The gist of the Bible...

Preface

This book is the result of systematic study prosecuted by the author, first, to better inform himself on Biblical history, and, secondly, to equip himself more fully for Bible-class work. It is intended to be just what its title states — the gist of the Bible. Not every Scriptural event is given. Those that are, have been described as briefly and tersely as possible, the main thought being to fix in the student's mind the systematic unfolding of sacred history as it has come down to us.

With this end in view, the author has followed the natural divisions of the Bible; first, giving the periods; then their subdivisions, and, lastly, the events themselves, each with its proper reference. The text of King James' Version has been made use of and Usher's chronology has been adopted, though, in a number of instances, new chronological data appear in the footnotes. A few points of interest and importance have also been elucidated in the footnotes. At the close of each study, questions covering the subjectmatter discussed are given.

The divisions of the book are termed "studies" in the place of "lessons," because, in some instances, they are too lengthy to be considered at one time. The suggestion is made, therefore, that if this treatise should be used as a text-book for Bible classes, the lengthy studies be considered at two, or even at

Preface

three, different times instead of during one class hour.

The author wishes here to acknowledge the helpfulness of many authors whom he has consulted in the preparation of this work, especially Dr. C. E. Sc^field's "Reference Bible" and Dr. J. A. Broadus' "Harmony of the Gospels."

If this book should lead some to a better understanding of God's word, so that in Bible-school work they might be better prepared to instruct others, to Him be all the praise. The Author.

Ansley, Neb.

Contents

STUDY PAGE

I The Bible 11

II Biblical Inspiration 18

Part I. Biblical Introduction

Study I. The Bible.

Study II. Biblical Inspiration.

Study III. Biblical Geography.

Study IV. Biblical Ethnology.

Study V. The Holy Land.

Study VI. Jewish Institutions,

STUDY I. THE BIBLE

I. MEANING OF THE TERM

Our word "Bible" is from the Greek hihlos, which means "book."

II. THE NAMES WHICH THE BIBLE GIVES ITSELF

The Bible designates itself by various names, as follows: "The word of God" (Heb. 4: 12) ; "the scriptures" (John 5 : 39) ; "the law and the prophets" (Luke 16:16), and "the oracles of God" (1 Pet. 4:11).

III. DIVISIONS OF THE BIBLE

The Bible is composed of sixty-six books, and is divided into two grand divisions known as the Old Testament and the New Testament, there being thirty-nine books in the former and twenty-seven in the latter.

I. THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament is divided into five divisions, which, with their designations and the names of their books, are as follows :

1. Law (five books) : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

2. History (twelve books) : Joshua, Judges, Ruth,

THE GIST OP THE BlBL^

1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles,

2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.

3. Devotion (five books) : Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon.

4. Major Prophets (five books) : Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel.

5. Minor Prophets (twelve books) : Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.

II. THE NEW TESTAMENT

The New Testament is also divided into five divisions, which, with their designations and the names of their books, are :

1. Biography (four books) : Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

2. History (one book) : Acts.

3. Special Letters (fourteen books) : Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon and Hebrews.

4. General Letters (seven books) : James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Jude.

5. Prophecy (one book) : Revelation.

IV. THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGES OF THE

BIBLE

The Bible was originally written in three languages — the Hebrew, Chaldee or Aramaic, and the Greek.

1. The Old Testament. The language of the entire Old Testament is Hebrew, excepting those pas-

THE BIBLE sages in Dan. 2:4-7:28; Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26 and Jer. 10: 11, which are in the closely related Chaldee or Aramaic.

2. The New Testament. The language of the New Testament is a simplified form of the Greek.

V. THE PRESERVATION OF THE BIBLE

The Bible has been preserved to us in its manuscripts, the versions made from these manuscripts and the quotations from it which appear in the writings of the early Church Fathers.

