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IN THREE PARTS:
OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY;
CONNECTION OF OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS*
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BY WILLIAM SMITH, D.C.L., LL.D.
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PREFACE.
THIS work is designed to supply a condensed Manual ot
Scripture History for the junior classes in Schools, and for
Family Use. It presents the whole subject in one volume,
containing the Histories of the Old and New Testaments,
with a brief, but fairly complete, account of the connecting
period.
To simplify the plan, and to suit the comprehension of the
young, the book is confined for the most part to a narrative
of leading facts, avoiding critical discussion on the one hand,
and theological exposition on the other. The Notes, which
have been added very sparingly, on points which could scarce-
ly be left unexplained, are intended chiefly for the teacher.
Other matters, which the teacher may desire to introduce at
his discretion, will be found in the " Student's Manuals of Old
Testament " and " of New Testament History," the order ot
which is here generally followed.
As the book is meant to be used with, and not at all in place
of, the Bible, many of those exquisite stories, which are only
spoiled by the attempt to repeat them in other words, are
merely referred to, leaving the details to be read in Scripture
itself; and thus space has been gained to make the general
narrative more complete.
The " Received Chronology " is adopted throughout. No
other complete system is yet established ; and partial attempts
at correction would have involved discussions quite out of
place here. This will explain some differences in the dates
vi PREFACE.
given for contemporary events in the "Ancient History" of
this series. Down to the destruction of the kingdom of Israel
in B.C. 721, the dates both of Sacred and Secular History still
require adjustment ; and, meanwhile, each system of chronol-
ogy affords a valuable aid for the order of the events.
The " Contents " are drawn up in such a manner as to form
a Chronological Table ; and they will also suggest Questions
for the teacher. Tables of the Weights, Measures, and Money
mentioned in the Bible are given at the end of the book.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PART I.
HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. B.C. 4004-400.
CHAPTER I.
FROM TUB CREATION TO THE DEI.UOE. B.C. 4004-2348.
4004. The Creation 19
The Fall of Man 21
Cain and Abel 23
The Caiuites and Sethitcs..23, 24
Translation of Enoch 26
2349. Noah and the Flood 2S
2348. Covenant with Noah 27
Shem, Ham, and Japheth 27
1998. Death ofNoah 28
A'ote on the Ark 28
CHAPTER II.
FUOM THE DKUJOE TO THK DEATH OF AHIIAIIAM. B.C. 2348-1822.
'.'J21. Peopling of the earth 29
Call of Abram 31
Abram at Shcchem and Beth-
el 32
His visit to Egypt 32
Abram at Mamre 33
1913. Rescue of Lot Melchizedek 33
1910. Birth of Ishmael 34
New names of Abraham and
Sarah 34, 35
1893. Destruction of Sodom 35, 30
Abraham and Abimelech . . . 38
1897. Birth oflsaac 3
Expulsion of Hagar and Ish-
mael 30, 87
1872. Offorinp: oflsaac 37
1860. Death and burial of Sarah .. 88
1857. Isaac marries Rebekah 39
1853. Abraham marries Keturah . . 39
1822. Death and burial of Abra-
ham 39
Notf. Diaper svm of the Na-
tions 40
Tiii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER III.
FKOM THE DEATH OP ABRAHAM TO THE DEATH OF JOSEPH B.C. 1S22-163S,
B.C. PAGE
1837. Birth of Esau and Jacob 41
1806. Esau sells his birthright. ... 42
1804. Isaac and Abimelech 42
1760. Isaac blesses Jacob 43
Jacob flies to Haran 44
1753. He marries Leah and Rachel 44
Family of Jacob 46
1739. He returns to Canaan 45
Jacob at Shechein 47
1732. RemovestoBethelandMamre 47
Birth of Benjamin Death of
Rachel 47
1729. Joseph and his brethren... 47-53
1706. The Israelites go to Egypt. . 63
1689. Prophecy, death, and ourial
of Jacob 54, 55
1635. Death of Joseph 56
His bones kept 56
CHAPTER IV.
ISRAEL IN EGYPT. FBOM TUB DEATH OP JOSEPH TO THE EXODUS B.C. 1635-
1491.
1635. Increase of the Israelites 57
Their oppression by Pharaoh 58
1571. Birth ofMoses 58
1531. His flight to Midian 59
1491. He is sent to Egypt 60
1491. Moses and Aaron before Pha-
raoh 61
The Ten Plagues 02, 65
The PASSOVER and the EXO-
DUS 65, 66
Length of the Sojourn 66
CHAPTER V.
THE EXODUS AND THE LAW. B.C. 1491-1490.
1491. Stages of the journey 6T
Passage of the Red Sea 68
The Manna and the Sabbath 69
Victory over Amalek 70
Israel at Sinai 71
Giving of the Law 72
1491. The Golden Calf 73
Consecration of the Levites. 74
Construction of the Taber-
nacle 75
1490. The Tabernacle set up T5
CHAPTER VI.
THE WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS B.C. 1490-1451.
1490. Departure from Sinai 76
Quails sent Plague 77
Sedition of Aaron and Mir-
iam 77, 78
Israel at Kadesh The spies 78
The Forty Years' Wandering 79
The Sabbath-breaker stoned 79
Rebellion of Korah, Dathan,
and Abiram 79
Plague Aaron's rod blos-
soms 80
1453. Return to Kadesh SO
The Water of Meribah 80
X462. Death of Aaron 81 ,
1452. Fiery Serpents The Brazen
Serpent 81
March through Moab 82
Defeat of Sihon and Og 82
Balaam and Balak 82, a"5
Slaughter of the Midinnites. 85
1451. Settlement of two and a half
tribes east of Jordan 86
Last words of Moses Book
of Deuteronomy 84
The Song and Blemrinrj of Mo-
ses 88
Death of Moses 88
Moses a type of Christ 89
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VH.
THE LEGISLATION or MOSES.
4KCT. PACK
I. Principles of the Law 90
The Ten Commandments. . 91
II. The Tabernacle ; its parts
and its furniture 92, 9G
JIT. The Priests and Levites ... 97
IV. Sacrifices and oblations 99
V. Holiness of the people 101
SECT. PAOB
VI. The Sacred Seasons 102
i. Sabbath and like feasts 102
ii. Three Great Festivals. 104
iii. The Day of Atonement 10T
VII. Laws : political, civil, and
criminal 108
Forms of government 109
CHAPTER VIII.
THE CONQUEST AND DIVISION OP TUB HOLY LAND. B.C. 1451-142C.
1461. Joshua leader of Israel .... 112
The spies and Rahab 113
Passage of the Jordan 114
Capture of Jericho 115
Sin and fate of Achan . .115, 116
Craft of the Gibeonites .... 116
1451. Conquest of the South 117
Conquest of the North 118
1451-45. The conquest completed 118
Allotments of the tribes... 119
1426. Death of Joshua 120
Joseph's bones buried 121
CHAPTER IX.
THE JUDGES. B.C. 1426-1095.
1426 (foil.) State of Israej 122
Micah and the Danites 122
Destruction of Benjamin.. . 123
Story ofRuth 125
1402. i. Oppression by Chushan-
rishathaim. . . 125
1394. OTHNIEL, the first judge 126
1354. ii. Oppressor, Eglon, king
of Monb 126
1336-1296. Emm, the second
judge 126
1336. iii. Philistine oppression. . . 126
1290. SHAMOAR, the third judge.. 126
1316. iv. Oppressor, Jabin, king
ofHazor 126
1296. DEIWEAH and BARAK 126
Sisera killed by Jael 127
1256. v. Oppression by Midian,
Amalek, etc 127
1249. GIDEON, the fifth judge 127
His name of Jerub-baal 128
lie rejects the kingdom 129
1209. vi. Usurpation of AUIME-
LEOII 130
Jotham's Parable of the
Trees 130
Abimeloch slain by a wom-
an 131
1206. vii. TOLA, the seventh
judge 131
1183. yiii. JAIK, the eighth judge. 131
1161. ix. Oppression by Ammon-
ites and Philistines 131
1143. JEVIITUAII, the ninth judge. 132
Jephthah's daughter 132
Ephraim Shibboleth and
Sibboleth 133
1137. x. IIJZAN, the tenth judge.. 133
1130. xi. EI.ON, the eleventh
judge 133
1120. xii. AHDON, the twelfth
judge 133
1141. xiii. SAMSON, the thirteenth
judge 133
His birth, exploits, and
death 133-135
1181. xiv. ELI, high-priest and
judge 13G
1141. xv. SAMUEL, fifteenth and
last judge 135
His birth and ministry 130
His prophecy against Eli. . 136
Capture and return of the
ark 137
1120. Victory of Eben-ezer 138
1112. The sons of Samuel 13S
1095. Demand for a king 139
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER X.
TnR REION OF SAUL. B.C. J095-1066.
1095. Saul anointed by Samuel... 140
Elected king at Mizpeh 142
1095. Defeats the Ammonites 142
Jonathan surprises the Phi-
listines 143
_ Saul's other victories 144
1079. He spares the Amalekites. . 145 !
God rejects Saul 145 !
1063. Samuel anoints David 140 |
1003. David slays Goliath 148
Sau! jealous of David 149
1062. David a fugitive 151
Saul massacres the priests. 151
The cave of Adullam 151
10CO. David and Abigail 153
1056. Defeat and death of Sanl . . 154
David's dirge for Saul and
Jonathan 155
CHAPTER XI.
THE REION OP DAVID. B.C. 1056-1015.
105C. Kingof Judah at Hebron.. 156
Civil war with Ish-bosheth. 157
Joab's murder of Abner. . . . 157
1048. David king of all Israel 157
He takes JERUSALEM 153
Removal of the ark 159
1040 (foil.). Victories of David... 160
1035. David and Batli-sheba 161
1023. Rebellion of Absalom 162
1017. Great pestilence 16fi
Preparations for the Temple 165
1015. Rebellion of Adonijah 105
Coronation of Solomon 166
Death and character of Da-
vid 166
CHAPTER XII.
THE REIGN OF SOLOMON. B.C. 1015-975.'
1015. A chronological epoch 167 j 1000. Dedication of the Temple.. 153
1014. Adonijah, Joab, Abiathar Solomon's other buildings. 153
and Shimei 168
1011. The great Jewish monarchy 168
1014. Alliance with Egypt 168
The gift of wisdom 151
Splendor of Solomon 151
Alliance with Hiram 151
1012. Foundation of the Temple. 152 I
His foreign commerce 154
His fall into idolatry 154
Adversaries raised up 155
Ahijah designates Jero-
boam 155
975. Death of Solomon 155
CHAPTER XIII.
THE KINGDOMS or JUDAII AND ISRAEL TO THE REIGNS OF JEHOBIIAPHAT
AND AIIAB. B.C. 975-S92.
Division of the Kingdom t5C
JUDAH.
9T5. I. REIIOBOAM : 17 years 157
Shemaiah forbids war 158
970. Shishak takes Jerusalem 158
958. IT. AIU.IAH: 3 years 150
Victory over Israel 159
P5C. III. ABA : 41 years. 162
975. 1. JEROBOAM I. : 22 years... 159
Worship of the calves de-
nounced by a prophet '<W
958. War with Jndah 160
Death of his son Abijah 160
Denounced by A hijah 160
of Propkett are given in italics.
CONTENTS.
S.C. JUDAH. PACK
954. Reformation of religion 180
Defeats Zerah the Cnshite. . ISO
New reformation HananL. ISO
941. War with Israel 180
Religious persecution 180
916. IV. JEHOSUAPIIAT : 25 years. 180
914. Religious reformation 181
897. Alliance with Ahab (Chap.
XIV.) 181
896. Alliance with Ahaziah 182
892. Death of Jehoshaphat 182
B.C. ISRAEL. PABI
954. 2. NADAB: 2 years 178
953. 3. BAASIIA : 24 years 179
941. War with Ju&nhJehu 179
Invasion of Ben-hadad I 179
930. 4. EI.AU: 2 years 179
929. 5. ZIMKI : 7 days 179
6. OMEI : 12 years 179
929-5. Civil war with Tibni 479
Omri builds Samaria 179
918. Succeeded by Ahab (Chap.
XIV.) 179
CHAPTER XIV.
THE HOUSE OP AHAB AND THE CONTEMPORARY KINGS OP JUDAH. B.C. 918-S73.
Jl'DAH.
916. JEHOSUAPUAT (see Ch. XIIL).
896. His fleet shipwrecked
897. Shares Ahab's defeat at Ra-
moth-Gilead
896. Aids Jehoram against Moab
892. V. JKUOE AM : 8 years
885. VI. AiiAziAir : 1 year
884. Slain by Jehu
884-78. VII. Usurpation of Atha-
liah
Honse of Ahab destroyed in
198. 7. AIIAM: 22 years 183
Marries Jezebel 183
Worship of Baal 183
Mission of Elijah 184-188
901-0. Wars with Ben-hadad II. . 186
182 897. Death of Ahab. Micaiah... 187
897. 8. AHAZIAU: 2 years 1ST
187 Translation of Elijah 188
189 896. 9. JEHOBAM: 12 years 188
190 Mission of Elwlia 188
190 Defeat of Moab 189
190 885. Siege of Samaria 189
884. Slam by Jehu ISO
191
both kingdom? 189
CHAPTER XV.
FBOM JEHU AND JOASU TO TUB CAPTIVITY OF THE TF.N TEIBES. B.C. 884-721.
JUDAH.
878. VIIL JOASH : 40 years 193
856. Restoration of the Temple.. 193
850 ? Death of Jehoiada 193
Martyrdom of Zechariah 193
839. IX. AMAZIAH 194
Victory over Edom 194
Defeated by Joash 194
Depression of Jndah 194
810. X. UZZIAU : 52 years 196
Influence of Zechariah 196
Prosperity of Jadah 196
Victories of Uzziah 19C
Usurps the priest's oflBce 197
Smitten with leprosy 197
Isaiah prophesies 197
f58. XI. JOTHAM: 16 years 197
Micah prophesies 197
f42. XII. AIIAZ : 16 years 197
740. Calls in Tiglath-pilescr 197
Tributary to Assyria 198
T26. Accession of HEZKKIAII (see
Chap. XVI.) 198
ISRAEL.
S84. 10. JEHU: 28 years 192
Tributary to Assyria. 192
850. 11. JF.IIOAIIA/. : 17 years 193
Hard pressed by Syria 194
840. 12. JEHOASII: 10 years 194
Victories over Syria 194
Takes Jerusalem 194
825. 13. JEROHOAM II.: 41 years.. 194
Jonah, Amos, Hosea. 196
784. Interregnum for 9 years ?. . . 195
773-2. 14. ZACIIAEIAH : months 195
772. 15. SUAI.LUM : 1 month 196
772. 16. MKNAHF.M: 10 years 198
Tributary to Pul, King of
Assyria. . . 196
761. 17. PEKAIIIAH: 2 years 196
759. 18. PF.KAH: 20 years 198
742. Alliance with Rezin, etc..... 197
741. Invasion of Judah 197
740. First Captivity of Israel .... 198
730. 19. HOSHEA: 9 years 198
726. Revolts from Assyria 199
7'23. Carried prisoner to Nineveh 199
721. Final Captivity of Israel.. 199
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVI.
SKQTTKI. OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. FEOM HEZEKIAII TO THE BABYLONIAN
CAPTIVITY B. C.-726-536.
201
T26. XIII. HEZKKIAH : 29 years .
Reformation of religion 201
T12. His miraculous recovery 202
Embassy from Babylon 202
700 Invasion of Sennacherib 203
697. XIV. MANABSEH: 55 years. . 204
Religious apostasy 204
875. Imprisonment at Babylon . . 204
Repentance and restoration. 204
641. XV. AMON: 2 years 205
639. XVI. JOSIAH : 31 years 205
Great religious reform 205
608. Killed at Meglddo 205
60S. XVII. JEIIOAHAZ : 3 months 206
Deposed by Pharaoh-nechoh 206
60S. XVIII. JEHOIAKIM : 11 years 200
Jeremiah prophesies 206
605. Nebuchadnezzar takes Jeru-
salem 206
First Captivity, Daniel, etc.. 207
Beginning of the 70 years'
Captivity 207
602. Rebellion of Jehoiakim 207
597. Second capture of Jerusalem 207
597. XIX. JEHOIAOHIN or JEOO-
NIAH : 3 months 207
Second or Great Captivity. . 20S
597. XX. ZEDEKIAH : 11 years ... 208
586. Jerusalem taken and de-
stroyed 208
Final Captivity of Jndah. . . 208
CHAPTER XVII.
THE CAPTIVITY AT BABYLON. B.C. 586-536.
State of the captive Jews. . . 209
605-2. Daniel and his compan-
ions 210
602. Nebuchadnezzar's dream 211
The fiery furnace 211
569? Lycanthropy of Nebuchad-
nezzar. 211
561. EVTL-MEBODAOH, King of
Babylon 212
Releases Jehoiachin 212
556. NABONADIUS and BEI.BHAZ-
ZAR. 212
538. Cyrus takes Babylon 213
538-6. Darius the Median 213
CHAPTER XVin.
THE RESTORED JEWISH NATION ANT> CIITJKCH. B.C. 536-400.
636. Proclamation of Cyrus 214
636. Return of the Jews First
caravan under Zerabbabel
and Jeshua 215
535. The second temple 210
Haggai and Zechariah 217
List of Persian kings 217
516. Dedication of the Temple ... 217
i78 (about). Esther, Mordecai,
and Human 218
158. Second caravan under Ezra. 218
444. Mission of Nehemiah 218
Ezra reads the Law 219
Peopling of Jerusalem 220
Dedication of the Walls 220
428 (about). Second mission of
Nehemiah 220
400 (about) The Prophet Malachi 221
End of the Old Testament. . 221
The coming Elijah 221
CONTENTS.
xiii
PART II.
CONNECTION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.
B.C. 400-4.
CHAPTER XIX.
RECOVERY OF JEWISH INDEPENDENCE. B.C. 400-106.
536-331. Judaea tinder the Per-
sians 222
Governed by high-priests . . . 223
Samaritan temple on Mt. Ge-
rizim 223
331. Judaea under the Ptolemies. 224
The Septuagint 224
198. Judaea under the Seleucids. . 225
168. Persecution of Antiochus
Epiphanes 225
Revolt of Mattathias 226
ICG. Judas Maccabaeus 226
161. Jonathan Apphus 228
143. Simon Maccabsus 228
142. Epoch of Jewish freedom... 228
135-100. JohuHyrcauus 229
CHAPTER XX.
NEW KINGDOM OK JUD.EA. TIIE ASMONJEANS AND HEROD. B.C. 106-4.
Name and parts of Judaea . . 230
7.06. Aristobulus I. becomes King 230
105. Alexander Jannseus 231
78. Alexandra 231
63. Pompey takes Jerusalem . . . 231
69. Hyrcanus II. and Aristobu-
lus IL 232
Antipater the Idnmsean 232
Hyrcanus II. restored 232
Judaea subject to Rome 232
Alexander, son of Aristobu-
lus II 232
54. Crassus at Jerusalem 232
48. Antipater made Procurator.. 232
Rise of Herod 232
44. Cassius at Jerusalem 232
43. Murder of Antipater 232
41. Antony favors Herod 233
40. Antigonus, son of Aristobulus 233
37. End of the Asmonaeans 233
HEROD TIIE GREAT, King 233
His policy and cruelties 234
18-9. Rebuilds the temple 234
5-4. Birth of JESUS CHRIST 235
4. Execution of An ti pater 235
Death of Herod. 235
PART m.
HISTORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
FROM THE NATIVITY OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE DESTRUCTION OF
JERUSALEM. B.C. 4-A.D. 70.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE NATIVITY AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JERUS CHRIST TO HIS FIRST PASS-
OVER. B.C. 4-A.D. 27.
B.C. PAOE
Divisions of New Testament
History 236
The Four Gospels 237
5. Zacharias and Elisabeth ..... 237
6. Annunciation of the Virgin. . 238
5. Birth of John the Baptist. ... 238
xiv
CONTENTS.
6-4. Birth of Jesus Christ
4. Adoration of the Marians
23S
2H'.l
4. Flight to Egypt. 239
4. Return to Nazareth 239
4. Family of Herod 240
B.O, 4 to /Archelaus, ethnarch) otr .
A.D. 7 \ of Judaea / "
7-27. Roman Procurators 241
a o. 4 to ( Herod Antipas, te-)
1 T, -io-l t rar ch of Galilee}- 241
A - D - 39 ) and Perea j
tn (Herod Philip II., te-)
.; q?H trarch of Itur.-ea,l 241
A.D. sa j Trachoutis, etc )
A.D. (Preaching of John the) ,
26. 1 Baptist / i
20-7. Baptism of Jesus 242
26-7. Temptation in the Wilder-
ness 242
26-7. Testimony of John 242
26-7. Christ's first disciples 243
26-7. First miracle at Cana 243
26-7. Residence at Capernaum . . 243
CHAPTER XXII.
FIRST YEAK OF CUBIST'S Puisne MINISTRY. FROM me FIKST TO ins SEOONI
PASSOVER. A. D. 27-28.
27. Jesus appears in the temple..
27. Retires from Jerusalem
27. Imprisonment of John
27. Jesus in Samaria
27. Returns to Galilee,
27. Second Miracle at Cana
27. Preaches first in Galilee
245 27. Rejected at Nazareth 248
245 27. Resides at Capernaum 248
245 27. The Lake of Galilee 249
246 27. Call of Peter and Andrew,
246 James and John 249
247 27-28. First Circuit of Galilee.... 261
247 I Various kinds of Miracles. . . . 261
CHAPTER XXIII.
SECOND YEAR OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY. FROM THE SECOND TO TIIK THIRD
PASSOVER. A.D. 28-29.
28. " The Feast of the Jews " 253
28. Miracle at Beth-esda 254
28. Jesus and the Sabbath 254
28. Return to Galilee 255
28. The twelve apostles 256
28. Sermon on the Mount 257
28. Jesus and the Baptist. 258
28. The CHRIGT anointed 259
28. Second Circuit of Galilee 260
28-29. Third Circuit of Galilee. . . 261
29. Death of John the Baptist. .. 263
29. Christ withdraws from Herod 264
29. The Loaves and Fishes 264
NOTE: On Christ's Parables. 204
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE THIRD YEAR OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY. FROM THE THIRD TO THE FOURTH
AND LAST PASSOVER. A.D. 29-30.
29. Offer of the kingdom 267
29. Walking on the waves 267
29. Jesus in Phoenicia and De-
capolis 268
29. Sign of the prophet Jonah. . . 208
29. Jesus at Caesarea Philippi 209
29. Confession of Peter. 209
29. The Transfiguration 270
29. Departure frm Galilee 271
2!t. Last visit to Samaria 272
29. The seventy disciples. 272
29. The Feast of Tabernacles 272
29. Events and discourses 273
29. Feast of the Dedication 274
29. Jesus retires to Bethabara. . . 274
29. Raising of Lazarus 275
29-30. Jesus in Persea 270
30. Various parables and miracles 277
30. The blind men at Jericho 277
30. Arrival at Bethany 277
30. Jesus anointed for his burial. 277
CONTENTS.
xv
CHAPTER XXV.
THE PASSION OK or/E LORD. A.D. 30.
S. Apr. 1. Entry into Jerusalem 279
M. Apr. 2. Cleansing the tem-
ple 280
The barren fig-tree . 280
Tu. Apr. 3. Last day of' public
teaching 280
. Great prophecy of the
destruction of Jeru-
salem and the end
of the world 283
Treason of Judas ... 284
W. Apr. 4. Day of retirement.. . 285
Th. Apr. 5. The Passover 285
The Lord's Supper. . 286
Agouy in the garden 287
Betrayal of Christ... 28T
Denials of Peter 2SS
Good-Friday,) Trial by the San-
April G. ( hedrim 288
Trial and condemna-
tion by Pilate 289
Fate of Judas 292
Events and sayings
at the Crucifixion . 292
Certainty of Christ's
death 297
The entombment ... 298
S. Apr. 7. The Sabbath Easter
Eve... .. 298
CHAPTER XXVI.
TIIE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF CUEIST. A.D. 30.
*>. Apr. 17. Baxter -day. First
Lord's Day 299
The Resurrection... 300
Various appearances
of Christ 301
Th. May 18. His ascension 300
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE Cinmoii is PALESTINE. To THE MARTYRDOM or ST. STEPHEN.
A.D. 30-37.
$0. The Church at Jerusalem 307
Election of Matthias 308
S. May 27. Pentecost. Whitsun-
day 308
Gift of Tongnes 308 I
State of the Church 309 |
Lame man healed 309
Peter and John before the San-
hedrim 309
Barnabas, Ananias and Sap-
phira 310
Imprisonment of the apostles 310
Advice of Gamaliel 310
Hebrews and Hellenists 311
Institution of deacons 311
Martyrdom of Stephen 312
Saul's persecution 312
Dispersion of the disciples... 312
Samaria Simon Magus 313
Conversion of the Eunuch . . . 313
Political changes 318
Chronology of Paul's Life.... 314
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE GENTILES RECEIVED INTO THE CHCRGII. A.D. 37-50.
Saul of Tarsus 315
67. His conversion and first
preaching 318
Escape from Damascus 319
39. First visit to Jerusalem 319
Rest of the Jewish churches. 320
40. Conversion of Cornelius 320
CHRISTIANS at Antioch 321
41. Herod Agrippa I 321
44. Martyrdom of Jnmes 322
Escape of Peter 322
Death of Herod 323
Famine in Judtea 323
Barnabas and Saul at Jerusa-
lem 323
48-49? First missionary journey
of Patil and Barnabas 324
Troubles from Judai/.ers 3'2(!
50. Council at Jerusalem 320
Paul and the other apostles. . 8St
Paul withstands Peter 32$
xvi
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXIX.
ST. PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY, AND THE ENTRANCE OF TUB GOBPKI
INTO EUROPE. A.D. 51 TO 54.
fil. Quarrel of Paul and Barnabas 328 ;
John Mark, Silas, and Luke. . 328
Ordination of Timothy 329
Paul in Galatia and Mysia . . . 329
Epistle to the Galatians 329
Call to Europe 330
Events at Philippi 331
Thessalonica and Bercea 332
Discourse at Athens 332
52. Residence at Corinth (18
months) 333
Aquila and Priscilla 333
Epistles to the Tliessalonians. . 335
Tumult at Corinth 335
53. Impartiality of Gallio 335,
53 or 54. Voyage to Ephesus 335
Visit to Jerusalem 336
Felix procurator 336
54. Accession of Nero 336
CHAPTER XXX.
ST. PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY. His Two IMPRISONMENTS AT ROME,
AND IIIB MARTYRDOM. WITH SEQUEL. A.D. 54-70, ETC.
54. Third circuit from Autioch . . 337
Troubles in Galatia 337
Apollos at Ephesus 337
Panl at Ephesus (3 years) 338
Epistles to the Corinthians. . . . 338
57. Tumult at Ephesus 339 j
Journey through Macedonia,
etc 339
57-58. Stay at Corinth (3 months) 339
Pass.to (Iiicideutsofthevoyage) o^,
Pant. \ to Jerusalem J
Arrest in the temple, etc 342
Defense to the people 342
Paul before the Sanhedrim. . . 343
Sent to Caesarea 343
Trial before Felix 343
68-Gfl. Imprisonment at Csesarea. 344
60. Festns succeeds Felix 344
Paul appeals to Csesar 344
Paul before Agrippa II 345
His voyage and shipwreck.. . . 346
61. Arrival at Rome 348
Conferences with the Jews... 348
They reject the Gospel 349
61-63. First imprisonment at
Rome 349
63. Paul acquitted by Nero 349
Epistlesto tlieEphesiam, Phile-
mon, the Colossi/ins, the Phi-
lippians, and the Hebrew*. . 350
62. Martyrdom of James the Just 350
Sequel of Paul's life 350
His Pastoral Epistles 350
66-68? His martyrdom 350
Notice of St. Peter 351
Notice of St. John 351
70. The "Coming of the Lord "in
the destruction of Jerusa-
lem a type of the end of the
world 352
Tables of Weights, Money, aud Measures 353
Index... , 868
LIST OF ILLUSTKATIONS.
Jerusalem : FRON' IBPIEOB.
Coin of Apamea, in Phrygia, representing the Deluge TITI K-PAOF.
A Shekel of the Maccabees Fage vii.
Tomb of Absalom " xviii.
PAOB
Mouut Ararat 19
Temple of Birs-nimrnd 29
The town and valley of KAblus
from the south-western flank
of Mount Ebal 41
Egyptian sarcophagus 66
Egyptian archers 57
Bronze tlgiire of Apis 67
Mount Hor 76
The serpent "Cneph Agathodtc-
mon " 89
The golden candlestick 90
Plan of the courtof the tabernacle 93
Supposed form of the Altar of
Incense 95
Sacred Egyptian boat or ark 111
Jericho 112
Goodly Babylonish garments 121
Sacred symbolic tree of the Assyr-
ians 122
Assyrian fls>h-god 139
Assyrian kintr in his robes 140
Rabbah, the chief city of the Am-
monites 156
Tomb of Darius near Peraepolis. 167
Ssbustiyeh, the aucieut Samaria. 174
Statue of Shalmaneser 1 182
Israelites bringing tribute to
Shalmaneser 183
Jehu doing homage to Shalma-
neser 192
The City of Lachish repelling
the attack of Sennacherib 201
The Kasr, or remains of the an-
cient palace at Babylon 209
Tomb of Cyrus at Murg-Aub 214
View of the Lake of Antioch 222
Remains of arch of the bridge of
the temple 230
Bethlehem 236
Nazareth 244
Map of Galilee 250
Sea of Galilee 253
Bethany 266
Gethsemane 278
Mount of Olives 299
Jerusalem 307
Tarsus 315
Thessalonica 32T
Ruins of theatre at Ephesus 837
Coin with image of Diana. 339
Ancient ship 34T
Tomb of Abealuui.
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
PART I.
HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
FKOM THE CREATION TO THE COMPLETION OP THE OLD
TESTAMENT CANON.-B.C. 4004 TO 400.
CHAPTER I.
PROM THE CREATION TO THE DELUGE. H.C. 4004-2348.
"!N the beginning God created tlie heavens and the earth."
Thus, at the very commencement of the Bible, we are taught that
the world lias not always been in existence, but that it was made
out of nothing by an Almighty God. The heaven which God cre-
nted is that which we see, or which can be seen ; the earth is the
globe on which we live. Whatever wonders science may reveal in
heaven or earth, the simple truth remains that God created them all
20 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. I
The sacred writer next describes the order in which the various
portions of the universe were made. The earth, after its creation,
was for a long time in a formless and empty state " without
form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep." The
steps by which the heavens and the earth, one after the other, rose
out of this chaos, are arranged in periods called days. The follow-
ing are the works assigned to each day when the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters :
On the First Day was created Light (Gen. i. 1-5).
On the Second Day the Firmament or Sky (6-8).
On the Third Day Dry Land, Herbs and Trees, and separation
of the earth from the sea (9-13).
On the Fourth Day Sun, Moon, and Stars (14-19).
On the Fifth Day Fishes and Birds (20-23).
On the Sixth Day Animals and Man (24-31).
On the Seventh Day God rested from His work, and blessed and
sanctified it as a Sabbath or day of rest (ii. 2-3).
After the earth had been prepared and adorned for his dwelling-
place, after sky and earth and ocean had been peopled with living
creatures for his use, man was formed of the dust of the ground,
and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and Man be-
came a living soul (Gen. ii. 7). He differed from all other crea-
tures in that he was made in the image and after the likeness of
God in other words, in that lie possessed an intellectual and spirit-
ual nature. God gave him dominion over all created tilings, and
to him, and to the animals, the plants were assigned for food. The
name ADAM, bestowed upon the first man by the Almighty, had
reference apparently to the ground (AdamaJi) out of which he was
formed ; and in the meaning of the word there is contained the
idea of redness of color.
The Lord God placed the man whom he had made in a garden,
in the region of Eden. This spot was probably somewhere among
the highlands of the modern Armenia, south of the Caucasus. It
was watered by four rivers Pison, Gihon, Hiddckel, and the Eu-
phrates. The first two arc unknown ; the third was no doubt the
Tigris. The only task given to Adam was to dress and keep tint
garden. Of the fruit of every tree therein he might freely eat, with
the exception of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Of that
God said, " Thou shall not eat of it ; for in the day that thou cat-
est thereof thou shall surely die." Surrounded as he was by liv-
ing creatures, man was yet alone. God brought them all before
him that he might name them, which shows that he was endowcci
at his creation with the power of language ; but for Adam no helf*
B.C. 4004-2348. CREATION AND FALL OF MAN. 21
meet for him was found. Then the Lord God caused a deep sleep
to fall upon him ; and while he slept, he took one of his ribs, of
which he formed a woman, and brought her unto him. And when
Adam awoke and saw her, he said, "This is now bone of my
bones, and flesh of my flesh : she shall be called Woman, because
she was taken out of man " (Gen. ii. 23). This was long after-
wards used by our Lord as a reason for the law of marriage, which is
plainly implied in the fact that one woman was created for one man.
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall
cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh " (Matt. xix. 5).
It is important to notice that the two ordinances of the Sabbath
and of Marriage were instituted by God " in the time of man's in-
nocence."
Eden was not merely the blissful abode of our first parents, it was
also the scene of their temptation and of their fall. When Adam
was first placed there, and commanded not to eat of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, a restraint was laid upon his appetite
and upon his self-will. While he was shown by this prohibition
that he was to live under a law, he was at the same time left free
either to obey or to break it. Adam and Eve had not long been in
Eden before a serpent a creature well known as the type of the
chief of the fallen angels came to the woman, and inquired wheth-
er God had really told them not to eat of every tree of the garden.
And when the woman replied that it was so, he invited her to eat
of the forbidden fruit, assuring her that they would not really die ;
that God had forbidden them to touch the tree of knowledge be-
cause he knew that, as soon as they did so, they would be "as
gods, knowing good and evil." Whereupon the woman, seeing that
" the tree was good for food, and pleasant to the eyes, and a tree
to be desired to make one wise," believed his words, and " took of
the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with
her, and he did eat." Thus they fell into the threefold sin of
sensuality, pleasure, and ambition " the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life " (1 John ii. 16). The same
threefold apj>eal of the tempter to the infirmities of our nature
may be traced also in the temptation of Christ, the second Adam
who was " in all points likewise tempted, but without sin " (Heb
iv. 15). Immediately the eyes of them both were opened ; they
perceived that they were naked, nnd made themselves aprons of fig-
leaves. Soon afterwards they heard the voice of the Lord God,
and hid themselves from his presence among the trees of the garden.
But the Lord called Adam, and said, Where art thou ? Adam re-
plied, " I heard thy voice, and I was afraid, because I was naked ;
and I hid myself." How couldst thou know, said the Lord, that
thon wast naked unless thou hadst oaten of the tree of which 1
22 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. I
commanded thee not to eat? Then the man cast the blame upon
the woman, and the woman upon the serpent, and God proceeded
to award a righteous sentence to each.
i. A curse was pronounced upon the serpent. " Upon thy belly
shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And
I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed ; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise
his heel " (Gen. iii. 14, 15).
ii. A curse was pronounced upon the woman. In sorrow and in
multiplied suffering she was to give birth to her children. And as
the cause of his fall, henceforward she was to be subject to her hus-
band. At first she was his equal (Gen. iii. 16).
iii. A curse was pronounced upon the man, and upon the ground
also on his account. He was doomed to a life of toil : the earth
was to bring forth thorns and thistles, and in the sweat of his face
was he to eat bread till he returned to the ground (Gen. iii. 18, 19).
They had also incurred by their disobedience another penalty,
which was to be paid at a later period. "Dust thou art, and unto
dust shalt thou return." They were, however, sent forth at once
from the Garden of Eden, lest they should eat of the tree of life and
live forever. Cherubim, armed with a flaming sword, were sta-
tioned at the entrance to prevent them from returning to taste its
fruit. It is most probable that the " coats of skins," with which
the Lord God clothed our first parents, were the skins of animals
slain in sacrifice. Thus early was man taught by the use of sacri-
fice that " without shedding of blood there is no remission " of sin
(Heb. ix. 22).
The curse upon the serpent, and the promise to the woman tha".
her seed should bruise his head, pointed clearly to a Redeemer, who
should be born of a woman, and who, after suffering from the ma-
lignity of the Serpent after his heel had been bruised should
destroy the works and the power of the Devil. Here we have the
first prophecy of the Messiah. Henceforth the woman lived in the
expectation of the promised seed, which should make her the moth-
er of a truly livinrf race ; and, to signify this hope, Adam gave her
the name of Eve (Chavak, that is, living). Thus already life began
to spring from death (Gen. iii. 20).
After their banishment from Eden, Eve bore her first-born son,
and named him Cain (that is, gotten or acquired), saying, " I have
gotten a man from the Lord." Her second son was named AbeJ
(that is, breath, transitoriness). "Abel was a keeper (or feeder) of
sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." In course of time it
came to pass that they offered sacrifices unto the Lord : Cain
brought of the fruit of the ground ; Abel brought of the firstlings
of his flock and of the fat thereof. But the two offerings were not
B.C. 4004-2348. ABEL MURDERED BY CAIN. 23
presented in the same spirit, and so "the Lord had respect unto
Abel and his offering, "but Cain's was rejected on account of the
state of mind in which it was brought. At this Cain was very
wroth and unhappy. "Why art thou wroth?" said the Lord to
him. "If thou doest well, shall thou not be accepted? and if
thou doest not well," sin lurketh as a wild beast at the door, seeking
the mastery over you, but thou art to resist and subdue it (Gen. iv.
7). Cain, however, could not pardon his brother Abel for being bet-
ter than himself, and when they were in the field together, he fell
npon him and slew him. Awful is it to remember, that the first
overt act of sin after the fall was a brother's murder ; but he who
knew what was in man has testified that " Whosoever is angry with
his brother without a cause " (Matt. v. 22) has already broken the
spirit of the Sixth Commandment, and that "Whosoever hateth his
brother is a murderer" (1 John iii. 15).
This first crime was quickly punished. "Cain, "said the Lord,
" where is Abel, thy brother?" To this he replied, "I know not;
nm I my brother's keeper?" But God said, "What hast thou
done? thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." And,
in punishment of his crime, the ground was cursed for him again,
and henceforth was not to yield her strength under his tillage: "a
fugitive and a wanderer was he to be upon the earth." But even
in this renewal of the curse we still see the mercy which turns the
curse into a blessing, as it no doubt caused the family of Cain to
turn their attention to those mechanical arts which they afterwards
practiced (Gen. iv. 1-12).
Cain received his doom in a hardened spirit of impenitence, and
exclaimed, "My punishment is greater than I can bear." His
great fear was that, when driven out from the abodes of men, and
from the face of God, every one who found him should slay him.
That shall not be so, said the Lord. And he set a mark upon
Cain, lest any finding him should kill him, and he pronounced a
sevenfold punishment on any one who should do so.
Cain, having gone out from the presence of the Lord, directed
his steps to the east of Eden, and settled in the lund of Nod, that
is, banishment. -There he built a city, and called it Enoch, after
his first-born son. The names of his descendants to the sixtli gen-
eration were Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, Methusael, and Lamech.
From the few facts recorded about them we learn that Lamech set
the example of polygamy ; his address to his two wives (Gen. iv.
23, 24) is the earliest example of poetry, and it also shows that lie
committed the second murder. Of his three sons, Jabal was the
first wandering herdsman; Jubal, the inventor of musical instru-
ments, both stringed and wind; and Tubal-Cain, the first smith.
Dismissing the family of Cain, the sacred writer now relates the
24 SCRIPTUKE HISTORY. CHAI-. 1
history of the chosen race. God gave to Eve another son instead
ot Abel, whom Cain slew (Gen. iv. 25), who was hence named Seth
(properly, aj>i>ointed). His birth was followed by that of othei
children. Seth, too, had a numerous posterity. The names of
Seth's descendants were Enos, Cainan, Mahaialeel, and Jared, of
none of whom are any particulars recorded. But the next among
the descendants of Seth, " Enoch, the seventh from Adam," stands
.;onspicuous as one who walked with God a phrase which is often
jsed to describe a life of close communion with God. When lie
was three hundred and sixty-five years old his faitli was rewarded
by a special favor. "He was not; for God took him" (Gen. v.
24) Of the meaning of this phrase the writer of the Epistle to the
Hebrews leaves no doubt : " By faith Enoch was translated, that
he should not see death; and was not found, because God had trans-
lated him " (Heb. xi. 5). In his case, as in Elijah's, the miracle
was a testimony to the divine mission of the prophet. Methuselah,
thsson of Enoch, is noted for having reached the greatest age of any
man on record. He lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years : his
son Lamech, the father of Noah, died five years before the Deluge.
The traditions of primeval history may very easily have been
handed down by a few generations of teachers. Adam, no doubt,
handed down to Seth and his posterity the promises of mercy that
had been given to him by God, and thus they were easily trans-
mitted to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, and from Abraham to
Moses. The descendants of Seth were called sons of God, in oppo-
sition to the descendants of Cain, who were called sons of men.
The former were a people of simple habits and religious spirit the
latter were a violent and godless race.
The genealogies of the two races of Cain and Seth, when placed
side by side, are as follows :
ADAM.
_
r~ i
Caiu. Seth.
I !
Enoch (Chanoch). Enos.
Irad. . Cainan.
Mehujael. MahalaleeL
Methnsael. Jared.
Adah=Lamech=:Zniah. - Enoch (Chanoch).
I I (
tabaL Jubal. Tabul-Caiu. Naunuib. Methuselah.
Laniech.
KottU.
B.C. 4004-2348. NOAH THE FLOOD. 25
The name of Noah is significant. It means rest or comfort, and
his father gave it, saying, "This shall comfort us concerning out
work arid toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord
hath cursed" ^Gen. v. 29). These words seem to express a deepe/
weariness than that arising from the primal curse, from which, in-
deed, the age of Noah brought no deliverance. But it did bring
the comfort of rest from the wickedness which had now reached its
greatest height. The race of Seth had become infected with the
vices of the Cainites. This seems to be the only reasonable sense
of the intercourse between " the sons of God " and "the daughters
of men " (Gen. vi. 2). The family of Seth, who preserved their
frith in God, and the family of Cain, who lived only for this world,
hnd hitherto kept distinct ; but now a mingling of the two races took
place, which resulted in the thorough corruption of the former,
who, falling away, plunged into the deepest abyss of wickedness.
We are also told that this union produced a stock conspicuous for
physical strength and courage (Gen. vi. 4).
God, beholding the perverse imaginations of the human race, re-
pented that lie had made man, and said, "I will destroy man and
beast, birds and reptiles, from the face of the earth." Noah, how-
ever, found grace in the eyes of the Lord. He was the tenth from
Adam, and is described as a just man and perfect in his genera-
tions. Like Enoch, he testified against the prevailing wickedness,
for he is called ' a preacher of righteousness " (2 Pet. ii. 5). Hav-
ing looked upon the earth and seen that it was corrupt, God said to
him, " Make tliee an ark of gopher (/. e., cypress) wood for the sav-
ing of thyself and thy house." God then gave him instructions as
to the building of an ark capable of receiving himself and his fami-
ly, with two of every species of living creatures, and according to all
that God commanded him so did he. 1 For one hundred and twen-
ty years, while the ark was preparing, the long-suffering of God
wnitcd, but iu vain, as if hoping for some improvement in the pre-
vailing wickedness (1 Pet. iii. 20). Doubtless Noah continued his
" preaching of righteousness " throughout that period, but his work
preached louder still. Mankind went on, however, !' eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah
entered into the ark " (Matt. xxiv. 38).
Ai length the flood began. Noah was ix hundred years old
when the Lord said to him, " Come thou and all thy house into
the nrk, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
( )f every clean beast take seven couples, and of beasts that are not
c-lcan take two couples, and of birds take seven couples, to keep up
their mce. For in seven days' time I will cause it to rain upon
' Wee Note on " Noah's Ark " at the end of this chapter.
26 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. I.
the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy all tha
creatures that I have made from off the face of the earth." Noah
obeyed, and entered into the ark with his wife, and with his three
sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives, and the Lord shut
him in. Seven days afterwards, "the fountains of the great deep
were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." For
forty days and forty nights the rain fell upon the earth, and rose tc
such a height that all the high hills and the mountains were fifteen
cubits (about twenty-four feet) under water. "And all flesh died
chat moved upon the earth." Noah and those that were with him
in the ark alone remained alive. The vast expanse of water was
unbroken save by that floating ark for one hundred and fifty day.-,,
or five months (Gen. vii. 1-24).
Meanwhile God had not forgotten Noah and those that were with
him in the ark. He made a wind to pass over the earth, the fount-
ains of the deep and the rain from heaven were restrained, and on
the seventeenth day of the seventh month of the six hundredth ye;:r
of Noah's life, the subsiding waters left the ark aground upon one
of the mountains of Ararat, that is. of Armenia; for Ararat, in bib-
'lical geography, is the name, not of a mountain, but of a district.
More than two months later, on the first day of the tenth month,
the tops of the mountains appeared. Forty days afterwards Noah
sent out a rav.en, which did not return to the ark. Then he sent
forth a dove, which found no resting-place, and came back again.
In another seven days she was sent out again, and returned with an
olive-leaf in her bill, a sign that even the low trees were uncovered,
and a type for after ages of peace and rest. After seven days more,
the dove was sent out again, and proved by not returning that the
waters had finally subsided (Gen. viii. 1-12).
In the waters of this flood, the whole human race, except eight
persons, perished. In the New Testament our Lord declares that
the state of the world at his second coming shall be such as it Avas
in the days of Noah (Matt. xxiv. 37). St. Peter sees in the waters
of the flood, by which the ark was borne up, a type of the waters
of baptism, .whereby the Church is separated from the world (1 Pet.
iii. 21). The ark itself is a type of the Church of Christ, in which
alone there is the promise of salvation.
On the first day of the six hundred and first year of Noah's age,
he removed the covering of the ark, and saw that the surface of the
ground was dry. On the twenty-seventh day of the second month,
after having been in the ark one year and ten days, he went out of
it by the command of God, with every living thing that was with
him. His first act on leaving the ark was to take a couple of every
dean bird and beast, and to offer them as a burnt-offering. This
B.C. 4004-2348. COVENANT WITH NOAH. 27
sacrifice was acceptable to the Lord, and He promised that He would
not any more curse the earth or destroy the creatures that dwelt
upon it as He had done, but that the existing course of nature-
seed-time and harvest, summer and winter should not cease as
long as tho earth remained (Gen. viii. 13-22).
To Noah and his sons God then repeated the blessing pronounced
on Adam and Eve, and said, " Be fruitful and multiply and re-
plenish the earth." To this He added that the inferior creatures
were to be subject to them, and that, in addition to the green herb,
they might have the animals for food ; but the eating their blood
was forbidden, because the blood is the life. He enacted, also, a new
law against murder. The first murderer had been driven out as a
vagabond and a fugitive ; but his life was sacred. Now, howev-
er, the penalty was changed. God said, " Whoso sheddeth man's
blood by man shall his blood be shed." This law amounts to
giving the civil magistrate " the power of the sword " (Rom. xiii.
4). Hence we may consider that, in addition to the laws of the
Sabbath and of marriage, which were revealed to Adam, three new
j>rcce/>ts were given to Noah namely, the abstinence from blood,
the prohibition of murder, and the recognition of the civil authority
(Gen. ix. 1-7).
In addition to these promises and precepts, God made with Noah
H COVENANT, which may be called the covenant of God's forbearance,
under which man is to live to the end of time. As a token of the
permanence of this covenant, he gave the beautiful sign of the ralit
bow in the cloud, and repeated His promise that the world should
not be again destroyed by a flood (Gen. ix. 8-17).
The sons of Noah that went forth of the ark with him were
Shem, Ham, and Japlieth, and from them the whole human race is
descended. Noah began his new life as a husbandman in the land
of Armenia. Having planted a vineyard, as he was one day drink-
ing of the wine, he made himself drunk in his tent probably from
ignorance of its properties and lay exposed in the presence of his
sons. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw and told his father's shamo
to Shem and Japheth, who hastened to conceal it even from their
own sight, turning away their eyes as they covered him with a
mantle. On coming to himself, and learning the conduct of Ham,
he pronounced upon his race a curse, and upon the other two sons
a blessing. " Cursed be Canaan ;" a servant of servants shall he
be unto his brethren." And he said, "Blessed be the Lord God
of Shem ; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Ja-
plieth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem ; and Canaan shall
be his servant" (Gen. ix. 18-27). The subsequent history of Ca-
8 Ilara's youngest son.
28
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
CHAP. I.
nnan shows in the clearest possible manner the fulfillment of the
curse. The blessing upon Shem was fulfilled in that history of the
chosen race, Ms descendants, which forms the especial subject of
the Old Testament. The blessing upon Japheth,. the ancestor of
the great European nations, is illustrated in their subjugation of
Asia and Africa, and especially by the wide-spread diffusion of their
religion. The very name of Japheth means enlargement.
Noah lived for three hundred and fifty years after the Flood, an(i
vas nine hundred and fifty years old when he died (B.C. 1998).
NOTE ON NOAH'S ARK.
THE ark was to be made of gopher
(i. e., cypress) wood, a kind of tim-
ber which, both for its lightness and
Us durability, was employed by the
Phoenicians for building their vessels.
The planks of the ark, after being
put together, were to be protected by
a coating of pitch, or rather bitumen,
which was to be laid on both inside
and outside, as the most effectual
means of making it water-tight. The
ark was to consist of a number of
"rooms" or "nests," i.e., compart-
ments, with a view, no doubt, to the
convenient distribution of the differ-
ent animals and their food. These
were to be arranged in three tiers,
one above another; "with lower,
second, and third (stories) shalt thou
make it." Means were also to be pro-
vided for letting light into the ark.
The words "a window shalt .thon
make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt
thon finish it above " seem to imply
a sky-light, or series of sky-lights, a
cubit wide, running the whole length
of the ark, with a single compart-
ment which could be opened at will.
There was to be a door placed in the
side of the ark. Of the shape of the
ark nothing is said; but its dimeu-
sions are given. It was to be 300 cu-
bits in length, 50 in breadth, and 30
in height. Taking 21 inches for the
cubit, the ark would be 525 feet in
length, 87 feet C inches in breadth,
and 52 feet C inches in height. This
is very considerably larger than the
largest British man-of-war. It should
be remembered that this huge struc-
ture was only intended to float on
the water, and was not, in the proper
sense of the word, a ship. It had
neither mast, sail, nor rudder ; it was,
in fact, nothing but an enormous
floating house, or oblong box rather.
Two objects only were aimed at in its
construction : the one that it should
have ample stowage, and the other
that it should be able to keep staad*
upon the water (Gen. vu 14-92).
Temple of Birs-Ximrud
CHAPTER II.
FROM THE DKI.UGE TO THK DKATH OF ABRAHAM. B.C. 2348-1822.
THK history of tlic next four hundred years, from the Deluge to
the Call of Abraham, has two principal features of interest: the
general peopling of the earth by the descendants of Shem, Hani,
and Japhcth, and the special notices that are given us of the descent
of the chosen race from Shem down to Abraham.
In the outline of the population of the world given in Gen. x.,
two facts are prominent: that the highlands of Armenia, where
Noah came forth out of the ark, formed the primitive seat of man-
kind, and that the nations wa/e divided into three races, the off-
spring of the three sons of Noah. The dispersion of these nations
rrom this region to their subsequent abodes only began a consider-
30 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. II
able time after the Deluge. It was in the days of Peleg, the fifth
from Noah, that the earth was divided (Gen. x. 25). Under the
pressure of necessity, the great body of Noah's offspring left the
rugged highlands of Armenia in search of a better soil and climate.
"The whole earth was as yet of one language and of one speech,"
when, "as they journeyed eastward, they found a plain in the land
of Shinar (Babylonia), and dwelt there." Soon the idea sprung up
:n their minds of founding a universal empire, with a mighty city
ler its capital. " Come, said they, let us build us a city and a
citadel with its top (reaching) to heaven." But God saw the dan-
ger of their scheme, and defeated their design by confounding their
language, so that they could not understand one another's speech.
" So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of
all the earth ; and they left off to build the city" (Gen. xi. 1-8).
This event probably took place about the end of the third century
after the flood. The different peoples thus scattered were the three
races by whom the world was afterwards overspread, and who quick-
ly lost the remembrance of their common origin. 3
From the confusion of tongues the city was called Babel (confu-
sion) (Gen. xi. 9), and at a later period became famous under the
Greek name of Babylon. The ruins which form the Birs-Nimrud,
or " Mound of Nitnrod " (at the ancient Borsippa, near Babylon),
bear an inscription of Nebuchadnezzar, telling how he restored an
older building on the same site, the sun-dried clay of which had
been dispersed by the earthquake and the thunder "since the re-
mote time" when " people had abandoned it. without order erjircss-
iny their rvords." Nimrod, the son of Gush, who founded tlie first
great military despotism, made Babel his capital ; he built also
three other cities in the plain of Shinar namely, Ercch, Accad, and
Calneh. Thence he extended his empire northward along the
course of the Tigris over Assyria, and founded Nineveh, with three
other cities (Gen. x. 8-11).
The names of the descendants of Shem to the tenth generation
were Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Semg, Nnhor, and Terah s
who was the father of Abraham, Nahor, and Haran (Gen. xi. 20).
The world soon relapsed into idolatry and profaneness after the
Deluge. Accordingly, God selected out of the race of Shem a
FAMILY from which the promised seed of the woman was in the
fullness of time to spring, and which should meanwhile preserve
the knowledge and worship of Himself. The patriarch whom God
made the head of this chosen family was born only two years after
the death of Noah (B.C. 199G). His name AH-RAM (father of cle-
1 See Note "Oil the Dispersion of the Nations," at the nd of this
Chapter.
B.C.2848-182. CALL OF ABRAHAM. 31
vatiori) was prophetic of his calling to be the ancestor of a race
chosen for an exalted destiny. Terah, his father, was the ninth of
the patriarchs from Shem and the nineteenth from Adam, and it ap.
pears from Josh. xxiv. 2 that he was an idolater. His genealogy,
which the subsequent history requires to be most clearly understood,
is as follows :
GKXKALOGY OF THE FAMILY OF TERAH, FATHER OF ABRAHAM
TKKAII.
I
Haran. Milcah=Nahor. (By Hagar.) ABRAM=Sarai (aft. Sarah).
| | I (aft. Abraham). |
Lot Mil'cah, Sn'rai Bethuel. Ishmael. ISAAC=Rebekau.
C5y his two m. her or Ifcah, J |
daughters), uncle m. her [ i | i
J Nahor. uncle Laban. Rebekah, Esau or Edom. JACOB.
| Abram. | married |
Ammon. Moab. Leah ISAAC. Twelve
and Rachel, sons and
the wives one
of Jacob. daughter.
The first call of God came to Abram while he was still living in
the house of his father, in the land called Urof the Chaldces, "when
he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran" (Gen. xi. 28 ;
Neliern. ix. 7; Acts vii. 2). He was upward of seventy years of age
when Terah removed from the land of his nativity to go into the
land of Canaan (Gen. xi. 31). He went forth accompanied by his
son Abram, Sarai, Abram's wife, and Lot his grandson, and took up
his residence in Haran, more properly called in the New Testament -
Charran (Acts vii. 4), east of the Euphrates. Here Terah died,'
after a residence of some years (Gen. xii. f>), aged two hundred and
five years. All we know of their original abode is that it was be-
yond the Euphrates, in some part of Mesopotamia.
Nahor, Tcrah's eldest son, settled in Haran, attracted probably
by tli3 fertility of the country ; but Abram, immediately on his
father's death (B.C. 1921), proceeded on his journey towards the
land of Canaan, with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. He went
out from his country and from his kindred into a land that God
promised to show him (Gen. xii. 1), " not knowing whither he went "
(Heb. xi. 8). This was the first great proof he gave of that un-
wavering faith in God which gained him the title of the Father of
the Faithful (Rom. iv. 11). He was now seventy-five years old, and
this is the period usually assigned to the CAI,I, OF ABRAHAM. God
then promised him, " I will make of thee a great nation, and I will
32 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAV. II.
bless theej and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
The last words contain a promise of the Messiah.
Abram had now to leave Mesopotamia, and to cross the " Great
River," the Euphrates. Hence the Canaanites gave him the name
of the "Hebrew" the man who had crossed the river. Passing
through the Great Syrian desert, and tarrying probably for a little
while at Damascus, at length he crossed the Jordan, and entered
'.he beautiful valley of Moreh, which lies between the mountains of
Ebal and Gerizim, where the city of Shcchem was not long after
founded. Here he made his first encampment in the land of Ca-
naan. God appeared to him again, and said, "Unto thy seed will
I give this land." Here he built the first of those altars to the
Lord, which the patriarchs erected wherever they pitched their
tents. Thus Sichem became his Jirst halting -place in the Holy
Land. His second was still farther south, near a mountain on the
east of a place then called Luz, afterwards named by Jacob BKTHEL.
The pressure of famine at length drove him out of the Promised
Land into Egypt, and for a while his faith failed. Fearing that the
Egyptians might kill him to obtain possession of his wife, who was
" a fair woman to look upon," he caused Sarai to pass for his sister.
He had not been long there before the king took her into his house.,
and, for her sake, heaped extraordinary favors upon her pretended
brother. Warned of his mistake by plagues sent upon him and his
household, the king restored Sarai to Abram, and, after a rebuke
for his deceit, he sent him out of Egypt, with all that he had (Gen.
xii. 10-20). Abram then returned with Sarai and Lot to his old
encampment near Bethel, where he again "called on the name of
the Lord" (Gen. xiii. 4).
Both Abram and Lot were very rich in flocks and herds, and as
the land they lived in was insufficient to furnish pasture for the
cattle of both, contentions began to arise between their hcrdmen.
Abram therefore said unto Lot, " Let there be no strife, I pray thee,
between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy hcrdmen ;
for we be brethren." He then gave him his choice of the whole
country that lay before him. Lot chose the fertile plain of Sodom
and Gomorrah, watered by the river Jordan, and journeyed east,
leaving his uncle on the barren hills of Bethel. After his separa-
tion from Lot, Abram received his reward in a third blessing and
promise from God, who said to him, "Lift tip now thine eyes, and
look from the place where thou art northward, and southward,
and eastward, and westward : for all the land which thou seest, to
thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy
ivted as the dust of the earth " (Gen. xiii. 14-lt!).
Lot pitched his tent near Sodom, not caring for the fact that
B.C. 2348-1 822. BLESSING OF MELCHIZEDEK. S3
the men of Sodom were " sinners before the Lord exceedingly."
Abram now removed to the oaks of Mamre near Hebron,, and there
built an altar unto the Lord. This became his usual abode. Tho
plain of the Lower Jordan was then occupied by five cities Sodom,
Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela, which were tributary to
Chedorlaomer, king of Elam. In the thirteenth year of their sub-
jection, they revolted against Chedorlaomer, who marched against
ihem with three allied kings, and in the battle that ensued the five
kings were defeated. The conquerors then proceeded to ravage
tho cities of the plain, and Lot and his family were among the
number of the captives. When the news was brought to Abram,
he took "his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred
and eighteen," sallied forth from Mamre, and overtook the victors
at Dan (Laish). Dividing his band, he fell upon Chedorlaomer
and his allies by night, pursued their routed forces to Hobah, north
of Damascus, and rescued Lot and his family, with all the spoil
(Gen. xiv. 1-16).
On the return of Abram from this expedition, he was met by
Melchizedek, king of Salem, and priest of the most high God, who
" brought forth bread and wine and blessed him," and said, "Bless-
ed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth "
(Gen. xiv. 18, 19). And Abram gave him tithes of all the spoil.
Who this Canaanite was, crossing for a moment the path of Abram
and then disappearing as suddenly as he came, is a question in.
volved in great mystery. He appears to have been a person of
higher spiritual rank than the Father of the Faithful, and in the
Epistle to the Hebrews he is regarded in his priestly office as a type
of Christ (Heb. vii. 17.) Abram then returned to his tent at
Mamre, and Lot went back to Sodom.
About this time, apparently, Abram's faith began again to waver.
His heart grew faint with the thought of promises long unfulfilled,
and hopes unrealized. He said, "Lord God, what wilt thou give
me, seeing I go childless?" (Gen. xv. 2.) To all appearance, his
house-born servant, Eliezer of Damascus, would be his heir. He,
said the Lord, shall not be thine heir, but a son of thine own.
'"Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to
number them : and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And ho
believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness"
(Gen. xv. 5, 6). Though Abram was now eighty-five years old, and
Sarah turned of seventy -four, yet he was told that he should have
a son in his old age; and " he staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief, but was fully persuaded that what He had prom
ised He was able also to perform " (Rom. iv. 20, 21). This prorr
i)C, that his own son should be his heir, God vouchsafed to confirm
C
34 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IL
and to ratify by a sign and by a covenant. On the same day, Abrara
was directed to offer a special sacrifice, and he remained near the
altar to drive away the fowls from the victims. When the sun be-
gan to go down, "a deep sleep, and lo! horror and great darkness
fell upon him." Then it was that God revealed His intentions to
him more plainly than He had yet done. " Know," He says, " of
a surety that thy seed shall be a stronger in a land that is not
theirs, and shall be afflicted four hundred years. That nation
whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterward shall they come
out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in
peace ; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.'' After this vision,
Abram saw a smoking furnace and a burning lamp pass between the
severed parts of the victims sacrificed to ratify the new covenant
between God and him. The Lord then added, " Unto thy seed
have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river,
the river Euphrates " (Gen. xv. 18). At a later period, when this
covenant was renewed, the sign of circumcision was added thereto.
Sarai, being considered barren, gave Abram her handmaid Ha-
gar, an Egyptian, for his concubine, and she bore him a son. But,
before the child was born, the insolence of Hagar provoked the
jealousy of Sarai, who treated her handmaid so hardly that she fled
away into the desert which lies between the land of Canaan and
Egypt. Here the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of
water, and, while bidding her to return and submit to her mistress,
he encouraged her by the promise of a numerous offspring. "Be-
hold," he says, "thou shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name
ISHMAEL " (that is, God shall hear) and he foretold his character
and destiny in words which to this day describe the Bedouin Arabs
who are descended from him : " He will be a wild man ; his hand
will be against every man, and every man's hand against him, and
he shall dwell in the face of all his brethren," that is, to the east
of the kindred tribes sprung from Abraham.
The birth of Ishmael took place when Abram was eighty-six
years old (B.C. 1910) ; but he had to wait fourteen years longer be-
fore the true child of promise was born. In Abram's ninety-ninth
fear, the Lord appeared to him by the name of " the Almighty
God," and renewed His former covenant with him, changing his
name from AB-RAM (exalted father) to AB-HAHAM (father of a mul-
titude), and appointing the rite of circumcision as a sign of the
covenant between Himself and Abraham and his posterity. " I
will be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee " (Gen. xvii. 1-
7). Abraham was then commanded to circumcise all the males
of his family, and in future the rite was to be performed on chil-
dren <&ight 'lays after their birth, and on slaves when they were
B.C. 2348-1822. BIRTH OF ISAAC FORETOLD. 35
purchased. And God said unto Abraham, "As for Sarai thy wife,
thou shalt not call her name Sarai (my /trincess), but, Sarah (prin-
cess) shall her name be." God then told him that she should beai
him a son, who should be named ISAAC (laughter), because Abra-
ham had laughed for joy and Sarai from incredulity, when the an-
nonncement was made to him. On the same day Abraham, witb
his son Ishmael, and all the males in his house, were circumcised.
Shortly after this, Abraham was honored with a still more re-
markable visitation. As he was one day sitting at his tent dooi
under the oak of Mamre, he beheld afar off three men, and when
he saw them he ran to meet them. Bowing himself towards the
ground, he said, " My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight,
pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant. Let a little water,
I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves un-
der the tree. And I will fetch a morsel to comfort your hearts ;
after that ye shall pass on. And they said, So do, as thou hast
said " (Gen. xviii. 3-5). While the three heavenly guests were eat-
ing, he stood by them under the tree, and they said unto him,
Where is Sarah thy wife ? In my tent, he replied. One of them
then informed the patriarch that within a year Sarah should have
a son. Sarah, who was sitting just inside the tent, heard what
passed, and laughed to herself incredulously. After rebuking Sa-
rah for her want of faith, and repeating the promise, two of the
angels went on in advance towards Sodom, and "Abraham was left
standing alone with the Lord." This last was, no doubt, the "An-
gel Jehovah," the "Word of God" through whom God spake to
the fathers ; the other two were perhaps attendant angels. As
Abraham brought them on their way, the Lord told him that be-
cause "the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was great, and their sin
very grievous," he was about to destroy them for their wickedness.
Then follows that wondrous pleading in which he who was "but
dust and ashes" took upon himself to speak with God, and obtained
a promise that the guilty cities should be pardoned, if but fifty ;
then if forty-five ; and so on down to, if only ten righteous men
were found in them. "The Lord then went on his way, and Abra-
ham returned to his place " (Gen. xviii. 6-33).
Towards evening, the two angels came to Sodom. Lot was then
sitting at the gate of the city, and he rose up to meet them, and
invited them to tarry with him all night. At first they declined
his invitation, but at length yielded, and entered with him into his
house, where " he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread,
and they did eat." But before they lay down the house was be-
sieged by the men of the city for wicked purposes. The angels
having smitten the men at the door of the house with blindness, said
36 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. II.
to Lot, "Whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this
place, because the cry ef them is waxen great before the face of the
Lord, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it." Lot told his sons-
in-law of the impending destruction of the place, but they despised
his warning. He himself, with his wife and two daughters, was re-
luctantly dragged from the devoted city ; and in answer to his en.
treaties that one of the five cities might be preserved as his abode,
because it was hut a little one, he was allowed to take refuge in
Bela, thence called Zoar, that is, little. His wife, looking back
from behind him, became a piHar of salt. When Abraham arose
early in the morning, and looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah,
"lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace."
God, however, when he destroyed the cities of the plain, remember-
ed Abraham, and on his account Lot was saved. The plain in
which these cities stood, hitherto fruitful "as the Garden of Jeho-
vah," became henceforth a scene of perfect desolation (Gen. xix.).
After a long residence at Mamre, Abraham once more set forth
upon his wanderings, and, " turning toward the south country, he
sojourned in Gerar " (Gen. xx. 1), a place in the land of the Phi-
listines. Here the deceit which he had formerly put upon Pha-
raoh, by calling Sarah his sister, was acted again, and with the like
result. Sarah was carried off by Abimelech, king of Gerar, who
thought that she was unmarried and the patriarch's sister. Dis-
covering his mistake, having been warned thereof by God in a
dream, he restored her to her husband, and gave him valuable
presents. A dispute subsequently arose between Abraham and
Abimelech respecting a well in the neighborhood. This led to a
treaty between them, whence the well was called " Beer-sheba," or
the well of the oath, "because there they swore both of them"
(Gen. xxi. 31). At this place Abraham and his descendants dwelt
for a long time. It was situated on the borders of the Desert, and
continued till the latest times to be the southern boundary of the
Holy Land.
It was during his abode at Beer-sheba that Sarah "bare Abra-
ham a son in his old age," when he himself was a hundred years
aid (Gen. xxi. 5). The child was named Isaac. At the great
feast made in celebration of the weaning, Sarah saw Ishmael, the
son of Hagar the Egyptian, mocking. " Cast out this bondwoman
and her son," she said to Abraham, " for the son of this bondwom-
an shall not be heir with my son Isaac." Her request was very
grievous to the patriarch ; but, comforted by God's renewed prom-
ise that of Ishmael he would make a nation, he gave Hagar some
bread and a bottle of water, and sent her away with the child; and
they departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
B.C. 2348-1822. ISAAC TO BE SACRIFICED. 37
Here her supply of water was quickly spent, and as it seemed that
her boy must soon die of thirst, she laid him down under the shade
of one of the desert shrubs, and went and sat down a good way off
from him, and wept aloud. "Let me not see the death of the
child," she said. The cries of the lad and of his mother were
heard in heaven, and the angel of God, calling to her " What aileth
thee, Hagar? fear not," renewed the promise already thrice given,
" I will make him a great nation ;" and God opened her eyes and
she saw a well of water. And God was with the lad ; and he grew,
and dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, and became an archer ; and
when he was of a suitable age, his mother took him a wife out of
the land of Egypt (Gen. xxi. 9-21).
Henceforward the history of Abraham is intertwined with that
of Isaac, of whom it was said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called"
(Gen. xxi. 12). God had yet a crowning trial to make of the pa-
triarch's faith and obedience. When Isaac, the son of his old age,
was about twenty-five years old, God said to Abraham, "Take
now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get theo
into the land of Moriah ; and offer him there for a burnt-offering
upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." According-
ly Abraham "rose up early in the morning, and saddling his ass,
took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and wood
for the burnt-offering, and went unto the place of which God had
told him." On the third day of his journey, he saw afar off the
spot appointed for this awful sacrifice. "Abide ye here with the
ass," he said to his young men, " while I and the lad go yonder and
worship." Then laying the wood for the burnt-offering upon
Isaac his son, and taking with him fire and a knife, they went for-
ward together. "My father," said Isaac, "behold the fire and
the wood : but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering ?" " My son,"
said Abraham, " God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offer-
ing." At length they reached the place which God had told him
of; and then, no doubt, the patriarch explained to his son that
he was himself the destined victim. The altar was built and the
wood laid in order upon it ; Abraham then bound Isaac his son, and
laid him on the altar upon the wood, and stretching forth his hand,
he took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord caller k
unto him out of heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham, lay not
thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him, for
now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy
eon, thine only son, from me." Abraham, on lifting up his eyes, bo-
held " a ram caught in a thicket by his horns, and he took the rarn
and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son."
4s a reward for his obejienct, God once more renewed his cove-
88 SCRIPTUKE HISTORY. CHAP. II.
nant with his posterity, and for the first time confirmed it with an
oath. "By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, that in blessing
I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as
the stars of the heaven, and as the sand upon the sea-shore. And
in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because
thou hast obeyed my voice." Abraham then returned with Isaac
jnto his young men, and went back to his dwelling-place at Beer-
jheba (Gen. xxii. 1-19).
After this twelve years passed away, during which Abraham
must have removed from Beer-sheba to his old home at Hebron.
There Sarah died, at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven.
After mourning for her, the patriarch bought for four hundred shek-
els of silver, of Ephron, one of the sons of Heth, the cave of Mach-
jielah (or the Double Cave) as a burying-place, close to the oak
of Mamre, with the field in which it stood" (Gen. xxiii. 16-20).
Here he buried Sarah ; here he was himself buried by his sons
Isaac and Ishmael; here they buried Isaac and Rebecca his wife,
Jacob and his wife Leah, and it formed, perhaps, the final resting-
place of the bones of Joseph. The sepulchre still exists under the
mosque of Hebron, and was first permitted to be seen by Europe-
ans, since the Crusades, when it was visited by the Prince of Wales
in 1862.
After the burial of Sarah, Abraham returned to Beer-sheba.
His last care was for the marriage of his son Isaac to a wife of his
own kindred, and not to one of the daughters of the Canaanites.
Calling to him "the oldest servant of his house," he made him
"swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth," not to take a
wife for his son of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom he
dwelt, but to go unto his own country and kindred, and take a wife
unto his son Isaac. The servant set forth on his journey to Haran,
in Mesopotamia, where Abraham sixty-five years before had dwelt
with his father Terah, and where his brother Nahor had settled.
It was towards evening when he reached the place of his destina-
tion. "O Lord God of my master Abraham," he prayed, "send
me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master."
And he asked the Lord to point out by a certain sign the person
he sought. He was yet speaking when Rebekah, the daughter of
Bethuel, son of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out to draw water
from the well. She had filled her pitcher and was returning, when
Abraham's servant met her, and said, "Let me, I pray thee, drink
a little water of thy pitcher." "Drink, my lord," she said. She
afterwards gave his camels water. The servant then gave her a
golden ear-ring and two bracelets of gold, asking her at the same
time whose daughter she was. When he found that she was the
B.C. 2348-1822. DEATH OF ABRAHAM. 39
7ery person that he had come to seek, the man bowed down hig
head and worshipped the Lord. "Blessed be the Lord God of my
master Abraham," he said, "who hath led me to the house of my
master's brethren." Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who
went out to the well to meet the man, and asked him to his house.
There the servant quickly told his errand. As, there were evident
traces of God's guidance in the matter, Bethuel soon consented to
let his daughter go, and the next morning they sent away Rebekah
and her nurse mounted on camels, with Abraham's sen-ant and his
men, blessing her and saying to her, "Be thou the mother of thou-
sands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which
hate them." It was even-tide when they drew near to the tent of
Isaac, who dwelt by the well of Lahai-roi, in the extreme south of
Palestine. He had gone forth into the field to meditate ; on lift-
ing up his eyes he saw the camels coming, and went at once to
meet them. When Rebekah saw Isaac, she dismounted from her
camel and covered herself with a veil. On learning from the serv-
ant all the things that he had done, Isaac " took her to his mother's
tent, and she became his wife. And he loved her, and was com-
forted after his mother's death " (Gen. xxiv. 1-67)
Soon after Isaac's marriage, Abraham took another wife, whose
name was Keturah. By her he had six sons, who became the
founders of Arabian tribes. During his lifetime, however, he en-
riched them all with presents, and sent them away, like Ishmacl,
to dwell eastward of Beer-sheba, lest any of them should settle in
the land of Canaan and dispute the destined inheritance of his son
Isaac. To him Abraham gave all his great wealth, and died, ap-
parently at Beer-sheba, "in ft good old age, an old man arid full
of years," his age being one hundred and seventy-five. His sons
Isaac and Ishmael met at his funeral, and buried him in the cave
of Machpelah, by the side of Sarah his wife (Gen. xxv. 1-10).
The events in Abraham's life which rendered this patriarch most
remarkable were, (1) his obedience to the command of God in leav-
ing his native country ; (2) his believing that he should possess the
land of Canaan, and be the father of a great nation ; and (3) his
offering up his son Isaac. Abraham was the father of the faith-
ful: his character was fully displayed in his faith. The Almighty
ieigned to be called the God of Abraham ; and in this designation
our Lord found one of his proofs of the resurrection of the dead.
40
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
CHAP. 1L
NOTE ON THE DISPERSION OF THE NATIONS.
(Genesis x.)
THE three races descended from the
three sons of Noah were distributed
:u the following mariner :
1. The territories of JAPIIETH lie
chiefly on the coasts of the Mediter-
ranean, in Europe and Asia Minor,
" the isles of the Gentiles ;" but they
also reach across Armenia and along
the north-eastern edge of the Tigris
and Euphrates valley, over Media and
Persia. The race spread westward
and northward over Europe, and at
the other end as far as India, embrac-
ing the great Indo-European family
of languages. This wide diffusion
was prophetically indicated by the
very name, Japheth (enlarged), and
by the blessing of his father Noah
(Gen. ix. 27). Among his children,
Javan is, in its old Hebrew form, the
same word as the Greek Ion; and
of his progeny, Tarshish is probably
identified with the people of southern
Spain, Madai probably represents the
Medes, and Owner the Cimmerians.
2. The race of SHEM occupied the
gonth-western corner of Asia, includ-
ing the peniusula of Arabia. Of his
five sons. Arphaxad is the progenitor
both of the Hebrews and of the Arabs
and other kindred tribes, whose ori-
pu is recorded iu the book of Gene-
sis. North of them were the children
of Aram (which signifies high), in the
highlands of Syria and Mesopotamia.
Asshur evidently represents Assyria-,
and the eastern and western extremi-
ties were occupied by the well-knowi:
nations of the Elymaeans (children of
Elam), on the south-eastern margin
of the valley of the Tigris, and the
Lydians (children of Lud), in Asia
Minor.
3. The race of HAM (the swarthy,
according to the most probable ety-
mology) had their chief seat in Afri-
ca, but they are also found mingled
with the Semitic races on the shores
of Arabia, and on the Tigris and Eu-
phrates; while on the north they
extended into Palestine (the laud of
the Philistines), Asia Minor, and the
larger islands, as Crete and Cyprus.
In Africa, Mizraim is most certainly
identified with Egypt ; Cuh with
Ethiopia, above Egypt ; and Phvi
probably with the inland peoples to
the west. Among the sons of Mizra-
im, the Lubim correspond to Libya;
and those of Cush represent tribes
which crossed the Red Sea and spread
along the southern and eastern shorea
of Arabia, up the Persian Gulf and tha
valley of the Tigris and Euphrates.
The town and rallcy of NiMus, tho ancient Bhechem. The mountain on tho right is EbaJ;
that on tho left Is Gerizim.
CHAPTER III.
FROM THE DEATH OP ABRAHAM TO THE DEATH OF JOSEPH.
B.C. 1 822-1 G35.
FOR nearly twenty years Rebekah continued barren. At length
through the prayers of Isaac, she became a mother, and brought
forth twin sons, ESAU (hairy), and JACOB (the su/iplanter}. When
the boys grew np, the former became " a cunning hunter, a man of
the field," and a favorite of his father ; while the latter, who was
" a plain and quiet man dwelling in tents," was his mother's favor-
ite. One day Esau, returning from hunting in a famished state,
*M\V Jacob preparing red pottage of lentils, and quickly nskcd for
omc. Jacob seized the occasion to obtain Esau's birthright as tho
42 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. III.
price of the meal. " Never surely was there any meat, except the
forbidden fruit, bought so dearly." Esau consented so readily,
that it is regarded in the sacred narrative as a proof that " he de-
spised his birthright " (Gen. xxv. 34). For this the Apostle (Heb.
xii. 16) calls him "a profane person, who for one morsel of food
sold his birthright." The justice of this judgment will appear if
we consider that Esau was by right of birth not only the head of
his own family, its prophet, priest, and king, but also the head of
the chosen family, thus inheriting the blessing of Abraham, that
"in his seed all families of the earth should be blessed." In de-
spising his birthright he thus put himself out of the sacred family,
and so became a profane person.
Soon after this, Isaac was driven from Lahai-roi by a famine,
and went down to "Abimelech, king of the Philistines, into
Gerar." There the Lord appeared unto him, and said, " Go not
down into Egypt : sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee and
bless thee." At the same time all the promises were renewed to
him that had been made to Abraham. While he was at Gerar, he
practised the same deceit of which his father had been guilty, by
giving out that his wife was his sister. The king, having acci-
dentally discovered that Rebekah was his wife, sent for him, and,
after pointing out the consequences that might have ensued, he
" charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his
wife shall surely be put to death." This is the first instance on
record of a king holding the pbwer of life and death (Gen. xxvi.
1-11).
The tranquil course of Isaac's life, which presents a marked con-
trast to the varied incidents of Abraham's career, was vexed by the
disobedience of his son Esau, who at the age of forty married two
Hittite wives, thus introducing heathen alliances into the chosen
family (Gen. xxvi. 34). When Isaac grew old, and his eyes, dim
with age, warned him of the near approach of death, he was anx-
ious to perform the solemn act by which he was to hand down the
blessing of Abraham to another generation. Calling to him Esau,
his eldest son, he said, "Take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver
and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison ;
and make me savory meat, and bring it to me, that I may eat ;
that my soul may bless thee before I die." While Esau was gone
out to the field to hunt for venison, Rebekah spake unto Jacob her
son, and said, " Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two
good kids of the goats ; and I will make them savory meat for thy
father, such as he loveth : and thou shalt bring it to him, that he
may bless thee before his death." Jacob replied, "Esau my broth-
er is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man : my father will per-
B.C. 1822-1G35. JACOB'S DREAM. 43
Tjaps feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver, and shall bring
a curse upon me, and not a blessing." His mother answered,
" Upon me be thy curse, my son : only obey my voice, and go and
fetch them." In this way Rebekah came to the aid of her favorite
son, and devised the stratagem by which Jacob supplanted Esau,
and having previously taken away his birthright, he now took away
Esau's blessing also (Gen. xxvii. 1-29).
Esau, we are told, hated Jacob " because of the blessing where-
with his father blessed him," and said in his heart, "The days of
mourning for my father are at hand ; then will I slay my brother
Jacob." When these words of her elder son were reported to
Rebekah, she was greatly alarmed. Having sent for Jacob, she
told him to go and stay for a little while with Laban, her brother,
in Haran, until Esau's fury was over. Concealing her principal
reason for sending him away, she said to Isaac that it would be a
trouble to her if Jacob were to marry one of the daughters of Heth,
as Esau had done. Isaac then called Jacob, and said unto him,
" Thou shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise,
go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel, thy mother's father;
and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban, thy
mother's brother. And God Almighty bless thee, and multiply
thee, and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee and to thy seed
after thee ; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art ft
stranger, which God gave unto Abraham." And so the heir of the
promises went on his long journey to Mesopotamia, as a solitary
wanderer, with nothing but the staff he carried, along the self-same
road by which Abraham had first entered Canaan after the death of
his father Terah. Proceeding northward on his way to Haran, lie
lighted upon a place near Luz, the site, doubtless, of Abram's second
halting-place in the Holy Land, where he found some stones, one
of which he made his pillow, and then lay down to sleep. Thus
forlorn, he was visited by God ; and in a dream he saw a ladder,
one end of which rested upon the earth, and the other reached to
heaven, " and behold the angels of God ascending and descending
on it.'' And the Lord himself appeared to him, and stood above
ft, and his voico added to the renewal of the covenant made with
A.brabam and with Isaac, a special promise of protection to Jacob:
1 Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither
thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land." When Jacob
awoke out of his sleep, he exclaimed, "How dreadful is this
place! this is none other but the house of God, this is the gate
of heaven." And he called the name of the place BETH-EL (the
house of God). He then dedicated himself to God and the tenth
of all that God should give him (Gen. xxviii. 1-22). This, the
44 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. III.
turning-point in Jacob's religions life, took place in his seventy,
seventh year.
Jacob then went on his journey, and at length arrived at Haran.
There he witnessed a repetition of the pastoral scene which Abra.
ham's servant had seen at the same place about a century before.
Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, comes with her father's
sheep to the well, just as her aunt Rehekah had done, and brings
him to the house. There Jacob tol t Laban what his object was in
coming to him, and at the end of a month it was agreed between
them that Jacob should serve him seven vears in tending his flocks,
and as a recompense Laban agreed to jjive him his younger daugh-
ter Rachel for wife. "And Jacob served seven years for Rachel;
and they seemed unto him but a few diiys, for the lovo he had to
her." At the end of this time he claimed his bride. Laban then,
by a trick rendered easy by the forms of an Eastern wedding, where
the bride is closely veiled, gave him Leah in place of Rachel, and
afterwards excused his deceit by saying, " In our country, we must
not give the younger before the elder," but he gave Jacob Rachel
also, on condition of his serving with him seven more years (Gen.
xxix. 1-30).
Jacob felt very differently towards his two wives: Rachel he
loved deeply, but Leah he disliked (Gen. xxix. 31). She, how-
ever, bore him four sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, while
her sister Rachel was for a long time childless. In grief for her
barrenness, she gave her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob (as Sarah had
given Hagar to Abraham) by whom he had two sons, Dan and
Naphtali. Leah also gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob, who bore him
two sons, Gad and Asher. Leah afterwards had her fifth son, Issa-
char, and then a sixth, whom she named Zebulun. Her last child
was a daughter called Dinah (Gen. xxx. 21.) The prayers of Ra-
chel being at length heard, she became the mother of a son, and
said, "God hath taken away my reproach : and she called his name
Joseph " (adding}. During the fourteen years that Jacob served
Laban he had by his two wives and their two handmaids eleven
sons and one daughter. At the end of this time he wished to pro-
Tide for his own house, and to return to his own country (Gen
sxx. 25) ; and he requested his uncle to let him go. Laban, how
ever, begged him to remnin with him, for he said, "I have learned
by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake." Jacob
agreed to do so, on the condition that all the dark sheep, and all
the spotted cattle and goats, hereafter born in the flocks under his
care, should belong to him in payment of his services. Jacob's
artifice to make the most of his bargain (Gen. xxx. 37-42) succeed-
ed so well, that his flocks throve greatly, while Laban's dwindled
B.C. 1822-1635. JACOB'S ESCAPE FROM LABAN. 45
away. His prosperity began to excite the envy of Laban and of
his sons, when " the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of
thy fathers, and of thy kindred ; and I will be with thee " (Gen.
xxxi. 3). After sending for his wives into the field, and laying the
matter before them, he resolved to leave Laban. Setting his sons
and his wives upon camels, and carrying away all that he had gotten
in Padan-aram, he hastily set out for the land of Canaan, after
twenty years spent in Laban's service fourteen for his wives and
six for his cattle.
Having passed the Euphrates, he struck across the desert by the
great fountain of Palmyra, then traversed the eastern part of the
plain of Damascus, and entered Gilead the range of mountains
east of the Jordan, forming the frontier between Palestine and the
Syrian desert. Jacob must have fled swiftly to have accomplished
in ten days this journey of two hundred and fifty miles from Haran.
But when Laban heard of his flight, he must have pursued him with
even greater haste. Calling his kindred together, he set out after
him, and overtook him in seven days (Gen. xxxi. 23), in Mount
Gilead ; his anger for the loss of his daughters, carried away "like
captives taken with the sword," being increased by the loss of his
household gods (teraphim), which Rachel had secretly stolen. Ja-
cob, ignorant of Rachel's theft, desired Laban to make a strict
search for them, which he did in the different tents, but unsuccess-
fully, as they were craftily concealed by Rachel. Laban, having
been forewarned by God not to injure Jacob, then made a covenant
with his son-in-law. Jacob took a tall stone and set it up for a
pillar, and the rest collected large stones and made a heap, and
" they did eat there upon the heap," which was called Galeed (the
heap of witness). The heap of stones erected by the two tribes of
Jacob and Laban as a boundary between them, "marked that the
natural limit of the range of Gilead should be their actual limit
also." Early in the morning Laban rose up, and, after kissing his
sons and daughters and blessing them, he departed. Jacob also
went on his way, and, to encourage him, his eyes were opened to
see a troop of angels, " the host of God," sent for his protection.
In the land to which Jacob was returning his first danger would
be from the revenge of Esau, who had now become powerful in
Mount Seir, the land cf Edom. Jacob sent messengers, therefore,
before him, to acquaint his brother of his approach, and of the pros-
perity that had attended him during his sojourn in Mesopotamia.
His messengers returned, and told him, "Thy brother Esau cometh
to meet thee with four hundred men." Well might Jacob distrust
his purpose ; for, though such a retinue might be meant to do him
honor, it might also be designed to insure revenge. "Then Jacoh
46 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. III.
was greatly afraid and distressed." Having divided his people and
his herds into two bands, that if the first were smitten the second
might escape, he turned to God in prayer. This is the first prayer
on record ; nor could there be a finer model for a special prayer.
To prayer he adds prudence, and sends forward present after pres-
ent to win his brother's heart "Two hundred she-goats, twenty
he-goats, two hundred ewes, twenty rams, thirty milch-camels with
their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty she-asses, and ten foals."
This done, he rested for a while ; but in the night he arose and sent
forward his two wives, his two women-servants, and his eleven sons,
across the Jabbok, while he himself remained alone at Mahanaim t*
prepare his mind for the coming trial. It was then that "a man*
appeared and wrestled with him till break of day. This "man'
was the "angel Jehovah." For a while He prevailed not against
him, but at last the angel touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh and
put it out of joint, when the sinew instantly shrank. "Let me go,
he said, for the day breaketh. I will not let thee go, Jacob re-
plied, except thou bless me." "Thy name shall no more be call-
ed Jacob, he said, but ISRAEL (a prince of God), as a sign that thou
hast power with God and with men." Well knowing with whom
he had to do, Jacob called the name of the place Peniei {the face
of God), "for, he said, I have seen God face to face, and my life ia
preserved " (Gen. xxxii. 1-32).
Jacob now proceeded on his way, and overtook his family. Soon
Esau and his men came in sight. Advancing before all his com-
pany, Jacob then went to meet him, bowing himself to the ground
seven times until he came near to his brother. "And Esau ran to
meet him, and fell on his neck and kissed him : and they wept."
Jacob then pressed Esau to accept the presents he had sent for-
ward for him, which he reluctantly consented to do. After a cor-
dial interview they separated ; Esau went back to Mount Seir, and
Jacob pursued his journey westward, and halted at Succoth. Soon
afterwards he crossed the Jordan and arrived at Shechem, a city so
called after Shechem, the son of Hatnor, prince of the Amorites.
From them he bought for one hundred lambs the field where he
had pL ched his tent ; and he erected there an altar to God, as the
giver of his new name " God the God of Israel" (El-elohe-Israel)
This piece of ground, with the exception of the cave of Machpelah,
was the first possession of the chosen family in the land of Canaan
(Gen. xxxiii. 1-20). The memory of Jacob's abode there is still
preserved by "Jacob's well," on the margin of which his divine
Son taught the woman of Sychar (Shechem) a better worship than
that of sacred places.
At Shechem Jacob lived about seven .years, when he became in-
B.C. 1822-1635. DEATH OF ISAAC. ^ 47
volved in a conflict with the Shechemites. His daughter Dinah
having been carried off by Shechein the son of Hamor, his sons
Simeon and Levi treacherously revenged the wrong done to their
sister by putting to death Hamor and Shechem and their people,
and ravaging the city. To avoid the revenge of the Canaanites,
Jacob deemed it prudent to withdraw from Shechem, and by the
command of God he returned to Beth-el. There he fulfilled the
vows which he had made many years before, when he had fled from
home to escape the enmity of his brother Esau (Gen. xxviii. 16-22).
There he built an altar to the Lord, and God appeared to him again
(Gen. xxxv. 9), and renewed with him the Covenant made with
Abraham. There Deborah, his mother Rebekah's nurse, died and
was buried beneath the "oak of weeping" (Allon-bachutfi).
Jacob did not stay long at Beth-el, but journeyed southward on his
way to visit his father at Mamre, near Hebron. Not far from Eph-
rath, the ancient name of Bethlehem, Rachel died in giving birth to
Jacob's youngest son. The dying mother called him BENONI (son
of my sorrow), but the fond father changed his name to BEN-JAMIN
(son of the right hand) (Gen. xxxv. 16-18). Soon quitting this
melancholy place, he went forward, and at length reached the en-
campment of his father Isaac at the old station beside Hebron,
" where Abraham and Isaac sojourned." It does not appear that
Jacob had seen him from the time that he went to Padan-aram,
some thirty years before, until now. They spent the next thirteen
years together, when Isaac died at the age of one hundred and
eighty. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him in the cave of Mach-
pelah, with Abraham and Sarah (Gen. xxxv. 28, 29). Esau then
returned to Mount Seir, and became the founder of the Edomites
or MUIIKI an nation, and Jacob remained at Mamre (Gen. xxxvi.
8,9).'
The story of Joseph and his brethren, which the sacred writer
now relates, may safely be called the most charming in all history.
As the first-born son of his beloved Rachel, and the son of his old
age, "Israel loved Joseph more than all his children." He gave
him "a coat of many colors ;" but his partiality awoke the jealousy
of his other sons, and they " hated Joseph, and could not speak
1 The following is the list of Jacob's twelve sons by his two wives and
their two handmaids, with the significance of their names :
i. The song of Leah : Renbeu (ee ! a son), Simeon (hearing), Levi (joined),
Jadah (praise), Issachar (hire), Zebnlun (dwelling).
ii. The eons of Rachel : Joseph (adding), Benjamin (son of the, right hand).
III. The sons otBilhah, Rachel's handmaid : Dan (judging), Naphthali (my
wrestling).
iv. The sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid : Gad (a troop), Asher (hajrpy).
Besides Dinah (judgment), the daughter of Leah. Gen. xxxv. 23-26.
48. SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. III.
peaceably unto him." Their hatred was increased after Joseph had
told them two dreams which he had dreamed. In the first, his
brothers' sheaves of corn bowed down to his, which stood upright in
their midst; and in the second, "behold the sun, and the moon,
and the eleven stars made obeisance " to him. His father rebuked
him for repeating these dreams, and said, " Shall I, and thy mother,
and thy brethren, indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the
aartli ?"
_ Jacob was at this time at Hebron, while his sons fed his flocks
wherever they could find pasture ; Joseph being sometimes with
them, and sometimes with his father. On one occasion he was
sent from Hebron to Shechem, where the field lay which Jacob had
purchased, and probably afterwards recovered, from the Amorites,
to inquire after his brethren and the flocks. Finding that they
had gone farther north to Dothan, he went after them ; but as soon
as they saw him coming they conspired to kill him. " They said
-one to another, Behold this dreamer cometh. Come now, let us
slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say some evil
beast hath devoured him. Then we shall see what will become of
his dreams." His life was saved by Reuben, who said, " Let us not
kill him," and he persuaded them to cast him into an empty pit,
whence he intended to take him and restore him to his father.
When Joseph came to them, they stripped him of his tunic "of
many colors," and having cast him into the pit, they coolly sat down
to eat bread. Just then an Arab caravan a company of Ishmael-
ite8 were seen on the road which leads from Gilead through Do-
than to Egypt, carrying to that country on their camels the spices,
and balm, and myrrh of the Syrian desert. As such traders were
always ready to buy up slaves on their way, Judah suggested, dur-
ing the absence of Reuben, that they might now get rid of their
brother without the guilt of murder, and he proposed that he should
be sold to the Ishmaelites. "And his brethren were content."
When the Midianites came near they took Joseph out of the pit
and sold him to them for twenty shekels of silver ; the very sum
which afterwards, under the Law, was set as the value of a male
from five to twenty years old a type of the sale of Him " whom the
children of Israel did value " (Matt, xxvii. 9).
Reuben returned to the pit ; but not finding his brother there, he
was greatly grieved, and rent his clothes. To deceive their father,
his brothers then took Joseph's tunic, and having dipped it in a kid's
blood, they carried it back to Jacob. As soon as he saw it he knew
it, and said, " It is my son's coat ; a wild beast hath, no doubt, torn
him in pieces." With guilty consciences they pretended to com-
fort their father, but he refused to be comforted, and said, " I will
B.C. 1822-1635. HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 49
go down into the grave unto my son mourning" (Gen. xxxvii.
1-35).
Meanwhile the Ishmaelite merchants carried Joseph down into
Egypt, and sold him as a slave toPoxiPHAK, "an officer of Pharaoh
and captain of the guard." Here Joseph served his master with so
much fidelity that he quickly gained his confidence, when Potiphar
made him steward over his household, and over all that ho had.
" And the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake."
Joseph being "a goodly person and well-favored," his youthful
beauty exposed him to a great temptation from his master's wife,
which, however, he was enabled to withstand. In revenge for this
slight, she made a false charge against Joseph and procured his dis-
grace, stirring up the wrath of her husband against him, who put
him into the state prison. This imprisonment lasted probably eight
or nine years ; and we gather from the words of the Psalmist (Psalm*" *"\
cv. 17, 18), that his treatment was at first severe; "Whose feet "^
they hurt with fetters; the iron entered into his soul." But the
same blessing that had raised him in the house of Potiphar followed
him in the prison, the keeper of which gave him the entire charge
of the other prisoners, " because the Lord was with him, and that
which he did, the Lord made it to prosper " (Gen. xxxix. 1-23).
It happened that the chief of the cup-bearers and the chief of
the cooks" of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, gave some offense to their
master, for which they were cast into prison, and committed to the
charge of Joseph. One morning when he looked upon them he per-
ceived that they were very sad, and, on inquiring the cause, they
replied, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter
of it." After reminding them that the interpretation of dreams be-
longed to God, he then interpreted their dreams, which forewarned
them of their fate. Joseph told the chief cup-bearer that his
dream signified that in three days Pharaoh would restore him to
his office ; and to the chief of the cooks he predicted that within
three days he would be hanged. His words came true ; but al-
though he had asked the chief cup-bearer to think on him and in-
tercede witli Pharaoh for his release from prison, yet "did not he
remember him, but forgat him " (Gen. xl. 1-23).
After this two years passed away, when Pharaoh was disturbed
by dreams which none of the wise men of Ejjypt were able to in-
terpret. Then the chief cup-bearer told the king of Joseph's skill,
and he was hastily sent for out of prison, and brought into the pres-.
ence of Pharaoh. After Joseph had told Pharaoh that the power
of interpreting dreams was only in God who had sent them, the
1 The terms chief butler and chief baker, in our version, are misleadim; as
to their dignity.
D
50 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. Ill
king related his dreams, which Joseph proceeded to interpret.
" In my dream," said Pharaoh, " behold I stood upon the bank of
the river (Nile). And I saw seven fat and beautiful heifers come
up out of the river, and feed on the marsh grass by its banks ; then
seven of the leanest and most ill-looking heifers I had ever seen
came up after them, and devoured the others." In his second
dream, he saw seven full ears of corn devoured by seven that were
thin and blasted. Joseph explained to the king that the dream
had been twofold, to mark its certain and speedy fulfillment ; that
the seven heifers and the seven ears of corn had the same mean-
ing ; and that God had taken this way of showing to the king what
He was about to do. The seven fat heifers and the seven full ears
denoted seven years of great abundance, which nevertheless should
be forgotten by reason of the severity of the famine which should
come in the next seven years after them, denoted by the lean and
ill-looking heifers, and the blasted ears of corn. He then advised
Pharaoh to appoint a wise and discreet minister over his whole
kingdom, who should send officers into every part of the land to
store up a fifth part of all the corn of the seven years of plenty
against the seven years of famine. "And the thing was good in
the eyes of Pharaoh and of all his servants." Can we find another
man like this, said the king, in whom is the Spirit of God ? Feel-
ing that no man could be more fit for the office than Joseph him-
self, he said to him, "See, I have set thee over all the land of
Egypt." He then took off his own signet-ring and gave, it to him.
Clothing him with fine linen robes and putting a collar of gold
round his neck, he seated him in the second royal chariot, before
which the people were bidden to fall prostrate. Thus Joseph was
made ruler over all the land of Egypt, with authority next to that
of the king himself. Pharaoh changed his name to ZAPHNATH-
PAANEAH, which perhaps signified, in Egyptian, the preserver of life,
and gave him for wife Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest
(or prince) of On, who bore him two sons during the seven years
of plenty. The elder he named MANASSKH (forgetting), and the
younger EPHRAIM (double fruitfulness).
Joseph was thirty years old when he was made governor over all
Egypt (Gen. xli. 46). The first thing he did was to go through the
country. During his progress, he gave instructions for granaries
to be built in the principal cities, and appointed officers whom he
charged with the duty of buying up one-fifth of the produce of the
land during the seven years of plenty, and storing it away for use
during the years of famine. When the seven years of dearth began
to come, the Egyptians quickly used up their private stores. Joseph
then opened all the store-houses and sold corn to them ; and as tlm
B.C. 1822-1635. HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 51
famine was sore in all the neighboring countries, people from Ca-
naan, and the nations round about, went down into Egypt to buy
corn (Gen. xli. 47-57).
These seven years of famine had the most important bearing on
the chosen family of Israel. When all the corn in Canaan was
gone, Jacob sent down ten of his sons into Egypt to buy corn there ;
but Benjamin, Joseph's brother, he sent not with them, "lest mis-
chief should befall him." Probably he was unwilling to trust;
Rachel's remaining child with his brethren. When Joseph saw
them, he knew them, but they knew not him. He spake roughly
to them, and charged them with being spies, come down to see the
nakedness of the land. To test their truthfulness, he at first de-
manded that one of them should be sent to fetch their youngest
brother ; but, after keeping them three days in prison, he changed
his mind, and said, " Let one of your number remain as a hostage,
and let the rest return with the corn you have purchased for your
houses, but bring your youngest brother back with you to verify
your words." Then his brethren remembered the crime which they
had committed in selling Joseph into slavery, and they said one to
another, " We are verily guilty concerning our brother, therefore is
this distress come upon us." Joseph then, having taken Simeon and
bound him before their eyes, commanded his servants to fill their
sacks with corn, to restore every mnn's money into his sack, and to
give them provision for the way, and afterwards they departed.
They returned unto their father in the land of Canaan, and told
him all that had befallen them. When they emptied their sacks,
they found every man's bundle of money in his sack, and were
afraid. They asked their father to intrust Benjamin to their care ;
but he replied, " Me have ye bereaved of my children ; Joseph is
not, and Simeon 4 s not, and ye will take Benjamin away. All
these things are against me." "My father," said Reuben, "slay
my two sons if I bring him not to thee ; deliver him into my hand,
and I will bring him to thee again." "No," said Jacob, "my
son shall not go down with you ; for his brother is dead, and he is
left alone : if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go,
then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave '
<.Gen. xlii. 1-38).
The famine, however, was sore in the land of Canaan. When
they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt,
their father said to them, " Go again, buy us a little food." " If
thou wilt send our brother with us," said Judah, " we will go down
and buy thee food ; but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go
down, for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face except
your brother be wit> you." " Why dealt ye so ill with me," Israel
52 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. III.
said, "as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?" At
length their father consented. "If it must be so now," he said.
" do this ; take of the best fruits in the land, and carry down the
man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh,
nuts and almonds. Take double money in your hand, and the
money that was brought back in the mouth of your sacks perad-
venture it was an oversight. Take also your brother, and go again
unto the man. And may God Almighty give you grace before
the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin.
If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
And the men returned to Egypt and stood before Joseph. As
soon as he saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his
bouse, " Bring these men home and make ready, for these men
shall dine with me at noon." At first they were afraid ; but their
fears were soon dispelled, and Simeon was brought out to them.
When Joseph came home, they made obeisance to him, and pro-
duced the presents they had brought with them. He asked them
of their welfare, and said, " Is your father well, the old man of
whom ye spake? Is he yet alive ?" He then saw his brother
Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your younger broth-
er, of whom ye spake unto me ? God be gracious unto thee, my
son." His yearning fondness for his brother moved him to tears,
and he entered into his chamber and wept there. Then their din-
ner was served to each at separate tables, at which they were ar-
ranged strictly in accordance with their several ages. But Benja-
min's mess was five times as much as any of theirs (Gen. xliii.).
Desirous of putting them to one more trial, Joseph commanded
the steward of his house to fill the men's sacks with food, to put
every man's money in his sack's mouth, and to put his silver cup
in the sack's mouth of the youngest. His orders were executed ;
and in the morning, as soon as it was light, the men were sent
away. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to
his steward, " Up, follow after the men, and say, Why have ye re-
warded evil for good ? The cup you have stolen is one in which
my lord urinketh, and whereby he divineth. " " God forbid," they
replied, " that thy servants should do this thing. With whomsoever
it shall be found, let him die, and we also will become thy lord's
bondmen." The cup was found in Benjamin's sack. At once
they rent their clothes and returned to the city. Judah and his
brethren made their way to Joseph's house and fell before him
on the ground. "What shall we say unto my lord?" he said.
" How shall we clear ourselves ? Behold we are all my lord's sen--
ants." "God forbid that I should do so," said Joseph. " The
man in whose hand tae cup is fouud, he shall be my servant."
B.C. 1822-1635. JACOB SENT FOR BY JOSEPH. 53
Then Judah came near to him, and with most moving eloquence
told his artless talc, offering to become a bondman instead of
Benjamin, and pleading with unequalled earnestness and filial af-
fection that the lad might be sent back to his father. " It shall
come to pass," he said, " that, as his life is bound up in the lad's
life, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, he will die ; and thy
servants shall bring, down the gray hairs of our father with sorrow
to the grave " (Gen. xliv.).
Joseph was unable to resist this touching appeal. He could not
refrain himself, but wept aloud, and said unto his brethren, " I am
Joseph. Doth my father yet live ?" They could not answer him,
for they were troubled at his presence. But no word of upbraid-
ing or of reproach fell from his lips. " Be not grieved or angry
with yourselves," he said, " that ye sold me hither. It was not you
that sent me hither, but God. Hasten back to my father, and say
unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of
all Egypt : come down unto me, tarry not. And thou shall dwell
in the land of Goshen, and be near unto me." Then he fell upon
his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his
neck. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them.
It was soon known in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brethren
were come ; and the king and his servants were glad. Joseph then
sent wagons for his father and his household, with rich presents,
and to all his brethren he gave changes of raiment. And they
returned to the land of Canaan, and said to their father, " Joseph
is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt." But
Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not at first, until he had
seen the wagons sent for 1 him, and then his spirit revived, and he
said, " It is enough, Joseph my son is yet alive. I will go and see
him before I die " (Gen. xlv.).
Though at that time about one hundred and thirty years old,
Jacob's eager desire to see the son for whom he had so long
mourned induced him to go down at once, with all that he had.
into Egypt. On his way, he rested at Beer-sheba, and offered sac
rifices unto the God of hi3 father Isaac. There God encouraged
him by a vision, commanding him to go down, and promising to
bring him up again in the person of his descendants, and assuring
him that his eyes should be closed by Joseph (Gen. xlvi. 4). So
he went down, with his sons and their wives and children, and all
their cattle. The number of his own descendants who went down
with him into Egypt was sixty-six; to these must be added Jacob
himself, with Joseph and his two sons. Thus "all the souls of
the house of Jacob which cnme with him into Egypt were three-
score and ten " (Gen. xlvi. 27).
64 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. Ill
Just before reaching the land of Goshen a province on the ex-
treme frontier of Egypt, towards Canaan Jacob sent Judah on in
advance, to acquaint Joseph with his arrival. Joseph immediately
went to meet his father ; and when he saw him he fell on his neck,
and wept on his neck a good while. "Now," said Israel, "let
me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive '
(Gen. xlvi. 30). Joseph then went and told Pharaoh that his fa-
ther and his brethren had come out of the land of Canaan, and he
presented five of them to him. The king, when he found that they
were shepherds, a class held in abomination by the Egyptians, gare
them for their separate abode the land of Goshen, which was the
best pasture-ground in all Egypt. Joseph then brought his father
into the presence of Pharaoh, and "Jacob blessed Pharaoh.''
"How old art thou?" said the king to him. "The days of my
pilgrimage," he answered, "are one hundred and thirty years:
few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, nor have
they attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in
the days of their pilgrimage'' (Gen. xlvii. 9). These words furnish
a testimony to the gradual decline of human life, and are a mem-
orable example of how the patriarchs confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Heb. xi. 13).
The removal of the chosen family from Canaan, and their settle-
ment in Egypt, formed a part of the great plan which God had un-
folded to their forefather Abraham (Gen. xv. 13). Two hundred
years had passed away since God had said, " Unto thy seed will 1
give this land," and as yet they had no possessions in the land of
Canaan. In Egypt, under the discipline of affliction, the family
was to be consolidated into a nation. Then God's words would
meet with their fulfillment, and the Israelites would enter on the
possession of their promised inheritance.
After dwelling in the land of Goshen for seventeen vears in com-
fort and prosperity, "the time drew nigh that Israel must die."
As his end npproachetl, he sent for Joseph, and made him swear
that he would not bury him in Egypt, but would take him to the
Promised Land, and " bury him in the burying-placc of his fathers,' 1
in the cave of Machpelah. In thanksgiving to God for the mercies
vouchsafed to him during a troubled life, and for the solemn assur-
ance given to him by his son that he should be "gathered to his
fathers," Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head (Gen. xlvii. 31)
and worshipped (Heb. xi. 21).
