Chapter XXXI: Preface (3)

And they that lay near Holofernes, and all his servants, went forth and brought her into the tent. And Holofernes was resting upon his bed under the canopy, which was woven with purple and gold and emeralds and precious stones. And they told him of her; and he came forth into the space before his tent, with silver lamps going before him. But when Judith was come before him and his servants, they all marveled at the beauty of her countenance; and she fell down upon her face, and did reverence unto him: and his servants raised her up.

And Holofernes said to her, "Woman, be of good comfort, fear not in thy heart: for I never hurt any that hath chosen to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of all the earth. And now, if thy people that dwelleth in the hill country had not set light by me, I would not have lifted up my spear against them: but they have done these things to themselves. And now tell me wherefore thou didst flee {94} from them and earnest unto us: for thou art come to save thyself; be of good comfort, thou shalt live this night, and hereafter: for there is none that shall wrong thee, but all shall treat thee well, as is done unto the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar my lord."

And Judith said to him, "Receive the words of thy servant, and let thy handmaid speak in thy presence, and I will declare no lie to my lord this night. And if thou shalt follow the words of thy handmaid, God shall bring the thing to pass perfectly with thee; and my lord shall not fail of his purposes. As Nebuchadnezzar king of all the earth liveth, and as his power liveth, who hath sent thee for the preservation of every living thing, not only do men serve him by thee, but also the beasts of the field and the cattle and the birds of the heaven shall live through thy strength, in the time of Nebuchadnezzar and of all his house. For we have heard of thy wisdom and the subtle devices of thy soul, and it hath been reported in all the earth, that thou only art brave in all the kingdom, and mighty in knowledge, and wonderful in feats of war.

"And now as concerning the matter: our race shall not be punished, neither shall the sword prevail against them, except they sin against their God. And now, that my lord be not defeated and his purpose frustrated, and that death may fall upon them, their sin hath overtaken them, wherewith they shall provoke their God to anger, whensoever they shall do wickedness. Since their victuals failed them, and all their water was scant, they took counsel to lay hands upon their cattle, and determined to consume all {95} those things, which God charged them by his laws that they should not eat: and they are resolved to spend the first fruits of the corn, and the tenths of the wine and the oil, which they had sanctified, and reserved for the priests that stand before the face of our God in Jerusalem; the which things it is not lawful for any of the people so much as to touch with their hands.

"Wherefore I thy servant, knowing all this, fled away from their presence; and God sent me to work things with thee, whereat all the earth shall be astonished, even as many as shall hear it. For thy servant is religious, and serveth the God of heaven day and night: and now, my lord, I will abide with thee, and thy servant will go forth by night into the valley, and I will pray to God, and he shall tell me when they have committed their sins: and I will come and show it also to thee; and thou shalt go forth with all thy host, and there shall be none of them that shall resist thee. And I will lead thee through the midst of Judaea, until thou comest over against Jerusalem; and I will set thy seat in the midst thereof; and thou shalt drive them as sheep that have no shepherd, and a dog shall not so much as open his mouth before thee: for these things were told me according to my foreknowledge, and were declared unto me, and I was sent to tell thee."

And her words were pleasing in the sight of Holofernes and of all his servants; and they marveled at her wisdom, and said, "There is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the other, for beauty of face, and wisdom of words."

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And Holofernes said to her, "God did well to send thee before the people, that might should be in our hands, and destruction among them that lightly regarded my lord. And now thou art beautiful in thy countenance, and wise in thy words: for if thou shalt do as thou hast spoken, thy God shall be my God, and thou shalt dwell in the house of King Nebuchadnezzar, and shalt be renowned through the whole earth."

And he commanded to bring her in where his silver vessels were set, and bade that they should prepare for her of his own meats, and that she should drink of his own wine. And Judith said, "I will not eat thereof, lest there be an offense: but provision shall be made for me of the things that are come with me."

And Holofernes said to her, "But if thy provisions should fail, whence shall we be able to give thee the like? for there is none of thy race with us."

And Judith said to him, "As thy soul liveth, my lord, thy servant shall not spend those things that be with me, until the Lord work by my hand the things that he hath determined."