1. The manuscripts. The manuscripts of the Bible are those copies of it which were made in the same languages in which it was originally written. The oldest manuscript of the Old Testament (which we possess) dates from a little before the time of William the Conqueror. Of the New Testament, we have 2,080, eighty-three of which are uncials; i. e., those written in capitals, and which date from before the tenth century of the Christian era; and 1,997 are cursives; i. e., those written in a running hand, and which are of later date."^ These manuscripts are written either upon parchment or vellum. The most important of the uncial manuscripts are:

(1) The Codex Sinaiticus. This manuscript was discovered by Tischendorf in the Convent of St. Catherine, at the foot of Mt. Sinai, in 1859, and is now preserved in the Royal Library at Petrograd. It contains all of the New Testament and the greater part of the Greek version of the Old, with the apocryphal Epistle of Barnabas and a portion of the

* Between the tenth and the fifteenth century, when the art of printing was invented.

Shepherd of Hermas. It dates from the first half of the fourth century.

(2) The Codex Alexandrinus. This codex was sent as a present to Charles I. of England, in 1628, by Cyril Lucar, the Greek Patriarch of Constantinople, who had brought it from Alexandria. It contains the Septuagint version of the Old Testament nearly complete and also most of the New. It dates from the close of the fourth, or the beginning of the fifth, century A. D.

(3) The Codex Vaticanus. This manuscript has been preserved since 1448 in the Vatican at Rome, where it is now jealously guarded by the Catholic Church. It contains most of both Testaments and is the rival of the Sinaiticus in point of antiquity.

(4) The Codex Ephraemi. This is a palimpsest, or a codex rescriptus; that is, a copy on which another work has been written over the faded letters of the original writing. About the twelfth century, the ancient Greek Scriptures of this manuscript were written over with the writings of a Syrian Christian of the fourth century by the name of St. Ephraem, hence its name. It is of about the same age as the Codex Alexandrinus, but it is supposed by some to be more accurate. It was brought from some unknown library in the East to Florence in 1535.

2. The versions. These are the translations of the Scriptures from their original languages into other tongues. The most important of the ancient versions are:

(1) The Peshito Syriac. This is a translation 6£ both Testaments into the Syriac, or Aramean, the

THE BIBLE language of northern Syria and upper Mesopotamia. It was made in the second century A. D.

(2) The Old Latin. This is a translation of the Bible made into Latin in the second century.

(3) The Latin Vulgate. A Latin version made by Jerome about 385 A. D., under the orders of Damasus, Bishop of Rome.

(4) The Coptic. This translation was made for the benefit of the Copts, or Egyptian Christians, before the close of the second century.

(5) The Ethiopic. A vernacular translation for the inhabitants of Abyssinia, made about the end of the fourth century A. D.

(6) The Gothic. The production of a Cappadocian monk, Ulphilas, about the year 375 A. D. It was made for the Goths who had lately crossed the northern borders of the Roman Empire.

(7) The Armenian. A translation into the Armenian language by Miesrob about the fifth century,

3. The quotations. So great is the number of Scriptural quotations in the writings of the early Church Fathers that it is said the Bible can nearly be reproduced from them alone.^

^ A few examples will illustrate this: Theophilus, a writer of the second century, evidently refers to Matt. 6: 4 in the following: "Thus he teaches those that do good not to boast, that they be not pleasers of men. 'Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.' " Tatian : "All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made" (John 1: 3). Clement of Alexandria: " 'Behold,' says Paul, 'the goodness and severity of God'" (Rom. 11:32). Tertullian: "Paul himself writes to the Philippians, 'If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead' " (Phil. 3: 11). Irenaeus: "And on this account the apostle, in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, speaking thus, 'May the God of peace sanctify you wholly; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ'" (1 Thess. 5:23).

2 15

VI. ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE

1. Wy cliff e's Translation. This version appeared in the year 1380, and was immediately put under the ban by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who threatened excommunication to any one who should read it.

2. Tyndale's Translation. The work of William Tyndale, which was published at Worms in 1525. Its author was burned at the stake, October 5, 1536.

3. Coverdale's Bible. This version, the work of Miles Coverdale, appeared in IS'^S and was prefaced with a fulsome dedication to King Henry VIII.

4. Genevan Version. The work, principally, of William Whittingham, Calvin's brother-in-law. It appeared in 1560 and became at once the people's book in both England and Scotland.

5. Bishops' Bible. The work of fifteen scholars appointed by Archbishop Parker in 1563-64. As eight of these were bishops, it was called "The Bishops' Bible." It was completed in the year 1568.

