Outline Studies in the Old Testament for Bible Teachers

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Outline Studies in the Old Testament for Bible Teachers, by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Outline Studies in the Old Testament for Bible Teachers Author: Jesse Lyman Hurlbut Release Date: February 29, 2012 [EBook #39014] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUTLINE STUDIES IN OLD TESTAMENT *** Produced by Emmy, Mark C. Orton and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) Transcriber's Notes: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic text is surrounded by _underscores_. OUTLINE STUDIES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT FOR BIBLE TEACHERS By JESSE L. HURLBUT, D.D. [Illustration] NEW YORK: EATON & MAINS CINCINNATI: JENNINGS & GRAHAM Copyright, 1905, by EATON & MAINS PREFATORY THIS book has been prepared at the request of the New York State Sunday School Association, through its Normal Committee. The desire was expressed for a teacher-training course to include two years in the Bible: one year upon subjects contained in the Old Testament, taking the historical point of view, and presenting with the history the lands and the Israelite people, their institutions of worship; and a second year upon the New Testament, following the same plan. Those who have studied "Revised Normal Lessons" and "Studies in Old Testament History" will find most of these "Outline Studies" familiar; for it has not been my purpose, as it was not the desire of the committee, to furnish a series of new lessons, but to have the subjects of Old Testament study brought together in one volume. Each subject, however, has been studied anew, and the results of recent knowledge, especially in the chronology, have been incorporated in this revision. At the request of the committee new lessons on "The Old Testament as Literature" and "How We Got Our Bible" have been added. It is my earnest desire that through these studies the Bible may be better understood and more thoroughly taught by the Sunday school teachers of our land. JESSE L. HURLBUT. South Orange, New Jersey, September, 1905. CONTENTS PAGE PREFATORY 3 I. THE OLD TESTAMENT WORLD 7 II. OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY 12 III. THE BEGINNINGS OF BIBLE HISTORY 21 IV. THE WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS 26 V. INSTITUTIONS OF ISRAELITE WORSHIP 33 VI. THE LAND OF PALESTINE 41 VII. THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN 46 VIII. THE AGE OF THE HEROES 51 IX. THE RISE OF THE ISRAELITE EMPIRE 57 X. THE REIGN OF SOLOMON 63 XI. THE TEMPLE ON MOUNT MORIAH 69 XII. THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL 75 XIII. THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH 81 XIV. THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH 84 XV. THE JEWISH PROVINCE 92 XVI. THE OLD TESTAMENT AS LITERATURE 99 XVII. HOW WE GOT OUR BIBLE 104 Outline Studies in the Old Testament FIRST STUDY The Old Testament World The Bible is primarily a book of history, and without some knowledge of its historical contents no one can rightly understand its revelation of divine truth. But in order to know the history contained in the Old Testament we must obtain a view of the lands in which that history was wrought. We therefore study first of all the =Old Testament World=. I. =Location and Extent.= The history of the Old Testament was enacted upon a field less than half the area of the United States. It extended from the river Nile to the lands east of the Perīsian Gulf and from the northern part of the Red Sea to the southern part of the Casīpi-an. The world of Old Testament history was thus 1,400 miles long from east to west and 900 miles wide from north to south, and it aggregated 1,110,000 square miles, exclusive of large bodies of water. II. Let us begin the construction of the map by drawing upon its borders =Six Seas=, four of which are named in the Old Testament. 1. The =Casīpi-an Sea=, of which only the southern portion appears in the northeastern corner of our map. 2. The =Perīsian Gulf=, south of the Casīpi-an, on the southeast. 3. The =Red Sea=, on the southwest (Exod. 15. 4; Num. 33. 10; 1 Kings 9. 26). 4. The =Med-i-ter-raīne-an Sea=, on the central west. Note its names in Josh. 1. 4 and Deut. 34. 2. 5. The =Dead Sea=, north of the eastern arm of the Red Sea (Gen. 14. 3; Deut. 4. 49; Joel 2. 20; Ezek. 47. 18). 6. =Lake Chinīne-reth= (ch pronounced as k), the name in the Old Testament for the Sea of Galīi-lee (Num. 34. 11; Josh. 13. 27). III. Next we indicate the =Mountain Ranges=, most of which, though important as boundaries, are not named in the Bible. 1. We find the nucleus of the mountain system in =Mount Arīa-rat=, a range in the central north (Gen. 8. 4). From this great range three great rivers rise and four mountain chains branch forth. 2. The =Casīpi-an Range= extends from Arīa-rat eastward around the southern shore of the Casīpi-an Sea. [Illustration: MAP OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WORLD.] 3. The =Zaīgros Range= extends from Arīa-rat southeasterly to the Perīsian Gulf, which it follows on the eastern border. 4. The =Lebīa-non Range= extends from Arīa-rat in a southwesterly direction toward the Red Sea. Mount Herīmon, the mountain region of Palīes-tine, Mount Seīir, on the south of the Dead Sea, and even Mount Siīnai, all belong to this chain (Deut. 3. 25; Josh. 13. 5; 1 Kings 5. 6). 5. The =Tauīrus Range=, from Arīa-rat westward, following the northern shore of the Med-i-ter-raīne-an. IV. The =Rivers=, for the most part, follow the lines of the mountain ranges. 1. The =A-raxīes=, from Arīa-rat eastward into the Casīpi-an Sea, may be taken as the northern boundary of the Old Testament world. 2. The =Tiīgris=, called in the Bible _Hidīde-kel_, flows from Arīa-rat, on the southwestern slope of the Zaīgros mountains, in a southeasterly direction into the Perīsian Gulf (Gen. 2. 14; Dan. 10. 4). 3. The =Eu-phraītes=, the great river of the Bible world, rises on the northern slope of Arīa-rat, flows westward to the Tauīrus, then southward, following Lebīa-non, then southeasterly through the great plain, and finally unites with the Tiīgris (Gen. 2. 14; 15. 18; Josh. 1. 4; 24. 2). 4. The =Jorīdan= flows between two parallel chains of the Lebīa-non range southward into the Dead Sea (Gen. 13. 10; Num. 22. 1; Judg. 8. 4). 5. The =Nile=, in Afīri-ca, flows northward into the Med-i-ter-raīne-an Sea (Gen. 41. 1; Exod. 2. 2). V. The Old Testament world has three =Natural Divisions=, somewhat analogous to those of the United States. 1. The =Eastern Slope=, from the Zaīgros mountains eastward to the great desert. 2. The =Central Plain=, between the Zaīgros and Lebīa-non mountains, the larger portion a desert. 3. The =Western Slope=, between Lebīa-non and the Med-i-ter-raīne-an Sea. VI. We arrange the =Lands= according to the natural divisions, giving locations, and not boundaries, as these changed in every age. 1. On the eastern slope lie: 1.) =Ar-meīni-a= (Rev. Ver., "Arīa-rat"), between Mount Arīa-rat and the Casīpi-an Sea (2 Kings 19. 37). 2.) =Meīdi-a=, south of the Casīpi-an Sea (2 Kings 17. 6; Isa. 21. 2). 3.) =Perīsia=, south of Meīdi-a and north of the Perīsian Gulf (Ezra 1. 1; Dan. 5. 28). 2. In the central plain we find: (_a_) Between Mount Zaīgros and the river Tiīgris: 4.) =As-syrīi-a=, on the north (2 Kings 15. 19; 17. 3). 5.) =Eīlam=, on the south (Gen. 10. 22; 14. 1). (_b_) Between the rivers Tiīgris and Eu-phraītes: 6.) =Mes-o-po-taīmi-a=, on the north (Gen. 24. 10; Deut. 23. 4). 7.) =Chal-deīa=, on the south (Jer. 51. 24; Ezra 5. 12). (_c_) Between the river Eu-phraītes and the Lebīa-non range: 8.) The great desert of =A-raībi-a= (2 Chron. 17. 11; 26. 7). 3. On the western slope we find: 9.) =Syrīi-a=, extending from the Eu-phraītes to Palīes-tine (2 Sam. 8. 6; 1 Kings 22. 1). 10.) =Phoe-niīcia=, a narrow strip between Mount Lebīa-non and the sea, north of Palīes-tine. 11.) =Palīes-tine=, "the Holy Land," south of Syrīi-a and north of the Si-na-itīic wilderness. Note its ancient name in Gen. 12. 5. 12.) The =Wilderness=, a desert south of Palīes-tine, between the two arms of the Red Sea (Exod. 13. 18; Deut. 1. 19). 13.) =Eīgypt=, on the northeast corner of Afīri-ca (Gen. 12. 10; 37. 28). VII. In these lands out of many =Places= we name and locate only the most important. 1. =Eīden=, the original home of the human race, probably at the junction of the Tiīgris and Eu-phraītes (Gen. 2. 8). 2. =Shuīshan=, or Suīsa, the capital of the Perīsian empire, in the province of Eīlam (Esth. 1. 2). 3. =Babīy-lon=, the capital of Chal-deīa, on the Eu-phraītes (Gen. 10. 10; 2 Kings 25. 1). 4. =Ninīe-veh=, the capital of As-syrīi-a, on the Tiīgris (Gen. 10. 11; Jonah 3. 3). 5. =Haīran=, a home of Aībra-ham, in Mes-o-po-taīmi-a (Gen. 11. 31). 6. =Da-masīcus=, the capital of Syrīi-a, in the southern part of that province (Gen. 15. 2). 7. =Tyre=, the commercial metropolis of Phoe-niīcia (Ezek. 27. 3). 8. =Je-ruīsa-lem=, the capital of Palīes-tine (Judg. 1. 8). 9. =Memīphis=, the early capital of Eīgypt, on the Nile (Hos. 9. 6). Other names of places might be given indefinitely, but it is desirable not to require the student to burden his memory with lists of names, and therefore the most important only are given. Hints to the Teacher Have a good blackboard for the map drawing, and see that each scholar is supplied with a tablet or pad of paper. 1. Let the teacher first draw on the board in presence of the class the boundaries of the _Seas_, and require the class to draw them also on tablet or pad, holding the pad so that its longest side will be from right to left. Inspect each pupil's design, and see that it is fairly correct, but do not seek for finished drawing. A rough sketch is all that should be desired. 2. Next draw the lines representing _Mountain Ranges_, and require the class to do the same. Review the names of the Seas, and also of the Mountain Ranges. 3. Place on the board the lines representing the _Rivers_, and let the pupils do the same, and review Seas, Mountains, and Rivers. 4. Show the three Natural Divisions; indicate on the map the _Lands_ in the order given, and let the pupils do the same. See that the pupils know the name and location of each Land, and review Seas, Mountains, Rivers, and Lands. 5. Indicate on the blackboard the _Places_ named in the lesson, and have the pupils also locate and name them. Review Seas, Mountains, Rivers, Lands, and Places. 6. Let the pupils redraw the map at home from copy, and at the next session of the class call upon five pupils to go in turn to the board--the first to draw the Seas, and then receive criticism from the class, the second the Mountains, the third the Rivers, the fourth the Lands, and the fifth the Places. 7. If another review could be given it would be an excellent plan to call for the reading of the Bible references in the lesson, and require a student to name and locate on the blackboard the Sea or Mountain or River or Land or Place named in the reference. It will abundantly reward the teacher to occupy three or four sessions of the class on this map and its reviews. 8. Let the pupils read all the facts of the lesson from the hints given in the following Blackboard Outline and answer all the Review Questions. Blackboard Outline I. =Loc. Ex.= N.--P. G. R. S.--Cas. 1,400. 900. 1,110,000. II. =Se.= Cas. Per. G. R. S. Med. S. D. S. L. Ch. III. =Mtn. Ran.= Ar. Cas. Zag. Leb. Tau. IV. =Riv.= Ar. Tig. Eup. Jor. Ni. V. =Nat. Div.= Ea. Sl. Cen. Pl. Wes. Sl. VI. =La.= 1. Ar. Me. Per. 2. Ass. El. Mes. Chal. Ar. 3. Syr. Phoe. Pal. Wil. Eg. VII. =Pla.= Ed. Sh. Bab. Nin. Har. Dam. Ty. Jer. Mem. Review Questions How large was the Old Testament world? Between what bodies of water was it located? What were its dimensions? Name its six important bodies of water. Locate each of these bodies of water. Name and describe its mountain ranges. Name and locate its five important rivers. State and describe its three natural divisions. Name and locate the lands of the eastern slope. Name and locate the lands of the central plain. Name and locate the lands of the western slope. Name its nine important places. Locate each of the nine places. SECOND STUDY Old Testament History The divine revelation which the Bible contains is given in the form of a history. God revealed his plan of saving men not in a system of doctrine, but in the record of his dealings with the world at large, and especially with one people. To understand this revelation it is necessary for us to view the great stream of history contained in the Bible. Our study on this subject will include the principal events from the creation of man, at a date unknown, to the birth of Christ.[1] PART ONE We begin by dividing the entire field of time to the opening of the New Testament into five periods. Each of these we write at the head of a column. (See the Blackboard Outline.) I. The Period of the Human Race. II. The Period of the Chosen Family. III. The Period of the Isīra-el-ite People. IV. The Period of the Isīra-el-ite Kingdom. V. The Period of the Jewīish Province. I. We find in the opening of the Bible that the =Human Race= is the subject of the history. This theme extends through the first eleven chapters of Genesis, which narrate the history of much more than half of the time included in the Bible. During this long period no one tribe or nation or family is selected; but the story of all mankind is related by the historian. 1. This period begins with the =Creation of Man= (not the creation of the _world_), at some unknown time which scholars have not been able to fix; and it ends with the =Call of Aībra-ham=, also at a date uncertain, though given with some doubt at about B. C. 2280. With this event Bible history properly begins. 2. Through this period it would appear that God dealt with each person _directly_, without mediation or organized institutions. We read of neither priest nor ruler, but we find God speaking individually with men. (See Gen. 3. 9; 4. 6; 5. 22; 6. 13; and let the class find other instances.) We call this, therefore, the period of =Direct Administration=. 3. All the events of this period may be connected with three epochs: 1.) =The Fall= (Gen. 3. 6), which brought sin into the world (Rom. 5. 12), and resulted in universal wickedness (Gen. 6. 5). 2.) =The Deluge= (Gen. 7. 11, 12). By this destruction the entire population of the world, probably confined to the Eu-phraītes valley, was swept away (Gen. 7. 23), and opportunity was given for a new race under better conditions (Gen. 9. 18, 19). 3.) =The Dispersion= (Gen. 10. 25). Hitherto the race had massed itself in one region, and hence the righteous families were overwhelmed by their evil surroundings. But after the deluge an instinct of migration took possession of families, and soon the whole earth was overspread. 4. In this period we call attention to three of its most important =Persons=: 1.) =Adīam=, the first man (Gen. 5. 1, 2). His creation, fall, and history are briefly narrated. 2.) =Eīnoch=, who walked with God (Gen. 5. 24), and was translated without dying. 3.) =Noīah=, the builder of the ark (Gen. 6. 9), and the father of a new race. Hints to the Teacher Let the teacher place the outline of the period on the blackboard, point by point, as the lesson proceeds, and let the class do the same on paper or in notebooks. Let every Scripture text be read in the class by a student, and let its bearing be shown. Call upon members of the class to give more complete account of the events and the persons named, and for this purpose let the first eleven chapters of Genesis be assigned in advance as a reading lesson. Blackboard Outline +---------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+ |I. Per. Hu. Ra.|II. Per. |III. Per. |IV. Per. |V. Per. | | | Ch. Fam.| Is. Peo.| Is. Kin.| Je. Prov.| +---------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+ | C. M. | | | | | | C. A. | | | | | +---------------+ | | | | | Dir. Adm. | | | | | +---------------+ | | | | | Fa. | | | | | | Del. | | | | | | Dis. | | | | | +---------------+ | | | | | A. E. N. | | | | | +---------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+ Review Questions What is the central theme of the Bible? How is this theme presented in the Bible? Why should we study the history in the Bible? What are the five periods of Old Testament history? What is the subject of the history during the first period? With what events does the first period begin and end? What is said concerning the dates of early events? What kind of divine government in relation to men is shown in the first period? Into what epochs is the first period subdivided? What results followed the first man's falling into sin? Where was the population of the world confined up to the time of the flood? How did the flood become a benefit to the world? What new instinct came to the human family after the flood? Name three important persons in the first period? State a fact for which each of these three men is celebrated. PART TWO II. A new chapter in Bible history opens at Gen. 12. 1. Here we find one family of the race is selected and made the subject of the divine revelation. This was not because God loved one family more than others, but because the world's salvation was to be wrought through that family (Gen. 12. 2, 3). Hence we call this the =Period of the Chosen Family=. 1. This period extends from the =Call of Aībra-ham= (Gen. 12. 1), B. C. 2280?, to the =Exodus from Eīgypt=, B. C. 1270?. 2. In this period we notice the recognition of _the family_. God deals with each family or clan through its head, who is at once the priest and the ruler (Gen. 17. 7; 18. 19; 35. 2). We call this period, therefore, that of the =Patriarchal Administration=. 3. We subdivide this period into three epochs: 1.) =The Journeyings of the Patriarchs= (Gen. 12. 5; 13. 17, 18; 20. 1, etc.). As yet the chosen family had no dwelling place, but lived in tents, moving throughout the land of promise. 2.) =The Sojourn in Eīgypt.= In the lifetime of the patriarch Jaīcob, but at a date unknown, the Isīra-el-ite family went down to Eīgypt, not for a permanent home, but a "sojourn," which lasted, however, many centuries (Gen. 46. 5-7; 50. 24). 3.) =The Oppression of the Isīra-el-ites.= Toward the close of the sojourn the Isīra-el-ite family, now grown into a multitude (Exod. 1. 7), endured cruel bondage from the E-gypītians (Exod. 1.13, 14). This was overruled to promote God's design, and led to their departure from Eīgypt, which is known as "the exodus," or going out. 4. From the names of men in this period we select the following: 1.) =Aībra-ham=, the friend of God (James 2. 23). 2.) =Jaīcob=, the prince of God (Gen. 32. 28). 3.) =Joīseph=, the preserver of his people (Gen. 45. 5). Blackboard Outline +------------+------------+-------------+------------+-------------+ |I. Per. Hu. |II. Per. |III. Per. |IV. Per. |V. Per. | | Ra. | Ch. Fam.| Is. Peo. | Is. Kin.| Je. Prov.| +------------+------------+-------------+------------+-------------+ | C. M. | C. A. | | | | | C. A. | E. E. | | | | +------------+------------+ | | | | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | | | | +------------+------------+ | | | | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | | | | | Del. | Soj. Eg. | | | | | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | | | | +------------+------------+ | | | | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | | | | +------------+------------+-------------+------------+-------------+ Review Questions What is the name of the second period? Why is it so named? With what events does the second period begin and end? What kind of divine administration do we notice in the second period? Into what three epochs is the second period divided? What were the beneficial results of the bondage in Eīgypt upon the Isīra-el-ites? Name three persons of the second period? For what fact or trait is each of these three persons distinguished? PART THREE III. When the Isīra-el-ites went out of Eīgypt a nation was born, and the family became a state, with all the institutions of government. Therefore we call this the =Period of the Isīra-el-ite People=. 1. It opens with the =Exodus from Eīgypt=, B. C. 1270? (Exod. 12. 40-42), and closes with the =Coronation of Saul=, B. C. 1050?. 2. During this period the government of the Isīra-el-ites was peculiar. The Lord was their only King (Judg. 8. 23), but there was a priestly order for religious service (Exod. 28. 1), and from time to time men were raised up by a divine appointment to rule, who were called judges (Judg. 2. 16). This constituted the =Theocratic Administration=, or a government by God. 3. We subdivide this period as follows: 1.) =The Wandering in the Wilderness.= This was a part of God's plan, and trained the Isīra-el-ites for the conquest of their land (Exod. 13. 17, 18). It lasted for forty years (Deut. 8. 2). 2.) =The Conquest of Caīnaan=, which immediately followed the crossing of the Jordan (Josh. 3. 14-17). The war was vigorously carried on for a few years, but the land was only seemingly conquered, for the native races remained upon the soil, and in some places were dominant until the time of Daīvid. 3.) =The Rule of the Judges.= From the death of Joshīu-a, B. C. 1200?, the people were directed by fifteen judges, not always in direct succession. 4. This period has been justly called "the Age of the Heroes"; and from many great men we choose the following: 1.) =Moīses=, the founder of the nation (Deut. 34. 10-12). 2.) =Joshīu-a=, the conqueror of Caīnaan (Josh. 11. 23). 3.) =Gidīe-on=, the greatest of the judges (Judg. 8. 28). 4.) =Samīu-el=, the last of the judges (1 Sam. 12. 1, 2). Blackboard Outline +---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ |I. Per. Hu. Ra.|II. Per. |III. Per. |IV. Per. |V. Per. | | | Ch. Fam.| Is. Peo.| Is. Kin.| Je. Prov.| +---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ | C. M. | C. A. | E. E. | | | | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | | | +---------------+------------+------------+ | | | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | The. Adm. | | | +---------------+------------+------------+ | | | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | Wan. Wil. | | | | Del. | Soj. Eg. | Con. Can. | | | | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | Ru. Jud. | | | +---------------+------------+------------+ | | | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | M. J. G. S.| | | +---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ Review Questions What is the third period of Bible history called? With what events did it begin and end? How was Isīra-el governed during this period? What are its subdivisions? How many judges governed the Isīra-el-ites after Joshīu-a? Name four important persons of the third period. State for what each of these persons was distinguished. PART FOUR IV. With the reign of the first king a new period opens. We now study the history of the =Isīra-el-ite Kingdom=. The kingdom was divided after the reign of three kings, but even after the division it was regarded as one kingdom, though in two parts. 1. This period extends from the =Coronation of Saul=, B. C. 1050? (1 Sam. 11. 15), to the =Captivity of Babīy-lon=, B. C. 587. 2. During this period the chosen people were ruled by kings; hence this is named the =Regal Administration=. The king of Isīra-el was not a despot, however, for his power was limited, and he was regarded as the executive of a theocratic government (1 Sam. 10. 25). 3. This period is divided into three epochs, as follows: 1.) =The Age of Unity=, under three kings, Saul, Daīvid, and Solīo-mon, each reigning about forty years. In Daīvid's reign, about B. C. 1,000, the kingdom became an empire, ruling all the lands from Eīgypt to the Eu-phraītes. 2.) =The Age of Division.= The division of the kingdom took place B. C. 934, when two rival principalities, Isīra-el and Juīdah, succeeded the united empire, and all the conquests of Daīvid were lost (1 Kings 12. 16, 17). The kingdom of Isīra-el was governed by nineteen kings, and ended with the fall of Sa-maīria, B. C. 721, when the Ten Tribes were carried into captivity in As-syrīi-a (2 Kings 17. 6) and became extinct. 3.) =The Age of Decay.= After the fall of Isīra-el, Juīdah remained as a kingdom for one hundred and thirty-four years, though in a declining condition. It was ruled by twenty kings, and was finally conquered by the Chal-deīans. The Jews were carried captive to Babīy-lon in B. C. 587 (2 Chron. 36. 16-20). 4. The following may be regarded as the representative =Persons= of his period, one from each epoch: 1.) =Daīvid=, the great king (2 Sam. 23. 1), and the true founder of the kingdom. 2.) =E-liījah=, the great prophet (1 Kings 18. 36). 3.) =Hez-e-kiīah=, the good king (2 Kings 18. 1-6). Blackboard Outline +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+------------+ |I. Per. Hu. |II. Per. Ch. |III. Per. Is. |IV. Per. Is. |V. Per. Je. | | Ra. | Fam. | Peo. | Kin. | Prov. | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+------------+ | C. M. | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | | | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | C. B. | | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+ | | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | The. Adm. | Reg. Adm. | | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+ | | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | Wan. Wil. | Ag. Un. | | | Del. | Soj. Eg. | Con. Can. | Ag. Div. | | | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | Ru. Jud. | Ag. Dec. | | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+ | | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | M. J. G. S. | D. E. H. | | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+------------+ Review Questions What is the fourth period called? With what events did it begin and end? What were the dates of these two events? How were the people governed during this period? What were the three subdivisions of this period? Under whom did the kingdom become an empire? What was the extent of its empire? When did the division of the kingdom take place? What was the result of the division? How many were the kings of the Ten Tribes? With what event, and at what date, did the kingdom of Isīra-el end? How long did Juīdah last after the fall of Isīra-el? How many kings reigned in Juīdah? By what people was Juīdah conquered? To what city were the Jews carried captive? Name three representative persons of the period of the kingdom. PART FIVE V. In the closing period of Old Testament history we find the tribe of Juīdah alone remaining, and during most of the time under foreign rule; so we name this the =Period of the Jewīish Province=. 