated on the #adth day of the month at even on the plains of ,jericho1 and the unleavened cakes prescribed for this ,festival were made of the old corn of the land1 and not of the manna1 which on the next day entirely ceased1 and thus proved that their desert life was really over 7,josh4 v4 #aj-ab74 ,the capture of ,jericho was the next step to be taken1 and while ,joshua was1 in all probability1 deeply meditating thereon1 there appeared to him a ,man with his sword drawn in his hand1 who in answer to the enquiries of the ,israelite leader declared himself to be the ,prince of the army of ,jehovah#adg4 ,in deep reverence ,joshua fell on his face to the ground1 and was bidden to loose his shoes from off his feet1 for the place on which he stood was holy ground4 ,instructions were then given him respecting the method of the city's capture4 ,to mark in the strongest manner the singularity of the campaign1 to distinguish it from anything that had been known before1 the great frontier fortress of the ,jordan valley was to fall in a way above all others calculated to show that the ,lord fought for ,israel4 ,once a day for six days the host1 preceded by the sacred ,ark and seven priests each blowing a trumpet of ram's horn1 was to march in procession round the city4 ,on the seventh day the circuit was to be made seven times1 at the conclusion of which the priests were to sound a long blast with the rams' horns4 ,this was to be the signal for a general shout1 on which ,joshua was assured that the walls of ,jericho would fall down flat1 and the host would be enabled to advance every man straight before him into the doomed city4 ,once within it1 the ,israelites were to consider every thing save the house and family of ,rahab as devoted to ,jehovah4 ,man and woman1 young and old1 ox and sheep1 were to be given up to wholesale destruction1 and the city itself was to be burnt with fire1 and all that was therein1 save the vessels of gold and silver1 of brass and iron1 which were to be consecrated to the service of ,jehovah4 ,accordingly1 early the following morning1 the strange advance was ordered4 ,first went a select body of armed men 7,josh4 vi4 #i71 then followed the priests blowing with the trumpets1 next the ,ark1 and lastly the vanguard4 ,save the blast of the trumpets1 there was no war cry of the troops1 no sound even of human voice4 ,once a day for six days the strange procession passed round the city4 ,what the swords of the ,israelites could effect had already been proved in fierce conflicts with ,sihon and ,og1 but now they hung unused in their sheaths4 ,at early dawn on the seventh day the same procession went forth1 and compassed the city not once but seven times4 ,the last circuit complete1 the priests sounded a long continued blast1 and on a given signal from ,joshua1 the great shout of the entire army rose to heaven4 ,immediately the walls of ,jericho fell down flat1 and the host advanced straight into it1 and captured it4 ,in the house of ,rahab her father and mother and other relatives were gathered together as had been agreed1 and having been identified by the spies1 were led forth to a place of safety without the camp of ,israel4 ,the rest of the inhabitants without exception were slain with the edge of the sword2 the city was burnt1 and everything was consumed save the vessels of gold and silver1 of brass and iron4 ,and not only was the proud 8,city of ,palm-trees0 thus utterly destroyed1 but ,joshua imprecated a solemn curse on any one who attempted to rebuild it1 he should lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn1 and in his youngest son should he set up the gates of it#adh 7,josh4 vi4 #bf74 ,thus the first step in the conquest was brought to a successful end1 and the most important town in the ,jordan valley1 the key of western ,palestine1 was in the hands of the ,israelites4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,conquest ,,of ,,the ,,southern ,,and ,,central ,,mountains4 ,,josh4 ,,vii4-,,xi4 ,b4,c4 #adea4 ,,the passes into the central hills being thus secured1 ,joshua without delay sent men to reconnoitre the position of ,,ai1 a royal city1 strongly posted beside ,beth-aven1 on the east side of ,bethel1 8at the head of the ravines running up from the valley of the ,jordan40 ,the spies reported it as easy of capture1 and suggested that two or three thousand men would be amply sufficient for the undertaking4 ,acting on their advice ,joshua dispatched the suggested number1 who advanced boldly up the ravine1 but only to meet with an unexpected and disastrous repulse4 ,the men of ,ai1 strong in their high position1 chased them down the 8steep descent0 from the gates1 and slew about thirty-six men4 ,this unlooked-for reverse excited the profoundest despondency in the ,israelitish camp4 ,joshua and the elders1 with dust upon their heads1 lay till eventide upon the ground before the ,ark1 which had so lately been led triumphantly round ,jericho1 anticipated nothing less than a general attack of the collected ,canaanites1 emboldened by the discomfiture of the people4 ,from this dejection they were roused by the ,voice of the ,captain of the ,lord's ,host informing them that the ,israelites themselves were the cause of this defeat2 they had not kept themselves from the accursed thing in the devoted city of ,jericho1 but had taken and concealed a portion of the spoil1 nor till atonement was made for this sin1 could they expect any further success to attend their arms4 ,on the morrow1 therefore1 all ,israel was assembled by their tribes1 and an appeal was made to the sacred ,lot to discover the offender4 ,the tribe of ,judah having been taken1 its clans1 families1 and households were successively led forth1 and at length the transgressor was found in the person of ,,achan1 the son of ,carmi4 ,adjured by ,joshua to make a full confession1 he owned that from the spoils of ,jericho he had secretly set aside a richly ornamented ,babylonish or ,assyrian robe#adi1 #bjj shekels of silver1 and a solid wedge of gold weighing #ej shekels1 and had hidden them in the ground under his tent4 ,thither messengers were sent1 and there the stolen property was found1 and spread before the assembled host4 ,achan was then taken to a valley south or south-west of ,jericho1 and there stoned to death1 together with his sons1 his daughters1 and all his family2 their remains together with his tent1 the stolen property1 and all his possessions were then burnt with fire1 while a great mound of stones was set up over the scene of the execution1 and the valley was henceforth known as that of ,achor 7trouble74 ,the host was now in a position to resume the attack upon ,ai4 ,selecting#aej #cj1jjj men from his forces1 ,joshua set out from ,gilgal1 and on reaching the neighbourhood of the city detached #e1jjj men to place themselves during the night in ambush behind it4 ,meanwhile he himself1 with the rest of his army1 took up his position on an eminence near the north side of the town4 ,early the following morning he descended into the valley1 and the king of ,ai no sooner detected them than he advanced with all his forces to the encounter4 ,thereupon the ,israelites feigned a retreat1 and were hotly pursued by their foes towards the desert of the ,jordan#aea1 while at the signal of ,joshua's uplifted spear the ambuscade rushed into ,ai and set it on fire4 ,the smoke of their city ascending up to heaven was the first announcement to the inhabitants of the success of the stratagem practised by the ,israelites4 ,attacked before and behind they were utterly routed1 and their whole population1 numbering #ab1jjj1 were put to the sword4 ,the city itself was sacked and burnt1 and its king having been taken prisoner was hanged upon a tree till sunset1 when the body was taken down1 and a huge heap of stones was piled up over his grave4 ,after this signal victory the ,israelitish leader determined to take advantage of the terror which the success of his arms had inspired in the hearts of the ,canaanites1 and carry out the command of ,moses#aeb touching the ratification of the ,law with imposing and solemn ceremonies1 on the mountains ,ebal and ,gerizim 7,deut4 xxvii474 ,from ,ai1 to the north of which the host had already advanced1 ,ebal was about #bj miles distant4 ,thither accordingly the host repaired2 an altar of unhewn stones was erected1 and burnt-offerings and peace-offerings were sacrificed to ,jehovah4 ,the stones were then plastered with lime1 and the words of the ,law1 probably the ,ten ,commandments1 or the ,blessings and ,cursings contained in ,deut4 xxvii4 inscribed thereon#aec4 ,half of the assembled tribes then ascended the summit of ,ebal1 the other half that of ,gerizim4 ,in the intermediate valley#aed stood the priests and ,levites with the ,ark1 surrounded by the elders1 officers1 and judges1 with ,joshua at their head4 ,of the blessings and cursings of the ,law each was then read aloud by the ,levites1 and as they read1 to each curse the six tribes on ,ebal responded with a unanimous loud ,amen1 and to each blessing the assembled thousands on ,gerizim similarly testified their acquiescence#aee4 ,on their return from this solemn ratification of the ,covenant the ,israelites assembled at ,gilgal#aef4 ,here they were met by an embassy from ,,gibeon1 now ,el-,jib4 ,it was a royal city1 situated exactly 8opposite the opening of the pass of ,ai10 inhabited by the commercial ,hivites1 and was at this time the head of a small group of confederate cities1 ,chephirah1 ,beeroth1 and ,kirjath-jearim 7,josh4 ix4 #ag74 ,alarmed by the successes of ,joshua1 the ,canaanite kings of the hills1 the valleys1 and the sea-coast had mustered their forces for a general attack upon him4 ,in this the ,gibeonites had resolved to take no part1 but determined if possible to make a league with the ,israelites4 ,for this purpose they sent ambassadors arrayed in old and tattered garments and clouted shoes1 carrying old sacks upon their asses1 dry and mouldy bread1 and goat-skin bottles patched and shrivelled1 the better to keep up the appearance of being toil-worn travellers from a far country 7,josh4 ix4 #c-ac74 ,completely deceived by this wily embassage1 without waiting to take counsel of the ,lord1 ,joshua and the princes concluded a covenant with them1 and solemnly swore that they would spare their lives4 ,within three days1 however1 they arrived in the midst of their cities1 and ascertained that instead of being very far off1 they were their near neighbours4 ,loud was the murmuring of the people against their chiefs1 when they saw how they had been duped4 ,but the latter nobly determined to abide by their oaths1 and in place of putting the ,gibeonites to death reduced them to the condition of bondmen1 and made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation1 and for the altar of the ,lord#aeg4 ,meanwhile news of the capitulation of ,gibeon having reached the ears of the southern kings1 they resolved to attack the recreant city1 and five powerful chiefs1 the king of ,,jebus1 the king of ,,hebron or ,,kirjath-,,arba1 the king of ,,jarmuth1 the king of ,,lachish1 the king of ,,eglon1 marched against it1 and commenced a regular siege4 ,in their alarm the ,gibeonites sent an urgent message to ,joshua at ,gilgal1 bidding him slack not his hand1 but come to their aid with the utmost speed1 and deliver them from their powerful foes4 ,perceiving that not a moment was to be lost1 ,joshua instantly arrayed all his forces1 and by a forced march suddenly burst upon the ,amorite kings1 as they lay encamped before the city4 ,unable to offer any effectual resistance to this utterly unexpected attack1 they were helpless before the ,hebrew leader1 and the ,lord who fought for ,israel4 ,numbers were slaughtered at ,gibeon itself1 numbers fled along the rocky ascent leading to ,upper ,beth-horon 7the house of ,caves71 about four miles distant4 ,hence1 however1 they were chased by the triumphant ,israelites along the rough descent leading to ,lower ,beth-horon1 and thence to ,azekah and ,makkedah1 when a terrific storm burst forth2 the ,lord thundered out of heaven and cast down great hailstones upon the flying ,canaanites1 so that they were more which died with the hailstones than they whom the children of ,israel slew with the sword 7,josh4 x4 #aa74 ,standing on the summit of ,upper ,beth-horon#aeh1 ,joshua watched the foe flying in helpless confusion towards the western lowlands4 ,the ,lord had already delivered them into his hands1 and time only was needed to render the rout complete and enable his forces to avenge themselves on their enemies4 ,but the day was far advanced1 and he feared the ,canaanites might yet make good their escape4 ,in the sight1 then1 of all ,israel1 he cried1 ,sun1 stand thou still upon ,gibeon1 and thou1 ,moon1 in the valley of ,ajalon 7the place of deer or gazelles74 ,and the ,lord1 who fought for ,israel1 hearkened to the voice of ,his servant3 the sun stood still1 and the moon stayed1 and in the lengthened afternoon the pursuit was continued without pause or rest4 ,arrived at ,makkedah1 somewhere in the ,shephelah or maritime plain1 the five kings hid themselves in a well-known cave#aei shaded by trees4 ,but thither also the tide of battle brought the triumphant ,joshua1 who bade his followers only pause to roll great stones to the mouth of the cave1 and set men by it for to keep them4 ,longer he would not tarry2 intent upon the pursuit he urged his forces to smite the hindmost of their foes1 and prevent their escaping into their cities4 ,his words were obeyed1 nor till they had made an end of slaying the ,canaanites with a great slaughter did the pursuers return to ,makkedah4 ,here a camp was formed1 and the mouth of the cave having been opened1 the five kings were dragged forth in the sight of ,joshua and all the men of ,israel4 ,as they lay prostrate upon the ground1 the ,israelite leader bade the captains of the men of war put their feet on their necks1 and then smote them1 and slew them1 and hanged them upon five trees1 until the evening4 ,then1 as the sun went down upon that memorable day1 like which was no day before or after it1 they were taken down1 and flung into the cave where they had vainly tried to conceal themselves1 great stones were once more rolled to its mouth1 and the royal sepulchre was closed 7,josh4 x4 #af-bg74 ,such was the issue of the eventful battle of ,beth-horon4 ,it sealed the fate of every important city of southern ,palestine4 ,one after another1 ,makkedah and ,libnah1 ,lachish and ,eglon1 ,hebron and ,debir fell before the victorious ,israelites4 ,from one captured city they passed on to another conquering and to conquer1 till they had smitten all the country of the hills and of the south1 and of the vale1 and of the springs from ,kadesh-,barnea in the southern desert to the central plain of ,esdraelon 7,josh4 x4 #da74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,battle ,,of ,,merom ,,and ,,division ,,of ,,the ,,land4 ,,josh4 ,,xi4-,,xxi4 ,b4,c4 #adej-addd4 ,,intelligence of the decisive battle of ,beth-horon before long reached the ears of that powerful chief in northern ,palestine1 who has been already mentioned1 ,,jabin1 the ,wise1 whose capital ,hazor was the principal fortress in that part of the country4 ,determined to make a last effort to defeat the ,israelites he rallied round his standard#afj not only the chiefs in his own immediate neighbourhood1 but from the plains south of the sea of ,galilee1 or1 as it was then called1 the sea of ,chinnereth1 from the valley of the ,jordan1 the maritime plain of ,dor1 and the as yet unconquered fortress of ,jebus4 ,again encouraged by the ,lord with the promise of a decisive victory1 ,joshua did not shrink from encountering this formidable confederacy4 ,setting forth on a forced march1 he burst upon the combined armies of the northern chiefs1 as they were encamped by the waters of ,merom4 ,as before1 his attack was irresistible4 ,the ,lord delivered the vast hosts of the foe into the hands of ,israel1 who smote them with great slaughter1 and chased them as far as the friendly city of great ,zidon on the west1 and the valley of ,mizpeh on the east4 ,this was the first occasion on which the ,israelites encountered the horses and iron chariots of the ,canaanites4 ,according to the special command of their leader 7,josh4 xi4 #f71 they cut the ham-strings of their horses1 so as to render them unfit for further use1 and burnt the chariots with fire4 ,hazor1 the stronghold of ,jabin1 was captured and burnt1 its king and all its inhabitants were put to the sword1 the flocks and herds only being reserved as spoil for the people4 ,the battle of ,merom was the last of ,joshua's recorded engagements1 but a long war1 considered to have lasted nearly seven years1 now occupied his energies1 during which he proved his fidelity to the instructions given by the great ,lawgiver of the nation4 ,as the ,lord commanded ,moses ,his servant1 so did ,moses command ,joshua1 and so did ,joshua1 till by the time he had completed his campaigns1 six nations and thirty-one kings had swelled the roll of his triumphs 7,josh4 xi4 #ah-bc2 xii4 #bd74 ,at length1 when he was old and stricken in years1 he was commanded to divide the conquered territory among the nine tribes and the half tribe of ,manasseh4 ,the mode adopted was twofold4 #a4 ,in some cases individual chiefs claimed particular spots on the score of their own prowess1 or putting themselves at the head of armed predatory expeditions conquered certain portions with the sword4 ,the chief instance of this was afforded by the aged compeer of ,joshua1 ,,caleb the son of ,jephunneh1 who now won distinction and renown for his own tribe of ,judah4 ,forty-five years had elapsed since as one of the twelve spies in company with ,joshua he had come down the ,valley of the ,cluster to ,hebron1 the fortress of the giant ,arba1 where they gathered the enormous bunch of ,syrian grapes4 ,on that memorable day ,moses had rewarded his eminent faithfulness by promising him the land whereon his feet had trod as an inheritance for himself and his children for ever 7,num4 xiv4 #bc1 #bd2 ,josh4 xiv4 #i74 ,this winding ,valley1 then1 of the ,cluster1 this mountain 7,josh4 xiv4 #ab7 on which rose the stronghold of the ,anakims1 was the portion ,caleb desired for himself1 and hence with the ,divine aid he vowed to drive forth its gigantic possessors1 and take it for his own4 ,joshua willingly granted his request1 and the great warrior of the tribe of ,judah went up against the city of ,arba1 and drove out the sons of ,anak1 ,sheshai1 ,ahiman1 and ,talmai4 ,thence he proceeded southward to ,,debir or ,kirjath-sephir#afa1 the ,city of ,books1 probably a sacred oracular place1 and promised to give to its successful assailant his daughter ,achsah in marriage4 ,thereupon ,,othniel his nephew1 or according to others his younger brother1 attacked and took the fortress1 and won the promised prize4 ,on the way to ,othniel's house1 ,achsah dismounted from the ass on which she rode1 and begged her father to give her some 8better heritage than the dry and thirsty frontier of the desert40 ,below the spot on which rose the newly captured fortress was a bubbling rivulet1 falling into a rich valley4 ,thou hast given me1 said she1 a south land1 give me also the bubbling rills1 and he gave her the upper and lower bubblings1 and thus ,hebron and ,debir with the rich valley below became the inheritance of the great warrior of ,judah1 and was long after known by his name 7#a ,sam4 xxv4 #c2 xxx4 #ad74 #b4 ,but the more general mode of dividing the conquered land1 in accordance with the ,divine instructions1 was by casting lots before the ,tabernacle at ,shiloh#afb1 in the presence of ,joshua1 the ,high-priest1 and the elders of the nation4 ,as the distribution of the tribes of ,,reuben1 ,,gad1 and the half-tribe of ,,manasseh on the east of the ,jordan has been already described1 we may confine ourselves to those on the western side1 under the threefold division of 7a7 ,the ,south1 7b7 the ,centre1 7c7 the ,north4 7a7 ,the ,south4 i4 ,the most southerly frontier was assigned first to ,judah but afterwards to ,,simeon 7,josh4 xix4 #i71 and is often called in ,scripture the ,south 7,josh4 x4 #dj2 ,judg4 i4 #i74 ,like ,reuben on the east of ,jordan1 ,simeon was destined to have little influence on the subsequent history1 to be divided in ,jacob and scattered in ,israel 7,gen4 xlix4 #e-g71 and to be constantly exposed to the attacks of the ,amalekites and other nomadic tribes on its frontier 7comp4 #a ,chron4 iv4 #ci-dc74 ii4 ,next to ,simeon on the ,north was the territory of the lion tribe of ,,judah1 comprising the undulating pasture country of the ,south1 the fertile lowland of the ,west1 the hill fortresses of the centre1 and the wild desert bordering on the ,dead ,sea4 ,part of his inheritance was fertile1 and covered with corn fields and vineyards 7,gen4 xlix4 #aa71 part was a wild country1 8the lair of savage beasts10 where amidst caverns1 ravines and mountains1 ,judah1 true to the description in the blessing of ,jacob1 could stoop down and couch as a lion1 guarding the southern frontier of the ,promised ,land4 iii4 ,north-east of ,judah was the warlike little tribe 7,ps4 lxviii4 #bg2 #a ,sam4 ix4 #ba7 of ,,benjamin1 famous for its archers 7#b ,sam4 i4 #bb71 slingers 7,judg4 xx4 #af71 and left-handed warriors 7,judg4 iii4 #ae2 xx4 #af74 ,its territory was small1 being hardly larger than the county of ,middlesex1 but its position was of great importance4 ,containing numerous rounded hills#afc1 which presented favourable sites for strong fortresses1 it commanded the chief passes leading down from the central hills to the ,jordan on the one side1 and the plains of ,philistia on the other4 ,in this broken and hilly country the tribe became warlike and indomitable1 ravening as a wolf 7,gen4 xlix4 #bg74 iv4 ,compressed into the narrow space between the north-western hills of ,judah and the ,mediterranean was the tribe of ,,dan1 containing within the #ad miles from ,joppa to ,ekron one of the most fertile tracts in the land1 the corn-field and garden of southern ,palestine4 ,but for this rich prize it had to contend first with the ,amorites 7,judg4 i4 #cd71 and afterwards with the ,philistines 7,judg4 xiv4 c471 and eventually1 as we shall see1 was obliged to seek a new home in the ,north 7,judg4 xviii4 #bg-bi74 7b7 ,the ,centre4 ,the central portion of the ,holy ,land1 the ,samaria of after ages1 was assigned to the two brother tribes of the house of ,joseph1 ,,ephraim and ,,manasseh4 ,of this territory1 which may be roughly estimated at #ee miles from ,e4 to ,w41 and #gj from ,n4 to ,s41 and which was about equal in extent to the counties of ,norfolk and ,suffolk combined#afd1 7i7 the more southerly portion was assigned to ,joshua's own tribe of ,,ephraim4 ,it extended as far south as ,ramah and ,bethel within a few miles of ,jerusalem1 and was rich in fountains and streamlets1 in 8wide plains in the hearts of mountains1 and continued tracts of vegetation10 in corn-fields and orchards1 the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof1 which the ,lawgiver invoked on the ten thousands of ,ephraim 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #ac-ag71 and of whose father ,jacob had said that he should be a fruitful bough1 a fruitful bough by a well 7,gen4 xlix4 #bb74 7ii7 ,and as the duty of guarding the northern outposts on the east of ,jordan had been assigned to one half of the tribe of ,,manasseh1 so to the remaining half on the west was assigned the duty of defending the passes into the great plain of ,jezreel4 ,its territory stretched westwards to the ,mediterranean and the slopes of ,carmel1 but did not quite reach the ,jordan on the ,east4 7c7 ,the ,north4 ,the northern portion of the ,holy ,land1 the ,galilee of after times1 extending from the range of ,carmel to the mountains of ,lebanon1 was assigned to four tribes 8allied by birth1 and companions on the desert march10 ,,issachar1 ,,zebulun1 ,,asher1 and ,,naphtali4 i4 ,the territory of ,,issachar lay above that of ,manasseh1 and exactly consisted of the plain of ,esdraelon 7the ,greek form of the ,hebrew ,jezreel1 the seed-plot of ,god74 ,the luxuriance of this plain1the battle-field of ,palestine#afe;is the theme of every traveller4 ,the soil yielded corn and figs1 wine and oil 7#a ,chr4 xii4 #dj71 the stately palm waved over the villages1 and the very weeds to this day testify to its extraordinary fertility4 ,here ,issachar rejoiced in his tents 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #ah1 #ai71 couched down as the strong he-ass 7,gen4 xlix4 #ad1 #ae7 used for burden and field-work1 and seeing that rest was good1 and the land that it was pleasant1 bowed his shoulder to bear1 and became a servant to the tribute1 which various marauders1 ,canaanites 7,judg4 iv4 #c1 #g71 ,midianites1 ,amalekites 7,judg4 vi4 #c1 #d71 ,philistines 7#a ,sam4 xxix4 #a2 xxxi4 #g-aj7 exacted1 bursting through his frontier open both on the east and west1 and tempted by his luxuriant crops#aff4 ii4 ,immediately north of ,issachar was the allotment of ,,zebulun1 extending from the ,sea of ,chinnereth#afg 7afterwards the ,lake of ,gennesareth7 on the east1 towards the ,mediterranean on the west4 ,besides the fertile plain near the fisheries of the lake1 this tribe possessed the goings out 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #ah71 the outlet of the plain of ,akka1 where it could suck of the abundance of the seas4 iii4 ,the land of ,,naphtali stretched from the ,sea of ,chinnereth to the valley which separates the ranges of ,lebanon and ,anti-,lebanon1 and was one of the most densely wooded districts of the country2 its forests surpassed even those of ,carmel1 and the land has been described as a 8natural park of oaks and terebinths40 ,its soil also was rich and fertile1 full with the blessing of the ,lord 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #bc74 iv4 ,to the ,west of ,naphtali and resting on the sea-shore was the lot of the tribe of ,,asher4 ,it was an important position1 including the creeks and harbours 7,judg4 v4 #ag1 #ah7 on the coast1 and commanding all approaches to ,palestine from the sea on the north4 ,its soil was pre-eminently fertile1 and well fulfilled the blessings of ,jacob and ,moses4 ,here ,asher could dip his foot in the oil of his luxuriant olive-groves 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #bd71 fatten on the bread1 the fruit of his rich plains1 and the royal dainties 7,gen4 xlix4 #bj71 the produce of his vineyards and pastures1 while for or under his shoes 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #be7 was the iron ore of ,lebanon1 and the brass1 or copper1 of the neighbouring ,phnician settlements#afh4 ,one tribe alone received no share in this allotment4 ,like ,simeon1 but in a different sense1 the tribe of ,,levi was to be divided in ,jacob and scattered in ,israel 7,gen4 xlix4 #g74 ,devoted to the service of the sanctuary and sacrificial and other ministrations1 this tribe depended for its maintenance on the tithes of the produce of land and cattle 7,num4 xviii472 but besides this1 from each tribe1 four cities and their suburban pastures1 or forty-eight in all1 were set apart for it1 and amongst these were included the six cities of ,refuge1 three on each side of the ,jordan1 ,on the ,west4 #a4 ,kedesh in ,naphtali4 #b4 ,shechem in ,mt ,ephraim4 #c4 ,hebron in ,judah4 ,on the ,east4 #d4 ,golan in ,bashan4 #e4 ,ramoth-,gilead in ,gad4 #f4 ,bezer in ,reuben4 ,the division of the ,promised ,land being thus concluded1 and his own inheritance having been assigned to him at ,timnath-serah in ,mount ,ephraim1 where he built a city and settled amongst the people he had led so prudently1 ,joshua summoned the tribes of ,reuben1 ,gad1 and the half tribe of ,manasseh1 and having commended them for their bravery and fidelity1 gave them his blessing1 and bade them return to their own settlements beyond the ,jordan 7,josh4 xxii4 #a-f74 ,accordingly these tribes departed4 ,but while yet on the western side of the river they set up a great ,altar1 not indeed for burnt-offering or for sacrifice1 which could only be presented at the ,brazen ,altar of the ,tabernacle at ,shiloh 7,lev4 xvii4 #h1 #i2 ,deut4 xii4 #d-bi71 but as a standing witness to all generations1 that though parted by that river1 they were not sundered in religion or national interests from their western brethren4 ,no sooner1 however1 was the erection of this altar announced to the other tribes1 than they assembled at ,shiloh1 and made war upon their brethren1 whom they deemed guilty of apostasy4 ,but first1 they prudently resolved to send an embassy1 with ,phinehas and ten princes at its head1 to try the effect of a friendly expostulation4 ,phinehas accordingly set out and laid before them the complaint of their brethren4 ,what trespass1 he asked1 was this of which they were guilty in building this altar8 ,had they forgotten the judgments the nation had incurred by their sin in the matter of ,baal-,peor1 or the trouble the nation suffered in consequence of the trespass of ,achan8 ,what1 then1 did they mean by this turning away from following the ,lord1 and exposing the whole people to ,his deserved wrath8 ,startled at this suspicion of faithlessness1 the two tribes and a half reiterated the most solemn protestations of their innocence4 ,the ,altar they had erected was not intended for any sacrificial purposes whatsoever4 ,it was simply an ,altar of ,memorial1 a ,testimony to future generations that they had the same part and lot in the interests of the nation as their brethren on the west of ,jordan4 ,even the zealous ,phinehas could not but be satisfied with this explanation4 ,it was no apostasy or rebellion1 but at the worst an error in judgment4 ,and the embassy returned with the joyful intelligence that there were no grounds for a quarrel or an appeal to arms1 while the two tribes and a half1 having named the altar ,,ed1 or a ,witness1 continued their journey to their eastern homes1 where they settled down in the territories assigned them by ,moses4 ,and now at length the land had rest4 ,the tribes east and west of ,jordan established themselves in the lands of the heathen1 and inherited the labour of the people 7,ps4 cv4 #dd74 ,before long ,joshua1 already stricken in age1 became aware that the day was at hand when he must go the way of all the earth4 ,summoning1 therefore1 the tribes of ,israel1 with their elders1 their judges1 and their officers to ,shechem1 a spot consecrated by the remains of ,joseph 7,josh4 xxiv4 #cc71 and the national acceptance of the blessings and cursings of the law 7,josh4 viii4 #cj-ce71 he for the last time exhorted the nation to faithfulness to ,jehovah4 ,he reviewed their history from the day that their fathers dwelt on the other side of the ,euphrates in the old time until now1 when the ,lord had given them cities which they builded not1 vineyards and oliveyards which they planted not4 ,the call of ,abraham1 the descent of ,jacob into ,egypt1 the wonders of the ,exodus1 the desert wanderings1 the conquest of the ,amorites on the east of ,jordan1 of the ,canaanites on this1 all these great events in their history were reviewed1 and then the aged ,chief solemnly bade them choose whom they would serve1 ,jehovah who had done so great things for them1 or the gods of their fathers and of the nations in whose land they dwelt4 ,thereupon the people solemnly renewed the ,covenant they had before made on the same spot1 and as an abiding memorial of their promise ,joshua set up a ,stone ,pillar under a sacred oak of ,abraham and ,jacob#afi1 and wrote out the words of the ,covenant in the ,book of the ,law of ,god 7,josh4 xxiv4 #bf74 ,this done1 he bade every man depart unto his inheritance1 and shortly afterwards1 at the age of #aaj1 this devout1 blameless1 fearless warrior died1 and was buried in the border of his inheritance in ,timnath-serah#agj 7,josh4 xxiv4 #cj74 ,,book ,,vii4 ,,period ,,of ,,the ,,judges4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,events ,,subsequent ,,to ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,joshua4 ,,judg4 ,i4 ,b4,c4 ,,circ4 #adbe4 ,,the position of the ,israelites at the death of ,joshua was eminently favourable4 ,a nation of freemen1 entrusted at ,sinai with the 8,oracles of ,god10 they were now in possession of the ,promised ,land4 ,though their late leader had not appointed any successor to those extraordinary functions he had retained throughout his life1 a complete form of government had always obtained amongst them ever since they became a nation in ,egypt4 ,this was mainly kept up by the chiefs of the several tribes1 the heads of the great families or clans1 and the heads of houses4 7,comp4 ,josh4 viii4 #cc2 xxiii4 #b2 xxiv4 #a47 ,god ,himself was their ,king1 and in a sensible and living presence manifested ,himself at the ,tabernacle now set up at ,shiloh1 and revealed ,his will through the mediation of the ,high-priest4 ,but though their position was one of great privileges and blessings1 it was none the less one of trial and probation4 ,the purposes for which the ,vine of ,israel had been called out of ,egypt 7,ps4 lxxx4 #h7 and planted in this goodly land could not be fulfilled without trouble and exertion4 ,there were enemies without and within their newly-acquired territory1 ready at the first opportunity to attempt its recovery from their hands4 ,if they were secure from their old oppressors the ,egyptians1 yet on the south and south-east the ,midianites and ,amalekites were only too likely to attack a people1 whose late victories must have been a continual source of jealousy2 while on the north-east were formidable chiefs1 who might1 as in the days of their forefather ,abraham#aga1 sweep down upon the country beyond the ,jordan1 and grievously harass the eastern tribes4 ,moreover1 extensive as the conquests of ,joshua had been1 they had not achieved nor were they intended to achieve the entire extirpation of the ,canaanites4 ,the conquered population retained large tracts and important positions in the very heart of the country4 ,the ,philistines retained the fertile plain of the ,shephelah in the south-west2 the almost impregnable fortress of ,jebus still remained unconquered on the very border of ,judah2 well nigh the entire sea-coast from ,dor to ,sidon was in the hands of the ,phnicians2 the strong towns of ,beth-shean1 of ,taanach1 and ,megiddo were still held by the ,canaanites in the fertile plain of ,jezreel2 while on the north still lingered formidable remnants of the great confederacy under ,jabin4 ,these nations had not been driven out hastily1 but had been left to test and prove the fidelity of the generation that had not known the wars of ,canaan 7,judg4 ii4 #bb71 and the duty of subjugating them had been solemnly enforced by ,joshua in his last address to the assembled tribes 7,josh4 xxiii4 #e-aj74 ,accordingly we find that all the days of the elders that outlived ,joshua1 the nation did not forget its vocation1 but carried on the work to which it had been called 7,judg4 ii4 #g74 #a4 ,thus ,judah1 whose conquest of ,hebron and its vicinity has been already related1 in alliance with the neighbouring tribe of ,simeon1 attacked ,bezek1 slew #aj1jjj of its ,canaanite and ,perizzite inhabitants1 and captured its ferocious king ,adoni-bezek1 whose cruel mutilation of seventy vassal princes gives us an insight into the character of the native chiefs1 whom ,israel was commissioned to expel 7,judg4 i4 #f1 #g74 ,as he had done to others1 so ,judah did to him4 ,they cut off his thumbs and his great toes1 and carried him captive to ,jerusalem1 i4e4 to the ,lower ,city1 which was taken1 and set on fire4 ,but the ,upper ,city resisted all their efforts1 as afterwards those of the tribe of ,benjamin 7,judg4 i4 #baagb74 ,they were more successful1 however1 in other places1 and reduced numerous cities of the ,canaanites in the central mountains1 the southern desert1 and the low country of the west 7,judg4 i4 #ag1 #ah74 #b4 ,the powerful house of ,joseph was not behind-hand in following the example of the lion-tribe of ,judah4 ,they sent spies to descry the town of ,luz1 who seeing a man coming from thence1 seized him1 but consented to spare his life and that of his family on condition that he shewed them the entrance1 on ascertaining which1 they smote the place with the edge of the sword4 ,thus in addition to ,shechem1 the house of ,joseph became possessed of another spot consecrated by the most sacred associations1 even the town1 near which was the stone ,pillar their father ,jacob had set up on his way to ,padan-,aram1 and called the place ,beth-el1 the ,house of ,god 7,judg4 i4 #bb-bf74 ,but they were not similarly successful in expelling the ,canaanites from ,gezer near lower ,beth-horon 7,judg4 i4 #bi71 or from their strongholds in the plain of ,jezreel1 ,taanach1 ,megiddo1 and ,beth-shean4 ,instead of utterly driving them out1 they put them under tribute1 as also the ,amorites1 who succeeded in thrusting the children of ,dan from the fertile lowland of the sea-coast into the mountains1 to be themselves dispossessed in turn by the ,philistines 7,judg4 i4 #cd1 #ce74 #c4 ,similar declensions from the strict line of duty marked the conduct of other tribes4 ,zebulun contented itself with merely imposing tribute on the nations within its borders2 ,asher made no attempt to expel the powerful ,phnicians on the sea-coast from ,accho to ,zidon1 or from their more inland settlements2 and ,naphtali spared the inhabitants of the fenced cities of ,beth-shemesh and ,beth-anath 7,judg4 i4 #cj-cc74 ,this neglect of an obvious duty soon led to worse results4 ,contrary to the express commands of the ,law1 and the repeated exhortations of ,moses and ,joshua1 the ,israelites began to make leagues with the heathen nations4 ,leagues with nations led to marriages with individuals1 and these to their natural consequences4 ,their new relatives invited the ,israelites to their idolatrous festivals1 where the consecrated licentiousness gratified their sensual appetites1 and before long there arose a generation1 which knew not the ,lord1 nor yet the works which ,he had done for ,israel 7,judg4 ii4 #aj74 ,forgetting ,him who had done so great things for them1 they bowed themselves to strange gods1 and practised the worst abominations1 even sacrificing their sons and their daughters to ,baal and ,ashtaroth 7,ps4 cvi4 #cg1 #ch2 ,judg4 ii4 #ac74 ,this gradual spread of idolatry1 and as a natural consequence1 of moral and social degeneracy1 is strikingly illustrated by two incidents recorded in the last five chapters of the ,book of ,judges1 which seem to have been inserted for this very purpose as a kind of appendix to that ,book#agc4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,micah ,,and ,,the ,,danites1 ,,the ,,tribal ,,war4 ,,judg4 ,,xvii4-,,xxi4 ,b4,c4 ,,circ4 #adjf4 ,,there was living about twenty years after the death of ,joshua in ,mount ,ephraim in central ,palestine a man named ,,micah1 whose mother one day lost #aajj shekels of silver4 ,so terrible was the curse she imprecated on the thief1 that her son in alarm confessed that he had abstracted the money4 ,instead of reproaching him1 his mother thereupon informed him that she had dedicated this sum1 probably the savings of a lifetime#agd1 to the ,lord1 to make a graven and a molten image4 ,upon this ,micah restored the money to his mother1 who sent #bjj shekels to a founder for the purpose of fashioning the idol4 ,when made1 it was set up in ,micah's house1 and he consecrated one of his sons as priest1 and arrayed him in a sacred vestment1 probably made in imitation of the ephod of the ,high-priest4 ,not satisfied1 however1 with the ministrations of his son1 on the arrival of a young ,levite of ,bethlehem in ,juda1 travelling1 probably1 in search of employment as a teacher of the ,law1 he persuaded him also to become his priest1 and agreed to give him #aj shekels of silver a-year1 suitable sacerdotal vestments1 and his living4 ,on these terms the ,levite was content to dwell with him1 became his priest1 and was unto him as one of his sons4 ,soon after this it happened that the tribe of ,dan being still hard pressed by the ,amorites#age1 and desirous of an addition to their territory1 sent five spies from two towns in the low country to discover a new and advantageous settlement4 ,the spies set out1 and on their way came to ,mount ,ephraim1 where they obtained a lodging in the house of ,micah4 ,recognizing the voice of the young ,levite1 they enquired the cause of his presence there1 and on ascertaining the position he held1 begged him to ask counsel of ,jehovah as to the success of their expedition4 ,the ,levite did so1 and the answer was propitious4 ,thereupon the spies resumed their journey1 and tracking the ,jordan to its source beyond the waters of ,merom1 came to an eminence on which rose the town of ,laish 7,tell el-,kdy71 a colony from ,sidon1 whose inhabitants1 8separated from their mother-city#agf by the huge mass of ,lebanon and half of ,anti-,lebanon10 dwelt quiet and secure 7,judg4 xviii4 #g7 in the enjoyment of the warm climate and exquisite scenery1 and tilling the fertile soil irrigated by many streams4 ,the spies marked the spot1 and on their return bade their brethren arise1 and take possession of a place where there was no want of anything that is in the earth 7,judg4 xviii4 #aj74 ,upon this1 six hundred ,danites from ,zorah and ,eshtaol girded on their weapons of war1 and went up and encamped at a spot behind ,kirjath-jearim1 which though it belonged to ,judah1 they named ,mahaneh-,dan1 or the ,camp of ,dan4 ,thence they ascended into the mountain-range of ,ephraim1 and like the spies before them1 drew near the house of ,micah4 ,informed that here there was an ephod and teraphim1 a graven image and a molten image1 the six hundred warriors took their stand by the gateway leading into the court1 and engaged the ,levite in conversation1 while the spies ascended into the sanctuary1 and stole away the images with the sacerdotal vestments4 ,on re-appearing1 the ,levite tried to expostulate1 but was speedily bidden to hold his peace1 and without much difficulty suffered himself to be persuaded that it would be better to accompany them1 and instead of being a priest unto one man1 to become a priest unto a tribe and a family in ,israel 7,judg4 xviii4 #ai74 ,with such secrecy was their departure effected1 that the ,danites had got a good way from the house of ,micah1 before the latter became aware of the grievous wrong he had sustained4 ,gathering together the inhabitants of the houses1 which had gradually clustered round his idolatrous sanctuary1 he pursued after the roving warriors4 ,but it was in vain that he gave vent to his grief and rage4 ,the spoilers only mocked him1 and bade him take care he did not lose his life as well as his gods2 consequently he was fain to return to his rifled sanctuary1 while the six hundred held on their way northward4 ,reaching the source of the ,jordan far up in the northern mountains1 they found the town of ,laish just as the spies had described it4 ,far from its mother-city1 the careless colony had no deliverer in its hour of peril4 ,without warning the spoilers burst upon it1 scaled its walls1 set it on fire1 and massacred its inhabitants1 men1 women and children without mercy4 ,they afterwards rebuilt it1 called it ,dan after the name of ,dan their father1 and there set up the images they had taken from ,micah4 ,there too the young ,levite1 who1 it seems1 was no unimportant personage1 but no other than ,jonathan1 the son of ,gershom1 the son of the great lawgiver ,moses#agg1 ministered at this new sanctuary1 and his descendants remained till the ,captivity 7,judg4 xviii4 #ad-ca74 ,if any proof were wanting of the association of religious with moral declension at this period1 it is supplied by the biography of another ,levite1 which is also given in these concluding chapters of the ,book of ,judges4 #b4 ,this ,levite1 who1 like the other1 dwelt on the edge of ,mount ,ephraim1 took him a concubine out of ,bethlehem-,judah1 who proved faithless1 and returned to her father's house4 ,on this her husband went in quest of her1 and was received by her father with true ,eastern hospitality4 ,as the fifth day declined after his arrival1 resisting the importunities of his father-in-law who would have had him stay longer1 he rose up to return1 and as night fell drew near the town of ,jebus1 which still remained in the hands of its ,canaanite inhabitants4 ,rejecting the advice of his servant to lodge there during the night1 he pressed on1 and it was already dark when he reached ,gibeah in ,benjamin4 ,as he was sitting in the streets of the town awaiting an offer of shelter1 an old man approached coming from his work in the fields4 ,his home1 too1 was in ,mount ,ephraim1 but he was sojourning at ,gibeah1 and taking compassion on the homeless condition of the ,levite he brought him into his house1 and gave him a lodging for the night4 ,as they sat at meat1 certain of the lowest inhabitants of the place set upon the house1 and treated the ,levite's concubine with such violence1 that in the morning when he arose he found her lying dead before the door4 ,enraged at this savage act he took her home1 and there with his knife divided her together with her bones into twelve pieces1 and sent them among the twelve tribes4 ,this ferocious summons to vengeance roused all ,israel as one man 7,judg4 xx4 #a74 ,even the tribes beyond the ,jordan assembled with the rest of their brethren1 and #djj1jjj warriors met at ,mizpeh in ,benjamin1 a fortified eminence a little to the north of ,jebus1 and listened to the ,levite while he recounted the dark tale of outrage 7,judg4 xx4 #b-f74 ,the recital excited still greater indignation1 and all the people knit together as one man bound themselves by a solemn vow never to return to their homes till they had taken deep vengeance on the inhabitants of ,gibeah for the disgrace they had brought upon ,israel4 ,messengers were accordingly sent through the territory of ,benjamin demanding their surrender4 ,this the ,benjamites absolutely refused1 and making the cause of ,gibeah their own1 prepared to encounter the men of ,israel with all their forces1 amounting to #bf1jjj1 together with the #gjj warriors of ,gibeah1 chosen men1 left-handed1 every one of whom could sling stones at an hair breadth1 and not miss 7,judg4 xx4 #af74 ,in this juncture1 instead of consulting the ,divine ,will whether they should embark in this war at all1 the indignant tribes having already decided on the campaign only sought to know who should take the lead4 ,judah was the tribe indicated by the ,divine response1 and in the engagement that ensued1 the ,israelites were defeated with a loss of upwards of #bb1jjj men4 ,on the day following they renewed the attack1 but only to sustain a second reverse and a loss of #ah1jjj of their best troops4 ,in the greatest distress at this double defeat1 the eleven tribes assembled at ,bethel1 fasted the whole day until the evening1 and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the ,lord4 ,then ,phinehas1 who had led the sacred war against the ,midianites1 enquired whether a third engagement should be hazarded1 and in reply was bidden to go up1 for this time the ,lord would deliver ,benjamin into their hand 7,judg4 xx4 #bh74 ,thereupon it was resolved to repeat the tactics so successful at ,ai4 ,an ambuscade was planted behind ,gibeah1 and on the descent of the ,benjamites a flight was feigned to draw them from the town towards a spot1 where the road divided into two paths1 the one leading to ,bethel1 the other to ,gibeah-in-the-,field1 probably the modern ,jeba4 ,unconscious of their danger the ,benjamites suffered themselves to be decoyed from the town1 and slew about #cj of their foes4 ,meanwhile the ambuscade arose1 and bursting on the defenceless town1 put the inhabitants to the sword4 ,a great pillar of flame and smoke signalled to the rest of the army the success of the stratagem1 and the ,benjamites at last awakened to their danger fled eastward to the desert region bordering on the ,jordan valley4 ,but their foes now turned1 and inclosing them round about 7,judg4 xx4 #dc71 trode them down1 and slew #be1jjj4 ,from this indiscriminate massacre only #fjj of the ,benjamites effected their escape to the cliff of ,rimmon1 an inaccessible natural fortress situated about #g miles north-east of ,gibeah1 and overhanging the wild region bordering on the ,jordan4 ,here they entrenched themselves for a space of four months1 while the eleven tribes not content with firing and ravaging every town in the territory of ,benjamin1 bound themselves by a vow to abstain from all intermarriage with them4 ,regret1 however1 for the almost entire extinction of a tribe in ,israel subsequently softened their hearts1 and by a curious stratagem characteristic of this troubled period1 when there was no king in ,israel1 and every man did that which was right in his own eyes 7,judg4 xxi4 #be71 they enquired whether any city had failed to take part in the late tribal war4 ,thereupon it was discovered that ,jabesh-gilead1 a city on the east of the ,jordan1 had sent no forces to aid their brethren4 ,thither1 therefore1 #ab1jjj men were despatched1 with instructions utterly to destroy the recreant city and massacre every man and married woman4 ,this ruthless order was executed to the letter1 and the entire population was put to the sword1 save #djj virgins1 who were given in marriage to the remnant of ,benjamin4 ,these not sufficing for wives1 the ,benjamites took advantage of a yearly festival at the sanctuary of ,shiloh1 when the daughters of the place assembled to take part in the sacred dances1 and concealing themselves in the neighbouring vineyards1 burst forth upon the unsuspecting maidens and carried off each one a wife for himself1 with whom they returned1 repaired their towns1 and dwelt in them 7,judg4 xxi4 #bc-be74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,othniel ,,and ,,ehud1 ,,deborah ,,and ,,barak4 ,,judg4 ,,ii4-,v4 ,b4,c4 ,,circ4 #adjf-abif4 ,,the two incidents just recorded are illustrations of the turbulence and disorder of the period which followed the death of ,joshua and of the elders that outlived ,joshua4 ,forgetful of their vocation1 the ,chosen ,people intermingled with the heathen ,canaanites1 conformed to their rites and customs1 and so forfeited the protection and blessing of their ,invisible ,king4 ,he therefore delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them1 ,he sold them to their enemies round about 444 and they were greatly distressed 7,judg4 ii4 #ad1 #ae74 ,but on the first manifestation of repentance1 ,he regarded their affliction1 ,he heard their cry 7,ps4 cvi4 #dd1 #de71 and raised up ,deliverers1 who saved them from their enemies4 ,the ,hebrew word used to denote these ,deliverers1 these ,saviours of their country1 ,shofet1 ,shophetim#agh1 and which we have translated ,judge1 is much the same as the ,suffes1 ,suffetes of the ,carthaginians at the time of the ,punic wars4 ,raised up on extraordinary occasions1 like the ,dictators in the history of ,rome1 they delivered the nation from some pressing danger1 and their power and authority generally terminated with the crisis which had called them forth4 ,higher than the princes of the tribes1 vested with extraordinary powers for the emergency1 their office was not hereditary1 though we shall see it finally tending in more than one instance towards fixedness and perpetuity1 and in the person of ,eli united with that of the ,high-priest 7,judg4 x4 #c1 #d2 xii4 #h-ad2 #a ,sam4 viii4 #a-c74 ,invasion from the ,north-east4 ,othniel4 ,the crisis1 which called forth the first of these ,deliverers1 was the invasion of the country by ,chushan-rishathaim1 king of ,mesopotamia4 ,from the seat of his dominion between the ,euphrates and the ,tigris he extended his conquests so far southward1 that the ,israelites suffered grievously from his oppressions for a space of #h years4 ,at the close of this period1 ,,othniel1 whose valour in attacking ,kirjath-sepher and marriage with the daughter of the famous ,caleb have been lately recorded#agi1 went out against him and defeated him1 and restored rest to the land for #dj years 7,judg4 iii4 #h-aa74 ,invasion from the ,south-east4 ,ehud4 ,on his death1 the people again fell into idolatry1 and the ,moabites under ,,eglon1 aided by their old allies the ,ammonites and ,amalekites1 crossed the ,jordan and seized the ruined site of ,jericho4 ,from this vantage ground1 ,eglon was enabled to extend his dominion at least over the tribe of ,benjamin1 from which1 if not from other tribes1 he exacted annual tribute for a space of #ah years4 ,this was brought to him at ,jericho1 where he would seem to have constructed a palace4 ,on one occasion1 ,,ehud1 the son of ,gera1 a ,benjamite1 was selected to command the party deputed to carry this proof of subjection4 ,having executed his commission1 he accompanied his men as far back as the quarries1 or rather the graven images at ,gilgal 7,judg4 iii4 #ai1 margin71 possibly the idol-temples1 with which the ,moabites had profaned the associations of that sacred spot4 ,thence he turned back1 and on pretence of having a message from ,god to deliver to him1 obtained a private interview with ,eglon1 as he sat in his summer parlour1 or 8parlour of cooling0 7,judg4 iii4 #bj1 margin71 probably on the roof of his house1 where he might catch the cool breezes that tempered the tropical heat of the ,jordan valley4 ,on entering1 ,ehud repeated the purport of his errand1 and ,eglon bade the attendants instantly withdraw4 ,then as he rose from his seat to meet his visitor1 ,ehud1 who was left-handed like many of his tribe1 drew a long two-edged dagger1 which he had made#ahj and hidden under his mantle upon his right thigh 7,judg4 iii4 #af71 and stabbed him with such force as to leave the weapon in his body4 ,without lingering a moment1 he then shut and locked the doors of the chamber1 and fled 8through the porch or gallery that ran round the roof#aha10 and passing beyond ,gilgal1 made for the wooded1 shaggy1 hills of ,seirath1 in the mountains of ,ephraim4 ,there he blew a horn1 and roused the ,israelites1 who rushed down the hills and followed him in the direction of ,jericho4 ,meanwhile the attendants had opened the door of ,eglon's chamber1 and beheld the corpse lying on the floor4 ,panicstricken at this unexpected death of their leader1 and still more by the sudden rising of the ,israelites1 the ,moabites fled towards the fords of the ,jordan4 ,but the ,israelites had been beforehand with them1 and suffering none to cross1 slew upwards of #aj1jjj men4 ,rest was now restored at least to the tribe of ,benjamin for #hj years1 but in the south-west the ,philistines1 encouraged probably by the success of the ,moabites1 made an inroad1 and reduced the ,israelites to great straits 7,judg4 v4 #f74 ,but ,,shamgar1 the son of ,anath1 was raised up to be a deliverer4 ,armed with nothing but a long iron-spiked ox-goad#ahb1 he made a sudden and desperate assault upon the ,philistines1 and slew #fjj of them1 thus obtaining a temporary respite for his people 7,judg4 iii4 #ca74 ,invasion from the ,north4 ,deborah and ,barak4 ,but a more terrible invasion was in store for the nation1 which again on the death of ,ehud relapsed into idolatry 7,judg4 iv4 #a74 ,this time the oppressor came from the north1 where under a second ,,jabin1 the ,canaanites1 whom ,joshua had defeated in his memorable victory at the waters of ,merom1 had recovered a portion of their former strength4 ,with his vast hosts1 and his #ijj chariots of iron commanded by ,,sisera his captain1 who resided at ,harosheth of the ,gentiles#ahc1 he overran the country of the neighbouring tribes1 ,asher1 ,naphtali and ,zebulun4 ,such was the general prostration and terror that1 as had already been the case in the days of ,shamgar1 the highways were unoccupied1 and the travellers stole from place to place by crooked1 tortuous by-paths 7,judg4 v4 #f74 ,village life ceased in ,israel1 and the peasantry1 abandoning the cultivation of the ground1 retired for refuge to the walled towns4 ,but even here they were not secure4 ,there was war in the gates1 the place usually devoted to the administration of justice1 and even in the places of drawing water the noise of the archers could be heard twanging their terrible bows 7,judg4 v4 #h1 #aa74 ,no resistance could be offered1 for according to a common policy 7#a ,sam4 xiii4 #ai-bb7 there had been a general disarmament of the people1 and not a spear or shield was to be seen among forty thousand in ,israel 7,judg4 v4 #h74 ,the spirit of the nation was completely crushed1 and the second ,jabin and ,sisera his captain carried on unchecked for upwards of #bj years those measures1 whereby they reduced the ,israelites to a condition of degrading servitude 7,judg4 iv4 #c74 ,at length1 however1 a ,deliverer appeared4 ,under a solitary palm-tree in the mountain-range of ,ephraim between ,ramah and ,bethel1 lived a prophetess named ,,deborah1 who was or had been the wife of ,lapidoth4 ,in the failure of all other leaders she was now regarded by the oppressed people with the utmost reverence1 and they went up to her for judgment 7,judg4 iv4 #e74 ,like ,joan of ,arc in after times1 her whole soul was fired with indignation at the sufferings endured by her people1 and at length from ,kadesh-naphtali1 a ,city of ,refuge1 not far from ,jabin's capital 7,josh4 xx4 #g2 xxi4 #cb71 and therefore peculiarly animated with hostility to the oppressor1 she summoned ,,barak#ahd 7lightning7 the son of ,abinoam4 ,on the strength of a ,divine commission1 she then enjoined him to gather #aj1jjj men from his own and the neighbouring tribe of ,zebulun to the green summit of ,tabor#ahe1 and promised to draw to the river ,kishon in the plain of ,esdraelon the great captain of ,jabin's army with his chariots and his host1 and there deliver them into his hand4 ,barak declined to undertake the arduous enterprise1 unless the ,prophetess promised to accompany him4 ,to this she assented1 but distinctly warned him that the expedition would not be for his honour2 as he was thus willing to lean upon a woman's aid1 so into the hands of a woman would the ,lord deliver the leader of his enemy's forces4 ,leaving her seat of judgment1 ,deborah then accompanied ,barak to ,kedesh1 and he employed himself in rousing his own tribe of ,naphtali and that of ,zebulun to join in the insurrection4 ,having at length gathered #aj1jjj men around his standard he marched1 still attended by the ,prophetess1 to the high places of ,tabor4 ,there he was joined by portions of other tribes1 whom the influence of ,deborah had roused to take part in the great struggle1 consisting of the princes of ,issachar1 a body of ,ephraimites1 and detachments from ,benjamin and north-eastern ,manasseh 7,judg4 v4 #ad1 #ae74 ,other tribes1 however1 came not thus zealously to the help of the ,lord against the mighty4 ,of the two maritime tribes1 ,dan on the south clung to his ships in the port of ,joppa1 and ,asher forgat the perils of his fellows in the creeks and harbours of his ,phnician allies 7,judg4 v4 #ag74 ,the name of ,judah is not even mentioned among the patriot forces4 ,amongst the tribes across the ,jordan great was the debate as to the course to be pursued4 ,reuben preferred to abide secure among his sheepfolds#ahf1 and to listen to the bleating of his flocks1 and ,gad to linger beyond ,jordan in his grassy uplands 7,judg4 v4 #ag74 ,but amidst the wavering of many hearts1 ,zebulun and ,naphtali remained firm1 and prepared to jeopardize their lives unto the death on the high places of ,tabor 7,judg4 v4 #ah74 ,meanwhile certain of the ,kenites#ahg1 who had separated from the rest of their tribe in the hill country of ,judah 7,judg4 i4 #af71 and now dwelt under the oaks of ,zaanaim#ahh near ,kedesh1 informed ,sisera of the sudden movement of ,barak towards ,tabor 7,judg4 iv4 #aa1 #ab74 ,thereupon1 without delay he gathered all his forces1 and encamped on the level plain of ,esdraelon1 between the friendly towns of ,taanach and ,megiddo#ahi1 where he was also joined by other ,canaanite chiefs anxious to quell the sudden insurrection 7,judg4 v4 #c1 #ai74 ,at length the heroic ,deborah gave the encouraging command to ,barak1 ,up1 for this is the day in which the ,lord hath delivered ,sisera into thine hand4 ,probably long before it was light#aij the camp of ,barak's little army was struck1 and the patriot tribes rapidly descending the winding mountain-path fell upon the hosts of ,sisera and threw them into wild confusion4 ,as they fled in utter dismay along the plain1 not only the troops of ,barak1 but the stars in their courses 7,judg4 v4 #bj71 the elements of heaven1 began to fight against the ,canaanites4 ,a furious storm of rain and hail#aia gathered from the east1 and bursting right in their faces1 rendered useless the bows of their archers#aib1 and swelled into a mighty torrent the rivulets1 springs1 and spongy marshes near ,megiddo4 ,before long the ancient torrent of the ,kishon 7twisted or winding7 rose in its bed1 and the plain became an impassable morass#aic4 ,the chariots of ,sisera were now utterly useless4 ,the hoofs of the horses vainly plunging in the tenacious mud and swollen streams were broken by means of their pransings 7,judg4 v4 #bb74 ,the torrent of the ,kishon1 now rushing fast and furious1 swept them away1 and the strength of the ,canaanites was trodden down4 ,stuck fast1 entangled1 overwhelmed they could not stand for a moment before the avenging ,barak1 and not a man made good his escape to the city of their great leader1 ,harosheth of the ,gentiles1 before their pursuers had smitten them with the edge of the sword 7,judg4 iv4 #af74 ,meantime1 while his mother and her attendants were vainly awaiting the return of his triumphal chariot 7,judg4 v4 #bh71 ,sisera himself fled away on foot to the friendly tribe of ,heber the ,kenite beneath the oaks of ,zaanaim1 where he hoped for safety from his remorseless pursuers4 ,after a while he drew near the tent of ,jael1 ,heber's wife1 and chieftainess of the tribe4 ,she herself had descried him approaching1 and went forth to meet him4 ,turn in1 my lord1 said she1 turn in to me1 fear not4 ,and he turned in1 and she covered him with a rug or blanket 7,judg4 iv4 #ah74 ,spent and weary1 before he lay down1 he asked for a little water to drink2 but she gave him something better than water4 ,she opened the skin bottle of milk1 such as always stands by ,arab tents1 she brought forth butter1 or 8thick curdled milk0 in a lordly dish#aid1 or the bowl used for illustrious strangers1 and covered him again with the rug4 ,thus doubly assured of hospitality ,sisera bade her deny his presence if any enquired after him1 and then laid him down and slept4 ,but as she stood at the tent-door1 other thoughts than those of kindness towards the slumbering chief came over ,jael4 ,at length taking one of the wooden sharp-pointed tent-nails in one hand and a mallet in the other1 she went softly unto him1 and smote him with such force that the nail entered into his temples1 and fastened his head to the ground1 for he was fast asleep and weary1 and so he died4 ,meanwhile the pursuing ,barak drew near4 ,him too ,jael went forth to meet1 and taking him within1 showed him his terrible foe1 the captain of the nine hundred iron chariots1 lying dead upon the ground1 with the nail driven through his temples4 ,thus on that day1 as the ,prophetess had said1 ,god delivered ,sisera into the hand of a woman4 ,together she and ,barak returned from the battle-field1 and chanted responsively a sublime ,triumphal ,hymn1 celebrating the recent victory over the northern ,canaanites1 which now secured to the land rest for #dj years 7,judg4 v474 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,invasion ,,of ,,the ,,midianites4 ,,gideon4 ,,judg4 ,,vi4-,,viii4 ,b4,c4 ,,circ4 #abef-abdi4 ,,as so often before1 the effects of this last great deliverance were but transitory4 ,again the ,israelites relapsed into idolatry1 and in consecrated groves practised all the abominations that disgraced the worship of ,baal4 ,the national punishment they thus drew down upon themselves was more severe than anything they had yet endured4 ,since the sacred war led by ,phinehas against the ,midianites#aie 7,num4 xxxi4 #a-ac71 that people had recovered much of their ancient strength1 and now in concert with the ,amalekites1 and the children of the ,east 7,judg4 vi4 #c71 or the ,arabian tribes beyond the ,jordan1 they determined to invade the territory of ,israel4 ,led by two superior chiefs1 having the title of king1 ,,zebah and ,,zalmunna1 and two inferior chiefs1 ,,oreb and ,,zeeb 7the ,raven and the ,wolf71 they poured into the country with their herds1 their flocks1 and their camels1 like locusts for multitude1 and gradually overran it from the plain of ,jezreel down the valley of the ,jordan1 and southward as far as ,gaza in the fertile ,lowlands of the west4 ,here they established themselves1 destroyed the crops#aif1 and for a period of seven years reduced the ,israelites to the greatest straits1 so that they left the plains1 and fled for refuge to dens or catacombs1 which they cut out of the rocky mountains1 to inaccessible strongholds1 and the limestone caves with which ,palestine abounds#aig 7,judg4 vi4 #b74 ,as so often before1 the ,deliverer came from the quarter most exposed to the ravages of the invaders4 ,at ,ophrah1 in the hills of western ,manasseh1 not far from ,shechem1 and overlooking the plain of ,jezreel1 the head-quarters of the ,midianitish host1 lived a high-born ,abi-ezrite1 a descendant of one of the princely families of ,manasseh 7,josh4 xvii4 #b2 ,num4 xxvi4 #cj71 named ,,joash4 ,the invasion had brought not only impoverishment but dire bereavement into his home4 ,in a skirmish near the heights of ,tabor the ,midianite kings1 ,zebah and ,zalmunna1 had slain all his noble sons save one1 ,,gideon 7,judg4 viii4 #ah1 #ai74 ,on one occasion1 as ,gideon was threshing wheat1 not in the open summer threshing-floor1 but by the winepress#aih near his native ,ophrah1 to hide it from the ,midianites1 an ,angel appeared and saluted him with the words1 ,the ,lord is with thee1 thou mighty man of valour4 ,in reply ,gideon contrasted the present degraded condition of the nation with the glorious days when ,jehovah brought them out of ,egypt1 and complained that ,he had now deserted them1 nor was there any hope of deliverance4 ,thereupon the ,angel informed him that he was the destined ,saviour of his people1 that the ,lord would be with him1 and that he should smite the ,midianites as one man 7,judg4 vi4 #af74 ,unable to believe that such a mission could be designed for himself1 ,gideon requested a sign to assure him that the ,speaker was a messenger of ,jehovah1 and by direction of the ,angel made ready a kid1 and cakes of unleavened bread1 and presented them under the oak4 ,the ,angel then bade him lay the flesh and unleavened cakes upon the rock and pour the broth over them1 and when he had done so touched them with a rod he bore in his hand4 ,instantly there rose up fire from the rock1 and consumed the offering1 in the midst of which the ,angel suddenly disappeared4 ,the fact that he had thus been permitted to converse face to face with ,deity filled ,gideon with alarm1 but the ,lord reassured him1 and he built an altar there which he called ,jehovah-,shalom1 or1 the ,lord send ,peace1 in memory of the salutation of the ,angel 7,judg4 vi4 #bd74 i4 ,thus solemnly called to be the ,deliverer of his countrymen1 ,gideon was first commissioned to testify against the idolatrous practices which had caused the present national degradation4 ,the ,lord appeared to him in a dream1 and bade him throw down an altar which his father had erected in honour of ,baal1 and cut down a grove he had set up1 and then to build in an orderly manner an altar to ,jehovah on the rock where his meat-offering had been accepted1 and sacrifice thereon his father's second bullock of seven years old4 ,with the assistance of his servants1 ,gideon during the night-time executed this commission1 and on the morrow the townspeople were surprised to find that both altar and grove had disappeared4 ,enquiry led to the detection of the offender1 and ,joash was bidden to bring forth his son that he might be put to death for the sacrilege of which he had been guilty4 ,but ,joash replied with much irony that he was truly guilty of impiety who believed that ,baal could not defend himself4 ,will ye take upon yourselves1 said he1 to plead ,baal's cause8 let him plead for himself4 ,a new name1 which ,gideon henceforth bore1 ,,jerub-,,baal1 or the ,tryer of ,baal1 attested the national acquiescence in the wisdom of his father's reply 7,judg4 vi4 #cb74 ii4 ,tried and not found wanting in moral courage1 ,gideon was now directed to carry out the second part of his commission4 ,blowing a trumpet he first gathered around him his own clan of ,abi-ezer1 and then sending messengers throughout ,manasseh1 ,asher1 ,zebulun1 and ,naphtali#aii1 invited the aid of these tribes against the common enemy4 ,with characteristic caution1 however1 he requested a further sign from ,jehovah before actually entering upon his arduous task4 ,a double sign was vouchsafed to him4 ,a fleece of wool1 first dripping with dew while all the soil around was hot and dry1 then dry while all the soil around was damp1 convinced him that the ,lord would indeed deliver ,israel by his hand4 ,by this time upwards of #cb1jjj of his countrymen had gathered around him1 and with this force he encamped on the slope of ,gilboa1 near the spring of ,jezreel1 henceforth known as the ,spring of ,harod or ,trembling1 overlooking the plain of ,jezreel covered with the tents of the ,midianites4 ,but the host was too many and too great for ,god to give victory thereby4 ,if they were successful with their present numbers they might vaunt that their own hand had saved them4 ,proclamation was1 therefore1 made that from the ,spring of ,trembling all who were afraid to persevere in their arduous enterprise might return to their homes4 ,of this permission #bb1jjj at once availed themselves and went their way4 ,but another trial was to test the qualifications of the rest4 ,by ,divine command ,gideon took the remaining #aj1jjj of his forces to the spring1 and watched them as they asswaged their thirst4 ,while all the rest bowed down upon their knees1 three hundred putting their hand to their mouth1 lapped of the water with their tongues as a dog lappeth 7,judg4 vii4 #e1 #f74 ,these three hundred ,gideon set by themselves1 the rest he sent away4 ,night now drew on1 and with his little band1 like the same famous number at ,thermopyl1 he was left alone on the brow of the steep mountain which overlooks the vale of ,jezreel1 where ,midian and ,amalek and all the children of the east lay along like locusts for multitude1 their camels gaily caparisoned1 numerous as the sand on the seashore 7,judg4 vii4 #ab74 ,to confirm the faith of ,gideon in this great crisis1 ,god now bade him1 attended by ,phurah his armour-bearer1 drop down from the height where he was1 and go to the host of his enemy4 ,accordingly the two crept down cautiously from rock to rock#bjj in the still night to the outskirts of the ,midianitish tents1 where ,gideon overheard a man tell his fellow how he had dreamt a dream1 and lo6 a cake of common#bjj barley bread tumbled into the host of ,midian1 and came unto a tent1 and smote it that it fell1 and overturned it1 that the tent lay along4 ,to this recital the other replied1 showing the reputation ,gideon had gained even amongst his foes1 ,this is nothing else save the sword of ,gideon the son of ,joash1 a man of ,israel3 into his hands hath ,god delivered ,midian1 and all the host 7,judg4 vii4 #ac1 #ad74 ,the ,listener heard the dream and the interpretation1 and straightway knew what he was to do4 ,returning up the mountain to his faithful three hundred1 he divided them into three companies1 and gave to every man a horn1 an earthen pitcher1 and a firebrand or torch#bja 7,judg4 vii4 #af1 margin7 to put therein4 ,then bidding them follow him1 and do exactly as they saw him do1 in the beginning of the middle watch he again stole down towards the outskirts of the tents of the ,midianites1 while the three companies following silently took their places every man round about the slumbering camp4 ,then ,gideon and his company suddenly blew their horns1 and at this signal #cjj horns blew1 #cjj pitchers crashed1 #cjj torches blazed1 and the always terrible war-cry of the ,israelites1 ,the ,sword of ,jehovah and of ,gideon#bjb1 rent the midnight air4 ,in a moment the ,midianites and ,amalekites were roused1 and thrown into inextricable confusion and alarm4 ,amidst the blazing of so many torches1 the crashing of so many pitchers1 and the blast of so many trumpets all on different sides1 they imagined themselves attacked by an enormous force4 ,filled with uncontrollable terror1 they turned their swords against one another1 and then rushed with one accord down the steep descent towards the ,jordan eastward1 to ,beth-,shittah1 the ,house of the ,acacia1 and ,abel-,meholah1 the ,meadow of the ,dance1 hotly pursued not only by the three hundred1 but some of the forces of ,naphtali1 ,asher1 and ,manasseh1 now convinced amidst the returning light of day that ,gideon had indeed achieved a great victory 7,judg4 vii4 #bc74 ,the ,midianites hoped to reach the fords of ,beth-barah immediately under the highlands of ,ephraim4 ,but ,gideon had already sent messengers thither1 and the ,ephraimites were not slow to seize the fords and intercept the flying foe1 but not before a considerable body had already crossed with the two kings1 ,zebah and ,zalmunna4 ,but they were in time to capture the two inferior chiefs1 ,oreb and ,zeeb1 the one at a sharp cliff1 the other at a winepress1 where they slew them1 and cutting off their heads hurried after ,gideon1 who with his three hundred was already on the other side of the ,jordan1 faint yet pursuing4 ,annoyed1 now the victory was won1 that they had not been summoned to join in the battle1 the haughty ,ephraimites chode with him1 and manifested great resentment4 ,with rare self-restraint the victorious ,leader asked what after all he had done in comparison with them4 ,pointing to the bloody heads of the princes they had slain1 he enquired whether the grapes ,ephraim had already gleaned were not better than the entire vintage of his little clan of ,abi-ezer4 ,this soft answer turned away the wrath of the offended tribe1 and the chase was renewed 7,judg4 viii4 #a-c74 ,two places on the track of the pursuit refused to befriend ,gideon4 ,the men of ,succoth#bjc on the east of ,jordan1 near the ford of the torrent ,jabbok1 and of ,penuel further up the mountains1 declined to supply his nearly exhausted troops with bread1 and mocked at him1 when he said he was chasing the kings of ,midian4 ,halting only to threaten them with vengeance on his return1 he hurried on after the enemy4 ,the victorious ,israelites had already slain #abj1jjj1 but #ae1jjj with the two kings had reached ,karkor1 far from any towns in the open desert-wastes east of the ,jordan4 ,here they thought themselves secure1 but ,gideon ascending from the valley of the ,jordan burst upon them1 put them to a complete rout1 and at last captured the two kings1 ,zebah and ,zalmunna4 ,then in triumph the conqueror returned down the long defiles leading to the ,jordan1 followed by his cavalcade of captives mounted on their gaily decked camels 7,judg4 viii4 #ba74 ,as he passed ,penuel he razed to the ground its lofty watchtower1 and slew the men of the city4 ,reaching ,succoth he obtained from a young man of the place a description of its #gg head-men1 and showed them the captive kings1 and then 8with the thorny branches of the neighbouring acacia-groves0 he beat them to death4 ,then pushing westwards he reached his native ,ophrah4 ,there turning to the captive kings#bjd and at length revealing the secret of this long pursuit1 he enquired what manner of men they were whom they had murdered on the green slopes of ,tabor4 ,as thou art1 so were they1 was the reply1 each one resembled the children of a king4 ,the remembrance of his brethren1 the sons of his own mother1 filled the warrior with wrath4 ,had they shown mercy to them1 he would have spared his prisoners1 but now that could not be4 ,summoning1 therefore1 his firstborn ,jether1 he bade him draw his sword and slay them4 ,but the boy quailed before those mighty kings1 and at their request ,gideon himself took the sword and slew them1 and gathered up the golden chains and crescent-shaped collars and trappings of their camels 7,judg4 viii4 #ah-ba74 ,the immediate effect upon the nation of this deliverance was greater than that of any other4 ,not only had the country quietness for #dj years 7,judg4 viii4 #bh71 not only did ,gideon's ,altar1 and the ,spring of ,trembling1 and the rock ,oreb 7or the ,raven's ,crag71 and the winepress of ,zeeb remain standing monuments of this great day1 when ,god made like a wheel#bje1 and drove over the uplands of ,gilead as stubble before the wind 7,ps4 lxxxiii4 #ac1 #ad71 like clouds of chaff blown from the summer threshing-floors1 the proud people which had said1 ,let us take to ourselves the pastures of ,god in possession 7,ps4 lxxxiii4 #ab71 but for the first time the ,israelites offered hereditary royal dignity to the great conqueror4 ,rule thou over us1 said they1 both thou1 and thy son1 and thy son's sons also4 ,gideon had the rare self-control to decline the flattering request4 ,i will not rule over you1 said he1 neither shall my son rule over you2 ,jehovah shall rule over you4 ,one request only and a strange one did he make of the grateful tribes1 that they would give him the golden earrings and other ornaments they had taken from the conquered foe4 ,willingly into his cloak the people flung the ornaments1 jewels1 and chains from the camels' necks to the weight of #agjj shekels1 and with these ,gideon made an ephod1 and put it in his native ,ophrah1 and all ,israel went a whoring after it1 which thing became a snare unto ,gideon and to his house4 ,though he declined the royal dignity1 he was addicted to a royal failing4 ,he multiplied wives and begat #gj sons1 and after living to a good old age descended in peace to the tomb of his father ,joash in ,ophrah of the ,abi-ezrites#bjf 7,judg4 viii4 #cb74 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,abimelech ,,and ,,jephthah4 ,,judg4 ,,ix4-,,xii4 ,b4,c4 ,,circ4 #abdi-aahh4 ,,after the death of ,gideon1 ,jehovah1 whose minister he had been for the deliverance of the people1 was again forgotten by the ,israelites4 ,forgetting ,gideon1 forgetting ,him who had sent ,gideon1 they made ,baal-,berith1 ,baal of the ,covenant1 their god1 and set up his sanctuary even in ,shechem1 though hallowed by the memories of the patriarchs#bjg and the solemn ratification of the ,law#bjh4 ,meanwhile ,gideon's #gj sons appear to have exercised authority over some portion of the country4 ,one of them1 whose name was ,,abimelech1 the son of a slave a ,canaanite native of ,shechem1 after consultation with his mother's brethren and her relatives 7,judg4 ix4 #a71 suggested that in place of the divided authority of his numerous brothers1 he1 their bone and their flesh 7,judg4 ix4 #b71 should be vested with the supreme authority4 ,the spirit of clanship was strong4 ,he is our brother1 whispered the family to the ,shechemites1 who at length fell in with the scheme1 and lent ,abimelech seventy pieces of silver from the sanctuary of ,baal-,berith4 ,with the money he hired a body of men1 and going to his father's house at ,ophrah1 murdered all his brethren1 save ,,jotham the youngest1 who managed to escape4 ,he was now left alone1 and was solemnly anointed king by the men of ,shechem1 who thus formally signified their revolt from the ,hebrew commonwealth4 ,tidings of what was going on reached the ears of ,jotham4 ,emerging from his hiding-place1 he stationed himself on one of the rocky inaccessible spurs of ,mount ,gerizim#bji1 and taking up his parable from the variegated foliage of the valley below and the neighbouring forest1 bade the men of ,shechem listen while he addressed to them the earliest ,parable1 that of the ,bramble-,king4 ,once1 he said1 the ,trees went forth to anoint a king over them4 ,the ,olive1 the ,vine1 the ,fig were each asked to accept the royal dignity1 but each declined2 the ,olive could not leave his fatness1 or the ,fig-tree his sweetness1 or the ,vine the juice of his grapes4 ,recourse was then had to the ,bramble1 which not only accepted the proffered honour1 but bade the other trees put