6. King lames' Version. This translation was the work of forty-seven scholars appointed by King James II. in 1604. The work was completed in 1611.

7. Revised Version. The Revised Version was produced between the years 1870 and 1884 by eightytwo scholars, fifty-two of whom were from England and thirty from America. Fourteen years of labor were expended upon the Old Testament, but only ten upon the New, which was completed in 1881.

A number of other translations of the sacred Scriptures have been made into the English language, but those mentioned here are the most important.

THE BIBLE

What is the meaning of the term "Bible"? What names does the Bible give itself? How many books are there in the Bible? How many in the Old Testament? How many in the New Testament? Give the divisions of the Old Testament and the number and names of the books in each. Give the divisions of the New Testament and the number and names of the books in each. Name the books of the Old Testament. Name the books of the New Testament. Name the books of the entire Bible. In what languages was the Old Testament originally written? In what language was the New Testament originally written? By what means have the Scriptures been preserved to us? What is the difference between a manuscript and a version? What is an uncial manuscript? From before what century do the uncial manuscripts date? Name the four most important of the uncial manuscripts. Name seven of the ancient versions. What can you say about the Scriptural quotations in the writings of the early Church Fathers? Give the date of Wycliffe's translation. The date of Tyndale's. The date of Coverdale's. The date of the Genevan Version. The date of the Bishops' Bible. Give the date of the King James' translation. How many scholars were employed upon it? Give the date of the Revised Version. How many scholars were employed upon it? How long did they work upon the Old Testament? How long upon the New?

STUDY 11. BIBLICAL INSPIRATION

The Bible is unlike all other books in that it is inspired of God. Paul declares:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3: 16, 17).

In just what way the Bible has been inspired, is a much-discussed question, but two elements, a human and a divine, must be conceded. The divine element may be divided into two processes: first, divine impulsion, by which the Bible writers were impelled to write; secondly, divine preservation, by which in writing they were preserved from error.

But, while it is true that the Bible writers wrote through divine impulsion and under divine preservation, it is also true that each wrote in his own style and manner of expression, by which his writings may be distinguished from the writings of the others. As Christ possessed both a human and a divine side, so, also, the Bible possesses both a human and a divine side, and any theory of inspiration that does not recognize both can not be the true one. The blending of the human and divine elements in the Bible is forcibly brought out in the following Scripture :

"Holy men of God spake" — the human element ; "as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" — the divine element (2 Pet. 1:21).

BIBLICAL INSPIRATION

Let us now pass to certain reasons that may be assigned for believing the Bible to be the inspired word of God.

L THE BIBLE IS PROVED INSPIRED BY ITS WONDERFUL UNITY

Although the books of the Bible were written in different ages, in different countries, under different conditions and by different men, they constitute one book. These books may be compared to sixty-six links of a great chain, any one of which is essential to its integrity. How are we, then, to account for this remarkable book, the parts of which were written in different climes, in different ages and by different men, except upon the hypothesis that there was one great Mind operating through them all?

II. THE BIBLE IS PROVED INSPIRED BY

THE WONDERFUL EFFECT IT HAS

HAD UPON THE WORLD

No other book has exerted the influence for good upon the world that the Bible has. To this book, more than to any other agency, is due the world's progress in civilization, philanthropy and religion. It has transformed both individuals and nations; it has been the world's greatest standard in determining right from wrong; it has inspired those who love it with a desire to help their fellow-men, and it has given man hope in the hour of death. A book that has produced such an effect upon the world could only have emanated from the mind of God Himself.

III. THE BIBLE IS PROVED INSPIRED BY

THE CORROBORATORY TESTIMONY

OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

A credible book may not be inspired, but an inspired book must be credible. So, if the Bible is what it claims to be, its historical statements must agree with the established facts of profane history. The opponents of the Bible, knowing the force of this argument, have ever sought zealously to show that it clashes with these established facts. They have declared that many of its kings are mere myths ; that many of its descriptions of life and custom are overdrawn, and that many of its accounts are purely legendary. Most of these objections were raised before the inscriptions on the monuments were deciphered, and some of them have been so completely refuted since that they are no longer even referred to. As for the rest, it is the hope and expectation that, as the pick and shovel of the archeologist continue to turn up the records of the past, these, too, will be refuted, leaving the Bible to stand as a miracle of historical accuracy, which, when we consider the natural limitations and fallibility of the men who wrote it, could only be if it has emanated from the divine Mind.

