A manual of scripture history, for use in Jewish schools and families

Front matter

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Part I. From The Creation To The Death Of Joseph

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I. The Creation — Eden — Adam and Eve i

II. Noah— The Flood 3

III. The Tower of Babel 5

IV. Abraham 6

V. Abraham {continued) — The War of the Kings .... 8

VI. Abraham {continued) — Birth of Ishmael — Destruction of

Sodom and Gomorrah 9

VII. Birth of Isaac — The Trial of Abraham — Death of Abraham 1 2

VIII. Isaac 14

IX. Jacob 17

X. Jacob {continued) 19

XI. Joseph — His Captivity in Egypt 21

XII. Joseph in Egypt 23

XIII. Joseph in Egypt {continued) 25

XIV. Death of Jacob and of Joseph 28

Part II. From The Death Of Joseph To The Death Of Moses

I. Oppression of the Israelites in Egypt — The Call of Moses . 32

II. The Ten Plagues — The Redemption from Egypt . . . . 35

III. Passage of the Red Sea — Battle with the Amalekites . . 37

IV. The Decalogue 39

V. The Golden Calf— The Tabernacle 42

VI. The Priesthood— The Elders 44

VII. The Spies 47

VIII. The Rebellion of Korah 49

iv

CONTENTS. v

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IX. Death of Miriam and of Aaron 51

X. Balak and Balaam 53

XI. The People Numbered — Appointment of Joshua ... 56

XII. The Last Days of Moses ... 58

Part III. From The Death Of Moses To The Choice Of Saul

I. The Spies sent to Jericho — Passage of the Jordan ... 63

II. Fall of Jericho — Achan's Sin — Capture of Ai 65

III. The Gibeonites — The Five Kings of Canaan 67

IV. Wars with the Canaanites — Division of Palestine — Death

of Joshua 68

V. The Judges — Othniel to Deborah 71

VI. The Judges {continued) — Gideon 73

VII. The Judges {continued) — Abimelech — Jair ...... 75

VIII. Jephthah — Samson 77

IX. Samson {continued) 80

X. Ruth 82

XI. Birth of Samuel — His Dedication to God's Service ... 83 XII. War with the Philistines — Capture of the Ark — Death of

Eli and his Sons . . . '. 85

Part IV. From Saul To The Death Of Solomon

I. Saul made King — His First Offence 89

II. Saul's Wars — David Anointed King 91

III. David and Goliath 93

IV. Saul Jealous of David — The Love of David and Jonathan . 94 V. David an Exile — His Wanderings — Death of Samuel . . 97

VI. Saul and the Witch of En-dor — Death of Saul .... 100 VII. David King over Judah — The Ark Brought to Jerusalem . 103 VIII. David's Various Wars — His Sin with Bathsheba .... 106 IX. Absalom's Rebellion — David's Flight and Return — Absalom's Death 109

X. The Last Days of David— The Psalms 112

XI. Solomon Ascends the Throne — He Builds the Temple . 114 XII. Solomon's Greatness and Death , , , , , , , . -117 vi CONTENTS.