1. It extends from the beginning of the =Captivity at Babīy-lon=, B. C. 587, to the =Birth of Christ=, B. C. 4.[2] 2. During this period Ju-deīa was a subject land, except for a brief epoch. This may be called, therefore, the =Foreign Administration=, as the rule was through the great empires in succession. 3. This period may be subdivided into five epochs. For the first and a part of the second we have the Old Testament as our source of history; all the rest fall in the four centuries of silence between the Old and the New Testament. 1.) =The Chal-deīan Supremacy.= Fifty years from the captivity, B. C. 587, to the conquest of Babīy-lon by Cyīrus, B. C. 536, by which the Chal-deīan empire was ended, and the Jews were permitted to return to their land (Ezra 1. 1-3). 2.) =The Perīsian Supremacy.= About two hundred years from the fall of Babīy-lon, B. C. 536, to the battle of Ar-beīla, B. C. 330, by which Al-ex-anīder the Great won the Perīsian empire. During this epoch the Jews were permitted to govern themselves under the general control of the Perīsian kings. 3.) =The Greek Supremacy.= Al-ex-anīder's empire lasted only ten years, but was succeeded by Greek kingdoms, under whose rule the Jews lived in Palīes-tine for about one hundred and sixty years. 4.) =The Mac-ca-beīan Independence.= About B. C. 168 the tyranny of the Greek king of Syrīi-a drove the Jews to revolt. Two years later they won their liberty under Juīdas Mac-ca-beīus, and were ruled by a line of princes called As-mo-neīans, or Mac-ca-beīans, for one hundred and twenty-six years. 5.) =The Roīman Supremacy.= This came gradually, but began officially in the year B. C. 40, when Herīod the Great received the title of king from the Roīman senate. Thenceforth the Jewīish province was reckoned a part of the Roīman empire. 4. In each epoch of this period we select one important =Person=. 1.) In the Chal-deīan supremacy, =Danīiel=, the prophet and prince (Dan. 2. 48; 5. 12). 2.) In the Perīsian supremacy, =Ezīra= the scribe, the framer of the Scripture canon and the reformer of the Jews (Ezra 7. 6, 10). 3.) In the Greek supremacy, =Siīmon the Just=, a distinguished high priest and ruler. 4.) In the Mac-ca-beīan independence, =Juīdas Mac-ca-beīus=, the liberator of his people. 5.) In the Roīman supremacy, =Herīod the Great=, the ablest but most unscrupulous statesman of his age. This Roīman supremacy lasted until A. D. 70, when Je-ruīsa-lem was destroyed by Tiītus, and the Jewīish state was extinguished by the emperor of Rome. Blackboard Outline +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ |I. Per. Hu. |II. Per. Ch. |III. Per. Is. |IV. Per. Is. |V. Per. Je. | | Ra. | Fam. | Peo. | Kin. | Prov. | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ | C. M. | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | C. B. | | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | C. B. | Bi. Ch. | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | The. Adm. | Reg. Adm. | For. Adm. | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | Wan. Wil. | Ag. Un. | Ch. Sup. | | Del. | Soj. Eg. | Con. Can. | Ag. Div. | Per. Sup. | | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | Ru. Jud. | Ag. Dec. | Gk. Sup. | | | | | | Mac. Ind. | | | | | | Rom. Sup. | +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | M. J. G. S. | D. E. H. |D. E. S. J. H.| +------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+ Review Questions What is the closing period of Old Testament history called? With what events and dates did it begin and end? How were the Jews governed during most of this time? Name its five epochs. Under whom did the Jews obtain independence? Name one person in each epoch of the fifth period, and for what he is distinguished. THIRD STUDY The Beginnings of Bible History Having taken a general view of Bible history from the creation to the coming of Christ, we now turn again to the record for a more careful study of each epoch. The aim will be not to give a mere catalogue of facts, but as far as possible to show the relation of cause and effect, and to unfold the development of the divine purpose which is manifested through all the history in the Bible. I. We begin with the =Deluge= as the starting point of history. Back of that event there may be studied biography, but not history; for history deals less with individuals than with nations, and we know of no nations before the flood. With regard to the deluge we note: 1. The _fact_ of a deluge is stated in Scripture (Gen. 7), and attested by the traditions of nearly all nations. 2. Its _cause_ was the wickedness of the human race (Gen. 6. 5-7). Before this event all the population of the world was massed together, forming one vast family and speaking one language. Under these conditions the good were overborne by evil surroundings, and general corruption followed. 3. Its _extent_ was undoubtedly not the entire globe, but so much of it as was occupied by the human race (Gen. 7. 23), probably the Eu-phraītes valley. Many Christian scholars, however, hold to the view that the book of Genesis relates the history of but one family of races, and not all the race; consequently that the flood may have been partial, as far as mankind is concerned. 4. Its _purpose_ was: 1.) To destroy the evil in the world. 2.) To open a new epoch under better conditions for social, national, and individual life. II. =The Dispersion of the Races.= 1. Very soon after the deluge a new _instinct_, that of _migration_, took possession of the human family. Hitherto all mankind had lived together; from this time they began to scatter. As a result came tribes, nations, languages, and varieties of civilization. "The confusion of tongues" was not the cause, but the result, of this spirit, and may have been not sudden, but gradual (Gen. 11. 2, 7). 2. _Evidences of this migration_ are given: 1.) In the Bible (Gen. 9. 19; 11. 8). 2.) The records and traditions of nearly all nations point to it. 3.) Language gives a certain proof; for example, showing that the ancestors of the Engīlish, Greeks, Roīmans, Medes, and Hinīdus--races now widely dispersed--once slept under the same roof. At an early period streams of migration poured forth from the highlands of Aīsia in every direction and to great distances. III. =The Rise of the Empires.= In the Bible world four centers of national life arose, not far apart in time, each of which became a powerful kingdom, and in turn ruled all the Oriental lands. The strifes of these nations, the rise and fall, constitute the matter of ancient Oriental history, which is closely connected with that of the Bible. These four centers were: 1. _Eīgypt_, in the Nile valley, founded not far from B. C. 5000, and in the early Bible history having its capital at Memīphis. 2. _Bab-y-loīni-a_, called also Shiīnar and Chal-deīa, on the plain between the Tiīgris and Eu-phraītes Rivers, near the Perīsian Gulf, where a kingdom arose about B. C. 4500; of which Baībel or Babīy-lon was the greatest, though not the earliest, capital. 3. _As-syrīi-a_, of which the capital was Ninīe-veh (Gen. 10. 11). 4. _Phoe-niīcia_, on the Med-i-ter-raīne-an seacoast, north of Palīes-tine, having Siīdon for its earlier and Tyre for its later capital, and holding its empire not on the land, but on the sea, as its people were sailors and merchants. IV. =The Migration of Aībra-ham=, B. C. 2280?. No other journey in history has the _importance_ of that transfer of the little clan of Aībra-ham from the plain of Bab-y-loīni-a to the mountains of Palīes-tine in view of its results to the world. Compare with it the voyage of the Mayflower. Its causes were: 1. Probably the _migratory instinct_ of the age, for it was the epoch of tribal movements. 2. The _political cause_ may have been the desire for liberty from the rule of the Ac-caīdi-an dynasty that had become dominant in Chal-deīa. 3. But the deepest _motive_ was _religious_, a purpose to escape from the idolatrous influences of Chal-deīa, and to find a home for the worship of God in what was then "the new West," where population was thin. It was by the call of God that Aībra-ham set forth on his journey (Gen. 12. 1-3). V. =The Journeys of the Patriarchs.= For two centuries the little clan of Aībra-ham's family lived in Palīes-tine as strangers, pitching their tents in various localities, wherever pasturage was abundant, for at this time they were shepherds and herdsmen (Gen. 13. 2; 46. 34). Their home was most of the time in the southern part of the country, west of the Dead Sea; and their relations with the Amīo-rites, Caīnaan-ites, and Phi-lisītines on the soil were generally friendly. [Illustration] VI. =The Sojourn in Eīgypt.= After three generations the branch of Aībra-ham's family belonging to his grandson Jaīcob, or Isīra-el, removed to Eīgypt (Deut. 26. 5), where they remained more than four hundred years. This stay in Eīgypt is always called "the sojourn." The event which led directly to the descent into Eīgypt was the selling of Joīseph (Gen. 37. 28). But we can trace a providential purpose in the transfer. Its objects were: 1. _Preservation._ The frequent famines in Palīes-tine (Gen. 12. 10; 26. 1; 42. 1-3) showed that as shepherds the Isīra-el-ites could not be supported in the land. On the fertile soil of Eīgypt, with three crops each year, they would find food in abundance. 2. _Growth._ At the end of the stay in Caīnaan the Isīra-el-ites counted only seventy souls (Gen. 46. 27); but at the close of the sojourn in Eīgypt they had increased to nearly two millions (Exod. 12. 37; Num. 1. 45, 46). The hot climate and cheap food of Eīgypt have always caused an abundant population. In Eīgypt, Isīra-el grew from a family to a nation. 3. _Isolation._ There was great danger to the morals and religion of the Isīra-el-ites in the land of Caīnaan. Aībra-ham had sent to his own relatives at Haīran for a wife for Iīsaac (Gen. 24. 3, 4) in order to keep both the race and the faith pure. One of Iīsaac's sons married Caīnaan-ite wives, and as a result his descendants, the Eīdom-ites, lost the faith and became idolaters (Gen. 26. 34, 35). Jaīcob sought his wives among his own relatives (Gen. 28. 1, 2). We note a dangerous tendency in Jaīcob's family to ally themselves with the Caīnaan-ites (Gen. 34. 8-10; 38. 1, 2). If they had stayed in Caīnaan the chosen family would have become lost among the heathen. But in Eīgypt they lived apart, and were kept by the caste system from union with the people (Gen. 46. 34; 43. 32). It was a necessary element in the divine plan that Isīra-el should dwell apart from other nations (Num. 23. 9). 4. _Civilization._ The E-gypītians were in advance of other nations of that age in intelligence, in the organization of society, and in government. Though the Isīra-el-ites lived apart from them, they were among them and learned much of their knowledge. Whatever may have been their condition at the beginning of the sojourn, at the end of it they had a written language (Exod. 24. 7), a system of worship (Exod. 19. 22; 33. 7), and a leader who had received the highest culture of his age (Acts 7. 22). As one result of the sojourn the Isīra-el-ites were transformed from shepherds and herdsmen to tillers of the soil--a higher manner of living. Hints to the Teacher 1. Let the map of the Old Testament world be drawn by a pupil on the blackboard, and let all the lands and places referred to in this lesson be noted upon it. Indicate on this map the regions of the deluge, the four empires, the journey of Aībra-ham, and the route of the Isīra-el-ites to Eīgypt. 2. Let the references be read and their connection with the lesson be shown by the students. 3. Place on the board (and in the scholar's notebook) the outline of the lesson, and let additional details from the book of Genesis be given. 4. See that each pupil can read the Blackboard Outline and answer the Review Questions given below. Blackboard Outline I. =Del.= 1. Fac. Scrip. trad. 2. Cau. wick. rac. 3. Ext. 4. Pur. 1.) Des. ev. 2.) New ep. II. =Disp. Rac.= 1. Inst. mig. 2. Evid. 1.) Bib. 2.) Trad. 3.) Lang. III. =Rise Emp.= 1. Eg. 2. Chal. 3. Ass. 4. Sid. and Tyr. IV. =Mig. Abr.= Causes. 1. Mig. inst. 2. Pol. cau. 3. Rel. mot. V. =Jour. Patr.= Str. in Pal. Shep. Hom. Relat. VI. =Soj. in Eg.= Obj. 1. Pres. 2. Gro. 3. Isol. 4. Civ. Review Questions At what point does history begin? Name the six great events in early Bible history? How is the fact of a deluge attested? What was the moral cause of the flood? What was its extent? What was its purpose in the plan of God? What new spirit took possession of men soon after the flood? To what results did this lead? What was the relation of this fact to the confusion of tongues? What evidences of these migrations are found? What were the four great centers of national life in the Oriental world? What was the most important journey, in its results, in all history? What three causes are given for this migration? What was especially the religious motive of this journey? How long did Aībra-ham's descendants remain in Palīes-tine? In what part of the country did they live? What were their relations with the native peoples in Palīes-tine? What is meant by "the sojourn"? What was its immediate cause? What four providential results came to Isīra-el through this sojourn? How long was the time of the sojourn? How were the Isīra-el-ites protected from corruption through this sojourn? What was the effect of the sojourn upon their civilization? FOURTH STUDY The Wandering in the Wilderness PART ONE I. =Preliminary Events.= As preparatory to the wilderness stage in the history of Isīra-el certain events and processes are to be noted. 1. =The Oppression of the Isīra-el-ites= (Exod. I. 8-13). If the Isīra-el-ites had been prosperous and happy in Eīgypt they would have remained there, and the destiny of the chosen people would have been forgotten. Therefore, when Eīgypt had given to Isīra-el all that it could the wrath of man was made to praise God; and by suffering the Isīra-el-ites were made willing to leave the land of their sojourn and seek the land of promise. The nest was stirred up, and the young eaglet was compelled to fly (Deut. 32. 11, 12). The Phaīraoh of the oppression is generally identified with Ramīe-ses II, who was reigning about B. C. 1320. 2. =The Training of Moīses.= Therein was another element of preparation. No common man could have wrought the great work of liberation, of legislation, and of training which Isīra-el needed. 3. =The Ten Plagues.= But if it was needful to make the Isīra-el-ites willing to depart it was also needful to make the E-gypītian king and his people willing to let them depart; and this was accomplished by the plagues which fell upon Eīgypt, showing Isīra-el as under God's peculiar care and the gods of Eīgypt powerless to protect their people. 4. =The Passover= (Exod. 12. 21-28). This service represented three ideas: 1.) It was the springtide festival. 2.) It commemorated the sudden departure from Eīgypt, when there was not even time to "raise the bread" before leaving (Exod. 12. 34-39). 3.) It was an impressive prophecy of Christ, the slain Lamb of God (Exod. 12. 21, 22). 5. =The Exodus= (Exod. 12. 40, 41). The word means "going out." This was the birthday of a nation, the hour when the Isīra-el-ites rose from being merely a mass of men to become a people. The date of the exodus is uncertain, but the best scholars have concluded that it took place in the reign of the King Me-nephīthah (or Me-re-nephīthah), who may have reigned about B. C. 1270. [Illustration: JOURNEYS OF THE ISRAELITES] II. In order to follow the journeys of the Isīra-el-ites we must draw a map of the =Wilderness of the Wandering=. 1. Draw the coast lines, and note =three Seas=. 1.) The "great sea," or _Med-i-ter-raīne-an_ (Josh. 1. 4). 2.) The _Red Sea_ (Exod. 13. 18), (Gulfs of Su-ezī and Akīa-ba). 3.) The _Dead Sea_. 2. Draw the mountain ranges, and note =five Deserts=. 1.) The _Desert of Shur_ (Exod. 15. 22), between Goīshen and Caīnaan. 2.) The _Desert of Paīran_, in the center of the Si-na-itīic triangle (Num. 10. 12). This is the wilderness in which thirty-eight of the forty years were passed (Deut. 1. 19). 3.) The _Desert of Eītham_ (Num. 33. 8), on the shore of the Gulf of Su-ezī. 4.) The _Desert of Sin_, near Mount Siīnai (Exod. 16. 1). 5.) The _Desert of Zin_, the desolate valley between the Gulf of Akīa-ba and the Dead Sea, now called the Arīa-bah (Num. 13. 21). 3. Locate also the =five Lands= of this region. 1.) _Goīshen_, the land of the sojourn (Exod. 9. 26). 2.) _Midīi-an_, the land of Moīses' shepherd life (Exod. 2. 15), on both sides of the Gulf of Akīa-ba. 3.) _Eīdom_, the land of Eīsau's descendants, south of the Dead Sea (Num. 21. 4). 4.) _Moīab_, the land of Lot's descendants, east of the Dead Sea (Num. 21. 13). 5.) _Caīnaan_, the land of promise (Gen. 12. 7). 4. Fix also the location of =three Mountains=. 1.) _Mount Siīnai_, where the law was given (Exod. 19. 20). 2.) _Mount Hor_,[3] where Aarīon died (Num. 20. 23-28). 3.) _Mount Neībo_ (Pisīgah), where Moīses died (Deut. 34. 1). 5. Notice also =seven Places=, some of which are clearly, others not so definitely, identified. 1.) _Ramīe-ses_, the starting point of the Isīra-el-ites (Exod. 12. 37). 2.) _Baīal-zeīphon_, the place of crossing the Red Sea (Exod. 14. 2). 3.) _Maīrah_, where the bitter waters were sweetened (Exod. 15. 22-25). 4.) _Eīlim_, the place of rest (Exod. 15. 27). 5.) _Rephīi-dim_, the place of the first battle, near Mount Siīnai (Exod. 17. 8-16). 6.) _Kaīdesh-barīne-a_, whence the spies were sent forth (Num. 13. 26). 7.) _Jaīhaz_, in the land of Moīab, south of the brook Arīnon, where a victory was won over the Amīor-ites (Num. 21. 23, 24). Blackboard Outline I. =Pre. Even.= 1. Opp. Isr. 2. Tra. Mos. 3. Ten Pla. 4. Pass. 5. Exod. II. =Wil. Wan.= 1. Seas. 1.) M. S. 2.) R. S. [G. S., G. A.] 3) D. S. 2. Des. 1.) D. Sh. 2.) D. Par. 3.) D. Eth. 4.) D. Si. 5.) D. Zi. 3. Lan. 1.) Gos. 2.) Mid. 3.) Ed. 4.) Mo. 5.) Can. 4. Mts. 1.) Mt. Sin. 2.) Mt. H. 3.) Mt. Neb. 5. Pla. 1.) Ram. 2.) B.-zep. 3.) Mar. 4.) El. 5.) Rep. 6.) Kad.-bar. 7.) Jah. Review Questions Name five events which were preparatory to the wandering. What made the Isīra-el-ites willing to leave Eīgypt? What three ideas were connected with the passover? What is meant by the exodus? What are the three seas of the map illustrating the wandering? Name five deserts of this region? In which desert were the most years passed? What were the two deserts on the shore of the Red Sea? Where was the Desert of Zin? Which desert was between Eīgypt and Palīes-tine? Name and locate five lands of this region. Which land was nearest to Eīgypt? Which land was on the eastern arm of the Red Sea? Which land lay east of the Dead Sea? Which land was south of the Dead Sea? Name three mountains in this region. What event took place on each of these mountains? Name two places between Eīgypt and the Red Sea. Name three places on the route between the Red Sea, and an event at each place. What place was south of Caīnaan and near it? What events occurred at this place? What two places were battlefields? PART TWO III. On our map we indicate the =Journeys of the Isīra-el-ites=, and at the same time note the principal events of the wandering. 1. _From Ramīe-ses to the Red Sea_ (Exod. 12. 37; 14. 9). With this note: 1.) The crossing of the Red Sea. 2. _From the Red Sea to Mount Siīnai._ Events: 2.) The waters of Maīrah (Exod. 15. 23-26). 3.) The repulse of the Amīa-lek-ites (Exod. 17. 8-16). 4.) The giving of the law at Mount Siīnai. Here the camp was kept for a year, and the organization of the people was effected. 3. _From Mount Siīnai to Kaīdesh-barīne-a._ At the latter place occurred: 5.) The sending out of the spies and their return (Num. 13. 1-26). 6.) The defeat at Horīmah, north of Kaīdesh-barīne-a (Num. 14. 40-45). It was the purpose of Moīses to lead the people at once from Kaīdesh up to Caīnaan. But their fear of the Caīnaan-ite and Amīor-ite inhabitants made them weak; they were defeated and driven back into the Desert of Paīran, where they wandered thirty-eight years, until the generation of slavish souls should die off, and a new Isīra-el, the young people, trained in the spirit of Moīses and Joshīu-a and fitted for conquest, should arise in their places. 4. _From Kaīdesh-barīne-a through the Desert of Paīran and Return._ This was the long wandering of thirty-eight years. We trace the route from Kaīdesh, around the Desert of Paīran, to Mount Hor, to Eīzi-on-geīber at the head of the Gulf of Akīa-ba, and at last to Kaīdesh once more (Num. 20. 1). There occurred: 7.) The water from the rock at Kaīdesh and Moīses's disobedience (Num. 20. 10-12). 8.) The repulse by Aīrad (Num. 21. 1). It would seem that the Isīra-el-ites made a second attempt to enter Caīnaan on the south, and were again defeated, though not so severely as before. 5. _From Kaīdesh-barīne-a around Eīdom to the River Jorīdan._ After this second defeat Moīses desired to lead the people through the land of the Eīdom-ites, and to enter Caīnaan by crossing the Jorīdan (Num. 20. 14). But the Eīdom-ites refused to permit such an army to pass through their land (Num. 20. 18-21). Hence the Isīra-el-ites were compelled to go down the Desert of Zin, past Eīdom, as far as the Red Sea, then east of Eīdom--a very long and toilsome journey (Num. 21. 4). Note with this journey: 9.) The brazen serpent (Num. 21. 6-9; John 3. 14, 15). 10.) The victory over the Amīor-ites (Num. 21. 23,24). This victory gave to the Isīra-el-ites control of the country from Arīnon to Jabībok, and was the first campaign of the conquest. The long journey was now ended in the encampment of the Isīra-el-ites at the foot of Mount Neībo, on the eastern bank of the Jorīdan, near the head of the Dead Sea. 11.) The last event of the period was the death of Moīses, B. C. 1451 (Deut. 34. 5-8). IV. =The Results of the Wandering.= These forty years of wilderness life made a deep impress upon the Isīra-el-ite people, and wrought great changes in their character. 1. It gave them certain _Institutions_. From the wilderness they brought their tabernacle and all its rites and services, out of which grew the magnificent ritual of the temple. The Feast of Passover commemorated the exodus, the Feast of Pentecost the giving of the law, the Feast of Tabernacles (during which for a week the people lived in huts and booths) the outdoor life in the desert. 2. Another result was _National Unity_. When the Isīra-el-ites left Eīgypt they were twelve unorganized tribes, without a distinct national life. Forty years in the wilderness, meeting adversities together, fighting enemies, marching as one host, made them a nation. They emerged from the wilderness a distinct people, with one hope and aim, with patriotic self-respect, ready to take their place among the nations of the earth. 3. _Individual Liberty._ They had just been set free from the tyranny of the most complete governmental machine on the face of the earth. In Eīgypt the man was nothing; the state was everything. The Isīra-el-ite system was an absolute contrast to the E-gypītian. For centuries after the exodus the Isīra-el-ites lived with almost no government, each man doing what was right in his own eyes. They were the freest people on earth, far more so than the Greeks or the Roīmans during their republican epochs. Moīses trained them not to look to the government for their care, but to be a self-reliant people, able to take care of themselves. If they had passed this initial stage of their history surrounded by kingdoms they would have become a kingdom. But they learned their first lessons of national life in the wilderness, untrammeled by environment and under a wise leader, who sought to train up a nation of kings instead of a kingdom. 4. _Military Training._ We trace in the history of those forty years a great advance in military discipline. After crossing the Red Sea, Moīses did not wish to lead them by the direct route to Caīnaan lest they should "see war" (Exod. 13. 17, 18). Attacked by the Amīa-lek-ites soon after the exodus, the Isīra-el-ites were almost helpless (Exod. 17. 8-16; Deut. 25. 17-19). A year later they were the easy prey of the Caīnaan-ites at Horīmah (Num. 14. 40-45). Forty years after they crossed the Jorīdan, and entered Caīnaan a drilled and trained host, a conquering army. This discipline and spirit of conquest they gained under Moīses and Joshīu-a in the wilderness. 5. _Religious Education._ This was the greatest of all the benefits gained in the wilderness. They were brought back from the idolatries of Eīgypt to the faith of their fathers. They received God's law, the system of worship, and the ritual which brought them by its services into a knowledge of God. Moreover, their experience of God's care taught them to trust in Je-hoīvah, who had chosen them for his own people. Even though the mass of the people might worship idols, there was always from this time an Isīra-el of the heart that sought and obeyed God. Blackboard Outline III. =Jour. and Even.= Jour. 1. Ram.--R. S. 1.) Cr. R. S. Jour. 2. R. S.--Mt. Sin. 2.) Wat. Mar. 3.) Rep. Am. 4.) Giv. 1. Jour. 3. Mt. Sin.--Kad.-bar. 5.) Sen. sp. 6.) Def. Hor. Jour. 4. Kad.-bar.--Des. Par.--Ret. 7.) Wat. roc. Kad. 8.) Rep. Ar. Jour. 5. Kad.-bar.--Ed.--Riv. Jor. 9.) Bra. ser. 10.) Vic. ov. Amo. 11.) Dea. Mos. IV. =Res. Wan.= 1. Ins. 2. Nat. Un. 3. Ind. Lib. 4. Mil. Tra. 5. Rel. Ed. Review Questions State the route of the first journey. What was the great event of this journey? What was the second journey? What events are named with this journey? What was the third journey? What two events took place with this journey? What was the longest journey? Name four places of this journey? Name two events near its close. What was the last journey? What events took place at this time? Where was the last encampment of the Isīra-el-ites? What institutions originated during this period? What was the political effect of this epoch upon the people? How did it give them liberty? What was the influence in military affairs? What were its results upon the religion of the people? FIFTH STUDY Institutions of Israelite Worship PART ONE In the Old Testament we note certain forms and institutions for worship, and as some of these received their shaping during the wilderness life of the Isīra-el-ites, we give a brief account of such institutions at this place in the history. I. Earliest of all institutions for worship we find the =Altar=, and throughout the Old Testament the altar worship stands prominent. 