YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

THE LIBRARY OF THE
DIVINITY SCHOOL

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
IN THE BIBLE

Volume II.

Biographical Studies

IN

The Bible
Vol. II
Prophets, Kings and Statesmen
In the Text of the
American Revised Bible"

"* " Edited" by ' '
]'• ': ' ! ' '; SJ. PNEY STRONG; D, 3. f
, '. a , . . . , , and . j . = '=
ANNA LOUISE STRONG, Ph. D.

THE PILGRIM PRESS
BOSTON - NEW YORK - CHICAGO

Copyright, 1906
Hope Publishing Company

The text of the American Standard Revised Bible,
Copyright 1901, by Thomas Nelson and Sons,
is used by special arrangement and
with their permission.

Rel. Edue*.
Association*

THE ARAKELYAN PRESS, BOSTON

CONTENTS
SAMUEL  9
DAVID  35
SOLOMON  92
ELIJAH AND ELISHA  108
RUTH  132
ESTHER  140
DANIEL  155

INTRODUCTION
The Bible is often called the Book of Life. Those who
read and study its pages may find the way to eternal life.
It is also a Book of Life in the sense that it records the
experiences of many lives. In the study of the Bible this
great fact is sometimes lost sight of.
The Bible is not an easy book. The lives whose stories
it contains were lived long ago and in places remote. The
stories themselves are often overlaid with local references
or interwoven with details whose meaning seems irrele
vant or obscure.
Those who are to use the Bible in teaching children will
find it necessary to recover this personal element in ordsr
to touch with their influence the lives of their pupils. It
is particularly important that the teacher should have a
clear mental picture of patriarch and pioneer, of prophet,
king and statesman, and, most of all, of the Master himself
and his disciples.
It is with these needs in mind that the editors made
their selections from the life stories of the great heroes of
the Bible. Their purpose was "to make this generation ac
quainted with Abraham, David, Paul and the others, as
well at least as it is with Alexander, Csesar and King
Arthur." These stories have found their way into thou
sands of homes, into Sunday schools, Y. M. C. A. groups
and into public schools. They are now sent forth, in this
new edition, in the hope that they may commend them
selves even more acceptably to those who are preparing to
teach. Benjamin S. Winchester.
Boston, November 30, 191 1.

SAMUEL
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of
the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah,
and he had two wives ; the name of the one was Hannah,
and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had
children, but Hannah had no children.
And this man went up out of his city from year to year
to worship and to sacrifice unto Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh.
And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave
to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daugh
ters, portions : but unto Hannah he gave a double portion ;
for he loved Hannah.
And her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret. And
as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house
of Jehovah, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and
did not eat.
And Elkanah her husband said unto her, "Hannah, why
weepest thou ? and why eatest thou hot ? and 'why is thy
heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?"
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and
after they had drunk.
Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the
doorpost of the temple of Jehovah. And she was in bit
terness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore.
And she vowed a vofcv, and said, "O Jehovah of hosts,
if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid,
and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt
give unto thy handmaid a man child, then I will give
[9]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
him unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall
be no razor come upon his head."
And it came to pass, as she continued praying before
Jehovah, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she
spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice
was not heard: therefore Eli thought she- had been
drunken. And Eli said unto her, "How long wilt thou be drunken ?
put away thy wine from thee."
And Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am
a woman of sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine
nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Je
hovah. Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman;
for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provo
cation have I spoken hitherto."
Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace ; and the God
of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him."
And she said, "Let thy handmaid find favor in thy
sight." So the woman went her way, and did eat; and her
countenance was no more sad.
And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped
before Jehovah, and returned, and came to their house
to Ramah.
And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Jehovah re
membered her; and it came to pass, when the time was
come about, that Hannah bare a son; and she called his
name Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of Je
hovah." And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to
offer unto Jehovah the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her hus
band, "I will not go up until the child be weaned; and
[10]

SAMUEL
then I will bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah^
and there abide forever."
And Elkanah her husband said unto her, "Do what
seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him;
only Jehovah establish his word."
So the woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she
weaned him. And when she had weaned him, she took
him up with her, with three bullocks, and one epah of
meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the
house of Jehovah in Shiloh; and the child was young.
And they slew the bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
And she said, "Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord,
I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto Je
hovah. For this child I prayed; and Jehovah hath given
me my petition which I asked of him: therefore also I
have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he liveth he is
granted to Jehovah." And he worshipped Jehovah there.
And Hannah prayed and said :
"My heart exulteth in. Jehovah ;
My horn is exalted in Jehovah ;
My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies ;
Because I rejoice in thy salvation.
There is none holy as Jehovah;
For there is none besides thee,
Neither is there any rock like our God.
Talk no more so exceeding proudly ;
Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth ;
For Jehovah is a God of knowledge,
And by him actions are weighed,
The bows of the mighty men are broken ;
And they that stumbled are girded with strength.
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread;
And they that were hungry have ceased to hunger :
Yea, the barren hath borne seven ;
[ni

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And she that hath rnany children languisheth.
Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive :
He bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up.
Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich:
He bringeth low, he also lifteth up.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,
He lifteth up the needy from the dunghill,
To make them sit with princes,
And inherit the throne of glory :
For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah's,
And he hath set the world upon them.
He will keep the feet of his holy ones ;
But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness ;
For by strength shall no man prevail.
They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces ;
Against them will he thunder in heaven :
Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth;
And he will give strength unto his king,
And exalt the horn of his anointed."
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the
child did minister unto Jehovah before Eli the priest.
Now the sons of Eli were base men ; they knew not Je
hovah. And the custom of the priests with the people
was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's
servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a flesh-
hook of three teeth in his hand ; and he struck it into the
pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook
brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in
Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
Yea, before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came,
and said to the man that sacrificed, "Give flesh to roast
for the priest; for he will not have boiled flesh of thee,
but raw." [12]

SAMUEL
And if the man said unto him, "They will surely burn
the fat first, and then take as much as thy soul desireth ;"
then he would say, "Nay, but thou shalt give it me now :
and if not, I will take it by force." And the sin of the
young men was very great before Jehovah; for the men
despised the offering of Jehovah.
But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child,
girded with a linen ephod. Moreover his mother made
him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year,
when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly
sacrifice. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his "wife, and said, "Je
hovah give thee seed of this woman for the petition which
was asked of Jehovah." And they went unto their own
home. And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah.
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons
did unto all Israel.
And he said unto them, "Why do ye such things? for
I hear of your evil dealings from all this people. Nay,
my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make
Jehovah's people to transgress. If one man sin against
another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against
Jehovah, who shall entreat for him?"
Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice of
their father, because Jehovah was minded to slay them.
And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor
both with Jehovah, and also with men.
And the child Samuel ministered unto Jehovah before
Eli. And the word of Jehovah was precious in those
days ; there was no frequent vision.
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid
down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim,
so that he could not see), and the lamp of God was not
[13]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the
temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was; that Je
hovah called Samuel : and he said, "Here am I."
And he ran unto Eli, and said, "Here am I; for thou
calledst me."
And he said, "I called not; lie down again." And he
went and lay down.
And Jehovah called yet again, "Samuel."
And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here am
I ; for thou calledst me."
And he answered, "I called not, my son; lie down
again." Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither
was the word of Jehovah yet revealed unto him. And
Jehovah called Samuel again the third time.
And he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here am I;
for thou calledst me." And Eli perceived that Jehovah
had called the child.
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, "Go, lie down: and it
shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, 'Speak,
Jehovah ; for thy servant heareth.' " So Samuel went
and lay down in his place.
And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other
times, "Samuel, Samuel."
Then Samuel said, "Speak ; for thy servant heareth."
And Jehovah said to Samuel, "Behold, I will do a thing
in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth
shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all
that I have spoken concerning his house, from the begin
ning even unto the end. For I have told him that I will
judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew,
because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and
he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto
the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not
be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever."
[H]

SAMUEL
And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the
doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel feared to
show Eli the vision.
Then Eli called Samuel, and said, "Samuel, my son."
And he said, "Here am I."
And he said, "What is the thing that Jehovah hath
spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me: God
do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from
me of all the things that he spake unto thee."
And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from
him. And he said, "It is Jehovah: let him do what
seemeth him good."
And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and
did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all
Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel
was established to be a prophet of Jehovah. And Jehovah
appeared again in Shiloh; for Jehovah revealed himself
to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Jehovah. And the
word of Samuel came to all Israel.
Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle,
and encamped beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines en
camped in Aphek. And the Philistines put them
selves in array against Israel: and when they joined
battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines ; and they
slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
And when the people were come into the camp, the
elders of Israel said, "Wherefore hath Jehovah smitten
us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of
the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto us, that it
may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our
enemies." So the people sent to Shiloh ; and they brought
from thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of hosts,
who sitteth above the cherubim : and the two sons of Eli,
[15]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the
covenant of God.
And when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into
the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that
the earth rang again.
And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout,
they said, "What meaneth the noise of this great shout in
the camp of the Hebrews?" And they understood that
the ark of Jehovah was come into the camp.
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God is
come into the camp."
And they said, "Woe unto us ! for there hath not been
such a thing heretofore. Woe unto us ! who shall deliver
us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the
gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues
in the wilderness. Be strong and quit yourselves like men,
O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the He
brews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like
men, and fight."
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten,
and they fled every man to his tent : and there was a very
great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand
footmen. And the ark of God was taken; and the two
sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
Ajid there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army,
and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes rent,
and with earth upon his head. And when he came, lo,
Eli was sitting upon his seat by the wayside watching;
for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the
man came intd the city, and told it, all the city cried
out. And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said,
"What meaneth the noise of this tumult ?" And the man
hasted, and came and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety and
[16]

SAMUEL
eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he could
not see.
And the man said unto Eli, "I am he that came out of
the army, and I fled today out of the army."
And he said, "How went the matter, my son ?"
And he that brought the tidings answered and said,
"Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been
also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons
also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God
is taken."
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark
of God, that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the
side of the gate ; and his neck brake, and he died : for he
was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel
forty years.
Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they
brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod. And the Philis
tines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house
of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of
Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold Dagon 'was
fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Je
hovah. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place
again. And when they arose early on the morrow morn
ing, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground
before the ark of Jehovah ; and the head of Dagon and
both the palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold ;
only the stump of Dagon was left to him. Therefore
neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into
Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ash
dod, unto this day.
But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of
Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with tu
mors, even Ashdod and the borders thereof.
A)nd when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they
[17]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
said, "The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with
us for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god."
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the
Philistines unto them, and said, "What shall we do with
the ark of the God of Israel ?"
And they answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be
carried about unto Gath." And they carried the ark of
the God of Israel thither.
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the
hand of Jehovah was against the city with a very great
discomfiture : and he smote the men of the city, both small
and great; and tumors brake out upon them. So they
sent the ark of God to Ekron.
And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron,
that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought
about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and
our people."
They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords
of the Philistines, and they said, "Send away the ark of
the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place,
that it slay us not, and our people." For there was a
deadly discomfiture throughout all the city; the hand of
God was very heavy there. And the men that died not were
smitten with the tumors ; and the cry of the city went up
to heaven.
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying,
"If ye do return unto Jehovah with all your heart, then
put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among
you, and direct your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve him
only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Phil
istines." Then the children of Israel did put away the
Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served Jehovah only.
And Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I
will pray for you unto Jehovah." ti8]

SAMUEL
And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water,
and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day,
and said there, "We have sinned against Jehovah." And
Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
And when the Philistines heard that the children of Is
rael were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the
Philistines went up against Israel. And when the chil
dren of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, "Cease not
to cry unto Jehovah our God for us, that he will save us
out of the hand of the Philistines."
And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a
whole burnt-offering unto Jehovah: and Samuel cried
unto Jehovah for Israel; and Jehovah answered him.
And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the
Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Jeho
vah thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the
Philistines, and discomfited them ; and they nvere smitten
down before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of
Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, un
til they came under Beth-car.
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah
and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying,
"Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us."
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no
more within the border of Israel: and the hand of Jeho
vah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel
were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and
the border thereof did Israel deliver out of the hand of
the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and
the Amorites.
And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And
[ 19 J

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gil
gal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.
And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house ;
and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar
unto Jehovah.
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he
made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his
first-born was Joel; and the name of his second Abijah:
they were judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons walked
not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took
bribes, and perverted justice.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered thjemselves to
gether, and came to Samuel unto Ramah ; and they said
unto him, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not
in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the
nations." But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give
us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed unto Jeho
vah. And Jehovah said unto Samuel, "Hearken unto the voice
of the people in all that they say unto thee ; for they have
not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should
not be king over them. According to all the works which
they have done since the day that I brought them up out of
Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken
me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
Now therefore hearken unto their voice : howbeit thou
shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the
manner of the king that shall reign over them."
And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah unto the
people that asked of him a king.
And he said, "This will be the manner of the king that
shall reign over you : he will take your sons, and appoint
them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen ¦
[20]

SAMUEL
and they shall run before his chariots ; and he will appoint
them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of
fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to
reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and
the instruments of his chariots. And he will take your
daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be
bakers. "And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and
your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to
his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed,
and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his
servants. And he will take your men-servants, and your
maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your
asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth
of your flocks : and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall
cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall
have chosen you ; and Jehovah will not answer you in that
day." But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of
Samuel ; and they said, "Nay, but we will have a king over
us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that ouf
king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our
battles." And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he
rehearsed them in the ears of Jehovah. And Jehovah said
to Samuel, "Hearken unto their voice, and make them a
king." And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, "Go ye every
man unto his city."
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was
Kish, a mighty man of valor. And he had a son, whose
name was Saul, a young man and a goodly: and there
was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person
[21]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher
than any of the people. And the asses of Kish, Saul's
father, were lost.
And Kish said to Saul his son, "Take now one of the
servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses."
And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim,
and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found
them not: then they passed through the land of Shaalim,
and there they were not: and he passed through the land
of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to
his servant that was with him, "Come, and let us return,
lest my father leave off caring for the asses, and be anx
ious for us."
And he said unto him, "Behold now, there is in this
city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor ;
all that he saith cometh surely to pass : and now let us go
thither, peradventure he can tell us concerning our jour
ney whereon we go."
Then said Saul to his servant, "But, behold, if we go,
what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in
our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man
of God: what have we?"
And the servant answered Saul again, and said, "Be
hold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of
silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our
way." (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to in
quire of God, thus he said, "Come, and let us go to the
seer ;" for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime
called a Seer.)
Then said Saul to his servant, "Well said; come, let
us go." So they went unto the city where the man of God
was. As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young
[22]

SAMUEL
maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, "Is
the seer here?"
And they answered them, and said, "He is; behold, he
is before thee : make haste now, for he is coming today into
the city ; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high
place. As soon as ye are come into the city, ye shall
straightway find him, before he goeth up to the high place
to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because
he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that
are bidden. Now therefore get you up : for at this time ye
shall find him."
And they went up to the city; and as they came within
the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up
to the high place.
Now Jehovah had revealed unto Samuel a day before
Saul came, saying, "Tomorrow about this time I will send
thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt
anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he
shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines : for
I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come
unto me."
And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said unto him,
"Behold, the man of whom I spake to thee ! this same
shall have authority over my people."
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said,
"Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is."
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, "I am the seer ; go
up before me unto the high-place, for ye shall eat with me
today : and in the morning I will let thee go, and will tell
thee all that is in thy heart. And as for thine asses that
were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for
they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in
Israel ? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house ?"
And Saul answered and said, "Am not I a Benjamite,
[23]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the
least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? where
fore then speakest thou to me after this manner ?"
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought
them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the
chiefest place among them that were bidden, who were
about thirty persons.
And Samuel said unto the cook, "Bring the portion
which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, 'Set it by
thee.' " And the cook took up the thigh, and that which
was upon it, and set it before Saul.
And Samuel said, "Behold, that which hath been re
served ! set it before thee and eat; because unto the ap
pointed time hath it been kept for thee, for I said, 'I have
invited the people.' " So Saul did eat with Samuel that
day. And when they were come down from the high place
into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop.
And they arose early : and it came to pass about the
spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the house
top, saying, "Up, that I may send thee away." And Saul
arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel,
abroad. As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel
said to Saul, "Bid the servant pass on before us (and he
passed on), but stand thou still first, that I may cause thee
to hear the word of God."
Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon
his head, and kissed him, and said, "Is it not that Jehovah
hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance?
When thou art departed from me today, then thou shalt
find two men by Rachel's sepulchre, in the border of Ben
jamin at Zelzah ; and they will say unto thee, 'The asses
which thou wentest to seek are found ; and lo, thy father
[24]

SAMUEL
hath left off caring for the asses, and is anxious for you,
saying, "What shall I do for my son ?" ' Then shalt thou
go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the
oak of Tabor; and there shall meet thee three men going
up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another
carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a
bottle of wine : and they will salute thee, and give thee two
loaves of bread, which thou shalt receive of their hand.
After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the
garrison of the Philistines : and it shall come to pass,
when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt
meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place
with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, be
fore them; and they will be prophesying: and the Spirit
of Jehovah will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt
prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another
man. "And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee,
that thou do as occasion shall serve thee ; for God is with
thee. And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and,
behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt-offer
ings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven
days shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee, and show thee
what thou shalt do."
And it was so, that, when he had turned his back to go
from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those
signs came to pass that day. And when they came thither
to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the
Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied
among them.
And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime
saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then
the people said one to another, "What is this that is come .
unto the son of Kish ? Is Saul also among the prophets?"
[25]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And one of the same place answered and said, "And
who is their father?"
Therefore it became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the
prophets?" And when he had made an end of proph
esying, he came to the high place.
And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant,
"Whither went ye?"
And he said, "To seek the asses ; and when we saw that
they were not found, we came to Samuel."
And Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, I pray thee, what Sam
uel said unto you."
And Saul said unto his uncle, "He told us plainly that
the asses were found." But concerning the matter of the
kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah, to
Mizpah ; and he said unto the children of Israel, "Thus saith
Jehovah, the God of Israel, 'I brought up Israel out of
Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians,
and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed
you: but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself
saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses;
and ye have said unto him, "Nay, but set a king over us."
Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by your
tribes, and by your thousands.' "
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and
the tribe of Benjamin was taken. And he brought the
tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family
of the Matrites was taken ; and Saul the son of Kish was
taken : but when they sought him, he could not be found.
Therefore they asked of Jehovah further, "Is there yet
a man to come hither?"
And Jehovah answered, "Behold, he hath hid himself
among the baggage." And they ran and fetched him
thence; and when he stood among the people he was
[26]

