LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 
 
 Chap.—_ _ Copyright No... 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 

 
Bible Characters 
 
 V BY 
 
 S. M. BURNHAM, M.A. 
 
 Author of "Limestones and Marbles" "Precious Stones" "Struggles 
 of the Nations" 2 Voluines ; " Pleasant Me??iories of For- 
 eign Travel" " The Roman's Story" " Biograph- 
 ical Sketches of So?ne Ancient People" 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 ERRARE EST HUMANUM 
 IN SOLO DEO SALUS 
 
 BOSTON 
 A. I. BRADLEY & CO 
 
25406 
 
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 JUL 26 fM 
 
 StCOW COPY. 
 
 Ur**.«1 to 
 
 ©RGttf OWiSKJN, 
 
 Copyright, 1900 
 By A. I. Bradley & Co 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I. 
 
 A Eomance .... 
 
 . 9 
 
 II. 
 
 From Captivity to a Throne . 
 
 22 
 
 III. 
 
 Royal Festivals .... 
 
 . 34 
 
 IV. 
 
 Israel's Greatest Prophet 
 
 52 
 
 V. 
 
 The Faithful Friend 
 
 . 67 
 
 VI. 
 
 The Faithful Friend— Concluded 
 
 78 
 
 VII. 
 
 The Kings of Judah 
 
 . 89 
 
 VIII. 
 
 The Kings of Judah — Continued 
 
 101 
 
 IX. 
 
 The Kings of Judah — Continued 
 
 . Ill 
 
 X. 
 
 The Kings of Judah — Continued 
 
 125 
 
 XI. 
 
 The Kings of Judah — Concluded 
 
 . 140 
 
 XII. 
 
 The Kings of Israel 
 
 151 
 
 XIII. 
 
 The Kings of Israel — Continued 
 
 . 161 
 
 XIV. 
 
 The Kings of Israel — Concluded 
 
 172 
 
 XV. 
 
 The Eloquent Orator 
 
 . 181 
 
 XVI. 
 
 His First Missionary Journey 
 
 193 
 
 XVII. 
 
 His Second Missionary Journey . 
 
 . 213 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 New Fields of Labor . 
 
 224 
 
 XIX. 
 
 New Fields of Labor — Concluded 
 
 . 234 
 
 XX. 
 
 Missionary Excursions 
 
 . 244 
 
 XXI. 
 
 An Appeal to Caesar 
 
 . 268 
 
 XXII. 
 
 A Prisoner at Rome 
 
 281 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 1. Kuth and Naomi. 
 
 2. Triumph of Mordecai. 
 
 3. Elijah in the Wilderness. 
 
 4. Huldah and the Book of the Law. 
 
 5. St. Stephen Preaching. 
 
 6. St. John and St. Peter. 
 
 7. St. Paul. 
 
 8. Conversion of Paul. 
 
 9. Paulus. 
 
 10. Paul at Ephesus. 
 
 11. Paul Preaching to the Thessalonians. 
 
 12. Theatre of Dionysus at Athens. 
 
 13. Athens from the East. 
 
 14. A Building of Ancient Corinth. 
 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Sacred Scriptures are so comprehensive 
 that they may justly be termed a " Library of 
 Historical Information," especially in the depart- 
 ment of biography, which is history, especially 
 that of distinguished persons. They teach the 
 " Brotherhood of Nations," and the unity of the 
 human race in the fundamental qualities of hu- 
 manity. Only a very brief record of the lives of 
 a large part of Bible characters is given in the 
 Scriptures, though their works and writings may 
 have been abundant and comprehensive. 
 
 In describing the career of different persons 
 living at the same period, and actors in the same 
 scenes, repetitions are sometimes unavoidable, 
 while a description of the places where remark- 
 able events occurred is presumed to render still 
 more interesting both place and event. 
 
 A more extended space has been given " The 
 Eloquent Orator " than to any other character, 
 for the reason that more is written about his 
 labors than is given of others. 
 
 The Scriptures have been the chief source of 
 information, and have been, in some instances, 
 
 7 
 
8 INTRODUCTION, 
 
 almost literally reproduced in the following 
 " Sketches," the main object being to arrange 
 and classify the events in chronological order, 
 and designate the position each prominent indi- 
 vidual held. 
 
Bible Characters, 
 
 A Romance. 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 A1ST INTERESTING STORY. 
 
 From the earliest ages of the world to the 
 present day, famines or the scarcity of provisions 
 necessary for man and animals, have visited dif- 
 ferent countries, causing great distress, and some- 
 times the death of a large number of the inhab- 
 itants of those regions visited by such calamities. 
 War, famine, and pestilence are the fearful meth- 
 ods often employed by the Supreme Ruler, to 
 chastise nations and teach them the lesson that 
 transgressions of His laws bring inevitable punish- 
 ments, though the innocent suffer with the guilty 
 in all national adversities, but in the future life, 
 perfect justice will be administered to all. 
 
 Those nations or communities that have never 
 suffered from such a calamity as a famine, cannot, 
 
 9 
 
10 
 
 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 of course, fully understand its horrors, but the 
 imagination can picture scenes of intense suffering 
 and dismay. Famines have, sometimes, been the 
 means of effecting important national movements, 
 as was the case in the history of the Israelites. 
 At the close of the rule of the Judges of Israel, 
 there occurred a famine in Palestine, that consti- 
 tuted the foundation for the interesting story of 
 Ruth the Moabitess. 
 
 There lived in the town of Bethlehem, an 
 Israelite of the tribe of Judah, named Elimelech 
 with his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon 
 and Chilion. This man was the owner of land, 
 since each tribe and family had portions assigned 
 them on the division of the conquered territory. 
 While residing at Bethlehem, the country was 
 visited by a famine, which caused great suffering. 
 After their supply of provisions was exhausted, 
 the people were greatly troubled, not knowing 
 where to obtain food necessary to sustain life. 
 Their flocks and herds were dying from hunger, 
 and the people must soon perish, unless they could 
 obtain provisions. The fruit trees had withered, 
 therefore nothing could be expected from them. 
 Little children were crying for bread, and mothers 
 were liolding their helpless infants while suffering 
 from weakness themselves. The whole region 
 visited by the famine afforded some of the most 
 pathetic scenes ever witnessed. 
 
A ROMANCE. 11 
 
 At length the news came that the Moabites, 
 their neighbors, had plenty of food, since the 
 famine did not reach their land, therefore Elim- 
 elech resolved to leave his own home with his 
 family, and go to their country. Accordingly, 
 they made preparations for their journey and a 
 residence in a foreign land during the famine, still 
 keeping possession of their house and land, expect- 
 ing to return. 
 
 They probably took with them such articles 
 as they could carry, and the means of supplying 
 their immediate wants. It is not certain how 
 they travelled, but as the distance was not great, 
 it was likely they journeyed on foot, and as 
 Mahlon and Chilion were approaching man- 
 hood, they could be of great assistance to their 
 parents. 
 
 When they came into the country of Moab, 
 almost the first object that attracted their notice, 
 was the lofty peak of Mount Nebo, a memorable 
 place to an Israelite, since it formed the mauso- 
 leum of their great lawgiver, who was buried 
 by the angels of God. The scene as imagined, is 
 beautifully described by Mrs. C. F. Alexander, in 
 a poem on the Burial of Moses, beginning, 
 
 "By Nebo's lonely mountain, 
 On this side Jordan's wave 
 In a vale in the land of Moab 
 There lies a lonely grave : 
 
12 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 And no man dug that sepulchre, 
 
 And no man saw it e'er 
 For the ' Sons of God ' upturned the sod, 
 
 And laid the dead man there," etc. 
 
 The Moabites were the descendants of Moab, 
 son of Lot, consequently were the kindred of the 
 Israelites. The same was true of Ammonites; 
 both nations settled east of the Jordan, the Am- 
 monites north of the Moabites, whose capital city, 
 situated on the river Arnon was known by sev- 
 eral names ; as 1st Ar-Eabbah, 2d Kabbath-Moab, 
 — 3rdArnon-Eabbah. The earlier inhabitants 
 were giants called Emm, whom the Moabites con- 
 quered. The Israelites during their exodus, were 
 forbidden to attempt the conquest of the Moab- 
 ites, but there were frequent wars between the 
 two nations for a long time. The Moabites 
 would not allow the emigrants to pass through 
 their territory, on their journey to Canaan, 
 neither would they supply them with food 
 though- payment was offered for it. Both the 
 Moabites and the Ammonites their kindred, Were 
 idolaters, and sometimes offered their children as 
 a burnt-sacrifice to their gods, whose worship 
 was attended by gross immoralities. 
 
 The prophecies concerning Moab are numerous 
 and remarkable, and have been fulfilled. It was 
 predicted that the nation would fall from its 
 high estate on account of its wickedness. The 
 
A ROMANCE. 13 
 
 country contained numerous populous cities, of 
 which more than fifty have been located by ex- 
 plorers, from their ruins, comprising the remains 
 of temples and other buildings, constructed of 
 stones of great size, and with columns measuring 
 three feet in diameter, cisterns cut out of the 
 rocks, hanging gardens and other remarkable 
 works, affording proof that the Moabites had 
 made great progress in some departments of the 
 arts of an advanced civilization. The desolation 
 of this ancient country must have surpassed hu- 
 man conception. One prediction of the prophet 
 is as follows : " O ye that dwell in Moab, leave 
 the cities and dwell in the rock, and be like the 
 dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the 
 hole's mouth." 
 
 Elimelech and Naomi, though living in an age 
 when their country was ruled by judges, some of 
 whom adopted the heathen practices of cotempo- 
 rary nations, yet it is presumed they maintained 
 their national religion taught them by Moses the 
 distinguished lawgiver of their nation, therefore 
 when emigrating to a pagan land, they did not 
 forget their early training. It is probable that 
 others of their countrymen removed to Moab, 
 which was rich and fertile, on account of the 
 famine in Palestine, and may have formed a so- 
 ciety by themselves with priests to instruct 
 them ; and perhaps some were inclined to accept 
 
14 BIBLE CHARACTERS, 
 
 * 
 
 the religion of the Moabites. It appears that the 
 sons of Elimelech associated with them since 
 both married Moabite wives, a practice not sanc- 
 tioned by the laws of the Israelites, which forbade 
 such alliances with heathen nations. 
 
 During a residence of ten years in Moab, im- 
 portant changes occurred in the family of Elime- 
 lech and Naomi. Mahlon married Euth, and 
 Chilion selected Orpah for his companion, both 
 daughters of Moabites. Elimelech and both his 
 sons died, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in- 
 law without a protector. 
 
 At length the report came that the famine had 
 ceased in her native land, and that the harvests 
 were abundant, therefore Naomi resolved to re- 
 turn to her own country accompanied by her 
 daughters-in-law whom she regarded with tender 
 affection and sympathy, and who were ardently 
 attached to her, as proved by their willingness 
 to leave their kindred and native land and go 
 with her to a foreign country. The three women 
 started for Bethlehem in the land of Judah, but 
 before proceeding far on their journey, Naomi 
 told her companions it would be better for them 
 to return to their home and friends, and leave 
 her to go on alone, and giving them a parting 
 kiss, she burst into tears and said, " The Lord 
 deal kindly with you as ye have with me and 
 the dead." 
 
A ROMANCE. 15 
 
 They wept and replied : " Surely we will go 
 with thee unto thy people," but Naomi urged 
 them to return, when they expressed their grief 
 in loud lamentations. Orpah, after kissing her 
 mother-in-law, returned to her people and her 
 gods, as it is expressed by the sacred historian, 
 but Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, 
 for where you go, I will go; thy people shall 
 be my people, and thy God shall be my God. 
 Where thou diest, I will die, and there will I be 
 buried. The Lord do unto me and more also, if 
 aught but death part thee and me." Naomi did 
 not argue the question any longer, but yielded to 
 the resolution of Kuth, and the two went on their 
 journey until they came to Bethlehem. 
 
 When they arrived at the city, the inhabitants 
 were much surprised and inquired, "Is this 
 Naomi ? " She replied, " call me not Naomi," 
 (meaning pleasant) "but Marah," (bitter), "for 
 the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me/ 
 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me 
 home again empty." 
 
 It was at the beginning of the barley harvest 
 when they arrived at Bethlehem. This harvest 
 occurred about the middle of April, and after the 
 barley was gathered, the wheat and some other 
 grains were ready for the reapers, including the 
 master, his children, menservants and maidserv- 
 ants, beside hired laborers. While engaged in 
 
16 BIBLE CHARACTERS, 
 
 their tasks, they expressed their joy for the 
 harvest, by singing songs. The grain, after, being 
 reaped, was gathered into bundles to be removed 
 from the fields, but that which grew in the corners 
 of the field, was left for the poor, and if a bundle 
 was accidentally dropped by the reapers, it was 
 left for the same reason. . 
 
 There lived in Bethlehem a kinsman of Elime : 
 lech, the husband of Naomi, a wealthy and hon- 
 orable man, named Boaz — (meaning strength, 
 firmness) and the owner of extensive fields of 
 grain. He employed a large number of reapers 
 over whom was placed one of the servants to 
 watch and direct the others. 
 
 Naomi, not having ample means for her sup- 
 port, Ruth said to her, " Let me go to the fields 
 and glean ears of corn," (that is barley), " after 
 any reapers who will be favorable to me." Her 
 mother-in-law replied, " Go, my daughter," show- 
 ing the relation between them was tender. Ruth 
 accordingly went to a field that belonged to 
 Boaz, though she did not know who the owner 
 was. She asked permission to glean and received 
 a favorable answer, when she continued her 
 labors from morning until evening, except at 
 short intervals for meals. 
 
 When Boaz, on a certain day, came from the 
 city of Bethlehem, to look after his reapers, he 
 saluted them as was his custom, saying, " The 
 
A ROMANCE. 17 
 
 Lord be with thee," to which they replied, " The 
 Lord bless thee." Seeing Ruth gleaning in the 
 fields, he inquired who the damsel was, and re- 
 ceived the answer that she was the Moabitess 
 who came with Naomi. Boaz was pleased with 
 the young woman and addressing her as, "my 
 daughter," said, "do not go to any other field, 
 but remain near my maidens, and when you are 
 thirsty drink of the water my young men have 
 drawn, and I have given them orders not to inter- 
 fere or offer you any insult." When Ruth heard 
 these words of kindness she bowed low and said, 
 " Why have I found grace in thine eyes, seeing I 
 am a stranger ? " and of a different nation, she 
 might have added. 
 
 Boaz, it appears, had learned something of 
 Ruth's history. He said, " It has been explained 
 to me about j^our attachment to your mother- 
 in-law, and of your leaving your father, mother, 
 and native land, and coming to live with a people 
 who are strangers to you. The Lord God of 
 Israel reward thee." Ruth replied, " Let me find 
 favor in thy sight, for thou hast comforted me 
 by thy kind words," etc. Boaz told her to come 
 and take her meals with his reapers, when he 
 gave her parched corn, that is barley or wheat. 
 After she had gone to resume her gleanings, the 
 master gave orders to his reapers, to allow her to 
 glean among the sheaves, and to scatter some of 
 
18 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 the grain for her to gather. She gleaned until 
 evening and beat out the grain comprising about 
 an ephah, which she carried to the city and gave 
 to her mother-in-law who inquired, "Where hast 
 thou gleaned to-day ? Blessed be he that did 
 care for thee." Kuth told her the man's name 
 was Boaz. " He is near kindred to us," replied 
 Naomi. "He wished me to glean in his field 
 until the end of the harvest," said Kuth. Her 
 mother-in-law approved of this plan which was 
 followed. 
 
 The epha or ephah referred to in this narrative, 
 was a measure equal to about one and four-ninths 
 of an English bushel, and was used for both dry 
 and liquid substances. For the dry it contained 
 three pecks and three pints ; for liquids, it was 
 equal to seven gallons and four pints. 
 
 Naomi arranged a plan for her daughter-in- 
 law's future career as follows. She said, " Boaz 
 winnows barley to-night in the threshing-floor. 
 Now take a bath with a fragrant ointment, then 
 dress in a neat attire and go to the threshing- 
 floor, but do not make yourself known. After 
 the master has feasted and lain down to rest, 
 notice the place, then go and uncover his feet 
 and lie down, when he will tell you what to do." 
 Ruth said she would follow her directions. 
 
 When Boaz had feasted and "his heart was 
 merry," as it is expressed, he lay down at the 
 
A ROMANCE. 19 
 
 end of a heap of grain. Euth came softly, un- 
 covered his feet and lay down. This was not per- 
 ceived by Boaz who had, doubtless, become stupe- 
 fied from the effect of wine, but about midnight, 
 after he had recovered his senses, he discovered 
 to his fear and amazement, a woman reposing at 
 his feet. He demanded, " Who art thou ? " She 
 replied, "I am Ruth, thy kindred. Spread thy 
 skirt over me, for thou art a near kinsman." He 
 said, " Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter, 
 for thou hast shown more kindness even than 
 thou didst in the beginning, inasmuch as thou 
 didst not follow young men whether poor or 
 rich. Now, my daughter, fear not. I will do all 
 thou requirest, for every one knows thou art a 
 virtuous woman. It is true, I am thy kinsman, 
 still there is another who is a nearer kindred 
 than I am. To-morrow the question will be 
 settled, which one shall perform the duty of a 
 kinsman. Lie down until morning." 
 
 Euth obeyed and waited until early in the 
 morning before any one could be clearly seen, for 
 Boaz did not wish it to be known that a woman 
 came into the floor. He said to Ruth, "Bring 
 the vail thou hast and hold it," when he gave her 
 six measures of barley. Boaz then returned to 
 the city, and Euth came to her mother-in-law 
 and related the adventures of the night. Naomi 
 said, "Wait until it is known how the matter 
 
20 
 
 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 will end, for the man will not rest until it is 
 settled." 
 
 Early in the morning Boaz went to the gate of 
 the city and sat down to wait for the kinsman re- 
 ferred to, whose name is not mentioned. He, 
 however, soon appeared, to whom Boaz said, 
 " Ho ; stop and sit down, for I have a message 
 for you." He obeyed the summons and sat down 
 to hear the news. Ten elders of the city had 
 been invited to be present as witnesses at the con- 
 ference which was to settle the question. Boaz 
 then addressed this kinsman of Naomi, saying, 
 " That she had returned from the country of 
 Moab and had sold a piece of land that had be- 
 longed to our brother Elimelech. I- wish to say, 
 in the presence of these witnesses, buy the land if 
 thou wilt, but if thou wilt not redeem it, tell me, 
 and I will do so, but if you buy the real estate of 
 Naomi, you must accept in marriage Buth the 
 Moabitess, the young widow of Mahlon, the son 
 of Elimelech." The kinsman said, " I cannot re- 
 deem the land lest I injure my own inheritance," 
 and then, as was the custom in Israel in those 
 days, he took off his shoe or sandal, and gave it 
 to his neighbor, and said to Boaz that he was at 
 liberty to purchase the estate, when the latter ad- 
 dressed the people assembled at the gate, saying, 
 "Ye are witnesses that I have purchased of 
 Naomi this day all that belonged to Elimelech 
 
A ROMANCE. 21 
 
 and his sons, Mahlon and Chilion, and I have also 
 purchased Euth, the widow of Mahlon, for my 
 wife, that the name of the dead may be perpetu- 
 ated, as ye are witnesses this day." The people 
 said, "We are witnesses. The Lord make this 
 woman like Eachel and Leah among the Israel- 
 ites, and may you be famous in Bethlehem, and 
 may your posterity, the descendants of Judah, be 
 prospered." 
 
 Boaz, who, it is presumed, had no family at 
 this time, married Euth the Moabitess, who be- 
 came the mother of Obed, the father of Jesse, 
 whose son was David, king of Israel. When the 
 child was born, Naomi's countrywomen congrat- 
 ulated her, saying, " Blessed be the Lord who has 
 not left thee without a kinsman whose name may 
 become- famous in Israel. He will be unto thee 
 a comforter in thine old age. Thy daughter-in- 
 law is better than seven sons." Naomi took the 
 babe in her arms, and became its nurse. 
 
 The exact period when the events of this inter- 
 esting story occurred is not positively known, but 
 it has been estimated at about 1250 b. c. Some 
 writers have expressed the opinion that the de- 
 scent of the Messiah from a Gentile through the 
 line of David, is an intimation of the compre- 
 hensive nature of the Christian dispensation. 
 
From Captivity to a Throne. 
 
 CHAPTEK II. 
 
 AN ANCIENT PEOPLE. 
 
 Persia, called by the natives Iran, the original 
 home of the Aryan race, is a country that has 
 survived great political changes and desolating 
 wars for more than 2,500 years, and still exists as 
 one of the leading nations of Asia. Modern Persia 
 extends 900 miles from east to west, and 700 from 
 north to south, and has an area of about 648,000 
 square miles. It consists largely of an elevated 
 table-land covered, in some places, with moun- 
 tains, and abounds with salt lakes, many of which 
 have no visible outlets. The chief of these is 
 Lake Urumiah, in the northern region. The 
 heat in autumn is excessive, but in summer the 
 climate is more tolerable, while in winter and 
 spring it is delightful. The native settlers consist 
 chiefly of the Tajihs, descendants of the ancient 
 Persians, with an intermixture of foreign blood. 
 The nomads or pastoral tribes comprise four dis- 
 ss 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 23 
 
 tinct races, while a small number, perhaps 25,000, 
 are Christian and 15,000 are Jews. The entire 
 population numbers between 4,000,000 and 5,000,- 
 000. Silk is the staple production of the country, 
 and the government is a pure depotism, while 
 the sovereign, styled Shah,- exercises absolute 
 authority over the lives and affairs of his subjects ; 
 and the dominant religion is that of Mahomet. 
 
 Elementary education is very generally diffused 
 among all classes, and there are a large number of 
 colleges where students are instructed in the Mo- 
 hammedan religion, and in Persian and Arabic 
 literature. Both the ancient and modern lan- 
 guages of Persia belong to the great class of 
 Indo- Germanic. The literary life of the Persians 
 began in the ninth century, a. d., and continued 
 to flourish for five centuries. During this period, 
 there were numerous writers in various depart- 
 ments of learning, including poets, the most dis- 
 tinguished of whom was Hafiz, styled the " Sugar- 
 Lip " ; but after him, Persian poetry began to 
 decline. The historians form an important class, 
 while there are only a few writers on science. 
 Theological works are mainly translations from 
 the Koran. 
 
 The architecture of this ancient country is of 
 considerable interest, on account of its resem- 
 blance to the Assyrian and Egyptian, the earliest 
 architecture of which we have any positive 
 
24 4 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 knowledge. The buildings of ancient Persia were 
 constructed of material similar to that used by 
 the Assyrians. The ruins of the splendid palaces 
 of Cyrus and Cambyses at Pasargardse still exist, 
 and Persepolis, the capital of Darius and Xerxes 
 (560-523 b. a), Susa, Ecbatana, and Teheran con- 
 tain ancient ruins. 
 
 The halls of the buildings at Persepolis were 
 square with an equal number of pillars on every 
 side for the support of the roof which was flat. 
 In the centre was an opening to admit light, 
 sheltered by another roof on pillars. The re- 
 mains of Persian and Assyrian palaces, may il- 
 lustrate the style of architecture employed in the 
 royal buildings of David and Solomon. 
 
 The scarcity of wood in oriental countries, had 
 an influence upon architecture, where bricks or 
 stone were used instead. The Saracenic style 
 originated in the seventh century, a. d., and soon 
 extended from Persia to the ocean. The creed 
 of Mohammed forbade the use of painting and 
 sculpture, therefore there was a style of architec- 
 ture developed peculiar to his system. The 
 houses of the higher classes were usually built in 
 a hollow square. The private apartments were 
 on three sides, while the fourth was on the street, 
 with a gate, and intended for the use of the serv- 
 ants. The plan of having the front of the 
 house towards the street, would be an infringe- 
 
FB03I CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 25 
 
 ment on the privacy of oriental domestic life. 
 The windows opened upon the interior court 
 which was adorned by plants and furnished with 
 fountains. Some houses had two or three courts, 
 communicating with one another. The house- 
 tops were an important feature, and were used 
 for various purposes. Besides the windows open- 
 ing upon the interior of the court, there were 
 also those projecting from the building, and fre- 
 quently overhanging the street, while another 
 peculiarity of oriental architecture, was the 
 kiosk or open summerhouse, supported on pil- 
 lars. 
 
 The better class of houses were built of stone 
 comprising marble, and were profusely orna- 
 mented with rich velvet hangings of bright colors 
 supported on hooks, and could be removed at 
 pleasure. The upper part of the wall was 
 adorned with figures in stucco, with gold, silver, 
 gems, and ivory, hence the expression "ivory 
 houses," referred to in the Scriptures. In the 
 time of the Prophet J.eremiah, these chambers 
 were ceiled with costly and fragrant wood painted 
 in the richest colors. The Persians were ac- 
 customed to use marble very freely in their 
 buildings, as the ruins of Persepolis prove. The 
 Book of Esther suggests the same idea. The 
 kitchen was always in the interior court, where 
 the women-servants performed their labors, some- 
 
26 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 times assisted by the ladies of the family. 
 These kitchens were not supplied with fireplaces, 
 but the cooking was done by the use of charcoal 
 in braziers, though wood fires were sometimes 
 made in the open court. 
 
 There were, usually, no doors to the rooms of 
 eastern dwellings, but the openings were closed by 
 curtains, and the windows were latticed, as glass 
 was not used, or they were closed by shutters 
 with openings for light. When there was no up- 
 per story, the rooms were usually higher, in 
 most oriental countries, but in Persia they are 
 open from top to bottom. 
 
 The ancient religion of the Persians originated 
 with Zoroaster, the author of the Zend-Avesta, 
 and a reformer of the Magian system. The 
 work ascribed to him contained his pretended 
 revelations which the early Magians and later 
 Parsees reverenced as Christians do the Sacred 
 Scriptures. The Zend or Zend-Avesta teaches 
 the doctrine of a Supreme Being, eternal and 
 self-existent, the Creator of all material things, 
 and of light and darkness, between which a con- 
 flict exists and will continue to exist until the 
 end of tl^e world. He taught that there will be 
 a general judgment when a just retribution will be 
 administered to every one according to his works, 
 and the angel of darkness with his followers 
 will be consigned to everlasting punishment and 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 27 
 
 the angel of light with his associates will be ad- 
 mitted to everlasting light and happiness. 
 
 It is evident that these doctrines were copied, 
 with some modifications, from the Sacred Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 The name Zoroaster signifies chief, senior, and 
 high priest, common designations for a spiritual 
 guide. He was a native of Bactria, a region in 
 the vicinity of the Hindu- Kush mountains, but 
 there is little authentic history of his life. The 
 Zend was the language in which the sacred 
 books of Zoroaster were written. After the Ara- 
 bian conquest, in the seventh century, A. D., the 
 Mohammedan faith became the state religion 
 and still maintains its supremacy, in Persia. 
 Christianity was early introduced into this coun- 
 try, when terrible persecutions followed, begin- 
 ning in 330 A. D., and in forty years, more than 
 16,000 suffered martyrdom. 
 
 Magi was a name given to the order of priests 
 and religious teachers among the Medes and 
 Persians, and was derived from a word signifying 
 priest. There is, however, proof that this class 
 existed among other Eastern nations, especially 
 the Chaldeans, but in classical literature, they 
 are almost exclusively connected with Persian 
 history. Herodotus represents them as constitut- 
 ing one of the tribes among the Medes, and very 
 influential in the government of the Median Em- 
 
28 
 
 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 pire. They became so powerful in Persia, that 
 on the death of Cambyses, they attempted to 
 overthrow the Persian dynasty and appoint one 
 of their number, king. The defeat of this plot 
 by Darius was followed by a general massacre 
 of the Magi, but the fall of the Persian Empire 
 was favorable to them and they appear in history 
 again, during the later Roman Empire, and the 
 commencement of the present era. It is said 
 that Zoroaster taught his creed to the Magi 
 whom he divided into three classes — learners, 
 masters, and perfect scholars. They alone could 
 teach the truths and perform the ceremonies of 
 religion, foretell future events, interpret dreams 
 and omens, and ascertain the will of Ormuzd, by 
 acts of divination. Ormuzd was the good prin- 
 ciple of the Magi whose symbol was light, and 
 who was the author of all good. Their forms of 
 worship were strictly defined, and were handed 
 down to the Magi by traditions. They appear 
 to have been the sole possessors of all the science 
 of their age, and to be instructed in their learn- 
 ing was esteemed the highest privilege, and al- 
 lowed, with rare exceptions, to none except 
 princes and the royal family. Their learning be- 
 came celebrated at an early period in Greece, 
 and was the subject of speculation to the philoso- 
 phers, but the ignorant were imposed upon by 
 their tricks and high pretensions. Besides being 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 29 
 
 priests and men of learning, the Magi appear to 
 have exercised judicial power. 
 
 The early inhabitants of Persia comprised 
 nomadic tribes of the Indo-European stock who 
 called themselves by a name signifying noble or 
 honorable, applied especially to the followers of 
 Zoroaster. According to Herodotus, they were 
 divided into three classes : first, the nobles and 
 warriors'; second, the agricultural and other set- 
 tlers ; third, the nomadic tribes. 
 
 The Persians bore a close affinity to the Medes 
 and followed the same customs and religion, 
 though their simple habits preserved them from 
 the corrupt influences that caused the degeneracy 
 of the Medes, when they obtained the supremacy 
 under Cyrus, the founder of the great Persian 
 Empire, B. c. 559. But little is known of the 
 authentic history of Persia before this date. The 
 capital cities were Pasargardas and Persepolis. 
 
 The most prominent rulers of ancient Persia 
 were Cyrus the Great, Cambyses, Darius L, 
 Xerxes I., Artaxerxes I. (Longimanus), Xerxes 
 II., Darias IL, Artaxerxes II. (Mnemon), Arta- 
 xerxes III., Darius III. (Codomannus), whose 
 successive reigns extended from 559 to 331 B. c, 
 when the ancient kingdom of Persia closes. The 
 natives date their independence from the over- 
 throw of the Parthian Empire, after it had con- 
 tinued 476 years. 
 
30 
 
 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Artaxerxes is the name of four Persian kings 
 one of whom Artaxerxes Longimanus, who 
 reigned 465-425 B. a, is supposed by some 
 writers, to have been the Ahasuerus of the Scrip- 
 tures who occupied the throne in the time of 
 Esther and Mordecai. Different reasons have 
 been given for his cognomen — Longimanus — 
 Longhanded. He was the son of Xerxes I. His 
 reign was disturbed by insurrections and wars 
 with other nations, including the Greeks, in which 
 he was defeated both on land and sea, and was 
 forced to conclude a peace favorable to his an- 
 tagonist. 
 
 Artaxerxes II., of Persia, received the surname 
 of Mnemon, on account of his remarkable mem- 
 ory. He was the son of Darius II., and reigned 
 405-359 B. c. His kingdom was imperilled by a 
 revolt of Gyrus his younger brother who was 
 killed in a battle 401 B. c. Artaxerxes III., 359- 
 338 b. c, began his reign by the murder of all 
 the members of his family to avoid any rivals, 
 but he was poisoned and was succeeded by his son. 
 
 The Ahasuerus of the Scriptures, the sovereign 
 who ruled Persia in the time of Esther, has been 
 represented as different persons, but Josephus 
 and some other writers, believe he was identical 
 with Artaxerxes Longimanus. Some historians 
 have supposed his mother was a Jewess, a de- 
 scendant of Saul, king of Israel, and the favor 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 31 
 
 this prince showed the Jews, confirms the opinion 
 though there are no historical proofs of it. 
 
 Ecbatana, a city of Media on Mount Orontes 
 and enclosed by seven walls, is said to contain 
 the tombs of Mordecai and Esther, though it is 
 supposed by some writers, that their graves were 
 in Hamadon. Artaxerxes Longimanus received 
 his name on account of his long hands, and he was 
 reported to have b^en the handsomest man of his 
 time. He was a conqueror, and subdued Meso- 
 potamia and Syria, captured Babylon and placed 
 Cyrus on the throne. 
 
 Another theory in regard to Ahasuerus is, that 
 he was identical with Darius Hystaspis, and that 
 Yashti, named Alossa was his wife, and that 
 Esther was called Artystana, but these views are 
 not generally accepted. Haman, the prime minis- 
 ter of Ahasuerus, is represented in the Book of Es- 
 ther as belonging to the race of A gag a common 
 name for the princes of Amalek. Instigated by 
 jealousy, he secured the king's decree for the exter- 
 mination of the Jews. It seems almost incredible 
 that a sovereign, without any reasonable cause, 
 should order the massacre of a large part of his 
 subjects, comprising a whole nation, but such a 
 brutal outrage has its parallel in later times, as 
 in the history of the Greeks, during a war be- 
 tween Turkey and Kussia in 1770, though the 
 decree of Hassan Pasha was not executed. 
 
32 BIBLE CHARACTERS. ' 
 
 Ahasuerus was a powerful and luxurious 
 prince whose dominions extended from India to 
 Ethiopia, comprising 127 provinces. The winter 
 residence of the king was Shush an or Susa, 
 which received its name, probably, from the 
 abundance of lilies it yielded. It was sheltered 
 from the northeast winds by a ridge of mountains, 
 but in the summer the heat was so intense that 
 the inhabitants were compelled to cover the flat 
 tops of their dwellings with earth. The city was 
 highly embellished by Ahasuerus, and it was 
 here the Prophet Daniel had his vision of the 
 ram and goat. The Jews, in honor for the great 
 favors shown their nation by this Persian king, 
 named the eastern gate of their temple Shushan, 
 and had a representation of the city carved on it. 
 Susa was conquered by Alexander the Great, 
 though it still exists under the name of Valdek. 
 It is said to contain the tomb of Daniel. 
 
 Ecbatana was a city of Media and next to 
 Nineveh and Babylon, was one of the strongest 
 and most beautiful cities of the East. After 
 Media was united to Persia, it became the summer 
 residence of the Persian kings. Here are sup- 
 posed to be the tombs of Mordecai and Esther, 
 covered by a dome with inscriptions in Hebrew. 
 This city was surrounded by seven walls of un- 
 equal height, and it still exists under the name of 
 Hammedon. 
 
^ 
 
 V 
 
 
 £>- 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 33 
 
 The Jews had been conquered by Nebuchad- 
 nezzar, their capital destroyed and the nation 
 transported to Babylon as captives where they 
 remained until the conquest of the city by 
 the Persians, when many of them were taken to 
 Persia where they were allowed greater liberties, 
 and some of them were promoted to official po- 
 sitions in the Empire. Among these captive 
 Jews was Mordecai whose history is intimately 
 connected with that of Esther, the heroine of the 
 story. He was the son of Jair, of the tribe of 
 Benjamin, and cousin to Hadassa, the Jewish 
 name of Esther, whose parents died when she 
 was a child. Mordecai adopted the young 
 orphan as his own daughter and performed the 
 duties of a parent. She was a beautiful and an 
 attractive child, qualities that had a powerful in- 
 fluence in her future career. Her protector, 
 undoubtedly, carefully trained her in the re- 
 ligion of her nation which, at a heathen court, 
 she never forgot or neglected, it is presumed. 
 
CHAPTEE III. 
 
 ROYAL FESTIVALS. 
 
 Ahasuerus, the king of Persia, after reigning 
 two years, entertained his subjects by sumptuous 
 festivals. The first banquet was given to the 
 princes, nobles, the rulers of the 127 provinces of 
 his empire, and the court officials, at his winter 
 palace in Shushan, and continued six months, 
 when the glory, magnificence and power of the 
 sovereign were witnessed by his admiring guests. 
 After the festival of the princes, nobles and court 
 officers ended, the king gave a feast to the com- 
 mon people in the court of the garden of his 
 palace at Susa, which continued seven days, and 
 was attended by all the magnificence displayed at 
 the festival of the princes and nobles. 
 
 The court with its tessellated pavement of red, 
 white, blue and black marbles, its pillars of 
 marble with green, blue, and white tapestries 
 fastened with cords of linen to silver rings, gold 
 and silver couches, gold drinking vessels all dif- 
 ferent from one another, exhibited the splendor 
 and magnificence of the Persian court. The 
 freedom of the guests, each one being allowed to 
 
 34 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 35 
 
 do as lie pleased, enhanced the pleasure of the 
 feast. These enjoyments were not confined to 
 the men alone, for Vashti the queen, made a feast 
 for the women of the palace. Some of the 
 princes were present at the feast given to the 
 common people. 
 
 The king, under the influence of wine, probably, 
 attempted to infringe upon an established custom, 
 by commanding the queen to appear at the feast 
 for the men, wearing the royal crewn. He sent 
 his chamberlains to conduct her to his presence, 
 that the princes and people might admire her 
 beauty. Vashti refused to go and become the 
 object of wonder to the intoxicated courtiers. 
 The king was exceedingly angry that the queen 
 should presume to disobey his orders. What 
 ought to be done about it, since the queen's re- 
 fusal was publicly known? 
 
 Ahasuerus had, for his advisers, seven princes of 
 Persia and Media, who understood the laws and 
 judged cases, and who were next to the king in 
 power, and were his counsellors. He asked them 
 what punishment ought to be administered to the 
 disobedient queen, according to the laws. 
 
 Memucan, one of the princes, replied, " The 
 queen had not only done wrong to the king, but 
 also to the princes and all the people in the 
 provinces of Ahasuerus for, when it is fully un- 
 derstood that his authority in his household has 
 
36 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 been set aside, all the women in his dominions 
 will despise their husbands, and there will be 
 serious trouble. If agreeable to the king, let him 
 issue a royal decree and have it written among 
 the laws of the Medes and Persians which cannot 
 be changed, that Vashti be divorced, and another 
 wife superior to her, be chosen queen. Then 
 after the decree is known throughout the king's 
 dominions, all wives will honor their husbands, 
 from the highest to the lowest ranks." 
 
 The advice of Memucan pleased his Majesty, 
 who sent letters into all the provinces, written in 
 the different languages used by the people, that 
 every man should rule his own house, a right 
 usually claimed in all countries and in all ages. 
 Not until the queen was legally divorced was the 
 wrath of the king appeased, but it is probable that 
 after the effects of his dissipation had passed 
 away, he thought of his beautiful queen with re- 
 gret, and blamed his counsellors for the rash step 
 he had taken, therefore his servants, to calm his 
 feelings and make him forget his domestic trouble, 
 advised him to choose another queen to take the 
 place of Vashti. They recommended that a num- 
 ber of beautiful young maidens be selected from 
 the women of his kingdom by officers in all the 
 provinces of the empire, and conducted to Shushan, 
 to be placed in the palace for the women, under 
 the custody of Hege, the king's chamberlain and 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 37 
 
 overseer of the females, and that such articles be 
 given them as were needed in their preparations 
 for royal honors, such as oil of myrrh, sweet odors 
 and other articles. Each maiden went in the 
 evening to the royal palace and returned to the 
 house of the women, under the care of the king's 
 chamberlain, but did not go again unless called 
 by name. 
 
 When Esther, the Jewish maiden, was called 
 to go to the king, she followed the directions of 
 Hege, and when Ahasuerus saw the beautiful 
 girl, he was fascinated, and without inquiring 
 about her nationality, he chose her to succeed 
 Vashti, and placed the royal crown upon her 
 head. He then gave a feast to his princes and 
 servants and conferred special favors and gifts 
 upon his guests. Following the advice of Mor- 
 decai, Esther had not revealed her nationality. 
 This friend of the young girl was her cousin, but 
 adopted the orphan child as his own. He was 
 taken a captive to Babylon, probably when young, 
 and after the overthrow of the city by the Per- 
 sians he went to Shushan, and in the first year 
 of Cyrus, it is supposed he returned to Jerusalem 
 with other Jewish captives, and then went back 
 to Persia, and became the adviser of his relative 
 after her promotion to the Persian throne. By 
 refusing to pay homage to Haman, the king's 
 prime minister, Mordecai incurred the enmity of 
 
38 BIBLE CRABACTEBS. 
 
 that official and imperilled the lives of all the 
 Jews throughout the empire. 
 
 The question is suggested, Why did Mordecai 
 refuse to respect the king's prime minister ? It 
 has been thought that the reverence given to 
 Haman was similar to divine homage, such as 
 was sometimes addressed to Persian monarchs, 
 which would be regarded by the Jews idolatrous. 
 
 After the promotion of Esther, her adopted 
 father was accustomed to w^alk before the court 
 of the women's house to gain some intelligence 
 from the queen. To inquire what occurs in the 
 harem of an Eastern monarch is considered a 
 crime, and one might pass by the court of the 
 women's palace day after day without gaining 
 any intelligence about what takes place within, 
 and from what Mordecai told Esther in regard to 
 the massacre of the Jews, namely, " Think not 
 that thou shalt escape in the king's house more 
 than all the Jews," it is presumed that crimes 
 were sometimes committed there. It was certain 
 that Haman would cause the death of the queen, 
 being a Jewess, even in the harem. 
 
 While Mordecai was sitting one day in the 
 king's gateway, an event occurred that had an 
 influence upon his subsequent career. This was 
 the discovery of a plot, by two of the king's 
 chamberlains, namely, Teresh the porter, and Big- 
 thana, to assassinate Ahasuerus. How the con- 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 39 
 
 spiracy was discovered is not related, but Morde- 
 cai informed Esther of the contemplated crime, 
 and she told the king. The intended assassins 
 were arrested, found guilty and hanged, and a 
 report of the affair was registered in the Book of 
 the Chronicles belonging to the king. 
 
 After the discovery of the plot and the punish- 
 ment of the criminals, the king promoted Hainan 
 to the highest office in the government next to 
 the sovereign himself, and commanded all his 
 subjects to pay him homage ; but Mordecai re- 
 fused to comply with the royal edict, therefore 
 the people at the gate inquired why he did not 
 obey the king's command. This question they 
 repeated daily, but as Mordecai continued to 
 maintain his position, they informed Haman, 
 when his anger was aroused, and he resolved to 
 have his revenge. Scorning the idea of securing 
 the punishment of only one of the Jews whom he 
 hated, he would, if possible, destroy the whole 
 race scattered throughout the kingdom of Ahas- 
 uerus. This was in the twelfth year of his reign. 
 The day for the massacre was to be decided by 
 casting lots, which they continued to do day by 
 day, and month by month, for a year, before the 
 question was decided. This was probably due to 
 the superstition in ancient times that some days 
 were more favorable than others for the success 
 of any undertaking, therefore Haman tried by 
 
40 BIBLE CHABACTJEBS. 
 
 divination to ascertain the time most favorable 
 for the accomplishment of his fearful tragedy. 
 This was providential, since it gave Mordecai and 
 Esther an opportunity to defeat the conspiracy. 
 
 Hainan's argument before the king for the 
 execution of his criminal purpose was, in sub- 
 stance, as follows : " There is a certain people 
 throughout the province of thy kingdom, whose 
 laws are different from those of the king, and 
 who do not obey your Majesty's commands, hence 
 it is not for the king's advantage to allow them 
 to exist ; therefore, if it pleases the king,, let 
 there be a decree issued for their destruction." 
 Ten thousand talents of silver were to be paid 
 by Haman, into the royal treasur}^, for the exe- 
 cution of the decree. Ahasuerus took off his 
 ring and gave it to Haman, as a pledge that his 
 request should be granted. The king told him 
 that the silver and the persons for executing the 
 order, were given to him to do as he wished. 
 
 The king's scribes were called to prepare the 
 written proclamation according to Hainan's re- . 
 quest, addressed to all the lieutenants, gover- 
 nors of the provinces, and rulers of the nations 
 in their own language, and in the name of King 
 Ahasuerus, and sealed with his ring. The letters 
 were sent by posts into all the provinces, to de- 
 stroy all the Jews, young and old, women and 
 little children, on the thirteenth day of the 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 41 
 
 twelfth month — Aclar — and to take the spoils. 
 The copy of the writing was published, that the 
 people might be ready on that day to execute 
 the royal command. The decree was given at 
 Shushan and the posts were hastened to circu- 
 late it. 
 
 The king and Hainan were so well pleased 
 with their deed, that they indulged in a feast of 
 wine, but the city of Shushan was much per- 
 plexed at the royal decree. There were, prob- 
 ably, some Persians who deplored the cruel 
 order, regarding it as impolitic without refer- 
 ence to race prejudices. They, perhaps, feared 
 it might cause a general revolt throughout the 
 vast empire, while there may have been others 
 who were pleased, on account of jealousy, that 
 the hated race was to be exterminated. 
 
 When Mordecai heard of the king's decree, he 
 was greatly distressed, and clothed himself with 
 sackcloth, used with ashes, emblems of deep 
 mourning, and went through the streets of the 
 city weeping and uttering loud lamentations. 
 He came to the king's gate in that condition, 
 but no one was allowed to enter clothed in sack- 
 cloth. There were great mourning, fasting, and 
 weeping among the Jews, in every province 
 where the royal command was known, and 
 many of the doomed people lay in sackcloth 
 and ashes day and night. 
 
42 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Esther's maids and chamberlains came and 
 told her of the king's decree, which had been 
 kept secret from her. She was exceedingly 
 grieved, but she did not wish to have Mordecai 
 clothed in sackcloth, therefore she sent him rai- 
 ment to wear instead, but he would not. make 
 the change. Then she sent Hatach, one of the 
 king's chamberlains who had been appointed to 
 attend the queen, to inquire what was the cause 
 of his grief. 
 
 When Hatach, the queen's attendant, came to 
 Mordecai in the street leading to the king's gate, 
 he was informed of the particulars of the royal 
 decree, and the sum of money Haman had paid 
 into the king's treasury- for the destruction of the 
 Jews, and he gave the queen's chamberlain a 
 copy of the writing for their massacre, and told 
 him to urge Esther to go to the king and make 
 supplication for her people. 
 