And the servants of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she slept till midnight, and she rose up toward the morning watch, and sent to Holofernes, saying, "Let my lord now command that they suffer thy servant to go forth to prayer."

And Holofernes commanded his guards that they should not stay her: and she abode in the camp three days, and went out every night into the valley of Bethulia. {97} and washed herself at the fountain of water in the camp. And when she came up, she besought the Lord God of Israel to direct her way to the raising up of the children of his people. And she came in, and remained in the tent, until she took her food toward evening.

_Holofernes Makes a Feast_.

And it came to pass on the fourth day, Holofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet. And he said to his officer who had charge over all that he had, "Go now, and persuade this Hebrew woman which is with thee, that she come to us, and eat and drink with us."

And the officer went from the presence of Holofernes, and came in to her, and said, "Let not this fair damsel fear to come to my lord, and to be honored in his presence, and to drink wine and be merry with us, and to be made this day as one of the daughters of the children of Asshur, which serve in the house of Nebuchadnezzar."

And Judith said to him, "And who am I, that I should deny my lord? for whatsoever shall be pleasing in his eyes I will do speedily, and this shall be my joy unto the day of my death."

And she arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman's attire; and her servant went and laid rugs of soft skins on the ground for her over against Holofernes, which she had received of the officer for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them. And {98} Judith came in and sat down, and Holofernes' heart was ravished with her, and his soul was moved, and he desired exceedingly her company.

And Holofernes said to her, "Drink now, and be merry with us."

And Judith said, "I will drink now, my lord, because my life is magnified in me this day more than all the days since I was born."

And she ate and drank before him what her servant had prepared. And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank exceedingly much wine, more than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born.

But when the evening was come, his servants made haste to depart, and his officer shut the tent without, and dismissed them that waited from the presence of his lord; and they went away to their beds: for they were all weary, because the feast had been long. But Judith was left alone in the tent, and Holofernes lying along upon his bed: for he was drunk with wine. And Judith had commanded her servant to stand without her bedchamber, and wait for her coming forth, as she did daily: for she said she would go forth to her prayer; and she spoke to the officer according to the same words.

_Judith Kills the Great Captain_.

And all went away from her presence, and none was left in the bedchamber, neither small nor great. And Judith, standing by his bed, said in her heart, "O Lord God of all power, look in this hour upon the works of my {99} hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem. For now is the time to help thine inheritance, and to do the thing that I have purposed to the destruction of the enemies which are risen up against us."

And she came to the rail of the bed, which was at Holofernes' head, and took down his scimitar from thence; and she drew near unto the bed, and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, "Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day."

And she smote twice upon his neck with all her might, and took away his head from him, and tumbled his body down from the bed, and took down the canopy from the pillars; and after a little while she went forth, and gave Holofernes' head to her maid; and she put it in her bag of victuals: and they two went forth together unto prayer, according to their custom: and they passed through the camp, and the valley, and went up to the mountain of Bethulia, and came to the gates thereof.

And Judith said afar off to the watchmen at the gates, "Open, open now the gate: God is with us, even our God, to shew his power yet in Israel, and his might against the enemy, as he hath done even this day."

And it came to pass, when the men of her city heard her voice, they made haste to go down to the gate of their city, and they called together the elders of the city. And they ran all together, both small and great, for it was strange to them that she was come: and they opened the gate, and received them, making a fire to give light, and gathered them round about. And she said to them {100} with a loud voice, "Praise God, praise him: praise God, who hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel, but hath destroyed our enemies by my hand this night."

And she took forth the head out of the bag, and shewed it, and said to them, "Behold, the head of Holofernes, the chief captain of the host of Asshur, and behold, the canopy, wherein he did lie in his drunkenness; and the Lord smote him by the hand of a woman. And as the Lord liveth, who preserved me in my way that I went, my countenance deceived him to his destruction."

And all the people were exceedingly amazed, and bowed themselves, and worshiped God, and said with one accord, "Blessed art thou, O our God, who hast this day brought to nought the enemies of thy people."

And Ozias said to her, "Blessed art thou, daughter, in the sight of the Most High God, above all the women upon the earth; and blessed is the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who directed thee to the smiting of the head of the prince of our enemies. For thy hope shall not depart from the heart of men that remember the strength of God for ever. And God turn these things to thee for a perpetual praise, to visit thee with good things, because thou didst not spare thy life by reason of the affliction of our race, but didst avenge our fall, walking a straight way before our God." And all the people said, "Amen! Amen!"