Part V. The Kingdom Of Israel

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I. Jeroboam — Nadab 122

II. Baasha — Elah — Zimri — Omri — Ahab — Elijah . . . .124

III. Ahab — Elijah and the Priests of Baal 126

IV. Ahab — Elijah — Benhadad 128

V. Naboth's Vineyard — Micaiah — Death of Ahab — Ahaziah . 131

VI. Elijah — Elisha — Jehoram 134

VII. Elisha's Miracles 136

VIII. Jehoram — War with the Syrians — Death of Benhadad . .138

IX. Jehu — Death of Jezebel — Jehoahaz — Death of Elisha . . 140

X. Jeroboam II. — The End of the Kingdom 143

Part VI. The Kingdom Of Judah

I. Rehoboam — Asa — Jehoshaphat 148

II. Joram — Ahaziah — Athaliah — Joash — Amaziah . . . .151

III. Uzziah — Jotham — Ahaz — Hezekiah 154

IV. Hezekiah (continued) — Manasseh — Amon 156

V. Josiah — Jehoahaz 159

VI. Jehoiakin — Jehoiachin — Zedekiah 161

Part VII. The Captivity — The Restoration

I. Gedaliah — Ishmael 166

II. The Captivity— Daniel 167

III. Daniel (continued) — Belshazzar 169

IV. End of the Captivity— The Temple Rebuilt 170

V. History of Esther 173

VI. History of Esther (continued) 174

VII. Ezra — Nehemiah 176

VIII. Chanukah — Feast of Dedication 179

Geographical Appendix 182

Books of the Bible .185

CHAPTER I. The Creation— Eden— Adam and Eve

The World Created.— In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. On the first day He made the light, on the second the heavens, on the third the dry land. On this day He commanded the earth to bring forth herbs, grasses, and trees. On the fourth day He made the sun, moon, and stars : the sun to give light by day, the moon and stars to light up the night. On the fifth day He created fish and fowl. On the sixth day He made all cattle, creeping things, and beasts of the earth. Lastly, all things having been formed ready for his use, God created man in His own image and gave him the breath of life. On the seventh day God rested from all His work. "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because thereon He had rested from all His work, which God created and made."

Eden. — God planted a garden in Eden in the eastern part of the world, and placed in it the man, Adam, whom He had made. God caused to grow in this garden every tree that was pleasant to the sight and good for food, and in the midst of the garden He placed the tree of life, and also the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When

God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, He gave him one command. He said to the man, " Of every tree in the garden thou mayest eat ; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, for on the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

Eve. — God created the first woman to be a proper helpfor the man. And Adam called his wife's name Eve (Chavah), because she was the mother of all living.

The First Sin. — Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field, and he tempted Eve to break the only command which God had then given. Going to the woman he persuaded her to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree. But Eve answered him that she dared not eat of the fruit for fear of the punishment of death. Then the serpent told her that she would not die; but that on the day she and Adam ate of it, their eyes should be opened, and they should become as God, knowing good and evil. She then ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree, and gave some of the fruit also to Adam, and he did eat. Thus did the first man and the first woman commit the first sin.

Adam and Eve Driven from Eden. — Later in the day Adam and Eve heard the voice of God in the garden. Knowing they had done wrong, they tried to hide themselves. But God at once charged them with their guilt. Adam laid the whole blame of the sin upon Eve; Eve, in her turn, blamed the serpent for tempting her. But God would not allow these excuses. They were all guilty alike; and punishment quickly followed. The serpent was to become the lowest and most despised of animals. Adam and Eve were to be driven out of the garden of Eden. They were to learn what pain and sorrow and suffering meant. Instead of living in ease upon the fruits of the garden, they were to labor and toil for their daily bread. "In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread, till thou returnest unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken : for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.' ' Then God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden.

CHAPTER II. Noah— The Flood

Cain and Abel. — Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain was a tiller of the ground, and Abel was a keeper of sheep. The two brothers brought offerings unto God — Cain of the fruit of the ground; Abel of the best of his flocks. God was pleased with Abel, and with his offering; but to Cain and to his offering He showed no respect. This made Cain very angry, and one day, being with Abel in the fields, he rose up against his brother and slew him. After this the Lord said unto Cain, "Where is thy brother Abel?" and Cain answered, "I know not; am I my brother's keeper?" But God showed him that He knew of his crime. Cain became a wanderer upon the face of the earth, and afterward settled in the land of Nod, eastward of Eden. Here a son was born unto him, whose name was Enoch. The fourth descendant from Enoch was called Lamech. He was the father of Jabal, who was the first to dwell in tents, and to study the art of rearing cattle ; of Jubal, who invented the harp and flute, and of Tubal-cain, who first used instruments made of copper and iron. To Adam and Eve was now born a third son, named Seth.

There were ten generations from Adam to Noah.

The Flood.— During the life of Noah the people on the earth became very wicked. So great was their evil-doing that God repented that He had made man on the earth. But Noah did not follow the bad example of those around him, he did what was right in the sight of

God, and found grace in His sight. Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And the Lord said to Noah, "The end of all flesh is come. I will destroy the earth with all the men in it." But Noah and his family were to be saved. So God told Noah to make an ark of gopher wood, 300 cubits long, 50 broad, and 30 high. Into this he and all his family went, taking with them seven pairs of every clean animal and fowl, and one pair of the unclean, with sufficient food for all. Noah entered the ark when he was six hundred years old.