First, the geographical descriptions of the Bible have been demonstrated to be in perfect agreement with the land. Major Condor declares that of the 840 places noticed in the Bible, fully three-fourths have already been discovered and marked on maps, and the geographical accuracy of the account given in the four Gospels is even conceded by skeptics

BIBLICAL INSPIRATION themselves. Renan, the celebrated French doubter, says:

"I have traversed in all directions the country of the Gospels. I have visited Jerusalem, Hebron and Samaria; scarcely an important locality of the history of Jesus has escaped me. All this history, which at a distance seems to float in the clouds of an unreal world, thus took a form, a solidity which astonished me. The striking agreement of the texts with the places, the marvellous harmony of the Gospel ideal with the country which served it as a framework, were like a revelation to me. I had before my eyes a fifth Gospel, torn, but still legible." — Life of Jesus, pp. 30, 31.

Secondly, many of the historical accounts, which, for years, were either questioned or denied, have been fully corroborated by later research. It was long denied that the kings of Gen. 14 : 9 — Chedorlaomer, Tidal, Amraphel and Arioch — were historical characters; but more recent investigations have fully identified them with Kudur Lagomer, Tugdula, Hammurabi and Ariaku of profane history. Many of the accounts in the history of Israel have also been fully substantiated by the Assyrio-Babylonian inscriptions. Such kings are mentioned as Omri, Ahab, Jehu, Menahem, Pekah and Hoshea, of Israel; Azariah, Ahaz, Hezekiah and Manasseh, of Judah; Hiram, of Tyre, and Ben-hadad, Hazael and Rezin, of Damascus. The Books of Esther and Daniel, which specially have been attacked by the critics, have likewise been wonderfully confirmed by archaeological research, and many of the most serious objections have been refuted. For a long time it was denied that such a king as Belshazzar ever reigned upon a Babylonian throne; but, in 1854, his name was found on a brick at Mugheir, Ur of the Chaldees, by Rawlinson, and since then other facts have been brought to light which estabUsh his claim to being an historical character.

Thirdly, if due respect is paid to figures of speech and the language of phenomena, the account of creation, as given in the first chapter of Genesis, is perfectly consistent with the origin of things as demonstrated by science. The beginning of the universe in a state in which all things were without form and void, the ascending scale of living things and the introduction of man as the climax of creation, are facts as basically scientific as they are basically Biblical.

IV. THE BIBLE IS PROVED INSPIRED BY THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST

Most of those, even, who question the inspiration of the Bible, acknowledge Christ as the supreme Teacher. Yet our Lord bore testimony both to the inspiration of certain portions of the Old Testament and also of the New.

First, with Him the Old Testament was the infallible court of final appeal. He called the Fifth Commandment "the word of God" (Mark 7:10-13); He also applied the same expression to Ps. 82 : 6 (John 10:35); He frequently referred to "the law and the prophets" (Matt. 11:13), and He declared that the "scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35).

Secondly, He spoke of some of the Old Testament writers as having been inspired of God. He declared that David called Him Lord by the Spirit (Matt. 22:43); He referred to Daniel as a prophet

BIBLICAL INSPIRATION

(Matt. 24:15), and He asserted that the words of Moses were the words of God (Mark 7: 10-13).

Thirdly, He referred to the occurrences mentioned in the Old Testament as though there were no doubt as to their truthfulness. He referred to the creation of man, male and female, as a fact (Matt. 19 : 4, 5) ; He incidentally mentioned the feeding of the Israelites with manna (John 6:31); He called the attention of Nicodemus to the lifting up of the brazen serpent (John 3 : 14) ; He cited the destruction of Sodom as an illustration of the coming judgment (Luke 17:28, 29); He referred to the visit of the queen of Sheba (Matt. 12:42), and He spoke of the experience of Jonah as though it were an unquestioned fact (Matt. 12:40).