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PASS OF UPPER BETH-HORON FROM THE SOUTH, THE SCENE OF
MANY HEBRON VICTORIES

Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission

Upper and lower Beth-horon are in the northernmost of the three
gorges which break through the steep wall of the western front of
the central ranges of Palestine. A path leads up the ravine to lower
Beth-horon, which stands on a ridge about 1,240 feet above the sea.

Mounting a long and steep ascent, rocky and rough, but with the rock
in places cut into steps, the traveler after an hour's climb reaches
upper Beth-horon, which stands 1,730 feet above the sea, on a
mountain spur with a deep valley both to north and south. The
village is small, but exhibits traces of ancient walls and
foundations, and to the east of it is a reservoir, apparently of
great antiquity.

So situated, the Beth-horons could not fail to be connected with the
march and retreat of armies and often hosts swarmed up this avenue
or swept down it in flight. More than one memorable battle takes its
name from Beth-horon. Thrice the two towns were fortified, by
Solomon, by the Syrian general Bacchides, and by the Jews against
Holofernes. It was by Beth-horon that Certius Gallus advanced in the
first onset of the Roman armies against Jerusalem, and down its
gorge he was driven in rout by the insurgent Jews. And Beth-horon
saw the first Crusaders march to Jerusalem; and saw Richard, the
third Crusader, in vain try to force a passage by the same route.
[End illustration]

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And Judith said to them, "Hear me now, my brethren, and take this head, and hang it upon the battlement of your wall. And it shall be, so soon as the morning shall appear, and the sun shall come forth upon the earth, ye shall take up everyone his weapons of war, and go forth every valiant man of you out of the city, and ye shall set a captain over them, as though ye would go down to the plain toward the outposts of the children of Asshur; and ye shall not go down. And these shall take up their armor, and shall go into their camp, and rouse up the captains of the host of Asshur, and they shall run together to the tent of Holofernes, and they shall not find him: and fear shall fall upon them, and they shall flee before your face. And ye, and all that inhabit every region of Israel, shall pursue them and overthrow them as they go."

_Israel's Victory_.

And as soon as the morning arose, they hung the head of Holofernes upon the wall, and every man took up his weapons, and they went forth by companies unto the passes of the mountain. But when the children of Asshur saw them, they sent hither and thither to their leaders. And they came to Holofernes' tent, and said to him that was over all that he had, "Waken now our lord: for the slaves have been bold to come down against us to battle, that they may be utterly destroyed."

And the officer went in, and knocked at the outer door of the tent. But when none answered, he opened it, and went into the bedchamber, and found him thrown upon the threshold dead, and his head had been taken from him. And he cried with a loud voice, with weeping and {104} groaning and a mighty cry, and rent his garments. And he entered into the tent where Judith lodged: and he found her not, and he leaped out to the people, and cried aloud, "The slaves have dealt treacherously: one woman of the Hebrews hath brought shame upon the house of King Nebuchadnezzar; for, behold, Holofernes lieth upon the ground, and his head is not on him."

But when the rulers of the host of Asshur heard the words, they rent their robes, and their souls were troubled exceedingly, and there was a cry and an exceeding great noise in the midst of the camp.

And when they that were in the tents heard, they were amazed at the thing that was come to pass. And trembling and fear fell upon them, and no man dared abide any more in the sight of his neighbor, but rushing out with one accord, they fled into every way of the plain and of the hill country. And they that had encamped in the hill country round about Bethulia fled away. And then the children of Israel, everyone that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them, and fell upon the camp of Asshur, and spoiled them, and were enriched exceedingly. But the children of Israel returned from the slaughter, and took possession of that which remained; and the villages and the cities, that were in the hill country and in the plain country, took much spoil: for there was an exceeding great store.

And Joakim the high priest, and the elders of Jerusalem came to behold the good things which the Lord had showed to Israel, and to see Judith, and to salute her. {105} But when they came unto her, they all blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, "Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem, thou art the great glory of Israel, thou art the great rejoicing of our race: thou hast done all these things by thy hand: thou hast done with Israel the things that are good, and God is pleased therewith: blessed be thou with the Almighty Lord for evermore." And all the people said, "Amen!"