1. =Its Principle=, the root idea underlying the altar, was of a meeting between God and man. As the subject always came to his ruler with a gift in his hands, so the worshiper brought his offering to his god, whether Je-hoīvah, the God of Isīra-el, or Baīal, the divinity of the Caīnaan-ites. 2. =Its Origin= is unknown, but it was early sanctioned by a divine approval of the worship connected with it (Gen. 4. 3, 4; 8. 20; 12. 8). 3. =Its Universality.= There was scarcely a people in the ancient world without an altar. We find that the worship of every land and every religion was associated with altars. (See allusions in Isa. 65. 3; 2 Kings 16. 10; Acts 17. 23, to altars outside of the Isīra-el-ite faith.) 4. =Its Material.= Among the Isīra-el-ites it was of earth or unhewn stone. Where metal or wood was used it was merely for a covering, the true altar being of earth inside. The laws of Isīra-el forbade any carving of the stone which might lead to idol worship (Exod. 20. 24, 25). 5. =Its Limitation.= In the patriarchal age the chief of the clan was the priest, the altar stood before his tent, and there was but one altar for the clan, which thus represented one family. When Isīra-el became a nation only one altar was allowed by the law, carrying out the idea that all the Twelve Tribes were one family (Deut. 12. 13, 14; Josh. 22. 16). Yet the law, if known to the Isīra-el-ites, was constantly ignored by the prophets (1 Sam. 7. 9; 1 Kings 18. 31, 32). 6. =Its Prophetic Purpose=, as revealed in the New Testament, was to prefigure the cross whereon Christ died (John 1. 29; Heb. 9. 22; 1 Pet. 3. 18). II. The =Offerings=, as fully developed and named in the law, were of five kinds, as follows: 1. =The Sin Offering.= 1.) This regarded the worshiper as a sinner, and expressed the means of his reconciliation with God. 2.) The offering consisted of an animal. 3.) The animal was slain and burned without the camp. 4.) Its blood was sprinkled on the altar of incense in the Holy Place (Lev. 4. 3-7). 2. =The Burnt Offering.= 1.) This regarded the worshiper as already reconciled, and expressed his consecration to God. 2.) It consisted of an animal, varied according to the ability of the worshiper. 3.) The animal was slain and burned on the altar. 4.) Its blood was poured out on the altar, a token that the life of the worshiper was given to God (Lev. 1. 2-9). 3. =The Trespass Offering.=[4] 1.) This represented the divine forgiveness of an actual transgression, whether against God or man, as distinguished from the condition of a sinner represented in the sin offering. 2.) The offering consisted of an animal, generally a ram, though a poor person might bring some flour. 3.) The animal was slain and burned on the altar. 4.) The blood was poured out at the base of the altar (Lev. 5. 1-10). 4. =The Meat Offering.=[5] 1.) This expressed the simple idea of thanksgiving to God. 2.) It consisted of vegetable food. 3.) The offering was divided between the altar and the priest; one part was burned on the altar, the other presented to the priest to be eaten by him as food (Lev. 2. 1-3). 5. =The Peace Offering.= 1.) This expressed fellowship with God in the form of a feast. 2.) It consisted of both animal and vegetable food. 3.) The offering was divided into three parts, one part burned upon the altar, a second eaten by the priest, a third part eaten by the worshiper and his friends as a sacrificial supper. Thus God, the priest, and the worshiper were all represented as taking a meal together. Blackboard Outline +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | I. =Alt.= 1. Prin. 2. Orig. 3. Univ. 4. Mat. 5. Lim. 6. Proph. Pur.| |II. =Off.= | | 1. Si. Off. |Sin. rec. G.|An. |Sl. bur. |Spr. alt. inc. | | 2. Bu. Off. |Con. G. |An. |Sl. bur. |Pou. alt. | | 3. Tre. Off.|For. trans. |An. |Sl. bur. |Pou. ba. alt. | | 4. Me. Off. |Tha. Gd. |Veg. |Alt. pri. | | | 5. Pea. Off.|Fel. G. |An. veg.|Alt. pri. wor.| | +--------------+------------+--------+--------------+----------------+ Review Questions What two institutions of the Old Testament are here presented? What shows the universality of the altar in connection with worship? What is said of the origin of the altar? Of what material were the earliest altars made? What was the religious idea in the altar? What prophetic purpose did the altar have? Name the five kinds of offerings. How did the sin offering regard the worshiper? What did the sin offering express? Of what did the sin offering consist? What was done with the offering? What was done with the blood? What was the design of the burnt offering? Of what did the burnt offering consist? What was done with the animal? What was done with the blood in the burnt offering? Wherein did the trespass offering differ from the sin offering? Of what did the trespass offering consist? What was done with the sacrifice? What did the meat offering express? Of what did it consist? How was the meat offering used? What was expressed by the peace offering? Of what did it consist? What was done with the peace offering? PART TWO The Tabernacle 1. When the family of Aībra-ham grew into a people its unity was maintained by regarding the altar--and but one altar for all the Twelve Tribes--as the religious center of the nation. 2. To the thought of the altar as the meeting place with God was added the conception of God dwelling among his people in a sanctuary and receiving homage as the King of Isīra-el (Exod. 25. 8). 3. Thus the altar grew into the Tabernacle, which was the sanctuary where God was supposed to dwell in the midst of the camp. As was necessary among a wandering people, it was constructed of such materials as could be easily taken apart and carried on the march through the wilderness. In considering the Tabernacle and its furniture we notice the following particulars: I. =The Court=, an open square surrounded by curtains, 150 by 75 feet in extent, and occupying the center of the camp of Isīra-el (Exod. 27. 9-13). In this stood the Altar, the Laver, and the Tabernacle itself. II. =The Altar of Burnt Offerings= stood within the court, near its entrance. It was made of wood plated with "brass" (which is supposed to mean copper), was 7Ĺ feet square and 4Ĺ feet high. On this all the burnt sacrifices were offered (Exod. 27. 1; 40. 29), except the sin offering. III. =The Laver= contained water for the sacrificial purifyings. It stood at the door of the tent, but its size and form are unknown (Exod. 30. 17-21). IV. =The Tabernacle= itself was a tent 45 feet long, 15 feet wide. Its walls were of boards, plated with gold, standing upright; its roof of three curtains, one laid above another. Whether there was a ridge-pole or not is uncertain. It was divided, by a veil across the interior, into two apartments, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies (Exod. 36. 8-38). V. =The Holy Place= was the larger of the two rooms into which the tent was divided, being 30 feet long by 15 wide. Into this the priests entered for the daily service. It contained the Candlestick, the Table, and the Altar of Incense (Heb. 9. 2). [Illustration: DIAGRAM SHOWING LOCATION OF THE OBJECTS WITHIN THE TABERNACLE COURT.] VI. =The Candlestick= (more correctly, "lampstand") stood on the left side of one entering the Holy Place; made of gold, and bearing seven branches, each branch holding a lamp (Exod. 25. 31-37). VII. =The Table= stood on the right of one entering the Holy Place; made of wood, covered with gold; 3 feet long, 1Ĺ feet wide, 2ľ feet high; contained 12 loaves of bread, called "the bread of the presence" (Exod. 37. 10, 11). VIII. =The Altar of Incense= stood at the inner end of the Holy Place, near the veil; made of wood, covered with gold; 1Ĺ feet square and 3 feet high. On it the incense was lighted by fire from the Altar of Burnt Offerings (Exod. 30. 1, 2). IX. =The Holy of Holies= was the innermost and holiest room in the Tabernacle, into which the high priest alone entered on one day in each year (the Day of Atonement); in form a cube of 15 feet. It contained only the Ark of the Covenant (Heb. 9. 3). X. =The Ark of the Covenant= was a chest containing the stone tablets of the Commandments; made of wood, covered on the outside and inside with gold; 3 feet 9 inches long, 2 feet 3 inches wide and high. Through gold rings on the sides were thrust the staves by which it was borne on the march. Its lid, on which stood two figures of the cherubim, was called "the mercy seat." On this the high priest sprinkled the blood on the Day of Atonement (Exod. 25. 17, 18; Heb. 9. 7). Blackboard Outline THE TABERNACLE I. =Cou.= sq. 150. 75. (Al. Lav. Tab.) II. =Alt.= woo. br. 7Ĺ. 4Ĺ. III. =Lav.= do. ten. IV. =Tab.= 45. 15. bds. cur. (H.P. H.H.) V. =Ho. Pl.= 30. 15. (Can. Tab. Alt. Inc.) VI. =Can.= go. 7 bran. VII. =Tab.= 3. 1Ĺ. 2ľ. 12 loa. VIII. =Alt. Inc.= woo. gol. 1Ĺ. 3. IX. =Ho. Hol.= 15. 15. 15. (Ar. Cov.) X. =Ar. Cov.= wo. go. 3,9. 2,3. "mer. se." Review Questions How was the unity of the Isīra-el-ite people maintained? What was the conception or thought in the Tabernacle? Why was it constructed of such material? What was the court of the Tabernacle? What were the dimensions of the court? What stood in the court? What were the materials of the Altar of Burnt Offerings? What was the size of this altar? What was the laver, and where did it stand? What was the Tabernacle itself? Into what rooms was it divided? How was it covered? What were the dimensions of the Holy Place? What did the Holy Place contain? What was the form of the candlestick? Where did the candlestick stand? Of what was the Altar of Incense made? What were its dimensions? For what was this altar used? What were the dimensions of the Holy of Holies? What did the Holy of Holies contain? Who alone entered this room, and how often? What was the Ark of the Covenant? What was the "mercy seat"? PART THREE The Sacred Year I. Among the Isīra-el-ites certain institutions of worship were observed at regular intervals of time which have been called the =Periodical Institutions=. These were: 1. =The Sabbath=, observed one day in seven; of which the root idea is the giving to God a portion of our time. (See references in the Old Testament: Gen. 2. 3; Exod. 20. 8-11; Isa. 56. 2; 58. 13.) In the New Testament we find the first day of the week gradually taking its place among the early Christians (Acts 20. 7; 1 Cor. 26. 2; Rev. 1. 10). 2. =The New Moon=, which was the opening day of each month; regarded as a sacred day, and celebrated with religious services (Num. 10. 10; 2 Kings 4. 23). 3. =The Seven Annual Solemnities=, the important occasions of the year, six feasts and one fast day. 4. =The Sabbatical Year.= One year in every seven was to be observed as a year of rest, and the ground was not to be tilled (Lev. 25. 2-7). 5. =The Year of Jubilee.= Once in fifty years the Isīra-el-ites were commanded to give liberty to slaves, freedom to debtors, and general restitution of alienated inheritances (Lev. 25. 9, 10). How far the "Sabbatical Year" and "the Year of Jubilee" were actually kept among the Isīra-el-ites we have no means of knowing; but the commands concerning them were given in the law. II. We take for special notice among these periodical institutions the =Seven Annual Solemnities= of the =Sacred Year=. Most of these were instituted in the time of Moīses, but two of them arose later. We consider them all, however, in this place, rather than at the closing of the history, where two of the feasts properly belong. These may be classified as: 1. =The Three Great Feasts=: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles; all observed at the capital, and requiring the people to make annual pilgrimages to Je-ruīsa-lem. 2. =The Annual Fast=: the Day of Atonement. 3. =The Three Lesser Feasts=: Trumpets, Dedication, Purim. These were observed throughout the land, as well as in Je-ruīsa-lem. With regard to each of these we will note: 1.) Its time. 2.) The event which it commemorated. 3.) How it was observed. 1. =The Feast of Passover= (Luke 22. 1). 1.) Was held in the spring, on the fourteenth of the month Abib, or Nisan, corresponding to parts of March and April (Exod. 12. 18). 2.) Commemorated the exodus from Eīgypt (Exod. 12. 42). 3.) Observed with the eating of unleavened bread and the slain lamb (Exod. 12. 19-21). 2. =The Feast of Pentecost= (Acts 2. 1). 1.) Was held early in the summer, on the fiftieth day after Passover, in the month Sivan, corresponding to May and June. 2.) Commemorated the giving of the law.[6] (See Exod. 19. 1, 11.) 3.) Observed by "first fruits" laid on the altar, with special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 15-21). 3. =The Feast of Tabernacles= (John 7. 2, 10). 1.) Held in the fall, after the ingathering of crops, from the 15th to the 21st of the seventh month, Ethanim, corresponding to September and October (Lev. 23. 34). 2.) Commemorated the outdoor life of the wilderness (Lev. 23. 43). 3.) Observed by living in huts or booths, and by special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 35-42). 4. =The Day of Atonement=, the only fast required by the Jewīish law. 1.) Held in the fall, on the tenth day of the month Ethanim (Lev. 23. 27), five days before the Feast of Tabernacles. 2.) Showing the sinner's reconciliation with God. 3.) On this day only in the year the high priest entered the Holy of Holies (Exod. 30. 10). 5. =The Feast of Trumpets.= 1.) Held on the first day of the seventh month, Ethanim, corresponding to September or October (Lev. 23. 24). 2.) This feast recognized the "New Year Day" of the civil year.[7] 3.) It was observed with the blowing of trumpets all through the land. 6. =The Feast of Dedication=, not named in the Old Testament. (See John 10. 22.) 1.) This was held in the winter, on the 25th of the month Chisleu (December), and for eight days thereafter. 2.) It commemorated the reconsecration of the Temple by Juīdas Macīca-beīus, B. C. 166, after its defilement by the Syrīi-ans. 3.) It was observed by a general illumination of Je-ruīsa-lem; hence often called "the feast of lights." 7. =The Feast of Purim=, not named in the New Testament, unless it be referred to in John 5. 1. 1.) Held in the early spring, the 14th and 15th of the month Adar (March) (Esth. 9. 21). 2.) Commemorating Queen Esther's deliverance of the Jewīish people (Esth. 9. 22-26). 3.) Observed with general feasting and rejoicing. Blackboard Outline I. =Per. Inst=. 1. Sab. 2. Ne. Mo. 3. Sev. Ann. Sol. 4. Sab. Ye. 5. Ye. Jub. II. =Sac. Yea.= {1. Pass. spr. ex. Eg. sla. la. 1. Gr. Fe. {2. Pen. sum. giv. la. fir. fru. {3. Tab. fal. lif. wil. liv. huts. 2. Ann. Fa. 4. Day. At. fal. sin. rec. pr. H. Hol. {5. Trum. fal. N. Ye. bl. trum. 3. Les. Fe. {6. Ded. win. rec. Tem. ill. Jer. {7. Pur. spr. Esth. del. fea. rej. Review Questions What is meant by "Periodical Institutions"? Name the five general periodical institutions of the Isīra-el-ites. What did the Sabbath commemorate? What were the new moons? How many times in the year were observed by the Isīra-el-ites? What was the Sabbatical Year? What was the Year of Jubilee? Name the three great feasts. When was each great feast observed? What did each feast commemorate? How was each feast observed? What took place on the Day of Atonement? What did the Day of Atonement represent? What were the three lesser feasts? When was each observed? What did each lesser feast commemorate? How were these feasts observed? SIXTH STUDY The Land of Palestine PART ONE We have followed the history of the Isīra-el-ites to their encampment on the border of their promised land. Before taking up the study of their conquest of Caīnaan let us obtain some conception of the country with which the greater part of Bible history is connected--the land of Palīes-tine. I. Let us notice its =Names= at different periods: 1. The earliest name was =Caīnaan=, "lowland," referring only to the section between the river Jorīdan and the Med-i-ter-raīne-an Sea, of which the inhabitants most widely known were the Caīnaan-ites, dwelling on the lowland plains (Gen. 12. 5). [Illustration: PALESTINE] 2. After the conquest by Joshīu-a it was called =Isīra-el=, though in later times of Old Testament history the name referred only to the northern portion, the southern kingdom being called Juīdah (Judg. 18. 1; 1 Kings 12. 20). 3. In the New Testament period its political name was =Ju-deīa=, which was also the name of its most important province (Mark 1. 5). 4. Its modern name is =Palīes-tine=, a form of the word "Phi-lisītine," the name of a heathen race which in early times occupied its southwestern border (Isa. 14. 29). II. The following are the principal =Dimensions= of Palīes-tine: 1. =Caīnaan=, or western Palīes-tine, has an area of about 6,600 square miles, a little less than Massachusetts. 2. =Palīes-tine Proper=, the domain of the Twelve Tribes, embraces 12,000 square miles, about the area of Massachusetts and Connecticut. 3. The =Coast Line=, from Gaīza, the southernmost town, to Tyre, on the north, is not far from 140 miles long. 4. The =Jorīdan= is distant from the coast at Tyre about 25 miles; and the =Dead Sea=, in a line due east from Gaīza, about 60 miles. 5. The =Jorīdan Line=, from Dan, one of the sources of the Jorīdan, to the southern end of the Dead Sea, is 155 miles. III. The most important =Waters= of Palīes-tine are: 1. The =Med-i-ter-raīne-an Sea=, which bounds the land on the west (Josh. 1. 4; Exod. 23. 31; Deut. 11. 24). 2. The =River Jorīdan=, rising in three sources in Mount Herīmon, and emptying into the Dead Sea in a direct line 105 miles long, but by its windings over 200 miles (Deut. 9. 1; Josh. 4. 1; 2 Sam. 17. 22). 3. =Lake Meīrom=, now called _Huīleh_, a triangular sheet of water, 3 miles across, in a swamp in northern Galīi-lee (Josh. 11. 5). 4. The =Sea of Galīi-lee=,[8] a pear-shaped lake, 14 miles long by 9 wide, and nearly 700 feet below the sea level. (Note other names in Josh. 13. 27; 11. 2; Luke 5. 1; John 6. 1.) 5. The =Dead Sea=, 47 miles long by 10 wide, and 1,300 feet below the sea level (Gen. 14. 3; Deut. 4. 49; Joel 2. 20). IV. The land of Palīes-tine lies in five =Natural Divisions=, nearly parallel: 1. The =Maritime Plain=, or sandy flat, extending along the Med-i-ter-raīne-an Sea, from 8 to 20 miles wide. 2. The =Shephīe-lah=, or foothills, from 300 to 500 feet high and very fertile. 3. The =Mountain Region=, the backbone of the land, consisting of mountains from 2,500 to 4,000 feet high. 4. The =Jorīdan Valley=, a deep ravine, the bed of the river and its three lakes, from 500 to 1,200 feet below the level of the sea, and from 2 to 14 miles wide. 5. The =Eastern Table-land=, a region of lofty and precipitous mountains, from whose summit a plain stretches away to the A-raībi-an Desert on the east. Hints to the Teacher 1. Let the map be drawn by the teacher in presence of the class, and each part carefully taught, while the class also draw the map in their notebooks. 2. Then erase the map from the board, and call upon one scholar, in presence of the class, to draw the lines representing natural divisions: another the river and lakes, etc., etc. 3. If chalk of different colors can be used for the different departments of the map, coast line and Jordan line one color, mountain lines another, it will add to the interest. Blackboard Outline I. =Na.= Ca. Isr. Jud. Pal. II. =Dim.= Ca. 6,600. Pal. 12,000. C. L. 140. To =Jor.= 25. To D. S. 60. Jor. L. 155. III. =Wat.= Med. Jor. L. Me. S. Gal. D. S. IV. =Nat. Div.= M. P. Sh. M. R. J. V. E. T.-L. Review Questions Why is a knowledge of the land of Palīes-tine important? Give and explain the four different names of this land. What is meant by "Caīnaan" proper? How large is Caīnaan? How large was the domain of the Twelve Tribes? How long is the coast line? How far is the Jorīdan distant from the coast near its source? How far is the Dead Sea from the coast? What is meant by the Jorīdan line? How long is the Jorīdan line? Name the most important waters of Palīes-tine. Describe the river Jorīdan, sources, elevations, length, etc. Describe and locate Lake Meīrom. Describe the Sea of Galīi-lee. Describe the Dead Sea. What are the five natural divisions of Palīes-tine? PART TWO V. Palīes-tine is a land of =Mountains=, among which we notice only a few of the most important, beginning in the north. 1. =Mount Herīmon=, is near the source of the Jorīdan, on the east, and is the highest mountain in Palīes-tine. 2. =Mount Lebīa-non=, west of Herīmon, was famous for its cedars (1 Kings 5. 6; Psa. 29. 5). 3. =Mount Taībor=, the place of Debīo-rah's victory, is southwest of the Sea of Galīi-lee (Judg. 4. 6). 4. =Mount Gil-boīa=, where King Saul was slain, is south of Taībor (1 Sam. 31. 1; 2 Sam. 1. 21). 5. =Mount Carīmel=, the place of E-liījah's sacrifice, is on the Med-i-ter-raīne-an, due west of the Sea of Galīi-lee (1 Kings 18. 20, 42; Isa. 35. 2). 6. =Mount Eībal=, "the mount of cursing," lies in the center of the land (Deut. 11. 26). 7. =Mount Gerīi-zim=, "the mount of blessing," is south of Eībal (Josh. 8. 33; John 4. 20). 8. =Mount Ziīon=, on which Je-ruīsa-lem stood and still stands, is due west of the head of the Dead Sea. 9. =Mount Neībo=, where Moīses died, is directly opposite Ziīon, on the east of the Dead Sea (Deut. 34. 1). VI. We note a few of the most important places, selecting only those connected with Old Testament history; and we arrange them according to the natural divisions of the land. 1. On the _Seacoast Plain_ were: 1.) =Gaīza=, on the south, the scene of Samīson's exploits and death (Judg. 16. 21). 2.) =Jopīpa=, principal seaport of Palīes-tine (2 Chron. 2. 16; Jonah 1. 3). 3.) =Tyre=, just beyond the northern boundary of Paīles-tine, a great commercial city of the Phoe-niīcians (Josh. 19. 29). 2. In the _Mountain Region_ were: 1.) =Beīer-sheība=, in the southern limit of the land (Gen. 21. 31, 33; 1 Sam. 3. 20; 1 Kings 19. 3). 2.) =Heībron=, burial place of the patriarchs (Gen. 23. 19; 49. 29-31). 3.) =Bethīle-hem=, the birthplace of Daīvid (1 Sam. 17. 12). 4.) =Je-ruīsa-lem=, "the city of the great king," which stands due west of the northern point of the Dead Sea (2 Sam. 5. 6-9). 5.) =Bethīel=, nine miles north of Je-ruīsa-lem, the place of Jaīcob's vision (Gen. 28. 19). 6.) =Sheīchem=, between the twin mountains Gerīi-zim and Eībal, in the center of the land (1 Kings 12. 1). 7.) =Sa-maīri-a=, the capital of the Ten Tribes (1 Kings 16. 24). 3. In the _Jorīdan Valley_ were: 1.) =Jerīi-cho=, near the head of the Dead Sea (1 Kings 16. 34). 2.) =Dan=, at one of the sources of the Jorīdan, the northernmost place in the land (Judg. 18. 28; 20. 1). Blackboard Outline I. =Na.= Ca. Isr. Jud. Pal. II. =Dim.= Ca. 6,600. Pal. 12,000. C. L. 140. To Jor. 25. To D. S. 60. Jor. L. 155. III. =Wat.= Med. Jor. L. Me. S. Gal. D. S. IV. =Nat. Div.= M. P. Sh. M. R. J. V. E. T.-L. V. =Mtns.= Her. Leb. Tab. Gil. Car. Eb. Ger. Zi. Ne. VI. =Pla.= 1. _Sea. Pl._ Ga. Jop. Ty. 2. _Mtn. Reg._ Beer. Heb. Beth. Jer. Bet. She. Sam. 3. _Jor. Val._ Jer. Da. Review Questions Name nine mountains on the map of Palīes-tine. State the location of each mountain. State a fact for which each mountain is celebrated. Name and locate three places on the Maritime Plain. Name and locate seven places in the Mountain Region. Name and locate two places in the Jorīdan Valley. SEVENTH STUDY The Conquest of Canaan I. Let us notice the =Caīnaan-ites=, the peoples who were dispossessed by the Isīra-el-ites. 1. They were of =one stock=, according to the Scriptures, belonging to the Hamīite race, and all descended from the family of Caīnaan (Gen. 10. 15-19). 2. They were divided into =various tribes=, from seven to ten nations, arranged mainly as follows: 1.) On the seacoast plain, the Phi-lisītines on the south, the Caīnaan-ites in the middle, and the Phoe-niīcians, or Zi-doīni-ans, on the north of Mount Carīmel. 2.) In the mountain region, the Amīor-ites in the south, the Jebīu-sites around Je-ruīsa-lem, the Hiīvites in the center of the land, and the Hitītites in the north. 3.) The Jorīdan valley was held by the Caīnaan-ites. 4.) On the eastern table-land, the Moīab-ites east of the Dead Sea, the Amīor-ites east of the Jorīdan, and the Baīshan-ites in the north. 3. Their =government= was =local=. Not only was each tribe independent, but each little locality, often each city, had its own "king," or chief. There was no unity of government, and scarcely any combination to resist the invasion of Isīra-el, a fact which made the conquest far less difficult. 4. They were =idolatrous= and, as a result, grossly =immoral=. Idolatry is always associated with immorality; for the worship of idols is a deification of sensuality. Baīal and Ashīe-rah (plural Ashīto-reth) were the male and female divinities worshiped by most of these races (Judg. 2. 13). 5. They had been =weakened= before the coming of the Isīra-el-ites either by war or by pestilence. The allusions in Exod. 23. 28; Deut. 7. 20; and Josh. 24. 12, have been referred to an invasion before that of Israel, or to some plague, which destroyed the native races. II. =The Campaigns of the Conquest.= These may be divided as follows: 1. =The Campaigns East= of the Jorīdan. These were during the lifetime of Moīses, and gained for Isīra-el all the territory south of Mount Herīmon. [Illustration: CAMPAIGNS OF THE =CONQUEST=] 1.) The conquest of Gilīe-ad was made at the battle of Jaīhaz, near the brook Arīnon (Num. 21. 21-31). In one battle the Isīra-el-ites gained the land of Gilīe-ad east of the Jorīdan. 2.) The conquest of Baīshan was completed at the battle of Edīre-i, in the mountainous region (Num. 21. 33-35). 3.) The conquest of Midīi-an (Num. 31. 1-8) was led by the warrior-priest Phinīe-has, and by smiting the tribes on the east protected the frontier toward the desert. The land won by these three campaigns became the territory of the tribes of Reuīben, Gad, and the half tribe of Ma-nasīseh (Deut. 32). 2. =The Campaigns West of the Jorīdan= were led by Joshīu-a, and showed great tactical skill and resistless energy of action. Joshīu-a led his people across the Jorīdan and established a fortified camp, the center of operations during all his campaigns, at Gilīgal (Josh. 4. 19). 1.) The first invasion was of _Central Palīes-tine_, beginning with Jerīi-cho (Josh. 6), taking Aīi on the way (Josh. 8), and ending with Sheīchem, which apparently fell without resistance (Josh. 8. 30-33). This campaign gave to Isīra-el the center of the land and divided their enemies into two sections. 2.) Next came the campaign against _Southern Palīes-tine_. At this time was fought the battle of Beth-hoīron (Josh. 10. 10), the most momentous in its results in all history, and one over which, if ever, the sun and moon might well stand still (Josh. 10. 