Then God caused it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights — the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, the waters kept on increasing upon the earth until they stood fifteen cubits above the highest mountains. And all living things that were on the dry land died. After the flood had lasted 150 days the water began slowly to decrease. In about six months more, the ark having by this time rested on Mount Ararat, Noah sent forth a raven to see if the lower land were yet dry. But the raven gave him no sure sign. He then sent forth a dove, but she returned because the waters had not yet left the surface of the earth. He waited seven days more, and then sent her forth again, and she returned with an olive leaf in her mouth. He waited yet seven days and again sent forth the dove, but she returned to him no more. Then Noah knew that he might safely venture forth. The flood had lasted one year and ten days.

On coming from the Ark, Noah and his sons and their wives offered up a sacrifice of thanks unto God. And God said that the earth should no more be destroyed by a flood, and as a sign of this promise He set the rainbow in the clouds.

Noah's Sons. — After this Noah began to cultivate the earth, and he planted a vineyard. God gave to Noah the permission to eat of the flesh of animals. But He strictly charged him not to eat of the flesh that had been cut from the living animal, for this cruel practice had prevailed before the flood. God also forbade the crime of murder and suicide, and stated the punishment in these words, " Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man."

Ham, one of Noah's sons, behaved so badly that he drew upon himself his father's anger. But Shem and Japheth did what was right in their father's eyes, and Noah loved and blessed them. Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years, and was nine hundred and fifty years old when he died. ,

CHAPTER III. The Tower of Babel

The Oldest Nations.— The tenth chapter of Genesis is a very important one, as from the names and places mentioned in it we can trace the origin of most of the nations of ancient and modern times.

The descendants of Shem occupied the central portions of the great eastern continent of the world. They were divided into the following nationalities: Hebrews, Assyrians, Sabceans, Lydians, Arameans, Mysians, etc.

The sons of Ham inhabited the southern portions of the continent, and spread themselves freely over Africa. From them sprung the various tribes of Africa; and also the Arabians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Libyans, Philistines, Phoenicians, and Canaanites.

The children of Japheth settled in the northern and western portions of the great continent. They gave rise to the Scythians, Medes, Greeks, Cypriots, etc. The larger portion of the nations of Europe are descended from this branch.

The Tower of Babel.— And the people said, "Let us build us a city, and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven ; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." At this time the whole earth was of one language and used the same words. In spite of God's promise, the fear of another deluge was strong in the minds of the people, and they resolved to guard themselves against a second destruction of the human race. In the plain of Shinar, between the Euphrates and the Tigris, they set about building a tower, the top of»which was to reach to heaven, and which was to afford them a sure refuge in case of another flood. But God was angry with the people for their pride and want of faith, and hindered the building of the tower. The Lord confounded the language of the people, so that one did not understand the other's speech. And He scattered them over the whole surface of the earth, so they left off building the city, which was called Babel, meaning confusion of tongues.

As there were ten generations from Adam to Noah, so there were ten generations from Shem to Abraham.

CHAPTER IV. Abraham

Descent of Abram. — Terah, a descendant of Shem, had three sons — Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran, who died in his father's lifetime, had a son, Lot, and two daughters, Milcah and Iscah. Nahor married Milcah, while Abram took to wife his niece Sarai. And Terah took Abram, and Sarai and Lot, and went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees to go into the land of Canaan;

and they came to Haran in Mesopotamia, and dwelt there.

Abram's Wanderings. — When Abram was seventy-five years old God said unto him, "Get thee out from thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, into a land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." Without a murmur Abram broke up his household, and taking with him his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, passed into the land of Canaan and sojourned there. Again setting out on his travels he arrived at the village of Sichem, where he built an altar and " called upon the name of the Lord." By this is meant that Abram for the first time taught the inhabitants of Canaan the belief in the one true God, the only Creator and the Governor of the world. While at Sichem, God renewed His promise to Abram that his descendants should become great and should in later days inherit the land in which he was dwelling. Abram next pitched his tent at Beth- el, where he again "called upon the name of the Lord. ' ' After this Abram continued his wanderings, always going in a southerly direction.

Now a famine came upon the land of Canaan, and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there until the famine should cease. While dwelling in Egypt, Abram grew very rich, and became the owner of many cattle and much silver and gold.

Lot. — The famine having passed, Abram returned to the south of Canaan. During the whole of his travels his nephew Lot accompanied him. Lot had also greatly prospered, no doubt through the help and example of Abram. In fact, so large had the flocks and herds of the two camps become, that no sufficient pasture in any one place could be found for them. Owing to this difficulty quarrels were frequent between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. This state of things was not pleasing to Abram, who was, above all things, a man of peace. And Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we are brethren." He then asked Lot to choose which part of the land he would like to have for himself: "If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left."