SAMUEL
higher than any of the people from his shoulders and up
ward. And Samuel said to all the people, "See ye him whom
Jehovah hath chosen, that there is none like him among
all the people?"
And all the people shouted, and said "Long live the
king." Then Samuel told the people the manner of the king
dom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah.
And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his
house. And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and
there went with him the host, whose hearts God had
touched. But certain worthless fellows said, "How shall this man
save us?" And they despised him, and brought him no
present. But he held his peace.
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped
against Jabesh-gilead : and all the men of Jabesh said unto
Nahash, "Make a covenant with us and we will serve
thee." And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, "On this
condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes
be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all
Israel." Ajnd the elders of Jabesh said unto him, "Give us seven
days' respite, that we may send messengers to all the
borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us,
we will come out to thee." Then came the messengers
to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of
the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and
wept. And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the
field; and Saul said, "What aileth the people that they
[27]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
weep?" And they told him the words of the men of
Jabesh. And the spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when
he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.
And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces,
and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the
hand of messengers, saying, "Whosoever cometh not forth
after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his
oxen." And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they
came out as one man. And he numbered them in Bezek;
and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand,
and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
And they said unto the messengers that came, "Thus
shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, 'To-morrow, by
the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance.' " And
the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and
they were glad.
Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will
come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seem-
eth good unto you."
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in
three companies; and they came into the midst of the
camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites
until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they
that remained were scattered, so that not two of them
were left together.
And the people said unto Samuel, "Who is he that said,
'Shall Saul reign over us?' bring the men, that we may
put them to death."
And Saul said, "There shall not a man be put to death
this day; for today Jehovah hath wrought deliverance in
Israel." [28]

SAMUEL
Then said Samuel to the people, "Come, and let us go
to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there." And all the
people went to Gilgal ; and there they made Saul king be
fore Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of
peace-offerings before Jehovah; and there Saul and all
the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
And Samuel said unto all Israel, "Behold, I have heark
ened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and
have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king
walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and,
behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before
you from my youth unto this day. Here I am: witness
against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed:
whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or
whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of
whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes
therewith? and I will restore it you."
And they said, "Thou hast not defrauded us, nor op
pressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's
hand." '
And he said unto them, "Jehovah is witness against you,
and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not
found aught in my hand."
Afnd they said, "He is witness."
And Samuel said unto the people, "It is Jehovah that
appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers
up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still,
that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all
the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and
to your fathers.
"When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers
cried unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaroa,
who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made
them to dwell in this place. But they forgat Jehovah
[29]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
their God ; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, cap
tain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Phil
istines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they
fought against them.
"And they cried unto Jehovah, and said, 'We have
sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have
served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth : but now deliver us
out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.'
And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah,
and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your
enemies on every side ; and ye dwelt in safety. And when
ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon
came against you, ye said unto me, 'Nay, but a king shall
reign over us ;' when Jehovah your God was your king.
"Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen,
and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, Jehovah hath
set a king over you. If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve
him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the
commandment of Jehovah, and both ye and also the king
that reigneth over you be followers of Jehovah your God,
well: but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of Jeho
vah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then
will the hand of Jehovah be against you, as it was against
your fathers. Now therefore stand still and see this
great thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes.
"Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto Je
hovah, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall
know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye
have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you a king."
So Samuel called unto Jehovah, and Jehovah sent
thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly
feared Jehovah and Samuel.
And all the people said unto Samuel, "Pray for thy
servants unto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we
[30]

SAMUEL
have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king."
And Samuel said unto the people, "Fear not: ye have
indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from follow
ing Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart; and
turn ye not aside; for then would ye go after vain things
which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.
"For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great
name's sake, because it hath pleased Jehovah to make you
a people unto himself. Moreover as for me, far be it
from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to
pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the
right way. Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth
with all your heart; for consider how great things he
hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye
shall be consumed, both ye and your king."
And Samuel said unto Saul, "Jehovah sent me to
anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now
therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of
Jehovah. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, 'I have marked
that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself
against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.
Now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that
they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and
woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and
ass." And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in
Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand
men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and
laid wait in the valley.
And Saul said unto the Kenites, "Go, depart, get you
down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with
them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel,
when they came up out of Egypt."
[3i]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou
goest to Shur, that is before Egypt. And he took Agag
the king of the Amalekites, alive, and utterly destroyed
all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and
the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of
the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that
was good, and would not utterly destroy them : but every
thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
Then came the word of Jehovah unto Samuel, saying,
"It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king; for
he is turned back from following me, and hath not per
formed my commandments." And Samuel was wroth;
and he cried unto Jehovah all night.
And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning;
and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel,
and, behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and
passed on, and went down to Gilgal."
And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him,
"Blessed be thou of Jehovah : I have performed the com
mandment of Jehovah."
And Samuel said, "What meaneth then this bleating of
the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which
I hear?" And Saul said, "They have brought them from the
Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep
and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God; and
the rest we have utterly destroyed."
Then Samuel said unto Saul, "Stay, and I will tell thee
what Jehovah hath said to me this night."
And he said unto him, "Say on."
And Samuel said, "Though thou wast little in thine own
sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel ?
And Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel ; and Jehovah
[32]

SAMUEL
sent thee on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy
the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until
they be consumed.' Wherefore then didst though not obey
the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst
that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah ?"
And Saul said unto Samuel, "Yea, I have obeyed the
voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah
sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and
have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people
took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted
things, of sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal."
And Samuel said, "Hath Jehovah as great delight in
burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of
Jehovah ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to
hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin
of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and tera
phim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he
hath also rejected thee from being king."
And Saul said unto Samuel, "I have sinned; for I
have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy
words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again
with me, that I may worship Jehovah."
And Samuel said unto Saul, "I will not return with
thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and
Jehovah hath rejected thee from being king over Israel."
And as Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold
upon the skirt of his robe, and it rent. And Samuel said
unto him, "Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from
thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that
is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will
not lie nor repent ; for he is not a man, that he should re
pent." Then he said, "I have sinned; yet honor me now, I pray
r 33 1

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and
turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy
God." So Samuel turned again after Saul ; and Saul wor
shipped Jehovah.
Then said Samuel, "Bring ye hither to me Agag the
king of the Amalekites." And Agag came unto him cheer
fully. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past."
And Samuel said, "As thy sword hath made women
childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women."
And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Jehovah in
Gilgal. Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his
house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel came no more to
see Saul until the day of his death ; for Samuel mourned
for Saul: and Jehovah repented that he had made Saul
king over Israel.
And Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves
together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house
at Ramah.

£34]

DAVID
And Jehovah said unto Samuel, "How long wilt thou
mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being
king over Israel ? fill thy horn with oil, and go : I will send
thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided
me a king among his sons"
And Samuel said, "How can I go? if Saul hear it, he
will kill me."
And Jehovah said, "Take a heifer with thee, and say,
'I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.' And call Jesse to the
sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and
thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee."
And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to
Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him
trembling, and said, "Comest thou peaceably ?"
And he said, "Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto
Jehovah: sanctifiy yourselves, and come with me to the
sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called
them to the sacrifice.
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he
looked on Eliab, and said, "Surely Jehovah's anointer is
before him."
But Jehovah said unto Samuel, "Look not on his coun
tenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have
rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for
man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah
looketh on the heart."
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before
[35]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
Samuel. And he said, "Neither hath Jehovah chosen this."
Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said,
"Neither hath Jehovah chosen this."
And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Jehovah hath not chosen
these." And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Are here all thy chil
dren?" And he said, "There remaineth yet the youngest, and,
behold, he is keeping the sheep."
And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Send and fetch him; for
we will not sit down till he come hither."
And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy,
and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look
upon. And Jehovah said, "Arise, anoint him; for this
is he."
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in
the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of Jehovah came
mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel
rose up, and and went to Ramah.
Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an
evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him.
And Saul's servants said unto him, "Behold now, an
evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now
command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a
man who is a skilful player on the harp : and it shall
come to pass when the evil spirit from God is upon thee,
that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well."
And Saul said unto his servants, "Provide me now a
man that can play well, and bring him to me."
Then answered one of the young men, and said, "Be
hold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is
skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man
[36]

DAVID
of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person ; and
Jehovah is with him."
Whereof Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said,
"Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep."
And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of
wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto
Saul. And David came to Saul, and stood before him:
and he loved him greatly ; and he became his armor bearer.
And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David, I pray thee,
stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight"
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was
upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his
hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil
spirit departed from him.
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to
battle. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered
together, and encamped in the vale of Elah, and set the
battle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines
stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood
on the mountain on the other side : and there was a valley
betlween them.
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the
Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six
cubits and a span.
And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he
was clad in a coat of mail: and the weight of the coat
was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves
of brass upon his legs, and a javelin of brass between his
shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's
beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels
of iron : and his shield-bearer went before him.
And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and
said unto them, "Why are ye come out to set your battle
[37]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
in array? am I not a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul?
choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then we will be
your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him,
then shall ye be our servants, and serve us."
Ajnd the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel
this day ; give me a man, that we may fight together."
And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the
Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
Now Jesse was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken
in years among men.
And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul
to the battle : and the names of his three sons were Eliab
and Abinadab and Shammah. And David was the young
est. Now David went to and fro from Saul to feed his
father's sheep at Beth-lehem. And the Philistine drew near
morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
And Jesse said unto David his son. "Take now for thy
brethren an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten
loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to thy
brethren; and bring these ten cheeses unto the captain of
their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take
their pledge."
Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in
the vale of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David
rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a
keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him;
and he came to the place of the wagons, as the host which
was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle. And
Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army
against army.
And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper
of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and saluted
[38]

DAVID
his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there
came to the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath
by name, out of the ranks of the Philistine, and spake
according to the same words : and David heard them.
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled
from him, and were sore afraid.
And the men of Israel said, "Have ye seen this man
that is come up ? surely to defy Israel is he come up : and
it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will
enrich him with great riches, and will give him his
daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel."
And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying,
"What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine,
and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who
is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the
armies of the living God?"
And the people answered him after this manner, saying,
"So shall it be done to the man that killeth him."
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto
the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David,
and he said, "Why art thou come down? and with whom
hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness ? I know
thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart; for thou art
come down that thou mightest see the battle."
And David said, "What have I now done? Is there not a
cause ?"
And he turned away from him toward another, and
spake after the same manner: and the people answered
him again after the former manner.
And when the words were heard which David spake,
they rehearsed them before Saul : and he sent for him.
And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail be
cause of him; thy servant will go and fight with this
Philistine."
[39]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And Saul said to David, "Thou art not able to go
against this Philistine to fight with him ; for thou art but
a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."
And David said unto Saul, "Thy servant was keeping
his father's sheep ; and when there came a lion, or a bear,
and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after him, and
smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when
he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote
him, and slew him. Thy servant smote both the lion and
the bear : and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one
of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living
God." And David said, "Jehovah that delivered me out of the
paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will
deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine."
Ajnd Saul said unto David, "Go, and Jehovah shall
be with thee."
And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a
helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat
of mail. And David girded his sword upon his apparel,
and he assayed to go ; for he had not proved it.
And David said unto Saul, "I cannot go with these ; for
I have not proved them." And David put them off
him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five
smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shep
herd's bag which he had, even in his wallet ; and his sling
was in his hand; and he drew near to the Philistine.
And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David;
and the man that bare his shield went before him. And
¦when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he dis
dained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and
withal of a fair countenance.
And the Philistine said unto David, "Am I a dog, that
[40]

DAVID
thou comest to me with staves ?" And the Philistine cursed
David by his gods.
And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I
will give thy flesh unto the birds of the heavens; and to
the beasts of the field."
Then said David to the Philistine, "Thou comest to
me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin:
but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the
God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This
day will Jehovah deliver thee into my hand; and I will
smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will
give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day
unto the birds of the heavens, and to the wild beasts of the
earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in
Israel, and that all this assembly may know that Jehovah
saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is Jeho
vah's and he will give you into our hand."
And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and
came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened,
and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And
David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone,
and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, and
the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his
face to the earth.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and
with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but
there was no sword in the hand of David. Then David
ran and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword,
and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and
cut off his head therewith.
And when the Philistines saw that their champion was
dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and of Judah
arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou
comest to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. And the chil-
[4i]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
dren of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistine,
and they plundered their camp. And David took the head
of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put
his armor in his tent.
And it came to pass, that the soul of Jonathan was knit
with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his
own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let
him go no more home to his father's house.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because
he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped
himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to
David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow,
and to his girdle.
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and
behaved himself wisely : and Saul set him over the men of
war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and
also in the sight of Saul's servants.
And it came to pass as they came, when David returned
from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came
out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet
king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments
of music.
And the women sang one to another as they played,
and said,
"Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands."
And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased
him: and he said, "They have ascribed unto David ten
thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands:
and what can he have more but the kingdom ?" And Saul
eyed David from that day and forward.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit
from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in
[42]

DAVID
the midst of the house: and David played with his hand,
as he did day by day.
And Saul had his spear in his hand; and Saul cast the
spear ; for he said, "I will smite David even to the wall."
And David avoided out of his presence twice.
And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was
with him, and was departed from Saul. Therefore Saul
removed him from him, and made him his captain over
a thousand; and he went out and came in before the peo
ple. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and
Jehovah was with him. And when Saul saw that he
behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. But
all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and
came in before them.
And Saul said to David, "Behold, my elder daughter
Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant
for me, and fight Jehovah's battles."
For Saul said, "Let not my hand be upon him, but let
the hand of the Philistines be upon him."
And David said unto Saul, "Who am I, and what is my
life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-
in-law to the king?"
But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's
daughter, should have been given to David, that she was
given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. And Michal,
Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the
thing pleased him.
And Saul said, "I will give him her, that she may be a
snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be
against him."
Wherefore Saul said to David, "Thou shalt this day be
my son-in-law a second time."
And Saul commanded his servants, saying, "Commune
[43]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
with David secretly, and say, 'Behold the king hath de
light in thee, and all his servants love thee : now therefore
be the king's son-in-law.' "
And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of
David. And David said, "Seemeth it to you a light thing to be
the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and
lightly esteemed?"
And the servants of Saul told him, saying, "On this
manner spake David."
And Saul said, "Thus shall ye say to David, 'The king
desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the
Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.' "
Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of
the Philistines. And when his servants told David these
words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law.
And the days were not expired; and David arose and
went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two
hundred men ; and David brought their foreskins, and they
gave them in full number to the king, that he might be
the king's son-in-law.
And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. And
Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and
Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. And Saul was yet
the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy
continually. Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it
came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David
behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of
Saul ; so that his name was much set by.
And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his
servants, that they should slay David. But Jonathan,
Saul's son, delighted much in David.
And Jonathan told David, saying, "Saul my father
[44]

DAVID
seeketh to slay thee : now therefore I pray thee, take heed
to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and
hide thyself : and I will go out and stand beside my father
in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my
father of thee : and if I see aught, I will tell thee."
And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his
father, and said unto him, "Let not the king sin against
his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned
against thee, and because his works have been to thee-
ward very good: for he put his life in his hand, and smote
the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victory for
all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore
then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David
without a cause?"
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and
Saul sware, "As Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to
death." And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him
all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul,
and he was in his presence, as beforetime.
And there was war again: and David went out, and
fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great
slaughter;, and they fled before him.
And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as he
sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David
was playing with his hand. And Saul sought to smite
David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped
away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into
the wall : and David fled, and escaped that night.
And Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch
him, and to slay him in the morning : and Michal, David's
wife, told him, saying, "If thou save not thy life tonight,
tomorrow thou wilt be slain." So Michal let David down
through the window; and he went, and fled, and escaped.
[45]

,/

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed,
and put a pillow of goats' hair at the head thereof, and
covered it with the clothes.
And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said,
"He is sick."
And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying,
"Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him."
And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim
was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at the head
thereof. And Saul said unto Michal, "Why hast thou deceived
me thus, and let mine enemy go, so that he is escaped?"
And Michal answered Saul, "He said unto me, 'Let me
go ; why should I kill thee ?' "
Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to
Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And
he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. And it was
told Saul, saying, "Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah."
And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when
they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and
Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God
came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also pro
phesied. And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers,
and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers
again the third time, and they also prophesied.
Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great
well that is in Secu: and he asked and said, "Where are
Samuel and David?"
And one said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah."
And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah : and the Spirit
of God came upon him also, and he went on, and
prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah." And he
also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before
[46]

DAVID
Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that
night. Wherefore they say, "Is Saul also among the
prophets ?"
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and
said before Jonathan, "What have I done? what is mine
iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he
seeketh my life?"
And he said unto him, "Far from it ; thou shalt not die :
behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small,
but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my
father hide this thing from me? it is not so."
And David sware moreover, and said, "Thy father
knoweth well that I have found favor in thine eyes; and
he saith, 'Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved :'
but truly as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there
is but a step between me and death."
Then said Jonathan unto David, "Whatsoever thy soul
desireth, I will even do. it for thee."
And David said unto Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is
the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king
at meat: but let me go that I may hide myself in the field
unto the third day at even. If thy father miss me at all,
then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me that he might
run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice
there for all the family.' If he say thus, 'It is well,' thy
servant shall have peace; but if he be wroth, then know
that evil is determined by him. Therefore deal kindly
with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into
a covenant of Jehovah with thee: but if there be in me
iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring
me to thy father?"
And Jonathan said, "Far be it from thee ; for if I should
at all know that evil were determined by my father to
come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?"
[471

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
Then said David to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me if
perchance thy father answer thee roughly?"
And Jonathan said unto David, "Come, and let us go
out into the field." And they went out both of them into
the field.
And Jonathan said unto David, "Jehovah, the God of
Israel, be witness : when I have sounded my father about
this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there be
good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and
disclose it unto thee? Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and
more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I
disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou
mayest go in peace : and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath
been with my father. And thou shalt not only while yet
I live show me the loving kindness of Jehovah that I die
not ; but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my
house forever; no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the
enemies of David every one from the face of the
earth." So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,
saying, "And Jehovah will require it at the hand of
David's enemies."
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the
love that he had to him ; for he loved him as he loved
his own soul.
Then Jonathan said unto him, "Tomorrow is the new
moon: and thou wilt be missed, because thy seat will be
empty. And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt
go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst
hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt
remain by the stone Ezel. And I will shoot three arrows
on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
"And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, 'Go, find the
arrows.' If I say unto the lad, 'Behold, the arrows are
[48]