12, 13).[9] After this great victory Joshīu-a pursued his enemies and took the towns as far south as Heībron and Deībir (Josh. 10. 29-39). 3.) Lastly, Joshīu-a conquered _Northern Palīes-tine_ (Josh. 11). The battle in this campaign was near Lake Meīrom (Josh. 11. 7), and, as before, it was followed by the capture of many cities in the north. Thus in those marches Joshīu-a won all the mountain region of western Palīes-tine. 3. There were certain =supplementary campaigns=, partly in Joshīu-a's time, partly afterward. 1.) Calebīs capture of Heībron, which had been reoccupied by the Amīor-ites (Josh. 14; Judg. 1. 10-15). 2.) The Juīdah-ites' capture of Beīzek, an unknown place between Je-ruīsa-lem and the Phi-lisītine plain (Judg. 1. 1-8). 3.) The Danīites' capture of Laīish, in the extreme north, which afterward bore the name of Dan (Judg. 18). But, after all these campaigns, a large part of the land was still unsubdued, and the war of the conquest did not end until the days of Daīvid by whom every foe was finally placed under foot. III. =General Aspects of Isīra-el at the Close of the Conquest.= 1. With regard to the =native races=. They were not destroyed nor driven away, as had been commanded.[10] They remained as subject people in some places, as the ruling race on the seacoast and in the Jorīdan valley. We see their influence, always injurious, throughout all Isīra-el's history (Exod. 23. 31-33; Deut. 7. 1-5); and some think that the present inhabitants of the country belong to the original Caīnaan-ite stock. 2. The =Isīra-el-ites= did not occupy all the country. They possessed most of the mountain region, but none of the seacoast plain on the Jorīdan valley. They were like the Swiss in modern times, living among the mountains. Even in the New Testament period the lowlands were occupied mainly by Genītiles. 3. The =landed system= was peculiar. =Estates= were inalienable. They might be leased, but not sold; and on the year of jubilee (every fiftieth year) all land reverted to the family originally owning it. Thus every family had its ancestral home, the poor were protected, and riches were kept within bounds. 4. The =government= was a republic of families without an executive head, except when a judge was raised up to meet special needs. Each tribe had its own rulers, but there was no central authority after Joshīu-a (Judg. 21. 25). This had its evils, for it led to national weakness; but it had its benefits: 1.) It kept Isīra-el from becoming a great worldly kingdom like Eīgypt and As-syrīi-a, which would have thwarted the divine purpose. 2.) It promoted individuality and personal energy of character. There would have been no "Age of Heroes" if Isīra-el had been a kingdom like Eīgypt. 5. The =religious system= was simple. There was but one altar at Shiīloh for all the land and for all the tribes, and the people were required to visit it for the three great feasts (Deut. 12. 11, 14; Josh. 18. 1). This was the religious bond which united the people. If it had been maintained they would have needed no other constitution, and even its partial observance kept the people one nation. 6. The =character= of the people was diverse. Throughout the history we trace the working of two distinct elements: There was the true Isīra-el--the earnest, religious, God-worshiping section, the Isīra-el of Joshīu-a and Gidīe-on and Samīu-el. Then there was the underlying mass of the people--secular, ignorant, prone to idolatry, the Isīra-el that worshiped Baīal and Ashīto-reth, and sought alliance with the heathen. One element was the hope of the nation; the other was its bane. We shall constantly see the evidences of these two elements in the story of the Isīra-el-ites. Blackboard Outline I. =Can.= 1. One st. 2. Var. tri. 1.) S. P. Phil. Can. Phoe. 2.) M. R. Am. Je. Hiv. Hitt. 3.) J. V. Can. 4.) E. T.-L. Mo. Am. Bash. 3. Gov. loc. 4. Idol. imm. 5. Weak. II. =Camp. Conq.= 1. Camp. Eas. Jor. 1.) Gil. Jah. 2.) Bash. Ed. 3.) Mid. 2. Camp. Wes. Jor. 1.) Cent. Pal. Jer. Ai. She. 2.) Sou. Pal. Beth-hor. 3.) Nor. Pal. L. Mer. 3. Supp. Camp. 1.) Cal. cap. Heb. 2.) Jud. cap. Bez. 3.) Dan. cap. Lai. III. =Gen. Asp. Isr. at Clo. Conq.= 1. Nat. rac. sub. 2. Isr. in mtn. reg. 3. Land. sys. 4. Gov. rep. fam. 5. Rel. sys. 6. Char. peo. Questions for Review To what race did the Caīnaan-ite tribes belong? What were their tribes, and where located? What was their government? What was their worship? What was the effect of their worship on their character? What had taken place shortly before the coming of the Isīra-el-ites? What campaigns of conquest were made before the death of Moīses? What battles were fought in these campaigns? What tribes took possession of this territory? On which side of the Jorīdan were Joshīu-a's campaigns? What traits as a military leader did he show? What places were captured on the first of Joshīu-a's campaigns? What was the effect of this campaign on the enemies? Against what section was Joshīu-a's second campaign? Where was the great battle fought? What is said to have taken place at this battle? What cities were captured at this time? Where was the third campaign of Joshīu-a directed? Where was the battle fought in this campaign? What were the three supplementary campaigns? What city was conquered by Caīleb? What city was occupied by the tribe of Dan? What king, long after Joshīu-a, completed the conquest of Caīnaan? What was the condition of the native races after the conquest? What was the result of their continuance in the land? What portion of the country was occupied by the Isīra-el-ites? What modern analogy is given to them? What was the system of land tenure among the Isīra-el-ites? What were some of its benefits? What was the form of government? Wherein was the system defective? What were its excellences? What was the religious system of the Isīra-el-ites? What was the effect of this system? What was the religious character of the people? What was the condition of the mass of the Isīra-el-ites? EIGHTH STUDY The Age of the Heroes From the death of Joshīu-a to the coronation of Saul the Twelve Tribes of Isīra-el were without a central government, except as from time to time men of ability rose up among them. It was not, as some have supposed, an "age of anarchy," for anarchy is confusion; and during most of the time there were peace and order in Isīra-el. It was rather an "age of heroes," for its rulers were neither hereditary nor elective, but men called forth by the needs of the hour and their own qualities of leadership. I. =The Condition of Isīra-el during This Period.= This was partly favorable and partly unfavorable. The _favorable_ elements were: 1. =The Mountain Location= of Isīra-el. The tribes were perched like Switzerland in the Alps. There was a desert on the south and on the east, while on the west lay the plain by the sea, the great route of travel between Eīgypt and the Eu-phraītes. Great armies passed and repassed over this plain, and great battles were fought by E-gypītians, Hitītites, and As-syrīi-ans, while Isīra-el on her mountain peaks was unmolested. This mountain home left Isīra-el generally unnoticed, and, when attacked, almost inaccessible. 2. =The Racial Unity= of Isīra-el. The two finest races of the world, the Greek and the Isīra-el-ite, were both of pure blood. The Isīrael-ites were one in origin, in language, in traditions, in aspirations. This national unity often brought the tribes together in times of distress, though not always when the union was needed. 3. =The Religious Institutions.= In Greece every town had its own god and its own religion; hence the many parties and petty nationalities. But in Isīra-el there was in theory but one altar, one house of God, one system of worship, with its annual pilgrimage to the religious capital (1 Sam. 1. 3). Just to the measure in which these institutions were observed Isīra-el was strong against all foes, and as they were neglected the land became the prey of oppressors (Judg. 2. 7-14; 1 Sam. 7. 3). But there were also _unfavorable_ elements in the condition of Isīra-el, which threatened its very existence. These were: 1. =The Native Races.= These were of two kinds: the subject people left on the soil, more or less under the domination of the conquerors; and the surrounding nations, Amīmon, Moīab, Syrīi-a, and the Phi-lisītines. There was danger from their enmity, a rebellion of the subject tribes, allied with the enemies around, for the destruction of Isīra-el. And there was far greater danger from their friendship, which would lead to intermarriage, to idolatry, to corruption of morals, and to ruin (Judg. 3. 1-7). 2. =Lack of a Central Government.= Isīra-el was in the condition of the United States at the close of the Revolution, from 1783 to 1789, a loose confederation with no central authority. There were twelve tribes, but each governed itself. Only under some great chieftain like Gidīe-on or Samīu-el were all the twelve tribes united. Most of the judges ruled only over their own district of a few adjoining tribes. Often the northern tribes were in peril, but we never read of Juīdah going to their assistance; and in Juīdahīs wars with the Phi-lisītines the northern tribes stood aloof. 3. =Tribal Jealousy.= Until the establishment of the American republic the world never saw, for any length of time, a league of states on an equal footing. In Greece the strongest state claimed the _hegemony_, or leadership, and oppressed its allies. In Italy the Roīmans reduced all their neighbors to subjection. In Europe it now requires an army of more than a million men to maintain the "balance of power." So in Isīra-el there was a constant struggle for the leadership between the two great tribes of Juīdah and Eīphra-im. During the period of the judges Eīphra-im was constantly asserting its rights to rule the other tribes (Judg. 8. 1-3; 12. 1-6). We trace this rivalry through all the reign of Daīvid; and at last it led to the division of the empire under Re-ho-boīam. 4. =Idolatrous Tendencies.= We note constantly "the two Isīra-els"--a spiritual minority and an irreligious, idolatrous mass. For many centuries the greatest evil of Isīra-el-ite history was the tendency to the worship of idols. Causes which operated to promote it were: 1.) The natural craving for a visible object of worship, not altogether eradicated from even the Christian heart; for example, Roīmish images and the use of the crucifix. 2.) The association of Isīra-el with idolaters on the soil or as neighbors. 3.) The opportunity which idol worship gives to gratify lust under the guise of religion. As a result of these forces we find idol worship the crying sin of the Isīra-el-ites down to the captivity in Babīy-lon. II. =The Judges of Isīra-el.= These were the heroes of that age, the men who in turn led the tribes, freed them from their enemies, and restored them to the service of God. 1. =Their Office.= It was not generally to try legal cases between man and man or between tribe and tribe. It might be regarded as a military dictatorship blended with a religious authority. The judge was a union of the warrior and the religious reformer. 2. =Their Appointment=, not by election, nor the votes of the people. The Orientals have never chosen their rulers by suffrage. The judges were men whom the people recognized as called of God to their office (Judg. 2. 16; 3. 9; 6. 11-13). 3. =Their authority= rested not on law, nor on armies, but on the personal elements of integrity and leadership in the men, and on the general belief in their inspiration. They spoke to the people with the authority of a messenger from God. They arose in some hour of great need, and after the immediate danger was over held their power until the end of their lives. 4. =The Extent of Their Rule= was generally local, over a few tribes in one section. Debīo-rah ruled in the north (Judg. 5. 14-18); Jephīthah governed only the east of the Jorīdan (Judg. 11. 29). Often more than one judge was ruling at the same time; probably Samīson and Eīli were contemporaneous. Gidīe-on and Samīu-el alone ruled all the twelve tribes. Blackboard Outline I. =Cond. Isr.= _Fav._ 1. Mtn. Loc. 2. Rac. Un. 3. Rel. Inst. _Unfav._ 1. Nat. Rac. 2. Lac. Cent. Gov. 3. Tri. Jeal. 4. Idol. Ten. II. =Jud. Isr.= 1. Off. 2. App. 3. Auth. 4. Ex. Ru. Review Questions Between what events was this period? What were its traits? What were the conditions favorable to Isīra-el during this period? How did their location aid the Isīra-el-ites? Wherein were the Isīra-el-ites one people? How did their religious institutions keep them together? What were the unfavorable and dangerous elements in the condition of Isīra-el? How were they in danger from the native races? What was lacking in the government of Isīra-el? What two tribes were in rivalry? What was the effect of this jealousy? What analogy is found in ancient history? How was the same principle illustrated in modern times? What evil tendency was manifested in Isīra-el through nearly all its history? What causes are assigned for this tendency? What was the office of a judge in Isīra-el? How were the judges appointed? What was their authority? How widely did their rule extend? III. =The Oppressions and Deliverers.= During these centuries the influences already named brought Isīra-el many times under the domination of foreign power. The story was always the same: forsaking God, following idols, subjection, reformation, victory, and temporary prosperity. We notice the seven oppressions. Some of these were undoubtedly contemporaneous. 1. =The Mes-o-po-taīmi-an Oppression= (Judg. 3. 7-11). Probably this was over the southern portion, and the invaders came by the east and around the Dead Sea, as earlier invaders from the same land had come (Gen. 14. 1-7). The deliverer was Othīni-el, the first judge, and the only judge of the tribe of Juīdah. 2. =The Moīab-ite Oppression= (Judg. 3. 12-30). Over the eastern and central section, including Eīphra-im (verse 27); deliverer, Eīhud, the second judge; battle fought at the ford of the river Jorīdan (verse 28). 3. =The Early Phi-lisītine Oppression= (Judg. 3. 31). Over the southwest, on the frontier of Juīdah; deliverer, Shamīgar. 4. =The Caīnaan-ite Oppression= (Judg. 4). Over the northern tribes; deliverer, Debīo-rah, the woman judge; battle at Mount Taībor. 5. =The Midīi-an-ite Oppression= (Judg. 6. 1-6). Over the northern center, especially Ma-nasīseh, east; the most severe of all; deliverer, Gidīe-on, the greatest of the judges (Judg. 6. 11, 12); battle, on Mount Gil-boīa (Judg. 7), followed by other victories (Judg. 8). 6. THE AMīMON-ITE OPPRESSION (Judg. 10. 7-9). Note an alliance between the Amīo-rites and Phi-lisītines, which is suggestive; mainly over the tribes on the east of Jorīdan; deliverer, Jephīthah[11] (Judg. 11); victory at A-roīer (verse 33). 7. THE PHI-LISīTINE OPPRESSION (Judg. 13). This was the most protracted of all, for it extended, with intervals of freedom, for a hundred years; embraced all the land, but was most heavily felt south of Mounts Carīmel and Gil-boīa. The liberation was begun by Samīson (Judg. 13. 5), but he was led astray by sensual lusts and became a failure. Freedom was later won by Samīu-el at the battle of Eb-en-eīzer (1 Sam. 7. 7-14); but the oppression was renewed in the time of Saul, and became heavier than ever (1 Sam. 13. 17-20). Finally the yoke was broken by Daīvid, in a succession of victories, ending with the capture of Gath, the Phi-lisītine capital (2 Sam. 5. 17-25; 1 Chron. 18. 1). Note with each oppression: 1.) The oppressor. 2.) The section oppressed. 3.) The deliverer. 4.) The battlefield. IV. =The General Aspects of the Period.= 1. It was an age of =individuality=. There was no strong government to oppress the people, to concentrate all the life of the nation at the court, and to repress individuality. Contrast Perīsia with Greece; Rome under the emperors with Rome as a republic. As men were needed they were raised up, for there was opportunity for character. Hence it was an age of heroes--Othīni-el, Eīhud, Shamīgar, Gidīe-on, Jephīthah, Samīson, Samīu-el, etc. Free institutions bring strong men to the front. 2. It was an age of =neglect of the law=. During all this period there is no allusion to the law of Moīses. Its regulations were ignored, except so far as they belonged to the common law of conscience and right. The laws of Moīses were not deliberately disobeyed, but were ignorantly neglected. Even good men, as Gidīe-on and Samīu-el, built altars and offered sacrifices (Judg. 6. 24; 1 Sam. 7. 9) contrary to the letter of the law of Moīses, but obeying its spirit. 3. Nevertheless, it was an age of =progress=. There were alternate advancements and retrogressions; yet we see a people with energy, rising in spite of their hindrances. By degrees government became more settled (1 Sam. 7. 15-17), foreign relations arose (1 Sam. 7. 14; Ruth 1. 1), and the people began to look toward a more stable system (1 Sam. 8. 4-6). Hints to the Teacher 1. See that the outline is thoroughly committed to memory, and test the pupil's knowledge by calling upon him to read at sight the Blackboard Outline below. 2. Draw on the board an outline map of Palīes-tine, and indicate upon it in succession the portions occupied in each of the oppressions. Blackboard Outline I. =Cond. Isr.= _Fav._ 1. Mtn. Loc. 2. Rac. Un. 3. Rel. Ins. _Unfav._ 1. Nat. Rac. 2. Lac. Cent. Gov. 3. Tri. Jeal. 4. Idol. Ten. II. =Jud. Isr.= 1. Off. 2. App. 3. Auth. 4. Ext. Ru. III. =Opp. and Deliv.= _Opp._ _Sec._ _Deliv._ _Batt.-fie._ 1. Mes. Sou. Oth. 2. Moab. Ea. cen. Ehu. For. Jor. 3. Ea. Phil. So.-wes. Sham. 4. Can. Nor. Deb. Mt. Tab. 5. Mid. Nor. cen. Gid. Mt. Gil. 6. Amm. East. Jeph. Aro. 7. Phil. All. Sams. Saml. Eben. Dav. Gath. IV. =Gen. Asp. Per.= 1. Ind. 2. Neg. Law. 3. Prog. Review Questions What resulted from these evil tendencies in Isīra-el? How many oppressors were there? Who were the first oppressors? Over what part of the country was the first oppression? Who delivered Isīra-el from it? What was the second oppression? What part of the country suffered from it? Who was the deliverer? Where was the battle fought? What was the third oppression, and where? Who delivered Isīra-el? What was the fourth oppression? Where was it? Who was the deliverer? Where was the victory won? What was the fifth oppression? Over what part of the country was it? Who delivered Isīra-el from it? What was the sixth oppression? Over what part of the land was it? Who delivered from it? What was the last oppression? How did it differ from the others? What three names are associated in the deliverance from its power? What are the three general aspects of this period? NINTH STUDY The Rise of the Israelite Empire PART ONE The coronation of Saul marks an epoch in the history of Isīra-el. From that point, for five hundred years, the chosen people were under the rule of kings. I. =The Causes Leading to the Monarchy.= The kingdom was not an accidental nor a sudden event. There had been a gradual preparation for it through all the period of the judges. 1. Notice the =tendency toward settled government=. In the time of Gidīe-on the people desired him to become a king (Judg. 8. 22, 23). His son attempted to make himself a king, but failed (Judg. 9). We find judges setting up a semi-royal state, and making marriages for their children outside of their tribe (Judg. 12. 9, 13, 14); and associating their sons with themselves (Judg. 10. 4; 1 Sam. 8. 1, 2). All these show a monarchical trend in the time. 2. Another cause was the =consolidation of the surrounding nations=. In the days of the conquest there were few kings in the lands neighboring Paīles-tine. We read of "lords" and "elders," but no kings, among the Phi-lisītines, the Moīab-ites, the Amīmon-ites, and the Phoe-niīcians (Judg. 3. 3; 1 Sam. 5. 8; Num. 22. 7). But a wave of revolution swept over all those lands, and very soon we find that every nation around Isīra-el had its king (1 Sam. 21. 10; 12. 12; 22. 3; 2 Sam. 5. 11). The movement of Isīra-el toward monarchy was in accordance with this spirit. 3. There was a =danger of invasion=, which impelled the Isīra-el-ites to seek for a stronger government (1 Sam. 12. 12). They felt themselves weak, while other nations were organized for conquest, and desired a king for leader in war. 4. Then, too, the =rule of Samīu-el= led the Isīra-el-ites to desire a better organization of the government. For a generation they had enjoyed the benefit of a wise, strong, and steady rule. They felt unwilling to risk the dangers of tribal dissension after the death of Samīu-el, and therefore they sought for a king. 5. But underlying all was the =worldly ambition= of the people. They were not willing to remain the people of God and work out a peculiar destiny. They wished to be like the nations around, to establish a secular state, to conquer an empire for themselves (1 Sam 8. 5-20). It was this worldly spirit, whose results Samīu-el saw, which made him unwilling to accede to the wish of the Isīra-el-ites. But the very things against which he warned them (1 Sam. 8. 11-18) were just what they desired. II. =The Character of the Isīra-el-ite Kingdom.= When men change their plans God changes his. He desired Isīra-el to remain a republic, and not to enter into worldly relations and aims. When, however, the Isīra-el-ites were determined God gave them a king (1 Sam. 8. 22); but his rule was not to be like that of the nations around Isīra-el. We ascertain the divine ideal of a kingdom for his chosen people: 1. =It was a theocratic kingdom.= That is, it recognized God as the supreme ruler, and the king as his representative, to rule in accordance with his will, and not by his own right. Only as people and king conformed to this principle could the true aims of the kingdom be accomplished (1 Sam. 12. 13-15). And if the king should deviate from this order he should lose his throne. Disobedience to the divine will caused the kingdom to pass from the family of Saul to that of Daīvid (1 Sam. 13. 13, 14; 15. 26). 2. =It was a constitutional kingdom.= The rights of the people were carefully guaranteed, and there was a written constitution (1 Sam. 10. 25). Nearly all the Oriental countries have always been governed by absolute monarchs, but Isīra-el was an exception to this rule. The people could demand their rights from Re-ho-boīam (1 Kings 12. 3, 4). Aīhab could not take away nor even buy Naīboth's vineyard against its owner's will (1 Kings 21. 1-3). No doubt the rights of the people were often violated, but the violation was contrary to the spirit of the monarchy. 3. =It was regulated by the prophets.= The order of prophets had a regular standing in the Isīra-el-ite state. The prophet was a check upon the power of the king, as a representative both of God's will and the people's rights. He spoke not only of his own opinions, but by the authority of God. Notice instances of the boldness of prophets in rebuking kings (1 Sam. 15. 16-23; 2 Sam. 12. 1-7; 1 Kings 13. 1-6; 17. 1; 22. 7-17). The order of prophets was like the House of Commons, between the king and the people. III. =The Reign of Saul.= 1. This may be divided into two parts: 1.) A _period of prosperity_, during which Saul ruled well, and freed Isīra-el from its oppressors on every side (1 Sam. 14. 47, 48). 2.) Then a _period of decline_, in which Saul's kingdom seems to be falling in pieces, and only preserved by the prowess and ability of Daīvid. After Daīvid's exile the Phi-lisītines again overran Isīra-el, and Saul's reign ended in defeat and death. 2. We observe that Saul's reign was =a failure=, and left the tribes in worse condition than it found them. 1.) He failed _in uniting the tribes_; for tribal jealousies continued (1 Sam. 10. 27), and at the close of his reign broke out anew in the establishment of rival thrones (2 Sam. 2. 4, 8, 9). 2.) He failed _in making friends_. He alienated Samīu-el, and with him the order of prophets (1 Sam. 15. 35); he alienated Daīvid, the ablest young man of his age and the rising hope of Isīra-el, and drove him into exile (1 Sam. 21. 10); he alienated the entire order of the priests, and caused many of them to be massacred (1 Sam. 22. 18). 3.) He failed _to advance religion_, left the tabernacle in ruins, left the ark in seclusion, broke up the service, and drove the priests whom he did not murder into exile (1 Sam. 22. 20-23). 4.) He failed _to liberate Isīra-el_; at his death the yoke of the Phi-lisītines was more severe than ever before (1 Sam. 31. 1-7). The most charitable view of Saul was that he was insane during the latter years of his life. The cause of his failure was a desire to reign as an absolute monarch, and an unwillingness to submit to the constitution of the realm. [For Blackboard Outline and Review Questions see end of the lesson.] PART TWO IV. =The Reign of Daīvid.= This was a brilliant period; for it was led by a great man, in nearly every respect the greatest, after Moīses, in Isīra-el-ite history. 1. Notice the =condition of Isīra-el at his accession=. This will throw into relief the greatness of his character and his achievements. 1.) It was a _subject people_. Under Phi-lisītine yoke; its warriors slain, many of its cities deserted; Daīvid himself probably at first tributary to the king of Gath. 2.) It was a _disorganized people_. The tribes were divided; national unity was lost; and two thrones were set up, one at Heībron, the other at Ma-ha-naī-im (2 Sam. 2. 4-9). [Illustration: EMPIRE OF =DAVID=] 3.) It was a _people without religion_. The tabernacle was gone; the ark was in neglect; there was no altar and no sacrifice; the priests had been slain. We can scarcely imagine Isīra-el at a lower ebb than when Daīvid was called to the throne. 2. We ascertain =Daīvid's achievements=, the results of his reign. 1.) _He united the tribes._ At first crowned king by Juīdah only, later he was made king over all the tribes, by the desire of all (2 Sam. 5. 1-5). During his reign we find but little trace of the old feud between Eīphra-im and Juīdah, though it was not dead, and destined yet to rend the kingdom asunder. 2.) _He subjugated the land._ The conquest of Palīes-tine, left incomplete by Joshīu-a, and delayed for nearly three hundred years, was finished at last by Daīvid in the capture of Jeībus, or Je-ruīsa-lem (2 Sam. 5. 6, 7), in the overthrow of the Phi-lisītines (2 Sam. 5. 17-25), and in the final capture of their capital city (1 Chron. 18. 1). At last Isīra-el was possessor of its own land. 3.) _He organized the government._ He established a capital (2 Sam. 5. 9). He built a palace (2 Sam. 5. 11); notice that the builders were from Tyre, showing that the Isīra-el-ites were not advanced in the arts. He established a system of government, with officers in the court and throughout the realm (1 Chron. 