Fourthly, in respect to the New Testament, He taught His apostles that He would pray the Father and He would send them another Comforter, who would abide with them, teach them all things, bring all things to their remembrance and guide them into all truth (see John, chapters 14, 15, 16).

V. THE BIBLE IS PROVED INSPIRED BY

THE FULFILLMENT OF ITS

PROPHECIES

Peter declares that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," and Paul says that God "at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets." That these assertions are true is proved by the fulfillment of the predictions in both the Old Testament and the New. Many of the prophecies concerning Israel, the neighboring nations, the birth and work of

Christ, the church, the apostasy, and even conditions to prevail in the last days, have plainly come to pass. The second, seventh, eighth, ninth and eleventh chapters of Daniel, with that remarkable prophecy of our Lord in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, read almost like history, so perfectly have their predictions been met in the experiences of nations.

In what way is the Bible unlike all other books ? Give the two elements in Biblical inspiration. Give the two processes of the divine element. What passage blends the two elements? Give five reasons for believing the Bible to be the inspired word of God. What can you say of the unity of the Bible? Of its effects upon the world? Of its agreement with history? What does Renan say of the agreement of the land and the book? What accounts in Bible history have been verified by the monuments ? For what must we make allowance in the Biblical account of creation? Making this allowance, does the Bible disagree with what has been established by scientific research? How did Christ speak of the Old Testament? How did He speak of Moses, David and Daniel? What accounts in the Old Testament did Christ accept as historical? What did He teach the apostles as to their own inspiration? What can you say of the Bible prophecies ?

STUDY III. BIBLICAL GEOGRAPHY

The lands of the Bible comprise adjacent portions of Asia, Africa and Europe, a territory that may be estimated at three thousand miles east and west by twenty-eight hundred north and south.

I. THE LANDS OF THE BIBLE

1. Canaan. The land of Canaan was that portion of territory which lay between the river Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea.

2. Egypt. The land of Egypt comprised that portion of northeastern Africa included in the northern Nile Valley and contiguous territory.

3. Cush. The Biblical Cush, or Ethiopia, lay south of Egypt, and took in what is now comprised in Nubia, Abyssinia, Kordofan and Senaar.

4. Libya. This country was in northern Africa, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea and west of Egypt.

5. Arabia. The country of Arabia lay southeast of Canaan.

6. Phoenicia. This country was north of Canaan and bordered on the Mediterranean Sea.

7. Syria. Syria was just east of Phoenicia.

8. Asia Minor. Asia Minor lay north of Phoenicia and the Mediterranean Sea.

9. Armenia. Armenia joined Asia Minor on the east.

10. Mesopotamia. The land of Mesopotamia laybetween the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

11. Assyria. The country of Assyria bordered Mesopotamia on the east.

12. Babylonia. Babylonia, or Chaldea, generally speaking, lay south of Assyria.

13. Media. Media lay east of Assyria.

14. Elam. Elam was south of Media.

15. Persia. Persia lay south of Elam and southeast of Babylonia.

16. Greece. This country is a peninsula projecting out from the European continent into the Mediterranean Sea.

17. Macedon. This country joined Greece on the north.

18. Italy. Italy is a peninsula projecting out from Europe into the Mediterranean Sea, west of Greece.

II. THE SEAS OF THE BIBLE

1. Mediterranean. The Mediterranean, the "great sea" of Bible history, lies south of Europe, west of Asia and north of Africa.

2. Red. The Red Sea is found between the continent of Africa and the peninsula of Arabia.

3. Dead. The Dead Sea is the name of that body of water which borders Canaan on the southeast.

4. Galilee. Galilee, or Tiberias, is the name of that fresh-water lake which lies directly east of Galilee in Palestine.

5. Waters of Merom. The "Waters of Merom," or Huleh, are a small fresh-water lake which lies north of the Sea of Galilee.