 Hatach delivered the message, when she sent 
 her servant again to Mordecai, to remind him 
 that it was a law throughout the Persian Empire, 
 that whoever, man or woman, ventured to come 
 into the royal presence without being called, 
 should be put to death, unless the king held out 
 the golden sceptre as a sign that he was par- 
 doned for the offence, " and," said Esther, " I 
 have not been called to appear at court, for 
 thirty days." Mordecai returned answer that she 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 43 
 
 must not expect to escape more than other Jews, 
 and if she kept silence, deliverance would come 
 to them from other sources, while thou and thy 
 father's house will perish. He then adds, " Who 
 knoweth but thou art come to the kingdom for 
 such a time as this ? " 
 
 When Esther heard the message of Mordecai, 
 she said, " Tell him to call together all the Jews 
 at Shushan and fast for me three days and nights 
 and I and my maidens will also fast ; then I will 
 go to the king, though it is not according to 
 law, and if I perish, I perish." After three days 
 of fasting, Esther put on her royal robes, and 
 going to the palace, she took a position in the 
 court, while the king was sitting upon his throne. 
 She had taken her life in her hands for the pur- 
 pose of pleading for her doomed countrymen. — 
 Her loveliness excited the interest and sympathy 
 of Ahasuerus, who immediately held out the 
 golden sceptre when she drew near and touched 
 the royal emblem. " What is thy request, Queen 
 Esther? It shall be granted thee to the half of 
 my kingdom." She replied, "If it please thee, 
 come with Haman to a banquet which I have 
 prepared for you." 
 
 Haman was very proud of the honor paid him, 
 as a guest of the queen in company with the 
 king ; but when he saw Mordecai at the king's 
 gate who did not bow down to pay him homage, 
 
44 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 he was exceedingly angry, and returning to his 
 home, he called for his friends and Zeresh, his 
 wife, and told them of his glory, and wealth, and 
 that the king had promoted him above all the 
 princes and servants of his kingdom. Moreover, 
 the queen had invited him only, with the king to 
 a banquet, and that he was to attend a similar 
 feast on the morrow. " Yet all these honors," 
 he said, "have no interest to me as long as I 
 see Mordecai the Jew, sitting at the king's 
 gate." 
 
 His wife and friends advised him to erect a 
 gallows fifty cubits high — perhaps seventy-five 
 feet — " and then obtain permission from the king 
 to have Mordecai hanged on it. This being done 
 thou canst go and enjoy the banquet." The 
 proposition pleased Haman, and he immediately 
 ordered the gallows to be erected. During the 
 following night, the king could not sleep. Per- 
 haps he was conscious of having acted rashly in 
 the matter of the Jews, and to divert his mind, 
 he commanded his chamberlains to bring the book 
 containing the court records, and read them. In 
 these writings was the account of the plot of 
 Bigthana and Teresh to assassinate the king, dis- 
 covered by Mordecai. He inquired what honor 
 had been rendered to this Jew for saving the 
 king's life. The servants replied that nothing 
 had been done. 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 45 
 
 Just at this moment Haman came to the out- 
 side court of the palace, to ask that Mordecai 
 might be hanged on the gallows just erected. 
 The king inquired who was in the court, and was 
 told it was Haman. " Let him come in," said 
 he. After Haman entered the palace, Ahasuerus 
 said, " What shall be done for the man whom the 
 king delighteth to honor ? " Haman thought 
 whom should he delight to honor more than 
 himself. He advised his Majesty to have such an 
 one arrayed in royal apparel and, wearing the 
 royal crown, let him be placed on the horse used 
 by his sovereign, and appoint one of the most 
 noble princes to conduct him through the streets 
 of the city and proclaim, " Thus shall be done to 
 the man whom the king delighteth to honor." 
 
 After Haman had given his advice, the king 
 said, " Make haste and do for Mordecai who sits 
 at the king's gate, what you have recommended." 
 Though occupying the highest rank at court, 
 Haman would not venture to disobey the king's 
 orders. After he had done this, Mordecai went 
 to his place at the gate, and Haman returned to 
 his house mourning and with his head covered, as 
 a sign of his grief and humiliation. He told his 
 friends what had befallen him, when Zeresh his 
 wife said, " If thou hast begun to fall, thou wilt 
 continue to do so." While they were discussing 
 the question, the king's chamberlains came in 
 
46 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 haste to conduct Haman to the queen's banquet 
 a second time, when the king asked Esther the 
 same question as on a previous occasion. 
 
 The queen said, " If I have found favor in thy 
 sight, O king, and if it pleases thee, let my life 
 be given me and that of my people, for we are 
 sold, I and my people to be slain. If we had 
 only been sold as slaves, I could have kept silence, 
 though the enemy could not do the king a per- 
 manent injury." "Who and where is he that 
 durst presume in his heart to do this ? " replied 
 the king. Esther said, "The adversary is this 
 wicked Haman." This declaration made the 
 guilty prime minister afraid, while the king was 
 very angry, and leaving the banquet, he went 
 into the garden. Haman in the meantime plead 
 with the queen for his life, and in his distress he 
 had fallen on the bed on which Esther had re- 
 clined. At this moment the king returned and 
 found him in this position when he said, " Will 
 he force the queen before me in the house ? " 
 The servant covered the face of Haman, and one 
 of the king's chamberlains named Harbonah, 
 said, " The gallows fifty cubits high which Haman 
 made for Mordecai is. in his house." The royal 
 order was given to hang Haman on it, when the 
 king's wrath was appeased. He delivered the 
 family of Haman to the queen to dispose of them 
 as she wished. She revealed her nationality to 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 47 
 
 the king, when he took the ring given to Hainan 
 and presented it to Mordecai and the queen ap- 
 pointed him over the house of Haraan. 
 
 THE FEAST OF PURIM. 
 
 Esther made another petition to the king, 
 prostrating herself at his feet, and beseeching 
 him with tears to counteract the fearful doom 
 Hainan had planned for the destruction of her 
 nation. Her request was briefly as follows, "If 
 it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in 
 his sight, let there be a royal decree to reverse 
 the one issued for the destruction of the Jews in 
 the king's provinces, for how can I endure to see 
 the extermination of my kindred ? " Ahasuerus 
 said to the queen and to Mordecai, " I have given 
 to Esther the family of Haman and him they 
 have hanged upon the gallows. Write to the 
 Jews in the king's name, and seal it with his ring 
 that no one may erase it." The king's scribes 
 were summoned, and in the third month — called 
 Sivan, corresponding to June, and on the second 
 day, the document was written according to the 
 direction of Mordecai, addressed to the Jews, 
 lieutenants, deputies, and rulers of the provinces, 
 extending from India to Ethiopia, including 127, 
 in different languages, in the name of Ahasuerus 
 and sealed with his ring. The decree was that 
 the Jews in every city were allowed to assemble 
 
48 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 and defend their lives, and if they were assaulted 
 by their enemies, they were permitted to destroy 
 them, including women and children, and take 
 the spoils. 
 
 A copy of this writing was published in all 
 the provinces, when Mordecai and the queen con- 
 firmed the decree, and sent letters of congratula- 
 tions to all the Jews, on their escape from an im- 
 minent danger. This decree was given at the 
 palace in Shushan, and the couriers or posts as 
 they were called, on mules, camels, and other 
 animals, were hastened on their mission, by the 
 king's orders. 
 
 After this decree was issued, Mordecai, arrayed 
 in garments of blue, white, and purple linen, and 
 wearing a crown of gold, left the royal palace 
 amidst the rejoicing citizens of Shushan. When 
 the time for the execution of the king's command 
 drew near, which was on the same day of the 
 month the edict of Haman was to have been 
 executed, the Jews assembled in the cities 
 throughout the provinces, prepared to resist 
 those who attempted their destruction. All the 
 rulers, lieutenants, deputies, and officers of the 
 king, assisted the Jews so that they smote 500 
 in Shushan. When the king was informed of 
 the affair, he said to the queen, " What have they 
 done in the rest of the king's provinces ? Now 
 what is thy petition and what is thy request ? " 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 49 
 
 She replied, " If it please the king, let Haman's 
 ten sons be hanged on a gallows," and he com- 
 manded it to be done. 
 
 Besides the number killed at Shushan, 75,000 
 were slain in the provinces, but the victors took 
 no spoils. After this fearful slaughter, the Jews 
 observed the fourteenth day of the month Adar 
 or March, as one of feasting and gladness, and 
 sent presents to one another, and Mordecai de- 
 spatched messages to all the Jews to establish 
 the observance as a national festival and call it 
 the Feast of Purim. The name is a Persian 
 word signifying lot because Haraan settled by 
 lot the day on which the Jews were to be mas- 
 sacred. The days of the festival, including the 
 fourteenth and fifteenth of the month, were spent 
 in making social visits and sending food to the 
 poor, and congratulations to friends. 
 
 The story of Hadassah or Esther is one of the 
 most remarkable &nd romantic of all the women 
 of sacred history, it has been said, and her 
 achievements are, perhaps, without a parallel, as 
 she was the means of saving her nation from 
 utter destruction. She was the daughter of 
 Abihail, a Jew, and was a native of Shushan, 
 probably where her life was passed. She was 
 left an orphan at a very early age in a heathen 
 land, but providentially, was adopted by one of 
 her own countrymen, who trained her in the re- 
 
50 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 ligion of her ancestors, and became her adviser 
 during her remarkable career. 
 
 Esther was distinguished for her personal at- 
 tractions, a circumstance that had a controlling 
 influence on her future life, and united her for- 
 tune with that of the most powerful sovereign of 
 his times, an oriental potentate whom she swayed 
 by her firm will. From a captive slave to a 
 queen, from an orphan of despised Jewish exiles to 
 the wife of an absolute oriental monarch, are 
 striking contrasts in the history of this remarka- 
 ble woman. She had been educated by her 
 cousin who adopted her, for the Jews were not 
 allowed to neglect the education of their chil- 
 dren, and her history proves she had been trained 
 in the elementary branches of knowledge, at 
 least. 
 
 Esther's zeal and devotion to her countrymen 
 led her to propose a measure that might be ques- 
 tioned in regard to its humanity. This was # for 
 the execution of the ten sons of Hainan. Prob- 
 ably some of them were old enough to take a 
 part in the barbarous scheme of their father, 
 but it could hardly be possible that all his sons 
 were and some of them may have been young 
 children. The only justification for the queen's 
 demand is, that they might have become dan- 
 gerous in exciting future conspiracies. 
 
 The character of Ahasuerus presents a combi- 
 
FROM CAPTIVITY TO A THRONE. 51 
 
 nation of conflicting elements, as strength and 
 weakness, pride and humility, nobility and mean- 
 ness, cruelty and kindness, oppression and jus- 
 tice. His treatment of Yashti and his decree for 
 the destruction of the Jews illustrate his rash- 
 ness, and cruelty, while the honor he paid to 
 Mordecai, exhibits his justice, and his yielding to 
 the request of Esther, proves his susceptibility to 
 female charms. 
 
The Translated Saint. 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 iskael's geeatest prophet. 
 
 Ahab, king of Israel, whose reign of twenty- 
 two years, from 918 to 897, B. c, surpassed, ac- 
 cording to the sacred historian, all the other kings 
 of that nation, in wickedness. He was encour- 
 aged and assisted in his evil course by his wife 
 Jezebel, the daughter of the heathen king of 
 Zidon, who introduced into Samaria the public 
 worship of Baal, Ashtoreth and other Phoenician 
 deities, with all their abominations. She main- 
 tained at her own table, 400 prophets of the 
 goddess Astarte, while Ahab, her husband, en- 
 tertained 400 of Baal's prophets in like manner. 
 This fearful corruption of morals and predomi- 
 nance of- idolatry, proves the degeneracy of the 
 people of Israel, and their bold defiance of the 
 laws and worship of Jehovah, yet it is said there 
 were 700 who had never bowed the knee to Baal, 
 and among the faithful, was the prophet Elijah 
 
 52 
 
THE TRANSLATED SAINT 53 
 
 whose remarkable boldness in rebuking the 
 idolaters, endangered his own life. 
 
 The name Elijah means u Jehovah is my God." 
 In the ISTew Testament, it is written Elias, the 
 Greek form of expression. His native place was 
 Tishbe a town in Galilee, in the mountainous and 
 fertile region east of the Jordan, but nothing is 
 revealed of his early life, or of his family. He 
 appeared as a supernatural messenger from an- 
 other world, suddenly descending to declare the 
 commands of God, and awe the proud king and 
 nation, by the menace of fearful judgments. 
 
 Elijah was one of the most remarkable of all 
 the ancient prophets. His character, it has been 
 said, exhibits a moral grandeur heightened by 
 the obscurity of his birth and early life. He was 
 distinguished for boldness in reproof, ardent zeal 
 for the honor of God, and indifference to ease 
 and personal suffering. He was admitted to 
 great intimacy with the Lord, and was endowed 
 with the power of performing wonderful miracles. 
 It has been said, that " He stood up as fire, and 
 his words burned as a lamp." He is considered 
 an impressive type of John the Baptist. The 
 prophet Malachi said, " Behold, I will send you 
 Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the 
 great and dreadful day of the Lord," and the 
 Saviour declared that Elijah had come — in spirit 
 at least — in the person of John. This remarkable 
 
54 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 prophet, appeared with Moses at the transfigura- 
 tion of Christ, and talked with Him about His 
 future sufferings on the cross. — It has been stated 
 that each three great dispensations of religion, 
 had a translated representative ; namely, the 
 Patriarchal in the person of Enoch ; the Jewish 
 in the person of Elijah ; and the Christian in 
 the person of Christ. 
 
 Elijah is first introduced to the Bible student, 
 as addressing Ahab king of Israel, saying, that 
 " according to the word of the Lord, there would 
 be neither rain nor dew these years." In the 
 New Testament the time is specified as two 
 years and six months, consequently, all vegeta- 
 tion would suffer from the prolonged drought. 
 The prophet received a Divine command to con- 
 ceal himself by the brook Cherith, on the eastern 
 side of the Jordan, probably to escape the wrath 
 of Jezebel, where he would be fed by ravens 
 with bread and flesh morning and evening. 
 After awhile the brook dried up, when he was 
 directed to go to Zarephath, in Zidon, where a 
 widow would afford him a shelter. This was a city 
 of the Sidonians situated on the coast of the Medi- 
 terranean, between Tyre and Sidon, in Phoenicia, 
 and at a later period was called Sarepta. This 
 was in a heathen country, yet the prophet was 
 entertained with hospitality. 
 
 When Elijah came to the gate of the city, a 
 
THE TRANSLATED SAINT. 55 
 
 woman was there gathering sticks, when he said 
 to her, " Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water 
 that I may drink." Perhaps he had been without 
 drink during his journey from the brook Cherith. 
 As she started to get the water, he said, " Bring 
 me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread." She replied, 
 " As the Lord thy God liveth, I have only a hand- 
 ful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse 
 (or bottle) and I am gathering two sticks that I 
 may cook it for myself and son, and then we must* 
 die." Elijah said, " Fear not, go and do as thou 
 hast said, but make me a little cake first, and 
 then one for thyself and son, for thus saith the 
 Lord, ' The barrel of meal shall not waste, nor 
 the cruse of oil fail, before the Lord will send 
 rain upon the earth.' " The widow obeyed the 
 prophet, whose prediction was fulfilled. 
 
 After a time, the son of this woman was taken 
 sick and died, when his mother said to Elijah, 
 " What have I to do with thee, O man of God ? 
 Art thou come to call my sin to remembrance, 
 and slay my son ? " Whether this woman hau 
 committed any special sin that called for venge- 
 ance, or whether she referred to her sins in general, 
 is only conjectured. Elijah said to her, " Give me 
 thy son," when he took the child from his mother's 
 arms, and carried him to the upper chamber 
 where the prophet lodged ; perhaps it was on the 
 flat roof often used for such purposes. He then 
 
56 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 placed the lifeless boy on his own bed and prayed 
 to the Lord, saying, " Hast thou, O Lord, my God, 
 brought evil upon this widow, with whom I so- 
 journ, by slaying her son ? " He then stretched 
 himself upon the child three times and said, " O 
 Lord my God, I pray Thee, let this child's soul 
 come into him again." His prayer was answered, 
 and the boy was restored to life, when Elijah car- 
 ried him to his mother, saying, " See, thy son 
 *liveth." She replied, " Now I know that thou art 
 a man of God, and the word of the Lord which 
 thou speakest is truth." 
 
 During the third year of the drought, Elijah re- 
 ceived a Divine command to go to Ahab and tell 
 him, that " I will send rain upon the earth." 
 The want of it had caused a famine in Samaria, 
 and there was a great need of food for domestic 
 animals. The king said to Obadiah, the super- 
 intendent of the royal household, " Let us go 
 through the land and see if there may not be 
 grass near the brooks and fountains, that we may 
 save the mules and horses from dying of hunger 
 and thirst. We will divide the land between 
 us ; " so they parted company, Ahab going in 
 one direction and his superintendent in another. 
 
 Obadiah was a sincere worshipper of the Lord, 
 and when Jezebel ordered the prophets of God 
 to be slain, he concealed 100 of them in two 
 caves, fifty in each, and nourished them with 
 
THE TRANSLATED SAINT. 57 
 
 bread and water. As he was on his way in 
 search of food for the animals, he met Elijah, 
 and, falling on his face, said, " Art thou my lord 
 Elijah ? " He replied, " I am. Go and tell 
 Ahab, that Elijah is here." Obadiah said, 
 " What have I done that I should be slain by 
 the king? There is no nation or kingdom to 
 which he has not sent to seek thee, and when the 
 people said ' He is not here,' the king required 
 an oath of them that they had not seen thee. 
 Now, if I say that Elijah is here, the Spirit of 
 the Lord will lead thee whither I know not, and 
 Ahab will slay me. I have feared the Lord 
 from my youth. Have you not heard what I 
 did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, 
 how I hid 100 of them in caves and fed them ? " 
 Elijah said, " As the Lord of hosts liveth, before 
 whom I stand, I will go to Ahab to-day." Oba- 
 diah departed and told the king who went to 
 meet the prophet, and said, " Art thou he that 
 troubleth Israel ? " The reply was, " I have not 
 troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house 
 have forsaken the Lord and followed Baalim." 
 
 The prophet told Ahab to gather all the peo- 
 ple of Israel to Mount Carmel, with the prophets 
 of Baal numbering 450, and the prophets of the 
 groves or Asteroth 400, all of whom were nour- 
 ished at Queen Jezebel's table. This was to test 
 the religion of Baal and that of the God of 
 
58 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Elijah, who, on this occasion, was the only repre- 
 sentative of Jehovah. 
 
 When Elijah appeared before the people, he 
 said, " How long halt ye between two opinions ? 
 If the Lord be God, follow Him, but if Baal, (be 
 God,) then follow him." Baal was, perhaps, more 
 generally known than any other heathen divinity. 
 His worship prevailed in nearly all the countries 
 of antiquity. It is supposed he represented the 
 sun and his name is associated with that of 
 Astarte the goddess representing the moon. 
 Altars were erected to Baal in groves, on high 
 places, and even on terraces of houses. It has 
 been supposed that Baal was identical with vari- 
 ous divinities. Human sacrifices were offered to 
 him, and his temples and altars were generally 
 on high places. 
 
 The scene as represented at Mount Carmel. 
 Between 800 and 900 prophets of Baal and other 
 pagan divinities richly clad and well-fed, proud 
 and confident of their power and influence. Op- 
 posed to this host of heathen prophets, was only 
 one persecuted, hunted, and obscure prophet, so 
 destitute that he was fed by ravens, to vindicate 
 his cause, the worship of the true and only God. 
 When he said, " How long halt ye between two 
 opinions," the people made no reply. He then 
 said, " I only remain a prophet of the Lord, but 
 Baal's prophets number 450. 
 
THE TRANSLATED SAINT. 59 
 
 Elijah then proposed the test to prove whose 
 God was the true one. Two bullocks were to be 
 killed, their bodies cut in pieces and placed on an 
 altar, one for Baal and the other for the Lord, 
 but no fire was to be applied. The prophets of 
 Baal were to call upon their gods, while he 
 would call upon the name of the Lord, and the 
 one that answered by fire, was to be God. The 
 people said, "that was well-spoken." Baal's 
 prophets killed their offering and placed it upon 
 the altar as requested, and called upon Baal from 
 morning until evening, saying, "O Baal, hear 
 us," but no answer came, and in their vehemence, 
 they leaped upon the altar, and cut themselves 
 with knives and lancets until the blood flowed 
 from their wounds. When they had continued 
 their petitions until noon, Elijah, who was a wit- 
 ness of the scene, said ironically, " Cry aloud, for 
 he is a god. He may be musing, or pursuing a 
 journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be 
 awaked." These exciting scenes continued until 
 the time for evening sacrifice, when Elijah said 
 to the people " come near me." Then he repaired 
 the broken altar of the Lord, with twelve stones 
 to represent the twelve tribes of Israel, and made 
 a trench or ditch about it, laid the wood in 
 order, killed the bullock and put the pieces of 
 the animal on the wood. He then ordered four 
 barrels of water to be poured on the altar, and 
 
60 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 this was repeated three times, when the water 
 filled the trenches. This was to prove that no 
 natural fire had been applied. 
 
 The prophet of the Lord then offered a prayer to 
 God that " It might be known that Thou art God 
 in Israel, and I am Thy servant and have done 
 these things at Thy word," etc. At the close of 
 his prayer a fire burst forth and consumed the 
 sacrifice, the wood, and even the stones and dust 
 and dried up the water in the ditch. When the 
 people saw the wonderful miracle, they fell on their 
 faces to the earth and exclaimed, " The Lord, He 
 is God." Elijah gave a command to " take the 
 prophets of Baal, and not let one of them escape." 
 This was done and they were brought to the 
 brook Kishon and slain. The execution of the 
 false prophets may seem cruel and unjustifiable, 
 but it was, undoubtedly, a necessity to prevent 
 the people from following their abominable prac- 
 tices. It is not likely that Elijah himself slew 
 them, but it was done by his command, and may 
 have been by Divine revelation. Jezebel had put 
 to death the prophets of the Lord, and the death 
 of those of Baal may have been in retaliation. 
 They had forfeited their lives by their falsehoods, 
 crimes and corrupt morals. 
 
 Mount Carmel, the scene of the tragedy, was 
 on the coast of the Mediterranean, north of the 
 plain of Sharon, and was about 2,000 feet in 
 
THE TRANSLATED SAINT, 61 
 
 height, with steep and rugged sides, and a level 
 top. It was the residence of the prophets Elijah 
 and Elisha. The brook Kishon, issuing from 
 Mount Tabor, flowed at the foot of this mountain 
 in its passage to the sea. Mount Tabor has been 
 used as a figure of speech by the prophets Amos 
 and Isaiah. There is a cave in it where, accord- 
 ing to tradition, the prophet Elijah lived. 
 
 After the death of the prophets, Elijah said to 
 Ahab, " Arise, eat and drink, for there is a sound 
 of abundance of rain," and the king, who had 
 been greatly troubled by the prolonged drought, 
 complied with the Prophet's advice. 
 
 Elijah, with his servant, went to the top of 
 Mount Carmel and sat down upon the ground 
 with bis face between his knees. This is the first 
 mention of a servant ; previously the prophet is 
 represented as being alone. While in this posi- 
 tion, he told his servant to go and look towards 
 the sea. He went as directed and reported there 
 was nothing unusual. " Go seven times," his 
 master said, and the seventh time he saw a small 
 cloud of the size of a man's hand. " Go and tell 
 Ahab to make ready his chariot before the rain 
 stops him." The king obeyed the. warning and 
 drove to Jezreel, while Elijah ran before him, 
 perhaps as the king's herald. 
 
 When Ahab reached his home, he told Jezebel 
 what Elijah had done, and that he had slain all 
 
62 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 the prophets with the sword. The queen then 
 sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, " Let the gods 
 do so and more to me, if I make not thy life as 
 one of them to-morrow." When the prophet re- 
 ceived the queen's message, he immediately fled 
 for his life, with his servant, and came to Beer- 
 sheba, in the dominions of Judah, where he left 
 his servant, while he went alone a day's journey 
 into the wilderness, and there sat down under a 
 juniper- tree, and said, 
 
 "O Lord, take my life, for I am not better 
 than my fathers." 
 
 After he fell asleep, an angel awoke him and 
 said, " Arise and eat." When the prophet looked 
 about him, he saw a cake which had been cooked 
 on the coals, and a cup of water at his head. 
 After partaking of the cake and water, he lay 
 down again, but how long he remained in that 
 attitude is not known. The angel of the Lord 
 came a second time and, touching the sleeper, 
 said, " Arise and eat, for the journey is too great 
 for thee," meaning, doubtless, that he needed re- 
 freshments to give him strength to pursue it. 
 Elijah obeyed the angel, and on the strength of 
 that food he travelled forty days, until he came 
 to Mount Horeb, near Mount Sinai, celebrated in 
 the history of his nation, as the scene of remark- 
 able events. 
 
 Elijah entered a cave and lodged there, expect- 
 
THE TRANSLATED SAINT.' 63 
 
 ing, perhaps, to spend the rest of his days in this 
 seclusion, but this was not the Divine purpose. 
 The Lord said to him, " What doest thou here, 
 Elijah?" His answer was, "I have been very 
 jealous for the Lord God of hosts. The people 
 of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown 
 down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with 
 the sword, and I only am left, and they seek nry 
 life." The Lord told him to go and stand upon 
 the mountain — meaning Horeb. The prophet 
 obeyed, when there followed remarkable phe- 
 nomena. First, a powerful hurricane which rent 
 the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces. 
 This terrible tornado was followed by an earth- 
 quake, and then by a fire, but no communication 
 was received by the prophet during these won- 
 derful miracles. At last there was heard a low, 
 calm voice, when Elijah covered his face with his 
 mantle and leaving the cave, stood at the en- 
 trance, when the Voice said, " What doest thou 
 here, Elijah ? " He made the same answer as 
 before, when he was directed to return to the 
 wilderness of Damascus and anoint Hazael king 
 of Syria, Jehu king of Israel, and Elisha to be 
 a prophet in his own place ; for, said the Lord, 
 "Him that escapes the sword of Hazael shall 
 Jehu slay ; and him that escapes the sword of 
 Jehu, shall Elisha slay. There are left 7,000 in 
 Israel that have not bowed to Baal." 
 
64 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 The prophet obeyed the command and found 
 Elisha ploughing with twelve yokes of oxen. 
 When he cast his mantle over him, Elisha left the 
 oxen and ran after Elijah, saying, "Let me, I 
 pray thee, kiss my father and mother, and then I 
 will follow thee." Elijah replied, " Go back, what 
 have I done to thee ? " Elisha returned and slew 
 a yoke of oxen, with which he fed the people, 
 then followed the prophet and ministered to him. 
 
 The history of this eminent prophet is more or 
 less blended with that of the rulers of his day, 
 Ahab and Jezebel, king and queen of Israel, and 
 is recorded in the lives of those sovereigns. 
 
 The time had arrived when this remarkable 
 prophet was to be taken to heaven without suf- 
 fering a natural death, the inevitable destiny of 
 nearly all human beings. It is stated in the 
 Scriptures, that he was translated in a whirlwind. 
 Elijah was, undoubtedly, informed of his exit 
 from earth by Divine revelation, and also of the 
 time and place of the remarkable event. Ac- 
 companied by Elisha who may have been in- 
 formed of what was to happen, as well as other 
 prophets of the Lord, they came to Gilgal, when 
 Elijah told his companion to remain there, for 
 the Lord had sent him to Bethel, but Elisha re 
 fused, saying, " As the Lord liveth and as thy 
 soul liveth, I will not leave thee," therefore they 
 both went to Bethel. The sons of the prophets 
 
Elijah in the Wilderness. 
 
THE TRANSLATED SAINT. 65 
 
 at this place, where there was a school for them, 
 said to Elisha, " Do you not know the Lord will 
 take away thy master to-day ? " " Yes, I know 
 it. Be silent." Perhaps he did not wish to be 
 reminded of his loss. Elisha was requested to 
 remain at Bethel while his companion should go 
 to Jericho as the Lord commanded, but he re- 
 fused to do so and they both came to Jericho, 
 when the prophets of that city told Elisha that 
 he would lose his master. Elijah requested his 
 companion to remain here, for, said he, " The 
 Lord hath sent me to Jordan," but Elisha de- 
 cidedly refused. 
 
 Fifty of the sons of the prophets stood afar off 
 to witness the scene that was to follow. When 
 the two came to the river, Elijah took his mantle 
 and folding it, smote the waters when they were 
 divided, and they w^ent to the other side on dry 
 ground. After they had passed over, Elijah said, 
 "What shall I do for thee before I am taken 
 away ? " Elisha answered, " Let a double por- 
 tion of thy spirit, I pray thee, be upon me." 
 " Thou hast asked a hard thing, but if thou seest 
 me when I am taken, it shall be so, but if not, it 
 shall not be thus." 
 
 As they went on conversing by the way, they 
 were separated by a chariot and horses of fire, 
 and Elijah ascended by a whirlwind into heaven, 
 his mantle falling to the earth. When Elisha saw 
 
66 BIBLE CHARACTERS 
 
 the wonderful scene, he exclaimed, " My father, 
 the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof ; " 
 and rent his clothes as an expression of grief at 
 his loss. He took up the mantle of Elijah, and 
 returned to the Jordan whose waters had resumed 
 their natural course after the miracle performed 
 by the ascended prophet. Standing on its banks, 
 Elisha took the wonderful mantle and smote the 
 waters, saying, "Where is the Lord God of 
 Elijah ? " when the waters parted and he crossed 
 to the western side. 
 
 When the sons of the prophets at Jericho saw 
 Elisha, thejr said, " The spirit of Elijah doth rest 
 on him," and went to meet him and bowed to the 
 earth as an act of reverence. They said, " We 
 have fifty strong men with us, let them go and 
 seek for thy master, lest the Spirit of the Lord 
 hath taken him up and cast him upon some 
 mountain or into some valley." Elisha said, 
 " Ye shall not send them," but they urged him to 
 grant their request when he said " go." After 
 searching three days without success, they re- 
 turned to Elisha at Jericho, who said to them, 
 " Did I not say to you, ' Do not go ' ? " 
 
 
The Faithful Friend. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE FARMER PROPHET. 
 
 It has been seen in the life of Elijah that his 
 devoted friend Elisha was called to the prophetic 
 office while pursuing his occupation as a farmer. 
 He was the son of Shaphat and a native of Abel- 
 meholah, the scene of Gideon's victory over the 
 Midianites. The name Elisha signifies, " God 
 my Salvation." The earlier events of his life are 
 recorded in the biography of " The Translated 
 Saint.". 
 
 After the unsuccessful search for Elijah, the 
 people of Jericho said to Elisha, " This city is 
 pleasantly situated, as my lord seeth, but the 
 water is impure and the soil is unfruitful." The 
 prophet told them to bring him a cruse or bottle 
 with salt in it, when he went to the spring of 
 water and threw the salt into it, declaring, 
 "Thus saith the Lord, 'I have healed these 
 waters and thence there shall be no more de^ith 
 
 67 
 
68 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 in them or barrenness of the soil.' " His predic- 
 tion was fulfilled. 
 
 After this miracle, Elisha left Jericho and came 
 to Bethel, but during his journey a sad and fear- 
 ful event occurred. As he was ascending the 
 hill, little children came from the city. and in- 
 sulted the prophet of whom they had heard 
 probably from their parents who might have 
 been idolaters. They said, " Go up, thou bald 
 head," repeating the insult. The prophet turned 
 and severely denounced their wicked conduct, 
 when two bears came from the forest and killed 
 forty-two children. Their irreverence proves the 
 criminal neglect of their parents and the irre- 
 ligious character of the inhabitants of Bethel 
 who paid no respect to the aged prophet of the 
 Lord. Elisha resumed his journey and came to 
 Mount Carmel, then went to Samaria. 
 
 A war occurred between the Moabites and the 
 confederate armies of Israel, Judah, and the 
 Edomites. The allied armies were obliged to 
 march through a region destitute of water, and 
 consequently were greatly distressed, when Je- 
 hoshaphat, king of Judah, inquired of Joram, king 
 of Israel, " Is there not -a prophet of the Lord, 
 that we may inquire of Him ? " One of t\\e serv- 
 ants of the king of Israel said, " Here is Elisha, 
 son of Shaphat who served Elijah." The king of 
 Judah said, " The word of the Lord is with him." 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 6«J 
 
 When the three kings appeared before Elisha, 
 he said to the king of Israel, " What have I to 
 do with thee ? Go to the prophets of thy father 
 and mother." "No," replied Joram, "for the 
 Lord called together these three kings to deliver 
 them to Moab." The prophet said, "Were it 
 not for Jehoshaphat I would not pay any regard 
 to your question. Bring me a minstrel." When 
 the musician played, the Lord delivered to Elisha 
 the following message, " Make this valley full of 
 ditches. Though there will be neither wind nor 
 rain, yet the valley shall be filled with water, 
 both for yourselves and your animals. Moreover, 
 you will gain a victory over the Moabites, cap- 
 ture their cities, even those defended by walls, 
 fell all the trees, fill all the wells that no water 
 can be obtained from them, and cover the fertile 
 valley with stones," thus making them unfit for 
 cultivation. 
 
 The next morning, after the usual offering, an 
 abundance of water flowed from Edom and 
 filled all the springs and streams which had be- 
 come dry. An account of this remarkable inci- 
 dent and the result of the war, is related in the 
 narrative of " The Kings of Israel." After this 
 incident, the wife of a prophet's son, came to 
 Elisha stating her grievances as follows : " My 
 husband, who feared the Lord, as thou knowest, 
 is dead, and his creditors demand my two sons 
 
70 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 for bondsmen." Elisha said, " What can I do 
 for thee ? What have you in your house ? " She 
 replied, "Nothing except a pot of oil." " Go 
 and borrow all the vessels you can from your 
 neighbors, and be sure you get a large number, 
 then you and your sons with closed doors, pour 
 the oil you have into these vessels." She fol- 
 lowed the prophet's advice and when one vessel 
 was filled she said, " Bring me another," until all 
 were filled, wiien she went and told the prophet, 
 who said, " Go and sell the oil, and pay thy 
 debts, while you and your sons can use the re- 
 mainder." 
 
 Elisha in his travels, came to Shunem, a city 
 south of Mount Tabor, celebrated in Jewish his- 
 tory, where there lived a hospitable woman, w r ho 
 invited the prophet to come to her house for rest 
 and entertainment at her table. She said to her 
 husband, " This is a man of God who often 
 passes this way ; let us give him the little cham- 
 ber on the wall, furnished with a bed, table, 
 stool, and candlestick." This arrangement hav- 
 ing been made, Elisha said to Gehazi his servant, 
 " Call the Shunammite woman." When she came, 
 he said, " You have very kindly cared for us, now 
 what can be done for you ? Would you like to have 
 your hospitality made known to the king or the 
 captain of the army ? " She replied, " I dwell 
 among my own people." She may have intended 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 11 
 
 by this answer, that she did not desire promotion 
 or remuneration even at the royal court. " What 
 then can be done for her ? " Gehazi said, " She 
 has no child." "When Elisha ordered her to be 
 recalled, and said, " About this season, thou wilt 
 become the mother of a son." He probably 
 meant the next year. " No, my lord, do not de- 
 ceive me." The prediction of the prophet was 
 fulfilled, and when the child, on a certain day, 
 went to the field where his father was superin- 
 tending the reapers, and exclaimed, "My head, 
 my head," as if suffering very severely, his 
 father told one of the servants to carry him to 
 his mother who held the child until noon when 
 he died. She then laid him on Elisha's bed, 
 closed the door and left him. 
 
 Going to her husband, she requested him to 
 send one of the young men and one of the asses 
 to go with her to the man of God, but she did 
 not make known the death of their son. He 
 said, " Why do you go to-day ? It is neither the 
 new moon nor the Sabbath." She replied, " It 
 is well." After preparing for the journey, she 
 said to her servant, " Drive in haste, and do not 
 slacken your pace unless I bid thee." At length 
 she came to the prophet at Mount Carmel, and 
 when Elisha saw her at a distance, he said to 
 Gehazi, " There i^ the Shunammite, run to meet 
 her and inquire, ' Is it well with thee, with thy 
 
72 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 husband, and with the child ? ' " She replied, " It 
 is well." When she came to Elisha, she caught 
 him by the feet, and when his servant tried to 
 remove her, he said, " Let her alone, for her soul 
 is troubled, and I do not understand the cause." 
 The woman said, " Did I ask for a son ? Did I 
 not say, deceive me not?" The prophet then 
 understood that the child was dead, and told 
 Gehazi to get ready, take his staff, (that is the 
 prophet's), and go to the Shunammite's home, " but 
 do not stop to salute any one by the way, and 
 on arriving there lay the staff upon the face of 
 his son." When the woman heard his directions, 
 she said, " No, as the Lord liveth and as thy soul 
 liveth, I will not leave thee," therefore Elisha 
 followed Gehazi who went in advance, and laid 
 the staff upon the child, but there was no sign of 
 life, and the servant returned to the prophet and 
 told him that the child had not awaked. 
 
 When Elisha came to the house of the Shunam- 
 mite, he found her lifeless son on his own bed, 
 when entering the chamber and closing the door, 
 he offered a prayer to God, then extending him- 
 self upon the corpse, the child's flesh became 
 warm, when the prophet left him for a while, 
 then returned and performed the same cere- 
 mony, when the child sneezed seven times and 
 opened his eyes. Elisha called his mother, and 
 when she entered the room he told her to take 
 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 73 
 
 her son who had been restored to life. She fell 
 at the prophet's feet as an expression of her rev- 
 erence and gratitude, and taking her son, with- 
 drew. 
 
 Naaman was the commander-in-chief of the 
 army of Ben-hadad, king of Syria, and had won 
 the esteem of his sovereign by his honorable 
 character and his valiant achievements as a sol- 
 dier, but with all these advantages, he suffered 
 with the terrible disease of leprosy for which it 
 was supposed there was no natural remedy. 
 
 The Syrians were in the habit of making pred- 
 atory excursions to the Kingdom of Israel on 
 their southern borders and in one of these raids, 
 they captured among other prisoners a little girl 
 and carried her to Syria where she became a 
 servant to Naaman's wife. The little captive re- 
 spected her Syrian master, and said to her mis- 
 tress, " I wish my lord could see the prophet that 
 is in Samaria," (meaning Elisha) " for he would 
 cure him of his leprosy." She had heard of his 
 miracles and it is possible, may have witnessed 
 some of them. Some one who heard her remark, 
 told Naaman, and when the king of Syria heard 
 the report he told his officer to go to Samaria, 
 and he would send a letter to the king of Israel 
 which was in substance as follows : " When you 
 receive this letter, understand that I have sent 
 Naaman my servant to thee, that you may cure 
 
74 BIBLE CHARACTERS, 
 
 him of his leprosy." The king of Syria sent by 
 his general, ten talents of silver, 6,000 pieces of 
 gold, and ten changes of raiment as a present 
 to Joram, king of Israel. When the letter to 
 the king of Israel was read to him, he rent his 
 garments saying, " Am I a god to kill and make 
 alive, that the king of Syria should send to me 
 to cure a man of his leprosy ? See how he seek- 
 eth a quarrel with me." 
 
 When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had 
 rent his garments, as a sign of his fear and per- 
 plexity, he sent to know the cause and when in- 
 formed he said, " Let Naaman come to me and 
 he shall know there is a prophet in Israel." 
 Therefore the Syrian general with his chariot 
 and horses, accompanied by his attendants, came 
 in great pomp to the house of Elisha, who did 
 not go out to see the king of Syria's commander- 
 in-chief, but sent a messenger to tell him, " Go 
 wash in the Jordan seven times, and thou shalt 
 be cured." Naaman's pride was wounded, and 
 he said, " I thought the prophet would come out 
 to me, and calling upon the name of the Lord his 
 God, would place his hands on me and cure the 
 disease. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of 
 Damascus better than all the waters of Israel ? 
 May I not wash in them and be cured?" The 
 proud Syrian then went away very angry, when 
 one of his servants said to him, " My father, if 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 75 
 
 the prophet had told thee to do some great deed, 
 would you not have done it ? How much better 
 then for thee to ' wash and be clean.' " The ar- 
 gument of the servant prevailed, and when his 
 master washed in the Jordan as the prophet di- 
 rected, he was perfectly cured of his fearful dis- 
 ease. A change had occurred in the opinion of 
 Naaman, and he, with his escort, returned to 
 Elisha, saying, " Now I know that there is no 
 God in all the earth, except in Israel, therefore I 
 pray thee receive a gift from thy servant." 
 Elisha replied, " As the Lord liveth before whom 
 I stand, I will receive none." IsTaaman said, 
 " May there not be given thy servant, earth suf- 
 ficient for two mules' burden, for thy servant 
 henceforth will not offer either burnt-offering or 
 sacrifice unto other gods, but only unto the Lord. 
 There is one favor I desire that is when I go into 
 the house of Kimmon with my royal master lean- 
 ing upon my hand, as is the custom, and when I 
 bow down, that I may be pardoned for the act." 
 Elisha said, " Go in peace." Kimmon was an 
 idol worshipped at Damascus, where he had a 
 temple. It has .been supposed by some writers 
 that this god represented the sun, and by others 
 the planet Saturn. In regard to Naaman's going 
 to the temple of Bimmon, it has been thought it 
 referred to his practice before his miraculous cure 
 for which he asked forgiveness. 
 
76 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Naaman had gone only a short distance, be- 
 fore he saw Gehazi, the servant of Elisha follow- 
 ing him, when he descended from his chariot and 
 going to meet him, inquired, " Is all well ? " 
 The reply was, "All is well. My master has 
 sent me to you with the message." There came 
 two young men, sons of the prophets from Mount 
 Ephraim, saying, " Give me, I pray you, a talent 
 of silver arid two changes of raiment." Naaihan 
 directed his servants to put two talents in a bag, 
 then place ten changes of garments in another 
 bag, and give them to some of the other servants 
 who carried them to the tower, and Gehazi re- 
 moved them to the house of the prophet. When 
 the servants of JSTaaman departed, Gehazi re- 
 turned to his master who said to him, " Whence 
 comest thou, Gehazi ? " The answer was, " Thy 
 servant did not go anywhere." Elisha said, 
 " Did I not know that the Syrian left his chariot 
 to meet thee ? Is it a time to receive money, 
 garments, and other gifts ? The leprosy of 
 Naaman shall cleave to thee and thy descend- 
 ants forever." Gehazi left the presence of his 
 master a leper, white as snow. 
 
 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, " The 
 place where we dwell with thee is too small. Let 
 us go to the Jordan, and each one cut a piece of 
 timber to construct a more convenient dwelling." 
 The prophet gave them permission, when they 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 77 
 
 requested him to accompany them, to which he 
 consented. When they came to the river, they 
 felled some of the trees growing on the banks, 
 but one of the party, as he was at work, lost his 
 axe in the stream, when he exclaimed, " Alas ; 
 master, it was borrowed." The young man was 
 distressed about the loss of the axe, for he had 
 no means, probably, for replacing it. 
 
 Elisha inquired where it fell, and when told he 
 cut a stick and cast it into the water and, won- 
 derful to see, the axe arose to the surface, and 
 floated. " Take it up," said the prophet, " and 
 return it to the owner." 
 
CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 THE FAEMER PROPHET — CONCLUDED. 
 
 There was another war with Syria, when 
 Joram, king of Israel, held a council with his 
 officials and appointed the places for their en- 
 campments, when Elisha sent to the king telling 
 him to beware and not pass a certain place, and 
 when a courier was sent to examine the place 
 designated, he learned its dangers. The warning 
 was timely and, perhaps, saved the Israelites 
 from defeat. This stratagem was repeated sev- 
 eral times, which greatly perplexed the king of 
 Syria, who suspected there was a traitor in his 
 army. He inquired, "Will not some one show 
 me who is for the king of Israel ?" One of his 
 servants said, " None, my lord, O king, but Elisha, 
 the prophet of Israel, informs the king of Israel 
 of the words thou speakest in thy bedchamber." 
 The king said, " Go and bring him to me." 
 
 The messengers sent on this errand were told 
 that the prophet was in Dothan, when the Syrian 
 king sent a large force with horses and chariots 
 by night that encamped about the city. When 
 Elisha's servant had risen early the next morning, 
 
 78 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 79 
 
 and saw the powerful army of their foes, he said, 
 " Alas, my master, what shall we do?" He re- 
 plied, " Fear not, for they that are with us are 
 more than they that are with them." 
 
 Elisha then offered the petition, "Lord, open 
 their eyes that they may see." This was an- 
 swered when they saw the mountains covered 
 with horses and chariots of fire about Elisha, who 
 said, " Smite them with blindness, Lord." Prob- 
 ably he meant the messengers sent to arrest the 
 prophet and the advance guard of the king of 
 Syria. When they had lost their sight, Elisha 
 said, " This is not the way to the city. I will 
 bring you to the man you seek." He then con- 
 ducted them to Samaria and when they came to 
 the city, he said, " Lord, open the eyes of these 
 men." The king of Israel inquired whether he 
 should smite them, when the reply of Elisha was, 
 " No. Would you smite those taken captive ? 
 Set bread and water before them that they may 
 eat and return to their master." The king of 
 Israel prepared a great feast for them and then sent 
 them to their own country, and the Syrians made 
 no attack upon the Israelites at that time. 
 
 Ben-hadad, king of Syria, did not, however, 
 abandon his hostile intentions against Joram, 
 king of Israel, therefore calling his forces to- 
 gether, he marched south and besieged Samaria. 
 The Israelites were not prepared for a siege, as 
 
80 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 there was a want of provisions and the small 
 quantity of food they had was sold at an enor- 
 mous price. As the king was passing on the wall 
 of the city, perhaps to inspect the enemy's camp, 
 a woman cried, "Help, my lord, O king." He 
 replied, " If the Lord doth not help thee, whence 
 shall I help thee ? " 
 
 The statement of the woman was fearful. One 
 of her acquaintances said to her, " Give thy son 
 that we may eat him to-day, and we will, eat my 
 son to-morrow," but she refused to surrender her 
 son after partaking of the first mother's child. 
 