27. 25-34). Contrast all this with Saul, who ruled from his tent, like a Bedīou-in sheik. 4.) _He established an army._ There was a royal bodyguard, probably of foreigners, like that of many European kings in modern times (2 Sam. 8. 18; 15. 18). There was a band of heroes, like Arthur's Round Table (2 Sam. 23. 8-39). There was "the host," the available military force, divided into twelve divisions, one on duty each month (1 Chron. 27. 1-15). 5.) _He established religion._ No sooner was Daīvid on the throne than he brought the ark out of its hiding place, and gave it a new home in his capital (1 Chron. 16. 1). The priesthood was organized, and divided into courses for the service of the tabernacle (1 Chron. 23. 27-32; 24. 1-19). He wrote many psalms, and caused others to be written, for the worship of God. Two prophets stood by his throne (1 Chron. 29. 29), and two high priests stood by the altar (1 Chron. 24. 3). This organization and uplifting of the public worship had a great effect upon the kingdom. 6.) _He conquered all the surrounding nations._ These wars were largely forced upon Daīvid by the jealousy of the neighboring kingdoms. In turn his armies conquered and annexed to his dominions the land of the Phi-lisītines (1 Chron. 18. 1), Moīab (2 Sam. 8. 2), Syrīi-a, even to the great river Eu-phraītes (2 Sam. 8. 3-6); Eīdom (2 Sam. 8. 14), Amīmon, and the country east of Palīes-tine (2 Sam. 10. 1-14; 12. 26-31). The empire of Daīvid thus extended from the frontier of Eīgypt to the Eu-phraītes River, fulfilling the promise of Josh. 1. 4. It was at least six times the area of the twelve tribes. 7.) We may add that _he reigned as a theocratic king_. He realized more than any other monarch the divine ideal of a ruler, and so was "the man after God's own heart" (1 Sam. 13. 14); if not altogether in personal character, yet in the principles of his government. He respected the rights of his subjects, had a sympathy for all people, obeyed the voice of the prophets, and sought the interests of God's cause.[12] Blackboard Outline I. =Cau. Lea. Mon.= 1. Ten. tow. set. gov. 2. Con. sur. nat. 3. Dan. inv. 4. Ru. Sam. 5. Wor. am. peo. II. =Char. Isr. Kin.= 1. Theo. kin. 2. Cons. kin. 3. Reg. by pro. III. =Rei. Sau.= 1. Pros. and dec. 2. Fai. 1.) Un. tri. 2.) Mak. fri. 3.) Adv. rel. 4.) Lib. Isr. IV. =Rei. Dav.= 1. Con. Isr. acc. 1.) Sub. 2.) Dis. 3.) Wit. rel. 2. Dav. achiev. 1.) Uni. tri. 2.) Sub. la. 3.) Org. gov. 4.) Est. ar. 5.) Est. rel. 6.) Conq. surr. nat. 7.) Rei. theo. kin. Questions for Review What event marks an epoch in Isīra-el-ite history? What were the causes leading to the monarchy? What events in the period of the judges show a tendency toward settled government? What changes in government in the surrounding nations helped to bring on the monarchy in Isīra-el? From what source did external danger lead the Isīra-el-ites to desire a king? How had Samīu-el unconsciously helped to prepare the way for a kingdom? What worldly spirit promoted the same result? What kind of a kingdom did God intend for Isīra-el? What is a theocratic kingdom? Wherein was Isīra-el an exception among Oriental kingdoms? By what institutions was the kingdom regulated? Name some instances of prophets rebuking kings. Into what two parts may Saul's reign be divided? Wherein was Saul a failure? How did he fail in gaining and holding friends? What was the condition of Isīra-el when Daīvid came to the throne? What were the achievements of Daīvid? What great incomplete work did Daīvid finish? What did he do in the organization of his kingdom? What was the arrangement of his army? What were his services to the cause of religion? What nations did he conquer? What was the extent of his empire? In what spirit did he rule? TENTH STUDY The Reign of Solomon PART ONE The reign of Solīo-mon may be regarded as the culminating period in the history of Isīra-el. But, strictly speaking, the latter part of Daīvid's reign and only the former part of Solīo-mon's constitute "the golden age of Isīra-el"; for Solīo-mon's later years manifested a decline, which after his death rapidly grew to a fall. I. =Solīo-mon's Empire= embraced all the lands from the Red Sea to the Eu-phraītes, and from the Med-i-ter-raīne-an to the Syrīi-an desert, except Phoe-niīcia, which was isolated by the Lebīa-non mountains. 1. Besides Palīes-tine, he ruled over Eīdom, Moīab, Amīmon, Syrīi-a (here referring to the district having Da-masīcus as its capital), Zoībah, and Haīmath. 2. On the Gulf of Akīa-ba, Eīzi-on-geīber was his southern port (1 Kings 9. 26); on the Med-i-ter-raīne-an, Gaīza (Azīzah) was his limit; in the extreme north, Tiphīsah, by the Eu-phraītes (1 Kings 4. 24); in the desert, Tadīmor, afterward Pal-myīra (1 Kings 9. 18). II. =His Foreign Relations= were extensive, for the first and only time in the history of Isīra-el. 1. His earliest treaty was _with Tyre_ (Phoe-niīcia), whose king had been his father's friend (1 Kings 5. 1). (What this alliance brought to Solīo-mon see 1 Kings 5. 6-10; 2 Chron. 2. 3-14.) 2. His relations _with Eīgypt_: in commerce (1 Kings 10. 28, 29); in marriage, a bold departure from Isīra-el-ite customs (1 Kings 3. 1). Perhaps Psalm 45 was written upon this event. 3. _With A-raībi-a_, the land bordering on the southern end of the Red Sea (1 Kings 10. 1-10, 14. 15). 4. _With the Far East_, perhaps India, referred to in 1 Kings 9. 21-28. 5. _With the West_, perhaps as far as Spain, the Tarīshish of 1 Kings 10. 22. III. =His Buildings.= No king of Isīra-el ever built so many and so great public works as did Solīo-mon. Among these are named: 1. _The temple_, on Mount Mo-riīah, to be described later. [Illustration: PLAN OF SOLOMON'S PALACE. (According to Stade.) "Reprinted from Kent's History of the Hebrew People, from the Settlement in Canaan to the Division of the Kingdom. Copyrighted, 1896, by Charles Scribner's Sons."] 2. _His own palace_, south of the temple precincts, on the slope of Oīphel and Mo-riīah. This consisted of several buildings, as follows: 1.) The House of the Forest of Lebīa-non, so called because of its many columns of cedar; this was the forecourt, or entrance. 2.) The Porch to the Palace. 3.) The Throne Hall. 4.) The King's Palace. 5.) The Queen's Palace, or Harem. 3. _His fortified cities_, forming a cordon around his kingdom. (See the lists of these in 1 Kings 9. 17-19.) 4. _His aqueducts_, some of which may still be seen (Eccl. 2. 4-6). IV. But all was not bright in the reign of Solīo-mon. We must notice also =His Sins=, for they wrought great results of evil in the after years. 1. That which led to all his other sins was his _foreign marriages_ (1 Kings 11. 1-4). These were the natural and inevitable results of his foreign relations, and were probably effected for political reasons as well as to add to the splendor of his court. 2. His _toleration of idolatry_, perhaps actual participation in it (1 Kings 11. 5-8). We cannot overestimate the harm of Solīo-mon's influence in this direction. At once it allied him with the lower and evil elements in the nation, and lost to him the sympathy of all the earnest souls.[13] 3. Another of Solīo-mon's sins, not named in Scripture, but referred to in many legends of the East, may have been a _devotion to magical arts_. He appears in Oriental traditions as the great master of forces in the invisible world, engaging in practices forbidden by the law of Moīses (Lev. 19. 31; Deut. 18. 10, 11). Blackboard Outline I. =Sol. Emp.= Pal. Ed. Mo. Amm. Syr. Zob. Ham. E.-G. G. T. T. II. =For. Rel.= Ty. Eg. Ar. F. E. W. III. =Buil.= 1. Tem. 2. Pal. 1.) H. F. L. 2.) P. 3.) T. H. 4.) K. P. 5.) Q. P. IV. =Sins.= 1. For. mar. 2. Tol. idol. 3. Mag. Review Questions What is the reign of Solīo-mon called? How far is that a correct title? What lands were included in Solīo-mon's empire? What cities were on its boundaries? With what countries did Solīo-mon have treaties and foreign relations? How was Solīo-mon connected with the court of Eīgypt? What were some of Solīo-mon's buildings? Name the various parts of his palace. What were the sins of Solīo-mon? PART TWO V. =General Aspects of Isīra-el in the Reign of Solīo-mon.= 1. =It was a period of peace.= For sixty years there were no wars This gave opportunity for development, for wealth, and for culture. 2. =It was a period of strong government.= The age of individual and tribal energy was ended, and now all the life of the nation was gathered around the throne. All the tribes were held under one strong hand; tribal lines were ignored in the government of the empire; every department was organized. 3. =It was a period of wide empire.= It was Isīra-el's opportunity for power in the East; for the old Chal-deīan empire had broken up, the new As-syrīi-an empire had not arisen, and Eīgypt was passing through a change of rulers and was weak. For one generation Isīra-el held the supremacy in the Oriental world. 4. =It was a period of abundant wealth= (1 Kings 3. 12, 13; 4. 20; 10. 23, 27). The sources of this wealth were: 1.) The _conquests_ of Daīvid, who had plundered many nations and left his accumulated riches to Solīo-mon (1 Chron. 22. 14-16). 2.) The _tribute_ of the subject kingdoms, doubtless heavy (1 Kings 10. 25). 3.) _Commerce_ with foreign countries (Eīgypt, A-raībi-a, Tarīshish, and Oīphir) in ancient times was not carried on by private enterprise, but by the government. The _trade_ of the East from Eīgypt and Tyre passed through Solīo-mon's dominions, enriching the land. 4.) There were also _taxes_ laid upon the people (1 Kings 4. 7-19; 12. 4). 5.) The erection of _public buildings_ must have enriched many private citizens and made money plenty. 5. =It was a period of literary activity.= The books written during this epoch were Samīu-el, Psalms (in part), Provīerbs (in part), and perhaps Ec-cle-si-asītes and Solīo-mon's Song. Not all the writings of Solīo-mon have been preserved (1 Kings 4. 32, 33). VI. =Dangers of the Period.= There was an A-raībi-an tradition that in Solīo-mon's staff, on which he leaned, there was a worm secretly gnawing it asunder. So there were elements of destruction under all the splendor of Solīo-mon's throne. 1. =The absolute power of the king.= Daīvid had maintained the theocratic constitution of the state; Solīo-mon set it aside and ruled with absolute power in all departments. He assumed priestly functions (1 Kings 8. 22, 54, 64); he abolished tribal boundaries in his administration (1 Kings 4. 7-19); he ignored both priests and prophets, and concentrated all rule in his own person. 2. =The formal character of the worship.= There was a magnificent temple and a gorgeous ritual, but none of the warmth and personal devotion which characterized the worship of Daīvid. The fervor of the Da-vidīic Psalms is wanting in the literature of Solīo-mon's age. 3. =Luxury and corruption of morals.= These are the inevitable results of abundant riches and worldly association. We do not need the warnings of Prov. 2. 16-19; 5. 3-6, etc., to know what a flood of immorality swept over Je-ruīsa-lem and Isīra-el. 4. =The burden of taxation.= With a splendid court, an immense harem, and a wealthy nobility came high prices and high taxes; the rich growing richer rapidly, the poor becoming poorer. The events of the next reign show how heavy and unendurable these burdens grew. 5. =Heathen customs.= With the foreign peoples came the toleration of idolatry, its encouragement, and all the abominations connected with it. Jer-o-boīam could not have established his new religion (1 Kings 12. 28) if Solīo-mon had not already patronized idol worship. 6. Underlying all was the old =tribal jealousy= of Eīphra-im and Juīdah, fostered by an able leader (1 Kings 12. 26), ready to break out in due time and destroy the empire. Blackboard Outline V. =Gen. Asp. Isr.= 1. Pea. 2. Str. gov. 3. Wi. emp. 4. Abun. weal. 1.) Conq. 2.) Trib. 3.) Com. 4.) Tax. 5.) Pub. build. 5. Lit. act. VI. =Dan. Per.= 1. Abs. pow. 2. For. wor. 3. Lux. cor. mor. 4. Bur. tax. 5. Hea. cus. 6. Tri. jeal. Questions for Review Name five general aspects of Isīra-el in Solīo-mon's reign? What were the benefits of the peace at that time? What was the characteristic of Solīo-mon's administration? What opportunity did the age give to a great empire for Isīra-el? What were the sources of the wealth in Solīo-mon's age? How was it a period of literary activity? What ancient legend illustrates the dangers of Solīo-mon's age? What were some of the dangers? Wherein did Solīo-mon set aside the Isīra-el-ite constitution? What was the defect in the religion of Solīo-mon's time? What evils resulted from the wealth of that time? What caused heavy taxation? What heathen customs were introduced? What showed that tribal jealousy was still existing? Hints to the Teacher and Class 1. See that the outline of the lesson is learned, with all its divisions and subdivisions. Let a scholar place each division of the outline on the blackboard in the form given in the Blackboard Outline, and then let another scholar read it to the class. 2. Have a map of Solīo-mon's empire drawn, with each of the subject lands shown upon it. "Bound" the empire; that is, name the countries surrounding it. 3. Let the diagram of buildings on Mount Mo-riīah and Oīphel be drawn by one pupil, and explained by another. 4. Let the Review Questions be studied until they can be answered correctly. ELEVENTH STUDY The Temple on Mount Moriah The most famous of all the buildings erected by Solīo-mon, though by no means the largest, was the temple. It is so frequently mentioned in the Bible, and was so closely connected with the religious and secular history, both in the Old Testament and the New, that a detailed study of it is needed. I. =The Three Temples.= All these stood in succession upon the same site, and were arranged upon the same general plan. 1. _Solīo-mon's Temple._ Built about B. C. 970, and standing until B. C. 587, when it was destroyed by the Bab-y-loīni-ans (2 Kings 25. 8, 9). 2. _Ze-rubība-bel's Temple._ After lying desolate more than fifty years the second temple was begun about B. C. 534, under Ze-rubība-bel, the ruler of the exiles returned from Babīy-lon (Ezra 3. 8). This temple was far inferior in splendor to the first, but soon became the object of pilgrimage to Jews from all lands and the center of Jewīish national and religious life. 3. _Herīod's Temple._ The second temple having become dilapidated, Herīod the Great undertook its restoration on a magnificent scale. The work was begun about B. C. 20 and was not completed until A. D. 64. In the lifetime of Jeīsus it was not yet finished (John 2. 20). This temple was destroyed by the Roīmans under Tiītus, A. D. 70. Its site is now occupied partially by the Dome of the Rock, miscalled the Mosque of Oīmar, in Je-ruīsa-lem. [Illustration] II. =The Situation.= The city of Je-ruīsa-lem stood upon hills separated by three valleys radiating in a fanlike order, from a point at the southeast. Northward runs the valley of the Kidīron; northwest the valley of the Ty-roīpoe-on, now almost obliterated; almost westward, with a curve northward, the valley of Hinīnom. Between the valley of the Kidīron and the valley of the Ty-roīpoe-on were two hills--on the north Mount Mo-riīah, and a little to the south a spur of lower elevation known as Oīphel. On Mount Mo-riīah stood the temple, on Oīphel the buildings of Solīo-mon's palace. Later the temple area was enlarged to include both these hills. West of Mo-riīah, across the Ty-roīpoe-on valley, was Mount Ziīon, upon which the principal part of the city stood. III. =The House of the Lord.= This was a building not large, but magnificent and costly; made of stone and cedar, and decorated lavishly with gold and precious stones. It consisted of four parts: 1. _The Porch_, a lofty tower facing the east. Two pillars, either in the tower at the entrance or standing apart before it, are named (1 Kings 7. 21). The interior dimensions of the porch were about 30 feet from north to south, and 15 feet east and west[14] (1 Kings 6. 3). 2. _The Holy Place_ was west of the porch, and was a chamber 60 feet long by 30 wide, and perhaps 30 feet high. In it stood, on the north, the table for "the showbread"--that is, the twelve loaves shown before the Lord; on the south, the golden candlestick, or lampstand[15]; and at the western end the golden altar of incense. 3. _The Holy of Holies_, or "the oracle" (1 Kings 6. 19, 20), was a cube, each dimension being 30 feet. It had no windows, but received a dim light through the veil which separated it from the adjoining room. This place was entered by the high priest only, and on but one day in the year, the day of atonement. The only article of furniture in the room was the Ark of the Covenant, containing the two stone tables of the law. The Ark doubtless was destroyed with the first temple, and in the second and third temples its place was indicated by a marble block, upon which the blood was sprinkled. [Illustration: THE TEMPLE] 4. _The Chambers_ were rooms for the priests, situated around the house, with entrance from without. They were in three stories, and were set apart for the residence of the priests while employed in the services of the temple. Each priest served two weeks in the year; not, however, two weeks in succession, but six months apart, and lived at his home for the rest of the time. In similar chambers around the old tabernacle Eīli and Samīu-el slept (1 Sam. 3. 2, 3). IV. The =Court of the Priests= was an open, unroofed quadrangle surrounding the House of the Lord, but mainly in front, toward the east. It was about 200 feet wide, north and south, by 275 feet long, east and west, a few feet lower in elevation than the floor of the temple proper. Here stood the great _Altar of Burnt Offering_, upon which the daily sacrifice was offered, its site now shown under the Dome of the Rock; and near the door to the house _the Laver_ for washing the sacrifices. Solīo-mon built also a great "_Sea_," or reservoir of water, standing on the backs of twelve oxen, all of "brass," probably copper (1 Kings 7. 23-26). This was broken up by the Bab-y-loīni-ans, B. C. 587 (2 Kings 25. 13), and was not replaced in the later temples. V. Around the Court of the Priests was another and larger corridor, the =Court of Isīra-el=, or "the men's court." In the later temples this was 320 by 240 feet in dimensions, 26 feet wide on the north and south, 24 feet wide on the east and west. The size of this court in Solīo-mon's temple is not given, but was probably the same as in later times. This was the standing place of the worshipers (exclusively men) as they witnessed the service. VI. These were the only courts around the first temple, as the space to the south of the last-named court was occupied by Solīo-mon's palaces, from which a magnificent flight of steps ascended to the temple area (1 Kings 10. 5). After these buildings were destroyed the latest temple, that of Herīod, included their site in additional courts and buildings for the worship. East of the Court of Isīra-el, and a little lower, stood the =Court of the Women=, 200 feet square, having a lattice gallery on the western side, from which the women could look on the services of the altar. This court was also called "the Treasury" (John 8. 20) from the gift boxes fastened upon the wall (Mark 12. 41, 42). In each corner of this court was a room said to be 60 feet square, with an open roof. VII. Around all these buildings and courts, with Herīod's temple, but not with Solīo-mon's, was the =Court of the Genītiles=, an irregular quadrangle of about 1,000 feet on each side (north 990, east 1,000, south 960, west 1,060). The wall on the east was surmounted by a double row of columns, and called Solīo-mon's Porch (John 10. 23; Acts 3. 12). The "Beautiful Gate" was from the Court of the Genītiles to the eastern side of the Court of the Women (Acts 3. 1), through which the people passed on their way to the public worship. The narrow corridor extending entirely around the Court of the Women and the Court of Isīra-el was called "Chel"--that is, the sacred inclosure--and no one except an Isīra-el-ite was permitted to enter it. The Court of the Genītiles was not regarded by the Jews as sacred, since foreigners were allowed within it, and in its area had grown up a market for the sale of animals for sacrifice and tables for the exchanging of foreign money. Twice this court was purged of these desecrations by Jeīsus (John 2. 13-17; Matt. 21. 12, 13). The principal access to the temple in the time of Christ was a bridge over the Ty-roīpoe-on valley from Mount Ziīon. Of this bridge a fragment of one arch still remains, known as "Robīin-son's Arch." The immediate surroundings of the temple, in the New Testament period, were the following: 1. On the north stood the Castle or Tower of An-toīni-a, erected by the Roīmans for the control of the temple area. 2. On the east was the valley of the Kidīron. 3. On the south and west lay the curving valley of the Ty-roīpoe-on. Blackboard Outline I. =Thr. Tem.= 1. Sol. 970-587. 2. Zer. 534. 3. Her. B. C. 20. A. D. 70. II. =Situa.= Vall. Kid. Tyr. Hin. Mts. Mor. Oph. Zi. III. =Hou. Lor.= 1. Por. 30x15. 2. H. P. 30x60. 3. H. H. 30x30. 4. Chamb. IV. =Cou. Pri.= 200x275. Alt. Lav. "Sea." V. =Cou. Isr.= 240x320. VI. =Cou. Wom.= 200x200. "Treas." Rooms. VII. =Cou. Gen.= 1,000. "Chel." Market. Bridge. Hints to the Teacher and the Class Let each pupil in turn draw on the blackboard one of the departments or courts of the temple, state its dimensions, and explain its uses. Let a pupil recite the history of each temple. Let one pupil state in what parts of the temple Jeīsus walked and taught, and another events in the life of Saint Paul connected with the temple. Review Questions Who built the first temple, how long did it stand, and by whom was it destroyed? Who built the second temple, and at what time? Who built the third temple? When was it begun, finished, and destroyed? What building now stands on the site of the temple? Between what three valleys was Je-ruīsa-lem situated? Give a description of each valley. Where were Mo-riīah, Oīphel, and Ziīon located? Into what four parts was the "House of the Lord," or temple proper, divided? What were the dimensions and what was the location of the Porch? Describe the Holy Place and its contents. Describe the Holy of Holies. What took the place of the Ark in the later temples? What were the Chambers, and where were they situated? Where was the Court of the Priests? What were its dimensions? What stood in this court? Where was the Court of Isīra-el? What were its dimensions and uses? What stood outside the Court of Isīra-el adjoining Solīo-mon's temple? Where was the Court of the Women in the latest temple? Describe this court and its uses? What was the exterior court to the temple in the time of Christ? What were the dimensions of this court? Where was the "Beautiful Gate"? Where was the "Chel"? Where was Solīo-mon's Porch? How was this court used by the Jews? What did Jeīsus do in this court? What was the principal means of access to the temple? What were the immediate surroundings of the temple? TWELFTH STUDY The Kingdom of Israel PART ONE The splendors of Solīo-mon's reign passed away even more suddenly than they arose. In less than a year after his death his empire was broken up, and two quarreling principalities were all that was left of Isīra-el. I. Let us ascertain the =Causes of the Division of Isīra-el=. These were: 1. =The oppressive government of Solīo-mon= (1 Kings 12. 3, 4). How far the complaints of the people were just, and to what degree they were the pretexts of an ambitious demagogue, we have no means of knowing. But it is evident that the government of Solīo-mon, with its courts, its palaces, its buildings, and its splendor, must have borne heavily upon the people. Probably, also, the luxury of living among the upper classes, so suddenly introduced, led to financial crises and stringency of money, for which the government was held responsible by the discontented people. 2. =The opposition of the prophets= (1 Kings 11. 11-13, 29-33). It is a suggestive fact that the prophets were opposed to Solīo-mon and friendly to Jer-o-boīam. Their reason was a strong resentment to the foreign alliances, foreign customs, and especially to the foreign idolatries which Solīo-mon introduced. 3. =Foreign intrigues=, especially in Eīgypt. The old kingdoms were not friendly to this Isīra-el-ite empire, which loomed up so suddenly, and threatened to conquer all the East. Solīo-mon's attempt to win the favor of Eīgypt by a royal marriage (1 Kings 3. 1) was a failure, for two enemies of Solīo-mon, driven out of his dominions, found refuge in Eīgypt, were admitted to the court, married relatives of the king, and stirred up conspiracies against Solīo-mon's throne (1 Kings 11. 14-22, 40). Another center of conspiracy was Da-masīcus, where Reīzon kept up a semi-independent relation to Solīo-mon's empire (1 Kings 11. 23-25). 4. =Tribal jealousy=; the old sore broken out again. Notice that Jer-o-boīam belonged to the haughty tribe of Eīphra-im (1 Kings 11. 26), always envious of Juīdah, and restless under the throne of Daīvid. The kingdom of the ten tribes was established mainly through the influence of this tribe. 5. =The ambition of Jer-o-boīam= was another force in the disruption. It was unfortunate for Solīo-mon's kingdom that the ablest young man of that time in Isīra-el, a wily political leader and an unscrupulous partisan, belonged to the tribe of Eīphra-im, and from his environment was an enemy of the then existing government. The fact that he was sent for from Eīgypt to the assembly at Sheīchem showed collusion and preparation of the scheme (1 Kings 12. 2, 3). 6. But all these causes might have been insufficient but for =the folly of Re-ho-boīam= (1 Kings 12. 13, 14). If Daīvid had been on the throne that day an empire might have been saved. But Re-ho-boīam, brought up in the purple, was without sympathy with the people, tried to act the part of a tyrant, and lost his ancestral realm (1 Kings 12. 16). II. =The Results of the Division.= These were partly political, partly religious, and were neither of unmixed good nor unmixed evil. 1. The =political results= were: 1.) The entire _disruption_ of Solīo-mon's empire. Five kingdoms took the place of one: Syrīi-a on the north, Isīra-el in the center, Juīdah west of the Dead Sea, Moīab east of the Dead Sea, and Eīdom on the extreme south. Moīab was nominally subject to Isīra-el, and Eīdom to Juīdah; but only strong kings, like Aīhab in Isīra-el and Je-hoshīa-phat in Juīdah, could exact the tribute (2 Kings 3. 