And the people plundered the camp for the space of thirty days: and they gave unto Judith Holofernes' tent, and all his silver cups, and his beds, and his vessels, and all his furniture: and she took them, and placed them on her mule, and made ready her wagons, and heaped them thereon.

And all the women of Israel ran together to see her; and they blessed her, and made a dance among them for her; and she took branches in her hand, and gave to the women that were with her. And they made themselves garlands of olive, she and they that were with her, and she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women: and all the men of Israel followed in their armor with garlands, and with songs in their mouths. And Judith began to sing this thanksgiving in all Israel, and all the people sang with loud voices this song of praise. And Judith sang--

THE SONG OF JUDITH.

"Begin unto my God with timbrels,
Sing unto my Lord with cymbals: {106}
Sing unto him psalm and praise:
Exalt him, and call upon his name.
For the Lord is the God that breaketh the battles:
For in his armies in the midst of the people
He delivered me out of the hand of them that persecuted me.
Asshur came out of the mountains from the north,
He came with ten thousands of his host,
The multitudes whereof stopped the torrents,
And their horsemen covered the hills.
He bragged that he would burn up my borders,
And kill my young men with the sword,
And throw my sucking children to the ground,
And give mine infants for a prey,
And make my virgins a spoil.
The Almighty Lord brought them to nought by the hand of a woman.
For their mighty one did not fall by young men,
Neither did sons of the Titans smite him,
Nor did great giants set upon him:
But Judith the daughter of Merari made him weak with
the beauty of her countenance.
For she put off the apparel of her widowhood
For the exaltation of those that were distressed in Israel,
She anointed her face with ointment,
And bound up her hair,
And took a linen garment to deceive him.
Her sandal ravished his eye,
And her beauty took his soul prisoner,
The scimitar passed through his neck.
The Persians quaked at her daring,
And the Medes were daunted at her boldness.
Then my lowly ones shouted aloud,
And my weak ones were terrified and crouched for fear: {107}
They lifted up their voice, and they were turned to flight.
The sons of damsels pierced them through,
And wounded them as fugitives' children;
They perished by the battle of my Lord.

"I will sing unto my God a new song:
O Lord, thou art great and glorious,
Marvelous in strength, invincible.
Let all thy creation serve thee:
For thou didst speak, and they were made,
Thou didst send forth thy spirit, and it builded them.
And there is none that shall resist thy voice.
For the mountains shall be moved from their foundations with the waters,
And the rocks shall melt as wax at thy presence:
But thou art yet merciful to them that fear thee.
For all sacrifice is little for a sweet savor,
And all the fat is very little for a whole burnt offering to thee:
But he that feareth the Lord is great continually.
Woe to the nations that rise up against my race:
The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgment,
To put fire and worms in their flesh;
And they shall weep and feel their pain for ever."

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TALES OF ELIJAH AND ELISHA

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ELIJAH AND ELISHA

PERSONS OF THE STORY.

_Elijah, Elisha,. Prophets_.
_Ahab, King of Israel_.
_Jezebel, his wife_.
_Joram, son of Ahab_.
_A widow in Zarephath, her son_.
_Obadiah, an officer of the king_.
_Naboth, a Jezreelite_.
_A woman of Shunem, her husband and son_.
_Naaman, captain of the hosts of Syria_.
_A little Hebrew captive maiden_.
_Gehazi, servant of Elisha_.
_Ben-hadad, King of Syria_.
_A King of Israel_.
_An officer of the King_.
_Jehu, a captain of the Hebrew army, afterward king_.
_Priests of Baal, courtiers, soldiers, servants_.

PLACES OF THE STORY.

_Samaria, the brook Cherith, Zarephath, Mount Carmel, Mount Horeb,
the Jordan, Shunem, Damascus_.

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Map showing Elijah's Travels,
by E. R. Hooker.
[End illustration]

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ELIJAH AND ELISHA.

STORIES OF THE WONDERFUL DEEDS PERFORMED BY TWO MEN OF GOD WHO LIVED IN ISRAEL.