their trust in its shadow1 and threatened1 if they did not1 that fire should come forth from it and devour even the cedars of ,lebanon4 ,jotham then reminded the ,shechemites of the services his father had rendered to the nation1 and rebuked them for their gross ingratitude to his family4 ,if they thought they had done well in electing ,abimelech1 the ,bramble-,king1 he bade them rejoice in him2 if not1 he hoped a fire might come forth from the king1 in whose shadow they had placed their trust1 and destroy him and all who had joined in electing him4 ,with these words the speaker fled4 ,in a short time his words were fulfilled4 ,for three years ,abimelech maintained his supremacy1 residing himself at ,arumah 7,judg4 ix4 #da71 not far from ,shechem1 while that place was entrusted to ,zebul1 his viceroy4 ,during the joyous season of the vintage#baj 7,judg4 ix4 #bg7 ,gaal the son of ,ebed1 a leader of a body of freebooters tried to persuade the people of ,shechem to transfer their allegiance from ,abimelech1 who was but half a kinsman1 to the ,hivite tribe of ,hamor4 ,intelligence of this movement reached the ears of ,zebul1 who without delay sent word to ,abimelech1 bidding him levy his forces and surprise the plotters in the city4 ,after a desperate battle ,abimelech captured the place1 put the entire population to the sword1 and sowed the ruins of the city with salt 7,judg4 ix4 #de74 ,a remnant1 however1 of the insurgents took refuge in the temple of ,baal-,berith4 ,thither ,abimelech pursued them at the head of his followers1 whom he commanded on their way to cut down boughs from the trees on the wooded eminence of ,zalmon 7,ps4 lxviii4 #ad7 close to the city4 ,these he piled against the hold1 set them on fire1 and suffocated and burnt the refugees4 ,from ,shechem he repaired to ,thebez#baa 7,tbas7 and speedily captured the town2 but again the inhabitants took refuge in one of its strong towers1 and there held out4 ,forcing his way up to it1 ,abimelech was about to repeat the stratagem he had found so successful at ,shechem 7,judg4 ix4 #eb71 when a woman flung a fragment of millstone at his head#bab4 ,unwilling to die thus ingloriously1 he bade his armour-bearer thrust him through with his sword1 and so expired4 ,other judges now succeeded1 of whom ,,tola1 of the tribe of ,issachar1 governed ,israel for a space of #bc years at ,shamir in ,mount ,ephraim 7,judg4 x4 #a1 #b72 he was succeeded by ,,jair of ,gilead1 who during #bb years shared his almost regal honours with his thirty sons 7,judg4 x4 #c1 #d74 ,invasion of the ,ammonites2 ,jephthah4 ,but recent judgments had not the effect of restraining the people from apostasy4 ,to the worship of ,baal and ,astarte they now added that of the gods of ,syria1 of ,zidon1 of ,moab and ,ammon1 as also of the ,philistines4 ,the national punishment they thus drew down upon themselves came from two quarters4 ,on the south-west and along the fertile borders of the ,shephelah the ,philistines rose and reduced a portion of the country to subjection1 while the tribes on the east of ,jordan fell a prey to the ,ammonites1 and for #ah years endured the humiliation of irksome oppression4 ,nor were they the only sufferers1 for the ,ammonites crossed the ,jordan and carried on their ravages even in the territories of ,judah1 ,benjamin1 and ,ephraim 7,judg4 x4 #f-i74 ,so terrible was the oppression they now endured1 that at length the ,israelites were roused to a deep repentance2 finding it in vain to cry unto their false gods in the day of tribulation1 they put them away1 and besought ,jehovah if only this once to stretch forth ,his hand and deliver them4 ,grieved for the misery of ,israel 7,judg4 x4 #af71 the ,lord raised up a deliverer in the person of ,,jephthah1 a base-born native of ,gilead4 ,driven forth from his father's house by his legitimate sons1 ,jephthah had fled into the land of ,tob1 somewhere on the east of ,gilead1 where putting himself at the head of brave but lawless men1 he lived the life of a freebooter1 making incursions from time to time into the territories of neighbouring tribes1 and living on the proceeds of the spoil 7,judg4 xi4 #a-c74 ,determined to throw off the ,ammonitish yoke1 the tribes on the east of ,jordan now turned to ,jephthah1 and promised him the chieftaincy1 if he would undertake to lead them against the enemy4 ,jephthah consented1 and it was formally agreed that1 in the event of success1 he should retain the supreme command4 ,his first step was to send an embassy to the ,ammonites urging the right of the ,israelites to the land of ,gilead4 ,this being unsuccessful1 he prepared for open war1 and traversing ,gilead and ,manasseh collected warriors from such places as acknowledged his authority4 ,but before entering on the campaign1 in imitation probably of heathen customs1 and especially of the ,ammonites 7#b ,kin4 iii4 #bg71 he solemnly vowed to offer as a burnt-offering to ,jehovah whatever should first come forth from his house to meet him on his return from battle4 ,the engagement took place in the forests of ,gilead1 and the ,ammonites were utterly routed4 ,twenty cities1 from ,aroer on the ,arnon to ,minnith and ,abel ,keramim 7the ,meadow of the ,vineyards71 fell into the hands of the conqueror 7,judg4 xi4 #cc74 ,but his rash and heathenish vow cast a deep shadow on his triumphal return4 ,as he drew near his home in ,mizpeh 7the ,watch-tower7 of ,gilead1 his daughter and only child came forth to meet him with timbrels and with dances4 ,when the father saw her he rent his clothes1 and with the utmost grief made known to her his vow1 from which he declared he could not go back4 ,but the noble maiden did not decline the awful sacrifice demanded of her4 ,all she requested was that for two months she might be allowed to wander with her companions among the mountain-gorges of her native ,gilead1 and bewail her virginity4 ,at the expiration of this period she returned to her father1 and ,jephthah without referring the matter to the ,high-priest1 or remembering the strict commands of the law on this subject#bac1 his spirit clouded with gloomy superstition1 did with her according to his vow that he had vowed 7,judg4 xi4 #ci74 ,the memory of this awful sacrifice was kept up by a yearly festival1 lasting four days1 during which the daughters of ,israel went up into the mountains of ,gilead to praise and lament the death of their heroic sister4 ,jephthah1 however1 was not long suffered either to enjoy his triumph1 or lament the fatal vow which had stained it4 ,like ,gideon before him1 he had to encounter the complaints of the proud and jealous tribe of ,ephraim for not summoning them to share the glories of the late victory4 ,in vindication of their absurd claims1 they even threatened to burn his house over his head1 and invaded the territory of the ,gileadites1 whom they taunted with being fugitives of ,ephraim among the ,ephraimites and ,manassites4 ,a second tribal war ensued1 in which the men of ,ephraim were thoroughly worsted4 ,rushing routed to the fords of the ,jordan1 they found them already in possession of ,jephthah's forces1 who allowed none to cross that failed to pronounce the word ,shibboleth#bad4 ,upwards of #db1jjj revealed their ,ephraimite origin by substituting the simple s for sh1 and were massacred4 ,the supreme authority1 for which he had covenanted1 ,jephthah only lived to enjoy for #f years1 when he died1 and was buried in one of the cities of his native land 7,judg4 xii4 #a-g74 ,after him other and obscurer judges rose to display the growing tendency towards hereditary monarchy4 ,thus ,,ibzan of ,bethlehem in ,zebulun judged1 at least north-western ,israel1 for #g years1 and conferred a portion of his dignity on his #cj sons and #cj daughters2 ,,elon of the same tribe ruled for #aj years2 and after him ,,abdon1 of ,pirathon in the land of ,ephraim1 about #f miles from ,shechem1 exercised the supremacy for #h years1 and was succeeded in a portion of his almost regal honours by his numerous children 7,judg4 xii4 #h-ad74 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,invasion ,,from ,,the ,,south-,,west4 ,,samson4 ,,judg4 ,,xiii4-,,xvi4 ,b4,c4 #aafa-aabj4 ,,meanwhile the ,philistines#bae on the south-west had not only established themselves in the ,shephelah1 or ,low ,country1 but now commenced that long and deadly hostility to the ,israelites1 which lasted from this time through the reigns of ,saul and ,david1 and was not finally terminated till the time of ,hezekiah 7#b ,kings xviii4 #h74 ,their oppressions naturally pressed most heavily on the little tribe of ,dan1 already hard pushed by the ,amorites4 ,from this tribe1 then1 the ,deliverer came4 ,but unlike others who had been called to the same office1 he was specially set apart for it even before his birth4 ,on the high hill of ,zorah overlooking the fertile lowlands of ,philistia lived a ,danite named ,manoah4 ,to his wife1 who as yet had no child1 it was announced by an ,angel that she was about to become the mother of a son1 whom she was to devote as a ,nazarite#baf unto ,god from his birth2 no razor was ever to come upon his head2 wine and strong drink he was never to touch2 and he should commence the deliverance of ,israel from the ,philistines 7,judg4 xiii4 #e74 ,these words were announced to ,manoah by his wife1 and a second appearance of the ,angel was vouchsafed to assure both parents of the certainty of these events1 which was further confirmed1 as in the case of ,gideon1 by the disappearance of the ,angel in the flames which consumed the ,danite's meat-offering 7,judg4 xiii4 #bj74 ,in process of time the child was born1 and was named ,,samson1 either the sunlight1 or the strong4 ,as he grew1 he became distinguished for supernatural strength1 and from time to time in ,mahanah-,dan1 the camp of the famous ,six ,hundred of his tribe#bag1 was moved to perform those exploits which made him the terror of the ,philistines4 ,his first action1 however1 when come to man's estate1 did not display that hostility to the national enemy which his parents would naturally have expected4 ,at ,timnath1 then in the occupation of the ,philistines1 he saw one of the daughters of the place1 whom he was resolved to marry4 ,very unwillingly did his father and mother give their consent1 and went down from ,zorah with their wayward son 8through wild rocky gorges0 to the vineyards of ,timnath1 situated1 as was often the case1 far from the village to which they belonged1 and amidst rough wadies and wild cliffs#bah4 ,in one of these ,samson encountered a young lion1 and1 though he had nothing in his hand1 rent it as he would have rent a kid4 ,thinking little of the circumstance1 he did not mention it to his father and mother1 but went with them to ,timnath1 and talked with the woman1 and she pleased him well4 ,on his second descent through the same wild rocky pass1 he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion1 and discovered amongst the bones a swarm of bees4 ,a portion of the honey he took himself1 and gave a portion to his parents1 saying nothing of his exploit1 or the place whence he had obtained the honey4 ,the wedding festival was celebrated at ,timnath1 and lasted several days1 on one of which the bridegroom put forth a riddle to his thirty ,philistine 8companions10 promising thirty sheets and thirty changes of garments to any that guessed it1 but demanding the same of them if within the days of the feast they failed to discover it4 ,the young men accepted the challenge1 and ,samson put forth his riddle1 saying1 ,out of the eater came forth meat1 ,out of the strong came forth sweetness4 ,for three days the ,philistine youths tried to unravel it1 and failed4 ,then they beset ,samson's wife1 and threatened to burn her and her father's house1 if she did not ascertain for them the interpretation4 ,during the remaining days1 therefore1 she implored of ,samson with tears the revelation of the secret4 ,at first he was proof against her entreaties1 but on the last day of the feast he told her1 and she revealed it to the thirty ,philistines1 who came to him in the evening and said1 ,what is sweeter than honey8 ,what is stronger than a lion8 ,if ye had not ploughed with my heifer1 ye had not found out my riddle was the giant's brief reply1 and going down to ,ashkelon1 one of the five cities of the lords of the ,philistines1 on the extreme southern edge of the ,mediterranean ,sea1 he slew thirty men and of the spoil brought the stipulated reward4 ,then in great wrath he returned to ,zorah4 ,but when wheat-harvest came round1 his passion for the woman was somewhat rekindled1 and he resolved to present her with a kid1 and now learnt from her father for the first time1 that1 probably during his absence at ,ashkelon1 thinking he utterly hated her1 he had bestowed her upon another4 ,thereupon ,samson1 being enraged1 resolved to wreak his vengeance on the ,philistines1 and catching1 probably in pitfalls and snares1 #cjj foxes1 he fastened them tail to tail with lighted firebrands in the midst1 and sent them into their cornfields1 olive-yards1 and vine-yards4 ,terrible was the mischief thus inflicted in a country1 which even now1 8in the summer months1 is one sea of dead-ripe grain1 dry as tinder#bai40 ,at length the ,philistines ascertained who was the author of this destructive conflagration1 and went to the house of his late wife1 and burnt her and her father to death4 ,thereupon ,samson avenged himself by inflicting upon them a great slaughter1 and went and took up his abode on the lofty cliff of ,etam1 probably not very far from ,bethlehem4 ,thither the ,philistines pursued him1 and demanded his surrender of the men of ,judah4 ,so utterly lost to all feelings of honour1 so degraded from its former high estate was this tribe1 that #cjjj men actually scaled the rocky cliff1 and brought ,samson bound with two new cords to his enemies4 ,on his approach1 the ,philistines raised a mighty shout4 ,but at the moment supernatural strength was given to the captive4 ,he burst his bonds as though they had been cords of flax burnt in the fire1 and seizing the jawbone of an ass1 and aided probably by the now inspirited ,israelites1 slew a thousand of the ,philistines4 ,in memory of this exploit1 he named the place ,ramath-,lehi 7the casting away of the jawbone74 ,sore athirst after his exertions1 he feared that from sheer exhaustion he might fall once more into the hands of his foes1 but from a hollow place in ,lehi ,god caused water to issue1 and his spirit reviving he called the spot ,en-hakkore 7the ,spring of the crier7 7,judg4 xv4 #af-ai74 ,samson is next found at ,gaza 7the strong71 which though allotted to and conquered by ,judah 7 ,josh4 xv4 #dg2 ,judg4 i4 #ah7 had fallen into the hands of the ,philistines1 who now encompassed the gate of the city1 intending to capture him in the morning4 ,but at midnight he arose1 and taking the doors of the gate and the two posts1 carried them1 bar and all1 to the top of the hill before ,hebron4 ,after this1 he fell in love with ,delilah1 a ,philistine courtesan1 of the valley of ,sorek1 apparently near ,gaza4 ,this last amour led to his capture and death4 ,for the enormous reward of #aajj pieces of silver from each lord1 equivalent to #eejj shekels1 the five lords of the ,philistines persuaded her to undertake the task of discovering the secret of his great strength4 ,three times she importuned him to reveal the mystery1 but he succeeded in putting her off with wiles4 ,green withes1 new ropes1 the binding of his seven clustering locks to the web1 all these expedients were powerless to detain him prisoner1 and he escaped with ease from the hands of the ,philistines4 ,the fourth time1 however1 she succeeded1 and he told her all his heart1 revealing the secret of his ,nazarite vow4 ,accordingly1 while he was asleep upon her knees1 she caused the seven locks to be shaved off1 and when he awoke the giant found that his strength had departed from him4 ,the watching ,philistines sprang into the chamber1 took him1 bored out his eyes1 and brought him bound with brazen fetters to ,gaza1 where they made him grind in the prison-house 7,judg4 xvi4 #ba74 ,then a day was fixed for a solemn festival in honour of ,dagon1 their national deity1 half man and half fish#bbj1 to whom the deliverance of the nation from their dreaded foe was ascribed4 ,in the midst of the feast1 ,samson was brought in to make sport for his unfeeling captors4 ,the temple1 where the festival was held1 situated probably on a sloping hill1 was full of men and women1 and even on the roof upwards of #cjjj were packed together4 ,the blinded giant was led in by a lad1 and at his own request was suffered to feel the pillars on which the temple stood4 ,standing there1 he prayed that his old strength might for this once be restored to him1 and that he might be enabled to wreak a complete revenge on his unfeeling enemies4 ,taking hold of the pillars with both hands1 and praying that he might die with the ,philistines1 he bowed himself with all his might1 and the temple walls fell in1 and crushed the lords of the ,philistines and the assembled crowd4 ,samson's body was extricated from the ruins1 and in sad procession was borne by his brethren and kinsmen 8up the steep ascent to his native hills10 and laid between ,zorah and ,eshtaol in the burial-place of ,manoah his father 7,judg4 xvi4 #ca74 ,as ,judge1 ,samson's supremacy had lasted twenty years4 ,the words of the ,angel to his parents had declared that he should begin to deliver ,israel out of the hand of the ,philistines1 and in truth his work was only begun4 ,its completeness was marred chiefly by himself4 8,his acts were dictated mainly by caprice and the impulse of the moment2 he frittered away the great powers which had been bestowed upon him1 and forgot the ,divine call which he had received4 ,still these incomplete results may in some measure be fairly ascribed to the character of his countrymen2 they always permitted him to stand unaided and alone1 and even surrendered him to the enemy#bba40 ,the work that he began needed a very different man to complete it1 the spirit of the people needed renewal1 and an internal reformation was essential4 ,before recounting the means whereby this was brought about1 the ,sacred ,narrative presents us with a little history1 which strikingly illustrates the repose and peacefulness which characterized some of the calmer intervals in the disturbed period of the ,judges4 ,from ,bethlehem-,judah there went forth during a season of famine#bbb two ,ephrathites of the place1 ,,elimelech and ,,naomi1 with their sons ,,mahlon and ,,chilion1 to seek a home across the ,jordan in the land of ,moab4 ,here ,elimelech died1 and his two sons married two of the daughters of ,moab1 ,,orpah and ,,ruth4 ,after a period of about ten years his sons also died1 and ,naomi hearing that the famine had ceased in the land of ,israel1 prepared to return to her native town accompanied by her daughter-in-law ,ruth1 whom no entreaties could induce to remain amongst her own people4 ,it was the beginning of barley-harvest#bbc when they returned1 and ,ruth went to glean near ,bethlehem in the fields of ,boaz1 a man of wealth and a kinsman of ,elimelech4 ,the appearance and the story of the beautiful stranger1 which he learnt from the townspeople1 attracted the attention of ,boaz to the ,moabitess1 and he permitted her not only to glean in his fields1 but to share with his labourers the provisions supplied them4 ,by the advice of her mother-in-law1 ,ruth afterwards claimed kinship with the wealthy ,boaz1 and he was not slow to acknowledge it4 ,a nearer kinsman1 however1 was first asked to discharge these duties1 which included not only the redemption of the land that had belonged to ,elimelech1 but also the taking of ,ruth in marriage to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance 7,deut4 xxv4 #e-aj74 ,on his declining to perform the latter duty1 ,boaz redeemed the land in the presence of ten elders of ,bethlehem and the assembled people1 and married ,ruth1 by whom he became the father of ,obed1 the grandfather of ,king ,david#bbd4 ,a more pleasing picture of ,hebrew country life can hardly be imagined than the story of 8the gleaner ,ruth10 illustrating1 as it does1 8the friendly relations between the good ,boaz and his reapers1 the ,jewish land-system1 the method of transferring property from one person to another1 the working of the ,mosaic ,law for the relief of distressed and ruined families1 but above all handing down the unselfishness1 the brave love1 the unshaken trustfulness of her1 who though not of the chosen ,race was1 like the ,canaanitess ,tamar 7,gen4 xxxviii4 #bi2 ,matt4 i4 #c7 and the ,canaanitess ,rahab 7,matt4 i4 #e71 privileged to become the ancestress of ,david1 and so of great ,david's greater ,,son0 7,ruth iv4 #ah-bb74 ,,book ,,viii4 ,,from ,,the ,,time ,,of ,,samuel ,,to ,,the ,,accession ,,of ,,david4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,eli ,,and ,,samuel4 #a ,,sam4 ,i4-,,iv4 ,b4,c4 ,,circ4 #aaga-aada4 ,,during the twenty years that ,samson judged ,israel1 the ,high-priesthood1 diverted for reasons not revealed from the line of ,eleazar to the younger line of ,ithamar 7#a ,chron4 vi4 #d-ae2 xxiv4 #d71 had been filled by ,,eli1 who henceforth appears to have discharged the united duties of ,high-priest and ,judge4 ,the ,tabernacle with the ,ark was now at ,shiloh1 where a town had rapidly grown up4 ,inside the gateway leading up to it was a 8seat0 or 8throne0 7#a ,sam4 i4 #i2 iv4 #ac71 on which ,eli used to sit1 and thence survey the worshippers as they came up on high days to the ,festivals4 ,year by year1 as he sat there1 he would see amongst the pilgrims coming up to the ,feast of ,tabernacles the family of ,,elkanah1 a man of ,ramathaim-,zophim#bbe in ,mount ,ephraim4 ,though a ,levite in the line of ,kohath 7#a ,chron4 vi4 #bg-cd71 he affords one of the few instances of polygamy in the ranks of the lower orders4 ,by his wife ,peninnah he had several children2 by ,hannah1 his favourite wife1 he had none1 which was to her a source of much trouble1 and brought down upon her many taunts from her rival4 ,on one occasion1 as ,eli sat on his throne at the gate1 he was led more particularly to notice one of this little family group4 ,at the close of the sacrificial ,feast1 unable any longer to endure the mockery of her rival and her own bitterness of heart1 ,hannah remained long in silent prayer at the ,sanctuary4 ,the ,high-priest saw her lips move1 but heard no sound of her voice1 as she prayed4 ,thinking that she had indulged to excess at the feast1 he rebuked her1 and bade her put away her wine from her4 ,then ,hannah told him of her secret grief1 and the aged priest1 convinced of his error1 quickly made amends by bestowing upon her his blessing1 and expressing a hope that the ,god of ,israel might grant the petition she had preferred 7#a ,sam4 i4 #ag74 ,the story of the wife of ,manoah was1 probably1 not unknown to ,hannah1 and she too prayed that if the ,lord would grant her a man-child1 she would devote him as a ,nazarite to ,his service all the days of his life4 ,her prayer was heard4 ,before the ,feast of ,tabernacles came round again1 she had become the mother of a son1 to whom she gave the appropriate name of ,,samuel1 8the ,asked or ,heard of ,god40 ,when he was weaned1 she brought him to ,shiloh1 with three bullocks1 an ephah of flour1 and a skin bottle of wine1 and having poured forth her thankfulness in an inspired hymn1 presented the boy to ,eli1 as the child for whom she had prayed1 and whom she now wished to return to the ,lord 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #a-aa74 ,in striking contrast with the simplicity and innocence of the young child1 who henceforth waited upon ,eli1 the two sons of that pontiff1 ,,hophni and ,,phinehas were sons of ,belial1 they knew not the ,lord4 ,by their rapacity and lust they had filled all ,israel with loathing and indignation1 so that men abhorred the offering of the ,lord4 ,but ,eli restrained them not1 and1 as years went on1 their wickedness seemed only to increase in spite of his expostulations4 ,it was a dark day in ,israel1 and their conduct gives us a terrible glimpse into the fallen condition of the chosen people 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #ab-ba74 ,before long the first warning came to ,eli4 ,a man of ,god stood before him1 and after reminding him of the high honour ,god had conferred upon him1 when ,he chose him to be ,his priest1 sternly rebuked him for honouring his sons above their ,maker1 and announced that instead of the office remaining in his family1 its high functions should be transferred to another and more faithful line4 ,and not only did he thus denounce distant punishment but an immediate and speedy pledge of it in the death on one day of both his sons 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #bg-cf74 ,but this warning produced no effect4 ,eli was old and greyheaded4 ,however fitted he might have been once for the task of ruling his family1 that day was gone by now4 ,a second warning1 therefore1 of coming doom was now given him1 not by the mouth of any stranger1 but of the child1 whom ,hannah had left in the ,tabernacle at ,shiloh a loan unto the ,lord4 ,clad in a white linen ephod1 and the little mantle#bbf reaching to the feet1 which his mother brought him from year to year1 his long flowing hair betokening his ,nazarite vow1 ,samuel ministered before ,eli4 ,the degraded state of the priesthood in the hands of ,hophni and ,phinehas had made intimations of the ,divine ,will rare and precious in those days1 there was no open vision4 ,but the ,lord found a way to intimate the coming doom of ,eli's house4 ,one night1 when the aged priest had lain down to rest in one of the chambers hard by the ,tabernacle1 which was illumined only by the light of the seven-branched ,golden ,candlestick1 in the early morning1 before it was yet light1 a ,voice called ,samuel and awoke him from his slumber4 ,thinking ,eli had called him1 he went to him1 and enquired the cause4 ,but ,eli had not spoken1 and bade him lie down again4 ,he did so1 and again the ,voice pronounced his name4 ,once more he ran to the bed-side of the ,high-priest1 who as before denied that he had called him1 and told him to return to his bed4 ,a third time the ,voice pronounced his name1 and then ,eli perceived that the ,lord had called the child1 and bade him1 if he heard it again1 reply1 ,speak1 ,lord1 for thy servant heareth4 ,samuel returned to his bed1 and when the ,voice called to him for the fourth time1 answered as the aged priest had bidden him1 and heard the purport of the mysterious call4 ,the ,lord was about to do a thing in ,israel1 at which both the ears of him that heard it should tingle4 ,eli's sons had made themselves vile1 and he had not restrained them4 ,for this iniquity his house was now to be judged and neither sacrifice nor offering could make atonement2 when the ,lord began1 ,he would also make an end4 ,until the sun was up1 ,samuel lay still1 and forbore to tell ,eli what he had heard4 ,but the ,high-priest1 whose conscience1 doubtless1 only too surely whispered what it was1 bade him hide nothing from him4 ,and then the old man1 whose eyes were dim that he could not see1 listened1 while the child told him every whit4 ,death awaited his sons1 beggary and desolation his family4 ,it is the ,lord1 was his brief reply1 let ,him do what seemeth ,him good1 and in the course of time the warning was fulfilled4 ,as ,samuel grew1 the ,lord began to reveal ,himself more and more to him4 ,the influence of ,eli1 already weakened1 now dwindled from day to day4 ,he 8decreased0 and ,samuel 8increased10 and the ,lord was with him1 and let none of his words fall to the ground1 so that all ,israel1 from ,dan even to ,beersheba1 knew that he was established to be a ,prophet1 a revealer of the ,divine ,will 7#a ,sam4 iii4 #ai-ba74 ,meanwhile the strength of the ,philistines had recovered from the wounds it had received from the champion of ,dan4 ,advancing their forces to ,aphek1 no great distance from the fortress of ,jebus1 they attacked the ,israelites1 and inflicted on them a loss of #d1jjj men4 ,alarmed at this reverse1 the ,israelites resolved to fetch the ,ark and take it into battle1 that it might save them out of the hands of their enemies4 ,the sacred symbol was thereupon removed from the curtains that enclosed it1 and the two sons of ,eli accompanied it to the field4 ,a great shout1 so that the earth rang again1 greeted its arrival in the ,israelite camp1 and the ,philistines alarmed at the proximity of the mighty ,gods1 that smote the ,egyptians with all the plagues1 resolved to sell their lives dear1 rather than become subject to their enemies4 ,again1 therefore1 the battle was joined1 and ,israel sustained a still more disastrous defeat4 ,upwards of #cj1jjj were slain1 amongst whom were ,eli's sons1 and worse than all1 the ,ark of ,god was taken 7#a ,sam4 iv4 #aa74 ,on his elevated 8seat0 by the wayside ,eli sat to receive any tidings from the battle-field1 his heart trembling for the sacred ,symbol of which he was the guardian4 ,as the day closed1 a young man of the tribe of ,benjamin came running into the town of ,shiloh4 ,his clothes were rent1 his hair sprinkled with dust4 ,a wail of lamentation arose from the people1 who no sooner saw him thus attired1 than they knew how the day had gone4 ,eli heard the noise of the tumult1 and enquired the cause4 ,i am he that came out of the army1 and ,i fled to-day out of the army1 said the young man4 ,and what is there done1 my son8 enquired the pontiff4 ,israel is fled before the ,philistines1 was the reply1 and there hath been also a great slaughter among the peopleand thy two sons1 also1 ,hophni and ,phinehas are deadand the ,ark of ,god is taken4 ,no sooner did the last part of his terrible tidings fall from his mouth1 than the aged priest fell from his seat backwards1 and his neck brake1 and he died4 ,ninety-eight summers had passed over his head1 and forty years he had judged ,israel1 and now his doom was come4 ,but still another death was to mark that dreadful day4 ,the wife of ,phinehas was near to be delivered of her second child4 ,the news reached her that her husband and her father-in-law were dead1 that ,israel had been defeated1 that the ,ark had been taken4 ,she bowed her head1 the pangs of childbirth came upon her1 a son was born1 and the women that stood by tried to cheer her fainting spirits4 ,but in vain4 ,the ,ark of ,god was taken1 that was all her mind could realize4 ,with her last breath she gave the child a name that should be a memorial of that fearful day4 ,call him ,,ichabod1 she said1 ,the glory is departed from ,israel#bbg 7#a ,sam4 iv4 #ab-bb74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,samuel',s ,,judgeship4 #a ,,sam4 ,v4-,,viii4 ,b4,c4 #aada-ajie4 ,,meanwhile the ,ark was carried by the ,philistines in triumph to ,ashdod#bbh1 one of their five confederate cities1 and placed in the ,temple of ,dagon4 ,but there its sanctity was remarkably vindicated1 for on the morrow that idol was found lying on its face upon the ground4 ,in vain did its votaries set it up in its place again4 ,the next day saw it a second time laid prostrate1 and not only fallen1 but broken1 without head or hands4 ,moreover while a plague of mice destroyed their crops1 8emerods10 i4e4 hemorrhoids or piles1 tormented their bodies4 ,in great consternation they1 thereupon1 removed the ,ark to ,gath1 but there1 too1 the same plague broke out1 and when they were on the point of removing it to ,ekron1 the inhabitants of that city interfered1 and declared they would not admit it within their walls4 ,the advice of the priests and diviners was then asked1 and they suggested that the sacred ,coffer should be placed in a new cart drawn by two milch kine1 which had never been yoked1 and with a trespass-offering of five golden mice and five golden emerods be sent back to the ,israelites4 ,if the kine of their own accord took the road to ,beth-shemesh1 7house of the ,sun#bbi71 under the hills of ,dan1 and close to the ,philistine lowlands1 then it would be certain that their misfortunes were due to the hostility of the ,gods of the ,israelites1 otherwise it might be concluded that some chance had smitten them4 ,the plan was adopted4 ,the ,ark was placed in the new cart1 together with the coffer containing the trespass-offerings1 and the kine took the high-road from ,ekron to ,beth-shemesh1 without turning to the right hand or the left4 ,it was the time of wheat-harvest1 and the people of the town were busy gathering in their corn1 when lifting up their eyes they with joy beheld the ,ark1 which they had not seen for seven months 7#a ,sam4 vi4 #a74 ,the kine1 meanwhile1 stopped not till they had reached the field of ,joshua1 an inhabitant of the place1 where there was a great stone4 ,beth-shemesh being a suburb-city1 and allotted to the priests 7,josh4 xxi4 #af2 #a ,chr4 vi4 #ei71 the ,levites residing there took down the ,ark and the coffer1 placed them on the great stone1 then clave the wood of the cart1 and offered up the kine as a burnt-offering to ,jehovah1 at the close of which ceremony1 the five lords of the ,philistines1 who had joined the procession1 returned to their own country 7#a ,sam4 vi4 #aj-af74 ,but even this joyous day was not to pass by without a great calamity4 ,not content with offering sacrifices1 the people of ,beth-shemesh approached the ,ark1 and though even the priests were not allowed to touch it1 removed the lid1 to do which some force must have been used1 and looked into it1 for which profanity a considerable number were stricken with instant death4 ,messengers were1 therefore1 dispatched to ,kirjath-jearim 7the fields of the wood1 see ,ps4 cxxxii4 #f71 and thither through the hills the ,ark was sent1 and placed in the house of the ,levite ,abinadab1 whose son ,eleazar was consecrated to keep it1 and there it remained until the time of ,david 7#a ,sam4 vii4 #a74 ,meanwhile ,samuel1 of whom we have not heard since he denounced the doom of the house of ,ithamar1 was growing up an acknowledged ,prophet of the ,lord4 ,in this sad crisis of the nation's history he now came forward and convening an assembly at ,mizpeh1 probably the ,watch-tower of ,benjamin1 solemnly expostulated with the ,israelites on their idolatrous practices4 ,with fasting and public confession they acknowledged the righteousness of the late judgments4 ,water was poured upon the ground1 and the people entered into a covenant to abandon the worship of ,baal and ,ashtaroth4 ,from this day ,samuel's career as ,judge began1 and was inaugurated by a great victory over the ,philistines1 who hearing that the ,israelites were recovering from their former depression1 once more gathered together at ,mizpeh1 prepared to give them battle4 ,at this crisis1 ,samuel taking a lamb offered it as a whole burnt-offering for the nation's sins1 and was thus piously employed when the ,philistines made their onslaught4 ,but at this moment a terrific thunder-storm burst forth1 accompanied1 according to ,josephus1 by an earthquake4 ,seized with a sudden panic1 the ,philistines fled in disorder1 and were pursued with great slaughter by the victorious ,israelites as far as ,beth-car 7the house of lambs71 a height to the west of ,mizpeh4 ,on the very spot1 where twenty years before the ,philistines had gained their most signal triumph1 ,samuel now set up a huge stone to commemorate his victory1 and named it ,ebenezer1 the ,stone of ,help 7#a ,sam4 vii4 #ab74 ,the subsequent effects of this success were still more apparent4 ,not only did the ,philistines receive a decided check1 but the ,amorites also1 the scourge of the little tribe of ,dan1 made peace with ,israel1 and all the cities in the ,philistine territory1 which had been taken from the ,israelites1 from ,ekron to ,gath1 were restored4 ,samuel's office as ,judge was now confirmed4 ,ramah1 his birth-place1 was his residence1 and here he erected an altar to the ,lord1 and thence from year to year went forth in solemn circuit to the old sanctuaries1 ,bethel1 ,gilgal1 and ,mizpeh1 combining with the duties of a ,judge the functions also of a ,seer or ,prophet1 and with all the weight of an ,oracle advising in any of the troubles of national or domestic life 7#a ,sam4 ix4 #aa1 #ah1 #ai74 ,as years passed on1 and he waxed old1 his sons ,,joel and ,,abiah1 like those of ,jair and ,abdon before him1 shared a portion of his judicial functions1 and administered justice in the more southerly portions of the country4 ,but they did not walk in their father's footsteps4 ,he who1 when a child1 had denounced the terrible doom on ,eli for the wickedness of his sons1 lived to see his own sons turning aside after lucre1 exacting excessive usury1 and perverting judgment 7#a ,sam4 viii4 #c74 ,a new and more advanced period in the history of the nation was at hand1 and the supremacy of the ,judges was about to close4 ,samuel1 who came like ,numa after ,romulus1 did not fail to prepare the people for the new epoch4 ,at ,ramah1 at ,bethel1 at ,mizpeh1 at ,gilgal#bcj he gathered together ,schools of the ,prophets1 and was the great reformer of the prophetical order1 a work of such importance that he is even classed with ,moses1 the great ,lawgiver of the nation4 7,comp4 ,ps4 xcix4 #f2 ,acts iii4 #bd2 xiii4 #bj47 ,the title1 indeed1 of 8prophet0 has occurred already more than once1 and is applied to ,abraham 7,gen4 xx4 #g71 to ,moses 7,deut4 xviii4 #ae-ah71 to ,aaron 7,ex4 vii4 #a71 to ,miriam 7,ex4 xv4 #bj71 to the seventy elders 7,num4 xi4 #bd-cj71 to ,deborah#bca 7,judg4 iv4 #d74 ,but these were isolated cases4 ,it was the work of ,samuel to give permanence and effectiveness to the prophetical functions4 ,promising youths were gathered by him into ,schools or ,colleges of ,prophets1 where they lived together in a society or community1 under a head or leading prophet1 whom they called their ,father 7,comp4 #a ,sam4 x4 #ab2 xix4 #bj71 or ,master 7#b ,k4 ii4 #c71 while they were termed his sons4 ,here they employed themselves in studying the ,law of ,moses2 practised the composition of sacred poetry2 and became skilled in sacred music1 the psaltery1 harp1 tabret1 pipe1 and cymbals 7#a ,sam4 x4 #e2 #b ,k4 iii4 #ae2 #a ,ch4 xxv4 #a1 #f74 ,they also preserved and copied historical records1 and 8gathered up the traditions of their own and former times40 ,their calling was not merely1 sometimes not at all1 to predict future events4 ,they were to be forth-speakers for ,god1 to commune with ,god1 to speak of ,god1 to teach ,his truth1 to declare ,his will1 and that not only in words1 but sometimes in action4 ,studying the ,law of ,moses1 and the records of ,god's past dealings with their nation1 they were to see the earnest of ,his presence for rebuke or consolation in the present4 ,their vocation required of them to preach morality and spiritual religion1 to denounce oppression and covetousness1 injustice and profligacy1 cruelty and idolatry4 ,and while called to reveal ,god's will in each successive crisis of the nation's history1 they were also specially raised up to fix the eye of their countrymen on the future1 to keep alive the belief in ,god's promises of ,redemption1 and to foretell the incarnation of ,him1 in whom all nations were to be blessed4 ,if they often typified ,him1 whose appearance they announced and whose ,spirit dwelt in them1 in ,his humiliation1 being despised and rejected by the generation in which they lived1 yet from time to time they typified ,him also in ,his exaltation1 for the ,lord1 whose messengers they were1 stood by them1 frequently confirmed their word by miracles1 and punished those who injured them#bcb4 ,the subsequent position of the ,prophetical order at momentous periods of the national history is strikingly illustrated by the conduct of its ,reformer and ,organizer now4 ,the misconduct of ,samuel's sons produced dissatisfaction and a cry for change4 ,samuel himself was stricken in age4 ,he had been a man of peace4 ,one military success and one only had distinguished his ,judgeship4 ,on the west the ever-restless ,philistines gave signs of recovery from their late defeat 7#a ,sam4 x4 #e71 while beyond the ,jordan ,nahash the ,ammonite threatened the cities of the tribes of ,reuben1 ,gad1 and ,manasseh 7#a ,sam4 xii4 #ab74 ,there was no known general in ,israel qualified by his position or powers to take the command of the nation's armies1 and lead them to battle4 ,the fixed form of kingly government1 which the people saw enjoyed by all the nations around1 which they had themselves partially adopted under ,gideon and ,abimelech1 under ,jair and ,abdon1 and to which events appeared to have been rapidly tending1 was not yet realized4 ,at this juncture1 then1 the elders and accredited heads of the nation repaired to ,ramah1 and on the ground of ,samuel's advanced age1 the misconduct of his sons1 and1 as we gather from an incidental remark of ,samuel himself afterwards1 an apprehended invasion by the ,ammonites1 they requested that the form of government might be changed1 that a king might rule over them1 like the nations round about 7#a ,sam4 viii4 #e74 ,this demand was a shock to ,samuel's feelings1 and the thing displeased him4 ,he knew well the abuses such a form of government was too likely to entail4 ,but he did not reject the petition of the nation4 ,he was a true mediator between the old order that was changing and the new order1 to which it was destined to give place4 ,he prayed to the ,lord for advice and direction in this great crisis1 and his prayer was heard4 ,though he had been rightly displeased with the people's request1 though they had done worse than rejecting him and had rejected their invisible ,ruler1 he was directed to hearken to their voice1 but he was not to leave them without warning4 ,he was to shew them the manner of the king that should reign over them 7#a ,sam4 viii4 #i74 ,accordingly ,samuel convened an assembly1 and faithfully described the ,oriental court and ceremonial1 which the election of a king would inevitably entail2 how he would at his own pleasure take their sons and appoint them to command his chariots and his horses1 would set them to ear his ground and reap his harvest1 and fashion his chariots and instruments of war2 how he would take their daughters to be his confectioners1 his cooks1 and his bakers2 how their property would cease to be their own1 and their fields1 their oliveyards and vineyards1 their flocks and herds1 their menservants and maidservants would be required to be at his disposal4 ,under this despotism he warned them that a day would come when they would cry unto the ,lord1 but ,he would not hear them 7#a ,sam4 viii4 #aj-ah74 ,his words1 however1 fell on unheeding ears4 ,the pomp and ceremonial of a court had too many attractions for the nation2 without a king to judge them and fight their battles1 they affected to feel isolated and degraded in the eyes of neighbouring peoples1 and a king they were resolved to have4 ,this answer of the elders ,samuel carried back to the ,lord1 who again bade him hearken to their voice1 and promised the fulfilment of their wishes1 with which assurance they were dismissed to their several cities#bcc 7#a ,sam4 viii4 #bb74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,election ,,of ,,the ,,first ,,king4 #a ,,sam4 ,,ix4 ,b4,c4 #ajie4 ,,the elders of ,israel had not long to wait for the king they so earnestly desired4 ,shortly after ,samuel's return to ,ramah he received ,divine intimation that on the morrow one would be sent him1 whom he was to anoint to be captain over the ,lord's people4 ,accordingly the next day1 as he was on his way to the high place to give his benediction at a sacrificial feast1 he met two wayfaring men4 ,one was a man of ,benjamin1 ,,saul the son of ,kish1 of a noble and handsome mien and gigantic stature1 from his shoulders and upward higher than any of the people2 the other was his servant4 ,in quest of the asses of ,saul's father1 which had strayed1 the two had been traversing without success the central region of ,palestine1 and now guided by certain maidens of ,ramah1 whom they had met at the entrance of the place going out to draw water1 they had resolved to ask the advice of ,samuel4 ,the ,prophet had already noticed the tall handsome stranger1 and as he drew near the ,divine ,voice assured him that he was the destined ,ruler of ,his people 7#a ,sam4 ix4 #ae1 #af74 ,when1 therefore1 ,saul enquired for the ,seer's house1 ,samuel not only declared that he was the person he sought1 but revealed his mysterious acquaintance with the secret of his three days' journey1 and bade him lay aside all further anxiety1 for the asses were found4 ,then1 turning to ,saul1 he added in yet more mysterious words1 ,on whom is the desire of ,israel8 ,is it not on thee1 and on all thy father's house8 ,marvelling at the import of this significant question addressed to one who belonged to the smallest of the tribes of ,israel1 and whose family was the least of all the families of ,benjamin 7#a ,sam4 ix4 #ba71 ,saul followed the ,prophet to the high place1 where with his servant he was made to sit in the chiefest place among the thirty guests assembled at the sacrificial feast1 and to partake of a special portion which had been reserved for him4 ,thence he returned to the town1 and in the evening held further conversation with ,samuel on the house-top of his dwelling4 ,next morning at daybreak ,samuel roused his guest1 and accompanied him some little way to the end of the town4 ,there the servant was bidden to pass on1 and the two being left alone the ,prophet taking a phial of oil poured it on ,saul's head1 and kissed him1 and assured him of his election to be the first ,king of ,israel4 ,to this assurance he added prophetic intimations of incidents which would occur on ,saul's return homewards1 and which could not fail still further to confirm him in the conviction that his sudden elevation was indeed of the ,lord4 ,two men would meet him at ,rachel's sepulchre1 and inform him that the asses were found1 and that his father's anxieties now centred on himself2 at the 8plain10 or rather the 8oak0 of ,tabor 7#a ,sam4 x4 #c7 he would meet three men going to ,bethel carrying gifts of kids1 bread1 and a skin bottle of wine2 they would salute him1 and offer him two loaves of bread1 which he was to receive at their hand2 then1 thirdly1 on reaching the hill of ,god1 probably ,gibeah1 where the ,philistines had posted a garrison1 he would meet a company of the prophets coming down from the high place with psaltery1 tabret1 pipe1 and harp1 whose inspired strains would so affect him that he would join himself to them1 and be turned into another man4 ,after the fulfilment of these three signs1 he was to go to ,gilgal1 and there tarry seven days till ,samuel's arrival to offer sacrifices1 and tell him what he should do 7#a ,sam4 x4 #h74 ,then the two men parted1 each of the three signs came to pass1 and ,god gave the son of ,kish another heart4 ,convinced of his call to inaugurate the kingly period of ,israel's history1 his soul rose to the greatness of the occasion2 the strains of the prophetic choir so wrought upon his spirit that he felt inspired to join them1 and his appearance in their society became the occasion of a well-known proverb1 ,is ,saul also among the prophets8 7#a ,sam4 x4 #ab74 ,meanwhile ,samuel convened all the people to ,mizpeh of ,benjamin1 and after again rebuking them for their want of faith in thus hastily seeking a change of government1 bade them present themselves before the ,lord by their tribes and by their thousands1 in order that the sacred lot might decide the election of the king4 ,in solemn order the tribes passed before him1 and the lot fell upon that of ,benjamin4 ,then the same ceremony was successively repeated with the clans1 the families1 the individuals1 and in a manner that none could dispute1 it was indicated that ,saul the son of ,kish was the object of the ,divine choice4 ,but when search was made for him1 he was not to be found4 ,still unwilling to accept the arduous duties of the kingdom1 he had concealed himself in the circle of baggage round the encampment at ,mizpeh4 ,the search was renewed1 and he was brought forth from his hiding-place4 ,as he advanced into the midst his exalted stature struck the spectators with admiration1 and a universal shout of ,long live the ,king betokened the nation's acceptance of its new head 7#a ,sam4 x4 #bd74 ,left to themselves1 the ,israelites would1 doubtless1 have stood committed to the new form of government1 without pausing to insist on any conditions from their ,ruler1 well content if he proved as absolute and irresponsible as those of the nations round about4 ,but the far-seeing ,samuel was wiser than they4 ,well knowing the bearing of the transactions of that day on the nation's future1 he not only expounded to the people the manner of the kingdom as set forth by their great ,lawgiver in the ,book of ,deuteronomy 7xvii4 #ad-bj71 but for the sake of greater security committed the regulations thus accepted to writing1 and laid them up in safe keeping before the ,lord1 and thus1 8under ,divine sanction1 and amidst the despotisms of the ,east1 arose the earliest example of a constitutional monarchy#bcd40 ,this ceremony concluded1 the people returned to their homes1 and ,saul retired to ,gibeah4 ,though his elevation had been thus formally approved1 there were not wanting those who1 on the score1 probably1 of the obscurity of his tribe1 and the fact that his capacities were as yet unknown1 expressed much dissatisfaction at his promotion1 questioned his ability to rule them1 and brought him none of the usual presents 7#a ,sam4 x4 #bg74 ,with rare self-control1 however1 he held his peace1 and in a short time was enabled to justify the confidence that had been reposed in him4 ,while living in retirement at ,gibeah1 he received intelligence which roused all his martial ardour1 and for the first time revealed his talents as a military leader4 ,the ,ammonites1 recovered from the defeat they had sustained from ,jephthah1 had under the leadership of their king ,,nahash laid siege to ,jabesh-gilead 7,see ,judg4 xxi4 #h71 the inhabitants of which place in their terror invited the heathen king to make a covenant with them1 and agreed to serve him4 ,this1 with characteristic haughtiness he declined1 except on the condition that he might put out their right eyes1 and thus render them unfit for further military service4 ,in this strait1 the elders of the place requested seven days' respite1 and meanwhile sent messengers to their brethren imploring assistance4 ,saul was driving his herd homewards from the field1 when the sound of wild lamentation in his native town revealed the danger which threatened the friendly#bce town of ,jabesh-gilead4 ,immediately the ,spirit of the ,lord came upon him 7#a ,sam4 xi4 #f71 filling him with courage and resolution for the emergency4 ,taking a yoke of oxen1 he hewed them in pieces1 and sent this war-token throughout all the tribes1 summoning them under pain of eternal disgrace to rally round himself and ,samuel and hasten to the rescue of their brethren4 ,he then bade the messengers return to ,jabesh-gilead with the assurance of succour1 before the sun was hot on the morrow4 ,his determined spirit quickly communicated itself to others1 and #cjj1jjj from ,israel1 and #cj1jjj from ,judah gathered round him and the ,prophet4 ,bezek1 a place apparently within a day's march of ,jabesh1 was appointed their head-quarters1 and thence dividing his forces into three companies ,saul executed a swift night-march1 and burst upon the ,ammonites in the morning watch1 who panic-stricken by this unexpected onslaught were defeated with enormous loss1 so that not two of them were left together 7#a ,sam4 xi4 #aa74 ,this signal success had an instantaneous effect upon the people4 ,the ,israelites hailed ,saul as the deliverer of their country1 and even proposed to put to death those who had not at first acknowledged him as king4 ,with continued self-command1 however1 he calmed their zeal1 and declined to stain with innocent blood the memory of a day1 on which1 as he said with becoming modesty1 not he but ,jehovah had wrought salvation in ,israel4 ,at this juncture1 the new ruler having been tried and not found wanting1 ,samuel suggested that the people should once more repair to ,gilgal1 and there renew the kingdom4 ,accordingly after the sacrifice of peace-offerings and amidst great rejoicings ,saul was solemnly inaugurated in his regal functions1 while ,samuel embraced the opportunity afforded by so large a gathering to bid farewell to the people he had ruled so prudently with all his power 7#a ,sam4 xii474 ,he had hearkened1 he said1 to their voice2 he had made a king over them4 ,for himself1 he was old and grey-headed1 he had walked before them from his childhood unto that day4 ,let them now testify if they had ought against him4 ,had he defrauded any8 ,had he oppressed any8 ,had he taken any bribe to blind his eyes8 ,if so1 he would make ample restoration4 ,with one voice the whole people bore witness to the integrity and uprightness of his public life4 ,then1 like ,moses and ,joshua1 he gave them his parting counsels1 and after exhorting them by the memory of past mercies and past deliverances to cleave fast to the ,lord1 and not forsake ,his commandments1 called on the ,lord ,himself to ratify his words by an outward and visible sign4 ,it was the season of wheat-harvest#bcf1 when thunder and rain seldom or never occurred4 ,but at the word of ,samuel1 the sky became black with clouds1 the thunder rolled and the rain fell1 bearing witness to the solemnity of the ,prophet's warnings2 who having thus bidden farewell to the people1 henceforth retired from any share in the government1 which now devolved on ,saul alone4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,michmash4 #a ,,sam4 ,,xiii4 ,,xiv4 ,b4,c4 #ajic-ajhg4 ,,in dismissing ,saul from ,ramah after their first interview1 ,samuel1 it will be remembered1 had told him that he would pass a garrison of the ,philistines 7#a ,sam4 x4 #e2 xiii4 #c7 ,recovering from their defeat at ,ebenezer this people had again renewed their old hostilities1 and pitched in the heart of the mountains of ,benjamin4 ,two years after his accession 7#a ,sam4 xiii4 #a71 ,saul resolved to throw off a yoke which pressed so severely on the neighbourhood of his native place4 ,gathering round him a small standing army of #c1jjj men1 he placed #a1jjj under the command of his valiant son ,,jonathan at ,geba#bcg1 while he himself with #b1jjj took up a position at ,michmash 7,mkhmas7 about #g miles north of ,jerusalem1 and along the ridge of intervening heights in the direction of ,bethel4 ,either at or close to ,jonathan's position was posted a garrison of the ,philistines4 ,for some time the rival forces stood watching one another1 and at length ,jonathan in a fit of youthful ardour fell upon the garrison1 and put it to flight4 ,tidings of this event quickly reached the ,philistines in their rich southern plains1 who forthwith swarmed with a vast force up through the passes of ,benjamin1 while ,saul retired to ,gilgal1 and there summoned a general gathering of the nation4 ,but in face of the enormous masses of their foes1 the ,israelites1 seized with a sudden panic1 as in the days of ,gideon 7,judg4 vi4 #b71 fled for refuge to the natural hiding-places of the country1 to the dens1 the inaccessible fastnesses1 and the caves with which it abounded1 while some even crossed the ,jordan into the territory of ,gad and ,gilead 7#a ,sam4 xiii4 #g74 ,the ,philistines now in their turn occupied ,michmash1 and their oppression of the ,israelites was most grievous4 ,a regular disarmament was carried out1 so that none of the ,hebrews had sword or spear save the king and his son1 and their immediate retainers2 nay1 the very smiths were removed1 and the ,hebrews were constrained to go down to their enemies to get their agricultural implements sharpened4 ,in this terrible crisis ,saul sent messages from ,gilgal to ,samuel at ,ramah1 who promised within seven days to join the king and celebrate solemn sacrifices1 preparatory1 probably1 to some concerted plan of action4 ,but the days passed away1 and ,samuel came not4 ,the ,philistines were collecting in constantly increasing numbers at ,michmash1 and the terrified ,israelites dropped off more and more1 leaving their king with barely #fjj followers4 ,the present posture of affairs imperatively demanded prudence and caution1 and from ,samuel the king would1 doubtless1 have learnt the ,divine will1 and ,he1 who had enabled ,gideon with only #cjj men to conquer even more numerous foes1 would have opened up some mode of deliverance4 ,but ,samuel came not1 and ,saul1 unable to restrain his impatience1 resolved to offer the sacrifices himself4 ,he had scarcely done so when the ,prophet arrived and sternly rebuked him for his impetuous zeal4 ,thou hast done foolishly1 said he1 thou hast not kept the commandment of the ,lord thy ,god1 and he proceeded to intimate that the kingdom1 which might have been established in his family1 would not continue1 but would be transferred to another 7#a ,sam4 xiii4 #aa-ad74 ,meanwhile the ,philistines continued their oppressive and tyrannical exactions4 ,roving bands from their camp went forth in three directions#bch1 and committed disastrous depredations1 while from the heights1 where they were encamped1 ,saul and ,jonathan1 at the head of their little band1 looked down upon a ravaged and terror-stricken country1 unable and afraid to lift a hand against its oppressors4 ,at length ,jonathan resolved to strike another blow4 ,between the ,israelite position at ,geba and the ,philistine garrison at ,michmash was a distance of about three miles1 part of which consisted of a deep gorge1 running between two sharp jagged rocks1 the one called ,bozez 7,shining71 probably from the white chalky cliffs1 the other ,seneh 7the ,thorn or ,acacia71 so called probably from some solitary acacia on its summit4 ,above this gorge#bci was the ,philistine garrison4 ,without informing his father1 or communicating his design to any one1 except the young man his armour-bearer1 ,jonathan resolved to ascend the steep sides of the ravine1 and then to take the conduct of the enemy as an omen for further operations4 ,if the ,philistines came forth and threatened an attack1 they would remain in the valley2 if they challenged them to advance1 they would take this as an augury of success1 and press on4 ,upon their hands and feet1 then1 the two climbed up1 and at length were detected by the ,philistines4 ,behold1 they cried in derision1 the ,hebrews come forth out of the holes1 where they have hid themselves4 ,come up and we will shew you a thing4 ,the omen was favourable1 and the two pressed on4 ,strong as a lion1 and swift as an eagle 7#b ,sam4 i4 #bc71 ,jonathan no sooner reached the summit than he rushed upon his unexpecting foes1 and aided by his armour-bearer1 slew at the first onset upwards of twenty men4 ,thereupon a sudden and uncontrollable panic seized the garrison and spread to the camp1 and even the marauding hordes in the neighbourhood4 ,a simultaneous earthquake 7#a ,sam4 xiv4 #ae7 increased the confusion1 and when ,saul's watchmen at ,gibeah looked towards the opposite end of the gorge of ,michmash1 they beheld the multitudes melting away1 going and beating down one another4 ,unable to explain the cause of this sudden movement1 the king ordered the ,high-priest ,ahiah to enquire who had left the ,israelite camp4 ,on ascertaining that ,jonathan was leading an attack upon the enemy1 he would have a second time consulted the ark of ,god1 but while he was talking1 the noise in the ,philistine host grew louder and louder4 ,on this he bade the ,high-priest stay his enquiries1 and putting himself at the head of his #fjj followers1 he rushed up the defile1 and on reaching the opposite side found that a general panic had seized the foe1 every man's hand was against his fellow1 and there was a great discomfiture 7#a ,sam4 xiv4 #bj74 ,it was the signal for a general rising4 ,even the ,israelites in the ,philistine camp turned against their captors1 and were quickly joined by others of their brethren1 who till now had remained concealed in the mountains of ,ephraim4 ,onwards the pursuit swept over the high ground of ,bethel and down the pass of ,beth-horon to ,ajalon#bdj4 ,in the excitement of the hour1 and carried away by that rash impetuosity which henceforth seemed to mar all his actions1 ,saul cried to heaven1 ,cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening1 that ,i may be avenged of mine enemies 7#a ,sam4 xiv4 #bd74 ,he had not yet encountered his heroic son1 and the fasting people were spent and wearied4 ,soon the pursuit lay through a forest bedewed in divers places with the droppings of wild honey4 ,overcome with his exertions1 which had brought such glory to the nation1 and unaware of his father's rash adjuration1 ,jonathan put forth the end of his staff into a honeycomb1 and therewith refreshed his parched lips4 ,an ,israelite saw what he had done1 and revealed the terms of the royal curse4 ,my father hath troubled the land1 said he1 and once more mingled in the pursuit 7#a ,sam4 xiv4 #bd-cb74 ,the day must now have been far advanced1 and the host utterly unable to endure any longer the enforced fast flew upon the spoil1 and taking sheep and oxen slew them on the ground1 devouring the fresh carcases even with the blood#bda4 ,when the news of this infraction of the law was announced to ,saul1 he directed that a large stone should be set up to serve as a kind of altar4 ,still eager and impetuous1 late as it was1 he wished to continue the pursuit and to spoil the ,philistines till the morning light4 ,the more prudent ,ahiah suggested that the ,divine ,will should first be ascertained4 ,arrayed in his ephod 7#a ,sam4 xiv4 #c71 he consulted1 probably1 the 8,breastplate of ,judgment#bdb10 while the king enquired of the ,lord1 ,shall ,i go down after the ,philistines8 ,wilt ,thou deliver them into the hand of ,israel8 ,but no answer was vouchsafed1 the ,oracle was dumb4 ,suspecting there was something to intercept the ,divine response1 ,saul proposed to ascertain the cause by appealing to the sacred lot1 exclaiming with all his former rashness1 ,as the ,lord liveth1 though the sin be found in ,jonathan my son1 he shall surely die4 ,in solemn silence the chiefs of the host divided2 ,saul and ,jonathan stood on one side1 the people on the other4 ,the lot was cast1 and it was ascertained that the sin lay between the king and his son4 ,again the lot was cast1 and this time ,jonathan was taken4 ,adjured by his father1 the youthful conqueror confessed that with his staff he had taken and eaten some honey4 ,saul declared he would abide by his vow1 and ,jonathan would have fallen a victim to the royal rashness1 had not the people interfered4 ,with a determination he dared not oppose1 they declared that not one hair of his head should fall to the ground4 ,thus ,jonathan was saved2 and ,saul returned to his native hills1 and the ,philistines1 defeated and disgraced1 to their fertile lowlands 7#a ,sam4 xiv4 #bd-df74 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,saul ,,and ,,the ,,amalekites4 ,,david ,,and ,,goliath4 #a ,,sam4 ,,xv4-,,xvii4 ,b4,c4 #ajgi-ajfc4 ,,this signal victory materially confirmed ,saul's supremacy4 ,acting no longer merely on the defensive1 he now directed expeditions against ,moab1 ,ammon1 ,edom1 and even the king of ,zobah1 a region east of ,cle-,syria and extending towards the ,euphrates4 ,while in the full tide of his success he received a visit from ,samuel1 who on the strength of a ,divine command1 entrusted him with a commission1 which he was to execute to the very letter4 ,the treacherous hostility of the powerful tribe of ,amalek1 when they fell upon the exhausted rear of the ,israelites at their departure from ,egypt1 had not been forgotten by ,god 7,ex4 xvii4 #h1 #ad2 ,num4 xxiv4 #bj74 ,since then they had on more than one occasion evinced the same hostility#bdc4 ,they were now devoted to utter destruction4 ,go and smite ,amalek1 ran the ,divine commission2 utterly destroy all that they have2 spare them not2 slay both man and woman1 infant and suckling1 ox and sheep1 camel and ass 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #b1 #c74 ,thereupon ,saul mustered a force of #baj1jjj at ,telaim in southern ,judah1 and after warning the ,kenites to betake themselves to a place of safety1 he attacked the ,amalekites and smote them from ,havilah to ,shur4 ,all the people he utterly destroyed1 but1 in direct violation of the express instructions he had received1 spared all the best of the spoil and ,agag the ,amalekite king4 ,returning from this expedition he set up a place1 or1 probably1 a monument of his victory1 at ,carmel in the mountainous country of ,judah1 and thence repaired to ,gilgal4 ,a ,divine intimation had already made known to ,samuel how imperfectly the king had executed his commission1 and with a heavy heart he went forth to meet him4 ,with a haste which betrayed the misgivings of his conscience1 ,saul no sooner saw the ,prophet than he boasted of his execution of the ,divine mandate4 ,but ,samuel was not thus to be deceived4 ,the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of oxen on all sides revealed but too clearly the lax interpretation which ,saul had chosen to put upon his instructions1 and he only increased his condemnation by trying to throw the blame of his own shortcomings upon the people1 who1 he declared1 had spared the best of the spoil to sacrifice to ,jehovah4 ,the ,prophet sternly reminded him that ,jehovah had far more delight in obedience to ,his commands than in burnt-offerings and sacrifices1 and for the second time intimated that the continuance of his dynasty was forfeited2 he had rejected the ,word of the ,lord1 and the ,lord had rejected him from being king 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #ab-bc74 ,with much contrition ,saul then confessed his error1 and as the ,prophet turned to depart1 grasped the skirt of his mantle to induce him to stay4 ,the mantle rent1 and ,samuel interpreted the omen2 the ,lord had rent the kingdom from its unworthy head1 and designed it for a neighbour of his1 who was better than he4 ,without denying the justice of the sentence1 ,saul entreated the granting of one concession1 imploring ,samuel to honour him before the elders of his people1 and turn with him and worship ,jehovah4 ,the prophet yielded1 and for the last time the two offered sacrifice together4 ,but if ,saul had neglected his duty1 ,samuel could not forget the captive king1 whom the ,divine decree had devoted to death4 ,he ordered ,agag to be brought before him4 ,the king came forward delicately1 remarking1 as if to disarm hostility1 surely the bitterness of death is past4 ,as thy sword1 rejoined the ,prophet1 hath made women childless1 so shall thy mother be childless among women2 and he hewed him in pieces before the ,lord4 ,the commission of ,jehovah thus vindicated1 ,saul returned to ,gibeah1 and ,samuel to ,ramah1 there to mourn for one1 whose career1 once so hopeful1 was now obscured with such dark forebodings of coming doom 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #bd-ce74 ,the sorrow of ,samuel for ,saul's shortcomings was real4 ,but he was before long roused from his grief by a ,divine commission to take a horn of oil and go to ,bethlehem1 there to anoint another king4 ,fear lest the purport of his errand should reach ,saul's ears would have deterred him from venturing on the journey1 but he was bidden to take a heifer and invite the elders of the town to a sacrificial feast4 ,in obedience to this command he left ,ramah1 and proceeded on his way4 ,as he ascended the long gray hill leading to the village1 his approach was discerned by the elders1 who trembled when they saw the venerable ,prophet4 ,comest thou peaceably8 they enquired anxiously4 ,peaceably1 was the reply1 and they were bidden to prepare to accompany him to the feast4 ,amongst those invited on this occasion was ,,jesse1 sprung from one of the oldest families#bdd in the place1 the son of ,,obed1 and grandson of the ,moabitess ,,ruth4 ,he was an aged man at this time1 and the father of eight sons1 of whom seven now accompanied him to the feast 7#a ,sam4 xvii4 #ab74 ,when they were all assembled1 and waiting to commence1 the ,prophet looked upon the eldest1 the tall ,eliab1 and thought that of a surety he beheld the ,lord's anointed4 ,but the ,divine ,voice bade him not look upon his countenance1 or the height of his stature1 for the ,lord1 who looketh not upon the outward appearance but upon the heart1 had refused him4 ,then the old man's second son ,abinadab passed before him1 and his third son ,shammah1 and after them four other sons1 but the ,lord had chosen none of them4 ,are here all thy children8 enquired ,samuel4 ,there remaineth yet the youngest1 said ,jesse1 and1 behold1 he keepeth the sheep4 ,send and fetch him1 rejoined the ,prophet2 till he come hither1 we cannot sit round 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 #aa1 margin74 ,accordingly a messenger was sent to the sheepfolds1 and brought in the youngest1 ,,david 7the beloved1 the darling71 the ,benjamin of ,jesse's house4 ,with his shepherd's staff in his hand1 his scrip or wallet round his neck 7#a ,sam4 xvii4 #dj71 a mere stripling beside the tall ,eliab1 ruddy or auburn-haired1 with fair bright eyes#bde1 comely and goodly to look to 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 #ab1 #ah71 he stood before the ,prophet4 ,arise1 anoint him1 for this is he1 whispered the ,divine ,voice1 and there in the midst of his brethren and the assembled elders1 ,samuel poured upon him the consecrated oil1 on which the feast so long delayed was celebrated1 and ,samuel rose up and returned to ,ramah4 7,see ,ps4 lxxviii4 #gj-gb47 ,meanwhile the ,spirit of ,god1 which came upon ,david from that day forward1 departed from ,saul1 and an evil spirit troubled him 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 #ad74 ,he became moody and liable to fits of sudden phrensy4 ,to rouse him from this distressing state1 his servants advised that a clever player on the harp should be sent for1 that by the charms of his music he might soothe his spirit4 ,when enquiry was made for such a minstrel1 one of the royal servants mentioned the name of the son of ,jesse as not only cunning in playing1 but of tried valour1 prudent in speech1 comely in person1 and prospered with the blessing of the ,lord 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 #ah74 ,saul thereupon sent for him1 and ,jesse dispatched him with a humble offering4 ,even the troubled spirit of the king was soothed by the music of the future ,psalmist of ,israel2 he loved him1 and made him not only his minstrel but his armour-bearer1 and retained him about his person 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 #ba74 ,when the paroxysms of ,saul's malady abated1 ,david would seem to have returned to his old occupations on the bleak downs of ,bethlehem1 where his faithfulness in a few things fitted him to become a ruler over many things4 ,his shepherd life called into action some of the best qualities in human nature4 ,firmness1 nerve1 energy and constancy were all required of him1 who would in true devotion to this calling1 endure the heat by day and the frost by night 7,gen4 xxxi4 #dj71 climb narrow ledges and scale lofty precipices in quest of pasture for his flocks1 and defend them against wild beasts1 such as lions and wolves1 bears and panthers1 or robbers of the desert4 ,all these tests ,david had stood4 ,his strength and courage were well known beyond the boundaries of his native village4 ,once during his solitary shepherd life a lion1 and at another time a bear attacked his father's flock4 ,he fled not like a 8hireling shepherd10 but put his life in his hand1 and went after them and slew them 7#a ,sam4 xvii4 #cd-cg74 ,meanwhile the ever active ,philistines had once more risen in arms against the ,israelites4 ,gathering together their forces they took up a position on a height1 which1 probably from being the scene of frequent sanguinary encounters1 was known as ,ephes-dammim 7the boundary of blood71 situated on the frontier hills of ,judah between ,socoh and ,azekah4 ,separated from their foes by a deep ravine or glen1 ,saul and his followers pitched on the north side of the ,valley of ,elah#bdf 7the terebinth74 ,for forty mornings and evenings there descended into this valley from the camp of the ,philistines a giant named ,,goliath of ,gath4 ,of enormous height and clad in complete armour1 he openly defied any one of the ,hebrew host to mortal combat1 and offered to stake the supremacy of either people on the issue4 ,even the tall majestic ,saul declined the challenge1 and1 like his people1 was dismayed and greatly afraid 7#a ,sam4 xvii4 #aa74 ,while the two armies thus stood confronting each other1 early one morning ,david entered the camp1 having been bidden by his father to visit his three eldest brothers1 then serving in the army4 ,as he drew near the outskirts of the camp1 the host with the well-known war-cry was advancing to take up its daily position in battle-array4 ,hastily leaving with the keeper of the baggage the provisions which his father had sent as a present to their captain1 he hurried within the lines1 and was in the act of saluting his brethren1 when the voice of the giant was audible calling across the ravine his morning challenge4 ,david heard his words of haughty defiance1 and lost in wonder at the despondency of the people1 listened eagerly to the bystanders1 as they recounted the reward1 which the king had promised to bestow on any one who was willing to accept the giant's challenge1 and slew him in the fight4 ,heeding nothing the taunts of his eldest brother ,,eliab1 who would have had him mind the few sheep he had left amidst the pastures of ,bethlehem1 instead of coming thither to see the battle1 he went from soldier to soldier listening again and again to the account of the king's promised reward1 till at length his bold defiance of the giant reached the ears of ,saul 7#a ,sam4 xvii4 #ca74 ,summoned into the royal presence1 ,david declared his readiness to go forth and encounter his gigantic foe1 and at ,saul's request tried on his armour1 which1 however1 did not fit him1 and he speedily put it off again4 ,then1 choosing five smooth stones from the dry torrent-bed which ran through the ravine1 he placed them in his shepherd's script1 and with his staff in one hand1 and a sling#bdg in the other1 drew near the ,philistine4 ,the latter enraged at the youthful appearance of his assailant cursed him by his gods1 and threatened to give his flesh to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field4 ,undismayed ,david returned threat for threat1 and as his foe drew near1 put his hand into his bag and took thence a stone1 which he slang with all his might1 and smote the ,philistine in his forehead1 that the stone sank into his forehead1 and he fell upon his face to the earth4 ,then without delay he stood upon the prostrate body1 and drawing the giant's huge sword from its sheath1 finished the work by cutting off his head4 ,the sight of their champion lying weltering in his blood filled the ,philistines with consternation1 and they commenced a precipitate flight4 ,raising their well-known war-cry1 the ,israelites then rushed across the ravine and up the opposite heights1 and chased their foes to the gates of ,ekron and ,gath1 and spoiled their tents4 ,on their return the youthful warrior1 who had in so signal a manner proved that the ,lord saved not with sword and spear1 bearing the head of his gigantic enemy in his hand1 was conducted to ,saul's tent by ,abner the king's uncle and captain of the host4 ,some two or three years had probably elapsed since the days when ,david soothed ,saul's melancholy with the strains of his harp1 and in his altered visage the king did not recognise his former minstrel#bdh4 ,but he now took him permanently into his service1 and would let him no more return to his father's house 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #b74 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,david',s ,,life ,,as ,,an ,,outlaw4 #a ,,sam4 ,,xviii4-,,xxiii4 ,b4,c4 #ajfc-ajfa4 ,,the victory over ,goliath was the turning-point in ,david's life4 ,he was now no longer the obscure shepherd of ,bethlehem1 but the recognised deliverer of ,israel1 and the chief of ,saul's men of war 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #e74 ,moreover he now became the devoted friend of ,jonathan1 the king's son4 ,the hero of ,michmash would naturally sympathise with the daring shepherd of ,bethlehem1 and his soul was knit with the soul of ,david 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #a2 ,comp4 #b ,sam4 i4 #bf74 ,the two ratified a solemn vow of undying friendship1 and ,jonathan bestowed on his new-found friend almost every article of his attire1 not only the costly robe that he wore1 but even his sword1 his bow1 and his girdle 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #d74 ,but the hour of ,david's triumph was the signal for the commencement of those embittered relations which subsisted between him and ,saul till the day of the latter's death4 ,as the royal party returned from the ,valley of ,elah1 they were met by companies of ,hebrew maidens1 who in their songs expressed the discerning feelings of the nation1 singing1 ,saul hath slain his thousands1 and ,david his ten thousands4 ,to the king this was gall and wormwood2 in the youthful warrior he saw that other more worthy than himself1 for whom the kingdom was designed1 and he eyed him from that day and forward 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #i74 ,as the king's armour-bearer ,david did not neglect his musical talents1 and when ,saul's fits of madness were upon him he soothed him with the strains of his harp4 ,but more than once he did so at the peril of his life1 for in a sudden paroxysm of rage the king flung at him the long spear he held in his hand1 and would have pinned him to the wall1 had he not escaped out of his presence 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #aa74 ,perceiving that the ,divine favour was withdrawn from himself1 ,saul now became afraid of ,david1 and in the hope of getting rid of him gave him the command of a thousand men 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #ac71 and sent him on several expeditions2 but ,david's uniform success and the prudence he displayed only won for him still more the favour of the people4 ,the king then tried other expedients4 ,he promised him his eldest daughter ,,merab in marriage1 on condition that he fought against the ,philistines4 ,david went1 and instead of falling in battle1 only covered himself with fresh glory1 but when the time for the marriage came1 ,merab was given to another 7#a ,sam4 xviii4 #ai74 ,meanwhile ,,michal1 the king's second daughter1 had fallen in love with her father's armour-bearer4 ,as if to bring his previous designs to a positive fulfilment1 ,saul named as her dowry proof that ,david had slain a hundred of the ,philistines4 ,at the head of his men ,david went1 and slew twice that number1 and brought the required proofs of their death4 ,the marriage was celebrated1 and ,david became captain of the royal body-guard1 second only1 if not equal1 to ,abner4 ,but the king's jealousy of his successful rival was only the more increased1 and he went so far as to propose to ,jonathan and his servants that ,david should be put out of the way1 and was only dissuaded by the moving intercession of ,jonathan himself4 ,a partial reconciliation with the king ensued1 and ,david returned to court4 ,but his life was not more secure4 ,on one occasion his own vigilance in eluding the royal javelin1 on another the devotion of his wife ,michal1 alone saved his life4 ,on the last occasion1 the officers charged to put him to death had actually penetrated into his chamber1 but only to find in the bed1 in place of the object of their search1 an image1 or household god1 with the head enveloped in a net of goats' hair#bdi4 ,during the night his wife had let him down from the window4 7,comp4 ,ps4 lix47 ,david now fled away to ,naioth#bej1 the huts or habitations near ,ramah1 where he enjoyed a brief respite from danger and anxiety in the congenial society of the aged ,samuel1 whom he had not seen since the occurrence at ,bethlehem1 and of the company of prophets there gathered together under his superintendence4 ,news of his hiding-place reached the ears of ,saul1 who forthwith sent messengers to take him4 ,but the sight of the prophets performing