Not long afterwards Joseph heard that his father was sick, and
went with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to visit him.
When Jacob heard that he was come, his strength revived, and he
got up in his bed to receive him. 1 The dying patriarch claimed
B.C. 1822-1635. DEATH OF JACOB. 55
Ephraim and Manasseh for his own children, and henceforth they \
were numbered among the heads of the tribes of Israel. HiS"^
thoughts then went back to the glorious promises God had once
made to him at the crisis of his religious life, when he lay down to
rest a forlorn wanderer at Luz (Bethel)! And then they turned to
the death of his beloved Rachel on his return from Padan, and to
her burial near Ephrath (Bethlehem). His eyes being dim from
age, he did not at first see Joseph's two sons ; but when they were
brought near to him, ho kissed them and embraced them, fondly
saying to Joseph, " I had not thought to see thy face ; and, lo, God
hath showed me thy seed also" (Gen. xlviii. 11). Joseph, having
received his father's blessing, then took his two sons, and, bowing
himself with his face to the earth, placed Manasseh the elder at Ja-
cob's right hand and Ephraim the younger at his left. Jacob, how-
ever, crossing his arms, laid his right hand upon the younger, and
his left upon the elder, and, disregarding Joseph's opposition, he
gave the larger and nobler blessing to Ephraim the younger. " Tru-
ly." said he, " the younger brother shall be greater than the elder,
and his seed shall become a multitude of nations" (Gen, xlviii.
19). Thus was added another instance of God's sovereign choice ~l
to the examples of Abel, Shem, Abram, Isaac, who, like the patri- /
arch Jacob himself, were all younger sons.
Having given his separate and special blessing to Joseph him-
self and his two sons, and bestowed upon Joseph an extra portion
above his brethren (Gen. xlviii. 22), thus marking him as his heir,
he called together all his sons to hear the last words of Israel their
father, that he might tell them what would befall them in the last
days (Gen. xlix.).
It is evident that the blessings and the prophecies of the dying
patriarch were a formal appointment of his twelve sons to be the
twelve heads of the chosen race, and that they had respect to the
tribes as well as to their individual ancestors. At the end of his
charge, he gave to all his sons, collectively, the same command that
he had previously jr ; "en to Joseph individually, "I am to be gath-
ered unto my people. Bury me with my fathers " in the cave of
Machpcln.li (Gen. xlix. 29), and, "gathering up his feet into the
bed, he yielded up the ghost," at the age of one hundred and forty-
seven.
Joseph then fell upon his father's face, and passionately wept
over him and kissed him. He afterwards gave orders for his body
to be embalmed, which occupied forty days, and there was a public
mourning for him among the Egyptians, which lasted altogether
seventy days. With Pharaoh's permission, he then went, with all
his brethren, and the elders both of Israel and of Egypt, and a great
56
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
CHAP. III.
company of chariots and of horsemen, to bury his father in the land
of Canaan.
To avoid, probably, the tribes of the frontier, they did not take
the nearest road, but made a circuit to Atad, a little to the west of
the Jordan, where they kept so great and sore a lamentation for
seven days that the astonished Canaanites called the place Abel-
Mizraim (the mourning of Egypf). Thence they continued their
journey to Hebron, and there buried him in the cave of Machpelah,
is he had commanded them (Gen. 1. 12, 13). After the burial of Ja-
:ob, Joseph and all his company returned to Egypt. He outlived
his father about fifty-four years. He saw Ephraim's children of
the third generation, and had Manasseh's grandchildren on his
knees (Gen. 1. 23). At length he died, aged one hundred and ten
years. His body was embalmed and preserved in a coffin (sarcoph-
agus), but not buried. The last instructions that he gave his
brethren, and made them swear that they would fulfill, were, " God
will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land
which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And ye shall
carry up my bones from hence" (Gen. 1. 24, 25). From that time
forward the coffin with Joseph's remains bore silent witness to the
fact that the children of Israel were only temporary sojourners in
the land of Egypt. When God led them forth under Moses, they
did not forget the trust ; and when they were settled in Canaan,
they buried Joseph at Shechem (Exod. xiii. 19 ; Josh. xxiv. 32).
NOTE. Concerning the "Pharaohs" (i. e., Kings) tinder whom the events
recorded in Genesis and Exodus took place, see the " Smaller Ancient Histo-
ry," chapters vi.-ix., especially vii. and ix.
AD Egypt**" Sarcophagus, on the funeral sledge, with an open panel, showing tha head of the
mummy.
Egyptian Archers.
CHAPTER IV.
ISRAEL IN EGYPT. FROM THE DEATH OF JOSEPH TO THE EXODUS
OR DEPARTURE FROM EGYPT. B.C. 1G35-1491.
IN the period between the death of Joseph and the beginning of
the bondage in Egypt, the children of Israel " increased abundant-
ly, and the land was filled with them " (Exod. i. 7). The duration
of their sojourn there may be reckoned in round numbers at 430
years (Exod. xii. 41): but thi9 includes the whole pilgrimage of the
chosen family, from the time when Abram was called to leave hir
home for "a land that he should ^afterward receive as an inherit-
ance," to the time when his heirs did actually receive it. The
bondage itself was probably about one hundred years, as the whole
period from the death of Joseph to the Exodus was one hundred
and forty-four years (B.C. 1635-1491).
The story of the affliction of the Israelites in Egypt begins with
the words, "Now there arose up a new king over Egypt whio'*
knew not Joseph " (Exod. i. 8). The descendants o( Jaeoo had
then grown so numerous that Pharaoh was afraid that in the event
68 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IV.
of a war they might go over to the enemy, and so ecape out of the
land. He resolved, therefore, to weaken them by degrees, hy forc-
ing them to hard labor and reducing them to slavery. The service
which he compelled them to perform consisted in field-work, and
especially in making bricks and building the treasure-cities Pithotn
and Raamses, in the land of Goshen. Although the lives of the
Israelites were bitter with hard bondage and oppression, still they
multiplied and grew. Pharaoh then adopted a more severe and
cruel course to diminish their numbers. He commanded the He-
brew midwives to kill the male children at their birth, but to let
the females live. The midwives, however, " feared God " and dis-
obeyed the king, and they saved all the children that were born.
Pharaoh then charged all his people to cast the new-born sons of
the Israelites into the river, but to save the daughters (Exod. i.
8-22).
Pharaoh's edict led, by the Divine providence, to the bringing up
at his own court of that very child whom God designed to be the
future deliverer of his people Israel. Amram, the son of Koh.-Uh,
son of Levi, had for his wife Jochebed, also of the tribe of Levi.
They had already two children, a daughter called Miriam, and a
son named Aaron. Soon after the king had issued his edict, an-
other son was born to them. The child was so very fine and good-
ly, that his mother could not bear to part with him in obedience to
the cruel ordinance. She hid him, therefore, three months. When
she could no longer conceal him, she was forced to expose him like
the rest. Accordingly, taking a covered basket of papyrus the
flags of which the Egyptians made their paper and daubing it
with bitumen to make it water-tight, she put the child therein and
laid it among the rushes on the banks of the Nile, leaving Miriam
a little way off, to see what would become of her infant brother.
Close to that spot the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe ;
and as soon as she saw the ark, she sent one of her maidens to fetch
it. And when she opened it, "behold the babe wept." Touched
with pity, she said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children." At
this moment Miriam came forward, and having asked whether she
should go and fetch a nurse of 4ie Hebrew women, she was told to
do so, "when she went and called the child's mother." "Nurse
this child for me," said Pharaoh's daughter, "and I will give thee
thy wages." When he grew up, Jochebed brought him to tho
princess, who adopted him for her son, and gave him the name of
Moses (drawn out), because she said, "I drew him out of the wa-
ter" (Exod. ii. 10).
Moses was no doubt taught by his Hebrew mother the knowledge
of the true God, and the history as well as the destiny of the chosen
B.C. 1G35-14'J1. EAKLY LIFE OF MOSES. 69
race. In all other respects, he was brought up as an Egyptian
prince, and was instructed in " all the wisdom of the Egyptians "
(Acts vii. 22). When he was full forty years old, the crisis came
when he decided to cast in his lot with his own people, choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the
treasures in Egypt, for he regarded "the recompense of the re-
ward " (Heb. xi. 25, 26). This was the time when he went forth to
make himself acquainted with the state of his brethren. The first
sight he saw was an Egyptian overseer beating one of the Hebrews
who worked under him. Stung with indignation, after looking
round to see that no one was near, he killed the Egyptian on the
spot, and buried his body in the sand. When he went out the next
day, he saw two men of the Hebrews striving together; and his
interference was scornfully rejected by the wrong-doer, who asked
him, "Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest
thou to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian ?" The story reached
the ears of Pharaoh, and he ordered Moses to be put to death. He
fled, however, into the desert which surrounds the head of the Red
Sea, then inhabited by the people of Midian, who were descended
from Abraham and Keturah (Gen. xxv. 2). As he was one day
seated beside a well, the seven daughters of JETHRO, the chief or
sheykh of the Midianites, came to water their flocks. The shep-
herds of other flocks, coming also to the well, rudely drove away
the women, that they might serve their own cattle first, but Moses
helped them and watered their flock. When Jethro heard of this,
he welcomed "the Egyptian," and Moses dwelt with him, like Ja-
cob with Laban, for forty years feeding his flocks. He married his
daughter Zipporah (Exod. ii. 21), who bore him a son, named Ger-
shom (a stranyer here"), and afterwards a second son, named Eliezer
(my God is a hel/>).
Moses had been forty years in Midian, pondering amidst the
seclusion of the deserts and unfrequented vales where he fed his
flocks, the past history of his fathers, and the condition of their de-
scendants in Egypt, when God's time arrived for the deliverance of
his people. When the King of Egypt, from whom Moses had fled,
lied, the oppression of the Israelites under his successor became
more severe. "And they cried, and their cry came up unto God by
:eason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God
remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Ja-
cob " (Exod. ii 23, 24).
Moses, while he was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Je-
thro, in the land of Midian, little thought, that God had chosen him
to be the future deliverer of the Israelites. Yet so it was. The
scene selected for the revelation to him of his divine mission ia <via
CO SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IV.
of the most remai'kable spots on the surface of the earth. The pe-
ninsula of Sinai is the promontory inclosed between the two arms
of the Red Sea, terminating in its southern part in the terrific mass
of granite rocks known by the general name of Sinai. This desert
region still furnishes a scanty pasturage. As Moses was one day
leading his flock to its inmost recesses (or its west side), he came
to a mountain even then called the " Mount of God," " even Ho-
reb," from its sanctity among the Arabs. There he saw one of the
dwarf acacias of the desert wrapt in flame, which, had it been a
natural fire, would soon have consumed the dry branches, but "be-
hold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed."
As Moses turned aside to see this great sight why the bush was
not burnt, the "angelJehovah" called to him out of the bush, and
said, "Draw not nigh hither ; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for
the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." The same voice
then said, " I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ; I have surely seen the afflic-
tion of my people in Egypt, and I am come down to deliver them
out of the hand of the Egyptians. Come now, therefore, and I will
Bend thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people."
"Who am I," said Moses, "that I should go unto Pharoah, and
that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt ?"
He was assured that God would be with him, and that his mission
should be fulfilled by bringing the people to worship in that mount-
ain. The,n another difficulty arose. So corrupted had the peo-
ple grown by the idolatry of Egypt, that they had most probably
forgotten the God of their fathers. They would ask, " What is his
name ?" "I AM THAT I AM," God said unto Moses. " Thus shall
ye say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you"
(Exod. iii. 1-14). He was then told to go and gather the elders
of Israel together, and to tell them that the God of Abraham, of
Isaac, and of Jacob had appeared unto him, and had said, " I will
bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Ca-
naanites a land flowing with milk and honey." "They will not
believe me," answered Moses. "They will say, 'The Lord hath
not appeared unto thee.' " To remove the doubts of Moses about
his reception by the people, God added two signs, which he wrought
in his presence. The first was by turning his rod into a serpent,
and then into a rod again. The second was by making his hand
as white with leprosy as snow, and then turning it again as his oth-
er flesh. To these signs was added a third, the power to turn the
water of the Nile to blood (Exod. iv. 1-9).
But the clearer his mission was made to him, the more reluctant
did he feel to undertake th arduous work. He next pleads his
B.C. 1635-1491. MISSION OF MOSES. 61
want of eloquence. " O, my Lord," he says, " I am not eloquent ;
I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." He was now eighty
years of age ; for forty years he had spent a quiet and solitary
life, and the self-confidence of his earlier years had passed away.
" Go," said the Lord, " and I will be with thy mouth, and teach theo
what thou shalt say." As he was still reluctant, he was told that
his brother Aaron would meet him on his arrival in Egypt ; " he
can speak well, and he shall be thy spokesman unto the people.'
But yet the word was not to be Aaron's own. The two great func.
tions conferred by the divine mission were therefore thus divided :
Moses became the prophet, and Aaron the jiriest.
Moses then quitted Horeb and returned to Jethro. " Let me go,
I pray thee," he said to him, "and see whether my brethren in Egypt
are yet alive." "Go in peace," said Jethro. And the Lord said unto
Moses in Midian, " Go, return into Egypt, for all the men are dead
which sought thy life " (Exod. iv. 18, 19). Aaron, by the command
of God, went forth into the desert to meet Moses. They met at
Horeb, at the mount of God, the very spot where Moses had re-
ceived the revelation. There he informed his brother Aaron of the
mission on which he was sent, and of the signs with which it had
been accompanied. On reaching the land of Goshen, they assem-
bled the elders of Israel. "And Aaron spake all the words which
the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of
the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that
the Lord had looked upon their affliction, they bowed their heads
and worshipped" (Exod. iv. 30, 31). Moses and Aaron next sought
the presence of Pharaoh, to open the mission with which they were
charged. They told him that the Lord God of Israel had said,
"Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the
wilderness " (Exod. v. 1). " Who is the Lord," said Pharaoh, "that
I should obey his voice ? I know not the Lord, neither will I let
Israel go." Not only did the king refuse their request, but tlie
very same day he increased the burdens of the Israelites. He com-
manded the Egyptian task-masters no longer to give them the
chopped straw which was necessary to bind the friable earth into
bricks, so that the people had to lose their time in gathering straw
out of the fields for themselves. But still the full tale of bricks
was exacted from them. "They bo idle," said the king, "there-
fore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God." The
people, with this additional work, could no longer make the samo
number of bricks as before, and then the Hebrew overseers, who
were under the Egyptian task-masters, were beaten. They went to
Pharaoh, therefore, to make their troubles known. "There is no
straw given to thy servants," they said, " and yet we are required to
63 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IV.
make brick." Their appeal was rejected : as they left the king
they met Moses and Aaron, and turned upon them, accusing them
of making the people to be still more abhorred of Pharaoh and hig
servants (Exod. v. 21).
In this strait, Moses complained to God that his mission to Pha-
raoh had served no other purpose than to increase the affliction
of the people. God then renewed his promise, and assured him
that his time was at hand. "Now thou shalt see what I will do to
Pharaoh. I appeared of old," he said, " unto Abraham, unto Isaac,
and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by my name
JEHOVAH was I not known to them " (Exod. vi. 3). After this rev-
elation of His great name, the Lord made mention of the covenant
He had established to give them the land of Canaan. " I have also
heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians
keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant. And I will
redeem the people out of Egypt with a stretched-out arm and with
great judgments." Moses spake all this to the children of Israel,
but they were too heart-broken to accept the consolation. Jehovah
then gave Moses and Aaron their final charge to bring the people
out of Egypt, warning them that Pharaoh would resist, but that
his resistance would only give occasion for more signal displays of
His own power. He would multiply His signs and His wonders in
the land of Egypt, that the Egyptians might know that he was the
Lord (Exod. vii. 5).
Then began that memorable contest between the King of Egypt
and the King of kings, the type of all others between the power
of God and the hardened heart of man, which was stilled only in
the waters of the Red Sea. Moses and Aaron again entered the pres-
ence of Pharaoh, and, to confirm their mission, Aaron cast down his
rod, and it became a serpent. This was the first miracle wrought
by them; but Pharaoh, still incredulous, sent for the magicians of
Egypt, who did likewise with their enchantments. The rod of
Aaron then swallowed up those of the Egyptians. But Pharaoh's
heart was still hardened, so that he hearkened not unto them, as the
Lord had said (Exod. vii. 13). The following morning, Moses was
directed to remind Pharaoh of his refusal to let the Israelites go and
erve God in the wilderness, and, as his heart was hardened against
conviction, to teach him by suffering that Jehovah was the Lord.
The miracles that followed were judgments on the king, the people,
and their gods, forming the TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT.
i. The Plague of Blood. After a warning to Pharaoh, Aaron,
at the word of Moses, lifted up his rod, and smote the Nile in the
sight of the king and of his servants, and the river, with all its
canals and reservoirs and every vessel of water drawn from them.
B C. 1635-1491. THE TEN PLAGUES. 63
was turned into blood. The fish died ; the river stank, and the
Egyptians could not drink of its waters, but had to obtain water to
drink by digging wells. The miracle lasted for seven days ; but as
it was imitated by the magicians of Egypt with their enchantments,
it produced no impression upon Pharaoh. His heart was still
hardened (Exod. vii. 19-25 : comp. Psalm cv.).
ii. The Plague of Frogs. When Moses and Aaron were again
sent to Pharaoh, Moses was directed by the Lord to say, "Let my
people go, that they may serve me. And if thou refuse to let them
go, behold I will smite all thy borders with frogs." In obedience
to the Divine command, Aaron stretched forth his hand with his
rod over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up from their
natural haunts, and swarmed in countless numbers, "even in the
chambers of their kings," and defiled the very ovens and kneading-
troughs. From this plague there was no escape, and, though it
was imitated by the magicians, Pharaoh was reduced to send for
Moses, and was fain to seek relief through prayer, and by promising
to let the people go. On the morrow the frogs died where they
were out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields
and they were gathered together upon heaps, and the land stank.
But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his
heart and refused to keep his word (Exod. viii. 2-15).
iii. The Plague of Lice. From the waters and marshes the pow-
er of God passed on to the dry land. When smitten by Aaron's
rod, the very dust became lice in man and in beast. The magi-
cians did the same with their enchantments, but they could not
bring forth lice. Then they said unto Pharaoh. "This is the fin-
ger of God ;" but he hearkened not unto them, for his heart was
still hardened (Exod. viii. 16-19).
iv. The Plague of flies or Beetles. Moses was now directed to
threaten Pharaoh with another plague if he refused to let the people
go. As he continued obstinate, after the river and the land, the
air was now smitten. Swarms of flies filled the air, and came into
the huuses and devoured the land ; but Goshcn was free from the
plague. Pharaoh then sent for Moses and Aaron, and gave per-
mission for the Israelites to sacrifice to their God in the land ; but
Moses replied that the Egyptians would stone them if they sacri-
ficed the creatures they worshipped. He demanded that they
might go three days' journey into the wilderness. Pharaoh now
yielded ; but no sooner was the plague removed by the prayer of
Moses, than he hardened his heart at this time also, neither would
he let the people go (Exod. viii. 21-32).
v. Plague of the Murrain of Ileasts. Still coming closer and
closer to the Egyptians, God next sent a disease upon the cattle.
64 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IV.
At the set time, all the cattle of Egypt died, but of the cattle of the
children of Israel died not one. Still the heart of Pharaoh was
hardened, and he did not let the people go (Exod. ix. 4-7).
vi. The Plague of Boils and Blains. The next plague came
closer still. From the cattle the hand of God reached to their own
persons. Moses and Aaron were commanded to take handfuls of
ashes of the furnace, and sprinkle them towards the heaven in the
j:ght of Pharaoh. They did so ; and it became a boil breaking
forth with blains upon man and upon beast. The magicians, be-
ing themselves smitten with boils, could not appear before Moses.
Pharaoh, however, remained unmoved (Exod. ix. 8-12).
vii. The Plague of Hail. The first six plagues had been attend-
ed with much suffering and some loss, but the lives of the Egyp-
tians and their means of subsistence had not yet been touched.
Moses was now sent to threaten Pharaoh with a more terrible
judgment. He was charged to make the usual demand of the
king. " Let my people go, that they may serve me. Or else I
will this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, that thou may-
est know that there is none like me in all the earth." First of all,
they were threatened with a very grievous storm of hail. Pharaoli
was told to send and collect his cattle and men under shelter, for
that every thing would die upon which the hail descended. Some
of the king's servants heeded the warning thus given, and brought
in their cattle from the field. Others disregarded it, and left them
where they were. Then the Lord sent a terrific storm of hail, thun-
der, and fire running along upon the ground, such as had never
been seen in Egypt. All that was in the field, both man and
beast, was killed ; plants were destroyed, and trees broken to pieces.
But in the land of Goshen there was no hail. Pharaoh, more
moved than he had yet been, confessed that he had sinned, prayed
that the thunder and hail might cease, and promised to let the
people go. Moses consented to prove to him once more how that
the earth is the Lord's. The storm ceased at his prayer ; but when
Pharaoh perceived that it was over, ' ' he sinned yet more, and hard-
ened his heart, he and his servants" (Exod. ix. 23-34).
viii. The Playue of Locusts. The herbage which the storm had
spared was now given up to a terrible destroyer. After a fresh
summons and a fresh warning, Pharaoh seemed inclined to let the
men go ; but when he found that they wanted to take with them
their wives, their children, and their cattle, he was highly incensed,
and Moses and Aaron were driven out from his presence. On
omitting the palace, Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of
Egypt, and an east wind sprang up, bringing with it by the next
morning myriads of locusts, which alighted upon the fields green
B.C. 1035-1491. THE PASSOVEU INSTITUTED. 65
with the young blades of corn, so that the land was darkened, and
in a little time they ate up every blade of grass, and every green
thing that the hail had left. Pharaoh then called in haste for
Moses and Aaron. "Forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once,"
he cries, " and entreat God to take away from me this death only."
Then the Lord sent a strong west wind, which took away the lo-
custs, as an east wind had brought them ; but their removal left his
beart harder than ever (Exod. x. 1-20).
ix., x. The Plague of Darkness, and the Prediction of the Death of
(fie First-born. Still Pharaoh remained obdurate. For three days,
therefore, there was a thick darkness over the sunny land of Egypt,
" even darkness which might be felt ; while all the children of Is-
rael had light in their dwellings." While it lasted, the Egyptians
were unable to see one another, or to stir -out of their houses.
Pharaoh then sent for Moses, and said that they might go, with
their wives and children, but their flocks must be left. Moses re-
plied : " Our cattle also shall go with us ; there shall not a hoof be
left behind." Pharaoh refused, and with threats he forbade Moses
to see his face again. "In that day thou seest my face thou shall
die." At the end of the interview, Moses denounced the final judg-
ment, which had been the one great penalty threatened from the
beginning, for the midnight of that same day. "I will go out,
saith the Lord, into the midst of Egypt, and all the first-bom in the
land of Egypt shall die, and there shall be a great cry throughout
all the land of Egypt" (Exod. x. 21-xi. 6).
The contest was now over. The doom of Pharaoh and of his
people for their oppression of God's people had gone forth. Moses
returned in great anger to Goshen : the Egyptians, during the re-
mainder of the third day of darkness, sat awaiting the terrible stroke
which was to fall on them at midnight. Now was instituted, ac-
cording to God's command, the great observance of the Mosaical
dispensation, the FEAST OF THE PASSOVER (Exod. xii.).
The day, reckoned from sunset to sunset, on the night of which
the first-born of Egypt were slain and the Israelites departed, was
the fourteenth of the Jewish month Nisan, or Abib (March to April).
It was then the seventh month of the civil year ; thenceforth it was
to be the first month of the sacred year. Preparations for this feast
had been begun, by the command of God, on the tenth day of the
month. Each household had then chosen a yearling lamb (or kid)
without blemish. This "Paschal Lamb'' was set apart till thn
evening, which began the fourteenth day, when it was killed as a
sacrifice between the ninth hour and the twelfth (sunset) in every
family of Israel. On this night, moreover, they were to save nome
of the blood and sprinkle it with A bunch of hyssop on the lintel
and door-posts of the house, that the destroying angel, when be
E
66 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IV.
passed through the land to smite all the first-born both of man and
beast, might pass over the houses where he saw the token of the
blood. The families of Israel were to eat the lamb, roasted but
not boiled, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The bones
were not to be broken ; but they were to be burnt in the morning
with any of the flesh that was left uneaten. They were to eat it in
haste, with their loins girded, their sandals on their feet, their staff
$n their hand, like men setting forth on a long journey. For seven
days after the feast, from the fourteenth to the twenty-first of IS T i-
san, they were to eat only unleavened bread, and to have no leaven
in their houses under penalty of death. The first and last of these
days were to be kept with a holy convocation, and free from all
manner of work. The Feast of the Passover was to be kept
throughout their generations a feast by an ordinance forever ; and
fathers were specially enjoined to teach their children the meaning
of this service.
The Israelites had finished the Paschal feast, and were awaiting
in their houses, in awful suspense, the great event which was to ac-
complish their deliverance. "At midnight the Lord smote all the
first-born in the land of Egypt with immediate death, from the first-
born of Pharaoh that sat on the throne unto the first-born of the
captive in the dungeon ; and all the first-born of cattle. And Pha-
raoh rose up in the night, with all his servants, and there was a
great cry in Egypt ; for there was not a house where there was not
one dead " (Exod. xii. 29, 30). His hardened heart gave way.
He at once sent for Moses and Aaron, and all his people joined with
him in urging the instant departure of the Israelites, with their
children and their cattle. They were sent forth with such haste
that they had not even time to prepare food, but took the dough
before it was leavened, in their kneading-troughs bound up in their
clothes upon their shoulders, with which they made unleavened
cakes at their first halt. But amidst all this haste, Moses did not
forget to carry away the bones of Joseph. The host numbered
600,000 men on foot able to bear arms, besides children, from which
the total number of souls is estimated at not less than 2,500,000,
Their march was conducted with order and discipline (Exod. xiii.
18), and was guided by Jehovah himself, "who went before them
by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and by night
in a pillar of a fire, to give them light."
This Exodus or departure of the Israelites from Egypt closed the
four hundred and thirty years of their pilgrimage (Exod. xii. 40),
which began from the call of Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees.
Having been welded by affliction into a nation, they were now call-
ed forth to receive the laws of their new state amidst the awful soli-
tudes of Sinai.
Bronze figure of Apis.
CHAPTER V.
THK EXODUS AND THE LAW. B.C. 149 \ 90.
THE whole journey of the Israelites from Egypt into the Land
of Promise may, in a general view, be divided into three separate
portions :
i. The March out of Egypt to Mount Sinai, there to worship Je-
hovah, as he had said to Moses. This filled up the first sacred
year, and nearly two months of the second.
ii. The March from Sinai to the borders of Canaan, whence they
were turned back for their unwillingness to enter the land. This
occupied a little more than four months.
iii. The Wandering in the Wilderness and entrance into Canaan.
This is often spoken of in round numbers as a period of forty years;
but, strictly speaking, the wanderings occupied thirty-seven and a
half years. In the fortieth year they came again to Kadesh, and
advanced as far as the plains of Moab, on the east of Jordan.
The Israelites began their march from Rameses, in the land of
Goshen (Exod. xii. 37). Had the object been to lead them by the
nearest route out of Egypt into Canaan, it might have been accom-
plished in a few days' journey along the shore of the Mediterranean
to Gaza. But as they were unfit to face the warlike Philistines,
who would be likely to offer some opposition to their progress, God
led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the Red
Sea (Exod. xiii. 18). Their first resting-place was at Strcccmi
(booths'), the exact site of which is unknown ; it was probably about
* day's journey in the direction of Suez. Their next was ETHAM,
63 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. V.
on the edge of the wilderness (Exod. xiii. 20). This position was
very probably about three miles from the western side of the ancient
head of the Gulf of Suez. Thence their natural route into the
peninsula of Sinai would have been round the head of the gulf,
but, by the express command of God, they kept on its west side, and
turned and encamped before PI-HAHIROTH, between Migdol and the
Bea. In other words, instead of proceeding northward, they pro-
ceeded southward, and took up a position inclosed between the sea
en the east, the mountains of Attakah on the south and west, and
the wilderness they had passed through in the rear. A pursuing
army soon pressed on to cut off their retreat. When Pharaoh
heard that the Israelites had fled, he regretted that be had let them
go. He therefore made ready his chariot and took his people with
him. He took also six hundred war chariots, and captains over
every one of them, together with a large army, and set out in pur-
suit. The sight of their old oppressors struck the Israelites with
dismay. "Hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness,"
they cried to Moses, "because there were no graves in Egypt?"
But the way was made clear by faith and obedience. "Fear ye
not," he replies; "stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.
The Lord shall fight for you." The guiding pillar of fire, which
had gone before the camp of Israel, then removed and went behind
them, casting its beams forward along their column, but dazzling
the sight of their pursuers. When Moses stretched out his hand
over the sea, a strong east wind blew all that night, and divided
the waters as a wall on the right hand and on the left, while the
children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground
The host of Pharaoh followed after them ; but at the morning
watch the Lord looked out of the pillar of fire and cloud, and troub-
led the Egyptians; their chariot-wheels dragged heavily; they be-
came panic-stricken, and sought to fly. But at the command of
God, Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea re
turned to his strength when the morning appeared, and the Egyp-
tians fled against it, but not one of them was left alive (Exod. xiv.
5-28). Thus the Lord saved Israel out of the hand of the Egyp.
tians. "And the people feared the Lord, and believed his servant
Moses." The passage of the Red Sea was the beginning of a new
dispensation : they were all baptized to Moses in the cloud and in
the sea (1 Cor. x. 2). In this light the deliverance is looked back
upon by the sacred writers in every age, led by the inspired song
snng by Moses and the children of Israel, with the responsive cho-
rus formed by "Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, and
all the women who went out after her with timbrels and dances,"
echoing the refrain :
B.C. 1491-90. WILDERNESS OF SIN. 69
"Sing ye to JEHOVAH, for He hath triumphed gloriously:
The horse and his rider hath He thrown iuto the sea." 1
Their route now lay southward down the east side of the Gulf of
Suez, and at first along the shore. They marched for three days
through the wilderness of Shur, where they found no water (Exod.
xv. 22). At length they came to a spring called MARAH (bitter-
ness), on account of its bitter waters. The people, tormented with
<thirst, murmured against Moses, who, at the command of God, cast
ia certain tree into the waters, which made them sweet. Going for-
ward, they reached the oasis of Elim, where there were twelve wells
and threescore and ten palm-trees, and there they encamped. Strik-
ing inland, they now lost sight of the Red Sea and the shores of
Egypt, and entered the WILDERNESS OF SIN (Exod. xvi. 1), which
leads up from the shore to the entrance to the mountains of Sinai.
Here occurred their second great trial since leaving Egypt. Their
unleavened bread was exhausted. "Would to God," they cried,
" that we had died in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots and did
eat bread to the full," instead of being led out to perish with hun-
ger in the wilderness. But God was teaching them to look to Him
for their "daily bread." The glory of the Lord appeared in the
cloud, and the Lord spake unto Moses, and promised that that very
evening they should have flesh to eat, and in the morning they
should be filled with bread. At the appointed time God sent a
flight of quails which covered the camp ; and the next morning
there was a fall of dew around the camp, and when it was dried up
there lay upon the ground a small round thing, as small as the par-
ticles of hoar-frost, white like coriander-seed, and tasting like wafers
made of honey. When the people saw it, they exclaimed MAN-HU,
which signifies, in Hebrew, "What is it?" (Exod. xvi. 15). From
this question it was called Mannn. Moses replied, "This is the
bread which the Lord hath given you to eat." The supply of this
food was continued for forty years, till they reached Canaan (Exod.
xvi. 35). God humbled them, and suffered them to hunger, and
fed them with a food unknown to them, " that he might make them
know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that
(Proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live " (Deut. viii,
3). This manna was a type of Christ, who came down from hear-
cn as the Bread of Life (John vi. 31-35).
The rules laid down for the gathering of the manna led to th
revival of the Sabbath, the observance of which had, no doubt, been
neglected in Egypt. Every morning they gathered a certain quan-
tity for use during the day, but on the sixth day they gathered twice
as much, because none would fall on the seventh, which was a Sab-
bath or day of rest (Exod. xvi. 16-20).
1 ExocliiH xv
70 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. V.
From the wilderness of Sin other valleys lead up, by a series of
steep ascents into the recesses of the mountain region of Sinai,
Their next resting-place was at RKPHIDIM. Here there was no wa-
ter for the people to drink, and they burst forth into an angry rebel-
lion against Moses. "Why," said they, " hast thou brought us up
out of Egypt to kill us, our children, and our cattle, with thirst?"
In answer to the cry of Moses, the Lord vouchsafed a miracle for r
permanent supply during their abode in the wilderness of Sinai
Moses was commanded to go on before the people with the elderg
of Israel, and to smite the rock in Horeb with the rod wherewith he
smote the river. He did so in their presence, and water flowed
forth c ut of it. The place was called MASSAH (temptation), and
MEHIBAH (chiding or strife) because they tempted the Lord, and
doubted whether He was among them or not (Exod. xvii. 1-7).
The spring thus opened seems to have formed a brook, which the
Israelites used during their whole sojourn near Sinai (Deut. ix. 21;
comp. Psa. Ixxviii. 15, 16 ; cv. 41). Hence the rock is said to have
"followed them" by St. Paul, who makes it a type of Christ, the
source of the spiritual water of life (1 Cor. x. 4).
It was in Rephidim that the new-formed nation fought their first
great battle. The peninsula of Sinai and the adjoining deserts
were at that time in the occupation of the Amalekites a tribe de-
scended from Eliphaz, the son of Esau (Gen. xxxvi. 16). Whether
they regarded the Israelites as intruders, or whether they attacked
them for the sake of plunder, is uncertain. Moses directed JOSHUA,
whose name is now first mentioned, to choose out a body of men,
and fight against the enemy, while he himself stood on the top of
the hill with the rod of God outstretched in his hand. According-
ly, the next morning, attended by his brother Aaron, and by Hur,
the husband of Miriam, Moses went up to the top of a hill, with the
rod of God in his hand, and while he held up his hand Israel pre-
vailed, and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed. When
he grew weary, a stone was brought for him to sit upon, and his
hands were held up by Aaron and Hur, one on each side, till sun-
set, when Amalek was discomfited. The attitude of Moses seema
to have been a sign of God's presence with His hosts, like a stand-
ard over the battle-field. This meaning is taught by the name
given to the altar of thanksgiving then set up JEHOVAH-NISBI,
the Lord is my banner (Exod. xvii. 8-13).
For this act of hostility the tribe of Amalek was doomed td utter
destruction. "I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek,"
said the Lord, "from under heaven." Moses was commanded by
God to write the whole transaction in a book ; and here we have
one of the passages in which we learn from the sacred writer*
B.C. 1491-90. WILDERNESS OF SINAI. 71
themselves their authorship of the books that bear their names
(Exod. xvii. 14).
During the encampment at Kephidim, Jethro, the father-in-law
of Moses, brought his wife Zipporah and his two sons to visit him.
Moses received him with high honor, and recounted to him all that
the Lord had done for the deliverance of his people. "Now I
know," said Jethro, "that the Lord is greater than all gods," and
he offered sacrifices to God. On the morrow, seeing Moses over-
burdened with judging the people, he advised him to appoint a num-
ber of able men, to be rulers over thousands, over hundreds, over
fifties, and over tens, who would share the burden with him, and to
reserve himself for the harder causes, to lay them before God as
mediator for the people. And Moses did so (Exod. xviii.).
On the first day of the third month after leaving Egypt, the Is-
raelites came to the WILDERNESS OF SINAI, and here they encamp-
ed before the mount. Never in the history of the world was such
a scene beheld as that plain now presented ! A whole nation was
assembled alone with God. His hand had been seen, and His voice
heard at every step of their history for four hundred and thirty years
up to this great crisis. Ho had divided the very sea to let them
pass into this secret shrine of nature, whose awful grandeur pre-
pared their minds for the coming revelation. The events that took
place during their stay at Sinai, till the setting up of the tabernacle,
will now be related.
There was a season of preparation before the law was given.
First Moses went up unto God ; and the Lord called to him out of
the mountain, telling him to remind the people of what he had al-
ready done for them against the Egyptians, and promising that, if
they would obey his voice nnd keep his covenant, " then shall ye
be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people (for all the earth is
mine), and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy na-
tion." They were to be kings and priests for others' good, a holy
nation for a pattern to all the rest. Moses acquainted the elders
of the people with all the words that the Lord had commanded
him, and they answered. "All that, the Lord hath spoken we will
do." Moses was next warned that the Lord was coining to him it
ft thick cloud, and would speak to him before all the people, that
they might believe him forever. He was commanded to purify the
people against the third day, and to set a boundary round the mount,
that neither man nor beast might touch it under penalty of death.
On the third day, in the morning, the mountain was enveloped in
a thick cloud, and surrounded with such terrors that Moses and all
the people in the camp feared and trembled. From amidst the
darkness, and above the trumpet's sound. God'a voice was heard
72 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAK V.
calling Moses up into the mount, bidding him charge the people lest
they should break the bounds to gaze on God, and prepare the eld-
ers to come up with him and Aaron, when God should call them
(Exod. xix. 5-24).
Then followed the greatest event of the Old Covenant. From
the midst of the fire and of the smoke, the voice of God himself
was heard giving forth TEN COMMANDMENTS, by which his peopla
were to live. These were the only parts of the law given by the
'oice of God to the assembled people : they alone were afterwards
ritten on the two tables of stone (Deut. v. 22). As soon as God
had done speaking, the people, overcome with terror, prayed Moses
that lie would speak to them in the place of God, lest they should
die. They then removed afar off, while Moses drew near to the
thick darkness where God was. In the course of the six following
days, he received a series of precepts which form a practical inter-
pretation of the Ten Commandments (Exod. xx.-xxiii.). These
words of the Lord Moses wrote in a book, which he named the
Book of the Covenant, and he read it in the audience of the people.
Having built an altar at the foot of Mount Sinai, and offered sac-
rifices, and the people having promised to obey the voice of the
Lord, Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on them, and said,
"Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made
with you" (Exod. xxiv. 7, 8).
These precepts were followed by promises relating to the people's
future course. The land of Canaan was clearly marked out as their
destination (Exod. xxiii. 23), and its gradual conquest assured to
them. A special warning was given them against idolatry. Above
all, the ANGEL JEHOVAH, who had already led them out of Egypt,
was still to be their guide, to keep them in the way, and to bring
them to the place appointed for them. But, if provoked and dis-
obeyed, He would be a terror to them, for "uiy name is in Him"
( Exod. xxiii. 21). In this angel, God himself was present as the
Shepherd of His flock ; and in tempting and provoking him in the
wilderness, they vexed God's Holy Spirit.
The clouds of Sinai did not exhibit, but concealed, the true glor?
of Jehovah ; and He now vouchsafed a vision of that glory to Moses,
with Aaron and his sons Nadab and Abihu. and seventy of the eld-
ers of Israel. The chosen party went up and saw God, enthroned
in His glory, and yet they lived. Moses was then called up alone
into the mount to receive the tables of stone and the law which
God had written, while Aaron and Hur were left to govern the
people. He then went up alone into the mount, which a clond
covered for six days, crowned with the glory of God as a burning
fire. On the seventh day Moses was called into the cloud, and
B.C. 1491-90. GIVING OF THE LAW. 73
there he abode without food forty days and forty nights (Exod.
xxiv. 1-18).
During this period, he received instructions from God as to the
pattern of the tabernacle, the form of the ark, the various kinds of
sacrifices, and other ordinances of divine worship. When He had
made an end of communing with him, God gave unto Moses "two
tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God "
[Exod. xxxi. 18). As the weeks passed by without his return from
the mount, the Israelites began to think that they had lost their
leader, and they said to Aaron, " Up, make us gods which shall go
before us." Aaron weakly yielded to their demand, and asked the
people for their golden ear-rings, from which he made a "molten
calf," the symbol of the Egyptian deity Apis. This he set before
the people as the image of the God who had brought them out of
Egypt, and he built an altar before the idol, and on the morrow
the people offered sacrifices to it, and kept a feast, with songs and
dances. This was on the last of the forty days; God then sent
Moses down from the mount, telling him of the people's sin, and
threatening to destroy them, and promising to make of him a new
nation. Moses, however, pleaded for them by the honor of God
in the eyes of the Egyptians, and by his covenant with Abraham,
Isaac, and Israel. "And the Lord repented of the evil which he
thought to do unto his people " (Exod. xxxii. 1-14).
Moses, attended by his servant Joshua, now turned and went
down from the mount, carrying in his hands the two tables of the
testimony. He soon heard the shouts of revelry, which were mis-
taken by Joshua for the noise of battle. As he drew nigh to the
camp, he saw them dancing before the golden calf, and in righteous
indignation he cast the tables out of his hands, and broke them in
pieces at the foot of the mount. He next destroyed the calf by fire
and pounding, and strewed its dust upon the stream from which
the people drank. After sharply upbraiding Aaron, who laid the
blame on the people, for the part he had taken in the matter, Moses
then made a terrible example. Standing in the gate of the camp,
he cried, "Whoever is on the Lord's side come unto me ;" and all
bis brethren of the tribe of Levi rallied round him. He command
3d them to go, sword in hand, throughout the camp, and to slay all
whom they still found at the idolatrous feast, without regard to
kindred or acquaintance. And about three thousand of the peo-
ple, still in the midst of their mirth, were put to death. This was
the act which consecrated the tribe of Levi to the service and
priesthood of Jehovah (Exod. xxxii. 15-28).
On the morrow, Moses reproved the people for their sin, but prom.
Iflcd to intercede for them with the Lord. God replied that the sin
74 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. V,
ner himself should be blotted out of His book, and He sent plagues
upon the people on account of their idolatry. He promised, how-
ever, to send His angel before them, to be their leader. At this
the people murmured, thinking that they were to lose God's own
presence. Moses then took the sacred tent, called the Tabernadt
of the congregation, and pitched it outside of the camp which had
teen profaned, and all who sought the Lord went out to it. When
JHoses went out to the tabernacle, every man stood at his tent-dooi
Ivatching him ; and when he entered it, the pillar of cloud descend-
ed and stood at the door, and " the Lord spake unto Moses, face to
face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." As a special encourage-
ment to Moses himself, God said, "My presence shall go with thee,
and I will give thee rest." Moses then prayed that God would show
him His glory. "Thou canst not see my face and live," said the
Lord. But God promised to place him in a cleft of the rock, and
to hide him while His glory passed by, so that he could see the train
behind Him, but not His face (Exod. xxxii. 30-xxxiii. 23).
By the command of God, Moses went up again into the mount
alone, carrying with him two tables of stone, to replace those which
he had broken. Then the Lord descended in a cloud, and pro-
claimed His name as the "Lord God, merciful and gracious, long
suffering and abundant in goodness and truth." Moses interceded
once more for his people, and God renewed His covenant, promising
to work wonders for them, such as had not been done in all the
earth, and to bring them into the Promised Land, and adding a new
warning against their falling into the idolatry of Canaan. This
time, also, Moses remained in the mount alone with the Lord forty
days and forty nights, fasting ; there he received anew the precepts
of the law, as well as the two tables he had taken up, with the Ten
Commandments written thereupon by God himself. When Moses
came down from the mount, the light of God's glory shone so brightly
from his face, that the people were afraid to come nigh him, and he
covered it with a veil while he recited to them the commandments
that God had given him (Exod. xxxiv. 1-35).
Moses now gathered together all the congregation of the children
of Israel, and, after repeating the law of the Sabbath, he asked their
free gifts for the tabernacle and its furniture. And every one whose
heart was willing brought offerings to the Lord, jewels, and gold
and silver, and brass, skins and woven fabrics of blue, of purple,
of scarlet and of fine linen, spices, oils, and incense. Two men
were called, and gifted by God's Spirit with skill for the work
Bezaleel, the son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah, and Aholiab. the
on of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan ; and they wrought with
'every wise-hearted man in whom the Lord put wisdom and un-
B.C. 1491-00. THE TABERNACLE SET UP. 75
derstanding to work for the service of the sanctuary." The people
soon brought more than enough for the work, and they made the
tabernacle, with its furniture and vessels, the cloths of service, and
the garments of the priests, after the pattern shown to Moses in the
mount, and Moses blessed them (Exod. xxxv.-xxxix.).
All things being thus prepared, Moses was commanded, on the
first day of the first month of the second year, to set up the taber-
nacle, and to place therein the ark of the covenant, and all the
sacred vessels and furniture, and to anoint Aaron and his sons to
the priesthood. When he had finished the work, God vouchsafed
a visible token of His presence and approval. The glory of the
Lord filled the tabernacle, so that Moses was unable to enter it.
A whole month was afterwards spent in arranging the service of
the sanctuary, as it is set forth fully in the Book of Leviticus, be^
Core the people prepared to resume their journey (Exod. xl.).
CHAPTER VI.
THE WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS. B. C. 1490-1452.
ON the first day of the second month of the second year (Jyar =
May, B.C. 1490) from the epoch of the Exodus, the Lord com-
manded Moses to number the people able to bear arms, from twenty
years old and upward. The Levites, being exempted from military
service, were numbered separate!)'. At this census, the total of the
military array was found to be in round numbers about 600,000.
The whole host was divided into four camps, which surrounded the
tabernacle during a halt, and went before and after it on the march.
The Levites were taken for the service of Jehovah in place of the,
first-born ; it was their duty to minister to the high-priest, and tc
attend to the tabernacle of the congregation.
At length the word of Jehovah came to them, saying that they
had dwelt long enough in Horeb, and commanding them to turn
and journey onward (Deut. i. 6, 7). The aim of their journey was
to take possession of the land which God had promised to their
fathers. The cloud of Jehovah's presence, which had been resting
over the tabernacle, was then lifted up as the sign of departure
B.C. 1490-1452. ROUTE OF THE WANDERING. 77
and the tabernacle itself was taken down. At the alarm blown
by the two silver trumpets ('Numb. x. 1-10) each of the four camps
set forward in its appointed order, and the host followed the cloud
into the wilderness of Paran. During their march, the cloud, dark
by day and luminous by night, indicated every halting-place ; when
it was taken up from the tabernacle, then they journeyed ; in the
place where it abode, there they pitched their tents. When the
ark set forward, Moses said, "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies
be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee." And
when it rested, he said, " Return, OLord, unto the many thousands
of Israel " (Numb. x. 35, 36).
In following the route of the Israelites, we must remember that
its general direction is northward from Sinai " to the mount of the
Amorites, " the highlands of southern Palestine. The two extreme
points are the camp before Sinai on the south, and KADKSH on the
north. The distance between these points was eleven days' jour-
ney, or about 1G5 miles. Their present journey must be carefully
distinguished from their final march into Palestine, at the end of
the thirty-eight years' wandering in the wilderness.
More than once during their march, the people murmured
against Jehovah. The mixed multitude that came with them out
of Egypt were among the first to complain ; with the children of
Israel, they remembered the abundance of Egypt, and, growing
tired of the manna, they said, " Who shall give us flesh to eat?"
(Numb. xi. 4). Upon this rebellion, Moses complained to the
Lord that the burden of the people was too great for him to bear
alone. He was directed to choose seventy of the elders of Israel,
and to bring them to the door of the tabernacle. And the Lord
came down in a cloud, and took of the Spirit that was on Moses,
and gave it unto them, and they prophesied. Two of them, who
had not come out to the tabernacle, Eldad and Medad, prophesied
in the camp. Joshua asked Moses to forbid them ; but ho replied,
" Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets." The
people were then punished for their murmurings. God sent quails
among them ; but in the very act of eating them the Lord smoto
the people with a very great plague, and a great number perished.
This place was called KIBROTH-HATTAAVAH, that is, "the graves
of lust " (Numb. xi. 25-34).
Their next halting-place was at HAZEROTH. Here a rebellion
arose against Moses in his own family. Aaron and Miriam spake
against him because of the Cnsldte woman whom lie had married
probably his Midianite wife Zipporah and disputed his authority.
"Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses, they said; hath He not
spoken also by us ?" The Lord heard it, and called forth all three
78 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VI
to the tabernacle. There he told Aaron and Miriam that with
other prophets He would converse in visions and in dreams, but
with His servant Moses openly, mouth to mouth. The Lord show-
ed His anger against them by smiting Miriam with leprosy :
though she was healed at the prayer of Moses, yet was she shut out
of the camp seven days as a punishment. After this the people
removed from Hazeroth and pitched in the wilderness of Paran
(Numb. xii. 1-16).
We find them next at KADESH, or KADESH-BARNEA. Here
Moses, by the command of the Lord, sent forth twelve spies, the
heads of their respective tribes, to explore the land. Of these only
two are memorable names CALEB, the son of Jephunneh, of the
tribe of Judah, and Oshea, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim,
whom Moses had called JOSHUA, i. e., Saviour (Numb. xiii. 16).
They searched the land for forty days, and then returned to Kadesh,
bringing back to Moses a glowing description of the fertility of the
country. It is a good land, they said, that the Lord our God doth
give us: "surely it floweth with milk and honey." In proof of
its fertility, they brought back from the rich vine-clad valley of
Eshcol a cluster of grapes so large that it was borne by two men
upon a staff, together witli pomegranates and figs. All, however,
with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, exaggerated the strength
and the size of the people of the land, and said that they were too
powerful to be conquered by the Israelites. Whereupon the peo-
ple spent the night in weeping. They murmured against Moses
and Aaron, and said, " Would God that we had died in the land
of Egypt or in the wilderness. Wherefore hath the Lord brought
us into this land to fall by the sword ? Let us make a captain,
and let us return into Egypt." Then Moses and Aaron fell on
their faces before all the assembly, while Caleb and Joshua rent
their clothes, and contradicted the reports of the other spies.
" The land which we passed through." they said, "is an exceeding
good land. If the Lord delight in vis, then He will give it us."
But the people would not listen to them, and ordered them to be
stoned. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle,
and a second time He threatened to destroy the people, and to
give to Moses a greater and mightier nation. " How long will
this people provoke me ? How long will it be ere they believe
me?" said the Lord. . . . "Pardon, I beseech thee," cried
Moses, once more, as before Sinai, " the iniquity of this people ac-
cording unto the greatness of Thy mercy." His prayer was heard.
The Lord promised to pardon the nation, but at the same time He
ewore by Himself, "As truly as I live, saith the Lord, all the
ftarth shall be filled with My glory, by seeing the example that I
B.C. 1490-1452. IN THE WILDERNESS. 79
will make of those men who have rebelled against me, not one of
whom, save Caleb, shall see the Promised Land." The execution
of the sentence was to begin at once. They were to turn back
into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea ; there they were to
wander for forty years, till all the men of twenty years old and
upward had left their carcasses in the wilderness. Then at length
their children, having shared their wanderings, should enter on the
inheritance which their fathers had despised. As an earnest of
the judgment, the ten faithless spies were slain by a plague. When
it was too late, the people changed their minds. In the morning
they marched up the mountain-pass, against the commandment of
the Lord, and in spite of the warning of Moses ; and the Amalek-
ites and Canaanites, coming down upon them, defeated them with
great slaughter, and chased them as far as Hormah, and even to
Mount Seir (Numb. xiv.). The entrance to the Promised Land on
this side was now hopelessly barred.
The thirty-eight years occupied in the execution of God's judg-
ment on the generation that grieved Him in the wilderness, and
to whom He swore in his wrath, They shall not enter into my rest,
form almost a blank in the sacred history. The mystery which
hangs over this period seems like an awful silence into which the
rebels sink away. Most probably their head-quarters during this
period were at Kadesh, and they continued to lead a wandering
life, chiefly among the pastures of the Arahah, or the " Wilderness
of Zin " the broad desert valley which runs from the Dead Sea to
the eastern head of the Red Sea, between Mount Seir on the east
and the Mount of the Amorites on the west. There are five chap-
ters in the Book of Numbers which refer to this interval, and in
which the following events are recorded :
(i.) The death, by stoning, of a man who was found gathering
sticks on the Sabbath-day. His offense was doing servile work.
"And the Lord said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death.
And all the congregation stoned him with stones " (Numb. xr.
32-36).
(ii.) The rebellion of Korah, Dnthnn, and Abiram was the next
trouble. These three rose up against Moses and against Aaron,
and disputed their supremacy. "All the congregation are holy,"
they said, " every one of them, and the Lord is among them:
wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the
Lord ?" Korah, a Levite, with 250 princes famous in the congre-
gation, claimed equality with the priests, and he was joined by I)n-
than and Abiram and others of the tribe of Reuben. At God's
command they presented themselves, with MJSCS and Aaron, at the
door of the tabernacle, each with his censer Then the Lord spuko
80 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VI
unto Moses and Aaron, commanding them to separate themselves
from the congregation that he might destroy them. For the third
time the intercessor obtained the people's pardon ; but the earth
opened her mouth and swallowed up the three rebels, with their
families and all that belonged to them, while fire burst out from tha
tabernacle, and consumed the 250 men that offered incense (Numb,
xvi. 1-35). The Apostle Jude uses those who "perished in the
gainsaying of Korah" as a type of the "filthy dreamers" who, in
the last days, shall "despise dominion and speak evil of dignities"
(Jude 11).
(iii.) The people now murmured at the fate of the men whose
rebellion they had favored ; but at the very moment when they
gathered against Moses and Aaron before the tabernacle, the glory
of the Lord appeared, and sent a pestilence among them. Then
followed one of the most striking examples of the intercession of
Moses and the mediation of the high-priest. Seeing that " wrath
was gone out from the Lord," Moses bade Aaron fill his censer
with coals from the altar, and with incense as an atonement for the
people, and stand between the living and the dead, and thus the
plague was stayed (Numb. xvi. 41-48).
(iv.) After these things a new sign was given of the Lord's spe-
cial favor to the house of Aaron. Twelve rods were chosen for
the several tribes and laid up in the tabernacle before the ark, the
name of AAEON being inscribed on the rod of Levi. On the mor-
row Aaron's rod was found covered with buds and blossoms and
full-grown almonds. The rest were still dry sticks. By the com-
mand of God it was laid up in the ark, and kept for a perpetual
memorial against like rebellions (Numb. xvii. 7-10).
At the beginning of the fortieth year of the wanderings, we find
the Israelites again in the wilderness of Zin, at Kadesh, and draw-
ing near to Canaan. The doom under which most of the old gen-
eration had by this time perished now reached the house of Am-
ram. MIRIAM, the eldest sister of Moses and Aaron, died and wn
buried here (Numb. xx. 1). Here, too, Moses and Aaron commit-
ted the sin which brought them also under the sentence of death be-
fore entering the Promised Land. The people murmured for wa-
ter ; God commanded Moses and Aaron to stand before the rock in
the sight of the people, and Moses, holding the rod in his hand, was
only to speak to the rock. But this time the trial was too great for
his faith and patience. Upbraiding the people as rebels, he asked,
" Must we fetch you water out of this rock?" and, from a feeling
of distrust, he smote the rock twice with his rod. An abundant
stream gushed out, which was called the water of Meribah (strife),
But at the same time the Lord said to Moses and Aarou, " Because
B C. 1490-1452. DEATH OF AAEON. 81
ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of
Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land
which I have given them " (Numb. xx. 7-12).
This prediction was soon afterwards accomplished with respect
to Aaron. " Take Aaron and Eleazar his son," said the Lord,
"and bring them up unto Mount Hor. And strip Aaron of his
garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall
die there." Moses obeyed ; and Aaron died in the top of the mount
(Numb. xx. 25-29). This event involved the demise of the first
high-priest and the investiture of his successor. Aaron was buried
either on the mountain or at its foot, and the people mourned for
him thirty days. Afterwards they set out on their final march.
Leaving Mount Hor, they proceeded down the valley called Ara-
bah. It was probably during their encampment at this place that
they were attacked by a tribe of the Amalekites under King Arad,
who carried off some of the Israelites as captives. As the people
pursued their way down this sandy and arid region they grew much
discouraged. God punished their murmurs by sending among
them serpents whose fiery bite was fatal. On their repentance,
" the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a serpent of brass, and set
it up upon a pole ;" and whoever was bitten by a serpent had but to
look up at it and live. A very deep interest belongs to this inci-
dent of the pilgrimage of Israel, which is thus explained by Christ
himself, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of Man be lifted up ; that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have eternal life " (John iii. 14, 15).
The people now went on patiently the remainder of their way
Turning out of the valley of the Arabah and going eastward, they
entered the wilderness of Moab, and skirted the eastern side of
Mount Seir. Many, however, of their stations during their pil-
grimage can not now be identified (Numb. xxi. 10-19). At length,
when they reached the valley and brook of Zered, the desert wan-
derings of the Israelites may be considered to have come to an end.
Between this stream on the south and the River Arnon on th
north lay the territory of Moab. The region between the Arnon
and the Jabbok formed the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amo-
rites, whose capital was Heshbon. North of the Jabbok, extend-
ing to Mount Hermon, lay the great upland territory of Bnshan,
the kingdom of the giant Og, who is also called an Amorite. These
regions east of the Jordan formed no part of the land marked out
for the first settlement of the Israelites, but events drew them on
to their conquest.
The Moabitcs offering no opposition to the passage of the Israel-
ites through their territory, the people passed over the upper courses
F
82 SCRIPTUKE HISTORY. CHAP. VI
of the Zered and the Arnon, and reached "the mountains of Aba-
rim, before Nebo," on the top of Pisgah, facing the JESHIMON, or
wilderness, and there they encamped. From this place they sent
messengers to Sihon, asking for a passage through his country to
the fords of Jordan, opposite to Jericho, where they purposed to
enter the Promised Land. The Amorite king not only refused the
request, but marched out with all his forces against Israel into the
wilderness. A decisive battle at Jalmz gave the Israelites posses-
sion of his whole territory. Sihon himself was slain, and Israel
dwelt in the cities of the Amorites, from Aroer, on the Arnon, to
the Jabbok (Numb. xxi. 23-30). Crossing the Jabbok, they enter-
ed into the district of Bashan, and here they encountered the giant
king Og. He was defeated at Edrei, and slain with his sons and
his people, and they took possession of his land. These first great
victories of the new generation of Israel gave them the whole re-
gion lying between the Jordan and the desert, from the Arnon on
the south to Mount Hermon on the north, the region soon after-
wards allotted to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of
Manasseh.
The Israelites now made their last encampment on the east side
of the Jordan, in " the desert plains " of Moab. Their tents were
pitched about six miles from the river, among the long groves of
acacias which, "on the eastern as well as on the western side, mark
with a line of verdure the upper terraces of the valley," from ABEL
SHITTIM (the meadow of acacias) on the north to BETH JESHIMOTH
(the house of the wastes) on the south. They were able to see on
the western bank the green meadows of Jericho, their first-intended
conquest. High above, and close behind them, rose the hills of
Abarim, which were soon occupied by a watchful and wily enemy.
The conquest of the Amorites had roused the Moabites from
their doubtful neutrality. Their king, Balak, the son of Zippor,
apprehensive that his territory would in turn be invaded by the
Israelites, resolved to attack them. Aware, however, that he could
not hope to overcome his foe with his own resources alone, he
sought to strengthen himself by making a confederacy with such of
the wandering tribes of Midian as were then pasturing their flocks
within his territories. The united forces encamped on the heights
of Abarim, while Balak sought further help from another quarter.
From the sheikhs of Midian he had no doubt heard of a famous
prophet or diviner named BALAAM, who dwelt at Pethor, beyond
the Euphrates. This man was one of those who still retained the
knowledge of the true God ; but he seems to have practised the arts
of divination, and to have used his supernatural knowledge for
gain. His fame was spread far and wide among the tribes of the
B.C. 1490-1452. BALAAM AND BALAK. 83
desert. "I wot that he whom thou btessest is blessed, and he
whom thou cursest is cursed," is the belief on which Balak ground^
ed his invitation to Balaam to come and curse Israel, after which
he hoped he might be able to prevail against them and drive them
out of the land. The message was carried by the ciders of Moab
and of Midian, with rewards for his divinations in their hand, say-
ing, " Come, curse me this people, for they are too mighty for me.'
The temptation was too great for the prophet's integrity. He must
have known that Israel were the people of his God, and that he had
nothing to do with the messengers of Balak. But, instead of dis-
missing them at once, he invited them to remain for the night,
while he consulted God. He received the plain answer: "Thou
shall not go with them; thou shall not curse the people, for they
are blessed ;" and in the morning he sent them back to their own
land. Again, however, across the Assyrian desert, Balak sent
more numerous and more honorable messengers, with a more press-
ing message. "Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee," he said,
"from coming to me, for I will promote thee unto very great hon-
or." To this Balaam replied not that lie could not entertain Ba-
lak's proposal for a moment, but that he could not go beyond the
word of the Lord his God to do less or more. To Him, therefore,
he again referred the case. This time God visited him wilh the
severest punishment which He reserves for willful sinners : He
"gave him his own desire." Balaam was commanded to go with
the men, but to utter only the words which God should put in his
mouth.
One last warning he received, in a prodigy that befell him on the
road. As he was on his journey with the princes of Moab, the ass
that bore him swerved twice from the way, and twice saved him
from the uplifted sword of the Angel of the Lord, who had come
out to withstand him. A third time, seeing the Angel of the Lord
in a narrow pass in the vineyards, where she could not escape, she
fell down beneath her master, and on his smiting her again, " the
dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the
prophet" (2 Pet. ii. 16). His eyes were now opened; he beheld
the Angel of the Lord standing in the wny, and at once fell flat on
bis face, and said, "I have sinned." If it displease thee, he says, I
will turn back again. The angel, however, replied, "Go with the
men, but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shah
epeak."
Balak went out to meet Balaam at a city of Moab, on the Arnon,
perhaps Aroer. On the morrow they began their unhallowed sac-
rifices. Climbing upward, from height to height, they reached the
'high places" dedicated to Baal, whence Balaam could see only
84 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VL
the outermost part of the people. Here he bade Balak prepare
seven altars, on each of which he offered a bullock nnd a ram, and
then retired to another hill to see whether God would come to meet
him. And the Lord put a word in his mouth, and he returned to
confound Balak and his princes by asking, "How shall I curse
whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy whom the Lord
hath not defied ? From the top of the rocks I see him, from the
hills I behold him : the people shall dwell alone, they shall not be
reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob,
and the number of the fourth part of Israel ? Let me die the death
of the righteous. Let my last end be like his!"
Balak was deeply mortified at this result. He then took the
prophet to a different eminence, from which a view might be ob-
tained of another portion of the Israelite camp. On the field of
Zophim (the watchmen), on the top of Pisgah, seven new altars
Mere built, and on every altar a bullock and a ram were offered.
Balaam withdrew a little way, and the Lord met him again, and
put another word in his mouth. Thus he was to say to Balak ;
" I have received commandment to bless, and I can not reverse it.
God hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel.
The Lord their God is among them ; to Him they shout as their
King. No enchantment or divination can prevail against them.
The people shall rise up like a lion, and shall not lie down till they
drink the blood of the slain." Balak then vented his disappoint-
ment in the cry, " Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all."
Again, a third time, he took Balaam up to another place, to the
peak Nebo, the head of Pisgah where stood the sanctuary of the
heathen god, Peor. From this eminence the Assyrian seer, with
the King of Moab by his side, looked over the wide prospect. It
was the spot from which Moses soon after viewed the Promised
Land. Here the same sacrifices were repeated ; but Balaam now
laid aside his arts of divination, for he saw that it pleased the Lord
to bless Israel. His view ranged over the promised possessions of
Israel in the hills of Judah, Ephraim, and Gilead ; and, as he saw
Israel abiding in their tents according to their tribes, the spirit of
God came upon him, and, with his eyes at length opened, he took
up his parable and prophesied. In the goodly array of their tents
he saw an omen of their conquest over the surrounding nations.
Heedless of the rage of Balak, and of his cruel sarcasm " /thought
to promote thee to great honor ; but lo, the Lord hath kept thee
back from honor " Balaam, before returning to his home, to which
he was dismissed by the king, completed his prophecy of what the
Israelites would do to the Gentile nations in the latter days. For
the fourth time he opened his mouth ; and, in the more distant fu-
B.C. 1490-1452. BALAAM'S PROPHECIES. 85
ture, beheld a " Star" coming out of Jacob, and a " Sceptre " ris-
ing out of Israel, who should smite Moab a prophecy in part ful-
filled by the victories of David, but pointing forward to the kingdom
of Messiah over the outcast branches of the chosen family. Then,
as his eye ranged over the distant mountains of Seir, the home of
the Edomites over the table-land of the desert, across which the
Amalekites wandered over the home of the Kenites. among the
rocks of Engedi, on the farther shores of the Dead Sea, he predieted
the destruction of these nations. As he gazed, the vision became
wider and wider still ; it carried him back to the banks of his na-
tive Euphrates, and he saw the conquests of Asshur overturned by
ships coming from the coasts of Chittim the unknown land beyond
the Western Sea, and he exclaimed, "Alas, who shall live when
God doeth this!" Then he rose up and returned to the place as-
signed for his abode (Numb, xxii.-xxiv.).
Can we read the sublime prophecies of Balaam without wishing
that his desire for his latter end might have been fulfilled? Doubt-
less it might have been, had he renounced the vain desire after gain
find honor; but he remained among the Moabites and Midianites,
clinging, no doubt, to the chance of reward. By his advice the
people were tempted to share in the lascivious rites of Peor, and to
commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. The wrath of the
Lord was shown in a plague which broke out in the camp and de-
stroyed 24,000 persons. Moses doomed all the offenders to death.
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the high-priest, set an example of
zeal by transfixing with a javelin a man of Israel and a Midianit-
ish woman whom he had brought into his tent in the face of the
congregation as they wept before the Lord. So the plague was
stayed, and the house of Eleazar wns assured of a perpetual priest-
hood (Numb. xxv. 1-8).
For these plots against Israel, as well as for their former inhos-.
pitality, the Moabites were excluded from the congregation to the
tenth generation, and the Midianites were doomed to destruction
(Numb. xxv. 16, 17). The execution of this sentence was the last
act of the government of Moses. All the men of Midian were slain,
with the princes who had been allied with Balak ; and Balaam died
in the general slaughter. Before this war another census had been
taken, by which the number of the people was found to be nearlj
the same as before Sinai, 38 years earlier. But among those who
were numbered, only two Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb tho
son of Jephunneh were alive at the first census. Joshua was at
this time consecrated by the high-priest Eleazar to be the successor
of Moses (Numb, xxvii. 18-23).
After the slaughter of the Midianites, the tribes of Jicubcn and
8G SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VI.
Ga<^ came to Moses and Eleazar and the elders, with the request
that they might have the conquered land on the east of Jordan, tho
upland pastures of which made it desirable for their numerous cax-
tle to settle there, and not go over Jordan. " Shall your brethren
go to war, " said Moses, ' : and shall ye sit here ?" On their promise
that they would leave only their families and their cattle in their
new abodes, while they themselves would march armed in the van
of their brethren till the whole land should be subdued, he yielded
to their request, and allowed them to have this region for their in-
heritance. The tribe of Reuben was settled in the south of the
region on the east side of Jordan, from the Arnon to the southern
slopes of Mount Gilead. That mountain was given to Gad, whose
northern border just touched the Lake of Gennesareth. The north-
east part of the mountain range of Gilead, and the land of Bashan
as far as Mount Hermon, were at the same time allotted to half the
tribe of Manasseh.
The work of Moses was now finished. The forty years' pilgrim-
age was drawing to its close : the men of the old generation had
passed away, and a new generation had sprung up, who had not be-
held the wonders of Sinai. Before his departure, Moses, by the
command of God, assembled all the people, rehearsed to them the
dealings of Jehovah and their own conduct since they had departed
from Egypt, repeated the law, with certain modifications and addi-
tions, and enforced it with the most solemn exhortations, warnings,
and prophecies of their future history. This series of addresses is
contained in the BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY (Me repetition of the law).
It was delivered in the plains of Moab, in the eleventh month of the
fortieth year from the epoch of the Exodus (Adar = February, 1451
B.C.). It consists of Three Discourses, followed by the Sony of Moses,
the Blessing of Moses, and the story of his death.
(i.) In the First Discourse, Moses strives very earnestly to warn
the people against the sins for which their fathers failed to enter
the Promised Land, and to impress upon them the one simple lee-son
of obedience. With this special object he recapitulates the chief
events of the last forty years in the wilderness, and especially those
which had the most immediate bearing on the entry of the people
into the Promised Land (Deut. i.-iv.). This discourse may bft
viewed as an introduction to the whole address.
(ii.) The Second Discourse enters more fully into tho actual pre-
cepts of the law, and contains a recapitulation, with some modifi-
cations and additions, of the law already given on Mount Sinai.
Every word shows the heart of the lawgiver full at once of zeal
for God and of the most fervent desire for the welfare of his nation
(Deut. v.-xxvi.).
B.C. 1490-1452. CLOSE OF MOSES' CAREER. 87
(iii.) The Third Discourse relates almost entirely to the solemn
sanctions of the law : the blessing and the curse. Moses now speaks
in conjunction with the elders of the people and with the priests,
whose office it would be to carry out the ceremony that was to be
performed as soon as they had crossed the Jordan (Deut. xxvii. 1-9).
The place selected was that sacred spot in the centre of the land
where Abraham and Jacob had first pitched their tents under the
oaks of Moreh. Here the green valley of Shechem is bounded on
the north and south by two long rocky hills ; the former MOUNT
EBAL, the latter MOUXT GERIZIM. As soon as they should have
crossed over Jordan, the people were commanded to set up, on the
summit of Ebal, an altar of great stones, covered with plaster and
inscribed with the law of God. Then the Twelve Tribes were to bo
divided between the two hills. On Gerizim, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin were to stand to bless the people ;
on Ebal, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali, to curse
them (Deut. xxvii. 12, 13). Moses then proceeds to amplify the
blessing and the curse ; but chiefly the latter, as the warning was
more needed. He foretells, with terrible explicitness, the course
actually followed by the Israelites death and famine, failure in
every work, subjection to their own servants, invasion by a mighty
nation, ending in the forlorn lot of the captive in a foreign land,
oppressed by his tyrants and uncertain of his very life ; "In the
morning thou shall say, Would God it were even ! and at even
thou shalt say, Would God it were morning." " I call heaven and
earth to record against you this day," he says, "that I have set be-
fore you life and death, blessing and cursing : therefore choose life
that both thou and thy seed may live, and that thou mayest dwell
in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give them "
(Deut. xxx. 19).
Moses then wrote " this law," and delivered it to the Levites to
be kept in the ark of the covenant as a perpetual witness against
the people ; and he commanded them to read it to all Israel when
assembled at the Feast of Tabernacles every Sabbatic year (Deut.
xxxi. 9, 10). The Lord then said to Moses, " Behold, thy days ap-
proach that thou must die : call Joshua, and present yourselves in
the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge.''
When they presented themselves at the door of the tabernacle, the
Lord commanded Moses to add to the book of the law a Sony,
which the children of Israel were enjoined to learn as a witness for
God against them. This " Song of Moses" recounts the blessings
of God, the Rock: His perfect work, His righteous ways, and the
corrupt requital of His foolish people (Deut. xxxii.).
(iv.) When Moses had made an end of speaking all these words
88 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VL
to the people, he then uttered, no longer as the lawgiver of his na-
tion but as the prophet, his blessing on the Twelve Tribes. This
Blessmy of Moses closely resembles, in its structure and its contents,
the dying blessing of Jacob on his sons. Besides the new and fer-
vent description of Levi's priesthood, it speaks of the favors that
God would shower on the tribes, and describes most richly the hap.
piness of the whole people (Deut. xxxiii.).
(v.) And now, the time of his departure being come, Moses went
Hp from the plains of Moab to Nebo, the top of Pisgah, over against
Jericho. And the Lord showed him northward all the land of
Gilead till it ended far beyond his sight in Dan. Westward were
the distant hills of " all Naphtali." Coming nearer was " the land
of Ephraim and Manasseh." Immediately opposite was " all the
land of Judah," stretching far away unto the "utmost sea," and
the desert of the south. At his feet was the plain of Jericho, the
city of palm-trees ; and far away on his left, though hardly visible,
the last inhabited spot before the great desert " Zoar." Such
was the scene which lay open before Moses when he was alone with
God upon the sacred mountain of the Moabites. And the Lord
said unto him, "This is the land which I sware unto Abraham,
unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed : I
have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shall not go
over thither." There he died, nigh to that desert where the labor
of his life had been. And the Lord buried him in a valley in front
of Bethpeor somewhere, doubtless, in the gorges of Pisgah but
no man knoweth of his sepulchre (Deut. xxxiv. 1-6).
The children of Israel mourned for Moses thirty days in the
plains of Moab, and they rendered obedience to Joshua the son of
Nun, on whom Moses had laid his hands, and who was full of the
spirit of wisdom. But no prophet arose afterwards in Israel like
unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face (Deut. xxxiv. 8-10).
Moses must be considered, like all the saints and heroes of the
Bible, as a man of marvellous gifts, raised up by Divine Providence
fpr a special purpose, and led into a closer communion with the un-
seen world than any other in the Old Testament. There are two
main characters in which he appears as a leader and as a prophet
(i.) Of his natural gifts as a leader we have but few means of
judging. The two main difficulties which he encountered were the
reluctance of the people to submit to his guidance, and the im-
practicable nature of the country which they had to pass through
We have seen how patiently he bore their murmurs at the Red
Sea, at the worship of the golden calf, at the rebellion of Korah, at
the compliiints of Aaron and Miriam. On approaching Canaan,
the office of the leader becomes blended with that of the general 01
B.C. 1490-1452. MOSES' DEATH AND CHARACTER. 89
the conqueror ; and, in the last stage of his life, he comes before us
very much in this character.
(ii.) His character as a prophet is more distinctly brought out.
He is the first, as he is the greatest, example of a prophet in the
Old Testament. In a certain sense he was the centre of a prophetic
circle. His brother and sister were both endowed with prophetic
gifts, but they were more or less inferior to Moses. To him the
divine revelations were made not in dreams and figures, but " mouth
to month," even apparently, and not in dark speeches (Numb, xii, 8).
He was, in a sense peculiar to himself, the founder and representa-
tive of his people. His personal character was what we should now
represent by the word "disinterested." All that is told of him in-
dicates a withdrawal of himself, a preference of the cause of his na-
tion to his own interests.
In the New Testament, Moses is spoken of as a likeness of Christ.
There were three main points of resemblance (a.) Christ was, like
Moses, the great prophet of the people the last, as Moses was the
first. In greatness of position none came between them. (6.)
Christ, like Moses, is a lawgiver : " Him shall ye hear." (c.)
Christ, like Moses, was a prophet out of the midst of the nation
" from their brethren." As Moses was the entire representative of
hia people, so, with reverence be it said, was Christ.
The Sorpent " Cneph Agathodaeinon," the Egyptian Symbol of Immortality.
The Golden Candlestick.
CHAPTER VII.
TUB LEGISLATION OF MOSES.
SECTION I.
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE MOSAIC LAW.
A LARGE portion of the books of Exodus and Numbers, and near-
ly the whole of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, are occupied with the
Laws which Moses was the instrument of giving to the Jewish peo-
ple. He ever keeps before our eyes the fact that the law which he
delivered came from God. Its outline was given from Mount Si-
nai by the voice of God himself. The section which relates to the
ordinances of divine worship was communicated to Moses l>y a spe-
cial revelation, while he was alone with God in the Mount (Exod.
xxiv. 18). It is this character which distinguishes his legislation
from that of all other great lawgivers.
Before attempting to point out the principal divisions of the Mo-
saic code, it is necessary to discover first its leading principles.
The commonwealth of Israel was a theocracy, that is, a govern-
ment under the direct guidance and control of God himself. He
was ever present with the people, abiding in His tabernacle in their
m'.dst, manifested by the symbol of His presence, and speaking to
CHAP. VII THE MOSAIC LAW. 91
them continually through Moses and the high-priest. The whole
law was the direct expression of His will, and the government was
carried on with constant reference to His decisions. Thus His un-
seen presence was to Israel what a visible king was to other na-
tions. Hence their desire to have another king is spoken of as
treason to Him (1 Sam. viii. 7). Moreover, the people were Hii
possession; for He had redeemed them from their slavery in Egypt,
and was leading them into a new land of His own choice. His
right over their persons was asserted by His claim to the first-born
both of man and of beast (Exod. xiii. 2), and by requiring the Jew.
ish slave to be set free in the seventh year of his service (Dent. xv.
12-15). His absolute right over their land was the fundamental
condition upon which all property was held by the Jews. Its hold-
ers were deemed His tenants. The payment of tithes as a kind of
rent was a constant acknowledgment of this right ; and in requiring
all sold land to be restored, in the year of jubilee, to the families
whose allotment it originally was, there was the strongest reasser-
tion of His sole proprietorship (Lev. xxv. 25-28).
The people, on their part, were required to believe in the intimate
relations thus established between Jehovah and themselves. They
accepted this relationship first of all at the foot of Mount Sinai, and
into this covenant every Israelite was initiated by circumcision, the
common seal of God's covenant with Abraham and with themselves.
They were to observe it in practice by the worship of Jehovah as
the only God, by abstaining from idolatry, and by obedience to the
law as the expression of His will.
From this relation of Jehovah to the people each separate por-
tion of the law may be deduced.
The basis of the whole law is laid in the TEN COMMANDMENTS, as
we call them, though they are nowhere so entitled by Moses him-
self, but the "TEN WOUDS" (Exod. xxxiv. 28), the COVENANT, or
very often the TESTIMONY. Their division into Two Tables is cx-
prossly mentioned, and it answered, no doubt, to that summary of
the law which was made both by Moses and by our Lord, so that
the First Table contained Duties to God, and the Second, Duties to
nr Neighbor. The First Table contains Four Commandments,
The First Commandment begins with the declaration, "I am the
Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of
the house of bondage" (Exod. xx. 2). This clause involves as its
consequences: (1.) The belief in Je.hovah as God, the acceptance
of His covenant, and the observance of His ordinances. (2.) The
Holiness of the People as Jehovah's peculiar possession, with their
families, servants, and all that belonged to them. The remainder
of the commandment forbids them to " have any other gods bffor*
92 SCRIPTUKE HISTORY. CHAP. VIL
Jehovah," that is, in the presence of Jehovah. For false worship
began, not with the positive rejection of the true God, but by asso-
ciating with His worship that of other gods and their images.
The Second Commandment, which is the necessary consequence of
the first, prohibits the making and worshipping of any likeness of
any object in the heaven, the earth, and the water. The command-
ment does not forbid sculpture, which God enjoined in the case of
She cherubim (Exod. xxv. 18), but it forbids the making of images
for the purposes of worship.
The Third Commandment enforces the reverence of the lips towards
Jehovah and His holy name ; it implies the sacredness of oaths ana
votes, and also embraces common speech.
The Fourth Commandment is based on the principle that our na-
ture needs seasons for remembering our God and Maker. Under it
may be grouped all the ordinances for the observance of times and
festivals.
We now proceed to the special laws based upon these command-
ments of the -first table, and have first to speak of God's presence
among the people; the Tabernacle, with its furniture, and its ministers
SECTION II.
THE TABERNACLE.
To give the Israelites a visible manifestation of God's continual
presence with them, on the very night in which they began their
march, the visible symbol of that presence went before them, in
THE SHEKINAH, or pillar of fire by night and of a cloud by day,
giving by its advance or halt the signal for their march or rest.
Sacrifice was contemplated as the very object of their journey, and
it was soon declared that God would fix a place for His abode where
alone sacrifices might be offered.
After the Ten Commandments were proclaimed from Mount Sinai,
the first ordinances given to Moses related to the ordering of the
TABERNACLE, its furniture, and its service. While he was alone
with God in Sinai, an exact pattern of the whole was shown to him,
and all was made according to it (Exod. xxv. 9). It was the tent
of Jehovah, standing in the midst of the tents of the people. It was
a portable building, designed to contain the sacred ark, the special
symbol of God's presence, and was set up within an inclosed space
called the Court of the Tabernacle. This inclosure was of an oblong
form, 100 cubits by 50 (i. e., 150 feet by 75 feet), standing east and
west, with an entrance on the eastern side. It was surrounded by
CHAP. VII
THE TABERNACLE.
w
93
&0 Cubits.
10 2o ao -10 oo eo fo 75 Fttt,
Plan of the Court of the Tabernacle.
hangings of fine-twined linen (canvas), suspended from pillars of
brass 5 cubits (7 feet) apart, to which the curtains were attached
by hooks and fillets of silver. The tabernacle itself was placed in
the western half of the inclosurc ; in the outer or eastern half, not
94 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VIL
far from the entrance, stood the altar of burnt-offering, betweei
which aud the tabernacle was the laver of brass at which the priestv.
washed their hands and feet every time they ministered (Exod. xxx.
18-20). The tabernacle was an oblong rectangular structure, 45
feet by 15, and 15 in height ; and the interior was divided into two
portions, the first or outer being two-thirds, and the inner one-third,
of the whole. The former was called the First Tabernacle, or Holy
Place, and contained the golden candlestick on one side, the table
of shew-bread opposite, and in the centre between them the altar of
incense. The inner portion was the Most Holy Place, or the Hoh
of Holies ; it contained the ark, in which were deposited the two
tables of stone, covered by the mercy seat, and surmounted by figure
of gold called cherubim. The walls of this structure were made of
boards of shittim (acacia) wood, overlaid with gold. On the eastern
side there were no boards, but the entrance was closed by a curtain
of fine linen embroidered in blue, purple, and scarlet, attached by
golden hooks to five pillars of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold,
which were let into brass sockets. A more sumptuous curtain of
the same kind, embroidered with figures of cherubim, and hung on
four such pillars with silver sockets, divided the Holy from the Most
Holy Place (Exod. xxvi. 31, 33). It was called the VAIL, as it hid
from the eyes of all but the high-priest the inmost sanctuary where
Jehovah dwelt on His mercy-seat between the cherubim above the
ark. It was passed only by the high-priest once a year, on the Day
of Atonement. The Holy Place was entered daily by the priests
alone, to offer incense at the time of morning and evening prayer,
and to renew the lights on the golden candlestick ; and on the
Sabbath to remove the old shew-bread and to place the new upon
the table.
(i.) In the Outer Court.
1. The altar of Burnt -off eriny stood in the midst of this court, and
formed the central point of the services in which the people had
a part. On it all sacrifices and oblations were presented, except
the sin-offerings, which were burnt without the camp. It was a
large hollow case, about 7 feet square, and standing about 4 feet
high, made of shittim-wood overlaid within and without with plates
of brass, and with a movable grating of brass suspended in tie mid-
dle on iron rings, on which the wood for the sacrifices was placed
(Exod. xxxviii. 1-7). The priest went up to it not by steps, but by
a sloping bank of earth.
2. The Brazen Laver, a vessel on a foot, held the water with
which the priests washed their hands and feet before commencing
their sacred ministrations. It stood between the altar of burnt'
offering and the entrance to the holy place.
CHAP. VII. FUKNITURE OF THE TABERNACLE.
95
(ii.) In the Holy Place, or Sanctuary.
The furniture of the outer court was connected with sacrifice ,
but that of the sanctuary with the deeper mysteries of mediation
and access to God. The holy place contained three objects: the al-
tar of incense in the centre, the table of skew-bread on its right as
north side, and the golden candlestick on the left or south side.
1 . The Altar of Incense was made of shittim (acacia) wood, over
laid with gold (Exod. xxx. 1-10). It was about 18 inches square
by 36 inches high. It had an ornamental rim of gold around its
top, with projections at the corners, called horns. Upon these,
once a year, the blood of the sin-offering of the atonement was
sprinkled, but no other offering might be laid thereon. Incense
was offered upon this altar daily, morning and evening, at the time
the lamps were trimmed. The priest took some of the sacred fire
in a golden bowl, or censer, off the altar of burnt-offering ; then,
entering the holy place, he threw the incense upon it and placed
it upon the golden altar. He then prayed and performed the oth-
er duties of his office, while the people prayed outside ; and thus
was typified the intercession of Christ in heaven making His peo-
ple's prayers on earth acceptable.
2. The Table of Shew-bread was an oblong table, with legs, about
3 feet long, 18 inches broad, and 27 inches high. It was of shittim-
wood, covered with gold, and its top was finished with u rim of gold.
Upon this table were placed twelve cakes of fine flour, in two rows
f the Altar of Inceiue.
96 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VII.
of six each, with frankincense upon each row. This /S^ew-bread, as
it was called, from being exposed before Jehovah, was placed fresh
upon the table every Sabbath by the priests, who ate the old loaves
in the holy place (Lev. xxiv. 5-9). Besides the show-bread there
was a drink-offeriny of wine placed in the covered bowls upon the
table. Some of it was used for libations, and what remained at the
snd of the week was poured out before Jehovah.
3. The Golden Candlestick, or rather Candelabrum (lamp-stand),
was placed on the left or south side of the altar of incense. It was
made of pure beaten gold, and weighed, with its instruments, a
talent; the value of the pure metal, exclusive of the workmanship,
has been estimated at 5076. It had an upright stem, from which
branched out, at equal distances apart, three arms curving upward
to the right and to the left, each pair forming a semicircle, and
their tops coming to the same level as the top of the stem, so as to
form with it supports for seven lamps. There were oil vessels and
snuffers for trimming the seven lamps, and dishes for carrying away
the snuff, an office performed by the priest when he went into the
sanctuary every morning to offer incense. All the lamps were
lighted at the time of the evening oblation, and were kept burning
during the night. As there were no windows to the tabernacle, the
central lamp was alight in the day-time also. This candlestick
symbolized the spiritual light of life, which God gives to his serv-
ants with the words by which they live (Exod. xxv. 31-40).
(iii.) In the Holy of Holies.
In the Holy of Holies, within the vail, and shrouded in darkness,
there was but one object, the most sacred of all. There stood the
Ark of the Covenant, or the Testimony a sort of chest nearly four
feet long, and a little over two feet in width and height. It was
of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold within and without. It was
enriched with a rim of gold round the top. The cover of the ark
was a plate of pure gold. Standing erect upon it, at opposite ends,
with their faces bent down and their wings meeting, were the cher-
nbim, winged figures made of beaten gold. This covering was the
rery throne of God, and was called the mercy-seat. Hence God
Is said to have dwelt between the cherubim. Inclosed within the
ark were the two tables of stone, inscribed with the Ten Command-
ments, and, in the fact that God's throne of mercy covered and hid
the tables of the law, we may see a foreshadowing of the coming
dispensation of the Gospel (Exod. xxv. 10-22).
Probably there never was so small a structure made at such an
immense cost. As the quantities of the precious metals used in its
construction are stated, some idea can be formed of its surpassing
L.-HAP. VII. HISTORY OP THE TABERNACLE. tf7
richness. The value of the materials, and of the skill and labor
employed in the work, can not have been much less than a quarter
of a million sterling.
HISTORY OF THE TABERNACLE.
As /ojg as Canaan remained un-
canqnered, and the people were still
therefore an army, the Tabernacle
was probably moved from place to
place, wherever the host of Israel was
for the time encamped. It rested
finally at " the place which the Lord
had chosen," at SIIILOH (Josh. ix. 27 ;
xviii. 1). The Ark of God was taken
by the Philistines, and the sanctuary
lost its glory ; and the Tabernacle,
though it did not perish, never again
recovered it (1 Sam. iv. 22). Samuel
treats it as an abandoned shrine, and
sacrifices elsewhere, at Mizpeh (vii.
9), at Ramah (ix. 12, : x. 3), at Gilgal
(x. 8 ; xi. 15). It probably became
once again a movable sanctuary. For
a time it seems, under Saul, to have
been settled at NOB (xxi. 1-0). The
massacre of the priests and the flight
of Abiathar must, however, have rob-
bed it yet farther of its glory. It had
before lost the Ark : it now lost the
presence of the high-priest (xxii. 20 ;
xxiii. 6). In some way or other, it
found its way to Gibeon (1 Chron.
xvi. 39) ; and while the Ark remained
at Kirjath-jearim, the Tabernacle at
Gibeou connected itself with the wor-
ship of the high places (1 Kings iii.
4). The capture of Jerusalem and the
erection there of a new Tabernacle,
with the Ark, of which the old had
been deprived (2 Sam. vi. 17 ; 1 Chron.
xv. 1), left it little more than a tra-
ditional, historical sanctity. It re-
tained only the old altar of burnt-of-
ferings (xxi. 9). The double service
went on ; Zadok, as high-priest, of-
ficiated at Gibeon (xvi. 39) ; the more
recent, more prophetic service of
psalms and hymns and music, under
Asnph, gathered round the Taber-
nncle at Jerusalem (xvi. 4, 37). The
divided worship continued all the
days of David. The sanctity of both
places was recognized by Solomon
on his accession (1 Kings, iii. 15 ; 2
Chron. i. 3), till the claims of both
merged in the higher glory of the
Temple, and the Tabernacle, with all
its holy vessels, was removed by Sclo-
mou to Jerusalem (1 Kings viii. 4)
SECTION m.
THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES.
AFTER this description of the tabernacle and its furniture, w<j
nmst now give some account of those who performed its services.
The whole of the people were holy, and, in a spiritual sense, they
were a nation of priests, but from among them the tribe of Levi
were chosen, as the reward of their devotion in the matter of the
golden calf (Exod. xxxii. 28), to be the immediate attendants on Je.
hovah, that they might " minister in His courts." Out of that trib*
the house of Amram was selected, in particular, to perform the funo
G
98 SCRIPTUKE HISTORY. CHAP, VII.
tions of the priesthood. Aaron, as the head of that house, became
the HIGH-PRIEST the intercessor between Jehovah and His people :
his sons became the Priests, who alone could offer sacrifices, and
the rest of the tribe formed the class of Levites who assisted in the
services of the tabernacle.
I. The HIGH-PRIEST was distinguished from the other priests by
superior and characteristic functions.
1 . In the consecration to the office, the anointing oil was poured
upon Aaron's head to sanctify him alone (Levit. viii. 12); but in
the anointing of his sons, i. e., the common priests, it was sprinkled
ttpon their garments only (Exod. xxix. 21).
2. The high-priest had an official dress, which passed to his
successor at his death. This dress consisted of eight parts the
breast-plate, the e/ihod with its curious girdle, the robe of the ephod,
the mitre, the broidered coat, and the girdle the materials being
gold, blue, red, crimson, and fine (white) linen. To the above arc
added the breeches, or drawers, of linen, and, to make up the num-
ber eight, some reckon the curious girdle of the ephod separately
from the ephod. Among the most remarkable of these articles was
the breast-plate, in which were set twelve precious stones, in four
rows, three in a row, thus corresponding to the Twelve Tribes, each
stone having the name of one tribe engraved upon it. It was these
stones which probably constituted the Urim (light) and Thummim
(perfection) (Exod. xxviii. 15-21).
3. The high-priest had peculiar functions. He alone was per-
mitted to enter the Holy of Holies, which he did once a year, on the
great day of atonement, when he sprinkled the blood of the sin-of-
fering on the mercy-seat, and burnt incense within the vail. He
was also forbidden to follow a funeral, or rend his clothes for the
dead.
The Epistle to the Hebrews sets forth the mystic meaning of his
office, as a type of Christ, our great High'Priest, who has passed
into the heaven of heavens with his own blood, to appear in the
presence of God for us (Heb. iv. 14).
II. THE PRIESTS. All the sons of Aaron were priests. They
stood between the high-priest, on the one hand, and the Levites on
the other. In all their acts of ministration they were to be bare-
footed. Before they entered the tabernacle they were to wash their
hands and their feet, and during the time of their service they were
to drink no wine or strong drink. Their chief duties were to watch
over the fire on the altar of burnt-offerings, and to keep it constant-
ly burning both by day and night ; to feed the lamps in the golden
candlestick outside the vail with oil ; to offer the morning and even-
ing sacrifices, each accompanied with a meat-offering and a drink'
II. SACRIFICES AND OBLATIONS. 99
offering at the door of the tabernacle. They were also to teach the
children of Israel the statutes of the Lord (Lev. x. 11).
III. The LEVITES were the assistants of the priests, and included
all the males of the tribe of Levi who were not of the family of
Aaron, between thirty and fifty years of age. They had to carry
the tabernacle and its vessels, to keep watch about the sanctuary,
to prepare the supplies of corn, wine, oil, and so forth, and to take
charge of the sacred treasures and revenues. On the settlement of
the Israelites in the Promised Land, no territorial possessions were
given to the Levites. In place of them they received from the other
tribes the tithe of the produce of the land, from which they, in their
turn, offered a tithe to the priests. Forty-eight cities were assigned
to the whole tribe, that is, on an average, four in the territory of
cacti tribe ; thirteen being given to the priests, and the rest to the
Levites.
SECTION IV.
SACRIFICES AND OBLATIONS."
THESE were to be offered as a perpetual memorial of Jehovah's
covenant with the people, as an acknowledgment of His mercies,
and as an atonement for sin. The distinction between sacrifices
and oblations consisted in this that in the former the thing offered
was wholly or partially destroyed, as being Jehovah's only ; in the
latter, it was acknowledged to be His gift, and then enjoyed by the
offerer.
The sacrifices are divided into burnt-offerings, with the accom-
panying meat-offerings (meat=food in general, especially corn and
flour); peace-offerings, sin-offerings, for sins committed ignorantly;
and trespass-offerings, for sins committed knowingly.
I. The KURNT-OFFERING, or perfect sacrifice, was so called because
the victim was wholly consumed by fire upon the altar of burnt-
offering, and so, as it were, sent up to God on the wings of fire. It
was a memorial of God's covenant, and signified that the offerer
belonged wholly to God, and that he dedicated himself soul and
body to Him, and placed his life at His disposal. Burnt-offerings
were either made on behalf of the whole people, or by one or more
individuals, who must bring them of their own free will (Lov. i. ; vi.
8-13). Only three kinds of animals might be offered, and they must
be free from disease or blemish ; either (1) a young bullock of not
less than one, nor more than three years ; (2) a lamb or kid, a male
of the first year ; (3) turtle-doves or young pigeons. Burnt-offerings
were made on the following occasions :
100 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VIL
1. The Daily Sacrifice of a yearling lamb or kid was offered at the
times of morning and evening prayer, before the priest went into the
tabernacle to burn )m:ense.
2. The Sabbath. Burnt-offering was the daily sacrifice doubled
(Numb, xxviii. 9, 10).
3. The burnt-offerings at the Festivals of the New Moon, the three
great feasts, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Trumpets, were
generally two bullocks, a ram, and seven lambs (Numb, xxviii. 11 ;
xxix. 39).
4. Private burnt-offerings prescribed by the law at the consecration
of priests, the purification of women, the removal of leprosy, or other
ceremonial uncleanness, the performance or the accidental breach
of the vow of a Nazarite.
II. The MEAT-OFFERING and the DRINK-OFFERING always accom-
panied the burnt-offering, for which, indeed, the meat-offering might
be substituted by the poor. As the burnt-offering signified the con-
secration of life to God, so in the meat-offering the produce of the
land was presented before Him as being His gift, in both cases with
the devout acknowledgment, " Of Thine own have we given Thee"
(I Chron. xxix. 14).
III. The PEACE-OFFERING was not an atoning sacrifice to make
peace with God, but a joyful celebration of peace made through the
covenant. In this part of the ritual we see Jehovah, as it were,
present in His house, and inviting the worshipper to feast with Him
Peace-offerings were presented either as a thanksgiving, or in fulfill-
ment of a vow, or as a free-will offering of love and joy. Only
a part was burnt upon the altar, and was thus offered to Jehovah ;
the breast and the shoulder were the portion of the priests ; the rest
might be eaten by the worshipper.
IV. The SIN-OFFERING was an expiatory sacrifice for sins of igno-
rance, committed either by a priest or by any of the people ; and also
as a purification from possible sin and nncleanness in general. For
each of these cases special victims were to be offered with special
ceremonies (Lev. vi. 24-30).
V. TRESPASS-OFFERINGS were for sins committed knowingly, as
well as for acts of ceremonial uncleanness. They are not very
clearly distinguished from sin-offerings.
VI. OBLATIONS are not clearly distinguished from those sacrifices
which were in the nature of gifts; the following may be mentioned
separately :
1. The skew-bread and incense, which were perpetually offered in
the holy place.
2. Free oblations, the fruits of vows and promises.
3. Prescribed oblations namely, (i.) The Jirst-fruits of corn, of-
CHAP. VII. THE HOLINESS OF THE PEOPLE. 101
fered on the day of Pentecost, and of wine, oil, and wool ; (ii.) The
Jirst-born of man and beast ; (iii.) Tithes of the produce of the
land.
SECTION V.
THE HOLINESS OF THE PEOPLE.
THE holiness of the people was a principle as sacred as the con.
secration of the priests. It was enforced upon the Jews by ceremo-
nies and restrictions reaching to every detail of their daily lives. It
is the central subject of the book of Leviticus, which, after setting
forth in its earlier portion the laws of sacrifice, next proceeds to es-
tablish the holiness and purity of the people in person, act, speech,
and property.
The following institutions were founded upon this principle :
1. Circumcision (Lev. xii. 3). As this rite had been enjoined at
a very early period, its repetition in the later books was unneces-
sary (Gen. xvii. 10-14).
2. The Dedication of the First-born of men and beasts, and tho
offering of the first-fruits of all produce (Exod. xiii. 2 ; Deut. xxvi.
10).
3. The Preservation of personal Purity (Lev. xviii.-xx.). The
law of Moses, like that of Christ, takes cognizance of sins against a
man's own self, from that principle of holiness to God which is so
emphatically laid down by tho Apostle Paul (Rom. vi. 12, 13). It
enacted various provisions for purification, which were to be OD-
Berved both by priests and people in divine worship, and also in
cases of personal uncleanness and of leprosy (Lev. xi.-xiii.).
4. The distinction between clean and unclean animals for food as
well ns sacrifice. Though these laws may have had some reference
to the preservation of health, yet their first signification was a re-
ligious one.
5. The Laws against jiersonal Disfigurement, by shaving the head
and cutting the flesh, especially as an act of mourning (Lev. xix. 27,
28).
6. The Provisions for the Poor, regarded ns brethren in the
common bond of the covenant of God. (Meanings in the field and
vineyard were their legal right (Lev. xix. 9, 10) ; slight trespass was
allowed, such as plucking corn while passing through a field (Ueut.
xxiii. 25); wages were to be paid day by day; loans might not be
refused, nor usury taken from an Israelite; no partiality was to be
shown between rich and poor in dispensing justice (Lev. xix. 15);
and beside* nil this, there are the most urgent injunctions to kindness
102 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VII.
to the poor, the widow, and the orphan, and the strongest denuncia-
tion of all oppression (Deut. xv. 7-11).
7. And great care was taken to enforce humanity in general. If
a slave died under chastisement, his master was punishable ; if he
were maimed, he was at once to have his liberty (Exod. xxi. 20, 26,
27). Runaway slaves from foreign nations were not to be given
up (Deut. xxiii. 15), and stealing and selling a man "was punished
with death (Exod. xxi. 16). The law "even cared for oxen," de-
claring, "thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the
corn " (Deut. xxv. 4). It went farther, and provided against wanton
cruelty, by adding such precepts as those which forbade the parent
bird to be captured with its young, or the kid to be boiled in it?
mother's milk (Deut. xxii. 6, 7 ; Exod. xxxiv. 26).
SECTION VI.
THE SACRED SEASONS.
THE religious times ordained in the law fall under three heads i
i. Those connected with the institution of the Sabbath namely,
1. The weekly Sabbath itself.
2. The Feast of the New Moon.
3. The Sabbatical Month and the Feast of Trumpets.
4. The Sabbatical Year.
5. The Year of Jubilee.
ii. The three great historical festivals namely,
1. The Passover.
2. The Feast of Pentecost.
3. The Feast of Tabernacles.
iii. The Day of Atonement.
To these must be added the festivals established after the captiv*
ity namely, (1) the Feast of Purim or Lots, (2) the Feast of
Dedication.
i. FESTIVALS CONNECTED WITH THE SABBATH.
1 The SABBATH is so named from a Hebrew word signifying rest
The consecration of the Sabbath goes back to the creation: "And
God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it " (Gen. ii. 3). The
intervals between Noah's sending forth the birds out of the ark lead
us to infer its observance from the earliest period. That this was
one of the institutions adopted by Moses from the ancient patriarchal
usage is implied in the very words of the law, ''Remember the Sab-
CHAP. VII. THE HOLINESS OF THE PEOPLE. 103
bath day to keep it holy." It was to be a sacred pause in the or-
dinary labor by which man earns his bread a season of joyful rest
and recreation in communion with God, who himself " rested and
was refreshed " (Exod. xxxi. 17). The commandment was not in-
tended to impose idleness, but to prohibit work for worldly gain.
The Sabbath is named as a day of special worship in the sanctuary
(Lev. xix. 30). It was proclaimed as a holy convocation, a feast of
the Lord (Lev. xxiii. 3). The public religious services consisted in
the doubling of the morning and evening sacrifice, and the renewal
of the shew-bread in the holy place. On this day the people were
accustomed to consult their prophets (2 Kings iv. 23). It was " the
Sabbath of Jehovah," not only in the sanctuary but " in all their
dwellings."
2. The FEAST OF THE NEW MOON marked the completion of the
lunai month. On the first sight of her new crescent the announce-
ment was made to Israel by the sounding of two sacred silver
trumpets (Numb. x. 10). The day was not kept as a Sabbath, but
observed as a festival. Besides the daily sacrifice, a burnt-offering
was made of two bullocks, a ram, and seven lambs, with a meat
and drink offering, and a goat for a sin-offering. This is one of the
feasts left by the apostle to Christian liberty (Col. ii. 16).
3. The SABBATICAL MONTH and the FEAST OF TRUMPETS. The
month of Tisri, the first of the civil but the seventh of the sacred
year, had a kind of Sabbatic character (Lev. xxiii. 24). The calen-
dar was so arranged that the first day of this month fell on a Sabbath.
This, the civil New- Year's day, was ushered in by the blowing of
trumpets, and hence was called the Feast of Trumpets. It was a
holy convocation, and it had its special sacrifices in addition to those
of other new moons. On the tenth of this month, ihe great Day of
Atonement was kept ; and from the fifteenth to the twenty-second
of the month, th 3 Feast of Tabernacles, the greatest of the whole
year, was celebrated. AH the great festivals were observed within a
Sabbatic cycle of seven months.
4. The SABBATICAL YEAR. As each seventh day and each sev-
enth month were holy, so was each seventh year. As the land
belonged to Jehovah, so also was it to keep its Sabbath to Him. It
was to be a season of rest for all, and of especial kindness to the
poor. The land was not to be sown, nor the vineyards and olive-
yards dressed ; no fruit or produce of any kind was to be gathered
from the soil, but all was to be left for the poor, the slave, the
stranger, and the cattle (Exod. xxiii. 10, 11). The Sabbatical year
is also called the "year of release," because in it creditors were
bound to release poor debtors from their obligations (Deut. xv. 1, 2).
The release of a Hebrew slave took place likewise in this yean as
104 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VII.
well as in the seventh year of his captivity (Deut. xv. 12-18). The
observance of the Sabbatical year was neglected from the very first,
and it was one of the national sins which were punished by the
Babylonian captivity.
5. The YEAR OF JUBILEE occurred every fiftieth year, coming,
therefore, after a series of seven Sabbatic years. It completed each
half-century. Its beginning was on the tenth of the seventh month
(Tisri), the great Day or Atonement. After the sacrifices of that
solemn day were ended, the trumpet of jubilee pealed forth its joy-
ful notes, proclaiming "liberty to the captive, and the opening of the
prison doors to those that were bound." The land was left uncul-
tivated, as in the Sabbatic year. The possessions which poverty
had compelled their owners to alienate returned in this year to the
families to whom they had been allotted in the first division of the
Holy Land. The whole institution was based on the principle that
the land was God's, who granted to each family its own portion.
All Hebrew slaves, whether to their brethren or to resident for-
eigners, were set free in the Year of Jubilee. Thus the same prin-
ciple was asserted as in the restitution of the land that the people,
like the soil, belonged to God ; they were His servants, redeemed
from Egypt, and incapable of becoming bondsmen to any one but
Him. The Jubilee completed the great Sabbatic cycle of years, at
the close of which, in a certain sense, "all things were made new."
ii. THE THREE GREAT HISTORICAL FESTIVALS.
In these the whole people were united to seek the face of God,
and to celebrate His mercies. Thrice in the year, at these three
feasts, all males were required to appear before Jehovah at the
tabernacle, or afterwards at the temple not empty-handed, but to
make an offering with a joyful heart (Exod. xxiii. 14-17). No ago
is prescribed : Jesus went up with his parents to the Passover at the
age of twelve (Luke ii. 42) ; Samuel still younger (1 Sam. i. 24).
These festivals not only commemorated great events in the history
of Israel, but each of them had its own special significance. The
Passover marked the Beginning of the harvest, the Pentecost its
completion, and the Feast of Tabernacles the vintage and the in-
gathering of all the fruits of the year. They were connected with
one another so as to form one great cycle. The Passover is in the
first month of the sacred year ; seven weeks afterwards came the
Pentecost; and the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month.
At the Passover the Israelites commemorated the beginning of their
history as a nation ; and at the Feast of Tabernacles they marked
the joyful contrast between their settlement in a fruitful load and
fcheir wanderings in the wilderness.
CHAP. VII. THE PASSOVER. 105
1. The PASSOVER which was the most solemn of the three fcsti-
rals, as the memorial of the nation's birth, and the type of Christ's
death was kept for seven days, from the evening which closed the
fourteenth to the end of the twenty-first of the first month of the
sacred year Abib or Nisan (April). We have already noticed i's
first institution in Egypt (page Go) ; but, in the general order of its
observance in later times, some particulars were added which do not
appear in its original institution, thus making a slight distinction
between "the Egyptian Passover " and " the Perpetual Passover."
The latter was thus observed : On the fourteenth day of Nisan every
trace of leaven was put away out of the houses, and on the same day
every male Israelite not laboring under any bodily infirmity or cere-
monial impurity was commanded to appear before the Lord at the
national sanctuary with an offering of money in proportion to his
means (Deut. xvi. 16, 17). As the sun was setting, the lambs were
slain and the fat and the blood given to the priests. The lamb was
then roasted whole, and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs ;
no portion of it was to be left until the morning. The same night,
nfter the fifteenth of Nisan had commenced, the fat was burned by
the priest, and the blood sprinkled on the altar. On the fifteenth
there was a holy convocation ; during that day no work might be
done, except the preparation of necessary food. On the sixteenth
of the month the morrow after the Sabbath the first dieaf of the
harvest was presented and waved by the priest before the Lord, and
a male lamb was offered as a burnt-sacrifice, with a meat and drink
offering. Special offerings, in addition to the daily sacrifice, were
made throughout the whole period. On the seventh day, the twenty-
first of Nisan, there was a holy convocation, and the day appears to
have been one of peculiar solemnity. As at all the festivals, cheer-
fulness was to prevail during the whole week, and all care was to
be laid aside. In later times the Paschal Lamb was eaten without
haste, and with the accompaniment of the JIallel, or singing of
Psalms cxiii.-cxviii. (Matt. xxvi. 30).