4; 1 Kings 22. 47). 2.) With the loss of empire came _rivalry_, and consequent _weakness_. For fifty years Isīra-el and Juīdah were at war, and spent their strength in civil strife, while Syrīi-a was growing powerful, and in the far northeast As-syrīi-a was threatening. 3.) As a natural result came at last _foreign domination_. Both Isīra-el and Juīdah fell under the power of other nations and were swept into captivity, as the final result of the disruption wrought by Jer-o-boīam. 2. =The religious results= of the division were more favorable. They were: 1.) _Preservation of the true religion._ A great empire would inevitably have been the spiritual ruin of Isīra-el, for it must have been worldly, secular, and, in the end, idolatrous. The disruption broke off relation with the world, put an end to schemes of secular empire, and placed Isīra-el and Juīdah once more alone among their mountains. In this sense the event was from the Lord, who had higher and more enduring purposes than an earthly empire (1 Kings 12. 15-24). 2.) _Protection of the true religion._ Isīra-el on the north stood as a "buffer," warding off the world from Juīdah on the south. It was neither wholly idolatrous nor wholly religious, but was a debatable land for centuries. It fell at last, but it saved Juīdah; and in Juīdah was the unconscious hope of the world. 3.) _Concentration of the true religion._ The departure of Isīra-el from the true faith led to the gathering of the priests, Leīvites, and worshiping element of the people in Juīdah (2 Chron. 11. 13-16). Thus the Jewīish kingdom was far more devoted to Je-hoīvah than it might otherwise have been. Blackboard Outline I. =Cau. Div.= 1. Opp. gov. 2. Opp. pro. 3. For. int. 4. Tri. jeal. 5. Am. Jer. 6. Fol. Re. II. =Res. Div.= 1. Pol. res. 1.) Dis. emp. 2.) Riv. and weak. 3.) For. dom. 2. Rel. res. 1.) Pres. rel. 2.) Pro. rel. 3.) Conc. rel. Review Questions What causes may be assigned for the division of Isīra-el? How far was Solīo-mon's government responsible? What was the relation of the prophets to the revolution? What foreign intrigues contributed to break up the kingdom? Who were connected with these intrigues? What ancient jealousy aided, and how? What man led in the breaking up of the kingdom? Whose folly enabled the plot to succeed? What were the political results of the division? What were its religious results? How was this event from the Lord? Part Two III. =The Kingdom of Isīra-el.= From the division the name _Isīra-el_ was applied to the northern kingdom and _Juīdah_ to the southern. We notice the general aspects of Isīra-el during its history, from B. C. 934 to 721. 1. =Its extent.= It embraced all the territory of the twelve tribes except Juīdah and a part of Benīja-min (1 Kings 12. 19-21), held a nominal supremacy over Moīab east of the Dead Sea, and embraced about 9,375 square miles, while Juīdah included only 3,435. Isīra-el was about equal in area to Massachusetts and Rhode Island together. 2. =Its capital= was first at _Sheīchem_, in the center of the land (1 Kings 12. 25); then, during several reigns, at _Tirīzah_ (1 Kings 15. 33; 16. 23); then at _Sa-maīri-a_ (1 Kings 16. 24), where it remained until the end of the kingdom. That city after a time gave its name to the kingdom (1 Kings 21. 1), and after the fall of the kingdom to the province in the center of Palīes-tine (John 4. 3, 4). 3. =Its religion.= 1.) Very soon after the institution of the new kingdom Jer-o-boīam established a national religion, the _worship of the calves_ (1 Kings 12. 26-33). This was not a new form of worship, but had been maintained in Isīra-el ever since the exodus (Exod. 32. 1-4). In character it was a modified idolatry, halfway between the pure religion and the abominations of the heathen. 2.) Aīhab and his house introduced the Phoe-niīcian _worship of Baīal_, an idolatry of the most abominable and immoral sort (1 Kings 16. 30-33), but it never gained control in Isīra-el, and was doubtless one cause of the revolution which placed another family on the throne. 3.) Through the history of Isīra-el there remained a remnant of _worshipers of Je-hoīvah_, who were watched over by a noble array of prophets, and though often persecuted remained faithful (1 Kings 19. 14, 18). 4. =Its rulers.= During two hundred and fifty years Isīra-el was governed by nineteen kings, with intervals of anarchy. Five houses in turn held sway, each established by a usurper, generally a soldier, and each dynasty ending in a murder. 1.) _The House of Jer-o-boīam_, with two kings, followed by a general massacre of Jer-o-boīam's family (1 Kings 15. 29, 30). 2.) _The House of Baīa-sha_, two kings, followed by a civil war (1 Kings 16. 16-22). 3.) _The House of Omīri_, four kings, of whom Omīri and Aīhab were the most powerful. This was the age of the prophet E-liījah and the great struggle between the worship of Je-hoīvah and of Baīal (1 Kings 18. 4-21). 4.) _The House of Jeīhu_, five kings, under whom were great changes of fortune. The reign of Je-hoīa-haz saw Isīra-el reduced to a mere province of Syrīi-a (2 Kings 13. 1-9). His son Joīash threw off the Syrīi-an yoke, and _his_ son, Jer-o-boīam II, raised Isīra-el almost to its condition of empire in the days of Solīo-mon (2 Kings 14. 23-29). His reign is called "the Indian summer of Isīra-el." 5.) _The House of Menīa-hem_, two reigns. Isīra-el had by this time fallen under the power of As-syrīi-a, now dominant over the East, and its history is the story of kings rising and falling in rapid succession, with long intervals of anarchy. From the fall of this dynasty there was only the semblance of a state until the final destruction of Sa-maīri-a, B. C. 721. 5. =Its foreign relations.= During the period of the Isīra-el-ite kingdom we see lands struggling for the dominion of the East. The history of Isīra-el is interwoven with that of Syrīi-a and As-syrīi-a, which may now be read from the monuments. 1.) There was a _Period of Division_. During the reign of the houses of Jer-o-boīam and Baīa-sha there were constant wars between Isīra-el, Syrīi-a, and Juīdah; and as a result all were kept weak, and "a balance of power" was maintained. 2.) Then followed a _Period of Alliance_--that is, between Isīra-el and Juīdah, during the sway of the House of Omīri. The two lands were in friendly relations, and the two thrones were connected by marriages. As a result both Isīra-el and Juīdah were strong, Moīab and Eīdom were kept under control, and Syrīi-a was held in check. 3.) Next came the _Period of Syrīi-an Ascendency_. During the first two reigns of the House of Jeīhu, Syrīi-a rose to great power under Hazīa-el, and overran both Isīra-el and Juīdah. At one time Isīra-el was in danger of utter destruction, but was preserved. Near the close of these periods the dying prophecy of E-liīsha was uttered (2 Kings 13. 14-25). 4.) _The Period of Isīra-el-ite Ascendency._ Isīra-el under Jer-o-boīam II took its turn of power, and for a brief period was again dominant to the Eu-phraītes, as in the days of Solīo-mon. 5.) _The Period of As-syrīi-an Ascendency._ But its glory soon faded away before that of As-syrīi-a, which was now rapidly becoming the empire of the East. Its rise meant the fall of Isīra-el; and under the unfortunate Ho-sheīa, Sa-maīri-a was taken, what was left of the ten tribes were carried captive, and the kingdom of Isīra-el was extinguished (2 Kings 17. 1-6). IV. =The Fate of the Ten Tribes.= There has been much idle discussion over this subject and some absurd claims set up; for example, that the Anglo-Saxon race are descended from the ten lost tribes--a statement opposed to all history, to ethnology, and to every evidence of language. 1. After their deposition nearly all the Isīra-el-ites, having lost their national religion and having no bond of union, =mingled with the Genītiles= around them and lost their identity, just as hundreds of other races have done. The only bond which will keep a nation long alive is that of religion. 2. Some remained in Palīes-tine, others returned thither and formed the =nucleus of the Sa-marīi-tan people=, a race of mingled origin (2 Kings 17. 24-29). 3. Some of those who remained in the East retained their religion, or were revived in it, and later became a part of the =Jews of the dispersion=; though "the dispersion" was mainly Jewīish, and not Isīra-el-ite. 4. A few =families united with the Jews=, returned with them to Palīes-tine after the exile, yet retained their tribal relationship; for example, Anīna (Luke 2. 36). Blackboard Outline III. =Kin. Isr.= 1. Ext. 9,375. 2. Cap. 1.) Sh. 2.) Tir. 3.) Sam. 3. Rel. 1.) Wor. cal. 2.) Wor. Ba. 3.) Wor. Jeh. 4. Rul. 1.) Hou. Jer. 2.) Hou. Ba. 3.) Hou. Om. 4.) Hou. Je. 5.) Hou. Men. 5. For. Rel. 1.) Per. Div. 2.) Per. All. 3.) Per. Syr. Asc. 4.) Per. Isr. Asc. 5.) Per. Ass. Asc. IV. =Fat. Ten. Tri.= 1. Min. Gen. 2. Sam. Peo. 3. Disp. 4. Jews. Review Questions How long did the new kingdom of Isīra-el last? What was its extent? What were its three successive capitals? What three forms of religion were found in it? Who was the first king of the ten tribes? What family introduced foreign idolatry? How many kings ruled over the ten tribes? What were the five royal houses? Which house raised Isīra-el almost to its ancient power? What is this period of prosperity called? Who was the greatest king of Isīra-el? With what other history is that of Isīra el interwoven? What were the five periods in the foreign relations of Isīra-el? By what kingdom was Isīra-el destroyed? Who was its last king? What finally became of the ten tribes? THIRTEENTH STUDY The Kingdom of Judah I. =General Aspects of the Kingdom of Juīdah.= 1. =Its territory.= It embraced the mountain portion of the tribe of Juīdah, from the Dead Sea to the Phi-lisītine plain; a part of Benīja-min, in which tribe the larger part of Je-ruīsa-lem stood; and also a part of Dan (Chron. 11. 10). Simīe-on was nominally within its border, but was practically given up to the A-raībi-ans of the desert; Eīdom was tributary, though often in rebellion, and finally independent (1 Kings 22. 47; 2 Kings 8. 20); Phi-lisīti-a was outside of its boundary. Its extent was about 3,435 square miles, about half the area of Massachusetts. 2. =Its government= was a monarchy, with but one family on the throne, the line of Daīvid, in direct succession, with the exception of Ath-a-liīahīs usurpation (2 Kings 11. 1-3), through nineteen reigns. 3. =Its religion.= Through all the history we find two forms of worship strongly opposed to each other, yet both rooted in the nation. 1.) The worship of Je-hoīvah through the temple, the priesthood, and the prophets. 2.) But side by side with this pure religion was the worship of idols upon "high places," probably begun as a form of worshiping Je-hoīvah, but degenerating into gross and immoral idolatry. There was a struggle going on constantly between these two elements in the state, the spiritual and the material. Notwithstanding the efforts of reforming kings like Je-hoshīa-phat, Hez-e-kiīah, and Jo-siīah, the general tendency was downward. II. =The Duration of the Kingdom.= The kingdom lasted from B. C. 934 to 587--more than one hundred and thirty years longer than Isīra-el. Reasons for its endurance may have been: 1. =Its retired situation=: hemmed in by mountains and deserts; at a distance from the ordinary lines of travel; not in the direct path of conquest from any other nation. Juīdah had few foreign wars as compared with Isīra-el. 2. =The unity of its people.= They were not ten tribes loosely connected, but one tribe, with a passionate love of their nation and a pride in their blood. 3. =Its concentration at Je-ruīsa-lem.= Through all its history there was but one capital, where the palace of the king and the temple of the Lord were standing together. 4. =The reverence for the House of Daīvid= also kept the people together. There was no change in dynasty, and the loyalty of the people grew stronger through the generations toward the family on the throne. There being no usurpers, the throne was permanent until destroyed by foreign power. 5. =The purity of its religion= tended to keep the nation united and to keep it in existence. No bond of self-interest or of blood will hold a people together as strongly as the tie of religion. Juīdah's strength was in the measure of her service of God, and when she renounced Je-hoīvah her doom came speedily. III. =Periods in the History.= Though Juīdah was not without political contact with other nations, yet its history is the record of internal events rather than external relations. We may divide its history into four epochs. 1. =The first decline and revival.= 1.) The reigns of Re-ho-boīam and A-biījah marked a decline indicated by the E-gypītian invasion and the growth of idolatry. 2.) The reign of Aīsa and Je-hoshīa-phat showed a revival in reformation, progress, and power. Under Je-hoshīa-phat, Juīdah was at the height of prosperity. This was the time of peace with Isīra-el and of strength at home and abroad (2 Chron. 17. 5; 20. 30). 2. =The second decline and revival.= 1.) For nearly two hundred years after the death of Je-hoshīa-phat the course of Juīdah was downward. Eīdom was lost under Je-hoīram (2 Chron. 21. 8); the Baīal-ite idolatry was introduced by the usurping queen, Ath-a-liīah (2 Kings 11. 18); the land was again and again invaded under Joīash and Am-a-ziīah, and Je-ruīsa-lem itself was taken and plundered. 2.) But a great reformation was wrought under Hez-e-kiīah, who was the best and wisest of the kings of Juīdah, and the kingdom again rose to power, even daring to throw off the As-syrīi-an yoke and defy the anger of the mightiest king then on the earth. At this time came the great event of the destruction of the As-syrīi-an host (2 Kings 19. 35). 3. =The third decline and revival.= 1.) The reforms of Hez-e-kiīah were short-lived, for his son Ma-nasīseh was both the longest in reigning and the wickedest of the kings, and his late repentance did not stay the tide of corruption which he had let loose (2 Kings 21. 10-17; 2 Chron. 33. 1-18). The wickedness of Ma-nasīseh's reign was the great moral cause of the kingdom's destruction, for from it no reform afterward could lift the mass of the people. 2.) Jo-siīah, the young reformer, attempted the task, but his efforts, though earnest, were only measurably successful, and after his untimely death the kingdom hastened to its fall (2 Kings 23. 29). 4. =The final decline and fall.= 1.) The political cause of the destruction of the kingdom was the rise of Babīy-lon. The old As-syrīi-an empire went down about B. C. 625, and a struggle followed between Babīy-lon and Eīgypt for the supremacy. Juīdah took the side of Eīgypt, which proved to be the losing side. 2.) After several chastisements and repeated rebellions Je-ruīsa-lem was finally destroyed by Neb-u-chad-nezīzar, king of Babīy-lon, and the kingdom of Juīdah was extinguished, B. C. 587. Blackboard Outline I. =Gen. Asp. Kin. Jud.= 1. Terr. Tri. Jud. 3,435 m. 2. Gov. mon. 3. Rel. 1.) Jeh. 2.) Idol. II. =Dur. Kin.= 1. Ret. sit. 2. Un. peo. 3. Conc. Jer. 4. Rev. Ho. Dav. 5. Pur. rel. III. =Per. Hist.= 1. Fir. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. Reho. Abi. 2.) Rev. As. Jehosh. 2. Sec. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. 200 y. 2.) Rev. Hez. 3. Thi. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. Man. 2.) Rev. Jos. 4. Fin. dec. fal. 1.) Ris. Bab. 2.) Des. Jer. Review Questions What was embraced in the kingdom of Juīdah? What was its area? How was it governed? What was its religion? What was associated with the worship of Je-hoīvah? What was the religious tendency of the people? How long did the kingdom of Juīdah last? What were the causes of this duration? What were the periods in its history? Under what kings was the first decline? Who led in a revival and reformation? Who was the greatest of the kings of Juīdah? What took place during the second decline? Who was the usurping queen? What did this queen try to do? Who wrought the second great reformation? What was the character of this king? What great destruction of Juīdah's enemies took place at this time? Which reign was both longest, wickedest, and most evil in its results? Who attempted a third reformation? What was the result of his endeavor? What was the political cause of the fall of Juīdah? By what nation and by what king was Je-ruīsa-lem finally destroyed? FOURTEENTH STUDY The Captivity of Judah PART ONE I. We must distinguish between the =Captivity of Isīra-el= and that of =Juīdah=. 1. The captivity of Isīra-el took place B. C. 721, that of Juīdah B. C. 587. The southern kingdom lasted one hundred and thirty-four years longer than the northern. 2. Isīra-el was taken captive by the As-syrīi-ans under Sarīgon; Juīdah by the Chal-deīans under Neb-u-chad-nezīzar. 3. Isīra-el was taken to the lands south of the Casīpi-an Sea (2 Kings 17. 6); Juīdah to Chal-deīa, by the river Eu-phraītes (Psa. 137. 1). 4. Isīra-el never returned from its captivity, which was the end of its history; but Juīdah was brought back from its captivity and again became a flourishing state, though subject to foreign nations during most of its after history. II. There were =Three Captivities= of Juīdah, all in one generation and all under one Chal-deīan king, Neb-u-chad-nezīzar: 1. =Je-hoiīa-kim's captivity=, B. C. 607. Je-hoiīa-kim was the son of Jo-siīah, placed upon the throne after the battle of Me-gidīdo, in which Jo-siīah perished (2 Kings 23. 34). For three years Je-hoiīa-kim obeyed Neb-u-chad-nezīzar; then he rebelled, but was speedily reduced to subjection, and many of the leading people among the Jews were carried captive to Babīy-lon (2 Kings 24. 1, 2). Among these captives was Danīiel the prophet (Dan. 1. 1-6). From this event the _seventy years_ of the captivity were dated (Jer. 27. 22; 29. 10), though the kingdom of Juīdah remained for twenty years longer. 2. =Je-hoiīa-chin's captivity=, B. C. 598. Je-hoiīa-chin was the son of Je-hoiīa-kim (called Jec-o-niīah, 1 Chron. 3. 16; Jer. 24. 1; and Co-niīah, Jer. 22. 24). He reigned only three months, and then was deposed by Neb-u-chad-nezīzar and carried to Babīy-lon. With the young king and the royal family were taken thousands of the people of the middle classes, whom the land could ill spare (2 Kings 24. 8-16). Among these captives was E-zeīki-el, the prophet-priest (Ezek. 1. 1-13). 3. =Zed-e-kiīah's captivity=, B. C. 587. He was the uncle of Je-hoiīa-chin and the son of the good Jo-siīah (2 Kings 24. 17), and had been made king by Neb-u-chad-nezīzar. But he too rebelled against his master, to whom he had taken a solemn oath of fidelity (2 Chron. 36. 13). The Chal-deīans were greatly incensed by these frequent insurrections, and determined upon a final destruction of the rebellious city. After a long siege Je-ruīsa-lem was taken, and the king was captured while attempting flight. He was blinded and carried away to Babīy-lon, the city was destroyed, and nearly all the people left alive were also taken to the land of Chal-deīa (2 Kings 25. 1-11). After this captivity the city lay desolate for fifty years, until the conquest of Babīy-lon by Cyīrus, B. C. 536. III. Let us ascertain the =Causes of the Captivity=--why the Jews were taken up bodily from their own land and deported to a distant country. 1. Such deportations were a frequent =policy of Oriental conquerors=. The Orientals had three ways of dealing with a conquered people: that of extermination, or wholesale butchery, which is frequently described upon the As-syrīi-an monuments; that of leaving them in the land under tribute, as subjects of the conqueror; and that of deporting them _en masse_ to a distant land. Frequently, when the interests of the empire would be served by changing the population of a province, this plan was carried out. Thus the ten tribes were carried to a land near the Casīpi-an Sea, and other people were brought to Sa-maīri-a in their place (2 Kings 17. 6, 24). A similar plan regarding Juīdah was proposed by Sen-nachīe-rib (2 Kings 18. 31, 32), but was thwarted by the destruction of the As-syrīi-an host. 2. We have already noticed another cause of the captivity in the frequent =rebellions of the kings of Juīdah= against the authority of Babīy-lon. The old spirit of independence, which had made Juīdah the leader of the twelve tribes, was still strong, and it was fostered by the hope of universal rule, which had been predicted through centuries, even while the kingdom was declining. The prophets, however, favored submission to Babīy-lon; but the nobles urged rebellion and independence. Their policy was pursued, and the unequal strife was taken up more than once. The rebellions always failed; but after several attempts the patience of Neb-u-chad-nezīzar was exhausted, and the destruction of the rebellious city and the deportation of the population were ordered. 3. But underneath was another and a deeper cause--in =the rivalry of Eīgypt and Babīy-lon=. Palīes-tine stood on the border of the As-syrīi-an empire toward Eīgypt; and in Palīes-tine there were two parties, the As-syrīi-an and the E-gypītian: one counseling submission to As-syrīi-a, the other seeking alliance with Eīgypt against As-syrīi-a (Isa. 31. 1-3; 37. 6). After Babīy-lon took the place of Ninīe-veh the Chal-deīan party took the place of the As-syrīi-an, as the Chal-deīan empire was the successor of the As-syrīi-an empire. The prophets, led by Jer-e-miīah, always counseled submission to Babīy-lon, and warned against trusting to Eīgypt, which had never given anything more than promises; but the nobles were of the E-gypītian party, and constantly influenced the kings to renounce the yoke of Babīy-lon and to strike for independence by the aid of Eīgypt. The necessity of making the frontier of the Chal-deīan empire safe on the side toward Eīgypt was the political cause for the deportation of the tribe of Juīdah. 4. There was underlying all these political reasons a moral cause in =the divine purpose to discipline the nation=. The captivity was a weeding-out process, to separate the precious from the vile, the false from the true, the "remnant" from the mass. There had always been two distinct elements in Isīra-el and Juīdah--the spiritual, God-fearing few, and the worldly, idol-worshiping many. The worldly and irreligious took part in the resistance to the king of Babīy-lon, and the worshipers of Je-hoīvah, led by the prophets, urged submission. As a result the nobles and the warriors, for the most part, perished; while the better part, the strength and hope of the nation, were carried away captive. Notice that the captives were mainly of the middle class, the working element (2 Kings 24. 14-16). Those who had submitted to the Chal-deīans were also taken away (2 Kings 25. 11). The prophet expressed greater hope for those taken away than for those left behind (Jer. 24. 1-10). The captives were the root of Juīdah, out of which in due time a new nation should rise; and, as we shall see, the captivity in Babīy-lon proved to be the most benign experience in all the history of Godīs chosen people. Blackboard Outline I. =Cap. Isr. Jud.= 1. Isr. 721. Jud. 587. 2. Ass. Sar.--Chal. Neb. 3. Cas. Sea.--Riv. Eup. 4. Nev. ret.--Bro. b. II. =Thr. Cap. Jud.= 1. Jeh. cap. 607. 2. Jehn. cap. 598. 3. Zed. cap. 587. III. =Caus. Cap.= 1. Pol. Or. conq. 2. Reb. kgs. Jud. 3. Riv. Eg. Bab. 4. Div. pur. dis. Review Questions From what earlier captivity must that of Juīdah be distinguished? What were the dates of these two captivities? By whom was each nation taken captive? Where was each nation carried captive? What followed the captivity in each nation? What were the three captivities of Juīdah? What were the events of the first captivity of Juīdah? Who were carried away at this time? What date is connected with this captivity? What were the events of the second captivity of Juīdah? Who were then taken away? What were the events of the third captivity? How long was Je-ruīsa-lem left in ruins? By whom and when were the Jews permitted to return from captivity? What causes may be assigned for the carrying away of the Jews? What were the customs of ancient Oriental conquerors? How did the conduct of the kings of Juīdah bring on the captivity? What rivalry between nations was a cause of the captivity? What were the two parties in the kingdom of Juīdah? How was the carrying away of the Jews a political necessity? What was the moral cause of the captivity? PART TWO IV. =The Condition of the Captives in Chal-deīa= was far better than we are apt to suppose. 1. They received =kind treatment=; were regarded not as slaves or prisoners, but as colonists. At a later captivity by the Roīmans the Jews were sold as slaves and dispersed throughout the empire. Such wholesale enslavement was common after a conquest. For some reason the Chal-deīans did not enslave the Jews at the time of their conquest, but colonized them as free people. This may have been because the captives as a class were of the "Chal-deīan party" among the Jews, and hence were treated in a measure as friends. The letter of Jer-e-miīah to the exiles (Jer. 29. 1-7) shows that they were kindly dealt with in Chal-deīa. Some of them were received at the court and rose to high station in the realm (Dan. 1. 1-6). 2. =Their organization was maintained.= The exiles were not merged into the mass of the people where they were living, but retained their own system and were recognized as a separate colony. Their dethroned kings had a semi-royal state and at death an honorable burial (Jer. 52. 31-34; 34. 4, 5). The captives were governed by elders, rulers of their own nation (Ezek. 8. 1; 14. 1; 20. 1). There was a "prince of Juīdah" at the close of the captivity (Ezra 1. 8). This fact of national organization was a fortunate one for the exiles. If they had been dispersed as slaves throughout the empire, or even had been scattered as individuals, they would soon have been merged among the Genītiles, and would have lost their identity as a people. But being maintained as a separate race, and in Jewīish communities, they were readily gathered for a return to their own land when the opportunity came. 3. =Their law and worship were observed.= There were no sacrifices, for these could be offered only at Je-ruīsa-lem in the temple. But the people gathered for worship and for the study of the law far more faithfully than before the exile; for adversity is a school of religious character far more than prosperity. The exile would naturally exert an influence in the direction of religion. While the irreligious and idolatrous among the captives would soon drop out of the nation and be lost among the Genītiles, the earnest, the spiritual, and the God-fearing would grow more intense in their devotion. 