their sacred functions under the eye of the venerable ,samuel and their strains of sacred melody so wrought upon the messengers1 that they could not refrain from joining in their religious exercises4 ,a similar issue attended a second1 and even a third deputation4 ,at length ,saul went in person to the great well or cistern of ,sechu1 not far from ,ramah1 and enquired for the ,prophet and the fugitive4 ,but as he drew near the place1 he himself could not resist the prophetic impulse1 and for the second time justified the enquiry1 ,is ,saul also among the prophets8 7#a ,sam4 xix4 #bd74 ,thus the danger was for the time averted4 ,but this state of suspense was intolerable1 and ,david felt there was but a step between him and death4 ,probably by ,samuel's advice1 he now obtained a secret interview with ,jonathan at ,ezel1 a well-known stone near ,gibeah4 ,in pathetic language he poured out his whole soul to his friend1 and besought him to make an effort to ascertain once for all the real feelings of his father1 which he might think had undergone a change after the incidents at ,naioth4 ,the morrow was a festival of the ,new ,moon4 ,saul would hold a solemn feast1 and at his table would sit ,abner and ,jonathan1 but ,david's place would be vacant4 ,the demeanour of the king on observing his absence was to be taken as an omen4 ,if he acquiesced in ,jonathan's explanation that ,david was absent at a similar festival under the family roof at ,bethlehem1 all would be well4 ,if he was wroth1 then it would be certain that the old grudge was not healed1 and that evil was determined against him4 ,a solemn compact was then ratified between the two4 ,jonathan undertook to ascertain his father's mind2 ,david promised to shew kindness not only to ,jonathan himself1 but to all his posterity 7#a ,sam4 xx4 #e-aj74 ,when this compact had been duly ratified1 ,jonathan suggested an expedient1 whereby the news was to be made known to ,david4 ,within three days he would again repair to the 8great stone0 with his bow and arrows1 and accompanied by a little lad4 ,he would then shoot three arrows1 as though he shot at a mark1 and his words to the lad1 which ,david would overhear1 must decide the point4 ,if he said to the lad1 ,behold1 the arrows are on this side of thee1 take them1 then ,david might come forth1 and know that all was well4 ,if he said1 ,the arrows are beyond thee1 then he might go his way1 certain that the wrath of the king could not be appeased4 ,the day came1 and ,david repaired to his hiding-place4 ,in due time ,jonathan and his little lad appeared1 and the three arrows were shot as agreed upon1 and as the lad ran to pick them up1 he cried1 ,is not the arrow beyond thee8 ,then ,david knew that he must fly1 and1 when the lad was gone to carry back the bow and arrows to ,gibeah1 rose from his hiding-place1 and with passionate embraces and many tears parted from his friend1 who once more commended his posterity to his care 7#a ,sam4 xx4 #ce-db74 ,david now betook himself to ,nob1 a sacerdotal city in the tribe of ,benjamin1 and situated on an eminence near ,jerusalem4 ,here the ,high-priest ,ahimelech resided with the ,tabernacle1 and trembled when he saw the captain-general of the royal troops approaching alone1 and unattended by his usual retinue4 ,but ,david disarmed his suspicions by pretending a secret mission from the king1 and in this character obtained1 in the failure of other bread1 the sacred#bea loaves of ,shew-bread1 which having served their turn in the weekly course1 were about to be replaced by new loaves4 ,with these and the sword of ,goliath1 which was brought forth from its receptacle behind the ephod1 he fled away1 resolved to seek refuge amongst his enemies the ,philistines#beb4 ,on his arrival at the court of ,achish1 king of ,gath1 he was recognised by the royal guards as the famous champion of ,israel1 and the sword he carried doubtless recalled bitter memories of the ,valley of ,elah4 ,he was accordingly thrown into prison#bec4 ,but in this dilemma he changed his behaviour1 scrabbled on the doors of the gates1 let his spittle fall upon his beard1 and gave every sign of being insane4 ,the oriental respect for madness#bed procured him his release1 and he was suffered to depart4 ,from the ,lowlands of the ,philistines he now betook himself to the town of ,adullam 7,josh4 xv4 #ce71 at the foot of the mountain-range of ,judea1 and found a secure retreat in one of the extensive caves1 with which the limestone cliffs of the neighbourhood are pierced#bee4 ,news of his coming reached ,bethlehem 7#a ,sam4 xxii4 #a71 and straightway his brethren and all his father's house1 feeling perhaps insecure from ,saul's vengeance1 came down to his stronghold from the ,judean hills4 ,these probably included his nephews1 the sons of ,zeruiah1 ,,joab and ,,abishai2 but besides these1 were #djj men who joined him from various motives1 some from distress1 others to avoid exacting creditors1 others from some private sorrow4 ,not considering1 however1 his aged father and mother secure even in this secluded spot1 ,david hastily crossed the ,jordan1 and conveyed them into the friendly territory of ,moab1 and there consigned them to the king1 who agreed to protect them 7#a ,sam4 xxii4 #c1 #d74 ,by the advice of his friend the prophet ,gad1 he now retired to the forest of ,hareth1 not far from ,adullam4 ,it was probably while he was here in hold that the sons of ,zeruiah performed the memorable exploit recorded in #b ,sam4 xxiii4 #ad-ag1 #a ,chr4 xi4 #af-ai4 ,a garrison of the ,philistines had established themselves even in ,david's native town of ,bethlehem4 ,one day1 sorely tried by thirst1 he expressed a longing for the delicious water of its well near the gate4 ,upon the word the three heroes burst through the ,philistine forces1 and returned with the much-coveted draught#bef4 ,but their leader would not drink of the blood of the men that had gone in jeopardy of their lives1 and poured it forth as a libation before the ,lord4 ,other bands now joined him4 ,amongst these were eleven mighty men1 their faces like the faces of lions1 their feet as swift as the roes upon the mountains 7#a ,chr4 xii4 #h71 from the uplands of ,gad beyond ,jordan1 who swam that river when it had overflowed all its banks 7#a ,chr4 xii4 #ae71 and found their way to his hold4 ,they were followed by men1 not only from the tribe of ,judah1 but from that of ,benjamin1 with their chief ,amasai4 ,this defection of members of ,saul's own tribe at first excited ,david's suspicion1 but the straightforward1 honest words of their leader convinced him of their sincerity1 and he associated them in the command of his band of six hundred faithful followers 7#a ,chr4 xii4 #af-ah74 ,meanwhile the ,philistines attacked ,keilah1 a town of uncertain situation in the lowland district of ,judah1 and robbed the threshing-floors4 ,at first ,david's men1 in spite of a ,divine assurance of success1 feared to relieve the place1 and so incur the hostility of their powerful foe4 ,a second assurance restored their courage4 ,keilah was rescued1 and the ,philistines defeated with great slaughter4 ,whilst here ,david was joined by another and an important ally in the person of ,abiathar1 the son of the high-priest ,ahimelech1 bearing sad intelligence4 ,on the day of ,david's visit to ,nob1 there was a stranger watching intently all that took place between him and the high-priest4 ,this was ,doeg1 an ,edomite1 and the chief of ,saul's herdmen 7#a ,sam4 xxi4 #g74 ,when the king was deploring at ,gibeah the defection even of his own tribe1 ,doeg poured into the royal ear his version of what had occurred at ,nob4 ,transported with rage the king sent for ,ahimelech1 and all the priests of the line of ,ithamar1 and charged them with befriending his enemies4 ,in vain the high-priest repelled the charge4 ,saul sentenced the entire body of the priests to instant death1 and gave the signal to his guard to execute it4 ,but they declined to imbrue their hands in such a bloody murder4 ,thereupon he called on ,doeg1 who straightway obeyed1 and falling upon the unresisting priests slew in one day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod4 ,not content with this1 the king put the entire population of the place to the sword1 both men and women1 children and sucklings 7#a ,sam4 xxii4 #ai74 ,such was the sad news which the solitary survivor of the house of ,ithamar now announced to ,david4 ,i knew it1 replied the latter1 ,i knew it1 that day when ,doeg the ,edomite was there1 that he would surely tell ,saul2 ,i have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house#beg4 ,from this day forward ,abiathar remained with ,david1 and having brought with him the high-priest's ephod1 was enabled by his oracular answers materially to aid ,david's movements on occasions of difficulty or danger4 ,meanwhile the entry of his rival into a town that had gates and bars 7#a ,sam4 xxiii4 #g7 inspired ,saul with the hope of at length capturing ,david4 ,summoning his forces1 as if for a regular military expedition1 he marched down to ,keilah1 to besiege him and his followers4 ,aware of the king's secret designs1 ,david consulted the ,divine ,will by means of the ephod1 and thus ascertaining the intention of the townspeople to betray him1 he and his men departed1 and went whithersoever they could 7#a ,sam4 xxiii4 #ac74 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,david ,,at ,,ziklag4 ,,battle ,,of ,,mount ,,gilboa4 #a ,,sam4 ,,xxiv4-,,xxxi4 ,b4,c4 #ajfa-ajef4 ,,from ,keilah ,david now removed to a stronghold in the wilderness of ,ziph#beh1 in the highlands of ,judah1 between ,carmel and ,juttah1 about three miles south of ,hebron4 ,hither ,saul pursued him with ceaseless zeal1 but was utterly unable to discover his hiding-place4 ,jonathan1 however1 sought him out and found him in a neighbouring wood1 and strengthened his hand in ,god1 assuring him of his belief that his father would never find him1 that he would live to come to the throne1 and that he himself should be next unto him4 ,the former covenant was now for the third time ratified1 and the two friends parted1 never to meet again 7#a ,sam4 xxiii4 #af-ah74 ,meanwhile ,saul returned to ,gibeah1 whither messengers from the ,ziphites followed him with news of ,david's hiding-place1 and offering to betray him into his hands#bei4 ,thereupon the king set out1 and so close were the pursuer and pursued on one another's track1 that while ,david was climbing down one side of a cliff in the waste pasture ground of ,maon1 in the extreme south of ,judah1 ,saul and his men were posted to intercept them on the other4 ,but the arrival of a messenger1 with news of a sudden inroad of the ,philistines1 obliged the king to discontinue the pursuit1 and the name of the spot ,sela-hammahlekoth1 ,the ,cliff of ,divisions1 long commemorated ,david's narrow escape 7#a ,sam4 xxiii4 #bh74 ,engedi#bfj1 or ,the ,spring of the ,wild ,goats1 a town on the western shore of the ,dead ,sea1 was his next hiding-place1 and the scene of an instance of magnanimity on his part1 rare at all times1 especially rare amongst ,oriental nations4 ,the panic of the ,philistine invasion being over1 ,saul advanced to ,engedi at the head of #c1jjj men1 and on one occasion entered one of the numerous caves of the neighbourhood4 ,david and his men1 seeing but not seen1 were concealed in the dark recesses of the same retreat4 ,had he listened to the advice of his men1 he might now have surprised and slain his unsuspecting foe1 but he contented himself with cutting off the skirt of the royal robe4 ,even for this1 however1 his heart smote him1 and bidding his men remember that the king was his master and the ,lord's anointed 7#a ,sam4 xxiv4 #f71 he refused to permit them to rise up against him4 ,presently ,saul left the cave1 and then ,david followed1 and cried after him1 ,my lord the king6 ,saul looked behind him1 and ,david1 bowing before him with his face to the ground1 expostulated with him in words of touching beauty1 and in the skirt of his robe bade him behold a pledge of his unwillingness to do him any harm#bfa4 ,even ,saul himself was deeply moved1 and lifted up his voice and wept1 frankly acknowledging the generosity of his rival4 ,he then owned how well he knew ,david was to be the future king1 and made him solemnly swear not to visit his own ill-will on his posterity1 or destroy his name out of his father's house4 ,all this ,david faithfully undertook to perform1 but knowing well the capriciousness of the king did not quit his stronghold4 ,about this time the aged prophet ,samuel died1 and all the ,israelites were gathered together1 and lamented him1 and buried him within the walls of his own house at ,ramah 7#a ,sam4 xxv4 #a74 ,the relations of ,david towards the neighbouring landholders is strikingly illustrated by an incident which now took place4 ,on the neighbouring range of ,carmel dwelt a rich sheep-master named ,,nabal4 ,in these troublous times his shepherds experienced more than usual difficulty in safely keeping his #c1jjj sheep and #a1jjj goats4 ,the presence1 therefore1 of ,david's valiant men was a matter of no small importance1 for instead of injuring or robbing them1 they were a wall unto them both by day and by night 7#a ,sam4 xxv4 #ae-ag74 ,hearing that ,nabal was about to shear his sheep1 an occasion of much festivity1 ,david sent ten of his retinue to request a small reward for the kindness he had ever shewn to his shepherds4 ,this ,nabal1 who was notorious for his churlish temper1 flatly and insultingly refused4 ,enraged at such selfish insolence1 ,david resolved on vengeance4 ,leaving #bjj men to guard the baggage1 he marched with the remaining #djj towards ,carmel1 and would certainly have inflicted severe punishment on the churlish sheep-master1 had he not on the way encountered his beautiful and prudent wife ,,abigail1 who1 informed of her husband's uncivil conduct1 had come forth to meet him with a long train of asses laden with provisions4 ,in language courteous and politic she deprecated his vengeance1 frankly allowing that as for her husband1 ,nabal 7fool7 was his name1 and folly was with him 7#a ,sam4 xxv4 #be74 ,david consented to desist from his determined revenge1 and ,abigail returned to find her lord drinking to excess at the feast4 ,the next morning she told him of the risk he had run1 and his heart died within him1 and he became as a stone 7#a ,sam4 xxv4 #cg74 ,smitten with a sudden stroke he only lingered ten days1 when he died4 ,thereupon ,david married ,abigail1 and besides her1 his wife ,michal having been bestowed by ,saul upon another1 he espoused ,ahinoam of ,jezreel 7#a ,sam4 xxv4 #dc1 #dd71 a town in the neighbourhood of the southern ,carmel4 7,see ,josh4 xv4 #ef47 ,returning once more to the old hiding-place in the pasture country of ,ziph1 and the neighbouring hill of ,hachilah1 the secret of his retreat was again betrayed to ,saul by the ,ziphites#bfb1 who at the head of #c1jjj men went forth to capture ,david 7#a ,sam4 xxvi4 #c74 ,informed of his approach1 ,david retired from the hill to the lower ground1 the wood which then covered the country concealing him from view#bfc4 ,saul advanced to the hill1 and there pitched his tent1 with ,abner his captain-general1 and his forces round about him4 ,accompanied by his nephew ,abishai1 ,david in the dead of the night penetrated through the lines to the spot where the king slept within the baggage1 his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster#bfd4 ,again ,abishai bade him take advantage of the opportunity1 and asked permission to smite but once the sleeping king1 promising not to smite a second time4 ,but again ,david refused1 and contented himself with taking the royal spear1 and the cruse of water from his bolster1 and passing through the lines of sleeping warriors went over to the other side1 and standing on the top of a hill afar off1 called across the long intervening space to ,abner1 who was sunk in heavy sleep after the fatigues of the day4 ,roused by the strange voice disturbing the still midnight air1 ,abner awoke1 and asked who called4 ,then ,david reproached him for the little care he had taken of his master1 and in the well-known royal spear and the cruse of water bade him see a second proof of his generosity towards an unrelenting foe4 ,presently ,saul himself awoke1 and recognised the voice of ,david4 ,again the fugitive pleaded in moving words with the pursuer1 and again ,saul1 touched to the heart with admiration for his magnanimous rival1 acknowledged his own guilt1 and bestowed a blessing upon him 7#a ,sam4 xxvi4 #ac-be74 ,this last occurrence seems to have convinced ,david that there was no hope of any permanent change in the king's feelings towards himself 7#a ,sam4 xxvii4 #a71 and he therefore determined to seek refuge once more among the ,philistines4 ,no longer a solitary fugitive1 but accompanied by his two wives1 and his #fjj followers with their households1 he again presented himself before the king of ,gath4 ,in answer to his petition for a place in some town in the country#bfe1 ,achish assigned to him and his retinue the town of ,ziklag1 situated at some distance from ,gath1 towards the south or south-east of the ,philistine frontier#bff 7#a ,sam4 xxvii4 #e74 ,his stay here lasted over a year and four months1 and during this period he and his men made an expedition against the ,geshurites1 ,gezrites1 and ,amalekites1 who roamed over the desert plateau overhanging the ,philistian plain1 and having carried off enormous booty1 lest the truth should reach the ears of ,achish1 saved neither man nor woman alive4 ,the king1 however1 did hear of the expedition1 but in reply to his enquiries1 was assured that it had been directed against the country south of ,judah1 and against the south of the ,kenites4 ,satisfied with this proof of the fidelity of his vassal1 he rejoiced that ,david had made his own people ,israel utterly to abhor him1 and deemed it an earnest of still greater services 7#a ,sam4 xxvii4 #h-ab74 ,before long the ,philistines gathered their armies together for another and a decisive contest with the ,israelites for the supremacy4 ,achish and his contingent prepared to take part in the expedition1 and as his vassal1 ,david consented to accompany him with his #fjj men4 ,aphek1 near ,jezreel1 was fixed upon as the place of rendezvous1 and thither1 probably along the sea-coast1 the hundreds and thousands of the ,philistines poured up from their fertile lowlands4 ,as ,david passed on the way to ,aphek1 seven valiant chiefs1 captains of thousands of the powerful tribe of ,manasseh1 instead of joining ,saul's army1 preferred to throw in their lot with him and share his fortunes 7#a ,ch4 xii4 #ai-ba74 ,but the unsuspecting confidence of ,achish in his new-found vassal was not shared by the other ,philistine chiefs1 and they protested against ,david's followers being allowed to accompany them4 ,achish was1 therefore1 constrained much against his will to dismiss him1 and with the first dawn ,david set out on his return to ,ziklag 7#a ,sam4 xxix4 #aa74 ,on arriving there1 no town was to be found1 nothing but a mass of burning ruins4 ,during his absence the ,amalekites had burst upon the place1 burnt it to the ground1 and carried off ,david's wives and those of his retinue1 whose faith in their leader1 now for the first and only time1 seems to have failed1 and in the extremity of their grief they even threatened to stone him to death4 ,it was a critical moment1 but ,david's old trust did not fail him1 and he encouraged himself in the ,lord his ,god 7#a ,sam4 xxx4 #f74 ,abiathar was bidden to bring the ephod and ascertain the ,divine ,will4 ,shall ,i pursue after this troop8 ,david enquired4 ,the reply was favourable1 and his six hundred men1 accompanied by the chiefs of ,manasseh1 set out in the direction of the brook ,besor1 a wady somewhere in the extreme south of ,judah4 ,here #bjj of his forces were so spent that he was fain to leave them by the brook1 while the remainder pressing on1 found in a field an ,egyptian at the point of death1 who had neither eaten bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights4 ,but being supplied by ,david's men with food and drink he revived1 revealed that he was a slave of one of the ,amalekite chiefs1 and on promise of his life consented to guide the avengers to their foes4 ,on coming up with them they were found spread abroad upon all the earth1 eating1 drinking1 and dancing in honour of their late victory 7#a ,sam4 xxx4 #af74 ,the attack was instantly made1 and ,david smote them from the twilight of the early dawn to the evening of the next day1 till none remained1 save only #djj young men1 who effected their escape on camels4 ,with all the captives recovered and enormous spoil#bfg the conqueror returned to ,ziklag1 and was now for the first time enabled to requite the kindness of many of his own tribe1 who had protected him during the long period of his wanderings1 and distributed of the spoil to the elders of many friendly towns 7#a ,sam4 xxx4 #bf-ca74 ,two days after his return news arrived of the utmost importance respecting the ,philistine invasion4 ,with their chariots and horses the ,philistines had pressed forward towards the plain of ,esdraelon and pitched their camp by ,shunem#bfh1 on the southern slope of the range now called ,little ,hermon1 or ,jebel ed ,dhy1 while ,saul encamped his forces on the opposite heights of ,mount ,gilboa1 at the fountain that is in ,jezreel#bfi1 on the eastern side of the plain4 ,as he beheld the masses of his foes passing on by hundreds and thousands1 the ,israelite king was filled with the utmost alarm 7#a ,sam4 xxviii4 #e74 ,in this dreadful crisis he felt himself utterly alone4 ,samuel1 his old adviser1 had been sometime dead2 the cruel massacre at ,nob had alienated from him the entire priestly body2 he enquired of the ,lord1 but the ,lord answered him not1 neither by dreams1 nor by ,urim1 nor by prophets 7#a ,sam4 xxviii4 #f74 ,alone1 and distrusted even by his own army1 he bade enquiry be made for a woman that had a familiar spirit4 ,after diligent search it was ascertained that by going a distance of about #g or #h miles to ,endor1 he would find1 in one of the dark and gloomy caverns#bgj with which the mountain here is hollowed1 a woman who might serve his purpose4 ,disguising himself1 therefore1 and accompanied by two of his retinue1 the unhappy king set out under cover of night4 ,it was an undertaking perilous in the extreme1 and nothing but the agony of despair would have induced him to venture upon it4 ,stealing down the mountain from the camp1 the three crossed the shoulder of the very hill on which the ,philistines were entrenched1 and made for ,endor1 which lay behind ,shunem4 ,reaching the cave1 the king told the witch the object of his coming4 ,he longed to have one more interview with his old adviser1 the prophet ,samuel1 and desired her by her arts to bring him up4 ,at first the woman demurred1 and pleaded the danger of exciting the wrath of the king1 who in better days had distinguished himself by his zeal against all magic and sorcery4 ,but her visitor calmed her fears4 ,she exercised her arts1 and the awful form of ,samuel1 an old man1 and covered with a mantle1 appeared4 ,bowing himself with his face to the earth1 ,saul made known his deep distress4 ,the ,philistines1 said he1 make war against me3 ,god is departed from me1 and answereth me no more1 neither by prophets1 nor by dreams3 ,i have called thee1 that thou mayest make known unto me what ,i shall do 7#a ,sam4 xxviii4 #ae74 ,in reply the ,prophet could only inform the king that the ,day of ,doom was near4 ,to-morrow1 said he1 the ,lord will deliver ,israel with thee into the hand of the ,philistines3 and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me4 ,this awful sentence utterly prostrated the unhappy king4 ,he fell with the fulness of his stature all along upon the earth 7#a ,sam4 xxviii4 #bj1 marg474 ,for a day and a night he had eaten nothing1 and now there was no more strength in him4 ,with the utmost difficulty the woman and his two attendants succeeded in compelling him to partake of food1 and then he rose up1 once more crossed the shoulder of the hill1 and reached the heights of ,gilboa 7#a ,sam4 xxviii4 #ba-be74 ,the next morning broke1 and the ,philistines made their onset4 ,the ,israelite leader1 with his doom upon him1 could do little in such a crisis4 ,his army was driven up the sides of ,gilboa1 and as it fled from the victorious ,philistines1 numbers were slain on the heights4 ,resolved on striking a decisive blow1 the ,philistine archers and charioteers followed hard after ,saul and his sons4 ,three of the latter1 including the valiant ,jonathan1 were slain outright1 and ,saul himself was sore wounded4 ,in this extremity he implored of his armour-bearer to thrust him through with his sword1 and put an end to his sufferings4 ,but his armour-bearer refused1 and ,saul1 taking his own sword1 fell upon it and died1 and the other then followed his example4 ,the rout of the ,israelites was now complete1 and extended even to the tribes beyond the ,jordan4 ,even here the ,israelites fled from their cities1 and the ,philistines dwelt in them 7#a ,sam4 xxxi4 #g74 ,on the morrow after this disastrous battle1 the bodies of ,saul and his three sons were found by the ,philistines1 when they came to strip the slain4 ,with savage glee they cut off his head1 stripped him of his armour1 and sent it into their own land1 to be placed as a trophy in the temple of ,ashtaroth1 probably at ,ashdod1 and fastened his body and those of his three sons to the wall overhanging the open space in front of the gate of the ,canaanite city of ,beth-shan#bga4 ,on the mountain-range beyond ,jordan in full view of ,beth-shan#bgb was the town of ,jabesh-,gilead1 by his heroic relief of which ,saul had inaugurated his reign#bgc4 ,hearing from the fugitives what had occurred to their king1 the grateful inhabitants1 mindful of past services1 determined that his remains should not continue thus dishonoured4 ,their valiant men arose1 crossed the ,jordan1 and under cover of night took down his body and those of his sons1 buried them under the terebinth of their native town1 and fasted seven days 7#a ,sam4 xxxi4 #ac74 ,such was the news ,david now received at ,ziklag from a young ,amalekite1 who had been present at the battle4 ,deeming himself sure of the reward that greeted the bearer of glad tidings1 he had brought with him ,saul's crown and the bracelet that was on his arm1 and pretended to have slain him at his own request 7#b ,sam4 i4 #a-ab74 ,but ,david's wrath was kindled1 and having sternly rebuked him for touching the ,lord's anointed1 he bade one of his young men put him to death1 and then burst into a strain of passionate lamentation over ,saul and ,jonathan4 ,forgetting all that had passed between him and the fallen king1 he remembered only the better features of his character1 while towards ,jonathan his whole soul gushed forth in expressions of the tenderest affection 7#b ,sam4 i4 #ag-bg74 ,,book ,,ix4 ,,the ,,reigns ,,of ,,david ,,and ,,solomon4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,david',s ,,reign ,,at ,,hebron4 #b ,,sam4 ,,ii4-,,iv4 ,b4,c4 #ajee-ajdh4 ,,the hour which the prophet of ,ramah had long ago foretold was now come4 ,the long period of trial and discipline was over4 ,the brave shepherd1 the conqueror of ,goliath1 the daring but prudent leader of attached followers was the only one left1 to whom the ,israelites could look for guidance in this great crisis of their national history4 ,but though the way was open1 ,david did not enter upon it without seeking the ,divine direction4 ,shall ,i go up into any of the cities of ,judah8 he enquired of the ,lord2 and the ,lord bade him go up to ,hebron1 8the ancient sacred city of the tribe of ,judah1 the burial-place of the patriarch#bgd1 and the inheritance of ,caleb#bge40 ,accordingly1 leaving ,ziklag1 he repaired thither with his two wives ,ahinoam and ,abigail1 and his faithful band of six hundred2 and there the chiefs of ,judah1 now after a long period of obscurity to become the ruling tribe1 anointed him as their king4 ,his first act after his accession was to thank the men of ,jabesh-,gilead for their bravery in removing the corpses of ,saul and his sons from the walls of ,beth-shan 7#b ,sam4 ii4 #a-g74 ,of the family of the late king there now remained only ,,ishbosheth his youngest son1 and ,mephibosheth the son of ,jonathan1 a child but five years old4 ,ishbosheth1 according to the law of ,oriental succession1 ascended the throne1 and1 under the protection of his kinsman1 the powerful ,abner1 established his kingdom at the ancient sanctuary of ,mahanaim#bgf on the east of the ,jordan1 ruling over not only the eastern tribes1 but the territory of ,asher1 the plain of ,esdraelon1 central ,ephraim1 his own tribe of ,benjamin1 and eventually over all ,israel 7#b ,sam4 ii4 #i71 excepting only ,judah1 which remained faithful to ,david4 ,the first of many skirmishes between the rival kings took place at ,gibeon1 to the heights of which1 in their native ,benjamin1 ,abner and his forces went out from ,mahanaim 7#b ,sam4 ii4 #ab74 ,thither also1 as if to watch their movements1 repaired the three nephews of ,david1 ,joab1 ,abishai1 and ,asahel4 ,on the east side of the hill of ,gibeon1 at the foot of a low cliff1 was a large pool or tank1 on either side of which the rival forces encamped1 and1 as if to try their respective strength1 ,abner proposed that a select body from both sides should engage in combat4 ,joab accepted the challenge1 and twelve picked champions of the party of ,ishbosheth met an equal number of the warriors of ,david#bgg4 ,the struggle was desperate2 each combatant caught his fellow by the head1 and thrust his sword into his side1 and thus all fell dead together on a spot henceforth called ,helkath-hazzurim1 the ,field of ,heroes4 ,this brought on a general engagement1 in which the forces of ,ishbosheth were defeated1 and ,abner himself was fain to fly hotly pursued by ,asahel1 the youngest of ,david's nephews1 and as light of foot as a wild roe 7#b ,sam4 ii4 #ah74 ,abner recognised his fleet pursuer1 and advised him to desist from the chase4 ,but the youth1 heeding not1 pressed on1 and ,abner1 turning back upon him1 thrust him through with a spear4 ,the bleeding corpse lay in the middle of the road1 and was quickly surrounded by the men of ,judah1 who as they came up stood still in mournful astonishment 7#b ,sam4 ii4 #bc74 ,but the sight of their brother's body only roused ,joab and ,abishai to greater fury1 and they pursued after ,abner as far as the hill of ,ammah1 by the way of the wilderness of ,gibeon1 which they reached at sunset4 ,there the men of his own tribe of ,benjamin rallied round the general of ,ishbosheth1 and stood on the top of the hill1 while he cried to the pursuing ,joab1 and implored him not to push matters further4 ,on this ,joab gave the signal for a cessation of the pursuit1 and drew off his men1 and conveying his brother's corpse to ,bethlehem1 laid it in the ancestral tomb4 ,then at daybreak he rejoined ,david at ,hebron1 to whom he announced the loss of only #ai men in the late encounter4 ,meanwhile ,abner returned to ,mahanaim1 whence he carried on a series of petty wars with the adherents of ,david1 in which ,david waxed stronger and stronger1 and the house of ,saul waxed weaker and weaker 7#b ,sam4 iii4 #a74 ,in the course of time a quarrel with his kinsman and general precipitated the fall of ,ishbosheth4 ,abner had married ,rizpah1 the daughter of ,aiah1 and a concubine of ,saul4 ,according to the notions of ,orientals1 this very nearly amounted to treason 7,comp4 #b ,sam4 xvi4 #ba2 xx4 #c2 #a ,k4 ii4 #ac-be71 and as such ,ishbosheth flung it in the teeth of his general4 ,abner replied in words of utmost anger and reproaching ,ishbosheth with the basest ingratitude1 straightway began to open communications with ,david1 who agreed to receive him at ,hebron1 on condition that ,michal1 his former wife1 was restored to him4 ,this condition was complied with1 and after sounding the chiefs of ,israel and of his own tribe1 ,abner with twenty men came to ,david at ,hebron4 ,a feast greeted his arrival1 and he departed with the avowed intention of gathering all ,israel unto his lord the king 7#b ,sam4 iii4 #ag-ba74 ,he had hardly departed from the royal presence1 when ,joab returned from a foray1 and was informed of this unexpected visit4 ,jealous probably of a possible rival1 and burning with rage against his brother's murderer1 he remonstrated in no measured terms with ,david for his imprudence1 as he termed it1 in admitting the general of ,ishbosheth to an audience and sending him away in peace4 ,then1 unknown to the king1 he sent messengers after ,abner to call him back4 ,not suspecting treachery the latter returned to ,hebron1 and1 as he entered the gate1 ,joab took him aside1 and stabbed him to death1 as he had stabbed his brother ,asahel4 ,news of this cruel and treacherous deed roused ,david's unbounded indignation4 ,unable to punish the assassin1 he imprecated on the house of ,joab the most fearful curses1 and compelled him to attend the funeral of his murdered victim1 robed in sackcloth1 and wearing all the signs of mourning4 ,he himself fasted till sunset1 and as he followed the bier to the burial-place at ,hebron1 poured forth a solemn dirge4 ,this incident gave ,david an insight into ,joab's unscrupulous character1 which he never forgot4 ,these men1 he said1 the sons of ,zeruiah1 be too hard for me1 and ,i am this day weak though anointed king 7#b ,sam4 iii4 #ci74 ,the death of ,abner was the signal for the dissolution of the tottering kingdom he had supported4 ,on receiving the tidings of his kinsman's murder1 ,ishbosheth's hands were feeble1 and all the ,israelites were troubled 7#b ,sam4 iv4 #a74 ,his body-guard was composed of men from his own tribe of ,benjamin1 but two divisions of it were commanded by two men1 ,baanah and ,rechab1 who1 though descendants of the ,canaanitish natives of ,beeroth#bgh1 were reckoned among the ,benjamites4 ,in revenge1 it has been suggested1 for some injury they had received from ,saulpossibly the slaughter of their ,gibeonite kinsmen 7,comp4 #b ,sam4 xxi4 #a1 #b7;and certainly with the hope of conciliating the new king at ,hebron1 these two resolved to take the life of ,ishbosheth4 ,about the heat of the day 7#b ,sam4 iv4 #e71 therefore1 they entered the palace under pretence of fetching some wheat piled up near the entrance 7#b ,sam4 iv4 #f71 and finding ,ishbosheth lying on his bed they stabbed him to the heart1 and cut off his head4 ,then hurrying all that afternoon and all night 7#b ,sam4 iv4 #g7 down the valley of the ,jordan1 they presented themselves before ,david at ,hebron with the bloody head in their hands4 ,but they met with no better reception than the pretended slayer of ,saul4 ,david sternly rebuked them for their cold-blooded murder of a righteous person in his own house upon his bed1 and ordered their instant execution4 ,their hands and feet were cut off1 and their bodies were suspended over the pool at ,hebron1 while the head of ,ishbosheth was buried with all honours in the sepulchre of ,abner 7#b ,sam4 iv4 #h-ab74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,david',s ,,reign ,,at ,,jerusalem4 #b ,,sam4 ,v4-,,vii4 ,b4,c4 #ajdh-ajdb4 ,,every obstacle was thus removed that had hitherto prevented ,david's assuming the royal power over all the tribes4 ,ishbosheth was dead1 ,abner was dead1 ,mephibosheth1 ,jonathan's only surviving son1 was barely #ab years of age4 ,the son of ,jesse had long waited for his hour1 and at length it was come4 ,a deputation from all the tribes of ,israel 7#b ,sam4 v4 #a7 repaired to ,hebron1 and formally offered him the crown4 ,a solemn league was then entered into1 and for the third time ,david was anointed amidst great rejoicings4 ,at ,hebron he had reigned for #g years over ,judah2 he was now king of all ,israel4 ,his band of six hundred faithful followers had rapidly swelled into a great host1 like the host of ,god 7#a ,ch4 xii4 #bb74 ,and now not only ,dan and ,judah and ,simeon1 not only ,benjamin and ,ephraim1 not only the tribes beyond the ,jordan1 ,reuben1 ,gad1 and the half tribe of ,manasseh1 flocked around his standard1 but ,issachar sent men that had understanding of the times1 to know what ,israel ought to do 7#a ,ch4 xii4 #cb71 and ,zebulun and ,naphtali sent not only men1 but the peculiar products of their rich territory#bgi 7#a ,ch4 xii4 #dj71 while a still more important accession consisted of #d1fjj warriors of the ,levitical tribe1 and #c1gjj of the house of ,aaron1 headed by ,jehoiada1 and the youthful but valiant ,zadok 7#a ,ch4 xii4 #be-bh74 ,upwards of #cjj1jjj choice warriors of the flower of ,israel were thus gathered together to turn the kingdom of ,saul to ,david1 and join in celebrating the three days' festival which greeted his accession to the throne 7#a ,ch4 xii4 #ci74 ,his first act after his coronation was significant4 ,saul had been always content with the obscurity of his native ,gibeah1 and had cared little for any central point of union for the tribes4 ,as sovereign over all ,israel1 both north and south1 ,david resolved to move the seat of government from ,hebron nearer to the centre of the country4 ,no spot seemed to present so many advantages as the rocky mass on which rose the city of the ,jebusites#bhj4 ,it was neutral ground1 on the very meeting-point of his own tribe and that of ,benjamin#bha4 ,the lower city had been once taken by the warriors of ,judah 7,judg4 i4 #h7bhb1 but the fortress of the ,jebusites1 strong in its seemingly impregnable position1 had never been reduced4 ,the presence of so many warriors from all the tribes was favourable for making an attempt on so renowned a citadel1 and at the head of all his forces ,david advanced against it1 probably from the south4 ,as before1 the lower city appears to have been easily captured1 but again the fortress held out against every attack#bhc4 ,moreover1 so convinced were the ,jebusites of the strength of their castle and of the ancient 8everlasting gates0 of its rocky ravines1 that they merely manned its walls with the lame and blind 7#b ,sam4 v4 #f71 deeming them amply sufficient for the defence4 ,their taunts roused the wrath of ,david1 and he promised that whoso first scaled the rocky sides of the citadel and smote the ,jebusite garrison1 should have the post of captain-general of the forces4 ,thereupon the agile ,joab climbed up first1 and as the conqueror of the fastness of ,jebus was rewarded with the post of commander-in-chief1 the same office that ,abner had held under ,saul4 ,then1 without loss of time1 ,david took measures for securing his new possession4 ,he enclosed the whole city with a wall1 and connected it with the newly-captured fortress1 and there took up his abode1 and thus the ,jebusite stronghold became the ,city of ,david4 ,the effect of the conquest of this celebrated fortress was very great4 ,the news no sooner reached the court of ,,hiram1 king of ,phnicia#bhd1 than he despatched messengers to ,david with offers of artificers and materials for constructing a palace1 which was accordingly built1 and hither ,david removed his wives from ,hebron1 and increased his already numerous household 7#b ,sam4 v4 #ac-af74 ,in other quarters the news was very differently received4 ,the ,philistines made two distinct attempts to crush the new king1 of whose powers they were well aware4 ,on the first occasion they came and encamped their numerous forces in the valley of ,rephaim1 or the ,valley of ,giants1 south-west of ,jerusalem1 and stretching thence half-way to ,bethlehem4 ,after duly enquiring of the ,lord1 ,david marched out against them1 and swept them away1 as though with a 8burst of waters10 whence he named the spot ,baal-perazim1 the ,plain of ,bursts or ,destruction 7#b ,sam4 v4 #ag-bj74 ,a second attempt of the same pertinacious foe met with no better success2 they were entirely routed1 and the fame of ,david went out into all lands1 and the ,lord brought the fear of him upon all nations 7#a ,chr4 xiv4 #ag74 ,his next care was to consecrate his new capital with religious associations4 ,after consultation with the chiefs of the nation1 he assembled #cj1jjj from all ,israel 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #a2 #a ,chr4 xiii4 #a71 and went to ,kirjath-jearim1 the ,village of ,forests1 where the ,ark seems to have remained all through the reign of ,saul in the custody of the ,levite ,abinadab 7#a ,sam4 vii4 #a1 #b74 ,the sacred coffer was placed in a new cart drawn by oxen1 and with ,uzzah and ,ahio the sons of ,abinadab preceding it1 was escorted towards ,jerusalem amidst great rejoicings1 and the sound of psalteries1 cornets1 timbrels1 and cymbals4 ,on reaching the threshing-floor of ,chidon or ,nachon 7#a ,chr4 xiii4 #i1 margin71 the oxen stumbled1 and ,uzzah put forth his hand to hold the ark4 ,in a moment he fell dead 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #g74 ,this untoward event filled ,david with alarm2 the spot itself was henceforth known as ,perez-uzzah1 the breaking or disaster of ,uzzah 7#a ,chr4 xiii4 #aa71 and it was resolved to desist from any further attempt at present to remove the sacred coffer4 ,accordingly it was carried aside to the house of ,obed-,edom the ,gittite1 that is1 probably1 a native of ,gath-,rimmon1 a town of ,dan1 allotted to the ,kohathite ,levites1 of whom ,obed-,edom was one1 where it remained three months 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #aj1 #aa2 #a ,chr4 xiii4 #ac74 ,meanwhile ,david prepared a new ,tabernacle at ,jerusalem1 and hearing that the presence of the ,ark had brought a blessing to the house of ,obed-,edom1 he assembled the ,levites1 and ,zadok and ,abiathar the two representatives of the ,aaronic family1 and bade them prepare for the duty of removing the sacred symbol4 ,solemn purifications1 neglected on the previous occasion 7#a ,chr4 xv4 #ab-ad71 were now performed1 and the ,levites1 arranged in orderly divisions with singers and musicians1 the elders of ,israel1 and captains of the host1 set out for the house of ,obed-,edom4 ,on this occasion the ,levites1 as enjoined in the ,law1 lifted it with the long staves passing through the rings of the ark#bhe1 and raising it upon their shoulders1 commenced the joyous procession 7#a ,chr4 xv4 #ae74 ,when they had advanced six paces 7#b ,sam4 vii4 #ac71 it was clear that the ,lord was this time helping them1 and the procession paused to offer a sacrifice of seven bullocks and seven rams in token of thankfulness for this proof of the ,divine favour4 ,then the march was resumed amidst shouting and the joyful sounds of all kinds of music1 headed by ,david himself in an ephod of linen1 and by the singers and ,levites arrayed in white vestments4 ,as they ascended the path leading upwards to the ancient fortress of the ,jebusites1 the king1 carried away by the associations of this great day1 not only played on a stringed instrument1 but accompanied the music with leaping and dancing4 ,at length the city was reached1 and the gates of the ancient fortress lifted up their heads1 as the symbol of the presence of ,jehovah1 the ,king of ,glory1 the ,lord strong and mighty1 entered in 7,ps4 xxiv4 #h1 #i71 and was placed within the awnings of the new ,pavilion-,tent that had been prepared for it4 ,a series of burnt-offerings and peace-offerings were then celebrated1 and the king blessed the people1 and dismissed them to their homes with ample presents4 ,a single untoward incident marred this the greatest day in ,david's life4 ,as the procession passed under the windows of her apartments1 ,michal1 the daughter of ,saul1 deeming ,david's dance undignified1 despised him in her heart 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #af71 and when at the conclusion of all the gorgeous ceremonial he entered his house to bless his family 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #bj71 she came out to meet him1 but in place of congratulations taunted him with his indecorous appearance that day4 ,david replied with great bitterness to this untimely scoffing1 and ,michal had no child unto the day of her death 7#a ,sam4 vi4 #bc74 ,the construction of his own palace and the reception of the ,ark within the folds of a new ,tabernacle in ,zion1 now awoke in the king the desire to build a more ample and permanent ,temple for ,jehovah4 ,the design received the ,divine approval1 but it was intimated to him by ,nathan the prophet1 that as he was a man of war and blood 7#a ,chr4 xxviii4 #c71 so peaceful a work would be better reserved for another4 ,the refusal1 however1 was accompanied by a promise of the permanence of his dynasty2 the mercy of ,jehovah should not be taken from him as it had been from ,saul2 a son of his own should carry on the work1 and his throne should be established for ever 7#b ,sam4 vii4 #ab-ag2 #a ,chr4 xvii4 #c-ae74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,david',s ,,army1 ,,his ,,conquests1 ,,his ,,sin4 #b ,,sam4 ,,viii4-,,xii4 #a ,,chron4 ,,xviii4-,,xx4 ,b4,c4 #ajdj-ajcc4 ,,thus assured of the continuance of his kingdom1 ,david began by a series of conquests to extend his power beyond the immediate boundaries of his own people1 and to found an imperial dominion1 which for the first time realized the prophetic description contained in the ,promise made to his forefather ,abraham 7,gen4 xv4 #ah-ba74 ,as instrumental to these conquests the military organization#bhf of the ,israelites was now materially developed1 and ,david was enabled within ten years after the reduction of the fortress of ,jebus to push his conquests far and wide1 and get him a name like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth 7#b ,sam4 vii4 #i74 #a4 ,on the ,south-west he turned his arms against his old enemies the ,philistines1 and subdued them1 capturing ,gath with its daughter towns#bhg 7#a ,chr4 xviii4 #a74 #b4 ,on the ,south-east the ,edomites felt the weight of his arms4 ,together with ,joab he carried on a campaign of six months against them 7,comp4 #b ,sam4 viii4 #ad with #a ,k4 xi4 #ae71 during which period he put vast numbers to the sword1 established garrisons in the country1 and thus became master of the ,eastern arm of the ,red sea1 and the caravan-routes to the marts and harbours of ,arabia#bhh4 7,comp4 ,gen4 xxvii4 #bi1 #cg1 #dj2 ,ps4 lx4 #f-ab47 #c4 ,on the ,north-east the kingdom of ,zobah had acquired considerable influence under ,hadadezer1 son of ,rehob4 ,david attacked him as he went to recover his border at the river ,euphrates 7#b ,sam4 viii4 #c71 and defeated him with a loss of #a1jjj chariots1 #gjj cavalry1 and #bj1jjj infantry4 ,hadadezer's allies1 the ,syrians of ,damascus1 then marched to his assistance1 but they were routed with a loss of #bb1jjj men1 and became ,david's vassals4 ,the wealth of ,zobah was considerable4 ,several of ,hadadezer's officers carried shields of gold 7#b ,sam4 viii4 #g71 that is1 probably1 8iron or wooden frames overlaid with plates of the precious metal20 these ,david brought to ,jerusalem1 as also large stores of brass from other ,syrian cities 7#a ,chr4 xviii4 #g1 #h74 #d4 ,on the ,east of ,jordan he had hitherto maintained the most amicable relations with the king of ,moab#bhi 7#a ,sam4 xxii4 #c1 #d71 but now from some unexplained cause1 he not only attacked and defeated1 but well-nigh extirpated the nation4 ,two-thirds of the people were put to death1 the rest were reduced to bondage1 and paid regular tribute1 while the spoils were treasured up in ,jerusalem 7#b ,sam4 viii4 #b2 #a ,chr4 xi4 #bb74 ,this campaign1 in which the valiant ,benaiah greatly distinguished himself 7#b ,sam4 xxiii4 #bj71 fulfilled the prophecy of ,balaam2 a ,sceptre had risen out of ,israel1 and smitten through the princes of ,moab1 and destroyed the city of ,ar1 that is1 ,rabbath-,moab1 the capital of the children of ,lot 7,num4 xxiv4 #ag7bij4 #e4 ,it was1 however1 from the kindred people of ,ammon that the royal conquests experienced the greatest resistance4 ,during the period of his wanderings ,david had received much kindness from ,nahash the king of ,ammon1 and on his death he sent a royal embassy to offer his condolences to the new king ,hanun4 ,but ,hanun's courtiers persuaded him that this embassy was really dictated by a wish to spy out his land1 and probably add it to the many others that ,david had conquered4 ,accordingly on the arrival of the ambassadors1 ,hanun treated them with the utmost indignity4 ,he shaved off the one half of their beards1 cut off their garments in the middle1 and so sent them away 7#b ,sam4 x4 #a-c2 #a ,chr4 xix4 #a-d74 ,as soon as ,david was informed of this aggravated insult1 he bade his ambassadors remain at ,jericho till the traces of the indignities they had suffered were removed1 and then made preparations for sending ,joab with the 8,mighty ,men0 and the host to take summary vengeance on the ,ammonites4 ,truly divining the consequences of their folly1 the latter prepared for the impending war by raising a mercenary force of #cb1jjj men from the ,syrians of ,beth-rehob and ,zoba1 from those owning fealty to the king of ,maacah1 a region in the valley of the ,jordan south of ,zoba1 and from the land of ,tob#bia4 ,aided by these allies the ,syrians awaited the onset of the ,hebrews4 ,on his arrival ,joab1 perceiving that he was confronted by two very considerable armies1 divided his forces1 and assigned to his brother ,abishai the task of assaulting the ,ammonites1 while he himself with a picked body of troops attacked the ,syrians1 situated a little to the south of ,heshbon4 ,at ,medeba the latter were quickly routed1 and the ,ammonites1 in alarm at their speedy defeat1 fled to their capital1 ,rabbah#bib1 now called ,ammn1 situated on a very advantageous position1 and well supplied with water4 ,meanwhile the ,syrians beyond the ,euphrates1 under the command of ,shophach or ,shobach1 a general of ,hadadezer1 assembled their forces with the intention of avenging the repulse sustained by their kindred1 the allies of the ,ammonites4 ,crossing the ,euphrates they joined the ,syrians at ,helam1 the site of which is unknown4 ,the occasion was deemed of sufficient importance to justify the personal interference of ,david4 ,gathering all ,israel and passing over ,jordan1 he attacked the ,syrians1 and defeated them with great slaughter4 ,shobach himself was slain1 and the allied princes quitted the ,syrian confederacy1 and became the tributary vassals of the ,hebrew monarch 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #ae-ai2 #a ,chr4 xix4 #aj-ai74 ,early in the following year the campaign against the ,ammonites was resumed1 and the command of the forces1 including the royal body-guard 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #a71 and the troops of ,ephraim and ,benjamin as well as ,judah 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #aa71 was again entrusted to ,joab1 and the army was for the first time since the disastrous battle of ,aphek accompanied by the ,ark and its ,levitical guard#bic 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #aa74 ,on this occasion ,rabbah was the main object of the attack1 and after ravaging the country1 ,joab drove the ,ammonites into their citadel1 and commenced a regular siege1 which lasted very nearly two years 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #a74 ,meanwhile1 critical as was the nature of the campaign1 instead of accompanying the ,ark1 ,david lingered behind at ,jerusalem1 and there wrought that 8deed of shame10 which has left so dark a blot upon his character1 and which threw a gloom over all the rest of his life4 ,one day on rising from his afternoon repose1 he saw from the roof of his palace a woman of extraordinary beauty1 for whom he instantly conceived a most violent passion4 ,on making enquiry1 he discovered that her name was ,,bathsheba1 the daughter of ,eliam or ,ammiel1 and wife of ,,uriah the ,hittite1 who was at that time serving in the army against ,rabbah1 as one of the famous 8,thirty0 7#b ,sam4 xxiii4 #ci2 #a ,chr4 xi4 #da74 ,the fact that she was the wife of one of his most distinguished officers did not make ,david hesitate1 he sent for her1 and committed adultery with her4 ,as time went on1 he found it would be no longer possible to screen her from the death-punishment of an adulteress4 ,accordingly1 after vainly trying other and most unworthy expedients to cover his own guilt1 he sent a letter to ,joab1 bidding him expose this chivalrous and high-minded officer where the contest was hottest1 so as to ensure his death4 ,the unscrupulous ,joab did as he was told1 and ,uriah fell happily unconscious of his wife's dishonour4 ,joab then sent a trusty messenger to ,david to inform him that ,uriah was dead1 and the days of mourning for her husband were no sooner over1 than the king sent for ,bathsheba1 and she became his wife 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #ad-bg74 ,but though ,david had done all this secretly1 an all-seeing ,eye had watched each step in this dreadful crime1 and punishment quickly appeared at the door4 ,the prophet ,nathan was sent to him1 and with wonderful tact roused the royal attention by the well-known ,parable of the ,rich man and the ,poor man's ewe lamb4 ,unsuspecting its purport1 ,david's wrath was kindled1 and he denounced death as the penalty of the rich man1 and the restoration of the property fourfold#bid4 ,then turning to the king the prophet sped his winged arrow1 saying1 ,thou art the man1 and announcing the awful penalty4 ,as ,david had measured unto others1 so should it be measured to him2 evil was to rise up against him out of the bosom of his own family1 and the sword should never depart from his house 7#b ,sam4 xii4 #aj74 ,unlike other kings of ,israel and ,judah1 unlike any common ,eastern despot1 ,david did not slay or ill-treat the messenger of judgment1 he acknowledged his sin and the justice of the sentence4 ,on this ,nathan went on to tell him that the ,lord had put away his sin1 and he himself was not to die4 ,but an earnest of future judgments soon appeared4 ,the ,lord struck the child that ,uriah's wife bare unto him1 and it died#bie4 ,but in the midst of judgment ,god remembered mercy2 and in the course of time a second son was born to ,bathsheba1 whom ,nathan named ,,jedidiah1 beloved of the ,lord1 but ,david himself called him ,,solomon1 the peaceful one 7#b ,sam4 xii4 #ae-be74 ,meanwhile ,joab had been pushing forward the siege of ,rabbah1 and eventually succeeded in capturing the city of waters1 that is1 the lower town1 which 8contained the perennial stream1 which rises in1 and still flows through it#bif40 ,but the citadel1 a place of great strength1 still held out4 ,the possession of the perennial stream was1 however1 the next step to the capture of the stronghold1 and ,joab sent messengers to ,david bidding him gather the rest of the people1 and come himself1 unless he wished him to have the honour of capturing the place1 and calling it after his own name4 ,accordingly the king set out1 and the fortress was speedily taken4 ,enraged1 it is not improbable1 at the obstinacy of the siege1 he wreaked a terrible vengeance on the inhabitants1 some were decapitated1 others sawn asunder or crushed beneath iron instruments1 others were passed through the fire in brick-kilns#big 7#b ,sam4 xii4 #ca74 ,the royal crown1 8the crown of ,milcom10 weighing a talent of gold with the precious stones1 was then placed on ,david's head1 and he and his army returned in triumph to ,jerusalem with abundant spoil4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,rebellion ,,of ,,absalom4 #b ,,sam4 ,,xiii4-,,xx4 ,b4,c4 #ajcb-ajbb4 ,,the reduction of ,rabbah was the last of ,david's conquests4 ,his kingdom had reached the limits foretold to the patriarch ,abraham1 and vied in extent with some of the great empires of that age4 ,but from this point dark clouds began to gather round his own personal history1 and the doom denounced by the prophet found its fulfilment4 ,the terrible secret of his adultery and murder may at first have been known only to a few1 but its results were soon proclaimed upon the housetops4 ,out of the numerous harem which1 in defiance of the law of the kingdom1 he had multiplied to himself1 out of his own household1 came the instruments of his punishment4 ,first1 his daughter ,tamar was outraged by her half-brother and his eldest son ,,amnon4 ,two years afterwards ,amnon fell a victim to the wrath of ,tamar's own brother ,,absalom 7father of peace71 who caused him to be murdered at a sheep-shearing festival1 and then1 apprehensive of the resentment of ,david1 fled to the court of ,talmai his grandfather1 the king of ,geshur1 a district on the east of the ,jordan south of ,mount ,hermon 7#b ,sam4 xiii4 #cf74 ,here he remained secure in its rocky fastnesses for three years1 during which time the soul of ,david was consumed 7#b ,sam4 xiii4 #ci1 margin7 with longing for his favourite son4 ,perceiving this1 ,joab availed himself of the services of a wise woman of ,tekoa#bih1 who sought an interview with the king1 and addressing him in an apologue similar to that which ,nathan had employed1 succeeded in obtaining permission for the exile's return4 ,joab1 therefore1 went to the court of the king of ,geshur1 and thence brought back the young prince1 who took up his abode at ,jerusalem1 but was not suffered to see his father's face4 ,twice he sent a message to ,david's general1 begging him to intercede in his behalf with the king1 but ,joab deemed he had done enough1 and would take no further steps in the matter4 ,thereupon ,absalom caused a barley-field belonging to ,joab1 which was near his own estate1 to be set on fire1 and the latter1 probably fearing further outrage1 informed the king1 who consented to see his son1 and gave him the kiss of peace 7#b ,sam4 xiv4 #bc-cc74 ,but the ungrateful son was no sooner thus restored1 than he began to form plots against his father4 ,first he surrounded himself with a small body-guard1 with chariots and horses1 and fifty men to run before him4 ,then1 to ingratiate himself with the people1 he took his stand by 8the way of the gate#bii10 a duty which ,david appears to have neglected1 and conversed with suitors coming up to the city for judgment1 lamented the delays they would encounter in obtaining a hearing of their causes 7#b ,sam4 xv4 #c71 and insinuated how different would be the aspect of affairs if he was made judge in the land4 ,young1 handsome beyond compare in ,israel 7#b ,sam4 xiv4 #be71 sprung from a royal house both on his father and his mother's side 7#b ,sam4 iii4 #c71 he made a deep impression on the people1 and his insinuating manners and unusual condescension stole away their hearts 7#b ,sam4 xv4 #f74 ,since the dark sin of which he had been guilty1 the hold of the king upon the nation appears to have been weakened1 and he had become less fitted for the more personal and more energetic duties of his position4 ,and now the powerful tribe of ,judah1 fretting1 it has been suggested1 under their absorption into one great kingdom1 or looking for some greater degree of power under the supremacy of a prince like ,absalom1 showed signs of a want of confidence in their sovereign1 and in the course of two years ,absalom perceived that matters were ripe for a revolt#cjj4 ,under pretence1 therefore1 of a vow which he had vowed to the ,lord 7#b ,sam4 xv4 #g-i71 he succeeded in obtaining from ,david permission to go to ,hebron1 the old capital of the tribe of ,judah1 and repaired thither accompanied by #bjj men from ,jerusalem1 probably of the chief families1 who were1 however1 entirely ignorant of his designs4 ,to the same place also he summoned ,ahithophel the ,gilonite1 the familiar friend and counsellor of his father1 whose advice was deemed to have the value of a ,divine oracle#cja4 ,while ,absalom was taking these measures1 news of the conspiracy and of the popular feeling reached the royal palace4 ,instantly1 without offering any resistance1 or striking a single blow in defence of his crown1 ,david resolved on flight4 ,accompanied by the royal body-guard and the #fjj ,gittites1 and a vast concourse of people1 he left ,jerusalem1 and early in the morning crossed the brook ,kidron4 ,as far as the city boundaries he was also followed by the ,levites1 and the high-priests ,zadok and ,abiathar with the ,ark4 ,but ,david had no wish to expose the sacred symbol to any risk1 and the two chiefs of the ,levitical tribe might do him better service at ,jerusalem2 accordingly they were bidden to turn back4 ,then crossing the ravine of the ,kidron1 with head covered and unsandalled feet1 his retinue manifesting every sign of profound sorrow1 the king ascended the slopes of ,olivet1 and as he went received intelligence that his privy counsellor ,ahithophel had gone over to the ranks of his rebellious son4 ,in the defection of this man1 his equal#cjb1 his guide1 his own familiar friend1 he instantly saw his danger1 and prayed that the counsel of ,ahithophel might be turned into foolishness 7#b ,sam4 xv4 #ca74 ,reaching the summit of the hill1 he encountered ,hushai the ,archite#cjc1 the king's friend1 with torn robe and dust upon his head4 ,in him ,david saw a fitting instrument for counteracting the influence of ,ahithophel1 and persuaded him to return to ,jerusalem1 and undertake the dangerous task of pretending a devotion to the cause of ,absalom1 while really1 in conjunction with ,zadok and ,abiathar and their two sons1 he kept a strict watch over all that occurred4 ,hushai accordingly turned back1 and ,david descended the further slopes of ,olivet4 ,here he met ,ziba1 the wily servant of ,mephibosheth1 the son of his old friend ,jonathan1 with welcome supplies of wine1 bread1 and fruit4 ,ziba represented that his master was staying behind at ,jerusalem1 awaiting any change in his fortunes which the rebellion might bring1 and1 as a reward for his services1 obtained a ready grant of his estates4 ,at ,bahurim1 a little further down the hill1 ,david encountered ,shimei1 a ,benjamite of the house of ,saul1 who flung stones at the royal retinue1 and imprecated on them the most furious curses1 in which he perhaps expressed the long pent-up hatred of the family of ,saul1 as well as the popular feeling against the author of ,uriah's death4 ,the impetuous ,abishai would have instantly cut off his head1 but ,david stayed his hand1 ,let him curse1 said he1 for the ,lord hath bidden him 7#b ,sam4 xvi4 #aj-ab74 ,the way now led into the ,jordan valley1 and for the first time the weary retinue halted1 and refreshed themselves with ,ziba's welcome supplies4 ,meanwhile ,absalom1 with ,ahithophel and a numerous retinue1 had reached ,jerusalem4 ,there he met ,hushai1 who saluted him with the words1 ,long live the king4 ,even ,absalom was startled1 and reproached him for his apparent treachery1 but kept him by him4 ,the first step of the usurper1 suggested by ,ahithophel1 was to take possession of his father's harem#cjd1 and so render all reconciliation impossible 7,comp4 #b ,sam4 iii4 #g1 #h74 ,the course to be next taken was anxiously debated4 ,ahithophel was for instant measures1 and offered with #ab1jjj men to head a pursuit after ,david that very night1 while he was weary and weak-handed4 ,if he smote the king1 he felt sure the whole people would side with ,absalom1 and his triumph would be complete4 ,the advice found favour with the usurper1 and the elders about him4 ,but first he resolved to call in ,hushai1 and ascertain his opinion4 ,hushai pronounced the plan imprudent in the extreme4 ,to attack the king while surrounded by his mighty men1 all chafing in their minds1 as a she bear robbed of her whelps1 was very dangerous4 ,from a partial defeat the prince had everything to fear1 and the king everything to gain4 ,he counselled1 therefore1 delay1 and the mustering of the entire national forces from ,dan to ,beer-sheba4 ,absalom approved of this plan1 and ,ahithophel1 probably seeing the certain effects of such delay1 and chagrined at the adoption of another's counsel in preference to his own1 retired to ,giloh1 put his household in order1 and hanged himself 7#b ,sam4 xvii4 #bc74 ,without a moment's delay ,hushai now sought out ,zadok and ,abiathar1 related all that had occurred in the council1 and urged that a messenger should be instantly sent to ,david1 to bid him not linger in the ,jordan valley1 but cross the river with all speed4 ,the two sons of the high-priests were in concealment at the fountain of ,en-rogel1 ready for such an errand4 ,a female slave was sent thither to bid them instantly carry the message to ,david4 ,they forthwith started1 but narrowly escaped detection4 ,at ,bahurim a lad saw them and conveyed the news to ,absalom1 and it was only by hiding in a well that they escaped the vigilance of their pursuers1 and announced their errand to ,david4 ,though it must have been midnight1 the king instantly crossed the river1 and before the dawn of the following day not one of his retinue remained on the western side of the ,jordan#cje4 ,mahanaim1 the former capital of ,ishbosheth1 now became his head-quarters1 and here he mustered his forces1 and placed them under the command of ,joab1 ,abishai1 and ,ittai1 and received a welcome supply of provisions from ,shobi1 the son of his old friend ,nahash of ,rabbah1 from ,machir of ,lodebar1 and ,barzillai a wealthy ,gileadite4 ,meanwhile ,absalom also had mustered his forces1 and having entrusted the command to ,,amasa1 the son of ,ithra or ,jether by ,abigail ,david's sister 7#b ,sam4 xvii4 #be71 he too crossed the ,jordan4 ,the decisive engagement1 which was not long delayed1 took place not far from ,mahanaim1 in the dense forest of ,ephraim1 a region still 8covered with thick oaks1 and tangled bushes1 and thorny creepers growing over rugged rocks and ruinous precipices#cjf40 ,here the army of ,absalom was utterly routed4 ,entangled in the thick undergrowth1 crushing each other in remediless ruin1 upwards of #bj1jjj perished in that fatal wood1 which devoured more people that day than the sword devoured 7#b ,sam4 xviii4 #h74 ,amidst the crowd of fugitives ,absalom also fled1 and as he rode on his mule where 8the strong arms of the trees spread out so near the ground that one cannot walk erect beneath them#cjg10 his long hair caught in an oak1 and he hung suspended from the tree4 ,a man chanced to see him1 and forthwith told ,joab4 ,he himself had forborne to touch the prince1 having heard the strict injunctions of the loving ,david to his three captains before the battle to deal tenderly with the young man4 ,but ,joab had no such scruples2 with three darts in his hand he went to the spot and transfixed him while yet alive4 ,a great pit was then dug1 and into it the corpse was flung1 and covered with a great heap of stones4 ,with the death of the usurper ,joab knew the rebellion was at an end1 he therefore sounded the signal of recall1 and the battle closed4 ,meanwhile ,david1 who had been sitting at the gate of ,mahanaim anxiously awaiting tidings of the battle1 no sooner heard that his son was dead1 than he gave way to the most violent grief4 ,joab alone dared to confront him1 bidding him bestir himself if he would not see another popular revolt4 ,roused at last1 the king consented to present himself at 8the gate40 ,but he could not forget who had given the death-blow to his favourite son1 and even vowed to transfer the chieftaincy of the troops to ,amasa1 though he had led the forces on the other side1 and 8in this was laid the lasting breach between himself and his powerful nephew1 which neither the one nor the other ever forgave40 ,the rebellion ended1 the rightful monarch could return to his kingdom4 ,with a self-control rare in ,western no less than ,eastern history1 every step in his progress was marked by forgiveness4 ,shimei was forgiven1 ,mephibosheth1 proved to have been faithful1 was partially reinstated1 and ,barzillai rewarded with ample gifts 7#b ,sam4 xix4 #af-dc74 ,but the danger was not yet over4 ,in bringing about the king's return1 his own tribe of ,judah had the largest share4 ,this provoked the old jealousy of the other tribes#cjh 7,comp4 ,judg4 viii4 #a2 xii4 #a71 while the ,benjamites even took up arms1 and placed themselves under the leadership of ,sheba1 son of ,bichri1 a man of ,mount ,ephraim4 ,many others also rallied round him1 and when ,amasa1 the new general-in-chief failed within three days to muster the forces of ,judah1 ,david was afraid lest more harm should come of this fresh rising than had come from that of ,absalom4 ,accordingly ,abishai with the 8,mighty ,men0 was dispatched to quell the insurrection1 and to pursue after ,sheba before he reached any fortified towns4 ,taking with him the royal body-guard1 ,abishai1 accompanied by ,joab1 set out1 and at the great stone of ,gibeon encountered ,amasa4 ,joab's robe was girded round his waist1 and in the folds was a sword1 which 8by accident or design protruded from the sheath40 ,art thou in health1 my brother8 he saluted ,amasa1 and took him by the beard as if to kiss him4 ,the other rushed into his embrace1 and was instantly stabbed to the heart1 his blood spirting out upon his cousin's girdle and sandals4 ,leaving the body in the road1 ,joab hurried on after ,sheba1 who1 rousing the tribes as he passed1 had made for ,abel ,beth-,maachah#cji1 a town of some importance far up in the north by the waters of ,merom4 ,thither ,joab rushed in pursuit1 threw up an embankment1 and battered the walls4 ,a wise woman saved the town from destruction4 ,approaching the wall1 she gained a parley with the angry general1 who promised to leave the place1 if ,sheba was put to death4 ,thereupon she returned to her people1 and the head of the rebel was soon flung into ,joab's camp1 who straightway sounded a trumpet1 and with his troops returned to ,jerusalem 7#b ,sam4 xx4 #bb74 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,close ,,of ,,david',s ,,reign4 #b ,,sam4 ,,xxi4-,,xxiv4 #a ,,kings ,i4 ,,ii4 ,b4,c4 #ajbb-ajae4 ,,shortly after ,david's restoration1 his kingdom was visited for three years with a grievous famine4 ,enquiry was made of the ,divine ,oracle1 and it was discovered to be a punishment for an act of faithlessness on the part of ,saul1 who had broken the solemn covenant made by ,joshua with the ,gibeonites 7,josh4 ix4 #c-bg74 ,in a fit of sudden zeal for the children of ,israel and ,judah he had killed some of them1 and devised a general massacre of the rest 7#b ,sam4 xxi4 #b1 #e74 ,the ,gibeonites were now asked what atonement they were willing to receive for the wrongs they had suffered4 ,in reply1 they demanded neither silver nor gold4 ,blood had been spilt1 and blood they would have1 and nothing would satisfy them but permission to take seven of ,saul's sons and hang1 or rather crucify1 them at ,gibeah4 ,accordingly the two sons of ,rizpah1 the daughter of ,aiah1 and the five sons of ,michal1 whom they had borne to ,saul1 were delivered up1 and the ,gibeonites crucified them on the hill of ,gibeah4 ,this was done in ,april1 at the beginning of barley-harvest#caj 7#b ,sam4 xxii4 #i71 and there the bodies remained till the periodical rains in ,october dropped upon them out of heaven 7#b ,sam4 xxii4 #aj74 ,all this while1 spreading on the rock a coarse sackcloth robe1 ,rizpah watched over the blackening corpses1 and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day1 nor the beasts of the field by night4 ,the tale of her devoted love at length was conveyed to ,david1 who had the remains removed1 and at the same time directed that the bones of ,saul also and of ,jonathan should be taken from ,jabesh-,gilead1 and buried in the ancestral sepulchre of ,kish1 after which ,god was intreated for the land 7#b ,sam4 xxi4 #ad74 ,meanwhile1 in consequence probably of the intestine feuds of the ,israelites1 the ,philistines had recovered sufficient strength to venture on once more attacking them4 ,david himself went with the host to battle1 and in mortal combat with another descendant of the giant race was near falling a victim to his rashness1 when he was succoured by the valiant ,abishai1 and the people1 fearful lest the light of ,israel should be quenched 7#b ,sam4 xxi4 #ag71 prevailed upon him to desist from accompanying them to battle in future4 ,other attempts were afterwards made by the ,philistines1 but the valour of ,david's captains served to keep them in check 7#b ,sam4 xxi4 #ah-bb74 ,the ,hebrew kingdom had now attained its farthest limits1 even those which ,god had revealed many centuries before in vision to ,abraham 7,gen4 xv4 #ah74 ,not only had ,david given a capital to his people1 but he had conquered all the nations on the immediate frontier of his realm4 ,his kingdom had become like one of the kingdoms of the world#caa4 ,it had its court1 its palace1 its splendour1 its tributaries4 ,in this hour of his prosperity the monarch was tempted 7#a ,chr4 xxi4 #a7 to yield to pride and self-exaltation1 and gave directions to ,joab to carry out a general census of the people from ,dan even to ,beer-sheba4 ,his object1 it has been supposed1 was either the levying of a poll-tax or the formation of a standing army with a view to foreign conquests#cab4 ,whatever was his precise motive1 it excited the repugnance of the captains of the host1 and even of ,joab himself1 who not only warned the king against being the cause of a trespass in ,israel1 but regarded the royal proposition as actually abominable 7#a ,chr4 xxi4 #f74 ,when1 however1 he found that nothing would turn the king from his fixed purpose1 he set out1 and after the lapse of #i months and #bj days reported #hjj1jjj in ,israel as fit for military service1 and #ejj1jjj in ,judah4 ,but before he had numbered ,benjamin or ,levi 7#b ,sam4 xxiv4 #aj7 ,david's heart smote him1 and ,gad1 the seer1 was commissioned to offer him the choice of #g years' famine1 or #c months' defeat before his enemies1 or a #c days' pestilence4 ,david chose to fall into the hands of ,god rather than into the hands of man4 ,thereupon the plague began1 and during three days swept off upwards of #gj1jjj4 ,but when the hand of the destroying angel was uplifted over ,jerusalem1 the ,lord1 whose mercies are great 7#b ,sam4 xxiv4 #ad71 repented of the evil1 and on the intercession of the king the angel desisted1 when he was by the threshing-floor of ,ornan or ,araunah1 a wealthy ,jebusite4 ,by the advice of ,gad ,david now bought the site of the threshing-floor and a yoke of oxen1 erected there an altar1 and offered thereon burnt-offerings and peace-offerings4 ,fire descended in testimony of the acceptance of the sacrifice1 and with the cessation of the plague consecrated the rocky site of the future altar of ,solomon's ,temple on ,mount ,moriah 7#b ,chr4 iii4 #a74 ,the remaining years of ,david's life were spent in amassing treasures and materials1 and making preparations for the erection of the ,temple 7#a ,chr4 xxii4 #e1 #ad74 ,but even now the truth of the prophet's words was forced upon him1 that his foes should be those of his own household4 ,the three eldest of his sons1 ,amnon1 ,chileab1 and ,absalom being dead1 the fourth,,adonijahresolved to put forth his pretensions to the kingdom4 ,like ,absalom1 whom he resembled in personal beauty1 he began by surrounding himself with chariots and horsemen1 and succeeded in drawing over to his side not only the high-priest ,abiathar1 but even ,joab1 the commander-in-chief1 whose loyalty at last wavered4 ,confident in the support of such old servants of the king1 the pretender proclaimed a great sacrificial festival at the ,stone of ,zoheleth1 south of ,jerusalem1 near the fountain of ,en-rogel1 and invited to it all the royal princes1 except ,solomon1 and not a few of the captains of the royal army 7#a ,k4 i4 #e-i74 ,while they assembled at ,zoheleth1 ,nathan the prophet persuaded ,bath-sheba to seek an interview with the king1 and inform him of what was going on4 ,bath-sheba did so1 and had hardly concluded her tale1 when ,nathan himself entered1 confirmed her account1 and demanded to know whether ,adonijah's actions had the royal approval4 ,though old and feeble1 ,david had sufficient energy to rise to the present emergency1 and solemnly assured ,bath-sheba of his unalterable determination that ,solomon should succeed to the throne4 ,then summoning ,zadok and ,benaiah he bade them1 together with ,nathan1 convey ,solomon in state down to ,gihon1 and there formally anoint and proclaim him king4 ,accordingly these officers1 accompanied by the royal guards1 escorted ,solomon thither1 mounted on the royal mule 7#a ,k4 i4 #ch71 and there ,zadok anointed him with oil from the sacred horn of the ,tabernacle1 amidst the sound of trumpets and loud shouts of ,god save the ,king4 ,thence the new monarch was escorted in triumph back through the city1 and sat on the royal throne amidst general applause1 in the sight of his aged father1 who blessed ,god that during his own lifetime he had been permitted to behold his successor 7#a ,k4 i4 #de-dh74 ,intelligence of these transactions was conveyed to the conspirators1 in the midst of their festivities at ,en-rogel1 by ,jonathan the son of ,abiathar4 ,they had already heard the noise of the people shouting as ,solomon passed in procession through the city1 and no sooner learnt the cause than1 seized with alarm1 they instantly dispersed1 and every man went his way 7#a ,k4 i4 #di74 ,dreading the vengeance of the new king1 ,adonijah now fled to the ,tabernacle1 put himself in sanctuary by grasping the horns of the altar1 and refused to quit the spot till ,solomon had promised with an oath to spare his life4 ,the young and politic monarch1 on being informed of this1 abstained from binding himself by any oath1 and simply assured ,adonijah of safety so long as he shewed himself a worthy man1 but threatened him with death1 if wickedness should be found in him 7#a ,k4 i4 #di-eb74 ,on these conditions he quitted his place of refuge1 and1 having made obeisance to the new king1 returned to the privacy of his own house 7#a ,k4 i4 #ec74 ,the days of ,david were now rapidly drawing to a close4 ,he therefore convened a solemn assembly of all the chiefs and elders of his people1 the royal princes1 the captains of his army1 and his public officers1 and standing up1 aged as he was1 gave them his last charge1 and exhorted his son to constancy in the service of ,jehovah4 ,he then solemnly delegated to him the accomplishment of the desire of his life1 the erection of the ,temple1 and committed to him in trust the abundant materials he had amassed for this purpose1 as well as a pattern of the building1 and of everything belonging to it4 ,this address1 confirmed as it was by the sight of the gold and silver1 the brass and iron and precious stones1 which the royal prudence had collected1 had a great effect upon the people1 and they also joyfully contributed to the execution of their sovereign's design4 ,then1 in language of unequalled pathos and beauty1 the aged monarch solemnly thanked ,god for all ,his goodness1 and prayed that ,he would bestow upon his son 8a perfect heart10 enabling him to keep ,his testimonies and statutes1 and build the ,temple for which he had made provision4 ,amidst sacrifices of unusual abundance and great feastings and rejoicings1 ,solomon was then for the second time anointed king1 and received the formal submission of all the royal princes1 and the chiefs of the nation4 ,in another and more secret interview ,david gave his son his last counsels1 not only concerning his own deportment as ruler1 but also respecting ,joab and ,shimei1 who were committed to his vigilance1 and ,barzillai the ,gileadite1 who was entrusted to his regard4 ,then after a reign of #g years at ,hebron1 and of #cc years at ,jerusalem1 in a good old age1 full of years1 riches1 and honour1 the son of ,jesse1 the ,shepherd1 the ,warrior1 the ,king1 the ,psalmist1 was gathered to his fathers1 and buried in the city which had been once the fortress of the heathen ,jebusites1 but was now the capital of an empire that realised the loftiest ideal of prophecy1 stretching from the 8river of ,egypt0 to the ,euphrates1 and from the range of ,lebanon to the gulf of ,akaba#cac4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,accession ,,of ,,solomon4 #a ,,kings ,,ii4-,,viii4 #a ,,chron4 ,i4-,,ix4 ,b4,c4 #ajae4 ,,the new king was hardly seated on the throne before he was called upon to repress with a high hand a second and dangerous attempt of ,adonijah to obtain the kingdom4 ,as is usual in ,oriental countries1 the influence of ,bath-sheba the queen-mother was very great4 ,to her ,adonijah preferred a request that she would intercede with the king in obtaining for him the hand of ,,abishag the ,shunammite1 his father's latest wife 7#a ,kings ii4 #ag74 ,bath-sheba sought an interview with ,solomon1 who instantly saw in this petition a design upon the throne1 and declaring that ,adonijah had forfeited his claim to the indulgence extended to him after the late rebellion1 directed that he should be put to death by the hand of ,benaiah4 ,but he divined that others were concerned in the insinuating request1 and notably the high-priest ,abiathar1 and ,joab the commander-in-chief4 ,the former1 in consideration of his past services1 was not put to death1 but simply degraded from his high office1 and ordered to live in retirement at ,anathoth1 a ,levitical city1 about #c miles north of ,jerusalem1 whereby the word of the ,lord concerning the house of ,eli was fulfilled 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #ca-cc74 ,news of these events no sooner reached the ears of ,joab than he fled for refuge within the curtains of the ,tabernacle at ,gibeon1 and caught hold of the horns of the altar4 ,thither1 however1 ,solomon sent ,benaiah with orders to put him to death4 ,benaiah went and told his old companion-in-arms the king's command4 ,but ,joab refused to stir from sanctuary1 and the other returned to the king for fresh instructions4 ,solomon bade him not spare1 but fall upon him even at the altar1 urging his execution as a just recompense for the murder of ,abner and ,amasa4 ,thereupon he returned once more1 and fell upon him at the altar1 and obtained the important post of commander-in-chief1 while ,zadok succeeded to the high-priesthood 7#a ,k4 ii4 #bh-cd74 ,though ,david had spared the life of ,shimei1 he had on his death-bed cautioned ,solomon against him1 and now1 possibly owing to some unrecorded symptoms of disaffection1 the young king renewed the concession1 but on condition that ,shimei confined himself to the city of ,jerusalem1 and did not stray beyond the brook ,kidron1 which separated him from the road to his old home at ,bahurim4 ,for three years ,shimei carefully complied with this condition4 ,but two of his slaves fleeing to ,achish king of ,gath1 he went thither and brought them back4 ,this sealed his fate4 ,intelligence of what he had done was conveyed to ,solomon1 who sent for him1 and ordered his execution by the hands of ,benaiah 7#a ,k4 ii4 #cf-df74 ,shortly before this last event the king convened a general assembly of all the notables of the realm at ,gibeon1 where was not only the venerable ,tabernacle of the ,wanderings1 but the brazen altar of burnt-sacrifice 7#b ,chr4 i4 #c1 #e74 ,there accordingly were gathered together all the great officers of state1 the judges1 the governors1 and the chief of the fathers1 and a thousand burnt-offerings were consumed on the ,altar4 ,on the night following this solemn ceremonial1 the ,lord appeared in vision to ,solomon as he slept1 and bade him prefer any petition he desired4 ,impressed with the magnitude of the office to which he had been called1 as yet humble in his own sight1 and mindful of the mercy bestowed upon his father1 the young king prayed not for riches1 or honour1 or long life1 or the life of his enemies1 but for a wise and understanding heart1 that he might know how to rule his people4 ,his prayer pleased the ,lord1 and because he had requested nothing for himself1 ,he1 who is wont to give to the sons of men 8more than they ask or think10 not only promised him wisdom and knowledge1 but assured him that all the blessings he had not asked should be 8added unto him10 including length of days1 if he1 for his part1 took heed to observe the statutes and commandments of ,jehovah1 as his father had done before him 7#a ,k4 iii4 #f-ad74 ,returning to ,jerusalem the king offered burnt-offerings and thank-offerings to the ,lord before the ,ark of the ,covenant1 and celebrated a sacrificial feast with his whole court 7#a ,k4 iii4 #ae74 ,very shortly he was called upon to give proof of that sagacity and clearness of judgment1 especially in judicial cases1 so much prized by ,orientals4 ,of two women inhabiting one house together1 each had an infant child4 ,the mother of one overlaid hers while she was asleep1 and rising at midnight1 laid it in the bosom of the other woman1 taking her live child in its place4 ,in the morning the latter discovered the deception that had been practised upon her1 and demanded the living infant4 ,this the other woman refused1 claiming it for her own1 and both of them appealed to ,solomon1 who commanded the living child to be divided into two halves1 one of which should be given to each4 ,the anguish of the real1 and the cruel acquiescence of the pretended mother in this sentence1 decided the point in a moment1 and proved the sagacity of the king4 ,but besides judicial sagacity1 ,solomon was eminent for his attainments4 ,he was deeply versed in all the knowledge of his age1 his wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the ,east country1 and all the wisdom of ,egypt 7#a ,k4 iv4 #cj74 ,in the course of his life he spake #c1jjj proverbs1 of which a considerable portion remain in the 8,book of ,proverbs10 and his ,songs1 of which the 8,song of ,songs0 alone survives1 were a thousand and five4 ,he spoke or wrote also of trees1 from the lofty cedar of ,lebanon to the humble hyssop that springeth out of the wall1 of beasts1 of fowl1 of creeping things1 and of fishes4 ,his fame spread abroad among surrounding nations2 and there came of all people to hear his wisdom 7#a ,k4 iv4 #cd74 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,building ,,of ,,the ,,temple4 #a ,,kings ,v4-,,viii4 #b ,,chron4 ,,ii4-,,vii4 ,b4,c4 #ajab-ajje4 ,,mindful of the repeated instructions of his father1 ,solomon no sooner received the congratulations of ,hiram1 king of ,tyre1 upon his coming to the throne1 than he sent to that monarch requesting that he would let him have ,sidonian artisans1 and a supply of cedar wood from the forests of ,lebanon1 for the construction of the ,temple4 ,hiram responded with alacrity to the request1 and a regular treaty was entered into between the two kings4 ,solomon bound himself to send yearly #bj1jjj cors#cah of wheat1 and #bj cors of oil to the ,phnicians1 while ,hiram undertook to float cedar trees and fir-trees to ,joppa1 and to send a number of skilled artificers to ,jerusalem4 ,for the purpose of felling the timber1 a levy of #cj1jjj ,israelites was made1 who were placed under ,adoniram2 #aj1jjj were employed at a time1 and relieved each other every month1 spending a month in the mountains of ,lebanon1 and the other two months at their own homes 7#a ,k4 v4 #ac1 #ad74 ,besides these1 #gj1jjj were employed as porters1 and #hj1jjj as hewers in the various quarries4 ,these latter were bondslaves1 remnants of the ,canaanites1 who had not been expelled from the land4 ,under the eye of ,tyrian master-builders1 they hewed1 and squared1 and bevelled the stupendous blocks1 some measuring even #ag and #ah feet1 for the foundation of the sacred edifice4 ,the site1 which had been already selected by ,david1 was the eminence of ,moriah1 on the east of the city1 rendered sacred at once as the spot where ,abraham had offered up ,isaac1 and where the plague had been stayed during the last reign#cai4 8,its rugged top was levelled with immense labour2 its sides1 which to the east and south were precipitous1 were faced with a wall of stone1 built up perpendicular from the bottom of the valley1 so as to appear to those who looked down1 of most terrific height2 a work of prodigious skill and labour1 as the immense stones were strongly mortised together and wedged into the rock40 ,on this site1 after #c years of preparation1 in the #dth year of ,solomon's reign1 and the #dhjth after the departure from ,egypt1 the foundations were laid4 ,no sound of hammer or axe1 or any tool of iron1 was heard as the structure rose 7#a ,k4 vi4 #g74 ,every beam already cut and squared1 every stone already hewn and bevelled1 was laid silently in its appointed site1 ,like some tall palm the noiseless fabric sprung#cbj4 ,within a quadrangle formed by a solid wall was an open court1 afterwards known as the ,court of the ,gentiles4 ,within this1 surrounded by another wall and on a higher#cba level1 was the ,court of the ,israelites1 and within this1 and on a still higher level1 the ,court of the ,priests4 ,the ,temple itself was built on the model of the ancient ,tabernacle1 but of more costly and durable materials1 and like it consisted of the ,porch1 the ,holy ,place1 and the ,holy of ,holies#cbb4 7#a7 ,the ,porch or ,hall1 which faced the ,east1 was #aj cubits deep from ,e4 to ,w41 by #bj in width from ,n4 to ,s41 and #cj cubits high#cbc4 ,either within1 or1 as some think1 on either side of it1 rose two brazen ,pillars1 the one called ,,jachin 7durability71 the other ,,boaz 7strength71 their capitals ornamented with network1 chainwork1 and pomegranates4 7#b7 ,the ,holy ,place1 the dimensions of which were exactly double those in the ,tabernacle#cbd1 was #dj cubits long1 by #bj wide1 and #cj high4 ,its walls were of hewn stone1 wainscotted with cedar and overlaid with gold#cbe1 and adorned with beautiful carvings representing cherubim1 fruit1 and flowers4 ,it was entered by folding doors1 similarly overlaid with gold and richly embossed4 ,the floor was of cedar1 boarded over with planks of fir or cypress2 the ceiling was of fir1 but both1 as indeed every part1 overlaid with gold in the richest profusion4 ,in the ,holy ,place1 as in the ,tabernacle1 stood the golden ,altar of ,incense1 the ,table of ,shew-bread1 and the ,candlesticks of pure gold1 five on the right1 and five on the left4 7#c7 ,a rich veil of the brightest colours separated the ,holy ,place from the ,holy of ,holies1 which was a perfect cube of #bj cubits4 ,here was the original ,ark overshadowed by two colossal ,cherubim of olive wood overlaid with gold1 #aj cubits in height4 ,these stood at each end1 ,n4 and ,s41 and faced each other1 each having two wings expanded1 so that one wing of each touched over the ,ark1 and the other touched the wall4 ,outside the ,holy ,place stood a great ,tank or 8,sea0 of molten brass1 #aj cubits in diameter1 #cj round1 #e high1 and capable of holding #bjjj baths4 ,it was supported on #ab oxen1 three turned each way1 and its rim was ornamented with blossoms4 ,besides this there were #aj ,lavers1 for the purpose of ablutions1 which stood on moveable bases of brass2 each side of these was formed in three panels1 and adorned with figures of oxen1 lions1 and cherubim4 ,the great ,brazen ,altar of ,burnt-sacrifice1 #bj cubits long and #aj high1 stood on the exact site of the threshing-floor of ,araunah4 ,at length1 by the #gth month in the #aath year of ,solomon's reign1 the work was completed1 and the king invited the chiefs of the different tribes1 all the notables of the realm1 as also the entire priestly and ,levitical body#cbf1 to the solemn dedication4 ,he himself took his seat on a raised throne of brass2 the sacrificers stood before the ,altar of ,burnt-offering1 surrounded by the choir arrayed in white robes1 and playing on cymbals1 psalteries1 and harps2 while the assembled nation crowded the courts without4 ,countless sheep and oxen were first laid on the brazen altar4 ,then from under the covering1 where ,david had placed it1 the priests solemnly brought the ,ark of the ,covenant to the folding-doors of the ,temple4 ,these were opened1 and then past the ,table of ,shew-bread1 and the golden ,candlesticks1 and the ,altar of ,incense1 it was conveyed through the ,veil to its appointed place1 and the ,cherubim spread over it their wings1 and 8received it1 as it were1 under their protection40 ,at this moment the choir lifted up their voices with the trumpets and cymbals1 and instruments of music1 and made one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the ,lord#cbg1 whose mercy endureth for ever1 and simultaneously the ,temple was filled with a cloud 7#a ,k4 viii4 #aj1 #aa71 the 8,glory0 of the ,lord descended1 and ,jehovah took possession of ,his new abode4 ,thereupon the king1 rising on his brazen throne1 and kneeling down upon his knees1 spread forth his hands toward heaven1 and offered up a solemn and sublime prayer4 ,as he concluded with the petition1 ,arise1 ,o ,lord ,god1 into ,thy resting-place1 ,thou and the ,ark of ,thy strength1 fire flashed forth from the 8,glory0 already filling the ,temple1 and consumed the burnt-offerings and the sacrifices 7#b ,chr4 vii4 #c71 while the priests stood without1 blinded with the excess of splendour1 and the people bowing with their faces to the ground1 worshipped and praised the ,lord4 ,the ceremony of dedication lasted seven days1 and was succeeded by the ,feast of ,tabernacles1 which was continued for two weeks1 or twice the usual time#cbh4 ,during it1 upwards of #bb1jjj oxen and #abj1jjj sheep were partly offered in sacrifice1 and partly made the materials of a great sacrificial feast1 from which1 on the #bcrd day of the #gth month1 the king sent the people away1 glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the ,lord had shewed unto ,david1 and to ,solomon1 and to ,israel ,his people 7#b ,chr4 vii4 #aj74 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,solomon',s ,,reign ,,continued4 #b ,,kings ,,ix4-,,xi4 #b ,,chr4 ,,viii4 ,,ix4 ,b4,c4 #ajje-ige4 ,,before the ,temple was thus completed1 ,solomon had proceeded to construct other magnificent buildings4 ,amongst these was a sumptuous palace for himself1 surrounded with beautiful pleasure-grounds1 which stood within the city opposite to the ,temple1 and occupied #ac years in building 7#a ,k4 vii4 #a74 ,another palace he built for ,pharaoh's daughter1 whom he had espoused1 and besides it the house of the forest of ,lebanon#cbi1 #age ft4 long1 half that measurement in width1 and #ej ft4 high4 ,the roof1 which was made of cedar1 was supported by #d rows of cedar columns1 and the whole received light from #c rows of windows on each side4 ,adjoining it were the women's apartments1 a banqueting-hall1 and spacious and luxuriant gardens4 ,other works were designed for use and security2 among these were artificial reservoirs for supplying the city with water1 and the strengthening or repairing of a fortress called ,millo 7#a ,k4 ix4 #ae71 already begun by ,david 7#b ,sam4 v4 #i74 ,solomon also fortified ,baalath#ccj2 ,gezer#cca and the two ,beth-horons on the great road towards the sea-coast2 the strong and important post of ,hazor#ccb to defend the entrance from ,syria and ,assyria2 ,megiddo to guard the ,esdraelon plain2 while1 for the protection of his eastern caravans1 he built ,tadmor1 afterwards called ,palmyra1 in the ,syrian wilderness1 and ,tiphsah or ,thapsacus#ccc on the ,euphrates 7#b ,chr4 viii4 #c-f74 ,illustration3 ,,solomon',s ,,dominions1 ,,the ,,kingdoms ,,of ,,judah ,,israel ,,and ,,the ,,lands ,,of ,,the ,,captivities4 ,london3 ,macmillan ,co4 ,his reign was a period of great commercial activity4 ,on the ,north-west the important kingdom of ,phnicia was united with him by the bonds of a strict alliance4 ,once only did ,hiram1 king of ,tyre1 express any dissatisfaction with the dealings of his powerful friend4 ,solomon had bestowed upon him twenty cities which he had conquered in the land of ,galilee1 on the borders of ,asher4 ,but when the ,tyrian king came forth to see them1 he was much dissatisfied4 ,one of them named ,cabul1 now ,kabl1 about #h or #i miles east of ,akka1 in his own ,phnician tongue denoted displeasure1 and this name he gave to them all 7#a ,k4 ix4 #aj-ac74 #a4 ,but ,phnician enterprise was turned to account in other directions4 ,having possession of the ,eastern shore of the ,red ,sea1 ,solomon strengthened the ports of ,elath and ,ezion-geber 7the giant's backbone71 and with the assistance of ,tyrian shipwrights1 constructed a fleet1 which sailed to ,ophir#ccd1 and returned with gold1 silver1 ivory1 and other products 7#a ,k4 ix4 #bf-bh74 #b4 ,the ,tyrian alliance opened up also the traffic of the ,mediterranean4 ,on every shore washed by this sea ,phnician energy had founded colonies1 and opened trading ports1 of which the chief was ,tarshish1 or ,tartessus8the ,peru of ,tyrian adventure#cce0on the southern coast of ,spain1 at this time abounding in gold and silver mines4 ,hither ,solomon's fleet sailed in company with that of ,hiram1 and brought back every three years of its precious products 7#a ,k4 x4 #bb74 #c4 ,another important outlet for trade was supplied by ,egypt4 ,not only had ,solomon espoused a daughter of ,pharaoh1 but in defiance of the ,mosaic ,law 7,deut4 xvii4 #af7 he exchanged the produce of his own country for the horses and chariots of ,egypt1 as also for the linen-yarn1 spun from the flax which the ,nile valley yielded in abundance 7#a ,k4 x4 #bh1 #bi74 #d4 ,last1 but not least important1 was the inland trade of the ,arabian peninsula4 ,caravans of the native tribes transported on camels the spices1 incense1 gold1 precious stones1 and valuable woods of the country1 especially the almug or sandal1 and brought them into the dominions of ,solomon1 or1 if they were intended for his ,tyrian allies1 to ,gezer and ,beth-horon1 whence they were transported to the port of ,joppa4 ,but though these several branches of commerce opened up to the ,hebrew kingdom many and various sources of national prosperity1 and tended to multiply the luxuries and magnificence of the court1 this prosperity was on the surface only4 ,hidden beneath its external splendour were several cankers1 which surely though secretly undermined the true life of the nation4 ,first of all1 this massing of gold and silver1 as doubtless the ,jewish ,lawgiver had foreseen1 could only be brought about by a process of severe taxation4 ,and while forced to bear burdens heavy and grievous1 the nation saw the tide of commercial profits1 instead of being fairly distributed among the people1 flowing only into the royal exchequer4 ,secondly1 these commercial alliances seriously affected the nation's allegiance to ,jehovah4 ,in imitation of other ,oriental empires ,solomon surrounded himself with a numerous harem1 having #gjj wives and #cjj concubines 7#a ,k4 xi4 #a-c74 ,besides the daughter of ,pharaoh1 he espoused women of the ,moabites1 ,ammonites1 ,edomites1 ,zidonians1 and ,hittites1 and1 as he grew old1 they turned away his heart from the worship of the true ,god4 ,three times1 indeed1 during the year he celebrated the ,festivals of ,jehovah 7#a ,k4 ix4 #be71 but the licentious worship of ,baal and ,ashtaroth1 of ,moloch and ,chemosh1 found its way even into the ,holy ,city1 and their hideous orgies were enacted 8hard by the oracles of ,god0 7#a ,k4 xi4 #e-h74 ,at first1 perhaps1 there may have been few signs of weakness in a fabric so vast and so magnificent4 ,in the figurative language of the sacred record1 silver was in ,jerusalem as stones1 and cedar-trees as sycamores2 ,judah and ,israel were many1 as the sand which is by the sea in multitude1 eating and drinking and making merry2 in the enjoyment of profound peace1 every man dwelt safely under his vine and under his fig-tree4 ,princes administered the government of various portions of the empire 7#a ,k4 iv4 #a-f72 officers deputed for the purpose provided victual for the royal table1 and barley and straw for ,solomon's #dj1jjj chariot-horses1 his #ab1jjj war-horses 7#a ,k4 iv4 #bf71 and his swift mules2 kings and princes of subject-provinces brought in their tribute at a fixed rate year by year 7#a ,k4 x4 #be72 and when the queen of ,sheba came with her great train from distant ,yemen in ,arabia to prove the king with hard questions1 and beheld his palace1 and the meat of his table1 and the sitting of his servants1 and the attendance of his ministers1 and their apparel1 and his cup-bearers1 and the ascent from his own palace to the ,temple#ccf1 there was no spirit left in her1 and she confessed that the half of his fame and magnificence had not been told her 7#a ,k4 x4 #a-i74 ,before long1 however1 clouds began to gather portending the coming storm4 ,once at ,gibeon1 on the occasion of his accession1 again after the dedication of the ,temple 7#a ,k4 iii4 #e2 ix4 #b71 the ,lord had appeared to ,solomon1 and on condition that he continued to walk in the ways of his father1 had promised to crown him with prosperity1 and establish his dynasty1 but at the same time had warned him that any apostasy would bring down severe punishment4 ,but promise and warning had been alike forgotten1 and when the ,lord appeared for the third time1 it was to announce that the kingdom should be rent from him 7#a ,k4 xi4 #i-ac74 i4 ,the quarter1 whence danger first threatened1 was on the south1 in the land of ,edom4 ,when ,joab invaded that country during the late reign1 and for six months directed an indiscriminate massacre of the male population1 ,,hadad1 who was of the blood royal1 and at that time a little child1 was carried off into ,egypt1 where he was hospitably received by the reigning ,pharaoh1 and rapidly rising in the royal esteem1 obtained the hand of ,tahpenes1 the sister of the ,egyptian queen4 ,on the death of ,david and of ,joab1 he returned from ,egypt1 and thirsting to break off the hard yoke of ,jacob from the neck of ,esau1 organized a revolt in his native land1 and began to threaten ,solomon's communication with the ,elanitic ,gulf 7#a ,k4 xi4 #ae-bb74 ii4 ,a second adversary appeared in the north-eastern provinces of the empire4 ,,rezin1 the ,syrian1 the son of ,eliadah1 flying from the defeat which his feudal lord ,hadadezer1 king of ,zobah1 had sustained at the hands of ,david1 put himself at the head of a band of adventurers and seized ,damascus4 ,here he set up a petty kingdom1 and became an adversary to ,israel all the days of ,solomon1 and an impediment to the king's commerce with ,tadmor and the ,euphrates 7#a ,k4 xi4 #bc-be74 iii4 ,but a far more formidable adversary appeared nearer home4 ,when ,solomon was constructing the fortifications of ,millo under the citadel of ,zion1 he observed the industry and activity of ,,jeroboam1 already known as a man of valour1 the son of an ,ephraimite1 named ,nebat4 ,perceiving his worth1 the king not only employed him on the works1 but elevated him to the rank of collector of the taxes from his native tribe4 ,on one occasion as he was going out of ,jerusalem1 ,jeroboam encountered the prophet ,ahijah of the ancient sanctuary of ,shiloh1 and accompanied him to a neighbouring field4 ,when they were alone1 the prophet rent the new outer robe in which he was attired into twelve pieces1 and gave ten of them to ,jeroboam1 assuring him at the same time that he should reign over ten of the tribes1 and that if he proved faithful to ,his laws ,god would establish his dynasty as he had done that of ,david 7#a ,k4 xi4 #bf-ci74 ,news of this mysterious intimation in some way reached the ears of ,solomon1 and he sought to put ,jeroboam to death1 but the latter fled for refuge to the court of ,shishak 7,sheshonk ,i471 a powerful monarch1 who was bent on restoring ,egypt to its former greatness4 ,here he remained during the rest of ,solomon's reign4 ,departing from his earlier policy the king had laid the burden of compulsory labour not only on the remnant of the ,canaanites1 but on the ,israelites themselves 7#a ,k4 v4 #ac1 #ad74 ,this increased the old jealousy of the great house of ,joseph1 and a man like ,jeroboam was certain at any time to rally round him all the national discontent and ill-feeling against the once prosperous monarch4 ,while the signs of coming danger were thus becoming more and more evident1 ,solomon's reign of #dj years came to a close1 ,b4,c4 #ige4 ,the hopes he might have inspired when first elevated to the throne had not been fulfilled4 ,he had1 indeed1 built the promised ,temple2 he had adorned ,jerusalem with sumptuous palaces2 his wisdom and learning had attracted the notice and roused the envy of distant monarchs2 but he had not been mindful1 save for a short time1 while the example of ,david and the instructions of his preceptor ,nathan were fresh in his memory1 of the vocation to which he had been called4 ,his kingdom exhibited some of the worst faults of other ,oriental monarchies4 ,he had violated each and all of the fundamental principles of the kingdom as laid down by the great ,lawgiver of his nation4 ,he had encouraged the worst forms of idolatry1 had multiplied wives1 had amassed enormous wealth1 had laid heavy burdens on the people1 and sated with pomp and splendour and selfish luxuries1 he had confessed the vanity of his life 7,eccles4 i4 #ab-ah74 ,the kingdom which ,abraham had seen in vision stretching from the river of ,egypt to the gates of ,damascus had1 indeed1 been realized1 but its unity was not destined to survive the reign of the son of ,david#ccg4 ,,book ,x4 ,,kingdoms ,,of ,,judah ,,and ,,israel4 ,,part ,i4 ,period of mutual hostility4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,revolt ,,of ,,the ,,ten ,,tribes4 #a ,,kings ,,xii4 #b ,,chron4 ,x4 ,b4,c4 #ige4 ,,rehoboam1 the successor of ,solomon1 was #da years of age when he came to the throne4 ,though his title does not seem to have been disputed at ,jerusalem1 he deemed it right to obtain a more general and public recognition1 and probably as a concession to the powerful house of ,joseph1 convened a solemn assembly of the tribes at ,shechem1 its ancient but ruined#cch capital4 ,on his arrival there he encountered ,,jeroboam1 who had been summoned from his retreat in ,egypt1 and now boldly appeared at the head of a deputation from all the tribes requesting a remission of the taxes and other heavy burdens1 which had been laid upon the nation during the late reign4 ,thus directly appealed to1 ,rehoboam requested a space of three days for deliberation1 and during this period first consulted the old advisers of his father4 ,they unanimously suggested that he should accede to the nation's request1 and lighten its burden4 ,but besides these experienced counsellors there were young men of rank1 who had been the king's companions1 and were now about his court4 ,they could ill brook any line of policy that seemed likely to lower the power of their patron1 and advised him to take up the matter with a high hand1 and by a firm denial of the nation's request put down once and for all any similar demand4 ,in an evil hour ,rehoboam listened to their counsel1 and at the end of the three days1 when the envoys1 again headed by ,jeroboam1 were summoned into his presence1 announced to them his final resolve4 ,my father made your yoke heavy1 said he in the true spirit of an ,oriental despot1 and ,i will add to your yoke2 my father chastised you with whips1 but ,i will chastise you with scorpions 7#a ,k4 xii4 #a-ae74 ,this senseless reply was no sooner made known to the tribes than it roused a general spirit of rebellion4 ,what portion have we in ,david8 exclaimed the great tribe of ,ephraim1 and what inheritance in the son of ,jesse8 ,to your tents1 ,o ,israel2 now see to thine own house1 ,david 7comp4 #b ,sam4 xx4 #a74 ,the assembly broke up in confusion1 and each man returned to his home4 ,but ,rehoboam did not yet discern the full force of the rising storm4 ,he was unwise enough to send ,adoram1 who had been chief receiver of the tribute during the reigns of his father and grandfather 7#b ,sam4 xx4 #bd2 #a ,k4 v4 #ad71 to levy the usual dues4 ,but the fate of his envoy proved the strength of the popular feeling4 ,all ,israel stoned him with stones1 that he died1 and the king himself was obliged to fly in haste to ,jerusalem4 ,his first impulse on his return was to punish the rebellious tribes1 and for this purpose he gathered together an army of #ahj1jjj men4 ,but his preparations for a civil war were forbidden by ,shemaiah1 a man of ,god1 who declared it to be the will of ,jehovah that all hostilities should be laid aside1 for the rending of the kingdom was from ,him 7#a ,k4 xii4 #ah-bd74 ,thereupon the projected war was given up1 and the rebellion was complete#cci4 ,according to the new division of the land1 7i7 ,the kingdom of ,judah included that tribe itself1 together with ,benjamin1 which transferred to it its allegiance probably because ,jerusalem was within its borders1 and1 at least eventually1 a part if not all of the territory of ,simeon and of ,dan4 ,for the present ,edom appears to have remained its faithful vassal1 and guarded the caravan trade with ,ophir1 while ,philistia continued1 for the most part1 quiet4 7ii7 ,the kingdom of ,israel1 on the other hand1 included that of the remaining eight tribes1 i4e4 ,ephraim1 and half ,manasseh1 ,issachar1 ,zebulun1 ,asher1 and ,naphtali1 as well as the coast line between ,accho and ,joppa1 on the west of the ,jordan2 ,reuben1 ,gad1 and the remaining half tribe of ,manasseh on the east of that river4 ,its vassal states were ,moab 7#b ,k4 iii4 #d71 and so much of ,syria as had remained subject to ,solomon 7#a ,k4 xi4 #bd7cdc4 ,the first act of ,jeroboam1 on being declared ruler of the ,ten ,tribes1 was to give a capital to his kingdom4 ,for this purpose he rebuilt and fortified ,shechem4 ,his next step was to secure his dominions against his powerful northern neighbour1 ,syria4 ,he1 therefore1 fortified ,penuel#cdd beyond the ,jordan1 which commanded the fords of ,succoth1 and was on the great caravan road leading over ,gilead to ,damascus4 ,but it required little reflection to convince him1 that so long as the yearly pilgrimages summoned their thousands and tens of thousands to ,jerusalem1 his authority was but nominal4 ,the ,levitical class would constantly require to go up to the ,city of ,david in the order of their courses#cde1 and the majority of them began to leave his kingdom for that of ,judah4 ,without a ,temple1 without the ,ark1 without a ,priesthood1 he felt he could not maintain his power4 ,within the boundaries1 however1 of his realm were two sanctuaries1 ,bethel in the south1 and ,dan in the north4 ,these1 after some deliberation 7#a ,k4 xii4 #bh71 he resolved to elevate into seats for national worship1 which he hoped might rival the ,temple at ,jerusalem4 ,instead1 however1 of erecting altars there in honour of ,jehovah1 he made two calves of gold1 figures probably of ,apis or ,mnevis1 whose worship he had often witnessed during his residence in ,egypt1 and set them up at either sanctuary1 with the address1 ,behold thy gods1 ,o ,israel1 which brought thee out of the land of ,egypt 7#a ,k4 xii4 #bh74 ,moreover1 at both places he established a new order of priests1 not taken from the sons of ,levi1 but from the lowest of the people1 and therefore absolutely dependent on himself1 and into this order any one could obtain admission on sacrificing a young bullock and seven rams 7#b ,chr4 xiii4 #i74 ,having taken these measures1 on the #aeth day of the eighth month#cdf he proclaimed a solemn ,festival of ,dedication1 and went up to ,bethel1 to offer incense in person on the altar4 ,but at this critical moment1 as he was standing there1 a man of ,god from ,judah appeared1 who boldly confronted the king1 denounced the idolatrous service1 and foretold the desecration of the altar by a future king of the house of ,judah1 ,,josiah by name1 who would offer upon it the priests of the high-places1 and burn men's bones upon it 7,see #b ,k4 xxiii4 #ae74 ,enraged at this out-spoken defiance1 ,jeroboam stretched forth his hand1 and bade the bystanders seize the bold stranger4 ,but at the moment his hand became suddenly paralysed1 and at the same time the altar was rent asunder1 and the ashes of the victims were poured out4 ,now thoroughly alarmed1 the king implored the prophet to intercede with the ,lord for him1 that the heavy judgment he had incurred might be removed4 ,the other complied1 and the king's hand was restored4 ,grateful for this signal favour1 ,jeroboam would now have hospitably entertained the man of ,god4 ,but the latter had been sent on a special errand1 and his commands had been precise1 and peremptory1 neither to eat bread1 nor drink water in a place so openly profaned with idolatry1 nor even to return thence by the same road that he had come4 ,accordingly he declined the royal invitation1 and went his way 7#a ,k4 xiii4 #aj74 ,on the road1 however1 as he lingered under an oak1 he was overtaken by an old prophet of ,bethel1 who had heard from his sons of the day's occurrences at the festival4 ,his own guilty silence had wellnigh made him a partaker in the sins of the king1 and the bold bearing of the stranger reminded him of what he himself should have done4 ,either1 therefore1 from a wish to win respect for himself once more by intercourse with such an accredited messenger of the ,most ,high1 or with the full intention of deceiving him1 and so bringing discredit on his words1 he hurried after him1 and now announced himself as the bearer of a distinct ,divine command that he should return to ,bethel4 ,overcome by this solemn declaration1 the other accompanied him to the town4 ,but as they were seated at the meal1 the ,spirit of the ,lord came upon the guilty host1 and the ,deceiver was constrained to pronounce the doom of the ,deceived4 ,the man of ,god had been faithless to the terms of his commission1 and a certain death awaited him1 nor should his body ever come into the sepulchre of his fathers4 ,with his doom upon him he went his way1 and a lion met and slew him 7#a ,k4 xiii4 #bd74 ,but though dead1 he was yet to speak1 and testify to the solemnity of the mission on which he had been sent4 ,when he was found lying dead on the road1 the lion also was standing there1 as well as the ass on which he had ridden2 the beast of prey had not eaten the corpse1 nor torn the ass4 ,thus the mysterious circumstances of the prophet's death confirmed that sign of his authority1 which he had weakened during his life2 and the old prophet of ,bethel1 by laying him in his own sepulchre with all honour1 and charging his sons after his death to bury him beside the victim of his own deceit1 preserved in ,jeroboam's new religious capital a silent witness against the idolatries there practised 7#a ,k4 xiii4 #cj-cb74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,rehoboam ,,and ,,abijah1 ,,jeroboam ,,and ,,nadab4 #a ,,kings ,,xiii4-,,xv4 #b ,,chr4 ,,xi4-,,xiii4 ,b4,c4 #ige-iee4 ,,this warning1 however1 though confirmed by signs and wonders1 had little or no effect on ,jeroboam himself4 ,he persisted in his evil courses1 and his dynasty was destined to pass away1 a fact before long revealed to him under very mournful circumstances4 ,his son ,,abijah fell sick4 ,in his anxiety to know the fate of the hope of his kingdom1 ,jeroboam bade his wife disguise herself1 and repair to ,shiloh1 and there consult the now blind and aged prophet1 who had foretold his own elevation to the throne4 ,though she was effectually disguised1 and presented only the gift of an ordinary person1 a few loaves1 some cakes1 and a cruse of honey1 the prophet detected his visitor as soon as he heard the sound of her feet at the door1 and confirmed her worst fears4 ,in words of utmost sternness he denounced her husband's idolatries1 and distinctly told her that her son would die4 ,he1 indeed1 as one in whom was found some good thing towards the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 would descend into the grave mourned and lamented by the whole people4 ,but no other of his family would thus receive an honourable funeral1 and his death would be but the prelude of the destruction of his father's dynasty4 ,with a heavy heart the mother returned1 and as she entered the town of ,tirzah1 ,abijah sickened1 and the blind prophet's words came true 7#a ,k4 xiv4 #a-ah74 ,meanwhile1 the relations between the rival kingdoms had been marked by continued hostility 7#a ,k4 xiv4 #cj2 #b ,chr4 xii4 #ae74 ,the first step taken by ,rehoboam1 when the disruption of the kingdom was complete1 was to fortify #ae cities in the neighbourhood of his capital1 and in the southern and south-western portions of ,judah 7#b ,chr4 xi4 #e-ab74 ,all these he stored with provisions and arms1 and placed over them commandants4 ,during the first three years of his reign he walked in the ways of the ,lord1 and was strengthened in upholding the principles of true religion by numerous bodies of priests and ,levites1 who flocked into the territory of ,judah from that of ,jeroboam1 as also by many of the tribes of ,israel1 who still remained faithful to the ,lord ,god of their fathers 7#b ,chr4 xi4 #ac-ag74 ,but soon1 like ,solomon before him1 he too was found wanting4 ,surrounding himself with a numerous harem1 he took #ah wives and #fj concubines1 by whom he became the father of numerous sons and daughters4 ,reserving the throne for ,abijah1 the son of ,maachah daughter of ,absalom1 he dispersed the rest of the royal princes among his fortified cities1 and in the splendour of his court and the security of his now established throne1 forgat the law of the ,lord 7#b ,chr4 xii4 #a71 and set an evil example to his subjects1 who speedily began to build high places1 and set up images and groves on every high hill1 and under every green tree 7#a ,k4 xiv4 #bb-bd74 ,five years1 however1 after his accession1 his peace was rudely disturbed4 ,shishak the ,egyptian king1 instigated probably by ,jeroboam1 whom as we have already seen1 he had befriended in exile1 advanced against ,judah with #abjj chariots1 #fj1jjj cavalry1 and an enormous host of ,libyans1 ,nubians1 and ,ethiopians4 ,having made himself master of ,rehoboam's fenced cities1 he penetrated as far as his capital1 and forced him to purchase an ignominious peace by delivering up the treasure of the royal palace and the ,temple1 even to the shields of gold1 which ,solomon had made for the purpose of being borne before him whenever he visited the ,temple in state#cdg 7#a ,k4 x4 #af1 #ag74 ,more than this the ,egyptian monarch did not attempt1 as ,shemaiah the prophet had promised would be the case1 if the king and his people displayed signs of real contrition for their idolatries4 ,after this deep humiliation1 the moral condition of ,judah seems to have improved1 and the rest of ,rehoboam's reign is not marked by any remarkable event4 ,he died1 ,b4,c4 #ieg1 at the age of #eh1 after a reign of #ag years1 and was succeeded by his son ,,abijah4 ,the new king continued the war with ,jeroboam1 and made a determined effort to recover the ten tribes4 ,at ,mount ,zemaraim1 in the range of ,ephraim1 he confronted with #djj1jjj troops twice that number of the enemy2 and previously to the battle endeavoured by a solemn address to win over the subjects of his rival to their former allegiance4 ,he reminded them of the ,divine election of ,david to the throne of the entire nation1 and the emphatic manner in which the monarchy had been covenanted to him2 he recounted the circumstances under which ,jeroboam had usurped the regal power1 and contrasted the idolatrous worship he had established with the time-honoured ritual of the ,temple1 and its divinely-ordained priests4 ,while he thus sought to awaken the loyalty of the tribes1 his rival had posted an ambuscade behind the men of ,judah1 who found themselves entrapped4 ,but1 nothing daunted1 they cried unto the ,lord1 and1 while the priests sounded with the silver trumpets1 raised a shout1 and fell upon the foe4 ,the forces of ,jeroboam were utterly routed1 and ,abijah succeeded in capturing the towns of ,bethel1 ,jeshanah1 and ,ephraim with the surrounding villages4 ,from this signal defeat the king of ,israel never recovered strength again 7#b ,ch4 xiii4 #bj71 and soon after died1 bequeathing his throne to his son ,,nadab1 while his rival ,abijah1 after a brief reign of three years1 also died1 and was succeeded by his son ,,asa1 ,b4,c4 #ied4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,asa ,,and ,,baasha1 ,,elah1 ,,zimri1 ,,omri4 #a ,,kings ,,xv4 ,,xvi4 #b ,,chr4 ,,xiv4-,,xvi4 ,b4,c4 #iee-iah4 ,,the reign of ,,nadab was very brief1 lasting only two years4 ,as he was besieging ,gibbethon1 a town allotted to ,dan 7,josh4 xix4 #dd71 and afterwards given to the ,kohathite ,levites 7,josh4 xxi4 #bc71 but which was now in the hands of the ,philistines1 ,,baasha1 the son of ,abijah1 of the house of ,issachar1 conspired against him1 and1 usurping the throne1 smote all the house of ,jeroboam till he left none that breathed1 thus fulfilling the words of ,ahijah1 and destroying the first ,israelitish dynasty1 ,b4,c4 #iec4 ,between the new king and ,asa constant hostilities were maintained4 ,the latter1 mindful of the conditions on which he held the kingdom1 no sooner ascended the throne1 than he commenced a general religious reform throughout his dominions4 ,he removed the idols his father had set up1 the high places1 the images1 and the groves2 nor did he spare the idolatrous ritual even of his grandmother ,maachah1 who held the special dignity of queen-mother2 he removed the symbol of her religion1 and flung the ashes into the brook ,kidron4 ,having thus restored the worship of ,jehovah to something of its former purity1 he strengthened his kingdom by fortifying the frontier towns1 and raised and equipped a large army4 ,he was thus in a condition to confront the enormous host with which his realm was invaded by ,zerah1 the ,ethiopian1 probably ,osorkon ,,ii4#cdh1 the successor of ,shishak1 and the inheritor of his quarrel with ,rehoboam4 ,the ,egyptian host penetrated as far as ,mareshah in the low country of ,judah1 where they were confronted by ,asa1 whose confidence in his ,god was rewarded by a complete victory1 and the ,egyptian host fell back routed as far as ,gerar1 leaving immense spoils in the hands of the men of ,judah 7#b ,chr4 xiv4 #i-ae74 ,after this signal success1 encouraged by the assurances of the prophet ,azariah1 ,asa resolved to continue his religious reforms1 and on his arrival at ,jerusalem convoked an assembly of the tribes of ,judah and ,benjamin1 as well as of the strangers sojourning amongst them from ,ephraim1 ,manasseh1 and ,simeon1 and in the #crd month of the #aeth year of his reign1 renewed with solemn sacrifices a national ,covenant4 ,with a loud voice1 and with shouting1 and with trumpets1 and with cornets1 the assembly swore fealty to their ,god and king1 and vowed to put to death all who proved unfaithful to ,jehovah 7#b ,chr4 xv4 #a-ae74 ,the peace which his kingdom now enjoyed was soon disturbed by the hostility of ,baasha1 who marched against ,asa1 and having recovered the territory which he had lost1 fortified ,ramah1 about #f miles north of ,jerusalem1 not only to annoy his enemy1 and stop the tide of emigration from his own kingdom into that of ,judah1 but also to cut off ,asa's communications with the central portion of ,israel4 ,on this that monarch resolved to purchase the aid of the king of ,syria1 ,benhadad ,i4#cdi1 and persuade him to break off his alliance with his rival4 ,sending1 therefore1 all the silver and gold left in the treasuries of the ,temple to the ,syrian monarch1 he succeeded in inducing him to fling an army into northern ,palestine1 which smote ,ijon1 ,dan1 ,abel-beth-,maachah1 ,cinneroth1 and all the land of ,naphtali4 ,this forced ,baasha to withdraw his forces1 and retire to ,tirzah2 whereupon ,asa summoned all ,judah1 and having destroyed the works at ,ramah1 used the stones and timber to fortify two towers1 ,geba and ,mizpeh1 as checks to any similar attempts in future4 ,this is the first instance of a ,hebrew king courting an alliance with a heathen power in a great crisis of the national fortunes1 and it did not pass unnoticed by the prophetical order4 ,hanani the seer denounced such faithless leaning on an arm of flesh1 and foretold that from henceforth he should have wars4 ,the outspoken rebuke roused the anger of ,asa4 ,he flung the bold prophet into prison1 and oppressed some of the people1 who probably sympathised in his denunciations4 ,in other respects he had ruled his kingdom with energy1 loyalty1 and piety1 and after a severe attack of gout1 died in the #dast year of his reign1 and was committed to the tomb amidst general sorrow1 bequeathing his throne to his son ,,jehoshaphat 7#b ,chr4 xvi4 #g-ad71 ,b4,c4 #iad4 ,meanwhile there had been great vicissitudes in the kingdom of ,israel4 ,after destroying the whole house of ,jeroboam1 ,baasha made the beautiful city of ,tirzah#cej his capital1 and in spite of the warnings of the prophet ,jehu the son of ,hanani 7#a ,k4 xvi4 #a-g71 persisted in walking in the ways of ,jeroboam1 wherewith he made ,israel to sin4 ,his reign of #bd years was chiefly distinguished by his persistent hostility to his rival ,asa1 which cost him1 as we have seen1 several cities in the northern part of his dominions1 in consequence of ,asa's alliance with ,benhadad4 ,he was succeeded in the year ,b4,c4 #icj by his son ,,elah2 who had barely reigned for the brief space of a year1 when on the occasion of a riotous feast in the house of his steward at ,tirzah1 he was assassinated by ,,zimri1 the captain of half his chariots1 ,b4,c4 #ibi4 ,the usurper signalized his accession by ruthlessly murdering every member of the family of ,baasha1 but had barely occupied the throne for seven days1 when ,,omri1 captain of the army then besieging ,gibbethon1 attacked him at ,tirzah4 ,despairing of aid ,zimri anticipated the wishes of his rival by firing the palace over his head1 and perished in the flames4 ,but the claims of the usurper to his blood-stained throne were not universally acknowledged4 ,half the people sided with him1 and half with another aspirant1 ,,tibni the son of ,ginath 7#a ,k4 xvi4 #ba74 ,for #e years the latter reigned as rival king1 and the land was desolated with civil discord4 ,at length the faction of ,,omri prevailed1 and ,tibni dying1 he became sole king of ,israel1 and founder of its third dynasty4 ,for #f years he made ,tirzah1 though now in ruins1 his capital1 and then in spite of its proverbial beauty 7,cant4 vi4 #d7 determined to remove his residence elsewhere4 ,about #f miles north-west of ,shechem was 8an oval-shaped isolated hill1 rising by successive terraces #fjj feet above the surrounding plateau1 and combining in union not elsewhere found in ,palestine1 strength1 beauty1 and fertility40 ,this hill ,omri purchased of ,shemer1 its owner1 for two talents of silver1 and on its 8long flat top0 built a city1 which instead of naming after himself1 he called after the name of its owner ,shomrn1 8the city of ,shemer10 afterwards corrupted into the ,chaldee ,shemrin1 and thence into the ,greek ,samaria#cea4 ,in his new capital ,omri reigned #f years more4 ,a vigorous and unscrupulous ruler1 he did evil in the eyes of the ,lord more than all his predecessors on the throne4 ,he not only courted an alliance with ,benhadad ,i4 and surrendered to him some border towns 7#a ,k4 xx4 #cd71 and admitted a resident ,syrian embassy#ceb into ,samaria1 but gave his son and successor ,,ahab in marriage to ,,jezebel1 the daughter of ,ethbaal1 king of ,zidon 7#a ,k4 xvi4 #ca71 thus introducing the worship of ,baal as the recognised religion of his kingdom4 ,,kingdoms ,,of ,,judah ,,and ,,israel4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,period of mutual alliance1 and hostility to ,syria4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,reign ,,of ,,ahab4 ,,era ,,of ,,elijah4 #a ,,kings ,,xvii4-,,xix4 #b ,,chr4 ,,xvii4 ,b4,c4 #iah-iae4 ,,the first act of ,,jehoshaphat1 who succeeded ,asa on the throne of ,judah1 was to fortify and garrison the fenced cities in his dominions1 as well as the towns in ,ephraim1 which his father had captured 7#b ,chr4 xvii4 #b74 ,with much zeal for the national faith he next endeavoured to put down the high places and groves1 and sent a commission of princes1 priests1 and ,levites to traverse the various towns1 and instruct the people out of the ,book of the ,law 7#b ,chr4 xvii4 #f-i74 ,his pious zeal did not go unrewarded4 ,the ,lord established the kingdom in his hand1 and gave him peace round about4 ,not only his own subjects1 but even the ,philistines and ,arabians brought him tribute 7#b ,chr4 xvii4 #e1 #aa71 which enabled him to build castles and store-cities in ,judah1 and maintain a large standing army 7#b ,chr4 xvii4 #ab-ai74 ,meanwhile1 very different scenes were enacted in the rival kingdom of ,israel4 ,ithobalus or ,ethbaal#cec1 the father of ,ahab's queen1 had once been a priest of the ,phnician goddess ,astarte1 and had usurped the throne of his brother ,phalles#ced4 ,jezebel inherited the spirit of her father1 and quickly acquired the most unbounded influence over her weak-minded husband1 so that he became a mere puppet in her hands4 ,the first effect of her influence was the establishment of the worship of ,baal on the most extensive scale4 ,near the palace at ,samaria rose a temple in honour of this ,phnician deity1 and an oracular grove1 while #dej of the prophets of ,baal1 and #djj of ,astarte1 were supported at the queen's table 7#a ,k4 xvi4 #ca1 #cb1 xviii4 #ai74 ,she also resolved that a worship1 now formally legalized1 should be forcibly imposed on her husband's subjects1 and so great was her severity towards the prophets of ,jehovah1 that they were constrained to conceal themselves in caves1 and there eke out a precarious existence 7#a ,k4 xviii4 #ac74 ,while she thus persecuted the servants of ,jehovah1 her yielding husband occupied himself chiefly with indulging a taste for splendid architecture4 ,he erected several cities1 and built an ivory palace2 and while ,samaria remained his capital1 sought another ,tirzah in the beautiful city of ,jezreel1 the very name of which1 the seed-plot of ,god1 indicates the fertility of the neighbourhood#cee4 ,in this crisis of the ,israelitish kingdom came forth1 sudden as the lightning1 alarming as the thunder1 one of the most remarkable men that ,israel ever produced4 ,from the wooded uplands across the ,jordan1 8from the country of the rude soldier-judge ,jephthah#cef10 clad in the austere garb of the prophets1 consisting of a girdle of skin round his loins1 and a sheep-skin 8mantle10 his 8hair long and thick1 and hanging down his back0 7#b ,k4 i4 #h71 appeared in the palace of ,ahab1 ,elijah the ,tishbite1 of the inhabitants of ,gilead4 ,without a word of comment or introduction1 he announced in the name of that ,god1 whom the monarch had insulted1 a speedy and awful judgment4 ,as the ,lord ,god of ,israel liveth1 said he1 there shall be neither dew nor rain these years but according to my word#ceg4 ,having thus boldly delivered his message1 he fled for his life to the brook or torrent-bed of the ,cherith1 either amongst his own native hills1 or on the west of ,jordan and nearer to ,samaria4 ,here he was for some time miraculously supported by ravens1 which brought him bread and flesh in the morning1 and bread and flesh in the evening1 while he drank of the water of the brook 7#a ,k4 xvii4 #a-g74 ,after a while the slender streamlet was dried up4 ,guided by the ,divine direction the prophet now repaired to ,zarephath or ,sarepta 7,lk4 iv4 #be-bi71 a ,phnician village on the sea-shore between ,tyre and ,sidon1 and in the very midst of ,phnician heathenism4 ,as he drew nigh the place he met the widow1 with whom he was to lodge1 gathering sticks4 ,though she was so poverty-stricken1 that she had but a handful of meal in a barrel1 and a little oil in a cruse1 and the sticks she was gathering were to make a last meal for her child and herself before they died1 he yet bade her make a little cake for him first1 and assured her that the barrel of meal should not waste1 nor the cruse of oil fail1 till the rain returned4 ,strong in faith1 the woman did as he bade her1 and found his words true4 ,for a full year 7#a ,k4 xvii4 #ae1 margin7 she and her house did eat1 nor did their supplies fail4 ,but before long a sore trouble visited her home4 ,her son sickened1 and seemed at the point of death4 ,in the agony of her grief she imputed this trial to the presence of the mysterious prophet4 ,but ,elijah took the boy up to his chamber1 and laid him on his own bed2 then he stretched himself three times upon him1 and cried mightily to the ,lord that his life might be restored to him4 ,his prayer was heard2 the soul of the child came into him again1 and he revived1 and the prophet restored him to his mother1 who was now convinced that her guest was a man of ,god1 and that the word of the ,lord in his mouth was truth 7#a ,k4 xvii4 #h-bd74 ,meanwhile1 the kingdom of ,israel was suffering the most grievous extremities from the prolonged drought4 ,the earth lay cracked and parched and barren4 ,sheep1 cattle1 horses1 perished from want of water1 and from the failure of the crops4 ,so great was the destitution1 that ,ahab left his luxurious palace at ,samaria1 and divided with ,obadiahhis chief domestic officer1 and who1 at the peril of his life1 remained faithful in his allegiance to ,jehovahthe duty of examining every spring and 8nook of the most shaded torrent-bed0 to discover any sign of herbage1 wherewith to save the horses and mules alive1 that they might not lose all the beasts4 ,while1 then1 ,ahab went one way by himself1 and ,obadiah went another way by himself1 suddenly the latter discerned the prophet standing in the midst of the path4 ,at the ,divine command ,elijah had left his retreat at ,zarephath1 and now bade the minister of ,ahab announce to his master his own return4 ,at first ,obadiah demurred4 ,he feared lest1 while he had gone on this mission1 the ,spirit of the ,lord might summon the prophet in some other direction1 and the king would slay him in his disappointment4 ,but ,elijah reassured him1 and he went and told ,ahab1 and ,ahab went to meet the servant of ,jehovah4 ,few but pointed were the prophet's words1 when he was confronted with the weak woman-governed king4 ,after sternly denouncing his idolatries1 he commanded him to summon instantly to the top of ,carmel#ceh the #dej prophets of ,baal1 and the #djj prophets of ,ashtaroth4 ,awed by the bearing of the seer1 the monarch dared not disobey1 and the prophets1 followed by a large concourse of people1 repaired to the appointed spot1 at the extreme eastern point of the long ,carmel range1 8commanding the last view of the sea behind1 and the first view of the great plain in front#cei40 ,it was the crisis in the history of the ,ten ,tribes4 ,on that day it was to be proved1 once for all1 who was supreme1 ,baal or ,jehovah4 ,with his one attendant ,elijah proceeded to the ,place of ,controversy1 and proposed to the assembled multitudes a decisive test4 ,let two bullocks be chosen2 let one of them be slain by the priests of ,baal1 and cut in pieces2 let these be laid upon an altar1 with no fire under2 let them then call upon the name of their gods1 and the ,god that answered by fire let him be ,god4 ,the challenge was accepted4 ,the altar was built2 the victim slain2 the pieces laid in order2 and the priests of ,baal commenced their incantations4 ,but there was no voice1 neither any that answered4 ,morning passed1 and noon came1 and still there was no reply4 ,meanwhile ,elijah suggested to them that they should cry aloud1 for1 said he1 with cutting irony1 he is a god2 either he meditateth1 or he is pursuing1 or peradventure he sleepeth1 and must be awaked4 ,stung to the quick1 the priests redoubled their invocations4 ,they cried aloud1 they cut themselves1 after their manner1 with knives and lancets1 till the blood gushed out upon them4 ,but prayers1 cries1 lacerations were each and all in vain 7#a ,k4 xviii4 #a-cj74 ,the hour for the evening-sacrifice now drew near1 and ,elijah bade the people approach1 and with twelve stones1 according to the number of the tribes of ,jacob1 repaired an ancient altar on the mountain-top1 which ,jezebel probably had caused to be thrown down4 ,round about it he next caused a trench to be dug1 and having slain his victim1 laid it upon the altar4 ,then once1 twice1 and yet again he caused victim and altar to be drenched with water#cfj1 till it filled even the trench4 ,this done1 the solitary prophet poured forth his whole soul to the ,god of ,abraham1 of ,isaac1 and of ,israel1 praying ,him that ,he would that day prove that ,he was indeed the ,lord1 and that he himself had done all these things at ,his word4 ,his prayer was answered4 ,the ,fire of the ,lord descended1 and consumed the burnt-sacrifice and the wood1 and the stones and the dust1 and licked up even the water that was in the trench4 ,the effect on the people was profound4 ,falling on their faces to the earth1 they with one accord confessed1 ,jehovah1 ,he is the ,god2 ,jehovah1 ,he is the ,god 7#a ,k4 xviii4 #cj-ci74 ,it was the moment for still more decisive measures4 ,elijah had bowed the hearts of the people as one man4 ,take the prophets of ,baal1 he cried1 let not one of them escape2 and down the steep sides of the mountain they were brought to the level plain below#cfa1 where flowed the ,kishon4 ,there these troublers of the nation's peace were slain1 and this stern act of duty done1 the prophet bade the king accompany him up the mountain to join in a sacrificial feast4 ,then1 while ,ahab ate and drank1 he himself ascended to a higher level1 and on the bare ground1 with his face between his knees1 remained wrapt in prayer1 having bidden his servant ascend yet higher1 and look towards the blue waters of the ,mediterranean ,sea4 ,six times he came back to his master with the announcement that he could see nothing4 ,but the seventh time he returned1 saying1 ,behold1 there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea1 like a man's hand4 ,it was the long-desired sign1 8the first that had for days and months passed across the heavens10 telling of the coming rain4 ,instantly the prophet bade the king descend the mountain1 prepare his chariot1 and make for his palace4 ,the king obeyed1 and meantime the little cloud had grown and overcast the whole evening sky4 ,soon a wind arose and shook the forests of ,carmel1 and the welcome rain poured down in torrents4 ,across the bed of the ,kishon ,ahab urged his chariot along the road to ,jezreel1 while ,elijah1 girding up his loins and tightening his hairy mantle about him1 ran before the chariot of his sovereign at least #af miles to the entrance of the city#cfb4 ,thus far the triumph of the ,prophet was complete4 ,but now1 when victory seemed to be in the hollow of his hand1 at the most critical moment of his life1 his courage failed him4 ,jezebel1 informed of what had taken place on ,carmel1 sent a messenger threatening him with certain death1 and ,elijah1 who had boldly defied multitudes on ,carmel1 fled before the face of a woman1 in a southerly direction towards ,beer-sheba4 ,there he left his attendant1 and went alone a day's journey into the waste uninhabited country1 which borders on the south of ,palestine4 ,wearied1 disappointed1 he requested that he might die1 and flinging himself under a juniper-tree#cfc fell asleep4 ,presently an angel awoke him1 and pointing to a cake baked on the coals1 and a cruse of water1 bade him refresh himself1 and in the strength of that meat go still further southward1 to ,horeb the ,mount of ,god4 ,arrived there1 he remained at least one night in one of the caverns of the awful mountain-range1 and in the morning heard the word of the ,lord enquiring1 ,what doest thou here1 ,elijah8 ,in reply1 the prophet urged his eminent services for the cause of ,jehovah4 ,the children of ,israel had forsaken the covenant1 thrown down the ,lord's altars1 and slain the prophets with the sword1 he alone was left1 and they sought his life to take it away4 ,in this dejected1 murmuring mood he was not fit to discharge the duties of his office4 ,the ,lord1 therefore1 bade him leave his cave1 and stand before ,him face to face upon the mountain1 while ,he passed by 8in all the terror of ,his most appalling manifestations40 ,first1 a mighty rushing wind rent the solid mountain1 and brake in pieces the cliffs of ,sinai1 but the ,lord was not in the wind4 ,then an earthquake shook the rocks1 and the mountain trembled with the crash1 but the ,lord was not in the earthquake4 ,then a fire blazed forth1 and burned with a consuming heat1 but the ,lord was not in the fire4 ,then all was quiet2 the convulsion of nature was hushed2 and presently there came a still1 small1 ,voice1 and as ,elijah listened1 his face wrapped in his mantle1 he learnt that there was yet something left for him to do1 that he was not the only instrument the ,lord could employ4 ,he was to return1 and anoint ,,hazael king over ,syria1 ,,jehu the son of ,nimshi king of ,israel1 and ,,elisha of ,abel-meholah as his successor in the prophetical office2 and whereas he had complained that he was the only faithful servant of ,jehovah1 he now learnt that the ,lord had left him #gjjj in ,israel1 all the knees which had not bowed unto ,baal1 and every mouth which had not kissed him 7#a ,k4 xix4 #a-ah74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,wars ,,of ,,ahab ,,and ,,benhadad4 #a ,,kings ,,xx4 ,b4,c4 #ija4 ,,of the three commands thus laid upon him1 ,elijah straightway proceeded to execute the last4 ,from ,horeb he journeyed to ,abel-meholah#cfd 7the ,meadow of the ,dance71 in the northern part of the ,jordan valley4 ,here he met ,,elisha1 the son of ,shaphat1 apparently a man of substance1 plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him and he with the twelfth4 ,casting his well-known mantle upon him1 the prophet by this symbolic action claimed him as his son1 and called him to follow him4 ,lingering only to bid farewell to his father and mother1 and to celebrate a parting feast with his people1 ,elisha arose and hurried after the great ,prophet1 and became henceforth his constant attendant4 ,meantime ,ahab1 while he retained ,samaria as the capital of his kingdom1 adorned with a palace and park the beautiful city of ,jezreel1 in the ,esdraelon plain4 ,but ere long this and other instances of his passion for splendid architecture received a rude check4 ,at the head of a large army and aided by #cb vassal kings1 ,benhadad ,,ii41 king of ,syria#cfe1 laid siege to ,samaria4 ,while this was in progress1 with true ,oriental haughtiness he made a formal demand of all the silver and gold1 the wives1 and children belonging to his enemy4 ,hoping to disarm hostility1 the servile ,ahab replied by a promise of faithful vassalage to the lord of ,syria4 ,but ,benhadad1 emboldened by this weak compliance1 sent ambassadors with the announcement that on the following day he should enforce his demand by an actual search of ,ahab's palace4 ,even the king of ,israel was stung to the quick by this insulting message1 and summoning all the elders of his kingdom he laid the matter before them4 ,it was resolved to defend ,samaria at all risks1 and ,benhadad was informed that his demand could not be entertained4 ,on receiving this reply1 the king of ,syria sent another message to declare his intention of laying ,samaria level with the ground4 ,tell him1 rejoined ,ahab1 ,let not him that girdeth on his armour boast himself as he that putteth it off1 a spirited reply1 which filled ,benhadad with rage1 and he ordered preparations to be made for an instant assault4 ,at this juncture a prophet stood forth1 and assured ,ahab of a complete victory over the vast host of his enemy1 which should be achieved by a mere handful of men4 ,in accordance with his suggestion1 the king thereupon numbered the #bcb attendants on the 8princes of the provinces#cff10 and prepared to send them against the ,syrian camp1 while #g1jjj of the regular troops followed behind4 ,the little band left the gates of ,samaria and proceeded towards the pavilions1 or rather 8the tents and booths of branches1 boughs1 and brushwood1 which were erected for the ,syrian chiefs in the camp1 as they are still erected for the ,turkish pashas and agas in their expeditions#cfg40 ,though it was only high noon1 ,benhadad with his vassal chiefs was carousing over his wine-cups4 ,but he no sooner heard of the approach of the little band from the city1 than with drunken insolence he ordered that they should be taken alive1 whether they came for peace or war4 ,the force1 however1 sent to execute this order found it no easy one1 for the #bcb 8princes of the provinces0 offered a strenuous resistance1 and struck down all who opposed them4 ,this1 and the sight of the #g1jjj following behind1 filled the ,syrian host with a sudden panic1 and they fled precipitately1 headed by ,benhadad himself on a fleet horse1 and pursued by the victorious ,israelites1 who inflicted upon them a great slaughter 7#a ,k4 xx4 #a-bb74 ,thus ,samaria was delivered4 ,but the same prophet1 who had predicted the victory1 now warned ,ahab to be on his guard1 for with the return of spring the enemy would renew the invasion1 which duly came to pass4 ,annoyed at their late humbling defeat1 the ,syrians had concluded that it was owing to the fact that they had attacked in a hilly region a people1 whose gods were gods of the hills#cfh4 ,they now resolved to fight in a more level region1 and in place of the vassal kings1 who probably had been the first to fly in the late battle1 they had substituted captains1 and mustered an army as large as the last4 ,accordingly1 at the season named by the prophet1 they advanced with a vast host to ,aphek#cfi1 a town in the level country1 east of the ,jordan1 on the military road from ,syria to ,israel4 ,hither the army of ,ahab went forth to meet them1 and encamped1 appearing like two little flocks of kids in comparison of their formidable foes1 who filled the country round4 ,but again a prophet appeared to encourage ,ahab1 and assure him of a second victory4 ,the ,syrians had imagined ,jehovah to be merely a god of the hills1 they should know that he was a god also of the valleys 7#a ,k4 xx4 #bh74 ,for seven days the two armies confronted one another1 and then the battle was joined4 ,the ,syrians were utterly routed1 and fled in confusion to ,aphek1 resolved there to make a stand4 ,but the wall of the town1 in consequence probably of a sudden earthquake1 fell with a terrible crash and buried upwards of #bg1jjj in the ruins#cgj4 ,benhadad himself with his immediate attendants escaped1 and was advised by them to throw himself on the mercy of the conqueror4 ,they proposed to go forth with sackcloth on their loins and ropes on their heads1 and plead for their lives4 ,mounted in his chariot ,ahab received the envoys1 enquired after the welfare of his late dreaded enemy1 and called him his brother4 ,the word brother revived the courage of the ,syrian ambassadors1 and they were presently bidden to return and usher their master into ,ahab's presence4 ,benhadad came1 and was invited to take his place in the chariot by the side of his conqueror4 ,grateful for this unexpected clemency1 he promised to restore to the king of ,israel all the towns his father had taken from the ,israelites1 and to permit his subjects to have a quarter in the ,syrian capital1 similar to that which ,benhadad's father had obtained in ,samaria 7#a ,k4 xx4 #cd74 ,this impolitic clemency to an unrelenting national foe was sternly rebuked by one of the sons of the prophets4 ,having caused himself to be wounded and disguised with a headband1 he awaited ,ahab's coming along the road1 and said1 ,thy servant went out into the midst of the late battle2 and1 behold1 a man turned aside1 and brought a man unto me1 and said1 ,keep this man3 if by any means he be missing1 then shall thy life be for his life1 or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver2 and as thy servant was busy here and there1 he was gone4 ,instantly ,ahab decided the matter1 and pronounced that he must bear the penalty4 ,on this the headband was removed1 and the king perceived not only that the speaker was a scholar of the prophets1 but understood also the true meaning of his parable4 ,because he had spared a man1 whom ,jehovah had devoted to utter destruction1 the punishment should fall upon him and his people1 which he had failed to execute on ,benhadad 7#a ,k4 xx4 #ce-dc74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,murder ,,of ,,naboth,,battle ,,of ,,ramoth-,,gilead4 #a ,,kings ,,xxi4 ,,xxii4 #b ,,chr4 ,,xviii4 ,b4,c4 #hih4 ,,shortly after these events an incident occurred1 which brought down upon ,ahab and his house an awful doom4 ,adjoining his palace at ,jezreel was a vineyard belonging to a native of the place named ,,naboth4 ,eagerly desirous to add the vineyard to his palace grounds and convert it into a garden of herbs1 ,ahab proposed to its owner to purchase it1 or give him in exchange another and even a better piece of ground4 ,this ,naboth stoutly refused to do1 alleging his unwillingness to part with the inheritance of his fathers 7,lev4 xxv4 #bc2 ,num4 xxxvi4 #h74 ,annoyed at this rebuff1 the king returned to his palace1 and in his vexation flung himself on his bed1 turned away his face1 and would eat no bread4 ,while in this mood he was visited by ,jezebel1 to whom he explained the cause of his vexation4 ,she instantly resolved to take the matter into her own hands1 and bade her lord trouble himself no more1 she would give him the vineyard4 ,thereupon she wrote a warrant in ,ahab's name1 sealed it with his seal1 and sent it to the elders of the city1 directing that1 as if on the occasion of some great calamity1 a solemn fast should be proclaimed2 that two men should be set up to charge ,naboth with blasphemy against ,god and the king1 and that then he should be stoned to death 7,exod4 xxii4 #bh2 ,lev4 xxiv4 #ae1 #af74 ,it is a striking proof of the degeneracy of the nation at this period1 that the elders of ,jezreel never for one moment scrupled about carrying out this inhuman order4 ,naboth was dragged forth1 arraigned1 condemned1 and stoned together with his sons 7,see #b ,k4 ix4 #bf71 and the elders reported to the queen that the guilt of blasphemy against ,jehovah and ,his anointed had been avenged#cga4 ,the vineyard had now lapsed to the crown1 and ,jezebel bade her lord go down and take possession of it4 ,but on proceeding thither1 the king found himself confronted by no other than the great ,elijah1 who in words of utmost sternness denounced the late cruel murder1 and declared the sentence of the ,lord4 ,the king and all his house should share the fate of ,jeroboam and of ,baasha2 his queen should be eaten by the dogs at the wall of ,jezreel1 and dogs should lick up his own blood on the very spot where they had licked up that of ,naboth4 ,appalled at this awful sentence1 ,ahab rent his clothes1 put on sackcloth1 fasted1 and displayed all the signs of a sincere repentance4 ,such as it was1 it was accepted1 and ,elijah was bidden to announce to him that the punishment should not be inflicted during his own lifetime1 but in his son's days it would surely descend upon his house 7#a ,k4 xxi4 #bi74 ,meanwhile the relations between the rival kingdoms of ,israel and ,judah had been more peaceful than at any other period1 since they had parted #fj years before at ,shechem4 ,not only were hostilities laid aside1 but an alliance between the sovereigns was cemented by the marriage of ,,jehoram1 son of ,jehoshaphat1 with ,,athaliah1 the daughter of ,ahab and ,jezebel4 ,moreover about the #afth year of his reign1 ,b4,c4 #hih1 the king of ,judah went on a visit to the court of ,israel4 ,he was received with every mark of distinction1 and ,ahab slew sheep and oxen in abundance for him and his retinue 7#b ,chr4 xviii4 #b74 ,during this visit1 the king of ,israel took occasion to propose to his ally that they should undertake an expedition for the purpose of recovering ,ramoth-gilead#cgb1 a strong fastness and the key to an important district east of ,jordan1 which ,benhadad ,i4 had wrested from ,omri4 ,jehoshaphat expressed his willingness to take part in the expedition1 but proposed that the will of ,jehovah should first be ascertained4 ,for this purpose ,ahab summoned about #djj of the prophets of his kingdom1 who all advised him to go up1 and assured him that the ,lord would deliver the place into his hands 7#a ,k4 xxii4 #f74 ,but this did not satisfy the king of ,judah4 ,he enquired if there was not a true prophet of ,jehovah1 at whose mouth they might seek counsel4 ,ahab confessed that there was one1 ,,micaiah1 the son of ,imlah1 but openly avowed that he hated him1 because he never predicted good to him but only evil#cgc4 ,jehoshaphat1 however1 overruled the objection1 and ,micaiah was summoned from his prison1 where he had been confined by ,ahab1 probably for some disagreeable prediction4 ,meanwhile the two kings1 arrayed in their royal robes1 sat at the entrance of ,samaria1 and the #djj prophets standing before them persisted in their predictions of success4 ,one of them1 ,zedekiah1 the son of ,chenaanah1 even made him horns of iron1 and by this symbolic action assured the kings that they would push the ,syrians till they had destroyed them4 ,but ,micaiah had the courage to differ from all4 ,at first1 indeed1 he ironically assured the king of success1 but1 when ,ahab adjured him to speak the truth1 he boldly affirmed that the prophets1 in whom he trusted1 were all filled with lying spirits1 and that he was destined to fall in the campaign4 ,this outspoken declaration brought down upon the faithful seer the mockery and scorn of the other prophets1 and still greater severity from ,ahab1 who ordered him to be sent back to the city gaol1 and there fed on the scantiest fare 7#a ,k4 xxii4 #bg74 ,then the two kings set out on the expedition1 and on crossing the ,jordan found that ,benhadad and his vassal princes were prepared to contest the possession of ,ramoth4 ,on this ,ahab1 the more surely to ward off a fate he too clearly divined1 disguised himself1 while the king of ,judah went into battle in his royal robes4 ,the contest began1 and the #cb captains of ,benhadad1 acting on instructions they had received1 bent all their efforts to slay ,jehoshaphat1 whom they mistook for the king of ,israel4 ,but his voice convinced them that he was not the man they sought1 and they desisted from the pursuit4 ,in spite1 however1 of his disguise ,ahab could not escape his doom4 ,a certain man drew a bow at a venture1 and the arrow pierced the joints of his breast-plate4 ,that the troops might not be discouraged1 he was kept up standing in his chariot till the evening1 when he died4 ,from the battle-field the corpse was then borne to ,samaria1 and there interred1 while the bloody chariot was washed in the pool#cgd of the city1 beside which ,naboth and his sons had been murdered4 ,without a shepherd and without a master1 the people were scattered abroad1 and returned home defeated before their enemies1 and the words of ,elijah 7#a ,k4 xxi4 #ai71 and of ,micaiah 7xxii4 #ag7 were fulfilled4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,wars ,,of ,,jehoshaphat,,translation ,,of ,,elijah4 #b ,,kings ,i4 ,,ii4 #b ,,chr4 ,,xix4 ,,xx4 ,b4,c4 #hif4 ,,on his return from a campaign1 in which he had so nearly lost his life1 ,,jehoshaphat was sternly rebuked by one of the prophets 7#b ,chr4 xix4 #b7 for the guilty alliance he had formed with the court of ,israel1 and he resolved henceforth to devote himself to the spiritual and temporal welfare of his own subjects4 ,accordingly he went on a second personal tour through his dominions from ,beer-sheba to ,mount ,ephraim1 and strove to reclaim his people to the worship of ,jehovah4 ,he also provided for the better administration of justice2 placed judges in all the fenced cities1 and remodelled the tribunals in his capital4 ,he next turned his attention to foreign commerce1 and at ,ezion-geber constructed a fleet for the purpose of trading in gold with ,ophir4 ,in this project he was aided by ,,ahaziah1 who had succeeded ,ahab on the throne of ,israel4 ,but the unfortunate issue of the enterprise determined him to decline the proposal of his ally1 that the attempt should be renewed 7#b ,chr4 xx4 #cg2 #a ,k4 xxii4 #di1 #ej74 ,the remainder of his reign was not1 however1 destined to be peaceful4 ,a vast host of the people of ,moab1 ,ammon1 and ,edom invaded his territory1 and encamped at ,hazazon-tamar or ,en-gedi#cge4 ,in his alarm1 ,jehoshaphat proclaimed a solemn fast throughout his kingdom1 assembled all ,judah together with their wives and their children1 and offered up a pathetic petition for the ,divine aid4 ,he had hardly concluded1 when the ,spirit of the ,lord came upon ,jahaziel a ,levite1 and one of the sons of ,asaph then in attendance at the ,temple1 commissioning him to assure the pious king of a victory on the morrow1 which he would only need to stand still and see4 ,a ,psalm of thanksgiving#cgf was straightway sung1 and on the morrow the army1 preceded by choirs of ,levites1 left the ,holy ,city1 and at about #ab hours' distance from ,jerusalem came to 8the uneven table-land0 of ,tekoa1 ,teka1 abounding in hidden caverns1 clefts1 and excavations#cgg1 where ,david and his men had often hidden during the period of his wanderings4 ,it was not a locality adapted to the 8sons of the desert10 and the ambushments1 for which it afforded so much opportunity1 sadly galled their wild hordes1 and the children of ,ammon and ,moab turned their swords against their allies from ,mount ,seir1 and then fell upon one another4 ,on reaching the ,watch-tower of ,tekoa the warriors of ,judah beheld only a mass of dead bodies1 and busied themselves for three days in stripping them of their rich ornaments1 and gathering up the riches and jewels they had flung away in their hasty flight4 ,four days afterwards a ,psalm of thanksgiving once more ascended to ,jehovah from the valley of ,berachah 7blessing7#cgh1 and the army of ,jehoshaphat returned in triumph to ,jerusalem 7#b ,chr4 xx4 #bf-bh74 ,meanwhile ,ahaziah1 during his short and troubled reign over ,israel1 began to feel the effects of the late disastrous campaign against ,ramoth-,gilead4 ,the ,syrians1 now masters of the country ,east of the ,jordan1 cut off all communication between his realm and his vassal the king of ,moab4 ,the latter1 therefore1 rebelled against ,israel1 and refused to send his yearly tribute of #ajj1jjj lambs1 and #ajj1jjj rams 7#b ,k4 iii4 #d74 ,before he could take measures for punishing this revolt1 ,ahaziah fell through a lattice in his palace at ,samaria1 and sustained much injury4 ,a devotee to the ,phnician idolatries of his mother1 he sent messengers to the ,philistine city of ,ekron to enquire of the oracle of ,baal-,zebub 7the lord of flies71 whether he should recover4 ,on their road thither the messengers encountered ,elijah1 who1 after reproaching them for consulting a heathen deity instead of ,jehovah1 announced that their master would never leave his bed alive4 ,returning1 they informed ,ahaziah of this occurrence1 who enquired what kind of man they had met4 ,their answer was decisive4 ,in the hairy man1 girt with a girdle of leather about his loins1 the king recognised all too clearly his father's enemy1 and1 ill as he was1 this only served to kindle his wrath4 ,dispatching a captain with #ej men to the recesses of ,carmel1 where the prophet seems to have taken up his abode1 he demanded his instant surrender4 ,the soldier went and found ,elijah seated on the mountain4 ,man of ,god1 said he1 the king hath said1 ,come down4 ,if ,i be a man of ,god1 replied the other1 let fire come down from heaven1 and consume thee and thy fifty men4 ,with the word the fire descended1 and consumed the captain and his fifty4 ,a similar force was then a second time dispatched by the king1 and they too met the same fate#cgi4 ,a third captain1 in an altered tone1 implored the prophet to come down1 and ,elijah1 assured by ,god of safety1 descended and followed him into the presence of the king1 and announced in person his approaching end2 shortly after which ,ahaziah died1 and was succeeded by his brother ,,jehoram 7#b ,k4 i4 #b-ag74 ,this was the last time ,elijah confronted any of the family of ,ahab4 ,once only is he recorded to have expostulated with any of the house of ,judah4 ,hearing that the son of ,jehoshaphat1 who seems to have been entrusted with a portion of the regal power during his father's lifetime1 was not walking in his father's ways1 but in those of ,ahab and the kings of ,israel1 he sent a letter to him1 denounced his idolatries1 and threatened him with sore judgments 7#b ,chr4 xxi4 #ab-ae74 ,shortly afterwards1 though how soon is not certain1 he received intimation of his approaching removal from the earth4 ,from ,gilgal1 probably somewhere on the western edge of the hills of ,ephraim1 accompanied by ,elisha1 whom he had vainly tried to persuade to remain behind1 he proceeded to ,bethel4 ,there the two were met by certain of the sons of the prophets1 who also had been warned of what was at hand1 and now enquired of ,elisha if he knew of the loss he was about to sustain4 ,elisha replied that he did1 but bade them hold their peace4 ,having again vainly tried to induce his faithful attendant to remain at ,bethel1 the prophet repaired to ,jericho1 where another company from the prophetic school warned his companion1 and were