The Passover has the profoundest but clearest significance of any
typical rite. In its primary sense, it was at once a sacrifice, in which
the most innocent of creatures was offered as an expiation for
the guilty, a feast of joy for their deliverance, but also their last
feast in Egypt, eaten with bitter herbs, instead of the savory vege-
tables they were so fond of, and in the attitude and haste of pil-
grims. Its perpetual significance is summed up in the words
" CHRIST OCR PASSOVER is SACRIFICED FOR us j" 1 who was, in fact,
put to death at the very season of the Passover, as " a lamb without
blemish and without spot." 8 The unleavened bread indicates tho
1 Cor v. 7. 1 Pet 1. 19 ; comp. Ia. liii. 7 ; John i. 29 ; Acts viii 32.
106 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VII.
sanctification, meekness, and guileless simplicity of the true be-
liever ; 3 the haste and attitude of a traveller are emblems of the
Christian pilgrim ; 4 and the offering of the Omer was the typo of
Him who died and rose again, the first-fruits of them that slept. 6
2. The PENTECOST, or HARVEST-FEAST, or FEAST OF WEEKS, may
be regarded as a supplement to the Passover. It lasted for only ono
lay. The people, having at the Passover presented before God the
first sheaf of the harvest, departed to their homes to gather it in,
and then returned to keep the harvest-feast before Jehovah. It was
kept fifty days after the sixteenth of Nisan, and fell about the end
of May. The intervening period included the whole of the grain-
harvest, of which the wheat was the latest crop. The Pentecost
was the Jewish harvest-home, and the people were especially ex-
horted to rejoice before Jehovah, with their families, their servants,
the Levite within their gates, the stranger, the fatherless, and the
widow, in the place chosen by God for His name, as they brought a
free-will offering to the Lord their God (Deut. xvi. 9-12). The
great feature of the celebration was the presentation of two loaves,
made from the first-fruits of the wheat harvest, and leavened that
is, in the state fit for ordinary food. Till the Pentecostal loaves
were offered, the produce of the harvest might not be eaten, nor
could any other first-fruits be offered. The whole ceremony was the
completion of that dedication of the harvest to God, as its Giver,
and to whom both the land and the people were holy, which was
begun by the offering of the wave-sheaf at the Passover.
The Pentecost is the only one of the three great feasts which
does not commemorate any well-known event in the history of the
Jews ; but its significance has been found in the fact that the Law
was given from Sinai on the fiftieth day 6 after the deliverance from
Egypt.
In the Christian Church the typical significance of the Pentecost
is made clear from the events of the day recorded in the Acts of the
Apostles (Acts ii.). Just as the appearance of God on Sinai was
the birthday of the Jewish nation, so was the Pentecost the birthday
of the Christian Church. It has been observed that the Pentecost
was the last Jewish feast that Paul was anxious to keep (1 Cor. xvi.
8), and that Whitsuntide, its successor, was the first annual festival
adopted in the Christian Church.
3. The FEAST OF TABERNACLES, or FEAST OF INGATHERING, com.
pleted the round of the annual festivals, and was celebrated with
3 1 Cor. v. 8. Luke xii. 35 ; 1 Pet. i. 13 ; ii. 11 ; Eph. v. 15 ; Heb. xi. 13.
8 1 Cor. xv. 20 ; comp. Rom. viii. 23 ; xi. 16 ; James i. 18 ; Rev. xiv. 4 : our
Lord rose on the same Jewish day on which the Omer was presented in the
tomple. 6 llence its Greek name Pentecost,
CHAP. VII. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. 107
great rejoicings. It was at once a thanksgiving for the harvest and
a commemoration of the time when the Israelites dwelt in tents
during their passage through the wilderness. It fell in the autumn,
when the whole of the chief fruits of the ground the corn, the wine,
and the oil were gathered in. Its duration was strictly only seven
days (Deut. xvi. 13), but it was followed by a day of holy convoca-
tion. It lasted from the fifteenth till the twenty-second of the month
Tisri. During the seven days the Israelites were commanded to
dwell in booths or huts (tabernacles) formed of the boughs of trees,
etc.
iii. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT.
The Day of Atonement is the one single fast, or day of humilia-
tion, prescribed by the Mosaic law ; whence it is called the Fast
(Acts xxvii. 9). It was observed five days before the Feast of
Tabernacles, and was kept as a most solemn Sabbath, when all
must abstain from work, and "afflict their souls," on pain of being
cut off from among the people. Its ceremonies signified the pub-
lic humiliation of the people for all the sins of the past year, and
the remission of those sins by the atonement which the high-priest
made within the vail, whither he entered on this day only. All
the sacrifices of the day were performed by the high-priest himself
(Lev. xxiii. 26-32).
The victims consisted of (i.) a young bullock for a sin-offering
and a ram for a burnt-offering, for the high-priest himself and his
family; and (ii.) a ram for a burnt-offering, and two young goats
for a sin-offering, for the people. Presenting the two goats before
Jehovah, at the door of the tabernacle, the high-priest cast lots
upon them; the one lot being inscribed "for Jehovah," the other
" for Azazel." The latter was called the Scape-goat. The high-
priest first offered the young bullock as the sin-offering for himself
and his family. Having slain it at the altar, he took some of its
blood, with a censer filled with live coals from the altar, and a
handful of incense, and, entering into the most holy place, he threw
the incense on the coals, thus enveloping the ark in a fragrant
cloud, and partially shrouding it from his own eyes lest he should
die for a profanely curious gnze, and then sprinkled the blood seven
times before the mercy-seat.
The goat "of Jehovah" was then slain as a sin-offering for the
people, and the high-priest again went into the most holy place
and performed the same ceremonies with its blood. As he return-
ed through the holy place, in which no one else was present, he
purified it by sprinkling some of the blood of both victims on the
altar of incense. This completed the purification of the sanctuary,
the second stage of the atonement.
108 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VII.
Then followed the remission of the people's sins by the striking
ceremony of devoting the Scape-goat, the one on which the lot had
fallen "for Azazel." The high-priest having laid his hands upon
its head, and confessed over it the sins of the people, the victim,
loaded, as it were, with those sins, was led out, by a man chosen for
the purpose, to the wilderness, into "a land not inhabited," and
there let loose. The significance of this type of the true atone-
ment, not by the blood of bulls and goats, but by the precious blood
of Christ himself, is set forth in the Epistle to the Hebrews (chap.
ix., x.).
iv. FESTIVALS AFTEE THE CAPTIVITY.
1. The FEAST OF PURIM, or of LOTS, was an annual festival
instituted to commemorate the preservation of the Jews in Persia
from the massacre with which they were threatened through the
machinations of Haman (Esther ix. 24).
2. The FEAST OF DEDICATION was the festival instituted to com-
memorate the purging of the temple and the rebuilding of the altar
after Judas Maccabseus had driven out the Syrians, B.C. 164. It
is named only once in the Canonical Scriptures (John x. 22).
SECTION VII.
LAWS, POLITICAL, CIVIL, AND CRIMINAL.
THE political condition of the Jewish commonwealth, as we have
seen, is founded entirely upon a religious basis. In its form it is,
so to say, a monarchy, with Jehovah for its unseen king, all magis-
trates and judges being His ministers; but in its substance and
spirit it is a commonwealth in the strict sense, the whole people
enjoying equal rights, as being all the children of God, and united
together by the bond of holiness.
In the first stage of their history, when they left Egypt, they
could not be called a nation in the political sense, but a body of
tribes, the main bond of union between them being the "promise
given to the fathers." Each of these tribes had its own patriarchal
government by the "princes" of the tribe, and the "heads" of
the respective families, but no central government was as yet pro-
vided. God kept that in his own hands, and committed its ad-
ministration to Moses as His servant. The people were all collect-
ed in one encampment around the tabernacle of Jehovah, their
ever-present king. They were commanded by His voice ; their
movements were guided by His visible signs.
CHAP. VII. POLITICAL LAWS. 109
In the second stage of their history their first settlement in
Canaan the constitution was essentially the same. Jehovah was
still their king, present in His tabernacle to exercise the supreme
government, and to give oracles for all doubtful cases, and commit-
ting the executive power to Joshua, who is distinctly recognized as
the successor of Moses, only he was a military leader instead of &
lawgiver. The judges were temporary and special deliverers, sent
by God to meet special emergencies, not supreme magistrates suc-
ceeding to the authority of Moses and Joshua. During the admin-
istration of Samuel as judge and prophet, the people at length de-
manded a king, after the pattern of the surrounding nations.
The demand was treated as an act of treason to Jehovah, who
punished it by granting such a king as they desired. The govern-
ment of Saul was an experiment, in which the self-will of the king
was forever asserting itself against Jehovah's supreme authority.
When the monarchy of the people's own choice was cast down by
the death of Saul, God found "David, the son of Jesse, a man after
God's own heart." His elevation to the throne marks the establish-
ment of the true Hebrew monarchy, in which the king acknowledged
himself the servant of Jehovah and guardian of His law, and sub-
mitted to guidance and rebuke by the prophets. This government
was instituted in condescension to the wants of the people, and was
designed to reconcile the visible rule of a man with the supreme
authority of the unseen God. The kingdom of Israel afterwards
broke out into open rebellion against Jehovah, checked, however, by
the prophets, and especially by Elijah and Elisha ; but the kingdom
of Judnh preserved the profession of godliness, and its true spirit
was from time to time revived by such kings as Hezekiah and Josiah.
The positive law of the kingdom was summed up in the one
great duty of governing according to the law of God, of which the
king was to write out a copy in a book, and read therein all the
days of his life. From the first, the king assumed judicial power,
and his authority extended even to the deposition of the high-priest
(1 Kings ii. 27). In religious matters he might guide the nation,
as in building and dedicating the temple and sacrificing burnt-offer-
ings ; but he was not permitted to enter the sanctuary.
The Princes of the Congregation, or heads of tribes, seem to have
always retained a certain power in the state. In the old patriarch-
al times justice was administered, as among the Arabs to the pres-
ent day, by the heads of houses or patriarchal seniors. Their au-
thority was superseded by the mission of Moses, for justice was re-
garded as proceeding from God himself. The supreme judicial an.
thority was afterwards vested in the high-priest, and under the
monarchy in the king.
110 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VII
The principles of the Civil Law of Moses are based on the relig-
ious position of the people, as the holy children of God and breth-
ren to one another. Its chief provisions may be classified as fol-
lows :
i. The Law of Persons. The power of a father over his children
was to be held sacred cursing or smiting a parent, or stubborn dis-
obedience, were considered capital crimes (Exod. xxi. 15-17). The
first-born son was to have a double portion of his father's inher
itance (Deut. xxi. 17). In default of sons, a man's possessions
might pass to his daughters, provided that they married in their
own tribe (Numb, xxvii. G-8 ; comp. chap, xxxvi.). Unmarried
daughters were to be entirely dependent upon their father.
The power of the husband over the wife was so great that she
could never be independent. Marriage within certain degrees was
forbidden (Lev. xviii.). The relations between masters and slaves
were so far limited that if a slave died under actual chastisement
the master was punishable (Exod. xxi. 20); and if maimed, the
slave was to be set at liberty. A Hebrew slave was to be freed at
the Sabbatical year, unless by his own formal act he consented to
be a perpetual slave (Exod. xxi. 1-6). In any case he was to be
freed at the Jubilee, with his children (Lev. xxv. 10). Foreign
slaves were to be held and inherited as property forever (Lev. xxv.
45, 46).
ii. The Law of Things. All land was regarded as the property
of God alone, and its holders were deemed His tenants. All sold
land was therefore to return to its original owners at the Jubilee,
and the price of the sale was to be calculated accordingly. A house
sold was to be redeemable within a year, and if not so redeemed to
pass away altogether (Lev. xxv. 29, 30). But the houses of the
Levites were redeemable at all times in the same way as land.
All debts to an Israelite were to be released at the seventh year v
and usury was not to be taken, nor pledges ruinously exacted (Deut.
xxiii. 19, 20).
Tithes of all produce were to be given for the maintenance of
the Levites (Numb, xviii. 20-24). First-fruits of corn, wine, ana
oil were to be offered every year at Jerusalem, with a solemn dec-
laration of dependence on God the King of Israel.
As to the Criminal Law, offenses against God are prohibited in
the first four Commandments. The first forbids the acknowledge
ment of false gods, and generally of all idolatry ; the second conu
prehends witchcraft and false prophecy ; the third, blasphemy ; the
fourth, Sabbath-breaking (Numb. xv. 32-36).
Offenses against man are summed up in the following Command,
meats: Under the fifth are included disobedience to parents and
CHAP. VII. CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LAWS.
Ill
to the priests ; under the sixth, murder, whether intentional of
otherwise ; under the seventh, adultery, as well as unlawful inter-
course of all kinds ; under the eighth, theft, trespass, perversion of
justice, and kidnapping ; under the ninth, false witness ; and under
the tenth, the sin of coveting.
& Sacred Egyptian boat or ark, with two figure*, perhaps resembling charabha.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE CONQUEST AND DIVISION OF THE HOLT LAND.
B.C. 1451-1426.
MOSES the lawgiver was succeeded by Joshua, the military
chief, who was to lead the people into their inheritance, and to give
them "rest." He was the son of Nun, of the tribe ofEpliraim.
His name at first was Oshea {help, or Saviour), which, by prefixing
the name of Jehovah, Moses changed to JOSHUA, that is, Cod is
the Saviour. He was probably at this time about eighty years old.
He had grown up to mature age in the state of Egyptian bondage :
lie had shared the experience and the trials of the wilderness as the
chosen servant of Moses ; had proved his military capacity in the
conquest of the land east of Jordan, and his steadfast obedience at
B.C. 1451-142G. JOSHUA. 113
Kadesh, when he stood alone with Caleb : and he lived for about
twenty-five years more to finish his allotted work. These three
periods of his life thus embrace the whole history of the moulding
of the nation. His character was in accordance with his career : a
devout warrior, blameless and fearless, who combines strength with
gentleness, ever looking up for and obeying the Divine impulse
with the simplicity of a child ; he is one of the very few worthies
of the Old Testament on whose character there is no stain.
At the death of Moses, the Israelites were encamped in the plains
of Moab, with the river Jordan before them ; and there they re-
mained till the mourning for their great prophet was over. Then
the Lord spake unto Joshua and commanded him to lead the peo-
ple over Jordan, giving him a promise of his continued presence,
"As I was with Moses so I will be with thee." Joshua prepared
the host against the third day, and summoned the two tribes and a
half to perform their promise of marching in the van (Numb, xxxii.).
Jericho was to be the first object of attack ; and he at once sent two
men to spy out the country. This great city stood in a spacious
plain about six miles west of Jordan, and opposite to the camp of
Israel, in the midst of a grove of noble palm-trees, whence it was
called " Jericho, the city of palms." It was strongly fortified and
well guarded, the gates being shut at night. The mention of
houses on the walls indicates the solidity of the walls themselves
(Josh. ii. 15).
The two spies were received into one of these houses by a harlot
named KAII.U:, who, having heard all that the Lord had done for
the Israelites, had come to believe in Him as the God of heaven and
earth, and in His purpose to give them the land In this faith she
hid the spies, and misdirected their pursners ; and then let them
down from a window of her house over the city wall, after they had
aworn to save her family in the destruction of the city. It was
agreed between them that she should hang a scarlet thread out of
her window as a sign by which the house was to be known. Tlio
spies fled to the mountain for three days till the pursuit was over,
and then rccrossed the Jordan and returned to Joshua with the re-
port that the Lord had delivered all the land into their hands, for
all the inhabitants were fainting with fear because of them (Josli
ii. 12-24).
The next morning Joshua broke np the camp at Shittim, and
maved down to the edge of the Jordan, which at this season (April)
was swollen, and overflowed its banks in consequence of the melting
of the snow about its sources in the Anti-Libamis. On the third
day after, the officers went through the host and instructed the peo-
ple in the order of their march. The priests bearing the ark began
II
114 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VIII.
the procession, and as soon as their feet were dipped in the water
the river was divided, the waters that came down from above being
heaped up as a wall, and the rest flowing down towards the Dead
Sea, leaving the channel bare. The priests advanced into the midst
of the river's bed with the ark, and there stood firm till all the peo-
ple had passed over. Meanwhile, twelve chosen men, one from
each tribe, took twelve stones from the spot where the priests stood
firm, and brought them out of the river. At the same time, they
took twelve other stones, and formed a heap with them in the mid-
dle of the river as a sign to the children of Israel. When all this was
done, Joshua commanded the priests to come out of Jordan, and
the moment that their feet rested upon the dry land, the waters of
the river returned and flowed over the banks as before (Josh. iv. 18).
The host encamped that night at Gilgal, in the plains of Jericho,
and there Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been brought
out of the river's bed, for a perpetual memorial of the passage of
the Jordan, just as the Red Sea had been divided to let them pass
out of Egypt.
The passage of the Jordan was completed on the tenth day of
the first month (Nisan =April, B.C. 1451). This was the day ap-
pointed for the selection of the Paschal Lamb; and on the evening
of the fourteenth the people kept the Passover for the first time on
the sacred soil of -their inheritance, exactly forty years after their
fathers hod first kept it when they were leaving Egypt. But first
God commanded Joshua to circumcise the people, for the circum-
cised generation who had left Egypt had died in the wilderness.
The name of the place where this was done was called Gilgal, that
is, rolling, because of the rolling away of their reproach (Josh. v. 9).
Here, on the morrow after the Passover, the new generation
tasted bread for the first time. They ate unleavened bread and
parched corn of the old crop of the land, and at the same time the
manna ceased. From that day forward they began to eat the fruits
of the year.
As Joshua was meditating how to attack Jericho, a vision was
vouchsafed to him to teach him that the work was God's. Looking
np towards the city, "behold there stood a man over against him
with a drawn sword in his hand." "Art thou for us," said Joshua,
" or for our adversaries?" "Nay," he replied, "but as captain
of the Lord's host am I now come" (Josh. v. 14). This title, so
often afterwards applied to the Son of God, revealed him to Joshua,
who fell down on his face to the earth to worship. "What saith
my Lord to his sen-ant ?" " Loose thy shoe from off thy foot," he
replied, " for the place whereon thou standest is holy." He then
foretold the miraculous conquest of Jericho, and gave Joshua direc-
B.C. 1451-142G. CAPTURE OF JERICHO. 115
tions as to the manner of its capture. The host were to compass
the city for seven days ; the circuit was to be repeated once a day
for the first six days, and on the seventh day seven times. The
chosen warriors were to march in front of the ark, immediately be-
fore which seven priests, bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns,
were to pass on round the city, blowing with their trumpets a con
tinued defiance. So they did six days. On the seventh day at
dawn they began to compass the city seven times ; at the seventh,
the trumpets pealed fortli one loud blast, the people raised a great
shout, the wall of the city fell down flat, and each man rushed in
straight from the place where he had stood, as Joshua had com-
manded. Before its capture, the city, with all its inhabitants, was
"accursed" or " devoted" as the first-fruits of the spoil of Canaan.
Only Ilahab and her household, because she hid the spies, were ex-
cepted from the curse. Then the men and women, young and old,
oxen and sheep and asses, were utterly destroyed ; the city was
burnt with fire ; but the silver and gold and vessels of brass and
iron were placed in the sacred treasury ; and Joshua adjured a sol-
emn curse upon the man who should rebuild Jericho (Josh. vi.).
The blessing which followed Rahab for her conduct is recorded
as the greatest example of faith, and of the works which spring from
faith in the old heathen world (Heb. xi. 31). She was rewarded
by a most distinguished place among the families of Israel. She
married Salmon, and became the mother of Boaz, the great-grand-
father of David. Hers is thus one of the four female names, all of
them foreigners, recorded in the genealogy of Christ.
There was, however, one man among the Israelites whose lust of
spoil made him unfaithful. His act brought a curse upon all Israel,
so that they failed in their next enterprise, the attack on Ai. It
was expected that it would be easily conquered, and only 3000 men
were told off to take it ; but they were repulsed with the loss of
thirty-six men (Josh. vii. 5). Whereupon the hearts of the people
melted, and Joshua, with all the elders of Israel, fell upon their
faces before the ark as mourners. Joshua was then told that Israel
had sinned in taking of the accursed thing and concealing it among
their goods, and he was commanded to sanctify the people against
the morrow, and to cast lots for the offender, who was to be slain
and burnt, with all belonging to him. The lot ultimately fell upon
Achan, the son of Carmi. He confessed that he had taken from
the spoil of Jericho a goodly Babylonish garment, two hundred
shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold fifty shekels' weight, and had
hid them in the earth in his tent, where they were found by men
sent by Joshua. The ofl'ender was stoned mid afterwards burned,
with his children, his cattle, and his tent ; and a great heap of
11G SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VIJ1
stones was raised over them to mark the place, which received the
name of Achor (trouble) (Josh. vii.). His case is a striking ex-
ample of the effect of sin, as involving the ruin of the guiltless ;
"That man perished not alone in his iniquity" (Josh. xxii. 20).
Joshua now formed another plan for taking Ai, which met with
complete success. The city was destroyed with all its inhabitants,
and the King of Ai was hanged on a tree. This victory secured the
passes from the valley of the Jordan, and gave the Israelites access
to the open country in the centre of Palestine. Joshua now marched
to Shechem, where he held the solemn ceremony of the blessing
and the curse on Mounts Gerizim and Ebal, as enjoined by Moses
(Josh. viii. 30-35). The above events form the first stage in the
conquest of Canaan.
A great league was now formed by all the kings west of the
Jordan, in the hills, the valleys, and the sea-coasts, as far north as
Lebanon, against the Israelites. The people of Gibeon alone sought
for peace by a curious artifice. Their city a royal city greater
than Ai, lying immediately opposite the Pass of Ai, and at the head
of the Pass of Beth-horon, would have been the next object of the
attack of the Israelites. Assuming the appearance of wayworn
travellers, with old shoes and old sacks, rent and patched wine-skins,
and dry and mouldy bread, an embassy of the Gibeonites went to
Joshua at Gilgal and declared that they had come from a far country,
where they had heard of the name of the Lord their God, and all that
He had done in Egypt, to seek for a league with His people. The
trick imposed upon Joshua and upon the princes of the congrega-
tion, who omitted to ask counsel of the Lord. They made peace
with the Gibeonites, and swore to them by the Lord to save their
lives. Three days afterwards, the Israelites reached their cities and
learned the truth. The oath, however, was held sacred in spite of
the murmurs of the congregation ; but to punish their deceit, Joshua
put the Gibeonites under a curse, and made them bondmen, and
employed them as "hewers of wood and drawers of water "for the
house of God forever (Josh. ix.).
When Adoni-zedec, king of Jerusalem, heard that the Gibeon-
ites had made peace with Israel, he made a league with the kings of
Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon, and laid siege to Gibeon.
The Gibeonites -sent for help to Joshua, who marched all night from
the camp at Gilgal, took the confederated Amorites by surprise, and
utterly routed them near Beth-horon (Josh. x. 10). As they fled
down this steep pass, the Canaanites were overtaken by a miracu-
lous hail-storm, which slew more than had perished by the sword
It was then that Joshua, after a prayer to the Lord, who had prom-
ised him this great victory, said, in the sight of Israel :
B.C. 1451-142G. SLAUGHTER OF THE KINGS. 117
" Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon ;
And thou, Moon, iu the valley of Ajalon." 1
And the sun stood still and the moon stayed until the people had
avenged themselves of their enemies. The miraculous prolongation
of the daylight enabled Joshua to continue his pursuit to Makke-
dah, a place in the maritime plain, where the five kings had hidden
themselves in a cave (Josh. x. 1C). Bidding the people roll great
stones to the mouth of the cave and set a watch over it, Joshua
pressed the rear of the fugitives, and made a very great slaughter
of the enemy. The rest that remained entered into fenced cities.
All the people then returned to Joshua at Makkedah in peace.
The five kings were now brought forth from the cave, and Joshua
sent for all the captains of his host, and said, "Come near, put
your feet upon the necks of these kings." Then he slew them,
and hanged them on five trees until the evening. When the sun
went down, their bodies were cast into the cave where they had hid
themselves, and its mouth was closed with great stones. And so
the day closed, " like which there was none before or after, that the
Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for
Israel " (Josh. x. 14).
This great battle was followed by the conquest of the seven kings
of Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, and Dcbir,
whose cities were utterly destroyed, with all their inhabitants, as
the Lord God of Israel commanded. In this one campaign Joshua
subdued the southern half of Palestine, and he then led back the
people to the camp at Gilgal (Josh. x. 40-43).
Our attention must now be turned to the North, the country
about the Sea of Chinneroth (or Galilee), the upper Jordan, and
the bases of Mount Lebanon. A new league was formed against
the Hebrews by the people of the North, at the instigation of Jabin,
king of Hazor. They assembled their forces together as the sand
upon the sea-shore in multitude with horses and chariots very
many, and pitched their tents at the Waters of Merom, to fight
against Israel. But the Lord delivered them into the hand of
Joshua, who smote them until none were left remaining. In an-
other engagement, he took Hazor, putting its king and all its in-
habitants to the sword. As the result of this third campaign, Is-
rael became master of the whole land, from Mount llalak (the
smooth mountain), at the ascent to Mount Seir, on the south, to Baal-
gad, under Mount Hermon, on the north (Josh. xi. 17). Many of
the old inhabitants, however, in different parts, held out much long-
er. It was nearly six years before the land rested from war (B.C.
H45). Jerusalem, for example, was not taken till after the death
1 Joshua z. 12.
118 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VIII.
of Joshua (Judg. i. 8) ; and its citadel remained in the hands of the
Jebusites till the time of David.
The results of the whole conquest are summed up in the sub-
jugation of thirty-one kings of cities on the west of the Jordan, be-
longing to the seven nations which had been mentioned in the first
promise to Abraham (Gen. xv. 19-21). Special notice is taken of
the extermination of the giant Anakim, who had struck such terror
into the spies, and who were left only in the Philistine cities of
Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. Whole tracts of country, however, re-
mained yet to be subdued within the limits which God had origi-
nally named, and which He now once more promised. These
were, speaking generally, the lowlands along the Mediterranean,
the coasts of Phoenicia, and the ranges of Lebanon. These con-
quests were not reserved for Joshua, who was now "old and strick-
en in years," but he was commanded to include them in the divis-
ion of the land.
Joshua now proceeded to divide the land by lot among the nine
tribes and a half, the other two and a half having already received
their allotment from Moses on the east of the Jordan. To the
Levites he gave no inheritance among their brethren, because the
Lord was their inheritance (Josh. xiii. 14). Their withdrawal
from the number of the tribes was supplied by the division of the
tribe of Joseph into the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.
The territories of the twelve tribes were as follows :
On the east of Jordan
(i.) REUBEN lay the farthest south ; their southern boundary be-
ing the Arnon, and their northern a little above the latitude of
Jericho.
(ii.) GAD came next, possessing Mount Gilead and half of Am
mon. On the side of the Jordan, their northern border just touch-
ed the sea of Chinneroth. The Jabbok divided their territory into
two nearly equal parts.
(iii.) The half-tribe of MANASSEH had all the kingdom of Og,
King of Bashan, and reached to the base of Mount Hermon on the
north.
These allotments are expressly mentioned as having been mado
by Moses.
The division of the land among the nine and a half tribes west
of Jordan was made by Eleazar the high-priest and Joshua, with
" the heads of the fathers of the tribes," by a solemn lot, cast before
Jehovah.
(iv.) JCDAH seems to have had the first share, in consequence of
Caleb's laying claim to Hebron, the special inheritance promised by
Moses as the reward of his fidelity. The Dead Sea formed their
B.C. 1451-1426. ALLOTMENTS OF THE TRIBES. 119
east coast; the northern border reached as high as the mouth of the
Jordan ; on the west it skirted the land of the Philistines and
touched the Mediterranean, and on the south it stretched across the
wilderness to " the river of Egypt.''
(v. and vi.) The tribe of JOSEPH, in its twofold division of
Ephraim and Manasseh, had the centre of the land, across from
Jordan to the Mediterranean. EPHRAIM lay north of Judah, but
between them were the districts afterwards allotted to Benjamin
and Dan. MANASSEH, in addition to the land of Bashan and Gilead
east of the Jordan, had a lot on the western side, north of Ephraim.
At a later period, Samaria was built upon their territory.
The encampment at Gilgal remained for a long time the head-
quarters of the Israelites, but at length they removed to SHILOH,
south of Shechem, in the territory of Ephraim, and there they set
up the tabernacle, where it remained till the time of Samuel.
There were still seven tribes that had not received their inherit-
ance. Now, however, three men were appointed from each tribe to
make a survey of the rest of the land, and to divide it into seven
portions. When this was finished, Joshua cast lots for the seven
portions before the tabernacle in Sliiloh (Josh, xviii. 1-10). The
result was as follows :
(vi.) BENJAMIN had the eastern part of the territory that lay
between Judah and Ephraim, embracing the plain of Jericho and
the northern highlands of the later Judaea.
(vii.) SIMEON had an inheritance taken out of the portion al-
ready allotted to Judah, for whom it was found to be too large,
namely the south-western part of the maritime plain, with the land
bordering on the desert as far eastward as Becrsheba.
(viii.) ZEBULUN received the mountain range which forms the
northern border of the great plain of Jezreel or Esdraelon, between
the eastern slopes of Carmel, on the west, and the south-west shore*
of the sea of Chinneroth and the course of the Jordan on the east.
(ix.) ISSACHAR'S inheritance corresponded almost exactly to the
great plain of Jezreel or Esdraelon, just mentioned. The territory
seems to have been taken out of that of Manasseh, as Simeon's was
out of Judah.
(x.) Asm.u had the rich maritime plain extending from Mount
Carmel to " great Sidon " and " the strong city Tyre."
(xi.) NAPHTALI, the most powerful of the northern tribes, obtained
the highlands which form the southern prolongation of the range of
Lebanon.
(xii.) DAN had at first a very small territory, north-west of Ju-
dah, almost entirely occupied by the Philistines. Because they
found their lot too small for them, they made an expedition against
120 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. VIII.
Laish, in the extreme north of the land, at the sources of the Jordan.
They took the city and destroyed the inhabitants.
Lastly, Joshua himself received, as his personal inheritance, the
place he asked for, namely, Timnath-Serah, in Mount Ephraim,
and he built the city of that name.
The possessions of each tribe were proportional to the number of
its families, as a general rule. But the great preponderance of
Judah and Joseph is explained by their respective pre-eminence as
the prince and heir of the whole family.
Each of the twelve tribes having received the lot of its inherit-
ance, provision was next made for the cities of refuge, and for the
habitation of the Levites. Six cities of refuge were, by God's direc-
tion, appointed by the people themselves three on the west of
Jordan, and three on the east. The Levites received forty-eight
cities and their suburbs, which were given up by the several tribes
in proportion to the number of cities they respectively possessed.
Thus did the Lord give to Israel all the land which He had sworn
unto their fathers, and they dwelt in it. " There failed not aught
of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of
Israel ; all came to pass " (Josh. xxi. 43-45).
Joshua governed Israel for five-and-twenty years, and he lived
long after God had given the people rest from their enemies. At
length the time came when he felt himself "going the way of all
the earth." His last care was to set clearly before the people their
true position, and to bind them to the Lord by another solemn
covenant. First, he sent for all the heads of the tribes, the judges,
and the officers, and gave them an exhortation to be very courageous
to keep and to do all that was written in the book of the law of
Moses. He reminded them of all that God had done to the Ca-
naanites for their sakes, and of His promise that, if they continued
faithful, the land divided to them should be wholly theirs, and the
heathen should be driven out before them (Josh, xxiii.).
This exhortation he repeated at Shechem, the sacred home of
Abraham and Jacob ; and he ended with an appeal unequalled in
simple force except by that of Elijah to Israel, " If it seem evil
unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will
serve. ... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
The people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake
the Lord, to serve other gods" (Josh. xxiv. 15, 16). And Joshua
wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great
stone, and having set it upright under an oak near the sanctuary
of the Lord, he said, "Let this stone be a witness unto you lest yo
deny your God." The people then departed to their homes, and
Joshua soon after died, at the age of 110 (about B.C. 1426-5), and
B.C. 1461-1426. DEATH OF JOSHUA.
121
was buried in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-Serah.
His decease was soon followed by that of Kleazar, the high-priest,
the son of Aaron.
The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought out of
Egypt, were duly interred at Shechcm, in the plot of ground which
Jacob had bought of Hamor.
The lessons of the wilderness were not lost upon the people.
We search the Sacred history in vain, from the Exodus to the
Captivity, for another generation that was so wholly faithful to the
Lord.
Goodly Babyloniih Garments. (From the Signet-Cylinder of Urukh,a very aacient king of !/>
Babylonia.)
Sacred Symbolic Tree of the Assyrians. (Probably the Aiherak or " Grove" often set up fu, a
idol.)
CHAPTER IX.
THE JUDGES. B.C. 142G-1095.
AFTEE the death of Joshua, God uttered His commands through
the high-priest, and the elders of each tribe governed the people.
In the efforts made hy the several tribes to drive out the heathen
nations, JUDAH took the lead. For a period of thirty or forty years
the people remained faithful to the Lord so long as the generation
lasted that had seen all His mighty works. But in the next gene-
ration they fell into the worship of "Baalim" the idols of the
country and they were given over into the hands of the enemies
whose gods they served. Their career of conquest was then check-
ed, and they were oppressed by heathen enemies ; but, though pun-
ished, they were not forsaken by God. As often as they were op-
pressed, He raised up " JUDGES," who delivered them from their
Oppressors. But, as often as they were delivered, they disobeyed
their judges, and fell back into idolatry. Such is a summary of
the history given in the first sixteen chapters of Judges ; the rest
of the book is occupied with two or three striking examples of the
idolatry and the anarchy thus generally described. These are ex-
pressly mentioned as proofs of the disorder of those days when
"there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was
right in his own eyes" (Judg. xvii. 6). They may be most fitly
noticed here, as they properly precede the period of the Judges.
1. The Story of Micah and the Danites. A man of Mount
Ephraim, named Micah, had stolen from his mother 1100 shekels
of silver. She cursed the unknown thief, and devoted the silver to
B.C. 1420-1095. IDOLATRY AND ANARCHY. 123
the Lord, to make a graven and a molten image ; but when her son
confessed the theft, and restored the silver to his mother, she gave
200 shekels of it to the founder for the fulfillment of her vow. The
two images which he made were set up in the house of Micah, who
made also an ephod (the garment of a priest) and teraphim (minor
household gods), and consecrated one of his sons as priest, thus
making a complete patriarchal establishment for the worship of the
Lord. He soon obtained as his priest a young Levite, who had re-
moved out of Bethlehem -Judah in search of some other abode.
Micah hired him for ten shekels a year, besides garments and food ;
and, though the law forbade a Levite to intrude into the priest's
office, Micah felt sure that the Lord would do him good, seeing that
he had a Levite for his priest.
About this time the Danites were seeking an inheritance to dwell
in, and they sent out five spies to prepare the way for their great
expedition against Laish. In passing the house of Micah, they
recognized the voice of the Levite, and said to him, " What doest
thou in this place?" At their request, he asked counsel of God
respecting the issue of their journey, and gave them a favorable
answer. The spies having accomplished their mission, 600 men of
war started from the Danite cities of Zorah and Eshtaol, to attack
the city of Laish. When they came to the house of Micah. at
Mount Ephraim, they stole his carved image, ephod, and ternphiiu,
and enticed his priest to go with them. Having taken the city of
Laish by surprise, and given it the new name of Dan, they set tip
the graven image, and established a sanctuary there for themselves,
while the tabernacle was in Shiloh. The family of the Levite,
whose name was Jonathan, the grandson of Moses, continued to be
priests to the tribe of Dan down to the Captivity. This narrative
shows clearly into what n disordered state the nation had fallen
during this period (Judg. xvii., xviii.).
2. The Destruction of the Tribe of Benjamin. A certain Levite
of Mount Ephraim had taken a concubine from Bethlehem-Jtidah.
Having proved unfaithful to him, she returned to her father's house
at Bethlehem, and remained there four months. At length the
Levite went in a friendly spirit to fetch her home. He was gladly
welcomed by his father-in-law, at whose pressing entreaty he pro-
longed his visit for five days, and towards the evening of the fifth
day he departed with his concubine and servant. As night came
on they found themselves over against Jebus, the citadel of Jeru-
salem. The servant proposed that they should turn in and lodge
in the city of the Jebusitcs ; but the master preferred to go on to
Gibeah of Benjamin, about four miles north of Jerusalem. On
reaching this place, the little party sat down in the street of the
124 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IX.
city, without being offered a lodging by any of the Benjamitcs.
At even an old man came from his work out of the field, who be-
longed to Mount Ephraim, but lived in Gibeah. He found the
wayfarers in the street and took them home, and showed them all
the duties of hospitality. But the men of the city were "men of
Belial," and when night came on they beset the old man's house,
and committed a horrible outrage upon the woman, from which she
died. In the morning the Levite carried her dead body to his own
home ; and, having cut the corpse into twelve pieces, he sent one
to each of the twelve tribes of Israel, who cried with one voice that
no such deed had been done or seen since the children of Israel
came up out of Egypt. Then all the children of Israel, as one
man, from Dan even to Beersheba, gathered together at Mizpeh,
and bound themselves by a solemn vow to avenge this wickedness.
First, however, they sent messengers through all the tribe of Ben-
jamin to demand the surrender of the culprits, but the Benjamites
refused to give them up. Then followed a struggle almost unex-
ampled. After two engagements, in which the tribes lost 40,000
men, the Benjamites were defeated with great slaughter. Of the
25,700 warriors of the tribe, only 600 were left, who fled to the
Rock of Rimmon, in the wilderness, and remained there four
months, while the Israelites burnt their cities, and put the inhabit-
ants and the cattle to the sword.
At length the anger of the Israelites began to turn to pity. The
people assembled at the house of God, and lifted up their voices
and wept sore, and said, " O Lord God of Israel, why is this come
to pass that there should be this day one tribe lacking in Israel?"
Its total extinction seemed inevitable ; for when they made the
league at Mizpeh, they had bound themselves by a curse not to
give their daughters to the Benjamites. But a remedy was found
in another curse, which they had imprecated upon any of the tribes
who neglected to come up to the battle. The men of Jabesh-Gilead,
having absented themselves, were utterly destroyed, and 400 virgins
carried off from that, city were given for wives to the remnant of
the Benjamites. The remaining 200 were provided for by the
Benjamites seizing the maidens of Shiloh, who came out of the city
to dance at one of the great annual feasts. The children of Israel
then departed to their own homes (Judg. xix.-xxi.).
Such scenes as these ; though they illustrate the ferocity of man-
ners during this period, must not be supposed to describe the whole
or even the chief part of the history of Israel under the Judges.
An exquisite picture of rural tranquillity is set before us in the Book
of Ruth, which belongs to this time.
Jt came to pass in the days of the Judges that a certain man of
B.C. 1426-1095 THE STORY OF RUTH. 125
Bethlehem- Judah, named Elimelech, had been driven by a famine
into the country of Moab, with his wife Naomi and their two sons,
Mahlon and Chilion. The sons married women of Moab, named
Orpah and Ruth, and the family resided in that country for about
ten years. There the father 'died, and his two sons likewise.
Then Naomi prepared to leave the country of Moab, and to return
to her own land the land of Judah. To her two daughters-in-law
she said, " Go, return each to her mother's house. The Lord deal
kindly with you," but they lifted up their voice and wept, and said,
"Surely we will return with thee to thy people." On her urging
the point for their own sakes, one of them, Orpah, kissed her
mother-in-law, and went back "to her people and her gods;" but
the other, Ruth, clave unto her, and said, "Entreat me not to leave
thee, or to return from following after thee." So they two went
until they came to Bethlehem, which they reached at the beginning
of barley-harvest.
A wealthy and powerful man of Bethlehem, named Boaz, was a
very near kinsman to Elimelech, Naomi's deceased husband, and
consequently to Ruth, his daughter-in-law. It chanced that Ruth
went to glean in this man's field, and when he visited the gleaners,
he attracted his attention. When he learnt who she was, he bade
her glean only in his field, and enjoined the reapers to show her
kindness. "Let fall," he said, "some of the handfuls of purpose
for her, and leave them that she may glean them." Thus passed
the whole harvest. Meanwhile Naomi, full of gratitude to God,
who had thus guided her to her husband's nearest kinsman, in-
structed Ruth what to do, and Boaz promised to do the part of a
kinsman by her. After going through the ceremonies prescribed
by the Levitical Law, he made her his wife. She bore him a son
named Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David ; and so Christ,
the son of David, derived his lineage from a Moabitish woman, who
had shown a faith rarely found in Israel, and whose husband was
the son of the harlot Rahab.
From these scenes of Jewish life during this unsettled period we
turn to the history of the Judges themselves. They were fifteen in
number, Deborah the prophetess being reckoned with her male asso-
ciate Barak. (1) Othniel ; (2) Ehud; (3) Shamgar; (4) Deborah
and Barak; (5) Gideon ; (G) Abimelech ; (7) Tolah ; (8)Jair; (9)
Jephthah; (lO)Ibzan; (ll)Elon; (12)Abdon; (13) Samson; (14)
Eli ; (15) Samuel. As often as the Israelites forsook the Lord, he
allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies. Then, when they
returned to him, and implored his aid, he sent "Judges "to deliver
them from the foreign conqueror.
I. The first of these conquerors was Chush..n-rishathaim, king
126 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IX.
of Mesopotamia, the former home of the family of Abraham.
After the people had served him eight years (B.C. 1402-1394), God
raised up OTHNIEL, Caleb's nephew, to be their deliverer, and the
First Judge; and under his government the*land had rest fort}
years (B.C. 1394-1354) (Judg. iii. fl).
II. Eglon, king of Moab, was the next enemy who prevailed
against Israel. Having formed a great league with the Ammonites
and Amalekites, he crossed the Jordan, defeated the Israelites, and
took possession of the city of palm-trees (Judg. iii. 13), probably the
site on which Jericho had formerly stood. His power endured for
eighteen years, till a deliverer was raised up in EHUD, the son of
Gera, who slew Eglon, and is reckoned the Second Judge. The
land then had rest for eighty years, and the history of Ruth, already
related, appears to fall within this period of tranquillity (Judg. iii.
30).
III. The place of Third Judge is commonly assigned to SHAM-
GAR, who delivered Israel from the tyranny of the Philistines, and
displayed his strength by killing 600 of them with an ox-goad.
His time and acts are probably to be included in the preceding
period of eighty years (Judg. iii. 31).
IV. After the death of Ehud, the people were again sold for their
sins into the hand of the Canaanite Jabin, king of Hazor, who was
at the head of a great confederacy in northern Palestine. He had
900 war-chariots of iron, and his host was commanded by a mighty
captain named Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles, a
city supposed to have been on the western shore of the " Waters of
Merom." For twenty years Jabin mightily oppressed the children
of Israel ; but both his power and the life of his captain, Sisera,
were given as a spoil to the hands of women. At this time Israel
was judged by DEBORAH, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, who is
reckoned with Barak as the Fourth Judge. She dwelt under a
palm-tree, which bore her name, between Ramah and Bethel, and
thither the people came up to her for judgment. She went out with
Barak to meet Sisera and his host near the river Kishon. Sisera
advanced from Harosheth to the great plain of Esdraelon or Jezreel,
and took up his position in the south-west corner of the plain neat
"Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo," which were numerous riv-
ulets flowing into the Kishon. Barak marched down from his
camp on Mount Tabor with 10,000 men. At this critical moment,
a tremendous storm of sleet and hail gathered from the east, and
burst over the plain, driving full in the face of the advancing Ca-
naanites. " The stars in their courses fought against Sisera."
The rain descended, the torrent of the Kishon rose into a flood, and
swept away the chariots and horses which should have gained the
B.C. 1426-1095. DEATH OF SISERA. 127
day for the Canaanites. Far and wide, the vast army fled through
the eastern branch of the plain by Endor, and a carnage took place
long afterwards remembered. Sisera escaped by dismounting from
his chariot, and fled on foot to the tent of Heber the Kenite. Jael,
Heber's wife, met him at the tent door, and pressed him to come in.
He accepted the invitation, and she covered him with a mantle, as
he lay wearily on the floor. When thirst prevented sleep, he said
unto her, " Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink," and she
gave him buttermilk in her choicest vessel. At last, having exacted
a promise from her that she would faithfully preserve the secret of
his concealment, the weary and unfortunate general resigned him-
eelf to sleep. Then it was that Jael took in her left hand one of the
great wooden pins which fasten down the cords of the tent, and in
her right hand the mallet used to drive them into the ground, and
creeping up softly to her sleeping and confiding guest, with one ter-
rible blow she dashed the nail through his temples deep into the
earth. So he died. And behold as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael
came out to meet him, and led him into her tent, to claim the glory
of the deed (Judg. iv.). Many persons have pointed to the treachery
of Jael with indignant reprobation ; but it must be remembered
that the Bible does not adopt the morality of all the acts that it
records not even of those done by the servants of God.
V. The peace purchased by the victory of Deborah and Barak
was again misused by Israel, and the next scene of their history
opens upon a more shameless idolatry, and a more complete sub-
jection to their enemies. The worship of Baal was publicly prac-
tised, and on this account the Lord delivered them over to their
old enemies of the desert, the Midianites and the Amalekites. Ev-
ery year they came up with their cattle and their tents, as " locusts
ror multitude," and devoured all the produce of the land as far as
Gaza, so that the Israelites had no food left, nor sheep, nor ox, nor
ass. The only refuge of the people was in dens and caves and
strongholds in the mountains. This oppression lasted seven years;
and at last GIDEON, the son of Joash, and nn inhabitant of Ophrah,
in Manasseh, was called to be the deliverer of his nation, and is
reckoned as the Fifth Judge. One day, as he was threshing wheat
near his wine-press, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and
said unto him, " The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor."
"If the Lord be with us," Gideon replied, " why then is all this be-
fallen us? Where be all His miracles which our fathers have told
us of? But now the Lord hath forsaken us, and hath delivered us
into the hands of the Midianites." The reply was a command to
go in His might and save Israel from the Midianites, for the Lord
had sent him. "Wherewith shall I save Israel?" inquired Gid-
128 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IX
eon : " my family is poor in Munasseh, and I am the least in my
father's house." " Surely I will be with thee," said the Lord,
"and thou shall smite the Midianites as one man." These words
left little doubt on Gideon's mind as to the quality of his visitant.
"Depart not hence, I pray thee," he says, " until I come unto thee
and bring forth my present and set it before thcc." Having pre-
pared a meat-offering of unleavened cakes, with a kid, and the
broth in which it was boiled for a drink-offering, he brought them
out to the angel under the oak. These things he was commanded to
lay upon a rock, in the very form of a sacrifice prescribed by the law,
and at the touch of the angel's staff fire rose up out of the rock and
consumed them. The angel then departed out of his sight. When
Gideon perceived that he had spoken with an angel of the Lord, he
feared that he should die because he had seen Him face to face.
"Peace be to thee: fear not," said the Lord. Then he built an
altar unto the Lord on the spot where the sacrifice had been offer-
ed, and called it JKHOVAH-SHALOM (Jehovah [is our] peace) (Judg.
vi. 24).
Having received a commandment to throw down the altar of Baal
belonging to his father Joash in Ophrah, and to cut up the wooden
image (not the grove, as in the English version) of the goddess
Ashtoreth, he obeyed. Aided by ten of his servants, he performed
this deed by night, for fear of his father's household and the men
of the city. In the morning all was discovered ; and the men of
the city came to Joash, demanding the life of Gideon, because he
had thrown down the altar of Baal. But Joash replied, "Let Baal
plead his own cause." Wherefore Gideon received the new name
JERUB-BAAL, that is, "Let Baal plead" (Judg. vi. 32).
Once more the Midianites and Amalekitcs, with all the roving
tribes east of Palestine, mustered their forces, and pitched in the
valley of Jezreel. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon,
and he blew a trumpet, and called round him Manasseh, Asher,
Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they carne up to meet him. The host
encamped on Mount Gilboa, overlooking the myriad tents that
whitened the plain of Esdraelon. Before the conflict, Gideon prayed
for a sign that God would save Israel by his hand. Two mira-
cles were wrought to sustain his courage and strengthen his faith.
He spread a fleece of wool on his threshing-floor, and asked that it
might be wet with dew while the earth around was dry, and in the
morning he wrung a bowlful of water out of the fleece. The sign
was repeated in a different form : the fleece remained dry, while all
the ground was wet with dew (Jndg. vi. 38, 39).
Encouraged by these miraculous signs, Gideon encamped early
in the morning by the " Well of Trembling " (///W), at the he.-.d
B.C. 1426-1095. GIDEON AS JUDGE. 129
of 32,000 men. That the people might not vaunt themselves
against the Lord, and say, on account of their numbers, " Mine own
hand hath saved me," Gideon was directed to proclaim, " Whoso-
ever is afraid, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead."
22,000 then slunk away. Still the Lord said that the people were
too many, and they were put to another test by their manner of
drinking at the "Well of Trembling." All those who knelt down
to drink were put aside ; while those who lifted the water in their
hands, and lapped it like a dog, were chosen for the service. The
number proved to be only 300 ; and by these the Lord said He
would deliver the Midianites into the hands of Gideon. The peo-
ple then took victuals in their hands and their trumpets, and wait-
ed for the night. At nightfall God commanded Gideon to go down
with his servant Phurah to the host of Midian, where he overheard
a man relate a dream to his comrade, from which he learned that
God had already stricken the Midianites with terror at "the sword
of Gideon, the son of Joash." On returning to his host, he divided
his three hundred men into three companies, furnished each man
with a trumpet, and a torch concealed in a pitcher, and bade them
all, at the signal of his trumpet, to sound their trumpets too, and to
shout his battle-cry, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon !" at
the same time breaking the pitchers that covered their lights. Just
as the middle watch was set, they took their posts on three sides of
the host of Midian, and did so. The sudden shouts and flashing
lights bewildered the Midianites; and, as Gideon's handful of men
stood firm with the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets in
their right, they " ran and cried and fled " (Judg. vii. 21). No at-
tack was needed : the swords of the Midianites were set against each
other, as they fled down the pass leading to the Jordan. Thus
Gideon gained the victory, and accomplished the deliverance of
Israel.
The people's gratitude to their deliverer displayed itself in their
offering Gideon the rank of an hereditary king; "Rule thou over
us," they said, "both thou and thy son, and thy son's son." The
answer shows that Gideon remembered the great principle of the
theocracy, "I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule ovei
you : the Lord shall rule over you " (Judg. vii. 22, 23). He was
content with the position of a judge, and in the succession of the
judges he is reckoned as the Fifth and greatest, being excelled by
Samuel in holiness of character, but by none indignity and bravery.
His rule lasted forty years, during which time the Midianites never
lifted their heads again. He had many wives, and a family of sev-
enty sons, besides Abimelech, the son of his concubine at Shcchem.
He died in a good old age, and was buried at his native city of Oph-
I
130 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IX.
rah. After his death the children of Israel returned to the worship
of Baalim (Judg. viii. 33).
VI. The royal power, which Gideon had refused, was coveted af-
ter his death by ABIMELECH, the son of his concubine at Shechem,
who succeeded, for the short space of three years, in establishing a
kingdom at that place, and is regarded as the Sixth Judge. Hav-
ing won over his mother's brethren, he induced them to say to the
men of Shechem, " Is it better for you that Gideon's sons, seventy
persons, should reign over you, or that one should reign over you ?"
The Shechemites were at length gained over ; and they gave Abinv.
elech money out of the sacred treasury of their god, Baal-berith,
with which he hired "vain and light persons," the refuse of society,
to follow him (Judg. ix. 4). He led them to his father's house at
Ophrah, and there he slew Gideon's seventy sons on one stone, ex-
cept Jotham, the youngest, who hid himself. The men of She-
chem, then, headed by the house of Millo, assembled and made
Abimelech king (verse G), at the very oak where Joshua had set up
the pillar that commemorated Israel's solemn engagement to the
Lord (Josh. xxiv. 26). When Jotham heard of this, he went forth
and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice and
said, "Hearken unto me, men of Shechem, that God may hearken
unto you." He then related that fable, the most ancient upon rec-
ord, which has become celebrated under his name. The trees on a
time went forth to anoint a king over them, and their choice fell
first upon the best and most useful. They said to the olive-tree,
"Reign thou over us." But the olive-tree replied, "Should I
leave my fatness wherewith by me they honor God and man, and
go up and down for other trees ?" They next applied to the fig-
tree ; but the fig-tree said, " Should I forsake my sweetness and
my good fruit, and go up and down for other trees?" Then they
asked the vine ; but the vine said, " Should I leave my wine which
cheereth God and man, and go up and down for other trees ?"
Then they turned to the bramble, and said, " Come thou and reign
over us." And the bramble said, " If in truth ye anoint me king
over you, come and put your trust in my shadow ; and if not, let
fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon "
{Judg. ix. 8-1 o). Consider now, continued Jotham, if ye have
done well towards Gideon, and according to his deserts. If ye
have, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.
But if not, then let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour
Shechem, or let fire come out from the men of Shechem and devour
Abimelech. Having said these things, Jotham ran away and fled
to Beer, and we hear of him no more (Judg. ix. 21).
His curse was not long in being fulfilled. After Abimelech *ad
B.C. 142C-1095. JOTHAM'S FABLE OF THE TREES. 131
reigned three years, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and
the men of Shechem, to avenge upon both the murder of the sons
of Gideon. The Shechemites revolted against Abimelech, and
plotted against his life. Bands of men lay in wait for him, and
robbed all passers-by while he was absent from the city. Zehul,
the ruler of the city, sent privately to inform Abimelech that the
people were proposing to fortify Shechem against him ; whereupon
he surrounded the city by night and defeated the Shechemites, when
they came out to meet him, with their leader Gaal, with great loss.
He afterwards took the city, and utterly destroyed it, sowing the
foundations with salt, and slaying all the inhabitants. About
thousand men and women, who had taken refuge in a tower sacred
to Baal-berith, were burnt to death (Judg. ix. 45-49).
The cruel deed was soon avenged. Abimelech had besieged
Thebez, where also there was a tower, to which the people fled
when the city was taken. He had approached the door to set fire
to it as at Shechem, when a woman threw down a piece of a mill-
stone upon his head and broke his skull. In the agony of death he
had just time to call upon his armor-bearer to dispatch him with
his sword, that it might not be said of him " a woman slew him."
Thus God rendered both to Abimelech and to the Shechemites their
wickedness in slaying the sons of Gideon. And the bramble Abim-
elech devoured the men who elevated him, and was devoured by
them (Judg. ix. 56. 57).
VII., VIII. After him came TOLA, who dwelt in Mount Ephraim,
and judged Israel twenty-three years. He was the Seventh Judge ;
and was succeeded by JAIR, a Gileadite, who had a peaceful rule of
twenty-two years, and was the Eighth Judye.
During this long interval of rest, the Israelites multiplied their
idolatries; serving all the gods of all the nations around them, ex.
cept the Lord : Him they forsook and served not. Their punish-
ment was as signal as their sin. Two nations at once attacked Is-
rael on the west and the cast the Philistines and the Ammonites.
For eighteen years the Ammonites oppressed the Israelites who
dwelt in the land of Gilead, on the east of Jordan. They also pass-
ed over the Jordan and attacked Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim,
so that Israel was sore distressed.
Their cry of penitence was not at once successful. They were
told to cry to the gods whom they had chosen (Judg. x. 14). Once
more they humbled themselves before the Lord. "We have sinned,"
they said; " deliver us only, we pray thee, this day." In proof of
their repentance, they put away the strange gods from among them
and served the Lord ; and ' ' His soul was grieved for the misery
tf Israel." Once more the two nations were gathered together for
132 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IX.
war ; the sons of Ammon were encamped in Gilead, and the Is-
raelites in Mizpeh. A captain alone was wanting.
IX. Now at that time there was dwelling in the land of Tob a
man of Gilead, named JEPHTHAH, who is regarded as the Ninth
Judge. He was the son of Gilead by a concubine, and on his fa-
ther's death was thrust out from his inheritance by his brethren bo-
cause he was illegitimate. He had become the leader of a band of
*' vain persons," who obtained their living as freebooters. When
the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gil-
ead went to fetch Jephthah, and prevailed on him, with some diffi-
culty, to become their leader. He made them swear that their de-
liverer should be head over all Gilead, and when he joined the
army at Mizpeh the oath was solemnly ratified before the Lord
'.Judg. xi. 6-11).
Before he went forth to battle, he made a rash vow unto the
Lord. " If thou shall without fail," he said, " deliver the children
of Ammon into mine hands, then whatsoever shall come forth from
the doors of my house to me, when I return in peace, shall surely
be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering " (Judg. xi.
31). His expedition was crowned with complete success ; the Lord
delivered the Ammonites into his hands, and he defeated them with
great slaughter, so that they were entirely subjected to Israel from
that time until the reign of Saul.
Jephthah returned a victor to his house at Mizpeh, and alas! to
pay his rash vow to the Lord. As he approached his house, his own
daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances, like
another Miriam, and, to make the blow more terrible, she was his
only child. When he saw her, he rent his clothes and cried;
"Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, for I have
opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I can not go back." "My
father," she replied, "if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord,
do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth."
For such a victory over the children of Ammon as God had given
Israel, she grudged not the sacrifice of herself. "Let me alone
for two months," she says, "that I may wander among the mount-
ains of Gilead with my young companions, to bewail that it was
not my lot to be a bride and a mother in Israel." At the end of
Ihat time she returned to her father, " who did with her according
to his vow." Henceforth it became a custom for the daughters of
Israel to go out four days every year to lament the daughter of
Jephthah the Gileadite. His deed is recorded, but finds no ap-
proval, in Holy Scripture ; and it must be remembered that he was
a man whose spirit had become hardened by his previous life as a
freebooter (Judg. xi. 34-40).
B.C. H26-1095. RASH VOW OF JEPHTHAH. 133
The Ephraimites quarrelled with Jephthah, bnt were utterly de-
feated in Gilead. The fugitives were massacred at the fords of
Jordan ; each Ephraimite being detected by his pronunciation of
Shibboleth (a stream or flood) as Sibboleth. After having judged
Israel six years, Jephthah died, and was buried in one of the cities
of Gilead.
X.-XII A bare mention will suffice of X. IBZAN of Bethlehem,
in Zebulun, who judged Israel for seven years, and was succeeded
by another Zebulonite, (XI.) ELON, who judged Israel ten years,
and was buried at Aijalon, in Zebulun ; and (XII.) ABDON, the son
of Hillel, who filled the office for eight years (B.C. 1120-1112).
XIII., XIV. We next read that the children of Israel did evil
again in the sight of Jehovah ; and he delivered them into the
hand of the Philistines forty years (Judg. xiii. 1). Then we have
the story of the birth and exploits of SAMSON, the Thirteenth
Judge, who is expressly said to have judged Israel twenty years in
the days of the Philistines (Judg. xv. 20).
The Philistine oppression has already been mentioned before the
judgeship of Jephthah (Jndg. x. 6), and closes distinctly with Sam-
uel's great victory at Ebenezer (1 Sam. vii. 13). It seems probable
that the forty years of its duration were about equally divided by
the death of ELI, who administered the general government of Isra-
el, as high-priest and judge, at the tabernacle at Shiloh, while Sam-
son was performing his special exploits in the limited territory of
Dan. The twenty years of Samson's judgeship seem to coincide
with the last twenty years of Eli, who would thus be properly the
thirteenth judge, instead of the fourteenth as he is commonly reck-
oned. But these questions can not be discussed in the present
work ; and we follow the order of the sacred narrative ; in which
the book of Judges (excepting the supplement) closes will) the death
of Samson, and the whole story of Eli and Samuel is reserved for
the book of Samuel. '
The office of high-priest at Shiloh was now held by ELI, a man
of venerable age, who was himself a good man, but he was guilty
of sinful weakness in the indulgence he showed to the vices of his
jsons. To this office he added also that of Judge. In his time it
pleased God to raise up two champions for Israel, whose characters
form a remarkable contrast. Samson and Samuel exhibit the two
extremes of bodily energy and of spiritual power. In Samson we
see the utmost that man's strength can do ; in Samuel we behold
the wondrous power of prayer.
1 For the fall discussion, sec the Student's Old Testament History, chap,
xix. and note A to ch. xvii. We follow here the received chronology of
Archbishop Ussher.
134 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IX
Samson was the son of Manoah, a man of Zorah, on the confines
of Judah. His mother had long been barren, when the Angel of
the Lord appeared to her, and said, "Lo, thou shalt conceive and
bear a son ; the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb,
and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philis
tines." The child thus promised was born and named Samson, and
he grew up and the Lord blessed him. By the time he reached
manhood the Philistines had dominion over Israel, and the Spirit
Df the Lord began to move him at times in the cam]) of Dan. This
divine inspiration took in him the especial form of vast personal
strength, animated by undaunted bravery. Conscious of this pow-
er, Samson began to seek a quarrel with the Philistines, and with
this view he asked for a Philistine woman whom he had seen at
Timnath, as his wife. One day as he passed by the vineyards of
the city, on a visit to his intended bride, a young lion rushed out
upon him. Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him ;
and, though he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion as he
would have torn a kid, but he told no one of what he had done.
As he passed that way again, he saw a swarm of bees in the carcass
of the lion, and he ate of the honey, but still he told no one. At
his marriage feast he proposed a riddle to be solved within the seven
days of the feast, for a stake of thirty tunics and thirty changes of
raiment. It was this :
" Out of the eater came forth food,
And out of the strong came forth sweetness."
His wife enticed him to tell her the riddle, and she told it to the
men of the city, so that before sunset on the seventh day they came
to Samson and said,
"What is sweeter tnan honey?
And what is stronger than a lion?"
"If ye had not ploughed with my heifer," rejoined Samson, "ye
had not found out my riddle." And the Spirit of the Lord cam&
again upon him, and going down to Ashkelon, he slew thirty me*
of the city, and gave their apparel to their fellow-countrymen at
Timnath, who had expounded the riddle (Judg. xiv.).
His wife soon after was given to one of the groomsmen. Oc
Samson's visiting her, her father refused to let him see her, when
he revenged himself by taking 300 foxes (or rather jackals), and
tying them together, two by two, by the tails, with a fire-brand be-
tween every pair of tails, he let them loose into the standing corn
of the Philistines, at that time ready for harvest. He afterwards
smote the Philistines "hip and thigh, with a great slaughter,"
B.C. 1426-1095. SAMSON AND THE PHILISTINES. 135
after which ha took refuge on the top of the Rock of Etam, in the
territory of Judah. Then the Philistines marched against the men
of Judah, who hastened to make their peace by giving up Samson.
Three thousand of them went up to the rock to bind him, and ho
submitted on their promise not to fall upon him themselves. Bound
with two new cords, he was brought down to the camp of the Phi-
listines, who received him with a shout of triumph ; but the Spirit
of the Lord came mightily upon him. He broke the cords like
burnt flax, and, finding a jaw-bone of an ass at hand, he slew with it
a thousand of the Philistines. This achievement raised Samson to
the position of a judge, which he held for twenty years (Judg. xv.).
On one occasion, while he was at Gaza, the Philistines shut the
gates of the city, intending to kill him in the morning ; but at mid-
night he went out and tore away the gates, with the posts and bar,
and carried them to the top of a hill looking towards Hebron.
Next he fell in love with Delilah, who was bribed by the lords
of the Philistines to entice Samson to tell her wherein his great
strength lay, and, though not at once betraying it, he played with
the temptation. Thrice he suffered himself to be bound, first with
green withes, then with new ropes, and afterwards by weaving the
seven locks of his hair to the beam of a loom, and each time, when
Delilah gave the eignal, "The Philistines are upon thee, Samson,''
he burst his bonds. At length he was betrayed into the presump-
tion that perhaps his strength might survive the loss of his Nazarite's
locks. Wearied out with her importunity, he at last told her all
his heart, and while he was asleep she had him shaven of his seven
locks of hair, and his strength went from him. Then the Philis-
tines took him, put out his eyes, and led him down to Gaza, bound
in brazen fetters, and made him grind in the prison. But God had
not deserted His champion, though He had allowed him to be so se-
verely punished. As his hair grew, his strength returned. In a
little while, the lords and chief people of the Philistines held a great
feast in the temple of their god Dagon, to celebrate their victory
over him. Samson was brought forth to make sport for them, and
was placed between the two chief pillars which supported the roof
of the house. The place was crowded with spectators to the num-
ber of three thousand. After pi-ay ing to the Lord to strengther.
him, that he might be avenged of the Philistines for the loss ol his
eyes, he bore with all his might upon the two pillars, and the house
fell upon the lords and all the people, and he died with them. " Sc
the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he
slew in his life" (Judg. xvi.).
XV. The loss of Samson was more than supplied by SAMUKL, tho
Fifteenth and last of the Judges; the .first of tho, Proplv.ts, and tho
136 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IX
founder of the Monarchy. His name is expressive of the leading
feature of his whole history the power of prayer. The attitude and
expression of Sir Joshua Reynolds's well-known picture is that of
Samuel's whole life. His father, Elkanah, had two wives, one of
whom, named Hannah, was barren. With a pious regularity the
whole family went up yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord at
Shiloh, where Eli ministered as high-priest, assisted by his sons
Hophni and Phinehas, as priests. In bitterness of soul, because she
had no children, Hannah prayed for a son, whom she vowed tc
dedicate to the Lord all the days of his life as a Nazarite. She
prayed silently in her heart, but her lips moved, and Eli, thinking
that she was drunk after the feast, reproved her severely ; but, dis-
covering his mistake, he gave her his blessing, praying that God
would grant her petition. She returned with joy to Ramah, and in
due time bore a son, and called him Samuel. When the child was
weaned, she presented him before the Lord at Shiloh, to abide there
forever (1 Sam. L).
As the child grew up, he ministered unto the Lord before Eli
the priest. His growth in favor with God and man formed a strik-
ing contrast to the shameful profanation of the tabernacle by the
sons of Eli, who were "sons of Belial." They made themselves
vile, and their father did not use his authority as high-priest to re-
strain them. Therefore a prophet was sent to denounce the de-
struction of the house of Eli, as a sign of which both his sons should
be slain in one day, and a faithful priest should be raised up in his
place. Another warning was sent to Eli by the mouth of the
youthful Samuel. One night, after he had lain down to sleep, the
Lord called to him by name, and he answered, " Here am I," and
ran to Eli, thinking that he had called him. This was repeated
thrice, when the high-priest perceived that the Lord had called the
child. Then the word of God came to Samuel, confirming in more
terrible terms the sentence already pronounced upon the house of
Eli. In the morning Samuel opened the doors of the tabernacle,
as usual, and, being solemnly adjured by Eli, he told him all that
the Lord had said. "It is the Lord," answered Eli ; "let him do
what seemeth him good." From that day Samuel was a prophet
of the Lord, and all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew it
(1 Sam, iii.).
New hostilities soon broke out between the Philistines and the
Israelites. In the first of the three great battles which were fought
at this time, the Israelites were defeated with the loss of 4000 men.
Then the elders of Israel said, "Let us fetch the ark of the cove-
nant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that when it cometh among
us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies." It was a su-
B.C. 1426-1095. CAPTURE OF THE ARK. 137
perstitious hope that the mere symbol of God's presence would be
sufficient to protect them. Accordingly, the ark was brought from
Shiloh by Hophni and Phinehas, fit ministers of such a sacrilegious
act : when it came into the camp, the Israelites shouted with a
great shout, and the Philistines were afraid, believing that the gods
of the Hebrews had come. They fought, therefore, with the cour-
age of despair; Israel was smitten, 30,000 men were slain, among
them Hophni and Phinehas, and the ark of God was taken (1 Sam
IT. 4-11).
A man of Benjamin ran out of the army and carried the news to
Shiloh, his clothes rent and earth upon his head, in sign of the deep-
est mourning. As Eli sat by the wayside watching for tidings, and
trembling for the ark of God, he heard the cry of grief and horror
raised by the whole city. "What meaneth the noise of this tu-
mult ?" he asked. Then the men came in hastily and told Eli.
The old man heard in silence the fate of the army, and the loss of
his two sons ; but when he was told that the ark of God was taken,
he fell backward and broke his neck and died, for he was an old
man and heavy. He was ninety-eight years of age, and had judged
Israel forty years. The troubles of the day were, however, not yet
ended. The wife of Phinehas, on hearing the news, was seized with
premature labor, and died in giving birth to a son, whom with her
last breath she named Ichabod, for she said, "The glory is departed
from Israel," because the ark of God was taken. Such was the
fearful issue of the second battle of Ebenezer (1 Sam. iv. 19-22).
The ark was carried by the Philistines to Ashdod (Azotus), and
placed as a trophy in the temple of their god Dagon. But the
very next morning their god was found thrown down with his face
to the ground, and the same thing happened again. Next the men
of Ashdod were smitten, many with death, and others with a painful
complaint. They refused, therefore, to keep the ark any longer ;
and it was carried first to Gath, and then to Ekron, only to inflict
the like plagues and slaughter on those cities. For seven months
the ark was thus carried about through the cities of the Philistines,
and at length they resolved to send it back. By the advice of their
priests and diviners, they made a new cart, on which they placed
the ark, and by its side a coffer containing jewels of gold for u tres-
pass-offering. They harnessed to the cart two milch-cows that had
never borne the yoke, and shut up their calves at home ; and then,
to find out whether the Lord had done them this great evil, they
anxiously waited to see which road the cows would take. They
went straight up the road from Ekron to Beth-shemesh, lowing af-
ter their calves, but never turning aside, followed by five lords of the
Philistines to see the end. The cart readied the field of Joshua,
138 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. IX.
where the men of Beth-shemesh were reaping, and they rejoiced to
see it. The Levites at once took down the ark and coffer, cut up
the cart, and used the wood in sacrificing the cows as a burnt-offer-
ing. Overcome, however, by' curiosity, the men of Beth-shemcsh
looked into the ark, and the Lord smote 50,070 of them with death.
Then they sent to the men of Kirjath-jearim to fetch away the ark,
and in that city it remained till David removed it to Jerusalem
(1 Sam. vi. 10-21).
For twenty years the people mourned for the absence of the ark
from Shiloh, and groaned under the oppression of the Philistines,
till Samuel called them to repentance. If, he said, they would put
away all false gods, and would prepare their hearts to serve the
Lord, then he would deliver them from the hand of the Philistines.
And they did so. Then Samuel gathered all Israel at Mizpeh,
that he might pray for them to the Lord. When the Philistines
heard of this gathering, they mustered their forces, and as Samuel
was in the very act of offering a burnt-offering and praying to the
Lord for Israel, the Philistines drew near in battle array. But God
answered the prayers of Samuel by sending a violent storm of thun-
der, which discomfited the Philistines, and they were defeated by
the Israelites. As a memorial of the victory, Samuel set up a stone
between Mizpeh and Shen, and called it Eben-ezer, saying, " Hith-
erto hath the Lord helped us." This third battle was fought on the
same ground as the other two (I Sam. vii. 7-12).
So the Philistines were subdued ; the cities which they had taken
from the Israelites were restored, and the hand of the Lord was
against them all the days of Samuel. He was now, if not before,
constituted the Judge of Israel the last who held that office before
the monarchy. His house was at Ramah ; there he built an altar
unto the Lord. From year to year he went in circuit to Bethel,
Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged the people at all four places. In
his old age he made his sons Joel and Abiah judges; they acted,
probably, as his deputies, and dwelt at Beersheba. But they did
not walk in his ways. The elders of Israel, therefore, came to Sam-
uel, and said, " Behold thou art old ; thy sons walk not in thy
ways ; now make us a king to judge us like all the nations " (1 Sam.
riii. 1-5).
It was a trying moment for Samuel as a man, a father, and a
prophet of the Lord. "The thing displeased Samuel." He ap-
plied himself to the resource that never failed him ; " he prayed unto
the Lord." The answer he received was, "Hearken unto the voice
of the people ; they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected
ME from reigning over them." These words are the key to the
whole history of the Hebrew monarchy. Samuel was instructed to
B.C. 1*26-1095. DEMAND FOR A KING.
139
grant them their request, but not till he had first solemnly pointed
out how the king would act that should reign over them. His
warning had no effect. "We will have a king over us," they said,
"that we may be like other nations, and that our king may judge
us, and lead us out to battle." Receiving a command again from
God to make them a king, Samuel sent them back to their cities, to
await the man selected for them in the providence of God (1 Sam,
viii.J.
Assyrian fob-god DootitKi, or Dagon (Lay.ird).
Assyrian king in his robe
CHAPTER X.
THE REIGN OF SAUL. B.C. 1095-1056.
THE future King of Israel was SAUL, the son of Kisli, of the tribe
of Benjamin, "a choice young man and a goodly; from his shoul-
ders and upward he was taller than any of the people." Though
called "a young man," he was probably not less than forty, for
Jonathan, his eldest son, appears as a warrior the year after Saul's
accession ; and Ish-boshcth, his younger son, was forty years old at
his father's death (2 Sam. ii. 10). Saul was led to Samuel to be
anointed to his future office by what might have seemed to the eyes
of men an accident. His father having lost his asses, sent Saul
with a servant in search of them. They passed through Mount
Ephraim and the land of the Benjamites, and came to the neighbor-
hood of Ramah, where Samuel dwelt. Saul now proposed to return,
but the servant told him that in the city which they were approach-
B.C. 1095-1056. ANOINTING OF SAUL. 141
ing there dwelt a man of God all whose words came to pass per-
haps he could direct them where to find the asses. Accordingly
they went on, ascended the hill on which the city stood, and just as
they were entering it they were met by Samuel, who was on his way
to bless a sacrifice and festival the people were holding. He was
prepared for the interview. God had told him the day before that
He would send to him on the morrow a Benjamite whom he was to
anoint to be captain over Israel, to deliver the people out of the
hands of the Philistines. When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said
unto him, "Behoid the man whom I spake to thee of." He made
himself known to Saul as the seer whom he was seeking, and having
told him that his father's asses were found, he astonished him by
saying, "On whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee
and on all thy father's house ?" Waiting as the people were for
their destined king, Saul could not misunderstand what Samuel
meant. "Am not I a Benjamite," he replied, "of the smallest of
the tribes of Israel ; my family the least of all the families of the
tribe of Benjamin? Why speakest thou so to me?" Samuel
made no reply, but took Saul and his servant into the banqueting-
chamber on the high place, and seated them above all the thirty
guests who were assembled. Samuel then ordered the cook to
place before Saul the shoulder, the choicest part of the sacrifice,
which had been kept for an expected guest. After the banquet,
they went down from the hih place to the city, and Samuel lodged
Saul on the top of his house a favorite sleeping-place in the
East.
At day-break the prophet awakened his guest, and they went
forth together out of the city ; the servant having been sent on
before, Samuel bade Saul stand still to hear the word of God.
Then the prophet took a phial of oil and poured it on Saul's head,
adding the kiss of homage, and telling him that the Lord had
anointed him to be captain over his inheritance. Samuel named
three incidents that would happen to Saul on his return, as signs
that the Lord was with him, the last of which was that he should
be turned into another man. All of them came to pass that day
in their order, as Samuel had said. When he reached "the hill of
God," probably Gibeah, which was occupied by a garrison of the
Philistines, a company of prophets, coming down from the high
place with instruments of music, met him, and the Spirit of God
cnmo upon him and he began to prophesy. This sign of his inspi-
ration excited so much astonishment among all who had formerly
known him, that they said, "What is this that has come unto the son
of Kish ?" In words which have since become proverbial, they asked,
"Is Saul also among the prophets?" After being thus privately
142 SCRIPTUEE HISTORY. CHAP. X.
designated to his office by Samuel, Saul returned to his home (1
Sam. x. 1-1G).
The time soon came for his public manifestation to Israel.
Samuel called the people together at Mizpeh, and after once more
reproving them for rejecting God and resolving to have a visible
ruler, he called on them to present themselves before the Lord by
their tribes and by their thousands. Having set apart first of all
the tribe of Benjamin, and then out of that tribe the family of
Matri, Saul, the son of Kish, was the person chosen, but he could
not be found. Again they consulted the Lord, who revealed his
hiding-place. He was brought into the midst of the congregation,
towering above all the people from his shoulders upward. Samuel
presented him before them as the king whom the Lord had cho-
sen, and all the people shouted and said, "God save the king."
Though God was thus giving the people their own desire, the Bible
nowhere says that Saul was the man best fitted for the King of
Israel. Samuel then sent all the people away, and Saul retired
to his home at Gibeah. A band of men whose hearts God had
touched went with him ; some few " men of Belial " despised him,
and brought him no presents, but he held his peace (1 Sam. x.
17-27).
During the later years of Samuel the enemies of Israel had
gained strength. Nahash the Ammonite now marched against
Jabesh-Gilead, and the men of Jabesh offered to serve him if he
would make a treaty with them. He would consent only on the
cruel terms of putting out the right eyes of all the people, and
laying it as a disgrace on Israel. Obtaining a respite of seven
days, they sent for help to Saul at Gibeah. He was returning
with his cattle from the field when he heard the cry of the people
at the tidings. Then the Spirit of God came upon him ; fired with
indignation, he summoned Israel to the field by a powerful token.
Cutting a yoke of oxen into small pieces, he sent them throughout
all Israel, saying, ' ' So shall it be done to the oxen of him who
cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel." Three hundred
thousand warriors of Israel and 30,000 of Judah answered the sum-
mons. With his army in three divisions, he fell upon the Ammon-
ites and slaughtered them, till the heat of the day put an end to the
pursuit. Then the people called on Samuel to put to death the
men who had despised the new-made king ; but Saul said that not
a man should be put to death on that day in which the Lord had
saved Israel (1 Sam. xi. 12, 13).
Saul was now once more solemnly inaugurated into his kingly
office. " Come," said Samuel to the people, " let us go to Gil-
gal and renew the kingdom there." And there they made Saul
B.C. 1095-1056. JONATHAN, SON OF SAUL. 143
king ; there they held a high festival with sacrifices to the Lord.
But their joy was not unmingled. Behold, said Samuel to all Is-
rael, I have granted your desire ; I have made you a king who now
walketh before you. But I am old and gray-headed ; I have
walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Witness
against me before the Lord. Have I defrauded or oppressed any?
Have I received a bribe from any ? They all replied that he had
not. He then reasoned with them of all that God had done for
them from the time that Jacob went down to Egypt till that hour.
Now, then, they had their king whom the Lord had set over them.
If they would fear the Lord and serve Him, both king and people
should continue to be His ; but if they were rebellious, His hand
would be against them as it had been against their fathers. Then
pointing to the sky, which was clear and cloudless (for it was the
season of the wheat-harvest), he called unto the Lord, and the Lord
sent thunder and rain to confirm his words. After protesting that
he would never cease to pray for them, and to teach them the good
and right way, with these words of comfort Samuel closed his public
life as the sole judge of Israel (1 Sam. xii.). But his office was
not entirely laid aside. He never ceased all the days of his life to
exercise an authority over Saul as the special messenger of the
Lord, checking his willfulness, and directing him on great occa-
sions.
Thus was the first year of Saul's reign occupied. In the second,
he gathered a chosen band of 3000 men, 2000 of whom were with
him in the camp at Michmash and the hills of Bethel, while tho
other 1000 were at Gibeah with his eldest son JONATHAN, whoso
namo now first appears in the history. At this time, it appears,
there were garrisons of the Philistines in the hills in the south of
Palestine. Jonathan's successful attack on one of these in the hill
of Geba, opposite Michmash, was the signal for Saul's summoning
the Israelites to war to drive the rest out of the land. The king
fixed his camp at Gilgal. The Philistines answered his challenge
with an immense army, and encamped at Michmash. In the pres-
ence of this powerful host the Israelites began to fall away, hiding
themselves in woods and caves and the fastnesses of the rocks.
Saul, however, remained in Gilgal, but even the people who follow-
:d him trembled. After waiting seven days for Samuel to com
and oft'er sacrifice, while his forces were rapidly dwindling away,
on the seventh day the king ventured to begin the sacrifices him-
self. He had just ended the burnt-offering, when Samuel arrived
and said, "What hast thou done?" Saul pleaded that he was
afraid that the Philistines would come down the pass to attack liim
at Gilgal before he had made supplication to the Lord. "Thou
144 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. X.
hast done foolishly," said Samuel. Thus early he told him pri-
vately that by reason of his disobedience his kingdom should not
be lasting. " The Lord hath sought Him a man after His own
heart to be captain over His people." Samuel then went away to
Gibeah, and Saul followed with his little band of only 600 men
(1 Sam. xiii. 1-15).
Meanwhile the Philistines overran the country from their head=
quarters at Michmash, whence three bands of spoilers issued forth.
In this extremity an unlooked-for deliverance was effected by God's
blessing upon the daring valor of Jonathan. Without the knowl-
edge of his father he planned a surprise of the Philistine camp.
He said to his armor-bearer, " Come and let us go over unto the
garrison of these uncircumcised ; it may be that the Lord will work
for us ; for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by
few." Climbing with hands and feet, his armor-bearer after him,
up the face of the precipice, they fell upon the enemy, and at this
first onset killed about twenty men ; the rest were seized by a pan-
ic, which was increased by an earthquake, and went on striking
down each other. The scene was witnessed with amazement by
the watchmen in Saul's camp at Gibeah, and, as the noise in the
Philistine camp increased, Saul rushed to the pursuit, driving the
foe down the pass of Beth-aven. That he might be avenged on his
enemies, Saul had adjured a curse upon the man who should stop
to taste food until sunset ; the people, therefore, were unable, from
exhaustion, to make the most of their advantage. As they passed
through a wood where the wild bees built their combs in the trees
in such numbers that the honey dropped upon the ground, no man
dared take any ; but Jonathan, in ignorance of his father's rash
vow, dipped the end of his staff in a honey-comb, and put it to his
month. When evening came, the famished people flew upon the
spoil and began to eat the cattle with the blood. Saul reproved
ihem for their sin ; and building an altar, the first that he had built
unto the Lord, he bade the people bring their oxen and slay them
there. He then asked counsel of God : but receiving no answer,
he said that the man who had committed sin, even though it were
Jonathan his son, should surely die. The lot fell upon Jonathan.
"What hast thou done?" said Saul. "I did but taste a little
honey," he replied. "Thou shalt surely die," Saul answered;
and he would have kept his oath, but the people rescued Jonathan
(1 Sam. xiv. 33-45).
This engagement was followed by a series of victories over all
the other enemies of Israel Moab, Ammon, Edom, as well as the
Philistines. The twofold object was thus attained of giving Israel
the promised bounds of their possession aad of punishing those na-
B.C. 1095 -105G. REJECTION OF SAUL. 145
tions for their past sins. Saul now received a special commission
to execute the vengeance long since denounced on Anialek for their
treacherous attack on Israel in the wilderness of Sinai (Deut. xxv.
17-19). "Now go and smite Amalek," Samuel was directed to
say to him, " and utterly destroy all that they have, man and wom-
an, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." Saul then
gathered together all the forces of Israel, 200,000 infantry besides
10,000 of Judah, at Telaim, on the edge of the southern desert.
Having first warned the Kenites, the old allies of the children of
Israel, to depart from among the Amalekites, he fell upon the tribe
of Amalek, and pursued them with great slaughter from Havilah
to Slmr, on the frontier of Egypt. Agag, their king, was taken
prisoner, but all the rest of the people were put to death. Saul
spared all the best of the cattle and all that was valuable, but de-
stroyed all that was vile and refuse. No doubt he intended to have
offered some of the cattle in sacrifice to the Lord, but his chief mo-
tive in sparing them was to enrich his followers with the spoil.
Instead of finishing the destruction of the fugitives, he returned by
way of Carmel to the old camp of Gilgal (1 Sam. xv. 1-12).
Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, "It repent-
eth me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he hath not perform-
ed my commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried
unto the Lord all night. Early in the morning he set out to meet
Saul: on seeing him, Saul, with affected pleasure, said, "Blessed
be thou. of the Lord : I have performed the commandment of the
Lord." "What meaneth, then," said Samuel, "this bleating of
the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
Saul replied th:it the people had spared these for sacrifice while
they had destroyed the rest. Samuel interrupted his excuses by
bidding him hear the word of the Lord. "When thou wast little
in thine own sight, did not the Lord anoint thee king over Israel ?
Did not the Lord say to thee, Go and utterly destroy the Ama-
lekites ? Wherefore, then, didst thou not obey the voice of the
Lord ?" Saul repeated his excuse, throwing the blame on the peo-
ple. " The people," he said, " took the spoil to sacrifice to the
Lord in Gilgal." But Samuel replied, " Hath the Lord as great
delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of
the Lord? BEHOLD, TO OBEY is BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, AND TO
HEARKEN THAN THE FAT OF RAMS. Because thou hast rejected
the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king."
Overwhelmed with remorse, Saul confessed his sin, though still
pleading that he had erred from fear of the people. He prnyed
.Samuel to pardon his sin, to turn back with him and join him in
worshipping the Lord. Samuel refused. As he turned to depart,
K
146 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. X.
Saul laid hold of his mantle, but only to receive a new sign of his
fate. The mantle was rent, and Samuel said, "The Lord hath
rent the kingdom of Israel from thee." Saul then prayed that he
might be saved from public humiliation, entreating Samuel to hon-
or him before.the people by turning again to join in the sacrifices.
Samuel consented, but he used the opportunity to inflict the sen-
tence of death on Agag. This was Samuel's last interview with
Saul. The king went to his royal residence at Gibeah, and the
prophet returned to his house at Raman, where he mourned for
Saul with a prolonged bitterness (1 Sam. xv.).
Samuel was recalled from the indulgence of his grief by a com*
mand from the Lord to fill a horn with the consecrated oil laid up
in the tabernacle and to go to Bethlehem, where God had chosen a
king among the sons of Jesse, the grandson of Boaz and Ruth.
" How can I go?" said Samuel. "If Saul hear of it, he will kill
me." He was directed to take with him a heifer, and invite Jesse
to a sacrifice. His arrival caused much alarm in Bethlehem, but
he assured the elders of the town that be came in peace, and bade
them and the house of Jesse to sanctify themselves for the sacrifice.
When they were come, he appears to have made known his errand.
Jesse caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel ; the eighth
and youngest, being of small consideration in the family, was tend-
ing the sheep. Struck with the noble figure of the eldest son, Sam-
uel said to himself, " Surely the Lord's anointed is before me."
He was warned not to judge a second time by so false a standard.
" Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature," said
the Lord, "because I have refused him. The Lord seeth not as
man seeth. Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord
looketh on the heart." In like manner all the rest of the seven
were rejected. "The Lord hath not chosen these," said Samuel.
"Are all thy children here ?" the prophet then asked Jesse. No !
there still remained the youngest, who was with the sheep ! " Send
and fetch him," said Samuel. Soon there entered a youth with
reddish or auburn hair and keen bright eyes, his whole aspect pleas-
ant to behold. Then the Lord said to Samuel, " Up and anoint
him, for this is he." And there, in the presence of his brethren,
Samuel poured the horn of sacred oil upon his head ; and having
performed this, his last public act, he returned to his house at Ra.
inah. From that day forth the Spirit of the Lord came upon DA-
VID (the beloved), for such was the name of Jesse's youngest son,
the new "root" of the princely tribe of Judah, the first true king
of Israel, and after Abraham the greatest of the progenitors of
Christ (1 Sam. xvi. 1-13).
From various sources of information we gather that David was
B.C. 1095-1056. APPEARANCE OF DAVID. 147
of a beautiful though not a commanding person, strong and agile,
and endowed with the exquisite organization of the poet and the
musician. As the youngest in a large family, he was subject to
the scorn of his elder brothers, and his occupation as a shepherd
was that usually allotted in the East to women, servants, and de-
pendents, as we see in the cases of Rachel and Zipporah, Jacob and
Moses. But these apparent disadvantages became the very life-
springs of his manly and devout character. The descent of the
Spirit of the Lord upon him was the sign of its departure from
Saul : the king began to be depressed with the foresight of his fate,
and an evil spirit from the Lord terrified him. His servants per-
suaded him to try the charms of music, always powerful against
melancholy, and thus the way was opened for David's introduction
to the court of Saul. The king sent to Bethlehem for David, who
was recommended to him as a skillful player upon the harp. Jesse
sent his son to the king with a present, and so that harp which has
since cheered many a troubled spirit was employed to refresh the
soul of Saul and dispel his evil fancies (1 Sam. xvi. 14-23). Saul's
crowning act of disobedience was followed by a fresh assault of his
enemies. The Philistines gathered together their armies at Ephes-
dammim (the Hounds of Blood), between Shochoh and Azekah,
and Saul and the men of Israel went forth to oppose them. The
camps of Philistia and of Israel were pitched upon two opposite
heights, separated by the valley of El ah, across which the hosts, in
battle-array, confronted one another dny after day. Every morn-
Ing a champion of Gath, named GOLIATH, came forth out of the
camp of the Philistines and stalked down into the valley to offer
single combat. It has been conjectured that he was one of the gi-
ant race of the Rephaim, some of whom took refuge from the Am-
monites with the Philistines. His height was six cubits and a
span nearly eight feet. He was armed from head to foot in ar-
mor of brass. His spear-head was of iron, and its shaft was like
a weaver's beam. Before him marched an armor-bearer carrying
his shield. Forty days running he challenged the servants of Saul
to find a man to meet him, a free-born Philistine, and he proposed
that the nation whose champion was defeated should serve the oth
er. His appearance and challenge struck dismay into Saul and all
his people.
During this period, David went to the camp on a visit to his
brethren. He arrived just at the moment when both armies were
drawn up, and the battle-cry was already raised. He instantly ran
into the ranks where his brethren stood. As he was talking with
them, behold, the Philistine champion Goliath came up and uttered
his defiance, and all who stood near fled from him. David, moved
148 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. X.
with indignation, asked, "Who is this Philistine that he should
defy the armies of the living God ?" The men of Israel told him
that Saul would give his own daughter to the man who killed him,
would enrich him greatly, and make his house free in Israel.
Heedless of the taunts of Eliab, his eldest brother, who upbraided
him with neglecting "his few sheep in the wilderness," David re.
peated his question till his words came to the ears of Saul. The
king sent for him, when David said, "Let no man's heart fail be-
cause of him ; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
With generous anxiety Saul reminded him he was but a youth,
and the Philistine a warrior from his youth. David then related
bow he had slain both a lion and a bear, and pleaded that the
Lord, who had delivered him out of the paw of the lion and out of
the paw of the bear, would also deliver him out of the hand of the
Philistine. "Go, and the Lord be witli thee," said Saul. He
armed David for the combat in his own armor, and girded him
with his own sword ; but the young man after the first few steps
cast off the armor, as he had not proved it, and betook himself to
those shepherds' weapons, for their skill in which his countrymen
were famous. Taking his staff and sling in his hand, he stooped
down and picked up five smooth stones out of the brook, and. placing
them in his pouch, he drew near to the Philistine. On seeing Da-
vid, he disdained him ; and his scorn for the ruddy and hand-
some youth swelled into rage at the mode of his attack. "Am I a
dog," he said, "that thou comest to me with staves? I will give
thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field."
David answered his threats with the calm certainty of victory.
"Thou comest to me," he said, "with a sword, with a spear, and
with a shield ; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." Both
then advanced, but before his foe came close, David took a stone
from his bag and slung it into the forehead of the Philistine, who
fell upon his face to the ground. David then rushed in and stood
upon him, and drawing the Philistine's own sword from its sheath,
he cut off his head. As soon as the Philistines saw that theii
champion was dead, they fled, and were pursued by Israel with,
great slaughter as far as Gath and even to the gates of Ekron,
whence the victors returned to spoil the camp of their enemies.
David's own trophies were the head, the armor, and the sword of
the fallen champion. The first he carried to Jerusalem ; the sec-
ond he placed in his own tent (1 Sam. xvii. 20-54).
When Saul saw David go forth to the encounter, he asked Abne?
whose son the young man was, but Abner could not tell him.
Some time had probably elapsed since David had left the court ro
B.C. 1095-1056. SAUL JEALOUS OF DAVID. 149
feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. When Abner ushered the
youth into the king's presence with the head of the Philistine in
his hand, Saul repeated his inquiry of David himself. " I am the
son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite," he replied. Saul de-
tained him at his court, and " would let him go no more home to
his father's house," while Jonathan his son " loved him as his own
soul." David and he made a covenant, which was faithfully ob-
served even when Saul became David's enemy; and, according to
the custom in such cases, Jonathan clothed David with his own
garments, to his sword and bow and girdle. In this new position,
David became distinguished for his prudence. Employed by the
king in various important matters, he is repeatedly said " to have
behaved himself wisely in all his ways." He needed it all, for
Saul's love for him soon began to turn to jealousy. The first oc-
casion for this feeling was given by the songs of the Hebrew wom-
en who came out of every city to greet the victors on their return
from the war with the Philistines. As they trooped forth with in-
gtruments of music, singing and dancing, they cried one to another,
Saul hath slain his thousands,
AND DAVID HIS TEN THOUSANDS.
From that hour Saul viewed David with an evil eye. On the
very next day, he twice cast his spear at him ns he sat at the royal
table, and David escaped only by fleeing from his presence. Saul
then removed him from his office about his person, and made him
captain over a thousand, but the only result was that David became
better known and more beloved by all the people. Saul then be-
gan to plot more systematically against his life. He offered to givo
him his elder daughter Merab, urging him to win the prize by new
enterprises, in which he hoped that he might fall by the hand of tho
Philistines. But when the time fixed for the marriage arrived, he
gave her to another. Meanwhile Saul's second daughter Michal
had fallen in love with David, and Saul saw therein another op-
portunity for his destruction. He commanded his servants to tell
David secretly that the king desired a dowry which could be pro-
cured only by the slaughter of a hundred Philistines, hoping that
he would fall by their hand. But David slew two hundred, thus
leaving Saul no excuse for breaking his word. He became the
king's son-in-law; but Saul only grew more afraid of him, and be-
came his enemy continually. The king no longer concealed his
thoughts, but openly told Jonathan and his servants to kill David.
Jonathan, however, who delighted much in David, remonstrated
with his father, and the result was that David was restored ta
Baul's favor (1 Sam. xviii. 28-xix. 1\
150 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. X
i
This reconciliation lasted only for a short time. David's ex-
ploits in a new war with the Philistines again provoked the fury of
Saul, who nearly pinned him to the wall with his spear for the sec-
ond time. David fled to his house, round which Saul set a watch
during the night, intending to kill him in the morning; but Michal
saved her husband's life by letting him down out of a window.
David then went to Samuel at Ramah, and dwelt with him at Na^>
oth (the pastures). When Saul heard where he was, he sent mes-
lengers to take him ; but when they drew near and saw the com-
pany of prophets prophesying, with Samuel at their head, the Spirit
of God fell upon them also, and they prophesied. Tin's was re-
peated thrice ; and at last Saul went himself. No sooner had he
reached the well of Sechu, at the foot of the hill of Ramah, than
the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he prophesied all the
way as he went to Naioth. There he stripped off his clothes,
prophesying in like manner before Samuel, and lay down naked all
that day and night. Well might this melancholy exhibition give
new force to the proverb : " Is Saul also among the prophets ?" (I
Sam. xix.).
When David left his refuge at Ramah, he appealed to Jonathan
against his father's persecution. "What have I done?" he said.
" What is my sin before thy father that he seeketh my life ?" The
two friends agreed upon a plan whereby Saul's intentions would be
tested, and at the same time they renewed their covenant with a
remarkable addition, made evidently in anticipation of David's suc-
ceeding to the throne "Thou shall not cut off thy kindness to my
house forever ; no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of
David every one from the face of the earth." The next day was
the feast of the new moon, and instead of taking his place at the
king's table, David hid himself in a field near at hand. On the
second day Saul's suspicions were aroused, and he demanded of
Jonathan the cause of David's absence. Jonathan's reply incensed
his father, who taunted him with his friendship for David, told him
that his kingdom would never be established as long as David lived,
and ordered him to be fetched that he might be slain. When Jon-
athan remonstrated, Saul hurled his spear at him, and Jonathan
left the room in fierce anger. The next morning he went out to
the field where David was hiding, and gave him the signal which
had been previously agreed upon between them to fly for his life.
David then came out from his hiding-place, and, before parting,
the friends renewed their covenant, and then separated with pas-
sionate embraces and tears. And now David found himself a soli,
tary exile, soon to be hunted " like a partridge on the mountains "
<\ Sam. xix.).
B.C. 1095-1056. DAVID A FUGITIVE. 151
He first turned his steps to Nob, where stood the Tabernacle of
the Wanderings, round which dwelt a little colony of priests, of
which Ahimelech was the chief. By a ready story he threw Ahim-
elech off his guard, and persuaded him to give him five loaves of
the shew-bread which the priests alone might eat. David's next
care was to arm himself, and the high-priest gave him the sword
of Goliath, which had been laid up behind the ephod. The trans-
action was witnessed by Doeg, the Edomite, the chief herdsmat
of Saul, who reported it to the king. In revenge, Saul ordered
Doeg to put all the priests to death ; he obeyed, an slew on that
day eighty-five persons ; and Nob, the city of priests, was utterly
destroyed, with all its inhabitants. One only of the sons ot Ahim-
clcch, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David. The act of
David in eating the shew-bread was a direct violation of the cere-
monial law, but it is referred to by our Lord as justified by neces-
sity, and as an illustration of the great principle, "I will have mer-
cy, and not sacrifice " (Matt. xii. 7).
From Nob David fled to Achish, king of Gath, but the Philistines
retained so lively a remembrance of his former exploits, that he
?aved his life only by feigning madness, and Achish dismissed him
with contempt. " He was now an outcast from both nations ; Is-
rael and Philistia were alike closed against him." He found a ref-
uge in the cave of Adullam a large cavern in the limestone rocks
which border the Shcfelah, or great maritime plain, not far from
Bethlehem. Here lie became established as an independent outlaw.
Besides his brethren who fled to him from their native city, " every
one that was in distress, or in debt, or discontented, gathered them-
selves unto him," and of this band of outlaws, numbering about
four hundred men, David became the captain. He must not be
regarded ns a rebel against Saul, but as an independent chieftain,
making war from his own stronghold against the Philistines.
His next move was to the neighborhood of En-gcdi. He had
previously placed his father and mother in safety beyond the Jor-
dan with the King of Moab a people with whom the family were
connected through Ruth. At this place he was joined by two sepa-
rate bands one a detachment of men from Judah and Benjamin,
the other a body of eleven Gadites who swam across the Jordan to
his camp. With them came, perhaps, the prophet Gad, who is now
first mentioned (1 Sam. xxiii. 1-12).
David had now in his camp not only a prophet, but also in Abla-
mar the successor to the high-priesthood, and he placed his move-
ments under the guidance of God. Having established himself in
Keilah, Saul fancied that he had caught him there as in a trap;
but learning from God that the men of Keilah would give him up
152 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. X
David left the city with his little band of GOO men for safety. He
moved from one lurking-place to another in the wilderness of Ziph,
while Saul was in constant search of him. Under the shade of the
forest of Ziph he saw Jonathan for the last time. " Fear not," said
Jonathan, " the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee. Thou
shall be king over Israel, and 1 shall be next unto thee." When
they had again renewed their covenant, Jonathan retired to hie
' house, and David remained in the wood. The Ziphites betrayed
David's movements to Saul, who left Gibeah in quest of him, track-
ing his very footsteps, and hunting him like a partridge, over the
hills of Judah. David was then driven to seek another refuge in
the wilderness of Maon, in the extreme south. Here the pursuit
became so hot, that he fled from one side of a hill while Saul was
hunting for him on the other. At length Saul was called away to
repel an invasion of the Philistines, and David betook himself to
the dreary fastnesses of the wilderness of En-gedi, on the western
margin of the Dead Sea (1 Sam. xxiii. 13-29).
Having driven back the Philistines, Saul returned with 3000
men to the pursuit of David and his little band, who were now
hunted from rock to rock, like the wild goats of that desert. On
his way, Saul entered alone into a dark cave, in the innermost re-
cesses of which David and his men lay hid. They urged him to
use so favorable an opportunity of destroying his enemy, but he
contented himself with simply creeping behind the king and cutting
off the skirt of his robe. His heart, however, smote him even for
this insult to the Lord's anointed. Following Saul out of the
cave, he cried after him, "My Lord, the king," and, bowing down
before him, he showed him his skirt as a proof that he had spared
his life. He then made a most pathetic appeal to the king's for-
bearance, protesting that he had done him no wrong. David had
cnlled Saul "father," and when he ceased speaking, the king,
overcome by remorse, burst into tears, and said, " Is this thy voice,
my son David ? Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast re-
-.varded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil." Acknowl-
edging that David would surely be king, Saul made him swear that
he would not then cut off his name and house in Israel. The king
ihen returned home, but David and his men remained in theii
stronghold (1 Sam. xxiv.).
About this time Samuel died ; all Israel joined in lamentation
for him, and they buried him at his house at Ramah. David, feel-
ing probably that the last restraint upon Saul's violence was now
removed, retired southward to the fastnesses of the wilderness of
Pnran. Here occurred a very interesting episode in his adventures.
There lived at Maon a descendant of Caleb, named Nabal. possess-
B.C. 1095-10..G. DAVID AND ABIGAIL. 153
ed of great wealth. His flocks of 3000 sheep and 1000 goats fed
on the pastures of Carmel, and while David's band was near, they
did so in security. At the time of sheep-shearing, David sent
ten young men with a friendly greeting to ask Nabal for a present
of food. But Nabal contemptuously refused their request. To
avenge the insult, David took 400 men with him, vowing the
death of every man of Nabal's house. Meanwhile the prudent Abi-
gail, Nabal's wife, without his knowledge sent forward her servants,
with asses loaded with provisions, and went herself to meet David
just as he emerged from the passes of the hills. David accepted
her present, and thanked her for keeping him from shedding blood.
Ten days afterwards her husband died. Abigail then found a new
husband in David, whose wife Michal had been given by Saul to
another, and about the same time he also married Ahinoam of Jez-
re^l (1 Sam. xxv.).
Meanwhile Saul had forgotten the promises he made under the
transient impulse of kindness and remorse. David's old enemies,
the Ziphites, came to tell the king that he was in the stronghold
of Hachilah, east of Jeshimon, and Saul again led his chosen army
of 3000 men under Abner in pursuit of him. Once more Saul fell
into the power of David, and was magnanimously spared (I Sam.
xxvi. 7-12). The scene of remonstrance, confession, and forgive-
ness was again repeated. Saul begged David to return to him,
promising not to harm him, but David would only trust his life to
God. This was their last interview. Despairing of safety while
within reach of Saul, David finally resolved to seek shelter among
the Philistines. Achish, king of Gath, received him, and assigned
for his residence and maintenance the frontier city of Ziklag, ex-
pecting David, apparently, to render him service against his own
country. But instead of attacking Israel, David fell upon the tribes
of the southern desert of Shur, towards the confines of Egypt, and
exhibited to Achish their spoil as having been won in the south of
Judah. The Philistine king was so thoroughly imposed upon, and
had such unlimited confidence in David, that he summoned him to
join in a grand attack which he was preparing against Israel, and
David sank so low as to boast of the courage he would display (1
Bam. xxvii.).
We must now look back to Saul. Since the death of Samuel and
the flight of David, darkness had gathered about his downward
path, like clouds around the setting sun. His religious zeal, always
rash, as in the vow which so nearly cost the life of Jonathan, was
now shown in deeds of sanguinary violence. The day of retribu-
tion was come. The host of the Philistines had assembled at the
great battle-field of Palestine, the valley of Jezreel, while Saul and
154 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. X-
the Israelites were encamped on the hills of Gilboa, a mountain
range on the eastern side of the plain. When the king saw the
Philistine army, he was panic-struck. Fain would he have inquired
of the Lord ; but the high-priest Abiathar was a fugitive from his
murderous wrath ; the chief of the prophets was in the camp of
David, and God gave him no answer, " neither by dreams, nor by
Urim, nor by prophets." In his extremity he resorted to awomur
that had a familiar spirit, and dwelt at Endor, ca the north side of
the little Hermon. The slope of the mountain on which the place
stands is hollowed into caves, one of which may well have been the
scene of the incantation of the witch. Thither Saul proceeded by
night and in disguise, with only two attendants, and desired her to
bring up from the dead the person whom he should name. "Bring
me up Samuel," he said. Then the woman saw (or professed to
see) the form of Samuel an old man covered with a mantle ris-
ing from the earth ; and, uttering a loud cry, she charged Saul with
having deceived her, for she now knew him to be the king. In re-
ply to his inquiries she described the apparition, and Saul recognized
Samuel, and bowed his face to the ground. "Why hast thou dis-
quieted me to bring me up ?" said Samuel. " God is departed from
me," replied Saul. The Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine
hand, said Samuel, and given it to David, because thou disobeyedst
Him in sparing the Amalekites. The prophet then foretold the
king's defeat by the Philistines, and added that on the morrow
Saul and his sons should be with him among the dead. Then Saul
fell prostrate upon the earth, and fainted away with fear and ex-
haustion, for he had fasted all the day and night. The same night
he returned to the camp (1 Sam. xxviii.). The woman was no
doubt an impostor, but her juggleries seem to have been overruled
by God in a way as surprising to herself as to the other witnesses
of the scene.
The ensuing day sealed the fate of the king. In the battle with
the Philistines, Saul and his army were driven up the slopes and
over the crest of Mount Gilboa with immense loss. His three sons,
Jonathan, Abinadab, and Melchishua, were slain, and the king him-
self was mortally wounded by the Philistine archers. Disabled
from flight, he begged his armor-bearer to draw his sword and
slay him. On his refusal, Saul fell upon his own sword and died,
and his armor-bearer did likewise. The remains of Saul and of
his sons were treated with great indignities by the Philistines, and
were finally carried by the rom of Jabesh-gilend to Jabesh, and
burnt. Long afterwards the a^hes were removed by David to the
epnlchre of Kish at Zelali (1 Sn. xxxi.).
The third day after the battle ; David received at Ziklag tidings
B.C. 1095-1056. DAVID'S DIRGE FOR SAUL. 155
of Saul's overthrow. An Amalekite arrived with his clothes rent
and earth upon his head, and said that he had escaped out of the
camp of Israel, and had been an eye-witness of Saul's death. He
told of the hot pursuit, and added that he had dealt the last fatal
l>lcw to the king. The crown and armlet, which Saul used to wear
in battle, he produced and gave to David. The news was received
with unfeigned grief and consternation by David and all the men
that were with him. They rent their clothes, and mourned, and
wept, and fasted till the evening. Then David sent for the Amal-
ekite, and asking how he had dared to put forth his hand to slay
the Lord's anointed, he caused him to be put to death as guilty by
his own confession. Finally he took his harp, and poured forth a
lamentation over Saul and Jonathan, which is the finest as well as
the most ancient of all dirges. A less generous heart, and one less
devoted to duty, might have been content with the tribute of affec-
tion to his friend Jonathan, and have left the memory of his unjust
master to perish in silence. But the poem has verified in every
succeeding age its own most beautiful and touching words :
" Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant iu their lives,
And in their death they were not divided."
