Chapter XL: Preface (12)

_Timnah_. On the south side of the valley of Sorek, in the western part of Palestine, northeast of Jerusalem. The whole story of Samson is laid in this region, between Jerusalem and Joppa.

_Philistines_. A people which had taken the plains west of the hills of Judaea, and for a long time were the rivals and enemies of Israel.

{494}

_Nazirite_. A man who had taken a vow not to cut his hair, not to eat grapes or drink wine, and not to touch a dead body. It was one way of expressing devotion to God.

_Dagon_. The god of the Philistines.

DANIEL.

_Pulse_. A sort of pea; good, healthy food, but not delicate or luxurious.

_Chaldeans_. Usually the people of Babylon. In Daniel, however, it means a class of people who practiced sorcery.

_Medes_. The Persians and Medes were combined into the Persian empire. It was they who took Babylon, and put an end to the Babylonian empire, though the city of Babylon was still for many hundred years a great center of commerce and of learning.

NEHEMIAH.

_Shushan_. See notes on Esther.

_Chislev_. A month corresponding to parts of November and December. Nisan corresponds to parts of March and April.

_Artaxerxes_. King of Persia, the son of the Xerxes of the story of Esther.

_Tirshatha_. An officer of the empire, appointed for a special service.

_Feast of Booths_. One of the three great feasts of the Hebrews. It was a joyful feast, a thanksgiving time. During the feast the people lived in booths, from which comes the name.

{495}

THE STORY OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM.

_Ethiopians_. Just at this time the people of the distant south ruled Egypt, and they were known as Ethiopians.

_Asherim, Asheroth_. (See note on Elijah and Elisha.) The name Asheroth is formed as though there were a goddess Asherah.

_Ships of Tarshish_. That is, ships like those which were built to go to Tarshish in Spain; just as ships built like those that sailed to East India used to be called Indiamen.

_Ophir_. A place from which gold and other things were brought. Where it was is still unknown.

_Valley of Salt_. The valley of the Dead Sea. Its southern part is full of places where salt is found.

_Assyria_. This great empire, with its capital at Nineveh on the Tigris, was for a long time greatly feared by Israel. It kept all the small nations about under tribute, and was very cruel in all its wars, so that when, after several generations, it fell, there was great rejoicing.

_Carchemish_. A town on the Euphrates, which was often the scene of great battles.

_Bethel and Dan_ were the two extremes of the northern kingdom of Israel. Both had perhaps been sacred places long before.

_Tirzah_. A town in a beautiful situation, the capital of North Israel from the time of Jeroboam till the time of Omri, who built Samaria.

{496}

TALES OF THE MACCABEES.

_Kingdom of the Greeks_. Alexander the Great conquered all western Asia as far as the borders of India. After his death the empire was divided among his generals. One of the divisions became the kingdom of Syria, and it was Syria that ruled over Judaea in the time of this heroic story. Because the kingdom began with the Greek rule, and still kept more or less of the Greek customs and religion, it was still called the kingdom of the Greeks.

_Modin_. A town below the hills of Judaea, to the west, not mentioned in either the Old or the New Testament.

_Beth-horon_. A valley leading west from the hills of Judaea, somewhat north of Jerusalem. In the early wars of Joshua and the Judges this was also the scene of many battles.

_Bethsura_. A town in the mountains not far from Hebron. It had long been a fortress of Judaea.

_Azotus and Askelon_. Towns in the southwest of Judah.

{497}{498}

RUINS OF BETH-EL.

Situated high up on the central range of Palestine, Bethel was from
the earliest times a "holy place." It reached the height of its
importance under the reign of Jeroboam II., who made it the
religious capital of the northern kingdom, and instituted there the
worship of the golden calves.
[End illustration]

{499}

MEMORY VERSES

{500}

{501}

MEMORY VERSES

_One for Each Week of the Year_.

The Lord reigneth; he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.--_Psalms 93:1,2_.

Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.--_Psalms 96:6_.

Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.--_Isaiah 40:15_.

Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.--_Psalms 89:14_.

Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.--_Psalms 97:2_.

His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and {502} trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.--_Psalms 97:4,5_.

The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.--_Psalms 145:8_.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?--_Psalms 27:1_.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. --_Psalms 46:1_.

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction.--_Proverbs 3:11_.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.--_Psalms 84:11_.

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.--_Psalms 103:1_.

But, as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.--_I Corinthians 2:9_.

{503}

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.--_Proverbs 1:7_.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.--_Psalms 33:8_.

Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.--_Malachi 3:16_.

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.--_Malachi 3:17_.

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children.--_Psalms 103:17_.

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.--_Psalms 29:11_.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.--_Psalms 19:9_.

{504}

Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.--_Psalms 93:5_.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.--_Hebrews 4:12_.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.--_Luke 21:33_.

I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.--_Psalms 119:16_.

The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.--_Psalms 119:72_.

Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold.--_Psalms 119:127_.

My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.--_Psalms 119:167_.

My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. --_Psalms 119:81_.

{505}

He hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.--_Psalms 147:20_.

And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.--_Leviticus 26:12_.

But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.--_Habakkuk 2:20_.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.--_Revelation 21:3_.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.--_Psalms 96:9_.

Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.--_Psalms 147:5_.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.--_Proverbs 15:3_.

O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off.--_Psalms 139:1,2_.

{506}

With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.--_Job 12:13_.

He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?--_Psalms 94:9_.

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.--_I Chronicles 16:25_.

For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.--_Lamentations 3:33_.

As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.--_Ezekiel 34:12_.

And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.--_Ezekiel 34:31_.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!--_Isaiah 52:7_.

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.--_Isaiah 60:1_.

{507}

Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.--_Isaiah 66:1_.

Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.--_Isaiah 55:1_.

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.--_Proverbs 25:21,22_.

When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.--_Proverbs 16:7_.

A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.--_Proverbs 15:12_.

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments. For length of days, and long life and peace, shall they add unto thee.--_Proverbs 3:1,2_.

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.--_Proverbs 3:3,4_.

{508}

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.--_Proverbs 3:5,6_.

[End of "VOLUME THREE: TALES OF OLD JUDAEA"]

--------------------------------------------------

[Start of "VOLUME FOUR: LIFE OF JESUS"]

{1}

THE BIBLE STORY

{2}

{3}

{4}

{5}

THE BIBLE STORY

VOLUME FOUR

LIFE OF JESUS

ARRANGED AND EDITED BY

REV. NEWTON MARSHALL HALL, D.D.

MINISTER OF THE NORTH CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

AND

REV. IRVING FRANCIS WOOD, PH.D.

PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND COMPARATIVE RELIGION AT SMITH COLLEGE

Authors of "_The Early Days of Israel" "Advanced Bible Studies" Etc._

THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

CHICAGO CLEVELAND

{6}

COPYRIGHT, 1906, COPYRIGHT, 1917,

BY THE KING-RICHARDSON COMPANY, SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

{7}