similarly enjoined to keep silence4 ,from ,jericho the two then held on their way towards the ,jordan1 while #ej of the sons of the prophets ascended the abrupt heights behind the city#chj1 which command a view of the plain below1 to watch what would occur4 ,arrived at the river's brink1 ,elijah took off his prophetic mantle1 and1 wrapping it together1 smote the waters1 which divided 8hither and thither10 and the two went over on dry ground4 ,once on the other side1 the prophet was within the borders of his native land1 and he now enquired of his companion1 what he should do for him before he was taken away4 ,the other asked for a double portion of his spirit4 ,he had asked a hard thing2 but still if he looked steadfastly on his master while he was taken from him1 he was told that his request should be granted1 but not otherwise4 ,still conversing the two then walked on1 till suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire parted them asunder1 and ,elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven4 ,with a great and bitter cry ,elisha called after him as he ascended1 ,my father1 my father1 the chariot of ,israel1 and the horsemen thereof6 ,but he was gone1 and he saw him no more4 ,in token of grief he thereupon rent his clothes1 and taking up the mantle of his master went back1 and once more stood by the banks of ,jordan4 ,then wrapping the mantle1 even as he had seen the other do1 he smote1 saying1 ,where is the ,lord ,god of ,elijah8 and the waters again parted 8hither and thither10 and he went over4 ,meanwhile the sons of the prophets1 who had stood watching1 saw him coming towards ,jericho1 and going down to meet him1 bowed themselves to the ground before him4 ,contrary to his advice they then insisted on sending fifty 8strong men0 to search for ,elijah1 lest peradventure the ,spirit of the ,lord had taken him up1 and cast him upon some mountain1 or into some valley4 ,for three days the search was continued1 but they found him not4 ,the work of the most wonderful character ,israel ever produced was over1 and he had been summoned to another world 7#b ,k4 ii4 #aa-ah74 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,jehoshaphat ,,and ,,jehoram,,era ,,of ,,elisha4 #b ,,kings ,,ii4-,,iv4 ,b4,c4 #hie4 ,,for a time ,elisha tarried at the now rebuilt ,jericho1 and here he performed his second miracle4 8,of the two perennial springs which1 rising at the base of the steep hills behind the town1 send their streams across the plain towards the ,jordan1 scattering1 even at the hottest season1 the richest and most grateful vegetation over what would otherwise be a bare tract of sandy soil#cha10 one at least was at this time noxious and unfit for use4 ,at the urgent request of the inhabitants ,elisha put salt into a new cruse1 and poured it into the spring at its source1 and the waters were healed 7#b ,k4 ii4 #ai-bb74 ,thence he repaired to ,bethel1 which1 though the seat of the school of the prophets1 was1 it will be remembered1 one of the centres of the ,calf-worship4 ,as the prophet ascended the defile leading into the town1 the youths of the place came forth1 and began to revile the gentle successor of the terrible ,elijah4 ,go up1 bald head6 was their cry1 alluding1 probably1 8to the contrast between his closely-trimmed hair and the shaggy locks of ,elijah40 ,turning round1 the prophet looked upon them1 and cursed them in the name of ,jehovah1 and from a forest hard by the road1 and haunted by wild beasts1 came forth two she-bears1 which tare forty-two of them4 ,elisha meanwhile passed on to ,carmel1 the resort of his late master1 and thence returned1 and eventually took up his abode at ,samaria 7#b ,k4 ii4 #be74 ,jehoram1 who now reigned in that capital1 persisted in his idolatrous courses1 but1 possibly owing to the late activity of ,elijah1 had removed the image of ,baal1 and recurred to the old ,calf-worship4 ,he now resolved to take that vengeance on the rebellious ,moabites1 which the death of his brother ,ahaziah had postponed4 ,accordingly1 having obtained the promise of the assistance of ,jehoshaphat1 he numbered his forces1 and set out on the campaign4 ,instead of crossing the ,jordan above the ,dead ,sea1 and invading ,moab from the ,north1 it was resolved to pass round the southern end of that sea1 and thence push forwards through the northern portion of the territory of ,edom1 whose king also promised his aid in the expedition4 ,accordingly a long and tedious circuit of #g days was made1 during which the armies suffered the greatest extremities from the want of water4 ,in this crisis ,jehoshaphat proposed that the advice of some prophet of ,jehovah should be sought1 and1 enquiry being made1 it was found that ,elisha was present with1 or in the near neighbourhood of1 the armies4 ,the three kings1 therefore1 went down to consult him4 ,the prophet evinced no willingness to befriend the ruler of ,israel1 but in consideration of the presence of the pious king of ,judah1 he relented1 and summoned a minstrel before him4 ,the minstrel played1 and in the usual prophetic ecstasy ,elisha directed that dykes should be dug in the valley1 which he foretold would speedily be filled with water sufficient for the host1 and he moreover assured the kings of a speedy victory over their enemies4 ,on the next day at early dawn1 the hour of offering the meat-offering at ,jerusalem1 in consequence probably of a great and sudden fall of rain in the eastern mountains of ,edom#chb1 water came down and filled all the dykes1 which the armies had dug in the red soil of the valley4 ,to the ,moabites1 who had mustered all their forces and awaited the attack in the border of their territory1 the water1 glistening in the rays of the morning sun1 appeared to have assumed a red colour like blood4 ,thereupon concluding that the confederate kings had turned their arms against one another1 they hastily marched on to gather up the spoil4 ,but they had no sooner reached their camp1 than they were attacked with great fierceness1 and put to a complete rout4 ,as they fled to their own cities1 the confederate kings pursued them1 felled their trees#chc1 stopped up their wells1 filled their choice pieces of land with stones1 and ravaged all their towns1 save the impregnable fortress of ,kir-haraseth#chd 7,kerak71 built on a high steep rock and surrounded by a deep and narrow ravine4 ,there the king of ,moab made his last stand1 and with #gjj picked men made a desperate attempt to break through the besieging army4 ,this last hope failing1 he ascended the wall with his eldest son1 the heir to his throne1 and in sight of the allied besiegers1 killed and burnt him as a propitiatory sacrifice to his idol ,chemosh4 ,this frightful spectacle filled the allied hosts with such horror that they raised the siege and departed to their own land 7#b ,k4 iii4 #bj-bg74 ,during the reign of ,jehoram ,elisha performed many miracles1 the fame of which could not fail to strengthen the cause of true religion4 i4 ,a widow of one of the sons of the prophets was in debt1 and her creditor was coming on the morrow to take her two sons and sell them as slaves4 ,in her extremity she applied to the prophet1 and told him that the only thing she had in her house was a cruse of oil4 ,this ,elisha caused to multiply1 till she had filled all the vessels she could borrow1 and thus liquidated the debt 7#b ,k4 iv4 #a-g74 ii4 ,the little village of ,shunem1 in the tribe of ,issachar1 was a frequent resort of the ,prophet1 and a rich woman of the place1 at whose house he stayed1 on one occasion1 persuaded her husband to permit a little chamber to be prepared for him1 that he might turn in there1 as often as he came that way4 ,one day he came thither attended by ,gehazi his servant1 and lodged in the little chamber4 ,grateful for this kindness1 ,elisha enquired if there was anything he could do for his benefactress2 ,should he speak for her to the king1 or the captain of the guard8 ,both these offers the woman declined1 alleging that she dwelt among her own people4 ,thereupon ,gehazi whispered that she had no son1 and her husband was old4 ,elisha promised that in the ensuing year a son should be born to her4 ,his words were fulfilled1 the boy grew1 and in the course of time went to join his father in the reaping-field4 ,there struck by the fierce rays of the morning sun1 he cried1 ,my head1 my head6 and was carried home to his mother1 on whose knees he died at noon4 ,in this sad crisis she immediately took the dead body into the prophet's chamber1 and laid it on the bed4 ,then with a single attendant1 mounted on an ass1 she set out for one of the heights of ,carmel1 about #ae or #af miles distant1 where ,elisha then was4 ,her familiar form attracted the prophet's attention as from the eminence he discerned her approaching1 and he sent ,gehazi to enquire the reason4 ,but her errand was not to be revealed to the servant1 and pressing on she drew near the spot where the prophet himself was1 and flinging herself before him embraced his feet4 ,the first word about her son revealed the state of the case1 and ,elisha instantly bade ,gehazi gird up his loins1 and with his staff in his hand hurry with all speed to ,shunem4 ,gehazi went1 and was soon followed by ,elisha1 and the mother1 who would not leave him4 ,as they drew near the town1 they met ,gehazi returning4 ,he had laid the staff upon the face of the child1 but there was neither voice nor hearing4 ,arriving at the house1 ,elisha ascended to the well-known chamber1 shut the door1 and prayed mightily unto the ,lord4 ,then he stretched himself upon the dead body1 and the flesh of the child grew warm2 presently he sneezed seven times and opened his eyes4 ,gehazi was thereupon bidden to summon the ,shunammite1 who received her boy restored to life1 and went her way 7#b ,k4 iv4 #h-cg7che4 iii4 ,elisha is next found at ,gilgal1 at a time when there was a dearth in the land4 ,the sons of the prophets sat before him1 and he bade the great caldron be set on1 and pottage be seethed4 ,into the caldron one of the company shred wild gourds and grapes1 and when they found out the contents1 all exclaimed1 there is death in the pot4 ,thereupon ,elisha bade meal be cast into it1 and the pottage was rendered fit for food 7#b ,k4 iv4 #ch-da74 iv4 ,while still at ,gilgal1 ,elisha was visited by a man from ,baal-shalisha 7,see #a ,sam4 ix4 #d71 with #bj barley-loaves1 and roasted ears of corn in his scrip or bag#chf4 ,this moderate supply he ordered to be distributed amongst the people who were present1 to the number of one hundred1 and in reply to his hesitating 8servitor0 assured him that there would not only be enough1 but that the people would leave thereof1 which came to pass2 and thus ,elisha was enabled to anticipate the works of ,christ 7#b ,k4 iv4 #db-dd74 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,elisha ,,and ,,naaman,,siege ,,of ,,samaria4 #b ,,kings ,v4 ,,vi4 ,b4,c4 #hid-hib4 ,,but ,elisha's fame was soon to overstep the limits of his own country4 ,the captain of the army of ,ben-hadad1 king of ,syria1 at this time was named ,,naaman 7,see ,lk4 iv4 #bg74 ,he had achieved many victories for his master1 and for personal prowess was held in high honour1 being in close attendance on his sovereign1 but he was a leper4 ,this frightful malady which1 had he been an ,israelite1 would have cut him off from all intercourse with his fellows1 does not appear to have laid him under the same disadvantages in ,syria1 and he still retained his post as commander-in-chief4 ,in his harem1 waiting on his wife1 was a little ,israelitish maid1 who had been taken prisoner in one of the forays of the ,syrians over the border4 ,she knew what ,elisha could do1 and assured her mistress that1 if only ,naaman was with the prophet that was in ,samaria1 he would certainly be cured of his malady4 ,her words were told to ,naaman1 who communicated them to ,ben-hadad#chg4 ,the ,syrian king thereupon wrote a letter to ,jehoram1 king of ,israel1 and sent his general with it1 accompanied by a large retinue bearing #aj talents of silver1 #f1jjj pieces of gold1 and #f of the rich fabrics1 for which ,damascus had always been famous4 ,on reaching ,samaria ,naaman presented the letter to ,jehoram1 who had no sooner read the curt words of the ,syrian king1 than he rent his clothes1 and exclaimed1 ,am ,i ,god1 to kill and to make alive1 that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy8 ,he could only think of one motive for the letter2 ,consider1 said he1 how this man seeketh a quarrel against me 7#b ,k4 v4 #g74 ,news of ,naaman's arrival1 of the purport of his coming1 and of the dismay of the king was conveyed to ,elisha1 who straightway sent to ,jehoram and bade him send his visitor to him1 that he might know that there was a prophet in ,israel4 ,with his horses1 his chariots1 and entire cavalcade1 ,naaman thereupon came and stood before the door of the prophet's dwelling4 ,but instead of coming forth himself1 ,elisha simply sent his servant to tell him to go down to the rapid waters of the ,jordan and wash seven times1 promising him a certain cure4 ,the prophet's independent tone1 the neglect to come out to him1 above all his command that he1 the native of a city watered by such famous streams as the ,abana and ,pharpar#chh1 should go and wash in ,jordan1 was unbearable4 ,naaman turned and went away in a rage4 ,but his retinue1 unwilling to throw up the hopes of their long journey1 succeeded in persuading him to make trial of the prescribed cure4 ,naaman accordingly went down and dipped himself seven times in the rushing stream1 and his flesh came again like the flesh of a little child1 and he was clean4 ,full of gratitude for so priceless a boon1 he then returned with his whole retinue to ,samaria1 and once more stood before the prophet's door4 ,this time1 however1 he not only stood there1 but went in and gratefully acknowledged the power of ,israel's ,god1 and urged the prophet to receive the present he had brought4 ,this1 the latter absolutely declined1 and in spite of ,naaman's urgency1 persisted in his refusal4 ,but one thing the grateful soldier was resolved to have4 ,if ,elisha would not accept his presents1 he could not depart from a land where he had received so great a benefit without two mules' burden of its hallowed earth1 for the construction1 probably1 of an altar to ,jehovah4 ,but here a difficulty occurred to him4 ,if he became a servant of ,jehovah1 how could he go to the house of ,rimmon#chi1 and bow before the ,syrian god8 ,elisha's simple reply was1 ,go in peace1 and he went his way 7#b ,k4 v4 #a-bj74 ,the generous conduct1 however1 of his master had not escaped the notice of ,gehazi1 the attendant of ,elisha1 and the ,syrian had not gone any great distance when he ran after his chariot4 ,naaman discerned him hurrying along the road1 and alighting enquired if all was well4 ,all was well1 the other replied2 but already there had come to his master from ,mount ,ephraim1 two young men of the sons of the prophets1 for whom he solicited a talent of silver1 and two changes of raiment4 ,the generous ,syrian pressed upon him two talents and two changes of raiment1 and sent two of his retinue to bear them to a secret place1 whence ,gehazi removed them into the house1 and then presented himself before his master1 denying1 when questioned1 that he had gone anywhere4 ,but the prophet had marked his wickedness4 ,his heart had gone after him the whole while1 and with righteous sternness he now pronounced upon him the awful punishment from which ,naaman had just been delivered2 and he went out of his presence a leper as white as snow 7#b ,k4 v4 #bg74 ,elisha is next found at ,jericho4 ,here the habitation of the sons of the prophets had become so small1 that they desired to construct a new dwelling near the ,jordan4 ,accompanied by ,elisha they proceeded towards the river1 and began to fell trees in the wood which lined its banks4 ,as they felled1 the head of an axe1 which one of them had borrowed1 flew off and sank in the water4 ,he appealed to ,elisha1 who bade a piece of wood be flung into the stream1 when the iron re-appeared1 and was restored to the borrower 7#b ,k4 vi4 #a-g74 ,shortly after this1 in spite of the cure wrought upon their general1 the ,syrians renewed their marauding incursions1 and even encamped in spots which the king of ,israel was wont to frequent4 ,warned by ,elisha1 ,jehoram was on more than one occasion able to escape the ambuscades laid for him1 which so annoyed ,ben-hadad1 that he even suspected treachery among his own retinue4 ,but one of his servants pointed to the true cause4 ,the informer was no other than the healer of his general ,naaman1 and his power was such that he could tell ,jehoram the very words ,ben-hadad uttered in his chamber4 ,thereupon the king of ,syria sent horses and chariots1 and a considerable force to ,dothan#cij1 #f miles north of ,samaria1 to capture ,elisha4 ,the ,syrian forces completely surrounded the village1 and the prophet's servant came running in1 crying1 ,alas6 my master1 how shall we do8 ,elisha calmed his fears with the assurance that they which were with them were more than they which were with the foe1 and the eyes of the young man being opened he was enabled to discern the hill1 on which the village was built1 filled with horses and chariots of fire ready to protect his master4 ,at the same moment the ,syrian forces were smitten with blindness1 and were easily led away to ,samaria2 nor were their eyes opened till they found themselves in the presence of ,jehoram4 ,the first impulse of the king of ,israel was to put them to death4 ,but ,elisha dissuaded him from such unworthy conduct1 and the men were sent back to ,ben-hadad1 who drew off his army1 and for a while desisted from the invasion 7#b ,k4 vi4 #h-bd74 ,but the ,syrian king could not long brook such a humiliating repulse4 ,mustering1 therefore1 all his troops1 he went up and besieged ,samaria1 ,b4,c4 #hib1 for a space of #c years1 during which period the inhabitants were reduced to the direst extremities4 ,two mothers even agreed to boil their children for food 7,comp4 ,deut4 xxviii4 #ec1 #eg74 ,one actually did so1 but the other hid her child lest it should suffer such an awful fate4 ,this story was told ,jehoram1 as he one day passed by on the city wall1 and in token of sorrow he put on sackcloth beneath his armour4 ,but deeming ,elisha in some way culpable for the nation's disasters1 he threatened to take away his life1 and sent a messenger to the prophet's house1 where he sat surrounded by the elders of the city1 to carry it into execution4 ,before however the messenger's feet had touched the threshold1 ,elisha1 warned of his danger1 had commanded that he should be held fast4 ,at this moment ,jehoram himself also entered1 leaning on the hand of one of his officers4 ,this evil1 he burst forth1 is from ,jehovah2 why should ,i wait on ,jehovah any more8 7,comp4 ,job xxi4 #ae2 ,mal4 iii4 #ad74 ,to which the prophet replied1 ,hear the word of ,jehovah2 to-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel1 and two measures of barley for a shekel1 in the gate of ,samaria4 ,nay1 interposed the royal officer1 if ,jehovah would make windows in heaven1 this could not be4 ,it will1 replied ,elisha2 thou thyself shalt see it with thine eyes1 but shalt not eat a morsel thereof 7#b ,k4 vii4 #b74 ,these marvellous and prophetic words were fully verified4 ,in the twilight of the selfsame evening four lepers who were wont to take their place at the gate of the city1 despairing of life1 resolved to enter the ,syrian camp1 and brave their fate4 ,reaching the edge of the encampment1 to their great surprise they found no man there4 ,alarmed by a mysterious noise of chariots1 horses1 and a great host1 the ,syrians had concluded that the kings of the ,hittites and ,egyptians had come to the aid of the beleaguered city1 and had hastily fled1 leaving their camp and everything in it just as it was4 ,amidst the deepening gloom the lepers entered a tent1 satiated the pangs of hunger1 and then secretly hid a quantity of silver1 gold1 and raiment4 ,entering a second they did the same1 and then fearing harm if they concealed such joyous news1 they hastily returned to ,samaria1 and announced to the warder at the barred gate 7#b ,k4 vii4 #aj7 that they had visited the ,syrian camp1 and found nothing but horses tied1 and asses tied1 and the tents as they were4 ,the warder carried the news to his chief1 and he communicated it to the king's household4 ,though it was midnight ,jehoram was roused1 and informed of the strange news4 ,fearful of a plot to draw the ,israelites away from the city1 he ordered two horsemen to reconnoitre and discover whether it was really true4 ,they made their way towards the ,jordan1 and found the road filled with garments and vessels1 which the ,syrians had flung away in their precipitate flight4 ,their return with this welcome news roused the whole city4 ,starving and emaciated1 the entire population rushed forth to the gate1 and thence made their way to the ,syrian camp4 ,to preserve some degree of order1 the king entrusted the command of the gate to the officer who had scoffed at the prophecy of ,elisha1 but so great was the press and confusion that he was trodden to death by the excited crowd1 and before evening the words of the prophet had been fulfilled to the letter4 ,two measures of barley were sold for a shekel1 and a measure of fine flour for a shekel1 and ,samaria was delivered 7#b ,k4 vii4 #ag-bj74 ,,kingdoms ,,of ,,judah ,,and ,,israel4 ,,part ,,iii4 ,renewal of mutual hostilities2 decline of both kingdoms before the power of the ,assyrian ,empire4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,accession ,,of ,,jehu4 #b ,,kings ,,viii4-,x4 ,b4,c4 #hhd4 ,,after this signal discomfiture ,ben-hadad returned to ,damascus1 and before long lay prostrate with his last illness4 ,at this time ,elisha was present in the city1 and the king being informed of it1 sent ,,hazael1 an officer in high position at his court1 to enquire whether he should recover of his disease4 ,with #dj camels' burden of the choicest products of the ,syrian capital1 ,hazael presented himself before the prophet1 and preferred his request in the most humble tones4 ,elisha replied that his master might indeed recover1 but yet that he would not4 ,wondering at these ambiguous words1 ,hazael fixed upon him a long and searching glance1 and the prophet burst into tears4 ,why weepeth my lord8 enquired the other4 ,and ,elisha1 who saw in him the destined successor of ,ben-hadad1 replied1 ,because ,i know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of ,israel2 their strongholds wilt thou set on fire1 and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword1 and wilt dash their children1 and rip up their women with child4 ,but such a future had no sorrow for his listener1 it was only too good to expect4 ,what is thy servant1 he replied1 dog that he is#cia1 that he should do this great thing8 ,the prophet1 without making any remark1 simply announced the message ,elijah had long ago been bidden to deliver1 ,jehovah hath showed me1 said he1 that thou shalt be king over ,syria 7#b ,k4 viii4 #g-ac74 ,with these mysterious words sounding in his ears ,hazael returned to his master1 and told him but the half of the prophet's answer4 ,that day was the last of ,ben-hadad's life4 ,on the morrow he was found suffocated with a thick cloth dipped in water spread upon his face4 ,whether or no ,hazael's hand had done the deed1 his path was now clear#cib1 and he mounted the ,syrian throne#cib;a4 ,meanwhile there had been changes in the kingdom of ,judah4 ,after an unsuccessful attempt to quell a rebellion of his vassal1 the king of ,edom 7#b ,k4 viii4 #bj2 #b ,chr4 xxi4 #h-aj2 see ,gen4 xxvii4 #dj71 ,jehoram died1 and was succeeded by ,,ahaziah1 ,b4,c4 #hhe1 the issue of his father's ill-starred marriage with the daughter of ,jezebel4 ,true to the traditions of his mother1 he signalized his accession by the grossest idolatries 7#b ,chr4 xxii4 #c71 but soon1 like his rival the king of ,israel1 began to feel the hand of the new monarch of ,syria1 who had already made an attempt to recover the stronghold of ,ramoth-gilead4 ,in intimate alliance the two kings now crossed the ,jordan to defend the place1 and an engagement ensuing1 ,jehoram was severely wounded1 and forced to return to ,jezreel1 whither also ,ahaziah followed him 7#b ,k4 ix4 #bh1 #bi74 ,during their absence ,elisha1 knowing that the time was now come for the doomed destruction of ,ahab's family1 sent a young man1 one of the 8sons of the prophets0 to ,ramoth-gilead1 with a horn of oil and a commission to look out and anoint ,,jehu the son of ,jehoshaphat1 the son of ,nimshi1 king over ,israel4 ,as one of ,ahab's guards1 ,jehu1 in company with ,bidkar1 had ridden behind his master to the fatal plot of ,naboth's vineyard1 and heard the terrible warning of ,elijah against his murderer 7#b ,k4 ix4 #be74 ,since then1 he had risen to a position of some importance1 and was now well known for his vehemence and activity1 as well as his rapid1 furious driving4 ,according to his instructions the young disciple of the prophets went to ,ramoth-gilead1 and finding ,jehu seated in the midst of his officers1 intimated that he had an errand for his ear alone4 ,together the two retired to an inner chamber1 and there the youth having poured the oil on ,jehu's head1 and announced the ,divine ,will that he should be king over ,israel1 and utterly exterminate the whole family of ,ahab1 opened the door and fled4 ,shortly afterwards ,jehu came forth1 and rejoined his comrades1 who eagerly enquired the purport of the mad fellow's visit4 ,at first he tried to evade the question1 but soon revealed all that the other had said4 ,instantly the enthusiasm of his hearers was kindled4 ,recognising the truth of the prophetic call1 they threw off each man his garment1 and placing ,jehu on a rude throne or carpet of state1 blew the trumpets1 and shouted ,jehu is king4 ,then1 for everything depended on the speed of his movements1 without losing a moment ,jehu drove his chariot towards the fords of ,jordan1 and thence direct to ,jezreel4 ,from the tower#cic of the latter city the watchman observed his hurrying chariot1 and announced the fact to ,jehoram1 who straightway sent a horseman to enquire1 ,is it peace8 ,the crafty conspirator detained the messenger4 ,then a second horseman was despatched1 and he too was detained4 ,by this time the watchman was better able to distinguish the advancing charioteer1 and pronounced him to be no other than ,jehu1 the son of ,nimshi4 ,thereupon the chariot of the king of ,israel was made ready1 and with ,ahaziah1 king of ,judah1 he set out to meet him1 probably expecting tidings of the ,syrian war4 ,but he was quickly and terribly undeceived4 ,his question1 ,is it peace1 ,jehu8 was met by a furious denunciation of the idolatries of his mother ,jezebel1 and in an instant divining his danger1 he turned his chariot towards ,jezreel4 ,but at that moment ,jehu drew a bow with his full strength1 and shot him to the heart4 ,while he paused to charge ,bidkar to take up his corpse and fling it into the portion of ,naboth1 ,ahaziah1 pursued by his soldiers1 fled down the westward plain towards ,beth-gan1 or the village of ,engannim#cid1 but was overtaken1 and wounded1 and died at ,megiddo1 whither he managed to escape4 ,jehu's next step was to make for ,jezreel4 ,here ,jezebel1 the queen-mother1 still retained her influence1 and hearing of the approach of the conspirator1 she resolved to confront him in person4 ,after the ,oriental fashion1 she tired her head and painted her eyes with antimony1 and1 as ,jehu passed beneath the palace1 cried out from the latticed window1 ,had ,zimri peace1 who slew his master#cie8 ,on that ,jehu looked up1 and called aloud1 ,who is on my side8 who8 and two or three eunuchs looking out1 he bade them throw her down2 and they threw her down before his chariot1 and her blood was sprinkled partly on the palace-wall and partly on his horses1 while with merciless severity he trode her underfoot4 ,then he entered the palace1 and ate and drank4 ,but remembering the fallen queen1 he commanded that she should be buried4 ,his messengers went forth to execute his commands1 but when they reached the open space before the city walls1 they found nothing but her skull1 and feet1 and the palm of her hands4 ,the dogs1 which prowl about the streets of ,eastern cities1 had devoured all the rest1 and thus fulfilled the words of ,elijah1 ,in the portion of ,jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of ,jezebel 7#b ,k4 ix4 #cf74 ,the thoughts of the conqueror now turned towards ,samaria4 ,here resided the sons and grandsons of ,ahab to the number of #gj persons4 ,to the elders of the city1 therefore1 he wrote letters1 bidding them select the best and meetest of their master's sons1 set him on his father's throne1 and fight for their master's house4 ,this proposition terrified the servile elders1 and they replied that they had no idea of setting up a rival king1 and were perfectly ready to submit in all things to the usurper's will4 ,on this1 ,jehu wrote a second letter1 proposing as a test of their fidelity1 that they should send to ,jezreel on the next day the heads of the #gj descendants of ,ahab1 and then repair thither themselves4 ,his commands were duly executed1 the #gj heads were sent to ,jezreel1 and by ,jehu's command placed in two heaps at the entrance of the gate1 where they remained all night4 ,in the morning the usurper went forth1 and acknowledged to the awe-struck crowd that he had conspired against his master1 but threw the blame of the slaughter of ,ahab's descendants on their guardians at ,samaria1 who had thus fulfilled the words of ,elijah4 ,he then proceeded to exterminate all the acquaintance of ,ahab at ,jezreel1 the officers of his court1 and the hierarchy of ,ashtaroth1 and finally set out in person for ,samaria 7#b ,k4 x4 #ab74 ,on the road1 he first met #db sons or nephews of the late king of ,judah1 and discovering who they were1 directed that they too should be put to death at the ,well of the ,shearing-,house1 between ,jezreel and ,samaria4 ,a little further on he encountered ,jehonadab the son of ,rechab1 of the race of the ,kenites1 who had bound his descendants#cif to drink no wine1 to build no houses1 to sow no seed1 neither to plant nor possess vineyards1 but to adhere to the old nomadic life and dwell in tents 7,jer4 xxxv4 #f1 #g74 ,is thine heart right1 as my heart is with thy heart8 exclaimed ,jehu1 when he saw him4 ,the other assured him that it was1 and was bidden thereupon to ascend his chariot and come and see his zeal for ,jehovah4 ,thus side by side the two drove into the city1 where the butchery of ,ahab's relatives was renewed1 till none were left remaining4 ,but this was only preparatory to another and still greater blow4 ,convening an assembly of the people1 ,jehu announced his intention of inaugurating the worship of ,baal on a scale of the greatest magnificence2 ,ahab1 said he1 served ,baal a little1 but ,jehu shall serve him much4 ,then1 under pain of death1 he commanded the entire hierarchy of ,baal and all his worshippers throughout ,israel to assemble in the great temple1 which ,ahab had built in honour of this god 7#a ,k4 xvi4 #cb74 ,on the appointed day they came1 and the building was filled from end to end4 ,the sacred vestments1 probably of white linen1 were brought forth1 the worshippers arrayed in them1 the temple cleared of any chance worshippers of ,jehovah1 and then ,jehu and ,jehonadab entered1 and the king himself offered the burnt-offering4 ,he had hardly ended1 when eighty trusty warriors1 who had secretly received their orders1 rushed in1 and commenced an indiscriminate slaughter of the unarmed and helpless assembly4 ,the huge image of ,baal was broken1 the smaller images burnt1 and the temple itself converted to the basest uses 7#b ,k4 x4 #bf1 #bg74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,athaliah ,,and ,,joash4 ,,death ,,of ,,elisha4 #b ,,kings ,,xi4-,,xiv4 #b ,,chr4 ,,xxii4 ,,xxiii4 ,b4,c4 #hhd-hci4 ,,thus1 after scenes hitherto unparalleled in the history of the ,chosen ,nation1 ,jehu established himself upon the throne1 and reigned upwards of #bh years4 ,those years are almost a blank to us4 ,all we know is1 that though commended for the destruction of ,ahab's worthless dynasty1 and assured that his descendants to the fourth generation should sit upon the throne1 he persisted in walking in the ways of ,jeroboam1 and retained the old calf-worship at ,dan and ,bethel4 ,but his reign was not a peaceful one4 ,the ,lord began to cut ,israel short1 ,hazael attacked his kingdom1 and ravaged the territories of the tribes east of the ,jordan 7#b ,k4 x4 #cc74 ,meanwhile similar scenes of extermination had been enacted even in the southern kingdom of ,judah4 ,on the death of ,ahaziah1 ,b4,c4 #hhd1 ,,athaliah1 the queen-mother1 who had probably been entrusted with the royal functions during his absence at ,jezreel1 resolved to seize the supreme power1 and for this purpose put to death all the members of the royal house who had not already perished by the sword of ,jehu4 ,from the general massacre ,,joash1 the infant son of ,ahaziah1 alone escaped1 and was concealed by his aunt ,jehosheba1 wife of ,jehoiada the high-priest1 in the house of the ,lord for the space of #f years 7#b ,chr4 xxii4 #aa1 #ab74 ,during this period the usurpation of ,athaliah was endured1 but in the seventh year 7,b4,c4 #hgh7 her foreign practices having probably disgusted the nation1 the high-priest deemed it an auspicious moment to bring about a change4 ,gathering round him all the supporters of the family of ,david1 he placed a large force of priests and ,levites in three bands at the entrances of the ,temple1 and armed the 8captains of hundreds0 with the consecrated spears and shields placed there by ,david4 ,then before them and a number of the people who favoured his design1 he brought out the infant ,joash1 and in the presence of all publicly crowned and anointed him1 and presented him with a copy of the ,law4 ,the noise of the people reached the ears of the queen-mother1 and she came into the ,temple only to see her grandson already placed on a raised throne1 and invested with regal functions4 ,jehoiada had given strict orders that she should not be put to death within the sacred enclosure1 and crying treason1 she was hurried from the ranges1 and slain at the entrance of the ,horse-,gate by the royal palace 7#b ,k4 xi4 #d-af2 #b ,chr4 xxiii4 #ab-ae74 ,a covenant was then solemnly ratified between the king1 high-priest1 and people1 by which they bound themselves to be faithful to ,jehovah1 and in proof thereof attacked the temple of ,baal1 which ,athaliah had built1 slew its attendant priest ,mattan1 and broke down the altars and images4 ,during the lifetime of his aged counsellor1 the youthful sovereign ruled his kingdom prudently1 and was blessed with a large measure of prosperity4 ,in the #bcrd year of his reign he commenced a complete repair of the ,temple1 which had suffered much during the late usurpation4 ,messengers were dispatched throughout his dominions to levy contributions for the work1 which were willingly bestowed both by princes and people4 ,but on the death of the high-priest1 at the advanced age of #acj years1 a change came over the policy and character of the king4 ,at the suggestion of the princes of ,judah1 the worship of ,baal and ,ashtaroth was revived1 and the service of ,jehovah neglected4 ,prophets were sent to rebuke the king for this apostasy1 but their protests were unavailing4 ,one of them1 ,,zechariah1 the son of the late high-priest1 as a penalty for his bold outspoken honesty1 was stoned to death between the ,holy ,place and the ,altar of ,burnt-offering#cig 7,matt4 xxiii4 #ce74 ,his last words1 the ,lord look upon it and require it1 were speedily fulfilled4 ,the year had not ended before the ,syrian army commanded by ,hazael appeared before ,jerusalem 7#b ,k4 xii4 #ag74 ,it had lately been successful against the ,philistine city of ,gath1 and now1 though small in numbers1 was able to defeat a large army of ,judah1 and was only prevailed upon to depart by being permitted to carry away to ,damascus all the votive offerings and much of the ,temple treasures4 ,nor was ,joash destined long to survive this disgrace4 ,afflicted with a severe illness1 probably in consequence of wounds received in the late engagement1 he was suddenly attacked by two of his servants1 and slain in his bed in the fortress of ,millo1 ,b4,c4 #hci 7#b ,k4 xii4 #bj1 #ba2 #b ,chr4 xxiv4 #bf74 ,in addition to their victories over the ,philistines1 the ,syrians under ,hazael had been equally successful against the king of ,israel1 ,,jehoahaz1 the son of ,jehu1 reducing him to such a depth of subjection1 that he was compelled to limit his army to #ej horsemen1 #aj chariots1 and #aj1jjj infantry4 ,after an inglorious reign1 he bequeathed his throne to his son ,,jehoash or ,,joash1 ,b4,c4 #hda1 who in spite of the warnings the nation had already received1 persisted in practising idolatry4 ,during his reign the aged prophet ,elisha fell sick1 and ,jehoash went to his house and wept over him in the same words that ,elisha himself had used1 when he beheld ,elijah carried up into heaven1 saying1 ,o my father1 my father1 the chariot of ,israel1 and the horsemen thereof6 ,but other thoughts than the prophet's approaching end filled the hearts of both4 ,hazael was cutting ,israel short1 and ravaging the country far and near4 ,the aged prophet bade the king open the window eastward towards the hated country1 and place an arrow on the string of his bow4 ,then1 laying his own hands upon the king's hands1 he bade him shoot1 and as the shaft sped from the string1 he followed it with the prophetic blessing1 the arrow of the ,lord's deliverance1 and the arrow of deliverance from ,syria1 thou shalt smite the ,syrians in ,aphek till thou hast consumed them4 ,at the prophet's command the king next took the arrows and smote them on the ground three times1 and then stayed4 ,but he did it with no spirit or energy1 and the victories he might have achieved were limited to three 7#b ,k4 xiii4 #ad-ai74 ,shortly afterwards ,elisha died1 but his wonder-working power was not to cease with his life4 ,he had not been long laid in the tomb when marauding bands of the ,moabites invaded the land4 ,a dead man was about to be buried in the cemetery1 which contained the prophet's sepulchre4 ,seeing the band of spoilers the mourners hastily thrust the corpse into the receptacle where the prophet lay1 and no sooner did it touch his remains than the man revived and stood upon his feet4 ,the victories1 however1 which ,elisha had promised were realised4 ,three times was ,jehoash enabled to triumph over the ,syrian armies1 and recovered the cities which the ,israelites had lost in previous wars 7#b ,k4 xiii4 #be74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,amaziah ,,and ,,jeroboam ,,ii4 ,,era ,,of ,,jonah4 #b ,,kings ,,xiv4 ,,jonah ,i4-,,iv4 ,b4,c4 #hdj-geh4 ,,meanwhile ,,amaziah had succeeded to the throne of ,judah4 ,his first care after his accession was to punish the murderers of his father1 which he did with unusual lenity1 sparing their children1 in accordance with the true spirit of the ,mosaic law 7,deut4 xxiv4 #af2 ,ezek4 xviii4 #d1 #bj74 ,he next resolved to take vengeance on the revolted ,edomites1 and for this purpose summoned to his standard #cjj1jjj of ,judah1 and1 at the rate of #ajj silver talents1 hired #ajj1jjj of ,israel 7#b ,chr4 xxv4 #f74 ,warned1 however1 by a prophet against leading any of the idolatrous ,israelites into battle amongst his own forces1 he was induced to dismiss his mercenaries1 who returned home in great anger4 ,with his own army he then marched against the ,edomites1 and defeated them with great slaughter in the ,valley of ,salt1 south of the ,dead ,sea1 capturing also their rocky fortress-capital ,petra or ,sela1 and flinging #aj1jjj of his captives headlong from their native cliffs4 ,but with strange perversity he now set up in ,jerusalem the idols of the very nation he had just subdued1 and paid them religious honours 7#b ,chr4 xxv4 #ad74 ,for this apostasy a prophet threatened him with speedy vengeance1 and misfortunes quickly thickened around him4 ,the ,israelite mercenaries1 in revenge for the loss of booty they had sustained1 on their way homewards ravaged many of the towns of ,judah4 ,smarting under this insult ,amaziah was foolish enough to challenge his rival1 the king of ,israel1 to battle4 ,jehoash replied by the contemptuous parable of the ,thistle and the ,cedar1 and bade ,amaziah not provoke a contest4 ,the other1 however1 would not yield1 and the rival armies met at ,beth-shemesh#cih1 on the borders of ,dan and ,philistia1 and the men of ,judah were utterly defeated4 ,jehoash even took his rival prisoner1 and conveyed him as a captive to ,jerusalem1 the walls of which he broke down on the side nearest to his own kingdom to the extent of #djj cubits1 and after rifling the ,temple of its treasures and exacting hostages returned to ,samaria4 ,shortly after this1 however1 he died1 and bequeathed his throne to his son ,,jeroboam ,,ii41 ,b4,c4 #hbe1 while ,amaziah survived him #ae years1 at the close of which period a conspiracy was formed against him1 from which he fled to ,lachish1 where he was assassinated1 and was succeeded by his son ,,azariah or ,,uzziah1 ,b4,c4 #haj 7#b ,k4 xiv4 #ai1 #bj74 ,the reign of ,jeroboam ,,ii4 which lasted #da years#cii1 was the most prosperous the kingdom of ,israel had ever known4 ,the new king did not simply content himself with repelling the attacks of the ,syrian invaders1 but carried the war into their own country1 captured their capital ,damascus1 and recovered all the old dominion of ,israel from ,hamath to the ,dead ,sea1 together with the territory of ,moab and ,ammon4 ,these successes had been predicted 7#b ,k4 xiv4 #be7 by the earliest of the prophets1 whose writings as well as words have come down to us1 ,,jonah1 the son of ,amittai1 of ,gath-hepher in ,zebulun4 ,the idolatries1 however1 of the king called forth the protests of ,,hosea1 a prophet of uncertain tribe and birth-place 7,hos4 i4 #a71 and ,,amos1 a herdsman of ,tekoa#djj 7,am4 i4 #a74 ,those of ,amos were keenly resented by ,amaziah the high-priest of ,bethel 7,am4 vii4 #aj71 and he reported him to the king as having predicted the destruction of the royal house and the captivity of the nation 7,am4 vii4 #aa-ag71 which1 though not fulfilled in his reign1 were only deferred#dja4 ,,azariah or ,,uzziah1 the new king of ,judah1 retained the sceptre for upwards of #eb years1 and was successful in several warlike expeditions4 ,he subjugated the ,philistines1 and dismantled ,gath and ,ashdod1 reduced the ,arabians and ,mehunims to obedience1 and recovered ,elath1 the famous port on the ,red ,sea 7#b ,chr4 xxvi4 #b1 #g74 ,he also improved the internal resources of his kingdom1 restored the fortifications of ,jerusalem1 built military engines1 and established a powerful army4 ,moreover he devoted himself to the encouragement and protection of husbandry1 building towers and wells for his numerous herds in the low country and in the plains1 and growing vines on the terraces of the mountains 7#b ,chr4 xxvi4 #i-ae74 ,but in the hour of prosperity his heart was lifted up to his destruction4 ,assuming priestly functions1 he entered the ,holy ,place in the ,temple for the purpose of offering incense on the ,golden ,altar4 ,this flagrant violation of the ,law was resolutely opposed by the high-priest ,azariah and others of the ,levitical body1 and drew down upon the king signal punishment4 ,as he stood censer in hand by the ,altar1 the leprosy rose up in his forehead1 and he hurried in alarm from the sacred enclosure4 ,he was now incapable of discharging the regal functions#djb1 and till the day of his death lived in a separate house1 while ,jotham his son was entrusted with the regency1 and eventually succeeded him ,b4,c4 #geh 7#b ,k4 xv4 #e2 #b ,chr4 xxvi4 #af-bb74 ,meanwhile the great ,empire1 destined to be the instrument of punishing the apostate kingdom of ,israel1 was advancing with gigantic strides in the path of universal conquest4 ,beyond the territory of the ,syriansthe scourge of ,jehu and his dynastywas the far more powerful ,empire of the ,assyrians1 including the whole region watered by the ,tigris and ,euphrates1 and already augmented by important conquests in ,cappadocia1 ,armenia1 and ,babylonia4 ,to ,nineveh1 its celebrated capital1 the prophet ,,jonah1 already mentioned1 was directed to go and denounce its approaching doom1 unless its people repented of their sins4 ,the prophet shrunk from this arduous commission1 and instead of crossing the ,syrian desert1 went down to ,joppa1 and there took ship for ,tarshish1 probably ,tartessus#djc on the southern coast of ,spain 7,jon4 i4 #c74 ,but during the voyage an awful storm arose1 and in their alarm the mariners threw him at his own request into the sea1 where a large fish took him up1 and after three days and three nights flung him forth alive on the dry land 7,matt4 xii4 #dj1 xvi4 #d2 ,lk4 xi4 #cj74 ,thus miraculously delivered he was a second time bidden to undertake the arduous journey1 and now not daring to disobey arose and went4 ,suddenly appearing in the midst of ,nineveh#djd1 clothed in his rough prophet's robe1 he cried through corridor1 and lane1 and square1 ,yet forty days1 and ,nineveh shall be overthrown6 ,his mysterious words filled the hearts of all with fear and consternation1 and before long reached the palace1 where the king sat 8on his royal throne in the great audience-chamber1 surrounded by all the pomp and magnificence of his court#dje40 ,the words of the unknown prophet touched even his heart1 and he arose from his throne1 and laid aside his robe from him1 and covered himself with sackcloth1 and sat in ashes 7,jon4 iii4 #f74 ,then he proclaimed a decree that all his people1 from the greatest even to the least1 should be covered with sackcloth1 and that even the beasts should be put in mourning#djf4 ,his decree was obeyed1 a fast was observed1 and the people of ,nineveh1 laying aside their revelry and feasting1 assumed the garb of mourning1 humbled themselves1 turned from their evil way1 and offered up petitions for mercy to the ,most ,high4 ,their repentance was accepted1 ,god had pity on the great city1 with its #abj1jjj persons that could not discern between their right hand and their left1 and deferred the judgment4 ,in vain the prophet sat in his booth of woven boughs1 at the east side of the city1 waiting for the doom he had denounced4 ,in vain he complained of the deferring of the punishment4 ,god was more merciful than man1 and for more than another century ,nineveh was to stand unharmed 7,jon4 iv4 #e-aa74 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,decline ,,and ,,captivity ,,of ,,the ,,kingdom ,,of ,,israel4 #b ,,kings ,,xv4-,,xvii4 ,b4,c4 #ggc-gba4 ,,the death of ,jeroboam ,,ii41 ,b4,c4 #ghc1 was the signal for a frightful state of anarchy in the kingdom of ,israel4 ,at length1 after an interregnum of #aa years1 ,,zachariah his son succeeded to the throne 7,b4,c4 #ggc74 ,his brief reign of six months served only to exhibit his addiction to idolatrous practices1 when he was assassinated by ,,shallum1 and with him the dynasty of ,jehu came to an end4 ,the reign of the usurper was briefer still4 ,for one month only did he retain the royal power1 and then was deposed in his turn by ,,menahem1 the son of ,gadi1 ,b4,c4 #ggb4 ,either at the beginning1 or at a somewhat later period1 during his reign of #aj years1 the new king ordered a promiscuous massacre of the inhabitants of the country between ,tirzah and ,thapsacus1 probably for the purpose of inspiring terror into the hearts of many who were unfavourable to his cause#djg 7#b ,k4 xv4 #ad74 ,a more significant circumstance during his reign was the appearance of the ,assyrians on the north-eastern frontier of his kingdom4 ,,pul#djh1 king of ,assyria1 having been successful in his expedition against ,damascus1 advanced also against ,israel1 and was only induced to draw off his forces by a timely gift of #ajjj talents of silver1 which ,menahem wrung from his people by an assessment of #ej shekels a head from #fj1jjj ,israelites 7#b ,k4 xv4 #bj74 ,menahem died in peace1 bequeathing his throne to his son ,,pekahiah1 ,b4,c4 #gfa1 who only reigned for #b years1 and was then assassinated in his palace by ,,pekah1 son of ,remaliah1 a captain of his body-guard1 ,b4,c4 #gei4 ,the new king displayed far greater energy than his immediate predecessors4 ,the enormous tribute levied by the ,king of ,assyria had greatly exhausted the resources of his kingdom4 ,he resolved1 by way of compensation1 to ally himself with ,syria1 and attack the rival kingdom of ,judah4 ,during the vigorous reign of ,,jotham he does not seem to have been able to carry out the latter part of this design1 but on the death of that monarch1 and the accession of his weak son ,,ahaz1 ,b4,c4 #gdb1 he advanced against ,jerusalem in alliance with ,rezin1 king of ,syria1 and took a vast number of captives1 who were1 however1 restored by the advice of the prophet ,oded 7#b ,chr4 xxviii4 #h-ae74 ,so far as the ,syrians were concerned1 the expedition was successful4 ,rezin captured the port of ,elath1 drove the ,jews out of the place1 and settled there a ,syrian colony4 ,but in other respects the unnatural alliance of ,israel and ,syria was calamitous4 ,in his extremity1 ,ahaz resolved to seek the assistance of ,,tiglath-,,pileser1 the successor of ,pul on the ,assyrian throne1 and for this purpose sent him a large and valuable present from the ,temple treasures 7#b ,k4 xvi4 #g74 ,the ,assyrian monarch readily embraced the opportunity of crushing the formidable alliance of ,syria and ,israel4 ,marching against ,damascus1 ,b4,c4 #gdj1 he captured the ,syrian capital1 slew ,rezin#dji1 and carried off his subjects to ,kir 7#b ,k4 xv4 #bi74 ,then turning his arms still further westward1 he fell upon the northern towns in ,pekah's dominions1 ,ijon1 ,abel-beth-maachah1 ,hazor and others1 and carried off the inhabitants to remote districts within his own dominions#daj4 ,pekah was now reduced to the position of a humble vassal of the great ,lord of ,assyria1 and was obliged to abstain from any further hostilities against ,ahaz4 ,but that king had purchased this temporary relief at a great cost4 ,not only was he obliged to yield up the ,temple treasures as tribute to ,tiglath-,pileser1 but he had to appear also in person at ,damascus as a vassal of that monarch1 and did homage to his protector1 and even to his protector's gods4 ,because1 said he1 the gods of the kings of ,syria help them1 therefore will ,i sacrifice to them1 that they may help me1 and he not merely conformed to heathen rites1 but actually sent to ,urijah1 the high-priest at ,jerusalem1 the pattern of an altar he had seen in the ,syrian capital1 and desired that another should be made like it4 ,the high-priest obeyed1 and the idolatrous altar was placed within the sacred precincts of the ,temple1 and the king himself offered sacrifice thereon4 ,moreover1 every city in his dominions shared in the idolatries of the capital4 ,everywhere ,ahaz made high places to burn incense to other gods1 introducing the worst superstitions of the remotest ,east1 practising necromancy and witchcraft 7,isai4 viii4 #ai71 causing his children to pass through the fire in the valley of ,hinnom to ,moloch 7#b ,k4 xvi4 #c71 dedicating sacred horses to the ,sun1 and raising altars on the housetops for the worship of the heavenly bodies 7#b ,k4 xxiii4 #ab2 #b ,chr4 xxviii4 #b-d74 ,while the ,southern kingdom thus seemed bent on rivalling that of ,israel in idolatrous excesses1 the fortunes of the latter kingdom had become more and more gloomy4 ,after a reign of #bj years1 ,pekah was assassinated ,b4,c4 #gcg by ,,hoshea the son of ,elah1 who1 after several years of anarchy1 was strong enough to secure the sceptre for himself1 ,b4,c4 #gcj4 ,his reign1 indeed1 was not so sinful as that of his predecessors 7#b ,k4 xvii4 #b71 but the doom of ,israel was nigh at hand4 ,he had been on the throne but a few years when ,shalmaneser1 the successor of ,tiglath-,pileser1 invaded his territory1 and reduced ,israel to vassalage4 ,this induced ,hoshea to open a secret correspondence with ,so1 ,sabaco ,i41 king of ,egypt4 ,but news of his defection reaching the ears of the ,assyrian monarch1 he summoned ,hoshea to ,damascus to explain his conduct1 and there placed him in prison4 ,then mustering his forces1 he invaded his territory1 and laid siege to ,samaria1 ,b4,c4 #gbc4 ,its natural strength enabled that city to hold out for three years1 during which period ,shalmaneser appears to have been obliged to return to ,damascus1 in consequence of a successful revolt headed by ,sargon1 to whom he forfeited his crown#daa4 ,but this change brought no respite to the beleaguered capital of ,israel4 ,after a protracted resistance it was captured1 ,b4,c4 #gba1 and thus ,sargon completed the conquest which ,shalmaneser had begun4 ,vast numbers of the remaining tribes were now removed into captivity#dab1 and located partly in ,gozan or ,mygdonia#dac1 and partly in the cities lately taken from the ,medes4 ,their place was filled by a foreign population from the more inland districts of the empire1 and colonies from ,cuthah1 ,hamath1 and ,sepharvaim1 possessed ,samaria1 and dwelt in the cities of ,israel1 whose existence as an independent kingdom now came to an end for ever4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,reign ,,of ,,hezekiah4 #b ,,kings ,,xviii4-,,xx4 #b ,,chron4 ,,xxix4-,,xxxii4 ,b4,c4 #gbf-fih4 ,,while the kingdom of ,israel thus came to an end1 that of ,judah seemed to have taken a fresh lease of vitality4 ,at the close of the wicked reign of ,ahaz1 his son ,,hezekiah succeeded to the throne1 ,b4,c4 #gbf1 and proved one of the best of the monarchs of the line of ,david4 ,his first act after his accession was to set on foot a thorough religious reformation4 ,he removed the high places1 brake down the images1 and even destroyed the ,brazen ,serpent1 the ancient relic of the ,wanderings1 which had become an object of idolatrous worship1 under the name of ,nehushtan#dad 7#b ,k4 xviii4 #d74 ,he then cleansed and purified the ,temple1 and re-opened it with splendid sacrifices1 conducted by the reinstated priests and ,levites 7#b ,chr4 xxix4 #bj-cf71 and resolved to celebrate a peculiar ,passover1 and invite to it all throughout the land of ,palestine1 who bore the ,hebrew name 7#b ,chr4 xxx4 #a-aj74 ,to this end he dispatched messengers throughout ,judah1 and northwards through ,ephraim and ,manasseh as far as ,zebulun4 ,the remnant of the once powerful house of ,joseph treated his invitation with scorn1 but all ,judah and many of the smaller tribes assembled at ,jerusalem1 and took part in the great national rite1 which was celebrated at an unusual but not an illegal period#dae1 and lasted upwards of #ad days4 ,the associations awakened by this ancient ordinance roused the people to a becoming zeal for the true ,god1 and on their return from ,jerusalem a general destruction of idolatrous images and temples was set on foot throughout ,judah and ,benjamin1 and even some portions of the northern kingdom 7#b ,chr4 xxxi4 #a74 ,seconded in his pious efforts by the noble-minded prophet ,,isaiah1 the king proceeded to carry out other religious reforms1 and was rewarded for his zeal by a large measure of prosperity4 ,venturing to assume the offensive against the ,philistines1 he not only recovered the territory which his father had lost1 but gained other important advantages 7#b ,k4 xviii4 #g1 #h74 ,this success emboldened him to throw off the ,assyrian yoke1 and to decline forwarding the usual tribute4 ,the late capture of ,samaria by the ,assyrians would render probable a speedy vengeance for this defection4 ,but the wealthy city of ,tyre1 now the head of the ,phnician kingdom1 was first to feel the weight of the ,assyrian arms1 and its inhabitants made such a stubborn resistance1 that after operations extending over #e years#daf1 the design was given up as impracticable4 ,the time thus gained was not thrown away by ,hezekiah4 ,he used every effort to strengthen his capital against the expected invasion2 repaired the walls2 built towers2 set captains over the host2 stopped up the wells2 diverted the water-courses 7#b ,chr4 xxxii4 #c1 #d72 forged weapons of war2 and while most of his people trembled at the certain coming of the great ,assyrian conqueror1 and many of his advisers would have made an alliance with ,egypt1 the monarch was exhorted by ,isaiah not to lose his confidence in ,god4 ,at length in the #adth#dag year of his reign 7#b ,k4 xviii4 #ac71 the invader appeared#dah4 ,sennacherib1 the successor of ,sargon1 came up against all the fenced cities of ,judah and took them 7#b ,k4 xviii4 #ac74 ,thereupon ,hezekiah thought it prudent to avert his wrath by a promise of submission1 and consented to pay #cjj talents of silver and #cj talents of gold1 to raise which enormous sum he was obliged to spoil the ,temple of many of its treasures1 and even to strip the gold from the gates 7#b ,k4 xviii4 #ad-af74 ,the respite thus obtained was only temporary4 ,two years had barely elapsed before ,sennacherib1 resolved to conquer the now flourishing kingdom of ,egypt1 commenced a second expedition through the dominions of ,judah4 ,while one of his generals attacked and captured ,ashdod1 he himself marched through ,palestine1 and laid siege to ,libnah and ,lachish1 cities in the maritime lowland of ,judah1 and at this time subject to ,egypt4 ,from ,lachish1 however1 he sent the ,tartan or his 8commander-in-chief10 the ,rab-saris or his 8chief eunuch10 and the ,rab-shakeh1 his 8chief cupbearer10 with a large force to ,jerusalem1 to demand its surrender4 ,on this occasion1 the 8chief cupbearer0 seems to have been at the head of the embassy4 ,standing by the conduit of the upper pool and speaking in the ,hebrew tongue1 he proclaimed to the advisers of ,hezekiah and the people assembled on the city walls the message of the king of ,assyria1 exhorting them not to look for deliverance from ,egypt1 or even to place any confidence in their ,god1 for what god had yet been able to deliver his land and people out of the hand of his master8 7#b ,k4 xviii4 #cc1 #cd74 ,by command of ,hezekiah his scornful message was received in profound silence4 ,the king himself1 on being informed of the purport of the ,assyrian embassy1 with clothes rent and robed in sackcloth1 repaired to the ,temple1 and sent his minister similarly attired to ,isaiah1 to entreat him in his perilous hour to lift up his prayer in behalf of his people4 ,that undaunted prophet in reply bade his master defy boldly all the efforts of the enemy4 ,that ,god1 whom the ,assyrian had blasphemed1 would avenge ,his insulted honour2 ,he would send a blast upon him1 and he should hear a rumour1 and should return to his own land1 there to fall by the sword4 ,these trustful words encouraged both king and people1 and the ,assyrian ambassadors finding it impossible to terrify the capital of ,judah into subjection returned to ,sennacherib1 whom they found at ,libnah1 having taken or raised the siege of ,lachish 7#b ,k4 xix4 #h74 ,but while he was thus employed1 news reached the ears of that monarch that ,tirhakah1 or ,tarakos1 a powerful king of ,ethiopia1 was on the march against him4 ,on this he resolved to make one more effort to terrify ,hezekiah into submission1 and sent a second embassy to him1 with a letter demanding in the most peremptory terms the surrender of the city1 recapitulating the cities whose gods had been powerless to deliver them out of his hands1 and bidding him dismiss the notion that he could escape4 ,on receiving this vaunting letter1 ,hezekiah again repaired to the ,temple1 and there spread it before the ,lord1 entreating in words of singular pathos and beauty the aid of the ,god of ,israel1 ,who dwelt between the ,cherubims 7#b ,k4 xix4 #ae74 ,his prayer was heard4 ,isaiah was commissioned to assure the king that the ,virgin1 the daughter of ,zion1 might laugh to scorn all the efforts of the invader4 ,true it was that the ,assyrian monarch had laid waste many cities into ruinous heaps1 but it was only because ,jehovah ,himself had so willed it1 and had raised him up to be an instrument for the accomplishment of ,his own purposes4 ,and now ,he would put ,his hook#dai in the ,assyrian's nose1 and ,his bridle in his lips1 and turn him back by the way he had come1 nor suffer him even to approach the city1 or shoot an arrow there1 or cast up a bank against it 7#b ,k4 xix4 #cb74 ,his words were destined to have a speedy and terrible fulfilment4 ,having reduced ,libnah1 ,sennacherib appears to have pushed forward towards ,pelusium#dbj1 anxious to crush an ,egyptian army under a native prince1 named ,sethos1 before the dreaded ,ethiopian monarch ,terhak or ,tirhakah could come to his aid4 ,within sight of each other the ,assyrian and ,egyptian hosts lay down1 awaiting the morrow's battle1 but that very night the angel of the ,lord1 probably by a sudden pestilence1 or some more awful manifestation of ,divine power1 poured contempt on all the pride of the ,assyrian monarch4 ,as they slept1 a sudden destruction fell upon his hosts1 and when he awoke next morning1 behold #ahe1jjj corpses lay dead in his camp#dba6 ,on this ,sennacherib fled with the shattered remnants of his forces to his own land1 where1 #ag years after1 or ,b4,c4 #fhjdbb1 he was assassinated by his sons ,adrammelech and ,sharezer1 as he was worshipping in the temple of ,nisroch his god1 leaving his throne to another son ,esarhaddon 7#b ,k4 xix4 #cg74 ,at some period after1 or as some think1 before#dbc this signal deliverance1 ,hezekiah was seized with a serious illness and was warned by the prophet ,isaiah to put his house in order1 for the decree had gone forth that he must die4 ,this announcement caused the greatest distress to the good king4 ,he had striven to set a good example while he lived1 and had done much to reform his people and their religion1 and now in the very midst of his work he must die6 ,with many tears1 therefore1 he turned his face to the wall1 and pleaded his case with ,god1 praying that the prophet's words might not be so immediately fulfilled4 ,his prayer was heard4 ,isaiah was bidden to assure him that his life would be prolonged for a space of #ae years1 and as a sign to confirm this assurance1 the shadow on the great dial of his father ,ahaz went #aj degrees backwards1 and by the application of a plaster of figs1 often used medicinally in such cases1 his malady was healed4 ,news of his recovery1 and of the astronomical marvel accompanying it1 was conveyed into many lands1 and various ambassadors with letters and gifts came to his court4 ,amongst the rest came those of ,merodach-,baladan#dbd1 king of ,babylon1 who with their retinue were escorted over the royal treasures4 ,for the pride and ostentation with which he displayed his rich stores1 ,hezekiah was rebuked by ,isaiah1 who foretold that a day was coming1 when all these treasures would be carried away into the country of the very king whose ambassadors had now come to congratulate him1 and that his sons would be compelled to serve as eunuchs in the ,babylonian court 7#b ,k4 xx4 #ag-ai74 ,the remainder of ,hezekiah's reign appears to have been spent in peace and security4 ,his treasury was full2 the agricultural resources of the country were developed2 various new and useful improvements were carried out in his capital2 and on his death1 lamented by all ,judah and ,jerusalem1 he was buried with especial honour in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of ,david1 ,b4,c4 #fih 7#b ,chr4 xxxii4 #bg-cc74 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,reign ,,of ,,manasseh4 ,,reforms ,,of ,,josiah4 #b ,,kings ,,xxi4-,,xxiii4 #b ,,chron4 ,,xxxiii4-,,xxxv4 ,b4,c4 #fih-fbc4 ,,on the death of ,hezekiah1 his son ,,manasseh succeeded to the throne at a very early age1 having been born in all probability twelve years before his father's death1 ,b4,c4 #gaj4 ,his mother1 whose name was ,hephzibah#dbe 7the delightsome one1 ,isai4 lxii4 #d71 was descended from one of the princes of ,jerusalem4 ,his own name is remarkable1 and was borne by no one else in the history of the kingdom of ,judah4 ,it is the name of the tribe second only to ,ephraim in hostility to ,judah1 and has been supposed to have been given to him in remembrance of the fond hope of his father to unite the remnants of ,manasseh and other northern tribes in a common worship and faith#dbf4 ,the accession of this king at the early age of #ab years was the signal for an entire revolution in the religious policy which his father had so consistently carried out4 ,it has been suggested that the idolatrous party1 which had sided with ,ahaz1 and had only been repressed during the reign of ,hezekiah1 now recovered its old ascendancy1 and exercised a baneful influence over the youthful monarch4 ,whether this was so or not1 the spirit of loyalty to ,jehovah which ,hezekiah had evinced was exchanged for a more general adoption of heathen modes of worship than had disfigured even the idolatrous days of ,ahaz4 ,not only were the high places restored1 but the worst enormities of ,ahab were introduced into ,jerusalem4 ,altars were erected in honour of ,baal and ,ashtaroth and all the host of heaven1 even within the sacred precincts of the ,temple 7#b ,chr4 xxxiii4 #d1 #e74 ,the king himself1 not only observed times1 and used enchantments1 and witchcraft1 and dealt with a familiar spirit1 and with wizards 7#b ,chr4 xxxiii4 #f71 but even dedicated some of his sons in the fire to ,moloch1 and slaughtered others 7,ez4 xxiii4 #cg-ci74 ,the cries of human victims offered in honour of this hideous deity of the ,ammonites re-echoed throughout the valley of ,hinnom1 and the sins of ,sodom and ,gomorrah were practised with impunity in that city where ,jehovah had said that he would put ,his ,name for ever 7#b ,chr4 xxxiii4 #d74 ,the consequent moral degeneracy was fearful4 ,the old faith was everywhere neglected and despised4 ,the altar of ,jehovah was broken down 7#b ,chr4 xxxiii4 #af71 even the ark was displaced 7#b ,chr4 xxxv4 #c71 and so systematic was the destruction of the ,sacred ,books1 that fifty years later the discovery of the ,book of the ,law was an event exciting wonder and astonishment 7#b ,k4 xxii4 #h71 while the ,sabbath1 the sign between the elect nation and ,jehovah1 was polluted 7,isai4 lvi4 #b2 lviii4 #ac71 and under the influence of the king and his idolatrous advisers1 the people did more evil than did the nations whom the ,lord destroyed before the children of ,israel 7#b ,k4 xxi4 #i74 ,meanwhile the voice of the prophets was not hushed4 ,heedless of the doom they incurred1 the ,lord's true servants bore their faithful testimony against the deeds of the king4 ,they predicted the coming of such judgments on ,judah and ,jerusalem1 that whoever heard of them1 both his ears would tingle 7#b ,k4 xxi4 #ab74 ,the line of ,samaria and the plummet of the house of ,ahab should be stretched over the capital of ,judah1 and it should be wiped as a man wipeth a dish1 and its people should be delivered into the hands of their enemies 7#b ,k4 xxi4 #ac1 #ad74 ,these outspoken rebukes met with their natural reward4 ,it was now1 according to the ancient ,jewish tradition1 that the aged ,,isaiah was sawn asunder#dbg1 while of other less known but no less faithful servants of ,jehovah1 such numbers were murdered1 that the streets of ,jerusalem ran with blood 7#b ,k4 xxi4 #af74 ,such a policy brought its inevitable punishment4 ,risings of the ,philistines1 ,moabites1 and ,ammonites 7,zeph4 ii4 #d-ae2 ,jer4 xlvii4-xlix471 were speedily followed by an invasion of the territory of ,judah by the ,assyrians 7#b ,chr4 xxxiii4 #aa74 ,the captains of ,esarhaddon1 who had crushed the rebellion of ,merodach-,baladan1 invested ,jerusalem#dbh1 took ,manasseh captive1 and carried him off to ,babylon#dbi1 where loaded with fetters he was cast into prison4 ,but in the solitude of his dungeon the ,jewish king repented of the awful wickedness he had committed1 and humbled himself greatly before the ,god of his fathers1 who in ,his infinite mercy listened to his petitions for forgiveness4 ,his defection was pardoned by ,esarhaddon#dcj1 and he was permitted to return to ,jerusalem 7#b ,chr4 xxxiii4 #ac74 ,the lessons learnt in captivity were not forgotten by the restored monarch4 ,he set himself to effect so much of a religious reformation as his previous character would allow4 ,the worship of ,jehovah was renewed1 sacrifices were once more offered in ,his honour1 and the heathen altars within the sacred precincts of the ,temple were destroyed4 ,but the change was naturally but partial 7#b ,chr4 xxxiii4 #ag74 ,during his long reign of #ee years the evil he had done had sunk too deeply to be easily removed4 ,the recollection of the innocent blood he had shed was never forgotten1 and at his death he was not laid in the sepulchres of the kings1 but in the garden of his own house1 in the garden of ,uzza1 ,b4,c4 #fdc 7#b ,k4 xxi4 #bf74 ,,amon his son now succeeded to the throne1 and1 after a short reign of #b years1 fell a victim to a conspiracy and was slain in his own palace4 ,the people1 however1 put the conspirators to death1 and secured the throne for his son ,,josiah1 now only #h years of age1 ,b4,c4 #fda4 ,young as he was1 the new king displayed a remarkable spirit of loyalty to ,jehovah1 and surpassed even the best of his predecessors in his zeal for the true faith4 ,in the #abth year of his reign 7#b ,chr4 xxxiv4 #c71 ,b4,c4 #fbi1 he commenced a great reform4 ,in ,jerusalem itself he removed the altars dedicated to ,baal and all the host of heaven1 and burnt the symbol of ,ashtaroth at the brook ,kidron1 and the sacred horses that had been dedicated to the ,sun4 ,he then commenced a personal tour1 not only throughout his own dominions1 but throughout ,simeon1 ,ephraim1 ,manasseh1 and even distant ,naphtali 7#b ,chr4 xxxiv4 #f74 ,at ,bethel he visited ,jeroboam's chapel1 and agreeably to the remarkable prophecy of the disobedient ,prophet1 uttered #cjj years before#dca1 broke down the altar and high places that king had set up1 exhumed the bones from the sepulchres in the neighbouring mount1 and scattered them over the altars4 ,a little further1 one of the sepulchres attracted his attention1 and in answer to his enquiries1 he learnt that it contained the remains of the old prophet of ,bethel and his victim the man of ,god from ,judah4 ,on this he directed that the sepulchre should be spared1 and the venerable relics carefully preserved 7#b ,k4 xxiii4 #ae-ai74 ,returning to ,jerusalem1 in the #ahth year of his reign he empowered a special commission to restore the ,temple1 and to levy contributions for this purpose4 ,in the course of the repairs1 ,hilkiah the high-priest found a roll containing the ,book of the ,law1 probably the ,book of ,deuteronomy1 which he delivered to ,shaphan the scribe1 or royal secretary4 ,by him portions were read in the ears of the king1 who struck with alarm at its awful denunciations1 rent his clothes1 and directed that the ,divine ,will should be instantly consulted1 that the wrath of heaven might not descend on the apostate nation4 ,the ,high-priest and the rest thereupon sought the advice of a prophetess named ,,huldah1 the wife of ,shallum1 keeper of the royal wardrobe1 who resided in one of the sacred cloisters of the ,temple4 ,in reply1 she assured them that the ,divine judgments would certainly be fulfilled1 not indeed in the reign of ,josiah1 whose early piety had found favour with ,jehovah1 but after he had been gathered to his fathers4 ,this answer was in due course returned to the king1 who instantly repaired to the ,temple1 and caused the awful denunciations on idolatry to be publicly read in the ears of the assembled people4 ,the effect was very great4 ,the people1 conscience-stricken and appalled1 made a solemn covenant1 and promised to adhere thenceforward to the worship of the true ,god1 and agreed to a still more thorough reformation4 ,after a restoration of the ancient ,levitical service in the ,temple1 a national celebration of the ,passover was decreed1 and was carried out with a grandeur and magnificence exceeding anything that had been seen on any former occasion 7#b ,k4 xxiii4 #ba-bc74 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,death ,,of ,,josiah4 ,,captivity ,,of ,,judah4 #b ,,kings ,,xxiii4 ,,xxiv4 #b ,,chron4 ,,xxxv4 ,,xxxvi4 ,b4,c4 #fbc-ehh4 ,,but the religious reformations of the pious king could not ward off the destined destruction of his kingdom4 ,at this period the great ,assyrian empire had considerably declined#dcb1 while the kingdom of ,egypt under a powerful monarch named ,,necho#dcc1 had recovered much of its ancient glory4 ,this king now resolved to gain possession of ,carchemish#dcd1 which commanded the passage of the ,euphrates4 ,from motives which cannot be certainly divined1 ,josiah resolved to oppose his progress through his own territory1 and1 in spite of an embassy from the ,egyptian monarch begging him not to interfere1 drew up his forces at ,megiddo1 and1 as though with a presentiment of his doom1 disguised himself before entering into the battle4 ,his fears were verified2 struck by the ,egyptian archers1 he was removed from the field to die before he reached ,jerusalem1 where he was committed to the grave amidst the profoundest grief of his people1 and especially of the prophet ,,jeremiah1 who composed a funeral elegy over this last and best of the kings of ,judah1 ,b4,c4 #faj 7#b ,chr4 xxxv4 #be2 ,lam4 iv4 #bj74 ,his son and successor ,,jehoahaz or ,,shallum 7,jer4 xxii4 #aa71 only held the throne for #c months4 ,on his return from ,carchemish1 ,necho condemned the land to pay a tribute of #ajj talents of silver1 and a talent of gold1 and sending for the new king to ,riblah#dce in the land of ,hamath1 put him in bonds1 and thence removed him to ,egypt1 where he died 7#b ,k4 xxiii4 #cd74 ,his brother ,,eliakim was now permitted by the ,egyptian monarch to ascend the throne1 and in obedience to the same authority changed his name to ,,jehoiakim4 ,in the #dth year of his reign1 or ,b4,c4 #fjf1 ,,nebuchadnezzar1 placed by his father ,nabopolassar at the head of the ,assyrian armies1 marched forth to avenge the ,egyptian invasion4 ,in a pitched battle at ,carchemish 7,jer4 xlvi4 #a-ac7 he utterly defeated ,pharaoh-,necho1 and recovered ,clesyria1 ,phnicia1 and northern ,palestine4 ,then advancing into ,juda he drove all who had no fenced citiesand amongst the rest the ,rechabites 7,jer4 xxxv4 #aa7to ,jerusalem1 captured that city1 placed ,jehoiakim in fetters1 rifled the ,temple1 and carried off to ,babylon some of the sacred vessels1 and many of the principal ,hebrew nobles1 including ,,daniel and his three friends1 ,hananiah1 ,mishael1 and ,azariah 7,dan4 i4 #a-f74 ,on promise1 however1 of faithfulness to his liege lord ,jehoiakim was suffered to retain his kingly dignity1 at least in name1 for #c years longer4 ,at the close of this period he had the hardihood to try and throw off the yoke1 and rebelled against his suzerain4 ,but this only involved his kingdom in deeper misery#dcf4 ,unable to take the field in person1 ,nebuchadnezzar sent a numerous force against him from his now subject provinces of ,chalda and ,syria1 as well as ,moab and ,ammon 7#b ,k4 xxiv4 #b74 ,these overran the whole country1 and reduced it to the lowest degree of wretchedness and misery4 ,during the period of degradation that now ensued1 ,jehoiakim1 either in a contest with some of his many foes1 or owing to a rising of his oppressed subjects1 came to a violent end4 ,his body lay ignominiously exposed upon the ground1 and was buried with the burial of an ass1 without pomp or ceremony1 beyond the gates of ,jerusalem1 ,b4,c4 #eii 7,jer4 xxii4 #ah1 #ai2 xxxvi4 #cj74 ,,jehoiachin his son1 also called ,,jeconiah and ,,coniah1 was now placed upon the throne 7#b ,chr4 xxxvi4 #i71 but after a reign of #c months and #aj days1 ,nebuchadnezzar's army appeared before ,jerusalem1 and the young king and his court surrendered at discretion4 ,the ,temple was again pillaged of such vessels that yet remained1 the king himself1 the nobles1 and chief artisans were removed to ,babylon#dcg1 and none1 save the poorest of the population1 were left behind 7#b ,k4 xxiv4 #h-af74 ,,mattaniah1 the uncle of the captive king1 was now placed by the ,babylonian monarch in charge of the exhausted kingdom1 and took the name of ,,zedekiah4 ,in defiance of the dictates of common prudence1 and of the advice of the prophet ,jeremiah 7,jer4 xxvii4 xxviii42 ,comp4 ,ezek4 xvii4 #ab-ba71 he was foolish enough to court an alliance with ,pharaoh-,hophra1 or ,apries1 a new and enterprising monarch in ,egypt#dch4 ,instantly the ,babylonian armies were put in motion1 and overran all ,judah1 while ,jerusalem together with ,lachish and ,azekah alone held out4 ,a temporary delay was caused by an effort of the king of ,egypt to relieve his ally1 and the necessity of first repulsing the ,egyptian forces4 ,this achieved1 the ,chaldans again presented themselves before the walls of the ,holy ,city1 and besieged it for upwards of #af months4 ,the wretched inhabitants were reduced to the most fearful straits4 ,famine prevailed throughout the city 7#b ,k4 xxv4 #c72 the tongue of the sucking child clave to the roof of its mouth for thirst1 the young children cried for bread1 and no man brake it unto them 7,lam4 iv4 #d72 nobles that had ever before fed delicately1 searched even dunghills for any remnants of food that might be found 7,lam4 iv4 #e72 and mothers boiled their own children 7,lam4 iv4 #aj74 ,the ,lord at last poured upon the city the cup of ,his fierce anger for all its iniquities1 and its ,day of ,doom was come4 ,at length the ,chaldan armies effected a breach in the strong walls1 and made their way into the city4 ,with a few of his troops ,zedekiah effected his escape to ,jericho1 but was pursued1 captured1 and sent to ,nebuchadnezzar at ,riblah4 ,judgment was then passed upon him 7#b ,k4 xxv4 #f71 and his sons having first been put to death before his face1 his eyes were thrust out#dci1 and laden with fetters he was removed to ,babylon1 ,b4,c4 #ehh4 ,punishment having thus been inflicted on the king1 ,nebuzar-adan1 an officer high in the confidence of the ,babylonian monarch1 was dispatched to ,jerusalem1 to carry out the complete destruction of the city4 ,by his orders1 the ,temple1 the royal palace1 the houses of the wealthy1 were set on fire2 the walls were broken down2 the sacred vessels of the once glorious ,house of ,jehovah were plundered2 the brazen pillars were broken up2 the chief priests were put to death2 and the rest with the greater part of the inhabitants were removed to ,babylon4 ,a scanty remnant was permitted to remain in their native land to be vine-dressers and husbandmen 7,jer4 lii4 #af71 under the superintendence of ,,gedaliah1 who with a ,chaldan guard 7,jer4 xl4 #a1 #b1 #e7 was stationed at ,mizpeh#ddj 7#b ,k4 xxv4 #bc2 ,jer4 xl4 #f71 a strong fortress #f miles north of ,jerusalem4 ,declining the offer of a retreat at ,babylon1 ,jeremiah resolved to share the lot of this miserable remnant in his own land 7,jer4 xl4 #f74 ,but even the late terrible misfortunes could not calm the spirit of faction4 ,gedaliah was assassinated under circumstances of revolting treachery by ,,ishmael1 a man of royal blood1 together with some of the ,chaldan guard 7,see #b ,k4 xxv4 #be2 ,jer4 xli4 #a-aj74 ,johanan1 one of the captains of the army of ,judah1 who had in vain warned ,gedaliah of his danger 7,jer4 xl4 #ac-af71 gathered a force and pursued the assassin as far as ,gibeon1 but he effected his escape beyond ,jordan to the country of the ,ammonites 7,jer4 xli4 #ae74 ,then the little remnant of ,jews1 fearful of the vengeance of the ,babylonian monarch1 contrary to the advice of ,jeremiah 7,jer4 xlii4 #g-bb71 fled into ,egypt1 and after first settling at ,tahpanhes 7,jer4 xliii4 #g71 were scattered throughout the country at ,migdol1 ,noph1 and ,pathros 7,jer4 xliv4 #a71 whither also ,jeremiah accompanied them1 to share their fortunes and to die#dda4 ,,book ,,xi4 ,,from ,,the ,,captivity ,,to ,,the ,,close ,,of ,,the ,,canon4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,daniel ,,and ,,nebuchadnezzar4 ,,dan4 ,i4-,,iii4 ,b4,c4 ,,circ4 #fjf-egj4 8,nothing10 it has been remarked1 8could present a more striking contrast to their native country than the region into which the ,hebrews were now transplanted4 ,instead of their irregular and picturesque