DAVID
on this side of thee;' take them, and come; for there is
peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth.
"But if I say thus unto the boy, 'Behold, the arrows are
beyond thee;' go thy way; for Jehovah hath sent thee
away. And as touching the matter which thou and I
have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me
forever." So David hid himself in the field: and when the new
moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food. And
the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the
seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat
by Saul's side : but David's place was empty. Nevertheless
Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, "Some
thing hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not
clean." And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon,
which was the second day, that David's place was empty :
and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, "Wherefore cometh
not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to
day?" And Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked
leave of me to go to Beth-lehem: and he said, 'Let me
go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the
city ; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there :
and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get
away, I pray thee, and see my brethren.' Therefore he is
not come unto the king's table."
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and
he said unto him, "Thou son of a perverse rebellious
woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of
Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy
mother's nakedness ? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth
upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy
[49]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for
he shall surely die."
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto
him, "Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath
he done?"
And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby
Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to
put David to death. So Jonathan arose from the table in
fierce anger, and did eat no food the second day of the
month; for he was grieved for David, because his father
had done him shame.
And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went
out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a
little lad with him.
And he said unto his lad, "Run, find now the arrows
which I shoot." And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow
beyond him.
And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow
which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad,
and said, "Is not the arrow beyond thee ?"
And Jonathan cried after the lad, "Make speed, haste,
stay not." And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and
came to his master. But the lad knew not anything: only
Jonathan and David knew the matter.
And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said
unto him, "Go, carry them to the city."
¦r/ And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a
place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground,
and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one
another, and wept one with another, until David ex
ceeded.
^ And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, forasmuch
as we have sworn both of us in the name of Jehovah,
saying, 'Jehovah shall be between my seed and thy seed,
[50]

DAVID
forever.' " And he arose and departed : and Jonathan went
into the city.
Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest : and
Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto
him, "Why art thou alone, and no man with thee ?"
And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, "The king
hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me,
'Let no man know anything of the business whereabout
I send thee, and what I have commanded thee : and I have
appointed the young men to such and such a place.' Now
therefore what is under thy hand? give me five loaves of
bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is present."
And the priest answered David, and said, "There is no
common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread."
So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no
bread there but the showbread, that was taken from
before Jehovah, to put hot bread in the day when it was
taken away.
Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there
that day, detained before Jehovah; and his name was
Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of the herdsmen that
belonged to Saul.
And David said unto Ahimelech, "And is there not here
under thy hand spear or sword? for I have neither
brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the
king's business required haste."
And the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philis
tine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah, behold, it is
here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt
take that, take it; for there is no other save that here."
And David said, "There is none like that; give it me."
And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and
went to Achish the king of Gath.
[Si]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And the servants of Achish said unto him, "Is not this
David the king of the land? did they not sing one to
another of him in dances, saying,
" ' Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands ?' "
And David laid up these words in his heart, and was
sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed
his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in
their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and
let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
Then said Achish unto his servants, "Lo, ye see the
man is mad; wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to
play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come
into my house?"
David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the
cave of Adullam: and when his brethren and all his
father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.
And every one that was in distress, and every one that
was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered
themselves unto him; and he became captain over them:
and there were with him about four hundred men.
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he
said unto the king of Moab, "Let my father and my
mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I
know what God will do for me." And he brought them
before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all
the while that David was in the stronghold.
And the prophet Gad said unto David, "Abide not in
the stronghold; depart, and get thee into the land of
Judah." Then David departed, and came into the forest of
Hereth. And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the
men that were with him : now Saul was sitting in Gibeah,
[52]

DAVID
under the tamrisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in
his hand and all his servants were standing about him.
And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him,
"Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give
every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you
all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, that
all of you have conspired against me, and there is none
that discloseth to me when my son maketh a league with
the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for
me, or discloseth unto me that my son hath stirred up my
servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"
Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the
servants of Saul, and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming
to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And he inquired
of Jehovah for him, and gave him victuals, and gave
him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."
And the king said, "Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech,
thou, and all thy father's house."
And the king said unto the guard that stood about him,
"Turn, and slay the priests of Jehovah; because their
hand also is with David, and because they knew that he
fled, and did not disclose it to me." But the servants of. the
king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the
priests of Jehovah.
And the king said to Doeg, "Turn thou, and fall upon
the priests."
And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the
priests, and he slew on that day fourscore and five persons
that did wear a linen ephod. And Nob, the city of the
priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men
and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses
and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub,
named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. And
[53]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah's priests.
And David said unto Abiathar, "I knew on that day,
when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely
tell Saul; I have occasioned the death of all the persons
of thy father's house. Abide thou with me, fear not; for
he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life : for with me thou
shalt be in safeguard."
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying,
"Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds
in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south
of the desert ? Now therefore, O king, come down, accord
ing to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our
part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand."
And Saul said, "Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have
had compassion on me. Go, I pray you, make yet more
sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and
who hath seen him there ; for it is told me that he dealeth
very subtly. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the
lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye again
to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall
come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him
out among all the thousands of Judah."
And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but
David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in
the Arabah on the south of the desert. And Saul and his
men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore
he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness
of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after
David in the wilderness of Maon.
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David
and his men on that side of the mountain: and David
made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and
his men compassed David and his men round about to
take them.
[54]

DAVID
But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, "Haste
thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid
upon the lands."
So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went
against the Philistines. And David went up from thence,
and dwelt in the strongholds of Engedi.
And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from
following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying,
"Behold David is in the wilderness of Engedi."
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all
Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the
rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes
by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to
cover his feet.
Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost
parts of the cave. And the men of David said unto him,
"Behold, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, 'Behold,
I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt
do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.' "
Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe
privily. Atid it came to pass afterward, that David's
heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
And he said unto his men, "Jehovah forbid that I
should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed,
to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Jehovah's
anointed." So David checked his men with these words
and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul
rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave,
and cried after Saul, saying, "My lord the king."
And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with
his face to the earth, and did obeisance.
And David said to Saul, "Wherefore hearkenest thou
to men's words, saying, 'Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?'
[ 55 ]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah
had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave: and
some bade me kill thee, but mine eye spared thee: and I
said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord: for
he is Jehovah's anointed
"Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy
robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy
robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is
neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not
sinned against thee, though thou huntest after my life to
take it.
"Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah
avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
As saith the proverb of the ancients, 'Out of the wicked
cometh forth wickedness ;' but my hand shall not be upon
thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after
whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
Jehovah therefore be judge, and give sentence between
me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me
out of thy hand."
And it came to pass, when David had made an end of
speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, "Is this
thy voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice,
and wept.
And he said to David, "Thou art more righteous than
I; for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have
rendered unto thee evil. And thou hast declared this day
how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as
when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou
killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let
him go well away? wherefore Jehovah reward thee good
for that which thou hast done unto me this day. And now,
behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that
the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.
[56]

DAVID
Swear now therefore unto me by Jehovah, that thou wilt
not cut of my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy
my name out of my father's house."
And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home ; but
David and his men gat them up unto the stronghold.
And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying,
"Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah,
which is before the desert?"
Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of
Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with
him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul
encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the
desert, by the way.
But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that
Saul came after him into the wilderness. David there
fore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come
of a certainty. And David arose, and came to the place
where Saul had encamped; and David beheld the place
where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain
of his host: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons,
and the people were encamped round about him.
Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the
Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to
Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul to the
camp ?"
And Abishai said, "I will go down with thee."
So David and Abishai came to the people by night:
and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the
wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head;
and Abner and the people lay round about him.
Then said Abishai to David, "God hath delivered up
thine enemy into thy hand this day : now therefore let me
smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one
stroke, and I will not smite him the second time,"
[57]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And David said to Abishai, "Destroy him not; for who
can put forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and
be guiltless?"
And David said, "As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will
smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go
down into battle, and perish. Jehovah forbid that I should
put forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed: but now
take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the
cruse of water, and let us go."
So David took the spear and the cruse of water from
Saul's head; and they gat them away: and no man saw
it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all
asleep, because a deep sleep from Jehovah was fallen
upon them.
Then David went over to the other side, and stood on
the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being
between them; and David cried to the people, and to
Abner the son of Ner, saying, "Answerest thou not,
Abner?" Then Abner answered and said, "Who art thou that
criest to the king?"
And David said to Abner, "Art not thou a valiant man ?
and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast
thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there
came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah
liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept
watch over your lord, Jehovah's anointed. And now see
where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that
was at his head."
And Saul knew David's voice, and said, "Is this thy
voice, my son David?"
And David said "It is my voice, my lord, O king." And
he said, "Wherefore does my lord pursue after his
[58]

DAVID
Servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my
hand? Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king
hear the words of his servant. If it be Jehovah that
hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offer
ing: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they
before Jehovah; for they have driven me out this day
that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of Jehovah,
saying, 'Go, serve other gods.' Now therefore, let not my
blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Jeho
vah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea,
as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains."
Then said Saul, "I have sinned: return, my son David;
for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was
precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the
fool, and have erred exceedingly."
And David answered and said, "Behold the spear, O
king ! let then one of the young men come over and fetch
it. And Jehovah will render to every man his righteous
ness and his faithfulness ; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered
thee into my hand today, and I would not put forth my
hand against Jehovah's anointed. And, behold, as thy life
was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be
much set .by in the eyes of Jehovah, and let him deliver
me out of all tribulation."
Then Saul said to David, "Blessed be thou, my son
David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely
prevail." So David went his way, and Saul returned to
his place.
And David said in his heart, "I shall now perish one
day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me
than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines ;
and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the
borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand."
[59]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred
men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch,
king of Gath.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men
of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down
slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed
hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines
'.^ slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons
of Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the
archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by
reason of the archers.
Then said Saul to his armor bearer, "Draw thy sword,
and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised
come and thrust me through, and abuse me."
But his armor bearer would not ; for he was sore afraid.
Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it. And
when his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he like
wise fell upon his sword, and died with him. So Saul
died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all
his men, that same day together.
And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when
David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites,
and David had abode two days in Ziklag; it came to pass
on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the
camp from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon
his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he
fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
And David said unto him, "From whence comest thou ?"
And he said unto him, "Out of the camp of Israel am I
escaped." And David said unto him, "How went the matter? I
pray thee, tell me."
And he answered, "The people are fled from the battle,
[60]

DAVID
and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and
Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."
And David said unto the young man that told him,
"How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are '
dead?" And the young man that told him said, "As I happened
by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning
upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen
followed hard after him. And when he looked behind
him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered,
'Here am I.' And he said unto me, 'Who art thou?' And
I answered him, I am an Amalekite.' And he said unto
me, 'Stand, I pray thee, beside me and slay me ; for
anguish hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet
whole in me.' So I stood beside him, and slew him, be
cause I was sure that he could not live after that he was
fallen : and I took the crown that was upon his head, and
the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them
hither unto my lord."
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them;
and likewise all the men that were with him: and they
mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and
for Jonathan, his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and
for the house of Israel ; because they were fallen by the
sword. And David said unto the young man that told him,
"Whence art thou?"
And he answered, "I am the son of a sojourner, an
Amalekite." And David said unto him, "How wast thou not afraid
to put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?"
And David called one of the young men, and said, "Go
near, and fall upon him." And he smote him so that he
died And David said unto him, "Thy blood be upon thy
[61]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, 'I
have slain Jehovah's anointed.' "
And David lamented with his lamentation over Saul
and over Jonathan his son (and he bade them teach the
children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is
written in the book of Jashar) :
"Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places !
How are the mighty fallen !
Tell it not in Gath,
Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
Ye mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of
offerings :
For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away,
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan turned not back,
And the sword of Saul returned not empty.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their
j lives,
And in their death they were not divided :
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,
Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle !
Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
' lam distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan:
Very pleasant hast thou been unto me :
Thy love for me was wonderful,
[62]

DAVID
Passing the love of women.
How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished !"
Now there was long war between the house of Saul
and the house of David: and David waxed stronger and
stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and
weaker. Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto
Hebron, and spake, saying, "Behold, we are thy bone and
thy flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it
was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and
Jehovah said to thee, 'Thou shalt be shepherd of my peo
ple Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel.'"
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron ;
and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron be
fore Jehovah : and they anointed David king over Israel.
David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he
reigned forty years.
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against
the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spake unto
David, saying, "Except thou take away the blind and the
lame, thou shalt not come in hither ;" thinking, David can
not come in hither. Nevertheless David took the strong
hold of Zion ; the same is the city of David.
And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city
of David. And David built round about from Millo and
inward. And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house,
and Jehovah had given him rest from al} his enemies
round about, that the king said unto Nathan the prophet,
"See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God
dwelleth within curtains."
[63]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in thy
heart; for Jehovah is with thee."
And it came to pass the same night, that the word of
Jehovah came unto Nathan, saying, "Go and tell my serv
ant David, 'Thus saith Jehovah, Shalt thou build me a
house for me to dwell in ? for I have not dwelt in a
house since the day that I brought up the children of Is
rael out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a
tent and in a tabernacle. In all places wherein I have
walked with all the children of Israel, spake I a word with
any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shep
herd of my people Israel, saying, "Why have ye not built
me a house of cedar ?" '
"Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant
David, 'Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the
sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest
be prince over my people, over Israel; and I have been
with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all
thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a
great name, like unto the name of the great ones that are
in the earth.
" 'And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and
will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place,
and be moved no more; neither shall the children of
wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first, and as
from the day that I commanded judges to be over my peo
ple Israel; and I will cause thee to rest from all thine
enemies. Moreover Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah
will make thee a house.
" 'When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with
thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall
proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his king
dom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will es
tablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his
[64]

DAVID
father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I
will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes
of the children of men; but my loving kindness shall not
depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away
before thee. And thy house and thy kingdom shall be
made sure for ever before thee: thy throne shall be es
tablished for ever.' "
According to all these words, and according to all this
vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
And David said, "Is there yet any that is left of the
house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jona
than's sake?"
And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose
name was Ziba, and they called him unto David ; and the
king said unto him, "Art thou Ziba ?"
And he said, "Thy servant is he." And the king said,
"Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may
show the kindness of God unto him?"
And Ziba said unto the king, "Jonathan hath yet a son,
who is lame of his feet."
And the king said unto him, "Where is he ?" And Ziba
said unto the king, "Behold, he is in the house of Machir
the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar."
Then King David sent, and fetched him. And Mephibo-
sheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came unto
David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance.
And David said, "Mephibosheth."
"Behold, thy servant!"
And David said unto him, "Fear not; for I will surely
show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and
will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou
shalt eat bread at my table continually."
And he did obeisance, and said, "What is thy servant,
[65]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am ?"
Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said
unto him, "All that pertained to Saul and to all his house
have I given unto thy master's son. And thou shalt till
the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants;
and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son
may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's
son shall eat bread always at my table."
Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then
said Ziba unto the king, "According to all that my lord
the king commandeth his servant, so shall thy servant do."
"As for Mephibosheth," said the king, "he shall eat at
my table, as one of the king's sons."
And Mephibosheth had a yong son, whose name was
Mica. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were serv
ants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Je
rusalem; for he did eat continually at the king's table.
And he was lame in both his feet.
And Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. And he came
unto him, and said unto him, "There were two men in one
city ; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had
exceeding many flocks and herds; but the poor man had
nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had brought
and nourished up; and it grew up together with him, and
with his children ; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank
of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him
as a daughter.
"And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he
spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to
dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but
took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that
was come to him."
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the
[66]

DAVID
man ; and he said to Nathan, "As Jehovah liveth, the man
that hath done this is worthy to die ; and he shall restore
the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because
he had no pity."
And Nathan said to David, "Thou art the man."
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, "I anointed thee
king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the
hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master's house,
and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave
thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had
been too little, I would have added unto thee such and
such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the word of
Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight? thou hast
smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken
his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword
of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword
shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast de
spised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite
to be thy wife. Thus saith Jehovah, 'Behold, I will raise
up evil against thee out of thine own house; and I will
take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy
neighbor. For thou didst it secretly; but I will do this
thing before all Israel, and before the sun.' "
And David said unto Nathan, "I have sinned against
Jehovah," And Nathan said unto David, "Jehovah also hath put
away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by
this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies
of Jehovah to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto
thee shall surely die." And Nathan departed unto his
house. And Jehovah struck the child that Uriah's wife bare
unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore be
sought God for the child ; and David fasted, and went in,
1671

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his
house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from
the earth ; but he would not, neither did he eat bread with
them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the
child died.
And the servants of David feared to tell him that the
child was dead; for they said, "Behold, while the child
was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he hearkened not
unto our voice; how will he then vex himself, if we tell
him that the child is dead."
But when David saw that- his servants were whisper
ing together, David perceived that the child was dead;
and David said unto his servants, "Is the child dead?"
And they said, "He is dead."
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and
anointed himself, and changed his apparel; and he came
into the house of Jehovah, and worshipped ; then he came
to his own house; and when he required, they set bread
before him, and he did eat.
Then said his servants unto him, "What thing is this
that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the
child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead,
thou didst rise and eat bread."
And he said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted
and wept: for I said, 'Who knoweth whether Jehovah
will not be gracious to me that the child may live?' But
now he is dead, wherefore should I fast ? can I bring him
back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return
to me."
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and she bare
a son, and he called his name Solomon.
And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom
[68]