4. =They were instructed by prophets and teachers.= Jer-e-miīah lived for some time after the beginning of the captivity, made a visit to Babīy-lon, and wrote at least one letter to the exiles (Jer. 13. 4-7; 29. 1-3). Danīiel lived during the captivity, and, though in the court, maintained a deep interest in his people, and comforted them by his prophecies. E-zeīki-el was himself one of the captives, and all his teachings were addressed to them (Ezek. 1. 1-3). Many evangelical and eminent Bible scholars are of the opinion that the latter part of I-saīiah, from the fortieth chapter to the end, was given by a "later I-saīiah" during the exile; but whether written at that time or earlier, it must have circulated among the captives and given them new hope and inspiration. The radical change in the character of the Jews which took place during this period shows that a great revival swept over the captive people and brought them back to the earnest religion of their noblest ancestors. 5. =Their literature was preserved and enlarged.= Internal evidence shows that the books of the Kings were finished and the books of the Chronicles written at this time or soon afterward; the teachings of Danīiel, E-zeīki-el, Ha-bakīkuk, and other of the minor prophets were given; and a number of the best psalms were composed during this epoch, as such poems are likely to be written in periods of trial and sorrow. Out of many psalms we cite Psa. 124, 126, 129, 130, 137, as manifestly written during the captivity. The exile was an age of life and vigor to Heībrew literature. V. =The Results of the Captivity.= In the year B. C. 536 the city of Babīy-lon was taken by Cyīrus, king of the combined Medes and Perīsians. One of his first acts was to issue an edict permitting the exiled Jews to return to their own country and rebuild their city. Not all the Jews availed themselves of this privilege, for many were already rooted in their new homes, where they had been for two generations. But a large number returned (Ezra 2. 64), and reestablished the city and state of the Jews. The captivity, however, left its impress upon the people down to the end of their national history, and even to the present time. 1. =There was a change in language=, from Heībrew to Ar-a-maīic, or Chal-daīic. The books of the Old Testament written after the restoration are in a different dialect from the earlier writings. After the captivity the Jews needed an interpreter in order to understand their own earlier Scriptures. Allusion to this fact is given in Neh. 8. 7. The Chalīdee of Babīy-lon and the Heībrew were sufficiently alike to cause the people during two generations to glide imperceptibly from one to the other, until the knowledge of their ancient tongue was lost to all except the scholars. 2. =There was a change in habits.= Before the captivity the Jews were a secluded people, having scarcely any relation with the world. The captivity brought them into contact with other nations, and greatly modified their manner of living. Hitherto they had been mostly farmers, living on their own fields; now they became merchants and traders, and filled the world with their commerce. Rarely now do we find a Jew who cultivates the ground for his support. They are in the cities, buying and selling. This tendency began with the Bab-y-loīni-an captivity, and has since been strengthened by the varied experiences, especially by the persecutions, of the Jews during the centuries. 3∑ =There was a change in character.= This was the most radical of all. Before the captivity the crying sin of Juīdah, as well as of Isīra-el, was its tendency to idolatry. Every prophet had warned against it and rebuked it, reformers had risen up, kings had endeavored to extirpate it; but all in vain--the worshipers of God were the few; the worshipers of idols were the many. After the captivity there was a wonderful transformation. From that time we never read of a Jew bowing his knee before an idol. The entire nation was a unit in the service of Je-hoīvah. Among all the warnings of the later prophets, and the reforms of Ezīra and Ne-he-miīah, there is no allusion to idolatry. That crime was utterly and forever eradicated; from the captivity until to-day the Jews have been the people of the one, invisible God, and intense in their hatred of idols. 4. =There were new institutions= as the result of the captivity. Two great institutions arose during the captivity: 1.) The _synagogue_, which grew up among the exiles, was carried back to Palīes-tine, and was established throughout the Jewīish world. This was a meeting of Jews for worship, for reading the law, and for religious instruction. It had far greater influence than the temple after the captivity; for while there was but one temple in all the Jewish world, there was a synagogue in every city and village where Jews lived; and while the temple was the seat of a priestly and ritualistic service, the synagogue promoted freedom of religious thought and utterance. Out of the synagogue, far more than the temple, grew the Christian church. 2.) _The order of scribes_ was also a result of the captivity. The days of direct inspiration through prophets were passing away, and those of the written Scripture, with a class of men to study and interpret it, came in their place. During the captivity the devout Jews studied the books of their literature, the law, the psalms, the histories, and the prophets. After the captivity arose a series of scholars who were the expounders of the Scriptures. Their founder was Ezīra, at once a priest, a scribe, and a prophet (Ezra 7. 1-10), who arranged the books and in a measure completed the canon of Old Testament Scripture. 5. =There was a new hope, that of a Mes-siīah.= From the time of the captivity the Jewīish people looked forward with eager expectation to the coming of a Deliverer, the Consolation of Isīra-el, the "Anointed One" (the word Mes-siīah means "anointed"), who should lift up his people from the dust, exalt the throne of Daīvid, and establish an empire over all the nations. This had been promised by prophets for centuries before the exile, but only then did it begin to shine as the great hope of the people. It grew brighter with each generation, and finally appeared in the coming of Jeīsus Christ, the King of Isīra-el. 6. From the captivity there =were two parts of the Jewīish people=: the Jews of Palīes-tine, and the Jews of the dispersion, 1.) The Jews of Palīes-tine, sometimes called Heībrews (Acts 6. 1), were the lesser in number, who lived in their own land and maintained the Jewīish state. 2.) The Jews of the dispersion were the descendants of those who did not return after the decree of Cyīrus (Ezra 1. 1), but remained in foreign lands and gradually formed Jewīish "quarters" in all the cities of the ancient world. They were the larger in number, and later were called "Greīcian Jews," or Hellenists, from the language which they used (Acts 6. 1). Between these two bodies there was a close relation. The Jews of the dispersion had synagogues in every city (Acts 15. 6), were devoted to the law, made constant pilgrimages to Je-ruīsa-lem, and were recognized as having one hope with the Jews of Palīes-tine. The traits of the two bodies were different, but each contributed its own elements toward the making of a great people. Blackboard Outline IV. =Con. Cap.= 1. Kin. tre. 2. Org. main. 3. La. wor. obs. 4. Ins. pro. tea. 5. Lit. pre. enl. V. =Res. Cap.= 1. Ch. Ian. 2. Ch. hab. 3. Ch. char. 4. Ne. ins. (syn. scr.) 5. Hop. Mess. 6. Two. par. peo. Review Questions How were the captive Jews treated? What evidences show that their national organization was continued during the captivity? Why was this fact a fortunate one for the exiles? What customs of the Jews were observed during the captivity? What instructors did the Jews have during this period? What was the condition of Jewīish literature during the captivity? What events followed the decree of Cyīrus? Did all the exiles of the Jews return? What change in language was wrought by the captivity? What change in habits followed the captivity? What great change in religion came as the result of the captivity? How can that change be accounted for? What two institutions arose during the captivity? What new hope arose at this time? How were the Jews divided after the captivity? FIFTEENTH STUDY The Jewish Province PART ONE From the return of the exiles, B. C. 536, to the final destruction of the Jewīish state by the Roīmans, A. D. 70, the history of the chosen people is closely interwoven with that of the East in general. During most of this time Ju-deīa was a subject province, belonging to the great empires which rose and fell in succession. For a brief but brilliant period it was an independent state, with its own rulers. As most of this period comes between the Old and New Testaments its events are less familiar to Bible readers than the other portions of Isīra-el-ite history. We therefore give more space than usual to the facts, selecting only the most important, and omitting all that have no direct relation with the development of the divine plan in the Jewish people. I. The history divides itself into =Four Periods=, as follows: 1. =The Perīsian period=, B. C. 536 to 330, from Cyīrus to Al-ex-anīder, while the Jewīish province was a part of the Perīsian empire. Very few events of these two centuries have been recorded, but it appears to have been a period of quiet prosperity and growth. The Jews were governed by their high priests under the general control of the Perīsian government. The principal events of this period were: 1.) _The second temple_, B. C. 535-515. This was begun soon after the return from exile (Ezra 3. 1, 2, 8), but was not completed until twenty-one years afterward (Ezra 6. 15, 16). It was smaller and less splendid than that of Solīo-mon, but was built upon the same plan. 2.) _Ezīra's reformation_, B. C. 450. The coming to Je-ruīsa-lem of Ezīra the scribe was a great event in Isīra-el-ite history; for, aided by Ne-he-miīah, he led in a great reformation of the people. He found them neglecting their law and following foreign customs. He awakened an enthusiasm for the Mo-saīic law, aroused the patriotism of the people, and renewed the ancient faith. His work gave him the title of "the second founder of Isīra-el." 3.) _The separation of the Sa-marīi-tans_, B. C. 409. (For the origin of the Sa-marīi-tans see 2 Kings 17. 22-34.) They were a mingled people, both in race and religion; but until the captivity were permitted to worship in the temple at Je-ruīsa-lem. After the return from Babīy-lon the Sa-marīi-tans and the Jews grew farther and farther apart. The Sa-marīi-tans opposed the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4. 9-24), and delayed it for many years; and a century later strove to prevent Ne-he-miīah from building the wall of Je-ruīsa-lem (Neh. 4. 2). Finally they established a rival temple on Mount Gerīi-zim, and thenceforth the two races were in bitter enmity (John 4. 9). 4.) _The completion of the Old Testament canon._ The prophets after the restoration were Hagīga-i, Zech-a-riīah, and Malīa-chi; but the author or editor of most of the latest books was Ezīra, who also arranged the Old Testament nearly, perhaps fully, in its present form. Thenceforward no more books were added, and the scribe or interpreter took the place of the prophet. 2. =The Greek period=, B. C. 330-166. In the year B. C. 330 Al-ex-anīder the Great won the empire of Perīsia in the great battle of Ar-beīla, by which the sovereignty of the East was transferred from Aīsia to Euīrope, and a new chapter in the history of the world was opened. Al-ex-anīder died at the hour when his conquests were completed, and before they could be organized and assimilated; but the kingdoms into which his empire was divided were all under Greek kings, and were all Greek in language and civilization. Ju-deīa was on the border between Syrīi-a and Eīgypt, and belonged alternately to each kingdom. We divide this period into three subdivisions: 1.) _The reign of Al-ex-anīder_, B. C. 330-321. The Jews had been well treated by the Perīsian kings and remained faithful to Da-riīus, the last king of Perīsia, in his useless struggle. Al-ex-anīder marched against Je-ruīsa-lem, determined to visit upon it heavy punishment for its opposition, but (according to tradition) was met by Jad-duīa, the high priest, and turned from an enemy to a friend of the Jews. 2.) _The E-gypītian supremacy_, B. C. 311-198. In the division of Al-ex-anīder's conquests Ju-deīa was annexed to Syrīi-a, but it soon fell into the hands of Eīgypt, and was governed by the Ptolīe-mies (Greek kings of Eīgypt) until B. C. 198. The only important events of this period were the rule of Siīmon the Just, an exceptionally able high priest, about B. C. 300, and the translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language for the use of the Jews of Al-ex-anīdri-a, who had lost the use of Heībrew or Chalīdee. This translation was made about B. C. 286, according to Jewīish tradition, and is known as the Septuagint version. 3.) _The Syrīi-an supremacy_, B. C. 198-166. About the year B. C. 198 Ju-deīa fell into the hands of the Syrīi-an kingdom, also ruled by a Greek dynasty, the Se-leuīci-dś, or descendants of Se-leuīcus. This change of rulers brought to the Jews a change of treatment. Hitherto they had been permitted to live undisturbed upon their mountains, and to enjoy a measure of liberty, both in civil and ecclesiastical matters. But now the Syrīi-an kings not only robbed them of their freedom, but also undertook to compel them to renounce their religion by one of the most cruel persecutions in all history. The temple was desecrated and left to ruin, and the worshipers of Je-hoīvah were tortured and slain, in the vain endeavor to introduce the Greek and Syrīi-an forms of idolatry among the Jews. Heb. 11. 33-40 is supposed to refer to this persecution. When An-tiīo-chus, the Syrīi-an king, found that the Jews could not be driven from their faith, he deliberately determined to exterminate the whole nation. Uncounted thousands of Jews were slaughtered, other thousands were sold as slaves, Je-ruīsa-lem was well-nigh destroyed, the temple was dedicated to Juīpi-ter O-lymīpus, and the orgies of the Bacchanalia were substituted for the Feast of Tabernacles. The religion of Je-hoīvah and the race of the Jews seemed on the verge of utter annihilation in their own land. Blackboard Outline 1. =Four Per.= 1. Per. per. 1.) Sec. tem. 2.) Ez. ref. 3.) Sep. Sam. 4.) Com. O. T. can. 2. Gk. per. 1.) Rei. Alex. 2.) Eg. sup. 3.) Syr. sup. Review Questions With what history is that of the Jews interwoven during this period? What was the political condition of the Jews at this time? What are the four periods of this history? Who were the rulers of the Jews during the first period? What building was erected after the return from captivity? What great deliverance was effected by a woman? What great reforms were effected by a scribe? What title has been given to him? What were the events connected with the separation of the Sa-marīi-tans? Who were the prophets of the restoration? By whom was the Old Testament canon arranged? What brought on the Greek period? What events of Jewīish history were connected with Al-ex-anīder the Great? Under what people did the Jews fall afterward? What were the events of the E-gypītian rule? What is the Septuagint? How was its translation regarded by the Jews of Palīes-tine? In what kingdom, after Eīgypt, did Ju-deīa fall? How was it governed by its new masters? Who instituted a great persecution? PART TWO 3. =The Mac-ca-beīan period=, B. C. 166-40. But the darkest hour precedes the day; the cruelties of the Syrīi-ans caused a new and splendid epoch to rise upon Isīra-el. 1.) _The revolt of Mat-ta-thiīas._ In the year B. C. 170 an aged priest, Mat-ta-thiīas, unfurled the banner of independence from the Syrīi-an yoke. He did not at first aim for political freedom, but religious liberty; but after winning a few victories over the Syrīi-an armies he began to dream of a free Jewīish state. He died in the beginning of the war, but was succeeded by his greater son, Juīdas Mac-ca-beīus. 2.) _Juīdas Mac-ca-beīus_ gained a greater success than had been dreamed at the beginning of the revolt. Within four years the Jews recaptured Je-ruīsa-lem and reconsecrated the temple. The anniversary of this event was ever after celebrated in the Feast of Dedication (John 10. 22). Juīdas ranks in history as one of the noblest of the Jewīish heroes, and deserves a place beside Joshīu-a, Gidīe-on, and Samīu-el as a liberator and reformer. 3.) _The Mac-ca-beīan dynasty._ Juīdas refused the title of king, but his family established a line of rulers who by degrees assumed a royal state, and finally the royal title. In the year B. C. 143 Jewīish liberty was formally recognized, and the Mac-ca-beīan princes ruled for a time over an independent state. Between B. C. 130 and 110 Eīdom, Sa-maīri-a, and Galīi-lee were added to Ju-deīa. The latter province had been known as "Galīi-lee of the Genītiles" (Isa. 9. 1); but by degrees the foreigners withdrew, and the province was occupied by Jews who were as devoted and loyal as those of Je-ruīsa-lem. 4.) _The rise of the sects._ About B. C. 100 the two sects, or schools of thought, the Pharīi-sees and Sadīdu-cees, began to appear, though their principles had long been working. The Pharīi-sees ("separatists") sought for absolute separation from the Genītile world and a strict construction of the law of Moīses, while the Sadīdu-cees "moralists") were liberal in their theories and in their lives. 4. =The Roīman period=, B. C. 40 to A. D. 70. It is not easy to name a date for the beginning of the Roīman supremacy in Palīes-tine. It began in B. C. 63, when Pomīpey the Great (afterward the antagonist of Juīli-us Cśīsar) was asked to intervene between two claimants for the Jewīish throne, Hyr-caīnus and Ar-is-to-buīlus. Pomīpey decided for Hyr-caīnus, and aided him by a Roīman army. In his interest he besieged and took Je-ruīsa-lem, and then placed Hyr-caīnus in power, but without the title of king. From this time the Roīmans were practically, though not nominally, in control of affairs. 1.) _Herīod the Great._ We assign as the date of the Roīman rule B. C. 40, when Herīod (son of An-tipīa-ter, an Eīdom-ite, who had been the general of Hyr-caīnus) received the title of king from the Roīman Senate. From this time Palīes-tine was regarded as a part of the Roīman empire. Herīod was the ablest man of his age and one of the most unscrupulous. He ruled over all Palīes-tine, I-du-meīa (ancient Eīdom), and the lands south of Da-masīcus. 2.) _Herīod's temple._ Herīod was thoroughly hated by the Jews, less for his character than for his foreign birth. To gain their favor he began rebuilding the temple upon a magnificent scale. It was not completed until long after his death, which took place at Jerīi-cho about the time when Jeīsus Christ, the true King of the Jews, was born (Matt. 2. 1, 2). 3.) _The tetrarchies._ By Herīod's will his dominions were divided into four tetrarchies ("quarter-rulings," a title for a fourth part of a kingdom). Three of these were in Palīes-tine: Ar-che-laīus receiving Ju-deīa, I-du-meīa, and Sa-maīri-a; Anīti-pas (the Herīod of Luke 3. 1; 9. 7; 23. 7-11) receiving Galīi-lee and Pe-reīa; and Philīip (Luke 3. 1) having the district of Baīshan. About A. D. 6 Ar-che-laīus was deposed, and a Roīman, Co-poīni-us, was appointed the first procurator of Ju-deīa, which was made a part of the prefecture of Syrīi-a. The rest of Jewīish annals belongs properly to the New Testament history. II. Through these periods we notice the gradual =Preparation for the Gospel=, which was steadily advancing. 1. =There was a political preparation.= Six centuries before Christ the world around the Med-i-ter-raīne-an was divided into states, whose normal condition was war. At no time was peace prevalent over all the world at once. If Christ had come at that time it would have been impossible to establish the gospel except through war and conquest. But kingdoms were absorbed into empires, empires rose and fell by turns, each with a larger conception of the nation than its predecessor. From the crude combination of undigested states in the As-syrīi-an empire to the orderly, assimilated, systematic condition of the Roīman world was a great advance. Christ appeared at the only point in the world's history when the great nations of the world were under one government, with a system of roads such that a traveler could pass from Mes-o-po-taīmi-a to Spain and could sail the Med-i-ter-raīne-an Sea in perfect safety. 2. =There was a preparation of language.= The conquests of Al-ex-anīder, though accomplished in ten years, left a deeper impress upon the world than any other two centuries of history. They gave to the whole of that world one language, the noblest tongue ever spoken by human lips, "a language fit for the gods," as men said. Through Al-ex-anīder, Greek cities were founded everywhere in the East, Greek kingdoms were established, the Greek literature and Greek civilization covered all the lands. That was the language in which Paul preached the gospel, and in which the New Testament was written--the only language of the ancient world in which the thoughts of the gospel could be readily expressed. While each land had its own tongue, the Greek tongue was common in all lands. 3. While these preparations were going on there was another in progress at the same time, the =preparation of a race=. We might point to the history of the Isīra-el-ites from the migration of Aībra-ham as a training; but we refer now to their special preparation for their mission after the restoration, B. C. 536. There was a divine purpose in the division of Juīda-ism into two streams: one a little fountain in Palīes-tine, the other a river dispersed over all the lands. Each branch had its part in the divine plan. One was to concentrate its energies upon the divine religion, to study the sacred books, to maintain a chosen people, whose bigotry, narrowness, and intolerance kept them from destruction; the other branch was out in the world, where every Jewīish synagogue in a heathen city kept alive the knowledge of God and disseminated that knowledge, drawing around it the thoughtful, spiritual minds who were looking for something better than heathenism. Palīes-tine gave the gospel, but the Jews of the dispersion carried it to the Genītiles, and in many places synagogues in the foreign world became the nucleus of a Christian church, where for the first time Jew and Genītile met as equals. 4. Finally, there was the =preparation of a religion=. The gospel of Christ was not a new religion; it was the new development of an old religion. As we study the Old Testament we see that each epoch stands upon a higher religious plane. There is an enlargement of spiritual being between Aībra-ham and Moīses, between Moīses and Daīvid, between Daīvid and I-saīiah, between I-saīiah and John the Bapītist. Pharīi-see and Sadīdu-cee each held a share of the truth which embraced the best thoughts of both sects. The work of many scribes prepared the way for the coming of the Lord, and just when revelation was brought up to the highest level, when a race was trained to apprehend and proclaim it, when a language had been created and diffused to express it, when the world was united in one great brotherhood of states, ready to receive it--then, in the fullness of times, the Christ was manifested, who is over all, God blessed forever. Blackboard Outline I. =Four Per.= (Cont.) 3. Macc. per. 1.) Rev. Mat. 2.) Jud. Macc. 3.) Macc. dyn. 4.) Ri. sec. 4. Rom. per. 1.) Her. Gr. 2.) Her. tem. 3.) Tetr. II. =Prep. Gosp.= 1. Pol. prep. 2. Prep. lan. 3. Prep. rac. 4. Prep. rel. Review Questions What was the effect of the Syrīi-an persecution? Who led the Jews in revolt? What great hero arose at this time? What line of rulers came from his family? What was the growth of the Jewīish state at that time? What sects of the Jews arose? How did Ju-deīa fall under the Roīman power? Whom did the Roīmans establish as king? What were his dominions? What building did he erect? How was his kingdom divided after his death? What finally became of Ju-deīa? Name five ways in which there was a preparation for the gospel during this period. What was the political preparation? How was a language prepared for preaching the gospel to the world? What race was prepared, and how? What part had each of the two divisions of the Jewīish race in the divine plan? What was the preparation of a religion for the world? SIXTEENTH STUDY The Old Testament as Literature[16] PART ONE 1. =Importance.= In order rightly to understand the Bible we must not only study it as a book of history, as a book of morals or ethics, as a book of doctrine, and as a book of devotion; we must also examine it as _literature_, and ascertain the different types of forms of literature shown in its pages. The literary study of the Bible is often of the highest importance. For example, the incident narrated in Josh. 10. 12-14, printed as prose in most of our Bibles, is shown as poetry in the Revised Version; and we all know that poetry is to be interpreted upon principles different from prose. II. =Difficulties.= In the study of the Bible as literature two difficulties arise and must be overcome: 1. _The division into chapters and verses_, and the printing of the Bible throughout in the form of prose, forms an obstacle to the student of the Bible as literature. Suppose that every history of England, the poetry of Milton, the dramas of Shakespeare, and the romances of Scott were printed in the form of our Bibles--broken up into short paragraphs--what a hindrance that would prove to the understanding and the enjoyment of these works! Except in the Revised Version of England and America, that is the condition in which we read our Bibles. Only in the Revised Version can the Bible be read as literature. 2. Another obstacle is in the fact that in the Bible all the different _forms of literature are mingled together_. The prose has poetry here and there; history, personal narrative, drama, and lyric are all united in the same writings. We have Scott's prose and his poetry separate, Matthew Arnold's poems and his essays in separate volumes; but in the Old Testament all these forms of literature are found together, and generally more than one form in the same book. There are few books in the Old Testament that are either all prose or all poetry. III. =Classification.