mountain-city1 crowning its unequal heights1 and looking down into its deep and precipitous ravines1 through one of which a scanty stream wound along1 they entered the vast1 square1 and level city of ,babylon1 occupying both sides of the broad ,euphrates2 while all around spread immense plains1 which were intersected by long straight canals1 bordered by rows of willows4 ,how unlike their national templea small but highly finished and richly adorned fabric1 standing in the midst of its courts on the brow of a lofty precipicethe colossal temple of the ,chaldan ,bel1 rising from the plain1 with its eight stupendous stories or towers1 one above the other1 to the perpendicular height of a furlong6 ,the palace of the ,babylonian king was more than twice the size of their whole city3 it covered eight miles1 with its hanging gardens built on arched terraces1 each rising above the other1 and rich in all the luxuriance of artificial cultivation4 ,how different from the sunny cliffs of their own land1 where the olive and the vine grew spontaneously1 and the cool1 shady1 and secluded valleys1 where they could always find shelter from the heat of the burning noon6 ,no wonder1 then1 that in the pathetic words of their own hymn1 ,by the waters of ,babylon they sat down and wept1 when they remembered thee1 ,o ,zion#ddb0 7,ps4 cxxxvii4 #a74 ,thus far removed from their native land1 amidst a strange people and strange rites1 and exposed to all the influences of contact with their conquerors1 we might1 in the usual order of things1 have expected that the ,jews would have ceased to remain a nation at all4 ,but with them it was not thus to be4 ,the ten tribes1 indeed1 are never heard of more1 but the remnant of ,judah and ,benjamin in ,babylonia so far from blending its national life with that of its conquerors1 remained a separate people1 and preserved its national institutions4 ,we shall very much misunderstand their condition1 if we suppose that the ,jews became bondsmen or serfs#ddc4 ,they were 8colonists rather than captives20 they received grants of land1 agricultural or pastoral1 out of the conquered territories at the disposal of ,nebuchadnezzar2 and so valuable were their services considered that not a few rose to high eminence 7,dan4 ii4 #dh71 and held confidential positions next to the person of the sovereign4 ,while1 moreover1 they increased in numbers and wealth1 they retained an internal jurisdiction over their own members2 they kept up amongst themselves distinctions of rank2 they preserved their genealogies 7,neh4 vii4 #e1 #f1 #fd72 and although from the absence of any common centre of worship they could only observe the ,mosaic ,law in part#ddd1 still they retained the rite of circumcision1 the distinction of meats1 and other points 7,comp4 ,dan4 i4 #h2 ,esth4 iii4 #h74 ,nor did the ,providence1 which had hitherto watched over them1 fail them in the land of exile4 ,the voice of ,prophecy1 so far from being hushed1 now swelled into louder strains4 ,while ,,jeremiah#dde warned and exhorted them at the outset of this sad period in their history1 ,,ezekiel did not fail for #cj years to carry on the same work in the land of exile itself1 while another and one of the most illustrious of their number rose to the very highest position1 and proved the 8,moses of the ,captivity10 and the fourth of the greater ,prophets4 ,in the fourth year of ,jehoiakim1 ,b4,c4 #fjf1 as we have already seen#ddf1 ,nebuchadnezzar had ordered the ,chief of the ,eunuchs to remove to ,babylon certain select youths of royal descent1 who from their talents seemed likely to be of service in his court4 ,of these one was ,,daniel1 apparently of the blood royal 7,dan4 i4 #c71 and gifted with no common talents 7,dan4 i4 #d74 ,with three other companions of the tribe of ,judah1 ,,hananiah1 ,,mishael1 and ,,azariah1 he was removed to the ,babylonian court1 and there trained for the king's service in the learning and language of the ,chaldans 7,dan4 i4 #d74 ,moreover1 in accordance with a common custom1 his name was changed1 and he and his three companions were now known as ,,belteshazzar1 ,,shadrach1 ,,meshach1 and ,,abednego4 ,during the three years of their training they were not forgetful of the ,law and ,religion of their fathers1 and with unusual firmness of character declined to partake of the daily allowance of meat and wine supplied them from the royal table1 either probably because it was ceremonially unclean1 or had been offered in sacrifice to the ,assyrian gods4 ,preferring to live on the simplest fare1 they yet proved as comely and well-favoured as though they had been fed on the rarest dainties1 and when brought before ,nebuchadnezzar were pronounced to excel in wisdom and knowledge the wisest men in his empire1 and were rewarded with high positions about his court 7,dan4 i4 #ae74 ,while they were thus employed1 a remarkable circumstance took place4 ,nebuchadnezzar dreamt a dream1 which exceedingly troubled his spirit4 ,summoning the magi and astrologers1 he demanded that it should be instantly interpreted4 ,they promised the interpretation1 if they might be told the dream4 ,but though this had escaped the monarch's memory1 he reiterated his command2 and when told that to obey it was impossible1 issued an edict commanding the instant destruction of all the wise men throughout his realms4 ,this despotic order was made known to ,daniel by ,arioch the 8captain of the executioners10 who was charged to see it carried out4 ,the ,jewish exile instantly sought an audience with the monarch1 and having succeeded in gaining time for a fuller consideration1 summoned his three friends1 who with fervent prayer to ,,him1 8from whom no secrets are hid10 besought a revelation of the dream4 ,their prayers were heard1 and at a second audience ,daniel disclosed the ,vision of the ,night4 ,the monarch had beheld a great ,image1 the form of which was terrible4 ,the head was of fine gold1 the breast and the arms of silver1 the belly and sides of brass1 the legs of iron1 the feet partly iron and partly clay4 ,the excellent brightness of this ,image the monarch had watched1 till he suddenly saw a stone cut out of a mountain without hands smite the feet of the ,image till it broke in pieces1 and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors1 while the stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth4 ,such was the ,vision which ,daniel then proceeded to interpret4 8,the king himself was this head of gold4 ,to him the ,god of heaven had given a kingdom1 power1 and strength1 and glory4 ,after him should arise another kingdom inferior to his2 after that a third kingdom of brass1 which should bear rule over all the earth2 to which would succeed a fourth kingdom strong as iron1 breaking in pieces and subduing all things4 ,that kingdom1 with its feet and toes1 part of iron and part of clay1 would be partly strong and partly brittle1 and its subjects would mingle themselves with the seed of men1 but they would not cleave one to another1 even as iron is not mixed with clay1 and would make room for another kingdom1 which ,god ,himself would set up1 to break in pieces and consume all the previous kingdoms1 and itself stand for ever#ddg0 7,dan4 ii4 #cf-de74 ,the great ,babylonian monarch was profoundly affected by this proof of superhuman knowledge4 ,he fell down on his face and worshipped ,daniel2 commanded that an oblation and sweet odours should be offered unto him2 bestowed on him costly presents1 and made him viceroy over the whole province of ,babylon1 and supreme over all the wise men of his empire4 ,in the hour of his prosperity ,daniel did not forget his three companions4 ,by his intercession similar honours were bestowed upon them1 while he himself retained the pre-eminence in the gate of the king 7,dan4 ii4 #df-di74 ,though on this memorable occasion the new viceroy had been pre-eminently faithful to the ,god of his fathers1 and by his ascription of all his wisdom to a higher ,power1 had made the great monarch he served acknowledge that there was a ,god of gods and ,lord of lords1 the lesson does not seem to have made a very lasting impression on ,nebuchadnezzar's mind4 ,in the vast empire he had won by his arms there were many different nations1 with different gods1 and different modes of worship4 ,over all he was supreme1 and with the true feeling of an ,oriental despot it seemed to him only right that they should all acknowledge his chief deity4 ,this was the great ,bel1 or ,bel-,merodach#ddh1 8the supreme chief of the gods10 8the king of the heavens and the earth10 the ,jupiter of the ,babylonian ,pantheon4 ,it was possibly an image of this god#ddi1 #fj cubits high and #f broad1 and overlaid with golden plates#dej1 which he now proceeded to set up on the plain of ,dura1 with the command that at the sound of instruments of music1 all his subjects1 from the highest to the lowest1 should fall down and worship it1 on penalty of being flung into a burning fiery furnace 7,dan4 iii4 #e1 #f74 ,in accordance with this edict1 all the officers of the court of ,babylon1 and the governors of the different provinces who had been summoned to assist at the ceremony1 flocked to the plain of ,dura1 and with one consent1 as soon as the music sounded1 prostrated themselves before the great dumb image which their lord had set up4 ,but ,daniel's three friends1 ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 and ,abednego1 in this hour of trial remained faithful to the religion of their fathers1 neither falling down nor worshipping with the rest4 ,this act of disobedience to their master was quickly perceived by many of the native ,chaldans1 who were already filled with jealousy at the elevation of the exiles1 and they were not slow in reporting it to ,nebuchadnezzar4 ,on hearing it1 that monarch's wrath knew no bounds4 ,he summoned them before him2 he reiterated the command he had already issued2 he warned them that in spite of their high position they should certainly suffer the penalty of their disobedience4 ,but his words were wasted4 ,these three mighty ones in 8the noble army of martyrs0 replied that they were not careful to answer him in this matter2 their ,god could1 if such was ,his will1 deliver them from the fiery furnace1 and even if ,he did not1 they would not serve the monarch's god1 or bow before the ,image he had set up 7,dan4 iii4 #af-ah74 ,this outspoken refusal filled ,nebuchadnezzar with still greater fury4 ,the form of his visage was changed1 he bade the furnace be heated seven times more than it was wont to be heated1 and ordered the mightiest captains in his army to bind the three1 and fling them into the fire4 ,his words were obeyed1 but at the cost of the lives of his captains1 who fell victims to their zeal1 being caught by the raging flames4 ,moreover1 when he looked to see the three martyrs speedily reduced to ashes1 behold they were observed loose1 walking unscathed in the midst of the fire1 accompanied by a ,celestial ,being1 in whom the monarch discerned none other than a 8,son of ,god60 ,thereupon he drew near to the mouth of the furnace1 and bade his intended victims come forth4 ,and they came forth1 and on their bodies1 as all attested1 the fire was seen to have had no power1 neither was a hair of their head singed1 neither had the smell of fire passed over them4 ,filled with admiration for their heroic faith1 the monarch issued a decree that all men1 far and wide1 throughout his empire should revere the ,god of these ,hebrews1 and that every people1 nation1 or language that spake word against their ,god1 should be cut in pieces1 and their houses made a dunghill 7,dan4 iii4 #bi74 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,reigns ,,of ,,nebuchadnezzar1 ,,belshazzar1 ,,and ,,darius4 ,,dan4 ,,iv4-,,vi4 ,b4,c4 #egj-ech4 ,,though from the incident just recorded ,nebuchadnezzar had learnt to know the greatness of the ,god of ,israel1 a still sterner lesson was needed to teach him his own position in reference to the ,most ,high4 ,he was by far the greatest of the ,babylonian monarchs4 ,his name was known1 his power was dreaded throughout the entire ,eastern world4 ,he was the conqueror of ,syria1 of ,phnicia1 of ,tyre1 of ,palestine4 ,he was the adorner and beautifier of his native land4 ,he built noble cities2 he raised stately temples2 he renovated1 fortified1 almost rebuilt ,babylon2 he constructed quays and breakwaters#dea1 reservoirs1 canals1 and aqueducts on a scale of grandeur and magnificence surpassing everything of the kind recorded in history#deb4 ,perhaps no single man ever left behind him as his memorial1 one-half the amount of building which was erected by this king4 ,the palace he built for himself in ,babylon with its triple walls1 its hanging gardens1 its plated pillars1 was regarded in his day as one of the wonders of the world1 while even at the present hour#dec it is his name which is stamped upon well-nigh every brick found amidst the ruins of his capital4 ,amidst all this earthly grandeur he had grown and become strong2 his greatness reached unto heaven1 and his dominion to the end of the earth4 ,inflated with pride1 he became a god unto himself1 and knew not that he was but an instrument in the hand of ,him1 who ruleth in the kingdom of men1 and giveth it to whomsoever ,he will 7,dan4 iv4 #ag74 ,this was the lesson he had now to learn1 and he learned it on this wise4 ,one night he dreamed a dream which none of his wise men could interpret4 ,daniel1 therefore1 was once more summoned before him1 and listened while the monarch revealed the ,vision of the ,night4 ,i saw1 he said1 and behold a ,tree in the midst of the earth1 and the height thereof was great1 reaching unto the heaven1 and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth4 ,the leaves thereof were fair1 and the fruit much1 and the beasts of the field had shadow under it1 the fowls of heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof1 and all flesh fed of it4 ,and1 behold6 there came down from heaven a ,watcher and a ,holy ,one1 who cried out1 ,hew down the ,tree1 and cut off his branches1 but leave the stump of his roots in the earth1 even with a band of iron and brass1 and let it be wet with the dew of heaven1 and let his portion be with the beasts1 and let his heart be changed from man's1 and let a beast's heart be given him1 and let seven times pass over him4 ,such was the ,vision4 ,what was the interpretation8 ,daniel did not disguise it from the monarch4 8,the ,tree was no other than himself4 ,for him there was a great trial in store4 ,a day was near1 when he would be cast down from his place of power1 would be driven from the society of men1 would have his dwelling with the beasts of the field1 until seven times had passed over him and he revived and knew for a truth that not he1 but the ,most ,high ruled in the kingdom of heaven1 and gave dominion and power to whomsoever ,he would0 7,dan4 iv4 #a-bg74 ,thus a warning was given him1 but it was disregarded4 ,nebuchadnezzar did not1 as ,daniel bade1 break off his sins by righteousness1 and his iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor4 ,twelve months afterwards he was walking in that glorious palace which he had made for himself1 and in a moment of overweening pride he cried1 ,is not this great ,babylon1 that ,i have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power1 and for the honour of my majesty8 ,the words had hardly been spoken1 when his doom came upon him4 ,the thick pall of madness#ded settled down upon him2 the mind of a man departed from him1 and that of a beast entered in4 ,casting off his robes1 he refused the food and habitation of men2 mingling with the cattle in the fields1 he remained exposed to the weather day and night1 till his hair was grown as eagles' feathers1 and his nails like birds' claws#dee 7,dan4 iv4 #cc74 ,meanwhile1 as seems most probable1 his queen ,nitocris administered his kingdom1 and at length1 after an interval of four1 or perhaps seven years1 as he did not scruple to declare in a proclamation addressed to his people1 he came to himself4 ,his understanding came back to him2 he lifted up his eyes to heaven1 and blessed the ,most ,high1 and praised and honoured ,him that liveth for ever4 ,with his reason1 the glory also of his kingdom returned4 ,his counsellors and his lords sought him and brought him back to his palace1 and excellent majesty was added unto him4 ,resuming his great works which had been suspended1 he 8added fresh wonders in his old age to the marvellous constructions of his manhood10 and after a reign of #dc years died1 ,b4,c4 #efa1 at the advanced age of #hc or #hd1 and was succeeded by his son ,evil-,merodach4 ,shortly after his accession the new king released ,,jehoiachin1 king of ,judah1 from the prison where he had been confined for #ch years1 set his throne above the throne of the other captive princes at ,babylon1 and gave him a daily allowance from the royal table 7#b ,kings xxv4 #bg-cj74 ,but in the course of one or two years he was assassinated1 and one of the conspirators1 ,neriglissar or ,nerigassolassar usurped the throne1 ,b4,c4 #eei1 and held the government for #c years and a half1 bequeathing it to his son ,laborosoarchod1 ,b4,c4 #eef4 ,in the course of nine months1 he was succeeded by ,nabonadius#def1 or ,labynetus1 ,b4,c4 #eee4 ,meanwhile the neighbouring kingdom of ,media had been the scene of a great revolution1 in which ,babylon eventually became involved4 ,mandane a daughter of ,astyages1 who mounted the ,median throne ,b4,c4 #eie1 married ,cambyses1 a ,persian of the royal family of the ,achmenid1 and became the mother of ,,cyrus the ,great#deg4 ,alienated by his tyranny and wearying of his rule a large body of the subjects of ,astyages transferred their affections to this prince1 who heading a revolt1 defeated and captured the ,median king near ,pasargad1 ,b4,c4 #eei1 and obtained the supremacy over the combined ,medo-,persic empire4 ,at first the conqueror did not march against ,babylon1 and ,nabonadius formed an alliance with ,crsus king of ,lydia1 and employed himself diligently in strengthening his capital1 storing up provisions1 and erecting defensive works4 ,but ,cyrus gained a complete victory over the ,lydian king ,b4,c4 #edf1 and at the end of about six years appeared before ,babylon4 ,after a single engagement he drove the ,babylonians within their defences 7,jer4 li4 #cj71 and commenced a regular siege4 ,at this time ,nabonadius does not appear to have been present in his capital1 having fled to ,borsippa after the late engagement4 ,but he left behind him a son whom he had a few years before admitted to a share in the government#deh4 ,this was ,bil-shar-uzar1 the ,belshazzar of the ,scripture narrative4 ,this prince made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles1 his wives and concubines1 and high estates of the realm1 in the midst of which1 heated with wine1 he commanded that all the gold and silver vessels1 which his grandfather#dei ,nebuchadnezzar had taken from the plunder of ,jerusalem1 should be brought forth1 and from them the assembled guests drank in honour of their various gods4 ,but in the midst of their festivities the ,fingers of a ,man's ,hand were seen to write mysterious words on the plaister of the palace wall4 ,instantly all the brightness of ,belshazzar's countenance vanished1 his thoughts troubled him1 his knees smote one against another4 ,with loud voice he bade the astrologers and soothsayers be brought before him1 and promised honour1 place1 and power to any that would interpret the mystic words4 ,but this none of the wise men of his realm could do4 ,amidst the alarm and confusion1 the ,queen-mother now entered1 and advised that they should consult ,daniel1 who seems at this time to have been living in close retirement4 ,accordingly he was brought in1 and after declining all the monarch's promised rewards1 sternly rebuked him1 for that though he knew all that his grandfather's pride had brought down upon him1 he had yet lifted up himself against the ,lord of ,heaven1 and in impious triumph profaned the sacred vessels once dedicated to that ,god who now had sent him this message1 ,,mene1 ,god hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it2 ,,tekel1 thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting2 ,,peres1 thy kingdom is divided and given to the ,medes and ,persians 7,dan4 v4 #be-bh74 ,that very night the ,prophet's words were fulfilled4 ,having diverted the course of the ,euphrates1 ,cyrus assaulted the city from the dry bed of the river1 captured it1 and slew ,belshazzar1 ,b4,c4 #ech1 thus fulfilling the prophecies of ,isaiah 7xxi4 #i2 xlv4 #a7 and ,jeremiah 7li4 #ca-ci74 ,hastening on to other conquests1 ,cyrus entrusted the captured city to a viceroy#dfj1 known in ,scripture as ,darius the ,mede#dfa4 ,he signalized his accession to power by setting over the kingdom of ,babylon ,proper1 either as a body of councillors or provincial governors1 #abj princes1 subject to the authority of three presidents1 of whom ,daniel1 now far advanced in life1 was chief 7,dan4 vi4 #b74 ,old and grey-headed1 he still remained faithful to the ,god of his fathers4 ,and now moved with jealousy at his elevation1 the other nobles resolved to compass his ruin4 ,unable to accuse him of any failure in the administration of the kingdom1 they persuaded ,darius to pass an irrevocable decree1 like the law of the ,medes and ,persians1 ordaining that for a space of #cj days no one should offer up any petition to any god or man save to the monarch himself1 on penalty of being flung into a den of lions4 ,this decree ,daniel regarded not2 steadfast in the religion of his fathers1 he opened the windows of his chamber towards ,jerusalem1 and three times a-day1 as had been his wont1 offered up his prayers to his ,god4 ,the nobles now had the opportunity they had coveted1 and they reported his conduct to the king4 ,sorely against his will1 and after fruitless efforts to deliver him from their malice1 ,darius bade the sentence be executed4 ,the aged prophet was flung into the den1 the mouth thereof was closed1 and sealed with the royal signet1 and the signet of the lords and princes4 ,fasting and sleepless the monarch passed the night1 neither were instruments of music brought before him4 ,rising early in the morning he sought out the lions' den1 and to his great joy found that ,jehovah had protected ,his faithful servant1 had sent ,his angel1 and shut the lions' mouths4 ,thereupon he ordered him to be brought forth1 and then issued instructions for the immediate execution of his accusers1 who1 according to the cruel but usual ,oriental custom1 were with their wives and children flung into the den and torn in pieces4 ,not content with this1 he proclaimed that throughout his vast empire adoration should be paid to the ,god of ,daniel1 the living ,god1 steadfast for ever1 who worketh signs and wonders in heaven1 and hath delivered ,his servant from the power of the lions 7,dan4 vi4 #bg74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,rebuilding ,,of ,,the ,,temple4 ,,esther ,,and ,,ahasuerus4 ,,ezra ,i4-,,iv4 ,,esther ,i4-,x4 ,b4,c4 #ecf-dgi4 ,,at the time when ,cyrus thus became the ruler of an empire greater even than ,assyria itself1 seventy#dfb years had elapsed since the capture of ,jerusalem in the reign of ,jehoiakim 7,dan4 ix4 #a1 #b74 ,the prosperity he had already enjoyed under so many sovereigns ,daniel still retained under the new monarch1 and it was probably through his influence that in the first year of his reign1 or ,b4,c4 #ecf1 ,cyrus issued a decree giving permission to the ,jews to return to their native land and rebuild their ,temple4 ,to aid them in so doing he restored to them the sacred vessels which ,nebuchadnezzar had carried off from ,jerusalem1 and instructed the pashas throughout the various provinces to afford them every facility for their return 7,ezra i4 #a-f74 ,the majority1 however1 of the ,jews who had for years been comfortably settled in the land of exile1 and had there risen to affluence and high positions1 preferred to retain their settlements#dfc1 and only #db1cfj attended by #g1ccg servants were found willing to return to their native land4 ,over this body ,,zerubbabel1 the head of the house of ,judah1 and grandson of ,king ,jehoiachin1 was invested with the supreme authority4 ,he had held some office in the ,babylonian court1 and had received the ,chaldan name of ,sheshbazzar4 ,appointed by ,cyrus to the governorship of ,jerusalem1 and accompanied by the high-priest ,,jeshua1 and possibly the prophets ,,haggai and ,,zechariah1 with copious presents of silver and gold 7,ezr4 i4 #g-aa71 he set out at the head of the returning colonists and before long reached ,jerusalem#dfd4 ,seven months after their return1 the ,altar of ,burnt-sacrifice was re-erected on its ancient site1 and the priests and ,levites offered burnt-offerings and sacrifices4 ,this done1 preparations were made by the ,prince of the ,captivity for his great work1 the rebuilding of the ,temple4 ,a grant of money for this purpose having been already received from ,cyrus1 cedar trees were brought from ,lebanon to ,joppa2 masons and carpenters were hired2 and in the #bnd month of the #bnd year of their return1 the foundations of the second ,temple were laid1 with all the pomp and ceremonial that circumstances admitted4 ,the priests in their apparel with trumpets1 the ,levites the sons of ,asaph with cymbals 7,ezr4 iii4 #aj1 #aa71 sang the same ,psalms1 to the sound of which the first ,temple had been dedicated1 and the people responded with a great shout1 which1 however1 was well-nigh drowned by the sobs and lamentations of many1 especially the older men1 who had beheld the glories of the former ,temple4 ,but the good work was not to proceed unopposed4 ,informed of their design1 the ,samaritans requested to be allowed some share in its promotion4 ,this ,zerubbabel and ,jeshua unwisely rejected1 and the ,samaritans thereupon exhausted every artifice to prevent the completion of the work4 ,after putting them to various other annoyances1 they hired counsellors to misrepresent them at the court of ,persia1 and eventually succeeded in preventing any further progress during the reign of ,cyrus1 and of his successors ,cambyses and ,smerdis1 ,b4,c4 #ebe-eba 7,ezr4 iv4 #aa-bd74 ,but in the second year of ,darius ,hystaspes1 ,b4,c4 #ebj1 the stirring words of the prophets ,,haggai and ,,zechariah 7,hag4 i4 #a-h2 ,zech4 i4 #a-f7 roused once more the spirits of ,zerubbabel and ,jeshua1 and a fresh and determined effort was made to complete the work4 ,the ,persian satraps of the province1 ,tatnai and ,shetharboznai1 came to ,jerusalem1 and after an inspection of the work applied to the ,persian court for instructions whether it was to be permitted to go on 7,ezr4 v4 #f-ag74 ,darius caused the archives at ,ecbatana to be searched1 and at length the original decree of ,cyrus being discovered1 he reissued it1 and at the same time commanded the ,persian satraps instead of offering any molestation to the ,jewish colony1 to promote the work to the utmost of their power 7,ezr4 vi4 #e-ac74 ,thus aided1 the ,jews pressed forward with such vigour that1 in the #hth year of the reign of ,darius1 the ,temple was completed and ready for dedication1 ,b4,c4 #eaf4 ,this ceremony was performed with every solemnity1 numerous sacrifices were offered1 the priests were redistributed into courses1 and the ,passover was celebrated with great rejoicings 7,ezr4 vi4 #ae-bb74 ,during the remainder of the long reign of ,darius1 the ,jews enjoyed a continuance of peace and tranquillity4 ,but in the year ,b4,c4 #dhe1 ,,ahasuerus#dfe1 the ,,xerxes of profane history1 ascended the ,persian throne4 ,when he had reigned three years1 this capricious despot made a feast for all his nobles at ,susa1 and on the seventh day of the revels ordered ,vashti his queen to grace the banquet with her presence4 ,with a due concern for her own dignity the queen declined1 which so enraged her lord that he issued a decree deposing her from her royal station1 and ordering a general levy of beautiful virgins1 that he might select from them a new queen 7,esth4 ii4 #a-d74 ,at this time there was living at ,susa a ,jew named ,mordecai1 of the tribe of ,benjamin 7,esth4 ii4 #e74 ,having no child of his own1 he had adopted his cousin ,,hadassah or ,,esther1 a beautiful orphan4 ,together with the other virgins she was brought into the royal harem1 and found such favour with the monarch that in the seventh year of his reign1 without enquiring into her kindred or people1 he ordered her to be crowned in place of the deposed queen 7,esth4 iii4 #af74 ,by virtue of his relationship ,mordecai1 too1 shared in the prosperity of his niece1 and became one of those who sat in the king's gate 7,esth4 ii4 #da74 ,in this capacity he discovered a plot of the eunuchs to assassinate the king1 which he duly divulged1 and they were executed1 while a record of his services was entered in the royal chronicles4 ,but ,mordecai had a rival for the royal favour in the person of ,,haman1 an ,agagite1 i4e4 probably a descendant of the ancient ,amalekite kings4 ,rapidly outstripping all his other competitors1 the new favourite was advanced to the highest position in the kingdom1 and was treated with the utmost reverence by everyone1 save ,mordecai only4 ,stung to the quick at this slight1 and having discovered the secret of his rival's lineage1 ,haman resolved to strike a blow against the nation to which ,mordecai belonged4 ,accordingly he represented to his royal master that the ,jews1 scattered and dispersed throughout the provinces of his empire1 were a dangerous and turbulent race1 of alien habits and religion1 who ought to be put to death2 and from the confiscation of their property he promised to place in the royal coffers upwards of #aj1jjj talents of silver4 ,the prospect of so large an increase to his dilapidated fortunes was eagerly favoured by the reckless despot1 and assenting to the cruel scheme1 he placed his signet-ring in the hands of ,haman1 who quickly saw that a decree was issued for the wholesale destruction of the ,jewish exiles throughout the ,persian dominions1 without regard to sex or age 7,esth4 iii4 #h-ae74 ,news of what was designed before long reached the ears of ,mordecai4 ,knowing that he himself was the main cause of this bloodthirsty decree1 he was filled with the utmost alarm1 and sat down arrayed in sackcloth and ashes at the king's gate4 ,his strange conduct being reported to ,esther1 she sent to her relative to ascertain the cause1 and then for the first time learnt the contents of ,haman's edict4 ,in this awful crisis she resolved to put her life in her hand1 and to intercede with the king in behalf of her people4 ,meanwhile1 at her suggestion1 all the ,jews at ,susa maintained for three days a solemn fast1 and then1 arrayed in her royal apparel1 and radiant in her beauty1 she presented herself before the king4 ,the captivated monarch stretched forth the golden sceptre1 and invited her to prefer her petition4 ,let the king and ,haman1 she begged1 come to a banquet of wine4 ,they came1 but declining to make known her petition for the present1 she invited the two to a similar feast on the following day 7,esth4 v4 #h74 ,overjoyed at these special marks of honour1 ,haman eagerly recounted them to his wife and family1 but declared that they availed him nothing so long as his rival was permitted to retain his place at the king's gate4 ,they1 therefore1 advised that a gallows #ej cubits high should be erected1 and that he should request the king's permission to hang ,mordecai thereon4 ,but that night1 the monarch1 unable to sleep1 ordered certain of the chronicles to be read before him1 and now for the first time learnt the service the ,jewish exile had rendered by revealing the plot against his own life4 ,in answer to his enquiries1 he had just ascertained that no mark of the royal approval had been bestowed upon his benefactor1 when ,haman entered the court in the early morning to request that execution might be carried out upon his hated rival4 ,the king enquired what ought to be done to the man he delighted to honour4 ,imagining that none but himself could be intended1 the favourite suggested that he should be clad in royal apparel1 crowned with the king's diadem1 and mounted on the royal mule1 be conducted through the streets of ,susa by one of the king's most noble friends4 ,the monarch approved1 and bade him straightway confer all these marks of honour on no other than ,mordecai4 ,not daring to disobey1 he arrayed his rival in the gorgeous robes of the king1 and conducted him through the streets of the city4 ,then with a heavy heart he returned home1 and recounted to his family the strange events of the day4 ,a presentiment of coming doom came over his relatives1 but a hasty summons to the royal banquet cut short their deliberations4 ,for the second time the monarch desired to learn the queen's petition1 and ,esther now revealed the danger of her nation1 and denounced the wicked conspirator4 ,filled with wrath ,ahasuerus ordered his instant execution1 and at the suggestion of one of the eunuchs he was hanged on the very gallows he had constructed for his rival 7,esth4 vii4 #g-aj74 ,but the execution of ,haman was but a step in ,mordecai's designs for the delivery of his nation4 ,the edict for the massacre was still in force1 and couriers had already gone forth with it to the various provinces of the empire4 ,its revocation was forbidden by ,persian law1 but a second edict empowered the ,jews to assume the defensive against their adversaries1 of whom1 banding themselves together1 they slew #hjj at ,susa 7,esth4 ix4 #f1 #ae71 and #ge1jjj in the various provinces1 while ,haman's ten sons shared their father's fate 7,esth4 ix4 #ab1 #af74 ,in memory of this signal deliverance the ,jews to this day celebrate the ,feast of ,,purim or ,lots1 in ironical commemoration of their great enemy1 who had resorted to this mode of augury for ascertaining an auspicious day for executing his bloody design against their nation4 ,preceded by a strict fast on the #acth of ,adar#dff1 the festival is celebrated on the #adth and #aeth with great rejoicings4 ,according to modern usage the book of ,esther is read in the ,synagogue1 and when the reader comes to the name of ,haman1 the entire assembly shout1 ,let his name be blotted out1 let the name of the ungodly perish2 and the conclusion of the service is followed by feasting and merriment4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,times ,,of ,,ezra ,,and ,,nehemiah4 ,,close ,,of ,,the ,,canon4 ,,ezra ,,vii4-,x4 ,,neh4 ,i4-,,xiii4 ,b4,c4 #deg-dae4 ,,in the year ,b4,c4 #dfd ,artaxerxes ,longimanus succeeded to the ,persian throne4 ,his reign was favourable to the ,jews1 and was signalised1 ,b4,c4 #deh1 by a fresh migration to ,jerusalem headed by ,,ezra1 a descendant of ,hilkiah the high-priest in the time of ,josiah4 ,a royal ordinance empowered him not only to receive contributions from his own nation scattered throughout ,babylonia for the adornment of the ,temple at ,jerusalem1 but also to establish magistrates and judges throughout all ,judea1 and to claim assistance from the various pashas of the provinces through which he would pass 7,ezr4 vii4 #aa-bf74 ,thus aided and encouraged1 ,ezra persuaded about #f1jjj of his countrymen to take part in this second migration1 amongst whom were many of the priesthood1 both of the higher and lower orders4 ,after a fast of three days at the river ,ahava#dfg1 to supplicate the ,divine blessing on the enterprise1 the expedition set out1 and1 though not escorted by a royal guard1 reached ,jerusalem in safety 7,ezra viii4 #cb74 ,ezra was well received by the ,jewish governors1 but was pained to find much to blame in the conduct of his countrymen4 ,forgetful of the commands of the ,law1 they had in many instances intermarried with the surrounding heathen tribes4 ,he therefore devoted himself with all zeal to the correction of these abuses2 proclaimed a fast by way of atonement for past transgressions1 and succeeded in inducing many to put away their strange wives4 ,at the same time he commenced a more complete reorganization of the people according to the ,mosaic ,law and the institutes of ,david1 and1 it is not improbable1 a revision and rearrangement of the sacred ,books 7,ezra x4 #a-ag74 ,but though the ,persian monarchs had not been unwilling to render aid in the rebuilding of the ,jewish ,temple1 their policy had hitherto forbidden the re-erection of the city itself1 which still lay exposed and defenceless1 its walls broken down and its gates burned with fire 7,neh4 i4 #c71 the ,temple1 and a few private dwellings1 being the sole result of #hj years of effort4 ,in the #bjth year1 however1 of ,artaxerxes1 or ,b4,c4 #ddd1 there arrived at ,shusan a deputation from ,jerusalem1 with a sad account of the condition of the city1 which they laid before ,,nehemiah1 a ,jew1 probably of the tribe of ,judah1 who held a high position amongst the royal cup-bearers4 ,nehemiah instantly conceived the patriotic design of quitting the comforts of his present position1 and aiding his countrymen in their difficulties4 ,with fasting and prayer he sought the blessing of the ,most ,high on his design1 and shortly afterwards1 in reply to the enquiries of the king why his countenance was so sad1 poured forth the deep desire of his heart1 and begged that he might be allowed to go to ,judea1 and rebuild the city of his fathers4 ,artaxerxes consented#dfh1 on condition that he returned within a certain period2 and having appointed him ,tirshatha or governor of ,judea1 gave him letters to the pashas of the provinces through which he would pass1 as also to ,asaph the keeper of the royal forests1 directing him to supply timber and other necessaries for the work 7,neh4 ii4 #a-h74 ,thus empowered and guarded by a troop of cavalry1 ,nehemiah set out on his journey4 ,on his arrival at ,jerusalem he for three days kept silence as to his intentions1 but after a midnight survey of the ruined condition of the city1 openly proclaimed the purport of his visit1 and the royal commission under which he was acting4 ,he advised the instant rebuilding of the city walls1 till which was done the colony could not but be a reproach to the surrounding tribes1 with their city almost deserted1 and the ,temple itself falling into decay 7,neh4 ii4 #ab-bj74 ,his project was received with acclamation1 and a resolution was formed to press on with the work without delay4 ,but the coming of the new governor had reached the ears of the ,samaritans1 and ,sanballat the ,horonite#dfi1 ,tobiah an ,ammonite1 and ,geshem an ,arabian1 employed every artifice to defeat his designs4 ,nehemiah1 however1 was not to be daunted4 ,his object was to finish the walls in the shortest possible time1 and he therefore directed that while one half of the people wrought at the work1 the other should stand by armed and ready to defend them1 and that the workmen should hold in the one hand a weapon1 and in the other their tools4 ,thus by dint of incredible exertions1 within the brief space of #eb days ,jerusalem was again girded and enclosed1 the walls were rebuilt1 the ancient towers set up1 and the gateways were ready for the doors to be swung upon them 7,neh4 iv4 #ac-bc74 ,unable to impede by open violence the progress of the enterprise1 ,sanballat and his friends resorted to various stratagems to get ,nehemiah out of the city4 ,they began by proposing a conference with the governor in one of the villages of the plain of ,ono in ,benjamin4 ,four times was the proposition made1 and as often declined4 ,then resort was had to a still more cunning artifice4 ,sanballat sent to ,nehemiah an apparently friendly letter1 announcing the prevalence of a rumour among the heathen nations settled in ,samaria that he intended ,jerusalem to become the capital of an independent kingdom1 and had suborned prophets to prophesy of himself1 ,there is a king in ,judah4 ,such rumours were sure to reach the ,persian court1 but might be dissipated by a friendly conference4 ,at the same time ,noadiah a prophetess and others were bribed to represent to the governor the risk he was running1 and to persuade him to take refuge in the fortress of the ,temple4 ,but ,nehemiah saw through their designs1 and refused to give them any pretext for accusing him of conscious guilt 7,neh4 vi4 #a-ad74 ,in addition to these plots the governor had to be on his guard against treachery within the city itself1 where many of the ,jewish nobles were carrying on a secret correspondence with ,tobiah1 and even espoused his cause4 ,but in spite of all obstacles the work went on1 and the essential part of the governor's design1 the building of the gates1 was accomplished4 ,having thus provided for the external security of the city1 ,nehemiah applied himself with equal zeal to the correction of internal abuses4 ,one of these was the high rate of usury1 which those who had any money at their command1 exacted from their poorer brethren4 ,to such an extent was this the case1 that some mortgaged their fields1 vineyards1 and houses2 others sold or pledged the freedom of their children2 while many borrowed at the most exorbitant rates sufficient to pay the royal taxes 7,neh4 v4 #a-ad74 ,the discovery of this nefarious system roused the governor's indignation4 ,himself noble1 generous1 and highminded1 he declined even the usual supplies for his own table which former governors had received2 defrayed many expenses out of his own purse2 and even entertained the poorer classes of his countrymen at his own table 7,neh4 v4 #ad-ai74 ,with righteous sternness1 therefore1 he rebuked the nobles who connived at this disgraceful traffic1 and convoking an assembly demanded that his enslaved country men should be set free1 their debts remitted1 and the enormous interest foregone4 ,his rebukes had their effect4 ,the assembly unanimously announced their willingness to accede to his demands1 and abstain from such conduct in future4 ,other measures for the internal welfare of the city were then proceeded with4 ,the doors having been set up in the gates1 the custody of the city was committed to ,hanani1 a relative of the governor2 a register of the people was taken1 the ,law was solemnly read in their hearing by ,ezra 7,neh4 viii4 #a-af71 and the ,feast of ,tabernacles was celebrated with due solemnities1 from the #aeth to the #bbnd of the month ,tisri#dgj4 ,two days afterwards a ,fast was proclaimed1 and the people made a formal confession of their national sins1 and enumerated the gracious dealings of the ,most ,high with them1 from the ,call of ,abraham to the return from the ,captivity 7,neh4 ix4 #f-cg74 ,at the same time they ratified a solemn covenant to serve the ,lord with all their heart1 and keep the ordinances of the ,lord2 to avoid intermarriages with heathens2 to observe the ,sabbaths and other holy days1 and neither buy nor sell goods thereon2 to keep the seventh or ,sabbatical year1 and remit all debts during it2 to contribute each man one-third of a shekel towards the support of the ,temple-service1 and to maintain the customary first-fruits and tithes 7,neh4 x4 #bi-ci74 ,having in co-operation with ,ezra thus restored the national institutions1 ,nehemiah returned to the ,persian court1 ,b4,c4 #dcb4 ,during his absence the old abuses again began to creep in2 the people contracted alliances with foreigners1 neglected the ,sabbath1 and forgot the covenant they had so lately sworn to observe4 ,as soon as he was informed of this1 ,nehemiah sought and obtained permission to revisit once more the scene of his former labours1 and as ,tirshatha was invested with renewed powers4 ,returning after an absence of about nine years1 he found that ,eliashib the high-priest had permitted ,tobiah the ,ammonite to occupy a large chamber in the ,temple1 which had before been used as a store for the frankincense1 the holy vessels1 and the tithes of corn1 wine1 and oil4 ,thereupon he insisted on the expulsion of the intruder1 and the restoration of the ejected vessels and stores1 over which he appointed a ,levitical guard 7,neh4 xiii4 #a-ae74 ,he next introduced measures for the prevention of traffic on the ,day of ,rest1 and the celebration of mixed marriages1 alike amongst the lower and the higher orders of the people1 even deposing from his sacred functions the high-priest ,eliashib for permitting his son ,joiada to ally himself with a daughter of ,sanballat the ,horonite 7,neh4 xiii4 #ae-bh74 ,having thus completed his second administration1 this truly patriotic and upright governor in all probability returned to ,persia about ,b4,c4 #dac1 and there died4 ,with this date closes the ,history contained in the ,scriptures of the ,old ,testament4 ,while the mass of the ,hebrew people was scattered among the nations1 carrying with them1 wherever they went1 their ,law and their ,institutions1 we have seen a remnant1 as had indeed been foretold1 restored to their own land1 their holy ,temple rebuilt1 their glorious ,city raised from its ruins4 ,very different1 indeed1 was their position now from that which the nation had occupied during the palmy days of ,solomon1 when their kingdom stretched from 8the river of ,egypt0 to the ,euphrates1 from the mountains of ,lebanon to the ,red ,sea4 ,different1 too1 and far less costly was their ,temple in comparison with that which the artisans of ,hiram had built for the ,son of ,david1 but in its moral and spiritual condition the remnant of the nation far excelled the contemporaries of its greatest king4 ,in the furnace of affliction it had been thoroughly purified from all tendencies to idolatry4 ,the dreary years1 when their harps hung upon the willows by the waters of ,babylon1 had not been without their salutary effect upon the people4 ,there was no division now in the objects of their worship4 ,no high places were to be seen crowned with temples dedicated to ,baal or ,chemosh2 no groves screened with their leafy covert the impure orgies of ,ashtaroth2 no drums and cymbals drowned with their horrid clang the wail of infants in the valley of ,ben-,hinnom1 as they were passed through the fire to appease the cruel ,moloch4 ,these 8oracles0 were 8dumb40 ,the ,jew was no longer an idolater4 ,the ,divine ,unity was now the central truth of his creed4 ,the ,law once neglected was now read1 copied1 studied4 ,while ,nehemiah had earnestly applied himself to the civil administration1 ,ezra#dga1 and others after him1 with no less zeal devoted their energies to collecting1 transcribing1 arranging the ,sacred ,books4 ,these were ultimately classed under three divisions2 7i7 ,the ,law1 containing the five ,books of ,moses2 7ii7 ,the ,prophets1 which included the historical and prophetical writings2 7iii7 ,the ,psalms1 or ,hagiographa 7sacred writings71 comprising the poetical works4 ,meanwhile varied as had been the fortunes of the ,chosen ,people1 the ,assurance of a ,saviour1 of ,god's purpose of love in the promised ,seed1 had never been forgotten4 ,as first made known to man in ,paradise1 it did perhaps1 as we have seen#dgb1 little more than assure him of a future interposition in his behalf1 without informing him whether his ,redeemer should be one or many1 the collective race1 or a single deliverer4 ,but once given1 the realization of the ,promise becomes the goal of ,sacred ,history4 ,through one of the sons of ,noah#dgc1 it is limited to a particular race2 through the call of ,abraham#dgd to a particular nation2 through ,judah to a particular tribe4 ,when the people flee away from the terrors of ,sinai1 ,moses predicts the coming of a greater ,prophet#dge1 and a mightier ,mediator4 ,when the ,sceptre rises from ,judah#dgf4 and ,david sits upon his throne1 he himself speaks of a ,greater ,king#dgg1 of ,,one he calls his ,lord1 who shall sit upon his throne1 and of whose kingdom there shall be no end4 ,when the mournful close of ,solomon's reign proves that he could not be the destined king1 when his kingdom is rent in twain1 and his subjects become a prey to their enemies1 and are carried off into far distant lands1 even then the very sadness of the ,captivity only serves to correct the idea of the ,messiah1 and the 8,son of ,david0 gives place in the writings of ,daniel to the 8,son of ,man#dgh40 ,thus each crisis of the nation's history serves to bring the ,promise within narrower limits1 and to illustrate it with fresh details4 ,meanwhile1 as time rolls on1 and one prophet after another brings out some new particular1 foreshadowing the birth-place#dgi1 or the offices#dhj1 or the works of the ,messiah1 another ,voice begins to be heard in the ,temple of ,prophecy4 ,it is not jubilant and glad1 telling of triumph and of glory1 of the subjugation of nations1 or the setting up of a kingdom4 ,it is subdued and mournful4 ,it whispers of suffering and rejection1 of a triumph indeed1 but not the triumph of an earthly conqueror4 ,it speaks of the coming#dha of a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief2 of ,his being wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities2 of ,his being cut off1 but not for ,himself#dhb4 ,the earliest prophecy had declared that the seed of the woman should bruise the ,serpent's head1 but had whispered that the ,serpent would bruise his heel4 ,the latest declared that the ,messiah should triumph1 but also that ,he should die4 ,thus gradually1 but harmoniously1 was the person and work of man's ,redeemer unfolded4 ,and at length in the fulness of time#dhc a ,babe was born in ,bethlehem1 and laid in a manger4 ,seed of the ,woman1 of the race of ,shem1 of the descendants of ,abraham1 of the tribe of ,judah1 of the lineage of ,david1 ,he lived1 ,he died1 ,he rose again4 ,prophet like unto1 but infinitely greater than ,moses1 ,he gave us a law which shall never pass away#dhd2 ,priest like unto1 but not as ,aaron compassed about with infirmity1 ,he offered up on the ,altar of ,his ,cross a full1 perfect1 and sufficient sacrifice1 atonement1 and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world2 ,king like unto1 but infinitely higher than ,david1 ,he sitteth at the right hand of ,god1 clad in the glorified nature of the race ,he came to save1 the predicted ,redeemer of the ,old1 the revealed ,deliverer of the ,new ,testament1 in whom there is neither ,jew nor ,gentile1 neither male nor female1 neither bond nor free#dhe4 ,,appendix4 ,i4 ,,the ,,patriarchs ,,and ,,their ,,descendants4 ,iscah ,haran ,milcah ,,lot ,moab ,ammon ,laban ,,leah ,,terah ,nahor ,bethuel ,,rachel ,,rebekah 7of ,hagar7 ,ishmael ,,esau ,,abraham 7of ,leah7 ,reuben ,levi 7of ,sarah7 ,issachar ,,isaac ,simeon ,judah ,zebulun ,dinah ,,jacob 7of ,bilhah7 ,dan ,naphtali 7of ,zilpah7 ,gad ,asher 7of ,rachel7 ,,joseph ,ephraim ,manasseh ,benjamin ,,ii4 ,,levi ,,and ,,the ,,priesthood4 ,,miriam ,nadab ,,aaron ,abihu ,kohath ,amram ,eleazar #af courses ,ithamar #h courses ,,levi 7of ,priests47 ,,moses ,gershon ,merari ,,iii4 ,,kings ,,of ,,judah ,,and ,,israel4 ,b4,c4 ,saul #ajie ,david #ajee ,solomon #ajae ,division of the ,kingdom1 ,b4,c4 #ige4 ,,kingdoms ,,of ,,judah ,,and ,,israel4 ,,lines ,,of ,,policy4 ,,kings ,,of ,,judah4,b4,c4,,kings ,,of ,,israel4 ,,dynasties4 #a ,rehoboam #ige #a ,jeroboam #b ,abijah #ieh ,i4 ,i4 #c ,asa #iee ,b4,c4 #ige-iah #ied #b ,nadab ,period of mutual #iec #c ,baasha ,,ii4 hostility4 #icj #d ,elah #ibi #e ,zimri ,,iii4 #ibi #f ,omri #iah #g ,ahab #d ,jehoshaphat #iad ,,iv4 ,,ii4 #hih #h ,ahaziah ,b4,c4 #iah-hhd #hif #i ,jehoram ,period of mutual #e ,jehoram #hib alliance1 and #f ,ahaziah #hhe hostility to #g 7,athaliah7 #hhdaj ,jehu ,syria4 #h ,joash #hgh #hefaa ,jehoahaz #hdaab ,jehoash #i ,amaziah #hci ,v4 #hbeac ,jeroboam ,,ii4 #aj ,uzziah #haj #ast interregnum #ghcof about #aa years99 ,,iii4 #ggcad ,zachariah ,b4,c4 #hhd-ehh #ggbae ,shallum ,,vi4 ,renewal of mutual #ggbaf ,menahem ,,vii4 hostilities1 #gfaag ,pekahiah gradual decline #geiah ,pekah ,,viii4 of both kingdoms #aa ,jotham #geh before the power #ab ,ahaz #gdb of ,assyria4 #gcg #bnd interregnum #gcjai ,hoshea ,,ix4 #ac ,hezekiah #gbf #gba;,capture of ,samaria #ad ,manasseh #fih;and captivity of #ae ,amon #fdc;,israel4 #af ,josiah #fda #ag ,jehoahaz #faj #ah ,jehoiakim #faj #ai ,jehoiachin #eii or ,coniah #bj ,zedekiah #eii ,jerusalem #ehh destroyed 99 ,see ,clinton's ,epitome1 p4 #acc4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,prophets4 ,,period ,,illustrated ,,by ,,their ,,prophecies4 ,,probable ,,general ,,chron4 ,,kings ,,of ,,kings ,,of ,,division4 ,,order ,b4,c4 ,,israel4 ,,judah4 ,,major ,,prophets4 ,,prophets4 i4 ,before the ,babylonian ,four4 ,captivity4 #a ,isaiah 99#a ,jonah #hdj-ghd;,jehoash1 ,joash1 ,amaziah ,jeroboam ,,ii4 #b ,jeremiah #b ,joel #haj-gie;,jeroboam ,,ii4 ,joash #c ,ezekiel #c ,amos #haj-ghe;,jeroboam ,,ii4 ,uzziah #d ,daniel #d ,hosea #hjj-gbe;,jeroboam ,,ii4- ,uzziah1 ,jotham1 ,hoshea ,ahaz #e ,isaiah #geh-fii,pekahiah- ,ahaz1 ,hezekiah ,captivity #f ,micah #gfe-fih,menahem- ,uzziah1 ,jotham1 ,captivity ,ahaz1 ,hezekiah ,,minor ii4 ,near to ,,prophets4 and during the ,captivity ,twelve #a ,nahum #gbj-fih;,captivity of ,manasseh1 ,amon1 ,israel ,josiah #a ,hosea #b ,zephaniah #fdj-fji ,josiah1 ,jehoahaz #b ,joel #c ,habakkuk #fab-eih ,josiah-,zedekiah #c ,amos #d ,jeremiah #fbh-ehe ,jehoahaz-,captivity #d ,obadiah #e ,daniel #fjf-ecd ,the ,captivity #e ,jonah #f ,obadiah #ehh-ehc ,captivity of ,judah #f ,micah #g ,ezekiel #eie-egd ,zedekiah1 ,captivity #g ,nahum #h ,habakkuk iii4 ,after the #i ,zephaniah return from #aj ,haggai the ,captivity #aa ,zechariah #a ,haggai #ebj-eah ,the ,rebuilding of #ab ,malachi the ,temple #b ,zechariah #ebj-eaj ,rebuilding and ,dedication #c ,malachi #dbj-cig #bnd ,reformation of ,nehemiah ,close of the ,canon 99 ,the order of the first six ,prophets is much disputed1 but the one above given seems to receive most support4 ,by some the prophecies of ,obadiah are referred to the reign of ,hezekiah1 ,b4,c4 #gbf-fih4 ,v4 ,,israel ,,in ,,connection ,,with ,,the ,,surrounding ,,nations4 #a4 ,,the ,,later ,,assyrian ,,empire4 ,b4,c4 ,,contemporaneous ,,kingdoms4 ,,assyria4 ,,babylon4 ,,egypt4 ,,judah4 ,,israel4 #gdb ,,tiglath- ,nabonassar ,,pileser invades ,babylon #gda ,,ahaz ,,pekah #gdj ,takes ,pekah tribute tributary from ,,pekah ,defeats ,rezin #gcg ,pays homage ,,pekah slain to ,tiglath- ,pileser at ,damascus #gcj ,,hoshea #gbf ,accession of,elulus ,,hezekiah ,submission to ,,shalmaneser ,shalmaneser 7#b ,k4 xvii4 #c7 #gbe ,sabaco ,i48 ,alliance with ,so ,so 7#b ,k4 xvii4 #d7 #gbc ,siege of ,siege of ,tyre ,samaria #gbb ,rebellion of ,,sargon #gba ,,sargon takes,merodach ,samaria ,samaria ,baladan taken #gae ,attacks ,sabaco ,,ii48 ,,captivity of ,arabia ,wars with ,,israel ,sargon #gac ,,hezekiah',s illness ,embassy of ,merodach ,baladan #gaa ,takes ,ashdod,attacked by 7,see p4#dcd ,sargon n47 #gjb ,,sennacherib ,belybus expels ,merodach ,baladan #gjj ,advances ,first against attack of ,philistia ,sennacherib and ,egypt on ,jerusalem makes ,,hezekiah tributary #fii8;,defeated ,asshur-,nadin ,second before attack ,pelusium #fih ,,manasseh #fij ,tirhakah #fhj ,accession of,esarhaddon ,,esarhaddon 7#b ,k4 xix4 #cg7 #fgf8 ,manasseh ,the captains brought to of ,babylon ,esarhaddon 7,see p4 remove #dde n47 ,,manasseh to ,babylon #ffj8;,assur-bani- ,saosduchinus pal #ffd ,psammetichus #fdg ,asshur-emit-,cinneladanus ili #fdc ,,amon #fcj ,scythian ,,josiah invasion #fbe ,destruction ,nabopolassar of ,nineveh by ,cyaxares ,this and the following ,tables are framed from those given in ,rawlinson's ,herodotus1 ,vol4 ,i4 pp4 #dhi1 #ecj1 ,clinton's ,epitome1 and ,prideaux's ,connection of ,sacred and ,profane ,history4 #b4 ,,babylonian ,,empire4 ,b4,c4 ,,babylonia4 ,,media4 ,,egypt4 ,,lydia4 ,,judah4 #fbe ,nabopolassar#hth year of #cith year of,alyattes #aeth year of ,cyaxares ,psammetichus ,,josiah #fae ,cyaxares ,attacked by attacks ,cyaxares ,lydia #faj ,makes peace ,,neco 7#b ,k4 ,peace made between xxiii4 #bh7 ,cyaxares and ,alyattes #fji ,attacked by ,invades ,,jehoahaz ,neco ,syria ,,jehoiakim ,defeats ,,josiah #fjf ,sends ,defeated at ,submits to ,nebuchad- ,carchemish ,nebuchad- nezzar nezzar against ,nico #fjd ,,nebuchad- ,,nezzar #fjb ,rebels #eii ,besieges ,tyre #eig ,besieges ,assists ,,jehoiachin ,jerusalem ,nebuchad- #c mo4 nezzar ,,zedekiah #eie ,astyages #eid ,psammetichus ,,ii4 #ehh ,second ,apries ,attacked by siege of 7,ezek4 ,nebuchad- ,jerusalem xvii4 #ae7 nezzar #ehf ,takes ,taken ,jerusalem prisoner #ehe ,takes ,tyre #eha ,invades ,,captivity ,egypt of ,,judah #egj ,second ,deposed by ,invasion ,nebuchad- of ,egypt nezzar 7,jer4 xliv4 #cj2 ,ezek4 xxix4 xxx4 xxxii47 #efa ,,evil- ,,jehoiachin ,,merodach released #efj ,crsus #eei ,neriglissar ,defeated by ,cyrus at ,pasargad #eef ,laboroso- archod #eee ,nabonadius1 ,alliance with ,crsus #edf ,defeated by ,cyrus #eci ,associated with ,,belshazzar #ech ,conquered by ,,cyrus #c4 ,,the ,,persian ,,empire ,,and ,,greece4 ,b4,c4 ,,judea4 ,,persia4 ,,greece4 #ecg ,supremacy of ,cyrus #ecf ,return of the ,jews ,decree for the return ,the ,altar set up of the ,jews #ecd ,interruption of the ,samaritans #ebi ,death of ,cyrus #ebe ,accession of ,,cambyses #ebb ,,darius ,,hystaspes #ebj ,prophecies of ,haggai and ,,zechariah ,building of the ,temple resumed #eaf ,temple dedicated #eaj ,expulsion of the ,pisistratid #dii ,burning of ,sardis by the ,ionians #dic ,darius declares war against ,greece #dij ,battle of ,marathon #dhe ,accession of ,,xerxes 7,ahasuerus7 #dhj ,battle of ,salamis #dgi ,returns defeated from ,greece ,era of ,esther and ,mordecai #dff ,battles at the ,eurymedon #dfe ,death of ,xerxes #dfd ,accession of ,themistocles goes to ,,artaxerxes ,persia #deh ,,ezra comes to ,jerusalem ,last prophecies of ,,zechariah #ddi ,artaxerxes makes ,victory of the peace with the ,athenians at ,salamis ,athenians in ,cyprus #ddd ,,nehemiah rebuilds the walls of ,jerusalem ,opposition of ,sanballat #dcc ,nehemiah returns to ,persia #dcb ,peloponnesian war begins #dbh ,return and further reformations by ,,nehemiah #dbc ,accession of ,,darius ,,nothus #dbj ,prophecies of ,,malachi #dac8 ,final return of ,nehemiah ,,vi4 ,,tables ,,of ,,weights1 ,,measures ,,and ,,money4 #a4 ,jewish ,weights reduced to ,english ,troy ,weight4 lbs4 oz4 dwts4 grs4 ,the gerah1 #a_/bjth of a shekel #j #j #j #ab ,bekah1 a shekel #j #j #e #j ,the shekel #j #j #aj #j ,the maneh #fj shekels #b #f #j #j ,the talent #ej maneh #cjjj shekels #abe #j #j #j #b4 ,scripture ,measures of ,length reduced to ,english ,measure4 ,eng4 feet4 inches4 ,a digit1 ,jer4 lii4 #ba #j #jiab #d ,a palm1 ,exod4 xxv4 #be #j #cfdh #ab #c ,a span1 ,exod4 xxviii4 #af #j #ajidd #bd #f #b ,a cubit1 ,gen4 vi4 #ae #a #ihhh #if #bd #ab #d ,a fathom1 ,acts xxvii4 #bh #g #ceeb #add #cf #ah #fa ,ezekiel's reed1 ,ezek4 xl4 #c-e #aj #aacbh #aib #dh #bd #h #ba ,an ,arabian pole #ad #gajd #aibjdhjbdjhjbjacaj ,schnus1 or ,measuring line1 #ade #aajdj ,ezek4 xl4 #c #c4 ,the ,long ,scripture ,measures4 ,eng4 miles4 paces4 feet4 ,a cubit #j #j #ahbd #djj ,a stadium or furlong1 ,luke xxiv4 #ac #j #ade #df #bjjj #e ,a ,sabbath day's journey1 ,acts i4 #ab #j #gbi #cj #djjj #aj #b ,an eastern mile1 ,matt4 v4 #da #a #djc #aj #abjjj #cj #f #c ,a parasang #d #aec #cj #ifjjjbdjdhbd #h ,a day's journey #cc #agb #dj #d4 ,scripture ,measures of ,capacity for ,liquids1 reduced to ,english ,wine ,measure4 gal4 pints4 ,a caph #j #jfbe #a ,a log1 ,lev4 xiv4 #aj #j #jhcc #e #d ,a cab #j #cccc #af #ab #c ,a hin1 ,exod4 xxx4 #bd #a #b #cb #bd #f #b ,a seah #b #d #if #gb #ah #f #c ,a bath1 or ephah1 #a ,kings vii4 #bf2 ,john ii4 #g #d #ifj #gbjahjfjcjaj ,a kor or homer1 ,ezek4 xlv4 #ad2 ,isaiah v4 #aj #ge #j #e4 ,scripture ,measures of ,capacity for things ,dry reduced to ,english ,corn ,measure4 pks4 gal4 pints4 ,a gachal #j #j #jadaf #bj ,a cab or chnix1 #b ,kings vi4 #be2 ,rev4 vi4 #f #j #j #bhccc #cf #a ,an omer1 ,exod4 xvi4 #cf #j #j #ea #abj #f #c ,a seah1 ,matt4 xiii4 #cc #a #j #a #cfj #ah #aj #c ,an ephah1 ,ezek4 xlv4 #aa #c #j #c #ahjj #ij #ej #ae #e ,a letech1 ,hos4 iii4 #b #ae #a #g #cfjjahj #ajj #cjaj #b ,a homer or kor1 ,num4 xi4 #cb2 ,hosea iii4 #b4 #ca #a #f #f4 ,jewish ,money reduced to ,english ,standard4 s4 d4 ,a gerah1 ,exod4 xxx4 #j #j #acfhg #aj ,a bekah1 ,exod4 xxxviii4 #bf #j #a #afhge #bj #b ,a shekel1 ,exod4 xxx4 #ac2 ,isa4 vii4 #bc #j #b #ccge #abjj #abj #fj ,a maneh or minah ,hebraica #f #af #aje #fjjjjfjjjcjjjej ,a talent #cdb #c #i ,a solidus aureus1 or sextula1 was worth #j #ab #j ,a siculus aureus1 or gold shekel1 was worth #a #af #f ,a talent of gold was worth #edge #j #j ,in the preceding table1 silver is valued at #es4 and gold at #d per oz4 ,,index4 ,a4 ,aaron his parentage1 #ha2 appointed spokesman to ,moses1 #he2 fashions the calf1 #aab2 rebuked by ,moses1 #aac2 made the first ,high-priest1 #acj2 rebels against ,moses1 #aga2 priesthood of his race confirmed1 #agh2 excluded from the ,promised ,land1 #ahj2 his death on ,mount ,hor1 #ahb ,abana river1 #dab ,abdon the judge1 #beh ,abednego at ,babylon1 #deg2 in the fiery furnace1 #def ,abel his sacrifice1 #aj2 death of1 #aa ,abel ,beth-,maachah death of ,sheba at1 #cdc2 its position1 #cdc ,abel ,meholah meaning of1 flight of the ,midianites to1 #bdi2 residence of ,elisha1 #cia ,abiah son of ,samuel1 #bge ,abiathar1 the priest joins ,david1 #cje2 has charge of the ,ark1 #cbf1 #cch2 rebels against ,david1 #cdg2 degraded from the ,priesthood1 #ceb ,abigail ,david's wife1 #cji1 #cah ,abihu the sin of1 #aca ,abijah king of ,judah1 #cgf2 defeats ,jeroboam1 #cgg ,abimelech made king of his tribe1 #beb2 destroys ,shechem1 #bed2 his death1 #bee ,abiram rebellion of1 #agf1 #agg ,abishai ,david's nephew1 #cjd1 #caj1 #cai2 captain of the mighty men1 #cbi1 #cdc2 saves ,david's life1 #cde ,abner ,saul's general1 #caj2 supports ,ishbosheth1 #cai2 kills ,asahel1 #cbj2 joins ,david1 #cbj2 killed by ,joab1 #cba2 effect of his death1 #cba ,abraham the call of1 #bf1 #cf2 his descent and abode1 #bg2 promises to him1 #bh1 #cd1 #cg2 sets out for the ,promised ,land1 #bh2 arrives at ,shechem1 #ca2 builds his first altar there1 #cb2 removes to ,bethel1 #cb2 goes down to ,egypt1 #cc2 returns to ,bethel1 #cc2 separates from ,lot1 #cd2 removes to the oak of ,mamre1 #cd1 #dd2 rescues ,lot1 #ce2 blessed by ,melchizedek1 #cf2 solemn covenant to him1 #cg2 his name changed1 #ch2 entertains three angels1 #ci2 pleads for ,sodom and ,gomorrah1 #dj2 his offering of ,isaac1 #dc2 his subsequent history1 #dd2 death1 and burial at ,machpelah1 #de2 summary of his character1 #gf ,absalom murders ,amnon1 #ccf2 forgiven by ,david1 #ccf2 his rebellion1 #ccg2 enters ,jerusalem1 #cci2 his defeat and death1 #cda ,achan his transgression and death1 #bjh ,achish his policy towards ,david1 #cjc1 #caa ,achor valley of1 #bjh ,adam the creation of1 #c2 placed in ,paradise1 #c2 his life there1 #d2 his disobedience1 #f2 the curse upon him1 #g2 the ,promise to him1 #h2 his expulsion1 #aj2 his sons and descendants1 #aj1 #aa2 their longevity1 #ab2 their general wickedness1 #ab ,adoni-bezek his capture1 #bbf ,adonijah rebels against ,david1 #cdg2 his life spared1 #cdh2 his rebellion against ,solomon1 #cej1 #cea2 put to death1 #ceb ,adoram stoned to death1 #cfi ,adullam ,david at1 #cjc ,agag chief of the ,amalekites1 #ajc2 spared by ,saul1 #bib2 slain by ,samuel1 #bic ,ahab1 king of ,israel married to ,jezebel1 #cha2 effects of her influence on him1 #chc2 the drought during his reign1 #che2 denounced by ,elijah1 #chc1 #che1 #cig2 his wars with ,benhadad1 #cia-cie2 his death1 #cii2 slaughter of his descendants1 #dba ,ahasuerus the ,xerxes of history1 #dga2 chooses ,esther for queen1 #dgb2 exalts ,mordecai1 #dgd ,ahaz king of ,judah1 #dcc2 his idolatry1 #dcd ,ahaziah king of ,israel1 #djj2 summons ,elijah1 #djc ,ahaziah king of ,judah1 #dah ,ahinoam ,david's wife1 #cji1 #cah ,ahithophel joins ,absalom1 #ccg2 his counsels1 #cdj ,aholiab artificer of the tabernacle1 #aai ,ai ,abraham settles near1 #cc2 its position1 #bjg2 reverse of the ,israelites there1 #bjg2 its destruction by ,joshua1 #bji ,altar of ,burnt ,sacrifice in the ,tabernacle1 #abj2 in ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceg2 its re-erection after the ,captivity1 #dgj ,altar of ,incense in the ,tabernacle1 #abc2 in ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceg1 #ceh ,amalekites their settlements1 #ajc2 attack the ,israelites1 #ajc2 their defeat1 #ajd2 destroyed by ,saul1 #bib2 they burn ,ziklag1 #cab2 ,david's vengeance upon them1 #cac ,amasa ,absalom's general1 #cda2 promoted by ,david1 #cdb2 slain by ,joab1 #cdc ,amaziah king of ,judah1 #dbg2 taken captive by ,jehoash1 #dbh ,ammonites their ancestry1 #da2 invasion of1 #bee2 overthrown by ,jephthah1 #bef2 defeated by ,saul at ,jabesh-,gilead1 #bhd2 ,david's conquests over them1 #cca-cce ,amnon killed by ,absalom1 #ccf ,amon king of ,judah1 #ddf ,amorites their locality1 #cb1 #ahd1 #bja2 their total defeat1 #ahe2 their five kings killed by ,joshua1 #baa-bac ,amos the prophet1 #dbh ,anak the sons of1 #agc1 #baf ,animals prohibited by the ,mosaic law1 #aef ,aphek its position1 #cic2 defeat of the ,syrians at1 #cid ,araunah1 threshing-floor of purchased by ,david1 #cdf2 becomes the site of the altar of ,burnt ,sacrifice1 #ceh ,ark1 ,noah's its construction and dimensions1 #ad2 locality of its resting-place1 #ag ,ark of the ,covenant in the ,tabernacle1 #abd2 directs the march of the ,israelites1 #afh2 at the passage of the ,jordan1 #bjc2 at the destruction of ,jericho1 #bjf2 taken by the ,philistines1 #bga2 placed in the ,temple of ,dagon1 #bgb2 its sanctity vindicated1 #bgc1 #bgd2 given up to the ,israelites1 #bgc2 removed to ,kirjath-jearim1 #bgd2 removed from thence1 #cbf2 rests with ,obed-edom1 #cbf2 its procession to the new tabernacle in ,jerusalem1 #cbf2 placed in ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceh1 #cei2 displaced under ,manasseh1 #ddd ,armenia the probable site of ,paradise1 #c2 of the ,ark's resting-place1 #ag ,army of ,david its organization1 #cbi ,asa king of ,judah1 #cgg2 reforms the religion1 #cgg1 #cgh2 overcomes the ,egyptians1 #cgh2 attacked by ,baasha1 #cgh2 his alliance with ,benhadad1 #cgi ,asahel ,david's nephew1 #cai2 killed by ,abner1 #cbj ,asenath ,joseph's wife1 #fc ,ashdod ,philistine city1 #bei1 #bfc1 #bgb2 the ,ark carried there1 #bgb ,asher ,jacob's son1 #eb2 the tribe of1 its portion1 #bbj2 its neglect of duty1 #bba ,ashkelon ,philistine city1 #bei1 #bfc2 ,samson's exploit there1 #bfj ,assyrian ,empire the rise of1 #dcj2 its decline1 #ddh2 table of its connection with ,israel1 #dhh ,athaliah married to ,jehoram1 #cig2 her usurpation and death1 #dbd ,atonement the day of1 #adf ,azariah1 or ,uzziah king of ,judah1 #dbh2 his prosperous reign1 #dbi2 struck with leprosy1 #dbi ,azazel explanations of1 #adg ,b4 ,baal1 worship of established by ,jezebel1 #chc2 overthrown by ,elijah1 #chg2 by ,jehu1 #dbc ,baalath fortified by ,solomon1 its position1 #cfj ,baal-,peor the apostasy at1 #aic2 the plague there1 #aic ,baasha usurps the throne of ,israel1 #cgg2 his hostility to ,asa1 #cgh1 #cgi2 murder of his family1 #chj ,babel ,tower of1 #ah2 ,town of1 founded by ,nimrod1 #ba ,babylon captivity of ,judah there1 #deb2 contrasted with ,jerusalem1 #dee2 condition of the ,jews there1 #dee2 taken by ,cyrus1 #def ,babylonian ,empire table of its connection with ,israel1 #dhh ,balaam his country1 #ahg2 sent for to curse ,israel1 #ahh2 his failure1 #ahh-aib2 his ass speaks1 #ahi2 his prophetic parable1 #aia1 #aib2 his wiliness1 #aic ,balak king of ,moab1 #ahg2 entreats the aid of ,balaam1 #ahh2 his disappointment1 #aia ,barak summoned by ,deborah1 #bch2 overthrows ,sisera1 #bdj ,bashan the land of1 #ahe ,bathsheba ,david's sin with1 #ccc2 the mother of ,solomon1 #ccd ,beer-,elim the ,israelites at1 #ahc ,beersheba ,abraham at1 #da2 ,isaac at1 #dh2 ,jacob's vision there1 #fi ,belshazzar the feast of1 #dff ,belus1 or ,bel first worship of1 #ba ,benaiah his command in ,david's army1 #cbi2 kills ,adonijah1 #ceb2 ,joab1 #ceb2 ,shimei1 #cec ,benhadad ,i4 his alliance with ,asa1 #cgh2 with ,omri1 #cha ,benhadad ,,ii4 his wars with ,ahab1 #cia-cie2 with ,jehoram1 #dad-daf2 his death1 #dah ,benjamin birth of1 #eg2 goes with his brethren to ,egypt1 #ff2 ,joseph's conduct to him there1 #ff1 #fg2 the cup found in his sack1 #fg2 tribe of1 its portion1 #bag2 the war against1 #bcb2 massacre of1 #bcc2 revolt of1 against ,david1 #cdb ,berachah valley of1 #dja ,bethel ,abram settles near1 #cb2 its position1 #ea2 ,jacob's vision and vow there1 #ea2 its fulfilment1 #ef2 acquired by the descendants of ,joseph1 #bbf2 school of the prophets there1 #bgf2 ,jeroboam establishes idolatry there1 #cgb2 ,josiah overthrows it1 #ddf ,beth-horons the two1 #bab2 the battle there1 #bac2 fortified by ,solomon1 #cfj ,beth-shan situation of1 #caf2 ,saul's body there1 #caf ,beth-shemesh the ark at1 #bgc2 battle at1 between ,jehoash and ,amaziah1 #dbh ,bezaleel artificer of the tabernacle1 #aai ,bildad friend of ,job1 #bd ,birthright oriental privileges of1 #df ,boaz his kindness to ,ruth1 #bfe2 marries her1 #bff ,brazen ,serpent the uplifting of1 #ahb2 destroyed by ,hezekiah1 #dcf ,breast-plate of the ,high-priest1 #acb ,burning bush1 the vision of1 #hd-hf ,burnt-offerings #acg2 ceremonies for1 #acg2 their symbolical meaning1 #acg ,c4 ,cain his sacrifice1 #aj2 murders ,abel1 #aa2 his condemnation1 #aa2 his descendants1 #aa2 builds the first city1 #aa2 sin of his posterity1 #ab ,caleb the faithful spy1 #agc2 the promise to him1 #age2 his portion1 #bae1 #baf ,calendar of ,jewish ,months and ,seasons1 #aee ,calf1 the construction of1 #aab2 its destruction by ,moses1 #aac ,canaan son of ,ham1 #ag2 the land called by his name1 #bj ,canaan the seven nations of1 #cb1 #bja ,canaanites their locality1 #cb1 #bja2 their position at the death of ,joshua1 #bbd ,candlesticks1 the golden in the ,tabernacle1 #abb2 in ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceg1 #ceh ,canon1 the of the ,old ,testament1 close of1 #dha ,captain1 the of the ,lord's host1 #bjd1 #bjg ,captivity1 the period of1 #dej-dfi2 its effects on the ,jews1 #dgj ,carmel1 ,mount ,elijah's sacrifice there1 #chf ,census of ,israelitish forces at ,sinai1 #afg commenced by ,david1 #cde ,character ,mosaic laws regarding1 #afd ,chedorlaomer defeated by ,abram1 #ce ,cherubim in the ,tabernacle1 conjectures upon1 #abd ,children ,mosaic law regarding1 #aei ,christ typified in ,melchizedek1 #ce2 in ,joseph1 #gf2 in ,moses1 #aii2 in ,joshua1 #bbc2 in ,david1 #cea ,circumcision established1 #ci2 renewal of1 after passing the ,jordan1 #bjd ,cities of ,refuge the institution of1 #afd2 names of1 #bbj ,civilization in the ,patriarchal age1 #gd ,cluster1 ,valley of the #agc1 #bae ,commandments1 the ,ten delivered from ,sinai1 #ajh2 written on the ,tables of ,stone1 #aaa ,confusion1 of ,tongues #af-bj2 approximate date of1 #ai2 its teaching1 #bj ,coniah see ,jehoiachin4 ,convocation days of1 #add ,courses of the priests1 #ceh ,covenant1 the with ,noah1 #af2 with ,abram1 #cg2 with ,moses on ,sinai1 #ajf2 its condition1 #ajg2 its solemn ratification1 #aaj2 broken in absence of ,moses1 #aac2 further renewal of1 #aaf2 its fulfilment under ,david1 #cdb ,creation1 the #a-d2 heathen notions of1 #a2 ,scripture declaration concerning it1 #a2 its progressive order1 #b ,cyrus captures ,babylon1 #dff2 permits the return of the ,jews1 #dfi ,d4 ,dagon the ,philistine ,deity1 #bfc2 the ,ark in his temple1 #bgb ,damascus ,elisha at1 #dag ,dan ,jacob's son1 #eb2 tribe of1 its portion1 #bah2 dispossessed by the ,amorites1 #bbg2 expedition of1 to ,laish1 #bbi2 oppressed by the ,philistines1 #bei ,daniel taken captive to ,babylon1 #dej2 his life there1 #deg2 interprets the visions of ,nebuchadnezzar1 #deh1 #dfc2 his exaltation1 #dei2 interprets the writing on the wall1 #dfg2 preserved in the lions' den1 #dfh ,darius viceroy of ,babylon1 #dfg ,dathan the rebellion of1 #agf1 #agg ,david his genealogy1 #bid2 anointed by ,samuel1 #bie2 his shepherd life1 #bie2 slays ,goliath1 #big2 his friendship with ,jonathan1 #bih1 #cjb1 #cjf2 persecuted by ,saul1 #cjj2 flies to ,naioth1 #cja2 to ,nob1 #cjc2 seeks refuge with the ,philistines1 #cjc1 #caa2 at ,adullam1 #cjc2 ,ziklag1 #cjf1 #cji2 spares ,saul at ,engedi1 #cjh2 and at ,ziph1 #cji2 his reign over ,judah at ,hebron1 #cai2 becomes king of all ,israel1 #cbc2 removes to ,jerusalem1 #cbe2 his army and its conquests1 #cbi-cce2 his deed of shame1 #ccc2 denounced by ,nathan1 #ccd2 ,absalom rebels1 #ccg2 his flight from ,jerusalem1 #cch2 grief for ,absalom1 #cdb2 numbers the people1 #cdf2 the plague sent1 #cdf2 purchases the ,temple site1 #cdf2 makes ,solomon his successor1 #cdg2 his last charge1 and death1 #cdi2 summary of his life1 #cdi2 his character1 #cej2 a type of ,christ1 #cea ,day of ,atonement1 the #adf2 rites observed upon it1 #adf2 its distinction from other solemn rites1 #adh2 its typical meaning1 #adi ,dead ,sea1 the its low level1 #cj ,debir captured by ,othniel1 #baf ,deborah1 the prophetess summons ,barak1 #bch2 rouses the tribes1 #bci2 her song of triumph1 #bdb ,debt ,mosaic laws regarding1 #aff ,dedication the feast of1 #aed ,delilah betrays ,samson1 #bfc ,dinah ,jacob's daughter1 #eb2 outrage upon1 #ee ,disobedient ,prophet1 the #cgb2 his tomb spared by ,josiah1 #ddf ,divining cups the use of in ,egypt1 #fg ,doeg the treachery of1 #cje ,dothan ,joseph sold at1 its position1 #eh1 #ei2 ,elisha's miracle there1 #dad ,drink-offerings1 the #acd ,dura the plain of1 the golden image upon1 #dfj ,e4 ,ebal1 ,mount the altar there1 #bji2 ratification of the law there1 #baj ,ed the ,altar of1 #bbb ,edom ,esau so called1 #dg2 gives the name to a country1 #ee2 passage through it refused to the ,israelites1 #aha ,edomites1 the ,david's conquests over1 #ccj2 defeated by ,amaziah1 #dbg ,eglon killed by ,ehud1 #bcf ,egypt ,abram goes there1 #cc2 ,joseph carried there1 #ed2 the seven years' famine in1 #fc2 ,joseph's government of1 #fc1 #fd2 ,jacob settles there1 #fi2 its idolatrous worship1 #gi2 the plagues of1 #hh1 #id-if ,ehud kills ,eglon1 #bcf ,ekron ,philistine city1 #bei1 #bfc1 #bgb2 refuses to receive the ,ark1 #bgc ,elah king of ,israel1 #chj ,eldad the elder1 #agj ,elders1 the seventy appointed1 #afi ,eleazar succeeds ,aaron as high-priest1 #aha ,eli high-priest and judge1 #bfg2 wickedness of his sons1 #bfi2 rebuked by ,god1 #bfi2 through ,samuel1 #bgj2 his death1 #bgb ,eliab ,david's brother1 #bid2 his taunts1 #big ,eliakim see ,jehoiakim4 ,elihu friend of ,job1 #bd ,elijah his denunciations to ,ahab1 #chc1 #che1 #cig2 fed by ravens1 #chd2 his miracles at ,zarephath1 #chi2 overcomes the prophets of ,baal1 #chf2 flies from ,jezebel1 #chi2 his interview with the ,lord at ,horeb1 #cij2 calls ,elisha1 #cia2 his interview with ,ahaziah1 #djc2 his translation1 #djd ,eliphaz friend of ,job1 #bd ,elisha called by ,elijah1 #cij2 witnesses his translation1 #djd2 his miracles1 #djd1 #djh-daj1 #dac1 #dbf2 cures ,naaman1 #daa2 his sickness and death1 #dbf ,elkanah father of ,samuel1 #bfg ,elon the judge1 #beh ,endor ,saul at1 #cad ,engedi ,david's generosity at1 #cjh ,enoch1 son of ,cain #aa2 the first city named from him1 #aa ,enoch1 son of ,jared his translation1 #ab ,ephod1 the of the high-priest1 #aca ,ephraim ,joseph's son1 #fc2 ,jacob's dying blessing upon1 #gj2 the tribe of1 its position1 #bah2 its rivalry with ,judah1 #cgj ,ephraimites1 the chide ,gideon1 #bdi2 their complaint to ,jephthah1 #beg2 massacred by him1 #beh ,esau character of1 #df2 sells ,jacob his birthright1 #dg2 his marriage1 #dh2 threatens ,jacob1 #ej2 his reconciliation to ,jacob1 #ee ,esdraelon plain of1 its fertility1 #bai ,eshcol the valley1 #agc1 #bae ,esther queen of ,ahasuerus1 #dgb2 intercedes for her nation1 #dgc1 #dgd ,euphrates ,river1 #c1 #ag1 #ah ,eve the creation of1 #c2 beguiled by ,satan1 #e2 the curse upon her1 #g2 its mitigation1 #h ,evil the origin of1 #f ,exodus1 the from ,egypt1 #if ,ezekiel prophecies of1 #deg ,ezra his reforms at ,jerusalem1 #dgf ,f4 ,fall of man1 the #d-i2 its teaching1 #f ,family relations in the patriarchal age1 #gd2 under the ,mosaic law1 #aei ,famine seven years'1 in ,egypt1 #fc2 three years'1 in reign of ,david1 #cdd ,feast of the ,new ,moon1 #adc2 of ,trumpets1 #add2 of the ,passover1 #ie1 #aej2 of ,weeks1 #aeb2 of ,tabernacles1 #aec2 of ,purim1 #aed2 of ,dedication1 #aed ,first-born death of the1 #if ,first-fruits and tithes offerings of1 #acd ,flood1 the #aj-af2 ,scripture account of1 #ae2 its duration1 c41 #ae2 numerous heathen traditions of1 #af ,frankincense description of1 #ace ,g4 ,gad ,jacob's son1 #eb2 tribe of1 their pastoral character1 #gh1 #aid2 the portion of1 #aie ,gad1 the prophet ,david's friendship with1 #cja1 #cjd2 his mission to ,david1 #cdf ,galilee position and extent of1 #bai ,gath ,philistine city1 #bei2 the ark removed there1 #bgc ,gaza ,philistine city1 #bei1 #bfb2 ,samson carries off its gates1 #bfc ,geba ,jonathan at1 #bhf ,gedaliah assassination of1 #deb ,gehazi the sin and punishment of1 #dac ,gerizim1 ,mount ratification of the law on1 #bji2 ,jotham's parable from1 #bec ,gershonite section of ,levites1 #abg ,gezer probable site of1 #cfa ,gibeah outrage at1 #bca2 taken by the tribes1 #bcc2 ,saul's retirement there1 #bhc ,gibeon situation of1 #baj2 the ,tabernacle there1 #abf2 combat at1 #cai2 ,solomon's convention there1 #cec ,gibeonites1 the embassy of1 #baj2 its result1 #baa2 the covenant with them broken by ,saul1 #cdd2 their vengeance1 #cdd ,gideon the ,angel's message to him1 #bdd2 throws down the altar of ,baal1 #bde2 the sign given him1 #bdf2 his army at the spring of ,jezreel1 #bdg2 enters the camp of the ,midianites1 #bdg2 his victory over them1 #bdh1 #bdi2 slays their kings1 #bej2 declines being king1 #bea2 his ephod1 #beb ,gihon1 ,river #c ,gilboa1 ,mount #cac2 the battle there1 #cae ,gilgal encampment at1 #bjd1 #baj2 school of the prophets there1 #bgf2 inauguration of ,saul there1 #bhd2 general gathering at1 #bhf2 ,elisha's miracles at1 #daj ,golden ,altar of the ,tabernacle1 #abc ,golden ,lamp of the ,tabernacle1 #abb ,goliath defies the ,israelites1 #bif2 killed by ,david1 #big ,gomorrah #cd2 its destruction1 #da ,goshen meaning of the word1 #fh1 #gg2 ,jacob settles there1 #gj2 its position and fertility1 #gg2 escapes the plagues of ,egypt1 #ia1 #id ,greeks their tradition of the ,flood1 #af ,h4 ,hadad his revolt against ,solomon1 #cfe ,hagar gives birth to ,ishmael1 #ch2 dismissed by ,abraham to the wilderness1 #db ,haggai the prophet1 #dgj1 #dga ,ham son of ,noah1 #ad2 mocks his father1 #ag2 the curse upon him1 #ah2 its fulfilment1 #ah2 his descendants and their settlements1 #ai ,haman his jealousy of ,mordecai1 #dgb2 his execution1 #dgd ,hannah mother of ,samuel1 #bff ,hanun1 king of ,ammon insults ,david's embassy1 #cca ,haran its situation1 #bg2 ,jacob serves ,laban there1 #eb ,hazael1 king of ,syria his interview with ,elisha1 #dag2 success against ,judah1 #dbe2 and ,israel1 #dbe ,hazor its position1 #bja2 its destruction by ,joshua1 #bae2 fortified by ,solomon1 #cfa ,heathens their notions of the ,creation1 #a2 their numerous traditions of the ,flood1 #af ,hebron ,abram dwells near1 #cd1 #cf2 ,jacob dwells near1 #eg1 #eh2 its conquest by the tribe of ,judah1 #bae2 ,david king there1 #cah2 ,absalom at1 #ccg ,heroes of ,david's army #cbi ,hezekiah1 king of ,judah his religious reforms1 #dcf2 his policy1 #dcg2 contention with ,sennacherib1 #dch-dda2 his life prolonged1 #dda2 his death1 #ddb ,high-priest1 the lineage of1 #aca2 his vestments1 #aca2 his peculiar functions1 #acb ,hiram or ,huram architect of ,solomon's ,temple1 #cef ,hiram1 king his embassy to ,david1 #cbe2 his treaty with ,solomon1 #cee ,hittites their locality1 #cb1 #bja ,hivites their locality1 #cb1 #bja ,hobab accompanies the ,israelites1 #afh ,holy ,convocation days of1 #add ,holy of ,holies in the ,tabernacle1 #abc2 in ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceg ,holy ,place of the ,tabernacle1 #abb2 of ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceg ,homicide ,mosaic law regarding1 #afc ,hophni1 son of ,eli wickedness of1 #bfi2 his death1 #bga ,hor1 ,mount death and burial of ,aaron there1 #aha ,horeb the scene of the burning bush1 #hd2 ,elijah at1 #cij ,hosea the prophet1 #dbh ,hoshea king of ,israel1 #dce2 deposed by the ,assyrians1 #dcd ,huldah the prophetess1 #ddg ,husbands ,mosaic law regarding1 #afj ,hushai the friend of ,david1 #cch2 his policy with ,absalom1 #cci ,i4 ,ibzan the judge1 #beh ,ichabod birth of1 #bgb ,idolatry the rise of1 #ba2 its prevalence under the ,judges1 #bbg1 #bcd1 #bdc1 #beb1 #bee ,incense offering of1 #ace2 its composition1 #ace ,interregnums in ,israel1 #dcb1 #dce ,isaac the promise of1 #ci2 his birth1 #da2 offered by ,abraham1 #dc2 marries ,rebekah1 #de2 his two sons1 #df2 the promise confirmed to him1 #dg1 #dh2 his blessing on ,jacob1 #di2 and on ,esau1 #di2 his death1 #eg2 his character1 #gf ,isaiah the prophet1 #dcg2 encourages ,hezekiah1 #dci1 #ddj1 #dda2 his violent death1 #ddd ,ishbosheth succeeds ,saul1 #cai2 quarrels with ,abner1 #cbj2 his murder1 #cba ,ishmael the promise concerning him1 #ch2 is circumcised1 #ci2 his subsequent history1 #db ,israel ,jacob so named1 #ed ,israel1 kingdom of first called so1 #cdb2 its extent and area1 #cga2 drought in1 during ,ahab's reign1 #che2 interregnums1 #dcb1 #dce2 its extinction1 #dcf2 its connection with the surrounding nations1 #dhh ,israel and ,judah alliance between1 #cig2 summary of their duration1 #dec2 of their mutual relations1 #dec2 of their contrasts1 #ded ,israelites1 the in ,egypt1 their numbers1 #gh2 their pursuits1 #gh2 corrupted by its idolatry1 #gi2 their grievous bondage1 #hj1 #hc2 ,moses announces himself their deliverer1 #hf2 their toil increased1 #hg2 their ,exodus1 #if2 their numbers at ,sinai1 #afg2 their wanderings in the wilderness1 #age2 their position at the death of ,joshua1 #bbd2 they demand a king1 #bgh ,issachar ,jacob's son1 #eb2 tribe of1 its portion1 #bai ,j4 ,jabal introducer of nomadic life1 #aa ,jabesh ,gilead its destruction1 #bcc2 the ,ammonites defeated there1 #bhd2 its position1 #caf ,jabin the country of1 #bja2 withstands the ,israelites1 #bad2 overcome and killed by ,joshua1 #bae ,jabin1 #bnd invasion of1 #bcg2 his success1 #bch2 reverses under ,sisera1 #bdj ,jacob his disposition1 #df2 buys ,esau's birthright1 #dg2 craftily obtains the blessing1 #di2 flies from the wrath of ,esau1 #ej2 his vision and vow at ,bethel1 #ea2 the promise renewed to him1 #ea1 #ef1 #fi2 serves ,laban #bj years1 #eb2 his wives and children1 #eb2 separates from ,laban1 #ec2 wrestles with the ,angel1 #ed2 name changed to ,israel1 #ed2 reconciled to ,esau1 #ee2 dwells at ,shechem1 #ee2 fulfils his vow at ,bethel1 #ef2 his preference for ,joseph1 #eg2 and grief at his supposed death1 #ei2 parts with ,benjamin1 #fe2 goes down into ,egypt1 #fi2 settles at ,goshen1 #gj2 blesses his children1 #gj1 #ga2 his death1 #gb2 his burial in the cave of ,machpelah1 #gb2 his character1 #gf ,jael kills ,sisera1 #bdb ,jair the judge1 #bee ,japheth son of ,noah1 #ac2 the blessing upon1 #ah2 his descendants and their settlements1 #ai ,jebusites their locality1 #cb1 #bja2 their fortress at ,jerusalem1 #cbc2 captured by ,joab1 #cbe ,jeconiah see ,jehoiachin4 ,jedidiah a name of ,solomon1 #ccd ,jehoahaz king of ,israel1 #dbe king of ,judah1 taken captive to ,egypt1 #ddi ,jehoash king of ,israel1 #dbf2 his interview with ,elisha1 #dbf2 overcomes the ,syrians1 #dbf2 captures ,amaziah1 #dbh ,jehoiachin1 or ,jeconiah or ,coniah king of ,judah1 carried captive to ,babylon1 #dea2 released from prison1 #dfe ,jehoiakim1 or ,eliakim king of ,judah1 overcome by ,nebuchadnezzar1 #dej2 his death1 #dej ,jehonadab joins ,jehu1 #dbb ,jehoram1 king of ,israel #djc2 his idolatry1 #djf2 overthrows the ,moabites1 #djg2 his wars with the ,syrians1 #dad2 slain by ,jehu1 #dbj ,jehoram1 king of ,judah marries ,athaliah1 #cig2 threatened by ,elijah1 #djc2 death of1 #dah ,jehoshaphat king of ,judah1 #cgi2 his successful reign1 #chb2 his alliance with ,ahab1 #cig2 his wars1 #djj ,jehu1 king of ,israel anointment of1 #dai2 kills ,jehoram1 #dbj2 puts down the worship of ,baal1 #dbb2 his reign1 #dbc ,jephthah overthrows the ,ammonites1 #bef2 his vow1 #bef2 sacrifices his daughter1 #beg2 massacres the ,ephraimites1 #beh ,jeremiah the prophet1 #ddi1 #deg2 his prophecies in the reign of ,zedekiah1 #dea2 shares the lot of his countrymen1 #deb ,jericho its important position1 #bja2 mission of the spies there1 #bjb2 divine instructions for its capture1 #bje2 the fall of1 #bjf2 the curse upon rebuilding it1 #bjf2 its fulfilment1 #bjf2 ,elisha there1 #djd1 #dac ,jeroboam ,i4 assured of being king1 #cff2 his appeal to ,rehoboam1 #cfh2 declared king of ,israel1 #cga2 establishes idolatry1 #cgb2 denounced1 #cgb2 defeated by ,abijah1 #cgf2 extinction of his race1 #cgg ,jeroboam ,,ii4 king of ,israel1 his prosperous reign1 #dbh ,jerusalem its elevated site1 #cj2 the city of the ,jebusites1 #cb1 #bja2 the lower city captured1 #bbf2 its peculiar situation1 #cbc2 the fortress taken1 #cbd2 becomes the city of ,david1 #cbe2 effects of its conquest1 #cbe2 occupied by ,absalom1 #cci2 invested by ,shishak1 #cgj2 taken by ,jehoash1 #dbh2 delivered from ,sennacherib1 #ddj2 taken by the ,assyrians1 #dde2 by ,nebuchadnezzar1 #dej1 #dea1 #deb2 its destruction1 #deb2 its contrast to ,babylon1 #dee2 rebuilt by ,nehemiah1 #dgg ,jeshua high-priest at the restoration1 #dga ,jesse genealogy of1 #bid ,jethro father-in-law of ,moses1 #hc2 meets ,moses at ,rephidim1 #ajd2 his advice1 #aje ,jewish ,calendar1 the1 #aee2 weights and measures1 #dib2 money1 #dic ,jews taken captive to ,babylon1 #dea2 their condition there1 #def2 their return to their native land1 #dfi2 effects of their captivity1 #dgj2 their position at the close of the ,canon1 #dha4 ,see ,israelites4 ,jezebel married to ,ahab1 #cha2 her character1 #chc2 establishes the worship of ,baal1 #chc2 threatens ,elijah1 #chi2 causes ,naboth's murder1 #cif2 ,elijah's denunciation of her1 #cig2 its fulfilment1 #dba ,jezreel meaning of the word1 #bai2 ,ahab at1 #chc1 #cia2 death of ,jezebel at1 #dba ,jezreel1 the spring of ,gideon's army at1 #bdg ,joab ,david's nephew1 #cjd1 #cai2 kills ,abner1 #cbj2 cursed by ,david1 #cba2 takes the fortress of ,jerusalem1 #cbe2 made commander-in-chief1 #cbe1 #cbi2 kills ,absalom1 #cda2 and ,amasa1 #cdc2 rebels against ,david1 #cdg2 put to death1 #ceb ,joash1 father of ,gideon #bdd ,joash1 king of ,israel see ,jehoash4 ,joash1 king of ,judah #dbd2 restores the temple1 #dbe2 his apostasy1 #dbe2 death1 #dbe ,job probable country and era of1 #bb2 his character1 #bc2 afflicted by ,satan1 #bc2 his resignation1 #bd2 his three friends1 #bd2 his contrition and recompence1 #be2 his death1 #be2 the ,book of1 uncertainties concerning it1 #bb1 #bf ,joel son of ,samuel1 #bge ,jonah the prophet1 #dbh2 his mission to ,nineveh1 #dcj ,jonathan at ,geba1 #bhf2 his valour at ,michmash1 #bhh2 falls under ,saul's curse1 #bij2 saved by the people1 #bia2 his friendship for ,david1 #bii1 #cjb1 #cjf2 his death1 #cae2 ,david's lament for him1 #cag ,joppa the one port of ,palestine1 #bi ,jordan1 ,river its physical features1 #cj2 the passage of the1 #bjc ,joseph son of ,jacob and ,rachel1 #eb2 his father's favourite1 #eg2 meaning of his coat of many colours1 #eg2 his dreams1 #eh2 their fulfilment1 #fd2 cast into a pit1 #eh2 sold to the ,ishmaelites1 #ei2 carried into ,egypt1 #ei2 bought by ,potiphar1 #ei2 his prosperity and its termination1 #fj2 interprets dreams in prison1 #fa2 and ,pharaoh's1 #fb2 his exaltation1 #fb2 his wife and sons1 #fc2 his government of ,egypt1 #fc1 #fd2 his conduct to his brethren1 #fd-fg2 makes himself known to them1 #fh2 sends for ,jacob1 #fh2 their meeting in ,egypt1 #fi2 ,jacob's dying blessing upon him1 #gj2 buries his father1 in the ,promised ,land1 #gb2 his death and commandment concerning his bones1 #gb2 his character1 #gf2 a type of ,christ1 #gf2 probable place of sepulture of his bones1 #baj1 #bbb2 conquests of his descendants in the ,promised ,land1 #bbf ,joshua defeats the ,amalekites1 #ajd2 ascends ,sinai with ,moses1 #aaa2 one of the twelve spies1 #agc2 the promise to him1 #age2 assumes the leadership of the ,israelitish forces1 #bjj2 crosses the ,jordan1 #bjc2 mysterious appearance to him1 #bjd2 his curse upon ,jericho1 #bjf2 takes ,ai1 #bji2 his ratification of the ,law1 #bji2 commands the sun to stand still1 #bab2 his military successes1 #bae2 his division of the ,land1 #bae2 his inheritance1 #bbj2 his last address to the ,tribes1 #bbb2 his death1 #bbb2 a type of ,christ1 #bbc2 the position of the ,israelites at his death1 #bbd ,josiah1 king of ,judah foretold1 #cgb2 his religious reformations1 #ddf2 restores the ,temple1 #ddg2 killed at ,megiddo1 #ddi ,jotham1 king of ,judah #dcj ,jotham1 son of ,gideon his parable1 #bec ,jubal inventor of musical instruments1 #aa ,jubilee the year of1 #ade ,judah1 ,jacob's son #eb2 pleads with his father1 #fe2 with ,joseph in ,egypt1 #fg2 ,jacob's dying blessing upon1 #ga ,judah1 ,tribe of its portion1 #bag2 its conquest of ,hebron1 #bae2 its subsequent conquests1 #bbf2 its degraded state1 #bfb2 its rivalry with ,ephraim1 #cgj ,judah1 ,kingdom of physical geography of1 #cj2 its area and extent1 #cgj2 its degradation under ,jehoiakim1 #dej2 the captivity of1 #deb ,judah and ,israel1 kingdoms of alliance between1 #cig2 summary of their duration1 #dec2 their mutual relations1 #dec2 their contrasts1 #ded ,judges1 ,hebrew word denoting them1 #bcd2 their office and position1 #bce ,judges1 ,book of purport of its last five chapters1 #bbg ,k4 ,kadesh-,barnea encampment at1 #agb2 mutiny of ,israelites there1 #age2 rebellion of ,korah at1 #agf2 the ,plague at1 #agg2 ,miriam buried there1 #agi ,keilah rescued by ,david1 #cje ,kerak 7,kir-haraseth7 situation of1 #djg ,keturah ,abraham's second wife1 #de ,king the ,israelites demand one1 #bgh2 ,divine promises concerning1 #bgi2 ,saul elected1 #bhb2 regulations of the office1 #bhb ,kings of ,judah and ,israel chronological table of1 #dhf ,kirjath-jearim the ark removed to1 #bgd2 fetched thence by ,david1 #cbf ,kirjath-sephir taken by ,othniel1 #baf ,kishon1 ,river account of1 #bda ,kohathite section of the ,levites1 #abg ,korah rebellion of1 #agf1 #agg ,l4 ,laban ,jacob's uncle1 #ej1 #ea2 his unfairness towards him1 #eb ,laish #bbi2 taken by the ,danites1 #bcj ,lamech institutes ,polygamy1 #aa ,lamp1 the golden of the ,tabernacle1 #abb ,land ,mosaic laws regarding1 #aff ,land of ,promise description of1 #bh2 ,abram arrives there1 #cb4 ,see ,palestine4 ,laver for purification1 #aba ,law1 the delivered from ,sinai1 #ajh2 committed to writing by ,moses1 #aji2 copy of1 given by ,moses to the ,priests1 #aif2 its ratification by ,joshua1 #bji ,laws1 ,mosaic of purity1 #aef ,leah1 ,jacob's wife substituted for ,rachel1 #eb2 her children1 #eb ,lepers ,mosaic laws regarding them1 #aeg ,leprosy description of1 #aeg ,levi1 ,jacob's son #eb2 attacks ,shechem1 #ef2 ,jacob's dying blessing upon1 #ga ,levi1 the sons of their zeal in the destruction of the ,calf1 #aad1 #abf2 separated for the ,service of the ,sanctuary1 #abf2 the ,cities of ,refuge assigned to them1 #aie2 the portion of1 #bbj ,levi and the ,priesthood genealogical table of1 #dhe ,levites their special functions1 #abg1 #abh1 #ced2 the three sections of1 #abg2 tithes assigned to them1 #abh2 transgressions of two of them1 #bba1 #bca ,life ,mosaic laws affecting1 #afb2 the sacredness of1 #afc ,longevity of the antediluvians advantage of1 #ab ,lot nephew of ,abram1 #bg2 accompanies him in his journeys1 #cc2 they separate1 #cd2 rescued by ,abram1 #ce2 escapes from ,sodom1 #dj2 his wife perishes1 #da ,m4 ,machpelah1 ,cave of purchased by ,abraham1 #dd2 he is buried there1 #de2 and ,sarah1 #dd2 and ,jacob1 #gb ,mahanaim origin of its name1 #ec2 ,ishbosheth reigns there1 #cai2 ,david retreats to1 #cda ,makkedah1 the ,cave of #bac ,mamre1 the ,oak of ,abraham dwells under1 #cd1 #cf1 #dd2 and ,isaac and ,jacob1 #eg ,man the creation of1 #b2 his distinctive position1 #c2 the fall of1 #d2 his sinfulness before the ,flood1 #ab1 #ad2 after the ,flood1 #bf ,manasseh1 ,joseph's son #fc2 ,jacob's dying blessing upon1 #gj2 the portions of1 #aie1 #bah ,manasseh1 king of ,judah his idolatry1 #ddc2 taken captive to ,babylon1 #dde2 his return and repentance1 #dde ,manna in the wilderness conditions regarding it1 #ajb ,manoah father of ,samson1 #bei ,marah the waters of1 #aja ,march of the ,israelites from ,sinai order of1 #afh ,marriage-bond in the ,patriarchal age1 #gd2 ,mosaic law regarding it1 #afj ,masters ,mosaic law respecting1 #afa ,mattaniah see ,zedekiah4 ,measures1 ,scripture table of1 #dic ,meat-offerings1 the #acd ,medad the ,elder1 #agj ,megiddo a ,canaanite stronghold1 #bbf1 #bdj2 position of1 #cfa2 ,josiah killed there1 #ddi ,melchizedek conjectures concerning him1 #ce2 blesses ,abram1 #cf2 a type of ,christ1 #cf ,menahem king of ,israel1 #dcb ,merab ,saul's daughter1 #cjj ,merarite section of ,levites1 #abh ,mercy-seat in the ,tabernacle1 #abd ,merom battle of1 #bad ,meshach at ,babylon1 #deg2 in the fiery furnace1 #dfa ,methuselah great age of1 #ab ,micah idolatry of1 #bbh ,micaiah the prophet1 #cih ,michal1 ,david's wife her devotion1 #cja2 is taken from him1 #cji2 restored1 #cbj2 scoffs at him1 #cbh2 her punishment1 #cbi ,michmash occupied by the ,philistines1 #bhf2 ,saul there1 #bhf2 battle of1 #bhi ,midian ,moses dwells there1 #hb ,midianites sacred war against1 #aid2 the invasion of1 #bdc2 overthrown by ,gideon1 #bdh1 #bdi ,mighty men of ,david's army1 #cbi ,miriam sister of ,moses1 #ha2 her song at the ,red ,sea1 #ii2 rebels against ,moses1 #aga2 struck with leprosy1 #agb2 her death1 #agi ,mizpeh assembly of the tribes at1 #bca2 ,jephthah at1 #beg2 ,philistines defeated there1 #bge2 school of the prophets there1 #bgf2 ,saul chosen king there1 #bha2 the station of the ,chaldan ,guard1 #deb ,moabites their ancestry1 #da2 their territory1 #ahg2 the invasion of under ,eglon1 #bce2 ,david's conquest over1 #ccj2 routed by ,jehoram1 #djf ,money1 ,jewish table of1 #dic ,month-,sabbath or ,new ,moon festival1 #adc ,moon the ,eastern worship of1 #add ,mordecai ,haman's jealousy of1 #dgb2 his triumph1 #dgd ,moriah1 ,mount the site of the ,temple1 #dc1 #cdf1 #cef ,mosaic ,law the chief features of1 #aag ,moses his parentage1 #ha2 rescued from the ,nile1 #ha2 meaning of his name1 #ha2 his education1 #ha2 flies to ,midian1 #hb2 his life there1 #hc2 vision of the burning bush1 #hd2 is called by ,god1 #hd2 returns to ,egypt1 #hf2 appears before ,pharaoh1 #hg-id2 works signs and wonders in ,egypt1 #hh-id2 leads out the ,israelites1 #if2 draws water from the rock1 #ajc2 the covenant renewed to him on ,sinai1 #ajf1 #aaf2 receives the two tables of stone1 #aaa2 intercedes for the people1 #aad2 ,miriam and ,aaron turn against him1 #aga2 his position confirmed1 #agb2 pleads for the people at ,kadesh-,barnea1 #agd1 #agg2 his sin at the #8,waters of ,strife1' #ahj2 appoints ,joshua his successor1 #aie2 his final counsels to the people1 #aif2 views the promised land from ,mount ,nebo1 #aig2 dies1 #aih2 summary of his career1 #aih2 a type of ,christ1 #aii ,murder ,mosaic law regarding1 #afc ,n4 ,naaman cured of his leprosy1 #daa ,nabal his churlishness to ,david1 #cjh2 his death1 #cji ,naboth the murder of1 #cif ,nadab1 ,aaron's son the sin of1 #aca ,nadab1 king of ,israel #cgg ,nahash besieges ,jabesh-,gilead1 #bhc ,naomi mother-in-law of ,ruth1 #bfe ,naphtali ,jacob's son1 #eb2 tribe of1 its portion1 #bai2 its neglect of duty1 #bbg2 its firmness under ,barak1 #bci ,nathan the prophet confirms the kingdom to ,david1 #cbh2 denounces his sin1 #ccd ,nazarites their vows1 #aeh2 ,samson becomes one1 #bei ,nebo1 ,mount ,moses views the ,promised ,land from1 #aig ,nebuchadnezzar captures ,jerusalem1 #dej1 #dea1 #deb2 his visions interpreted by ,daniel1 #deh1 #dfc2 his golden image1 #dfj2 his greatness and power1 #dfb2 stricken with madness1 #dfd2 his recovery and death1 #dfe ,necho1 king of ,egypt overcomes ,josiah1 #ddi2 takes ,jehoahaz captive1 #ddi2 defeated by ,nebuchadnezzar1 #ddi ,nehemiah rebuilds ,jerusalem1 #dgg2 opposed by ,sanballat1 #dgh2 his reforms1 #dgg2 his death1 #dha ,new ,moon festival or ,month-,sabbath1 #adc ,nile1 the ,moses rescued from1 #ha2 its position in ,egyptian theology1 #hi2 turned into blood1 #hi ,nimrod the empire of1 #ba2 worshipped as ,bel or ,belus1 #ba ,nineveh founded by ,nimrod1 #ba2 ,jonah's mission to1 #dcj ,noah his righteousness1 #ac2 his three sons1 #ac2 builds the ,ark1 #ad2 saved from the ,flood1 #ae2 leaves the ,ark1 #af2 his sacrifice1 #af2 the covenant made with him1 #af2 plants the vine1 c41 #ag2 his prophecy on his sons1 #ag2 his descendants and their dispersion1 #ai ,nob ,david at1 #cjc2 ,saul's massacre of the priests there1 #cje ,nomadic character of the ,patriarchal age1 #gc ,o4 ,obed-,edom the ,ark at his house1 #cbf ,offerings1 the of the ,mosaic ,law1 #acc ,og king of ,bashan1 #ahe2 routed by the ,israelites1 #ahf ,omri usurps the throne of ,israel1 #chj2 opposed by ,tibni1 #chj2 builds ,samaria1 #cha ,ophir conjectures regarding1 #cfb ,order of the ,march from ,sinai1 #afh ,othniel takes ,kirjath-,sephir1 #baf2 his exploits1 #bcf ,p4 ,palestine its position and extent1 #bh2 its adaptation to the ,divine purpose1 #bi2 ancient routes through it1 #bi2 its physical geography1 #cj2 its produces and fertility1 #ca2 its division amongst the twelve tribes1 #aie1 #baf-bbb ,palmyra built by ,solomon1 #cfa ,paradise its probable position1 #c2 life of our first parents there1 #d ,paran1 deserts of the long wandering in1 #agh ,parents ,mosaic law regarding1 #aei ,passover1 the institution of1 #ie2 rites observed at1 #aej2 its typical meaning1 #aea2 celebration of1 on the plains of ,jericho1 #bjd ,patriarchal age1 the survey of1 #gc ,patriarchs1 the their nomadic life1 #gc2 their family relations1 #gd2 civilization1 #gd2 religion and worship1 #gf2 their character1 #gf ,patriarchs1 the twelve and their descendants1 genealogical table of1 #dhe ,peace offerings various kinds of1 #ach2 the ritual observed at1 #ach2 meaning of1 #aci ,pekah king of ,israel1 #dcc2 defeated by the ,assyrians1 #dcd ,pekahiah king of ,israel1 #dcc ,pentecost the feast of1 #aeb ,penuel fortified by ,jeroboam1 #cga ,perizzites their locality1 #cb1 #bja ,persian ,empire table of its connection with ,israel1 #dia ,pharaoh his dreams1 #fa2 interpreted by ,joseph1 #fb2 he exalts ,joseph1 #fb2 receives ,jacob's blessing1 #gj his hardness of heart1 #hg-id2 lets the ,israelites go1 #ij1 #if2 pursues after them1 #ig2 drowned in the ,red ,sea1 #ii ,pharpar1 ,river #dab ,philistines1 the their immigration into ,palestine1 #beh2 their five cities1 #bei2 ,samson's exploits against them1 #bfa-bfd2 their deities1 #bfc2 they capture the ark1 #bga2 defeated at ,mizpeh1 #bge2 and by ,jonathan at ,michmash1 #bia2 their invasion under ,achish1 #caa2 their victory1 at ,gilboa1 #cae2 their defeat in the valley of ,rephaim1 #cbe2 ,david's conquest over them1 #cbi1 #cde ,phinehas1 grandson of ,aaron his righteous zeal1 #aic2 the priesthood settled in his race1 #aic2 routs the ,midianites1 #aid ,phinehas1 son of ,eli wickedness of1 #bfi2 his death1 #bga ,phrygians their tradition of the ,flood1 #af ,pillar of cloud #fg1 #ih1 #afg ,pillar of fire #ig1 #ih ,pison1 ,river #c ,plague1 the at ,kadesh-,barnea1 #agg2 at ,baal-,peor1 #aic2 in the reign of ,david1 #cdf ,plagues of ,egypt1 #hh-id1 #if ,polygamy institution of1 #aa2 ,mosaic law regarding it1 #afj ,porch of ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceg ,potiphar buys ,joseph1 #ei2 etymology of his name1 #ei2 profligacy of his wife1 #fj ,priests1 the their consecration1 #abh2 their vestments1 #abi2 the qualifications necessary for1 #abi2 their duties1 #acj2 their provision1 #acj1 #acd2 their functions and courses1 #ceh ,prince1 the of the army of ,jehovah1 appears to ,joshua1 #bjd ,promise1 the to ,adam1 gradual fulfilment of1 #dhb-dhd ,property ,mosaic law respecting1 #afe ,prophetical order1 the its duties and position1 #bgf1 #bgg ,prophet the disobedient1 #cgc2 his tomb spared by ,josiah1 #ddf ,prophets the ,chronological ,table of1 #dhg ,proverbs of ,solomon1 #ced ,psalms of ,david1 their pre-eminence as sacred poetry1 #cej ,pul1 king of ,assyria bought off by ,menahem1 #dcb ,purim the feast of1 #aed ,purity ,jewish laws regarding1 #aef ,q4 ,quails sent in the wilderness1 #agj ,r4 ,rabbah trophy of ,og there1 #ahf2 its position1 #ccb2 besieged by ,joab1 #ccc2 taken by ,david1 #cce ,rachel her meeting with ,jacob1 #ea2 becomes his wife1 #eb2 the mother of ,joseph1 #eb2 and of ,benjamin1 #eg2 her death1 #eg ,rahab protects the spies1 #bjb2 preserved at the destruction of ,jericho1 #bjf ,rainbow1 the pledge of the ,covenant with ,noah1 #ag ,ramah the residence of ,samuel1 #bge2 school of the prophets there1 #bgf ,rameses its probable position1 #ig ,ramoth-gilead situation of1 #cih2 the battle of1 #cii ,rebekah wife of ,isaac1 #de ,redemption the first promise of1 #h2 its gradual fulfilment1 #dhb-dhd ,red ,sea1 the ,israelites arrive at1 #ig2 their passage over it1 #ih ,refuge the cities of1 #afd2 their names1 #bbj ,rehoboam succeeds ,solomon1 #cfh2 his impolitic conduit1 #cfi2 the ten tribes revolt from him1 #cfi2 his idolatry1 #cge2 overcome by ,shishak1 #cgf2 his death1 #cgf ,religion in the ,patriarchal age1 #ge ,rephidim ,moses smites the rock there1 #ajc2 the ,israelites attacked by the ,amalekites at1 #ajc2 ,jethro meets ,moses there1 #ajd ,reuben ,jacob's son1 #eb2 intercedes for ,joseph1 #eh2 ,jacob's dying blessing upon1 #ga2 tribe of1 rebels against ,moses1 #agf2 its pastoral pursuits1 #gh1 #aid2 its portion1 #aie ,revolt of the ten tribes1 #cfi2 predisposing causes of1 #cgj ,rezin revolts against ,solomon1 #cfe ,riblah position of1 #ddi ,rimmon1 the fortress of #bcc ,rimmon1 the ,syriac deity #dab ,rizpah her sons killed1 #cdd2 her devotion1 #cdd ,ruth history of1 #bfe2 its value and interest1 #bfe ,s4 ,sabbath1 the institution of1 #ajb2 ,mosaic law regarding it1 #adb ,sabbatical year1 the #add2 its meaning1 #ade ,sacrifice first institution of1 #aj2 ,noah's1 #af2 ,abraham's1 #dc2 ,elijah's1 #chf ,sacrifices of the ,mosaic law unbloody1 #acc2 of blood1 #acg ,samaria built by ,omri1 #cha2 its position1 #bah1 #cha2 sieges of by ,benhadad1 #cia1 #dad2 slaughter of priests of ,baal there1 #dbb2 besieged by ,shalmaneser1 #dce2 captured by ,sargon1 #dce ,samson his birth announced1 #bei2 his exploits1 #bfj-bfd2 his riddle1 #bfa2 betrayed by ,delilah1 #bfc2 his death1 #bfd ,samuel his early dedication to the ,lord1 #bfh2 called by ,god1 #bgj2 recognized as a ,prophet1 #bga2 becomes ,judge1 #bgd2 establishes ,schools of the ,prophets1 #bgf2 meets ,saul1 #bhj2 declares him king1 #bha2 his farewell to the people1 #bhe2 rebukes ,saul at ,gilgal1 #bhg2 rejects ,saul1 #bib2 anoints ,david1 #bie2 his death1 #cjh2 appears to ,saul at ,endor1 #cad2 traditionary site of his tomb1 #bfg ,sanballat his opposition to ,nehemiah1 #dgh ,sarah wife of ,abraham1 #bg2 her name changed1 #ci2 gives birth to ,isaac1 #da2 her death and burial1 #dd ,sargon1 king of ,assyria captures ,samaria1 #dce2 ends the kingdom of ,israel1 #dcf ,satan ,scripture testimony respecting1 #e2 tempts ,eve1 #e2 is cursed1 #h2 afflicts ,job1 #be ,saul met by ,samuel1 #bhj2 anointed1 #bha2 joins the prophets1 #bha1 #cja2 chosen king1 #bhb2 defeats the ,ammonites1 #bhd2 assumes the government1 #bhe2 his sin1 #bhg2 rebuked by ,samuel1 #bhg2 destroys the ,amalekites1 #bib2 his disobedience1 #bib2 rejected by ,samuel1 #bib2 his jealousy of ,david1 #bii2 his cruelty at ,nob1 #cje2 spared by ,david1 #cjg2 at ,endor1 #cad2 ,samuel's sentence upon him1 #cae2 his death1 #cae2 his body rescued1 #caf2 his sons crucified1 #cdd ,saviour1 the first promise of1 #h2 its gradual fulfilment1 #dhb-dhd ,scape-goat1 the #adh2 its meaning1 #adi ,schools of the ,prophets established by ,samuel1 #bgf2 their object and purpose1 #bgf ,seir mountains of1 #ee ,sennacherib invades ,judah1 #dch2 summons ,jerusalem1 #dci2 destruction of his army1 #ddj ,serpent1 the ,brazen #ahb2 typical of ,christ1 #ahc2 destroyed by ,hezekiah1 #dcf ,serpents in the ,wilderness the plague of1 #ahb ,servants ,mosaic law regarding1 #afa ,seth son of ,adam1 #aa2 his descendants1 #ab2 their righteousness1 #ab2 repositories of the promise1 #ab2 they become corrupt1 #ac ,shadrach at ,babylon1 #deg2 in the fiery furnace1 #ded ,shallum usurps the throne of ,israel1 #dcb ,shalmaneser1 king of ,assyria invades ,israel1 #dce ,shamgar1 the ,judge assaults the ,philistines1 #bcg ,sharon1 the vale of its position1 #cj ,sheba1 ,queen of visits ,solomon1 #cfd ,sheba revolts against ,david1 #cdb2 his death1 #cdc ,shechem description of1 #ca2 ,abram builds his first altar there1 #cb2 ,jacob's abode there1 #ee1 #eh2 ,joseph's bones buried there1 #baj1 #bbb2 ,joshua assembles the tribes at1 #bbb2 temple of ,baal there1 #beb2 destroyed by ,abimelech1 #bed2 ,rehoboam's convention at1 #cfh2 rebuilt by ,jeroboam1 #cga ,shem son of ,noah1 #ac2 the blessing upon1 #ah2 his descendants and their settlements1 #bj ,shew-bread account of1 #abb2 obtained by ,david1 #cjc2 placed in ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceg1 #ceh ,shibboleth meaning of1 #beh ,shiloh conjectures concerning1 #ga2 the tabernacle there1 #abe1 #bfg2 its position1 #bag2 the rape at1 #bcd2 ,samuel ministers there1 #bfh2 ,eli dies at1 #bgb2 date of its supposed destruction1 #bgb ,shimei curses ,david1 #cci2 is forgiven1 #cdb2 put to death1 #cec ,shinar the ,plain of1 #ah2 the site of ,nimrod's ,empire1 #ba ,shishak king of ,egypt1 #cff2 overcomes ,rehoboam and despoils the ,temple1 #cgf ,sihon1 king of the ,amorites opposes the ,israelites1 #ahd2 is slain1 #ahe ,simeon ,jacob's son1 #eb2 attacks ,shechem1 #ef2 bound hostage for ,benjamin1 #fd2 ,jacob's dying blessing upon1 #ga2 tribe of1 its portion1 #bag ,sinai1 ,mount the ,israelites encamp before it1 #aje1 #aag2 scenery around it1 #ajf2 the ,covenant renewed there to ,moses1 #ajf1 #aaf2 the ,law delivered from1 #ajh2 the ascents of ,moses1 #aaa1 #aaf2 events accomplished there1 #afg ,sinai1 ,peninsula of ,moses flies there1 #hb2 description of it1 #ajj ,sin-offering1 the #aci2 its peculiar ritual1 #adj2 its intention1 #ada ,sisera ,jabin's captain1 #bcg2 overthrown by ,barak1 #bdj2 killed by ,jael1 #bdb ,slavery in the ,patriarchal age1 #gd2 under the ,mosaic law1 #afa ,sodom ,lot settles there1 #cd2 its destruction1 #da ,solomon the birth of1 #ccd2 proclaimed king1 #cdg2 ,david's last charge to him1 #cdh2 his accession1 #cej2 his prayer for ,wisdom1 #cec2 his judgment1 #ced2 his proverbs and songs1 #ced2 commences the ,temple1 #cee2 dedicates it1 #ceh2 his public works1 #cfj2 commercial activity of his reign1 #cfa-cfc2 bad tendency of this1 #cfc2 his splendour1 #cfd2 his failings1 #cfc1 #cfg2 his troubles1 #cfe2 his death and character1 #cff2 causes of the dismemberment of his kingdom1 #cgj ,song of ,witness composed by ,moses1 #aig ,songs of ,solomon #ced #8,sons of ,god' conjectures concerning1 #ac ,spies mission of the twelve1 #agc2 the faithless ten struck dead1 #age2 two sent to ,jericho1 #bja ,springs in the ,east #ahc ,succoth ,jacob settles at1 #ee2 the ,israelites first halt there1 #ig ,t4 ,tabernacle1 the pattern of1 revealed to ,moses1 #aaa1 #aah1 #abe2 its construction1 #aai2 its area1 #aai2 description of1 #aba2 its history1 #abe2 fixed at ,shiloh1 #baf2 ,david's new one on ,zion1 #cbf ,tabernacles the feast of1 #aec2 its observances1 #aec2 other customs connected with it1 #aed ,table of ,shewbread in the ,tabernacle1 #abb2 in ,solomon's ,temple1 #ceg1 #ceh ,tadmor built by ,solomon1 #cfa ,tarshish probable situation of1 #cfb2 ,jonah at1 #dcj ,tekoa position of1 #dja ,temple1 the site of purchased by ,david1 #cdf1 #cef2 treasures accumulated for it1 #cef2 the building of1 by ,solomon1 #cee-ceh2 its dedication1 #ceh1 #cei2 despoiled by ,shishak1 #cgf2 repaired by ,joash1 #dai2 rifled by ,jehoash1 #dbe2 despoiled by ,nebuchadnezzar1 #dej1 #dea2 its destruction1 #deb2 the rebuilding of1 commenced1 #dfi2 its interruption and completion1 #dgj1 #dga ,ten ,tribes their revolt1 #cfh ,terah father of ,abraham1 #bg ,tarshish silver mines of1 #cfb ,thebez its position1 #bee ,theft ,mosaic law regarding1 #afe ,things unclean forbidden by the ,law1 #aef ,tiberias ,lake of1 #cj ,tibni rival king to ,omri1 #chj ,tiglath-,pileser1 king of ,assyria his successes1 #dcc ,tigris1 ,river #c1 #ag1 #ah ,tiphsah position of1 #cfa ,tirzah capital of ,israel1 #chj ,tithes assigned to the ,levites1 #abh2 and ,priests1 #acd ,tola the ,judge #bee ,tongues the confusion of1 #af-bj ,tree of ,knowledge #d ,trespass ,offering1 the #ada2 occasions for presenting it1 #ada ,tribal wars1 the #bcb1 #bef ,trumpets1 feast of #add2 its intention1 #add ,tubal ,cain inventor of metal working1 #aa ,u4 ,unclean things forbidden by the law1 #aef ,ur probable locality of1 #bg ,uriah ,david's treachery to1 #ccc ,urim1 the1 and the ,thummim #acb ,uz1 the land of its probable site1 #bb ,uzzah sudden death of1 #cbf ,uzziah1 king of ,judah4 ,see ,azariah4 ,v4 ,victims used for sacrifice1 #ace2 the requisites of1 #acf ,w4 ,wanderings1 the in the desert1 #age-agh #8,waters of strife1' the #ahj ,weeks1 the feast of or ,pentecost1 #aeb2 its character1 #aeb ,weights ,jewish ,tables of1 #dib ,wells in the ,east #ahc ,widow's son1 the raised by ,elisha1 #dji ,wives ,mosaic law regarding1 #afj ,worship1 religious of the ,patriarchs1 #ge ,y4 ,year of ,jubilee1 the #ade ,year-,sabbath1 the #add ,z4 ,zachariah1 king of ,israel brief reign of1 #dcb ,zadok the priest joins ,david1 #cbc2 has charge of the ,ark1 #cbf1 #cch2 anoints ,solomon1 #cdg2 becomes ,high-priest1 #ceb ,zarephath the widow of1 #chd2 ,elijah there1 #chd ,zebulun ,jacob's son1 #eb2 tribe of1 its portion1 #bai2 its neglect of duty1 #bbg2 its firmness under ,barak1 #bci ,zechariah the stoning of1 #dbe ,zechariah1 the prophet #dga ,zedekiah the false prophecy of1 #cih ,zedekiah or ,mattaniah king of ,judah1 #dea2 taken captive to ,babylon1 #deb ,zerah invasion and defeat of by ,asa1 #cgh ,zerubbabel ,governor of ,jerusalem at the restoration1 #dfi ,ziklag ,david at1 #caa ,zimri usurps the throne of ,israel1 #chj ,ziph ,david at1 #cjf2 spares ,saul there1 #caj ,zipporah wife of ,moses1 #hc ,zobah defeated by ,david1 #ccj ,zophar friend of ,job1 #bd ,,the ,,end4 ,,cambridge3 ,,printed ,,by ,c4 ,j4 ,,clay ,,sons1 ,,at ,,the ,,university ,,press4 ,footnotes4 #a - ,the ,edition of ,dr ,robinson's ,biblical ,researches referred to is the second ,american ,edition1 #c ,vols4 #ahfj2 that of ,dean ,stanley's ,sinai and ,palestine1 the #crd1 #ahef4 #b - ,hence the idea of an envious and jealous ,god so common in heathenism1 as in ,herodotus1 ,i4 #cb1 ,,iii4 #dj1 ,,vii4 #df4 #c - ,the ,ninth ,article of the ,church of ,england4 #d - ,kurtz's ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 ,i4 #di3 8,however weakened and darkened by sin1 the divine image in man is not wholly destroyed 7,gen4 ix4 #f1 ,james iii4 #i71 and even after the ,fall man continues the offspring of ,god 7,acts xvii4 #bh740 #e - ,kurtz's ,sacred ,history1 p4 #dh4 #f - ,davison1 ,on ,prophecy1 p4 #ee4 #g - ,this seems to be the true meaning of the expression1 the ,lord set a mark upon ,cain4 ,compare the sign given to ,noah 7,gen4 ix4 #ac71 to ,moses 7,ex4 iii4 #b1 #ab71 to ,elijah 7#a ,kings xix4 #aa71 to ,hezekiah 7,isai4 xxxviii4 #g1 #h74 #h - ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 ,art4 ,noah4 #i - ,the traditions of many nations preserve the recollection of the ,flood4 ,they may be found in the ,chaldan and ,phnician mythology1 among the ,persian1 ,indian1 ,chinese1 and ,american nations4 ,the ,greeks had their tradition of ,deucalion and ,pyrrha4 ,among the ,phrygians was a legend of a ,king ,annakos or ,nannakos in ,iconium1 who lived to the age of #djj years1 foretold the ,flood1 and in prospect of the destruction awaiting them1 wept and prayed for his people4 ,as late as the time of ,septimius ,severus1 a medal was struck at ,apamea commemorating this event4 ,on it is the representation of a square vessel floating on the water1 and through an opening in it two persons1 a man and a woman1 are visible4 ,on the top a bird is perched1 while another is flying towards it carrying a branch between its feet4 ,in front of the vessel the same pair stand as though they had just landed on dry ground4 ,on some specimens the letters or have been found4 ,see ,kurtz's ,sacred ,history1 p4 #ef4 #aj - ,this prediction that ,canaan should become the servant of ,shem is thought to have been primarily fulfilled1 when the nations of ,palestine were conquered by ,joshua 7,josh4 xviii4 #aj2 xxiii4 #d2 #b ,chron4 viii4 #g1 #h71 when ,tyre fell before the arms of ,alexander1 and1 again1 when the ,carthaginians were subdued by the ,romans4 #aa - ,the words he shall dwell in the tents of ,shem are somewhat obscure4 ,if they denote that ,god would dwell in his tents1 they probably refer to the fact that the 8promised ,seed0 was restricted to this line1 and the special presence of ,god with the ,jews 7,rom4 ix4 #d1 #e72 if they mean that ,japheth should dwell in his tents1 they probably point to the occupation of ,palestine and the surrounding countries by the ,romans1 and in a spiritual sense to the adoption of the ,gentiles into the ,church of ,god 7,eph4 iii4 #f74 #ab - ,an approximate indication of the ,time when this ,dispersion took place is afforded in ,gen4 x4 #be1 where we find one of the descendants of ,shem named ,peleg 78,division071 for in his days was the earth divided4 #ac - ,smith's ,dictionary of the ,bible1 ,article ,nimrod4 #ad - ,jemima day or a dove1 ,kezia cassia1 a sweet aromatic plant1 and ,keren-,happuch either horn of antimony1 the pigment used by ,eastern ladies to colour the eye-lashes1 or1 according to the ,,lxx41 horn of plenty4 #ae - ,called by the ,greeks ,edessa1 and ,callirrhoe1 8the ,beautiful ,spring10 from a 8pool of transparent clearness0 hard by4 ,others place ,ur at ,mugheir1 much further to the south1 and on the right bank of the ,euphrates1 about six miles from the present course of the stream4 #af - ,haran1 or ,charr1 now ,harrn1 in ,n4,w4 ,mesopotamia1 situated 8on the point of divergence between the great caravan routes towards the various fords of the ,euphrates and the ,tigris10 was afterwards celebrated for its temple of ,luna1 the ,moon-goddess1 and still more as the scene of the famous defeat of ,crassus by the ,parthian general ,surna4 ,here the descendants of ,abraham's brother ,nahor settled1 so that ,haran is called the city of ,nahor 7,gen4 xxiv4 #aj2 xxvii4 #dc74 #ag - ,the distance from ,london to ,york or ,exeter4 ,the limits here taken are the parallels of #ca and #cc north latitude1 and the meridian of #cd to that of #cf east longitude4 8,in ,palestine1 as in ,greece1 every traveller is struck with the smallness of the territory4 ,he is surprised1 even after all that he has heard1 at passing1 in one long day1 from the capital of ,judea to that of ,samaria2 or at seeing within #h hours1 three such spots as ,hebron1 ,bethlehem1 and ,jerusalem40 ,stanley1 ,sinai and ,palestine1 #aad2 see ,note #ccg4 #ah - ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #aac4 #ai - ,kurtz's ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 ,i4 #adg1 #h4 #bj - 8,all the routesboth by land and waterwhich connected the three parts of the ancient world1 passed through ,palestine4 ,the commerce between ,asia on the one1 and ,europe and ,africa on the other hand1 had its centre in the great mercantile cities of ,phnicia and ,philistia4 ,towards the ,south the ,arabah led to the ,gulf of ,elath1 and the ,shephelah to that of ,heroopolis1 while toward the ,east the ordinary caravan road led to the neighbouring ,euphrates1 to the ,persian ,gulf1 and thence to the important countries of ,southern ,asia4 ,even the highways which connected ,asia and ,africa touched ,palestine4 ,a much frequented commercial route led from ,egypt to ,gaza1 and from ,damascus over the plain of ,jezreel to the ,phnician coast40 ,kurtz1 ,i4 #adi4 #ba - ,hence the cities of ,judah are higher than the summits of many mountains of ,samaria and ,galilee4 ,thus while ,tabor is #ahfe feet above the sea-level1 and ,carmel #ahjj1 as high as the ,peak in ,derbyshire1 ,jerusalem is #bfaj feet1 or higher than ,plynlimmon1 and ,hebron #cjbi feet1 or nearly as high as ,helvellyn4 #bb - ,while the lake of ,cinneroth 7or as it is called in the ,new ,testament ,tiberias71 is only #fec feet below the same level4 ,the two principal features in the course of the ,jordan are its descent and its sinuosity4 ,from its fountain-head it rushes down one continuous plane1 only broken by a series of rapids or precipitous falls1 traversing1 in a space of #fj miles of latitude and #d or #e miles of longitude1 at least #bjj miles4 ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,article ,jordan4 #bc - 8,shechem0 7now ,nablous7 8shoulder10 8ridge10 like dorsum in ,latin1 was situated on the 8saddle0 or 8shoulder0 of the heights which divide the waters there that flow to the ,mediterranean on the west and the ,jordan on the east4 #bd - 8,here there are no impetuous torrents1 yet there is water2 water1 too1 in more copious supplies than any where else in the land2 and it is just to its many fountains1 rills1 water-courses1 that the valley owes its exquisite beauty40 ,van de ,velde1 ,i4 #chf4 ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 #adb1 #bce4 8,the whole valley10 writes ,dr ,robinson1 8was filled with gardens of vegetables1 and orchards of all kinds of fruits1 watered by fountains1 which burst forth in various parts and flow westwards in refreshing streams10 ,bibl4 ,res4 ,,ii4 #bge4 #be - 8,the ,canaanite was then in the land10 ,gen4 xii4 #f4 ,of these seven ,canaanitish nations1 descended from ,canaan the son of ,ham 7,gen4 x4 #ae-ai71 7i7 the ,,jebusites inhabited ,jerusalem 7,jebus7 and its neighbourhood 7,num4 xiii4 #bi2 ,josh4 xi4 #c2 xv4 #h1 #fc72 7ii7 the ,,hittites1 ,hebron and its vicinity 7,gen4 xxiii4 #g1 #aj2 ,num4 xiii4 #bi72 7iii7 the ,,hivites were located 7a7 north of the ,jebusites about ,gibeon and ,bethel 7,josh4 xi4 #ai7 and ,shechem 7,gen4 xxxiv4 #b71 7b7 in the neighbourhood of ,hermon 7,josh4 xi4 #c2 ,judg4 iii4 #c72 7iv7 the ,,amorites1 or 8highlanders10 the most powerful and warlike tribe1 occupied the country 7a7 between the ,hittites and the ,dead ,sea 7,gen4 xiv4 #g1 #ac2 ,judg4 i4 #cd-cf72 7b7 at a later period1 the east of ,jordan1 where they founded two great kingdoms1 that of ,og in ,bashan and ,sihon in ,s4 ,gilead 7,num4 xxi4 #ac-bf2 ,deut4 iii4 #h2 ,judg4 xi4 #ac1 c472 7v7 the ,,canaanites1 8lowlanders10 were distributed along the sea-coast 7,gen4 xv4 #ba2 ,exod4 xxiii4 #bc2 ,josh4 xi4 #c7 and the valley of the ,jordan 7,num4 xiii4 #bi71 thus encircling 7vi7 the ,,perizzites1 who probably inhabited the high plains of the west country under the range of ,carmel 7,gen4 xiii4 #g2 ,josh4 xi4 #c72 the position of 7vii7 the ,,girgashites 7,gen4 x4 #af2 ,deut4 vii4 #a7 is uncertain4 #bf - ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 #bah4 #bg - ,see ,article ,oak1 in ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 #bh - ,for other notices of ,melchisedec see ,heb4 vii4 #a-ba2 ,psalm cx4 #d4 ,his relation to ,christ1 as type and antitype1 consists in the fact that each was a priest1 7i7 not of the tribe of ,levi1 7ii7 superior to ,abraham1 7iii7 whose beginning and end are unknown1 7iv7 and not only a priest1 but a priest-king1 of righteousness and peace4 #bi - ,corresponding to ,padishah 7father-king7 the title of the ,persian kings1 and ,atlh 7father7 the title of the ,khans of ,bucharia4 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 ,art4 ,abimelech4 #cj - ,either1 7#a7 according to the prevailing belief1 the hill at ,jerusalem on which the ,temple was afterwards built1 or 7#b7 ,mount ,gerizim1 near ,sychem4 ,see ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 #bea2 and compare ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 #dgd1 #dge4 #ca - 8,the tomb of ,machpelah is a proof1 standing to this day1 of the long predetermined assurance that the children of ,abraham should inherit the land in which this was their ancestor's sole1 but most precious possession4 ,it is like the purchase of the site of ,hannibal's ,camp by the strong faith and hope of the besieged senators of ,rome40 ,stanley1 ,lectures on the ,jewish ,church1 p4 #dj4 #cb - ,on the consistent insignificance of ,bethuel in this affair1 see ,blunt's ,coincidences1 p4 #cb4 #cc - ,on ,abraham's character1 see p4 #gf4 #cd - ,the red lentile is still a favourite article of food in the ,east4 8,i can testify10 writes ,dr ,thomson1 8that when cooking1 it diffuses far and wide an odour extremely grateful to a hungry man4 ,it was1 therefore1 no slight temptation to ,esau1 returning weary and famished from an unsuccessful hunt in this burning climate40 ,land and the ,book1 p4 #ehg4 ,see also ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,i4 #bdf4 #ce - ,from this transaction ,esau acquired the name of ,,edom1 or 8,red10 though the name is more usually applied to the land of his descendants4 8,the ruddy hue of the mountain-range given to ,esau would at once suggest the word ,edom1 and cause it to be preferred to the better known ,esau40 ,comp4 ,obad4 #h1 #i1 #ba4 #cf - ,for the fulfilment compare #b ,kings viii4 #bj-bb2 #b ,chron4 xxi4 #h-aj1 and see p4 #cbg4 #cg - ,bethel lay in the direct thoroughfare of ,palestine4 8444 ,the track of this thoroughfare winds through an uneven valley1 covered1 as with gravestones1 by large sheets of bare rock2 some few here and there standing up like the cromlechs of ,druidical monuments40,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 #bai4 #ch - ,mount ,seir 78rough0 or 8rugged10 see ,jer4 xlix4 #af1 ,obad4 #d7 extended along the east side of the ,arabah1 from the ,dead ,sea to the ,elanitic gulf1 and 8was originally inhabited by the ,horites1 or #8troglodytes1' who were doubtless the excavators of those singular rock-dwellings found in such numbers in the ravines and cliffs around ,petra40 ,these ,horites were dispossessed by the descendants of ,esau1 who gave to the country the name of ,edom1 and were divided into tribes under a sheikh or duke 7,gen4 xxxvi4 #ae-ai74 #ci - ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,i4 #deb b4 #dj - ,dothan has been discovered by ,van de ,velde and ,dr ,robinson1 8still bearing its ancient name1 and situated at the ,s4 end of a plain of the richest pasturage1 #d or #e miles ,s4 ,w4 of ,en-gannim or ,jenn1 and separated only by a swell or two of hills from the plain of ,esdraelon40,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #da - ,close to the large mound1 on which ,dothan stood1 8is an ancient road running ,n4 and ,s41 the remains of the massive pavement of which are still visible4 ,the great road from ,beisn to ,egypt also passes near ,dothn40 ,rob4 ,,iii4 #abb4 ,the caravan coming from the spice-district of ,gilead would cross the ,jordan below the ,sea of ,galilee1 pass over the plain of ,jezreel1 and thence proceed along the sea-shore to ,egypt4 ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 #dff4 #db - ,also written ,potipherah the ,egyptian ,,pet-,p-,,ra or ,,pet-,,ph-,,ra1 8belonging to the sun40 ,compare ,pharaoh ,p-,,ra or ,,ph-,,ra1 8the sun10 as the representative on earth of the god ,,ra1 8the sun40 #dc - ,the ,greek translation of the ,septuagint1 which was made in ,egypt1 has here the word 8,psonthomphanech0 8the preserver of the world0 or 8of the land40 #dd - ,asenath1 interpreted by some 8the servant of ,neith10 the ,egyptian ,minerva4 ,others take it to be a ,hebrew word1 denoting 8storehouse40 #de - ,divining out of cups was practised in ,egypt4 8,the soothsayer drew his auguries either from the rays of light which played upon the water in the cup1 or threw in pieces of gold and silver with jewels1 and then pretended to see signs of future events from the figures which appeared on the surface1 after an incantation had been pronounced40 ,for instances of a similar mode of divination in the ,south ,sea ,islands1 see ,kitto's ,daily ,biblical ,illustrations1 ,i4 #dbd4 #df - ,comp4 ,is4 ix4 #f4 ,others1 not understanding the word to have a personal reference1 translate it 8,rest40 #dg - 8,the reason of this may be attributed to political circumstances1 with which we are unacquainted4 ,so large a procession1 attended by an armed guard1 would probably have met with difficulties from the contentious ,philistines4 ,it is a remarkable coincidence1 however1 that ,jacob's corpse should have taken1 or have been compelled to take the same road1 which his descendants were afterwards obliged to follow in their journey to the ,promised ,land40 ,kurtz1 ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 ,,ii4 #ia4 ,abel-,mizraim is placed by some on the east1 by some on the west of the ,jordan4 #dh - ,see ,kurtz1 ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 ,,ii4 #aae4 #di - ,blunt's ,scriptural ,coincidences1 ,pt4 ,i4 #a4 #ej - ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 ,i4 #aadj b4 #ea - ,this1 with the keepers of his flocks and herds1 would make the adult males in his service certainly not less than #ejj or #fjj1 8implying a household of about #bjjj40 ,see ,kurtz1 ,,ii4 #adi4 #eb - ,kurtz's ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 ,,ii4 #aef-afa4 #ec - ,stanley's ,jewish ,church1 p4 #ij4 #ed - ,josephus tells us that he became a distinguished military commander1 and led an expedition against ,meroe1 and married an ,egyptian princess4 ,ant4 ,lib4 ,,ii4 #aj4 #a4 #ee - ,called also ,jether 8excellence10 ,ex4 iv4 #ah 7marg471 ,hobab 8beloved10 ,num4 x4 #bi1 and ,reuel or ,raguel1 ,ex4 ii4 #ah4 #ef - 8,the wild acacia 7,mimosa ,nilotica7 under the name of #8sont1' everywhere represents the #8seneh' or #8senna' of the ,burning ,bush40,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #bj4 #eg - ,on account1 however1 of the incident related in ,ex4 iv4 #bd-bf1 ,zipporah and her sons returned to ,midian4 #eh - ,their names are given in #b ,tim4 iii4 #h1 as ,jannes and ,jambres4 ,the same names are also found in the ,targum and the ,talmud4 #ei - ,as ,oceanus1 or the 8,watery ,element10 the ,nile was a member of the first ,ogdood of the ,egyptian theology1 and the opponent of ,phtah or the 8,element of ,fire20 its sacred emblem was the 8tame crocodile40 ,on the monuments it is still called the god ,nile1 8the life-giving ,father of all that exists10 8the ,father of the ,gods10 c4 8,what the heart is to the body10 says an ,egyptian1 8the ,nile is to ,egypt2 it is one with ,osiris and the ,supreme ,god40 ,herodotus 7,,ii4 #ij7 speaks of priests of the ,nile1 and at ,nilopolis there was a temple to it4 8,flowing1 as it did1 between sand and rock1 the sole giver and sustainer of life in that valley of death1 it was both in its increment and its decrease1 in its course through vast solitudes and thronged populations alternately1 the most expressive and suggestive of emblems for a religion which represented in such marked contrast the realms of creation and destruction1 of ,osiris and ,typhon40,see ,kurtz1 ,,ii4 #bgc1 #d1 and ,article ,nile in ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 #fj - ,frogs were regarded as sacred by the ,egyptians2 like the crocodile they were included in the second class of objects of worship4 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 ,article1 ,plagues of ,egypt4 #fa - ,the meaning of the ,hebrew word is doubtful4 ,the ,,lxx4 has 1 and the ,vulgate sciniphes1 mosquitos2 which ,herodotus 7,,ii4 #ie7 mentions as an intolerable plague in ,egypt4 ,josephus 7,ant4 ,,ii4 #ad4 #c7 makes them lice2 if so1 this would have been especially humiliating to the priests1 who regarded cleanliness as a religious duty4 #fb - ,the exact meaning of the ,hebrew word is here also unknown3 #a4 ,some1 as the ,english ,version1 understand it to denote swarms of flies1 but see ,margin at ,ex4 viii4 #ba2 #b4 ,others1 as the ,,lxx41 take it to be the dog-fly2 #c4 ,others1 the beetle4 #fc - ,stanley's ,lectures1 p4 #aai4 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 ,,ii4 #hhe4 #fd - ,hail and thunderstorms are by no means of rare occurrence in ,egypt1 but by the concurrent testimony of all travellers mild and harmless in their effects4 #fe - ,for a wonderfully vivid description of the ravages of the locust see ,joel ii4 #a-aa4 #ff - ,the horrors of the ,egyptian ,samoom or ,chamsn1 which is regarded by some as the basis of this ,plague1 has been described by many travellers4 ,see ,robinson's ,bib4 ,res4 ,i4 #bjg4 ,kurtz1 ,,ii4 #bhg4 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,,ii4 #hhh4 #fg - ,moses had already before the tenth day of ,nisan 7,ex4 xi4 #a-c7 notified to the elders 7xii4 #ba7 what was to be done respecting the ,departure1 and1 therefore1 ample preparations had doubtless been made4 #fh - ,the triangular peninsula of ,sinai1 bounded on the west by the ,gulf of ,suez1 and on the east by the ,gulf of ,akaba1 consists of three main divisions4 7i7 ,the northern part1 the desert of ,et-,th1 or 8the ,wanderings10 is a high table-land of limestone1 of which the western portion is called in ,scripture the wilderness of ,,shur 7,ex4 xvi4 #bb71 and the eastern1 the wilderness of ,,paran4 7ii7 ,to this succeeds a range called ,jebel-et-,th1 which extends in a curved direction from the upper end of the ,gulf of ,suez to that of the ,gulf of ,akaba1 and skirts the sea for some distance on either side4 7iii7 ,south of this ridge1 and separated from it by 8a narrow plain or belt of sand0 is the great triangular mass of red granite mountains called the ,tr 7rock71 the approach to which from its three sides is through rugged passes leading upwards to the cliffs and mountains1 8beginning in a gradual1 but terminating usually in a very steep ascentalmost a staircase of rock40 ,of this mountain-mass the chief heights are 7a7 on the ,n4,w4 ,jebel-,serbl1 overlooking ,wady ,feirn ,rephidim2 7b7 in the centre1 ,jebel ,katherin 7#egje ft47 and ,jebel ,mousa 7#gefj ft472 7c7 on the ,s4 ,um ,shmer 7#hhej ft474 ,on which summit the ,law was given is uncertain1 but not improbably it was the majestic height of ,ras ,sasfeh at the ,n4,w4 end of ,jebel ,mousa1 which overlooks the plain of ,er-,raheh4 ,the country between the ,jebel-et-,th and the ,gulf of ,suez is called in ,scripture the wilderness of ,,etham 7,num4 xxxiii4 #h72 that between the ,gulf and the western base of the ,tr the wilderness of ,,sin 7,num4 xxxiii4 #aa1 #ab7 the ,n4 portion of the present plain of ,el-,ka1 which must be carefully distinguished from the wilderness of ,,zin 7,num4 xx4 #a2 xxxiii4 #cf71 a desert tract between the ,dead ,sea and the ,gulf of ,akaba1 now the ,arabah4 #fi - ,see note #fh4 #gj - 8,if ,i were to make a model of the end of the world1 it would be from the valley of the convent of ,mount ,sinai40 ,quoted in ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 #dc1 n4 #ga - ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 #ad2 ,lectures1 p4 #adj4 #gb - ,probably1 if it was a laminated figure1 he destroyed the wooden portion of it with fire1 reduced the gold to dust1 and then strewed it upon the water4 ,kurtz1 ,,iii4 #afb4 #gc - ,see the ,,lxx4 ,version of ,exod4 xxxiv4 #cj-ce1 and ,alford's and ,wordsworth's ,notes on #b ,cor4 iii4 #ac4 #gd - ,the ordinary cubit was #ah ,english inches2 there was a shorter one #ae inches2 the ,babylonian cubit was #ba inches4 #ge - ,it seems probable that the ,tabernacle did not stand in the centre of the area1 but #bj cubits from ,n41 ,s41 and ,w41 so that there was a square of #ej cubits in front1 where the sacrifices were offered1 and the worshippers assembled4 #gf - ,the position of the altar of ,burnt-offering was very striking4 ,it was the first object that confronted the worshipper on his entrance4 ,the ,high-priest could not go into the sanctuary to burn incense before the ,lord without taking live coals from this altar1 nor could he enter and perform his holy functions without being himself sprinkled with the blood of the victims slain thereon4 ,see ,fairbairn's ,typology1 ,,ii4 #bhb4 #gg - ,seals were numerous on the shores of the ,sinaitic peninsula4 ,pliny mentions the use of the skins of seals as a covering for tents1 and as a protection from lightning4 ,the exact meaning1 however1 of the ,hebrew word tachash is very uncertain4 ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,,iii4 #ba2 article ,badger4 #gh - ,comp4 ,matt4 xii4 #d2 ,mark ii4 #bf2 ,heb4 ix4 #b2 and1 for the importance of the ,shewbread1 the words of ,abijah 7#b ,chron4 xiii4 #aa7 #gi - ,in ,heb4 ix4 #d1 it is mentioned among the objects within the second veil1 and in #a ,kings vi4 #bb is said to belong to the ,oracle or ,holy of ,holies4 ,possibly1 from its position and great typical importance1 it was considered to belong to the 8second ,tabernacle40 #hj - ,from ,heb4 xi4 #d it appears that the pot of manna and ,aaron's rod that budded were also laid up before the ,ark4 #ha - ,hardwick's ,religions of ,egypt1 p4 #aad4 #hb - ,see ,art4 ,tabernacle in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #hc - ,see p4 #ge4 #hd - ,kurtz1 ,sacrificial ,worship of the ,old ,testament1 #cda4 #he - ,,nadab and ,,abihu1 his two elder sons1 having been suddenly struck dead for presuming to burn incense with common or strange fire 7,levit4 x4 #a-aa74 #hf - 7i7 ,stacte 7,heb4 drops71 probably the gum from the storax tree1 a plant about twelve feet high1 like the quince2 7ii7 ,onycha1 the name of the covering of a shell-fish1 met with in the ,red ,sea1 yielding a scent not pleasant in itself1 but giving strength and continuance to other perfumes2 7iii7 ,galbanum1 resin from a shrub growing on the ,syrian mountains1 with a strong and disagreeable odour1 but when mixed with other perfumes1 increasing their sweetness2 7iv7 ,frankincense1 the highly prized resin of a small shrub1 about ten feet high1 growing in ,arabia 7,is4 lx4 #f2 ,jer4 vi4 #bj71 especially ,saba and ,india4 ,successive incisions were made in the bark of the tree1 the first yielded the purest and whitest kind1 the succeeding incisions yielding the same1 but spotted with yellow4 ,for the comparison of prayer to incense1 see ,ps4 cxli4 #a1 #b2 ,rev4 v4 #h2 viii4 #c1 #d4 #hg - ,the animals offered by the ,greeks and ,romans were generally of the domestic kind1 but also included pigs1 dogs1 horses1 and sometimes even fish1 which are mentioned as pleasing to certain gods4 ,the ,hebrew sacrificial system1 therefore1 which rejected all animals caught in the chase1 as stags1 gazelles1 antelopes1 could never have contemplated such a sacrifice as that of the ,roman emperors1 who not unfrequently slaughtered for their hecatombs a hundred lions1 and as many eagles4 ,see ,hengstenberg1 ,on the ,sacrifices of ,holy ,script4 p4 #cgg2 ,kurtz1 p4 #ei2 ,michaelis' ,laws of ,moses1 ,,iii4 #ie4 #hh - ,kurtz's ,sacrificial ,worship1 p4 #bej4 #hi - ,the chief public burnt-offerings were presented at 7i7 the daily morning and evening service2 7ii7 on the ,sabbath1 which was double that of every day1 with a double meat- and drink-offering 7,num4 xxviii4 #i1 #aj72 7iii7 at the ,new ,moon1 the three great ,festivals1 the great ,day of ,atonement1 and the ,feast of ,trumpets 7,num4 xxviii4 #aa74 ,private burnt-offerings were appointed 7i7 for the consecration of the priests 7,ex4 xxix4 #ae72 7ii7 the purification of women 7,lev4 xii4 #f-h72 7iii7 the cleansing of the leper 7,lev4 xiv4 #aj72 7iv7 removal of any ceremonial uncleanness 7,lev4 xv4 #ae1 #cj72 7v7 any accidental breach1 and the conclusion of the ,nazarite vow 7,num4 vi4 #aj1 #ad2 and comp4 ,acts xxi4 #bf74 #ij - ,bhr's ,symbolik quoted in ,kurtz's ,sacrif4 ,worship1 p4 #afc4 #ia - ,from this circumstance also arises the fact that ,peace-offerings were offered on the most magnificent scale at seasons of great solemnity and rejoicing2 e4g4 at the inauguration of the ,covenant 7,ex4 xxiv4 #e72 the consecration of ,aaron and the ,tabernacle 7,lev4 ix4 #ah72 the solemn reading of the ,law on ,ebal and ,gerizim 7,josh4 viii4 #ca72 at the accession of ,saul 7#a ,sam4 xi4 #ae72 at the introduction of the ,ark by ,david into ,mt4 ,zion 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #ag72 at the dedication of the ,temple by ,solomon 7#a ,kin4 viii4 #fc2 ix4 #be72 at the great ,passover of ,hezekiah 7#b ,chron4 xxx4 #bb72 while on two occasions only do we find them connected with national sorrow 7,judg4 xx4 #bf2 #b ,sam4 xxiv4 #be74 #ib - ,see ,kurtz's ,sacrificial ,worship1 p4 #aib2 ,fairbairn's ,typology1 ,,ii4 #cdh2 ,browne's ,hebrew ,antiquities1 #aad1 #aae4 #ic - ,von ,gerlach1 ,on the ,pentateuch4 ,after the return from the ,captivity the observance of the ,sabbath was fenced about by a multitude of petty prohibitions4 ,not only was marketing prohibited 7,neh4 x4 #ca2 xiii4 #ae-ai71 but travelling beyond a ,sabbath-day's journey1 i4e4 #bjjj paces or about #f furlongs1 bearing arms even in time of war 7#a ,macc4 ii4 #cf71 plucking ears of corn1 healing the sick1 carrying a bed 7comp4 ,matt4 xii4 #aj2 ,mk4 iii4 #b2 ,lk4 vi4 #g2 ,jn4 ix4 #ad1 #af74 #id - ,of these there were two at the ,passover1 one at ,pentecost1 one at the feast of ,trumpets1 one on the ,day of ,atonement1 and two at the feast of ,tabernacles4 #ie - ,the tendency of the ,eastern nations to worship the ,moon was inveterate4 ,in ,egypt this luminary1 under the name of ,isis1 was one of the only two deities which commanded the reverence of all the ,egyptians 7,herodotus1 ,,ii4 #db1 #dg72 in ,syria she was worshipped under the name of ,ashtaroth ,karnaim1 the horned ,astarte2 in ,babylonia under the name of ,sin1 and called ,lord of the ,month4 ,we see1 therefore1 how necessary it was that the ,israelites should have1 besides a penal prohibition1 some positive preservative against such worship1 and by the blast of the sacred trumpets and the additional sacrifices be taught to pay honour to the ,eternal ,one1 the ,creator and ,sustainer of all things1 who appointed the moon for seasons 7,ps4 civ4 #ai74 #if - ,both ,alexander and ,julius ,csar exempted the ,jews from tribute during it4 ,comp4 ,joseph4 ,ant4 ,,xiv4 #aj1 #f4 ,see article ,sabbatical ,year1 in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,at first sight1 it is there observed1 the provisions of this enactment seem impracticable4 ,but it is to be remembered 7i7 that the land would actually derive much benefit from lying fallow at a time when the rotation of crops was unknown2 7ii7 in no year was the owner allowed to reap the whole harvest 7,lev4 xix4 #i2 xxiii4 #bb72 and the remainder would in the fertile soil of ,palestine resow itself and produce a considerable result2 7iii7 the vines and olives would naturally yield their fruit2 7iv7 owners of land were expected to lay in provision during previous years 7,lev4 xxv4 #bj-bb74 #ig - ,von ,gerlach1 ,on the ,pentateuch4 #ih - ,this most difficult word is variously explained1 as a designation 7i7 of the goat itself1 and the goat sent away1 or let loose1 the scape-goat2 7ii7 of the place to which it was sent1 and desert places1 or the name of a mountain near ,sinai2 7iii7 of a personal being to whom the goat was sent1 and the apostate1 the unclean1 an evil demon1 or the devil himself2 7iv7 of the lot cast upon it1 for complete sending away1 or removal of sin4 ,of these explanations1 ,no4 i4 has in its favour the most ancient authorities2 ,no4 ii4 the largest majority of the latest commentators1 who compare ,isai4 xiii4 #bb2 xxxiv4 #ad2 ,lev4 xvii4 #g2 ,matt4 xii4 #dc2 ,lk4 viii4 #bg2 ,rev4 xviii4 #b4 #ii - ,and1 according to ,num4 xxix4 #g-aa1 other sacrifices with the usual meat-offering4 #ajj - ,the ,passover was eminently an ,historical ,festival4 ,year after year1 from generation to generation1 it was to recall1 as in 8a living drama10 the great facts of the national deliverance1 the awful night when there was not a house in ,egypt where there was not one dead1 when the ,destroying ,angel passed over the houses of the ,israelites1 and the people were delivered1 not by their own might or by their own strength1 but by the uplifted hand of ,jehovah4 ,it was the nation's annual ,birth-day ,feast1 the ,festival of ,redemption4 ,its chief features were 7i7 the offering of a single victim for each ,paschal company2 7ii7 the ,paschal ,meal with which the ,festival began2 7iii7 the eating of unleavened bread during the whole time it lasted4 ,no other ,festival was so full of typical meaning1 or pointed so clearly to good things to come 7,heb4 x4 #a74 7i7 ,it was a ,feast of ,redemption foreshadowing a future and greater ,redemption 7,gal4 iv4 #d1 #e72 7ii7 ,the ,victim1 a lamb without blemish and without spot1 was a striking type of the ,lamb of ,god that taketh away the sin of the world 7,jn4 i4 #bi2 #a ,cor4 v4 #g2 #a ,pet4 i4 #ai72 7iii7 ,slain not by the priest but by the head of the ,paschal company1 its blood shed and sprinkled on the ,altar1 roasted whole without the breaking of a bone1 it symbolized ,him who was put to death by the people 7,acts ii4 #bc71 whose ,blood during a ,paschal ,festival was shed on the ,altar of ,his ,cross1 whose side the soldier pierced1 but brake not ,his legs 7,jn4 xix4 #cb-cf72 7iv7 ,eaten at the sacrificial meal 7peculiar to the peace-offering7 with bitter herbs and unleavened bread 7the symbol of purity7 it pointed to that one ,oblation of ,himself once offered1 whereby ,christ has made us at peace with ,god 7,eph4 ii4 #ad1 #ae71 in which whosoever truly believes must walk in repentance1 and sincerity and truth 7#a ,cor4 v4 #g1 #h72 7v7 ,it was at a ,paschal ,supper that its ,antitype the ,christian ,eucharist was instituted by our ,lord4 7,matt4 xxvi4 #ag2 ,mark xiv4 #ab47 #aja - ,though nowhere mentioned in ,scripture1 the later ,jews saw in this ,festival a commemoration of the giving of the ,law on ,mount ,sinai1 which is made out from ,ex4 xix4 to have taken place on the fiftieth day after the departure from ,egypt1 and may possibly be hinted at in ,deut4 xvi4 #ab4 ,certainly ,christians in the early ages of the ,church observed the coincidence between the bestowal of the ,holy ,spirit on the ,apostles at ,pentecost 7,acts ii4 #a71 and the giving of the ,law on the same day4 8,it may have been on this account that ,pentecost was the last ,jewish ,festival 7as far as we know7 which ,st ,paul was anxious to observe 7,acts xx4 #af2 #a ,cor4 xvi4 #h71 and that ,whitsunday came to be the first annual ,festival instituted in the ,christian ,church40,art4 ,pentecost in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #ajb - ,other customs are alluded to in the ,new ,testament in connexion with this ,feast4 7a7 ,on the evening of the first day the ,court of the ,women at the ,temple was illuminated with golden candelabra 7,jn4 viii4 #ab71 accompanied by the chanting of eleven ,psalms1 cxx-cxxxi1 and the same joyous ceremony was renewed on each of the seven days4 7b7 ,every day1 at the time of morning sacrifice1 the ,israelites in festive attire1 and bearing branches in their hands1 repaired to the ,temple1 and the priest having drawn water in a golden vessel from the fountain of ,siloam1 advanced to the ,brazen ,altar amidst the sound of trumpets1 and poured it into a vessel on the western side furnished with small openings at the bottom1 and wine into a similar vessel at the eastern side1 whence by pipes it was conveyed to the ,kidron 7comp4 ,jn4 vii4 #cg-ci with ,isai4 xii4 #c74 #ajc - ,browne's ,hebrew ,antiquities4 #ajd - schylus1 ,choeph4 #bga4 #aje - ,archbp4 ,trench ,on the ,miracles1 pp4 #baj-bad4 #ajf - ,see p4 #gd4 #ajg - ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #aga4 #ajh - ,the same respect for the sacredness of human life marked other regulations4 ,if an ox gored a man to death1 it was to be killed1 and if its owner1 conscious of its ferocity1 did not keep it in1 he was also liable to death1 but in this case a compensation was allowed to be assessed by the ,avenger 7,ex4 xxi4 #bi-cb74 ,for other offences1 such as cutting1 maiming1 wounding1 assault1 the lex talionis1 an eye for an eye1 and a tooth for a tooth1 was enforced1 and1 in certain cases1 compensation for loss of time1 and the expenses of the cure 7,ex4 xxi4 #bd1 c4 ,lev4 xxiv4 #ai1 #bj2 ,deut4 xix4 #ba74 #aji - ,for subsequent traces of the descendants of ,hobab in connection with the ,israelites1 see ,judg4 i4 #af2 iv4 #aa2 #a ,chron4 ii4 #ee2 #b ,kings x4 #ae2 ,jer4 xxxv4 #b4 ,see ,blunt's ,coincidences1 ,pt4 ,i4 xxii4 #aaj - ,see note #fh4 #aaa - ,see ,robinson1 ,,ii4 #age2 ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 #ha1 #hb2 ,article ,hazer in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #aab - ,see ,article ,kadesh in ,bib4 ,dict4 ,see ,map4 #aac - ,see ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #aad - ,see p4 #cj1 and note #ba4 #aae - ,see pp4 #aae1 #aaf4 #aaf - ,kurtz1 ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 p4 #bic4 ,see ,blunt's ,coincidences1 ,pt4 ,i4 #ge-gi4 #aag - ,see ,kurtz's ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 ,,iii4 #caj4 #aah - ,a recurrence also to idolatry was not uncommon1 and especially the worship of the heavenly bodies4 7,comp4 ,ezek4 xx4 #af1 with ,amos v4 #be-bi1 and ,acts vii4 #db1 #dc47 #aai - ,even now called ,jebel ,nebi-,haron1 the 8,mount of the prophet ,aaron40 ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,,ii4 #abe4 #abj - ,drew's ,scripture ,lands1 p4 #hd4 #aba - 8,the snakes against which the ,brazen ,serpent was originally raised as a protection1 were peculiar to the eastern portion of the ,sinaitic desert4 ,there and nowhere else1 and in no other moment of their history1 could this symbol have originated40,stanley1 ,lectures1 #ahb4 8,the sand on the shore 7of the ,gulf of ,akaba7 showed traces of snakes on every hand4 ,they had crowded there in various directions4 ,some of the marks appeared to have been made by animals which could not have been less than two inches in diameter4 ,my guide told me that snakes were very common in these regions1 and that the fishermen were very much afraid of them1 and put out their fires at night before going to sleep1 because the light was known to attract them40,burckhardt's ,travels1 ,,ii4 #had1 quoted in ,kurtz1 ,history of the ,old ,covenant1 ,,iii4 #cdc4 #abb - ,comp4 ,deut4 ii4 #ac1 #ah2 ,isai4 xv4 #g2 ,amos vi4 #ad4 #abc - 8,the well of the ,hebrew and the ,arab is carefully distinguished from the spring4 ,the spring 7ain7 is the bright1 open sourcethe eye of the landscape1 such as bubbles up among the crags of ,sinai1 or rushes forth in a copious stream from ,en-gedi or from ,jericho4 ,but the well 7beer7 is the deep hole bored far under the rocky surface by the art of man4444 ,such wells were the scenes of the earliest contentions of the shepherd-patriarchs with the inhabitants of the land2 the places of meeting with the women who came to draw water1 444 the natural halting-places of great caravans1 or wayfaring men1 as when ,moses gathered together the people to the well of ,moab1 which the princes dug with their sceptered staves40,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 #adg4 #abd - ,see p4 #cb1 note4 #abe - ,porter's ,syria and ,damascus1 ,,ii4 #bbj2 ,handbook1 ,,ii4 #ejf2 ,article ,argob1 ,dictionary of the ,bible1 p4 #db4 #abf - ,article ,edrei1 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 8,ibrahim ,pasha1 flushed with victory1 and maddened by the obstinacy of a handful of ,druzes1 attempted to follow them into the ,lejah1 but scarcely a soldier who entered it returned4 ,every rock concealed an enemy4 ,from inaccessible nooks death was dealt out2 and thousands of the bravest of the ,egyptian troops left their bones amid the defiles of the ,lejah4 ,the ,turks were still less successful in #aheb40,porter's ,handbook1 p4 #ejd4 #abg - ,probably one of the common flat beds used at times on the housetops in ,eastern countries1 and made of bars of iron instead of the usual palm-sticks1 ,kitto's ,bib4 ,illustrations1 ,,ii4 #baj4 ,others1 however1 suppose it was 8sarcophagus of black basalt40,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,stanley's ,lectures on ,jewish ,history1 p4 #baf4 #abh - ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #bih4 ,porter's ,handbook1 ,i4 #aih4 #abi - 8,even at the present day the pagan ,orientals1 in their wars1 have always their magicians with them to curse their enemies1 and to mutter incantations for their ruin4 ,in our own war with the ,burmese1 the generals of the nation had several magicians with them1 who were much engaged in cursing our troops2 but as they did not succeed1 a number of witches were brought for the same purpose40,kitto's ,bible ,illust4 ,,ii4 #bad1 where he also quotes such a formula of imprecation from ,macrobius4 ,comp4 also ,butler's ,sermon on the ,character of ,balaam4 ,blunt's ,script4 ,coincidences1 ,pt4 ,i4 xxiv4 #acj - ,article ,kirjath-huzoth1 in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #aca - ,porter's ,handbook1 p4 #cjj4 #acb - ,keble's ,christian ,year1 #bnd ,sunday after ,easter2 ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #bii4 #acc - ,num4 xxiv4 #ag ,margin4 #acd - ,article ,sheth in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #ace - ,for the version here adopted1 and on this early prophecy of the future rise of the power of ,greece and of ,europe1 see ,dr ,pusey's ,lectures on the ,prophet ,daniel1 pp4 #eh1 #ei4 #acf - ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #cbd4 8,it is still the favourite tract of the ,bedouin shepherds40 #acg - ,see p4 #gh4 #ach - 8,and the eastern side of the ,jordan valley up to the lake of ,chinnereth1 or ,gennesareth0 7 ,num4 xxxii4 #cd-ch71 ,article ,gad in ,bib4 ,dictionary4 #aci - ,article ,manasseh in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #cbg4 #adj - ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 p4 #baa4 #ada - ,on the expressive figure of the ,rock1 as applied to ,god six times in this ,song1 xxxii4 #d1 #ae1 #ah1 #cj1 #ca1 #cg1 see ,stanley1 ,lectures1 #aih4 #adb - ,stanley's ,lectures on ,jewish ,history1 pp4 #aii1 #bjj2 ,comp4 also ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #cja4 #adc - ,see p4 #cb1 note4 #add - ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #cjg2 ,lectures1 p4 #bce4 ,its modern name is ,erha1 or1 as it is more commonly pronounced1 ,rha1 8a degenerate shoot1 both in name and character1 of the ancient ,jericho40 ,one single solitary palm now timidly rears its head where once stood the renowned 8,city of ,palm-trees10 ,deut4 xxxiv4 #c2 ,judg4 i4 #af2 ,rob4 ,bib4 ,res4 ,i4 #eeb4 #ade - ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #cjg4 ,comp4 #b ,kings ii4 #g4 #adf - ,see the ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #adg - ,by some the ,captain of the ,lord's ,host is supposed to have been a created being1 by others an uncreated ,angel1 the ,son of ,god4 #adh - ,never again did ,jericho become a fortified city3 as a town1 it was assigned to the tribe of ,benjamin 7,josh4 xviii4 #ba71 and as such was inhabited 7,judg4 iii4 #ac2 #b ,sam4 x4 #e72 but not till the time of ,ahab was the attempt made by the ,bethelite ,hiel 7#a ,kings xvi4 #cd71 to make it once more a fortified city4 ,in his case the curse of ,joshua was fulfilled3 his eldest son ,abiram died at its foundation1 and his youngest1 ,segub1 when the gates were set up4 #adi - ,probably a stiff embroidered robe1 made in the loom with the needle and of several colours4 ,see ,layard's ,nineveh1 ,,ii4 #cai1 quoted by ,kitto1 ,bib4 ,illustrations1 ,,ii4 #bjd4 ,this seems to indicate the existence of a trade between ,canaan and ,mesopotamia4 #aej - ,see ,keil's ,commentary on ,joshua1 p4 #bjh4 ,and for the situation of ,ai1 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,ai4 #aea - ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #bjc4 #aeb - ,see p4 #aif4 #aec - 8,such writing was common in ancient times3 ,i have seen numerous specimens of it certainly more than two thousand years old1 and still as distinct as when they were first inscribed on the plaster40 ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dga1 ,mill's ,modern ,samaritans4 #aed - ,the acoustic properties of this valley are interesting1 the more so that several times they are incidentally brought to our notice in ,holy ,writ 7comp4 ,josh4 viii4 #cc2 ,judg4 ix4 #g74 ,it is impossible to conceive a spot more admirably adapted for ,joshua's purpose than this one1 in the very centre of the newly acquired land1 nor one which could more exactly fulfil all the required conditions4444 ,a single voice might be heard by many thousands1 shut in and conveyed up and down by the enclosing hills4 ,in the early morning we could not only see from ,gerizim a man driving his ass down a path on ,mount ,ebal1 but could hear every word he uttered as he urged it on2 and in order to test the matter more certainly1 on a subsequent occasion two of our party stationed themselves on opposite sides of the valley1 and with perfect ease recited the commandments antiphonally40 ,tristram's ,land of ,israel1 pp4 #adi1 #aej4 #aee - ,it was probably on this occasion that the ,egyptian coffin containing the embalmed body of their great ancestor was laid by the two tribes of the house of ,joseph in the parcel of ground near ,shechem1 which ,jacob bought of the sons of ,hamor 7,gen4 xxxiii4 #ai2 l4 #be74 #aef - ,or another place of the same name now called ,jilgilia1 situated near ,bethel in the direct route from ,shechem to ,ai4 #aeg - ,they became 8slaves of the ,sanctuary10 ,deo donati4 ,comp4 ,ezra viii4 #bj2 #a ,chron4 ix4 #b2 ,num4 viii4 #af1 #ai4 ,on the subsequent breaking of this compact by ,saul1 see #b ,sam4 xxi4 #a-e4 #aeh - ,in this same locality ,judas ,maccabus won his first great victory over the forces of ,syria 7#a ,macc4 iii4 #af-bd71 and later the ,roman army under ,cestius ,gallus was totally cut up by the insurgent ,jews 7,joseph4 ,b4 ,j4 ,,ii4 #ai1 #h1 #i74 ,see ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #bab2 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,beth-horon4 #aei - ,see ,keil on ,joshua1 p4 #bai2 and ,article ,makkedah in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dictionary4 #afj - 8,as the ,british chiefs were driven to the ,land's ,end before the advance of the ,saxon1 so at this ,land's ,end of ,palestine the kings were gathered for this last struggle40 ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #cia4 #afa - ,see ,keil on ,joshua1 x4 #ci4 ,the etymology1 however1 is not certain4 ,it was also called ,kirjath-sannah1 city of palms 7,josh4 xv4 #di74 ,see ,wilton's ,negeb1 #bab n4 #afb - ,the position of ,shiloh is very definitely described in ,judg4 xxi4 #ai1 as on the north side of ,bethel1 on the east side of the highway that goeth up from ,bethel to ,shechem1 and on the south of ,lebonah4 ,exactly in the position here indicated1 ,dr ,robinson found a ruin called ,seiln4 8,we were10 he says1 8on the east of the great road between ,bethel and ,shechem1 and in passing on towards the latter place we came1 after half-an-hour1 to the village of ,lebonah1 now ,el-,lubban40 ,bib4 ,res4 ,,ii4 #bfi4 8,the selection of the site for the ,tabernacle belongs to this period1 and could belong to no other4 ,the place of the sanctuary was naturally fixed by the place of the ,ark4 ,this was1 in the first instance1 at ,gilgal4 ,but as the conquerors advanced into the interior1 a more central situation became necessary4 ,this was found in a spot unmarked by any natural features of strength or beauty1 or by any ancient recollections1 recommended only by its comparative seclusion1 near the central thoroughfare of ,palestine1 yet not actually upon it40 ,stanley1 ,lectures on ,jewish ,history1 p4 #bgh4 #afc - ,gibeon1 ,gibeah1 ,geba and ,gaba1 all mean hill2 ,ramah and ,ramathaim1 eminence2 ,mizpah1 a watch-tower4 #afd - ,article ,ephraim in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #afe - ,it has been compared to the plain of ,stirling1 situated in like manner at the opening of the ,scottish ,highlands1 and in like manner the scene of almost all the decisive battles of ,scottish history4 ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #ccg n4 #aff - ,porter's ,handbook of ,syria and ,palestine1 ,,ii4 #ceb4 #afg - ,by some derived from ,cinnoor 71 cithara1 a 8harp071 as if in allusion to the oval shape of the lake4 #afh - ,porter's ,handbook of ,syria and ,palestine1 ,,ii4 #cfc2 ,pusey's ,lectures on ,daniel1 p4 #bid4 #afi - ,keil on ,josh4 xxiv4 #bf-bh4 #agj - ,holy ,scripture itself suggests 7,heb4 iv4 #h7 the consideration of ,joshua as a type of ,christ4 ,the following amongst many other typical resemblances may be pointed out3 7#a7 the name common to both2 7#b7 ,joshua brings the people of ,god into the land of ,promise1 and divides it among the tribes2 ,jesus brings ,his people into the presence of ,god1 and assigns to them their mansions2 7#c7 as ,joshua succeeded ,moses and completed his work1 so the ,gospel of ,christ succeeded the ,law1 announced ,one by whom all that believe are justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the ,law of ,moses 7,acts xiii4 #ci74 ,see ,article ,joshua in ,smith's ,dictionary2 ,pearson on the ,creed1 ,art4 ,,ii4 #aga - ,see p4 #ce4 #agb - ,such is the explanation of ,josephus1 ,ant4 ,v4 ii4 #b1 who adds that the siege lasted some time4 #agc - ,see the marginal date at ,judges1 chap4 xvii4 ,it is to be observed that 7i7 ,dan was not yet settled1 ,judg4 xviii4 #a2 7ii7 ,phinehas1 the grandson of ,aaron1 was living 7,judg4 xx4 #bh71 as also the grandson of ,moses2 7iii7 the iniquity of ,gibeah is mentioned1 ,hos4 x4 #i1 as the first open sin of ,israel in ,canaan4 ,see ,angus' ,bible ,handbook1 #dfj n4 #agd - ,kitto's ,bibl4 ,illus4 ,,ii4 #ddg4 #age - ,see p4 #bah4 #agf - ,mr ,thomson compares it with the soil of the lower portion of the ,mississippi2 8even now the region produces large crops of wheat1 barley1 maize1 sesame1 rice1 and other plants1 with very little labour 444 while horses1 cattle1 and sheep fatten on the rich pastures1 and large herds of black buffaloes luxuriate in the streams and in the deep mire of the marshes40 ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 p4 #bad2 ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,,iii4 #cif2 ,blunt's ,coincidences1 ,pt4 ,,ii4 #ajh-aaj4 #agg - ,in the ,english version the reading is the son of ,manasseh 7,judg4 xviii4 #cj71 a name probably substituted out of respect for the great ,lawgiver1 whose name is preserved in several ,hebrew ,,mss4 and the ,vulgate4 ,see ,articles ,micah1 ,jonathan1 ,manasseh1 and ,laish in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #agh - ,comp4 ,livy1 ,,xxx4 #g2 ,,xxviii4 #cg2 in ,,xxxiii4 #df1 ,,xxxiv4 #fa they are called judices4 ,stanley's ,lectures1 p4 #bib4 #agi - ,see p4 #baf4 #ahj - ,see ,blunt's ,coincidences1 ,pt4 ,,ii4 v4 #aad-aag4 #aha - ,stanley's ,lectures on ,jewish ,history1 p4 #cag4 #ahb - 8,the ploughman still carries his goada weapon apparently more fitted for the hand of the soldier than the peaceful husbandman4 ,the one ,i saw was of the #8oak of ,bashan1' and measured upwards of #aj feet in length4 ,at one end was an iron spear1 and at the other a piece of the same metal flattened4 ,one can well understand how a warrior might use such a weapon with effect in the battle-field40 ,porter's ,syria and ,damascus1 ,,ii4 #ce4 ,comp4 ,homer1 ,il4 ,,vi4 #ace4 #ahc - ,identified by ,thomson with ,harothieh1 the ,arabic form of the ,hebrew ,harosheth1 an enormous double mound about #h miles from ,megiddo1 exactly in the line of the retreat of the ,canaanites1 at the entrance of the pass to ,esdraelon from the plain of ,acre4 8,it was10 he writes1 8probably called ,harosheth of the ,gentiles1 or nations1 because it belonged to those ,gentiles of ,acre and the neighbouring plains whom we know from ,judg4 i4 #ca the ,hebrews could not subdue40 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dcg4 #ahd - ,compare the family name of ,hannibal1 ,barca fulmen belli4 ,see ,barak in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,joseph4 ,ant4 ,v4 #e1 #b4 #ahe - ,probably height1 8rising abruptly to a height of about #ajjj ft4 from the north-eastern arm of the plain of ,esdraelon1 and standing entirely insulated1 except on the ,w41 where a narrow ridge connects it with the hills of ,nazareth40 ,see ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,,ii4 #ceb4 #ahf - ,see pp4 #gh1 #aid4 #ahg - ,see note #aji4 #ahh - ,or the 8,oak of the ,unloading of ,tents10 ,stanley's ,lectures1 p4 #cbf4 8,the black tents of the ,turkman and ,kurds1 strangers like the ,kenites1 may still be seen pitched among the oaks and terebinths that encompass the little plain of ,kedesh2 proving that after the lapse of more than #cjjj years the state of society in the country is but little changed40 ,porter's ,handbook of ,syria and ,palestine1 ,,ii4 #ddd4 ,for the forests of ,naphtali1 see p4 #bai4 #ahi - ,see p4 #bbf4 #aij - ,thomson1 ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dce4 #aia - ,josephus1 ,ant4 ,v4 #e1 #d4 ,see ,thomson1 p4 #dcf4 #aib - 8,as in like case in the battle of ,cressy40 ,stanley's ,lectures1 p4 #cbd4 #aic - 8,i have seen this stream swollen and rapid1 after heavy rains1 when the winter torrents of ,galilee and ,carmel flow into it2 then it is a river #8with waters to swim in1 a river that cannot be passed over2' and ,i can well imagine the hosts of ,sisera1 his chariots and horses1 struggling there40 ,domestic ,life in ,palestine1 pp4 #aaa1 #aab4 8,when largely swollen during the great rains of winter it is spongy enoughmuch easier to find than to get over,i once crossed through the lower part of ,esdraelon 444 and