 When the king heard this fearful story, he rent 
 his clothes and put on sackcloth as an indication 
 of his fear and abhorrence. He thought that 
 Elisha was the cause of their national troubles, and 
 resolved that he should be slain. The prophet 
 was in his house with the elders w r hen the king 
 sent a messenger to execute his wicked purpose, 
 but before the king's officer arrived, Elisha said 
 to his companions, " See how the son of a mur- 
 derer has sent to take away my head. When the 
 messenger comes, shut the door, for the sound of 
 his master's feet is behind him." While he was 
 talking, the officer arrived, when Elisha said, 
 " According to the word of the Lord, to-morrow 
 about this time, a measure of fine flour shall be 
 sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for 
 a shekel, in the gate of Samaria." A lord, on 
 
TEE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 81 
 
 whose hand the king was accustomed to lean, 
 answered, " If the Lord would make windows in 
 heaven, this thing might be." The prophet said, 
 " Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt 
 not eat of it." For some reason, the assassin sent 
 to take the life of the prophet, did not accomplish 
 his purpose. 
 
 Four lepers were sitting at the gate of the city 
 when they said to one another, " Why do we sit 
 here and die ? If we enter the city the famine 
 is there, and we must perish. Now let us go 
 over to the Syrians, and if they spare us we shall 
 live, and if they kill us, we can only die." They 
 decided to go to the camp of the Syrians, when 
 they found it deserted ; there was not a man to 
 be seen. The enemy had imagined they heard 
 the noise of horses and chariots and a great army, 
 and supposing the king of Israel had engaged the 
 Hittites and the Egyptians to fight for him, they 
 fled in a panic leaving their camp with their 
 tents, horses, and all their equipments. 
 
 When the lepers came to the deserted camp, 
 they found plenty of food, silver, gold, and 
 raiment. After securing these treasures, they 
 said, " We ought to carry the good tidings to the 
 king of Israel's servants immediately, for if we 
 wait until morning something may prevent our 
 doing so. Let us go directly and inform the 
 king's household." They came and told the 
 
82 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 porters of the city what they had seen, and the 
 news was communicated to the king who arose 
 in the night and told his servants that they 
 probably knew they had no provisions, therefore 
 they have left their camp and have concealed 
 themselves, saying to one another, " When the 
 Israelites leave the city, we shall take them alive 
 and enter." One of the king's servants said, 
 " Let us take two horses with their drivers, and 
 follow the retreating army of the Syrians." 
 This was done as far as the Jordan, when they 
 found garments and vessels strewn along the 
 way, which the retreating army had left in their 
 haste to escape. 
 
 When the scout returned and informed the 
 king of Israel about the hasty escape of the 
 Syrians, the people went and destroyed the 
 enemy's tents, when a measure of fine flour was 
 sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for 
 a shekel, according to the prediction of Elisha. 
 The value of the shekel, and the size of the 
 measure varied a*t different times, but in this con- 
 nection it is presumed the money value was small 
 and the " measure " considerable. The king ap : 
 pointed the lord who sneered at the prediction of 
 the prophet, to guard the gate of the city when 
 there was so great a crowd of excited people, 
 that they crushed him under their feet, and he 
 died, thus fulfilling the prediction of the prophet. 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 83 
 
 Elisha told the Shunammite whose son had been 
 restored to life, that there would be a famine for 
 seven years, and advised her to go with all her 
 family to some other country. She followed his 
 advice, and went to the land of the Philistines, 
 where she remained during the seven years of 
 famine. At the close of this period, she returned 
 to her own country, but her house and land had 
 been occupied by others. 
 
 On one occasion, while meeting with the serv- 
 ant of Elisha, the king of Israel said to him, 
 " Tell me all the wonderful things he has done." 
 While the servant was relating the story of the 
 Shunammite, she with her son came and appealed 
 to the king for the restoration of their rights. 
 The servant said, " My lord, O king, this is the 
 woman, and this is her son whom the prophet 
 restored to life." When he inquired of the woman 
 herself, and after listening to her narrative, he 
 appointed an officer to see that all her possessions 
 were restored, and the value of the productions 
 of her land during her absence. 
 
 Elisha went to Damascus, and when Bed- 
 hadad, king of Syria, who was sick, was informed 
 that the " Man of God " had come to the city, he 
 told Hazael, one of his officers, to take a present 
 and go to him and inquire whether he would re- 
 cover from his disease. Hazael collected valuable 
 presents requiring forty camels to carry them, 
 
84 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 and coming to the prophet said, " Thy son Ben- 
 hadad, king of Syria., has sent me to inquire 
 whether he would recover from his illness." 
 Elisha said, " Go and tell him he may recover, 
 but the Lord hath shown me that he will surely 
 die." The prophet then wept and when Hazael 
 inquired the cause of his grief, the answer was, 
 " Because I know the evil thou wilt do to the 
 people of Israel. You will burn their strong- 
 holds, slay the young men with the sword, and 
 cruelly kill the women and children." Hazael re- 
 plied, " Is thy servant a dog that he should do 
 these evils ? " Whether he was deceiving by the 
 question or was deceived is not certain. Elisha 
 said, " The Lord hath shown me that thou wilt 
 be king of Syria." This announcement may 
 have incited him to commit the crimes of which 
 he was guilty. When he returned to his royal 
 master the latter inquired what Elisha told him. 
 " He said thou certainly wilt recover." The 
 treacherous officer of Ben-hadad, the next day, 
 took a cloth, dipped it in water and suffocated 
 the king by covering his face with it. Perhaps 
 his master was too weak to offer any resistance, 
 or he may not have suspected the object of his 
 murderer. After this tragedy, the assassin seized 
 the reins of government, and subsequently in- 
 flicted upon the Israelites all the cruelties Elisha 
 had foretold. 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 85 
 
 Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets 
 and gave him the following order, " Get ready 
 for a journey, take this box of oil, go to Kamoth- 
 Gilead, seek for Jehu and say to him, ' Come 
 with me to an inner chamber,' then pour the oil 
 on his head and say, ' The Lord hath anointed 
 thee king of Israel.' After this cferemony, flee 
 and do not tarry." The young prophet went to 
 Ramoth-Gilead, as commanded, and found the 
 officers of the army sitting together, when he 
 said, " I have an errand to thee, O captain." 
 Jehu inquired, " Which one of us ? " The an- 
 swer was, " To thee, O captain," when Jehu 
 and the prophet went into the house, the 
 captain was anointed king of Israel, and re- 
 ceived the command to smite the house of 
 Ahab and avenge the blood of those destroyed 
 by Jezebel. When Jehu returned to his com- 
 pany, he was asked if all was well, and why the 
 mad fellow 7 — meaning the young prophet — came 
 to him. Jehu informed them he had been 
 anointed king of Israel, when they hastily removed 
 their mantles, and spread them on the top of the 
 stairs, blew their trumpets and shouted, "Jehu 
 is king." He rode in a chariot to Jezreel where 
 Joram or Jehoram king of Israel was suffering 
 from wounds received in a w^ar with Hazael, king 
 of Syria. There was a watchman on the tower 
 at Jezreel who saw at a distance, Jehu and his 
 
86 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 company, and informed the king, who ordered 
 him to send a horseman to meet him and inquire, 
 " Is it peace ? " When the messenger came to 
 him, he said, " The king wishes to know if it is 
 peace." Jehu said, " What hast thou to do with 
 peace? Follow me." The watchman reported 
 that the messenger came to Jehu, but did not re- 
 turn. 
 
 The king gave orders for his chariots, when 
 Joram, king of Israel, and Ahaziah, king of 
 Judah, each in his chariot, went in pursuit of 
 Jehu and came up with him in the grounds of 
 Naboth, the Jezreelite, when Joram inquired, 
 " Is it peace ? " The answer was, " What peace 
 so long as the sins of thy mother Jezebel are 
 so many?" Joram turned and fled saying to 
 Ahaziah, " There is treachery," when Jehu drew 
 his bow and smote the king of Israel, and he 
 sank down in his chariot, when orders were 
 given to remove his body to the field of Naboth 
 the Jezreelite. 
 
 When Ahaziah saw what had happened to 
 Joram, he fled, pursued by Jehu, who told his fol- 
 lowers to smite him. He escaped to ' Megidclo 
 and died there of his wounds, when his servants 
 carried his remains to Jerusalem and buried 
 them in the sepulchre of his fathers. When Jehu 
 came to Jezreel, he caused the death of the mother 
 of Joram, the wicked queen Jezebel, 
 
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. 87 
 
 Jehu's zeal led him to commit fearful cruelties 
 among the families of Joram and Ahaziah. He 
 ordered seventy of Ahab's children to be beheaded, 
 and forty-two of Ahaziah's brethren to be slain, 
 and also the priests of Baal, whose images he de- 
 stroyed, yet strange to say, he adhered to some 
 of the heathen practices of cotemporaries. ( See 
 Kings of Israel.) 
 
 The time had come for Elisha to be called 
 home, to his reward, but before that event he 
 had another message to deliver. During his last 
 hours, the king of Israel came to see him and ex- 
 claimed, u O my father ! the chariot of Israel 
 and the horsemen thereof." Elisha told him to 
 " Take a bow and arrows, open the window to- 
 wards the east and shoot the arrow of the Lord's 
 deliverance from Syria, for thou shalt smite the 
 Syrians till thou hast destroyed them." Then the 
 prophet said to the king, " Smite upon the 
 ground." He smote three times and stopped. 
 Elisha said, " You ought to have smitten five or 
 six times, until the Syrians were completely over- 
 thrown, but now thou shalt smite Syria only 
 three times." 
 
 After this interview Elisha died and was bur- 
 ied, but a miracle was wrought after his death, 
 though how long after is not known. As the 
 Moabites were invading the kingdom of Israel, a 
 dead man was being buried, when in haste those 
 
88 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 performing the ceremony, cast his body into the 
 grave of Elisha. As soon as the corpse touched 
 the bones of the prophet, the dead man came to 
 life and stood upon his feet. 
 
The Kings of Judah. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE HEBREW SOVEREIGNS. 
 
 Three kings governed the entire nation of the 
 Israelites for a period of one hundred and twenty 
 years, namely, Saul of the tribe of Benjamin, 
 during forty years ; David of the tribe of Judah, 
 during forty years ; Solomon, son of David, dur- 
 ing forty years. 
 
 When Rehoboam, son of Solomon succeeded 
 his father, ten tribes revolted and formed a sep- 
 arate government called The Kingdom of Israel, 
 with its capital, first at Tirza a city of Ephraim, 
 then at Samaria, a city built by Omri, king of 
 Israel, who made it his capital. 
 
 The remaining tribes including Judah and 
 Benjamin constituted a government called The 
 Kingdom of Judah with its capital at Jerusalem. 
 
 Similar names are sometimes given to the kings 
 of both nations, while many of the sovereigns of 
 both were known by two different names, there- 
 
 89 
 
90 BIBLE CHARACTERS, 
 
 fore to avoid confusion of ideas a list of the 
 rulers of the two nations is given with the period 
 of their reigns. 
 
 AFTEE THE SECESSION. 
 
 Rehohoam, Abijah or Abijam, Asa. 
 
 Rehoboam, son of Solomon, and Naanrah, an 
 Ammonitess, succeeded his father at the age of 
 forty-one, and reigned seventeen years, but his 
 indiscreet policy caused ten tribes to revolt, and 
 found a separate government known as the 
 Kingdom of Israel. After the death of Solomon, 
 his son went to Shechem to be crowned king 
 over all the tribes, and when Jeroboam, son of 
 Nebat, who had escaped to Egypt to save his 
 life, heard that a king had been chosen, he re- 
 turned to Palestine, and with a number of in- 
 fluential people, went to the king and petitioned 
 for relief from their burdens exacted by Solomon, 
 saying, " Thy father made our yoke grievous, 
 now, therefore, ease somewhat the burdens he 
 laid upon us, and the heavy jo\q he made us 
 bear, and we will serve thee." Rehoboam said to 
 them, " Come again after three days," when he 
 would make known his decision. 
 
 In the meantime he held a council with the 
 old men who had consulted with Solomon, his 
 father, on public affairs. They said, " If thou 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 91 
 
 art kind and wilt speak in a friendly manner, 
 and wilt seek to please them, they will be thy 
 servants," but the king did not accept their ad- 
 vice, and consulted the young men of his ac- 
 quaintance. Their counsel was the following : 
 u Say to them that as my father made your yoke 
 heavy, I will add to it ; and as he chastised you 
 with whips, I will chastise you with scorpions," 
 using an emphatic figure of speech. By scor- 
 pions were meant thongs set with sharp iron 
 points or nails. 
 
 When Jeroboam and his followers came to the 
 king on the third day to hear his decision, he an- 
 swered them according to the advice of the 
 young men. After the people heard it, they 
 said, " What portion have we in David ? We 
 have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every 
 man to his tent, O Israel. ]STow, David, see to 
 thy house." All the tribes except Judah and 
 Benjamin seceded from the government of Re- 
 hoboam, who sent Hadoram the treasurer of the 
 tribute, perhaps to conciliate the revolters, when 
 they stoned him to death. This alarmed the 
 king who, fearing for his own life, fled in his 
 chariot to Jerusalem. After arriving at the cap- 
 ital, he collected 180,000 warriors to fight Israel, 
 in order to restore the kingdom, but a prophet 
 came to him with the message : " Thus saith the 
 Lord, Ye shall not go to fight your brethren, 
 
92 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Return every man to his house, for this rebellion 
 has been according to My will." They obeyed 
 the message and did not go to war against Jero- 
 boam. 
 
 King Rehoboam was not without followers, 
 for a large number of his countrymen still main- 
 tained their allegiance to him. He gave his at- 
 tention to building cities for defence, a necessary 
 precaution against his enemies. These cities, 
 fifteen in all throughout Judah and Benjamin, 
 were surrounded by Avails. He also fortified his 
 strongholds or fortresses, by greater securities, 
 and placed in them shields, spears, stores of food, 
 oil and wine, and appointed captains to command 
 these forts. From these military preparations, 
 he appears to have expected future trouble with 
 the rebellious tribes, at least for his successors, 
 which did occur many times for centuries. 
 
 The priests and Levites in Israel left their pos- 
 sessions and came to the king of Judah, because 
 Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from 
 the priests' office, and had ordained priests for 
 the " High Places," for devils, and for the gold 
 calves. However, those decided to seek the Lord 
 God of Israel, from all the tribes, came to Jeru- 
 salem to offer sacrifices, and during several years, 
 they followed the example of David and Solo- 
 mon — before his apostasy — in religious services. 
 
 According to the customs of the times, Reho- 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 93 
 
 boam was a polygamist and had a number of 
 wives and children. He appointed Abijah, one 
 of his sons, ruler over his brethren, dispersed his 
 large family throughout the regions of Judah 
 and Benjamin, and furnished them with food in 
 abundance. 
 
 Unfortunately, Rehoboam, after being estab- 
 lished in his government, forsook the Lord, and 
 was supported in his apostasy by his subjects, 
 therefore as a punishment, the Lord permitted 
 an enemy to invade his kingdom. This was 
 Shishak, king of Egypt, who came with 1,200 
 chariots, 60,000 cavalry, and a very large num- 
 ber of infantry. They captured many of the 
 walled cities of Judah, and then came to the 
 capital, when a prophet was sent to Rehoboam 
 and the princes, who had come to Jerusalem on 
 account of the danger, with the message, " Ye 
 have forsaken Me, saith the Lord, therefore I 
 have left you in the hand of Shishak." When 
 they heard this message, the king and princes 
 humbled themselves and exclaimed, " The Lord 
 is righteous." When another communication was 
 received, that because they had humbled them- 
 selves, they should not be destroyed, but they 
 would become servants of the king of Egypt, 
 who came to Jerusalem and took away the treas- 
 ures of the house of the Lord, also of the royal 
 palace, including the gold shields Solomon made. 
 
*94 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 After this plunder, Rehoboam made shields of 
 brass and gave them to the guard who kept 
 the entrance to the palace. They were finally 
 placed in the guard-chamber. Rehoboam strength- 
 ened the fortifications in Jerusalem, but he did 
 not seek the Lord with all his heart, and his 
 reign was disturbed by frequent wars with Jero- 
 boam, king of Israel. After the death of Eeho- 
 boam, he was succeeded by his son Abijah, who 
 reigned three years. His public measures were 
 open to criticism, but his descendants were es- 
 tablished in the royal line, " for David's sake," 
 as it is expressed. 
 
 There was war between the rival powers of 
 Judah and Israel during the reign of Abijah, and 
 after his death, his son Asa, one of the eminent 
 kings of Judah, succeeded him as sovereign. 
 
 The name Asa in the Hebrew language signi- 
 fies healer, or physician. Asa began his reign 
 about 955 B. c. it is reckoned, and continued it 
 forty-one years, the third in length of the kings 
 of Judah. Though his father neglected the serv- 
 ice of God, Asa was a righteous king and re- 
 spected the laws of Moses. He is represented ' 
 by his biographers as a man " whose heart was per- 
 fect with the Lord all his days," but this does not 
 mean he was without faults, as the record of his 
 life proves, but refers, doubtless, to his public 
 acts generally. He, however, sometimes erred in 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 95 
 
 his management of government affairs and was 
 reproved by the messengers of the Lord. Asa 
 lived in a degenerate age, and was cotemporary 
 with some of the wicked kings of Israel, but he 
 attempted to reform the sinful practices of his 
 countrymen. He began his reign by deposing 
 Maachah his mother, from the office and dignity 
 of. queen, because she erected an image to the 
 goddess Astarte, which the king burned in the 
 valley of Hinnom. He removed the Sodomites, 
 from his dominions, and destroyed the idols his 
 countrymen had made, and brought the silver, 
 gold, and sacred vessels into the house of the 
 Lord. 
 
 During his reign there were hostilities with 
 Baasha, king of Israel, who made an expedition 
 to the kingdom of Judah, and began the construc- 
 tion of Ramah as a fortified place, to prevent any 
 one from joining Asa. This induced the king of 
 Judah to form an alliance with Ben-hadad, king 
 of Syria, and send messengers to Damascus with 
 presents of silver, and gold taken from the house 
 of the Lord and from the king's palace. The en- 
 voys were instructed to say to the Syrian king, 
 " There is a league between thee and me. Break 
 thy league with Baasha, king of Israel, that he 
 may depart from me." 
 
 Ben-hadad consented to Asa's proposal, and 
 sent captains of his army with their forces who 
 
96 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 captured some of the cities of Israel. When 
 Baasha heard of it, he abandoned Ramah and 
 retired to Tirzah, then the capital of his king- 
 dom. 
 
 Asa issued a proclamation and sent it through- 
 out his dominions, that the stones intended for 
 building Ramah, should be taken for the con- 
 struction of the cities of Greba and Mizpah. 
 After the alliance of Asa with the king of Syria, 
 Hanani the prophet, came to him and said, "Be- 
 cause thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and 
 not on the Lord thy God, therefore the host of 
 Syria will escape out of thy hand. Thou hast 
 acted foolishly, therefore henceforth thou shalt 
 have wars." Asa was angry with the prophet, 
 cast him into prison and oppressed some of the 
 people, those probably who sustained the 
 prophet's cause. 
 
 The king said to his subjects, " Let us build 
 cities with walls and gates of brass while we 
 possess the land, that we may be defended against 
 the dangers of war." He had an army of 300,000 
 men of the tribe of Judah who used targets and 
 spears, and 280,000 of the tribe of Benjamin who 
 carried shields and used the bow, "all mighty 
 men of valor " as it is expressed. 
 
 The Ethiopians commanded by Zerah, with an 
 army of 1,000,300 men and 300 chariots invaded 
 the kingdom of Judah. Asa rallied his forces 
 
Huldah and the Book of the Law. 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH, 97 
 
 and went to meet them, when an encounter took 
 place in the valley of Zephathah, at Mareshah. 
 The king of Judah, on this occasion, did not trust 
 in his army alone for success, but he sought 
 Divine assistance. He said, " Lord, it is nothing 
 with Thee to assist whether with many or with 
 them who have no power. Help us, O Lord our 
 God, for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name go 
 against this multitude. O Lord our God, let no 
 man prevail against Thee." 
 
 The battle began when victory was on the side 
 of the weakest, and the vast army of the Ethio- 
 pians fled and were pursued by the conquerors as 
 far as Gerar, in the south of Judah. They were 
 in such haste to escape, they left great spoils 
 which the victors took, and smote all the cities 
 about Gerar, destroyed the tents for the cattle 
 and drove away the sheep and camels left by the 
 enemy in great numbers, and then returned to 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 The prophet Azariah went to meet Asa and his 
 soldiers, and said to them, "Hear me, Asa and 
 all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you 
 as long as you are with Him. If ye seek Him, 
 He will be found, but if ye forsake Him, He will 
 forsake you. For a long time, Israel has been 
 without the true God, without a priest to teach 
 them, and without law, but when in their trouble, 
 they turned to the Lord God of Israel, He was 
 
98 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 found of them. In those times there was no 
 peace, and only great tribulation when they were 
 conquered by other nations, and their cities were 
 destroyed. Be ye strong and you will receive a 
 reward." 
 
 When Asa heard these words, he was encour- 
 aged, and gathering his subjects with those of 
 the other tribes who followed him when they 
 saw the Lord was with him, he returned to Jeru- 
 salem and offered the spoils taken from the 
 enemy, comprising 700 oxen, and 7,0.00 sheep, and 
 made a covenant to serve the Lord with all the 
 heart and soul, and that whoever should not seek 
 Him should be put to death, whether old or 
 young, man or woman. The people responded 
 to the covenant with shouts and sounds of 
 trumpets and cornets. 
 
 The deliverance of the people of Judah from 
 imminent peril was remarkable since the danger 
 occurred before their alliance with the Syrians, 
 therefore they did not expect any assistance from 
 them. 
 
 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was 
 afflicted with a disease in his feet which caused 
 great suffering, and perhaps his death. He 
 sought help from physicians, but they could 
 afford him no relief. He died after a reign of 
 forty-one years and was buried in the sepulchre 
 he made for himself in Jerusalem. His tomb 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAB. 99 
 
 was filled with sweet odors and different spices 
 prepared by apothecaries. It is said the people 
 made a very great burning for him which may 
 have been sacrifices on the occasion of his burial, 
 to show their respect and attachment to their 
 departed king. 
 
 The reforms of Asa consisted mainly in re- 
 moving the altars of false gods and the high 
 places, where heathen worship was offered, in 
 destroying the images of pagan divinities and 
 cutting down the groves dedicated to them, and 
 enjoining upon his subjects the worship of the 
 true God. During a period of ten years' peace 
 with other nations, he gave his attention to im- 
 proving his own dominions, and building new 
 cities. 
 
 The Scriptures represent Asa as an example of 
 ardent zeal for the worship of the Supreme God, 
 which was true, yet like all human beings he had 
 faults. He neglected to destroy all the High 
 Places which may have been to conciliate those 
 inclined to idolatry. His application to the 
 Syrians for assistance was inexcusable, since it 
 implied a distrust in the power and goodness of 
 the Lord, while his treatment of the prophet 
 whom he sent to prison, and the punishment of 
 some of his subjects for their sympathy for the 
 persecuted man of God, prove that a distin- 
 guished reformer and eminent king was not a 
 
 4>c- 
 
100 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 perfect example to. follow in every respect, yet, 
 aside from these faults, Asa was one of the illus- 
 trious kings of Judah and a benefactor to his 
 nation, in a time of great peril on account of the 
 degeneracy of the age in which he lived. He 
 was succeeded in the government by his son 
 Jehoshaphat, an honorable and worthy successor 
 to his illustrious father. 
 
CHAPTEE YIIL 
 
 JEHOSHAPHAT, JORAM OR JEHORAM, AHAZIAH 
 OR AZARIAH. 
 
 The fourth king of Judah named Jehoshaphat, 
 son of Asa, ascended the throne at the age of 
 thirty-five, and reigned twenty-five years, or as 
 it is computed, from 914 b. c. to 889. B. c. He 
 was cotemporary with Ahab and Ahaziah, kings 
 of Israel, though he did not follow their example. 
 It is said by his biographer, that, " He walked in 
 the ways of David, and did not serve Baal, but 
 sought the Lord God of his fathers," therefore 
 he was firmly established in his government. 
 
 On his accession to the throne, he began to 
 strengthen his kingdom by placing military 
 forces in all the walled cities of Judah, and 
 garrisons throughout the country and in those 
 cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had cap- 
 tured. He appointed five princes, assisted by 
 priests and Levites, to instruct the people in the 
 different cities of his kingdom, who carried with 
 them copies of the Book of the Law of the Lord. 
 These princes and priests were travelling mis- 
 sionaries, b*ut there is no special record of their 
 
 10X 
 
102 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 labors, though these messengers of truth, doubt- 
 less, faithfully performed their duty, while the 
 plan is creditable to Jehoshaphat. His influence 
 was recognized by cotemporary nations, and 
 they considered it the safest policy not to engage 
 in a war with him. Even the Philistines, a for- 
 midable enemy of his nation, brought him pres- 
 ents in silver, and the Arabians gave him flocks, 
 comprising 7,700 sheep and 7,700 goats, The 
 character of the gifts presented by the Arabs sug- 
 gests the idea that the chief occupation of this 
 ancient nation was that of shepherds. The 
 recognition of his power by foreign countries, 
 increased the popularity and wealth of the king 
 of Judah, and he constructed storehouses for his 
 use, and castles for defence. His army at Jeru- 
 salem, composed of the most valiant soldiers 
 whose commander-in-chief, Aclmah, had under his 
 direct control 300,000 soldiers, and next to him 
 in rank was Jehohanan with 280,000. The third 
 was Amariah commanding 200,000, the fourth, 
 Eliada of the tribe of Benjamin with 200,000 
 armed with bow and shield, and the fifth was 
 Jehozabad with 180,000 men. The whole num- 
 ber comprised 1,160,000 soldiers regarded as 
 " mighty men of valor." 
 
 Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with Ahab, 
 king of Israel, which proved a dangerous league. 
 He was engaged in a war with the Syrians and in- 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 103 
 
 vited the king of Judah to accompany him in his 
 campaign against the enemy. His confederate, 
 Jehoshaphat, replied, " I am as thou art, and my 
 people as thy people." Jehoshaphat then re- 
 quested Ahab to inquire of the Lord about the 
 result, when four hundred prophets were sum- 
 moned to inform them about it. " Shall we go 
 to Eamoth-Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear ? " 
 was the question. They all said, " Go, for the 
 Lord will deliver it into thy hands." Jehosha- 
 phat inquired, "Is there not a prophet besides 
 these of whom we may inquire ? " The king of 
 Israel replied, " There is one, Micaiah, but I 
 hate him, for he always prophesies evil of me." 
 " Do not say so," the king of Judah answered. 
 
 Ahab called one of his officers and gave orders 
 to bring the prophet Micaiah immediately, when 
 he was conducted into the presence of the two 
 kings, each sitting upon his throne, near the gate 
 of the city of Samaria, and clothed in their royal 
 garments, with all the prophets standing about 
 them. One, named Zedekiah, had made horns of 
 iron, and said, " With these horns thou shalt push 
 Syria until they be consumed." All the four 
 hundred prophets responded by saying, " Go to 
 Eamoth-Gilead, for the Lord will deliver it into 
 the hand of the king." This was a city east of 
 the Jordan, in the mountainous region of Gilead, 
 and was sometimes called Ramathan or Ara- 
 
104 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 matha. The country in this vicinity was cele- 
 brated for its beautiful scenery, therefore was a 
 desirable possession. 
 
 The messengers sent to bring Micaiah to the 
 king, told him of the favorable prophecy that 
 had been delivered, and advised him to predict 
 success for his majesty, when the prophet replied, 
 " What my God saith, that will I speak." When 
 he came to the kings, Ahab said, " Shall we go 
 to Ramoth-Gilead ? " The reply was, " Go and 
 prosper, for it shall be delivered into thy hands." 
 The king, probably, believed the prophet spoke 
 ironically, for he said, " How many times shall I 
 adjure thee that thou say nothing to me but the 
 truth ? " Micaiah then replied, " I see all Israel 
 scattered as . sheep on the mountains without a 
 shepherd, and the Lord said, 'These have no 
 master ; let them return to their homes in peace.' " 
 
 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, " Did I not tell thee 
 he \%ould prophesy only evil ? " Then Micaiah 
 said, " Hear the word of the Lord. I saw Him 
 sitting upon His throne and all the host of heaven 
 standing on His right hand and on His left. He 
 said, ' Who will entice Ahab, king of Israel, that 
 he may go and fall at Ramoth-Gilead ? ' There 
 was a difference in their answers, one proposing 
 one thing and another a different one, when fi- 
 nally a certain spirit said, 'I will entice him.' 
 ' How shall it be done ? ? it was asked. ' I will 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 105 
 
 be a lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets, 
 and will say, go.' " Zedekiah smote Micaiah on 
 the cheek, saying, " Which way went the spirit 
 of the Lord from me to speak to thee ? " The 
 prophet replied, " Thou wilt see when thou shalt 
 go into the inner chamber to hide thyself." Ahab 
 commanded his officers to conduct Micaiah the 
 prophet, to Amon, the governor of the city, and 
 Joash, the king's son, and tell them to put him in 
 prison and feed him with the bread and water of 
 affliction until I return in peace. "If thou re- 
 turn in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. 
 Listen to me, all ye people," said Micaiah. The 
 kings of Israel and Judah went to Eamoth- 
 Gilead to meet the Syrians, when Ahab said to 
 Jehoshaphat, " I will disguise myself, but do you 
 put on my raiment in order to deceive them." 
 The king of Syria commanded the captains of his 
 chariots to fight with none but the king of Israel, 
 and when they saw Jehoshaphat, they supposed 
 he was Ahab, therefore they made an attack 
 upon him, but he besought the Lord for deliver- 
 ance, and when the Syrians learned that he was 
 not the king of Israel, they gave up the pursuit. 
 After this incident a certain man drew his bow 
 and sent an arrow at a venture, w r hich smote 
 Ahab between the joints of his armor, when he 
 said, " Carry me out of the host, for I am 
 wounded." However, he remained in his chariot 
 
106 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 until the close of the battle at evening, when he 
 died, and Jehoshaphat returned to Jerusalem, 
 when Jehu, a prophet, went to him and said, 
 " Ought you to help the ungodly, and love them 
 that hate the Lord ? There is indignation against 
 thee, though thou hast performed righteous deeds 
 by removing the groves and preparing the people 
 to seek the Lord." 
 
 Jehoshaphat, after the disaster at Ramoth- 
 Gilead, made another journey throughout his 
 dominions to encourage his subjects to serve the 
 Lord God of their fathers, and appointed judges 
 in the country and the walled cities, saying to 
 these officials, " Take heed what ye do, for ye 
 judge not for me, but for the Lord. Let the fear 
 of the Lord be with you, for He has no respect 
 for persons or gifts." He then denoted the spe- 
 cial duties of the priests and Levites, and closed 
 his directions by saying, " Deal courageously and 
 the Lord will be with those who do right." 
 
 The kingdom of Juclah was invaded by an 
 army of Moabites and Ammonites, and Avhen 
 Jehoshaphat was informed of the danger, he 
 feared the result, and proclaimed a fast to be ob- 
 served throughout all the land of Juclah, when 
 the people assembled at the capital to seek Di- 
 vine aid. The king, standing in the house of 
 the Lord, offered a prayer, appealing to God say- 
 ing, " O Lord God of our fathers, art not Thou 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 107 
 
 God in heaven, and rulest over the kingdoms of 
 the heathen, and in Thy hand are not power and 
 might so that no one is able to withstand Thee ? " 
 He added, " Art not Thou the God who gave this 
 land to Thy people Israel ? They have built 
 Thee a sanctuary and when war, judgment, 
 pestilence and famine visit us, and we cry to 
 Thee in our affliction, wilt not Thou hear and 
 help us ? Behold, how the people of Moab and 
 Ammon reward us for the kindness of our 
 fathers in their journey from Egypt. O God, 
 wilt not Thou judge them, for we have no power 
 to meet that great army and we know not what 
 to do, — but we look to Thee." When the king 
 was offering this pra} 7 er, the people including the 
 women and children, were standing about him, and 
 a Levite at the close of the petition exclaimed, 
 "Hearken, ye people of Judah and inhabitants 
 of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, thus 
 saith the Lord, ' Be not discouraged because of 
 the great multitude, for the battle is not yours, 
 but God's ; to-morrow advance to meet the 
 enemy. They come by the cliff Ziz, and ye shall 
 meet them at the brook near the wilderness of 
 Jeruel ; but ye will not fight. Arrange your 
 forces, stand still and see the salvation of the 
 Lord for He will be with you.' " 
 
 Jehoshaphat and his subjects bowed with their 
 faces to the ground and worshipped the Lord 
 
108 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 while the priests and Levites praised Him with 
 loud voices. Early the next morning the king, 
 with his followers, went to the wilderness of 
 Tekoa, when he addressed them saying, 
 " Hearken, O Juclah, and inhabitants of Jeru- 
 salem, believe in the Lord your God, and ye shall 
 be established, and believe in his prophets, and 
 ye shall prosper." When the king had consulted 
 with the people, he appointed singers to go be- 
 fore the soldiers, praising the Lord, and when 
 they began to sing, those lying in ambush arose 
 and rushed upon their comrades who were seized 
 with a panic and killed one another. When the 
 army of Judah came to the wilderness, they saw 
 the dead bodies of their foes and a great abun- 
 dance of rich spoils left by the enemy, such as 
 precious jewels and other valuable articles, more 
 than could be collected at once, and they were 
 three days gathering the spoils. On the fourth 
 day, they came to the valley of Berachah, where 
 they halted and offered praise and thanks to the 
 Lord for their deliverance, and then returned to 
 Jerusalem conducted by the king and attended 
 by the musicians with their harps and trumpets. 
 When other nations heard of the remarkable de- 
 liverance of the king of Judah, they proclaimed 
 the news and his name became famous. 
 
 After his alliance with Ahab and its unfortu- 
 nate results, it is unaccountable that Jehoshaphat 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 109 
 
 should form another with Ahaziah, the successor 
 of the late king of Israel who is represented as a 
 wicked ruler. This alliance was for "th6 purpose 
 of constructing ships to sail to Tarshish to obtain 
 gold, therefore Eliezer uttered a prophecy against 
 the king of Judah, saying, " Because thou hast 
 joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy 
 thy works." The prediction proved true, as the 
 ships were wrecked. 
 
 Jehoshaphat died after reigning tw r enty-nine 
 years, was buried in the city of David and suc- 
 ceeded by his son Joram or Jehoram. He had 
 other sons to whom he left valuable possessions, 
 such as silver, gold and other precious things be- 
 sides walled cities, but the crown he bestowed 
 upon Jehoram. 
 
 The public acts of Jehoshaphat were generally in 
 conformity to the Divine will ; those of a different 
 character have been mentioned. His reforms, how- 
 ever, were not always thorough, and he may have 
 been sometimes influenced by state policy. He 
 had faults, since he was human, and occasionally he 
 seemed determined to have his own way, right or 
 wrong, and for this he w T as rebuked by the proph- 
 ets, but with all his errors he remains in history as 
 one of the illustrious kings of Judah, and a faith- 
 ful servant of the Lord in most of his public acts, 
 
 Joram or Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, suc- 
 ceeded his father at the age of thirty-two, and 
 
110 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 reigned eight years. He married the daughter 
 of Ahab and followed the example of the kings 
 of Israel. During his reign, the Edomites who 
 had been brought under the control of the people 
 of Judah, revolted and elected a king for them- 
 selves. This rebellion caused a war with their 
 masters, when king Joram went to Zair with his 
 forces, made a night attack upon the Edomites 
 who were defeated and fled to their tents, but 
 they were not completely subdued, and therefore 
 gave frequent trouble to their neighbors. 
 
 Joram died at the age of forty years, and was 
 succeeded by his son Ahaziah or Azariah, as he V 
 was also called, when twenty-two years of age, 
 and reigned only one year. Being related to the 
 family of Ahab he adopted their views in reli- 
 gion, which were idolatrous. He formed an alli- 
 ance with the king of Israel, whose name also 
 was Joram, the son of Ahab, to carry on a war 
 with the Syrians, when in a battle, the king of 
 Israel was wounded, and returned to Jezreel to 
 be cured. Ahaziah made a visit to the w^ounded 
 king and w r as slain by Jehu, who also put to 
 death the king of Israel. When Athaliah, the 
 mother of Ahaziah, and daughter of Omri, king 
 of Israel, heard of his death, she slew all the royal 
 family except one member who was concealed, and 
 seized the reins of government which she ruled six 
 years, and then came to a tragical death. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 JOASH OR JEHOASH, AMAZIAH, UZZIAH OR AZA- 
 IAH, JOTHIM, AHAZ. 
 
 The history of Joash or Jehoash, king of 
 Judah, is remarkable for its romance and its 
 tragical ending. He began his reign, it is reck- 
 oned, less than a century after Asa, and from 
 two to three centuries before Hezekiah. He was 
 the son of king Ahaziah, and grandson of queen 
 Athaliah. His father occupied the throne only 
 one year when he was slain by Jehu. When 
 queen Athaliah ordered all the royal princes of 
 Judah to be put to death, Joash, then an infant, 
 was concealed with his nurse, in a bedchamber, 
 and was kept in privacy six years. During that 
 time, Athaliah governed the kingdom of Judah, 
 but in the seventh year of her reign, Jehoiada, 
 the priest, summoned the Levites and elders in 
 Judah and went to Jerusalem, when the people 
 made a covenant with young prince Joash, in the 
 house of the Lord, that he should reign over 
 Judah. 
 
 A plan was formed in the following manner. 
 One-third of the people were to act as porters of 
 
 ill 
 
112 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 the doors ; one-third as guards for the palace ; 
 and one-third as watchmen at the gates. Be- 
 sides these officers, there were guards placed in 
 the courts of the Lord's house, to prevent any 
 one, except the Levites, from entering, and if 
 any one presumed to enter, besides the priests, 
 he was to be put to death. 
 
 The Levites and the people followed the di- 
 rections of Jehoiada the priest who gave to the 
 captains of hundreds, spears, bucklers, and shields 
 that had belonged to David, and were kept in 
 the house of the Lord. These preparations 
 were made to avoid insurrections at the corona- 
 tion of the young prince Joash. Jehoiada ar- 
 ranged the men, each with his weapon in his 
 hand, standing from the right to the left side of 
 the Temple, near the altar, and about the king. 
 Then they brought Joash, the young prince, and 
 placed the crown on his head, while the priests 
 anointed him and shouted " God save the king." 
 
 When Athaliah heard the noise of the multi- 
 tude running and extolling the king, she came 
 to the house of the Lord, and as she saw the 
 young king standing by the pillar at the en- 
 trance, and the princes with the people rejoicing 
 and sounding trumpets, and the singers with in- 
 struments of music, she rent her clothes and 
 cried, " treason, treason." Jehoiada ordered the 
 captains to remove, and slay her, but not in the 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 113 
 
 house of the Lord, therefore she was conducted 
 to the " horsegate," and put to death. Jehoiada 
 then made a covenant between the king and peo- 
 ple, that they should serve the Lord. They went 
 to the temple of Baal, overthrew it with its altars 
 and images and slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, 
 before his altar. Jehoiada appointed the officers 
 of the house of the Lord, and called together 
 the captains of hundreds, nobles, and governors 
 with others, and brought the king from the 
 house of the Lord to the palace and placed him 
 upon the throne. He was seven years old,« at 
 the time of his coronation, and reigned forty 
 years. 
 
 Some years after his coronation, he decided to 
 repair the house of the Lord which had been 
 neglected, and called together the priests and 
 Levites for their instructions. They were to go 
 to the different cities of Judah and collect money 
 for this object. " See," said the king, " that ye 
 hasten the work." This last injunction they did 
 not heed, when the king called for Jehoiada and 
 said, "Why hast thou required the Levites to 
 take a collection ? Was it not to repair the 
 house of the Lord ? " The sons of Athaliah had 
 taken all the objects dedicated to the Lord and 
 given them to Baal. At the command of king 
 Joash, they made a chest and placed it without 
 the gate of the house of the Lord, when a proc- 
 
114 BIBLE CHA RA CTERS. 
 
 lamatibn was issued to bring the collection that 
 was required by the law of Moses. All his sub- 
 jects were pleased with the plan, and cast into 
 the chest their offerings which were brought to 
 the office of the king, when his scribe and the 
 officers of the high priest emptied the chest and 
 returned it to its place. This they did day by 
 day, and collected a large sum of money which 
 was given to the workmen, masons, carpenters 
 and others, who wrought in iron, and brass for 
 the repair of the house. The work went for- 
 ward until it was finished, when they brought 
 the money that was left, to the king and Jehoi- 
 ada, which was given for sacred vessels and 
 spoons made of gold and silver. 
 
 After these repairs, the people made their of- 
 ferings to the Lord, during the life of Jehoiada 
 the priest, who died at the advanced age of one 
 hundred and thirty years, and was buried in the 
 city of David among the kings, as an honor for 
 his fidelity to the Lord and to the king, but after 
 his death, there was a sad decline. 
 
 The princes of Judah came to the king and 
 persuaded him to forsake the Lord God of their 
 fathers and serve idols, when prophets were sent 
 to persuade them to return to Him, but they 
 would not listen to them. Zechariah the son of 
 Jehoiada said to the people, "Why do you 
 transgress the commands of the Lord ? Because 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAR. 115 
 
 ye have forsaken Him, He will forsake you." 
 They were offended and conspired to kill the 
 priest at the command of Joash the king who 
 forgot the kindness of Jehoiada, and killed his 
 son. It was the wife of Jehoiada who concealed 
 the young prince from Athaliah who intended to 
 murder him. 
 
 At the close of the year, an army of Syrians 
 invaded the kingdom of Judah, and coming to 
 Jerusalem, killed the princes and sent the spoils 
 to Damascus, and many of the people of Judah 
 were taken captive. A conspiracy against the 
 king was formed by his servants who assassinated 
 him when he was sick in his bed, in revenge 
 for his murder of the sons of Jehoiada. He was 
 buried in the city of David but not in the sepul- 
 chre of the kings, and was succeeded in the gov- 
 ernment by Amaziah his son. 
 
 " The remarkable history of the childhood of 
 Joash," says one writer, "the beginning of a 
 promising reign, his thorough reforms, his 
 method of collecting funds for the repair of the 
 Temple were so successful, that the sad degener- 
 acy of his later years and his tragical death are 
 all the more pathetic." His reforms were, doubt- 
 less, largely due to the influence of Jehoiada, 
 whose death was a great calamity to the king, as 
 it revealed his weakness. 
 
 The eighth king of Judah after the revolt, was 
 
116 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Amaziah, son of Joash, who began to reign at 
 the age of twenty-five, and held the reins of gov- 
 ernment twenty-nine years. His public life was 
 not faultless, though he did many things that 
 were right and for the benefit of his subjects. 
 He followed the example of his father in his re- 
 forms, though he neglected to remove the " High 
 Places" where heathen rites were performed. 
 After his accession to the throne, he ordered the 
 murderers of his father to be executed, though 
 he did not include their children in the list, as 
 was frequently done by other nations, for the 
 laws of his countrymen forbade the fathers suf- 
 fering for their children, or the children suffering 
 for the deeds of their fathers. 
 
 Amaziah appointed captains of companies com- 
 prising thousands of men, and other captains 
 over hundreds, throughout the tribes of Judah 
 and Benjanun, according to their families. He 
 took the number of those from twenty years old 
 and over, and found there were 300,000 able men 
 for his army that could handle the spear and 
 shield. He also hired 100,000 valiant warriors 
 from Israel, for 100 talents of silver which, ac- 
 cording to different estimates, were equal to 
 $164,500 or $191,600. These preparations were 
 for an expedition against the Edomites. 
 
 A man of God came to him and said, " O king, 
 let not the army of Israel go with thee, for the 
 
TEE KINGS OF JUDAH. 117 
 
 Lord is not with them, but if thou wilt go against 
 the Edomites, be strong for the battle." Ama- 
 ziah said, " What shall we do about the one hun- 
 dred talents I have given the army of Israel ? " 
 The prophet said, " The Lord is able to give thee 
 much more than that." 
 
 The king separated the soldiers who had en- 
 listed from Ephraim, and se»nt them away. They 
 were very angry on this account and resolved on 
 having revenge, therefore they made an attack 
 upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth- 
 Horan, killing 3,000 of the inhabitants and tak- 
 ing much spoil. 
 
 Having sent his auxiliaries away, Amaziah in- 
 creased the number of his own forces, marched 
 to the " Valley of Salt," attacked the Edomites 
 and killed 100,000 people of Seir, and captured 
 10,000 whom he conducted to the top of a preci- 
 pice, and cast them down and killed them. After 
 the battle, Amaziah took the gods of Seir, set 
 them up as divinities, burned incense and offered 
 sacrifices to them, therefore the anger of the Lord 
 was aroused against him, and He sent a prophet 
 to him inquiring, " Why hast thou sought after 
 the gods of the people of Seir ? They could not 
 deliver their own worshippers." The king said, 
 " Art thou the king's counsel ? Forbear, why 
 shouldst thou be smitten?" The man of God 
 replied, " I know the Lord hath determined to 
 
118 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 destroy thee, because thou hast not hearkened 
 unto my counsel." 
 
 Encouraged by his success against the Edom- 
 ites, Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash king 
 of Israel to challenge him to a conflict of arms, 
 when he received the following reply, " The 
 thistle in Lebanon sent to the cedar, saying, 
 4 Give thy daughter to my son for a wife,' when 
 a wild beast passed by and trod down the thistle." 
 In this sarcastic reply, Jehoash intended, doubt- 
 less, to represent the king of Judah by the this- 
 tle, and the king of Israel by the cedar. " Thou 
 hast, indeed, smitten Edom," said the king of 
 Israel, " and thy heart is lifted up. Glory not 
 in this to thy hurt, and fall, thou and Judah 
 with thee." 
 