DAVID
had sheep-shearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Eph
raim; and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
And Absalom came to the king, and said, "Behold now,
thy servant hath sheep-shearers ; let the king, I pray thee,
and his servants go with thy servant."
And the king said to Absalom, "Nay, my son, let us not
all go, lest we be burdensome unto thee."
And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but
blessed him.
Then said Absalom, "If not, I pray thee, let my brother
Amnon go with us."
And the king said unto him, "Why should he go with
thee?" But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all
the king's sons go with him.
And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "Mark
ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and
when I say unto you, 'Smite Amnon,' then kill him; fear
not; have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be
valiant." And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as
Absalom had commanded. Then all the "king's sons
arose and every man got him up upon his mule, and fled.
And it came, to pass, while they were in the way, that
the tidings came to David, saying, "Absalom hath slain
all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left."
Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on
the earth ; and all his servants stood by with their clothes
rent. And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother,
answered and said, "Let not my lord suppose that they
have killed all the young men the king's sons ; for Amnon
only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this
hath been determined from the day that he forced his
[69]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
sister Tamar. Now therefore let not my lord the king
take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's
sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead."
But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the
watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, there
came much people by the way of the hillside behind him.
And Jonadab said unto the king, "Behold, the king's
sons are come; as thy servant said, so it is."
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end
of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted
up their voice, and wept; and the king also and all his
servants wept very sore.
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's
heart was toward Absalom.
So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought
Absalom to Jerusalem. And the king said, "Let him turn
to his own house, but let him not see my face." So
Absalom turned to his awn house, and saw not the king's
face. Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised
as Absalom for his beauty : from the sole of his foot even
to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
And when he cut the hair of his head (now it was at
every year's end that he cut it; because it was heavy on
him, therefore he cut it) ; he weighed the hair of his
head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.
And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one
daughter, whose name was Tamar; she was a woman of
a fair countenance.
And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem ; and he
saw not the king's face. Then Absalom sent for Joab,
to send him to the king; but he would not come to him:
and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.
Therefore he said unto his servants, "See, Joab's field
[70]

DAVID
is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and Set it on
fire." And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.
Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house,
and said unto him, "Wherefore have thy servants set my
field on fire?"
And Absalom answered Joab, "Behold, I sent unto thee,
saying, 'Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to
say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it were better
for me to be there still.' Now therefore let me see the
king's face and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me."
So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he
had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed
himself on his face to the ground before the king: and
the king kissed Absalom.
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared
him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of
the gate: and it was so, that, when any man had a suit
which should come to the king for judgment, then
Absalom called unto him, and said, "Of what city art
thou." And he said, "Thy servant is of one of the tribes of
Israel." And Absalom said unto him, "See, thy matters are good
and right ; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear
thee." Absalom said moreover, "Oh, that I were made judge
in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause
might come unto me, and I would do him justice !"
And it was so, that, when any man came nigh to do him
obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him,
and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all
Israel that came to the king for judgment; so Absalom
stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
[71]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that
Absalom said unto the king, "I pray thee, let me go and
pay my vow, which I have vowed unto Jehovah, in
Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at
Geshur in Syria, saying, 'If Jehovah shall indeed bring
me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.' "
And the king said unto him, "Go in peace."
So he arose, and went to Hebron. But Absalom sent
spies thoroughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As
soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall
say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.' "
And with Absalom went two hundred men out of
Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity;
and they knew not anything. And Absalom sent for
Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city,
even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices.
And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased
continually with ^'.bsalom.
And there came a messenger to David, saying, "The
hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom."
And David said unto all his servants that were with
him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee ; for else none of
us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest
he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and
smite the city with the edge of the sword."
And the king's servants said unto the king, "Behold,
thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king
shall choose." And the king went forth, and all his house
hold after him. And the king left ten women, that were
concubines, to keep the house.
And David went up by the ascent of the mount of
Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head
covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were
[72]

DAVID
with him covered every man his head, and they went up,
weeping as they went up.
And one told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the
conspirators with Absalom."
And David said, "O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the
counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."
And when David was a little past the top of the ascent,
behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with
a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred
loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of rasins, and a
hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
And the king said unto Ziba, "What meanest thou by
these ?"
And Ziba said, "The asses are for the king's household
to ride on ; and the bread and summer fruit for the young
men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the
wilderness may drink."
And the king said, "And where is thy master's son ?"
And Ziba said unto the king, "Behold, he abideth at
Jerusalem; for he said, 'To-day will the house of Israel
restore me the kingdom of my father.' "
And Absalom, and the all the people, the men of Israel,
came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, "Give your counsel
what we shall do."
Ahithophel said unto Absalom, "Let me now chose out
twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after
David this night; and I will come upon him while he is
weary and weakhanded, and will make him afraid ; and all
the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite
the king only; and I will bring back all the people unto
thee : the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned : so
all the people shall be in peace." And the saying pleased
Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
1731

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
Then said Absalom, "Call now Hushai the Archite also,
and let us hear likewise what he saith."
And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom
spake unto him, saying, "Ahithophel hath spoken after
this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not, speak
thou." And Hushai said unto Absalom, "The counsel that
Ahithophel hath given this time is not good."
Hushai said moreover, "Thou knowest thy father and
his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in
their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field;
and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with
the people. Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some
other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them
are fallen at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say,
'There is a slaughter among the people that follow Ab
salom.' And even he that is valiant, whose heart is as
the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel know-
eth that thy father is a mighty man, and they that are
with him are valiant men.
"But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto
thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by
the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine
own person. So shall we come upon him in some place
where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as
the dew falleth on the ground; and of him and of all the
men that are with him we will not leave so much as one.
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all
Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into
the river, until there be not one small stone found
there." And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The
counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel
of Ahithophel." For Jehovah had ordained to defeat the
[74]

DAVID
good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Jehovah
might bring evil upon Absalom.
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not
followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home,
unto his city, and set his house in order, and hanged
himself; and he died, and was buried in the sepulcher of
his father.
Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed
over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
And David numbered the people that were with him,
and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds
over them. And David sent forth the people, a third part
under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand
of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third
part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.
And the king said unto the people, "I will surely go
forth with you myself also."
But the people said, "Thou shalt not go forth : for if we
flee away, they will not care for us ; neither if half of us
die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thou
sand of us; therefore now it is better that thou be ready
to succor us out of the city."
And the king said unto them, "What seemeth you best
I will do."
And the king stood by the gateside, and all the people
went out by hundreds and by thousands. And the king
commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal
gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absa
lom." And all the people heard when the king gave all
the captains charge concerning Absalom.
So the people went out into the field against Israel : and
the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of
Israel were smitten there before the servants of David,
and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty
[75]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
thousand men. For the battle was there spread over the
face of all the country ; and the forest devoured more peo •
pie that day than the sword devoured.
And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David.
And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule
went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head
caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between
heaven and earth ; and the mule that was under him went
on. And a certain men saw it, and told Joab, and said, "Be
hold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak."
And Joab said unto the man that told him, "And, be
hold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him
there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten
pieces of silver, and a girdle."
And the man said unto Joab, "Though I should re
ceive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I
not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in
our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai,
saying, 'Beware that none touch the young man Absa
lom.' Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life
(and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou
thyself wouldest have set thyself against me."
Then said Joab, "I may not tarry thus with thee."
And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them
through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in
the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bare Joab's
armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew
him. And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned
from pursuing after Israel ; for Joab held back the people.
And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit
in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of
stones : and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
[76]

DAVID
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up
for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale : for he
said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance,"
and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is
called Absalom's monument, unto this day.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, "Let me now run,
and bear the king tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged
him of his enemies."
And Joab said unto him, "Thou shalt not be the bearer
of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another
day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the
king's son is dead."
Then said Joab to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what
thou hast seen."
And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab,
"But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after
the Cushite."
And Joab said, "Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, see
ing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?"
"But come what may," said he, "I will run."
And he said unto him, "Run."
Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran
the Cushite.
Now David was sitting between the two gates : and the
watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall,
and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man
running alone. And the watchman cried, and told the
king. And the king said, "If he be alone, there is tidings in
his mouth." And he came apace, and drew near.
Atnd the watchman saw another man running; and the
watchman called unto the porter, and said, "Behold,
another man running alone." 177}

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And the king said, "He also bringeth tidings." And
the watchman said, "I think the running of the foremost
is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And
the king said, "He is a good man, and cometh with good
tidings." And Ahimaaz called and said unto the king, "All is
well." And he bowed himself before the king with his
face to the earth, and said, "Blessed be Jehovah thy God,
who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand
against my lord the king."
And the king said, "Is it well with the young man
Absalom?" And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the
king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult,
but I knew not what it was." And the king said, "Turn
aside, and stand here." And he turned aside, and stood
still. And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said,
"Tidings for my lord the king ; for Jehovah hath avenged
thee this day of all them that rose up against thee."
And the king said unto the Cushite, "Is it well with
the young man Absalom ?"
And the Cushite answered, "The enemies of my lord
the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt,
be as that younj man is."
And the king was much moved, and went up to the
chamber over the gate, and wept : and as he went, thus he
said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom ! would
I had died for thep, O Absalom, my son, my son !"
And it was told Joab, behold, the king weepeth and
moumeth for Absalom. And the victory that day was
turned into mourning unto all the people; for the people
heard say that day, "The king grieveth for his son." And
the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as
[78]

DAVID
people that are ashamed steal away when they flee in
battle. And the king covered his face, and the king cried with
a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son,
my son !"
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said,
"Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants,
who this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons
and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the
lives of thy concubines ; in that thou lovest them that hate
thee, and hatest them that love thee. For thou hast de
clared this day, that princes and servants are nought unto
thee: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived,
and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee
well. "Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably
unto thy servants ; for I swear by Jehovah, if thou go not
forth, there will not tarry a man with thee this night : and
that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath
befallen thee from thy youth until now."
Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told
unto all the people, saying, "Behold, the king is sitting in
the gate" : and all the people came before the king.
Now Israel had fled every man to his tent. And all the
people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel,
saying, "The king delivered us out of the hand of our
enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philis
tines; and now he is fled out of the land from Absalom.
And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in bat
tle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing
the king back?"
And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the
priest, saying, "Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying,
'Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house ?
[79]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, to
bring him to his house. Ye are my brethren, ye are my
bone and my flesh : wherefore then are ye the last to bring
back the king?' And say ye to Amasa, 'Art thou not my
bone and my flesh ? God do so to me, and more also, if
thou be not captain of the host before me continually in
the room of Joab.' "
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even
as the heart of one man ; so that they sent unto the king,
saying, "Return thou, and all thy servants." So the king
returned, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to
Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the
Jordan. So the king went over to Gilgal, and all the people of
Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of
Israel. And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and
said unto the king, "Why have our brethren the men of
Judah stolen thee away, and brought the king, and his
household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with
him?'? And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel,
"Because the king is near of kin to us : wherefore then are
ye angry for this matter ? have we eaten at all at the king's
cost? or hath he given us any gift?"
And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and
said, "We have ten parts in the king, and we have also
more right in David than ye ; why then did ye despise us,
that our advice should not be first had in bringing back
our king?" And the words of the men of Judah were
fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
And David spake unto Jehovah the words of this song
in the day that Jehovah delivered him out of the hand of
[80]

DAVID
all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul : and he
said, "Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer,
even mine;
God, my rock, in him will I take refuge;
My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower,
and my refuge;
My Saviour, thou savest me from violence.
I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised :
So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
For the waves of death compassed me;
The floods of ungodliness made me afraid:
The cords of Sheol were round about me ;
The snares of death came upon me.
In my distress I called upon Jehovah;
Yea, I called unto my God:
And he heard my voice out of his temple,
And my cry came into his ears.
He sent from on high, he took me;
He drew me out of many waters;
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From them that hated me ; for they were too mighty for
me.
They came upon me in the day of my calamity ;
But Jehovah was my stay.
He brought me forth also into a large place ;
He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
For I have kept the ways of Jehovah,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his ordinances were before me;
And as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful ;
With the perfect man thou wilt show thyself perfect ;
With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure;
[8i]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself forward.
And the afflicted people thou wilt save ;
But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest
bring them down.
For thou art my lamp, O Jehovah ;
And Jehovah will lighten my darkness.
As for God, his way is perfect:
The word of Jehovah is tried ;
He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him.
He teacheth my hands to war,
So that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation;
And thy gentleness hath made me great.
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me;
And my feet have not slipped.
I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them;
Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
And I have consumed them, and smitten them through,
so that they cannot arise :
Yea, they are fallen under my feet.
They looked, but there was none to save;
Even unto. Jehovah, but he answered them not.
Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my
people;
Thou hast kept me to be the head of the nations :
A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah,
among the nations,
And will sing praises unto thy name.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king,
And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed,
To David and to his seed, for evermore."

[82]

DAVID
Now King David was old and stricken in years; and
they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
Then Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of
Solomon, saying, "Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the
son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth
it not ? Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee
counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the
life of thy son Solomon. Go and get thee in unto king
David, and say unto him, 'Didst not thou, my lord, O
king, swear unto thy handmaid, saying, "Assuredly
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit
upon my throne?" why then does Adonijah reign?' Be
hold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will
come in after thee, and confirm thy words."
And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the cham
ber : and the king was very old ; and Abishag the Shunam-
mite was ministering unto the king. And Bath-sheba
bowed, and did obeisance unto the king.
And the king said, "What wouldest thou?"
And she said unto him, "My lord, thou swarest by Je
hovah thy God unto thy handmaid, saying, 'Assuredly
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit up
on my throne.' And now, behold, Adonijah reign eth; and
thou, my lord the king, knowest it not: and he hath slain
oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called
all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab
the captain of the host ; but Solomon thy servant hath he
not called. And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all
Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who
shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king
shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon
shall be counted offenders."
[83]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the
prophet came in.
And they told the king, saying, "Behold, Nathan the
prophet." And when he was come in before the king, he
bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
And Nathan said, "My lord, O king, hast thou said,
Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my
throne? For he is gone down this day, and hath slain
oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called
all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abia
thar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking
before him, and say, 'Long live king Adonijah.' But me,
even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah
the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he
not called. Is this thing done by my lord the king, and
thou hast not showed unto thy servants who should sit on
the throne of my lord the king after him."
Then king David answered and said, "Call to me Bath-
sheba." And she came into the king's presence, and stood before
the king. And the king sware, and said, "As Jehovah liv
eth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, verily
as I sware unto thee by Jehovah, the God of Israel, say
ing, 'Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and
he shall sit upon my throne in my stead ;' verily so will I
do this day."
Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and
did obeisance to the king, and said, "Let my lord king
David live forever."
And king David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest, and
Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada."
And they came before the king. And the king said unto
them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause
Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring
[84]

DAVID
him down to Gihon : and let Zadok the priest and Nathan
the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow
ye the trumpet, and say, 'Long live king Solomon.' Then
ye shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit up
on my throne; for he shall be king in my stead; and I
have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over
Judah." And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king,
and said, "Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king,
say so too. As Jehovah hath been with my lord the king,
even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater
than the throne of my lord king David."
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Bena
iah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pele-
thites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king
David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. And Zadok the
priest took the horn of oil out the Tent and anointed Solo
mon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said,
"Long live King Solomon." And all the people came up
after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced
with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of
them. And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him
heard it as they had made an end of eating.
And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he
said, "Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an
uproar ?"
While he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abia
thar the priest came: and Adonijah said, "Come in; for
thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings."
And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "Verily
our lord king David hath made Solomon king: and the
king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
[85]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the
Cherethites and the Pelethites ; and they have caused him
to ride upon the king's mule ; and Zodak the priest and Na
than the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; and
they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city
rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard, And
also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom. And
moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king
David, saying, 'Thy God make the name of Solomon better
than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy
throne;' and the king bowed himself upon the bed. And
also thus said the king. 'Blessed be Jehovah, the God of
Israel, who hath given one to sit on my throne this day,
mine eyes even seeing it.' "
And all the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose
up, and went every man his way. And Adonijah feared
because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught
hold on the horns of the altar.
And it was told Solomon, saying, "Behold, Adonijah
feareth king Solomon; for, lo, he hath laid hold on the
horns of the altar, saying, 'Let king Solomon swear unto
me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.' "
And Solomon said, "If he shall show himself a worthy
man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but
if wickedness be found in him, he shall die."
So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from
the altar. And he came and did obeisance to king Solo
mon; and Solomon said unto him, "Go to thy house."
Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die;
and he charged Solomon his son, saying, "I am going
the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and
show thyself a man; and keep the charge of Jehovah thy
God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his,
[86]

DAVID
commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies,
according to that which is written in the law of Moses,
that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and
whithersoever thou turnest thyself; that Jehovah may
establish his word which he spake concerning me
saying, 'If thy children take heed to their way, to walk
before me in truth with all their heart and with all their
soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the
throne of Israel.' "
And David commanded to gather together the sojourn
ers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to
hew wrought stones to build the house of God. And
David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the
doors of the gates, and for the couplings ; and brass in
abundance without weight; and cedar-trees without num
ber: for the Sidonians and they of Tyre brought cedar-
trees in abundance to David.
And David said, "Solomon my son is young and tender,
and the house that is to be builded for Jehovah must be
exceeding magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout
all countries : I will therefore make preparation for it."
So David prepared abundantly before his death.
'And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the
princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies
that served the king by course, and the captains of thou
sands, and the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over
all the substance and possessions of the king and of his
sons, with the officers, and the mighty men, even all the
mighty men of valor, unto Jerusalem.
Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said,
"Hear me, my brethren, and my people : as for me, it was
in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the
covenant of Jehovah, and for the footstool of our God;
and I had made ready for the building. But God said
[g7]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
unto me, 'Thou shalt not build a house for my name, be
cause thou art a man of war and hast shed blood.' How
beit Jehovah, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the
house of my father to be king over Israel for ever : for he
hath chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of
Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of
my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over
all Israel; and of all my sons (for Jehovah hath given me
many sons), he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon
the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah over Israel. And
he said unto me, 'Solomon thy son, he shall build my house
and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and
I will be his father. And I will establish his kingdom for
ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and mine
ordinances, as at this day.' Now therefore in the sight of
all Israel, the assembly of Jehovah, and in the audience of
our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of
Jehovah your God; that ye may possess this good land,
and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you
for ever.
"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy
father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a
willing mind ; for Jehovah searcheth all hearts, and under-
standeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou
seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake
him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for
Jehovah hath chosen thee to build a house for the
sanctuary : be strong, and do it."
Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the
porch of the temple, and of the houses thereof, and of the
treasuries thereof, and of the upper rooms thereof, and of
the inner chambers thereof, and of the place of the mercy-
seat. And David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and
[88]