= We may arrange the different kinds of literature found in the Old Testament under six classes, as follows: 1. The larger portion of the Old Testament belongs to the department of _History_. In its books we trace the early history of the world and the history through two thousand years of the Isīra-el-ite people. This history may be classified as: 1.) _Primitive_ history, in the book of Genīe-sis. 2.) _Constitutional_ history, or the record of laws and institutions, in Exīo-dus, Le-vitīi-cus, Numībers. 3.) _National_ history, or historical events, in Joshīu-a, Judgīes, Samīu-el, Kings, and Ezīra. Although in some of these books are many narratives more biographical than historical, yet nearly all these stories have a bearing upon the national history. 4.) _Ecclesiastical_ history, in the books of Chronīi-cles, which tell the story of the kingdom of Juīdah from a priestly point of view. 2. Next to the history comes _Personal Narrative_ as a literary form in the Bible; such stories as those of Joīseph, Baīlaam, Ruth, Daīvid, E-liījah, E-liīsha, Joīnah, and Esīther; not historical, as the story of the nations, but personal, as the record of individuals. These narratives belong to the class called by scholars "prose epics," an epic being a work of narration, generally in poetry, as the epics of Homer, Dante, and Milton. The epics in the Bible are poetic in their thought, but prose in their form. Blackboard Outline I. =Imp.= The Bible as Hist. Eth. Doc. Dev. Lit. [Illust.] II. =Diff.= 1. Div. chap. ver. 2. Lit. ming. III. =Class.= 1. Hist. 1.) Prim. 2.) Const. 3.) Nat. 4.) Eccl. 2. Per. narr. J. B. R. D. E. E. J. E. Review Questions With what various purposes may the Bible be studied? What is meant by the study of the Bible as literature? Give an instance showing that this study is important for the right interpretation of the Bible. How does the form in which our Bibles are printed hinder in the study of it as literature? What other difficulty is met in the literary study of the Bible? How many classes of literature are found in the Bible? What is the department of literature most prominent in the Bible? Name four kinds of history in the Bible, define each kind, and give an example of it. To what class of literature do the stories of the Bible belong? What are the subjects of some of these stories? What is an epic? Name some great epics in literature? Wherein do these differ from the epics in the Bible? PART TWO Review I, II, and parts 1 and 2 of III. 3. Far more of the Old Testament belongs to the department of _Poetry_ than appears in the Authorized Version, the Bible in common use. The Heībrew mind was poetic rather than prosaic, and the thought of this people naturally fell into the form of poetry. But there is a great difference between our poetry or verse and that of the Heībrews. With us there is apt to be rhyme, never sought by the Bible poet; or else a certain measure in length of line or emphasis on certain vowel sounds, the "feet" or "meter," in the verse, equally unknown in the Bible. Heībrew verse consists in a peculiar symmetry and balance of clauses, which is called "parallelism," for instance: "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Isīra-el Shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psa. 121. 3, 4). Poetry is to be found in nearly all parts of the Old Testament. There are: 1.) _Odes_, as the song of Mirīi-am (Exod. 15), of Debīo-rah (Judg. 5), and the book of Lam-en-taītions. In the latter book there is an acrostical arrangement, each stanza beginning in the original text with a letter of the Heībrew alphabet, and arranged in their order. 2.) _Lyric poems_, songs of emotion or feeling, as most of the Psalms. 3.) _Dramatic poems_, illustrative of action, as Job and the Song of Solīo-mon. 4. _Oratory_ figures extensively in the Old Testament, as we should expect to find in the literature of any Oriental people, among whom the public speaker exercises a mighty influence. The orations or discourses of the Bible are sometimes in prose, sometimes in poetry, sometimes in both forms of expression. The speeches in the book of Job, Solīo-mon's dedicatory prayer (2 Chron. 6), almost the entire book of Deu-ter-onīo-my, the opening chapters of Provīerbs, and many of the discourses of the prophets belong to this department. Note how readily the passage in Deut. 8. 7-9 falls into verse: "For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, A land of brooks of water, Of fountains and depths, Springing forth in valleys and hills; A land of wheat and barley, And vines and fig trees and pomegranates; A land of oil olives and honey," etc. (Rev. Ver.) 5. _Philosophy_, or "wisdom-literature," is also found in the Old Testament. The book of Provīerbs is a collection of the "sayings of the sages" among the Isīra-el-ites; while Ec-cle-si-asītes is a series of connected essays on human life. 6. _Prophecy_ is a distinct form of literature in the Bible. The word "prophecy" in the Scriptures means not "foretelling," or "prediction," but "_forth_telling," speaking under a divine power, whether of past, present, or future. It is not to be forgotten that the books of Joshīu-a, Judgīes, Samīu-el, and Kings were called by the Jews "the former prophets," and were all regarded as prophetic, although they contained history. The prophets used freely either the prose form or verse form in their messages. Their writings may be classified under: 1.) _Prophetic Discourse_, the message of the Lord concerning nations, often called "the burden," the counterpart of the modern sermon, as in Isa. 1. 1-31; Ezek. 34. 2.) _Lyric prophecy_, in the form of song, as in Zeph-a-niīah, Isa. 9. 8 to 10. 4, and many other instances. 3.) _Symbolic prophecy_, or the use of emblems, as Jer-e-miīah's girdle (Jer. 13), the potter's wheel (Jer. 18), or E-zeīki-el's tile (Ezek. 4). 4.) _The prophecy of Vision_, of which instances are: I-saīiah's call (Isa. 6); Jer-e-miīah's vision (Jer. 1. 11-16); E-zeīki-el's vision of the cherubim (Ezek. 1); "the valley of dry bones" (Ezek. 37); and Zech-a-riīah's vision of the candlestick (Zech. 4). 5.) _The prophecy of Parable_, as "the vineyard" (Isa. 5), also in Ezek. 15; "the eagle" (Ezek. 17). There are many parables in the Old Testament, but the master in this form of teaching was the Prophet of Galīi-lee in the gospels. 6.) _The prophecy of Dialogue_, either between the prophet and Je-hoīvah or more frequently between the prophet and the people, as in the book of Malīa-chi. 7.) _Dramatic prophecy_, in which Je-hoīvah himself is represented as speaking, generally introduced by the words "Thus saith Je-hoīvah." A close analysis will perhaps show other forms of prophetic teaching, as "The Doom Song" and "The Prophetic Rhapsody"; but in our judgment these also may be included in the classification given above. (See footnote with the opening of this lesson.) Blackboard Outline I. =Imp.= The Bible as Hist. Eth. Doc. Dev. Lit. [Illust.] II. =Diff.= 1. Div. chap. ver. 2. Lit. ming. III. =Class.= 1. Hist, 1.) Prim. 2.) Const. 3.) Nat. 4.) Eccl. 2. Per. Narr. J. B. R. D. E. E. J. E. 3. Poet. Heb. ver. 1.) Od. 2.) Lyr. 3.) Dram. 4. Orat. Sol. Deut. Prov. Proph. 5. Phil. "Wis.-Lit." Prov. Eccl. 6. Proph. "Forthtell." "For. proph." 1.) Pro. Disc. 2.) Lyr. pro. 3.) Sym. pro. 4.) Pro. Vis. 5.) Pro. Par. 6.) Pro. Dia. 7.) Dram. pro. Review Questions Review the questions with PART ONE of this lesson. What are the first and second classes of literature in the Bible? What is the third class? Wherein does Heībrew poetry differ from Engīlish verse? What three kinds of poetry are found in the Old Testament? Give examples under each kind. What is the fourth class of literature in the Bible? Name some instances under this class. Are the discourses of the Bible in prose or in poetry? What is the fifth class of biblical literature? By what other name is this class known? Give two examples of this class, and state the differences between them. What is the sixth literary department in the Bible? What is the meaning of the word "prophecy"? In what form, prose or poetry, did the prophets speak? What are the seven kinds of prophecy found in the Bible? Define each kind. Give illustrations of each class. SEVENTEENTH STUDY How We Got Our Bible PART ONE I. =Name.= Here is a volume which we call "The Holy Bible." The word "bible" means "books"--_biblia_, plural of Greek _biblion_, "book." So the Bible is "The Sacred Book," and by its very name calls attention to the fact that it is not one book, but many: 39 books in the Old Testament, 27 in the New--66 books in the Bible. Its composite nature is not less important for us to keep in mind than its unity. Especially is this true of the Old Testament, of which we speak mainly in this lesson. II. =Origin.= How came these books into being? This is a question of the "higher criticism"--that is, the study of subjects back of and above those belonging to the meaning of the text; not higher because more important, but higher because pertaining to an earlier period. Certain conclusions, however, may be accepted. 1. Much of the contents of the Bible, especially of the Old Testament, was given _orally_, through stories, songs, and poems recited, through prophetic discourses, and through traditions handed down from generation to generation--a method of instruction universal before books were printed. 2. These oral teachings were _written_, some at the time when they were given, others later, sometimes after generations of oral repetition. The writing of different portions of the Bible was carried on at various times, in various places, and by various writers; perhaps through 1,600 years, and by more than 40 writers, most of whom have remained unknown. In the writing and rewriting Heībrew scholars of Old Testament times did not hesitate to modify the older works as they saw reasons for so doing. We respect the "works of authors," and would not alter the language of Chaucer or Milton or Macaulay; but Heībrew prophets and scribes in early times cared more for the contents than for the authorship of their sacred books. 3. As long as there were prophets in Isīra-el and Juīdah to declare the will of the Lord the need of a written and authoritative Scripture was scarcely recognized. But prophecy ceased about B. C. 450, and then began the _work of the great scribes_, of whom Ezīra was the chief, in bringing together, editing, and copying the sacred books. Perhaps about B. C. 400 the Old Testament was practically complete. But it is evident that the precise text was not fixed for centuries afterward, as the earliest translation (the Septuagint; see below) shows that a text was followed different from that now read. The text of the Heībrew Bible was not finally adopted until later than A. D 200. III. =Language.= 1. Nearly all the Old Testament was written in Heībrew, the language of the Isīra-el-ites, called by the As-syrīi-ans on their monuments "the tongue of the west country," in the Bible "the lip of Caīnaan" (Isa. 19. 18) or "the Jews' language" (2 Kings 18. 26). 2. Certain parts of Danīiel and Ezīra and one verse of Jer-e-miīah (Jer. 10. 11) were written in Ar-a-maīic (2 Kings 18. 26, "Syrīi-an language"), often, though inaccurately, called Chalīdee. IV. =Form.= 1. The books of the Old Testament were _written upon parchment_, the prepared skins of animals. The letters were large, and a manuscript roll embraced generally only one book; and several rolls were needed for the longer books. 2. Their use was almost entirely _limited to the synagogue_, and few copies were ever owned by private persons. After touching the roll of an inspired book one must wash his hands in running water before touching anything else. 3. When the synagogue rolls were well worn they were cut up into smaller pieces for _use in the schools_, where the Bible was the only text-book. When worn out they were burned or buried. The Jews did not preserve ancient writings, which is one reason why all the manuscripts of the Bible are of comparatively modern date. Blackboard Outline I. =Name.= "H. B." _Biblia._ 39. 27. 66. II. =Orig.= "Hi. Crit." 1. _Ora._ St. so. po. pro. trad. 2. _Writ._ 1,600 y. 40 wri. "Works of authors." 3. _Work of scr._ B.C. 400. Text not uniform. III. =Lang.= 1. Heb. 2. Aram. IV. =Form.= 1. Writ. parch. 2. Use in syn. 3. Use in sch. Review Questions What is the origin and meaning of the word "Bible"? What does this word suggest as to the books of the Bible? How many books does the Bible contain? What is meant by "the higher criticism"? How was much of the Bible given? How and when were the books written? How long was the writing in progress? Did the writers of the Bible change the documents as they wrote them? How long was there little need of a written revelation? When were the writings of the Old Testament brought together? Name the leader in this work. At what time was the Old Testament completed? Was the precise text of the Bible fixed at that time? What evidence is there of more than one accepted text? In what language was most of the Old Testament written? What other language was also used? What parts of the Old Testament were in this other language? In what form were the books of the Old Testament preserved? What was their principal use? What hindered the private ownership of the books? What use was made of the old rolls of the Scriptures? How were they finally disposed of? PART TWO V. =Early Versions.= The captivity of the Jews in Bab-y-loīni-a led to a change in their spoken language, so that they could no longer understand the ancient Hebrew of the Bible, and translations, or "versions," became necessary. Note that in Ezīra's Bible class (Neh. 8. 7) translators were employed, and their names are given. 1. _The Targums_. These translations from the Hebrew to the vernacular, or common speech, of the Jews were called _Targums_. Men were trained to give them, as the sacred text was read, sentence by sentence, in the synagogue. This translator was called a "meturgeman." For centuries these translations, or Targums, remained unwritten, were handed down orally, and were jealously guarded. Not until after A. D. 200 was the writing of the Targums authorized by Jewish custom. 2. _The Septuagint._ The conquests of Al-ex-anīder, B. C. 330, made the Greek language dominant in all the lands of the east, and the Jews dispersed among these countries needed their writings in the _Greek tongue_, which was used almost everywhere in the synagogues outside of Ju-deīa. To meet this need the _Septuagint_ version arose in Al-ex-anīdri-a, beginning about B. C. 285. The name Septuagint, meaning "seventy," arose from a legend that the version was made by seventy men, each in a separate room, translating all the books; and the result showed the rendering alike, word for word! The Septuagint became the current Bible of the Jews in all lands except, perhaps, Palīes-tine. 3. _The Vulgate._ After Rome became the world's capital, and the Latin language came into general use, especially west of Al-ex-anīdri-a, in the Christian churches came a demand for the Bible in Latin. Many versions of certain books were made, but the one that at last superseded all the earlier translations was that prepared by Jerome, about A. D. 400. This was called "the Vulgate," from the Latin _vulgus_, "the common people." This was the Bible in general use until the Reformation. But as the Latin language in its turn ceased to be spoken the Bible was lost to the common people throughout Europe, and was known only to scholars, mostly in the monasteries. VI. =Modern Versions.= Of these multitudes have been made; but we will notice only a few of the most important in the line of succession leading to our English Bible. 1. _Wyclif's Bible._ John Wyclif was "The Morning Star of the Reformation," preaching in England one hundred and fifty years before Luther in Germany. Finding the Latin Bible inaccessible to the common people, he prepared a version in the English of his time, aided by other scholars. The New Testament was first translated, beginning with the book of Revelation, in 1357, and nearly all the Old Testament was translated by 1382, two years before Wyclif died. This translation was made from the Vulgate, not from the original Hebrew and Greek. As printing had not yet been invented it was circulated in manuscript only, yet was read widely. 2. _Tyndale's Bible._ After the invention of printing and the great Reformation there was an awakened interest in the Bible. William Tyndale, a scholar in Hebrew and Greek, gave his life to the translation of the Scriptures, was exiled, and was martyred in 1536 on account of it. His New Testament in 1525 was the first printed in English, and it was followed by the Pentateuch in 1530. No one man ever made a better translation than Tyndale, which has been followed in many renderings by nearly all the later versions. 3. _The Great Bible._ Omitting the versions of Coverdale, Matthew, and Taverner, we come to the first authorized version, made under the direction of the English prime minister, Thomas Cromwell, edited by Miles Coverdale, and published in 1539. It received its name from its size, and from the fact that a copy of it was required to be placed in every church in England. 4. _The Geneva Bible_ was translated by a company of English exiles in Switzerland, and appeared in 1560. It was more convenient in form than the earlier editions, was divided into verses, and printed in Roman letters--traits which made it popular, especially among the nonconformists in England. 5. _The Bishops' Bible_ was prepared under the direction of Matthew Parker, archbishop under Queen Elizabeth, by eight bishops of the Church of England, and appeared in 1572. It had a limited circulation, because it was really not quite as good as the Geneva Bible; but it was the official version in England from 1572 to 1611. 6. _The Douai Bible._ All the above-named versions, and many others, were the work of Protestants. The Roman Catholics of England found a version of their own a necessity; and, as they were not allowed to prepare and publish one in England, the task was undertaken by exiled Roman Catholics on the Continent. The New Testament was published at Rheims, in France, in 1582; the Old Testament at Douai, in Belgium, in 1610. This translation was made from the Latin Bible of Jerome, and its marginal notes set forth the Roman Catholic views. It is still the English Bible of the Roman Catholic Church. 7. _The King James Version._ In the reign of James I of England many versions were in circulation, and for the sake of uniformity a new translation was ordered by the king. This was made by forty-seven scholars, occupying about three years, and was issued in 1611. It became by degrees the standard English Bible, "The Authorized Version," as it is called. It is the Bible which is still circulated by the million every year, the Bible familiar to every reader. 8. _The Revised Version._ The advance in scholarship, the increasing knowledge of the ancient world, and the discovery of old manuscripts unknown to earlier translators, caused a demand, not for a new Bible, but for a revision of the text and of the translation in common use. The Church of England led in the movement, but invited the coŲperation of scholars in every denomination of Great Britain and America. In 1881 the New Testament appeared, and in 1885 the entire Bible. Students everywhere recognized the Revised Version as a great improvement upon the Authorized Version, but it comes very slowly into use by the people. 9. _The American Revised Version._ In the preparation of the Revised Version of 1885 the American scholars proposed more radical changes than the English revisers would admit. It was arranged that the Americans should have their list of proposed changes published at the end of the version, but they should not publish any Bible containing them in the text until 1900. The American revisers continued their organization, and, aided by experience, made a new revision throughout, which was published both in England and America as "The American Revised Version," in 1901. This work is by most students regarded as, upon the whole, better than the Revised Version of 1885 and the best translation of the Bible that has yet appeared. Blackboard Outline I. =Name.= "H. B." _Biblia._ 39. 27. 66. II. =Orig.= "Hi. Crit." 1. _Ora._ St. so. po. pro. trad. 2. _Writ._ 1,600 y. 40 wri. "Works of authors." 3. _Work of scr._ B. C. 400. Text not uniform. III. =Lang.= 1. Heb. 2. Aram. IV. =Form.= 1. Writ. parch. 2. Use in syn. 3. Use in sch. V. =Ear. Ver.= 1. Tar. 2. Sept. 3. Vul. VI. =Mod. Ver.= 1. Wyc. 1382. 2. Tyn. 1525, 1530. 3. Gr. Bib. 1539. 4. Gen. Bib. 1560. 5. Bish. Bib. 1572. 6. Dou. Bib. 1582, 1610. 7. K. Jam. Ver. 1611. 8. Rev. Ver. 1881, 1885. 9. Am. Rev. Ver. 1901. Review Questions Review and answer again the questions on Sections I, II, III, IV of this lesson. What is meant by "versions"? How did versions of the Old Testament become necessary to the Jews? What were these versions called, and how did they arise? How were they preserved? What called forth the Septuagint Version? In what language was it? When was it prepared? What was the Jewish legend concerning it? How did the Vulgate arise? Who made it? Why did it receive that name? What did the Vulgate become? Repeat the names of the three most important early versions. Name the nine most important modern versions. Who was Wyclif? When did he live? When did his translation of the Bible appear? How was it circulated? What two events in modern times increased the desire for the Bible in the language of the people? What is said of Tyndale's version? What was the Great Bible? Who directed its preparation? Who edited it? When was it published? What was the Geneva Bible? Wherein did it differ from earlier Bibles? Give the facts concerning the Bishops' Bible--originator, translators, date, characteristics. What was the history of the Douai Bible? Where is that Bible used? Tell the facts about the Authorized Version. How did the Revised Version arise? How was it prepared? What new version has recently appeared, and how is it regarded? FOOTNOTES: [1] The chronology of the Bible is not a matter of the divine revelation, and scholars are not agreed with respect to the dates of early Scripture history. The system of chronology commonly found in reference Bibles is that of Archbishop Usher, who lived 1580-1656, long before the modern period of investigation in Bible lands. According to this chronology Aīdam was created B. C. 4004, the flood took place B. C. 2348, and the call of Aībra-ham was B. C. 1928. But it is now an attested and recognized fact that kingdoms were established in the Eu-phraītes valley and beside the Nile more than 4000 years before Christ. All of Usher's dates earlier than the captivity of the Jews in Babīy-lon are now discarded by scholars. We give in these lessons no dates earlier than the call of Aībra-ham, which is doubtfully placed at B. C. 2280, and regard none as certain before B. C. 1000. [2] When the birth of Christ was adopted as an era of chronology, about A. D. 400 a mistake of four years was made by the historian who first fixed it. Hence the year in which Christ was born was in reality B. C. 4. [3] We give Mount Hor the traditional location, east of the Desert of Zin; but there is strong reason for finding it west of the Desert of Zin, near Kaīdesh-barīne-a. [4] Called in the Revised Version "guilt offering." [5] This is called in the Revised Version "the meal offering"; that is, the offering to God of a meal to be eaten. It might be called "food offering." [6] According to Josephus; the fact is not stated in the Bible. [7] The ecclesiastical year began with the month Abib, or Nisan, in the spring: the civil year with the month Ethanim in the fall. [8] The Old Testament name for the Sea of Galīi-lee is Chinīne-reth (ch as k), a word meaning "harp-shaped." [9] The account of the sun and moon standing still is an extract from an ancient poem, and is so printed in the Revised Version. The subject is discussed in Geikie's Hours with the Bible, footnote with chapter 13. [10] With regard to the destruction of the Caīnaan-ites: 1. Such destruction was the almost universal custom of the ancient world. 2. It was observed by the Caīnaan-ites, who were among the most wicked of ancient peoples. 3. It was necessary if Isīra-el was to be kept from the corruption of their morals, and upon Isīra-elīs character depended the world in after ages. 4. As a result of failing to extirpate the Caīnaan-ites a vastly greater number of the Isīra-el-ites were destroyed during the succeeding centuries. [11] With Jephīthah is associated the only instance of human sacrifice offered to Je-hoīvah in all Bible history; and this was by an ignorant freebooter, in a part of the land farthest from the instructions of the tabernacle and the priesthood. When we consider that the practice of human sacrifice was universal in the ancient world, and that not only captives taken in war, but also the children of the worshipers, were offered (2 Kings 3. 26, 27; Mic. 6. 7), this fact is a remarkable evidence of the elevating power of the Isīra-el-ite worship. [12] With regard to Daīvid's crimes against U-riīah and his wife, note that no other ancient monarch would have hesitated to commit such an act, or would have cared for it afterward; while Daīvid submitted to the prophet's rebuke, publicly confessed his sin, and showed every token of a true repentance. [13] Notice that while the prophets had been friendly to Daīvid, they were strongly opposed to Solīo-mon, and gave aid to his enemy Jer-o-boīam (1 Kings 11. 29-39). [14] The dimensions as given in the Bible are all in cubits, a measure of uncertain length, which I have estimated at eighteen inches; consequently all the figures given in this study are to be regarded as approximate, not exact. [15] There is no mention of either the table or the candlestick in Solīo-mon's temple, but instead ten tables and ten candlesticks in the Holy Place (2 Chron. 4. 7, 8). The table and candlestick were in the tabernacle, and were also in the second and third temples; but it is uncertain whether they actually stood in the temple of Solīo-mon. [16] Nearly all the material in this lesson is drawn in an abbreviated form from The Literary Study of the Bible, by Richard G. Moulton (Boston D. C. Heath & Co.), a masterpiece on this subject, strongly recommended to the student. I have, however, ventured to vary from Dr. Moulton's classification on some minor points--J. L. H. * * * * * Transcriber's Notes: Obvious punctuation errors repaired. 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