Lot chose the fertile plain of Jordan, and encamped near the wicked city of Sodom. Abram removed his tent to the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.

CHAPTER V. Abraham {continued)

Chedorlaomer.— At this time there reigned over Elam (a district in Persia) a mighty king named Chedorlaomer. He had conquered many princes, among whom were the rulers of cities in the Jordan plain. For twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. The next year Chedorlaomer invaded the south and east of Canaan, and after gaining many battles, marched to Sodom and Gomorrah, which he captured and despoiled. He took as spoils all the substance of these cities, and seizing Lot and all his possessions, carried him away with him.

Abram Rescues Lot. — When Abram learned what had befallen Lot, he hastily gathered together his servants to the number of three hundred and eighteen, armed them and set out in pursuit of the victorious king. Three princes of the land, Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner, friends of Abram, assisted him with men. Abram made a rapid march of 130 miles to Dan in the extreme north of Canaan, and there came up with the enemy. Abram showed not only bravery in pursuing an army many times larger than his own, but also skill in his plan of attack. Chedorlaomer was overthrown, and Lot and all his belongings were rescued.

On his return from the campaign, Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most High God, came forth and blessed Abram.

Although Abram had captured much spoil, he would not keep even a shoe-lace for himself, but restored all of it to the rightful owners.

Abram's Vision. — After these events, the Lord appeared unto Abram in a vision, saying, " Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward." In spite of these repeated promises, Abram's spirit was sad, for he had no child. God now gave him the hope that he would have a son, and renewed his promise that his descendants should be as numerous as the stars of heaven. And God showed unto His servant what would happen to his offspring; that they should be oppressed by a foreign people for 400 years, that the nation whom they served should be judged, and that in the end they should return to their land with great riches. In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt (Nile) to the great river, the river Euphrates."

CHAPTER VI. Abraham {continued)— Sodom and Gomorrah

Birth of Ishmael. — Abram was still childless, though he had reached the age of eighty-six. Now Sarai had an Egyptian maid, whose name was Hagar, and whom she gave to Abram for a second wife. This act led to great jealousy between Sarai and Hagar, and at last Hagar fled from the house of Abram. But an angel appeared unto her, and told her to return unto her mistress. He further said unto her that she should bear a son, whose name would be Ishmael, because the Lord had heard her affliction. Hagar returned to the tent of Abram, and bare him a son, whose name was Ishmael.

Abraham. — Thirteen years passed away. Abram being now ninety and nine years old, the Lord appeared unto him, saying, "I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect." God again renewed His promise to make his offspring numerous. And the Lord gave him a sign. "Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be ABRAHAM, for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will give unto thee and thy seed the land of Canaan, and I will be their God. And thou shalt keep My covenant, thou and thy seed after thee."

God also changed Sarai's name to Sarah (queen). And the Lord said, " Sarah, thy wife, shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac. And My covenant will I establish with Isaac."

Abraham's Hospitality.— In the heat of a summer's day, Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent, when he saw three men travelling toward him. The patriarch, always ready to show kindness to strangers, invited them to rest and eat in his tent. The men did so. After the meal the travellers, who were angels, asked for Sarah, and being told she was in the tent, repeated God's promise that she should have a son. Sarah, who now heard the news for the first time, laughed within herself. One of the angels blamed her for this, saying, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Then the men rose up and set out toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them a little on the way.

Sodom and Gomorrah. — Now the Lord was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, because of their great wickedness. On making known His design to Abraham, the patriarch's grief was sore, and he feared, lest the innocent might suffer with the guilty. He therefore begged the Lord to spare the city if fifty good men could be found in it. God mercifully hearkened to the prayer of Abraham, and promised to spare the city if fifty good men could be found in it. But Abraham, fearing that such a number might not exist, asked further that the city might be spared if it contained forty good men. Again the Lord consented, and again Abraham sought to reduce the number, till at length God promised to spare the city if only ten good persons could be found in it. But, alas! among the thousands who dwelt in Sodom, there could not be found ten who deserved the name of righteous. And so the wicked city went to its fate.