 Amaziah did not heed this advice, but engaged 
 in a battle with the king of Israel at Beth- 
 Shemesh, a place in the kingdom of Judah, — 
 when the rash king was defeated and his soldiers 
 fled each to his tent, leaving Amaziah, who was 
 taken prisoner. The conquerors came to Jeru- 
 salem, broke down the wall at the distance of 
 four hundred cubits, took all the gold and silver 
 and sacred vessels from the house of the Lord 
 and the treasures in the king's palace, and some of 
 the citizens as hostages, and returned to Samaria. 
 
 After Amaziah was restored to his kingdom, 
 he continued his reign several years, but finally 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 119 
 
 met with a tragical death. A conspiracy was 
 formed to assassinate him, and when he 'became 
 aware of the plot, he fled to Lachish near the 
 border of Philistria, hoping, perhaps, to find 
 safety with a foreign nation, but the conspirators 
 followed him and accomplished their purpose. 
 
 His remains were taken to Jerusalem, and 
 buried with those of his fathers. His death, it is 
 said, was followed by an interregnum of eleven 
 years, when his son Uzziah ascended the throne. 
 
 After the death of Amaziah, the people of 
 Judah chose Uzziah his son, a young prince, six- 
 teen years of age, for their king. His reign con- 
 tinued fifty-two years, one of the longest of the 
 sovereigns of Judah. He is represented as a 
 wise and just ruler, observing the laws of God 
 during the life of the prophet Zechariah, and 
 was prosperous when he kept his commands. 
 However, he allowed the " High Places " to re- 
 main where the people burnt sacrifices, contrary 
 to the law, and for assuming the office of the 
 priests, he was smitten with the leprosy which 
 afflicted him the remainder of his life. 
 
 Like some of his predecessors, he became in- 
 volved in a war with the Philistines, during 
 which he captured the cities of Gath, Jabneh, 
 and Ashdod, demolished their walls, and con- 
 structed other cities in the region ; he was 
 also successful in a conflict with the Arabians, 
 
120 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 News of his victories spread abroad even to the 
 borders of Egypt, and the Ammonites sent him 
 presents as an acknowledgment of their respect 
 and friendship. 
 
 Uzziah won distinction by his architectural 
 works. He built towers at the gates of Jeru- 
 salem and fortified them, and he also constructed 
 towers in the desert, and dug wells for his use as 
 he owned large herds of cattle in the plains and 
 lower regions of the country. He employed 
 husbandmen and vine-dressers among the moun- 
 tains especially Carmel, for Uzziah loved hus- 
 bandry, as it is expressed, as did many other 
 ancient kings. 
 
 He kept a large standing army that went to 
 war by bands or detachments, probably, accord- 
 ing to their numbers as reckoned by a scribe, 
 ruler, and captain. The whole number of leaders, 
 chiefs, or captains in the army was 2,600, while 
 the soldiers under their command were 307,500 
 valiant warriors. The king prepared for their 
 use, military weapons, such as shields, spears, 
 helmets, bows and slings, and caused engines, the 
 work of skillful men, to be placed in the towers 
 and on the bulwarks at Jerusalem. The fame of 
 Uzziah as a powerful king reached other nations, 
 and, doubtless, made him proud and self-sufficient, 
 which led him to transgress the law by assuming 
 the office of priest and going into the Temple to 
 
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 Ox? 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 121 
 
 burn incense. This was a sacrilegious act, and he 
 was followed to the altar by Azariah the high 
 priest and eighty other priests, who reproved 
 the king, saying, "It does not belong to thee, 
 Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord ; this be- 
 longs to the priests only, sons of Aaron who are 
 consecrated to this office. Leave the sanctuary, 
 for thou hast trespassed, and it will not be for 
 thine honor." The king who was holding a 
 censer in his hand, for burning incense, was 
 greatly offended with the priests for their rebuke, 
 and while in this state of mind, the leprosy ap- 
 peared on his forehead in the presence of *the 
 priests, when they said he was smitten with that 
 dreadful disease, and hurried him out of the 
 Temple, the king himself hastening to depart. 
 He remained a leper the remainder of his days, 
 dwelt in a separate house, and was never allowed 
 to go to the house of the Lord nor perform the 
 duties of a king which were discharged by his 
 son Jotham as regent. 
 
 After the death of his father, he was chosen 
 king at the age of twenty-five, and reigned six- 
 teen years. He was disposed to govern accord- 
 ing to the Divine will, and like many of his 
 nation, he was fond of erecting new buildings. 
 He made some improvements at Jerusalem and 
 constructed cities in the mountainous regions of 
 Judea, and castles and towers in the forests. He 
 
122 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 was successful in a war with the Ammonites and 
 made them tributary so that he received from 
 them, one hundred talents of silver and large 
 quantities of grain from time to time, during three 
 years. However, he did not remove the " High 
 Places " where the people performed religious 
 rites contrary to the law. He was succeeded 
 by Ahaz his son. 
 
 Ahaz, the successor of Jotham, began to reign 
 at the age of twenty, and was king of Judah six- 
 teen years. He pursued the heathen practices of 
 the kings of Israel ; offered sacrifices on " High 
 Pla'ces," under green trees and on hills, and even 
 offered his children to Moloch as burnt-offerings. 
 He became tributary to Tiglath-pileser, king of 
 Assyria, and when Rezin, king of Syria, and 
 Pekah, king of Israel, came to Jerusalem and laid 
 siege to the city, Ahaz sent messengers to the 
 king of Assyria, saying, " I am thy servant and 
 thy son. Come and save me from the kings of 
 Syria and Israel, who rise up against me." He 
 took silver and gold from the house of the Lord 
 and valuable treasures from the royal palace, and 
 sent them as presents to Tiglath-pileser, who ac- 
 cepted the gifts. He was then engaged in a war 
 with the Syrians and had taken Damascus, their 
 capital, and slain Rezin, the king. Ahaz went to 
 Damascus to meet the king of Assyria, and when 
 he saw an altar which pleased him, he sent a pat- 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 123 
 
 tern of it to Urijah the priest, who made one ac- 
 cording to the pattern sent him. "When Ahaz 
 returned from Damascus, he offered sacrifices 
 upon the altar and commanded the priest to 
 make the offerings according to his directions. 
 He also made moulten images for Baal, and did 
 many other things contrary to the laws of Moses, 
 and as a punishment he was delivered into the 
 hands of the kings of Syria and Israel. During 
 the war, Pekah, king of Israel, slew in one day 
 120,000 of the subjects of Ahaz, including the 
 king's son and the governor of his house, and 
 200,000 were taken captives together with great 
 spoils, and brought to Samaria. 
 
 The prophet Oded came to the army of Israel, 
 and said, " Because the Lord God of your fathers 
 was angry with Judah, He delivered them into 
 your hand, and ye have slain them with great 
 rage that reaches to heaven, and now ye purpose 
 to keep the children of Judah for servants, but 
 are there not with yourselves sins against the 
 Lord your God ? Now hear me. Deliver these 
 captives, for the wrath of the Lord is upon you." 
 Then certain men of Ephraim addressed the sol- 
 diers of the Israelites in charge of the prisoners, 
 saying, " Ye shall not bring in the captives. We 
 have sinned already against the Lord, and do ye 
 intend to add to our sins, for our trespass is great 
 and there is fierce wrath against Israel ? " When 
 
124 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 the soldiers heard these words, they left the cap- 
 tives and spoils with the princes and people, who 
 clothed the naked among them and gave them 
 food and drink, anointed them, and placing the 
 feeble upon asses, brought them to Jericho to 
 their brethren, and then returned to Samaria. 
 
 The Edomites again invaded the kingdom of 
 Judah and carried away the prisoners. The Phil- 
 istines also had taken a large number of cities 
 and villages. Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, to 
 whom Ahaz had offered rich gifts for help, came, 
 but did not assist him. In this time of distress, 
 the king of Judah offered sacrifices to the gods 
 of Damascus, for, said he, " Because the gods of 
 the Syrians help them, I will offer sacrifices to 
 them, that they may help me," but says the sacred 
 writer, "they were the ruin of him and all 
 Israel." 
 
 Though he died at the age of thirty-six, he in- 
 flicted upon his nation great injuries by his 
 heathen practices. He cut to pieces the sacred 
 vessels of the house of God, closed the doors of 
 the temple, built altars in every part of Jeru- 
 salem and in the different cities of Judah, and 
 made High Places for the worship of the gods. 
 After his death he was not allowed to be buried 
 in the sepulchre of the kings on account of his 
 wickedness. 
 
CHAPTEK X. 
 
 HEZEKIAH, MANASSEH, AMON. 
 
 About two hundred and thirty years after the 
 reign of Asa, king of Judah, another reformer 
 appeared whose name was Hezekiah, meaning 
 " Strength of the Lord." He was the son of 
 Ahaz, king of Judah, and succeeded his father 
 on the throne, at the age of twenty-five, and 
 reigned twenty-nine years. The sacred historian 
 gives a summary of his public life in the follow- 
 ing words : " He did what was right in the sight 
 of the Lord, according to all that David had 
 done," referring to the Psalmist as a ruler. 
 Hezekiah did not follow the wicked example of 
 his father, but in a degenerate age, when his 
 countrymen were generally inclined to adopt 
 heathen ideas and practices in religion and 
 morals, he adhered to the doctrines taught by 
 Moses. 
 
 The house of the Lord or temple had been neg- 
 lected and needed repairs, therefore in the first 
 month of his reign he began to improve it, and 
 calling together the priests and Levites, said to 
 them, " Listen to me. Sanctify yourselves and 
 
 125 
 
126 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 also the house of the Lord, and remove whatever 
 is offensive. Our fathers have trespassed and 
 done evil in the sight of the Lord, and have for- 
 saken His house. They closed the doors and put 
 out the lamps and neglected to burn incense and 
 offer burnt-offerings in the Holy Place, according 
 to the law, therefore the Lord was angry with 
 Judah and sent them trouble by allowing them 
 to be the objects of contempt and astonishment. 
 Our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our 
 sons, daughters, and wives are in captivity. It is 
 in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord 
 God of Israel that His anger may turn away 
 from us. My sons, be not negligent, for the 
 Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to 
 serve Him and offer sacrifices to Him." 
 
 After this address, the Levites called together 
 their brethern and they sanctified themselves ac- 
 cording to the law, and went to the house of God 
 and brought out everything considered unclean, 
 and carried them to the Brook Kidron, to be de- 
 stroyed. They began the work on the first day 
 of the first month, and on the eighth day they 
 came to the porch of the Temple. They com- 
 pleted the work of sanctification on the sixteenth 
 day, and then informed the king that they had 
 cleansed the house of the Lord, the altar for 
 burnt-offerings with all the vessels, the table of 
 shewbread, and all that belonged to it. All the 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 127 
 
 vessels Ahaz had profaned, they purified and 
 placed before the altar. 
 
 Hezekiah rose early and calling together the 
 rulers of the city, went to the house of the Lord, 
 when a sin-offering was made by the people ac- 
 cording to the law. In the meantime the song 
 used by David for such an occasion, was sung, 
 accompanied by trumpets and other instruments, 
 when all the assembly joined in the service, until 
 the sacrifice was consumed, when the king and 
 all present ' bowed and worshipped the Lord. 
 After the songs of David and Asaph had been 
 sung, Hezekiah said, "As ye have consecrated 
 yourselves unto the Lord, bring sacrifices and 
 offerings to His house." Many brought their 
 offerings comprising in all, three thousand nine 
 hundred and seventy animals of different kinds 
 used for such purposes. This was an occasion of 
 rejoicing both to the king and his subjects. 
 
 Hezekiah wrote letters to the people of Judah, 
 Ephraim, and Manasseh requesting them to come 
 to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to observe 
 the Passover, and a decree was issued and sent 
 from Beer-sheba to Dan, that the festival ought 
 to be celebrated at Jerusalem. Posts or heralds 
 carried the king's letters throughout the kingdoms 
 of Judah and Israel. In these writings he said, 
 "Ye children of Israel, turn again to the Lord 
 God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He 
 
128 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 will return to you, the remnant that escaped 
 from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Be not 
 stubborn as your fathers were, but yield to the 
 Lord and enter His sanctuary. If you turn to 
 the Lord, you will be forgiven, for He is gracious 
 and merciful." 
 
 The posts went from city to city throughout 
 the country, but most of the people only laughed 
 at and mocked them, except in the kingdom of 
 Judah where they respected the king's command, 
 and a large company assembled at Jerusalem to 
 observe the feast of the Passover. They re- 
 moved the altars devoted to false gods and cast 
 them into the Brook Kidron and kept the festival 
 according to the law. After these ceremonies 
 ended, the people went through the cities of 
 Judah and broke the idols in pieces, cut down the 
 groves, utterly destroyed the High Places and 
 altars, and then returned to their own homes. 
 Since the days of Solomon, it is said, there had 
 not been such a time of rejoicing in Jerusalem. 
 Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and 
 Levites and commanded the people to contribute* 
 to their support, when they brought tithes of 
 all their possessions, and when the king and 
 princes saw their gifts, they praised the Lord and 
 blessed the people. Rooms were fitted up in the 
 house of the Lord for storing the offerings for 
 which overseers were appointed. 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH, 129 
 
 The use of groves for religious worship was a 
 very ancient custom, and among heathen nations 
 they became favorite places for idolatrous prac- 
 tices, hence reformers took special pains to cut 
 them down. The brazen serpent made by Moses, 
 became an object of divine homage to which in- 
 cense was burned. Hezekiah broke it in pieces 
 and in contempt called it " Nehustan " which 
 means little brazen serpent. 
 
 Hezekiah was not permitted to close his reign 
 without danger from other nations. Judah had 
 been made tributary to Assyria, but the king re- 
 fused to pay tribute, which was a dangerous posi- 
 tion to assume. Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, 
 had laid siege to Samaria the capital of the king- 
 dom of Israel, and after three years, captured 
 the city, and in the sixth year of Hezekiah's 
 reign the government of Israel was overthrown 
 and the inhabitants were carried into captivity 
 from which, as a nation, they never returned. 
 When Sennacherib came to the Assyrian throne, 
 he made a hostile invasion of the kingdom of 
 Judah, in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah's 
 reign, and captured the fortified cities. The 
 king sent to the Assyrian leader whose head- 
 quarters were at Lachish, a messenger, saying, 
 " I have offended ; return from me and whatsoever 
 thou requirest, I will do." He gave Sennacherib 
 three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents 
 
130 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 of gold, besides all the silver found in the house 
 of the Lord and in the treasury of the palace. 
 He removed the gold from the Temple and the 
 pillars he had overlaid, and gave it to the king 
 of Assyria. The value of a talent of silver has 
 been estimated at nearly one hundred and four- 
 teen pounds, and a talent of gold about seven 
 thousand two hundred pounds, though the value 
 of the talent varied in different periods. 
 
 The king of Assyria sent Tartan, that is his 
 commander-in-chief, Eabsaris, attended by Rab- 
 shakeh, from Lachish, to Hezekiah, with a pow- 
 erful army. On arriving at Jerusalem, they re- 
 mained in the Fuller's Field, outside the walls 
 of the city, and sent a message to the king of 
 Judah, when Hezekiah requested Eliakim who 
 was over the royal household, Shebner, the 
 scribe, and Joah the recorder, to meet the mes- 
 sengers of the king of Assyria. Rabshaker said 
 to Eliakim and his associates, " Tell Hezekiah, 
 thus saith the great king * of Assyria, ' What is 
 this in which thou trustest ? ' Thou sayest, ' I 
 have counsel and strength for war,' but these are 
 vain words. On whom dost thou trust in thy 
 rebellions? Thou trustest in the staff of a 
 bruised reed, even Egypt. Pharaoh, king of 
 Egypt, is only a bruised reed. But if ye say, 
 1 We trust in the Lord our God,' did not Heze- 
 kiah destroy his altars and High Places, saying, 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 131 
 
 6 Ye shall worship before the altar in Jerusalem ? ' 
 Give pledges to my lord, king of Assyria, and I 
 will deliver to thee 2,000 horses, if thou art able 
 to set riders on them. How then wilt thou turn 
 away one captain of the least of my master's 
 servants and trust in Egypt for chariots and 
 horses ? Am I come against this place to de- 
 stroy it ? The Lord said to me, ' Go against 
 this land and destroy it.' " 
 
 Eliakim said, " Speak to thy servants in the 
 Syrian language, for we understand it, but do 
 not address us in the Jew's language, in the ears 
 of the people on the wall." Rabshaker made 
 the insulting reply, " My master sent me to thy 
 master to speak those words, and not to the con- 
 temptible people on the walls." The Assyrians 
 then proclaimed with a loud voice in the lan- 
 guage of the Jews, " Hear the word of the great 
 king of Assyria. Let not Hezekiah deceive you, 
 for he is not able to deliver you out of my hands. 
 Neither make your boast in the Lord, that He 
 will deliver you, and this city will not be taken. 
 Hearken not to Hezekiah. Make an agreement 
 with me, saith the king, by a present, and come 
 to me, and every man eat of his own vine and fig- 
 tree and drink the waters of his cistern, until I 
 come and take your land so abundant in corn, 
 wine, bread, vineyards, olive oil and honey, that 
 ye may live and not die. Hearken not to the 
 
132 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 king of Judah who says, ' The Lord will deliver 
 us.' Hath any gods of the nations delivered 
 this land out of the hand of the king of Assyria ? 
 Where are the gods of Hamath and other places ? 
 Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand ? " 
 
 The people were silent and made no reply to 
 the insolent speech of Rabshaker, for Hezekiah 
 had given orders not to answer him. The king's 
 messengers came to him with their clothes rent 
 and told him what Rabshaker said, and when 
 the king heard it, he rent his garment, put on 
 sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. 
 He sent Eliakim, Shebna, and certain other 
 priests clothed in sackcloth to the prophet 
 Isaiah, with the message, " This is a day of 
 trouble, but it may be the Lord thy God will 
 reprove the servant of the king of Assyria, there- 
 fore pray for us." When the priests came to 
 Isaiah, the prophet said, "Be not afraid, saith 
 the Lord, I will send a blast upon him and he 
 shall return to his own land and fall by the 
 sword." 
 
 Rabshaker returned to his master who had 
 left his camp at Lachish, and was fighting 
 against Libnah. He sent another message to 
 the king of Judah saying, " Let not thy God in 
 whom you trust, deceive you. Thou hast heard 
 what the kings of Assyria have done. They 
 have utterly destroyed other countries, and will 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 133 
 
 you escape ? Did the gods deliver the nations 
 whom my fathers destroyed ? " 
 
 When Hezekiah received the letter at the hand 
 of the courier and read it, he went to the house 
 of the Lord, spread it before Him and offered the 
 prayer, " O Lord God of Israel, who dwelleth be- 
 tween the cherubim, Thou art God alone of all 
 the kingdoms of the earth, and the Creator of 
 the heavens and the earth. Bow down Thine ear 
 and open Thine eyes. Hear the words of Sen- 
 nacharib who has reproached the Living God. 
 It is true the kings of Assyria have destroyed 
 nations with their gods, the work of men's 
 hands. O Lord our God, I beseech Thee save 
 us out of his hands, that all the kings of the 
 earth may know Thou art the Lord God, even 
 Thou only." 
 
 Isaiah sent the following message to Hezekiah, 
 " Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, that which 
 thou hast prayed for, I have heard." Then the 
 prophet foretold the overthrow of Sennacharib 
 and the safety of the king of Judah and his peo- 
 ple. It came to pass that night, the angel of the 
 Lord smote 185,000 men in the camp of the 
 Assyrians and in the morning this vast army lay 
 dead on the field. The king returned to Nineveh, 
 and as he was engaged in the worship of his god 
 Msroch in his temple, two of his sons killed him 
 with the sword, and then fled to Armenia, and 
 
134 BIBLE CHARACTER^. 
 
 Esarhadden, another of his sons succeeded him as 
 king. 
 
 Hezekiah had passed through many dangers, 
 some of them were imminent, yet his dominions 
 were not secure against his adversary, the As- 
 syrians, and naturally he wished to live until 
 peace and safety were secured for himself and his 
 subjects, yet at this crisis he was prostrated by a 
 mortal disease, it was supposed, and must leave 
 his public affairs unsettled. ■ When lying upon 
 his sick bed, Isaiah came to him with, a most 
 solemn and startling message which was, "Set 
 thy house in order, for thou shalt die, and not 
 live." This was sad intelligence for the royal 
 invalid, who, as he lay upon his bed, wept bitterly 
 and turned his face to the wall and offered the 
 following prayer. " I beseech Thee, O Lord, re- 
 member me. I have tried to walk before Thee 
 in truth and a perfect heart, and do w r hat was 
 right in Thy sight." Before Isaiah left the court 
 of the palace, he received another communication 
 from the Lord, to return to the king, the captain 
 of My people and say to him, " I have heard thy 
 prayer and seen thy tears. Behold, I will heal 
 thee, and on the third day thou shalt go to the 
 house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years 
 to thy life and will deliver thee and this city 
 from, the king of Assyria for My own and My 
 servant David's sake." 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 135 
 
 A remedy was to be applied, but Hezekiah 
 doubted its efficiency and required a sign that the 
 prophet's words would come to pass. Isaiah gave 
 him the choice of two signs, namely, that the 
 shadow on the dial of Ahaz would go forwards 
 or backwards ten degrees. Which should it be ? 
 Hezekiah replied that it was a common thing for 
 the shadow to go down ten degrees, but for it to 
 return back ten degrees would be a miracle, 
 therefore he chose the latter, and it was granted. 
 
 "When Berodak-Baladden, king of Babylon, 
 heard of the illness of Hezekiah, he sent letters 
 expressing sympathy, perhaps, and a present to 
 him, and the messengers were entertained by the 
 king who showed them all his treasures, compris- 
 ing silver, gold, spices, precious ointment and 
 everything in his armory. There was nothing in 
 his palace that he did not let them see, and noth- 
 ing valuable in his dominions about which he did 
 not inform them. This unusual display of wealth 
 was prompted, doubtless, by pride and vanity, 
 since the prophet reproved him for it. He in- 
 quired, "what the messengers said and whence 
 they come." The reply was, "from a distant 
 country, even Babylon." " And what have they 
 seen in thy house ? " " Everything, there is 
 nothing among my treasures I have not shown 
 them." "Hear the word of the Lord," said 
 Isaiah. " The days will come when all that is in 
 
136 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 thy house, and all thy father's stores, shall be 
 carried to Babylon, and nothing will be left, and 
 thy sons shall be taken captives and appointed 
 servants in the palace of the king of Babylon." 
 Hezekiah replied, " Good is the word of the 
 Lord if peace and truth be in my day.". 
 
 After the king recovered from his illness, he 
 devoted the fifteen years added to his life, in ef- 
 fecting reforms, and making improvements in his 
 dominions to protect them against the invasions 
 of foreign nations. After consulting his princes 
 and warriors, he repaired the old wall of Jeru- 
 salem, which had been broken down, raised it 
 higher, and built another wall about the first, 
 and stopped the fountains of water outside the 
 city so that an enemy could not be supplied with 
 water. He repaired Millo, a place where the 
 people assembled on public occasions, and had a 
 large number of darts and shields made for the 
 soldiers over whom he appointed captains. 
 
 Having accomplished these defensive opera- 
 tions, he assembled the citizens at the gate of the 
 city and addressed them saying, " Be strong and 
 courageous. Be not afraid of the king of Assyria 
 nor his large army, for with us is the Lord our 
 God to help and fight our battles ; " and the people 
 were much encouraged by his address. Hezekiah 
 was highly honored for the reforms and improve- 
 ments he accomplished in the kingdom of Judah, 
 
St John and St. Peter. 
 

THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 137 
 
 though laboring under great discouragements 
 and almost insurmountable difficulties, and it is a 
 remarkable instance of his firm religious prin- 
 ciples, that he was the son of a* wicked king. 
 The sacred writers represent death as a sleep, an 
 intimation that they believed in a future resur- 
 rection from the grave. It is said that he slept 
 with his fathers and was buried in the chief 
 sepulchre of the sons of David, while all his sub- 
 jects paid him great honor. 
 
 Manasseh, son and successor of Hezekiah, be- 
 gan his reign at the age of twelve, and continued 
 his government, fifty-five years, the longest 
 period of any of the kings of Judah. Unlike his 
 father, he was an idolater in the early period of 
 his reign, and restored the worship of false gods, 
 rebuilt the High Places his father had broken 
 down, erected altars to Baal and worshipped the 
 heavenly bodies. He erected altars in the house 
 of the Lord for offerings to heathen divinities, 
 and presented his children in the valley of Hin- 
 nom as burnt-sacrifices. He used enchantments 
 and witchcraft, dealt with familiar spirits and 
 wizards, placed a carved image in the house of 
 the Lord and corrupted his subjects so they were 
 worse than heathen nations. It is said, "He 
 shed innocent blood until he filled Jerusalem 
 from one end to another." 
 
 The Lord admonished Manasseh and his sub- 
 
138 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 jects by the prophets, but they would not 
 hearken, therefore, He sent the Assyrians to 
 chastise them, when the prophet delivered in 
 substance the following message: "Because 
 Manasseh has surpassed the Ammonites in wicked- 
 ness and has caused Judah to sin, therefore, thus 
 saith the Lord, I will bring evil upon Jerusalem 
 and Judah that whoever heareth it, his ears shall 
 tingle, I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipeth a 
 dish, turning it upside down, and I will forsake 
 the remnant of my inheritance and deliver them 
 into the hands of their enemies and they shall 
 become their prey and spoil." 
 
 When the kingdom of Judah was invaded by 
 the Assyrians, Manasseh was taken, bound with 
 fetters, and carried off a prisoner. This calamity 
 led him to repent of his wickedness, and when 
 he was released from captivity, he returned to 
 Jerusalem and began to make improvements at 
 the capital. He constructed a stronger wall 
 around the city, and placed officers in all the 
 fortified places of Judah. He removed the false 
 gods and their altars, he had erected and re- 
 paired the altar of the Lord, offered sacrifices 
 and commanded the people of Judah to serve 
 the Lord God of Israel. However, they con- 
 tinued to offer sacrifices in High Places, though 
 only to the Lord. 
 
 The history of Manasseh, it has been said, is 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 139 
 
 an impressive illustration of Divine mercy and 
 forbearance. After his death, he was buried in 
 the garden of his own house. 
 
 The successor of Manasseh to the throne of 
 Judah, was Amon, his son, who was twenty-two 
 when he began to reign, but he continued in 
 power only two years. He followed the example 
 of his father before Manasseh's reformation, and 
 was regarded as one of the wicked kings. His 
 servants formed a conspiracy and slew him in 
 his palace, and his son Josiah was elected king, 
 but the people put to death the conspirators. 
 
 It frequently occurred that a righteous and 
 successful sovereign, was the son and, successor 
 of a wicked and inefficient one, and vice versa, a 
 fact which suggests the idea that the moral and 
 intellectual faculties are not hereditary. Per- 
 haps with the Hebrew kings, something was due 
 to the training of the royal princes. They were, 
 doubtless, kept secluded from public affairs and 
 trained by teachers of widely different moral and 
 intellectual qualifications, therefore many of the 
 princes were utterly unprepared by any previous 
 training, to assume the reins of government when 
 called to the responsible office. 
 
CHAPTEE XL 
 
 JGSIAH, JEH0AHAZ, JEHOIAKIM, JEHOIACHIN OK 
 JECONIAH, ZEDEKIAH. 
 
 Josiah, son of Anion, succeeded his father, on 
 the throne of Judah, at the age of eight years, 
 and reigned thirty-one years. He early mani- 
 fested a respect for the doctrines of the eminent 
 lawgiver of his nation, in opposition to the prac- 
 tices of many of his predecessors. He was 
 chosen king at a very important and critical pe- 
 riod in his nation's history, B. c. 640. The king- 
 dom of Israel had been overthrown by the Assy- 
 rians, B. c. 727, and Nebuchadnezzar, king of 
 Babylon, had extended his conquests and brought 
 under his authority, a large part of the East. It 
 is not known who acted as regent during the 
 early years of the boy king of Judah, but it may 
 have been Jedidah his mother w^ho probably 
 trained her son in the religion of the patriarchs. 
 
 When Josiah was nearly sixteen years of age, 
 he began to arrange his plans for reforms in his 
 dominions, and to adopt measures for the restora- 
 tion of the worship of Jehovah, and at the age 
 of twenty, he vigorously pursued the accomplish- 
 140 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 141 
 
 ment of his purpose. His first effort was to 
 abolish idolatry in Jerusalem, and then in other 
 parts of his kingdom, by destroying the idols 
 and altars dedicated to the worship of heathen 
 gods. At the age of twenty-six, the restoration 
 of the worship of the Supreme Divinity and the 
 regular services of the temple, were nearly ac- 
 complished, and while carrying forward the 
 work, the Book of the Law which had been con- 
 cealed in the house of God, was discovered. 
 This copy of the Sacred Writings may have been 
 concealed by some priest to save it from destruc- 
 tion during the reign of an idolatrous king. 
 
 "When informed of the contents of the Book, 
 Josiah determined to follow its directions and 
 observe the festivals commanded by Moses, which 
 had been neglected. He provided means for the 
 repairs of the house of God, and the silver con- 
 tributed for this purpose was counted by Hilkiah 
 the high priest, and delivered to the overseers 
 of the work, who gave it to the carpenters, ma- 
 sons, and other workmen, to purchase timber 
 and hewn stone for the repair of the temple, 
 though " no account of the amount delivered was 
 kept, because they dealt faithfully," it is said. 
 
 A more definite account of the discovery is as 
 follows : While the work of repairs was going 
 forward, the high priest said to Shaphan, the 
 scribe, " I have found the Book of the Law in 
 
142 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 the house of the Lord." The scribe took it to 
 the king and read it, and when Josiah heard 
 what was written, he rent his clothes as a sign 
 of grief and called the high priest with others 
 to inquire of the Lord for himself and his subjects 
 concerning the words of the Book, for said he, 
 " The wrath of the Lord is against us, because 
 our fathers have not done all that is written 
 therein." 
 
 Hilkiah and his associates went to Huldah, the 
 prophetess, who dwelt in the college at Jerusa- 
 lem, and consulted with her. She said the Lord 
 would bring evil upon Jerusalem and the people 
 because they have forsaken Him for other gods, 
 but to the king of Judah say, " Because thy heart 
 was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before 
 Me, I will gather thee to thy fathers in peace 
 and thou shalt not see the evil I will bring upon 
 this place." 
 
 The king, after hearing this message, sum- 
 moned all the elders, priests, prophets, the inhab- 
 itants of Jerusalem, and the people of other 
 places, both old and young, and read to them the 
 Book of the Covenant found in the house of the 
 Lord. After this instructive exercise, the king 
 stood by one of the pillars of the Temple, and 
 made a solemn covenant before the Lord to keep 
 His commandments with all the heart and soul, 
 and the people stood b}^ the covenant. Josiah 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 143 
 
 I 
 
 commanded the priests and the porters to bring 
 out of the temple all the vessels for Baal, the em- 
 blems of the grove and the heavenly bodies and 
 burn them without the gates of Jerusalem in the 
 field of Kedron, and carry the ashes to Bethel. 
 He removed from office all the priests who had 
 offered incense to I>aal, the sun, moon, and 
 planets, and brought the grove as a sacred em- 
 blem from the house of the Lord, burned it and 
 cast the ashes upon the graves of the dead. He 
 overthrew the houses of the Sodomites where the 
 women made hangings for the grove, and defiled 
 the High Places where the priests had burned in- 
 cense to false gods, and also degraded Tophet in 
 the valley of- Hinnom, where parents offered 
 their children a burnt-sacrifice to the god Moloch. 
 He removed the temples consecrated to the sun, 
 destroyed the altars and many other relics of 
 idolatry. The altar at Bethel, erected by Jero- 
 boam for the worship of the golden calves, was 
 destroyed, and when Josiah saw the sepulchres 
 in the mount, he removed the bones of the dead 
 and burned them, as had been predicted by one 
 of the prophets. " What is that I see ? " inquired 
 the king. "It is the sepulchre of the man of 
 God who came from Judah and proclaimed what 
 thou hast done against the altar at Bethel," was 
 the answer. " Let it remain," said Josiah ; there- 
 fore they did not molest his remains. 
 
144 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 The reforms of Josiah were more thorough 
 than those of any of his predecessors, but his zeal 
 led him to do some things that seemed cruel ; for 
 instance, he slew all the priests in Samaria who 
 had offered sacrifices in " High Places," but it may 
 have been necessary to protect the people of 
 Judah against idolatry. Josiah had superin- 
 tended his reforms in person, and had visited dif- 
 ferent parts of his kingdom, but after he had 
 accomplished his work, he returned to Jerusalem. 
 
 Frequent wars occurred between the Egyptians 
 and the Assyrians, before the conquest of the 
 latter power, and in one instance the conflict 
 lasted more than twenty years, when Egypt was 
 invaded and her cities laid waste, but she finally 
 regained her liberty, when Assyria was engaged 
 in a war with Babylon and Elam. Pharaoh 
 Necho II., king of Egypt, with a powerful army 
 began an expedition in quest of adventure, B. c. 
 608, and marched through Palestine, the common 
 highway for armies in their warlike excursions 
 between the Mle and the great rivers of Asia. 
 He encountered no opposition until he reached 
 the plain of Esdraelon, one of the famous battle- 
 fields of the world, when he was unexpectedly 
 opposed by the forces of Josiah. 
 
 Necho II. sent ambassadors to him with the 
 message, "What have I to do with thee, king of 
 Judah ? I am not against thee, but the people 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 145 
 
 with whom I am at war, according to the com- 
 mand of God. Forbear meddling with Him, that 
 He may not destroy thee." Josiah did not re- 
 gard the admonition of the king of Egypt ; but 
 fought against him in the second battle of Me- 
 giddo on the plain of Esdraelon, and was mor- 
 tally wounded by the archers, when he told his 
 servants to remove him from the battlefield. 
 They took him from his chariot, and placing him 
 in another, brought him to Jerusalem, where, 
 *after his death, he was buried in the sepulchre 
 of his fathers, and all his subjects throughout 
 Judea mourned for him. Songs and elegies were 
 composed in reference to his death, which were 
 used for a long time after. 
 
 Why Josiah should attack the army of the 
 Egyptians that had given him no cause for such 
 an act, is not apparent, but it was a fatal mistake 
 for himself and a serious one for his subjects, 
 since his kingdom was made tributary to the 
 conquerors. Josiah died but a short period be- 
 fore the conquest of the kingdom of Judah by 
 the Babylonians and the captivity of the people 
 for seventy years, beginning B. c. 588 or 586, 
 about one hundred and thirty-six years after that 
 of the ten tribes of Israel, their relatives and 
 neighbors, by the Ass} r rians. Josiah was suc- 
 ceeded at the early age of thirty-nine years by 
 his son Jehoahaz. 
 
146 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Jehoahaz, son and successor of Josiah, reigned 
 only three months, and was then twenty-three 
 years d¥ age. He was inclined to follow the ex- 
 ample of the unrighteous kings who preceded 
 him. Necho, king of Egypt, invaded the king- 
 dom of Judah, laid it under tribute, took Jehoa- 
 haz a prisoner, appointed Eliakim his brother 
 king and changed his name, to Jehoiakim. He 
 was twenty-five when he began to reign, and 
 continued his rule eleven years, but he did not 
 follow the example of his father, Josiah. Dur- 
 ing his reign, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, 
 invaded the kingdom of Judah, took the king 
 prisoner, bound him with fetters and carried him 
 to Babylon, together with the sacred vessels of 
 the house of the Lord, which he placed in his 
 temple at his capital. 
 
 When Nebuchadnezzar first invaded Judah, 
 the king became tributary, but after three years 
 Jehoiakim rebelled. This involved him in trou- 
 ble, of course, and brought upon himself and na- 
 tion great dangers. Besides the perils from the 
 Chaldeans, he was threatened by the Syrians, 
 Moabites, and Ammonites. These disasters were 
 sent to the people of Judah, it is said as a pun- 
 ishment for the sins of Manasseh. After the 
 death of Jehoiakim, he was succeeded by his son 
 Jehoiachin or Jeconiah at the age of eighteen, 
 who reigned only three months and ten days. 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 147 
 
 During his brief reign, Nebuchadnezzar came 
 again to Jerusalem, besieged it, and took Jehoia- 
 chin, his mother and servants, princes and of- 
 ficers, prisoners, with all the treasures of the 
 house of the Lord, and the king's house, cut in 
 pieces all the vessels of gold Solomon had placed 
 in the Temple and carried them to Babylon, to- 
 gether with the craftsmen and smiths, and 10,000 
 captives, leaving none but the poorer classes. The 
 king of Babylon appointed Mattaniah king of the 
 remnant left in Judea, and changed his name to 
 Zedekiah who was then twenty-one years of age. 
 He occupied the throne eleven years, but he very 
 imprudently rebelled against the king of Baby- 
 lon, which brought him to Jerusalem to which 
 he laid siege, and in the eleventh year of Zede- 
 kiah's reign it was captured. When the king of 
 Juclah was aware of his peril, he fled from the 
 city by night, but the Chaldeans pursued and 
 overtook him on the plain of Jericho, all his sol- 
 diers or guard having deserted him. The Baby- 
 lonians brought him to Kiblah, the headquarters 
 of the king of Babylon, when a fearful judgment 
 was passed upon him. He was compelled to 
 witness the death of his sons by the hand of his 
 captors, after which they put out his eyes, bound 
 him with fetters of brass, and carried him a pris- 
 oner to Babylon. The captain of Nebuchad- 
 nezzar's guard burned the house of the Lord at 
 
148 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Jerusalem, and the dwellings of the leading men, 
 threw down the walls of Jerusalem, broke in 
 pieces the pillars of brass and the brazen sea and 
 carried off the pieces together with the sacred 
 vessels, and everything which could be removed. 
 He then took the priests, the porter of the house 
 of the Lord, five of the king's guards, the princi- 
 pal scribe who marshalled the people, and sixty 
 other persons and conducted them to the king of 
 Babylon at Eiblah, where they were all slain, and 
 the king and people of Judah that survived, were 
 made captives. 
 
 There was a change in the government of 
 Babylon during the thirtieth year of the captiv- 
 ity when the new sovereign, Evil-merodach, re- 
 leased Jehoiachin from prison, spoke kindly to 
 him, changed his prison garments, set him on a 
 throne above other captive princes, and gave 
 him a daily allowance of food for the remainder 
 of his days. — The Jews remained in captivity 
 seventy years, and at the close of this period 
 when the Persians had overthrown the Babylon- 
 ian empire, they were allowed to return to their 
 native land, as many of them as chose to do so, 
 and rebuild Jerusalem their capital city, which 
 remained in their possession until the Roman 
 conquest in the early period of the present era, 
 
 The period occupied by the kingdom of Judah, 
 after the secession, was four hundred and four 
 
THE KINGS OF JUDAH. 
 
 149 
 
 and one-half years, during which there were 
 twenty sovereigns including Athaliah the queen 
 and an interregnum of eleven years. — The names 
 of several kings of Judah and those of the kings 
 of Israel were the same, a circumstance liable to 
 cause some perplexity, but the list of kings for 
 each nation, and the length of their reigns will 
 relieve the difficulty. 
 
 The Sovereigns of Judah. 
 
 1. 
 
 Rehoboam, 
 
 - 
 
 Reigned 17 years. 
 
 2. 
 
 Abijah or Abijam, 
 
 - 
 
 " 3 " 
 
 3. 
 
 Asa, 
 
 - 
 
 a 41 a 
 
 4. 
 
 Jehoshaphat, 
 
 - 
 
 " 25 " 
 
 5. 
 
 Joram or Jehoram, 
 
 - 
 
 If g u 
 
 6. 
 
 Ahaziah or Azariah, 
 
 - 
 
 " 1 " 
 
 7. 
 
 Athaliah, Queen, 
 
 - 
 
 it 6 tt 
 
 8. 
 
 Joash or Jehoash, 
 
 - 
 
 « 40 " 
 
 9. 
 
 Amaziah, 
 
 - 
 
 " 29 " 
 
 
 IXTEEEEGNUM, 
 
 - 
 
 11 " 
 
 10. 
 
 Uzziah or Azariah, 
 
 - 
 
 11 52 " 
 
 11. 
 
 Jotham, 
 
 - 
 
 " 16 u 
 
 12. 
 
 Ahaz, 
 
 - 
 
 " 16 " 
 
 13. 
 
 Hezekiah, « - 
 
 - 
 
 11 29 " 
 
 14. 
 
 Manasseh, 
 
 - 
 
 " 55 " 
 
 15. 
 
 Anion, 
 
 - 
 
 " 2 " 
 
 16. 
 
 Josiah, 
 
 - 
 
 ii 31 ii 
 
 17. 
 
 Jehoahaz, 
 
 - 
 
 11 3 months. 
 
 18. 
 
 Jehoiakim, 
 
 - 
 
 " 11 years. 
 
 19. 
 
 Jehoiachin or Jeconiah, 
 
 " 3 mo. and 10 dys 
 
 20. 
 
 Zedekiah, 
 
 The Captivity. 
 
 - 
 
 '* 11 years. 
 
150 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 The Prophets of Judah after the Secession. 
 
 1. Shernaiah, during the reign of Rehoboam and Abijah. 
 
 2. Oded, during the reign of Asa. 
 
 3. Azariah, during the reign of Asa. 
 
 4. Hanani, during the reign of Asa. 
 
 5. Jehu, son of Hanani, during the reign of Asa. 
 
 6. Eliezer, during the reign of Jehoshaphat. 
 
 7. Jahaziel, during the reign of Joram or Jehoram. 
 
 8. Zechariah I., during the reign of Amaziah. 
 
 9. Zechariah II., during the reign of Uzziah or Azariah. 
 
 10. Isaiah, during the reign of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Heze- 
 
 kiah. 
 
 11. Micah, during the reign of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah. 
 
 12. Nahum, during tne reign of Hezekiah (supposed) . 
 
 13. Joel, during the reign of Manasseh, Anion (supposed). 
 
 14. Jeremiah, during the reign of Josiah. 
 
 15. Habakkuk, during the reign of Jehoahaz (supposed). 
 
 16. Zephaniah, during the reign of Jehoiakim. 
 
 17. Ezekiel, during the captivity of Jehoiakim. 
 
 18. Daniel, during the reign of Zedekiah. 
 
 19. Obadiah, during the reign of Zedekiah (supposed). 
 
 20. Haggai, after the captivity. 
 
 21. Zechariah III., after the captivity. 
 
 22. Nehemiah, after the captivity. 
 
 
The Kings of Israel. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 JEROBOAM I., NADAB, BAASHA, ELAH, ZIMRI, 
 OMRI. 
 
 The history of the remarkable man who 
 founded the Kingdom of Israel and became its 
 first sovereign, after the secession, is interesting, 
 eventful and romantic, but sad, since he has the 
 reputation of being the oi*e who "made Israel 
 sin," by instituting the worship of the " golden 
 calves," at Dan and Bethel. 
 
 Jeroboam, son of Nebat, was a native of Zereda, 
 a place belonging to the tribe of Ephraim. He 
 was bold and shrewd, enterprising, and un- 
 scrupulous, and on account of his qualities, he 
 won the attention of King Solomon, who con- 
 sidered the young man a suitable person to levy 
 certain taxes on the tribes of Ephraim and 
 Manasseh, therefore he was appointed ruler over 
 these descendants of Joseph. While on his way 
 from Jerusalem to attend to his duties, dressed 
 
 151 
 
152 BIBLE CHABACTEBS. 
 
 in a new garment or mantle, he was met by the 
 prophet Ahijah, and when the two men were 
 alone in the field, the man of God caught hold of 
 the mantle of Jeroboam and rent it into twelve 
 pieces, then said to him, " Take ten pieces, for 
 thus saith the Lord God of Israel, ' I will rend the 
 kingdom from Solomon and give ten tribes to 
 thee, because he has forsaken me and has wor- 
 shipped the gods of the Zidonians, Moabites, and 
 Ammonites, and has not kept my laws, as David 
 kept them. However, I will not take the whole 
 kingdom out of his hands, but will make him 
 prince during his life, for David's sake. I will 
 give thee ten tribes and thou shalt reign king over 
 Israel. If thou wilt keep my commandments, I 
 will be with thee and establish thee in thy king- 
 dom.' " 
 
 When Solomon was informed of the message of 
 Ahijah, he attempted to take the life of Jero- 
 boam, but being aware of his danger, he escaped 
 to Egypt, where he remained until the death of 
 his enemy, and when he heard that Rehoboam 
 had succeeded his father in the government, 
 Jeroboam returned to Palestine, and with a num- 
 ber of the leading men he appeared at court and 
 offered a petition for the relief of some of their 
 burdens, but the king, very injudiciously, not 
 only refused to lessen their burdens, but declared 
 that he would increase them. This caused ten 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 153 
 
 tribes to revolt and elect Jeroboam for their 
 king, but he soon forgot or set aside the obliga- 
 tion he owed the Lord who gave him the king- 
 dom, and thought only of advancing his own in- 
 terests. 
 
 It was important in order to secure their alle- 
 giance, to prevent his subjects from going to 
 Jerusalem to offer sacrifices and observe the an- 
 nual festivals, for were they allowed to do so, 
 they would be inclined, perhaps, to return to the 
 house of David. To prevent this, the shrewd 
 politician caused two golden calves to be made 
 and placed, one in Dan and the other in Bethel, 
 the extreme limits of his dominions, and issued a 
 proclamation to be circulated throughout his 
 kingdom, that none of his subjects should go to 
 Jerusalem to worship, and directing their atten- 
 tion to the calves he said, " Behold thy gods, 
 Israel, which brought thee out of Egypt." 
 