_How Elijah Pronounced the Doom of Drouth. How He Was Entertained by a Poor Widow, and How He Paid for His Hospitality_.

(In the Northern kingdom of Israel, a very wicked king named Ahab came to the throne. This very wicked king married a woman named Jezebel, who was even more wicked than himself, and they both did continually that which was evil in the sight of God. They worshiped idols, and they cruelly put to death those who worshiped God. Then there arose a prophet named Elijah, and one day he came to the court of the wicked king and queen, and spoke these words):--

"As the Lord, the God of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."

This made the king very angry, and he would have killed Elijah, but he escaped, for the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there."

So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: {114} for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

And the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain thee."

So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he called to her, and said, "Bring me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink."

And as she was going to bring it, he called to her, and said, "Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand."

And she said, "As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in the barrel, and a little oil in the cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die."

And Elijah said unto her, "Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it forth unto me, and afterward make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, 'The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.'"

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And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. The barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Elijah.

And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? thou art come unto me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son!"

And he said to her, "Give me thy son."

And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried to the Lord, and said, "O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?"

And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to the Lord, and said, "O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again."

And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother: and Elijah said, "See, thy son liveth."

And the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth."

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_How the Prophets of Baal Were Tested, and Failed-- How the Lord Answered Elijah in Fire--How the Great Drought Was at Last Broken_.

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth."

And Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. And the famine was sore in Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: for, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land, to all the fountains of water, and to all the brooks: perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts."

So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, "Is it thou, my lord Elijah?"

And he answered him, "It is I: go, tell thy lord, 'Behold, Elijah is here.'"

And he said, "Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

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ROCK OF ELIJAH'S ALTAR ON MOUNT CARMEL AND OUTLOOK NORTH OVER PLAIN OF ESDRAELON.

Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.

But it is as sanctuary that the long hill of Carmel is best remembered in history. In its separation from other hills, its position on the sea, its visibleness from all quarters of the country; in its uselessness for war or traffic; in its profusion of flowers, its high platforms and groves with their glorious prospects of land and sea, Carmel must have been a place of retreat and of worship from the earliest times. It was claimed for Baal; but, even before Elijah's day, an altar had stood upon it for Jehovah. About this altar--as on a spot whose sanctity they equally felt--the rival faiths met in that contest, in which for most of us all the history of Carmel consists. It is not without interest to know that the awful debate, whether Jehovah or Baal was supreme lord of the elements, was fought out for a full day in face of one of the most sublime prospects of earth and sea and heaven. Before him, who stands on Carmel, nature rises in a series of great stages from sea to Alp: the Mediterranean, the long coast to north and south, with its hot sands and palms; Esdraelon covered with wheat, Tabor and the lower hills of Galilee with their oaks,--then, over the barer peaks of Upper Galilee and the haze that is about them, the clear snow of Hermon, hanging like an only cloud in the sky. It was in face of that miniature universe that the Deity who was Character was vindicated as Lord against the deity who was not. It was over all that realm that the rain swept up at the call of the same God who exposed the injustice of the tyrant and avenged the wrongs of Naboth. [End illustration]

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"And now thou sayest, 'Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.' And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth. Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? And now thou sayest, 'Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here': and he shall slay me."

And Elijah said, "As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him to-day."

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is it thou, thou troubler of Israel?"

And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baal. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Jezebel's table."

So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long halt ye {120} between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." And the people answered him not a word.

Then said Elijah to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under. And call ye on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God."

And all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."

And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under."

And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us."

But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is in a journey, or perhaps he sleepeth, and must be awaked."

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out {121} upon them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

And Elijah said unto all the people, "Come near unto me"; and all the people came near unto him.

And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was thrown down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob. And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench about the altar. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood."

And he said, "Do it the second time"; and they did it the second time.

And he said, "Do it the third time"; and they did it the third time.

And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "O Lord, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou, Lord, art God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again."

Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt {122} offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, "The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God."

And Elijah said to them, "Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. And Elijah said unto Ahab, "Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.';

So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea."

And he went up and looked; and said, "There is nothing."

And he said, "Go again seven times."

And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man's hand."

And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Make ready thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.'"