6. Black. The Black Sea lies north of Asia Minor.

k

7. Caspian. The Caspian Sea lies northeast of Armenia.

III. THE ISLANDS OF THE BIBLE

1. Cyprus. This island is in the Mediterranean Sea, just east of Phoenicia and south of Asia Minor.

2. Crete. Crete lies in the same sea, west of Cyprus and southeast of Greece.

3. Sicily. Sicily lies just south of Italy.

4. Melita. Mehta is south of Sicily.

5. Patmos. This island lies just off the coast of Asia Minor in the ^gean Sea.

IV. THE RIVERS OF THE BIBLE

1. Jordan. The river Jordan rises at the base of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and flows south through the Waters of Merom and the Sea of Galilee into the Dead Sea.

2. Euphrates. This river rises in Armenia and flows southeast into the Persian Gulf.

3. Tigris. The Tigris also rises in Armenia, and, flowing eastward of the Euphrates, becomes one with it just before it empties into the Persian Gulf.

4. Nile. The Nile, rising in central Africa, flows northward, through the eastern part of Africa, into the Mediterranean Sea.

V. THE MOUNTAINS OF THE BIBLE

1. Lebanon. The Lebanon Mountains lie on the northern border of the land of Palestine. .

2. Carmel. This is the name of the range that formed the natural boundary between Samaria and

BIBLICAL GEOGRAPHY

Galilee, and, running in a northwesterly direction, juts out into the Mediterranean Sea.

3. Hermon. This mountain is located in the northern part of Galilee.

4. Tabor. Tabor is located a short distance southwest of the Sea of Galilee.

5. Calvary. Calvary lies just north of Jerusalem.

6. Olives. The Mount of Olives lies just east of Jerusalem.

7. Nebo. This mountain, sometimes called Pisgah, lies just east of the northern extremity of the Dead Sea.

8. Sinai. Sinai is situated on the point of land known as the Sinaitic Peninsula, which extends southward into the Red Sea.

VI. THE CITIES OF THE BIBLE

1. Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the capital of the Jews, lies nearly midway between the northern extremity of the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean.

2. Bethlehem. This town was six miles south of Jerusalem.

3. Nazareth. Nazareth was located a few miles west of the Sea of Galilee in the country of the same name.

4. Capernaum. This city, which was the headquarters of our Lord during His Galilean ministry, stood on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

5. Caesarea. This city lay on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, in a southwesterly direction from the Sea of Galilee and a northwesterly direction from Jerusalem.

6. Damascus. This city lay a little northeast of Mount Hermon.

7. Antioch. Antioch lay almost due north of Damascus and just east of the Mediterranean Sea.

8. Corinth. This city was located in the central part of Greece.

9. Athens. Athens lay directly east of Corinth.

10. Thessalonica. This city was in Macedonia, on the shore of the ^gean Sea.

11. Philippi. Philippi lay nearly east of Thessalonica.

12. Per games, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Ephesus, Colosse, Troas, Miletus and Laodicea. These cities, or towns, were in the province of Asia, Asia Minor.

13. Babylon. Babylon was located on the Euphrates River, almost directly east of Jerusalem.

14. Nineveh. The city of Nineveh lay almost directly north of Babylon, on the Tigris River.

15. Noph. This city was the same as Memphis, and was located on the Nile a few miles below where Cairo now stands.

Let the student be able to locate on the map each country, sea, island, river and city mentioned

STUDY IV. BIBLICAL ETHNOLOGY

In order properly to understand the history of God's chosen people, it is necessary for the student to have some knov^ledge of those nations by v\^hom they w^ere surrounded and w^ith whom they maintained commercial and v^^arlike relations during that period of time in v^hich they occupied the Holy Land/

I. THE CANAANITES

The Canaanites v^ere the descendants of Canaan, the youngest son of Ham, and v^ere the original possessors of the land of Canaan. Among their tribes may be mentioned the Amorites, Hittites, Jebusites, Girgashites, Perizzites and Hivites. Most of these tribes were small bodies, comprising, in some instances, only a single city. The Hittites, however, are known to have been a very strong and enterprising people.

II. THE PHILISTINES

The Philistines were a part of the posterity of Mizraim, the second son of Ham. In an early day they left Caphtor, in Egypt, and settled a small strip of Mediterranean seacoast in southwestern Canaan. They were the inveterate enemies of Israel, and long maintained five fortified cities — Gaza, Ashkelon, Ash-