 Jeroboam erected temples and ordained priests 
 from the lowest classes, not of the tribe of Levi, 
 according to the law, and appointed priests for 
 the High Places, where idols were worshipped. 
 He instituted festivals similar to those required 
 by the Mosaic law, and offered sacrifices upon 
 altars dedicated to his gods. As Jeroboam stood 
 by the altar at Bethel to burn incense, on a cer- 
 tain occasion, a man of God who came from 
 Judah exclaimed, " O altar ! altar ! thus saith the 
 
154 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Lord, ' Behold a child shall be born to the house 
 of David, Josiah by name, who shall offer priests 
 and burn men's bones upon the altar, and as a 
 sign that he'" — the man of God — "'was pro- 
 claiming the will of the Lord, the altar shall be 
 rent and the ashes shall be scattered.' " 
 
 When Jeroboam heard the words of the 
 prophet, he attempted to seize him, but as he ex- 
 tended his hand, it became paralyzed and the 
 altar was rent as the man of God had predicted. 
 Jeroboam said, " Entreat the Lord thy God that 
 my hand may be restored." The prophet offered 
 a prayer as requested, when his hand was re- 
 stored to its use. "Come home with me and 
 dine, and I will give thee a reward," said Jero- 
 boam. The prophet replied, " If thou wilt give 
 me half of thy house, I will not go with thee, 
 neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this 
 place, for so it was charged me by the word of 
 the Lord ;" therefore he departed by another 
 road and returned not by Bethel. 
 
 There lived in this town an aged prophet, and 
 his sons came and told him what the man of God 
 had done, and the words he spake to Jeroboam, 
 when their father inquired which way he went, 
 and ordered them to saddle the ass, when he rode 
 to seek the man of God, and found him sitting 
 under an oak tree. He inquired, " Art thou the 
 man of God who came from Judah ? " He said, 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 155 
 
 "I am." " Come home with me and eat bread." 
 " I cannot return," he replied, " for I was told by 
 the word of the Lord not to eat or drink here, 
 nor return by the way I came." 
 
 The aged man said, " I am a prophet, and an 
 angel told me to bring the messenger from Judah 
 back to my house that he may eat and drink." 
 This old prophet uttered a falsehood, and the 
 man being deceived, returned with him. As 
 they sat at the table, the host said to his guest, 
 " As thou hast disobeyed the Lord, thy body 
 shall not be buried in the sepulchre of thy 
 fathers." After they had finished their meal, 
 the old prophet saddled the ass of his visitor, 
 when he departed, but as he was on his way, a 
 lion met and killed him, but left his body with 
 that of the ass in the road, and stood by them. 
 Those passing by and seeing the dead man went 
 to the city and related the incident, when the 
 aged prophet, who was the cause of the disaster, 
 said, " It was the man who was disobedient to 
 the word of the Lord, therefore he was slain by 
 the lion." He said to his sons, " Saddle for me 
 the ass," when he went and found the remains of 
 the man from Judah and the lion standing by 
 them. He took up the dead man, placed him 
 upon an ass, and bringing him to the city, laid 
 him in his own tomb and mourned over him, 
 saying, "Alas, my brother." He then told his 
 
156 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 sons to bury him after his death, beside his 
 remains. " The prophecy concerning the altar at 
 Bethel and the High Places in the cities of 
 Samaria, shall certainly come to pass." 
 
 Abijah, Jeroboam's son, was sick, and the 
 father told his wife to disguise herself that it 
 might not be known who she was, and go to 
 JShiloh and seek for Ahijah the prophet, who had 
 informed him that he should be king of Israel, 
 and inquire about the result of the illness of his 
 €hild. " Take ten loaves and cracknels (or biscuit), 
 and a cruse of honey, and he will tell thee what 
 will happen to our son." 
 
 Jeroboam's wife followed his directions and 
 came to the house of Ahijah, at Shiloh. On 
 account of his advanced age, the prophet had 
 lost his sight, but the Lord said to him, " The 
 wife of Jeroboam cometh to thee about her son 
 who is sick, but she will pretend to be another 
 woman." 
 
 When Ahijah heard her footsteps, he said, 
 " Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam. Why do you 
 pretend to be another person ? I have for thee 
 heavy tidings. Go tell Jeroboam thus saith the 
 Lord God of Israel, ' Though I have exalted thee 
 a prince over my people Israel, and have rent the 
 kingdom from the house of David, and have 
 given it to thee, yet thou hast not been as my 
 servant David who kept my commandments with 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 157 
 
 all his heart, but thou hast done evil above all 
 that were before thee, and hast gone after other 
 gods, therefore, I will utterly destroy the house 
 of Jeroboam. Go to thy home, and when you 
 enter the city, the child will die, and he only 
 shall come in peace to the grave of his family. 
 The Lord shall smite Israel and scatter them 
 beyond the Kiver (Euphrates) because of the sins 
 of Jeroboam, who led Israel astray.'" Jero- 
 boam's wife returned to Tirzah, where her hus- 
 band awaited her, and as soon as she came to the 
 door of his house, the child died. 
 
 Jeroboam did not reform his life, and after a 
 reign of twenty-two years, he died and was suc- 
 ceeded by his son Nadab, as king of Israel. 
 
 There is no one of the kings of Israel, perhaps, 
 who is so responsible for the degeneracy of his 
 nation as Jeroboam. He established idolatry 
 and heathen practices in his kingdom, not from 
 conscientious motives, but from selfishness. He 
 is frequently charged with the fearful crime of 
 causing Israel to sin, referring to their religious 
 practices. 
 
 The second king of Israel was JSTaclab, son of 
 Jeroboam, whose reign continued only two years, 
 but he followed the heathen practices of his 
 father. Few public events during his reign are 
 recorded, and his death was tragical. There was 
 a war between the Israelites and the Philistines, 
 
158 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 their near neighbors, and Nadab laid siege to 
 Gribbethon, one of their cities. While besieging 
 this city, the king of Israel was assassinated by 
 Baasha, son of Ahijah, of the tribe of Issacher. 
 
 After the murder of Nadab, Baasha seized the 
 government of Israel and smote all the family of 
 Jeroboam, not sparing a single member, accord- 
 ing to the word of the prophet Ahijah the 
 Shilonite. 
 
 During Baasha's reign, which continued twenty- 
 four years, there was a war between him and Asa, 
 king of Judah. To prevent any of his subjects 
 from deserting to the king of Judah, the king of 
 Israel built Ramah as a fortified town, and prob- 
 ably placed a garrison there to hold it. Ramah 
 or Rama was the name of several cities in Pales- 
 tine. There was one about thirty miles north- 
 west of Jerusalem, on the road to Joppa, and 
 was probably the one mentioned in this narrative. 
 
 Baasha formed an alliance with Ben-hadad, 
 king of Syria, and made Tirzah, a city of Eph- 
 raim, his capital and the royal seat of the kings 
 of Israel, from the time of Jeroboam to that of 
 Omri, who built Samaria for the capital of the 
 kingdom of Israel. 
 
 As Baasha was disposed to follow the example 
 of Jeroboam, Jehu, the son of Hanani, delivered 
 a prophecy against him, as follows : " Though I 
 exalted thee from the dust, and made thee prince 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL, 159 
 
 over my people Israel, yet thou lias walked in 
 the way °f Jeroboam, therefore I will remove 
 thee and thy posterity, and make thy house like 
 that of Jeroboam, and him that dieth of the 
 family of Baasha in the city, shall the dogs eat, 
 and him that dieth in the fields, shall the fowls 
 of the air eat." 
 
 A brief summary of the reign of this king is as 
 follows : He was the commander of the armies of 
 King Nadab, whom he treacherously murdered 
 at the siege of Gibbethon, and assumed the gov- 
 ernment of Israel, which he ruled twenty-four 
 years, and during that time, formed a league with 
 the king of Syria, and carried on a war with the 
 king of Judah, and put to death all the family of 
 Jeroboam. He, however, followed the wicked ex- 
 ample of his predecessors, but unlike many of 
 them, was saved from a violent death. 
 
 Elah, son of Baasha, succeeded, his father and 
 reigned two years with his capital at Tirzah. As 
 he was indulging in a drunken revel, in the 
 house of Arza, his steward, Zimri, a captain of 
 his chariots, entered the banquet hall, slew the 
 king and seized the government. As soon as he 
 had accomplished his purpose, he destroyed all the 
 family of Baasha as the prophet Jehu had pre- 
 dicted. He reigned only seven days, the shortest 
 reign of any of the kings of Israel. 
 
 When the people of Israel at the siege of Gib- 
 
160 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 bethon heard that Zimri had slain Elah, they 
 elected Omri captain of the army, in the camp, 
 when he, with his followers, left Gibbethon and 
 ' laid siege to Tirzah. As soon as Zimri saw that 
 the city was taken, he went into the royal palace 
 and set fire to it, burning the house and himself 
 with it. Thus ended the life of the traitor and 
 murderer, after exercising royal authority only 
 seven days. 
 
 There was a division, however, among the 
 tribes of Israel in regard to the succession, a 
 part choosing Tibni, son of Ginath, for king, and 
 a. part preferred Omri. The controversy might 
 have led to a civil war, had not Tibni died. His 
 decease left the kingdom to Omri, who has the 
 reputation of doing worse than any of his prede- 
 cessors. He reigned twelve years and during 
 that time he made some important changes. 
 Tirzah was his capital for the first six years of his 
 reign, but at the end of that period, he purchased 
 the hill of Samaria of Shemer for two talents of 
 silver, and built *a city on the hill which he 
 named Samaria after the original owner, and 
 made it his capital, when it became the metropolis 
 of the Israelites until their captivity and disper 
 sion. After his death, Omri was buried in 
 Samaria, and was succeeded by Ahab, his son. 
 

 Si 
 
 1 
 
CHAPTEK XIII. 
 
 AHAB. 
 
 One of the most prominent sovereigns of 
 Israel, was Ahab, son of Omri, who is represented 
 as exceeding in wickedness all those who reigned 
 before him. His reign of twenty-two years was 
 memorable for some events connected with the 
 history of the prophet Elijah. Some of the 
 charges against Ahab as recorded by the sacred 
 writers are, that he married Jezebel, a shrewd 
 but wicked heathen princess, a daughter of the 
 king of the Zidonians. She exercised a power- 
 ful influence over the king of Israel who led him 
 to worship Baal, to whom he built a temple, 
 erected an altar, and planted a grove for the 
 worship of false gods. 
 
 During the reign of Ahab, three different wars 
 occurred between the Syrians and the Israelites. 
 Ben-hadad, king of Syria, on a certain occasion, 
 with a powerful army of cavalry and chariots, 
 accompanied by thirty-two confederate kings 
 with their forces, invaded the kingdom of Israel, 
 and besieged Samaria. He first sent a threaten- 
 ing and insulting message to Ahab with a menace 
 
 161 
 
162 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 of great destruction unless he submitted to his 
 terms, when the king of Israel uttered the 
 proverb often quoted, " Let not him that girdeth 
 on his harness, boast himself, as he that putteth 
 it off." 
 
 When Ben-hadad heard this message, he said 
 to his confederates, " Set yourselves in array 
 against the city," meaning Sanjaria. His pur- 
 pose was to take it by storm. 
 
 At this aspect of affairs, the king of Israel was 
 doubtful about the result of the siege, when a 
 prophet came to him with the encouraging mes- 
 sage that the Israelites would conquer, and that 
 the Lord was their Deliverer. Ahab inquired by 
 whom the victory would be won. The answer 
 was, " Ify the princes of the provinces." " And 
 who shall command the troops ? " The reply 
 was, " Thou." The king mustered the princes 
 and found they numbered 230, while the soldiers, 
 capable of bearing arms, included 7,000, a very 
 small force to meet so formidable a host as the 
 Syrians. 
 
 When Ben-hadad was indulging in a drunken 
 feast with the thirty-two confederate kings, in 
 their tents or pavilions, he was told the Israelites 
 were coming. He said, " Whether they come for 
 peace or war, take them alive." The soldiers of 
 Ahab made an attack upon the Syrians, killing 
 great numbers, while the remainder fled, pursued 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 163 
 
 by the conquerors, and the king escaped on horse- 
 back accompanied by his cavalry. Ben-hadad, 
 though defeated, did not relinquish his purpose of 
 subduing the Israelites, therefore a prophet came 
 to Ahab saying, " Strengthen thyself and see 
 what thou doest, for the king of Syria will make 
 another attack." The subjects of the Syrian 
 monarch said to him, " The gods of the Israelites 
 are gods of the hills, therefore are stronger than 
 we are. Let us fight them in the plain, and surely 
 we shall win the victory. Remove the kings 
 from the army and place captains in their posi- 
 tions. Go immediately and raise an army like 
 the one lost, horse for horse, and chariot for 
 chariot, then we shall conquer." The king ap- 
 proved their plan and at the beginning of the 
 year, marched to Aphek to fight the Israelites. 
 The latter compared to the enemy were like 
 "two little flocks of kids," as it is expressed, 
 while the Syrians, on adcount of their numbers, 
 occupied the entire region in the vicinity of 
 Aphek. 
 
 A prophet came to the king of Israel, with the 
 message " Thus saith the Lord, 'Because the Syr- 
 ians said, u The Lord is God of the hills and not of 
 the valleys, I will deliver this great multitude 
 into thy hands." ' " The contending forces en- 
 camped opposite each other several days, both, 
 apparently, reluctant to begin the conflict, but 
 
164 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 on the seventh day the battle began, when the 
 Syrians were defeated, losing 100,000 infantry 
 and the remainder fled to Aphek, when the walls 
 of the city fell upon the fighters killing 27,000, 
 making the entire loss 127,000. Ben-hadad fled 
 and concealed himself in a chamber when his 
 scouts, or perhaps, bodyguard said to him, " The 
 kings of Israel are merciful. Let us put on sack- 
 cloth and with ropes on our heads, go to Ahab, 
 perhaps he will save our lives.' 5 This advice was 
 followed. 
 
 "When the king of Israel heard that Ben-hadad 
 was alive, he said, " He is my brother ; conduct 
 him to me," when Ahab invited him to a seat in 
 his chariot. The captive said to his conqueror, 
 " The cities my father took from thy father, I 
 will restore, and thou shalt occupy streets in 
 Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." Ahab 
 released his prisoner and made a covenant with 
 him and sent him to his 'own country. 
 
 A prophet in disguise waited for Ahab, and as 
 he passed by said to the king, ""When thy 
 servant was in the army, one was brought to 
 him as a prisoner, and I was told to keep him 
 safe for if he is missing, thy life shall be given 
 for his, or thou shalt pay a talent of silver " (per- 
 haps between $1,000 and $2,000). " When thy 
 servant was busy, here and there, the prisoner 
 escaped." The king said, " So shall thy judg- 
 
TEE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 165 
 
 ment be. Thou hast decided it." "When the 
 messenger had removed his disguise, Ahab recog- 
 nized him as a prophet and expected to hear 
 some prediction, which was, " Thus saith the 
 Lord, ' Because thou hast let this man ' " (Ben- 
 hadad) " ' go who w x as appointed to be destroyed, 
 thy life shall be given for his, and thy people for 
 his people.' " Ahab went to his palace sad and 
 displeased and soon came to Samaria, the capital 
 of his dominions. 
 
 Naboth, an inhabitant of the city of Jezreel, 
 owned a vineyard near the king's palace, and 
 Ahab thought it would be a desirable place for a 
 garden, therefore he would like to own it. He 
 made an offer to the owner for it which was to 
 give him another and better vineyard, or if he 
 preferred, to pay him in money. Naboth said, 
 "The Lord forbid that I should sell the inherit- 
 ance of my fathers." The king was greatly dis- 
 appointed and offended at the reply of the owner, 
 and going to his palace, he lay down upon his 
 bed with his face to the wall, indicating a 
 troubled mind, and refused to take any food. 
 His conduct was that of an indulged and disap- 
 pointed child. 
 
 While he was bemoaning his fortune, Jezebel, 
 his wife, came to him and inquired the cause of 
 his sadness, when he related the circumstances 
 about the vineyard. She replied, " Do you gov- 
 
166 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 ern the kingdom of Israel ? Arise and take your 
 food. I will manage to get the vineyard for you." 
 
 This crafty and unscrupulous woman accom- 
 plished her purpose in the following* manner. 
 She wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed 
 them Avith the royal seal, then sent them to the 
 elders and nobles in Naboth's city, that is Jezreel, 
 directing them to proclaim a fast and bring 
 Naboth before the people with two "sons of 
 Belial " for witnesses to testify (falsely, of course) 
 that the prisoner had blasphemed God and the 
 king, and then conduct him outside the city and 
 stone him. 
 
 After the queen's orders had been complied 
 with, she was informed of the fact, when she told 
 Ahab and urged him to take immediate posses- 
 sion of the vineyard,, which was done. 
 
 Elijah received a Divine command to go and 
 meet Ahab who was in the vineyard of Naboth 
 investigating its value for the purpose of a garden, 
 doubtless pleased with the possession which cost 
 him nothing. The prophet's message was as 
 follows : " Hast thou killed and taken posses- 
 sion? Thus saith the Lord, 'In the place 
 where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall 
 dogs lick thy blood.' " Ahab said to Elijah, 
 " Hast thou found me, O my enemy ? " He an- 
 swered, "I have found thee. Thou hast sold 
 thyself to do evil in the sight of the Lord." He 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 167 
 
 then predicted the utter destruction of all his 
 posterity. The prophet declared that, " The 
 dogs should eat the flesh of Jezebel by the wall 
 of Jezreel, and that the dogs and fowls would eat 
 all belonging to her family. "When Ahab heard 
 these words, he rent his clothes and dressed him- 
 self in sackcloth and fasted, when the word of 
 the Lord came to Elijah, that because the king 
 humbled himself, these fearful punishments would 
 be deferred until his son's day. 
 
 After three years, another war occurred be- 
 tween Syria and Israel, when Ahab invited 
 Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to join him in the 
 contest. He consented, but proposed that Ahab 
 should inquire of the prophets about the ex- 
 pediency of the war. The king of Israel called 
 together four hundred prophets, of Baal perhaps, 
 and said to them, " Shall I go against Eamoth- 
 Gilead," (a place the Syrians had captured), "to 
 battle or not ? " They replied, " Go, for the 
 Lord will deliver it into thy hands." The king 
 of Judah inquired, " Is there not a prophet of the 
 Lord of whom we may inquire ? " Ahab said, 
 44 There was ofie, Micaiah, the son of Imlah, but 
 I hate him, for he prophesies nothing but evil of 
 me." Jehoshaphat replied, 44 Let not the king 
 say so." 
 
 One of the advisers of Ahab named Zedekiah, 
 had made iroii horns, saying, 44 Thus saith the 
 
168 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Lord, ' With these thou shalt push the Syrians until 
 they are destroyed,' " and all the other prophets 
 and the messengers of the king assented to his 
 prediction. Ahab called an officer and gave 
 orders to bring Micaiah in haste. The kings of 
 Israel and Judah dressed in their royal robes, 
 sat each upon his throne when the prophet was 
 conducted into their presence. Ahab inquired, 
 " Shall we go against Eamoth-Gilead ? " He re- 
 plied, " Go and prosper for the Lord will deliver 
 it into thy hands." Ahab doubtless considered 
 this as irony, for he said, " How many times shall 
 I adjure thee to tell me nothing but the truth ? " 
 The prophet then said, " I saw all Israel scattered 
 upon the hills as sheep without a shepherd. The 
 Lord said these have no masters. Let every man 
 return to his home in peace." Ahab said to the 
 king of Judah, a Did I not tell thee he would 
 prophesy no good concerning me but only evil ? " 
 Then Micaiah said, " I saw the Lord sitting on His 
 throne, and all the host standing on His right 
 hand and on His left, when He said, ' Who will 
 persuade Ahab to go to Eamoth-Gilead that he 
 may fall? 5 One said this thing and another 
 that, when at length there came forth a spirit 
 and stood before the Lord, saying, 'I will per- 
 suade him.' The Lord said, ' wherewith ? ' 
 He answered, ' I will be a lying spirit in the 
 mouth of his prophets. 5 ' Go forth and do so, 5 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. ' 169 
 
 was the command. Now, therefore, the Lord 
 hath put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these 
 prophets." When Micaiah had expressed himself 
 in this manner, Zedekiah smote him on the cheek, 
 saying, " Which way went the Spirit of the Lord 
 from me to speak to thee?" The prophet re- 
 plied, " Thou shalt see in the day when thou shalt 
 go into an inner chamber to hide thyself." Ahab 
 said, " Take Micaiah to Amon, the governor of 
 the city, and Joash, the king's son, and say to 
 them the king commands you to put him in 
 prison and give him only bread and water until 
 I return in peace." The prophet said, " If you 
 return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. 
 Listen, O people, every one of you." 
 
 The prophet's warning was not heeded, and 
 the two kings with their armies began their 
 march to Eamoth-Gilead, a celebrated city in the 
 kingdom of Israel east of the Jordan, situated 
 among the mountains of Gilead, hence the name. 
 Ahab proposed the following plan of attack. He 
 would disguise himself, that is lay aside his royal 
 attire and appear as a private soldier, while the 
 king of Judah was to dress in robes such as kings 
 wore. The artful policy of Ahab is apparent. 
 He was aware the Syrian king considered him 
 his chief enemy and would direct his followers to 
 conquer and if possible kill him. This arrange- 
 ment was carried out and when the king of Syria 
 
170 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 gave orders to the thirty -two captains command- 
 ing his chariots, he told them to fight with no 
 one but the king of Israel and his followers. He 
 probably knew about the alliance between the 
 kings of Israel and Judah. 
 
 After the battle began, the Syrian soldiers, 
 seeing Jehoshaphat in his royal attire, supposed 
 he was the king of Israel, therefore they vigor- 
 ously attacked his forces when, seeing he was in 
 danger of being defeated, he shouted to his 
 assailants, that he was not the king of Israel. 
 The Syrians then gave up the pursuit of the king 
 of Judah, but the battle went on, when a certain 
 man, it is not known whether he was a Syrian or 
 an Israelite, fired an arrow at a venture, or with- 
 out any particular aim, and smote Ahab who was 
 seated in his chariot, between his lower armor 
 and breastplate, when he ordered the driver to 
 carry him out of the army, for he was wounded, 
 though he was supported in his chariot until the 
 close of the day, when he died. The blood from 
 his wound had flowed into the chariot, and when 
 it was washed in the pool of Samaria, the dogs 
 came and lapped the blood, according to the pre- 
 diction of the prophet. He was buried in Sa- 
 maria, and was succeeded by his son. 
 
 Though Ahab was an idolater and committed 
 many fearful crimes, yet he did much for the 
 improvement of his kingdom in founding cities 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 171 
 
 and some architectural works, as the construction 
 of an ivory palace. 
 
 Jezebel survived her husband a few years, but 
 finally met with a tragical death. — (See Jehosha- 
 phat, king of Judah.) 
 
CHAPTEE XIV. 
 
 AHAZIAH, JOKAM OR JEHORAM, JEHU. 
 
 Ahaziah, the son and successor of Ahab, 
 reigned two years, and followed the example of 
 his parents in his religious practices. His early 
 death was caused by an accident. He fell down 
 through a lattice or open window, from an upper 
 chamber, and was severely injured, when he sent 
 messengers to inquire of Beelzebub, the god of 
 Ekron, whether he w r ould recover from the acci- 
 dent. Elijah w r as sent by the angel of the Lord to 
 meet the messengers of the king and say to them, 
 " Is it because there is not a God in Israel that ye 
 go to inquire of Beelzebub, the god of Ekron ? 
 Now r , therefore, thus saith the Lord, ' Thou shalt 
 not leave thy bed, but shalt surely die. 5 " The 
 messengers returned and related the words of the 
 prophet, when the king inquired what kind of a 
 man he was. They described him, when Ahaziah 
 said it was Elijah the Tishbite. An account of 
 the fruitless attempts to arrest the prophet is 
 related in a sketch of his life. Ahaziah died 
 according to the word of the Lord and was suc- 
 ceeded by his brother Joram or Jehoram, whosQ 
 
 172 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 173 
 
 reign continued twelve years. Though his gov- 
 ernment was not faultless, yet he did not entirely 
 follow the evil conduct of his parents, Ahab and 
 Jezebel, since he removed the image of Baal his 
 father had made. 
 
 Joram became engaged in a war with the 
 Moabites, who had been made tributary to the 
 Israelites, but on the accession of a new king 
 they revolted and refused to pay the tribute 
 formerly given. The king of Israel sent to 
 Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to inquire Avhether 
 he would join in a war with Moab. He said he 
 would, therefore the sovereigns of Israel and 
 Judah, with the king of Edom, who joined the 
 confederacy, began their expedition, but in the 
 region through which they passed, there was no 
 water for their troops, and they were in great 
 distress. It was in this emergency that Elisha 
 the prophet was consulted, who predicted that 
 there would be a supply of water. The Moabites 
 being deceived, were overcome by the allied armies 
 of Israel, Judah, and Edom. 
 
 After this incident, the king of Syria ivent 
 with an army to Samaria and besieged the capital 
 city. When the people of the city had consumed 
 all their food, they were in imminent danger of 
 dying by famine. This caused great distress and 
 was the occasion of fearful scenes, such as that of 
 a mother killing and eating her own son. When 
 
174 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 King Joram heard of the revolting incident, he 
 rent his clothes and put on sackcloth as a sign of 
 great distress. Supposing that Elisha was the 
 cause of all the trouble, he sent an officer to slay 
 him, but the prophet was informed of the king's 
 intention by Divine revelation, and guarded his 
 door against the officer. He predicted that on 
 the morrow there would be plenty of food in 
 Samaria, but the Lord, on whose hand the king 
 leaned, sneered at the prediction, when the 
 prophet gave him warning of the fatal accident 
 that happened to him which came to pass as fore- 
 told. A more particular account is given in the 
 history of Elisha. 
 
 In a war with Hazael, king of Syria, Joram 
 was wounded in a battle at Ram ah, when he was 
 taken to Jezreel to be cured of his wounds. 
 While at this place, Ahaziah, king of Judah, 
 made him a visit to offer his sympathy to the 
 wounded king. At this crisis, Elisha sent one of 
 the sons of the prophets to Ramoth-Gilead, to 
 anoint Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel. 
 After this ceremony, Jehu went to Jezreel, where 
 Joram and Ahaziah were, and caused both of these 
 kings to be slain. 
 
 When King Joram heard that Jehu was coming, 
 he, with Ahaziah, king of Judah, went to meet 
 him and inquired, " Is it peace, Jehu ? " His 
 answer was, "What peace, so long as thy 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 175 
 
 mother, Jezebel, ruleth ? " Joram said to 
 Ahaziah, " There is treachery," when Jehu 
 drew his bow and shot the king of Israel, and 
 then slew the king of Judah. These two sover- 
 eigns having been disposed of, the conspirator 
 ascended the throne of Israel. 
 
 Jehu, it is affirmed, was chosen by Divine ap- 
 pointment to punish the family of Ahab for their 
 transgressions, yet he appears to have been ac- 
 tuated by hatred and a selfish ambition more than 
 a sincere regard for the worship of Jehovah. 
 Four of his descendants occupied the throne of 
 Israel, namely, Jehoahaz, Joash, Jeroboam II. 
 and Zachariah. Between the two last sovereigns 
 there was an interregnum of twenty-two years. 
 Who managed state affairs, or what was the con- 
 dition of the country during this period, can only 
 be conjectured. The government may have been 
 administrated by the high priest and his subor- 
 dinates. 
 
 Jehoahaz, son and successor of Jehu, reigned 
 seventeen years, and followed the example of 
 Jeroboam I. who introduced heathen practices. 
 During the reign of Jehoahaz there was a war 
 with the Syrians, the powerful enemy of the 
 Israelites, who had been subdued by their northern 
 neighbor, and their military strength was greatly 
 reduced, so that only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, 
 and ten thousand footmen remained of their 
 
176 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 available force. The king of Israel in his distress 
 besought the Lord for assistance, and was heard. 
 He had compassion on Israel, it is said, because 
 of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and 
 Jacob. 
 
 Joash or Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, reigned six- 
 teen years. He recovered the cities the Syrians 
 had captured from Israel, and was victorious in 
 three different battles with this nation. He re- 
 ceived a challenge from Amaziah, king of Judah, 
 to engage in a conflict with him, when the king of 
 Israel delivered the parable about the thistle and 
 the oak intended to teach the challenger his 
 folly in seeking a war with Israel. The parable 
 was as follows: "The thistle of Lebanon sent 
 to the cedar saying, ' Give thy daughter to my 
 son for a wife,' when there passed by a wild 
 beast and trod down the thistle. Thou hast in- 
 deed smitten Edom and thy heart hath lifted 
 thee up. Glory not in this, and tarry at home 
 for why shouldest thou fall and Judah with 
 thee ? " 
 
 Amaziah would not abandon his purpose, and 
 began a war, when at the battle of Beth-Shemesh, 
 he was defeated and his soldiers fled in a panic to 
 their tents. Joash took the king of Judah a 
 prisoner, marched to Jerusalem, broke down a 
 part of the wall of the city, took all the gold, 
 silver, and sacred vessels of the House of the 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 177 
 
 Lord and the treasures of the king's house and 
 returned to Samaria . 
 
 Jeroboam II, son of Joash reigned forty-one 
 years and adopted the policy of his namesake in 
 regard to religious worship, but he was, however, 
 an energetic and patriotic ruler who, by his suc- 
 cess in war recovered the lost possessions of the 
 Israelites, from Hamoth to the sea, and their 
 claims in Damascus. After a long reign, he was 
 succeeded by his son Zachariah, the last of the 
 family of Jehu. Between the reigns of the two 
 last members of the family of Jehu, the interreg- 
 num, as previously noticed, occurred, and accord- 
 ing to the history of nations under such con- 
 ditions, it is possible there were rivalries, sedi- 
 tions, and other lawless transactions, and it is 
 remarkable there is no record of a civil war. 
 Zachariah reigned only six months, but during 
 that short period, he pursued the evil ways of 
 some of his predecessors, and was assassinated by 
 Shallum, son of Jabesh, who usurped the royal 
 power. 
 
 Shallum, the assassin of Zachariah, who seized 
 the reins of government, held them only one 
 month when he was murdered by Menahem, son 
 of Gadi who went from Tirzah to Samaria for 
 this purpose that he might become the king of 
 Israel. He continued his government ten years 
 and proved to be a fearfully cruel despot, some 
 
178 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 of whose deeds are too revolting to be recorded, 
 especially his treatment of women. He captured 
 several cities and killed the inhabitants because 
 they did not acknowledge his right to govern 
 them. The kingdom of Israel was, during his 
 reign, threatened by an invasion of the Assyrians, 
 but Menahem gave the king of Assyria one thou- 
 sand talents of silver which he exapted from the 
 wealthy men in his kingdom, each one giving 
 fifty shekels. This tribute induced the king of 
 Assyria to return to his own country without a 
 war. Menahem, in his religion, followed heathen 
 practices and after his death was succeeded by 
 his son Pekahiah who reigned two years, and 
 adopted the practices of Jeroboam I., son of 
 Nebat. A conspiracy was formed by Pekah 
 son of Remaliah who went to the royal palace at 
 Samaria with more then fifty men associated 
 with him in the plot, and assassinated the king, 
 and assumed the government. During the twenty 
 years of Pekatis reign, Tiglath-Pileser, king of 
 Assyria, invaded the kingdom of Israel, captured 
 a large number of cities, and led the inhabitants 
 captive to Assyria. 
 
 Hoshea, son of Elah, formed a conspiracy, slew 
 Pekah and reigned over Israel nine years. Shal- 
 meneser, king of Assyria, invaded the kingdom 
 of Israel, Avhen Hoshea was brought under his 
 authority and gave him presents, but the king of 
 
THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. 179 
 
 Israel formed an alliance with the king of Egypt 
 and withheld his presents from the Assyrian king 
 who, in consequence, came to Samaria with an 
 army and laid siege to the city and, after three 
 years, captured it, and deported the inhabitants 
 to Assyria, and thus ended the kingdom founded 
 by Jeroboam, son of JSTebat, after an existence of 
 less than three hundred years, or according to 
 some chronologists, two hundred and seventy-one 
 years. The ten captive tribes of Israel never 
 returned to their native land as a nation, and 
 many speculations have been, cherished in regard 
 to them, as, " Will they ever return to Palestine? 
 Have they lost their, identity as a distinct race 
 and become a component factor of the different 
 nations among whom they dwell ? " 
 
 The history of the Israelites after the seces- 
 sion is, in some respects, peculiar. During the 
 short period of their existence, they had nine- 
 teen kings, some of whose reigns were very brief, 
 and all of them are charged with the offence of 
 idolatry to a greater or less extent. Some of 
 these sovereigns were assassinated by those am- 
 bitious to occupy their places. 
 
 The prophets of Israel were Ahijah, Elijah, 
 Micaiah, Elisha, Jonah, Hosea, Amos, (5ded, and 
 the Man from Judah, whose name is not men- 
 tioned. 
 
180 
 
 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 The Kings of Israel, After the Secession. 
 
 Reigned 22 years. 
 
 1. 
 
 Jeroboam I., 
 
 2. 
 
 Nadab, 
 
 3. 
 
 Baasha, 
 
 4. 
 
 Elah, 
 
 5. 
 
 Zimri, 
 
 6. 
 
 Omri, 
 
 7. 
 
 Ahab, 
 
 8. 
 
 Ahaziah, 
 
 9. 
 
 Joram or Jehoram, 
 
 10. 
 
 Jehu, 
 
 11. 
 
 Jehoahaz, 
 
 12. 
 
 Joash or Jehoash, 
 
 13. 
 
 Jeroboam II. , 
 
 
 Interregnum, 
 
 14. 
 
 Zachariah 
 
 15. 
 
 Shallum, 
 
 16. 
 
 Menahem, 
 
 17. 
 
 Pekahiah, 
 
 18. 
 
 Pekah 
 
 
 Anarchy, 
 
 19. 
 
 Hoshea, 
 
 " 2 
 
 a 
 
 " 24 
 
 a 
 
 " 2 
 
 a 
 
 u 7 
 
 iays. 
 
 " 12 
 
 years. 
 
 " 22 
 
 
 " 2 
 
 
 " 12 
 
 
 " 28 
 
 
 " 17 
 
 
 " 16 
 
 
 " 41 
 
 
 22 
 
 
 " 6 months 
 
 " 1 month. 
 
 " 10 
 
 years. 
 
 " 2 
 
 u 
 
 " 20 
 
 a 
 
 9 
 
 u 
 
 9 
 
 a 
 
 The Kingdom of Israel overthrown by the Assyrians, 724 B. c. 
 
The Eloquent Orator. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 HIS NATIVE PLACE. 
 
 Ancient Tarsus was an important city of the 
 province of Cilicia, in Asia Minor, situated on 
 the River Cydnus, about twelve miles from its 
 entrance into the Mediterranean, on a large and 
 fertile plain at the foot of the Taurus mountains. 
 
 Tarsus was a city of very great antiquity, and 
 it is not certain who was the founder. Its first 
 historical notice is given by Xenophon, author of 
 the Anabasis, and other works. It held an im- 
 portant position as a military post in the wars 
 of Alexander the Great and his successors, and 
 passed from one conquering power to another, 
 until it came under Roman control, when it was 
 made a free city and in the time of Augustus, it 
 was granted immunity from taxes. 
 
 The natives of Tarsus were distinguished for 
 their intelligence and fondness for philosophical 
 studies, and the city has given to the world some 
 
 181 
 
182 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 notable philosophers, poets, grammarians, his- 
 torians and physicians. Such was the native 
 place of the Apostle Paul, a Jew whose remark- 
 able career is given in the Sacred Scriptures. 
 
 The name of Paul's father is not known, but 
 he was of the tribe of Benjamin, it is supposed, 
 and doubtless a strict Pharisee who trained his 
 son in the same doctrines. Paul had a sister and 
 other relatives, some of whom were his fellow- 
 prisoners, and it is believed he had kinsmen at 
 Rome. It is supposed he belonged to a promi- 
 nent family, since he declared that he suffered 
 the loss of all things, but according to Jewish 
 law that the sons should be trained in some use- 
 ful occupation, whatever their station in life, 
 Paul was taught the mechanic art of tent-mak- 
 ing. 
 
 When the child was born, he was called Saul, 
 a Hebrew name signifying " asked for " which 
 was subsequently changed to Paul, a Latin word 
 for small. Little is positively known of his 
 personal appearance, though it is implied he was 
 low in stature, and according to tradition, he was 
 small, well-built, and graceful in motion and win- 
 ning in manners. He was fair in complexion, 
 his eyes were expressive, his nose acquiline, 
 his forehead nearly bald, his beard thick. He 
 is spoken of by Lucian, in derision, as " the 
 high-nosed, bald-headed Galilean." His consti- 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 183 
 
 tution was infirm, and he is mentioned by Je- 
 rome as being afflicted with headache. Some 
 critics have supposed he had a defect in his eyes, 
 and that this was the " thorn in the flesh " of 
 which the apostle speaks. He was so highly en- 
 dowed with the gift of eloquence, that Longinus, 
 a distinguished Greek philosopher, classed him 
 among the greatest orators of antiquity, and 
 when preaching at Lystra, he so impressed the 
 people that they called him Mercury, the god of 
 eloquence, while Barnabas they designated Ju- 
 piter, whose priest brought oxen and garlands 
 with which to decorate the victims of sacrifice, 
 to be offered to Paul and Barnabas.* When these 
 disciples heard of it, they rent their clothes as an 
 expression of horror, and hastened to stop the 
 intended sacrifice, saying, "Why do ye these 
 things ? We are men like yourselves," that is 
 are human, "and should not receive religious 
 homage. We exhort you to turn from these 
 vanities, unto the living God, the Creator of all 
 things," etc. Notwithstanding his eloquence and 
 powerful arguments, Paul found it difficult to re- 
 strain the people of Lystra from offering sacri- 
 fices to himself and Barnabas, yet strange to say, 
 these same heathen who considered Paul a god, 
 stoned him at the instigation of the Jews, and 
 carried his body outside the walls, supposing he 
 was dead, but when the disciples stood near their 
 
184 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 departed friend, as they supposed, he rose from 
 the ground and with them entered the city, and 
 the next day left with Barnabas for Derbe. 
 
 Paul was thoroughly educated in the schools 
 of Tarsus, then sent to Jerusalem to be trained 
 under Gamaliel, according to the strictest rules 
 of the Pharisees, in the national religion, and he 
 became very zealous for the observance of the 
 Laws of Moses. Gamaliel was an illustrious 
 doctor of the Jewish law and grandson of Hill el, 
 one of the distinguished compilers of the Talmud, 
 the great depository of the doctrines and opin- 
 ions of the Jews. The apostle, though a Jew, 
 being a native of Tarsus, was neither a slave nor 
 an alien, but was entitled to all the privileges of 
 a Roman citizen, as he claimed on a certain oc- 
 casion. Before his conversion, he was an intol- 
 erant persecutor of the Christians, and cherished 
 his relentless animosity to its utmost extent the 
 law would allow, but the Sanhedrim had no 
 power to put offenders to death. It is said of 
 Paul " he made havoc of the church," like a wild 
 beast, and searched houses to find the disciples 
 whom he forcibly conducted to prison. He ap- 
 proved of the sentence of Stephen, the first 
 Christian martyr, and was a witness of his death, 
 by stoning. 
 
 Many of the Jews had emigrated to Damascus, 
 a city in Syria, and among them were Christians 
 
Paulus. 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 185 
 
 who may have gone there to avoid persecution. 
 Paul determined to follow them, with the inten- 
 tion of bringing both men and women bound as 
 prisoners to Jerusalem. Five or six days would 
 be necessary to make the journey. It was es- 
 sential he should have a commission from some 
 accredited authority, therefore he went to the 
 high priest for letters to the Jews, allowing him 
 to arrest any Christians found in the city, and 
 bring them to Jerusalem. 
 
 An escort being appointed to attend him, he 
 started with his orders for arrests, crossed the 
 Jordan to the mountainous region on the east 
 side, the usual route to Syria, and travelled 
 several days without any incident of special in- 
 terest. Doubtless the mind of Paul was occupied 
 with the object of his journey, and the success of 
 his efforts to suppress the hated doctrines and 
 worship of the Christians, whom he would pun- 
 ish in every way the law allowed, and his great- 
 est dissatisfaction was, that it did not permit 
 them to be put to death. 
 
 As they drew near Damascus, one day at noon, 
 there appeared a .strange phenomenon in the 
 form of a supernatural light, surpassing that of 
 the sun. Amazed and blinded by its brilliancy, 
 Paul fell to the earth, when he Jheard a voice 
 speaking in his native language, " Saul ; Saul ; 
 why do you persecute me ? " 
 
186 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 The attendants of the apostle saw the light, 
 but did not understand the words, not being ac- 
 quainted with the language. The question is 
 suggested, who were his companions ? Were 
 they Romans or Jews ? They may have been 
 Romans, but the Hebrew language which Paul 
 understood, being an educated man, the common 
 people at that time did not use, for after the 
 captivity, they adopted a dialect called Syro- 
 Chaldean or Syro-Phoenician. Paul inquired of 
 the Yoice, " Who art thou, Lord ? " " I am 
 Jesus, whom thou persecutest," was the reply. 
 "It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks," 
 that is goads, a figure of speech denoting it is 
 difficult to resist successfully, the authority of 
 One who has a right to command, or in other 
 words, to oppose the leadings of Providence. 
 
 The term pricks applied to any sharp point, 
 but it commonly meant an ox-goad which, among 
 the Hebrews, was very large. The figure refers 
 to a stubborn ox kicking against the goad, and as 
 the ox would injure no one but himself, it was 
 used to denote an obdurate and rebellious dispo- 
 sition. The men who journeyed with Saul to 
 Damascus, may have been appointed to aid him 
 or it has been suggested, they may have been 
 travellers whom he chanced to meet with. On 
 the appearance of the supernatural light they all 
 fell to the earth, but soon arose and stood speech- 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 187 
 
 less. They heard a sound, but did not under- 
 stand the words spoken to Saul. 
 
 The apostle inquired, "Lord, what wilt Thou 
 have me do ? " The answer was, " Go into the 
 city and it shall be told thee what to do." When 
 Saul or Paul arose from the ground, he could not 
 see, for his eyes had been blinded by the dazzling 
 light. This darkness continued three days, dur- 
 ing which he took no food or drink. There is no 
 reason to suppose Saul's blindness was miraculous, 
 for it is not unfrequently the case that persons 
 have been deprived of their sight by watching an 
 eclipse of the sun, or its brilliant splendor at its 
 setting. The effect is caused by the intense 
 action on the optic nerve. Sometimes it is per- 
 manent, and at others, it continues for a time when 
 the sight is restored. 
 
 As the dazzling light had blinded Saul he was 
 led by his attendants into Damascus and con- 
 ducted to the house of Judas, probably a disciple, 
 in a street called Straight. In the modern city 
 there is a street by that name, extending from the 
 eastern to the western gate. According to tradi- 
 tion, Saul had a vision here as recorded in 2 Corin- 
 thians xii. 2. The apostle saw one named Ananias 
 coming to him and placed his hands upon him, 
 that he might receive his sight. Some critics here 
 supposed that Ananias was one of the seventy 
 disciples sent to preach the gospel by the Saviour. 
 
188 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 He had heard of Saul and his persecutions, and 
 of his authority from the chief priests to bind all 
 Christians found at Damascus, and conduct them 
 as prisoners to Jerusalem, therefore, he hesitated 
 when told to go to Saul, but the Lord said, " Go 
 thy way, for he is a chosen vessel for making 
 known the gospel to the Jews, Gentiles and 
 kings, and I will show him how great the suffer- 
 ings he must endure for My name's sake." 
 
 When Ananias came to the blind penitent, he 
 placed his hands on him and said, " Brother Saul, 
 the Lord even Jesus who appeared to thee, sent 
 me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be 
 filled with the Holy Spirit." 
 
 Immediately there fell from his eyes, as it 
 were, scales, and he saw objects and was baptized. 
 The scales was a figure of speech to denote the 
 sudden cure. Saul's blindness was the result of a 
 natural cause, but his restoration to sight was 
 miraculous. He partook of food after his fast of 
 three days, and regained his physical strength. 
 
 When a slave was bought, the owner put his 
 mark or brand upon him, and Paul, in writing to 
 the Galatians, said, " That he bore the mark of 
 the Lord Jesus," and this may have been the 
 " thorn in the flesh " of which he speaks. 
 
 Though his sight was restored after being 
 blinded on his way to Damascus, yet it may have 
 been somewhat impaired ever afterward, for on a 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 189 
 
 certain occasion, when he said to the high priest, 
 "God will smite thee, thou whited wall," he 
 apologized, saying he did not recognize the robes 
 of the high priest, which may have been on ac- 
 count of imperfect sight. This idea seems to be 
 confirmed by what the apostle wrote to the 
 Galatians, namely, that " They were willing to 
 pluck out their eyes and give them to him." 
 
 After his baptism, Paul preached in Damascus 
 for a time, when he went to Arabia, and after 
 three years, returned to Damascus. His Chris- 
 tian labors surprised his hearers, but aroused the 
 enmity of the Jews who formed a plot to as- 
 sassinate him, and to prevent his escape from the 
 city, they watched the gates day and night. 
 This conspiracy was known to Paul, when the 
 disciples lowered him by night on the outside of 
 the wall, in a basket, and he escaped to Jeru- 
 salem. As the walls of Damascus were not high, 
 it was not a very difficult performance for his 
 friends to lower him to the ground, and thus 
 save his life. 
 
 Damascus is one of the most ancient cities of 
 the world, and nearly four thousand years ago it 
 was a flourishing and important town. It has 
 passed through many changes under different 
 rulers, but neither the Persians, Greeks, Romans, 
 nor Moslems, who claim it at the present time, 
 have been able wholly to destroy its fascinating 
 
190 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 beauty. It is situated about fifty miles from the 
 sea, in a fertile and extensive plain, watered by 
 what the Greeks called " Golden River," of which 
 the Abana and Pharpa are supposed to form 
 branches. The exact date of its settlement is not 
 certain, though there are many conjectures on the 
 subject. The city was enclosed by a wall and 
 was surrounded by a plain nearly eighty miles in 
 circumference, w r hile the land adjacent to the 
 city afforded gardens of great extent which 
 yielded fruits of various kinds. It was the cap- 
 ital of Syria in ancient times, and existed in the 
 days of Abraham. Hadad, one of its kings, was 
 conquered by David. 
 