DAVID
of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed;
for Jehovah God, even my God, is with thee; he will not
fail thee, nor forsake thee, until all the work for the ser
vice of the house of Jehovah be finished."
And David the king said unto all the assembly, "Solo
mon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young
and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not
for man, but for Jehovah God. Now I have prepared
with all my might for the house of my God the gold for
the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver,
and the brass for the things of brass, the iron for the
things of iron, and wood for the things of wood; onyx
stones, and stones to be set, stones for inlaid work, and
of divers colors, and all manner of precious stones, and
marble stones in abundance. Moreover also, because I
have set my affection on the house of my God, seeing that
I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it
unto the house of my God, over and above all that I have
prepared for the holy house, even three thousand talents
of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of
silver, of refined silver, wherewith to overlay the walls of
the houses ; of gold for the things of gold, and of silver for
the things of silver, and for all manner of work to be
made by the hands of artificers.
"Who then offereth willingly to consecrate himself this
day unto Jehovah ?"
Then the princes of the fathers' houses, and the princes
of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and
of hundreds, with the rulers over the king's work, offered
willingly, and they gave for the service of the house of
God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand darics,
and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen
thousand talents, and of iron a hundred thousand talents.
And they with whom precious stones were found gave
[89]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
them to the treasure of the house of Jehovah, under the
hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.
Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly,
because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to
Jehovah: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
Wherefore David blessed Jehovah before all the
assembly; and David said, "Blessed be thou, O Jehovah,
the God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine,
O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory,
and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the
heavens, and in the earth is thine ; thine is the kingdom, O
Jehovah, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both
riches and honor come of thee, and thou rulest over all;
and in thy hand is power and might ; and in thy hand it is
to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now there
fore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious
name. "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should
be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things
come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For
we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as all our
fathers were: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and
there is no abiding.
"O Jehovah our God, all this store that we have prepared
to build thee a house for thy holy name cometh of thy
hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that
thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness.
As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly
offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy
thy people, that are present here, offer willingly unto
thee. "O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of
Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination
of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare
[90]

DAVID
their heart unto thee; and give unto Solomon my son a
perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies,
and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build
the palace, for which I have made provision."
And David said to all the assembly, "Now bless Jeho
vah your God."
And all the assembly blessed Jehovah, the God of their
fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped
Jehovah, and the king. And they sacrificed sacrifices unto
Jehovah, and offered burnt offerings unto Jehovah, on the
morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thou
sand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink-offer
ings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel, and did eat
and drink before Jehovah on that day with great gladness.
And David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the
city of David. And the days that David reigned over
Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in He
bron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

[9i]

SOLOMON
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of
Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into
the city of David, until he had made an end of building
his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of
Jerusalem round about, Only the people sacrificed in the
high places, because there was no house built for the name
of Jehovah until those days.
And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes
of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense
in the high places.
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for
that was the great high place; a thousand burnt-offerings
did Solomon offer upon that altar.
In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by
night; and God said, "Ask what I shall give thee."
And Solomon said, "Thou hast showed unto thy servant
David my father great lovingkindness, according as he
walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in
uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for
him this great lovingkindness, that thou hast given him a
son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
"And now, O Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy
servant king instead of David my father : and I am but a
little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And
thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast
chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor
counted for multitude. Give thy servant therefore an
[92]

SOLOMON
understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may dis
cern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this
thy great people?"
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had
asked this thing.
And God said unto him, "Because thou hast asked this
thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither
hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of
thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding
to discern justice; behold, I have done according to thy
word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding
heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee,
neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I
have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both
riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the
kings like unto thee, all thy days. And if thou wilt walk
in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments,
as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy
days." And Solomon awoke ; and, behold, it was a dream : and
he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the
covenant of Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings, and
offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his
servants. Then there came two women that were harlots, unto
the king, and stood before him. And the one woman
said, "Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house ;
and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
And it came to pass the third day after I was delivered,
that this woman was delivered also; and we were to
gether; there was no stranger with us in the house, save
we two in the house. And this woman's child died in the
night, because she lay upon it. And she arose at mid-
[93]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
night, and took my son from beside me, while thy
handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her
dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morn
ing to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; but when
I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my
son, whom I did bear."
And the other woman said, "Nay; but the living is my
son, and the dead is thy son."
And this said, "No; but the dead is thy son, and the
living is my son." Thus they spake before the king.
Then said the king, "The one saith, 'This is my son that
liveth, and thy son is the dead'; and the other saith,
'Nay ; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.' "
And the king said, "Fetch me a sword." And they
brought a sword before the king.
And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and
give half to the one, and half to the other."
Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto
the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she
said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no
wise slay it." But the other said, "It shall be neither mine
nor thine ; divide it."
Then the king answered and said, "Give her the living
child, and in no wise slay it : she is the mother thereof."
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king
had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that
the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.
And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the
River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border
of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all
the days of his life. And Solomon's provision for one day
was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures
of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures,
[94]

SOLOMON
and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roe
bucks, and fatted fowl. For he had dominion over all
the region on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to
Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River : and he had
peace on all sides round about him.
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under
his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer
sheba, all the days of Solomon. And Solomon had forty
thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve
thousand horsemen. And those officers provided victuals
for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solo
mon's table, every man in his month; they let nothing be
lacking. Barley also and straw for the horses and swift
steeds brought they unto the place where the officers were,
every man according to his charge.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding
exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand
that is on the seashore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled
the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the
wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men;
and his fame was in all the nations round about. And he
spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a
thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the
cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that
springeth out of the wall : he spake also of beasts, and of
birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes, and there
came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wis
dom. And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solo
mon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king
in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of
David.
[95]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, "Thou knowest
how that David my father could not build a house for
the name of Jehovah his God for the wars which were
about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under
the soles of his feet. But now Jehovah my God hath
given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary,
nor evil occurrence. And, behold, I purpose to build a
house for the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah
spake unto David my father, saying, 'Thy son; whom I
will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build the
house for my name.' Now therefore command thou that
they cut me cedar-trees out of Lebanon ; and my servants
shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire
for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say : for
thou knowest that there is not among us any that know-
eth how to cut timber like unto the Sidonians."
And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of
Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, "Blessed be
Jehovah this day, who hath given unto David a wise son
over this great people."
And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, "I have heard the
message which thou hast sent unto me: I will do all
thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning
timber of fir. My servants shall bring them down from
Lebanon unto the sea ; and I will make them into rafts to
go by sea unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and
will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt re
ceive them; and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giv
ing food for my household."
So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber
of fir according to all his desire. And Solomon gave
Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to
his household, and twenty measures of pure oil ; thus gave
Solomon to Hiram year by year.
[96]

SOLOMON
And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised
him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon;
and they two made a league together.
And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and
the levy was thirty thousand men. And he sent them to
Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses ; a month they
were in Lebanon, and two months at home : and Adoniram
was over the men subject to task-work. And Solomon
had three-score and ten thousand that bare burdens, and
four-score thousand that were hewers in the mountains ;
besides Solomon's chief officers that were over the work,
three thousand and three hundred, who bare rule over
the people that wrought in the work. And the king com
manded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones,
to lay the foundation of the house with wrought stone.
And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the
Gebalites did fashion them, and prepared the timber and
the stones to build the house.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all
the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers' houses
of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jeru
salem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out
of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the men of
Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the
feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh
month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the
priests took up the ark. And they brought up the ark of
Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels
that were in the Tent ; even these did the priests and the
Levites bring up.
And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel,
that were assembled unto him, were with him before the
ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted
nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in
[97]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, into the
oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the
wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread forth
their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim
covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And the
staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen
from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not
seen without: and there they are unto this day. There
was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which
Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a cove
nant with the children of Israel, when they came out of
the lancl of Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priests
were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the
house of Jehovah, so that the priests could not stand to
minister by reason of the cloud ; for the glory of Jehovah
filled the house of Jehovah.
Then spake Solomon, "Jehovah hath said that he would
dwell in the thick darkness. I have surely built thee a
house of habitation, a place for thee to dwell in for ever."
And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the
assembly of Israel : and all the assembly of Israel stood.
And Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah in the
presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth
his hands toward heaven; and he said, "O Jehovah, the
God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above,
or on earth beneath; who keepest covenant and loving
kindness with thy servants, that walk before thee with all
their heart; who hast kept with thy servant David my
father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou
spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand,
as it is this day. Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of
Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which
thou hast promised him, saying, 'There shall not fail thee
a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only
[98]

SOLOMON
thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me as
thou hast walked before me.' Now therefore, O God of
Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou
spakest unto thy servant David my father.
"But will God in very deed dwell on the earth ? behold,
heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee;
how much less this house that I have builded! Yet have
thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his
supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken unto the cry
and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee
this day ; that thine eyes may be opened toward this house
night and day, even toward the place whereof thou hast
said, 'My name shall be there ;' to hearken unto the prayer
which thy servant shall pray toward this place. And
hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and thy
people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place;
yea, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place; and when
thou hearest, forgive.
"If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid
upon him to cause him to swear, and he come and swear
before thine altar in this house ; then hear thou in heaven,
and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked,
to bring his way upon his own head, and justifying the
righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
"When thy people Israel are smitten down before the
enemy, because they have sinned against thee; if they
turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray and
make supplication unto thee in this house: then hear
thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel,
and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest
unto their fathers.
"Moreover concerning the foreigner, that is not of
thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far coun
try for thy name's sake (for they shall hear of thy great
[99]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
name, and of thy mighty hand, and of thine outstretched
arm) ; when he shall come and pray toward this house;
hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do accord
ing to all that the foreigner calleth to thee for ; that all
the peoples of the earth may know thy name, to fear
thee, as doth thy people Israel, and that they may
know that this house which I have built is called by thy
name. "If thy people go out to battle against their enemy,
by whatsoever way thou shalt send them, and they pray
unto Jehovah toward the city which thou hast chosen, and
toward the house which I have built for thy name ; then
hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication,
and maintain their cause.
"If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sin-
neth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver
them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive
unto the land of the enemy, far off or near; yet if they
shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are
carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication
unto thee in the land of them that carried them captive,
saying, 'We have sinned, and have done perversely, we
have dealt wickedly' ; if they return unto thee with all
their heart and with all their soul in the land of their
enemies, who carried them captive, and pray unto thee
toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers,
the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I
have built for thy name: then hear thou their prayer and
their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place, and main
tain their cause; and forgive thy people who have sinned
against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they
have transgressed against thee ; and give them compassion
before those who carried them captive, that they may
have compassion on them (for they are thy people, and
[ioo]

SOLOMON
thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of
Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron) ; that thine
eyes may be opened unto the supplication of thy servant,
and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken
unto them whensoever they cry unto thee. For thou didst
separate them from among all the peoples of the earth, to
be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by Moses thy servant,
when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord
Jehovah." And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end
of praying all this prayer and supplication unto Jehovah,
he arose from before the altar of Jehovah, from kneeling
on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.
And he stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel
with a loud voice, saying, "Blessed be Jehovah, that hath
given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he
promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good
promise, which he promised by Moses his servant. Jeho
vah our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let
him not leave us, nor forsake us ; that he may incline our
hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his
commandments, and his statutes, and his ordinances,
which he commanded our fathers."
And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice
before Jehovah. And Solomon held the feast at that time,
and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the
entrance of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt, before
Jehovah our God, seven days and seven days, even four
teen days. On the eighth day he sent the people away;
and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful
and glad of heart for all the goodness that Jehovah had
showed unto David his servant, and to Israel his people.
And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the
building of the house of tehOvah, and the king's house,
[ioi]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do, that
Jehovah appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had
appeared unto him at Gibeon.
And Jehovah said unto him, "I have heard thy prayer
and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I
have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put
my name there for ever; and mine eyes and my heart
shall be there perpetually. And as for thee, if thou wilt
walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity
of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I
have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and
mine ordinances; then I will establish the throne of thy
kingdom over Israel for ever, according as I promised to
David thy father, saying, 'There shall not fail thee a man
upon the throne of Israel.' But if ye shall turn away from
following me, ye or your children, and not keep my com
mandments and my statutes which I have set before you,
but shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; then
will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given
them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my
name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a
proverb and a byword among all peoples.
"And though this house is so high, yet shall every one
that passeth by it be astonished, and shall hiss; and they
shall say, 'Why hath Jehovah done thus unto this land,
and to this house?' and they shall answer, 'Because they
forsook Jehovah their God, who brought forth their
fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other
gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore
hath Jehovah brought all this evil upon them.' "
And three times in the»year did Solomon offer burnt-
offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar which he
built unto Jehovah, burning incense therewith, upon the
altar that was before Jehovah. So he finished the house.
[102]

SOLOMON
And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber,
which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the
land of Edom. And Hiram sent in the navy his servants,
shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants
of Solomon. And they came to Ophir, and fetched from
thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought
it to king Solomon.
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of
Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, she came to
prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jeru
salem with a very great train, with camels that bare
spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and
when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him
of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all
her questions : there was not anything hid from the king
which he told her not.
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom
of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the food
of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attend
ance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cup
bearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the
house of Jehovah; there was no more spirit in her.
And she said to the king, "It was a true report that I
heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom.
Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine
eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me;
thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.
Happy are thy men, happy are these thy serv
ants, that stand continually before thee, and that hear
thy wisdom. Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted
in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel : because Jeho
vah loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to
do justice and righteousness."
And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of
[103]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones:
there came no more such abundance of spices as these
which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from
Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-
trees and precious stones. And the king made of the
almug-trees pillars for the house of Jehovah, and for the
king's house, harps also and psalters for the singers : there
came no such almug-trees, nor were seen, unto this day.
And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all he?
desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which Solomon
gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to
her own land, she and her servants.
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and
overlaid it with the finest gold. There were six steps to
the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind ;
and there were stays on either side by the place of the
seat and two lions standing beside the stays. And twelve
lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon
the six steps : there was not the like made in any kingdom.
And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and
all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were
of pure gold : none were of silver ; it was nothing account
ed of in the days of Solomon. For the king had at sea a
navy of Tarshish, with the navy of Hiram : once every
three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and
silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in
riches and in wisdom. And all the earth sought the
presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had
put in his heart. And they brought every man his tribute,
vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and raiment, and
armor, and spices, horses ,and mules, a rate year by year.
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horse-
[104]

SOLOMON
men: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots,
and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the
chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, of the
nations concerning which Jehovah said unto the children
of Israel, "Ye shall not go among them, neither shall they
come among you; for surely they will turn away your
heart after their gods:" Solomon clave unto these in
love. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his
wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his
heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as was the
heart of David his father. For Solomon went after
Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom
the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did
that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and went not
fully after Jehovah, as did David his father. Then did
Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination
of Moab, in the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for
Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. And
so did he for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and
sacrificed unto their gods.
And Jehovah was angry with Solomon, because his
heart was turned away from Jehovah, the God of Israel,
who had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded
him concerning this thing, that he should not go after
other gods : but he kept not that which Jehovah com
manded. Wherefore Jehovah said unto Solomon, "Forasmuch
this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant
and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will
surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy
servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, for
David thy father's sake; but I will rend it out of the
[105]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the
kingdom; but I will give one tribe to thy son, for David
my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have
chosen." And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over
all Israel was forty years. And Solomon slept with his
fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father:
and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
A CLUSTER OF PROVERBS
The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge ;
But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart,
And lean not upon thine own understanding:
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
And he will direct thy paths.
Honor Jehovah with thy substance,
And with the first-fruits of all thine increase :
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,
And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that getteth understanding.
For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of
silver,
And the profit thereof than fine gold.
Length of days is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace. [106]