The strangers who had partaken of Abraham's kindness, had a mission to perform. They were sent by the Lord to destroy the wicked cities of the plain. Two of them reached Sodom at even. Lot, Abraham's nephew, invited them to stay in his house over-night, and the travellers accepted his offer. Before they lay down to rest the men of Sodom gathered round the house intent on harming the strangers. It was in vain Lot went out to calm their evil passions. The angels now pulled Lot within the house, and smote the men outside with blindness, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Then the angels told Lot that they would destroy the city next day. They therefore urged him to leave at once, together with his wife, daughters, and other relatives. As they were going the angels said to him, " Escape for thy life ; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain, escape to the mountains, lest thou be consumed." But Lot, pleading that the mountains were too far off, received permission to take refuge in the little town of Zoar. No sooner had Lot departed from the doomed city, than the Lord rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, utterly destroying them. Lot reached Zoar in safety, but his wife, who had disobeyed the command of the angel, and looked back upon the burning cities, was changed into a pillar of salt.

Chapter VII

Birth of Isaac— The Trial of Abraham.— Death of Abraham.

Pirth of Isaac. — The crowning joy in the life of Abraham was the birth of a son borne to him by his wife Sarah. Abraham called his son Isaac. "And Abraham initiated his son into the covenant, as God had commanded him. r/ But now a fresh trouble arose in the patriarch's tent. Sarah saw Ishmael, the son of Hagar, mocking. " Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son ; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." The next day Abraham gave unto Hagar bread and water, and unwillingly sent her forth, and she wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. And when the water was gone she prayed, "Let me not see the death of the child." And she lifted up her voice and wept. But God in His mercy heard her weeping and showed her a well of water, which was the means of saving her life and that of her son.

At this period Abraham made a covenant of peace with Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at a place called Beersheba.

Abraham's Trial. — Now God desired to prove his servant Abraham, and therefore told him to proceed to the land of Moriah, and there on a hill to offer Isaac as a burnt- offering. Abraham, without a moment's hesitation, obeyed the word of God. He rose early in the morning, and taking his only son, and some wood, set out for the place appointed. After three days' journey they arrived at the spot, and Abraham, having built an altar and arranged the wood, bound Isaac and laid him on the pile. While his hand, holding the knife, was stretched forth, an angel called to him from heaven, and said to him, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me." Abraham, lifting up his eyes, saw a ram caught in a thicket by his horns, and Abraham offered the ram instead of Isaac. God blessed Abraham, saying, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice."

Sarah died in Kirjath-Arbah, being one hundred and twenty-seven years old. She was buried in the cave of Machpelah in Hebron.

Abraham and Eliezer. — Abraham was now old, and the Lord had blessed him in all things. He had one fear, lest Isaac should marry a daughter of a heathen family. So Abraham called unto him Eliezer, his chief servant, and made him swear that he should not take a wife for Isaac of the "daughters of the Canaanites." "But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son." But Eliezer said, perhaps the woman whom I select will not come hither. Then Abraham bade him trust that God would bring his desire to pass; and so the servant swore to do the command of his master.

Eliezer, taking with him a goodly store of camels and presents, set out for the city of Nahor, in Mesopotamia. When he reached a well in the outskirts of the city, he prayed to God for direction, saying, that if any damsel came to the well and offered to draw water for himself and his camels, this should be a sign that the damsel was to be the future wife of Isaac. Scarcely had he finished when Rebekah., the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came to the well, and offered to draw water for Eliezer and his camels. The pious servant offered thanks to God for His help ; and, after laying the nature of his errand before Bethuel the father, and Laban, the brother of Rebekah, they agreed to the proposal of Eliezer that Rebekah should become the wife of Isaac. But the damsel's consent had still to be obtained. They asked her, "Wilt thou go with this man?" and she said, " I will go." So the caravan set out on its homeward journey, and Rebekah became the wife of her cousin Isaac.

Abraham died full of years, being one hundred and seventy-five years old. "And his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the cave of Machpelah."

CHAPTER VIII. Life of Isaac

Esau and Jacob. — Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. She bare him two sons, Esau and Jacob. " And the boys grew. Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field ; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents." Isaac loved his firstborn Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. One day, Jacob was cooking some lentils when his brother came home, tired and hungry, from hunting. Esau begged of Jacob a portion of the food. But Jacob would not give him any unless he received Esau's birthright in exchange. Esau agreed to this, and sold his birthright for a mess of pottage.