 This renowned city was captured at different 
 times by Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, the 
 Maccabees, Romans, and Saracens, who made it 
 a capital, until Bagdad became their chief city. 
 It was taken by Tamerlane A. d. 1400, repaired 
 by the Mamelukes, and finally captured by the 
 Turks a. d. 1500. The Emperor Diocletian, A. D. 
 284-305, established a large factory for the manu- 
 facture of arms at this place, hence the origin of 
 the famous Damascus blades. 
 
 After Paul escaped from Damascus and came 
 to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the company 
 of disciples in that city, but they did not believe 
 he had been converted and, aw^are of his former 
 persecuting spirit, they feared him. Though he 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 191 
 
 had been absent three years or more, probably 
 these Christians at Jerusalem had not been 
 informed of the change in Paul's feelings and 
 conduct. Barnabas, a native of Cyprus, an 
 island not far from Tarsus, was, it is presumed, 
 acquainted with Paul either personally or by 
 reputation, therefore he conducted him to the 
 Apostles Peter, James, and perhaps some others, 
 and related the circumstances of his conversion. 
 After this introduction and explanation of Barna- 
 bas, he was admitted to their confidence and 
 recognized as an apostle. 
 
 During the fifteen days of his sojourn at 
 Jerusalem, Paul boldly declared, both to native 
 and foreign Jews, that Jesus was the Christ. 
 While some of his countrymen accepted his 
 doctrines, the larger number rejected them and 
 formed a conspiracy to murder him, when the 
 Christians learning their plot, conducted him to 
 Cesarea, and then sent him to Tarsus. 
 
 As he came in sight of his native city, where 
 he had spent his childhood and early youth, in its 
 celebrated schools, doubtless he was moved by 
 many conflicting emotions. Only a few years 
 before he, as a bigoted Pharisee, went to Jeru- 
 salem to complete' his studies, cherishing the most 
 bitter hatred toward the new sect called Chris- 
 tian, and determined to persecute them to the 
 utmost. Now he returned to his early home as 
 
192 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 one of the followers of the despised ISTazarene, 
 determined to lay down his life, if necessary, for 
 1 His sake. Could a more remarkable moral change 
 in his character have been effected ? The whole 
 course of his life would henceforth be entirely 
 different from what he had planned in his youth. 
 The conversion of Paul was one of the most 
 remarkable in the history of the church, and its 
 influence more widely felt than that of any other 
 Christian. He may be considered the pioneer of 
 foreign missions. 
 
OHAPTEE XYI. 
 
 PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 
 
 Barnabas was sent by the church at Jeru- 
 salem to Antioch, to preach the gospel, and as a 
 result, there was a great revival, therefore he 
 needed an assistant in his labors. He went to 
 Tarsus to seek the aid of Saul, or Paul, and con- 
 ducted him to Antioch, where they labored one 
 year, with great success. The disciples were first 
 called Christians at Antioch, a name given to 
 them either as a term of reproach, or assumed by 
 themselves, in honor of their Divine Master. 
 The name is used in the New Testament only 
 twice besides in this place ; as when Agrippa 
 said to Paul, " Almost thou persuadest me to be 
 a Christian," and again in 1 Peter iv. 16, " If 
 any man suffer as a Christian," etc. 
 
 A brief description of Antioch is as follows : 
 There were several cities, sixteen in all, known 
 by this name, including those in Syria and Asia 
 Minor. The one in Syria was situated on both 
 sides of the River Orontes, about twenty miles 
 from the sea. It dates from 300 b. c, and was 
 a strongly fortified place, and reckoned as the 
 
 193 
 
194 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 third city, in importance, of the Roman Em- 
 pire. 
 
 It was nearly square and had many gates, and 
 a circumference of twelve miles. This city was 
 celebrated for its beautiful palaces, magnificent 
 temples, numerous fountains, and the extent of 
 its commerce. 
 
 The genius, learning, and culture of the in- 
 habitants, were celebrated throughout the world. 
 Cicero said, " It was a noble city abounding in 
 eminent men." The larger number of its citizens 
 were Greeks and Syrians, though many Jews 
 settled there who were allowed its privileges 
 equally, with the Greeks. 
 
 The heathen population had the reputation of 
 being very immoral, and were largely the vota- 
 ries of Venus and Bacchus. Such was this fa- 
 mous city in the time of the apostles, yet in this 
 unpromising soil, Christianity took root. The 
 church was greatly enlarged by the labors of 
 Paul and Barnabas, and became their rendezvous, 
 and also that of Peter. It was the native place 
 of St. Luke. 
 
 It has been estimated that the Christians of 
 Antioch in the fourth century, numbered 100,000, 
 but there was a gradual decline in this powerful 
 church, after flourishing three centuries, which 
 suffered by terrible persecutions. The declension 
 began at the close of the fourth century, when 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 195 
 
 the foundation of a general apostasy was laid that, 
 in the course of two centuries, overspread the 
 whole Christian world. The city of Antioch 
 came under Moslem rule, and at the present day, 
 is nearly in ruins. This celebrated metropolis 
 was the ancient capital of the Greek kings of 
 Syria, and was built by Seleucus Nicator, the 
 founder of sixteen cities by the name of Antioch. 
 In ancient times, the natives were celebrated for 
 their sarcasm and ingenuity in devising nick- 
 names. When the Persians invaded Syria, the 
 people of Antioch made them the object of their 
 witty jests, for which the conquerors totally de- 
 stroyed their city, but it was rebuilt by the Ro- 
 mans. Subsequently, it was conquered by the 
 Saracens, recovered by the Greeks, taken by the 
 Mohammedans, captured by the Crusaders, and 
 seized by the Sultan of Egypt. At the present 
 time it forms a part of Syria. In 1872, it was 
 nearly destroyed by an earthquake. 
 
 "While Barnabas and Saul were at Antioch, 
 there came to this city prophets from Jerusalem, 
 and one of them named Agabus, predicted there 
 would be a great famine throughout the world, 
 meaning, probably, it would be extensive. This 
 prediction was fulfilled in the reign of the Em- 
 peror Claudius Cassar, 41-54 A. D. Four dif- 
 ferent famines occurred during his reign, in dif- 
 ferent parts of the world. 
 
196 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 The disciples at Antioch united in a plan for 
 assisting their brethren in Judea, by contribu- 
 tions, according to each one's ability, sent by 
 Barnabas and Saul, or Paul, which were de- 
 livered to the elders of the church for distribu- 
 tion among the members. Having accomplished 
 their mission they returned to Antioch. 
 
 There were in the church at this place certain 
 prophets and teachers who, as they were engaged 
 in united prayer, received a direct revelation 
 from the Holy Spirit, saying, " Separate Barna- 
 bas and Saul or Paul for the work to which I 
 have called them." When they had prayed they 
 laid their hands on them and sent them to their 
 field of labor. This was the first formal Chris- 
 tian mission to the Gentiles. Having been 
 called to the work of preaching the gospel to the 
 heathen, these missionaries departed for Seleucia, 
 a city at the entrance of the River Orontes into 
 the Mediterranean, where they embarked on 
 board a ship for Cyprus. 
 
 This island was settled at a very early period 
 by the Phoenicians and, according to tradition, 
 Greeks settled here soon after the Trojan war. 
 It became subject to the king of Egypt, then to 
 the Persians, and after a severe struggle it re- 
 gained its independence, but eventually it fell to 
 the Ptolemys of Egypt. The Romans made 
 Cyprus one of their provinces. Salamis its chief 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 197 
 
 city was founded, it is claimed, by a son of one 
 of the Trojan heroes. It was nearly destroyed 
 by an insurrection of the Jews and an earth- 
 quake in the reign of the Emperor Trajan, but 
 was rebuilt by Constantine and named Con- 
 stantia. A few ruins of the old town remain. 
 There was a small island called Salamis, cele- 
 brated in classical history for the great naval 
 battle between the Persians under Xerxes*, and 
 the Greeks, 480 b. c, in which the former were 
 defeated. 
 
 While Barnabas and Saul were at Salamis, 
 they preached the gospel in the synagogues of 
 the Jews, many of whom were found in Cyprus 
 as well as in all other places adjacent to Judea. 
 The apostles uniformly proclaimed their doc- 
 trines first, to their own countrymen, but when 
 they refused to listen, these evangelists sought 
 the Gentiles and preached to them, often with 
 remarkable success. John Mark was an attend- 
 ant of Barnabas and Saul or Paul in this mission- 
 ary tour who probably made the necessary ar- 
 rangements for their comfort and the supply of 
 their wants, during their journey. When they 
 had gone through the island which was nearly 
 one hundred and seventy miles from east to 
 west, they came to Paphos, a city at the Avestern 
 extremity, and the residence of the proconsul. 
 It contained a magnificent temple of Venus, the 
 
198 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 favorite divinity of the island and according to 
 tradition was her birthplace. Cyprus being sub- 
 ject to the Roman Emperor, was governed by a 
 proconsul appointed by him. The name of this 
 official in the time of Paul was Sergius Paulus 
 who was an honorable "man with liberal views, 
 and willing to listen to any new ideas advanced. 
 Having heard about Barnabas and Saul or Paul, 
 he sent for them to hear for himself the doctrines 
 they proclaimed. Bar-Jesus, a Jew called also 
 Elymas the magician, resisted them, believing 
 that if Paul and Barnabas gained an influence 
 over the proconsul, he would lose his own popu- 
 larity, therefore he sought to prevent this Roman 
 official from becoming the friend and patron of 
 Christians. 
 
 Paul being under the influence of the Holy 
 Spirit, fixed his eyes upon the sorcerer, saying, 
 " O full of deceit and cunning, thou child of the 
 devil, and enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou 
 not cease to pervert the ways of the Lord ? Thou 
 shalt be blind for a season." Immediately there 
 came to him a darkness so intense that he could 
 not see any object, and was obliged to have 
 some one lead him by the hand. When the 
 deputy saw what had occurred, he was con- 
 vinced that Elymas was an impostor, and that 
 the doctrine of Paul was true. This may have 
 been an intellectual conviction only, and it 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 199 
 
 is not known whether he became a genuine 
 convert. 
 
 Paul with his companions, Barnabas and John 
 Mark, left Paphos in the Island of Cyprus, and 
 sailed for Perga, a city in Pamphilia, a province 
 of Asia Minor, opposite the island. Perga was 
 the metropolis of Pamphilia, and was situated on 
 the River Cestus, some distance from its mouth. 
 There was a celebrated temple of Diana on a 
 mountain near, at which were held yearly festi- 
 vals. John Mark left his party and returned to 
 Jerusalem for reasons not explained, but as the 
 apostle was unwilling to take him as a travelling 
 companion on a future occasion, it is presumed 
 his conduct was not approved. 
 
 Barnabas and Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, 
 as it was called, to distinguish it from Antioch 
 in Syria, and, though within the limits of 
 Phrygia, it belonged to Pisidia. Phrygia in 
 Asia Minor, varied in extent at different times. 
 It formed the western part of the great cen- 
 tral table-land of Asia Minor, while the north- 
 eastern region, conquered by the Gauls, com- 
 prised the western part of Galatia, and event- 
 ually it came under Roman jurisdiction. This 
 province was very rich in various kinds of pro- 
 ductions, and in some places there were salt 
 lakes. Its mountains furnished gold and marble, 
 its valleys oil and wine, its hills afforded pasture 
 • 
 
200 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 for sheep, and its marshes yielded abundance of 
 salt. 
 
 Phrygia occupied an important position in 
 early Greek culture and music, especially that of 
 the flute. The kingdom of Phrygia which 
 claimed a great age, was conquered by Croesus, 
 and at one period, constituted a part of the 
 Persian dominions, and subsequently the Syro- 
 Grecian empire. After their conquest, the 
 Phrygians seemed to have lost all intellectual 
 activity and became proverbial for their stupid- 
 ity and submissive spirit, especially among the 
 Greeks and Romans, who regarded them with 
 contempt. 
 
 When these missionaries came to Antioch in 
 Pisidia, they went into a synagogue on the Sab- 
 bath and sat down.. The rulers of the syna- 
 gogue who were conducting the services, com- 
 prising the reading of the law and the prophets, 
 recognizing Paul and Barnabas as Jews, said to 
 them, "Men and brethren, if ye have anything 
 to say to the people, we will hear it." Then 
 Paul arose and making a gesture with his hand, 
 began his discourse by the prologue, "Men of 
 Israel, and ye that fear God, give attention." 
 " Ye that fear God " may have referred to pros- 
 elytes who had accepted the Jewish religion. 
 The apostle's ultimate design was to prove that 
 Jesus was t?he Messiah, but to attain this object 
 
Paul at Ephesus. 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 201 
 
 it was important to avoid arousing their preju- 
 dice, therefore he declared he was a firm believer 
 in the doctrines of their fathers, as revealed in 
 their Scriptures. Paul rehearses in a summary 
 manner, the history of his nation, and affirms 
 that a promise had been given, that a Saviour 
 should be sent into the world, and that He had 
 come and had suffered death. He refers to the 
 testimony of John the Baptist in support of his 
 theory. A favorite doctrine of the Jews was, 
 that they were, in a special sense, the people of 
 God, therefore Paul reminds them of many 
 events in their remarkable history, as their de- 
 liverance from Egyptian bondage, their conquest 
 of Canaan, the period of the Judges, the estab- 
 lishment of monarchy, and reign of the Shepherd 
 king from whom Jesus descended, according to 
 the flesh. " Men and brethren, descendants of 
 Abraham," or native Jews, " and whoever among 
 you feareth God " — or proselytes — " to you is 
 the message of salvation sent." The gospel was 
 first preached to the Jews, and Christ Himself 
 was sent to them. 
 
 The apostle then refers to the rulers of his 
 people at Jerusalem, who, though they read the 
 prophets every Sabbath day, yet they did not 
 understand their predictions concerning the 
 Messiah, that He would be poor, a " Man of sor- 
 rows and acquainted with grief," and that He 
 
202 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 would be put to death according to their request, 
 and that He would rise again that salvation from 
 sin and its consequences might be proclaimed to 
 all the world. Paul then closes his address by a 
 solemn warning, lest the calamity threatened by 
 the prophets should come upon them. The above 
 is a brief summar}^ of the apostle's discourse, in 
 the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia. 
 
 When the congregation was dismissed, many 
 of the Jews and Greek proselytes followed Paul 
 and Barnabas who exhorted them to be steadfast 
 in the grace of God. The news concerning the 
 evangelists was circulated among the people, 
 when a great multitude, on the next Sabbath, 
 assembled to hear the word of God, but when 
 the Jews witnessed their popularity, they were 
 envious and contradicted the apostles, and 
 treated with scorn the name of Jesus of Naza- 
 reth. Then Paul and Barnabas became more 
 bold, saying, " That it was according to the 
 Divine will, that the gospel should first be 
 preached to the Jews, but as ye will not listen, 
 and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, 
 we offer these blessings to the Gentiles, for the 
 Lord said, ' I have sent thee to be a light to the 
 Gentiles that thou shouldst be the instrument of 
 salvation to all the world.'" When the Gentiles 
 heard this, they rejoiced and those who Avere 
 disposed to accept, believed, so that the gospel 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR, 203 
 
 was published throughout all the region, but the 
 Jews aroused the opposition of the chief men of 
 the city and, aided by the women of rank and 
 influence, they incited a persecution against the 
 apostles and banished them from the province, 
 when they went to Iconium, but the disciples in 
 Antioch were inspired with joy in their new ex- 
 perience, guided by the influence of the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 Iconium, in Asia Minor, was, in Paul's day, a 
 flourishing city with a mixed population of Jews 
 and Greeks. It was situated about one hundred 
 and twenty miles from the Mediterranean and is 
 represented as having a fine climate with gar- 
 dens and meadows surrounded by lofty moun- 
 tains covered with perpetual snow. It was an 
 important city in the time of the Crusades. A 
 church was established at this place by the 
 Apostle Paul, 45 A. D., that continued to flourish 
 until the persecutions by the Saracens and Turks. 
 The city still exists under a different name, and 
 contains a number of mosques, colleges, and other 
 public buildings, but it is in a state of decline. 
 It was at Iconium that Paul first became" ac- 
 quainted with Timothy. Paul and Barnabas 
 went into the synagogue and preached to the 
 people with such success, that a great number, 
 both Jews and Greeks, believed. The apostles 
 continued a long time in the city, speaking boldly 
 
204 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 in the name of the Lord Jesus, and performed 
 many miracles, but the unbelieving Je\vs aroused 
 the opposition of the Gentiles against them, and 
 there was a division, part of the citizens taking 
 the side of the Jews, and part that of the apostles, 
 when a mob collected, comprising both Jews and 
 Gentiles, with the intention of stoning Paul and 
 Barnabas who, being aware of their plot, fled to 
 Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, a province 
 of Asia Minor, w T here they preached the gospel 
 throughout the whole region. These two cities 
 were near each other. While at Lystra, Paul 
 healed a cripple who had been lame from his 
 birth, while he was preaching to the multitude. 
 The apostle observing the lame man said to him 
 in a loud voice, " Stand on thy feet," and imme- 
 diately he sprang up and walked. When the 
 people saw what was done, they shouted in the 
 language of Lycaonia, " The gods are come down 
 to us in the likeness of men." They called Bar- 
 nabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercury. The priests 
 of Jupiter brought oxen and garlands to the 
 gate, to offer sacrifice to the apostles. The vic- 
 tims offered in sacrifice were usually decorated 
 with chaplets of flowers. 
 
 When the apostles were aware of their inten- 
 tion, as previously mentioned, they rent their 
 clothes as an expression of their abhorrence, and 
 hastened to the people, saying, " Sirs, why do ye 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 205 
 
 these things ? We are men like yourselves and 
 we come to make known that ye should cease to 
 worship idols, and should serve the living God 
 who is the Creator of heaven and earth, and all 
 things therein, and gives us all our blessings," 
 etc., yet with these arguments, they were so con- 
 fident that the apostles were gods, it was diffi- 
 cult to restrain them from offering sacrifices. 
 
 Wherever these evangelists went to preach the 
 gospel, thej r encountered the opposition of their 
 own countrymen. Jews from Antioch and Ico- 
 nium came to Lystra for the purpose of arousing 
 opposition, when they stoned Paul, as previously 
 mentioned, and, supposing he was dead, they 
 carried his body outside the walls and left it un- 
 buried. Paul was only stupefied by the stoning, 
 and as the disciples stood about his unconscious 
 body, he arose and went into the city and the 
 next day left with Barnabas for Derbe, a town 
 of Lycaonia, the residence of Antipater, a friend 
 of Cicero. When they had preached the gospel 
 in that city they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and 
 Antioch. These apostles manifested remarkable 
 courage in returning to the places where they 
 had been persecuted, and in one instance stoned. 
 Their object was to confirm the young converts 
 who were surrounded by enemies and exposed to 
 temptations, and as they had but a slight ac- 
 quaintance with the gospel, it was important 
 
206 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 they should be further instructed. The apostles 
 exhorted them to continue in the faith and re- 
 minded them that it was through great tribula- 
 tion that we enter the kingdom of God. When 
 Paul and Barnabas had appointed elders in every 
 church, and had commended them to the Lord 
 with prayer and fasting, they travelled through- 
 out Pisidia and came to Pamphylia, a province 
 of Asia Minor, and after preaching in Perga 
 during their second visit, they went to Attalia, 
 a city on the seashore, built by Attalus Phila- 
 delphus, king of Pergamus, who gave it his own 
 name. It was here they embarked for Antioch 
 when they had been appointed as travelling mis- 
 sionaries, and when the church assembled, the 
 apostles rehearsed what had been their experi- 
 ence, their dangers and their successes, and how 
 they had preached the gospel to the Gentiles. 
 Here they remained a long time with the dis- 
 ciples, but how long they were at Antioch is not 
 intimated, though nothing more is heard of them 
 until the council at Jerusalem assembled to settle 
 a question of dispute about circumcision. It is 
 supposed that an interval of from five to eight 
 years occurred, of which there is no account in 
 the Scriptures, but it is probable that Paul made 
 several journeys to different places during this 
 period. To this time, Christians had suffered 
 violent persecutions from their enemies, but now 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 207 
 
 the churches were at peace ; and at Antioch they 
 enjoyed great prosperity. In none of them had 
 there been any internal conflicts of opinions or 
 practices, but this union was soon to be inter- 
 rupted. Certain men from Judea, probably con- 
 verted Jews, came to Antioch and the regions 
 adjacent, and said to the disciples, " Except ye 
 be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye 
 cannot be saved." 
 
 Paul and Barnabas held an earnest discussion 
 with them on the subject, since important prin- 
 ciples were to be settled affecting the organiza- 
 tion of the Christian church. The doctrines 
 advanced by the messengers from Judea would 
 tend to distract the minds of Christians, and for 
 this reason it was important to oppose them, 
 therefore it was agreed that these preachers, 
 with certain others, should go to Jerusalem and 
 have the question settled by the apostles and 
 elders of that city. The authority of the earlier 
 apostles would be acknowledged by all, as they 
 had been instructed by the Saviour Himself. It 
 is supposed that this journey to Jerusalem was 
 the one to which Paul refers in his Epistle to the 
 Galatians, in which he affirms it was fourteen 
 years after his conversion. Among those who 
 accompanied Paul, was Titus, a converted Greek, 
 and subsequently his travelling companion. It 
 was customary for Christians to attend the 
 
208 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 apostles in their travels, therefore some members 
 of the church accompanied Paul, who passed 
 through Phenice and Samaria, making known 
 the glad tidings of the conversion of the Gentiles, 
 which caused great joy among the brethren. 
 These places were on their direct route to Je- 
 rusalem. 
 
 Phenice or Phenicia was a province of Syria, 
 and has been considered the birthplace of com- 
 merce, and was eminent in ancient art and lit- 
 erature. The Phoenicians constructed the Temple 
 of Solomon, while their sailors navigated his 
 ships. Their enterprising spirit led them to 
 establish colonies in different parts of Asia, 
 Europe, Africa, and probably in many of the 
 islands of the Mediterranean, but the most 
 famous of their colonies was that of Carthage. 
 They attracted to their coast nearly all the com- 
 merce between the East and the West. 
 
 Samaria, with its capital city of the same name, 
 was a celebrated region in the history of the 
 Israelites, as is well known by students of the 
 Sacred Scriptures. 
 
 When Paul and his companions arrived at 
 Jerusalem, they were received in a hospitable 
 and friendly manner by the apostles, elders and 
 private members of the church, and acknowledged 
 by them as Christian brethren, when Paul and 
 Barnabas related the facts about the conversion 
 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 209 
 
 of the Gentiles, and the origin of the question in 
 dispute. They were, however, opposed by certain 
 Pharisees, who affirmed that the rite of circum- 
 cism should be administered to the Gentile con- 
 verts. A convention was called comprising 
 apostles, elders, and members of the church to 
 settle the dispute, and after much discussion, 
 Peter arose to address the audience. 
 
 There was a propriety in his taking the lead in 
 this controversy, for he was, probably, the oldest 
 of those assembled and the most accustomed to 
 speak, besides, he had witnessed the conversion 
 of Gentiles without the Mosaic rites. He begins * 
 his argument by addressing them as follows : 
 " Men and brethren, ye know that some time ago 
 God chose me to preach the gospel to the 
 Gentiles," referring to Cornelius and those 
 assembled at Cesarea, " to whom was given the 
 Holy Spirit, making no distinction between them 
 and us, though they had not conformed to the 
 law of Moses. Now, why tempt God by putting 
 a yoke upon the disciples which neither our 
 fathers nor we were able to bear ? We believe 
 we shall be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 Then the company of private Christians lis- 
 tened to Paul and Ba*rnabas as they declared 
 what miracles and wonders God had wrought 
 among the Gentiles by them. The company of 
 
210 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 private Christians listened to Paul and Barnabas, 
 who related to them an account of their labors. 
 After they had closed their remarks, the Apostle 
 James made a speech. This was James, the son 
 of Alpheus, called James the Less, to distinguish 
 him from James the Greater. 
 
 He said, "Men and brethren, listen to me. 
 Simeon," the Hebrew name for Simon, and 
 applied to Peter, " hath declared how God did 
 at first visit the Gentiles, to choose a people for 
 His name, according to the prophets, therefore, I 
 give my opinion that we trouble not the Gentile 
 Christians by imposing upon them burdensome 
 rites and ceremonies. I recommend that we 
 write to them as an expression of our judgment, 
 that they abstain from certain practices con- 
 sidered wrong, and that they avoid the gross 
 vices common amongst the heathen, which the 
 law of Moses prohibited, and which is read in the 
 synagogues every Sabbath day." 
 
 The suggestion of James was approved by the 
 apostles and elders, and also by the whole church, 
 therefore they chose Paul and Barnabas with 
 Judas and Silas to carry letters on the subject to 
 the Gentile Christians in Antioch, Syria, and 
 Cilicia. In this letter special mention is made 
 of Paul and Barnabas, who hazarded their lives 
 for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 When the messengers were dismissed, they 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 211 
 
 started on their journey and came to Antioch, 
 and when they had called together the multi- 
 tude, they delivered the epistle which, after it 
 was read, caused great rejoicing for the consola- 
 tion it afforded. This closes the account of the 
 first Christian council, — Judas and Silas being 
 preachers, exhorted the brethren and confirmed 
 them by their instructions. After remaining at 
 Antioch for a time, Judas returned to Jerusalem, 
 but Silas remained. Meanwhile Paul and Barna- 
 bas continued at Antioch laboring with many 
 others, for the advancement of Christianity. 
 After some time, 'Paul suggested to Barnabas 
 that they should visit the cities where they had 
 preached the gospel, to learn the condition of the 
 churches. Barnabas approved of the plan, but 
 he wished to take with him John Mark, his 
 nephew, but Paul thought it would not be best 
 since he, on a former occasion, left them in 
 Pamphylia without a reasonable cause. A sharp 
 contention occurred between them* which re- 
 sulted in a separation, when Barnabas took Mark 
 and sailed for Cyprus, the native place of Barna- 
 , bas, while Paul chose Silas, and being commended 
 in prayer to God, by the brethren, went through 
 Syria and Cilicia confirming the churches. Silas 
 has been supposed by some, to have been one of 
 the seventy disciples sent by their Lord to pro- 
 claim the gospel. He became the travelling com- 
 
212 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 panion of Paul after his separation from Barna- 
 bas, about whom nothing further is revealed in 
 the Scriptures. This eminent evangelist and suc- 
 cessful laborer, it is said, was a Levite, a native 
 of Cyprus, educated by Gamaliel, the instructor 
 of Paul. His name was Joses to which the 
 apostle added Barnabas, meaning the " son of 
 consolation." The contention between Paul and 
 Barnabas which led to the occupation of differ- 
 ent fields of labor, though to be regretted as an 
 illustration of human frailty, was overruled for 
 the advancement of the gospel, since they pro- 
 claimed it in a wider region. It is believed this 
 difference of opinion between Paul and Barnabas 
 was subsequently reconciled, when they again be- 
 came travelling companions. There is evidence 
 also that Paul became reconciled to John Mark, 
 to which the apostle alludes in his Epistles to the 
 Corinthians, Galatians, Philemon, and Timothy. 
 
CHAPTER XYIL 
 
 PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 
 
 Accompanied by Silas, Paul returned to 
 Derbe and Lystra where he met a disciple named 
 Timotheus or Timothy, a native of one of these 
 cities, whose mother, named Eunice, was a Jewess, 
 and a Christian, but his father was a Greek. It 
 was not allowed by their law for Jews to in- 
 termarry with Gentiles, but this injunction was 
 not strictly observed by those especially, living 
 in heathen lands. 
 
 Timothy at this time, was a very young man, 
 and Paul addressed him as such when he was 
 urged to take charge of the church at Ephesus. 
 He was highly esteemed for his piety and prom- 
 ise for future usefulness, by the brethren at 
 Lystra and Iconium. He had been carefully 
 trained in a knowledge of the Scriptures by his 
 mother, but his father being a Greek, he had 
 not been circumcised, when Paul had the rite ad- 
 ministered to him, on account of the Jews who 
 understood that his father was a Gentile. This 
 was an expedient adopted by the apostle for the 
 sake of peace, 
 
214 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 As Paul and Silas journeyed through the 
 cities of Syria, Cilicia and other places, they de- 
 livered to the Christians the decision of the 
 Council at Jerusalem on the question submitted 
 to it. This document may have been an attested 
 copy of the letter sent to the various churches of 
 the Gentiles by the apostles and elders at Jeru- 
 salem, the object of which was to establish them 
 in the faith and increase their numbers. 
 
 Cilicia was a district in the southeastern part 
 of Asia Minor enclosed on all sides except the 
 western, by natural boundaries. The Syrians are 
 supposed to have been the earliest inhabitants. It 
 was conquered by the Persians, and later by 
 Alexander, and formed a part of the kingdom of 
 the Seleucidae. Its inhabitants comprising differ- 
 ent tribes, - were robbers and pirates, until 
 Pompey subdued them, when their country be- 
 came a Roman province, 67 B. c. They were 
 called by the Greeks and Romans the " Three 
 bad K's," as their names began with that letter. 
 
 After Paul and Silas had travelled through 
 Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were for- 
 bidden to preach the word in Asia. Galatia was 
 a province in Asia Minor, formerly conquered 
 and settled by the Gauls to which they gave their 
 name. They invaded the country at different 
 times and many of them settled there. Jews 
 also had migrated to this region. 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 215 
 
 The people of Galatia adopted, to a great ex- 
 tent, the habits and religious customs of the 
 Greeks, but preserved their own language and 
 forms of governments. They comprised three 
 great tribes, each divided into four parts, and at 
 the head of these were twelve men with one 
 chief or leader called a tetrarch, w T hile under him 
 were several different officers. Many Christian 
 churches were established in Galatia, but the 
 members were mostly Jewish converts. 
 
 Why the evangelists, Paul and Silas, were for- 
 bidden, by a Divine revelation, to preach at this 
 time the word of God, and the glad tidings of 
 salvation by Christ, to the inhabitants of Asia, 
 though formerly their labors had been confined 
 to this region, was, doubtless, that the gospel 
 might be introduced into Greece, hence into Eu- 
 rope. After they came to Mysia, they intended 
 to go into Bythinia, a province of Asia Minor, 
 but were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to do so, 
 therefore they came to Troas a city on the Hel- 
 lespont. Sometimes the name Troas or Troad is 
 used to denote the entire country of the Trojans, 
 the province where the ancient city of Troy had 
 stood, a region celebrated in early Grecian his- 
 tory, and where the events recorded in the Iliad 
 are supposed to have occurred. The city was de- 
 stroyed and no vestige of it remains. Paul be- 
 ing an educated man, was doubtless familiar with 
 
216 BIBLE CHARACTERS, 
 
 classical literature, and to him the places he was 
 about to visit, would be specially interesting. 
 
 The Greek name for Troy was Ilium, which 
 stood on a large plain surrounded by mountains, 
 one being named Mount Ida. The city was de- 
 stroyed by the Greeks, but was rebuilt and called 
 Ilium Novum, which finally came under the 
 dominion of the Romans when they became mas- 
 ters of the world. When Paul was at Troas he 
 had a vision in which appeared a man who, per- 
 haps by his speech, was taken for a Macedonian, 
 saying, " Come to Macedonia and help us." 
 This was a call to preach the gospel in a new 
 field which might be attended with great hard- 
 ship and danger. Macedonia was an extensive 
 region with Thrace on the north, Thessaly on the 
 south, Epirus on the west and the ^Egean Sea on 
 the east. It became celebrated in the reign of 
 Philip and his son Alexander the Great. It was 
 the first place in which the gospel was preached 
 in Europe. 
 
 Setting sail from Troas, we, says the writer, 
 came in a direct course to Samothracia, an island 
 in the ^Egean Sea about twenty miles in circum- 
 ference, and an asylum for fugitives and crimi- 
 nals, and the next day to Neapolis a maritime 
 city of Macedonia. This is the first instance in 
 which Luke refers to himself as being in company 
 with Paul. It is probable that he joined him 
 
Paul Preaching to the Thessalonians. 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 217 
 
 about this time, and attended him in his future 
 travels. They journeyed from Neapolis to 
 Philippi named by King Philip, and famous for 
 being the place where several battles were 
 fought during the civil wars of the Romans, and 
 especially the decisive battle between Brutus and 
 Antony. There was a Christian church estab- 
 lished here, to which Paul afterward wrote his 
 Epistle to the Philippians. Paul and his com- 
 panions remained there for several days. There 
 were Jews in this city as in most others, who 
 still observed many of their religious ceremonies. 
 On the Sabbath, they went out of the city to the 
 side of the river where there was a place of 
 prayer. Such places were established by the 
 Jews in the vicinity of towns and cities, es- 
 pecially where they were forbidden by the mag- 
 istrates to build synagogues. These places of 
 prayer were simply enclosures constructed of 
 stones, in a grove or under a tree. 
 
 The missionaries sat down and addressed the 
 women who resorted thither. Among them was 
 a certain woman named Lydia, whose business 
 consisted in selling purple dyes obtained from 
 shellfish, and was highly prized on account of 
 the color which was chiefly worn by princes and 
 the wealthy classes. This dye w^as obtained from 
 Thyatira a city in the province of Lydia in Asia 
 Minor. The art of dyeing was a prominent oc- 
 
218 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 cupation in that city, settled by a colony from 
 Macedonia. It was the seat of one of the seven 
 churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. 
 In the message to the churches the faith, pa- 
 tience, and charity of the members of this church 
 are commended, but they are censured for toler- 
 ating the false prophetess, Jezebel, who encour- 
 aged gross vices for which fearful judgments are 
 threatened. 
 
 Lydia was probably a Jewish proselyte who 
 had studied the Scriptures, and when she heard 
 Paul, she believed the gospel and was baptized 
 together with the members of her family who 
 also accepted it. After this ceremony was per- 
 formed, she said to Paul and Silas, " If ye con- 
 sider me a believer, come to my house and abide 
 there while you remain in the city." " On a 
 certain day," says the writer, "as we were going 
 to the place of prayer, a damsel possessed with 
 the spirit of divination," according to pagan 
 ideas, "who, by her soothsaying brought her 
 masters much gain, followed us publicly pro- 
 claiming, ' These men are the servants of the 
 Most High God, and show us the way to salva- 
 tion.' " Her motive in pursuing such a course is 
 not certain. It may have been to gain a reward 
 from Paul and Silas, or some other selfish reason, 
 but it is more probable that she was convinced 
 that they were the servants of God. She fol- 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 219 
 
 lowed them for several days when Paul, grieved 
 at the annoyance, and believing she was under 
 the influence of an evil spirit, turned around and 
 said, " I command thee in the name of Jesus 
 Christ to come out of her," when the demon im- 
 mediately left the damsel. 
 
 When her masters saw the hope of their gains 
 was gone, they were very angry and determined 
 to seek revenge. They seized Paul and Silas and 
 forcibly brought them to the market-place where 
 was the court or forum, near which trials were 
 conducted, and delivered them to the magistrates, 
 military rulers or pretors. As Philippi was a 
 Roman colony, perhaps the army officers per- 
 formed the duties of both civil and military 
 rulers. When their enemies brought them to the 
 magistrates, they presented their charges which 
 were not the loss of their gains, but they pre- 
 tended they were anxious about the violation of 
 the laws and the safety of the city, hence they 
 were disturbers of the public peace. They said, 
 " These men who are Jews exceedingly trouble 
 our city, and teach customs not lawful for us to 
 observe, being Romans." By " customs," in this 
 charge, is intended religious rites or forms of 
 worship. This aroused the people, when the 
 magistrates stripped Paul and Silas of their gar- 
 ments, which was always done when one was to 
 be scourged, and delivered them to the lictors, to 
 
220 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 be beaten with rods. And when they had laid 
 many stripes on them, they cast them into prison, 
 charging the jailor to keep them safely, who, 
 having received such a charge, put them into the 
 safest celts and made their feet secure in the 
 stocks. After such severe scourging, their con- 
 dition must have caused them great suffering, yet 
 at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang 
 praises to God, and were heard by the other 
 prisoners. While, they were engaged in these de- 
 votional exercises, a mysterious phenomenon oc- 
 curred. 
 
 As they were engaged in prayer and singing, 
 an earthquake suddenly shook the foundations of 
 the prison, when all the doors were opened, and 
 the chains of the prisoners were loosed, thus 
 liberating them, so that it was possible for them 
 to escape, yet no one made the attempt. When 
 the keeper of the prison awoke from sleep by this 
 strange occurrence, seeing the prison doors were 
 open, he supposed the inmates had escaped, and 
 alarmed, he drew his sword intending to take his 
 own life. It was customary to hold the jailer 
 responsible for the safe keeping of the prisoners, 
 and to subject him to the same punishment due 
 to them if he suffered them to escape. Suicide 
 was approved among the Greeks and Romans in 
 case of emergency, as Cato, Brutus, and Cassius, ' 
 besides others, are examples, 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 221 
 
 When Paul saw what the jailer was about to 
 do, he exclaimed in a loud voice, " Do thyself no 
 harm, for we are all here." The keeper called 
 for lights, and alarmed at the earthquake, and 
 surprised that the prisoners had not escaped, and 
 that Paul and Silas were so calm, he came trem- 
 bling and fell down at their feet as an act of pro- 
 found reverence, then brought them out of 
 prison, saying, "Sirs, what must I do to be 
 saved ? " The answer was simple, concise, and 
 decisive. " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and 
 thou shalt be saved," and the same blessing 
 would be granted to the members of his family 
 who believed. Paul and Silas preached the word 
 of -the Lord to the household of the jailer, who 
 bathed their wounds inflicted by scourging, and 
 the same night, was baptized, together with the 
 members of his family who believed. When the 
 jailer had brought them to his house, he gave 
 them food to eat. 
 
 The next morning, the magistrates, perhaps 
 terrified by the earthquake, an event regarded 
 by heathen nations as an omen denoting the pres- 
 ence of their divinities, or they might have felt 
 that they did wrong in sending Paul and Silas to 
 prison without a trial, sent the Serjeants, or pub- 
 lic officers who went before the magistrates with 
 the emblems of authority to release the prison- 
 ers. In Rome, they bore what Avas called fasces 
 
222 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 consisting of a bundle of rods with an axe in the 
 centre. When the keeper of the prison received 
 the orders of the magistrates he informed Paul, 
 saying, " Now therefore depart, and go in peace," 
 but the apostle replied, " They have beaten us 
 openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have 
 cast us into prison. Now do they thrust us out 
 privately ? Not so ; let them come themselves 
 and bring us out." Paul and Silas were Jews by 
 birth, but they had been made Roman citizens, 
 therefore entitled to the privileges of such. It 
 was expressly forbidden that a Roman citizen 
 should be scourged. " No," said Paul, decidedly, 
 "the magistrates should come themselves and 
 bring us out of prison." When the Serjeants re- 
 peated the words of Paul to the magistrates, they 
 were alarmed when they learned that the prison- 
 ers were Roman citizens. They came and urged 
 them to depart out of their city. The liberated 
 prisoners went to the house of Lydia, and meet- 
 ing the brethren, they encouraged them ; and 
 then departed from Philippi, that is Paul and 
 Silas left but, probably, Luke and Timothy re- 
 mained or sought some other field of labor. — The 
 church at Philippi, founded 52 a. d., was regarded 
 with special favor by the apostle. 
 
 The Christians at this place were grateful for 
 the gospel they received through Paul's labors, 
 and on several occasions sent him aid while he 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 
 
 was in Achaia, and wrheii he was a prisoner at 
 
 Koine. Epaphroditus was sent by the church at 
 Philippi as a messenger to take contributions to 
 Paul, while a prisoner at B .nd to render 
 
 him needed service. H ormed his duti 
 
 with such zeal that his health was impaired, and 
 was obliged to remain some time, but the 
 next year. 62 a. d.. Epaphroditus returned to 
 Philippi. for the Christians the tly 
 
 troubled when they heard of his illness. Paul's 
 Epistle to the Philippians was written when he 
 was a prisoner at Pome. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 NEW FIELDS OF LABOR. 
 
 After Paul and Silas left Philippi, they went 
 to Thessalonica, a seaport of Macedonia and in- 
 habited by Greeks, Romans and Jews. In their 
 journey, they passed through Amphipolis, mean- 
 ing around the city, colonized by the Athenians, 
 and made the capital of eastern Macedonia by 
 the Romans, thence to Apollonia, formerly 
 much celebrated for its trade. When they ar- 
 rived at Thessalonica, Paul, as was his custom, 
 attended worship in the synagogue of the Jews, 
 and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from 
 the Scriptures, explaining and maintaining the 
 doctrine that it was necessary Christ should suf- 
 fer death, and rise again, and that Jesus was the 
 Messiah, according to the Scriptures, for He was 
 born in Bethlehem, as predicted, was of the tribe 
 of Judah, a descendant of the royal line of David, 
 that He came at the time predicted, that His 
 miracles^ proved He was the Christ, and that His 
 resurrection confirmed this doctrine. 
 
 Some of the apostle's hearers believed, includ- 
 ing Greek proselytes, and women of rank and in- 
 fluence. 
 
 224 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 225 
 
 The successful labors of the evangelists 
 aroused their old enemy, the unbelieving Jews 
 who, influenced by envy, collected a mob of idle, 
 dissipated, and worthless fellows loitering about 
 the market-place or forum, and caused a great 
 commotion in the city. Jason, a relative of Paul, 
 had entertained him and Silas at his house, there- 
 fore the mob made an assault with the design of 
 arresting them, but failing in their scheme, they 
 seized Jason and certain others, and forcibly con- 
 ducted them to the rulers. They accused Paul 
 and Silas of " Turning the world upside down," 
 while Jason, they said, " had received these dis- 
 turbers of the public peace, whose deeds are op- 
 posed to the decrees of Caesar, since they affirm 
 there is another king called Jesus." 
 
 The rulers feared the result of mob rule, and 
 the people feared the Komans, when they heard 
 the charges brought against Paul and Silas. 
 Jason offered security for the good conduct of 
 the apostle and his companion, when the brethren 
 sent them directly to Berea by night. The gos- 
 pel, however, had taken root in Thessalonica, and 
 Paul subsequently addressed two epistles to the 
 church in that city. 
 
 After leaving that place, these missionaries came 
 to Berea, a city of Macedonia, and, according to 
 their custom, began their labors among their own 
 countrymen. The Bereans, it is said, were more 
 
226 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 generous, liberal, and more disposed to examine 
 candidly, the doctrines of the apostle, and 
 searched the Scriptures daily to see if they were 
 true, than the people of Thessalonica. Many of 
 them including women of rank and influence be- 
 lieved, but when the Jews of Thessalonica heard 
 that Paul was preaching at Berea,they came to 
 the city and tried to arouse the public against 
 him, as they had previously done. This might 
 endanger the life of the apostle, therefore the 
 Christians took him to the seacoast and sent him 
 by ship to Athens, but Silas and Timothy re- 
 mained at Berea. 
 
 This was Paul's first visit to this celebrated 
 city of Greece, but his success as a preacher of 
 the gospel there, was not great, though some of 
 the Athenians believed, including Dionysius, the 
 Areopagite, or one connected w T ith the court of 
 that name, perhaps as one of the judges, and a 
 woman named Damaris, probably a person of in- 
 fluence, and some others. 
 
 Athens, one of the most celebrated cities of 
 antiquity, was distinguished for its political and 
 military power, for the learning, eloquence, and 
 accomplished manners of its citizens, and for its 
 works in art and science. The ancient city was 
 surrounded by walls of great strength and width. 
 Theseus united the twelve independent states of 
 Attica in one and made Athens the capital. 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 227 
 
 The city was burned by Xerxes the Persian, 480 
 B. c, but was rebuilt by Pericles 460-429, B. c, 
 in whose time it reached its greatest splendor. 
 It depended chiefly upon the public buildings for 
 its architectural renown. The Acropolis con- 
 tained works that were the pride of the Athe- 
 nians, comprising paintings, sculptures, and other 
 works of art. 
 
 The Parthenon contained the temple of Mi- 
 nerva, a building 217 feet in length and 98 in 
 breadth, which was destroyed by the Persians 
 but rebuilt by Pericles with greater splendor 
 than the first building. It contained the statue 
 of Minerva, the work of Phidias, made of ivory, 
 thirty-nine feet in height, and covered with pure 
 gold. Without the walls of the city were tem- 
 ples dedicated to the gods, but the one called the 
 Temple of Jupiter Olympus surpassed every other 
 building of Athens, in magnificence. About the 
 exterior were one hundred and twenty fluted 
 columns sixty feet in height, and with its courts, 
 it covered half a mile in circumference. 
 
 The Acropolis was a steep rock in the centre 
 of the city, about 150 feet high, 1,150 feet long 
 * and 500 broad, while its summit was covered 
 with temples, statues, and other works of art, but 
 one of the most distinguished buildings, next to 
 the Temple of Jupiter Olympus, perhaps, was the 
 Parthenon. North of this was the Erechtheum, 
 
228 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 containing three separate temples, and near these 
 buildings was the colossal statue of Athene or 
 Minerva, whose helmet and spear were the first 
 objects visible from the sea. The walls of ancient 
 Athens enclosed a larger space than the modern 
 city. 
 
 The hills, including Mars' Hill, which gave the 
 name to the celebrated court that assembled 
 there, the Hill of the Nymphs, and the Pnyx, 
 where, in early times, popular assemblies were 
 held, but later at the Theatre of Bacchus. Temples 
 were dedicated to Mars, Juno, and a large number 
 of other gods. Among other noted buildings were 
 the Senate House, the Tholus, where Spartan 
 heroes offered their sacrifices, the Stoae, or halls 
 supported by columns and used as places of resort 
 in the heat of the day. There were three build- 
 ings or theatres for contests in vocal and instru- 
 mental music. The monument of Andronicus, 
 called also the " Tower of the Winds," and the 
 monument sometimes erroneously called the 
 " Lantern of Demosthenes," are said to be still 
 in existence. The Academia was an institution 
 of the ancient city, and the tombs of the Athe- 
 nians killed in battle, were in a suburb northwest 
 of the town. 
 