The mourner depicts the joy of the Philistines over "the mighty
who were fallen," in strains which have ever since become pro-
verbial :
" Tell it not in Gath,
Publish it not in the streets of Askelon ;
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircuracised triumph."
But the grand outburst of love and grief is reserved for Jonathan :
"O Jonathan, thon wast slain in thy high places.
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan :
Very pleasant hast thou been nnto me:
Thy love to me was wonderful,
Passing the love of women.
How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished." (2 Sam. L]
This noble utterance of grief forms a fit conclusion to the second
period of David's own life ns well as to the fatal experiment under-
taken by the Israelites and Saul of establishing a kingdom on the
principles of self-will, and after the model of the nations around, in
place of the royalty of Jehovah.
Kabbub, the chief city of the Ammonite
CHAPTER XI.
THE REIGN OF DAVID. B.C. 1056-1015.
AFTER the battle of Gilboa, the country west of Jordan was over,
run by the Philistines, while the surviving members of the house
of Saul took refuge on the east. David, at the command of God.
removed, with his band and all his family, from Ziklag to Hebron,
the ancient sacred city of the tribe of Judah. Here the men of
Judah anointed him king over their tribe. He was now thirty
years old. Seven years and a half elapsed, however, before he was
fully recognized as king of all Israel. Abner set tip Ish-bosheth,
the eldest surviving son of Saul, as king, and he reigned for two
years nominally over all the other tribes r his residence was at Ma-
hanaim, east of Jordan. A civil war ensued, which was only end-
ed by the death of Abner and that of Ish-bosheth. It went on long
without any decisive result . at length Abner made overtures to
B.C. 1056-1015. CIVIL WAR WITH ISH-BOSHETH. 157
David, and went in person to Hebron, with a guard of only twenty
men, to represent to him the feelings of Israel and Benjamin.
Having been welcomed and feasted by David, he promised to gather
all Israel to his standard and went away in peace. But both his
journey and his scheme were doomed to a sad miscarriage (2 Sam.
Ai. 6-21).
Hardly had Abner departed from Hebron, when Joah returnea
from an expedition. On hearing of what had happened, he charged
he king with dismissing an enemy who had come only as a spy,
und, without David's knowledge, he sent messages after Abner, and
brought him back to Hebron under pretense of further conference.
Drawing him aside under the gateway of the city to speak with him
quietly, Joab smote Abner under the fifth rib so that he died. This
treacherous revenue was taken by Joab and Abishai because Abner,
about five years before, had most unwillingly and in fair fight slaiu
their brother, Asahel (2 Sam. ii. 18-23).
When David heard it, he called God to witness that he and his
kingdom were guiltless forever of Abner's blood, and he imprecated
a terrible curse upon Joab and his house. Abner was buried at
Hebron. David himself followed the bier, and rent his clothes
and girded himself with sackcloth, and wept at the grave of Abner.
Joab was obliged to join in the universal mourning ; but it was not
yet possible for David to dispense with the services of his fierce and
cruel nephews. He said to his servants: "I am this day weak,
though anointed king ; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be to<
hard for me" (2 Sam. iii. 39 ; comp. xix. 22, and 1 Chron. ii. 16).
Ish-bosheth, left helpless by the loss of Abner, was soon afterwards
slain by two of his captains as he was lying on his bed. They car-
ried his head to David at Hebron, only to meet the fate of the mes-
senger of Saul's death (2 Sam. iv.).
AH the tribes of Israel then came to David at Hebron, recog-
nizing him as their brother, recalling his leadership in the time of
Saul, and acknowledging that God had appointed him to be their
captain. So they anointed him king of Israel at Hebron. David
was now at the head of a powerful army, composed of the best war-
iors of all the tribes, numbering about 337,000 men besides the
vhole tribe of Issachar. He resolved to remove the seat of govern
ment from the remote Hebron nearer to the centre of the country
His choice fell upon JERUSALEM, the strong city of the Jebusites,
situated upon a rocky height, 2600 feet above the level of the sea.
It consisted of an upper and a lower town ; the latter was taken by
the men of Judah in the time of Joshua, but the upper city defied
their attacks. David now advanced against the place ; as before,
the lower city was immediately taken and, as before, the citadel
158 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP, XI.
held out The king then proclaimed to his host that the first man
who would scale the rocky side of the fortress and kill a Jebtisite
should be made chief captain of his army. Joab's superior agility
pained him the day, and the citadel the fastness of ZION was taken
(1046 B.C.). It is the first time that that memorable name appears
in the history. In this capital David's power became thoroughly
established, and he built a palace there witli the help of workmen
sent by Hiram, king of Tyre. But already there was " a worm in
the bud," which afterwards blighted all David's happiness. Dis-
regarding the express command of Moses (Deut. xvii. 14-17), he
took to himself numerous wives, by whom he had many sons and
daughters. He stopped short, however, of the fatal step afterwards
taken by Solomon of multiplying to himself wives from heathen na-
tions so as to turn his heart away from God, but the miseries he suf-
fered in his family show most clearly the evils inseparably connect-
ed with polygamy.
A twofold work had been given to David to perform ; to establish
the worship of God in the place which He had chosen for his abode,
and to extend the kingdom of Israel to the bounds promised to their
fathers. The former object was delayed by war. The Philistines
would not give up their long domination over Israel without an ef-
fort, but David gained two victories over them, and routed them in
the first engagement, burning their idols which had been left on the
field of battle. He then had the opportunity which he had long
desired for the removal of the ark from Kirjath-jearim. Since its
restoration by the Philistines (page 137), this symbol of God's pres-
ence had been left there under the care of Abinadab and his family.
Thither David went, with 30,000 chosen men, to fetch the ark, and
set it upon a new cart, which was driven by Uzzah and Ahio, the
two sons of Abinadab. But its progress to Jerusalem suffered a
melancholy interruption. As the procession reached the threshing-
floor of Nachon, the oxen shook the cart, and Uzzah took hold of
the ark. His rashness was punished by instant death. David wa?
afraid to make any further progress at that time, and the ark was
carried aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. There it ra-
mained three months, and brought to the family of this Philistine &
blessing like that which had long crowned the house of Abimidab
'2 Sam. vi. 1-11).
Meanwhile David prepared for its final transport to Jerusalem,
with a care suitable to the awful lesson he had received ; he set up
a new tent for it in the city of David, instead of removing the old
tabernacle, and intrusted the duty of carrying it to the Levitea
alone. They bore it on their shoulders, after the manner pre-
scribed by Moses (Numb. vii. 9). Escorted by David and his
B.C. 1056-1015. THE NEW TABERNACLE. 159
chosen warriors, with the elders of Israel, the procession started
with every sign of joy. When the Levites had taken six steps in
safety, the procession halted, while David sacrificed seven bullocks
and seven rams. He then took his place before the ark without his
royal robes, clothed only in the linen ephod of the priestly order,
ind danced with all his might, playing upon the harp as he led the
Tray up to the hill of Zion, amidst the songs of the Levites, the joy'
Til shouts of all the people, and the noise of music. Having placet
he ark in the tabernacle he had prepared, and having offered burnt
offerings and peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of
the Lord (2 Sam. vi. 12-18).
In both these ceremonials a prominent feature was the singing
the praises of Jehovah to the music of various instruments. On
the first removal of the ark, we are told that " David and all Israel
played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir-
wood, on harps, psalteries, timbrels, cymbals, andtrumpets" (2 Sam.
vi. 5). On the second occasion David made a complete arrangement
of the musical service, placing it under the direction of Zadok and
Abiathar the priests, and appointing the Levites for its perform-
ance, with ASAPH at their head. The first Book of Chronicles de-
scribes the order of this "Service of Song," and preserves the
"Psalm of Thanksgiving" which David composed upon this occa-
sion (1 Chron. xvi.). Equal care was taken by David that the whole
order of divine worship should be carried out according to the law
of Moses. Asaph and his brethren were appointed to minister in
the daily service before the ark : the office of chief door-keeper was
committed to Obed-edom, in whose house the ark had rested.
Zadok and the priests were charged with the dnily and other sacri-
fices at the old tabernacle, which remained at Gibeon (1 Chron.
xvi. 87-43).
David's zeal for the house of God was still fulfilled only in part.
His new city was blessed with the symbol of God's presence, but
the ark itself had no worthy abode. As he sat in his new palace,
he was troubled by the thought which has so often since lighted up
the lamp of sacrifice, " See now, I dwell in a house of cedars, but
the ark of the covenant of the Lord dwelleth under curtains." He
altered his feelings to the prophet Nathan, to whom the word of
God came the same night, directing him to tell the king that the
great work of building a temple for the Lord was reserved for one
of his sons, whose kingdom should be established forever, and who
should build the house of God in the place chosen by Himself.
This prediction, referring first to Solomon, is expressed in terms
that could only be perfectly fulfilled in the Messiah. It is clear
that David understood it so, from the wonderful prayer which ho
160 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XI
poured out before God in thanksgiving for the honor put upon him
(1 Chron. xvii.).
His own throne and the service of God's sanctuary beinjf thus
established, David advanced to the final conquest of the enemies of
Israel. He invaded and subdued the Philistines, and thus secured
to the Israelites their promised boundary on the south-west, the
river of Egypt. Turning to the eastern frontier, he put two-thirds-
af the Moabites to death, and reduced the other third to tribute.
He then advanced to the conquest of the promised boundary on tht>
aorth-east, "the great river Euphrates." Two SYRIAN kingdome
lay between him and his purpose. That of ZOUAH was then goy--
erned by Hadadezer, whom he defeated. The Syrians of Damascus;
coining to the help of Hadadezer, were also conquered, and that
fairest and oldest of the cities of the world was made tributary to
David. These victories led to an alliance with Toi, king of HA-
MATH (the Ccele-Syria of the Greeks), which, together with the old
friendship of Hiram, king of Ty re > secured the northern frontier.
David then returned to Jerusalem laden with rich spoils, all of which
he dedicated for the service of the future temple (1 Chron. xviii.).
The long conflict of Edom with his brother Israel was now de-
tided for a time. A great victory was gained over the Edomites
by Abishai, in which they lost 18,000 men. This was followed up
by an invasion under Joab, who in six months almost exterminated
the male population. These victories carried the southern front-
ier of Israel to the eastern head of the Red Sea. The bounds of
the Promised Land were now almost entirely occupied, but these
extended limits were preserved only during the reigns of David and
Solomon, a period of about sixty years. For that time the state
was no longer a petty monarchy, as in the reign of Saul, but it was
truly one of the great Oriental monarchies. Thus " David reigned
over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his
people." Having no further fear of rivalry from the house of Saul,
he was anxious to find an opportunity of performing his covenant
with Jonathan. Sending for Mephibosheth, the lame son of Jona*
than, he restored to him all the land of Saul and his family, and
gave him a place at the royal table, like his own sons. The land
was now visited with a famine for three years, "for Saul and hii
bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites ;" and its expiation
introduces the touching story of Rizpah (2 Sam. xxi. 1-14).
This first period of David's reign is marked by another great sue.
teas in war over the Ammonites and Syrians (2 Sam. x.). In the
Wlowing year Joab again took the field, and overthrew the chil-
dren of Ammon, and besieged them in Kabbah, their chief city.
Df.vir",, however, remained at Jerusulem. It was at this time thai
B.C. 1056-1015. DAVID AND BATH-SHEBA. 161
he yielded to a terrible temptation, which imbittered the rest of hie
life, and which, as the prophet declared at the time, has ever since
" given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme,"
One evening, as he was walking upon the roof of his lofty palace of
cedar, he saw a beautiful woman in her bath, and became at once
enamored. On inquiry he found that she was BATH-SHEBA, the
\vife of one of his " thirty mighty men," Uriah the Hittite, who
was then absent at the siege of Rabbah under Joab. He sent foi
the woman and seduced her. After a vain attempt to conceal his
guilt, he added treacherous murder to his adultery. Having sent
for Uriah back, he dispatched a letter by him to Joab, ordering his
general to set Uriah in the forefront of the battle, that he- might be
smitten and die. In the attack upon the city, Uriah fell, in happy
ignorance of his sovereign's guilt and of his own wrongs. After
the customary mourning for her husband, Bath-sheba was taken to
the house of David and became his wife, and soon afterwards bore
him a son (2 Sam. xi.).
But now another voice is heard: "The thinij that David had
done displeased the I^ord," He sent to the king the prophet Na-
than, who opened his mission with the parable of n rich man who
spared his own abundant Hocks and herds, and seized for the trav-
eller who had come to him a poor man's little ewe lamb, his darling
and his children's pet. David's natural sense of justice made him
his own judge. "As the Lord liveth," he said, "the man that
hath done this thing shall surely die." "Tuou ART THE MAN,"
replied Nathan. Then the prophet pronounced the sentence of ho
King of kings on him who had just been sentencing the unknown
culprit. He was told that, as his sword had broken up the house
of Uriah, so the sword should never depart from his house, that
evil should be raised up against him out of his own house, and that
his wives should be taken from him and given to his neighbor.
But David was also told that, while his sin had been secret, its pun.
ishment should be " before all Israel and before the sun." Then
follow the few simple words of repentance and forgiveness: "And
David said unto Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' And
Nathan said unto David, 'The Lord also hath put away thy sin;
:hou shalt not die.' " How David gave expression to the bitter-
ness of his anguish and of his repentance, we may rend in the fifty
first Psalm. Therein he appears as the type of the sinning, suffer
iv, repenting, and forgiven man, who has ever since found in that
one psalm the perfect utterance of his deepest feelings.
But even the " godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto
life " does not avert the temporal consequences of sin, whether in
(he form of its natural fruits or of special judgments. And so Na-
L
162 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XL
than not only does not recall the woes denounced on David's house,
but he goes on to declare a special punishment for his sin. " The
child that is born unto thee shall surely die." No sooner had Na-
than gone home than God struck the new-born child with a mortal
sickness, find on the seventh day it died. As a pledge of pardon,
God comforted him by the birth of another son which Bath-sheba
bare to him ; he was named SOLOMON (i. e., " the peaceful one "), in
memory of the peace which was then established. He became tha
successor of David and the progenitor of the Messiah, of whose
kingdom as " the Prince of Peace " his peaceful reign was a con-
spicuous type.
The glory of the first period of David's reign is overshadowed by
that great sin, the punishment of which was to render its second
part so disastrous. The woes denounced on David's house now
began to be fulfilled. Amnon, the king's eldest son, became vio-
lently enamored of his half-sister Tamar, and dishonored her. Ab-
salom, her brother, waited in silence an opportunity for revenge. It
came at the end of two years, when Amnon was slain at a feast by
Absalom's servants. The young prince fled to his grandfather, and
remained with him at Geshur three years. At the request of Joab,
the king allowed him to return to his own house, but refused to see
him. Absalom dwelt for two years at Jerusalem, gaining favors
with the people by his handsome person. At the end of that time
Joab interceded with the king, who received his son and gave him
the kiss of peace. As his hopes of sharing his father's throne did
not seem likely to be fulfilled, he now began to prepare for rebel-
lion. When the plot was ripe, he obtained leave from the king to
go to Hebron, the ancient sanctuary of his tribe, to pay a vow
which he had made at Geshur in case he should return to Jerusa-
lem. Ahitophel, David's most able counsellor, went with him and
joined the conspiracy, and the hearts of the men of Israel went with
Absalom (2 Sam. xv. 1-13).
When the king heard of it, he at once resolved to fly from Jeru-
salem. Early in the morning he went forth by the eastern gate
with all his household and a crowd of people. Crossing the brook
Kidron, they went over the Mount of Olives to Jericho and thf
wilderness, "while all the country wept with a loud voice." Ir
ihe valley he was joined by Zadok and Abiathar, with the Levites
bringing with them the ark of God. With self-renouncing rever-
ence, David refused to have the ark removed for his sake from the
sanctuary where he had fixed its abode, and so he sent them back.
The weeping troop then went up the Mount of Olives with their
heads covered, the king himself walking barefoot. As he reached
the top, word was brought to him that Ahithophel was among tha
B.C. 1056-1015. ABSALOM'S REBELLION. 163
conspirators. Here David was met by his other counsellor and
chosen friend, Hushai the Archite, his garments rent and earth
upon his head. The king, however, bade him return into the city
and offer his services to Absalom, in order to defeat the counsel of
Ahithophel (2 Sam. xv. 16-37).
As David passed by Bahurim, Shimei, a member of the house of
Saul, came out of that village, and hurled stones at him and hi::
servants, cursing him as the bloody murderer of Saul's house,
The king let him curse on, as the messenger of the curse of God,
a submission which seems to express the voice of David's con-
science for the murder of Uriah. " It may be," he said, " that the
Lord will look upon my tears, and will requite me good for his
cursing this day." At the close of the day the king reached the
Jordan and rested at its fords, where he had appointed to wait for
the priests (2 Sam. xvi. 5-14).
The day had been a busy one at Jerusalem. Absalom had no
sooner entered the city than, by the advice of Ahithophel, h# perpe
trated the outrage which had been foretold by the prophet Nathan,
with the view of making the breach between himself and his father
an irreparable one. Ahithophel's next advice was that the king
should be pursued while weary and dispirited, and he undertook
to go after him and put him to death. His counsel was defeated
by the consummate art of Hushai, whose advice was approved of
by Absalom and all the men of Israel. "For the Lord had ap-
pointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel to the intent that
He might bring evil upon Absalom." Ahithophel was so mortified
at the rejection of his advice that he saddled his ass and went home
to his native city, where he hanged himself. At midnight David
received the warning of Absalom's intended pursuit, which the
priests in Jerusalem sent him by their sons ; and he crossed the
Jordan with all his people before the morning, and took up his
abode at Mahanaim (2 Sam. xvii.).
Absalom, having assumed the royal state, nnd having been sol.
emnly anointed as king, crossed the river in pursuit of his father,
and pitched his tent in- Mount Gilead. David prepared for the
attack by dividing his forces into threo bodies, which he placec
severally under the command of Joali, of Abishai, Joab's brother,
and of Ittai of Gath. Yielding to the entreaties of the people, the
king himself remained at Mahanaim, to hold out the city in case
of a defeat. But he was chiefly solicitous for the safety of his re-
bellious son. " Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even
with Absalom," was his charge to his captains. The armies met
in the forest of Ephrairn, in Mount Gilead, nnd the untrained hosts
r>f Absalom were overthrown with a slaughter of 20,000 men As
164 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XL
he fled from the enemy, the mule on which he rode carried him lie-
neath the spreading branches of a great oak, and left him hanging
by the luxuriant hair which formed his pride. The first soldier
who came up spared his life, because of the king's command, and
went to tell Joab. But the unscrupulous chief hurried to the spot
an-1 thrust three javelins into Absalom's heart while his ten nrmor-
bearers joined in dispatching him. Joab then took down tl; t body
*ind cast it into a prt, over which the people raised a grej* ><ap of
jtones as a mark of execration. David was sitting in the gateway
of Mahanaim waiting for tidings of the battle, when the watchman
on the tower above announced first one and then a second runner.
To each the king put the eager question, " Is the young man Absa-
lom safe?" From the second he received for answer, "The ene-
mies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee
hurt, be as that young man." Then the father's heart gave way.
"The king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the
gate and wept : and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom !
my son, my son Absalom ! would God I had died for thee, O Ab-
salom, my son, my son !" (2 Sam. xviii.).
The king's grief turned the victory into mourning, and the peo-
ple stole back into the city, like men who flee from battle. David
shut himself up, covering his face and repeating the same mournful
cry. Joab roused him from his grief, and upbraided him lament-
ing for his enemies instead of encouraging his friends, who would
soon be driven away by his neglect. Most of the Israelites had al-
ready dispersed to their tents, but they returned when David seat-
ed himself at the gate of the city. Confuskrn for a time prevailed
among the tribes ; but at length the tribe of Judah was gained over
to David's cause ; they invited him to return, and went to Gilgal
to meet him, to conduct him over Jordan. With the men of Ju-
dah carne a thousand Benjamites under Shimei. Next came Me-
phibosheth, whose supposed ingratitude was noticed only by a gen-
tle rebuke. The most affecting incident of the day was the fre-
well of Barzillai, the wealthy Gileadite, who had supplied David's
wants while he was at Mahanaim. He contented himself with es-
corting the king a little beyond the Jordan, and left his son Chim-
ham to receive the favors which he himself was too old to enjoy (2
8am. xix. 1-40).
The joy of the king's return was disturbed by the angry jealousy
of the rest of Israel against Judah for bringing him back without
first consulting them. A rebellion broke out in the tribe of Ben-
jamin, which was terminated by the capture and death of Sheba,
its head. Thus ended the second period of David's reign. The
work which was properly his own was now done. The third and
B.C. 1056-1015. THE GREAT PESTILENCE. 165
closing part of his reign was occupied in preparing for the glorjes
of the earthly kingdom of Israel under his successor. These three
periods were stamped each with a great external calamity : three
years of famine to avenge the cruelties of Saul ; three months of
flight before rebellious Absalom, and now three days of pestilence, an
appropriate punishment for the offense that called it down.
Exulting in the greatness of his kingdom, David was moved by
pride to number the people from Dan to Beersheba. The business
was intrusted to Joab and the captains of the host, who remon-
strated with the king, but in vain. At the end of nine months and
twenty days, they returned to Jerusalem, having gone through the
land and found that there were 800,000 men of war in Israel and
S00,000 in Judah. But immediately after the work was finished,
David's conscience smote him. Early the very next morning the
word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, who was directed to siiy
to him, " Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things : Shall sev-
en years of famine come unto thee in thy land ? Wilt thou flee
three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee ? or that
there be three days of pestilence in thy land ?" Of these modes of
reducing the number of his people, David chose the last, saying,
" Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great,
and let me not fall into the hand of man." The pestilence raged
for the appointed time, and 70,000 of the people died from Dan to
Beersheba. The angei that destroyed the people stayed his hand,
at the intercession of David, at the threshing-floor of ARACNAH, tho
Jebusite. There David built an altar to the Lord, and offered
burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and the plague ceased (2 Sam.
xxiv.).
This altar first distinctly marked the sacred spot which God had
long promised to choose for his abode. The hill received the name
of Moriah ("vision") from the appearance of God to David, first as
the destroying angel, and then by the sign of fire (2 Chron. iii. 1).
David now commenced his preparations for building the house of
the Lord. But the work itself was destined to another hand. To
his son SOLOMON, now designated as his successor, he gave the
charge to build a house for Jehovah, God of Israel. His eldest
surviving son, Adonijah, endeavored to usurp the sceptre, and gain-
ed over Joab and Abiathar, but his rebellion was soon suppressed.
David then gathered all the people to an assembly, in which he
gave a solemn charge to them and their new king, to whom also he
delivered patterns for the house of God and the materials he had
collected for the building. These were greatly increased by the
free-will offerings of the princes and of the people. After David
had offered thanksgiving and prayer for Solomon, all the people
166 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XL
feasted together, and Solomon was inaugurated into his kingdom
for the second time, while Zadok was publicly anointed as high-
priest (1 Chron. xxix.). The new king was established in pros-
perity and in favor with the people before his father's death.
David's last act was to send for Solomon, and renew the charge
to him to keep the statutes of the Lord his God, as written in the
law of Moses, that so he might prosper in all his deeds. After a
reign of forty years, seven in Hebron and thirty-three at Jerusalem,
' ; he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor ; and
Solomon his son reigned in his stead." He was baried "in tho
city of David." His tomb became the general sepulchre of the
kings of J'ndah, and was known in the latest times of the Jewish
people (1 Kings ii. 10, 11).
No character of the Old Testament can at all be compared with
that of David. In the incidents of his life he comes before us as
the shepherd, the soldier, the poet, the statesman, the priest, the
prophet, the king ; uniting together, in the romantic friend, the
chivalrous leader, the devoted father, the diverse elements of pas-
sion, tenderness, generosity, fierceness. His character represents
the Jewish people just as they were passing from the lofty virtues of
the older system on to the fuller civilization of the later. In a
sense more than figurative, he is the type and prophecy of Jesus
Christ. Christ is not called the son of Abraham or of Moses, hut
he was truly " the son of David."
To his own people his was the name most dearly cherished after
their first ancestor, Abraham. Too sacred to be appropriated, it
was never given to any one else in the Jewish history. His Psalms
have been the source of consolation and instruction beyond any
other part of the Hebrew Scriptures. No other part of the Old
Testament comes so near the spirit of the New. The difficulties
which attend on his character are valuable as proofs of the impar-
tiality of Scripture in recording them. Its dark features manifest
a union of natural power and human weakness. The inner se-
cret of his life the temptations, the remorse, the often-baffled, nev-
er-ending struggle is the truest emblem ever given us of man's
moral progress and spiritual warfare here below.
Meanwhile the highest eulogy passed on the best of his succes
sors is that they followed his example, or, as is once emphatically
said, "he walked in the first ways of his father David" (2 Chroa.
xvii. 3 ; xxix. 2 ; xxxiv. 2).
Tomb of Darius near Persepolis (showing the probable lorm of the upper story of the Temple.)
CHAPTER. XII.
THE KEIGN OF SOLOMON. B.C. 1015-975.
THE reign of Solomon marks nt once the climax of the Hehrew
state and an epoch in its chronology, which may be called the Mil-
lennium before the advent of " David's greater son." The accession
of Solomon as sole king is fixed on good grounds to the year B.C.
1015, when he was 18 years old. He reigned 40 years, or more pre-
cisely 39 years ; the sum of his own reign and his father's being
80 years. Though he had been already solemnly crowned, and the
people hnd sworn allegiance to him, the death of his father was the
signal for attempts to shake his throne. The request of Adonijah,
through the intercession of Bath-slicba, for the hand of David's wid-
ow, Ahishag, was justly viewed by Solomon as the first step in a
new conspiracy of the prince with Abiathar and Joab- So h sent
168 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XII.
Benaiah to put Adonijah to death, and deposed Abiathar from the
high-priesthood. Joab flew for sanctuary to the tabernacle, and
caught hold of the horns of the altar : but even there the hand of
Benaiah avenged upon him the blood of Abner and Amasa.
The king put Benaiah in his place as captain of the guard, and
Zadok in the room of Abiathar. Thus the high-priesthood return-
ed from the house of Ithamar to that of Eleazar, according to the
word of God to Eli. Shimei was ordered by Solomon to remain in
Jerusalem, and three years later his departure from the city was
punished with death, according to the king's express warning (1
Kings ii. 13-46). After this Solomon enjoyed, till the latter years
of his reign, the profound peace which was symbolized by hia
name.
His father's "onquests had carried his dominions to the borders
named in the promise to Abraham, " from the river of Egypt to the
great river, the river Euphrates." The subjection of Edom gave
him the ports of Eziongeber and Elath, on the eastern arm of the
Red Sea (Gulf of AkabaK); and his alliance with Tyre at once
gave him security in the north and a share in the commerce of
Phoenicia. Thus powerful by land and sea, the kingdom of Isrsiel
was in truth not only one of the great Eastern monarchies, but nt
this time the greatest of them all. 1 Egypt was glad to accept the
alliance which Solomon sought ; and the city of Gezer, which came
to him as the dowry of Pharaoh's daughter, gave him the command
of the Philistine plain, the ancient highway between Egypt and As-
syria (1 Kings iii. 1 ; ix. ]~>, 17 : comp. iv. 21). But this alliance
with Egypt, in violation of an old divine command, brought the
king's first temptation to idolatry.
Meanwhile, "Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of
David his father;" but the "high places " were still used for wor-
ship. The chief of these was the hill of Gibeon, where stood the
tabernacle and the altar of burnt-offering ; and it was after a great
acrifice there that God appeared to Solomon in a dream, and ask-
ed him what He should give him. The king, confessing himself to
be but a little child in comparison of the great work committed to
him in governing and judging the people, asked for the wisdom and
knowledge that might fit him for the office " an understanding
heart to judge thy people, to discern between good and had." His
aspirations, if not for the highest spiritual excellence, were for prac-
tical sagacity and usefulness to his subjects, not for long life, rich-
es, and victory for himself; and, because he had not selfishly asked
these things, they were freely granted to him, in addition to the
1 For the condition of Egypt and Assyria at this time, see the " Smaller
Ancient History of the East," chaos, xi. and xx.
B.C. 1015-975. BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. 169
gift he had chosen. Their possession was soon proved by the fa-
mous " Judgment of Solomon " between the two mothers of a dead
and a living child (1 Kings iii.).
The Oriental magnificence of Solomon's court, where he sat on
his throne of ivory and gold, with the state officers whose functions
are described in the Book of Kings, was supported by levies through-
out the land, and by the tribute of the subject kingdoms, from
Tiphsah (Thapsacus), on the Euphrates, to Azzah (Gaza), on the
frontier towards Egypt. Judah and Israel vastly increased in
numbers, dwelt safely all his days, "every man under his vine and
under his fig-tree, eating and drinking and making merry." But
all this prosperity was transcended by the king's wisdom and
" largeness of heart," and knowledge in all the learning of his age.
He gave equal attention to the lessons of practical morals and to
the facts of natural science. " He spake 3000 proverbs," of which
the " Book of Proverbs " contains the choicest, " and his songs
were a thousand and five;" and in "The Song of Songs, which is
Solomon's," as well as in the 45th Psalm, we probably have some
pictures drawn from his personal beauty and gracious bearing. All
people and kings of the earth came to receive from his own lips the
wisdom of which they had heard (1 Kings iv. ; 2 Chron. i.). The
king was meanwhile occupied with three great works the building
of the house of God, of his own house, and of the wall of Jerusalem.
For the " house of God" (less properly known by the Roman name
of temple) David had collected superabundant materials from his
people, and had secured the aid of Hiram, king of Tyre. That
faithful ally sent an embassy to congratulate Solomon on his acces-
sion, and arrangements were made between them for the work.
Cedars and fir-trees from Lebanon, squared and fitted where they
were felled, were floated round to Joppa, and thence carried to Je-
rusalem. Solomon supplied provisions both for Hiram's servants
and his own ; and he enlisted laborers from the remnant of the sub-
ject nations living throughout the land, whom David had reduced
to a condition like that of the Gibeonites under Joshua. Besides
these, he raised a levy of 30,000 men out of all Israel, each relay of
10,000 working for a month at hewing timber in Lebanon, as well
as the huge stones for the foundations, some of which arc still seen
in their place. Such was the care taken in preparing arid fitting
the materials, that no sound of axe or hammer was heard in tho
house during the whole time that it was in building (1 Kings v., vi.
7 ; and 2 Chron. ii.).
Hiram supplied Solomon with a chief architect, a namesake of
his own ; for both names are spelled indifferently Hirdtfior Huram.
He was the son of a widow of Naphthali or Dan, and his fathez
170 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XII
had been a Tyrian artist ; and art was then hereditary. Besides
design in all its branches, he wrought specially in metal ; and the
masterpieces of his art were the two pillars of cast brass, called
Jachin and Boaz, 18 cubits high, with capitals of 5 cubits more, 1
adorned with lily-work and pomegranates, which stood on each
side of the porch, in front of the holy place. The site of the house
was that pointed out by God and prepared by David, on MOUNT
MORIAH, where the plague had stayed at the threshing-floor of
Araunah the Jebusite. The area inclosed by the outer walls
formed a square of about 600 feet ; but the sanctuary itself was
comparatively small, as it was intended only for the ministrations of
the priests, the congregation of the people assembling in the courts.
Chambers were built about the sanctuary for the abode of the priests
and attendants, and for the keeping of treasures and stores.
In other respects the temple followed the model of the taber-
nacle, of which it was the exact double in its chief dimensions, be-
ing 80 cubits in length, 40 in width, and 20 in height. The porch
wa ten cubits deep ; the holy place was 40 cubits long by 20 wide ,
the Holy of Holies was a cube of 20 feet internally. The places
of the two vails of the tabernacle were occupied by partitions, in
which were folding-doors. The chief sacred objects were the same.
Above the ark new cherubim were made ; but the ark itself was un-
altered, and contained nothing but the two Tables of the Law, the
old covenant of God with His people. The golden candlestick and
table of shew-bread were replaced by seven candlesticks and ten
tables. The richly carved linings of both chambers were overlaid
with gold. The court was doubtless also doubled in its dimensions,
so as to be 100 cubits from noi1;h to south, and 200 from east to
west. Part of it around the sanctuary was separately inclosed,
forming the court of the priests. In the outer court for the people
the altar of burnt-offering was wholly of brass, much larger and of
a more elaborate form than that of Moses ; and the brazen larer for
the ablutions of the priests was replaced by a molten sea, as it was
called from its vast size, also of brass, borne by twelve oxen, three
looking to each quarter of the heavens. The temple had upper
chambers. (See Vignette.)
Having completed his preparations, Solomon began to build the
temple in the fourth year of his reign, the 480th from the Exodus,
on the second day of the second month of the sacred year (neat
the end of April, B.C. 1012). It was completed in seven years and
a half, in the eighth month (October to November) of his eleventh
year (B.C. 1005). The time chosen for its dedication was the
Feast-of Tabernacles, in the seventh month of the sacred year;
% y The " sacred cubit " was either 20 or 24 inches.
B.C. 1015-975. DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 171
when the people, having done the lahors of the field and gathered
in the vintage,, assembled at Jerusalem to keep the most joyous
feast of the year. At the moment when the priests, who had per-
formed the daily service, came out from within the vail, and the
Levites burst forth in chorus praising Jehovah, "For he is good :
for His mercy endureth forever," God gave the sign of His coming
to take possession of His house; a cloud filled the house, "so that
the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud ; for
che GI.ORY OF JEHOVAH HAD FILLED THE HOUSE OF JEHOVAH."
As that sacred cloud spread through the open doors over the sanc-
tuary, the voice of Solomon was heard, recognizing the presence of
God, who had said that He would dwell in the thick darkness, and
for whom he had now built a habitation forever. Then, from the
great platform of brass, which he had raised in the midst of the court,
the king followed up his blessing of the people with that sublime
Prayer of Dedication, which is the prophecy of their whole history,
and of God's chastisement of their sins, even to the captivity. An
answer was given by the fire which came down from heaven, as on
the first altar of burnt offering, and consumed the sacrifices, while
the Shekinah again filled the house. The king and people's sacri-
fices of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep were attended by a feast of
fourteen days, seven for the Feast of Tabernacles and seven for the
dedication ; and Solomon sent the people home "glad and merry
in heart for all the goodness that Jehovah had showed unto David,
and to Solomon, and to Israel his people "(I Kings vi.-viii. ; 2
Chron. iii.-vii.).
Four years more were occupied in the completion of the king's
"own house," and of his other great works at Jerusalem. His
palace contained, round the great court, the great hall of state,
called " the house of the Forest of Lehnnon," from its four rows of
cedar pillars; the "hall" or "porch of judgment;" and a "porch
of pillars," the usual place of audience, in front of the private pal-
ace. It stood below the platform of the temple, to which Solomon
constructed a subterranean passage, 2oO feet long by 42 feet wide,
the remains of which may still be traced. A separate palace was
built for his Egyptian queen, the daughter of Pharaoh. He had
ako a summer palace in Lebanon, and gardens at Etham, like the
" paradises " of the Eastern kings. To these works were added
aqueducts to supply the city, and the repair of the walls of Zion
and of the fort of Millo. These last works were under the super-
intendence of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat (1 Kings vii. 1-12; ix.
15, 24). On the completion of all these buildings, God appeared a
second time to Solomon in a vision of the night, and renewed the
covenant He had made with him at Gibcon, as if to warn him
172 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIL
against his ensuing declension (1 Kings ix. 1-9; 2 Chron. viL
12-22).
These great works at Jerusalem, and the establishment of the tern-
pie service in the course prescribed by David, occupied the first half
of Solomon's reign (B.C. 1015-996) ; the second half was begun with
magnificent works in other parts of his dominions, and great enter-
prises of foreign commerce. Hiram's discontent at the reward of
his services by the gift of twenty cities on the coast of Galilee, which
he called Cabul, that is, " dirt," did not impair his alliance with
Solomon. The navies of the two kings were united in distant voy-
ages ; partly to the western parts of the Mediterranean, which were
vaguely described by the name of Turshish; and partly from the
two ports of the Red Sea to the shores of Arabia, and possibly of
India. The latter navy traded chiefly to Ophir. 3 The fleets re-
turned every three years, bringing gold, silver, ivory, and precious
stones, the rare wood of the almvy (or alyuni) trees, apes, and pea-
cocks. In a beautiful oasis of the Syrian desert, Solomon built
Tad/nor (afterwards famous as Palmyra), on a great commercial
route to the Euphrates. On the north, he made a new conquest,
the only one recorded in his reign, of Hamath-Zobah, in the valley
of the Orontes ; and here he built several of his " store-cities," or
de'pots for commerce. With Egypt he carried on a great trade in
linen-yarn, and imported chariots for his own use and for his sub-
ject kings. His grandeur reached its climax when the Queen of
Sheba (probably El- Yemen} came from the distant south to see his
glory and to try his wisdom with hard questions, and confessed that
"the half had not been told her" (1 Kings ix. ; 2 Chron. ix.).
The faults which clouded his latter years are summed up in
Milton's allusion to the altars set up
" By that uxorious king, whose heart, though large,
Beguiled by fair idolatresses, fell
To idols foul"
His 700 wives and 300 concubines, taken from all the surrounding
nations with whom God had expressly forbidden intermarriage,
seduced him to set up sanctuaries for their gods, chiefly on the
Mount of Olives, the southern summit of which was hence called
the Mount of Offense. The punishment of these sins was already
preparing in another train of evils arising from the costly and des-
potic rule which laid grievous burdens on his subjects, and from the
external weakness which began to visit his luxury and advancing
age. For the third time God spoke to him ; but now to tell him
* Ophir was probably in Arabia, either contiguous to Sabaea, or situated
on some point of the southern or eastern coasts of Arabia.
B.C. 1015-975. SOLOMON'S TALL AND DEATH. 173
that his kingdom was forfeited, though for David's sake the judg-
ment was postponed to his son's time, and one tribe should still be
left to him (1 Kings xi. 1-13).
Meanwhile adversaries began to show themselves ; and Egypt,
the crown of which had passed to the warlike dynasty of Sheshonk
or Shishak (the 22d Dynasty), became a focus of plots against Sol-
omon. First, HADAD, prince of Edom, who had escaped to Egypt
from the massacre of Joab, returned to his land, and began a har-
assing war with Israel. Next, REZON, who after David's defeat
of Hadadezer. the Syrian king of Zobah, had gathered a band of
outlaws, and maintained himself against the whole power of Solo-
mon, succeeded in founding the great rival kingdom of Damascus.
Above all, JEROBOAM, the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zereda,
and "a mighty man of valor," was plainly designated by the proph-
et Ahijah as the future king of the ten tribes of Israel, which had
always shown a jealousy of Judah. The matter reached the ears
of Solomon, who sought the life of Jeroboam ; but the latter fled to
Egypt, and remained there with Shishak till the death of Solomon
(1 Kings xi. 14-40).
Amidst such beginnings of impending trouble, Solomon ap-
proached the end of his course. The history says nothing of his
repentance ; but we have, in the Book of Ecdesiastes, a review of
the whole experience of his life, based on the fear of God. It gives
the experience of a man who has tasted every form of pleasure,
and pronounces all to end in disappointment ; and from this rest-
less search after every new excitement, the royal preacher comes
back to this simple result that true life consists in the discharge
of duty from religious motives : " Fear God, and keep his com-
mandments ; for this is the whole [life] of man " (Eccles. xii. 13).
Solomon died at Jerusalem, in the 4Qth year of his reign, and
was buried in the royal sepulchre in the City of David. The his-
tory of his reign was written by the prophets Nathan and Ahijah,
by Iddo the seer in his " Visions against Jeroboam," and in the
"Book of the Acts of Solomon." The first three works probably
formed the basis of the narrative in the First Book of Kings ; while
the substance of the last is preserved in epitome in the Second Book
if Chronicles (1 Kings xi. 41-43 ; 2 Chron. ix. 29-31)
Sebusttyeh, the ancient Samaria, fi
Behind the city are the mountains of Ephraim, verging on the Plain of
Sharon. The Mediterranean Sea is in the farthest distance.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE KINGDOMS OF JUDAII AND ISRAEL TO THE REIGNS OF
JEHO8HAPHAT AND AHAB. B.C. 975-892.
VERT shortly after the death of Solomon, the prophecy of Ahijab
was fulfilled ; his kingdom was rent in twain, and the parts, both
greatly weakened hy the disruption, formed the separate kingdomr
of JUDAH and ISRAEL'. The northern kingdom included ten
;ribes, about two-thirds of the population, and, with the region east
of Jordan, more than the same proportion of the land, and that
much the best in quality. But the powerful tribe of Judah retain-
ed the capital, with the accumulated treasures of Solomon ; and all
the moral and religious elements of greatness were on the side of
the southern kingdom. From the first, the blot of rebellion clung
to the cause of Israel ; for the divine selection of Jeroboam to pun-
ish Solomon did not justify his revolt. He was indeed assured
B.C. 975-892. DISRUPTION OF THE KINGDOMS. 175
that obedience to God's law would be rewarded by the permanence
of his kingdom ; but his very first acts cut off Israel from the wor-
ship of Jehovah. His example was followed by his successors, of
whom, with scarcely an exception, we read, " he did evil in the
sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, who made Is-
rael to sin." His religious revolt drove all the priests and Levites
to Jerusalem, where the tribe of Judali was preserved from defec-
tion expressly to maintain God's worship at its chosen seat. With
the line of David remained the promise of the kingdom, leading up
to the Messiah ; and in that line the crown was handed down, gen-
erally from father to son ; while Israel presents a succession of
murders and usurpations. In the whole period of 255 years, from
the disruption to the captivity of Israel, twelve kings of Judah oc-
cupy the same space as nineteen kings of Israel ; and the moral su-
periority of the former was still more conspicuous. The two king-
doms were equally distinguished in their final fate. The sentence
of captivity was executed upon Israel about 130 years sooner than
on Judah ; and, while the Ten Tribes never returned to their land,
and only a scattered remnant of them shared the restoration of Ju-
dah, the latter became once more a small but powerful nation, not
free from the faults of their fathers, but worshipping God with a
purity and serving Him with an heroic zeal unequalled since the
days of Joshua, and preparing for the restoration of the true spirit-
ual kingdom under the last great Son of David.
The part of the history thus reviewed, down to the Captivity at
Babylon, may be marked out into three great periods : I. From the
disruption to the simultaneous deaths of the kings of Judah and
Israel by the hand of Jehu, in B.C. 884 ; II. To the captivity of
Israel by Shalmaneser (or rather Sargon), in B.C. 721 ; III. The
remaining history of Judah, down to the Captivity of Babylon, in
B.C. 586. We return to the thread of the history from the death
of Solomon.
I. REHOBOAM ("Enlarrjeroftfie People" B.C. 975-958)' was the
only known son of Solomon, by Naamah, an Ammonite princess,
and was 41 years old at his accession. The old jealousy between
Judah and the other tribes broke out at once, when the tribes were
convened at Shechem to settle the new kingdom ; and JEROBOAM
was sent for out of Egypt by the malcontents. Their demand for
a redress of the grievances they had suffered under Solomon was
supported by the late king's old counsellors ; but Rehoboam, taking
counsel with the young men that had grown up with him, replied,
1 Both to aid the memory, and for the sake of distinction, the kii:<*8 are
numbered from the division of the monarchy, those of Judali with Human,
those of Israel with Arabic, numerals.
] 76 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIIL
*' My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins; my fa-
ther chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpi-
ons." Then Ephraim and all Israel raised again the old cry of
Sheba, disclaiming all inheritance in David, " To your tents, O Is-
rael! Now see to thine own house, David." Adoram, the chief
officer of the tribune, being sent to appease the tumult, was stoned
to death ; Rehoboam only escaped by fleeing in his chariot to Jeru-
salem ; and Jeroboam was proclaimed king over all Israel at She >
chem (1 Kings xii. 1-20 ; 2 Chron. x.).
Besides Judah, Benjamin adhered to Rehoboam. This tribe had
long been subordinate to Judah, whose ascendency was confirmed
when David took Jerusalem, which lay within the bounds of Benja-
min, from the Jebusites. The united forces of these two tribes,
amounting to 180,000 men of war, were called out by Rehoboam to
quell the revolt. The prophet Shemaiah forbade this attempt to
oppose the will of God ; but a state of war lasted for sixty years.
Rehoboam fortified the chief cities of Judah and Benjamin, and
placed his sons in command of them. The kingdom also em-
braced the lots of Dan (in the south) and of Simeon (which had
been taken out of Judah), and even a part of Ephraim, besides
holding Edom as a subject state as far as the Red Sea. It was
strengthened by the priests and Levites whom Jeroboam drove away,
and by the pious Israelites who came to worship at Jerusalem ; but
Rehoboam was corrupted, like his father, by his numerous harem;
and both kitig and people fell into idolatry and vice (1 Kings xii.
21-24; 2 Chron. xi.)-
The punishment came at once, in their invasion and conquest,
by Shishak (Sheshonk I.), in the fifth year of Rehoboam (B.C. 972
-1). This Pharaoh spoiled the temple and the king's palace, and
made Judah a tributary kingdom, " that they may know the differ-
ence" said the Lord by Shemaiah "between my service and the
service of the kingdoms of the countries." 3 Such a state of vassal-
age left the subject kingdom great freedom so long as the tribute
was paid ; and we are not surprised at reading next that, after the
king humbled himself before God, "things went well in Judah;
and Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem," during the
twelve years left to him. He reigned seventeen years in all, and
was buried in the city of David (1 Kings xiv. 21-31 ; 2 Chron. xii.).
II. AuuAH, 3 the son of Rehoboam and Maachah, the daughter
s Respecting this conquest, and the mention of Yuda Melchi, " The Royal
City of Judah," in the great sculptures of Sheshonk at Karnak, which forms
one of the chief points of contact between Scripture History and the records
of the Egyptian monuments, see the " Smaller Ancient History," chap. xi.
3 The name signifies " will of Jehovah," or " he whose father is Jhovh ;'
\he form Abijam in " Kings " is probably erroneous.
B.C. 975-892. SCHISM OF JEROBOAM. 177
of Absalom, succeeded his father in the 18th year of Jeroboam, and
reigned three years (B.C. 958-95G). 4 He gained a great victory
over Israel at Zemaraim, in Mount Ephraim. "He walked in all
the sins of his father," and especially imitated his polygamy ; but
" for David's sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem,
to set up his son after him." How great a light and glory that son
was to Judah will presently appear ; meanwhile we return to the
northern kingdom (1 Kings xv. 1-8; 2 Chron. xiii.).
1. JEROBOAM I. (i. e., " whose jieople is many"), the son of Nebat,
raigneo over Israel twenty-two years (B.C. 975-954). He fortified
Shechem and Penuel, west and east of Jordan, but fixed his own
residence at the beautiful town of Tirzah. The ten tribes which
adhered to him are probably to be reckoned by taking Joseph
(Ephraim and Manasseh) as one, and excluding Levi and Judah.
The secession of Benjamin still left the number ten, by counting
Ephraim and Manasseh separately. Dan remained in the number,
in virtue of its possessions in the North. Simeon was actually in-
cluded in the kingdom of Judah; but the tribe seems to have sunk
into such insignificance as to be numbered among the ten only by
a sort of negative computation. Beyond the old limits of Pales-
tine, Moab was attached to Israel ; and Ammon would naturally
preserve its family alliance with Rehoboam, to whom, as we have
seen, Edom was also subject; but a common interest soon prompted
these tribes to union against both the kingdoms. As for the allies
and tributaries of Solomon in Phoenicia and Syria, though now cut
off from Judah, they are not at all likely to have submitted to the
King of Israel. We hear of no further connection with Phoenicia,
Ccele-Syria, and the Lebanon ; and we soon find the Syrian king-
dom of Damascus, whose rise we have already noticed, a most formi-
dable enemy of Israel.
It was Jeroboam's policy to make the separation of the kingdoms
irrevocable by a complete religious schism, and to give his people
places of worship without their going up to Jerusalem. Resorting
to the form of idolatry which he hnd witnessed in Egypt, and fol
lowing the example of Aaron, whose very words he used (comp. 1
Kings xii. 28 with Exod. xxxii. 4, 8).
4 The regnal years (in Eastern annal* generally) are usually given in such a
nnnner as to include incomplete years ; just as we commonly say that George
tlL, who came to the throne in October, 1700, and died in January, 1820,
reigned 60 years. Hence to compute the dates H.O. by adding reign to reign
will often mislead. Thus George IV. reigned 10 years and nearly a half;
eal! it 11, and add to 1820, and we get 1881 for the accession of William IV.
instead of June, 1830. In the Hebrew annals the correction is usually sup-
plied, as we are told in what year of each king of Israel each king of Judah
came to the throne, and vice vcrtta.
M
178 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIII
"The rebel king
Doubled that sin in Bethel and in Dan,
Likening his Maker to the grazed ox."
He set up two golden calves, the symbols of the Heliopolitan deity
Mnevis, in the ancient sanctuaries of Dan and Bethel, at the north-
ern and southern extremities of his kingdom. At the latter the
king imitated the dedication of the temple, hut " in a month which
he had devised of his own heart ;" and he appointed priests " from
the lowest of the people," in place of the Levites.
In the very midst of the ceremony, a man of God, sent by the
word of Jehovah out of Judah, confronted Jeroboam at his altar,
on which he prophesied that a son of David, named Josiah, should
one day offer the bones of the idolatrous priests who sacrificed upon
it ; and he added a sign, that the altar should be rent and the ashes
on it poured out upon the ground. The enraged king called on
his guards to seize the prophet, 'and put out his own hand to lay
hold of him ; but the hand was withered and fell helpless, and an
earthquake rent the altar. On the prophet's prayer, entreated by
the king, his hand was restored, and he begged the man of God to
accept his hospitality and a reward ; which he refused, and depart-
ed by another way, as he had been commanded. How he yielded
to an aged brother prophet the consent he had refused the king,
how he was slain by a lion for his disobedience and buried by the
old prophet, who entreated that his bones might be laid beside him,
to preserve them from the fate denounced on the idol priests, is one
of the most beautiful episodes of Scripture familiar to our earliest
recollections. Another such is the sickness and death of the king's
son, Abijah, the only one of his house " in whom there was found
some good thing towards Jehovah, the God of Israel," and the fear-
ful prophecy of Ahijah, to whom the wife of Jeroboam resorted in
disguise, to pray for the child's life. The same prophet who had
designated Jeroboam to the kingdom, though now blind, at the first
sound of the queen's feet upon the threshold, addressed her by
name, and, recounting all the sins of Jeroboam, foretold the speedy
extinction of his race, and the coming captivity of Israel. Jwo-
boam died soon after his son (1 Kings xii. 25-33; xiii. ; xiv. 1-
20).
2. NADAB (B.C. 954-3), the remaining son of Jeroboam, succeed-
ed his father in the second year of Asa, king of Judah, and was mur-
dered in the next year, with all his father's house, by Baasha, his
captain of the host ; thus fulfilling the prophecy of Ahijah (1 Kings
xv. 25-31). With the extinction of the first dynasty, the crown of
Israel passed from the tribe of Ephraim to that of Issachar ; but the
second dynasty also lasted for only two generations.
B.C. 975-892. OMKI AND SAMARIA. 179
3. BAASHA, the son of Ahijah, became the third king of Israel in
the third year of Asa, king of Judah, and reigned at Tirzah four-
and-twenty years (B.C. 953-930). His entire addiction to the sins
of Jeroboam brought upon his house the same fate as theirs, which
was denounced upon him by the prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani.
His constant wars with Asa were inflamed by the continual deser-
tion of pious Israelites to Jerusalem. In the 13th year of his reign,
his attempt to prevent this, by fortifying Baniah on the frontier,
first brought Israel into conflict with the Syrian kingdom of Damas-
cus. Ben-hadad I. invaded Galilee at the call of Asa, and so drew
off Baasha from Ramah, the fortifications of which were demolished
by the Jews. Baasha returned to Tirzah, where he died and was
buried in the 26th year of Asa (1 Kings xv. 32-xvi. 7 ; and xv.
16-21).
4. His son ELAH reigned for only parts of two years (B.C. !)30-
929), and was killed at Tirzah, in a state of intoxication, with all
his house, by Zimri, a captain of his chariots ; and thus the second
dynasty of Israel became extinct (1 Kings xvi. 8-10).
5. ZIMRI enjoyed his usurpation only seven days. Being besieged
in Tirzah by Omri, and the whole army which he had commanded,
and which had proclaimed him king, Zimri burnt the palace over
his head. But another competitor, Tibni, wns only defeated and
killed after a civil war of four years (B.C. 92!)-925).
6. The twelve years of OMRI are to be dated from the death of
Elah (B.C. 929-918) ; his full recognition being placed in the 31st
year of Asa (B.C. 925). The civil war is included in the six years
which he spent at Tirzah ; and then he abandoned that residence,
and built the new and long-famous capital of SAMARIA (in Hebrew
Shomeron) (1 Kings xvi. 15-28). Here he founded a dynasty which
fasted for three generations and four kings, but which equally sur-
passed all that had gone before in wickedness, so that " the statutes
of Omri " became a by-word for a course opposed to the law of Jeho-
vah (Micah vi. 16). Of the particular events of Omri's reign, we are
only able to infer from a subsequent allusion that the Syrian king
of Damascus, Ben-hadad I., continued the war with Israel, and
forced his own terms on Omri, who consented to receive a resident
envoy in hin new capital of Samaria (1 Kings xx. 34). Israel wns
fast losing the power of an independent state ; but the kingdom was
still adorned with much wealth and luxury, when Omri left it to his
son AIIAK, in the thirty-eighth year of Asa, king of Judah, to whose
long reign we now return.
III. ASA, the third king of Judah, succeeded his father, Ahijah,
in the twentieth year of Jeroboam I., king of Israel, and reigned for
the long period of forty-one years (B.C. 956-916). His name, whick
180 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIII
signifies curing or physician, was significant of his work. Himself a
worthy son of David, and having "his heart perfect with Jehovah
all his days," he reformed the religious and moral abuses of the three
preceding reigns. He destroyed the idols, and cut down and burnt
the Asherah, which his mother had set up, and strewed its ashes on
the brook Kidron. Still, however, the old hill-sanctuaries were re-
tained as places of worship. He repaired Shishak's plunder of tlte
temple by rich offerings of gold and silver, in addition to those dedi-
cated by his father, probably in the early part of his reign, but since
transferred to the heathen shrines. The commerce established by
Solomon with Arabia and the East, and with the silver-producing
regions of Western Europe, must have continued to flourish.
He used the ten years' peace, secured by his father's great victory
over Jeroboam, to fortify his cities anew and to raise a numerous
army (2 Chron. xiv. 1-8). 5 With this force he encountered and
routed " Zerah the Cushite" {Ethiopian), who had invaded Judah
at the head of half a million of men. The invader is thought to
have been a king of Egypt ; and, at all events, Asa seems to have
thrown off the tributary yoke imposed by Shishak on Rehoboam.
The joy of this victory was used by the prophet Azariah as the oc-
casion for summoning king and people to the great religious refor-
mation, which Asa accomplished in his 15th year (B.C. 942).
The attendance of worshippers from Ephraim, Manasseh, and
other tribes at this great convocation, led to the attack of Baasha
upon Ramah ; when Asa not only called in the heathen king of
Syria, but purchased his help with the treasures of the temple. His
want of faith was reproved by the seer Hanani, the father of that
Jehu who prophesied also both to Baasha and Jehoshaphat. Ha-
nani was imprisoned by Asa in his rage, and others of the people
were oppressed for the same cause. The king's conduct is to be
attributed partly to unbroken prosperity and partly to the irritation
of pain, for in his last years he suffered from the gout. Asa sank
under the disease in the forty-first year of his reign, having been
contemporary with all the first seven kings of Israel. His body
was laid in a bed of spices, in a sepulchre he had prepared for
himself in the City of David, and precious odors were burnt for him
in great abundance, as was the custom at the funerals of worthy
kings (1 Kings xv. 9-24 ; 2 Chron. xiv. 15).
IV. JEHOSHAPHAT, the fourth king of Judah, was the son of Asa
and Azubah. At the age of thirty-five he succeeded his father,
in the fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel, and reigned at Jerusalem
* The numbers 580,000, of whom 300,000 vere men of Jndah, and 280,000
Benjamite archers seem to be exaggerated, like others in this part of the
Hebrew text.
B.C. 975-832. KEIGN OF JEHOSHAPHAT. 181
twenty-five years (B.C. 916-892). He followed his father's piety,
and possessed an energy which makes him the most like David of all
the other kings of Judah. He raised the kingdom to the highest
point that it had reached since the disruption ; but his unhappy al-
liance with Ahab went far to neutralize all his excellences, and
brought ruin upon his successors. In the third year of his reign,
he gave a commission to his chief princes, in conjunction with cer-
tain Levites and priests, to teach the people and to read the book
of the Law in all the cities of Judah. His piety was rewarded with
prosperity. He had peace with all the surrounding nations. Even
the Philistines paid him tribute, and the Arabians brought the im-
mense flocks of rams and goats which David had described in the
72d Psalm. He continued to fortify and garrison the cities ; at
Jerusalem he had a band of captains, like those of David ; and un-
der their command was a greater army than had yet been raised.
His power had become too great for the king of Israel to hope for
success in a new war ; and the growing strength of the Syrian king-
dom of Damascus may have prompted the disastrous alliance which
was now formed between Jehoshaphat and Ahab, and which requires
us to look back to the history of Israel (1 Kings xxii. 41-46 ; 2
Chron. xvii.).
It will be convenient, however, to anticipate the sequel of Je-
hoshaphat's reign, further details of which have to be related in the
history of the house of Ahab. The lesson taught by his narrow es-
cape from the battle of llamoth-gilead, and enforced by the prophet
Jehu, caused him to address himself with renewed zeal to the work
of reformation. He went in person through his kingdom, from
Beer-sheba to Mount Ephraim, reclaiming the people to the God
of their fathers. He appointed judges in all the fortified cities,
and in Jerusalem he established a court of priests and Levites and
heads of houses, for the final decision of all ca^js relating to the
law of Jehovah. At the head of the latter he set the high-priest,
Amariah, for all religious causes, and Zebadiah, son of Ishmael, the
prince of Judah, for matters relating to the king. To both he gave
a charge worthy of his name, which signifies the "judgment of Je-
hovah " (2 Chron. xix.).
Meanwhile the disaster of Ramoth-gilead encouraged the old
enemies on the eastern frontier. The Moabites, the Ammonites,
with the people of Mount Seir, and the tribes of the neighboring
desert, threw off the yoke which they had borne since the time of
David. We rend of two campaigns, the first ngainst Jehoshaphat
by a league of all these tribes, and the second against Jchoram,
king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat as his ally, by the king of Moab,
who was the vassal of Israel, as Ammon and Edom were of Tudah.
182
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
CHAP. XIIL
In the first, the vast hordes of the enemy were encamped at Engedi,
on the west side of the Dead Sea; when, amidst the people gathered
at a great fast before the Temple, a Levite, Jahaziel, was inspired
to proclaim a victory, in which their part should be only to "Stand
and see the salvation of Jehovah." On the next day they reached
the field only to see it strewn with dead bodies; for, confused by the
ambuscades they had set for the men of Judah, the different nations
had fallen upon each other : the men of Moab and Ammon, having
first cut to pieces the people of Mount Seir, had turned to mutual
slaughter. The terror of this event secured peace to Judah for the
rest of Jehoshaphat's reign (2 Chron. xx. 1-31). The campaign in
which he aided Jehoram against Mbab had a very similar issue (see
next chapter). He attempted to renew the commerce of Solomon
in the Red Sea ; but his fleet was wrecked at Ezion-geber, as a
punishment for his alliance with Ahaziah in the enterprise. He
died at the age of 60, and was buried in the City of David, leaving
his kingdom to his unworthy son, Jehoram (B.C. 892), whom he had
associated with him in the kingdom about four years before (1 Kings
xxii. 41-50; 2 Chron. xx. 32-xxi.).
Sitting Statue of Shalmaneser I. (the king who mentions Ahab and Jehu), in the British Museum
B.C. 918-878. ARAB'S NEW IDOLATRIES. 183
lites bringing tribute to Shalraaneser. (NimruU Obelisk.)
CHAPTER XIV.
THE HOUSE OF AHAB, AND THE CONTEMPORARY KINGS OF JUDAH.
FIRST CONTACT WITH ASSYRIA. ELIJAH AND ELISHA. B.C. 918-
878.
7. AHAB (properly Achab), the seventh king of Israel, and the
second of the dynasty of Omri, succeeded his father in the thirty-
eighth year of Asa, and reigned twenty-two years at Samaria (B.C.
918-897). His name has attained an evil eminence in the. world's
history. His fate was decided hy his marriage with JEZEBEL, the
daughter of Ethhaal, king of the Zidonians. The very name of
this prince (the Man of Baal") suggests the consequences of the al-
liance. In place of the worship of Jeroboam's calves, which, mon-
strous idols as they were, yet professed to be symbols of Jehovah,
the service of Baal was established throughout Israel. Ahab built
him a temple and an altar at Samaria, and made a grove for the
impure orgies of Ashtorcth. There was a great college of Baal's
priests, or prophets, who numbered 450, besides 400 prophets of the
groves; and all these were maintained at Jezebel's table. By her
orders, the prophets of Jehovah were put to death, except a hun-
dred, who were hid and fed in a cave by Obadiah, the governor of
Ahab's house. The people followed the apostasy of the court, till
it was an unexpected consolation for the great prophet, who was
sent, in this darkest night of Israel's declension, to hear that Jeho-
vah had 7000 left in Israel, whose knees had not bowed to Baal,
nor their lips kissed him (1 Kings xvi. 29-34).
184 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIV.
It was about the tenth year of Ahab's reign that ELIJAH,' the
TISHBITE, suddenly appeared before the king to declare, as the
word of Jehovah, confirmed by an awful oath, that there should not
be dew nor rain in the land for some years, but at his word ; and
we learn from the New Testament that his own earnest prayer had
obtained this sign of his mission (James v. 17, 18). That mission
was to arouse Israel from the lowest depths of their declension to
repentance and amendment of life, and to the hope of the promise
made to their fathers. Thus Elijah was the type of John the Bap-
tist ; and both were marked by an outward aspect and mode of life
suited to their message. Sprung from the rude pastoral race of
Gilead beyond Jordan, Elijah's only clothing \vas a girdle of skin
round his loins, and the "mantle" or cape of sheepskin, the de-
scent of which upon Elisha has passed into a proverb (1 Kin^g
xvii. 1).
Elijah meets us in the sacred narrative with a suddenness as
startling as the first appearance of John the Baptist in the wilder-
ness of Judea. After the simple announcement of his message, he
is dismissed to his retreat from the vengeance which Jezebel took
upon all the other prophets of Jehovah. In a hollow (such as the
Arabs call a wady) watered by the brook C/terith, he was fed by ra-
vens with bread and flesh, morning and evening, till the brook dried
up. He was then sent, not to any of the secret worshippers in Is-
rael, nor to any city of Judah (lest perhaps he should appear to be
a partisan of the rival kingdom), but to the heathen city of Zare-
phath, belonging to Zidon. Here, amidst the famine, the poor wid-
ow's last handful of meal and last drop of oil were miraculously re-
plenished; and her self-sacrificing faith was rewarded by the recall
of her only son to life at the prophet's prayer (1 Kings xvii. ; Obad.
20 ; Luke iv. 25, 26).
In the third year of his residence at Zarephath. and when the
drought had lasted three years and six months in all, God bade
Elijah to show himself to Ahab, and promised to send rain upon the
earth. The thrilling story of that meeting, and of the contest that
ensued upon Mount Carmel, between the solitary servant of Jehovah
on the one side and the 450 priests of Baal on the other, ending
with the cry of all the people, as they saw the fire descend upon
Elijah's sacrifice "JEHOVAH, HE is THE GOD! JEHOVAH, HE is
THE GOD !" can only be read in the words of Scripture. After the
1 His name, in Hebrew Eli-jahu, is, in all probability, significant of the
truth which he brought Israel to confess " Jehovah is my God." The
Greek form, Elia, is used in our version of the New Testament. (Matt. xi.
14; Jtvi.14; xvii. 3, 11,12; xxvii. 47, 49 ; Mark vi. 15; ix. 4, 12, 13; XV. 35,36;
Luke i. 17 ; ix. 8, 30, 64 ; John i. 21 ; James v. 17.
B.C. 918-878. ELIJAH AND ELISHA. 185
prophets of Baal had been slain to a man at the brook Kishon, ac-
cording to the law against idolaters, Elijah retired to the top of
Carmel, to agonize in prayer for the fulfillment of the remaining
sign ; till the little cloud, like a man's hand, rising out of the sea,
brought on the cataracts of rain amidst which the prophet ran be-
fore the king's chariot to Jezreel, a distance of 16 miles (1 Kings
xviii.). And, lest the reader of that sublime chapter should sup-
pose that the power and dignicy of Elijah place his triumph over
svil beyond our imitation, the Apostle James has pointed the les-
son : "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much. Hi. i AS was a man subject to like passions as we are (of the
same moral nature as ourselves) ; and he prayed earnestly that it
might not rain ; and it rained not on the earth by the space of
three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven
gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit" (James v. 17, 18).
Neither the blessings restored, with the magical suddenness of
that climate, to the parched fields and famished people, nor the
signal witness redoubled from heaven by fire and water, could re-
lease Ahab from the bondage of his heart and soul to Jezebel,
whose only thought was of vengeance for her slaughtered prophets.
Elijah had to fly again the whole length of both kingdoms to Beer-
shelm, and thence the Spirit of God urged him forward to the Desert
of Sinai, where his sojourn of forty days and nights, without food,
repeated that of Moses in the same mount, and typified that of
Jesus in the wilderness of Judea. No Avords but those of Scrip-
ture can describe the revelation of God's glory to the prophet,
followed by the "still small voice" which sent him back, with
revived courage, to discharge the remainder of his mission. He
was commanded to prepare for three great changes in the state
of Israel, by anointing Hazael as the future king of Syria, in place
of Ben-hadad ; Jehu, the son of Nimshi, as king of Israel, in place
of Ahab's house; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat, to be prophet in
succession to himself. These three were to follow each other in the
destruction of the worshippers of Baal (1 Kings xix. 1-18).
ELISHA'S native place was at Abel-meholah (the meadow of the
danre), in the valley of the Jordan, near its junction with the plain
of Jezreel. He was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, himself
guiding the twelfth, when Elijah arrived on his way up the valley
towards Damascus, and, without saying a word, cast his prophet's
mantle upon Elisha, as if claiming him for a son. Elisha, with a
heart prepared by God, only begged to give his father and mother a
parting embrace, and Elijah consented, in words implying a keen
feeling of Elisha's separation from the tics of affection. Elisha- cel-
ebrated the sacrifice of himself by offering the yoke of oxen with
180 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIV
which he had been ploughing, and made a parting feast for the peo-
ple of the village. He then followed Elijah and became " his serv-
ant," for such was the relation between a prophet and his nearest
comrade, as afterwards in the case of Elisha and Gehazi. These
events form the first period of Elijah's course, and lie disappears
from the scene for a considerable time (1 Kings xix. 19-21).
Meanwhile Ahab was engaged in two great wars with Syria. In
the first, Ben-hadad II., witli thirty-two confederate kings, besieged
Samaria ; and the king at first complied with his demands. But,
when required to give up his wives and children, Ahab took courage
to reply, " Let not him that girdeth on (his armor) boast himself as
he that putteth it off." A prophet of the Lord promised him the
victory, and his little force surprised and utterly routed the vast
army of Ben-hadad, who was contemptuously carousing in his tent.
The war was renewed in the next year, when Ben-hadad, persuaded
by his servants to fight in the low country, as "the gods of Israel
were gods of the hills," received a still more signal overthrow from
a force as inferior as before. He now threw himself on the mercy
of Ahab, who was content with Ben-hadad's promise to give back
the towns which his father had taken from Omri, and to receive a
resident envoy of Israel in Damascus. For thus sparing his hea-
then enemy, a prophet warned Ahab, by an ingenious apologue,
that God would take his life for the life of Ben-hadad (1 Kings xx.).
In connection with the alliance between Ben-hadad and Ahab,
we have the first mention of the kingdom of Israel in the newly deci-
phered records of Assyria. Shalmaneser II., who is known as " the
Black-Obelisk King" from a monument whicli we have presently
to mention has left records of his wars with Syria, both under
Ben-hadad and Hazael ; and, among the allies of the former, AHAU
is named as sending 10,000 men and 200 chariots. The agree-
ment is made the more striking from the mention of him as "Ahab
of Jezreel, " a name connected with his greatest crimes and with the
final tragedy of his house. 2
Jezreel (now Zerin) was the favorite residence of Ahab, remark-
able alike for its strength and for the beauty of its prospect over the
valley of Esdraelon. But that prospect was marred by the sight of
a vineyard, whose owner, Naboth, would not yield it to the king
aither in exchange for a better or for money. The infamous con-
spiracy of Jezebel, who induced the elders of Israel to condemn
Naboth to be stoned, on the evidence of forsworn witnesses, was re-
buked by the reappearance of Elijah. At the very moment when
the king arose to take possession of the vineyard, God sent the proph-
et to meet him there ; and the king's conscience betrayed itself in
a See the " Smaller Ancient History," chap. xxii.
B.C. 918-878. DEATH OF AHAB. 187
the cry, "Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?" "I hare found
thee," answered Elijah ; and he went on to mark the scene of this
last crime as that of God's judgment for all his sins ; " in the place
where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood,
even thine." Jezebel's fate was to be still more terrible ; the dogs
would eat her under the walls of Jezreel ; and the whole house of
Ahab should be exterminated, and their flesh given to the dogs and
Tultures. This was Elijah's last mission to Ahab; and he does
not appear again till the next reign. For once, Ahab repented and
humbled himself with fasting and sackcloth ; and God postponed
the full execution of the sentence till after his death (1 Kings xxi.).
Both this denunciation and that of the former prophet were fulfilled
in a new war with Syria. Ben-hadad seems to have withheld
the cities he had promised to restore ; and Ahab seized the occa-
sion of a visit from Jehoshaphat to propose a joint expedition for
the recovery of Ramoth-gilead. The pious king of Judah proposed
to consult the word of Jehovah ; and, while Ahab's four hundred
prophets promised an easy victory, one only, Micaiah, whom he
Tiated as a prophet of evil, vainly warned him of his coming death
by a vision of Israel as a flock without a shepherd. Still his words
led Ahab to disguise himself in the battle, and Jehoshaphat nar-
rowly escaped the fate which Ben-hadad had commanded his chari-
ots to make sure for the king of Israel. But that fate was directed
by a higher will : "a certain man drew a bow at a venture," and
the arrow found out a joint in the disguised king's armor. He w.'.s
supported in his chariot, while the battle raged, till sunset, and then
he died. At his fall, the cry went through the host, "Every man
to his city and to his country." His body was brought to Samaria,
and there buried, but not till the words spoken by Elijah at Naboth's
vineyard were fulfilled. For as his chariot was washed out at the
pool of Samaria, the dogs licked up the blood of Ahab. He was
succeeded by his son Ahaziah (1 Kings xx. 1-40; 2 Chron. xviii.).
8. AHAZIAH, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, whose vices he inher-
ited, began to reign at Samaria in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat,
and died in the following year (n.c. 8i)7-89G). His mortal illness,
from a fall through the lattice of his palace, was the occasion of
Elijah's last appearance. The prophet met the messengers whom
the king had sent to consult Baal-zebub (" Lord of the Fly"), the
god of Ekron ; and denounced their master's death, because he had
inquired of an idol, as if there were not a god in Israel. In their
description of him as " a hairy man, girt with a girdle of leather
about the loins," Ahaziah at once recognized Elijah the Tishbitc, and
sent to seize the prophet. Two captains of fifties, with their bands,
were destroyed in succession by the fire which the prophet called
188 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAI-. XIV.
down from heaven ; but a third implored the mercy of Elijah, who
went with him and repeated his message of death to the king him-
self. As he had predicted, Ahaziah never rose again from his bed,
but died, leaving his kingdom to his brother Jehoram (2 Kings i.).
It is at this point that the sacred narrative places the Translation
of Elijah, and the descent of his prophetic mantle upon ELISHA,
with the miracles by which the latter proved that his parting prayer
for a double portion of his master's spirit was granted. These are
among the minute and impressive narratives that must be read,
and read only, in the very words of Scripture. The spot whence
Elijah went up to heaven was beyond the Jordan, opposite to Jer-
icho ; and it was on his way back from that city to Bethel that
Elisha cursed the mocking children, forty-two of whom were forth-
with devoured by two she-bears out of the wood that overhung the
rocky pass. There is nothing to show that these "children" were
too young to be responsible for their wantonness, which was prob-
ably meant to try whether the new prophet might be more safely
insulted than his predecessor. From Bethel Elisha returned to
Carmel, and thence he went to dwell at Samaria, being fully recog*
nized as the new prophet (2 Kings ii.).
9. The name of JEHOKAM, the younger son of Ahab and Jezebel,
may perhaps mark the temporary effect on his father's mind of that
great transaction at Carmel, when "Jehovah was exalted," as well as
the influence of Ahab's alliance with Jehoshaphat, whose son, bear-
ing the same name, had been placed by his father on the throne of
Judah the year before. 3 Jehoram, of Israel, maintained the alli-
ance with Judah, and it may have been through the influence of
Jehoshaphat (who lived for four years after Jehoram's accession)
that he was at first a shade better than his father and his brother.
He removed Ahab's image of Baal, but he still kept up the idolatries
of Jeroboam (2 Kings iii. 1-3). His 1'eign of twelve years at Sama-
ria, B.C. 896-884, coincides with the chief acts of ELISHA'S mission.
The prophet's first appearance in public affairs is connected with
one of the most vivid scenes of war depicted in Scripture, and one
which has now derived tenfold interest from the discovery of the
name of MKSHA, king of Moab, on a monument in the Moabite
country. 4 This king had revolted on the death of Ahab, and re-
3 See the end of Chapter XIII. The name is compounded of Jehovah and
ram. ("exalted"), and is abbreviated into JOBA.M iu the case of both kings.
So, at a later period, we have contemporary kings of Judah and Israel bear-
ing the name of JEUOASII, contracted into JOASU, "fire" or "sacrifice of
Jehovah."
4 The inscription on the now celebrated black stone, made known iu 1869,
in still under discussion, nor has a perfect copy been yet obtained (June, 1870).
B.C. 918-878. MESHA, KING OF MOAB. 189
fused the annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and as many rams. We
have seen how Edom, seizing the same opportunity, in alliance with
Moab and Ammon, had been conquered by Jehoshaphat, who now
brought the forces of Edom, with his own, to the aid of Jehoram.
By following the course dictated by Elisha, the allies drew on Moab
to an overthrow, which only differs in its details from the former.
Those details, as well as the fearful scene in which the King of
Moab, hard pressed in his last stronghold of Kir-lmraseth, offered
his eldest son as a burnt-offering to Moloch in sight of the besiegers,
must be read in 2 Kings iii. It would seem that this act of despair
roused the sympathy of the Edomites, as well as the horror of Je-
hoshaphat. "And there was great indignation against Israel ; and
they departed from him, and returned to their own land." We can
well believe that this indignation inflamed the efforts by which
Moab seems soon to have thrown off the yoke of Israel, as Edom
certainly threw off the yoke of Judah, and replaced their own kings
upon the throne (2 Kings viii. '20-22).
Other miracles were wrought by Elisha on behalf of Jehoram,
especially when he was attacked by the predatory bands of Syria;
and in this connection we have the exquisite story of Naaman and
Gehazi, and the deliverance of the prophet himself when surround-
ed in Dothan by the army of Ben-hadad. 6
Thus far we see Jchoram, who had put down the worship of
Baal, upheld against all his enemies by the power of Jehovah
through the friendship of Elisha. But now comes a great change,
which we can not well be wrong in ascribing to his relapse into the
idolatry which we find restored at the close of his reign. Not yet,
however, is he forsaken by God. His great enemy presses him hard-
er than ever : Samaria suffers a siege, unequalled in horror till the
final catastrophe of Jerusalem ; the king vents his rage upon Eli-
sha, who had probably foretold the visitation ; but the cruel pur-
pose of "this son of a murderer," as the prophet terms him, is re-
buked by Elisha's prophecy of the plenty that is to visit the famish-
ed city on the morrow ; and the Syrian host flies in panic during
the night (2 Kings vii.). The time was now come for the judg-
Enough, however, Is deciphered to show that Mesha records the building of
various strong cities in Moab, and several victories over Israel. Such claims",
on tnonnment.il annals (which hardly ever record defeats), are very partial
evidence ; but the course of Israel's history makes the speedy recovery of
independence by Moab highly probable ; and it becomes almost ceratin from
the fact that Edom revolted successfully from Jehoram, king of Judah (I
Kings viii. 20).
6 Our space does not allow of what would indeed be the needless repe-
tition of these miracles, which we are al! accustomed to read in their full de-
tails in various parts of 2 Kings iv.-ix. and xiii.
190 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIV,
ments which Elijah had denounced on the house of Ahab, on its
enemy Ben-hadad, and on its allies of the apostate family of Judah,
to which we now turn.
V. JEHOEAM succeeded his father Jehoshaphat in the kingdom
of Judah, at the age of thirty-two, in the fifth year of Jehoram, king
of Israel, and reigned eight years, B.C. 892-885 (2 Kings viii. 16,
17). By his fatal marriage with Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab
and Jezebel, the heir of David imbibed the spirit of the rebel king-
dom, and fell into the idolatries both of Ahab and Jeroboam. He
set up the worship of Baal on the high places, and began his reign
with the murder of all his brothers. Still, for David's sake, God
forbore to cut off his house ; but a letter of Elisha was found, de-
nouncing on Jehoram a loathsome disease, of which he died, after
seeing Edom finally lost, and Jerusalem itself stormed by the rebel
Philistines and Arabians, who massacred or carried off all his wives
and children, except his youngest son, Ahaziah. " He departed
without being regretted;" and was buried in the City of David, but
not in the sepulchre of the kings, nor were any odors burnt at his
funeral (2 Kings viii. 16-24 ; 2 Chron. xxi.).
VI. AHAZIAH (properly Achaziah, ''possession of Jehovah") was
twenty-two years old at his accession, in the twelfth year of Jeho-
ram, and reigned only one year (B.C. 885-884). He was entirely
under the influence of his mother Athaliali and his uncle Jehoram ;
and it now seemed that the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth would
be established in both kingdoms. But, as if the presence of Ahab's
grandson on the throne of David had filled up the measure of God's
forbearance, both kings were cut off by one stroke.
It appears to have been after a great defeat by the Assyrians 8
that Ben-hadad was lying sick and despairing in his palace, when
Elisha approached Damascus to anoint Hazael as king of Syria;
and this officer, after indignantly asking the prophet, "Is thy serv^
ant a dog, that he should do this thing?" smothered his master
with a cloth dipped in water, and reigned in his stead (2 Kings viii.
7-15).
The opportunity of this revolution was seized by the kings of Is>
rael and Judah to recover Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians ; but
Jehoram returned wounded to Jezreel, and Ahaziah went there to
visit him. Elisha sent one of the sons of the prophets to the army
at Ramoth-gilead, who privately anointed JEHU, the son of Jehosh-
aphat, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel. Jehu told what had hap-
pened to his fellow-captains, who at once proclaimed "Jehu is
king." "Driving furiously" to Jezreel, he met the two kings at
the fatal field of Naboth's vineyard. There Jehu had himself been
See the " Smaller Ancient History," chap. xxii.
B.C. 918-878. EXTINCTION OF AHAB'S HOUSE. 191
present with Ahab, and heard the prophecy of Elijah, which he
now fulfilled. Jehoram was slain in his chariot by an arrow from
Jehu's bow ; and his body was cast into Naboth's plot to be devour-
ed by dogs. As Jehu drove into Jezreel, the old queen Jezebel,
in her royal head-tire and with painted face, looked out from the
latticed window of her palace on the city wall, and cried, "Had
Zimri peace, who slew his master?" But at Jehu's command her
own attendants threw her down ; and when he afterwards sent to
bury her, the dogs had left only her skull and the palms of her
hands. The governors and elders of Samaria obeyed the order to
bring the heads or Ahab's seventy sons to Jezreel, an act by which
they were committed to the revolution ; and Jehu slew forty-two
of the kinsmen of Ahaziah, whom he met on his way to Samaria.
Here also he met Jonadab, the son of Rechab, founder of the fa-
mous ascetic sect of the Rechabites (comp. 2 Kings x. 15, Jer.
xxxv.), and, asking him, " Is thine heart right, as my heart is with
thy heart?" took him up into his chariot to see his zeal for Jeho-
vah. He invited the worshippers of Baal to a great festival of their
god, and massacred them in the temple to a man. The temple and
all the images of Baal were destroyed, and his worship was never
restored in Israel.
When Jehoram was killed, Ahaziah escaped to Samaria ; but he
was pursued and killed. His body was carried to Jerusalem, and
buried in the sepulchre of the kings, B.C. 884 (2 Kings ix., x. ; 2
Chron. xxii. 1-9).
VII. The usurpation of the Queen ATHALIAH prolonged the pow-
er of Ahab's house over Judah for six years (B.C. 884-878) ; but
she herself aided its extirpation by slaying all the royal seed, ex-
cept Joash, the new-born son of Ahaziah, by Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
The infant was hidden by his aunt, who was the daughter of Jeho-
ram and the wife of Jehoiada, the high-priest. In the seventh
year, the high-priest formed a great conspiracy of the priests and
Levites and the princes of Judah. Joash was crowned in the tem-
ple, and Athaliah's cry of" treason" was stifled in her blood. By
her death the last of Ahab's house perished; ''all the people of
the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet" (2 Chron. xxii., xxiii.j.
Jehu doing homage to Sholmaneser. (From the Nimrud Obelisk.)
CHAPTER XV.
THE KINGDOMS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH, Continued. FROM JEHU AND
JOASH TO THE CAPTIVITY OF THE TEN TRIBES. B.C. 884-721.
THE fair promise of a new reign of religion in both kingdoms
was soon overcast ; for Jehu's intemperate zeal and the unformed
character of Joash proved equally unstable.
10. JEHU reigned 28 years (B.C. 884-856), and founded the
Fourth Dynasty of Israel, which consisted of five kings, and lasted
111 years (B.C. 884-773). This is expressly said to have been the
reward of his zeal ; but, when he declined into the sins and idola-
try of Jeroboam, " Jehovah began to cut Israel short." Hazael
overran the land east of Jordan ; and then the Syrian was in his
turn defeated by the growing power of Assyria. The great Shal-
maneser II. records his victories over "-Khazail of Damascus ;' :
and one stage of his celebrated "Black Obelisk," now in the British
Museum, represents the tribute brought to him by " Yet/ma (Jehu),
the son of Khumri (Omri)." The erroneous patronymic is account-
ed for by Omri's being regarded as the founder of the kingdom of
Samaria : the name of the city itself appearing on the obelisk, and
in the Assyrian records generally, in the form Beth-Khumri, house
of Omri 1 (2 Kings x. 29-36).
1 For a fuller account and a picture of the " Black Obelisk," see the " Small-
er Ancient History," chap. xxii. The vignettes to this and the preceding
chapters enow two of the four reliefs in the stage devoted to the tribute of
Israel.
B.C. 884-721. PERSECUTION IN JUDAH. 1D3
11. JEHOAHAZ,* king of Israel, succeeded his father in the twen-
ty-third year of Joash, king of Judah, and reigned seventeen years
in Samaria (B.C. 856-839). He followed the sins of Jeroboam, and
suffered from constant and unsuccessful wars witli Syria. The
death of Jehoahaz was simultaneous with that of Joash, king of
Judnh, and very little before that of Hazael, king of Damascus (2
Kings xiii. 1-10).
VIII. JOASH, or (in the full form of the name) JEHOASH (" fire
or sacrifice of Jehovah"), was seven years old when he was pro-
claimed king of Judah, in the seventh year of Jehu ; and he reign-
ed forty years (B.C. 878-839). For more than twenty-three years he
held fast his piety, and enjoyed high prosperity, under the guidance
of the high-priest JehoSada. He repaired the temple, and con-
structed the first known " money-box," a chest with a hole in the
lid, which was placed at the gate of the temple for offerings. The
repairs were completed in the twenty- third year of Joash ; and the
restored temple-service was maintained till the death of Jehoiada,
at the age of 130 (2 Kings xiii. 1-16; 2 Chron. xxiv. 1-16).
A most unhappy change ensued. The princes of Judah, who had
doubtless been jealous of the high-priest's influence, persuaded the
king to restore idolatry, but not without remonstrance. For here
occurs the passage which introduces the unbroken line of prophets,
Elisha being still alive ; 3 "Yet he sent prophets unto them, to bring
them again unto Jehovah ; and they testified against them, hut
they would not give ear " a passage doubly striking from the oppo-
sition which the princes of Judah maintained against the prophets.
Nor was this all ; for then too did they put the crowning guilt to
their resistance by the martyrdom of Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada,
whom they stoned to death between the altar and the temple, by
command of the king, whom his father had proclaimed on that very
spot (2 Chron. xxiv. 17-24 ; comp. Matt, xxiii. 35). 4
The martyr's dying prayer " The Lord look upon it and require
it" begun to be fulfilled within a year. Hazael, who had overrun
the eastern provinces of Israel, marched against Jerusalem ; and
his small force defeated all the host of Judah. The princes were
* Properly Jeho-achaz, "Possession of Jehovah," or "Jehovah is the
owner."
3 The series of extant prophetic writings also begins about this time ; for
JONAII is usually placed as early as Joash, and he was at least as early as the
reign of JEROBOAM IL, who came to the throne of Israel fourteen years after
the death of Joash ; for he prophesied what Jeroboam performed (2 Kings
xiv. 25).
4 In the latter passage the prophet is called " Zacharias, son of Barachiaa,"
by the manifest interpolation of a copyist, who confounded him with the
canonical " Zachariah, the son of Berechiah " (Zech. i. 1).
N
194 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XV.
destroyed, probably as victims surrendered by the people ; and Joash
redeemed Jerusalem with all the sacred treasures laid up in his
earlier years. His mortal illness, whether from a wound or vexa-
tion, was at once ended by a conspiracy to which he fell a victim,
at the age of forty-seven (2 Kings xii. 17-21 ; 2 Chron. xxiv. 23-27).
The year in which Jehoahaz and Joash died began a new peri-
od of prosperity for both kingdoms, under their sons, Jehoash and
Amaziah, whose reigns are closely interwoven.
12. JEHOASH (or JOASH) seems to have been associated on the
throne of Israel with his father Jehoahaz for about two years before
he began to reign alone, and he reigned sixteen years (B.C. 840-
825). Though he practised the idolatry of Jeroboam, he visited
Elisha on his death-bed, and mourned over him in the very words
of the prophet when he lost Elijah ''O my father! my father!
The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof;" and the prophet
gave him a sign of three victories which he was to gain over the
Syrians, but rebuked the want of faith that kept him back from
many more (B.C. 838). Thrice did Jehoash defeat Ben-hadad III.,
the son of Hazael ; and he recovered the cities which Hazael had
taken from his father (2 Kings xiii. 10-25). But his more signal
conquest of Jerusalem brings us back to the history of Judali.
IX. AMAZIAH was twenty-five years old when he succeeded his
father Joash, in the second year of Jehoash, king of Israel, and he
reigned twenty-nine years at Jerusalem (B.C. 839-810). His was
a mixed character, like his father's : " he did that which was right
in the sight of Jehovah, but not with a perfect heart" "not like
David his father ;" and the people still sacrificed in the high places.
His successes against Edom were marred by his sacrifice to the idols
of Mt. Seir, to assert his re-conquest of the land; and a prophet,
whom he insulted, replied, " I know that God hath determined to
destroy thce." His wanton challenge to Jehoash led to his defeat
in a great battle, from which Amaziah was brought back a prisoner
to Jerusalem ; and the King of Israel broke down 400 cubits of the
city wall. Jehoash returned to Samaria, where he soon died ; and,
fifteen years later, Amaziah, flying from a conspiracy, which his
tyranny had provoked, was overtaken and killed at Lachish, but was
buried at Jerusalem (2 Kings xiv. 1-7).
We now come to the two longest reigns since the division of
the monarchy those of Jeroboam II. over Israel and Uzziah over
Judah.
13. JEROBOAM II., the most prosperous of all the kings of Israel,
succeeded his father Joash in the 15th year of Amaziah, and reign-
ed 41 years at Samaria (B.C. 825-784). In his reign we see the
climax of the favor which God showed to the house of Jehu, in spite
B.C. 884-721. ZACHARIAH TO MENAHEM. 185
of their continued worship of the golden oalves, as if to win them
back to that covenant for the sake of which "He would not blot
out the name of Israel from under heaven " (2 Kings xiv. 27 ; comp.
xiii. 5). The first of the Canonical Prophets, 5 whose name appears
iu the sacred history " JONAH, the son of Amittai, of Gath-he-
pher " prophesied the victories over Syria, Arnmon, and Moab, by
which Jeroboam recovered the old boundary of Israel to the east,
" from the entering of Hamath (Coele-Syria) to the sea of the plain "
(the Dead Sea), and even regained part of the territory of Damas-
cus (2 Kings xiv. 23-29). These conquests were the easier on ac-
count of the increasing pressure of Assyria upon Syria ; for the
" Old Assyrian Dynasty " appears to have been at the climax of its
power when Jonah was sent to proclaim the ruin of Nineveh, which
was postponed by the repentance of her king and people 6 (2 Kings
xiv. 23-28).
Under Jeroboam II. and his successors, the prophets AMOS and
HOSEA fill up the brief narrative of "Kings" by the light they
throw on the internal condition of the state its idolatry, drunken-
ness, licentiousness, and oppression. H*osea prophesied equally to
Israel and Judah : Amos, though a native of Judah, exercised his
ministry in Israel. He predicted the judgments of God upon that
kingdom and the surrounding nations ; the destruction of the house
of Jeroboam by the sword, and the captivity of Israel. Though
Amaziah, the priest of "the king's sanctuary at Bethel," accused
him of treason, and tried to drive him back to Judah, he did not
shrink from announcing that the people, brought back from captiv-
ity, would be reunited under the house of David.
14. The six months' reign of ZACHARIAH, the fifth and last king
of the house of Jehu, involves chronological difficulties which need
not be discussed here. Either there was an interregnum of nine
years (B.C. 784-773) before he was placed on the throne, or the
reign of Jeroboam II. was prolonged for that time in association
with his son. Zachariah followed the idolatries of Jeroboam, and
was slain in a conspiracy by Shallum, the son of Jabesh, B.C. 772
(2 Kings xv. 8-12).
15. SHALLUM enjoyed his usurpation only one month, when he
was overthrown, like Zimri, by Menahem, the son of Gadi. But
this time the successful competitor marched from Tirzah to take
Samaria, and killed Shallum. The horrors of this civil war are
seen in the fate of the town of Tiphsah (2 Kings xv. 13-16).
6 This term is used as brief and convenient for distinguishing those proph-
ets whose writings are preserved in the Canon of the Old Testament.
8 See the Book of Jonah ; and compare the " Smaller Ancient History,"
thap. zxii.
196 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XV.
16. MENAHEM and his son Pekahiah compose the Fifth Dynasty
of Israel, which lasted only twelve years. Of these, Menahem
reigned ten (B.C. 772-761), and, as is now said of all these kings,
" he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam, the son
of Nebat" (2 Kings xv. 17, 18).
The instant decline from the power regained on the east by the
dynasty of Jehu is seen in the renewed vassalage of Israel to AS-
SYRIA. " PUL, the king of Assyria, came against the land, and
Menahem gave Pul 1000 talents of silver, that his hand might be
with him. to covfirm the kingdom in his hand " (2 Kings xv. 19,
20: comp. Hosea v. 13; vii. 11 ; viii. 9). The identity of this king
of Assyria, the first who is named in Scripture history since Nim-
rod, is unfortunately very doubtful. But the annals of a king who
about this time united Nineveh and Babylon under one sceptre re-
cord the capture both of Damascus and Samaria (Bet/t-Khumri,
"the house" or "city of Omri"); 7 and the name of "Menahem"
appears again among the tributaries of Tiglath-pileser II.
17. PEKAHIAH, the son of Menahem, had reigned only two years
(B.C. 761-759), when he was killed by Pekah, the son of Remaliah,
a military usurper, in the last year of the reign of Uzziali, who had
held the sceptre of Judah for more than half a century (2 Kings
xv. 23-26).
X. UzziAH 8 was set on the throne by the people, after the murder
of his father Amaziah, in the 27th year of Jeroboam II. He was
then 16 years old, and reigned for the long period of 52 years (B.C.
810-758). Like his grandfather Joash in relation to Jehoiada, he
was at first under the influence of Zechariah, a prophet " who had
understanding in the visions of God." He began his reign by re-
covering and rebuilding Eloth (^lana : Akabah*), the old port of
Solomon and Jehoshaphat, at the eastern head of the Red Sea. He
received tribute from Ammon, and subdued the Philistines. The
Arabs of the southern desert were again reduced to the tributary
condition. Towers were built, and wells were dug, both in the
maritime plain (Shefelafi) and the Idumaean desert (Arabah), for the
king's numerous flocks; and he had husbandmen and vine-dressers
in the plains and mountains. He repaired the wall of Jerusalem,
where it had been broken down by Jehoash, and armed it with
newly-invented engines, like the ballista and catapult. He kept
on foot a great army, " that made war with mighty power ;" " and
his name spread far abroad, for he was marvellously helped, till he
was strong."
7 See farther on these questions in the " Smaller Ancient History," chap. xxii.
8 The name Azariah, given to him in Kings, arises probably from a con-
fusion with the high-priest Azariah (2 Ohron. xxvi. 17).
B.C. 884-721. UZZIAH, JOTHAM, AND AHAZ. 197
But, deprived probably of the counsel of Zechariah, he could not
bear his prosperity. He usurped the priestly office by entering the
holy place to burn incense ; and, in the act of angrily resenting the
command of the high-priest Azariah to leave the sanctuary, he was
smitten with leprosy, and secluded in a separate house to the day
of his death. Nor was he received into the sepulchre of the kings,
but buried in a field attached to it. His life was written by
ISAIAH, who began to prophesy in his reign (2 Kings xv. 1-7;
2 Chron. xxvi. : comp. Isa. i. 1 ; vi. 1, a prophecy " in the year that
king Uzziah died").
XI. JOTHAM, who had been regent for about seven years during
his father's leprosy, succeeded him at the age of 25, and reigned 16
years (B.C. 758-742). He was one of the most pious kings of Ju-
dah, but the people grew more and more corrupt. He carried on
his father's great works in peace and war, and reduced the Ammon-
ites to tribute. "So Jotham became mighty, and established his
ways before Jehovah his God" (2 Kings xv. 32-38; 2 Chron.
xxvii.). In his reign MICAH, who was born at Morasthi, in south-
ern Judah, began to prophesy ; and continued, like Isaiah, to the
reign of Hezekiah.
XII. AHAZ succeeded his father in the 16th year of Pekah, and
reigned 1C years (B.C. 742-726). He plunged into idolatry with-
out restraint, even sacrificing his children to Moloch in the valley
of Hinnom (Gehenna). His punishment quickly followed. Three
years before his accession, the throne of Nineveh had been usurped
by TIGLATH-PILESER II., the founder of the "New Assyrian Mon-
archy," the history of which is henceforth closely connected with
that of Syria and Palestine. In order, as it seems, to strengthen
themselves against his attacks, Pekah, king of Israel, and Rezin,
king of Damascus, formed a league to set on the throne of Judah
a creature of their own, the son of Tabeal. They defeated the
army of Ahaz with great slaughter, but they failed to take Jerusa-
lem. It was on this occasion that ISAIAH delivered the grand proph-
ecy of the destruction of both kings by Assyria, and of the king-
dom of IMMANUKL. While Rezin took from Judah the port of
Elath on the Red Sea, Pekah returned to Samaria with his cap-
tives, whose release, at the command of the prophet Oded, throws
a last gleam of dying glory over the history of Israel. The liber-
ated Edomites invaded Judah on the one side, while the Philistines
on the other took many of her strong cities ; and the kings of Syria
and Israel renewed their attacks. In this extremity Ahaz sought
the aid of Tiglath-pileser, whose vengeance upon Syria and Israel
will be noticed presently.
But Ahaz fared scarcely better from his too-powerful ally, who
198 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XV.
"distressed him, but strengthened him not." He went to meet tha
Assyrian kins at Damascus, and in return for his abject homage
" I am thy servant and thy son " received such hard conditions
that "he left Judah naked." 9 Worse than all, "in the time of
his distress he trespassed yet more against Jehovah." From Da-
mascus he sent home the pattern of an altar which he had seen
there, and he had its counterpart set up in place of the altar of
burnt-offering. All the golden, and even some of the brazen, sa-
cred vessels were cut to pieces and sent to Assyria ; and the temple
itself was closed ; while idol altars were set up in every corner of
Jerusalem, and high places in every city of Judah. But another
respite was given by the death of Ahaz, who was buried in Jerusa-
lem, but not in the sepulchres of the kings; and a new era of godli-
ness is marked by the accession of his son Hezekiah, just before
the destruction of Israel was fully accomplished (2 Kings xvi. ; 2
Chron. xxviii.).
18. The usurper PEKAH reigned 20 years (B.C. 759-739), and
was the only king of the Sixth Dynasty of Israel. Under him be-
gan the Captivity of Israel, which was completed under his succes-
sor. We must turn to the prophecies of Isaiah and Amos for the
fearful sufferings, which Israel shared with Syria and the neighbor-
ing nations, from the invasion of Tiglath-pileser at the call of Ahaz
(Isa. viii.-x. ; Amos i., ii.). It seems to have been before this that
" he lightly afflicted the land of Zabulon and Naphthali," by carry-
ing away a part of the northern Israelites captive, with those of Gil-
ead beyond the Jordan; but now "he more grievously afflicted
them," and the whole population east of the Jordan was carried
into captivity. Thus the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manas-
seh at length reaped the fruit of their hasty desire to settle in that
part of the land which was the most exposed to the invader. They
were settled anew in Halah, Habor, and Hara (i. e., Harran) and
the river Gozan, in north-western Mesopotamia, the very region
from whicli Abraham came into Palestine. The Syrians, also, were
transplanted to their old abode at Kir, after Damascus had been de*
stroyed and Rezin slain, about 235 years after his namesake had
first founded the kingdom which now came to an end. After these
disasters, Pekah fell the victim to a conspiracy formed by Hoshea,
the son of Elah (2 Kings xv. 27-31 ; xvi. 6-9 ; I Chron. v. 26). I0
The annals of Tiglath-pileser record his receipt of tribute from the king
of Judah, Yahw-Khazi ; and Jehoahaz was probably the fall name of Ahaz.
10 There are difficulties in the narrative of the two stages of this first cnp-
tivity, which can not be discussed here. Some light is obtained from Tig-
3ath-pileser's annals of his campaigns against Syria and Israel. (See the
" Smaller Ancient History," chap, xxiii.)
B.C. 884-721. CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL. 199
19. HOSIIEA, the last king of Israel, reigned nine years, reckon-
ing to the final fall of Samaria ; but really only seven (B.C. 730-
723). "He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, bat
not as the kings of Israel that were before him." The earnest plead-
ings of his namesake HOSEA seem at last to have roused a spirit of
reformation, which led many of the northern Israelites to accept
Hezekiah's call to the Passover (2 Chron. xxx. 1-12). But the na-
tion at large was past redemption, and the time of its fate had come.
Hoshea's rebellion against Assyria was probably a movement of
sincere, though rash, patriotism. In B.C. 728 Tiglath-pileser was
succeeded by SHALMANESER IV., who was not improbably an usurp-
er. Such changes formed the usual opportunities of rebellion ; and
the king of Israel was perhaps encouraged by the accession of Hez-
ekiah to the throne of Judah in B.C. 726, the third year of Hoshea.
In that year Shalmaneser invaded Israel, to enforce the payment
of the tribute, in the truly Assyrian fashion of making war "as
Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle : the mother was
dashed into pieces upon her children " (Hosea x. 14). Hoshea
submitted, and returned to the state of a vassal (2 Kings xvii. 3).
Three years later he ventured again to refuse the tribute, in reli-
ance on the support of the warlike Sabaco (or .So), king of Egypt,
an alliance contrary to the law of Moses ; and he was seized by
Shalmaneser and thrown, bound, into prison (B.C. 723). This time
"the King of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went
up to Samaria, and besieged it three years " (B.C. 723-721). But,
before the end of the siege, Shalmaneser died, and his heir was dis-
placed by the usurper SARGON, whose annals record the capture of
Samaria, and the captivity of "27,280 persons," the gleanings left
by Shalmaneser when " he went up through all the land." This
last remnant of the Captivity of Israel were partly sent to join their
brethren in Upper Mesopotamia and partly to "the cities of the
Medea" (2 Kings xvii. G). Sargon colonized the land with Syrian
settlers from Hamath, which he conquered about this time, to whom
he afterwards added Arabians, and Babylonians from Babylon and
Cutha and Sepliarvaim, the captives of his later wars. The further
colonization by Esarhaddon, nearly a century later (about B.C. 688),
was from Lower Babylonia and Susiana. The mixture of the na-
tive idolatries of these various races with the worship of Jehovah.
There is a break here In the chronology, which is commonly filled np by
an interregnum of nine years before the entablinhment of Hoshea in the king-
dom ; bnt it rather seems, from the Assyrian annals, that the preceding reigns
ought to be brought lower down. We give the dates of the received chro-
nology.
200 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XV.
which fear led them to adopt, laid the first foundations of the bitter
hatred between them and the restored Jews, which lasted as long as
the nations of Jews and Samaritans (2 Kings xvii., xviii. 4-8 : comp.
Isa. xxviii. 1-4; Hosea x. 7; Micah v. 1).
The destruction of the kingdom of Israel was as final as it was
Complete. After recounting the sins which brought upon them
the punishment foretold by Moses and Samuel and all the prophets,
the sacred historian says, " Therefore Jehovah was very angry with
Israel, and removed them out of His sight :" so that we are not likely
io discover them "there was left none but the tribe o/"JuDAH only."
The City of LachUh repelling the attack of Sennacherib. From Laynrd's " Monuments of Nine-
Teh," 2d Series, plate 21.
CHAFFER XVI.
8EQUEL OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. FROM THE ACCESSION OF
HEZEKIAH TO THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. B.C. 72G-58G.
THE words quoted in the concluding sentence of the last chapter
are followed by this summary of the remaining history of the tribe
and kingdom of Judah : "Also Judah kept not the commandments
of Jehovah their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which
they made" (2 Kings xvii. 19). But this downward course was
delayed by the warnings of inspired prophets and the efforts of
pious rulers. Among the former were MICAII, HOSKA, ISAIAH,
JKKKMIAH, NAIIDM, HAHAKKUK, and ZEPHANIAH ; and, among the
eight kings who fill up the remaining space of 140 years, Hczekiah
and Josiah are ranked by the son of Sirach as the two kings who
did not forsake the law of the Most High (Ecclesiasticus xlix. 4).
XIII. HKZEKIAH (i.e., "Strength of (or in) Jehovah") sue-*
ceedcd his father Ahaz in the third year of Hosea, at the nge of 25,"
and reigned 29 years B.C. 726-697. (For his character, see 2 Kings
xriii. 3, 5; 2 Chron. xxix. 2.) In the very first month of his reign
he reopened the temple ; and in the second month he kept a great
Passover, the first which is recorded since the time of Joshua.
The details of his religious reformation must be read in Scripture:
special stress is laid on the wise zeal which led him to destroy such
202 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XVL
a relic ns the brazen serpent of Moses, because it had become an
object of idolatry. His reforms were opposed by certain " scornful
men," rulers of Jerusalem, a party whose mischievous influence
continues to meet us till they brought ruin on the kingdom and
temple (2 Kings xviii. 1-8; 2 Chron. xxix., xxx., xxxi.).
On the other hand, Hezekiah was well sustained by the oracles
of God delivered through Isaiah ; nor did the prophet shrink from
reproving the king's faults. The history of the second half of his
reign is occupied with his miraculous recovery from a mortal ill-
ness, his relations with Babylon, and his deliverance from Assyria ;
and here a chronological confusion, which has crept into the text
of " Kings " and "Isaiah," can be set right from the newly-deci-
phered annals of Sargon and Sennacherib. " The 14th year of
Hezekiah" (B.C. 713-712), which was the 10th of Sargon (who
reigned till B. c. 704), does not mark the epoch of Sennacherib's
great invasion, but that of the expedition which Sargon sent against
Ashdod, which gave occasion to Isaiah's prophecy against Egypt
and Ethiopia and the Jewish party which relied on Egypt (Isa.
xx.). 1 The annals of Sargon afford no reason to suppose that he
attacked Judah on this occasion ; but he returned to resist Mero-
dach-baladan, king of Babylon, whose history is closely connected
with Hczekiah's.
The mortal illness from which Hezekiah was miraculously raised
up in answer to his prayer, when for a sign the sun went back ten
degrees upon the dial of Ahaz, must have been in that same 14th
year of his reign (B.C. 712); for 15 years were added to his life,
and he reigned 29 years (2 Kings xx. 1-11 ; 2 Chron. xxxii. 24 ;
Isa. xxxviii.). But this signal favor was too much for his humil-
ity, and he brought on himself as signal a rebuke. MEROI>ACH-
BALADAN, the champion of Babylonian independence, whose acces-
sion at Babylon was contemporary with that of Sargon, was now
forming a confederacy against Assyria. It appears to have been
in pursuance of this design that he sent ambassadors to congratulate
the king of Judah on his recovery ; and to them Hezekiah made a
display of all his treasures. Upon this, Isaiah was sent to warn
Hezekiah of the destined destruction of Jerusalem, not, however, by
Assyria, but by the very power he was now coui'ting. Hezekiah
humbled himself before God, and was comforted with the assurance
that the judgment should not be executed in his days (2 Kings xx.
12-19 ; 2 Chron. xxxii. 31 ; Isa. xxxix.). Meanwhile Merodach-
baladan was driven out of his kingdom by Sargon (B.C. 710-9).
1 For the details, as well ns the whole relations of Assyria and Egypt since
the accession of Sargon and the capture of Samaria, see the " Smaller An-
cient History," chap. xxiv.