SOLOMON
Stolen waters are sweet,
And the bread eaten in secret is pleasant
But he knoweth not that the dead are there ;
That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
A false balance is abomination to Jehovah ;
But a just weight is his delight.
There is that scattereth, and increaseth yet more ;
And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it
tendeth only to want.
The liberal soul shall be made fat;
And he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Righteousness exalteth a nation;
But sin is a reproach to any people.
A soft answer turneth away wrath;
But a grievous word stirreth up anger.
Better is a little, with righteousness,
Than great revenues with injustice.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler ;
And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
And loving favor rather than silver and gold.
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath conten
tions ?
Who hath complaining? who hath wounds without
cause ?
Who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine;
They that go to seek out mixed wine.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,
When it sparkleth in the cup,
When it goeth down smoothly. [107]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah
began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel : and
Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria
twenty and two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did
that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah above all that
were before him.
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of
Gilead, said unto Ahab, "As Jehovah, the God of Israel,
liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor
rain these years, but according to my word."
And the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying, "Get
thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by
the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan. And it shall
be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have com
manded the ravens to feed thee there." So he went and
did according unto the word of Jehovah ; for he went and
dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morn
ing, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank
of the brook. And it came to pass after a while, that
the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
And the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying,
"Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Sidon,
and dwell there : behold, I have commanded a widow there
to sustain thee."
So he arose and went to Zarephath ; and when he came
to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gath
ering sticks: and he called to her, and said, "Fetch me,
[108]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink."
And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her,
and said, "Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in
thy hand."
And she said, "As Jehovah thy God liveth, I have not
a cake, but a handful of meal in the jar, and a little
oil in the cruse : and, behold, I am gathering two sticks,
that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that
we may eat it, and die."
And Elijah said unto her, "Fear not; go and do as
thou hast said; but make me thereof a little cake first,
and bring it forth unto me, and afterward make for
thee and for thy son. For thus saith Jehovah, the God
of Israel. 'The jar of meal shall not waste, neither shall
the cruse of oil fail, until the day that Jehovah sendeth
rain upon the earth.' " And she went and did according
to the saying of Elijah : and she, and he, and her house,
did eat many days. The jar of meal wasted not, neither
did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of Jehovah,
which he spake by Elijah.
And it came to pass after many days, that the word
of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying,
"Go, show thyself unto Ahab ; and I will send rain upon
the earth." And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab.
And the famine was sore in Samaria. And Ahab called
Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah
feared Jehovah greatly : for it was so, when Jezebel cut
off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred
prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them
with bread and water.)
And Ahab said unto Obadiah, "Go through the land,
unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks:
peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and
mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts."
[109]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
So they divided the land between them to pass through
out it : Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went
another way by himself.
And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met
him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said,
"Is it thou, my lord Elijah?"
And he answered him, "It is I: go, tell thy lord, 'Be
hold, Elijah is here.'"
And he said, "Wherein have I sinned, that thou would
est deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay
me? As Jehovah thy God liveth, there is no nation or
kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee:
and when they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath
of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.
And now thou sayest, 'Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is
here.' And it will come to pass, as soon as I am gone
from thee, that the Spirit of Jehovah will carry thee
whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab,
and he cannot find thee, he will slay me : but I thy servant
fear Jehovah from my youth."
And Elijah said, "As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before
whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to-day."
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and
Ahab went to meet Elijah.
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab
said unto him, "Is it thou, thou troubler of Israel?"
And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel ; but thou,
and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the com
mandments of Jehovah, and thou hast followed the
Baalim. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel
unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hun
dred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hun
dred, that eat at Jezebel's table."
[no]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA i
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gath
ered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel.
And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said,
"How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Je
hovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."
And the people answered him not a word.
Then said Elijah unto the people, "I, even I only, am
left a prophet of Jehovah; but Baal's prophets are four
hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two
bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves;
and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no
fire under; and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on
the wood, and put no fire under. And call ye on the name
of your god, and I will call on the name of Jehovah : and
the God that answereth by fire, let him be God."
And all the people answered and said, "It is well
spoken." And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, "Choose
you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye
are many; and call on the name of your god, but put
no fire under."
And they took the bullock which was given them, and
they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morn
ing even until noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us." But there
was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped
about the altar which was made.
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them,
and said, "Cry aloud ; for he is a god : either he is musing,
or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or peradventure
he sleepeth and must be awaked."
And they cried aloud, and cut themselveo after their
manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out
upon them. And it was so, when midday was past, that
they prophesied until the time of the offering of the
[in]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
evening oblation; but there was neither voice, nor any
to answer, nor any that regarded.
And Elijah said unto all the people, "Come near unto
me;" and all the people came near unto him. And he
repaired the altar of Jehovah that was thrown down.
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the num
ber of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the
word of Jehovah came, saying, "Israel shall be thy name."
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of
Jehovah; and he made a trench about the altar, as great
as would contain two measures of seed.
And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in
pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four
jz.ts with water, and pour it on the burnt-offering, and on
th° wood."
And he said, "Do it the second time;" and they did it
the second time.
And he said, "Do it the third time ;'' and they did it the
third time. And the water ran round about the altar ; and
he filled the trench also with water.
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the
evening oblation, that Elijah the prophet came near, and
said, "O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of
Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Is
rael, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all
these things at thy word. Hear me, O Jehovah, hear me,
that this people may know that thou, Jehovah, art God,
and that thou hast turned their heart back again." Then
the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering,
and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked
up the water that was in the trench.
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their
faces : and they said, "Jehovah, he is God ; Jehovah, he is
God." [112]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
And Elijah said unto them, "Take the prophets of
Baal; let not one of them escape." And they took them;
and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and
slew them there..
And Elijah said unto Ahab, "Get thee up, eat and
drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain." So
Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up
to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon
the earth, and put his face between his knees.
And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward
the sea." And he went up, and looked, and said, "There
is nothing." And he said, "Go again seven times."
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said,
"Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as small as
a man's hand."
And he said, "Go up, say unto Ahab, 'Make ready thy
chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.' "
And it came to pass, in a little while, that the heavens grew
black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.
And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel: and the hand of
Jehovah was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and
ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and
withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying,
"So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not
thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about
this time."
And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life,
and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and
left his servant there.
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilder
ness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and
he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It
[H3]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
is enough; now, O Jehovah, take away my life; for I am
not better than my fathers."
And he lay down and slept under a juniper-tree; and,
behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him, "Arise
and eat.'" And he looked, and, behold, there was at his
head a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water.
And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
And the angel of Jehovah came again the second time,
and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the
journey is too great for thee." And he arose, and did
eat and drink, and went in the strength of that food forty
days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there;
and, behold, the word of Jehovah came to him, and he
said unto him, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"
And he said, "I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the
God of hosts ; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy
covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets
with the sword : and I, even I only, am left ; and they seek
my life to take it away."
And he said, "Go forth, and stand upon the mount be
fore Jehovah." And, behold, Jehovah passed by, and a
great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in
pieces the rocks before Jehovah ; but Jehovah was not in
the wind : and after the wind an earthquake ; but Jehovah
was not in the earthquake : and after the earthquake a
fire ; but Jehovah was not in the fire : and after the fire a
still small voice.
And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped
his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the
entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice
unto him, and said, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"
And he said, "I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the
God of hosts ; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy
["4]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets
with the sword ; and I, even I only, am left ; and they seek
my life, to take it away."
And Jehovah said unto him, "Go, return on thy way
to the wilderness of Dasmascus: and when thou comest,
thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria ; and Jehu
the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Is
rael; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah
shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall
come to pass, that him that escapeth from the sword of
Hazael shall Jehu slay ; and him that escapeth from the
sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet will I leave me
seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not
bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed
him. So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of
Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen be
fore him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed
over unto him, and cast his mantle upon him.
And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said,
"Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and
then I will follow thee."
And he said unto him, "Go back again; for what have
I done to thee?" And he returned from following him,
and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their
flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the
people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after
Elijah, and ministered unto him.
And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the
Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by
the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, "Give me thy
vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, be-
["5]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
cause it is near unto my house ; and I will give thee for it
a better vineyard than it : or, if it seem good to thee, I will
give thee the worth of it in money."
And Naboth said to Ahab, "Jehovah forbid it me, that
I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee."
And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased be
cause of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken
to him; for he had said, "I will not give thee the inherit-
and of my fathers." And he laid him down upon his bed,
and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
But Jezebel his wife came to him and said unto him,
"Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?"
And he said unto her, "Because I spake unto Naboth
the Jezreelite, and said unto him, 'Give me thy vineyard
for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee an
other vineyard for it:' and he answered, 'I will not give
thee my vineyard.' "
And Jezebel his wife said unto him, "Dost thou now
govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and
let thy heart be merry : I will give thee the vineyard of
Naboth the Jezreelite." So she wrote letters in Ahab's
name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters
unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city,
and that dwelt with Naboth.
And she wrote in the letters, saying, "Proclaim a fast,
and set Naboth on high among the people: and set two
men, base fellows, before him, and let them bear witness
against him, saying, 'Thou didst curse God and and the
king.' And then carry him out, and stone him to death."
And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles
who dwelt in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them.
And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth
was stoned, and was dead that Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise,
take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,
[n6]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
which he refused to give thee for money ; for Naboth is not
alive, but dead." And it came to pass, when Ahab heard
that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to
the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession
of it.
And the word of Jehovah came to Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, "Arise, go down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, who
dwelleth in Samaria : behold, he is in the vineyard of Na
both, whither he is gone down to take possession of it.
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, 'Thus saith Jeho
vah, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?' And
thou shalt speak unto him, saying, 'Thus saith Jehovah,
In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall
dogs lick thy blood, even thine.' "
And Ahab said to Elijah, "Hast thou found me, O mine
enemy ?"
And he answered, "I have found thee, because thou hast
sold thyself to do that which is evil in the sight of Je
hovah. Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will ut
terly sweep thee away and will cut off from Ahab every
man-child. And of Jezebel also spake Jehovah, saying,
'The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.' "
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words,
that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh,
and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
And the word of Jehovah came to Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before
me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not
bring the evil in his days; but in his son's days will I
bring the evil upon his house."
And it came to pass, when Jehovah would take up Eli
jah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with
Elisha from Gilgal.
[H7]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And Elijah said unto Elisha, "Tarry here, I pray thee;
for Jehovah hath sent me as far as Beth-el."
And Elisha said, "As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, I will not leave thee." So they went down to
Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came
forth to Elisha, and said unto him, "Knowest thou that
Jehovah will take away thy master from thy head to
day ?" And he said, "Yea, I know it ; hold ye your peace."
And Elijah said unto him, "Elisha, tarry here, I pray
thee; for Jehovah hath sent me to Jericho." And he
said, "As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not
leave thee." So they came to Jericho.
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and
stood over against them afar off: and they two stood by
the Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it
together, and smote the waters, and they were divided
hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry
ground. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that
Elijah said unto Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for thee,
before I am taken from thee." And Elisha said, "I pray
thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me."
And he said, "Thou hast asked a hard thing: neverthe
less, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall
be so unto thee ; but if not, it shall not be so."
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked,
that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses
of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went
up by a whirlwind into heaven.
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, "My father, my father,
the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!"
And he saw him no more : and he took hold of his own
clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also
[118]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back,
and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him,
and smote the waters, and said, "Where is Jehovah, the
God of Elijah?" and when he also had smitten the waters,
they were divided hither and thither; and Elisha went
over. And when the sons of the prophets that were at Jeri
cho over against him saw him, they said, "The spirit of
Elijah doth rest on Elisha." And they came to meet him,
and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the
sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, "Thy servant
my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant
did fear Jehovah: and the creditor is come to take unto
him my two children to be bondmen."
And Elisha said unto her, "What shall I do for thee?
tell me; what hast thou in the house?" And she said,
"Thy handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a
pot of oil."
Then he said, "Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy
neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And
thou shalt go in, and shut the door upon thee and upon
thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels; and thou
shalt set aside that which is full." So she went from him,
and shut the door upon her and upon her sons; they
brought the vessels to her, and she poured out.
And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that
she said unto her son, "Bring me yet a vessel." And he
said unto her, "There is not a vessel more." And the oil
stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said,
["9]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
"Go, sell the oil, and pay the debt, and live thou and thy
sons of the rest."
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem,
where was a great woman ; and she constrained him to eat
bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he
turned in thither to eat bread.
And she said unto her husband, "Behold now, I perceive
that this is a holy man of God, that passeth by us continu
ally. Let us make, I pray thee, a little chamber on the
wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and
a seat, and a candlestick : and it shall be, when he cometh
to us, that he shall turn in thither."
And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned
into the chamber and lay there. And he said to Gehazi
his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had
called her, she stood before him.
And he said unto him, "Say now unto her, 'Behold,
thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is
to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the
king, or to the captain of the host ?' " And she answered,
"I dwell among mine own people." And he said, "What
then is to be done for her?" And Gehazi answered,
"Verily she hath no son, and her husband is old."
And he said, "Call her." And when he had called her,
she stood in the door.
And he said, "At this season, when the time cometh
round, thou shalt embrace a son." And she said, "Nay,
my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid."
And the woman bare a son at that season, when the
time came round, as Elisha had said unto her. And when
the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to
his father to the reapers.
And he said unto his father, "My head, my head." And
[120]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
he said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother." And
when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he
sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she went
up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut
the door upon him, and went out.
And she called unto her husband, and said, "Send me,
I pray thee, one of the servants, and one of the asses, that
I may run to the man of God, and come again."
And he said, "Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day?
it is neither new moon nor sabbath."
And she said, "It shall be well."
Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, "Drive,
and go forward; slacken me not the riding, except I bid
thee." So she went, and came unto the man of God to
mount Carmel.
And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her
afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, "Behold,
yonder is the Shunammite: run, I pray thee, now to meet
her, and say unto her, 'Is it well with thee ? is it well with
thy husband ? is it well with the child ?' "
And she answered, "It is well." And when she came to
the man of God to the hill, she caght hold of his feet.
And Gehazi came near to thrust her away ; but the man
of God said, "Let her alone: for her soul is vexed within
her; and Jehovah hath hid it from me, and hath not told
me." Then she said, "Did I desire a son of my lord ? did I not
say, 'Do not deceive me ?' "
Then he said to Gehazi, "Gird up thy loins, and take my
staff in thy hand, and go thy way : if thou meet any man,
salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not
again : and lay my staff upon the face of the child."
And the mother of the child said," As Jehovah liveth,
[121]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." And he arose
and followed her.
And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff
upon the face of the child ; but there was neither voice, nor
hearing. Wherefore he returned to meet him, and told
him, saying, "The child is not awaked."
And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the
child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in there
fore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto
Jehovah. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and
put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes,
and his hands upon his hands : and he stretched himself
upon him; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then
he returned, and walked in the house once to and fro ; and
went up, and stretched himself upon him : and the child
sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
And he called Gehazi, and said, "Call this Shunammite."
So he called her. And when she was come in unto him,
he said, "Take up thy son." Then she went in, and fell
at his feet, and bowed herself to fhe ground ; and she took
up her son, and went out.
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria,
was a great man with his master, and honorable, because
by him Jehovah had given victory unto Syria : he was
also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
And the Syrians had gone out in bands, and had
brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little
maiden; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
And she said unto her mistress, "Would that my lord
were with the prophet that is in Samaria ! then would he
recover him of his leprosy."
And one went in, and told his lord, saying, "Thus and
thus said the maiden that is of the land of Israel."
[122]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send
a letter unto the king of Israel." And he departed, and took
with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of
gold, and ten changes of raiment.
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying,
"And now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I
have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest
recover him of his leprosy."
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read
the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, "Am I God,
to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me
to recover a man of his leprosy? but consider, I pray you,
and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me."
And it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that
the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to
the king, saying, "Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes?
let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a
prophet in Israel." So Naaman came with his horses, and
with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of
Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, "Go and
wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come
again to thee, and thou shalt be clean."
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, "Be
hold, I thought, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand,
and call on the name of Jehovah his God, and wave his
hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Aba-
nah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all
the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be
clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and
said, "My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some
great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much
rather then, when he saith to thee, 'Wash, and be clean ?' "
[ 123 ]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the
Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and
his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean.
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his com
pany, and came, and stood before him; and he said, "Be
hold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth,
but in Israel : now therefore, I pray thee, take a present
of thy servant."
But he said, "As Jehovah liveth, before whom I stand,
I will receive none." And he urged him to take it ; but he
refused. And Naaman said, "If not, yet, I pray thee, let there be
given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth; for thy
servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor
sacrifice unto other gods, but unto Jehovah. In this thing
Jehovah pardon thy servant: when my master goeth into
the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on
my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when
I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah pardon thy
servant in this thing."
And he said unto him, "Go in peace."
So he departed from him a little way.
But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said,
"Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian,
in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as
Jehovah liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat
of him."
So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman
saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot
to meet him, and said, "Is all well?"
And he said, "All is well. My master hath sent me,
saying, 'Behold, even now there are come to me from the
hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the
[124]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, pnd
two changes of raiment.' "
And Naaman said, "Be pleased to take two talents."
And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two
bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon
two of his servants ; and they bare them before him. And
when he came back to the hill, he took them from their
hand, and bestowed them in the house; and let the men
go, and they departed.
But he went in, and stood before his master. And
Elisha said unto him, "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?"
And he said, "Thy servant went no whither."
And he said unto him, "Went not my heart with thee,
when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is
it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and
oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-
servants and maid-servants? The leprosy therefore of
Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever."
And he went out from his presence a leper as white as
snow. Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel ; and
he took counsel with his servants, saying, "In such and
such a place shall be my camp." And the man of God sent
unto the king of Israel, saying, "Beware that thou pass not
such a place; for thither the Syrians are coming down."
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of
God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself
there, not once nor twice.
And the heart of the king of Syria was sore troublea
for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto
them, "Will ye no* show me which of us is for the king
of Israel ?"
And one of his servants said, "Nay, my lord, O king;
but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king
[125]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber."
And he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send
and fetch him."
And it was told him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan."
Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a
great host: and they came by night, and compassed the
city about.
And when the servant of the man of God was risen
early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and
chariots was round about the city. And his servant said
unto him, "Alas, my master ! how shall we do ?"
And he answered, "Fear not; for they that are with us
are more than they that are with them."
And Elisha prayed, and said, "Jehovah, I pray thee,
open his eyes, that he may see." And Jehovah opened the
eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the
mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round
about Elisha.
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto
Jehovah, and said, "Smite this people, I pray thee, with
blindness. And he smote them with blindness according
to the word of Elisha.
And Elisha said unto them, "This is not the way,
neither is this the city : follow me, and I will bring you to
the men whom ye seek." And he led them to Samaria.
And it came to pass, when they were come to Samaria,
that Elisha said, "Jehovah, open the eyes of these men,
that they may see." And Jehovah opened their eyes, and
they saw ; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw
them, "My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite
them?" And he answered, "Thou shalt not smite them : wouldest
[126]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy
sword and with thy bow ? set bread and water before them,
that they may eat and drink, and go to their master."
And he prepared great provision for them ; and when they
had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to
their master. And the bands of Syria came no more into
the land of Israel.
And Elisha said, "Hear ye the word of Jehovah: thus
saith Jehovah, 'Tomorrow about this time shall a measure
of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of
barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.' "
Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned an
swered the man of God, and said, "Behold, if Jehovah
should make windows in heaven, might this thing be ?"
And he said, "Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes,
but shalt not eat thereof."
Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the
gate; and they said unto one another, "Why sit we here
until we die ? If we say, 'We will enter into the city,' then
the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if
we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore, come,
and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save
us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall
but die."
And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp
of the Syrians; and when they were come to the outer
most part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was
no man there.
For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear
a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise'
of a great host: and they said one to another, "Lo, the
king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hit
tites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us."
Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left
[127]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the
camp as it was, and fled for their life.
And when these lepers came to the outermost part of
the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink,
and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went
and hid it ; and they came back, and entered into another
tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
Then they said one to another, "We do not well; this
day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace : if we
tarry till the morning light, punishment will overtake us;
now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's house
hold." And the people went out, and plundered the camp of the
Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel,
and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the
word of Jehovah. And the king appointed the captain on
whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate : and
the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died as the
man of God had said, who spaice when the king came
down to him.
And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the
prophets, and said unto him, "Gird up thy loins, and take
this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. And
when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of
Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him
arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an
inner chamber. Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on
his head, and say, 'Thus saith Jehovah, "I have anointed
thee king over Israel." ' Then open the door, and flee,
and tarry not." So the young man, even the young man
the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.
And when he came, behold, the captains of the host
were sitting; and he said, "I have an errand to thee, O
captain." [128]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
And Jehu said, "Unto which of us all?
And he said, "To thee, O captain."
And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured
the oil on his head, and said unto him, "Thus saith Jeho
vah, the God of Israel, 'I have anointed thee king over
the people of Jehovah, even over Israel.' " And he opened
the door and fled.
Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and
one said unto him, "Is all well? wherefore came this mad
fellow to thee?"
And he said, "Thus and thus spake he to me, saying,
'Thus saith Jehovah, "I have anointed thee king over
Israel.' " Then they hasted, and took every man his
garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs,
and blew the trumpet, saying, "Jehu is king."
And Jehu said, "If this be your mind, then let none
escape and go forth out of the city, to go to tell it in
Jezreel." So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel ;
for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was
come down to see Joram.
And Joram said, "Make ready." And they made ready
his chariot. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king
of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out
to meet Jehu, and found him in the portion of Naboth
the Jezreelite.
And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he
said, "Is it peace, Jehu?"
And he answered, "What peace, so long as the whore
doms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are
many ?"
And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Aha
ziah, "There is treachery, O Ahaziah." And Jehu drew
his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between
[129]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart, and he
sunk down in his chariot.
Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, "Take up, and
cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreel
ite; for remember how that, when I and thou rode to
gether after Ahab his father, Jehovah laid this burden
upon him : 'Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Na
both, and the blood of his sons,' saith Jehovah; 'and I will
requite thee in this plat,' saith Jehovah. Now therefore
take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to
the word of Jehovah."
But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled
by the way of the garden-house. And Jehu followed after
him, and said, "Smite him also in the chariot:" and they
smote him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And
he fled to Megiddo, and died there. And his servants car
ried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his
sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of
it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and
looked out at the window.
And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, "Is it peace,
thou Zimri, thy master's murderer?"
And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, "Who
is on my side? who?" And there looked out to him two
or three eunuchs.
And he said, "Throw her down." So they threw her
down; and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall,
and on the horses : and he trod her under foot.
And when he was come in, he did eat and drink ; and he
said, "See now to this cursed woman, and bury her; for
she is a king's daughter." And they went to bury her ; but
they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet,
and the palms of her hands. [130]

ELIJAH AND ELISHA
Wherefore they came back, and told him. And he said,
"This is the word of Jehovah, which he spake by his serv
ant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'In the portion of Jezreel
shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel; and the body of
Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the
portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say, "This is
Jezebel." ' "
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he
died : and Joash the king of Israel came down unto him,
and wept over him, and said, "My father, my father, the
chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof !"
And Elisha said unto him, "Take bow and arrows;"
and he took unto him bow and arrows.
And he said to the king of Israel, "Put thy hand upon
the bow;" and he put his hand upon it.
And Elisha laid his hand upon the king's hands. And
he said, "Open the window eastward:" and he opened it.
Then Elisha said, "Shoot;" and he shot. And he said,
"Jehovah's arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory
over Syria ; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till
thou have consumed them."
And he said, "Take the arrows;" and he took them.
And he said unto the king of Israel, "Smite upon the
ground;" and he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man
of God was wroth with him, and said, "Thou shouldest
have smitten five or six times: then hadst thou smitten
Syria till thou hadst consumed it ; whereas now thou shalt
smite Syria but thrice."
And Elisha died and they buried him.