 After the Roman conquest, Athens became a 
 flourishing city, and during the early centuries of 
 the Christian era, it was one of the chief seats of 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 229 
 
 learning to which the Romans were accustomed 
 to send their sons to complete their education. 
 This remarkable city has suffered from the 
 calamities of war, and has several times been 
 captured, destroyed, and rebuilt. The last con- 
 quest was by the Turks in the early period of the 
 nineteenth century, but it has since been recovered 
 by the Greeks, and the gospel has been introduced 
 by missionaries since the visit of Paul, many 
 centuries ago. 
 
 The apostle, while at Athens, sent for Silas 
 and Timothy, who were at Berea, to come as soon 
 as possible, and while waiting for them, he had 
 an opportunity to observe the moral condition of 
 its citizens, who were grossly devoted to the 
 worship of false gods, a fact confirmed by co- 
 temporary historians. The temples, altars, and 
 idols were so numerous, that it was said, " It was 
 easier to find a god than a man." 
 
 Paul, the man of culture, who, doubtless, knew 
 something of Greek art and learning, while wait- 
 ing for his companions, was more affected by the 
 idolatry of the inhabitants than by the splendor 
 and magnificence of the city, therefore he rea- 
 soned with any one who would listen to him, 
 including Jews, devout persons, or Jewish pros- 
 elytes, and with those he met in the market- 
 place or forum. Athens was distinguished above 
 all other cities, for its philosophers, therefore 
 
230 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 there were various schools or sects, including the 
 Epicureans named for Epicurus, who lived about 
 300 B. c. They denied that God created the 
 world, or that the gods had any interest in 
 human affairs; neither did they believe in the 
 immortality of the soul. One of their prominent 
 doctrines was that pleasure was the chief good, 
 and that virtue was to be practiced only as it 
 contributed to this end, but Epicurus intended 
 only rational pleasure controlled by common 
 sense. His followers, however, sought happiness 
 in sensuality and other corrupt practices. 
 
 The Stoics were a sect of philosophers named 
 from Stoa, the Greek for porch or portico, because 
 Zeno, the founder of the sect, taught in a porch 
 at Athens. He was a native of Cyprus, but 
 taught in this city forty-eight years, and died 264 
 B. c, at the age of ninety-six years. The Stoics be- 
 lieved that God was the Creator of the universe, 
 that all things were settled by the Fates, and that 
 God even was under their dominion ; that happi- 
 ness consisted in the insensibility of the soul to 
 pain, and that man should gain absolute mastery 
 over all the passions and affections of his nature, 
 and that matter was eternal. There was, how- 
 ever, a want of uniformity of belief among their 
 members. They were strict in their views of 
 virtue, and were boastful of their own right- 
 eousness. 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 231 
 
 Some of the philosophers of the Epicureans and 
 the Stoics contended with Paul, and said with a 
 sneer, "What will this babbler say?" Others* 
 affirmed that he taught the existence of strange 
 gods, because he preached of Jesus and the resur- 
 rection. They conducted Paul to Areopagus or 
 Mars' Hill, where the supreme judges of Athens 
 assembled, saying, " May we know what this new 
 doctrine of which thou speakest is?" Their 
 object appears to have been, not to try him, but 
 to understand more fully the doctrines he taught ; 
 they were willing to hear before they passed 
 judgment. Athens, it has been shown, was dis- 
 tinguished for its schools of philosophy, its art 
 and learning, and was the resort of people from 
 other countries who desired to become acquainted 
 with its institutions and listen to its sages. " The 
 Athenians and strangers," it is said, "spent all 
 their time in hearing and telling something 
 new." This habit is mentioned by several an- 
 cient writers, and it is stated there were more 
 than three hundred public places in the city, 
 where the people were accustomed to meet for 
 conversation and inquiry. 
 
 It was inthe presence of the philosophers and 
 learned men of Athens, who regarded him with 
 contempt and called him a "babbler," that Paul 
 was to preach the gospel. His personal appear- 
 ance and nationality would not be favorable to 
 
232 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 his success, yet he did not hesitate to perform 
 what he considered his duty. Paul advanced, 
 and, standing in the court of the Areopagites, he 
 explained the doctrines he had proclaimed, only 
 an outline of which, probably, the sacred writer 
 has afforded, but sufficient to give an idea of the 
 manner he adopted with the Greek philosophers. 
 The speaker was calm, serious, and respectful in 
 his argument, and understood the character of his 
 audience. He began, " Ye men of Athens, I per- 
 ceive you have a great reverence for the gods, for 
 as I passed by and beheld your altars, I saw one 
 with the inscription, ' To the unknown God.' 
 Him whom ye worship ignorantly, I make known 
 to you." It was customary in heathen lands to 
 erect altars to unknown divinities. 
 
 The main object of the apostle's discourse was 
 to convince his hearers of the folly and sin of 
 idolatry, and the necessity of repentance. He 
 said, " God, the Creator of all things and Lord of 
 the heavens and the earth, does not dwell in 
 temples constructed by human hands, neither is 
 He sustained by any offerings presented to Him, 
 since He is the source of life to every living 
 creature, and has made all nations of one blood," 
 that is, they all descended from the same ances- 
 tor, however different in complexion, features, 
 language, etc., therefore, in a broad sense, they 
 were all brethren ; that God had designated their 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 233 
 
 future abodes, referring to the dispersion of the 
 race, that they should seek the Lord when they be- 
 hold His wonderful works, for, said the speaker, 
 " it is by Him we live, and are His offspring, as 
 certain of your poets have said." This is an evi- 
 dence that Paul was acquainted with Greek 
 literature, and shows his skill in addressing his 
 audience. The conclusion was, that if we are 
 the children of God, it is absurd to suppose He 
 can be represented by images made of gold, 
 silver, stone, or any other material, by the hand 
 of man. 
 
 Paul affirmed that during the long period be- 
 fore the introduction of the gospel, the Creator 
 exercised great forbearance toward idolatrous 
 nations, but now He commancleth all persons 
 everywhere to repent, for He hath appointed a 
 day in which He will judge the world in right- 
 eousness, by the One " whom He hath raised 
 from the dead." 
 
 When they heard of the resurrection, some of 
 the philosophers derided him, while others said, 
 "We will hear thee again about this matter." 
 None of the Greeks, except a few, accepted 
 Paul's doctrines, and he soon left Athens, with- 
 out establishing a church. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 NEW FIELDS OF LABOR — CONCLUDED. 
 
 As the apostle found Athens a barren field 
 for Christian labor, and believed there was no 
 prospect of success, he left for Corinth, a popu- 
 lous and wealthy city, but one of the most luxu- 
 rious and dissolute, yet he was successful in found- 
 ing a church there, to which he subsequently ad- 
 dressed two epistles. A brief description of this 
 ancient city is as follows : 
 
 It was situated on the isthmus which separates 
 the Peloponnesus from Attica, and on account of 
 its position, was of great commercial importance ; 
 this advantage contributed to the wealth and 
 luxury of the citizens. It was built on the north 
 side of Mt. Acro-Corinthus, which is 1,900 feet in 
 height and between 600 and 700 feet in circum- 
 ference. This Mount served as the citadel of 
 Corinth, which has two harbors, one on the east 
 side and one on the west side. In early times its 
 great commercial importance was maintained by 
 a powerful navy, and here were built the first 
 triremes— vessels or galleys, with three benches 
 of oars on one side, — and the first sea-fight on 
 
 234 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 235 
 
 record, is said to have been fought between the 
 Corinthians and the Corcyraens. At an early 
 period, Corinth established colonies in various 
 regions. — The city was adorned with magnificent 
 buildings, and in no other Grecian town, except 
 Athens, were the fine arts advanced with such 
 vigor and success. Corinth rose in magnitude 
 and grandeur, while its temples, palaces, theatres, 
 and other public buildings, adorned with columns 
 and statues, were the pride of its inhabitants and 
 the admiration of strangers. The or.der or style 
 of architecture designated " The Corinthian," dis- 
 tinguished for its ornate column, originated in 
 this city. Some of its celebrated works of art 
 were the citadel, the grottoes over the Fountain 
 Pyrene, constructed of white marble and sacred 
 to the Muses, the theatre and stadium of the 
 same material, the Temple of Neptune with the 
 chariots of that deity, and also that of his wife, 
 Amphitrite, drawn by horses covered with gold. 
 The avenue leading to the Temple of Neptune 
 was decorated on one side with the statues of 
 those who were successful at the Isthmian games, 
 and on the other side with rows of tall pines. 
 
 The Isthmian ' games were one of the great 
 national festivities of Greece, celebrated on the 
 Isthmus of Corinth in April or May every al- 
 ternate year. They consisted of all kinds of 
 athletic sports, and also contests in music and 
 
236 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 poetry. The prize was a simple garland of pine 
 leaves. 
 
 Corinth was celebrated for its learning and was 
 called by Cicero, "The Light of all Greece." It 
 contained schools in which philosophy and rhetoric 
 were publicly taught, therefore strangers from 
 other countries came thither to complete their 
 education. It was said as a commendation, that 
 "It does not fall to the lot of every one to visit 
 Corinth," but the fame of this celebrated city was 
 fearfully dishonored by the immorality of its in- 
 habitants. The worship of Venus prevailed, and 
 a large number of her votaries were maintained 
 in her temple. Such was the condition of this 
 distinguished city, when Paul introduced the gos- 
 pel, about 52 a. D., and continued to labor there 
 nearly two years. He gained many converts, or- 
 ganized a Christian church to which, subse- 
 quently, he wrote two epistles, the first written 
 at Ephesus, in which he reproves the Corinthian 
 disciples for their unchristian conduct. The ad- 
 monition led them to reform. His second epistle 
 was sent to them from Macedonia. Paul made a 
 second visit to Corinth and remained three 
 months, and then left for Jerusalem, but before 
 his departure, he wrote his Epistle to the Romans. 
 
 The form of government in ancient Corinth 
 varied from monarchy to oligarchy, then to aris- 
 tocracy, but it maintained its independence until 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 237 
 
 the Macedonian supremacy, when its citadel was 
 garrisoned by Macedonian troops that were ex- 
 pelled, however, when Corinth joined the Achaean 
 League. It was taken by Mummius, the Eoman 
 consul, the inhabitants were sold as slaves, its 
 works of art destroyed or conveyed to Rome, its 
 buildings demolished, and for a century, it lay in 
 ruins, except the buildings on the Acropolis and 
 a few temples. In 46 B. c, it was rebuilt by 
 Caesar, who established there a colony of veterans 
 and descendants of freedmen. It became the 
 capital of the Roman provinces of Achaia and 
 recovered its former prosperity, but the inhabit- 
 ants still pursued their profligate habits, as faul 
 intimates in his epistles to them. 
 
 The only remains of the ancient city are sev- 
 eral Doric columns. Since the beginning of the 
 Christian era, Corinth has been plundered, 
 burned, and nearly destroyed by an earthquake. 
 
 After Paul arrived at Corinth, he found a 
 Christian Jew, named Aquila, a native of Pontus 
 in Asia, whose wife was Priscilla. The apostle 
 made his home at their house for a time, and 
 worked at his trade of tent-making, the same as 
 that of his host. Claudius, the Roman emperor, 
 had banished all Jews from Rome, suspecting 
 them, justly or unjustly, of inciting insurrections, 
 therefore dangerous to the safety of the city. 
 Aquila, probably, did not consider it safe to re- 
 
238 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 main in Italy, therefore he came to Corinth. For 
 some reason, Paul left the house of Aquila and 
 lodged with Justus, living near the Jewish syna- 
 gogue, who was a convert from paganism. It 
 has been supposed that the apostle changed his 
 lodgings that he might have more influence with 
 the Gentiles. 
 
 When Paul left Corinth, Aquila and Priscilla 
 accompanied him as far as Ephesus, on his way 
 to Jerusalem. They afterward returned to 
 Rome, and in his Epistle to the Romans, the 
 apostle sent his salutations to them, whom he 
 calls his " helpers in Christ Jesus." He also 
 mentions Aquila in his second Epistle to Tim- 
 othy. 
 
 Paul had been educated as a doctor of law, by 
 Gamaliel, yet he was taught a mechanic's trade, 
 that of tent-making. Tents in oriental countries 
 were very necessary, therefore the occupation of 
 making them might have been profitable. Though 
 Paul labored at his trade during the week, his 
 Sabbaths were spent in the synagogues where he 
 proclaimed the gospel to Jews and Gentiles. 
 
 He had previously sent for Silas and Timothy, 
 whom he had left at Berea, and after they ar- 
 rived at Corinth, their presence inspired him 
 with new courage, when he felt constrained to 
 testify to the Jews, that Jesus was Christ. When 
 they opposed him even with blasphemy, the 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 239 
 
 apostle shook bis raiment, a sign that he would 
 henceforth have nothing more to do with them, 
 and said, " Your blood be upon yo'ur own heads ; 
 I am not to blame for your destruction. Hence- 
 forth I go to the Gentiles." There were, how- 
 ever, some of his countrymen who believed, in- 
 cluding Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, 
 and his family. Many of the Corinthians be- 
 lieved and were baptized. It is possible that 
 Paul felt his insignificance when he saw the 
 splendor of Corinth and the wealth and culture of 
 its citizens, and on this account was embarrassed 
 in view of his duty to address them, therefore he 
 had a vision in the night when the Lord spake to 
 him, saying, " Be not afraid, but speak, for I am 
 with thee, and no one shall harm thee. I have 
 many true friends in this city." It was not the 
 custom of the apostle to tarry a long time in the 
 same city, though he remained at Ephesus three 
 years, yet he labored in Corinth one year and six 
 months, during which he founded a church. He 
 was not, however, permitted to pursue his Chris- 
 tian labors without persecution, for his persistent 
 enemy, the Jews, caused an insurrection, seized 
 Paul and forcibly conducted him to the judgment 
 seat intending to arraign him as a disturber of 
 the public peace. Their charge was, " This fel- 
 low persuadeth men to worship God contrary to 
 the law." Gallio was the Roman deputy of 
 
240 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Achaia at this time. After the Roman conquest, 
 Greece was divided into two provinces, namely, 
 Macedonia and Achaia, which were governed 
 by pro-consuls. Gallio, the pro-consul, or deputy 
 of Achaia, A. D. 53, was the brother of Seneca, 
 the celebrated philosopher. His original name 
 was Marcus A. Novatus, but when adopted by 
 Gallio a rhetorician, he took his name. He is 
 represented by ancient writers as remarkably 
 mild and amiable in disposition. 
 
 The Jews aroused the people as they had on 
 former occasions at Antioch, Philippi, and other 
 places, when Paul was seized and brought to the 
 tribunal of Gallio, charged with the offence of 
 persuading men to worship God contrary to the 
 law of both Jews and Romans. When Paul was 
 about to make his defence, Gallio settled the 
 question in a brief and decisive manner. He 
 said, " If it was a matter of injustice and crime, 
 O Jews, I would listen to you, but if it is one of 
 words and names only, I will be no judge of such 
 matters." Then he commanded them to depart 
 from the court, when the Greeks who had wit- 
 nessed the persecutions of Paul by the Jews, took 
 Sosthenes the chief ruler of the synagogue, and 
 beat him before the judgment-seat, but Gallio 
 did not interfere to prevent it. He may have 
 thought the ruler of the synagogue deserved his 
 punishment or he may have regarded the Jews 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOB. 241 
 
 with contempt. It has been the practice of using 
 the name of Gallio unjustly, as a synonym for all 
 thoughtless and indifferent conduct on the sub- 
 ject of religion. In regard to the chief ruler of 
 the synagogue, who was beaten, he may have be- 
 come a convert to Christianity, since Paul, in his 
 Epistle to the Corinthians, speaks of " Sosthenes 
 our brother." 
 
 After the incident about Gallio, Paul remained 
 some time at Corinth, then bade adieu to the 
 brethren and embarked on board a ship for Syria, 
 with Aquila and Priscilla, his design being to go 
 to Jerusalem to attend a festival, which may 
 have been the Passover. Paul being a Jew, ob- 
 served the customs of his nation, even after his 
 conversion, when they were not opposed to his 
 Christian belief. He had made a vow or solemn 
 promise to God, the nature of which is not men- 
 tioned, and when he arrived at Cenchrea, the 
 eastern part of Corinth, he had his hair cut, at 
 the expiration of the vow. Now were com- 
 mon among the Jews, the most remarkable being 
 the vow of the Nazarite, when all intoxicating 
 liquors must be avoided, the hair must be left to 
 grow, a house must not be entered containing a 
 corpse, nor a funeral attended. The time for 
 the expiration of the vow varied from eight 
 days to the end of one's life. When the time 
 ended, the priest offered sacrifices and then the 
 
242 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 head of the Nazarite was shaved at the door of 
 the Tabernacle, and the hair was burned on the 
 altar. 
 
 When Paul arrived at Ephesus, he went into 
 the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews w T ho 
 were numerous in the city, and had been granted 
 the privilege of citizenship. His visit was brief, 
 and when the disciples urged him to remain 
 longer, he declined, saying/ 44 He must keep the 
 festival at Jerusalem, but if it w^as the will of 
 God, he would retftrn to them." This he did 
 and remained three years preaching the gospel. 
 After bidding the disciples farewell, he sailed 
 from Ephesus, leaving Aquila and Priscilla. 
 
 Ephesus was a celebrated city in the province 
 of Lydia, Asia Minor, about five miles from the 
 sea. It was famous for the Temple of Diana to 
 whom the Ephesians paid great reverence. It 
 was built outside the walls of the city, and was 
 considered one of the " Wonders of the world." 
 It was greatly damaged by an earthquake in the 
 reign of the Emperor Tiberias, who repaired and 
 adorned it so that it was styled " The Ornament 
 of Asia." Some of the other public buildings 
 were the theatre, gymnasia, and Temple of 
 Jupiter. Ephesus came under the control of dif- 
 ferent rulers, as Croesus, the Persians, Mace- 
 donians, Komans, and Moslems. It was highly 
 favored by the Greeks, and considered the most 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 243 
 
 important city in Asia Minor, by the Romans, 
 but no relics of its former greatness remain. 
 The Ephesians are supposed to have invented the 
 mystical spells and charms by which they pre- % 
 tended to cure diseases and drive away evil spirits. 
 
 Paul founded a Christian church in Ephesus to 
 which he addressed one of his epistles, and here 
 the Apostle John and Timothy labored. It was 
 one of the Seven Churches addressed in the 
 Book of Revelation, in which* the writer com- 
 mended the members for their works, but accuses 
 them of having left their first love, and threatens 
 the removal of their candlestick from its place 
 unless they repented, a prophecy that has been 
 fulfilled. 
 
 The candlestick or lamp was used as a figure 
 of speech, and was the emblem of the Seven 
 Christian churches of Asia. The one made in 
 the time of Moses was of pure gold, and was kept 
 in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. It had 
 seven branches, one placed in the centre, and 
 three on each side of the centre one. In the 
 Temple of Solomon, there were ten gold candle- 
 sticks or lamps, supplied -morning and evening 
 with pure olive oil. The golden candlestick with 
 other articles, was taken by the Romans from 
 the Temple at the conquest of Jerusalem and 
 placed by Vespasian in a temple dedicated to 
 Peace. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 MISSIONARY EXCURSIONS. 
 
 Paul, after leaving Ephesus, sailed for Cesarea 
 where he landed to salute the brethren, as an ex- 
 pression of his regard and affection for them. 
 Thence he went to Antioch in Syria. Cesarea 
 was a name given to several cities of the Roman 
 Empire. The one referred to in this place was 
 surrounded by a wall and contained magnificent 
 buildings erected by Herod the Great. It was 
 situated on the coast of the Mediterranean about 
 sixty-two miles northw r est of Jerusalem, and was 
 named in honor of Augustus Caesar, to whom a 
 temple was dedicated, in which w T as placed a 
 statue of the Roman emperor ; the city became 
 the seat of the governor w r hile Judea was a Ro- 
 man province. Within the space of ten years 
 after the foundation was laid, Cesarea became 
 the most flourishing city in Syria, but at the 
 present day it is in ruins, with scarcely a trace 
 of its former magnificence. Its inhabitants, 
 palaces, temples, and works of art, have all dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 The apostle spent some time at Antioch, when 
 
 244 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 245 
 
 he revisited Galatia, and Phrygia, provinces in 
 Asia Minor, for the purpose of encouraging the 
 disciples and confirming them in the Christian 
 doctrines. They were converts from paganism, 
 and perhaps, encouragement amid the dangers to 
 which they were exposed, was timely and nec- 
 essary. 
 
 Apollos, a contemporary of Paul, and a Chris- 
 tian laborer, was a Jew, born in Alexandria, 
 Egypt, where there were many of his country- 
 men. This city was founded by Alexander the 
 Great, and was celebrated for its schools of learn- 
 ing, and it is probable that Apollos enjoyed their 
 advantages for an education. He was well in- 
 structed by his kindred, in the Old Testament, 
 especially about the advent of the Messiah whom 
 the Jews were expecting would soon appear. 
 Being zealous and ardent, he boldly proclaimed 
 his views in the synagogue at Ephesus. When 
 Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they perceived 
 that he needed clearer and more definite ideas on 
 the subject, therefore they instructed him more 
 perfectly, by proving that the Messiah had al- 
 ready come in the person of Jesus. 
 
 Apollos decided to go to Achaia, when the 
 brethren at Ephesus gave him a letter of intro- 
 duction to the Christians in that region. Many 
 of the Greeks were captivated by his eloquence, 
 find the Jews were silenoed by his strong argu- 
 
246 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 merits, proving from their Scriptures, that Jesus 
 of Nazareth was the Messiah predicted by the 
 prophets. 
 
 It is supposed his great popularity tended to 
 cause a schism in the Christian church, since 
 Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, alludes to 
 such an event. " It is reported," says the apostle, 
 " that some of the disciples say ' I am of Paul,' 
 some, ' I am of Apollos,' and others, ' I am of 
 Cephas.' " He then reproves them and says, " Who 
 is Paul, and who Apollos, but ministers by whom 
 ye believe? I have planted, Apollos watered, 
 but God gave the increase. He that planted, 
 and he that watered are one." 
 
 Paul and Apollos were not separated, but 
 labored together in the same cause, on friendly 
 terms. 
 
 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having 
 travelled in his missionary tour through Phrygia 
 and Galatia, called the upper regions, because they 
 were situated on a high table-land in Asia Minor, 
 came to Ephesus, according to his promise, and 
 found there certain disciples who had embraced 
 the doctrines of John the Baptist. The apostle 
 inquired whether they had received the Holy 
 Ghost, and they replied, " We have not heard 
 whether there is any Holy Ghost." After some 
 explanation by Paul, they were baptized in the 
 name of the Lord Jesus, and when the apostle 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 247 
 
 laid his hands upon them, their number being 
 about twelve men, the Holy Spirit endowed them 
 with the power of prophecy, and the gift of speak- 
 ing foreign languages, as on the day of Pentecost. 
 As was Paul's custom, he proclaimed the 
 gospel to his own countrymen in their synagogue, 
 for three months, but when many of them op- 
 posed and misrepresented him, he separated the 
 disciples from their influence, while he taught 
 daily in the school or hall of Tyrannus for two 
 years, so that all who dwelt in Asia Minor 
 heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus, both Jews 
 and Greeks. It is not known who Tyrannus 
 was, but it is probable he was a Jew, and per- 
 haps favorable to Christians. There were no 
 church buildings at that time, and the disciples 
 were obliged to assemble in any place convenient 
 for public worship. Miracles were wrought by 
 the apostle, so that handkerchiefs or napkins 
 used by him, when brought to the sick or those 
 possessed by evil spirits, were cured. The Jews 
 generally believed in exorcism, or the power to, 
 cure diseases and cast out demons, by means of 
 charms, incantations, etc. A certain Jew called 
 Sceva, a Greek name, and who belonged to the 
 order of priests, had seven sons who claimed this 
 power, and went from place to place, exercising 
 their pretended authority. They commonly used 
 the name of God in their enchantments. On a cer- 
 
248 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 tain occasion they attempted to cast out an evil 
 spirit by saying, " We adjure you by Jesus whom 
 Paul preaches." The answer came, "Jesus I 
 know, and Paul I know ; but who are ye ? " The 
 man possessed by the demon, sprang at them, 
 tore off their garments, compelling them to 
 escape naked and wounded. 
 
 When this surprising incident was known to 
 the Jews and the Greeks at Ephesus, they were 
 astonished and afraid, and confessed their decep- 
 tion in using magical arts, and brought their 
 books or parchments explaining their incanta : 
 tions, and publicly burned them, the cost being 
 estimated at' 50,000 pieces of silver, the exact 
 value of which is uncertain. If they referred to 
 the Jewish shekel, they were equal to about 
 $25,000, but if to Greek or Roman coin, they 
 were far less. Since Ephesus was in a Roman 
 province, it is probable the currency was Roman, 
 therefore the loss to the magicians was between 
 $8,000, and $9,000. However, it was a large 
 sum for those magicians to sacrifice, and their 
 act proved they were willing to confess their 
 wrongdoings, publicly. This transaction greatly 
 advanced the cause of Christianity in the cele- 
 brated city of Ephesus, and showed to the 
 heathen what an influence it had on its fol- 
 lowers. 
 
 After the gospel was firmly established at 
 
.'.■■„:. ■• • ," ,",. " "■'•'. : 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 249 
 
 Ephesus, the apostle decided, that after he had 
 travelled through Macedonia and Achaia again, 
 he would go to Jerusalem to carry the contribu- 
 tions of the Gentile churches to the poor Chris- 
 tians in Judea. Paul sent Timothy and Erastus, a 
 chataberlain or treasurer of Corinth, to Macedonia, 
 perhaps for the purpose of making a collection 
 for the needy saints at Jerusalem, but the apostle 
 himself remained at Ephesus for a time, when a 
 great public excitement occurred about the doc- 
 trines taught by him. The tumult was caused 
 by a certain silversmith named Demetrius, who 
 made silver shrines for the goddess Diana. 
 
 This was a profitable business for Demetrius 
 and his craftsmen. These shrines were small 
 portable temples, which may have contained a 
 silver image of the goddess, therefore they would 
 be purchased by worshippers, a great number of 
 whom came to Ephesus to offer her their homage. 
 The pagans were in the habit of carrying with 
 them the representation of their gods as amulets 
 or charms. Among the Romans, their household 
 gods were called Penates. When Demetrius had 
 called together the silversmiths, he addressed 
 them in substance as follows : " Sirs, ye know 
 that by this craft we gain our wealth, but you 
 are aware that not only at Ephesus, but through- 
 out A sia Minor, Paul has gained many followers, 
 m& has affirmed that these images made by the 
 
250 BIBLE CHARACTERS, 
 
 hand of man, are not gods. Moreover, the great 
 goddess Diana, whom all the world worships, is 
 despised, and her magnificent temple will be 
 deserted. 1 ' 
 
 This celebrated temple has been considered as 
 one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. 
 It was built at the expense of all Asia Minor, and 
 required two hundred and twenty years to com- 
 plete it. The temple was reconstructed several 
 times. It was, as formerly stated, four hundred 
 and twenty -five feet in length, and two hundred 
 and twenty feet in width, and was supported by 
 one hundred and twenty-seven pillars of Parian 
 marble, furnished by as many princes. It has 
 been estimated that each pillar or column, in- 
 cluding its base, contained one hundred and fifty 
 tons of marble. The doors and pannelling were 
 of cyprus wood, and the roof was of cedar, while 
 the interior was decorated with gold and the 
 most valuable works of ancient artists. The 
 first Temple of Diana, at Ephesus, is said to have 
 been completed in the reign of Servius Tullius, 
 about 570 b. c. It was finally destroyed by the 
 Goths, 260 A. D., but no vestige of it remains. 
 Is it not possible that artisans, who constructed 
 the Temple of Diana, borrowed some of their ideas 
 from the Temple of Solomon, at Jerusalem ? 
 
 When Demetrius had closed his appeal to the 
 citizens, they were very angry, probably at the 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 251 
 
 prospect of losing their gains, and shouted for 
 two hours, " Great is Diana of the Ephesians," 
 causing a great commotion throughout the city. 
 The excited Ephesians seized Gaius and Aristar- 
 chus, companions of Paul, and rushed with their 
 prisoners into the theatre, a place not only for 
 public exhibitions, but also for holding assem- 
 blies, elections, and courts, with the intention of 
 having the matter settled. Paul intended to 
 follow the excited mob, probably to defend his 
 own cause, but he was advised by certain friends 
 not to venture into the theatre, for if he did, his 
 life might be in danger. These friends, denomi- 
 nated chiefs of Asia, were men presiding over 
 religious services, and public games, and whose 
 duty it was to see that due honor was rendered 
 to the Roman emperor. They held a common 
 council in the principal city of the provinces, for 
 consultation, and, probably, they were assembled 
 at Ephesus when the exciting events just men- 
 tioned occurred. They, perhaps, had listened to 
 Paul's preaching and were friendly to him, though 
 there is no positive evidence that they were 
 Christian converts. We have in this account a 
 correct representation of a mob collected for a 
 purpose they did not understand, as some shouted 
 one thing, and some another, but all were swayed 
 by their passions, so that the chiefs of Asia, or 
 the assembly, were confused, and most of them did 
 
252 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 not understand why they had been called together. 
 Some of the crowd, assisted by the Jews, laid 
 hold of Alexander, one of their countrymen, and 
 bringing him to the front, desired him to defend 
 them against the suspicion that they were the 
 originators of the tumult. The native citizens, 
 when thev learned that he was a Jew, with one 
 voice, that is unitedly, shouted for two hours, 
 " Great is Diana of the Ephesians." 
 
 "When the town-clerk, or secretary, had quieted 
 the tumult, he addressed the crowd, saying, " Ye 
 men of Ephesus, who does not know that the peo- 
 ple of this city are devout worshippers of the 
 great goddess Diana, whose statue was sent down 
 by Jupiter ? Since no one can question the zeal 
 of the Ephesians, ye ought to be quiet, and do 
 nothing rashly, for there is no occasion for a dis- 
 orderly riot. Demetrius and his -associates have 
 brought here these men, who are neither robbers 
 of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 
 Wherefore, if Demetrius and his craftsmen have 
 any complaint for injustice or injury done them, 
 let the matter be brought before the deputies, or 
 Roman procurators, where they can plead their 
 own cause, and if you wish to settle other matters 
 respecting public affairs, such as relate to the 
 worship of Diana, it will be proper to bring them 
 before a lawful assembly. We are in danger of 
 being called to account by the Roman govern- 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 253 
 
 ment for this day's uproar, there being no just 
 cause for it," and having thus spoken, he dismissed 
 the assembly. The Romans avoided popular com- 
 motions, and they made it a capital offence to 
 raise a mob. 
 
 After the tumult, excited by Demetrius, and 
 the workmen had been quieted by the town- 
 clerk, Paul called together the disciples to .com- 
 fort and encourage them, and gave them his 
 parting embrace, when he left for Macedonia, on 
 his way to Jerusalem. It is probable he went 
 by the way of Troas, where he expected to 
 find Titus, but failing in this, he went by himself 
 to Philippi, Thessalonica, and some other places 
 previously visited, to encourage the disciples, then 
 came to Greece, where he remained three months. 
 
 It was usual for some of the brethren to attend 
 the apostles in their journeys, as before stated, 
 therefore, on this occasion, there were several 
 who accompanied Paul to Asia, they having gone 
 before and joined him at Troas. The writer uses 
 the word us in his narrative, proving that Luke 
 had again joined Paul as his companion. He 
 had remained at Philippi as a guest of Lydia, 
 while Paul went to Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, 
 and other places, preaching the gospel. He says 
 that after the feast of the Passover, we sailed 
 from Philippi and five days after, came to -Troas 
 where we remained seven days. While at this 
 
254 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 place, the disciples met to celebrate the Lord's 
 Supper, in an upper chamber, lighted by numer- 
 ous lamps. Here Paul, who was to leave on the 
 morrow, preach §d to them and continued his 
 sermon until midnight. There sat in a window 
 which was left open, a young man named Euty- 
 chus, who, wearied by the long discourse, yielded 
 to the influence of sleep and fell down from the 
 third story, when he was taken up for dead. 
 Paul left his hearers, and going down embraced 
 him, saying, " Trouble not yourselves, for his life 
 is in him." When Paul returned to the upper 
 room and had taken some refreshment, and dis- 
 coursed a long time, even until the break of day, 
 he departed. The friends of Eutychus were 
 greatly comforted when they saw the miracle 
 that had been wrought in his recovery from 
 injury. 
 
 Paul went from Philippi to Assos on foot, pre- 
 ferring that method of travel when practicable. 
 There were several cities named Assos, but the 
 one mentioned in this connection was between 
 Troas and Mitylene, the capital of the island of 
 Lesbos, one of the largest in the JEgean Sea. 
 The capital was distinguished for the beauty of 
 its situation and the magnificence of its build- 
 ings. It passed through many changes and held 
 an important position, but finally came under 
 the control of the Romans. The Island of Lesbos 
 
THE ELOQUENT OB A TOE. 255 
 
 was, in early Greek history, celebrated as the 
 original place of the ^Eolian school of lyric 
 poetry, and the home of several lyric poets, in- 
 cluding Sappho. Besides poetry, philosophy and 
 literature flourished here, and it was the home 
 of many historians and other learned men. 
 
 The sacred writer says, " We sailed from Mity- 
 lene, and passing by Chios or Coos, an island in 
 the Archipelago, and the next day arrived at 
 Samos," also an island in the same sea, both cele- 
 brated in ancient times for their excellent wines. 
 Samos, now called Scio, was the scene of a fear- 
 ful massacre of the inhabitants by the Turks in 
 1823. Paul and his companions stopped at Tro- 
 gylium, a town on the coast opposite Samos, and 
 the next day arrived at Miletus or Miletum, a 
 seaport, and the ancient capital of Ionia, origi- 
 nally settled by a colony from Crete. It was the 
 birthplace of Thales, one of the " Seven wise 
 men of Greece." It became a powerful city and 
 sent colonies to several places, and was celebrated 
 for a magnificent temple of Apollo. The apostle 
 decided not to stop at Ephesus, since it would 
 delay his visit to Jerusalem, where he wished to 
 celebrate the feast of the Passover, but he sent for 
 the elders of the church who came a distance, per- 
 haps of forty miles, aad when they arrived, he ad- 
 dressed them in "one of the most tender, affec- 
 tionate and eloquent discourses ever delivered." 
 
256 BIBLE- CHARACTERS. 
 
 It describes the apostle's life when among them 
 and expresses his interest and concern for their 
 welfare, and his firm purpose to live and labor for 
 the glory of God, even though suffering perse- 
 cution. . Paul had been with the Ephesians three 
 years and could, with propriety, make this ap- 
 peal, since they had witnessed his faithful labors 
 and devoted life. He affirms that he discharged 
 his duties in humility and without pride or osten- 
 tation, and with tears and great dangers on ac- 
 count of the conspiracies of his countrymen to 
 murder him. " I kept from you," says the apostle, 
 " nothing profitable in the way of doctrine, and 
 have ^taught you publicly, and from house to 
 house, testifying both to Jews and Greeks, the 
 necessity of repentance toward God and faith in 
 the Lord Jesus Christ. I am constrained by the 
 influences of the Holy Spirit, to go to Jerusalem, 
 not knowing what may befall me there, only that 
 bonds and afflictions await me. But none of 
 these things alarm or deter me from my purpose, 
 neither do I consider my life so important as to 
 turn me from my purpose, if I may finish my 
 special work, of preaching the gospel, a commis- 
 sion I received from the Lord Jesus. 
 
 " Now as ye will never see me again I call you 
 to witness that I am innocent for the loss of any 
 souls, for I have not neglected to declare the 
 whole truth of God." The apostle then cautions 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 257 
 
 them against the dangers that will beset them, 
 and exhorts them to discharge their duties to 
 their flocks, purchased with the blood of Christ, 
 faithfully, for, says Paul, " after my departure, 
 grievous wolves," using a figure of speech, " will 
 come among }^ou not sparing the flock. More- 
 over, some of your own church will advance 
 doctrines that tend to cause divisions, therefore 
 watch, and do not forget that for three years, I 
 continued to admonish you night and day, with 
 tears. Now, brethren, as I am about to leave 
 you, I commend you to God who is able to 
 strengthen you and make you partakers of the 
 blessings of salvation, together with all the 
 saints. I have not sought wealth, as you all 
 know, while these hands have ministered to my 
 wants, and in doing this, I have taught by pre- 
 cept and example that you should help support 
 the weak and the poor, remembering the words 
 of the Lord Jesus who said, ' It is more blessed 
 to give than to receive.' " 
 
 When Paul had finished his remarks to the 
 Ephesian elders, he knelt down and prayed, when 
 they wept and embraced him with kisses, because 
 of his tender advice and interest in them, and also 
 that he was about to leave them and they would, 
 probably, never see him again. They conducted 
 him to the ship and he left Miletus to resume his 
 journey to Jerusalem. 
 
258 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 " After leaving that place, we launched," says 
 the writer, " and took a direct course to Coos," 
 an island in the Grecian archipelago, " and the 
 next day came to Rhodes, and thence to Patara," 
 a maritime city in Asia Minor, opposite Rhodes. 
 Coos or Chios, a small island in the JEgean Sea, 
 was known for its wines, figs, and other fruits, 
 for its marble, and the luxury of its inhabitants. 
 It claimed to have been the birthplace of Homer, 
 though seven cities have contended for that honor. 
 It retained its democratic government until con- 
 quered by the Persians, though it regained its 
 freedom, and joined the Athenian League, but in 
 consequence of a revolt, it was subdued and laid 
 waste. The island contained rocky mountains 
 and fertile valleys. 
 
 Rhodes, also an island in the iEgean Sea, com- 
 prised more than one thousand square miles, and 
 received its name from its abundance of roses. 
 According to tradition, it was settled at a very 
 early period, and is mentioned by Homer. It 
 became a great maritime state or confederacy, 
 and was the theatre of frequent contests between 
 different political parties and nationalities, until it 
 came under the control of the Romans when they 
 became " the masters of the world." The Island 
 of Rhodes was celebrated for its Colossus, a 
 statue of brass one hundred and five feet in 
 height, which stood across the mouth of the har- 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 259 
 
 bor with its feet so far apart that vessels could 
 pass between them. It was considered one of 
 the " seven wonders of the world," but it re- 
 mained only fifty -six years until it was thrown 
 down by an earthquake, and when the Saracens 
 took possession of the island about nine hundred 
 years after, it required nine hundred camels to 
 remove the brass. 
 
 The natives of the island were fond of naviga- 
 tion, made frequent voyages and established nu- 
 merous colonies. The chief city named also 
 Rhodes, was celebrated for its architectural 
 beauty, and its number of statues. 
 
 Luke continues his account of the voyage and 
 says, " After securing a vessel bound for Phoe- 
 nicia, we embarked and passing by Cyprus on 
 the left, we cpane to Syria, and landed at Tyre, 
 where the ship was to unload its cargo." Here 
 they remained seven days with the disciples of 
 that city, who urged Paul not to go to Jerusa- 
 lem, but as he was not to be turned aside from 
 his purpose, they, with their wives and children, 
 accompanied the apostle outside the city where 
 they kneeled on the shore and praj^ed. When 
 they all had bidden one another farewell, Paul 
 embarked and his friends returned to their 
 homes. 
 
 A brief description of Tyre, a city so frequently 
 mentioned in the Scriptures, is as follows : It 
 
260 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 was in Phoenicia, situated on the Mediterranean, 
 and built, according to Josephus, about two hun- 
 dred and forty years before the Temple of Solo- 
 mon, therefore it was a very ancient city, and 
 constructed partly on an island, and partly upon 
 the mainland. The insular city was on a small 
 rocky island, but continental Tyre was very 
 large. It was, in the course of its history, be- 
 sieged five years by the Assyrians who were un- 
 able to capture it, but later, after a siege of thir- 
 teen years, it was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, king 
 of Babylon, and after a siege of five months 
 Alexander the Great captured it, and built an 
 immense causeway, half a mile in length, to con- 
 nect the two parts of the city, but he burned the 
 old Tyre. It was, however, rebuilt and in less than 
 twenty years, had recovered, to a great extent, 
 its former commercial importance. Neverthe- 
 less, it was captured by Antigonus and subse- 
 quently by the Syrians, Egyptians and Romans 
 in succession. It was taken by the Saracens, the 
 Crusaders, and finally by the Mamelukes of 
 Egypt. The predictions of the Hebrew prophets 
 were fulfilled, who said that, " Tyre should be- 
 come like the top of a rock, a place upon which 
 to spread nets," referring to the practice of fish- 
 ermen. 
 
 After leaving Tyre, Paul and his companions 
 came to Ptolemais, and having saluted the 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 261 
 
 brethren, they remained with them one day. 
 Ptolemais, originally called Accho, was named 
 for one of the Ptolemy s, and was situated on the 
 Mediterranean. On the south and west, it was 
 bordered by the sea and to protect it, was sur- 
 rounded by a triple wall. It contained a temple 
 of Diana and a bath of Venus. The Crusaders 
 called it Acre or St. John of Acre, from a mag- 
 nificent church dedicated to the Apostle John. 
 It sustained several sieges during the wars of the 
 Crusades, but was recovered by the Turks, and 
 at a late period was besieged by the French, but 
 it has regained much of its former strength and 
 importance though there are very few relics of 
 its earlier magnificence. 
 
 The next day Paul left Ptolemais and came to 
 Cesarea, where he lodged with Philip, one of the 
 seven deacons who, after his conversation with 
 the eunuch of Ethiopia, went to Cesarea. 
 
 Philip had seven daughters who were endowed 
 with the spirit of prophecy. Paul and his com- 
 pany remained there many days, and in the 
 meantime, a prophet named Agabus, came from 
 Jerusalem. On a former occasion, he had pre- 
 dicted, at Antioch, that there would be a great 
 famine throughout the world, which did occur in 
 the reign of Claudius Caesar. When Agabus 
 came to Paul at Cesarea, he took the apostle's 
 girdle or belt used to confine his robes, as was the 
 
262 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 custom, and bound his own hands and feet, saying, 
 " The Holy Spirit has revealed that the Jews at 
 Jerusalem will bind the o wner of this girdle and 
 deliver him to the Gentiles." 
 
 "When his friends heard this prophecy, they be- 
 sought Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but he re- 
 plied, " Why do ye weep and break my heart, for 
 I am not only willing to be bound, but also to 
 die for the Lord Jesus." When they found he 
 was determined to go, they acquiesced, saying, 
 " The will of the Lord be done." After this in- 
 cident, Paul and his companions prepared for 
 their journey and started for Jerusalem, accom- 
 panied by certain disciples from Cesarea. 
 
 When thejr arrived at the capital, the brethren 
 received them joyfully, as they had returned in 
 safety, after a long absence, and exposure to many 
 hardships and dangers. The next day they went 
 to the Apostle James, and the elders, and after 
 the usual salutation, Paul explained the wonderful 
 success, they had met with in their labors among 
 the Gentiles. When they heard it, they glori- 
 fied the Lord. They recognized the apostle as a 
 fellow-Christian laborer, and desired him to do 
 all he could to conciliate the favor of his country- 
 men for, said they, " Thou seest, brother, many 
 thousands of Jews who believe, and are all zeal- 
 ous for the law, and they have heard that thou 
 teachest those living among the Gentiles, to for- 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. • 263 
 
 sake the commands of Moses. How is it ? The 
 multitude will assemble when it will be impossi- 
 ble to avoid a tumult." The Jews were greatly 
 excited because one of their own nation had for- 
 saken the religion of their fathers, as they sup- 
 posed, therefore Paul's presence at Jerusalem 
 would be likely to cause a great public commo- 
 tion. 
 
 His friends suggested a method to avoid such 
 an excitement, somewhat as follows : " James and 
 the elders," they said," have with us four men 
 who have made a vow of the Nazarites," which 
 forbids several things including shaving the hair. 
 " We advise you to join them and share the ex- 
 pense of the sacrifices and offerings required, that 
 it may be known thou keepest the law. In re- 
 gard to the Gentiles, we have written that it is 
 not necessary they should observe the ceremonial 
 law, but they should abstain from certain things 
 specified." 
 
 The next day, Paul in company with the four 
 men, having performed the ceremonies connected 
 with the vow, entered the temple. 
 
 "When the seven days for the observance of 
 the vow were ended, the Jews of Asia Minor who 
 had come to Jerusalem, probably, to join in its 
 festivities, aroused a public disorder, and during 
 the excitement, seized Paul and shouted, "Men 
 of Israel, help. This is the man that everywhere 
 
264 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 preaches against the Jews, the law, and the tem- 
 ple. Beside, he brought Greeks into this house, 
 and hath defiled it." They had seen Trophimus 
 an Ephesian in the city, and supposed that Paul 
 had brought him into the temple. 
 
 There w r as a great public commotion, and the 
 people running together, seized Paul, drew him 
 out of the temple with the intention of killing 
 him, and closed the doors. 
 
 When the chief captain of the Roman soldiers, 
 whose name was Claudius Lvsias, stationed at 
 the tower of Antonio, north of the temple, was 
 aware of the popular tumult, he collected his 
 troops and hastened to inquire into the cause, 
 and when the angry people saw him, they ceased 
 to beat Paul, fearing, perhaps, to be called to ac- 
 count by the Roman government. The chief 
 captain commanded his soldiers to bind Paul 
 with two chains, that is undoubtedly, between 
 two soldiers, one chained to his right hand, the 
 other to his left, thus the prediction of Agabus, 
 that the apostle would be bound, w 7 as fulfilled. 
 Some of the multitude shouted one thing, and 
 some another, so there was great confusion. 
 Claudius Lysias commanded him to be taken 
 to the castle, and on account of the popular 
 excitement, he was carried by the soldiers, to 
 protect him from violence, over the stairs which 
 led from the temple to the tower of Antonio, 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 265 
 
 the crowd following them crying, "Away with 
 him." 
 