B.C. 726-586. REIGN OF IIEZEKIAH. 203
The latter years of Sargon were occupied with troubles at home,
while Egypt was rent by internal divisions. 2 Hezekiah took the
opportunity to throw off' the yoke of Assyria, and to drive back the
Philistines as far as Gaza (2 Kings xviii. 7, 8). This drew upon
him the famous assault of SENNACHERIB the one Assyrian king, as
Nebuchadnezzar is the one Babylonian, who was the great enemy
of Judah. Having succeeded his father Sargon in the 23d year of
Hezekiah (August, B.C. 704), and having been occupied for three
years with the affairs of Assyria and Babylon, he made a great ex-
pedition for the recovery of Phoenicia and Palestine (B.C. 701-700).
We learn from his annals that the people of Migron, a city on the
Philistine border, had expelled their king, Padi, a devoted friend of
Assyria, and given him up to "Hezekiah, king of Judah." Sennach-
erib, marching down the maritime plain to attack the city, found
the whole forces of " the kings of Egypt " and of" the king of Ethi.
opia " arrayed against him ; and he defeated them in the decisive
battle ofAltakou (in SS. EltekeK). Now it was that " Sennacherib,
king of Assyria, came up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and
took them " (2 Kings xviii. 13 ; 2 Chron. xxxii. 1 ; Isa. xxxvi. 1) ;
and he himself records the capture of forty-four wajled cities and
an infinite number of towns by the force of fire, massacre, battles,
and besieging towers, with the captivity of 200,150 persons, be-
sides innumerable cattle. Hezekiah set Padi free, but "did not
submit himself," and the siege of Jerusalem was formed "I shut
him up in Jerusalem, the city of his power, like a bird in his cage."
The king's manful preparations for defense, encouraged by Isaiah,
nnd his noble exhortation of the people, may be read in the Second
Book of Chronicles (xxxii. 1-8). His firm resistance saved the
city, but at the cost of a heavy ransom, which, with the injuries
inflicted on the country, were the penalty of his former pride ; and
there is a striking agreement between the Scripture narrative and
the Assyrian annals respecting the amount of the gold and silver
paid by Hezekiah (2 Kings xviii. 13-1 G : comp. 2 Chron. xxxii. 25).
But Sennacherib had no intention of finally sparing the city ;
and, while he himself pressed on the siege of Lachish, the key of
the high-road to Egypt, lie sent three of his great officers, the chief
jrencral (Tartan), the chief eunuch (ftab-saris), and the chief cup-
bearer (Rah-shake/i), to Jerusalem, to summon the people to submit
to l>e removed to a land better than their own. Three different
4 Respecting the state of Egypt under her numerous petty prinooe, nnd the
supremacy acquired by Tirhakah, the king of Ethiopia, see the " Smaller
Ancient History," chap. xi. See also in the same work (chap. XXT.) the ac-
count given in the annals of Sennacherib of the occasion of hia attack on
" Hezekiah, king of Judnh."
204 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XVI.
passages of Scripture give the details of that memorable defiance of
the God of Judah, to which Hezekiah, encouraged by Isaiah, gave
no answer. The messengers returned to Sennacherib at Libnuh,
whither he had marched from Lachish on hearing that Tirhakah,
king of Ethiopia, was coming again to meet him. Here, near the
Egyptian frontier, occurred the miraculous destruction of his army,
when "the angel of Jehovah went out and smote in the camp of the
Assyrians 185,000 men ; and when they arose early in the morning,
behold they were all dead corpses." Sennacherib returned to Nin-
eveh, and reigned 20 years longer before he was murdered bv his
two elder sons (2 Kings xviii. 13-xix. end ; 2 Chron. xxxii. 1-22;
Isii. xxix.-xxxvii.).
After receiving the gifts and congratulations of his neighbors on
this great deliverance, Hezekiah reigned two years longer, " magni-
fied in the sight of all nations" (2 Chron. xxxii. 23). Then he
"slept with his fathers, and they buncd him in the chiefest of the
sepulchres of the sons of David ; and all Judah and the inhabitants
of Jerusalem did him honor at his death " (2 Chron. xxxii. 33 : for
the details of his wealth, and his works at Jerusalem, sec ibid. 27-
30).
XIV. MANASSEJI succeeded at the age of 12, and reigned 55
years (B.C. 697-(J42). His mother. Hej>lizi-bah (" delightsome ;" see
Isa. Ixii. 4, 5), seems to have been married by Hezekiah after his mi-
raculous recovery. The reign of Manasseh was a period of fatal
religious reaction, which has been compared to that of Mary in our
own history. The description of his idolatries includes every form
of false religion and abominable vice that Israel had ever learnt
from the heathen nations ; and for the first time an idol was set up
in the sanctuary itself. In vain were prophets sent to denounce
upon Judah and Jerusalem the fate of Israel and Samaria by the
most striking images (2 Kings xxi. 10-15). The king tried to si-
lence them by the fiercest persecution recorded in the Jewish an-
nals, till "he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood." Among
these martyrs tradition says that ISAIAH was " sawn asunder" (see
Heb. xi. 37). At all events, he must have died about this time ;
tnd the prophetic voice was henceforth silent for a whole genera-
tion, till the reign of Josiah.
In the 22d year of Manasseh, ESAK-HADDON, the king both of
Assyria and Babylon, sent a force to Jerusalem, who carried Ma~
nasseh in fetters to Babylon, on a charge of treason. The severity
of his imprisonment brought him to repentance ; and, being re-
stored to his kingdom, he effected a partial religious reformation,
and repaired the defenses of Jerusalem. When he died, he was bu-
ried in the Garden of Uzza, attached to his own house, not in the
B.C. 726-586. AMON. JOSIAH. 205
sepulchres of the kings ; and his memory is held in detestation by
the Jews (2 Kings xxi. 1-16 ; 2 Chron. xxxiii. 1-20).
XV. AMON succeeded his father at the age of 22 ; and after a
reign of two years (B.C. 641-640), during which he followed Ma-
nasseh's idolatries, without sharing his repentance, he fell the victim
of a court conspiracy, and was buried with his father, in the Gar-
den of Uzza. The conspirators were slain by the people, who raised
Josiah, the infant son of Amon, to the throne (2 Kings xxi. 19-26;
2 Chron. xxxiii. 21-25).
XVI. JOSIAH was eight years old at his accession, and reigned
31 years (B.C. 639-608). His reign marks the last dying glory of
the earthly kingdom of David. The deep corruption that prevailed
during his minority is drawn in the blackest colors by ZEPHANIAH
and JEREMIAH, who, as well as HABAKKUK, began to prophesy in
his reign. But, in the 16th year of his age, he " began to seek af-
ter the God of David his father," and at the age of 20 (in the 12th
year of his reign) he made a progress not only through Judah, but
through parts of northern Israel, to put away all objects of idolatry.
His zeal was quickened by the high-priest's discovery, in the temple,
of the Book of the Law, which was read before the king and people,
with the force of a new revelation. Its terrible denunciations led
Josiah to consult the prophetess Huldah,vfho confirmed the fate of
the city and kingdom, but promised that the evil should not come
in his time. Having held a solemn assembly, for the public read-
ing of the law and the renewal of the people's covenant with Je-
hovah, the king resumed the work of reformation, the details of
which must be read in Scripture. At Bethel he fulfilled to the
very letter what had been said of him, by name, by the prophet who
denounced the idolatry of Jeroboam, licturning to Jerusalem in
the 18th year of his reign, he kept the greatest Passover since the
time of Moses the last united act of religion before the Captivity.
The first in the train of events, which now led- rapidly to that
end, was the disastrous death of Josiah at Megiddo, whither he had
gone out to oppose the march of PHARAOH-NECHOH towards the Eu-
phrates, and where lie was mortally wounded by the Egyptian arch-
ers. He was carried back to Jerusalem, and buried in the sepulchre
of the kings. 3 The last real king of Judah fell on the same field
where the hopes raised at the election of the first king of Israel
Had been extinguished ; and, as David mourned for Saul, so much
more bitterly did the people echo the dirge of Jeremiah for Josiah :
" The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in
3 For the events which caused the march of Pharaoh-nechoh to the Eu-
phrates, and the whole story of the fall of Nineveh and the rise of the Baby-
lonian empire, see the " Smaller Ancient History," chaps. ziL, xxvfii., xsix.
206 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XVI.
their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow shall we live among
the heathen." Even after the Captivity, " the mourning of Hadad-
rimmon in the valley of Megiddon " was the type of the deepest
national affliction (2 Kings xxii., xxiii. ; 2 Chron. xxxiv., xxxv. ;
Jer. Lament, iv. 20; Zech. xii. 11).
The reigns of Josiah's four successors form but as many steps in
the destruction of the kingdom, which we must be content to trace
very briefly, leaving the somewhat intricate details for future study/'
To follow the events of these twenty-two years, we must have a clear
view of the family of Josiah, the stem of which is as follows :
JOSIAH.
I
Johanan Ehakim Mattaniah Shallum
(JEHOAHAZ?). (JEHOIAKIM). (ZEDEKIAH). (JEHOAIIAZ ?).
JMIOIACHIN or JECONIAU (CouiAii). ZEDEKIAH (according to some).
XVII. JEHOAHAZ, the son of Josiah and Hamutai, was placed on
the throne by the people on Josiah's death, only to be deposed by
Pharaoh-nechoh on his return from taking Carchemish. He was
carried a prisoner to Egypt, where he soon died (2 Kings xxiii. 30-
33 ; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 1-3 ; Jer. xxii. 10-12).
XVIII. JEHOIAKIM was the new name given to Eliakim, the son
of Josiah and Zebudah, who was placed on the throne by Pharaoh-
nechoh as a tributary to Egypt. He was then 25 years old, and
reigned most wickedly for 11 years (B.C. 608-597). During the
whole of that period, as well as to the fall of the city, JEREMIAH was
constantly denouncing the crimes and evil policy of the court and
nobles, especially of the Egyptianizing party, amidst the opposition
and persecutions recorded in the Book of his prophecies (2 Kings
xxiii. 34-37 ; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 4-8 ; Jer. xiii.-xix., xx., xxii., xxvi.,
etc.).
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim (B.C. 605), NEBUCHADNEZZAR,*
the son of NABOPOLASSAR, the founder of the Babylonian empire,
drove the Egyptians out of Carchemish, and at one blow destroyed
the power of Egypt in Western Asia. Advancing in pursuit he
took Jerusalem, and carried off the vessels of the temple to Babylon,
With a number of captives. Among several royal and noble youths,
4 A fuller account, with the needful discussion of difficulties, will be found
in the "Student'8 Old Testament History," chap. xxv. (Comp. the "Stu-
dent's Ancient History," chap, xv.)
* The form Nebuchadrezzar, used by Jeremiah and Ezekiel, more nearly rep-
resents the Babylonian Nabv^kiuluri-vzur. The name is commonly given
toy the Greeks as Nabuzhodonosor.
B.C. 726-586. SUCCESSORS OF JOS1AH. 207
selected to be trained in the learning of the Chaldseans, were DANIEL,
and his three companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, whose
striking history under their Chaldaean names of Belteshazzar, Sha-
drach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, is related in the book of Daniel.
This, which was the First Captivity of Jiululi, is reckoned as the
beginning of the Seventy Years' Captivity, which Jeremiah had
prophesied, together with the Fall of Babylon and the Return of the
Jews, during the advance of Nebuchadnezzar. So clear is this proph-
ecy, that Daniel was enabled to calculate from it the exact date
of the promised restoration, which was fulfilled by the decree of
Cyrus, in B.C. 536 (2 Kings xxiv. 1 ; Dan. i. 3-7 ; Jer. xlvi. 1-12 ;
xxv. : comp. Dan. ix. 1, 2 ; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 22 ; Ezra i. 1). Mean-
while the death of Nabopolassar hastened the return of Nebuchad-
nezzar to Babylon, where his accession is fixed to the epoch of Jan.
21st, B.C. 604.'
Jehoiakim himself was at first deposed and bound, to be carried
to Babylon ; but Nebuchadnezzar replaced him on the throne as a
vassal. In three years he rebelled, in vain reliance on aid from
Egypt (B.C. 602) ; but "the king of Egypt came not again any more
out of his land ; for the king of Babylon had taken, from the river
of Egypt unto the river Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of
Egypt" (2 Kings xxiv. 7). For some reason, it was not till the sev-
enth year of his reign that Nebuchadnezzar marched against Jeru-
salem, and put Jehoiakim to death, treating his body with indignity,
as Jeremiah had predicted (2 Kings xxiv. 1-6 ; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 5-8 ;
Jer. xxii. 18, 19 ; xxxvi. 30).
XIX. JEHOIACHIN, JECONIAH, or, by abbreviation CONIAH, the
young son of Jehoiakim,' was raised by Nebuchadnezzar to his
father's throne, apparently under the guardianship of his mother,
Nchushta. It appears to have been the renewed intrigues of the
queen and the princes of Judah with Egypt that brought down, in
the short space of three months (March to June B.C. 597), the ter-
rible prophecy which Jeremiah hangs upon the meaning of the king's
name, "appointed of Jehovah " (Jer. xxii. 24-30 ; xxxiii.). Jeru-
salem was saved from storm by the surrender of Jehoiachin, with his
mother, his harem, and all his princes and officers. These, and all
the warriors and skilled artisans, were carried to Babylon, to the
number of 10,000 ; with all the remaining treasures of the temple
and palace. Among the captives were the prophet EZEKIEL, and
the grandfather of Mordecai. None were left behind but the poor-
We now obtain a definite chronology from the way in which Scripture
dates by the years of Nebuchadnezzar as well as of the kings of Judah. Bze-
kiel dates by years of the Captivity, that is, of the Second or Great Captivity,
the epoch of which is June, B.O. 69T.
T His age is given differently in Kings and Chronicles as 18 or 8.
208 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XVI.
eat sort of the people. This is called the Great Captivity (2 Kings
xxiv. 10-16; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9, 10).
The strange forbearance of Nebuchadnezzar in not destroying
Jerusalem after this third rebellion may probably be accounted for
by the fact that he had already received the h'rst of those great les-
sons of Jehovah's power and majesty, which are recorded in the
book of Daniel ; for the rebuke of his dream of universal empire by
the vision of the colossal image was in the third year of his reign,
B.C. 603 (Dan. ii.).
XX. The last king of Judah was Mattaniah, the son of Josiah
and Hamutai, whose name was changed to ZEDEKIAH ("Justice of
Jehovah "), doubtless as a pledge of the solemn covenant to which
" Nebuchadnezzar made him swear by God," and which he shame-
lessly broke. His reign of 1 1 years (B.C. 597-586) was one series of
intrigues with Egypt and with the captive Jews in Babylon, against
the remonstrances of Jeremiah and his prophecies of the fatal end,
which were echoed by Ezekiel from the banks of the Euphrates.
At length his detected conspiracy with the rash and arrogant king
of Egypt, Pharaoh-hophra, brought up Nebuchadnezzar against Je-
rusalem, with "all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion."
The city was in vested on the 10th day of the 10th month (Thebet)
of the 9th year of Zedekiah, which is to this day a Jewish fast
(about Dec. 20th, B.C. 589), and the siege lasted a year and a half;
but not without a gleam of delusive hope. Pharaoh-hophra march-
ed to its relief with a great army, and took Gaza ; but on the
approach of Nebuchadnezzar, he retired to Egypt, and the Chal-
damns, who had left Jerusalem, re-formed the siege. At length,
on the 9th day of the 4th month (Thammuz= June- July) in Zede-
kiah's llth year, B.C. 586, a breach was made, and the city taken ;
and Zedekiah was caught in an attempt at flight, and carried to
Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, in Hamath. Having seen the slaugh-
ter of all his sons and the princes of Judah, his eyes were put out,
and he was sent to Babylon, where he remained a close prisoner till
his death, each particular of his fate having been minutely predict-
ed by Jeremiah. After the remaining spoil had been collected, Je-
rusalem and the temple were given to the flames, and the walls
razed to the ground, on the 10th day of the 5th month (Ab), in the
19th year of Nebuchadnezzar, which is still observed as a fast only
second to the great Day of Atonement. The miserable remnant left
to till the land, with whom the prophet Jeremiah remained, were
afterwards carried into Egypt, and "the land lay desolate and kept
her Sabbaths, to fulfill three-score-and-ten years." Even this great
catastrophe is lighted up by the redeeming idea of rest, to prepare
for the promised restoration (2 Kings xxiv. 17-xxv. 26 ; nd the
corresponding passages of Jeremiah and Ezekiel).
The Katr, or remains of the ancient Palace at Babylon.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE CAPTIVITY AT BABYLON. B.C. 586-536.
THE cruel policy of transplanting conquered nations common
to the Assyrian and Babylonian kings was mitigated by the degree
of freedom allowed to the captives. There was enough and more
than enough of hardship to add bitterness to the loss of their free
country, their paternal homes, and, especially in the case of the
Jews, their sacred rites at the House of God. Those required for
field and domestic service were doubtless ruthlessly enslaved ; and
the whole mass had to give forced labor on the great works with
which Nebuchadnezzar strengthened and embellished Babylon.
But the intervals of labor were their own ; they lived together on
lands allotted to them under the rule of their own elders : they
built themselves houses, and planted vineyards and gardens (Jer.
O
210 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XVIL
xxix. 28) : and, unless at some great festival in honor of Bel or Nebo
(Dan. iii.), they were not required to worship the gods of their con-
querors. Those conquerors were even curious to hear the solemn
chants and cheerful songs which had been used in the worship of
Jehovah a sort of composition of which they themselves were very
fond 1 and their demand called forth that exquisite complaint which
we read in the 137th Psalm. The " rivers of Babylon " of that
Psalm are very probably the great canals whicli the captives were
employed to dig, and beside which they sat down to rest at the
close of the day's labor in one of the hottest plains on the face of
the earth ; and the river C/tebar, where Ezekiel saw his earlier vis-
ions, is thought to be the great Nahr Malc/ia, or " Royal River,'
which connected the Tigris with the Euphrates. Many passages of
his prophecies attest the liberty left to the Jews in relation to their
own affairs. That qualifications of mind or person could as is
usual in Eastern kingdoms raise the captives to the highest posi-
tions, is seen in the case of Daniel and his three companions ; and
in those of Nehemiah, Esther, and Mordecai, under the Persians.
Their history contains the few facts that we know about the Jews in
the land of their captivity. The Prophecies of EZEKIEL, though
uttered in Babylonia, are chiefly concerned with the events in Ju-
dasa and its neighborhood during the reign of Zedekiah, and with
the future restoration. All that we are told of the interval before
the fall of Babylon, except the concluding passage in the " Second
Book of Kings," is contained in the Book of Daniel, and has almost
more to do with Nebuchadnezzar and his successors in the Empire
of the East than with the state of the captive Jews.
In one word, the great conqueror was taught the limits of his
power the vanity of those dreams of empire in which the conquer-
ors that were to overthrow his empire would in their turn also in-
dulge and the final triumph of that God whom he thought he had
conquered, but of whose will he was proved to be the helpless in-
strument. He learned this in three great lessons, each coming
nearer and nearer to his own person ; and he learned them all
through the captive servants of Jehovah. It was the policy of
Eastern monarchs to devote the best of the persons, as well as the
substance, of conquered peoples, to their own state and pleasure.
Thus we have seen that, in the first stage of the Captivity, some of
the noblest, fairest, and cleverest of the Hebrew youths were select-
ed to wait upon the king, and to be trained in " the learning and
tongue of the Chaldeans" the priestly caste, who possessed all
the secular and religious knowledge of the age, and practised the
1 The most conspicuous remains of the oldest Babylonian literature, now
brought to light by the cuueiform discoveries, are hymns in honor of the gods.
B.C. 580-536. THE CAPTIVITY. 211
arts of magic, divination, and interpreting of dreams. Four of
these youths, Daniel and his three companions, refused the wine
and royal dainties provided for them, and persuaded the officer, in
whose care they were placed, to allow them, after a fair experiment,
to drink water and to live on pulse or grain. On this diet they
grew as much fairer in person as they excelled all their comrades
in learning; and, when they were brought before Nebuchadnezzar
7t the end of the three years' probation, " he found them ten times
oetter than all the magicians and astrologers that were in his
realm." They were fully enrolled in the Chaldaean order, of which
Daniel was afterwards made the chief (Dan. ii. 48) ; and the new
names given to them are (as usual) significant of dedication to the
gods of Babylon (Dan. i.).
It was about the very time of their first appearance before Nebu-
chadnezzar, that Daniel proved that the inspiration of Jehovah put
to shame all the art of the Chaldajans, by interpreting Nebuchad-
nezzar's Drenm of the /'our Great Empires of the World, which
were to fall before the unseen power of unknown origin " the
kingdom set up by the God of heaven, which shall never be de-
stroyed " (Dan. ii. ; see above, p. 208).
The king confessed the power of Daniel's God ; and while mak-
ing him governor and chief judge of Babylon, lie committed the
province, under him, to his three companions, whose refusal to take
their share in a great idol festival gave Nebuchadnezzar his second
lesson. The deliverance of Sliadracli, Meshach, and Abed-nego
from the burning fiery furnace must have been doubly impressive
from the fate of two of the false prophets, who had wpposed Jere-
miah, and predicted an early return from the captivity, whom " the
king of Babylon roasted in the fire" (Dan. iii. : comp. Jer. xxix. 22).
At length, when Nebuchadnezzar had ended all his wars and fin-
ished his great buildings at Babylon, another dream warned him
of that signal humiliation of his pride whirh he himself published
in a decree, proclaiming to " all people, nntions, and languages
that dwell in all the earth" the everlasting dominion and perpet-
ual kingdom of the Most High God (Dan. iv.). The degrading
affliction which fell upon Nebuchadnezzar was the disease known
as Lycanthro/ty, in which the patient fancies himself a wild or (nc
in this case) a domestic beast, goes on nil fours, and refuses ordina-
ry food and tendance and the shelter of a roof. It is not known
whether the "seven times" of his disease mean years or months.
It is supposed that his insanity befell at about n.c. 5G9. He died
about midsummer, n.c. 5G1, in the 44th year of his reign.
* Observe that the Chnldreans had a langiMfie. of their owu ; a fact fully
confirmed by the remains of cuneiform literature.
212 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XVII.
His son EVIL-MERODACH, who reigned only two years, released
the Jewish king Jehoiachin from his 37 years' imprisonment; gave
him a maintenance at his own table, and a place above all the oth-
er conquered kings that were at Babylon (2 Kings xxv. 27-30).
But Jehoiachin neither lived, nor left any son, to return to Jerusa-
lem. The sentence was fulfilled, " Write this man childless ; for
no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David,
and ruling any more in Jerusalem " (Jer. xxii. 30). With him
ended the temporal kingdom given to the line of Solomon to the
line of whose next elder brother, Nathan, the royal genealogy pass-
ed on in the person of Salathiel, the ancestor of JESUS CHRIST.
The Book of Daniel, which gives a series of visions and prophe-
cies, and not a connected history, names none of the successors of
Nebuchadnezzar till BELSHAZZAR (properly Bil-shar-utzur, "Bel!
protect the king "). We now know that Belshazzar was associated
in the kingdom with his father NABONADIUS, probably as being the
lineal descendant of Nebuchadnezzar, who is repeatedly called his
father (Dan. v. 2, 1 1, 13, 18, 22).
It was in B.C. 538 that CYRUS, king of Persia whom God, by
the mouth of Isaiah, had long since "called by his name," as the
appointed instrument of his will, to take vengeance for his people
upon Babylon (Isa. xliv. 28; xlv. 4) marched down from the hills
of Zagrus, and overthrew Nabonadius in a battle before Babylon.
The king fled to Borsippa, the strong and sacred city of the Chal-
daeans, and his son Belshazzar was shut up in Babylon. Besides the
vast outer walls, the quays of the Euphrates, which ran through
the city, were strongly fortified, and the openings to the cross-streets
were defended by those "two-leaved gates of brass" which were
now "opened" before the conqueror (Isa. xlv. 1, 2). Cyrus, when
almost driven to despair by the long resistance, turned the course of
the river above the city, to gain an entrance by its bed. The river
gates were left open when all the city was revelling in that famous
feast amidst which Belshazzar saw his sentence written on the
wall, "MENE! MENE! TEKEL ! UPHARSIN!" We turn here to
the very words of that wonderful chapter in Daniel, which ends
with the simple statement, " In that night was Belshazzar, the king
of the Chaldeans, slain" (Dan. v.). But Jeremiah had before de-
picted, with equal vividness, the scene which he beheld in prophet-
ic vision when the Persians poured in through the open river gates
upon the drunken and bewildered revellers, and put them to the
sword, and gave Babylon to the flames (Jer. 1., li.). Nabonadius
surrendered at Borsippa, and the kingdom of Babylon came to an
end.
The book of Daniel adds: "And DARIUS THE MEDIAN took (or
B.C. 586-536. THE RESTORATION. 218
received) the kingdom " (Dan. v. 31); and the prophet's great act
of humiliation and prayer when he "understood by books" that
the end of the 70 years' captivity, predicted by Jeremiah, was ap-
proaching as well as the concluding prophecy of his book (Dan.
xi., xii.), are dated in " the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasue-
rus, of the seed of the Medes, whicli was made king over the realm
of the Chaldeans" (Dan. ix. 1 ; xi. 1). The Medes were now the
subjects of Cyrus, who had dethroned their last king, Astyages, and
become ruler of the Medo-Persian Empire 20 years before (B.C,
559 or 558). But that empire was still, and remained ever after,
Medo-Persian, and not simply Persian governed according to "the
law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not" (Dan. vi. 8, 12,
15). In it the highest places of honor and trust were given to
Medes as well as Persians ; and thus " Darius the Mede," who was
probably of royal birth, was established as viceroy at Babylon, with
the full powgrs of a king. The Jews, who were under his immedi-
ate government, date his two years' rule as distinct from that of Cy-
rus ; and they mark the beginning of Cyrus's personal rule at Bab-
ylon, which was also the epoch of their own restoration, as " the
first year of Cyrus, king of Persia," B.C. 536 (2 Chron. xxxvi. 22 ;
Ezra'i. ]).
That year completed the Seventy Years of the Captivity, so clear-
ly prophesied by Jeremiah (xxv. 12; xxix. 10), and understood by
Daniel (ix. 2), reckoning from the First Captivity in B.C. 605 (see
above, pp. 206, 7). The prophet, who had then been carried to Je-
rusalem in the flower of his youth, survived to welcome, and proba-
bly to counsel, the great net for which he had waited and struggled
in prayer and humiliation (Dan. i. 21 ; ix.); and he died, either in
that year or shortly after, with feelings like those of Simeon, and
with an assurance revealed to no other mortal man " Go thou thy
way till the end ; for thou shall rest, and stand in thy lot at the
end of the days" (Dan. xii. 13). We turn from his happy end to
the new course of trial and sin, renewed vigor and final rejection,
but with the promise of an ultimate restoration, on which his sag
riving brethren now entered.
Tomb of Cyrus at Murg-Aub, the ancient Pasargnda'.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE RESTORED JEWISH NATION AND CHURCH.
FROM THE DEC11EE OF CYRUS TO THE CLOSE OF TIIK OLD TESTA-
MENT CANON. B.C.53G-400?
THE remaining records of the Old Testament give an account of
the restoration of the Jews, and the re-establishment of the worship
of God at Jerusalem not a complete history of the restored state tc
the time of our Saviour's coming. When the new commonwealth
and worship have been set in order, and when, alas ! new symptoms
of declension liave broken out, the voice of Malachi closes the Old
Testament with the very notes of mingled rebuke, warning, and
promise, which are re-echoed by John the Baptist at the opening of
the New. For the purpose for which the Bible is given us, there is
no real break in this interval of 400 years.
The proclamation of Cyrus opens with an acknowledgment,
which breathes the spirit of his own religion, enlightened by the
teaching of Daniel, and probably by the predictions of the prophets,
which he had just fulfilled. Doubtlessly recognizing in the one God
B.C. 536-400. DECREE OF CYRUS. 215
of the Jews the spiritual deity whom he, as a devout Zoronstrian,
worshipped by the name of Ahuramazda (Ormazd), he declared,
"The LOUD Gou of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the
earth; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people?
The Lord his God he with him, and let him go up" (2 Cliron.
xxxvi. 23; Ezra i. 1-3). He charged those among whom they
dwelt to help them with gold and silver, goods and cattle, besides
free-will offerings for the house of God ; and he restored the 5400
vessels of the temple, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away, to
Sheshbazzar, or ZEKUBHABEL, the prince of Judah, who was the
leader of the migration (Ezra i.). This Zerubbabel was the son of
that Salathiel who was reckoned in the genealogies as the son of
Jehoiachin (see above, p. 212). He was an ancestor, and he appears
in the prophecy of Zechariah as a, type, of Christ (Zech. iv.). Ze-
rubbabel was also appointed Tirshatha, or Governor of Judaea (Ezra
ii. 63), and witli him were associated the high-priest and nine of the
chief elders (Ezra ii. 2). The high-priest JESIIUA. (-Joshua=Ji'stis)
bore the name at once of the captain who at first led Israel into the
Holy Land, and of the Messiah, whose type he also is made in the
prophecies of Zechariah (Zech. iii., vi.).
The response to the king's invitation was the easier as the cap-
tive Jews had preserved their genealogies, and their patriarchal con-
stitution tinder their princes. So the chief of the fathers of Ju-
dah and Benjamin, with the priests and Levites, whose families
nre enumerated by Ezra, rose up to the work. This First Caravan
numbered 42,3(10, besides 7367 men-servants and maid-servants.
They hnd 736 horses, 24o mules, 435 camels, and 6720 asses (Ezra
ii.). With them were doubtless many of the Ten Tribes; for the in-
vitation was to nil the servants of God throughout the empire, and it
was responded to by "all whose spirit God had raised" (Ezra i. 5).
In fact, though the nation is henceforth called Jews (Judaii, from Ju-
dah), the distinction of the tribes disappears, except in their pedi-
grees (see, for example, Luke ii. 30). Those-, however, who under-
took the journey formed doubtless a minority of the captives, who,
as directed by Jeremiah, had built houses and planted vineyards.
Some followed at a later period ; the rest formed what was called
the "Dispersion;" and how numerous these were in all the prov-
inces of the empire, we sec in the Book of Esther.
We have no particulars of the long journey up the Euphrates and
across the Desert ; but the 84th Psalm tells how the hardships of the
way were triumphed over by their pious zeal to behold the house
of God. They returned to their several cities; but in the sacred
7th month (Tisri = Sept. -Oct. ) they assembled at Jerusalem, to re-
216 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAI-. XVIII.
build the altar and offer their first sacrifices at the Feast of Taber-
nacles. 1 With the money they had brought they hired masons and
carpenters, and provided food for the Tyrians and Sidonians, who
had been commanded by Cyrus to bring cedar-trees from Lebanon
by sea to Joppa, as Hiram had done for Solomon. In the 2d month
of the following year (Jyar April-May, u.c. 535), the very season
at which Moses set up the Tabernacle, the foundation of the temple
was laid with great solemnities, amidst the sound of trumpets and
the chorus of the sons of Asaph, "praising and giving thanks unto
Jehovah, because He is good, for His mercy endureth forever to-
wards Israel." But the shouts of the people were mingled with the
weeping of the priests and elders who had seen the glory of the first
house, so that the cries of joy could hardly be distinguished from
those of sorrow 2 (Ezra iii. ; for the dimensions, sec Ezra vi. 3, 4).
Inferior as this temple was to Solomon's in outward splendor, and
wanting the ark, the Urim and Thummim (see Neh. vii. G5), and
the visible sign of Jehovah's presence in the Shekinah, it became
the centre of a more spiritual worship. While the great festivals,
like the other Mosaic institutions, were for the first time punctually
observed, the experience of the Captivity, and the examples of such
men as Daniel, had taught the people that God might be worship-
ped, not at Jerusalem only; and their local meetings in the SYNA-
GOGUES, which some suppose to have begun during the Captivity,
became a regular institution. The Scriptures, collected into a
" Canon " soon after the return, superseded the prophetic office :
their regular reading in the synagogues prevented that ignorance
which had been so fatal under the monarchy; and the "Scribes,"
who devoted themselves to their exposition, shared the respect paid
to the priests and Levites. Prai/cr, private as well as public, re-
gained that supreme place in God's worship which had been usurped
by rites and ceremonies. The Sabbath, which the prophets never
cease to represent as the key-stone both of religion and of the char-
ities of social life, was firmly established, after a sharp contest with
worldly selfishness. Idolatry was henceforth unknown ; and the at-
iempt of the Syrian kings to impose its practice adorned the Jewish
Church with a cloud of martyrs, whose constancy confirms the many
other proofs that the people had attained to a more spiritual faith.
Their dependence on Persia prevented the restoration of the mon-
archy, with the constant rebellion from God which that monarchy it-
self expressed. The people seem to have learned to wait for their
1 Psalms Ixxxvii., cvii., cxi., cxii., cxiii., cxir., cxvi., cxvii., cxxv., cxxvii.,
cxxviii., cxxxiv. seem also to belong to this period.
2 Thongh it was seventy years from the first beginning of the Captivity, it
was oiily fifty since the destruction of Jerusalem.
B.C. 536-400. BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. 217
true KING. The shades of this fair picture were as yet in the back-
ground ; and the current of the history brings them into promi-
nence soon enough. They are the vices which our corrupt nature
distills from these very virtues ; spiritual pride, oppression, and im-
morality.
The details of the opposition and intrigue amidst which the tem-
ple grew up must be left for future study. The following were the
kings of Persia by whom the work was either encouraged or hin-
dered :
B.O.
1. CTRUS, founder of the Persian empire 559
Cyrus begins to reign at Babylon Jan. 5, 538
2. CAMBYBES, his son Jan. 3, 529
Ahasuertui: Ezra iv. 0.
3. GOMATES, a Magian usurper (about June 1), who personated
Smerdis, the younger son of Cyrus (reigns seven months) 522
Artaxerxet: Ezra iv. 7, etc. .
4. DABIUB, the son of Hystaspes a Persian noble, raised to
the throne on the overthrow of Gomates Jan. 1, 521
Darius : Ezra iv. 5, 24 ; v., vi.
5. XEEXES, his son Dec. 23, 486
Aham(erun: Esther.
6. AETAXBBXRS LONOIMANUS, his son Dec. 7, 405
Artaxerxes : Ezra vii. , Nenemiah End of his reign, Dec. 17, 423
The first "adversaries" were the half-heathen settlers of Samaria
(see p. 199), whose claim to join in building the temple was indig.
nantly rejected by the Jews. They impeded them by bribing the
counsellors of Cyrus, made a formal accusation against them to
Cambyses, and obtained from the usurper Gomates an order for the
suspension of the work, n.c. 522 (Ezra iv.). It was resumed in the
2d year of Darius, the son of Hystaspes (u.c. 520), under the en-
couragements and rebukes of <the prophets HAGGAI and ZECHARIAH ;
and the discovery of the edict of Cyrus among the archives at EC-
batana (Achmethd) caused Darius to issue a decree that the officers
who had opposed should aid the work. So the house was finished
on the 3d day of the twelfth month (Adar=Feb. -March), in the Gth
year of Darius, 21 years after its commencement ; and a joyful feast
of dedication was followed by the Passover (B.C. 516). It is espe-
cially to be noticed that the sin-offering was "for all Israel, twelve
he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel," and that
the Passover was killed " for all the children of the Captivity" (Ezra
vi. : comp. Psalms xlviii., Ixxxi., and cxlvi.-cl.).
The reign of XERXES carries us back to the Jews who were left
behind, and to the events recorded in the Book of Esther. The
charming story of the elevation of Esther and Mordecai ; the con*
218 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XVIII
suming jealousy which prompted Hainan to plot a massacre of the
Jews throughout all the provinces, including, of course, those re-
stored to Judah ; the self-devotion with which Esther ventured into
the king's presence, and obtained grace for her brethren and her-
self; the execution of Haman on the gallows lie had raised fur
Mordecai ; and the slaughter which the Jews, armed with the king's
second decree, inflicted oh their assailants : all this is not only a
picture of their state under the Persian kings, but of the marvellous
vitality of the race in all times of their dispersion. These events
are celebrated to this day by the Feast of Purim, that is, of " Lots,"
so called from the lots cast by Haman when planning the destruc-
tion of the Jews (Esther iii. 7 ; ix. 2).
^ These events at court, and the elevation of MORDECAI to the post
of prime-minister, must have had a favorable influence on behalf of
the restored people ; but we have no further details of tlieir history
till EZRA appears upon the scene, in the 7th year of Artaxerxes I.
Longimanus Cu.c.,458'). He was a priest, descended from Hilkiah,
the high-priest under Josiah, and was " a ready scribe in the law
of Moses " at Babylon. He obtained a commission from Artaxerxes
; to go up to Jerusalem, leading a Second Caravan of GOOD persons,
with aid like that granted by Cyrus to the first caravan. Setting
out from Babylon on the 1st day of the 1st month (about the end
of March), and, declining a guard from the king, they arrived safe
at Jerusalem on the 1st day of the 5th month (end of July), B.C.
458. Witli Ezra's success in reforming the evil of intermarriage
with the surrounding idolaters, his book comes to an abrupt end at
March, B.C. 457 (Ezra vii.-x.).
The "Book of Nehemiah," which is really a continuation of
"Ezra," opens twelve years later, with the bad news of the state
of things at Jerusalem, which came to the winter palace at Susa in
the 20th year of Artaxerxes (B.C. 445). From what cause we are
not told, the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates
burnt with fire (Neh. i. 1-3). NEHEMIAH, the king's cup-bearer,
after fasting and prayer, obtained a new commission from Arta-
xerxes, four months later (April, B.C. 444). Beset by the attacks
of Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite, in league
with the Arabians and Philistines, he called the people to work
with speed and courage. Half were always under arms, while half
labored at the walls, girded with their swords (Neh. ii.-iv.) In
vain did the foes seek to entrap him on the pretext of a conference :
he only replied, "I am doing a great work, so that I can not come
down." When Sanballat sent an open letter, threatening to report
to Artaxerxes that Nehemiah was preparing to make himself king,
he answered, " There are no such things done as thou sayest, but
B.C. 536-400. EZRA AND NEHEMIAH. 219
thon feignest them out of thine own heart." Then .1 false prophet
within the city urged Neheniiah to take sanctuary in the temple
from a pretended plot against his life: "And I said, should such a
man as I flee ?" With such determination, the walls took only fifty-
two days in building, and they were finished, and the gates huntr,
on the 25th of Elul, the last month of the civil year, Sept., B.C. 444
(Neh. vi.). By the same time Nehemiah had completed the geneal-
ogies (Neh. vii.), and done what he could to reform those gross op-
pressions of the poor of which the later prophets constantly com-
plain (Neli. v.). Amidst all these works he had to watch the in-
trigues of a party among the nobles, who were connected by mar-
riage with Tobiah and his son Johanan (Neh. vi. 17-19).
The festive month of Tisri, the first of the civil new year (Sept.-
Oct., B.C. 444), was celebrated as an inauguration of the people into
their new life. They now met together as a church, the whole con-
gregation numbering 42,360, besides 7337 men-servants and maid-
servants. EZEA the Scribe now reappears, in his distinctive char-
acter as the great teacher of the Scriptures, which he read from a
pulpit ("a tower of wood"). Six Scribes or Levites on his right
hand, and seven on his left, supported him in a manner which we
commend to the imitation of ail readers " They read in the Book,
in the Law of God, distinctly." But more than this " They gave
the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." These words
doubtless refer to a translation of what Ezra read in Hebrew into the
mixed "Chaldee" (or, more properly, Aramaic) dialect, which had
become the vernacular tongue of the Jews during the Captivity.
Parts of "Jeremiah," "Daniel," and "Ezra" arc in this dialect;
and the practice of thus interpreting the Scriptures was afterwards
extended in the Paraphrases called the " Chaldee Targums."
There is every reason to believe that the Book thus read by Ezra
was not merely what Moses calls the LAW (in Greek the Pentateuch),
but the Scriptures of what we call the Ou> TESTAMENT, which it is
generally agreed that Ezra himself collected into one book. The
more proper title of that book, the OLD COVENANT, describes the
light in which it was now set before the people. The position of
Ezra at the end of the old dispensation resembles, in this respect,
that of Moses at its beginning. Each read to the people the Scrip-
tures, as they existed in the time of each, as containing the Cove
mint l>y which Jehovah condescended to bind himself to his peo-
ple and by which they bound themselves to him. On the occasion
of his collecting the Scriptures, Ezra is believed to have composed
that wonderful eulogy of the Law of God, arranged in sections un-
der the letters of the Hebrew alphabet as their initials the 1 19th
Psalm, The Canon of the Old Testament was not, however, final-
220 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XVIII.
ly closed by Ezra, even if he lived to add the Book ofMalachi. To
the time when it was finally closed we have some guide in the names
of the high-priests down to Jaddua, who was contemporary with
Alexander the Great (Neh. xii. 11, 22, 23).
During the days of this service, the people set up booths of olive
and pine and myrtle and thick trees, and kept the Feast of Taberna-
cles as it had no.t been kept since the time of Joshua (Neh. viii.).
Finally, in place of the Day of Atonement, which had passed over,
they prepared with feelings like those produced by the reading of
the Law under Josiah to keep a special fast on the 24th of Tisri.
The impressive solemnities which are recorded by Nehemiah were
concluded by making a new covenant with God, which was put in
writing, and signc<l and sealed by the princes, priests, and Levites,
before the sun went down (Neh. ix., x.).
Before they departed for their homes, arrangements were made
for the peopling of Jerusalem. So much did all prefer their pater-
nal homes to the greater safety behind its walls, that " the people
blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell at
Jerusalem." The rulers took up their abode in the capital ; and
of the rest every tenth man was chosen by lot to live there. The
priests and Levites were divided in due proportions between the city
and the country. The joyous Dedication of the walls, which is still
a Jewish feast, with the further provision for the temple service, and
the exclusion of the Ammonite and Moabite from the congregation,
according to the sentence of Moses, complete the records of Nehe-
miah's first government, the prescribed term of which was twelve
years (Neh. xi., xii., xiii. 1-3: comp. v. 14). He returned to the
Persian court in the 32d year of Artaxerxes, B.C. 433 (xiii. 6).
After an uncertain interval, he obtained the king's permission to
visit Jerusalem again, to reform abuses for which his absence had
given scope. The weakness of Eliashib, the high-priest, had given
the old " adversaries " a footing in the temple and city. His grand-
son had married the daughter of Sanballat ; and Tobiah was not
only admitted to the temple, but allowed to use its chambers as
storehouses. Nehemiah turned out his stuff, and purified the cham-
bers. Other abuses had sprung up again from the rapacity of tho
nobles. The Levites, defrauded of their tithes, had betaken them-
selves to the Levitical cities, so that the temple was deserted. Ne-
hemiah gathered them together again, compelled the rulers to do
them justice, and the people to bring the tithes. He most indig-
nantly reproved the nobles for the profanation of the Sabbath for
gain, as the sin which had brought the wrath of God upon their fa-
thers. In the cities of Judah wine-presses were trodden on the
holy day, and the gates of Jerusalem were crowded with Tyrian
B.C. 536-400. NEHEMIAH'S SECOND MISSION. 221
and other merchants, who carried in the supplies of luxury for a
great city. Nehemiah had the city gates shut from dusk till the end
of the Sabbath, and guarded by his servants. His last reform dealt
with the old evil of mixed marriages, which had been carried to
such an extent that children were heard talking in a dialect half
Jewish and half in the language of Ashdod. He here records &
tou :h of that vehemence of temper which has marked many : re-
former : "and I contended with them" (the parents, not the chil-
dren), "and reviled them, and smote certain of them, and plucked
off their hair." Thus he forced them to take an oath to make no
more such marriages for their children. He deposed the high-
priest's grandson for his marriage with the daughter of Sanballat
(Neh. xiii.).
It remains to say a few words of the prophet whose book ends
the Scriptures of the Old Covenant, and who is thence called by the
Jews " the seal of the prophets." MALACHI (contracted from Ma-
lachijah, i. e., the Angel or messenger of Jehovah) closes the Canon
of the Jewish Scriptures with words rendered doubly impressive by
our entire ignorance of his personal history. Like the first prophet
of the New Covenant, whose preaching is an echo of his warnings,
he is simply " the voice of one crying in the wilderness," and preach-
ing repentance from flagrant sin as the one indispensable prelimina-
ry to the reception of the expected Messiah. In this view his proph-
ecy links the Old Covenant with the New ; and the connection is
made closer by his prediction of the coming of John the Baptist as
the Elijah of the new dispensation, and the forerunner of the An-
gel Jehovah, the messenger of the Covenant. We have but to
read the prophet's denunciation of rulers, priests, and people, to see
that he is describing present evils, and not merely predicting some
future declension. These descriptions serve to fix the date of the
prophecy. They agree so exactly with the state of things which
Nehemiah found on the occasion of his last visit to Jerusalem that
the prophecy may be safely referred either to that period or to a
second declension, which soon followed the reforms of Nehemiah.
The latter is the more probable, as Nehemiah does not mention the
prophet. In any case, the date of Malachi falls before the end of
this century (B.C. 400) ; and it is not at all impossible that Ezra,
if he was really the author of the Scripture Canon, may have lived
long enough to include in it the Book of Malachi as well as that of
Nehemiah.
View of the Lake of Antioch.
PART II.
CONNECTION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.
FROM THE CLOSE OP THE OLD TESTAMENT CANON TO THE
DEATH OF HEROD THE GREAT. B.C. 400 TO B.C. 4.
CHAPTER XIX.
RECOVERY OF JEWISH INDEPENDENCE.
PROM THE CLOSE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY TO THE
DEATH OF JOHN HYRCANUS. B.C. 400-106.
THE interval of four centuries, from the close of the records of
the Old Covenant to the events which heralded the birth of Jesus
Christ, may be divided into four periods : the continuance of the
Persian dominion, till B.C. 331 ; the Greek Empire in Asia, B.C.
B.C. 400-106. RECOVERY OF INDEPENDENCE. 223
331-167 ; the independence of Judaea under the Asmonaean princes,
B.C. 167-63; and the rule of the house of Herod, commencing in
B.C. 40, and extending beyond the Christian era to the destruction
of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The last two periods also include the re-
lations of Judaa to Rome. There is little that possesses any great
intrinsic interest, except the struggle of the Maccabees for religion
and liberty against Antiochus Epiphanes ; but the whole period de-
mands our notice as a preparation for understanding the state in
which we find the Jews at the opening of the New Testament, their
moral and political condition, their views and opinions, their sects
and parties.
The first two of these periods a space just equal to that from the
death of Elizabeth to the accession of Victoria form almost a blank
in the history of the Jews. They seem to have been content to de-
velop their internal resources and their religious institutions under
the mild government of Persia. We can not decide how far the
princes of Judah retained any remnant of their patriarchal authori-
ty ; but from the time of Nehemiah the HIGH-PRIEST became the
most important person in the state ; and the internal government
grew more and more of a hierarchy. Tradition says that there was,
from the epoch of the return, a Council of 120 members, called the
"Great Synagogue," of which Ezra was the first president (comp.
Nch. viii. 13). The high-priests from the time of Nehemiah to tho
end of the empire under Darius Codomannus were Eliashib, Joiada,
Jonathan (or Johanan), and Jaddua.
In this period only two events need be recorded. The murder
of Joshua (Jesus) in the temple by his brother, the high-priest Jona-
than (about B.C. 367), was the first of a series of like crimes, which
brought the state to anarchy. To the time of the Persian rule be-
longs also the building of the temple on Mount Gerizim for tho
schismatic worship of the Samaritans ; but the exact time and cir-
cumstances of its erection are doubtful. It was to this sanctuary,
us well as to the ancient sacrifices of the patriarchs at Shechcm, that
the Samaritan woman referred in the words "Our fathers wor-
shipped in this mountain" (John iv. 20). This net of schism brought
the hostility of the Jews and Samaritans to a climax ; and Samario
was henceforth more separated from Judasa than even " Galilee of
the Gentiles," where some scattered remnants of the Ten Tribes
preserved the knowledge of Jehovah, and came up to worship at
the new temple at Jerusalem.
JADDUA is the last high-priest mentioned in the Old Testmnent
(Neh. xii. 11, 22). During his pontificate, the Persian Empire wan
overthrown by "the great Emathian conqueror;" and the Jewish
historian Josephua tells a romantic but improbable story of an in
224 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIX.
tervicw between Alexander and Jaddua at Jerusalem. At all
events, Alexander seems to have granted the Jews special privi-
leges, while he -severely chastised a rebellion of the Samaritans.
He removed a large number of Jews to his new city of Alexandria,
in Egypt. The Macedonian conquest brought Judaea, with the rest
of the Eastern world, under the influence of the Greek language and
Greek ideas ; and the contest of the old religious patriotism with
these influences formed for a long time her chief history. At fiist
the contest was maintained under favorable circumstances.
Just as the Macedonian conquest was completed, Jaddua was
succeeded by his son ONIAS I. (B.C. 330-309 or 300). In the wars
of succession, which ensued on the death of Alexander (B.C. 323),
Palestine was claimed as a part of Syria. But in B.C. 320, PTOLE-
MY, the son of Lagus, the governor of Egypt, took Jerusalem on a
Sabbath, when the Jews would make no resistance; and, after the
decisive battle of Ipsus, it was made a part of his kingdom of Egypt
(B.C. 301). There, by the title of PTOLEMY I. SOTER, he founded
the Dynasty of the Ptolemies, which lasted till the death of Cleopa-
tra in B.C. 30. Under him the Jewish population in Africa, al-
ready considerable, was strengthened by the removal of many Jews
and Samaritans to Egypt and Gyrene. Beneath the mild govern-
ment of the first five Ptolemies, Judaea enjoyed a century of high
prosperity (B.C. 300-198). To this period belongs the splendid
high-priesthood of SIMON I. THE JUST (B.C. 300-292), whose praise
is celebrated by Jesus, the son of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus 1.). The
long and tranquil rule of his brother ELEAZAR (B.C. 292-251) was
nearly contemporary with the reign of Ptolemy II. Philadelphus
/^(B.C. 285-247), who caused the Jewish Scriptures to be translated
/ into the Greek version called the SEPTUAGINT, from its 70 (or 72)
( translators. This formed a new link between Jews and Greeks.
Shortly after this, the old rivalry between Western Asia and
Egypt was revived by their Greek kings, the Seleucida? of Syria and
the Ptolemies, whose long wars for the possession of Phoenicia,
Ccele-Syria, and Palestine, had been prophesied by Daniel (xi.,
xii.). The Syrian kingdom reached its climax under ANTIOCHUS
III. THE GREAT; and he was marching to invade Egypt, when he
suffered a great defeat from Ptolemy IV. Philopator, at Raphia,
near Gaza, the very battle-field where Sargon had routed the forces
of Egypt and Ethiopia five centuries before (B.C. 718). From tho
field of his victory Ptolemy went to Jerusalem, and dared to enter
the Holy of Holies, whence he is said to have been driven out by
a supernatural terror. He avenged his repulse by a persecution
of the Jews at Alexandria, which alienated the whole nation from
figypf^ and prepared them to see a deliverer in the rival king.
B.C. 400-106. EGYPT AND SYRIA. 225
Within another twenty years the change of masters came. The
infancy of Ptolemy V. Epiphanes gave Antiochus the opportunity
of recovering Ccele-Syria and Palestine (B.C. 198), which were for-
mally added to his dominions by his treaty with Rome (B.C. 188).
From this time the Greek party among the Jews grew stronger and
stronger, headed by Joshua, the brother of the high-priest ONIAS
III., who assumed the Greek name of JASON. On the arrival of
ANTIOCHUS IV. EpiPiiANKS 1 from Rome, to take possession of his
kingdom, he was met at Antioch by Onias and Jason (B.C. 175).
The latter obtained his brother's deposition and his own appoint-
ment as high-priest ; and forthwith began the open introduction of
Greek customs at Jerusalem, and among them the exercises of the
palaestra. Three years later Jason was supplanted by Menelaus
(B.C. 172), who, while exasperating the Jews by new sacrileges, led
the king to believe them rebels.
Just at this time Antiochus made a fresh attack on the young
king Ptolemy VI. Philometor. During his second campaign in
Egypt (B.C. 170) a report was spread of his death ; and Jason, at-
tacking Jerusalem at the head of 1000 Ammonites, drove out Men-
elaus. Fleeing to Antiochus, in Egypt, Menelaus represented Je-
rusalem as in open revolt. The king returned in fury, stormed
and sacked the city, profaned, polluted, and pillaged the temple.
Two years later he came again to Jerusalem, still more infuriated
by his forced withdrawal from Egypt at the order of the Roman?
(B.C. 168). But this time he assumed the show of friendship till
the Sabbath came, and a frightful massacre was made of the unre-
sisting people. Then followed one of the severest persecutions re-
corded in the history of religion, under the specious authority of an
edict for uniformity of worship throughout the king's dominions;
for Antiochus was a fanatical supporter of the Greek religion.
The details are to be read in the two "Books of Maccabees,"
which alone among the historical books of the APOCRYPHA possess
real value. The favorite test of conformity was the eating of
swine's flesh ; and the heroic endurance of the venerable ELEAZAR,
and of the widow and her seven sons, who " hnd trial of cruel
moukings and scourgings," makes this one of the brightest pages in
the annals of Jewish or Christian martyrology (2 Mace, vi., vii. ;
comp. Heb. xi. 35, 36, the writer of which evidently had these mar-
tyrs in his mind).
This " fiery trial " served to purify the nation from the taint of
Hellenism, a corruption, of which, as of the more ancient idolatries,
the nobles were the leaders. Excepting a few striking cases of
1 The conduct of Antiochus caused this epithet, which signifies "IilustrU
BUS," to bo commonly changed into the nickname of Epimane*, "the Mad."
P
226 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIX.
apostasy, the priests were steadfast ; and once more, as before Sinai,
the house of LEVI came to the rescue, and not only quelled idola-
try and persecution, but established the independence of Judaea
under the MACCAB^KAN or ASMON^EAN princes. 1 An aged priest,
named MATTATHIAS, the son of Simeon (or Simon), son of Johan-
an (John), son of Chasmon, of the course of Joarib (the first of
David's twenty-four courses), and of the house of Eleazar, Aaron's
elder- son, had escaped from Jerusalem at the beginning of the per-
secution. He took up his abode at his own city of Modin 3 (proba-
bly on the edge of the great maritime plain of Philistia), with his
five sons, John, Simon, Judas, Eleazar, and Jonathan, besides oth-
er kindred. When the king's officers came to Modin to enforce the
edict, Mattathias slew the first man who approached the heathen
altar, and then the royal commissioner himself; and, inviting all
who were for the covenant to follow him, he fled with his sons to
the mountains. Thence they issued forth, breaking down the hea-
then altars, and killing many idol-worshippers, with other acts of
reformation. But Mattathias soon died, having with his last breath
handed on the command to his third son, Judas. 4
If his deeds had been done in any other country than the Holy
Land, or in any other than God's own cause, historians would have
placed JUDAS MACCABEUS in the foremost rank of the heroes and
martyrs of patriotism and freedom. Our space only permits a
notice of the most marked features of his glorious career. After
two victories, he was called to meet the half of all the levy of Syria,
which Antiochus intrusted to Lysias, his lieutenant west of the Eu-
phrates, with orders to extirpate the whole Jewish nation. Against
40,000 infantry and 7000 cavalry, Judas could only collect 6000
men at Mizpeh, like the little band of Saul in olden times. And,
like Gideon, he weeded this small number to one-half, " who had
neither armor nor swords to their minds," but who gained two vic-
tories over the two Syrian generals, and took their camp. Besides
a It may be well to explain these names at once. Waccabee was originally
the surname of Judas, the third son of Mattathias. Its most probable ety-
mology is from Maccabafi, a hammer, like Charles Martel, Asmoncean (01
rather Chasmoncean) is the proper name of the family, from Chasmon, the
great-grandfather of Mattathias.
8 Modin appears to have been on the edge of the highlands overlooking
the great maritime plain of Philistia ; so lofty and so near the coast that
the details of the splendid tomb which Simon erected over his father and
brothers were visible from the sea (see 1 Mace. xiiL 27-30).
4 At the beginning of the war, a great disaster caused the Maccabees to
lay aside the nice scruple of not defending themselves on the Sabbath ; thus
combining true "mercy" to their followers with the lawful " sacrifice" of
their enemies. .
B.C. 400-106. THE MACCABEES. 227
great treasure, they found merchants who had come to buy the
expected Jewish prisoners, but who were themselves now sold for
slaves. Would that all slave-dealers since then had been served
so ! This first year was crowned with a fifth victory beyond the
Jordan, in which 20,000 Syrians fell, followed by the capture of
many strongholds of Gilead (B.C. 167).
Next year, Lysias marched with a great army to the fortress of
Beth-sura (" the house of the rock"}, which commands the road to
Jerusalem from the south. His utter defeat gave the patriots pos
session of the capital, except the fort called the " Syrian Tower;' 1
and his retreat to Antioch allowed an interval of rest for purifying
the house of God. The memory of its new consecration on the 25th
of Chisleu (Dec. B.C. 166) was, and is still, perpetuated by the
"Feast of Dedication," which St. John speaks of as kept in the
winter (John x. 22).
While Judas, with his brothers Simon and Jonathan, repelled the
attacks of the old enemies of Judah Edom, Ammon, and other sur-
rounding nations and overran Philistia and Samaria, Antiochus
Epiphanes died in torment on his return from the East to crush
the rebellion (B.C. 164). His young son Antiochus V. Eupator a
mere tool in the hands of Lysias marched with that general to re-
lieve the Syrian garrison at Jerusalem ; and their capture of Beth-
sura was attended by the first loss among the sons of Mattathias.
ELEAZAR AVARAN, the fourth of the Maccabjean brothers, was
crushed by an elephant, beneath which he had crept and kill-
ed it. A peace was now made, but shamefully violated by the
king, who was no sooner admitted into Jerusalem than he pulled
down the wall lately built by Judas. He himself was presently
overthrown by Demetrius I. Soter (B.C. 162), who followed the sub-
tler policy of attacking the Jews through their own divisions, Hel-
lenism once more lifted its head under a usurping high-priest,
Joakim, or by his Greek name ALCIMUS, who had been installed by
Antiochus Eupator, while the rightful successor, ONIAS IV., built
another temple in Egypt. But the people rejected the apostate ;
and a great army sent to his help under Nicanor was utterly de-
feated by Judas at Adasa, near Joshua's old battle-field of Beth-
horon, on the 13th of Adar (end of February, B.C. 161). But in
the same year this "Marathon" of the Maccabaian War was fol-
lowed by its " Thermopylae " at Eleasa, a place probably in the high-
lands above Ashdod. Jealousies had again sprung up among the
zealots called "Assidasans " against the Maccabees ; and, to oppose
a fresh Syrian army of 20,000 foot and 2000 horse under Bacchides,
Judas had only 3000 men, whom fear and disaffection thinned down
ir> 800. " If our time be come, let us die manfully with our breth-
228 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XIX.
ren, and let us not stain onr honor," said Judas before his last
fight. Victorious over the wing opposed to him, he was over-
whelmed by the numbers that assailed his rear as he pursued the
fugitives to Azotus, and his death dispersed his followers. His
brothers, Jonathan and Simon, buried him at Modin, amidst the
lamentations of all the people, as they cried, " How is the valiant
man fallen that delivered Israel !" (I Mace. ix.).
While the Syrian general Bacchides and the apostate high-priest
AJcimus were hunting down the patriots, JONATHAN (surnamed
APPHCS, " the Wary"), the youngest of the Maccabaean brethren,
held out in the wilderness of Tekoah, and took vengeance on some
Arabs who had treacherously slain his eldest brother JOHN (Johan-
an). The other surviving brother, SIMON, was invaluable as a coun-
sellor. The ensuing events are mixed up with the intricate vicis-
situdes of the Syrian kings and usurpers, whose interest sometimes
prompted peace and sometimes war with the Maccabees. It must
suffice to say that Jonathan was installed in the high-priesthood at
the Feast of Tabernacles, B.C. 153, thus beginning the line of As-
mona'an priest-princes ; and that, ten years later, he was treacher-
ously put to death by Tryphon, a usurper of the Syrian crown
(B.C. 143).
Now at length the internal disorders of Syria enabled the sec-
ond, and the last, survivor, of the Maccabajan brethren to complete
the work ; and the independence of Juda?a was recognized by the
king, Demetrius Nicator. Simon broke the last and heaviest link
of the Syrian fetters by the reduction, through famine, of their tow-
er in Jerusalem. The date of the levelling and purification of the
site (the 23d of the 2d month =May, B.C. 142) was regarded as the
Epoch of Jewish Freedom, and was kept as an annual festival. Si-
mon was made hereditary high-priest ; and the historian of the
Maccabees dwells fondly on the peace which Judaea enjoyed under
Simon. "Then did they till their ground in peace, and the eartli
gave her increase, and the trees of the field their fruit. The an-
cient men sat in all the streets, communing together of good things,
and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel. He pro-
viJed victuals for the cities, and set in them all manner of muni-
tion, so that his honorable name was renowned unto the end of the
world. He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great
joy. . . . He beautified the sanctuary, and multiplied the ves-
sels of the temple " (I Mace. xiii. 43-53). While his internal gov-
ernment was just and firm, he opened up a commerce with Europe
through the port of Joppa, and renewed the treaties which Judas
and Jonathan had made with Rome and Lacedaemon for aid against
Syria. The letters in favor of the Jews, addressed by the Roman
B.C. 400-106. EPOCH OF JEWISH FREEDOM. 229
Senate to the states and islands of Greece, and Asia Minor, and to
the great potentates of Asia, including even the Parthian Arsaces,
are a striking evidence of the wide diffusion of the Jewish race.
A lasting memorial of Simon's services and of the gratitude of, his
country was inscribed on tablets of brass and. set up in Mount Ziou
(1 Mace. x : v. 1-49 ; xv. 15-24). His prosperity was crowned by
the victory of his two sons, Judas and John, in the last attack made
by Syria against Judaea under Antiochus VII. Sidetes. But, as if
the roll of the martyred Maccabees must not want its last name,
Simon was treacherously murdered, with his eldest and third sons,
Judas and Mattathias, by his own son-in-law, Ptolemy, at Jericho
(B.C. 135). Thus, in exactly one generation of thirty-three years
from the uprising of Mattathias, all his five sons had fallen in re-
storing the religion and freedom of their country.
It remained for JOHN HYRCANUS^ the second son of Simon, to
complete the work just when it seemed all undone. Having been
accepted as leader at Jerusalem, he marched against Jericho ; but
the cruelties inflicted \>y Ptolemy on his mother and brothers upon
the city walls caused John to retire, and Ptolemy escaped beyond
the Jordan. Jerusalem, however, was soon forced to capitulate to
the Syrians, and Judaea became once more tributary (B.C. 133).
But the death of Antiochus in Parthia enabled John to cast off the
yoke; and the restored king, Demetrius Nicator, finally confirmed
bis former grant of Jewish independence (u.c. 128). The state ac-
quired its full extent by the conquest of the land beyond the Jordan
and of the old foes in Idumaea and Samaria ; and the schismatic
temple on Mt. Gerizim was pulled down (u.c. 109). John built at
Jerusalem the Tower of Baris, which afterwards became famous un-
der the name of Antonia. But the close of his government saw
the rupture of the religious unity of the nation by the rise of the
opposing sects of the PHARISEES and SADDUCEES ; and a personal
quarrel with the former led John to join the latter sect.
John Hyrcanus died exactly sixty years, or the space of two com*
plete generations, after his grandfather Matthias (u.c. 106). As he
began a new generation of the Maccabasan house, so was he the first
to escape the violent end to which his father and uncles had suc-
cumbed. His death marks the transition from the theocratic com-
monwealth, under the Maccabacn leaders, to the Asmona;an king-
dom, which was established by his son Judas or Aristobulus, whose
Greek name is but too significant of the Helenizing character of tho
new era.
8 of Arch of Bridge of Temple.
CHAPTER XX.
THE NEW KINGDOM OF JDD^EA.
THE ASMON^ANS AND HEROD. B.C. 106-B.C. 4.
JOHN HTRCANUS had called himself Prince of Israel; for the
Maccabees loved to recognize the unity of the nation. But, from
the time when the parts of its territory were re-united, the Greek
and Roman name of JUD^A begins to prevail. In its wider sense,
that name denotes the whole land which we more frequently call
PALESTINE, and which is divided into the four parts of Judica in the
south, Samaria in the centre, Galilee in the north, and Perce,a be-
yond the Jordan. These names, already long used, are now required
constantly in the narrative ; and we have to speak of the kingdom
founded on the death of Hyrcanus as the kingdom of Jndasa. But
far greater than any change of name is the sudden transition from
the patriotism of the Maccabees to the scenes of murderous ambi-
tion and religious discord on which we have no need to dwell at
length.
ARISTOBULUS I. (B.C. 106-5), the eldest son of John Hyrcanus,
seized the high-priesthood, as well as* the civil government, which
had been left to his mother, whom he imprisoned and starved to
death. He then assumed the diadem, and so founded the Asmo-
najan kingdom, which lasted for seventy years of perpetual confu-
sion and crime. He conquered the district of Ituraea (afterwards
B.C. 106-B.C. 4. ASMON^EAN KINGDOM. 231
called Auranitis, the Hauran), and died in an agony of remorse,
after putting his brother Antigonus to death from a false suspicion
of treason. He was hated as a Sadducee and a favorer of Greek
practices.
His eldest surviving brother, ALEXANDER JANN^US (B.C. 105
-78), secured the diadem and mitre by the murder of his next
brother. He effected some conquests, but drew down on his king-
dom foreign invasion and civil war; and he celebrated his victo-
ry in the latter by gloating, as he feasted with his wives and con-
cubines, over the crucifixion of 800 of his enemies. He left the
high-priesthood to his elder son Hyrcanus, and the diadem to his
wife ALEXANDRA (B.C. 78-69), to whom lie gave such dying advice
as reconciled the Pharisees both to her and to his own memory.
But the queen secretly prepared for revenge, and aided her young-
er son Aristobulus to gain over the army, so that on her death and
the succession of HYKCANUS II., his brother defeated the forces of
the Pharisees, marched upon Jerusalem, and seized the diadem and
high-priesthood, as ARISTOBULCS II. (B.C. 69-63), allowing Hyrca-
nus to retire into private life. Scarcely was this effected, when a
new enemy arose in the person of an Iduma;an named ANTIPATER,
the son of Antipas, and the father of Herod the Great. 1 By his ad-
vice Hyrcanus fled to ARKTAS, king of the Nabatha;an Arabs, whosa
capital was the rock-hewn city of Petra ; and this king, with Hyrca
nus and Antipater, led an army of 50, 000 men against Aristobulus,
whom they defeated and shut up in Jerusalem (B.C. 65).
But now the civil war brought ROME upon the scene as the
stern arbiter foreshadowed by the iron of Nebuchadnezzar's vision.
While Pompey was pursuing Mithridates to his last strongholds,
his lieutenant Scaurus conquered Syria, and ordered Aretas to
withdraw from Jerusalem (B.C. 64) ; and the quarrel of the two
brothers was referred to Pompey. The rashness of Aristobulus
caused his own imprisonment and the storming of Jerusalem, with
the slaughter of 10,000 Jews. The temple was profaned by the
presence of the Roman standards, "the abomination that maketh
desolate," as Daniel had foretold (Dan. xi. 31 ; xii. 11). Pompey
himself entered the Holy of Holies, but he left the sacred vessels
and treasures untouched. Having imposed a tribute, and demol-
ished the walls of Jerusalem, he carried off Aristobulus and his
family to Rome, and left to Hyrcanus the priesthood and principali-
ty (limited to Judaea Proper), forbidding him to assume the crown
(B.C. 63). It seems that Judaea was now annexed to the new prov-
1 It must be remembered that the Idumsenns had been conquered and
brought over to Judaism by John Hyrcanus. Antipater was brought up at
the Jewish court.
232 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XX.
ince of Syria, though under a separate government ; at all events,
it was henceforth virtually subject to Rome ; and it was really gov-
erned for her by Antipater, under its nominal prince.
Scarcely was Hyrcanus II. restored (B.C. 63-40), when the prog-
ress of ALEXANDER (the elder son of Aristobulus II.), who had
escaped on the way to Rome, caused the intervention of Gabinius,
the proconsul of Syria, who aided the high-priest at the cost of
transferring his power to five local Sanhedrims. But now Aristo-
bulns returned, having escaped from Rome with his younger son
Antigonus ; but they were defeated by Gabinius and sent back to
Rome. Alexander, who gathered an army of 80,000 men during
the absence of Gabinius in Egypt, was utterly defeated on his re-
turn. To these wars was added the plunder of the temple by the
rapacious Crassus, when, as proconsul of Syria, he visited Jerusa'
lem on his march against the Parthians (B.C. 54). The great Civil
War of Rome at length involved the fate of Aristobulus and Alex-
ander. The father, sent back by Ca?sar to secure Judaea, was mur.
dered on the way ; the son was executed by Scipio at Antioch.
Antigonus remained, but Caesar passed him over, to reward the
services of Antipater in his Egyptian campaigns. While the pup-
pet Hyrcanus was nominally restored to the rule which Gabinius
had taken away, by the name of Ethnarch, the real power was in-
trusted to Antipater, as Procurator of Judcea (B.C. 48), though the
series of Roman governors with that title is not considered to begin
till the death of Herod the Great. The aggrandizement of the
house of Antipater occupies the few remaining years of the nominal
Asmonain kingdom.
HEKOD (properly Herodes, a Greek name) now appears upon the
scene at the age of fifteen. He was the second son of Antipater.
In Galilee, the government assigned to him by his father, his energy
in putting down the brigands roused the jealousy of the Sanhedrim,
who called him to answer for his assumption of the power of life
and death. He appeared before them in arms, and wearing the
royal purple, with a menacing letter from Sextus Caesar, the govern-
or of Syria. Only one man, Sameas, dared to rebuke him ; Hyr-
canus adjourned the trial, and Herod withdrew to Sextus Csesar,
who made him governor of Coele-Syria.
After Julius Caesar's assassination (B.C. 44), Cassins, as procon-
sul of Syria, exacted an immense contribution from Jerusalem, and
sold the people of several defaulting villages as slaves. The party
of the Pharisees again lifted their heads under Malichus (a courtier
of Hyrcanus), who poisoned Antipater. But Herod, whose art of
conciliating men was unrivalled, won the proconsul's favor ; so
that when he avenged his father's death by slaying Malichua in
B.C. 100-15. C. 4. ANTIPATEli AND HIS SONS. 233
the presence of Hyrcanus, Cassius approved the deed. Herod next
defeated Antigonus, who had invaded Galilee on the departure of
Cassius, while his elder brother, Phasael, put down a rising at Je-
rusalem. Once more the battle of Philippi (B.C. 42) seemed to
give Hyrcanus and the Pharisees a chance of throwing off the yoke
of the Herodians, as Herod's party was called; but Herod won over
Hyrcanus himself, and was betrothed to his grand-daughter Ma-
riamne, the daughter of Alexander, the elder son of Aristobulus.
By this alliance (the marriage itself took place five years later)
Herod became the representative both of Hyrcanus and Aristobulus
RS against the claims of Antigonus, who was the younger son of
Aristobulus. He secured the friendship of Mark Antony, who di-
vided the government of Palestine between Herod and Phasael,
and renewed the privileges which Cassar had granted to the Jews
(B.C. 41).
But now a new hope arose for Antigonus. While Antony re-
mained in Egypt, Syria revolted, and called in the aid of the Par-
thians, whom Antigonus bribed to march upon Jerusalem. Herod
escaped to Rome ; his brother Phasael committed suicide in prison ;
Hyrcanus had his ears cut off, a mutilation which disqualified him
for the priesthood ; and ANTIGONUS at length wore the Asmonaean
crown for three years (B.C. 40-37). But this nominal reign was
spent in a losing conflict with Herod, who, in a week from his arri-
val at Rome, won the favor of Octavian (it was now the time of
the first triumvirate) ; and, though he artfully advocated the claim,
of young Aristobulus, the son of Alexander and brother of Ma-
riamne, his friend Antony obtained a decree of the Senate, appoint-
ing Herod king o f Judaea, and he landed at Ptolemai's only three
months after his flight (B.C. 40). The war was prolonged chiefly
by the double-dealing of the Roman general Silo ; but Herod, sup-
ported by Antony, at length gained a decisive battle, and took Je-
rusalem after a six months' siege. Antigonus was sent in chains
to Antony ; and this last king of the Maccaba;an line was the first
sovereign who ended his life beneath the rods and axe of a Roman
lictor (B.C. 37). Three years Inter, the Inst scion of the Asmoncean
house fell a victim to the jealousy of his brother-in-law. The
young Aristobulus, made high-priest by Herod, was received by the
people with such acclamations, that the king caused him to bo
drowned while bathing. The aged Hyrcanus was put to death af-
ter another three years (B.C. 30).
HEKOD, miscalled THE GREAT (B.C. 37-4), founded a dynasty of
princes, who ruled in different parts of Palestine under various ti-
tles; but he himself was the only king of the whole land, to which
he added Trachonitis, Auranitis, and Batanaea, beyond the Jordan.
234 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XX
By birth an Idumaean, by policy and predilection an adherent and
imitator of Rome, lie seemed to many of his subjects little better
than a heathen conqueror. He signalized his elevation to the
throne by offerings to the Capitoline Jupiter ; introduced heathen
games wjthin the walls of Jerusalem ; and surrounded himself
with foreign mercenaries. The chiefs of the Asmonaean party
were put to death, including the whole Sanhedrim, with two excep-
tions. But the complicated details of his blood-stained reign must
be left for future study ; and it is even a relief that our space does
not permit the recital of his massacres and intrigues ; the alterna-
tions of his favor with Antony, Cleopatra, and Augustus ; and, above
all, the horrid scenes of sanguinary jealousy to which nearly his
whole family fell victims. The successive executions of his broth-
er Joseph, his wife Mariamne, and her mother Alexandra, and his
sons Aristobulus and Alexander, were crowned by the closing hor-
ror of that of his favorite son Antipater, almost in the moment of
his own death. The more subtle side of his character is seen in the
skill with which he appeased Cleopatra, and made his very fidelity
to Antony a passport to the favor of Augustus. His only great
war was with Malchus king of Arabia, whom, after some reverses,
he defeated.
Herod's public administration was directed to the increase of his
own royal state, and the gratification of his imperial master, as
well as by the subtile policy of counterbalancing by a strong Gre-
cian party the turbulent and exclusive spirit of the Jews. His
public works were splendid. He enlarged the palace of the Asmo-
naeans, and strengthened the fort of Baris, adjoining the temple,
which he called Antonia, after his patron. He restored Samaria, and
called it Sebasttf, in honor of Augustus, after whom also he named
his splendid maritime city of C^ESAREA, which was afterwards the
Roman capital of Palestine. The other city of the same name,
Caesarea Philippi, was built by his son Philip around a splendid
temple which Herod erected to Augustus at the chief source of tha
Jordan.
While thus honoring his heathen patron, he sought the favor of
the Jews by the restoration of the TEMPLE, the design of which he
announced to the people assembled at the Passover (B.C. 20 or 19).
It was a stately pile of Grseco-Roman architecture, on the old foun-
dations of Solomon and Zerubbabel. The holy "house " (va<5f), in-
cluding the Porch, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies, was
finished in a year and a half (B.C. 16), and the court and cloisters
in eight years (B.C. 9) ; but it received such constant additions, that
it was still "in building " forty-six years from its commencement
(John ii. 20) ; and Josephus places its completion by Herod Agrip.
B.C. 106-B.C.4. HEROD THE GREAT. 235
pa II. only five years before its destruction (A.D. 65). But this
splendid work did not blind the Jews to Herod's real policy ; and
his placing a large golden eagle, the symbol of the Roman Empire,
over the Porch, provoked an outbreak, the ringleaders of which were
burnt alive (about B.C. 7).
The domestic horrors of Herod's reign had reached their height
in the conspiracy of his favorite son Antipater, when Herod was
seized with a painful and loathsome disease. Amidst his sufferings,
he was alarmed by the ominous inquiry made by certain strangers
from the East, "Where is He that is born KING OF THE JEWS?"
and in his rage and terror he perpetrated the massacre of Bethlehem
(see Chap. XXI.). Soon after this his envoys returned from Rome
with the consent of Augustus to Herod's dealing as he pleased with
his guilty son, though the milder alternative of banishment was
suggested. About the same time, Herod attempted suicide in a
paroxysm of agony. The rumor of his death spread through the
palace. Antipater tried to bribe his jailer, who reported the offer
to Herod, and the tyrant's dying breath gave the order for his son's
execution. It appears to have been in connection with the fate of
Antipater, perhaps as the expression of his own disgust in yielding
to the king's importunity, that Augustus uttered the celebrated sar-
casm, " It is better to be Herod's hog than his son ;" for his religion
forbade his slaughtering the former. But if we look more closely
into the form in which the story is preserved, we shall find that,
amidst a natural confusion, it supplies an incidental proof that the
massacre of Bethlehem was known at Rome. After using his last
remnant of strength to give final directions about his will, he ex-
pired five days after the death of Antipater, shortly before the Pass-
over (April 1st, B.C. 4). 2 He had just entered on the thirty-seventh
year of his reign, dating from the edict which gave him the kingdom,
and the thirty-fourth of his actual possession of the throne, dating
from the death of Antigonns.
J There i* now no doubt that the common era of the birth of our Savlom
i? wroiijj by four yen re. Chrift was born shortly before the death of Herod,
and we kuow that the latter died four years before the Christian era.
PART III.
THE HISTOTCY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
PROM THE NATIVITY OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE DESTRUCTION
OF JERUSALEM. B.C. 4-A.D. 70.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE NATIVITY AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST, TO
HIS FIRST PASSOVER. B.C. 4-A.D. 27.
THK HISTORY OF THE NEW COVENANT divides itself into two
great parts : The Revelation of the Gospel by Jesus Christ, including
the accomplishment of his work of redemption ; and The Propa-
gation of the Gospel, and the full establishment of the Christian
Church, by his Apostles after his ascension. The former is re*
B.C. 4-A.D. 27. THE NEW COVENANT. 237
lated in the Four Gospels, in the various forms suited to the special
purpose of each Evangelist, which have to be compared and har-
monized. The latter is related in the Acts of the Apostles, and de-
veloped and illustrated in their Epistles or Letters to the Churches,
as well as to individuals, which also afford further materials for the
history. In both cases it is the object of this elementary work to
set the leading points of the narrative in their own clear light and
proper order, leaving doubtful questions and theological lessons for
more advanced study. And as this book is a companion to, not in
any sense a substitute for, the New Testament, which the reader
will always have before him, the unnecessary repetition of its de-
tails is avoided.
The openings of the Four Gospels give four different, but almost
equally important, starting-points for all that follows. ST. JOHN
goes back to the true " beginning" in the divine glory and creative
work of the WORD, which was manifested in the flesh. ST. LUKE,
with the practical view of instructing new converts, traces the story
in order, from the wonders which heralded the births of Jesus and
his forerunner. ST. MATTHEW, who writes with constant refer-
ence to the fulfillment of prophecy, shows that Jesus was by his
descent and birth the MESSIAH or CHRIST' predicted by the proph-
ets from the earliest times, the "seed" promised to Adam and
Abraham, and the royal son of David. ST. MARK, whose Gospel
has all the signs of being a condensed account, dates " the begin-
ning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God," from the min-
istry of John the Baptist as his forerunner.
In order of time, then, the narrative begins with the striking sto-
ry of the aged and blameless couple, Zacharias and Elisabeth, both
of priestly descent, who were childless and hopeless of offspring.
During his week of service in the temple, as a priest of the rourse
of Abia (or Ahijah), the eighth of the courses appointed by David,
Zacharins had carried the blood of the lamb of the daily sacrifice
into the Holy Place, to offer it with incense, while the people were
praying without; when the angel Gabriel appeared to him, to an-
nounce that Elisabeth should bear a son, whose name was to bo
called JOHN (Hcb. Johanan, \. e., " Gift of Jehovah," like the Greek
Theodore). The child was to be brought up as a Nazarite, like
Elijah, in preparation for the ministry which had been assigned by
the prophet Malachi to the new ELIJAH, as the forerunner of the
Lord (Mai. iv. 5). For a sign, the unbelieving father was struck
dumb, till the prophecy should bo. fulfilled.
Six months later the same angel was sent to Nazareth, in Galilee,
1 Once for all it may be here stated that CUBIST (X^iardc) is the Greek
translation of the Hebrew word MKBBIAIJ, signifying ANOINTKI>.
238 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXI.
to MARY, a virgin betrothed to Joseph (who, like herself, was of the
royal line of David), to salute her as " blessed among women," and
the destined mother of a child who should be called JESUS (Heb.
Joshua, i. e., "Help or salvation of Jehovah").* This repetition
of the name of the great leader of Israel was explained by his far
higher character as "the Son of the Highest," who had "given
him the throne of his father David ;" and again afterwards by the
word of the same angel to Joseph: "Thou shalt call his name
JESUS, for He shall save his people from their sins" (Matt. i. 21).
This "Annunciation of the Virgin Mary," as it is called by the
Church, 2 was confirmed by the salutation of her cousin Elisabeth,
whom Mary visited in her retirement, and afterwards by the revela-
tion by which the same angel removed Joseph's suspicions of his
betrothed wife (Luke i. ; Matt. i.).
In due time Elisabeth's promised child was born ; and, at his
circumcision, his father's tongue was loosed, to give him tiie namo
appointed by the angel, and to surprise his assembled friends by the
prophetic announcement of his destiny and of the coming visitation
of Israel, in the hymn called the "Benedictus." John is at onco
withdrawn for a time, to undergo the training of n Nazarite : "And
the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts
till the day of his showing unto Israel" (Luke i.). He lived in the
wild region west of the Dead Sea, clad, like Elijah, in the prophet's
garment of camel's hair, and feeding on locusts and wild honey
(comp. Lev. xi. 22).
Six months later Jesus was born. 4 We have seen that his par-
ents lived at NAZARETH, a city in the hills of Galilee, north of tho
plain of Esdraelon. But the sure word of prophecy had declared
that Christ should be born at BETHLEHEM in Judah, the native
place of his royal father David, and it was thus fulfilled. Augus-
tus issued a decree for a census of " all tho world," that is, tho
Roman empire and its subject kingdoms, among which Herod'?
was reckoned. "All went to be enrolled, every one to his own city ;"
and so Joseph and Mary were brought to that stable in Bethlehem
where the birth of Jesus and the " good tidings" of his Gospel were
first announced by angels to the shepherds on the hills by night.
Born still under the law of Moses, he was circumcised on the eighth
day, and on the fortieth he was presented in the temple, with those
9 At this first step, as in many others afterwards, we lose much of the hu-
man interest of our Saviour's course, if we forget that JESUS was a common
and favorite name with the Jews, especially in the Asmonaean period.
3 It is commemorated by the "Feast of the Annunciation," commonly
called " Lady Day," on March 25th.
* See the Note at the end of Chap. XX.
B.C. 4-A.D. 27. THE NATIVITY. 239
offerings for a first-born son which the law appointed for the poof
(Lev. xii.). Here he was welcomed by the prophetic voices of
Simeon and Anna, who had long waited by inspiration to behold
the CHRIST, the "Anointed of Jehovah," as the "Salvation of God" \
and the " Light of the Gentiles," as well as the " Glory of Israel ;"
and Anna '.'spoke of him to all that looked for redemption in _
Israel " (Luke ii.).
Doubtless these were chiefly the obscure and poor ; but another \
announcement of his advent added to the agonies of Herod's fatal \
illness, and set all Jerusalem in commotion. We need not repeat
the story of the "wise men," or rather MAGIANS a name which
seems to point to a home on the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates
who, with their offerings, were the first-fruits of the Gentile
world, among whom "God had not left himself without a witness."
The answer which Herod's inquiries drew from the Sanhedrim is
the first of many proofs that the blindness of the Jews to the Mes-
siahship of Jesus was willful. The refuge of the holy family in
Egypt formed a step by which the course of his life was conformed
to his people's history, and so fulfilled, in its highest sense, the
saying of the prophet Hosea, " Out of Egypt have I called my son"
(Hosea, xi. 1). The death of Herod, shortly before the Passover
of B.C. 4, was the signal for their return ; but the news of the suc-
cession of Archelaus, in place of the popular Herod An tipas, caused
them to turn aside by the coast road to Galilee, to their old abode
at Nazareth. That city, odious to the Jews of Judah, gave to Jesus
and his disciples their first name of NAZARENES, still used in de-
rision by some Jews (Matt. ii.).
Here we lose sight of Jesus till his twelfth year; and we are only
told that "the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with
wisdom : and the grace of God was upon him " (Luke ii. 39, 40).
These words indicate that study of the Scriptures, and that inward
preparation for his mission, which he showed among the rabbis in
the temple when he went up with his parents, at the age of twelve,
to keep his first Passover (A.D. 8 or 9). After plainly announcing
his inspiring consciousness that "He must be about his Father's
business," he proved, by returning home and living in obedience
to his parents, that he had learnt to wait God's time (Luke ii.
41-52). That "Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in
favor with God and man," is the only record of the eighteen years
before his appearance at the age of thirty.
To understand the circumstances amidst which he began his
ministry, and the careful dates given 'by St. Luke, we must glance
briefly at the state of Palestine during these thirty years.
The disposal of Herod's succession will be better understood from
the following table :
240
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
CHAP. XXI
Wives.
A. HEUOJ> TUB GBEAT.
Sons.
1. Doris 1. Antipater \
IL Mariamne, grandd. of 2. Aristobulus (Executed by their fathr.
Hyrcanus II. 3. Alexan der ) in his Retime.
2i. Mariamne, d. of Simon 4. HEKOI> Pan.iv I... Lived as a private person
(m. Herodias)
5. HBROD ANTIPAS . .
6. AUOIIELAUS
7. HEBOD PHILIP II..
(m. Salome, d. of
Philip I. and
Herodias).
iv. Malthace, a Samaritan
\t Cleopatra.
Tetrarch of Galilee.
Ethnarch of Jiidrva.
Tetrarch of Northern Pe
rcea, etc.
B. Children of Aristobulus :
1. HEKOD AOKIPPA I
2. HEBODIAS, m.
(1) Herod Philip I.
(2) Herod Antipas.
King ofjttdcea.
C. Children of IIEE9D AGEIPPA I. :
1. HEBOD AGEIPPA II ............................ Tetrarch of If. Peraea, etc.
(titular king)
2. BEBENICE ..................................... Named in Acts xxv. 23.
8. DBUSILLA, m. to FELIX ........................ Named in Acts xxiv. 24.
The name of "Herod" was adopted in the family much as
" Caesar " and " Napoleon " in the Roman and French empires.
During his last illness, Herod made a will in favor of the sons of
Malthace. The elder of them, Herod Antipas, was first named by
Herod his successor; but the last change in the king's will trans-
ferred that dignity to ARCHELADS, leaving to Antipas the govern-
ment of Galilee and Peraea (in the narrow sense), with the title of
Tetrarch. b The northern part of the trans-Jordanic country, in-
cluding Ituraea, Gaulonitis, and Batnnaea, with Trachonitis, were
made a tetrarchy for Philip, the son of Cleopatra. Pending the
ratification of Herod's will by Augustus, Archelaus succeeded to his
father's power, and promised relief from his tyranny. While lie
and Herod Antipas went to Rome to receive the decision of Augus-
tus on Herod's will, the rapacity of the Roman general Sabinus
(who is reckoned the first Procurator of Judaea) provoked sanguin-
ary tumults at Jerusalem. Augustus confirmed Herod's will in all
essential points, but only granted to Archelaus the title of Ethnarch
6 Literally "governor of a fourth part," but applied indefinitely to p?tty
princes.
B.C. 4-A.D. 27. FAMILY OF HEROD. 241
("/Zu/er of a Tribe or Nation"). After a few years his tyranny pro-
voked an appeal to Augustus, who suddenly summoned him to Rome
and banished him to Vienna (Vienne), in Gaul (A.D. 7). Thus
" the sceptre departed from Judah," and Judaea, including Sama-
ria and part of Galilee, was annexed to the Roman province of Syr-
ia, but was separately governed by councils, under a procurator, whc
resided at Caesarea.
In Galilee and Peraea, HEROD ANTIPAS, or, as he is commonly
jailed in the Gospels, HEROD THE TETRARCH, aspired to be the pa-
tron and protector of the Jews. He appears twice in the Gospels ;
as the hearer and the murderer of John the Baptist, and as taking
part with Pilate in the condemnation of our Lord, who sums up the
weak but crafty character of Antipas in the epithet "that fox"
(Luke xiii. 32). After a government of forty-three years, his ambi-
tion to obtain the royal crown, and his intrigues against his nephew,
Herod Agrippa I., 6 brought upon him the sentence of deposition
from Caligula (A.D. 39), who banished him to Lugdunum (Lyon), in
Gaul ; so that the "king and ruler," who " took counsel together
against the Lord and his anointed," were neighbors in their exile.
PHILIP, or HEROD PHILIP, the tetrarch of Ituraca, Trachonitis,
and Batanaea that is, of the northern part of the country east of
Jordan was brought up at Rome, like his half-brothers Archelaus
and Antipas ; and he indulged the tastes acquired there by build-
ing the beautiful city of Coesarea Philippi, by the chief source of the
Jordan, at the foot of Anti-Libanus. This city, on the extreme
northern limit of Palestine, was also the northern limit of our
Lord's journeys, and the scene of one of his most momentous dis-
courses, when he sought a refuge both from the Jews and Herod
under the just and moderate rule of Philip (Matt. xvi. ; Mark viii.).
On Philip's death in A.D. 33, his tetrarchy was annexed to the prov-
ince of Syria.
We can now understand the concurrent dates, which St. Luke so
carefully assigns to the event which St. Mark properly calls " the
beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ," namely, the preaching of
his forerunner, JOHN THE BAPTIST, in the wilderness of Judasa''
(Luke iii. 1, 2 ; Mark i. 1 ; Matt. iii. 1). His mission, as foretold
6 This prince, under whom, by the favor of Caligula, the dominions ot
Herod were for a short time re-uuited, will be spoken of in the history of
ihe Apostles.
7 " Lysanias being tetrarch of Abilene:" this was a small and beautiful
region on the eastern slope of Anti-Libanus. " The fifteenth year of Tiberi-
us," reckoned from his association with Augustus in A.D. 12, brings ns to
A.I). 26, the date usually received ; but the fifteenth year of his own reign
would bring us to A.D. '.'s.
Q
242 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXI.
by Malachi, was, like that of Elijah, to enforce repentance and amend-
ment of life on a thoroughly corrupt and ungodly generation, as the
only means of entering into that "kingdom of heaven" which he
declared to be " at hand;" and all who were willing to begin this
new life were enrolled by baptism, the well-known form by which
proselytes were admitted to the Jewish Church. The chief men of
the nation,' forming the rival sects of the Pharisees and Sadducees,
" frustrated the counsel of God against themselves, being not bap-
tized of him ;" but it was otherwise with the mass of the people, es-
pecially the Publicans. 8 Of these, "Jerusalem and all Judaja, and
all the region round about Jordan, were baptized of him in Jordan,
confessing their sins " (Matt. iii. ; Mark i. ; Luke iii.).
Assuming that John began his ministry, like Jesus, at the pre-
."ribed Levitical age of thirty (Luke iii. 23 ; comp. Numbers iv. 3,
35, 39, 43, 47), it had lasted about six months (to the end of A.D.
26), when Jesus came from Nazareth to submit himself to the in-
itiatory rite. "For thus," he said, "it became him to fulfill all
righteousness" all the claims of the law upon the sinner, in whose
likeness he had come, though having himself no sin to wash away.
As he came up from the water, a double sign was given from heaven
to the eyes and ears of the people among whom he stood. They
saw the sky open, and a dove the emblem of the Spirit of God
descending and resting upon him ; they heard a voice from heaven
that Voice of God which was known as the Bath-Col 9 attesting
his mission : " THOU ART MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL
PLEASED." All saw and heard; but to John it was revealed bv
God that these signs marked him whose coming he had announced
as One greater than himself, "who should baptize with./zre and the
Holy Ghost" with an inward, thorough, spiritual purification.
After being thus shown for a moment, Jesus was withdrawn
from the eyes of the people, for he, as well as they, needed a fur-
ther preparation. While they remained, or returned to their homes,
to learn further and to practise the repentance preached by John,
he was led, or, as Mark says, " driven " (like Elijah) by the Spirit
into the wilderness, to undergo, during forty days and nights of
solitude and fasting, the great moral trial of his humanity the
second great trial of human nature itself. And it came to him in
the same threefold form as the first, by the agency of Satan appeal-
This name, which properly denotes the great farmers of the Roman reve-
nue, was also applied to the subordinate officers who collected the tribute
(properly called portitores). The latter are the "Publicans" of the New
Testament a class doubly hateful for their extortion, and as the officers of
the foreign master.
Literally " daughter of the voice,"
B.C. 4-A.D. 27. JOHN THE BAPTIST. 243
ing to the pleasures of sense, the love of praise, the desire of gain.
" He was in all points tempted just as we are, yet without sin ' ;
(Matt. iv. 1-11; Mark i. 12, 13 ; Luke iv. 1-13).
It was probably during his absence that the rulers at Jerusalem,
alarmed at the news that came from the desert, sent priests imd
Levites requiring John to tell them plainly who he was, and received
the answer which marked him as the forerunner of the Messiah, as
foretold by Isaiah (John i. 19-25; romp. Deut. xviii. 15, 18 ; and
Isa. xl. 3). But presently this denial of his own Messiahship was
followed by the emphatic words, " There standeth one ainony you,
whom ye know not," who was his Lord and theirs. For Jesus had
now returned from the scene of his temptation ; and, on the next
day, John pointed to him in person as " THE LAMB OF GOD, THAT
TAKETII AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD." But SUC'h is the law by
which truth works this public proclamation was less effective than
its private repetition on the following day apparently about the
time of tiie evening sacrifice to two of John's disciples, of whom
one was ANDREW, and the other (we may safely declare from in-
ternal evidence) was the Evangelist JOHN, who tells the story. In
his words we read how these two followed Jesus, and how Andrew
sought his brother Peter with the assurance, "We have found the
Messiah," and so, on that evening, three fishermen, sitting with
Jesus in a hut beside the Jordan, already formed the CHRISTIAN
CHURCH ; how, on the next day, as Jesus went on to Galilee, the
little band was increased by the call of PHILIP, of Bethsaida, who
brought his friend NATHANAEL, W of Cana; and in what weighty
words Jesus already told them the mysteries of his future course,
and the parts suited to their characters (John i. 26-51).
Thus early surrounded by the first of those "chosen witnesses of
all his deeds, who ate and drank with him" (Acts x. 39, 41), he
gave the first proof of his divine power, in the narrow circle of a
family party, by performing, at his mother's invitation but not
without a rebuke of her too great eagerness to see him put forth
his claims the miracle of turning water into wine at the marriage-
feast at Cana, in Galilee (John ii. 1-12). This wonder so signifi-
cant of the nature of his kingdom was "the beginning of his
miracles," not only as the first in time, but as introducing the great
principle of all his miracles, at once to "make manifest his glory, '
nnd to cause " his disciples to believe on him" (ver. 11). His re-
tirement to Capernaum, with his mother, brethren, nnd disciples, for
tli<> brief space before the opening of his public ministry at Jerusa-
lem, brings us to the eve of the Passover of A.D. 27 (John ii. 12).
10 His more usual name BAB-THOJ.OMKW (itapSoXo/iaior) is a patronymic,
meaning " Sou of Talmai " (Matt. x. 3 ; Mark iii. 18 ; Lnke vi. 14).
CHAPTER XXII.
FIRST YEAR OF CHRIST'S PrBLIC MINISTRY. FROM HIS FIRST
TO HIS SECOND PASSOVER. A.D. 27, 28.
ST. JOHN'S narrative now carries our Saviour up to the Passover
at Jerusalem, and relates some incidents of great importance ; and
then takes him back to Galilee to enter on his ministry in that land
to which the other three Evangelists pass directly from his baptism.
And the reason is plain. The first three Evangelists dwell upon
our Saviour's ministry in Galilee, where his public preaching really
began. The Galilean disciples, from whom they derived their in-
formation, were either (like Matthew himself) not yet called, or (like
Peter and Andrew, Philip and Nathanael) were not yet called as
his constant followers. These four appear to have remained at
home, while John, already "the beloved disciple," alone went up
with Jesus to Jerusalem, and saw and heard the deeds and dis-
courses which he relates manifestly of his own knowledge (John
ii., iii., iv.). Over this ground, then, we have to follow him.
A.D. 27, 28. CHRIST AT JERUSALEM. 245
After the short stay at Capernaum, John adds : "And the Jews'
Passover was at hand," and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Mala-
chi's prophecy of the "messenger," who, God said, was to be sent
" to prepare the way before me," goes on, " and the Lord, whom ye
seek, shall suddenly come to his temple" (Mai. iii. 1). On these
words the Jews, ever "seeking for a sign, 1 ' are said to have built
the expectation of some signal appearance of the Messiah in glory v
which would at once reveal him to the worshippers. But they
knew him not when he appeared to rebuke the traffic and disorder
by which they profaned the temple to make gain out of the visitors
to the Passover. 1 He did come with authority, driving out the pol-
lutions, and calling the house of God " MY FATHER'S house." But
this only provoked cavil ; and their demand for a sign was answer-
ed by his prophecy of the murderous lengths to which their unbe-
lief would rage against him, and of the crowning evidence which
would be given by his resurrection (John ii. 13-22). To this sign
he added miracles, which gained many hasty hollow converts (John
ii. 23-25). The most genuine, and not the less so for his hesitation,
was one of the most unlikely and the most secret in his profession ;
but the Pharisee and ruler who came to Jesus by night, and meek-
ly submitted to have his learned ignorance rebuked and enlighten-
ed, afterwards spoke up for him in the Sanhedrim, and helped to
lay his body in the tomb. Meanwhile the timid faith of Nicodemus
was rewarded by that wondrous discourse which contains the spirit-
ual essence of the Gospel, and which we can not doubt that John
sat by and heard (John iii. 1-21).
The statement that "Jesus did not commit himself" to those
professed disciples, whose hearts he too well knew (John ii. 24, 25),
seems to imply a scheme for proclaiming him thus early as King
of the Jews ; for their passions were now fermenting beneath the
tyranny of Pilate," and the Passover was the usual season of insur-
rection. Such may have been the reason of his withdrawing, witli
those disciples who chose to follow him, to the country districts of
Judaea. Here he began openly to receive converts, who were bap-
tized, not by himself, but by his disciples ; and the rapid increase of
his followers called forth from John the Baptist that discourse to
his jealous disciples which formed his last and clearest testimony
to Christ and his Gospel (John iii. 22-2G ; comp. iv. 1, 2). It was
while Christ " tarried " some time in those parts (ii. 22) that John
was thrown into prison by Herod ; and the removal of the one
! The sheep, oxen, and doves were for sale to the worshippers for sacri-
fices ; the tables of the money-changers for the convenience of those who
had to pay the temple-tax of half a shekel.
* Pontius Pilate was Procurator of Jndsea. A. p. 20-30.
246 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXII
prophet may have encouraged the Jews to plot against the other
(John iv. 1, 2). Upon hearing both of John's imprisonment and of
their schemes, Jesus resolved to remove from Judaea into Galilee
(ver. 3 ; Matt. iv. 12). This may seem a strange step, considering
that it was Herod who had imprisoned John. But our Lord's real
danger was from the Je\vs ; and in the retired district round the
Lake of Galilee he would be safe from Herod till he gave him somo
personal offense.
The route which Christ followed is particularly marked by John .
" He must needs go through Samaria " (John iv. 4) that is, the
district, not the city. It is by no means to be assumed that this
was just the natural route. Even from Jerusalem, travellers often
followed the route up the Jordan, to avoid contact with the hated
Samaritans ; and the appearance of a Jewish traveller at Jacob's
Well was unusual enough to cause surprise. But from our Lord's
starting-point, on the Jordan, and apparently rather high up its
course, the valley of the river was much the nearest road to the
Lake of Galilee ; and he went out of his way, when he turned to
the left through a pass leading into the valley of Sliechem. Hence
St. John's use of that "ms<," the force of which we have now to
notice. It marks the order in which our Saviour's public mission
was fulfilled. Driven from Jerusalem and Judaea, he repaired to
the more ancient sanctuary of Israel, where Abraham, Jacob, and
Joshua had set up the worship of Jehovah. Sitting by the well,
which tradition still cherishes as the gift of Jacob, in the valley be-
tween Mounts Gerizim andEbal, he expounded to a degraded wom-
an of the half-heathen people of Sychar (Shechem), who yet boasted
to be the true children of the patriarchs, his own great gift of living
water in the heart, and the spiritual worship which should supersede
that both of Jerusalem and Gerizim. Her eagerness to impart the
news to her fellow-townsmen brought to him disciples, who at once
received him with that spiritual faith in his true mission which the
Jews had wanted: "We have heard him ourselves, and know that
this is indeed the CHRIST, the Saviour of the world" (John iv.
1-42).
After two days spent at Sychar with these earnest converts, Jesne
went on to Galilee, where it was appointed for him to begin the
public preaching of his Gospel, and where he well knew the rejection
that awaited him : " For Jesus himself testified that a prophet hath
no honor in his own country" (John iv. 43, 44). Let the young
reader observe that this saying so often misquoted by the querulous
selfishness of men who forsooth call themselves prophets is not the
reason for his leaving Judaza to avoid contumely, but for his going
on to Galilee to face it. At first the Galileans "received him."
A.D. 27, 28. CHRIST'S RETURN TO GALILEE. 247
Many of them had been to the Passover and seen his miracles at
Jerusalem ; and they were proud to have their own prophet back
among them (John iv. 45). Their true spirit is disclosed by his own
words, " Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe "
(John iv. 48). It was probably to avoid their curiosity that he
went to Cana, living (it seems) in quiet retirement, till a courtier
of Herod Antipas, residing at Capernaum, came to ask him to heal
his son of a fever ; and his seconc 1 miracle wrought at this favored
spot proved the power of his word to act afar as well as near (John
iv. 46-54).
And now the time had come for the opening of our Lord's public
ministry as the Prophet and Teacher of his Gospel. At Jerusalem
he had offered himself in the temple, the centre of religion, and on
the great feast which was his own type, to Jews from all parts of
the world, and specially to the priests and rulers, by signs, which
ought to have revealed their expected Messiah. But their hearts
were hardened, and their eyes were blinded ; and the plain and
open preaching of his Gospel in words was reserved for the least
likely part of the Jewish world. It was fit that the message of sal-
vation alike to Jew and Gentiie should be proclaimed in that part
of the Jewish land whose mixed population was by birth half hea-
then, and for that reason probably the freer from Judaic narrowness.
"Galilee of the Gentiles" had been named by Isaiah, seven centuries
before, as the land on which the promised " day-spring " should first
rise, and now "The people which sat in darkness saw great light;
and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light
sprang up " (Isa. ix. 1,2; Matt. iv. 14-16). "The word ivhich be-
gan from GALILEE, after the baptism which John preached," is St.
Peter's description of our Saviour's ministry (Acts x. 37) ; and the
first two Evangelists date its commencement from his arrival in
Galilee after the imprisonment of John the Baptist ; while Luke
marks it still more emphatically by the words, "And Jesus returned
IN THE rowEU OF THE SPIRIT into Galilee " (Matt. iv. 12 ; Mark i.
15; Luke iv. 14). The "fame of him, which went out throughout
all the regions round about" (Luke, /. c.), seems to refer to the quiet
time he spent at Cana; but soon "he taught in their synagogues,
being glorified of all" (ibid.), "preaching the GOSPEL OF THE
KINGDOM OF GOD, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom,
of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the Gospel " (Mark i. 15).
These first words seem only to re-echo the note of preparation sound-
ed by his forerunner, but with one striking difference he invites to
FAITH as well as repentance. And he soon revealed the GOSPEL
which they were required to believe, and he chose one Sabbath and
one synagogue to expound more plainly the prophecies which, in
248 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXII
foretelling the time which now was fulfilled, pointed to himself as
the Messiah, the King of that promised kingdom.
Following that order of quiet and natural progress which was the
law of his kingdom working like leaven, and appealing first to those
who ought to have been prepared to receive it "He came to his
own, and his own received him not." Coming to his home at Naz-
areth, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, " as his cus-
itom was." According to the usage of the synagogues, he was in-
vited to read the Scriptures and to address the people. The " minis
ter" or clerk of the synagogue handed to him from the sacred chest
a roll, which, in the regular course, happened (as men say) to ba
"the Book of the prophet Isaiah." He opened it and read this
passage: " The Spirit of Jehovah is upon me, because he hath
anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to
heal the broken-hearted, and to preach deliverance to the captives,
and recovering of sight to the blind ; to set at liberty them that are
bound; to preach the acceptable year of Jehovah " (Isa. Ixi. 1,2),
the Jubilee of the world. He closed the book, and returned it to
the officer of the synagogue who kept the sacred rolls, and sat down.
But all eyes remained fixed upon him in an expectation, which he
satisfied rather than surprised, by announcing himself as the CHRIST,
who was thus filled with the Spirit, to preach this Gospel : ' ' THIS
DAY IS THIS SCRIPTURE FULFILLED IN YOUR EARS." It is hard for
us to understand the effect of this announcement. If a new proph-
et, who had proved himself such by no doubtful miracles, were to
stand up in one of our churches, and to follow the reading of the
unfulfilled prophecies of the Millennium by the same words, our
astonishment might be some measure of theirs, and (such is human
nature) the like incredulity would soon prevail.
At first the hearers were divided between admiration of the
Prophet and offense at his origin, as the son of their humble fel-
low-townsman Joseph. But when, foreseeing that they would
raise the selfish cry for signs and wonders to glorify his own city,
Jesus intimated that he was sent to the Gentiles such as the Sido-
nian widow to whom Elijah ministered, and the Syrian leper whom
Elisha healed, the prophet's own countrymen being passed over in
both cases then their wonder turned to rage. They dragged him
out of the city, to cast him from the hill on which it was'built ; but he
passed unseen from the midst of them, and went his way and came
to Capernaum, on the Lake of Galilee (Luke iv. 16-31). His resi-
dence at this city, which had already witnessed one of his greatest
miracles, and perhaps more, is referred to by himself as having
raised the place to heaven in privilege, though its unbelief cast it
down to hell (Matt. xi. 23). Meanwhile the place became the
A.D. 27, 28. CHRIST AT NAZARETH. 249
centre from which the "great light," predicted by Isaiah, shone
round upon the land of the old tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali,
"the people that walked in darkness," and "sat in the region and
shadow of death."
Henceforth our Saviour's chief resort was the margin of that
beautiful lake which is variously called the Sea of Galilee, of
Tiberias, and of Gennesareth. " He walked by the Sea of Galilee."