[131]

RUTH
And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged,
that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man
of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of
Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name
of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Na
omi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion,
Euphrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into
the country of Moab, and continued there.
And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was
left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the
women of Moab ; the name of the one was Orpah, and the
name of the other Ruth : and they dwelt there about ten
years. Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the
woman was left of her two children and of her husband.
Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she
might return from the country of Moab: for she had
heard in the country of Moab how that Jehovah had
visited his people in giving them bread. And she went
forth out of the place where she was, and her two
daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to
return unto the land of Judah.
And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, "Go,
return each of you to her mother's house: Jehovah deal
kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with
me. Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each of you
in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them, and
they lifted up their voice, and wept.
[J32]

RUTH
And they said unto her, "Nay, but we will return with
thee unto thy people."
And Naomi said, "Turn again, my daughters : why will
ye go with me? have I yet sons that they may be your
husbands? Turn 'again, my daughters, go your way; for
I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have
hope, if I should even have a husband, and should also
bear sons; would ye therefore tarry till they were grown?
would ye therefore stay from having husbands ? nay, my
daughters ; for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the
hand of Jehovah is gone forth against me." And they
lifted up their voice, and wept again : and Orpah kissed
her mother-in-law ; but Ruth clave unto her.
And she said, "Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back
unto her people, and unto her god: return thou after thy
sister-in-law." And Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, and to
return from following after thee; for whither thou goest,
1 will go ; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge ; thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my God; where thou
diest, will I die, and there will I be buried : Jehovah do so
to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and
me." And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded
to go with her, she left off speaking unto her.
So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it
came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that
all the city was moved about them, and the women said,
"Is this Naomi?"
And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi, call me
Mara ; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
I went out full, and Jehovah hath brought me home again
empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing Jehovah hath testi
fied against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?" So
[133]

BluGRAPHICAL STUDIES
Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-
in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of
Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of
barley harvest.
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty
man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name
was Boaz.
And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, "Let me now
go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after
him in whose sight I shall find favor."
And she said unto her, "Go, my daughter." And she
went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers :
and her hap was to light on the portion of the field be
longing unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto
the reapers, "Jehovah be with you."
And they answered him, "Jehovah bless thee."
Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the
reapers, "Whose damsel is this?"
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered
and said, "It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with
Naomi out of the country of Moab : and she said, 'Let me
glean, I pray you, and gather after the reapers among the
sheaves.' So she came, and hath continued even from the
morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the
house." Then said Boaz unto Ruth, "Hearest thou not, my
daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither pass
from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. Let thine
eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after
them: have I not charged the young men that they shall
not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the
vessels, and drink of that which the young men have
drawn." [134]

RUTH
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the
ground, and said unto him, "Why have I found favor in
thy sight, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, see
ing I am a foreigner ?"
And Boaz answered and said unto her, "It hath fully
been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-
in-law since the death of thy husband ; and how thou hast
left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativ
ity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not
heretofore. Jehovah recompense thy work, and a full re
ward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under
whose wings thou art come to take refuge."
Then she said, "Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord ;
for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast
spoken kindly unto thy handmaid, though I be not as one
of thy handmaidens."
And at meal-time Boaz said unto her, "Come hither,
and eat the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar."
And she sat beside the reapers; and they reached her
parched grain, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left
thereof. And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded
his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the
sheaves, and reproach her not. And also pull out some
for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean,
and rebuke her not."
So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out
that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of
barley. And she took it up, and went into the city; and
her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she
brought forth and gave to her that which she had left
after she was sufficed.
And her mother-in-law said unto her, "Where hast thou
[135]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
gleaned to-day? and where hast thou wrought? blessed
be he that did take knowledge of thee."
And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had
wrought, and said, "The man's name with whom I
wrought to-day is Boaz."
And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be
he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his kindness to the
living and to the dead." And Naomi said unto her, "The
man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen."
And Ruth the Moabitess said, "Yea, he said unto me,
'Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have
ended all my harvest.' "
And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It is
good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, and
that they meet thee not in any other field." So she kept
fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean unto the end of
barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with
her mother-in-law.
And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, "My
daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be
well with thee? And now is not Boaz our kinsman, with
whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley
to-night in the threshing-floor. Wash thyself therefore,
and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get
thee down to the threshing-floor; but make not thyself
known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and
drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou
shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt
go in and uncover his feet, and lay thee down : and he
will tell thee what thou shalt do."
And she said unto her, "All that thou sayest I will do."
And she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did
according to all that her mother-in-law bade her. And
when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry,
[136]

RUTH
he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain : and
she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid,
and turned himself ; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet,
And he said, "Who art thou ?"
And she answered, "I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread
therefore thy sk.rt over thy handmaid ; for thou art a near
kinsman." And he said, "Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter :
thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at
the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men,
whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not;
I will do to thee all that thou sayest; for all the city of
my people doth know that thou art a worthy woman. And
now it is true that I am a near kinsman ; howbeit there is
a kinsman nearer than I. Tarry this night, and it shall
be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the
part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part:
but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then
will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as Jehovah liveth :
lie down until the morning."
And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose
up before one could discern another. For he said, "Let
it not to be known that the woman came to the threshing-
floor." And he said, "Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and
hold it," and she held it; and he measured six measures
of barley, and laid it on her: and he went into the city.
And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said,
"Who art thou, my daughter." And she told her all that
the man had done to her.
And she said, "These six measures of barley gave he
me ; for he said, 'Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.' "
Then said she, "Sit still, my daughter, until thou know
[137]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until
he have finished the thing this day."
Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there :
and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spake came
by : unto whom he said, "Ho, such a one ! turn aside, sit
down here." And he turned aside, and sat down.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said,
"Sit ye down here." And they sat down.
And he said unto the near kinsman, "Naomi, that is
come again out of the country of Moab, selleth the parcel
of land, which was our brother Elimelech's : and I thought
to disclose it unto thee, saying, "Buy it before them that
sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt
redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then
tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it
besides thee; and I am after thee."
And he said, "I will redeem it."
Then said Boaz, "What day thou buyest the field of the
hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabit
ess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead
upon his inheritance."
And the near kinsman said, "I cannot redeem it for my
self, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right
of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it."
Now this was the custom in former time in Israel con
cerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm
all things; a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his
neighbor ; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel,
So the near kinsman said unto Boaz, "Buy it for thy
self." And he drew off his shoe.
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people,
"Ye are witnessses this day, that I have bought all that
was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's,
of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the
[138]

RUTH
wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise
up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the
name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren,
and from the gate of his place ; ye are witnesses this day."
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders,
said, "We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that
is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which
two did build the house of Israel : and do thou worthily in
Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem: and let thy
house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto
Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this
young woman."
So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and she
bare a son.
And the women said unto Naomi, "Blessed be Jehovah,
who hath not left thee this day without a near kinsman;
and let his name be famous in Israel. And he shall be
unto thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old
age; for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, who is
better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him." And
Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became
nurse unto it.
And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying,
"There is a son born to Naomi ; and they called his name
Obed : he is the father of Jesse, the father of David."

[139]

ESTHER
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this is
Ahasuerus who reigned from India even into Ethiopia,
over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces), that in
those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of
his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, in the
third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes
and his servants : the power of Persia and Media, the
nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him;
when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and
the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hun
dred and fourscore days.
And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a
feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan
the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court
of the garden of the king's palace. There were hangings
of white cloth, of green, and of blue, fastened with cords
of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of
marble : the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pave
ment of red, and white, and yellow, and black marble.
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold (the vessels
being diverse one from another), and royal wine in abun
dance, according to the bounty of the king. And the
drinking was according to the law ; none could compel :
for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his
house, that they should do according to every man's
pleasure. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in
the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
[ Mo ]

ESTHER
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry
with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,
Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven cham
berlains that ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus
the king, to bring Vashti the queen before the king with
the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her
beauty; for she was fair to look on. But the queen
Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by the
chamberlains ; therefore was the king very wroth, and his
anger burned in him..
Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the
times (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew
law and judgment; and the next unto him were Carshena,
Shethar, Admantha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Me-
mucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the
king's face, and sat first in the kingdom), "What shall we
do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she
hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the
chamberlains." And Memucan answered before the king and the
princes, "Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the
king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples
that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. For
this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women,
to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when
it shall be reported, 'The king Ahasuerus commanded
Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but
she came not.' And this day will the princesses of Persia
and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen say
the like unto all the king's princes. So will there arise
much contempt and wrath. If it please the king, let there
go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be
written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes,
that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before
[I4i]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate
unto another that is better than she, And when the
king's decree which he shall make shall be published
throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the
wives will give to their husbands honor, both to great and
small." And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and
the king did according to the word of Memucan: for he
sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every prov
ince according to the writing thereof, and to every people
after their language, that every man should bear rule in
his own house, and should speak according to the language
of his people.
After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus
was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had
done, and what was decreed against her.
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him,
"Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king : and
let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his king
dom, that they may gather together all the fair young vir
gins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women,
unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper
of the women; and let their things for purification be
given ; and let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen
instead of Vashti." And the thing pleased the king; and
he did so.
There was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace, whose
name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei,
the son of Kish, a Benjamite, who had been carried away
from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried
away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnez
zar the king of Babylon had carried away. And he
brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daugh
ter : for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden
[142]

ESTHER
was fair and beautiful ; and when her father and mother
were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and
his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gath
ered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of
Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the
custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. And the maiden
pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he
speedily gave her her things for purification, with her
portions, and the seven maidens who were meet to be given
her out of the king's house : and he removed her and her
maidens to the best place of the house of the women.
Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred;
for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it
known. And Mordecai walked every day before the court
of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what
would become of her.
Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go
in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her
according to the law for the women twelve months (for
so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to
wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with
sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the
women), then in this wise came the maiden unto the king:
Whatsover she desired was given her to go with her out
of the house of the women unto the king's house. In the
evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into
the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaash-
gaz, the king's chamberlain, who kept the concubines : she
came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted
in her, and she were called by name. Now when the turn
of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai,
who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in
unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the
[H3]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed.
And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that
looked upon her.
So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his
house royal in the tenth month, which is the month
Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king
loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favor
and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins ; so
that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her
queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast
unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast;
and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts,
according to the bounty of the king.
And when the virgins were gathered together the
second time, then Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate.
Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her peo
ple; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the
commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought
up with him. In those days, while Mordecai was sitting
in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan
and Teresh, of those that kept the threshold, were wroth,
and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. And the
thing became known to Mordecai, who showed it unto
Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in
Mordecai's name. And when inquisition was made of the
matter, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged
on a tree ; and it was written in the book of the chronicles
before the king.
After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman
the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him,
and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate,
bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king
[144]

ESTHER
had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed
not down, nor did him reverence.
Then the king's servants, that were in the king's gate,
said unto Mordecai, "Why transgresseth thou the king's
commandment?" Now it came to pass, when they spake
daily Unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they
told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would
stand : for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when
Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him
reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. But he thought
scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone ; for they had made
known to him the people of Mordecai : wherefore Haman
sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the
whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the
twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is,
the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month
to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, "There is a cer
tain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peo
ples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws
are diverse from those of every people; neither keep they
the king's laws : therefore it is not for the king's profit to
suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that
they be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of
silver into the hands of those that have the charge of the
king's business to bring it into the king's treasuries." And
the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto
Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews'
enemy.. And the king said unto Haman, "The silver is given to
thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good
to thee."
Then were the king's scribes called in the first month,
[145]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
on the thirteenth day thereof; and there was written ac
cording to all that Haman commanded unto the king's
satraps, and to the governors that were over every prov
ince, and to the princes of every people, to every province
according to the writing thereof, and to every people after
their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it
written, and it was sealed with the king's ring. And let
ters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to
destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young
and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon
the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the
month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
A copy of the writing, that the decree should be given
out in every province, was published unto all the peoples,
that they should be ready against that day. The posts
went forth in haste by the king's commandment, and the
decree was given out in Shushan the palace. And the
king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shu
shan was perplexed.
Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai
rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went
out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and
a bitter cry ; and he came even before the king's gate : for
none might enter within the king's gate, clothed with sack
cloth. And in every province, whithersoever the king's
commandment and his decree came, there was great
mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and
wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
And Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and
told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and
she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sack
cloth from off him; but he received it not. Then called
Esther for Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom
he had appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to
[146]

ESTHER
go to Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was.
So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place
of the city, which was before the king's gate. And Mor
decai told him of all that had happened unto him, and
the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to
pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree
that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to show
it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge
her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplica
tion unto him, and to make request before him, for her
people. And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mor
decai. Then Esther spake unto Hathach, and gave him a
message unto Mordecai, saying: "All the king's servants,
and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that who
soever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king
into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law
for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the
king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live : but
I have not been called to come in unto the king these
thirty days." And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto Esther.
"Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the
king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou alto
gether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and
deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou
and thy father's house will perish: and who knoweth
whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a
time as this?"
Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai,
"Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shu
shan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three
days, night or day : I also and my maidens will fast in like
[1471

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
manner; and so will I go in unt 3 the king, which is not
according to the law : and if I perish, I perish." So Mor
decai went his way, and did according to all that Esther
had commanded him.
Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put
on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the
king's house, over against the king's house: and the king
sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against
the entrance of the house. And it was so, when the king
saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she ob
tained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther
the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew
near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
Then said the king unto her, "What wilt thou, queen
Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee
even to the half of the kingdom."
And Esther said, "If it seem good unto the king, let the
king and Haman come his day unto the banquet that I
have prepared for him."
Then the king said, "Cause Haman to make haste, that
it may be done as Esther hath said." So the king and
Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine,
"What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and
what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it
shall be performed."
Then answered Esther, and said, "My petition and my
request is: If I have found favor in the sight of the king,
and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to per
form my request, let the king and Haman come to the
banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to
morrow as the king hath said."
Then went Haman forth that day joyful and glad of
heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate,
[148]

ESTHER
that he stood not up nor moved for him, he was filled with
wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman refrained
himself, and went home; and he sent and fetched his
friends and Zeresh his wife. And Haman recounted unto
them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his chil
dren, and all the things wherein the king had promoted
him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and
servants of the king..
Haman said moreover, "Yea, Esther the queen did let
no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she
had prepared but myself ; and tomorrow also am I invited
by her together with the king. Yet all this availeth me
nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at
king's gate."
Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto
"Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morn
ing speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be
hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king
unto the banquet." And the thing pleased Haman ; and he
caused the gallows to be made.
On that night could not the king sleep; and he com
manded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and
they were read before the king. And it was found writ
ten, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two
of the king's chamberlains, of those that kept the thresh
old, who had sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.
And the king said, "What honor and dignity hath been
bestowed on Mordecai for this?"
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him,
"There is nothing done for him."
And the king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman
was come into the outward court of the king's house, to
speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that
he had prepared for him.
[ H9 ]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
And the king's servants said unto him, "Behold, Haman
standeth in the court."
And the king said, "Let him come in." So Haman came
in. And the king said unto him, "What shall be done unto
the man whom the king delighteth to honor?"
Now Haman said in his heart, "To whom would the
king delight to do honor more than to myself?"
And Haman sail unto the king, "For the man whom the
king delighteth to honor, let royal apparel be brought
which the king useth to wear, ai.d the horse that the king
rideth upon, and on the head of which a crown royal is
set: and let the apparel and the horse be delivered to the
hend of one of the king's most noble princes, that they
may array the man therewith whom the king delighteth
to honor, and cause him to ride on horseback through the
street of the city, and proclaim before him, 'Thus shall it
be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor.' "
Then the king said to Haman, "Make haste, and take
the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even
so to Mordecai, the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate:
let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken."
Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and ar
rayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the street
of the city, and proclaimed before him, "Thus shall it be
done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor."
And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman
hasted to his house, mourning and having his head cov
ered. And Haman recounted unto Zeresh his wife and
all his friends everything that had befallen him.
Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him,
"If Mordecai, before whom thou hast begun to fall, be
of the seed of the Jews, thou shalt not prevail against him,
but shall surely fall before him." While they were yet
[150]