 As Paul was about to be led into the castle, he 
 said to the chief captain, " May I speak to thee ? 
 that is, can I have the privilege of making my de- 
 fence ? " " Canst thou speak Greek ? " replied the 
 officer. " Art not thou the Egyptian who led 
 4,000 men from the wilderness to the Mount of 
 Olives whose purpose was murder, plunder, and 
 insurrection ? " The apostle asked permission to 
 address the people, and being granted his request, 
 he stood on the stairs and beckoned with his 
 hand, when there was perfect silence in the 
 crowd, and he addressed them in the Hebrew 
 language. 
 
 Before he began his speech, he affirmed his 
 nationality, and mentioned the place of his na- 
 tivity, thus correcting the mistake of the chief 
 captain, and others who' may have been under 
 the same delusion. The scene as pictured by the 
 imagination was as follows : " A prisoner of 
 small size with care-worn visage and bruised 
 limbs, the result of mob violence, chained be- 
 tween two athletic Roman soldiers, who are 
 carrying him to the castle for safety. They 
 halt upon the stairs, when he asks permission to 
 address the tumultuous crowd who are shouting, 
 ' Away with him ! Away with him ! ' The 
 prisoner made a gesture with his hand, when the 
 
266 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 clamor was hushed, and the orator began his de- 
 fence in the Hebrew language." He addressed 
 his hearers as " Men, brethren, and fathers," and 
 then gives an account of his own life, his native 
 place, his early education, his zeal for the na- 
 tional religion, his persecutions of the Christians, 
 his journey to Damascus and what befell him on 
 the way, his conversion and baptism, his call to 
 preach the gospel, his return to Jerusalem, the 
 martyrdom of Stephen, and his own call to labor 
 for the Gentiles, and would have continued his 
 remarks, but his hearers at this point, inter- 
 rupted him by exclaiming in a loud voice, " Away 
 with such a fellow from the earth ! It is not fit 
 he should live." Then they cast off their outer 
 garments, as if intending to stone him, and cast 
 dust into the air, as an expression of their indig- 
 nation, but Paul, being guarded by Koman sol- 
 diers, they could not injure. 
 
 The chief captain, not having understood the 
 apostle's Hebrew address, ordered him to be 
 brought into the castle and scourged, that he 
 might confess his offence, which he supposed was 
 some flagrant crime. As they bound Paul with 
 thongs preparatory to scourging, he said to the 
 centurion standing near, u Is it lawful to scourge 
 a Roman uncondemned ? " When the centurion 
 heard Paul's question, he said to the chief cap- 
 tain, " Take heed what you do. This man is a 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 267 
 
 Roman." It was directly contrary to the Roman 
 law to bind and scourge a Roman citizen. The 
 chief captain said to the apostle, " Art thou a 
 Roman ? " He replied, " Yes," when the captain 
 said, " With a great sum I obtained this free- 
 dom." Paul replied, " I was born free." The cap- 
 tain was afraid when he knew that he had violated 
 a Roman law, and having loosed his bonds, the 
 next day he sent for the chief priests and the 
 great Council of the nation — the Sanhedrim — and 
 brought Paul before them, that he might learn 
 the real nature of the charge brought against 
 him. 
 
CHAPTEE XXL 
 
 AN APPEAL TO CiESAR. 
 
 When Paul was brought before the Sanhe- 
 drim, or great Council of the nation, comprising 
 seventy members, he observed them closely to 
 ascertain, if possible, the character of the judges 
 before whom he was arraigned. The apostle 
 began his defence by saying, " Men and brethren, 
 I have lived conscientiously before God until this 
 day." Here he was interrupted by a command 
 of Ananias, the high priest, to those who stood 
 by him, to smite Paul on the mouth, to stop his 
 speaking, as the apostle's assertion was offensive 
 to him. Then Paul said, " God shall smite thee, 
 thou whited wall," a proverb to denote hypocrisy 
 — "for do you judge me after the law and com- 
 mand me to be smitten contrary to the law ? " 
 Those who stood near said, " Do you revile God's 
 high priest ? " Paul replied, " I did not know, 
 brethren, that he was the high priest. It is 
 written thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of 
 my people." The apostle's excuse has been vari- 
 ously interpreted by different writers. 
 
 When Paul perceived that a part of the 
 
 268 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 269 
 
 Council were Sadducees, and part were Phari- 
 sees, he said, "I am a Pharisee, and the son of a 
 Pharisee, and for the hope that the dead will be 
 raised, I am called in question." This declaration 
 of the apostle caused a dispute between the two 
 sects, for the Sadducees did not believe in a resur- 
 rection, angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees 
 accepted these doctrines. The questions in dis- 
 pute were, first, Whether the dead would be 
 raised and exist in a future state; second, 
 Whether mind was distinct from matter. There 
 was a great tumult, when the Pharisees said, 
 " We find no evil in this man," that is nothing 
 contrary to the law of Moses, " but if a spirit or 
 an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight 
 against God," or as some have understood, 
 " what is there unusual or wrong ? " 
 
 When the chief captain witnessed the fierce 
 controversy, and fearing that Paul would suffer 
 serious injury at their hands, he commanded the 
 soldiers to go and take him away and bring him 
 into the castle. During the night Paul had a 
 vision, in which the Lord Jesus stood by him and 
 said, " Be of good cheer, Paul ; as thou hast wit- 
 nessed for Me in Jerusalem, so must thou also at 
 Rome." 
 
 When it was day, certain Jews, numbering 
 forty, formed a conspiracy to kill him, pledging 
 themselves by an oath, that they would neither 
 
270 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 eat nor drink until they had accomplished their 
 purpose. They went to the chief priests and told 
 them about their oath, and requested them, with 
 the Council, to ask the chief captain to allow 
 Paul to come to them for the purpose of making 
 further inquiry, and " before he comes near, we," 
 that is the conspirators, " will kill him." A son 
 of Paul's sister, having a knowledge of the plot, 
 went to the castle and told Paul, who sent for 
 one of the centurions, and asked him to conduct 
 the young man to the chief captain, as he had a 
 message for him. When the centurion had in- 
 troduced him, the chief captain took the young 
 man by the hand, and leading him aside, asked 
 him . privately wiiat he had to say. It is not 
 revealed by what means Paul's nephew obtained 
 his information about the conspiracy, but it is 
 possible there had not been a strict observance of 
 secrecy among the intended assassins. The chief 
 captain sent away the young man with the in- 
 junction, not to repeat to any one the news he 
 had communicated. 
 
 This government official called two centurions, 
 and ordered them to make ready two hundred 
 men under their command, with seventy horse- 
 men, and two hundred spearmen, to go to 
 Cesarea. They w r ere to start at nine o'clock in 
 the evening, so that their departure might not be 
 suspected. They were to provide animals for 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 271 
 
 Paul and his attendants, who were to be con- 
 ducted to Felix, the governor of Judea, whose 
 place of residence was at Cesarea, about sixty 
 miles from Jerusalem. The chief captain sent a 
 letter to Felix, saying : " Claudius Lysias unto 
 the most excellent governor, Felix, sendeth greet- 
 ing. This man was taken by the Jews and would 
 have been killed had I not rescued him with an 
 army. I brought him to their Council, and dis- 
 covered that he was accused of having violated 
 some of their laws, but was charged with no 
 crime worthy of death or bonds. When I learned 
 that the Jews laid wait to kill him, I immediately 
 sent him to you, and commanded his accusers to 
 appear before you." 
 
 The soldiers, having received their orders, took 
 Paul and brought him, by night, to Antipatris, a 
 town about twentj^-six miles from Cesarea, and 
 thirty-five miles from Jerusalem. In the morning, 
 the soldiers having conducted the apostle beyond 
 danger from the conspirators, returned directly 
 to the castle, leaving him in the care of the horse- 
 men, who, when they arrived at Cesarea, delivered 
 the letter of Claudius Lysias to the governor, and 
 presented Paul to him. Felix, having read the 
 letter, and learned that the prisoner was from the 
 province of Cilicia, which was within his own 
 jurisdiction, said, " I will hear thee, when thine 
 accusers arrive," and then commanded him to be 
 
272 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 kept in the pretorium or judgment-hall of Herod. 
 Here Paul remained five days until Ananias, the 
 high priest, the elders, and Tertullus, a Roman 
 orator, or lawyer engaged as his accuser, arrived. 
 When Paul was brought forth from prison, 
 Tertullus began his speech by a complimentary 
 address to the governor, saying, " As we enjoy 
 quietness, and many things have been done by 
 thee for our welfare, we accept them with thank- 
 fulness, most noble Felix. In thy clemency, I 
 pray thee, hear us briefly state our case. We 
 have found this man a pestilence, an exciter of 
 sedition among the Jews everywhere, and a 
 leader of the sect of Nazarenes, and one who 
 profaned the Temple. We would have judged him 
 according to our law, but the chief captain 
 Lysias, forcibly took him from us and com- 
 manded his accusers to appear before thee." The 
 Jews who accompanied Tertullus to Cesarea, as- 
 sented to what their advocate affirmed. After 
 the governor had signified, perhaps by a wave of 
 the hand, that Paul could speak for himself, he 
 began ;"As thou hast been for many years a judge 
 of this nation, I readily answer for myself, since 
 you are well acquainted with the customs and opin- 
 ions of the Jews. It has been only twelve daj T s 
 since I went to Jerusalem, and they neither found 
 me in the Temple disputing with any one, nor did I 
 arouse a public excitement in the synagogues or 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 273 
 
 in the city. Neither can they prove the charges - 
 brought against me. But this I confess, that ac- 
 cording to the way they call heresy, I worship 
 the God of my fathers, believing all things writ- 
 ten in the law and the prophets, and I believe in 
 the resurrection both of the just and the unjust. 
 It is my constant aim to do what my conscience 
 approves, toward God and men. After many 
 years' absence, I went to Jerusalem to carry the 
 contributions of the churches to the poor saints 
 in Judea, when certain Jews from Asia Minor, 
 found me in the Temple where I went to fulfill 
 my vow, but in a quiet way unattended by a 
 crowd. These my accusers ought to be here as 
 witnesses if they have anything against me ; but 
 let those who are present testify, if they are 
 able, that I did wrong while before the Sanhe- 
 drim, unless it was for my opinion about the 
 resurrection of the dead, for which I am called 
 in question to-day." 
 
 After hearing Paul's defence, Felix replied, 
 " When Lysias the chief captain comes, I shall be 
 better prepared to decide the case." He then 
 commanded a centurion to take charge of Paul, 
 and allow him the liberty of receiving his friend's, 
 and not to forbid any of his acquaintances to 
 offer him gifts. It is evident that Felix was 
 favorably disposed toward the apostle, and 
 would show him all the indulgence consistent 
 
274 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 with his safe-keeping. He considered him a 
 persecuted man, and doubtless regarded the 
 charges against him as false and instigated by 
 malice. 
 
 Felix had persuaded Drusilla, a daughter of 
 Herod Agrippa, to forsake her husband and 
 marry him, an act considered a violation of the 
 moral law. When the governor and his wife 
 came to Cesarea, he sent for Paul to hear him 
 preach, perhaps to be more fully acquainted with 
 the case, or to gratify his wife who was a Jew- 
 ess. As the eloquent preacher reasoned of 
 righteousness, temperance, and a future judgment, 
 Felix trembled and said, " Go thy way for this 
 time ; when I have a convenient season, I will 
 call for thee." The governor sent for Paul 
 many times and talked with him, hoping that 
 the prisoner w^ould give him money, and after 
 two years, Felix, to show the Jews a favor, left 
 him bound, that is a prisoner, and retired from 
 his official position, succeeded by Porcius Festus. 
 
 Claudius Felix was procurator of Judea in 
 the reigns of the Emperors Claudius and Nero, 
 and was a freedman of Claudius. His original 
 name was Antonius Felix. Both in his public 
 and private character, he was unscrupulous and 
 profligate. His government, though cruel and 
 oppressive, was strong. He suppressed all pub- 
 lic disturbers of the peace and freed the country 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR 275 
 
 of robbers. He arrested a band of highwaymen 
 and sent them to Eome for punishment ; he 
 seized an Egyptian false prophet who led four 
 thousand men in the wilderness, and threatened 
 the peace of Judea; and he repressed a sedition 
 incited by the people of Cesarea and Syria. He 
 was especially successful in quieting riots and in- 
 surrections. When he was recalled to Rome, he 
 was followed by Jews who accused him of extor- 
 tion and other acts of injustice during his admin- 
 istration, but he was saved from punishment by 
 the plea of his brother Pallas, before Nero. 
 
 After Festus had arrived in Judea to assume 
 his official duties, he remained three days at 
 Cesarea, and then left for Jerusalem. Though 
 the Roman governors usually resided at Cesarea, 
 yet it was necessary to visit the capital to be- 
 come acquainted with the affairs of the nation. 
 As soon as it was known the governor had ar- 
 rived, the high priest and chief men among the 
 Jews, informed him about Paul, and urged him 
 to send for him under the pretence that he might 
 be examined by the Sanhedrim, but their object 
 was to waylay and kill him. Festus told them 
 Paul should be kept at Cesarea, and that he 
 himself would soon go there, then u those who 
 are competent can go with me and appear as his 
 accusers, if he has committed any crime." 
 
 As Paul was a Roman citizen he could not be 
 
276 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 tried by the Jewish Council, therefore he would 
 be brought before the governor at Cesarea. 
 About ten days after, Festus returned to Cesarea, 
 and the next day he held a court for the trial of 
 the apostle. As he sat in the judgment-seat, 
 the Jews, Paul's accusers, stood near and made 
 known their complaints against the prisoner, 
 probably the same as those with which they had 
 charged him before Felix, but they could not 
 prove them. Paul affirmed that he had done no 
 wrong against the Jewish laws, the Temple, nor 
 Caesar. Festus, willing to please the Jews said 
 to Paul, " Will you go to Jerusalem and be tried 
 there before me?" The prisoner firmly replied, 
 "I stand at Caesar's judgment-seat, where I ought 
 to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, 
 as thou knowest. If I have committed any of- 
 ence deserving death, I refuse not to die, but if 
 I am innocent, no one should deliver me to them. 
 I appeal to Caesar." When Festus had conferred 
 with the Council, he said to Paul, " Hast thou 
 appealed unto Caesar? Unto Caesar thou shalt 
 go." 
 
 King Agrippa and Bernice came to Cesarea to 
 salute Festus, and show him respect as the gov- 
 ernor of Judea. During their visit, Festus in- 
 formed them about Paul, giving an account of 
 his case and the opposition of the Jews, etc. 
 Agrippa, who, of course, had heard of the excite- 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 277 
 
 merit about him, said he should like to hear the 
 man himself. Festus replied he should have the 
 opportunity on the morrow. 
 
 The next day, Agrippa, Bernice, the chief cap- 
 tains, and civil officers of the city, came with 
 great parade and splendor, and entered the court- 
 room, when, at the command of Festus, Paul was 
 brought into their presence. Festus then ad- 
 dressed the king, saying, " King Agrippa, and all 
 others present, this is the man whom the Jews 
 accuse, saying that he ought not to live any 
 longer, but when I found that he had done noth- 
 ing worthy of death, and that he himself had 
 appealed to Caesar, I decided to send him to 
 Augustus, but in regard to the charges against 
 him, there is nothing definite or proved, that 
 I could send to the emperor, therefore I have 
 brought him before you, King Agrippa, that 
 you, being of the same nation, might give me 
 more particular information, for it seems un- 
 reasonable to send a prisoner and not signify the 
 crimes alleged against him." 
 
 Then Agrippa said to Paul, " Thou art per- 
 mitted to speak for thyself." Paul stretched 
 forth his hand, the usual posture of orators or 
 public speakers, and said, " I am happy, King 
 Agrippa, to answer for myself before thee in 
 regard to the things of which I am accused by 
 the Jews." The apostle considered it a favor to 
 
278 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 make his defence before one acquainted with 
 Jewish customs and opinions. On former occa- 
 sions, he had been before Roman magistrates, 
 who had an imperfect knowledge of them, there- 
 fore were incompetent judges. Paul was now 
 on trial, but he was to defend himself, or state 
 his case so that Agrippa might be able to assist 
 Festus in writing a correct account of it to the 
 Roman emperor. The charges made by the 
 Jews were, that Paul was a mover of sedition, a 
 ringleader of the Christians, and a profaner of 
 the Temple. 
 
 Paul says that his manner of life from his 
 youth was known to the Jews, and that he was 
 a .Pharisee of the strictest order. " I now stand 
 before this tribunal to be judged upon a subject 
 on which all my nation are agreed, that is the 
 promise made to our fathers, of the coming of a 
 Messiah, a promise which our nation hope to see 
 fulfilled, and for this very hope, King Agrippa, 
 I am persecuted by my countrymen. Is it an 
 incredible thing that God should raise the dead ? " 
 
 After these preliminary remarks, Paul gives an 
 account of his own experience, stating his oppo- 
 sition to the Christians, and his persecutions of 
 them, his conversion on his way to Damascus, 
 his call to preach the gospel which he promptly 
 obeyed, beginning his labors in Damascus, then 
 going to Jerusalem, and at length proclaiming 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 279 
 
 the doctrine of repentance to the Gentiles, and 
 that Christ suffered and rose from the dead. 
 " For this reason," said he, " the Jews sought my 
 life, yet through Divine help, I remain to this 
 day ; but I preach no other doctrine on the sub- 
 ject, than was taught by Moses and the prophets." 
 
 Festus, surprised at Paul's earnestness and elo- 
 quence, said in a loud voice so that all could 
 hear, " Paul, thou art beside thyself ; much learn- 
 ing doth make thee mad," meaning that he was 
 insane. Paul gently but firmly replied, " I am 
 not mad, or deranged, most noble Festus, but I 
 speak the words of truth and soberness. The 
 king knows about the things of which I speak, 
 for they did not occur secretly. King Agrippa, 
 do you believe the prophets ? I know thou be- 
 lievest." Agrippa replied, " Almost thou per- 
 suadest me to become a Christian." The apostle 
 said, " I pray to God that not only thou, but all 
 who hear me may be as I am, except these 
 chains." After Paul had thus spoken, Festus, 
 Agrippa, Bernice, and others present, withdrew 
 to consult together about the matter. They 
 agreed that Paul had done nothing to deserve 
 death or imprisonment in chains. Agrippa said 
 to Festus, " If Paul had not appealed to Caesar, 
 he might have been set at liberty." 
 
 Paul continued a prisoner at Cesarea for some 
 time, waiting to be sent to Borne, after he ap- 
 
280 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 pealed to Caesar. It was a frequent occurrence 
 to transport those accused of crimes, from Judea 
 and other provinces, to the Koman capital for 
 judicial trial. How Paul spent the time while 
 waiting at Cesarea, which some have thought 
 was two years, can only be conjectured. He 
 may have devoted his lonely hours to writing, or 
 at least to planning some of his letters to his 
 fellow-Christians in other regions. A man like 
 the apostle would not dwell with despondency 
 upon his present or past sufferings, nor would he 
 be despondent about the uncertain future, since 
 he was willing to suffer and even die for his Lord 
 and Master. 
 
CHAPTEK XXIL 
 
 A PKIS0NER TO KOME. 
 
 When Festus decided that Paul should be sent 
 to Italy, he was placed with other prisoners un- 
 der the guard of Julius, a centurion of Augustus' 
 band, named for the emperor, and numbering 
 from four hundred to six hundred men. The 
 distance to Rome was considerable, and must be 
 travelled mostly by sea. There was at this time, 
 in the port of Cesarea, a vessel from Adra- 
 myttium, a maritime town of Mysia, in Asia 
 Minor, opposite the Island of Lesbos. The ship 
 was not bound for Italy, but the centurion ex- 
 pected to And some other vessel on which to em- 
 bark the prisoners for Rome. However, they, 
 having embarked, loosed their anchors, intending 
 to sail by the coast of Asia Minor. 
 
 Two of Paul's friends, namely, Luke and 
 Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, 
 accompanied him, willing to share his dangers, 
 and anxious to cheer and encourage him. The 
 next day they came to Sidon, when Julius kindly 
 gave Paul liberty to land and visit his friends in 
 that city, who, perhaps, supplied him with what- 
 
 281 
 
282 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 ever would make him comfortable* during his 
 long voyage. Paul had travelled in that region 
 during his missionary journeys, and had won 
 many friends. 
 
 Sidon, one of the most ancient cities of the 
 world and a port of Phoenicia, is supposed to 
 have been founded by Sidon, the son of Canaan, 
 perhaps 2000 b. c. '; it was sometimes called 
 Zidon. As early as the conquest of Canaan by 
 the Israelites, it was known as " Great Zidon." 
 It was situated on a plain bordering the Mediter- 
 ranean, north of Tyre, and in early times was 
 strongly fortified. It had a good harbor and 
 was the chief seat of the maritime power until it 
 was excelled by that of Tyre. The inhabitants 
 early acquired eminence in the arts, manufac- 
 tures, and commerce, and were among the earli- 
 est shipwrights and navigators. They acquired 
 great wealth, and consequently were luxurious. 
 " To live in ease and security," became a proverb 
 for living as the Sidonians. 
 
 This ancient city was captured at different 
 times by foreign powers ; as the Assyrians, Baby- 
 lonians and Persians. At the time of the ex- 
 pedition of Xerxes to Greece, the Sidonians fur- 
 nished the best ships for which they were hon- 
 ored by the conqueror, but during a revolt at a 
 later period, they burned themselves with their 
 city, to avoid falling into the hands of their 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 283 
 
 enemies, though the town was rebuilt. Sidon 
 was taken by the Eomans who held it during 
 Paul's day, but subsequently, it was captured 
 alternately by the Saracens, Turks and the 
 sultans of Egypt, who destroyed it together 
 with Tyre, to prevent them from affording an 
 asylum for Christians. After leaving Sidon, 
 they sailed along the coast of Cyprus to avoid 
 the violent winds, instead of sailing in a direct 
 course for the open sea. Passing by Cilicia 
 and Pamphylia, they came to Myra, a city of 
 Lycia. 
 
 Myra or Myron was the capital of the province 
 of Lycia, under the Romans. It was built on a 
 rock, a short distance from land, and in the time 
 of Paul, was an important seaport. There are 
 still ruins of the city which prove its magnifi- 
 cence. Lycia was a province in the southern 
 part of Asia Minor, and is a mountainous region, 
 has a prominent position in the Iliad, and is the 
 scene of some ancient legends. The Lycians, 
 under the Persian Empire, are supposed to have 
 been a powerful and maritime nation. Their po- 
 litical history varies, since they come under the 
 rule of different masters. Works of art have 
 been found in this ancient province, some of 
 which are in the British Museum. 
 
 While at Myra, the centurion found a ship 
 from Alexandria, Egypt, laden with wheat, 
 
284 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 which was an article of export in the trade be- 
 tween Borne and Egypt. It is probable this ship 
 had been driven out of the regular course by vio- 
 lent winds, and had drifted to the coast of Asia 
 Minor. Julius placed his passengers on board 
 this ship and set sail for Italy. Their progress 
 Avas slow in consequence of unfavorable weather, 
 and it required many days to reach Cnidus, a 
 city in Asia Minor, northwest of the Island of 
 Khodes, but as the winds continued to blow, they 
 were driven southwest, to the Island of Crete, 
 some distance from Rhodes. Passing by Cnidus, 
 a city built on the promontory of the same name, 
 they sailed along the coast of Crete to Salmone, a 
 point of land at the eastern extremity of the 
 island, where they were in danger of being ship- 
 wrecked. Escaping that disaster, however, they 
 came to a place called " The fair havens " in the 
 southeastern part of Crete, near the city of 
 Lasea, where there was a place for anchorage. 
 
 Cnidus, a city on the eastern coast of Caria, in 
 Asia Minor, was situated partly on the mainland 
 and partly on an island connected with it by a 
 causeway. It was celebrated for the statue of 
 Venus by Praxiteles, placed in a temple of this 
 goddess. The city contained also temples of 
 Apollo and Neptune, and had the historical 
 celebrity of having been the scene of the great 
 naval battle of Pisander, the Spartan admiral, 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 285 
 
 and Conon the Athenian general, in the Pelopon- 
 nesian war. 
 
 Crete, now called Candia, is one of the largest 
 islands in the Mediterranean. A range of moun- 
 tains crosses the entire length and in the centre, 
 rises Mt. Ida, 7,674 feet in height which, in my- 
 thology, is the place where Jupiter was brought 
 up in a cave, while from its summit, the gods, ac- 
 cording to tradition, watched the battles on the 
 plains of Troy ; and it was here also, the " judg- 
 ment of Paris " occurred which eventually led to 
 the Trojan war. 
 
 Crete was inhabited at an early period by a 
 civilized people. King Minas, according to his- 
 tory, governed the island before the Trojan war, 
 and is said to have been the first prince who had 
 a navy which he employed in suppressing piracy 
 in the iEgean Sea. After several generations, 
 the cities became independent republics, but the 
 inhabitants were degenerate in their morals. 
 Paul describes them as " always liars, evil beasts," 
 etc. They were celebrated archers and fre- 
 quently served as mercenaries in the armies of 
 other nations. The island was conquered by the 
 Eomans 68-66 b. c, and now belongs to Turkey. 
 
 Salmone, or Salmonia, an important town in 
 Illyricum, on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, 
 was the capital of Dalmatia. It was strongly 
 fortified, and made a Roman colony. It was the 
 
286 BIBLE CHABACTEBS. 
 
 native place of the Emperor Diocletian, and his 
 home after his abdication. It is said that the 
 remains of a magnificent palace are still to be 
 seen at this place. 
 
 Their progress along the coast of Asia was 
 slow and dangerous, on account of contrary 
 winds. It is probable that Julius hoped to 
 reach Italy befdre the stormy period, but he had 
 been delayed in his plans. Luke says the fast 
 was already past. This referred to the day of 
 atonement observed by the Jews in the tenth 
 month, called Tisri, corresponding to a part of 
 September, and a part of October, the period of 
 the autumnal equinox, when the navigation of 
 the Mediterranean was considered especially un- 
 safe on account of the storms. 
 
 Paul, understanding the dangers, tried to per- 
 suade them not to attempt the voyage at that 
 season. He told them that it would be attended 
 with perils, not only to the ship and cargo, but 
 also to the lives of the company on board. The 
 centurion, however, believed the captain and the 
 owner of the ship, who was on the vessel, rather 
 than Paul. ' The " Fair havens " not being con- 
 sidered an appropriate place in which to winter, 
 the majority of the crew advised that they should 
 sail to Phenice, a port or harbor on the southern 
 coast of Crete, where they could pass the winter 
 in safety. The wind before had blown from the 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 287 
 
 west, but now it came gently from the south, so 
 that the captain supposed they could sail along 
 the coast of Crete, and loosing from " Fair 
 havens," they followed this plan, but soon after, 
 there arose a violent wind named Euroclydon, a 
 Greek word meaning wind and wave. It may 
 have been a hurricane, which rapidly changes its 
 points of compass. The ship could not resist the 
 violence of this wind, therefore it became unman- 
 ageable. 
 
 Running close to the small island of Clauda, 
 near the southern coast of Crete, where the force 
 of the wind was partly broken, they found it 
 difficult even here, to save the small boat towed 
 to the stern of the ship, therefore, with much 
 difficulty, they raised it on deck, and thus saved 
 it. They next tried to secure the vessel by 
 undergirding it, which was done by passing 
 ropes, cables, or chains from one side to the 
 other, to prevent the planks from starting, by the 
 violent action of the sea. The rope was slipped 
 under the prow and passed along the deck, where 
 it was made fast. The sailors feared they might 
 run upon the quicksands, which were constantly 
 changing their positions. There were two vast 
 beds of quicksands on the coast of Africa, called 
 the " Greater and the Lesser." 
 
 As the ship continued to be tossed by the 
 waves, the next day they " strake sail," that is, 
 
288 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 lowered the masts or yards to which the sails 
 were attached, either by cutting them down or 
 in some other way. As the storm continued, the 
 seamen lightened the ship by casting overboard 
 the cargo or a part of it, and on the third day of 
 the voyage they cast overboard everything not 
 absolutely essential, such as the anchors, and per- 
 haps sails, cables, baggage, etc. As they could see 
 neither sun nor stars, and having no compass, an 
 instrument not then invented, they could take no 
 observations, and were in ignorance about their 
 position, therefore they abandoned all hope of 
 being saved. In consequence of their prolonged 
 efforts to save the ship, their imminent perils, and 
 fear of being wrecked, the sailors had taken no 
 food for some time. 
 
 Paul reproved them for leaving Crete against 
 his advice, and thus exposing all on board to the 
 dangers of a shipwreck, and then exhorts them to 
 be of good courage, for no lives would be lost, 
 only the ship would be wrecked. He then gives 
 the reason for this prediction. He says : " There 
 stood by me in the night an angel of God whom 
 I serve, saying, 'Fear not, Paul, thou must be 
 brought before Caesar, and God has given thee 
 all w r ho sail with thee.' Be of good cheer, for I 
 believe God that it shall be as was told me. 
 Nevertheless, we must be cast upon a certain 
 island." 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 289 
 
 The ship had weathered the storm fourteen 
 days, and during the night of the fourteenth, as 
 they were driven up and down the Adriatic Sea, 
 the seamen, confident they were approaching 
 land, sounded and found the water to be twenty 
 fathoms, or about one hundred and twenty feet. 
 Sailing a little further, they found it fifteen 
 fathoms, therefore they knew they were coming 
 near the shore. Fearing they might be dashed 
 upon the rocks, they cast four anchors and waited 
 for the morning. The sailors, leaving the pris- 
 oners and their guards, under pretence it was 
 necessary to carry the anchors ahead of the ship, 
 but really intending to go on shore, let down the 
 boat, and were about to enter, when Paul said to ■ 
 the centurion and the soldiers, " Except the sea- 
 men abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved," for 
 there would be no one who understood how to 
 manage the vessel. As the sailors had not 
 entered the boat, the soldiers cut the rope and 
 let it fall into the sea. 
 
 After a night of anxious watching, as the day 
 began to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some 
 food, as they had fasted fourteen days, that is, 
 had taken no regular meal. He then encouraged 
 them by saying that, "Not a hair should fall 
 from the head of any of you," a proverbial ex- 
 pression denoting they should be preserved. 
 Paul then took bread and gave thanks to God in 
 
290 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 the presence of the whole company, and began to 
 eat. The others followed his example and were 
 greatly encouraged. The number of persons on 
 board was two hundred and seventy-six. After 
 breaking their long fast, they threw the wheat, 
 with which the ship was loaded, into the sea, 
 hoping by this act to come nearer the shore. 
 
 When the day dawned, they discovered land 
 but did not know where they Avere. However, 
 they saw a bay convenient for landing, and rais- 
 ing the anchors, loosening the rudder and unfurl- 
 ing the sails, they started for the shore, but in 
 their efforts to reach the harbor, the ship ran on 
 a bar or sand-bank and the stern was broken. 
 The soldiers, with shocking barbarity, suggested 
 that all the prisoners should be killed to prevent 
 their escape, though they had not been tried for 
 their offences by any legal court. Roman mili- 
 tary discipline was very strict, and perhaps the 
 soldiers feared they might be accused of negli- 
 gence if they allowed the prisoners to escape. 
 The centurion, wishing to save Paul, prevented 
 the execution of so barbarous an act. 
 
 Julius, the centurion, was disposed to treat 
 Paul with kindness from his first acquaintance 
 with him, and, doubtless, believed him innocent 
 of the charges brought against him by his 
 countrymen. He gave orders that all who could 
 swim should cast themselves into the sea and try 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 291 
 
 to reach land, and for those who were not able 
 to swim to get on the floating pieces of the ship- 
 wrecked vessel. Providentially, all on board 
 • escaped to land as Paul had predicted. The 
 island called Melita now Malta, was the land they 
 reached. There has been a question about the 
 identity of the island on which the apostle 
 landed. Some writers have thought it was 
 Meleda, in the Adriatic sea, near the Illyrian 
 coast. The inhabitants were barbarians, a term 
 not applicable to the Maltese. It was a damp 
 and woody island, adapted to the prevalence of 
 vipers or poisonous snakes, and to the disease 
 with which the father of Publius was afflicted. 
 
 Melita or Malta is an island south of Sicily, and 
 is about twenty miles from east to west, and twelve 
 miles from north to south. Its foundation was 
 stone which was covered by the aborigines with 
 earth brought from Sicily. The island now belongs 
 to Great Britain. It was occupied in Paul's day by 
 a colony from Carthage, therefore their language 
 was not understood by Greeks and Latins. Malta 
 had or has a good harbor, and the inhabitants 
 were wealthy, and their dwellings were large and 
 beautiful. They were celebrated for their mer- 
 chandise, and all kinds of manufactures including 
 fine linen. 
 
 The Greeks regarded all nations barbarians 
 who did not speak their language, but the name 
 
292 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 did not denote a people of savage habits, but 
 simply those whose speech was not understood. 
 The natives were very kind to the strangers cast 
 upon their island, and kindled a fire to warm 
 them as it was cold and rainy, the season being 
 October. The apostle assisted them in making a 
 fire, and having gathered a bundle of sticks, he 
 laid them on the wood, when a viper came out of 
 the burning sticks and fastened itself on his hand. 
 When the natives saw this they said to one an- 
 other, " No doubt this man is a murderer who, 
 though he escaped the dangers of the sea, venge- 
 ance suffereth him not to live." When Paul 
 shook off the viper into the fire, without any 
 harm to himself, the Maltese looked on with 
 astonishment, expecting to see him fall dead from 
 the bite, but as he did not, they changed their 
 minds and said he must be a god. 
 
 Publius, the Roman governor of the island, 
 entertained the ship's company very courteously 
 for three days. His father was ill with fever and 
 dysentery and Paul calling upon him, after offer- 
 ing a prayer, laid his hands on the invalid when 
 he was restored to health. 
 
 The news of the miracle soon spread and other 
 diseased persons came and were healed, while the 
 natives brought gifts of such things as were 
 necessary for the comfort of their guests. Paul 
 and his companions remained at Melita three 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 293 
 
 months, and then embarked on board a ship 
 from Alexandria which had wintered in the 
 island, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. It 
 was customary to place on the prow of the ship 
 the image of a person or god whose name it 
 bore. These were the names of twin brothers 
 and sons of Jupiter, who, according to my- 
 thology, after their deaths, were made constella- 
 tions in the heavens, and were supposed to be 
 the protectors of sailors, therefore their images 
 were frequently placed on ships. 
 
 Arriving at Syracuse, the capital of Sicily, they 
 remained three days, after which they sailed 
 along the eastern coast of the island and came to 
 Ehegium, now called Eeggio, in the southern 
 part of the kingdom of Naples, and the next day 
 to Puteoli, the modern Pozzuoli, celebrated for 
 its warm baths. Here they were entertained by 
 Christians, but it is not known from whom these 
 disciples first heard the gospel. When the breth- 
 ren at Eome heard that Paul had arrived in 
 Italy, they went to meet him at Appii Forum 
 and the Three Taverns, and when he saw them, 
 the apostle thanked God and took courage. The 
 Christians at Eome had heard of the remark- 
 able success attending the missionary labors of 
 Paul, and he had written his epistle to them 
 about five years before. 
 
 A brief description of some of the other places 
 
294 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 through or near which the apostle travelled dur- 
 ing his last journeys, is as folio ws : 
 
 Syracuse the capital of Sicily where Paul 
 spent three days on his journey to Rome, was 
 founded by a colony from Corinth about 734 b. c. 
 It spread over a large territory and comprised 
 four or five distinct sections each surrounded by 
 separate walls. Neapolis, one division of the city, 
 contained many temples and the chief theatre, in 
 ancient times. Syracuse contained stone-quarries 
 in which Athenian captive prisoners were con- 
 fined and on one side was the remarkable exca- 
 vation called the " Ear of Dionysius " with a 
 small opening above, so that the keeper could 
 hear the conversation of his prisoners. The city 
 was besieged by the Athenians in the Peloponne- 
 sian war, and destroj^ed by them 413 B. c, but 
 was rebuilt. The government was alternately a 
 monarchy and a republic, the changes being quite 
 frequent, until it was captured by the Romans 
 after a siege of two years, when Archimedes con- 
 structed different engines of war. 
 
 Rhegium, now Reggio, was a Greek town situ- 
 ated on the strait which separates Sicily from 
 Italy. It was founded about the beginning of 
 the First Messenian war, 743 B. c, by emigrants 
 who left their country at the beginning of hos- 
 tilities between Sparta and Messenia, 743 B. c, 
 called the First Messenian war. At the close of 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 295 
 
 the Second Messenian war 685-668 b. o., it be- 
 came a flourishing and important city. The 
 government at first was an aristocracy, but 
 later, a republic. Dionysius, called the Tyrant 
 of Syracuse, carried on a war against the inhabi- 
 tants for a long time and finally captured the 
 place. In the war with Pyrrhus, the Rhegians 
 applied to the Romans for assistance when the 
 latter placed in the town a garrison of four thou- 
 sand soldiers, who killed or expelled all the male 
 inhabitants. The Ehegians who escaped were 
 finally restored to their city, but it never re- 
 covered its former greatness. 
 
 Puteoli now Pozzuoli was a seaport of Cam- 
 pania, founded by the Greeks 521 B. c. In the 
 second Punic war the Romans fortified it, and 
 protected its excellent harbor by a mole of 
 reddish earth called pozzolana which, mixed with 
 chalk, makes an excellent cement. This mole 
 was constructed in arches, parts of which are still 
 to be seen. Puteoli was once the chief centre of 
 commerce with Spain, and was celebrated for its 
 warm baths. It has been destroyed several 
 times and rebuilt ; some ruins of the ancient 
 town remain. 
 
 Appii Forum, a city fifty-six miles from Rome 
 designated the "Market-place of Appius," was 
 convenient for travellers. Apia Via was the 
 most celebrated of the Roman highways, and 
 
296 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 was begun by Appius Claudius Caecus when he 
 was censor, B. c. 319. It passed through Appii 
 Forum and was the great line of communication 
 between southern Italy and Rome. 
 
 The Three Taverns, about eight or ten miles 
 nearer Rome than Appii Forum, is supposed to 
 have received its name on account of its being a 
 place of refreshment on the Appian Way. A 
 large number of Christians from Rome went to 
 meet Paul of whom they had heard so much, but 
 a part of this company remained at Three Tav- 
 erns, while the others went to the capital with 
 the prisoner. 
 
 "When they arrived at Rome, the centurion de- 
 livered the prisoners to the captain of the guard 
 or commander of the Pretorian cohort, w^hose 
 name was Burrhus Afranius according to Tacitus, 
 but Paul was allowed to dwell by himself with a 
 soldier to whom he was chained. The apostle 
 seems to have won the respect and favor of 
 every one who had charge of him. 
 
 Three days after the arrival of the apostle at 
 Rome, he sent for the leading men among the 
 Jews of that city, that he might explain his case 
 to them. He may have had two objects in view; 
 — one being to state that the charges against him 
 were false, and the other, to explain to them the 
 gospel of Christ. It was to be expected thq Jews 
 at Cesarea would send to those at Rome reports 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 297 
 
 unfavorable to Paul, therefore he wished to de- 
 fend himself against such calumny. He begins, 
 " Men and brethren," his usual method when ad- 
 dressing his countrymen, " though I have done no 
 wrong to my people or to the customs of our 
 fathers, yet I was delivered a prisoner to the Ro- 
 mans who, after an examination would have ac- 
 quitted me, but the Jews being decidedly op- 
 posed to it, I appealed to Caesar, therefore I wished 
 to give you the reason why I am bound with this 
 chain." The Jews of Rome replied, " That they 
 had not received any letters from Judea concern- 
 ing him, neither had any one said anything 
 against him." Why the Jews of Palestine had 
 not sent unfavorable reports to those of Eome, 
 is not revealed, but it may have been they con- 
 sidered their efforts unavailing since Paul had 
 been acquitted successively by Lysias, Felix, 
 Festus, and Agrippa. The Jews of Rome seemed 
 more liberal than those of Judea, and they 
 wished to know what Paul thought of the new 
 sect everywhere spoken against. 
 
 The apostle had been allowed to rent a house 
 which he occupied and where he received his 
 friends and other visitors. His countrymen ap- 
 pointed a day when they would come to his house 
 to hear him on the subject before mentioned. 
 When the time arrived, a large number assem- 
 bled at his residence to whom he explained the 
 
298 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 principles of the Christian religion, and endeav- 
 ored to convince them that Jesus was the 
 Messiah, proving his assertions from the law of 
 Moses and the prophets ; this he continued from 
 morning until evening. Some of the Jews be- 
 lieved, while others rejected his teachings which 
 led the preacher to quote the language of Isaiah, 
 " Go to this people and say, ' Hearing ye shall 
 hear and shall not understand,' etc. 'Know 
 therefore that salvation is sent unto the Gentiles, 
 and they will hear.' " 
 
 Paul lived two years in his hired house at 
 Rome preaching the gospel, no one forbidding 
 him, and several persons were converted, includ- 
 ing members of the emperor's court. When a 
 prisoner at Rome, the church at Philippi sent 
 Epaphroditus to Paul with contributions for the 
 supply of his wants. During his confinement, he 
 was the means of the conversion of Onesimus, a 
 fugitive slave of Philemon of Colosse in Phrygia, 
 whom the apostle sent back with an epistle to 
 Philemon and the church at that place. 
 
 This closes Luke's account of the eminent 
 apostle to the Gentiles, but tradition and secular 
 history combined, give an account of the closing 
 scenes of his life. 
 
 In 64 A. d., a dreadful fire occurred at Rome 
 which continued six or seven days. It is sup- 
 posed to have been set by the Emperor Nero 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR. 299 
 
 who, to divert public opinion from himself, 
 charged the Christians with the crime, which 
 excited a fearfully bloody persecution against 
 them. It is supposed that both Paul and Peter 
 suffered martyrdom at this time, the former by 
 beheading, the latter by crucifixion. Paul being 
 a Koman citizen, it was not lawful to put him to 
 death on the cross. The traditions of the early 
 Christians confirm this idea. Paul and Peter 
 occupy the first positions among the apostles, 
 Paul more especially represents the Christian 
 Gentiles, and Peter the converted Jews. The 
 scenes in the life of Paul have afforded numerous 
 subjects for artists. 
 
 The Scripture account of Paul begins with his 
 presence at the martyrdom of Stephen, and closes 
 with his release from an imprisonment of two 
 years at Eome, but it is conjectured that after he 
 was set free, he returned to Jerusalem, travelled 
 through Asia Minor, and other countries for- 
 merly visited, and then returned to Eome, was 
 imprisoned a second time and beheaded by order 
 of the Emperor Nero, during a general persecu- 
 tion of Christians. 
 
 Paul as a writer has been considered by some 
 critics difficult to understand. It is said that his 
 intellectual powers combined the peculiarities of 
 all the other sacred writers: as Moses, David, 
 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, James, John, and Peter, \ 
 
300 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 etc. "He possessed," it is said, "great argumen- 
 tative power, depth of thought, and intensity of 
 feeling. His style is often abrupt and sometimes 
 obscure, and his reasoning is sometimes involved 
 owing to his sudden transitions, the rush of ideas, 
 and sensibility. He sometimes seems to be carried 
 away by the fervor and loftiness of his emotions. 
 The writings of Paul may be compared to a rich 
 mine, and the deeper the workman digs the more 
 he will discover of the precious metal." 
 
 It seems wonderful that the apostle, with his 
 extensive journeys, his arduous labors in preach- 
 ing the gospel and establishing churches in many 
 different places, his persecutions and physical suf- 
 ferings, could possibly find the time or could con- 
 centrate his thoughts, for writing his numerous 
 epistles. 
 
 Thirteen epistles are attributed to Paul as the 
 author, and are arranged in the following order 
 of place, according to the Sacred Scriptures. 
 They were written at different periods and from 
 different cities visited by their author. 
 
 The Epistle to the Romans, comprising sixteen 
 chapters, was written from Corinth, 58 A. D. 
 The leading idea is " Justification by faith." 
 
 First Corinthians, with sixteen chapters, writ- 
 ten at Ephesus, 57 A. d. The chief object was 
 Jo correct errors in the church at that place. 
 
 Second Corinthians, thirteen chapters, sent 
 
THE ELOQUENT ORATOR, 301 
 
 from Philippi, 57 A. D. The author encourages 
 the disciples and vindicates his own character. 
 
 Galatians, with six chapters, sent from Ephe- 
 sus, 54 A. D. 
 
 Fphesians, six chapters, written at Rome, 62 
 a. d. Subject, the power of divine grace. 
 
 Philippians, four chapters. Written at Rome, 
 62 A. d. Leading thought — Excellence of Chris- 
 tian kindness. 
 
 Colossians, four chapters. Sent from Rome, 
 62 a. d. Chief topic, Warning against errors, 
 and exhortations to perform duty. 
 
 First Thessalonians, five chapters. Sent from 
 Corinth, 53 A. d. Exhortation to continue in the 
 faith and godly conversation. 
 
 Second Thessalonians, three chapters. Athens, 
 53 A. d. Its purpose was to correct an error 
 about the second advent of Christ. 
 
 First Timothy, six chapters. Written from 
 Macedonia, 67 a. d. Instructions about the duty 
 of a pastor, and encouragement in the work of 
 the ministry. 
 
 Second Timothy, four chapters. Written at 
 Rome, in prison, 68 a. d. Leading topic the 
 same as in First Timothy. 
 
 Titus, three chapters. Sent from Nicopolis in 
 Macedonia. The prominent thought, encourage- 
 ment in the discharge of pastoral duties. 
 
 Philemon, one chapter. Written from Rome, 
 
302 BIBLE CHARACTERS. 
 
 62 A. d. The idea was to conciliate a master in 
 reference to his slave who had escaped. 
 
 Hebrews, thirteen chapters. Written to the 
 Hebrews, from Italy. Its leading topic— Christ 
 and the ceremonial law. 
 
 There has been some difference of opinion 
 among commentators in regard to the authorship 
 of this epistle, but it is now generally conceded 
 that it was the work of Paul, but the date is 
 uncertain. 
 
JUL 26 1900 
 
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