Days begun in preaching were filled up with the relief of hundredi
tvho were sick, maimed, or tormented with devils ; and the ensuing
nights were spent in lonely agonies of prayer, or in crossing over
the stormy lake. Here Christ is first presented to our view as
preaching the Word of God to such multitudes that he was fain to
seek a station whence to address them on the lake itself. Two fish-
ing-boats were drawn up on the beach, while their owners were em-
ployed in washing their nets. Jesus entered one of them, which
was Simon's, as St. Luke simply tells us, without any allusion to his
previous call. But the command to SIMON and his brother AN-
DRKW, to put out into deep water and let down their nets, called
forth the recognition "Master" "at THY word." It is needless
to repeat the details of the miraculous draught, which he explain-
ed to Peter by the promise, "Henceforth thou shalt catch men."
They left all fish, nets, and ship to become now his constant
followers ; and the same course was taken by their partners JAMES
and JOHN, whom Christ called as they were mending their nets
upon the shore (Luke v. 1-11 ; Matt, iv! 18-22; Mark i. 16-20).
Their call was followed on the ensuing Sabbath by the casting
out of a devil in the synagogue at Capernaum, and the healing of
Peter's wife's mother of a fever on the same evening. Then, as soon
as sunset ended the Sabbath, a number of diseased persons and de-
moniacs were brought to him to be healed. The ever-comforting
prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled, " Himself took our infirmities, and
bare our sicknesses" (Luke iv. 31-41 ; Mark i. 21-34 ; Matt. viii.
14-17; comp. Isa. liii. 4). The devils, as they left the possessed
bodies, repeated the witness borne by the one cast out in the syna-
gogue, "Thou art Christ the Son of God ;" but he at once silenced
;he testimony which seems designed to bring upon him the charge
"of casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils." This
is nor. the place to discuss the subject of demoniacal possession, the
reality of which is clearly taught in Scripture. Sin was the first
cause of all disease ; and when Satan tempted men to sin, he
gained a power over the body, the limits of which we can not un-
derstand ; but in the full control of Christ over the evil spirits we
sec at once the proof of his mission and the means of resisting their
power over us : "Jesus went about healing all that were oppressed
250
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
CHAP. XXII.
of the devil." The memorable Sabbath, the events of which arc
thus circumstantially recorded, may give us an example of our
Lord's labors in his ministry, and show us how he fulfilled his own
great saying concerning doing good on the Sabbath-aays : "My
Father worketh hitherto, and I work."
Map of Galilee.
The next morning shows us another aspect of our Saviour's char-
acter. Instead of indolent repose after such a day of labor, he
rose up long before the dawn, and went into a solitary place to
pray. Besides the impressive example of early rising and prayer,
we see in this retirement, as in many other cases, the desire to
withdraw himself from the danger of an outbreak of premature
zeaL Accordingly, when his disciples found him, he at oiice pro-
A.D. 27, 28. MIRACLES AT CAPERNAUM. 251
posed to leave Capernaum for a time, and preach the Gospel in the
surrounding cities. So "He went about Galilee, teaching in the
synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom," and healing
the sick and possessed. But it was not Galilee alone that reaped
the benefit. The fame of his teaching and his miracles drew mul-
titudes from the neighboring parts of Syria, from the whole of De-
capolis, and the region beyond the Jordan and the lake, and even
from Jerusalem and Juda?a (Matt. iv. 23-25 ; Mark i. 35-39 ; Luke
iv. 42-44).
This was CHRIST'S FIRST CIRCUIT THROUGH GALILEE. It would
seem, notwithstanding the indefinite phrase, " all Galilee," that
this first circuit had a narrow scope. After the man cured of lep-
rosy had spread his fame abroad, he avoided such great publicity
by retiring into the desert; and it was there that "they came to
him from every quarter." The only recorded incident of this cir-
cuit is the miracle just referred to, by which Christ showed his
power over a disease incurable in its virulence, and excluding the
sufferer from the society of his fellows, as well as the ordinances of
religion ; one which, for all these reasons, has ever been considered
a type of inveterate sin. In healing the leper by a tmich, our Sav-
iour not only showed his power, but claimed a right that belonged
only to the priest, and asserted his own exemption from ceremo-
nial defilement. In saying, "I will, be thou clean," he assumed a
still higher prerogative, and pointed to a more thorough purifica-
tion of the whole nature ; while, in sending the man to the priest,
and bidding him offer the sacrifice appointed by Moses, he at once
showed his own reverence for the law, and made his very enemies
witnesses to the cure (Matt. viii. 2-4 ; Mark i. 40-45 ; Luke v. 12-
16 : comp. Lev. xiii. xiv. ; Numb. v. 2, 3).
The return of Jesus to Capernaum was followed by one of the
most important incidents of his ministry. Among the followers
who flocked to him, not only from Galilee but from Jerusalem and
Judaea, were many Pharisees and teachers of the law, who came to
watch him. In their presence Jesus performed his great miracle
of curing the bedridden paralytic, but not till he had first said to
him, " THY SINS BE FORGIVEN THEE." The Jews at once saw tho
claim involved "Who can forgive sins but Goi> alone?" And
Jesus confirmed it by adding the deed to the word : the man who
rose up and walked at his command proved his power to forgivo
sins (Matt. ix. 2-8 ; Mark ii. 1-12 ; Luke v. 17-2G).
The call of Levi or MATTHEW, also at Capernaum, from the very
booth where as a publican (portitor) he was collecting taxes, is
placed by Mark and Luke directly after the healing of the paralyt-
ic. At the feast given by Matthew, the presence of many publicans
252 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXII.
and sinners gave our Lord occasion to teach the offended Pharisees
that lie had not come to call the righteous those who fancied
themselves such but sinners, to repentance (Matt. ix. 9-14;
Mark ii. 15-17; Luke v. 27-32). At the same banquet Jesus an-
swered the charge made against his disciples for not fasting, and
taught, by the parable of the new wine in old bottles and the new
cloth sewn into an old garment, the impossibility of confining the
spiritual power of his kingdom within the dead letter of forms and
traditions (Matt. ix. 15-17 ; Mark ii. 18-22 ; Luke v. 33-39). If,
following the order of Matthew, we place after this the cure of the
woman with an issue of blood, the restoration to life of the daugh-
ter of Jairus, the giving of sight to two blind men, and the casting
a devil out of a dumb man, we have in this first stage of our Lord's
Galilean ministry examples of nearly all his chief miracles (Matt.
ix. 18-34 ; Mark v. 22-43 ; Luke viii. 41-56). In each species of
miracle we may trace some particular infirmity, the fruit and type
of a marked sin, not necessarily in the individual sufferer, but in
human nature. Disease, in general, is the result of sin, and the
type of moral disorder ; the demoniac, of passion ; the leper, of pol-
lution ; the paralytic, of helpless prostration ; the loss of sight and
speech and hearing are emblems of the loss of spiritual sense by the
willful shutting out of spiritual objects ; and the whole train of
evils is crowned by death, the wages of sin. Nor, in considering
the various forms of our Lord's miracles, should we fail to notice
the varied exhibitions of faith in those who came to him for relief;
for it was in exciting and rewarding such faith that the moral pow-
er of his miracles was chiefly shown.
Thus, in the course o f a year (A.D. 27,28), Jesus, after giving the
Jews assembled at the Passover the first great opportunity which
they lost, had gathered in the first-fruits of the spiritual harvest
from the rejected soil of Samaria, and revealed the light of the Gos-
pel amidst the darkness of Galilee of the Gentiles, when (according
to the most probable interpretation of John v. 1) the return of the
Passover called him up for the second time to Jerusalem.
CHAPTER XXIII.
SECOND TEAR OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY. FROM THE SECOND TO THE
THIRD PASSOVER. 1 A.D. 28, 29.
THE beginning of another sar.red Jewish year called Jesus again
to the Passover at Jerusalem ; and here, as before, the Gospel of
John is our only guide. Written as a supplement to the other three,
it omits the whole year of Christ's public ministry in Galilee, and
passes at once from the second miracle at Cana to the statement,
"After this there was a feast of the Jews," or, more properly, "Af-
ter this was THE FEAST of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusa-
lem" (John v. I). 2 The record of this visit embraces but a single
event, which gave rise to another of those great discourses which it
1 Our Lord did not go up to this Passover; but it is distinctly mentioned
In the course of his ministry in Galilee ; and it seems most convenient to
keep to the division according to years.
3 The reasons for considering this feast to be the Passover must be left
for future study.
254 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIII
is one special object of St. John's Gospel to record. The occasion
was the miracle which Christ wrought on the palsied cripple at the
pool, which was fitly called Beth-esda, "The House of Mercy."
Our Lord's command to the man to take up his bed and walk, on
the Sabbath, brought down upon him the charge, so often repeated,
of breaking the Sabbath. In reply, he declared that, like his FA-
TIIKR, he worked continually in doing good ; and, when the Jews
charged him with blasphemy in making himself equal with God, he
vindicated that claim in the highest sense, and condemned their un-
belief (John v.).
It lies beyond our present purpose to set forth the momentous
doctrines of this or the similar discourses, which occupy so large a
proportion of the Gospel of St. John, especially the vi.th, vii.th,
viii.th, ix.th, and x.th chapters. The precise points in controversy,
and the illustrations employed by Christ, vary with the several oc-
casions; but in all he nppears claiming a dignity and authority no
less than divine : in all he convicts the Jews, and especially their
rulers, from their own most cherished principles, of obstinate unbe-
lief in rejecting his divine authority. Meanwhile lie had no sooner
borne the first of these great testimonies against the Jewish rulers,
than he withdrew himself from their plots against his life (John v.
16), and returned from this Passover where he had for the second
time shown himself in vain to the Jews as the Son of God to the
scene of his more hopeful labors in Galilee. There we constantly
find him pursued by the hostility and watched by the emissaries of
the rulers. On his very journey he was followed by the same charge
which had formed their pretext for plotting against his life at Jeru-
salem. The innocent act of his hungry disciples, which was sanc
tioned by a merciful law (Deut. xxiii. 25), of plucking and eating
the ripe ears, as they walked through the cornfields on the Snbbath,
was construed into Sabbath-breaking. In reply he reduced their
slavish doctrine of the letter of the law to an absurdity by the
cases of David's eating the show-bread, anil of the priests' necessa-
ry work in offering the sacrifices on the Sabbath, and rebuked the
hard spirit in which they judged "If ye had known what this
meaneth, / will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have con
demned the guiltless." And then combining his divine authority
with human sympathy, he declares that merciful and kindly pur-
pose which Moses had often announced as the true spirit of the
Sabbath, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the
Sabbath: therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath."
The lesson then given was repeated on the following Sabbath, when
Christ healed a man with a withered hand in the synagogue (prob-
ably at Capernaum), and silenced the Jews, who were watching to
A.D. 28, 29. SECOND PASSOVER. 255
see if he would perform a miracle, by the argument applied by them
selves in their own affairs, that it is lawful to do good on the Sab-
bath days. The application to their consciences was all the keen-
er, as, while he was doing good and saving life, they were doing
evil and seeking to destroy his ; and, stung to madness by his dis-
cernment of their secret thoughts, the Pharisees began to plot
against him with the Herodian party, tlius endangering his security
3ven in Galilee (Matt. xii. 1-14 ; Mark ii. 23 ; iii. C ; Luke vi. 1-
11).
Upon this, Jesus withdrew to some retired spot on the shores of
the Lake of Galilee; but even here he was followed by a multitude
from all parts of the Holy Land, and even beyond its borders, from
Idumaa on the south to Tyre and Sidon on the north. As they
thronged the shores of the lake, Jesus addressed them from a small
vessel, which he desired his disciples to provide. He healed their
diseases and cast out unclean spirits, charging both the patients
and the demons not to make him known. In these acts of mercy,
extended to many who were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel,
and yet withdrawn so carefully from all public parade, Matthew sees
the fulfillment of Isaiah's great prophecy of the Messiah as the
merciful judge of the Gentiles as well as Jews : the chosen and be-
loved servant of God, yet so meek that he would not strive nor cry
for his rights, nor lift up the voice of self-assertion among the haunts
of men ; so merciful that he would not break the bruised reed as
useless, nor quench the smoking lamp-wick as hopeless ; and yet so
powerful, by this very might of gentleness, that his just judgments
should finally be crowned with universal victory, and his name com-
mand the faith of nil the nations (Matt. xii. 15-21 ; Mark iii. 7-12:
comp. Isa. xi. 10 ; xl. 1, 3).
In this assembly, on the shores of the Lake of Galilee, we see at
length all the elements of the visible Church of Christ separated
from the world. So now he proceeds to provide for his Church the
teachers who were to guide them, and the doctrines which they were
to teach and the people to receive : the former by appointing the
TWKLVK Ai'OSTLKS, the latter by the discourse known as the SKR-
KON ON TIIK MOUNT. Not that his appointments were, in either
iase, complete <>r final. Much was left to be ordered and revealed
m the future, by his own teaching, by the free action of spiritual
life in his people, and especially by the direction of the Holy Spirit,
poured out after he had left the earth. The ministers whom he
now appointed were those needed to bear witness to his own deeds
and words; the truths he taught were those essential to the very en-
trance into his kingdom (Matt, v.-viii. ; v. 2-4 ; Mark iii.-l, 13-
1'J; Luke vi. 12-49}. ,
256 SCRIPTUKE HISTOEY. CHAP. XXIII.
The scene of this Consecration of the Christian Church was no
sacred city chosen by God like Jerusalem, no temple like that of
Solomon. The Christian Law, like the Mosaic, was given from a
mountain ; but the contrast of its unknown site with the awful
grandeur of Sinai is marked by the name, so significant of the dis-
pensation, "The Mount of Beatitudes." But in this case, as in
that, a solemn pause precedes the utterance of the divine word.
The Mediator himself is called to close and secret communion with
God, while the people have an interval of awful expectation.
Alone, like Moses, Jesus " went up into the mountain to pray, and
continued all night in prayer to God" (Luke vi. 12).
At break of day he called to him his disciples. That this term
signifies a select body, chosen by himself from the mass of his fol-
lowers, is clear from the words of Mark, ' ' He calleth n:hom lie would ;
and they came unto him." Out of this number he chose twelve,
whom he named APOSTLES, 3 and ordained them, " that they should
be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to
have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils." For these
works they afterwards received a special commission from him, and
performed them, as his emissaries, during his ministry on earth.
After his ascension, it became their chief mission to bear witness to
Christ's resurrection, as the crowning fact of his course, and by this
evidence to call both Jews and Gentiles to believe the Gospel.
For this, their constant personal intercourse with Christ was the first
qualification; and therefore Peter speaks of them as "witnesses
chosen before of God, even us, who did eat and drink with him af-
ter he rose from the dead" (Acts i. 21, 22; comp. x. 41). The
marks of the apostolic office were these: Personal intercourse with
Christ; appointment by himself; the gift of the Holy Spirit,
breathed upon them by Christ, and more openly conferred, accord-
ing to his promise, on the day of Pentecost, giving them power to
work miracles and to speak in foreign tongues ; to which was add-
ed the power to confer that gift on others. The union of these
signs distinguished the apostles from every other class of ministers.
The number of the apostles, corresponding to that of the Twelve
Tribes of Israel, is clearly symbolical of their primary mission tc
the Jews.
Among the disciples chosen to this office, we find, as might have
been expected, those seven who had been the first to follow Christ,
and who had already received from him a special call. The rest
(except perhaps Judas Iscariot) were also Galileans, and had prob-
ably joined the Master during his circuit of Galilee. The following
8 Apostle is a Greek word do<rro\or, "one sent forth," from iinoatiXK^
"I send forth."
A.D. 28, 29. CHOICE OF THE APOSTLES.
257
MARK.
LUKE.
Simon Peter.
1
Simon Peter, and
James, and ) surnamed
t
Andrew, his brother.
John, 1 Boanerges.
&
James, and
Andrew.
4
John.
Philip.
&
Philip, and
Bartholomew.
4
Bartholomew.
Matthew.
1
Matthew, and
Thomas.
8
Thomas.
James, the son of Alpheus.
Thaddteiu.
10
James, the son of Alpheu&
Simon Zeiotes.
Simon, the Canaanite.
11
Judas, the brother of Jama
Judas Iscariot, " who also
1*
Judas Iscariot, " which wa
betrayed Him."
also the traitor."
are their names and order, as given by the three Evangelists (be-
sides the list of the Eleven in Acts i. 13V-*
1. Simon Peter, anc
5. Andrew, his brother.
5! Philip, and
6. Bartholomew.
7. Thomas, and
6. Matthew, the publican.
9. James, the son of Alphens.
10. LebbKtts, surnamed Tliad-
dKUl.
11. Simon, the Canaanite.
12. Judas Iscariot, " who also
betrayed Him."
The close connection between the appointment of the apostles
and the SERMON ON THE MOUNT is seen in the statement of St.
Luke, that Jesus "came down with them" and stood on a sort of
lower platform of the mountain, to address " the company of his
disciples and the great multitude of people out of all Judaea and
Jerusalem, and from the sea-coast of Tyre and Sidon " (Luke vi.
17). As those twelve chosen ministers stood with him on the
Mount of Beatitudes in the morning glow that shone upon the
lake, they resembled the heads of the Twelve Tribes, who were
called up with Moses to hear the law given upon Sinai. The dis-
course which follows was spoken first to them, as the manual of
their instructions, the code of the new kingdom of which they were
the new ministers, the outline of the truths they were to teach. It
is addressed also to the disciples in general, in that and every age,
proclaiming the spirit of the new dispensation to which they profess
to have submitted, the truths they have to learn, the obligations
they have to fulfill, the tests by which they must be tried, the
characters they must bear, if they are indeed the disciples of Jesus.
It is to the New Covenant what the law given from Sinai was to the
Old ; and, to exhibit the unity of the Covenants, its precepts are
based upon the Ten Commandments, unfolded in all their spiritual
breadth, cleared of all the human interpretations by which their
spirit had been bound down or frittered away, and expanded into
the new law of Love. The key-note to this, the main body of the
discourse, is struck by the words: "Think not that I am come to
destroy the law and the prophets : 1 am not come to destroy but to
fulfill;" and, " except your righteousness exceed the righteousness
of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the king-
4 In the form of the list, especially in Matthew and Luke, it is remarkable
how much the names 5*0 in pairs. This circumstance confirms the assump-
tion that Bartholomew is the .NathumiH of St. John, who was brought tc
Jesus by Philip.
R
258 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIII.
dom of heaven" (Matt. v. 17-20). The principle of all Christian
goodness, and especially of all Christian love, is laid in restoration
to the image of God himself: "Be ye therefore perfect, even at>
your Father which is in heaven is perfect ;" "Be ye merciful, as
your Father also is merciful." And its practical climax is attained
in the Christian law of brotherly kindness and charity : " As ye
would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 1 '
To these precepts there is a preface and it conclusion. The former
insists on the spirit and conditions of entrance into the kingdom of
heaven, by repentance, humility, faith in him and endurance for his
sake. But these conditions, unlike the curses of the law, are pro-
nounced as blessings and sustained by promises. In the conclusion,
the principle of judgment is brought in to enforce all that has been
said : character is brought to the test of deeds, not words ; and a
final note of warning and promise equally mingled assures the hear-
ers that as they sow so shall they reap everlasting life from living
t'aith in Christ, destruction from pursuing their self-will.
The Sermon on the Mount carried to the minds of the hearers
the conviction that Jesus was, to say the least, far above all their
ordinary teachers ; " for He taught them as one having authority, and
not as the scribes;" and he was followed by a new concourse of dis-
ciples as he returned into Capernaum (Matt. vii. 28; viii. 1). Here
he healed the servant of the Roman centurion, who seems to have
been a Jewish proselyte, and whose faith, greater than was found in
Israel, called forth the contrast, often afterwards repeated, between
the multitudes of Gentiles who should sit down with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, and "the children of
the kingdom, "who should be " cast out into outer darkness " (Matt.
viii. 5-13; Luke vii. 1-10). At the gate of Nain, near Capernaum,
he repeated by a single word the miracle, which Elisha had only
performed with reiterated and agonizing prayers, of restoring the
life of an only son to his widowed mother (Luke vii. 11-17).'
About this time we must place our Lord's answer to John the
Baptist, who, hearing in his prison the works of Christ, sent two
of his disciples to put the question plainly : "Art thou he that should
come, or do we look for another ?" We can not suppose that he
who had borne such testimony to Christ (see p. 245) now began to
doubt ; but, on the eve of his departure, he would leave his disci-
ples fully convinced. To them, therefore, Christ replies : " Go and
show John again those things which ye do hear and see" not only
the curing of the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, and the crown-
' At the modern village of Nein, on the north-west edge of the Little Her-
mon, where the ground falls to the Plain of Esdraelon, we still observe the
steep ascent to the gate, and the rock full of sepulchral caves.
A.D. 28, 2J. SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 259
ing miracle of raising the dead but the true sign of the spirit of the
new kingdom " The poor have the Gospel preached to them.'" Af-
ter sending them back to learn from their master what all this
meant, Jesus, turning to the people, vindicates John from any suspi-
cion of wavering or time-serving that his message might have raised,
and bears testimony to his true character as " a prophet, yea more
than a prophet." They had gone forth to the wilderness to see him,
and what had they beheld ? No pliant reed that would bend before
the wind of adversity : no dainty courtier, to fear a king's frown or
a queen's hatred. No ! he was the very Elijah predicted by the
prophets as the Messiah's herald, though their childish folly, never
knowing what to ask or expect, vented itself in discontent and un-
belief alike against the stem asceticism of John and the winning
love of Jesus. " But Wisdom is justified of all her children." And
now the time was already come for Christ to reveal himself as a
Judge, to those who would not accept him as a Saviour. The cities
of Galilee most favored by his ministry Chorazin, Bethsaida, and
especially Capernaum are doomed to a far heavier judgment than
Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah. Such words, uttered now
over Galilee, as afterwards over Judaea and Jerusalem, show the
wounded sympathies of the human friend, as well as the just indig-
nation of the divine Judge ; and Jesus finds his only consolation in
thankful acknowledgment of the Father's wisdom in hiding the
mysteries of the kingdom from those wise in their own conceit, nnd
revealing them to babes. None may attempt to penetrate the mys-
tery of this humble submission of the Son, in his character of Medi-
ator, to the Father's will ; but it has a practical aspect, which Christ
himself proceeds to enforce, as an example to all who labor under the
burdens and weariness of the world, to come to him and lenrn the
like spirit of meekness and humility as the only means of finding
rest to their souls. " For my yoke " this of meek submission to
God "is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. xi. ; Luke vii.
18-35).
Abundant as were the proofs that Jesus was the Messiah, tho
Christ, lie had not yet been actually anointed. This act of conse-
cration was at length performed, not by the high-priest in the tern-
pie court, amidst the acclamations of i4 God save the King," as
Zadok and Nathan had anointed Solomon, but at a banquet in the
house of a Pharisee named Simon, who had scorned to render to
Jesus even the common offices of hospitality. There, as Jesus was
reclining at the table, a degraded woman stole behind his couch,
washing with her tears of penitence the feet for which Simon had
offered no water, and, having wiped them with the hair of her head,
she kissed them in token of homage, and anointed them with some
260 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIII
choice unguent from an alabaster-box. The Pharisee's indigna-
tion at her presence was almost forgotten in his satisfaction at
Christ's want of discernment. "This man, "thought he to himself,
"if he had been a prophet, would have known who and what man-
ner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner." Our
Lord replies to the unuttered thought by a parable, which leads Si-
mon to confess that they love most who have had most forgiven ;
and then turning to the woman with all the authority of the Anoint-
ed of Jehovah, he declares the forgiveness of her many sins for her
much love, and dismisses her in peace ; while the Pharisees only
dare to murmur within their hearts, " Who is this that forgiveth
sins also ?" (Luke vii. 36-50). 6
Jesus now made a SECOND CIRCUIT OF GALILEE, attended by the
Twelve Apostles, and by certain women who, having been healed
of evil spirits and infirmities, proved their gratitude by ministering
to him of their substance. Such ministry, the chief social comfort
of our Lord's lonely life, followed him to his death and burial ;
and some of these devoted women were
" Last at the cross, aud earliest at the tomb."
Such was Mary, surnamed Magdalene, from her native village of
Magdala,' who is now mentioned for the first time, in association
with Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and
many others (Luke viii. 1-3). The chief events of this circuit
were, the healing of a blind and dumb demoniac, followed by a
controversy with the Pharisees, who charged Jesus with casting
out devils by the power of Beelzebub (Matt. xii. 22-37 ; Mark iii.
19-30; Luke xi. 14, 15, 17, 23); the reproof of the Pharisees for
seeking a sign, in which Jonah's three days' confinement in the
fish is made a type of our Lord's burial (Matt. xii. 38-45 ; Luke
xi. 16, 24-36) ; the visit of our Lord's mother and brethren, which
called forth the declaration, that his true disciples are his nearest
relatives (Matt. xii. 46-50 ; Mark iii. 31-35 ; Luke viii. 19-21) ;
the stern denunciation of the Pharisees, and the solemn warnings
to all the people concerning faithfulness and watchfulness (Luke
xi. 37-54 ; xii.), enforced by the use he makes of the fate of Pilate's
8 The name of this woman is not given, and she certainly was not Mary
Mapdalene, whom tradition and art have strangely agreed to misrepresent
as " a ginner " of this sort, because she had been possessed by demons. The
later anointing at Bethany by Mary, the sister of Lazarus, had quite another
object, namely, the preparation of Christ's body for his burial (John xi. 2 ;
xii. 3).
i This was one of the many " Migdols " (watch-towers) of Palestine, and
is probably the modern el-Medjel, on the west side of the lake, about three
miles north of Tabariyeh.
A.D. 28, 29. SECOND CIKCUIT OF GALILEE. 2G1
victims and those crushed by the tower of Siloam, as well as by the
parable of the fig-tree (Luke xiii. 1-9) ; the great parable of the
Sower, and the other parables concerning the kingdom of heaven
(Matt. xiii. ; Mark iv. 1-34 ; Luke viii. 4-18). 8 The same evening
on which these parables were spoken Jesus dismissed the multitudes
that followed him, and took ship to cross to the east side of the
lake. On the voyage he performed the miracle, which he after.
wardg repeated, of stilling a raging storm by his word ; and thus
again showed himself to the affrighted disciples as Lord of the most
ungovernable powers of nature. To them the miracle was the
njpre striking from their daily occupation among those waters
(Matt. viii. 18-27 ; Mark iv. 35-41 ; Luke viii. 22-25).
The country of Gadara (or Gergasa), 9 on the east side of the
lake, was now the scene of one of Christ's greatest miracles, the
healing of the man (or two men) possessed by a legion of devils,
who were permitted to punish the illegal cupidity of the country
people by entering and destroying their swine. The Gadarenes,
caring more for their swine than for their souls, entreated him to
leave their country, and he recrossed the lake to Capernaum, where
the people were awaiting him (Matt. viii. 28 ; Mark v. 1-21 ; Luke
viii. 26-40).
About this time we must place Christ's second rejection at Naza-
reth, if, indeed, it was different from the first (Matt. xiii. 54-58;
Mark vi. 1-6). The great extent of this circuit, during which
" He went through every city and village," makes it probable that
the end of the year 28 should be placed about its termination if not
earlier, leaving the three months before the Passover of A.D. 29 for
the Third Circuit.
This THIRD CIRCUIT OF GAMI.KK was as extensive as the for-
mer. " He went about, all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing
every sickness and every disease among the people " (Matt. ix. 35).
Jesus was followed by multitudes that were at last beyond the
reach of his single powers. According to the image used by an
old prophet, he saw them scattered abroad like sheep without a
shepherd, and worn out with their efforts to come to him ; and he
had compassion on them. What he had first told his disciples at
Sychar had now come true on a far larger scale ; the spiritual har-
vest was too great for the laborers ; and so, after bidding them pray
On the subject of onr Lord's Parables in general, see the Note at the cud
of this chapter.
He* peeling the different forms of the name, and the striking manner in
which the narrative is illustrated by the features of the country, see the
" Smaller Dictionary of the Bible," . v.
262 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIII.
to the Lord of the harvest to send forth more laborers, he gives
them their first commission to begin their work (Matt. ix. 3G-38 ;
Mark vi. 6-13). He sent them out by two and two, giving them
power to cast out devils and heal diseases, and to preach the king-
dom of God. They were, in fact, to be his representatives, carrying
the Gospel to those who could not, or only with great difficulty, at-
tend on bis own ministry. He gave them a charge, containing
much that would prepare them for their future ministry, but some
things suited only to their present mission, especially the prohibi-
tion to enter the country of the Gentiles or cities of the Samaritans.
The charge that he gave them, while containing much that applied
specially to their present condition, embraces also the great princi-
ples by which his ministers are to be guided in every age. Their
success was an earnest to themselves, and an example to all their
successors, of his constant presence with his servants. "They went
through the towns preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere."
" They cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were
sick, and healed them."
The return of the apostles coincided with some strange news
which was brought to Jesus from the court of Herod Antipas. We
have referred more than once to the imprisonment of JOHN THE
BAPTIST, the story of whose end must now be told. His public
ministry had been cut short by his imprisonment nearly two years
before. It would seem (though we arc not expressly told) that, as
he advanced up the river into Galilee, the interest which Herod An-
tipas always retained in the Jewish religion led him to wish to hear
the prophet. John appeared before him in a guise unlike the deli-
cate attire of the courtier, with his wild Nazarite locks, and his
prophet's mantle of camel's hair, such as Elijah had when he show-
ed himself to Ahab. In the court, as in the wilderness, he went
straight to the object of his mission repentance and reformation
from positive sin. Herod, though already married to the daugh-
ter of Aretas, king of Arabia Petrsea, had taken to wife Herodias,
the divorced wife of his half-brother Philip; 10 and, regardless alike
of the king's favor and the woman's vengeance, John said, " It is
not lawful for thee to have her !" For this offense, Herod, insti-
gated by Herodias, and perhaps also to ingratiate himself with
ihe Jewish rulers, added to all the crimes which he had had such
an opportunity to renounce, that of shutting up John in prison.
10 This was not Herod Philip the tetrarch (see above, p. 241). but the brothei
who is distinguished in our list (p. 240) as Herod Philip /., who lived as a pri-
vate person. Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, the son of Herod
the Great and Mariamne, and consequently the step-niece both of Herod
Philip and Herod Antipas.
A.D. 28, 29. DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 263
However, botli from respect for John and for fear of the people,
who held John for a prophet, he resisted the importunities of He-
rodias for the Baptist's death (Matt. xiv. 3-5; Mark vi. 17-20;
Luke iii. 19-20). But a relentless woman knows how to wait for
her opportunity ; and amidst the revelry of a birthday feast, the
daughter of Herodias obtained by her wanton dance the rash prom-
ise, which her mother instantly exacted, pointing perhaps to one of
the silver platters on the table " Give me here John Baptist's
head on a charger." Never was criminal weakness and shame
more plainly but keenly described than in the following words :
"And the king was exceeding sorry ; nevertheless, for his oath's
sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject
her." So he sent the executioner to behead in his dungeon the
prophet, to whom his former feelings had been such as these :
" Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and a holy,
and observed him ; and when he heard him, he did many things,
and heard him gladly " (Matt. xiv. 1-12 ; Mark vi. 14-29). 11
While the disciples of John, after burying their master, went to
tell Jesus of his death, the report of the works of Jesus came to
Herod, mingled with nil sorts of alarming conjectures. " He was
perplexed, because it was said of some that John was risen from the
dead ; and of some, that Elias had appeared ; and of others, that
one of the old prophets was risen again." The agony of doubt in his
guilty conscience is well marked by one of those slight variations
which best show the genuineness of the Gospels. He tries to stifle
his fears, which would not be kept down : "John have I beheaded,
but wno is THIS of whom I hear such things?" But the convic-
tion forced itself upon him, nor could he help betraying it to his
courtiers, " IT is JOHN, whom I beheaded HE is HISKN FROM TIIK
DEAD." With what exact purpose " he desired to see him " (Luke
ix. 9) he perhaps scarcely knew himself; but when that desire was
gratified, about a year later, we are told that " he hoped to see some
miracle done of him" (Luke ix. 8) ; and, being disappointed, he
joined with Pilate to condemn hitn. Never was there a more
pitiable or more awful example of the sin to which weak self-indul-
gencc leads than in this popular prince, who brought upon his own
head the blood of the last prophet of the Old Covenant and the
founder of the New, though he was "exceeding sorry" to kill
John, and " exceeding glad to see Jesus." Such is the contrast
between feeling and principle.
Meanwhile the desire of Herod to sec Jesus added force to the
warning given by John's fate. Our Lord would neither incur dan-
11 .Tosephus places the imprisonment of John nt Mnchcerns in Persen, n
fortress famous in the history of the Asmonseans aud of Herod.
264
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
CHAP. XXIII.
ger before his time, nor gratify the king's curiosity ; and he seems
to have had another motive for retirement, in the elation of his dis-
ciples at their success. So he withdrew with them by ship into a
lonely place. But the people, who saw his departure, hastened on
foot from all the cities round the lake ; and soon the multitudes not
only left him and the disciples no time even to eat, but began to
be in want of food themselves (Matt. xiv. 13-15; Mark vi. 30-3G ;
Luke ix. 10-12 ; John vi. 1-5).
At this point the Gospel of John connects itself once more with
the other three ; and we obtain from it the note of time which has
been long wanting. "The Passover, a feast of the Jews, was
nigh." This must, in all probability, be reckoned as the Third
Passover during our Lord's ministry ; for, even if the "feast of the
Jews" in John v. be not the Passover, the intervention of a second
Passover is implied in the scene where the disciples plucked and
ate the ears of corn. The reason given by John" for Christ's ab-
sence from this Passover is rendered the more cogent from what we
have seen of Herod's state of mind ; and there seems every reason
to believe that our Lord's presence at Jerusalem would have brought
on that very conjuncture of Herod, Pilate, and the Jewish rulers,
which occurred a year later, when his time was come. The season
gives a double significance to the miracle by which Christ fed the
people in the desert, while their brethren at Jerusalem were eating
the unleavened bread of human manufacture (Matt. xiv. 16-21 ;
Mark vi. 37-44 ; Luke ix. 13-17; John vi. 5-13), and also to the
subsequent discourse in which Jesus revealed himself as the true
Bread of Life that had come down from heaven (John vi. 22-71).
How marked an epocli in our Saviour's ministry is formed by
this completion of its Second Year will be seen in the following
chapter.
NOTE ON THE PARABLES OF CHRIST.
TUB word Parable (vapaftoXfj) does
not of itself imply a narrative. The
juxtaposition of two things, differing
.11 most points, but agreeing in some,
.s sufficient to bring the comparison
thus produced within the etymology
of the word. The corresponding He-
brew word (^similitude) had a large
range of application, and was applied
sometimes to the shortest proverbs
(1 Sam. x. 12 ; xxiv. 13 ; 2 Chr. vii. 20),
sometimes to dark prophetic utter-
ances (Nam. xxiii. 7, IS; xxiv. 3; Ezek.
xx. 49 ; sometimes to enigmatic max-
ims (Psa. Ixxviii. 2 : Prov. i. 6), or
metaphors expanded into a narrative
(Ezek.xii.22). IntheNewTestatnent
itself the word is used with a like lati-
tude. While attached most frequent-
ly to the illustrations which have giv-
14 John vii. 1. " After these things Jesus walked in Galilee : for he would
not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him."
A.D. 28, 29.
PARABLES.
265
eii it a special meaning, it is also ap-
plied to a short saying like " Physi-
cian, heal thyself" (Luke iv. 23), to a
mere comparison without a narrative
(Matt. xxiv. 32), to the figurative char-
acter of the Levitical ordinances (Heb.
ix. 9), or of single facts in patriarchal
history (Heb. xi. 19).
From the time indicated by Matt.
xiii., parables enter largely into our
Lord's teaching. Each parable of
those which we read in the Gospels
may have been repeated more than
once with greater or less variation (as
e. g., those of the Pounds and the Tal-
ents, Matt xxv. 14 ; Lnke xix. 12 ; of
the Supper, in Matt. xxii. 2, and Luke
xiv. 16). Every thing leads us to be-
lieve that there were many others of
which we have no record (Matt. xiii.
34 ; Mark iv. 33). In those which re-
main it is possible to trace something
like an order.
(A.) There is the group with which
the new mode of teaching is ushered
in, and which have for their subject
the laws of the Divine kingdom, in its
growth, its nature, its consummation.
Under this head we have :
1. The Sower (Matt. xiii. ; Mark
iv. ; Luke viiL).
2. The Wheat and the Tares (Matt.
xiii.).
3. The Mustard-seed (Matt. xiii. ;
Mark iv.).
4. The Seed cast into the Ground
(Mark iv.).
6. The Leaven (Matt. xiii.).
6. The Hid Treasure (Matt. xiii.).
7. The Pearl of Great Price (Matt.
xiii.).
8. The Net cast into the Sea (Matt.
xiii.).
(B.) The next parables are of a dif-
ferent type and occupy a different
position. They occur chiefly in the
interval between the mission of the
Seventy and the last approach to Je-
rusalem. They are drawn from the
life of men rather than from the world
<>f nature. Often they occur, not as in
Halt, xiii. in discourses to the multi-
tude, but in answers to the questions
of the disciples or other inquirers-
They are such as these :
9. The Two Debtors (Luke vii.).
10. The Merciless Servant (Matt
xviii.).
11. The Good Samaritan (Luke x.).
12. The Friend at Midnight (Luke
xL).
13. The Rich Fool (Luke xiL).
14. The Wedding-feast (Luke xii.).
15. The Fig-tree (Luke xiii.).
16. The Great Supper (Luke xiv.).
IT. The Lost Sheep (Matt xviii. ;
Luke xv.).
18. The Lost Piece of Money (Luke
xv.).
19. The Prodigal Son (Luke xv.).
20. The Unjust Steward (Luke xvi.).
21. The Rich Man and Lazarus
(Luke xvi.).
22. The Unjust Judge (Luke xviii.).
23. The Pharisee and the Publican
(Luke xviii.).
24. The Laborers in the Vineyard
(Matt. xx.). .
(C.) Towards the close of our Lord's
ministry, immediately before and af-
ter the entry into Jerusalem, the para-
bles assume a new character. Thcj
are again theocratic, but the phase of
the Divine kingdom on which they
chiefly dwell is that of its final con-
summation. They are prophetic, in
part, of the rejection of Israel ; in
part of the great retribution of the
coming of the Lord. They are to the
earlier parables what the prophecy
of Matt. xxiv. is to the Sermon on
the Mount To this class we ma?
refer :
25. The Pounds (Luke xlx.).
26. The Two Sons (Matt. xxi.).
27. The Vineyard let out to Has
bandmen (Matt xxi. ; Mark
xii. ; Lnke xx.).
28. TheMarriage-feast(Matt.xxii.).
29. The Wise and Foolish Virgins
(Matt. xxv.).
30. The Talents (Matt. xxv.).
31. The Sheep and the Goats (Matt
xxv.).
Bethany.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE THIRD YEAR OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY. FROM THE THIRD TO THE
FOURTH AND LAST PASSOVER. A.D. 29, 30.
FOR the third time we obtain from the Gospel of John alone a
note of the return of another sacred year (John vi. 4), from the very
beginning of which we trace signs of the coming end. It is very
affecting to observe how, the more Christ multiplied miracles be-
fore his Galilean followers, the farther were they from receiving his
spiritual teaching. The personal benefits they had now so long
been in the habit of receiving came to be every thing to them ; and
the witness which the works bore to Christ was only valued as ex-
citing selfish hopes in them. It was to see and to profit by more
miracles that they ran after him round the lake ; and this last
wonder of his feeding five thousand men, besides women and chil-
dren, with five barley-loaves and two small fishes, leaving twelve
basket of fragments to be gathered up, while it convinced them that
he was the prophet predicted by Moses (Dcut. xviii. 15X excited
A.D. 29, 30. OFFER OF THE KINGDOM. 267
proud hopes of independence instead of humble faith in him, and
they were ready to " take him by force und make him king " (John
vi. 14). On this first mention of such a design, we may well con-
sider what it involved. It was no offer of a peaceful succession,
made by a united people. With Judaea governed by a Roman
procurator, and Galilee held by Herod at the pleasure of the em-
peror with factions among the Jews themselves ready to support
the Idumaean dynasty, and even to cry out, " We have no king but
Caesar '' his consent would have been the signal for a war such as
ourst out under Nero. And here we may doubtless see one of
those occasions on which Jesus himself was tempted, though with-
out sin. The people of Galilee repeated the offer which Satan had
made on the Mount of Temptation ; and that there was a real con-
flict in our Saviour's mind, is proved by his departing alone into a
mountain to pray. 13ut first, while he sent away the people, the
disciples, who, we may be quite sure, were ready to take part with
them, were directed, not without great reluctance, to recross the
lake into Galilee to Bethsaida.
As the night fell, Jesus watched the lonely vessel tossed about by
the waves and adverse wind, an emblem of the love and vigilance
which attends his people in the voyage of life. It was only in the
fourth watch of the night that he came to them, walking on the
waves ; and even then he made as though he would have passed
them ; but their cry of fresh terror at the supposed apparition was
answered by the cheering announcement of his presence. Then
presumption succeeded to despair; and Peter, the representative
of this feeling among the apostles, was saved by Jesus from perish-
ing in the waves, on which he had had the rashness, but not the
faith, to walk. As soon as Jesus was received by the disciples into
the ship, its voyage came to an end at "the land of Gennesaret,"
the fertile plain uj>on the western shore, which gave to the lake one
of its names, nnd in which Capernaum stood (Matt. xiv. 18-2G ;
Mark vi. 32-56; Luke ix. 10-14; John vi. 1-21).
The wonted crowds that flocked to Jesus, as soon as they heard
of liia landing, bringing their nick and afflicted for him to heal, were
swollen by the multitudes who returned from the other side in boats,
and, wondering, askod him how he had recrossed the lake. Not"
xvithstanding what they had just seen, they asked for some new sign
to match that of the manna in the wilderness ; and, in reply, he
taught them that spiritual life can only be received by spiritually
eating his flesh and drinking his blood. At this "hard saying"
defection began among his disciples ; nnd when he added that there
were unbelievers among them, many finally forsook him ; and lie
asked the Twelve, " Will ye also go away ?" Firm and full as was
268 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIV.
Peter's profession of their faith in him, he gave even to them the
warning, "Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
He spake of JUDAS ISCARIOT," whose coming treason is now first
distinctly mentioned (John vi. 22-71).
"After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not
walk in Jewry (Judaea), because the Jews sought to kill him" (John
vii. 1). These words imply that a new conspiracy against Jesus
was formed by the rulers at this Passover, for which reason he re-
mained in Galilee six months longer, till the Feast of Tabernacles.
Disappointed by his absence, more of the Scribes and Pharisees
went to meet him on his own ground ; and their fault-finding gave
him the opportunity of denouncing the vain traditions by which
they annulled the spirit of the law, while adding to its burdensomo
obligations (Matt. xv. 1-20; Mark vii. 1-23). But they had prob-
ably another object besides controversy, to stir up Herod against
Jesus, who therefore withdrew for a time out of Herod's jurisdiction,
first into the region of Tyre and Sidon, and afterwards to the Do-
capolis. His stay in Phoenicia was marked by that condescension
to the prayer of the Syro-Phomician woman (a native of the coun-
try, but of Greek extraction, the counterpart to the woman of Sarepta
in the time of Elijah), which was the first case of his performing a
miracle for, and recognizing the faith of, an actual heathen (Matt.
xv. 21-28 ; Mark vii. 24-30). Passing round the north side of the
Lake of Galilee to the Decapolis (the district of the " Ten Cities"
which the Romans had rebuilt), Jesus healed a deaf and dumb man,
with many others, and repeated the miracle of feeding the multi-
tudes that followed him 4000 men, besides women and children
with seven loaves and a few small fishes, seven basketfuls of frag-
ments being taken up (Matt. xv. 29-38 ; Mark vii. 37 ; viii. 9).
Crossing the lake to Magdala (or rather Magadan), in the district
of Dalmanutha, he again encountered the Pharisees, this time in
league with the Sadducces and Herodians, whose demand for a sign
he answered by refusing them any but what he had named before,
" the sign of the prophet Jonas " (Matt. xv. 39 ; xvi. 1-4 ; Mark viii.
10-12). After they had departed, Jesus crossed the lake with his
disciples, and, recurring to the conversation they had just heard,
warned them to " beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the
leaven of Herod." So little, however, were the disciples prepared
for this, that they mistook it for a reproof for having brought only
one loaf with them ! They had forgotten the five thousand and
the four thousand, or they would have known that, where he was,
natural bread could not fail them. He meant by this leaven the
doctrine of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees (Matt. xvi. 4-12;
Mark viii. 13-21) of those who, under the show of superior enlight-
A.D. 29, 30. CHRIST IN PHCENICIA. 269
enment, removed the foundations of the fear of God by denying a
future state. He used the same figure on another occasion, ex-
plaining that by " the leaven of the Pharisees " he meant hypocrisy
(Luke xii. 1) ; that of the Sadducees and Herodians was an ungod-
ly worldly policy.
From the eastern side of the Lake of Tiberias, Jesus went with
his disciples up the course of the Jordan, staying at Bethsaida,
where he healed a blind man (Mark viii. 22-26), to Csesarea Philip-
pi, near the sources of the river. This city, at the very extremity
of the Holy Land, marking the northmost limit of our Saviour's trav-
els, was the scene of some of the most memorable events in his
course events that were designed to prepare the disciples for the
consummation now rapidly approaching. Here it was that his ques-
tions testing their faith and knowledge concerning himself drew forth
Peter's memorable confession, "Thou art the CHRIST, the SON OF
THE LIVING GOD." Jesus replied that this had been revealed from
no human source, but by his Father in heaven, to the disciple whose
very name of Peter was the symbol of the stability and triumph of
his Church : " Upon this Rock " (not Peter, but CHRIST HIMSELF)
" will I build my Church ; and the gates of hell {Hades) " that is,
the powers of destruction "shall not prevail against it" (Matt.
xvi. 13-20 ; Mark viii. 27-30; Luke ix. 18-21 : comp. Acts iv. 11,
12; 1 Cor. iii. 11; Eph. ii. 20 ; 1 Peter ii. 5; Rev. xxi. H). To
the apostle who had confessed this truth Christ went on to grant
the first place in the work of building up the Church. The sense
in which he received " the keys of t lie kingdom of heaven" the of-
fice of opening its door was seen when, on the day of Pentecost,
Peter was the first to admit a multitude of the believing Jews, and
afterwards, in the house of Cornelius, a number of Gentile proselytes,
into the Christian Church. But he did both as the organ of the oth-
er apostles, for to them Christ afterwards gave the same privilege
that he now gave to Peter (sec Matt, xviii. 18; John xx. 23: AcU
ii. x.). And now, after commanding his disciples not yet to di-
vulge the truth they had confessed, he reveals to them the greater
mystery of his death and resurrection, and the necessity of his going
forward to its accomplishment " that he MUST go into Jerusalem,"
2tc. The rash zeal with which the very apostle, whose faith had
just earned such a blessing, dared to protest against the decrees of
Heaven, was sternly rebuked as a temptation of the devil, 1 and the
1 The passage must be explained by the well-known figure of speech call-
ed apoHtrophe. In the words of Peter our Lord recognized one of the very
temptations with which he wns assailed in the wilderness by Sntnn, and /or
him were really meant the words which seemed addressed to Peter " Get
thee behind me, Satau !"
270 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIV.
apostles were warned against the like temptations to deny their
Lord, in some of the most solemn and awful words that ever fell
from his lips (Matt. xvi. 21-28 ; Mark viii. 31-ix. 1 ; Luke ix.
S2-27).
Having thus received a foretaste of "the sufferings of Christ,"
the minds of the disciples were soon relieved by a glimpse of " the
glory that should follow." Just a week after the above discourse,
Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, the three disciples
who were also to be the witnesses of his agony at Gethsemane, to
behold a vision of his heavenly glory. The scene is traditionally
identified with Mount Tabor, but this can not have been the place.
All we can infer from the Gospel narrative is that it was a high
mountain near to Cassarea Philippi, perhaps one of the lower sum-
mits of Hermon. As he prayed, his face and raiment were trans-
figured to the same glorious majesty and brilliant whiteness in
which he appeared to John long afterwards at Patmos. With him
were seen in glory Moses and Elijah, the lawgiver and reformer of
the Old Covenant; and their converse with him concerning "his
decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem " showed to the
disciples the harmony of the Law and the Prophets with the Gos-
pel in regarding Christ's sufferings as the prelude to his glory; and
that that glory would be shared by his followers was intimated by
the glory in which Moses and Elijah themselves appeared. Nor
was there wanting a sensible proof of the presence of God the Fa-
ther; but instead of the "blackness, and darkness, and tempest."
amidst which God' had revealed himself both to Moses and Elijah
upon Mount Sinai, it was a bright cloud out of which a voice came,
saying, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear
ye him." The disciples, who had given way, while the Master was
praying, to a supernatural drowsiness, like that which overcame
them at Gethsemane, awoke just in time for Peter to express the
fond desire to remain amidst such bliss, when the voice was heard
from the cloud, the vision vanished, and they were left alone with
Jesus. As they came down from the mountain, he charged them
not to tell what they had seen till after his resurrection ; and he ex-
plained, in reply to their inquiries about the coming of Elijah before
the Messiah, that Elijah had already come in the person of John the
Baptist, and had been persecuted by those very scribes who had
taught men to expect him, and that so the Son of Man would also
suffer (Matt. xvii. 1-13; Mark ix. 2-13 ; Luke ix. 28-36).
Meanwhile the remaining apostles had attempted to heal a fright-
ful case of demoniacal possession ; and their failure had subjected
them to the scornful objections of the scribes, and the unbelief of
the people. After rebuking that unbelief, and bringing the father
A.D. 29, 30 THE TRANSFIGURATION. 271
of the sufferer, who had expressed it, to cry with tears, "Lord, I he.
lieve : help thou mine unbelief," Jesus cast out the furious demon ;
and then told his disciples, in private, the secret of their failure be-
cause of their unbelief, and the unbounded power of faith: "This
kind goeth not out but bv prayer and fasting" (Matt. xvii. 14-21 ;
Mark ix. 14-29 ; Luke ix. 37-43).
Jesus now returned with the Twelve; for the last time, to the shoress
nf the Lake of Galilee. At Capernaum he released Peter by a
miracle from his difficulty about the tribute-money, the " didrachm,"
which corresponds in value to the half-shekel, and seems therefore
to have been the poll-tax of that amount, which was paid for the
temple-service. The piece of money, a "stater," which Peter
found in the fish's mouth was equal to a shekel, and therefore the
precise amount of the tax for his Master and himself. The ex-
emption which Jesus claimed, though he waived it lest he should
offend the Jews, may be regarded as an assertion of his divinity.
(Matt. xvii. 24-28).
From the great lessons they had lately received, the apostles seem
as yet to have derived only a vague idea that their Master's king-
dom was at hand, and that they must not lose its advantages to
themselves. The contest which arose among them for precedence
pave an occasion for our Saviour's teaching, by the pattern of a lit-
tle child whom he set in the midst of them, the great lessons of hu-
mility, brotherly love, forgiveness and forbearance ; to which he
added that of reverent regard for children, just because they hold
out to us an example of the state of innocence from which we have
fallen, and which must be regained, by repentance and conversion,
before we can enter the kingdom of heaven. And thus the last
lesson which our Lord taught in Galilee re-echoes the first with
which he opened the Sermon on the Mount. Indeed, the whole
discourse, which is reported most fully by St. Matthew, forms a
most impressive climax to the teaching which was so begun.
Christ's own example, in coming to sack and save the lost, is held
forth as the great motive to compassionate love and mutual forgive-
ness. The power of binding and loosing is now extended to all the
apostles; his presence is promised in all their assemblies; and hie
Father's answer to all their prayers. Once more the solemn warn-
ing is repeated, concerning resistance to sin and decision between
the Master and the world ; and the note of future judgment, already
truck in the Sermon on the Mount, concludes the whole, but for
the gentle final words recorded by St. Mark : "Have peace one
with another " (Matt, xviii. ; Mark ix. 33-50 ; Luke ix. 46-50).
At this point the first two Evangelists again omit a visit to Jerusa-
lem, with other incidents of the highest importance, which arc re*
272 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIV.
corded by Luke and John. Our Lord's work in Galilee was done ;
it remained to give the Jews of Judaea one more opportunity for re-
pentance and faith.
The approaching Feast of Tabernacles invited him to Jerusalem ;
and his only half-believing brethren challenged him with the
rough candor of family advisers to leave the comparative secrecy
of Galilee and show his works openly to his disciples in Judaea.
Rebuking their impatience with the answer that " His time was
not yet come," he bade them go up to the feast without him. He
remained in Galilee for some days, and then went up " as it were
in secret" (John vii. 2-10). This secrecy seems to refer to his
travelling through Samaria, rather than by way of Peraea, perhaps
to disconcert a plot against his life. The choice of this route, also,
gave one more day of grace to the Samaritans ; but for the most
part in vain, as we see in the case of tho first villages,. to which
CliMst sent forward messengers, but the people would not receive
him, as he was on his way to Jerusalem. The sons of Zebedee,
who would have called down fire from heaven, as Elijah did, to
punish the insult, were checked by the rebuke: "Ye know not
what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come
to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 5x. 51-56). To
various persons who met him, offering to become his disciples, but
pleading some excuse for delay, he taught the necessity of leaving
all, to follow him (Luke ix. 57-62). During his progress through
Samaria, he sent forth Seventy Disciples, two and two, to go before
him, preaching the Gospel in every place that he designed to visit.
This differed in several points from the previous commission of the
apostles. The number of the Seventy, and the scene of their mis-
sion, Samaria, alike indicated that the time was at hand for preach-
ing the Gospel to the heathen ; whereas the number of the apostles
corresponded to the Twelve Tribes of Israel, to whom their commis-
sion also restricted them ; nor had the Seventy received the special
training of the Twelve. Some have also seen a significance in the
sending forth of the Twelve at the season of the Passover, the be-
ginning of the harvest, and of the Seventy at the time of the Feast
of Tabernacles, the end of all the labors of the year. In other re-
spects, their instructions were the same ; and they may be regard-
sd as, in spirit, those which should ever guide Christ's ministers
{Luke x. 1-16).
Meanwhile his movements and character were the great subject
of discussion at Jerusalem. While all were asking, " Where is
he?" some said, "He is a good man;" others, "Nay, but he de-
ceiveth the people." But all spoke privately, for fear of the rulers.
It was about the middle of the feast when he appeared, teaching iu
A.D. 29, 30. FEAST OF TABERNACLES. 273
the temple. To the expressions of wonder at the learning shown
by a Galilean peasant, he replied by declaring his doctrine to be not
his own, but His that sent him, promising, too, that whoever desired
to do God's will should be taught these truths. He denounced the
conspiracy against his life on the old charge of having broken the
Sabbath by the miracle performed on his previous visit to Jerusa-
lem. His boldness and impunity raised the question, whether the
rulers knew that he was indeed the Christ; but still the people
were perplexed by his humble and apparently well-known origin,
so opposed to the mystery with which they expected the Christ to
come : " We know whence this man is ; but, when Christ cometh,
no man knoweth whence he is." Jesus corrected the error, and his
miracles convinced many, who argued, "When Christ cometh, will
he do more miracles than these which this man hath done ?"
Alarmed at these signs, the Pharisees and priests hesitated to lay
bands on him, for fear of the people.
As they watched their opportunity, Jesus continued to discourse
in language more and more perplexing to his adversaries, till, on
the last and greatest day of the feast, when the ceremony was per-
formed of fetching water from the well of Siloam, and pouring it on
the nltar, while the priests sang the words, " With joy shall ye draw
water out of the wells of salvation," He proclaimed himself the giver
of the Water of Life, meaning thereby the Holy Spirit. Upon this
the controversy among the people grew warmer. Some said that
he was the expected prophet ; some that he was the Christ ;
while others, again, objected his Galilean origin, pleading that
Christ was to come of the seed of David, and from the town of
Bethlehem. His more vehement opponents wished to apprehend
him, but neither they nor the officers risked the attempt. Nay,
carried away themselves by the power of his teaching, the officers
returned to their employers with the words, " Never man spake
like this man." As the rulers began to vent curses on all his fol-
lowers, Nicodemus, the secret disciple, who was one of their number,
ventured to remind them that the law forbade the condemning of a
man unheard (Dent. xix. 16-19) ; but he only brought suspicion
and taunts upon himself for taking the part of a Galilean. This
sventful day was concluded by the dispersion of the people to their
homes, while Jesus retired to the Mount of Olives (John vii. 1-viii.
1). The remaining deeds of our Lord on this visit to Jerusalem
including probably the giving sight to the blind man on the Sab-
bath by the healing waters of Siloam with the discourses in which
he exposed the blindness of the Jews, and asserted his Messiahship
and divinity more plainly than ever together with his parable of
himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep
s
274 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIV.
all this is related by St.. John too fully to bear or need repetition.
The climax of angry unbelief was reached when, on his assertion,
''Before Abraham was, I AM" (comp. Exod. iii. 14), they took up
stones to cast at him ; but Jesus hid himself and went out of the
temple, going through the midst of them" (John viii., ix., x. 1-21).
From these transactions at the Feast of Tabernacles, St. John
passes at once over a period of two months, of which more will be
said presently, to the Feast of the Dedication, in the winter (John
)x. 22 ; comp. p. 227) ; at which, as Jesus was walking in the portico
of the temple, named after Solomon (comp. Acts iii. 11 ; v. 12), he
was pressed by the Jews to relieve them from all doubt, and to tell
them plainly whether he was the Christ. He replied by reminding
them of what he had told them before, and of the works he had
done ; and, recurring to the parable concerning his sheep, he ac-
counts for their obstinate unbelief because they were none of his,
and reasserts more plainly than ever his equality with the Father.
Once more they took up stones, to stone him as a blasphemer ; but
he vindicated his claims from the Scriptures and from his works;
and when they tried to take him, he again escaped, and retired to
Bethabara beyond the Jordan, the place where John had baptized.
There he remained for some time, and many were led to believe in
him by comparing his miracles with John's predictions (John x.
22-42). From this place of retirement Jesus was summoned to
Bethany by the tidings of the illness of Lazarus ; and, after raising
him from the dead, our Lord again retired to " a country near the
wilderness, to a city called Ephraim," where he remained with his
disciples till the approach of his last Passover (John xi. 54, 55).
Six days before the Passover, he is again at Bethany ; and here
the narrative of St. John falls in again with the other three Gospels
(John xii. 1 ; comp. Matt. xxi. 1 ; Mark xi. 1; Luke xix. 29).
Now these brief notices by St. John cover a period of about six
months two from the Feast of Tabernacles to the Feast of Dedica-
tion, and four from the latter to the Passover concerning which
St. Matthew and St. Mai'k are almost silent ; but, on turning to St.
Luke, we find it necessary to place in this interval that large section
which contains some of the most striking parables and most impress-
ive discourses recorded in his Gospel (Luke x. 17-xviii. 4).
The two months between the Feast of Tabernacles and that of the
Dedication seem to have been spent partly in Jerusalem and partly
in its neighborhood, especially in that happy home at Bethany? the
a The position of Bethany is of the greatest importance for understanding
the sequel of our Lord's course. It was situated "at" the Mount of Olives
(Mark xi. 1 ; Luke xix. 29), about fifteen stadia (about two miles) from Jeru-
salem (John xi. IS), on or near the usual road from Jericho to the city (Luke
A.D. 29, 30. FEAST OF DEDICATION. 275
house of Lazarus, and his sisters Martha and Mary. Even here
tiere were differences of character ; but Christ knew how to use and
improve thorn. The zealous, active Martha, who seems to have been
the elder sister, was the first to receive Jesus into the house, where
her gentler sister Mary sat at his feet and heard his word. Busied
with the cares of hospitality, in which she desired to show such a
guest unusual honor, Martha appealed to Jesus to command her
sister's help. But he assured her that all her anxiety was super-
fluous, compared to the one thing, which alone is needful, and Mary
had chosen that {rood part, which would be hers forever, when all
cares about the body should have ceased (Luke x. 38-42 ; comp.
John xi. 1 ; xii. 1-3;" Matt. vi. 33; John xvii. 3; l j sa. Ixxiii. 24-26;
John iv. 14). Though Martha needed the lesson, as she afterwards
needed a rebuke to that impatience which often goes with zeal (John
xi. 24, foil.), we must not misunderstand the narrative, as if she were
altogether in the wrong. Her zeal was honored in its turn ; and
she had an equal share with her brother and sister in the Lord's
affection (John xi. 5, 20).
The highest proof of this affection was furnished by that which is
at the same time the greatest of our Saviour's miracles. Driven,
us we have seen, from Jerusalem by renewed plots against his life
at the Feast of the Dedication, he retired beyond the Jordan, to the
place where John first baptized, and remained there for some time,
receiving many new disciples. He seems to have been still at Beth-
abara, when he received tidings of what he knew to be the mortal ill-
ness of his beloved friend Lazarus. It would be folly to attempt to
relate, in other words, that most pathetic of all the records that hu-
man language has ever embodied. Our Lord gave the crowning
testimony of his own works to his supreme power over life and
death, by restoring life to a body upon which corruption had laid
its hold ; and he taught the full significance of the miracle by the
words: "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE: he that bc-
lieveth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whoso-
jver livcth and believeth in me shall never die" (John xi. 1-44).
The miracle was witnessed by many of the Jews, who had come
>ut of Jerusalem to Bethany (the distance being only two miles) to
:onsole the bereaved sisters. Even the deep distress of Jesus ai
his friend's death had given some of them occasion to utter their
unbelieving cavils ; and, while some were convinced by the miracle,
others went away to give information to the Pharisees. A council
was at once summoned ; and the discordant religious views of the
different sects were overcome by the common alarm, lest Christ's suc-
xix. 29, comp. 1 ; Mark xi. 1, comp. x. 46), and close by another vjiioje called
Uethpaasre. the two being several times mentioned together.
276 SCRIPTURE HiSTORY. CHAP. XXIV.
cess should provoke the jealousy of Rome, and bring down destruc-
tion on the nation. Caiaphas, the high-priest, the leader of the
rulers, took up the argument of political expediency, and proposed
that one man should be given up to death as a substitute for the
whole people. These words expressed a meaning far deeper than
he himself understood ; and his suggestion of a sacrifice to save the
oeople from the anger of Caesar was in fact a prophecy, which the
Holy Spirit uttered through him as the head of the nation, of the
atonement which the death of Christ should make for the sins of all
the world and the common salvation of all God's people (John xi.
47-52). From that hour the death of Jesus was resolved on ; and
the only hindrance to its accomplishment was God's purpose that
the sacrifice should be offered at the Passover. To this end Jesus
retired to Ephraim in the wilderness, and remained there with his
disciples. 3 Thence he seems to have withdrawn beyond the Jor-
dan, perhaps to place himself within Herod's jurisdiction ; for he was
clearly in Persea when he commenced that final movement towards
Jerusalem, which forms the turning-point in the narrative of St.
Luke (Luke xiii. 22 ; Matt. xix. 1, 2).
As he proceeded leisurely through Peram towards Jerusalem,
teaching in the villages on the way, he was warned of Herod's de-
signs on his life. The information was given by the Pharisees,
evidently with the view of hastening our Lord's return within their
own reach " Get thee out, and depart hence : for Herod will kill
thee" and his answer involved a keen rebuke of their treacherous
affectation of regard for his safety. He bids them go themselves
to tell Herod that his time was indeed at hand, but that his course
was not to be shortened by the wiles of " that fox." His death was
to be accomplished by the open violence of his own countrymen at
Jerusalem, where all the former prophets had been slain, "for it
can not be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem!" And then,
apostrophizing the city, to which his face was now turned, he ut-
tered that exquisitely pathetic lamentation, which he afterwards re-
peated in sight of its walls (Luke xiii. 31-35 ; comp. Matt, xxiii.
37-39). His ministry had led him thither at least four times, and
this visit was to be his last, the last of any prophet ; and thence-
forth the place which God had chosen for His house would be left
desolate, and they should see him no more till the day when, in a
sense yet to be accomplished, they should say, "Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord " (comp. Psa. cxviii. 20).
To this progress through Persea should probably be referred those
8 John xi. 53, 54. By the "wilderness" is probably meant the wild un-
cultivated hill-country north-east of Jerusalem, lying between the central
towns and the Jordan valley.
A.D. 29, 30. LAST JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM. 277
most impressive parables and lessons which occupy the 14th, 15th,
16th. 17th, and 18th chapters of St. Luke, the last few of which
bring this Gospel again into connection with those of Matthew and
Mark. As bearing upon the course of our Saviour's history, we
must especially notice the warning which he gives his disciples
now for the third time, and in greater detail than before, of his
passion, death, and resurrection (Matt. xx. 17-19 ; Mark x. 32-34 ;
Luke xviii. 31-34) ; and his answer to the ambitious request of the
sons of Zebedee, which taught that they must suffer with him be-
fore they reigned with him (Matt. xx. 20-28 ; Mark x. 35-45).
He now crossed the Jordan, and advanced towards Jerusalem by
the high-road through Jericho. That city was the scene of the
healing of two blind men, who saluted Jesus as the son of David, 4
and of the conversion of the publican Zacchaeus (Luke .xix. 2-28).
At length, while the Jews, who had already assembled at Jerusalem
to purify themselves before the Passover, were wondering whether
he would come, and. the chief priests and Pharisees had commanded
his first appearance to be denounced to them, that he might be ap-
prehended, he arrived at Bethany six days before the Passover, that
is, on Friday the 8th of Nisan, the eve of the Sabbath (John xii.
1). The Sabbath was spent at Bethany ; and to the evening suc-
ceeding it we should probably refer (though the matter has been
much disputed) the supper in the house of Simon the leper, at
which Martha served, while Lazarus sat at table, and at which Mary
anointed Christ, in preparation for his burial (John xii. 2-8 ; Matt.
xxvi. 1-16 ; Mark xiv. 1-11).
His presence there was soon known at Jerusalem, and many of
the Jews went out with the double motive of seeing Jesus, and
Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. The living proof of
the miracle converted into believers many who had gone from curi-
osity. At this the Pharisees were doubly enraged ; and perhaps
history records no example of infatuation equal to their resolve to
put Lazarus as well as Jesus to death (John xii. 9-11). This Sab-
bath was the 9th of Nisan, which in that year (A.D. 30) corresponded
to March 31st of the Julian Cnlendar. The intervention of the
Sabbath delayed the execution of the design till the following week
when Jesus at length "offered himself" publicly in the spirit of tho
prophecy : "Lo ! I come to do thy will, O God" (Psa. xl. 6 ; Heb.
x. 5-9).
4 Matt. xx. 29-34 ; Mark x. 46-62 ; Luke xviii. 36 ; xix. 1. It is nnueceesary
to discus." the apparent discrepancy, the very existence of which is a proof
of the independence and honesty of the witnesses. Possible reconciliations
have been suggested, enough to show that there is no real contradiction.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. FROM PALM - SUNDAY TO EASTER.
EVE (APRIL IST TO APRIL TTII). A.D. 30.
TABLE OF THE ENSUING DATES.
"fhe Jewish days are to be reckoned from the preceding sunset.)
S. Nisfin 9. March 31. SABBATH at Bethany. Evening; Simon's Suppet
S. " 10. April 1. Palm-Sunday. Entry into Jerusalem.
M. " 11. " 2. Jesus again in the Temple.
To. " 12. " 3. Last visit to the Temple. Prophecy of his second
coming.
W. "13. " 4. Conspiracy of the rulers.
Th. " 14. " 5. Evening. The PASSOVEK and Lord's Supper.
F. " 15. " 6. Good-Friday. The CRUCIFIXION, and Entombment ,
8. "1C. " 7. SABBATH. Easter-Eve.
S. " IT. " 8. EASTER-DAY. The RESURRECTION.
S. Nisan 24. April 15. SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.
Th. Sivau 3. May 17. Holy Thursday. The ASCENSION.
S. Sivan 13. May 27. PENTECOST. WHITSUNDAY.
THE great events of the succeeding eight days, including the
"Pnssion Week" and "Easter-Day," must he viewed as one con-
A.D. 30. PALM-SUNDAY. 279
nected series ; and the Evangelists enable us to trace the incidents
of each day. St. Luke gives us this general description of our
Lord's proceedings on the first three days of the week: "In the
day-time he was teaching in the temple, and at night he went out
and abode in the Mount of Olives " (Luke xxi. 37).
1. Palm-Sunday, the }Qth of Nisan (April ls<). This was the
day on which the lamb for the Passover was selected, to be kept up
ill the time of slaying it. In fulfillment of the type, as himself
v ,he Lamb of God, Christ prepared to present himself in the temple
at Jerusalem. But he came to the people also in another charac-
ter, as the promised Son of David, their rightful King and Judge.
The prophet Zechariah had both foretold the manner and explained
the meaning of this, the great advent of the Messiah : " Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion ; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem ; be-
hold thy KING cometh unto thee : He is just, and having salvation ;
lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass." 1
Two disciples, sent forward from Bethany to Bethphage, a village
higher up on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, found an ass
tied up to a door at the meeting of two roads, with her colt, on which
no man had yet ridden, and they had only to say to the owner, " The
Lord hath need of them," to obtain them. The trappings of the
ass were the coarse garments of the disciples, doubtless travel-stain-
ed and worn ; and so Jesus mounted the eastern slope of the Mount
of Olives with far less of outward pomp than even David when he
returned from exile. But he met with a reception apparently as
joyful and as worthy of a restored monarch. The multitude who
had come to the feast went forth to meet him, bearing in their hands
the fronds of the palm-tree, the well-known sign of victory, and
spreading their garments beneath his feet. As he began to de-
scend the Mount, in full view of the temple, all the disciples burst
forth into a shout of joy, praising God for all the wondrous works
that Christ had done, and the people took up the cry, in the pro-
phetic words of David himself, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of
David" that is, "The Lord preserve the Son of David." They
blessed him as the King of Israel, head of the kingdom of their
father David, coming in the name of Jehovah, and repeated the
welcome with which the angels had heralded his birth (comp.
PSR. cxviii. 25 ; Luke ii. 14). For the moment, the Pharisees
thought that all their plots were frustrated, and stiid to each oth-
er, "Perceive ye how we prevail nothing? Behold the world is
gone after him." Some of them took courage to address him in an
affected protest against the enthusiasm which endangered all con-
1 Zech. ix. 9. In the old times of Israel, judges and their sons, and after
wards the king's sons, rode upon nsee.
280 SCKIPTUKE HISTORY. CHAP. XXV.
cerned "Master, rebuke thy disciples!" And he answered, "I
tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would im-
mediately cry out!" (Matt. xxi. 1-16; Mark xi. 1-10; Luke xix.
21-40; John xii. 12-16). But he well knew the issue; and so,
pausing in his triumphal progress as he drew near to the city, he
once more bewailed its rejection of the day of grace, and predicted
its destruction. 2 Entering into Jerusalem and the temple, he still
met with the same reception, the people crying, "This is Jesus, the
prophet of Nazareth of Galilee !" and coming to him in the temple
to be healed. What most incensed the chief priests and scribes was
to hear the children crying in the temple, " Hosanna to the Son
of David," and, as before, they asked him to silence them ; but
he only reminded them of David's words, " Out of the mouths of
babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise." In the evening
he returned to Bethany (Matt. xxi. 10-17; Markxi. 11)
2. Monday, the llth of Nisan (April2d.) Having on the preced-
ing days shown himself in the temple as King in Zion, amidst tho
acclamations of the people, Jesus now proceeded to the practical
exertion of his authority by cleansing the temple, as he had already
done at the commencement of his ministry. There is, however, a
striking difference between the two scenes, in the greater severity
which he now used. While there was a hope of reformation, he
had been content with the language of remonstrance, " Make not
my Father's house a house of merchandise ;" but now he takes up
the stern language of the Judge, "It is written, My house shall be
called of all nations the house of prayer ; but ye have made it a den
of thieves" (Matt. xxi. 12, 13 ; Mark xi. 15-19; Luke xix. 45-48:
comp. John ii. 13-17).
On the same day, on his way from Bethany to Jerusalem in the
morning, had occurred the striking incident of his cursing the bar-
ren fig-tree, which was found dead the next morning a fit type of
that premature outward show of devotion with which ho was even
now welcomed by the people (Matt. xxi. 18, 19 ; Mark xi. 12-14,
20). 3 This was our Lord's only miracle of destmction.
3. Tuesday, the 11 th of Nisan (April 4<A), is memorable as the
last day of our Lord's public teaching ; and the story of it comprises
an epitome of his controversies with his enemies, his most solemn
lessons to his disciples and the people, and his prophecies and
9 Lnke xix. 39-44. That frequent repetition, which is esteemed the mark
of certainty, is to be observed in this prediction of our Lord ; first, on his
way to Jerusalem ; secondly, on this occasion ; thirdly, during; his last day
in the temple ; and finally, on his last farewell to the city.
3 The name of Bethphage, "House of Figs," points to the fig-trees thai
grew among the olives on the mount.
A.D. 30. LAST DAY OF CHRIST'S TEACHING. 281
warnings concerning the end of the Mosaic dispensation and of the
world itself, and his own final coming as the Judge of men.
On entering the temple, lie was met hy a new demand of the
chief priests and scribes for his authority, doubtless with the design
of hanging on his reply a charge of blasphemy. But he asked them
to tell him first whether the baptism of John was from heaven or
of man. If they confessed the former, they stood convicted as un-
believers ; but, if they maintained the latter, they themselves would
be exposed to the fury of the common people, who all held John to
be a prophet. So they were put to silence ; and Jesus pointed the
moral of the scene by the parable of the Two Sons and the Vineyard.
Still more striking pictures were given of their guilt in his rejec-
tion, and of God's purpose to transfer to others the privileges they
had forfeited, by the parables of the Wicked Husbandmen and of the
Weddiny Garment (Matt. xxi. 23-46 ; Mark xi. 27-xii. 12 ; Luke
xx. 1-19 ; Matt. xxii. 1-14).
Sonic effort must now be made to check the influence of all these
discourses on the people; and each party of his enemies tried in
turn both to gain a victory over him in argument, and to entrap
him out of his own mouth. The first scheme, concerted by the
Pharisees with the Herodians, who were friendly to the Roman pow-
er, was to convict him of treason to Caesar. But he pointed to the
fact that their money bore the image and superscription of Caesar,
as a proof that, by accepting the emperor's protection, they had
themselves decided the lawfulness of paying tribute, and he laid
down for all such cases the great law, " Render to Ca;sar the things
that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." So they
were put to silence (Matt. xxii. 15-22; Mark xii. 13-17 ; Luke xx.
20-26).
The Sadducees tried next; but their subtle argument against the
resurrection was met by exposing their ignorance of the spirituality
of a future state, and by the words of a part of Scripture which they
received ; for when God calls himself the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, he is "not a God of the dead, but of the living; for all
live unto him" (Matt. xxii. 15-22; Mark xii. 13-17 ; Luke xx. 20-
26 ; comp. Exod. iii. G). On learning the discomforture of their ri-
vals, the Pharisees met in council to propose an unanswerable ques-
tion ; and it was this, " Master, which is the great commandment of
the law?" or, as St. Mark puts it, " Which is the first commandment
of all ?" And Jesus replied in the very words in which Moses
himself had summed up the claims of the Two Tables on the whole
nature of man, " Thou shalt love the LOUD THY GOD with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength : this is the first commandment. And the second is liko
282 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. OHAI>. XXV.
unto it, Thoj shalt love thy neighbor as thyself?" The reply was
our Lord's final triumph over error, and the central truth of all his
doctrine. He had begun his public teaching by declaring that
" He came to fulfill the law and the prophets:" He closed it by an-
nouncing that " Love is the fulfilling of the law." The very scribe
who had put the question confessed the spiritual meaning of the
answer with such earnest eloquence as to draw from our Lord the
approval, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of heaven" (Matt.
xxii. 34, 40 ; Mark xii. 28-34).
Meanwhile our Lord's reply had finally silenced nil the cavillers:
"No man after that durst ask him any question." And now the
time was come for him to question them, and to make a last ex-
posure of their destructive system of hypocrisy, as a warning to his
disciples and the people. Looking upon the Scribes and Pharisees,
who had assembled in the temple to enjoy their expected triumph,
he proposed a question, which at once implied his own double
claim to the throne of David and of God, and left those who re-
jected it in either part without excuse : How could Christ be at
the same time David's Son, and his Lord, seated at the right hand
of the throne of God ? (2 Sam. xxiii. 2 ; Psa. ex. 1 : comp. Acts ii.
34, 35 ; 1 Cor. xv. 25). The only possible answer was that full ad-
mission of the spiritual nature of the kingdom of Clirist r which
would have identified him in all points with Jesus ; and, rather
than confess this, their obstinate silence rejected the last oppor-
tunity of offered grace (Matt. xxii. 41-4G; Mark xii. 35-37; Luke
xx. 41-44).
Then ensued our Lord's final outpouring of just indignation on
the false and profligate teachers who had long led on the people,
like the blind leading the blind, to the ruin they were soon to con-
summate. The woes denounced on the "Scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites," by the voice of God's own Son in his holy temple, in
the character of a Judge, and as a foretaste of the last judgment,
stand in a striking contrast to the blessings uttered on his humble
disciples from the mount, as the crimes that called them down were
the very opposite to the virtues there inculcated : saying and not
doing binding grievous burdens for other men's shoulders, while
they would not so much as touch them loving all marks of out-
ward honor, even in the house where God only should be honored,
and displaying all forms of ostentatious devotion, while their lives
were full of rapacity and vice ; converting proselytes to the law, only
to make them twofold more the children of hell than themselves ;
frittering away the most solemn obligations, and at the same time
extenuating the greatest crimes by their false casuistry; cleansing
the outside of cup and dish, which reeked within with abominations
A D. 30. DEPARTURE FROM THE TEMPLE. 283
that they swallowed as their daily food, "straining out the gnat,
and swallowing the camel" their hypocrisy could find no fitter
image than the whited sepulchres, which they were so fond of gar-
nishing without, while the mass of corruption was still festering
within. Aye ! and the fact that their chiefest care was bestowed
on the sepulchres of those prophets whom their fathers slew suggesU
ed the climax of the denunciation. In their affected care to wash
their hands of their fathers' deed, they confessed themselves the
children of those who slew the prophets, and were about to surpass
their worst crimes by an act which should bring on them the guilt
of all the blood shed under the Old Covenant. At last the utter-
ance of wrath dies away in tones of the deepest pity, as he repeats
his lamentation over Jerusalem and her doom of desolation at his
coming (Matt, xxiii. 13-39 ; Mark xii. 40; Luke xx. 47).
Our Saviour's praise of the poor widow who cast two mites all
she had into the treasury, as having given more than all the sums
that the rich cast in from their abundance, is the last event of this
day in the temple, according to the first three Evangelists. St.
John, who passes over the other incidents of this and the preceding
day, relates the coming of certain Greeks, who were introduced by
Philip and Andrew to Jesus, and the declaration of our Lord that
the hour was now come for the Son of Man to he glorified, and for
the Father's name to be glorified by his death, followed by the ap-
proving voice of God from heaven. A brief conversation ensued,
after which Jesus departed finally from the temple, uttering his last
words of promise to believers, and of warning to those who rejected
him words addressed especially to many of the chief rulers, who
believed in secret, but feared to confess him, "for they loved the
praise of men more than the praise of God" (John xii. 20-50).
But the greatest words of this eventful day were uttered by our
Lord to his disciples after he had left Jerusalem. They had call-
ed his attention, as he departed from the temple, to the magnifi-
cence of its buildings ; and he had replied that the time was com-
ing when not one stone would be left upon another. The eastern
valley was no sooner crossed, than they began to ask him when
these things would happen, and what would be the signs of his com
ing and of the end of the world. The threefold form of this inquiry
is an important guide to the momentous discourse which Jesus ut-
tered as he sat. upon the slope of Olivet, in full view of the temple.
Here he is seen as the great Prophet of the new dispensation, briefly
recounting the warnings long before uttered by Daniel, and yet to
be more fully revealed through St. John.
The first part of the discourse describes the taking of Jerusalem
by Titus, the destruction of the temole, and perhaps the fearful
284 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXV
calamities which attended the final dispersion of the Jews by Ha-
drian. Equally clear is the reference of the last part, though tho
point of transition is very difficult to fix, to the scenes preceding
and attending the end of the world and the final judgment ; and to
these a practical application is given by the parables of the faithful
and unfaithful Servant, and of the wise and foolish Virgins ; while
the whole concludes with a plain description of the judgment-day
(Matt, xxiv., xxv. ; Mark xiii. ; Luke xxi. 5-36).
On that very evening, he warned his disciples finally that it
wanted now but two days to the time when, on the coming Pass-
over, he should be betrayed and crucified (Matt. xxvi. 1, 2); and
we can imagine Judas Iscariot slinking out to plot his treason, as,
when more plainly denounced, he left the Paschal table to carry it
out. But why "must the Son of Man be betrayed?" Simply be-
cause his enemies dared not touch him in presence of the people.
Nor, in stating this historic reason, let us forget that " in all points
it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren " whose great-
est earthly trial is perhaps the treachery of friends. " Yea, mine
own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread,
hath lifted up his heel against me " are the prophetic wordsin which
David, from his own experience, foretold the sufferings of Christ
(Psa. xli. 9 ; comp. Iv. 12-14, 20, 21). The plan was to seize him
by treachery in his retirement ; and for this an opportunity was un-
expectedly offered this very night. JUDAS ISCARIOT, whom Jesus
had foreknown as the traitor from the first, came to the chief priests,
and agreed to place his Master in their hands for the paltry bribe
of thirty pieces of silver, the very sum fixed in the law as compen-
sation for the life of a slave (Exod. xxi. 32 ; comp. Zech. xi. 12,
13; Matt, xxvii. 9). Judas stands alone in sacred history as a
man devoted by name, by the voice of the Lord himself, to perdi-
tion. How, then, did he obtain this awful pre-eminence ? Simply
by love of the world. He is the most marked type of those false
disciples who joined Christ in the expectation of an earthly kingdom;
and when our Lord's repeated announcements of his sufferings and
death showed this to be a vain hope, he prepared to sell himself and
his Master to the rulers. He seems to have had that practical tal-
ent for business which gains confidence, and he was made the treas-
urer of the little band ; and this position became a snare to him.
In that character he raised his hypocritical objection to the waste-
fulness of Mary's act of self-devotion, contemplating the securing
the common purse for himself in the approaching end: "This he
said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and
had the bag, and bare what was put therein " (John xii. 6). The
reply of Jesus, implying his knowledge that Judas cared as little
A.D. 30. DAY OF THE PASSOVER. 285
for the poor as for him, seems to have set the seal to the traitor's
purpose ; for Matthew and Mark place his communication to the
chief priests immediately after the feast in Bethany. Whether that
feast be rightly placed after the Sabbath (on Saturday evening), or
on the Tuesday evening, as some prefer, it seems clear from the
three Evangelists that the latter was the date of Judas's bargain,
two days before the Passover (Matt. xxvi. 14-16; Mark xiv. 1,2,
10, 11 ; Luke xxii. 1-6).
4. Wednesday, the 13th of Nisan (April 4th). Our Lord remain-
ed at Bethany till the afternoon of Thursday, and a solemn silence
rests over this period of his life. At all events, the lesson is most
impressive that, in the very last week of his ministry, after three
days of incessant activity, our Lord secured this unbroken interval
of holy contemplation, as the fittest preparation for his Passion.
The idea that he may have spent the day in converse with his dis-
ciples seems to be excluded by the silence of St. John, who is so
full in his relation of the next day's scenes.
5. Thursday, the 14th of Nisan ; the evening belonging to the 15th
(April 5*A). " Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the
Passover must be killed." 4 The exact time appointed in the law
for killing the Paschal Lamb was on the 14th of Nisan " between
the evenings," or about sunset ; and it seems to have been actually
killed between the hour of the evening sacrifice (the 9th hour=3
P.M.) and sunset. Attempts have been made to show that " Christ
our Passover was slain for us " on the same afternoon on which
the Paschal Lamb was killed. But the true view seems to be that
our Lord observed this, the greatest sacrifice of the Old Covenant,
before he offered the one great sacrifice of the New Covenant, that
is, himself, upon the cross, and by so doing he exactly fulfilled the
type.
As the day advanced, the disciples, well aware of the danger of
ft return to the city, asked the Master where they should prepare
the Passover. He sent Peter and John into the city to a certain
man, whom they were to recognize by a sign, and who, at the sim-
ple intimation of the Lord's will, showed them to a large upper
room furnished and in proper order, where they prepared the feast.
Entering the city privately, while the people were similarly engaged
in their several households, Jesus sat down with the twelve apostles
to eat the Passover before sunset. We must now be content to in-
dicate the several events of this memorable feast, which are fully
related in the Gospels ; and the whole meaning of which is an ob-
ject for much future study : Our Lord's refusal of the cup of wine ;
4 Luke rrii. 7. The " Passover" means here the Paschal Lamb. The im
purtance of noticing this will appear presently.
28G SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAT XXV.
his rebuke of the controversy which broke out even then for the
highest place in his expected kingdom ; his lesson of humility by
washing the disciples' feet, followed by the warning, "Ye are not
all clean ;" the overpowering sorrow with which he plainly de-
clared that the traitor was one of them, and the agonizing questions,
" Lord, is it I ? Is it I ?" answered by the sign which marked
out the traitor, though to John alone, and the words so piercing-
ly clear to the traitor, though misunderstood by the rest which sent
Judas forth in haste to concert his measures with the rulers, under
cover of the night, which had now set in.
Then Christ announced to those who were left, that the hour
was come for the Son of Man to be glorified, and for God to be
glorified in him ; that he was going before them on a path by which
they should soon follow him, but that they were not yet ready ;
and meanwhile he gave them the pew commandment, that they
should love one another. The impatient zeal of Peter rebelled at
the thought of not following his Master now ; and his self-deceiv-
ing readiness to lay down his life for Christ's sake was rebuked by
the prediction that he would deny him thrice on that very night be-
fore the crowing of the cock ; while the other disciples, who might ba
beginning to think themselves above the weakness of Peter as well
us the treachery of Judas, were warned that they too would aban-
don him that night and be scattered abroad ; but he appointed to
meet them in Galilee after his resurrection (John xiii. 3G-38 ;
Matt. xxvi. 31-35 ; Mark xiv. 27-31).
Either just before or just after this scene, as the supper was
drawing to an end, Christ took a loaf of the unleavened bread, and,
having given thanks, he brake it and gave it them to eat, as the
emblem of his body, broken for men. Then, the supper being
ended, he took a cup, the third of those usually partaken of at the
Paschal feast, and divided it in like manner among them, as the
pledge of the new covenant in his blood, shed for the remission of
sins. Thus he instituted the LORD'S SUPPER, to be observed to all
f'Uure time, in remembrance of him (Matt. xxvi. 26-29 ; Mark xiv.
22-25; Luke xxii. 19, 20; 1 Cor. xi. 23-25).
Between the end of the meal and the hymns of praise which fol-
lowed it, there was an interval of most solemn and delightful con-
verse, in which occurs the great promise of the Paraclete, the Holy
Spirit of truth. The exquisite chapters of St. John which contain
this discourse conclude with that most solemn and affecting of all
the utterances of human language, our Lord's intercessory prayer*
John xiv., xvii. The break at xiv. 31 is only apparent. It indicates the
first movement towards departure ; but the discourse is resumed and con
eluded before they leave the house.
A.D. 30. DAY OF THE PASSOVER. 287
in presence of his disciples. The singing of a hymn, probably the
" Great Hallel" (Psa. cxv.-cxviii.), concluded the Paschal celebra-
tion, and then they went out together to the first scene of suffer-
ing on the Mount of Olives (Matt. xxvi. 30 ; Mark xiv. 26 ; Luke
xxii. 39).
Going down into the ravine which divides Jerusalem from the
Mount, they crossed the brook Kedron, and entered the Garden of
Grethsemane (the Oil-press). A part of the garden still exists, be-
tween the brook and the foot of the Mount, marked by a few olive-
trees, which are old enough to have grown there since our Saviour's
;ime. 6 Here Jesus took apart the same three disciples Peter,
James, and John who had seen his glory on the Mount of Trans-
figuration, to be near him during his last and most fearful agony of
temptation. We leave to the words of Holy Writ the scene which
ended with the appearance of the traitor, leading the officers of the
temple, and his betrayal of his Master by a kiss ; as well as the in-
cidents which put the assailants to shame, and proved the omnipo-
tence which our Lord abstained from using in his own defense,
since this hour (he said) was granted to them and to the powers of
darkness, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Then all his dis-
ciples forsook him and fled : but the self-reliant zeal of Peter and
the love of John induced them to follow at a safe distance (Matt.
xxvi. 36-5G; Mark xiv. 32-50; Luke xxii. 39-53; John xviii. 2-
11).'
We must distinguish four different scenes of our Lord's trial (to
use the word for such a mockery of justice) : (1) His being taken to
the house of Annas; (2) His private examination by Caiaphas ;
(3) His formal arraignment before the Sanhedrim as a blasphemer
under the Jewish law ; (4) His being delivered to Pilate, to be dealt
with by the Roman law, as a traitor to Caesar besides the episode
of Pilate's sending him to Herod.
(1.) The Divine prisoner was led first to the house of Annas, the
father-in-law of the high-priest, Caiaphas perhaps to avoid com-
mitting the rulers, till it was decided whether they would risk a
public trial. But there seems now to have been no wish to draw
back ; and Annas sent him bound to Cniaphas, who had already
openly advised his death (John xviii. 13. 14, 24).
(2.) The examination in the house of Caiaphns is connected with
the affecting episode of Peter's threefold denial of his Master, to
* The present garden is fifty paces square. That it was much Inr^er is
clear from Luke xxii. 41. There are eight trees, the age of which hn? been
reckoned at two thousand years.
7 The incident of the young man, which is recorded by Mars only (iiv 61,
62), has been conjectured to refer to the Evangelist himself.
288 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXV.
understand which, the structure of an Oriental house should be re-
membered. The gate gives entrance to an open court-yard, and it
was in the middle of this court that the servants and officers made
a fire to keep off the chilliness of a spring night. Peter and John
followed at a distance; but John, having some acquaintance with
the high-priest, not only ventured himself into the palace, but spoke
to the female servant at the door who let in Peter ; and he had the
rashness to sit down among the soldiers. Jesus was led into one
of the chambers opening into the court, whence he could see what
passed round the fire. Where John was, we are not told ; but it
seems that, being known to the servants, he was left unmolested,
and so became an eye-witness of what followed to the very end ;
and hence the vast importance which is assigned to his testimony.
The details of the three denials must be read in the Gospels. 8
The first interrogation seems to have been made by the high-
priest just after Peter's first denial, preparatory to the meeting of
the Sanhedrim at dawn. "The high-priest asked Jesus of his dis-
ciples and of his doctrine." The former question may have been de-
signed to ascertain, before summoning the Sanhedrim, how far the
new leaven had spread among its members (comp. John xii. 42);
but Jesus betrayed no man. To the other question he only replied
by appealing to the evidence of those who had been his hearers, and
for this an officer struck him for contempt of the high-priest (John
xviii. 19-24). Caiaphas seems then to have retired to summon the
Sanhedrim ; and Peter's second and third denials occurred in the
mean time.
6. GOOD-FRIDAY, still the 15th of Nisan (April 6tK).(S.) At
dawn of day the Council (Sanhedrim) met, and Jesus was arraigned
before them (Luke xxii. 66). Their first object was to condemn
him as a false prophet and blasphemer, crimes punishable by the
Mosaic law with death. The law required the testimony of two
witnesses ; and several witnesses were suborned, but their testi-
mony was too evidently false to be admitted. When at last two
were found to swear to the same point, and to pervert the words he had
used about the destruction and resurrection of the temple of his
body into a threat that he would destroy the temple, they were still at
variance with one another (Matt. xxii. 59-63 ; Mark xiv. 55-61).
Matt. xxvi. 4T-58, 69, 75 ; Mark xiv. 43-54, 66-72 ; Luke xxii. 47-62 ; John
xviii. 1-18, 25-27. We do not enter on the minor questions as to the order
of the three denials, which again illustrate that unity amidst diversity which
characterizes faithful witnesses. The double crowing of the cock, mention-
ed only by St. Mark, is consistent with every-day experience, and forms a
valuable note of time ; for the cock always crows soon after midnight, as
well as at the break of day.
A.U. 30. THE TRIAL OF JESUS. 289
To all this evidence Jesus made no reply, as indeed none was
necessary ; till the high-priest reproached him for his silence, and
adjured him by the living God to say whether he was the Christ, the
Son of God. Then he plainly said I AM, and warned them of the
time when they should see him sitting in his power at the right hand
of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven. This was enough.
Bending his clothes the wonted sign of distress and horror the
high-priest appealed to the council, who at once condemned Jesus
for blasphemy, while the officers covered his face, spat on him, and
buffeted him with blows, mocking his prophetic powers by asking
him to tell who struck him, and adding many other blasphemies
(Matt. xxvi. G3-68; Mark xiv. 6 1-65 ; Luke xxii. 67-71 and 63-65;
comp. Isa. 1. 6 ; liii. 7).
(4.) The next step, according to the law of Moses, would have
been to have led him without the city and stoned him to death.
But the subjection of the Jews to Rome had deprived even their
highest court of the power of life and death. So they took a course
which secured the fulfillment of Christ's own sayings respecting the
manner of his death. It became the act of Pilate, with the approval
of Herod ; thus uniting with the ecclesiastical rulers of the Jews
their own civil authority and the supreme power of Rome a con-
currence of the representatives of all the world (comp. Psa. ii.)
and securing the infliction of that form of death, the most ignomin-
ious as well as painful, which could best mark God's wrath against
sin, and which, as especially the punishment of a slave, showed the
Saviour descending to the lowest depths of humiliation, to prove that
he would save the most degraded (see Gal. iii. 10; vi. 14; Phil,
ii. 8; Heb. xii. 2; Col. ii. 14).
They led Him to the Prtetonum, where the Roman procurator,
PONTIUS PILATE," had just taken his sent early in the morning;
but, as they could not enter a court inaugurated by heathen sacri-
fices without incurring a pollution that would" have prevented their
keeping the feast, Pilate came out to ask them the charge on which
they delivered up the prisoner. They only replied that he was a
malefactor, and Pilate gave them leave to deal with him according
to their law. Then they charged him with the political offense of
forbidding the people to pay tribute to Ciesar (the very trap into
which they had vainly tried to draw him) and making himself a king.
Pilate went back, and began his examination by asking, "Art thou
the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied that his kingdom was not
9 The Prsetorinm, translated in the authorized version the " hall of judg-
ment" (John xviii. 28), was the head-quarters of the Roman military govern-
or. The time was the early dawn, a point of importance in reference to the
time of the condemnation (see below). .
T
290 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXV.
of this world, as the peaceful conduct of his disciples proved ; and
when further pressed with the question, "Art thou a king, then?"
he explained his kingdom to consist in bearing witness to the truth,
and claimed the allegiance of every one who was himself true. To
this appeal Pilate made the often-quoted rejoinder, "What is truth?"
and left the praetorium, to tell the Jews that he found no fault in
the accused. He seems to have brought Jesus out with the inten-
tion of dismissing him ; but the priests and elders began to upbraid
him with new charges, to which he made no reply (Matt, xxvii.
1,2, 11, 14; Mark xv. 1-5; Luke xxiii. 1-5; John xviii. 28-38:
comp. Isa. liii. 7).
Catching at the mention of Galilee as the chief scene of his sedi-
tious teaching, Pilate resolved to send him to Herod Antipas, who
had come up to Jerusalem to the Passover a practice by which he
was accustomed to conciliate the Jews. Herod rejoiced in obtain-
ing the interview which he had long sought in vain, and put many
questions to Jesus, in the hope of his working some miracle. Pro-
voked, however, at receiving no answer, and seeing the vehemence
of Christ's accusers, Herod, with his soldiers, made a mockery of
his regal claims, and sent him back to Pilate arrayed in the im-
perial purple. The occasion was seized for a reconciliation between
the king and procurator, who had been long at variance, and the
words of David were fulfilled, " The kings of the earth set them-
selves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and
against His anointed" (Luke xxiii.4-12; Psa. ii. 1, 2: comp. Acts
iv. 25, 26).
Finding himself compelled to decide the case, Pilate tried an ap-
peal from the rulers to the people. It was a customary act of grace,
in honor of the Passover, for the Roman governor to release some
prisoner, whom the people chose. Knowing that the charge against
Jesus sprang from the envy of the priests, and that the people had
shown such enthusiastn for him, he proposed to release him whom
they had so lately hailed as their King. But the plan was defeated
by a cunning manoeuvre of the priests. There was another prisoner,
named BARABHAS, a murderer and robber, and the leader of one
of those insurrections against the Roman government which were
frequent during the later days of Judaea. The feelings of the peo-
ple were easily inflamed on behalf of this patriot brigand ; and they
probably saw by this time that Jesus was not about to fulfill their
hopes of a miraculous restoration of David's kingdom. Pilate await-
ed their decision with an anxiety the more intense because, while
Hitting on the tribunal, he received a warning message from his wife,
who had just awakened from a harassing dream about the "just
taan." He repeated the question, ''Which of the two shall I re-
A.D. 30. JESUS CONDEMNED BY PILATE. 291
lease to you?" and they replied, "Not this one, but Barabbas!"
Again he tried to bring them to reason, and to revive their interest
in Christ, by asking, " What will ye then that I shall do to him
whom ye call the King of the Jews ?" The answer was ready,
"Crucify him." Still Pilate made a third appeal: "Why, what
evil hath he done ?" and, again declaring that he found no fault in
him. he proposed the strange compromise to scourge him and let
him go ! But by this time the people, always ready for sedition,
and continually prompted by the priests, were roused to the verge
of tumult. The loud cries of "Crucify him !" prevailed over rea-
son and conscience ; and Pilate released Barabbas, and yielded up
Jesus to their will. But first Pilate washed his hands before the
people, protesting, " I am innocent of the blood of this just person :
see ye to it;" and they accepted the tremendous responsibility:
"His blood be on us and on our children" (Matt, xxvii. 15-26;
Mark xv. 6-15 ; Luke xxiii. 13-25 ; John xviii. 39, 40).
Jesus was now handed over to the Roman soldiers, whose brutal-
ity was made more cruel by their contempt and hatred for the sedi-
tious Jews, over whose peasant king they now celebrated a mock
triumph. To the torture of the scourging which always preceded
crucifixion, their wanton wit added the cruel mockery of the insignia
of royalty the crown of thorns, the purple robe, and the reed for
a sceptre, while they mingled the parody of homage with blows and
spitting in his face (Matt, xxvii. 26-30 ; Mark xv. 15-19; John
xix. 1-3).
The scene seems to have suggested to Pilate one more effort to
save Jesus, in which, if unsuccessful, ho would at least indulge his
levity by an insult to the Jews. As a proof that he believed him
innocent, he brought him out and showed him invested with the in-
signia of royalty ! But the insult excited rage, and not compas-
sion ; and the cry was again, " Crucify him !" " Take you him and
crucify him ; for I find no fault in him," rejoined Pilate, knowing
that they dared not take him at his word ; while they cried that he
deserved death according to their law, "because he made himself
the SON OF GOD." Pilate's reluctance had for some time shown a
mixture of superstitious fear, which these words raised to the high-
est pitch. Leading Jesus back into the hall, he asked him, " Whence
artthou?"but received no answer; and when he urged the ques-
tion by speaking of his power to crucify or to release him, Jesus
told him that he could have no power at all over him unless it were
given him from above, and with divine authority pronounced the
guilt of his betrayers the greater. Pilate was now determined, if
possible, to release him ; but the Jews knew how to work upon a
fear more present to him than that of the last judgment : " If thou
292 SCRIPTURE HISTORY CHAP. XXV.
let this man go, thou art not Cresar's friend." The dread of being
denounced to Tiberius for acquitting a usurper was decisive to his
weak and selfish spirit. Taking his seat in the open place called
Gabbatha (the pavement^), 10 in full view of the temple and the people,
just as the sun had risen, Pilate passed sentence on him whom he
had so often declared innocent, and of whose right to be his Judge
he was not unaware. Still venting the reproaches of his conscience
in insults on his instigators, he again said to the Jews, "Behold
your King!'' "Away with him! crucify him!" was still the an-
swer. And when he asked, " Shall I crucify your King ?" the chief
priests, in their rage, abjured the independence which was the strong-
est passion of a Jew, " We have no king but Casar " (Matt, xxvii.
26-30; Mark xv. 15-19; John xix. 1-16).
The providence of God took them at their word, when their last
efforts for freedom ended in their dispersion over all the world. No
less signal was the retribution which befell the other actors in tins
greatest crime of the world's history. The unjust judge afterwards
incurred the very displeasure which he dreaded, and only put an
end to his exile by suicide. Herod also died in exile (see p. 241),
and Caiaphas was deposed. But there was no delay in the fate of
Judas. Seized with remorse as soon as he saw his Master con-
demned, he carried back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief
priests, and confessed his sin, hoping perhaps that good might yet
be done by this assertion of Christ's innocence. Their only answer
was, " What is that to us? See thou to that !" and, casting down
the money on the pavement of the temple, he went and hanged
himself. With the scrupulousness of religious formalism, the men
who had used his treason decided that the thirty silver pieces, as the
price of blood, must not be put back into the treasury ; so they
purchased with them the potter's field without the city, as a burial-
place for strangers, thereby fulfilling to the very letter a prophecy
of Zechariah (Zech. xi. 12, foil.). The field thus purchased seems
to have been the place where Judas committed suicide, and the
double memorial of the scene and the price of blood was preserved
by its name, Aceldama, the field of blood (Matt, xxvii. 3-10 ; Acts
i.*18, 19).
Meanwhile that great sacrifice was accomplished, the Gospel rec-
ord of which we should not dare to touch but for the need of some
remarks on the manner and place and time of the execution, the in-
cidents that marked it, and the sayings which our Saviour uttered
from the cross. It was a Roman execution, conducted in the usual
10 This was a paved platform on the rid;.;e of the rock between the castle
of Antonin and the western corner of the temple.
A.D. 30. THE CRUCIFIXION. 293
forms of crucifixion, but with some important variations ; but sev-
eral important details must be left for future study.
(1.) The place of execution was necessarily without the city (Acts
vii. 58; Heb. xiii. 11-13; comp. Exod. xxix. 14; Lev. iv. 11, 12, 21;
vi. 30 ; ix. 11 ; xvi. 27 ; Num. xix. 3) ; but its exact site is unknown.
It was near one of the gates, and beside a public road, but there is
no mention of its being on a "hill" or "Mount." The sacred
name of CALVARY, which our version has only in St. Luke, is the
Latin translation (calvarium, ' ' skull ") for the Greek word (Kpavtov),
by which all four Evangelists explain the Hebrew name GOLGOTHA,
"place of a skull," which implies the horrid signs that marked its
use (Matt, xxvii. 33, 34 ; Mark xv. 22, 23 ; Luke xxiii. 33 ; John
xix. 17).
(2.) The Bearing of the Cross. To add to the ignominy of this,
servile form of death, the condemned carried his cross to the place
of execution ; and Christ was thus led forth, with two criminals who
were "justly in the same condemnation " (Luke xxii. 32, 41 ; comp.
Isa. liii. 12). The act of " taking up the cross" had already been
used by Christ for the sacred figure which it has ever since express-
ed (Matt. x. 38 ; xvi. 24 ; Mark viii. 34 ; x. 21 ; Luke ix. 23 ; xiv. 27 ;
Heb. xiii. 12, 13) ; and everlasting honor was laid upon Simon, a
man of Cyrene, whom the soldiers caught as he was entering the
city, and compelled him to bear the load under which Christ had
sunk. It was then that he bade the women, who followed him
weeping, to weep rather for the judgments that were coming on the
land (Matt, xxvii. 31-32; Mark xv. 20, 21 ; Luke xxiii. 2G-32;
John xix. 17).
(3.) The Crucifixion. Arrived at the place of execution, the con-
demned were stripped and fastened to the cross, which was usually
of the form familiar to us under the name of the " Roman cross ""
but not nearly so high as is commonly represented. The feet of
the sufferer were only a foot or two above the ground a fact of
some weight, as showing that Jesus suffered in the midst of his per-
secutors, and not looking down from above their heads. The body
was either nailed or bound by cords to the cross, or in both ways.
Our Lord was nailed both by the hands and feet, as the prophet:;
had foretold; 13 a method more exquisitely painful at lirst, though
tending to shorten the torture. When the cross wns not already
standing, the sufferer, as in our Saviour's case, was fastened to it as
11 That i?, the form of +, the two pieces being unequal, as distinguished
from the " Greek cross," -f , with equal arms, and the diagonal or " St. An-
drew's Cross," x ; not to mention ornamented forms.
11 Psa. xxii. 10 ; Zech. xii. 10 ; John xx. 25, 27, etc. : comp. Rev. i. 7, the lat
ter passage referring to all his wounds.
c
29* SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXV.
it lay upon the ground, and the shock when it was dropped into the
hole or socket must have been terrible. To deaden the sense of
these tortures, some drug was usually administered ; but our Lord
refused the mixture of wine and myrrh thus offered him, as he had
abstained from wine at the Paschal Supper. He still observed the
meek silence which Isaiah had foretold, till all the horrid details
were accomplished, and he hung upon the cross between the two
malefactors, on his right and on his left; being thus emphatically
"numbered with the transgressors" (Matt, xxvii. 38 ; Mark xv.
27, 28 ; Luke xxiii. 33 ; John xix. 18).
(4.) The "First Sayinij" from the Cross. It was then that he
uttered the first of the " Seven Sayings," which have ever been re-
vered as his dying words, a prayer for his murderers "Father, for-
give them, for they know not what they do" (Luke xxiii. 34).
(5.) The time of our Saviour's crucifixion was the third hour (or
9 o'clock A.M.), the very time when the morning sacrifice was of-
fered (Mark xv. 25) ; and his death was at the ninth hour, which
was the time of the evening sacrifice the whole space of six hours
being divided at noon by the beginning of the miraculous darkness.
(6.) Parting of Christ's Garments. The execution was carried
out, and the cross watched, by a guard of four soldiers, with a cen-
turion ; and the garments of the sufferers were their perquisite.
Four parts being made, there remained the upper robe, woven
throughout without a seam, the type of Christ's perfect righteous-
ness, and the source of healing to many who had touched it. As
it would have been spoiled by dividing it, the soldiers decided to
cast lots for it, thus fulfilling another prophecy : "They parted my
raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots " (Matt.
xxvii. 35 ; Luke xxiii. 34 ; John xix. 23 ; Psa. xxii. 18).
(7.) The Inscription on the Cross. The custom of writing up the
culprit's crime on a scroll, or label, above his head gave Pilate an-
other opportunity of mortifying the Jews, while bearing unconscious
witness to the truth. To avoid all ambiguity, he wrote the title in
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. The various readings of the Evangel-
ists give a striking case of their agreement in substance amidst
varieties of expression.