had no little trouble with its bottomless mire and tangled grass40 ,thomson1 ,l4 and ,b41 p4 #dce2 and compare ,van de ,velde1 ,i4 p4 #bhi4 ,some of the results of this battle were nearly reproduced in the battle of ,mount ,tabor1 ,april #af1 #agii1 when many of the fugitive ,turks were drowned in the ,kishon4 ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,kishon4 #aid - ,see ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dda4 #aie - ,see p4 #aid4 #aif - 8,in precisely the same manner do the ,bedawn ,arabs1 these modern ,midianites1 come up the ,wady of ,jezreel and ,wady ,sherrar1 after the people have sown1 and destroy the increase of the earth2 and not only destroy the increase of the field1 but commit wholesale murder1 as these did upon the brethren of ,gideon at ,tabor4444 ,both these valleys are now swarming with these children of the ,east1 come over ,jordan to consume the land40 ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #ddh2 ,domestic ,life in ,palestine1 pp4 #agh1 #agi4 8,this is one of the chief causes of the present poverty of the country40 #aig - ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #aea2 ,smith's ,dict41 ,article ,caves4 #aih - 8,the summer threshing-floors are in the open country1 and on an elevated position1 to catch the wind when winnowing the grain1 and of course they would be altogether unsafe at such a time1 while the vineyards are hid away in the wadies and out on the wooded hills1 and thus adapted for concealment4 ,indeed1 ,i myself have seen grain thus concealed in this same country1 during the lawless days of civil war40 ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #ddh4 #aii - 8,it is worthy of remark that the men of ,issachar are not mentioned1 and we can from this point readily imagine the reason4 ,the people of ,issachar lived here on this great plain 7,esdraelon71 and were1 of course1 altogether surrounded by and at the mercy of the ,midianites1 as these villages of ,sulan1 ,shtta1 ,zer'in1 c41 now are in the power of these ,bedawn4 ,they therefore could not join the army of ,gideon40 ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #ddi2 ,stanley's ,lectures1 p4 #cdd4 #bjj - ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #ddi4 #bja - ,the ,zabit or ,agha of the police at ,cairo carries with him at night 8a torch which burns soon after it is lighted1 without a flame1 excepting when it is waved through the air1 when it suddenly blazes forth3 it therefore answers the same purpose as our dark lantern4 ,the burning end is sometimes concealed in a small pot or jar1 or covered with something else1 where not required to give light40 ,lane's ,modern ,egyptians1 ,i4 ch4 iv42 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #bjb - ,for similar stratagems1 see ,liv4 xxii4 #af2 ,sall4 de ,bell4 ,jug4 ch4 #ii4 #bjc - ,see p4 #ee4 #bjd - ,see ,article ,zebah1 in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,josephus1 ,ant4 ,v4 #f1 #e4 #bje - ,rendered in ,isai4 xvii4 #ac a 8rolling thing40 ,probably the allusion is to the wild artichoke which 8in growing throws out numerous branches of equal size and length in all directions1 forming a sort of sphere or globe1 a foot or more in diameter4 ,when ripe and dry in autumn1 these branches become light and dry as a feather1 the parent stem breaks off at the ground1 and the wind carries these vegetable globes whithersoever it pleaseth4444 ,the ,arabs derive one of their many forms of cursing from this plant2 #8,may you be whirled like the 'akkb 7wild artichoke71 before the wind1 until you are caught in the thorns1 or plunged into the sea4'0 ,thomson1 ,land and the ,book1 p4 #efd4 #bjf - ,for subsequent mention of this deliverance1 see #a ,sam4 xii4 #aa2 ,ps4 lxxxiii4 #aa2 ,isai4 ix4 #d1 x4 #bf2 ,heb4 xi4 #cb4 #bjg - ,see pp4 #ca1 #ee4 #bjh - ,see p4 #bji4 #bji - 8,several lofty precipices of ,gerizim literally overhang the city1 any one of which would answer ,jotham's purpose4 ,nor would it be difficult to be heard1 as everybody knows who has listened to the public crier of villages on ,lebanon4 ,in the stillness of the evening1 after the people have returned home from their distant fields1 he ascends the mountain-side above the place1 or to the roof of some prominent house1 and then lifts up his voice and cries as ,jotham did4 ,indeed1 the people in these mountainous countries are able1 from long practice1 so to pitch their voices as to be heard distinctly at distances almost incredible4 ,they talk with persons across enormous wadies1 and give the most minute directions1 which are perfectly understood2 and in doing this they seem to speak very little louder than their usual tone of conversation4 ,jotham1 therefore1 might easily be heard by the greater part of the inhabitants of ,shechem4444 ,the very trees which most abound at ,nablous 7,shechem7 are the olive1 the fig1 the vine1 and the bramble40 ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dgd2 ,stanley's ,lectures1 p4 #cej2 ,tristram1 p4 #aej4 #baj - ,see ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #baa - 8,situated #ac ,roman miles from ,shechem1 on the road to ,scythopolis4 ,there it still is2 its name,tubshardly changed2 the village on a rising ground to the left of the road1 a thriving1 compact1 and strong-looking place1 surrounded by immense woods of olives40 ,see ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,,iii4 p4 #cje2 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,thebez4 #bab - ,see #b ,sam4 xi4 #ba4 #bac - ,lev4 xviii4 #ba2 ,deut4 xii4 #ca4 #bad - ,signifying #ast an ear of corn1 and #bndly a stream or flood4 #bae - ,the ,,philistines1 a race of 8strangers10 appear to have made three immigrations into the fertile south-western ,lowland of ,palestine1 just as there were different immigrations of ,saxons and ,danes into ,england4 7i7 ,the first came from the ,casluhim 7,gen4 x4 #ad72 7ii7 the second and chief from the ,caphtorim 7,deut4 ii4 #bc2 ,jer4 xlvii4 #d2 ,am4 ix4 #g71 either from some part of ,egypt1 or of ,asia ,minor and its adjacent islands1 probably ,crete2 7iii7 the third from the ,cherethim 7#a ,sam4 xxx4 #ad74 ,the earliest immigrants having expelled the ,avim 7,deut4 ii4 #bc7 had in the time of ,abraham and ,isaac established a kingdom1 the capital of which was at ,gerar1 and possessed a standing army 7,gen4 xxi4 #bb2 xxvi4 #bf74 ,after the ,exodus1 ,gerar disappears from history1 and the power of ,philistia is concentrated in five new towns1 ,gaza1 ,ashdod1 ,ashkelon1 ,gath1 ,ekron1 each raised on its slight eminence above the maritime plain1 each possessing its dependent or 8daughter towns0 and villages 7,josh4 xv4 #de-dg2 #a ,ch4 xviii4 #a71 and each having its own king or prince1 who all consulted and acted as one4 8,the third immigration of the ,cherethim would account for the sudden increase of the strength of the ,philistines at this period40 ,see ,pusey1 ,comment4 on ,amos ix4 #g4 #baf - ,see pp4 #aeh1 #aei4 #bag - ,see p4 #bbi4 #bah - ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #eff4 #bai - ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #eeb4 8,so great is the dread of fire in harvest-time1 that the ,arabs punish with death any one who sets fire to a wheat-field1 even though done by accident40 ,ibid4 p4 #eec4 #bbj - 8,the five cities of the ,philistines divided1 as it were1 their idolatry between them2 ,ashdod being the chief seat of the worship of ,dagon2 ,ashkelon of ,derceto2 ,ekron of ,baal-zebub2 ,gaza of the god ,marna 7#8nature'740 ,pusey1 ,comment4 on ,amos i4 #h4 #bba - ,kurtz's ,sacred ,history1 p4 #aga4 #bbb - ,some think during the judgeship of ,ehud1 others during that of ,gideon4 ,kurtz1 p4 #afd4 #bbc - ,see ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #bbd - ,for ,david's subsequent connection with ,moab1 see p4 #cjc4 #bbe - ,the situation of ,ramathaim double eminence1 is uncertain4 8,but the place long pointed out as ,samuel's tomb1 and therefore the site of his birth1 #a ,sam4 xxv4 #a1 is the height1 most conspicuous of all in the neighbourhood of ,jerusalem1 immediately above the town of ,gibeon1 known to the ,crusaders as #8,montjoye1' being the spot from whence they first saw ,jerusalem1 now called ,neby ,samwil1 #8the ,prophet ,samuel4'0 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,ramah1 ,no4 #b4 #bbf - ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,mantle4 #bbg - ,according to some1 it was now that ,shiloh was destroyed4 ,see ,ps4 lxxviii4 #fj sq41 and ,jer4 vii4 #ab4 #bbh - 8,ashdod1 as well as ,ekron1 have their name from their strength2 ,ashdod the mighty1 like ,valentia2 ,ekron the firm-rooted40 ,pusey1 ,comment4 on ,amos i4 #h4 #bbi - ,a name which suggests an early worship of the ,sun there4 ,in ,josh4 xix4 #da1 it is called ,ir-shemesh4 ,it is now called ',ain es-,shems1 about #b miles from the great ,philistine plain1 and #g from ,ekron4 ,thomson1 ,land and ,book1 p4 #ece4 #bcj - ,for subsequent notices of such schools at ,bethel and ,jericho see #b ,kings ii4 #c1 #e2 at ,gilgal1 iv4 #ch2 vi4 #a2 on ,mount ,carmel1 #a ,kings xviii4 #cj-db2 #b ,kings ii4 #be2 iv4 #be4 #bca - ,see also ,judg4 vi4 #h2 #a ,sam4 ii4 #bg4 #bcb - ,see ,kurtz's ,sacred ,history1 p4 #agf4 #bcc - ,it is to be remembered that ,god had promised to ,abraham that kings should come from him 7,gen4 xvii4 #f72 ,jacob had prophesied that the ,sceptre should not depart from ,judah till ,shiloh came 7,gen4 xlix4 #aj72 and ,moses had distinctly anticipated1 nay1 provided for the election of a king by laying down specific directions concerning the kingdom 7,deut4 xvii4 #ad-bj74 ,the elders1 therefore1 of ,israel might well have inferred that it was the ,divine intention ultimately to give the nation a monarchical constitution1 and consequently that it was their duty patiently to await the development of the ,divine counsels4 ,see ,kurtz's ,sacred ,history1 p4 #agg4 #bcd - ,according to the law as laid down in the above quotation from ,deuteronomy1 7i7 ,the nomination of any ,israelite king rested with ,jehovah1 whose ,will would be made known through the ,high-priest1 or the voice of a ,prophet1 or the sacred lot1 a provision which could not fail to remind him that he was not an irresponsible autocrat1 but the representative and viceroy of ,jehovah3 7ii7 ,the monarch must be a native ,israelite1 not a foreigner1 or even a proselyte3 7iii7 ,on his accession he must transcribe a copy of the ,law1 that he might know it and keep its ,statutes3 7iv7 ,he was forbidden to maintain any large body of cavalry with a view to aggressive warfare3 7v7 ,he was to eschew the usual accompaniment of ,oriental despotism1 a numerous ,harem1 and the excessive accumulation of gold and silver1 which could only be acquired by oppressive exactions from his subjects4 ,jahn's ,heb4 ,comm4 #fd1 #fe4 #bce - ,see p4 #bcb4 #bcf - ,see ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #bcg - ,now ,jeb'a1 see #a ,sam4 xiii4 #af 7margin72 ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,i4 #dda1 n42 ,porter's ,handbook1 p4 #bad4 #bch - 8,east1 and west1 and north1 through the three valleys which radiate from the uplands of ,michmashto ,ophrah on the north1 through the pass of ,beth-horon on the west1 and down the ravine of the hyenas1 #8toward the wilderness of the ,jordan on the ,east4'0 ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 #bjd2 ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,i4 #dda4 #bci - ,the deep gorge of the ,wdy-,suweint1 or ,harith4 8,immediately on leaving ,jeb'a we descend by a rugged1 zigzag track1 apparently intended only for goats1 into ,wdy-es-,suweint1 here tolerably wide1 though deep and rocky4 ,a few hundred yards to the right it contracts to a narrow ravine1 shut in by high1 almost perpendicular cliffs1 above which on each side the ground is tolerably level4 ,this is doubtless the scene of ,jonathan's adventure40 ,porter's ,handbook1 ,i4 #bae2 ,robinson1 ,i4 #ddj1 #dda4 #bdj - ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,jonathan2 ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #bje4 #bda - ,see p4 #aef4 #bdb - ,see p4 #acb4 #bdc - ,comp4 7i47 ,num4 xiv4 #de2 7ii47 ,judg4 iii4 #ac2 7iii47 ,judg4 vi4 #c4 #bdd - ,the family belonged to the greatest house in ,judah1 the descent being as follows3 ,judah1 ,pharez1 ,hezron1 ,ram1 ,amminadab1 ,nahshon 7,num4 i4 #g71 ,salmon1 who married ,rahab the ,canaanite1 ,boaz1 ,obed1 ,jesse4 7,ruth iv4 #ah-bb2 #a ,chr4 ii4 #e-ab47 ,,jesse4 ,eliab4 ,,abishai4 ,abinadab4 ,zeruiah4 ,,joab4 ,shammah4 ,,asahel4 ,nethaneel4 ,raddai4 ,abigail4 ,,amasa4 ,ozem4 ,one not given4 #a ,chr4 ii4 #ae4 ,,david4 ,comp4 #a ,sam4 xvi4 #g-aj with #a ,chr4 ii4 #ac-ag4 #bde - ,article ,david in ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 #bdf - ,identified by ,robinson with the ,wady es-,smt4 8,it took its name ,elah of old from the terebinth1 of which the largest specimen we saw in ,palestine still stands in the vicinity2 just as now it takes its name es-,sumt from the acacias which are scattered in it40,bibl4 ,dict4 ,,ii4 #ba4 #bdg - ,in all ages the favourite weapon of the shepherds of ,syria4 ,see ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #egb4 #bdh - 8,we do not know how long a period intervened between the return of ,david to his father's house and his appearance before the king on the morning of the duel with ,goliath4 ,if it were two or three years1 it is possible that ,david had1 in the meanwhile1 suddenly shot up from boyhood to youth1 tall and robust1 and his personal appearance might have so changed as to bear little resemblance to the ruddy lad who played skilfully on the harp4 ,it is a fact that lads of this country1 particularly of the higher classes1 are often very fair1 fullfaced1 and handsome1 until about fourteen years of age1 but during the next two or three years a surprising change takes place4 ,they not only spring into fullgrown manhood as if by magic1 but all their former beauty disappears2 their complexion becomes dark1 their features harsh and angular1 and the whole expression of countenance stern1 and even disagreeable4 ,i have often been accosted by such persons1 formerly intimate acquaintances1 but who had suddenly grown entirely out of my knowledge1 nor could ,i1 without difficulty1 recognize them40 ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 p4 #efi4 #bdi - ,used as a protection from gnats4 #bej - ,see ,naioth in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,it was now1 probably1 that he became acquainted with the prophets ,nathan and ,gad4 #bea - ,see ,matt4 xii4 #c2 ,mark ii4 #bc2 ,luke vi4 #c1 #d4 #beb - ,compare the histories of ,coriolanus and ,themistocles4 #bec - ,see titles of ,psalms xxxiv4 and lvi4 #bed - ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #adh4 #bee - ,see ,robinson1 ,i4 #dha1 #b2 ,van de ,velde1 ,,ii4 #aef4 #bef - ,comp4 the story of ,alexander in the ,desert of ,gedrosia4 #beg - ,compare ,psalms cxl41 cxlii4 #beh - ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,i4 #dib4 #bei - ,see ,psalm liv4 #bfj - ,its original name was ,hazazon-,tamar 7the pruning of the palm71 on account of the palm-groves which surrounded it 7,gen4 xiv4 #g2 #b ,chr4 xx4 #b74 ,wilton's ,negeb1 #abj4 8,we were now in the #8wilderness of ,engedi1' where ,david and his men lived among #8the rocks of the wild goats'4444 ,the whole scene is drawn to the life4 ,on all sides the country is full of caverns1 which might then serve as lurking-places for ,david and his men1 as they do for outlaws at the present day40,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,i4 p4 #ejj4 #bfa - ,see ,psalm lvii4 #bfb - ,psalms liv41 lvii41 lxiii4 by their titles relate to this period1 and it has been remarked that 8probably these ,psalms made the ,psalter so dear to ,alfred and to ,wallace during their like wanderings40,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,art4 ,david4 #bfc - ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,hachilah4 #bfd - 8,i noticed1 at all the encampments which we passed1 that the sheikh's tent was distinguished from the rest by a tall spear stuck upright in the ground in front of it2 and it is the custom1 when a party is out on an excursion for robbery or for war1 that when they halt to rest1 the spot where the chief reclines is thus designated4444 ,the cruse of water is in exact accordance with the customs of the people at this day4 ,no one ventures to travel over these deserts without his cruse of water1 and it is very common to place one at the #8bolster1' so that the owner can reach it during the night4 ,the ,arabs eat their dinner in the evening1 and it is generally of such a nature as to create thirst1 and the quantity of water which they drink is enormous4 ,the cruse is1 therefore1 in perpetual demand40,thomson's ,l4 and ,b4 #cfg4 #bfe - ,compare the story of the ,persian king and ,themistocles4 #bff - ,wilton's ,negeb1 p4 #bjg4 #bfg - 8,a lasting memorial of this battle was the law1 which traced its origin to the arrangement made by ,david1 formerly in the attack on ,nabal 7#a ,sam4 xxv4 #ac71 and now again more completely1 for the equal division of the plunder amongst the two-thirds who followed to the field1 and the one-third who remained to guard the baggage0 7#a ,sam4 xxx4 #ba-be74 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #bfh - ,see ,robinson1 ,bib4 ,res4 ,,ii4 #cbe4 8,shunem 7,sulem7 afforded an admirable camping-ground for a large army1 ,jebel ed ,dhy rising abruptly behind1 and the top of it commanding a perfect view of the great plain in every direction1 so that there could be no surprise1 nor could their march be impeded1 or their retreat cut off40,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 #dea4 #bfi - ,probably the same as the ,spring of ,harod or ,trembling1 at which ,gideon's three hundred lapped 7see p4 #bdg71 and 8identical with the fountain of ,jald1 a few miles to the east of the modern village of ,jezreel40 ,hewitt's ,scripture ,geography1 p4 #cc4 #bgj - 8,the rock on which ,endor is built has been hollowed out by the hand of nature into large caverns1 whose dark and gloomy entrances brought involuntarily to my mind the witch of the days of ,saul40 ,van de ,velde1 ,,ii4 #chc4 #bga - ,beth-shan 7now ,beisan7 was one of the ,canaanite strongholds which the ,israelites had never taken4 7,see p4 #bbe47 ,situated on a tell or hill1 about #bjj ft4 high1 on the slope of the range of ,gilboa1 it was a very strong position1 with nearly perpendicular sides1 and was abundantly supplied with water4 ,thomson1 #dee4 ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 #cdf4 #bgb - ,jabesh-gilead 8was on the mountain-range east of the ,jordan1 in full view of ,beth-shan1 and these brave men would creep up to the tell1 without being seen1 while the deafening roar of the noisy cascades leaping through the deep ravines dividing the city would render it impossible for them to be heard40 ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dde4 ,van de ,velde1 ,,ii4 p4 #cfj4 #bgc - ,see pp4 #bhc1 #bhd4 #bgd - ,see p4 #dd4 #bge - ,see p4 #bae4 #bgf - ,see p4 #ec4 #bgg - ,compare the combat of the ,horatii and ,curiatii4 ,livy1 ,i4 xxiv41 xxv4 #bgh - ,see p4 #baj1 and ,art4 ,ishbosheth in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #bgi - ,see p4 #bai4 #bhj - 8,the situation of ,jerusalem is in several respects singular amongst the cities of ,palestine4 ,its elevation is remarkable1 occasioned1 not from its being on the summit of one of the numerous hills of ,juda1 like most of the towns and villages1 but because it is on the edge of one of the highest table-lands of the country4 ,hebron1 indeed1 is higher still1 by some hundred feet2 and from the south1 accordingly1 the approach to ,jerusalem is by a slight descent4 ,but from every other side1 the ascent is perpetual2 and1 to the traveller approaching ,jerusalem from the west or east1 it must always have presented the appearance1 beyond any other capital of the then known worldwe may add1 beyond any important city that has ever existed on the earthof a mountain city1 enthroned on a mountain fastness40 7,comp4 ,ps4 lxviii4 #ae1 #af2 lxxxvii4 #a2 cxxv4 #a2 lxxvi4 #a1 #b2 lxvi4 #d47 ,but besides being thus elevated1 ,jerusalem was separated from the rocky plateau of which it forms a part by deep and precipitous ravines on its south-eastern1 southern1 and western sides1 out of which the rocky slopes of the city 8rose like the walls of a fortress out of its ditches1 so that from them it must have appeared quite impregnable40 8,something of the same effect is produced by those vast rents which1 under the name of #8,tago1' surround or divide ,ronda1 ,alhama1 and ,granada1 on the table-lands which crown the summits of the ,spanish mountains4 ,but in ,palestine1 ,jerusalem alone is so entrenched1 and from this cause derived1 in great measure1 her early strength and subsequent greatness40 ,stanley's ,sinai and ,palestine1 p4 #agb4 ,robinson's ,bib4 ,res4 ,i4 #beh-bfj4 #bha - ,stanley's ,sinai and ,palestine1 p4 #agf4 #bhb - ,see p4 #bbe1 and ,kitto's ,daily ,bible ,illustr4 ,,iii4 #cdj4 #bhc - ,joseph4 ,ant4 ,,vii4 #c4 #a4 ,see ,article ,jerusalem in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,kurtz's ,sacred ,history1 p4 #ahc4 #bhd - 8,it was necessary for the commerce of ,phnicia that she should enjoy the friendship of whatever power commanded the great lines of inland traffic1 which ran through ,cle-,syria and ,damascus1 by ,hamath and ,tadmor1 to the ,euphrates40 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #ig4 ,kenrick's ,phnicia1 pp4 #bja-bje4 ,heeren's ,researches1 ,,ii4 pp4 #aaf1 #aag4 #bhe - ,see p4 #abd4 ,blunt's ,coincidences1 p4 #acj4 #bhf - i4 ,the ,army4 ,in early times all males above twenty and under fifty years of age were required to serve in the wars1 and formed a kind of national militia 7,deut4 xx4 #e-i74 ,a standing army1 as we have already seen1 was first formed at the early part of ,saul's reign 7#a ,sam4 xiii4 #b2 xiv4 #eb74 ,under ,david the national forces were divided into twelve divisions of #bd1jjj men1 each division commanded by its own officer1 and liable to be called on to serve in their respective months 7#a ,chr4 xxvii4 #a-ae74 ,unlike the armies of the surrounding nations1 that of the ,israelites was composed only of infantry1 and but few chariots were as yet introduced 7#b ,sam4 viii4 #d74 ,over the entire force of the nation ,,joab was commander-in-chief by right of his services before ,jebus1 and whenever the king was absent1 he led the troops to battle4 ii4 ,the ,royal ,body-guard1 or the ,cherethites and ,pelethites4 ,to defend the person of the king a force was now for the first time organized1 consisting of foreign mercenaries1 the command of which was entrusted to the ,levite ,,benaiah1 the son of the high-priest ,jehoiada4 7,for whose exploits1 see #b ,sam4 xxiii4 #bj1 #ba2 #a ,chr4 xi4 #bb-be47 iii4 ,the ,heroes or ,mighty ,men4 ,round the king when a fugitive in the cave of ,adullam had gathered1 as we have seen1 a body of six hundred men4 ,this number ,david always preserved1 but elevated it to a sort of military ,order1 with the special title of the ,,gibborim1 ,heroes or ,mighty ,men4 ,this body was divided into #c divisions of #bjj each1 and #cj divisions of #bj each4 ,the lowest rank in this order consisted of the captains of the #cj divisions1 who were known as the ,thirty2 then came the captains of the three larger divisions1 who were known as the ,three2 and lastly1 the commander of the whole force1 who was known as the ,captain of the ,mighty ,men1 and was at this time ,,abishai1 ,david's nephew 7#b ,sam4 xxiii4 #h-ci2 #a ,chr4 xi4 #i-dg74 ,see ,articles ,david and ,army in ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 ,kitto's ,bibl4 ,illustr4 ,,iii4 pp4 #cja-cjd4 #bhg - ,see note #bae4 #bhh - ,see pp4 #di1 #ej4 #bhi - ,see p4 #cjd4 #bij - ,see p4 #aib4 #bia - ,see p4 #bef4 #bib - ,already mentioned as the place where the bedstead of the giant ,og was deposited 7see p4 #ahf74 ,it was on the road between ,heshbon and ,bosra1 on the edge of the desert1 near one of the sources of the ,jabbok4 ,afterwards from ,ptolemy ,philadelphus 7,b4,c4 #bhe-bdg7 it received the name of ,philadelphia1 and in the ,christian era became the seat of a bishop and one of the #ai sees of 8,palestina ,tertia40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,rabbah4 #bic - ,see p4 #bga4 #bid - ,see p4 #afe4 #bie - ,to this sad period belong ,psalms xxxii4 li4 #bif - 8,the ruins which now adorn the #8royal city' are of a later ,roman date2 but the commanding position of the citadel remains1 and the unusual sight of a living stream1 abounding in fish1 marks the significance of ,joab's song of victory,i have fought against ,rabbah1 and have taken the city of waters40 ,sinai and ,palestine1 p4 #cbc4 #big - ,see ,kitto's ,daily ,bibl4 ,illustr4 ,,iii4 #cie4 #bih - ,a village about six miles to the south of ,bethlehem1 the birthplace of the prophet ,amos 7,am4 i4 #a74 #bii - ,see p4 #bch4 #cjj - ,see the dates in margin1 #b ,sam4 xv4 #cja - ,what was ,ahithophel's motive for this defection is not stated2 but it is to be remembered that he was the grandfather of ,bath-sheba 7,comp4 #b ,sam4 xx4 #c and xxiii4 #cd71 and was doubtless well aware of the sad fate of ,uriah1 his son ,eliam's brother-officer4 ,see ,blunt's ,coincidences1 p4 ,,ii4 x4 pp4 #acf1 #acg4 ,art4 ,ahithophel1 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cjb - ,see ,ps4 xli4 #i2 lv4 #ab1 #ac1 #bj4 #cjc - ,probably an inhabitant of ,erech1 a place of uncertain site4 ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cjd - ,compare the account of ,abner and ,rizpah1 p4 #cbj4 #cje - ,to this period belong ,psalms iii41 iv41 xlii4 #cjf - ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dij4 #cjg - ,ibid4 #cjh - 8,now for the first time called ,israel1 as distinct from ,judah4 ,but it is likely that1 although it now first appears1 this distinction had actually grown up while ,david reigned over ,judah only1 and ,ishbosheth over the other tribes40 ,kitto1 ,bibl4 ,illustr4 ,,iii4 #dbd4 #cji - ,sometimes called ,abel-maim1 ,abel on the waters 7#b ,chr4 xvi4 #d74 8,taking advantage of an oblong knoll of natural rock that rises above the surrounding plain1 the original inhabitants raised a high mound sufficiently large for their city4 ,with a deep #8trench' 7#b ,sam4 xx4 #ae7 and strong wall1 it must have been almost impregnable4 ,the country on every side is most lovely1 well watered1 and very fertile4 ,the neighbouring fountains and brooks would convert any part of this country into a paradise of fruits and flowers2 and such1 no doubt1 was ,abel1 when she was called a #8mother in ,israel4'0 7#b ,sam4 xx4 #ai47 ,thomson1 ,the ,land and the ,book1 p4 #bag4 #caj - ,see ,calendar1 p4 #aee1 and ,article ,rizpah1 in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #caa - ,see ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 #ccc1 n4 #cab - ,jahn's ,hebrew ,commonwealth1 p4 #gf4 #cac - ,the life of ,david admits of a fivefold division4 7i7 ,his shepherd life at ,bethlehem2 7ii7 ,his courtier life with ,saul at ,gibeah2 7iii7 ,his life as an outlaw2 7iv7 ,his ,kingly life at ,hebron during #g years1 and 7v7 at ,jerusalem during #cc years1 in all #dj4 ,his history will be ever memorable1 whether we regard the work he achieved1 or his own personal character4 7i7 ,his work4 8,he had succeeded to a kingdom distracted with civil dissension1 environed on every side1 or occupied by powerful and victorious enemies1 without a capital1 almost without an army1 without any bond of union between the tribes4 ,he left a compact and united state1 stretching from the frontier of ,egypt to the foot of ,lebanon1 from the ,euphrates to the sea4 ,he had crushed the power of the ,philistines1 subdued or curbed all the adjacent kingdoms2 he had formed a lasting and important alliance with the great city of ,tyre4 ,he had organized an immense disposable force3 every month #bd1jjj men1 furnished in rotation by the tribes1 appeared in arms1 and were trained as the standing militia of the country4 ,at the head of his army were officers of consummate experience1 and1 what was more highly esteemed in the warfare of the time1 of extraordinary personal activity1 strength1 and valour#cad40 ,he had also given especial attention to the management of public worship1 as the most efficacious means of promoting religion and morality1 and1 consequently1 obedience to the ,invisible1 ,supreme ,monarch4 ,the solemn transfer of the ,ark of the ,covenant1 at which almost all the people were present1 had made a deep impression on their minds1 and had awakened them to a sincere adoration of ,jehovah4 ,these favourable dispositions he had upheld and strengthened by suitable regulations in the service of the priests and ,levites1 and especially by the instructive and animating ,psalms1 which were composed partly by himself1 and partly by other poets and prophets#cae4 8,in comparison with the hymns of ,david1 the sacred poetry of all other nations sinks into mediocrity4 ,they have embodied so exquisitely the universal language of religious emotion that they have entered1 with unquestioned propriety1 into the ritual of the holier and more perfect religion of ,christ4 ,the songs which cheered the solitudes of the desert caves of ,engedi1 or resounded from the voice of the ,hebrew people as they wound along the glens or the hill-sides of ,judea1 have been repeated for ages in almost every part of the habitable world1 in the remotest islands of the ocean1 among the forests of ,america or the sands of ,africa#caf40 7ii7 ,his character4 ,obedience to the ,divine commands was ever with ,david the axiom of his life1 and in every step he took he shewed the greatest anxiety to act as ,god's servant 7#b ,sam4 ii4 #a2 #a ,sam4 xxiii4 #b1 #d74 ,all deliverance from danger1 and all victories from first to last1 he ascribed to the ,divine aid1 and neither in the hour of danger1 nor the more trying hour of prosperity1 did he go after 8strange gods10 or introduce any idolatrous rites4 ,it was1 probably1 to this feature of his administration that ,god referred1 when ,he described him as a man after ,his own heart 7#a ,sam4 xiii4 #ad1 ,comp4 ,acts xiii4 #bb71 rather than to his private virtues4 ,and yet these were of no mean order4 8,shepherd1 soldier1 poet1 king1 the romantic friend1 the chivalrous leader1 the devoted father10 he was eminent alike for his exalted piety1 and his noble patriotism4 8,during a war of seven years he never lifted his sword against a subject1 and at the end of it he punished no rebels1 and remembered no offence but the murder of his rival 7#b ,sam4 iv4 #aj-ab740 ,the adultery with ,bath-sheba1 the murder of ,uriah1 the numbering of the people1 with a view1 probably1 to foreign conquests1 are the deep blots on his fame1 and the chief instances in which he forgot alike himself and his ,god4 8,and yet when we look at the piety of his youth1 the depth of his contrition1 the strength of his faith1 the fervour of his devotion1 the loftiness and variety of his genius1 the largeness and warmth of his heart1 his eminent valour in any age of warriors1 his justice and wisdom as a ruler1 and1 above all1 his adherence to the worship and will of ,god1 we may well regard him as a model of kingly authority and spiritual obedience#cag40 ,moreover1 not only was he the ancestor of ,christ after the flesh1 not only was the blessing of the ,promise expressly transferred to his family1 but in his humiliation and exaltation1 as the king of the people of ,god1 and as the vanquisher of heathen nations1 he was a type of ,,him whose coming he foretold in many of the ,psalms1 and who is not called the son of ,abraham1 or of ,jacob1 or of ,moses1 but the 8,son of ,david40 ,kurtz's ,sacred ,history1 p4 #ahi2 ,article ,david1 in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cad - ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #cje4 #cae - ,jahn's ,hebrew ,commonwealth1 p4 #ge4 #caf - ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #cjg4 #cag - ,angus1 ,bible ,handbook1 p4 #dcg2 ,jahn's ,hebrew ,commonwealth1 p4 #gf2 ,chandler's ,life of ,david1 pp4 #ehb-ehg4 #cah - ,see ,table of ,weights and ,measures in the ,appendix1 pp4 #dib1 #dic4 8,each country needed what the other could supply4 ,the wheat of the plains of ,galilee and the oil of the hill-country of ,judah maintained the royal household of ,hiram 7,comp4 ,acts xii4 #bj72 the skill of the ,phnician artists supplied the want of it among the ,israelites40,kenrick's ,phnicia1 p4 #cee4 #cai - ,see p4 #cdf4 ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #caa4 #cbj - ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #cae4 #cba - 8,these successive terraces were an imitation of the ,assyrian style of architecture1 which at this time prevailed more or less all over ,syria1 and particularly at ,tyre40 ,lewin's ,jerusalem1 p4 #bee2 ,art4 ,palace in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cbb - ,the chief architect of the ,temple was ,hiram 7#a ,k4 vii4 #ac1 #dj71 called also ,huram in #b ,chr4 ii4 #ac2 iv4 #aa1 #af1 an ,israelite on his mother's side1 of the tribe of ,dan or ,naphtali1 by birth a ,tyrian4 #cbc - ,in #b ,chron4 iii4 #d1 the height is said to have been #abj cubits4 ,see ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 p4 #cac4 #cbd - ,see p4 #abb4 #cbe - 8,such a copious use of gold was a practice known to the ,phnicians1 the ,assyrians1 and the ,babylonians40 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #ajg4 #cbf - ,the functions of the priests and ,levites had already been duly arranged by ,david4 7i7 ,the ,priests were divided into #bd courses 7#a ,chr4 xxiv4 #a-ai2 #b ,chr4 xxiii4 #h2 ,luke i4 #e71 each of which served in rotation for one week1 the special services of the week being assigned by lot 7,luke i4 #i74 7ii7 ,of the ,levites #bd1jjj were over the work of the temple2 #f1jjj were officers and judges2 #d1jjj were porters or sentries1 and as such bore arms 7#a ,chr4 ix4 #ai2 #b ,chr4 xxxi4 #b72 #d1jjj formed the choir of singers and musicians4 ,see ,arts4 ,priests and ,levites in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cbg - ,comp4 ,psalms xxiv1 xlvii1 xcvii1 xcviii1 cvi4 #cbh - ,see p4 #aec4 #cbi - ,so called from its cedar pillars4 ,similarly the halls of the ,nimroud palace 8were supported by rows of pillars1 not of stone1 but of wood1 and the ,hall of ,lebanon was supported by #c rows of cedar pillars1 #ae in a row1 making #de in the whole40 ,lewin's ,jerusalem1 p4 #bgj4 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #ajf4 #ccj - ,baalath was a town of ,dan near the ,philistine plain4 ,for the two ,beth-horons1 see p4 #bab4 8,the importance of the road on which the two ,beth-horons are situated1 the main approach to the interior of the country from the hostile districts on both sides of ,palestine,philistia and ,egypt on the west1 ,moab and ,ammon on the eastat once explains and justifies the frequent fortification of these towns at different periods of the history4 ,this road is still1 as in ancient times1 the great road of communication and heavy transport between ,jerusalem and the sea-coast40 ,robinson's ,bibl4 ,res4 ,,ii4 #beb4 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,art4 ,beth-horon4 #cca - ,the exact site of ,gezer has not been found1 but it must have been between the lower ,beth-horon and the sea1 on the regular coast-road of communication with ,egypt4 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 #ccb - ,for ,hazor see pp4 #bja1 #bad4 ,for ,megiddo 7now el-,lejjn71 see p4 #bdj4 ,it was a principal station on the caravan route from ,egypt to ,damascus1 8and for a long while possessed a large khan1 mentioned by ,maundrell and many travellers after him40 ,van de ,velde1 ,i4 #cec4 #ccc - ,tiphsah 7 1 8a ford071 the ,thapsacus of the ,greeks and ,romans1 8must have been a place of considerable trade1 the land-traffic between the ,east and ,west passing through it1 first on account of its fordway 7which was the lowest upon the ,euphrates71 and then on account of its bridge1 while it was likewise the point where goods were both embarked for transport down the stream1 and also disembarked from boats which had come up to it1 to be conveyed on to their final destination by land40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #ccd - 8,a region variously identified with 7i7 the south of ,arabia1 7ii7 ,sofala on the coast of ,africa opposite to ,madagascar1 and 7iii7 ,india2 the first was probably its locality1 though the ,jewish fleets may also have visited ,india40 ,kenrick's ,phnicia1 p4 #ceg4 #cce - ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #cbb4 8,notwithstanding the long export of silver from the mines of ,tartessus by the ,phnicians1 who drew from them the wealth by which they founded so many powerful colonies1 the ,carthaginians1 who succeeded the ,phnicians in their possession1 derived from them the revenues by which they were enabled to pay their mercenary armies4 ,even in the ,roman times #dj1jjj men were employed as miners within a circuit of #djj stadia near ,carthagena1 and the workings yielded a revenue to the republic of #bj1ejj drachmas daily40 ,kenrick's ,phnicia1 p4 #baa4 #ccf - 8,the ,palace of ,solomon was below the ,temple ,platform1 and in laying the solid foundations of ,millo1 provision had been made for a double passage from the ,palace to the ,temple1 about #bej ft4 long and #db ft4 wide1 formed of bevelled stones1 and rising by a gentle incline to one of the gates of the ,inner ,temple4 ,this marvellous subterranean approach1 impregnable from its nature to the ravages of time1 still remains1 though painfully disfigured2 it is called to this day the ,temple of ,solomon40 ,lewin's ,jerusalem1 p4 #bgj4 #ccg - ,see ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #cbf-cbh2 ,art4 ,solomon in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,jahn's ,hebrew ,commonwealth1 #gh1 #gi2 ,kitto's ,daily ,bible ,illustrations1 ,,iv4 #abg-acb4 #cch - ,see p4 #bed4 #cci - ,the disunion of the kingdom of ,solomon1 though apparently sudden1 had been brought about by many pre-disposing causes4 ,from the earliest period there had been a jealous rivalry between the powerful tribes of ,ephraim and ,judah1 like that between the houses of ,york and ,lancaster in our own history4 ,for upwards of #djj years the leadership of the nation had been practically in the hands of ,ephraim4 ,from this tribe had come the great hero ,joshua2 to it belonged1 at least by his place of birth1 the great prophet ,samuel2 and though from 8little ,benjamin0 had come the first king1 yet hereditary ties as well as geographical position had united it to the house of ,joseph4 ,within the boundaries1 moreover1 of ,ephraim had been the sanctuaries of ,shechem and ,shiloh1 which would naturally make it the resort of numbers from all parts of the country4 ,hence the spirit of jealousy this tribe was ever ready to evince if any exploit was performed or advantage gained in which it had not the lion's share4 ,hence its complaints against ,gideon#cdj1 against ,jephthah#cda1 against ,david#cdb4 ,but its influence1 hitherto so great1 began to wane when the victories of the latter prince exalted the tribe of ,judah to its proud pre-eminence4 ,for seven years ,ephraim supported ,ishbosheth's rival throne at ,mahanaim1 but when he died1 and ,david captured ,jebus1 gave to the nation a fortress and a capital1 and transferred thither the ,tabernacle1 the glories of ,shechem and of ,shiloh began to vanish away4 ,for a time ,david's personal influence preserved the semblance of union1 and many ,ephraimites were in high favour about his person 7#a ,chr4 xii4 #cj2 xxvii4 #aj1 #ad71 but the restoration of the king after the rebellion of ,absalom was the signal for an outburst of the old rivalry1 which well-nigh precipitated a disruption 7#b ,sam4 xx4 #a71 and when the smouldering feelings of jealousy were fanned into exasperation by the oppressive taxation of ,solomon and the insane folly of his son1 a leader only was required1 like ,jeroboam1 to make the separation complete4 ,see ,blunt's ,script4 ,coincid4 #afd-age4 #cdj - ,see p4 #bdi4 #cda - ,see p4 #beg4 #cdb - ,see p4 #cdb4 #cdc - 8,the whole area of ,palestine was nearly equal to that of the kingdom of ,holland 7#ac1faj sq4 m471 or rather more than that of the #f northern counties of ,england 7#ac1acf sq4 m474 ,the kingdom of ,judah was rather less than ,northumberland1 ,durham1 and ,westmoreland 7#c1fhc sq4 m472 the kingdom of ,israel was very nearly as large as ,yorkshire1 ,lancashire1 and ,cumberland 7#i1dec sq4 m4740 ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,article ,kingdom of ,israel4 #cdd - ,see p4 #bej4 #cde - ,see p4 #ceh1 n4 #cdf - ,the month of the ,vintage in ,northern ,palestine4 ,see the ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #cdg - 8,this success is found to have been commemorated by ,shishak on the outside of the great temple of ,karnak2 and here in a long list of captured towns and districts1 which ,shishak boasts of having added to his dominions1 occurs the #8,melchi ,yuda1' or kingdom of ,judah1 the conquest of which by this king is thus distinctly noticed in the ,egyptian records40 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #abf2 ,herod4 ,,ii4 p4 #cgf4 #cdh - ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #abg4 #cdi - ,hadad or ,adad was a ,syrian god1 probably the sun1 still worshipped at ,damascus in the time of ,josephus 7,ant4 ,,ix4 #d1 #f71 and from it several ,syrian names are derived1 as ,hadadezer1 i4e4 ,hadad has helped1 ,ben-,hadad1 worshipper of ,hadad4 #cej - 8,in the territory of ,ephraim1 the fertile plains and to a certain extent wooded hills1 which have been often noticed as its characteristic ornaments1 at once gave an opening to the formation of parks and pleasure-grounds similar to those which were the #8,paradises' of ,assyrian and ,persian monarchs4 ,one of these was ,tirzah 7,tellzah87 of unknown site1 but evidently near ,shechem1 and of proverbial beauty10 ,cant4 vi4 #d4 ,stanley's ,s4 and ,p4 #bdc4 ,it 8was to ,shechem what ,windsor is to ,london1 and had been the seat of a ,canaanitish king before the conquest of the country by the ,israelites0 7,josh4 xii4 #bd74 ,porter's ,handbk4 ,,ii4 #cdh4 #cea - 8,no better site for a capital could have been selected in the length and breadth of ,palestine1 combining a strong position1 rich environs1 central situation1 and an elevation sufficient to catch the cool healthy breezes from the sea40 ,porter's ,handbook1 ,,ii4 #cde4 8,situated on its steep height1 in a plain itself girt in by hills1 it was enabled1 not less promptly than ,jerusalem1 to resist the successive assaults made upon it by the ,syrian and ,assyrian armies4 ,the first were baffled altogether1 the second took it only after a three years' siege1 that is three times as long as that which reduced ,jerusalem0 7#b ,kings xviii4 #aj74 ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 #bdd4 #ceb - ,the meaning of the expression 8making streets in ,samaria10 #a ,kings xx4 #cd4 #cec - ,ithobalus ,baal with him1 ,ethbaal with ,baal4 #ced - ,kenrick's ,phnicia1 p4 #cfb4 ,the date of ,ethbaal's reign may be given at about ,b4,c4 #idj-ijh4 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cee - ,see p4 #bai4 #cef - ,see p4 #bef4 #ceg - ,that is1 for #c years and #f months 7,comp4 ,lk4 iv4 #be74 8,the annals of ,tyre record a drought of a year's duration in the reign of ,ithobaal1 who continued to reign at ,tyre during a considerable portion of ,ahab's reign in ,israel40 ,kenrick's ,phnicia1 #cfb2 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 #abh1 #abi4 #ceh - ,carmel1 nearly always found with the definite article1 the park1 or the well-wooded place1 and is famous even now for its 8impenetrable brushwood of evergreens and oaks40 7,see ,isai4 xxxiii4 #i1 xxxv4 #b2 ,mic4 vii4 #ad2 ,amos i4 #b47 ,this well-known ridge1 rising at the west end about #fjj1 and the east about #afjj feet above the sea1 stretches from the ,mediterranean inland a little more than #ab miles1 and separates the plain of ,esdraelon from the plain of ,sharon4 #cei - ,stanley's ,s4 ,p4 #cec4 8,we descended to the ,mohrakah1 or #8place of sacrifice4' ,it is a glade overlooking the plain1 somewhat in the shape of an amphitheatre1 and completely shut in on the north by the well-wooded cliffs down which we had come4 ,no place could be conceived more adapted by nature to be that wondrous battle-field of truth4 ,in front of the principal actors in the scene1 with the king and his courtiers by their side1 the thousands of ,israel might have been gathered on the lower slopes1 witnesses of the whole struggle to its stupendous result40 ,tristram's ,holy ,land1 p4 #aag4 #cfj - ,obtained from a neighbouring fountain1 ,josephus ,ant4 ,,viii4 #ac1 #e1 which even now is found close beneath el-,mohrakah 78the burning071 the spot pointed out as the scene of this event4 8,in the upper part of the amphitheatre to the left is an ancient fountain1 overhung by a few magnificent trees1 among them a noble specimen of the ,turkey oak4 ,the reservoir of the spring is stone-built and square1 about #h ft4 deep1 and the old steps which once descended to it may still be traced4 ,the water is of some depth1 and is perennial4 ,this was corroborated by the existence of molluscs attached to the stones within the cistern4 ,in that three years' drought1 when all the wells were dry1 and the ,kishon had first sunk to a string of pools1 and then finally was lost altogether1 this deep and shaded spring fed from the roots of ,carmel remained40 ,tristram's ,holy ,land1 pp4 #aag1 #aah4 #cfa - 8,immediately below the ,mohrakah1 on the banks of the ,kishon1 was a small flat-topped green knoll1 #8,tell ,cassis1 ' the ,mound of the ,priests1 marking in its name the very spot where ,elijah slew the prophets of ,baal1 when he had brought them down to the brook ,kishon40 ,tristram's ,holy ,land1 pp4 #aag1 #aah4 #cfb - 8,this conduct of ,elijah1 when rightly understood1 was full of important instruction4 ,as ,god's minister he had overwhelmed the king with shame and confusion in the presence of his subjects4 ,the natural tendency of this would be to lower him in their eyes1 and lessen their respect for his authority4 ,it was not the intention1 however1 to weaken the government1 nor to encourage rebellion4 ,the prophet was1 therefore1 divinely directed to give a testimony of respect and honour to the king1 as public and striking as from necessity had been the opposition and rebuke to his idolatry4 ,the mode of doing honour to ,ahab1 by running before his chariot1 was in accordance with the customs of the ,east1 even to this day4 ,i was reminded of this incident more than #bj years ago at ,jaffa1 when ,mohammed ,aly came to that city with a large army to quell the rebellion of ,palestine4 ,the camp was on the sand hills south of the city1 while ,mohammed ,aly stopped inside the walls4 ,the officers were constantly going and coming1 preceded by runners1 who always kept just ahead of the horses1 no matter how furiously they were ridden2 and1 in order to run with the greater ease1 they not only #8girded their loins' very tightly1 but also tucked up their loose garments under the girdle1 lest they should be incommoded by them4 ,this1 no doubt1 did ,elijah40 ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dhe4 ,kitto's ,daily ,bible ,illustr4 ,,iv4 #bga1 #bgb4 #cfc - ,or rather a species of broom very abundant in the desert of ,sinai1 and capable of 8affording shade and protection1 both in heat and storm1 to travellers40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 p4 #faa4 #cfd - ,see p4 #bdi4 #cfe - 8,in the cuneiform annals of an ,assyrian king we have a very curious and valuable confirmation of the power of ,damascus at this timeof its being under the rule of a monarch named ,benhadad1 who was at the head of a great confederacy of princes1 and who was able to bring into the field1 year after year1 vast armies1 with which he repeatedly engaged the whole force of ,assyria4 ,we have accounts of three campaigns between the ,assyrians on the one side1 and the ,syrians1 ,hittites1 ,hamathites1 and ,phnicians1 united under the command of ,benhadad1 on the other1 in which the contest is maintained with spirit1 the armies being of a large size1 and their composition and character such as we find described in ,scripture40 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #acj1 and notes2 ,rawlinson's ,herod4 ,i4 #dfd1 #dfe4 #cff - 8,probably local governors or magistrates1 who took refuge in ,samaria during the invasion1 while the #8young men' were their attendants40,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cfg - ,see ,keil on #a ,k4 xx4 #af4 #cfh - ,see ,kitto's ,daily ,bible ,illustr4 ,,iv4 pp4 #bhf1 #bhg4 #cfi - ,now called ,fk1 a considerable village on the top of a mountain 7,thomson1 p4 #chh71 at the head of the ,wady ,fk1 #f miles east of the sea of ,galilee1 8the great road between ,damascus1 ,nablous1 and ,jerusalem1 still passing through the village40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cgj - 8,this tremendous destruction was caused1 as ,i suppose1 by an earthquake2 and after having seen the effects of the earthquake in ,safed and ,tiberias1 ,i can easily understand this narrative4 ,we are not required to limit the catastrophe to the falling of a single wall2 or1 if this be insisted on1 we have only to suppose that it was the wall of the city1 and a little consideration will convince any one familiar with ,oriental fortifications that it might overwhelm a whole army4 ,those ramparts were very lofty and massive4 ,an open space was always left along their base1 and this would be packed1 from end to end1 by the remnants of ,benhadad's mighty host1 and escape from the falling towers would be impossible4 ,burckhardt informs us that the town is built round the base of a hill1 in the shape of a crescent1 and this peculiarity of the site would render the destruction only the more extensive and inevitable40 ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 p4 #chi4 #cga - 8,the place of execution was by the large tank or reservoir1 which still remains on the slope of the hill of ,samaria1 immediately outside the walls40 ,article ,naboth1 in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cgb - 8,now ,es-,salt1 situated on a hill1 isolated to a great extent from the loftier mountains round it by deep ravines on the east and west1 which unite on the south4 ,probably from its commanding position in the territory of ,gad1 as well as its strength1 it was chosen by ,moses as the ,city of ,refuge for that tribe 7,deut4 iv4 #dc2 ,josh4 xx4 #h2 xxi4 #ch74 ,afterwards it became the residence of one of ,solomon's commissariat officers0 7#a ,k4 iv4 #ac74 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cgc - ,comp4 ,homer1 ,il4 ,i4 #ajf4 #cgd - ,see p4 #cig1 note4 #cge - ,see p4 #cjg1 note4 #cgf - ,see ,psalm cxxxvi4 #a4 ,comp4 also ,ps4 xlviii4 and xcii41 ,joel iii4 #b1 #ab4 #cgg - ,van de ,velde1 ,,ii4 #cj2 ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 p4 #fjf4 ,tekoa was fortified by ,rehoboam 7#b ,chr4 xi4 #f71 was afterwards the birthplace of the prophet ,amos 7,am4 i4 #a71 and gave its name to the adjacent desert on the east 7#b ,chr4 xx4 #bj74 ,robinson1 ,bibl4 ,res4 ,i4 #dhf1 #g4 8,it is remarkable that this is the usual route taken in the present day by such predatory bands from ,moab as make incursions into southern ,palestine4 ,they pass round the southern end of the ,dead ,sea1 then up the road along its western shore to ,ain-,jidy1 and thence towards ,hebron1 ,tekoa1 and ,jerusalem1 as the prospects of plunder seem most inviting40 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 #cgh - 8,the name of ,bereikt still survives1 attached to ruins in a valley of the same name1 lying between ,tekoa and the main road from ,bethlehem to ,hebron1 a position corresponding accurately enough with the locality of the battle as described #b ,chr4 xx40 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 #cgi - 8,it was when our ,lord and ,his disciples were on their journey through this very district from ,galilee to ,jerusalem1 and when smarting from the churlish inhospitality of some ,samaritan villagers1 thatled to it by the distant view of the heights of ,carmel1 or1 perhaps1 by some traditional name on the roadthe impetuous zeal of ,james and ,john1 the #8sons of thunder1' burst forth1 ,lord1 wilt ,thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them1 even as ,elijah did8 ,for the answer of our ,lord to this question see ,lk4 ix4 #ea-ef40 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 #chj - ,see p4 #bjb4 #cha - ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 ,art4 ,elisha4 ,ever since the time of ,josephus a large spring ,n4 ,w4 of the present town1 and called ,ain-en-,sultn1 has been pointed out as the spring in question4 #chb - ,see ,keil on #b ,k4 iii4 #bj4 #chc - ,compare the conduct of the ,lacedmonians in the ,megarid1 ,thuc4 ,i4 #ajh4 #chd - ,the modern ,kerak lies about #f miles from ,rabbath-,moab1 and some #aj miles from the ,dead ,sea4 8,its situation is truly remarkable4 ,it is built upon the top of a steep hill1 surrounded on all sides by a deep and narrow valley1 which again is completely inclosed by mountains rising higher than the town1 and overlooking it on all sides4 ,it must have been from these surrounding heights that the ,israelite slingers hurled their volleys of stones after the capture of the place had proved impossible 7#b ,k4 iii4 #be740 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict41 ,art4 ,kir-,moab4 #che - ,a few years after this event1 and before the visit of ,naaman to ,samaria 7comp4 #b ,k4 viii4 #d with #a1 #b1 #c71 in consequence of a famine predicted by ,elisha1 the ,shunammite retired to the rich low lands of the ,philistines4 ,at the close of the dearth she returned to her native place1 to find her house and fields in the possession of a stranger4 ,thereupon1 with her son1 she repaired to ,samaria1 and as the king was listening to the story of all the great things which ,elisha had done1 and especially the crowning miracle at ,shunem1 she drew near1 was recognised by ,gehazi1 and confirmed the wondrous tale in person4 ,the king1 struck by the remarkable circumstances1 ordered her land to be restored to her1 with the value of the fruits of it during her sojourn amongst the ,philistines4 8,it is still common for even petty sheikhs to confiscate the property of a person who is exiled for a time1 or who moves away temporarily from his district2 especially is this true of widows and orphans1 and the ,shunammite was now a widow40 ,see ,thomson's ,land and the ,book1 p4 #deh4 #chf - ,these were probably first-fruits and perquisites of the priests1 see p4 #acd 7a71 ,numb4 xviii4 #h1 #ab2 ,deut4 xviii4 #c1 #d4 #chg - ,not 8one10 but 8he10 ,naaman1 went in and told his 8lord10 the king1 #b ,k4 v4 #d1 as in the ,vulgate4 #chh - ,the ,,abana1 the of the ,greeks1 and now the ,barada1 was the chief river of ,damascus and flowed through it1 and was the main source of its beauty and fertility1 having even now #ad villages and #aej1jjj souls dependent on it2 the ,,pharpar1 now the ,awaj1 is further from ,damascus1 8a small lively river40 ,robinson1 ,bibl4 ,res4 ,,iii4 #ddh4 #chi - 8,according to ,movers 7,phn4 ,i4 #aif1 c47 ,rimmon was the abbreviated form of ,hadad-,rimmon 7as ,peor of ,baal-,peor71 ,hadad being the sun-god of the ,syrians4 ,combining this with the pomegranate1 which was his symbol1 ,hadad-,rimmon would then be the sun-god of the late summer1 who ripens the pomegranate and other fruits1 and1 after infusing into them his productive power1 dies1 and is mourned with the mourning of ,hadad-rimmon in the valley of ,megiddon10 ,zech4 xii4 #aa4 ,smith's ,bibl4 ,dict4 #cij - ,see p4 #eh1 and note #dj4 #cia - ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,art4 ,hazael4 #cib - ,the cuneiform inscriptions 8mention ,hazael as king of ,damascus immediately after ,ben-hadad2 and ,jehu is the first ,israelite king mentioned by name on any inscription hitherto discovered40 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #aca2 ,layard's ,nineveh1 ,i4 p4 #cif4 #cib;a - 8,the cuneiform inscriptions show that towards the close of his reign ,ben-hadad was exposed to the assaults of a great conqueror1 who was bent on extending the dominion of ,assyria over ,syria and ,palestine4 ,three several attacks appear to have been made by this prince upon ,ben-hadad1 who1 though he had the support of the ,phnicians1 the ,hittites1 and the ,hamathites1 was unable to offer any effectual resistance to the ,assyrian arms4 ,his troops were worsted in several engagements1 and in one of them he lost as many as #bj1jjj men4 ,it may have been these circumstances which encouraged ,hazael to murder him and seize the throne1 which ,elisha declared would certainly one day be his40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 pp4 #cfa1 #cfb4 #cic - 8,jehu and his party could be seen for at least #f miles1 and there was time enough to send messenger after messenger to meet him40 ,thomson1 ,land and the ,book1 p4 #dfj4 #cid - ,in the ,e4 ,v4 translated 8the garden-house40 ,see ,stanley1 ,s4 and ,p4 p4 #cdi4 ,robinson places it at ,jenn1 still surrounded by the 8orchards0 and 8gardens0 which gave its ancient name4 ,see ,van de ,velde1 ,i4 p4 #cfa4 #cie - ,see p4 #chj4 #cif - ,established1 probably1 8at or near the town of ,jabez in ,judah 7#a ,chr4 ii4 #ee740 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #cig - ,on the position of this ,altar in reference to the ,holy ,place1 see above1 p4 #abj4 #cih - ,see p4 #bgc4 #cii - ,or #eb years1 if the ,interregnum be included4 #djj - ,see pp4 #dja and notes #cgfcgh4 #dja - ,from both these latter prophets we gain several important hints respecting the moral condition of the kingdom of ,israel at this time4 ,the calf-worship was celebrated with all its former splendour at ,bethel1 which was the site of the royal sanctuary 7,am4 vii4 #ac71 while the nation was distinguished for licentiousness1 drunkenness1 and oppression of the poor and needy 7,am4 ii4 #g1 #h1 iv4 #a2 ,hos4 i4 #b1 iv4 #ab-ad1 xiii4 #f74 ,see ,dr ,pusey's ,introduction to ,hosea4 #djb - ,see p4 #aeg4 #djc - ,see p4 #cfb4 #djd - ,in our ,version the date of this visit is placed in ,b4,c4 #hfj4 ,others would place it in the later part of the reign of ,jeroboam ,,ii41 or about ,b4,c4 #ghj2 ,rawlinson even later1 ,b4,c4 #gfj-gej1 during a temporary depression of the ,assyrian power2 see the ,five ,great ,monarchies1 pp4 #cij-cib1 and notes4 #dje - ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #cia4 #djf - 8,there is a remarkable parallel to this in a ,persian practice mentioned by ,herodotus1 ,,ix4 #bd4 ,in the mourning for ,masistius1 a little before the battle of ,plata1 the ,persian troops not only shaved off their own hair1 but similarly disfigured their horses and their beasts of burden40 ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 #bgf1 note4 #djg - ,see ,kiel in loc41 and ,art4 ,menahem in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #djh - ,called in the ,septuagint ,phalch or ,phals1 and in the ,assyrian records ,phal-lukha and ,iva-lush2 the annals of this monarch are scanty2 but 8in the most important record we possess of his reign1 there is a notice of his having taken tribute from ,beth-,khumri1 or ,samaria1 as well as from ,tyre1 ,sidon1 ,damascus1 ,iduma1 and ,philistia40 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #acc4 #dji - ,this was the occasion of the important prophecy of ,isaiah vii4 #a-af4 #daj - ,this was the first captivity of any considerable portion of ,israel4 ,see ,map4 ,the captives were located in ,upper ,mesopotamia on the affluents of the ,bilikh and the ,khabour1 from about ,haran to ,nisibis1 the ,gozan of ,scripture4 ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 #cih4 #daa - ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 #dbc2 ,herodotus1 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #dgc4 ,see ,chron4 ,table in the ,appendix1 p4 #dhh4 #dab - 8,it has been usual to ascribe the capture of ,samaria to ,shalmaneser2 and this is certainly the impression which the ,scriptural narrative leaves4 ,but the assertion is not made expressly 7comp4 #b ,k4 xvii4 #c1 and xviii4 #aj71 and if we may trust the direct statement of ,sargon1 the successor of ,shalmaneser upon the throne1 we must consider that he1 and not ,shalmaneser1 was the actual captor of the city4 ,sargon relates that he took ,samaria in his first year1 ,b4,c4 #gba1 and carried into captivity #bg1bhj families4 ,it would appear1 therefore1 that ,shalmaneser died1 or was deposed1 while ,hoshea still held out1 and that the final captivity of ,israel fell into the reign of his successor40 ,rawlinson's ,hdtus4 ,i4 #dgb4 ,no king employed so generally or on so large a scale1 the practice of wholesale deportation of his subjects as ,sargon4 ,see ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 p4 #dbc4 #dac - 8,as ,gaza in ,greek became ,cadytis1 ,achzib ,ecdippa so ,m'gozan became ,mygdonia40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #dad - ,see ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,art4 ,nehushtan4 #dae - ,see ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #daf - ,kenrick's ,phnicia1 p4 #cgh2 ,five ,great ,mon4 ,,ii4 #dje4 #dag - ,or perhaps the #bgth1 ,b4,c4 #gjj2 see ,rawlinson's ,hdtus4 ,i4 #dgi n4 #dah - ,the route of the ,assyrians may be traced in the vivid language of ,isai4 x4 #bh-cd4 ,the annals of ,sennacherib contain a full account of this campaign2 see ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 pp4 #adb1 #adc2 ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 p4 #dbe4 #dai - 8,properly a ring1 such as in our country is placed through the nose of a bull1 and similarly used in the ,east for leading about lions and other animals1 as also prisoners1 as in the case of ,manasseh 7#b ,chr4 xxxiii4 #aa2 ,a4,v4 in the thorns74 ,see ,isai4 xxxvii4 #bi2 ,ezek4 xxix4 #d1 xxxviii4 #d40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #dbj - ,see for the view here taken1 ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #ddb2 ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #adc4 #dba - ,the ,egyptians naturally ascribed their deliverance to the interposition of their own gods4 ,rawlinson's ,hdtus4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #ada4 #dbb - ,five ,great ,mon4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #dde2 comp4 #b ,k4 xix4 #cf4 #dbc - ,in the opinion of some1 ,hezekiah's illness preceded the first invasion of ,sennacherib by several years1 and ,merodach-,baladan's visit is placed by them about the year ,b4,c4 #gac1 the #adth of ,hezekiah 7,comp4 #b ,k4 xx4 #f2 ,is4 xxxviii4 #e74 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,rawlinson's ,hdtus4 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #dgi n4 #dbd - 8,from the time of ,sargon1 ,merodach-,baladan and his family were the champions of ,babylonian independence1 and headed the popular party in resisting the ,assyrian monarchs40 8,the real object of the mission was most likely to effect a league between ,babylon1 ,judea1 and ,egypt 7,is4 xx4 #e1 #f71 in order to check the growing power of the ,assyrians4 ,hezekiah's exhibition of #8all his precious things' would thus have been not a mere display1 but a mode of satisfying the ,babylonian ambassadors of his ability to support the expenses of a war40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,rawlinson's ,herod4 ,i4 #ejc4 #dbe - ,see ,blunt's ,scriptural ,coincidences1 ,pt4 ,,iii4 #e4 #dbf - ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,art4 ,manasseh2 and see p4 #dcf4 #dbg - ,comp4 ,heb4 xi4 #cg3 but see ,art4 ,isaiah in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #dbh - ,either shortly before or after this visit to ,jerusalem1 ,esarhaddon invaded ,egypt1 defeated ,tirhakah1 took his capital1 and became master of the country as far as ,thebes or ,diospolis1 the ,no or ,no-,amon of ,scripture4 ,rawlinson1 ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 p4 #dge4 #dbi - 8,one is greatly surprised at first hearing that the generals of an ,assyrian king1 on capturing a rebel1 carried him to ,babylon instead of ,nineveh4 #8,what has a king of ,assyria to do with ,babylon8' one naturally asks4 ,the reply is1 that ,esarhaddon1 and he only of all the ,assyrian kings1 actually was king of ,babylon2 that he built a palace1 and occasionally held his court there1 and that consequently a captive was as likely to be brought to him at that city as at the metropolis of ,assyria-,proper40 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #ade1 and ,hdtus4 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #dhb4 #dcj - ,after the example of ,sargon1 ,esarhaddon 8gathered men from ,babylon1 ,orcho1 ,susa1 ,elymais1 ,persia1 and other neighbouring regions1 and entrusting them to an officer of high rank1 #8the great and noble ,asnapper1' had them conveyed to ,palestine and settled over the whole country1 which until this time must have been somewhat thinly peopled40 ,comp4 ,ezra iv4 #b1 #i1 #aj2 ,rawlinson's ,five ,great ,monarchies1 ,,ii4 p4 #dgg4 #dca - ,see p4 #cgb4 #dcb - ,partly from dissensions with the ,medes 7,b4,c4 #fcd-fjc71 who were attempting to seize the dominion over the ,east1 but still more in consequence of the great ,scythian invasion1 about ,b4,c4 #fcj1 described by ,herodotus 7,i4 civ4-cvi471 ,assyria had been greatly weakened1 her cities being desolated1 and her palaces dismantled or destroyed4 ,these ,scythian hordes penetrated into ,palestine as far as ,ashdod1 but were repulsed by ,psammetichus1 and on their return a portion1 probably attracted by the situation of ,beth-shan 7,see p4 #cac71 settled there1 whence its ,greek name ,scythopolis1 8the city of the ,scythians40 ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #cia2 ,rawlinson's ,herod4 ,vol4 ,i4 #dhe1 ,five ,gt4 ,mon4 ,,ii4 #eab4 #dcc - ,called by ,manetho ,nechao1 by ,herodotus 1 on the monuments ,neku1 the son and successor of the first ,psammetichus4 ,his defeat of the ,syrians in a great battle is mentioned by ,herod4 ,,ii4 #aei1 and is said to have taken place at ,magdlus 7 ,migdal-el1 in the tribe of ,naphtali1 ,josh4 xix4 #ch71 which is identified with the ,magdala of ,matt4 xv4 #ci1 probably in consequence of a confusion between this name and ,megiddo4 ,rawlinson's ,herod4 ,,ii4 #bdf n4 #dcd - ,not the classical ,circesium1 but higher up the ,euphrates1 8occupying nearly the site of the later ,mabog1 or ,hierapolis40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,dict4 ,geog4 ,art4 ,hierapolis4 #dce - 8,at the upper end of the valley of ,lebanon1 some #ce miles beyond ,baalbec1 and about #aj days' journey from ,jerusalem10 on the great road between ,palestine and ,babylonia4 ,describing the advantages of its position1 ,dr ,robinson says that it lies 8on the banks of a mountain-stream in the midst of a vast and fertile plain1 yielding the most abundant supplies of forage4 ,from this point the roads were open either by ,aleppo and the ,euphrates to ,nineveh1 or by ,palmyra to ,babylon 444 by the end of ,lebanon and the coast to ,palestine and ,egypt1 or through the ,bka and the ,jordan valley to the centre of the ,holy ,land40 ,robinson's ,bib4 ,res4 ,,iii4 #ede4 #dcf - ,for the moral and religious degradation of the country at this period1 see ,jer4 xix42 ,ezek4 viii42 for the king's vindictive persecution of righteous prophets1 ,jer4 xxvi42 for his impiety in cutting up the roll containing ,jeremiah's prophecy1 ,jer4 xxxvi42 for his luxury and tyranny1 as also his selfishness in building splendid palaces while his kingdom was so impoverished1 ,jer4 xxii4 #ac-ag4 #dcg - ,in #b ,k4 xxiv4 #ad1 #af1 the numbers are given as #g1jjj soldiers1 #a1jjj artificers and smiths1 and #b1jjj others1 whose occupation is not mentioned4 #dch - ,rawlinson's ,herod4 ,vol4 ,i4 #eae4 ,for the prophecies of ,jeremiah during the reign of ,zedekiah1 see chaps4 xxi4 xxiv4 xxvii4 #ab-bb1 xxviii4 xxix4 xxxii4 xxxiii4 xxxiv4 xxxvii4 xxviii4 #dci - ,thus were fulfilled the apparently contradictory prophecies in ,jer4 xxxii4 #d1 and ,ezek4 xii4 #ac4 #ddj - ,or ,mizpah4 ,for notices of this place on previous occasions1 see pp4 #bgb1 #bhj1 #cge4 #dda - ,before passing on1 a few remarks may here be subjoined respecting the kingdoms of ,judah and ,israel1 which now came to an end4 ,i4 ,their respective duration4 ,the kingdom of ,israel lasted from ,b4,c4 #ige to ,b4,c4 #gba1 or #bed years4 ,the kingdom of ,judah lasted from ,b4,c4 #ige to ,b4,c4 #ehh1 or #chg years1 thus outliving her more populous and powerful rival by #acc years4 ,,ii4 ,their mutual relations4 ,these1 as we have seen1 were dictated by three different lines of policy3 7i7 ,mutual animosity from ,b4,c4 #ige-iah4 ,the first three kings of ,judah1 ,rehoboam1 ,abijah1 and ,asa1 persisted in the hope of regaining their authority over the ,ten ,tribes1 and for nearly #fj years there was war between the two kingdoms4 7ii7 ,close alliance1 and united hostility to ,syria1 ,b4,c4 #iah-hhd4 ,with the accession of ,jehoshaphat there sprang up an alliance between the two kingdoms1 cemented by intermarriage1 and prompted probably by the necessity of joint action in resisting the encroaching power of ,syria4 7iii7 ,fresh animosity1 and the gradual decline of both kingdoms before the advancing power of the ,assyrian ,empire1 ,b4,c4 #hhd-ehh4 ,the alliance between the kingdoms was rudely shattered by the accession of ,jehu to the throne of ,israel4 ,he put ,ahaziah to death1 and the hostility thus begun reached its highest pitch under ,amaziah1 ,jehoash1 and ,pekah4 ,,iii4 ,their contrasts4 #a4 ,in the kingdom of ,judah1 7a7 ,there was always a fixed capital and a venerated centre of religion2 7b7 the army was always subordinate2 7c7 the succession was interrupted by no revolution2 7d7 the priests remained faithful to the crown4 #b4 ,in the kingdom of ,israel1 7a7 ,there was no fixed capital1 and no real religious centre2 7b7 the army was often insubordinate2 7c7 the succession was constantly interrupted1 so that out of #ai kings there were no less than #i dynasties1 each ushered in by a revolution2 7d7 the authorized priests left the kingdom in a body1 and the priesthood established by ,jeroboam had no ,divine sanction and no promise2 it was corrupt in its very source4 ,hence in the kingdom of ,israel the prophets were the regular ministers of ,god1 and1 especially during the second of the two periods above mentioned1 their ministry was distinguished by far more extraordinary events than in the kingdom of ,judah1 whose annals offer no prophetical deeds like those of ,elijah and ,elisha4 ,see ,arts4 ,kingdom of ,judah and ,israel in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict42 ,jahn's ,hebrew ,commonwealth4 ,for the ,table of ,kings and ,prophets1 see the ,appendix4 #ddb - ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 #djg1 #djh4 #ddc - ,see ,jahn's ,hebrew ,commonwealth1 pp4 #aab1 #aac4 #ddd - ,the ,psalms which appear to belong to this period are1 ,psls4 x4 xiii4-xv4 xxv4-xxvii4 xxxvi4 xxxvii4 xlix4 l4 liii4 lxvii4 lxxvii4 lxxx4 lxxxviii4 lxxxix4 xcii4 xciii4 cxxiii4 cxxx4 cxxxvii4 #dde - ,see p4 #deb4 #ddf - ,see p4 #ddi4 #ddg - ,an interpretation now generally understood to indicate 7i7 the ,chaldean1 7ii7 ,medo-,persian1 7iii7 ,macedonian1 and 7iv7 ,roman empires1 which last gives way to 7v7 the kingdom of ,messiah4 #ddh - ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 notes1 p4 #dci2 ,herod4 ,vol4 ,i4 pp4 #fbh1 #fbi4 #ddi - ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,art4 ,nebuchadnezzar4 ,dr ,pusey1 on the other hand1 writes1 8,whether the image was formed in reminiscence of that emblem of human might1 which ,nebuchadnezzar had seen in his dream1 and of which the head was declared to represent himself1 or whether it was himself whom he intended to be worshipped in it1 it was plainly some test of allegiance required of all peoples1 nations1 and languages1 in his whole empire40 ,lectures on ,daniel1 p4 #ddj4 #dej - ,ibid4 p4 #ddb1 and the note4 #dea - ,along the shores of the ,persian ,gulf4 ,rawlinson's ,herod4 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #eac4 #deb - ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #afj and notes2 ,herod4 ,vol4 ,i4 pp4 #eab1 #eac2 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict41 ,art4 ,nebuchadnezzar4 #dec - 8,i have examined10 says ,sir ,h4 ,rawlinson1 8the bricks in situ1 belonging perhaps to a hundred different towns and cities in the neighbourhood of ,baghdad1 and ,i never found any other legend than that of ,nebuchadnezzar1 son of ,nabopolassar1 king of ,babylon40 ,nine-tenths of the bricks amidst the ruins of ,babylon are stamped with his name4 ,compare his own words as recorded in ,dan4 iv4 #cj3 8,is not this great ,babylon1 which ,i have built80 #ded - ,probably what the ,greeks called ,lycanthropy 71 wherein the sufferer fancies himself a beast1 quits the haunts of men1 and leads the life of a beast4 ,for instances and details1 see ,dr ,pusey's ,lectures on ,daniel1 pp4 #dbe-dce2 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #afe2 ,herod4 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #eaf4 #dee - ,a sickness of this monarch is mentioned by ,berosus1 and in the 8,standard ,inscription0 of ,nebuchadnezzar he himself appears to allude to this mysterious passage of his life3 ,for four years 444 the seat of my kingdom 444 did not rejoice my heart1 in all my dominions ,i did not build a high place of power1 the precious treasures of my kingdom ,i did not lay up4 ,in ,babylon1 buildings for myself and for the honour of my kingdom ,i did not lay out4 ,in the worship of ,merodach1 my lord1 the joy of my heart1 in ,babylon the city of his sovereignty1 and the seat of my empire1 ,i did not sing his praises1 ,i did not furnish his altars with victims1 nor did ,i clear out the canals4 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #aff1 and notes4 #def - ,nabonadius or ,nabonnedus ,nabu-nit or ,nabu-nahit1 i4e4 ,nebo blesses or makes prosperous1 known amongst the ,greeks as ,labynetus4 #deg - ,recognised by ,isaiah as 8a shepherd0 of the ,lord1 an 8anointed king0 7,is4 xliv4 #bh2 xlv4 #a74 #deh - ,pusey's ,lectures on ,daniel1 p4 #abj2 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #agj4 #dei - ,on his accession ,nabonadius1 it is thought1 may have married a daughter of ,nebuchadnezzar4 ,see ,pusey1 ,lectures on ,daniel1 p4 #djb2 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #agj4 #dfj - ,on the delegated authority of this ,darius1 see ,pusey's ,lectures on ,daniel1 pp4 #abb1 #abc2 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #aga1 and notes1 p4 #dde4 #dfa - ,see ,art4 ,darius1 in ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 ,some identify him with ,astyages2 others with ,cyaxares ,,ii41 a son of ,astyages2 others with ,neriglissar1 or with ,nabonadius2 8each of these views10 observes ,prof4 ,rawlinson1 8has its difficulties1 and perhaps it is the most probable view that he was a viceroy set up by ,cyrus1 of whom there is at present no trace in profane history10 ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #aga4 #dfb - ,dating1 according to ,prideaux and ,davison 7,lectures on ,prophecy1 ,,vi4 #a71 from ,b4,c4 #fjf4 #dfc - ,the ,jews who remained and kept up their national distinctions were called 8,the ,dispersion0 7,john vii4 #ce2 #a ,pet4 i4 #a2 ,james i4 #a71 and 8in course of time they served a great purpose in diffusing a knowledge of the true ,god1 and in affording a point for the commencement of the efforts of the ,evangelists of the ,christian faith40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #dfd - ,the chief effects of the ,captivity upon the ,jews were these3 7i7 ,the old tendency to idolatry had been eradicated 7,comp4 ,ezek4 xxxvi4 #bd-bh72 7ii7 ,there had sprung up a deep reverence for the letter of the ,law1 and for their great ,lawgiver ,moses2 7iii7 ,the love of agriculture had declined1 and had given place to a taste for commerce and trade2 7iv7 ,the vernacular language had also undergone a change 7,neh4 viii4 #h71 the old ,hebrew giving place to the ,chaldee4 #dfe - 8,the name ,ahasuerus is undoubtedly the proper ,hebrew equivalent for the ,persian word which the ,greeks represented by ,xerxes1 444 and we are at once struck with the strong resemblance which his character bears to that assigned by the classical writers to the celebrated son of ,darius4 ,proud1 self-willed1 amorous1 careless of contravening ,persian customs2 reckless of human life1 yet not actually bloodthirsty2 impetuous1 facile1 changeable1 the ,ahasuerus of ,esther corresponds in all respects to the ,greek portraiture of ,xerxes1 which is not the mere picture of an ,oriental despot1 but has various peculiarities which distinguish it even from the other ,persian kings40 ,rawlinson's ,bampton ,lectures1 p4 #ahf4 #dff - ,see ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #dfg - ,identified by the latest researches with the modern ,hit1 on the ,euphrates1 due ,east of ,damascus1 afterwards known as the ,ihi1 or ,ihi da-kira1 8the spring of bitumen40 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #dfh - 8,the power of ,persia had received by the ,athenians a fatal blow in the victory obtained at ,salamis in ,cyprus1 ,b4,c4 #ddi4 ,the ,great ,king was obliged to submit to a humiliating peace1 among the articles of which were the abandonment of the maritime towns1 and a stipulation that the ,persian army should not approach within three days' journey of the sea4 ,jerusalem being about this distance from the coast1 and standing so near the line of communication with ,egypt1 became a port of the utmost value40 ,milman's ,history of the ,jews1 ,i4 p4 #dce4 ,jahn's ,heb4 ,comm4 p4 #adb4 #dfi - ,either of ,horonaim a town of ,moab1 or of ,horon1 i4e4 ,beth-horon2 he appears to have held some office at ,samaria under ,artaxerxes4 ,smith's ,bib4 ,dict4 #dgj - ,see ,calendar1 p4 #aee4 #dga - ,westcott's ,the ,bible in the ,church1 pp4 #bih1 #bii4 #dgb - ,see pp4 #h1 #i4 #dgc - ,see p4 #ah4 #dgd - ,see pp4 #bf1 #bh4 #dge - ,see p4 #ga4 #dgf - ,see pp4 #aji1 #aaj4 #dgg - ,psalm cx2 ii2 xlv4 #dgh - ,dan4 vii4 #ac4 ,westcott's ,introduction to the ,n4 ,t4 p4 #hg4 ,davidson ,on ,prophecy1 p4 #bje4 #dgi - ,mic4 v4 #b2 ,isai4 vii4 #ad4 #dhj - ,zech4 vi4 #ac2 ,isai4 lxi4 #a4 #dha - ,isai4 liii4 ,comp4 also ix4 #f2 xl4 #a1 #ab2 xlii4 #a1 #d2 xlix4 #e-g2 lii1 liv4 #dhb - ,dan4 ix4 #bf1 see ,pusey in loc4 #dhc - ,gal4 iv4 #d4 #dhd - ,see ,butler's ,analogy1 ,part ,,ii4 ch4 v4 #dhe - ,gal4 iii4 #bh4 ,transcriber's ,notes4 ,the following corrections have been made in the text3 ,page #agh3 ,sentence starting3 ,it is probable that ,kadesh4444 - #8whereever' replaced with #8wherever' 7wherever ,moses and the ,tabernacle7 ,page #ahf3 ,sentence starting3 ,a trophy of this victory1444 - #8,rabbath' replaced with #8,rabbah' 7in the city of ,rabbah17 ,page #ccb3 ,sentence starting3 ,meanwhile the ,syrians beyond4444 - #8,hadarezer' replaced with #8,hadadezer' 7a general of ,hadadezer17 ,page #cfe3 ,sentence starting3 ,,rezin1 the ,syrian1444 - #8,rezon' replaced with #8,rezin' 7,,rezin1 the ,syrian17 ,page #cgg3 ,sentence starting3 ,as he was besieging ,gibbethon4444 - #8,isaachar' replaced with #8,issachar' 7of the house of ,issachar7 - #8againt' replaced with #8against' 7conspired against him7 ,page #dgf3 ,sentence starting3 ,after a fast of three days4444 - #8,esth4' replaced with #8,ezra' 7,ezra viii4 #cb77 ,page #dhb3 ,sentence starting3 ,no high places were to be seen4444 - #8,astaroth' replaced with #8,ashtaroth' 7the impure orgies of ,ashtaroth7 ,page #dhi3 ,sentence starting3 ,manasseh brought to ,babylon4444 - #8#dch' replaced with #8#dde' 7,see p4 #dde n47 ,page #dib3 ,table starting3 #d4 ,scripture ,measures4444 - #8#gj' replaced with #8#gbj' #ifj #gbjahjfjcjaj ,index ,asenath3 - #8,asenah' replaced with #8,asenath' 7,asenath1 ,joseph's wife7 ,index ,rezin3 - #8,rezon' replaced with #8,rezin' #8#cff' replaced with #8#cfe' 7,rezin1 revolts against ,solomon1 #cfe7 ,index ,temple1 the3 - #8,jehohash' replaced with #8,jehoash' 7rifled by ,jehoash1 #dbe27 ,index ,tarshish3 - #8,tharshish' replaced with #8,tarshish' 7,tarshish1 silver mines of1 #cfb7 ,footnote #bj3 - #8,araba' replaced with #8,arabah' for consistency 7the ,arabah led to the ,gulf7 ,footnote #cfa3 ,sentence starting3 ,immediately below the ,mohrakah4444 - #8,mokrakah' replaced with #8,mohrakah' 7,immediately below the ,mohrakah7 ,footnote #daj3 ,sentence starting3 ,the captives were located4444 - #8,harran' replaced with #8,haran' 7from about ,haran to ,nisibis7