ESTHER
talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and
hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had
prepared. So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther
the queen. And the king said again unto Esther on the
second day of the banquet of wine, "What is thy petition,
queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is
thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be
performed." Then Esther the queen answered and said, "If I have
found favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king,
let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at
my request: for we are sold, I and my people, to be de
stroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold
for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, al
though the adversary could not have compensated for the
king's damage."
Then spake the king Ahasuerus and said unto Esther
the queen, "Who is he, and where is he, that durst pre
sume in his heart to do so?"
And Esther said, "An adversary and an enemy, even
this wicked Haman." Then Haman was afraid before
the king and the queen.
And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of
wine and went into the palace garden: and Haman stood
up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for
he saw that there was evil determined against him by the
king. Then the king returned out of the palace garden
into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was
fallen upon the couch whereon Esther was.
Then said the king, "Will he even force the queen be
fore me in the house?" As the word went out of the
king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.
Then said Harbonah, one of the chamberlains that were
[I5i]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
before the king, "Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits
high, which Haman hath made for Mordecai, who spake
good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman."
And the king said, "Hang him thereon." So they
hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for
Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.
On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of
Haman the Jew's enemy unto Esther the queen. And
Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what
he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, which
he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai.
And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell
down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put
away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device
that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held
out to Esther the golden sceptre. So Esther arose, and
stood before the king. And she said, "If it please the
king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing
seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes,
let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman,
the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to
destroy the Jews that are in all the king's provinces: for
how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my
people? or how n. I endure to see the destruction of my
kindred ?"
Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen
and to Mordecai the Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther
the house of Hainan, and him they have hanged upon the
gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write
ye also to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king's name,
and seal it with the king's ring; for the writing which
is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's
ring, may no man reverse." [152]

ESTHER
Then were the king's scribes called at that time, in the
third month, which is the month Sivan, on the three and
twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to
all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the
satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces
which are from India unto Ethiopia, a hundred twenty
and seven provinces, unto every province according to the
writing thereof, and unto every people after their lan
guage, and to the Jews according to their writing, and
according to their language. And he wrote in the name
of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's ring,
and sent letters by posts on horseback, riding on swift
steeds that were used in the king's service, bred of the
stud: wherein the king granted the Jews that were in
every city to gather themselves together, and to stand
for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish,
all the power of the people and province that would assault
them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of
them for a prey, upon one day in all the provinces of king
Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth
month, which is the month Adar. A copy of the writing,
that the decree should be given out in every province, was
published unto all the peoples, and that the Jews should
be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their
enemies. So the posts that rode upon swift steeds that
were used in the king's service went out, being hastened
and pressed on by the king's commandment; and the de
cree was given out in Shushan the palace.
And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the
king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great
crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple:
and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad. The Jews
had light and gladness, and joy and honor. And in every
province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's com-
[153]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
mandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness
and joy, a feast and a good day. And many from among
the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the
Jews was fallen upon them.
Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar,
on the thirteenth day of the same, when the provinces
of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought
their hurt : and no man could withstand them ; for the fear
of them was fallen upon all the peoples. And all the
princes of the provinces, and the satraps, and the gov
ernors, and they that did the king's business, helped the
Jews ; because the fear of Mordecai was fallen upon them.
For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame
went forth throughout all the provinces; for the man
Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
Therefore do the Jews of the villages, that dwell in the
unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month
Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and
of sending portions one to another.
And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land,
and upon the isles of the sea. And all the acts of his
power and of his might, and the full account of the great
ness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are
they not writtten in the book of the chronicles of the
king's of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was
next unto the king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews,
and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking
the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

[154]

DANIEL
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of
Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, unto Je
rusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim,
king of Judah, into his hand, with part of the vessels of
the house of God; and he carried them into the land of
Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the ves
sels into the treasure house of his god.
And the king spake unto Ashpenaz, the master of his
eunuchs, that he should bring in certain of the children
of Israel, even of the seed royal and of the nobles ; youths
in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful
in all wisdom, and endued with knowledge, and under
standing science, and such as had ability to stand in the
king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning
and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed
for them a daily portion of the king's dainties, and of the
wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished
three years ; that at the end thereof they should stand be
fore the king.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not
defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine
•which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of
the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God
made Daniel to find kindness and compassion in the sight
of the prince of the eunuchs.
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, "I fear
my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your
[155]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
drink; for why should he see your faces worse looking
than the youths that are of your own age ? so would ye en
danger my head with the king."
Then said Daniel to the steward whom the prince of
the eunuchs had apppointed over Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah : "Prove thy servants, I beseech
thee, ten days ; and let them give us pulse to eat, and
water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked
upon before thee, and the countenances of the youths that
eat of the king's dainties ; and as thou seest, deal with thy
servants." So he hearkened unto them in this matter, and proved
them ten days. And at the end of ten days their counte
nances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than
all the youths that did eat of the king's dainties. So
the steward took away their dainties, and the wine that
they should drink, and gave them pulse.
Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowl
edge and skill in all learning and wisdom : and Daniel had
understanding in all visions and dreams.
And at the end of the days which the king had ap
pointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs
brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king
communed with them; and among them all was found
none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: there
fore stood they before the king. And in every matter of
wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king in
quired of them, he found them ten times better than all the
magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm. And
Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was
troubled, and his sleep went from him. Then the king
[156]

DANIEL
commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and
the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his
dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
And the king said unto them, "I have dreamed a dream,
and my spirit is troubled to know the dream."
Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in the Syrian
language, "O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the
dream, and we will show the interpretation."
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "The
thing is gone from me : if ye make not known unto me the
dream and the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in
pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But
if ye show the dream and the interpretation thereof, ye
shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor:
therefore show me the dream and the interpretation
thereof." They answered the second time and said, "Let the king
tell his servants the dream, and we will show the inter
pretation." The king answered and said, "I know of a certainty
that ye would gain time, because ye see the thing is gone
from me. But if ye make not known unto me the dream,
there is but one law for you; for ye have prepared lying
and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be
changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know
that ye can show me the interpretation thereof."
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said,
"There is not a man upon the earth that can show the
king's matter, forasmuch as no king, lord, or ruler, hath
asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or
Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth,
and there is no other that can show it before the king,
except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." For
[157]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
this cause the king was angry and very furious, and com
manded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be
slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be
slain. Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and pru
dence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was
gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; he answered
and said to Arioch the king's captain, "Wherefore is the
decree so urgent from the king?" Then Arioch made the
thing known to Daniel. And Daniel went in, and desired
of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he
would show the king the interpretation.
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing
known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his compan
ions : that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven
concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions
should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Baby
lon. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision
of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Daniel answered and said, "Blessed be the name of
God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are his.
And he changeth the times and the seasons ; he removeth
kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the
wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding; he
revealeth the deep and secret things; he knoweth what is
in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank
thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast
given me wisdom and might, and hast now made known
unto me what we desired of thee; for thou hast made
known unto us the king's matter."
Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king
had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he
[158]

DANIEL
went and said thus unto him : "Destroy not the wise men
of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show
unto the king the interpretation."
Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in
haste, and said thus unto him, "I have found a man of the
children of the captivity of Judah, that will make known
unto the king the interpretation."
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was
Belteshazzar, "Art thou able to make known unto me the
dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?"
Daniel answered before the king, and said, "The secret
which the king hath demanded can neither wise men, en
chanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show unto the
king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets,
and he hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar
what shall be in the latter days.
"Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed,
are these : as for thee, O king, thy thoughts came unto thy
mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter;
and he that revealeth secrets hath made known to thee
what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not
revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any
living, but to the intent that the inerpretation may be made
known to the king, and that thou mayest know the
thoughts of thy heart.
"Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great image.
This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was
excellent, stood before thee; and the aspect thereof was
terrible. As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its
breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of
brass, its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of
clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without
honds, which smote the image upon its feet that were of
iron and clay, and brake them in pieces. Then was the
[159]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken
in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the sum
mer threshing-floors ; and the wind carried them away,
so that no place was found for them : and the stone that
smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the
whole earth.
"This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation
thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art king of kings,
unto whom the God of heaven hath given the kingdom, the
power, and the strength, and the glory; and wheresoever
the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the
birds of the heavens hath he given into thy hand, and hath
made thee to rule over them all : thou art the head of
gold. "And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior
to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall
bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom
shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in
pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth
all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.
"And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of
potters' clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided king
dom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron,
forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
•And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of
clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly
broken. And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry
clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men;
but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth
not mingle with clay.
"And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven
set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor
shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people;
but it shall break in pieces and consume all these king-
[160]

DANIEL
doms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou
sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without
hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the
clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made
known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter : and
the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and
worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should
offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him. The king an
swered unto Daniel, and said, "Of a truth your God is the
God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of
secrets, seeing thou hast been able to reveal this secret."
Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many
great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province
of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise
men of Babylon. And Daniel requested of the king, and
he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the
affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel was in the
gate of the king-
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose
height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six
cubits. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather to
gether the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the
judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and
all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication
of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the
judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and
all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together
unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the
king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Then the herald cried aloud, "To you it is commanded,
[161]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
O peoples, nations, and languages, that at what time ye
hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship
the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set
up; and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall
the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace." Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the
sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all
kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the lan
guages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that
Nebchadnezzar the king had set up.
Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and
brought accusations against the Jews.
They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king,
"O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree,
that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds
of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image;
and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, shall be
cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are
certain Jews whom thou hast apppointed over the affairs
of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee:
they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image
which thou hast set up."
Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded
to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they
brought these men before the king.
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said unto them, Is it of
purpose, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that ye
serve not my god, nor worship the golden image which I
have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye
hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
[ 162 ]

DANIEL
and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and
worship the image which I have made, well: but if ye
worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst
of a burning fiery furnace ; and who is that god that shall
deliver you out of my hands?"
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said
to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to
answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom
we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery
furnace; and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will
not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which
thou hast set up.
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form
of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach)
and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that
they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was
wont to be heated. And he commanded certain mighty
men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery
furnace. Then these men were bound in their breeches,
their tunics, and their mantles, and their other garments,
and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent,
and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew
those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning
fiery furnace.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and
rose up in haste: he spake and said unto his counsellors,
"Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the
fire?" They answered and said unto the king, "True, O king."
[163]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walk
ing in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and
the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods."
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the
burning fiery furnace; he spake and said, "Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the Most High
God, come forth, and come hither."
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth
out of the midst of the fire. And the satraps, the deputies,
and the governors, and the king's counsellors, being gath
ered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power
upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed,
neither were their breeches changed, nor had the smell
of fire passed on them.
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, "Blessed be the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his
angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and
have changed the king's word, and have yielded their
bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god,
except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, that
every people, nation, and language, which speak anything
amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be
made a dunghill ; because there is no other god that is
able to deliver after this sort." Then the king promoted
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of
Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations,
and languages, that dwell in all the earth : Peace be mul
tiplied unto you. It hath seemed good unto me to show
the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath
wrought toward me. How great are his signs ! and how
mighty are his wonders ! his kingdom is an everlasting
[ 164 ]

DANIEL
kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to genera
tion. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourish
ing in my palace. I saw a dream which made me afraid;
and. the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my
head troubled me. Therefore made I a decree to bring iii
all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might
make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chal
deans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before
them; but they did not make known unto me the inter
pretation thereof.
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name
was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and
in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the
dream before him, saying, "O Belteshazzar, master of
the magicians, becase I know that the spirit of the holy
gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the
visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpre
tation thereof. Thus were the visions of my head upon
my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the
earth; and the height thereof was great. The tree grew,
and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto
heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth.
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much,
and in it was food for all; the beasts of the field had
shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in
the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it.
"I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and,
behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from
heaven. He cried aloud, and said thus, 'Hew down the
tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and
scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it,
and the fowls from its branches. Nevertheless leave the
[165]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron
and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be
wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with
the beasts in the grass of the earth: let his heart be
changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto
him; and let seven times pass over him. The sentence is
by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the
word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may
know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men,
and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over
it the lowest of men.'
"This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and
thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch
as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make
known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able; for
the spirit of the holy gods is in thee."
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was
stricken dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him.
The king answered and said, "Belteshazzar, let not the
dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee."
Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, the dream
be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof
to thine adversaries. The tree that thou sawest, which
grew, and was strong, whose height reached into heaven,
and the sight thereof to all the earth; whose leaves were
fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for
all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon
whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habi
tation: it is thou, O king, that art grown and become
strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto
heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
"And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one
coming down from heaven, and saying, 'Hew down the
tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the
[166]

DANIEL
roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and
brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet
with the dew of heaven; and let his portion be with the
beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;' this is
the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the
Most High, which is come upon my lord the king: that
thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall
be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to
eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of
heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou
know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men,
and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
"And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the
roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee,
after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto
thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine
iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be
a lengthening of thy tranquillity."
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the
end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace
of Babylon.
The king spake and said, "Is not this great Babylon,
which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the
might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?"
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a
voice from heaven, saying, "O king Nebuchadnezzar, to
thee it is spoken: 'The kingdom is departed from thee:
and thou shalt be driven from men ; and thy dwelling shall
be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat
grass as oxen ; and seven times shall pass over thee ; until
thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.' "
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchad-
[167]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
nezzar : and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as
oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till
his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails
like birds' claws.
And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up
mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned
unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and
honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation
to generation; and all the inhabitants of the earth are
reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in
the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the
earth ; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What
doest thou? At the same time mine understanding re
turned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my
majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my coun
sellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was estab
lished in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added
unto me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and
honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth,
and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is
able to abase.
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand
of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Bel
shazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring
the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his
father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusa
lem ; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concu
bines, might drink therefrom.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out
of the temple of the house of God which was at Jeru
salem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his con
cubines, drank from them. They drank wine, and praised
[168]

DANIEL
the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood,
and of stone.
In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's
hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the
plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw
the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's counte
nance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him ;
and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees
smote one against another.
The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the
Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spake and
said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whosoever shall read
this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof,
shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold
about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the king
dom." Then came in all the king's wise men ; but they could
not read the writing, nor make known to the king the
interpretation. Then was king Belshazzar greatly
troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and
his lords were perplexed.
Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and
his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spake
and said, "O king, live for ever; let not thy thoughts
trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed. There
is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the
holy gods: and in the days of thy father light and under
standing and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were
found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father,
the king, I say, thy father, made him master of the ma
gicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; foras
much as an excellent spirit and knowledge, and under
standing, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark
sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the
[169]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now
let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."
Then was Daniel brought in before the king.
The king spake and said unto Daniel, "Art thou that
Daniel, who art of the children of the captivity of Judah,
whom the king my father brought out of Judah? I have
heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and
that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are
found in thee. And now the wise men, the enchanters,
have been brought in before me, that they should read
this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation
thereof; but they could not show the interpretation of the
thing. But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give in
terpretations, and dissolve doubts : now if thou canst read
the writing, and make known to me the interpretation
thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a
chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler
in the kingdom."
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let
thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another;
nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and
make known to him the interpretation.
"O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar
thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and ma
jesty : and because of the greatness that he gave him, all the
peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before
him : whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept
alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he
would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up,
and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he
was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his
glory from him : and he was driven f rOm the sons of men,
and his heart was made like the beasts', and his dwelling
was with the wild asses ; he was fed with grass like oxen,
[170]

DANIEL
and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he
knew that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and that he setteth up over it whomsoever he will.
"And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy
heart, though thou knewest all this, but hast lifted up
thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have
brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou
and thy lords, thy wives and thy concubines, have drunk
wine from them ; and thou hast praised the gods of silver
and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not,
nor hear, nor know ; and the God in whose hand thy breath
is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.
Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and
this writing was inscribed.
"And this is the writing that was inscribed:
"Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin. This is the interpreta
tion of the thing:
"Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought
it to an end.
"Tekel ; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found
wanting. "Peres ; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes
and Persians."
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel
with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and
made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the
third ruler in the kingdom.
In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.
And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about
threescore and two years old.
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred
and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole
kingdom • and over them three presidents of whom Daniel
[17O

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
was one ; that these satraps might give account unto them,
and that the king should have no damage. Then this
Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the sa
traps, because an excellent spirit was in him ; and the king
thought to set him over the whole realm.
Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find oc
casion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they
could find no occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was
faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in
him. Then said these men, "We shall not find any occasion
against this Daniel, except we find it against him con
cerning the law of his God."
Then these presidents and satraps assembled together
to the king, and said thus unto him, "King Darius, live
for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies
and the satraps, the counsellors and the governors, have
consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to
make a strong interdict, that whosoever shall ask a peti
tion of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O
king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king,
establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be
not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Per
sians, which altereth not." Wherefore king Darius signed
the writing and the interdict.
And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed,
he went into his house (now his windows were open in his
chamber toward Jerusalem) ; and he kneeled upon his
knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks be
fore his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men as
sembled together, and found Daniel making petition and
supplication before his God.
Then they came near, and spake before the king con
cerning the king's interdict : "Hast thou not signed an in-
[172]

DANIEL
terdict, that every man that shall make petition unto any
god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O
king, shall be cast into the den of lions?"
The king answered and said, "The thing is true, ac
cording to the law of the Medes and Persians, which al-
tereth not."
Then answered they and said before the king, "That
Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah,
regardeth not thee, O king, nor the interdict that thou
hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day."
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore
displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him ;
and he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue
him. Then these men assembled together unto the king, and
said unto the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of
the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute
which the king establisheth may be changed."
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel,
and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake
and said unto Daniel, "Thy God whom thou servest con
tinually, he will deliver thee."
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of
the den ; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and
with the signet of his lords: that nothing might be
changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his
palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instru
ments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled
from him.
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and
went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came
near unto the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable
voice; the king spake and said to Daniel, "O Daniel,
[173]

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES
servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest
continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?"
Then said Daniel unto the king, "O king, live for ever.
My God hath sent his angel, and ha h shut the lions'
mouths, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before
him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O
king, have I done no hurt."
Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that
they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel
was taken up Out of the den, and no manner of hurt was
found upon him, because he had trusted in his God.
And the king commanded, and they brought those men
that had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den
of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the
liens had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones
in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.
Then king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations,
and languages, t.iat dwell in all the earth : "Peace be mul
tiplied unto you. I make a decree, that in all the domin
ion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God
of Daniel ; for he is the living God, and steadfast for
ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed;
and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He de-
livereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders
in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from
the power of the lions."
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in
the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

[174]