" Tins is JESCB, THE KINO OP THE JEWS " (Matthew).
"THE KINO OF THE JEWS" (Mark).
"THIS 18 THE KlNO OF THE JEWS" (Luke).
"JESUS OF NAZABETH, THE KINO OK TUB JEWS" (John).
Pilate's shaft did not miss its mark. The chief priests wished
him to amend the inscription thus: "He said, I am King of the
Jews ;" but he silenced them with the answer, "What I have writ-
A.D. 30. THE SEVEN SAYINGS. 295
ten I have written " (Matt, xxvii. 31-38 ; Mark xv. 20-28 ; Luke
xxiii. 26-34, 38 ; John xix. 17-24).
(8.) The " Second Saying " to the Penitent Robber. For the first
three hours (9-12 A.M.) Jesus hung upon the cross, exposed to all
the insults of the rulers, and of the rabble, whose cries had changed
with his change of fortune. Some stood to enjoy the sight; while
others, passing in and out of the neighboring city-gate, waggec
iheir heads, and taunted him with the very prophecy which was be
ing fulfilled the destruction of the temple of his body, that it
might be raised again in three days. A strong temptation was
added to these taunts. He was challenged to prove his Divine
power and kingdom by coming down from the cross ; nay, even the
chief priests offered to believe him on that sign, though they dis-
believed the still higher proof given by his resurrection. Of the
very culprits who hung beside him, one joined in the railing, and
dared to demand their deliverance and his as a proof that he was
the Christ. But the other reproved his comrade's madness, con-
fessing the justice of their sentence and bearing witness to Christ's
innocence, and then turned to him with the prayer, " Lord, re-
member me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Jesus opened
his lips for the second time with these words, "Verily I say unto
thee, To-day thou shall be with me in paradise " (Matt, xxvii. 39-
44 ; Mark xv. 29-32 ; Luke xxiii. 35-37, 39-43).
(9.) The Women at the Cross Christ's " Third Saying," to St.
John. Three women, with the beloved disciple, had dared to stay
by his cross. They were "the three Marys:" his mother; her
sister, the wife of Clopas ; and Mary of Magdala. With filial love,
even in that hour of agony, he bade his mother behold a son in the
beloved disciple, and that disciple to look upon her as his mother ;
and henceforth Mary found a home with John (John xix. 25-27).
(10.) The Miraculous Darkness, and the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth
Sayings. It was now noon, and yet a supernatural darkness rested
upon all the land, from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, as if to
veil the last agonies of the Redeemer from the eyes of men. 13 But
far deeper than that darkness WHS the gloom that weighed upon the
Saviour's soul as he bore the whole burden of the Divine wrath for
the sins of all men. To that awful mystery our only guide is in
the words with which at the ninth hour he broke the solemn si-
lence, "My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?" words
already used prophetically by David in the great Psalm which de-
IS Au eclipse of the sun\s qnite out of the question ; for the Jewish months
were strictly lunar; and the Passover was in the middle of the month, just
when the moon wus/uW. The yonnt; reader may remember this by observ-
ing the phase of the moon at Good-Friday and Easter.
296 SCKIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXV.
scribes the Messiah's sufferings. Their sense was lost upon the by-
standers, who, remembering the connection of the promised Elijah
with Christ, caught at the sound of the word " Eli " (My God) as
a call for the prcphet. At this moment the Sufferer's mortal frame
endured its last agony of intense thirst, and, to fulfill one more
prophecy, he exclaimed, "I thirst." One of the by-standers filled
.1 sponge, from a vessel standing near, with the mixture of acid wine
and water, which was the common drink of the Roman soldiers,
and, lifting it on a stalk of hyssop, put it to his mouth, while the
rest said, "Let us see if Elijah will come to help him "" (Matt.
xxvii. 45-49 ; Mark xv. 33-36 ; Luke xxiii. 44 r 45 ; John xix. 28,
29).
(11.) The Seventh Saying, and the Death of Jesus Christ. And
now all that man could inflict had been endured ; all that the Son
of God could do and bear for man had been done and suffered.
The end of his agony and the completion of his redeeming work are
both announced by the loud cry, " IT is FINISHED ;" the soul which
had animated his mortal body is yielded back to God with those
words of perfect resignation, " Father, into thy hands I commend
my spirit;" and, bowing his head upon his breast, he expired. 16
(12.) Portents at Christ's Death Conversion of the Centurion.
His death was followed by portents not to be overlooked by any of
the multitudes assembled at Jerusalem. The priest, who entered tho
holy place at this very hour, with the blood of the evening sacrifice,
saw the vail rent in twain from the top to the bottom. That vail
was the special, as the temple itself was a more general, symbol of
Christ's body, the visible covering which enshrined the abode of
Deity ; and the one was rent, and the other broken, to show that
" a new and living way was consecrated for us to enter into the
holiest of all, by the blood of Jesus, through the vail, that is to say,
his flesh " (Heb. x. 19, foil.). The rocks which surrounded Jeru-
salem were rent with a great earthquake, and the graves were
opened ; and many of the saints rose and were seen by many in the
city after his resurrection. Even such wonders were not enough to
break down the stubborn spirit of the Jews ; and, at the most, they
departed with deep feelings of wondering grief. But the Roman
jenturion saw enough in the manner of Christ's death and in his
3xpiring words to make him glorify God by the confession, "Truly
this was a just man ! Truly this was the Son of God !" The most
14 It is still believed that drinking causes the death of impaled persons,
and water is withheld, to prolong their sufferings.
18 Matt, xxvii. 50 ; Mark xv. 37 ; Luke xxiii. 46 ; John xix. 30. It deserves
notice that, in the last words, Matthew and Mark mention only the loud cry,
Luke the prayer of resignation, and John the proclamation, " It is finished.'
A.U. 30. WONDERS AT CHRIST'S DEATH. 297
attached of his friends, including the devoted women who followed
him from Galilee, only ventured to view the scene from a distance
(Matt, xxvii. 51-56 ; Mark xv. 38-41 ; Luke xxiii. 45-47). Only
"the disciple whom Jesus loved" kept his station by the cross, a
fact which we learn from his emphatic testimony as an eye-witness
of what followed.
(13.) His Death made sure the Water and the Blood. The day
was now drawing to a close, and at sunset (just after 6 P.M.) the
Sabbath would begin. "That Sabbath-day was a high day ;" es-
pecially as being the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
when the first-fruits of the harvest were offered in the temple, and
whence the fifty days were reckoned to the Day of Pentecost. For
that Sabbath this day itself was the " preparation." This state-
ment, twice made by St. John, seems to refer to the custom of pre-
paring for any sacred festival on the previous day. On this "prep-
aration day" especially, they would put away all pollutions and
signs of mourning that might mar the coming feast. So, though
they had not scrupled to enact on it a deed which would have pro-
faned any day, they could not endure its defilement by the con-,
sequences of their judicial murder. Pilate readily granted their
request, that the sufferings of the crucified might be ended by
breaking their legs (for to dispatch them by the sword was deemed
too honorable), and that they might be buried. 10 This was done
to the two malefactors ; but as Christ was found to be dead al-
ready, his limbs were left unbroken. To make sure, however, of
his death, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear ; and
blood and water were seen to flow mingled from the wound. Thus
were fulfilled both the prophetic ordinance of the true Paschal
Lamb, "A bone of him shall not be broken," and that other proph-
ecy, "They shall look on him whom they pierced " (John xix. 31-
42 ; comp. Exod. xii. 46 ; Psa. xxxiv. 20 ; Zech. xii. 10 ; Psa. xxii
16, 17; Rev. i. 7). Most justly does St. John lay the utmost stress
on the truth of his own testimony, as an eye-witness, to this incident,
not only for the spiritual sense which he afterwards gave it (1 John
v. 6, 8), but as the very turning-point on which the credibility of the
Gospel rests. It established beyond a doubt the reality of Christ's
death, without full proof of which the evidence of his resurrection
would always have been questionable. And the matter was put be-
yond all dispute by the care of Pilate to ascertain from the centu-
rion the truth of a death so unusually speedy (Mark xv. 44, 45)
The tortures of crucifixion were often prolonged three days, and
" The Romans generally allowed the body to rot upon the crop? ; but in
consequence of Deut. xxi. 22, 23, an express national exccpUou was made la
favor of the Jews.
298 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXV.
even more ; but the exhaustion of our Saviour's toil-worn frame, by
his night of agony, and by his inexpressible mental anguish on the
cross, are causes adequate to explain his dying in six hours ; while
the abundant flow of lymph and blood, due to the piercing of the
pericardium (the membrane round the heart), makes it probable
that he died literally of " a broken heart."
(14.) The Entombment of Jesus. Meanwhile JOSEPH of Arima-
thaea, a rich man and a member of the Sanhedrim, who had been
no party to their councils against Jesus, now boldly avowed his
secret discipleship by coming to Pilate and begging the body of
Jesus. Pilate consented, as soon as he had satisfied himself of his
real death. Joseph's example gave courage to Nicodemus, who
brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint the corpse ; even
as the Jewish kings used to be buried in spices. The near ap-
proach of the Sabbath left no time for the final funeral ceremonies.
They took down the body from the cross ; and, wrapping it hastily
in linen, with the spices, they laid it in a new rock-hewn sepulchre,
which Joseph had made for himself, in a garden close at hand. To
secure the sepulchre during the Sab!>ath, they rolled a great stone
against its door, and departed. Thus was the prophecy fulfilled,
that the Messiah should " make his grave with the rich " (Isa. liii.
9). Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the sister of Christ's mother, who
had sat opposite the sepulchre during the burial, and had seen how
the body was laid in it," went home, postponing the preparation of
their spices and ointments, for the full performance of the funeral
rites till after the Sabbath; and then "they rested the Sabbath-
day according to the commandment." The mother of Jesus seems
to have been led home from the cross, when the body was taken
down, by John, her new-found son (Matt, xxvii. 57-01 ; Mark xv.
42-47 ; Luke xxiii. 50-56 ; John xix. 38-42).
7. The Sabbath-d a;/ (EASTER- EVE) : Saturday, the 16th of Nisan
(April lth~) from the preceding Sunset. The sacred narrative leaves
the disciples in the overwhelming grief and desolation amidst which
they kept this Sabbath ; having, as we may infer from the events
of the next day, reassembled from their dispersion, and looking for-
ward, though with only the faintest hope, to the third day, on which
Jesus had foretold his resurrection (see Luke xxiv. 21). The chief
priests and Pharisees also remembered the prediction with alarm,
and, on the pretense that his disciples might steal away the body,
they obtained Pilate's permission to set a watch of soldiers over
the tomb, saw that it was securely shut, and sealed the stone (Matt.
xxvii. 62-66).
17 Hence they were prepared to see at once that Jesus had left, the sepul
Mount of Olives.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST. FROM EASTER-DAY
TO ASCENSION-DAT, APRIL 8lH TO MAY 17TH, A.D. 30.
1. Sunday the 17th of Nisan (April 8<A). The First LORD'S
DAY " EASTER-DAY."
"Oh! day of days! shall hearts set free
No minstrel rapture flud for Thee?
Thou art the Sun of other days
They shine by giving back thy rays." 1
As the resurrection of Christ is the creat fact, so the day of its
occurrence is the great day of Christianity. From the time of the
apostles its weekly return has been called by the name of the LORD'S
DAY (Rev. i. 10); and to this epoch of the new creation of all'
things, marked by the new life of Christ, all the permanent sanc-
tity of the primeval Sabbath was transferred."
1 "Christian Year:" Easter-day.
2 This is not the place to vindicate the doctrine of the Lord's Day. The
sacred observance of the first day of the week is seen in each passages a John
xx. 26 ; Acts xx. 7 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 2.
300 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVI
Great difficulties have been found in making out the history of
the day from the four Gospels ; 3 but these difficulties will yield to
a careful study, based on the principle that each Evangelist wrote
with a special purpose and from special sources of information. It
does not belong to our work to attempt a discussion of their several
statements ; but to give briefly the result of such discussion in the
most probable order of those appearances of Jesus to his disciples,
which satisfied them that " the LORD was risen indeed."
i. The Resurrection itself is related only by St. Matthew: "Be-
hold, there was a great earthquake : for the angel of the Lord de-
scended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the
door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and
his raiment white as snow : and for fear of him the keepers did
shake, and became as dead men " (Matt, xxviii. 2-4). That this
account was derived, in part at least, from one or more of the Ro-
man soldiers, professing afterwards that belief which such a scene
ought to have compelled, is probable from the acquaintance which
the same Evangelist shows with the fact that they were at first
bribed to give out the absurd story that Roman soldiers had slept
on duty, and while asleep had somehow come to know that the body
was stolen by the disciples (Matt, xxviii. 1115).
The time of the resurrection is stated by St. Mark as "early on
the first day of the week," which began from the sunset of the even-
ing before (Mark xvi. 9). It had already taken place when the first
visit was paid to the sepulchre, " while it was yet dark " (John xx.
1), "as it began to dawn " (Matt, xxviii. 1). The portion, how-
ever brief, of this day (according to Jewish reckoning) that Jesus
remained in the tomb is reckoned as one day, like the brief interval
between his burial and the Friday's sunset, and thus he remained
three days in the earth (Matt. xii. 40; xvi. 21 ; xx. 19 ; xxvii. 63 ;
Mark viii. 31 ; ix. 31 ; x. 34 ; Luke ix. 22 ; xviii. 33 ; John ii. 19,
etc.).
ii. Visit of the Women to the Sepulchre. The Jewish custom of
resuming the occupations of common life the moment the Sabbath's
sun had set had enabled the two Marys to purchase on that even-
ing the spices needed to complete the embalmment which Nicode-
mus had hastily performed. At. the approach of dawn they camo
to the sepulchre, with certain other women, among whom was Jo-
anna, to perform this pious service, wondering, as they went along,
how they could roll away the great stone from its mouth. They
reached the sepulchre at sunrise, and found the stone removed :
and,' entering, they saw that the body of Jesus was gone (Matt
xxviii. 1 ; Mark xvi. 1-4; Luke xxiv. 1-3, 10 ; John xx. 1, 2).
* To which must be added the statement of St. Paul. 1 Cor. xv. 4-7.
A.D. 30. RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 301
iii. Mary Magdalene carries the news to P*ter and John. The
ardent love of Mary Magdalene prompted her at once to run and
tell Peter and John of the trick that she supposed had been played
by the enemies of Christ in removing his body beyond the reach of
his disciples. 4
iv. Vision of an Angel to the Women in the Sepulchre. Mean-
while the other women had entered the recesses of the rock-hewn
sepulchre, and there they saw an angel sitting on the right side, in
the form of a young man in a long white robe, who told them that
Christ had risen and would meet his disciples in Galilee, with other
words of comfort and encouragement. 5 Fear at the vision, and joy
at the tidings, joined to hasten the flight of the women from the
sepulchre, that they might carry the news to the disciples.
v. First Appearance of Jesus to the Women on their Return from
the Sepulchre. Their hasty course was stayed by the appearance
and greeting of Jesus himself. They fell down to worship him,
and received from his own lips the same message that the angel
had given them (Matt, xxviii. 9, 10). The apostles and other dis-
ciples received the intelligence "as idle tales," not being yet ready
to believe the truth (Luke xxiv. 9, 11).
vi. Visit of Peter and John to the Sfjntlchre. Peter and John
himself were away from the rest of " the Eleven," probably at the
house of the latter. 8 To them Mary had brought word that the
sepulchre was empty ; and while the other women were giving their
fuller tidings to the rest of the apostles, Peter and John ran to the
sepulchre to see for themselves. The ardent affection of "the dis-
ciple whom Jesus loved " carried him first to the sepulchre : he
looked in and saw the grave-clothes, but hesitated to enter ; while
Peter, coming up, at once went in and saw the linen clothes lying
as they had been left, and the napkin ihat had been about the head
of Jesus folded together l>y itself. 7 John then entered and saw the
same spectacle ; and while'Peter only wondered, John believed ; for,
he himself takes care to tell us, th? disciples had not yet understood
the prophecy of his resurrection (see Psa. xvi. 10; Acts ii. 25-31).
4 John xx. 2. Throughout the whole narrative, John speaks of the events
witnessed by himself.
* Matt, xxviii. S-8; Mark xvi. 5-8; Luke xxiv. 4-8. St. Luke, in speaking
of two angeU, evidently puts into one this and the subsequent vision of angels
to Mary Magdalene, which is mentioned only by St. John.
So John says that, after their visit to the sepulchre, they returned "to
their own home " (John xx. 10).
7 John xx. 3-10; comp. Luke xxiv. 12. The minuteness of this record
seems to be intended as a proof that the body could not have been stolen by
the disciples ; for they would have carried off the grave-clothes with it in
tiivir haste.
802 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVI.
vii. Second Appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene at the
Sepulchre. While Peter and John returned home, Mary, who had
followed them back to the sepulchre, stood by its entrance weeping;
and, looking into the sepulchre, she saw two angels sitting, at the
head and the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. To their in-
quiry why she wept, she answered, " Because they have taken away
my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him ;" and she was
turning away, to leave the sepulchre in despair, when she saw Jesus
standing before her, though she knew him not, even when he asked
her why she wept. Taking him for the keeper of the garden, she
earnestly entreated him to tell her whither he had removed the
body. The one word, "Mary," from the lips of Jesus, recalled hci
to herself, and turning, so as to have a full view of him for the first
time, she replied, "Rabboni!" that is, "Master!" and would have
embraced him. But, with the mysterious injunction, " Touch me
not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father," he sent her to fore-
warn his brethren of his ascension. But even at this second testi-
mony the disciples remained incredulous (John xx. 11-18; Mark
art 9-11).
viii. Third Appearance of Jesus to St. Peter. St. Paul states,
immediately after the fact of our Lord's resurrection, " that he was
seen of Cephas," before he appeared to the other apostles (1 Cor.
xv. 5). This appearance is also mentioned incidentally, but very
emphatically, by St. Luke, in connection with the journey to Em
rnaus (Luke xxiv. 34).
ix. The Journey to Emmaus our Lord's fourth Appearance.
This is briefly mentioned by St. Mark (Mark xvi. 12, 13); but the
deeply interesting narrative of St. Luke (Luke xxiv. 13-35) gives
us a view of the disciples' state of mind on this memorable day.
Two of them, Cleopas 8 and another, left the city after the visits
paid to the sepulchre by the women and by Peter and John, and
walked to Emmaus, a village about seven miles from Jerusalem.
Their only object seems to have been to talk freely with each other
respecting theM>earing of the recent events on the question of the
Messiahship of Jesus, and the doubtful result of their discussion is
expressed in the exclamation, "But we trusted that it had been he
which should have redeemed Israel !" As they were thus engaged,
Jesus himself joined them, but a spell was upon their eyes, so that
they did not know him. Every reader of the Gospel is familiar
with what followed ; the statement of their anxious reasonings ;
his rebuke of their ignorance and unbelief, and his exposition of
the Scriptures which foretold his sufferings and glory ; their press-
8 This Cleopas must not be confounded with Clopas, the husband of Mary 7
the sister of our Lord's mother.
A.D. 30. APPEARANCES OF JESUS. 303
ing him to stay with them at the village ; and his being made known
to them by blessing and breaking the bread at their evening meal.
They hastened back to Jerusalem, and found the apostles assembled
with other disciples at their evening meal (Mark xvi. 14), in a
strangely mingled state of doubt and wonder ; for while some met
them with the news, " The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appear-
ed to Simon," their own full account of his converse with them was
still received with unbelief.
x. Our Lord's fifth Appearance to the assembled Apostles, except
Thomas. It was at this very crisis of their perplexity that Jesus
crowned his separate appearances by a manifestation of himself to
the apostles, and those disciples who were with them. His sudden
appearance in their midst, the doors of the room being shut fast for
fear of the Jews, alarmed them with the idea that they saw a spirit,
though he greeted them with the words, "Peace be unto you!"
But he called them to feel his body, and showed them the wounds
in his hands and feet and side. As they still doubted, he ate food
before them; and then he opened their minds to see the fulfillment
of all that had been spoken of him in the Law, the Prophets, and
the Psalms ; and to know their own mission as the witnesses of his
resurrection, and the preachers of repentance and remission of sins
in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Then, by the
sign of breathing on them, he indicated the conferring of that gift
of the Holy Spirit, which was actually to descend upon them after
his ascension, and for which he bade them to wait at Jerusalem ;
and he gave them the authority of remitting and retaining sins, and
the promise of the power of working miracles. Such was our Lord's
last appearance to his disciples on the day of his resurrection (Mark
xvi. 14-18 ; Luke xxiv. 36-49 ; John xx. 19-23 ; 1 Cor. xv. 5,
"then of the twelve").
2. Sunday the 24th of Nisan, April 16th "Low Sunday."
xi. Christ's second Appearance to the assembled Disciples, with
Thomas the sixth in all. The fact of our finding the disciples
again assembled on the first day of the following week, and our
Saviour's blessing this meeting with his presence, goes far to mark
the Lord's Day as sacred. It was then that the incredulous Thomas
was taught, by the evidence of his own senses, not only to share his
brethren's faith, but to go beyond them by recognizing in the Lord's
resurrection a proof of his divinity. But Jesus did not grunt the
proof that Thomas required without pronouncing a higher blessing
upon those who ara cojitent to believe on the testimony of others
(John xx. 24-29).
3. xii. Third Appearance of Jesus to the Apostles {seven of them")
by the Lake, of Galilee the seventh in all. The Evangelists now
304 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVL
cease to specify days. St. Matthew tells us that the eleven disciples
went away into Galilee, as they had been commanded when first
the resurrection was announced to them (Matt, xxviii. 16); but
their meeting with Jesus in the mountain he had appointed them
must have been subsequent to that morning by the Lake of Galilee,
of which St. John has given us so full and touching an account
(John xxi. 1-24). Seven of the apostles Peter, Thomas, Na-
thanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two others who are not named
had returned to their avocations as fishermen, when Jesus revealed
himself to them in a manner strikingly similar to that of their former
calling, by the sign of a miraculous draught of fishes. The one
striking difference, that now'the net did not break, showed the com-
ing of the time when they were to be indeed "fishers of men." It
was then that our Lord drew from Peter the avowal of his love, re-
peated thrice as the revocation of his threefold denial, and restored
him to his place among the disciples by the special commission, also
thrice repeated "Feed my sheep!" adding the prediction of his
martyrdom, but rebuking his affectionate curiosity concerning the
fate of John. The saying, ii If I will that he tarry till I come,
what is that to thee ?" not only repelled curiosity, but predicted his
surviving the destruction of Jerusalem.
xiii. The eighth Appearance of Jesus to the great Body of His
Disciples in Galilee. St. Matthew continues the statement just
quoted by saying that the eleven disciples went out to a mountain
in Galilee, where Jesus had appointed them ; and when they saw
him they worshipped him, but some doubted (Matt, xxviii. 16, 17).
Though Matthew mentions only the eleven, he can scarcely mean
the last statement to apply to them, after the removal of the last re-
mains of their incredulity in the case of Thomas. It is evident,
from comparing the Gospels, that, in several statements which refer
to the body of the disciples, the eleven are particularly named, be-
cause they were specially the appointed witnesses of Christ's resur-
rection. There is, therefore, no difficulty in identifying this inter-
view with the appearance of Jesus to " above five hundred brethren
at once," mentioned by St. Paul, who appeals to the fact that some
of them were still living when he wrote (1 Cor. xv. 6).
This, then, was the great interview of Jesus with his disciples,
of which he had spoken even before his death (Matt. xxvi. 32), and
to which they were summoned from the moment of his resurrection.
Its scene was Galilee, where Jesus had commenced his course of
public teaching, and where his life had been chiefly spent ; and, as
he had opened his public ministry on a mountain, by the discourse
which set forth the conditions of discipleship, so he closed it on a
mountain, by the commission which he based upon his own unlimit-
A.D. 30. APPEARANCES OF JESUS. 305
cd authority : " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ;
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you : and lo ! I am with you always unto the end of the world "
(Matt, xxviii. 18-20). This commission was given to the disciples,
as such, and not to the apostles only ; and this is true also of the
promise of miraculous powers, and the gift of the Holy Spirit,
whfch are recorded respectively by Mark and John.
xiv. Christ's ninth Appearance to James (the Less}. Immediate-
ly after mentioning this interview, St. Paul adds the words, "af-
ter that he was seen of James," a special notice, which agrees well
with the importance assigned to James, as being, like Peter and
John, one of the " pillars " of the Church (1 Cor. xv. 7 ; Gal. ii. 9).
This appearance may be referred to Jerusalem with the more prob-
ability, as James was not one among the apostles at the Lake of
Galilee.
4. Thursday, the 25th ofjyar "Holy Thursday," or "Ascen-
sion-day," May 18th.
xv. Our Lord's last Interview with the Apostles, and his Ascension.
His tenth Appearance. The last scene of all was reserved for the
eyes of the apostles only, as the specially appointed witnesses of
Christ's resurrection and ascension. St. Peter lays stress upon the
fact that, when God had raised Jesus from the dead, "He showed
him, openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of
God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from
the dead " (Acts. x. 40, 41). Neither Matthew nor John relates
our Saviour's ascension. Mark simply says that " He was received
up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God " (Mark xvi. 19).
St. Luke describes the whole scene briefly in his Gospel, and fully
in the^Acts of the Apostles (Luke xxiv. 50-53; Acts i. 1-12).
The whole time during which Jesus "showed himself after his
passion by many infallible proofs " was forty days (Acts i. 3), a
period which has evidently some mystical signification, being the
same as the time spent by Moses and by Elijah in Mount Horcb,
and by Christ himself in the wilderness of temptation, and corre-
sponding to the number of years that the people had wandered in I
the desert. In what secret retirement he took up his abode during
these forty days, we are not told : all that concerns us is the time
he spent witli his disciples, " speaking of the things pertaining to
the kingdom of God."
At last, on the fortietli day, the disciples were assembled with
Jesus at Jerusalem, it would seem, by a special appointment (Acts
i. 4; t/omp. ver. 6), and he commanded then) not to depart thenco
U
306 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVI.
till they received the promise of the Father, the baptism with the
Holy Ghost. After rebuking their desire to know whether the
time was come for him to restore the kingdom to Israel, he prom-
ised them power, by that baptism of the Spirit, for the work they
had to do for his name in Jerusalem, Judaea, and Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth (Acts. i. 4-8).
Either during or after this conversation, he led them out over
the very ground he had traversed with them six weeks before, when
he entered the city to suffer as far as Bethany, on the farther
slope of the Mount of Olives, and so out of view of the city ; and
there, as with uplifted hands he gave them his parting blessing, a
cloud interposed between him and them, like the chariot and horses
of fire that separated Elijah from Elisha ; and, upborne on this ae-
rial car, he was wafted from their sight through the vault of heaven.
Meanwhile the disciples scarcely recollected that this was but
what he had himself foretold : "What and if ye shall see the Son
of man ascend up where he was before ?" (John vi. 62). They
stood gazing up after him as if he had been lost forever, till they
were awakened from their stupor by the appearance of two angels
standing by them, and declaring that this same Jesus who was tak-
en from them into heaven, should so come in like manner as they
had seen him go into heaven. Having worshipped their glorified
Lord, they returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem with
great joy ; and, while expecting the promised gift of the Holy Spir-
it, they spent their time continually in the temple, praising and
blessing God (Luke xxiv. 50-53 ; Acts i. 1-12).
We can not more fitly conclude this narrative of our Saviour's
life on earth than by calling attention to the two points insisted on
by St. John : first, that we have only a small part of our Lord's
sayings and doings in the presence of his disciples, for the world
itself could hardly have contained the record of the whole-; but,
finally, that all we do possess has been written with this one sole
object "that we might believe that JESUS is THE CHRIST, THE
SON or GOD, and that, believing, we might have LIFE THROUGH
Mis NAME " (John xx. 30, 31 ; xxi. 25).
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE CHURCH IN PALESTINE. TO THE MARTYRDOM OP 8T. STE-
PHEN. A.D. 30-37.
ST. LUKE'S "Second Treatise," or "Discourse," addressed to
Theophilus, though now entitled "The Acts of the. Apostles," was
never meant for their complete history. Its true subject is the ful-
fillment of the promise of the Father by the descent of the Holy Spirit,
and the results of that outpouring in the diffusion of the Gosjiel among
Jews and Gentiles. It deals only with the beginning of this great
'theme ; and, having shown us the full establishment of Christ's
Church first in the Holy Land, and then in those Eastern and Gre-
cian provinces of the Homan empire which the Jews were wont to
regard as representing the whole Gentile world it leaves all the
future progress of the Gospel to be recorded by the Church itself.
The foundation of the Church was laid by Christ himself in his
own person ; and the disciples whom he gathered formed a perfect
Church when he left them, at his ascension. It formed one body,
808 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVII-
like the congregation of the Jewish people, from which it derived it*
name. 1 But that body was already practically divided into parts
the Christians of Judrea and of Galilee, besides those of Samaria,
Peraia, and the more distant countries round. The whole number
of the disciples, as we have seen, was about 500 ; those gathered at
Jerusalem to wait for the promise were only 120 (Acts i. 15). But,
when that promise was fulfilled, the feast of Pentecost had doubt-
less gathered nearly all together again ; and we are told that they
were "a?/ with one accord" (as if by appointment) " in one place."
Meanwhile the eleven apostles, having returned from the Mount of
Olives, assembled in an upper room, with the mother and brethren
of Jesus, and the women who had ministered to him, and there
abode in prayer and supplication. Their evenings were thus spent ;
for in the day-time " they were continually in the temple, praising
and blessing God," doubtless declaring Christ's resurrection and as-
cension to the people (Acts i. 12-14 ; Luke xxiv. 53). These,
with the other disciples resident in Jerusalem (the 120), proceeded,
on the proposal of Peter, to elect an apostle in the place of Judas.
The process seems to have been this : The disciples chose two fit
persons ; the decision was referred to God himself by the lot, with
prayer ; and he on whom the lot fell was admitted to his office by
the Eleven. The new apostle was MATTHIAS (Acts i. 15-26).
Ten days after the ascension, the time arrived which God had
appointed for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples.
"The day of Pentecost was fully come;" the first and great day
of the feast of the full ingathering of the harvest." On this day the
disciples, including those who had come up to the feast, were all
gathered by common consent ; when there was heard the sound of
a rushing wind, as it were descending from heaven, and filling the
house where they were sitting, while lambent flames, shaped like
cloven tongues, were seen upon all their heads. These signs at
once furnished to the senses a double evidence of some Divine
power, and exactly corresponded to the figurative language chosen
by Jesus to describe the operations of the Holy Spirit ; a baptism
ofjire a wind blowing where God wills, whose sound we hear, but
can not trace its path. The inward gift of the Spirit, qualifying
the disciples for the work, was accompanied with an outward sign
of their divine mission the gift of "speaking with tongues," that
is, in foreign languages. 3 They were thus enabled at once to ad-
dress the strangers assembled at the feast from every province of
1 The word in the New Testament translated church (KK\n<ria) is itself the
translation of the Hebrew word signifying "congregation" (Pea. xsii.22).
9 Acts ii. 1. On the Feast of Pentecost, see Chap. VII., p. 106.
* The word " unknown " is not in the original.
A. D. 30-3 7 DAY OP PENTECOST. 308
the Roman empire, and even beyond it in their several lan-
guages. These, knowing that the speakers were illiterate Galileans,
were amazed at the miracle, which was made the more striking
from its occurring at the time of the morning sacrifice, and from
the praises of God which they uttered in all these tongues. The
early hour of the day furnished Peter with a decisive reply to the
taunt, "These men are full of new wine;" and then he plainly
preached the resurrection of Christ in that first Christian sermon,
which produced three thousand baptized converts as the pentecostal
first-fruits of the spiritual harvest. "And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and
in prayers." These are the four elements of Christian social life ;
and, living as one united body (verse 44), in which there were many
poor, " they had (or held) all things in common," that is, as we
presently see, they regarded their possessions as given for the use of
all, as the necessities of each required. They appeared daily in the
temple, and their many miracles caused "fear to fall upon every
soul." In private they held social fellowship from house to house,
"with gladness and singleness of heart" cheerful, simple, and
united " praising God, and having favor with all the people. And
the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved "
(Acts ii.).
The healing of a man above forty years old, who had been lame
from his birth, by Peter and John at the " Beautiful " gate of the
temple, in presence of all the people who were assembling to even-
ing prayer, gave Peter another opportunity of preaching the Sav-
iour, in whose name alone the miracle was performed. His dis-
course was interrupted by the priests of the Sadducean party, and
the captain of the guard of Levites that kept order in the temple,
who seized the apostles and carried them off to prison. But their
arrest did not prevent their word being received by no less than
five thousand believers (Acts iii., iv. 1-3).
Next morning they were brought before the Sanhedrim, who
saw in their freedom of speech, contrasted with their want of let-
ters, that "they had been with Jesus." As the miracle could not
be denied for there stood the man with them the Council tried
to silence the two apostles by threats ; but they appealed to what
was " right in the sight of God," and said, " We can not but speak
the things that we have seen and heard" a summary of the apos-
tles' mission in one sentence. Fear of the people stayed any fur-
ther severity, and the liberated apostles were received by the Church
with a thanksgiving, which is the earliest example of united Chris-
tiiui prayer. It was answered by the shaking of the place where
they were met, and by u new outpouring of the Spirit, which gave
310 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVII.
new power to the apostles, new harmony to the believers, and neu
life to their liberality. We are now told again, and more precise-
ly, in what sense " they had all things common." None were left
in want, for those who possessed lands or houses sold them, and the
money thus obtained was handed over to the apostles, who divided
it to the needy. There was perfect liberty to do so or not (Acts v.
4) ; and the narrative mentions one striking case of such liberality
by Joses, a Levite of Cyprus, whom the apostles surnamed BARNA-
BAS, that is, "Son of Consolation," or rather " Son of Prophecy or
Exhortation " (Acts iv. ; comp. xi. 24). The contrast presented
by the attempt of ANANIAS and SAPPHIRA to gain the like credit by
a pretense, and to cover that pretense with a lie, introduces the sec-
one? great crime and great judgment in the history of the Christian
Church. Their miraculous death, at the sentence uttered by Peter,
caused great fear within the Church, and deterred the worldly-
minded from joining the disciples. But still the work of conver-
sion went on. The apostles and their followers assembled daily in
the portico of the temple named after Solomon. Their miracles
were multiplied. The sick were carried on beds into the street,
that at least Peter's shadow, as he passed by, might fall upon them ;
and multitudes were brought into Jerusalem from the villages, and
were all healed (Acts. v. 1-16).
These successes again roused the Sadducees ; for they, as ene-
mies of the doctrine of a resurrection, were the first persecutors of
the Church. They had tried in vain to silence two of the apostles;
and now they threw the whole number into prison. An angel open-
ed the prison doors, and set them free during the night; and when
the Sanhedrim assembled in the morning, it was to hear that the
prison had been found secure and guarded, but empty, and that the
prisoners were at that moment preaching in the temple. Fear of
the people again prevented open violence ; but the apostles came
at the request of the captain of the temple-guard, and were placed
before the Sanhedrim, whom the high-priest now convened, togeth-
er with the Senate of Elders, that venerable body which had pre-
served its authority as representing the people through all the
changes of the Jewish state (Acts v. 21). In this second assembly,
therefore, we see no longer only the Sanhedrim, headed by the Sad-
ducean rulers, but the chiefs of the whole people, taking part in per-
secuting the apostles. To the charge that they were trying to bring
upon the people the blood of Christ, Peter replied with the same
boldness as before. Stung by his words, they were about to vote
the death of the Apostles, when they were checked by the advice of
a Pharisee named GAMALIEL. This man, renowned as one of the
greatest doctors of the law, gave the sage counsel to wait and sea
A.D. 30-37. BEGINNING OF PERSECUTION. 311
what would come of the new doctrine if let alone. His suggestion
"Ifit beof God" "lest haply ye be found even to fight against
God " is most important for the light it throws on the views of the
best of the Pharisees ; doubly important as coming from the teacher
of Saul of Tarsus (Acts xxii. 3). His advice was adopted by the
Council, after they had vented their anger by inflicting on the apos-
tles the scourging permitted by the law, and again forbidden them
to speak in the name of Jesus. They, on their part, "rejoiced
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name ;" and,
assured by this proof of conformity with his sufferings " both dai-
ly in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and
preach Jesus Christ" (Actsv. 17-42).
Meanwhile the Churcli began to feel the want of institutions for
its order. It included two sorts of persons, the Hebrews, or Jews
of Palestine, and the Hellenists, who were equally pure Jews, but na-
tives of, or settlers in, countries which had been influenced by Greek
conquest or civilization, and especially by the adoption of the Greek
language. The Hellenists, many of whom must have been convert-
ed on the day of Pentecost (as the enumeration of nations in Acts
ii. 9-11 shows), were viewed with jealousy even by the Christian
Hebrews ; and they complained that their widows were neglected in
the daily distribution. This was by no fault of the apostles, who
:ould not sit like bankers at "tables " without neglecting the word
of God. So they invited the brethren to look out from among them
seven men of honest report, whom the apostles would appoint to
this business. The Seven chosen were Stephen, "a man full of
faith and of the Holy Ghost," Philip (comp. Acts viii. 5, 26 ; xxi. 8),
Prochorus, Nicanor, Simon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, 4 a proselyte of
Antioch. They were ordained by laying on of the apostles' hands
with prayer, to the office which though not here so called is af-
terwards clearly denoted by their name of DKACONS, f. e., " Serv-
ants," from the " service " (vcr. 2) they performed (Acts vi. 1-6). 6
This institution gave a fresh impulse to the Gospel. " The word
of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in
Jerusalem greatly ; and a great company of the priests were obedi-
ent to the faith." It was not merely that the apostles obtained
more freedom ; but the deacons themselves came forward with a
zeal suited to their eminent position, and Stephen was most con-
spicuous for his faith and the power of his teaching, and the won-
ders and miracles he performed. The Hellenistic Jews formed a
4 It is doubtful whether this was the leader of the heresy of the " Nico-
laitnnes " (Rev. ii. 0, IB).
* In Rom. xvL 1, St Paul mentions " Phcebe, our sister, a deaconett of tho
church at Cenchrea " (the port of Corinth).
312 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVII.
sort of combined opposition to him, led by "the synagogue of the
Libertines" (that is, "freedmen"), "and Cyrenians, and Alexan-
drians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia." The mention of the
Cilicians prepares us for the part taken by SAUL OF TARSUS ; and
the Pharisees were now committed to the conflict by the zeal of the
Hellenists for the traditions of the law. Worsted in argument by
Stephen's wisdom and spiritual power, they suborned (as against
his Master) false witnesses, who accused him before the Sanhedrim
of blasphemy against the temple and the law, in saying that Jesus
of Nazareth should destroy the holy place and change the institu-
tions of Moses. The presence which Christ had promised to his
disciples was shown, before Stephen opened his lips, by the very as-
pect of his countenance, whicli seemed to all in the council like
*hat of an angel (Acts vi. 8-15). The defense which lie made, on
the invitation of the high-priest, is one of the most memorable pas-
sages of the New Testament. It places the truth of Christianity on
the basis of its relation to the history of the Old Covenant. The
whole argument is summed up in the one phrase, "Ye stiff-necked"
the epithet applied by Moses to their fathers "ye" who, while
boasting of circumcision, are " uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye
do always resist the Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, so do ye."
Stung to the heart, and gnashing their teeth for rage, they cut short
his defense ; and when, amidst the tumult, Stephen stood gazing up
to heaven, and saying, "Behold I see the heavens opened, and the
SON OF MAN standing on the right hand of God" their rnge passed
all bounds. But we need not relate the story of the protomartyr's
death, each incident of which repeats that of his Master (Acts vii.).
Its fruit was soon to be seen in "the young man named SAUL,"
who was "consenting to his death, and had held the garments of
them that slew him," and who was now the most active agent of the
general persecution, of which Stephen's martyrdom gave the signal
(Acts viii. 1-3 ; xxii. 20).
We learn some important details of this persecution from the
testimony of Paul himself; not only were the scourgings permitted
by the Jewish law inflicted in every synagogue ; in the hope of
hearing the weaker sufferers blaspheme the name of Jesus (Acts
xxii. 19; xxvi. 10, 11) ; not only were multitudes, both of men and
women, put in prison, and hunted down even in foreign cities ; but,
either through the connivance or the temporary suspension of the
Roman authority, the Sanhedrim ventured to put many to death,
like Stephen ; and Paul adds, "when they were put to death, I
gave my voice against them " (Acts xxvi. 10, 1 1). The result was
a general dispersion of the disciples except the Apostles from
Jerusalem ; which proved the first means of spreading the Gospel
A.D. 30-37. DISPERSION OF THE DISCIPLES. 313
beyond the limits of the Jewish race: "They that were scattered
abroad went in different directions, preaching the word " (Acts iv.
4). We shall see presently that some of them went through Phoe-
nicia into Syria as far as Antioch, and across to the Island of Cy-
prus, confining their ministry at first to the Jews, but soon ventur-
ing to preach Christ to the Greeks at Antioch (Acts xi. 19, 20).
Meanwhile the narrative of St. Luke follows the progress of the
Gospel in the Holy Land, through the three great steps of the con-
version of the Samaritans (Acts viii. 5-25), of the Ethiopian eu-
nuch (Acts viii. 26-40), and of the Roman centurion (Acts x.),
both of whom were already proselytes. Thus early are the repre-
sentatives of races alien to the Jews, both at home and in the regions
of the east, south, and west, brought into the Church, while the
conversion of Saul prepares for the preaching of the Gospel to the
Gentiles.
By mentioning the conversion of Cornelius in its connection with
the spread of the Gospel in Judjea, we have anticipated the order of
time, probably, by about three years. The martyrdom of Stephen,
and the ensuing persecution and spread of the Gospel through all
Palestine, crowned by the conversion of St. Paul, took place in the
year from the Feast of Tabernacles, in A.D. 36, to the same feast in
A.D. 37. Within that year, both Pilate and Caiaphas were deposed
by Vitellius, the governor of Syria ; and on the 16th of March, A.D.
37 (the Passover being on the 19th), the Emperor TIBERIUS dif"1,
and was succeeded by CAIUS C.S8.AR, or CALIGULA. The bosom-
friend of Caligula was AGRIPPA, the son of Aristobulus, son of
Herod, afterwards King HEROD AGRIPPA I. What influence his
favor with Caius, and afterwards with Claudius, had both upon Jews
and Christians, we shall presently see. Meanwhile we return to the
apostolic history, in which SAUL OF TARSUS, who now becomes PAUL
THE APOSTLE, is henceforth the central figure. His conversion
followed closely in order of time upon Stephen's martyrdom ; and
St. Augustine beautifully says : " Si STEPHANUS non or asset, EC-
desia PAULUM non haberet" "If STEPHEN had not prayed, tlio
Church would have had no PAUL.""
* As a key to all that follows, we give the chronology of St. Paul's Ufa
according to the two best authorities (see Note).
314
SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVII.
NOTK CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL.
Conybeare and
fiowson.
Lewin.
Table of St. P.nl's Life.
A.n.
A.IW
'
About 5 or C
About 11
Birth of Saul at Tarsus.
30
36 or 37
Martyrdom of St. Stephen.
37
37
Conversion of St. Paul.
39
39
(P. of Tabernacles)
His first visit to Jerusalem.
39-40
39-40
Rest of the Jewish Churches.
40
40
Conversion of Cornelius.
44
43
Barnabas fetches Saul from Tarsus to
Antioch.
44
44 or 45
44
44
Famine.and death of Herod Agrippa I.
Barnabas & Saul go to Jerusalem with
(before the Passover)
the collection. (Paul's second visit.)
48-49
45-i6
Paul's First Missionary Journey.
50
48
Paul and Barnabas go up to the Coun-
cil at Jerusalem.
Paul's third visit.*
51
49
Paul's Second Missionary Journey.
52
52
Paul arrives at Corinth, where he stays
(February)
eighteen months.
54
53
Paul arrives at Jerusalem.
(Pentecost)
(Tabernacles)
His fourth visit, t
Winters at Antioch (Lewin).
54 (latter half)
54 (beginning)
Paul's Third Missionary Journey.
55
54
He reaches Ephesus, where he stays
(May)
three full years (Lewin).
55-57
54-57
5T
67
Leaves Ephesus for Macedonia.
(about Pentecost)
5T-58
57-58
Winters at Corinth (three months).
58
68 (March 27)
Reaches Philippi at the Passover.
58
58
Reaches Jerusalem at Pentecost.
(May 17)
Paul's fifth visit, and arrest in the
temple.
58-00
60
58-00
60 (about Mi-dsum.)
Imprisonment at Caesarea.
Festns succeeds Felix.
CO
60 (end of August)
Paul sails for Rome.
About Nov. 1
His shipwreck at Malta.
01
61 (begin, of Mar.)
Paul reaches Rome.
61-63
His first imprisonment (two years). ,
63
63
On his release Paul
(Spring)
goes to Macedo- sails for Jerusalem,
nia and Asia Mi- and visits Antioch,
nor (C. &H). Colossse, and Ephe-
sus (Lewin).
64-06
64
Paul, after visiting Crete, leaves
(in Spain ?)
Ephesus for Macedonia.
67-68
64-65
Winters at Nicopolis.
65
(Lewin.) Visits Dalmatia, and return*
through Macedonia and Troas to
Ephesus, where he is arrested and
sent to Rome.
68 (May or Jn.)
66 (June 20)
Martyrdom of St. Paul at Rome.
; llic
ollision with Peter
* Dr. Howson identifies tins visit with that of Calufmns ii., and pla
at Antioch after it.
t Mr. Lewin identifies this visit with that of Galationa ii., and places the collision with Peter al
Aiitioch after It.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE GENTILES RECEIVED INTO THE CHURCH.
THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL TO THE FIRST COUNCIL OF JE-
RUSALEM, INCLUDING THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY OF PAUL
AND I5ARNA15AS. A.D. 37-48 OR 50.
" I VERILY am a Jew, born in Tarsus, of Cilicia (a citizen of no
mean city), but brought up in this city (Jerusalem) at the feet of
Gamaliel" (Acts xxii. 3; cf. 6; xxi. 39), "circumcised the eighth
day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of
the Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee" (Phil. iii. 5): such are
Paul's descriptions of himself, to which the traditions of the Fathers
scarcely add any trustworthy information. Of all that is known of
Tarsus, and the influence of that city of Cilicia on his early life,
wo can only here notice two facts. He was a "free-born" citizen
of Home (Acts xxii. 28), inheriting the franchise which had been
316 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVIII.
conferred on his father (perhaps for some public service), and with
it, probably, his Roman name of PAUL (Paulus). Cilicia was fa-
mous of old for the manufacture of the black tents of goats' hair
which are seen to the present day on the plain of Tarsus ; and
Saul was brought up to this occupation (Acts xviii. 3). The ex-
cellent custom of the Jews to teach every youth some trade, wheth-
er he had to earn his living by it or not, afterwards enabled the
apostle to labor with his own hands, and so to make the Gospel
without charge to the disciples (Acts xx. 34 ; 1 Cor. iv. 12 ; 2 Cor.
xi. 9; xii. 13, 14 ; 1 Thess. ii. 9 ; 2 Thess. iii. 8). It by no means
follows that the family were in a necessitous condition ; and the
contrary may be inferred from the liberal education which St. Paul
received. To that knowledge of the Greek language which ho
learnt at Tarsus as a matter of course, he added such an acquaint-
ance with Hellenic literature as not only to quote freely from Greek
poets (Acts xviii. 28 ; Tit. i. 2), but to prove himself familiar with
the very spirit of Hellenism. These accomplishments formed in no
small degree his peculiar qualifications for the special part to which
he was called, in the diffusion of Christianity, as the "Apostle of
the Gentiles."
But, though Hellenistic, his family were not Plellenizing. A
" Hebrew of the Hebrews," he was early sent to Jerusalem, to bo
" brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the
most perfect manner of the law of the fathers " (Acts xxii. 3). The
profound learning shown in his Epistles confirms his own account
of the rapid progress which he made "in the Jews' religion above
many of his contemporaries" (Gal. i. 14). But the young Pharisee
had also acquired among " his own people" a reputation for sancti-
ty of life and strict observance of all the traditions of the sect, which
he more than maintained at Jerusalem. He could afterwards con-
fidently appeal to the knowledge of all the Jews, that " after the
most straitest sect of their religion he lived a Pharisee " (Acts xxvi.
4, 5) ; nay, he could boast with a good conscience that he was blame-
less as ' ' touching the righteousness which is in the law " (Phil. iii. 6).
But these qualifying words point to the higher virtues which he did
not possess ; his allusions to " glorying," " boasting," and " pleas-
ing men," refer to the old spirit of the true Pharisee ; and his own
sorrowful confession marks his highest reputation among the Jews
as a state of " ignorance and unbelief" concerning the true spirit-
ual meaning of the Scriptures (1 Tim. i. 13).
The brief narrative of his conversion and apostolic labors in
the "Acts" is so strikingly illustrated in his "Letters," or, to use
the Greek title, "Epistles," that the comparison furnishes the most
powerful evidence of the truth of both. To make the ensuing nar-
A.D. 37-50. OUTLINE OF ST. PAUL'S COURSE. 317
rative clearer, we first mark the following great epochs of the apos-
tle's life :
i. His first appearance at Jerusalem as a Persecutor.
ii. His Conversion on the way to Damascus.
iii. His Introduction to the Apostles at Jerusalem, and retirement
for a time to Tarsus.
iv. His Labors at Antioch, and visit to Jerusalem in A.D. 4-4.
v. His First Missionary Journey in Asia Minor.
yi. His Visit to Jerusalem about the Gentiles.
rii. His Second Missionary Journey, and Introduction of the Gos-
pel into Europe.
viii. His Third Missionary Journey, and long Stay at Ephesus.
ix. His Seizure at Jerusalem, and Imprisonment at Caisarea.
x. His Voyage to Rome, and First Imprisonment.
xi. His Release, and subsequent labors.
xii. His Second Imprisonment and Martyrdom.
SAUL is first introduced to us in connection with the martyrdom
of Stephen, and the persecution which ensued thereon. In the first
deed of blood we must not think of him as a mere by-stander. As
a Hellenist and one of "them of Cilicia," he was doubtless one of
the confuted disputants ; and his part in the murder, only second
to that of the witnesses whose clothes he took charge of, is marked
by the emphatic statement, "Saul was consenting to his death"
(Acts vii. 58 ; viii. 1). When the disciples were scattered by this
persecution, Saul pursued them, " breathing out thrcatenings and
slaughter against the disciples of the Lord " (Acts ix. 1) ; or. to
use his own words, "Being exceedingly mad against them, I per-
secuted them even to strange cities." Among these cities was old
Damascus, which had recently been transferred from Herod Antipas
to Aretas, the king of Arabia Petrzea. The Jews, who vrere very
numerous at Damascus, espoused the cause of Aretas, and viewed
Herod's defeat as a judgment for the death of John. It was, there-
fore, natural that Aretas should befriend the Jews, so as to give fa-
cilities for carrying out the jurisdiction which the great Sanhedrim
at Jerusalem claimed over their countrymen in foreign cities. It
was by his own seeking that Saul obtained the letters of the high-
priest to the synagogues of Damascus, to enable him to seize and
bring bound to Jerusalem any "of the way," whether men or women
(Acts ix. 2).
But the Divine Ruler had prescribed a very different issue, and
Saul was arrested on his journey by a miracle which converted the
persecutor of his Jewish brethren into the Apostle of the Gentiles.
This event is related in detail three times in the Acts, first by the
historian in his own person, then in the two addresses made by St
318 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVIII.
Paul at Jerusalem and before Agrippa (Acts ix., xxii., xxvi.).
These three narratives are not repetitions of one another, and the
differences between them are most instructive. In the one place
St. Luke gives in his own language a simple account of the most
essential features of the transaction, viewed merely as an historical
event. In the other two passages, lie reports speeches which St.
Paul made before different auditors, bringing forward in each case
those points which were best fitted to convince the hearers, but in
no one respect inconsistent with those recorded in the simpler nar-
rative. Leaving the minute comparison of the three accounts for
future study, we must briefly note the essential features of this
event one equally momentous in the history of Christianity, and
among the most convincing evidences of its truth. (1) Saul and
his company had just come in sight of Damascus, when the splendor
of the midday sun (Acts xxii. 6 ; xxvi. 13) was overpowered by a still
brighter light from heaven, "shining round about me, and them that
journeyed with me" (Acts xxvi. 13 ; comp. xxii. 9). All of them
saw the light, and all fell to the ground (Acts xxvi. 14); and thus
all were witnesses to the miracle. But to Saul, though alone blind-
ed by " the glory of that light" (Acts xxii. 11), it was vouchsafed
"To see aud tell
Of things invisible to mortal sight."
That he saw the SON OF GOD amidst the light, is implied in the
statement that the attendants " saw no man " (Acts ix. 7), and by
the words presently addressed to him by Ananias "The LORD
JESUS, who appeared unto thee in the way" "The God of our fa-
thers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest see that JUST ONE " (Acts
ix. 17; xxii. 14). Hence, in vindicating his apostleship, one quali-
fication for which was to have seen the risen Christ, Paul says,
" Have not I seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" (1 Cor. ix. 1) ; and, in
enumerating the visible appearances after his resurrection, lie says,
" Last of all he was seen of me also " (1 Cor. XT. 8). (2) The Vis-
ion was accompanied by a Voice, the well-known Bath-Col. Tho
attendants heard only a sound as of thunder (comp. John xii. 29),
just as they saw only the diffused light (Acts ix. 7) ; but to Saul
the words were clear in his own Hebrew tongue (Acts xxvi. 14),
"Saul! Saul ! why persecutes! thou me P" 1 The question " LORD,
who art thou ?" confesses the first movement of repentance ; and
the full revelation which Jesus then makes of himself brings the
persecutor, with trembling and astonishment (Acts ix. 6), to place
1 The proverbial saying " It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks "
(or rather goad) is found only in Acts xxvi. 14. The figure is derived from
a restive ox, whose kicking only drives the goad deeper.
A.D. 37-50. CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. 319
himself unreservedly at the command of him whom he henceforth
served with all his being " Lord! what wilt thou have me to do ?"
He was commanded to go into Damascus and await the answer.
He was led blind and helpless into the city by his attendants, and
there, in the street called Straight, he became the guest of JuGas,
perhaps one of the chief of the disciples whom he had come to per-
secute. Three days of blindness, fasting, and prayer prepared him
'for the promised answer, which was brought by ANANIAS, a convert
of his own class. With the restoration of his sight when, in the
doubly expressive figure, "there fell from his eyes as it had been
scales " he received his full commission to the apostleship, and he
was baptized by Ananias ; " and when he had received food, he was
strengthened" (Acts ix. 18).
So fully conscious of his divine mission that he would not ap-
pear, by going up to the apostles at Jerusalem, to " seek counsel of
flesh and blood" (Gal. i. 15-17), he now took up his abode at Da-
mascus, and forthwith began to preach Christ in the synagogues,
confounding the Jews by his proofs. Part of this time was spent
in Arabia (Gal. i. 17). At the end of three years, the Jews laid a
plot to kill him, while the ethnarch, who governed Damascus under
the Arabian king Aretas, kept watch with the garrison to prevent
his escape. But the Eastern fashion of building houses upon walls
enabled the Christians to let Paul down just as Rahab had let
down the spies from a window by a basket (Acts ix. 23-25 ; 2 Cor.
xi. 32, 33). He went to Jerusalem, with the motive, as he himself
tells us, of conferring with Peter, as whose guest he remained there
a fortnight (Gal. i. 18). At first, indeed, the disciples were afraid of
him, till Barnabas brought him to the apostles, and told them how
he had seen the Lord in the way, and how boldly he had preached
Christ at Damascus. With equal boldness Saul now began to dis-
pute with the Hellenists ; and he was only saved from Stephen's fate
through being hastily escorted by the brethren to Cajsarea, whence
he sailed for Tarsus (Acts ix. 26-30).
From himself we learn another motive for this hasty departure,
This visit to Jerusalem was the season appointed for him to receive
his full commission to the Gentiles, the particulars of which he re-
lates in his defense before the Jews (Acts xxii. 17-21). As he was
praying in the temple, he fell into a trance, and for the second time
beheld a vision of the Lord, who bade him to make haste and de-
part from Jerusalem, "for they will not receive thy testimony con-
cerning me." His argument in reply, from their former knowledge
of him as a persecutor, was answered by the repetition of the com-
mand, "Depart, for I will send theefar hence UNTO THE GKNTILES."
The fury which the mere repetition of these words roused in his
20 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAI>. XXVIII.
audience is some measure of the offense which the avowal of sucfo
a mission would have given, not only to the Jews, but to the Judaiz-
ing Christians, by whose jealousy Paul was afterwards so severely
tried. It was better first to go and prove his mission by deeds, and
then to come back to Jerusalem with such proofs. So passing, in-
deed, was this first visit, that he himself tells us, " I was unknown
by face unto the Churches of Judaea " (Gal. i. 22).
Meanwhile Peter was first called, even against his will, to open
the door of the kingdom of heaven to the Gentiles. The oppor-
tunity was afforded by that season of rest which the Churches of
Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed after Saul's visit to Jerusa-
lem (Acts ix. 31). The cessation of his persecution was followed '
by events which threatened to "turn the tables" upon the Jews.
Tho insane vanity of Caligula proclaimed the worship of himself
throughout the empire. The attempt drove the Jews to the verge
of a rebellion, which was ojily averted by his death ; and we can
well believe that the agitation of the whole people at the impend-
ing danger would divert their attention from the Christians. It
was in this interval of rest, (about A.D. 39 and 40) that Peter made
that apostolic visitation of the churches (Acts ix. 32), during which
he cured ^Eneas of tha palsy at Lydda, in the plain of Sharon,
and restored Tabitha, or DORCAS (i. e., "gazelle"), to life at Joppa,
both miracles gaining many converts to the faith (Acts ix. 32-43).
From Joppa he was summoned to Caesarea, to perform that firt
great act of receiving Gentiles into the Church, which is related
with all its picturesque details and striking lessons in Acts x.
The news of this act roused in the Church at Jerusalem the same
prejudices which had made Peter himself reluctant to perform it ;
but his account of the vision which had taught him that "God is
no respecter of persons," and of the descent of the Holy Ghost on
the baptized converts, brought them to glorify God, saying, "Then
hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life " (Acts
xi. 1-18).
This truth had already received a wider application than they
knew of. The dispersion of the Christians from Jerusalem after
the death of Stephen had sent many northward to Phoenicia, Anti-
och, and Cyprus ; who preached the Gospel at first only to the
Jews. But certain of the Hellenists among them, men of Cyprus
and Cyrene, soon grew bolder ; and, on their arrival at ANTIOCH,
they spake to the GREEKS, preaching the Lord Jesus. "And the
hand of the Lord was with them : and a great number believed,
and turned unto the Lord" (Acts xi. 19-21). It is probable that
these Greeks were in the same religious position as Cornelius prose-
lytes of the gate and their conversion was so nearly simultaneous
A.D. 37-50. HEROD AGRIPRA I. 821
with his that, when the news reached Jerusalem, it found the Church
prepared to act on the lesson taught through Peter. BARNABAS
was sent to Antioch. As at once a Levite and a native of Cyprus,
as well as by the powers of gentle persuasion that gained him his
surname, he was a chief link between the Hebrews and the Hellenists
besides having the higher qualifications so emphatically recorded
by St. Luke : " He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and
of faith." It was enough for him to see " the grace of God ;" and
he exhorted the new converts to cleave to the Lord with all their
heart. His labors were more and more successful : "much people
was added unto the Lord." Barnabas saw in this movement at
Antioch the beginning of a great work among the Greeks; and, in-
tent upon rinding a fit associate in the new labors before him, he
departed to Tarsus to seek Saul, whom he had formerly introduced
to the apostles.
Since his retirement to Tarsus, Saul had been laboring in Gilicia
and Syria so quietly, but so successfully, that the Churches of Ju-
dtea "had heard only that he which persecuted us in times past
now preachcth the faith which once he destroyed, and they glorified
God in him " (Gal. i. 21-24). He now labored with Barnabas for a
whole year in the Church at Antioch, "teaching much people,"
till the adherents of the new faith grew to such importance as to be
enrolled among the schools of religious and philosophic opinion rec-
ognized by the Greeks and Romans. The disciples were called
CHRISTIANS,/?^ at Antioch (Acts xi. 22-26).
While Christianity obtained the lasting name which marked its
triumph in the dissolute capital ct' Syria that stronghold of west-
ern paganism and eastern abominations the rest of the churches
of Judaea had come to an end. On the 24th of January, B.C. 41.
Caligula was assassinated, and the only friend who protected his
corpse from insult was Herod's grandson, Agrippa, who now takes
a leading part in Scripture history. The young son of Aristobnlus
and Berenice had been sent to Rome on his father's execution, and
was brought up with Drusus, the son of Tiberius. On the death
of Drusus, he found himself excluded from the emperor's presence,
and was besides overwhelmed with debt. Returning to Palestine,
he obtained through his sister Herodias the protection of Herod An-
tipas, who made him governor of Tiberias. But a quarrel soon
took place, and, after strange vicissitudes and adventures, Agrippn
returned to Italy. He attached himself to the young Gains (Calig-
ula), and, having been overheard to express a hope for his friend's
speedy succession, he was thrown into prison by Tiberius, where
he remained till the accession of Caligula, A.D. 37. The new cm-
peroi gave him the governments formerly held bv the tctrarchs Philip
X
322 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVIII.
and Lysanias, and bestowed on him the ensigns of roynlty and other
marks of favor, and he arrived in Palestine in the following year,
after visiting Alexandria. The jealousy of Herod Antipas and his
wife Herodias was excited by these distinctions, and they sailed to
Rome in the hope of supplanting Agrippa in the emperor's favor;
but he anticipated their design by a counter-charge against Antipas
of treasonable correspondence with the Parthians. Antipas was
banished to Gaul (A.D. 39), and his dominions were adde'd to those
already held by Agrippa. During the brief wild reign of Caligula,
Agrippa continued his faithful friend, and used his influence on be-
half of the Jews. Having paid the last honors to his patron's re-
mains, he smoothed the path of his successor to the throne by his
activity and discretion in carrying messages between the Senate and
the prajtorian camp. CLAUDIUS rewarded him with the kingdom of
Judaea and Samaria, in addition to his tetrarchy, and thus the do-
minions of Herod the Great were reunited for a short time under
his grandson, who is commonly called Herod Agrippa I. (A.D. 4146).
Claudius issued an edict of toleration for the Jewish religion, and
gave Agrippa authority over the temple. Unlike the other princes
of his family, Agrippa was a strict observer of the Law, and he
sought with success the favor of the Jews. He resided much at
Jerusalem, and, besides other works, added a new wall to its de-
fenses, inclosing the suburb of Bezetha, or the "New City." To
please the Jews, he beheaded the first apostolic martyr, JAMES, the
brother of John, and followed up the stroke liy the imprisonment of
Peter. It was during the Passover, probably in the last year of
Herod's short reign (A.D. 44), that he placed Peter under the strict-
est guard, intending to gratify the people by his death as soon as
the feast was over. In the graphic story of the apostle's release by
an angel on the night before the day fixed for the execution, we
first meet the name of JOHN MARK, in all probability the Evangelist
(Acts xii. 1-19).
The divine vengeance on the persecutor, which the sacred writer
tells with such stern simplicity, is illustrated by the fuller narrative
of the Jewish historian. Nature had secured for Agrippa the in-
heritance of at least one part of the greatness of Solomon. Now,
as then, the maritime cities of Phoenicia depended for their corn
upon the produce of the fertile plain districts of Palestine : " Their
country was nourished by the king's country" (Acts xii. 20). The
vast influence which he thus exerted is proved by the humility
with which the Tynans and Sidonians deprecated his resentment ;
and the pomp amidst which he received their envoys at Caesarea,
indicating a desire to assume all the greatness of his grandfather,
only made the likeness of their deaths the more conspicuous. In
A.D. 37-50. HEROD AGRIPPA I. 323
the fourth year of his reign over the whole of Judaea, soon after
Peter's escape (Acts xii. 19), Agrippa celebrated some games at
Caesarea in honor of the emperor. When he appeared in the
theatre on the second day in a royal robe made entirely of silver
stuff, which shone in the morning light, his flatterers saluted him
as a god ; and suddenly he was seized with terrible pains, and.
being carried from the theatre to the palace, died, after five days'
agony, a loathsome death, like those of the great persecutors, An-
tiochus Epiphanes, and his own grandfather. "After being rack-
ed for five days with intestine pain" (Josephus), "he was eaten
of worms, and gave up the ghost," A.D. 44 or 45 (Acts xii. 23). The
miraculous and judicial character of his death is distinctly affirmed
by the sacred historian : " Immediately the angel of the Lord smote
him, because he gave not GOD the glory.'' The Greeks of Sebaste
and Caesami, with his own soldiers, showed brutal exultation at his
death, and the censure which the riot brought down from Claudius
upon the Roman soldiers imbittered their feelings towards the Jews
to such a degree that Josephus regards this as one of the chief causes
of the Jewish war. Herod's dominions, which included the whole
of Palestine, were now finally reduced to the Roman province of
Judaea, the youth of his son Agrippa (age 17), who was now at
Rome, being made an excuse by Claudius for not giving him his
father's kingdom. But Agrippa's ecclesiastical power was trans-
ferred to his brother Herod, whom Claudius had made king of
Chalcis, and on his death, five years later, that petty principality
was given to the young Agrippn, who will soon appear in the story
as "King AGRIPPA II."
The famine, which Josephus places under Cuspius Fadus, the
first procurator of the reunited province, seems to be that which was
prophesied to the Church of Antioch by the same AGAHUS who af-
terwards warned Paul of his imprisonment (Acts xi. 27, 28 ; xxi,
10). It can not but be regarded as a special act of Divine Provi-
dence that knit together in " the fellowship of giving and receiving "
the two branches of the Church, which had thus grown up among
the Jews and Greeks, and which might have been tempted into ri-
valry. The " Christians " of Antioch proved worthy of their new
name, and sent relief to the brethren in Judaea by the hands of
Barnabas and Saul, A.D. 45 (Acts xi. 27-30). It was probably on
this second visit to Jerusalem after his conversion that the apostle
was encouraged by that marvellous rapture in the temple, which
required the chasteni-ng of " a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of
Satan to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure through
the abundance of the revelations" (2 Cor. xii. 2-9).
When Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch, after fulfilling
324 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVIII.
their mission, they took with them John Mark, the cousin of Bar-
nabas (Acts xii. 25). In the course of their ministry, with other
prophets and teachers in that Church (Acts xiii. 1), they were sum-
moned to the last step in the progress of the Gospel its preaching
to the heathen world by the word of the Holy Ghost " Separate
me BARNABAS and S\ULfor the work wherunto I have called them.
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them,
they sent, them away " (Acts xiii. '2, 3). This was a distinct asso-
ciation of Barnabas with Saul in the apostleship ; for both are
called apostles (Acts xiv. 4, 14).
First Missionary Journey of Barnabas and Saul. The two apos-
tles, with John Mark as a sort of subordinate minister, embarked
at Seleucia, the port of Antioch, at the mouth of the Orontes, for
Salamis in CYPRUS, where, according to the law ordained by Christ,
and always followed by them, they began their ministry by preach-
ing the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews (Acts xiii. 4,
5). Thus they traversed the length of Cyprus, from Salamis, on
the eastern coast, to Paphos, on the western. The latter city,
celebrated throughout Greek history for the orgies of Venus, was
I* now the residence of the Roman proconsul, SKRGIUS PAULUS, the
([ first actual heathen whose conversion is on record. The Jewish
'sorcerer and false prophet, Elymas or Bar-Jesus (i.e., " Son of Je-
sus"}, who " withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from
the faith," was smitten with blindness at the word of " Saul, who
also is called PAUL." The name thus associated with the first
miracle that attested his mission is used afterwards throughout the
narrative, and always in his own epistles (Acts xiii. 1-12). Up to
this point, also, the name of Barnabas has taken precedence of
Saul's ; but henceforth the order is generally inverted ; and so we
at once read that "PAUL and his company" sailed from Paphos to
Perga, one of the two chief ports of Pamphylia. Here John Mark
left them and returned to Jerusalem (Acts xiii. 13).
The port of Perga gave the readiest access to the districts of
Pisidia and Lycaonia, beyond the Taurus, which abounded with
Jewish synagogues. The passage of that mountain chain, long
regarded as one of the great lines of demarkation between the
Graeco-Roman and Oriental worlds, marks the epoch at which the
Gospel overpassed the limits of Semitic civilization. This new en-
terprise was beset with dangers. The highlands of Pisidia could
only be penetrated by passes, subject to be swept by the sudden
rise of the mountain torrents, and infested by the wildest ban-
ditti in the world ; and the apostles went forward through ' ' per-
ils of rivers and perils of robbers " only to plunge into " perils from
their kindred, perils from the heathen " (2 Cor. xi. 2G).
A.D. 37-50. FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 825
Their first halting-place was at ANTIOCH, in Pisidia, founded,
like the Syrian Antioch, by Seleucus Nicator, and named after his
father Antiochus a place scarcely second to the other for its im-
portance in the history of Gentile Christianity. It was here that
Paul made the first formal declaration, that the offer of salvation,
rejected by the Jews, was handed over to the Gentiles; and here
he first proclaimed the doctrine of that justification by faith in
Christ which can not be found in the law of Moses. The truth
was first preached here, as elsewhere, to the Jews in the synagogue,
in a discourse which goes over much the same historic ground as
Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrim, and every word of which
demands careful study (Acts xiii. 1441). It gained many con-
verts (Acts xiii. 43), and made so deep an impression on the whole
that "they besought that these words might be preached to them
the next Sabbath" (verse 42). The week was so well spent (verse
44), that on the following Sabbath almost all the people of the lit-
tle town flocked to the synagogue to hear the Word of God. But
when the Jews saw the Gentiles coming to the same source of re-
ligious light as themselves, their envy was roused, and " they spake
against the things spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming."
This sudden outburst of hostility revealed the whole spirit of Jew-
ish and Judaizing enmity to the Gospel, and Paul and Barnabas
were now inspired with the full sense of their new mission to that
degree of " boldness " which was needed for Jews addressing Jews
to say, "It was necessary that the Word of God should first have
been spoken to you ; but, seeing ye put it from you, and judge your-
selves unworthy of eternal life, Lo ! WE TURN TO TUB GENTILES "
a course which they justify by the same prophecy which was quoted
ly the aged Simeon at Christ's first appearance in the temple.
Tlic announcement caused great joy among the Gentiles, "and as
many as were ordained to eternal life believed : and the word of
the Lord was published throughout all the region." This success
raised the anger of the Jews to the highest pitch ; and then began
the persecution which Panl had now to suffer from them nt every
step. Driven from their bounds, and shaking off the dust of their
feet against them, as Jesus had commanded, Paul and Barnaba;;
name to Iconium, but they left behind at Antioch a joyful and vig-
orous Church (Acts xiii. 44-52).
At ICONIUM they staid long, and had great success ; but the un-
believing Jews raised a persecution by the new method of stirring
up disaffection among the Gentiles. Warned of a combined at-
tempt to stone them, " the apostles " fled to the eastern and wilder
parts of LYCAONIA. In this primitive region there were no Jew-
ish synagogues and but little Greek civilization ; and they preached
S2G SCRIPTUKE HISTORY. CHAP. XXVIII.
the Gospel to the natives in the cities of Lystra and Derbe. At
LTSTRA the miracle of healing a cripple caused the people to ex-
claim, in the dialect of Lycaonia, "The gods are come down to us
in the likeness of men," and to try to offer them sacrifice. The
attempt called forth a discourse, which may be regarded as the
type of those first addressed to mere heathen. This discourse
made converts (verse 20) ; but the people in general were disap-
pointed at the repulse of the honors they had offered ; and, at the
instigation of certain Jews who came from Antioch and Iconium,
Paul was stoned and dragged out of the city for dead. But, as the
new disciples stood round him, he revived and returned into the
city, whence he and Barnabas departed the next day for Derbe,
and there they gained many disciples (Acts xiv. 1-21).
This was the farthest point of the present journey ; and they re-
traced their route through Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, to Perga
and the port of Attalia, where they embarked for Antioch, in Syria.
On this return journey, they appointed permanent officers for the
teaching and government of the churches, who are called ELDERS,
in Greek, PRESBYTERS (Acts xiv. 21-28). The report of this First
Missionary Journey, made to the assembled Church of Antioch by
Paul and Barnabas, convinced them that " God had opened the door
of faith unto the GENTILES."
But after some time the Judaizing spirit tried to spoil the new
work. Certain visitors from Judasa, whom Paul does not hesitate
to call "false brethren unawares brought in" (Gal. ii. 4), insisted
that circumcision and observance of the law of Moses were essential
to salvation, for Gentiles as well as Jews. Paul and Barnabas, af-
ter vehemently resisting these claims, were sent, with others, by the
Church of Antioch to Jerusalem, to consult the apostles and elders
on the question. The memorable debate which ensued there, in
which James and Peter pronounced for Christian liberty, must be
read in Acts xv. The assembly, which has been called the "First
Council at Jerusalem," was able to claim divine authority (verso
28) for the decree which was carried back to Antioch by Barnabas
and Paul, accompanied by two "prophets, JUDAS BARSAHAS and
SILAS, of whom the latter soon becomes conspicuous as Paul's com
panion. This third visit of Paul to Jerusalem, since his conversion,
is probably that referred to in Galatians ii. If so, we have these
two interesting results: first, that TITUS went with Paul, and that
the liberty claimed was established in his case (Gal. ii. 3) ; and,
secondly, that Paul's friendly rebuke to Peter, for his Judaizing at
Antioch, occurred between the first and second Missionary Jour-
neys.
CHAPTER XXIX.
ST. PAUL'S SECOND OR GREAT MISSIONARY JOURNEY, AND THE EN-
TRANCE OF THE GOSPEL INTO EUROPE. A.D. 49 OR 51 TO 53
OR 54.
HAVING now seen wh.it may bo called the typical cases of the first
preaching of the Gospel, first to the Jews, next to the Samaritans,
then to the different classes of Proselytes, and lastly to the hen-
then Gentiles, we touch but briefly on the numerous incidents of
St. Paul's Second Missionary Journey. It is memorable for its wide
axtcnt, its long duration, and, above all, for the introduction of
Christianity into Europe ; though the apostle's labors were still con-
fined to that eastern division of the Roman Empire which was
mnrked by the Adriatic. The journey extended over the space of
mure than three or four yenrs (of which eighteen months were spent
at Coriuth). Beginning at Antioch, it embraced Cilicia, Lycnonia,
328 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIX.
Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, and the Troad ; and, in Europe, Macedo-
nia, Athens, imd Corinth ; whence Paul crossed the .$Cgean to Eph-
esus, and thence sailed to Cassarea, and so, after a hasty visit to Je-
rusalem, returned to Antioch (Acts xv. 3G-xviii. 24).
This great enterprise began with no parade of promises or prep-
aration, but in the natural proposal of Paul to Barnabas, that they
should revisit the brethren in all the cities where they had preached
the Gospel, and inquire after their welfare (Acts xv. 36). Paul'r
refusal of the proposal of Barnabas to take John Mark again with
them, because before " lie went not with them to '.he work," led tc
a sharp personal quarrel. But the providence of God overruled hu-
man infirmities, and the result of the separation of the former com-
rades was that two apostolic missions went forth instead of one.
Barnabas, with Mark, sailed as before to Cyprus, his native island ;
and he is not again mentioned in the Acts (Acts xv. 37-31)). In the
Epistles, however, Paul not only refers to his old comrade with af-
fection and respect (Gal. ii. 1, 9, 13), but in a later passage he seems
to imply that Barnabas was still laboring among the Gentiles, main-
tained, like himself, by the work of his own hands (1 Cor. ix. G).
Of MARK'S well-earned recovery of Paul's favor, we have pleasant
proofs. Not only do we find him restored to the apostle's intimacy
during his first imprisonment at Rome, commended to the Church
at Colossae (Col. iv. 10), and acknowledged as his fellow-laborer
(Philemon 24), but we hear Paul, among his last words, desiring
that very aid from Mark which he had once rejected : " Take Mark
and bring him with thce,for he is profitable to me for the ministry"
(2 Tim. iv. 11). In the interval between St. Paul's first and second
imprisonments, Mark seems to have been brought again, by that
journey to the East to which Paul alludes as contemplated, into co-
operation with Peter, with whom we find him at Babylon, and who
speaks of him affectionately as "my son" (1 Pet. v. 13). Mean-
while Paul found a new companion in SILAS, whom we have seen
transferred from Jerusalem to Antioch ; and it was not long before
the little band was increased by the most congenial fellowship of
TIMOTHY. Hence the laborers in this work are described by the
apostle himself by the formula "Paul and Silvanus and Timo-
theus" (1 Thess. i. 1 ; 2 Thess. i. 1). LUKE (as is clearly shown
by the sudden transition of his narrative to the first person and back
again to the third) joined Paul's company at Alexandria Troas, but
was left behind at Philippi, and does not appear !\gain in this jour-
ney (Acts xvi. 10; xvii. 1).
Commended by the brethren to the grace of God, Paul and Silas
first visited the Churches of Syria and Cilicia; probably those
which the apostle had planted soon after his conversion (comp. Gal.
A.D. 51-54. ST. PAUL'S SECOND CIRCUIT. 329
i. 21), to which the "decrees" of the assembly at Jerusalem were
especially addressed (Acts xv. 40, 41 ; comp. 23). Then crossing
the Taurus, he traversed his old ground in Lycaonia, but in the re-
verse order, by Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, delivering the decrees
to the Churches. ' At Lystra, he chose TIMOTIIEUS (Timothy), a\
youthful convert of his former visit, to be his companion ; and he J
was ordained to the work, and probably with the title, of an Evan-*
jeiist, by the laying on of the hands of the Elders (1 Tim. iv. 14 ; 2
Tim. i. 6 ; iv. 5). His Jewish mother Eunice, with his grandmother
Lois, had taught him from a child to know the Holy Scriptures,
and imbued him with their own " unfeigned faith " (2 Tim. i. 5 ; iii
15). But, as his father was a Greek, Paul circumcised him, to avoid
offending the many Jews in those parts (Acts xvi. 1-3).
At Iconium, or possibly at Antiocli, Paul, with Silas and Timo-
thy, left the track of his first journey, and doubtless guided by
those divine directions which attended each successive stage of
their progress they turned northward into the central region of
Asia Minor, whicli is described by the general phrase of " Plirygia
:md the region of Galatia ;" and all that we learn further from St.
Luke of their course through the peninsula is this : Being forbidden
of the Holy Ghost to preacli the word in Asia (the Roman province),
they came into the eastern border of Mysia, and endeavored to enter
Bithynia ; but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them. So they
passed through Mysia into the Troad ; and tbere, at the city of
Alexandria Troas, Paul saw the vision which called them over into
Europe (Acts xvi. 6-9). This brief outline may be in part filled
up from St. Paul's Epistk to the Gti/nttans. That Celtic people re-
ceived Paul's simple proclamation of "the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ" with enthusiastic but short-lived devotion to his own per-
son. We have no mention of any central Church founded in any
of the Galatian cities ; not even Ancyra, the capital, being so much
as named. The Churches of Galatia (Gal. i. 2) were doubtless scat-
tered among the villages of that patriarchal people ; and this iso-
lation may have exposed them the more readily to the attacks of
the Judaizing perverters, who systematically dogged the footsteps
of Paul.
Of the reasons for which the apostolic band were forbidden tc\
enter Bithynia or to preach the Gospel in the province of Asia, the*
acred narrative is silent. We only see that their path, thus hedged
up on the right and the left, was guided to the spot where it wan
revealed that they had been thus brought down to the extremity of
Asia in order to carry over the Gospel into Europe. Nearly four
centuries had passed since the Macedonian conqueror crossed tlio
Hellespont to overthrow the great despotism that enthralled Asia;
330 SCEIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIX.
and now, near that plain of Troy on which Alexander staid to in
dulge the dream of rivalling the fame of his ancestor Achilles, at
the very city named in the conqueror's honor, Alexandria Troas,
St. Paul beheld in vision another "man of Macedonia" uttering
the cry of the Western World suffering beneath the despotism of
sin, and calling to the soldiers of the cross, " Come over and help
us." The power which had led Europe to the armed conquest of
'Asia was the first to invite this spiritual conquest in return. Not a
doubt could enter the apostle's mind about the nature of the "help "
he was called to give; and so LUKE, speaking now in the first per-
sou, as having here joined Paul and Timothy and Silas, says. "Im-
mediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gather-
ing that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel unto them "
(Acts xvi. 9, 10).
From Troas they sailed in two days to Neapolis, on the Strymo-
nic Gulf, and thence they followed the Roman road (via Egnatia) to
the Augustan colony of PHILIPPI, which was now the chief city of
Eastern Macedonia, though the capital of the province was atThcs-
salonica (Acts xvi. 12). As being more a military than a commer-
cial city, it was not likely to have many Jewish residents ; and, in-
stead of a synagogue, the Jews only possessed an oratory (irpocevx'i)
outside the city, by the side of one of the rivulets which gave the
place its ancient name of "the Springs." Paul and his compan-
ions joined their worship on the Sabbath, and from among the_
proselytes a type of one class of converts were furnishedby_LrniA >
a seller of purple stuffs from Thyatira, "whose heart the I
opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of
Paul." By her baptism, with her A0ttseAoW,Ujydia gave the first re-^
corded example of that great character which Christianity shares f
with Judaism as & family religion ; and she followed it up with thff,
first great example of Christian hospitality, constraining the apos-
tolic band to become her guests during their stay in Philippi (Acts
xvi. 13-15, 40).
While passing to and from their place of prayer, Paul and his.
companions were followed by a slave-girl, whose possession by an
icvil spirit " of Python " (pretending to be inspired by Apollo) was
'a great source of gain to the owners who trafficked in her oracles.
She bore witness for many days to these " servants of the most high
God, which show unto us the way of salvation," till Paul, with
his patience exhausted, turned round and proved the truth of her
confession by bidding the spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come
out of her ; and it came out the same hour (Acts xvi. 16-18). En
raged at the destruction of their "property," the masters of the
slave-girl seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them before the local
A.D. 51-54. EVENTS AT PHILIPPI. 331
magistrates sitting in the Forum. They preferred the charge that
these Jews raised a tumult in the city, and taught customs tmlaw.
ful for Komans to adopt. The clamor of the multitude stood in
place of evidence and deliberation ; and the alarmed magistrates
tore off the prisoners' clothes, and ordered them to be beaten with
rods. Then, bleeding from a Roman scourging of unusual severi-
ty, they were delivered to the jailer with a charge to keep them
safe ; and the brutal officer thrust them into the inner prison, add-
ing the torture of making their feet fast in the stocks, a bar of wood
or iron to which the feet were bound in a most painful attitude.
We must turn to the sacred page for what followed : their hymns,
which were heard nt midnight through the prison ; the earthquake
which shook its walls, and brought the jailer to their feet with the
cry, " Sirs! what must I do to be saved?" the change of his rude
spirit, so strikingly in contrast with the quiet conversion of Lydia,
which, however, it resembled in the inclusion of his household,- the
release of the prisoners in the morning by the terrified magistrates,
from whom Paul claimed the right of citizenship, which their hasty
violence had not given him time to plead before (Acts xvi. 16-40).
Having first returned to the house of Lydin, and exhorted the
brethren, Paul and Silas went on their way through Macedonia,
leaving Luke, and apparently Timothy also, to build up the newly-
founded Church, with the aid, doubtless, of presbyters, and of those
Christian women, the original companions of Lydia at the oratorv,
whose labors with him in the Gospel Paul records in his Epistle t-
the Church (Phil. iv. 3). In that Epistle, too, we have proofs of
the tender affection and generous feeling which bound together Paul
and his Philippian converts from this day to his imprisonment at
Rome (Phil. i. 3-8; iv. 1, 15, 1C).
Passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, the apostle arrived
with Silas at THESSALONICA, at the head of the Thermaic Gulf.
Not only important as the Roman capital of Macedonia, but as a
commercial city second only to Athens and Corinth, Thessalonica
was further suited to be a centre of Christianity by possessing a
synagogue of the Jews, who were attracted thither by its trade.
Paul, according to his custom, went into the synagogue on thres
successire Sabbaths, and reasoned with the Jews out of the Scrip-
tures, like the Lord himself on the way to Emmaus, " that Christ
must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead : and that
this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ." His preaching
made numerous converts among the Greek proselytes, and among
the women of high station. This success, as at Antioch, in Pisidia,
roused the envy of the unbelieving Jews, who easily raised a tumult
among the vagabonds and idlers in the market of this great port
832 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIX.
The mob attacked the house of Jason (probably a Hellenist, with
whom Paul and Silas were staying), intending to bring them forth
to the vengeance of the people ; but, not finding them there, they
dragged Jason and certain brethren before the magistrates of Thes-
salonica. To the general outcry, that Jason had received "these
men who have come hither also, turning the world vpside down "
and well it needed such a restoration of the order which sin
had long since inverted they added the specific charge, which so
strongly appealed to the fears of a magistrate under Rome : "And
all these do contrary to the decrees of CJESAR, saying that there is
another king, JESUS." Though sharing in the general agitation,
the magistrates did not, like the praetors of Philippi, forget their
judicial character. They were content to take security of Jason
and the rest ; and the brethren immediately sent away Paul and
Silas by night to Beroca (Acts xvii. 1-10). The length of Paul's
stay at Thessalonica is indicated by the fact that the Philippians
sent twice to relieve his necessities (Phil. iv. 15, 1C).
BERCEA, which lies south-west of Thessalonica, on the eastern
slope of Mt. Olympus, is memorable for the " noble" spirit of its
Jews, who "received the word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so;" and
" therefore (as the natural result of such reading) many of them be-
lieved " (Acts xvii. 10-12; comp. John v. 39). This the Thcssa-
lonian Jews no sooner heard, than they completed the parallel to
those of the Pisidian Antioch by pursuing the apostle to Beroea, and
stirring up the people; and a tumult was only avoided by Paul's
departure for the coast, whence he set sail for Athens. The haste
and secrecy of the movement is seen in his leaving behind Silas
and Timothy (who had rejoined him either at Thessalonica or Be-
rosa), and sending back word to them by the brethren who had es-
corted him to Athens to join him with all speed (Acts xvii. 13-15).
How, while waiting for them at Athens, " his spirit was stirred
within him" to the controversy which resulted in the great discourse
commonly called "PAUL'S SERMON AT ATHENS," must be read in
Acts xvii. 1G-34, reserving for future study the points of deep in-
terest arising out of the narrative. It is enough here to say that
that discourse is the great type of the appeal to heathens, founded
on what they retain of the knowledge of God, and on their confes=
sions of dependence on him as their creator and preserver, and
their relation to him as their Father ; thus showing who it is that
they really worship as their " GOD UNKNOWN." But the announce-
ment of the Resurrection proved "foolishness to the Greeks," and
BO he departed from among them. The intellectual capital of tho
world was not marked for distinction in the annals of Christianity.
A.D. 51-54. ST. PAUL AT CORINTH. 333
No epistle or visit records any further intercourse of Paul with
Athens. But even here a few converts were gained ; some of them,
as elsewhere, among the most intelligent men and women of dis-
tinction ; classes represented by Dionysius the Areopagite, and a
woman named Damaris. These believers, if few in number, were
firmly attached to the apostle (Acts xvii. 34). The narrative leaves
it uncertain how long Paul staid at Athens, and whether some per-
secution or danger did not cause him to depart without waiting for
Silas and Timothy, who rejoined him at Corinth (Acts xviii. 1, 5).
CORINTH, which now ranked as the Roman capital of Greece, is
conspicuous not only in Europe, but above every city in the world
Jerusalem and Antioch scarcely excepted in connection with
the history and teaching and writings of St. Paul. It claims this
distinction as the residence of the apostle during his most critical
contests, both with the Jews and Greeks, in defense of the very es-
sence of the Gospel ; as the place whence he wrote his first apostol-
ic letters the two Epistles to the Thessalonians ; as the Church to
which he addressed those other two Epistles, which not only con-
tain the fullest directions on matters of Christian faith and practice
the order of the Church, and the principles regulating her spirit-
ual gifts and her Christian liberality, her ministry and her sacra-
ments, the supreme law of Christian love and the clearest statement
of the doctrine of the resurrection but which reiterate, iu terms
unequalled in human language for simplicity and force, the one
great central truth of the whole Gospel JESUS CHRIST AND HIM
CRUCIFIED. But the record of Paul's long stay at Corinth on this
first visit is very brief; and our plan does not admit of discussing
the light thrown upon it by his Epistles, written now to the Thessa-
lonians, and afterwards to the Corinthians themselves.
While, at Corinth, as before at Athens, Paul was waiting for the
arrival of Silas and Timothcus, he gained unexpected fellow-labor-
ers in AQUILA, a Jew of Pontus, and his wife PRISCILLA, who had
lately arrived from Italy, in consequence of the edict of Claudius,
expelling all Jews from Rome (A.D. 52). Finding them already
established at Corinth in the same handicraft as his own the mak-
ing of Cilician or hair-cloth tents Paul took up his abode, and
wrought with these, who soon became "his helpers in Christ Je-
sus " (Acts xviii. 2, 3; Horn. xvi. 3). Having thus lived together
during the eighteen months of Paul's stay at Corinth, they shared
his voyage to Ephesus. Here they remained (while Paul went on
to Jerusalem and Antioch), and instructed Apollos in the truth.
Aquila and Priscilla have also the high distinction of affording a
home to Christian churches in their house at Ephesus, and again at
Rome, when they were able to return thither (1 Cor. xvi. 19; Rom
334 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIX.
xri. 3-5). To crown their eminence, they earned the thanks, not
of Paul only, but of all the churches of the Gentiles, by incurring
the risk of martyrdom to save his life ; we know not upon what oc-
casion, perhaps it was at Ephesus (Rom. xvi. 4).
The labors of the apostle at his craft of tent-making, with Aquila
and Priscilla, are the more interesting if we admit the suppositiou
that this was the period of pressing want, from which he was re>
lieved by the arrival of " the brethren " (Silas and Timotheus) from
Macedonia with contributions, especially those of the Phiiippians
(2 Cor. xi. 9 ; Phil. iv. 15). This seasonable contribution aided
him in his resolve to keep himself from being burdensome to the
converts whom he was now about to gather from the Gentiles. No-
where does he insist so forcibly as in writing to this very Church,
on the law that " they which preach the Gospel should live of the
Gospel" (1 Cor. ix. 7-14); but he says, "Nevertheless we have
not used- this power ; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder
the Gospel of Christ" (1 Cor. ix. 12 ; comp. 2 Cor. xi. 10 ; xii. 14).
With such resolves, from his very first arrival at Corinth, did
Paul work daily with Aquila and Priscilla. But, when the rest of
the Sabbath came round, he went into the synagogue, according to
his custom, and labored to persuade both the Jews and the Greeks
who happened to be present (Acts xviii. 4). Some weeks passed
thus, till the arrival of Silas and Timothy from Macedonia not only
gave a new impulse to the apostle, but marked a crisis in his career.
The sense of their help relieved him from that depression which he
describes in writing to the Corinthians, replacing it by that "con-
straint of the word (Acts xviii. 5) whicli held him to the resolve
of preachiMg nothing else but "Jesus Christ and him crucified"
(1 Cor. ii. 2, 5 : comp. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15 ; 1 Cor. i. 18). First he
spoke plainly to the Jews; and when, like those at Antioch, in
Pisidia, they opposed themselves and blasphemed, Paul shook his
raiment, and said to them, in the words of their own prophet,
" Your blood be upon your own heads ! Pure from it, I will
henceforth go to the Gentiles " (Ezek. xxxiii. 4 ; Acts xviii. 6).
From that day he forsook the synagogue, his first act of open sepa-
ration from Judaism, but continued to meet his own flock close by,
in the house of a proselyte named Justus. He was followed b*
Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue (Acts xviii. 7, 8), whoso\
baptism, with his whole house, by the apostle himself, formed anj
exception to Paul's usual practice ; for " Christ " he says "sent
me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel" (1 Cor. i. 14-17). \
T-he like exception was made in favor of Gaius, whose name stands \
recorded in Scripture as a great example of Christian hospitality |
(Rom. xvi. 23); as well as for the household of Stephanas, after- /
A.D. 51-54. ST. PAUL AT CORINTH. 235
Awards described as "the first-fruits of Achaia, who had devoted
themselves to the ministry of the saints" (1 Cor. xvi. 15-17).
The news of this division among the Jews, and of the apostle's
turning to the Gentiles, spread through the city ; and many of the
Corinthians believed and were baptized, probably by Silvanus and
Timotheus. That this movement roused anew the extreme fury
of the Jews, appears from Paul's referring to their opposition with
yehement indignation in his First Epistle to the Thessal onions,
which was written from Corinth soon after the arrival of Silvanus
and Timotheus (1 Thess. ii. 15, 16). At this crisis, the apostle was
favored with another of those supernatural visions which from the
very day of his conversion had directed and cheered his course.
The LOKD, whom he had seen in the way to Damascus, now spoke
to him in the night, and said to him, "Be not afraid, but speak,
and hold not thy peace : for I am with thee, and no man shall set
on thce to hurt thee : for / have much people in this city." Thus
encouraged, he remained in Corinth, teaching the word of God, for
a year and six months (Acts xviii. 9-11). During this time he
kept up his intercourse with the Churches of Macedonia ; and the
Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was sent not long after the
First, chiefly to correct the misapprehensions which some had
founded upon the first respecting the speedy approach of " the day
of the Lord," Christ's second advent. His residence at Corinth was
ended by a tumult, in which a Roman magistrate honorably re-
fused to be the instrument of persecution. GALLIC, the proconsul
of Achaia under Claudius, was the brother of the great Seneca, and,
like him, imbued with learning from his infancy. When, therefore,
the Jews brought Paul before his tribunal on the charge of per-
suading men to worship God contrary to the law, Gallio stopped the
case, just as Paul was opening^his month to defend himself, de-
claring that he would be a judge of actual crimes, but not of doc-
trine, and names, and of their law. Even when he suffered the
Corinthian spectators to seize on Sosthenes, the ruler of the syna-
gogue, and to beat him before the tribunal, Gallio's calm indiffer-
ence may have saved Corinth from one of those frightful tumults
between Greeks and Jews, which desolated such cities as Alexan-
dria and Ctesarea. The result of the tumult seems to have been
favorable to the influence of Paul, who remained a good while at
Corinth before he took his leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria
(Acts xviii. 12-18).
The apostle was accompanied by Aquila and Priscilla on his de-
parture from Cenchreae, the eastern harbor of Corinth. On his
voyage to Jerusalem, where he was anxious to keep the coining
feast, he made a few days' stay at EIMIKSUS, reasoning in the syn*
336 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXIX.
gogue with the Jews, and promised to return, "if God would/' after
he had been to Jerusalem (Acts xviii. 18-21). Thence his voyage
was unbroken to Csesarea ; and his next movements are summed
ap with a brevity which misleads the careless reader: "And when
he had landed at Cassarea, and gone up and saluted the Church, he
went down to Antioch" (Acts xviii. 22).
In the middle of this verse, the usual phrase for going to a chief
city refers to that visit to Jerusalem (the fourth since his ccnvcr
sion) to which he attached such importance as to say "I must by
all means keep this feast which cometh at Jerusalem" (Acts xviii.
21). What feast ? The best opinions are divided between the
Feast of Tabernacles, on Sept. 16th, A.D. 53, and the Pentecost, ou
May 31st, A.D. 54. At either he would meet the great body of the
Jewish Christians assembled from the provinces, and " salute them "
(Acts xviii. 22) with the news of what God had done among the
Gentiles in Greece itself, and plead the cause of Christian liberty
against the Jndaizers. At either he would see the first signs of
that climax of misery which now was begun in Judaea by the rapa-
cious tyranny of AXTONIUS CLAUDIUS FELIX, who succeeded Ven-
tidius Cumanus as procurator about midsummer, A.D. 53. This
detestable brother of Claudius's favorite freedman, Pallas, and him-
self also a freedman of the emperor to use the terse summary of
Tacitus "by every form of cruelty and lust, wielded the power of
a king in the spirit of a slave." From this visit the apostle went
forth to oppose the Judaizers, and to insist on the duty of the Gen-
tile converts to help their suffering Jewish brethren. The contribu-
tion made by Macedonia and Achaia for the poor of the saints in
Jerusalem becomes a prominent object of his labors. And it was on
the very service of carrying these contributions to Jerusalem at the
Pentecost, four years later, that no remonstrances could deter him
from risking his liberty and life (Rom. xv. 25-27; 1 Cor. xvi. 1,
2 ; 2 Cor. viii. 1 ; ix. 2, 12 ; Acts xix. 21 ; xx. 3, 16 ; xxi. 4, 10-17).
Meanwhile he returned from the feast to Antioch, and " spent
some time there " (Acts xviii. 22, 23) ; only, however, a few months
(see next chapter). The year in which he began his Third Mis-
sionary Journey was the same in which the Emperor Claudius was
murdered by his infamous consort Agrippina, and succeeded by the
young NERO, a name equally hateful in the annals of the Church
and of the world (October 12th, A.D. 54).
iiis of the Theatre at Epbeaiu.
CHAPTER XXX.
ST. PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY. HIS TWO IMPRISONMENTS
AT ROME, AND HIS MARTYRDOM WITH NOTICES OF PETER,
JAMES, AND JOHN ; AND THE COMING OF CHRIST IN THE DESTRUC-
TION OF JERUSALEM. A.D. 54 TO 70, AND ONWARD.
IT was either about the beginning of A.D. 54, or in the ensuing
autumn, that St. Paul started from Antioch a third time upon his
old track through Asia Minor, and "went over all the country of
Galatia and Phrygia in order, confirming the disciples" (Acts xviii.
23). In GALATIA, the troubles caused by the Judaizers are abun-
dantly proved, and reproved, by the Epistle to the Calatians, which
was probably written from Ephesus in A.D. 55. At EPHESUS, the
capital of the province of Asia, a remarkable work had prepared
i he way for Paul. A certain Jew named APOLLOS, born at Alex-
andria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to
Ephesus. "This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and,
being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things
of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John" (Acts xviii. 25, 26).
This was clearly a form of Christian belief not one which made
33 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXX.
John the leader of a sect ; but it stopped short of a full knowledge
of the exaltation of Christ and the descent of the Spirit at Pente-
cost. His bold preaching in the synagogue led Aquila and Priscilla
(who had crossed with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus) to "expound
unto him the way of God more perfectly ;" and he soon left Ephesus
for Achaia, where he carried on a great work among the Jews (Acte
xriii. 26-28).
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul reached Ephesus, and began
"(us labors by teaching twelve disciples, who had been baptized unto
John's baptism, the full doctrine of Christ Jesus and his baptism
with the Holy Ghost; and that gift fell on them when Paul bap-
tized them in the name of Jesus. He then spent three months
teaching in the synagogue, and some of the Jews believed. But
when others were not only hardened, "but spake evil of that ivay
before the multitude," he left the synagogue, as he had done at
Corinth, and formed a separate congregation in the school of one
Tyrannus (doubtless a professional teacher of rhetoric). His daily
discourses here for two full years (varied perhaps by tours in the
country districts) brought the Gospel to the knowledge of " all that
dwelt in Asia, both Jews and Greeks " (Acts xix. 1-10).
This teaching was confirmed by " special miracles " miracles
of no ordinary nature " so that from his body were brought unto
the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from
them, and the evil spirits went out of them" (Acts xix. 11, 12).
These wondrous modes of healing seemed to challenge a conflict
with the many forms of magic and incantation which were rife at
Ephesus ; and it was to be clearly shown that Paul's miracles were
wrought by no such arts, but by the power of the Lord Jesus.
First, "certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, " tried to conjure
an evil spirit by the new form of spell, " We adjure you by JESUS,
whom Paul preacheth;" and their fate (Acts xix. 13-16) caused
such fear of that Name to fall both on the Jews and Greeks, that
many believed and made a confession of their impostures, and
proved their sincerity by making a public bonfire of their books of
magic, to the value of 50,000 denarii, or nearly 1800. "So
mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed" (Acts xix. 17-20).
Having laid such a foundation of the faith at Ephesus, where ha
iaad spent two years and a quarter, Paul planned his further move-
ments, namely, a journey through Macedonia and Achaia, return-
ing thence to Jerusalem; and he said, "After I have been there, I
must also see ROME " (Acts xix. 21). He first sent Timotheusand
Erastus into Macedonia (verse 22), and thence to meet him in
Achaia ; as is shown by the First JSpistle to the Corinthians, which
ie sent soon after their departure by the hands of certain brethren.
A.D. 54--70. ST. PAUL AT EPHESUS. 339
who had meanwhile arrived from Corinth (I Cor. xvi. 17, 18), A.D.
57, probably about the Passover (1 Cor. v. 6-8). The Epistle was
called forth by the news which these brethren brought of the
schisms and heresies, disorders and immoralities, which had dis-
graced the mother Church of Greece ; and it was probably to await
the effect of his reproofs that Paul decided to " stay in Asia for a
season " (Acts xix. 22), namely, till the Feast of Pentecost (I Cor.
xvi. 8, 19). His stay was probably a little shortened by the great
tumult, so graphically described by St. Luke, roused in the name
of the great goddess Artemis (Diana) by Demetrius and the crafts,
men who gained their living from her worship (Acts xix. 23-41).*'
After the tumult had subsided, Paul took leave of the disciples,
and departed for Macedonia. "And when he had gone over those
parts, and exhorted them in many a discourse, he came into Greece,
and there" namely, at Corinth " he abode three months " (Nov. to
Feb., A.D. 57, 58). The period thus briefly summed up by Luke
(Acts xx. 1-3) includes the writing of the apostle's Second Epistle
to the Corinthians from Macedonia, and of the Epistle to the Romans
from Corinth. The conclusions drawn thence, and the questions
raised, as to his movements, plans, and companions, can not be dis-
cussed here ; but, from Rom. xv. 19, it may be inferred that, on his
journey from Macedonia into Greece, he took a wide circuit as
far as Illyricum, which brought him to the Adriatic, the boundary
which was then considered as dividing the East from the West.
The strong desire which he expresses to the Romans to pass that
boundary, as far as the very shores of the Atlantic, was to be ful-
filled (whether wholly or in part) as the indirect result of his return
to Jerusalem, where he was now most anxious to arrive by the day
of Pentecost, not without a prophetic anticipation of what awaited
him (Rom. xv. 23-32; Acts xx. 16).
The immediate object of this return was to carry up the contri-
butions of the churches, deputies from which went with him, so
carefnl was he " to provide things honest in the sight of all men "
( Acts xx. 4). Just as he was about to sail for Syria, his plans
1 The following coin gives some idea of the wooden image of the goddees
14 which fell down from Jove."
Greek Imperial Coin of Epbetns and Smyrna allied.
340 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXX,
were changed by the discovery of a Jewish plot to waylay him.
Sending forward his companions by sea to wait for him at Troas,
he went by land through Macedonia to Philippi, where he seems to
have spent the Passover (March 27, A.D. 58), and whence his move-
ments can be dated to the day (Acts xx. 3-6). His voyage begins
at Philippi, whence he sailed " after the days of unleavened bread,"
that is, on the day following the eighth day of the feast (Tuesday,
April 4th), and he reached Troas in five days (Saturday, April 8th).
He had remained there full seven days, when, on the return of the
first day of the week (Sunday, April 16th), the disciples came to-
gether to break bread, and Paul preached to them till midnight,
ready to depart on the morrow. Here we have one of the inci-
dental notices more valuable than any formal statement, because
they show how regularly the custom was established of those
meetings of the Christians on the Lord's day for social converse
and divine worship, which Pliny mentions as their only known in-
stitution. Here occurred what we should now call the " accident "
to a youth named Eutychus, who, sitting in the window, and over-
powered with drowsiness through the heat of the many lamps, fell
down from the third story and was taken up dead. The miracle
by which Paul restored him to life resembled in form those per-
formed by Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings xvii. 21 ; 2 Kings iv. 34).
Returning to the upper chamber, without waiting till the youth's
friends had the comfort of seeing his full recovery, Paul broke
bread and ate with the disciples, and, having talked with them till
the break of day, departed (Acts xx. 7-12).
To gain time for this protracted farewell, Paul had sent his
companions before him to the ship, and, while they doubled the
promontory of Lectum, he took the shorter route by land to join
them at Assos, whence they crossed to Mitylene (Monday, April
7th). Avoiding the windings of the coast, they sailed from Lesbos
u Chios on the Tuesday, and on the next day to Samos, whence
crossing over to the main-land, they staid at the promontory of
Trogyllium, and reached Miletus on Thursday, April 20th. Here
they stopped, while Paul sent for the elders of the Church of Eph-
eaus, as the staying any time among his converts in Asia would
have risked his purposed arrival at Jerusalem by the day of Pente
cost (Acts xx. 13-16). The distance between Ephesus and Mile-
tus being about forty miles, the interval from the Thursday to the
Sunday would give time for the arrival of the elders, with whom
Paul held solemn converse, as on the Sunday before at Troas (Sun-
day, April 23d). His farewell discourse to them is one of his rep-
resentative addresses, recounting the spirit and conduct of his min.
iatry among them, warning them of coming troubles and heresies,
A.D. 54- 70. VOYAGE TO PALESTINE. 341
and commending them to the grace of God. Finally, " he -kneeled
down and prayed with them all : and they all wept sore, and fell
on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the
words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And
they accompanied him to the ship " (Acts xx. 17-38).
Embarking immediately on the close of his address, Paul sailed
straight for the Island of Cos (Monday, April 24th), thence to
Rhodes (Tuesday), and thence to Patara, in Lycia (Wednesday),
where, finding another ship bound direct for Phoenicia, he went on
board (Thursday, April 27th), and, sighting Cyprus on the left
hand, arrived at Tyre, where the ship was to unload. The ordina-
ry course of such a voyage would bring the apostle to that ancient
city on Sunday (Api'il 30th) ; and another Lord's day was cheered
by a welcome from certain disciples, of whose existence in the city
he seems not to have been aware. With them he spent a whole
week, in the course of which the prophetic gifts poured out upon
these Tyrian Christians were used to warn Paul against going on
to Jerusalem (Acts xxi. 1-6).
Supposing that, as at Troas and Miletus, Paul spent the Lord's
day with the Tyrian Christians, his voyage to Ptolemais (Acre)
would occupy the Monday, and his one day's stay there with the
brethren, the Tuesday (May 9). On the following day Paul and
his company proceeded, apparently by land, to Caesarea, and took
up their abode with " Philip the Evangelist, one of the Seven,"
whose four virgin daughters prophesied, probably repeating the
warnings which were now most plainly uttered by Agabus, whom
we have already seen predicting the famine in the reign of Claudi-
us. This prophet bound his own hands and feet with Paul's girdle,
declaring, in the name of the Spirit, that the Jews at Jerusalem
would even thus bind the owner of that girdle, and deliver him into
the hands of the Gentiles. To the entreaties of the brethren at
Csesarea and of his own companions, Paul answered, " What mean
ye to weep and to break mine heart ? For I am ready, not to be
bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord
Jesus." So, after a stay of several days at Cffisarea, they packed
up their little baggage, and went up, doubtless on foot, to Jerusa-
lem, accompanied by an aged disciple of Cyprus, named Mnason,
who had offered them a lodging in the crowded city (Acts xxi. 7-
16).