And it came to pass in a little while, that the heaven grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

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_How Elijah, Threatened by Queen Jezebel, Lost Courage. How He Made a Long Journey to Hear God Speak_.

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time."

And when he heard this, he arose, and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he prayed that he might die; and said, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."

And he lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him, "Arise and eat."

And he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water. And he ate and drank, and laid him down again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee."

And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. And he came thither to a cave and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"

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And he said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

And he said, "Go forth; and stand upon the mount before the Lord."

And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And, when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"

And he said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

And the Lord said to him, "Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead.

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THE WILDERNESS OF THE BROOK CHERITH
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.

It was in this wild country that Elijah stayed while the drought was
wasting the land. The exact location of the "brook Cherith" is not
known.

Of this region the following description tells: "When you realize
that this howling waste came within reach of nearly every Jewish
child; when you climb the Mount of Olives, or any hill about
Bethlehem, or the hill of Tekoa, and, looking east, see those
fifteen miles of chaos, sinking to a stretch of the Dead Sea, you
begin to understand the influence of the desert on Jewish
imagination and literature. It gave the ancient natives of Judaea, as
it gives the mere visitor of to-day, the sense of living next door
to doom; the sense of how narrow is the border between life and
death; the awe of the power of God, who can make contiguous regions
so opposite in character. 'He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and
water springs into a thirsty ground.' The desert is always in the
face of the prophets, and its howling of beasts and its dry sand
blow mournfully across their pages the foreboding of judgment."
[End illustration]

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"And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him."

So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed over unto him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee."

And he said unto him, "Go back again; for what have I done to thee?"

And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and made a feast of their flesh, and gave to the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

_How the Wicked King and Queen Did an Evil Deed, and How They Were Rebuked by Elijah_.

And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near to my house; and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it: or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money."

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And Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid it, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to thee."

And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, "I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers."

And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, "Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?"

And he said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, 'Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it': and he answered, 'I will not give thee my vineyard.'"

And Jezebel his wife said unto him, "Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: and set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them bear witness against him, saying, 'Thou didst curse God and the king.' And then carry him out, and stone him to death."

And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, {129} according as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And the two base fellows came in and sat before him: and bore witness against him, even against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king."

Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him to death. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth is stoned, and is dead." And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead."

And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, "Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwelleth in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to take possession of it. And thou shalt speak to him, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?' and thou shalt speak unto him, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.'"

And Ahab said to Elijah, "Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?"

And he answered, "I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to do that which is evil in the sight of {130} the Lord. Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will utterly sweep thee away: and I will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and hast made Israel to sin."

And of Jezebel also spoke the Lord, saying, "The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the birds of the air eat."

And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and humbled himself. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house."

_How God Took Elijah in a Chariot of Fire_.

And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, "Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me as far as Beth-el."

And Elisha said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee."

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THE GREAT ROAD GOING DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO.

From a photograph taken by Prof. David G. Lyon of Harvard
University, and used by his kind permission.

This road is the shortest from Jericho to Jerusalem, and therefore
the usual pilgrim route in both directions. Pereans and Galileans
came up to the temple by it; it was the path of our Lord and his
disciples, "when he set his face steadfastly toward Jerusalem"; and
from then till now it has been trodden in the opposite direction by
pilgrims from all lands to the scene of his baptism. When taken
upwards a more hot and heavy way it is impossible to
conceive--between blistered limestone rocks, and in front the bare
hills piled high without shadow or verdure. There is no water from
Jericho till you reach the roots of the Mount of Olives.
[End illustration]

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So they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets who were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thee to-day?"

And he said, "Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." And Elijah said to him, "Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho."

And he said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee."

So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thee to-day?"

And he answered, "Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." And Elijah said unto him, "Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan."

And he said, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee."

And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood over against them afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken from thee."

And Elisha said, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me."

And he said, "Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee: but if not, it shall not be so."

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And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!"

And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" and when he also had smitten the waters, they were divided hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

And when the sons of the prophets which were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha." And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. And they said to him, "Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest perhaps the spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley."

And he said, "Ye shall not send."

And when they urged him till he was wearied, he said, "Send." They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.

And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho; and he said unto them, "Did I not say unto you, 'Go not'?"

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THE VILLAGE OF SHUNEM