This fifth visit of St. Paul to Jerusalem since his conversion ia
the last of which we have any certain record. He was welcomed
with joy by the brethren, and on the following day (Thursday,
May 18th) he had an interview with James and all the elders of
the Church, to whom " ho declared particularly what things God
842 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXX
had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry." While glorify,
ing God for this work, they do not conceal from Paul that the cal-
umnies against him had gained belief among the Jewish Chris-
tians, namely, that "he taught all the Jews among the Gentiles to
forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their chil-
dren, neither to walk after the customs." To refute this charge
there was a practical opportunity. Four men connected with the
(Church had bound themselves by a temporary Nazarite vow, and
; their purification upon the completion of the vow was at hand.
This ceremony involved a considerable expense for the offerings to
be presented in the temple (Numb. vi. 13-21) ; and it was a mer-
itorious act to provide these offerings for the poor Nazarites. St.
Paul was requested to put himself under the vow with the other
four, and to supply the cost of the offerings. He at once accepted
the proposal ; and on the next day, having performed some cere-
mony which implied the adoption of the vow, he went into the
temple, announcing that the due offerings of each Nazarite were
about to be presented, and the period of the vow terminated, a proc-
ess which would occupy seven days (Friday, May 19).
The week was almost accomplished, when certain Jews from
Asia, probably some of Paul's old antagonists at Ephesus, recog-
nized him, and raised a tumult, charging him with bringing Greeks
into the temple. Paul was with difficulty rescued by the tribune
in command of the Roman cohort stationed in the fort Antonia,
whose name was Claudius Lysias. This officer at first took Paul
for an Egyptian impostor, who had lately pretended to be the Mes-
siah, and whose band had been dispersed by Felix. But, surprised
to hear him speak good Greek, and learning from Paul that lie was
a Jew of Tarsus, Lysias granted his request to address the people.
Paul, from the stairs leading up to the fort, spoke in Hebrew to the
excited throng below, who kept silence when they heard him use
their language (Acts xxi. 18-xxii. 2).
The address which follows is one of the two great defenses, or
to use the Greek term "Apologies," in which St. Paul argues the
truth of his mission from the manner of his conversion and from the
revelations that had been given to him : the other was addressed to
King Agrippa. On this occasion, the care with which he led the
discourse up to his mission to the Gentiles did not prevent those
words renewing the full fury of the mob. Lysins had him carried
into the fort, and was about to extort from him, by scourging, a
confession of the grounds of all this rage of the Jews ; but he was
alarmed at Paul's assertion of his Roman citizenship ; and he sum-
moned the Sanhedrim to inquire into the case (Acts xxii.). The
trirtl that ensued was a mere tumult, first from the violence of the
A.D. 54-70. ARREST OF ST. PAUL. 343
high-priest Ananias towards Paul, and then from the dissension be-
tween the Pharisees and Sadducees in the council, when Paul cried
out amidst the noise, "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee : of
the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am called in question."
That, as he afterwards argued before Agrippa, was the one real
charge against him ; for it was still the Sadducees, rather than the
Pharisees, that led the persecution. The scribes of the latter party
plainly said, "We find no fault in this man," and repeated Gama-
liel's warning, "Let us not fight against God" (Acts xxiii. 1-10).
So wild was the dissension, that Lysias had to send down the sol-
diers to carry off the prisoner, before he was torn in pieces by his
judijes ! (Acts xxiii. 1-10).
In the following night, Paul was comforted by another vision of
the Lord Jesus, assuring him that these dangers were leading ta
the end he had himself desired : "As thou hast testified of me in
Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at ROME." The first di-
rect step to this was taken on the discovery of the plot of forty zeal-
ots, who had bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor
drink till they had killed Paul (see Acts xxiii. 11-22). So Lysias
sent off Paul the following night under a strong escort to Caesarea,
with a letter stating liis case, both as a Roman citizen and as a Jew
"accused of questions of their law," to the procurator Felix, who
postponed the hearing till the accusers should arrive. Paul was
meanwhile kept a prisoner in the government-house, which had been
the palace (Prcetorium) of Herod the Great (Acts xxiii. 23-35).
Five days after Paul's arrival at Caesarea, and just twelve since he
had reached Jerusalem (Acts xxiv. 1,11; probably Tuesday, May
30th), Ananias and the elders came down to Csesarca with a cer-
tain orator named Tertullus. We have not space and indeed we
hardly need to draw the contrast between the fulsome harangue?
of the hired advocate and the simple candor of Paul's answer, point-
ing out the absence of his real accusers, and declaring that no chargo
could be brought against him, except his belief in the resurrection
(Acts xxiv. 1-21).
Felix saw the truth of Paul's case the more clearly, as he had ac-
quired a pretty exact knowledge of Christianity, which had gained
its first Gentile converts among the troops stationed at Caesarea.
ifnwilling, however, to offend the Jews by at once setting the apos
tie free, he made an excuse for postponing the hearing till the ar-
rival of the tribune Lysias, and committed Paul to the custody of a
centurion, with orders to grant him every indulgence and the socie-
ty of his friends. It seems to have been to gratify the curiosity of
his Jewish wife, Drusilln-, the daughter of Herod Agrippa I., that.
Ob his return to Caesarea after an absence, Felix again sent cr Paul,
344 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXX.
to hear him concerning the faith in Christ. But the apostle used
the opportunity to reprove the vices of both ; and "as he reasoned
of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trem-
bled, and answered, Go thy way for this time ; when I have a con-
venient season, I will call for thee." It is often said that the con-
venient season never came ; but the truth was worse than this.
Felix often sent for Paul, and communed with him during the two
j'ears of his detention, but no longer with any higher object than
the sordid hope of being bribed to free him. Meanwhile the apos-
tle was detained in honorable custody. Felix " commanded a, cen-
turion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should
forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or to come unto him."
St. Luke appears to have remained with him ; and some refer the
composition of his Gospel to this period. The apostle's "car of
all the churches" was probably as constant as ever; but the two
years of seclusion from active work must hnve helped to prepare
him for the testimony he had to bear before Cassar at Rome (Acts
xxiv. 24-26).
In the following year, the city of Csesarea, where Paul was thus
kept a prisoner, was the scene of one of the frequent and frightful
tumults between the Jews and the Syrian Greeks. The conduct of
Felix, in either ordering or conniving at a massacre of the Jews,
was denounced to the Emperor Nero, and he was recalled to aaswer
for his conduct at the same time that Domitius Corbulo succeeded
Ummidius Qundrntus as prefect of Syria. This was two full years
after the beginning of St. Paul's imprisonment in May, A.D. 58, and
PORCIDS FESTCS, the new procurator of Judaea, would reach his
province about July, A.D. 60. This is one of the best ascertained
dates in the history of St. Paul.
The new governor was an honest man, and he proved his dili-
gence by going up from Caesarea to Jerusalem three days after his
arrival. There the chief priests and elders demanded judgment
against Paul, and specially requested that he might be brought up
to Jerusalem ; for they intended to waylay and kill him (Acts xxv.
1-3, 15). But Festns was firm to the fairness of the Roman law,
and ordered the accusers to come to Cassarea (Acts xxv. 5, 16).
From the desire, however, to gratify the Jews, he asked Paul whe^th-
er he chose to go up to Jerusalem to be judged. The apostle at
once frustrated the plot of the Jews, and secured his being sent to
Rome, by uttering the words, which were the last safeguard of the
Roman citizen, "I appeal unto CJESAR ;" and Festus replied, "Unto
Caesar shall thou go" (Acts xxv. 6-12, 17-21).
It now only remained to send the prisoner to Rome. While
waiting for an opportunity, Festus had to draw up an account of
A.D. 54-70. HEROD AGRIPPA II. 345
the charge on which Paul was sent for trial ; and it was no easy
matter to place a mere question of Jewish "superstition" before
Nero in a satisfactory form. He was in this difficulty, when
Agrippa and his sister Berenice arrived at Caesarea to congratulate
the new governor. Several days were spent in ceremony and
festivity before Festus mentioned the case of Paul to Agrippa, who,
being informed by the governor of all that had passed, expressed a
desire to hear the man. On the following dny Agrippa and Bere-
nice took their seats on the tribunal beside Festns ; but the famous
" Defense of Paul before Agrippa" (Acts xxvi.) will be better un-
derstood by some reference to the king's history.
HEROD AGRIPPA II., the son of Herod Agrippa I., was at Rome
when his father died. He was only seventeen years old, and Clau-
dius made his youth a reason for not giving him his father's king-
dom, as he had intended. The emperor afterwards gave him the
kingdom of Chalcis (A.D. 50), which was vacant by the death of his
uncle Herod (A.D. 48) ; and this was soon exchanged for the tetrar-
cliies of Ituraja and Abilene, to which Nero added certain cities of
the Decapolis about the Lake of Galilee (A.D. 52). But beyond
the limits of his own dominions, Agrippa was permitted to exercise
throughout Judaea that influence which even Paul recognized as
welcome to a Jew, who saw in him the last scion of the Asmonaean
house. In particular, he succeeded to those ecclesiastical functions
which the tolerant policy of Rome had permitted his uncle Herod
to exercise the government of the temple and the nomination of
the high-priest. He was "expert in all customs and questions
which are among the Jews." He gratified his hereditary taste for
magnificence by adorning Jerusalem and Bcrytus with costly build-
ings ; but in such a manner as mortally to offend the Jews ; and
his leading principle was to preserve fidelity to Rome, and he took
her part in the last great rebellion of Judaea. With the destruction
of Jerusalem (A.D. 70) an end was put to this last Jewish principali-
ty. Retaining, however, his empty title as king, Agrippa survived
the fate of his country in the enjoyment of splendid luxury, retired
to Rome with Berenice, and died there in the third year of Trajan
(A.D. 100). Such was the prince whose real witness to the force of
Paul's pleadings from the history of his conversion and from the
Jewish prophets was given in the memorable confession, " Almost
thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Of the charges made
against Paul by the Jews, Agrippa, as a Jewish prince, agreed with
the governor in declaring him innocent, and in saying that he
might have been set at liberty at once but for his appeal to Cassar
(Acts xxvi.). But that appeal had been dictated by the Spirit,
which had guided the apostle's whole course, and " to Caesar ha
346 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXX.
went " under that divine care, the object of which was again reveal-
ed to him in the most dangerous crisis of the voyage, "Fear not,
Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar " (Acts xxvii. 24).
We would even venture to stake the doctrine of a special Provi-
dence on the events, and the fidelity of the sncred historian on his
narrative, of the Voyage of Paul from Cwsarea to Italy. Every
detail has been subjected to the keenest criticism of nautical skill,
as well as of scholarship, with the result of confirming its truth all
the more for the very errors detected in our version, and proving
that the story must iiave been written by an eye-witness, both lion,
est and intelligent, not himself a professional seaman, but sufficient-
ly acquainted with nautical matters to record in plain words what
he saw and heard ; just such an observer as ST. LUKE. The nu-
merous details thus brought out must be reserved for future study;
only the outline can be traced here. It must be observed that the
voyage consists of three parts, in three different ships ; and its
great incidents, ending with the shipwreck at Malta, belong to the
middle part.
It was towards the end of the summeij of A.D. GO that Paul 2 and
a large number of other prisoners, under the charge of a centurion
named Julius, were put on board a coasting vessel belonging to
Adramyttium, in order to reach Italy before the winter. Launch-
ing from Caesarea, they touched next day at Sidon, where the
courtesy of Julius gave Paul leave to visit his friends. Amidst
delays from contrary winds, they reached Myra, in Lycia, where
they found a corn-ship of Alexandria bound for Italy ; and to this
vessel Julius transferred his prisoners. The voyage was slow to
Cnidus, at the south-west angle of Asia Minor ; and thence the
contrary winds forced them to run down southward under the lee
of Crete, to the fine harbor on its south coast, which still bears the
name of Fair Havens. Here, from the form of the coast, they were
completely wind-bound; and it was past the time of the Great
Fast (the Day of Atonement ; Acts xxvii. 9), which fell this year
exactly at the Equinox (Sept. 23d), the limit fixed by anciont
writers to sea-voyages. Heedless, however, of Paul's warning, the
mariners seized the chance of a fair south wind, in the hope of
reaching a better anchorage at port Phoenix (thirty-five miles
west) ; and they had safely doubled C. Matala, when the typhoon-
like wind well known in those seas by the name of the North-easter' 1
1 The " WE " of Acts xxvii. 1, etc., proves that Paul was accompanied by
St. Luke.
1 "Avenot Ti/0a)vi(co5- (Ventns Ti/p)lonicuti) 6 KaAoi'viei/or Ei/f>oK\u&iav (Eurocly-
don). This name is not from eu'pur, " broad," and <e\i;<W, " billow," but lli
Greek form of the Latiu Euroaquilo (as in the Vuljjate).
A.D. 54-70. THE VOYAGE OF ST. PAUL.
347
came sweeping down from the gullies of Mount Ida, and caught
the ship with such fury that she could only scud before the wind.
The shelter of a little island, Clauda, enabled the sailors to get the
boat on board, and to undergird the ship, that is, to pass chains or
cables round the hull, so that she might hold together longer if she
should fall on the quicksands of the Great Syrtis. To avoid this
langer, they lowered the great square sail, with its heavy yard and
" top-hamper," and drifted with the head kept up by a storm-sail
Ancient ship.
on the starboard tack, which brought them direct on Malta, where
the very spot of the shipwreck still preserves the name of St. Paul's
Bay. The interesting details which preceded and accompanied
the wreck must be read in Acts xxvii. and xxviii. 1-6.
This " accidental " detention of three months gave St. Paul the
opportunity of working many miracles, and gaining attached con-
verts among the semi-barbarous Maltese a population originally
Phoenician, and much mixed witli pirates besides the Roman gov-
ernor, or Primus, Publius (Acts xxviii. 7). 4 When navigation re-
opened (about the beginning of February, A.D. 61), Julius placed
his prisoners on board of another Alexandrian ship, the "Castor
and Pollux," 6 which had wintered in the island They sailed first
to Syracuse, where they staid three days ; and, passing through
* This very title of " First Man " (Acts xxviii. 7) is found on inscriptions,
rifwuToc MeXcruiwc one of the many examples of St. Luke's minute accuracy
in Roman matters.
The twin Dioscuri were the tutelar deities of sailors. They were proba-
hi y painted (as was the Alexandrian custom) on each side of ihe poop : comp
Uor. Carm. i. 14, 14 :
" Nil pictii Uuildui uv.'itu /
Fldit."
848, SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXXL
the struts and touching at Rhegium, they landed at PUTEOLI,
which then gave name to the Bay of Naples (Sinus Puteolanus),
and was a great port for the corn trade of Rome. As might have
been expected at a port in such constant communication with the
East, they found here Christian brethren, at whose desire Paul
spent a week with them, the centurion being evidently eager to
show him unbounded courtesy "And so went on to ROME." The
stay at Puteoli had given time for the news of his arrival to reach
Rome ; and the Christians of that city sent to meet him as far as
the stations of Appii Forum and the Three Taverns, on the Appian
Road. The prefect of the praetorian guard (at that time the fa-
mous Burrus) to whom the prisoners were delivered (Acts xxviii.
16) is likely to have received such a report from Julius as procured
special favor for St. Paul. Though still, like state prisoners even
of the highest rank (as in the case of Agrippa under Tiberius), hav-
ing one arm bound to the soldier who kept him night and day,
with that chain to which he makes touching allusions, 6 he was
suffered to dwell by himself in his own hired house, of course with-
in the precincts of the Praetorian Camp,' 1 and what he valued far
more to receive visitors and discourse freely with them of the
Gospel (Acts xxviii. 11-16, 30, 31).
Beginning here also with his own nation, the apostle, three days
after his arrival, invited the chief men among the Jews to come to
him, and, addressing them as brethren, he freely explained to them
his present position. Though innocent of any crime against the
Jewish law or customs, he had been given at Jerusalem into the
hands of the Romans; and, when they were ready to acquit him,
the opposition of the Jews had constrained him to appeal to Caesar.
He was now at Rome, not to accuse his nation, but a prisoner to
answer for his faith in "the hope of Israel." They replied that
they had received no letters from Judaea about him, nor had any
of the brethren coming thence spoken any harm of him ; and they
expressed their desire to hear his own views, adding, however, "as
for this sect (or heresy) we know that it is everywhere spoken
against " a phrase which seems to betray the germs of that ill-will
.vhich so soon broke out, but which may have been at first suppress-
jd by their own curiosity as well as by St. Paul's courteous bearing.
They named a day to give him a full hearing, and came in large
numbers to his lodging (Acts xxviii. 17-22).
Acts xxviii. 20 ; Eph. iii. 1 ; iv. 1 ; vi. 20 ; Philem. 10, 13 : and so in his sec-
ond imprisonment (2 Tim. i. 16 ; ii. 9). This was called the custodia militaris.
1 Acts xxviii. 30. This explains Phil. i. 13 : " My bouds in Christ are
manifest in the whole F*rcetorium (not palace, as iu the authorized version),
and iii all. other places."
A.D. 54-70. ST. PAUL AT ROME. 349
At this second interview Paul spent the day, from morning to
evening, in "testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them
concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses and out of the
prophets." Some believed, and others believed not, and these were
clearly the most. They went away disputing with one another,
after Paul had uttered the words of Isaiah which Christ himself
had applied to the unbelieving nation (Isa. vi. 9), and repeated the
announcement he had so often made before: "Be it known, there-
fore, unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles,
and that they will hear it." The Jews departed, and "had much
reasoning among themselves" words which show that this last of
the proclamations of Christianity to them recorded in the New
Testament was not altogether in vain. And here we seem to see
the reason why the "Acts of the Apostles" ends with such appar-
ent abruptness. As the narrative which illustrates the command
of Jesus to his apostles, to "preach the Gospel to the whole world,
beginning at Jerusalem," it commences with the opening of that
commission at the religious centre of the world ; it traces the suc-
cessive offers to the Jews of Judtea, Samaria, and the dispersion,
to proselytes and Hellenists, in all the provinces that they fre-
quented ; and it shows how their general disbelief caused the Gen-
tiles to be received, step by step, into their place of privilege ; till
the apostle, bringing back the offerings of those Gentile converts to
bless his countrymen at Jerusalem, was finally rejected by them,
and sent in chains to Rome. There, in the capital of the world,
the unbelief of the last section of the Jewish family to whom he
revealed their Messiah, completed the first stage in the history of
the diffusion of Christianity, at which the mass of the Jewish race
are, for the time, cut off from the kingdom of God. Their re-
jection, for the time, was completed, as our Lord had predicted, by
the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in A.D. 70.
As to the apostle himself, the concluding words of the "Acts"
hint at the issue of his imprisonment, by telling us that it lasted two
whole years. What followed may be partly learned from his Epis-
tles, with some uncertain help from ecclesiastical tradition. In
brief, it appears that at the end of these two years his case was
heard by Nero, who acquitted him (A.D. G3) ; that he then spent a
period, which some reckon at five years, others at two or three, in
journeys of uncertain extent, but which brought him again tc
Ephesus. Here he is supposed to have been again arrested anti
carried to Rome ; but, at all events, it is certain that he was im-
prisoned there a second time, condemned by Nero, and put to
death, in the great persecution of the Christians by that emperor.
According to the uniform tradition, the apostle was beheaded, with-
360 SCRIPTURE HISTORY. CHAP. XXX.
out scourging (as the privilege of his citizenship), outside the gate
leading to the port of Ostia. The date of his death appears to
have been about midsummer A.D. 66 or 67. Tradition fixes it to
June 29th, the ancient joint feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. 8
The light thrown by Scripture upon this period is to be sought
in the later Epistles of St. Paul. Those to the Ephesians, to
Philemon, to the Colossians, and to the Philippians belong to his
First Imprisonment the first three being written about the same
time and sent to Asia by the same messengers (about the autumn of
A.D. 62) ; and the last somewhat later (in the spring of A.D. 63), when
the apostle was looking for a speedy issue of his cause. The Epis-
tle to the Hebrews, though its date and even its authorship are dis-
puted, was probably written when his liberation was pretty certain,
or even, as some think, actually accomplished. It contemplates a
speedy visit to the Churches of Judaea, which were about this time
subjected to the persecution, to which the writer clearly alludes, and
in which the Apostle ST. JAMES THE JUST and other leaders of the
Church were put to death by the high-priest Annas, in the absence
of the procurator Albinus (A.D. 62). 9 We must not here discuss
the questions involved in the first two (in order of time) of the three
Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy and Titus'), which imply visits to
Crete and Ephesus in the interval between Paul's first and second
imprisonments, and a severe conflict with those new forms of East-
ern heresy which are reproved by St. John in the Apocalypse. Fi-
nally, the Second Epistle to Timothy clearly shows the apostle once
more a prisoner at Rome, with a certain and immediate prospect of
martyrdom. And now his work is done ; the last tie of service)
that bound him to the world is severed ; the goal to which he had
pressed forward is within his reach : "/ am now ready to be ojferecf,,
and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight
I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE, I have kept the faith. For the rest/
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous judge, shall give me at that day : and not to me only,
but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Tim. iv. 68).
The last words put the finishing-stroke to the apostle's course : he
ends, as he began, " a pattern for them that should hereafter believe
on Christ." We may well be content, though our curiosity about
the precise time and manner of his departure remain unsatisfied,
when we have this last view of him in his own writings : " The Lord
shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his
heavenly kingdom : to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen "
(2 Tim. iv. 18).
8 St. Paul's share in this feast has been transferred to the day kept in
celebration of his conversion, namely, Jan. 25th.
Their martyrdom is thought to be referred to in Heb. xiii. 7,
A.D. 54-70. MARTYRDOM OF ST. PAUL. 351
Whether tradition be right or not in associating the martyrdom
of ST. PETER with that of St. Paul, the relations between these two
chief apostles naturally lead us to inquire what is known of the
later history of Peter. The consecutive story of his part in the
foundation of the Church ceases with his miraculous deliverance
from prison, after which he left Jerusalem (Acts xii. 17). We are
not told whither he went ; certainly not to Rome. His last appear-
ance in the "Acts of the Apostles" is at the "Council of Jerusa-
lem," where we find him giving his opinion without exercising any
" primacy," or even acting as president (Acts xv.). It was prob-
ably about this time, as we have seen, that Peter, with James and
John, came to the cordial agreement with Paul and Barnabas,
that these latter should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circum-
cision (Gal. ii. 9). 10 The reproof of Peter by Paul for Judaizing at
Antioch probably occurred soon after (Gal. ii. 11). That it had no
evil effect on the union of the two apostles is proved by that striking
passage, in which Peter speaks of the Epistles of "our beloved
brother Paul," which also bears the most decisive of testimonies to
those Epistles as being a part of the Scriptures. From the address
of Peter's First Epistle we gather that he labored among the Jews
of the "Dispersion" in the north and west of Asia Minor (1 Pet.
i. 1) ; not, however, to the exclusion of the Gentiles (1 Pet. i. 14-
81; ii.9, 10); and the salutation fixes the apostle's abode at this
time at BAHYLON (1 Pet. v. 13). From it we also learn that he was
assisted by MARK, and by SILVANUS, the former companion of St.
Paul. The whole tone of the Epistle is that of a man advanced in
life, and approaching the end of his course. Scripture tells us
nothing more of Peter, save the Lord's prophecy of his martyrdom,
which has always been understood to imply crucifixion (John xxi.
18, 19); and there is a well-attested tradition that he suffered that
death at Rome in the Neronian persecution, about the same time
that Paul was beheaded (from A.D. 65 to 68). The beautiful fancy
which makes them fellow-prisoners seems to be excluded by the ab-
sence of any allusion to Peter in Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy.
Peter was not the only apostle to whose future course our Lord
alluded. The prophecy of his own end excited that curiosity re-
specting the fate of JOHN which Christ rebuked with a saying
which was misunderstood at the time, and was afterwards made the
foundation of wild legends. But as John himself warns us, "Jesus
said not unto him, He shall not die, but if I will that he tarry till 1
come, what is that to theef" (John xxi. 23). The sound of these
' Cepha, which occurs also in the Gospel of St. John and the Firnt
Epistle to the Corinthians, is the Chaldee form of the apostle's name, and
has the same signification as the Greek lUi-poc, a shim.
352 SCRIPTUKE HISTORY. CHAP. XXX.
words would cheat the sense, if they were not meant to promise a
very long life ; but beyond this they contain the positive prediction
that John alone of all the apostles would survive the Destruction of
Jerusalem. We have found him, in the opening scenes of the
"Acts," specially associated with Peter, and he last appears as
joining to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost on those very Samari-
tans upon whom he had once wished to call down another sort of
fire from heaven (Acts iii., iv., viii. ; comp. Luke ix. 51-">G).
Though he did not speak in the "Council of Jerusalem," Paul
names him, with Peter and James, as the " pillars " of the Church,
who shared in the more private conferences and in the agreement
about their work among the Gentiles and the Jews (Gal. ii. 9).
We next hear of John in that close connection with Asia Minor
which is attested by his great "Revelation," addressed, with its in-
troductory Epistles, to the Seven Churches of the Province of Asia.
Of these, EPHESUS, which tradition makes his special bishopric, still
preserves in its ruins the name of the " Holy Divine." His con-
nection with that Church can not have begun before the date of
Paul's Epistle to Timothy ; and his Epistles to the Seven Churches
imply that he was banished to Patmos at the time of some great
persecution. The general weight of testimony fixes this under
DOMITIAN, who reigned from 81 to 9G A.D. Among the legends
of the apostle's later life, which are of very various authority, is the
beautiful scene of his being carried into the Church of Ephesns to
utter, with his failing strength, the memorable words of his Epistle,
".Little children, love one another." The time of his death is va-
riously given ; but the earliest date is considerably after the De-
struction of Jerusalem by Titus in A.D. 70. Tims did he "tarry
till Christ came" in the judgment which he had described in that
great final discourse to his disciples, which makes the fate of the
Jewish nation the type of his last coming and of the end of the
world (Matt. xxiv.).
For the destruction of Jerusalem may well be called the coining
of the Son of Man, not only in just judgment upon those who had
rejected him ; not only as a sovereign visits with desolation a re-
bellious province that has refused all offers of mercy ; but as the
completion of the first great step in the establishment of his king-
dom upon earth. And since this is the most momentous revolu-
tionary epoch in the religious history of the world that ever was or
that ever shall be, it is fitly made, in the latter part of the discourse,
the type of the "coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory," to destroy all that is earthly and cor-
rupt in the Church and world, to "gather his elect from- the four
winds of heaven," to judge the quick and the dead, and to establish
his everlasting kingdom.
APPENDIX.
A. TABLES OF WEIGHTS.
TABLE I.
SH.vW..
Grains.
LbB.
Ox.
Correction.
Gerah
11
110
220
13,200
660,000
2
100
i
i
+ 'OC gr. nearly.
+ 1-75 gr.
2 oz. nearly.
6 Ib. nearly.
Bekf
2
120
6000
10
Shel
60
3000
p]
20
1200
Mi
50
neh
Talent (Kikkar)
60,000
TABLE H.
GOLD WEIGHTS.
Grains.
Lbs.
Oz.
Correction*
Shekel.
132
13,200
1,320,000
2
200
3
+ -T5 gr.
2 oz. nearly.
12 11). nearly.
Mane
i
100
Talent (Kikkar)
10,000
100
B. TABLES OF MONEY.
TABLE HI. OLD HEBREW MONEY. (Bv WBIOIIT.)
I.
OF SILVER.
. . d.
Half-Shekel (Poll-tnx for
the Temple)
016
030
900
450
2
Shekel
Man eh
60~
120
6000
60
:;IKKI
Talent
354
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
II. Or GOLD (AT .4 PEE oz. TKOV).
. . d.
Shekel
L
100
10,000
Maneh
100 Talent ,
120
110
11,000
NOTE. As the Gold Talent was twice the weight of the silver, and the
ratio of gold to silver was rather more than 12.1, these results agree closely
enough.
TABLE IV. MONEY OF THE ASMON^EAN PERIOD.
COPPKE, SlLVEK, AND GOLD.
. S. <?.
? Sixth (of Shekel) Copper .............................. C
H Quarter (of Shekel) Copper ..................... 009
3 2 Half (of Shekel) Copper and Silver ...... 1 C
6 4 _ 2 j Shekel Silver. .................. 030
Dane Gold ............................................... 120
NOTE. Herod's three Copper Pieces :
(1) Probably equal to the Quarter-Shekel .............. 9
(2) Half " .............. 1 C
(3) three times the first ............. 2 3
TABLE V. CURRENCY IN THE TIME OF CHRIST.
I. JEWISII AND ROMAN COPPEK. . . d.
Lepton(Mite) ............................................. OjL
2 Quadrans (Farthing) ............................. Oj
4 I Assarion or As (Penny) ................. CJ
II. ROMAN AND GREEK SII.VKB. . 8. d.
Denarius (Penuy), 1C times the As = Drachma ............ 009
2 Didrachm (of account) = Half-Shekel ............ 1 6
4 2 I Stater or Tetradrachm = Shekel ......... 3
MEASURES.
355
GOLD MONEY is referred to in the New Testament, without
reference to specific values. The following were the pieces in
circulation :
(1) The Imperial ATJEEUS, worth about ......................
(2) Greek STATERS, of probably about the same standard as)
the Persian Daric ..................................... )
. i.
1 1
The TALENT is often mentioned in the New Testament, but in a
manner which leaves it quite undetermined whether the word is
a translation of the old Hebrew kikkar, or whether it refers to the
Greek or other systems which prevailed throughout the East. Of
these systems the most general was :
250
(1) The ATTIO TALENT OF SILVER, worth about 243 15s., or)
approximately /
But there were also
(2) The ECKOIC TALENT, worth 33S 10s. 10d., or nearly 340
(3) The ^EOINETAN, worth 400 5s., or approximately 410
C. TABLES OF iMEASURES.
TABLE VI.
HEBBKW MEASURE
s OF LKSGTH.
Inches.
Approximate
Feet.
Inchw.
Digit
7088
3-1752
9-5257
10-0515
114-3000
1
8orj|
3 &
fi
7
6
Palm
4
12
3
Cnbit
24
_J_
12
6 | Reed
144
30
Some authorities add
Ft. in.
The Arabian Pale of 8 Cubits 12 6
The Measuring-line of flax (or Schcemip), of Ezek. xl. 3, of SO cubits 125
NOTK. According to the more common view, which makes the cnbit nearly
22 inches, all these measures would have to be increased in proportion.
3f>G
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
TABLE VII. FOREIGN MKABIJKEB OF LKNGTII AND DISTANCE.
Miles.
Feet.
Inches.
Roman Foot (Pes.)='9C of Gr
eek foot
11-C49G
0-135
10-248
o-si
9
1
4
COfi
=^4854
L&
Greek Foot (iroSr
at
B(
passus)
5
4
Roman F
thorn (!>pfvia)
.9193
31 nearly.
<*
C
u
Greek Fa
625
COO
125
100
800
3000
V
8
urlong (a-ra&tov) .
Roman Mile
5,000
4800
1000
18,750
18,000
3750
30
3*
Persian Parasang
D. MEASURES OF CAPACITY.
TABLE VIII. HEBREW MEASURES OP CAPACITY FOR LIQUIDS.
Log.
Hin.
Bath.
12
72
6
TABLE IX. HEBREW MEASURES OP CAPACITY FOR THINGS DBY.
Cab.
Omer.
Seah.
Ephah.
a
c
H
18
10
8
ISO
100
30
10 Homer.
TAIILE X.
(Josephus.) (RabMnists.)
Gftllons. Gallons.
Homer or Cor 86-696 or 44-2SC 10f or 5J hushela
EphahorBath 8-6696
Seah 2-8898
Hin 1-4449
Omer -8669
Cab -4816
Log -1204
4-4286
1-4762
7381
4428
246
0615
INDEX.
A.
AAEON, 58. Appoiuted one of the
leaders of Israel, 61. Charged to
bring the people out of Egypt,
62. Sees God, 72. With his sons
anointed to the priesthood, 75. His
opposition to Moses, 77. His diso-
bedience, 80. His death, 81. As
high-priest, 98.
Abarim, mountains of, 82.
Abdon, the Twelfth Judge, 133.
Abed-nego, 207, 211. '
Abel, his name, '22. His sacrifice and
death, 23.
Abel-Shittim, 82.
Abiah, son of Samuel, 138.
Abiathar, sou of Ahimelech. In Da-
vid'8 camp, 151. High-priest, 154
Supports Adonijah, 105. Banished
and deposed from the priesthood,
168.
Abib, 105.
Abigail, wife of Nairn!, 153. Married
to David, 153.
Abihu, sees God, 72.
Abijah, son of Kehoboam, his reign,
176.
. , son of Jeroboam, his early
death, 178.
Abimelech, king of Gerar, 36.
, son of precedinz, 32.
- , son of Gideon, 130. Succeeds in
establishing a kingdom at Shechem,
130. His death, 131. Commonly
reckoned as the Sixth Judge, 130.
A.binadab, son of Saul, 154.
Abiram, rebellion of, 79.
Abishag the Shnnammite, 167.
Abishat, nephew of David, 157. His
rictory over the Edomites, 160, 163.
Abner, 153. Proclaims Ishbosheth as
king, 156. His death. 157.
Abraham, 29. His call, 31. God's
second promise to him, 32. Third
promise, 32. He rescues Lot, 33.
God's fourth promise to him, 34.
Change of his name, 34. Renewal
of the covenant, 34. Appearance of
the " three men " to him, 35. Dwells
at Beer-sheba, 3C. Birth of his son
Isaac, 36. Commanded to sacrifice
Isaac, 37. His return from Beer-
sheba, 38. Purchases the cave of
Machpelah, 3S. His death, 39.
Abram (see Abraham).
Absalom, son of David, 162. His plot
against his father, 162. His death,
164.
Accad, foundation of, 30.
Aceldama, 292.
Achaia, its contributions for the poor
in Jerusalem, 336.
Achan, unfaithfulness of, 115.
Achaziah (see Ahaziah).
Acbish, king of Gath, 151, 153.
Achor, 116.
Acts of the Apostles, not a complete
apostolic history, 307, 349.
Adam, his creation, 20. Placed in
Paradise, 20. His temptation and
fall, 21. His punishment, 22. His
descendants, 24.
Admah, 33.
Adoni - zedec, king of Jerusalem,
makes a leasrne against Gibeon, 116.
His death, 117.
Adonijah, son of David, 165. His
conspiracy, 107.
Adoram, 176.
Adullam, cave of, 151.
Agabus, predicts a famine, 323. Proph-
ecies of, 341.
Agag. taken prisoner by Saul, 145.
Slain, 146.
Agrippa, St. Paul's defense before,
342,345.
(nee, Herod Agrippa).
Ahab, king of Israel, 179. Reign of,
183-187.
Ahasuerus, 213.
Aha-/, kiiiit of Jndah, 197, 198.
Ahnziah,kinof Judah, his reign, 190.
Hi.* death. 191.
358
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
A1IAZTAII.
Ahaziah, king of Israel, son of Ahab,
187, 18S.
Ahijah the Shilonite, 173, 178.
Ahimelech the high-priest, 151.
Ahinoam, wife of David, 353.
Ahio, sou of Abinadab, 158.
Ahithophel of Gilo, 162, 163.
Aholiab, 74.
Ai, attacked by the Israelites, 115.
Taken, 116.
Alcimus, high-priest, courts Demetri-
us, 227.
Alexander, sou of Aristobulus II.,
232.
the Great, interview of, with
Jaddua, 224.
Alexander JannaHis, wars of, 231.
Alexandra, wife of Alexander Jaunce-
us, 231.
Altar of burnt-offering in the taber-
nacle, 94.
of Incense in the tabernacle, 95.
Amalekites, their origin, 70. Doomed
to ultimate extinction, 70. Defeat
the Israelites, 79. Saul commanded
to destroy the, 145.
Amariah the high-priest, 181.
Amaziah, sou of Joash, his reign, 194.
the high-priest, 195.
Ammonites, the, 131. Defeated by
Jephthah, 132. Defeated by Saul,
144. Conquered by David, 160.
Amnon, sou of David, 102.
Amon, king of Judah, 205.
Amorites, the, 81. Defeated by the
Israelites, 82. By Joshua, 116.
Amos the prophet, 195.
, Book of, 198.
Amram, 58. House of, chosen to per-
form functions of priesthood, 98.
Anakim, the giant, 118.
Ananias and Sapphira, the story of,
310.
Ananias comes to Ctesarea to accuse
Paul before Felix, 343.
Andrew, follows Christ, 243. Com-
manded by Christ to let down his
nets, 249. Final call of, 249.
Anna, daughter of Phanncl, gives
thanks for the advent of Christ,
239.
Annas, Christ in the house of, 287.
, high-priest, 350.
Annunciation, the, 238.
Antigonus, son of Aristobulus II., 232.
Repulsed by Herod, 233. Marches
upon Jerusalem, 233. Nominal sov-
ereignty of, 233.
Antioch, becomes a centre of the
Christian Church, 320. First Gen-
. tile Church formed at, and name of
AKK.
Christian first heard at, 321. Pan,
and Barnabas at, 325. Paul at, 336.
Autiochus III., the Great, his war
with Ptolemy IV., 224. Becomes
master of Coele-Syria and Palestine,
225.
IV., Epiphanes, 225. His cam-
paigns against Egypt, 225. His per-
secution of the Jews, 226. His
death, 227.
V., Eupator, succeeds his father.
227.
VII., Sidetes, 229.
Antipater, his war against Aristobu-
lus II., 230. Governs Juda;a, 232.
Poisoned, 232.
, son of Herod, 234, 235.
Apocalypse, 350.
Apollos of Alexandria, 337, 338.
Apostles, Twelve, choice of the, 255.
Character of their office, 256. Their
personal qualifications, 256. Lists
of the, 257. Attend Christ in his
second circuit of Galilee, 260. Sent
forth on their mission, 262. Their
failure in healing a case of demoni-
acal possession, 270.
, the, assembled, Christ's appear-
ance to, 303. His second appearance
to them with Thomas, 303. His
third appearance to them, 303. Be-
fore the Sanhedrim, 310. Continue
to teach and preach Jesus, 311.
Appii Forum, the Christians meet
Paul at, 348.
Aqnilaand Priscilla, St. Pnnl takes up
his abode with, 333. They incur
the risk of martyrdom, 334. Sail
with St. Paul from Cenchrese, 835.
Instruct Apollos, 333.
Arabah, 81.
Arad, king, 81.
Aram, children of, 40.
Ararat as the resting-place of the Ark,
26.
Araunah, the threshing-floor of, 165.
Archelans, son of Herod the Great,
named by Herod as his successor,
240.
Aretals, espouses the cause cf Hyrca-
nus II., 231.
, father-in-law of Herod Autipas,
262.
, his war with Herod, 317.
Aristobulus I., son of John Hyrcanns,
assumes the title of king, 230.
II., 231.
Ark, Noah commanded to prepare
the, 25. Construction and dimen-
sions of the, 28.
of the Covenant, 75, 77, 96, Cap.
INDEX.
359
tnred by the Philistines, 137.
Brought to Jerusalem by David,
158, 159. Deposited in the tem;)l<;,
170.
Armenia, as centre of the race of
Noah, 27.
Arphaxad, 30, 40.
Artaxerxes I..21S.
Asa, king of Judah, reign of, ISO.
Asahel, nephew of David, 157.
Asaph, 158.
Asenath, wife of Joseph, 50.
Ashdod, 137, 202.
Asher, 44. Tribe of, 119.
Asherah, the, ISO.
Ashtoreth, 183.
Asia, St. Paul and his companions for-
bidden to preach the Gospel in. U20.
Asinonseaii kingdom established by
Aristobulus, 230.
Ass, Balaam's, S3.
Asshnr, 40.
Assyria, 1!IG, 197.
Astarte (xee Baal).
Astyages, 213.
Athaliah, wife of Jehornm, ICO. Her
usurpation and death, 191.
Athens, Paul at, 332.
, the sermon at, 332.
Atonement, the Day of, 107.
Augustus, Herod's sons brought be-
fore, 240.
Axariah, 207.
the high-priest, 100.
the prophet exhorts Asa, ISO.
Azazel, lot for, 107.
B.
P.aal, service of. established in Israel
by Ahab and Jezebel, 1S3. Over-
thrown by Elijah, 184.
Biial-bcritli, 130.
BaiiHha, 17S His reign, 179. Mas*a-
cre of his fainilv, 179.
Babel, city of, 30.
Babylon (nee Babel). Taken by Cyrns.
212.
, First Epistle of Peter, written
from, 351.
Babylonia, 30.
Bacchides, 227, 22S.
Balaam, S4, 85.
Bnlak, son of Zippor, 82, S3, 84.
Baptism of John, 242.
Barabbas, his release demanded by
the people instead of that of Christ,
2!K).
Barak, the Fourth Judge with Debo-
rah, 126, 127.
Baris, tower of, 229.
Bar-Jesus (see Elyinas).
Barnabas of Cyprus, self-sacrifice of,
310. Brings Saul to the apostles,
319. Sent to Autioch, 321. Seeks
out Saul at Tarsus, 321. His mis-
sion to Jerusalem, 323. Separated
with Saul for the mission to the
Gentiles, 324. His first missionary
journey with Paul, 324. His return
journey with Paul, 326. Separates
from Paul, and goes with John
Mark to Cyprus, 328.
Barzillai, the Gileadite, 164.
Bashan, 81, 82.
Bath-col, the, 242.
Bath-sheba, 101, 162.
Beer-sheba, Abraham at, 36.
, well of, 36.
Beatitudes, Mount of, the, 256, 257.
" Beautiful" gate, miracle at the, 309.
Bela, one of the five cities of the
plain, 33, 36.
Belshazzar, feast of, 212.
Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, killa
Adonijah and Joab, 16S.
Benedictus, the, 238.
I3en-hadad L, the Syrian king of
Damascus, invades the north of Is-
rael, 179. Continues the war, IT'.i.
II., his wars with Ahab, 186. His
death, 190.
III., defeated by Jehoash, 194.
Benjamin, birth of, 47. Goes into
Egypt, 51, 52. Tribe of, 119.
", destruction of, 123, 124.
Ben-oni (see Benjamin).
Berenice, sister of Herod Agrippa II.,
345.
Berosa, noble-mindedness of the Je\vn
at, 332.
Bethabara, place of Christ's baptism,
274.
Bethany, the family at, 274. The Sab-
bath spent at, 277.
Beth-jeshimoth, S2.
Bethel, Abraham at, 32. Jacob nt, 43.
Beth-esda, miracle at the pool of, '2.' ;.
Bethlehem, birth of Christ at, 2oS.
Massacre of the babes in, 235.
Bcthphage, 279.
Beth-sura, town of, 227.
Bethnel. son of Nahor, 33.
Bezalcel.artiflcerofthe tabernacle, 71.
Bilhah, 44. Children of, 44.
Birs-Nimrud, 30.
Boaz, 125.
Bread, unleavened, 105, 10(5.
Burnt-offerings, 99, 100.
Bnrrus, prefect of the prrotorian gnnn!,
Paul delivered up to, 348.
Bush, burning of the, 00.
800
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
c.
Cesar, Julius, assisted by Antipater,
232. Death of, 232.
Cresarea, city of, 234. Paul at, 341.
Tumult between the Jews and the
Syrian Greeks at, 344.
Ciesarea Philippi, city of, 234. Built
by Herod Philip, 241.
Caiaphas interrogates Christ, 287, 2SS.
, high-priesCdeposed, 313.
, the high-priest, his argument for
Christ's death, 276.
Cain, birth of, 22. Murders Abel, 23.
His condemnation, 23. Builds the
first city, 23. His descendants, 23,
24, 25.
Cainan, son of Seth, 24.
Caiuite race, 24, 25.
Caleb, 78, 79, 85.
Calf, molten, 73.
Caligula, 313, 320, 321.
Calrieh, foundation of, 30.
Calvary, 293.
Cambyses, king of Persia, 217.
Cana, marriage-feast at, 243. Second
visit of Christ to, 247.
Oanaan, 27. Jacob's possession in,
40.
Cnnaanites, 32. Defeat the Israelites,
79.
Candlestick, golden, 96.
Canon, Scriptures collected into a, 217.
Capernaum, Jesus appears at, 248.
Return of Jesus to, 251.
Captivity of Israel, 198.
of J udah. First Captivity, 198.
the Great, 207.
Carmel, Mount, 184.
Cassins, governor of Syria, 232.
"Castor and Pollux," the ship in
which Paul embarked from Malta,
347.
Centurion, conversion of the, 296.
Chaldaean astrologers, 211.
Chaldee language, 219.
Charran, 31.
Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, 33.
Cherubim in the tauernacle, 94.
Chilion, sou of Naomi, 125.
Cnimham, son of Barzillai, 164.
Chiuneroth, sea of, 117.
Ohorazin, Jesus repeats the doom of
woe upon, 259.
Christ, birth of, 238. His childhood
and youth, 239. Baptism of, 242.
Proclaimed the Son of God, 242,
His temptation in the wilderness,
242. His first miracle, 243. His
short abode at Capernaum, 243.
Purifies the temple, 245. His con-
verts .it the Passover, 245. Leaves
Jerusalem for the country of Judea,
and gathers converts who are bap-
tized by his disciples, 245. Retires
to Galilee, 246. His reception in
Galilee, 247. Date of his public
ministry in Galilee, 247. His second
visit to Cana, 247. Proclaims the
kingdom of heaven as at hand, 247.
Proclaims himself as the Messiah,
248. His final call to Andrew and
Peter, James and John, 249. Heal-
ing of the demoniac, 249. Healing
of Peter's wife's mother, 249. His
first circuit through Galilee, 251.
Cure of leprosy, 251. Returns to
Capernaum, 251. Cures the para-
lytic, 251. Claims the divine pre-
rogative of forgiving sin, 251. Goes
up_ to Jerusalem, 252. Heals the
cripple at Bethesda, 254. His first
great doctrinal discourse, 254. As-
serts his supremacy over the Sab-
bath, 254. Claims his divinity, 254.
The plots against his life, 254. Sec-
ond period of his ministry in Gali-
lee, 254. Defends his disciples fol
plucking corn on the Sabbath, 264.
Heals the man with the withered
hand, 254. Plot of the Pharisees
and Herodians against him, 255.
Retires to the shore of the Galilean
lake, 255. His miracles there, 255.
His preparations for organizing the
Christian Church, 255. His choice
of the Twelve Apostles, 255, 256.
His Sermon on the Mount, 257, 268.
Heals the servant of the centurion,
258. Restores the life of the son of
the widow of Nain, 258. His mes-
sage to John the Baptist in prison,
258. 259. His testimony to John,
259. Reveals himself as a indge,
269. Anointed, 259, 260. Makes
his second circuit of Galilee, 260.
His controversy with the Pharisees,
260. Heals the blind and dumb de
moniac, 260. The visit of his moth-
er and brethren, 260. His para-
bles, 2C1. Stills the storm, 261.
Heals the man possessed of a legion
of devils, 261. His second rejection
at Nazareth, 261. His third circuit
of Galilee, 261. Retires to a lonely
spot on the lake, 264. His first mir-
acle of the loaves and fishes, 266.
Its effect on the Galileans, 266, 267.
The Galileans wish to make him
king, 267. Walks upon the water,
267. His controversy, in which the
people desire a new sign, 26*. Re-
INDEX.
3G]
ttrce to the Decapolis, 268. His sec-
ond miracle of the loaves and fish-
es, 208. His encounter with the
Pharisees, Saddlicees, and Hero-
diaus, 268. Ascends the Jordan to
Caesarea Philippi, 269. Demands
full confession of faith from the dis-
ciples, 269. Reveals to the disci-
ples the mystery of his death and
resurrection, 269. His transfigura-
tion, 270. His last return to Caper-
naum, 271. Sets a little child in the
midst of the apostles, 271. His en-
ening discourse, 271. His final de-
parture from Galilee, 272. His jour-
ney through Samaria and rejection
there, 272. Appears at the Feast of
Tabernacles, teaching in the tem-
ple, 272. Proclaims himself the
Giver of the water of life, 273. Rep-
resents himself as the Good Shep-
herd, 273. At the Feast of the Ded-
ication, 274. Jews again attempt to
atone him, 274. Retires to Betha-
bara, 274. Raises Lazarus from the
dead, 275. In the home at Beth-
any, 274, 275. Council held concern-
ing, 275. Withdraws to Ephraim,
276. His return towards Jeru-
salem, 27(5. His denunciation of
Herod, 276. His progress through
Peraea, 276. Warns his discipes for
the third time of his pas-sion, death,
and resurrection, 277. Re - crosses
the Jordan to Jericho, 277. Spends
the Sabbath at Bethany, 277. Pre-
pares to present himself in the
temple at Jerusalem, 279. His re-
ception at Jerusalem, 279. Returns
to Bethany, 280. His second cleans-
ing of the temple, 280. The last day
of his public teaching, 280. Asks
the chief priests and scribes wheth-
er the baptism of John was from
heaven or of map, 281. His parables
concerning their rejection of him,
281. Devices to entrap him, 281.
Answers the Saddncees concern-
ing the resurrection, 281. His great
commandment, 281, 282. Ques-
tions the Pharisees, 282. Hi* de-
nunciation of the Scribes and Phar-
isees, 282. His lamentation over
Jerusalem, 203. His praise of the
poor widow, 283. His final depart-
ure from the temple, 283. His
prophecy of the destruction of Je-
rusalem and of the end of the world,
283, 284. Eats the Paschal Slipper
with his disciples, 285, 286. Wash-
es the feet of the disciples, 286. Re-
CII.ICIANS.
veals the treachery of Judas, 286.
Announces that his hour is come,
286. His commandment that they
should love one another, 2S6. His
prediction about Peter, 286. Ap-
points to meet the disciples in Gal-
ilee after his resurrection, 28C. His
last discourse and intercessory
prayer, 286. Goes out to the Mount
of Olives, 287. His agony in th
garden, 287. Surrenders himself
into the hands of the officers sent to
take him, 287. Sent to Caiaphas,
287. Interrogated by him, 287, 288.
Arraigned before the Sanhedrim,
288. Avows himself the Christ, the
Son of God, 289. Brought be/ore
Pilate, 289. Sent by him to Herod
Antipas, 290. Yielded up by Pilate
to the people, 291. Handed over to
the Roman soldiers, 291. Pilate's
last effort to save him, 291. Sen-
tence pronounced upon him by Pi-
late, 292. His crucifixion, 292-29G.
His sayings from the cross, 294-296.
Confides his mother to John, 295.
Portents following his death, 296.
Found already dead, 297. His side
pierced, 297. Testimony of St.
John, 297. Care of Pilate to ascer-
tain the truth of his death, 297. His
burial, 298. His first appearance
after the resurrection, 301. 7"-
second appearance, 302. His thir..
appearance, 302. His fourth ap-
pearance, 302. His fifth appear-
ance, 303. His sixth appearance,
303. His seventh appearance, 303.
His command to Peter and predic-
tion of his martyrdom, 304. His
eighth appearance, to the great
body of his disciples, 304. His
commission to them, 304, 305. His
ninth appearance, 306. His last in-
terview with the apostles and his
ascension, 305. The prophecy of
his second coming, 306.
Christians, disciples first called, 321.
Church, Christian, beginning of the,
256. Consecration of the, 256. Be*
ginnning of positive institutions in
the, 311. ,
of Christ, full establishment of
the, in the Holy Land, etc., record-
ed in the Acts of the Apostles, i!07.
Foundation of The, 307. Two nec-
tions of the primitive, 308.
Chnnhan-rishathaim, 125.
Cilicia, province of, at the time of St.
Paul, 316.
Cilicians, mention of the, in the con
362
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
O1BOUMOI8ION.
troversy between Stephen and the
Hellenistic Jews, 312.
Circumcision first enjoined, 34, 73,
101.
Cities of refuge, 120.
Claudius, his edict for the toleration
of the Jewish religion, 322. Death
of, 330.
Cleopas, Christ's appearance to, 302.
Cleopatra, her relations with Herod,
234.
Colossians, Epistle to the, 350.
Commandments, Ten, 72, 91, 92.
Confusion of speech, 30.
Congregation, princes of the, 109.
Coniah (see Jehoinchin).
Corbulo, Domitius, prefect of Syria,
344.
Corinth, its importance in the history
of Paul, 333. Paul at, 335, 337.
Corinthians, First Epistle to the, 338.
Cornelius, conversion of, 313.
Council, First, at Jerusalem, 32G.
Covenant with Noah and his race, 27.
New, with Abraham, 34. Renew-
ed to the descendants of Abraham,
38.
, New, division of the history of
the, 230.
Crassns pillages the temple, 232.
Creation, the, 19-21.
Crispus, the baptism of, 334.
Cross, form of the, used in crucifixion,
293.
Crucifixion, account of the, 292-290.
Sayings of Christ during the, 294-
290. Portents following the, 290.
Cush, 40.
Cyprus, Barnabas and Saul at, 324.
Cyreuians and Alexandrians, 312.
Cyrus the Great, takes Babylon, 212,
213. Decrees the rebuilding of the
temple, 215.
D.
Damaris, conversion of, 333.
Damascus, 32. Made tributary to
David, 160. St. Paul's ministry at,
319
Dan, 44. Tribe of, 119.
Daniel, 207. His relations with Neb-
uchadnezzar, 211. Last days of,
213.
, Book of, 210, 212, 213.
Darius, king of Persia, 217.
, the Median, 213.
Dathan, rebellion of, 79.
David, anointed by Samuel, 146.
Description of, 147. Introduced to
the court of Saul, 147. Plays before
DISPERSION.
Saul, 147. Slays Goliath, 147, 148.
His friendship with Jonathan, 149.
Saul's jealousy of him, 149. Marries
a daughter of Saul, 149. Escapes
from Saul, 150. Flies to Nob, 151.
Deceives Ahimelech, 15L Takes
refuge in the cave of Adullam, 151.
Leaves his concealment, and is
hunted by Saul, 151. Pursued by
Saul, 152. His conduct towards
Nabal, 153. Again pursued by Saul,
and reconciled to him, 153. Seeks
shelter among the Philistines, 153.
His lamentation over Saul and Jon-
athan, 155. Takes Jerusalem, 158.
His sin with Bath-sheba, 161. Reign
of, 150-100. Pestilence in his reign,
105. Builds an altar to Jehovah,
165. Makes prcp;iration for build-
ing the temple, 105. Tomb of, 166.
Character of, lOfi.
David, son of, Christ saluted as the,
277.
Deacons, the seven men called, 311.
Debir, city of, destroyed, 117.
Deborah, 47.
, reckoned with Barak as the
Fourth Judge, 120.
Decapolis, Christ at, 208.
Dedication of the first-born, 101.
, the feast of, 10S, 227.
, feast of the (see Feast).
Delilah, 135.
Deluge, 25, 26.
Demetrius I., Soter, becomes king,
227.
. II., Nicator, 228, 229.
, leader of the party at Ephesus
against the teaching of Paul, 339.
Demoniac, healing of the, 249.
Demoniacal possession, question of,
249.
Derbe, Paul and Barnabas at, 320.
Deuteronomy, Book of, 80.
Devil, the, 21, 22.
Didrachm, the, value of, 271.
Dinah, 44, 47.
Dionysins, the Areopagite, conver-
sion of, 333.
Disciples, the, Christ gives them their
first commission to begin their
work, 202. Their voyage across the
lake, 27.
, Seventy, sent forth by Christ
during his progress through Sama-
ria, 272.
, Christ's appearance to the great
body of his, 304.
, Christ's commission to the, 3C5.
, dispersion of the, 312.
" Dispersion," the, 215.
INDEX.
363
DISPERSION.
Dispersion, St. Peter labors amoug
Jews of the, 351.
Doeg, 151. Slays the priest?, 151.
Dorcas, the raining of, 320.
Prnsilla, wife of Felix, 343.
E.
Earth, .nnnation of the, 19, 20.
'' Easter-clay," 299.
Easter-eve, 29S.
Ebal, Mount, ST, 116.
Eben-ezer, 138.
Eber, 30.
Ecclesiaste?, Book of, 173.
Eden, 20.
Edom, 45.
Edomites, the, 47. Their defeat by
Joab, 100.
Edrei, 82.
Eglou, city of, destroyed, 117. King
of, enters into a league against Gib-
eon, 116. His death, 117.
, king of Moab, 126.
Egypt, Abraham driven into, 32.
Commencement of sojourn of He-
brews in, 50. Seven vears' famine
in, 51.
Egyptians pursue the Israelites, C8.
Their destruction in the Red Sea,
68.
Ehud, the Second Judge, 126.
Elah, succeeds his father Baasha as
king of Israel, 179.
Hi:, 111. 40.
Elath,168.
Eldad, 7T.
Elders, appointment of, as permanent
officers, 326.
Eleazar, succeeds Aaron as high-
priest, 81. His death, 121.
, high-priest, 224.
, son of Mattathiae, 227.
Eli, the thirteenth Judge, 133. Wick-
edness of his son*, 133, 136. Re-
buked by God through Samuel, 136.
His death, 137.
" Eli." considered by the people as a
call for the prophet, 296.
Eliab, son of Jesse, 14S.
Eliashib the high-priest, 220, 223.
Eliezer, steward of the house of Abra-
ham, 33.
, son of Moses, 59.
Elijah, the Tishbite, 184. His mission,
184. Overthrows the worship of
Baal, 1S4. Flies for his life, 185.
Dwells in the wilderness, 185.
Takes Elisha as his servant, 185,
186. Denounces Ahab's sin, 186, 187.
Sent to denounce the death of Aha-
ziah, 1S7, 188. Ascent of, 188. Ap-
pears in the transfiguration, 270.
Christ affirms his having already
come in the person of John the
Baptist, 270.
Elimelech, 125.
Elisabeth, mother of John the Bap-
tist, 237.
Elisha, becomes Elijah's servant, 185,
186. Succeeds Elijah, 188. Rela-
tions between Jehoram and, ISO.
Hi* deeds, 189. Designates Hazael
as future king of Syria, 190. His
death, 194.
Elkanah, father of Samuel, 136.
Elon, the eleventh judge, 133.
Eloth, recovered and rebuilt by Uz-
ziah, 196.
Elymasans, the, 40.
Elyinas, the sorcerer, St. Paul's judg-
ment on, 324.
Em ma us, the journey to, 302.
Endor, witch of, 154.
Enoch, son of Cain, 23. City named
after him, 23.
, son of Jared, his translation, 24.
Euos, son of Seth, 24.
Ephesians, Epistle to the, 350.
Ephesus, Paul at, 335, 338. Paul's
voyage to, 340. St. John at, 352.
Ephod, the, 98.
Ephraim, birth of, 50.
, tribe of, 118, 119.
Ephrou the Hittite. 38.
Epistles, St. Paul's, 360.
Erastus, his mission to Macedonia and
Achaia, 33S.
Erech, foundation of, 30.
Esar-haddou, king of Assyria, 199,
204.
Esau, birth of, 41. Sells his birth-
right, 41, 42. Marries, 42. His rec-
onciliation with Jacob, 46.
Esdraelon, plain of, 120, 128.
Esther, 218.
, Book of, 215.
Ethum, 67.
Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, 183.
Ethnarch, title of, given to Archeiaus,
240.
Eunice, mother of Timothy, 329.
Euphrates, 31, 32.
Europe, St, Paul's call to, 329.
Eutychus, restored to life, 340.
Eve, creation of, 21. Tempted by Sa-
tan, 21. The curse upon her, 22.
The promise to her, 22.
Evil-merodach, king of Babylon, 21&
Exodus, the, 66.
Ezekiel, 207. Prophecies of, 208-
364
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
c
Ezion-gaber, or geber, 1CS.
Ezra, 218, 219, 223.
Book of, 218.
F.
Fall, the, 21.
Famine in Judaea, relieved by the
Christians of Antioch, 323.
Famines in Egypt, 81.
Feast of Tabernacles, approach of the,
2T2. Christ appears at the, 2T2,
2T3.
of the Dedication, Christ at the,
274.
Felix, procurator of Judaea, 336. His
treatment of St. Paul, 343, 344.
Festus Porcins, procurator of Judaea,
344. Promises to send Paul to
Caesar, 344.
Fig-tree, parable of the barren, 2SO.
Firmament, 20.
Flood, the, 25, 26.
Friday, Good, 288.
G.
Gaal, leader of the insurgents against
Abimelech, 131.
Gabbatha, 292.
Gabiuins, proconsul of Syria, 232.
Gabriel appears to Zacharius, 237.
Appears to Mary, 237, 238
Gad, 44.
, tribe of, 85, 80, US.
, the prophet, 151, 1C5.
Gadara, Christ's miracle in, 261.
Gains, baptism of, 334.
Galatia, Judaizing teachers in, 337.
Journey of Paul through, 337.
Galatians, St. Paul's Epistle to the,
329.
Galeed, 45.
Galilee, 117.
, account of, 230. Beginning of
Christ's public ministry in, 247.
Christ's first circuit through, 251.
Christ makes his second circuit of,
200. His reception in, 248. Christ's
third circuit of, 261.
, Lake of, Jesns at, 255.
Gamaliel, his advice to the Council,
310. The teacher of St. Paul, 311,
316.
Gaza, 135.
Gehazi's covetousness, 189.
Gentiles, first formal declaration that
the offer of salvation, rejected by
the Jews, was handed over to them,
325.
, the mission to the, 320
Gen'zim, Mount, 87, 116.
, temple of, 2->;j, 229.
Gershom, birth of, 59.
Gethsemaiie, Garden of, Christ's ag-
ony in the, 287. '
Gezer destroyed, 117.
Gibeomtes, the, obtain peace by s
stratagem, 110.
Gideon commanded to save Israel
from the Midiauites, 127, 128. Over
throws the altar of Baal, 128. The
sign of the fleece, 128, 129. Defeats
the Midianites, 129. Rank of king
offered to him, 129. His death, 129.
Gilgal, 114, 117, 143.
Golgotha, 293.
Goliath, story of, 147, 148.
Gomates, king of Persia, 217.
Gomer, 40.
Gomorrah, 32. Spoiling of, 33. De-
struction of, 30.
Gosheu, land of, 54.
Gospels, the four, 237.
Greeks at Antioch, the Gospel preach-
ed to the, 320.
H.
Habakknk, the prophet, 206.
Hadad makes war against Solomon,
173.
Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, 160.
Hadassah (see Esther).
Hagar, 34, 36, 37.
Hnsrgai, the prophet, 217.
Hallel, the, 105.
" Hallel, Great," the, 287.
Ham, 26, 27. Race of, 29, 30, 40.
Haman, the Agagite, 218.
Hamath-zobah conquered by Solo-
mon, 172.
Hamutai, mother of Jehoahaz and
Zedekiah, 206.
Hanani, the seer, reproves Asa's want
of faith, 180.
Hananiah, 207.
Hannah, wife of Elkanah, 136.
Haran, 30.
(see Charran).
Hazael, designated as future king at
Syria 190, 192, 193.
Hazeroth, 77.
Hazor, city of, 117.
Heber, the Kenite, 127.
Hebrew, meaning of name, 32
Hebrews, Epistle to the, 360.
Hebrews in the Church, 311.
Hebron, city of, destroyed, 117.
, king of, enters into a leagua
against Gibeon, 116. His death.
117.
INDEX.
365
I1ELI.KNIBTIO JEWS.
Hellenistic Jews, Stephen's contro-
versy with the, 311, 312.
Hellenists in the Church, 811.
Hephzi-bah, wife of Hezekiah, 204.
Herod, family of, 240.
Agrippii L, grandson of Herod
the Great, uses his influence for the
Jews, 322. Governor of Tiberias,
321. Favor of Caligula towards,
322. Receives Judsea from Claudius,
322. His murder of St. James, 322.
His death, 323.
Antipas, son of Herod the Great,
first named by Herod as his succes-
sor, 240. Made tetrarcb, 240. His
character, 241. Banished by Calig-
ula, 241. Sends for John the Bap-
tist, 262. Orders the execution of
John the Baptist, 263. Believes Je-
sus to be John restored to life, 263.
. , son of Antipater, made governor
of Galilee, 232. Made governor of
Coele-Syria, 232. Defeats Autigonns,
233. Established on the throne of
Judaea and surnamed the Great, 233.
His policy. 234. Restores the tem-
ple, 234. His death, 236.
Philip, son of Herod the Great,
241.
Herod's fears at the birth of Christ,
235.
Herodians, Christ's encounter with
the, who ask for a sign, 268. Plot
with the Pharisees against Christ,
236,281.
Herodias, wife of Herod Autipas, ex-
cites her husband against John the
Baptist, 262. Herresentmeutagainst
John the Baptist, 203.
Heshbon, 81.
Hezekiah, king of Judah, 198, 201.
His illness, 202. Receives the em-
bassy from Merodach, 202. His
kingdom invaded by Sennacherib,
203. Deliverance of, 204.
High-priest, most important person
in the State, 223.
Hilkiah. the high-priest, 218.
Hiram, king ofTyre, 168. His assist-
ance in the building of the temple,
169, 170, 172.
, the architect, 160.
Holiness of the people, 101, 102.
Holy Ghost, descent of the, 320. The.
commands the separation of Saul
and Barnabas from the Church at
Antioch for the mission to the Gen-
tiles, 324.
Holy Land, Abraham enters the, 32.
Holy of Holies, the, 94.
Holy Place, 04, 95.
Holy Spirit, gift of the, 30S, 309.
Hophni, sou of Eli, ISO, 137.
Horeb, Mount, 60, 61. Rock in, water
flowing from, 70.
Hosea, the prophet, 195, 199.
Hoshea, king of Israel, 199.
Huldah, the prophetess, 205.
Hur, husband of Miriam, 70.
Hushai, the Archite, 163.
Hyrcanus, John, 229.
, son of Alexander Jannaeus, suc-
ceeds to the high - priesthood, 230.
Nominally succeeds to the throne
as Hyrcanus II., 231.
I.
Ibzan, the Tenth Jndge, 13?
Icbabod, birth of, 137.
Iconium, Paul and Barnabas at, 325.
Iddo, the seer, 173.
Immanuel, prophecy of the kingdom
of, 197.
Incense, 100.
Isaac, why to be so named, 35. His
birth, 36. Trial of his faith, 37. His
marriage, 39. Inherits his father's
wealth, 39. Driven from Lahai-roi
by a famine, 42. His death, 47.
Isaiah, counsellor of Hezekiah, 202.
Death of, 204.
, prophecies of, 197, 198, 202.
Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, 140. Reign
of, 156. His death, 156.
Ishmael, birth of, 34. His share in
the promise of God, 36, 37.
Israel, new name of Jacob, 46. Set-
tlement of, in Egypt, 53, 64.
, kingdom of, 174.
Israelites, period of their sojourn in
Egypt, 64, 57. Their oppression by
the Egyptians, 57-61. Their depart-
ure from Egypt, 66. Their march
out of Egypt to Mount Sinai, 67-71.
Their march from Sinai to the bor-
ders of Canaan, 76-78. Their final
march from Kadesh to the Jordan,
81.
Issachar, 44. Tribe of, 119.
Ittai, the Gittite> 163.
J.
Jabal, 28.
Jabin, king of Hazor, forms a league
against Israel, 117. His defeat, 117.
Jacob, birth of, 41. Obtains his
brother's birthright. 41, 42. Hie de-
ceit, 42, 43. His dream, 43. His
marriage, 44. His fear of Esau, 45.
Their reconciliation, 46. His return
366
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
to Bethel, 4T. List of sous of, 47.
Settles in Egypt, 53, 54. His bless-
ing on his sons, 55. His death, 55.
Jaddua, the high-priest, 223. His in-
terview with Alexander the Great,
224.
Jael, wife of Heher, 12T.
Jahaz, battle at, 82.
Jahaziel, 18-2.
Jair, the Eighth Judge, 131.
James, his call, 249. In the garden,
287.
, Paul's interview with, at Jerusa-
lem, 341.
, St., the Less, Christ's appearance
to, ii()5. One of the pillars of the
Church, 305. His martyrdom, 322.
Jason, brother of the high -priest
Onias III., obtains the high-prie.st-
hood, 225. Flees to the Ammonites,
225. Attacks Jerusalem, 225.
, Panl supposed to be in the house
of, 332.
Japheth, 26, 2T, 28.
., race of, 29, i!0, 40.
Jared, son of Seth, 24.
Jarmuth, kino; of, enters into a league
against Gibeon, 110. His death,
11T.
Javan, 40.
Jeconiah (see Jehoiachin).
Jehoahaz, eleventh king of Israel,
193.
, king of Judah, 206.
Jehoash (or Joash), twelfth king of
Israel, his reign, 194.
Jehoiachin, 207, 212.
Jehoiada, the high-priest, 193.
Jehoiakim, king of Judah, 206, 207.
Jehoram, ninth king of Israel, 189,
190, 191.
, king of Judah, his reign, 190.
Jehoshaphat, king of Jndah, succeeds
to the throne, ISO, 181. Forms an
alliance with Ahab, 181. Tries to
reform the people, 1S2. His death,
182.
Jehovah reveals himself to Moses, CO.
, Angel, 35. Appears to Jacob, 46.
Jehovah-nissi, 70.
Jehovah-shalom, 128.
Jehu, king, 190, 191. His reign, 192.
Jehu, the prophet, 179, 181.
Jephthah, the Ninth Judge, 132. The
sacrifice of his daughter, 132. His
death, 133.
Jeremiah the prophet, 205. His lam-
entation for Josiah, 205. Book of,
206. His prophecies, 207, 208-213.
Jericho, 113. Conquered by the Israel-
ites, 115.
Jeroboam, son of Nebat, 171, 173,
" Visions, against," 173.
, his revolt, 175. Proclaimed king,
176. His reign, 177, 178.
II., king of Israel, his reign, 194,
195.
Jerub-baal, new name of Gideon, 128.
Jerusalem, 157. Taken by David, 158.
Taken by Nebuchadnezzar, 206.
Besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, 208.
Taken, 20S. Burnt, 208. Fortified
by Nehemiah, 219. Dedication of
the walls of, 220.
, Christ's lamentation over, 270.
Christ's prophecy of the destruction
of, 283, 284. Christ repeats his hun-
eutation over, 283.
, destruction of, by Titus, 349, 352.
Entered by Pompey, 231. Taken by
Herod, 233.
, Paul's visit to the Church, at the
feast, at, 336.
Jeshua, the high-priest, 196.
Jeshimou, the, 82.
Jesse, his sou David anointed as king,
146.
Jesus, name given to the Saviour, 23S.
Jethro, 59. His visit to Moses, 71.
Jews, preparation for understanding
state of, at opening of the New
Testament, 223. Privileges of, said
to have been granted by Alexander
the Great, 224. A large number of,
removed to Egypt, 224. Influence
of Greece upon the, 224. Persecuted
by Antiochus IV., 225.
Jews of Egypt, influence of Hellenism
on, 225. Persecuted by Ptolemy
IV., 224, 225.
, divisions among the, at time of
Demetrius I., 208. Under the Mac-
cabees, 226, 229. Under Herod,
233, 234. Emissaries of rulers, the,
watch Christ in Galilee, 254. Press
Jesus to tell them plainly whether
he was the Christ, 274. They at-
tempt to stone Christ, 255. Consult
how they can secure Christ, 275, 276.
Their impotence to execute the
sentence of condemnation on Christ,
289. Accept the responsibility or
Christ's death, 291. Persecute St.
Paul, 325. Their anger at their as-
sociation with the Gentiles as re-
ceivers of the same Gospel, 325.
, at Corinth, their fury against
St. Panl, 335.
, their plot against St. Paul's life,
343.
Jezebel, wife of Ahab, 183-186. Her
death, 188.
INDEX.
367
Jezreel, city of, ISO. Plaiu and valley
of, 120, 128.
Joab, nephew of David, 15T. Slays
Abner, 15T. At Jerusalem, 15S. His
victories over the Kdomites, 160,
1G3-165. Slain, 10S.
Joanna, wife of Chuza, 260. Her
visit to the sepulchre, 300.
Joash, father of Gideon, 128.
(or Jehoash), king of Jndah, son
of Ahaziah, crowned, 191. His
reign, 193, 194.
Jochebed, wife of Amram, 6S.
Joel, son of Samnel, 13S.
Johauan (see Jehoahaz).
Johauan (see John).
John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas,
322. Accompanies Barnabas and
Saul in their first missionary jour-
ney, 325. Panl refuses to take him
on his second missionary journey,
328. He accompanies Barnabas to
Cyprus, 328 (see Mark).
John, St., follows Christ, 243. Goes
to Jerusalem, 244. Sent to prepare
the Last Supper, 285. His presence
at it, 286. In the garden, 28T. Re-
mains when the other disciples flea.
288. Remains beside the cross of
Christ, 297. His visit to the sep-
ulchre, 301. Survives the fall of
Jerusalem, 352. His association
with Peter, 328-351. At Ephesns,
352. Exiled to Patmon, 352. Epis-
tles of, 352.
, Gospel of, 237. Supplement:)! to
the other three, 244. Mark of this,
253.
, Revelation of, 350.
.second son of Simon, his victory
over the Syrian? , 221).
, son of Mattathias, killed, 228.
the Baptist, his birth announced
by the angel Gabriel, 237. Born,
238. His preaching of repentance,
242. Baptizes Christ, 242. Pro-
claims Christ MS the Lamb of Gd,
243. His final testimony to Christ,
245. Appears before Herod Antipnc,
262. Imprisoned, 246, 262, 263.
Christ's message to, 258, 259. His
death, 263. Christ's testimony to,
259.
J'oiadn, the high-priest, 223.
Jonah, sent to Nineveh, 195.
'a three days' confinement in the
fish inadi- a type of our Lord's burial,
260.
Jonathan theLevile, son of Gershom,
123.
Jonathan, Bon of Saul, 140. Attacks
JCTnAS HAB8ABA8.
the Philistines, 143, 144. His life
saved by the people, 144. His friend-
ship with David, 149-152. His death,
154.
Jonathan, the high-priest, 223. Slays
his brother, 223.
, son of Mattathias, 227. Chosen
leader, 228. Killed, 228.
Jordan, the river, 113. Passage of the,
114.
Joseph, birth of, 44. The favorite of
his father, 47. Conspiracy of his
brothers, 48. Carried to Egypt, 49.
Imprisoned, 49. Interprets Phara-
oh's dreams, 50. Marriage of, 50.
His brothers settle in Egypt, 54.
Receives his father's blessing, 55.
Death, 50. Division of tribe of, 118,
119.
, betrothed to Mary, 238.
of Arimathea, begs the body of
Christ, 298.
Joshua, first mention of, 70. Conse-
crated as the successor of Moses,
85. Succeeds Moses as the leader
of Israel, SS. His former name, 112.
Marches towards the Jordan, 113.
Takes Jericho, 114, 115. Holds the
ceremony of the Blessing and the
Curse on Mounts Gerizim and Ebal,
116. Defeats the Amorites, 116.
Subdues the southern half of Pales-
tine, 117. Defeats Jabin, 117. Com-
manded to divide the land by lot,
118. Receives as his inheritance
Timuath-serah. 120. His exhorla-
tion to the tribes, 120. His cove-
nant with the people, 120. His
death, 120.
, slain by his brother Jonathan,
the high-priest, 223.
Josiah, king of Judah, 205. Family
of, 207.
Jotham, son of Gideon, escapes when
his brothers are slain, 130. Relates
a parable, 130.
Jotham, king of Judah, 197.
Jubal, 23.
Jubilee, year of, 104.
Jndtea, under Greek influence, 224
Annexed to Syria, 232, 241. Un-
der the Mnccnbees, 226-229. Undei
Antipater, 232.
Judwa, new kingdom of, 230.
Judah, 44. Tribe of, 118. Takes the
lead in driving out the heathen na-
tions, 122.
Judaism, St. Paul separates from,
334.
Jndah, kingdom of, 174.
Jtifliis Barsabap, sent toAntiocb, 326.
368
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
Jt7I>AS I80AKIOT.
Judas Iscariot, his love of the world,
284. Christ alludes for the first
time to his treason, 268. Treason
of, 284. His presence at the Last
Supper, 286. His traitor's kiss, 28T.
His remorse, 292. His suicide, 292.
Maccaboeus succeeds his father,
226. Gathers an army, 226. Defeats
Lyeias, 227. His death. 228.
, St. Paul the guest of, 319.
Judges, Books of, 122, 123.
. , the, 109-122.
, the, list of their names, 125.
Jnlius has charge of Paul on the voy-
age when he is sent to Rome, 346,
34T.
E
Kadesh, 77-79.
Kcnites, 85.
Keturah, concubine of Abraham, 39.
Kibroth-hattaavah, 7T.
Kish, father of Saul, 140.
Korah, rebellion of, 79.
Laban, sou of Bethuel, 39, 44. His
covenant with Jacob, 45.
Xiachish, kin"; of, enters iuto a league
against Gibeon, 116. His death,
117.
, city of, destroyed, 117.
Lagus, satrap of Egypt, 224.
Lahai-roi, well of, 39.
Laish, 1-20, 123.
Lamb of God, Christ as the, 279.
Lamech, polygamy of, 23.
, song of, 23.
Language, Adam endowed with, 20.
Lapidotb, the husband of Deborah,
126.
Laver, brazen, 04.
Law, Mosaic, 00-111.
Laws, Civil, of the Jews, 110.
, Criminal, cf the Jews, 110.
, Constitutional and Political, of
the Jews, 108, 109.
Lazarus raised from the dead, 274,
275. Effect of the miracle, 274.
Leah, wife of Jacob, 44.
Levi, 44. Tribe of, consecrated to the
priesthood, 73, 74.
Levites, their substitution for the first-
born, 76, 97, 99. Provision made
for their habitation, 120.
Libnah, city of, destroyed, 117.
Light, 20.
Lois, grandmother of Timothy, 329.
Lot, 31-33. His escape from Sodom,
50.
Lots, the feast of (see Purim).
Lnblm.40.
Luke, St., his appearance in the com-
pany of St. Paul on his second mis-
sionary journey, 328. Accompanies
him into Macedonia, 330. Shares
the imprisonment of Paul at Rome,
344.
, Gospel of, 237-274.
Lycaonia, Paul and Barnabas in, 326.
Lydia, conversion of, 330.
Lydians, the, 40.
Lysias, general of Antiochus IV., 226.
Advances to Beth-sura, 227.
Lysias, rescues St. Paul in the temple
court, 342. Places him before the
Sanhedrim, 342, 343. Sends him to
Felix, 343.
Lystra, Paul and Barnabas at, 326.
M.
Maachah, wife of Rehoboam, 176.
Maccabsean history, 226-229.
Maccabees, 226-229. Last king of the,
233.
Macedonia, its contributions for the
poor in Jerusalem, 336. Paul's in-
tercourse with the churches of, 335.
Machpelah, cave of, 33, 54.
Madai,40.
Magadan (see Magdala).
Magdala, village of, 260, 268.
Magians, the, their worship of Christ,
239.
Mahalaleel, son of Seth, 24.
Mahauaim, 46, 164.
Mahlou, son of Naomi, 125.
Makkedah, cave of, 117.
, city of, destroyed, 117.
Malachi, 221.
, Book of, 221.
Malchus, king of Arabia, campaign of
Herod against, 234.
Malichns, courtier of Hyrcanus, 232.
Malta, St. Paul at, 347.
Malthace, fourth wife of Herod the
Great, 240.
Mamre, altar at, 33.
Man, creation of, 20. His likeness to
God, 20. His fall, 21.
Manasseh, birth of, 50. Tribe of, 86,
118, 119.
-, son of Hezekiah, reign of, 2<
Manna, Israelites fed with, 69.
Manoah, father of Samson, 134.
Mariamne, wife of Herofl, 233. Her
death, 234.
Mark Antony, 233.
Mark, St. (see John Mark).
Mark, Gospel of, 237.
INDEX.
369
Martha, sister of Lazarus, Christ's re-
ply to her, 275.
Mary Magdalene, 260. Carries the
news of the supposed removal of
Christ's body to Peter arid John,
301.
, mother of Christ, Gabriel ap-
pears to, 237, 238. Visits Elisabeth,
238. Taken home by John, 298.
, sister of Lazarus, anoints the
Lord, 277. At the feet of Jesus,
275.
Marys, the three, remain by the cross,
295.
, visit of the two, to the sepulchre,
300.
Massah, 70.
Mattaniah (Zedekiah), 203.
Mattathias, the priest, escapes from
Jerusalem, 226.
Matthew, St., call of, 251. Feast given
by, 251.
, Gospel of, 237.
Matthias, chosen as an apostle in
place of Judas, 303.
Medad, 77.
Medes, the, 213.
Megiddo, battle of. 205.
Melchishua, son of Saul, 154.
Melchizedek, 33.
Menahem, king of Israel, his reign,
195.
Menelans, obtains the high -priest-
hood, 2-25.
Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, 160,
164.
Merab, daughter of Saul, 149.
Meribah, 70.
Merodach-baladau, king of Babylon,
202.
Mesha, king of Moab, revolts from
Israel, 188, 189.
Meshach, 207, 211.
Messiah, first prophecy of the, 22.
Promise of the, involved in the di-
vine words to Abraham, 31.
, 247. Jesus announces himself
sm the, 248.
Methuselah, 24.
Micah and the Danites, t-tory of, 122.
., 197.
Micaiah, the prophet, 187.
MichaJ, daughter of Saul, 149, 150,
153.
Michmash, 143, 144.
Midianites, 82. Slaughter of the, 85.
Defeated by Gideon, 129.
Miletus, Paul's voyage to, 340.
Miracle First, of the loaves and fish-
es, 266, Of healing the man with
the withered hand, 254. Of healing
A
two blind men at Jericho, 277. Of
the cure of leprosy, 251. Of the
cure of the demoniac, 249. Of the
cure of the paralytic, 251. Of the
finding the piece of money in the
fish's mouth, 271. Of the healing;
of the centurion's servant, 258. Of
restoring the life of the widow's
son, 258. Of the healing of the deaf
and dumb, 258. Of the healing of
the man possessed by a legion of
devils, 261. Of the stilling of the
storm, 261. Second, of the loaves
nnd fishes, 268.
Miracles, general consideration of
the, 252. "
Miriam, 58. Her song, 68. Her op-
position to Moses, 77. Her death,
80.
Mishael, 207.
Missionary journey, first, of Paul and
Barnabas, 324. The second, of St.
Paul, 327.
Mizraim, 40.
Mnason, disciple of Cyprus, accom-
panies St. Paul to Jerusalem, 341.
Moab, territory of, SI.
Moabites, 82, 85, 144, 160.
Monarchy, Hebrew, establishment of
the, 109.
Mordecai, 218.
Moriah, origin of the name, 165.
, Mount, 170.
Moses, birth of, 53. Adopted by
Pharaoh's daughter, 58. Decides to
cast in his lot with his own people,
59. Kills an Egyptian, 59. Com-
manded to lead the Israelites out of
Egypt, 59, 60. Oppressed by Pha-
raoh, 61. Leads the Israelites out
of Egypt, 66. God speaks to him,
71. Called into the cloud, 72. Goes
a second time into the Mount, 74.
His disobedience, 80. Blessing of,
86, 87. Song of, 86, 87. Three dis-
courses of, 86, 87. Death of, 88.
His character, 83, 89.
Moses, appears in the Transfiguration,
270.
N.
Nanmah, mother of Rehoboam, 175.
Naaman's leprosy, 189.
Nairn!, Htory of, 152, 153.
Nabonadins, 212, 213.
Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, 206,
207
Naboth, 186.
Nadab sees God, 72.
, BOH of Jeroboam, his reign, 178.
Nahor, 30, 31.
370
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
Naomi, 125.
Naphtali, 44. Tribe of, 119.
Nathan, the prophet, 169. Sent to
denounce David's sin, 101, 162.
Nazarenes, origin of the name, 239.
Nazareth, account of, 238. Christ's
rejection at, 248. Christ's second
rejection at, 261.
Nazarites, St. Paul joins four, in their
vow, 342.
Nebuchadnezzar, 206, 207. Takes
Jerusalem, 208. His relations with
Daniel, 211. Madness, 211, 212.
Necho (see Pharaoh-Nechoh).
Nehemiah, 218-221.
, Book of, 218.
Nehushta, mother of Jehoiachin, 207.
Nero, accession of, 336. Paul before,
349.
New Moon, Feast of the, 103.
Nicanor, 227.
Nicodemus, his relations towards
Christ, 24(5. The secret disciple, in
the Council, 273. Brings myrrh
and aloes to anoint the body of
Christ, 298.
Nimrod, 30.
Nineveh, foundation of, 30.
Noah, 24, 25-28. Descendants of, 27.
Nod, land of, 23.
O.
Obadiah, governor of Ahab's house,
183.
Obed, son of Bonz and Ruth, 125.
Obed-edom, the Gittite, the ark in his
honse, 158. Made chief door-keep-
er, 159.
Oblations (see Sacrifices).
Oded the prophet, 197.
Offerings (see Sacrifices).
Og, king, SI, 82.
Olives, Mount of, Christ and the dis-
ciples go out to the, 287.
Omri, dynasty of, 179.
, king of Israel, reign of, 179. The
statutes of, 179.
Onias I., high-priest, 224.
TIL, high-priest, 225.
IV., heir to high-priesthood, tries
to revive Jewish worship in Egypt,
227.
Ophir, 172.
Orpah, 125.
Oshea (see Joshua).
Othniel, the First Judge, 126.
P.
Padi, 203.
Palestine, 230. Subject to the first
five Ptolemies, 224.
Pallae, brother of Felix, 336.
Palm-Sunday, 279.
Parable, meaning of the word, 26*.
Parables, Christ's, 251, 261, 265. In.
terpretation of the, 258, 259.
Paraclete, the, 286.
Paran, Israelites in the wilderness oC
78.
Paschal Lamb, 65, 105.
" Passion Week," the, 278.
Passover, institution of Feast of the,
65. Meaning of the, 66. The, 105.
Kept by Josiah, 205.
, Christ attends the, 239. Again,
253. Second, of Christ's ministry,
264. The third, during our Lord's
ministry, 264.
(see bupper, Paschal).
Pastoral epistles, 350.
PalmOS, St. John banished to, 352.
Paul, St., review of his former life,
315, 316. His birthplace and parent-
age, 315. His Roman citizenship,
315. His trade of tent-making, 297.
His education in Greek learning at
Tarsus, 316, and in rabbinical lore
at Jerusalem, 316. His rigid Phar-
isaism and zeal for the law, 316.
His persecuting spirit, 317. His
part in the martyrdom of Stephen
and the ensuing persecutions, 317.
His conversion, 317, 319. Before
Agrippa, 318. His return to Damas-
cus, 319. The mission of Ananias
to him, 319. Restored to sight and
baptized, 319. His designation to
the apostleship, 319. His ministry
at Damascus, 319. His reception by
the apostles and the Church, 319.
His vision in the temple and full
commission to the Gentiles, 319.
His ministry in Syria and Cilicia,
321. With Barnabas at Antioch,
321. His mission to Jerusalem (his
second visit), 323. His separation
with Barnabas for the mission to
the Gentiles, 324. His first mission-
ary journey with Barnabas, 324.
Conversion of Sergins Paulus and
judgment on Elymas, 324. Passage
of the Taurus, 324. At Antioch, in
Pisidin, 325. Persecuted by the
Jews, 325. With Barnabas at Ico-
ninm, 325. Cnre of the cripple at
Lystra, 326. Stoned, 3-26. His re-
turn journey with Barnabas, 326.
He and Barnabas go to Jerusalem
to oppose the Judaizing spirit in the
Church, 326. His reproof of Peter,
326. His second missionary jour-
ney, 327. Accompanied by S;ltt,
INDEX.
371
B28. Their visit to Syria and Cili-
cia, 328. Is accompanied by Tim-
othy 011 his journey, 328, 329. In
Phrygia and Galatia, 329. Forbid-
den to preach the Gospel in Asia,
329. His call into Europe, 329. His
voyage to Macedonia, 330. At
Philippi, 330. Conversion of Lydia,
830. Scourged and imprisoned with
Silas, 331. Conversion of the jailer
after the earthquake, 331. Arrives
with Silas at Thessalonica, 331.
Preaches in the synagogue and
rouses the envy of the Jews, 331. At
Bercea,332. His discourse at Athens,
332. His revelation of the unknown
God, 332. His converts at Athens,
333. Lives at Corinth with Aquila
and Priscilla, working with his own
hands, 333. Rejectee! by the Jews,
he turns to the Gentiles, 334. God
visits him by a vision in the night,
335. Brought before Gallio, 335.
Tumult of the Jews against, 335.
His voyage to Ephesns and visit to
the synagogue, 335. Goes to Jeru-
salem, 336. His contest with Judaiz-
ing teachers, and relief of Jewish
Christians, 336. Returns to Antioch,
336. End of his second missionary
journey, 336. Third missionary
journey, 337. His dealing with the
twelve disciples who knew only the
baptism of John, 338. Preaches in
the synagague at Ephesus, 338.
Preaches in the school of Tyrannus,
838. His miracles. 338. Prepares to
leave Ephesus, 338. His first Epis-
tle to the Corinthians, 338. Sets
out for Macedonia, 339. Second
Epistle to the Corinthians, 339. His
journey through Macedonia and
voyage from Philippi after the
Passover, 340. His week at Troas
and farewell Sunday, 340. Hisvoy-
age to Miletus, 340. Another Sun-
day farewell, 340. Takes up his
abode at Caesarea with Philip the
deacon, 341. His journey to Jeru-
salem, 341. His reception by the
churches, 341. Joins fourNa/arites
in their vow, 342. Assaulted in the
temple and rescued by the tribune
Lysias, 342. His defenses to the
people and before the Sanhedrim,
342, 343. The plot asrainst his life,
343. His defense before Felix and
imprisonment at Cresarea, 343,344.
His hearing before Festus, 344. Ap-
peals to Ctesar, 344. His defense be-
fore Agrippa, H4B. The decision to
PETER.
send him to Rome, 346. His voyage
and shipwreck, minute truthfulness
of the narrative of, 34C, 347. Ship
caught in a typhoon, 346. The ship
drifts on the starboard tack, 347.
His stay at Malta, 347. Voyage to
Syracuse, Rhegium, and Puteoli,
347,348. Journey by land to Rome,
348. Met by Christians at Appii Fo-
rum and the Three Taverns, 348.
Delivered to Burrus, 345 His con-
dition as a prisoner in the Prsetori-
um, 348. His two conferences with
the Jews, 348. His two years' im-
prisonment at Rome, 349. His Epis-
tle to the Colossians, 350. His Epis-
tle to Philemon, 350. His Epistles,
350. His martyrdom, 350, 351. Be-
headed, 349. Chronology of the life
of, 314.
Paul's, St., Bay, 347.
Pekah, king of Israel, 196, 197. Reign
of, 198.
Pekahiah, king of Israel, 196.
Peleg, 30.
Pentecost, the Feast of, 106. The day
of, 308,
Peor, 84, 85.
Peter, final call of, 249. Attempts to
walk upon the water, 267. His full
confession of the Christ, 269. His
remonstrance when Christ reveals
the mystery of his death and resur-
rection, 269. Released by a miracle
from his difficulty about the tribute-
money, 271. Sent to prepare the
Last Supper, 285. His presence at
it, 286. Christ's prediction concern-
ing his denial of him, 286. Ill the
garden, 287. Remains when the
other disciples flee, 288. Hisdeninl
of Christ, 288. His visit to the sep-
ulchre, 301. Christ's appearance to
him, 302. His avowal of love to
Christ, 304. Christ's command to
him, and prediction of his martyr-
dom, 304. One of the " pillars " of
the Church, 305. His sermon on
the Day of Pentecost, 309. With
John before the Sanhedrim, 309.
Proclaims the deceit of Ananias
and .Sapphira, 310. His boldness nt
his second appennmce before the
Sanhedrim, 310. He and John con-
fer on the converted Samaritans the
gitt of the Holy Ghost, 320. His
mission to the Gentiles, 320. Haii-cH
Dorcas and makes converts at Jot>
pa, 320. Receives the first Qentil
converts into the Church, 320. Hin
deliverance from prison, 322. At
372
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
the conferences at Jerusalem about
the Judaizing spirit in the Church,
326. Speech' of, in the Church at
Jerusalem, 326. His subsequent re-
proof by St. Paul, 326. Associated
by tradition with St. Paul in martyr-
dom, 351. His first Epistle, written
from Babylon, 351. Death, 351.
Peter, First Epistle of, 35].
Pharaoh's command to destroy the
new-born sons of the Israelites, 58.
His contest with Moses, 62-65. Pur-
sues the Israelites, 68.
dreams, 49, 50.
Pharaoh-Hophra, king of Egypt, 208.
Nechoh, king of^Egypt, 205, 206.
Pharisees, rise or the, 229. At the
time of Herod, 232. Charge the
disciples with Sabbath - breaking,
254. Plot with the Herodians against
Christ, 255, 281. Christ's controversy
with, when they charge him with
casting out devils by the power of
Beelzebub, 260. Christ's encounter
with, who ask for a sign, 268. Leav-
en of the, 268, 269. Hold a council
concerning Jesus, 275.
Phasaol, son of Antipater, puts down
revolt of Jews at Jerusalem, 233.
Philemon, Epistle to, 350.
Philip, call of, 243.
, son of Herod and Cleopatra,
tetrarch of Ituraea, 240.
Philippi, battle of, 233. Paul at, 340.
Philippians, Epistle to the, 350.
Philistines, their settlement iu Beer-
sheba, 36. Their oppression of Is-
rael, 133, 138. Subdued by David,
160.
Phinehas, son of Eleazar, 85.
, son of Eli, 136, 1ST.
Phoenicia, 168.
Phurah, servant of Gideon, 129.
Phut, 40.
Pi-hahiroth, 68.
Pilate, Pontius, his tyranny, 245. Je-
sus brought before, 289. Sends
him to Herod Antipas, 290. Appeals
to the generosity of the people, 290.
Makes one more effort to save him,
291. Writes the title of Christ to
mortify the Jews, 294. His care to
ascertain the truth of Christ's death,
297. Allows Joseph to take Christ's
body, 298. Deposed, 313.
Plagues of Egypt, 62-65.
Pompey, enters Jerusalem, 231.
Potiphar, 49. His wife, 49.
Potipherah, father of Joseph's wife,
60.
Pnetorlnm, Jesus led to the, 289.
Priest, high, OS.
Priesthood, institution of the, 97, 98.
Priests, high, the, 98, 99.
Proverbs, Book of, 169.
Ptolemy 1., takes Jerusalem, 224.
II., Philadelphia, Septnagint as-
cribed partly to literary tastes of,
224.
IV., Philopater, his war witltj
Antiochus the Great, 224. His per|
secntion of the Jews, 224, 225.
V., Epiphanes, 225.
VI., Philometor, 225.
Publius, the primate ol'Helita, 347.
Pul, king of Assyria attacks Israel^
196.
Purim, the feast of, 108, 218.
Pnteoli, Paul's voyage to, 348. Chri^
tians at, 348.
Q-
Quadratus, Uminidius, prefect *ot
Syria, 344.
R.
Rab-saris, 203.
Rab-shakeh, 203.
Rachel, wife of Jacob, 44. Her death,
47.
Rahab, 113, 115.
Rarnoth-gilead, battle of, 181, 1ST.
Raphia, battle of, 224.
Rebekah, wife of Isaac, 38, 39. Her
deceit, 41, 42, 43.
Red Sea, passage of the, 68.
Rehoboam, son of Solomon, 175. Hia
character, 176. His reign, 175, 17C.
Rephaim, race of the, 147.
Rephidim, 70.
Resurrection of Christ, 300.
Reuben. 44. Saves Joseph's life, 48.
; tribe of, 86, 118.
Rezai, king of Damascus, attacks
Judah, 197.
Rezou found? the Syrian kingdom of
Damascus, 173.
Rizpah, concubine of Saul, 160.
Rod of Aaron, 62, SO.
Rod of Moses, 60.
Rome, Paul's arrival at, 348. His two
years' imprisonment at, 349.
Ruth, 125.
-, Book of, 124.
Sabbath, festivals connected with the,
102-104. Institution of the, 20. Re-
vival of the, 69, 216.
after the Crucifixion, 299. Christ
INDEX.
373
SABBATIC YEAR.
asserts his supremacy over the,
254.
Sabbatic year, 103.
Sabbatical month and the Feast of
Trumpets, 103.
Sabinus, procurator of Judaea, 240.
Sacred seasons, 102-108.
Sacrifice, Isaac's, 37.
, of living animals, 22.
Sacrifices and oblations, 92, 99, 100.
Saddnc (see Zadok).
Sadducees, rise of the, 229. Christ's
encounter with the, who ask for a
sign, 268. The leaveu of the, 263,
269. Attempt of the, to entrap
Christ, 281.
Salathiel, 212.
Salmon, marries Rahab, 115.
Samaria, 119. Capital of, built by
Omri, 179. Siege of, 189.
, Christ's journey through and re-
jection in, 272, Restoration of, by
Herod, '234.
Samaritans, rebellion of, 224. Con-
version of the, 313. Peter and John
preach to the, 352.
Sameas, 232.
Samson, the Fourteenth Judge, 133-
135
Samuel, the Fifteenth Judge, 135, 136.
His connection with Saul, 140-150.
His death, 152.
Sanballat the Horonite, 218, 220.
Sanhedrim, the, 239. Jesus arraigned
before the, 288. Paul before the,
343. Peter and John before the,
309. Stephen before the, 312. Apos-
tles before the, 310.
Sarah, wife of Abraham (fee Sarai).
Sarai, wife of Abraham, 31, 32. Her
name changed, 35. Gives birth to
Isaac, 36. Death of, 3-9.
Sargon, king of Assyria, 199, 202, 203.
Saul, 140, 141. Reign of, 142-154.
of Tarsus (nee Paul).
Scape-goat, 107, 108.
Scanrus, lieutenant of Pompey, 231.
Scriptures, the, 219.
Seir, Mount (see Edom).
Seleucidse, kingdom of the, reaches
climax of its power, 224.
Sennacherib, 203. Death of, 204.
Septuagint, the, 224.
Sepulchre of Christ, the, 298. The
watch and seal upon the, 298.
, holy, visit of the women to the,
300. Visit of Peter and John to
the, 301.
Sergius Paulnc, conversion of, 324.
.Sermon on the Mount, 265, 257, 258.
Serpent, the, 21, 22.
Seth, 24. His descendants, 24, 25.
Sethite race, 24, 25.
Shadrach, 207, 211,
Shallnm, son of Jabesh, usurps the
crown of Israel, 195.
Shalmaneser II., king of Assyria, 192.
IV., 199.
Shamgar, the Third Judge, 126.
Sheba, son of Bichri, rebellion of, 1G4,
165.
, the queen of, 172.
Shechem, city of, 32, 46. Destroyed by
Abimelech, 131.
, valley of, 87.
Shekinah, the, 92, 171.
Shem, 26, 27, 28.
, race of, 29, 30, 40.
Shemaiah, the prophet, 176.
Sheshbazzar (see Zerubbabel).
Sbew-bread, 100.
, Table of, 95.
Shimei, the son of Gera, 163, 164. Hia
death, 168.
Shinar, plain of, 30.
Shishak, king of Egypt, 173. Makes
an expedition against Jerusalem,
176.
Sichem (see Shechem).
Sihon, 81, 82. Kingdom of, 81.
Silas, sent to Antioch, 326. Accom-
panies St. Paul on his second mis-
sionary journey, 328. Left at Beroea,
332. Rejoins Paul at Corinth, 333.
His arrival gives a new impulse to
St. Paul, 334. With Paul at Philip-
pi (see Paul).
Silo, general, 233.
Siloam, well of, 273.
Silvanus, with Peter at Babylon, 351.
Simeon, proclaims Jesus as the Christ
of God, 239.
,44. His imprisonment, 51.
.tribe of, 119.
Simon, a Cyrenian, said to have been
the bearer of the cross of Christ,
293.
1., 224.
, son of Mattathias, 227. Aids his
brother Jonathan, 228. Memorial
of his services, 229.
Simon, surnamcd Peter, 249.
the Pharisee, Christ in the honso
of, 259, 2CO.
Sinai, Mount, 67, 71. Wilderness of,
71.
Sisera, 126, 127.
Slaves, 110.
, Hebrew, 103, 110.
So, king of Egypt, 1'.I9.
Sodom, wickedness of, 33, 35. D
struction of, i!6.
374
SCRIPTURE HISTORY.
Solomon, birth of, 1C2. Receives his
father's charge to build a house for
Jehovah, 166. Proclaimed king,
160. His reign, 167-173. Marries
Pharaoh's daughter, 168. God's ap-
pearance to him in a dream, 168.
Receives the gift of wisdom, 168, 169.
His decision in the case of the two
women, 169. His magnificence, 169.
Personal qualities, 169. Builds the
temple, 169-171. His palace, 171.
His other buildings, 171, 172. His
faults, 172. His death, 173.
, Book of the Acts of, 173.
, Song of, 169.
Sosthenes, ruler of the synagogue at
Corinth, 335.
Stephanas, baptism of, 334.
Stephen, the martyr, made a deacon,
311. His faith and miracles, 311.
His success in the controversy with
the Hellenistic Jews, 312. His de-
fense before the Sanhedrim, 312.
His martyrdom, 312. Its effect on
St. Paul, 312, 313. Date of, 313.
Straight, the street called, 319.
Succoth, 67.
Sapper, the Lord's, Christ's institu-
tion of, 286.
, the Paschal, account of, 285.
Its connection with the last Supper
of our Lord, 286.
Susanna, 260.
Sychar, Christ's disciples at, 246.
Synagogue, the Great, 223.
Synagogues, 216.
Syria, revolt of, 233.
Syrians, David's defeat of the, ICO.
Syro - Phoenician woman, prayer of
the, 268.
T.
Tabernacle, covered with the cloud,
74. Cloud lifted from it, 76, 77.
, history of the, 97.
, made after the pattern shown to
Moses, 75, 92-97.
- of the congregation, 74.
, the, set up at Shiloh, 119.
Tabernacles, Feast of, 106.
Tables of stone, 72.
Tadmor, built by Solomon, 172.
Tamar, daughter of David, 162.
Tarshish, 40, 172.
Tarsus, birth-place of St. Paul, 315.
Tartan, 203.
Taurus, St. Paul's passage of the,
324.
Temple, building of the, 1G9-171. De-
scription of the, 170, 171. Dedica-
tion of the, 171. Rebuilding of thc>,
under Cyrus, 215, 216.
Temple at Jerusalem, Christ's fli-.^t
cleansing of the, 245. Second
cleansing, 280.
of Herod, 234.
Terah, 30. His genealogy, 31.
Tertullus, comes to Caesarea to accnsi:
Paul before Felix, 343.
Testament, Old, the, 219.
, Canon of the Old, 220.
Theocracy of the Jews, 91.
Thessalonians, First Epistle to the,
written at Corinth, 335.
, Second Epistle to the, written at
Corinth, 335.
Thessalonica, Roman capital of Mace-
donia, Paul at, 331. Synagogue of
the Jews at, 331.
Thomas, with the assembled apostles
at the second appearance of Jesus
to them, 303.
Three Taverns, the, Christians meet
Paul at, 348.
Tiberius, 313.
Tibni, a competitor for the crown of
Israel, 179.
Tiglath-pileeer, king of Assyria, 196,
197, 198.
Timnath-Serah, Joshua's inheritance,
120.
Timothy, companion of St. Paul on
his second missionary journey, 328.
His parentage, 329. Left at Beroea,
332. Rejoins Paul at Corinth, 333.
His arrival gives a new impulse to
St. Paul, 334. With Paul on his
third missionary journey, 338. His
mission to Macedonia and Achaia,
338.
, First Epistle to, 350.
, Second Epistle to, 350.
Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, 204.
Tirzah, becomes the residence of king
Jeroboam, 177.
Tisri, month of, 103.
Tithes, 101, 110.
Titus, accompanies Paul and Barna-
bas to Jerusalem, 326.
, Epistle to, 35C.
Tobiah the Ammonite, IIS, 220.
Toi, king of Hamath, 160.
Tola, the Seventh Judge, 131.
Transfiguration, the, 270.
Tree of the knowledge of Good and
Evil, 20.
Tribes, the Twelve, territories of, 1 18-
120.
Troas, Alexandria, St. Pant sees at,
the vision which calls him to En
rope, 329.
INDEX.
375
Troas, Paul spends a week at, 340.
Trumpets, Feast of (see Sabbatical
Mouth).
Trypho&, kills Jonathan, 228. Usur-
pation of, 228.
Tnbal-Cain, 23.
Tyrannus, the school of, Paul preach-
es in the, 338.
'yre, Paul at, 341.
U.
UroftheChaldees,31.
Uriah the Hittite, 161.
Urim and Thummim, 98.
Uzzah, eon of Abinadab, 158.
Uzziah, king of Judah, 196, 197.
V.
Vail, the, 94.
Vail of the temple, rending of the,
296.
W.
Weights and Measures, Tables of,
Well, Jacob's, 46. Christ at, 246.
Whitsunday (see Pentecost, Day of).
Whitsuntide, 106.
Wilderness of Sin, 69.
Woman, creation of, 21.
X.
Semes, king of Persin, 217.
z.
Zacchseus, conversion of, 277.
Zachariah, king of Israel, his reign,
195.
Zacharias, priest in the temple, 237.
Gabriel appears to him, 237. 'Re-
covers his speech, 238.
Zadok, 159, 166, 168.
Zaphnath - Paaneah, name given to
Joseph, 50.
Zared, valley and brook of, 81.
Zebadiah, 181.
Zebedee, his sons, 272, 277.
Zeboim, 33. Destruction of, 33.
Zebudah, mother of Jehoiakim, 206.
Zebul, governor of Shechem, 131.
Zebuluii, 44. Tribe of, 119.
Zechariah, a prophet at the time of
Uzziah, 196.
, son of Jehoiadn, 193.
, the prophet, son of Idrlo, 217.
Zedekiah, king of Judnh, 208.
Zephaniah, the prophet, 205.
"Zerah, the Cnshite," ISO.
Zered (see Zared).
Zerubbabel, prince of Judah, 215
Zeruiah, David's sister, 157.
Zibiah, mother of Joash, 191.
Zilpah, 44. Children of, 44.
Zimri, kills Elah and succeeds hiir.
179.
Zin, wilderness of, 79.
Zlon, 158, 171.
Zipporah, wife of Moses, 59, 71,
Zobab, kingdom of, 160.
THK END.
<) i f.
**